This was our 9th Alaska cruise and 6th on Holland America. We sailed three times on Regent Seven Seas, but the last 6 straight have been on HA. We love the service and pampering. Would we like to go again? YES! We sailed to Hawaii for 17 days from San Diego in February. We're booked for Norway next summer, but reserve the right to book another cruise to Alaska.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We are 4 star mariners which allowed us to board early and with great ease.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We enjoyed specialty restaurants each of seven nights, so did not sample the main dining room, but we have always been impressed on past HA cruises.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We loved the non-smoking casino and enjoyed playing table games and slots. We did not use the pools or fitness center.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Lincoln Center was always very well attended. The music hit on the ship were the nightly B B King shows. We also enjoyed the Billboard music. We did not see the entertainment in the main showroom, mostly because it didn't fit our schedule.
Children's Programs
We traveled with our "children" but they are age 47 and 52!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
I will say everyone on the staff was top drawer. The crew on this cruise was as close to perfect as one can get. Outstanding job.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We have been on previous Nieuw Amsterdam cruises. This particular cruise was the best of the best. The ship was "ship shape" and perfect in every way, in every part of the ship. No signs of wear or neglect. Always clean and sparkling. Even the ship's exterior looked brand new. Excellent work HA. In some of the ports, we noticed other cruise line ships to be in desperate need of paint and attention.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
We have enjoyed rear Neptune corner suites, but noticed a reduction of floor space on deck 6. Not a huge complaint, but so noted. The closet space was reduced and awkward to access. There was an added door for an adjacent cabin that eliminated the closets in the makeup area. Not very good planning. The addition of a night light in the bathroom was very welcomed. Didn't need to use my personal flashlight.
Ship tip
Enjoy the whole ship, from stem to stern. It's very well designed and easy to navigate.
Our favorite hotel, the Pan Pacific is always a treat. We always get a view room to see our ship arrive under the Lion's Gate Bridge and tie up at Canada Place, just below the hotel. Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and we always love visiting.
The Inside Passage is the only way to see Alaska, and starting in Vancouver affords this routing. We found that starting in Seattle is wasteful because travel is on the outside of Vancouver Island and we were at sea, without shoreline views for 4 days of the 7 day trip. Never out of Seattle if you want to see the beauty of western Canada and Alaska.
We always enjoy walking in Juneau and stopping where the locals go. We've done the big tours in the past, but this time we enjoyed the locals and hospitality.
Again, we've done the White Pass Railroad several times and taken formal tours of Skagway. This time we mixed with the locals and enjoyed live music and tried some local drinks.
The sun came out and it was a most beautiful day. We just can't get enough of this excursion to the tide water glaciers. Perfect in every way. Holland America knows Glacier Bay and just how to present it.
Again, we've gone salmon fishing, taken the tours in the past. This time, we walked all around town, stopping in for a bite or drink in some of the local spots.
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