Fantastic trip with unbelievably breathtaking views! We loved every minute of the Cruise. If we cruise in the future we will look at Holland America Cruis Line first before any others! There was just one very minor thing we think they could improve on and that is their bed pillows. The longer one was wadded on both ends and there was a spot in the middle for your head and I ended up using it for a body pillow. The other was a feather pillow that went flat when you used it.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Holland America was very organized. They sent a representative to the hotel to see that all our luggage got collected and made sure all guest were there to get on the bus. She even stayed behind to make sure our luggage would get on the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The Lido Market buffet had excellent food and many choices for both breakfast and lunch, the Taco Bar was very good, and the Hamburger Shack had big hamburgers that my husband loved. We dined in the. Vista Dining Room each night. You could have as many courses as you liked we usually went with the appetizer, soup or salad, main course and dessert. The food was gourmet and delicious! The services was great as well!
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We did not choose to swim or use the fitness center, but we went to many of the onboard activities such as the Microsoft tutoring sessions. I went to one just about every day and some days more than one. They had a little trouble with some of the computers not working some of the time but the tutor was very good. We also the information sessions and the some of the cooking classes and we did some shopping. I even went to Mass twice. The last Saturday night Mass had over 100 people in attendance.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We did not miss one evening performance. We especially liked the comedian and the magician! We also enjoyed the chamber music played by a fantastic Asian young violinist who was accompanied by a great pianist. I guess our favorite performance was the BBC animal and nature video while the ships musicians played music along with it. It was awesome!
Children's Programs
We had no children with us.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
They were great! Always attentive and considerate and patient. Our rooms were straightened twice per day.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Once we found our way around that first day, it was easy to get around. Most things were either on Decks 2, 3 or 9. Our room was right next to two glass outside elevators and around the corner from the two inside elevators and the staircases. Now, normally you might not think that is a good thing, but it was great! I was worried that it might be noisy by them but we had no problems whatsoever and it was really handy having them right there. No walking down the long hallway to get to them.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
It was bigger than the other cruise ship line when we had a balcony and we had plenty of room to move around. We spent more time in our cabin probably than most passengers. We don't really enjoy sitting in the common areas unless something is going on that we want to hear or see. We especially enjoyed our veranda balcony. The views were unbelievable! I was so glad that I picked the starboard side since we could look at the land as we cruised up the Canadian and Alaskan coasts!
Ship tip
You don't have to worry about a thing!
They transfer you from place to place and have all your steps planned out when you get to each destination in your Welcome Packet including what time you have to be where for even your excursions. Your luggage is always waiting for you in your room when you arrive and is picked up at your door. We had a terrific experience with Holland America! We have sailed on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Disney. We say they are the one of the best!
Quaint town. We very much enjoyed the walk through the Alaskan Rainforest and the Raptor Center. We loved getting so close to a bald eagle. The totem pole part was kind of a let down for me. They did tell the story about the one with the beak that they were carving on the 30 foot totem pole. Think I was expecting a room displaying the process in steps and the reasons for the different characters carved on them.
A little bigger town. Surprised that you could only get there by ship or plane being that it is there capital city.
We absolutely loved the Whale Watching Quest. We saw Two pods of Orcas and a few humpbacks! I wished one of them would have breached. The Mendenhall Glacier was gorgeous and so was its waterfall! The lunch at Orca Point was very good!
Most like a mining town of long ago! We enjoyed learning all about the Sled Dogs and getting to hold a puppy and how it feels to be in 40 Degrees Below Zero. We got a tutorial on how to Pan for Gold and found some in our pans of soil. It wasn't as easy as it looked! I wanted to try it again! I guess I got gold fever!
It was quick. You just had to show them your ID card that they gave you at the beginning of your Cruise and they sapped it with their card reader and you were going down the gang plank.
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