The excursions we took were okay, I think they're overpriced. The Juneau food tour was expensive for what you got. I would have prefered eating a whole crab at Tracy's King Crab Shack than what we got for what we paid. The dinner whale watching cruise was mediocre. We saw just as many whales from the ship & the food was terrible. Probably should have taken the non food whale watching tour but thought it was going to be great local food. Again, I know there are issues coming off Covid.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
We had assigned boarding times but why? All of us sat in the Vancouver terminal for 1.5 hors waiting to board so having scheduled times was useless. I would have rather waited until after lunch to get on board. And we did have to wear masks on the ship, not in port.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The food was okay. I understand there are supply chain issues as well as staff shortages so I'll give you a pass for now. This is our first cruise since Covid. But prior to that, food was was typically exceptional on cruises. This was our first Holland America cruise & I was very pleased overall with my experience. Even the specialty restaurants weren't up to par on food quality. The service was great!
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Loved that the casino has real dealers & not computers. Jose was very funny. We looked forward to bingo & trivia with him. The string quartet was incredible! I highly recommend listening to them.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Loved the string quartet! They played R&R. The band in the Rolling Stone Lounge were loud & not very good. We went to one show which was loud & not very good.
Children's Programs
No kids with us
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The cabin staff were wonderful & did an excellent job. The bar staff, Cliff & John, were awesome! They were very attentive & kept our drinks full.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
It's a smaller ship, 1900 passengers max, which is nice because there aren't any lines to wait in. Easy to get around & they have plenty of elevators if you need them. The outside one is very cool to ride on.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
the cabins were huge. These balcony cabins were 50% larger than other lines at a higher price. I loved that we had two vanities & a tub shower, which made the trip even more enjoyable.
Ship tip
Get a room with a balcony for all the scenery you'll pass. It's nice to sit outside & watch it all without the crowds or windows to block any of it.
Love Vancouver but we didn't do an excursion through the cruise line. We walked around & did the red bus tour. Ate dinner at the Hydra Restaurant & the food was incredible. The local oysters were my favorite. The Top if Vancouver, which had amazing views, & the food was excellent. The Lions Pub has great beer & food as well.
Ate at Ketchican Crab & Grill, very good. Had clam chower & crab topped fries. Walked around the town & shopped at the local shops. We saw lots of eagles flying around too which was very cool.
We loved Juneau. But took the Juneau food tour & thought was expensive for what you got. I would have prefered eating a whole crab at Tracy's King Crab Shack than what we got for what we paid. It was minimal food & pretty much no alcohol even though it advertises having 'local' cocktails with your food. Save your money & go eat a huge crab at Tracy's. It's literally at the pier where you get off.
The dinner whale watching cruise was mediocre. We saw just as many whales from the ship & the food was terrible. Probably should have taken the non food whale watching tour but thought it was going to be great local food. I know there are issues coming off Covid but these weren't worth the cost.
We started at the visitor's center to watch the films about the gold rush & the Buffalo Soilders that came to Skagway. They were very interesting films.
We walked around the town, ate a doughboy at Alaskan Fried Bread Co & had lunch at Olivia's Bistro. It was very good & loved the atmosphere.
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