First-time cruisers and it was fantastic!

Item: Noordam
Rating: 4.7
Author: nwa17r

Noordam Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage

nwa17r

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 23

Overall rating:

4.7 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Glacier Discovery Northbound (Vancouver To Whittier)

Sail date: July 23, 2023

Ship: Noordam

Cabin number: 7101

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 10 months ago

Review summary

Would do it again in a heartbeat! I had heard that Holland America was one of the best ... and I believe it.

Embarkation

3 out of 5

Poor instructions on where to go to check in and check baggage.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

Great service, great surroundings and food was good.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Attended the performance shows and a few "lectures". Enjoyable and informative.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Very good.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

All ship's staff were super, friendly and were ready to meet our every need.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Impressive!

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Everything was well designed and met our needs, while not being "excessive" on space. We really appreciated the light-blocking curtains for the long Alaskan days.

Ship tip

Take a telephoto lens for your smart phone or camera. Be prepared to walk a lot. It is a BIG ship and getting from place to place means walking (except when you can move from deck to deck via the elevators).

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia

4 out of 5

Just went from airport to Cruise Port.

Thumbs Up 0

Cruise Inside Passage, Alaska

5 out of 5

Smooth sailing and great views.

Thumbs Up 0

Ketchikan, Alaska

4 out of 5

Nice place, but mostly shops.

Thumbs Up 0

Juneau, Alaska

5 out of 5

Interesting area. Took Tram up mountain. A bit pricey, but great views once the fog cleared up some. Also, some family-friendly, short hikes on the mountain.

Thumbs Up 0

Skagway, Alaska

5 out of 5

Took the White Pass Summit Train ride - highly recommended. Besides shopping, not much else to do besides expensive excursions.

Thumbs Up 0

Cruise Glacier Bay

5 out of 5

Getting there and being there was a wonderful experience. The ship spent plenty of time at the glacier, with both sides of the ship given lots of time to take pictures. Information provided about the area was helpful and informative.

Thumbs Up 0

Cruise College Fjord, Alaska

5 out of 5

Again, lots of time to watch for whales, sea otters, etc. both coming and going, with plenty of time at the glacier.

Thumbs Up 0

Whittier (Anchorage), Alaska

4 out of 5

Didn't spend any time in the port, except to get a bus to Anchorage, which was the beginning of our "land" part of our Alaska trip.

Thumbs Up 0