Very enjoyable Alaska Cruise

Item: Noordam
Rating: 4.9
Author: Chris3281

Noordam Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage

Chris3281

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 7

Overall rating:

4.9 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Glacier Discovery Northbound (Vancouver To Whittier)

Sail date: June 23, 2024

Ship: Noordam

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 5166

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 2 months ago

Review summary

We picked this cruise since it had a day of cruising in Glacier Bay National Park, with park rangers on board. That was definitely the highlight of the cruise, but visits to ports of Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway were also great.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

10x smoother and quicker than our previous cruise

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Most of our breakfasts, lunches and dinners were in the main dining room. We found the food and service to be excellent. The portions were reasonable, which kept us from the temptation of eating too much.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

We enjoyed the day at Glacier Bay with park rangers on board. We also appreciated very much the preview sessions (what to expect in the next port). I liked being able to play pickleball, even though the conditions were not very favorable (wind, ship rocking).

Entertainment

We did not participate in these programs.

Children's Programs

We did not have children with us.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Staff in general was very courteous and helpful. Special mentions go to: Adrian (Main Dining) and Peter (Ocean Bar) and Edy and Nur (Housekeeping)

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

It is clear this is not a newer ship, but it has been renovated + it is being kept up very well. I felt that the older style gave the ship more character.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Last time we booked an outside cabin. Since we spent very time in our cabin, we followed someone's advice to book an inside cabin. We did not regret this: it was cheaper, so we had more money to spend on other things like excursions.

Ship tip

Do your research for the return home. Even though we booked a day long activity / transfer from Whittier to Anchorage, we arrived a the airport and still had to wait 8 hours before our flight. Anchorage airport only accepts luggage 4 hours before departure + luggage storage service is only available until 7PM, so we had to sit and watch our luggage for 4 hours, not the best way to spend an afternoon.

Thumbs up