oaktreerb

If you are viewing a glacier you will need layers to keep you warm. You may need a warm knit hat to keep your ears warm and gloves if you plan to be outside during viewing. Otherwise, in port it’s just basic layering and rain gear or jacket. No winter coat. A waterproof jacket will protect you from rain and wind if necessary. May and June are generally pretty nice weatherwise in Alaska.

Holland America is going through a transition in the entertainment offerings. Princess would be a good choice for a ship that can access Glacier Bay and also provide entertainment in the evenings. Holland is generally a good choice for seniors and will probably have fewer children, we’re not sure what the entertainment style will be and it may differ from ship to ship.

Glacier Bay is cold and you may have rain. The ship will sit in view of the glacier and turn port to starboard so everyone can see. The ship will stop near Gustavus to disembark the pilots on the way out. I sit out on the balcony in Glacier Bay with gloves, hat, and a cozy blanket. I can’t imagine dining out there. Is there a romantic restaurant onboard that offers scenic window seating? Glacier Bay in summer is nothing like the Norwegian Fjords temperature wise. It’s like sitting in an icebox. OK, I see you @Acorn27 are from Minnesota. Your perspective will differ from mine! Enjoy your amazing Alaska cruise!

I was especially surprised to see a service dog on our Hawaii cruise. In the past Hawaii has been especially strict about dogs coming to the island even with a military family (dogs had to quarantine for several weeks). (Vietnam wartime ear) I asked the handler if the dog could get off the ship. Yes, she said she had to fill out a lot pf paperwork (I didn’t carry the conversation further). On the next cruise to Hawaii there were the two companion dogs. I wonder if they were allowed off the ship in Hawaii. Do cruise lines require medical records showing that the dog has received the proper immunizations required for a dog license in many states, like California? What if the dog bites someone or has fleas? This is not a simple issue.

I think it’s new.

HAL has a series of Mexican Riviera, Pacific Coast, and Hawaii/South Pacific cruising out of San Diego primarily on the Koningsdam in the late Fall through the Winter before repositioning to Alaska. The other cruise lines may stop in SD but very few cruise-line itineraries begin and end in SD.

@LastCallForCoffee I think HAL shows the category SC because it is the lowest NS category. Another issue is that people who take a paid upsell to a NS can choose their stateroom. You have saved $2000 which you can spend on experiences in Alaska. We once had a stateroom in Alaska with a forward facing window. The forward views out that window were amazing. Alaska may be cold and rainy. You may not spend much time on that balcony, anyway! Enjoy the adventure!

I was thinking about Captain Albert yesterday. I really miss his blog to find out who’ll be the Captain of the Westerdam in June. I’m glad Holland America is promoting his book! I hope to purchase it onboard with OBC. Thanks for posting.

I booked our June 2024 28 day Ultimate Alaska itinerary when I first saw it on December 9, 2022. We will be the first group for this itinerary and I hope HAL will offer it again in 2026. It sold out pretty quickly, some people moved to the 2025 sailing, others changed their mind, but it looks like it is sold out again today. The higher level categories sold out quickly.

Traffic is an issue on Oahu. Honolulu is a big city with big city traffic. The bus system is great.

I’ve taken several Holland America Alaska/Yukon land tours and have seen very few children on the land portion. Families are more likely to rent a car for the land trip. There will be children on the ship but they are generally well behaved. Early August is a good time to travel in Alaska and I definitely suggest doing the land tour first.

@rwethereyet1969When you return to Juneau you can walk around town. If it is a clear day you could purchase tickets at the entrance and take the Mt. Roberts Tram up the mountain for the views, shops, exhibits, and/or hiking.

Club Orange priority tendering is available for going ashore in tender ports. Returning to the ship has always been one line for everyone. A lot of people other than Club Orange also have priority tendering. If there was a priority line, it would have been very long, and many more people would have been upset.

Another source of information for Alaska Cruisers: “Alaska by Cruise Ship” by Anne Vipond

You may see some houses along the way or lights at night. If you were sailing between the islands you would sail past villages but you will be out in the ocean and far from land. You will mostly see the trees, maybe a lighthouse. Princess used to have a large map showing the points of interest along the inside passage. There is a cruise handbook for cruising Alaska, ”The Alaska Cruise Handbook” by Joe Upton.

@Crew News can probably answer this question. I would expect May. The end of August may have more rain and rougher seas,

The ability to upgrade is not primary to me. I pay for a VH and choose my favorite VB cabin. I do like the quiet dining room and the dedicated guest services line. I already have priority tendering.

yes. Club Orange is no help here. You will have a meeting place, maybe the showroom, where your group will meet and you will go as a group to board the catamaran. You may have an assigned seat. I would not expect to be first in line but there is no reason to be concerned. Be there early so you are not left behind.

You need to book the excursion to Tracy Arm. All who book the excursion will be transferred from the ship to the catamaran and will have a seat onboard. You will be able to move around the boat. Club Orange is a totally different experience. If you have tender ports you will have priority tendering to shore, you will not have to pick up a tender ticket but may have to stand in line to disembark. Club Orange is primarily a private dining experience.

Step One dancers are wonderful but I’ve seen them numerous times on the Koningsdam. The dance shows are created for 6 performers with the “surround screen system” of the three newest ships. There is no understudy to step in when one dancer is not able to perform, the dancers adjust the routine. I think on our 18 day Hawaii cruise Step One only performed 2-3 times, and all performances were repeats of the past few years productions. If the performance is cancelled, HAL shows a movie. I can watch a movie in my stateroom. It’s time for a change.

We have taken several of the Yukon/Denali itineraries. The Y3L is a great itinerary. After your land tour you will join the Zaandam in Skagway. The Zaandam is a perfect ship for this amazing adventure.

This cruise has 3 foreign ports! Ketchikan is the only US port outside of Seattle but a destination none the less!

I’m happy to see HAL coming up with some unique itineraries for the Pacific Northwest! If I lived in Seattle I’d be booking this, too. We sailed the southern part of this itinerary on a Canadian Ferry, from Prince Rupert to Nanaimo. Loved sailing past Bella Bella and between the scenic islands in the inside passage. Your cruise will be much more leisurely. Twice we have looked for bears in the Great Bear Rainforest, once we were successful. Enjoy the journey!

I take 2 pair of shoes that I can hike in on a rainy hike (good traction). One pair may not dry out in one day. I have a light weight rain proof jacket and rain pants that I can roll up and carry with me for rainy and windy conditions. Wool socks are recommended. Bring clothes that coordinate and layer. Hat to keep your ears warm, gloves to keep your hands warm if you will be viewing glaciers from your ship.