VacationCharlene

ONE MORE WEEK and we will board from San Diego for a glorious month on the wonderful Maasdam.

Thanks to all that wish us well. We are all so super excited and hoping this years cruise will get a lot less rain and make it to all of our tender ports....so we are going to be doing the SUN DANCE everyday.....join us please....;p

Bill & Charlene

TRUST ME......You will LOVE the Maasdam. I too am from San Diego and we are booked on her for the 33 day cruise to the Hawaiian Islands and South Pacific leaving in less than two weeks rt from San Diego.

We were on the Maasdam this past May/June for two weeks for HAL's 14 day Alaska cruise.

We loved the employees and still in contact via email with a few of them, food was great, entertainment nice, room was quiet and getting the exact same room coming up...Oceanview C613...There was nothing not to like. It IS a smaller ship, but that is one of the reasons we like her.

You can rent, and order ahead of time, a small frig for $2 day or since you are coming from San Diego bring a nice ice chest with sodas and water....we are! Be sure to get a cooler with hard sides so it doesn't sweat or make a mess in the room.

As far as the outlet....MOST ships only have one or two. We bring an extra 3 outlet with us and a phone adapter. No problems as you are on vacation!

Hopes this helps and REALLY, from one San Diegian to another....you SHOULD love her. Go and have an awesome time.

I booked the Gemini that leaves from the Westin Hotel on Kaanapali beach. :)

You will LOVE this whale watching excursion in Maui !! We too have done this in the past and was a great day :p Have a great time everyone

Thank You!

HI !!! You seem very knowledgable about the South Pacific Islands and was wondering if you could give some insight into where, if at all, we might be able to get free Wifi access in: Fanning Island, Rarotonga, Raitea, Bora Bora, Papeete, Moorea, Avatoru, Rangiroa and Nuka Hiva.

Any help in this area would be appreciated so we can check emails from home :-) THANKS in advance

Good News!! I just called my friend, AJ, from SeaTacTowncar Service 206 697-5577 in Seattle and READ to him what the initial poster said....4 people, their luggage AND two wheelchairs. He said he CAN accommodate you guys with his SUV Suburban type for $65 plus tip. I told him I would have YOU call and speak with him and decide then. PLEASE come back if you use him, and give him the kudos he deserves. Thanks....give him a call or visit his website http://seatactowncars.com/

I would first, and foremost, have you check out TripAdvisor and you WILL see my reviews Charlene351....and many others to help you in your decision making.

We have visited Kodiak two times and both times were terrible for private tours. I don't want to bash this person but just be aware that if it is RAINING.....we would not go!! We were in the van and saw nothing. Not his fault, but sorry we paid so much to see very little. Was very interested in the Abercrombie State Park...but didn't work out. I DO think his niche is private fishing tours.

Our other time in Kodiak, also on TripAdvisor, and her only four star review for Janet....was OK. She drives a van. She sees bears......hopefully. Again, not her fault, nature doesn't make appts. Most others gave her five stars. She is a very personable lady.

This post is mainly to make you AWARE that IF it is raining, you could be disappointed. :o I am trying to be diplomatic, but truthful since you asked the question.

If you have the time (and are willing to spend a little extra) I would do the tram/lunch combo at Alyeska. You get a tram ride up the mountain for a beautiful view and a voucher at the Bore Tide Deli, which we've always gotten a good meal at. The $20 voucher for lunch is more than enough for one person, so we've always broken up into groups of three: two people buy the combo, one person buys just a ticket and the three of them eat off two vouchers

WE SECOND THIS RECOMMENDATION!! We had the best time doing this as well. Fun ride up to the top of the ski tram and then we had a great sandwich and beers. TIP: One order of fries will probably feed 3 of you easily!! They are very good but don't get one order per person ;) We will be repeating this, next year :-) Have a great time. If you have a chance be sure to walk to Byron Glacier as well for a FREE event. http://www.alaska.org/detail/byron-glacier-trail. You will really enjoy the Wildlife Conservation place as well. https://www.alaskawildlife.org/

How exciting! Safe travels and have an amazing time AND keep her in great shape as we will be boarding on the following cruise after you for 33 days. LOVE the Maasdam and the crew...they as so nice. Have a great trip!! Hello from San Diego :)

Can you give me a website for AJ Towncar?

GLADLY :p www.seatactowncar.com AJ's number is (206) 697-5577

He has a Crown Victoria Towncar that fits 4 people and their luggage comfortably as well as a Suburban. You will NOT be disappointed with his service. (Charlene says HELLO from San Diego)

Hi Charlene - it sounds like you have some great ideas - do you have a blog?

Thanks for the post, but no I do not have a blog. I am a Top Contributor on TripAdvisor and have written many reviews that you can check out at Charlene351.

Hope others come back here and they also say how wonderful AJ is!!

I haven't been to Sitka yet but we will there in late May and from everything I have seen the Fortress of the Bear is 5 miles out of town. For us the easiest way was to book a tour that included the Raptor center and the Fortress of the Bear along with one other stop.

These are BOTH great places to see, and an easy DIY as well. We have done the tour provided thru the cruise ships and we have taken the free shuttle from the port to the drop off center and took a taxi that was there last time. There were four of us that went to the Fortress of the Bears and I think it was $20 a carload. We took our time looking around, watching the bears and listening to the great people who work there, and then had the cab come back, at a pre-arranged time...say hour or 90 minutes, and get us and then dropped off at Raptor Center. You CAN negotiate your rides, because the attractions are really not that far and it is easy money for the driver but better for you than being on the bus. If you like beer, you can walk to the Sitka Brewery which has super tasty beers and you can also walk back from the brewery or the Raptor center, as across the street near the Raptor center is an entrance for a nice and beautiful walk thru the "forest" directly back to the ship. Very nice day if you are able bodied to walking some. Don't forget to buy something at both of these places in their gift shops as they are relying on those donations :D Have an awesome cruise!!!!!!!!

WOW.....I am very sad to hear these comments because I LIKE AJ and his outstanding service and want him to help him get customers in todays hard times competing with UBER and LYFT so much. WE ARE NOT AFFILITATED WITH HIM AT ALL and feel horrible, if since you wrote this post, you mess up business for him :(

Can't say why others are not commenting, but I do know TIMING on seeing this post, for those other customers is not easy. I really am sorry others have not written yet....not saying anything negative at least is good...right??

Hope you re-think using SeaTac Towncar Service as he provides an amazing service. My personality is pretty outgoing and to be helpful. If you were to check out my other posts in our upcoming 33 day cruise you will see that I have MANY things I recommend for people to do in San Diego. It is just me...HELPFUL Charlene.

AJ's loyal customer for visiting Seattle....

Happy sailings everyone.

there are so many car service companies in Seattle; I will try the one listed on this forum

AWESOME!!! I hope all you guys come back here and give your reviews of AJ and his towncar service. I think you guys will be as pleased as we are and THAT is why I like to give him some kudos :D Have a great trip to Seattle with the Grandkids!!

"I highly recommend AJ Towncar Services while in Seattle. AJ is so nice, I know, because we have used him a few times for transportation needs while in Seattle. His number is (206) 697-5577. He is happy to give you a quote over the phone but I know he has a towncar that seats 4 comfortably that I think is $55 from the airport to Pier 91 or $45 to Pier 66 downtown...also hotels downtown. He has a SUV that is $65 from airport to Pier 91. I also think he has a 10 passenger van that is $12 per person (minimum 7 people). We have had him pick us up from Pioneer Square and also downtown Seattle and was ALWAYS on time, friendly, and great competitive prices. Here is his website that I just looked up. http://www.seatactowncar.com You will be happy you gave him your business Hope this helps you and others looking for transportation reviews. Tell him his friend from San Diego....Charlene....says helllooooo"

We LOVE the MAASDAM!! We were on her to Alaska in May 2016 for 14 days and EVERYTHING was amazing.....so we are now booked and excited to be on her for 33 days in March/April coming up!! We LOVED the staff and actually keep in touch with a few via email or Facebook, the meals were great, EVERYTHING was great. No issues at all. We are not wine drinkers.....but love our BEER!

Don't want others thinking this is a terrible ship because it is the BEST!!!!

Happy cruising everyone

Following. We are doing the same. Just read about AJs car service. We have three adults, two large suitcases and three carry ons so I assume a regular town car won't work. Thinking about Uber from the airport to downtown hotel and hotel to pier 91 but then using a scheduled car service from pier to airport on the last day to avoid any timing issues.

Three adults and suitcases WOULD fit in towncar BUT ask AJ what he suggests.

I highly recommend AJ Towncar Services while in Seattle. AJ is so nice, I know, because we have used him a few times for transportation needs while in Seattle. His number is (206) 697-5577. He is happy to give you a quote over the phone but I know he has a towncar that seats 4 comfortably that I think is $55 from the airport to Pier 91 or $45 to Pier 66 downtown...also hotels downtown. He has a SUV that is $65 from airport to Pier 91. I also think he has a 10 passenger van that is $12 per person (minimum 7 people). We have had him pick us up from Pioneer Square and also downtown Seattle and was ALWAYS on time, friendly, and great competitive prices. Last time we used him for airport to hotel, hotel to port, port to airport....works out perfect and stress-free. Here is his website that I just looked up. http://www.seatactowncar.com You will be happy you gave him your business Hope this helps you and others looking for transportation reviews. Tell him his friend from San Diego....Charlene....says helllooooo

Hi I am going on 15 july Norwegian jewel to Alaska I am going to book for 4 adults with this firm as per your recommendation .How does he pick you up when off ship? I am wondering how early you can get off as we booked a early flight 10:50 but on a Saturday . ty for advice harry

NICE HARRY!!! You will be very happy with him.

What we do is we let AJ know ahead of time the date we are coming back, which pier etc and then an estimate of the time you need him to pick you up. We might say 9:00am and then when we get thru the bulk of the lines, give him a call or he will text you asking when you want to be picked up and he is usually within 15 minutes or so. Or coming into Seattle we know about when our flight is suppose to come in, give him that time and just update with him. UPDATES are welcome on both sides :-)

Enjoy your cruise and Thanks for booking with AJ...tell him Charlene says HI please :-) Happy sailing

Still waiting for cruise tours for 2018.

 

Roy

Roy, Holland cruise tours will not be available for many months to come....MAYBE six months before? What I do is: look up THIS YEARS same cruise and look at those excursion and more than likely they will be at least similar for your cruise as well. Always also look at TripAdvisor.com for great reviews and ideas for Things to Do In Alaska :-) It's a great start for research.

See you in Alaska in 2018 :D

OK...our turn!!!

Didn't know you knew so much.....lol

Can you please give us all the BIG names for the 33 day cruise rt San Diego on Maasdam March 24th, 2017 33 day South Pacific/Hawaii cruise

THANK YOU!!!!!

Small boat whale watching.

CruiserBruce I see that you are from Petaluma. LOVE the Dixie Giants and hope you are a fan as well. So fun!

http://www.thedixiegiants.com/

If you could name the best excursion/ sight seeing place that you would recommend to someone going to Maui, what would it be?

We love Maui and when we have been there for a few days we always use one long day to rent a car and see the "Road to Hana" which is amazing. So maybe think about a van or coach tour that way you leave the driving to them and the sightseeing to you!

"One of the most famous and adventurous drives on the planet, much less the island of Maui, is the "Road to Hana". *Without compare it can be the highlight of any Hawaiʻi vacation. *However, with over 600 hairpin turns and some 50 plus one lane bridges, it is not for the squeamish. *Those who live here know that the road to Hana is not just a road with great views. *The road to Hana is a culture; it’s a lifestyle that is centuries*old yet it has fairly modern attributes if you know where to look. *It is for all of us who live on the island a heavenly place to recharge and relax, but few wish to drive it themselves."

We also had an amazing time whale watching from Kaanapali Beach - in front of the Westin Maui - with "Gemini Whale Watching" that was awesome. This next time we are taking the whale watching tour thru "Trilogy Tours" that meets up and takes off directly from Lahaina pier :-)

Sailtrilogy.com

Please read thru TripAdvisor.com where there is a wealth of information.

Title says it! I've been searching online but can't seem to find straight answers.I live in upstate NY so I have gear for all seasons. Going to Alaska May 16th, what, clothing wise, should I be bringing?

I am going to start shopping now if I need anything, because of after-season winter sales, which is why i'm asking so early :p

I like these lightweight totes that fold up so nice and also great for day trips.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/78927?feat=tote-SR0&page=everyday-lightweight-tote

On our last Alaska trip in May/June I was so glad we had taken a waterproof (not just resistant) medium weight jacket that covered mid butt, gloves, small packable umbrella, and a beanie. Head WILL get cold. We did a lot of shore excursions on our 14 days and used all those things a lot. We also like to hike and if you don't have room in the suitcase you don't have to have BOOTS but a good pair of walking shoes is a must. I bring one pair of walking shoes and a pair of dress shoes.

Have an awesome time!!!!!!!!!!!

We are looking at the 14 day Alaska trip for 2018. We did it in 2014 and loved it. I was surprised to see that Sitka and Icy Straight were listed as tender ports. I thought there were new docks eliminating the need for tenders. Our daughter is a full time wheelchair user

and we were quite excited thinking the trip did not involve the use of tenders. Anyone know the status? I called HA and was pretty much read what is on the website.

I am the WORST at trying to post a picture

and did it once but can't seem to replicate!!! CLICK HERE FOR PICTURE

As you can see by my signature, we too love Holland's 14 day Alaska cruise and will go again in May/June 2018. I looked at my cruise documents as well and they do list Icy Strait Point and Sitka as tender and wheelchair access limited BUT

Icy Strait has a beautiful DOCK now (that is the picture I was trying to post) and is very very nice, wide and easy access. We also saw this last time we were there that they had a few golf carts from the port that were ASSISTING people who needed help.

Sitka we actually love their tender port and was disappointed that the last time we were there we did DOCK and then they complimentary bus you to the center of town in school bus types. Depends on how many ships are visiting that day.

Hope this HELPS you in some way, as it is an awesome itinerary.

Safe travels and have fun!!!

We have not cruised from Seattle before so we need some help. Are shuttles available from hotels to the cruise terminal? What is the best way to get back to the airport? Taxi' date=' shuttle, HAL transfers? Thanks.[/quote']

 

There is lots of information on the North American Homeports/West Coast Departures section here that will give you lots of good information, but I have to add my personal favorite for Seattle....

 

I highly recommend AJ Towncar Services while in Seattle. AJ is so nice, I know, because we have used him a few times for transportation needs while in Seattle. His number is (206) 697-5577. He is happy to give you a quote over the phone but I know he has a towncar that seats 4 comfortably that I think is $55 from the airport to Pier 91 or $45 to Pier 66 downtown...also hotels downtown. He has a SUV that is $65 from airport to Pier 91. I also think he has a 10 passenger van that is $12 per person (minimum 7 people). We have had him pick us up from Pioneer Square and also downtown Seattle and was ALWAYS on time, friendly, and great competitive prices. Here is his website that I just looked up. http://www.seatactowncar.com You will be happy you gave him your business Hope this helps you and others looking for transportation reviews. Tell him his friend from San Diego....Charlene....says helllooooo

Based on his website http://www.seatactowncar.com , if I'm reading correct the transfer from the airport to the cruiseship (Pier 91) is $45 each way for 4 people, is this correct ?

Do you know what type of car they will be using, just want to see what is the trunk size for luggages. I can give them a call, just want to check on CC for first hand experience. Thanks

Hi! I just saw your post and glad you are thinking about using AJ. I DID send him a few texts asking him your questions but I would feel better if YOU called and confirmed. He did say, and I did mention above in Post #2, that I think it is $45 per carload to Pier 66 and $55 per carload to Pier 91. He has a Crown Victoria Towncar that fits 4 people comfortably but he said he would probably send the SUV Suburban type for the same price for the 4 people and their luggage...$55 per carload PLUS tip :-) each way. I really LIKE this guy and happy to send him customers. Hope you find the time to call and reserve with him. Happy sailing :-)

I have been searching the boards for best transportation to Mendenhall Glacier. I read a lot of post but they were not recent. One post said to buy one way ticket to Glacier and then a one way back so we wouldn't have to wait for the same bus/shuttle company to come back. I don't know how old that post was.

There are 6 of us in our family but not sure if 4 or 6 will go on the excursion. Most like to hike so walking wouldn't be a problem. I know we will not book through Carnival. Is there a fee to get into the area? I read something about a Senior National Park pass that my husband and I could purchase before our cruise in May. For those of you who have gone before, let me know what you think would be best transportation-rent a car, Blue Glacier, city bus or what? Thank you for any help you can give me. My eyes are so tired from staring at the computer searching Juneau to see what we would like to do there and then searching for best transportation.

Do not stress...this is a pretty easy one to tackle. Personally I would take the Blue or White bus that you can either buy tickets ahead of time OR after arriving in Juneau, and a very short walk, to near the start of the Mt. Roberts Tram where there are kiosks set up to purchase the bus tickets right there...easy peasy...I think the fee is about $30 rt pp and the buses leave like every 30 minutes. There is nice hiking in the Mendenhall Glacier area and is so nice on a beautiful day. As far as the pass is concerned I believe when you PURCHASE the MG tickets you show them your pass and they will reduce that part of the fee....I think! I have not used that part since it went into effect. IF the weather is nice, and not foggy, people recommend going to the top of the Mt. Roberts Tram as well, but only if it is clear so you can see for miles. You might also be able to get a discount doing both of these excursions. There is also nice hiking up on top as well. When you get back you can grab a beer, if you are so inclined, at the Red Dog Saloon where the ambiance is fun, food good and beer cold :-) Hope this helps and personally I LOVE researching the different ports and things to do and see....HAVE AN AWESOME TIME NO MATTER WHAT YOU DECIDE TO DO