CruiserBruce

My calculations were based on an approximate 7am ship clearance and start to disembarking. Arriving at midnight allows disembarking to probably start around 6. The arrival time is pretty critical info.

I would take the Noordam.

Like to torture yourself, eh? 😅

It was 6am in July/August. 6am is usually the policy fleetwide, but every once in a while a ship gets a wild hair and moves it to 7am.

Opening can be earlier, depending on when they arrive in port, and certainly will open by 6am on the final morning of the cruise.

Just an FYI...don't mention or discuss travel agencies by name. Cruise Critic rules.

Its on the schedule for being in the Med in summer 2023. But, as mentioned, the article is an incomplete listing. Or perhaps, because Oosterdam is not "homeported" anywhere during those summer months...it moves around.

Search the board for the many threads with the cabana maps in them. Then you call Ship's Services...800-541-1576, to book. Waiting until you get on board may mean you don't get one for the entire cruise.

So HAL is in bad financial shape, as you have been ranting and raving about, but HAL should go into another 4-500 million per ship for a couple more ships?

It is going to vary by cruise line. Best to ask on the board for the relevant cruise line. On HAL, the cover will be open if weather allows. Otherwise it will be closed. The pools will be open as on any sailing (open every day, unless closed for maintenance), and most likely will be heated as needed.

If you look around the board, you will find tons of info to answer your questions, as they are discussed frequently. Packing is always about layers, with the outside layer being wind and waterproof. Weather in Alaska commonly described as extremely variable...it can change multiple times each day. However, May and June are generally the driest months. Another good source is to simply Google search your port cities. Try "Juneau June weather" for example.

Shuttles always leave "on demand". So if the ship docks by 7am, and clears any port business, disembarking will commence shortly thereafter. So, say by 7:30. Buses will then start departing when full. The drive is about 90 minutes, but that is complicated significantly by the one way tunnel. So, if you are first off the ship, I wouldn't be booking a flight much before 1pm.

ALL HAL ships have covered pools and Crows Nests. Alaska is about scenery and natural wonders. ANY HAL ship will provide those.

It will depend a little by cruise line. But, wine stewards, bar tenders and bar waiters are usually on a separate employment contract, are much more dependent on the tips on purchases of drinks for their wages, and don't participate in the automatic gratuities. Again, who is Miss Mary?

Would this be on the Nieuw Statendam, not the N. Amsterdam?

Sunset won't be at 11 or midnight...so the ship doesn't have to stay that late. Our cruise (on Holland America in August) sailed at 9pm, right in the middle of sunset. It was awesome.

First of all, the better place for your research is the West Coast Departures board, here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/315-west-coast-departures/ There are dozens of threads recommending hotels here. Take a look around. Be aware, hotels in the downtown are not cheap during cruising season. The downtown is fairly walking friendly, so being close to Pike Place, which can drive up the price, isn't as important as you might think.

The drive is 45-55 minutes, so no hotel is going to provide that. So, instead, look for the threads on the frequently recommended shuttle services.

Just like the three recent threads just below, early check in is ALWAYS a facet of availability. If you are going at peak cruising time, the hotels will be turning over rooms at a very high volume. So early check in can never be guaranteed.

It would be nice to know ports, time in ports, etc before we can help you.

Zaandam is homeported in Boston...doing cruises out of Boston. Not there every week.

There will be two cabana attendants assigned.

Not exactly a complete list. For example, Koningsdam disappears in October.

Not for free.

As discussed on the Florida Departure board, you can make this flight easily. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/386-florida-departures/