acct1975

Hi, Anyone know if they do behind the scene tours on NA or have those stopped completely?

thank you everyone for the perspective you're giving me. I've only cruised the Caribbean so this is a new experience. I want to be prepared but not overly so I'm packing things I don't need or buying things that are only useful this one trip where what I already have would suffice.

What kind of backpack. Is a waterproof/ water resistant one really necessary?

Taking my 1st Alaska cruise in July and seemed to have gone down the You Tube rabbit hole of information so I wanted to get some perspective from people who have cruised there before. How rainy is mid-July, truly? Is it a "cold rain" or just your standard summer sprinkle? Are water proof shoes essential? What's your go-to backpack to carry when out exploring the port?

I think they do

OP - my nephew also has a nut allergy and has been cruising since he was a year old (he's 8 now). Watching his parents navigate this has been an education but it has never stopped them from cruising. They do contact the cruise line in advance (prior posts have listed the forms and numbers you can call) and worked with food service and cruise staff on ship. The 1st thing my sister says to our waiter/waitress is that her son has a nut allergy. I have yet to see an issue though , full disclosure, this will be their 1st HAL cruise. From what I have read, HAL is very conscious of the health needs of those sailing with them so odds are there shouldn't be an issue as long as you communicate.

I saw this too. I'm open to fish options it's not showing on the HAL website yet though so I'm not sure about advanced booking

I'll be on the Neiuw Amsterdamn for a 7 day Alaskan cruise. I'm leaning towards Tamarind. I've done plenty of steakhouses and Tamarind sound so different. Though the Pinnacle would be a nice safe choice

thank you everyone! Gives me more time to decide what restaurant to choose 🙂

New to HAL. When do they open specialty dining online booking? Don't want to miss being able to get the day & time want. Thanks

Hi, I'll be sailing to Alaska in July and I know HAL has a grand tradition of afternoon tea in the MDR when going through the Inside Passage but has anyone ever had afternoon tea in their suite instead? If so, what was your experience? Did they give you the same 3 tier of finger snacks and tea as the MDR? Thanks in advance!

that's what I hear. fingers crossed we'll be able to 🙂

thanks everyone for your thoughts and experiences. We decided to fly into Seattle and take the train. It offers us the best flexibility and least stress all while giving us the chance to see Puget Sound out the window. It would be a long day but a worthwhile and unique experience!

I was seeing that too. I'm starting to consider that getting a hotel until flight time might be the only way to go. I did see a 1 stop flight (layover for 2h in Seattle) at 11am but I'm worried that cuts too close. There are also some Monday am flights but those layovers are much longer and I don't think really save us anything.

Our Jul 2024 cruise ends in Whittier and we would fly out of Anchorage. I'm trying to figure out logistics about what time to book a flight home (same day probably). How long is the commute from the port in Whittier to Anchorage? What are people suggestions for booking a flight home to Chicago? I don't want to book too early of a flight. If it has to be late, so be it, that's what hotels are for but I don't want to book and miss our flight because transport took longer that I thought. Thanks