Questions for Upcoming Alaska Cruise on Amsterdam

Hi Everyone - We are sailing this Sunday of the Amsterdam with extended family - there will be 12 of us. I have a couple questions.

 

First - we are arriving in Seattle Saturday night and staying over night at an Airport Hotel. What is the best options for getting to the Cruise Terminal. We planned to take two UberXLs (for 9 of us) but if there are better options I am open. Is there an issue with Uber Drivers getting to the drop off area?

 

What will check in be like? Will we have to still have all our liquids be TSA compliant? We will have the wine with us (we are bringing our own and paying the corkage) and I know we need to carry that on but what about the rest of our stuff - contact solution, lotion etc? Will we have to dump out our water, morning Starbucks etc?

 

Does the Sport court on the top have a place for volleyball?

 

How many Gala nights will there be - I keep looking for this info and I can't seem to find it.

 

Any idea if the Pinnacle Grill will be open for lunch on the Glacier day as well as the "at sea" days?

 

Will there be any other options for ordering Tequila in a full bottle once on the ship? I see we can pre-order a bottle of Jose Cuervo before we leave but don't really love that and I thought I had read other choices would be available from Room service once we were on board through room service. Will the bottle price (even of the Jose) be similar once on board or am I better off just settling for the Jose now? They have so many Vodka choices but only one tequila.

 

Do you have any tips for us that we should for sure take advantage of? We will be my husband and myself, my sister and her husband (50s), my dad, my MIL and FIL (80s) and my kids 18, 24, 25 and my husbands brothers.

 

Thank you so much for the help. The search function on the forums is not really helping me or I am too impatient. :'):')

One more question - Right now we all have open seating - my dad called the other day to reserve the early seating for most of us but they said it was too late. What are our chances of getting that taken care of right after we board? We will likely be 9 of us wanting to eat together - can we make reservations in the morning if we stay with the open seating or is it first come first served? (two tables of 4 or 5 would work too but we don't want to all be spread out in the dining room at random tables) I have only been on one previous HAL cruise in 2009 and we had the early seating with a table for 9 and I loved the predictability and the opportunity to be together after all going our own way during the day - as well as having the same servers.

I can only answer a couple of your questions:

 

The only restriction on beverages brought aboard is no alcohol except wine, and it must be carried on, not in checked bags. One bottle per adult is corkage-free if consumed in your cabin.

 

There will probably be two Gala nights, Mon the 6th "at sea" and Fri the 10th in Ketchikan. Your Boarding Pass should tell you how many.

 

You can make dinner reservations for two large adjacent tables by calling each morning, and on most ships you can make reservations for 3 days at a time.

Edited August 1, 2018 by catl331

When you get on board, find out where the Dining Room Manager is having his/her desk, and seek to get the Dining Room choice you wish. You will likely get two tables of 6 or 8, as I don't believe they have tables bigger than 10.

 

The Pinnacle will likely be open on sea days for lunch.

 

I would suggest not trying to do absolutely everything together. Allow the group to do their own thing at times.

We've had lunch in the Pinnacle on Glacier Bay day, so there is a good chance. I'd make reservations upon boarding.

 

The DR will have assigned tables at this point, so your best bet would be perhaps to talk to someone in the DR as soon as possible to let them know your group size. Open dining should work well for you once they know what they are dealing with. Your TA should have got this arranged well in advance by contacting Ship Services with a heads-up and request to the ship.

 

When you speak with the waiter/supervisor manning the Dining Desk, you could be asked to wait a day or two,to see how it all shakes out. You could be waitlisted for changes. With a group as large as yours, I think they will be happy to get you set up in Open at a couple of tables permanently.

Edited August 1, 2018 by SilvertoGold

Will there be any other options for ordering Tequila in a full bottle once on the ship? I see we can pre-order a bottle of Jose Cuervo before we leave but don't really love that and I thought I had read other choices would be available from Room service once we were on board through room service. Will the bottle price (even of the Jose) be similar once on board or am I better off just settling for the Jose now? They have so many Vodka choices but only one tequila.

 

Yes. Just wait until you are onboard to see what they have. Prices will be similar.

As for your Tequila -- go to the Ocean Bar and ask what brands they have and what the prices are. They may or may not take your order right there. If not -- go back to your cabin and place your order -- someone will have to be there when it is delivered.

Any idea if the Pinnacle Grill will be open for lunch on the Glacier day as well as the "at sea" days?

The PG was open for lunch on our recent cruise (Noordam May 2018) on the glacier day. Make your PG lunch reservations as soon as you board.

 

We planned to take two UberXLs (for 9 of us) but if there are better options I am open. Is there an issue with Uber Drivers getting to the drop off area?

There are shuttles that do the airport hotels -> pier run. I can't remember the name of the one we used but googling should be able to find you a few to check out. We were concerned about whether Uber would be able to get us into the port. Or post on the West Coast Departures board with the specific question about Uber.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=413

 

Tips? spend as much time as you can outside while on the ship. Watch for whales and dolphins :) Have a great time in Alaska, it is spectacular!

Edited August 1, 2018 by VennDiagram

Hi Everyone - We are sailing this Sunday of the Amsterdam with extended family - there will be 12 of us. I have a couple questions.

 

First - we are arriving in Seattle Saturday night and staying over night at an Airport Hotel. What is the best options for getting to the Cruise Terminal. We planned to take two UberXLs (for 9 of us) but if there are better options I am open. Is there an issue with Uber Drivers getting to the drop off area?

 

What will check in be like? Will we have to still have all our liquids be TSA compliant? We will have the wine with us (we are bringing our own and paying the corkage) and I know we need to carry that on but what about the rest of our stuff - contact solution, lotion etc? Will we have to dump out our water, morning Starbucks etc?

 

Does the Sport court on the top have a place for volleyball?

 

How many Gala nights will there be - I keep looking for this info and I can't seem to find it.

 

Any idea if the Pinnacle Grill will be open for lunch on the Glacier day as well as the "at sea" days?

 

Will there be any other options for ordering Tequila in a full bottle once on the ship? I see we can pre-order a bottle of Jose Cuervo before we leave but don't really love that and I thought I had read other choices would be available from Room service once we were on board through room service. Will the bottle price (even of the Jose) be similar once on board or am I better off just settling for the Jose now? They have so many Vodka choices but only one tequila.

 

Do you have any tips for us that we should for sure take advantage of? We will be my husband and myself, my sister and her husband (50s), my dad, my MIL and FIL (80s) and my kids 18, 24, 25 and my husbands brothers.

 

Thank you so much for the help. The search function on the forums is not really helping me or I am too impatient. :'):')

 

we have found Uber to be cheaper if you have 4 or more people. no problem being droped off a pier 91

Please let us know how you liked the ship.