14 Day Alaska itinerary - It's baacckkk!

[cunnorl]

I was so excited when I saw this cruise that I cancelled the one scheduled for this year on RCL.

We went on an Alaskan cruise tour with Hal a few years ago and it was the best. We wanted to see other areas and this certainly will do that.

I have a question for all of you previous cruisers on this trip. In Kodiak, is there opportunity either through the ship or own your own to see bears ?

Now if the Red Sox were indeed in Seattle, this would be a homerun.

Thanks,

[Assateague Island Princes]

cunnorl - yes, HAL offers a bear viewing excursion is memory serves me, and of course, you could book independent if you want. Either will be very pricey, and since the port stop in Kodiak isn't as long as other ports, I feel you'd be shortchanged for the amount of viewing you might have versus the cost. It will also depend on which cruise you are taking as to when the bears will be out and viewable - salmon runs drive the bears, so if you're going on the July and maybe even late August sailing, you'd have a better chance. You might want to consider a bear search excursion in ISP (we used Misty Bay Lodge in a 10 passenger van and it was great - saw two brown bears, one a young male fishing in the stream, and one an older male eating his way thru a berry patch on the hillside.

 

I also did a flightseeing bear excursion out of Ketchikan to Neets Bay (booked thru HAL) which was awesome - the flight to Neets was like an excursion in itself, then when you arrive, you walk thru the rainforest with your guide past the fish hatchery to the viewing area. Now Neets Bay is mostly black bears, but it didn't bother me one bit. At one time, there were up to 10 bears fishing the creek less than 20 ft. from us. It was thrilling and probably one of my favorite Alaska excursions ever!

 

On our port stop in Kodiak in August of 2011, we booked a private van tour with Dake of Memorymakers, and part of our time with him was spent going to the streams and rivers where bears had been sighted within the days prior to our arrival. While we weren't fortunate enough to see any, we sure saw signs of them - tracks and skat, and half eaten salmon along the creeks.

 

Good luck - I hope you are able to schedule a bear tour, it is truly an amazing experience, and I'm so glad I did it.

[vbmom87]

I was so excited when I saw this cruise that I cancelled the one scheduled for this year on RCL.

We went on an Alaskan cruise tour with Hal a few years ago and it was the best. We wanted to see other areas and this certainly will do that.

I have a question for all of you previous cruisers on this trip. In Kodiak, is there opportunity either through the ship or own your own to see bears ?

Now if the Red Sox were indeed in Seattle, this would be a homerun.

Thanks,

 

 

Another port to consider for bears would be Homer with their fly in tours, which are costly. As you research any bear tours, first off ask the vendors what is the peak time for their bear tours. Do not begin by telling them when you are going to be in Alaska. You want to make it sound like you are planning on coming to AK during peak time for bears. Once you find out peak times, then you will have a better idea if it is worth the money.

[trophy_23]

I was so excited when I saw this cruise that I cancelled the one scheduled for this year on RCL.

We went on an Alaskan cruise tour with Hal a few years ago and it was the best. We wanted to see other areas and this certainly will do that.

I have a question for all of you previous cruisers on this trip. In Kodiak, is there opportunity either through the ship or own your own to see bears ?

Now if the Red Sox were indeed in Seattle, this would be a homerun.

Thanks,

 

We went with Seahawk air (private) out of Kodiak last July and it was absolutely amazing!!!! I would highly recommend them. If you want to see a picture or two check out my review HERE . Many pictures of our whole trip on that review. This cruise is on my radar for 2014 for sure!

[Assateague Island Princes]

Trophy - do join us on the May 18th sailing. We're a fun bunch;)!

[trophy_23]

[quote name='Assateague Island Princes']Trophy - do join us on the May 18th sailing. We're a fun bunch;)![/quote]

I would love to! We will see as it gets closer, a few other things to take care of first before booking the next cruise.

[pspercy]

Wow, glad to see this is back.

Looks like it's selling fast, the June sailing at least.

[Assateague Island Princes]

So come join us on the May 18th sailing - we've already got a lively and fun Roll Call started!:D

[pspercy]

Thanks but I booked the June sailing last night - only had a choice of six cabins.

[lazey1]

Is anyone else on the July 27 sailing?

[birdiedeb]

Hubs and I have wanted to do this in the past. When we finally wanted to book it was stopped. So excited it was picked back up. We will book on board next week! Thanks HAL.

[NextOne]

[quote name='RuthC'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]Not so much a "glitch" as using the wrong category letter when requesting a cabin number. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]I have since seen Lisa's thread about the change in cabin categories, especially to inside cabins on the S- & R-class ships. I went back to the HAL website and checked the deckplans, and that was the difference. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]My "J" cabin is now an "I", and my "K" has been promoted to "J". When I use the new category designations with the preferred numbers, they both come up available for the date I'm looking at. :) Whew. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Now, do I want to book it??? ;) [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]
Ruth - I hope you're looking at the July 27 sailing! So far, lazey1, her DH, and my DH & I are the only ones on the WHOLE
ship!!:D We'd love to have you with us!

[crabcreeker]

Are there lanai cabins on the promenade deck on this ship?
Seems like those would be a great location for Alaska.....

[RuthC]

[quote name='NextOne']Ruth - I hope you're looking at the July 27 sailing! So far, lazey1, her DH, and my DH & I are the only ones on the WHOLE
ship!!:D We'd love to have you with us![/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]That's so nice to read! Thank you for saying that. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]As a matter of fact, it is the July cruise that I am looking at. The timing is right for when I will want to cruise. It's just a matter of when the grandgirl's birthday party is scheduled for. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]It would be nice to meet up. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[RuthC]

[quote name='crabcreeker']Are there lanai cabins on the promenade deck on this ship?.....[/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]Nope. No lanai cabins on Amsterdam's Lower Promenade. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[Himself]

[quote name='Assateague Island Princes']Thanks to the poster who alerted me to this in the Alaska 2014 thread here on the HAL boards. And many thanks to HAL for hearing our pleas to bring back this wonderful itinerary! You done good:p.

Just posted today on the HAL website - in 2014, the amazing 14 day Alaska itinerary roundtrip from Seattle on the Amsterdam is back! Only one sailing per month for May, June, July and August of 2014 (w/7 day RT Seattle sailings in between), but I'll take what I can get;).

For those who don't know, it is a true 14 day itinerary w/no repeat ports, and it includes the little visited ports of Kodiak, Homer, and sails right up Cook Inlet to the port of Anchorage itself. It includes all the "usual suspects" of Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Icy Strait, with a day long stop in Victoria, BC, and Tracy Arm and Hubbard Glacier for scenic sailing days.

Doesn't include Glacier Bay anymore (although it did when I sailed in 2010), and Skagway was also dropped after 2010 (replaced with ISP) - but still a darn good itinerary that I have been fortunate enough to sail twice (2010 and 2011), and am chomping at the bit to do it again in 2014![/QUOTE]
Alleluia!

[NextOne]

[quote name='RuthC'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]That's so nice to read! Thank you for saying that. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]As a matter of fact, it is the July cruise that I am looking at. The timing is right for when I will want to cruise. It's just a matter of when the grandgirl's birthday party is scheduled for. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]It would be nice to meet up. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]
Please do!! I've enjoyed your posts and would love to meet up!

[ChaCr]

Margaret and Charles on the Zaandam 17 Day Hawaii cruise which leaves Vancouver on April 18

charles

[Watson's aunt]

[quote name='RuthC'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]So, the website was just updated today. I spotted the news here, headed right on over to the HAL website, found a date I want, and looked for my two favorite cabins. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Neither one is available! :eek: Already! :mad: [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Not happy. :( [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]But I may settle down and find another date, or another cabin, that pleases me. I love this itinerary! [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]
Ruth the cabin names have changed I spent 2 days trying to find mine on the promanade deck found it last night. I had same cabin last year. It was a C now its a D. Keep playing with it

Mary

[Watson's aunt]

[quote name='trophy_23']We went with Seahawk air (private) out of Kodiak last July and it was absolutely amazing!!!! I would highly recommend them. If you want to see a picture or two check out my review [URL="http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1672825&page=4"]HERE[/URL] . Many pictures of our whole trip on that review. This cruise is on my radar for 2014 for sure![/quote]


Throphy are you going back? I a looking at the June 22 cruise. never really got to chat with you


Mary

[Watson's aunt]

I wish you all were on the June 22 cruise. I am committed to that con as a week before i have a event and friends flying into Boston for it. I think why they have the one week cruises in between as they can see those cabins for the tour groups that got people bumped last year.


Mary

[trophy_23]

[quote=Watson's aunt;37874203]Throphy are you going back? I a looking at the June 22 cruise. never really got to chat with you


Mary[/quote]

I would love to. Going to have to see. Have a fairly major medical issue to deal with first. If all goes well then good chance we might do it!

[Watson's aunt]

Throphy

Hope all is well sending postive vibes and prayers


Mary

[trophy_23]

[quote=Watson's aunt;37901155]Throphy

Hope all is well sending postive vibes and prayers


Mary[/quote]


Thank you! I appreciate that... hoping 3rd time lucky! Looking forward to another cruise to Alaska helps keep me thinking positive!!

[lazey1]

[quote name='RuthC'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]That's so nice to read! Thank you for saying that. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]As a matter of fact, it is the July cruise that I am looking at. The timing is right for when I will want to cruise. It's just a matter of when the grandgirl's birthday party is scheduled for. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]It would be nice to meet up. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

Ruth C I have been a fan of yours ever since I joined cruise critic and I Would love to meet you for this July cruise. We will even let you sing happy anniversary to us. (he he):)