Alaska - HAL Volendam Review with pictures

[kristinp36]

Headed back to Juneau after an amazing day....what could make it better you ask....Orcas! Mom and Baby. Again, Allen Marine were great about slowing down and letting us enjoy the moment. The Orca family came up to the boat and swam around it before leaving.

 

 

 

 

 

[kristinp36]

Once we arrived in Juneau we actually boarded the Volendam through the "tender" doors....Dad and I were pretty hungry so found some food then I headed into town. One of my FAVORITE things about the Alaskan cruise was the proximity to the towns. Everything was centered around where the ships dock....unlike the Caribbean where sometimes it is an adventure just to get to town.

 

Downtown Juneau

 

[kristinp36]

Night night

 

[JamesEM]

Thanks for sharing your photos, looking forward to seeing more great phptps.

[Wookie01]

Thanks, great photos, loved the whale shots in Tracy Arm, spectacular tail shots. :)

[lovely_serenity]

Wow, your Glacier Bay photos are absolutely stunning! I was on the exact same cruise as you this year except mine departed on May 1st. I am so jealous, our Glacier Bay day was all gross and foggy :( shows how weather can be so fickle. :/ Loving the review by the way! ^^

 

P.S. You photos are fantastic!! That's so awesome being in a little boat at Tracy Arm, you can see so much more that way! (I was there once before, but how much can you really see from Deck 4? LOL)

Edited August 6, 2013 by lovely_serenity

[jbhcw]

Your pictures are amazing:) thanks so much for sharing!

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience with us....really enjoyed it! Your pictures are beautiful, it is truly a photographer's paradise up there.....I know I came home with probably 1,000 pictures. I was not prepared for the overwhelming beauty I saw on that trip!! Would love to do it again!

[mamaofami]

You've done an amazing job of capturing the beauty of Alaska. Thank you for sharing.

[hypercafe]

Your pictures are great, makes me feel like I am there with you. You should of been warned, seems like all HAL ships have plumbing and AC problems in the cabins, go figure?

[x lindsay x]

Beautiful photos. My first trip to Alaska was with my parents (I had my own room though)and when I told my father I would be going back there for my honeymoon with a trip up to Denali he was very jealous. I told him I will go anytime, its the only vacation he really ever wants to take.

Edited August 6, 2013 by x lindsay x

[nutensteve]

Fantastic review and your pictures are awesome. Thanks for posting them.

[kristinp36]

Your pictures are great, makes me feel like I am there with you. You should of been warned, seems like all HAL ships have plumbing and AC problems in the cabins, go figure?

 

That would have been good to know

[kristinp36]

Wow, your Glacier Bay photos are absolutely stunning! I was on the exact same cruise as you this year except mine departed on May 1st. I am so jealous, our Glacier Bay day was all gross and foggy :( shows how weather can be so fickle. :/ Loving the review by the way! ^^

 

P.S. You photos are fantastic!! That's so awesome being in a little boat at Tracy Arm, you can see so much more that way! (I was there once before, but how much can you really see from Deck 4? LOL)

 

We had amazing weather.... I've already joked that I want to go back but would be tempting fate with the chances if such great weather again. People were wearing shorts during our Glacier Bay time!

 

Thanks for the compliments on my photos.... Yours are great too. I started ready your review before we cruised but you had not completed it yet.

[fireflies]

Awful to hear about your room maintenance issues. Seems to be a running theme in recent reviews. Head scratcher.

 

Great series of sunset photos. The whales + wildlife are deftly composed :) and I love how contrasty the glacial ice + rock ones are. Thanks for sharing your moments

[erikzen]

Thanks for the review and the awesome photos. Did you use a polarizing filter at all?

[kristinp36]

Thanks for the review and the awesome photos. Did you use a polarizing filter at all?

 

I prob used a polarizing filter about 50% of the time. The lens I rented had a UV filter attached that I could not remove.

[kristinp36]

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience with us....really enjoyed it! Your pictures are beautiful, it is truly a photographer's paradise up there.....I know I came home with probably 1,000 pictures. I was not prepared for the overwhelming beauty I saw on that trip!! Would love to do it again!

 

The whole reason I wanted to go was for taking pictures....what I didn't expect was how incredibly beautiful it was. The weather helped but I even got choked up once. Pictures will never do Alaska it's full justice!

 

My favorite part of the cruise was the 2 hours I spent on a lounge chair on deck 3 just watching the scenery go by while we left Glacier Bay. So beautiful...and so PEACEFUL.

[lovely_serenity]

We had amazing weather.... I've already joked that I want to go back but would be tempting fate with the chances if such great weather again. People were wearing shorts during our Glacier Bay time!

 

Thanks for the compliments on my photos.... Yours are great too. I started ready your review before we cruised but you had not completed it yet.

 

I know the feeling! We had the exact same experience at Hubbard Glaciers! We got clear skies and sun, which is apparently super rare, and we're pretty sure that if we visit again, we're gonna be met with disgusting weather LOL.

 

you're welcome :)! && thank you! ^^ I DO remember you following my review! Ahaha, yeah sorry bout that, I took forever to finish it, but nonetheless, it's done now! :D

[kansasquaker]

I'm loving your review! You're pictures are getting me really excited for my family's cruise on the Oosterdam next year. I actually really appreciate the pictures of the daily On Locations. It's nice to get at least an idea of what the activities are going to be like. I hope you continue to have a wonderful time!

[kristinp36]

I'm back......Night 3 the A/C stated working...yippee. Still not letting mom take a bath!

 

Welcome to Day 4 - Skagway

 

 

 

 

 

[kristinp36]

[kristinp36]

Awoke to beautiful skies.....up early and taking pictures

 

 

 

[kristinp36]

 

These blankets were on all the outside decks that has lounge chairs.

 

 

 

Mom and all 3 guys took the train for the day....so I was on my own. I decided to just walk to town and look around. It is about a 10 minute walk to town but they also had shuttle service. I think it was $2 each way.

 

[kristinp36]

They were doing some painting and maintenance this morning

 

 

Shuffleboard

 

 

Some of the sights on the walk to town