Live review with pics, HAL Oosterdam Vancouver 5/24 - Seward 5/31/2015

[Caribensun]

Love your photos and information, thank you for doing this.

Your photos of Glacier Bay make it look more impressive than when we saw it in May.

Is your cabin entry door and or walls magnetic? We found Westerdam wasn't.

Glad you had an aft cabin and agree with your interpretation of HAL vs Celebrity and other lines.

Sandipalms

[mudscraper]

Excellent review with great photography. Thanks.

[Himself]

The Marjorie Glacier is awesome! I have seen it many times and I still love to go into Glacier Bay to see it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Beautiful pictures.

Still can't believe the beautiful weather you have been having.

[cormike1]

I wish there was a "like" button under the pictures that you could just click on to let you know how beautiful your pictures have been. Thanks so much....awesome!

[RandyinDEN]

What was the name of the excursion that you had with Frontier Excursions?

[I_r_a]

Thanks for the great report, Cl.

 

We shall be following in your wake in August.

 

Ira

[SilvertoGold]

I need to get to a real wifi to upload it. Will let you all know when I do.

 

Had some calving in Glacier Bay today that was also nice, but nothing like what we saw.

- Joel

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thank you! The suspense.........!!

 

Fantastic photos + interesting commentary = a truly great thread!

[cl.klink]

Love your photos and information, thank you for doing this.

 

Your photos of Glacier Bay make it look more impressive than when we saw it in May.

 

Is your cabin entry door and or walls magnetic? We found Westerdam wasn't.

 

Glad you had an aft cabin and agree with your interpretation of HAL vs Celebrity and other lines.

 

Sandipalms

 

 

Yes, magnetic. I thought they all were, actually. Didn't know some not!

 

- Joel

[cl.klink]

What was the name of the excursion that you had with Frontier Excursions?

 

 

The "Yukoner."

- Joel

[cl.klink]

Last night after back to room from Le Cirque, waiting for us in stateroom was a golden cardboard box with two mini-drawers, each containing a sweet inside, as a thank you. What a nice touch.

 

 

A neat towel animal too.

 

[cl.klink]

Saturday, last full day on ship.

 

 

Time to get reflective.

 

 

This was our 4th cruise, 1st was 2006, and we so loved it that coming to an end was actually stressful and depressing. Felt this way on each cruise since. I've found the cure: first, don't be so silly, and second, have the next one planned before you get off the ship!

 

We already had planned an Antarctica cruise for winter of 2016-17 so second part was taken care of before we got on board.

 

In any event, I am feeling happy as we face the end of this time on HAL Oosterdam as DW has had a happy birthday trip and so my main goal was met. Our fist HAL experience after 3 on Celebrity made for interesting comparisons. I really love Celebrity but have a better appreciation for both Celebrity and HAL now. As I've understood HAL more each day, have been impressed, and would sail this line again. Alaska was more than I had hoped for, too. Now only 3 more U.S. states to visit to make it all 50.

 

Looking forward to enjoying a relaxing day at sea with no port agenda. Early departure Sunday to make a flight at Anchorage, then overnight in Seattle before home the next day (I did not want to face an Anchorage to home all night ish fight).

 

Lunch had champagne and captain's toast with message "to friends and family," nicely capturing feeling they tried to create on board. Much appreciated. A nice gift to each table to take home was delivered with dessert: a ceramic coster with HAL ship painted on it. Again, nice touch.

 

Gathering my thoughts about overall impressions of Alaska, ports, excursions, HAL, Oosterdam, cabin, service, entertainment, food, pre- and post-cruise. Will write and send out when I have decent internet access (almost out of minutes on board!) Sunday.

 

- Joel

[bjarrett7]

Thanks soooo much for taking us along on your cruise. Enjoyed every minute of it! [emoji41]

[Himself]

Thanks for sharing your journey and photo's with us. I hope you do well after leave the ship in Seward. I hope the weather is good in Seward and that part of Alaska.

[EbayCruiser]

Thanks so much for your lovely review! I felt like I was right there with you and it brought back wonderful memories of Alaska. Our most memorable cruises are the ones we took to Alaska and we want to go back for a sea/land cruise.

 

Have a safe trip home!

[cl.klink]

Arrival in Seward.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wonderful review.

[St Pete Cruiser]

Thanks for your review with excellent pics!

Having done Celebrity and HAL, I'm pleased you enjoyed the Oosterdam. Both lines are well done, especially for those of us who appreciate the extras.

[cl.klink]

The Gulf of Alaska crossing was calm, small seas but enough to remind us that we are on a ship at sea. Foggy and cool gave way to temps near 70 and distant views despite high ceiling clouds.

 

Arrived ~ 5am in Seward, disembarkation began 6 am. Seward is a very tiny place. Not much for a tourist per se. Beautiful surroundings with water and mountains everywhere. A train is right at the pier and many had booked it as an excursion. The terminal is a large cavernous shed with minimal amenities, clean, bright. A large seemingly well equipped Hertz car rental facility at Pier. Passed a Safeway grocery store with a Starbucks inside, just outside Pier area. If I had been doing a back to back here, might have booked a vehicle and used it for the day to drive into Anchorage (2.5 hours) or wherever.

 

The drive to Anchorage was heavily forested and mountainous, and when the wall of trees alongside the road permitted it, offered occasional grand views of snow capped peaks, green valleys, lakes, or rolling streams.

 

 

 

 

Moose Pass, Alaska. Population 75. The founder moved away because town getting too big. This water wheel drives a knife sharpening stone. Sign read "Moose Pass is a peaceful place to live. If you have an ax to grind, do it here."

 

 

Hope Junction, at Canyon Creek.

 

 

 

And with that, last trip post coming up ...

 

- Joel

[cl.klink]

I lied. One more trip - ish post.

 

We're flying Alaska Airlines and here is Sitka below.

 

 

When we took off from Anchorage I saw huge white mountains to the east on this cloudless day. Did I just see Mt. McKinley?

 

- Joel

[marym933]

Thank you so much for your review. It has heightened the anticipation for our journey in July!

[cl.klink]

I will need reliable wifi to load up my video of the calving at South Sawyer Glacier and will post here when I do.

 

Otherwise, the cruise is ended. Thanks for following. All that remains for DW and me is an overnight in Seattle to rest up and then a more pleasant day time flight home tomorrow than a late night or overnight in a plane tonight. This trip was a surprise for her 60th, and a big hit.

 

I will get a bit reviewy, now. But I want to make a disclaimer with an overarching point: If you can't be happy and enjoy yourself on a cruise, you just ain't trying. This is an awesome way to travel and a privilege to be able to do so. I really appreciate all the planing and work that went into making a cruise like this possible. The criticisms that make their way into my points below are just quibbles. I get it that I have just been treated very well and am very blessed.

 

ALASKA.

A+

It is huge and vast, the largest US state by far, yet only about 1% is privately owned land, so it is the least densely populated US state. Of all the actual countries in the world, only 18 are larger than this US state. It is the northernmost point in US, westernmost point in US, and even the easternmost point in US (the Aleutian islands cross the international date line). There are a double digit number of mountains taller than the highest point in the lower 48. It is bold, raw, and a place of extremes and simplicity mixed together. Many places people were people live here are inaccessible by roads, including the capital city of Juneau. One can see the planet actively being shaped and recently having been shaped. Seeing all this made me feel small and humble and yet also elevated by having been made to feel so. Even now in early sumner, the weather varied a lot. We were lucky to have had sunny days permitting far away views, and mostly warm temperatures (60s and 70s), sometimes enough that I was sweaty with just a t shirt. But we had fog and rain too and at one point we had chills enough that I needed several layers with my winter hat and earmuffs and gloves. Most of the time the sun set well after 9 PM and often after 10 PM , usually light starting outside well before 5 AM.

 

Alaska for a cruise was very beautiful. Having grown up Oregon, the types of trees and some of the terrain reminded me a lot of home in some ways, especially Vancouver BC to Ketchikan. The Inside Passage had always sounded underwhelming to me compared to the "real" Alaska interior to the north. That was a wrong perception. There is nothing minimalist about the Inside Passage. It is easy to see and there is so much nature, culture, and diversity in terms of how to see it. While excursions offer profound experiences, one could also see a lot by the sailing itself and then do stuff on your own in each town, easily rewarding a car rental and/or some advance planing, and a willingness to seek out small town life.

 

A bonus in the Inside Passage is just sailing from place to place. The water journey itself is almost constantly exposed to scenery so there is almost no time you are not seeing good stuff. And although we had profoundly lucky sunny and warm weather most of the time, the times we had rain and fog and cold did not change any of the above. I do think that this means the Vancouver departures/arrivals have an advantage because the part between Vancouver BC and southern Alaska is mostly nonstop scenery whereas Seattle has a day at sea between it and southern Alaska (tempered, sometimes, by a stop in Victoria, but even then the sailing route is mostly just open sea). I would consider Seattle though because the cost would be less both for the cruise and the airfare from the US 48.

 

Still want a way to come in the winter to see northern lights (obviously a cruise would not be the way to get here in December or January!).

 

I really loved it here and hope to return often, like a song you can enjoy over.

 

HAL VS. CELEBRITY

wait for it ...

 

SEATTLE - VANCOUVER HAL SHUTTLE

B

Worked well, it was easy, and I'd do it again. But a bus ride is a bus ride so this can only get so good. I must say I would have liked to spend some time in Vancouver so next time might just go there first. I liked that the coach was arranged with HAL so if there had been a snafu, the ship would have waited and would have taken care of us. Made me feel less stress as soon as I got on the bus, and kinda felt like the cruise had started.

 

EMBARKATION (VANCOUVER)

B-

Took under an hour, fairly efficient, but again, how "good" can something like this be? Also, would have liked a more dramatic place to step onto the ship with, a grand foyer or something to feel that "not in Kansas anymore feeling." Quibbling points to be sure.

 

DISEMBARKATION (SEWARD)

C+

A bit chaotic. Long cues, not clear where to go at times. All worked out in the end. The coach arranged for us through HAL was a bit too close in time to the fight arranged for us through HAL, but, again, all worked out in the end, and we were at our gate and waiting in a very nice Anchorage airport terminal by 10:30 AM for our 11:35 departure.

 

 

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CABIN ITSELF

A-

Comfortable beds and big comfortable pillows. Lots of space and appreciate several things about layout. The metallic walls allowed magnets to hang things up. Art on the walls was a nice touch. Layout of lighting was good and effective and liked having switches by bed. Extra chair and fold out couch gave good sitting room. Small desk was adequate. TV worked, few channels to choose from, and did not care. Veranda had two comfortable chairs one with stool, a small table, and a recliner. Storage was abundant and very well conceived. My wife and I are one bag each travelers so we did not need a lot, but nice to have had it. Even the stool for the desk is hollow with a top that lifts to use the inside space for storage. Can store several bags under bed. Three standing closets, one with lots of shelves and a locking safe, and the others for hanging clothes each have larger shelves that can fold down or not as you wish. One even had a rack for belts and ties. Several shelves in bathroom too, for toiletries. Shower with good water pressure, massage head, and was a tub-shower mix. Clothes line for drying clothes over tub. Cannisters of self serve shampoo, conditioner, soap in shower worked well. Room decor and materials a bit dated and worn, but everything very clean and working well.

 

FOOD

B

Not the high point, which saddened me, but some was outstanding, especially Le Cirque, and I would pay for that again. Most food at MDR was good to very good. Pinnacle grill was very good but not the first rate special meal I was expecting and do not think I'd pay for the experience again. I found buffet sometimes disappointing in both variety and quality, but choosing wisely allowed me to stay with options that were good. I'd more or less skip the buffet next time if I could. Room service was efficient though missed items were not rare. Still it became our preferred mode for daily breakfast and was a great option for us, always on time after ordering in advance the night before. Also, room service for dinner one night was a great experience, ordered off the MDR menu (though in part it was a great experience because of our veranda and the view that night)). On the whole, the entire food experience was decidedly above average, but not best most special category, and so a solid and appreciated "B."

 

ENTERTAINMENT

A

Went to one show which was illusionist and fine. But really enjoyed classical music every night, a pianist and violinist duo self named "Adagio," played several hours each night, in Explorer's Lounge. Became popular and packed. Though this is highly subjective, that one venue and these performers made evenings a real joy each day for us. Stayed till they finished at 10 each night (usually still light out, because .... it's Alaska!). There did not seem to be a lot going on when we returned to our room after that but really was not looking. I do not know if others would have found as many options as they might have wanted. For me, though, this was excellent. Some of the other offerings good too, such as the live cooking demos, but missed most of these because we were out seeing Alaska!

 

 

PUBLIC SPACES

A-

The ship goes to dry dock next year and I assume it will have a face lift. The vessel looks older than the super duper new sips coming out in recent years, well used but clean, in good repair, and just fine. It looks used and loved, not used and abused. But, it looks used, and used hard in some places, with some fabrics and furnishings worn, some styles dated. The spaces are very well attended to, and clean. I like the deep blue or warm earth tone colors that felt calm and welcoming. The ship has many pleasant public spaces to spend time. I especially liked the flow from one space to another, and in particular the use of curved and rounded passages and rooms, giving the illusion of more space and not one rectilinear box overall. I especially liked the look of the dining room which felt more like a nice restaurant than a cafeteria.

 

INSIDE PASSAGE, VANCOUVER --> KETCHIKAN

A

Captain chose a more inland route and the wall of forested greenery on either side of ship was sublime. Sat out on deck all day. Felt like time had stopped.

 

KETCHIKAN, WILD WOLF TOURS EXCURSION

A-

Competent though unspectacular private tour made better by excellent guide Tracy, whose personal stories of growing up here and her native family heritage made this much more special. Enjoyed spending time in town, especially lunch and view from Cape Fox Lodge.

 

JUNEAU, TRACY ARM FJORD HAL EXCURSION

A+

A town with a bit of size has some more to offer. Enjoyed walking into town and meeting people. Some very good food near the pier. HAL excursion from here into Tracy Arm fjord was best of trip and a huge life long remembrance. I think this is the best port of the trip with the most options. If you re going to splurge on n excursion, here is the place to do it.

 

SKAGWAY, FRONTIER ADVENTURES YUKONER EXCURSION

A

Deceptively substantial town for its very small size, walkable with some good food, a few nice excursions possible. Would rent a car next time and go up into Yukon.

 

GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK

A

Stunning commanding beauty. Another world feeling. History and geology and scenery conjoin. Liked having the forest rangers' input and that of the Tinglit native -- gave it a very special feel. Glaciers were not as impressive as the small boat experience at Tracy Arm but still very imressive.

 

SERVICE, STAFF

A-

Very well trained. I appreciated their uniformly hard work. Friendly, but in a politely restrained way. Even if formulaic, everyone said and did all the right things. The theme seemed to be to make me feel warmly welcomed and taken care of when I asked, else not intruded upon. The result was a nice balance. Very little of the more intrusive effort to sell drinks, photos, etc such as on Celebrity. To some the style might seem so laid back as to give a sedate and hands off feel, but I felt this was instead a contentment to let me have a good time but still remain open and ready to serve me. A tough balance. Smiles and friendliness whenever I passed ANYONE. Often saw workers carefully cleaning public areas each day. Stateroom cleaned and resupplied daily and reliably. I would summarize the theme as hospitality rather than sophistication, and it makes for a serene and relaxing feeling that marks the experience better than any one single other element.

 

HAL vs. CELEBRITY

I have liked Celebrity a lot, and did not intend to consider other mass market lines before this. My initial feeling on this ship was a bit disappointed, seemed less luxurious, less exciting, food less good. While I think those impressions were true to some degree, I warmed to HAL each day, and I would now temper my initial feelings. The HAL experience is more like going to a hotel in the US National Register of Historic Places than a modern glass and shiny new hotel. I appreciated the feeling created on ship. I would sail HAL again if I can. I will still like Celebrity too.

 

Much has been written about the smoking policy. I did smell smoke from cigarettes and some pipe / cigar on our deck from time to time. I would have preferred that it were not so. I prefer Celebrity's more restrictive policy. That said, this was not a major theme of the trip.

 

Which line is better? I think the question is unanswerable. While I can see some people having a clear preference, I think it's more correct to say that they are both good in somewhat different ways. Just as an apple and an orange are good foods, or New York and Chicago are good cities to visit, I don't think one can say one is objectively better than the other. There are so that hate apples or Chicago, most would find plenty of merit in all these choices. Celebrity I think had better food, and feels more shiny, splashy, and HAL feels nice, calm, relaxing, warm, contented. I'm glad to have extended to be in the HAL family now.

 

Thanks everyone for following and the kind words along the way.

 

Sail well!

 

- Joel

[cormike1]

Thanks Joel for your review and pictures. I really enjoyed reading your posts. I liked your comparison of Celebrity and Hal. We did our 1st HAL this past Feb. and I agree with your comments. I feel HAL is much like Princess....we feel very comfortable on Princess and felt that way on HAL. We also enjoyed Celebrity very much. Although the décor in the common areas on our Carnival cruise was jarring to say the least, our cabin was quietly decorated. We love cruising and each company offers something a bit different than the others and really, like you, I consider myself blessed to be able to travel like this!

[RuthC]

I've enjoyed following along on your pictorials each day, clicking on each picture as I went. And I especially have enjoyed reading your summary. Happy that you had such a lovely cruise, and came to warm up to HAL.

 

Thank you for sharing with us.

[Copper10-8]

Awesome review! Thanks for taking the time and effort!