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life from Westerdam

sacway

By sacway,
in Holland America Line

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sacway

sacway

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79 degrees in Juneau

 

great time so far.

 

nice Signature Suite.

 

great service (exception of one bartender)

 

many whales spotted

 

gym too small, no towels, bad yoga mats.

 

food fine.

AlaskaJun2015.jpg.7a6a333044547733f79a5e27a3272aeb.jpg

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sacway

sacway

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So glad to hear it's going well.

 

Can you expand on the gym being too small? Do you mean in terms of space? Or not enough machines? Thanks!

 

The gym has about a dozen strength training machines and about a small living room size area for free weights. About a dozen treadmills and three maybe elliptical trainers and two bikes plus one recumbent cycle. Small class area where it's difficult to fit more than about nine or ten people. For a ship that has nearly 2000 pax many very active (think of all the outdoor excursions in AK) it is inadequate.

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sacway

sacway

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For couch potatoes, good tv piping NBA finals to room, two ESPN channels, BBC News and Fox News have CNBC and MSNBC. Movie channels okay not new releases but relatively large DVD library.

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sacway

sacway

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Also, had a fun meet up yesterday arranged with HAL (thank you Amanda Cummins) where we got the chance to meet in person some of the CCers from our Roll Call. Hope they have had as great a time in Juneau as we have had today. Will look for them on board tomorrow or for their reviews when they return home.

 

BTW, the State Museum here is being rebuilt. Won't reopen till next year. We stopped in the Juneau Arts and Heritage Center (may have got that name wrong) nearby as an alternative. Smallish but nice and totally local fine art and handicrafts so happy to support local arts community. Bought a hand painted silk scarf for my SIL I am sure she'll like. Nice dolls, dresses, prints paintings some but not all for sale.

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ellieanne

ellieanne

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Also, in Lido cafe nice corner with sofa makes a cozy zone for whatever friends or family group settles down. Terrace is good extra seating too.

 

I really like the Lidos with the banquette seating as well. It makes it really nice when you have a large group who all meet up in the Lido. (Though you have to be careful admitting that around these parts, people will accuse you of table hogging.)

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sacway

sacway

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Okay, best food in all our dozen-plus cruises was Oceania, next Celebrity. NCL gets dinged for food but we found excellent curries and flat breads on the NCL Star in the buffet and booked suites twice so we could have breakfast and lunch in Gatsby's. Being in a Neptune Suite give you Pinnacle Grill here on Westerdam but it's the same breakfast as in MDR so no real value for us in that.

 

First time on HAL so hard to be strategic in eating. But so far we liked the range of theme breakfasts in MDR (English, American, Dutch, Japanese...) and today had wonderful smoked salmon omelet made to order in Lido. Some dishes not so lucky. But veggie choices have been good, burgers and fries fine at the Dive In grill on the pool patio. I try for very small portions of anything new and if it's not what works for me oh well I let it go till next meal which of course comes soon. Four to five flavored of ice cream at Lido in cup cone or waffle always. Sherbet for those who are watching their lipids. :) overall I rate it Worthy Effort so far and the servers are very kind friendly and helpful which makes any meal better.

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sacway

sacway

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I really like the Lidos with the banquette seating as well. It makes it really nice when you have a large group who all meet up in the Lido. (Though you have to be careful admitting that around these parts, people will accuse you of table hogging.)

 

In 1999 our extended family took a four day cruise with my 80 yr old father in law. It was the first and last time we did this and he died a couple years later. He spent most of his waking hours at a large table in the buffet as his several children and their children drifted in and out from various activities. The whole vacation was magical and unforgettable.

 

Some may call it table hogging but I will never begrudge families working together to accommodate the very old, very young or very frail. These are wonderful things to share.

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ellieanne

ellieanne

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In 1999 our extended family took a four day cruise with my 80 yr old father in law. It was the first and last time we did this and he died a couple years later. He spent most of his waking hours at a large table in the buffet as his several children and their children drifted in and out from various activities. The whole vacation was magical and unforgettable.

 

Some may call it table hogging but I will never begrudge families working together to accommodate the very old, very young or very frail. These are wonderful things to share.

 

I agree, we usually have a table in the Lido near the windows for my Dad who needs A/C and loves to watch the goings-on at port. It's also easier for him to have a table on which to put things. The Lido offers all that and it's great to have a designated meeting place for everyone throughout the day. I really see it as no different than using the chairs/couches in lounges throughout the day and certainly no different than the people who spend hours in the lounge chairs in the Explorations Cafe/Library.

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

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In 1999 our extended family took a four day cruise with my 80 yr old father in law. It was the first and last time we did this and he died a couple years later. He spent most of his waking hours at a large table in the buffet as his several children and their children drifted in and out from various activities. The whole vacation was magical and unforgettable.

 

Some may call it table hogging but I will never begrudge families working together to accommodate the very old, very young or very frail. These are wonderful things to share.

 

Not at all - I think this is perfectly fine IMO. I cannot see anyone objecting to this.

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Bailey & Sophie

Bailey & Sophie

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In 1999 our extended family took a four day cruise with my 80 yr old father in law. It was the first and last time we did this and he died a couple years later. He spent most of his waking hours at a large table in the buffet as his several children and their children drifted in and out from various activities. The whole vacation was magical and unforgettable.

 

Some may call it table hogging but I will never begrudge families working together to accommodate the very old, very young or very frail. These are wonderful things to share.

 

This is so SWEET.

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sacway

sacway

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Thanks for the insight Sacaway, loving your reviews and thoughts! Would you say there are any peak times in the Lido to avoid breakfast or lunch or good times to go? Thanks, just so excited for our cruise coming up!

 

Lido has opened early a couple of times. Like today, Sitka, started serving full breakfast at 6 am. Main dining not open till 7:30!

 

In Sitka right now, at Highligher Coffee on Lake Street next to Fire Station. Yummy Coconut Lemon Pound Cake and other local eats. Lit a real beeswax candle at the Cathedral on way here asking for protection and well being of all us cruisers.

 

The gym has had towels available since I first posted, good step forward. Also, it is "Explorations" upstairs. And it's the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council. Been mangling my names.

 

Though the itinerary says we are here till only 1 pm, when we tendered signage says last tender at 3 pm so probably time to walk over to Raptor Rescue Center. If I don't go to sleep after eating this pound cake.

 

More soon.

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sacway

sacway

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Just arrived.

 

We have a starboard verandah and are docked on port so no watching people stream on and off. We faced Sitka yesterday and the tendering was also done on this side.

 

Yesterday we enjoyed visiting KCAW public radio and the National Historic Park. Salmonberries abundant but months too early for the salmon runs.

 

Went to MDR last night and enjoyed the various chefs signature dishes, I had the vegetarian curry one of the spicier meals of the week. Overall food is very bland but fresh and flavorful.

 

Weather continues mild, was out on the verandah in bare feet this morning snapping photos of nothing in particular.

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