Just booked our Alaska cruise!

[PRPLE]

earlier today we booked our cruise to Alaska. Doing the 1YL on Holland departing August 28th

 

Now I have the fun of scouring the boards for tips and ideas for excursions...

 

Our goals are interesting geologic features (hubbies goal) while mine is unique food and tastes to the areas... plus the wonders that make up this amazing location

 

I’m just jumping up and down excited!

 

Land portion: 1 Nt Vancouver + 2 Nts Whitehorse + 2 Nts Dawson City + 2 Nts Fairbanks + 3 Nts Denali + 2 Nts Anchorage

Cruise portion: Seward, Glacier Bay, Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan, Inside Passage, Vancouver

Edited October 1, 2018 by PRPLE
spelling

[jrmende63]

Have fun planning! We are going in June and we cannot wait!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[propwash]

On 10/1/2018 at 4:50 PM, PRPLE said:

earlier today we booked our cruise to Alaska. Doing the 1YL on Holland departing August 28th

 

Now I have the fun of scouring the boards for tips and ideas for excursions...

 

Our goals are interesting geologic features (hubbies goal) while mine is unique food and tastes to the areas... plus the wonders that make up this amazing location

 

I’m just jumping up and down excited!

 

Land portion: 1 Nt Vancouver + 2 Nts Whitehorse + 2 Nts Dawson City + 2 Nts Fairbanks + 3 Nts Denali + 2 Nts Anchorage

Cruise portion: Seward, Glacier Bay, Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan, Inside Passage, Vancouver

We're going on the 1Y cruise (land 1st) but because the Aug 28 was sold out (land portion) we decided on July 31. Do you know which hotel is scheduled for the stay in Fairbanks, is it the Westmark or another one?

Thanks

Danny

[PRPLE]

My itinerary says Westmark... no clue if the same for all dates or not... still haven’t gotten back to working in shore excursions

 

thanjs for letting me know our land portion is SOLDOUT... wishing I knew how many people that means

[lynne2fl]

We just finished booking our land and cruise tour with NCL for mid June,  Land includes Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage, Homer and Seward.  Does anyone have information on lodging used by NCL

[Crew News]

On 10/1/2018 at 5:50 PM, PRPLE said:

earlier today we booked our cruise to Alaska. Doing the 1YL on Holland departing August 28th

 

Now I have the fun of scouring the boards for tips and ideas for excursions...

 

Our goals are interesting geologic features (hubbies goal) while mine is unique food and tastes to the areas... plus the wonders that make up this amazing location

 

I’m just jumping up and down excited!

 

Land portion: 1 Nt Vancouver + 2 Nts Whitehorse + 2 Nts Dawson City + 2 Nts Fairbanks + 3 Nts Denali + 2 Nts Anchorage

Cruise portion: Seward, Glacier Bay, Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan, Inside Passage, Vancouver

 

Congratulations on your booking.  Make sure you join your Holland America Roll Call.

 

Be careful when discussing Denali as there will be many different itineraries onboard your cruise ship that will be going to Denali in a multitude of ways and dates.  If you want any aircraft-related excursions, book ASAP as the number of seats are very limited.  Think carefully about accepting the HAL Meal Plan as it is way overpriced and there are lots of alternatives even in Denali.

 

Photo tips:  Don't try to take pics through train windows, go to the platforms between the cars to avoid the glare and rainbow effects.  Bring a good telephoto lens but not a super-telephoto that requires a tripod.  Your camera will need a rain cover unless it is water-resistant. 

 

My favorite excursions:  Juneau - any whale watching tour, Ketchikan - crab fishing with amazing eagle photo ops, Anchorage - 26 glacier tour out of Whittier, Denali- flight around Mt Mckinley and Tundra Wilderness Tour (TWT).

 

Here is a link to my last Denali cruisetour with HAL: 

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/denali

 

I will be on the Westerdam on my HAL Denali cruisetour in June and will have my traditional live thread on the HAL Forum to answer any questions about daily activities, menus, excursions, tips, and my impressions as well as my impressions.

 

Enjoy your cruise planning

[PRPLE]

Thanks Crew News.... yep I already secured a bunch of excisions... some with HAL and some not...   and yep already seeing some things sell out

 

had researches the meal plan already and I like to explore food... plus others had said that while nice to have it paid for it was better to go it on your own .  Glad you think that as well

 

Love the tips from everyone and will check out your info and watch as your cruising 

[PRPLE]

On 1/29/2019 at 2:51 PM, propwash said:

We're going on the 1Y cruise (land 1st) but because the Aug 28 was sold out (land portion) we decided on July 31. Do you know which hotel is scheduled for the stay in Fairbanks, is it the Westmark or another one?

Thanks

Danny

Danny looks like options available on my land/cruise... so you could switch if you wanted.... just a heads up

[propwash]

On 2/12/2019 at 8:03 PM, Crew News said:

 

Congratulations on your booking.  Make sure you join your Holland America Roll Call.

 

Be careful when discussing Denali as there will be many different itineraries onboard your cruise ship that will be going to Denali in a multitude of ways and dates.  If you want any aircraft-related excursions, book ASAP as the number of seats are very limited.  Think carefully about accepting the HAL Meal Plan as it is way overpriced and there are lots of alternatives even in Denali.

 

Photo tips:  Don't try to take pics through train windows, go to the platforms between the cars to avoid the glare and rainbow effects.  Bring a good telephoto lens but not a super-telephoto that requires a tripod.  Your camera will need a rain cover unless it is water-resistant. 

 

My favorite excursions:  Juneau - any whale watching tour, Ketchikan - crab fishing with amazing eagle photo ops, Anchorage - 26 glacier tour out of Whittier, Denali- flight around Mt Mckinley and Tundra Wilderness Tour (TWT).

 

Here is a link to my last Denali cruisetour with HAL: 

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/denali

 

I will be on the Westerdam on my HAL Denali cruisetour in June and will have my traditional live thread on the HAL Forum to answer any questions about daily activities, menus, excursions, tips, and my impressions as well as my impressions.

 

Enjoy your cruise planning

So before we decided to do the 1YL, I attended a cruise program from our TA and they had 2 HAL people give the Alaskan program, a father-son combo. The son is a tour guide with HAL for the land portion. They both claimed that the HAL train car windows were made by Kodac so that picture taking resulted with no distortion. 

Interesting

Danny 

[puppycanducruise]

Hope you have a great time!

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, propwash said:

So before we decided to do the 1YL, I attended a cruise program from our TA and they had 2 HAL people give the Alaskan program, a father-son combo. The son is a tour guide with HAL for the land portion. They both claimed that the HAL train car windows were made by Kodac so that picture taking resulted with no distortion. 

Interesting

Danny 

 

Windows around 1/2-inch thick, that can survive an 81 mph crash, and that are distortion free would be a real engineering feat.