First HAL cruise - Nieuw Amsterdam Aug 14-21, 2021 - Live from Alaska!

[7seascruising]

One of the many glaciers in Glacier Bay.  Not the best day for pictures as it was rainy and foggy, but still awe-inspiring!

[Andi Land]

Hope you’re having a great time! We love Alaska. 

[canadianbear]

Your Glacier Bay photo is beautiful.  Love it!

[SilvertoGold]

A question for you: any news onboard?  HAL used to have a printed NYTimes Digest. Wondering if this is on the app or still being printed. Enjoying your reports!

[7seascruising]

So, I went on the ZipRider excursion in Icy Strait Point.  The first picture is from the bottom check in area looking up to the platform that you plummet, er, start from.  The other picture is the view of the last thing you ever see.  Just kidding.  When I saw this excursion listed, I knew I had to do it.  I'm not a fan of heights and I'm really not a fan of high edges.  Actually, it's more of the edges thing.  I don't mind being high up as long as I'm not near an edge. This excursion brought my two biggest fears together.  I will say that my anxiety jumped when I checked in and actually saw what I was about to do from the ground perspective.  You take a ride up in what I would describe as a repurposed school bus (not what HAL describes it as).  The ride up was good and the driver/guide gave a lot of information and was funny.  The excursion description says there is a short hike from the drop off point to the actual facility.  It was not short.  Also, when it's been raining and foggy the previous few days, the trail can be a little slick and since it's downhill, it could be a little difficult for some.  Just a warning.

 

Now, for the actual ZipRider part.  This zip line is the longest and highest in the world.  It's just under a mile long at 5,330 feet and starts at a point 1,330 feet high, which is higher than the Empire State Building.  There are 6 of these lines, so you and 5 other crazy people all go at the same time.  It's called a ZipRider because you actually sit in a webbed seat and are then strapped in very securely.  When your stomach is in knots and you're about ready to call it off, they do a quick 3-2-1 countdown and let the gates go that your feet are on and you're off.

 

I'm not going to lie, that first second or 5 when the line drops a little and I shot over the edge, I thought I died.  I knew I didn't because I could hear myself saying a few choice words.  After the first few seconds, though, I realized that there's nothing I could do and that I might as well enjoy the ride. I could see the ship waaay down below me and the tops of all the pine trees under my feet.  I could feel the mist of the fog hitting me on the way down.  It. Was. Awesome.  If you every get a chance to go to Icy Strait Point, I highly recommend this excursion.  The pictures I'm posting don't do it justice and the videos on YouTube, while helpful, are not a good substitution.  

 

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.  

[7seascruising]

31 minutes ago, Andi Land said:

Hope you’re having a great time! We love Alaska. 

Definitely having a great time.  We've been to Alaska before, so we are keeping it really low key and only booked the one excursion.  We're just enjoying Alaska and enjoying doing it on a cruise ship.

[7seascruising]

9 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

A question for you: any news onboard?  HAL used to have a printed NYTimes Digest. Wondering if this is on the app or still being printed. Enjoying your reports!

I don't know.  It's not part of the app.  Do you know where it would be found?  I can look and report back.

[7seascruising]

21 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

Your Glacier Bay photo is beautiful.  Love it!

Thank you!

[canadianbear]

Wow @7seascruisingyou ARE brave to have done that zip line, good for you!    Next time (lol) attach a GoPro with sound!

 

It actually sounds like fun but I know Mr Bear does not like heights and would not do it with me.

Edited August 20, 2021 by canadianbear

[7seascruising]

14 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

Wow @7seascruisingyou ARE brave to have done that zip line, good for you!    Next time (lol) attach a GoPro with sound!

 

It actually sounds like fun but I know Mr Bear does not like heights and would not do it with me.

My wife didn't go with me.  She stayed on the ship, nice and comfy.  It's still a blast.  Maybe Mr Bear can stay at the bottom and take pictures/video.

[canadianbear]

31 minutes ago, 7seascruising said:

My wife didn't go with me.  She stayed on the ship, nice and comfy.  It's still a blast.  Maybe Mr Bear can stay at the bottom and take pictures/video.

Maybe.   Would be fun to have videos of me screaming, lol.     I’m not afraid of heights and would probably love it. 

[erewhon]

Thank you for reporting "live" from your cruise.

Enjoy the remainder of the cruise.

[7seascruising]

We decided to rent a cabana for the week and I have posted a couple of pictures below.  

 

My opinion about the cabana is that it's definitely worth it.  It was just for the wife and myself, so there was plenty of room.  This cabana was on the Lido deck by the pool, so there is noise from the pool and spa, but the cabana does muffle the noise some.  We left the cabana open most of the time, although it can be completely closed for more privacy.  With this Alaska trip and the rainy weather during part of it, HAL left the retractable roof close the entire cruise, which caused the pool area to be somewhat humid.  Closing up the cabana just made it too stuffy.  I would recommend going somewhere else when going through Glacier Bay as the humidity will just fog up the windows too much.

 

The cabana we chose was St. Tropez, which is the furthest one from the Dive-In burger and hot dog spot.  We chose that one as we felt it would be furthest from the crowds and noise.  One of the extras of the Cabanas is that the attendants can get you whatever you want to order from Dive-In and New York Pizza. One of the surprises is that they can also get you anything you want from Lido Market.  We never took advantage of that service, but it was nice to know it was there.

 

All in all, this is a great extra to spring for.  For this 7 day Alaskan cruise it was an extra $200, which was worth it to us.  

 

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[7seascruising]

Just had a medical disembarkation about 4 hours outside of Ketchikan.  At one point the captain said we were going to head back to Ketchikan, but the Coast Guard met us on location to do to medical evacuation.  I hope everything turns out okay for all those involved.

 

Also, the picture just shows the Coast Guard ship.  I made sure no one was being boarded when I took it.  There was a lot of look-loos hanging over the rails.  I guess me taking the picture makes me one of them.

[CruiseMGM]

2 hours ago, 7seascruising said:

So, I went on the ZipRider excursion in Icy Strait Point.  The first picture is from the bottom check in area looking up to the platform that you plummet, er, start from.  The other picture is the view of the last thing you ever see.  Just kidding.  When I saw this excursion listed, I knew I had to do it.  I'm not a fan of heights and I'm really not a fan of high edges.  Actually, it's more of the edges thing.  I don't mind being high up as long as I'm not near an edge. This excursion brought my two biggest fears together.  I will say that my anxiety jumped when I checked in and actually saw what I was about to do from the ground perspective.  You take a ride up in what I would describe as a repurposed school bus (not what HAL describes it as).  The ride up was good and the driver/guide gave a lot of information and was funny.  The excursion description says there is a short hike from the drop off point to the actual facility.  It was not short.  Also, when it's been raining and foggy the previous few days, the trail can be a little slick and since it's downhill, it could be a little difficult for some.  Just a warning.

 

Now, for the actual ZipRider part.  This zip line is the longest and highest in the world.  It's just under a mile long at 5,330 feet and starts at a point 1,330 feet high, which is higher than the Empire State Building.  There are 6 of these lines, so you and 5 other crazy people all go at the same time.  It's called a ZipRider because you actually sit in a webbed seat and are then strapped in very securely.  When your stomach is in knots and you're about ready to call it off, they do a quick 3-2-1 countdown and let the gates go that your feet are on and you're off.

 

I'm not going to lie, that first second or 5 when the line drops a little and I shot over the edge, I thought I died.  I knew I didn't because I could hear myself saying a few choice words.  After the first few seconds, though, I realized that there's nothing I could do and that I might as well enjoy the ride. I could see the ship waaay down below me and the tops of all the pine trees under my feet.  I could feel the mist of the fog hitting me on the way down.  It. Was. Awesome.  If you every get a chance to go to Icy Strait Point, I highly recommend this excursion.  The pictures I'm posting don't do it justice and the videos on YouTube, while helpful, are not a good substitution.  

 

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.  

 

OK, that was an AWESOME read. My brother and sister in law are here for our flight tomorrow and boarding of the Nieuw Amsterdam on Saturday, and I read it out loud to them, MUCH laughter ensued. Thank you for the review. The guys MIGHT decide to give this a try. The girls? No way, we're smarter than that! HAHAHA! Thanks for a good belly laugh, glad you're having a good time.

 

Best wishes to the medical evacuee, hope all's well.

[Cruizer Bill]

We are two weeks behind you.  Glad you are having fun!  Thanks for taking us along!

[SilvertoGold]

16 hours ago, 7seascruising said:

I don't know.  It's not part of the app.  Do you know where it would be found?  I can look and report back.

By the Front Desk, at the entrance to the Dining Room and Lido in the morning - this is where they used to keep stacks of the Times Digest. Thanks for the info so far! Looks as if any news is gone with the wind.  You might ask at the Front Desk, if you have nothing better to do :) !!

[rwmiller]

23 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

A question for you: any news onboard?  HAL used to have a printed NYTimes Digest. Wondering if this is on the app or still being printed. Enjoying your reports!

We were on the 7/24 cruise and there is a link on the Navigator app - Connect then News and Magazines. The problem is that you are then sent to an internet site which, as we know from the trip reports, is very slow / intermittent in Alaska. Also it showed many Asian papers that were up to date but the Washington Post was stuck on an old issue. Not sure about the NYTimes Digest, we stopped looking. 
 

Bob