Holand Alaska Sept 2022

[Joeyn23]

Hola guys

So I finally booked a first cruise for myself since I’ve always wanted to go and see Alaska as well. 

 

I booked an Alaska cruise with holland America for sept 14-21 on the zuiderdam ship. I know sept tricky and can be a hit or miss I still have time to cancel it but would love people opinion for that time period and any thoughts and comments about the ship. 

 

Since it’s my first I did get a balcony and will be going solo so I’m excited. I was trying to book late Aug but for one person it’s super expensive.

[navybankerteacher]

You will still be seeing  Alaska, and possibly a bit less crowded with other ships - it has been a few years since I sailed Zuiderdam -- but I found her to be a better size than most newer ships, and still think HAL is a notch above other mass market lines.  September can be turning cool and rainy - but there are no weather guarantees any time of year.

 

Enjoy.

[Host Kat]

14 hours ago, Joeyn23 said:

Hola guys

So I finally booked a first cruise for myself since I’ve always wanted to go and see Alaska as well. 

 

I booked an Alaska cruise with holland America for sept 14-21 on the zuiderdam ship. I know sept tricky and can be a hit or miss I still have time to cancel it but would love people opinion for that time period and any thoughts and comments about the ship. 

 

Since it’s my first I did get a balcony and will be going solo so I’m excited. I was trying to book late Aug but for one person it’s super expensive.

 

Howdy @Joeyn23 

 

Welcome to the Cruise Critic message boards and thank you for your first new thread! 👍 See the Cruise Critic article Top 8 Things You Can Do on the Cruise Critic Message Boards to Enhance Your Cruise.

 

Cruise Critic is a great resource for new as well as experienced cruisers and we are so glad you are posting on the boards!  Please feel free to browse the Cruise Critic Community Categories list. Read a few threads in the different forums to get a feel for what each forum is about. Make sure you read any pinned threads (aka Stickies) on the top of the first page of threads in a forum. You will find very important instructions or information there. Browse through the thread titles on the forums l👀king for threads of interest. You will probably find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that will be of interest to you. Especially the Holland America Line, Solo Cruisers and the Ports of Call - Alaska forums in your case.

 

Please remember the following stated in the Guidelines we all agreed to follow when registering for our free Cruise Critic memberships:

 

Browse Before You Post
Browse a topic first to see if your question has already been asked or answered by someone else. Also, many of the major cruise lines forums have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) topic that has been created by our members. Give that a try first. Browsing is your #1 best resource! Please post your messages in an appropriate topic so that you'll receive the best possible response. It is very time consuming to move misplaced messages that are in the wrong topics.

 

Anytime you need to start a new thread/topic on a forum, first make sure you are in the correct forum for your topic. Word your new thread title in a way to help the members know exactly the information you seek. This greatly helps the members browsing through the thread titles and if they know the information they will reply to you.

 

It is best to limit each inquiry to only one topic or concerning only one cruise line, one ship, one port of call, etc. and of course, on the correct forum.  You will get more replies that way. Be sure to mention your cruise line, ship, port or sail date in your inquiry if that sort of information will help your fellow Cruise Critic members help you.

 

Please be sure to use the Follow feature on threads where you are interested in the replies. You won't have to go l👀king to see if there are new posts because they will come l👀king for you as notifications!  For more info please see How to: Follow Topics & Forums (Subscribed Threads/Forums Info) and How To: Change Email Settings/Unsubscribe: Notification Settings.

 

I want to let you know the specific Cruise Critic Roll Call thread for your line, ship and sail date will be the place for you to get to know the other Cruise Critic members sailing with you before your cruise. Your fellow Roll Call thread members may have important information posted in your Roll Call thread. Especially those that have sailed your line, ship or itinerary before. Also, there may be existing share requests already posted in the Roll Call thread that you might want to join.

 

Per the Guidelines, the specific Roll Call thread for your cruise is the only place on the Cruise Critic message boards where you and your fellow Roll Call thread members are allowed to post personal ads about sharing private tours, excursions, transportation etc. with each other to 💲ave money. That is ... if COVID-19 protocol allows by then. There is a "captive audience" on your Roll Call thread since you are all sailing together!  You will receive a much better response to your share request if you take some time to read the entire Roll Call thread, post an introductory post about yourself, and continue on with more posts back and forth to get to know the other Roll Call  thread members and allow them to get to know you first before you post your share request. That is the spirit of our Roll Calls. 

 

To explain our Roll Call threads and finding the Roll Call thread for your line, ship and sail date, please read What is a Roll Call? Everything you Need to Know and How To: Create A New Roll Call. For more information about our famous Roll Calls, please read the Roll Calls and Our Policy Regarding Facebook and Roll Calls sections in the Guidelines. We also have a Cruise Critic article you might enjoy too: 8 Reasons to Join a Cruise Critic Roll Call

 

To help you out, I located the Roll Call thread for your ship and sail date. Click here: Zuiderdam September 14, 2022 

 

After reading the whole thread and when you want to post a message, click the blue Reply to this topic button. The reply box will open and you type in your message. When done, click the Submit Reply button. If you want to address a specific post in the thread, click the Quote feature on the post. The reply box will appear with the quoted message at top. You start typing your message under the Quote as I have done in this reply to you. And again when done, click the Submit Reply button. For more information, please see How to: Reply to a Topic / Quote / Multi-Quote.

 

And don't forget, after your cruise be sure to submit your review for publication by Cruise Critic. Many cruisers will benefit from your experience!  See How To: Submit a Member Review.

 

Sorry this is so long, but I sincerely hope all this information will be helpful to someone new to posting on our message boards. Welcome again, and we are so glad to have you aboard Cruise Critic! 

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat 

[Ferry_Watcher]

Congrats on booking your first Alaska cruise, I am sure that you will have an amazing time.  Sailing out of Vancouver is beautiful.  Speaking of Canada, I am not sure where you live, but just a reminder if you are American, the best travel ID is having a passport book.  If you fly into Canada you will absolutely need it.  Alaska is awesome, and I am sure you will have a wonderful adventure. 

[Troubador222]

Congrats! My wife and I are booked on this cruise as well and we are first time cruisers too. 

[Crew News]

On 4/22/2022 at 8:21 AM, Joeyn23 said:

Hola guys

So I finally booked a first cruise for myself since I’ve always wanted to go and see Alaska as well. 

 

I booked an Alaska cruise with holland America for sept 14-21 on the zuiderdam ship. I know sept tricky and can be a hit or miss I still have time to cancel it but would love people opinion for that time period and any thoughts and comments about the ship. 

 

Since it’s my first I did get a balcony and will be going solo so I’m excited. I was trying to book late Aug but for one person it’s super expensive.

 

On 5/1/2022 at 12:54 PM, Troubador222 said:

Congrats! My wife and I are booked on this cruise as well and we are first time cruisers too. 

Welcome to CC.  I just returned from the Zuiderdam cruise in Alaska and had a live thread on the HAL Forum that you should read for many answers.  Feel free to ask questions:  .Live Thread for Zuiderdam

 

Here are links to your main dining room menus and daily activities:

Main Dining Room Menus          Daily Activities   

 

The links on the lower right of this post includes all of the Specialty Restaurant menus, beverage menus, Room Service menus, etc...

Edited May 19, 2022 by Crew News

[Troubador222]

I read most of that thread. Thanks though for the links! I’m currently out on the road watching sleet, in a truck stop in WY. When I get home though I cen use your links to show my wife!

[bbwex]

Weather in Alaska can be tricky anytime.  We went in early June, and while we had great weather on a tour from Fairbanks down to Anchorage, and then on ship's departure day out of Seward, it rained part of most of the other days, and was never very warm --- we never could use our balcony.  In any weather, Alaska is amazing though.

[SbbquilterUT]

We have sailed Alaska in multiple months and each was a bit different.  That late in September you will see less wildlife as the salmon is no longer running.  We had lovely sweater weather the first week in Sept 2021 and it is definitely less crowded which also means some shops may be closed by that time.  Make sure to pack for layers of clothes and take a rain coat for your outer layer as it helps with rain and wind.  Have fun

[Kate-in-Canada]

Congrats.  I also am doing my first cruise ever, to Alaska, and solo, but in Aug with Celebtrity.

 

so excited booking my excursions and my day plans and thinking about my packing plan.  
 

I am currently browsing Amazon for good binoculars!

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, Kate-in-Canada said:

Congrats.  I also am doing my first cruise ever, to Alaska, and solo, but in Aug with Celebtrity.

 

so excited booking my excursions and my day plans and thinking about my packing plan.  
 

I am currently browsing Amazon for good binoculars!

 

There are a fair number of binocular posts on the Photography board.

 

DON

[skrufy]

On 4/22/2022 at 9:21 AM, Joeyn23 said:

Hola guys

So I finally booked a first cruise for myself since I’ve always wanted to go and see Alaska as well. 

 

I booked an Alaska cruise with holland America for sept 14-21 on the zuiderdam ship. I know sept tricky and can be a hit or miss I still have time to cancel it but would love people opinion for that time period and any thoughts and comments about the ship. 

 

Since it’s my first I did get a balcony and will be going solo so I’m excited. I was trying to book late Aug but for one person it’s super expensive.

Late in the season, stores are beginning to shut down. Be prepared for any kind of weather. Did Alaska in early Sept a few years ago, it rained or drizzled for most of the cruise at some time each day.

[lenquixote66]

On 4/22/2022 at 10:21 AM, Joeyn23 said:

Hola guys

So I finally booked a first cruise for myself since I’ve always wanted to go and see Alaska as well. 

 

I booked an Alaska cruise with holland America for sept 14-21 on the zuiderdam ship. I know sept tricky and can be a hit or miss I still have time to cancel it but would love people opinion for that time period and any thoughts and comments about the ship. 

 

Since it’s my first I did get a balcony and will be going solo so I’m excited. I was trying to book late Aug but for one person it’s super expensive.

We did Alaska in May 2008 on the Veendam.We were on the Zuiferdam for other cruises and liked the ship.