BTimmer's Almost Live Land/Sea Alaska Cruise (7/23/23-8/25/23)

[Btimmer]

We're headed back to Alaska to repeat (sort of) a southbound cruise we did last year on the Noordam with our granddaughter who absolutely loved the cruise and land tour.  The changes this year are we are taking her 10 year old brother (he was quite jealous that she got to go and enjoyed it so much) and we're doing it Northbound out of Vancouver. 

 

This year we booked the cruise as a part of a tour by a company based north of Seattle.  Our cruise/land tour this year includes some additional stops and we're repeating a couple independent shore excursions we did last year (Whale watching in Juneau & Sled Dog & Musher Camp in Skagway) and, unfortunately, we're missing being able to do the White Pass / Yukon Railway as it's sold out.  Also our tour includes a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and a visit to North Pole, Alaska and a Gold Dredge tour.  While our tour includes a number of included excursions by the tour company, we're skipping most of them so we can do specific activities that we think our grandson would appreciate more.

 

I'll be posting frequently into this thread, and if you have any questions, I'll certainly try to answer them.  I'll also do one of my daily blogs which I'll provide a link to later. What's really interesting is that my brother and his wife are taking part of their family on the same itinerary the following week on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

Stay tuned for more.  It all starts with a bus ride from the Seattle area to Vancouver next Sunday morning.  Last year, our trip ended with a bus ride from Vancouver to Seattle.

[Crew News]

Looking forward to your impressions.  Enjoy your cruise.

[Mtn2Sea]

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your past reviews and will be looking forward to your next one!

[SilvertoGold]

Loved last year's posts and that "cool" granddaughter of yours.  Have a really super time and we will enjoy every post.

[kazu]

Looking forward to your posts and comments.

 

Thanks for taking the time and $$ to do this 🙂 

[kplady]

Your reviews and Live From threads are always wonderful - looking forward to traveling along with you!

Laura

[Haljo1935]

LOVE AK - very much looking forward to your Live and appreciate you letting us rag along.

Safe travels  - enjoy your cruise!

[Lido deck main]

 Looking forward to this.  I enjoy following your reviews.  

[oakridger]

Count me in as a regular reader of your trip reports also!  It sure doesn't seem like a year has passed since you were just there with your granddaughter!  

 

Have a wonderful time and it will be fun to get a ten-year old's perspective this time!!

 

~Nancy

[woodinville cruisers]

Have a great time in Alaska.

[canadianbear]

What a great trip you have planned with your grandson.  Love your blog & posts.  Have a fantastic time.  
 

Your grandkids are very lucky!

 

 I’ll be following along.  

[xjust4fun]

Have a wonderful time, will look forward to your posts.  See you in Oct for our GSA.

[POA1]

Looking forward to your report. The added kids angle will be useful for a lot of people who wonder if HAL Alaska is a good fit for families.

[BetsyS.]

Bon Voyage!  🥂😊      My stepfather and I met you and your wife 8/3 of last year.

We had to wait one hour before we got inside the Boston terminal to board the

Niew Statendam.  You and your wife made the wait much better and we enjoyed 

talking to you. My stepfather and I will board the Zuiderdam this Saturday in Boston. 

I hope that embarkation will be much faster than last year.  I wish you and 

your family all the best! Have a great cruise!

[Btimmer]

3 hours ago, POA1 said:

Looking forward to your report. The added kids angle will be useful for a lot of people who wonder if HAL Alaska is a good fit for families.

In our experience, HAL is great for kids traveling to Alaska.  My brother is taking his son and his two younger boys on the same itinerary the week after us.  I report back on their experience as well.

[Btimmer]

10 minutes ago, BetsyS. said:

Bon Voyage!  🥂😊      My stepfather and I met you and your wife 8/3 of last year.

We had to wait one hour before we got inside the Boston terminal to board the

Niew Statendam.  You and your wife made the wait much better and we enjoyed 

talking to you. My stepfather and I will board the Zuiderdam this Saturday in Boston. 

I hope that embarkation will be much faster than last year.  I wish you and 

your family all the best! Have a great cruise!

Thanks for checking in.  That was quite the experience checking in in Boston. I hope it goes better this year for your Zuiderdam cruise.

[vicd1969]

Are you sailing on the Noordam or the Nieuw Amsterdam? I'm sailing the same itinerary on the NA mid-August, so definitely will follow your posts. Bon Voyage and may you be blessed with good weather!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Have a great cruise.

[Btimmer]

4 minutes ago, vicd1969 said:

Are you sailing on the Noordam or the Nieuw Amsterdam? I'm sailing the same itinerary on the NA mid-August, so definitely will follow your posts. Bon Voyage and may you be blessed with good weather!

Noordam.  My brother is on the NA the following week.

[monarchbb]

Have a wonderful cruise. I can't wait to hear the about the 10 year old grandson's perspective.

[Hogladyrider]

All signed up to follow I thoroughly enjoy reading your reviews as well as your blog!

[Btimmer]

I've started my blog and it can be found at:

 

https://timmer2023alaska.blogspot.com

 

It'll have an entry every day (not necessarily posted every day) and will largely be text oriented.  This CC thread will have the bulk of any pictures.

 

8:45am tomorrow can't come soon enough!

[BetsyS.]

Bon Voyage! I wanted to tell you that embarkation in Boston yesterday was 

quick and easy. No lines at all! HAL obviously got numerous complaints 

about the fiasco we went through last year. They did a perfect job yesterday.

I'm very happy for you and your family. Have a great cruise! 😊

[Btimmer]

Just now, BetsyS. said:

Bon Voyage! I wanted to tell you that embarkation in Boston yesterday was 

quick and easy. No lines at all! HAL obviously got numerous complaints 

about the fiasco we went through last year. They did a perfect job yesterday.

I'm very happy for you and your family. Have a great cruise! 😊

That's good news.  We board our charter bus in about 2 hours to drive 3 hours to Vancouver BC.

[SilvertoGold]

27 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

That's good news.  We board our charter bus in about 2 hours to drive 3 hours to Vancouver BC.

Welcome to Vancouver in awhile. You have a good day for sail-away. Best wishes for  the best cruise on my favourite ship, which is now docked and waiting for you!

Edited July 23, 2023 by SilvertoGold