Just back from HAL Zandam Alaska w/ kids

[babytraveler]

As many of you long-time board members know, I was anxious about our HAL Zandaam cruise to Alaska.

I didn’t want to bring a 2 year old and a 5 year old cross country by plane, traveling with 2 car seats, a stroller, a weeks worth of diapers, wipes, sippy cups, baggies, etc., plus luggage for 4 people spanning a climate that could be hot, cold, or rainy, with lots of out door activities but also regular ship board wear, plus formal wear for 4 people. I didn’t know what my 2 year old would do on board, since she wasn’t eligible for CLUB HAL or how the trip would affect her. I was worried about controlling her onboard and during meals. A friend had done the same thing with the same ages on Celebrity and had a hideous experience, including harassment from other passengers who did not appreciate her having her children there, plus lack of care from Celebrity staff. I was worried about the plane and the time change.

I considered leaving my 2 year old with her grandparents and agonized whether she would be upset, or exhaust them.

That being said, we’re back and we all had a wonderful time.

HAL Zandaam Alaska is beautiful. The food is great. The scenery is spectacular. There is lots to do. The staff is indulgent. It was really a wonderful experience. While posh service doesn't mean anything to me, the service mentality of HAL was super helpful--stuff like if I was carrying a tray with kids in tow, someone ran right over to carry it to a table for me. Apple juice was always waiting on the table at dinner for us. The staff saw our needs and fixed them. That's true service.

The luggage was every bit as bad as I imagined. We used everything and could have brought more, had we been able to carry it. Thanks to the porters at the pier. They handled our bags to and from the car service.

The self service laundry room was a big help. I did 8 loads. I was on the Main Deck, as was a nice laundry facility with soap and iron. If you are a laundry doer, get on a deck with a laundry facility. Put it in on the way to breakfast, put in dryer after breakfast, and by the time you are ready to go about, it is done.

I’d heard all about child resenters on HAL and that it was kid-unfriendly. That was not true. The fellow passengers were kind to us. My kids were very well behaved. They didn’t run off and stuck close. They were quiet at dinner (but they weren’t always still). They were as well behaved as a 5 year old and a 2 year old could be. That being said, I’m sure there were times we bothered people. We did the best we could keeping them quiet and still and neat—with the admission that we couldn’t keep them quiet and still all the time. But people were kind and acted as if they didn’t notice. Thank you. The thing is, we all need to eat, so we had to eat somewhere.

Room service didn’t work for us because we were in an E Quad with a portacrib. If you are planning your own trip and need a portacrib, do spring for the balcony suites. We only had about 3 inches surrounding the crib, and it was tough to move in the cabin at all. There was no room to eat.

We ate in all the restaurants: Lido, Rotterdam (thank you kind waiters who had apple juice waiting on the table when we got there) and even the Pinnacle Grill for a family dinner.

We went to the shows. My 2 year old loved the shows. She announced as we walked “Go see show!” She sat quiet and still. She loved looking around at all the decorations, especially the guitars and masks and musical instruments. She loved the Explorer area. There was plenty to do.

There had been lots of debate online whether Club HAL accepted kids under 3 if their parents stayed. In fact, I had it in writing that my 2 year old could participate in Club HAL if I stayed with her. Not true. Club HAL if for potty trained 3s and up. What they do is allow a “toddler time” for 1 hour a day on sailing days, with parents in attendance. My feedback to HAL is to extend Toddler Time for the under 3s who can’t be a part of CLUB HAL. My daughter got to play at CLUB HAL for an hour on sail days. She loved it. But she was very upset that she couldn’t go with her sister at the other times. It wasn’t that there was nothing to do, but she really wanted to play there.

If you are planning your own vacation, I recommend waiting until your child is over 3. It was fun and manageable with a 2, but Club HAL would have enriched the experience for all of us. We had to go now, because it was a family reunion. But if simply vacationing, it is worth waiting a year.I was never child free. I wasn’t comfortable with a stranger alone in my room with my child, no matter how nice everyone said she’d be. I was completely devoted to my child’s schedule.

We were so whacked out from the 3 hour then 4 hour time change that we rescheduled a bedtime for 9:30 (so we could see some of the shows), up at 7 am, and 2 hour nap in the afternoon. I read by crack in curtains for 2 hours ever day while daughter napped. I went to bed when daughters went to bed. And got up with them. It was fine, and no worse than I do at home, but I was never child free, nor ever alone with my husband, if that should be an issue for you. If so, wait until child is 3.

The official excursions didn’t work for us. They were too expensive and complex with a 2 year old. Even tours were 3 hours and we didn’t know if 2 year old would be cooperative the whole time about getting on and off of bus, so we avoided tours. Instead, we caught a local bus to the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau for a total cost of $30 for the 4 of us and spent a wonderful day there. The kids threw rocks in the water, and we walked, and they loved the displays.

We did lots in Sitka, all on foot with the stroller. Watch Little Einsteins before you go, the episode with the totem poles. My kids were obsessed we totem poles. We did the whole totem pole park, the Bishops house, the dancers, the church, walked around town. We ate out of a vending machine. Skipped nap. That was our only meltdown day. But there was a lot of fun stuff to do, just on foot. We spent under $50 for a days activity for 4.

We just walked around Creek Street etc. in Ketchikan and shopped for souveniers (totem poles, totem poles fridge magnets, etc.)

We really enjoyed our little mini-outings. But we couldn’t compete with family members who took floatplanes and did dogsled runs and flew on helicopters. If these things are important to you, wait until your kids are 9+

Regarding products. Our portacrib had a tear in the mesh. That would have freaked me out if my child had been younger and could have gotten caught without my noticing. At 2, I just told my daughter to avoid it. The crib was clean, but no bedding was included. Luckily in my massive luggage I had brought a portacrib sheet, and daughter’s own blanket and pillow.

No joke re: diapers and other baby products. Not sold in ship, didn’t see them in airport, and the drugstores in Juneau and Sitka didn’t sell more than 1 type of diapers that we’ve never used, and the only wipes were mini packs of “Wet Ones.” I brought over 100 diapers and used about 85, but I ran out of wipes. I bought all 10 packs of Wet Ones available in Sitka. I hear there are Wal-Mart’s and Cosco, but not near the tourist areas, so if you run out, your whole day will be spent trying to get diapers. I didn’t see a drug store or supermarket in Ketchikan, but there probably was one. Bring all baby supplies! I didn’t check for baby food or formula etc., but don’t count on buying anything.

My daughters both loved dressing up for formal night. The entire cruise they were interested and involved and excited and enjoyed it. They loved the live band in the piano bar.

No joke. Not all the decks were enclosed. I believe a child could slip down between the rails. I never let go of 2 year old when outside. We did less deck stuff because it was just too hard. Crows Nest and other inside venues with big windows were good for looking out enclosed, and the adults were so loud there that we couldn’t make a dent in the noise.

Happy to answer questions.

[JesMil]

Thank you for your post. I am traveling on HAL/Westerdam, in December, with my 3 year old and 6 year old. My youngest will have just turned 3 prior to the cruise. Judging from your post, I am glad he will have hit that age mark. It is very nice to have your children with you, but it is nice to have a couple of hours to yourselves! Do you know where I could find any written material on the HAL children's program (beside the HAL website)? Are there age groupings for the kids, that is, 3 to 5 year olds together? Thanks again.

[Arubalisa]

Thank you for your post. I am traveling on HAL/Westerdam, in December, with my 3 year old and 6 year old. My youngest will have just turned 3 prior to the cruise. Judging from your post, I am glad he will have hit that age mark. It is very nice to have your children with you, but it is nice to have a couple of hours to yourselves! Do you know where I could find any written material on the HAL children's program (beside the HAL website)? Are there age groupings for the kids, that is, 3 to 5 year olds together? Thanks again.

Although it is from late 2004, and only covers kids 5 and up, I have a Club HAL brochure at http://www.arubabound.com/image/lg/us/zaandam/zaan_youthprog.htm

 

I am glad that the OP enjoyed the Zaandam. Our family also enjoyed her. With that being said, we had one bad experience with Club HAL. For our day in Martinique. we had signed up DD the day before as required. When my husband went to sign her into the club that morning, none of the Club HAL staff was there. “They” decided they felt like taking the day off, and we were “lucky” that one of the male entertainers “volunteered” to man the Club that day. My husband chatted with the gentleman long enough to determine he felt safe leaving DD at the Club. Our daughter happily played on the computer for a couple of hours, but obviously that was beside the point.

 

Our daughter overall enjoyed the Kid's Club much more on Celebrity. Greater variety of activities, longer hours, better staff.

[shellie100]

As many of you long-time board members know, I was anxious about our HAL Zandaam cruise to Alaska.

Thanks so much for the update. Glad you had a wonderful time and were able to share the valuable insights of cruising with a toddler and a child!

 

Shellie

[babytraveler]

The kids club was divided 3-7 8-? and then a teen section.

 

I can't say enough good things about Club Hal on the Alaska trip.The staff was exceptional. Only regret is lack of availablility for 2 year old.