SanDiego Single Posted September 4, 2006 #51 Share Posted September 4, 2006 I wonder what would happen if I brought my own cup and asked them to put the hot chocolate in that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 4, 2006 Author #52 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Hi Mary: I think you and I must operate on similiar wave-lengths:). I was just going over our Alaska cruise memorabilia for the scrapbook we're putting together, when your email came in.:) I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability. 1. Yes, my oldest daughter is doing "Running Start" at a local community college this fall. She'll get college credits for the classes she takes there this year, and because she is technically still a high school senior, the state of Washington pays her tuition. (Well, actually, we tax payers do.) Thanks for your kind comments on her writing skills. She has been homeschooled all her life, and this will be the first time that she attends a "regular" school on a campus. Several of her homeschool friends will also be going to the same community college under the auspices of "Running Start". She is really looking forward to it! 2. Yes, there was a children's menu available for our youngest daughter. She was able to partake of such gourmet fare as hot dogs, french fries, and chicken nuggets. Some nights, though, she did enjoy eating from the adult menu. 3. My older daughter had limited run of the ship during the day. She had to let us know where she was going, and when. We tended to do most activities together as a family, however, and so she didn't actually spend that much time away from us. In the evening, she stayed with us. We went to all the evening shows, which she enjoyed. We also attended the line dancing in the Crow's Nest one evening, which was a lot of fun. We spent several evenings playing cards together in the Explorers' Lounge, listening to the classical music trio there. Because we were getting up pretty early in the morning in order to do excursions and view glaciers, none of us stayed up very late. 3. Believe it or not, the only electronics we took with us on our cruise were my husband's laptop, our cell phones, and our digital camera. My husband has one of those fancy Trio cell phones, that he can also use to take pictures and listen to audio books.The girls took books, art supplies, and their cruise journal to work in. That's all, truthfully! Our cabins (S7022 and S7026) had a DVD player, and we were able to check DVDs out of the Explorations Cafe, which has a large selection of movies available. 4. Regarding the dog sledding excursion: Each helicopter held six people - five passengers and the pilot. So our family group went together in one 'copter. The helicopters took off and flew to the glacier in pairs, so there were only ten passengers getting off at any one time, with ten more passengers, who were already on the glacier, getting back on for the return trip. Each mushing team consisted of the head musher and three guests. There were maybe four teams total out on the glacier at any one time. Believe me, it is very uncrowded out there! I should mention to you that the dog sledding and helicopter flightseeing excursions do not take place if weather conditions are poor, and the dog sledding is dependent on an adequate layer of snow. If the summer's hot, the snow melts, no more dog sledding. So have an alternative excursion in mind, just in case the climate conditions don't comply with your plans! 5. We are not photographers, and I know practically nothing about cameras. We used a very basic Sony Cybershot digital camera, 3.2 megapixels. Very uncomplicated. We downloaded the pictures we took onto my husband's laptop each day. The Alaskan scenery is just so beautiful, that even the most amateur photographer can take decent shots! Mary, I wish you and your family a great trip to Alaska next summer! Bon Voyage to you and your husband as you depart on your Westerdam cruise this weekend! Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 4, 2006 Author #53 Share Posted September 4, 2006 I wonder what would happen if I brought my own cup and asked them to put the hot chocolate in that? Worth a try!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted September 4, 2006 #54 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Some other questions: Was there a 'kids' menu that your younger daughter could order from? I can answer this one. Yes, there is a children's menu---and everybody can order from it! I've been on some long cruises when I just didn't want a big dinner, but did want to join the others in the dining room. Fingers and fries hit the spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 4, 2006 Author #55 Share Posted September 4, 2006 I can answer this one. Yes, there is a children's menu---and everybody can order from it! I've been on some long cruises when I just didn't want a big dinner, but did want to join the others in the dining room. Fingers and fries hit the spot. That's good to know, Ruth, I didn't realize anyone could order from the children's menu. I "snagged" some of the french fries from my daughter's plate; they were good!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferry Watcher Posted September 4, 2006 #56 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Karin, Thanks for the reply. Another question: How much time did you spend on the dog sled excursion? flying ond on the ground? If a family was on a budget, was it worth the expense? On a Seattle note, did your younger daughter by any chance participate in the First Tee Golf program at Jefferson this summer? My two daughters did. If not, you might want to check out this great program www.thefirstteeseattle.org Thanks, Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 4, 2006 Author #57 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Karin,Thanks for the reply. Another question: How much time did you spend on the dog sled excursion? flying ond on the ground? If a family was on a budget, was it worth the expense? On a Seattle note, did your younger daughter by any chance participate in the First Tee Golf program at Jefferson this summer? My two daughters did. If not, you might want to check out this great program www.thefirstteeseattle.org Thanks, Mary The dog sled excursion took less than three hours total. Helicopter flying was about 20 minutes in each direction, time on glacier was about an hour, perhaps a little longer. Rest of the time is spent driving from ship to heliport, attending safety briefing, and "gearing up", ie putting on snow boots. This excursion is quite expensive. We did it through Holland America; you might want to check out the vendors directly for a better price. We used Temsco, and they seemed to be a good operation. Two other companies that come recommended are ERA and Coastal. They all have websites with more info. I would say that, in our case, the expense was worth it. It's a very unique experience, one that will probably never be repeated, and it was the highlight of the trip as far as our girls were concerned. Thanks for the info on First Tee Seattle; the program does sound very good. I will need to check it out. Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raadsel Posted September 4, 2006 #58 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Having just disembarked on Friday, it is fun to hear your experiences and compare notes. When we first boarded, we heard several times from the crew about the wonderful weather you had experienced. Hot Chocolate in Glacier Bay was being served in the $18 thermos. They had no other cups with them and I didn't think, at the time, to even try to request the hot chocolate in a normal cup. My daughter loves having the thermos as a souvenir, so I have no regret. I found it interesting that they had hot chocolate at the pier in Sitka for those getting off/on the tenders and it was free (it was served in paper cups and much appreciated). I can also echo that anyone can order from the kid's menu, we had four teen girls in our group who decided a couple of nights to have kid's items. From what I could tell, the kid's menu doesn't change during the cruise, it was always the same "around the world" menu with such staples (as mentioned) as pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, macaroni & cheese, etc. I'll try to get a review posted in the next few days as well as links to pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferry Watcher Posted September 4, 2006 #59 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Karin, Some more questions: I believe you said that the informal night just didn't happen. On the casual nights, did you change out of your day clothes into 'dining room attire' type clothing? I'm debating bring along a pair of black dress pants to wear on the casual nights to stay away from jeans in the dining room. Did guys change from jeans into khakis for casual night dining? Does it matter what you wear on casual night? On excursion days, did you eat lunch off the ship? If you do any excursion in Victoria, will you miss your last night of dining onboard? Silly question: can you just order a glass of wine at dinner rather than a full bottle? If you went to any evening shows, did you younger daughter accompany the family, or did she stay with her grandmother, or did you ever use the evening child care (assuming that one was offered)? Thanks for the answers! (P.S. The First Tee is amazing. They even have a girls only class with women instructors) Thanks! Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 4, 2006 Author #60 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Hi Mary: That is correct, the informal night on our cruise never materialized. We did freshen up for dinnner each casual evening, and none of us wore jeans in the dining room. However, plenty of other folks were wearing jeans on casual nights. No problem for us, just an observation, and as I mentioned before, nobody was turned away from any venue for wearing jeans. I did bring a pair of nice, comfy black slacks with different tops to wear for the casual evenings. Khakis would also be fine. The final evening, in Victoria, where we elected not to get off, we wore the informal attire we had brought along with us, even though officially it was another casual night. We bought some delicious fish and chips off the pier in Ketchikan, right near the ship. We didn't eat at any of the local restaurants in Juneau. In Sitka, I recommend The Back Door Cafe, which is a small, informal coffee/soup and sandwich kind of place, located behind a bookstore, I think it's called the Old Harbor Bookstore. This is a local hangout, and all the food on the premises is made from scratch. Very delicious! Chairs and tables are limited and communal, meaning you may have to share a table with others (just like on the cruise ship:) ). No problem, folks were very nice. Zaandam was docked in Victoria from 8 pm to 12 midnight, with everyone expected to be aboard at 11:30 pm. For this port of call, early seating dinner takes place as one seating, both upper and lower levels, at 5 pm. For the main seating dinner, dinner is open seating, served on the upper level only, from 7:15 to 8:00 pm. So, if you want to eat on the ship before your excursion, you can do so. The Lido is open for dinner from 5:30-7:30 pm. Yes, you can just order a glass of wine with dinner. There is a selection of wines by the glass, or the bottle, available. The evening shows I would describe as family-friendly, meaning there is nothing presented that is unsuitable for children, unless they might be bored by sitting still for more than an hour. Some of the dance numbers are somewhat flirty and suggestive, but nothing excessive or objectionable, at least to me. My husband stayed with our youngest daughter, however, on the show nights, as he wasn't interested, and our youngest daughter was content to stay with him in the cabin and watch a DVD we checked out from the Explorations Cafe. The same applies to the Whyte Brothers show; my mom and older daughter and I attended, my husband and younger daughter did not. We did all go together to the magician's show which was offered one evening. We found him (Harry Maurer) to be funny and entertaining, and again, any humor that might be considered slightly risque was presented in such a way that it went right over our younger daughter's head. And finally, there are no silly questions here, as far as I'm concerned.:) I enjoy answering your questions; it helps me relive my first cruise experience.:) Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 4, 2006 Author #61 Share Posted September 4, 2006 I'll try to get a review posted in the next few days as well as links to pictures. Great, Raadsel! Looking forward to your impressions of both the same ship and itinerary we had. Welcome home:) Wilkommen naar huis! Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanDiego Single Posted September 4, 2006 #62 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Middle, Thanks for taking the time to answer each of the questions posed to you. It takes a lot time to read and respond to each question. I think I can speak for all that have asked and you have answered when I say THANKS!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferry Watcher Posted September 4, 2006 #63 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Karin, I second what SanDiego Single wrote about your willingness to answer every question so throughly. I really appreciate you taking the time to do it. Thank you! I would also like to say that I liked your compassionate response to Bluejay2 regarding their unfortunate situation in Alaska when the heavy rains washed out the roads, and HAL's poor response to those 29 stranded passenagers that HAL seemed to have lost track of. (Thread - "When passengers stick together"). Well done! I can see where your daughter got her writing skills from! Again, Thank you! Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinknock50 Posted September 5, 2006 #64 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Karin, We are planning a meeting for our Roll Call group September 8th. Could you check your daily program (if you still have them) to see when the Strings are playing in the Explorers Lounge on the first Sea day? We'd like to plan our meeting for around then. Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raadsel Posted September 5, 2006 #65 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Tinknock, The Elegance Strings played the first night between 9:15 - 11:15. The were in the Explorers lounge every night in the same general time frame. I also enjoyed going and listening to them. Also, Tom Theobold was the pianist/singer in the piano bar last week; he always had a large crowd listening and appeared to be quite good. One question you previously asked, I did not see anyplace in the Seattle airport to buy the toiletries that are now prohibited from carry ons. I did see a few (probably not all the items you would want and no choice in size or products) in the liquor/cigar/candy store on the Zaandam. Not sure that it matters but the stores on board will not open until later in the evening (maybe 8 p.m.) on the day you embark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 5, 2006 Author #66 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Karin,We are planning a meeting for our Roll Call group September 8th. Could you check your daily program (if you still have them) to see when the Strings are playing in the Explorers Lounge on the first Sea day? We'd like to plan our meeting for around then. Thanks, Sean: Are you planning on meeting Friday, September 8th, departure day, or the first sea day, Saturday, September 9th? I'm not sure from your post, so I'll give you the times for both days. I'm assuming that your cruise schedule will be the same as ours. On our cruise, the Elegance Strings played in the Explorers' Lounge, deck 5, on Friday from 9:15-11:15 pm, and on Saturday from 9:00 to 11:30 pm. They do take a little break in the middle of their performance. What a good place to choose for a CC gathering! The Explorers' Lounge was our favorite evening "hangout" on our cruise.:) Karin ps Thanks, Raadsel; you and I were answering Tinknock at the same time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 5, 2006 Author #67 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Karin,Again, Thank you! Mary Mary, you're welcome!:) Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raadsel Posted September 5, 2006 #68 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Karin, Thanks for the welcome home! I hated leaving the Zaandam, it seems like someone shortened the week. ;) OTOH, it is good to be home. I'm slowly writing an extended version of the cruise, trying to remember many of the details. As that is finished I'll narrow it down into a review that will fit better here. As for pictures, I'm working on uploading some of them now. I will also second the idea that the Explorers Lounge is a great place for a gathering. The captain held a reception there one evening, it was beautiful setting and the Elegance Strings added to the ambiance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 5, 2006 Author #69 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Middle, Thanks for taking the time to answer each of the questions posed to you. You and everyone else is very welcome. I feel a little guilty, posting so much on this thread, but it's almost as much fun as the cruise itself!;) So I'm glad people are still reading and getting some of their questions answered. This was my first cruise, so I am definitely NOT the expert! Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherriM Posted September 5, 2006 #70 Share Posted September 5, 2006 You and everyone else is very welcome. I feel a little guilty, posting so much on this thread, but it's almost as much fun as the cruise itself!;) So I'm glad people are still reading and getting some of their questions answered. This was my first cruise, so I am definitely NOT the expert! Karin I felt like I must say thank you also. I saw your initial title/subject and read the entire string as we will be on the Zaandam in February but our route takes us to Hawaii. This being said - your ship observations are most appreciated. I too enjoyed your daughters submission. I echo that she is an excellent communicator! Thank you again for your excellent and thoughtful entries! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinknock50 Posted September 5, 2006 #71 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Sean: Are you planning on meeting Friday, September 8th, departure day, or the first sea day, Saturday, September 9th? I'm not sure from your post, so I'll give you the times for both days. I'm assuming that your cruise schedule will be the same as ours. On our cruise, the Elegance Strings played in the Explorers' Lounge, deck 5, on Friday from 9:15-11:15 pm, and on Saturday from 9:00 to 11:30 pm. They do take a little break in the middle of their performance. What a good place to choose for a CC gathering! The Explorers' Lounge was our favorite evening "hangout" on our cruise.:) Karin ps Thanks, Raadsel; you and I were answering Tinknock at the same time! Thanks Karin and Raadsel ! I meant Saturday....but before dinner so I guess they won't be playing then. Maybe we will meet in the Crows Nest instead with its nice view of the sea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferry Watcher Posted September 10, 2006 #72 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Karin, DH and I leave on the Westerdam this afternoon (Sunday). I'm hoping that we both love the cruise so much that we decide to take the kids next summer. If we do, the Zaandam is my ship of choice. Thanks again for your great post cruise review and answering my and other CCer's questions. Mary (Ferry Watcher) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted September 10, 2006 Author #73 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Karin,DH and I leave on the Westerdam this afternoon (Sunday). I'm hoping that we both love the cruise so much that we decide to take the kids next summer. If we do, the Zaandam is my ship of choice. Thanks again for your great post cruise review and answering my and other CCer's questions. Mary (Ferry Watcher) Mary: Imagine my surprise when this thread popped up again this morning! It's the cruise that keeps on giving.....;) Bon Voyage to you and your husband! Have a wonderful time:) I hope you love the cruise, too. May you have calm seas and sunny skies (or at least dry skies....) Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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