Some HAL to Alaska questions ... working on packing for cruise

[Barek]

We've started our packing, and realized we had a couple questions remaining ...

 

When we're in Juneau, it appears that sunrise will be at 3:55am, and sunset at 10:04pm (with twilight extending over an hour of additional light each morning and evening beyond those times) ... how snugly do the curtains close? Are clothes pins needed and/or recommended?

 

For our whale watching excursion in the morning (Harv & Marv) - we were thinking that our stomachs will still be on our home time zone, so we wanted to bring snacks (or are any provided on this tour?). But, I know that we can't just carry most food items off the ship. Are pre-packaged foods (snack-bars or trail mixes) okay to carry on from home then off in Juneau as long as the package is still sealed? If not, I know there are tons of shops near the cruise-ship docks, but do any carry small snacks other than chips?

 

Lanyards - if we bring one, are the HAL cards already punched with a hole for these? If not, where onboard can we get a hole punched in them?

 

For those who use ginger while on cruises, what form do you take it? (pill, candied, altoid?)

 

I think I asked this one before ... it's Coke onboard HAL ships, no Pepsi products, correct? My fiancée prefers Pepsi, although I'll drink either ... so we'll likely just bring a 12-pk onboard with us.

 

Oh, and on a technical question ... after leaving Seattle, about how far out do they go before turning on the ship-board cell-phone connections? I would immagine that much of Puget Sound is already covered - so I was wondering if they turn it on in the sound, or wait until they're getting into open waters. I was planning to turn my cell off after leaving port, but may get some send-off text/calls from friends/family in the area just after leaving Seattle - so wanted to ask.

 

Thanks everyone!

[jtl513]

I can only answer a couple of those:

Bring clothespins!

You can get your room card punched at the front desk

Coke products

I don't think the Altoid Ginger candies contain enough actual ginger to do any good. (I.e., it's just flavoring there.) Ginger candy is available every night after dinner.

Coke products

 

Have a great cruise! :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Check with you cell phone company about roaming charges.

[Mary Ellen]

We've started our packing, and realized we had a couple questions remaining ...

 

When we're in Juneau, it appears that sunrise will be at 3:55am, and sunset at 10:04pm (with twilight extending over an hour of additional light each morning and evening beyond those times) ... how snugly do the curtains close? Are clothes pins needed and/or recommended?

We've never had a problem. Actually, we like waking up to the light and will often open

the black-out curtains before going to bed (the cabin steward will have closed them when doing the evening cabins service). We just leave she sheers closed. A clothes pin is VERY easy to pack, so if you think you might want one, bring it.

 

For our whale watching excursion in the morning (Harv & Marv) - we were thinking that our stomachs will still be on our home time zone, so we wanted to bring snacks (or are any provided on this tour?). But, I know that we can't just carry most food items off the ship. Are pre-packaged foods (snack-bars or trail mixes) okay to carry on from home then off in Juneau as long as the package is still sealed? If not, I know there are tons of shops near the cruise-ship docks, but do any carry small snacks other than chips?

If memory serves, there will only be a one hour time difference between Juneau and Seattle. :confused:

 

Lanyards - if we bring one, are the HAL cards already punched with a hole for these? If not, where onboard can we get a hole punched in them?

Never bother with lanyards, but some have reported being able to have a hole punched in their room cards for such use.

 

For those who use ginger while on cruises, what form do you take it? (pill, candied, altoid?)

I use capsules. Whole Foods is where I get mine. The candied ginger available as you leave the dining room at dinner also worksm but I can't stand the taste of it.

 

I think I asked this one before ... it's Coke onboard HAL ships, no Pepsi products, correct? My fiancée prefers Pepsi, although I'll drink either ... so we'll likely just bring a 12-pk onboard with us.

Yes, only Coke products. Bring Pepsi if that is your fiancée wants.

 

Oh, and on a technical question ... after leaving Seattle, about how far out do they go before turning on the ship-board cell-phone connections? I would immagine that much of Puget Sound is already covered - so I was wondering if they turn it on in the sound, or wait until they're getting into open waters. I was planning to turn my cell off after leaving port, but may get some send-off text/calls from friends/family in the area just after leaving Seattle - so wanted to ask.

I'd look at your cell phone for this answer to see if the 'roaming' symbol is showing. But yes, we have had cell phone coverage while pulling out of Seattle. I don't know if there is any 'set' time for turning on the ships antenna.

[O2B@C]

If you don't have clothespins handy, you could take black metal binder clips instead.

 

I'm pretty sure prepackaged foods such as nutrition bars, with packaging intact, would be fine to take on and off the ship. I don't have first-hand knowledge of this, but it seems logical. The concern is with fresh items that might be contaminated with pests or diseases, not with prepackaged prepared foods.

 

I use ginger in the form of tea, capsules, and ginger candy - not Altoids, but a chewy, sticky candy produced by a company called The Ginger People, which you can get at Trader Joe's and some health food stores. It has a strong ginger flavor, and I find it really helps with a funky tummy. Or you can get crystallized ginger, which is what they hand out on your way out of the dining room after dinner. But if you're really concerned, take Bonine, starting the evening before you board, and regularly thereafter until you're sure you have your "sea legs."

 

Your cell phone probably has an icon in the display that tells you whether you are in or out of network, and I'm pretty sure that if it's getting its connection from the ship rather than from shore, it will show up as out-of-network.

 

Enjoy your trip!

[Barek]

If memory serves, there will only be a one hour time difference between Juneau and Seattle. :confused:

Yup, only an hour difference; but the tour ends at 12:30, which is 1:30 seattle - so it would be late for lunch (and I get grumpy on an empty stomach, so wanted to play it safe :D).

 

I use ginger in the form of tea, capsules, and ginger candy - not Altoids, but a chewy, sticky candy produced by a company called The Ginger People, which you can get at Trader Joe's and some health food stores. It has a strong ginger flavor, and I find it really helps with a funky tummy. Or you can get crystallized ginger, which is what they hand out on your way out of the dining room after dinner. But if you're really concerned, take Bonine, starting the evening before you board, and regularly thereafter until you're sure you have your "sea legs."

Thanks! I'll stop by Trader Joe's this weekend! I'm not majorly concerned; I'm fine with some movement, it's only when the noticeable movement is enough that object start tipping over that I've had trouble, so I should be fine (the only time Ive been seasick was a tour boat out of Seward that had gone out to open ocean on a windy day to get within sight of a humpback in the area - they had to stop serving food during that part of the tour due to plates sliding off tables - small boat, with a windy day pushing big waves is not a good mix for me - I'm suspecting a cruise ship will be big enough that I'll only have trouble in the roughest of conditions). The ginger is more of an extra-insurance measure.

[Mary Ellen]

Yup, only an hour difference; but the tour ends at 12:30, which is 1:30 seattle - so it would be late for lunch (and I get grumpy on an empty stomach, so wanted to play it safe :D).

Yes and by that same token you would have had breakfast an hour later than usual too. It all evens out. ;)

[RuthC]

Yup, only an hour difference; but the tour ends at 12:30, which is 1:30 seattle - so it would be late for lunch (and I get grumpy on an empty stomach, so wanted to play it safe :D).

The normal course of events is you board hungry, then get your lunch. And you're not hungry again until about two weeks after you get home. ;)

Bring a packaged snack if you like, but I'm betting you won't need it for sustenance.

[traveler1980]

We did Harv and Marv last year and loved it! Last year they had beverages and snacks for us. I think it was some granola bars or something of that type, maybe crackers with peanut butter kind of stuff. Enjoy! You will love it!

[LVSue]

I'm so jealous you are going with Harv and Marv. They were booked when I wrote for our Sept 12 cruise.

 

I bring ziplock sandwich bags and always make a little sandwich with the breakfast rolls/meats/cheeses at breakfast to take on long morning tours. That has saved our lives a couple of times. I have even gotten a sandwich from the sandwich bar for afternoon tours.

 

Believe me, it is not a case of being cheap, but low blood sugar sometimes necessitates a snack when none is available. (Besides, you never know when a famine might break out.:rolleyes:)

[O2B@C]

... I bring ziplock sandwich bags and always make a little sandwich with the breakfast rolls/meats/cheeses at breakfast to take on long morning tours. That has saved our lives a couple of times. I have even gotten a sandwich from the sandwich bar for afternoon tours....

 

I totally understand about the blood sugar issue, and I believe you when you say you're not being cheap. However, you should be aware that what you are doing by bringing meats and cheeses (or veggies or fruit) from the ship to the shore, or vice versa, is probably illegal, and for good reason. Various pests and contaminants may be lurking in fresh food that are totally not apparent to the untrained eye. Discarding your leftover half-sandwich or half-eaten piece of fruit from the ship into a garbage can on shore can be a health and/or agricultural hazard. I'm sorry if this sounds silly, but believe me, the agricultural inspection stations at the airports in Hawaii (for example) are there for a reason. Please consider bringing packaged nutrition bars or other prepared foods instead, if you must have a snack handy to prevent low blood sugar.

[satchiesmom]

Who are Harv and Marv?:confused: We will be on the Westerdam next May and I'm curious. I'm assuming they do shore excursions, but what type and shoud we try and book with them?

[LVSue]

Harv and Marv is a small-boat whale-watching outfit recommended by some CC-ers. (http://www.harvandmarvs.com) We have always gone with Cap'n Larry (Orcaenterprises.com), but after a small-boat (sorry, I'm nil on navigational terms) excursion in Sitka, we decided to get brave and try Harv and Marv. Unfortunately, they were booked by the time we found out about them.

 

We have never been disappointed with Orca, but just wanted a change.

[KML]

The best advise I had from this board is to bring a small clock. Got one at Walgreens the day before my cruise for clearance $5 and it was very handy. Packing ? - take the advise from the person on this board. Pack everything you think you need and then take out half. Sure wish I had followed his advise! A back pack is great also, works so much better than a purse hanging off your arm.

[MWGuy]

Sitka: Try the Davey Lubin 6-person, covered boat tour.

That was our Alaska highlight. Google Davey Lubin. You will not be disappointed.

[gabsnana]

We just got back last week from the HAL Alaska cruise on the Volendam. We didn't need the clothespin for the drapes and form most of our trip it never really got dark but the drapes closed just fine. We had Coke to drink. We packed way, way too much stuff. They punched our cards at the front desk. We brought prepackaged granola type bars and crackers with us that took on and off the ship on all our excursions, just in case we needed something. However, all 4 of our excursions provided us with bottled water and a granola type snack bar so our was not needed.

Have fun!

[Terre]

So is it okay to take food from the ship into ports? When we took our Hawaiian cruise it was okay because the ship stayed in Hawaii and loaded all food from Hawaiian ports. It would make sense that the same would be true of an Alaska cruise.

 

Does anyone know?