Just Booked the Amsterdam to Alaska!

[Terre]

I'm so excited! ...just booked the Amsterdam to Alaska for May 23rd...

 

We've never sailed on HAL before so tell me all about this ship. What should we miss, NOT miss, etc. We booked an EE Oceanview guarantee. Is this okay?

 

How's the food; how about dress on an Alaskan cruise -- more causal than usual or the same? Just tell me everything!

[Bill S]

Terre--welcome to the HAL board and to HAL!

We have cruised on the Amsterdam three times, and she is one of most favorite ships of the HAL fleet. We last sailed on her in May to Alaska and have booked her again for next May 16, a week prior to your cruise.

I hope you will like the Amstedam. The decor is elegant without being overstated. We have found her to be very comfortable, too. Because she is one of HAL's co-flagships, she is kept in very good shape and she has a great crew.

The oceanview cabins are nice and with a guarantee, there is a chance you could be upgraded.

Again, welcome and ask away! :)

[Terre]

Thanks so much, Bill for your reply. I'm sure we'll love it, we've heard nothing but good things about HAL.

[Boytjie]

Just go up 2 flights of stairs and you are on the biggest balcony on the ship. The promenade deck is great for whale watching and glacier watching - especially if the weather is not so nice. The Amsterdam is a beautiful ship.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations on booking an Alaskan cruise on one HAL's beautiful ships -- the Amsterdam.

You may find that since the Amsterdam is one of the flag ships, people may dress up more.

[newmexicoNita]

I'm so excited! ...just booked the Amsterdam to Alaska for May 23rd...

 

We've never sailed on HAL before so tell me all about this ship. What should we miss, NOT miss, etc. We booked an EE Oceanview guarantee. Is this okay?

 

How's the food; how about dress on an Alaskan cruise -- more causal than usual or the same? Just tell me everything!

If you like smaller ships you will love the Amsterdam. The cabins are large, the decor throughout the ship stunning and the crew, for the most part very professional but friendly.

 

The dress code is pretty formal on 2 nights, the rest of the time resort casual would be the words I would use.

 

The only problem we found and it have just been us: we thought the energy level was pretty low. We like a little more activity. Of course Alaska is such a port intensive itinerary this may not make a difference. Oh, we hated the casino.

 

The food was the best we have had on any mass marketed line.

 

Nita

[Terre]

Thanks so much for the info...just what I'm looking for.

 

Nita, we found the same thing on our Celebrity cruises about the energy level, but I'm sure we'll manage! Thanks for that tip. I'm really looking forward to sailing with HAL; we've heard lots of great things about them.

 

What are the cabin "freebies"? Is the hair dryer any good?

[sassyredhat]

Ohhhhhhhh, I am so envious :) :p

 

I have wanted to sail on the Amsterdam for so long. DH does not fly, so I'm still waiting. :D

 

Hairdryer isn't bad, but I always bring my own. Toiletries are Elemis (very good).

 

Beds are very comfortable.

 

Pat

[Terre]

Well, Pat, we will have to do something about your DH. I say, "book it, Danno" and join us! You could almost drive to Seattle and then board the ship...whadda say, DH, come now, don't disappoint Pat.;)

[sassyredhat]

Sorry Terre, We have 2 cruises booked for 2009, and the first one departs April 27th. :( :)

 

Mike would LOVE to drive up to Seattle. His dream vacation is driving all over Alaska for a couple of months.

 

I, on the other hand, hate road trips. We may end up taking the Amtrak up, and a repo cruise back down to San Diego. We did it the opposite way a few years ago. I'd rather fly ! :D

 

Pat

[Terre]

Well at least you've got two cruises coming up. I'm with you, though, I'd much rather fly to the ship and cruise from there...road trips getting tiring and not much fun when you get lost and especially when I can't read the map!

[wdw1972]

The Amsterdam is a beautiful ship - I did this same cruise back in 2002. I'm actually toying with the idea of doing it again solo next 5/23, but I would prefer seeing Glacier Bay the 2nd time around rather than Hubbard again. You'll find people dress for formal nights, but the rest of the time it was more casual than in the caribbean. Now that HAL seems to allow jeans in the dining room, I bet you'll see far more of them in Alaska vs other places. The good news though, is you won't be hit with a LOT of families with kids since school isn't out yet, and from my experience it's the family crowd who tends to not dress according to dress code more often than the older crowd.

 

In any event, I'm sure you'll love your cruise!

 

Sue/WDW1972

Westerdam 1/11/09