Live Blogging from Veendam in Alaska May 30 - June 7

[Erica@cruisecritic]

I was planning on an early morning to make the most of Glacier Bay, but my sleep was rudely cut short by two factors. First, my cabin is across from the laundry and by 6:30 a.m., people were already using the washers and dryers, leaving the door open and having loud conversations that I could hear quite clearly in my room. Then at 6:45 a.m., a knock on our door indicated that our room service breakfast had arrived, even though we had selected the 7 - 7:30 a.m. time slot. I had even circled the 7:30 to indicate that I wanted breakfast to arrive on the later side. I had to hide under the covers while Zoe took the tray from the crewmember.

These two instances are minor annoyances, to be sure, but both could have been easily avoided with a little more care from Holland America. It's service snafus like these that can quickly add up and cause happy cruisers to lose faith in their cruise lines, or at least have a less pleasant experience than they could have had.

[JACJAM]

I've read every post. Thank you. I will be crusing on Celebrity Mill in July. Were traveling with a 1 yr old and it sounds like there's a lot to do right off the ship. I don't think we would enjoy your "loud" room, thanks for the insight. Enjoying the pictures, keep them coming.

[Rosieo]

Erica I posted a question earlier and I don't think you answered it, or at least I didn't see it and I thought I read all the posts. How is the dress on the nights that are not formal? I have heard of people on other lines going to dinner in nice jeans. Is this the case on the Veendam or is jeans not allowed? Thanks for all of your posts so far!

[beachluxury4me]

We sail on RCCL Serenade of the Seas on July 18th. If you blog while cruising we can keep up with you that week. Sounds like you will have an adventure filled time!

[Erica@cruisecritic]

Erica I posted a question earlier and I don't think you answered it, or at least I didn't see it and I thought I read all the posts. How is the dress on the nights that are not formal? I have heard of people on other lines going to dinner in nice jeans. Is this the case on the Veendam or is jeans not allowed? Thanks for all of your posts so far!

 

Ah, yes, thanks for the reminder. In Alaska, you can get away with going to dinner on smart casual nights in dressed-up jeans. I'm told that on Europe cruises, jeans are more frowned upon. In general, people do dress nicely for dinner, but I did see several groups in jeans. As long as you don't come to dinner in your sweaty hiking gear, I think you'll be fine. But do be aware that jeans are technically against the dress code, so you might get a rude look or comment from someone who's a stickler regarding dinner dress.

[Erica@cruisecritic]

A couple of people asked about wheelchair-accessible tours. I spoke with the Shore Excursions Manager, who says that which tours are accessible depends on whether you must be lifted into a bus in a wheelchair or whether you stow your wheelchair in the bus's luggage compartment and climb with assistance onto the bus. She says that all wheelchair-using guests should alert the ship ahead of time that they will be utilizing a chair, but prefers that guests wait to make shore excursions selections in person on the ship, so the Excursions staff can assess a person's abilities and make tour suggestions for that individual.

That being said, here are her suggestions for the best tours for folks in wheelchairs.

Ketchikan: The Saxman Village Tour ($58 on Veendam) to see totem poles, a carving center and clan house, and to experience Tlingit culture, is your best bet. An ADA-compliant bus can be utilized, and although there is a dirt trail in the village, it's packed down hard and chairs shouldn't have a problem.

Juneau: Here, you have two options. The Juneau Highlights Tour ($44) includes a bus tour of downtown Juneau, a visit to Mendenhall Glacier (the visitor's center has an elevator) and a stop at a salmon hatchery (which also has a lift). For a splurge, the 4 Glacier Adventure by Helicopter ($369) is operated by a company called Era, which has a special lift seat in each helicopter. However, guests with mobility difficulties will have to stay in the helicopter during the glacier landing.

Skagway: Take the White Pass Summit Scenic Railway ($122), a very popular tour in Skagway. The train depot is two minutes from the ship, right at the end of the pier, and the accessible railcar is the first car.

The Shore Excursions Manager says that ADA-compliant buses are always available in Alaska -- though make sure to request one -- but the accessibility problems are more often with the destination than the transportation. She also mentions that in Alaska, the tides can force the gangways to be quite steep, so be prepared that you might need assistance disembarking the ship in certain ports.

[Erica@cruisecritic]

A new dining option on Veendam is Canaletto, a no-fee, reservations-suggested Italian dining experience in one corner of the Lido Restaurant. The Canaletto section has a different décor than the rest of the dining room, and in the future, will have glass partitions dividing it from the buffet.

The food and experience is quite good for a free eatery. The wait staff, all Asian, good-naturedly wear gondolier-inspired outfits and wish you "buona sera" (good evening). One waiter even made origami butterflies out of old menus for the ladies.

The menu starts with antipasti (choose from grilled veggies, balls of mozzarella cheese and Italian deli meats), which for me could have been dinner. You get a choice of appetizers (salad, minestrone soup or seafood soup), and entrees include assorted pasta dishes, Veal Milanese, Chicken Marsala Scaloppini and Cod Putanesca. I'm not a fan of heavy cream sauces and requested to have my pasta without the cream and with some vegetables, and the chefs really turned out a lovely pasta.

Dessert is fun -- every table receives an oh-so-Italian dish of cotton candy to share. It looks like a puffy white cloud on a plate. The Trio of Tiramisu is beautifully presented in three glasses, and my mango gelato was heavenly. I only meant to eat one scoop of the three, but somehow two disappeared…

Canaletto has been rather quiet on our cruise. I haven't seen a lot of people dining there, and it never filled up during our dinner there. Perhaps people don't know it exists yet, or think there's a fee and don't bother to check it out. But I encourage everyone on Veendam to go once because it's a lovely dining experience.

[Erica@cruisecritic]

Here's an FYI for first-time Alaska cruisers who are concerned about seasickness. You will love the Inside Passage. Sheltered from the open ocean by a string of islands and mountains, the water is like glass and the ride is smooth sailing. I could easily forget I was on a boat.

But on a northbound itinerary like this one, the ship must go out into the open sea to get from Glacier Bay up to College Fjord and the debarkation ports of Seward and Whittier (on a southbound trip, this is your first day). The "sea" I'm referring to is the Pacific Ocean -- you know, the one known for its big waves. The going gets decidedly rougher on this leg of the trip. Right now, the ship is rolling, and walking is a little trickier than usual, but I shouldn't think anyone is feeling ill from the movement unless they're very sensitive. I'm told that if you're prone to seasickness or worried about it, you don't want to cruise Alaska after Labor Day when the seas are even higher.

Personally, I think the beauty of Alaska is worth braving a day or two of rolling, especially if you're prepared with a patch, meds or wristbands to dull any potential nausea. And who knows? After six nights at sea, you may have developed such a great pair of sea legs that a little rocking and rolling won't bother you a bit.

[writerhenn]

This blog and many of the posts appear invaluable for anyone planning this trip, as we are (though in reverse). I do have a question for Erica and any other posters who have experienced this journey: If we decided on one glacier landing, is Juneau the preferred place? I have taken the precaution of reserving a rental car from Avis in Skagway, thinking we might be able to budget finances and time and take in as much as possible. Will we be able to come close to the experience of a bus/train tour to the Yukon? Many thanks.

[judynorth]

I have taken the precaution of reserving a rental car from Avis in Skagway, thinking we might be able to budget finances and time and take in as much as possible. Will we be able to come close to the experience of a bus/train tour to the Yukon? Many thanks.

 

In a car, you will follow the same path as the bus tour. You will be on the other side of the river from the train. If you just LOVE trains then you will miss something by going by car but being able to stop anytime and anywhere is the big advantage of the car. We did the motorcoach tour on our 1st AK cruise and rented a car on our 2nd and much preferred the car. We also saved a lot of $$$ since 4 of us shared the expense of the car. Either way, you will see pretty much the same thing except from the train you see it from a different perspective. The motorcoach part of the trip is identical to the car trip.

[knorrisb07]

Sorry for the radio silence -- I spent all morning positioned at the bow of the ship, watching Veendam sail through Glacier Bay. We entered the national park around 7 a.m., and by 7:30 a.m. I was up on deck. The highlight of Glacier Bay is the Marguerite Glacier, which is quite large and calves quite frequently (calving is when chunks of ice fall from the glacier into the water -- the loud sound this makes is aptly named "White Thunder"). Not every Alaska itinerary includes Glacier Bay because permits are limited by the National Park Service. But it's truly a highlight.

Here are my tips for a Glacier Bay trip:

 

--Dress in layers. You'll want to pack a hat, gloves, windbreaker or rain jacket, and warm layers such as a fleece jacket, sweater, sweatshirt, etc. As you know it's been unusually hot on this cruise, and today's weather was sunny and clear. And when the ship stopped by the glacier, it was quite warm in the sun. But on the journey in, I was bundled up in a long-sleeve T-shirt, fleece jacket, rain jacket, hat and gloves. And that's during good weather!

 

--Bring binoculars. Several members have asked about binoculars, and I say bring 'em. From Glacier Bay, I saw seals, otters, eagles and puffins, and it's possible to see whales, mountain goats and bears. However, to get a clear view you need to have binoculars (a very good zoom lens on your camera can be a reasonable substitute). You can buy binoculars onboard, but it's probably best to bring your own or borrow a friend's for the trip. If you like wildlife, it's well worth schlepping the pair.

 

-- Get up early. The cruise into Glacier Bay is stunningly beautiful, and in the morning hours, the atmosphere is quite calm and serene as you glide by mountain ranges in the soft light. Plus, there are fewer people out on deck so you can really have the views to yourself. A member of the park service team was stationed at the bow to record how marine mammals interact with the ship, and he pointed out birds and animals that we never would have noticed on our own.

 

--Get out on deck. It's tempting to stay inside the warm cruise ship when it's colder out on deck, but you really have to hear the White Thunder to get the full glacier experience. If you must, stay in the warmth of the Crow's Nest or indoor lounges until the ship reaches Marguerite Glacier and then head outdoors.

 

--Don't encourage the cruise lines! Starting early in the morning, waiters circulated the outer decks offering coffee and hot chocolate in souvenir mugs, and the ship's photographers kept asking if we wanted our photo taken. It's really easy to bring your own coffee mug and fill it for free in the Lido before heading outdoors (or taking five minutes to run upstairs when you get thirsty), and any friendly cruiser will take your picture if you just ask politely. I find it annoying to be constantly approached to buy something, and if no one takes the sellers up on the offers, perhaps the ship's staff will stop doing it. I do commend Holland America for offering hot pea soup -- for free -- to guests standing outside in the cold to view the glacier.

 

nice blog. Thanks for the great job.

[krogerlady]

I am enjoying every word!! Thank you for taking the time to share with us.

[Rosieo]

Thanks so much for all the posts. We leave next Sunday for the identical trip. I can't wait.

[JamesEM]

Thanks for the information, we are booked to sail to AK from SF on 8-12-09.

[simon95]

"White Pass Summit Scenic Railway ($122), a very popular tour in Skagway." Well on Wednesday the train company says it only sells the 4:30 PM ticket pre-booked for the $122 . The HAL sells it on the boat for $240 on the 8:30 and 11:30 run . Did you find it easy to get a seat on the 8:30 without using the HAL booking . Can I count on getting a spot on the 8:30 privately.Was the line blocked by a landslide??

[writerhenn]

Judy...thanks for that input. It will figure into our plans.

[zeb1226]

Thank you for taking the time from your cruise to share. Your information is invaluable!!

 

Question: We are first time cruisers, non-smokers. Did you find smoking (or the smell in cabins) an issue for you?

 

Thanks again for your blog!!

[Erica@cruisecritic]

Thank you for taking the time from your cruise to share. Your information is invaluable!!

 

Question: We are first time cruisers, non-smokers. Did you find smoking (or the smell in cabins) an issue for you?

 

Thanks again for your blog!!

 

You're welcome, everyone! I got distracted by College Fjord yesterday so I've got a couple more posts to put up, maybe in the airport, or when I'm home on Monday. So keep reading!

 

As for smoking, here's the scoop. Guests can smoke in their cabins, in the casino, in one half of the Crow's Nest and on outside decks. So there aren't many indoor areas at all where people can smoke, and these are often blocked off from non-smoking areas so the smoke won't carry over too much.

 

The cruise ship does have an ozone machine that clears the air and odor in cabins after a smoker has been in a cabin. I'm told that the thing works wonders. If you get onboard and notice that your cabin still smells of smoke, just ask the Front Desk to send someone to fog your room some more, and it shouldn't be a problem.

[Erica@cruisecritic]

"White Pass Summit Scenic Railway ($122), a very popular tour in Skagway." Well on Wednesday the train company says it only sells the 4:30 PM ticket pre-booked for the $122 . The HAL sells it on the boat for $240 on the 8:30 and 11:30 run . Did you find it easy to get a seat on the 8:30 without using the HAL booking . Can I count on getting a spot on the 8:30 privately.Was the line blocked by a landslide??

 

I did not take the train, so I don't know if the line is blocked at any point. I didn't heard anyone complain about that.

 

As for tour pricing, I was getting prices out of the shore excursion order form in my cabin. Are you sure the $240 isn't the price per couple, as opposed to per person?

[fann1sh]

The cruise ship does have an ozone machine that clears the air and odor in cabins after a smoker has been in a cabin. I'm told that the thing works wonders. If you get onboard and notice that your cabin still smells of smoke, just ask the Front Desk to send someone to fog your room some more, and it shouldn't be a problem.

 

It really does work wonders! I have health issues with smoke particulate (all smoke - not just tobacco). Once my steward had to use this, and what a difference! If it works for me, it will work for anyone.

 

I also pack a portable ionizer/fan for social situations.

[ajmsta]

Going on the Westerdam 9-20-09 this will be my second trip on the Westerdam.

 

 

[judynorth]

I did not take the train, so I don't know if the line is blocked at any point. I didn't heard anyone complain about that.

 

As for tour pricing, I was getting prices out of the shore excursion order form in my cabin. Are you sure the $240 isn't the price per couple, as opposed to per person?

 

I would imagine that the $122 price is for the 3-hour train trip that just goes to Frasier and the $240 price is for the longer train/motorcoach excursion that goes to Carcross. That is the way it was in the past. I know that the cruiselines mark up the prices but not that much!:eek:

[delarda]

Be sure to take the train in Skagway. You won't be sorry.

[zeb1226]

That's a real relief Erica - thank you!!

[simon95]

Have you

White Pass Summit Scenic RailwayPriceAdult $212; Child $115DurationApproximately 5¾ - 6 Hours Description

Click here for more details Begin your journey via ferry from Haines to Skagway, where you will take an unforgettable round-trip journey aboard the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. Against all odds, this iron trail was built through some of the North’s most ruggedly beautiful terrain and 100 years later is still in operation. Ride in a comfortable replica or restored car to the summit of the White Pass, through two tunnels, over trestles, and through remote valleys. Pass Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch as your guide announces all the points of interest and tells the story of the Klondike Gold Rush. Reaching the White Pass summit at 2,865 feet, a seat exchange will occur allowing everyone to experience the excellent views during this three-hour round-trip rail journey. This narrow-gauge railroad is an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It shares this honor with the Panama Canal, the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty, and is truly a World Wonder.

NotesYour tour includes a box lunch and transfers to and from the train. Restrooms are located on each train car. You will not get off the train during the tour. Due to Alaska’s extreme tides, there may be a steep ramp to climb at the floating ferry dock.

 

 

heard if it is equaly beautiful to take the Klondike HWY by car ?