Newbie Cruise Report - Amsterdam to Alaska, 8/22-8/29

[makaita]

Can't wait for day 4's report!

 

I board the same cruise on Saturday, Sept. 5.

 

11 days and counting...tick tock.

[bandlady74]

Day 4 – Hubbard Glacier – 8/25/09

 

Surprise! After sunrise today we started to see peeks of sun, and by the time we got to Hubbard Glacier the sun was completely out! We had some amazing views of the glacier, too. Saw some small bits of calving and heard a lot of glacial thunder and cracks. The blue color is ethereal. It was absolutely spectacular!

 

Eric and I both loved the Dutch pea soup, and also took advantage of the free hot chocolate. Although the sun was out, the wind was bitter cold, and I was glad I had brought my hat and gloves. One great place to view the glacier is from the part of the bow that’s off of the fitness center. Of course, you can get the best view from the sky deck, but it’s not well protected and quite windy and cold. So this was our second fantastic experience aboard the Amsterdam!

 

Speaking of the ship, I was thinking of a few odds and ends that might help anyone planning to do this cruise. First, the air on the ship is very dry, so I would bring along a pretty heavy duty moisturizer/hand cream. The stuff they give you in the cabin just doesn’t cut it, at least for me. Second, if you want to eat in the Pinnacle Grill I would make reservations asap. The food is excellent there, so reservations go fast! Third, don’t discount the food in the Lido. We ate dinner there one night and were very pleasantly surprised. As has been discussed frequently on these boards, there are no trays in the Lido. This was never a problem for us, as we just went back and forth getting our food. I did notice, however, that there were servers who would help the people who needed help, especially if they asked for it.

 

Bring lots of clothes to dress in layers. We’ve gone from wearing 4 layers and hat and gloves to just a long-sleeved shirt, so be ready. You really won’t need shorts, though.

 

Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill tonight, and we were very impressed, both with the service and the food. It’s definitely worth the extra money.

 

 

Amy:)

[Kween Karen]

Ahhhhh......wonderful life aboard the Amsterdam continues. I am enjoying your reports.

[Susie51]

Thank you for your enlightning reports especially about the weather. We leave on Westerdam Sept. 6. I think I will bring some warmer clothes than I had previously planned on bringing.

[makaita]

Thanks for the update. I am enjoying your posts.

 

I think I am going to have to go out and get the hubby some long-johns. He hates to layer his clothing. He will be miserable if he is cold. He is from the tropics so 70 is cold.

[bandlady74]

Day 5 – Sitka – 8/26/09

 

At about 2AM we were awakened by very rough seas, which continued all the way to Sitka. Then, at 7AM, we could hear the tenders being off-loaded (I think). So we were a little short on sleep, but still looking forward to a fun day.

 

Last night’s weather forecast called for a half inch of rain today, so we bundled up and wore our rain parkas. Surprise again! By 10AM the sun was peeking out through the clouds, and this afternoon it was completely sunny!

This morning we took the Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest, which we would definitely recommend. The boat picks you up right at the ship, and you travel to some islands near Sitka. We were lucky enough to spot many sea otters and harbor seals. Later in the trees there must have been at least 20 bald eagles. And we were treated to some sightings of a humpback whale in the fjord! The naturalist was especially good, and the boat was comfortable.

 

Back in Sitka we found an outdoor food stand recommended on the ship. They served seasoned fish on skewers, which was fantastic. You have to look for it – it’s behind the buildings on Lincoln St.

 

After lunch we visited the Russian cathedral, the bishop’s house, and the Episcopal church. Then we headed down to the Sitka National Historical Park, which is an absolute gem. Yes, it’s a bit of a walk down Lincoln St., but so worth it. There is a visitor center with an excellent film, and then you walk on a path which features a number of huge Tlingit totem poles amongst the trees. The forest is beautiful and peaceful and you get wonderful views of the shoreline. But the best part was on the river side of the trail. The salmon are spawning right now, so you can cross a bridge and see thousands of salmon making their way upstream to spawn. The water is so dense with them that you can actually touch them from the shore! So if you go to Sitka in late August or early Sept., you don’t want to miss this park!

 

We tried the Cannalletto restaurant tonight, which is really just part of the Lido with sit down service and an Italian menu. The service was fantastic, and we really appreciated the wonderful sense of humor of our servers. They are also beginning to know us by name. The food was pretty good, except for the chicken marsala, which was far too salty. Being from the NYC area, we are used to excellent Italian food, though, so this really doesn’t compare. However, it’s a nice change from the Lido buffet and dining room, especially with the great service.

 

Tomorrow – Ketchikan!

 

 

Day 6 & 7 – Ketchikan and Victoria – August 27 - 28, 2009

 

We had a nice smooth sail from Sitka to Ketchikan, and again docked right on time. Actually, we’ve docked on time at every port so far. Eric and I decided to split up today. He’s very adventurous and wanted to try the zip line in the rainforest canopy, and I enjoy the more cultural and historical things, so I went up to the Saxman Native Village. Both tours were excellent, and Eric spoke of how safe and professional the zipline was. I got to dance on stage with the Tlingit performers, and now have a great picture to show my students back at home! I also enjoyed walking on Creek Street, which is built on a boardwalk up above the level of the stream. It’s fun to watch the salmon jumping in the stream at this time of year.

 

Unfortunately I also had to spend the rest of the morning on the phone with my son and Verizon, as his cell phone had broken (he’s a college, and no youngster can live even one minute without their phone, right?). Eventually got that all straightened out, thankfully while still in port. By the way, cell service on the ship through Cellular at Sea is $2.95/minute, so I’ve been waiting until we’re in port to make most of my calls. In each port I’ve had excellent reception on Verizon, and I believe the ATT people are also having good luck. Not sure about the others.

 

After lunch I played some trivia and “Name That Tune” and then Eric and I headed up to the Crow’s Nest for drinks before our dinner at the Pinnacle. The Crow’s Nest is just a great place to be – you get a full view of where the ship is heading and the atmosphere is quiet.

 

At about 6PM we noticed quite a wind blowing across the bow, and the seas got really rough. By the time we had finished dinner it was clear that we were into quite a storm! There were gale force winds and extremely rough seas. The ship rolled quite a bit. Amazingly, we survived the night without any seasickness, although many others on the ship were affected. It sure does pay to have a cabin on a lower deck midship!

 

Our sea day continued with a gale, but as we went along things got better. Both of us were very tired, so we basically just went to the Disembarkation Meeting and then read, played some trivia, and watched a movie. Because of the storm we got into Victoria 2 hours late, so unfortunately we decided to cancel our excursion to Butchart Gardens, as it was dark when we arrived. Still, we enjoyed a brisk walk into town to see the lovely Inner Harbor area all lit up.

 

In my next post I hope to share some general impressions of HAL and of our cruise in particular. But let me end by saying that cruising is a wonderful experience and that both of us will definitely do it again, and definitely with HAL.

 

Thanks for listening!

 

 

Amy:)

[kakalina]

Amy, thanks so much for taking the time to tell us about your cruise. I have enjoyed reading all your posts and look forward to your "summary".

 

The Amsterdam is one of our favorite ships and it is great that you enjoyed her so.

[pipedreams62]

For taking us all along for the ride. I really appreciate it and hope you've enjoyed your cruise.

[RuthC]

I've enjoyed cruising along with you to some familiar places. It's fun to see them through another's eyes. I'm looking forward to reading your final impressions.

Thanks for the posts.

[TiggerG]

Day 5 – Sitka – 8/26/09

 

At about 2AM we were awakened by very rough seas, which continued all the way to Sitka. Then, at 7AM, we could hear the tenders being off-loaded (I think). So we were a little short on sleep, but still looking forward to a fun day.

 

Last night’s weather forecast called for a half inch of rain today, so we bundled up and wore our rain parkas. Surprise again! By 10AM the sun was peeking out through the clouds, and this afternoon it was completely sunny!

This morning we took the Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest, which we would definitely recommend. The boat picks you up right at the ship, and you travel to some islands near Sitka. We were lucky enough to spot many sea otters and harbor seals. Later in the trees there must have been at least 20 bald eagles. And we were treated to some sightings of a humpback whale in the fjord! The naturalist was especially good, and the boat was comfortable.

 

Back in Sitka we found an outdoor food stand recommended on the ship. They served seasoned fish on skewers, which was fantastic. You have to look for it – it’s behind the buildings on Lincoln St.

 

After lunch we visited the Russian cathedral, the bishop’s house, and the Episcopal church. Then we headed down to the Sitka National Historical Park, which is an absolute gem. Yes, it’s a bit of a walk down Lincoln St., but so worth it. There is a visitor center with an excellent film, and then you walk on a path which features a number of huge Tlingit totem poles amongst the trees. The forest is beautiful and peaceful and you get wonderful views of the shoreline. But the best part was on the river side of the trail. The salmon are spawning right now, so you can cross a bridge and see thousands of salmon making their way upstream to spawn. The water is so dense with them that you can actually touch them from the shore! So if you go to Sitka in late August or early Sept., you don’t want to miss this park!

 

We tried the Cannalletto restaurant tonight, which is really just part of the Lido with sit down service and an Italian menu. The service was fantastic, and we really appreciated the wonderful sense of humor of our servers. They are also beginning to know us by name. The food was pretty good, except for the chicken marsala, which was far too salty. Being from the NYC area, we are used to excellent Italian food, though, so this really doesn’t compare. However, it’s a nice change from the Lido buffet and dining room, especially with the great service.

 

Tomorrow – Ketchikan!

 

 

Day 6 & 7 – Ketchikan and Victoria – August 27 - 28, 2009

 

We had a nice smooth sail from Sitka to Ketchikan, and again docked right on time. Actually, we’ve docked on time at every port so far. Eric and I decided to split up today. He’s very adventurous and wanted to try the zip line in the rainforest canopy, and I enjoy the more cultural and historical things, so I went up to the Saxman Native Village. Both tours were excellent, and Eric spoke of how safe and professional the zipline was. I got to dance on stage with the Tlingit performers, and now have a great picture to show my students back at home! I also enjoyed walking on Creek Street, which is built on a boardwalk up above the level of the stream. It’s fun to watch the salmon jumping in the stream at this time of year.

 

Unfortunately I also had to spend the rest of the morning on the phone with my son and Verizon, as his cell phone had broken (he’s a college, and no youngster can live even one minute without their phone, right?). Eventually got that all straightened out, thankfully while still in port. By the way, cell service on the ship through Cellular at Sea is $2.95/minute, so I’ve been waiting until we’re in port to make most of my calls. In each port I’ve had excellent reception on Verizon, and I believe the ATT people are also having good luck. Not sure about the others.

 

After lunch I played some trivia and “Name That Tune” and then Eric and I headed up to the Crow’s Nest for drinks before our dinner at the Pinnacle. The Crow’s Nest is just a great place to be – you get a full view of where the ship is heading and the atmosphere is quiet.

 

At about 6PM we noticed quite a wind blowing across the bow, and the seas got really rough. By the time we had finished dinner it was clear that we were into quite a storm! There were gale force winds and extremely rough seas. The ship rolled quite a bit. Amazingly, we survived the night without any seasickness, although many others on the ship were affected. It sure does pay to have a cabin on a lower deck midship!

 

Our sea day continued with a gale, but as we went along things got better. Both of us were very tired, so we basically just went to the Disembarkation Meeting and then read, played some trivia, and watched a movie. Because of the storm we got into Victoria 2 hours late, so unfortunately we decided to cancel our excursion to Butchart Gardens, as it was dark when we arrived. Still, we enjoyed a brisk walk into town to see the lovely Inner Harbor area all lit up.

 

In my next post I hope to share some general impressions of HAL and of our cruise in particular. But let me end by saying that cruising is a wonderful experience and that both of us will definitely do it again, and definitely with HAL.

 

Thanks for listening!

 

 

Amy:)

 

Amy, would you tell us what your cabin number was please. We leave Sat. and have finally gotten our cabin assignement and I would like to compare it to your location. Thanks much, TiggerG

[NanaJPB]

Amy, would you tell us what your cabin number was please. We leave Sat. and have finally gotten our cabin assignement and I would like to compare it to your location. Thanks much, TiggerG

TiggerG -- we're looking for you over on the Amsterdam roll call!

 

Joanna

[bandlady74]

Sorry, I just saw your post. We were in 1869, midship and outside on the Dolphin deck. I was so impressed with the size of the cabin, and you really do have more stability in a lower deck cabin (we appreciated it during Thursday night's storm!):o

 

Our cabin stewards were just fantastic, too.:)

 

Amy