Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Holland America Line Alaska Cruise Reviews 2023 UPDATED: Ratings of Holland America Line Cruises to Alaska

holland america alaska cruise reviews

On a previous port call, we toured Butchart Gardens, rode one of the cute ferries and did a CVS hop on/hop off tour. When we could not decide what to do in Victoria, we asked the excursion agent. The HAL employee didn’t try to upsell us into a pricey sunset cruise; instead, she encouraged us to walk into the city independently. It ended up being a lovely time in Victoria without an excursion. One thing to remember is that with excursions purchased through the cruise line, you are guaranteed the ship will not leave you in port if your tour is late.

Who is Ready for a Thrill?

You’ll be ooh’ing and ahh’ing over cute animals as you watch. The storytelling of it is different than the Planet Earth II show but still worth seeing. We found it easy to navigate with a nice flow and absolutely lovely decor.

Holland America Line Alaska Cruise Review – Day 5

Holland America Noordam Cruise: Expert Review (2023) - Cruise Critic

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Passing on dessert, we made a b-line to the theater right before showtime. With the theater about half full, we were able to find seats that ended up being a bit too close to the stage given the pitch of the venue. With the coffee shop located on Deck 11, my typical morning routine was a bit different. Grabbing our coffees, we were ready to test out the main dining room for breakfast.

holland america alaska cruise reviews

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Newly instituted, cruisers must also arrive at the terminal with a negative COVID test. These additional measures are in response to the rising cases from the delta variant. Passengers on a Land+Sea Journey enjoy the attentive services of a professional host in Denali and the Yukon. If you have queries or require additional assistance with arrangements, there is someone on hand to help. Alaska Land+Sea programs include unexpected highlights such as Dawson City, the Yukon Territory's original capital.

Our Options

Thanking our tour guides, we browsed the property taking photos of some of the exhibits and totem poles and the gift shop until our bus was called. Worried we might not find any wildlife, we didn’t have to wait long at all! Unlike our previous Neets Bay bear watching cruise, there were multiple black bear sightings within minutes of entering the forest. The 90-minute walking tour occurred on private property and was mostly on a manmade walking path and raised boardwalk not too far from civilization.

A Smooth Embarkation Day

We’ve done a couple of whale-watching excursions in the past and my teen really wanted to do the jeep rental in Juneau. Club Orange costs $25 per person per day on cruises up to 13 days and $15 per person per day on cruises of 13+ days. The cost for Tamarind is $29 plus an automatic 18% gratuity. For cruisers who love Asian-inspired cuisine, this one is a must-visit. Another BBC show takes place in the World Theater onboard, and it too is lovely.

My favorite place was the Crow’s Nest at the vessel’s bow. Here, I could enjoy the unobstructed views of Alaska and watch arrivals in ports. Built in 1999 and last refurbished in 2014, I found the Volendam’s décor quite elegant. Holland America cruise ships are pretty traditional in style, even though the Carnival Corporation owns them. Having cruised to Alaska multiple times, I wanted to try another cruise line. While itineraries are similar, I wanted to try the cruise line with the longest relationship with Alaska, so a Holland America Alaska cruise made sense.

Holland America Line Alaska Cruise Review – Day 7

We are not usually fans of seafood restaurants on cruise ships. As New Englanders, we have some of the best seafood back home. I liken this privately developed port to the cruise lines’ private islands in the Bahamas. Nieuw Amsterdam boasts several complimentary dining venues. Among them are the poolside Dive-In Burger that rivaled similar venues on other cruise lines. There is also a pizza window, the Lido Market buffet, and the main dining room.

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When on board, the app serves as a tool to access the cruise itinerary. As someone who considers herself pretty tech-savvy, this app was helpful before and during the cruise. The registration process is streamlined with Holland America Line’s Navigator App.

Heading to the rear outdoor decks, we grabbed a few shots of the glacier as we slowly sailed by it. Sadly, I didn’t have much hope for them given the current visibility. We found seats relatively easily, and we both opted for some Asian inspired cuisine today. I was in love with the pork stir fry and vegetable lo mein.

You will never be more pampered than on a HAL cruise ship. Located on deck nine, passengers have plenty of space to sit on both sides of the ship next to large windows overlooking the water. You can even take your food to the outside deck to eat if you want. For a more casual dining experience, the Lido Market is open often. Most like a buffet; however, passengers do not serve themselves. On Deck 10, the ship has a private area called The Retreat.

On our first day as we left Seattle, it was in the low 70s F and people were in the pool, so it’s not always too cold to swim. I’d also like to point out that the entire Holland America staff took extra care with my food allergy and no mistakes were made. I let the dining staff supervisor know about my problem with citrus right when we boarded and everyone was made aware. It was a rainy and cool night, so my dad and I decided to stay on the ship.

There’s also a pickleball court on the top decks along with a basketball hoop, walking track, ping pong, pools, and hot tubs. Should the Alaska weather not cooperate on your day in Glacier Bay, the Crow’s Nest makes for an ideal viewing spot to keep you warm and dry. To my surprise, a few humpback whales surfaced next to the ship and continued to tease us with their presence until we sailed away. While I enjoyed the tour, a good pair of hiking boots would have served me better due to the rocks and roots on the trail. Also, the mosquitoes were rampant, so I’d recommend some mosquito repellent. I walked along the boardwalk over Steep Creek near the visitors’ center.

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