First time to Alaska

[Guanajuato]

This will be our first time in Alaska. We will be onboard the HAL Amsterdam for the May 2011 14 day Alaskan cruise. Any suggestions for how to dress for a cruise in Alaska in May or any other hints or tips?

[Cruising-along]

Welcome to Cruise Critic! The key for a cruise to Alaska any time is layers. Dress in layers and some sort of light-weight waterproof clothing. Have a great cruise! We'll be doing that itinerary in June 2012 and can't wait. :)

[AZNative2000]

This will be our first time in Alaska. We will be onboard the HAL Amsterdam for the May 2011 14 day Alaskan cruise. Any suggestions for how to dress for a cruise in Alaska in May or any other hints or tips?Welcome to Cruise Critic!

You will get many suggestions and the best will be to plan to dress in layers.

The temperatures can range from 30s to 60s and it's good to be able to add or remove layers as necessary. This advice was given to us when we went on our first cruise (also Alaska) last year.

Have a GREAT cruise.:)

(Sorry ... still typing while Cruising-along was posting.)

[Bill S]

Welcome to Cruise Critic and to HAL!

We have sailed to Alaska in May several times. The best dress advice I can give is to dress in layers. We typically bring some long sleeved shirts, fleece zip-up sweatshirts and windbreakers, preferably hooded, and comfortable, water-resistant footwear. It can rain in Alaska at any time, so we also bring umbrellas. Also, it can be pretty chilly around glacier areas, so we bring earmuffs and gloves. Sunglasses and sunscreen are also welcome for sunny days, especially when viewing glaciers.

We have enjoyed May cruises because the snow is still down low on the mountains, and for us the weather has been very good. I hope it will be the same for you and that you will have a great cruise on the Amsterdam, one of our most favorite HAL ships. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

welcome to cruise critic

have been to alsaka many times -- all months

may can be very chilly and wet -- especially when you get up to kodiak island and homer

we have gortex jackets that have zippered linings which are good for layering

definitely need water proof shoes, hat, gloves

[Boytjie]

The key for a cruise to Alaska any time is layers. Dress in layers and some sort of light-weight waterproof clothing.

And pack gloves and hats.

Oh, and bathing suits too! We went from 39°F in Glacier Bay to 75°F In Sitka.

[Hawaiidan]

The forcast for the region is cooler and wetter than normal due to changes in the pacific tempt. ( la Ninia) So far that forcast is holding up with heavier than normal snow and rain... in some places 150% more.

Goretex and fleece are good calls. You might too consider poly-pro stuff too.

[Guanajuato]

I love this forum. Thanks so much for all of the great advice. The consensus is to dress in layers, that's for sure. Another question, how much of a problem is seasickness on a cruise out of Seattle to Alaska that includes Sitka, Homer, Anchorage, and Kodiak among other ports of call? Is there a recommened preventative for such seasickness? We took a cruise from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean in March several years ago and due to a storm that lasted three days and had the ship listing to one side, we spent those three days in our cabin. God bless the cabin attendant for cleaning up after us. Our dining companions must have thought we had jumped ship.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

We did Alaska in May and people wore coats one day and then shorts the next. Pack in layers. If you have a balcony cabin and plan to spend time out there bring a warm terrycloth robe (unless they provide them). One of the best experiences for me is eating breakfast on the balcony in the AM watching the beautiful landscape.

Also- take advantage of the hot tubs- another reason to bring a long warm robe. People stared at us in the hot tub on cold days thinking we were crazy. Its awesome in the hot tubs on cold days. Much better than shivering on the deck in your parka.

I've done Alaska four times- its so beautiful. You'll love it.

[trvldog]

for sea sickness I used to wear the patches for years until during one cruise, I was using them and got blurry vision. (one of the side effects) I took them off and now just use the Bonine pills and do just fine 1 a day and even in ruff seas have had no problems..

re: Clothes like others have said, layers is the way to go!

You will love Alaska - 32 day for me until we leave so excited!

[erewhon]

Guanajuato,
You have received great advice for cruising to Alaska.
Hope you have a memorable cruise.

[CruiseRev]

I am pro active preventive on sea sickness. I like ginger pills along with the bonine for seasickness prevention. Take 500 mg a day, start a few days before you leave and take one each day of the cruise. It works great for me. A friend was having some problems and used the Sea Bands, wrist bands that provide accu pressure on the inside of the wrist. In 90 minutes she was symptom free and remained so for the cruise. Buy at a drug store.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

The important thing is to not spend the majority of the time inside the ship. Get plenty of fresh air, walk the deck often and you'll get your sea legs. I do on few occasions feel queasy and I take bonine and it kicks in in 10 minutes. I passed it around like candy on one cruise and every person felt better in no time. Don't sweat the small stuff.

[ellbelle]

This will be our first time in Alaska. We will be onboard the HAL Amsterdam for the May 2011 14 day Alaskan cruise. Any suggestions for how to dress for a cruise in Alaska in May or any other hints or tips?


Here is a link from the Roll Call section. This is specific to this itinerary only. Enjoy your cruise. We did the 14 day last year and had a great time..

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1362580

[beauxdammit]

After three Alaska cruises, I make the following comments:

1. Take a good camera, (or maybe two, one for each of you) and about twice as much memory as you will think you will need. BW and I shot over a thousand photos on our last 10 day trip.

2. As said many times above, plan to dress in layers. Temps on excursions can vary as much as 30 degrees, depending on what and where you go.

3. Personal aside. Stay the heck away from the hot tubs. First, they aren't very hot, (usually 100o to 101o) just right for bacterial growth, (Think MRSA). Second, if there are kids on board they tend to think these are just another swimming pool and there is little chance for relaxation.

4. Plan to eat at least once in the Pinnacle Room or equivalent. It is worth the extra and gives a great memory, especially on formal night if you dress for it.

5. If you choose to chase whales in Juneau, go to Orca Enterprises and Captain Larry.

Have a great time and plan for a couple of more since this will really whet your appitite for this great experience.

[Guanajuato]

Hey, cruise veterans! Thanks for all the great advice for rookie Alaskan vacationers.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree about orca enterprises in juneau -- done it -- loved it

[Math Guy]

The coldest times will be when you are in the immediate vicinity of any glacier which you will be viewing. The enormous amount of ice cools the surrounding air by several degrees. Mittens or insulated gloves are a good idea. Leather, on its own will not insulate properly. The weather is very unpredictable. There may be one week of sunny days, followed by a week of non-stop rain. A lightweight and breathable rain jacket with hood always accompanies me. I bought an excellent Columbia jacket at Sears, but Eddie Bauer and outdoor fitness stores also sell similar products. I emphasize buying a breathable jacket...it is superior to cheaper items which cause condensation and you end up being sweaty and hot. If you enjoy deck-walking, a wool hat, called a tuque in Canada, is advisable. July and August are 'safer' months in terms of good weather. We have been to Alaska 6 times on HAL, Celebrity, and Princess.

[catl331]

The coldest times will be when you are in the immediate vicinity of any glacier which you will be viewing. The enormous amount of ice cools the surrounding air by several degrees.It's kinda like the ship is sitting in a huge bowl of ice water! :)

[dixechik]

I am looking into cruising Alaska in June of 2012 as well. We have cruised the Caribbean 3 times on Princess and are looking for a different direction. My husband and boys 17 and 13 are big outdoors men and I am thinking this might be the right thing. Has anyone cruised on Princess and other lines that can tell me how they compare? Also, do they have self laundry, drink cards, arcade, pools etc. Also, do you actually get to see wildlife from the ship or do you have to do excursions to see it? Any information would be fantastic! I would like to do 10 or more days, any do's or don'ts on cruise line ship etc?

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I have done Princess twice and Norwegian twice to Alaska. I think that any of the cruise lines are excellent ways to see Alaska.

yes- you can definitely see wildlife from the ship. I saw the most wildlife in late May and Early June but there are always whales, sea otters and bears that can be seen from the ship. You will see many bald eagles also. Its a nature lovers dream.

The best advice I could give you is to make sure you have a balcony cabin. Its so worth it. You wake up in the AM put on your robe and sit out on the balcony. Great experience.

If I had to make a suggestion- I would do a roundtrip Seattle because the airfare to Seattle is usually cheaper than Vancouver.

[jtl513]

Also, do they have self laundry, drink cards, arcade, pools etc. HAL's Vista and Signature class ships (see this Sticky thread (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=350993)) do not have self-service laundries, but the other 9 ships do. All have beverage cards, and all but the Prinsendam and Rotterdam have two pools. The Veendam is having a second pool re-installed in this month's dry dock. All ships have a Club HAL for kids that have some arcade games.

Also, do you actually get to see wildlife from the ship or do you have to do excursions to see it?Yes, you can see wildlife from the ship when you're doing the Inside Passage sections and you are close to shore.


If I had to make a suggestion- I would do a roundtrip Seattle because the airfare to Seattle is usually cheaper than Vancouver.But you go out on the west side of Vancouver Island, well off-shore, and miss the best part of the Inside Passage along the east side of the island. We've done both the r/t out of Seattle and one southbound from Seward that ended in Vancouver, and I would pay the extra airfare to go out of Vancouver on any future AK cruise. It's well worth any extra money IMO.

I think it's odd that you suggest spending the money on a balcony cabin and yet skimp on airfare and lose the best place to have a balcony. :)

[we're sailing away....]

Dress warm

[Assateague Island Princes]

We did this 14 day itinerary on the Amsterdam last May 31st - AMAZING! And I'll be doing it again this Aug. 5th - enjoyed it that much!

Some tips: check out the aft of deck 7, just one flight of stairs down from the Lido. There is a "secret" little used public deck back there that provides amazing, private views of the aft. Its lovely! We actually had cabin 7055, which is an oddly shaped oceanview cabin right on the aft - just 5 steps out our door (I counted!;)) to this "secret" deck where we spent a good deal of our time, binoculars in hand, and had hundreds of whale sightings, sometimes rather up close and personal. Loved that cabin and regret that we couldn't get it this year (because there are three of us going instead of 2:o).

Opt for the Unlimited Laundry Package - for $99.00 per CABIN (not person) you get two weeks worth of having your laundry done. You can pack for one week and have plenty of room in your suitcase for those souveniers you plan on taking home. It is a bargain, and so well worth it, particularly for Alaska, where space in the suitcase is a premium due to the heavier clothing you take.

Take a battery operated candle for your bathroom. Works as a great night light for those middle-of-the-night potty breaks when you don't want to disturb others.

Take your own insulated mug with a lid to fill w/coffee, tea, or hot chocolate (or whatever adult beverage you may desire;)) for the times you are up on deck viewing the spectacular scenery!

Be out on deck (or on the secret deck) as you pick up the pilots near Homer for your voyage up the Cook Inlet to Anchorage. Around 11:30PM, the sun had not yet set, the snowcapped mountains all around us were bathed in a stunning pink light, and the ship was surrounded by whales - everywhere you looked there were blows, tails, and humps. It was magical!

Rent electric bikes in Homer (the shop is near the Salty Dawg where HAL's free shuttle to the Spit drops you off). Very inexpensive and so much fun! We zipped up and down the Spit, stopping for lunch, visiting shops, taking in the views. Really great!

Most of all, enjoy every minute on the Amsterdam and this fantastic itinerary. It made me fall in love with Alaska all the more - and I had been twice before. Smooth sailing - wishing you a wonderful time in the Great Land!

[Guanajuato]

A few dumb questions, if you don't mind.

1. What is an electric bike? Is it a bicycle, a motor scooter, or something else?
2. Does the large outside cabin on the Amsterdam have an alarm clock? If not, I'd best pack one.
3. DW does not drink coffee or hot tea (she will also drink unsweetened iced tea) but she thrives on Diet Coke. Would it be a good idea to purchase a beverage card for her? She also has to count her carbs so she can program her insulin pump. Does the MDR offer low carb or diabetic meals?

[Krazy Kruizers]

A few dumb questions, if you don't mind.

1. What is an electric bike? Is it a bicycle, a motor scooter, or something else?
2. Does the large outside cabin on the Amsterdam have an alarm clock? If not, I'd best pack one.
3. DW does not drink coffee or hot tea (she will also drink unsweetened iced tea) but she thrives on Diet Coke. Would it be a good idea to purchase a beverage card for her? She also has to count her carbs so she can program her insulin pump. Does the MDR offer low carb or diabetic meals?

#1 -- don't know about the electric bikes

#2 -- there are no clocks in the cabins -- you can program your telephone to wake you up - we prefer to take our own travel alarms

#3 -- if your wife does drink a lot of diet coke -- on the 14 day cruise -- buy her the card

$50.00 Soda Card (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/gift/gift/giftMoreDetails.action?giftCatalogItemId=547)cost $25.00

The soda card costs $25 but has a face value of $50. Each time you buy a soda with it $2.24 ($1.95 + 15%) is deducted from the value. $50/$2.24 = 22 cans, with $0.72 left over. You can use that $0.72 with $1.52 on your room key card (or another soda card) to get another can.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Or she can bring as much Diet Coke on board as she likes. HAL permits unlimited wine, soda and bottled water to be brought aboard.

Electric bikes are actual bikes w/little electric motors on them, they kind of look like scooters, but not as big. You turn the key on, then move a pedal foward as you are hopping onto the seat and the electric kicks in. Once you use the brakes and remove your hand from the electric button, the bike becomes a regular bike. To restart the electric, hit the switch and push forward on a pedal. Very simple and easy to ride, and as I said, oh so much fun!