First cruise, need insight.

[momtodogs]

My dad and I are going on the Amsterdam cruise to Alaska at the end of August. We have never been on a cruise before.

This is sort of a pilgrimage for both of us. We had each planned to go on a cruise with our spouses, "someday"; however, my husband died 2 years ago and my mother died last August. So, Dad and I are going together.

We have booked inside cabins on the Main Deck, next to each other (K-class.) We figure we will be elsewhere on the ship, when not sleeping, so plan to spend the extra $ on activities/excursions.

We are ages 77 and 50, and not very active for health reasons, but not "door posts", either. We both "think" we are not prone to sea-sickness, but our experience is limited to small fishing boats or Puget Sound ferries.

We are not "formal wear" people. Dad has a nice suit, and I can probably come up with a nice pant suit (forget about a dress - can't wear the necessary shoes.)

We are very social, and fun/funny, people-persons. We have requested the 8-seating tables for dining. Dad and I both love music, and I love shopping. We are also really looking forward to the scenery and wildlife (especially whale watching.) Dad smokes, I don't.

1. Have we chosen a good ship/cruise?
2. Are our cabins nice?
3. Do you recommend bringing Drammamine?
4. Can we survive formal nights, or should we hibernate for that one?
5. What excursions are absolutely "must do's?"
6. What ship activities?
7. Will Dad have too many smoking restrictions? He gets cranky about that.

Well, I guess that's enough for my first course of curiosity. Thanks for any advice you can give (including what I haven't asked for.)

:confused: :confused: Cruise-ignorant in Seattle :) :)

momtodogs ;)

[DFD1]

First of all, I think what you're doing is great and I hope you have a wonderful, memorable time.....and I think you will.

You have chosen a fine ship and to cruise in one of the most beautiful areas in the world.

HAL inside cabins are just fine. They are larger than almost any other cruise line's inside cabins.

It certainly won't hurt to have some sea sickness remedy along although you may not need it.

Don't be put off at all by Formal night. Put together some dressy outfit and go have a good time. Many passengers don't take the "formal" in formal night very seriously and you will see all sorts and degrees of dressing up. Also, many passengers change back into something more comfortable after dinner, even on formal night. You will see others who remain more formally dressed for the entire evening. If you enjoy people watching, formal night is a feast!

Others on here can give you better advice than I on shore excursions. As for shipboard activities, there is a daily bulletin placed in your cabin each day listing dozens of things to do on the ship for the next day. There is always more than you can possibly do. Trust me, staying busy on board will not be a problem. Besides, you will spend the day looking at the beautiful scenery as you cruise through this fantastic part of the world.

Smoking....in your cabin and in some areas outside on deck, but rarely in public spaces inside the ship. There are rules, but your dad should be able to find enough places to smoke so as not to ruin his trip.

Hope this helps. Have a great time.

[Ziggy7]

Don't be put off at all by Formal night. Put together some dressy outfit and go have a good time. Many passengers don't take the "formal" in formal night very seriously and you will see all sorts and degress of dressing-up. Also, many passengers change back into something more comfortable after dinner, even on formal night. You will see others who remain more formally dressed for the entire evening. If you enjoy people-watching, formal night is a feast!I totally agree, go have a good time :) Dont stress about it! Just have a wonderful cruise :) I think you both are in for a good treat :)

[Linda&Vern]

We are not "formal wear" people. Dad has a nice suit, and I can probably come up with a nice pant suit (forget about a dress - can't wear the necessary shoes.) We are very social, and fun/funny, people-persons.
momtodogs ;)
:p I can relate to your "necessary shoes" problem. Get yourself a pair of dressy black slacks (I happen to love that silky feeling nylon fabric with a tiny bit of spandex - they are so comfy) and pair them with a couple dressy tops. A suit for Dad will be fine. Please don't hide out just because it's "formal night." You will both look great. I can tell you are going to have a wonderful time on your cruise! Enjoy!

[Scrumpy]

We loved Alaska. I am not sure of your exact itinerary, so I will tell you what we did. There was a whale-watching boat trip that was wonderful. We got to see both humpback and Orca, along with sea lions and other marine life. I believe that was out of Juneau. The boat itself was okay, but you need to catch a spot at the rail to get good photos. Also in Juneau, we went to Mendenhall Glacier. Our time was relatively limited there, but we did get a lot of good photos. There were a lot of birds (in June) and a few small critters, but I don't know what they were. We did a bus tour in Ketchikan where we saw more bald eagles than we could ever count and also bear. It stops by a salmon fishery and the animals gather there. There was also a brief hike to a small waterfall. I like the waterfalls, large or small, so it was nice. A bit slippery from the moss or lichen and you couldn't get too close to it. There was a hiking trail in Skagway. DH is a runner and went up to some kind of lookout above the town. I did not do this. Shopped and ate lunch in town, so I am not sure how difficult it is to climb up. Bottom line: we loved Alaska.

Please do not be overly concerned about formal night. My MIL had travelled to see us from NZ and we did not book the cruise until the last minute - after her arrival in the US. She did not bring and probably doesn't own anything technically "formal". She had dressy skirts, slacks and blouses, mixed and matched, and didn't stick out at all. A few nice accessories (scarves, belts, long necklaces, etc.) will help you out there. She also had a blazer that looked nice. If you have a Burlington near you, I picked up a pretty, lacey and glittery little top the other day for about $7. Our local Goodwill store has nice pant suits and separates. Selection depends where you live, but if the idea of getting something for practically nothing appeals to you, check it out. I've managed to end up with 2 nice cocktail dresses (1 with tags still attached) and 2 floor-length formal gowns at our store - for a grand total of $80. We are finishing up prom season now and there will be weddings all summer; a lot of those clothes are worn once and then end up at a thrift store.

I think most of the bars and lounges either had a smoking area or were adjacent to a smoking area on the ship we were on. It shouldn't be a problem unless the areas are greatly different on Amsterdam. I haven't been on that ship; we were on Maasdam which may or may not be a similar ship. It is actually more pleasant to smoke in those areas where it is permitted indoors or out on deck than it is to smoke inside your room. The cabins fill with smoke quickly, which may or may not bother him. As far as I know, smoking is NEVER permitted in the main dining room. If service is good, he will not have time between courses to notice it very much. Our MIL had an inside cabin. It did not SEEM small; in fact, it seemed nicer and larger than our outside cabin. The layout was very efficient and she had quite a bit of space. Our room was always a wreck and hers was always neat as a pin. I think it's a generous amount of space for one person - except for the smoke that collects, it is great. If your dad is like my mom, he will smoke in there regardless. I'm a smoker, but I can't take living in a smoky fog!

I would recommend taking dramamine or the sea bands just in case; however, we didn't take them and none of the three of us ever felt the least bit queasy.

We didn't do many ship activities (I was too busy in the spa), but if you like trivia and/or bingo, I think those are normally offered. Also, there may be recent movies to watch and other games to play. A word of advice: when the ship goes to Hubbard (?) Glacier, be on deck as early as you can to secure a good spot for viewing and taking photos. Also, do take at least a light jacket. We brought full rain gear but never used it. We heard that the week before there had been a lot of liquid sunshine. That is unpredictable, but you can get the hooded, long rain jackets that don't take up much room - just in case.

I hope you have a wonderful trip. It's a great thing that you two are doing together. I would recommend Alaska to anyone; it's that scenic!
Hope this helps a little,
Scrumpy

[grannynurse]

Scrumpy gave you some great advice.
I am also a smoker and on the Amsterdam smoking is allowed at the port side tables outside the Lido restaurant. It works well for breakfast and lunch seeing that you didn't choose a veranda cabin. Just bring your food to the outside areas of the Lido, relax, eat and smoke out there.
On the outside decks smoking is allowed on the port side of the ship only.
In the lounges, crow's nest, ocean bar etc, there are smoking sections provided. The tables will have signs that say "designated smoking area".

If you didn't get sea-sick on a small fishing boat you probably won't have a problem onboard but bring something along anyway. If you use a patch (perscription) you need to put it on about 4 hours before you sail. If you use sea bands (wrist bracelets available in WalMart for about $8.00 for a pair), wear them for the first few days just to see what happens.

I fully agree with Scrumpy's dress advice. The travel knits are acetate and spandex, don't wrinkle, are machine washable, and look very dressy. You can ket pants, dresses, tops, and jackets in this fabric in black and many other colors. Try www.drapers.com and look under soft dressing.

You'll love cruising. The Amsterdam is the sister flagship and it just a wonderful experience.
GN

[Budget Queen]

You will enjoy Alaska :) :) :) The problem with seasickness- prevention is the key- with Bonine superior to the regular Draminine- (long acting is the same as Bonine). Once you are ill- it's too late. Your sailing does more outside passage- open ocean. So more potential for sea sickness. Only you can decide what to do?? As for shore excursions- just way too many excellent ones to recommmend. So my suggestion is to look over a shore excursion list and narrow down your interests and repost. You then will get specific information.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Amsterdam - what a beautiful ship you have chosen - we loved it when we were on her.


Juneau - Mendenhall Glacier - either by bus or flight seeing; whale watching; Red Dog Saloon.

Ketchikan - Totem Bight and Saxman Village; Lumberjack show; Dolly's House on Creek Street.

Sitka - another great port for whale watching.

[ekerr19]

Which sailing are you on? Our family will be on the 8/21/05 cruise...

[dakrewser]

Compared to a ferry or a fishing boat, a cruise ship (especially in the inside passage) won't feel any different than a hotel. Seasickness shouldn't be a problem.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

momtodogs, first off I love your name, I too am Mom to Dogs:)
Second, what a wonderful thing you and your Dad are doing, you will have such a great time. Do not worry about the dress up thing, when we did our Alaska cruise last May we were probably way over dressed. We were surprised how casual everyone was. So you have nothing to worry about, a nice pant suit for you and a suit for your Dad will be perfectly fine.

Rather than Dramamine I suggest you get Bonine. First it taste better, lasts longer and does not make you sleepy. Plus if you do have something to drink it won't bother you.

Two of the excursions we really liked were the Whale Watch in Juneau and the Whale Watch and Sea Otter excursion in Sitka. We saw so much in the way of Alaskan wild life. No matter what you choose I am sure you will have a wonderful time.

I also suggest you visit this board often, you will learn so much and really get a good idea from so many that have cruised.

Thanks for joining us:)

[SeaCruiser_1]

Hi momtodogs..

We cruised Alaska on the Amsterdam last summer and it was a wonderful trip!
I must say that the Amsterdam is one of my favorite HAL ships. Please see my review for some highlights.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=6013

Several folks from our group were in single inside cabins and were comfortable and pleased with their cabins.

I agree with the other posters that formal nights are easily covered with a simple black pant suit with a decorative pin or scarf. Don't worry about it!
As far as other clothing it is best to plan on layering. There were days when there were swimmers in the outside pool and days we bundled up in Polartec jackets to view the glaciers.

One thing good about cruising is most people are friendly and enjoy meeting fellow cruisers.

I also support your decision to take this trip with your father. I hope you have a wonderful time!

Sea..

[doone]

Your first cruise and on the Amsterdam, I am so excited for you. I have to say, the Amsterdam is my favorite ship, she's a beauty. I always get a cabin to myself and always go to the Main Deck, category K, which I find to be perfectly fine, you will be very comfortable in this cabin category. I like this deck, also, because there is the self-service laundry on this deck. With restrictions on your luggage weight on airlines, this becomes very important to me, and I believe, others as well.

I am a smoker and your dad can smoke in his cabin and in the designated areas of the ship. I have never had a problem having a cigarette, there are plenty of designated smoking areas.

Please do not miss the dining room experience, especially on formal nights. Your dad can rent a tux at: www.cruiselineformal.com this way it will lighten up his suit case without having to take a suit. You order your tux on-line, its delivered to your cabin and you leave it behind when you leave, so easy. My dad and other men in my family always rent their tux's from cruiselineformal and have never been disappointed yet.

For yourself, get a nice pair of black slacks and some fancy sequenced tops or a nice pantsuit, your perfectly fine to enjoy the formal evenings in the dining room.

Your going to have a wonderful time, enjoy and cherish each moment onboard.

[Budget Queen]

Compared to a ferry or a fishing boat, a cruise ship (especially in the inside passage) won't feel any different than a hotel. Seasickness shouldn't be a problem.



This is totally untrue. I have encountered very rough sailing in Alaska- all were inside passage round trip Vancouver cruises. AND this ship does even more outside passage sailing.

So I still strongly suggest taking precautions is prone to seasickness.

[dakrewser]

This is totally untrue. I have encountered very rough sailing in Alaska- all were inside passage round trip Vancouver cruises. AND this ship does even more outside passage sailing.

So I still strongly suggest taking precautions is prone to seasickness.

And if you'd been on the ferry or in a fishing boat it would have been much worse, wouldn't it?

[1cruiselvr]

Depends on the water conditions at the time. Unless you travel on it daily to be exposed to all conditions, it's hard to say whether they have experienced a rocky episode without getting sick. Best advice was given to bring bonine and start taking it as soon as you start your trip; some even start a few days before. Preventative is much better than too late. You don't want your trip ruined by seasickness which isn't fun.
Happy Sailing!

[momtodogs]

You have all given great advice! Thanks so much! I will get the Bonine (sp?) before we go. Did you say to start taking it a couple of days before the cruise? Do we take it every day while on the cruise?

Can't wait to check out the wildlife and the glaciers, and the boat excursions sound like the least physically stressful for Dad. He just can't be on his feet for too long at a time. He had a heart attack a year ago last month, and we actually lost him 3 times. I tend to coddle him a bit too much, now. He is precious to me.

As for me, I can't wait to check out the shopping! :D I love to look at jewelry, especially. Any advice on where to go, on a limited (almost incarcerated) budget? :rolleyes: BTW, do I need to bring documentation for my jewelry that I bring onto the cruise (i.e. receipts,) to prove I had it before the cruise? What's the procedure for declaring what you bring along? Don't want to run up against any snags.

You have given me a lot of relief about my wardrobe. I'm pretty sure I can handle it now.

You have been great! Are any of you going to be aboard with us? We are sailing out of Seattle on August 28, on the Amsterdam.

momtodogs:p

[Scrumpy]

You're welcome! Unless your jewelry is in pristine condition or brand new, I wouldn't worry about carrying receipts. If you have them handy already, you might carry them. I wear my jewelry inappropriate places and it gets knocked around quite a bit; there's no way anyone would think it was new. Maybe someone else has more advice on that and also on where to shop. I cannot recall where it was that had some nice prices on gold and gemstones. Enjoy your trip and hold your dad close. I lost mine several years ago at a young age and envy you the time you have with yours!
Scrumpy

[LAFFNVEGAS]

momtodogs, you definitely do not have to carry receipts for you jewelery you have now. I have never been asked, they barely look at your card you fill out of your purchases unless you spend some big dollars. I actually found some nice things in Ketchikan for jewelery. I got a tanzanite ring with diamonds at a small shop there that ended up being a very good price compared to what I could buy it for in the caribbean. Even my local jeweler said I got a great deal. Personally I stay away from the "Cruise ship recommended shops" I find them expensive and not always great quality. I think the cruise lines get a kick back. But this is just my opinion others may think that is the only way to go. I have been in so many (more than I can count) Diamonds Internationals and Tanzanite Internationals and just laugh when they show me a ring with a stone that is so tiny and I say " You want me to pay that much for that:eek: "

I wish I was going with you, we were hoping that HAL would do the Amsterdam out of Seattle for 2006 because we really wanted to cruise on her but it is not looking like that is what will happend for 2006.

I am sure you and your Dad will have a wonderful time.

[kruzkeen]

I have just skimmed through this thread so this might be duplicate info.
For specific info on Alaska you might want to browse through the Alaska section of the Ports of Call section of CC.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Alaska is without doubt my favorite destination as I do not like too much hot weather in the summer.

I agree with Budget Queen. A ship on the open ocean, which you will be on for a day off the west coast of Vancouver Island, can have rougher weather that a ferry going around Puget Sound or the San Juan Islands which I like to do. BTW, I also love Seattle and hope to retire there one day.

[1stMate]

Compared to a ferry or a fishing boat, a cruise ship (especially in the inside passage) won't feel any different than a hotel. Seasickness shouldn't be a problem.

Compared with a ferry or fishing boat the accomodations are truely amazing.

[Time2sail]

You have all given great advice! Thanks so much! I will get the Bonine (sp?) before we go. Did you say to start taking it a couple of days before the cruise? Do we take it every day while on the cruise?

Can't wait to check out the wildlife and the glaciers, and the boat excursions sound like the least physically stressful for Dad. He just can't be on his feet for too long at a time. He had a heart attack a year ago last month, and we actually lost him 3 times. I tend to coddle him a bit too much, now. He is precious to me.

As for me, I can't wait to check out the shopping! :D I love to look at jewelry, especially. Any advice on where to go, on a limited (almost incarcerated) budget? :rolleyes: BTW, do I need to bring documentation for my jewelry that I bring onto the cruise (i.e. receipts,) to prove I had it before the cruise? What's the procedure for declaring what you bring along? Don't want to run up against any snags.

You have given me a lot of relief about my wardrobe. I'm pretty sure I can handle it now.

You have been great! Are any of you going to be aboard with us? We are sailing out of Seattle on August 28, on the Amsterdam.

momtodogs:p

Do you have a Steinmart, Dillards, Penney or Belks near your home? They have great jewelry and accessories; the prices are reasonable and they always have good sales, too. Super Walmart and Target also have some pretty nice jewelry but don't have them on sale as often. As Scrumpy suggested, Burlington Coat Factory is great for clothes and accessories, too.

We live in Florida so we don't wear fleece and coats too often and didn't own any. We found great things in a consignment shop where people sell really expensive clothing at give away prices. For example, I bought a lightly insulated waterproof name brand jacket that is valued at $300 plus for $16.00. We bought waterproof walking shoes from sierratradingpost.com and
they were on sale, too. We didn't invest a lot in clothing that we will only wear for a few days.

We will be on the Amsterdam for our first cruise to Alaska in May/June. The Alaska Port of call board here on Cruise Critic has great advice and you can get answers to many of your questions about clothing, excursions, etc.

Hope you and your father have a great cruise:)

[dakrewser]

It just occured to me (sometimes I be a tad slow!) that we're talking about an ALASKA cruise. That is a state in the US, now, has been for 50 years - there's no need to worry about Customes, duty, taxes, etc.


While it's true you'll stop in Canada, few if any customs agents will believe that you're using a cruise to try to smuggle huge amounts of jewelry, cameras and computers into the US from British Columbia. :rolleyes:

[momtodogs]

One of my sisters just decided to join us! :D :D :D

She will share my cabin. TA has already changed our booking! I wish the other sister could go, but she says too much $$$, and we can't afford to foot her bill, too.

I will be checking the Alaska forum often for more tips, also. Thanks for sharing your expertise with me!

If what I read is true, I will probably be a cruise junkie, soon! May see you on a future cruise (or more.)

momtodogs

[cactuslady]

(forget about a dress - can't wear the necessary shoes.)
momtodogs ;)
Forget about "necessary shoes" for formal night. With either a floor-length skirt/dress or nice pants, no one will see them anyway. With any kind of a sparkly or shiny top or jewelry, the attention will be on your face and no one will bother looking at your shoes. On a moving ship, everyone will (or should) understand that having stable, comfortable and safe footing is WAY more important than having any particular style of shoes. We'd rather see you in Birkenstocks than in a cast. :)

[peaches from georgia]

We are not "formal wear" people. Dad has a nice suit, and I can probably come up with a nice pant suit (forget about a dress - can't wear the necessary shoes.)
Cruise-ignorant in Seattle momtodogs ;)
Check your Nordstrom (where I know in my favorite city you have the main #1 store). Last I looked here in Atlanta they carried the formal lace and sequined sneakers- as worn in the Father of the Bride movie wedding. I'm dying to get a pair for formal nights; they are darling.

[ekerr19]

Check your Nordstrom (where I know in my favorite city you have the main #1 store). Last I looked here in Atlanta they carried the formal lace and sequined sneakers- as worn in the Father of the Bride movie wedding. I'm dying to get a pair for formal nights; they are darling.

LOL! Peaches, I never would have guessed you would be such a fashion rebel!

[peaches from georgia]

LOL! Peaches, I never would have guessed you would be such a fashion rebel!
LOL! I wouldn't say 'rebel'; I much prefer thinking 'always tasteful and elegant, but never boring'. And of course always according to dress code! :D

Something cute and fun like these formal sneaks- I wouldn't hesitate for a minute, especially with pants or a long dress.

[ekerr19]

LOL! I wouldn't say 'rebel'; I much prefer thinking 'always tasteful and elegant, but never boring'. And of course always according to dress code! :D

Something cute and fun like these formal sneaks- I wouldn't hesitate for a minute, especially with pants or a long dress.

Well, you've given me some food for thought - they'd be comfy, that's for sure!

I'm not sure I'm that daring, but DD would adore something like that. I am addicted to Nordstrom's shoe department, so I'll have to check them out. :)

[knowla1]

I agree with other posters that I would invest in taking some Bonine with me. I have used this in the past with excellent results.I pulled out my supply and it states that: dosage should be taken one hour before travel starts. Dosage is 1-2 tablets once daily. Of course, you can always check with your physican to see if its the the right choice for you and your Dad.

You are going to have a wonderful time. Cruising is the best.

On my last formal nite, I wore a long black skirt and fancy top and dressed it up with jewelery.

Just another tip, have the cruise photo's taken. You don't have to pay for them if you don't want them. I love looking back thru my albums and have a few framed pics around the house. HAVE FUN!!