Live review with pics, HAL Oosterdam Vancouver 5/24 - Seward 5/31/2015

Good evening Father,

I am on the Oosterdam on 6/28. I had asked Copper who the Captain would be and his reply was Captain Bos.

Looking forward to meeting you.

I am usually in "Clerics" on sail away day. I will show my face around the Lido but I might get off for a bit in Seward. Mass will be at 5:00 PM, I believe. Check your program when you get on board. I have brown hair--never grayed--with a reddish tinge to it.

Himself

P. S. Captain Pieter Bos is, in my opinion, the best when it comes to doing the inside passage. He is outstanding and a real nice man.

Good evening Father,

I am on the Oosterdam on 6/28. I had asked Copper who the Captain would be and his reply was Captain Bos.

Looking forward to meeting you.

You are very fortunate to be sailing with Captain Bos.

I am enjoying your reporting. In four weeks I will be on the Oosterdam. Who is the Captain?

Captain Bos. He seems very good.

- Joel

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What deck are you on? Looks great! Thank you for posting the wonderful photos.

4th deck. Right above MDR!

- Joel

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Had a great day today.

Awoke early, 4:30 ish, already getting light outside. Foggy and rainy. Could not get back to sleep so explored the ship a bit before everyone awake, and settled in at Explorations Cafe, adjacent to Crow's Nest, in bow of ship. Settled in to get on internet in a nice space with views to the starboard and bow. At 7:00 the cafe opened with fresh coffee and espresso (all for a fee) and free pastries. There are a few dozen computer terminals here tastefully set up with a library and cafe on the starboard side of this area and it nicely blends into the Crow's Nest and bar area. Somehow despite the very eclectic nature of this all, it works well. I like that if I need or want to get online I do not have to be in a windowless area away from the sights (such as is the case on Celebrity ships). Got some internet time in to work on some stuff and made arrangements for tomorrow's excursion in Ketchikan.

Lunch in MDR was good (not great, but good and just fine). Nice to have a free non-buffet option with wait staff service. A Reuben sandwich and a nice glass of Malbec. Hard to beat. Took in a wine tasting at 2:00. Some interesting wines ti sample.

I am SOOOOO loving this aft cabin. There is going to be no going back now. We are today entering a beautiful area of BC from 5:15 pm until bedtime and I did not want to miss it, so camping out here. Whether improved after lunch and became so sunny that although air temp was only upper 60s, with sun beating down on us I had to wear a T shirt and shorts.

Based on CC input I bought Joe Upton's book, The Alaska Cruise Handbook. It is an absolute must for any time spent on inside passage. Has great first hand stories and descriptions of every route one might sail through these waters, what to look for, what once happened, all staked out with mile markers, and a map comes with the book. excellent photos too. The captain refers to this book and the mile markers in his announcements.

At 5:15 PM, we entered a very narrow stretch, the Greenville Channel. Had Upton's map up on our cabin wall so we could follow along (remember, these are metallic walls, so magnets hold things like this up, or photos of our family at home, to the left).

At some points the Greenville Channel is very narrow, supposedly a quarter mile only. iIf someone had been perched at the top of the hills on either side, it seemed, they could have tossed something aboard. Here is the view to the port

and here is the view to the starboard.

Decided to skip the MDR for formal night and have room service on our glorious veranda. Ordered off the MDR menu and had an enjoyable meal, along with the 2nd half of a very nice pinot noir I opened last night.

A tug towing stuff was one of the few signs today that humans (besides us) still exist.

Here are some more views from our veranda.

And then fog rolled in after all.

Wonderful review.

Your pictures are beautiful.

Great review and wonderful pictures...we've sailed Hal many times..but never been to Alaska...and I am overwhelmed trying to figure out which cruise to book next year...your review will help:) Also thanks for the book recommendation....great idea!

Loving your review and pics. Alaska is just fabulous -- been twice and want to go again!

The highlight of our last cruise to Alaska was a whale watching trip in Ketichican - saw Orca's and Hump Back Whales up close and personal. :eek:

My DH loved the float plane excursion we took in Juneau or it might have been vice versa (not sure but both were great).

Awoke for day 3, again 4:00 ish, but that's with a time change, got online to get some things done, and it's already bright light outside. Overcast and misty rain as we near Ketchikan where (let's see if it's right) the forecast is no rain. Have an excursion through private company to take us into Tongass national forest and a tote park. Rest of day will be on our own in Ketchikan.

- Joel

Thank you so much for posting these fabulous pictures! (and also telling me you are on deck 4) I thought so but just wanted to be sure. Holland America should thank you for the increase in bookings to Alaska because you can't look at these photos and not want to go! Glad you are having a wonderful time and we appreciate all the good tips too.

I am THRILLED that you had a chance to see some of Grenville Channel. Not many ships do it.

Wonderful photos!!

Lunch in MDR was good (not great, but good and just fine). Nice to have a free non-buffet option with wait staff service. A Reuben sandwich and a nice glass of Malbec. Hard to beat. Took in a wine tasting at 2:00. Some interesting wines ti sample.

 

I am SOOOOO loving this aft cabin. There is going to be no going back now. We are today entering a beautiful area of BC from 5:15 pm until bedtime and I did not want to miss it, so camping out here. Whether improved after lunch and became so sunny that although air temp was only upper 60s, with sun beating down on us I had to wear a T shirt and shorts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Based on CC input I bought Joe Upton's book, The Alaska Cruise Handbook. It is an absolute must for any time spent on inside passage. Has great first hand stories and descriptions of every route one might sail through these waters, what to look for, what once happened, all staked out with mile markers, and a map comes with the book. excellent photos too. The captain refers to this book and the mile markers in his announcements.

 

 

At 5:15 PM, we entered a very narrow stretch, the Greenville Channel. Had Upton's map up on our cabin wall so we could follow along (remember, these are metallic walls, so magnets hold things like this up, or photos of our family at home, to the left).

 

Captain Pieter Bos always choses to go this beautiful route. He keeps it inside and yet he always gets to the port on time. He is a great Captain.

Tuesday, as the rug in the elevator reminds us. I like that such a rug is used. It both reminds us of what day it is, since while on vacation one can more easily forget, but also by so doing signals to us that it's ok not to try to keep track anymore.

- Joel

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Arrived in Ketchikan. Very rainy city, by reputation, one of the southernmost in Alaska. Though overcast as we landed, it was sunny most all day thereafter. Anchoring a temperate rainforest, it only gets 20-30 inches of snow a year, but a very lot of rain. On an island with no roads leading in or out, like so many Inside Passage communities, almost all buildings are along an impossible longitudinal thin strip that goes inland only a few hundred feet alongside the water. Not much flat land on which to build so not much choice. What buildings there are cling along steep hills. Tons of very touristy stuff near pier. Population of 14,000 made this the 4th largest city of Alaska until recently. There is a hospital, a high school, and feels like a lovable town with local pride. Now has a Walmart, and a McDonalds.

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Took a private excursion with Wild Wolf Tours. Guide Tracy was knowledgeable and helpful. Learned a lot about past and current life in this town and about native culture (she is part Tsimshian). Went to Totem Bight Park and saw totems and a klan house, learned about native cultures. The totem was not religious. It was a codified story telling system in cultures with no written language.

- Joel

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Hiked some in Tongass National Park, largest in USA.

Saw my first bald eagles. Huge animals, actually. Wing span can be up to 8 feet. They mate for life and live to be ~25. Males and females take turns guarding the nests. (You're gonna have to trust me that the speck in the air on the right is a bald eagle.)

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The Creek Street area is famous and one has to see it, but then can move on. This is really just a creek, and buildings lifted up on wood supports peer over it. Many were once brothels and the stories still have mileage as a gimmick to get tourists. Salmon run upstream here in July and August. Water from creek is so clear I'm sure we could make eye contact if they were on the water.

- Joel

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A $2 funicular from the Creek street area goes up to Cape Fox Lodge, read about it in Frommer's. The ride has a great view as does the Lodge, where a decent breakfast, lunch, or dinner can be had. Coffee stand here too.

- Joel

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Great job on your Alaska & OSDM review! Enjoying it! Have a great remaining voyage!

This is the airport. A digression. The Ketchikan airport is on the only flat land possible, an island on other side of water from Ketchikan. They have flights north and south to points in Canada and U.S. No roads to island; only a ferry (that's it below, to right). A bridge was planned with federal money, apparently agreed to by then Gov. Palin, but she later nixed it. As VP candidate in 2008 U.S. Presidential election she famously pointed to that decision as evidence of her opposition to wasteful use of funds. It was, she said, "a bridge to no where" since no one lived on the island (that was true). But, the bridge was just so you can could drive to the airport here. As it stands, this remains the only U.S. airport with no road to it!

- Joel

Dinner in Vista dining room was good. I like this space and feel very much. Orca whales were spotted as betrayed by a sudden gush of oohs and ahhs from those near the relevant windows.

- Joel

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Show was illusionist and did a good job. Evening wonderfully wound down with excellent piano and violin music at Explorer's lounge, just superb. As I listened, approaching nearly 10 pm, sun only now setting.

- Joel

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