On Amsterdam 14 days in Alaska

On this very pretty ship for our first time. I was nervous as have heard great things and not so great.

 

We are in a Navigator suite, 7033. The suite looks great and we love it. Only thing I can see wrong is a crack down the middle of tile in bath/shower. Not very big and no big deal.

 

Navigator lounge is also a great perk. Sometimes just want a snack instead of a big lunch. Little sandwiches etc. Nice people ready to help.

 

We have two wonderful stewards who have been great. I am pretty fussy but the cabin is clean and they are in and out really fast.

 

Boarded on Monday so have not been to any shows. We are more up early bed early.

 

Our favorite food has been the Pinnacle in the morning. It has been great. There was a package, $44/person, one night Pinnacle and one night the Italian restaurant. Have not been to either yet. Tomorrow night is Pinnacle.

 

Went to Gala night last night. It was fine, as was food. Saw people going in tennis shoes and Hawaiian shirts. Some dressed fancy others I thought might be turned away but were not.

 

Lido has had very good food and you can always find something. Some things, like bread you can serve yourself. The other food is served to you, which is fine, but the lines get very long. The servers work very hard. I wanted a New York steak medium rare. She did not have any so cooked one for me[emoji4].

 

No problems boarding. HAL got us to ship by 11:30. Check in was easy and only had to wait about 15 minutes to board.

 

We are very happy with the ship and everyone has been so nice. Hope to do this cruise in 2019.

 

 

 

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Thanks for your report. Enjoy your cruise "North...to Alaska!"

Glad your cruise is off to a good start.

We have done that itinerary twice on that ship. It is a great one.

Hope you keep reporting in.

Thank you for your report.

 

Was not aware that the Neptune Suites and Lounge had been renamed Navigator.

 

Enjoy the remainder of your cruise.

Thank you for your report.

 

Was not aware that the Neptune Suites and Lounge had been renamed Navigator.

 

Enjoy the remainder of your cruise.

Sorry just what I called it. Neptune is correct.

 

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It is Navigator deck that is why I call it Navigator lounge. Never even occurred I was calling it by the wrong name[emoji3]

 

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Nice to know you are enjoying your trip!

Thanks for your report! I'll be on the Amsterdam for the 2-week Alaska trip starting on September 11, so I'll be following your reports.

 

And I'll be in a Neptune Suite as well: 7040. This will be my first ever cruise, so I'm definitely excited about it.

It is Navigator deck that is why I call it Navigator lounge. Never even occurred I was calling it by the wrong name[emoji3]

 

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That is okay -- I knew what you meant. It is an easy mistake to make since the Neptune Suites and Neptune Lounge are on the Navigation Deck on the Amsterdam.

Looking forward to more reports.

Thanks for your report! I'll be on the Amsterdam for the 2-week Alaska trip starting on September 11, so I'll be following your reports.

 

And I'll be in a Neptune Suite as well: 7040. This will be my first ever cruise, so I'm definitely excited about it.

I think you will love it. Alaska is beautiful.

 

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That is okay -- I knew what you meant. It is an easy mistake to make since the Neptune Suites and Neptune Lounge are on the Navigation Deck on the Amsterdam.

Looking forward to more reports.

I am totally confused and I am aboard[emoji23]. Totally calling everything by the wrong name!? Maybe I will learn by the time we get off Aug 28th.

 

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Don't sweat the small stuff. Just have a great time. We just came home from this cruise....had a marvelous time....and saw Alaska as it cannot be seen any other way.

 

Holland America has a winner with this cruise on this ship. Enjoy !!

Thanks for your report! I'll be on the Amsterdam for the 2-week Alaska trip starting on September 11, so I'll be following your reports.

 

And I'll be in a Neptune Suite as well: 7040. This will be my first ever cruise, so I'm definitely excited about it.

 

You are my type! First ever cruise, and in a Neptune Suite! :D:cool:

 

OP, thanks for sharing your report. We were on a 7 day Alaska sailing on the Amsterdam in May, and were also in a suite. It was great. Enjoy your cruise.

You are my type! First ever cruise, and in a Neptune Suite! :D:cool:

 

OP, thanks for sharing your report. We were on a 7 day Alaska sailing on the Amsterdam in May, and were also in a suite. It was great. Enjoy your cruise.

This is our first cruise on this ship. Cruised with many other lines. I did not say that correctly in my post.

 

But, we do love it. Hoping to do again in 2019. Got my future cruise deposit down last night.

 

Went to Endicott Arm today instead of Tracy Arm. Very over cast and some rain but it was still a beautiful day and a great Glacier to visit.

 

On to Juneau. Expecting heavy rain tomorrow.

 

Decided not to eat in dinning room anymore. Food has been good but very, very slow service. Not the servers fault but I think a very busy kitchen.

 

Pinnacle Grill for dinner tonight.

 

Still love Pinnacle for breakfast. [emoji4]

 

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We also were on the same cruise and agree it was an excellent cruise. Considering how old the ship is, it was in better shape than I was expecting. The cabin could definitely do with a makeover - patched up paint in the bathroom, mould etc and the actual cabin walls needed a wash or repaint but nothing too great to spoil our holiday.

 

Third time on HAL, having been on the Nieuw Amsterdam and the Eurodam, and this was my favourite ship. No queues, so much that I didn't mind lunching in the lido. Always something to eat at lunch-time, although the food didn't suit my tastes in the evening. Normally I would have breakfast in the MDR, however, with no queues I was happy to have breakfast in the lido.

 

When I booked it I thought it would be a once in a lifetime holiday, however, having been I definitely want to return to see all the other things that I did not have time for.

It is Navigator deck that is why I call it Navigator lounge. Never even occurred I was calling it by the wrong name[emoji3]

 

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Thank you for your replies.

Thought that HAL had again renamed the suites.

You are my type! First ever cruise, and in a Neptune Suite! :D:cool:

 

OP, thanks for sharing your report. We were on a 7 day Alaska sailing on the Amsterdam in May, and were also in a suite. It was great. Enjoy your cruise.

 

Yeah, I really didn't want to risk claustrophobia on my first time out, so opted for more square footage. Better safe than sorry.

 

My friends keep telling me that I'm going to get hooked, and I suspect they're right. At least, I hope so. I've already booked two more cruises: 38-day Voyage of the Vikings in July-August 2018 on the Rotterdam, and the 28-day Hawaii, Tahiti, & Marquesas in Mar-April 2019 on the Eurodam, each in a Neptune Suite. HAL just seem to have the most interesting itineraries! plus I have a wonderful PCC. It's all good. :D

Our Amsterdam trip to Alaska was our first oceanview cabin. Normally we book a balcony. With the cool weather we didn't miss the balcony at all. When we got to Victoria I realized that I had hardly even walked on the open deck on Deck 3.

Yeah, I really didn't want to risk claustrophobia on my first time out, so opted for more square footage. Better safe than sorry.

 

 

 

My friends keep telling me that I'm going to get hooked, and I suspect they're right. At least, I hope so. I've already booked two more cruises: 38-day Voyage of the Vikings in July-August 2018 on the Rotterdam, and the 28-day Hawaii, Tahiti, & Marquesas in Mar-April 2019 on the Eurodam, each in a Neptune Suite. HAL just seem to have the most interesting itineraries! plus I have a wonderful PCC. It's all good. :D

 

 

 

You've picked two absolutely fabulous itineraries for your future cruises. Both are very different from one another but the scenery you will experience is gorgeous.

 

 

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I'll be there with you ArtsyCraftsy. We just upgraded to a balcony this week. Im looking forward to the fact that i got my darling Husband to take 2 weeks off!

I hope to have a pair of mittens made to match a hat i knitted last spring, before the trip. Packing starts soon.

We did an Inside Passage cruise last year, so this will be a new adventure with new ports.

We gave up eating the dining room a few years ago for dinner.

We choose now to dine in the Pinnacle and the Tamarind on the ships that have this specialty restaurant.

We do not care for the new menu in Canaletto.

Hope the rains aren't too bad for you today in Juneau.

We gave up eating the dining room a few years ago for dinner.

We choose now to dine in the Pinnacle and the Tamarind on the ships that have this specialty restaurant.

We do not care for the new menu in Canaletto.

Hope the rains aren't too bad for you today in Juneau.

Rain was a mist this morning. Pinnacle last night was great. Trying Canaletto tomorrow.

 

Pinnacle breakfast still our favorite. No crowds more relaxed.

 

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Rain was a mist this morning. Pinnacle last night was great. Trying Canaletto tomorrow.

 

Pinnacle breakfast still our favorite. No crowds more relaxed.

 

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Thanks for the updates! My DD and I will be embarking on that same itinerary the day you bring the ship back to us--don't be late! ;)

Thanks for the updates! My DD and I will be embarking on that same itinerary the day you bring the ship back to us--don't be late! ;)

Have a wonderful trip. [emoji1]

 

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