Cruise Critic goes on a HAL CruiseTour!

I will be following your review. My wife and I are talking about taking a HAL Alaska cruise so your experience will probably help us prepare.

Do you plan to post pictures?

I "Liked" Cruise Critic Facebook! :D

I just "liked", also. Looking forward to your posts CC Chris. We'll be on the Zuiderdam her last cruise of the season. Then down to SF.

Hi everyone!

 

On Aug. 18, I head up to Alaska to go on a cruisetour with Holland America. The trip starts in Anchorage, has two days in Denali and one in Fairbanks before heading over to Yukon. We'll spend time in Dawson City and Whitehorse before taking the train down to Skagway, where we'll board Zuiderdam back to Vancouver.

 

I'm not a stranger to the 49th state. I used to live in Seattle and have taken two FANTASTIC expedition cruises through the Inside Passage (links to the stories are in my signature). I've also been to Whitehorse before, but spent most of my time at a conference. So this will be my first real shot at viewing wildlife and getting outdoors in the Yukon.

 

In any case, I hope to report on my experiences here on this thread. Please feel free to ask me any questions once the trip starts, and I'll try to get the answers!

I'll be arriving in Fairbanks on August 18, then going to Denali, Talkeetna and finally Anchorage, boarding the Crown Princess for a 7 night S/B on August 23, arriving in Vancouver on Aug.30.

I'll look forward to your comments and blog, as our paths criss cross, and will compare to my experience.....I'll wave if I see the Zuiderdam from the Crown!

Happy cruisetour to you!

Hello CC Chris,

I can't wait to read your review of your HAL Cruisetour as we shall be leaving on a very similar itinerary on 29 August , cruising first on the Zaandam for three days then doing the Yukon/ Denali land portion. We don't see that many Cruisetour reviews on CC so Thanks in advance!

Yesterday I received information on what hotels the cruisetour will be using. I had difficulty finding this info ahead of time, so here's what they are, in case anyone is in the same boat:

 

Anchorage: Anchorage Hilton

Denali: McKinley Chalet Resort

Fairbanks: Westmark Fairbanks

Dawson City: Westmark Inn Dawson

Whitehorse: Westmark Whitehorse

 

I'm on the HAL meal plan, and it looks like most of those are breakfasts and lunches at the hotels.

OH Chris, How I envy you. Dawson City was actually our favorite stop of our 11 day HAL cruisetour. Such a quaint historical town. Be sure to walk around a bit. The replica cabins of Jack London ("Call of the Wild" author) and Robert Service (Canadian author/poet)were very interesting. It's absolutely beautiful up in that territory! Have a great trip!

Yesterday I received information on what hotels the cruisetour will be using. I had difficulty finding this info ahead of time, so here's what they are, in case anyone is in the same boat:

 

Anchorage: Anchorage Hilton

Denali: McKinley Chalet Resort

Fairbanks: Westmark Fairbanks

Dawson City: Westmark Inn Dawson

Whitehorse: Westmark Whitehorse

 

I'm on the HAL meal plan, and it looks like most of those are breakfasts and lunches at the hotels.

We stayed in the same hotels, with the exception of Anchorage which was the Westmark, when we did the 19 day Alaska/Yukon CruiseTour last year. My report is in my signature.

I'll be reading along and re-living our trip.

Virtually joining your adventure.

Pam

Enjoy your trip - I look forward to reading about it!

Please continue your review on here;

I'm really enjoying it!

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Looking at this trip for 2015. Or maybe the triple Denali one that is similar but adds a day in Denali and one in Skagway.