Alaska 2016 - HAL Hurry UP!

Madera1: We're taking our family along late June for our 50th anniversary! Bet we end up together on it! (We'll do Vancouver to Vancouver...much prefer the inside passage...not to mention the gorgeous Vancouver departure and arrival!)

Our TA as well as the Veendam Future Cruise Consultant said reservations would be late March. Also, the FCC verified the Noordam would not be doing the AK route in '16...she thought the NA would be the one to do the Inside Passage (V to V).

That is fabulous Melodie. You will be a good resource for all those wanting to try an Alaskan cruise. To me Alaska is a magical wonderland - fjords, wildlife, glaciers, scenery and so much more. Our first cruise in 1991 was a 10-day RT San Francisco to Alaska with my parents, best friend, and her mom. Those memories are precious to me because we got to share it together.

I tell everyone that I talk to that has not cruise to do Alaska or if they are only ever going to do one cruise, do Alaska. As you said it is a magical wonderland. It is the first cruise we did on Hal in 1995 on the newly built Ryndam. It was awesome, never, ever will forget it.

After doing 4 AK cruises (soon to be 5) we were so in love with AK that we did a 3-week driving tour of "main AK." Unreal! If you like cruising AK, treat yourself to at least a week or two on your own driving it...you will be rewarded! (Cruise to Seward, then rent a car and drive around a week or two, then cruise back if you must.)

After doing 4 AK cruises (soon to be 5) we were so in love with AK that we did a 3-week driving tour of "main AK." Unreal! If you like cruising AK, treat yourself to at least a week or two on your own driving it...you will be rewarded! (Cruise to Seward, then rent a car and drive around a week or two, then cruise back if you must.)

Please take time to comment on what you found "unreal" I am thinking it is the type of things that makes the less traveled and interior of Alaska the last frontier.

I tell everyone that I talk to that has not cruise to do Alaska or if they are only ever going to do one cruise, do Alaska. As you said it is a magical wonderland. It is the first cruise we did on Hal in 1995 on the newly built Ryndam. It was awesome, never, ever will forget it.

This post makes me smile. We are all so fortunate to have so many wonderful cruise experiences.

This post makes me smile. We are all so fortunate to have so many wonderful cruise experiences.

You got that right - so fortunate.:):):)

Sounds great but what is Y3? Sounds like your first time to Seward?

Yeah it was my first time to everything in Alaska and Canada, the furthest north I had been was Blaine, WA. The Y3 is the "Yukon-Double Denali-Land & Sea tour". Basically the ship does a round trip from Vancouver, and a handful of people begin and finish their 7 day land tour in Skagway. The cruise is only 3 or 4 days depending which direction you are going. You follow the Gold Rush into Dawson City, fly over to Fairbanks, and head down into Denali. It's cheaper to go northbound, and we love Juneau, but many prefer to rest up after the tour, see Glacier bay, and get an extra day on the ship. ;)

Yeah it was my first time to everything in Alaska and Canada, the furthest north I had been was Blaine, WA. The Y3 is the "Yukon-Double Denali-Land & Sea tour". Basically the ship does a round trip from Vancouver, and a handful of people begin and finish their 7 day land tour in Skagway. The cruise is only 3 or 4 days depending which direction you are going. You follow the Gold Rush into Dawson City, fly over to Fairbanks, and head down into Denali. It's cheaper to go northbound, and we love Juneau, but many prefer to rest up after the tour, see Glacier bay, and get an extra day on the ship. ;)

Such a more balanced and better perspective of the wild frontier and the more traveled parts of Alaska. What a great way to do your first Alaska trip.

I contacted HAL today and was told the 2016 Alaska itineraries will open for booking in May!

That just doesn't sound right to me. :confused:

I contacted HAL today and was told the 2016 Alaska itineraries will open for booking in May!

 

That just doesn't sound right to me. :confused:

Same thing HAL told me recently but let's hope the FCC on-board are right that it will be by the end of March.

I read on another thread that the Maasdam in taking the Statendam's place for doing the 14 day Alaska cruise.

I haven't cruised on HAL before so I don't know whether the Maasdam will be a better ship for that itinerary or not. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

qsuzi: If you go to my smugmug site and under "Travel" and "2012" you will see 3 sections of photos...one is just assorted, another are "Denali" and one is just "Bears." They each deserved their own gallery.

We went the end of August to coincide with fall colors in Denali (fabulous!) Denali closes close to the second week of Sept., so things were definitely shutting down. It's also a LOT less crowded around AK. RVs have headed south, cruise ships are leaving, etc. Loved that time.

This is MISC photos of AK

http://quiltingjan.smugmug.com/Travel/2012/Denali-National-Park-Aug-Sept/ This is for Denali photos

http://quiltingjan.smugmug.com/Travel/2012/Bears-of-Lake-Clark-National/ These are my bear photos from Lake Clark NP.

qsuzi: If you go to my smugmug site and under "Travel" and "2012" you will see 3 sections of photos...one is just assorted, another are "Denali" and one is just "Bears." They each deserved their own gallery.

We went the end of August to coincide with fall colors in Denali (fabulous!) Denali closes close to the second week of Sept., so things were definitely shutting down. It's also a LOT less crowded around AK. RVs have headed south, cruise ships are leaving, etc. Loved that time.

 

This is MISC photos of AK

 

This is for Denali photos

 

These are my bear photos from Lake Clark NP.

I hope others take the time to look at your wonderful photos and discover a taste of the wonders of Alaska. I know I got an even better appreciation of what Alaska has to offer by viewing them. Thank you so much!

Madera1: We're taking our family along late June for our 50th anniversary! Bet we end up together on it! (We'll do Vancouver to Vancouver...much prefer the inside passage...not to mention the gorgeous Vancouver departure and arrival!)

 

Our TA as well as the Veendam Future Cruise Consultant said reservations would be late March. Also, the FCC verified the Noordam would not be doing the AK route in '16...she thought the NA would be the one to do the Inside Passage (V to V).

It would be fun. I too love the inside passage.

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I read on another thread that the Maasdam in taking the Statendam's place for doing the 14 day Alaska cruise.

 

I haven't cruised on HAL before so I don't know whether the Maasdam will be a better ship for that itinerary or not. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Can anyone confirm whether HAL will do this itinerary on any ship in 2016?

Can anyone confirm whether HAL will do this itinerary on any ship in 2016?

See post 21 please.

This link may help: http://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/All-ports-All-ships-2016.pdf

You'll have to piece the itinerary together, by each ship, but it looks, at first glance, like the Maasdam is doing the 2 week itinerary from Seattle, departing on Mondays. At least, you can see which ships are in which ports on any particular day. Whether this document is finalized, I have absolutely no idea.

This link may help: http://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/All-ports-All-ships-2016.pdf

 

You'll have to piece the itinerary together, by each ship, but it looks, at first glance, like the Maasdam is doing the 2 week itinerary from Seattle, departing on Mondays. At least, you can see which ships are in which ports on any particular day. Whether this document is finalized, I have absolutely no idea.

Thanks for coming to the rescue Alberta Quilter. This will help me too with our Fall 2016 Alaska cruise. Did I miss something or does it also look to you that Westerdam is the only HAL ship doing 7-day RT Seattle?

Thanks for coming to the rescue Alberta Quilter. This will help me too with our Fall 2016 Alaska cruise. Did I miss something or does it also look to you that Westerdam is the only HAL ship doing 7-day RT Seattle?

Okay, just saw that the Amsterdam is also doing 7-day RT Seattle.

Okay, just saw that the Amsterdam is also doing 7-day RT Seattle.

There is the Maasdam for the 14 day cruise, sailing from Seattle, in addition to the Amsterdam and Westerdam 7 day cruises.

Looks like Noordam and Zaandam will be doing the one ways from Vancouver, and NA and Volendam will be doing the R/T Vancouver.

There is the Maasdam for the 14 day cruise, sailing from Seattle, in addition to the Amsterdam and Westerdam 7 day cruises.

 

Looks like Noordam and Zaandam will be doing the one ways from Vancouver, and NA and Volendam will be doing the R/T Vancouver.

Yes I saw those too :)

Our first ever cruise, about 7 years ago, was on the Oosterdam to Alaska. I remember saying, "is there really any other way to travel?" Unfortunately, with a daughter in private school and a business to run, we couldn't get away for more than a 4-day weekend which limited us to Carnival out of PC. But...with her out of nursing school and wedding paid for last year, we finally booked our 25th anniversary trip with a 12-day Med. However, we are ready to do another Alaska trip! My question....if doing Alaska in Sept. would we be able to do the helicopter/dog sled excursion ? It's the one thing I regret not doing but we went in June before. Thanks!

Tanya

This link may help: http://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/All-ports-All-ships-2016.pdf

 

You'll have to piece the itinerary together, by each ship, but it looks, at first glance, like the Maasdam is doing the 2 week itinerary from Seattle, departing on Mondays. At least, you can see which ships are in which ports on any particular day. Whether this document is finalized, I have absolutely no idea.

Thank you. If this stays the same, I already have my date/ship picked out.

Our first ever cruise, about 7 years ago, was on the Oosterdam to Alaska. I remember saying, "is there really any other way to travel?" Unfortunately, with a daughter in private school and a business to run, we couldn't get away for more than a 4-day weekend which limited us to Carnival out of PC. But...with her out of nursing school and wedding paid for last year, we finally booked our 25th anniversary trip with a 12-day Med. However, we are ready to do another Alaska trip! My question....if doing Alaska in Sept. would we be able to do the helicopter/dog sled excursion ? It's the one thing I regret not doing but we went in June before. Thanks!

 

Tanya

The answer is yes, weather dependent - and that could be the same for ANY Alaska month! We did Alaska the end of September 14 and according to the Captain, we had the best 7 days of the whole summer!

I appreciate the link but I'm having trouble understanding the schedules. We want to take the 14 day round trip from Seattle in August 2016, but I can't tell which dates are available.

Can someone please help?

Thanks!