kiwicruiser55

On our Norway cruise in 2013, we booked for a Pinnacle Grill meal and it was formal night, we walked in expecting everyone to be in formal attire and they were all in casual dress. We also went to the Le Cirque meal and the same happened that night too.

May 17th - Fly from Auckland, NZ, to Vancouver direct

May 17th & 18th - Empire Landmark Hotel, Vancouver ( taxi to hotel)

May 18th -Visit Stanley park, loved it last time.

May 19th - Get picked up from hotel by Fraserway motorhome rental

May 19th - Hopefully get on Tsawwassen ferry to Victoria (vancouver island) and meet up with our friends from Oregon for a few days.

May 19th - 20th - 2 nights at Fort Victoria RV park, visit Butchart Gardens

May 21 - 22nd - 2 nights at Rathtrevor beach Prov. park, might stay longer

May 23rd - get ferry to Port Angeles, head down to Portland via coast, then head inland. Not planned much after this just see where we end up. Will go to Glacier N.P. and then work back towards Vancouver, via Banff etc.

Return m/home on 7th July, stay at Empire Landmark for one night.

July 8th - Board HAL Volendam at Canada Place.

July 9th - Inside passage, AK - cruising

July 10th - Tracey Arm (Twin sawyer glaciers) & Juneau

July 11th - Skagway - will hire car, spoke to Avis and they have given us

an itinerary to do by car.

July 12th - Glacier Bay National park, AK (Cruising)

July 13th - Ketchikan - Might do Aleutian Ballad trip, booked Le Cirque dinner in the evening, have done that before and really enjoyed it.

July 14th - Inside passage AK cruising

July 15th - Disembark Vancouver - My 50th birthday and fly home that

night back to NZ, think I will need a holiday!!

Hi both, pleased I checked out your trip photos as we leave the same day this year, on the Volendam, 7 nts, round trip from Vancouver. Same ports.

Which company did you use for your whale watching trip in Juneau?

I already priced up a hire car for Skagway to do the trip you also did.

We leave home in May, to fly to Vancouver and hiring a motorhome to tour Canada for 7 weeks, pre cruise.

Thanks for posting, Julie

This is our blog of our July Oosterdam Cruise and land tour. Loved the trip, but if I would do it again, I would definitely spend more than one night in Denali and would add a one day boat tour of the Kenai Peninsula.

 

Mary

 

Part 1 -Cruise: Vancouver to Seward http://maryandnormtravel.blogspot.ca...14-part-1.html

 

Part 2 - Land Tour: http://maryandnormtravel.blogspot.ca...14-part-2.html

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Yes, KY Colonel, I would be happy to be of assistance if you every book a NZ cruise, we cruise NZ in our campervan!

I will be writing a review about my Alaska cruise on my return in July.

Happy sailing.

Thanks Ky Colonel, great idea about the whale watching Vancouver, before our cruise we are hiring a motorhome in early May for 7 weeks. Our first destination will be Vancouver island so have checked out the website, looks good.

Thanks all you wonderful contributors to my question. Do think the ketchikan Alleutian Ballad trip sounds great. Skagway might hire car and drive to Emerald lake. Perhaps do the Harv & Marv whale watching trip in Juneau.

Thank you all for the recommendations, I am enjoying reading about all the various options.

Hi all, well the helicopter ride I have done a similar trip to Mt.Cook in NZ, which was awesome. Thanks, PathfinderEss.

The Deadliest catch trip sounded scary as I thought it would be big seas but have read about it on HAL and sounds okay with calm waters!! So have that on my list. Would love to see whales close up too!

Looking forward to hearing what you enjoyed and perhaps I can make a decision on which excursions to do on our upcoming trip in July. :)

When cruising next - July 8th, 2015

Which ship - HAL Volendam

Where to - Alaska - 7 nights ex Vancouver

Why there - pre-cruise we are hiring a motorhome in Canada for 7 weeks, and I will be celebrating my 60th birthday, so looking forward to being waited on for a week and no washing up to do!!! The day we disembark is actually my birthday and we fly home in the evening, so that calls for champagne methinks.

We too are doing Alaska in Sept. We are flying to LA and doing on 8 week road trip of the US mid July. Then we are going to Seattle to board the Solstice for a 11 night Ultimate Alaska cruise to Vancouver including the inside passage then spending 4 nights in Vancouver before flying back home

 

 

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Do hope you are going to be in Denali to experience the beautiful Autumn colours, the mountain was in view the whole time we were there, just stunning. We did our own independent trip.

We also hired a motorhome in 2012, had 10 weeks touring western US. Do make sure you get a park pass. We managed to visit 14 NP's and they were all so different. Have a great cruise and m/home trip.

Thanks for letting us know, after all the previous trouble with the website, I rarely visit their site.

I appreciate that a super photo of Mitre Peak is included among the photos at the top of the front page.:)

Thanks Erewon, I agree the Mitre Peak photo is stunning along with the glacier. It certainly wets the appetite for cruising.

Is that information on the HAL account page? If so, as soon as you log in it takes you straight to that page.

I enjoyed using the new site I found what I was looking for quickly and I like how it has a fresh new look. I never liked the old site it was labourious!

This morning I had my usual look at HAL website and it has all changed, I think for the better, it is easy to find what you want, and lots of good information. I give it the thumbs up!

Hi everyone, have now done both our Esta applications, paid and Authorization approved straight away. Another thing less to think about!

So thanks once again you helpful cruisers. Julie:D

Hi everyone, thanks for the comments, much appreciated.

I did have an Esta for our 10 week motorhome trip in USA in 2012, shame it isn't for about 4 years would be better.

Thanks again.

Thanks bigM, will get onto it straight away.

Hi there, can anyone tell me if we need an ESTA for our cruise? We are doing the glacier discovery on HAL Volendam, Vancouver return. We are travelling on our Aussie passports.

Before the cruise we are hiring a motorhome in Vancouver and will be going into USA but we do not need it for that as we are entering by land.

Just to add another comment - when the Explore 4 Deal was on offer Australians could not get the drinks package.

I booked an Alaskan cruise for July '15 and I got the Explore 4 deal including beverage card. After reading a few posts it appears that the prices are hiked up to cover the package anyway. Will be discussing this with my TA on her return from holidays.

This booking is the first I have done by using a HAL recommended agent in Auckland, who then put me in touch with a local travel agent near us. Will keep you posted on what happens.

Happy New year all, and safe cruising!

Sorry Roy, my mistake, must have had a 'senior moment', I thought I had left volendam etc. off, only saw my 3rd Hal and 60th b-day!!

Daydaes, you could get a Holland America brochure and it lists all the Welcome Back Rewards depending on what star Mariner you are.

There is Star Mariner (one completed cruise), 2 star mariner (30 cruise days credits), 3 SM ( 75 cruise day credits), 4 SM (200 cruise day credits) & 5SM (500 cruise day credits). You earn credits by spending money on the ship, excursions etc.

Hope this helps.

Can you amend my listing, add, July 8th - Alaska on Volendam

Many thanks, you do a great job!

What an awesome live trip report, just loving all the photos, thanks, Robert. The pheasant dinner looked good!