oaktreerb

On Koningsdam now. I guess I won’t spend my OBC on eating in Rudi’s. Last night we had our complimentary HIA dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. We ordered the King Salmon and it was excellent, as were the crab cakes, and the clothes line bacon. I always separate the bacon and eat only the lean along with the dill pickle. We had a lovely two top with an ocean view and the service was great!

Currently onboard the Koningsdam! We were last on the Koningsdam in February. It was in dry dock in April. An informal Meet and Greet was scheduled for the Crows Nest for 11:00 this morning in a room that no longer exists. Who would have thought those rooms would go away, along with the big screen in the center forward viewing area. OK, I was happy to see that huge screen go away. During dry dock in April the smaller, quiet rooms on the port side of the Crow’s Nest were converted with large tables into the “art studio” for coloring projects. The “Coloring for Adults” participants filled the room and spilled out into the Crow’s Nest. The Crow’s Nest was packed so I bought two canned waters and a Bloody Mary with my HIA and headed back to my wonderful balcony. DH is happily watching the NFL on TV in our stateroom. I enjoyed the Story of Mexican Art which was the EXC type program for the morning. Catching Waves is this afternoon, both in the showroom. The Holland America story is still the first night entertainment! This cruise sold out very quickly within the last month. Casino deals? Maybe. Time to settle in and try to find the quiet places!

We arrived just after 10:30 and the signs were out for priority boarding. The busses from the hotels got there just before we did so we had to follow those people into the terminal. The check in process was easy and then we had to wait, seated with the high priority group until about 11:45. We were delayed in boarding because of the changeover from the charter cruise to our itinerary. We were sitting near some President’s Club people and the staff was keeping them updated on the delay. After the President’s Club was escorted aboard we followed! Staterooms were ready, we went to the MDR for lunch at Noon and our bags were in our room when we returned.

There are more daylight hours in July. Traditionally the weather might be better in July, but it rains a lot in Alaska. You can go online to TravelAlaska and other tourist sites that will tell you what wildlife is most likely to be active and fishing opportunities during the tourist season. Since you are starting in Vancouver is it one way or round trip? If you end your cruise in the Anchorage area, you should plan a land itinerary for the Seward area or to Denali.

Sitka is an amazingly beautiful port with inexpensive activities like the Raptor Center and Fortress of the Bears and a walk through the totem park. There is a Russian Cathedral in the center of town and a lot of history to be learned as well as Alaskan cultural exhibits and activities. There will also be some very worthwhile excursions like the Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest. The kids are the perfect age to enjoy it all. Victoria is also beautiful but the activities would be more enjoyable for adults. In the evening you could walk to the inner harbor and see the houseboats along the way. With a full day in Victoria you could enjoy a whale watching excursion. Juneau is a better whale watching area.

I suggested the MDR on the first night because you have fixed dining so would have the same table mates and the same table every evening. I agree that it’s hard to have a conversation at a table in the MDR for more than 6. At least you will know what the situation is if you check it out the first night. You can always go to Club Orange for the rest of the cruise if you think it would be better. Enjoy your cruise! You have options. Some of the tables in the MDR have ocean views, Club Orange has a hallway between the dining room and the ocean views. I’ve only had Club Orange on the newer ships and I do not travel alone.

Go to fixed dining the first night and meet your table mates. If you enjoy their company I would stick with the MDR. We’ve met some delightful people at shared tables in the MDR. It is not as easy to find a shared table in Club Orange and the menu is the same except for one entree.

If you have been assigned to early fixed dining, you will be assigned to a table in the dining room. After the first evening you can go directly to your assigned table without waiting to be formally seated.

No.

It was for Sel de Mer with a 50% discount. Is the gratuity charged on the total or discounted meal? It was two years ago in port in San Francisco on the K. I believed the HAL rep’s explanation at the time.

Who receives the gratuity? Is there always an 18% gratuity charged for specialty dining?

What is HAL charging passengers for the dinner?

On a previous cruise to SF after eating in the Pinnacle and my trying to figure out the extra charge, HAL Guest Relations explained the add on charge as a San Francisco tax.

This won’t help anyone. If all Suite passengers and 4 and 5 star passengers plus those who have paid for Club Orange can use the priority line, the priority line will be busier than the non-priority line!

I think it includes the San Francisco restaurant tax that the ship has to charge when it is in port in San Francisco. If the ship is out to sea it would probably be $55. Too bad they decided to introduce the “pop up” in San Francisco where we have to pay San Francisco taxes.

I lost my hat getting off a tender in Alaska. I didn’t know I lost it until I got to my stateroom. I went to guest services the next day and they had it. I think the crew grabbed it and turned it in. Cheap hat but a one of a kind item. A small computer tablet should have been forwarded to Guest Services by the stateroom attendant with the stateroom # attached. Too bad you didn’t know it was missing until you disembarked. Chargerback sounds like a scam. There are plenty of companies with a BBB A+ rating that operate like scams. I dealt with one recently. Sorry that happened to you.

Both breakfast and dinner hours are same as MDR. A few passengers will be at the door every morning waiting for the doors open.

That’s why I request the update of the confirmation from my PCC every time I expect a change (like adding shareholder credit). I know what I am expecting to receive in OBC before I board the ship, and I have it in writing.

Choose a cruise line that goes to Glacier Bay. Sitka is the most beautiful of the major ports. Cruising out of Vancouver is very scenic. Holland America and Princess will have the best docking locations of the major cruise lines. If your cruise has a service call at Tracy Arm sign up to take the small ship excursion into Tracy Arm. Your Holland or Princess ship may include College Fjord if you do a one way to Whittier.

North out of Vancouver, South out of Whittier. Like a 14 day cruise on two different cruise lines. You could, for instance, take Princess North from Vancouver to Whittier and jump on NCL going South from Whittier to Vancouver. It would add variety to the cruise experience so that you don’t have to do the same cruise line North and South to do a round trip Vancouver.

interesting……it will be awhile before we will see the port schedule for 2025. If two ships were in Whittier on the same day you could possibly sail north on one cruiseline and south on another.

Have you gone online to check out the Juneau Visitor’s Bureau? What cruise line are you sailing? Do you have a TA? Your TA may be able to arrange group tours for a large group.

HAL does have a kids program, and the Junior Ranger program for Glacier Bay. There are quite a few multigenerational families on HAL ships in Alaska. I still think Princess would be a better fit for OP.

Princess would be a good choice. HAL and Princess have the best docking locations in town. NCL time in port is more limited due to need to bus to town center (like in Ketchikan and Juneau). Most ships go to Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway or Sitka. If you go to Sitka there is an excursion like a Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest. Also Fortress of the Bears and a Raptor Center. Skagway is more focused on the Gold Rush history. Juneau is a good whale watching area for excursions. Princess may bring Iditarod puppies onboard.

Travelers who are visiting Alaska for the first time will not miss what they have not seen before. From recent reports it sounds like animals (bears, caribou, Dall sheep, moose) are still seen in their natural environment. 2026 is two years away, too long to wait for many. The Natural History Tour is informative. We did the NHT on our first trip and saw two moose on the road near where we were standing. That was exciting. We saw Ptarmigan just beginning to get their winter color. I was glad we didn’t take the TWT in the pouring rain! We’ve been back many times to see more. It’s all amazingly beautiful.