Debz62

Thanks to all of you who've taken the time to post while on your cruise. It was wonderful to hear of your adventures on and off the Westerdam. I hope all of you have safe travel home.

We had a lovely day. We were picked up by friends and taken to Butchart Gardens, which is such a lovely place. We then went out to dinner before coming back to finish packing. It was a wonderful way to end a remarkable cruise.

 

I still don't know when Customs will be catching up with us to have us pay duty on our purchases. Everybody just walked off today and breezed through. Maybe they intend to intercept the people with declarations tomorrow in Vancouver or maybe they will just send us a bill. I have no doubt that they will collect one way or another.

 

Our water issues seem to have been solved as we have had hot water all the time for at least five days now. I will post our cabin number in the morning.

Sapper1 we were thinking about touring Butchart Gardens but thought it was too early in the year to see anything. Perhaps we need to rethink that. We have just 4 hours in Victoria. Do you think that would give us enough time to see Butchart Gardens and the wharf area? We don't arrive in Victoria until 6pm.

Thanks in advance for providing your cabin number.

you'll be fine. Even if your suitcases are too large to fit in the trunk, there's room on the front seat. (if it's something that will worry you, go to a car dealer or rental office and look at a prius )

We'll make it work even if DH has to be strapped to the top of the car!

Usually the alaska cruise just come in for the evening. Not much chance to do anything when you get in at 6pm.

Yes, I wish we had more time in Victoria. It's such a short time I didn't think it'd be wise to book an excursion. I think one would feel rushed.

Booked a GTY inside (N) yesterday for 9 May. Got my room assignment today and moved up to a (K)..... If they want to keep moving me up that's fine but I'm just happy to be going (even if I had to sit in the bottom of the ship and use one of the oars :p)

Your name and comment made me smile. I have a Shih-Tzu and I love her to death :)

For anyone coming to Victoria in the future (and this will be a regular stop for the Westerdam during Alaska season) I can recommend taking a water taxi from the inner harbour for a tour ($22 each). We hopped off at Fishermans Wharf for fish and chips . A really nice afternoon. It is now overcast so we are back at the ship to finish packing. So sad:(

Thanks for the information Lizzie68. We were planning on a walking tour of Victoria, but I think the water taxi would be more of an adventure.

Not to bring up a bad subject, but some of us who are boarding Westerdam on Saturday and the following week would sure like to know which cabin or cabins had problems with hot water. Just so we're aware. I understand completely about wanting to wait until after the cruise before giving us this information. Thank you.

Seattle has Uber, UberXL, and other not-a-taxi-services the best-known of which is probably EastsideForHire. All of these are cheaper than taxis and operate on a distance traveled only basis (i.e. if you hit traffic, which is a certainty at disembarkation in Seattle, you're not paying to sit there not moving).

 

I've used Eastsideforhire most trips to Seattle. I've also jumped in a cab and paid metered fare for short hops and find regular cab fare pretty reasonable - if your hotel is actually just 2 miles away from Pier 91 you shouldn't be paying more than ~$15.

I've reserved Eastsideforhire from SeaTac to Pier 91. I believe they use Prius vehicles. Should I be concerned about the vehicle being too small? There are two of us traveling with two large suitcases. We're average sized people...do you think we'll have trouble fitting all into the car? :)

You may be pleasantly surprised at how cold it isn't in Alaska, except in Glacier Bay which is, let's face it, a huge ice box. When we went in May a few years ago, the shipboard sightseeing in Glacier Bay was really the only place we really had to bundle up on our balcony, adding layer upon layer, including blankets!

The rest...Caribbean tropical? No, not nearly, but, while it might be chilly on some excursions (whale watching springs to mind), I found that tights under my jeans and a sweater under my windbreaker, along with thin gloves and a hat (or hood) for good measure was more than sufficient.

On the ship, I wore what I would wear spring and fall indoors at home (New England).

Cruising to Alaska next Saturday. Thank you for the information you've posted. I didn't even think about tights under my jeans. Also, tights would take up less space in the suitcase.

Whew! Finally got our assignment for our sailing on Saturday and it was an upgrade - so I'm very happy! We had an inside guarantee - literally the cheapest way to book the cruise (Veendam to Bermuda) ... would have been perfectly happy with an inside... but we got an ocean view! Not a porthole.. an actual window, and not obstructed. So I'm doing the happy dance! Guess it was worth the wait!

Definitely worth the wait. Hope your cruise is wonderful!

Thanks but we know that. They didn't want to go to Club Hal because of being taken to the sports deck and they don't have the clothes for these outside temperatures. The movie 2as something to fill time. We just came back to the cabin and spotted whales.

What type of whales? Orcas? I imagine you're near Vancouver? Just curious because I've never been up that way this time of year and thought this would be a little early for whales.

When boarding the Westerdam....what deck are you on? Is it the 3rd deck? Just curious as to which deck you're on when you first board. Thanks.

No charge ( or at least there hasn't been for many years)

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/things-to-do-in-alaska.html

Thank you Mapleleaves.

We will be departing May 16th on the Crown Princess and plan to visit PPM the day before the cruise, will there be flowers at the market this early in the season?

My friends just came back from Seattle this week from a convention. Pike's had beautiful, huge, inexpensive bouquets.

I would rank the totem options in Ketchikan from best to worse as Totem Bight, Totem Heritage, and Saxman as a very distant third.

 

DON

Don, is there a charge for Totem Bight? If so, do you recall how much? Thanks.

Depending on the tide through Seymour Narrows, midnight to 4am. If you get up early, it could still be pretty, you don't get into Queen Charlotte Sound till mile 225 from Vancouver. I always take my copy of "The Alaska Cruise Companion" by Joe Upton. In summer 2013, you could still get it on HAL ships.

You can also get in on Ebay for a reasonable price. It's the book we'll be taking when we leave for Alaska on May 9th.

Thanks for posting the video Joanie. Looks absolutely yummy. I hope they serve on the Westerdam in a few weeks!

Thank you everyone for the information. :)

First time having a balcony. Do they have locks and what about the dividers that divide the balconies are they secured in place, do they have locks? Just curious as to whether we need to be concerned about someone getting into our cabin via the balcony.

I'm going to give specific information for Totem Bight. :) The regular bus fare is $1 each way, reduced senior rates. The bus leaves downtown closest to dock 2 and 3, from the corner of Dock and Front Street. From the cruise docks- you have to cross the street, - Silver bus line. Only 1 bus per hour, leaving 25 after the hour. During mid day, busy timeframes- they WILL deny boarding a full bus. No they don't send another one. IF you see lines of people milling around, then walk over to an earlier stop at the City Museum- former Library which is near Creek St. There is a bus shelter out front.

 

I recommend the real early day visitors print out and take a Totem guide sheet with them. I have greatly enjoyed taking the 6:25a bus, with those early port times. I recommend allowing 3 hours for the round trip.

 

Consider taking a look next door at Potlatch Park, during "business" hours, may be an opportunity for a look at some totem carvers. The shed is out back.

 

The return bus leaves at 13 after the hour.

Thank you for the information Budget Queen. We've read about the different parks/places to see totems and we've decided on Totem Bight you're bus information is very helpful. Will try to remember to catch the bus at the City Museum. Also plan on walking Married Man's Trail and shopping on Creek Street.

I am also having a water issue. Not every day like Lizzie, but enough to make it annoying. I will be happy to share my cabin number once the cruise is over.

 

There must be other cabins as yesterday I couldn't shower at 6AM because the water was freezing. I didn't call to report it as we wanted to be able to get ready to go ashore without sharing the cabin with the plumbing gang. I tested the water at 9:30 just before I intended to place the call and it was super hot, so I am guessing someone else along the line made the call earlier.

Thanks for the information Sapper1. :)

I will post the cabin number when we are at the end of the cruise. But I have to say that we have had hot water for almost 3 days now, yay!!!

Thank you Lizzie68!!

Sorry to hear this news. For you and those in the cabin to come I hope it is a permanent fix this time. Double big sigh.

Lizzie68...if you mentioned it before, I must have missed it. What cabin or area are you in? Are you the only one having this hot water issue? Just curious because there are some of us who will be boarding Westerdam in the next few weeks.

I'm definitely, not the one to give any opinions about balconies ;) I book the cheap guarantees a lot of times and don't care where my cabin is.

 

I wouldn't want aft personally, since it's my priority to view forward to back.

 

I will mention- that for anyone, sailing Glacier Bay and ONLY want their viewing from their cabin- then they are better off with a port side cabin, so the commentary matches up for what they are seeing. :) Otherwise the side doesn't matter.

Budget Queen, we just got our cabin assignment. We went from VE on the 7th deck port side near the front of the ship to a VB, 4th deck port side just forward of the lifeboats. We have nothing blocking the view of the water, no steel railing, but plexiglas. We can't get any closer to the water! I think the gty turned out to be wonderful! I was worried for nothing. We won't be staying on the balcony, but it is nice that the commentary will match up on our side. :) We're doin the happy dance!

Just thought I would start a thread on who has recently gotten cabin assignments so those of us waiting, can figure out where in line our cruise is.

 

Please list your sailing and when you got your assignment. Thx!

We got ours today. We had a VE on the 7th deck near the very front of the ship port side. The price dropped and our TA suggested we take a gty. We leave on Westerdam on May 9th out of Seattle and were given our gty cabin assignment today...15 days out.

We ended up on the port side, 4th deck, VB cabin just forward of the lifeboats. No steel railing, we have plexiglas and with nothing blocking the view of the water! I'm so happy with the gty! We can't get any closer to the water! Also, I saw a post on here that said when going through Glacier Bay the port side would match up with the naturalists commentary.

Did your niece get her cabin assignment yet? I hope she did and that she's happy with it. We're doin the happy dance!!! :D

It is not just the luck of the draw.

Seattle has a list of who should be invited, captains have their own list, hotel directors have their own list, etc.

So if you're not invited, it's because they have their reasons for not inviting you? If I were a 4 or 5 star Mariner and didn't get invited I'd sure be wondering why.