Westerdam more cruise summary and cruise pictures

[Seanewby]

Hopefully this works! Here is the link to my pictures. They are actually backwards, the first pics are Seattle the day we disembarked going backwards to the first day.

 

https://alaskawesterdam.shutterfly.com/

 

I know I have shared some of this before but just skip over it if you don't want to read it.

 

Captain John Scott, CD Michael Headla

 

 

Friday night after our flights were delayed/cancelled we were really worried we wouldn't make it to our ship. There is just a few flights out of our airport that make the connection. When we got home Friday, I called HAL and they assured me they would work with all parties involved to get us on the ship and they would watch our flights. Now whether or not they really were or not, I don't know but, it made me feel better anyway. When we got off the plane on Saturday there were HAL people everywhere and we were immediately given instructions as to where to go so off we went. We finally got to board the ship around 2:30. We went straight to our room, met our room steward and then went to lunch. Because of our late arrival we missed everything that day. I had intentions of signing up for the cooking class but it was full by 2:00. In the end, it turned out OK. I really needed the down time. Our dinner hour was 7:45 which as the cruise went on we decided was really late. We made it to dinner that evening and the opening show that night.

 

Sunday was a seasick day.

Sunday morning I woke up in time for our room service delivery. I looked at the food and new I was in trouble. I was getting sicker and sicker by the second. I ate one bite of my muffin and couldn't eat any more. Somehow I made it to the Lido deck outside pool at the back of the ship, laid down in a deck chair and didn't move again until 8PM. The worker on that deck watched over me all day, making sure nobody bothered me, made sure I was warm enough and was always watching me if I needed anything. Word of advice, take your seasick meds!! I had taken ginger and Bonine beginning Wednesday before we left Saturday and I still got sick along with about half of the ship. I put a patch on Sunday morning so I knew relief was coming, it just couldn't happen fast enough. Having said that, I missed all day Sunday. I decided my body just needed the rest too so, it was OK. It made me stop and rest.

 

Monday

I felt better to get up and be about the ship before docking in Juneau. We took the Mendenhall Glacier excursion. So beautiful!! It was raining and cold and thank goodness I had grabbed my rain jacket so I was warm and somewhat dry.

 

Tuesday

At Glacier Bay. I wasn't sick all day until evening. The ship went into GB and stopped for at least an hour. It just left me speechless! There was some ice calving and we waited and waited. After about 45 minutes, I turned around to walk inside from the bow. Literally, I stepped over the step and heard that ice break and fall. I couldn't believe I missed it LOL Oh well, I have before and after pics. That night we went to the dining room and just about the time I was ordering my waiter noticed I was not doing too well. I went ahead and ordered but then got up from the table and the waiter arranged for room service to bring me my dinner. After getting to my room and taking another Bonine I was good to go the show that night.

 

Wednesday

We were at Sitka. Drizzling rain but who cares. Nice little quaint city. We had to tender in but it wasn't bad at all. For dinner that night we met some new friends upstairs. Entertainment that night was Recycled Percussion. We weren't going to go because I just didn't think we would like it but, our friends were going so we ended up going. So glad we did! It was a great show!!

 

Thursday

Ship was in Ketchikan. Beautiful day!! It was actually a little warm. We took a trolley ride around town and then come back and shopped some before we had to board the ship. We ended up boarding and headed to the Lido for some lunch. That afternoon we went to Driving the Ship with the Captain. Pretty informative. Wasn't really much to do this afternoon. We did go to the movies in the Queen's Lounge, Draft Day. We went to dinner that night in MDR and then went to the show Ever After. Pretty creative show.

 

Friday

Friday evening we docked in Victoria BC. Mom and I went out to Buschart Gardens. We had plenty of time to tour the gardens before the sun went down. Went back to ship after that for some late night snack. You could tell the cruise was coming to an end. Food was premade as compared to allowing you to make it yourself. Now, We had had a beverage card comped by our TA but mom and I don't drink and we can only drink so many sodas. On this day, if you had a Summer on Sail beverage card you could purchase souvenir mugs from the bars to use the money on your card. I had already settled my on board account when I found this little piece of information out. We had already bought mugs the day in Glacier Bay and they went on our room account. We had almost an entire card we had not even used so I went to the front desk and they transferred the mug purchase to my beverage card and then refunded me cash because I had already settled my account. I thought this was so generous of them. They didn't have to but felt that they were just super accommodating about it. The only thing to do this day was to go to the Dancing With The Stars at Sea. It was a great and much needed laugh. Very entertaining.

 

Saturday

We were back in Seattle. Mom and I were one of the first off the ship. We took the hop on hop off trolley. We felt this was a great choice.

 

My room was an inside room, 6154. I felt I had the best cabin steward on the ship. LOL It was just a regular small inside room but super clean. It was at the very back of the ship but actually it was convenient to the back elevators. We don't ever stay in our room so it was just fine.

 

The ship was fine to me. Yes, there were holes in upholstery and door knobs missing but um, there are the same things at my house. When a ship has more than 3000 people on it at any given time, there are going to be things broken and scratched. I wasn't bothered by this at all. I will take cleanliness over a door knob any day.

 

The food was OK. Nothing spectacular. I'm not hard to please so if nothing else, I ate salad and fruit. All my past cruises I was sick for lobster night so I finally got to eat it on this cruise. Yay!

 

The staff was great! I have nothing but good to say about them. Oh wait, one day we were getting off the ship and were directed to the wrong floor which happened to be Deck A. The security guard there was quite stern but hey, that's his job. The cruise director was great and the show host Todd was hilarious.

 

The entertainment was, well, entertaining. I missed one of the shows and chose to not go to the comedian. I did hear that it was an ok show. Every other show I attended was great. As for the other entertainment, there was plenty to do every day and you had to pick and choose what to attend. Lots to do all at the same time. We did the scavenger hunt with only one other couple, played Name that tune, went to tea, played trivia, and went to some of the other special things they had all week.

 

The weather was a mix. Juneau was cold and rainy, Glacier Bay was cold but, other than that it was pretty mild. Ketchikan was down right hot.

 

Oh, one thing I forgot. I felt that the mix of passengers was perfect. There were not only older passengers but lots of 30's and 40's as well. The main difference was that Carnival cruises I have taken to Cozumel were carrying a bunch of drunks. People going to the Mexican bars to drink. I didn't see anyone sloppy drunk on this cruise. I think the people may be more refined on these cruises.

I think I got everything. Feel free to ask questions if there is something specific you want to know.

[Yumagal]

Thank you for your review. What dates did you sail?

[POA1]

Enjoying your photos & review.

[Seanewby]

Thank you for your review. What dates did you sail?

 

Just last week, Aug 9 - Aug 16

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for taking the time to write a review and the wonderful pictures of your Westerdam Alaskan cruise. Sorry about your being seasick, that can be miserable.

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for taking the time to post your review and pictures.

[Alberta Quilter]

Thanks for your review. I'm sorry you were seasick some of the time but glad you finally got to try the lobster.

 

Would you mind explaining "Driving the Ship with the Captain"? I haven't heard about that before.

[Seanewby]

Thanks for your review. I'm sorry you were seasick some of the time but glad you finally got to try the lobster.

 

Would you mind explaining "Driving the Ship with the Captain"? I haven't heard about that before.

 

Actually I think it was called Driving the hotel but, I can't remember exactly. It was the Captain and the Cruise Director on stage. The Captain just told how he got into sailing and what his background was then there was a question and answer time. Afterward the Captain was in the back and you could take a picture with him and get him to autograph the book his wife wrote. I found the information to be pretty interesting. I did not take a picture or purchase a book.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the review and pictures.

[SeattleCruiseLovers]

Thanks for your review! We'll be on the same cruise this Saturday. Do you remember which nights were formal dining?

[Seanewby]

Thanks for your review! We'll be on the same cruise this Saturday. Do you remember which nights were formal dining?

 

Formal nights were Sunday and Thursday. Have fun!!!

[pharmom5]

Hi Seanewby, we were just a couple of doors down from you, in 6148! I'm sure we passed by in the hall. I was happy to see a picture of Gede in your pics, he was awesome. Our seasickness schedule sounds like it was about the same, although I had it very mild, my two friends were pretty sick. I am still sad that it is over, loved every minute. We also had the joy of spending time with my daughter, she is a cast member. I'm glad you enjoyed the shows, that of course was a highlight for us, to see what she has been working on since February. She was Snow White in Everafter, the dance pro for the tango in Dancing with the Stars, and lots of other parts. The whole thing was a once in a lifetime, incredible experience. The glaciers, the ports, the fun, just amazing.

[Seanewby]

Hi Seanewby, we were just a couple of doors down from you, in 6148! I'm sure we passed by in the hall. I was happy to see a picture of Gede in your pics, he was awesome. Our seasickness schedule sounds like it was about the same, although I had it very mild, my two friends were pretty sick. I am still sad that it is over, loved every minute. We also had the joy of spending time with my daughter, she is a cast member. I'm glad you enjoyed the shows, that of course was a highlight for us, to see what she has been working on since February. She was Snow White in Everafter, the dance pro for the tango in Dancing with the Stars, and lots of other parts. The whole thing was a once in a lifetime, incredible experience. The glaciers, the ports, the fun, just amazing.

 

I am sure we did pass in the hall and probably even spoke to one another! Gede (I didn't know how to spell his name) was the best!! I wanted to pack him up and bring him home with me LOL. I remember before we left you mentioned that on the roll call. I went to the cast chat and they pointed you out but, I never could see who you were. I was sitting in the very back. You must be so proud of her and what experiences she is having. I agree that whole thing was just incredible!

[doodlebugakj]

We also had the joy of spending time with my daughter, she is a cast member. I'm glad you enjoyed the shows, that of course was a highlight for us, to see what she has been working on since February. She was Snow White in Everafter, the dance pro for the tango in Dancing with the Stars, and lots of other parts. The whole thing was a once in a lifetime, incredible experience. The glaciers, the ports, the fun, just amazing.

 

Can I just say you must be one proud mom! We were on the Westerdam the week of August 23rd and I absolutely LOVED all the performances on the ship. Can't believe how talented those kids are to be able to dance and sing while the boat is shifting back and forth and back and forth!! Took lots of pictures of the shows :)