Just booked!

[TheCalicoCat]

I'm so excited, I just booked my second HAL cruise to Alaska. This time I will be going on a 14-night round trip out of Seattle on Amsterdam (July 23, 2017) in about 560 days!:o

 

I booked a guarantee, so I don't know what cabin/floor I'll be on yet.

[ZSandy25]

How exciting for you, we have not been to Alaska but it is on our bucket list. Like you I get so excited when I make that call and put that deposit down.:)

[colonialinnkeeper]

We did the 14 day trip out of Seattle this past summer and thought it was better than we had expected. The scenery is beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed each day. Reading about each port and planning our days on shore was half the fun. Enjoy!

[DeeniEncinitas]

It is always exciting when you book a cruise !!!

The next thing for you to get excited is your next cruise you book!!!

Very happy for you!

A b2b cruise is wonderful. You will enjoy Alaska!

We sure have:)

Denise:)

[TheCalicoCat]

It is always exciting when you book a cruise !!!

The next thing for you to get excited is your next cruise you book!!!

Very happy for you!

A b2b cruise is wonderful. You will enjoy Alaska!

We sure have:)

Denise:)

 

I considered a B2B, but chose this round trip. Instead of doing the same itinerary both legs like on a true B2B this sailing has no repeat ports!

Seattle

Ketchikan

Tracy Arm

Juneau

Icy Strait Point

Anchorage

Homer

Kodiak

Sitka

Victoria

Seattle

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations.

We did your 14 day Alaskan cruise on the Amsterdam 2 times and loved it.

[kevingastreich]

I'm so excited, I just booked my second HAL cruise to Alaska. This time I will be going on a 14-night round trip out of Seattle on Amsterdam (July 23, 2017) in about 560 days!:o

 

I booked a guarantee, so I don't know what cabin/floor I'll be on yet.

 

You're gonna LOVE it!

[DeeniEncinitas]

I considered a B2B, but chose this round trip. Instead of doing the same itinerary both legs like on a true B2B this sailing has no repeat ports!

Seattle

Ketchikan

Tracy Arm

Juneau

Icy Strait Point

Anchorage

Homer

Kodiak

Sitka

Victoria

Seattle

This is awesome! What cabin did you choose? We have done 5 HAL cruises and have lived all of them in Alaska!

Have a memorable trip!

Denise:)

[RMLincoln]

Your excitement is contagious! Thanks for sharing. Happy planning. m--

[InTheWASide]

I considered a B2B, but chose this round trip. Instead of doing the same itinerary both legs like on a true B2B this sailing has no repeat ports!

Seattle

Ketchikan

Tracy Arm

Juneau

Icy Strait Point

Anchorage

Homer

Kodiak

Sitka

Victoria

Seattle

 

Have a blast! ALthough I've been to AK 5 times Anchorage, Homer and Kodiak are all places I haven't been

[TheCalicoCat]

This is awesome! What cabin did you choose? We have done 5 HAL cruises and have lived all of them in Alaska!

Have a memorable trip!

Denise:)

 

We chose an ocean view guarantee. (We had an inside on our last Alaska cruise & that was fine - so ocean view is good enough for us.)

[TheCalicoCat]

Have a blast! ALthough I've been to AK 5 times Anchorage, Homer and Kodiak are all places I haven't been

 

The addition of those and a few other new to us ports kind of scare me - more excursions!

 

Speaking of has anyone done one of the bear excursions? We want to see the bears.

[InTheWASide]

The addition of those and a few other new to us ports kind of scare me - more excursions!

 

Speaking of has anyone done one of the bear excursions? We want to see the bears.

 

Sitka!! Fortress of the Bear!! We've been there every time we've gone. The place is an incredible experience. It's an absolute MUST DO

[DoggyDaddy]

Our son and wife were in Alaska last year and took an excursion to see bears, including an airplane tour they did not see any! The same day, we had a visit by a black bear in our backyard, here in NW NJ!

 

 

DD

[TheCalicoCat]

Sitka!! Fortress of the Bear!! We've been there every time we've gone. The place is an incredible experience. It's an absolute MUST DO

 

That is our "fall back" plan, we are hoping to see them in the wild. (I know "no guarantees", but...)

 

Sitka is our last stop in AK. So even if we don't see them in the wild, we can see them there.

[TheCalicoCat]

Our son and wife were in Alaska last year and took an excursion to see bears, including an airplane tour they did not see any! The same day, we had a visit by a black bear in our backyard, here in NW NJ!

 

 

DD

 

Almost my worst fear - but the float plane would be an experience too. :o) My son will be 8.5 so I'm sure the float plane will float his boat.:D

[clueless2]

We did that itinerary this past summer and loved it.

 

Here are a few of the photos I took to give you a taste of what you can see.

 

https://goo.gl/photos/NdVFBWVBStt3n8Jd8

[TheCalicoCat]

We did that itinerary this past summer and loved it.

 

Here are a few of the photos I took to give you a taste of what you can see.

 

https://goo.gl/photos/NdVFBWVBStt3n8Jd8

 

Thanks for sharing your photos, would you mind sharing which excursions you took?

[clueless2]

Seattle pre-cruise. We stayed at the Hampton Inn. Walked around Pike Market and had dinner there.

 

HAL Tours

Ketchikan, Alaska, US Cultural Treasures of Annette Island

Homer, Alaska, US Best of the Bay (boat tour)

Sitka, Alaska, US Explore Sitka, Raptor Center & Native Tales

Victoria, British Columbia,Canada Butchart & Butterfly Gardens

 

Non-HAL Tours

Icy Strait Point - Hoonah Bear Search through Misty Bay lodge. Didn't see a bear but it wasn't from the guide's lack of trying. She went above and beyond to try to find a bear.

 

Juneau - Harv and Marv Whale Watching Second time with them. Small, fast boats. Would do it again.

 

Kodiak - forget the name of the tour. I think he only had one tour for cruise ship passengers. :) It was by Memory Makers (Dake was the owners name). His email was dakenak@yahoo.com Very interesting. Lot's of good stories. Enjoyed it very much.

 

We did Anchorage on our own. Took the shuttle into town. Walked around a little then took another shuttle to the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

 

Post cruise Seattle. Stayed a couple of nights at the Hampton Inn again. Did the usual tourist stuff. Space Needle, EMP Museum, Aquarium, Chihuly Glass Museum and a boat tour of Seattle. It was all part of a ticket package we purchased.

 

Hope that helps.

[canadianbear]

I considered a B2B, but chose this round trip. Instead of doing the same itinerary both legs like on a true B2B this sailing has no repeat ports!

Seattle

Ketchikan

Tracy Arm

Juneau

Icy Strait Point

Anchorage

Homer

Kodiak

Sitka

Victoria

Seattle

 

Our son did this cruise several years ago and LOVED it....We haven't done it but he keeps telling us we would too.

 

I know they did a private helicopter tour to see the bears in Kodiak. The other couple cancelled so they were the only 2 on the tour. He landed it very close to where the bears were (and the bears didn't even care) and got some great photos. He also flew over the ship for a different look at it on the way back for them.

 

You will have an awesome time and will be very pleased that you didn't book the B2B and are doing this one.

[Hflors]

Congratulations!!!!!!! Now let the planning begin with all your excursions and dining options!!!!!

[rajkr74]

Good for you on your Alaska cruise in 2017. You will love that 14 day cruise that gets to ports not normally done on the 7 day Alaskan cruises. We have done this same cruise on the Amsterdam twice with the last one in 2014. I included a link to our photos on OneDrive from 2014.

 

http://1drv.ms/1Lfv9nJ

 

[skoggs25]

How exciting. We also just booked a guarantee on the Amsterdam for the June 25, 2017 14 day Alaska cruise. It's also our first time to Alaska. We are glad that we booked so early because we are learning that excursions should be booked a year in advance for the best options.

[TheCalicoCat]

Seattle pre-cruise. We stayed at the Hampton Inn. Walked around Pike Market and had dinner there.

 

HAL Tours

Ketchikan, Alaska, US Cultural Treasures of Annette Island

Homer, Alaska, US Best of the Bay (boat tour)

Sitka, Alaska, US Explore Sitka, Raptor Center & Native Tales

Victoria, British Columbia,Canada Butchart & Butterfly Gardens

 

Non-HAL Tours

Icy Strait Point - Hoonah Bear Search through Misty Bay lodge. Didn't see a bear but it wasn't from the guide's lack of trying. She went above and beyond to try to find a bear.

 

Juneau - Harv and Marv Whale Watching Second time with them. Small, fast boats. Would do it again.

 

Kodiak - forget the name of the tour. I think he only had one tour for cruise ship passengers. :) It was by Memory Makers (Dake was the owners name). His email was dakenak@yahoo.com Very interesting. Lot's of good stories. Enjoyed it very much.

 

We did Anchorage on our own. Took the shuttle into town. Walked around a little then took another shuttle to the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

 

Post cruise Seattle. Stayed a couple of nights at the Hampton Inn again. Did the usual tourist stuff. Space Needle, EMP Museum, Aquarium, Chihuly Glass Museum and a boat tour of Seattle. It was all part of a ticket package we purchased.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks - it does help to be able to put an excursion to the pictures.

[TheCalicoCat]

Good for you on your Alaska cruise in 2017. You will love that 14 day cruise that gets to ports not normally done on the 7 day Alaskan cruises. We have done this same cruise on the Amsterdam twice with the last one in 2014. I included a link to our photos on OneDrive from 2014.

 

http://1drv.ms/1Lfv9nJ

 

 

Thanks for sharing the photos.