Live Nieuw Amsterdam Inaugural 2016 Cruise to Alaska

[gottagoacruzn]

Hi Roger, thanks for your input, does help!!

[sapper1]

Have a great trip!

 

Thanks, POA. We will. The only problem being, a lot of our clothes shrank during the cruise we just left two days ago. Here's hoping the clothes in the Alaska suitcase didn't suffer the same fate!!

[sapper1]

Have a nice one and enjoy NADM + AK

 

Thanks Copper---the NA is our favourite ship.

[gigianne]

Have a great cruise!

[Crew News]

Our last day at sea, sailing to Vancouver, began with blue skies and sunshine followed by another Room Service Breakfast. Egg temperature was 117 degrees and my oatmeal a nice 112 degrees.

 

The TV reception remains intermittent at best with the only salvation being the pre-loaded movies. Internet connection are dreadful with several outages requiring re-connecting usually in the middle of a CC post.

 

Trashing all of the invitations for art auctions, jewelry sales, and acupuncture special sales took some time but I now have some space for more this week.

 

The lamb shank in the MDR was excellent and the pureed cauliflower was a tasty accompaniment.

 

Lots of luggage in the corridor and one of it was ours!!!!

 

More later.

[Crew News]

Thank you, Crew News. SO sorry to hear of your dental hiccup. Glad that you were able to get it tended to before boarding.

Where are the "huge Interactive TV's"? And what is a Suites Reception?

We're behind you a few months, taking the NA in Sept to AK from Vancouver. Neptune Suite 7033 will be our home away from home!

 

As promised, I now have pictures of your 7033 stateroom and will make them available in about two weeks.

[Crew News]

Thanks for the great review. I will be on NA in Oct. with my high school class and would like to ask you, if possible and not to interfere with your plans, can you get a photo of cabin 8082?

 

We have 10 cabins in a row booked starting with 8078 and hope to get the veranda dividers open so we can have afternoon gatherings.

 

Do you know who the MDR manager is?

 

Thanks in advance and look forward to following your review and seeing the photos. Linda

 

I have photographs of your 8082 as well as some of the surrounding staterooms. They should be available in a few weeks.

[Smeecanada]

Hey Roger, have you or anyone you know, have taken the Rain forest Sanctuary & eagle center tour in Ketchikan, an how was the tour, is it worth taking? Been thinkin about it.

 

Virginia

 

My son and I did this tour about 5 years ago. Well worth it. We saw 22 bears in about 2 hours. We went mid-August. It was raining slightly, but you are in a forest canopy - not much chance of getting wet. You are on elevated platforms above the creek.

 

Would do the tour over again.

[SherriM]

As promised, I now have pictures of your 7033 stateroom and will make them available in about two weeks.

 

You are the BEST! Thank you so very much! Have really enjoyed your updates!

[Crew News]

As directed by the Front Desk all "in-transit" passengers were to be in the Queen's Lounge at 10:00 AM. A few minutes after the appointed time, a member of the Shore Staff appeared to take note that all three of us were in place. With nobody else acknowledging our existence, Joanie stopped the first crew member walking past her in her near the gangway waiting position.

 

The Nieuw Amsterdam's First Officer happened to be that crew member. Within two minutes,a member of the Front Office was escorting three of us through the quick "in-transit" check-in process while apologizing for forgetting all about us. Kathy from the Port Staff sped us through US Immigration and we were back on board by 11:00.

 

With nearly every stateroom open for cleaning, the opportunity to grab lots of photographs laid before me. I tried to get every category on every deck. As reported in an earlier post, I was almost successful as I missed the Penthouse Suites.

 

What a great surprise when Dobiemom appeared at our stateroom door to announce that she would be joining our second week in Alaska!!

 

Since there is now another "live" thread, I will continue this thread to answer questions and add a few thoughts/discoveries on a "not-so-live" basis.

 

FWIW I have a goal of getting a photograph of the PG "President's Cut" steak in all of its glory. Several PG waiters are poised to get a picture for me if anyone orders that artery-busting entree while I am in the PG.

 

More later.

[qsuzi]

So wonderful of you Roger to take such time and effort to obtain information and pictures. Love your easy and entertaining to read writing style. Say hi to Joanie and hope you are successful in getting them to make those "special chocolate treats".

[Crew News]

So wonderful of you Roger to take such time and effort to obtain information and pictures. Love your easy and entertaining to read writing style. Say hi to Joanie and hope you are successful in getting them to make those "special chocolate treats".

 

Your "hi" has been delivered and Joanie says "Hi, back at you."

 

Still working on treats.

[Crew News]

A nice, sunny, day enroute to Skagway but some pretty bumpy seas that seem to be keeping most passengers in their staterooms.

 

Received a letter from HAL Shore Excursions cancelling and refunding all helicopter excursions due to two crashes last week (Era in Juneau and TEMSCO in Skagway) through May 10th. No passengers were aboard the helicopters.

 

I was able to rebook on one of the last two spots on a Photography excursion.

[gottagoacruzn]

My son and I did this tour about 5 years ago. Well worth it. We saw 22 bears in about 2 hours. We went mid-August. It was raining slightly, but you are in a forest canopy - not much chance of getting wet. You are on elevated platforms above the creek.

 

Would do the tour over again.

 

Hi, will be goin the middle of June, so would there be anything to see, such as salmon, eagles & etc? Thanks.

 

Virginia

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey Crew News, last night got an email from somebody who I will be traveling with next month, they asked me if I wanted to go on the polar plunge in glacier bay, said yes:eek: but didn't know the ship offered that. So is there polar plunge? Got to find out what I'm gettin into!!:rolleyes: Tell Marcia I said hi.

 

Virginia

[Copper10-8]

.......................... Kathy from the Port Staff sped us through US Immigration and we were back on board by 11:00.

 

..........................................

 

Kathy! :) Long-time shore-side staff at Canada Place and big time Vancouver Canucks fan (sorry about that ;) ) and usher at Rogers Arena

[Smeecanada]

Hi, will be goin the middle of June, so would there be anything to see, such as salmon, eagles & etc? Thanks.

 

Virginia

 

Not sure, I haven't been to Alaska in June. Only been in August / September. We're going on May 18th - to see what it like in May.

[Crew News]

A nice, sunny, day enroute to Skagway but some pretty bumpy seas that seem to be keeping most passengers in their staterooms.

 

Received a letter from HAL Shore Excursions cancelling and refunding all helicopter excursions due to two crashes last week (Era in Juneau and TEMSCO in Skagway) through May 10th. No passengers were aboard the helicopters.

 

I was able to rebook on one of the last two spots on a Photography excursion.

 

Actually enroute to Juneau.

[Crew News]

Hi, will be goin the middle of June, so would there be anything to see, such as salmon, eagles & etc? Thanks.

 

Virginia

 

Hey Crew News, last night got an email from somebody who I will be traveling with next month, they asked me if I wanted to go on the polar plunge in glacier bay, said yes:eek: but didn't know the ship offered that. So is there polar plunge? Got to find out what I'm gettin into!!:rolleyes: Tell Marcia I said hi.

 

Virginia

 

You will not see salmon in June except atop rice or polenta on a plate. Eagles are everywhere but to see them flying and scooping up fish, you need to be on an excursion that feeds them.

 

I will say hello to Marcia the next time I see her.

 

The polar plunge is properly called,"Swimming in Glacier Bay" and photographers will be present. See my complete collection of On Locations for the Nieuw Amsterdam in Alaska at:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/nieuw-amsterdam-alaska-2016-on-locations/

[Locksmth]

Question, how are the insects in port? Do I need bug spray?

 

Also, the best guaranteed site to see Eagles is the Vancouver city dump. There are hundreds of them living off the vermin and seagulls that also live there. There is an abundance of farmland nearby and they are always overhead.

 

We live a few km's from there and there is almost always an eagle flying over our house.

[Aegis1984]

Question, how are the insects in port? Do I need bug spray?

 

Also, the best guaranteed site to see Eagles is the Vancouver city dump. There are hundreds of them living off the vermin and seagulls that also live there. There is an abundance of farmland nearby and they are always overhead.

 

We live a few km's from there and there is almost always an eagle flying over our house.

 

If you're just in port, you won't need bug spray at all. If you're going deep into the wilderness, you might as well bring a tennis racket as the mosquitoes are monstrous! Take it from me, I lived in Whitehorse in 2007-2008.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Aegis1984

[oobbian]

Thank you so very much for your time, energy, and thoroughness! I have enjoyed following along. We are very much looking forward to our time on the NA in July.

[Crew News]

Question, how are the insects in port? Do I need bug spray?

 

Also, the best guaranteed site to see Eagles is the Vancouver city dump. There are hundreds of them living off the vermin and seagulls that also live there. There is an abundance of farmland nearby and they are always overhead.

 

We live a few km's from there and there is almost always an eagle flying over our house.

 

I went on the Alaskan Seafood excursion last week in Ketchikan that traveled by high-speed boat to a small island. Part of the excursion was a walk through a moss-covered area with LOTS of pesky insects. All of us wished that we had bug spray during the walk. The outside dining was protected by citronella burners.

 

As stated above, the wilderness areas (outside of downtown areas) do need some sort of protection or some very fast waving hands to keep the pests from your face.

[retdon]

I have photographs of your 8082 as well as some of the surrounding staterooms. They should be available in a few weeks.

 

Thanks Roger, anxious to see if we made a good selection. Your cruise sounds tempting but flying from Florida and the fact we have been to Alaska twice it may not happen.

 

Hope you continue to have good weather, but ole Mother Alaska may have some more showers in her bag. Linda

[sapper1]

I went on the Alaskan Seafood excursion last week in Ketchikan that traveled by high-speed boat to a small island. Part of the excursion was a walk through a moss-covered area with LOTS of pesky insects. All of us wished that we had bug spray during the walk. The outside dining was protected by citronella burners.

 

As stated above, the wilderness areas (outside of downtown areas) do need some sort of protection or some very fast waving hands to keep the pests from your face.

 

Good to know. I still have the bug spray from our South Pacific portion of our vacation with me so I will be sure to take it ashore with us.