ArtsyCraftsy Posted September 13, 2017 #1 Share Posted September 13, 2017 So I made it! Currently on Day 3 of the 14-day Great Alaskan Explorer aboard the Amsterdam. This is my first cruise ever, something I've wanted to do for a long time. First impressions: very impressed with the service and overall appearance of the ship. I have nothing to compare this with, but I find it both elegant and welcoming. I splurged on a Neptune Suite -- spacious and comfortable, reminiscent of a well-cared-for classic hotel. Food has been mostly excellent. The only exception was breakfast yesterday: room service smoked salmon eggs Benedict w/roasted potatoes. Overly salty and arrived lukewarm at best. It was a sea day so I'm sure they were slammed in the kitchen. This has been the only exception -- seriously, everything else has been excellent! OMG, the club sandwich! The best I've ever had anywhere. Gala night #1 was last night. I have "open seating," so I wandered down to the dining room around 6:00, and was seated immediately as the 6th person at a table for 6. I'm a textbook introvert, but I do OK in smaller groups, and this was perfect. I had the prawn cocktail (superb!), the frisée salad (OK), the maple-glazed duck (perfection!!), and lemon meringue cheesecake. Oh, and a bottle of wine I'd tried at the wine tasting earlier in the day. Great conversation, wonderful service, and I still have 1/2 bottle of wine left for dinner today. We're currently in Ketchikan -- gorgeous sunny clear day, cool temp (52F). Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketMan275 Posted September 13, 2017 #2 Share Posted September 13, 2017 [quote name='ArtsyCraftsy;54050116 Food has been mostly excellent. The only exception was breakfast yesterday: room service smoked salmon eggs Benedict w/roasted potatoes. Overly salty and arrived lukewarm at best. It was a sea day so I'm sure they were slammed in the kitchen. This has been the only exception -- seriously' date=' everything else has been excellent! OMG, the club sandwich! The best I've ever had anywhere.[/quote'] Have you tried breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill? One of the best features of sailing in a Neptune Suite. It's complimentary in a suite. Wife loves the smoked salmon there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruising-along Posted September 13, 2017 #3 Share Posted September 13, 2017 So glad to hear that you're enjoying your first cruise! I know a lot of planning has gone into this. Hope to hear more, and especially hope to hear that everything continues to impress you. :) (I love that maple glazed duck too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretcastle Posted September 14, 2017 #4 Share Posted September 14, 2017 So excited for you and glad you are enjoying your cruise :) we were on the same cruise last month and it is so fun to hear your experiences and hope to hear lots more ! ⚓️ Enjoy the rest of your cruise , so many amazing ports await you 🦅🐋🐻 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1ANGELCAT Posted September 14, 2017 #5 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Hope you have the chance to meet Capt Albert during the cruise. He's the company historian and gives a wonderful lecture on HAL history. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted September 14, 2017 #6 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Off to a great start on your "Live" review. We have done your cruise twice on the Amsterdam. Remember -- you can go to the Pinnacle Grill for breakfast since you are in a Neptune Suite. We gave up many years ago having cabin service for anything. Breakfast cold and not everything we ordered and twice it was never delivered to the cabin in spite all of our calls and the Concierges calling a few times. Club sandwich -- ours were horrible -- glad you had a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HamOp Posted September 14, 2017 #7 Share Posted September 14, 2017 You never forget your first.....;p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare erewhon Posted September 14, 2017 #8 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Thanks for reporting during your cruise. We always enjoy breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, hope you will too. Best wishes for the remainder of the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted September 14, 2017 #9 Share Posted September 14, 2017 You never forget your first.....;p True that! ;) Enjoy that 14-day voyage to God's Country on the co-flagship, OP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare puppycanducruise Posted September 14, 2017 #10 Share Posted September 14, 2017 You're off to a great start. Hope the rest of your first (of many) cruise is wonderful too. Looking forward to hearing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted September 14, 2017 #11 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Sounds like you are having a great time :) Nice to hear. There is nothing like your first cruise. Enjoy every moment of it :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ski ww Posted September 14, 2017 #12 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Sounds like you're having a great cruise. From the looks of the pictures the weather is also sunny & dry. Looking forward to reading about the rest of your cruise. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtsyCraftsy Posted September 14, 2017 Author #13 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Some photos from today (Day 4). We were scheduled to go to Tracy Arm, but the captain opted for Endicott Arm instead -- better opportunities for critter watching & Dawes Glacier viewing. We weren't able to get as close to the glacier due to the iceberg field. Still memorable! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtsyCraftsy Posted September 14, 2017 Author #14 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Some photos from today (Day 4). We were scheduled to go to Tracy Arm, but the captain opted for Endicott Arm instead -- better opportunities for critter watching & Dawes Glacier viewing. We weren't able to get as close to the glacier due to the iceberg field. Still memorable! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruising-along Posted September 14, 2017 #15 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Great photos! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted September 15, 2017 #16 Share Posted September 15, 2017 You and your camera/phone take some awesome pics! Keep up the great work! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaofami Posted September 15, 2017 #17 Share Posted September 15, 2017 Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare erewhon Posted September 15, 2017 #18 Share Posted September 15, 2017 Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtsyCraftsy Posted September 15, 2017 Author #19 Share Posted September 15, 2017 Last night I dined at Canaletto. I had reserved as a "single," and had a lovely table in a good location with a wonderful view. The food and service were outstanding. I had also pre-booked another Canaletto dinner for the 18th, and I may try for 1 or 2 more. This morning we docked in Juneau. It's overcast and cool, but not raining. The crew had a lifeboat drill just after breakfast; interesting to see how that works. They ended up on "my side" of the ship (I'm in a port side suite). I dunno -- I may have unleashed a monster here. I think I could definitely get used to this! I'm already making a packing list for my next cruise: I made a deposit on the 38-day Voyage of the Vikings next summer back in July on the assumption that I would like cruise travel. I'd say it was a pretty safe bet! Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retafcruiser Posted September 15, 2017 #20 Share Posted September 15, 2017 We were scheduled to go to Tracy Arm, but the captain opted for Endicott Arm instead... As best I can tell, Amsterdam has NOT gone to Tracy Arm this entire season. HAL needs to change their advertising to reflect Endicott if that is the intention.:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted September 16, 2017 #21 Share Posted September 16, 2017 Nice to know you are enjoying your cruise. Looking forward to your updates. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blizzardboy Posted September 16, 2017 #22 Share Posted September 16, 2017 I'm also a huge fan of breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, as is my bride since it gets me out of the suite so she can sleep undisturbed. Don't forget to take advantage of the unlimited laundry and dry cleaning amenity included with your Neptune. We come home with little or no laundry or dry cleaning to do. You don't have anything to compare with the NS, but from our experience, they are highly addictive and we've never looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtsyCraftsy Posted September 17, 2017 Author #23 Share Posted September 17, 2017 So we're having a little rough weather at the moment. Captain warned us earlier to expect it. Current wind: 42 knots (48.3 mph). Sort of like riding a bucking horse in slow motion. No seasickness, not even a hint of it, so that's a good thing. Managed to get an early supper, so don't have to be concerned about getting to/from the MDR. It's going to be a fun night -- rocking & rolling with a wicked vibration in the rhythm. Tomorrow is a sea day, so no worries. [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TiogaCruiser Posted September 17, 2017 #24 Share Posted September 17, 2017 So we're having a little rough weather at the moment. Captain warned us earlier to expect it. Current wind: 42 knots (48.3 mph). Sort of like riding a bucking horse in slow motion. No seasickness, not even a hint of it, so that's a good thing. Managed to get an early supper, so don't have to be concerned about getting to/from the MDR. It's going to be a fun night -- rocking & rolling with a wicked vibration in the rhythm. Tomorrow is a sea day, so no worries. [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Forums Gosh, I love being rocked to sleep on a ship. It's rather disappointing when there only calm water. And those "shippy", creaky sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arzz Posted September 17, 2017 #25 Share Posted September 17, 2017 (edited) Retafcruiser Captain Albert, in his blog, explained that the intention IS to go to Tracy Arm - the issue is that the glacier has been calving so furiously that there is too much ice in the water to safely approach ... So they substitute Endicott Arm ... Not something that can be planned for when the brochures are printed over a year in advance. Edited September 17, 2017 by arzz accuracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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