How to best get it all on? (Embarkation Q)

[SempreMare]

In August I'll be embarking the Westerdam in Seward, Alaska. I am new to HAL. My only other cruise was eons ago.  I've started reading the "New to Holland America" stickie topic but have only covered the most recent ~ 30 pages so far.

 

Could you share your thoughts about how to best load everything on the ship? 

 

I wasn't thinking about this till the nice agent at the Seward Hertz suggested dropping off my luggage at the cruise ship before returning my rental car.

Then, I would take the Hertz shuttle back to the ship that runs every 10 minutes.  

 

Questions:

1) Checked luggage  (I anticipate this will be easy...)

 

If I do as she advised,  will there be a place I can drive right up to unload my checked luggage?  

After looking at the Google Earth picture of the Seward Cruise Ship Terminal, my guess is I'd need to park and then walk up my checked luggage somewhere.

2) Carry on luggage  (This sounds hard.) 

 

For drinks, I want to bring on board: 
- 1 bottle of wine
- 12 pack of water
- Lemon lime seltzer water which I enjoy mixing with those kid size tiny cartons of fruit juice
- Zevia root beer, my new fave carbonated beverage **
- A couple non-alcoholic beers if I can find Beck's or Clausthaler

 

Assume I will already have one full backpack and 1 hardshell that has camera equipment and a couple other breakables.  

How would you advise I lug the drinks on board? 

** My New Year's resolution was to kick my Coke Zero, Breakfast of Champions, habit.  My watch made me realize it was making my heart race after drinking it.  When in Hong Kong for work last month I stuck to that until day 5 without anything carbonated. Then I gave in and had to get one from a McDonalds. But have been good since.  I found can be really happy with either the lemon lime seltzer water or the Zevia to satisfy my the carbonated beverage craving.

 

[ithaca gal]

53 minutes ago, SempreMare said:

In August I'll be embarking the Westerdam in Seward, Alaska. I am new to HAL. My only other cruise was eons ago.  I've started reading the "New to Holland America" stickie topic but have only covered the most recent ~ 30 pages so far.

 

Could you share your thoughts about how to best load everything on the ship? 

 

I wasn't thinking about this till the nice agent at the Seward Hertz suggested dropping off my luggage at the cruise ship before returning my rental car.

Then, I would take the Hertz shuttle back to the ship that runs every 10 minutes.  

 

Questions:

1) Checked luggage  (I anticipate this will be easy...)

 

If I do as she advised,  will there be a place I can drive right up to unload my checked luggage?  

After looking at the Google Earth picture of the Seward Cruise Ship Terminal, my guess is I'd need to park and then walk up my checked luggage somewhere.

2) Carry on luggage  (This sounds hard.) 

 

For drinks, I want to bring on board: 
- 1 bottle of wine
- 12 pack of water
- Lemon lime seltzer water which I enjoy mixing with those kid size tiny cartons of fruit juice
- Zevia root beer, my new fave carbonated beverage **
- A couple non-alcoholic beers if I can find Beck's or Clausthaler

 

Assume I will already have one full backpack and 1 hardshell that has camera equipment and a couple other breakables.  

How would you advise I lug the drinks on board? 

** My New Year's resolution was to kick my Coke Zero, Breakfast of Champions, habit.  My watch made me realize it was making my heart race after drinking it.  When in Hong Kong for work last month I stuck to that until day 5 without anything carbonated. Then I gave in and had to get one from a McDonalds. But have been good since.  I found can be really happy with either the lemon lime seltzer water or the Zevia to satisfy my the carbonated beverage craving.

 

I would leave the 12 pack of water at home. If you find you must have it, get some in Alaska.  Same with the seltzer water. 

 

No good ideas for the root beer, wine or non-alcoholic beer. 

[SempreMare]

2 hours ago, ithaca gal said:

If you find you must have it, get some in Alaska.  Same with the seltzer water. 

 

??

What did I write that made you think I'd buy the beverages before I even fly to Alaska? 

Seward does have grocery stores...

https://local.safeway.com/safeway/ak/seward/1907-seward-hwy.html

 

Also, I don't need to wait and find 'if I must have it'.    I already travel for weeks at a time for work.   I already know what I'll want.  

 

I am looking for ideas for how best schlep the beverages on the Westerdam, not the plane.  

>>  I'll be embarking the Westerdam in Seward, Alaska.

[simplyrubies]

If you are travelling alone, that is a lot of beverages for one person to carry on. Are you absolutely sure that you must have it all on board? My best suggestion would be to put your beverages into a luggage to wheel onboard in addition to your backpack and hard-shell. So long as you can carry it on by yourself, you can bring it onboard.

 

Bottled water can be purchased onboard the ship as well as in every port that you will visit, so unless you are wanting a specific brand, it does not make much sense to me to carry this onboard seeing as you have many other drinks that you wish to bring. The money you save would be minimal in comparison to the heavy load you will be bringing onboard. Furthermore, if you are happy with either the selzer water or the Zevia, perhaps you should pick one to bring over the other to further cut down on the weight you will be carrying. 

It will be extremely difficult to carry all the drinks you have indicated you wish to bring plus your full backpack and your hard-shell with the camera equipment and other valuable goods. My best suggestion would be to cut back to what you will really need on board, keeping in mind what is purchasable on the cruise and in ports. 

[0bnxshs]

You may have already read this elsewhere but do be aware that everything carried on will have to fit through a standard xray machine for security just like those found in airports.  I've never seen the amount of stuff brought on board by hand limited by anything other than a person's ability to lug it all around though.  Maybe you have a couple of foldable luggage carts that you might strap the water and other items to in a stacked configuration?  Also, clear packing tape might be a good way to bind some or all the cartons of drinks together, although this will make them rather heavy for lifting.

 

I've only been in Seward once, and that to disembark, but at many port terminals there is a lane for drive-ups who are dropping off passengers that takes you right up to the luggage porters.  Just use that and drop your checked luggage before heading to return the rental car.  I've done this at several other terminals and it works just fine.  If you happen to be travelling with someone, you might try dropping them off with all the carry-on luggage too.  They can wait with it until your return.

 

As mentioned above, you might consider waiting to purchase water in the first port after leaving Seward.  Bottled water is available on board and while you'll pay a premium for it, a compromise might need to be made in order to accommodate your other preferences.  IMHO, the water from the tap made on board or on boarded in ports has always been adequate for my needs.  I'll even carry an empty plastic water bottle to fill for taking on excursions in port.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise.  Westerdam is a great 'dam ship and Alaska is enchanting.

Edited April 7, 2019 by 0bnxshs

[VennDiagram]

7 hours ago, SempreMare said:

For drinks, I want to bring on board: 
- 1 bottle of wine
- 12 pack of water
- Lemon lime seltzer water which I enjoy mixing with those kid size tiny cartons of fruit juice
- Zevia root beer, my new fave carbonated beverage **
- A couple non-alcoholic beers if I can find Beck's or Clausthaler

 

Plus you will have some sort of carry-on luggage for valuables/important things, right?  So you could put the bottle of wine in that.  Depending on how much seltzer water and root beer you have, those might fit into a backpack.  (Presumably those are cans or plastic.)   I would suggest a lightweight nylon day pack that won't take up much room in your luggage.  So you'd have your "carry-on" (which should have wheels so it can just be pulled along) and wear the day pack with whatever will fit into it. 

 

As other posters suggest, I would not take the 12 pack of water ... buy as needed on the ship until you reach a port where you can buy a 6 or 12 pack.

[tv24]

I'm sorry.  I really don't understand the bottled water.  The water on board the ship is perfectly drinkable;  HAL is not a dangerous underdeveloped country.  IMHO you are adding way too much stress to your embarkation process.  Not a good way to start a cruise.

[1ANGELCAT]

I don’t think the beer will be allowed. 

[thinfool]

Take what you can when you check in/embark....make sure the wine goes with you.  Then leave the ship and get whatever other non-alcoholic items you deem necessary.

                                                          or

Consider that all of your ports on the Alaskan itineraries are in the US (until Vancouver) and likely have stores that will have things you need or want.

[rafinmd]

Is there parking at the Seward dock.  If so, one could check in (On HAL rooms are ready by noon), then get the water, drop off the car, and reboard with whatever you buy on that last trip.

 

I still do not understand, however why people need to bring cases of water onto a ship which has perfectly good drinking water.

 

Roy

[Higntn]

We always take one of those foldable duffles to fill with things we get before boarding.

[ithaca gal]

6 hours ago, SempreMare said:

 

??

What did I write that made you think I'd buy the beverages before I even fly to Alaska? 

Seward does have grocery stores...

https://local.safeway.com/safeway/ak/seward/1907-seward-hwy.html

 

Also, I don't need to wait and find 'if I must have it'.    I already travel for weeks at a time for work.   I already know what I'll want.  

 

I am looking for ideas for how best schlep the beverages on the Westerdam, not the plane.  

>>  I'll be embarking the Westerdam in Seward, Alaska.

My fault for being less than clear.  Get your beverages during your first PORT VISIT in Alaska. 

 

And I feel that I need” diet Dr Pepper on cruises but manage without it. On our recent 28 day cruise I decided not to fool around with it. I ended up buying two 20 ounce bottles at the

first port stop and then went without it. The hassle

outweighed the luxury of having it with me.  But that’s just me. 

[Richjoxyz]

Bring the soda, forget the water.  Reuse the plastic soda bottles for water and place them in the fridge.  We take a six pack of 16 oz soda on board and use the empty bottles all cruise long for water.

[midwest 852]

Are you flighting into Anchorage & driving to Seward? Things are cheaper in Anchorage and you will have more selections than in Seward. Because youll have the car i would buy everthing before the cruise and drop off with luggage. Seward doesnt get as many private cars as other ports lots of buses so fairly easy to get in & out.

Maybe buy a folding 2 wheel grocery cart (must fit in screening machine) to haul the water & soda it can be a long walk from drop off to your cabin.

I only carry water (hate HALs water) & buy the soda on board its just easier for me.

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by midwest 852

[3rdGenCunarder]

5 hours ago, tv24 said:

I'm sorry.  I really don't understand the bottled water.  The water on board the ship is perfectly drinkable;  HAL is not a dangerous underdeveloped country.  IMHO you are adding way too much stress to your embarkation process.  Not a good way to start a cruise.

 

I agree. I've never had a problem with ship's tap water. The only beverage worth carrying on, IMO, is champagne. 

 

4 hours ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

I don’t think the beer will be allowed. 

 

This raises an interesting point. HAL does not permit passengers to bring on beer. I wonder what they would say about nonalcoholic beer. 

 

OP, I'm pretty sure HAL has some kind of nonalcoholic beer, so avoid the will they or won't they issue and just drink the nonalcoholic beer that HAL serves. Save trouble, time, weight, and volume.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

20 minutes ago, midwest 852 said:

Are you flighting into Anchorage & driving to Seward? Things are cheaper in Anchorage and you will have more selections than in Seward. Because youll have the car i would buy everthing before the cruise and drop off with luggage. Seward doesnt get as many private cars as other ports lots of buses so fairly easy to get in & out.

Maybe buy a folding 2 wheel grocery cart (must fit in screening machine) to haul the water & soda it can be a long walk from drop off to your cabin.

I only carry water (hate HALs water) & buy the soda on board its just easier for me.

 

 

OP can't drop everything off with the luggage because wine, soda, and water all have to go as carry-on. 

 

[Roz]

8 hours ago, SempreMare said:

 

??

What did I write that made you think I'd buy the beverages before I even fly to Alaska? 

Seward does have grocery stores...

https://local.safeway.com/safeway/ak/seward/1907-seward-hwy.html

 

Also, I don't need to wait and find 'if I must have it'.    I already travel for weeks at a time for work.   I already know what I'll want.  

 

I am looking for ideas for how best schlep the beverages on the Westerdam, not the plane.  

>>  I'll be embarking the Westerdam in Seward, Alaska.

That attitude will get you nowhere.  

 

Roz

[midwest 852]

11 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

OP can't drop everything off with the luggage because wine, soda, and water all have to go as carry-on. 

 

Yes you can. you drop it off at the curb then carry in on. FYI some times they (Porters) will put a luggage tag on it and deliver it Seward is a small port. not the wine but soda & water

Edited April 7, 2019 by midwest 852
adding

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 minutes ago, midwest 852 said:

Yes you can. you drop it off at the curb then carry in on. FYI some times they (Porters) will put a luggage tag on it and deliver it Seward is a small port

 

HAL says beverages must be go as carry-on, so it won't be delivered to the cabin. What do porters do with carry on beverages that you leave with them while you park or drop off the car?

 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by 3rdGenCunarder

[midwest 852]

Have you ever sailed out of Seward very small. you do not give it to the porters you pull it on. guess you travel alone so dont have someone to watch your stuff??

I know what HAL policy is but i also know what they have done in the past when i arrive at Seward & Seattle ports. 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by midwest 852

[GRACECRUISE]

I have a rolling duffel bag that all my liquids are brought on ship in.  Usually a 12 pack of soda and water.  I do bring my own water to drink during the day and in my cabin.  It is heavy but I only have to lift it once to get it on the security belt.

[knittinggirl]

Never seen root beer on a cruise ship.  We did have a lady in our knitting group pick up Pepsi at one of the ports of call, so I'd think you could pick up a six-pack.   I got the impression that after two weeks on the ship, she wanted HER pepsi.   Would you be able to drink the entire six-pack before disembarkation?  We prefer root beer, but simply go without on cruises.  Root beer may also be something to order in a restaurant at a port of call.  They won't let you slap on a luggage tag and try to check it, because they're worried about leakage if they stack something heavy on it.

 

Were not too impressed with Seward the one time we visited.  There's no covered gangplank from check-in building to ship.  We had to walk out in the elements in the pouring rain.  People were standing in line to board right by the ship.  Long wait for the crew to help w/ wheelchairs, so I just limped onboard.

 

On the way out of the ship in the morning (we took the ship up to Seward then back down to Vancouver), our shuttle drove past several people dragging their luggage from wherever they were supposed to meet the shuttle.  There was a fair distance between the shuttle pick up and the ship, and our bus driver said they didn't want to wait.

 

It's important to hand-carry your camera stuff.  I had my camera bag in the cargo section of a transfer  bus, and the porter pulled it out before I could retrieve it and started dumping heavy stuff on top it.

 

I always put luggage tags on everything, even the stuff I plan to hand carry.  If it gets left in a cab, you may have a very small chance of it arriving on the ship.   I heard in San Francisco of a lady that left a bag w/ a tag in her taxi, and it made it to the ship anyway.

 

While it it possible for you to drag a wheelie up the ramp w/ an accessory bag on the handle and your knapsack on your back.  It IS a pretty steep gangplank.

Edited April 7, 2019 by knittinggirl

[catl331]

15 hours ago, SempreMare said:

If I do as she advised,  will there be a place I can drive right up to unload my checked luggage?  

It has been 12 years since we boarded at Seward, but I do recall that our bus (from Denali) pulled right up to the terminal to let us off.  From the looks of this pic, though, there could be a long line as there's just a short space in front of the building.

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by catl331

[SempreMare]

@thinfool >> Take what you can when you check in/embark....make sure the wine goes with you.  Then leave the ship and get whatever other non-alcoholic items you deem necessary.

 

What a great point!  You must a "sideways thinker" 😉

 

Check-out time from Seward cabin = 10:00am.    Boarding time = ?not sure?   Sail away = 8:00pm.   

Since I probably will have tons of time I could simply just re-board?

 

I could: 
1) Board first with carry on & backpack, leaving beverages in the rental car with a foldable duffle as @Higntn  suggested.  Then empty the hard shell.

 

2) Return to parked rental car. Refill and check back on.

 

3) Turn in rental car at Hertz.   Take the Hertz shuttle back then explore all 11 floors of the Westerdam.

@midwest 852 >> Because you'll have the car i would buy everything before the cruise and drop off with luggage. 

 

Agreed. 

From a tour & transfer Anchorage to Seward,   will rent a car in Seward before the cruise for a couple days on Resurrection Bay.

@midwest 852 >> Seward doesn't get as many private cars as other ports lots of buses so fairly easy to get in & out.
@midwest 852 >>  I only carry water (hate HALs water) 

 

Good to know; thanks.

@VennDiagram >>  Plus you will have some sort of carry-on luggage for valuables/important things, right?  So you could put the bottle of wine in that. 

 

Agree.  I'll probably put the bottle of wine in my backpack.  It's usually full when I travel but on this trip my laptop won't be there.

Of all beverages I consider the bottle of wine to be the most iffy (take it or leave it).  I'll probably have 2 glasses max during the cruise.    But I'd rather take it than not, even if just to share it with new friends.

@knittinggirlRe: Quantities

Am not sure exactly how much I'll have left of the soda from initial purchase when I embark. 

Before the cruise: 5 days exploring the Anchorage, Whittier, Seward area with a friend from school. 
Then 7 day cruise.  
Then 3 days in Vancouver joining back up with the friend from school.

 

Typically I use 1/2 a six pack of each type of the lemon lime seltzer water and Zevia on week-long work trips.   When in explore-mode before the cruise, might use more.

Even if I only have left 2 lemon-lime + 2 Zevia = 4 cans, I'll definitely use that on the cruise.     

@knittinggirl  re: Seward
>> There's no covered gangplank from check-in building to ship.  We had to walk out in the elements in the pouring rain.  People were standing in line to board right by the ship.  Long wait for the crew to help w/ wheelchairs, so I just limped onboard.
>> It's important to hand-carry your camera stuff.  I had my camera bag in the cargo section of a transfer  bus, and the porter pulled it out before I could retrieve it and started dumping heavy stuff on top it.
>> While it is possible for you to drag a wheelie up the ramp w/ an accessory bag on the handle and your knapsack on your back.  It IS a pretty steep gangplank.

 

All good to know; thank you!  

@knittinggirl  re: Luggage tags
>> I always put luggage tags on everything, even the stuff I plan to hand carry.  If it gets left in a cab, you may have a very small chance of it arriving on the ship.   I heard in San Francisco of a lady that left a bag w/ a tag in her taxi, and it made it to the ship anyway.

 

Wow, great point - had not thought of that.

@1ANGELCAT >> I don’t think the beer will be allowed. 

 

I've switched to non-alcoholic beer.  Clausthaler is my fave.  My friends can't tell the difference, so still limit them to 2 'if they are driving'! 😉  

I can only reliably find it at Total Wine & more; not grocery stores unless I special order it.  
http://www.clausthaler.com/

.  

 

However, I have not yet tried the Heineken 0.0 that I read here was served on the Westerdam.
https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2019/01/10/Alcohol-free-Heineken-0.0-lands-in-the-US

If they don't have that at  dinner or bar when I'm craving something beyond iced tea, the alcoholic drinks from the menus do look excellent.

 

@3rdGenCunarder >> This raises an interesting point. HAL does not permit passengers to bring on beer. I wonder what they would say about nonalcoholic beer. 

 

I would be surprised if I could find Clausthaler in AK.  Beck's non-alcoholic is second fave. Everything else I've tried is ick.  I might try bringing it on board if I see Clausthaler non-alcoholic in Alaska.
Otherwise I'll skip it as you advise.  
Worst case they would just keep it till I get to Vancouver, right? 

 

[cruisebie]

You might also check and see if you could pre-order water to be in your cabin when you arrive.  It would be more expensive than what you could pick up at the grocery, but would let you eliminate one of the heavier items from your carry ons.