Live from Nieuw Amsterdam 14-Day Alaska Explorer

[Crew News]

This begins my traditional live cruise thread where I search for answers yo questions from CC members, find obscure information, identify changes since my last cruise on a similar-class HAL ship, and provide my opinions on most topics other than food.

 

This itinerary stops in some small Alaskan cities that are not often reviewed so this thread will be a chance to pose questions and get answers to help in future cruise planning.

 

As a hobby photographer I shoot in RAW format which requires additional processing before posting so I will not be posting current photos.  Others onboard are welcome to post theirs here.

 

Skagway was cancelled for this cruise and Prince Rupert was substituted.

 

I will give a detailed description of the boarding and disembarkation processes in this thread.

 

And so it begins.

 

[Radbooks]

Have a wonderful time! I'm looking forward to reading about your cruise.

[Zagqwest]

Just landed in Vancouver for this criuse, so excited! Hopefully between the 3 ships and the marathon tomorrow, embarkation goes well.

Edited May 6, 2023 by Zagqwest

[Crew News]

43 minutes ago, Zagqwest said:

Just landed in Vancouver for this criuse, so excited! Hopefully between the 3 ships and the marathon tomorrow, embarkation goes well.

As I was leaving the terminal this morning, there were lots of guides and signs to get passengers to the right place.

[Florida_gal_50]

Thank you for all your hard work.  It's very much appreciated.

[greensprout]

Looking forward to following your journey, as we will be doing the same trip May 2024 (as I believe you are as well).  Welcome to British Columbia!  You will sail right by where I live while on the inside passage.

[dobiemom]

Fair winds and following seas. 🙂🛳️

[quilty964]

Can't wait for your words of wisdom!  Enjoy!

[gknep]

Did they say why Skagway was cancelled?

[Crew News]

6 minutes ago, gknep said:

Did they say why Skagway was cancelled?

Rock slide closed one pier.  Unfortunately, it was ours.

Edited May 7, 2023 by Crew News

[SUESEABE]

Enjoy your cruise! Following along.

[Zagqwest]

Couldnt sleep so got a good view of Nieuw Amsterdam coming in this morning.

Edited May 7, 2023 by Zagqwest

[redbanshee]

19 minutes ago, Zagqwest said:

Couldnt sleep so got a good view of Nieuw Amsterdam coming in this morning.

Awesome photos! Weather looks reasonable today for a Seaview Sail Away! See you on board 🤗

[Stateroom_Sailor]

After 4 hours of standing in lines, I would say this was our worst embarkation ever!  We've sailed from Vancouver 4 times previously, twice on Nieuw Amsterdam.  I know that there were 3 ships embarking yesterday, and the start of the season, but they've really created a confusing and inconsistent mess.  We talked to crew that were given wish-washy information and were in the same boat.

 

Once onboard, we're so far happy with the cruise.  We've already made friends with one of the bar tenders, who assured us there was plenty of malbec wine stocked for this sailing.  Our cabin condition is well maintained and clean.  The food in the MDR was good.  I see more pasta options, but was easy to avoid.  I honestly don't remember how the food compares to 2019, but it was certainly better than our last cruises on Carnival, Royal, or Celebrity. 

 

The ship was quiet after 11PM, but we like the relaxing ambiance, and found crew and passengers to chat with.  I'm a night owl, but have a major purchase to make from a new supplier for my business.  I have no time to get bored this cruise.

 

 

[Shalandara]

Hope all is good and you have an enjoyable trip!  I will be watching this one as it seems to be the itinerary I would like for a repeat Alaska trip (did 7 day inside passage last year on Konigsdam).  I hope they keep this one for several years (as earliest I think we could go is late 2025 or 2026.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

14 hours ago, Shalandara said:

Hope all is good and you have an enjoyable trip!  I will be watching this one as it seems to be the itinerary I would like for a repeat Alaska trip (did 7 day inside passage last year on Konigsdam).  I hope they keep this one for several years (as earliest I think we could go is late 2025 or 2026.

 

I'm a glass is half empty type person, but so far so good once onboard.  We've done a 7 day inside passage, and a 10 night cruise tour.  We even flew into Anchorage in January 2020, when temps were -16 degrees F!  It is always worth coming back to see something new.  Next cruise I'm going to have to pick something that goes up to Nome.

[lij1972]

15 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

After 4 hours of standing in lines, I would say this was our worst embarkation ever!  We've sailed from Vancouver 4 times previously, twice on Nieuw Amsterdam.  I know that there were 3 ships embarking yesterday, and the start of the season, but they've really created a confusing and inconsistent mess.  We talked to crew that were given wish-washy information and were in the same boat.

 

Once onboard, we're so far happy with the cruise.  We've already made friends with one of the bar tenders, who assured us there was plenty of malbec wine stocked for this sailing.  Our cabin condition is well maintained and clean.  The food in the MDR was good.  I see more pasta options, but was easy to avoid.  I honestly don't remember how the food compares to 2019, but it was certainly better than our last cruises on Carnival, Royal, or Celebrity. 

 

The ship was quiet after 11PM, but we like the relaxing ambiance, and found crew and passengers to chat with.  I'm a night owl, but have a major purchase to make from a new supplier for my business.  I have no time to get bored this cruise.

 

 

On the same cruise too.  About 3.5 hrs to get in.  

[richardbc]

Looking forward to hearing about your trip as we will be on the 14 day Alaskan Explorer in September. Hoping that you have an excellent cruise!

[Crew News]

Finally got my phone to work as a hotspot as my laptop would not connect to the internet through Navigator on this ship but it did on the Volendam last week.

My apologies for the delay in posting this but the internet connection has been intermittent at best.  It has taken nearly two days to download the 29 small email messages in my inbox. As I write on this second day at sea, the temperature is 41 degrees, raining, heavy rolling seas, and 33.3 MPH winds imparting a twisting motion to the ship.  My bedside drawers open and close with the rocking of the ship, several items have found the floor before I could secure them, the flat screen TV is vibrating, and the ice in my collapsible cooler is sloshing about.  Hopefully, I can post this when I can use my phone in Kodiak on May 10th.

My per-cruise stay at the Pan Pacific Hotel allowed me to have a hotel bellhop to handle my luggage and avoid the normal terminal luggage turn-in process.  After reading the horror stories of the Vancouver boarding process, I decided to join the queue in the convention hall 15 minutes before my 11:00 check-in time. 

As noted by others, the queue included passengers boarding all of the ships in port.  Cruise line reps wandered through the queue extracting their respective passengers.  Interestingly, I arrived at the HAL doorway at 10:55 AM to begin a slow stroll through serpentine stanchions and ropes.  Vancouver passengers now check-in before Security screening of their hand-carry luggage.  More serpentine lines downstairs for screening luggage followed by processing through US Immigration (passport scan), printed pass from the scanner, and then handing the pass to an Immigration rep at the doorway. 

Being a 5 Star Mariner got me into shorter queues in the process and I was eventually seated in the sixth priority boarding row at 11:26 AM.  I was in my stateroom at 12:02 AM.  My special thanks to those warning of the precheck-in queue before the entrance for check-in.  I did not witness the terminal headaches later in the day but I have heard of them.

Now the rest of the story.  A US Coast Guard genius decided to conduct a safety drill as soon as the ship was cleared of passengers.  This normally occurs on a port day in Alaska and not during the embarkation process.  IMHO this is equivalent to having a fire drill in the middle of high school basketball game.  As I walked toward my stateroom, Room Stewards were running the hallways trying to get rooms cleaned for the now boarding guests.  I felt truly sorry for them trying to recover after having a big chunk of time removed from their turnaround day routine.

After dropping off my luggage in my nearly completed aft stateroom, I took the opportunity to take photos of the still open staterooms before going to the Specialty Dining reservation podium next to the Spa entrance. 

My traditional ship tour had three roll call members as I ventured to all of the public venues and answered questions. A half hour before sailing, an announcement was made that only 43% of the passengers had completed the Passenger Safety Drill.  The ship departed nearly 1.5 hours late.

I was dismayed at my MDR Early Dining time being 5:00 PM, just a few hours from my Lido Market lunch. 

My first MDR experience took 15 minutes for a glass of water and five minutes later to get a menu.  I did note that crisps were back on the MDR menus. When I asked about the lack of salt and pepper shakers on the tables, I was told that they were on request only to stop the spread of COVID.  I considered asking about handling the menus but did not.  On my way out, I stopped to ask for a table map and was promised one before the end of the cruise.  I also asked if the Indian Menu was available and was told that it was not.  Another assistant, interrupted to say that it was indeed available. 

In my bar menu collection efforts, I learned that there are five Alaskan beers available onboard. I also discovered my Seaview bartender from the Rotterdam last December is here at the Casino Bar. 

To ensure that the next mornings Meet & Greet was on the ship calendar, I waited in the Embarkation Day queue at the Front Desk before being assured that it was.

With my first bag of laundry turned-in, my cooler filled with ice, the minibar restocked with Diet Cokes, luggage unpacked, internet still too sporadic to post, and Meet & Greet confirmed, I turned off the bedside light.

First sea day began with a Mariner Reception where I spoke with the head of Guest Services who assured me that all was in readiness for the 76+ attendees. With my "Cruise Critic Private Party" sign in hand, I made my way to the Explorations Lounge only to find the stanchions stacked in a corner, the lounge filled with other than Cruise Critic members, no beverage service present, and the head of Guest Services trying to set up the Meet & Greet area.  Those passengers asked to move were not happy and a few just stayed.  Beverage service arrived to late to be enjoyed.  It is my hope that of the 30+ who stopped by, new friends were made and all of those who owed money for private excursions found Ann. It must be noted that the Events Coordinator was stuck in San Diego and did not make it to the ship so the head of Guest Services was unfamiliar with a Meet & Greet setup. When I return for a Meet & Greet in October, the Events Coordinator should be present.

My Canaletto dinner was truly eventful with it being Ossa Bucco night.  When I asked my waiter her name and wrote it in my little notebook, she asked how many names I had collected.  She immediately recognized the name of my server last year who I commended in both my survey and Let Us Know of the Navigator app.  ISSA is now a Hostess for the MDR Club Orange and my current servers best friend. A number of names in my notebook were also recognized which sparked a conversation about the small HAL crew world.  I learned from the Sommelier that he is alone and filling the role of three supposed to be on this class ship.

As the Deck 2 MDR was closing, I approached the Club Orange podium and ISSA's face broke into a huge smile as she recognized me from all of the Late Snack menus she had printed for me last year on the Zuiderdam and my commendations for her support.  Seeing her again this cruise and again in October keeps reinforcing that cruising for me is also about meeting amazing crew members.

[Crew News]

Miscellaneous Items:

• Casino has no smoking permitted areas.
• Drydock will be in December.
• Confirmed three Gala Nights
• Guest Services says large Mariner luncheon this cruise.
• The Mariner reception had NO peanuts.
• There are no passenger hand washing stations in the Lido Market but there are hand sanitizers at the entrance and crew members encouraging their use.
• Two Canaletto meals so far with neither exceeding 55 minutes.
• Morning laundry turn-in returned five hours later.

 

Tomorrow is Kodiak with heavy rain predicted and 25 mph winds.  My small watercraft excursion should be a real hoot.  I am glad my camera is weather resistant.  The excursion ends at 2:30 PM but with the buses occupied with school children, a bus ride back to the ship is delayed until 4:30 PM.  A 20-minute walk in heavy rain is the alternative for returning to the ship.

 

More later.

[igar39]

We had booked a NA cruise Dec. 9-16. Got notice from HAL that it was cancelled.  No explanation.

Your mention of a drydock in December must be the reason.  I hope that doesn't impact the cruise we booked for Dec. 16-23.  Any thoughts on this?

[canadianbear]

Shame about the weather in Kodiak.  Our son & his wife did a float plane tour there a few years back.  They ended up being the only 2 that showed up and the pilot gave them a wonderful tour.  Got great photos of the bears plus a nice fly over of the ship.  
 

Enjoying your posts as usual! 

[POA1]

Sorry to hear about your internet issues, but very glad to hear from you. I was starting to get worried!

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

Sorry to hear about your internet issues, but very glad to hear from you. I was starting to get worried!

The internet connection to my laptop lasted no more that 1-2 consecutive minutes on this ship but when i gave the hotspot idea a try, I was surprised.  It must be an antenna capture difference between a phone and a laptop.  Later today in Kodiak, I will give my portable router a try and use the tips you have been posting over the years.

[Crew News]

A piece of paper was just slid under my door and now my small boat excursion for today is cancelled due to weather (heavy rain and 33 mph winds).  My quest for those elusive puffins will just have to wait until this same cruise next year.