LIVE - Legendary Alaska - 28 days with The Inside Cabin - Westerdam

[lcand1923]

Re Dutch Harbor:

I spoke with the young lady selling shuttle tickets.  She said HAL reached out to them late on Friday to arrange transportation.  She said they did the best they could at that late date,

 

I think this is why HAL did not have their usual Shore-Side Staff.  Someone in Seattle dropped the ball on arranging transportation, shore excursions, placement of gangways, etc., so they wanted to distance themselves from the non-standard HAL arrangements at Dutch Harbor.

I happened to be following a couple at the gangway.   The gentleman used a cane and was definitely mobility challenged.  I was very concerned that he would fall on the gangway, as were the young men standing at it.  His trip took about 5 minutes because the gangway was so steep.

 

I’m sure the Seattle office has heard plenty about Dutch Harbor and will straighten things out for future cruises.  The area is beautiful and definitely worth a visit.

 

 

 

 

 

[mwj]

17 minutes ago, lcand1923 said:

I’m sure the Seattle office has heard plenty about Dutch Harbor and will straighten things out for future cruises.  The area is beautiful and definitely worth a visit.

One has to wonder about this statement. HAL had eighteen months to make arrangements for Dutch Harbor as the cruise went on sale Dec 2022 ...

[oaktreerb]

2 hours ago, mwj said:

One has to wonder about this statement. HAL had eighteen months to make arrangements for Dutch Harbor as the cruise went on sale Dec 2022 ...

 Our cultural ambassador from Sitka said she had been contacted two weeks prior to joining the ship.  The featured books in the library are about Japan.  I think the HAL Alaska itinerary planning staff at HAL has really dropped the ball on this legendary cruise!

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Today, we were cruising through ice fields en route to the Arctic Circle.   Unfortunately, our speed was so slow that we couldn't get all the way to the Arctic Circle and still make Nome.   The Arctic Circle Crossing was cancelled.  We are proceeding directly to Nome.

 

The Captain said that while ice was expected, the quantity exceeded their expectations, requiring slower speeds for longer than planned.

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

31 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

 Our cultural ambassador from Sitka said she had been contacted two weeks prior to joining the ship.  The featured books in the library are about Japan.  I think the HAL Alaska itinerary planning staff at HAL has really dropped the ball on this legendary cruise!

 

HAL could have communicated better what the Unalaska Visitor Bureau (UVB) set up. I emailed back and forth with the UVB director, and she said they reached out to HAL with information about the expected services well in advance. I'm not sure why we only received sketchy information the evening before.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tonight's menu

 

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Just read another HAL posting, that a HAL ship canceled all 3 ports in Greenland due to heavy ice. We are not alone.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

CABIN CRAWL AND CAKE ME AWAY

JUNE 17, 2024

Click "Show More Posts" to show all the links to the other posts for the 2024 Legendary Alaska

Show More Posts

 

We explore some other cabins and feast on cake enroute to Unalaska

CABIN CRAWL

A cabin crawl is where guests tour various cabins to see the different categories. This is also a chance to learn the ways that guests can organize their cabins or create more storage space.

Cabin crawls are typically organized on the Cruise Critic Roll Call before the cruise. However, not all cruises offer a Cabin Crawl.

NOTE: Cruise Critic is a website focused on cruising that provides a forum for people on the same cruise to exchange ideas, shore excursions and other information prior to a cruise. If you are not already familiar with Cruise Critic – it’s a wonderful resource – Check it out HERE.

Today’s Cabin Crawl had over 40 participants, and we visited seven different cabins:  10024, 7070, 7055, 6117, 6001, 5058 and 4183. This included cabins in every category, from Neptune suites to inside cabins.

Three cabins that were of particular interest to me had rare features in their category and are usually in high demand.

Inside Cabin 10024. This is an inside cabin on Deck 10 with a window!  While the window looks onto the jogging track, it is a natural light source. There are two cabins with this feature on VISTA class ships. 10024 and 10021

This inside cabin – 10024 –  it has a window!

 

Ocean View Cabin 6001: The ocean view cabin is all the way forward, with the window facing forward across the bow as opposed to the port or starboard side. There are two cabins with this feature on VISTA class ships. 6001 and 6002

6001 has a forward-facing ocean view Close up of the view from 6001

 

Aft-facing verandah—4183.  These cabins are about the same size as other verandah cabins, except the deck is HUGE!

Aft decks are huge, but it’s a long way to the World Stage

 

I have sailed in every cabin category except a Pinnacle Suite – but I always go on cabin crawls. I can pick up a storage tip or learn about some cabin quirk. Plus, it’s a great way to meet new friends!

CAKE ME AWAY

The cake buffet just after it opened Here is a list of the different cakes

 

Many Holland America Cruises will have a Cake Extravaganza at some point during the cruise. Today at 11:30 am in the Lido Market, the station that normally serves salads during lunch was converted into a cake buffet with over 20 types of cake ready to enjoy. On the Grand World Voyage, the entire LIDO was converted into a Cake Buffet that lasted several hours. Check out the video of that event HERE.

Our cakes coming up!

 

WORLD STAGE

Emily Viancourt, from Cleveland, Ohio, was on the world stage this evening. She has a powerful voice and puts on a great show. Her set list included:

– Get Happy by Judy Garland
– Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love) by Eydie Gormé
– It’s a Good Day by Peggy Lee
– Someone to Watch Over Me by Ella Fitzgerald
– Unforgettable by Nat King Cole
– Stuff Like That There by The King Sisters
– The Man That Got Away by Judy Garland
– Don’t Rain on My Parade by Barbra Streisand
– Almost Like Being in Love from the musical Brigadoon

Emily Viancourt Emily Viancourt

[The-Inside-Cabin]

On 6/19/2024 at 8:00 AM, bluesplayer said:

Thank you for posting your reviews.  This long cruise to Alaska sounds amazing.  No idea HA had an itinerary like this.  You learn a lot here!  Odd question..  I see many nights they have “salmon bowls”..  are these served hot or cold?  They sound good!!

Salmon Bowl on the menu tonight.   I'll check it out. 
 

 

[VermeulT]

42 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

RIJSTAFEL!!!!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Here is the dinner report - I was expecting salmon chunks mixed. In with rice and veggies.   Not simply  salmon filet served on a bed of rice in a "bowl" 

 

 

close up 

 

 

 

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Had a nice time in Nome 

 

One pic now - more later

 

 

 

Here is my tip for taking tourist photos in front of large objects - like the Nome sign

 

Many people will pose next to the large object and take a picture like the one above.

 

I recommend - move the person closer to the camera - the large object is the same size, but the person of interest is much larger and easier to see.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22 by The-Inside-Cabin

[0106]

2 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

 

Here is the dinner report - I was expecting salmon chunks mixed. In with rice and veggies.

 

You can see why I ask for extra vegetables!

 

Thank you for this excellent thread.

[DonnyD-JJ]

@The-Inside-Cabin  thank you for that photo tip. I have plenty of those small people big object pictures. 🤣🤣🤣

[SeaMatesNYC]

3 hours ago, 0106 said:

You can see why I ask for extra vegetables!

 

Thank you for this excellent thread.

It’s clear the kitchen has no idea what a “bowl” dish is. Perhaps they need to consult the picture book of how to plate this?

[SilvertoGold]

8 minutes ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

It’s clear the kitchen has no idea what a “bowl” dish is. Perhaps they need to consult the picture book of how to plate this?

Thanks to Pete for the photos of the "bowl". On the Noordam we had a similar piece of salmon, some white rice and a lot of (possibly) stir-fried veggies. Each of the ships/chefs seem to do it their own way. There were a few on the menu over the weeks we were onboard, with slightly different descriptions.

[bluesplayer]

6 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Here is the dinner report - I was expecting salmon chunks mixed. In with rice and veggies.   Not simply  salmon filet served on a bed of rice in a "bowl" 

 

 

 

Thank you for your rice bowl research and sacrifice.   Hope you were able to stop by the Lido before it closed.  May work with vegetables and a hefty appetizer. Enjoying your posts!  Much thanks 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Another day - another Salmon bowl. 
 

let's see what happens!  

 

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

11 hours ago, 0106 said:

You can see why I ask for extra vegetables!

 

Thank you for this excellent thread.

This is not at all what I expected for Salmon Bowl 😁

[LAFFNVEGAS]

30 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Another day - another Salmon bowl. 
 

let's see what happens!  

 

 

I looked at this, this morning on my Navigator App and said I would order strictly off the Starters lol, Starting with Bay Shrimp Cobb, then the Smoked Duck, Five Onion Cream Soup, then end with the Hazelnut Crusted Brie for Dessert 😉

[The-Inside-Cabin]

For next years Legendary Alaska cruisers 

 

[oaktreerb]

28 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

For next years Legendary Alaska cruisers 

 

It’s taken 48 hours to get our clean laundry back to us,  Most people on this cruise will have a laundry package.  We’re keeping the laundry staff busy!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tonight's salmon bowl as served 

 

after I "fixed" it. 
 

 

[SharonN]

50 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

It’s taken 48 hours to get our clean laundry back to us,  Most people on this cruise will have a laundry package.  We’re keeping the laundry staff busy!

And there's a shortage of Laundry Bags. We've been told they're only stocked enough for 7 day cruises. Our poor room steward has to keep trying to find us one since we like to send ours out daily. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We have been getting these Lindt chocolates for the last 5 days or do.   Every night.  No more HAL squares chocolates.  

 

HAL now partnered with Lindt 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/news/2024/June/news-062024-lindt-partnership