We just returned from HAL's 1st cruise into Glacier Bay this year aboard the Amsterdam. Having read reviews and comments from others prior to the cruise I had a definite set of expectations but the reality far exceeded them. The 1st night out we encountered rough seas with waves about 12ft. I spent most of the night trying to locate and stops the noises in our stateroom. From that point on it was smooth sailing. The weather throughout the cruise was outstanding, which is very unusual for this time of year. even Ketichkan had good weather.

Food aboard the Amsterdam ranged from 5-star quality to mediocre at best. The Pinnacle Grill is very well worth the $20 per person charge and I would highly recommend it to everyone. Food in the MDR ranged from average banquet fare to very good with our final dinner being the best. Canaletto was a real disappointment. The food was, frankly, lousy. My wife had the lasagna which looked like leftovers from the MDR the night before and tasted worse. The service in every venue was superb and I was impressed by the staff, all of whom remembered my name from the 1st day!

Glacier Bay was an experience of a lifetime. What a beautiful and peaceful place! I would also highly recommend the Best of Juneau by Land and Sea shore excursion. Although it was not intended to be a whale watching tour we were immersed in orcas as we sailed among 2 pods of these magnificent creatures, including a newborn with its face still bright red. Read more