This was our first Alaska cruise and first on HAL. We have also sailed on Carnival and NCL. Decided to splurge on a Neptune Suite. Reviews from others were so helpful so thought I would add my experience.
Departure was from Vancouver. We arrived a day early and stayed at the Pan Pacific hotel which is attached to Canada Place. Hotel was nice but expensive. Bought the package with meal voucher. ...
My first cruise. Staff was very accommodating. If I needed something, or had a question, they were very helpful. So much so, I did leave a nice 'thank you' card, and tip. From the time I embarked, to the time I disembarked, all my needs were met.
The food, oh my goodness, what can I say about the food. So much. Masses of food. I had breakfast brought to my room each morning, but the ...
We traveled with our son, his wife and their 10 year old children. We booked through Costco Travel. I was very happy with their service and availability. When we saw a price decrease, they secured onboard credits. We ended up using those for quench drink packages for the kids, to pay our daily gratuities, for specialty dining and for some souvenirs.
We found boarding a bit disorganized and ...
This was our first cruise, so we started with a big one. First about the ship; it was the perfect size for us. We were not traveling with children, so we were not concerned about having a lot of high-energy activities on board. There were plenty of things to do onboard during sea days, and of course the main thing was to be out on the decks enjoying the beauty of Alaska.
We really enjoyed each ...
This was our first Holland America cruise. This was our second trip to Alaska. The first trip to Alaska was on Celebrity and we did the land plus cruise experience. This trip was cruise only. Initially, the reason we selected Holland America was the fact that they are one of very few lines that can cruise Glacier Bay. (Celebrity does not). When it is simply my wife and I we have tended to ...
This is our first HAL Cruise, and I’m sold. My wife and I have been on just about every cruise line, but finally we have found our niche. Holland offers everything I want. The ship is spotless, the crew most hospitable and professional. The services on the ship from dining to cabin service top notch. For those who are concerned, there are multiple closets and under-bed drawers that are very large. ...
We are 5 star mariners and cruised on this ship 10 times in past 3 years. Went to Kodiak but when arrived sea was too rough to board the port pilot so went on to Anchorage. For 6 hours we had a 70mph side wind with difficulty walking in our Neptune Suite. Interesting experience as no rocking back and forth so no seasick passengers. Rest of cruise was normal with normal ports and good weather. ...
Day Before Embarkation
Traveling with me for this cruise was my wife, Mrs. Klutch, her sister and my mom and dad. (Mom and Dad are mid-70s. The rest of us are mid-50s.) We flew into Vancouver airport and caught a cab to the Vancouver Airport Marriott. This is a nice, clean hotel in a nice area. Cab fare was about $50.00; well worth it to get the five of us and luggage to the hotel.
We had ...
This was our 3rd cruise with Holland America and our second on the Koningsdam, and first to Hawaii. It was a test run of a longer cruise with more sea days, with splendid results: we loved the sea days, and the tour around the Hawaiian islands was a lot of fun.
We booked an inside cabin and a Retreat cabana, rather than a Veranda room. We were happy with the inside cabin, which was roomy, ...
We chose this cruise since it was billed as a Big Game Cruise with a Slot Tournament. We didn't book for the Itinerary as we'd been to most of these places before. We booked at a casino rate in an Oceanview cabin. Since we had a room with no balcony we decided to rent a cabana in the Retreat so we could be outside when we wanted to be in our own area. This turned out to be wonderful. Two weeks ...