Oosterdam Review
Absolutely Marvelous Cruise Tour with Holland America on the Oosterdam
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Additional details
We began our cruise tour in Fairbanks. I must say that the land and sea portion were done very well by Holland. We stayed at the Westmark in Fairbanks, the McKinley Chalet and the Westmark in Anchorage. All of the accommodations were very comfortable and well maintained. We had good service and good food if you eat in their places that are available. Loved the Riverboat tour and lunch tour in Fairbanks. The wilderness tundra tour in Denali was fantastic! Some our group enjoyed white water rafting in Denali. Transportation from Fairbanks to Denali was on a coach, had a great driver and guide. The ride on the McKinley express from Denali to Anchorage was such a great and fun train ride. The ride from Anchorage to Seward was alright, a very long ride and it is not very comfortable. Make note on the train rides you are assigned a seat or table to sit at. Make sure that you go out and stand on the outside platforms, it is a lot fun!
Once we boarded the ship in Seward we had two days to cruise and relax and one of the days we enjoyed the amazing National Glacier Bay Park. We attended some of the on board ship activities, many to choose from. Then we had 3 straight days of ports. Loved all 3 ports--Haines (took the fast ferry to Skagway for the day), Juneau and Ketchikan.
The food on the ship on the lido deck, main dining room were very good. We ate at the Pinnacle grill, it was alright. We had the drink package included which was a very nice addition. This included coffee, hot cocoa, soda, beer, wine and mixed drinks. Entertainment on the ship was very good--singers, dancers, comedian, illusionist, bands, and piano player. We had no problem with embarkation or disembarkation.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
Our cabin was located on deck 5 mid ship. The life boats are right underneath our balcony but it did not interfere with our view at all. We had a beautiful full view straight out port side which I would recommend. We were able to see the lovely ports are we arrived and left. The cabin has plenty of storage and was very comfortable. Please make note, I brought a power strip to use since I was going to charge phones and camera batteries. It came in very handy. They do provide a hairdryer, soap, shampoo and conditioner. But, I brought my own, a personal choice. Also when you unpack, your suit cases can go under the bed for storage. This room is comfortable for 2 people, 3 would have been tight. But it could work. Loved having the balcony to enjoy the fresh air and being able to sit and enjoy the views. Got some great sunrise and sunset pictures from my balcony.
Port Reviews
Vancouver
Loved the city of Vancouver. We booked tours with a local company a tour called Sea to Sky tour for a day and we also took a 4 hour city tour of Vancouver. Both tours were really good. Others traveled to Victoria for a day, they loved their tour. Vancouver is a lovely clean and safe city. We enjoyed walking along the water front, eating at some downtown restaurants and shopping. Be sure to go to Stanley park and Granville Island.
Ketchikan
We booked tours independently. Some of our group enjoyed a tour of the town and seeing the Saxmen totem pole park. The others had a great time going on a sea float plane ride over the Misty Fjords. Everyone enjoyed strolling around the town and shopping.
Juneau
We booked a whale watch and trip to Mendenhall Glacier independently. We had a fantastic time seeing humpbacks, orcas, harbor seals, sea lions and eagles. Loved seeing Mendenhall Glacier. Enjoyed eating at Tracy's crab Shack, strolling around the town and shopping.
Skagway
We booked an independent excursion. They drove us up the Klondike highway into Canada to Carcross and Emerald Lake. We saw beautiful views and lakes, visited the town of Carcross, and saw the smallest desert. It was an amazing day enjoyed by all.