Amsterdam Review
Rating by category
Additional details
The Amsterdam is a smaller ship of 1400 people and we sailed to Alaska for two weeks. The weather was mostly very good. We had a Vista Suite which was more than adequate. The cabin stewards were wonderful. We booked several excursions through Holland America and they were all very well done. We ate the majority of our meals in the main dining room at the 8 pm seating and had absolutely no issues at all. The meals were all excellent and I do not see any reason to pay a surcharge to go to the specialty restaurants.
The entertainment was mostly very good. The HAL singers and dancers were some of the most talented that we have seen on any cruise ship (we have sailed Disney, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian). Jim Curry did a tribute to John Denver and did an excellent job. Amy Lee was a violinist who was very talented. We particularly like America's Test Kitchen with Kathleen. She demonstrated various menus and dishes throughout the cruise. We picked up some great hints and recipes. We really felt that Holland America was a step above the cruises that we have previously been on. However, we still feel strongly that Disney presents the best entertainment. I would urge you to do this two week Alaskan itinerary, we saw whales, bear, eagles, otters and orcas. The embarkation and debarkation were excellent and very well organized. Seattle was an excellent pre and post cruise city.
Cabin Review
Verandah Suite
Our cabin was 6186 a Vista Suite with Verandah. It was more than adequate and was serviced very well by our Steward Tommy and his assistant. We had bathrobes, a set of binoculars and an umbrella. The pillows were very soft and the beds were extremely comfortable. The bathroom had a jetted tub and shower and adequate sink space and shelves. The room had more than adequate closets and bureaus for storage. The balcony was large and had a lounge chair and a regular chair. I would recommend a balcony in Alaska since there is so much wildlife and scenery to see throughout the cruise
Port Reviews
Seattle
We stayed at both the Hyatt and the Four Seasons. Both hotels were excellent. The Four Seasons is more pricey but worth it. The Hyatt is an easy walk to the Pike Market and the Waterfront and is an excellent hotel as well
Ketchikan
We love this port. We shopped at the various stores and went up to Creek Street to see the Salmon.
Anchorage
We expected more from this stop. There were some stores for shopping but not as many as we thought there would be. Cruise line provided a free shuttle downtown.
Homer
We did the Best of the Bay cruise. This was excellent. We saw seals, puffins, eagles and Orca Whales. The captain and her crew did a great job.
Kodiak
This was a rainy port with very little to do. There was a crafters fair where we purchased a few things and a cute port.
Sitka
Loved Sitka, a nice little town with quite a bit of shopping. We enjoyed seeing the Russian church and Russian Bishop's house.