Nieuw Amsterdam Review
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My husband and I traveled to Alaska in August 2017. We are a couple in our early 30s with no children; we are very active and passionate about food. Our cruise to Alaska was our first cruise, and we chose HAL because it seemed to be a good fit for our interests. We also have always wanted to see Alaska as a destination
EMBARKATION
We live in Vancouver, so getting to the cruise ship terminal wasn't an issue. We weren't sure what to expect, but the terminal in Vancouver is straight forward. We arrived about an hour and a half before the scheduled embarkation time, and it went very smoothly. Check-in and customs was similar to an airport, and we were briefly seated in a holding area while we waited to board. The crew served drinks and snacks, and booked dining for the evening while we waited.
Cabin Review
Large Spa Ocean-View Stateroom
Port Reviews
Vancouver
We live here -- there's no place like home!
Make sure you get out of the immediate cruise-ship area. There's also the commuter train that will take you right to the airport and is steps from the cruise-ship area. Don't be afraid to ask for help or directions - Vancouverites are friendly!
Juneau
This is definitely one of the larger cruise ports - so if you're willing to be a bit adventurous you can get out of town and see some of the beautiful Alaskan scenery. We took a bus (only $2!) out to the airport to pick up our rental car. From there we drove the Alaskan highway and stopped at the Shrine of St. Therese, the patron saint of Alaska. This was one of the most incredible points of our trip -- offering a peaceful place to walk around, view the scenery, and reflect -- a big difference than on a bustling cruise ship.
We also went to the Mendenhall glacier visitors centre ourselves -- again, do yourself a favour and skip the bus excursions. On our day in Juneau, there were 3 other ships in port and a ton of people at the visitor centre all at one time, which makes it almost impossible to enjoy the visitor's centre as is.
Glacier Bay
If you are lucky enough to have your ship sail in, do yourself a favour and head out on deck to appreciate the natural beauty of an area that is only accessible via boat or plane.