Just got off 14 day Great Alaskan Explorer - Ask me anything!

I am on the 7/3 Amsterdam Alaska cruise as well. This is the notification I received for embarkation day from HA.

 

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION:

 

 

We would like to provide you with important information regarding your sailing.

 

 

To enhance the check-in and boarding experience, we ask that guests arrive at

 

 

the terminal based on the following times. Guests who have booked a transfer or

 

 

hotel package with Holland America will be provided a check-in time at the

 

 

airport or hotel.

 

 

1:00 PM - Deck 6 & Deck 7 (Verandah & Navigation)

 

 

1:30 PM - Deck 3 (Lower Promenade)

 

 

2:00 PM - Deck 2 (Main)

 

 

2:30 PM - Deck 1 (Dolphin)

 

 

We invite our 4 and 5 Star Mariners, Pinnacle and Neptune Suite guests to

 

 

arrive anytime between 12:30 P.M. and 3:00 P.M. Boarding will commence shortly

 

 

after check in. All guests must be onboard 1 hour prior to sailing. We

 

 

appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and look forward to welcoming

 

 

you onboard.

Just curious, did you book your cruise directly with HAL? Also are you from the US or other country?

We received that email too, about 2 weeks before sailing. I think I saw in another thread that HAL has been sending it out for some time but so far it is merely a suggestion. If it were enforced no one would board before 12:30 at all. Which was not our experience.

 

For us, the email specified deck 6, 1PM. We arrived shortly after 11:00am, were checked in by 11:30 and nothing was said about waiting. When boarding began about 11:50 everyone in the terminal was boarded without an attempt to hold anyone back by deck or Mariner status.

 

Our cabin was ready and waiting when we got to it. They had even delivered items ordered in advance.

 

~marc

Thanks for all the excellent information, Marc. One last question, was the Cellar Master's dinner offered on your cruise? That was one of the highlights of the Zaandam Hawaii cruise.

Thanks for all the excellent information, Marc. One last question, was the Cellar Master's dinner offered on your cruise? That was one of the highlights of the Zaandam Hawaii cruise.

You are welcome. :)Yes, Cellar Master dinner was offered one night, sometime in the second week, if I recall correctly.

~marc

Thank you so much for this wonderful thread. We are using some of your info to plan for our July 17th sailing.

Annie

Where does the ship dock for Anchorage? Is it actually in Anchorage- can you walk around the dock area? Thank you.

Where does the ship dock for Anchorage? Is it actually in Anchorage- can you walk around the dock area? Thank you.

Anchorage is a commercial port without any cruise ship facilities such as a terminal building. Amsterdam has been there twice now (tomorrow will be #3) and has been assigned Berth #2, aka the Matson berth. There is no walking in the dock area and the port authorities will have free (full size) shuttle buses available (pick up adjacent the ship's gangway) that will drop you off near the Westmark Hotel and within walking distance of the Anchorage 5th street Mall, about a 15-min ride. along the way out, you'll pass the historic Anchorage railroad depot from where trains to Denali and Fairbanks depart. Be aware that the port of Anchorage is subject to extreme tidal fluctuations, which will affect both the angle of the gangway and the deck to gangway position

Anchorage is a commercial port without any cruise ship facilities such as a terminal building. Amsterdam has been there twice now (tomorrow will be #3) and has been assigned Berth #2, aka the Matson berth. There is no walking in the dock area and the port authorities will have free (full size) shuttle buses available (pick up adjacent the ship's gangway) that will drop you off near the Westmark Hotel and within walking distance of the Anchorage 5th street Mall, about a 15-min ride. along the way out, you'll pass the historic Anchorage railroad depot from where trains to Denali and Fairbanks depart. Be aware that the port of Anchorage is subject to extreme tidal fluctuations, which will affect both the angle of the gangway and the deck to gangway position

Copper John,

My travel agent tells me that drop off/pick-up is definitely at the Egan Center.

There has been much conflicting information about this. I have relatives who live in Anchorage and plan to spend the day with them. Knowing where I will be would be helpful to them.

Copper John,

 

My travel agent tells me that drop off/pick-up is definitely at the Egan Center.

 

There has been much conflicting information about this. I have relatives who live in Anchorage and plan to spend the day with them. Knowing where I will be would be helpful to them.

Good afternoon RKA;

I walked by the Egan Center on 5th on the way to the Mall however, the drop off/pick up was on "G" Street along the rear parking lot of the Westmark

I took the same ship in 2010. It is too bad that Amsterdam did not go into Glacier Bay. The ride into and out provided many views of whales and was a highlight of the area. I do understand that licenses are getting hard for Glacier Bay, but they should put it back into the itinerary IMO.

Good afternoon,

We're on the July 3rd sailing. What can you tell us about internet packages? I know the connectivity isn't great at times but wondered about the packages offered.

Since I'm doing the Meet and Greet do you have the names of the senior officers so I can invite them (even though I'm aware that they probably will not come but I'd still like to issue the invitation).

Thank you!

Karen

I took the same ship in 2010. It is too bad that Amsterdam did not go into Glacier Bay. The ride into and out provided many views of whales and was a highlight of the area. I do understand that licenses are getting hard for Glacier Bay, but they should put it back into the itinerary IMO.

I have been fortunate to have visited on a cruise ship Glacier Bay, College Fjord, and Hubbard Glacier. I am looking forward to a return visit to Hubbard Glacier. My memories of my visit to/from Hubbard from the sea as well as the Glacier itself was more impressive than either of the other scenic areas.

It's a "too each his/her own" situation, I believe.

We were on the 6/22 trip on the Amsterdam. Wonderful ship, great trip. In response to the question about internet, you really don't need it (yes it's slow and expensive) since you'll have cell service in every American port. You can also get cell service on the way in and out of Victoria. We used our cell as a hotspot for our PC a few times, and otherwise depended on our phones for email, texting and browsing.

The shuttle in Anchorage drops off and picks up about a block from the mall. Convenient and frequent.

We saw lots of animals, whales (both species), otters,sea seals, brown bears, eagles, puffins, and more. One of the highlights was to see humpbacks bubble feeding, viewed from the Crow's nest.

We love Alaska, and would do this itinerary again in a heartbeat.

Echoing thanks too. We appreciate your input.

Will be going in July. Do you have any suggestions for Homer?

We were on the 6/22 trip on the Amsterdam. Wonderful ship, great trip. In response to the question about internet, you really don't need it (yes it's slow and expensive) since you'll have cell service in every American port. You can also get cell service on the way in and out of Victoria. We used our cell as a hotspot for our PC a few times, and otherwise depended on our phones for email, texting and browsing.

The shuttle in Anchorage drops off and picks up about a block from the mall. Convenient and frequent.

We saw lots of animals, whales (both species), otters,sea seals, brown bears, eagles, puffins, and more. One of the highlights was to see humpbacks bubble feeding, viewed from the Crow's nest.

We love Alaska, and would do this itinerary again in a heartbeat.

Thanks but I don't have a smart phone - I have a dumb one (and it's Tracfone so I'm charged by the minute and it doesn't work in Canada). I'm one of those "Dinosaurs" who isn't attached to my phone - some days it isn't even on. I know - I'm an oddball. However, I was interested in the internet pricing to see if they still had any of the packages. Last year it was $99.00 unlimited for a week which was nice. I'm almost hoping they don't because I spent too much time on my laptop instead of enjoying the views, etc. I do like to check email daily. However, I can live without it and do a text to my son when I'm in port. We love Alaska and this will be our 3rd time on this itinerary - love it!

Karen

Thanks for the review, it brought back some memories of what I think was our best cruise. We did this itinerary in 2012 and absolutely loved it! It really spoiled us for Alaska and Im not sure I'd do a 7 day itinerary again after doing this one!

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We were on the 6/22 trip on the Amsterdam. Wonderful ship, great trip. In response to the question about internet, you really don't need it (yes it's slow and expensive) since you'll have cell service in every American port. You can also get cell service on the way in and out of Victoria. We used our cell as a hotspot for our PC a few times, and otherwise depended on our phones for email, texting and browsing.

The shuttle in Anchorage drops off and picks up about a block from the mall. Convenient and frequent.

We saw lots of animals, whales (both species), otters,sea seals, brown bears, eagles, puffins, and more. One of the highlights was to see humpbacks bubble feeding, viewed from the Crow's nest.

We love Alaska, and would do this itinerary again in a heartbeat.

Did you any of this wildlife (other than whales) from the ship or was this on tours?

What time were you able to get of the ship in Juneau? It has port time from 8am-11pm, but I am wondering if you could actually get of the ship at 8am.

Did you any of this wildlife (other than whales) from the ship or was this on tours?

Hi Kathy, we saw whales, eagles, seals and an otter from the ship. In the Endicott Arm (we were diverted from Tracey Arm) we saw lots of seals sunning themselves on the icebergs. Super cute! Most of the animals we saw on tours though. We really enjoyed the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center outside Anchorage and the Sea Otter Quest in Sitka which got us up close to both sea otters and whales. Enjoy your cruise, I wish I was doing it all over again! ~Marc

Echoing thanks too. We appreciate your input.

 

Will be going in July. Do you have any suggestions for Homer?

Homer has a free shuttle that takes you to the very nearby Homer Spit which has a lot of restaurants and souvenir shops. 2nd option is what they call the Homer Hop on-Hop off bus. For $15 pp all day, It takes you to four different stops in town, i.e. restaurants, stores and the Pratt Museum which preserves the history of the Kachemak Bay region. Mind you, all these services are by yellow schoolbus

What time were you able to get of the ship in Juneau? It has port time from 8am-11pm, but I am wondering if you could actually get of the ship at 8am.

Docking in Juneau was really organized dockside and we were off right on schedule.

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Thanks for the review, it brought back some memories of what I think was our best cruise. We did this itinerary in 2012 and absolutely loved it! It really spoiled us for Alaska and Im not sure I'd do a 7 day itinerary again after doing this one!

 

 

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You're saying you would rather have a shorter cruise?

You're saying you would rather have a shorter cruise?

No Im saying it was so amazing that I don't think the 7 day Alaska itinerary will cut it anymore!

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Is there a daily newsletter that is delivered to the cabins each night? I heard somewhere they stopped doing that but hoping that is just a rumour.

Julia

Hi! Thanks the for the detailed review!

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