hugoal

Exciting dog sledding experience! Thanks for sharing! And how's the trip at glacier bay?

I am curious which route the Noordam takes from glacier bay to Ketchikan?

Through the Chatham strait in the east? Or take the westward rout around Sitka island?

If it takes the sails west from glacier bay, can you see the glacier at Taylor's Bay on your way out?

Have a wonderful day at Ketchikan!

Thanks a lot for the update and wish you a wonderful day at Skagway!

HAL is all over the place with sit dining times. Some ships have early dining times of 5:15 -- Ryndam was one this past winter. Others have dinner times of 5:30 and 5:45.

In Alaska we have experienced dinner times of 5:30 and 5:45.

No consistency.

I see.

Not a huge difference but 5:45 is a lot more reasonable IMHO.

Thx!

Just a bit confused about the dining time. Thought the early dining is 5:30. Did HAL just change that to 5:45? Or is it just for Alaska cruise?

More likely the later.

I see. Thanks a lot!

You will be going through in dark going north. at 10:30p approx-

 

 

 

going south- maybe 5:40p (but not likely) likely - 11:20p

Hi Budget Queen:

According to the tide schedule for May 29, is it likely that my ship will get to the narrow on 6:20pm low slack tide on the southbound trip? (It would leave Ketchikan on 6pm the previous day) or is it more likely to get through it at 1:10am high slack tide?

We where on the Coral Princess on May 2,2015. We left at 4pm and passed thru Seymour Narrows at 11 30pm. Coming south we passed thru at 7 30pm.

 

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Thanks for the info!

OK - yesterday the NCL Pearl left Vancouver for Juneau. She left Vancouver around 4:30 PM. When I went to bed at Midnight she had yet to reach Campbell River. At 7:00AM this morning she is just exiting Johnstone Strait and is near Port Hardy. Running her AIS track back she went through the narrows around 2:00 AM. It looked like for the most part she was making around 10 kn. As others here have mentioned they must go through the narrows around the tides.

 

It has been many years now but on our first AK cruise in 02 we left Seattle on the NCL Sky and we cruised up the inside of the island - that was the standard route - I believe that we did Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, Seattle.

Thanks! And have a wonderful trip!

Listen for the cpt. announcement, which should double as a welcome aboard. they usually mention when they go through the narrows. Slack tide is about an hour of the high and low.

 

 

 

Depending on your sightseeing preferences, being up real early the your second day- 1/2 before the dawn time, is excellent for scenery and possible wildlife.

Get up early in the morning is a good idea! Need to struggle for that, though[emoji23]

You'll only pass during high or low tide but never in between . We just did two passes thru the narrows . Our northbound was around 10PM. Coming south we passed thru at 7:30PM.

Current in the narrows is too great for ships to handle.

Thanks for the info! 730 is perfect! When did you leave Ketchikan southbound?

Booked a RT Vancouver cruise to Alaska on 23 - 30 this May. Wondering whether we'd be able to make it through Seymour Narrows in daylights...

Checked charts with the following info:

May 23: 9:24 PM high-tide; 1:52 AM low-tide. (HAL ship scheduled to depart on 5 PM)

May 29: 6:21 PM low-tide; 1:39 AM high-tide.

Can anyone help me speculate what would be the most likely time the cruise ship would pass the Narrow?

It'd be great if we can make it 9:24 PM on May 23, but is it almost impossible for the ship to rush to that point in 4-hour's time?

6:21 PM on May 29 would also be nice as we'll have lots of sunlight, but, again, is it possible for the ship to make it there that early (it departs from Ketchiken on 6PM the day before); and I heard that they prefer high-tide.

Or if we are to pass the narrow during the mid-nights for both days...:eek::eek::eek:

I strongly recommend an aft facing cabin for Alaska. We have had one on our last 2 Alaska cruises and booked one for Alaska next year as soon as we were able to book. It is difficult to have any other type of balcony for Alaska once you have experienced the aft.

 

 

 

Diane

Couldn't wait!

How about glacier bay? How's the view from the aft?

Thanks for the replies!

Haven't seen any info or menu about Canaletto for lunch time. Just wondering what it would be like for lunch...is it the same menu as the dinner? Or is it closed in lunch time? Or is it part of the lido buffet and open seating at that time? Any ideas?

The fastest speed I noted on our Holland America Line TV was 18 knots. I think the ships are capable of a lot more but go slower to save fuel.

Thx cruise news! That sounds to be a more enjoyable speed.

I also picked an aft verandah for our Alaska cruise this May. Want to see both sides while stay away from the side wins as it could still be pretty cold in May.

BTW I saw comments about vibrations in those spots when the ship is traveling at full speed. Is that normal for Alaska cruises to travel at 20+ nods?

Thanks everyone for the valuable inputs! I've just called Hal to reserve a window table and hope everything will work out well[emoji3]

As an early diner, I enjoy photographing the sunsets that I would not be able to do during Late Dining. Attending an early show allows me to work on my days photographs, to retire at 11:00 PM, and be well rested for the early port arrivals the next day.

Sounds like a plan[emoji41]

You can ask for a specific table but there are no guarantees that you'll get it. You can probably search for a MDR plan here on CC. If you can't find one, try googling Noordam dining room layout. There's a very good website (that can't be named) with one. Incidentally, there are more window tables than I thought. I guess I've been on the smaller ships where I've requested specific tables. I personally like the ones at the aft, over the wake.

Yes I got one from the website you mentioned. Very useful place with tons of facts! Am really grateful to those built and contributed to it!

Actually, early seating is the most popular on the Alaskan cruises. Remember too that Alaska being far north; it's stays light until 9-10PM and you'll have all morning and afternoon to view the scenery. If you concerned about missing the scenery during dinner see if you can snag a table by the window; but as I recall from my Alaskan cruise all you could see are the lights from the shoreline and sea when sailing the inside passage. Nothing that would require switching to late seating. If you in general prefer to eat early - then stick with what you got. But if on the first and last days you prefer to eat late you could either make reservations in one of the specialty dining rooms or eat in the Lido cafe.

Thanks! I was told by Hal online representative that early dinning is in general more popular. We also want to walk around the promenade deck in day light after the dinner. That's why we prefer early although late is also ok for us.

We prefer fixed Late Seating for dinner on all of our cruises.

 

 

 

We never seem to have to rush getting ready for dinner meanwhile missing a sail-away. If we get hungry earlier we order room service snacks, drop by the Lido for snacks or maybe even grab some pizza to hold us over until dinner.

 

 

 

Late Dinner is normally over around 9:30 or so and that's time enough for us to do something afterwards like the piano bar, BB King show or just relax in the Ocean Bar. :)

Emmm.... I will seriously consider late dinning as well.

Depending upon traffic in Vancouver, you may be tight for sailaway, but equally you might well be out into the Burrard Inlet by the time 5:30 rolls around.

 

 

 

On day 2, you have no problem--you wake up well past Johnston Strait and you're heading for Rupert by the time you dine.

 

 

 

On day 3 you're at Juneau, and you don't leave until 10. Nothing to miss.

 

 

 

On day 4 you're at Skagway, and you don't leave until 9. Ditto.

 

 

 

On day 5 you'll leave Glacier Bay by 4, and be heading out Icy Strait towards the Gulf of Alaska--you're bigger issue is going to be dressed in time, because this'll be your second formal night.

 

 

 

On day 6 you'll be just leaving Ketchikan as you're sitting down to dinner. This is the only other day that you might miss some scenery.

 

 

 

On day 7, you'll be approaching Queen Charlotte Strait by dinner time, but you will have plenty of daylight to see your approach to Johnston Strait, so it makes no difference when you choose to eat.

Thanks for this Amazing list!

Btw what's the approximate time the ship approach Johnston straight?

If you're sticking with fixed dining, call NOW to try to get a table by the window. You will not be able to request such a table once onboard, unless you go with open seating. There aren't many tables by the window.

Ooops I didn't know I can book a specific table before we board. Thanks a lot for the information!

Thanks everyone for the prompt and insightful advises!

I think I'll try to reserve a table near the window after with board the ship, and if we cannot get one, we would dine at the LIDO for those inside passage nights.:cool:

Hugo

Never cruised to Alaska before. Booked the May 23rd RT Vancouver on Noordam with a group of 4, and reserved a table for 4 at Early Dinning, as we preferred to have a fixed dinning time.

Now I am wondering if we are gonna miss some very good scenery because of this? Especially on the first and last night that sail through the inside passage. Should we switch to the late dinning? Or is it worth it to skip the MDR on those two nights and stay at the LIDO buffet for dinner?

Any advice?