Ladyaruba

Thanks! If only one of us could get the package it would be worth it.

Think the card will be the best way to go for us.

neither hubby nor I drink soda, juice or fancy coffee.

He will have 2/3 cocktails to my one!

Thinking we may be better off getting drink cards instead of a package.

Opinions?

Also, is it worth it to get a bottle for your room? Thinking of late night drink on our balcony.

Check out this HAL document, 2017 ALASKALAND+SEAJOURNEY TIPS,

 

page 7 GRATUITIES DURING YOUR LAND+SEA JOURNEY

https://www.hollandamerica.com/assets/cruise-destinations/Tour_Tips.pdf

Thank you! I will print this out!

On board they will make an announcement as to when and where to get the tickets as it varies from vessel to vessel. And you can only get them once you are on the ship. One tip I would make is to get an early tender ticket. Even if you think you won't want to get off early, perhaps you'll change your mind the day of tendering. And you can use an early tender ticket for a later tender.

If we get tickets for each port all at once , then that is a good tip.

Thanks

Drink question

I am trying to decide whether to get the drink package or not. I don't drink very much but do see where both would have to get a package if in the same cabin. I know it also covers special coffees, water and soda. Neither of us drinks sofas or fancy coffee.

Hubby drinks Tanguery Gin. Would this Gin be in the $9 or $15 drink group?

Thank you

A tender ticket is a little plastic card with a number or other designation on it. They are used to queue up the passengers for an orderly disembarkation from the ship on the tender boats. For example, they might be numbered from 01 to 10. Over the PA system they would call out "Guests with tender ticket number 01 are free to board the tenders.".

 

If you want to get off the ship early, it's wise to get a low tender ticket number. Sometimes the 4 and 5 star Mariners have to get tender tickets as well.

Thank you for the quick response. Where do we get these tickets? If we don't have any specific tour time for a port, we wouldn't have to get off early.

My wife and I are experienced cruisers taking our first HAL cruise next August. It's the Viking Passage on the Zuiderdam, and we're quite excited about the itinerary!

 

I have a question about tender tickets, as we have several tender ports. From what I've read, high-star Mariners and perhaps others (suite guests?) get priority tender tickets. How does it work for the rest of us with no priority? E.g., do we line up somewhere to get tickets? Maybe the day before? Can I get the tickets for both of us or do we both need to be there? etc.

 

Thanks for any info and tips!

Pardon my ignorance (1st ever cruise in 2018) but what are tender tickets!

Thanks

Has anyone done the land and cruise trip from Fairbanks to Vancouver via HAL?

I know the tipping policy on the ship but not sure about the land portion.Any help would be appreciated or point me in the right direction for answers.

Thank you

We choose the HAL Noordam for our very first cruise! Alaska June 2018

Size was certainly a factor along with itinerary. We are not big party people so this sounded perfect for us.

Excited and nervous about the unknown!

Thanks. We are us citizens so knew we only need to clear customs on the way home. Just wasn't sure where we would do US Customs. Got it now.

Cruising from Anchorage to Vancouver BC.

Curious as to where we do customs. Canadian and US?

Thanks

Which would be better?

buying the Gin & tonic package on ship or just the Gin and pickup tonic at port.

They generally announce when rooms are ready. Usually sometime 13.30 (unless in a suite, which could be earlier)

 

In your carry-on you should have all your valuables, travel documents, medicine, swimming suit and change of clothes for dinner. Luggage can be delivered at anytime after you board and might not be at your cabin until after dinner.

 

You don't have to sit in your cabin waiting for your luggage. Also there will usually be a sit down restaurant open for lunch, nearly all crew will try and force you to go to the buffet. You need to post on your cruise line boards asking what venues are open for lunch. Have fun 😊

 

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Thanks! Will drop off carryon but not wait for luggage!

You will be packing them right.

What time cabins are ready depends on the ship. Latest is around 1:00-1:30, unless deep cleaning is being done.

 

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Thanks

Thanks for the help.

I ended up buying a combo backpack/carryon which is about the

side of the carryon I use whenever we go away. This should work great for what we need for the land portion of our trip plus port excursions where we might have to start shedding layers and will have a place to put them!

Seeing as how we will be doing a land trip before our cruise, I would assume we can rearrange our checked and carryon luggage the night before we board the ship. Some things we need for the land portion will not be needed when we first get on the ship.

Whenever we travel, I bring all paperwork, medications, electronics, some toiletries and a change of clothes for both of us in a carryon. I think I should add dinner attire for the first night also.

Does this sound about right?

Also what exactly happens when you get to the ship for checking in? How do you know when you room is available?

Thanks so much!

We don't do mix drinks -- but we buy a couple of bottles of alcohol for the cabin. They are 1 liter bottles. We enjoy sitting out on our verndah with a cocktail and people watch.

There are grocery stores in all those ports -- but keep in mind -- prices are higher in the Alaskan ports. You may to buy items like your tonic before the cruise and bring it onto the ship with you.

Thanks!

If your gin is $7.95 on the drink menu, you can get both tonic and lime. But wait! There's more! You can also get ice. ;)

Said it was a dumb question. Lol 😂

this may be dumb but if Gin is 7.95 does that mean a gin&tonic or Just the Gin?😄

Also, how easy is it to find soda/tonic & water at ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway?

Wondering if it would be worth it to get Gin for the room and pick up,tonic along the way?

Thanks from a first time cruiser!

.

My day in Anchorage began at 5:00 AM as luggage needed to be placed just inside the hotel room door at 6:00 AM. Another day of bright sunshine.

 

Without a breakfast voucher for the HAL Meal Plan, I stopped by the Coffee Shop for a breakfast burrito.

 

A huge tour bus pulled up to the curb and my luggage was brought out to the curb by the HAL Rep. Only three of us on the bus seemed like overkill to me. The Anchorage airport is covered with hundreds of private planes. When I asked the driver, I was told that many takeoff from the nearby lake.

 

Having TSA Pre Check made me the only one in line after dropping off my luggage at Alaska Airlines. After not paying for luggage with Southwest for so many years, it was a new experience coughing up $50 for my two pieces of luggage.

 

Arriving in Albuquerque and meeting 83 degrees at 11:45 PM was quite a change from the 42 degrees in Anchorage just a few hours earlier.

 

Yesterday, I completed my HAL Cruise Survey and questioned the electrical adapter issues I experienced, poor waitstaff at the Karstens House in Denali, no Express laundry service, and my luggage issues. Appropriate kudos for the Denali Canyon Steak House, Denali Air, my HAL Room Steward, Edwin, Glenn at the Front Desk, and the Lido Manager, Rifke.

 

I lost my spare pair of glasses in Denali as well as one pound of weight in spite of eating lots of great food and desserts for 12 days. After experiencing the HAL Denali Meal Plan, I cannot recommend it. The box lunch in Denali was not very good, lunch on Day 2 was not included, breakfast in Anchorage was not included, and only some of the restaurants in the Captain Cook not accepted the Meal Plan vouchers.

 

In summary, I enjoyed the HAL experience and interaction with crew members I have known on previous cruises, interaction with my fellow passengers in the Lido Market, great excursions, good food (no Room Service this cruise), good weather, small Mariner Reception with all present getting a photo with the Captain, swift MDR service, Land Journey HAL staff efficiency, flying above the clouds in Denali, watching wolves enjoying lunch, bears with cubs, moose, Ketchikan Crab Feast, speedy embarkation, and the HAL hospitality.

 

Next cruise on the Veendam, Dec 2018.

 

I have completed updating my website with new Lido Market, MDR, Late Snack, Canaletto, Pinnacle Grill Dinner, PG and MDR Breakfast Menu, Room Service Breakfast Cards, and Bar Menus. In addition, new beverage packages, When & Where dailies, and Shops liquor prices are posted:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/

Looking at the bar prices. If Tanguery Gin is 7.95 does that mean a gin& tonic or is it more for the tonic? 😄

My wife and I did this itinerary on a different cruise line a couple of years ago. We enjoyed it very much and didn't experience any rough seas at all. Sea legs is an expression that means that you get adjusted to the motion of the ship. The ship we were on was about the same size as the one you are going on and we were very comfortable with very little rocking. Don't worry. Be happy. You're going on a cruise to Alaska. It's amazing!!!

 

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Thanks Jim! Will spend some time looking at the site!

Thanks everyone. I planned in checking with my DR but wasn't sure if anything was needed!

Going on the noordam from Seward to Vancouver June 2018. Do a lot of people get sea sick?

Any suggestions or ideas other than Bonine?

I have also heard about "sea legs"! How is that?

What I mean is, the cruiseline only sells ALL OR NOTHING. They price it by the day but they sell it by the cruise. And you're probably not on the ship all the days... although you MIGHT be back on the ship by Happy Hour, that depends on YOU and an your itinerary. Then I referred to *some* people's possible motivation to tuck away $52 in drinks during the evening hours back on the ship... not that you would do that, but some might.

 

Many if not all lines do not even sell the packages during Spring Break!

Thanks crystalspin!

I occasionally drink soda and I might have 1 or 2 alcohol drinks while hubby might have 3/4 but no soda.

Sounds like we may be better off buying as we go. We probably won't drink the same amounts everyday either depending on our excursions.

I do plan on bringing some water and Crystal light packets.

Ladyaruba -- remember to allow for having to buy the package for ALL of your days, including the ones you spent on a beach or on an excursion. Trying to drink the whole day's worth at dinner or after is hard on the hangover!

How would I do that? Can you buy only so many days? No idea how this works, sorry!