Becoming

I just did the train as a northbound following a cruise. Our seats were assigned and the trip was under 5 hours.

There were 2 crew members assigned to our car. The "hostess/narrator" was young but did a great job telling us about scenic areas and when to snap a picture.

The trip was efficient in that we had our bus numbers before we got into Anchorage.

I did order breakfast and it was a rather small portion and fairly pricey.

You can walk car to car and go to the dining car for additional food.

Enjoy your train ride!

Patti

Try Bodden Tours where you can have a car and driver for the day. They will design the tour around what you request. The island is nice just for a pretty drive and you can include lunch, shopping, etc.

Enjoy Roatan!

Patti

I enjoy Roatan! Bodden Tours or Little French Key are both good choices. You can "design" your own tour day with Bodden Tours. Little French Key is a great beach getaway that includes lunch, etc.

Enjoy!

Patti

We are doing the cruise on the Noordam from Vancouver to Seward, my question is about Glacier Bay. The itinerary says we are there from 7am to 4pm but no tours come up to book, does the boat dock or are we just cruising through.

I was on this itinerary in July. Be prepared as it is cold on deck. We had temps in the upper 40s and then add the wind. Most of the actual glacier viewing is around lunchtime but nice scenery all day, especially that evening as you begin to cross over to Seward.

Enjoy!

We are currently on the Noordam northbound from Vancouver, ending at Sitka (Anchorage) tomorrow, August 5.

This will be the third cruise in a row that the Noordam has had a huge Norovirus outbreak. The medical officer on this cruise refuses to confirm how many cases are on this current cruise.

I was on the July 16th sailing of Noordam and there was no mention of a Norovirus outbreak. Hmmm??? The captain said to wash our hands but there was no indication of a problem.

After six cruises on Royal Caribbean, I feel Noordam is lacking in good entertainment in the main theater. I spent more time in Adagio and BB Kings. The staff/crew on Noordam was not as friendly as on Royal Caribbean and I really like the Royal Caribbean ships as they have better lighting, signage and nicer decor.

I enjoyed Alaska but the Noordam was disappointing.

Hope you enjoy your cruise!

Patti

I've been really surprised by the minimal participation on the HAL roll calls and I leave soon for Alaska. I'm used to Royal Caribbean where the cruise line and Cruise Critic set up the Meet and Mingle. My first roll call with Royal had 10,000 posts prior to the cruise and that roll call went on for several years after the cruise. We normally have about 100 people at the Meet and Mingles for Royal.

I did find a Facebook group for my HAL cruise but I'm not posting there with strangers. I prefer Cruise Critic where you have a screen name and it's more protected.

It's my first Holland cruise so I'm not sure what to expect but I know the ship will take me to Alaska!

Patti

Last October, I did an excursion through Royal Caribbean that included Shaw Gardens. I really liked the gardens but we only had about 45 minutes there since it was threatening to rain. I wouldn't mind going back there and enjoying it at a more relaxed pace. It wasn't crowded when we were there.

Hope this helps!

You may also want to check the Jamaica boards on Cruise Critic.

What sort of clothes should I take for the Alaska trip in August for on board the ship?

I'm wondering the same thing. Do folks stay in their casual wear for dinner? Do you need a sweater every evening inside the ship? I'll be cruising in mid-July.

Patti

I don't remember for sure but we probably spent a couple of hours or a little less...and that included time in the gift shop. It was a rainy, yucky day when we were there or we might have stayed longer. You can drive through the park and see many of the animals, but we took time to get out and walk up to the fence enclosures. I had fun taking photos of the animals, but it is basically a zoo.

 

We had a BOGO coupon for the entrance fee so saved a little on our visit. I just checked the website (https://www.alaskawildlife.org/) and see that the cost has gone up a little...it is now $15/person.

Thanks for your input! I was looking at tours and need to investigate some more. I'm cruising in July so I have some time to finalize everything.

Patti

We stopped at the Wildlife Conservation Center on our drive from Anchorage to Seward. I was afraid that was going to be the only moose we saw so wanted to get a good photo. ;)

AryMay

How much time do you recommend in visiting the Wildlife Conservation Center in Girdwood? I have over 24 hrs in Anchorage before flying out and will have some sightseeing time.

Thanks so much!

Patti

It's time to once again post the link to the Alaska Port Cams --- ports are listed on the left hand side of the page --- select your area of interest and enjoy the view.

 

http://www.kroooz-cams.com/portcams/us/juneau1.php

Thanks for the links to the Alaskan ports. It's my first time to see links for all the cruise cams.

Looking forward to seeing the ships very soon!

Patti

This is usually my hot weather hat, but it worked well for the rain. If you are ever in the market for hats, check out Sunday Afternoons. I am fair-skinned and this hat has been a lifesaver for me. I take it on every trip and love the protection it gives from the sun, rain, etc. The flap can be tucked up under or worn down to keep the sun off your neck. AND...the cord keeps it from blowing away! My hat is quite a few years old and still looks like new! I don't work for this company or anything...I'm just a huge fan!

Thanks for recommendation on the hat! I went to Cabela's today and tried on several hats by Sunday Afternoons. Great moose picture! Where was this taken?

Patti

[quote=BecciBoo;52710971:D

we once had a duct tape contest that was really fun.

Hi BecciBoo,

I remember our duct tape contest. There were some creative folks there!

My best M&M was when an Activities Director divided us into teams and we played People Bingo.

People should treat the event as a "Meet & Mingle", not a "Sit & Stare".

It can be a good event when folks go in to meet others and enjoy the time.

Happy Sailing!

Patti

Hi Everybody,

I'm in the midst of deciding do I buy binoculars or get a better camera or ?

As far as a camera, I'd like a lot of zoom and a viewfinder. On the Best Buy website, I'm seeing a Panasonic Lumix FZ80 with 60x optical zoom and a viewfinder. It's on presale now. Is this a good option?

I'd appreciate any input from all you "experts"!

Thanks,

Patti

It would appear that the lady in Haines and Dyea Dave in Skagway are the subject matter experts. I would trust them since they are right there and this is what they do on a daily basis - who would know more than them? :)

Thanks for this insight!

Patti

Thanks for the responses!

I'm actually asking this question for a friend who thinks they will only cruise to Alaska one time.

I called the Haines Ferry and the gal seemed to think it was a very doable schedule.

I'm hoping to hear from someone who has done this.

Thanks again and have a great day!

Patti

Any other input?

Patti

I would tell Chilkoot and ask their recommendation for times. I think you will be fine. People won't be anxious to get off the ship at that time in the morning.

Thanks for your input!

Patti

Plenty of time for this tour and a nice ride up the fjord on a small craft,

Thanks for your response!

Patti

If someone has a port time in Haines of 6:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., can they board the 6:45 a.m. ferry to Skagway? Is it possible to make a train/bus tour with Chilkoot in Skagway that is scheduled from 8:30 until 4 p.m.?

Thanks for your input!

Patti

I did change cabins to a lower deck so I won't be close to the smoking area by the pool. If there are smokers on the balconies close to me, I'll have to address that on the ship.

I'm thrilled that HAL has tighten up their smoking policies. Hopefully the policies will be enforced so that we can enjoy the cruise and not compromise our health.

Patti

 

Remember, many people may have booked this cruise under the old rules and did not even know of the change.

 

Lets hope I am correct!

Hi Everybody,

I booked my Alaska trip a year ago. When the smoking policy was changed, I got an e-mail with the new rules. I'm assuming all who had a cruised already booked would have gotten the same e-mail.

I have a message into my TA that I'd like to switch rooms. One, to avoid any smoking issues and two, to be on a lower deck closer to the dining room and theater. I may have to pay a bit more but I think I'll be happier.

Patti

Unlike Mary Ann R a couple of posts back, we've only smelled smoke when the smokers were beside or below us. Smoke is hotter than the surrounding air and tends to rise.

Thanks for your response! Some of the posts lead me to believe there are lots of smokers in the smoking area at one time. My only concern with booking with HAL was their liberal smoking policy and then they updated it which thrilled me. Today reading this thread made me realize how close I'll be to the smokers.

Any other input?

Thanks!

I'm booked on the Noordam this summer for Alaska. I'm realizing my balcony cabin is 2 decks below the smoking area. Now I'm thinking I should switch cabins so I'll be further away from the smoke. I certainly don't want to pay for a balcony and not be able to use it. Any input?

Thanks!