dmwnc1959

Not everyone has the luxury of waiting last-minute. Even retired people (me) book their vacations and cruises a year in advance, or even longer. Just this week I booked a cruise for April 2026 on Holland-America. Rare, exotic, unique, and once-in-a-lifetime cruises can book up really quickly, and folks want to make sure they’re part of the experience.

This information is what I was basing that on, and would consider this a very reliable source…

From what I’ve seen already, they do offer some excursions from Ward’s Cove that stay close by like canoeing, paddle boats, and hiking.

For your ship’s arrival time check out what time sunrise occurs. It’s probably been up for a couple of hours already. Having been to Ketchikan a few times already, it’s worth it just to walk around and take a few pictures, go into town and support some of the local donut and breakfast shops. Be the first off of the ship, enjoy the scenery around town, and get some exercise! I’ll be there twice in 2025, and twice in 2026, and having already visited Ketchikan I’m still going to go into town. https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/usa/ketchikan?month=5

I’ve seen that from a couple of YouTube videos! 🤣 Maybe it’s not as horrible as people are making it out to be.

Not so much for people that do independent travel when booking airfare and hotels, and choosing a lower promotional price which may be nonrefundable. I’ve already scouted out hotels and flights for next April/May using this year’s schedule. As soon as flights and hotels become available, I’m booking them. That’s the hazards I was eluding to.

You would think that after having spent 10 years at sea in the Navy I’d be used to fog horns now and then. Been a while since I’ve heard one on a cruise ship, the last time were the horns on Royal Princess playing ‘The Love Boat’ theme. 🤣 😁

Well that’s sort of terrifying! 😳 @Mary229 @crystalspin

It had been mentioned in another thread that Norwegian Jade was due for a drydock in March 2025, despite the fact that there had been a full schedule already published for that month. I imagine she’ll go in for maintenance and upkeep for two weeks, followed by a couple of Caribbean cruises prior to her repositioning cruise to Alaska.

I’ve watched a couple of videos of Wards Cove, one of them was the full bus ride from the dock into town. The walk from the downtown bus stop into ‘center city’ is definitely not ideal, but manageable.

😳 WOW that’s an awful lot of clothes! Much more than what I had been anticipating. 👍

My big cruise is April 2025 - 32nts on Norwegian Jade from Tampa through the Panama Canal to Whittier, AK and then the 7-night Southbound from there to Vancouver. However, when I accidentally stumbled across the ‘Great Bear Rainforest’ itinerary on FB there was no doubt that I had to do this. And thank you for the links, my last cruise with Holland-America was in August 2003 so it’s been a while lol. After that cruise (which was also Alaska), I bounced around a lot between Cunard, Carnival, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean. Quite the variety!

Even more excited! It’s going to kill me to have to wait two entire years. 🤣

Just found a YouTube video of 10021 including a view out the window! Looks wonderful. 🥰

I was thinking the exact same thing when I saw were heading for the new locks this morning. Grabbed a screenshot of her in the Cocoli Locks and don’t see a single passenger or anyone standing topside, not on any of the balconies, nowhere. Maybe it’s because of the heat? You would at least think someone will be on a balcony, but no. weird.

I think the only saving grace on any of this is that most have not yet booked airfare or hotels.

Great information! Thank you! 😁

Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! 😳 Went back and looked at the video and sure enough there’s a window with curtains!!! 🤯 I never would’ve guessed in a million years. 🥰

Will have to give that part of it some thought. I’m sure, especially with an Inside Passage cruise, there would be lots of foot traffic heading from the Observation Deck towards the Crow’s Nest and visa versa, but maybe not so much at night when it’s cold outside? I do rather like the idea of being just steps from the great outdoors with the sky above me and surrounded on all sides by scenery. 😁

Just watched a video tour of Noordam which walked right past K10021 and you’d think there’d be issues with the exterior fire door being right there? Did you experience that? I’m not particularly prone to seasickness either, but most of my prior cabins have been amidship and about halfway up. I have always insured that I had enough Bonine in me (at least 24hrs before flight-time heading down to the port) to where it’s in my system well before boarding the ship.

One more question, if I may. Any issues with the Oak Room, and cigarette smoke wafting into the hallways? 🤔

How was it for motion? I think on the second half of the B2B I’m contemplating Noordam travels on the outside of Vancouver Island into the open ocean. That would probably be the worst of it. I do rather like the idea of being only a step or two from the outside. 😁

THANK YOU! 👍😁 Actually just off of them phone with a PCC - our first contact - with him making an initial ‘how’s it going’ introduction. I went over my concerns as laid out above, and he confirmed that the new ‘policy’ is in play. He also agreed that the itinerary, time of year, and ship made it a lot less likely that I’d get bumped, saying it was probably around 5%. I only booked that category based on the fact that it has much more room to spread out, but that’s not so important to risk that 5% and having a B2B bumped to separate cabins in less than desirable locations. I’m not really interested in the balcony cabin, even if I get upgraded to one. Past experience shows that I just never spend any time there, even in Alaska. I’ve researched other inside cabins, specifically the sideways inside cabins aft on Verandah Deck. Time is definitely on my side, I’d just rather get this out of the way so that I can focus on my current booking for April 2025. 😁

I haven’t had to pack a sea bag or stow my bunk lockers in over 35 years. LOL 😂 Enjoy the luxury of being able to pack two suitcases, a carry-on, and a personal item. 😁

This will be my first flight in more than a decade. I rarely fly, since my more recent cruises where all from a drive-to port, so checked luggage wasn’t ever a factor.