oaktreerb

2 hours ago, islandwoman said:

I can see how that would work.  You'd make a temporary booking for the lowest priced cabin (or your TA would do that for you), buy Club Orange and then immediately upgrade to the cabin you want.  But would it work if there are no lower priced cabins to be had? 

You don’t need a temporary booking.   The lowest rate in the veranda category is an obstructed guarantee.  You really can’t do this yourself.  Your TA or PCC has to verify CO availability.  It won’t work if CO is full.  

If you already have a SS booked, call whoever booked your cruise and ask them if CO is available.  If so, see what your stateroom rate would be after adding CO.  People brag about how much they saved but it really depends on your category and your choice of stateroom.  If you booked your cruise online by yourself you would have to call HAL.

4 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

It's common that you can't see all cabins via the website. There is also a key difference between "unavailable " and "unassigned".

 

Curious what level you are considering booking. As mentioned, a commonly recommended is to book the lowest cabin in a meta category, thus an upgrade is almost always a financial benefit. How far out is the cruise you are looking at?

You don’t have to actually book the lowest rate cabin.  You can book any cabin in the category and pay the lowest cabin in that category rate if you add CO.  

24 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

That's what it says here:

https://www.hollandamerica.com/content/dam/hal/inventory-assets/activity-types/dining/club-orange/Club_Orange_Benefits.pdf

 

"What if there is not a better stateroom available for the
complimentary upgrade?
Guests will be upgraded to the best available stateroom
within the meta category at the time of Club Orange
purchase. If a stateroom upgrade is not available at that time,
guests will receive an alternative benefit determined by
our Ship Inventory team."

You are right.  I hope you get some OBC.  They also used to offer a special onboard event.  Mine was jewelry cleaning (which is free anyway in the shops).  Only HAL can tell you what the compensation would be.  I choose my VB veranda stateroom, my PCC calls to confirm CO availability and charges me for a VH obstructed veranda. (Koningsdam)

Actually, on a non-Pinnacle ship the CO priority line for open seating in the MDR would be helpful from what I have witnessed.   I don’t think you should expect any compensation in lieu of an in category upgrade.  All of a sudden CO has become popular.  People have finally figured out how to take advantage of the in-category upgrade benefit.

We have experienced Club Orange a few times.  It fills up with diners early and you may have to wait for a table.  On the Koningsdam a line would form outside the CO door about 15-20 minutes before the door opened.

 If I were in your situation I would go to the dining room maitre’d, explain what happened and choose the best table on the open dining level.  I would ask to have that table every evening at your chosen dining time.    That way you are creating your own fixed dining experience.  An oversold Club Orange is a problem for diners and waiters.  You should keep your staterooms at the agreed upon CO upgrade price.  You  need to be credited for the CO charge and given some OBC.

Now you can call a HAL rep for a current copy of your Booking Conformation.  That may show what they have done on their end.

It’s kind of rush, rushy.  Bags out the night before so you are carrying one small bag with you.    Some itineraries are less hectic than others.  The Yukon has a journey host to help you with issues that might arise.  On our last land trip we skipped the TWT tour into the park and the Riverboat/Gold Dredge because they were really early and we had done them before.  You may get a later TWT time.  If you want to go, take more days so it’s not such a rush.  Take time to enjoy the surroundings.  Breakfast in the morning is a nice buffet.  No waiting.  The tours are very well organized and you don’t have to handle your luggage.  Our first cruise tour was in 2005.  Then we had a tour director.  Now the tours are still well organized and there are HAL reps along the way to assist you when needed.  Only the Yukon offers a guide to travel with you.  That might be your best option.

Meal plan is expensive but will provide good/hearty meals including full breakfast and desserts with your meals.  You have to eat at designated Holland America establishments and it covers the train dining car.  You may also be able to use it for a meal at the Princess Resort in Denali  King Salmon should be available in the Pinnacle grill onboard ship and at other eating establishments in Alaska.  There are a lot of options for dining without the meal plan.  You might like the breakfast option only since you will usually have breakfast at the hotel due to your activity schedule.

19 hours ago, dockman said:

If that is somehow supposed to be a library it is truly pathetic.

 The newly reestablished HAL libraries are pretty nice.  You can find multiple copies of some current titles.   I was hoping that an Alaska cruise would have Alaska themed books.  That does not seem to be the case for 7 day itineraries.  

17 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

 

"Humanity" was playing in the theatre, it was about half full.Rolling Stone was standing room only, and Billboard Onboard was full - 2 pianists.

 

 

I was wondering if the Step One dance shows were still popular.  We’ve seen “Humanity” at least four times through the years.  ☹️

4 hours ago, canadianbear said:

I was SO tempted to buy one of these …but didn’t.  So cute. 

Good way to spend OBC, especially if it’s a special occasion cruise.  The expensive Lewie has clothes and a year for remembering the date.

3 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

I looked at all of the shelves I could find on Noordam, and saw exactly one  Alaska book!

 

Thank you for checking!  It was published in 2020 so relatively current.

I wonder who chose that title!  Thank you for doing the research for me. 

Have a great time on your cruise!

Anybody currently on the Westerdam?  This cruise is supposed to be an EXC cruise.  I’m wondering if the library will enhance our Alaska adventure.

Do the ships currently sailing in Alaska have a lot of books about the history of Alaska or what life is like for those who live in Alaska?   Our 28 day solstice cruise is coming up and I’m hoping to find some educational books in the Westerdam onboard library to enhance our voyage.  (I did find an Alaska related book hidden in a library cabinet on the K’s Hawaii voyage).   In local bookstores (Juneau and Ketchikan) there are a lot of books written by Alaska authors, both fiction and nonfiction.  I hope there will be some onboard.   One question asked by Roll Call members is for recommendations for books about Alaska.

The seats on the train have a lot of leg room.  Under the seat, I’m not sure.   There is plenty of room for a backpack in your seating area.

It works really well.  We sign up on the ship.  You leave your luggage outside your stateroom and pick it up at your home airport when you get off your flight.   We have used it 2x in the past few years without any problems.

11 hours ago, SightCRR said:

I hope I have the time to go to Ukanuzit thrift store. 

The website says it is closed on Sunday.  Otherwise, I would be sure to check it out!  

5 hours ago, Crew News said:

I will be sorting through several thousand photos in the coming days and will post a photo if I have one.

Wow!  That’s a lot of photos.  Enjoy reviewing your cruise as you sort through the photos. 

I’ve decided to cancel the Kenai Fjords tour.  I had booked it because HAL had nothing else to offer.  We enjoyed the Kenai Fjords tour several years ago (2009) on a beautiful, clear day and we have some great pictures from that trip.  We’re only in Seward for 7 hours.  I’m sure we’ll find something to do -- out and about in Seward.

Thanks for a great report.

17 hours ago, Crew News said:

I spoke to three SHOREX reps this evening and was told that a local booking agent selects the boat/owner for the subject excursion in Seward.  The boat selected for my excursion may have just had a deal with a local burrito restaurant. 

 

Your choice of a private, known-provider, excursion might be a good idea.

Thank you for this information.  I think I’ll call shore excursions tomorrow.  If you have a picture of the boat with the name of the boat showing, I might be able to figure it out.  The vendor I would have booked with showed sold out for our date months ago and now they have availability.  I think HAL is using a cut rate vendor.  

8 hours ago, cbr663 said:

Just noticed that HAL has added 3rd & 4th guests sail free on Standby.  I don't recall that being available when the program first rolled out.  

 

Party time on Spring vacation!

CO will have a dedicated line at the MDR entrance.  No priority in the Lido!

On 5/9/2024 at 1:09 PM, Crew News said:

Day 04 Seward

An early excursion departure at 7:30 AM necessitated an early rising and Room Service breakfast. 

 

With the weather forecast of 39 degrees and rain couple with my intention of spending much of my time outside, all of my cold weather clothing found its way from my closet to my body.  Many passengers were already lined up awaiting boarding the excursions buses after walking through the Seward Cruise Terminal (large warehouse).  I watched as guests were loaded into buses without considering the number of seats.  At least one bus had passengers disembarking when seats were no longer available and waiting for the next bus to be positioned.  When the bus doors closed, the driver announced that the excursion boat was only a short walk away but buses were used so that guests would not "get lost" enroute.

 

My Kenai Fjords National Park excursion boat held 200 guests, all potential competitors for rail space to take photos.  I chose a seat closest to the door to enable a quick move to the door when photo ops were available. The next row of seat were for those with disabilities and provided great viewing next to a large window.  For the duration of the excursion, boat staff had to go outside to move photo takers from blocking the view of those unable to go outside.  The boat had three "heads" with finicky door locks that caused some surprises for their occupants who had not adequately secured the doors.

 

A whale was spotted just outside the harbor and my seat next to the door gave me an ideal location to take photos.  During the excursion, I captured photos of eagles, kittiwakes, sea lions, mountain goats, some very rugged scenery.  The chicken burrito lunch was a flop in my opinion but the chips with salsa were quite good.  A downside of the excursion was traveling in the Pacific Ocean and the very rough water.  Boat personnel moved throughout distributing vomit bags.  The return trip at 30 knots in rough ocean waters included hard bounces and jerks with more bags being distributed.  This six -hour excursion with a lot of ocean travel time is not near the top of my favorite excursions list.  Buses again transported most passengers the short walking distance back to the cruise terminal.  I rushed from the Seward terminal to the ship as a cold rain, with a hint of sleet, began.

 

 

Next stop Anchorage.

 

 

@Crew News  re: Kenai Fjords National Park. Your excursion description has me concerned about the vendor.  Major Marine Tours who is the best choice for the Kenai Fjord 6 hour tour serves deli sandwiches (not burritos) and has a nice mode of transportation (boat).   This excursion sounds like HAL used another vendor.  Can you find out the name of the vendor that HAL used for this Kenai Fjords tour?   For our cruise I booked the ship tour because I assumed it was Major Marine.  I may want to make a change.  

13 hours ago, Crew News said:

Day 11 Endicott Arm

 

There are still a few questions for me to investigate.

 

Tomorrow is Wrangell and I have no plans ashore.

I know that you are very busy with your research and I would have to assume that you have visited Wrangell in your prior cruises.  Wrangell is one of my favorite ports and one that can be easily seen without planning excursions, very walkable.  We will soon embark on our 28 day Alaska Solstice cruise which originally had us visiting Wrangell on July 4th.  For some reason HAL cancelled that stop and we were sooooo disappointed!  Love Wrangell!

6 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Thank you Ruth, I forgot that it was not an "Alaska" cruise; but a much longer cruise with Alaskan ports at the end. That being said Victoria is a pretty nice port stop, if it is more than a couple hours in the evening.

Agree that Victoria is a pretty nice port stop.  One of my favorite places to visit for the day!

Have you gone on the nps.gov website for Denali National Park?  There is a free shuttle from the hotel to the Visitor’s Center.  You could take the Savage River free bus and enjoy that hike.   On a clear day you may be able to see Denali at one point along that bus route.  Check the schedule for the free sled dog demo at the kennels.  Get in line early for that bus or you can follow a trail to the kennels and take the bus back.  There is a lot to do and the daylight hours are long.  Jeff King’s Husky Homestead is a fun and informative excursion that may be offered by the cruise line.  

There are photos of PS7045 and 7046 on Halfacts.com.   Vista Class ship.