Alphen

Noticed a comment on the social media we cannot discuss, that there will be a $ 0,50 increase on the crew appreciation amount at cruises departing after February first 2023, but cannot find it here, nor at the HAL website (Netherlands).

So if I understand correctly, they do hold a medal presentation ceremony on Rotterdam?

Thanks, well spoken, we will be boarding in a couple of weeks and intend to do the same.

Reading your great trip report with much pleasure and interest, could you maybe tell how the mask wearing is currently, now you have traveled for a couple of days?

We have had success several times and also quick reply to our claims. We successfully entered a claim for an upcoming cruise just a few weeks ago and were happy with the result, getting more than half of our money back in on board credit!

I like your profile picture by the way 👌

It says FFP2 on the package in the picture, which is the same as (K)N95

I think from what it looks like, although not from personal experience, this is the Alaska performance on the Alaska sailings back than, but I think experienced Alaska guest will know. With a little search, you can find many showreels of former HAL performers in shows like "Droom" , "Classique" and many more.

They come standard with a hole;

Can only concur what our experiences were with mask wearing and high number of positive cases on our land portion and they were the same. Also reading the live report from fellow cruiser @Btimmerwho had similar experiences

Totally agree we were so impressed with Denali and also how HAL and the staff on the ground everywhere handled our Yukon and triple Denali handled, but if they increase the days in both Yukon and Denali, we would consider doing it again in the future!

If you are taking the train to Whittier from Anchorage, you will have all the paper work done in the train, they will ask for your negative covid test to show them and your proof of vaccination and passport check, all during the train ride. Also, you picture will be taken, all on top of the information provided in Verifly and the Navigator App, which nobody will look at nor ask for! When leaving the train in Whittier, you will get a colored leaflet to show with your passport and you can immediately get in line for security passport and luggage check and will be allowed to board the ship. Have a nice cruise!

Are you boarding in Whittier? You will have no use for VeriFLY there!

Times sound about right, we did this two weeks ago, think it would be a charter, it stops right in front of the terminal in Whittier for embarking.

Which test results probably nobody will ask for, like us and many others experienced.

Sadly, we are not eligible for our second booster yet, since this is selected for age groups here and ours is not up yet.

I agree about the mixing of groups, we had the same experience. We were strict on masks, do not know if this kept us out of harms way, but don't think it did us harm too.

We have not posted our land and cruise tour with ships internet, but used our own travel router in Alaska, which was an experiment, but worked like a charm, will certainly use it on upcoming travels.

Safe and happy travels, indeed, since I sort of got the ball rolling, suddenly more reviews and or reports of land tours are appearing, which is a good thing. Before this, there was not a lot to be found on CC and I know that we were not the only ones that had lots of questions regarding the land tours of HAL. The more info, the better, so other people can decide if they also want to take on an Alaskan Land and cruise tour with HAL, or just enjoy the posting of the day to day review(s) here.

And from what I hear, our group was sadly no exception.

Okay, did not know that, we had airport WiFi in our room.

I am only indicating what the air carriers restrictions on their website are, not how they are implemented in an individual basis.

The checked luggage can be up to two pieces per person, as long as they don’t exceed total weight of 50 pounds or 23 kgs per person, please check Air North website, the carry on is limited at 10 kg or 22 pounds, but nobody checked. https://www.flyairnorth.com/flights/baggage-carry

It is indeed in the Tour Tips documents on the HAL website, but in this document it looks you have to part with some of your luggage, but when we were well underway in our tour, it became clear that it is an option, you can hold on to your luggage all the way. Since everything regarding luggage is handled by staff every stop, we chose to have all our luggage with us, all the way. Weight and size limitations are as per Yukon Air North website, but it turned out they did not check any weight or size of the carry on.

Verifly I keep finding extra information in our travel data and records, that I think may of use to future travelers, so don't be surprised if this thread does get some updates after it looked like to be finished. I do not know if I was clear about the use of Verifly, when boarding a cruise in Whittier after the land tour; you do not have bother to use Verifly! This was in our specific case, but the way the staff worked on the train, it seemed usual business for them. Cruise check in will be done on the cruise train while travelling from Anchorage to Whittier and Verifly is not used at all, so don't bother. After the electronic check in on the train, we were issued a green "security cleared" (if I remember correctly) inlay for our passport, which had you directly enter the security check line at the boarding area for the ship. All of the electronic check in is while on the train, including (currently) proof of vaccination and the negative test result. Photos are taken of your passport and of your face, while on the train for the security access on board. We had pre-loaded our picture ourselves in the Navigator App, but this was apparently on top of that. It turned out that for several people the required photo for security access to the ship did not make it all the way, so we had it re taken on board (again).