Trip Report-Alaska w/grands & tweens, June 13, 7 nt RT from Vancouver on the Volendam

Thanks so much for all everyone's help with planning!! I wanted to pay it forward with a report of our incredible trip! We were 3 generations with grandparents in their 70s, mom/dad, and tweens (11 and 13). First trip to Alaska.

Volendam: We’re new to cruising (one time on the Disney Dream) and we loved the Volendam! Common areas and bathrooms were renovated in the recent dry dock. The cabins and the whole boat was so spacious and clean, there was always a seat available, always room in the hot tub, and it was easy to get around. Getting on/off the ship couldn’t have been smoother - very few lines or crowds at all.

Food/Service: We were blown away by how good the food was, and we are somewhat foodies. The filet and king crab legs at the Pinnacle were delicious. Loved the Eggs Florentine, the crepes station and swiss-style muesli for breakfast in the Lido buffet. Shrimp cocktail and seared salmon in the MDR. Bacon avocado burger in the MDR for lunch. Basil curry chicken in the Lido buffet lunch. The only thing that was so-so was the soups, desserts, and the cocktails (way too sweet). The Signature Bev Package came as a promo which we loved. The beers and liquors included were great. The wine selection for $9 was a touch on the weak side but it was ok. The service was incredible.

Activities: The HAL clientele definitely swings older, which we knew going in. We picked this ship for the itinerary/Inside Passage. Not a problem though because we met a little 40’s crowd and hung out with them at the blackjack tables after dinner. Loved meeting people from all over the world as just a third or so were from the US. Loved the casino, bingo, team trivia, America’s Test Kitchen, the gym, Lido bar/hot tubs, and watching the bald eagles from the Crows Nest with our pre-dinner cocktail!

Kids: On our sailing in mid-June, there were only 30 kids under 17yo on board besides our two. The Kids Club was a total bust because HAL combined 3 to 12 yr olds into one group (?!?) which meant my 11yo wasn’t having any part of it. When no one participated after the first few days, they cancelled the events. My 13yo was fine - she was reading Twilight which completely absorbed her for 500 pages. :) My 11yo met a few other boys and they rotated from ping pong to the pool to basketball to X-box (I reminded them constantly not to disturb other passengers, and I hope they didn’t!). In summary, if your kids need structured activities, waterslides, and other bells & whistles to be happy, HAL is not the cruise line for you. For our family, we were happy with the old-school activities like ping pong, scrabble, and just cuddling under blankets watching the scenery float by. On the last day, my son was bored and complaining and we got a few stern looks from other passengers. Then the NICEST older gentleman came over and talked to my son for 15 minutes and totally snapped him out of it (thank you to the nice man from Alberta celebrating his 60th wedding anniversary!!)

Favorite Excursions: 1st- float plane in Ketchikan to Misty Fjords with Randy at Mountain Air (we landed in a remote lake and did a polar bear plunge in the icy water!), 2nd - Glacier Bay cruising day (the Margerie Glacier calving was incredible!), and 3rd - private van tour with Beyond Skagway (including a stop at the sled dog camp and the train back down the mountain). The only one that was so-so was the HAL Tracy Arm Arm Fjord and Glacier Explorer with Marine Allen (gorgeous scenery but 6 hours was a little too long to be cooped up on a small boat for our active crew).

Also, we did 3 days DIY beforehand: Downtown Seattle (the usual stuff plus Ballard Locks w/salmon viewing window and the REI store which were both fun), daytrip to Mt. Rainier with Evergreen Escapes (highly recommend!!!), train to Vancouver, bike ride through Stanley Park (the best city biking ever! be sure to catch the interior forest trails as well as the perimeter path if you have a hybrid bike rental). Highly recommend the Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle - great location, fabulous gym and indoor pool.

Packing tips: Bring an insulated cup for coffee to take off the boat with you. A small bag to hold your phone and card while on the ship. Tights and cardigan for gala evenings on the ship because it’s cool. Bring a warm hat for the summit at Skagway. Definitely a packable rain jacket. The weather fluctuates like crazy from 40 to 80 degrees. Laundry with HAL is cheap and easy so plan to take advantage of it. Don't bring long underwear (not that cold) or a swim coverup (bathrobes included).

In summary, this was a fabulous family trip for three generations. The cruise was easy and there was something for everyone. Alaska is a national treasure and I’m so glad we were able to experience it. Thanks for all your help! Feel free to reach out with questions.

We leave in 7 weeks on Radiance OTS and are also doing a multi-generational trip. Our kids are 10, 10 and 6, husband and me late 30s/early 40s, and my 70 years young mom. I'm excited to know your whole family enjoyed the trip. It gives me more hope that we will too. (Although I have never heard of someone hating their Alaska cruise.)

Thanks for sharing this! We'll be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam in August. My kids will be 12 and 14 and I'm hopeful there will be other kids they can hang out with on board. Glad to hear you all had a great time!

Great review!

We're planning to do a multi-gen cruise to Alaska next summer when my kids are 7 and 9, my husband and I will be early/mid-40s, my parents mid-70s, DH's parents late 70s/early 80s, his sister early 50s, and our niece and nephew just graduated from high school. Still trying to figure out what cruise line.

I did this trip when my brother and I were 7 and 9, my parents mid-40s, my grandparents mid-to-late 60s, and cousins were 10 and 6. We did Sitmar then (it was bought out by Princess the next year). I'm considering Princess again, or maybe NCL.

Great review!

 

We're planning to do a multi-gen cruise to Alaska next summer when my kids are 7 and 9, my husband and I will be early/mid-40s, my parents mid-70s, DH's parents late 70s/early 80s, his sister early 50s, and our niece and nephew just graduated from high school. Still trying to figure out what cruise line.

 

I did this trip when my brother and I were 7 and 9, my parents mid-40s, my grandparents mid-to-late 60s, and cousins were 10 and 6. We did Sitmar then (it was bought out by Princess the next year). I'm considering Princess again, or maybe NCL.

There are pros and cons with each cruise line. Looking back, we had a great cruise and I would definitely go on Holland again. The NCL Bliss has a great ship and itinerary but there is something to be said for the simple pleasures on Holland. If you have a big family group with you, you may prefer NOT having all the activities to pull the kids away from the family quality time.

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