Amsterdam's last 14 day cruise to Alaska

[luvcruisn']

Amsterdam leaves at 5:00pm PDT today from Seattle on its last 14 day cruise to Alaska, before starting the 75 day Grand Asia Australia cruise on Sept. 21. I'm sorry the 14 day cruises to Alaska are ending, as I would have liked to have gone on that itinerary.

[luvcruisn']

She's sailing away now on her last cruise to Alaska. I'm watching it on the webcam.

 

Webcam: http://www.elliottbaymarina.net/webcam-weather

[luvcruisn']

She's gone - can't see her anymore. It was a beautiful day for a sail-away.

[Assateague Island Princes]

I too am sad this itinerary is gone - I was fortunate enough to sail it twice - May 31, 2010 and Aug. 5, 2011. Spectacular each time. Almost got to sail the Aug. 24th cruise this year, but unfortunately, life got in the way. Sorry you didn't make it aboard for this amazing itinerary. We can only hope HAL will bring it back in the future - fingers crossed.

[fann1sh]

My fingers are crossed, too.

 

I did a great B2B itinerary, but I dream of actually sailing into Anchorage.

[Himself]

Amsterdam leaves at 5:00pm PDT today from Seattle on its last 14 day cruise to Alaska' date=' before starting the 75 day Grand Asia Australia cruise on Sept. 21. I'm sorry the 14 day cruises to Alaska are ending, as I would have liked to have gone on that itinerary.[/quote']

 

A lot of us are sad about this!

[Linda&Vern]

We feel very lucky we decided to make this trip May 2011. We feel that by taking this itinerary we really got to "see" Alaska. Loved the smaller ports (ISP, etc.) that HAL will now not be sailing into. Like others, we hope they bring this 14-day trip back someday. To us it was so totally different than a B2B.

[Himself]

I too am sad this itinerary is gone - I was fortunate enough to sail it twice - May 31, 2010 and Aug. 5, 2011. Spectacular each time. Almost got to sail the Aug. 24th cruise this year, but unfortunately, life got in the way. Sorry you didn't make it aboard for this amazing itinerary. We can only hope HAL will bring it back in the future - fingers crossed.

 

I agree with you. It was an outstanding Itinery.

[JJPacer]

We would take the 14 day Alaska cruise,too. We also wanted to take the Bermuda cruise and the Antartic cruise. I guess we're just too late. It's a shame. We love HAL, and will hate going with another cruise line. But you do what you have to do. In the past one of the BIG reasons we sailed HAL as often as we did, was because of Hal's interesting itineraries. Now, it seems they are going the less andventurous route.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were so fortunate to have done the 14 day Alaskan Amsterdam cruise twice.

 

That itinerary was so good.

[BumperII]

We took that 14 day cruise last year. It has to be one of the best we were ever on. We would be booking it again for 2013 if it was available, we are sad to see it go. It makes the idea of 'Get it while you can!' very real.

[uppitycats]

I didn't realize they were dropping this itinerary when we took this cruise earlier...and only found out when we tried to book it again for 2013.... :(

[mamaofami]

Does anyone know why this itinerary is being dropped?

[ACA Jester]

Just returned from the Aug 24th cruise.

According to some locals/business owners we spoke with in Homer and Kodiak, they said HAL wasn't able to buy into Souvenir shops as they have at other stops, so they put huge pressure on both communities for some "incentives". Also, the options for HAL-sponsored excursions at both these cities are limited. From a business standpoint, it makes sense for HAL, since their goal is maximizing profits, but it is unfortunate for these areas and also Passengers since both are great stops for a view of Alaska not possible at the more touristy stops such as Ketchikan and Icy Straight point.

If you have a chance at these stops, ask someone about this topic for some lively conversation.

[trophy_23]

Great itinerary, finally got to do it this year, sad to see it go! I don't think a 7 day AK cruise will ever satisfy now :D

[karatemom2]

I have to agree that it is a wonderful itinerary and I'm glad we got to do it before it was discontinued. Even though we had some weather challenges the ports were just great. While I didn't end up as a big fan of the Amsterdam, there is no doubt the itinerary can't be beat and I am sorry that HAL will not be offering it anymore

[sppunk]

Does anyone know why this itinerary is being dropped?

 

To make more money. They make more with two seven days than with one 14 day.

[Himself]

When I did this cruise in July 2011 we went up on the inside passage and the whole voyage was awesome. The weather was great and I just loved the cruise.

[NMLady]

Amsterdam leaves at 5:00pm PDT today from Seattle on its last 14 day cruise to Alaska' date=' before starting the 75 day Grand Asia Australia cruise on Sept. 21. I'm sorry the 14 day cruises to Alaska are ending, as I would have liked to have gone on that itinerary.[/quote']

 

I'm also sorry to see that itinerary end. We were on the very first one in May of 2010 and have been saving our money, hoping to do it again next year.

Alas, tis not to be. At least I have lots of photos for memories. Ours was one of the sunniest cruises of all. I have an awesome photo of Denali taken in Anchorage.

[PathfinderEss]

Just got off the Amsterdam yesterday, hated to leave. Wonderful itinerary and what a beautiful ship. I have a feeling Hal will do it again.

[Johanna7]

Just got off the Amsterdam yesterday, hated to leave. Wonderful itinerary and what a beautiful ship. I have a feeling Hal will do it again.

 

It was a wonderful itinerary and we enjoyed it a lot. The weather also co-operated. Anchorage was fantastic. We did the behind the scenes zoo tour with mostly rescue animals and saw bears and polar bears and many birds. It was great.

 

Kodiak and Homer and Sitka, being islands were extremely interesting and the people there are so nice. Of course these places are more remote due to their locations. The shops there had very fair prices. The Raptor place in Sitka was great as were the bears and barnacles. Yes, the tour was called Bears, birds and barnacles.

 

We had previously been to Juneau and Ketchekan and also Victoria but there were 5 ports we had never been to. We loved Icy Straits too and had a great tour there. It was a great experience.

[Himself]

It was a wonderful itinerary and we enjoyed it a lot. The weather also co-operated. Anchorage was fantastic. We did the behind the scenes zoo tour with mostly rescue animals and saw bears and polar bears and many birds. It was great.

 

Kodiak and Homer and Sitka, being islands were extremely interesting and the people there are so nice. Of course these places are more remote due to their locations. The shops there had very fair prices. The Raptor place in Sitka was great as were the bears and barnacles. Yes, the tour was called Bears, birds and barnacles.

 

We had previously been to Juneau and Ketchekan and also Victoria but there were 5 ports we had never been to. We loved Icy Straits too and had a great tour there. It was a great experience.

 

There is a drugstore down away from the Russian Orthodox Cathedral and they have an old fashion soda fountain where the "soda-jerk" makes the old fahion sodas that I got as a child and teen-ager. That is also in Sitka.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Melodie and Johanna - welcome home! You were sailing with 7 of our friends that we met on the May 31, 2010 cruise of the Amsterdam. Hope that out of you both and our friends as well, someone will post a more intensive review. Was hoping you'd have great weather, and it appears that you mostly did - YAY! Love the Amsterdam and love this itinerary - maybe someday HAL will realize the error of their ways by canceling this itinerary....hey, I can hope, can't I?;)

[trvlcrzy]

There is a drugstore down away from the Russian Orthodox Cathedral and they have an old fashion soda fountain where the "soda-jerk" makes the old fahion sodas that I got as a child and teen-ager. That is also in Sitka.

 

I will miss this itinerary, too. It was a wonderful cruise even though we saw rain almost everyday. Poured in Ketchikan and Kodiak.

 

We had a full day in Sitka due to a private excursion, so we didn't have much free time downtown. I hope to make it to the soda fountain one day.

 

What exactly is an "egg cream"? I've read about it in books.

[Linda&Vern]

If HAL can't justify a full season of the Alaska 14-day itinerary, does anyone think they could offer it for a "limited" time each season? I'm thinking twice a season or something like that. Maybe during the month of June or July? Or maybe at the beginning or ending of the season. As I've said (probably too many times) ... we believe to get the full Alaska flavor, seeing some of the smaller ports is just as important as Juneau, Ketchikan, etc. Just a thought.