SEMI LIVE FROM ZUIDERDAM - May 2013

[Crew News]

The day in Skagway began with a slight chill and bright sunshine. A total of four ships were in port at the same time.

 

My excursion in Skagway was a bus trip to the Yukon Territories and a return via the White Pass and Yukon Railway. The bus left from the end of the pier in a convoy of three buses and proceeded up the steep highway across the valley from the railroad tracks. Several stops were made to take photographs along the way. The winter snows still blanketed most of the landscape after a few miles climb along the highway. The panoramic images were so much different from the summer green.

 

Lunch was eaten at Caribou Crossing in a rustic cabin after a pause at some clean restrooms inside the group of cabins. There were also small covered wagons with tables for small group dining. Barbequed chicken, baked potato, cole slaw, rolls, cake donuts, and hot tea comprised the menu.

 

During the 90-minute pause, a Wild Life Museum, filled with stuffed animals could be toured. The museum bragged about displaying the world’s largest polar bear. A goat petting area was also available. Wheeled dogsled rides were offered or you could just observe the dogs, most sitting atop there shelters. For the adventurous, helicopter rides were available.

 

The tour bus proceeded to Cairncross for some sightseeing and shopping at the headwaters of the Yukon River. This was the starting point for those gold rushers who had built boats to transport their mandatory 2000 pounds of goods down the river to Dawson. The bus driver was filled with gold rush stories and poetry that brought to light the wild times of the late 1890’s. Many passengers would have enjoyed more photographic stops but we were running a bit behind schedule.

 

Departing the bus, all of the passengers went to our assigned train car and then had to wait an additional 15 minutes for late-arriving buses.

 

The platform between the cars provided a perfect place for taking photographs. The view down to the several thousand feet valley floor was spectacular. As the train descended down the valley, the temperatures began to rise and most of the passengers returned to the four cruise ships with their coats carried under an arm.

 

While standing in the Pasta Line in the Lido Restaurant, the Hotel Director, who attended our small Meet & Greet, stopped me to ask how my cruise was going, I expressed my satisfaction and that after a week of rain, the weather was now bright sunshine.

 

The forecast for Glacier Bay tomorrow is warm and sunny. It must be noted that my laundry, hung on my stateroom door at 8:00 PM, was returned the next day before noon. Way to go Zuiderdam!

 

Some passengers departed the ship to head for Denali and we received a few coming back from Denali.

 

Sunset was at nearly 10:00 PM and I completed this report soon after.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you

Skagway is one of our favorite ports.

[Crew News]

For another day, the sun bathed the Zuiderdam but could not overcome the chilly winds that greeted one and all in Glacier Bay. With the ship making a full turn near the two major glaciers, one could escape inside for a few warm minutes as their view passed. For the first time in my memory, no other ship was with us. This provided a full 360 degree unobstructed view of the serenity of the bay. Every photograph from hundreds of passenger’s cameras should be perfect.

 

Entering Glacier Bay around 6:00 AM made for a long day for most passengers.

Laundry was returned within 14 hours of hanging it on my door. The Zuiderdam Laundry continues to impress me.

The shops were filled and the cashier lines were long during my visits today. It appeared that watch and jewelry counters were the most popular perhaps due to the land tour groups’ luggage limitations.

Departing Glacier Bay in the early afternoon, passengers were left to seek other activities to keep them occupied. From my wanderings around the ship, it appeared that many retired to their cabins for a nap.

 

Wednesday was formal night with the Fixed Dining crowd in formal wear and business suits. Only one tuxedo was spotted in the Deck Two Dining Room with the majority of the guests in jackets or shirt/ties.

Choosing to dine in my room on formal night, I ordered from the MDR menu through the Neptune Lounge. Expecting two lobsters and no filet mignon, I received two plates with two lobsters on each and fearing retribution from the “eat everything on your plate” police, I ate all four with no remorse.

 

Tomorrow’s arrival in Ketchikan at 10:00 AM will allow a few more hours of sleep tonight. My Ketchikan excursion will be a flight to a crab feast and I will provide details in my Thursday report.

 

Tomorrow’s forecast is for another day of sunshine and that is very rare for Ketchikan.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad your weather is co-operating.

Looking forward to your next segment.

[San Diego bound]

Glad you are having such a good cruise. I bet the photos are wonderful. Hi to both of you and glad you got to eat the lobsters!!!! They was great last week -- I can almost taste it now. :p:p

 

Arleen

[solocanadian]

Anxiously awaiting your Thursday report.

In case news has not reached the ship, part of an Interstate 5 bridge collapsed into the Skagit River at Mount Vernon Washing. No one died. Traffic is being diverted around this disaster and still getting through to Seattle, although delayed. Wanted to give you a heads-up to plan to travels. Good Luck and safe journey. Gail.

[solocanadian]

Helpful info for your journey to Seattle. This should be reprinted by the ship and handed out to those driving.

Posts: 217

Official Detour Routes

Traffic is being diverted off southbound I-5 at Exit 230. For an alternate route, take eastbound SR 20, then south on S. Burlington Blvd. and west on E. College Way (SR 538) to southbound I-5.

 

Northbound I-5 traffic must exit at Exit 227. An alternate route is east to E. College Way to northbound Riverside Drive-S. Burlington Boulevard, then west on George Hopper Road to I-5.

 

To use SR 9 as an alternate northbound route, bypassing Mount Vernon, take Exit 221 at SR 534 east to northbound SR 9 to SR 20 westbound to I-5.

 

Southbound I-5 traffic can get off at State Route 20, go over to State Route 536 then get back on I-5.

[Crew News]

The day in Ketchikan began in sunshine as we tied up at the dock furthest from the downtown area about 10:00 AM. Winds were reported as 23 MPH and peppered us on the aft balcony.

Laundry from the previous evening arrived at 9:00 AM and continued the amazing record of next morning return.

 

My Flightseeing and Crab Feast excursion left by bus from the pier at 2:00 PM with a crowd of six filling the large tour bus. The bus drove for about 30 minutes to a lakeside landing area south of Ketchikan. It must be noted that some tours flew to the landing and then took our tour bus back to the Zuiderdam. The walk down the steep stairs led to the dock and a large cabin where the feasting was to occur. We were met at the dock by Adriana, kindergarten teacher from Austin, Texas who would be our server.

 

Six of us were led into a private dining room with a long table and 20 chairs. At the end of the table were appetizers: smoked salmon, crackers, diced onion, chive cream cheese, and capers. It must be noted that there was an open bar included in the price. Wine and Alaskan Amber flowed freely in preparation for the feast. The feasting began with a spinach and mandarin orange salad while we watched the technique for disassembling a cooked Dungeness crab legs portion. Advice was given on how to best reduce the splattering and debris while extracting crab meat from the legs. During the presentation, all were advised that we could eat as much crab as desired and that the record was quite high.

The salad and appetizer plates were removed and plates with a small red potato, shredded carrots and ramekins of melted butter were place before us. A large tub of crab legs was cradled in our server’s arms and her long tongs moved swiftly to place a side of steaming legs on each plate. Potatoes and carrots were quickly moved to the side while fingers, forks, and crab crackers began the disassembling and eating of the crab. With an hour time limit before the float plane arrived for sightseeing, it was a race to gluttony. I completed five sets of legs but was outdone by one other diner. With ten minutes before the flight, cheese cake with blueberry topping was served and all drinks were refilled for consumption at dockside.

 

The float plane glided softly onto the water several hundred yards from the dock and was soon disgorging six future diners. Of course there was a ten minute delay as pictures were taken by the departing and then by the boarding. Seats on the six-passenger Beaver aircraft were pre-assigned and all six of us had good window seats. With headsets to muffle the extremely loud noise from the engines and a narrator telling us how safe the 50-year old plane was, we taxied across the lake and lifted quietly into the sky.

As we flew close to the mountain tops, the pilot bragged at how lucky we were to actually see the scenery that is normally hidden by the fog and rain. I took photographs and videos that should give a good view of the Ketchikan vicinity. The pilot told us that she seven times per day and flew mainly cargo during the winter months. We flew around the outskirts of Ketchikan for about half an hour before landing softly on the water near the Taguan Float Plane Terminal. A shuttle returned us to the Zuiderdam and the driver advised us just how lucky we were to see sunshine in a city that averages 13 feet of rain per year.

The temperature passed the 60-degree mark during the day and the sail away was enjoyed in shirt sleeves. A party for some Canadian cruisers took place on our balcony in conjunction with a wine giveaway to preclude abandoning the Cruise Critic member wine cellar from the previous week.

Still recovering from crab feasting, I opted for a later Lido Restaurant dinner.

 

Sunset was nearly 9:30 PM and after checking email, the day ended in a perfect bed.

[San Diego bound]

Glad to hear that you put the wine to good use! Sounds like a great feast of crab and lucky sunny day for your excursion. Safe home!

[PathfinderEss]

Sounds like a wonderful day.

[JamesEM]

Thanks for your report and it sounds like you had a great day.

[Krazy Kruizers]

What a wonderful day you had in Ketchikan.

[Photojunkie_I_am]

Crews News,

I am so appreciative that you are taking the time to post such a wonderfully detailed review.

Where is your website where pictures and menus will be posted. We leave next week on this cruise so your information is that much more appreciated by us.

[lovetocruise2020]

Thanks so much! AMAZING. Give Joanie a hug for me :)

[Crew News]

Crews News,

I am so appreciative that you are taking the time to post such a wonderfully detailed review.

Where is your website where pictures and menus will be posted. We leave next week on this cruise so your information is that much more appreciated by us.

 

There are an A and B menu which are very similar. Departures on 5/25 will use the A menu and I assume that they will alternate. When you see the first menu on embarkation day, you will know which series is applicable to your cruise.

 

I will have the new Canaletto menu as well as the new Room Service Breakfast menu for your door.

 

My Caribbean menus will be deleted and the Alaskan ones in place before June 1.

 

Previous pictures on my website are under the "Locations" menu.

 

Note that our departure barely broke walking stride as we handed our Canadian Customs forms to representatives standing along the passenger departure lines. What a contrast to other ports!!

 

I will comment on the bridge collapse delays on I5 once I experience it on Monday morning.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/

[Crew News]

Friday began with a heavy overcast but throughout the day, more and more of the fog burned away.

 

As is the norm, the Lido Restaurant tables were completely filled with diners and just chatters for breakfast. Carrying a glass of orange juice to be used for claiming a table, I asked to join three Aussies at a table for eight. The waffles were a nice change from the Frosted Flakes on the Room Service menu.

 

The 11:30 Mariner's Brunch was in a filled Deck 2 Dining Room. Where were all those folks at the Embarkation Lunch? Neither the Captain (Williams) or the Cruise Director gave the traditional toast. This was a repeat of no toast the previous week. The menu was the same as all of my remembered Mariner's lunches. I finally tried the quiche and was pleasantly surprised. Tiles were available at the door.

 

I, like most of my fellow passengers, spent the rest of the afternoon packing, shopping, repacking, and then it was dinner time.

 

The baked brie in phyllo was spectacular. There were lots of choices from the four international menus. At the conclusion of eating, the Mariners stood and waved their napkins as the baked Alaska dessert was paraded around the room.

 

After dinner, I sorted through the collection of ads, menus, On Locations, and invitations to determine the "keepers." Packing was completed by 10:00 PM but a final check of closets and drawers located more to pack. As encouraged by the Cruise Director, I double checked to see if I had clothes ready for the disembarkation day. I unpacked some clothing and then repacked. While checking the cooler, I found some of my Mountain Dew stash and opened a suitcase to pack them.

 

With suitcases outside of my door and the Room Service request hanging from the door handle, I retired to a perfect bed.

[Crew News]

With independent disembarkation selected, we opted to be the last off of the ship.

 

The Room Service breakfast arrived nearly 20 minutes late which was a new experience over the past two weeks. After three spoonfuls of Frosted Flakes, Room Service came to pick up our tray. That was only the second time in two weeks that Room Service picked up a tray.

 

Agung, our Room Steward and the best we have had on HAL, asked if he could start to clean the room while we waited to be last off the ship. Several small bottles of Marcia's Sutter Home wine were donated to the ship's crew. A half-eaten bag of Doritos, purchased in Seattle two weeks ago, was deposited in a trash can and a few precious chocolate chip cookies were deposited as well. Before we left the room, Agung had only a few more details to complete.

 

After checking every cabinet and drawer, we headed for the Deck 3 gangway at 9:15. There was a 10-minute wait as several groups had clogged the entrance while awaiting their turn. I glanced at my watch to note the 9:35 time.

 

Strolling down the gangway and walking down the long hallway to Canadian Customs, the red-coated HAL Shore folks kept reminding us to have our customs cards in our hands and to leave our passports in our pockets. As we neared the right turn into the building, there were four Customs workers collecting the forms as we walked past them. Four seconds to clear Canadian Customs!!!! Around the corner, I spotted our suitcases and a porter nearby. We were soon following both to the Pan Pacific Hotel.

 

In the manner of an Olympic 400-meter relay baton pass, suitcases were transferred to a waiting hotel porter and we proceeded to the lobby check-in counter. Holland America had checked us in earlier in the day, so with electronic key in hand, I boarded a waiting elevator to my ninth-floor room. I glanced at my watch and noted 9:50 AM, which computed to 15 minutes from ship to hotel door. Five minutes later and a porter's knock on the door signaled the arrival of the suitcases.

 

An amazing end to a very fun cruise. Only smoked salmon and baked brie on the room desk, could have made it better.

 

I will post a cruise review shortly.

[PathfinderEss]

Sounds like you all had a great second week. Sorry you had to get off today but I guess all good cruise must end. Thanks for posting your live report, wish we could have stayed on for that second week with you. Have a good stay at the Pan Pacific, one of my favorite hotels. Go down and try their Seafood chowder, it is wonderful, yum.

[JamesEM]

Looking forward to your report.

[legalslave]

Thanks much for your live thread! I also would have loved to stay on the ship another week. Hope you and Joanie have a safe drive to Seattle and a safe flight home.

 

Diane

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you

I have enjoyed your "Live" review.

I will be curious to see what delays you will have on Monday getting from Vancouver to Seattle.

[c-legs]

Hi.Roger

Seems you guys haad a fabulous #2 cruise on Zuidy. Good stuff.

I've been warned to expect a well deserved reprimand from Joanie for being ''awol'' yesterday at the pier...But I'll be there today !! promise !!

Couldn't make it yesterday due to ''social commitments'' as required by she who must be obeyed....

Hope your favourite driver sprays the champers at Indy.

See you later today.

Cheers

Claude

[IRL_Joanie]

................<SNIP>................The folks headed for Tracy Arm were picked up sped away for some deeper sightseeing................<SNIP>................

As an aside for those that asked about my being able to do the Tracy Arm Excursion from the Service Call at Tracy Arm via ship to Catamaran transfer..........Answer from the Captain or owner of the Excursion is NO!!! This is not a doable excursion to transfer for any person with any type of mobility issue!! The reason being that as Roger relayed to me the passengers were transferred from the Zuiderdam to the Catamaran via a Jacobs Ladder

 

This is a Jacob's Ladder:

 

Needless to say, NO WAY NO HOW!!!!

 

Joanie

[IRL_Joanie]

Hope the Skagway winds weren't as bad as they were last week. Say hi to Joanie for us.

 

Actually, Skagway was so absolutely gorgeous and perfect weather that for the first time in 6 cruises to Alaska I got to get off the ship in Skagway!!! It was BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Hey back at you my friends!! I miss talking down at ya and Lynn:D Pssst.......Pete, Methinks you and the rest of us Aft Wrap Dwellers may have praised our Penthouses away to too many others and may have a harder time booking one........:eek:

 

Thanks Crew News for your report, sounds like the weather for your second week was no better then the week before, infact maybe a little worse.

 

It was a pleasure to finally meet you both and we really enjoyed your aft cabin for the Seattle sail away. Thanks to you both.

The weather was so absolutely perfect all but the last sea day, and even it cleared up in the late afternoon:)

 

I must say that I was disappointed in not being able to be further into the Inside Passage for most of our Inside Passage time going South the 1st week and both directions the 2nd week:( But, I do respect Captain Turner not wanting to disturb/destroy the Canadian Crab Fisherman's Pots that were near the coast lines.........Oh Well, the fishermen have to make a living and this was their time to do so.......

 

Hey Melodie, we had our Sail Away from Vancouver my friend, not Seattle:D I think you have to get right back on board the ship before you forget where you live next:D

 

Joanie