Glaciers, Eagles, Lost Bags and Food Poisoning - A Review of our 1st HAL Cruise!

[leonidas]

Great review, beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing.

 

Kind regards,

Gina

The Netherlands

[PathfinderEss]

Very nice review, thanks for taking the time to write and post it. Sounds like you did have a wonderful time.

[Cruising-along]

Thank you for the great review, and I loved your pictures. :) I love how your family made the best of some bad situations and had a good time anyway.

 

So sorry to hear about your lost bag and especially sorry to hear about the food poisoning. I stay away from the pizza, it just never looks good, and from now on I will be sure to not have any! :eek:

[buckirj1]

A nice, balanced review that was a pleasure to read. Hmmm, your signature indicates Royal Princess for a Canada/NE cruise next year. Think I might have to look at that. Thanks!

[lizzies_mom]

Thank you for the balanced review. It brought back great memories of our first cruise on the Amsterdam. We too had great weather in Sitka; the residents kept thanking us for bringing such a sunny day.

[ellbelle]

Enjoyed your review, too bad about the lost bag and since you're a pilot (I remember from a previous thread) flying SW for the first time, they lose your bag!

 

My husband and I were married a number of years before our daughter was born which totally changed our vacationing (so understand about other cruiseline/ship options) and we did not cruise with her until she was 8, so I have to hand it to you and your wife.... small children and the Pack-N-Play in an already small room! We took our daughter to Hawaii when she was 11 months old, we look back now and think how crazy we were, not only the luggage, car seat, stroller, Pack-N-Play and two sets of golf clubs!

[aliaschief]

Fantastic review and great photography. Thanks for sharing your cruise experience.

[Tapi]

...too bad about the lost bag and since you're a pilot (I remember from a previous thread) flying SW for the first time, they lose your bag!

 

Yup. We are used to flying standby (or "non-rev") with just our carry-ons, but since this was a major vacation with lots of bags (and we didn't want to run the risk of flights being full and not making it to Seattle in time for the cruise), I decided to buy confirmed tickets. Southwest happened to have the lowest price and flights that were convenient to us.

 

I'm fully aware that things happen, and that a bag can be lost by any airline, but the way the whole thing has been handled has been worse than the food poisoning incident! :eek:

[rajkr74]

Thanks for the review and great pictures I enjoyed them both. Sorry you got sick but lucky it was a short illness.

 

We have been on the Westerdam twice, but on Panama Canal cruises and have enjoyed her very much. The Alaska cruises out of Vancouver BC usually go thru the inside passage around Vancouver Is and Seattle cruises tend to go on the outside of Vancouver Is. However, our 14 day 2011 Alaska cruise on the Amsterdam went out of Seattle and on the inside passage of Vancouver Is.....who knows???

 

Vancouver cruises usually do Skagway and Seattle does Sitka. We enjoyed both towns with each having special things.

[durangoscots]

I very much enjoyed your review which included the good and not so good in a rational way. I worry about the pizza and things that sit out for a while and try to avoid them.... if I am going to eat them, I try to be there when they first arrive hot from the stove. And as much as I love tacos, I avoid the taco bar since stuff does tend to sit out unattended.

 

Your pictures were great. Takes me back to my Alaska cruise and reenforces my determination to go again next year.

 

Susan

[Rockfan2]

Hi Tapi,

 

Glad you enjoyed our beautiful city of Victoria!

 

There is so much to see and do here it's a shame that most HAL ships have a 6 pm arrival and 11:59 departure.

 

You need to come back and see us some time.

 

Rockfan2

 

PS The Alaska cruises are definitely addictive. We are going back for a third time this fall. Sail out of Seattle so our last port of call is Victoria and we usually are able to disembark here at home. Get off the ship in Victoria and take a 10 minute cab ride home or sail to Seattle to get off the ship early in the morning and take the Clipper home(passenger only ferry, 2 - 3 hours) (approx. $100/person). No brainer.

[pepsigirl64]

:D Thanks for the review. We will be on the Westerdam in August for our 9th trip to Alaska. It is truly an AMAZING place.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info ..

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

 

Thank you for a wonderful report. Sikita is my favorite port. Its a shame you did not get to Forest of the bears. Everyone in the family would have loved it. Loved your report.

 

 

Mary

[elkd43]

I also want to thank you for the "fair and balanced" review of your cruise to Alaska. Took this same Westerdam cruise in June 2011 and truly enjoyed it. Your pictures are beautiful and brought back many memories.

Hope your missing luggage has finally reached you!!!

[hpeabody]

Thank you so much for your review and photos, they are wonderful. I am glad to hear debarkation was easy, I had a horrible ordeal debarking at Fort Lauderdale last year. I am set for your same cruise in 9 days, June 29th. I am excited and can not wait! This will be my 4th time to Alaska and 3rd on HAL (in Alaska)

 

Not good about your big bag being lost, I hope they do find it for you. :mad:

[scdreamer]

Thank you for posting this trip report. Very enjoyable, and the photos are great.

 

We did the inside passage three years ago (Vancouver to Seward) on Celebrity, and had a wonderful time.

Edited June 21, 2013 by scdreamer

[harrodsfan]

Thanks for a good review..we are thinking of doing this trip but will do the inside passage from Vancouver. I hate rough seas.

I got food poisoning on our Regent Holiday cruise. I know it was that and not noro... I was only sick for about 2 hours and then when everything was out of my system I was ok. Not hungry. and what made me sick... you guessed it.. Pizza. It can happen anywhere.

Kudos also for making lemons out of lost luggage.

[JamesEM]

Liked your review, great photos, and no pizza for me unless it comes straight out of the oven.

[trouble1964]

More pictures please! I have that same camera.

 

What is that round thing the man is in, in the indoor pool?

[serendipity1499]

Thanks so much for your wonderful & balanced review..I'm also a retired Airline employee, but will not fly standby if we have to meet a ship..It's not worth the hassle any more..Hopefully, we'll be able to do the HAL BOS to BOS Voyage of the Vikings in 2014, but will plan on purchasing full fare tkts..

Sorry that you had to loose your bag..Hope that you have received some sort of renumeration, although I'm sure it will not cover what was in your bag..I'm not a light packer & it's one reason we cross pack for both of us.. We put a little bit of each type of clothing in several different bags even when we drive to the port..

When I was single, I did a Greek Island cruise with a Friend..My DH & our good friends (also Airline employees) were just like your Brother-in-law..None of them could understand why I would want them to take a cruise with me when we could all fly for free & go to many different places..;)

After a while they gave in to me & we all took an NCL 7 day cruise..That hooked them for good..DH also never wanted to go to Alaska, because he said it was "too cold"..When I was recovering from two sprained ankles he felt sorry for me & decided that we should take a HAL 7 day land tour with a 7 day cruise..I immediately hobbled to the phone & booked it.. DH loved it & still talks about going back to Alaska..:):) We also paid full fare to ANC & return from YVR..

Have always wanted to try HAL's Pizza, but will take your advice..No pizza unless it's right out of the oven..

Again thanks for the great review & hope you enjoy many more HAL cruises..

Cheers...:)Betty

 

P.S. Love your pics!

Edited June 21, 2013 by serendipity1499

[Steppy08]

Thanks so much for your wonderful & balanced review..I'm also a retired Airline employee, but will not fly standby if we have to meet a ship..It's not worth the hassle any more..Hopefully, we'll be able to do the HAL BOS to BOS Voyage of the Vikings in 2014, but will plan on purchasing full fare tkts..

Sorry that you had to loose your bag..Hope that you have received some sort of renumeration, although I'm sure it will not cover what was in your bag..I'm not a light packer & it's one reason we cross pack for both of us.. We put a little bit of each type of clothing in several different bags even when we drive to the port..

When I was single, I did a Greek Island cruise with a Friend..My DH & our good friends (also Airline employees) were just like your Brother-in-law..None of them could understand why I would want them to take a cruise with me when we could all fly for free & go to many different places..;)

After a while they gave in to me & we all took an NCL 7 day cruise..That hooked them for good..DH also never wanted to go to Alaska, because he said it was "too cold"..When I was recovering from two sprained ankles he felt sorry for me & decided that we should take a HAL 7 day land tour with a 7 day cruise..I immediately hobbled to the phone & booked it.. DH loved it & still talks about going back to Alaska..:):) We also paid full fare to ANC & return from YVR..

Have always wanted to try HAL's Pizza, but will take your advice..No pizza unless it's right out of the oven..

Again thanks for the great review & hope you enjoy many more HAL cruises..

Cheers...:)Betty

 

P.S. Love your pics!

 

I'm also an airline brat (born and raised- I don't think I had a confirmed seat on a flight until I was 22!) Now my hubby works for an airline, and we NEVER non-rev for cruises. Too many horror stories.

 

Tapi- sorry about your bag, but it does happen. My parents tell a story about one of our car seats that somehow took a scenic tour of the US when we were little, even though our flight was non-stop to Florida.

 

Thanks for the review.

[janmcn]

Alaska cruises are our favorite. The Vancouver to Seward is great…then I would suggest taking the train from Seward to Anchorage, overnight a night or two, then train to Denali (train goes right to the entrance)…stay in Denali a night or two, return to Anchorage or Fairbanks via train to fly home.

 

Sorry you were sick one day.

(Southwest is our favorite airline because of no mashing around at the gate jockying for position to board (even though you have seats assigned)…I'll take the "line up" way…at least for the flights we've taken, it's been more civilized.)

[kazu]

Great review accompanied with great pics.

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us and welcome home:D

[Tapi]

(Southwest is our favorite airline because of no mashing around at the gate jockying for position to board (even though you have seats assigned)…I'll take the "line up" way…at least for the flights we've taken, it's been more civilized.)

 

Southwest is new in Atlanta (as they continue to merge with Air Tran). I think that a lot of people here are trying them out for the first time and are not familiar yet with the way Southwest does things, which would explain the utter chaos going but not returning from Seattle.