North to Alaska-Amsterdam May 18th thru June 1st, 2014 - Better late than never....

[Assateague Island Princes]

(Sung to the tune of 'Gilligan's Island' theme song):

'Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip, that started at Seattle port aboard one fine Dam ship....aboard one fine Dam ship.

A 14 day Alaskan cruise for the third time I did sail, with whales and bears and glaciers blue, there's bound to be a tale....there's bound to be a tale.

The ship was the lovely Amsterdam, the Captain's name was Fred. With sunny skies and calm smooth seas, our journey forged ahead....our journey forged ahead.'

The Players: Hi, my name is Lynda, (better known in these parts as AIP) and yes, I'm an Alaska-holic. No desire to overcome this addiction either so I learn to live with and feed the addiction at every opportunity.

This was my third time on this wonderful 14 day AK itinerary (May 31, 2010 and August 5, 2011) and if I have anything to say about it, it won't be my last;)!

I shared a cabin w/my friend Michelle who DH and I had met on this same sailing in 2010. DH remained behind keeping the home fires burning and caring for our furry family member - Hyper Piper, a 4 year old Springer Spaniel whose name says it all.

Aboard and along for the ride were several others we had met in 2010 including LVSue and her SIL Rhodi. We had a very active Roll Call (which continues to this day!) that began back in March of 2013, I believe, so plenty of time to cultivate friendships before we even stepped aboard. Shout out to ALL of you - I miss your smiling faces throughout the ship and in port.

Also traveling w/me from PA were my friends John and Donna - new to cruising and virgin Alaska visitors, so I was most excited to show them all the wonders of the Great Land and the lovely MS Amsterdam. Two other friends were scheduled to travel and sail with us, however a tragic car crash just days before sailing took the life of my friend's sister causing them to cancel the cruise and rebook (they will be on the June 22nd sailing leaving this Sunday instead). Those of you on the 6/22 sailing, please keep your eyes peeled for Lorraine and Ralph and take them under your wing for me, would ya?

Alaska Addiction: Began in Sept. of 2006 - on the last 7-day AK cruise of the season aboard the Oosterdam.

Now I'm a beach girl thru and thru, so the prospect of sailing to Alaska wasn't all that appealing to me at the time. However, since a group of 10 friends had booked this sailing, my DH coerced me into giving it a try, and I went (kicking and screaming I might add!) aboard the lovely O, vowing to be a good sport.

Ha!!! Little did I know that I'd find my 'heart home' that fateful day, and would return to Alaska again and again. In fact, the plan now is to retire somewhere on the Kenai Peninsula (hopefully in or around Homer) in the future. Amazing how life takes you in new directions when you least expect it. Who knew??

 

 

Subsequent trips to AK included another 7 day sailing on the Oosterdam in May of 2008, then the two 14 day sailings in 2010 and 2011, followed by a 17 day land only trip to Alaska with DH in 2013 - BEST. VACATION. EVER. Plans are now in the works for a winter trip in coming years for an early March visit to include the Iditarod and (hopefully) aurora viewing.

But I digress, back to the adventure at hand....

[Alberta Quilter]

Awwww, I miss you, too!

[Assateague Island Princes]

(Sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Island" theme song)

'Each port reveals a stunning jewel with beauty far and wide. Each mile we sailed in the Great White North, showed Alaska's homegrown pride...showed Alaska's homegrown pride.'

From the east to the west in 5 1/2 LONG hours: The worst part of any Alaska trip is getting there, sigh, but it is a necessary evil. On Sat. afternoon, May 17th, we bit the bullet and headed for Phila. airport from my home in the Lehigh Valley, picking John and Donna up along the way, for our 6PM flight to Seattle. Non-stop (thank God!) on Alaska Airlines, arriving at 9PM in Seattle. Several years ago knowing Alaska was on our radar as often as possible, DH and I signed up for the Alaska Airlines VISA card to take advantage of their yearly $99 companion fare and to earn frequent flyer miles. It has saved us big bucks ever since and made flying to Seattle or Anchorage much more affordable. As a matter of fact, with the FF miles we had acrued, this RT flight to Seattle only cost me $7.48 - not bad, right? John and Donna took my advice to get the Alaska Airlines CC as well, and were able to book a relatively inexpensive flight using the $99 companion fare.

While uneventful, the flight seemed endless and we all breathed a sigh of relief upon landing safely in Seattle. Love that airport - I know many don't feel the same way, but I'm so familiar with it at this point, that it feels like coming home each time we touch down. Quickly retrieving our luggage, we headed to the parking garage and put in a call to the front desk of the Sleep Inn Seatac for their free shuttle service to whisk us to our evening's accomodations.

Sleep Inn Seatac: Cannot say enough good things about this lovely airport area hotel - we've always stayed here pre- and post-Alaska trips. Reasonable rates (most times under $100/night), spotless rooms, free shuttle to/from airport and within 3 miles of the hotel, two computers/printers for guest use in the lobby, and complimentary continental breakfast including fresh waffles, sausages, various pastries/bagels/muffins, yogurt, hot and cold cereal, fresh fruit, etc., and 24-hour free coffee/tea/hot chocolate, etc. With an IHOP conveniently located right across the parking lot, options for other meals are always available.

 

 

Met up with Michelle who arrived from California earlier, and after 'catching up' for a bit, we hit the hay in anticipation of the beginning of our journey back to Alaska the next morning.

 

 

From Sleep Inn to Pier 91: Prior to the trip, we booked the 10:45 pick-up with Seattle Express for $12/pp. Wonderful service, always prompt - highly recommend. Tell Matt at Seattle Express that Lynda sent ya;)). As expected, the shuttle arrived and we all comfortably traveled to Pier 91, entered the terminal, dropped off our luggage and quickly went thru the check-in process. Waited approximately 10 minutes before our number was called. Breezed past the ship photographer with a polite "No thanks" and there she was - the beautiful and elegant MS Amsterdam - close enough to touch.

Upon boarding, Michelle and I walked Donna and John to their cabin (2715) on the aft of the Main Deck, and we were all amazed at the size of this oceanview cabin with a large window overlooking the Main Deck's 'secret deck." They were very pleased with their cabin choice.

Eager to see our balcony cabin (6210) on the Verandah deck, up we went to deck 6, squealing with delight when we saw our very own 'porch' (as Ruth calls it!) for the next 14 days.

Originally, Michelle and I were booked in our favorite 'secret cabin' on the aft of the Navigation deck. DH and I sailed in this cabin in 2010, while Michelle and another friend sailed in the identical cabin on the starboard side (7055), so we knew its advantages - just five short steps to that wonderful, little used 'secret deck' overlooking the mesmerizing wake views, and just one short flight of steps up to the Seaview bar, outdoor pool, and Lido deck. A couple of days prior to sailing, we had our TA contact HAL to see if a reasonable upsell might be offered to a balcony cabin, and we were in luck! Ask and ye shall receive - we were blessed.

After exploring our cabin and dropping off our carry-ons, we met up w/Donna and John in the Lido for our first (of many) meals there. Found a sunny spot outdoors to enjoy our meal and the sunny day we had been blessed with.

With the iconic Space Needle in the background and the Seattle waterfront panned out before us, muster drill was soon complete, our luggage had arrived, and we set sail for the wonder that is Alaska. Ain't life grand???

Stay tuned.....

[vbmom87]

Lynda, I just love your style of writing and can't wait to hear all about the daily happenings on your cruise. Will wait patiently for the rest of your report.

[luvteaching]

Hi!

 

We're on the June 22nd cruise. Do you know if Lorraine and Ralph signed in on the Roll call? If not, our Meet and Greet is June 23rd at 11;00 in the Crows Nest. Please tell them they are welcome to join us!

 

Karen

[Assateague Island Princes]

I'll tell them, Karen - thanx for the offer. No, they aren't on CC, though Lord knows, I've encouraged them to take a look. Will pass along the info and hopefully, they will show up at the Meet and Greet. Appreciate it!

[SunLakesBob]

AIP we share your addiction to Alaska. The June 22nd cruise is our 8th journey "North to Alaska"

[Susie51]

Great review. Looking forward to more. I especially like the verses to the song. You have a peppy easy to read writing style.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Thanx to all for the kind comments! So happy you are enjoying the review so far. Hoping to post more later today.

[Assateague Island Princes]

(Sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Island" theme song):

'From Ketchikan in the wet southeast to Anchorage we docked, wildfires there showed us smoke and ash, yet to the town we flocked....yet to the town we flocked.'

Let's get this party started!: A quick visit to the front desk and we had our Unlimited Laundry package ordered ($98.00/cabin for 14 days - best bargain on the ship!), and had retrieved a power cord for use of my CPAP machine and all our electronic gear - cell phones, Ipad, cameras, etc. Our Explore4 beverage card and our HAL excursion tickets were in the cabin and ready for our use.

After unpacking, we refamiliarized ourselves with the ship and ordered our first drinks. As the Seattle skyline grew smaller and smaller, we took up residence on our 'porch' to enjoy the views and the long hours of daylight as we headed north. Seas were truly smooth as glass - actually remained that way for almost the entire trip.

Days onboard for us were lazy and enjoyable - a great deal of time spent enjoying the scenery and looking for whales on our porch, on the secret deck on the aft of Navigation deck, or 'on the dark side', which is what I lovingly dubbed the outdoor smoking area on the starboard side of the aft Lido deck. Met THE nicest people there and we became friendly with them throughout the trip and beyond. If you guys are reading this - big hugs to Scott and Rick, and Marianne and 'Dutch' (never did learn his real first name - they were from the Netherlands and we so enjoyed their accents).

Lots of whale sightings from the Lido while heading north those first few days and oh, what an event it was! People would flock to that side of the ship when the cry went up that a humpback had been spotted. It became a sport, one that we all hoped to excel in. You gotta spend the time on deck scanning the seas to get the kind of results you wanted - and Michelle and I were up for the challenge. Great fun!

Didn't participate in a whole lot of activities - other than "Name that Tune" in the Ocean Bar (at which, might I add, our team excelled and kicked butt - two first place showings and a tie or 2 if memory serves me correctly). Sure didn't hurt that we had our "ringers" Val and Roger from Britain on our team when Beatles Name that Tune was the order of the day!;) Thanx folks - couldn't have done it without you!:D

What was missing?: Two things we found lacking in the entertainment department included no "Marriage Game" (think Newlywed Game), and no "Amsterdam Superstar" (think American Idol). None. Nada. We always enjoy that silly type of entertainment, and sometimes you can find a gem of a voice among your fellow passengers when karaoke is on the agenda.

Full disclosure - Once - against my will I might add - DH and I actually participated in the Marriage Game. Ugh - lets just say, it was not our finest hour and I will never forgive Michelle, Silly Jilly, Mary and Kim for "volunteering" us to participate. (Did get a nice insulated HAL mug out of it though, so maybe it was worth the embarrassment?? Nah, it wasn't).

Come and Get it!: I'm a Lido girl myself, and I think I may have converted Michelle as well. We had our first dinner in the Lido and now that I think about it - only had two other meals in the MDR for the entire 14 day trip. One lunch on Kodiak day and one dinner with John and Donna.

We had received a free Pinnacle Grill meal w/the Explore4 package, and upon seeing the assigned time was unsatisfactory, we were easily able to change that reservation to a time of our choosing by visiting the dining kiosk located near the Lido buffet.

Breakfast each morning was either room service or the Lido where I enjoyed a custom made omelet most every day and deliciously crisp bacon to accompany it. During the cruise, we did experience some instances where the food served in the Lido was lukewarm and apparently there had been some complaints because a server clearing our table mentioned it. It certainly didn't happen often enough to impact our dining experience there, and we could usually find something on the menu that appealed to us.

About a week into the trip, both Michelle and I were tired of large 'fancy' meals, so she dialed Room Service and ordered up two Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches (grape jelly please!) and two glasses of milk. After a bit of back and forth on the phone, our sandwiches arrived as ordered, and oh my, were they good! Nice change of pace!

On the final formal night, we ordered room service from the MDR menu - three surfs each, no turf please - and it was delivered to our humble abode - hot and fresh and delicious.

Had burgers at the Dive In and yes, we enjoyed them (mine was minus the bun - too much dang bread for me). The fries were amazing both at the Dive In and at the Lido - everytime, crispy hot and delicious!

Visited the Explorations Cafe for specialty coffees and teas on a regular basis (thank you Explore4 - we got our money's worth there alone as, alas, we didn't come anywhere close to the 7 drinks per day in the alcohol beverage category). Be sure to say hi to Christian (or as we lovingly called him "Co-Captain") from Michelle and I. He's a gem, always smiling, always friendly, and always all-seeing and all-knowing when it came to what we were thirsty for.

What was missing?: Two things stand out that we found lacking in the food department - NO cinnamon ice cream and NO pizza. None. Nada.

Now I'm not a huge fan of HAL's pizza to begin with (the crust is too thick and not enough cheese), but after about a week there I was jonesing for pizza. Heck any kind of pizza would do!!! Fortuntely, we were able to remedy that by getting pizza at a Mexican restaurant (yes, you read that right!) in Sitka of all places. Delicious and tasty - mission accomplished!

As to the cinnamon ice cream, both Michelle and I are big fans and always look forward to it being served on our HAL Alaska cruises so we were majorly bummed that it never made an appearance. M. inquired several times to the ice cream bar server as to when we might expect it on the menu, but she was told that they had never had cinnamon ice cream. What?:eek: Finally, M. badgered the Lido manager, who promised to look into the matter and get back to us. Sadly, we never heard a thing and 14 days passed being cinnamon ice cream-less.:(

I had to console myself with make-your-own-sundaes in the Lido for dessert if I couldn't find something else that appealed to me.

Meet and Greet: As I said before, our active Roll Call was a lot of fun, so we looked forward to the M&G scheduled for 10AM in the Crows Nest on Monday, May 19th. Thanx to LVSue for all her hard work, she is a planner extraordinaire!Great turn out with the usual cookies and coffee/tea supplied by HAL. No HAL officers or staff in attendance that I saw, but made no difference. Everyone mingled, there was lots of chatting going on, and friendly smiles abounded. It was so wonderful to meet so many of you and to catch up with old friends I hadn't seen since 2010.

Special thanx to Clipper (aka: Alberta Quilter) for her hard work on the 'live from' thread she so brilliantly produced.

Next up: Land ho - Ketchikan here we come!

[AlohaPride]

Yay!! Thank you!

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for taking the time to write this review which I'm enjoying very much. Looking forward to the rest of it.

[IRL_Joanie]

Only 2 verses so far, but loving it for sure:)

 

Keep it comin girl, keep it comin!!

 

Joanie

[Krazy Kruizers]

Loving your review!!

Sadly we had to cancel our June 22 one -- it would have been our 3rd time doing this itinerary.

[vbmom87]

Loving your review!!

Sadly we had to cancel our June 22 one -- it would have been our 3rd time doing this itinerary.

 

So sorry you had to cancel your June 22 cruise. Will you be able to go another time this summer?

[CowPrincess]

I am so pea green with envy I can barely stand it :D Keep it coming, keep it coming :D

[SeaSuz]

Very vivid and fun!!! Thank you for this story and your ventures so far....

 

SuZ

[Assateague Island Princes]

(Sung to the tune of 'Gilligan's Island' theme song)

"Through bergie bits we forged ahead to the Sawyer's southern face, the same held true for Hubbard Day, as we approached its icy base."

Ketchikan: After another wonderful night's sleep on HAL's delicious beds, we woke to a bit of a drizzle but nothing to get your panties in a twist about. Just put on the raincoat, up with the hood, waterproof hikers laced up and off we went.

Prior to sailing, four of us - Michelle, LVSue, Rhodi and myself had decided that we had all been to Ketchikan way too many times to meander around town; its kitchy atmosphere had worn a bit thin for us, so we made plans with David and Kat of Ketchikan Taxi Cab Tours (tours@ketchikantaxicabtours.com) for a 3 hour tour (do you see the Gilligan's theme emerging here?:p) for sites out of town. With our tour slotted from 11AM-2PM, we were up bright and early to get off the ship at 8AM because Michelle needed some retail therapy before embarking on our adventure. You all need to know that Michelle is a shopper and she likes nothing better than to find a bargain. So off we went, perusing the shops along the waterfront and up into town. The drizzle continued for most of the morning, stopping on and off as we got closer to our tour departure time.

We met up w/David at the covered portico area at the Sockeye Sam Store near Berth 3 (by the tunnel) where the Amsterdam docked promptly at 11AM, and off we went. We drove out the road a bit to a public dock area where eagles were congregated and eagle nests abounded. During our drive there, David filled us in on what it is like to live in Ketchikan year round - very interesting and oft times funny stories were shared. At the dock, we saw the carcass of a rather large halibut floating at the end of the dock - and eagles were dipping down to take a peck at it. Great photo opportunities. Then we were off to Potlatch Park, which we had all to ourselves. Again David shared stories about the park's history, the totem poles that lie within the park, and we set off on a short hike on a meandering path thru the rainforest. It was interesting to visit the carving shed, learn the meaning of the totems, and see the peaceful area in which this park is located.Time flew by and before we knew it, we were headed back to town - hungry for some fish and chips. He dropped us off at Burger Queen (you can order your lunch there and have it delivered across the street at the Happy Bear bar where you can eat on picnic tables overlooking the harbor. Since it was still spritzing on and off, we chose to eat inside. Michelle and I shared an order - plenty for both of us, as did Sue and Rhodi. Afterwards, it was a short walk back to the town where we continued wandering around a bit. The weather cleared later in the afternoon, and sailaway from Ketchikan was sunny and bright. Temps. ranged from 55 to 65 degrees throughout this whole cruise. We got lucky!

 

 

Tonight was 'Neil Diamond Name that Tune' w/entertainer Derek in the Piano Bar. Yeah, our team rocked it and we had a blast winning too!

 

Good night from Capt. Fred 'on the lovely Aaaamsterdammmm in Alaaaaaska'!

Tracy Arm Scenic sailing: Our scenic sailing day dawned bright and sunny, blue skies abound and into the fiord we traveled. Soaring cliffs and Sitka spruce forests surrounded the ship, close enough to touch it seemed, as we made our way thru the twists and turns of the passage. Many times cruiseships don't make it too far, certainly not close enough to see (and hear) the glacier, often times only as far as Sawyer Island before turning around. On THIS day, however, Capt. Fred was a rockstar - edging closer and closer thru the bergie bits hitting our deep blue hull to within 1 1/2 miles of the glacier. The deep rumble of the calving sounded like thunder, and then you'd seek hunks of ice crash off the glacier face into the water below. As often as I've been to Alaska and as many glaciers that I've been fortunate enough to get close to - it is always a thrill, and a sight to behold as tho it were the very first time.

We spent some time on the aft 'secret deck' on 7, and we sailed in and out of Tracy Arm. Whales were seen aplenty, Dall porpoise frolicked in the ship's wake, and my friends John and Donna were just in awe of the spectacle before them. We wandered the ship - to the bow, and to the small deck just below the bridge on deck 6, popping into the gym to watch and warm up, then up to the Crow's Nest, and out to our balcony. It truly was a spectacular day!

Sailing away from the South Sawyer Glacier, many folks went back inside while we just moved the party to our balcony, where John and Donna, Michelle and I continued to view the splendor around us. Someone on the balcony next door said they saw a bear, but a thorough scan w/my trusty binoculars found nothing - wish I could have seen it....

All in all, a memorable day sailing Tracy Arm. Way to go Capt. and crew, for getting us so close to the glacier face!

9PM found us once again at the Piano Bar for TV Sitcom Themes. Not to brag or anything, but can you say winners? Uh-huh, that would be us.:D:D

Next up: Juneau

[erewhon]

Enjoying your great review.

 

No available cinnamon icecream is a

good excuse to book another cruise.:D

[Assateague Island Princes]

Many thanks to all who have posted your complimentary and encouraging words - it gives me incentive to continue! Today is looking busy for me, so it may not be until this evening that I can get back in the saddle again to continue the review. Appreciate your patience.

 

KK - sorry to hear you had to cancel the June 22nd sailing, I know how much you enjoy this itinerary - me too! Hoping you will be able to reschedule or perhaps be able to book next year's sailings on the Statendam. Speaking of which, I was a bit disappointed to see that HAL shortened several port times on this itinerary for next year. As I recall, Sitka, Kodiak and ISP (and maybe a few others, can't remember) port times have been reduced from those of this year. Boo-hiss! If anything, I'd like some additional hours added to those ports - and Homer too!

 

SunLakesBob - your journey on the Amsterdam is just a couple of days away. Go, feed your addiction! It is good for the soul! I hope all of you on the June 22nd sailing will have as enjoyable time as we did on the May 18th sailing!

[Susie51]

Fantastic! Waiting for more verses!

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report! Love the GI theme!

[ztu]

(Sung to the tune of "Gilligan's Island" theme song):

'From Ketchikan in the wet southeast to Anchorage we docked, wildfires there showed us smoke and ash, yet to the town we flocked....yet to the town we flocked.'

Let's get this party started!: A quick visit to the front desk and we had our Unlimited Laundry package ordered ($98.00/cabin for 14 days - best bargain on the ship!), and had retrieved a power cord for use of my CPAP machine and all our electronic gear - cell phones, Ipad, cameras, etc. Our Explore4 beverage card and our HAL excursion tickets were in the cabin and ready for our use.

After unpacking, we refamiliarized ourselves with the ship and ordered our first drinks. As the Seattle skyline grew smaller and smaller, we took up residence on our 'porch' to enjoy the views and the long hours of daylight as we headed north. Seas were truly smooth as glass - actually remained that way for almost the entire trip.

Days onboard for us were lazy and enjoyable - a great deal of time spent enjoying the scenery and looking for whales on our porch, on the secret deck on the aft of Navigation deck, or 'on the dark side', which is what I lovingly dubbed the outdoor smoking area on the starboard side of the aft Lido deck. Met THE nicest people there and we became friendly with them throughout the trip and beyond. If you guys are reading this - big hugs to Scott and Rick, and Marianne and 'Dutch' (never did learn his real first name - they were from the Netherlands and we so enjoyed their accents).

Lots of whale sightings from the Lido while heading north those first few days and oh, what an event it was! People would flock to that side of the ship when the cry went up that a humpback had been spotted. It became a sport, one that we all hoped to excel in. You gotta spend the time on deck scanning the seas to get the kind of results you wanted - and Michelle and I were up for the challenge. Great fun!

Didn't participate in a whole lot of activities - other than "Name that Tune" in the Ocean Bar (at which, might I add, our team excelled and kicked butt - two first place showings and a tie or 2 if memory serves me correctly). Sure didn't hurt that we had our "ringers" Val and Roger from Britain on our team when Beatles Name that Tune was the order of the day!;) Thanx folks - couldn't have done it without you!:D

What was missing?: Two things we found lacking in the entertainment department included no "Marriage Game" (think Newlywed Game), and no "Amsterdam Superstar" (think American Idol). None. Nada. We always enjoy that silly type of entertainment, and sometimes you can find a gem of a voice among your fellow passengers when karaoke is on the agenda.

Full disclosure - Once - against my will I might add - DH and I actually participated in the Marriage Game. Ugh - lets just say, it was not our finest hour and I will never forgive Michelle, Silly Jilly, Mary and Kim for "volunteering" us to participate. (Did get a nice insulated HAL mug out of it though, so maybe it was worth the embarrassment?? Nah, it wasn't).

Come and Get it!: I'm a Lido girl myself, and I think I may have converted Michelle as well. We had our first dinner in the Lido and now that I think about it - only had two other meals in the MDR for the entire 14 day trip. One lunch on Kodiak day and one dinner with John and Donna.

We had received a free Pinnacle Grill meal w/the Explore4 package, and upon seeing the assigned time was unsatisfactory, we were easily able to change that reservation to a time of our choosing by visiting the dining kiosk located near the Lido buffet.

Breakfast each morning was either room service or the Lido where I enjoyed a custom made omelet most every day and deliciously crisp bacon to accompany it. During the cruise, we did experience some instances where the food served in the Lido was lukewarm and apparently there had been some complaints because a server clearing our table mentioned it. It certainly didn't happen often enough to impact our dining experience there, and we could usually find something on the menu that appealed to us.

About a week into the trip, both Michelle and I were tired of large 'fancy' meals, so she dialed Room Service and ordered up two Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches (grape jelly please!) and two glasses of milk. After a bit of back and forth on the phone, our sandwiches arrived as ordered, and oh my, were they good! Nice change of pace!

On the final formal night, we ordered room service from the MDR menu - three surfs each, no turf please - and it was delivered to our humble abode - hot and fresh and delicious.

Had burgers at the Dive In and yes, we enjoyed them (mine was minus the bun - too much dang bread for me). The fries were amazing both at the Dive In and at the Lido - everytime, crispy hot and delicious!

Visited the Explorations Cafe for specialty coffees and teas on a regular basis (thank you Explore4 - we got our money's worth there alone as, alas, we didn't come anywhere close to the 7 drinks per day in the alcohol beverage category). Be sure to say hi to Christian (or as we lovingly called him "Co-Captain") from Michelle and I. He's a gem, always smiling, always friendly, and always all-seeing and all-knowing when it came to what we were thirsty for.

What was missing?: Two things stand out that we found lacking in the food department - NO cinnamon ice cream and NO pizza. None. Nada.

Now I'm not a huge fan of HAL's pizza to begin with (the crust is too thick and not enough cheese), but after about a week there I was jonesing for pizza. Heck any kind of pizza would do!!! Fortuntely, we were able to remedy that by getting pizza at a Mexican restaurant (yes, you read that right!) in Sitka of all places. Delicious and tasty - mission accomplished!

As to the cinnamon ice cream, both Michelle and I are big fans and always look forward to it being served on our HAL Alaska cruises so we were majorly bummed that it never made an appearance. M. inquired several times to the ice cream bar server as to when we might expect it on the menu, but she was told that they had never had cinnamon ice cream. What?:eek: Finally, M. badgered the Lido manager, who promised to look into the matter and get back to us. Sadly, we never heard a thing and 14 days passed being cinnamon ice cream-less.:(

I had to console myself with make-your-own-sundaes in the Lido for dessert if I couldn't find something else that appealed to me.

Meet and Greet: As I said before, our active Roll Call was a lot of fun, so we looked forward to the M&G scheduled for 10AM in the Crows Nest on Monday, May 19th. Thanx to LVSue for all her hard work, she is a planner extraordinaire!Great turn out with the usual cookies and coffee/tea supplied by HAL. No HAL officers or staff in attendance that I saw, but made no difference. Everyone mingled, there was lots of chatting going on, and friendly smiles abounded. It was so wonderful to meet so many of you and to catch up with old friends I hadn't seen since 2010.

Special thanx to Clipper (aka: Alberta Quilter) for her hard work on the 'live from' thread she so brilliantly produced.

Next up: Land ho - Ketchikan here we come!

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[NextOne]

AIP -- this is great! Lots of great ideas for our July trip. I'll be searching for those "secret" spots, for sure!

Thanks so much!

Edi

[carri cruiser]

Many thanks to all who have posted your complimentary and encouraging words - it gives me incentive to continue! Today is looking busy for me, so it may not be until this evening that I can get back in the saddle again to continue the review. Appreciate your patience.

 

KK - sorry to hear you had to cancel the June 22nd sailing, I know how much you enjoy this itinerary - me too! Hoping you will be able to reschedule or perhaps be able to book next year's sailings on the Statendam. Speaking of which, I was a bit disappointed to see that HAL shortened several port times on this itinerary for next year. As I recall, Sitka, Kodiak and ISP (and maybe a few others, can't remember) port times have been reduced from those of this year. Boo-hiss! If anything, I'd like some additional hours added to those ports - and Homer too!

 

SunLakesBob - your journey on the Amsterdam is just a couple of days away. Go, feed your addiction! It is good for the soul! I hope all of you on the June 22nd sailing will have as enjoyable time as we did on the May 18th sailing!

 

AIP, really enjoying your Amsterdam review!! we are on a 7 day this year on August 10th... really hope to cruise with you some time... I followed Clippers daily "live from", you both sound like you had such a great time!! keep em coming!!