Did that cruise really happen? Or was it a dream?

[cp556]

Loving your review, Mary, and looking forward to reading more. We did the same 14-nt Amsterdam in May, and friends did it in June.

 

The 3-part muster drill you described must indeed be new, as the May & June sailings had the traditional type.

 

Thanks for clearing up how you had 5 in the cabin ... booking Hannah in with Ruth. NOW I understand:)

 

Clear up one nosy thing for me, would you? You described the luggage you brought on the plane. I was amazed that you could do 14 nts with just that amount. Then you mentioned having a large amount of luggage at the pier. So you brought more than just the garment bag/5 roller bags/5 backpacks? (Please tell me yes so that I don't feel so much of an overpacker :)

 

Which airline did you fly into Seattle? If you named it, I didn't see it. I was surprised at the meager food offering for a 5.5 hour flight...

 

Welcome Home and thanks again for the review.

Carol in SC

[kittercat85]

KitterKat, can you post a link to your review?

 

Thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Absolutely, here you go :)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2093376

[theloo]

Thanks for clearing up how you had 5 in the cabin ... booking Hannah in with Ruth. NOW I understand:)

 

Oops, I missed that. Thanks for pointing that out.

[VermeulT]

Yay! I'm so happy to start reading your journal Mary. I am so sorry we didn't get to meet on this trip. Your family is beautiful. I look forward to hearing every detail.

All my best,

Trudy

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Typhoon1]

Welcome back. In a few months, it will all seem like a dream.

[AlohaPride]

 

Clear up one nosy thing for me, would you? You described the luggage you brought on the plane. I was amazed that you could do 14 nts with just that amount. Then you mentioned having a large amount of luggage at the pier. So you brought more than just the garment bag/5 roller bags/5 backpacks? (Please tell me yes so that I don't feel so much of an overpacker :)

 

Which airline did you fly into Seattle? If you named it, I didn't see it. I was surprised at the meager food offering for a 5.5 hour flight...

 

Welcome Home and thanks again for the review.

Carol in SC

 

Hi Carol!

 

We had a rolling carry on per person (5), a small bag per person (5), a hanging garment bag, and a carseat bag that had Faye's Carseat and both booster seats for Hannah and JJ. We used the unlimited laundry service daily :)

 

We flew on Alaska Airlines this time.

[AlohaPride]

Day 4: At Sea

 

A benefit of an inside cabin is that you do not hear the fog horn when it goes off every two minutes for five full seconds. Apparently, we had fog all night long. We also had fog almost all day long. My husband woke up at 6:30 to go for a run at the gym before breakfast. He said it was very crowded and had to wait and stretch for about 15 minutes before scoring a treadmill. At 8:30 we met our friends in the dining room for breakfast. They do not know how to cook over medium eggs. One table mate had over hard and I had runny. It was a good breakfast. My husband had an omelet, our girls had Belgian waffles with strawberries, and I had corned beef hash and over medium eggs. I’m not sure we will be having breakfast in the dining room again, however. It just took too long for our girls.

 

After breakfast the girls wanted to go back to Club HAL. I was not going to argue. I dropped them off and made my way to the Crow’s Nest. I happened upon an Alaska Apparel sale in the Lido on my way and bought a very nice jacket for $30. I finally made it to the Crow’s Nest for our 11 a.m. CC meet and greet. We had a HUGE turnout!! Sheila and John, I received your greetings! Thank you! It was a very fun time! We have a wonderful roll call and have been so blessed by the new friends we have made. The photo is a bit crummy. I hope someone else got a better shot!

 

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After our meet and greet we picked up the girls and headed back to the pool. It was freezing for those of us from Hawaii. That did not deter our 6 year old from swimming her little heart out. There was also a barbecue in the Lido, so that’s what we had for lunch. About an hour later our 3 year old decided she had had enough and made it very obvious she was ready for a nap. All of us were. We went back to our cabin and slept for a few hours.

 

I woke up just in time for the Indonesian Tea. I had a jasmine green tea that was out of this world good I hope to attend the other teas as well. It was a beautiful service and a nice way to start the late afternoon.

 

 

After tea I went back to the cabin to see the other members of my family just waking up from their naps. My husband was starving, so he took the girls to the lido for ice cream and pizza. We wanted to see the 6:30 show, so at 5 we went back to our cabin to get ready for formal night. The show was a piano player named Ryan Ahern. He was very very good! I thoroughly enjoyed his show. It was over by 7:15, and we met our friends at the Ocean Bar again. Unfortunately, the service was not up to par. It took 20 minutes before I had to track someone down to take our drink order.

 

The dining room was very elegant. People really dressed well. Our girls were completely spoiled by Wishy Washy! He played games with them, did magic tricks, and made animals out of napkins for the girls. Our girls had such a fun time, by the end of dinner they danced hula for him and our waiter Firman. I had the escargot with gluten free bread (finally! A gluten free product! It was just sliced bread, though.) and the rack of lamb. It was very good. The girls had cheese quesadillas and macaroni and cheese. It looked very creamy and delicious. Dinner was over by 10 (7 p.m. Hawaii time) and we headed back to our cabin. We moved the clocks back an hour in preparation for our first port of call. I was so excited to finally see Alaska!!

 

We forgot to take pictures on ANY of the formal nights!! We were having such a grand time that it completely slipped our minds. Grr!

[AlohaPride]

Day 5: Ketchikan

 

The clocks were set back 1 hour last night. I woke up at 6:30 excited for my first glimpse of Alaska. I got dressed and made my way to the Promenade Deck to watch our approach and docking. My first impression was that it smelled like Christmas outside. My second impression was that it was COLD!! I guess my Hawaii blood is not accustomed to 55 degree weather. I quickly fell in love with this little town. I purchased coffees for my husband and myself and made my way back to our amazing little cabin.

 

 

We had to have breakfast, so we ate in the lido. I had an omelet and sausage. It really hit the spot and left me full well into the afternoon. My youngest two daughters spilled their hot chocolate all over themselves, so I had to take them back to the cabin to change. I put their dirty clothing in another laundry bag and they changed. We went back to the lido to get my husband and oldest daughter and finally made our way to the pier. It only took us 2 hours to get our act together and get off the ship. When we finally made it to Creek Street my youngest declared that she had to go potty. I suppose it came on suddenly, because I asked her 20 minutes before, when we were leaving the ship if she had to go. My two oldest and I decided to go through Dolly’s House while we waited. My husband was not interested in paying $10 to walk through an old madam’s house.

 

 

 

Less than 30 minutes in port and my oldest and youngest were asking to go back to Club HAL. Our middle child stayed with us. We went back to Creek Street and saw three seals playing with their food. They couldn’t have been hunting because there were so many Salmon and they didn’t catch a single one while we were watching.

 

 

 

We found a fun little shop called Something's Fishy. It is family owned and operated. They have lived in Ketchikan for generations, and do not charge an arm and a leg for things. Their son was very helpful showing us a few things about the building their family owns. We happened upon the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local. My husband is a member of the local in Hawaii, so it was neat to go in and say a quick hello. We finished walking around the town and made our way back on board at about 1.

 

 

The first 48 hours was over and we could serve ourselves in the Lido now. I happened to ask if the sandwich station had gluten free bread yet, and they DID!! I ordered a BLT and was in heaven. I hadn’t had a sandwich like that in ages. It was so yummy. After lunch we dropped off our daughter at Club HAL and went to the gym for about an hour. Then we picked our girls up and headed to the pool. We were there for cast away.

 

The entertainment was a comedian named, Lee Bayless. He was hilarious. At one point I had to even check my eye-liner to make sure I hadn’t smudged it. I was laughing so hard I was crying. He has clean cerebral humor. At 7:15 we dropped the girls off at Club HAL for their “Lights, Camera, Action” party where they got to pretend to be movie stars for the night. We then attended the Capitain’s Cocktail Party. It was a very nice event, and I enjoyed getting to at least meet some of the officers.

 

After such a long day it was actually hard to get ready for the party and dinner, but I’m glad we did. Our dining room team is so amazing. Wishy Washy was asking about the girls, and was genuinely disappointed that they chose to go to Club HAL rather than eat with us. He asked about tomorrow night, but that’s an art party and there is no way they will want to miss that. My girls are ALL about glitter and painting.

 

We are eating FAR too much food, and having FAR too much fun. I don’t know how we will ever be able to go back to real life!

[AlohaPride]

Day 6: Scenic Cruising Tracy Arm

Because we didn’t have to be anywhere, we slept in. Around 4-6 a.m. we started to feel the ship rocking a bit. It was so soothing it made sleeping in very easy. I woke up with my middle child at about 8:30 and we decided to go for a walk around the Promenade while we waited for the rest of our family to wake up. I finally remembered to bring my camera with me and our jackets. It was a foggy morning. I’ve not seen fog in my life before this trip, so even that was interesting to me.

 

 

Around 9 we went back to our cabin to wake up the rest of our family because we were hungry and wanted to get breakfast. Thank goodness they were all already wake and getting dressed. We headed up to the Lido for breakfast just as some of the fog was clearing. While I waited in line for the girls’ omelets there were a few whale sightings. Wishnu, otherwise known as Wishy Washy, drew me a picture of a whale because I had missed the real one. Our family is being spoiled rotten by all the attention from the staff. Anne Marie, Aris, Firman, Wishy Washy, and others have been so wonderful to our girls. They work so hard and then take time out of their day to make the girls feel so special.

 

After breakfast, our middle daughter asked to go to Club HAL, and we went to the bow of the ship with our oldest and youngest daughters. The crew was serving Salmon Chowder. At 11:30 we picked up our daughter from Club HAL and headed back to the Lido to feed the girls some lunch. It was at this time that we saw dozens of humpback whales. The fog had cleared and we spent the next 90 minutes whale watching. At 1 the girls joined Club HAL to make their own whale tales. I found my friend, Tija, on the Promenade deck and sat with her as we started the journey into Tracy Arm. My husband left us to make a trip to the Gym for his daily run.

 

If nothing else on this trip goes as planned, it will all have been worth it just to see Tracy Arm. As we turned into the fjord the beauty of the area took my breath away. The waterfalls, glaciers, sheer rock faces, and pristine beauty of it all made me feel so very blessed to be able to see such wonders. At one point I was so moved I started to cry. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. In no time at all Ruth joined us on the Promenade. It had only felt like 30 minutes, but in reality Tija and I had been so take in by the majesty of it all that almost 3 hours has past. I had told my oldest that I would pick her up from Club HAL to go to tea, and completely missed that window. My husband finally came back and reminded me that Club HAL was about to close. I have never lost track of time in such a way before. THAT is how amazing Tracy Arm is!! We hadn’t even made it to the glacier yet!

 

 

 

 

We went and picked up our girls and went back to my spot on the Promenade. And there it was, South Sawyer Glacier. I had heard from many people that the odds of us being able to get close were slim, but today our Captain was able to get us within 1/4 of a mile! The glacier calved about a dozen times. It was an absolutely PERFECT experience. I will never forget it. If you haven’t been to Tracy Arm, find an itinerary with it and GO!

 

 

 

As the ship turned to leave the fjord we took the girls to the Dive In for their dinner. Club HAL was having an art party, and my little artists were eager to attend. We met our friends for cocktails at 7 and made our way to the dining room by 8. I had some salmon, but my husband’s chicken looked (and tasted) better than my dish. What the dining room was lacking in the main menu they completely made up for with the desserts! I had the strawberry Sunday, my husband had 3 desserts, and everyone else at our table had 2 or 3 desserts as well! It was all so good! After dinner we picked up our girls and saw all the beautiful things they made. Handprint crabs, Nemo fish, and pink jelly-fish. The girls had an outstanding time.

 

I will never ever forget this day for as long as I live. Wow. Words and pictures cannot do it justice. I am so thankful that we booked this trip, on this ship, with these people.

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

Mary ~ it was nice meeting you & your family & being neighbours on the ship. We never heard a peep from your cabin. Glad you had such a good time. We really enjoyed the cruise too so I look forward to your review & pictures.

Thanks for arranging the meet 'n greet & posting the picture.

 

~ Jo ~:)

[Iwant2BatC]

Love your review and your wonderful photos. Darling girls. Btw. I regularly fly Hawaiian from HNL-SEA - Non Stop! The flight leaves at 1:15 and arrives at 9:55 pm. And, they serve a meal.

[Watson's aunt]

Mary

 

Thank you for your reports. I have done this cruise 3 times in four years. I was on Amsterdam this past June-July.. I will wait a few years and return again. There are more places to see.

 

Mary

[SilvertoGold]

Welcome home! Did you get your answer from Captain Mercer as to the prank pulled on him after leaving Acapulco in 1997 to beat Hurricane Pauline? ;)

 

That was quite a story. Loved it!

[Wakepatrol]

So much for the great review. I'm so glad you had such a great cruise.

[AlohaPride]

Love your review and your wonderful photos. Darling girls. Btw. I regularly fly Hawaiian from HNL-SEA - Non Stop! The flight leaves at 1:15 and arrives at 9:55 pm. And, they serve a meal.

 

I looked at that flight, but didn't want to arrive at 10 pm with 3 young children. It was also about $200 per person more expensive than what I paid for our Alaska Air. The cheaper Hawaiian Air tickets wanted to give us layovers.

 

 

 

 

More of the diary to come tomorrow :)

Edited September 12, 2014 by AlohaPride

[POA1]

Thanks for your review. Apologies for being late to the party. We've been traveling and I am now just getting caught up (sort of.)

[Lizzie68]

What a wonderfully descriptive report - you almost moved me to tears, too, and I've been to Tracy Arm 3 times, but it was great to see it through your eyes.:)

[Don't spammy]

Thank you for taking the time to share the details of your days. And you have a beautiful family.

[JanDom]

Thank you!

We have been to Alaska in may 2013 and loved it. Now we think of going there again in May/June 2015 and love the initary of the statendam. Exactly Same then you did on Amsterdam.

 

But we don't know yet if we will like the loser Ships of HAL ?!

Was kodiak and hoomer a Good stop ?

 

Greets

Janine

[Krazy Kruizers]

Loving your review.

[thetexasaggiecruiser]

What a great review! I agree, your description of Tracy Arm was so moving! I've been reading the different Alaskan trip reports and am seriously looking into that destination for next year. I know you were so looking forward to the trip, and it sounds - so far! - like it was everything you could have hoped for.

[Cruising-along]

I was amazed to read that you had never seen fog before! And I so agree about the difficulty in getting our eggs done over medium. :)

 

Really enjoying your review!

[Alberta Quilter]

I was amazed to read that you had never seen fog before! And I so agree about the difficulty in getting our eggs done over medium. :)

 

Really enjoying your review!

 

I found that interesting about the fog, as well. I could understand about not seeing snow, but didn't realize that Hawaii doesn't have fog.

[mamaofami]

Your review is great and your girls are beautiful. Keep the pictures coming.:):)

[RuthC]

How fun to log in this morning and find your report (missed it yesterday; don't ask :(). I love reliving so many times together, reading of your times as a family, and seeing pics of "my girls". :D

Looking forward to the rest of your report (as you get to it, oc course).

We must, must, must do this again. Must!