Aboard the Amsterdamm to Alaska August 26th to September 2nd, 2018

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Booked aNeptune suite on this cruise on the spur of the moment at the end of June. AsDH is no longer able to travel, I am now traveling solo. Friends of mine werelooking for an Alaskan cruise and I told them about this one and they booked aswell. Alaska was an escape from the heat for me and an escape from the smokeyair from the California fires for them.

 

Flying inthe day before we stayed at the Lake Union Courtyard Marriott. Although underremodel, it was fine and the food in their Bistro restaurant was quite good.

 

We arrivedat Pier 91 about 11:30 and check in and embarkation were a breeze. I asked ifmy friends could have the same boarding number as I and the request was granted.Since boarding had started, we were on the ship almost immediately. They hadreceived an upgrade at check in from inside to window and were a littleconcerned but when they found their cabin to be still in the center, they werepleased. Later on they would be even more pleased as one morning, they pulledback the curtain and there was a whale doing its thing just outside the window.

 

I like thenew décor of the Neptune suites – blues and grays. It appears all the fixturesin the bath are new – the shower is much better pressure wise IMO. New countertop and flooring and tub. New counter top in the dressing area as well. Mycabin stewards, Leonard and Alit. both with 10 years with HAL, were outstanding,always friendly, always helpful, what we have known to expect with HAL crew.

 

We ate thefirst lunch in the MDR and it was very good. We had open seating for dinner andwere able to procure the same table (108 by the window) for the entire week. Diningstewards Deden and Islam were outstanding. One of my complaints in the past hadbeen cold food but not this time. Everything that was supposed to came out hot,was served hot. I thought there were better menu choices thanI remember from the past.

 

Breakfastwas in the Lido. My friends who had feared a free-for-all buffet were very impressedwith HAL’s use of stations, fresh cooked eggs, berries, and the wide variety ofchoices. I have always contended that HAL’s Lido breakfast choices and set-upare the best of any cruise line.

 

Weather wastypical Alaska – overcast – with a little rain in Juneau and Ketchikan. TheHubbard Glacier experience was fantastic. Captain Jonathan steered us to within.6 mile and we stayed for well over an hour. Calving occurred. Absolutely beautiful.

 

Activitieswere abundant. The EXC guide gave very interesting and well received talks. America’sTest Kitchen is a welcome addition to the program. Entertainment was good.There were two production shows, one BBC Earth presentation, and a couple ofcomedians. The Adagio duo was fantastic. At the Captain’s toast, after he hadtold a little about himself, a woman in the audience yelled out “And are youmarried? Captain Jonathan replied “Yes, I am and she is right here” pointing tothe center section. Everyone was laughing and Hamish, Cruise Director said, “We’venever had that question before”

 

The sevendays flew by and it was back to reality. We all used Port Valet and it is so convenient.Already There Town Car picked us up at the appointed time and off we were to SEATACand our flights home.

 

This was my 11thcruise on the Amsterdam, mostly Alaska with a few Panama Canal transits. Theship is beautiful and the crew wonderful. With apologies to the Prinsendamfans, the Amsterdam is the best in the fleet. (Although I will be sailing thePrinsendam before she leaves HAL so Iwill get a chance to compare the two).

[dee2673]

Thank you for the review. I enjoyed reading jt

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Andi Land]

Booked aNeptune suite on this cruise on the spur of the moment at the end of June. AsDH is no longer able to travel, I am now traveling solo. Friends of mine werelooking for an Alaskan cruise and I told them about this one and they booked aswell. Alaska was an escape from the heat for me and an escape from the smokeyair from the California fires for them.

 

Flying inthe day before we stayed at the Lake Union Courtyard Marriott. Although underremodel, it was fine and the food in their Bistro restaurant was quite good.

 

We arrivedat Pier 91 about 11:30 and check in and embarkation were a breeze. I asked ifmy friends could have the same boarding number as I and the request was granted.Since boarding had started, we were on the ship almost immediately. They hadreceived an upgrade at check in from inside to window and were a littleconcerned but when they found their cabin to be still in the center, they werepleased. Later on they would be even more pleased as one morning, they pulledback the curtain and there was a whale doing its thing just outside the window.

 

I like thenew décor of the Neptune suites – blues and grays. It appears all the fixturesin the bath are new – the shower is much better pressure wise IMO. New countertop and flooring and tub. New counter top in the dressing area as well. Mycabin stewards, Leonard and Alit. both with 10 years with HAL, were outstanding,always friendly, always helpful, what we have known to expect with HAL crew.

 

We ate thefirst lunch in the MDR and it was very good. We had open seating for dinner andwere able to procure the same table (108 by the window) for the entire week. Diningstewards Deden and Islam were outstanding. One of my complaints in the past hadbeen cold food but not this time. Everything that was supposed to came out hot,was served hot. I thought there were better menu choices thanI remember from the past.

 

Breakfastwas in the Lido. My friends who had feared a free-for-all buffet were very impressedwith HAL’s use of stations, fresh cooked eggs, berries, and the wide variety ofchoices. I have always contended that HAL’s Lido breakfast choices and set-upare the best of any cruise line.

 

Weather wastypical Alaska – overcast – with a little rain in Juneau and Ketchikan. TheHubbard Glacier experience was fantastic. Captain Jonathan steered us to within.6 mile and we stayed for well over an hour. Calving occurred. Absolutely beautiful.

 

Activitieswere abundant. The EXC guide gave very interesting and well received talks. America’sTest Kitchen is a welcome addition to the program. Entertainment was good.There were two production shows, one BBC Earth presentation, and a couple ofcomedians. The Adagio duo was fantastic. At the Captain’s toast, after he hadtold a little about himself, a woman in the audience yelled out “And are youmarried? Captain Jonathan replied “Yes, I am and she is right here” pointing tothe center section. Everyone was laughing and Hamish, Cruise Director said, “We’venever had that question before”

 

The sevendays flew by and it was back to reality. We all used Port Valet and it is so convenient.Already There Town Car picked us up at the appointed time and off we were to SEATACand our flights home.

 

This was my 11thcruise on the Amsterdam, mostly Alaska with a few Panama Canal transits. Theship is beautiful and the crew wonderful. With apologies to the Prinsendamfans, the Amsterdam is the best in the fleet. (Although I will be sailing thePrinsendam before she leaves HAL so Iwill get a chance to compare the two).

 

I think this is the second time we’ve been on the same cruise and didn’t know it. 😊

 

Loved this trip. I agree about the ship. This was my first time in Amsterdam but she became my favorite. The crew was outstanding.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time to write your review.

Did you ever have dinner in the Pinnacle?

What excursions did you take?

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I think this is the second time we’ve been on the same cruise and didn’t know it. 😊

 

Loved this trip. I agree about the ship. This was my first time in Amsterdam but she became my favorite. The crew was outstanding.

 

We'll have to meet some day.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Thank you for taking the time to write your review.

Did you ever have dinner in the Pinnacle?

What excursions did you take?

 

We ate in the Pinnacle twice; once for lunch on Hubbard Glacier Day and Rudy's Sel de Mer night. Both were very good and service exceptional.

 

We took no excursions. In Juneau we walked in the rain, continually being splashed by cars and buses, to the Alaska State Museum which is always good especially since has been rebuilt. In Sitka, we walked down to the Indian River to see the salmon, thousands of them "waiting to swim upstream" according to the Park Ranger. And in Ketchikan we walked over to Creek Street to hopefully see salmon swimming up stream but nothing but lots of birds waiting "for the kill". The EXC guide later said the problem was the river was too low due to not enough snow melt so we don't know what those salmon are going to do.

 

I forgot to mention the Mariner's Luncheon. My friends had not been on a cruise for 24 years - the last being on the old Rotterdam and were surprised they were invited "in appreciation for your loyalty with Holland America Line" on the invitation. I asked to see their key card which had 1* Mariner. So somehow HAL had a record of that long ago cruise.

 

Another interesting thing was that they wanted to take and pay for me to the Sel de Mer and made a reservation for three not giving my name. But they were charged on their account for the two of them and I was charged on my account (with mine ending up being free for 5* Mariner). So we wondered how did they know to charge each of our accounts as our booking records were not linked.

 

It is kind of scary how much HAL knows about us.

[erewhon]

Thank you for reviewing your Alaskan cruise on the Amsterdam.

[cruises42]

Thanks for the review!

[Andi Land]

We ate in the Pinnacle twice; once for lunch on Hubbard Glacier Day and Rudy's Sel de Mer night. Both were very good and service exceptional.

 

 

We also had lunch in the Pinnacle on Hubbard Day and dinner at Sel de Mer. 2 ships passing I guess! Until next time. 😊

[Dancing Shoes]

I talked to a young man working at Macy's today in the mens department. I was returning the white tee shirts as my husband didn't use them under his white dress shirt for Gala nights on our cruise to Alaska. He said he just got back from the Amsterdam to Alaska I told him I was on the Volendam.

 

We both said how much we enjoyed our ships and HAL and want to go again!

[Copper10-8]

Thanks for your well-written (as always) review, Barbara. Looks like the co-flagship came out of dry-dock for the better and you once again enjoyed the ship as well as Alaska! Please give my regards to your DH. I still remember that day at the old Sitka Dock!

[kftw]

Thank you so much for your review.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We ate in the Pinnacle twice; once for lunch on Hubbard Glacier Day and Rudy's Sel de Mer night. Both were very good and service exceptional.

 

We took no excursions. In Juneau we walked in the rain, continually being splashed by cars and buses, to the Alaska State Museum which is always good especially since has been rebuilt. In Sitka, we walked down to the Indian River to see the salmon, thousands of them "waiting to swim upstream" according to the Park Ranger. And in Ketchikan we walked over to Creek Street to hopefully see salmon swimming up stream but nothing but lots of birds waiting "for the kill". The EXC guide later said the problem was the river was too low due to not enough snow melt so we don't know what those salmon are going to do.

 

I forgot to mention the Mariner's Luncheon. My friends had not been on a cruise for 24 years - the last being on the old Rotterdam and were surprised they were invited "in appreciation for your loyalty with Holland America Line" on the invitation. I asked to see their key card which had 1* Mariner. So somehow HAL had a record of that long ago cruise.

 

Another interesting thing was that they wanted to take and pay for me to the Sel de Mer and made a reservation for three not giving my name. But they were charged on their account for the two of them and I was charged on my account (with mine ending up being free for 5* Mariner). So we wondered how did they know to charge each of our accounts as our booking records were not linked.

 

It is kind of scary how much HAL knows about us.

 

Thank you

I didn't know that 5 star mariners got the Sel de Mer dinner free.

I watched the Amsterdam arrive in Juneau -- another rainy day for everyone there.

Edited September 7, 2018 by Krazy Kruizers

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Thank you

I didn't know that 5 star mariners got the Sel de Mer dinner free.

I watched the Amsterdam arrive in Juneau -- another rainy day for everyone there.

 

I think 5* get any two meals for free. In my case, it was the lunch and the Sel de mer. I believe if I had eaten another meal at PG on the voyage, it would be at 1/2price. At least that is the way It has been in the past for me.

[puppycanducruise]

Thank you for taking the time to post your comments.

Glad you enjoyed your cruise.