LIVE! Koningsdam 7-Day Alaskan Inside Passage

[*Miss G*]

There are two complimentary bottles of Aqua Panna as well as a bottle of “champagne”.  Champagne is in quotation marks because it isn’t.  It is California Wycliff Brut and it is disgusting.  My husband calls it “Brutal” and I say “Why, Cliff, why?”  That will help me remember to never buy it.  It has a resealable twist-off top which allows all the bubbles to escape.  We pour it down the sink.

 

 

We freshen up and head to the lounge so we don’t have to deal with the Lido.  There are glasses of champagne (not California Brutal) and limited snacks.  I’ve mentioned, before, that I am not a big fan of the Pinnacle-class Neptune Lounge.  The beverage and snack area is tight and snacks are behind glass partitions making them very difficult to get to.  Perhaps that is the point.  They are also sadly lacking.  We finish our champagne and head to the Grand Dutch Cafe.

 

Pea soup and a toasted ham and cheese sandwich.  Yes please!  We meet a lovely couple who recommend the french fries.  We will try those next time.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Looks like a different sparkling wine than what they used to give which wasn't good either. Grand Dutch Cafe a definite "go to".

[*Miss G*]

CLUB ORANGE - DAY ONE

 

Oh dear.  What can I say about Club Orange that puts them in a good light?  The staff are lovely.  They are slammed but we get it.  It’s the first night and everyone’s trying to get their bearings.  The first server introduces himself and asks about allergies and sensitivities and off he goes.  Some minutes later, a second server tells us the first server is too busy for us so he is now our server.  He introduces himself and asks my husband about allergies and sensitivities, then launches into today’s special and what do we want.  We have to interrupt him to let him know I have allergies and sensitivities.

 

So, for me, cracked pepper sets off an asthma attack.  I have always let our servers know — once — and it’s never been an issue again.  Our seafood cocktail appetizer arrives and it’s delicious.  Second course is a tuna and asparagus salad… covered in freshly cracked pepper.  Sigh.  We let them know and repeat why it’s a problem.  A very scary problem.  Okay, don’t worry, it won’t happen again.  He asks if he can get me something else and I pass.  I’ll wait for the main course.

 

Main course arrives… covered in freshly cracked pepper.  The first time is a mistake.  The second time is negligence.  They will make me another.  Oh no, wait.  No they won’t.  It will be another 45 minutes for pork medallions without cracked pepper.  Seriously?  He offers salmon or steak, instead, so I choose steak.  I am now terrified of their food.  My husband is long finished his courses and is falling asleep.    It’s been a long week.  I tentatively take a few bites and then the ice cream dessert comes out.  They can’t put cracked pepper on that, but you know what they can do?  Leave it sitting out since the cracked pepper main.  Now it is just a glass of sweet milk.  Can they not see that?  We take a look at it and decide we’re done.  They should be ashamed of themselves.

 

You know what?  It’s hard to go to bed hungry on a cruise ship, but it can be done!

[Florida_gal_50]

Uggggg, that is ridiculous.  In a venue that small you should be able to get better and more attentive service.  I sure hope it improves.  

[*Miss G*]

DAY 3 - AM

INSIDE PASSAGE CRUISING

 

Early this morning the clocks went back one hour.  We wake to gorgeous Alaska scenery and I see my first Bergy  Bit!  It is an amazing greenish-blue.  We grab our blankets and take in the many shades of blues, greys, and greens as we glide silently along.

 

 

[*Miss G*]

1 minute ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Uggggg, that is ridiculous.  In a venue that small you should be able to get better and more attentive service.  I sure hope it improves.  

 

In all our cruises it has never been a problem no matter where we’ve eaten: MDR, CO, specialty restaurants.  The server told us it’s because they have a new chef but it’s got to be more than that.  They are now bringing me the next day’s menus and having me choose what I think I want to eat.  Tonight I’m having pot roast.  lol

[oakridger]

I am enjoying every word of this review!

 

Here's something I thought of regarding the melted ice cream.  On my last cruise in 2019 the MDR servers had started asking for your dessert order at the same time you placed your dinner order.  What???  I politely told them I will decide after dinner if and what I want for dessert!  I rarely know ahead of time what I want.  I had forgotten about that, but apparently that is now the default to get the dessert order at the start.  That's not good service or practical (for the customer) in my opinion!   On my upcoming cruises I will continue to politely decline to order until I am ready.  🙂

 

~Nancy

[*Miss G*]

Thank you, @oakridger!  That is some very good advice.

 

DAY 3 - PM

JUNEAU, ALASKA

 

Passing Tracy Arm Inlet, we pick up the Celebrity Solstice.  

 

 

The MDR has fish and chips on so we head there for lunch.  For the first time, ever, we are seated at a table next to the stern window!  This is exciting!

 

 

Arriving in Juneau, the Captain and crew do an amazing job of docking behind the Eurodam.  We wait for the tours and the eager to disembark before heading out.

 

 

[*Miss G*]

 

 

[canadianbear]

Really enjoying your posts and photos.  We love our home port in Vancouver.  
 

We have always traded the “champagne” for wine-is that still allowed, do you know?

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

Beautiful pictures.

[VMax1700]

@*Miss G*

Just catching up on your trip.  So sad to hear how it has been 'peppered' with problems. 🙄

Hope the rest of your cruise goes well.

[puppycanducruise]

@*Miss G* Thanks for sharing your cruise with us.  Honest, funny and lots of pictures, love it.

[sunviking90]

12 hours ago, oakridger said:

I am enjoying every word of this review!

 

Here's something I thought of regarding the melted ice cream.  On my last cruise in 2019 the MDR servers had started asking for your dessert order at the same time you placed your dinner order.  What???  I politely told them I will decide after dinner if and what I want for dessert!  I rarely know ahead of time what I want.  I had forgotten about that, but apparently that is now the default to get the dessert order at the start.  That's not good service or practical (for the customer) in my opinion!   On my upcoming cruises I will continue to politely decline to order until I am ready.  🙂

 

~Nancy

Agreed! We noticed this too, on our recent cruise. I always said I don’t know yet what I’ll want for dessert, or if I want it.  They brought the menu back later.

[sunviking90]

Thank you for taking the time to post. Really enjoying following along.

[*Miss G*]

DAY 4

SKAGWAY, ALASKA

 

This morning we are in port with the Celebrity Solstice and Crown Princess.  If there are more ships, I can’t see them from here.  Looks like Celebrity drew the short straw because they are tendering.  We have a great spot on the starboard side because we can sit on the balcony and enjoy the sunshine.  Except we had to come in because I didn’t bring sunscreen!  These pics were taken before the sun made it over the mountain.

 

 

 

You can see at least one of the rock slides in this pic.  We have had breakfast and will head into town later.  

 

 

[*Miss G*]

11 hours ago, canadianbear said:

Really enjoying your posts and photos.  We love our home port in Vancouver.  
 

We have always traded the “champagne” for wine-is that still allowed, do you know?

 

 

 

Thank you, @canadianbear.  I will ask one of the attendants, for you, the next time I am in the lounge.

 

I was rather sad that Wycliff actually has “champagne” written on their bottle when everyone knows they can’t do that.  That should have been my first clue… and there were many.  😂  At least the last brand they had was actual champagne and was drinkable.

 

The other downgrade, I have noticed, is no longer being able to get an americano at breakfast.  I now have to go to the lounge for my morning coffee before we head to breakfast.  They wanted to charge me $3.50 for it downstairs.  My husband says that if it’s free in the lounge then it should be free in Club Orange.  Both the real champagne and the free americanos were available on our December cruise.  Removing both is not a very good look for them.

[*Miss G*]

Here is a not-very-good pic of my first bergy bit.  Scale is deceiving on these waterways.  Especially since I am not a photographer with fancy equipment.  My husband pointed out a “jet ski” which turned out to be a 40’ yacht.  😂  This berg was at least twice the size of a 40’ yacht.

 

 

Here are a couple of pretty pictures.

 

 

[oaktreerb]

12 hours ago, canadianbear said:

Really enjoying your posts and photos.  We love our home port in Vancouver.  
 

We have always traded the “champagne” for wine-is that still allowed, do you know?

 

 

We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in August and not allowed to exchange the “champagne” for wine.  The NL hostess, Angela, said it is no longer permitted by HAL but we could exchange it for sodas or another bottle of water.  We just left the bottle in the room.  As far as I’m concerned the Champagne in the Neptune Suites is a cutback I would welcome.  Forget the champagne but give me my chocolates at the end of the day!

 

[canadianbear]

2 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in August and not allowed to exchange the “champagne” for wine.  The NL hostess, Angela, said it is no longer permitted by HAL but we could exchange it for sodas or another bottle of water.  We just left the bottle in the room.  As far as I’m concerned the Champagne in the Neptune Suites is a cutback I would welcome.  Forget the champagne but give me my chocolates at the end of the day!

 

Well that’s a disappointment.  We’ve given it away before too so guess we will do that again if anyone wants it.   Shows how cheap it is when they’ll exchange for water or sodas.  
 

Thanks for the heads up.  

[*Miss G*]

7 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in August and not allowed to exchange the “champagne” for wine.  The NL hostess, Angela, said it is no longer permitted by HAL but we could exchange it for sodas or another bottle of water.  We just left the bottle in the room.  As far as I’m concerned the Champagne in the Neptune Suites is a cutback I would welcome.  Forget the champagne but give me my chocolates at the end of the day!

 

 

Oh yes, the chocolates!  No more turndown service, aka pillow, chocolates but we did get some fancy ones on the first “dressy” night, along with a towel animal.

 

 

[Peasy24]

Love following along. Thank you so much for this review. I hope everything just gets better from here. I am somewhat in shock about the cracked pepper happening twice. Definitely unacceptable.

[*Miss G*]

3 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in August and not allowed to exchange the “champagne” for wine.  The NL hostess, Angela, said it is no longer permitted by HAL but we could exchange it for sodas or another bottle of water.  We just left the bottle in the room.  As far as I’m concerned the Champagne in the Neptune Suites is a cutback I would welcome.  Forget the champagne but give me my chocolates at the end of the day!

 

 

3 hours ago, canadianbear said:

Well that’s a disappointment.  We’ve given it away before too so guess we will do that again if anyone wants it.   Shows how cheap it is when they’ll exchange for water or sodas.  
 

Thanks for the heads up.  

 

So I was just in the lounge and asked about trading in the “champagne”.  The attendant told me we could trade it in for any of their brand name “Domera” wines (I think that’s the brand mentioned.)  He said they have Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Cab.  Or we could have something non-alcoholic.  He was about to set one aside for us until I told him we’d already poured it down the drain.  lol

[*Miss G*]

We took a walk into town (about 15 mins) but there were shuttles available if you preferred to be driven.  $3 one way or $5 for an all day pass.  Pay when you get off.

 

The main road is called Broadway.  Here is what it looked like back in 1897 and how it looks today, from both directions.

 

 

 

[canadianbear]

11 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

 

So I was just in the lounge and asked about trading in the “champagne”.  The attendant told me we could trade it in for any of their brand name “Domera” wines (I think that’s the brand mentioned.)  He said they have Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Cab.  Or we could have something non-alcoholic.  He was about to set one aside for us until I told him we’d already poured it down the drain.  lol

Maybe they wouldn’t allow the trade during pandemic.  I know the last cruise we did (way back in December 2019) we were allowed to trade in the Neptune lounge.  Thanks for the update!  Appreciate you asking.  Good news 😁