Review Posted for 6-13 May Alaska Cruise Aboard Koningsdam

[Fairgarth]

16 hours ago, decrepit old man said:

I asked in the roll call forum and someone on the May 13-20 sailing said they did go through the inside passage northbound

 

Thank you, kind Sir, that is encouraging.  And, may I add, I seriously doubt your degree of decrepitude.  And to the OP may I say thank you for a most interesting and informative review.

[decrepit old man]

1 hour ago, Fairgarth said:

 

Thank you, kind Sir, that is encouraging.  And, may I add, I seriously doubt your degree of decrepitude.  And to the OP may I say thank you for a most interesting and informative review.

But then someone else said that that person was wrong...🤔

[MaryBethV]

I have to say I often just scan reviews - but I read yours from start to finish! Thank you for "bringing us along with you" and great job herding cats! 😉 

[RuthC]

3 hours ago, rafinmd said:

I think the Tracy Arm excursion is targeted for travelers taking the cruise only as far as Skagway and then disembarking for a Yukon-Denali tour. People doing the entire 7 days get to Glacier Bay and do not miss out on a glacier viewing experience and I suspect that is why it is not offered on all cruises.  May 9 may have been too early to start the overland tours.

 

Roy

Roy when I took a cruise in order to take the Tracy Arm Excursion I did a 7-day round trip from Vancouver. Some passengers did disembark in Skagway, while others boarded there. 
The itineraries may have changed since then, but I don't recall seeing that they have changed. 

[cattman]

3 hours ago, decrepit old man said:

But then someone else said that that person was wrong...🤔

Cannot speak for the OP's cruise date, but our May 13 - 20 KD cruise DID NOT sail the BC Inside Passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland on the NB leg, but did sail through it on the SB leg, however, we did not reach it until late afternoon/evening. 

 

That said, our cruise experience was much like the OP's - and we really enjoyed it. Just don't expect the BC IP on the ride up.

 

Thanks for the excellent review!

Edited May 23, 2023 by cattman

[decrepit old man]

Did you get to pick your own seats on the White Pass Railway?

[sunviking90]

Thank you OP for posting your review. Glad you enjoyed your first cruise! It is strange that you didn’t go the inside passage northbound. I’m wondering if timing was an issue as there is a “window” to go through Seymour Narrows. We always enjoy the scenery coming back down the last day the most and I’m glad you got to see that.

[WannaSea]

I'm confused about y'all being confused about the Inside Passage. The maps and itineraries HAL provides clearly shows your route with map and description. Usually the cruise starting in Vancouver is called the 7-day Alaska Inside Passage and the cruise starting in Seattle is called the 7-day Alaska Explorer.

[decrepit old man]

14 minutes ago, WannaSea said:

I'm confused about y'all being confused about the Inside Passage. The maps and itineraries HAL provides clearly shows your route with map and description. Usually the cruise starting in Vancouver is called the 7-day Alaska Inside Passage and the cruise starting in Seattle is called the 7-day Alaska Explorer.

You sure are confused alright

[Colorado Klutch]

1 hour ago, WannaSea said:

I'm confused about y'all being confused about the Inside Passage. The maps and itineraries HAL provides clearly shows your route with map and description. Usually the cruise starting in Vancouver is called the 7-day Alaska Inside Passage and the cruise starting in Seattle is called the 7-day Alaska Explorer.

 

For my cruise, the HAL map was not correct. The route on Cruise Tracker is completely different and it's correct. 

[PACD_JG]

On 5/23/2023 at 8:57 AM, Colorado Klutch said:

 

The Tracy Arm excursion was not available for my cruise. I'm under the impression this was because we didn't take the Inside Passage going north, but I'm not sure. Ice could be a factor. If you were able to book it, you should be OK.

Full disclosure - when I read that you didn't take the Inside Passage north, I thought you didn't know what you were talking about since I did this cruise in 2022 and it did.  Now I'm reading in another thread that indeed the Koningsdam sailed west of Vancouver northbound.  HAL's decision is utter BS in my opinion (especially since they didn't tell you, and they still aren't advertising future cruises like that), and my apologies for the judgment (although I only thought it and didn't say it).

[Colorado Klutch]

On 5/22/2023 at 11:40 PM, babelfish said:

Thanks CK, fun and informative review.  I didn't notice anything about Tracy Arm--was it bypassed?  Or maybe Endicott Arm substituted?   I'm sailing this Saturday and hope it isn't iced up.  Thanks.

 

 

I just remembered there was a person who went by "babelfish" on the Mouseplanet forums years ago. Wondering if that was you or if there are simply a lot of people who like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. 🙂

[visagrunt]

Tracy Arm is almost never available in May due to ice conditions and wildlife protection (if seals are still pupping).  Officially the season should begin "mid-May" but I've taken the Inside Passage in the last half of May a couple of times and it has been cancelled for ice and pups.

It has nothing to do with the route taken north because the entrance to Tracy Arm is only a few hours away from Juneau.  If you're on time arriving in Juneau, you're passing the entrance into Tracy Arm that morning.

[babelfish]

5 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

 

I just remembered there was a person who went by "babelfish" on the Mouseplanet forums years ago. Wondering if that was you or if there are simply a lot of people who like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. 🙂

Nope, wasn't me but I sure enjoyed HGG.  It's a shame Douglas Adams checked out so early in life.

[visagrunt]

10 hours ago, babelfish said:

Nope, wasn't me but I sure enjoyed HGG.  It's a shame Douglas Adams checked out so early in life.

A belated Happy Towel Day to you.

[babelfish]

56 minutes ago, visagrunt said:

A belated Happy Towel Day to you.

And I'm trying my best not to panic. 😉

[bookmomoftwins]

• Thanks for the detailed review...I will be "herding cats" myself on a multigenerational trip on Koningsdam in a few weeks, and I found the information you shared very useful!
•  

[Colorado Klutch]

On 5/24/2023 at 7:56 AM, decrepit old man said:

Did you get to pick your own seats on the White Pass Railway?

 

Sorry, I just saw your questions. Yes, we chose the car we rode in as well as our seats. Obviously, the earlier you arrive, the more seating options you will have.