LIVE - Legendary Alaska - 28 days with The Inside Cabin - Westerdam

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Scenic cruising around Little Diomede island cancelled.  No impact to future ports. 
 

Apparently the local people think we will disturb the wildlife. 
 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Nice day in Unalaska - more later

 

The Westerdam was about 2 miles from the town.   Level Ground - The Town offered an Hop On- Hop Off shuttle van for $50 

 

There were four vans like this - We arranged a private tour in advance.

 

Unalaska 

 

We saw plenty of Bald Eagles - this one was feasting on a fish on the shoreline -  He was squawking at other eagles to stay away - see photo below

 

The Big Eagle landing in this picture soon let the other eagles know who was in charge.

 

[hummingbird_206]

5 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Nice day in Unalaska - more later

 

The Westerdam was about 2 miles from the town.   Level Ground - The Town offered an Hop On- Hop Off shuttle van for $50 

 

There were four vans like this - We arranged a private tour in advance.

 

Unalaska 

 

We saw plenty of Bald Eagles - this one was feasting on a fish on the shoreline -  He was squawking at other eagles to stay away - see photo below

 

The Big Eagle landing in this picture soon let the other eagles know who was in charge.

 

The Big Eagle is probably a female.  They are larger than the males.

 

Did your cruise have any HAL Excursions available?  Our Majestic Japan cruise in Sept has no excursions at Dutch Harbor, so just curious.

 

[cruzingnut]

I've been waiting with bated (barely!) breath for reports on your stop here!  We tried to go years ago but got canceled due to 50mph winds.  Any way you can mark on a map the location of the ship and where you tendered to?  We are supposed to be going there on our way to Japan (53 day); I'm mainly interested in birding so if I know where the tender will take us, that will help me plan where I want to go. 

 

Yes, the large eagle is a female; they are quite a bit larger than the males.  The 2 that are mottled colored are somewhere between 1-2 years old.

 

Linda R.

[bluesplayer]

Thank you for posting your reviews.  This long cruise to Alaska sounds amazing.  No idea HA had an itinerary like this.  You learn a lot here!  Odd question..  I see many nights they have “salmon bowls”..  are these served hot or cold?  They sound good!!

[SilvertoGold]

1 hour ago, bluesplayer said:

Thank you for posting your reviews.  This long cruise to Alaska sounds amazing.  No idea HA had an itinerary like this.  You learn a lot here!  Odd question..  I see many nights they have “salmon bowls”..  are these served hot or cold?  They sound good!!

Not sure how many nights, but they are a nice light meal. My DH was not impressed with the Noordam's presentation, on a large plate with a lot of rice, small quantities of the other items. The daily salmon is excellent, though!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

58 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

Not sure how many nights, but they are a nice light meal. My DH was not impressed with the Noordam's presentation, on a large plate with a lot of rice, small quantities of the other items. The daily salmon is excellent, though!

I think what @bluesplayer was asking is the dish a cooked hot salmon with hot rice or is it a cold salmon possibly sashimi style with cold possibly sticky rice more Japanese style. I am curious about this myself.

[SilvertoGold]

24 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I think what @bluesplayer was asking is the dish a cooked hot salmon with hot rice or is it a cold salmon possibly sashimi style with cold possibly sticky rice more Japanese style. I am curious about this myself.

Sorry! Cooked salmon, warm ordinary white rice. Possible that some ships do this dish differently, but we found it very ordinary. Maybe ask the waiter since they are serving this week after week:)

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

5 hours ago, hummingbird_206 said:

The Big Eagle is probably a female.  They are larger than the males.

 

Did your cruise have any HAL Excursions available?  Our Majestic Japan cruise in Sept has no excursions at Dutch Harbor, so just curious.

 

There were no HAL tours for Dutch Harbor for our visit on 18 June 24.   

[The-Inside-Cabin]

3 hours ago, cruzingnut said:

I've been waiting with bated (barely!) breath for reports on your stop here!  We tried to go years ago but got canceled due to 50mph winds.  Any way you can mark on a map the location of the ship and where you tendered to?  We are supposed to be going there on our way to Japan (53 day); I'm mainly interested in birding so if I know where the tender will take us, that will help me plan where I want to go. 

 

Yes, the large eagle is a female; they are quite a bit larger than the males.  The 2 that are mottled colored are somewhere between 1-2 years old.

 

Linda R.

I am working up my more detailed Dutch Harbor post - probably in a few days.   

[The-Inside-Cabin]

2 hours ago, bluesplayer said:

Thank you for posting your reviews.  This long cruise to Alaska sounds amazing.  No idea HA had an itinerary like this.  You learn a lot here!  Odd question..  I see many nights they have “salmon bowls”..  are these served hot or cold?  They sound good!!

 

36 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I think what @bluesplayer was asking is the dish a cooked hot salmon with hot rice or is it a cold salmon possibly sashimi style with cold possibly sticky rice more Japanese style. I am curious about this myself.

 

1 hour ago, SilvertoGold said:

Not sure how many nights, but they are a nice light meal. My DH was not impressed with the Noordam's presentation, on a large plate with a lot of rice, small quantities of the other items. The daily salmon is excellent, though!

 

7 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

Sorry! Cooked salmon, warm ordinary white rice. Possible that some ships do this dish differently, but we found it very ordinary. Maybe ask the waiter since they are serving this week after week:)

 

 

 

The next time it's on the menu I will check it out.   
 

not tonight!    Here's the menu

 

 

 

 

Edited June 19 by The-Inside-Cabin

[cccole]

Instead of a $50 shuttle provided by the city could passengers access Uber/Lift or taxis?  $50 pp shuttle seems to discourage passengers from visiting the city center and spending money.  JMO. Cherie

[bluesplayer]

It sounded so good..  thanks for the info

[RRFan]

2 minutes ago, bluesplayer said:

It sounded so good..  thanks for the info

My husband eats a lot of seafood when cruising. We were on the Volendam in April and he didn’t like the salmon bowl at all. It wasn’t even a bowl. It was just salmon on a plate with rice and some other vegetable. He never ordered it again. He preferred whatever other seafood or salmon dish that was on the menu.  

[The-Inside-Cabin]

57 minutes ago, cccole said:

Instead of a $50 shuttle provided by the city could passengers access Uber/Lift or taxis?  $50 pp shuttle seems to discourage passengers from visiting the city center and spending money.  JMO. Cherie

Unalaska doesn't have UBER, but taxis were available for reasonable prices.  A ride to town from the ship was $5 - others rented a taxi for $80 per hour

 

However, there wasn't a taxi line where you could wait with some assurance that a taxi would appear. You can call one on your cell phone if you have ATT service. Some people reported that taxis appeared near the port gate, and taxis would also appear from time to time at other spots—the museum, Safeway, etc.

 

My advice is to arrange for a taxi before you arrive.   Lots of phone numbers HERE

 

 

 

 

[cccole]

Thank you for the info re taxis.  Also that photo of the eagle coming in for a landing is award winning in my opinion!  Cherie

[The-Inside-Cabin]

On 6/18/2024 at 4:17 AM, DonnyD-JJ said:

 

I have a question about gratuities for your tour guides. How do people normally tip for a good excursion?  A percentage of total cost of the excursion?  A set dollars amount?  What if there are multiple people to help on your tour, is there a general tip jar?
 

Of what I hear most of these tours are great so tipping for me is a given. Since we haven’t been on a cruise since 2012 and I cannot remember how we figured tips then i would like some guidance so I do not under tip.

 

Lastly do you tip more for a smaller size excursion 6-12 cruisers vs larger HAL tours of 100 or more?

 

Thanks

I will start with a tip for the two of us at 10% of the excursion price—with 50% of that for the driver. I will go up or down based on my perception of the driver and guide's presentation and other subjective factors. If I am part of a larger tour, I will probably round it down, etc.   

 

I haven't seen many general tip jars or envelopes - never on a HAL tour....

[SharonN]

Hi Pete!  Did you have issues getting off the ship yesterday? I had a conference call until 1:00 p.m. and when we left our cabin just after 1 the line to get off the ship went from the midship elevators all the way back on the port side to the front elevators and then wrapped around to the starboard side back to just past the mid-ship elevators. Would hate to have a cabin on deck 1 since they'd have a hard time getting in/out.  It moved very very slowly. They said it was because the gangway was steep, but we didn't think it was that bad when we did eventually get off. At that point the line for the shuttle service was probably 50 people long and there was no one providing answers for how long it would be etc so we eventually gave up and got back on the ship. Even that took 15 mins as we had to wait for people still getting off. Very very disorganized and disappointing since it was a new port for us and we didn't get to see it. There was no one from the ship on the dock except the stewards helping people on/off the gangway. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

4 hours ago, bluesplayer said:

Thank you for posting your reviews.  This long cruise to Alaska sounds amazing.  No idea HA had an itinerary like this.  You learn a lot here!  Odd question..  I see many nights they have “salmon bowls”..  are these served hot or cold?  They sound good!!

This long cruise to Alaska sounds amazing       Holland is doing it again in 2025

[DonnyD-JJ]

@The-Inside-Cabin Thank you for your comments on tipping I really do appreciate it.  This is normally a topic people don't like to address and yet good service should be rewarded with a good tip.  Thanks for helping me out.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 hour ago, SharonN said:

Hi Pete!  Did you have issues getting off the ship yesterday? I had a conference call until 1:00 p.m. and when we left our cabin just after 1 the line to get off the ship went from the midship elevators all the way back on the port side to the front elevators and then wrapped around to the starboard side back to just past the mid-ship elevators. Would hate to have a cabin on deck 1 since they'd have a hard time getting in/out.  It moved very very slowly. They said it was because the gangway was steep, but we didn't think it was that bad when we did eventually get off. At that point the line for the shuttle service was probably 50 people long and there was no one providing answers for how long it would be etc so we eventually gave up and got back on the ship. Even that took 15 mins as we had to wait for people still getting off. Very very disorganized and disappointing since it was a new port for us and we didn't get to see it. There was no one from the ship on the dock except the stewards helping people on/off the gangway. 

As soon as the ship cleared at noon, we left our cabin and headed to deck 1. When we joined, the line to get off it stretched back all the way to the theatre. It took us 20 minutes to get off the ship.

 

Part of the problem was that the gangway was "One Way," so whenever a crew member or port official had to get on the ship, they had to stop the line until that happened. Also, the gangway was relatively steep, so people in wheelchairs and walkers were appropriately and understandably moving slowly.

 

We had a prearranged tour, so we didn't have to deal with the shuttle. But I didn't notice any signs or anyone else offering shuttle information.

 

Someone from the Unalaska Visitor Center or the ship should have helped answer questions on the dock and give people some expectations about what would happen.    People will wait in line as long as they know the line will eventually move and what will happen when they reach the front.     

 

I was surprised to see the lack of ship personnel on the pier offering assistance or information—this is not what I have come to expect based on previous cruises.    When there is a 2-mile walk to the town, you usually get a shuttle or at least better information about a shuttle.

 

At the end of the day, I spoke with a few shuttle bus drivers and the port agent.   There was a shuttle plan in place - but they didn't do a good job of publicizing it.    Taxis were available, but there weren't any signs about where the taxi stand was - or if there was a taxi stand.   

 

Hopefully, lessons were learned, and 2025 Legendary Alaska cruisers will have a better experience.  

 

[Hogladyrider]

Pete you are a wealth of information and a breathe of fresh air!

 

Thank you for all your wonderful information!

[0106]

@bluesplayer @LAFFNVEGAS @SilvertoGold I like the “bowls” I have had on the Rotterdam, Oosterdam and Nieuw Statendam even if they are sometimes served on a plate. The salmon is cooked.  The base is varied; quinoa is my favorite but I’ve also had farro and couscous in addition to brown, jasmine and cauliflower rice.  I ask for extra vegetables when I order the bowl.  It is a lighter type of meal that I enjoy.

Edited June 20 by 0106

[The-Inside-Cabin]

COLLEGE FJORD – THE SMARTEST GLACIERS IN THE WORLD

JUNE 15, 2024

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Scenic cruising in the morning followed by tea and ice cream in the afternoon

SCENIC CRUISING

The bow opened at 7:30 am as we started another day of scenic cruising, this time through College Fjord.

College Fjord is located in the northern part of Prince William Sound. Numerous glaciers line the 20-mile-long fjord: five tidewater glaciers (glaciers that terminate in water), five large valley glaciers, and dozens of smaller glaciers.

The Harriman expedition in 1899 discovered College Fjord. The explorers included a Harvard and Amherst professor, and they named many of the glaciers after Eastern colleges. They reportedly intentionally excluded Princeton. The glaciers on the NW side were named after women’s colleges, and those on the SE side were named after men’s colleges.

Kathy Slamp has a terrific website with much more information about College Fjord – check it out here.

Here is a map that shows the location of the various glaciers – thanks to Kathy Slamp

Today’s weather was perfect. Sunny skies with light winds and smooth, glassy seas display gorgeous reflections of the coastal mountains.

The seas were glass with plenty of gorgeous reflections

 

The stars of College Fjord are the largest glaciers, Harvard and Yale, at the end of the Fjord.

Many guests were on the bow enjoying the view, while others were on the forward observation decks, Decks six and nine.

Adult beverages were available on the bow in addition to coffee and hot chocolate

 

After reaching the end of the Fjord, the ship paused and then rotated on its axis, allowing everyone with a verandah cabin to view the glaciers from the comfort of their decks.

Another great view – right outside our cabin

 

INDONESIAN TEA TIME

Every sea day at 3 pm, afternoon tea is served in the dining room. The theme is different each time. Earlier themes were Dutch, French, and English. Today’s theme was Indonesian. There is only one course waiting on the table.  The tea was already been brewed and poured from Carafes.

We were surprised there weren’t any scones – maybe that is because it was an Indonesian Tea?

Bread display in the Lido

 

ICE CREAM SOCIAL

Free Ice Cream! I am never quite sure of the draw of the Ice Cream Social when ice cream is pretty much available whenever the lido is open – but hey – I was there, and so were many other people.

Dhana, from the 2024 World Cruise, is now working around the Lido Pool at the Dive – Inn

 

WORLD STAGE

Colin Barkell was back on the World Stage for his second performance. This show was titled – A Night of Johnny Cash. Another wonderful show – that included such hits as:

– Big River
– Get Rhythm
– Folsom Prison Blues with Irish Dancing “Everyone knows Johnny Cash was an Irish Dancer”
– I Walk The Line
– I’ve Been Everywhere
– Understand Your Man
– A Boy Named Sue
– (Ghost) Riders in the Sky
– Irish Dancing & drums duel
– Hurt
– Daddy Sang Bass
– Ring of Fire

Colin is a terrific performer. Don’t miss his show!

Late night pizza is always a treat!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

SEWARD – ALASKA SEALIFE CENTER

JUNE 20, 2024

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A short day in Seward with Sealife, books and yarn.

SEWARD ARRIVAL

When we arrived at 7 am, heavy fog prevented us from seeing much. The temperatures were supposed to be in the 60s, but they stubbornly stayed in the 40s, as the fog hid the warming sun.

Visibility was less than 1/4 mile in the morning.

 

We planned to visit the Alaska Sea Life Center and browse around some of the downtown shops.

A free shuttle bus runs in a loop from the cruise terminal to the Alaska SeaLife Center, the furthest stop, with about a dozen stops in between.  You can catch the free shuttle bus outside the cruise terminal. More information is HERE.  Seward has taxis, but we didn’t see any waiting around the terminal.

We left the ship around 11 am and headed to the large cruise terminal across the foggy pier. The terminal is a large empty space big enough to hold luggage when ships begin or end their cruises here. A few vending machines and a Hertz/Avis rental car kiosk were in the corner. The Hertz/Avis rental car office is nearby.

Inside the Seward Cruise Terminal

 

We boarded a waiting bus and were soon on our way. It took 10 minutes to get to the Alaska Sea Life Center.

ALASKA SEALIFE CENTER

Alaska SeaLife Center sells timed tickets, and the price varies by day and time of day, but expect to pay around $30 per person. We bought our tickets online in advance, which is cheaper than if you wait to buy them at the door.  Buying your tickets about a week in advance will give you the best price. Tickets are available on their website HERE.

Alaska Sea Life Center Lobby

 

Most of the exhibits are on the second floor, and after paying, you are directed up an escalator to start your tour. See the layout of the Sea Life Center HERE.

The most popular exhibits were shallow tanks filled with starfish and other sea creatures you could touch. These were quite popular with the many children touring the center.

The touch tanks are very popular

 

A large room was filled with various seabirds, including many types of Puffins.

This room was filled with various sea birds The Sea Life Center is a great place to see Puffins up close Olivia and Betsy are working here for the summer. Very helpful and friendly.

 

On the ground floor, you can see an underwater view of large tanks containing seals and sea lions and watch them swim around.

Steller Sea Lion viewed from the ground floor

 

We left the Sealife Center around 1 pm after spending 1 hour and 15 minutes exploring the exhibits and browsing the gift shop.   Once outside we were happy to see blue skies – the fog was gone!

DREAMLAND BOOKS AND YARN

Seward’s newest and only bookstore and yarn shop, Dreamland Books and Yarn, opened on April 27, 2024. Only a block away from the Sea Life Center, we stopped by to check it out.

The front of the store had books, while the back of the store was dedicated to yarn. We spoke with Michelely, the owner, who was very helpful and enthusiastic about bringing books and yarn to Seward.  The store stocks popular yarns including Malabrigo, Sirdar, Blue Sky Fibers and Noro.  There were also kits to knit the hat patterns in the National Parks series by Nancy Bates.

Most of the yarn is in the back

 

Michelely and her husband, Michael, also own Resurrect Art Coffee House in Downtown Seward.

Dreamland Books and Yarn owner – Michelely

 

We didn’t have time to stop by their coffee house, but we won’t miss it next time we are in Seward.

Judy outside Dreamland Books and Yarn.  She bought two mini balls of Happy by Sirdar.

 

We quickly walked up and down 3rd Avenue before heading back to the Sea Life Center and catching the 2 pm shuttle back to the ship. We arrived at the cruise terminal and picked up a few snacks from the vending machines before returning to the ship. All aboard time was 2:30.

Downtown Seward under blue skies The fog finally lifted – nice views

 

MASQUERADE BALL

Great dinner in the main dining room. Check out the menu HERE

 

Tonight was our second dressy night. The highlight was the Masquerade Ball, which started at 9 pm in the Rolling Stone Lounge. The ship provided masks at the entrance, and one of the Assistant Cruise Directors kicked off the festivities at 9 pm. The lounge was full, and the dance floor was crowded. We left after about 1 hour, but the party was still going strong.

All masked up! Free masks were available at the door Susan and Judy enjoying the party