Zaandam review 6/9 Alaska - pt 1

[Bohrski]

I can not begin to find words to express the beauty of what I saw and experienced on this cruise. I will try to describe the experience for those who may wish to read about the itinerary, the ship and/or the cruise experience.

The flight from Orland to Seattle Washington was long – 5 ½ hours – a little too long for me! I suggest getting a DVD player to help pass the time along with a good book. I was worried about getting there on time and making all the needed connections. In Seattle the Holland America people were there collecting luggage and directing us to the part of the terminal where the shuttles for all cruise lines were waiting. Unfortunately it was quite a long walk but I was happy not to be carting my luggage! The folks at the bus were happy and helpful, we boarded quickly, watched as the luggage for the ship was loaded onto nearby trucks and we were soon off. I was surprised to see my very own travel agent board the bus! She was given a chance to participate in a AAA agents meeting on board the very ship and cruise she had arranged for us. She was so happy to see that we had made it. The bus driver gave us a minitour of the Seattle skyline on the way to the terminal – alas, there was a cloud cover and we could not see Mt Ranier. As the pier appeared I could make out the Zaandam very easily – she was sitting next to the Vision of the Seas which is much larger making the Zaandam look all the more appealing to me! Embarkation was smooth – it took about 40 minutes but the greeter Mel made us feel at home, we walked with our travel agent and were soon at the window showing tickets and getting our picture taken for the ID card – the gentleman was polite and happy and wished us a great voyage promising we would love everything. The line to head out to the ramp was held up by the photographers who were very nice but I was grubby and tired from traveling and anxious to get aboard. Once at the ship we were greeted by about 15 crew members, handed sanitary wipes for the hands, our ID cards were swiped, our names and cabin numbers noted and we were handed off to a young man who escorted us to our cabin.

The outside category C cabin – the second one from the atrium on the lower promenade deck was steps away from the outside wraparound deck and was ready. I was happy to see that it was a good size room. Later I measured the actual living space to be 11’ by 12’ not counting the space used by the bathroom and closets. With the twin beds up against the wall we seemed to have even more space. The sofa was more of a love seat on this deck but there was also a chair and an ottoman under the desk. The window was 3’ tall and 4’ wide and served to bring in a great deal of light, let me check where we were and did not cause a problem with folks from outside looking in – at night when the lights were on the curtain stayed closed. The bathroom was spacious although as a tall person I had some trouble with my knees hitting the tub when sitting and I wondered what big tall guys or large people do….There was enough space in the medicine cabinet, the shampoo and soaps were very nice and the towels wonderful. I kept the towels more than one day to help with conservation and tried not to let the water run. The shower head was great! I was up and about most mornings by 5 AM – along about the time the guys were washing down the deck and the windows. I did not want to miss anything! Most mornings the view took my breath away and I was not the only person up and about! Later in the mornings our cabin steward, Pogo, had the room made up and welcoming – there was always ice in the cute bucket, fresh fruit and clean bathroom. He learned that we returned early and always had the room prepared – bed turned down, chocolate, towel animal, soft lighting and curtains pulled tightly. The beds were wonderful!! The linens were so soft that I kept slipping off the sheets, the pillows were wonderful. There was little noise from anywhere. The 3rd deck was convenient for everything. The 3 banks of elevators and all the stairs made it easy to navigate.

[Bohrski]

The spaces about the ship were wonderfully appointed and inviting – lots of spots to sit and rest and look. The Exploration Café was one of my favorites after the outside. Great chairs and soft music, wide windows. I did not use the computer for my email as I was trying to “get away from it all” but many people used it to contact families. People read, perused the wonderful books, read the paper, played games or talked. I must admit that I took a snooze or two there and enjoyed the great coffee drinks too. Across the ship was the Explorers Lounge- also a great place to sit and look out, wait for dinner or listen to wonderful music played by very talented pianist and 2 violinists. There is a rest room there that was my favorite – it had several large windows and many vanities with large mirrors. All restrooms have real cloth hand towels. The Lido deck was very nice – the pool, the hot tubs, the padded chairs, the outside pool deck was great too – I was swimming in that pool while looking up at the mountains of surrounding Sitka one afternoon.

The movement of the ship was very noticeable at first – especially the first day but I took some Bonine and was fine the rest of the trip. The first day was all traveling up the coast so it was a good time to learn the ship and get acclimated. I sat down and made myself move with the ship rather than fighting it and that helped too. Later that day I noticed sea sick bags and green apples out in the public areas so I knew I was not alone in my general discomfort and I had to avoid the folks who love to discuss their or others symptoms – honestly, people can be annoying about this – it’s best not to discuss it. One woman was complaining to a crew member that she and her husband paid so much money to come on this cruise and he was sick all day. She made it sound as if it were HAL’s fault. It is amazing how you soon get your sealegs and learn to take a shower while moving about. The thrumming of the ships engines made me think that I was living inside the belly of a whale that was breathing – the rthymic pulsing was even soothing at night. The ship moves very smoothly even in rough seas and gently glides into ports or passed the glaciers. I was very impressed.

The food was very good – way too much for my needs but that did not stop me. Breakfast was usually in the Lido as I was up so early – coffee on tap all day but it was pretty bad the whole cruise. Everything was clean and they were always on time opening. The fresh fruit was wonderful – I liked the figs and apricots, the muesli; the scones and cottage cheese were my breakfast each AM. You could also get pancakes, eggs, omelets, waffles and all sorts of meats. I did go to the dining room one day and that was very nice. The crew were great about making sure you had what you needed and cleaning up. Lunch and dinner in the Lido was good too – they decorated for Gold Rush Day and used table cloths at night. The ice cream although plentiful was rather bland. The bread pudding was great. The dining room was wonderful –w e had a table for two – upper level by the inside railing early seating which was just fine for us. The maitre de was very friendly and spoke with us each evening. I did see him turn away one man in shorts and a cap and ask him nicely to go change. Jeans were acceptable on casual night and I appreciated that since the days in port were often jeans and T-shirt dress and you were tired – especially the Glacier Bay day. I always wore a nice sweater or blouse. The first formal night was dressy but not overly so – I wore dress slacks and a very nice blouse as did most women. Most men wore suits and one gentleman had his kilt! Those who dined at the Pinnacle or with the captain were all decked out and looked very nice. The last formal night was more formal as more ladies wore long dresses but there were still those who were more subdued. I was anxious about the dress code but was told by the woman at the front desk that Alaska tends to be more casual and what I was wearing was fine. The waiter Mantano was wonderful and we spoke often about the ship, what we thought and about his homeland. We discussed the fact that we here in Florida knew when a hurricane was coming and could prepare where as one never knew when an earthquake or volcano was going to say hello. I had Alaskan Amber at 3 meals and it was served with the same finesse given to those who ordered wine. I asked the steward what vintage it was and he joked with me about that and we discussed the finer points of beer. The ice sculptures, music, presentation of the meals and the crew all made the dining experience enjoyable.

Alaska is beautiful and HAL does its best to show you what it’s all about – the naturalist Debbie did a great job and was around the ship to chat – one morning I was showing her the location of some whales. The Glacier Bay day was wonderful as we picked up 2 park rangers and a Tinglit native who explained the sights and met with us in the Crow’s Nest – another neat place to sit and look out. The day was long and I enjoyed John Hopkins’s glacier more than Margerie but it was all breath taking. As you travel up into the right arm of the bay it is very easy to observe the change in vegetation as you get closer to the glaciers. Once in front of the glacier we slowed down and were very quiet and although I did not see huge calving there were little pieces falling off and the cracking and moaning of the ice was dramatic. A few seals were basking in the sun while resting on chunks of ice and there were lots of birds. The water was so blue and the ice chunks were such a pretty blue. The awesome power of this ice was very evident and you could imagine how it scraped the landscape and created the bay. The naturalists quoted quite a bit from John Muir. It was a marvelous day and there were lots of spots to park. Many were on the forward deck, most seemed to settle along the side decks and a large group congregated along the sea view pool deck out of the wind. Some stayed in the Crow’s nest and Lido deck. The mountains were gorgeous throughout and looked like they had been dusted with confectioner’s sugar. The trees gave off wonderful fragrances in the afternoon heat of the sun and combined with the salty air from the water. Water falls dribbled down the side of the mountains and sometimes you could hear the water rushing.

[Bohrski]

The ports of call were pretty interesting – I enjoyed watching as the ship cruised into the little towns. We seemed to follow the Vision of the Seas but never saw her while at sea but now and then from a great distance. Juneau was interesting but it took a long time to get people off the ship as they had to wait for this couple to go through customs as they were leaving the ship – they could not find them and that took about 45 minutes. I thought they handled that poorly and should have located them much earlier. Then we had to wait for the excursion people to get off. At times I felt like a 2nd class citizen because I did not choose any of the ship sponsored trips but I was not alone. I did d hear that everyone who went on one had a great time. It was hot in Juneau and very crowded and I did not really appreciate the ambience of the city as much as I would have had I been more comfortable and it was less crowded. I had purchased tickets for the Mighty Great Tours bus trip to Mendenhall and they were right there at the dock. Again the photographer slowed things down at the gangway – they were in the way at most ports. Mendenhall was wonderful – the visitor center was informative and I had a chance to get up close to the ice. It was a wonderfully sunny day and it was so quiet and peaceful there despite the numbers of people who came. Families were playing in the water and in their bathing suits which was neat to watch. They have some great camping sites there in the park. The bus driver gave us a nice tour on the way to and from. I could see how the float plane was the major source of travel and gas was over $3.00 a gallon. The stores were interesting but it was definitely a tourist trap. I wished I had more time and money to get out and see the surrounding area. Next time….

Sitka was a tender port and they handled that well – it was wonderful to watch them unload the tenders and they made it look easy. It was a comfortable ride into town. Again preference was given to those who had scheduled activities but it was not a long wait. The town is cute and I was able to get a cab to take us to the Raptor center which was very good and they do a great job trying to educate folks. Looking at a bald eagle up close was inspiring. It was a long day import so I was bale to spend time in the pool and in the sun in the afternoon.

Ketchikan was my favorite port although we were only there a few hours. We were out and about early before the stores were open so we were able to wander about the town and admire the totem polls and park. The flowers were lovely. The museum was a great place to start and the shops on Creek street had some interesting items – I did not feel crowed and overwhelmed that way I did in Juneau. The shop keepers were fun to talk to – mostly transplants form other parts of the world that fell in love with Alaska and decided to stay.

I did not go onshore in Victoria as it was late 8PM and we left at 12 – seemed like a waste of time but I know it is a formality for Customs. If you did not have an excursion it was not worth going in as the port was far away from most of the town.

The captain’s log channel on the TV was a great way to see the weather conditions and the location of the ship and the bow camera was cool too. The daily newsletters were helpful and you could tear off the section with the schedule and carry it around with you. You could be busy 24 hours a day if you chose to participate in everything or you could sit back and take it easy. I had plans to go to the gym everyday – they had some neat classes but alas I never made it – I was too busy looking outside or sitting on the deck. The deck chairs were great and that teak deck wonderful. There were times when no one was out and I could picture Barbara Stanwick or Debbie Reynolds gathering folks up to get on the lifeboats or was tempted many times to say “Ice berg straight ahead” If you closed your eyes you could hear “Nearer My God to Thee” playing at night….I wondered about how the early explorers handled the transatlantic trips out there in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight – of course I knew we were very close to land even when you could no longer see the coastline. The on board shops had a nice variety of things and gave you another spot to wander about while waiting for dinner – if you could handle the smoke from the casino that is. That is about the only place aboard where the smoke was annoying. There was one place on the Lido deck where people smoked at the tables around the pool but they kept to the port side of the ship and you could avoid the area. Someone on my corridor smoked in his cabin and it was trong when I passed by his open door now and then – I do not know how he and his wife could breath in there – but the steward had some sort of a spray that eliminated the smell in the hall.

I did not go to the shows after the first night as I am not a night time person but the lounge was beautiful. The disembarkation talk was informative and took away all my anxiety about what I had to do and the introduction of the crew was great. The final farewell was wonderfully touching and you sensed that they enjoyed their jobs and did not mind having to take the time away from their very busy schedule to come and sing to us. The dining room staff sang also on the last night. Everyone of the crew was polite and friendly and I enjoyed speaking with them all and even saw them at a couple of ports. I must have said thank you a thousand times – I am not used to being taken care of and spoiled so nicely. Who will make my bed, pour my coffee and put the napkin on my lap for me now? How will I know the day of the week without those carpets in the elevator and who will give me after dinner mints??

Getting off the ship was as effortless as getting on and they handled things beautifully.

It was a wonderful cruise in every way. I just wish I could get to Seattle without that long and stressful flight. Next time I hope to go inland and see more of Alaska. HAL was a wonderful choice for us and I will be grateful to my travel agent forever – it was neat to be able to see her now and then and tell her that. When we booked back in December we were given a $50 per person on board credit but when we got to the ship they told us it was $100 each. What a nice surprise. I found things to be expensive – pictures, drinks, spa treatments – for my budget as a teacher – but I was happy with the money I spent for the trip – it was worth it considering what I gained in return. Again it was the airfare that took a chunk out of my budget. HAL was great!

[grannynurse]

Hi Bohrski,

Your review is just delightful. I just loved your descriptions and your writing style.You must be a great teacher.

It's so nice to hear the positives reinforced and the negatives downplayed. I can really feel the joy and excitement you experienced. Thank you for a great beginning of a Sunday morning.

GN

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Hear, hear, grannynurse, I second your opinion of Bohrski's review! Very comprehensive and well written. Thank you, Bohrski.:) I'm taking your very same ship and itinerary in just two months, so your review was particularly helpful to me. Welcome home!

[mjmagee]

Thanks for the great review Bohrski! It brought back fond memories of our cruise 2 weeks before yours. Looks like the weather has warmed up some in that time. Good for you! Marilyn

 

PS: In Victoria, if you do not have an excursion planned but just want to get off the ship and see the town, there is a whole row of vans and limo drivers waiting at the port to give tours. They all seem to charge $65/hour for however many people can get in their vehicle. The four of us got in the "LA Limo" and Patrick gave us a great tour, even stopping for a pint at a nice pub. We were glad we did it as Victoria is beautiful and every home seemed to have a beautifully landscaped yard with gorgeous blooming flowers and shrubs.

[Bohrski]

Thank you for your positive responses! I was nervous about posting such a long review but I knew how much I enjoyed reading others' postings. It helped me with my PCS - post cruise syndrome - to write about it!

[Pete&Cat]

:) Thank you soooo much for that review! Cat and I are sailing in 2007 on the Zaandam for Hawaii, now we are even more excited

[fsdj1097]

Hello,

 

We also just returned from Alaska, R/T Seattle, on the Oosterdam. We sailed on the Zaandam last year R/T Vancouver. She is, indeed, a beautiful ship and the crew and captain were wonderful.

 

Our itenerary duplicated yours and we enjoyed it so much. Alaska is breath-taking and demands more than one visit.

 

I would definitely encourage you to return and try to budget some shore excursions that get you away from the ports and crowds. We took a helicopter to Herbert Glacier in Juneau, went salmon and halibut fishing in Sitka, and took the Rainforest Canopy Zip-line excursion in Ketchikan.

 

If you visit the Alaska forum on CC and take your time to read and ask question, you can save a considerable sum by booking your shore excursions independent of the cruise lines.

 

The best way to end your cruise is to begin planning your next. I wish you the best in planning your next Alaska adventure.

 

Sam

[RustaRoo]

Thank you so much for such a cleverly written, descriptive review! I am so excited to be dreaming of my upcoming Zaandam cruise to Hawaii. You helped bring these dreams closer to reality! Thank you!

[Coral]

Thank you for your review! I have friends on that sailing and I haven't spoken to them yet - I hope they loved the trip also.

[MrsMuir]

Great review -- reading it was the next best thing to being on board. I loved your analogy to being inside a great whale. I always imagine that a ship is a living, breathing entity and can't tear myself away from an ocean-going vessel. We'll be on the same ship and cruise in 86 days. Thank you for sharing.

 

Mrs Muir

[biddy belle]

Thoroughly enjoyed your review, and found it quite informative. Am betting most of the east coasters are early risers, unfortunately. Was wondering what the participation level was in the Walk for the Cure on the Zaandam, and which day it was held.

[Robin7]

Thanks for your review! It was amazing. We'll be onboard next month, and I can't wait!

 

Can you remember what time it was when you actually got off the ship in Juneau? My docs say arrival is at noon, and I called Ship Services and was told that that time may vary and the Zaandam actually usually arrives earlier but is sometimes later. (It will be Sunday when we are there, and I'm trying to arrange going to church. The meeting I want to attend is at 1pm, and I'm just trying to decide if we'll make it. I also need to arrange a car so we don't get stranded at the church when the service is over and we need to get back to the ship.)

 

Robin

[Bohrski]

The walk for the cure was on the last sea day - I suppose it was Thursday morning - about 20 people finished and were in the picture they took at the end. I made my donation and made a valient effort but it was quite windy and damp that day.

 

We arrived in Juneau at 12 but there was a hold up on getting off the ship because they were looking for someone - that delayed everything. If you mention to the front desk that you have an appointment they may be able to get you off the ship with the excursion group. There seemed to be lots of buses and other vehicles around the port so I am sure you will have no trouble getting a cab - perhaps you can ask about that at the desk too.

 

There was Mass everyday on the ship but it was rather traditional and, in my opinion, rather soul-less - the priest was a retured gentleman who went through the motions but there was no real warmth there. The people who came were very nice but I needed more.

 

Enjoy your trip!