Alaska on lovely Zaandam

[Xoe]

I may or may not get around to a "real" review of our most enjoyable week on Zaandam, R/T Seattle May 29-June 5. I at least want to share the site where you can have a look at our photos, if you wish:

http://fredasphotos1.shutterfly.com

Once there, click on the first album, "Alaska on Zaandam 2009". Best way to see the photos is to click on "slideshow", then at the upper right, "Full screen". A glance will show you something notable: every minute of every day/night was perfect weather -- blue skies, bright sun, little wind, temperatures in the 65-75 range. We've always had good weather -- I've never yet seen Ketchikan when it was not sunny -- but this year's days were warmer than in the past.

 

This is our 6th Alaska cruise; our Whidbey Island WA home makes this very easy for us, and we always enjoy the amazing scenery and wildlife. Our favorite itineraries include Glacier Bay and Sitka, as did this one.

 

All in all, a wonderful cruise. We love walking in the port towns, although they are much more crowded than in earlier days, back in the 90's. Seeing the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center was worthwhile. The Duck Tour in Ketchikan was a hoot -- fun, not too expensive, and not very lengthy (90 minutes). There, as everywhere, the Weather Goddess defied the norms and provided full sun and t-shirt temperatures. We've been to Victoria several times, but never had visited Craigdarroch Castle nor Mt. Tolmie at sunset. Very nice.

 

We found HAL's free-choice dining suited us very well, as you can phone for a reservation for the same day and one day ahead. It provided flexibility as to table location and dining companions. We would choose that again.

 

All the ship's staff were marvelous, and oh they do work so so hard. Our cabin stewards were diligent and charming. Embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze.

 

Overall, a highly recommended trip. For travelers making their first, and/or perhaps only Alaska cruise, my recommendation would be to go from Vancouver, not Seattle, as that route provides the maximum glorious scenery and the smoothest waters. Include Glacier Bay and Sitka, if you can.

 

Happy cruising in The Great Land!

[sue1898]

Thanks for sharing these and your thoughts. I can't wait!

[Assateague Island Princes]

Thanx for your review, Xoe. Loved the photos! I was also struck by your reference to living on Whidby Island - lucky, lucky you!! We've cruised to AK twice, and last June, after our cruise on the delightful Oosterdam, we rented a car and drove the length of Whidby Island, taking the ferry back to Seattle at the end. Wow!!! It was a beautiful place. We stopped along the water in a tiny little town (can't for the life of me think of the name of it!) where I had THE best fish and chips ever - delicious!! Then we stopped at this large farm market type place - with a wine and cheese shop and a pie shop - again, can't remember the name! But I had a yummy piece of Loganberry pie that was to die for!!! The whole drive down the island was amazing! So picturesque and lovely! Hopefully we'll get some time either before or after our May 31, 2010 cruise back to Alaska! We're taking the new 14 day itinerary with HAL sailing round trip from Seattle and including "new" ports of Kodiak, Homer and Anchorage. Can't wait!

 

Again, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the cruise, so glad you enjoyed it!

[Soccer Mom 96]

Thanks for the great photos! My sister and I leave on this cruise on July 17. We are both looking forward to getting away without husbands and children but this makes me even more excited! I am happy to see the sun shining as my only other visit to Alaska was during September a few years ago and the weather was awful!

 

Thanks again!

 

Soccer Mom

[BlackJack2]

Xoe - We are on the Zaandam July 17 sailing. Thanks for the great photos - I can't wait to see everything. We used to live on Whidbey Island; we really miss it!

[Xoe]

My term "free choice dining" was incorrect; it's "As You Wish Dining" on HAL. We liked it and have chosen that dining option for our upcoming September cruise from Montreal to Boston on Maasdam.

 

Although September is often a lovely weather month in the Pacific Northwest, I know of several others who have hit bad weather in Alaska in September. We've always gone in May/June and have always had marvelous weather. Good luck to you, Soccer Mom 96 (& your sister).

 

Assateague Island Princes, your fish & chips were probably in Coupeville, your loganberry pie surely at Greenbank Farm. Whidbey Island is a lovely place to visit, and to live. Yes we are lucky! I am intrigued to read that HAL is doing an itinerary next year that goes on to Kodiak Island, Homer, and Anchorage. Our first-ever Alaska cruise was in 1998 on Island Princess, one of the relatively small (600-passenger) "love boats" of an earlier era (retired shortly after our cruise). Ours was an 11-day one-way itinerary, Vancouver to Anchorage, that had port days, in addition to the more usual ones, at Kodiak Island and Homer, as well as glacier viewing days at Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord. It was a WONDERFUL itinerary, one of our favorite cruises ever, even though the ship itself was basic and aging compared to most out there now. Another big plus was that there were far fewer ships cruising in Alaska at that time so the small port towns were not overrun with cruisers as they often are now. From Anchorage we continued on a land tour, ending in Fairbanks, then flew home. You should have a MARVELOUS time on that trip! Perhaps we should check into it ourselves.

[razor_baks]

Loved the pictures, and can't wait to show them to my wife. Your LIFE looks grand XOE!

[ROCruiser]

Thanks for posting!:)

[Himself]

I think Alaska looks grand on any DAM ship. This is particularly true for the DAM ships that Go to Glacier Bay.

[Assateague Island Princes]

You are absolutely right, Xoe - those are the places we ate!!! I was just reading your reply post to my husband and we got to reminiscing about our jaunt to Whidbey Island. It was so much fun, such a unique and peaceful place. I have to dig out the photos for another gander. Thanks so much for responding.

 

I loved hearing your story about the cruise you took to some of those lesser known ports - sounds absolutely wonderful! We are truly looking forward to this cruise! And by the way, it actually sails up Cook Inlet to Anchorage, which I understand hasn't been done in quite some time, right? Should really be interesting. So excited, particularly for Homer and Kodiak. Join us, Xoe! There is a Roll Call started and some chatter on the HAL boards as well, sounds as though we will have good company!

 

Thanx again for bringing back some really fond memories for us. We're envious of you living on Whidbey!

[Xoe]

have not been able to sail up Cook Inlet to dock in Anchorage, but because the old Island Princess was so much smaller, it could and did do that in 1998. We felt very privileged! We had a hotel stay in Anchorage -- lots to see there -- then boarded the train for Denali, in the Princess dome cars which provided spectacular viewing; two days in Denali, then on to Fairbanks. It was a marvelous trip -- as yours will be. Kodiak Island was a big favorite of ours.

[unekeonecc]

Thank you so much for posting such great pictures. My SO and 2 DD's are looking forward to our Alaska cruise embarking June 25, 2010! We have never been to Alaska and have been wanting to do this for some time. Your pictures were great and we look forward to taking our own and posting them for others to help get just as excited as we are about our trip!

 

Thanks!

CC