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Typically, two Gala Nights are designated for every seven days at sea, and cruisers are encouraged to dress to impress. Jacket and tie are not required for men (some tradition bound guests will be wearing them), but otherwise, collared shirts and slacks for gents, and elegant dresses, skirts or slacks for women are fine. Per-week and per-day pricing varies, probably based, in part, on demand. The gym is accessed through the spa entrance and the overall facility is stocked with well-maintained cardio equipment and weights. Some fitness classes are free, such as Tai Chi and abs conditioning, (announced in the ship’s daily newsletter), while yoga and spinning classes have an added fee.
Princess Cruises
There are several options for the historic train, since it’s the most popular thing to do in town. I found it a bit confusing and only ended up booking the excursion that just barely crossed the border into British Columbia before turning around, rather than going all the way into the Yukon Territory. Although my intention had been to go all the way, the trip was still beautiful, and probably long enough, considering we had my one-year-old in tow. I was worried the food might not be great or healthy onboard. I’d encountered a lot of chicken nuggets and subpar burgers in the past on my brief cruise experiences.
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Holland America Rotterdam Cruise: Expert Review (2023) - Cruise Critic
Holland America Rotterdam Cruise: Expert Review ( .
Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:38:27 GMT [source]
I think with a veranda, excursions, and some of the higher-end dining, as well as making use of the ship amenities that appeal most to you, will make for a wonderful experience. Although I might never be the type to cruise-hop in the Caribbean, I have a feeling this won’t be my last scenic cruise in some of the more mountainous, glacier-topped destinations. The main dining options on the ship are the Lido buffet, one main dining room and two specialty restaurants. There’s also a Dive-In burger-and-fry place and a taco bar by the pool. The Crow’s Nest has the Explorations coffee bar where I’d get chai or a latte after breakfast. Although we walked the promenade deck while still in port in Vancouver, it was quite windy while at sea, so we didn't utilize it as much as we expected.
Holland America Nieuw Statendam Cruise Ship: Review, Photos & Departure Ports on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
Holland America Nieuw Statendam Cruise Ship: Review, Photos & Departure Ports on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:38:27 GMT [source]
Why A Holland America Alaska Cruise
Lido Market, Rotterdam’s buffet venue, offers a wide variety of food options. It can be quite crowded in the morning, but arrive early or late and empty tables are plentiful; lunch is also busy on sea days, but dinner is lightly attended. No self-service is allowed — crewmembers dish out as much as you like — and drinks can be ordered from waiters. Holland America Line maintains a fleet of 14 ships, each with its own brand of amenities and travel destinatios. The company runs up to 500 cruises to 320 ports in more than 100 countries with 2- to 114-day itineraries. Holland America Lines also offers a broad range of food and dining options as well as entertainment and on-board activities which can cater to individual passenger taste.
The Extras – WiFi and the Laundry Package
This means there’s less opportunity than at other sites for kids to injure themselves. He was also frank about things like pick-pockets, locals that could be curt and navigating towns that would be packed with passengers from multiple ships. There didn’t seem to be any hours when parents could drop kids off for supervised play. Holland America is introducing a new concept in its kids programming and they need to work a few kinks out.
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All of the line's vessels also have USB ports in their rooms, including some near the beds for easy overnight charging. If you purchase a cruise fare that includes Wi-Fi, you will receive the Surf package. To purchase the Surf package separately, the price starts at $18 per device, per day; Premium starts at $23 per device, per day.
The ultimate guide to Holland America cruise ships and itineraries
It had everything from a salad bar and roasted meats to sandwiches, sweets, and noodles. It could get a bit busy and overwhelming at times to be honest, probably because it had so much variety in one spot. As would be a trend with the towns we visited in Alaska, Juneau had a charm to it, with historic, Wild West–style buildings and gorgeous surroundings. The downtown is mainly bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops, but there’s quite a bit to do in the area.
Holland America Alaska Cruise Review of the Cabin
I opted for the helicopter trek of the Mendenhall Glacier, which was a fantastic decision (more on that later). Before we even set sail, HAL sent us lists of every excursion available at each port. I highly suggest reading through the activities and pre-booking them before you sail. The Have-It-All did not include the laundry package, but we used part of our onboard credit to cover the cost.
Mark Pells, Westerdam Hotel Director, says May and September are good for empty nesters who like a quiet environment with fewer kids. Ketchikan pulls out all to stops for cruisers with a flat attractive waterfront, large visitor center, free shuttle buses, plus friendly greeters, local tour operators, helpful shopkeepers and residents. Known for clean air and safety, this quiet town of 8,900 (far fewer in winter) offers a variety of hiking trails, museums, the Alaska Raptor Center and St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral. In late afternoon a shuttle bus took us to a Dog Musher’s Camp on nearby Douglas Island, where we were greeted by 150 barking and howling Alaska sled dogs. Sixteen-dog teams were hitched to 6-passenger wheeled vehicles that enable dogs to train year-round for winter dog mushing, Alaska’s favorite sport. We chose an Inside Passage cruise aboard the Westerdam.
For independent travelers like us, it was a good balance of free time and the tours we wanted for the historic sites. Our balcony cabin was on par with cabins of a similar class on other cruise lines. There was ample closet space and luggage storage for three people. The main bed was two twin beds connected to make a queen. We booked our cruise only a few months in advance (way too late for the advance planner that I am) and so rather than getting a room midship like usual, our cabin was pretty close to the rear of the ship. Because of this, I did feel more movement than usual as well as some ship vibration.
This is partly because they buy local ingredients in port whenever they can, especially seafood. When there is something local they highlight it at the top of the menu. At dinner they had Greek and Turkish theme nights when were in those ports, which adds more variety. The Lido Market buffet was good enough that we didn’t get tired of it after a few days. In addition to the usual pizza, grill and salad stations, there were always Indian, Chinese and Japanese dishes at lunch.
It serves the best specialty coffee drinks and light breakfast fare. The Crow’s Nest is a popular spot to begin your mornings, as it is a peaceful area to grab a cappuccino and enjoy the sights. Activities include trivia, bingo, talks about Alaska and its ports, music, movies, wildlife spotting, exercise opportunities, and shopping. A handful of pre-teens/teens hung out on the pool deck and were occasionally seen walking the hallways or playing ping-pong. All the kids were well-behaved, and none seemed obnoxious. The msWesterdam is a smaller ship, with only 1,916 passengers and 817 crew members.
Holland America Line is a premium cruise line that offers a luxurious and sophisticated onboard experience. Holland America Line has a broad range of exquisite food and dining options available on-board for their passengers. On-board, there are a number of restaurants that suits every appetite and allows guests to choose the dining style they prefer. The cruise line also offers Signature Beverage Package for passengers ages 21 and above which lets them pay one price per day for beverages. Breakfast is served daily on the lower level and includes a full range of egg dishes and omelets, cereals, pancakes and French toast, Asian congee and the traditional English breakfast. Lunch is typically offered on embarkation and sea days only, but features a pleasing selection, from Mexican street tacos to Dutch pannenkoek, a tasty apple and bacon pancake.
Families are expected to make a strong showing on Koningsdam. During the summer, expect as many as 300 kids onboard of varying ages -- which is a sizable chunk for HAL ships. Ships have a mix of North American 110-volt and European 220-volt outlets in their cabins.
A few in our group enjoyed participating in the ballroom dancing offered before dinner on formal nights. As I understand is common on cruise ships, there are some extras, like internet and drinks, that you can opt to pay for as a package. The Quench package included espresso drinks, smoothies, and water cans. When added to the introductory cruise price, the Have-it-All package includes an onboard credit, an excursion, a dinner at a specialty restaurant, WiFi, and the Signature drink package. Holland America Line let travellers explore the places they visit and do exciting activities with a variety of excursions they offer with each destination. Their Journeys Ashore allows guests to choose from a number of well-planned excursions with the comfort of their own private driver.
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