Holland America Line Alaska Cruise Reviews 2023 UPDATED: Ratings of Holland America Line Cruises to Alaska

Table Of Content

• Europe Cruises
• thoughts on “What to Expect on a Holland America Alaskan Cruise”
• Enjoy the Scenery to Whitehorse -- and Use the Stop as a Time to Recuperate
• DAY GREAT ALASKA EXPLORER
• Sign Up for Special Offers
• Curious about learning more about cruising or want more information?
• Hubbard Glacier

One of the featured entertainment shows is WE ARE ALASKA, a story shared early in the cruise to help draw you into the spectacular world you’re about to enter. We found it easy to navigate with a nice flow and absolutely lovely decor. Skagway is also surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, with towering mountains, pristine forests, and glaciers all within easy reach. Of particular interest are the two exclusive 14-day Great Alaskan Explorer sailings in 2023.

Europe Cruises

You’ll find a variety of stations including a taco corner, salad bar, meat options, bakery, and desserts including ice cream. Seating can get crowded during peak mealtimes however a bit of patience had us always able to find a table, and many times it was next to a window. One of the most popular spots is the Crows Nest lounge on one of the top decks (deck 12), which features cozy seating along with a bar and coffee shop. The ship has the upscale glitz and glamor that you expect from cruise ships but also a few fun spots with a bit of flair. Thank you, Holland America for inviting me as your guest to check out one of your famous Alaska cruises.

thoughts on “What to Expect on a Holland America Alaskan Cruise”

Ketchikan is a beautiful city located in southeastern Alaska. The city is known for its stunning scenery, waterfront location, and mountainous backdrop. And with five different salmon species coming in droves every July to September, it is known as the Salmon Capital of the World. The train travels through some of Alaska’s most stunning landscapes, including the Chugach Mountains and the Kenai Peninsula. The journey takes about 2.5 hours, and there are plenty of opportunities to take in the scenery along the way.

Holland America to Debut New ‘Glacier Day’ in 2024 - Cruise Industry News

Holland America to Debut New ‘Glacier Day’ in 2024.

Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:09:43 GMT [source]

Enjoy the Scenery to Whitehorse -- and Use the Stop as a Time to Recuperate

Make new friends, eat new cuisine, and watch wildlife hunt and play in their home turf. From culture to food to icy thrills, our iconic Alaska shore excursions will make your trip one to remember forever. Holland America Line offers you a wide selection of lounges onboard.

DAY GREAT ALASKA EXPLORER

Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam bring the World Stage experience to the next level by surrounding you in spectacular sight and sound with a two-story, panoramic LED screen. Dive-In offers a variety of casual culinary classics, using the highest quality ingredients. Enjoy a burger, grilled to perfection and served on a toasted brioche with our own trade-marked secret sauce. Savor a succulent Nathan’s Famous gourmet hot dog with golden French fries. Or choose a grilled chicken breast sandwich or juicy portabella mushroom stack. Dive-In is the perfect spot to dine poolside on the best burgers at sea.

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In the centre is Denali Square, a bustling hub to dine at Karstens Restaurant, enjoy live entertainment at the Gold Nugget Saloon, visit the artists-in-residence cabin and shop for handcrafted local goods. In the evening, make s’mores over an outdoor firepit and swap stories of the day’s adventures. In the 150-year history of Holland America, Alaska has been a favourite destination for more than 75 years. Ride the rail over high trestles to uninterrupted views of pure Alaska wilderness. Pass Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and more as your guide regales captivating Gold Rush history.

Curious about learning more about cruising or want more information?

Holland America Line to Introduce Glacier Day in 2024 Alaska Cruises - Porthole Cruise and Travel

Holland America Line to Introduce Glacier Day in 2024 Alaska Cruises.

Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:07:37 GMT [source]

Learn the basics at complimentary beginner’s lessons, starting in spring 2023. Commemorative starter kits will soon be available in our retail shops — purchase as gifts for avid players or as souvenirs, so that you can always look back on your pickleball cruise memories. Personalize your cruise experience once you’re on the ship with our free mobile-friendly tool. Plan your daily activities, browse and purchase shore excursions, view restaurant menus, make dining reservations, check your account balance and more.

Hubbard Glacier

While there are plenty of great complimentary dining options available onboard with Holland America if you love enjoying upscale dining you need to splurge on a specialty restaurant or two. Compared to other ships one thing I didn’t love was that the promenade deck view was mostly blocked by lifeboats. If you’re someone who likes to pop out on one of the mid-decks to enjoy the scenery and walk around, this ship isn’t the best for that.

Complimentary / Included Restaurants

The balcony includes two reclining chairs with legrests and a small table. You can request a larger table to dine outside, which they will honor if one is available. The HAL employees do a great job walking you through the embarkation process. They even deliver your luggage to your stateroom, where it waits for you outside your cabin door. Once we hit our limit we headed ashore to a small island camp where our guide brought a couple of our fish ashore to clean them.

We recommend exploring a bit on your own, but definitely stepping into the Red Onion Saloon Brothel Museum for a drink. The Red Onion Saloon Brothel Museum was a woman-owned upscale brothel, saloon and dance hall during its time. While it's of course no longer a brothel, its decor remains very similar and is one of the most popular bars in Skagway. The second floor is a brothel museum that offers a "Quickie" tour, which is about 20 minutes.

You can even take your food to the outside deck to eat if you want. For a more casual dining experience, the Lido Market is open often. Most like a buffet; however, passengers do not serve themselves. You can access the thermal spa and warming loungers throughout the cruise for a flat fee. If interested, pre-purchase or book on the first day of embarkation.

While Fairbanks may conjure images of ice and snow, this vibrant city is actually located in the heart of Alaska’s interior. Despite its secluded location, the city is home to a diverse population and offers a wide range of activities for residents and visitors alike. These tours also include a ride on the McKinley Explorer full-dome railcars, as well as the Tundra Wilderness Tour at Denali National Park.

Holland America Line is one of the most popular cruise lines cruising to Alaska, having just celebrated seventy-five years sailing here. Another thing to note is that you can choose to have your fish processed and shipped home with the tour company. The pricing was not cheap, and seeing as we’re based in Seattle it didn’t make sense since we have easy access to fresh fish. Our guide also mentioned that some fish should only be transported smoked. When we arrived, we had to show our driver’s licenses (or passports) to obtain a fishing license for the trip.

The park is home to Mount Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, and is known for its stunning scenery and diverse wildlife. Visitors to the park can enjoy hiking, camping, wildlife watching, and much more. In recent years, the park has also become a popular destination for winter sports such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. No matter what time of year you visit, Denali National Park is sure to impress. Holland America ships will be visiting the best of Alaska with a range of ports of call, exploring different cultures of the region and all the natural beauty this unique state offers.

But kids will also fall in love with the animals and the storytelling is gripping and keeps you engaged. But, as I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of indoor lounge seating near windows, which is probably somewhat preferable for Alaska cruising versus Caribbean cruising anyway. So even though the outdoor lounge spaces are limited, with the cool weather of Alaska, the window indoor seating can be preferable. If you’re looking to relax, take a dip in one of the pools or enjoy a game of ping pong.

Holland America Bringing Six Ships, 14-Day Itineraries to Alaska in 2023

Table Of Content

• Glacier Bay Cruise Itineraries
• Shipboard Life
• Hubbard Glacier Cruise Itineraries
• Vancouver
• Around the Ship: Cabins, Public Spaces and Amenities

The panoramic view takes center stage in The Crow's Nest at the top of the ship, where you can relax just about any time of day and enjoy your favorite drink. I’m delighted to say that Holland America still INCLUDES room service as a main (included) dining option. The menu is limited somewhat, but it was SO delightful having breakfast delivered every morning. I was even able to order a coffee service in advance to get my caffeine fix while my teen daughter slept in.

Glacier Bay Cruise Itineraries

These are enclosed cabanas with luxurious lounging chairs and couches. The Retreat cabanas can be reserved for $50 on port days and $85 for at-sea days. Westerdam has ten lounges and bars located on several decks of the ship.

Shipboard Life

If you love fries and sitting poolside, you’re going to love ordering from Dive-In. It’s your typical pool dining spot that serves famous Nathan hot dogs, burgers, as well as french fries. This is a popular spot for kids and families, so you’ll want to order in advance with the HAL Navigator app.

Hubbard Glacier Cruise Itineraries

We stayed for a couple hours in perfect conditions for people to wander the decks and take hundreds of photos. It was a spectacular experience, especially for those seeing the real raw Alaskan beauty for the first time. After Juneau, we had a day of scenic cruising, including a visit to Hubbard Glacier. It carries just 2,100 passengers, making it relatively tiny when compared with the giant megaships that have greatly expanded the options for cruisers in recent years. Board a 26-passenger expedition boat on the ‘Glacier Point Wilderness Safari’ to see whales, seals, sea lions, waterfalls and even a remote beach. The ‘Birds, Bears and Barnacles’ tour guarantees sightings of bald eagles and brown bears as well as marine life at aquariums, touch tanks and a salmon hatchery.

Vancouver

The parking garage is also the same garage used for cruise passengers, so again, extremely convenient for cruisers. This was a truly epic Alaskan experience and one I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys fishing. For teens, it’s an activity that engages them while also getting them out on the water and helping them be part of the Alaska fishing experience. Our guide took us out on the water and headed towards a known fishing spot for rockfish.

Around the Ship: Cabins, Public Spaces and Amenities

A new Alaska Seafood Boil will be offered once per cruise in Lido Market for a surcharge. With our rockfish stored, we headed to another couple of spots to try our hand at salmon fishing. We each had a chance to reel in a fish, including one lovely Sockeye salmon and many Pink salmon. We disembarked in the afternoon in Juneau and checked in with an excursion rep after exiting the ship.

Alaska Cruises from Whittier

There’s also a variety of onboard shops where you can browse for a souvenir insulated mug or piece of artwork. The Misty Fjords & Wilderness Explorer Cruise is a great way to see some of Alaska’s most beautiful scenery. The Misty Fjords is part of the Tongass National Forest (the nation’s largest national forest) and is accessible mostly by boat or plane.

Holland America's 'Glacier Day,' fresh catch, special drinks enhance Alaska cruises - Seatrade Cruise News

Holland America's 'Glacier Day,' fresh catch, special drinks enhance Alaska cruises.

Posted: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:30:50 GMT [source]

Holland America has been a leader with its culinary program for years. The variety of food options is excellent, and the menus have been enhanced since the creation of the line’s Culinary Council led by Chef Rudi Sodamin. Then, it was back to Seattle and the end of the cruise, as we disembarked the Eurodam in the morning. The fleet’s sleek, nautical lines express Holland America’s authentic heritage.

Here you’ll find some of your classic Italian favorites like lasagne and risotto, but there are also daily specials and many seafood-inspired dishes. Order up some grilled calamari, lobster and shrimp ravioli, and finish with a slice of tiramisu. Families cruising with teens will also appreciate this flexible dining option as some may want to eat at different times or on their own, this allows a family to truly dine how they want on board. This is what is equivalent to a buffet with other cruise lines, however, in each of the stations on Holland America a staff member handles serving you the food. Holland America does an EXCELLENT job of drawing their Alaska cruisers into the story of Alaska.

Luckily, during the embarkation process, Holland America has many employees ready to assist anyone who needs help with paperwork and provides paper itineraries throughout the cruise. The app includes a countdown to your cruise and notification reminders. Hopefully, it will inspire you to plan your next cruise to Alaska. So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax, and join me on this journey through the stunning Alaskan wilderness with Holland America. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of sailing on Holland America’s lavish Vista-class vessel, the ms Westerdam, to Alaska’s breathtaking wilderness. I highly recommend staying here for cruisers as its location can’t be beaten.

White linen tablecloths, flowers, and fine china adorn the tables while servers meet your dining needs. The spa includes saunas, changing rooms, a full beauty salon, and treatment rooms. The ship’s casino opens up when the ship hits international waters. While not large, the casino has enough slot machines of all denominations and $5 minimum table games to accommodate those who want to play. Check out our cruise director’s enthusiasm as we came around the deck for a lap count. There is a medicine cabinet and a shelf under the sink for personal items.

Guests with easy access to Seattle or Vancouver have an opportunity to cruise to Alaska at a reduced rate of $49 per person, per day with Holland America Line’s Standby program. Travelers who sign up for a cruise are alerted between seven and two days before departure if they will be sailing. Solo cruisers also only pay $49 per day and do not incur a single supplement for a double stateroom.

Holland America Alaska cruise tours allow you to explore the Last Frontier, including the remote towns and majestic yet unforgiving landscape. We’ve been sharing the wonders of Alaska longer than any other cruise line. See the best of the Great Land’s glaciers, coastal towns and wildlife on board perfectly sized ships offering superior service and exclusive programming. To search for all Holland America Line deals, check out Cruise Critic. This website tracks the best prices for all cruise lines, and offers cruise reviews, and other helpful cruise tips. Formal dining happens in The Dining Room, located at the back of the ship on decks 2 and 3 (on the Koningsdam).

It's truly an engineering marvel, and the views along the sheer cliffs, where waterfalls spill over, are genuinely jaw-dropping. Excursion options include a trip to the hard-to-reach Tombstone Territorial Park, but if you're not feeling yet another tour bus, there are other things for you to do. Parks Canada has a series of historic walking tours that cost less than $10. My favorite was a walk featuring the wilderness-themed poetry of Dawson City resident, Robert Service.