HOLLAND AMERICA LINE ALASKA CRUISE REVIEW | Was it Worth It?

the princess and i have just returned from a  seven-day alaska cruise with holland america line   even though we've been on over 35 cruises in  the past this is a first time ever sailing   with the brand so how did it compare to our  previous cruise experiences well we share   all the details next in our exclusive holland  america line cruise review [Music] [Applause] hey everyone db here from eat sleep cruise where  we help you see the world one port at a time and   before we dive into our review we'd love to hear  from you let us know in the comment section below   if you have ever sailed with holland america line  one thing i love about cruising is the food so why   don't we start with the dining on hall in america  line now on new amsterdam the main casual dining   venue was the lido market this restaurant served  breakfast lunch and dinner and offered predictable   food selections now what we did like about  this cruise ship buffet was that there was   actually a menu available in the app so you  could see what was being offered for each meal   before heading up to deck 9. for the most part  breakfast was the same each day including a   custom omelet bar now we also enjoyed lunch  and dinner options in little market for lunch   my go-to was either a deli sandwich or the asian  selections from one of the distant lands areas   everything i tried there from fried rice to low  maine to the sweet and sour pork was delicious   other options for both dinner and lunch include  custom pasta stations and made-to-order salads   overall while the main entree selections were  a bit less than buffets and other contemporary   cruise ships food quality was certainly better  than the competition we also found the layout   pretty easy to navigate now other casual spots  include the new york pizza near the aft pool   and the diving grill with burgers dogs and  chicken sandwiches near the lido pool for   us divan was one of the better burger joints on a  cruise ship though the new york pizza was a bit of   a letdown especially after enjoying alfredo's  on our princess cruise just a few weeks prior   the main dining room was open every day for  breakfast it was also open 5 out of 7 days   for lunch with mostly the same menu we dined in  the mdr once for lunch and twice for breakfast   the menu for breakfast is quite impressive with  unique offerings from omelets to banana bread   french toast and hearty skillets you'll enjoy  starting your day off here equally vast is the   lunch menu it offers more options than any mdr  lunch we have seen on a cruise ship in some time   with a few brunch items a selection of salads  sandwiches and entrees it was difficult to make   a decision my chicken and waffles was a sweet  and savory entree the princess actually did two   of the starters the chicken tacos and the barbecue  spring rolls both of which she enjoyed now in all   honesty we only dine in the main dining room once  for dinner and honestly this one visit did not   impress us the dinner menu seemed really small  in comparison to the breakfast and lunch menus   unfortunately this was one of our least  favorite dinners of the entire cruise   of course dining here for dinner a few more  times would have given us a better assessment   of the main dining room experience as  the first night of the cruise is always   a bit off anyway so it looks like we'll need to  book another hal cruz to truly test out the mdr   now full disclosure we were guests of holland  america line on this trip so we were treated   to all three specialty restaurants during the  cruise in addition we were able to sample the rudy   seldemar menu one evening at the pinnacle grill  so while we didn't get a good representation of   the main dining room we got a complete experience  of the specialty dining on holland america line we   are happy to report that the specialty restaurants  on board were all excellent in fact the specialty   dining experience on this ship might be some of  the best specialty dining we've had at sea the new   amsterdam cruise ship steakhouse is the pinnacle  grill this venue is similar in price point to   other cruise line steakhouses however it surpassed  many of them when it came to food quality   the signature candy bacon starter was amazing and  my filet was one of the best steaks i've ever had   at sea the pan asian restaurant terramin is a  venue we could visit multiple times on a cruise   from the lobster and shrimp pot stickers to the  tempura to the chicken sautes and even the crab   fried rice i was in heaven now when it comes  to value perhaps the best specialty dining deal   is the italian restaurant cannellino's the  specialty restaurant delivered an upscale meal   well worth the cover charge now while the location  in the buffet lacks a bit of ambiance the venue   more than delivers with its menu with grilled  calamari and rich creamy buffalo mozzarella's   apps you won't be disappointed then there is the  braised short rib gnocchi and the homemade pasta   genovisa which were both equally delicious the  tiramisu dessert 2 was a well-made version of this   classic dish finally rudy's delivered succulent  and fresh seafood with an artful presentation   now for us it's a bit pricey but it's a must for  seafood lovers with sweet crab as an appetizer   and a perfectly seasoned lobster tail i was more  than impressed that says a lot coming from a new   englander who gets some of the best seafood back  home topping off this dinner with profiteroles   it was a three-course masterpiece there are two  pool areas on holland america's new amsterdam both   of these were rather plain with little theming or  decor only one of these pools the aft located sea   view pool is an outdoor pool during our trip there  were no loungers set up near this pool though   while this was a cold water cruise being an  alaskan cruise there were at least two days   that the temperatures were sunny and warm enough  to be outside a few people did use the hot tubs   near this pool but we rarely saw anyone actually  in the pool however many people congregated at   the outdoor tables to enjoy the good weather on  those days the midship covered pool the lido pool   felt more like a typical cruise ship solarium  although this pool does have a retractable roof   so it was not as stuffy as some other indoor pool  areas on cruise ships this pool was enjoyed by   cruisers for swimming or lounging in one of the  hot tubs so this made the adjacent seating area   and dining areas near this pool a bit crowded  especially on sea days overall we thought the   new amsterdam cruise ship could have used more  outdoor space while the setup is fine in alaska   we can imagine the af deck would get very  crowded in warmer regions like the caribbean   now new amsterdam holds about 2100 passengers  and on our cruise we are about 70 capacity   with around 1400 travelers overall over 83 of  the guests on our sailing were aged 50 or older   so it's not surprising that the cruise ship didn't  feature amenities like a rock climbing wall ropes   course or surf simulator still officially there's  a sports deck on deck 11. the activities team did   sponsor games like around the world basketball  competitions or pickleball on deck 9 there are   also two makeshift ping-pong tables near the lidl  pool and some shuffle board on deck tent again   when you factor in the itinerary lack of outdoor  sports and activities is not too surprising   of course there's also a fitness center on the  ship which is well quick for a ship of this size   in addition there is a walking running track that  goes all around deck 3. this walking track was a   frequent spot for morning or afternoon walks  or runs we were on the fifth cruise back for   holland america line in 2021 so we anticipate that  the crew would be back to their regular routines   for the most part we were correct throughout the  ship the service was timely the staff seemed to   have adjusted to any changes in the procedures and  protocols there were plenty of waiters and food   servers in the buffet and lounges and most of the  crew were friendly and speedy delivering service   with a smile service in the main dining room and  specialty restaurants was also on par with other   cruise lines while we often dine as a large group  our servers were friendly and very accommodating   the cruise line did a great job of meeting any  dietary needs and delivering exquisite dining   experiences in about two hours our stateroom  attendant gusty made up our room once a day   per the new procedures we never really saw him or  had any issues so that ranks as a win in our book   at other venues we would say the service was  functional guest services seemed well staffed   as coffee lovers we visited the explorations cafe  on deck 11 multiple times a day here we thought   the cruise ship could have used some additional  help the staff felt a little overwhelmed although   overall service met our expectations for a  contemporary cruise line overall there were   nine bars on the ship now for the most part many  of the bars lack distinct character or theming   now this wasn't true in the gallery bar this deck  two location was a hidden gem the oversized seats   and large couches gave this lounge an upscale  parlor room feeling not to mention that signature   cocktails like the hemingway daiquiri or the  manhattan which were among some of our favorites   the billboard lounge was more of an open bar  which also served some of our favorite drinks   of the cruise with abundant seating and bright  warm colors it had a very inviting atmosphere   similarly the tamarind bar on deck 11 midship  offered amazing views with a 180 degree   forward facing wall windows now most of  the other bars were pretty interchangeable   almost every venue offered a small signature  cocktail menu and at all bars cruisers could   still order from the ship's standard menu in  the evenings there was a variety of venues   hosting different entertainment for the most  part these shows and artists focus on various   types of music the main venues and lounges  for entertainment were mostly found on deck 2.   this meant it could get crowded in some of the  limited walkways and entrance ways to some of   these venues the main stage was a ship's theater  it hosted different entertainment each evening   for many of the shows there were two show times at  7pm and 9pm to accommodate different dining times   the step one dance company offered three  production shows on our cruise our favorite   by far was humanity which occurred on the first  gala night night two a heartwarming theme with   engaging special effects and modern music made the  show a real standout the last night of the cruise   the troop debuted a new show in tandem now this  was a more traditional cruise production show   which featured three live singing performances and  it was another show that we really liked as well   the lincoln center stage featured  classical music by a quartet   this venue was smaller than we expected meaning it  was often hard to get a good seat for some of the   more popular themed shows similarly at bb king's  blues club each night you could dance away to   several different theme sets by the all-star band  some of these shows included soul music funky 70s   memphis nights and others on several nights there  was also live comedy during our cruise there were   two different comedians which offered a standard  set and then a more adult set we liked the small   intimate setup of this location but honestly for  either music or comedy it was often standing room   only it would have been nicer to offer a few more  show times to spread out the crowds other nightly   piano music occurred in the billboard lounge  this piano bar featured two performers often   each night there was a series of predetermined  sets from chart toppers to the british invasion it   was a very diverse set list later in the evening  was the duo's all request sessions sadly we never   stayed up long enough to see if these performances  felt more like your typical dueling pianos   we stayed in cabin 4137 this starboard side aft  cabin is categorized as a vb stateroom according   to holland america line's website the sizes of  veranda cabins can range from 213 to 379 square   feet with the veranda now our cabin certainly  felt larger than comparable stateroom cabins our   norwegian cruise line and princess cruises when  entering the room our bathroom was on the left and   a wall of closets was on our right we did like  the ability to customize the setup of the shelves   in the closet overall the space felt about the  same as most cruise ships although the bathroom   was larger with more of a square design there  was a full tub in the shower offering more space   than your average cruise ship shower the layout  provide about the same vanity space near the sink   but overall there was more real estate to  help individuals get ready in the morning   inside the cabin the bed was immediately following  the bathroom on the forward wall on the left side   it faced half toward an lcd television mounted  on the wall there were two nightstands each   with some drawers and usb outlets giving us  additional storage and allowing us to charge   our phones each evening there was also a small  desk which became a heidi spot for the cruise   although i was able to use one of the corner  shelves as my gear and charging station for all   our devices a love seat with a table was directly  behind the desk now when it comes to balcony size   ours was just right it offered an open layout  with two loungers and a table as a nice touch the   loungers also came with ottomans so in theory one  could actually lay out on the balcony now instead   of laying out we actually used it to admire the  amazing scenery during the sailings and sail outs   as well as some of the scenic cruising during our  voyage similar to all our cruises so far this year   holland america line had several kova 19 protocols  and procedures in place prior to even boarding the   ship all eligible cruisers need to be vaccinated  and need to arrive with a negative coven 19 test   further there are now assigned boarding times  luckily we're assigned to group a boarding this   meant we could be among the first cruisers to  board the ship once it was cleared around 11   30 am so when we arrived at the terminal around  10 45 am we were allowed to enter and complete   the check-in process it was quick and efficient  taking no more than 15 minutes despite the added   verification steps once our group was called we  walked right onto the ship with no line a week   later disembarkation was similarly efficient and  well organized even with the ship sailing at 70   capacity there were no issues we did port valet  which meant we walked off with just our carry-on   bags as part of the independent group we were able  to leave our stateroom around 8 am from leaving   the cabin to scanning off the ship and getting  through customs it was less than 15 minutes this   embarkation at the ports of call was simple too  while there were short lines at some destinations   it never took more than a few minutes scan off or  on the ship at any of our alaskan stops now this   alaska cruise was a round trip from seattle  and stopped at four ports of call juno   icy straight point sitka and ketchikan the  cruise also included a morning of scenic cruising   in glacier bay national park on day three of our  cruise was our first port of call juno it was a   late day stop from 1pm to 10 pm now originally  we had planned for a rather leisurely day   walking around downtown however the wife also  decided she was going to put us on the wait   list for the traceon fjord glacier explorer  which takes you to sawyer glacier from juno   now as luck would have it we learned the day  before that slots had opened up for the tour   so my nice relaxing day ashore was  now hijacked by a seven hour excursion   now at least it was a warm and sunny day meeting  our tar group on the pier we were escorted to a   nearby vessel run by allen marine tours from  there we were ready to set off on a sightseeing   adventure this seven hour tour would take us into  tracy am fjord which was about an hour and 45   minutes from juneau from there would be another  45 minutes down to the south sawyer glacier   with close to a 70 degree sunny day this long boat  ride wasn't all that bad during our trip out the   fjord our naturalist robert offered intermittent  narration a few jokes and was a resident bartender   finally passing the buoys that marked the  entrance to the fjord and where glaciers   used to reside until the 1800s this is where  the real fun began passing waterfalls and other   scenic landscapes as well as having wildlife  sightings from sea lions soaking up the rays   to mountain goats starting the hillside it was  unbelievable now as we got closer to the glacier   the captain warned us that there was a lot of ice  so he was going to try his best to get as close   as possible luckily our boat got within about  a quarter mile of this majestic natural wonder   as close to a mile wide with peaks rising up  to 800 feet above sea level our boat weaved in   and out of the floating ice to get closer than  we even expected after having an amazing time   i guess that's why there's a waiting list for  this tour now the boat spent about an hour where   we were able to take photos and videos and we  could sense everyone's excitement on the vessel   the combination of favorable sea conditions  and warm weather meant we could all marvel at   this glacier for some time so even though i was  looking forward to a more relaxing low-key day   juno i'm very thankful that we actually put  ourselves on the waiting list for this tour   as it was certainly one of the most memorable show  excursions we've ever been on now the next morning   on day four was our scenic cruising in glacier bay  national park now during our cruise on princess   cruises a few weeks prior we got an unbelievably  sunny day unfortunately on holland america line   our trip into glacier bay national park was not as  clear we woke up around 6 30 a.m to cloudy skies   and some thick fog so we thought the morning was  going to be a complete wash like our other crews   the major glacier viewing was between 9 and 11  am after doing some work and grabbing breakfast   we got to the first major glacier sighting  of the lamp plug glacier while still pretty   foggy you were able to see the glacier as  new amsterdam was able to get pretty close   by 11am the ship had arrived at the marjory  glacier and it was pretty viewable from the   port side so this time we tricked out to the  covered decks on deck 3 for some videos and photos   then we went back to our cabin as the ship  completely turned around so both sides of the   ship get a view of the glacier and repeated the  same process the ship began exiting glacier bay   national park around noon and as part of the total  program there were actually two enrichment talks   one at 1 30 and another one by a local clinget  native at 2pm now later on day 4 we had a short   four hour stop at icy straight point now this  is one location we've never been to before   so we made sure to book a shore excursion and we  had plans to explore the port on our own now we   had heard from other travelers that icy straight  point was a cruise line develop port of call   so it's almost like a private island you might  find in the bahamas of the caribbean still we're   excited for this new destination to visit when the  ship was cleared by 6 pm we were some of the first   people off to venture around the wilderness with  a few restaurants a gift shop a parasite bar with   fire pits and an aerial gondola set among sephoras  it offers just enough experience for a short stop   it's home to a cannery museum some walking  trails and the main attraction the zip rider   at just over a mile long riders zip down this  track from a 1300 foot elevation at speeds of   up to 60 miles per hour so of course you knew  that shore excursion was the one we booked so   we had about an hour to explore the port of  call before we had to check in for our tour   now currently it's a 40-minute bus ride from the  base camp up to the loading platform for the zip   rider now the cruise lines are building a tram  that will actually take people from the base camp   up to the zip rider in only seven  minutes and that's supposed to open   for 2022 once we got dropped off by the bus  there was actually this unexpected quarter   mile walk down a rather steep and slippery hiking  trail our group of approximately 30 was divided   into small groups of six riders for the return  zip down the hillside after some basic safety   instructions we're loaded into our harnesses and  set off for the fastest 90 seconds of our lives [Music] on day five was our next port of call sitka while  we've sailed to alaska a few times now this was   our first ever visit to this small alaskan city  thus before the cruise we booked the aptly name   best of sitka tour this full day of  sightseeing and wall off exploration   was scheduled to depart at 8 30 a.m basically  right after the ship was expected to be cleared   the all-clear announcement made we joined the  masses exiting a ship and we easily found our tour   provider as it was the group with the largest line  once everyone arrived we were ushered to the next   dock to begin the five plus hours of exploring  sitka waters and city highlights now the tour was   basically divided into three portions the first  portion was an approximately two and a half hour   sea otter and whale watching botor the captain  and on board naturalists delivered with several   wildlife sightings along with a large raft of sea  otters there were also several humpback whales in   the nearby sound with plenty of fluking and  spouting off in the distance as well as near   the ship disembarking the boat at centennial hall  we met justin our quirky tour guide and bus driver   he would usher us around the city at our next  two stops for the remaining two and a half hours   or so of the tour his unique personality along  with your typical historical narration made for   an interesting city tour while learning about  the russian influence and the history of sitka   we passed several of the city's major landmarks  the 15-minute ride took us to the next stop the   fortress of the bear this animal refuge is home  to rescued black and brown bears with our tour   running late we had only about 30 minutes to spend  here but honestly that was really all we needed   the refuge is a great place to see these beautiful  creatures up close and personal albeit it's really   just a glorified zoo with a steady flow of toro  groups you need to get your photos and videos   of the bears and then basically move on staff  are present to provide impromptu presentations   and offer some basic facts about the animals  following this portion of the tour we took another   10 minute ride to our next stop and dispersed with  personal and state history from our guide along   the way we arrived at the alaska raptor center  here we had about an hour to learn more about   the nonprofit's work and view some of the birds  on site the center is home to the largest raptor   rehabilitation program in the country with the  ability to rehab up to 200 raptors such as eagles   hawks and owls the center also offers educational  programs our visit included a narrator of one of   the training areas as well as a presentation  with one of the permanent eagle residents   spirit we also had some time to walk around the  grounds on our own to check out some of the other   residents when given the option to get dropped  off downtown or to take the same bus back to   the ship we opted to stay on board and head back  to new amsterdam after a long day of sightseeing   on day six was our last port of call ketchikan now  during our previous stop in alaska's first city it   was a bright and sunny day which of course is very  rare so when we woke up to find that it was not   raining we couldn't believe our luck for this stop  we booked a morning tour which was a bear watching   nature walk exiting the ship we easily found our  show excursion guide and then boarded a bus for   the approximately 30 minute ride to the alaska  rainforest sanctuary as luck would have it it   was lightly drizzling but still pretty overcast  when we arrived at the sanctuary the 90-minute   walking tour occurred on private property and  was mostly on man-made walking paths and a   raised boardwalk not too far from civilization  of course we knew all these facts ahead of time   worried we might not find any wildlife we didn't  have to wait long at all unlike our previous meets   bay bear watching cruise this time around there  were plenty of black bear sightings within minutes   of entering the sanctuary it was amazing to see  these massive creatures in their natural setting   from bears climbing trees to those hunting salmon  in the stream we were only a few feet away from   these bears as a precaution at one point the guide  actually did not let us proceed along the platform   as she was worried that the bear could climb  up given its proximity to a fallen tree   after a full of bear sightings near the stream we  continue along the path towards a hatchery and a   satellite campus of the alaska raptor center here  we got up close and personal with another resident   a female bald eagle named sitka and some other  raptors on the property lastly the torque included   next to a local totem pole craftsmen's workshop  this facility is also home to an old sawmill   some totems on display and a gift shop thanking  our guides we browse the property taking some   photos of some of the exhibits and totem poles as  well as browsing the gift shop it was about 20 to   30 minutes until our bus was called that was time  to return to the ship now not going to pass up a   dry day and catch a can once we return to the ship  we spent a little bit over an hour exploring the   downtown area walking up and down creek street  as well as taking a few of the sights on front   street and there you have it that's our exclusive  holland america line cruise review now what did   you think of our review let us know in the comment  section below if you agree with our analysis   of the cruise line i'm db from eat sleep crews and  if you enjoyed this video we have tons of other   cruise reviews right here on the channel including  our recent princess cruises alaska cruise review   as well as cruise reviews from other sailings  this year including the first cruise on royal   caribbean's adventure of the seas and the first  cruise from the us in over a year on celebrity   cruises celebrity edge if you're not already doing  so make sure to follow us all over social media at   eat sleep cruise where we share our latest cruise  news cruise ship reviews updates tips and more

Channel: Eat Sleep Cruise

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Id: tr1iEe5ntnY

Length: 27min 32sec (1652 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 05 2021