My First Alaska Cruise Was Not What I Expected. Here's Why [Holland America Koningsdam Review]
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- Опубликовано: 29 май 2024
- Are you planning an Alaska cruise & not sure what to expect? We're back from our first Alaska cruise on Holland America Koningsdam & I'm sharing everything you need to know!
From our Alaska cruise embarkation day, to the Holland America Koningsdam cruise ship, dining, entertainment & cabin, you'll find out what to expect on an Alaskan cruise. I also share our Alaska excursions in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan & our day in Glacier Bay.
This Alaska cruise review has information about what to expect on Holland America Koningsdam, as well Alaska ports. If you're going on an Alaska cruise for the first time, I hope these Alaska cruise tips will help you to prepare for your cruise vacation.
We were invited by Holland America (press trip), however all thoughts & opinions are my own.
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Please note that I am unable to give personal cruise and travel advice. If you leave a comment I try my best to answer.
ABOUT ME
Hi! I'm Ilana! I live in Montreal, Canada with my husband Frank. We can often be found dreaming about and planning future cruises, ideally to hot and sunny destinations! I believe in having fun, being kind and that you are never too old, or too young, to live the life of your dreams!
Please note that I do not sell cruises on Life Well Cruised. This and all other videos are for entertainment purposes only. I share my own opinions, personal experiences and information with other cruise travellers, which I hope can be helpful. Please contact your travel agent or the cruise line directly for advice and any information specific to your booking.
Music Credit: Surf Time by Lux-InspiraMusicMusic
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😅😅😅😅 9:05 😊
Do you have a sheet for packing for Alaska. Thx love your videos
Alaska is unlike any other cruises we’ve taken. It’s an absolutely visceral experience that leaves you feeling like you’re communing with nature. Just spectacular! 🍺🚢
I totally agree!
Totally agree!
Absolutely agree! And then you have to go to Antarctica via the Falklands & Cape Horn! Totally awestruck! 🙆♀️😲
Agree 100% we were blown away. Didn’t want to go home 😢
Of all the Alaska cruise videos I've watched, this is by far the most informative and well thought out. Thank you LIfe Well Cruised.
My daughter and I are going to Alaska on the Holland America Eurodam in Sept leaving from Seattle. We are taking the Amtrak from Jacksonville, FL to Seattle and getting in two days before our cruise. We are gong back on the train also. I am 76 years old and this is my first cruise and first train trip. I was originally going solo, but my daughter arranged to come with me. I have watched so many of your videos. I wished I had watched them before I booked but I know it is going to be wonderful. I will let you know when we get back.
*** H.A. Zaandam to Alaska was wonderful. BUT wish we had known = $17 USD per day Crew Appreciation NOT shared by ALL. Ask bar servers if they get portion. If not, leave $1/$2 per tab instead of signing tip on bill b/c 18% will be added to room charge. Best to give directly. Also, Guest Services do not share Crew Appreciation. Pop drinks not included but ice tea, lemonade, coffee with meals (not other specialty coffees). Otherwise fantastic food and service. Just be informed.
Went to Alaska last year and I would definitely recommend adding a land portion to your cruise. We did ours through Princess and it was amazing. We feel it truly added to our Alaska experience!
I did this same ship and while it was nice I really enjoyed the land portion. OMG it was amazing. I recommend the land portion to everyone.
Alaska is amazing. I have been 3 times and it never gets old! I prefer a smaller ship for this destination, it just is less chaotic! Thanks for your insight!
Very true!
We went on our first Alaska cruise 4 weeks ago, it was wonderful with one exception due to heavy ice flows our close up glacier excursion was cancelled. In Skagway I want to recommend the White Pass Railway excursion, it was our favorite on this cruise. There so much to see and do that we will definitely be going on another.
We love your cruise reviews, thanks for sharing so much great info with us all.
I really enjoyed this video. Thanks for sharing!!!
Alaska is one of my favorite cruises! Glad you enjoyed 💙
Excellent review!
I'm doing my first solo cruise this year, and it's to Alaska. This is my year of adventure and solo cruising!
Sounds great!
Me too! I’m a bit scared but trying to build my confidence so I get to see places on my bucket list.
I have done so far three solo cruises and I enjoy the freedom, to do whatever I want to do. I would do so many more solo cruising, if it weren't for the supplement charge. I will try Norwegian Cruiseline next, since they have special solo cabins to choose from.
Have fun and enjoy every moment of your adventures.
@@TWILLIE639 No need to be scared. I never felt more safe that on the cruise ship and the excursions that are offered from the various cruiselines. Have fun and enjoy all the places on your bucket list.
Thanks for this video - we are doing this same cruise in 3 weeks - can’t wait!
Thanks for the great info, I’m so excited about our trip next month with Holland America
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the video. It's very interesting and informative. We are sailing Alaska in July, and I can't wait. I'm glad you had a good time.
Ilana this video was so fun! Thanks for sharing this with all of us :) looks like an amazing cruise! Can’t wait to cruise to Alaska in October & hope to try Holland America someday! The painting classes look especially fun 🎨🖼️
Thanks for sharing, brought back lots of memories. Our first cruise was last year on the Koningsdam to Alaska. Absolutely loved it! Ready to go back :)
Hey Ilana
Wow!!! Great Video.
Thanks for taking us along...
Cheers!!!
🍺🥃🍺
Really appreciate the Alaskan cruise playlist. Very helpful. Going on my cruise in July.
Been 5 times on Alaska cruises. Stunning every time!
We are sailing on koningsdam to Alaska this Saturday! Thank you for this video, so many helpful tips!!
Great video! We leave on the Koningsdam for the inside passage cruise in August and this video made me even more excited (and more informed!)
Your videos are so timely! My sister-in-law and I are leaving in 5 weeks to do the exact same itinerary on princess Cruise line. So happy to hear how much you enjoyed Glacier Bay as I wasn't sure if two days would be too much. Greatly appreciate all your tips and comments as it's given the two of us so much to talk about and helped tremendously with our planning! Thanks so much!
Thank you for the info. Your hair looks really pretty in this video.
❤love all your beautiful advice……leaving tomorrow on Princess cruise and land tour! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing. My husband and I are going on our 1st Alaska cruise this August on Princess Royal from Seattle. I appreciate all of your videos and have learned so much. I got your cruise planner and will use it.
We are going on this cruise in 3 weeks,looking forward to it. Thanks Ilana for all the information!
This is excellent information! We are taking our first cruise in September so thanks for Alaska cruise information!
We were on that cruise 13-20 May and watched your great presentation Many thanks. We loved it!
So exciting! Thank you! We are going in July! Taking same cruise ship and itinerary as yours.
We sailed every year and sometimes twice a year on only Holland America but only one Alaska cruise which was early June and spectacular. My regret for you was that you didn’t go on the railroad out of Skagway…the most gorgeous and exquisite scenery I’ve ever seen. PLEASE do this if you go again. We loved the aesthetic of HAL and the food. We were last in Asia in 2019 but in 2020 my husband passed unexpectedly and I’m just not ready to cruise again. So I love watching your channel and cruising vicariously!
I’m so sorry for your loss 😢. Thanks for your comments & suggestions Debbie
Alaska cruise is on my bucket list .
Headed to Alaska June 9th on Celebrity Millennium. Thanks so much for all your great tips and packing ideas!🎉
Wonderful video Ilana! We just returned from an Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver a week ago. Alaska was on my husband's bucket list, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. The scenery is constantly changing, and pictures simply do not do it justice!
great info!
We are taking our first Alaskan cruise in a couple weeks. And it’s on the Koningsdam! I’m glad that you n your family enjoyed it. We can’t wait 😊
Looks and sounds so fun! My first cruise has to be Alaska! Planning to go in the next yr or after so thank you for the tips!
So many wonderful memories for me watching this video. In 2006 my husband and I and two of our adult children did the same itinerary on HAL Zuiderdam. Glacier Bay was by far the highlight. Would love to cruise there again someday.
I went on my first Alaskan cruise in 2021. And I just loved it. From start to finish Alaska is absolutely beautiful. And the Alaskan people are very friendly and welcoming. I will go back probably several more times.
Thanks! great video :D
We did the very same cruise on the very same ship but last July. I’m reliving our cruise by watching your video. We had a great experience there.
We are headed to Alaska via Seattle on August 6th… I love all the information you shared!!!
I took this cruise many years ago. We took the railway…we really enjoyed the talks and sights!
Thanks so much for the excellent info. Planning our first cruise ever to Alaska this fall with HAL.
Enjoyed your video thank you I’m going on the Volendam in July am really looking forward to the experience because this is my first cruise
I’m excited to be on the Norwegian Spirit later August into September! It’s 16 days, Vancouver, Alaska, and Hawaii! Binoculars were something that wasn’t even on my list, so thank you so much! I am quite looking forward to it! 🥰🥰🥰
I am going on my first Alaska cruise on the Koningsdam in August and really like and watch ALL your cruise videos. Your videos are so helpful. Thanks and smooooth sailing.Lynn from Florida.
Taking Zaandam in May...can't wait. Thx for the info.
Well done! - loved staying at Pan Pacific - watching Cruise Ships leave the day before our cruise - waking up early - watching our ship come in - we had first check in - set a record - checked in on line and breezed through and on ship
having a latte at 10:40 am .
We leave June 30 for a 10 night Alaskan cruise on NCL Sun. So looking forward to all of the beautiful scenery! And thank you for showcasing HAL since we would like to try their newer ships down the road.
Such a great video tour of Alaska from a ship! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it :)
My sister and I are planning an Alaska cruise with Holland America for early fall of 2025 round trip out of Seattle. We are so excited as it will be our first time to Alaska and our first time cruising. Your videos have been so helpful! Your content and tips have left me feeling informed and so looking forward to cruising. Thank you!
Just returned from our first Alaskan Cruise Tour with Princess. We started out from Fairbanks (2 days) followed with a bus ride to two different Overnight locations within Denali. Throughout the whole day Mt McKinley was completely visible. A train took us to Whittier, where we boarded the ship and our cruise took us to Hubbard and Glacier Bay, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Ketchikan and ended in Vancouver. Weather, Scenery and Excursions were absolutely great and we can't wait to go back. Alaska is a must for all cruise fans
Christel - we were on the Majestic Princess. Wondering if we were on the same cruise. Started out in Fairbanks on May 14 and ended at Vancouver May 27. We were able to see the beautiful Denali.
@@lvon1950 Hi there, I believe we were on the same Land/Cruise Tour. We stayed at Pike's Lodge in Fairbanks. And yes, it was incredible to see Denali for the whole day of our trip down to the Princess McKinley Lodge. Were you on the same train that got delayed? We (my best friend Regina and I) were on that train that everyone on the ship was waiting for to arrive in Whittier. We had the best time and I hope you enjoyed your trip just as much as we did
Christel - we stayed at the Westmark in Fairbanks. We were supposed to take a motorcoach from Denali Princess lodge to Mt McKinley lodge but military had some of the roads closed for maneuvers so we traveled by a very nice train. Top with a dome cover and a dining room at lower level. That was a bonus for us. Different from the train to Whittier to go on the ship.
We just booked the Konigsdam for May 2024. Super excited. I've never been big on cruises, but I love this ship and the music walk.
Said on the Oceania Regatta. Perfect cruise line.
Ilana, I just do absolutely all of your videos !!! They are informative, and just a pleasure to watch and learn! Thank you so much !!
Awe thanks! Truly appreciate it :)
@@LifeWellCruised ... Oh my gosh, it was supposed to read"absolutely love all of your videos" 😂😂😂
We are going on our very first cruise and it's to Alaska. We will be going the end of August. This has been on our bucket list for several years. We are so excited!
My husband and I are going on our first cruise and it’s an Alaskan cruise! We also live in Canada, in Nova Scotia, however my husband is from Britain and I am originally from Newfoundland, so I am used to the cold. We are looking forward to it and have been watching so many videos, love your channel it’s so informative, very helpful and has definitely helped us plan. Can’t wait for our Alaskan cruise, we are sailing on Celebrity Eclipse.
I knew you would enjoy!!
Thank you for sharing. We just went on the NCL Jewel and had the same itinerary and I also agree my Alaskan cruise was one of my favorite trips of all time and I would say….never do an Alaskan cruise without Glacier Bay included. Only two cruise ships per day are allowed into glacier bay. It was spectacular and thank you so much for sharing your Holland American experience looks like an outstanding cruise ship!
Our first ever cruise was with HAL on the Nieuw Amsterdam in 2016 in early May. Absolutely loved it, and didn’t have to travel far, just a ferry to Vancouver. We’ll probably go on the Triple Denali next year, on HAL again.
We went on the Westerdam in May 2014 to Alaska. Yes it was older folks but also families. We did a crab fishing excursion at George inlet lodge and ate crab at Ketchikan. Sight see at Juneau, mendenhall glacier, sitka, glacier bay and Victoria. Now we have seen so many videos on others experiences we have much more knowledge and know what to see at the towns, what to try to eat.
Cruise food and service was pretty good. Were going on Royal Caribbean next. We appreciate all the tips!
I've never cruised Alaska because of the cold, just like you! I love this video - makes me want to book one!
Love all of your videos and this was no exception. My particular interest was your comments about the Koningsdam as we are on her in Feb./24 for a 35-day Hawaii/South Pacific/Marquesas Islands cruise. Alaska is definitely a must-do cruise but living in Vancouver, we don't have to go far afield to see Orcas, bears, salmon runs, etc. and, of course, we have the mountains. We have done Alaska twice and were greeted by rain in all ports so that was disappointing but you can't predict the weather. All in all, you profiled the cruise and ship beautifully and, again, a must-do cruise because Alaska is spectacular.
Would love to see a video or comment about what to pack for an Alaskan cruise. We’re going in July and can’t wait! We love all your videos!
My husband was stationed in Fairbanks during his time in the Army in early 70’s, so he was familiar with Alaska. We’ve been on 2 Alaska cruises, the second one we also did a week of the land portion, which I highly recommend. The Princess lodges are great! We are planning another Alaska cruise in probably May next year. We love Alaska. My favorite cruise.
Going in September, new Amsterdam. Loved your video.
I did this one last year it was amazing !
5th august on the same ship for our family. Super excited.
I enjoyed this video very much. I am going to Alaska on the Royal Princess in September. I also have never had interest in Alaska until this year. After watching a number of Alaska cruise and Royal Princess cruise videos i cant wait. If you could do more Alaska videos, i would appreciate it. Also, i was on the Holland America Eurodam in January and enjoy hearing what impressions others have about HAL. Thx for the video!
We went to Alaska last September on Holland. We absolutely loved it. We are going back in July on the land (Denali) and then cruise.
Just returned from the same cruise on Koningsdam two weeks ago and it was lovely.
We did our first ever cruise last September, and feel so lucky that we chose Alaska. We did the same 7 day Inside Passage that you did, but on a smaller Holland America ship (Zuiderdam). I have to concur with most everything you said about the trip. We chose different excursions but thought that they were good, We enjoyed every aspect. The weather was phenomonal, as we had 6 out of 7 days of clear skies and bright sunshine. Glacier Bay was incredible, almost surreal being surrounded by such beauty. We had a balcony cabin which served us well, and we thoroughly enjoyed the music walk every evening. The food was outstanding in every venue, but what impressed us most was the crew and the topnotch service that they delivered at every turn. We would do HAL again just for that reason, except that there were so many positives. We also enjoyed visiting Vancouver, but we stayed after the cruise instead of beforehand. We are now hooked on cruising, and will be heading for the Panama Canal this winter, again on HAL.
I need to tell you that I have been following your vids since we decided to cruise, and they were a great help in planning our first cruise, and will use your experiences and tips to prepare for the next adventure. Thanks very much. Also, your Ultimate Cruise Planner was so helpful in getting us organized for our trip.
Heading to Seattle tomorrow to start our Alaska cruise on Friday. Can’t wait! Love your videos and all of the information you provide.
Lucky!! Enjoy your Alaska cruise 🛳🐳
Hello, just like you I never thought of Alaska bring in my bucket list, but it was on my moms. We took a 7 day cruise out of Seattle. We sailed on Celebrity Solstice. We had all the same stops as you. We had perfect weather n did do the whale excursion. N did the train. We did the exact same Canoe excursion as you too, lol. The scenery throughout our whole trip was incredible. We had a great time like you I like the warm weather n do a lot of Caribbean cruises I’m glad I made this trip with my mom. The weather was also perfect no rain in any of the ports. Near 50 degrees. Thanks for all your videos they helped
Went on a cruise to Alaska the week after y’all, and surprisingly - absolutely no rain at all! It was actually pretty mild and sunny the whole week, which I didn’t expect.
One thing I wish we had is an indoor pool. I don’t swim too often on a cruise (maybe once or twice a voyage), but it seemed like such a waste to have a ship mostly dedicated to Alaska (Discovery Princess) that has pools that are mostly unusable 😢
I personally loved the nature and cultural lectures on our ship! Our expert even gave live commentary over the captain’s PA on a day where we saw an exceptional amount of wildlife.
Thanks for all your tips Ilana! Going on Alaskan cruise in 2 weeks. Same ports that you visited. Can’t wait!🇨🇦❤️
So exciting!! Enjoy 🛳🐳
We cruised to Alaska for the first time last year. It is so beautiful and so majestic I fell in love with the place! I got to see 3 bald eagles in flight.for me that was a big deal. I was excited! Ill be back in a year or two
My first cruise was to Alaska with HAL. I loved it!!
Alaska has never really been on my bucket list at least until not recently, I don't like the cold either but the more of these videos I watch the higher it comes up on my list. I definitely now want to go, especially to whale watch and for the wild life.
Just came back from an Alaska cruise. Five years ago, we went with Princess and this year to try something different we went on Celebrity. Weather was pretty good, our cruise director said we were a good luck charm at all our ports. Glacier day is always a highlight. Whale watching excursion in Icy Strait Point was great, we had calm seas, found a group of whales, and the operators were fantastic. Juneau has the most to see if you like walking around on your own. The ships are great, and offer a nice variety of activities.
We have a friend who used to work in the park at Glacier Bay! This is a fantastic recap, Ilana!
We did our first Alaska cruise in June 2021 with NCL . We went on the float planes to see the glaciers. It was the most incredible experience! We loved Alaska so much that we went again in 2022 and were hoping to go on the Whitepass railway from Skagway but there was an emergency on board and someone had to be airlifted off the ship. It delayed our next port which was Icy Strait Point. But the captain decided to cancel Skagway instead of Icy Strait Point. We highly recommend going on the glacier excursion. They take you closer than the ship gets to go and it is really cold getting there but the sights are incredible. We just booked a cruise for late April from Vancouver to Seward. We looked at flights and decided to book a cruise from our home city of San Diego to Vancouver on Holland America Zaandam. Never been on Holland America so we are looking forward to it. Excited to hopefully get to go on the Whitepass rail. Thank you very much for your videos. We love to cruise and your videos are very helpful.
Loved The Video planning on going in 2024. I do have a ton of questions. Thanks for sharing your trip.
Our very first cruise was on Holland America to Alaska, the Ryndam, a small ship, a beauty. We celebrated our 25th. We went on several more cruises to the Caribbean , but the Ak cruise is by far spectacularly beautiful. We leave for another cruise to Ak in two weeks for our 50th, can't wait!!
Ilana, I just returned from my very first cruise, which was the Inside Passage of Alaska on the Discovery Princess. You and your family were cruising the same week on HAL, and in fact we were docked next to your ship in several ports. The Discovery Princess is a fabulous ship at only a year old. Shiny, new and immaculate. I'm not a warm weather person, so Caribbean cruising is not of interest to me. This was my first cruise and I watched many of your RUclips videos in preparation. I must say, the rain everyone predicts did not materialize. Every day was warm and sunny. Not a drop of rain. Another thing I never used was my winter jacket, since at some ports it was 82º, We were fortunate enough to have a mini suite overlooking the bow of the ship, with a huge balcony. So I was able to look straight ahead as we cruised the inside passage. Overall, the entire cruise exceeded my expectations in every respect. One thing that caught me by surprise was the amount of WALKING we did. I'm in my late 60's and walking the ship combined with walking in the ports really taxed me. I think I actually lost weight, which was unexpected. Thanks for all the info and helpful tips, which I did indeed use to make my first cruise a huge success.
Just returned from an Alaskan cruise on Brilliance of the Seas. The best cruise I have been on and my wife and adult son loved it too. Stops were Sitka, Juneau, Haines and Ketchikan. The weather was great and light rain only one afternoon. Just beautiful scenery and I highly recommend an Alaskan cruise - I’ll go there over the Caribbean easily.
I’m so excited for our Alaska cruise! My siblings, their spouses, and I are surprising my parents for Christmas with an Alaska cruise next summer! It has been on their bucket lists forever but they are so frugal, they would never spend the money. Their first ever real vacation was just last year and that was only because accommodations were taken care of.
What an incredible gift!! Love this
I've visited Alaska at !east 4,maybe 5 times and am always amazed at the scenery and the whole Alaskan vibe. Your observations are spot on. Thanks
So glad you had similar experiences:)
Taking our 2nd Alaska cruise this summer. Perfect to get out of the PHX AZ heat! We’il see 3 new cruise ports (yes, Victoria!) and can’t wait to cruise thru Glacier Bay. 🔥❄️
We just got back from the exact same cruise you took today. Absolutely beautiful and magical! This was our first cruise and we really loved the ship. We got an aft cabin with a balcony and saw the most amazing sunsets and scenery!
Great to hear your experience!
So glad you enjoyed Alaska. I, like you, chose to cruise warmer climates for decades. Eventually, I made my way to Alaska, and I wish I had done it sooner! We'll be sailing to Alaska for the third time later this year. I hope to return there on a regular basis for the rest of my life!
Lol, our family has been saying the same thing
so glad I discovered your channel! I'm going on a solo alaska cruise with this same ship and itinerary in a week, and I've been powering through your videos in my final days of planning. I'm used to traveling solo but this will be the first solo cruise (I'm 29, so interested to see the demographic of the ship haha). Just watched like 5 in a row, super helpful thank you!
I hope you’re having a good time! ☺️ I’m in my early 30s and will be going on an alaska HAL cruise soon too. But I like it quiet and just want nature and scenery, so I think I’ll love it. No parties needed for me.
20 years ago we took the 2 week Holland America Alaska trip. Best vacation we have had
We went too all ports and everyone port was better than the last
Our teen age daughter just loved it. All the food and drinks were great. We made a lot of friends on our cruise. Most beautiful place I have ever seen. We got to play with the baby huskies and their moms very well kept dogs . 🐕 we also went to Homer if you watch the show deadliest catch it is what it looks like on t.v. We had the best 2 week vacation you can have. Also my husband and daughter took a helicopter to the top of a glacer they got to walk all over it. I didn't do that. The ship we were on was the Miss Amsterdam. We had a veranda suite. Best trip ever.
We went in 2019 in June. Beautiful and quite warm. I actually wore shorts quite a bit. It got quite warm. So watch your time of year carefully
My husband and I are going on our first Cruise to Alaska in May 2025. This is our first Cruise. I’ve been watching all your videos and buying everything for our trip. Thank you for your awesome advice and tips. I also bought your Ultimate Cruise Planner. ❤🎉😊
We’re going to Alaska on the Ruby Princess out of SF in September. I’m ticking off the days. I can’t wait!!!
There were quite a few kids and multigenerational families when I went ten years ago in July. I'm also tickled you mentioned Skagway Brewing Company. That was suggested by our guide when we went white water rafting, and the halibut fish and chips and spruce tip ale are fondly remembered!
I can imagine! Our son loved it too & we met several families that had 3 generations onboard
Omg! Superb!❤❤
What an informative vlog! On all levels you really did such a great job. Alaska not for me, but i enjoy seeing the vids.
The ship is beautiful, and very HAL .