Photo & Travel - John's Travel Notes

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November

2005
In This Issue...

John's Travel Notes

Golf, Fly Fishing, and other innocent addictions.

Bed and Breakfast, Fine Dining, etc.

Resorts, Spas, and Destinations

International

Spotlights

Cruise

Seniors

R V Destinations

R V Travel

John's Photographs of the month

Editor's Choice

Home

Alaska Cruise

Planning for 2006
With Holland America

John C. Jones, Editor

Alaska is big, really big! When the question of, “What would be the best way to visit this great state?” arises, the options usually narrow down to car, motorhome , or cruise.

For me, the only way to consider visiting Alaska for your first visit (as a tourist) would be cruise. Cruise is the “great introduction to Alaska” choice! No changing hotels, no packing and unpacking, no car or motorhome repairs along the great Alaskan highway, no hunting for a place to “dump” the gray and black water of the RV. There are many wonderful cruise itineraries in Alaska offered by most of the major cruise lines.

I highly recommend the Holland American Line. My travel experience on the Oosterdam proved to provide me with all I would expect from a “world class” cruise ship with an impressive 130-year maritime history. The Oosterdam (like other Holland American ships) are "floating cities", with features like numerous restaurants, lounges, Broadway style entertainment, casinos, health clubs, movie theaters, libraries, and more. Special features include the four elegant exterior glass elevators which look out over the sea. On cruises it pays to upgrade; deluxe verandah suites are fabulous and worth the splurge (highlights include a generously-sized living area and bedroom, DVD players, bathrooms with twin sinks and a Jacuzzi, and a twice-the-standard-size balcony with comfortable chairs and footrests, not to mention a table large enough for dining). Suite guests have their own lounge free pass to the Neptune Lounge, where evening hors d'oeuvres and cocktails are served, and the usual special treatments. Anything dubbed category "B" or below is small, about 200 square feet (with a verandah add another 40 square feet). This is a 1,884 capacity ship launched in 2003!

For the most part, these are folks who have traveled before -- often on Holland America. Definitely not the “kids ship” in the fleet. One will never be overwhelmed with young families and herds of children running down the hall screaming. On my trip I saw perhaps only about 1% of the passengers to be children. This is not an “old folks” cruise line, but it certainly is designed for travelers with a taste for excellence. There are plenty of children’s activities for children traveling with parents. Club HAL is for kids aged 3-17. For an unbelievable variety of activities for kids trust Holland America . You won’t believe all available to Holland America kids on a cruise! Makes one wish he was a kid again – with dad paying the bills! Lots of whale watching on the excursions and the adults and children all have the "o----------------os and au-------------------------s" as they watch the fantastic giants of the sea.

The Oosterdam is equipped with 28 wheelchair accessible staterooms and is sensitive to being maneuverable for the physically challenged traveler. On my recent voyage I noticed quite a number of people with various handicap needs and they all seemed to be comfortable with the environment on the Holland American.

There are plenty of activities for the fitness minded including a “walk around” track on the ship. The outstanding Greenhouse Spa and Salon offers a variety of hair and nail treatments as well as massages and facials. (See the Internet magazine photoandtravel.com and look in the spa section) The Gymnasium offers a blood pressure station, scale, television sets, free weights with a 50-pound maximum, lots of balance balls, opportunities for aerobics with four step machines, two cross-country ski machines, 17 exercyles of all types, 11 treadmills, 11 weight machines, attendants on duty, plenty of fresh water and towels along with great show/dressing rooms. A golf simulator is available, featuring well known courses (fee involved). Private lessons are also available.

For 2006 Holland America's Line offer eight ships and three cruise itineraries departing from Seattle, Vancouver and Seward, Alaska.. A Holland America Alaska cruise offers the sophistication of old-world style cruising, for the traveler of refined taste. Needless to say, each dining experience can be as exciting as you want it to be – “hell, we paid for it, - we might as well eat it all.” Only wine, cocktails and sodas are an extra charge in most instances.

The excursions are truly breath-taking. Whales rising beside your tour boats, eagles, sea otters, shore birds, glaciers, kayak rides, dog sled rides, salmon fishing, Jeep rides, float plane and helicopter rides, and visits to “by plane or cruise boat only towns along the coast.” The excursions are chosen by you individually and charged to you accordingly. You are invited to look at other articles this month and next about cruising with Holland America and about our great state - Alaska.

Fly to Seattle

Depart from docks there, and return to the same.

Usually a stop coming back in Victoria, B.C.

A Visa is not required at the time of this article, but a government issued identification is. Passports are first choice, drivers license second.

Travel is usually May through September.