We are considering the following on Holland America: Vancouver, Cruise Inside Passage, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, Cruise Inside Passage and Vancouver. | |
We took that cruise (although we went to Sitka) and loved it. Holland America isn't the glizz-iest cruise line, but that's what we loved. It felt more like being on the kind of dignified ship that would take you across the Atlantic in the 40's (not that the ship itself wasn't up to date and clean - it was, just not super-fancy.) Every single member of the crew was helpful and kind. I know I may get flamed for this, but I felt like we were eating in an upscale school cafeteria on the
Disney cruise we took. It was noisy and the service we got felt so hurried. The Holland America dining room was the exact opposite - quiet and oriented toward adults. The food was good too. If you can spring for a signature suite, you might want to think about it. The stateroom is a wonderful size, and it was great to be able to take a shower in the morning in a separate shower, and a bath in the evenings - in a whirlpool tub.
Unless you really love shopping, we didn't find that much to do in Ketchikan. We walked around for a little bit, but mostly we rented a cabana for day and it was great - just lounging in a double-lounge, eating the food the staff kept bringing, reading, playing ping pong and jumping in the pool. One of our favorite days. If you're going to go to one of the extra restaurants, you might consider Tamarind. The food and service were something special. The Pinnacle Grill was also nice.
Leaving from and returning to the port in Seattle was very impressive. That port has it together! Everything was easy and efficient. You can leave your bags at the port until 3 pm if you want to take some time to explore Seattle on the day you arrive. Or if you fly home that day, they will deliver your bags directly from your stateroom to the airport.
Hope you have a great time! We'd go back in a minute.