2022 May Holland America Koningsdam

 On May 14th, we boarded the Holland America Koningsdam with my parents. We booked Neptune Suites to enjoy the large balconies and Club Orange dining. 

This summer Holland America is celebrating 75 years of sailing to Alaska. It's so fun being onboard during an anniversary year to experience all the special touches. Pike Brewery in Seattle created a Holland Hazy IPA.

At dinner each night, there's a special Alaska selection. Last night, I had delicious smoked salmon chowder. I'm excited to experience all the other anniversary surprises Holland America has in store.

May 15, 2022 - Sea Day

We had a great Sea Day sailing from Vancouver to the Inside Passage. We really enjoyed the Spa Pass we purchased.

 Juneau, Alaska 

This time we booked a luxury tour with Alaska Luxury Tours. It was eight guests, Andy, the naturalist, and Captain Sergio.

The sun was shining. It was a small miracle. This is the fourth time I've been to Juneau. It rained every other time. I felt like I was visiting a new place. I had never had this view of the Mendenhall Glacier before as we left the marina. We had about twelve whale sightings. It was quickly discovered that if I put my camera away, the whales would appear. Once again, I have no photos of whales. We also saw sea lions.

Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay National Park allows two large cruise ships entrance per day. During the summer, the Park has a team of about 40 rangers to support the Park and the cruise programming.

At around 5 am, three National Park Rangers boarded a small boat that met our ship near the entrance to Glacier Bay National Park. They boarded and spent the day onboard offering different programs including narration, a formal presentation, and a table for informal questions.

We had incredible weather for Glacier Bay - clear skies and sunny. The ship opened the bow so we could have better views sailing into Glacier Bay. It did get very windy at one point and only my Dad and Glenn stayed out.

Skagway 

Skagway is my favorite Alaska cruise port. I love Klondike Brewing and Skagway Fish Company has the best soups. 

We also took my parents to Skagway Brewing Company. This time I really paid attention to sailing out of Skagway. It's a gorgeous fjord. 

Ketchikan

We visited the Bar Harbor Ale House. They changed the menu since our August 2021 visit and we didn't enjoy it as much. A visit to Arctic bar is always fun.

Inside Passage

We got permission to sail a different way back to Vancouver due to fog. It was absolutely gorgeous.