The Alaskan Dream
As I stood in the cool Vancouver morning air and watched her glide towards me, it became clear that it had all been worth it.
The 14-and-a-half-hour flight, the conundrum of packing for a much cooler clime, the visas, covid testing and coordinating family schedules, it had ALL been worth it to stand in this spot and see my dream materialise in the sepia-tinged light.
Koninsgdam inched closer, moving without sound to berth. In few short hours I’d be aboard on an adventure I never thought would eventuate, like winning the lottery. Except here I was – I had hit the jackpot.
As an Australian, Alaska really did seem like another planet; mysterious wild and terribly cold. So, when the invitation was extended by Holland America to experience this unattainable dream, there was no chance I would or could refuse. The pandemic had already killed so many travel plans, so I made a promise to myself I’d take every opportunity that came my way. If there’s anything we’ve learned from these last two years, tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Boarding time
Look, I won’t sugar coat it, boarding was a little… cumbersome. Not difficult nor unpleasant, just a lot of steps to complete. And queues. Lots of queues. This is the reality of post-pandemic travel.
But, again, completely worth it. A few times, I started to get a little annoyed, my ever-patient Mr Cruising With Honey would quietly remind me, “we’ll soon be aboard” and the irritation would melt away.
Here are a few tips if you’re cruising for Canada:
• Organise your visa for America and Canada (ESTA and Eta)
• Download the ArriveCan app (you’ll need this to enter Canada and when you board the ship)
• Print everything out – visa, vax certificates, covid test results/letter of recovery, boarding passes, insurance certificates. Electronics fail and it’s safer to have hard copies.
• Download the Holland America Navigator app
• Allow for 1-1.5 hours to complete all boarding, customs clearance etc.
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Hello Koningsdam
I’ve never been more relieved to cross a gangway and board; despite arriving to Canada the day before and negative test results and having all the necessary paperwork, I exhaled – and deeply - as i stepped aboard.
My first mission was to execute my surprise plan; unbeknownst to Mr CWH, I had upgraded to Club Orange which includes lots of special extras (will get into that later) PLUS a cabin upgrade. I couldn’t wait to see his face when he opened our aft cabin room door. (You can see his reaction here). It was a great success!
Now, to explore.
First impressions
Elegant, modern, beautiful, understated. Immediately I felt calm and at home. The ship is very easy to navigate and the focus on food and music is apparent. Every turn I took I was greeted with another stunning space, a restaurant, a bar, a music venue.
(I will be reviewing each restaurant and bar separately.)
There's no massive atrium, but a multi-levelled atrium that features Guest Services and Shore Excursions among other things.
And the art! Every deck landing (near the elevators) is adorned with the objects of art. One of my favourites so far is a stairwell wall with artworks of David Bowie. Very Ziggy Stardust
Sailaway
There wasn’t a party, that’s not the HAL style, but rather a calm departure. It truly set the tone for the cruise.
Dinner
I will write in depth reviews of all eateries, but just to give you an idea, the food was FABULOUS and the service fast and friendly.
Time for sleep
After a quick walk around the deck, it was time to return to our cabin.
The combination of the sound of the wake, the motion of the ship and jet lag lulled me into a peaceful sleep. So, so content.
End of Day 1
N.B I am a guest aboard Holland America for the 7-night Inside Passage cruise from Vancouver.
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