Alaskan Adventures with Holland America - Day 7

By Cruising With Honey - 09:43


The last sunset

As the golden rays illuminated my cheeks, I breathed in the sunset craving to absorb this last moment of Alaska and imprinting every radiant beam onto my core memories.

A few tears escaped, leaving damp trails and finding a resting place in my smile lines. It felt as we’d been away for a month, but at the same time, only a few minutes. It’s funny, the 

passage of time; while we can measure it in hours and minutes, the moments are marked by the meals we ate, the drink savoured and all those “oh wow” moments.

Sea daze

There’s something about a sea day I just adore. There’s no rush to explore a port, you can discover parts of a ship in closer detail and just s l o w down. As with every last cruise day, the ticking of the clock is an unwanted reminder that indeed the voyage as drawing to a close, but I wasn’t going to waste time. I had things to do!

Breakfast was berry pretty affair, gosh I’m going to miss the meals, the smiles, the service. 



Next stop was the ‘Ask the Captain’ talk. Now you all know I swoon when it comes to ship captains, and this very charismatic man was no exception. I loved the information he shared and the audience was hanging on his every word.




Chit chats 

The day was speeding by, but two wonderful crew members had made time to have chat and share some insights into life aboard the Koningsdam. First up was the delightful and super talented Chenaye Meyer – all the way from Port Macquarie in NSW! I was in awe watching her the night before during the beautiful show Humanity and incredibly impressed with her dedication and achievements. 

Watch my interview with Chenaye here.

Next up, Cruise Director Jayme McDaniel. You know that feeling when you meet someone who is so positive and so full of life and light you’re immediately drawn to them? Well, that’s Jayme! He epitomises the role of Cruise Director. What’s more is how proud he is of the team aboard and how highly he respects the entire crew.  

Watch my interview with Jayme here.

Was it really time to pack?

The saddest part of any cruise is pulling out the luggage from under the bed, packing the clothes and toiletries and knowing this signalled the end. With a humph and grump I filled my cases. Done.

The rest of the afternoon and early evening was spent running around the ship taking more videos and admiring the artwork. 



Honestly, there was so many gorgeous pieces, from paintings, photographs and sculptures – and even a Swarovski crystal globe!  One day, when I’m back on board, I will write an entire blog JUST on the art.




Until we meet again

As I laid my head down for my last sleep aboard the Koningsdam, images of the last seven days swirled in my mind. Before setting off on this once-in-a-life adventure, I had a pre-conceived notion of what the experience aboard Holland America would be. I knew it would be elegant and tasteful with a focus on great food and fabulous entertainment. But, in all honesty, the cruise far exceeded all my expectations. It will remain as one the best cruises of my life; not only because of the destination but the ship.

And this is the thing about cruising. You leave a piece of yourself on every ship you cruise, and then hope that one day you’ll return to retrieve it to embark on your next journey through this thing called life. 


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