Holland America’s Westerdam cruise ship docked in Ketchikan, Alaska

Our first cruising experiencE

Cruising is something we’ve thought about doing, and friends have recommended, but we never really gravitated to… Until now. As we were looking at our 50-State Bucket List and considering how to get to Alaska, of course an Alaska Cruise made total sense.

So, we looked at the different cruise ships, itineraries, dates and costs…

Then we jumped in and booked a 7-night cruise with Holland America. It was a round-trip cruise that began and ended in Seattle, Washington, with stops in Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria, B.C. This made my heart happy because it meant we’d check two states off our bucket list with one trip!

Is cruising a good way to see Alaska? It depends what you want to get out of it. Overall, we really enjoyed the experience, but there were things we wish could have been different. Here’s our short list of pros and cons:

Pros:

Cruising is like the ultimate all-inclusive vacation (especially if you purchase the drink package)
In a short period of time, you can see several different locations
There’s always something to do (if you get bored on the cruise ship, that’s on you)

Cons:

There’s not enough time in each port to truly explore the destination
Unless you pay for an excursion, it’s difficult (near impossible) to really get a feel for Alaska
There’s always something to do (trying to do everything is exhausting)

The Ship: Westerdam

Holland America’s Westerdam ship is considered a mid-size ship, although for first-time cruisers it felt enormous (until we pulled into our first port next to some much-larger ships!). It features 11 decks and accommodates 1,916 guests.

Our Room

Guest room options include interior, ocean view, verandah and suites. This is a place where you can cut costs if you don’t mind a room without a view, but knowing that one of the elements we were most excited about was whale-watching, we chose to book a verandah room. And, for us, it was worth the cost.

Our room had a queen bed, a small sitting area, a mini fridge and a private patio. The rooms on a cruise ship aren’t spacious, but there was enough room to get organized and be comfortable for the week. We brought a small power strip to charge our electronics and hanging toiletry bags for the bathroom.

Reading through other’s recommendations before our cruise, I bought magnetic hooks to help stay organized. This was a tip I saw multiple times, but the hooks were a waste of money. Nothing in our room was magnetic.

Getting Settled

What we learned right from the start was that we had a lot to learn about cruising.

The initial onboarding went smoothly enough thanks to a little pre-planning. We tagged our luggage according to the ship’s instructions and they were delivered right to our room. We had all of our travel documents ready in line (a valid passport was required since we had a stop in Victoria, B.C.), so we kept moving along pretty quickly.

When we got to our room, we watched the safety video, donned our life jackets and toasted to our adventure with a glass of champagne. Then (with life jackets carefully stowed away, hopefully never to be used again), we check in at our assigned muster station. Yes, I am a rule-follower and we did do all that before starting to explore the ship. Honestly, we made it pretty fun!

Exploring the Ship

There’s a lot of activity in the beginning when everyone is boarding the ship and getting excited to set sail. On the Westerdam’s Lido Deck, we found welcome cocktails, music and snacks being passed out around the pools. The back (aft) side of the Lido Deck is open and offered a great vantage point to watch from as we left port.

Dining options onboard range from super casual to fine dining. At the beginning, this was a bit overwhelming, but as we learned the ship’s layout, we found the options to be plentiful (more on this later).

Other ship amenities:

The Crow’s Nest (a bar and lounge on the upper deck where we spent a lot of time watching the scenery ahead of us and playing games)
Two pools (on the Lido Deck), each with an adjacent hot tub
A library (we both borrowed a book thinking we’d have time to lounge and read; neither of us did)
A basketball and pickleball court on the top deck (that was fun!)
A walking track around the Observation Deck (a great place to get in some steps on cruising days and do a bit of whale-watching)
Shopping (everything from Alaska-focused souvenirs to fine art and jewelry)
The World Stage (featuring comedy acts, top-notch dance performances, nature presentations, and more)
Multiple lounges offering live music and dancing
And a fitness center, spa, casino and kids club

Excursions: Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan & Victoria, B.C.

One of the biggest drawbacks to cruising for us was the crowded ports filled with kitschy souvenir shops. We love getting out and exploring to get a sense of new areas when we travel. It proved hard to do that from a cruise ship.

The area around the ship ports was overwhelmed with too many people coming off all the cruise ships at the same time. Some of the ships in port were twice the size of the Westerdam, so you can imagine how busy the port was. Restaurants and shops were instantly crowded and time was short in all the ports (4 hours was our shortest shore time; 9 hours the longest). All that made it tough to “experience Alaska” without paying in advance to book an excursion.

So… Our advice? Do some research and book your excursions well before you set sail. A lot of the most popular excursions (like dog sledding) sell out early.

Juneau, Alaska

If you have a bit of an adventurous spirit and want an authentic Alaskan experience, you have to book the Juneau Shore Excursions: Helicopter Tour & Dogsledding Experience. It’s pricey, but 100% worth it!

We had 9 hours in Juneau and it was without a doubt a “BEST DAY EVER” kind of day! Disembarking from our ship and setting foot for the first time ever in Alaska was already a little surreal, but then… A helicopter ride over the Mendenhall Glacier and touchdown at the dog camp on the Hubert Glacier was like nothing else in the world.

Our excursion included a bus pick-up right at the dock for a short ride to the airport. There, we watched a safety video and suited up with glacier-safe booties over our shoes. While it was pretty warm at the dock, it was cold and rainy up on the glacier. A great example for the importance of layering when visiting Alaska.

At the dog camp, we mushed and gave our dog team as many pets as possible – but, of course, not enough for them. The Alaskan Huskies were beautiful and so excited to make new friends and show off their sledding power. And we were SO HAPPY to share the experience with them!

The glaciers were beautiful and like nothing we’d seen before.

Worth visiting near the dock:

Not far from where we disembarked, we found Deckhand Dave’s Wild Alaskan Fish Tacos - a cute little outdoor food court. There were several food trucks with fresh seafood and local brews. Since we had a bit of time before catching our bus, we sat down for some oysters and a beer.
After our dog sledding adventure, we had some time before we had to board the ship, so we stopped in at The Hangar on the Wharf for dinner with a couple we met on the glacier. Funny thing, we didn’t compare orders ahead of time, but it turned out we all ordered an Alaskan halibut dish, just prepared four different ways!
We did walk around the downtown area, admiring the totem poles and watching the seaplanes take off and land, but not much more. If we’d had time, we would have liked to explore the Alaska State Museum, but given the choice we’d definitely choose dog sledding again.

Sitka, Alaska

We opted not to pre-book an excursion in Sitka. Instead, we hurried to catch the free bus into downtown Sitka and wandered off to explore the Tongass National Forest – the largest rainforest in the U.S.

We walked along the totem trail, then stopped to watch the thousands of salmon spawning up the Indian River and dozens jumping in Sitka Sound. It was absolutely crazy cool!

Other things we did in downtown Sitka:

We stepped into the St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Cathedral and admired the ornate, historical memorabilia inside (there was a large tour group lined up to go in when we first got there, so we walked around and came back later)
We ate reindeer sandwiches from a food truck and sipped a cold Alaskan beer while people-watching
We did a little souvenir shopping
And we explored the Russian Bishop’s House (a historic landmark)

Ketchikan, Alaska

For our stop in Ketchikan, we opted to pre-book another excursion. This time, a sea kayaking excursion. As soon as we got off the ship, we got right onto a waiting shuttle that took us a half-hour away from the touristy downtown area.

These were our favorite port days – away from the crowds, into the beauty of Alaskan nature.

After the shuttle ride, we hopped into a zodiac boat for a fast ride out to where our kayak adventure began. We paddled around the Tatoosh Islands. Our guide told us “tatoosh” means protected waters and on the unusually calm and sunny day when we were in Ketchikan it made sense. The water was calm and smooth and crystal clear as we paddled around the islands. We’d read a lot of reviews before booking our excursion and had hoped to see some marine wildlife, but our only up-close encounter was with a majestic bald eagle. We would have loved to stay out on the water wandering and waiting for the company of whales or otters who reportedly live in the area, but our shore time was short, so we headed back to the ship.

Victoria, British Columbia

This was our token international stop and we were surprised to learn that we’d only spend four hours in Victoria, from 8 p.m. to midnight. We weren’t sure what we’d find open at that time, but downtown Victoria turned out to be a bustling late-night city (probably catering to the cruise ship audience).

It was a beautiful night when we left the ship, with a forecast of thunderstorms later, so we walked the mile from the ship dock into Downtown Victoria where we discovered a magical city of twinkling lights and flowers – more than 19 billion flowers according to their annual count!

We stopped in at the Empress Hotel for a “Sip at Sunset” tea-infused cocktail
We strolled along the waterfront, browsing through a pop-up arts and craft fair
And we sat people-watching at a local brewery before making our way the mile back to the dock. This was about the time we saw the first crack of lightning…

We almost made it back before the rain, but not quite! By the time we reached the gangway, we were soaked and laughing, having the time of our lives. Four hours in Victoria turned out to be just right.

Cruising Days

There’s so much to do on the ship, but also the luxury NOT to do. Every night, a detailed itinerary was left in our room for the next day. We got in the habit of reading it over and highlighting things we might want to do. Holland America also has the Navigator app that allowed us to save activities to a calendar that would send reminders.

Some of our favorite activities during our days on the ship included:

Attending talks on the Main Stage, hosted by the onboard naturalist and cruise director
Taking a pickleball lesson
Playing games in the Crow’s Nest while sipping an Alaskan Railroad Coffee or champagne
Napping while listening to the sound of the waves

Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier

Sailing through the Endicott Arm was one of two full days spent on the ship. While the first ship day was filled with pickleball, nature talks and the general excitement of cruising, this second day was sightseeing at sea.

We’d moved away from the mild climate we started out in and into one that felt more “Alaska.” It was an icy cold day as we cruised through the Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier and we spent much of it up on the ship’s bow. For most of the cruise, the bow was closed to passengers, but twice they opened it up for us to experience the natural beauty of Alaska.

The ship’s captain maneuvered the Westerdam through the narrow straight, then powered it in a 360 degree turn for all passenger to have an opportunity to witness the glacier’s beauty. The stewards offered hot coffee and champagne as we traveled through Endicott Arm, then we participated in the Danish tradition of eating pea soup on the bow when we arrived at Dawes Glacier.

The water was calm and so many pretty shades of blue and green. The icebergs and glacier were infused with the brightest blue which the naturalist explained came from the very oldest parts of Dawes Glacier.

On Deck for a Cause

Something Holland America does that resonated with us was a 5k fundraiser walk. On this cruise, the walk benefitted the Alaskan parks and consisted of 10 laps around the walking track. It was a beautiful day, so we enjoyed the steps while looking out over the Pacific Ocean. During the walk, we spotted our first orcas which made it even more special.

Whale Watching

Later in the day, the crew opened the ship’s bow again for a chance to do more whale watching. The deck was crowded with passengers and the onboard naturalist, all who would call out when a blow spout or cresting whale was spotted. We didn’t get to see any whales breaching or bubble feeding like some of the recent cruises had, but it was fun nonetheless.

We brought binoculars with the intention of sitting on our private verandah, whale watching as we cruised along the Alaska coastline, but they came in handy from the walking path and bow as well. These binoculars were compact and lightweight, perfect for in the room, up on the bow and for our on-shore excursions.

The Food

Food on the cruise ship is plentiful and, with the pre-paid drink package, so were beverages. You can literally eat and drink your way through the week if you choose to, but I don’t recommend it (your clothes might not fit at the end!).

On the Westerdam, we had complimentary 24-hour room service which we took advantage of every day, waking up to coffee and a light breakfast snack that we enjoyed on our private patio.

For a quick snack (almost anytime), there was the Lido Market. This was a buffet restaurant situated between the two pool decks. When we first boarded the ship, our room had an invitation to a celebratory first-night dinner in the dining room. Not knowing yet where that was, we went first to the dining area at the Lido Market. Totally different! Moral of this story: learn your way around to maximize your experience.

Located around the pool deck were a few specialty diners, including the Dive In where we grabbed burgers and fries for a quick bite to eat.

The main Dining Room was more upscale than the Lido Market and offered breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. The staff here were exceptional! The hostess greeted us by name, the servers were personable and efficient, and the food was really good.

And then there were multiple fine-dining options, including the Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto restaurants. These were available for an added fee, but with our cruise package two complimentary upgraded dinner reservations were included.

Drink Package

Non-alcoholic beverages (water, tea, coffee, lemonade, iced tea and milk) are included with the price of your cruise fare. For alcoholic or specialty coffee drinks, you can pay as you go, but we opted to go with the pre-paid drink package. With that, we could enjoy up to 15 drinks (per person) daily which was more than enough for us. That gave us the freedom to enjoy whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted it.

24-hour Room Service

At the end of one day, we’d fill out our breakfast order and leave it outside our room door. The next morning, we’d magically wake up to breakfast. It was the absolute best way to start our days… Still in pajamas, sitting on our verandah, watching the early-morning misty Alaska coastline pass by while sipping hot coffee.

The Dining Room

This is where we enjoyed most of our meals on the cruise ship. There were designated times for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but reservations weren’t required. Each day had a custom menu and every day featured Alaska-native dishes.

Pinnacle Grill

The Pinnacle Grill was one of our two pre-reserved specialty dinners and one of our most random, silliest, happiest moments of the cruise.

The first course was soup and when two virtually empty bowls of “soup” we set down in front of us we gazed from bowl to bowl across the table, trying desperately not to laugh while attempting to understand this very minimal (fancy?) delicacy. Our waiter returned moments later with a piping hot kettle of soup to add to the bowls and grinned when we let out a sigh of relief and a laugh.

Our main course was a surf-and-turf special, followed by baked Alaska for dessert.

Canaletto

Our second pre-reserved specialty dinner was a birthday celebration for Todd at Canaletto.

We started with a champagne and Aperol Spritz toast at sunset, then enjoyed our way through a multi-course meal with a sweet dessert surprise finale. Chef Saryan sent out specialty dishes and visited our table, ensuring everything was special. Gusto (our server from Bali) offered suggestions and filled our imaginations while filling our bellies.

The food was wonderful, but it was the personal interactions that make it much more than just dinner.

Dutch High Tea

With Holland America’s roots in the Netherlands, there were several Dutch details throughout our cruise on the Westerdam. Pea soup on the bow while cruising through the fjord; orange theme night when the whole ship came alive with splashes of color honoring the Dutch royal family and House of Orange; and a Dutch High Tea the final day of the cruise.

Final Thoughts…

Back to our initial question… Is cruising the best way to see Alaska? Maybe not, but it’s an easy introduction.
Excursions… Are they necessary? Maybe not - especially if you’re traveling on a budget - but we found they were the best way to get away from the crowds and experience more of the beauty of the Last Frontier.
Do you need to pack dressy clothes for the ship? Maybe for some cruises, but not on the Westerdam. I brought a couple dresses, but spent most of the time in casual attire.
Should you buy the drink package? Absolutely. Even for casual drinkers like us, the freedom to choose what we wanted (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) was worth the added cost. Without the package, drink costs can add up by the end of the cruise to exceed the package price.
What about tipping? The cruise staff work hard, so tipping is not only appreciated, but appropriate. You can plan to tip as you go (don’t forget to tip your room steward at the end of the cruise, they take care of you every day) or pre-pay gratuities with your cruise fare.
Can you cruise to Alaska AND see more of the state than just a few hours in the ports? Absolutely. Look into a cruisetour, combining an Alaska cruise with a land tour. Several cruise lines offer this option that takes you to other parts of Alaska, including into the Denali National Park.

Glaciers, Fjords, and Forests: A Nature Lover’s Guide to Alaska by Sea