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Written by Savi, 52 Comments

*post written while staring at the Margerie Glacier from our cabin balcony. Excuse the drooling 😉

There’s a storm brewing in the sky. I’m munching on my breakfast bowl of granola and berries when a colossal glacier appears in front of our cabin’s balcony. All around magnificent icebergs float on the still waters. Sea-lions try to perch themselves on the chunks of ice, slipping clumsily every now and then. It’s just another day at Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.

 

But for the two of us, it’s no ordinary day! We’re deep in the Alaskan wilderness and looking at gargantuan glaciers and icebergs, it’s easy to imagine the vast tundra that lays beyond the final frontier. We’ve been in Alaska for less than a week but we’ve realised something – here, at the edge of the world, there is a surprise lurking around every corner. Entire valleys alive with bright pink flowers, mountains and landscapes draped with sapphire ice, whales and orcas playing and hunting in untouched wilderness, and glaciers by the dozen. There is something so incredibly seductive about nature this pristine.

 

Margerie Glacier at Glacier Bay National Park cruise cabin
Waking up to the Margerie Glacier at Glacier Bay National Park

 

Canoeing by the Meadenhall Glacier in Juneau
Canoeing by the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau

 

View from a helicopter ride over a glacier in Alaska
View from a helicopter ride over a glacier in Alaska

 

  •  CHOOSING AN ALASKAN CRUISE

Alaska is famous for miles upon miles of untouched wilderness. A number of its famous sites are accessible only by boat or plane. So how is one to experience this pristine wilderness with creature comforts – bath tubs, 3 course dinners, Egyptian cotton sheets, a wine list? By cruise ship of course! 🙂

 

Be it the Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords, or Middle East we love visiting new destinations on cruise ships. But here in Alaska, cruises are often the most economically viable option as travelling by land can get expensive. Besides boats are convenient because they can go to many sites that are inaccessible to automobiles. No wonder an Alaskan cruise is on so many bucket lists!

 

Cruises to Alaska start from both Vancouver and Seattle but we ended up choosing one that started in Vancouver for two reasons. Cruises that start in Vancouver venture deeper into Alaska’s wilderness and sail through the calm waters of the Inside Passage.

 

Holland America Niew Amsterdam stateroom
Creature comforts and remote wilderness – Alaskan cruises are on many a bucket list 🙂

 

Flying through fjords and glaciers in Skagway, Alaska
Flying through fjords and glaciers on a wee helicopter in Skagway, Alaska

 

Sunset at The Inside Passage Alaska
Sunset at The Inside Passage – waters here are generally calm, so we’d recommend choosing an Alaskan cruise that goes through the Inside Passage

 

  •  BOARDING THE SHIP: HOLLAND AMERICA’S NIEUW AMSTERDAM

We boarded our cruise ship, Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam, on a sunny morning from the Pan Pacific Hotel. It’s the first hotel we’ve visited that is actually connected to the cruise ship terminal, which made checking-in a breeze.

 

We opted for a cabin in the middle of the ship, as we usually do. The cabins are equipped with comfortable beds, spacious wardrobes, a television with a large selection of movies and TV series (watched a dozen in less than a week 😉 ), shower cubicle, and a bath tub (a first for us on a cruise ship!). Once checked in we walked around the ship to acquaint ourselves with the layout, dining options, and the fitness centre. I have to be honest – this is one of my favourite rituals of boarding a cruise ship! Exploring the nooks and crannies of the vessel never fails to get me excited about the holiday that lays ahead – a week full of exploration, black-tie dinners, fine dining, spa appointments, and the culture of a new corner of the world.

 

The Nieuw Amsterdam is very different from most cruise ships we’ve been on so far. The interiors are extremely sophisticated and grown-up. This holds true of lounges, restaurants, reception areas, poolside cabanas, and even the buffet areas. Expect rich woods, stunning floral arrangement, winding staircases, and handsome interiors. Everything is tasteful and understated, including the cabins. The ship pays homage to the classic tradition of cruising and invokes the romance of a bygone era.

 

Having acquainted ourselves with the ship and our cabin, we wound down with a luxurious massage each at the Greenhouse Spa & Salon, all set for our Alaskan Cruise holiday to begin 🙂

 

Holland America's Niew Amsterdam from our room at Pan Pacific Vancouver
We could see our cruise ship from our room at Pan Pacific Vancouver 🙂

 

Welcome canapés and champagne while sailing away from Vancouver
Welcome canapés and champagne while sailing away from Vancouver (that’s Vancouver’s skyline in the background)

 

Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam Stateroom
Coming back to li’l surprises everyday – chocolates, wine, towel monkeys 😉

 

View from Holland America's New Amsterdam
Exploring every single corner of Nieuw Amsterdam – this is the bow of the ship

 

The pool on Holland America's Niew Amsterdam
The pool on Holland America’s Niew Amsterdam

 

  • DINING ON BOARD NIEUW AMSTERDAM

Let’s be honest – dining is the focal point of most cruise holidays. If you’ve even been on a cruise holiday you’d know this well. Cruise holidays involve food, food, and some more food. They offer the perfect opportunity for a bit of indulgence. In keeping with this, there is no shortage of dining options on the Nieuw Amsterdam. The expansive buffet area has everything from fresh fruits and continental delicacies to Alaskan specialities and world foods at every meal. Dive Burger Bar serves scrumptious burgers on freshly-baked brioche and a selection of gourmet hotdogs. There’s even a poolside pizzeria if you fancy some comfort food. The vast salad bar is my personal favourite – I found myself inching towards it at almost every meal.

 

Every night the main dining room has a specially curated three-course menu that is included in the cost of the cruise. However I urge you to try pan-Asian cuisine at Tamarind Restaurant. The menu is curated by the renown sushi chef Andy Matsuda and it truly lives up to the hype. Vid can have sushi for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So we’ve ended up trying most of the items on the menu – loved the Tempura Lobster Roll; Nigiri Seared Salmon and Nigiri Tuna Zuke with yuzu-flavored tuna and guacamole sauce (an unusual combination but no less scrumptious). Even writing about it is making me hungry. We also loved the rustic sharing plates at Canaletto, the Italian restaurant on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

We love the romance of old-fashioned black-tie dinners, so we really enjoyed ourselves on both gala dinners and attended as many cocktail evenings as we could. In keeping with the grand tradition of cruising, most guests were dressed to the nines on formal evenings – unabashedly glamorous jackets, bow ties, and cocktail gowns were out in full swing 🙂

 

girl on Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam
When you’re dressing up for a black-tie dinner but can’t help sneaking into your balcony every 5 minutes to stare at icebergs

 

Holland America Niew Amsterdam dining options
Dining options? Let’s go 🙂

 

Alaska-cruise-inside-passage-holland-america-nieuw-amsterdam-36
Vid perpetually smitten – errr NOT!

 

Holland America Niew Amsterdam dining options salad
24 hour salad bar? YES please 🙂

 

Holland America Niew Amsterdam dining options burger hotdog
Gourmet burgers and hot dogs with cheese fries from Dive Bar

 

Holland America Niew Amsterdam dining options menu
In case you’re curious, this is what a typical dinner menu at Canaletto looks like 🙂

 

Holland America Niew Amsterdam dining options italian food
Rustic Italian dining at Canaletto

 

Holland America Niew Amsterdam dining options cocktails
Cocktails on the deck – always a yes right?! 🙂

 

  • ALASKA CRUISE: PORTS OF CALL

We spent a week exploring Alaska’s wilderness and gawking at calving glaciers. At Tracy arm, chunks of ice floated past us as if to remind us we were in iceberg territory. At Juneau we were blown away by the sight of 13 humpback whales feeding on fish all at once. At Mendenhall Glacier, we couldn’t get enough of the blue colour of the metres upon metres of compressed ice. At Skagway, we marvelled at Alaska’s living, throbbing countryside aboard The White Pass and Yukon Rail. Hundreds of thousands of bright fuchsia flowers, The Alaskan Fireweed, lent an inimitable shade to the landscape. We flew over a surreal, almost lunar landscape, at Meade Glacier in Skagway. We couldn’t stop peeking out of the helicopter’s window every 10 seconds as it made its way past misty fjords, tall peaks, indigo icebergs, and finally the glacier.

 

But it was today, when our ship pulled into the iconic Glacier Bay National Park that I well and truly fell in love. We didn’t get ideal weather – far from it! Thunderous skies and rain showers ensured a grey day. But then the mist parted to reveal a gargantuan wall of ice staring us in our faces – The Margerie Glacier. Beyond it, a white void stretching as far as the eye could see. A landscape so surreal it seems to belong to another planet.

 

I listen to the murmur of raindrops as I snuggle deeper into the blanket I’ve wrapped around myself. It might be freezing but I can’t tear myself away from this vision. As I watch frolicking sea lions and icebergs calving off the glacier, I know I need to write this post soon. I want to preserve the memory of the sheer spectacle unfolding in front of my eyes and there’s only one way to do it 🙂

 

An Alaskan cruise – it’s just the sort of seductive rendezvous that fuels our wanderlust and spurs us to explore every single corner of this planet. Here’s to setting afloat in search of new worlds……

 

Huge humpback whales just inches away from boats in Alaska
Huge humpback whales just inches away from boats in Alaska

 

White Pass and Yukon Rail Girl
Admiring the gorgeous Alaskan countryside aboard the White Pass & Yukon Rail

 

Sunset from Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam
You know we have a thing for sunsets 🙂

 

The fairy tale town of Ketchikan in Alaska
The fairy tale town of Ketchikan in Alaska

 

Flying over icebergs in a helicopter
Flying over icebergs in a helicopter in Skagway, Alaska

 

Couple Hiking the Meade Glacier in Alaska
Both of us hiking the Meade Glacier in Alaska. You know what they say – once in a while, blow your own mind. Go above & beyond!

 

FACT FILE & TIPS FOR YOUR ALASKAN CRUISE

  • A cruise to Alaska makes for a perfect romantic getaway, ideal if you’re celebrating your honeymoon or any other special occasion.
  • Boarding the cruise ship: Pan Pacific Vancouver is the perfect hotel to stay for a night or two before your cruise to Alaska. It is located on the cruise terminal itself, so transfers are hassle free.
  • Costs: Holland America’s 7 night cruises to Alaska start at £600 per person. More information on www.hollandamerica.com
  • Excursions: Our favourite excursions include helihikes in Alaska, The White Pass and Yukon Rail, Whale Watching experience, and kayaking by a glacier. For all details read our article on our favourite cruise excursions in Alaska.
  • Choosing a cruise: When choosing a cruise to Alaska, try to choose one that sails through The Inside Passage. It is usually calmer and perfect if you don’t enjoy the thought of turbulent seas (who does?)
  • The Nieuw Amsterdam: This is a sophisticated ship with an old-world charm about it. Expect beautiful floral arrangements, handsome interiors, and understated furnishings. The grown-up ambience is a far cry from the garish interiors of many other cruise ships. We really enjoyed it.
  • Choosing a cabin: Mid-ship cabins on the fourth, fifth, and sixth decks are a perfect choice – you will barely feel the ship here, especially when the waters are calm. The staterooms on Nieuw Amsterdam are more spacious than most ships we’ve been on. The cabins are equipped with comfortable beds, spacious wardrobes, a television with a large selection of movies, shower cubicle, and a bath tub (a first for us on a cruise ship).
  • Dining: There are a number of dining options included in the price of the cruise holiday – everything from three-course meals at the main dining room and burgers to sliced pizza and salad bars is on offer. For something different, we would highly recommend sampling the pan-Asian menu, especially the sushi, at Tamarind. Canaletto restaurant that specialises in rustic Italian styling dining with sharing plates also makes for a great evening out. There is a surcharge of £15/per person to dine at both these restaurants.
  • Internet: Internet is paid but works through satellite. It worked surprisingly well through the length of the cruise for us. We managed to update our social media channels every single day which is perfect. But if you don’t NEED to be online, a cruise to Alaska provides the perfect opportunity to disconnect from the outside world.
  • Packing: We’ve written so many articles on packing for cruise holidays, so I won’t say much on this front. As a rule of thumb make sure you pack black-tie/evening wear for special events and gala nights on the cruise ship. Pack warm down jackets and thermals for colder days and excursions. But do get along a few casual outfits and swimwear for warmer days, casual lunches, and afternoons spent lazing by the pool.

 

Hiking on a glacier in Alaska
Hiking on a glacier in Alaska 🙂

 

Alaska-cruise-inside-passage-holland-america-nieuw-amsterdam-28
Cruise life – is it calling out to you yet? 🙂

 

Stuck on which cruise excursions to choose on your cruise to Alaska? Here are 5 of our favourite Alaskan Experiences

New to cruises? Here are 5 reasons we love cruises

52 thoughts on “A Dreamy Cruise to Alaska: One for your bucket list!

  1. This all seems soo dreamy and magical !!! So fairy taleish !!! ( spare the grammar) the cruise , glaciers, simplicity and sophestication !!!! Just love love it !!!!

    1. Thanks a ton Kushagr 🙂 So happy to know you enjoyed reading about our cruise to Alaska – it is a crazy world indeed!

  2. I was waiting for this post and oh, it was so worth the wait!!! You guys practically traveled to the edge of the world! I couldn’t help but open Maps and check exactly the places you’re talking about, because I don’t know anything about Alaska at all! It definitely looks like a surreal experience. And the photos!! It was like travelling with you virtually.
    Savi, would love to see the outfits you wore on the cruise- I find it so hard to dress up for a fancy dinner when it’s freezing out 🙁
    P.S: Is Antarctica on your list? It would be great to see it from your eyes 🙂

    1. Thanks Ramya 🙂 So happy to hear that. We do have lots of posts on dressing up for cruises but for this one I just packed 2 formal dresses (the blue one and another one which I don’t have photos of 🙁 ), a couple of casual outfits feat. denims and dressier tops, my down jacket, hiking gear, and a couple of jumpers. That’s it 🙂

  3. I’m not usually one for cruises but this sounds amazing! I’d love to go on a helicopter over the glaciers to see those stunning views!

    1. Thanks Stephen – so happy to hear that. Hope you make it to an Alaskan cruise soon – we promise it lives up to the hype 🙂

  4. Love to read about your Alaska cruise, pictures are perfect as allways! Alaska is on our bucket list and HAL is our favorite cruiseline. Now we dream to travel to Alaska even more…..

    1. Thanks Marian – It was our first time with HAL but we really enjoyed it too. Won’t hesitate to book another cruise with HAL 🙂

  5. Loved every bit of your cruise trip to Alaska! But I don’t see anything related to Northern Lights here, did you get a chance to see it? Or was it not covered around the areas you visited?

    1. Hey Chaitra – we went to Alaska during summer months, so Northern Lights weren’t on the agenda. It’s better to visit during winter months if you want to see the Northern Lights 🙂

    1. Hey Deepti – we did see people with kids but would advise waiting for a couple of years because there is a chance of turbulence of all cruises, which might leave your 4 year old alarmed!

  6. Dear Savi and Vid,

    Even though I don’t know you personally, your post about Alaska was enough for me to decide on my Alaska trip!
    I was debating whether to go for Alaska cruise or Banff national park road trip this summer (June 2019)- your post helped me solve my dilemma and ended up booking my first ever cruise vacation. And I cannot thank Bruised passports enough for making me do that.
    Alaskan cruise was a DREAM from where I never wanted to wake up. I followed almost similar itinerary as suggested by you two lovely people. Sadly, I couldn’t do glacier helicopter tour due to bad weather (but that’s Alaska). However, I still enjoyed every little bit of my trip.

    I will soon be writing about my vacation on our blog (mine and my boyfriend’s combined blog- look out for your blog’s mention there!). Although my bf couldn’t come with me to this trip, I am already planning on my next cruise vacation with him!

    Keep writing and spreading the love for travel 🙂

    Take care.

    Love,
    Another wanderer hoping to explore the world….

        1. Yayy – happy to hear you had such a great time on the Alaskan cruise and thanks for sharing your lovely write up 🙂

  7. Loved reading this piece of information. So much to look forward to in life. Keep spreading the love and light! Kudos 🙂

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