First time on Holland

PEB

Staff Captain
First off it is not my first time cruising as many here know and it will not be my first time cruising Alaska as many here know, however it will be my first time cruising on Holand America so I have a couple questions.

First question I have figured out by reviews that there is a soda card my question does anyone know the price of that soda card for a one week cruise?

Second question when we have cruised on Princess they also had a specialty coffee card is there a specialty coffee card on Holland and if so how much?

Third question I have noticed on the ship floor plans that there are laundrette's, however all reviews just talk about a laundry service. My question do you have to use the laundry service or can you just use the laundry rooms? If you can just use the laundry rooms do you know what the price of the machines are?

Last question for now I have done many back to backs on other cruise lines and I will be doing so on Holland. What process does Holland use for transfer of rooms on a back to back on the same ship?

I thank you for any answers you may provide.If you are interested in where, when or what ship I am on, I will be cruising Alaska in June of 2013. We will be on the Westerdam out of Seattle on June 8 and after that we will be going to Vancouver and doing a back to back on the Statendam to Seward and back to Vancouver startin June 16.

I have cruised Alaska 11 times and also worked at Princess Mt. McKinley lodge in the past so I have a pretty good knowledge of Alaska. I have cruised on Princess, Carniva, Celebrity, Norwegian as well as worked for two years on Norwegian so Holland America will be a new experience for me and I am looking forward to it.
 

Lurline63

Staff Captain
Hi PEB. We were on Westerdam out of Seattle this past summer. I looked through my materials (I save just about everything) and don't see prices for the beverage packages. The daily program indicates to "ask your beverage or wine attendant for details." My husband had a specialty coffee card, but it was a gift so I don't know the cost.

Note that Westerdam does not have a self-service laundry onboard. At the time of our cruise, there were three packages offered -- laundry by the bag (bag is about size of pillowcase) for $20, unlimited laundry for $49, and unlimited pressing for $28. This pricing is for a 7-night cruise. We've used the unlimited laundry package on our HAL cruises and thought it worth the cost as well as the time savings. Plus, we didn't have to do laundry when we got home!

Sorry I can't be of help with your other questions.
 
Last edited:

Krazy Kruizers

Holland America Specialist

The only discounted Beverage card on HAL is the soda card. You pay $25 for $50 worth of soda. And even that has changed. Most of the ships give you about 6 ounces of fountain soda.

The other cards -- no discount. HAL has discontinued the coffee cards and wine cards.

The Beverage Cards are no longer discounted.


Have done Alaska on the ships you mentioned.

In Seward as you know you do not have to worry about going through immigration. As for moving from one cabin to another. Your cabin stewards can help you do that. Go to your new cabin and find your cabin stewards. Tell them that you are already on the ship but will be changing cabins. That way they can try and get your new cabin ready as soon as possible. Your old cabin stewards will bring a dolly to hang your clothes on. Just put everything else in your suitcases to move. If your cabins are similar you may be able to just interchange the drawers.

You are permitted to bring as much bottled water, champagne, wine, soda and mixers on board as you want -- there is no limit. You can do this in all ports as well.

I assume that you have made arrangements to get from the Westerdam in Seattle to the Statendam in Vancouver.
 

PEB

Staff Captain
Thanks for the replies it is greatly appreciated. Krazy Kruizers yes we have already made arrangements to get from Seattle to Vancouver. We had that all figured out before we booked the different cruises. We have been planning all of this for several months. Our whole trip will be lasting longer then a month. My wife and I do not believe in short vacations.
 

Krazy Kruizers

Holland America Specialist
Great

I just wanted to make certain.

When we are in Seattle we have always used AlreadyThereTownCar limo service to get from the airport to the hotel, to the pier and etc. They are about $5 more than a taxi and are cleaner. We aren't able to haul luggage on our own.
 

Lurline63

Staff Captain
PEB, I forgot to mention that laundry can also be done by the piece. It figures that I forgot to keep a laundry slip with the pricing, yet even the $20-per-pillowcase-sized bag provides some savings.

Thanks for the recommendation for the limo service, KK. We'll keep this in mind for the future.
 

seamom

Staff Captain
Hey! How are you Paul! Nice to see you. We did the Zuiderdam to Glacier Bay and back last September and LOVED it. Never done Alaska before but I can see your love affair. So so beautiful and we were treated to the most amazing sight of hundreds of dolphins and orcas surrounding the ship during sunset on our last night. The most perfect holiday and so relaxed. We really enjoyed the company of our cruisers who tended to be seasoned travellers and had great stories at dinner and lunch sittings.

We're heading on another HAL in January to the Caribbean. The price couldn't be beat for our first balcony and we like the extra quanitity of wine we can take onboard for our room. I wouldn't write home about the food and the entertainment that time was well below par of the Elton John singer in the Caribbean but we didn't care and will go without expectations next, hoping to be surprised but planning on soaking up the heat, sipping wine and reading on the verandah..yahooo.

Enjoy! Miss 'chatting' with you.
 

PEB

Staff Captain
Hello seamom I also miss the chatting we used to do. Life kind of got in the way the past few years. I have not done much cruising the last few years but as you may have noticed I have come back to cruising with three cruises and of course I am going back to Alaska. We figured we had never tried Holland America but always wanted to so here we go on the Westerdam and Statendam. We have always been on Princess in the past in Alaska and I even worked for Princess in Alaska but time to try something new as far as the ships go. We look forward to going back to Alaska and look forward to trying Holland America.
 

John

I'm on Island Time
Staff member
Hi Peb, I hope you have a great cruise. I was on Zuiderdam and really enjoyed the cruise and crew. Very relaxing.
 

Krazy Kruizers

Holland America Specialist
Hey! How are you Paul! Nice to see you. We did the Zuiderdam to Glacier Bay and back last September and LOVED it. Never done Alaska before but I can see your love affair. So so beautiful and we were treated to the most amazing sight of hundreds of dolphins and orcas surrounding the ship during sunset on our last night. The most perfect holiday and so relaxed. We really enjoyed the company of our cruisers who tended to be seasoned travellers and had great stories at dinner and lunch sittings.

We're heading on another HAL in January to the Caribbean. The price couldn't be beat for our first balcony and we like the extra quanitity of wine we can take onboard for our room. I wouldn't write home about the food and the entertainment that time was well below par of the Elton John singer in the Caribbean but we didn't care and will go without expectations next, hoping to be surprised but planning on soaking up the heat, sipping wine and reading on the verandah..yahooo.

Enjoy! Miss 'chatting' with you.

What ship are you cruising on?
 

Krazy Kruizers

Holland America Specialist
Hello seamom I also miss the chatting we used to do. Life kind of got in the way the past few years. I have not done much cruising the last few years but as you may have noticed I have come back to cruising with three cruises and of course I am going back to Alaska. We figured we had never tried Holland America but always wanted to so here we go on the Westerdam and Statendam. We have always been on Princess in the past in Alaska and I even worked for Princess in Alaska but time to try something new as far as the ships go. We look forward to going back to Alaska and look forward to trying Holland America.

Westerdam is one of our favorite ships.

We used to like the Statendam, but she has gone downhill the last couple of years.
 
Top