Famous Faces, Famous Places and Famous Foods
A Cruise Ship by Any Other Name is not the MS Statendam
Plans & Preparations
It's no secret that an ocean cruise aboard a top notch ship is one of the world’s greatest escapes, especially when it has diverse, scenic, and historical ports of call. The Alaska Inside Passage cruise fit my destination requirements, but I needed to find a ship that would epitomize this cruise ship axiom. After all, I had been thinking about an Alaskan cruise for ten years, so my choice for a late-May sailing had to be perfect.
After researching a number of cruise lines, I chose to book passage on Holland America’s elegant and traditional MS Statendam. Having heard so many rave reviews, I knew I was in for a real treat, even if only a handful of the accolades were true.
Checking-in & Checking It Out
Arriving at the Vancouver dock, I found one horrendously long, single-filed check-in line, maybe 100 persons long. Thank goodness it wasn’t for my ship! My check-in was hassle-free: for starters, my line-up was only three passengers deep. After leaving my baggage at the curb (to be taken to my stateroom) I took a quick walk through, passed a number of pleasant greeters, and was on the ship and in the cabin in record time. Some cruise lines think check-in is a little thing. But they’ve forgotten that the delight is in the details. I was impressed with the Statendam from the get-go.
Cruising is an escape, but it can also be a kidnapping. Once aboard, you are committed to the ship, its itinerary, and its staff. For a predetermined time, you are in the hands of the ship’s Captain and crew -- so those hands had better be capable. MS Statendam's crew members know this (as they should) and they are there to meet your daily needs. As an example (with only a little training) my ice bucket was almost always full when I entered my cabin from a day’s outing in-port. If not, I had only to make a simple request, and within a minute my wish was fulfilled. That eager attention to the small details, along with twice-daily cabin service, made the room always tidy and "ship shape," a necessity when everything must be in its place for an easy shipboard lifestyle.
My suitcase was too large to fit into the cabin’s double closet so it chose to cruise bedside, which was not a problem, since I was traveling alone. I could have had it put in storage, had I wanted, but as this week’s sailing was only the start of my 19-day Alaska exploration, I decided to keep it in sight.
Holland America offers a single-traveler service: individuals who want to pay the lowest cabin price can be matched with a cabin mate. This is a real boon to travelers who know that you get the most for your money on cruises. You don’t want to lose that bonus by having to pay a high supplemental fee for single cabin occupancy. Plus, the Statendam has a no-tipping policy for everyday services. If more cruise ships had such policies, I might choose cruising for all my escapes.
The only unfriendly quality of this Holland America ship is its formidable name, which makes it sound austere and standoffish. The ship's design is passenger friendly, from convenient cabin spaces and elevators, to stairs that make navigating on board as easy as unpacking your luggage just once.
Teatimes & Mealtimes
Afternoon tea is an old-world tradition carried on aboard the Statendam. It is so popular with the passengers that the everyday teatime in the Explorers Lounge ends with audible groans of dismay as the tea cups and sweets are put away for another afternoon. But the strictly enforced teatime is adhered to, and that's it. Once on each cruise, High Tea is served with extra flair in the main dining room by white-gloved attendants laden with special chocolate treats. Although most waistlines did not need the delectables, such escapes from dietary restraints make cruising a sinful delight.
The food in general is above average on the Statendam, and the variety of dining venues offers a refreshing change as well. Food, of course, is best when freshest, and on my escapes I expect nothing less than the best. Twice on board I had the grilled salmon. The salmon prepared in the evening in the formal dining room paled in comparison to the salmon grilled the next day on the deck next to the pool. Right off the grill, the succulent salmon exploded with flavor and flaked with a fork to moist perfection. Another popular noontime meal is the fast-order burger and fries at the Food Corner, where even veggie and turkey burgers are cooked along with the ever popular French fries, hot dogs and sausages.
A couple of real surprises were the consistency of freshness and the number of savory items at the cafeteria-styled buffet, where choices were ample and the quality always high. The extended-hours ice cream bar was a hit with everyone, as were the salad and sandwich bars. The main dining-room experiences on the evenings of "formal" nights were enchanting. There you might learn of your table guests’ daily adventures, and get to tell of your own escapes on organized tours.
Shore Tours & Ports of Call
The tours offered aboard Holland America’s Statendam are popular for a reason. The on-shore operators are expert at what they do. Yes, you may be with a busload of 40 people, or on a semi-private helicopter tour of four, but everything considered, being shown the highlights of an area is the best a tourist on a limited time schedule can expect. Despite spending over $800 dollars on port excursions during the week, I still felt this was an exceptional bargain. Just think, how many times are you in exotic locales? And why not get all that the short shore-time has to offer? Simply put, shore excursions are the way to go.
The Alaskan Inside Passage has the ports of call necessary for a positively grand cruising experience. After starting off from Vancouver, the Northern Statendam itinerary visited Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, and Valdez, before concluding in Seward. Important features of the Inside Passage culture and ports of call are the Native American Indians (or First Nations as they are called in Canada) and their totem poles. Each port displays an example of this authentic Northwestern cultural expression. Exploring the totem poles’ meanings, attempting to bring back some understanding of their importance, and finding small souvenir replicas provides a week’s worth of delightful challenge. (By the way, the Saxman Village in Ketchikan has the best prices and selection on authentic hand-carved modern totem poles. Don't let the tourist style "gift shop" atmosphere fool you. Buy there and you won't be disappointed when you comparison shop at future ports. Average prices on small hand-carved, hand-painted totems range from $40 to around $120.)
Sunny Skagway
Skagway was not on my itinerary, but I had to see that quaint town and experience the Gold Rush atmosphere that made it the narrow-gauge railroad’s gateway to the Yukon gold field. A shore tour from Juneau offered a flightseeing day up to Skagway: a shopping rush, a ride on the White Pass Yukon Railroad, a bus ride to Skagway, and then the small plane ride back, just in time to explore Juneau's drizzly atmosphere. Although the most expensive of my shore tours, at around $330 dollars, it allowed me to see something I would otherwise have missed: Sunshine.
The sun shone in Skagway. It never did on the formal cruise. A subconscious sunbelt worshiper, I needed that sunshine – if not for a personal lift, then for great Alaskan Inside Passage photography. By contrast, at each port the locals were thrilled when it was just overcast and not pouring down rain; they told us we were blessed with good weather. So life is relative. You find that out while touring.
On-board Entertainment
Back on our floating home, the choices of entertainment kept us hopping from event to event. Many times I would see passengers, myself included, keeping their daily activities sheet with them so as not to miss the hourly choices: bingo, art auctions, movies, beauty demonstrations, and a wide variety of craft, cooking, and casino lessons. After the daytime events came the evening shipboard entertainers – people who can make or break a passenger’s vacation attitude.
Without a headliner on my cruise schedule, I was not expecting a lively, talented and captivating entertainment cast. I was pleasantly surprised when night after night the musical revues and cabaret shows offered top notch entertainment during both of the two nightly shows. One night a few extra singers were brought on board, and Barry Manilow's Broadway-style musical Copacabana was performed. I was surprised at the production qualities on such a small stage.
A few nights later, when I participated in the traditional passenger talent show, I really began to appreciate the compact area the regular performers had to work in. Viewing an audience from a stage is incredibly educational; it certainly makes you appreciate any smiling faces you can see. Most importantly, participating in the lip sync talent show gave me an opportunity to meet other single travelers and share a common experience.
The last night on board, we amateur performers were given a small going-away party in the uppermost cocktail lounge, where spacious views of the surrounding surreal coastline were soon only to be a pleasurable memory. Between the disco music and live band performances, the quaint string quartet and piano bar fun, music was far from being an anomaly on the Statendam.
Satisfaction
The wine, the food, the accommodations, the sights, the experiences, the education, the shopping, and the organization of both Holland America and the MS Statendam lived up to the reputations I had heard about for so long. I confidently recommend it for the Alaska trip you have been thinking about for the past ten years. I could go on for pages about the ship and my experiences (like my exercise intentions, the good prices and selection at the gift shops, the always-present on-board photographer, the sightings of glaciers and dolphins, the closed-circuit TV in each room, the ship’s historic name) but space does not allow it. Besides, I have to leave a few things for you to explore on your own Inside Passage escape.
Stats & Contacts
Statendam Stats:
Entered Service January 1993
Passengers: 1,266 in 633 Cabins
Passenger to Staff Ratio: 2.5/1
Costs: Aprx $2000 per person double occupancy
(but there are great savings on early booking and for shoulder season)
Contacts for Holland America: www.hollandamerica.com or Holland American Line-Westours Inc. 300 Elliot Ave, West, Seattle, WA 98119
You can continue Exploring Alaska at my home page: hometown.aol.com/t4z/myhomepage/vacation.html
This sketch was only half of my Alaska experience. The second half of interior travel and accommodations can be read on the August Issue of the Delphi Network's "Travel Talk" www.delphi.com/travelt
Shore Tours & Ports of CallThe tours offered aboard Holland America’s Statendam are popular
for a reason. The on-shore operators are expert at what they do. Yes, you may be with a
busload of 40 people, or on a semi-private helicopter tour of four, but everything
considered, being shown the highlights of an area is the best a tourist on a limited time
schedule can expect. Despite spending over $800 dollars on port excursions during the
week, I still felt this was an exceptional bargain. Just think, how many times are you in
exotic locales? And why not get all that the short shore-time has to offer? Simply put,
shore excursions are the way to go.
The Alaskan Inside Passage has the ports of
call necessary for a positively grand cruising experience. After starting off from
Vancouver, the Northern Statendam itinerary visited Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, and Valdez,
before concluding in Seward. Important features of the Inside Passage culture and ports of
call are the Native American Indians (or First Nations as they are called in Canada) and
their totem poles. Each port displays an example of this authentic Northwestern cultural
expression. Exploring the totem poles’ meanings, attempting to bring back some
understanding of their importance, and finding small souvenir replicas provides a
week’s worth of delightful challenge. (By the way, the Saxman Village in Ketchikan
has the best prices and selection on authentic hand-carved modern totem poles. Don't let
the tourist style "gift shop" atmosphere fool you. Buy there and you won't be
disappointed when you comparison shop at future ports. Average prices on small
hand-carved, hand-painted totems range from $40 to around $120.)
Sunny Skagway
Skagway was not on my itinerary, but I had to see that quaint town
and experience the Gold Rush atmosphere that made it the narrow-gauge railroad’s
gateway to the Yukon gold field. A shore tour from Juneau offered a flightseeing day up to
Skagway: a shopping rush, a ride on the White Pass Yukon Railroad, a bus ride to Skagway,
and then the small plane ride back, just in time to explore Juneau's drizzly atmosphere.
Although the most expensive of my shore tours, at around $330 dollars, it allowed me to
see something I would otherwise have missed: Sunshine.
The sun shone in Skagway. It never did on the formal cruise. A subconscious sunbelt
worshiper, I needed that sunshine – if not for a personal lift, then for great
Alaskan Inside Passage photography. By contrast, at each port the locals were thrilled
when it was just overcast and not pouring down rain; they told us we were blessed with
good weather. So life is relative. You find that out while touring.
On-board Entertainment
Back on our floating home, the choices of entertainment kept us hopping
from event to event. Many times I would see passengers, myself included, keeping their
daily activities sheet with them so as not to miss the hourly choices: bingo, art
auctions, movies, beauty demonstrations, and a wide variety of craft, cooking, and casino
lessons. After the daytime events came the evening shipboard entertainers – people
who can make or break a passenger’s vacation attitude.
Without a headliner on my cruise schedule, I was not expecting a lively, talented and
captivating entertainment cast. I was pleasantly surprised when night after night the
musical revues and cabaret shows offered top notch entertainment during both of the two
nightly shows. One night a few extra singers were brought on board, and Barry Manilow's
Broadway-style musical Copacabana was performed. I was surprised at the production
qualities on such a small stage.
A few nights later, when I
participated in the traditional passenger talent show, I really began to appreciate the
compact area the regular performers had to work in. Viewing an audience from a stage is
incredibly educational; it certainly makes you appreciate any smiling faces you can see.
Most importantly, participating in the lip sync talent show gave me an opportunity to meet
other single travelers and share a common experience.
The last night on board, we amateur performers were given a small going-away party in the
uppermost cocktail lounge, where spacious views of the surrounding surreal coastline were
soon only to be a pleasurable memory. Between the disco music and live band performances,
the quaint string quartet and piano bar fun, music was far from being an anomaly on the
Statendam.
Satisfaction
The wine, the food, the accommodations, the sights, the experiences, the education, the shopping, and the organization of both Holland America and the MS Statendam lived up to the reputations I had heard about for so long. I confidently recommend it for the Alaska trip you have been thinking about for the past ten years. I could go on for pages about the ship and my experiences (like my exercise intentions, the good prices and selection at the gift shops, the always-present on-board photographer, the sightings of glaciers and dolphins, the closed-circuit TV in each room, the ship’s historic name) but space does not allow it. Besides, I have to leave a few things for you to explore on your own Inside Passage escape.
Stats & Contacts
Statendam Stats:
Entered Service January 1993
Passengers: 1,266 in 633 Cabins
Passenger to Staff Ratio: 2.5/1
Costs: Aprx $2000 per person double occupancy
(but there are great savings on early booking and for shoulder season)
Contacts for Holland America: www.hollandamerica.com or Holland American Line-Westours Inc. 300 Elliot Ave, West, Seattle, WA 98119
You can continue Exploring Alaska at my home page: hometown.aol.com/t4z/myhomepage/vacation.html
This sketch was only half of my Alaska experience. The second half of interior travel and accommodations can be read on the August Issue of the Delphi Network's "Travel Talk" www.delphi.com/travelt