Good morning cruisers! Itās time to announce my upcoming cruise sailing this June, so letās get to it!
The Itinerary
On June 22nd, I will be embarking on Holland America Lineās ms Zuiderdam from Vancouver, Canada. ms Zuiderdam will be sailing a 7 night Alaskan itinerary with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. The ship will also be taking us up close to towering glaciers both within the Inside Passage and Glacier Bay National Park. Ā I’ve never been on an Alaskan cruise before, so I am very excited to explore the Last Frontier.
Ā The Ship
Launching her maiden voyage in December of 2002, theĀ ms Zuiderdam is the flagship of Holland America Line’s Vista Class. TheĀ ms Zuiderdam marked an evolution of shipbuilding for Holland America Line. She was the line’s first ship to exceed 100,000 GRT and the largest ship in the fleet during her 2002 debut. The Zuiderdam offers guests 10 decks, 7 dining experiences across the ship, 4 panoramic exterior elevators, a covered Lido area for inclimate weather, and my personal favorite – a full wrap around exterior promenade. The Zuiderdam offers guests a classic cruise experience with all the comforts of a modern design.
The Shore Excursions
I currently have two shore excursions booked for our calls in Skagway and Juneau – but I’ve chosen to keep the lid on these until the day of the excursions.
Cruise3Sixty In Vancouver
Of course, you might be wondering if I’d be attending CLIA’s Cruise3Sixty this year, right? Well, the good news is I am! Unfortunately, I will only be at Cruise3Sixty on Friday, June 21st. If you’re not familiar with Cruise3Sixty, here is a brief summary from CLIA:Ā Cruise3Sixty is the only official cruise conference of the cruise line industry, brought to you by the world’s largest cruise industry organization, CLIA.Ā Cruise3Sixty offer attendees an extensive array of ship inspections, a comprehensive educational program, training and professional development seminars, destination and product workshops, hands-on technology training and product updates from the CLIA-Member Cruise Lines. As press, I will be reporting live press conferences from MSC, Royal Caribbean, Windstar, and Azamara on Friday, June 21st. Stay tuned!
Staying Connected
Once aboard, as usual, I will publish a daily journal detailing my day aboard the ship and stories from exploring our ports of call. I will also be tweeting updates and photos onĀ ourĀ TwitterĀ and posting onĀ our Facebook page. While Iām cruising, make sure to check out the dedicatedĀ Zuiderdam cruise pageĀ for the latest articles while I am at sea. Also, donāt forget to sign up for email updates below to have the latest cruise news and my Zuiderdam articles sent straight to your email inbox.
Upon my return from Alaska, I will write up a full cruise report/review along with videos and photos. I expect to have my report/review posted before I embark on a * night ************ cruise on July 6th. (Stay tuned for more on that in the coming weeks!)
I am very excited to cruise with Holland America Line again, and I canāt wait to share my cruise with you! Saty tuned
One reply on “Upcoming Cruise: Zuiderdam to Alaska”
Wow, Mike, what a WONDERFUL experience awaits you! I cruised the same itinerary aboard Volendam a couple of years ago. Magnificent in every way.
In addition, as I believe you already know, my own next cruise is aboard Zuiderdam in November (21 days in the Caribbean, Panama Canal and northern South America). Accordingly, I will be reading every word of your reporting from Zuiderdam and most interested in your impressions of another great Holland America Line ship.
Enjoy savoring the final days of High School and the sweet anticipation of an unforgettable cruise!
Nick