Adventure traveler and Dutch TV personality Charlotte Van Hoorn was on board Zaandam for an Alaska cruise and will be sharing her adventure with us.

No one who took the Dog Sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter tour wanted to leave the ice field … There is taking a ride behind sled dogs, calling to mind Capt. Preston of the Yukon on B&W tv, then there was this … Starting with suiting up at the helicopter hanger for glacier trekking, we then watched a safety briefing about the helicopter before climbing aboard (4 plus the pilot – all with good viewing and earphones). We were piloted directly above the Mendenhall Glacier and followed it up the valley below the rim of the sidewalls, it was breathtaking. Our pilot described many glacial and geologic features and we took pictures like mad. Later we strained to spot the camp, all in white, and the 200 dogs summering on the ice field for their continued Ididarod training pulling dead weight like us!

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Adventure traveler and Dutch TV personality Charlotte Van Hoorn was on board Zaandam for an Alaska cruise and will be sharing her adventure with us.

All agreed, this was the complete package…On board, on shore, on the water in small craft, in the sky, in smaller aircraft and even by dogsled…this cruise was the perfect HAL choice for a group of first timers and seasoned Mariner Society members. Beyond my usual “relax with the ship’s premium wine tasting amenity after snorkelling or a cultural visit ashore” routine, my goal was to experience the pricey, but peak experiences offered in the Special Collection of HAL excursions. To enjoy the ship’s  On Location programming as well, I chose to sail both up and back the itinerary to fit in the Encore and Wonders of the World tours. A revisit to a port meant spending the day entirely differently, although most of my chums left in Seward to explore with the Land Tour options.

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Topics: Alaska, Cruise Diary, ms Zaandam, Shore Excursions, Videos | | 1 Comment

Adventure traveler and Dutch TV personality Charlotte Van Hoorn was on board Zaandam for an Alaska cruise and will be sharing her adventure with us.

With help from Christine B. of Group Special Services Dept., my chums and I enjoyed the personal touches given by the friendliest staff and officers I have met in all my HAL cruising. Usually I enjoy meeting other passengers, but this was a bit birthday, retirement party and just getting together friends who were blasts from the past who hadn’t met one other.

Starting with the Sail Away Party under the Lion’s Gate Bridge in Vancouver, to the welcome luncheon catered by the Pinnacle Grill, to partying the night away, it was a terrific time.

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Zaandam Captain Pieter Jan Van Maurik recently gave out Service Awards to some crew members. Congratulations to all the wonderful recipients.

25 Years – Rocky Christiaan

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Topics: ms Zaandam, Staff & Crew | | 1 Comment

Thanks to Zaandam guests Shannon and Sebastian for sending us pictures from their recent vacation, including an adorable photo from the Dolphin Encounter shore excursion.

We went on the 7-Day Mexican Riviera in April and had a blast! This was our first cruise and our first time to Mexico. Attached are four photos I would like to share. Thanks so much for letting me share my cruise memories with you! — Shannon and Sebastian

Swimming with the dolphins on our HAL shorex.

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Topics: Mexico, ms Zaandam, Shore Excursions | | No Comments

Thanks to Zaandam guest John Arnold for sharing some photos of Glacier Bay.

Look at the snow mountain in the middle of the pic. Do you see a face?

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Here is a brief article with photos from Human Resources Clerk Ray Manutu about his first time seeing Glacier Bay, Alaska.

Some crew members and I were about to have an exciting experience in Glacier Bay. It was raining and the air was freezing. The water was full of small icebergs; we saw two bald eagles sitting on icebergs, and on the beach on the right side of the ship we saw two grizzly bears walking very fast along the beach, but you needed binoculars to see them. I was lucky that one of the guests lent me his binoculars to see them. When we arrived in Glacier Bay, I heard the cracking sound of the glacier, and when the glacier fell down, it sounded more like a thunder. To me this was an amazing, fun experience.

Zaandam’s Human Resources Clerk Ray Manutu and other crew members sail for the time in Glacier Bay, Alaska.

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Topics: Alaska, ms Zaandam, Staff & Crew | | No Comments

Thanks to John Shakeshaft for sending us the link so we can share the Flash Mob video from Haines! What a wonderful gesture by the people of this beautiful Alaskan city!

Topics: Alaska, ms Zaandam, Videos | | 2 Comments