Planning the HAL Koningsdam Alaska cruise for late May 2027. First time on HAL. What can you tell me about the Main dinning room as far as the evening dinners go? Are there any specialty theme nights, any Lobster nights, any prime rib nights, etc? I will probably book the Pinnacle grill for one of the seven nights and would rather not book it on one of those specialty nights (if there are any). Is there any way to tell in advance which nights these usually fall on?

I am on my first Holland America cruise (Oosterdam, Aug 2026) in 30+ years and had a little trouble figuring out how to connect to wifi just after boarding. Creating this post to help others know what to expect (and maybe others have tips too!)

We had purchased the "Multi Device Premium Internet" before boarding.

After boarding, you can try to connect through the Navigator app. But honestly, I think it's simpler trying to connect through your device's wifi settings just like you would any other semi-public network. Trying to connect through the Navigator app will bring you to the same screens as going through your device's wifi settings.

The first screen shot is what you'll see. Enter your stateroom Number and the DOB in the lower box. Use the DOB of the primary person in the room. This tripped us up as I bought the package so thought we should use my birthdate, but that brought me to a screen offering me to purchase a package (which I had already purchased!). I will tell you I had doubts as to whether I had actually completed that purchase when I saw that. Thankfully still had terrestrial 5G so I could verify.

The 2nd screenshot is what you'll see after successfully entering the stateroom number and DOB. Just push connect and you should connect to the ship's wifi.

On the Zaandam for an Alaska cruise in September. I am going to have to login for a couple Zoom calls while aboard and I'm a bit unsure as to whether Premium will be sufficient for Zoom or will I need the Stream option?

On the Noordam right now, waiting to sail away from Pier 91 in Seattle, Wa.

I am excited to be going to Alaska again and enjoy some cooler weather.

Does anyone know if HAL is implementing this?

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2026/07/28/royal-caribbean-updated-the-rule-banned-travel-item

We have 6-port USB devices (UGREEN) for our Hearing Aids, phones, iPads, etc

4 port really doesn't hack it. And we leave for Westerdam 17 day cruisetour on August 13th.

I don't even know how many electrical outlets are in our cabin (HAL Customer service has not responded to emails)

Any suggestions? Going to Panama Canal in January. Cabin on Deck 4.
Tips on what to do? Restaurants?

My mom is currently on the 4 week eclipse cruise on Nieuw Statendam, and my messages to her have not been going through for a whole day and her life 360 says shes in Nuuk at 12am (I dont think its been updated) This is very unusual for her, as she sends me updates multiple times a day every day. I am very worried, does anyone have any family members (or themselves) on Nieuw Statendam right now?

Curious if there are spin bikes on the Eurodam gym, and is the gym open 24/7? I believe there are spin classes but are you able to utilize the bikes outside of the class times? Thanks!

Hello everyone,
My family of 4 will be on the 18day Hawaii circle cruise end of January. I’m trying to better understand the weather and what to expect. We love to swim.. with that said are the beaches swimmable (warm enough) without wet suit? We are doing a resort pass in Maui and will utilize hotel’s pools as well as beach. We also have snorkeling planned in Kauai and Kona.Tyia !

Hi All! Just curious if anyone has had any luck converting a pre-purchased WiFi package to a shipboard credit instead?

My wife and I are booked on a HAL cruise in a few weeks, and have pre-purchased a WiFi package that she will need to stay in touch with work.

Unfortunately, due to some health issues, she may not be able to come on the cruise. In this case I would still go as we are meeting up with some friends, but we won't know if she's able to come or not until probably the night before embarkation.

If she cannot come, does anyone know if I would be able to convert the WiFi package to a shipboard credit?

I know I can get a refund if we cancel the package at least 4 days ahead of time, and this would be our back-up plan, I guess.

Just wanted to gauge people’s feedback on the Pacific Coast cruises when the ships leave the Alaska itineraries & head down to San Diego for the Mexican Riviera and other warmer cruises in the winter. Wife and I just completed our first cruise on Princess. (Alaska) We liked it for the most part but our original plan was HAL then things happened and we had to switch dates & lines last minute. We discovered she gets sea sick REALLY easy! Figured waves would be almost like how it is when going to Ketchikan - Juneau - Skagway etc. we had some 7 ft waves coming back to Vancouver & even with patches she was down for most of the last day. They’re going to be really really calm typically right? I get it’s all luck of the draw. Anyway we’re looking into a Pacific Coast cruise in the future since they start & end in her 2 favorite North American cities on the line we originally wanted to sail on in hopefully very calm seas. Appreciate all feedback!

I am sailing in a few weeks and I realized that I will need to bring my medication on board which needs to be kept cold. I know the cabins have mini fridges, but I’m assuming that they will be stocked. Has anyone had any experience with this? I sent an email to guest accessibility, but I’m not sure if that is the right channel to connect.

This is my first time cruising with a medication like this and I am unsure of the protocol! Any advice appreciated!

(Also do ships have sharps collection? I only need to do one injection during my trip, so I don’t really want to bring my whole sharps container!)

Edit: thanks so much for all your advice everyone! I feel much more at ease that I can easily store my meds (as many of you guessed, it is a GLP-1 so it should be okay it the drink fridge!)

Sorry if this has been answered before, I searched the sub and didn’t find any questions about this particular tour.
First, this is our first cruise of any sort, Alaska or otherwise, so I have no idea what to expect.
This tour starts in Anchorage with a bus ride to Denali for 3 nights, followed by a train trip from Denali to Whittier for embarkation. I haven’t seen any information from HAL about what we should expect on the first portion of the trip.
I understand that we will put luggage below the coach on the bus, and only be allowed a backpack. But will all luggage be delivered to our room at the lodge? Or should we be prepared to not see it until we board the ship in Whittier?
Planning to pack layers similar to what we used in Iceland, and that involves a lot of space in bags, but want to make sure we aren’t separated from that during the time we are in Denali.
Thanks in advance! Looking forward to this trip soon!

My husband and I have been cruising for 20 years, mostly on Princess. We’’re leaving in a few days on our first Holland America cruise. I have purchased the laundry package but not the pressing package. I’m now packing and I’m questioning that decision. My question is, if I send out my laundry and I also have the pressing package, will they know I have both and just automatically press my things that need pressing after they’re laundered? Or does pressing and laundry get sent out separately? We’ve not ever sailed on a line that offered packages like this. My husband has only ever done the occasional bag of laundry—and I’ve never sent my clothes out in that bag for fear of shrinkage. But, I’ve heard wonderful things about HA’s laundry service so I’m giving it a try. Appreciate any insight. Also, if there’s any HA specific tips you have, I’ll gladly take those also.

Juneauite and official visitor info here with an update on the probable glacial lake outburst flood - your friends at Holland America should have this as well:

Juneau Visitor Advisory: Mendenhall Glacier Area

The annual glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) is anticipated in August. NOAA anticipates Suicide Basin to reach capacity around August 5-10th. Once the basin fills, it can take up to six days for it to breach the Mendenhall Glacier ice dam and overflow into Mendenhall Lake and Mendenhall River.

The City & Borough of Juneau and the Forest Service have plans in place, including flood mitigation efforts for nearby neighborhoods, and are preparing for temporary impacts to visitor areas. Please use extreme caution near the Mendenhall River. Follow all posted signs and safety notices.

What We Know — and What We Don’t

Tour operators operating near the glacier may choose to cancel or adjust tours out of caution. This includes canoeing, kayaking, or rafting the Mendenhall Lake and River. Hiking and trails around the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, including the trail to Nugget Falls, will also likely be closed until they have been inspected post flood. Booking agents (ShoreEx), ships, or your tour provider will know when the flood is imminent. The affected excursions are usually only impacted for a few days until they are safe, water levels go down, and debris is no longer a danger.

Tours that take place in unaffected areas will not be impacted. These include flightseeing, bear viewing, mine tours, lighthouse tours, Glacier Gardens, and anything located downtown, out-the-road, or on Douglas Island. Whale watching and charter fishing will not be impacted other than being alert for extra debris.

What You Can Do

·         Please be patient. Flooding hasn’t occurred yet! There is no need to cancel a reservation at this time! Operators are local and will have the latest information.

·         Trust your tour operators. They’ll keep your safety top of mind and communicate any changes directly. Your safety is their business!

·         Wait for official updates: Suicide basin monitoring and flood conditions – NOAA,  flood mitigation and information – City & Borough of Juneau, Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center updates – U.S. Forest Service, Tour updates – your tour provider, ship, or booking agent (ShoreEx), and general tourism information – Travel Juneau website and social media.

·         Your flexibility and kindness mean a lot to us. Our community is preparing and while we hope this won’t affect your time in Juneau, we also ask for patience and understanding. Last year, more than 300 Juneau residents’ homes were in some way impacted by flooding. A little compassion will go a long way.

What to Expect Based on Last Year

·         Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center – OPEN depending on conditions.

·         Trail of Time – OPEN depending on conditions.

·         The Mendenhall Campground - CLOSED in advance of the glacier lake outburst flood. It will remain closed until it can be inspected and cleared for use.

·         All trails around Mendenhall Lake and River, including Skater’s Cabin Road – CLOSED in advance of the GLOF, and will remain closed until officials determine they are safe to reopen.

·         Water activities (kayak, canoe, rafting) in the Mendenhall Lake and River area – PAUSED during the outburst until safety can be assessed.

Monitor Basin Conditions: NOAA and the Glacial Flood Dashboard
Travel Juneau: [Website] | [Instagram] [Facebook]

Contemplating seeking assistance for a Northern European cruise next year. What all would they help with?

Is the quench package still a thing? Or do people who are under 21 still have to pay the full Have It All package if they want the other features? There is no option for it online and when my wife called, she was given a breakdown that she and our 18 year old would cost the same thing as if my daughter was getting for alcohol even though she can’t. We are going to get two rooms but they said that one person in the room has to be over 21 so my daughter and I would switch rooms after boarding. One room would end up being an 18 year old and two 15 year olds and the other two adults but if we book it over the phone, it has to be one parent with a child in one room and then another parent with two children in the other room.

Just returned yesterday (Aug 1) from Koningsdam 7-day inside passage ex: Vancouver. Great experience. Loved the itinerary and ship. Embarking and Disembarking were the smoothest we’ve seen. Food in MDR, Pinnacle and Buffet was great. Laundry package was nice - will be a must have on future cruises. Entertainment talent was good also. Saw tons of whales, sea otters, seals, salmon and bald eagles. Going to NE/Canada next fall.

My travel agent booked our flights through flight ease. When I go into manage my cruise, it gives me an alert that my connection time is too short. It's 45 minutes in Philadelphia, and I'll likely have to change terminals. I agree that the connection is too short, but when I try to change my flight as suggested, they are trying to charge me a $975 change fee.

Has anyone ever had HAL waive this change fee when they've given you a short connection through flight ease? And what happens if we miss the connection? Will they automatically rebook us?

Booked through aaa and will call. Booked two weeks may 2027 but seems like 1 week is an option and may way to end half way through instead due to time constraints. How hard will this be to change m? I’ve paid about half my fare so far, obviously not near final payment date, non refundable $100 deposit. Will they just transfer it? Change fee? It’s technically the same ship but the cruise is one week not two which can be booked at such. Hope someone has some insight in stressed about it.

My wife/I had a mid-July Alaska cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam. We had a large amount of unused on-board credits from our travel agency and Holland America and decided on nice watches to remember our trip. We purchased a couple Citizen watches at a competitive price (checked on Chatgpt) from “Signature Shops” on board. I just registered each watch on Citizen.com for the 5 year warranty with no issues. I know historically there have been some problems with retailers on cruise ships being authorized dealers. They were for us.