After an incredible week in Alaska on board Holland America’s Koningsdam cruise ship, I wound up locked inside of a massive parking lot at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. I’d spent more than 15 hours of flights and lengthy layovers and was so close to the final stretch of my journey home.
Closing in on 1:00 in the morning and driving aimlessly around this gigantic facility – I finally found a woman working a toll booth. As she tried to resolve the technical problem, I mentioned that I was returning from a trip to Alaska. Her eyes lit up as she turned away from her computer screen and stared back into my car window. “I want to go there so bad,” she said with a mix of excitement and desperation in her voice.
Without hesitation I began an impromptu presentation from the driver’s seat of my SUV. For the next 20 minutes, I was sharing photos and video clips with this random woman in a dark parking lot without another soul in sight. And she had no trouble hearing me share my stories and favorite adventures from the cruise as by now even the planes were finished landing in St. Louis for the night.
I told her about the views of ice and snow on mountain tops from the balcony in my cabin. I told her about walking on glaciers and exploring small towns along the Inside Passage. And I told her about the endless options of cakes and desserts that tempted my pallet every night of the journey. For the time being, I couldn’t care less that I couldn’t get the parking lot gate to open – I was reliving an amazing week in one of the most amazing places I’ve ever been.
She finally solved my problem and off I went. Driving for the next 20 minutes enroute to my own bed – I couldn’t stop thinking about how fortunate I was to enjoy such an experience and wondered how quickly I’d be able to do it all over again. And for a brief moment, I almost forgot that I had to waste $100 just to park my car by the airport.
Koningsdam Basics
Holland America’s Koningsdam is one of several ships that the cruise line uses to take travelers into Alaska’s Inside Passage. The ship was launched in 2016 and has more than 1,300 staterooms. Despite being close to ten years old – the ship was remarkably clean and still had a fresh, modern feel. There were plenty of cozy nooks and quiet hangouts to lounge around or escape the crowds on a busy sea day.
Obviously the main attraction of an Alaskan cruise is well, Alaska. However, the on-board activities and specialty venues make the overall experience a well rounded vacation. Holland America features several music experiences like the B.B King’s Blues Club and the Rolling Stone Lounge. I’m somewhat cynical when it comes to cover bands but both of these venues had really exceptional musicians.
The ship had a large auditorium for various presentations and performances. I attended a couple of talks on Alaskan related topics and found the video presentations to be well done. The nighttime entertainment was a bit mixed. One performance I skipped out on after about ten minutes. However, a comedian and ventriloquist named Mike Robinson was surprisingly hilarious. I was bummed that I missed out on the first half of his show after laughing so hard.
In addition to the live entertainment, there are movie nights by the pool, pickleball tournaments on the top deck of the ship, and a wide variety of activities from card games to bingo. Each day a newsletter was provided to the room with a schedule of everything going on. The agenda was also available in a Holland America app that proved to be quite functional during the cruise.
Holland America Goes High Tech
I’ve now been on four different cruises and two of them have been on Holland America ships. As a simpleton that’s still fascinated that I can video chat with someone on the other side of the planet, maybe I’m not qualified to talk about advances in technology. But I was blown away by the Holland America’s “Navigator” app.
The app allows guests to easily view the day’s activities and see things related to billing and excursions with ease. The most notable function of the app was being able to order food. We were able to order pizzas, burgers, and other snacks and received a notification when they were ready for pickup. No standing around and waiting in line – which was amazing.
It’s also worth noting how impressed I was with the quality of internet access on board the Koningsdam. I was completely blown away at how reliable and fast the internet was – despite being on the water off the coast of Alaska.
Alaskan Experiences
It was my first time in Alaska and a Holland America cruise is a terrific way to be introduced to this incredible destination. (And my 49th state!) Of all the things offered on the cruise – having actual Alaskan experiences was at the very top of my list. (No offense, Cake Me Away!)
There were many different excursions offered for the ports where we stopped. Those ports included Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan. (You also spend a day in Glacier Bay National Park – however you only experience it while on the ship.) The excursions varied in cost and length and included everything from kayaking and hiking to fishing and cooking.
I selected what turned out to be two remarkable excursions! First, a seaplane tour of five glaciers in Juneau courtesy of Wings Airway. The ride was a bit bumpy due to weather conditions but the crew was top-notch. You can watch my Instagram Reel and see for yourself.
The other excursion offered through Holland America was a helicopter ride in Skagway that brought you to a remote glacier for an incredible hiking experience. In what I can only describe as “eye-opening” and breathtaking – I couldn’t believe I was walking on something so beautiful.
In addition to the excursions – each of the three towns offered something unique and fun. Each historic downtown is within walking distance of where the ship will dock. Skagway was probably the longest distance from the ship but still less than a mile away.
You’ll Never Go Hungry on Koningsdam
If you’ve ever been on a cruise – you know that food is a big part of the experience and it’s everywhere! Holland America’s Koningsdam has no shortage of speciality restaurants and dining options that come included with your cruise package.
I’m a not-so-fancy diner and found plenty of delicious choices that made each meal enjoyable. I could pre-order breakfast to be delivered to my stateroom or order a small brick oven pizza from my Holland America app for lunch. While I enjoyed a couple of the speciality restaurants on board, I found dining on the lido deck with the enormous buffet just perfect for my tastes.
Most nights I enjoyed things like tri-tip steak, custom made salads, tacos, rotisserie chicken and more. The buffet seemed to go on forever with endless options. Crew members serve the guests from behind glass – so no worries if you’re a germaphobe. Each day, I always enjoyed some kind of fresh fish for either lunch or dinner. Holland America is an industry leader with its global network of ports that source fresh fish for its cruise ships and restaurants. It’s particularly cool to have access to fresh Alaskan caught fish while literally traveling through the state.
If you prefer a traditional dining experience – the Koningsdam has a beautiful dining room with servers, tablecloths, wine service, and so on.
As you can imagine, desserts are probably the most popular food choice on the ship. Beautifully decorated cupcakes, delicious pies, cakes and fruit mixtures were on display every day. I must say – the ice cream served was incredible and was probably my favorite sweet treat.
Crew Members and Holland America Hospitality
Most cruise ship employees tend to be hard workers and excel at making guests feel special. The crew members I encountered were top notch as you’d expect and paid attention to small details. One particular bartender took time everyday to concoct a different speciality beverage for me as I don’t drink alcohol. It became a taste testing experience every afternoon around 5:00.
The folks who work behind the scenes were just as dedicated. I had the chance to visit the ship’s kitchen and food prep stations during my cruise. These men and women all seemed to take great pride in their work. Whether it was simply chopping lettuce or baking speciality pies – they all work really hard to deliver a good product. I did not hear a single passenger complain about the ship’s food.
I also had the opportunity to visit the Captain’s Bridge aboard the Koningsdam. Normally off limits to the public – our group of journalists was able to enjoy a brief behind the scenes visit. While the ship was in port during our stop in Ketchikan we learned how high tech these massive ships are and how dedicated to safety these navigators are. I even did my part with a serious look through the Captain’s binoculars.
Is An Alaska Cruise Worth It?
Alaska is an incredible place that would take a lifetime to explore completely. My experience on a Holland America Alaskan cruise was just what I had hoped it would be. It was a great first introduction to the state without being overwhelming. It gave me an opportunity to enjoy a taste of what Alaska has to offer while giving me a consistent home base along with great meals each day. The entertainment, shows, and live music was an added bonus.
If you’re a social person – it’s also a great opportunity to engage with other travelers from around the world and meet interesting people. I swapped travel stories with a cake decorator from Australia and dined with a couple from Oregon that invited me to their summer home in Hawaii. Holland America’s passengers tend to be a bit more mature – which is great for people like me not really into belly flop contests at the pool or beer pong tournaments. I found most everyone to be very polite and courteous.
Yes – there were times I wish I had my car or wished I had a little more flexibility while in a port. But, overall, everything ended up being just about right. If you’re looking to experience Alaska – a Holland America cruise is a great opportunity for a first-time visit.
And if you need someone to travel with, there’s a lady at the airport parking lot in St. Louis that might be interested.