My First Alaska Cruise Was Not What I Expected. Here's Why [Holland America Koningsdam Review]

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Alaska is unlike any other cruises we’ve taken. It’s an absolutely visceral experience that leaves you feeling like you’re communing with nature. Just spectacular! 🍺🚢

Of all the Alaska cruise videos I've watched, this is by far the most informative and well thought out. Thank you LIfe Well Cruised.

Went to Alaska last year and I would definitely recommend adding a land portion to your cruise. We did ours through Princess and it was amazing. We feel it truly added to our Alaska experience!

Alaska is amazing. I have been 3 times and it never gets old! I prefer a smaller ship for this destination, it just is less chaotic! Thanks for your insight!

My daughter and I are going to Alaska on the Holland America Eurodam in Sept leaving from Seattle. We are taking the Amtrak from Jacksonville, FL to Seattle and getting in two days before our cruise. We are gong back on the train also. I am 76 years old and this is my first cruise and first train trip. I was originally going solo, but my daughter arranged to come with me. I have watched so many of your videos. I wished I had watched them before I booked but I know it is going to be wonderful. I will let you know when we get back.

We went on our first Alaska cruise 4 weeks ago, it was wonderful with one exception due to heavy ice flows our close up glacier excursion was cancelled. In Skagway I want to recommend the White Pass Railway excursion, it was our favorite on this cruise. There so much to see and do that we will definitely be going on another.

Ilana this video was so fun! Thanks for sharing this with all of us :) looks like an amazing cruise! Can’t wait to cruise to Alaska in October & hope to try Holland America someday! The painting classes look especially fun 🎨🖼️

We love your cruise reviews, thanks for sharing so much great info with us all.

Your videos are so timely! My sister-in-law and I are leaving in 5 weeks to do the exact same itinerary on princess Cruise line. So happy to hear how much you enjoyed Glacier Bay as I wasn't sure if two days would be too much. Greatly appreciate all your tips and comments as it's given the two of us so much to talk about and helped tremendously with our planning! Thanks so much!

Thanks for the video. It's very interesting and informative. We are sailing Alaska in July, and I can't wait. I'm glad you had a good time.

We sailed every year and sometimes twice a year on only Holland America but only one Alaska cruise which was early June and spectacular. My regret for you was that you didn’t go on the railroad out of Skagway…the most gorgeous and exquisite scenery I’ve ever seen. PLEASE do this if you go again. We loved the aesthetic of HAL and the food. We were last in Asia in 2019 but in 2020 my husband passed unexpectedly and I’m just not ready to cruise again. So I love watching your channel and cruising vicariously!

We did the very same cruise on the very same ship but last July. I’m reliving our cruise by watching your video. We had a great experience there.

I’m excited to be on the Norwegian Spirit later August into September! It’s 16 days, Vancouver, Alaska, and Hawaii! Binoculars were something that wasn’t even on my list, so thank you so much! I am quite looking forward to it! 🥰🥰🥰

Thank you for the info. Your hair looks really pretty in this video.

I went on my first Alaskan cruise in 2021. And I just loved it. From start to finish Alaska is absolutely beautiful. And the Alaskan people are very friendly and welcoming. I will go back probably several more times.

Wonderful video Ilana! We just returned from an Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver a week ago. Alaska was on my husband's bucket list, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. The scenery is constantly changing, and pictures simply do not do it justice!

Thanks for this video - we are doing this same cruise in 3 weeks - can’t wait!

Thanks for sharing, brought back lots of memories. Our first cruise was last year on the Koningsdam to Alaska. Absolutely loved it! Ready to go back :)

So many wonderful memories for me watching this video. In 2006 my husband and I and two of our adult children did the same itinerary on HAL Zuiderdam. Glacier Bay was by far the highlight. Would love to cruise there again someday.