Category Archives: USA

Juneau

Posted on January 4, 2019 by

Juneau, Alaska Alaska’s capital, Juneau, located along the Gastineau Channel of Alaska’s panhandle, is accessible only by boat or plane. Although there are no roads connecting Juneau to the rest of the state, cars can come and go by ferry … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Holland America, Port Cities, Ports of Call, USA, Westerdam | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Leavenworth at Christmastime

Posted on December 25, 2018 by

Nestled in Washington State’s Cascade Mountains near Stevens Pass sits a Bavarian-themed town called Leavenworth. It’s a great tourist destination year-round, but near Christmas the town really comes alive with a festival of lights. Strung with Christmas lights Bavarian style … Continue reading →

Posted in USA, Washington | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ketchikan Cruise Ship Port

Posted on September 7, 2018 by

Ketchikan, Alaska Ketchikan lies on Revillagigedo Island at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s scenic inside passage surrounded by the Tongass National Forest. This temperate rainforest lives up to its designation. Ketchikan averages around 140-160 inches of rainfall annually, with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Holland America, Oosterdam, Port Cities, USA | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

San Antonio Texas

Posted on September 3, 2018 by

You won’t find ocean cruise ships in landlocked San Antonio, Texas, but you can take a cruise there. We’ll get to that later in this post. San Antonio has interesting and historical things to see making it worth a side … Continue reading →

Posted in Day Trips, Randoms, USA | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Birds, Bears, & Barnacles

Posted on August 3, 2018 by

Previously when visiting Sitka our ship anchored offshore and tendered passengers to town. On our last visit we were surprised when the Holland America Oosterdam pulled into a dock over 5 miles from town. Though this dock at the Halibut … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Holland America, Oosterdam, Port Cities, Ports of Call, Shore Excursions, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Houston, Texas

Posted on July 4, 2018 by

When cruising from Galveston, anyone not from the area will most likely fly in and out of Houston, which is just under an hour away. For anyone with a bit of time before or after their cruise, Houston has a … Continue reading →

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Maui Cruise Ship Port – Lahaina

Posted on June 1, 2018 by

Lahaina Cruise Ship Port When cruise ships stop in Lahaina on the island of Maui in Hawaii the ship anchors a short distance from shore and drops its tenders to bring passengers to shore. The ship’s tenders are the lifeboats … Continue reading →

Posted in Explorer of the Seas, Pacific Ocean & Islands, Port Cities, Ports of Call, Royal Caribbean, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hubbard Glacier

Posted on May 25, 2018 by

Most Alaskan cruises visit a glacier somewhere along their itinerary. Often they either go into Glacier Bay or cruise down to the end of Tracy Arm (or Endicott Arm when Tracy gets blocked). Not so many go to Hubbard Glacier. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Holland America, Oosterdam, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Snorkeling in Alaska

Posted on May 11, 2018 by

Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure Snorkeling in Alaska? Brrrr. Way too cold. That’s what a lot of people think. I used to be one of them. If you went straight into the water in just a swimming suit like in tropical … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Holland America, Norwegian, Oosterdam, Pearl, Port Cities, Ports of Call, Shore Excursions, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cruising to Honolulu

Posted on April 27, 2018 by

Our transpacific cruise on Royal Caribbean‘s Explorer of the Seas made its first port stop in Honolulu. The cruise ship docked near the Aloha Tower a couple miles from the tourist area of Waikiki. They did have shuttles to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Explorer of the Seas, Pacific Ocean & Islands, Port Cities, Ports of Call, Royal Caribbean, USA | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments