find cruisemates for 6-21-09 Westerdam sailing

Grannyx3 · #1 (**permalink**) April 27th, 2009, 11:43 AM

Anybody out there booked on the Westerdam sailing RT Seattle starting June 21, 2009? Any non-cruise excursions planned? Want to go on a fishing charter in Sitka for less than the ship price of $465? Would love to hear from you!

DeeDee · #2 (**permalink**) April 28th, 2009, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grannyx3

Anybody out there booked on the Westerdam sailing RT Seattle starting June 21, 2009? Any non-cruise excursions planned? Want to go on a fishing charter in Sitka for less than the ship price of $465? Would love to hear from you!

Sorry not going on your sailing, but one word of warning.

Sitka is a tender port and if you book with a non-cruise excursion company and something should happen that you cannot get back to the ship before the last tender leaves the port, then you could be in trouble. Sometimes the charter company will pick up and return passengers directly to the ship.....check on this. If you are on a HAL excursion, the ship will wait for you.

Last year the weather was so bad that we could not dock in Ketchikan, so all HAL excursions were cancelled - fees were returned to the passengers.

If you do book with an outside company, check to make sure that if the ship does not make it to the port, that your money will be returned.

You will love Alaska - so much to do and see.

Grannyx3 · #3 (**permalink**) April 28th, 2009, 09:39 AM

Thanks for the advice, DeeDee. We have cruised a few times before and what you've brought up has always been one of my main reasons for not booking independent excursions - the ship WILL sail without you. Every charter I've checked with has sworn that they've never missed the last tender. I hope they are being truthful.

Interesting point about the weather. Hopefully that won't be the situation at the end of June, but I guess you never know. I have been on one cruise where the order of ports was switched, so I have made sure we can get a refund if the ship makes a change like that.

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it!

DeeDee · #4 (**permalink**) April 28th, 2009, 11:53 AM

You're welcome Grannyx3.

We actually sailed early May last year and the weather was not great. Poured rain in the first 2 ports, so I stayed on board, figuring I would do my shopping in Ketchikan - oh, well I saved some money

That was our 3rd cruise to Alaska .........the 1st in June and the 2nd end of August and the weather both times was lovely.

Have a great time.