Gretchen at Love Travel Collection

09/02/2026

I will be there on September 19th and will do my best to give this a whirl!

Opening September 16, 2026. 4 launches. 3 inversions. 360° rotations. This is Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift!

08/20/2026

Gretchen, what travel do you have coming up? I’m so glad you asked! In just a few short weeks I’ll be heading out for 15 days of fun!

First, I’ll be boarding my first Virgin Voyages cruise on Brilliant Lady, which is an 8 night repositioning from Vancouver to Los Angeles. There are stops in San Francisco and San Diego, among other places, and I’ll definitely be making a visit to the San Diego Zoo! I’ve scored a Central Sea Terrace room with one of Virgin’s famous red hammocks on the balcony. This sailing is also going to be one of Virgin’s “Festival of Senses” voyages, with extra food & drink special events and options. 🧜🏻‍♀️🦁🌉

Upon docking in LA, I’ll be driving up to spend a day at Universal Studios Hollywood, and hopefully I’ll be able to ride the new Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster, and I’ll definitely be experiencing the world famous Studio Tour! 🎬🎢🌎

Then, I’m heading down for an evening at Disney California Adventure to see World of Color: ONE, and I’ll also spend the entire next day at DCA and Disneyland Park to experience one of my favorite seasonal events: Halloween Time at Disneyland. 🎃👻🏰

Finally, I’ll be boarding a 4 Night Baja sailing on Carnival Firenze out of Long Beach, staying in an Oceanview room. I loved Firenze so much last year that I had to book her again! I’ll be doing a dolphin sighting boat ride and parasailing at Catalina Island. 🛳️🐬☀️

Then it’ll be quiet for me on the travel front until next spring, when I head to LONDON to board the maiden voyage of Carnival Festivale. But that down time means I have plenty of time to devote to YOUR travel! Email me for a complimentary quote and let’s get you booked on a dream vacation of your own! Now booking cruises into 2028 and Disney/Universal Destinations into 2027.

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08/19/2026

That's C1@ for me!

Back to school means it's time to start dreaming about vacation! Let me know your dream day 🌴✨ Share it with your clients, then plan it 😉

08/18/2026

What else is there to do on Holland America ships? The World Stage is home to musical productions, comedians, magicians, enrichment presentations, and more! The Greenhouse Spa & Salon is available at an additional cost. Holland America is the only cruise line partnered with the Professional Pickleball Association, and each ship has at least one Pickleball court! There’s also a walking track around deck 10/11 (depends on ship) and an outdoor promenade around deck 3. HAL is also well known for its live music, and on most ships you’ll find the Rolling Stone Lounge and Billboard Onboard (piano club) - newer Pinnacle Class ships also have B.B. King’s Blues Club. There are also specialty restaurants available at an extra cost - generally Pinnacle Grill (steakhouse) and Canaletto (Italian) are found on all ships.

Noordam is definitely returning for Alaska sailings in 2027, along with five other ships, and does appear to be returning in 2028 as well based on current repositioning schedules.

In 2027, it is confirmed that Koningsdam and Zaandam will sail roundtrip from Vancouver, Noordam and Eurodam will sail roundtrip from Seattle, and Nieuw Amsterdam and Westerdam will sail one way journeys between Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska.

In 2028, it appears we will have at least Noordam, Koningsdam, Eurodam, and Oosterdam (freshly “Evolved!”) - I expect 2028 Alaska sailings and cruise tours to be available very soon, and the earlier you book, the better pricing and benefits you receive!

📷 Gretchen at Love Travel Collection

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08/18/2026

Holland America ships all have a Lido pool at the midship and a secondary pool at the aft of the Lido deck. On all ships, the midship pool has a retractable glass roof which makes this line *perfect* for Alaska sailings (and other cool weather destinations, like Northern Europe). The aft pool has been designated “Adults Only” on each ship I’ve been on. There is plenty of lounge seating around both pools, and complimentary pool towels and flannel blankets abound. You’ll also typically find the Dive-In nearby, serving burgers and hot dogs!

📷 Gretchen at Love Travel Collection

08/18/2026

Holland America does have spaces onboard for kids and teens. They weren’t open during my tour but I did snap some photos through the doors. The first two photos are of “The Loft”, which is the teen space, and the other three photos are of the areas for younger kids - these are further subdivided into age groups. While HAL doesn’t have the bells & whistles that many mega ships do, they’re still a good choice for families, especially in Alaska!

📷 Gretchen at Love Travel Collection

08/18/2026

One of my favorite spaces on any Holland America ship is The Crow’s Nest, located on one of the highest decks at the front of the ship. This is a cozy area with amazing views, lots of seating, chess sets, a variety of board games, plenty of puzzles, and usually a coffee bar! It’s a great place to see the outside while staying cozy, especially if you have an interior or Oceanview room and want better viewing options.

📷 Gretchen at Love Travel Collection

08/17/2026

And finally, Signature Suites are the lowest level of suite on Noordam. I stayed in this type of room on “cousin” ship Eurodam last fall, so the first four photos here are from Noordam, and the rest are from my comparable room on Eurodam.

These rooms are 372-384 sq ft including verandah and have limited benefits compared to the Neptune Suites - the main perk is a larger, slightly nicer room. Select ships do have a whirlpool bath in the bathroom, and you do get binoculars for use during your voyage and a choice of pillows.

📷 Gretchen at Love Travel Collection

08/17/2026

Neptune Suites are the second largest suites onboard Noordam, at 500-712 sq ft including the verandah. These sleep up to four people as the sofa bed converts to a double bed. I would say this is pretty comparable to the Grand Suite I had on Carnival Vista in December, which was an amazing room.

These suites include complimentary mimosa withi in-suite breakfast, complimentary laundry, premium bathrobes, binoculars for use during the voyage, fresh flowers, pillow choices, in-suite coffee/espresso machine, Cocktail party with the Neptune Lounge Concierge, priority check-in and disembarkation, priority for tender boats at ports that require them, and priority dining and seating requests.

📷 Gretchen at Love Travel Collection

08/17/2026

A Verandah stateroom is a very popular choice on an Alaska sailing, and Noordam’s balcony rooms are very comfortable. Most rooms on Noordam and her sisters offer a bathtub/shower combo, and the few that don’t are specifically marked on the deck plan as “shower only”.

📷 Gretchen at Love Travel Collection