Cruises | AARP

Comments By Michele

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

May 2010

Destination:

Europe

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

We did not like the smoking in the casino and thought they could have more 1 and 2 cent machines. Everything else was excellent and we will be back.

Comments By Frank

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

9

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

May 2010

Destination:

Europe

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

1

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The cabin asigned was the worst we have ever experienced; small, with an very awkwrad layout. We were surprised Holland America would offer this kind of inferior accommodation. Otherwise, the cruise was good.

Comments By Evelyn

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

6

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

May 2010

Destination:

Europe

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Best thing was being able to see history and come 'home' to the ship every night! Friendliness of all staff.

Comments By Anthony

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

May 2010

Destination:

Europe

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The shore excursions on this 12 Mediterranean cruise were all excellent and worth the money. The days flew by. The ship was as expected for Holland America...i.e. excellent. No dissappointments anywhere. No improvements necessary.The HAL crew went above the call and even dried our clothes at no charge when we arrived as they were received wet from flight.

Comments By Linda

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2010

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Everything was great. There is a personal touch with having the same cabin boys. They know your name and just cannot do enough for you. All I can say is service, service, service was terrific. The crew make you feel like someone special and and are always asking if they can do anything for you. I can't say enough great stuff about the cruise. As far as I am concerned it was perfect.

Comments By Roderick

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Mar 2010

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

5

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Best thing - Food and the kids/teens clubs Memorable - Elton John impersonator, dining Improved - Other shows other than Elton John impersonator

Comments By Sandra

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Mar 2010

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

5

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The Cruise was fabulous - we all enjoyed it (including the kids ages 9 & 11 - they had so much fun at the kids program they didn't want to leave it, or wanted to ensure we had an early dinner so they could return in the evenings). Food was excellent, room was fine and boat was very clean. This was our first cruise, but certainly won't be our last :)

Comments By Kathleen M.

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

21

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2010

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

4

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

-all the activities and cruise itself -all the views from our balcony -childrens activites

Comments By Norma

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Feb 2010

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

This was our first Carribean cruise and it was a great experience. We really enjoyed our dinner in the Pinnacle Grill and the excursions were wonderful. We did the Dune Buggies in Turks and Caicos and the Land and Sea Excursion in St. Maarten's.

Comments By Norma

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Feb 2010

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

This was our first Carribean cruise and it was a great experience. We really enjoyed our dinner in the Pinnacle Grill and the excursions were wonderful. We did the Dune Buggies in Turks and Caicos and the Land and Sea Excursion in St. Maarten's.

Comments By Helene

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

10

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Feb 2010

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

3

Dining

4

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The ship was very nice and the staterooms were spacious. The food in the dinning room, afternoon teas and the buffets were very good. The hygiene observed in the food areas was excellent as compared to other cruises we have been on. Tables were cleaned promptly and there were sufficient personnel from the ship there to hand out dishes/drinks at the buffet , so as to minimize cross-contamination by the passangers. The excursions could be improved on. Information about sight seeing was not given in the beginning of the cruise, so by the time you got to book them, they were all taken. Plus the personnel manning the trip desk was not readily available.

Comments By Dina

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Nov 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The best thing about this cruise was the meals .. excellent at all times. The staff and crew were always friendly and helpful. St. Maarten was the prettiest island visited and would have liked a longer stay there. The only objection was my stateroom which they state is partial obstruction. There is a boat in the front of the window and you cannot call this partial .. When referring to this, it should be stated more clearly. It would be just the same as having an inside cabin but perhaps this is why the price was as such although it would be interesting to find out if they offered the same price on the unobstructed cabins. Only one incident occurred was when we were in the room dressing and had the curtains open, we noticed that there was someone in the life boat. However, when I questioned the staff, they noted that they could not see inside. However, it was a little unsettling and closed the curtains for the rest of the trip. We also missed a port of call in Bahamas due to weather conditions and this was a little disappointing but all in all, we would use this cruise line again.

Comments By Donna

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Overall Rating 4

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Oct 2009

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

1) Staff 2) Ports of call 3) Smoking situation, especially in the casino, and no smoking in the staterooms, what happens when you go into a stateroom that has been smoked in, in some cases, just walking down the hall ways, it was unbearable when cigars were smoked. 4) Disembarkation was a nightmare, understand they tried something new and it flopped.

Comments By Janice

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Oct 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

5

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

the staff are very polite and very engaging and sweet. we ordered room service every night which was an awesome perk. the ship was very clean and filled with many interesting paraphernalia such as artworks, Faberge eggs, antique candelabra wonderful metal works etc. each floor had its own array of art. i took many pictures of pictures. the open deck that we could walk on was clean and large enough for many many people to be on at the same time and lovely and breesy. the pool decks were always very busy and crowded and it was almost impossible to get a lounge chair during peek time. there is a lot of walking about the ship to get from point A to point B but i enjoyed that. so much to see. i was never without my camera. we enjoyed our shore time, but it was very commercial and crowded. thats not neccesarily a bad thing, just one point to be aware of. be prepared to shop on these islands unless you have a special excursion scheduled which we did on many stops. we especially enjoyed the Mayan ruins. the overall experience for our first time was one of wonder and fantasy and opulance as the ship is a huge floating city!!! thanks again for a wonderful opportunity to experience cruising.

Comments By Joanne

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Oct 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

3

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The stateroom and upgraded amenities made this cruise special. We were treated very well by the Cruiseline and our anniversary was noted on 2 occassions as well as by our agent. We had a wonderful time and the only negative aspects were that whenever we asked a question, the answer was always 4-6hrs in coming. The most disappointing event was our disembarkation. We had priority disembarkation as well as executive class seats on our flight home, which gave us priority baggage handling.. We were told about a package where the ship would take our luggage to the airport and we would not have to collect it until our final destination in Toronto.This package was available at a cost of 34.00U.S. We were advised that the airline (Air Canada) supported this program. We were flying Ft. Lauderdale, Montreal- Toronto. I questioned this as I knew we had to go through immigration in Montreal and was assured on several occassions the information was correct.At one point I was told that the Chief Purser advised it is "done all the time and not to worry about it" The ship provided us with boarding passes that said Montreal only...I questioned that and was assured it would be changed at the airport. However upon arrival at the airport we were advised by Air Canada that they did not support the program, they did not like the program and that the baggage handling was done by a private company hired by Holland American and had nothing to do with Air Canada. Because of this our luggage had now lost it's priority status. Air Canada confirmed we would have to collect our luggage in Montreal and transfer it to the other aircraft. A fact I had insisted on while on board and was told I was wrong. Also, the boarding passes provided were not valid and Air Canada's booking system showed we were booked on the flight but had not "checked in"..in other words had we not checked we would have been shown as "no shows" Thankly Air Canada took care of us as far as new boarding passes straight through to Toronto but our luggage was put on as non-priority (a service we had paid for and lost becasue of the inaccuracy of Holland America). This whole experience was very disappointing as I feel that once we were off the ship, Holland America didn't have to worry whether the service we paid for was actually provided or not. I would caution all Canadian Passengers not to buy into this program...it is basically money spent on nothing.

Comments By Malachi

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Overall Rating 3

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

7

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Oct 2009

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

True

1

Dining

4

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

4

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The Panama Canal passage The ship leaked water from broken pipes 50% of the trip, the crew solved this problem by placing towels and pails in the walkways to catch the water. Curtail the cut backs!! ensure adequate food in Lido dining, shortage of food, shortage of plates, I was told plates were not washed yet , closing line down twenty minutes early, no cooked food. Would not recommend Holland America.

Comments By Sue

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

7

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Sep 2009

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Comments By Terry

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Sep 2009

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

On this cruise they had many onboard activities such as flower arranging, cooking demonstrations, craft events, and my favorite computer classes. These and other activities would keep a person hopping all day and into the evening. In my case the computer classes offered ranged from learning about the new Windows 7 program, how to set up my own website, improving the website, getting the pictures you take from the camera to the computer, emailing, writing and drawing on pictures to enhancing a picture to make it look old or pop art style. The most memorable thing about the ship was the friendliness of the crew and the food. If a person isn't careful they could gain multiple pounds without trying. The menus were all planned with care and varied in what was offered. They ranged from hotdogs and hamburgers to 5 star menus with delicious deserts (WOW). The only thing that could have improved in my opinion is the way the tours were conducted. When several bus loads of people descend upon a small town or tour spot it creates a bottleneck ie; we went on a city tour and were to go see a botanical garden. 5 bus loads of people arrived within the space of one hour and the tour tram could only acommodate about two bus loads of people and the tour took about 50 minutes. The temperature was in the upper 90's and there was little shade or other things for people to do while waiting their turn to take the tour tram. Most of the guides spoke english well enough to be understood but didn't have a great range of knowledge about what we were seeing while visiting their country, but overall the tours were OK and worth the money paid. The amount of time the ship would spend in various ports was varied, but at some the time allowed wasn't enough to really see anything. In one port the ship had to wait an extra hour while 2 tour buses were delayed and couldn't get back in time. My overall rating for this trip is that it was very enjoyable, priced right, comfortable accomodations, good food and friendly crew. I would reccomend this cruise to all who wish to see that part of our planet.

Comments By Kathrine

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Jun 2009

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The best thing about our cruise was Glacier Bay and Juneau (Whale watching) The most memorable thing about the ship was our Superior Verandah Suite. It was especially nice to be on our verandah watching the glaciers and other scenery go by. It was a bit hard finding clean tables to sit at in the Lido resturant and poolside.

Comments By Ray

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Overall Rating 3

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

May 2009

Destination:

Pacific Coastal

Cruising with Children:

False

2

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The ship was fine,good clean staterooms and public rooms,EXCEPT the Buffet.I HAVE never been on a cruise or heard of one(talking to other regular cruisers) where at lunch and dinner,half the buffet was closed to feed staff,leaving long line-ups for the paying customers.In between main dining hours,the selection of something to snack on was not very good either unless you like hotdogs,burgers or pizza. The Piano Bar singer Dianne was fantastic,and the main Piano Bar server Chris was also fantastic!Would love to sail with them again. The Captain Peter Harris was also fantastic,he was plainly visable a lot which was very nice to see.I would sail with his ship anytime I still think we will give Holland America another chance,but not right away

Comments By Elaine

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

May 2009

Destination:

Pacific Coastal

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

0

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The friendliness and helpfulness of the crew, without exception. Always being greeted with a cheerful smile and hello or good morning, as the case may be. The cleanliness of the ship overall and the stateroom in particular; well-stocked with amenities such as toiletries and towels in the bathroom; TV and refrigerator for beverages. The quietness during the night; no clanging ship noises or loud conversation from crew or passengers walking in the passageways. The balcony was a welcome addition, much appreciated and used often, especially to enjoy the sound of the water rushing by. Anyone who has experienced motion sickness in the past would be delighted to know that it was almost impossible to detect any wave movement whatsoever. I personally was disappointed, as I had anticipated and looked forward to at least a minimum of gentle "rock and roll" motion that was common in years past in the northern waters in late winter/early spring. Never having been on an actual cruise ship before, I cannot offer any suggestion as to what could be improved. More crew to serve the buffet counters during the day perhaps when there are long lineups waiting at peak times.

Comments By Travis

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

May 2009

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

3

Dining

4

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

3

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The staff was fabulous, remembered our names all over the ship, up to the gal that sold me the accupressure bands, telling me not to bother with the meds. - and she was right, and the guitar player who volunteered to take our picture with our camera with the glacier as a backdrop. I thought the layout of the ship was very good - the NYT crossword puzzle tables with the cleanable glass was a nice touch. I like the way the captain spent time on both sides of the ship at the big glacier, so we could watch it from our stateroom. The mushers camp trip in Juneau was a lot of fun - opened up a world, and puppies, too! The beer was good on board - that surprised me, I'm picky! On the downer side, I was naive, but I believed them when they strongly recommended we listen to the talk about the port visits, and it was a stupid, coersive, infomercial about buying from those international businesses that are in league with the cruise ships. The coffee shop had Chai on the menu but didn't have Chai on board the entire trip. That's all for bad.

Comments By Peggy

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

May 2009

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The crew and personell were the greatest!. They were so polite, friendly and helpful. The food was excellent! Not only the taste but the presentation. We had a variable dinner time and that was fun meeting new people each evening. When they had special events on the Lido deck, it was hard to find the space to eat. I find some people very territorial and not wanting to share their tables. This is not the cruise line's fault! My biggest disappointment was in the activities when we were at sea. I liked the entertainment, the movies, the lectures of the areas and their people, the towel folding, and bingo. My husband was bored so he spent a lot of time and money in the casino. I would like a printed program of the TV movies and more movies. The embarcation and debarcation was done well. The beds were very comfortable. Don't brag arout the down pillows as they had only one in our room and that was in a drawer without a protector case on it. We lucked out on the weather! We saw such beautiful scenery! We have been to Alaska many times, but this was our first on a cruise. We plan to do more cruises in the future as it is just plain easier! I thought the price was very good so for the money, it can't be beat! Thanks for the memories!!!

Comments By Donald

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

11

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Apr 2009

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Cleanliness aboard ship was excellent as were the meals. Our stateroom was well looked after as well. We had an excellent dining room steward and were sorry to see him depart for home at San Diego. He was so thoughtful in many ways and did all in his power to see that we were satisfied with our meals. What we found most notable was the attitude of the crew compared with other lines we have cruised with. Whether it was the room steward or those cleaning areas of the ship we were always greeted with a good morning, How are you today, etc. They were all, without exception, very polite and accommodating. Due to the elimination of the Mexico ports because of the flu, the ships crew from the Captain on down did all in their power to keep us "busy" and happy. They did an excellent job. I am not overly fond of "comedians" and feel this would be my least favorite entertainment. They sometimes use profanity or suggestive material that I dislike. My wife and I prefer musicals, or instrumental performances. On our cruise we had excellent piano and oboe musicians and vocalists who performed uplifting and interesting performances. A complaint--not really, but the music volume by the ships band was at times too loud--but then I am getting older. On the whole, an excellent cruise and we enjoyed ourselves very much.

Comments By Michele

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Apr 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

4

Children's
Activities

3

Public Areas

The islands we visited were beautiful. HMC was extremely impressive. The shows were great. The dining service on the Ledo deck could have been better. The drinks were not always full and you had to hunt for cutlery at times. i know it is to be expected with over 2200 guests but it can be improved. Overall it was excellent.

Comments By Roger

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Apr 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

5

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

great staff, relaxation and lots of things to do for all ages. lots of good food. smaller ship, less people and no long line ups

Comments By Denise

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Apr 2009

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The best thing about my cruise was the group I was with . Most memorable was the Culinary Arts Centre activities and Trivia Challenges. I can't think of anything that needs to be improved. It was a fantastic cruise despite not being able to attend any of the scheduled ports in Mexico.

Comments By Dale

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Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Apr 2009

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Best - service of the staff. Approachable captain and happy staff. Most memorable - the can experience itself. 20 days is a little long;passengers on the old side. It was unfortunate that we got colds for most of the cruise and that the Swine flu stopped us going into the Mexican ports of call - this was no one's fault.

Comments By Peter

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Apr 2009

Destination:

Repositioning

Cruising with Children:

True

0

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

4

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The service, the food, our surprise mystery trip since we couldn't call at any Mexican ports,The Captain's sense of humor The art and drawings around the ship. We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise through the Panama Canal as well as the ports of call. We would probably never have gone to Nicaragua and Guatemala.

Comments By Wes

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Overall Rating 4

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Apr 2009

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Overall this was a very good cruise. This cruise had a change in itinirary due to the Swine Flu outbreak and resultant change was that we didn't go to 3 scheduled Mexican ports. The reasons were self explanatory and the cruise line adjusted by adding a Guatamala port visit, requiring the ship to backtrack and then 4 days at sea to catch up to the schedule. The vast majority of the passengers understood and supported the changes. We had open seating for dining, a concept that has both pros and cons. The pros were that we could eat at any time in the evening with the Head Steward attempting to seat you at various tables of 4 - 10 persons with a chance to meet many interesting fellow travellers. The down side was that we never sat at the same table with the same stewards. There was one occasion where we had the impression that we were forgotten and service was less than the normal high HAL standard. The food in the Lido restaurant was also quite good although the individually prepared omelettes quite often were undercooked at breakfast - read with raw batter. We were blessed with a personable and highly visible Captain who related very well to the passengers, and vice versa. He and the Cruise Director fed of each other in humour resulting in an almost dailly give and take. It provided a very human front to the complex business of running a cruise ship. We would travel again on both this ship and with HAL.

Comments By Trudy

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

6

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Apr 2009

Destination:

Europe

Cruising with Children:

False

3

Dining

3

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

3

Public Areas

This cruise was 2 back to back cruises so the food and entertainment were repeated. It has been a few years since we have sailed with HAL and I think that their overall level of service has gone down. For example, the food was not as good nor as varied as it used to be. The crew were not as attentive or reactive as they used to be. The shows were quite poor and the daily movies were old movies. HAL is embracing the Going Green initative so the sheets and towels were not changed every day. A lot of the small things were missing - such as cotton balls and Q tips is the staterooms. Happy hour was limited to one bar and was at 8pm when we were at dinner. The store shops were dismal. The shore excursions continue to be overly expensive. The chairs, carpets and curtains in the stateroom and common areas were a bit grubby and worn. Overall we had a great time visiting the ports and I would recommend HAL to anyone but I just feel that their level of service has decreased over time. I think next time we cruise that we would upgrade to another cruiseline such as Azamara or Oceania and pay the extra money.

Comments By Kimberley

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

9

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

3

Dining

3

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

2

Public Areas

The Ports of Aruba and Curacao were great! Food on Half Moon Cay I believe is what made me sick. Not sure though Catching Norwalk Virus and becoming violently ill on day one was not a good time, then as a result of more illness, you could not serve yourself at the buffet, have rolls on the table or even salt and pepper shakers. Pool closed for a day due to illness. Isolated to my room for 24 hours. Was nice of them to pay for the visit from nurse and the shots after 5 inquiries as to where my bill was. The best thing about this cruise line is the people. The employees on every level were wonderful, especially in the dining room and the cabin stewards. The price of a pop and alcohol was outrageous. this needs to change. The nightclub for dancing and the casino were a joke and I witnessed casino workers fixing the games. It was so small. The entertainment was minimal on the ship in general. The constant nagging every 2 hours about sanitation and cleanliness was very aggravating. This is cancelled, that is cancelled, got to be very annoying. Yet they offered no compensation for this. I have cruised other lines and this I guess was just not the best line I have travelled with. I would not reccommend this cruise line to people in our age bracket at this present time.

Comments By Arthur

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

7

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

3

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

0

Public Areas

Security sweep of beach at Half Moon Cay brought back lost clothes. Very good. Very enjoyable cruise.

Comments By Marion

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

9

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

3

Dining

4

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

3

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

We had cruised on this very ship last year during the transatlanic crossing ofOct of 2007. We quite like this ship. During our 14 day cruise we had an outbreak of a highly contagious virus, which was handled well by the crew and they were able to stop its spread to other passengers. Although this cruise was advertised as a 14 day cruise, it was actually 2 seven day cruises out of Fort Lauderdale. There were 300 passengers who did both segments. The entertainment for the 2nd week was the exact repeat of the first week. If Holland America advertises the cruise as a 14 day cruise they need to make adjustments to the entertainment. They did do this with the menus. They did adjust the menus to provide variations from one week to the next. The weather was glorious and the people we met were very nice. Overall, we enjoyed the cruise, but will not do a back to back cruise again.

Comments By Marjorie

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

2

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The 2 staff that cared for our stateroom were excellent - totally helpful, friendly and cooperative - as were all the staff I encountered on board. The entertainment was also wonderful and I thought the Westerdam entertainers were of exceptionally high caliber. I enjoyed my breadfast and lunches at the Lido and felt that the activity options were very adequate. And I found that the assortments in the boutique were reasonably priced and great quality. Regretably, I was disappointed with the dining room fare. ( I ate there every night ) I felt that the meals were quite mediocre in taste, presentation and quality. Not what I would have expected on any Cruse line. Some of the cold food was served on 'hot' plates both in the dinning room and in the Lido, i.e., melting ice cream. Also the open seating dining did not work well. We usually had to wait (once it was 45" or more - even though we offered to sit with others. I was also disappointed and dumbfounded that one of the 2 major port days - 'Aruba' was on a day when they were celebrating a holiday and everything was closed! Last but not lease, I contracted the Norwalk Virus two nights before the end of our cruise. Besides loosing an entire day and 2 nights of the cruise, the disembarkment was very chaotic. We were told several stories about when to put our luggage out and ended up hauling them in and out of the cabin more than once. I was starving the morning of departure since I had not eaten in 1 1/2 days. Our breakfast came an hour late and I was told I could not take the time to eat it, and yet when I went to the debarkation floor, we waited about 40" before being allowed to leave the ship. This was my first cruise and of course, it would have been nicer if everything had gone well. I did get a taste of Cruise travel and will certainly do it again. But I will try other Cruise Lines. I also feel that the Cruise Line should offer some compensation for my sick day! and all that I missed ( I had a number of activities planned for my last day aboard). I am careful about hand washing, etc, to begin with it was a major surprise to me to come down with this virus. I am 72 years old, in pretty good condition physically and am thankful that I was able to get off the ship with the help of my friend. - especially since we had a 9 hr drive before arriving at our accommodations that evening. All in all, I feel I had a pleasant voyage.

Comments By Norma

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

4

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Loved having a balcony and being able to sit outside in quiet and privacy. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Our cabin stewards were wonderful especially Doni who was always so cheerful and willing to accomodate whatever the need. Loved the formal evenings, would have them every evening if appropriate. Loved the small touches , the chocolates on the pillow at night, the towel art - every night a surprise as to what little animal/critter would be on the bed when we entered the cabin! The food was great especially at the Pinnacle. Entertainment was every bit as good as what we have at Place des Arts, albeit on a smaller scale. The ship's decor and the flowers were beautiful. And we met some very nice people. The only negatives were the open dinining.- sometimes the wait was up to 45 minutes before we could be seated. The other was the disembarkation. Because my cabin mate got sick the day before we were to disembark we were isolated to the cabin and not able to leave with the regular passengers. There was confusion about the luggage. First we were told to leave it inside the cabin, it would be collected in the morning. Then later we were told to put it outside, then we were called back to be told to bring it back inside! Room service for breakfast had been late and when finally it did come my cabin mate who had been quite sick and was still weak was informed she could not take time to eat because she had to report "immediately" to the A deck. Then once there we had to wait until everyone else who had been sick was gathered together before we could go through customs and leave. When at last we were on the quai, getting everyone's luggage organized was chaotic. While standing around it was extremely windy and chilly which certainly wasn't good for those who were still ill or who had been running a fever. All in all the process was a very disorganized one and put a bit of a damper on the whole experience especially as it was the end of the trip and it being our first cruise. However in the end the positives did outweigh the negatives. I will go on another cruise again but not right away. I'd like to wait a bit until this last part of the cruise ( my cabin mate getting ill and the disembarkation) recedes somewhat from my memory.

Comments By Anthony

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Mar 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

1 -- Relaxation, service, places visited, staff on the ship are first class,spa/fitness is as good as an on land gym 2 -- Size it is not to big or to small just the right size for people of my age but it still has enough variety of things to do for the children that travel on board and that is a bonus. 3 -- I have found that the entertainment on the last two cruies's have not been up tp par as the ones before but that could be just me being fussy. 4 -- Overall it was first class and I will be going again . On a final note as with past years Bob Blake was his very best in helping us and for that I thank him and look forward to sitting down with him soon to book our next cruise.

Comments By James

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Mar 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

This was my first cruise and now the bar is set very high for future ones. It's difficult to choose a favourite thing among the many great elements of this experience, but I found the evening meal and the shows were two things to which I particularly looked forward. I can't speak highly enough about my cabin stewards. I enjoyed the gym, although I didn't spend as much time there as I should have. My fault, not the gym's. Not being a gambler, I was not likely to have used the casino, but this was made certain by the smoking allowed there. Had there been no smoking, I might have tried my hand at a machine, if only to pass the time. As it was, even walking past the casino was unpleasant.

Comments By S & P

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Mar 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

4

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Great ports of Call - beautiful beaches at all three stops, Half Moon Cay, Bahamas, Oranjestaad, Aruba and Willemstad, Curacao. Food was superb! Spa was wonderful and relaxing, especially the hydropool. A wonderful vacation

Comments By Dale

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Feb 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

We enjoyed the open dinner seating option. We don't always want to eat at the same time every day depending on activities. Although we enjoyed some of the chef's specialties, it was nice to be able to order a simply prepared chicken breast or a piece of salmon. The ship was clean and well maintained. Our cabin steward was very attentive. He even added fresh fruit to our basket frequently. We were most impressed with the efficiency and smoothness of the debarkation process. On other cruises it was much more difficult.

Comments By Ronald

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Feb 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Heavy seas-Could not dock Grand Turk nor St Martaan. Ship is not large but suited me. Did not need rock climbing or golf .Food was good and varied .Staff was excellent. First time on HA Lines. Would go with them again.

Comments By Lynn

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Feb 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

2

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

My only fair review goes to the spa/fitness people. These are not hired by Holland America, but are contract people. They push their spa products very hard and to me that detracts from the experience of going for a manicure and pedicure. I'm not sure I'd do it again. We love Holland America and they are our first choice for cruising. Our stateroom steward and dining steward were amazing. The excursions were just OK. Not sure I'd do that in the Caribbean again either. Although we just did a city tour not any scuba or fishing excursions. The Holland America "Half Moom Cay" in the Bahamas was a great experience and was one of our most memorable days. You can't do much about the weather, so you just have to go with the flow and enjoy. We did and had a great time.

Comments By Karen

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

21

# of Cruises Taken:

8

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Feb 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The cruise staff was the best thing I found. On most cruises, I found the staff on debarkation day to be cool and unaccommodating but this cruise was very surprising in this respect. The staff were warm and helpful. Also, on other cruises on debarkation day guests had to wait in public areas and unable to return to their cabins. Surprisingly on this cruise we went for breakfast and were able to leave our carryon's in the cabin and return for it later. The only improvement I could find was that they have more cocktail servers. In some areas there were more than enough, but in others there were none. On previous cruises you practically tripped over them. In some ways the less number of servers is a good thing as you didn't feel pressured into buying a drink.

Comments By Sari

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Jan 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

3

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

3

Public Areas

Great friendly cabin stewards and dining room team. Loved the towel creations! Pools were not so clear (appeared greenish, however did not stop me from swimming.) Not enough activities.. but maybe the nature of this Cruise Line. Middle pool did not have enough lounge chairs but more on the aft deck which was okay. Food fabulous! Not sure if there were smoking rooms, but smelled it near the casino.

Comments By James M

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 2

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

6

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Jan 2009

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

3

Dining

3

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

3

Public Areas

Overall we did not have a great cruise & would not recommend this ship. First of all our room keys would not work & they wouldn't send replacement keys up so so had to go down 8 decks to stand in a long line to get new ones. We then enterered the room & there was a half full bottle of water belonging to the previous occupants. The glass in the bathroom was dirty,there was hairs in the drawer & on the bathroom floor,the mirrors were not cleaned properly & there was medication in the safe beloning to someone else.We went down for dinner that night & it was like a zoo. We were told there would be a 40 min.wait.The next night was no better.There was one big crowd, even though we had reservations some people were getting in before us with no reservations.Some of the staff were not very curteous & almost to the point of being rude. We spoke to other passengers who were of the same opinion & who had been on HAL ships before & said this one was not a good cruise.I don't believe we would book with this company again.

Comments By Sabrina

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 1

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Dec 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

1

Dining

4

Stateroom

1

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

3

Public Areas

I was very disappointed on this cruise. I have have been on a cruise before and was told "you must try Holland America" it has the best service and well worth it. The service was terrible and extremly slow, the staff were rude, didnt have knowledge of any of the menus, the wait times after we sat down and ordered our meals was anywhere from 1-2.5 hrs. The ship in general was extemly disorganized, guests were not made aware of certain ship events, staff didnt seem to have clue what was going on half the time, front office couldnt answer questions. I even overheard staff complaning of the unorganized stuff aboard the ship. I will not cruise with this line again.

Comments By Rosa

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Dec 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

4

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The best was the Half Moon Cay stop- service and beach Dining and entertainment was good,very well organized stops and days at sea. The most memorable was the surcharge for the Fuel -although I was told a month before the cruise - if the price of the oil will be under $70 for 25 days prior to December 9,2008 we get an onboard credit of prepaid at the time of booking $9 per person/per day. The price was around $43,but Holland America Line pocketed our money for the expenses never occurred to them. This looks like a steal I understand the crew of the ship did not have a say on this outcome,but still it leaves a bitter taste about Holland America

Comments By Kathy

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 2

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Dec 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

2

Dining

4

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The best part of our cruise was the cabin steward and the bar staff. The dining room staff were mostly rude and the reservation system was a disaster for diner not correct one single night, No night entertainment unless you wished to just drink after dinner. No nightly movies just a big disappointment all around

Comments By Janet

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Dec 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The colour of the ocean was beautiful The Xmas decorations and trees were beautiful The food was excellent The whole cruise and ports were excellent Can't wait to go back

Comments By Julie

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Dec 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The attention to service was exceptional.

Comments By kirsten

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Dec 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

5

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

We were truly 100% satisfied. The restaurant "Piinnacle Grill" was fabulous (even we had to pay 20,00 Dollars pr.pers/pr.night), and we made reservations 3 nights in a row. Like a castle on the ocean. "Westerdam" is great. Nice that swimmingpools for kids and adults are split up in different sections. Great for all parts. (B u t staff should inform parents, w h e n kids happen to played around in adult section of swimmingpool without their parents, who just watched on distance)....! (Kids are noisy). There is a clear sign on wall: "Only for adults"..... It's so nice, enjoyable and peacefull when respected. It happend ondly one day, but ..... please respect! For sure we want to go on the cruise again!

Comments By Joyce

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Dec 2008

Destination:

Central America

Cruising with Children:

False

3

Dining

5

Stateroom

0

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

The stateroom was very nice. The Neptune Lounge was a very nice addition. The special lunch and cocktails for the suites was very nice. The service/crew people were the nicest we have ever had. Service was impeccable. The dining room was too crowded and there for very noisy. The casino was small and very cold. No one takes heavy sweater or coats on a warm climate cruise. The casino music was of poor selection. I think we will take a larger ship next time.

Comments By catherine

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Nov 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

3

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

1

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Comments By Nelia

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Nov 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The best thing about the cruise was the food The most memorable thing about the ship was food What could improved are sports activities.

Comments By Christine

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Oct 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

3

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The Westerdam was a very nice ship and pleasantly decorated. The only major complaint was that dinner in the dining room took 2 hours or more and sometimes this was too slow to catch the evening show. Often we would leave the dining room without dessert or coffee just to catch the show (the late show was early at 9pm instead of 10pm like Carnival). The service was also very average in the "open dining room". On the positive side, the lounge chairs on the decks were very comfortable and the stateroom was excellent. It almost felt like you were in a normal hotel room, very spacious. The food was very good but I was expecting a bit better from HAL than I had received on Carnival. It was pretty much the same calibre. Other than the stateroom, the other good thing about HAL was their process to get on and leave the ship. It was much better organized than Carnival. The average age of the passengers on my cruise was not as old as I was expecting. The music on board was lively and modern.

Comments By Barry

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Oct 2008

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

3

Public Areas

overall the cruise and staff were excellent

Comments By Maureen

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

8

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Sep 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

the bes part of any cruise is, because the staff is so effecient and friendly, you don't have a thing to worry about. The rroms are always spotless, the meals fantastic, You can do as little or as much activities that you want. My only concern ??? is there is so much waste. I am really into recycling and it seems that I was continually throwing paper into the garbage pail. Everything is dated so cannot be used again. It seems that there is so much paper . I guess that is not a complaint and I do not have any = it was great and look forward to sailing with H A L again.

Comments By Suzanne

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 1

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

19

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Aug 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

2

Dining

5

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Best thing - speed with which you board the ship Cabin upgrade was lovely. Dining in the Pinnacle Grill - Service & Food excellent Dining in the usual dining room - service was inconsistent and food was very ordinary. Cabin key cards regularly did not work for exiting and entering the ship and had to be changed twice. The staff were not particularly polite when the cards didn't work. Smoking was allowed inside the ship (ie. in the casino) and other designated rooms and they smelled of smoke in those areas. We have another cruise booked with H/A for October 2009 from Europe across the Atlantic (16 days) and will be cancelling it.

Comments By Sherry

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Aug 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Compared to a previous cruise, our inside stateroom was excellent. Four times the size we had before. We enjoyed it all but our kids that were 18 and 20 years old didn't find that there was a lot of entertainment to suit them. We would have like to have excursions spread out more instead of 3 days in a row. Also would have liked to spend more time in Victoria. A suggestion would be to stop on the way up.

Comments By Vera

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Aug 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

1. We all really enjoyed the dining room nightly, having a preset time and table. The staff got to know us and knew what we liked and didn't like. For example, after the first night, had iced tea at the table knowing that one of our group liked it during meals and, the wine steward remembered what wines we had ordered and was able to refresh our memory. And, the dining room meal was outstanding, every night. There were six of us in our group so we also enjoyed knowing what time and where we were meeting nightly. Would not like to have 'free style' dining as is the case on some ships. Westerdam Dining Room food and service is exceptional. 2. Did not like the LIDO buffet on the 9th floor of the Westerdam for a number of reasons. The food was, at best, OK, and the hours of 'full' operation, meaning hours that they offered more than pizza and pasta, were only during breakfast, lunch and dinner hours. If one wanted something outside of those hours, one was limited to pizza and pasta and their nightly special at 11PM. It was also very busy there during the main meal hours and staff manning the various locales seemed overwhelmed at times. We did not get a sense of relaxed dining but rather a noisy busy place with lines and overly busy stations. I would compare the LIDO buffet to a roadside buffet stop rather than something one would expect on a luxury cruise ship. The LIDO needs great improvement. 3. Better care should be taken of the luggage. I realize they are handling luggage for 1800+ passengers but, that is what it is and better care should be taken of the luggage. Airports are busy too but manage to do a better job. Our luggage came damaged. 4. Could use more eating options. Dining Room was outstanding, Lido was substandard, Pinnacle Grill was superb but, not exactly a drop-in place. Would be nice to have dessert and ice cream stations, and other food stations located throughout the ship. Room service was readily available but very busy and the room service menu was limited. 5. Non smoking tables and areas in the casino. As it stands, the casino is so smoky that one almost has to be a smoker to enjoy spending any time there. 6. Crowsnet, located on the 10th floor, is perhaps the nicest view area on the ship. It also houses the ships library and a coffee bar. It is unfortunate that it was also used for line dancing, bingo, etc. which greatly deterred from the atmosphere of the room. 7. Loved our suite. Very well thought out, with separate vanity area and good closet space, which was greatly appreciated. Beds were super comfortable.

Comments By Eileen

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

7

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Jul 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

True

4

Dining

4

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

3

Spa/Fitness

3

Children's
Activities

3

Public Areas

We are a family of four and have cruised as a family four times. The staff were helpful and for the most part considerate. The quality of this cruise line has changed since Carnival has taken over. The service level has definately altered. With the inception of the $10 per day per guest, the incentive to provide good service has dropped. Charging $10 per day per guest when they share a stateroom and when some are likely children, is also unreasonable in my opinion. A fixed cabin rate is more appropriate. We did not care for the open seating for dinner, therefore we transferred to a fixed time. The decision was made as we appreciate having the same stewards in the dining room. This also benefits the stewards as they are more likely to receive gratuities. The stewards were attentive and the food was always served at the correct temperature and was beautifully presented. One of the entertainment acts was demeaning to Canadian travellers (the amazing 88's) when they ridiculed our national anthem and made incorrect comments about our economy. This was uncalled for and we made comment right away. We enjoyed the ports of call and definately the scenery! This was our fourth visit to Alaska as we love the people and the place! There is lots to see and do.

Comments By Loyd

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Jun 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

0

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Comments By Kim Elaine

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Jun 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The food and the crew were superb The ship was spotless and the crew was extraordinary. We really enjoyed our excursions and would definitely return to Alaska Coffee was terrible!

Comments By Steven

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Jun 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Your cruise was a wonderful way to gain bonding and experience with friends. We six stayed together most of the time, speaking Japanese and playing cards when not doing something. The culinary demos were great. The land tours were eventful, rich experiences. The weather was virtually tropical! The service, the facilities were supported by a warm and attentive staff. Perhaps my most memorable conversation was with Paul Cocker, a marine engineer and the Facilities Manager. Special thanks go to Marcell and Marjorie of the Front Desk for facilitating this meeting. On a rare and other note, passenger dockside check-in in Seattle was particularly chaotic, with contradicting notions about who should go where. Most staff seemed not to know what "Green Card Holder" status means. As an American, it was an embarrasing display of lack of training and poor oversight. This initial poor impression was quickly overcome by the magnificance of the cruise. Thank you for you help in making this all happen.

Comments By Wendy

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

May 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

3

Public Areas

All the staff were exceptional. Cheerful, helpful, professional, just the best in every way. The food in both the buffet and the restaurant was very good, except for the desserts which were just okay. The coffee was also just okay not very good. I missed having a real Library, as there was no where peaceful with a view to read or spend a little quiet time, I was lead to believe there was a real Library, the Erasmus, but when we got on board it had been turned into yet another shop and the library moved to the observation deck with internet access and a cafe, certainly not a quiet place. besides that it was a wonderful cruise and I would certainly recommend it to everyone! Thank You!

Comments By DEBORAH

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

May 2008

Destination:

Alaska

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Overall, a wonderful cruise. Things that could be improved on (not that they were bad, just that the other cruises had better) 1. Bed linens. Some small holes in the sheets. Pillows were not the best. Down duvets are offered on Celebrity, which was wonderful. 2. Spa amendities. Conditioner and brushes, razers and "niceties" were available on Celebrity. None on Holland America. 3. Soft drinks should not be charged for. Just an annoyance! 4. Front desk seemed a bit frazzeled and impatient. They knew the answers, but if we asked, we didn't! And no, it wasn't obvious. Room service was a very nice touch, and enjoyable fruit in the rooms was great!

Comments By Sandra

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

16

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Apr 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

-excellent selection on menu -very friendly, efficient staff -not enough selection of dancing venues -disco was very smokey

Comments By Sue-Lynn

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Apr 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

3

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

3

Public Areas

Notwithstanding the average age on the ship was younger than I expected, the planned activities and entertainment were geared to a more senior crowd. If you are content with bingo, puzzles and movies, then you should be fine. The food and the service were good but not more luxurious than on Carnival. My expectation was that Holland America would be more upscale. Other than the beautiful staterooms on the Westerdam, the rest of the experience was comparable with Carnival.

Comments By Heidi

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Apr 2008

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

4

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Best thing: food and international clientele. Traversing the Panama Canal is definitely a trip of a lifetime and for this reason attracts a lot of seasoned cruisers. Holland Caters to a senior crowd, and a trip of this length (15 days) does not appeal to families or most young people because of other obligations. Most Memorable about the ship: Have added culinary centers and invited chefs. This activity is very popular. The ship is large and elegant. Most of the staterooms have verandas. The entertainment was good and the Cruise Director was able to pinch-hint when someone didn't show up. Some of the ports of call were awesome, others could have been skipped. What could be improved: skip Port of Chiapas which is not able to cope at this time with a vessel the size of the Westerdam. The ship ran out of staple foods such as skim milk, lemons, tomatoes,bananas, and lettuce a few days before we docked in San Francisco. HAL should have made arrangements to restock in Costa Rica and or Acapulco where these are plentiful.

Comments By Jennifer

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Apr 2008

Destination:

Repositioning

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

3

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The Best thing was the ports of call and being able to disembark in Victoria stress free. The ship's captain was amazing and the cruise director the best we have ever know. All the activities, food, contests, were excellent and we were very well looked after in every way. The most memorable thing was going through the Panama Canal and swimming off the catamaran at Huataluco, Mexico and the beautiful resort at Half Moon Cay with the turquoise, warm water. Since the majority of passengers disembarked in San Diego we all felt that it would have been great P.R. for Holland America to upgrade us to an outside cabin for the remaining 3 days as no new passengers could be taken on and the ship was half empty. We inquired but were denied.

Comments By Beverly (Jean)

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

2

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Apr 2008

Destination:

Panama Canal

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

We were traveling with great friends and the weather (and seas) were great. Everything went very smoothly with flights and connections and getting on the ship, etc. Staff and crew were great, but we did get conflicting information before and during the trip that was a bit frustrating. The Cruise Director, Jason, was great as was the Captain - they were comical and always visible and approachable. Overall a wonderful, relaxing holiday. Jean

Comments By Donald

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 3

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

2

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

The best thing with Holland American is their cabins, they are larger than other cruise lines. All other aspects of the cruise experience were similar and comparable to other cruise lines - Princess and Royal Caribbean. All crew services were Very Good to Excellent, however food could do with improvement - inconsistent portion sizes, cool/cold vegetables-especially potatoes both for breakfast and at dinner. On several occasions what was ordered for dinner is not what was delivered - communication difficulties. We were expecting something more special based on comments we had received prior to the trip regarding HAL's reputation.

Comments By Anthony

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

This is our third cruise with this line and to date we are very happy with them so much so that we have booked up agian to go next year. Both my wife and I like to have a good time and enjoy ourselves we also like quiet time Holland America gives us that, if we want to party we would use one of the other cruise lines. As with any travel sevice is the key Holland America go out of there way too make sure you are content and happy with the cruise and that is a bonus for all. Now with memerios of my last cruise on my mine I look forward to next years. Thank you

Comments By Danny

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

65

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Mar 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

3

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

It was a great cruise and good ship. Very similar layout to the Oosterdam. The crew did a great job in providing service and entertainment. The accommodations were very good. A few of the off shore tours we took were not as good as we expected, especially the Grand Turk Experience, there were too many hazards. The Historic Nature walk at Half Moon Cay was not too exciting.

Comments By Victoria

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

0

Stateroom Type:

Oceanview

Sailing Month:

Mar 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

5

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

We had a great trip. The cruise was wonderful and the very relaxing. Vicky

Comments By Bruce

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Feb 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Comments By Richard

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Inside

Sailing Month:

Jan 2008

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

4

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Had a great time, everything went very well, not one problem. The ship was huge and very well laid out. The weather was very nice but the water a bit choppy, never missed a meal though.

Comments By Michel

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

7

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Dec 2007

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Staff were excellent. Half Moon Key was very beautiful, we could have spent longer there. The only sort of detriment was that the passengers on board were much older than us and they were cartered to more in that age group.

Comments By Christine

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

15

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Dec 2007

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Comments By Elaine

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

8

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Dec 2007

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Overall this was a very pleasant experience. First time away at New Year's, a fun celebration. The staff were extremely polite and helpful. Our room steward was amazing. We will certainly cruise again with Holland America. A very professional company with lots of experience making people feel like No. 1.

Comments By Kenneth

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

1

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Nov 2007

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

5

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

We had the most wonderful cruise. The day after we got home, my husband asked me now I would describe the cruise in one word. His was "Undescribable". The ship was so incredibly beautiful. One can't imagine how beautiful it is until you actually see it for yourself. We spent the whole week finding wonderful spots to enjoy. The food was out of this world. The variety, presentation and taste was exquisite. The entertainment on board was very good. We didn't miss one performance. And we took in quite a few shows in the smaller lounges. All top caliber. The Dutch Dessert Extravagance was really a delightful presentation. Such a lot of work. The chocolate creations were truly works of art. We really enjoyed all the ports of call. We went on a snorkelling adventure that was an experience of a lifetime. The islands were beautiful. The crew!! Everyone on board was so friendly. Holland America should be so proud of their staff. Our dining stewards "Romi & Awang" and wine steward "Anna" were delightful people. We had such fun with them. My husband celebrated his birthday while on board. He received balloons on our stateroom door, a cake for dessert and the stewards sang happy birthday to him. We had a balcony stateroom. When we first started planning our cruise we thought we didn't need the balcony stateroom. When a flash five sale came up and we had the chance to have the balcony room we took itl What a wonderful decision that was. It was fabulous. Sitting out on the balcony having coffee, breakfast or a beer was so special. It was so nice to sit on the balcony and watch the islands come into sight. Our stateroom steward "Judd" was such a joy. He called me by name from the moment we met. Our room was immaculate, the towel animals were such fun. Judd always asked if we were having a good time, was interested in what we had done that day, and always asking if we needed anything. BRAVO!!!!!!!! The attention to detail is Holland America's motto and they carry it to the utmost. I can't wait to go again, and when we do cruise again, it will be with Holland America. I realize we paid for the chance to be pampered and spoiled for a week, but I still feel the need to say Thank-You Holland America. Ken & Bonnie Robbins

Comments By Aly

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Nov 2007

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

4

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

0

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Average age was about 70 years old - and so there wasn't as many activities as one would expect with a younger demographic. Overall excursions were extremely good - well handled, good tour operators etc. Embarkation and disembarkation - smoothest I've had on 5 cruises.

Comments By Donald

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

4

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Nov 2007

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

True

5

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

3

Spa/Fitness

2

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Comments By Mike

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

0

# of Cruises Taken:

3

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Nov 2007

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

5

Dining

0

Stateroom

4

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

5

Public Areas

Comments By Marion

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

7

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Oct 2007

Destination:

Repositioning

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

3

Entertainment

3

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

This was our first cruise with Holland America and I have to admit that we were somewhat surprised and disappointed. We had expected to have superior shows, dining, exercise facilities and even tours. We could not help comparing somewhat unfavourably to our previous experiences with Princess where the shows had a lot of variety and choice, the food (especially on our last cruise with them) was excellent, the fitness rooms were up-to-date and more than adequate, and the tours were 1st class. The personnel on Holland America were more than accomadating and we would rate them highly. We did, though miss the international flavour of the Princess staff although some countries were well represented. The overall age of the cruisers was (although not unexpected) rather old. We like the spread of age groups on Princess. The age of the people on this ship could have been because of the length and the time of the year. Many, because of their advanced years had trouble keeping up on tours and slowed the tours considerably. Boarding and deboarding with Holland America was a very pleasant experience and I have to give them top marks for this. Saying all of this, we did enjoy our experience of a lengthier cruise, combined with a peep of Europe. We have decided to go with other lines and not Holland America.

Comments By Miles

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 4

Age:

36

# of Cruises Taken:

5

Stateroom Type:

Suite

Sailing Month:

Oct 2007

Destination:

Caribbean

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

4

Stateroom

0

Entertainment

4

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

Comments By Thomas

View Reviewer Details

Overall Rating 5

Age:

51

# of Cruises Taken:

9

Stateroom Type:

Balcony

Sailing Month:

Oct 2007

Destination:

Transatlantic

Cruising with Children:

False

4

Dining

5

Stateroom

2

Entertainment

3

Spa/Fitness

0

Children's
Activities

4

Public Areas

This was the second segment of our three "back to back to back" cruises on the Westerdam. My comments are echoed from the first (10 day ) segment. We would like to see an itinerary from HAL that provides more time in several of the significant ports. eg Rome.....Santorini, Florence, Monte Carlo, Marseille, Barcelona Valenica and surprisingly Ponta Delgada ,Portuguese Azores. Staff of the Westerdam continued their exceptional service on the 16 day segment.

Comments By Thomas</