ms Maasdam

Reviewer Ratings

3/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Holland America's Rotterdam Holiday Sailing roundtrip Hawaii

Hawaii - 1/2012

The Rotterdam has some very good attractions. This cruiseship offers a very solid Premium Cruise experience. 

My opinion of HAL's Rotterdam is that it offers a very solid premium cruise experience.

The positives: The public areas of the ship are very attractive. The bars and lounges offer very good lounge style entertainment. The staterooms are comfortable and have ample space. They are not luxurious but they are comfortable. The food in the dining room was good if you know how to order. Keep it simple and choose things that require braising or slow cooking.The wine offerings were good although expensive.

The negatives: The service is lax and random. Some of the crew tries hard but the service is very inconsistent and lacks management. They have good ideas but they are not implemented (managed) properly.  

Pros: Public areas, lounge entertainment, cabins, dining room

Cons: lacks management, random and inconsistent service.

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Christmas Cruise

Mexico - 12/2011

What a great way to spend the Holiday!

24Dec11 - Holland America "Oosterdam" 7day Mexico Cruise

The cruise departed out of San Diego for a 7 day Mexican Riviera Cruise.  The embarkation process was very organized and easy, we were onboard in no time.  Our cabins were ready as soon as we boarded.  We took a quick look around the ship and when we returned to our cabins our luggage had already arrived.  The ship was all decorated for Christmas and quite festive.  Even though the ship was 100% full, it didn't seem crowded.  We made a visit to the Spa and scheduled our spa treatments for the week right away.  The Spa is really nice and all of our treatments in the coming week were enjoyable.

The food in the Lido dining room, was only average, but the Dining Room was excellent.  The Pinnacle Grill was beyond excellent.  Also room service was very good. 

I was very impressed by the beds and the bedding in my cabin.  My bed was one of the most comfortable and cozy of any ship that I have ever sailed on, and I'm pretty picky about my bed.  Also my cabin was very quiet.

Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas were our port visits.  The weather this time of year is perfect, not too hot, and not humid at all, about 75 to 80 degrees. Coming and going from the ship in both ports were also very organized and easy. 

The Casino and the Bars were all hopping every night, so it was a very festive atmosphere.  But not so crowded that you couldn't find a place to sit and enjoy yourself.

Holland America really knows what they are doing.  Departing the ship was also a breeze.  They are just so organized about everything!

All in all, a Holiday cruise with friends or family is a great option if you want to travel that time of the year.  I would definitely go again!

Pros: Well run ship!

Cons: Lido Restaurant

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Holland America Maasdam Canada/New England October 2011

Canada/New England - 10/2011

We cruised on Holland America’s newly renovated Maasdam from Montreal to Boston, a pleasant 7-day itinerary that left October 1, 2011, returning October 8, 2011.  
 

This cruise was certainly an experience.   On the one hand, we had this fabulous ship, newly renovated and updated.  On the other hand, we were plagued with bad weather. 

We left Montreal in a pouring rain.  Quebec was so windy you were nearly blown off the top of the hill.  But then Halifax was even worse!  Not only was it windy, it was COLD!  Oh, and did I mention the hurricane?   Yes, we skipped our port on Cape Breton and spent the day rockin’ and a rollin’ as we hugged the coast of Nova Scotia, and hugged anything firmly fixed to the walls as we made our way around the ship.

But other than that, a good time was had by all.  We were all snug and well attended to aboard our ship.   The service was quite outstanding from every level.  We were always received with a smile and many went well above the call of duty to make the passengers feel extra special.  One in particular needs to be noted:  a woman who worked in the Oceans lounge.  I was collecting the cordial glasses that were complimentary when you ordered an aperatif.  I wanted a complete set, one of each color.  She made a point of saving them for me throughout the cruise to be sure I would not have duplicates.  And on the last night, she outdid herself by even finding me a box to carry them home! 

We expected the food to be good but it proved better than anticipated, not just in the specialty restaurants but in the dining room as well.   To start off our journey on a good note, we began with a night at the Pinnacle Grill.  VERY nice!   The meat was done perfectly, as well as the prawns. As the week progressed, we found this same level of quality almost nightly.  The only night that did not measure up was the second formal night when I ordered the filet mignon with the lobster tail.  It was fine, but not what I had become accustomed.  And I must excuse myself as a judge as I live in Maine, a 15 minute walk to the fish market on the wharf.   I am probably a little hyper-picky when it comes to lobster.  Everyone else was certainly enjoying it!

Ah, the shows!  Here was another fun surprise.  We attended most of them and some we of course enjoyed more than others. But we were impressed by the overall quality of the productions and the downright talent exhibited on the HAL stage.  The absolute hands-down favorite was “Encore,” a collection of stage favorites, that was the talk of the ship all the next day.  Also of note was “Bob Mackie’s Broadway,” with the music complimented by fabulous Mackie-designed gowns.  Good for light entertainment but not great was Road House, a show that could not decide if it wanted to be rock-n-roll or country and did not quite make either.

The ports were a roundup of the usual suspects for a Canada/New England cruise.  Montreal is a bustling, trendy urban center, full of students from McGill University.  It has a respectable assortment of fine restaurants, galleries and shops large and small.  Its old town is small enough to be walkable and large enough to occupy a good part of the pre-cruise day.   Quebec is magical even in gale-force winds.   Prince Edward Island is well located for any cruise itinerary in this region.  However, it does not have much to offer in terms of tourist attractions.  As a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables, I overly anticipated my first visit there, but became disillusioned by midday.  Local folks were clearly making quite a stretch to make something real that really wasn’t.  Fiction is fiction, and trying to design and decorate a house according to a book came off contrived.  But we did visit places that were the inspiration for the novels so I took some value in that.

Our Cape Breton stop did not materialize as noted above.  So we all waited out the storm patiently and our arrival in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Here we journeyed to Peggy’s Cove, a gorgeous little coastal village, and crammed into the gift shop/restaurant with the dozens of other tourists who did not care to venture outside in the freezing cold and wind.  We warmed ourselves with tea and gingerbread, one of the specialties of the area, and picked up some souvenirs.

Then finally, finally, the weather began to change!   We arrived in Bar Harbor on a lovely sunny, clear day.  Not hot, but not cold either and we were all joyous as we tendered to the town for a day of sightseeing, shopping, and seeking out the perfect lobster rolls. 

By the time we reached Boston and the end of our cruise, an autumn “heat wave” had come in and temperatures climbed to over 80 degrees! 

I have heard that the following week was spectacular throughout the whole region, with perfect, HOT weather, and an ocean smooth as glass!  C’est la vie!

Summing up the cruise, Holland America did a great job.   People were happy on board and went home feeling good about the cruise line.

Pros: Great ship, excellent food, wonderful service and fabulous shows

Cons: Weather and other things outside of Holland America's control

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Canada/New England Cruise

Canada/New England - 9/2011

Overall a wonderful experience on the HAL Eurodam cruising to Canada/New England.  I would highly recommend the ship and itinerary.  The best onboard Entertainment that I have experienced on any cruise line.  Wonderful delicious food throughout the sailing.  Good variety of food at meals.

Pros: Entertainment and Food was the best

Cons: More staff helpfulness in disembarking ship at ports.

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Zuiderdam Aug 13-20, 2011 Alaska

Alaska - 8/2011

Host Report on Zuiderdam  Aug 13-20, 2011 Alaska

Pros: Noted in body of review

Cons: Noted in body of review

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Scandinavia & Baltic Cruise 8/12-24/2011

Scandinavia/Baltic - 8/2011

The ports of call on this itinerary are among my favorite ports.  Each capital city has its own unique ambiance and the history in each is truly fascinating.  On board the Eurodam, the dining and service was very good, but the show lounge entertainment was not up to some expectations.

The Baltic itinerary is overall a great itinerary.  Copenhagen and Helsinki are wonderful capital cities to visit and very easy to get around.  With having to tender in at Nynashamn, Stockholm is a bit more difficult at an hour's drive away, but well worth seeing this beautiful city.  Tallinn is absolutely charming with its old city flavor and it is very easy to just walk around Tallin on your own.  Warnemunde, of course, is the port for a visit to Berlin and most folks took one of the many Berlin options that were offered.  These tours made for a long day, but all seemed to thoroughly enjoy their visit to Berlin.  Warnemunde itself is a charming seaside town - very easy to walk around and you can even stick your feet in the Baltic Sea if you wish! 

St. Petersburg, of course, is the gem.  There is so much to see and do there, that it is impossible to do it all in two days.  Most folks tried to pack it all in (three tours in one day) and by the end of the day they were so tired and hungry, I'm not sure that they really enjoyed themselves.  Travelers must be made aware of the fact that the traffic in St. Petersburg is terrible and it does take some time to get on and off of the ship due to the Russian Border Patrol (you get stamped in and out every time you go ashore and when you come back to the ship).  Between this and the traffic, some excursions departed late or returned late, leaving very little turn-around time for the folks doing multiple excursions.

About a year ago, Holland America decided to do away with the trays in the Lido Restaurant.  I found this to be problematic as the guests had to make multiple trips to the buffet lines and/or beverage stations to get their selections.  On several occasions, I would leave my table to get something and come back to find that my table had been cleared, including my flatware.  This happened even if I left signs that I was not finished with my meal.  I have commented on this to our HAL Sales Rep.

The dining and service in the main restaurant was very good.  I don't think that they have as many offerings as in years past, but what was on the menu was very good and the service provided allowed for a leisurely meal without taking an enormous amount of time. 

Several clients felt that the show lounge entertainment was not up to what it used to be on HAL.  There were several singers and musicians offered, but not of the caliber expected.  I will say that the piano player in the Piano Lounge was fantastic.  He had a packed house every night.  If anything, HAL needs to make the Piano Lounge larger.  Also, HAL offered a movie (The King's Speech) one night in the show lounge, as well as two themed evening dinner parties poolside.  Everyone enjoyed these options.

Pros: Overall itinerary, main dining room, smaller entertainment venues

Cons: Lack of trays in the Lido, quality of show lounge entertainment

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Venice roundtrip to Greece and Turkey and Croatia

Venice roundtrip to Greece & Turkey - 7/2011

Holland America provided a truly wonderful cruise to Split, Greece and Turkey.  The staff was great and they definitely paid attention to detail and it was definately important that the passengers enjoyed themselves and were happy.

I have been on Holland America before and had sailed a very similar itinerary.  The Nieuw Amsterdam is a larger ship and I did notice differences since the last time I sailed. 

I thought that the food was excellent and I enjoyed the Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind Restaurant as well as Canaletto.  In the main dining room they offer first, second and open sitting.  Open sitting is not very organized and we had a hard time getting a reservation for any time other than 5:30pm.  If you didn't have a reservation you needed to show up and they would give you a buzzer and sometimes a wait of up to an hour.  There were a lot of passengers upset about the way that was handled.

The itinerary was fantastic.  I know that the majority of the passengers wanted basic city tours in most of the ports but I think that some excursions with a bit more adventure in mind might be worth adding. 

Pros: The staff.

Cons: The coffee was horrid!!

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Alaska Hosted Cruise

Alaska - 7/2011

Travel agent and clients have a wonderful first time Holland America experience.

From my first impression upon arrival at the port in Seattle with the check-in procedure to my easy working relationship with the staff; everything went as smoothly as it could. 

The Shore Excursions staff were always friendly and helpful.

The different activities onboard ship were numerous and varied enough to offer something for everyone.  I tried everything from the Cooking Class to the Pinnacle Grill Le Circque dinner and was never disappointed.  I will be highly recommending both to my clients.

Holland America has a very satisfied new customer and one who will be able to speak from experience now on the value and service this cruise line offers.

Pros: Wonderful staff onboard to work with---the best yet!

Cons: None

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

VEENDAM

South America and Cape Horn - 2/2011

This vessel does not show her age at all. In spite of having sailed some 15 years, the VEENDAM is spotless. The crew is constantly scrubbing, polishing and keeping her lovely looking.

One more evening  Broadway type  show would have been welcome.

Pros: A very good value for the money.

Cons: There are none.

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Circle Hawaii 14 Day Cruise

Hawaii - 11/2010

Overall an excellent experience from the moment you arrive on the ship until the moment you disembark upon its return. Staff is very personable and at all times makes certain that the client's immediate needs are met and corrects any problems to satisfaction without any second guessing.

The 14 day Circle Hawaii cruise that sails round trip from San Diego is a very relaxing and stress free way to see the Hawaiian Islands. The smaller size Zaandam ship allows for several members of the crew aside from your cabin steward, dinning room waiters  to know you by name. I found this to be very warm and gracious as several times, we were greeted and spoken to directly by our names by members of the activities team and the front desk staff. The staff at the ship's photo studio also spoke with us personally by name and inquired several times as to how we were enjoying the cruise.

We had a FANTASTIC and memorable dinner one night inside the specialty restaurant "Pinnacle Grill". I don't know how Holland America can serve such bountiful and gourmet type meals like they do for the mere price of just $20.00 per person. I would HIGHLY recommend that you eat at the Pinnacle Grill at least one time during your cruise. It is well worth the price. You will not regret it!We enjoyed the experience so much that we returned another day and ate lunch with them. The cover charge for lunch is $10.00 per person, but again the service and warm personalized attention the staff in the Pinnacle Grill provide are worth it!!

Other nights the entree selections in the main Rotterdam Dinning Room along with the service is great. If you want more than one appetizer or dessert all you do is ask .

The nightly shows in the main theatre are lively, colorful and extremely entertaining. I could not believe that there was a new and different show every night of the cruise. I thought that given the cruise length of 14 days that possibly one or two shows would be repeated, but NO. As a matter of fact, the series of theme shows with the cast of the Zaandam singers and dancers is unbelievable. The energy and enthusiasm they deliver in those shows makes you want to get out of your seat and join them on stage.

The only CON I can think of for this entire cruise is the time that you are given to spend in each island port. Except for Honolulu where you have ALL DAY, the other island ports offer you limited time. If you elect to do shore excursion, it leaves you little time to go back out and explore more on your own. It would be nice if one of the other island ports, possibly Maui or the Big Island had the ship staying in port overnight. I realize this might be hard on Maui, seeing that you use the tender boats to get to shore, but on the Big Island, after you leave the Hilo port, you could sail over to the Kona port in the evening and drop anchor there the next day.

Pros: Wide selection of entrees at all meals; Complimentary culinary and digital photo studio classes

Cons: Not enough time on some of the Islands. The long "at sea" days on the way back to San Diego

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

What a Beauty!

Alaska - 8/2010

The Signature of Excellence at its best! 

    What a joy it was to experience Holland America Line as it used to be some 15 years ago.  I have to say that Holland America Line became somewhat mass market some years ago but that has all changed and they really excel at providing their Signature of Excellence.  Everything about the Rotterdam was wonderful.  The service was exceptional, the food was outstanding and the overall experience was awesome. 

     Our stateroom was spacious, well appointed and very comfortable.  We seldom saw our room steward but everything was always perfect.

     We ate in the dining room most of the time because it was great.  The breakfast menu was unbelievable with its extensive choices.  There were over 25 varieties of breakfast foods.  I cannot say enough about the dining.  The highlight of our dining experience was the Winemakers Pinnacle Luncheon, which was part of our cruise package.

     One of the things that we've gotten away from over the years of cruising was the nightly entertainment.  NOT SO on this ship!  All I can say is wow - wow - and wow!  The variety, versatility and talent of the entertainers was a joy to enjoy!

     The cooking demonstration was another highlight of the cruise.  So interesting, entertaining & delicous!

     One point I'd like to express also is the size of the Rotterdam.  With only 1200 passengers it is so easy getting around - no crowds, on & off the ship was easy & no lines to wait in.  Marvelous!

     I could go on and on but I think you can tell I really enjoyed the Rotterdam and highly recommend it.

Pros: Service, dining & entertainment

Cons: Can't think of any

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Inside passage, Alaska, 7 Day cruise

Alaska, Inside passage - 8/2010

Loved the itinerary.

embarkation and disembarkation were very efficient, kudos for that.

The ship is a bit dated, especially the dining area-would certainly recommend a more updated look throughout.

Dining, food in the dining room was good, and special requests were attended to.The price for bottled wine was excessive and the wine list  unimaginative. there should be better wines at an affordable price and more extensive selection in that category.

The food in the Lido was less satisfactory, especially at non-dining times. Liked the Canaletto restaurant-when I finally found it!

the Stateroom was adequate in size, but also could use updating, would have liked some more amenities, such as a sewing kit. I only did 2 small shore excursions, they were satisfactory.

I never saw any security personel, although I was mostly roaming the ship-nothing went wrong, as far as I could tell, but in today's circumstances, I would have liked to know, that there was some security. Maybe its so there, just not visible?

Pros: Itinerariy, size

Cons: old,dated ship interior

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Zuiderdam Alaska Sailing

Alaska - 8/2010

Pros: Food and Service everywhere on the ship

Cons: None that I can think of.

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Nieuw Amsterdam

Spain, Greece, Croatia and Italy - 8/2010

Mega ship, size, customer satisfaction, food and service

Holland America has changed my mind about large ship cruising.  The concerns were: disembarking in ports, reboarding times with lines.  The ship has this operation down to a science.  Customers pick up boarding cards and wait in the comfort of their cabin or lounge until called..The experience was startling, no line...off the ship in minutes.

Expecting crowds at meals never occurred, even for the anytime dining...longest wait was 10 minutes, champagne was served with that wait time.

The front desk was amazing, so helpful with small details and BIG ones too.

Service was extremely well done...Applause to the entire staff!!!!

Pros: Lovely public areas, well designed staterooms, restrooms large and fairly well lit.

Cons: FREE shuttles did not meet the returning passengers in a timely manner or not at all.

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Scottish Seranade (12 Days around the United Kingdom)

United Kingdom - 8/2010

Very Port intensive Itinerary covering the United Kingdom. This Trip covered Hundreds of Years of History in Ireland, Scotland & England.

This was a very well thought out Itinerary offered by Holland America Line.

The varied ports of call covered the majority of the Untied Kingdom. A lot of people look at the United Kingdom as England which is wrong. The United Kingdom is comprised of several countries. Guernsey in the channel Islands, Northern Ireland, Scotland , Wales & England . Ruled by the British Monarchy 

But have some self rule. Each Country has its own National Flag & National Anthem.

Holland America Lines handled embarkation & Disembarkation perfectly in Rotterdam & all of the ports of call along the route.

The real Highlight  of the trip was attending the Edinburgh Military Tattoo the the massed pipe bands of the Scottish Regiments.

This was a very memorable trip for all the Guests on board the Westerdam.

A foot note . Two Thirds of the Guests on Board were Dutch so the primary language used was Dutch & the Secondary Langue was English. 

Pros: Great Itinerary ,Shuttles provided for a fee from the Ships Location to City Centers

Cons: Tendering ,This was difficult for some Guest's & some time a longer wait to disembark & embark

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

10 day Rome Empire 8/19/2010

Rome - 8/2010

We had a wonderful time. Everyone on board the ship was outstanding. The food was excellent. The ship was very clean. The extra care given to keep the germ level down was noticeable and appreciated.

I would have appreciated free water in the stateroom either by pitcher or bottled water. I would have liked to see more destination narration.  We did have a lecturer on board but I found her not spending enough time on critical points of interest.  Would like to see smoking banned or given only limited areas of the ship.  One evening I believe it was for a special function in the queens lounge it was so smokey you couldn't walk through that deck without coughing.

I would have liked to be able to get a cup of coffee in more convenient places.  Only found it in the dining area and the one coffee shop. They needed to have larger glasses for iced tea.  I found the shops on board did not provide good quality merchandise. On the nights they were promoting Items from Turkey & Italy they didn't have much but they already had put merchandise out for Spain which we were not going to.  Realizing that was part of the next cruise itinerary but I think they should wait and put that out when they are already there.

My beverage package never got delivered.  They researched it with Seattle office but did not get an answer until the last few days of the cruise.  Some how it did not get processed.  Although it gave me a total and said it was ordered.  I think Holland's web site times out and maybe that is what happened.  It just didn't tell me that.

Pros: food, service, staff

Cons: on board lecturer, on board store

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

What a cruise

Alaska - 8/2010

Holland America's ship the Oosterdam has it all. Beauty and dignity everywhere!

Holland America was a nice surprise for me.  I have sailed many times on many lines and had shied away from Holland. No specific reason.  But I cannot tell you how glad I am that I finally went.  The service was some of the best I think I have ever experienced.  From the room steward up to the Maitre D there was no one on this ship that did not stop and say hi and ask how you are. That made you feel wanted.

My cabin was a partially obstruced view and I was shocked when I arrived.  I had a window from floor to ceiling and wall to wall.  Just like a balcony door but just a window!!!  We did have a partial view of a lifeboat but still there was plenty of room to see past that and enjoy the ocean.

The bathroom was much larger than most ships in that category of cabins.  They even had a bathtub.

There were 3 closets.  Plenty for us and possibly more if needed.  Lots of shelf space.  Not to many drawers but the shelves helped.

The lighting at the desk was not the greatest for fixing your hair and or makeup but that is where the hair dryer was.  So I made do and did just fine.

The first night in the cabin the A.C. was not working and so they brought us a fan and they continued to work on it until it was fixed, which was around midnight.

I really don't think I could have asked for anything that they could not bring me or fix for me etc.  Such an awesome crew. 

The dining was second to none.  I loved every meal and I loved that they were nice size meals. Not an over abundance of any thing.

The open seating for dinner was especially nice.  The first night we really enjoyed our waiter and so we made reservations each night to be at any one of his tables.  We got the same table 4 nights and it was pretty special.

We at at the buffet for breakfast and I was pleasantly surprised as to the freshness of everything and it all had great flavor.  Most buffets get bland and old after a while but not on the Oosterdam.

The burgers and the taco bar were excellent as well.  And the ice cream every afternoon. YUMMMMMY

Thank you for a memorable cruise.

Pros:

Cons:

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Westerdam

Norwegian Fjords - 7/2010

The overall cruise experience was quite good.

The Westerdam is run with much efficiency.  The staff is friendly and quite helpful.  Any questions and/or concerns were answered quickly and to our satisfaction.

In working with the food and beverage manager, the head of dining, the shore excursion team and the hotel manager, we were very pleased with their prompt and courteous assistance.

There are some parts of the ship which need a bit of a lift.  The lounge chairs near the elevators seemed out of date and worn and looked as though they came from Tijuana!  They looked oriental, but the "boys" at either end of the lounger were worn and gaudy looking.

All other areas were nicely appointed.

The check-in procedures in Rotterdam were less than satisfactory.  People were literally both coming and going and one had to be very careful with the luggage that it went on the ship instead of leave the ship! However, the embarkation staff did their best to see that everyone got to where they belonged.

Pros: Great staff, good itinerary, clean ship, very health conscious

Cons: Buffet never changed, food was mediocre, some furniture needed to be replaced. The Ship entertainment group was not up to the quality of Holland America Cruises.

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Alaska 7 day Inside Passage

Alaska - 7/2010

Beautiful scenery, great staff. The very best way to see Alaska.

White Pass train ride excellent from Skagway - recommend it for anyone. Mysty Fords scenic flight - truly amazing. Excursions desk most helpful. Ask for Debbie.

Pros: Ship food great, staff wonderful, Beautiful scenery

Cons: My Deck had a air conditioning problem

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Inside passage from Seattle

Alaska Inside Passage - 7/2010

This was a nice itinerary with stops in Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, a lovely day cruising Glacier Bay. The last port stop in Victoria is at night and not long enough to see this beautiful city as it leaves you wanting to return again for a longer stay.

The Zaandam is a nice size ship for this itinerary. There are several public areas and an open deck for good views of the glaciers and a chance to whale watch on board. A good area to read and relax with a nice latte is the Explorer's Cafe. Though the staff was friendly, I did note a drop in service from my last experience on Holland America. Cabin stewards took longer to make up cabins and there were less staff available to assist in the Lido Restaurant by the pool areas. This is no doubt due to the economy and the line's need to make some cuts.

The food was good but not great in the Dining room. There was often a wait for open dining. The wait staff did their best to be attentive and friendly. The new Caneletto restaurant is a nice alternative dining option for some good Italian cuisine.

Entertainment was great in the small lounges allowing for nice after dinner cocktails for those who prefer a relaxed atmosphere over the big shows in the theatre. The casino is a challenge if you are a non-smoker.

Pros: Multi dining options, especially Pinnacle Grill, in-room DVD rentals

Cons: Cabin steward service, slow room service, staff language challenges

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Alaska - Inside Passage

Alaska - 7/2010

July 3-10, 2010 Roundtrip Vancouver

Holland America had quite a few Families on this sailing and approximately 600 children, which is quite unusual for Holland America. Itinerary was great and the Shore Excursion offered by Signature  -tops-

Dining Room service was excellent--Room service - could not have been better- The Special Theme Menus --wonderful--Lido--not so impressive- somewhat unorganized and some of the Servers looked like they did not want to be there. - Coffee-Tea-Water service up at the Lido --could be better--

Overall- the Staff was friendly and very helpful towards the "Elderly"

Entertainment was very good and the Casino was busy with games out of the ordinary.

Pros: Would recommend --

Cons: Non--

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Eurodam July 9, 2010

Baltic - 7/2010

Excellent value, exceptionally clean vessel, attractive staterooms, accommodating staff, meals well prepared with the best ingredients. Lido dining room staff need more training. Interesting ports, Warnemuende, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm . The last port, Kiel,  uninspired. The entertainement entertaining - one more Broadway show would have been nice.

A very good product!

Pros:

Cons:

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Alaska Cruise July 28, 2010

Alaska - 7/2010

Holland America stands for service and this cruise was no exception.

From embarkation to disembarkation, the crew takes care of your needs. The staterooms are lovely and the public areas well maintained. I especially enjoyed the fresh flowers throughout the ship. The food is always above par and the specialty dining room, Pinnacle is exceptional and makes for an enjoyable evening. Canalleto also offers Italian dining in a relaxed atmosphere.

For activities I especially like On Deck for the Cure which Holland America has sponsored for many years.

The narration during our day of sailing in Glacier Bay is very good. The captain points out whales and other marine life during the cruise. Both of which makes for a wonderful experience.

Pros:

Cons:

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

5/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Nieuw Amsterdam July 14-26, 2010

Mediterranean - 7/2010

I was on the second sailing of the new "Nieuw Amsterdam" and sincerely expected to find some flaws but no matter how hard I tired, I could not.  I was told by several staff members that the very best personnel had been chosen to serve on this new ship and it definitely showed. 

My  cabin was category GG (outside with view obstructed by lifeboat) on the Upper Promenade deck.  The cabin had plenty of closet space and more than enough hangers.  The beds and pillows were wonderful. The bathroom was very comfortable for one person at a time.  The hot water was plentiful and the shower pressure very good.  My clients who were also on board had a deluxe verandah suite and it was extremely large and tastefully decorated. 

The cabin service was impecable and of the service personnel in all areas of the ship went out of their way to be friendly and helpful.  The Lido dining room is laid out very nicely and there were always plenty of servers available to assist you with anything  you might need.  The dishes were removed immediately and the Lido was always neat and clean.  I had "open dining" which meant that I dined in the lower level of the dining room while those with assigned times dined on the upper level.  However, one evening we were seated on the second level as they had space.  On nights we did not have a reservation, we were given a beeper and never waited long.  I had lunch and dinner in the Pinnacle Grill.  It was very good and the service flawless.  I also dined in Tamarind and found the food to be exceptional and once again the service was good.  The Silk Den lounge across from the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous although I rarely saw people in it.  All of the lounges are very attractive and welcoming.  The Crows Nest was very popular.  The adjacent library and computer center were also popular but I never had difficulty finding an available computer.  I was surprised that the Explorations Cafe was not open in the evenings. 

There were many nationalities on the ship and many families.  The ship was totally full and never seemed overly crowded.  There was space for everybody.  The ship has two pools, the Lido in the center of the ship and the Sea View is aft and adults only.  The lounge chairs are more comfortable and attractive at the Lido pool whereas the adult pool has standard, non padded lounge chairs.  Towels were plentiful and so was the attending pool staff. 

The front desk was always opened and the staff always cheery and chipper.  The people working the shore excursion desk were very knowledgeable and helpful.  Disembarkation for the shore excursions was handled very efficiently.  Our itinerary was very port intensive so I did not have the opportunity to take advantage of all of the various activities offered.  There was always something interesting going on day and night. 

The spa was very popular and was always brimming with activity even in the evenings. 

Everyone I spoke to on the cruise seemed to be having a wonderful time.  Prior to boarding the ship, I met several people at my hotel who had just disembarked and they had nothing but rave reviews for the first voyage as well. 

The evening shows were very good.  There were 2 shows each evening each lasting one hour.  They do not have huge Broadway type shows but the entertainers were varied and talented.  The showroom is very high tech so the shows feel very modern and upbeat. 

I hope that the Nieuw Amsterdam maintains this wonderful level.  I feel extremely confident recommending this ship to all age levels.  With the fine service and the various levels of accommodations, this ship is definitely attractive to all levels of age and income.

Pros: Service level, beautifully decorated cabins and public areas

Cons: None

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Mediterranean Glamour

Western Med - 7/2010

Great 7 day Western Med itinerary on a traditional Holland America ship.

This seven day Western Med itinerary gives a good histoical prespective of the region starting in Barcelona, Spain on to Monte Carlo; Santa Margherita Ligure (Potofino), Italy; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; Trapani, Sicily, Italy; La Goulette (Tunis and Carthage), Tunisia and finishing in Barcelona. The Noordam is a traditional 1,918 passenger sized Holland America Line ship offering a good variety of activity and dining choices for the whole family. Dutch officers compliment the Indonesian/Philippine trained staff.

Pros: Port intensive with one day at sea.

Cons: One day at sea.

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

3/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Alaska Inside Passage - July, 2010

Alaska Inside Passage - 7/2010

Holland America does a good job for a variety of clients.  The average age of the passengers has declined from the previous perception.  There were a few negatives expressed below.   

Our cruise of the Inside Passage had great weather and our group had a good time.  The food was very good, the room steward did a great job without being noticed and the ship was easy to get around.  The gym was adequate, the salon seemed booked and the casino was fairly busy when open.

The ports were good except Ketchikan (6 hours stop) and VIctoria (4 hours stop).  Too short!!  The first 2 - 3 days, Holland America would not let guests serve themselves in the coffee/water area or the dessert area.  There were ropes up and guests had to be served by a crew member.  Also there were no  trays for carrying food.  Trying to carry a plate, a bowl and a drink can be tough, especially for the elderly.  Sometimes, the tables weren't bussed as quickly as they were in the past.  Maybe they were short staffed.  The casino staff was not very friendly which is poor in a place that should be fun and uplifting.   

Pros: Not a large ship like some other cruise lines.

Cons: Food service in the Lido.

Reviewer Recommended? y

Reviewer Ratings

4/5

Reviewer Scorecard

Staff Dining Entertainment Activities Cabins/Staterooms Itinerary/Ports Value

Holland America Vendam South America cruise from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso

South America - 2/2010

A nice cruise experience.  Some things need work to make it an exceptional experience.

The staff and the crew were helpful and friendly, as always.  I have been on over 8 cruises with Holland America and am noticing some cutbacks in quality and service.  For instance, the windows were dirty on the entire cruise.  I know it's hard to keep them clean while cruising, but they started out dirty and ended the same way.  The AC system wasn't working when we boarded and was still having problems several days later.  

Pros: Nice size ship for this itinerary

Cons: Personal choice dining needs more work

Reviewer Recommended? y