holland-ryndampm031697

Name: Pat M.
Email: webmaster@cruiseopinion.com
Age: 30
Occupation: Cruise Agency Owner
NumberOfCruises: 15
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Holland-Ryndam
SailingDate: 03/16/97
Itinerary: 10 day Caribbean Seafarer
FoodDiningRoom: 87
CruiseDirector: 94
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 89
CruiseStaff: 96
CabinAmenities: 96
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 96
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 87
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 91
FoodVariety: 89
DeckService: 94
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon: 50
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 94
TenderService: 88
GoodForSeniors: 96
BeautySalonStaff: 92
EntertainmentLounges: 77
WheelchairAccess: 98
ExerciseFacilities: 93
EntertShowLounge: 65
OverallPortsofCall: 94
BeautySalon: 92
EntertainmentPoolside: 88
CruiseActivities: 78
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 94
EmbarkDisembark: 92
DiscoNightclubs: 86
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 70
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 92
OverallCruiseValue: 91
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Apr 1997
Time: 12:33:55
Remote Name: 206.173.98.34
Remote User:

Comments

This was an excellent cruise overall. We can again say that HAL does a great job catering to its target clientele - and this
time there was the bonus of some (relatively) young people on the ship! Here are our notes from the cruise.

Positive aspects:

Our cabin, even though it was an inside, was fantastic. It was very roomy, extremely quiet (both in terms of squeaks, and
being insulated from cabins next to you), and had tons of drawer space. Last time we were on HAL we had a verandah,
so we thought this cabin would be a big let-down. It wasn't, it was great. We also saw cabin #001, The Big One. Wow!
If we ever win the lotto?

We also had the best cabin steward of all our cruises. Arief was always accessible, very friendly, and completely
accommodating. Early in our trip, I called room service after working out to get a carafe of apple juice. Thereafter, every
day at 6pm, he brought the apple juice so it was waiting for me when I returned from the gym.

Embarkation was smooth, fast, and not crowded.

Dining room service was excellent, just as good as our previous HAL experience. We got our entrees toward the last of
the tables, though, which can be a bit of a problem because you don't get done eating (on late seating) until 10:15-10:30,
and you're never hungry enough for any of the buffets. I think this was more a factor of our table's order in the process,
rather than a slow waiter. The maitre'd was also great, fulfilling a special dessert request for us - he brought a dessert just
for our table that was not on the menu for that day.

The cruise staff, and service in the buffets, lido, and by the pool area, were uniformly great. The cruise director, Susan
Wood, was funny and charming. She was perfect for HAL's target market - sassy, but not too risque'. Beauty salon staff
were also very friendly. I got a great facial for $50 - if you haven't tried one, you don't know what you're missing.

Lido buffet food was good. Dining room entrees were pretty good, but not up to the level that we remember on the
Maasdam in '95. Some desserts and many appetizers, though, were excellent. The Ocean Bar was our hangout before
dinner - good drink prices and great free hors d' oeuvres.

The ship was clean and elegant, although it did not seem quite as elegant as the Maasdam. Shops were very nice, as were
the public areas. The Ryndam has a great workout room with a delicious fruit juice bar.

They included a good selection of ports of call. We are getting to love St. Martin/St. Maarten! Be sure to spend the day
in Marigot on the French side if you go - a quaint little town with great shopping. In Nassau, we took the $19/pp. Nassau
tour with a visit to Atlantis. This was a great bargain, and Atlantis was amazing.

In St. Lucia, we did something unique - we spent the day visiting Sandals St. Lucia. And let me tell you, it is great! Does
anyone out there have any interest in a web site devoted to ratings of other vacations (all inclusives, Europe tours, etc.)?
I'd love to read other's views of places like Sandals, just like we do here at cruise review. Please let me know if there is
any interest. Anyway, Sandals was great. First of all, we were expecting the food to be so-so, mass produced. It wasn't.
Even the buffets had great, and varied, selections - not just hot dogs and hamburgers. We ate at one of four restaurants,
and we both had the best meals of our ENTIRE trip (including all on Ryndam - sorry, HAL). The staff and management
were extremely friendly and helpful. The property and beaches were beautiful. We spoke to several young couples and
they all loved it. We searched to find someone that a negative comment to make, but we couldn't find anyone that had
anything but praise. The only negative I can think of is you have to pass through the most poverty-stricken area of St.
Lucia to get there - it makes you feel a bit guilty passing by people in shacks on your way to paradise. All in all, our short
visit at Sandals was even better than we had hoped for, and we will return for a full vacation there. Two things to note -
this is a place geared toward young people (refreshingly for us, after being on HAL) - most people are in their 20's and
30's and many are honeymooners. Also, the ships do not advertise this, but you can visit Sandals St. Lucia for the day as
a "shore excursion". Go to their office located at the duty free shops in port, and for $123/couple you can spend the day
at the resort with full amenities.

Now, for the negatives:

Dinner entrée quality was mostly "mass market" - about the level of Carnival. It was not nearly as good as we remember
from the Maasdam. No fresh seafood, etc. In fact, the only fresh seafood we had on the trip was at Sandals! Also, it
would be cool if they could incorporate something food-related at the ports of call - for example, have an "authentic
French guy" come onboard while in Guadeloupe and make crepes. Doing something like this would be really nice, and I
think people would like it. We had some chocolate crepes there and in St. Maarten that were fantastic. Why not bring
some food unique to the ports on board? I know HAL's answer to that - cost.

Buffets were no big deal. Food quality for most buffets was so-so, with the exception of the dessert buffet, which was
excellent. As I mentioned earlier, try to get main seating because if you finish dinner at 10:30, you're not too hungry an
hour later.

The entertainment was terrible for anyone below 70. There was one very good violinist (guest artist), but all the
production shows were the typical watered down Broadway medleys. And most shows were of the theme "remember
how great the WWII days were". If I hear 'Pennsylvania 6-5000' one more time, I'm gonna throw up.

The ship rocked much more than expected. We had two days of 30 knot winds, and there was a great deal of movement
- much more than we have experienced on other ships (like CCL) under the same conditions.

Shore excursion prices were ridiculous. We did none of the line's excursions. There was an eclipse, with fantastic
viewing, one night at sea. We loved it. The only problem was we heard about it on CNN - the ship made no mention of it
at all! The linen covering our bread in the dining room had a lipstick mark on it. That linen was not changed or washed for
three days, so we got to know the lipstick mark intimately. And finally, as ususal, there are not a lot of shipboard activities
for those under 40. This is definitely not the line to take for your honeymoon. They do a great job catering to their target
market, and we also enjoyed it, but HAL needs to do something to bring in younger customers. Their existing ones aren't
going to be around forever.

Overall, these negatives (other than entrée' quality) were minor, and we had a great time on this cruise. Will we sail HAL
again? Probably, but not for a while. Should you? If what I've described appeals to you, absolutely. They have a
well-deserved reputation for excellence, especially in service. And the real proof is that out of the 1250 people on our
sailing, 900 - that's nine hundred - were HAL alumni. Some people had done over 100,000 miles sailing on Holland
America. Not too many lines can make that claim.

Back to Holland Ryndam