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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Douglas Blakeley
Email: dblakeley@home.com
Age: 57
Occupation: Operations Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Westerdam
SailingDate: September 11, 1999
Itinerary: Alaska Inside Passage
Cabin: C150
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 89
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 97
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 89
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 100
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 89
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 91
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 89
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 91
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Sep 1999
Time: 13:26:45
Remote Name: cr510660-a.pr1.on.wave.home.com
Remote User:
Comments
My wife and I have just returned from a wonderful Holland America vacation. This was our
first cruise and we chose the
Alaska Inside Passage on board the ms Westerdam. We sailed out of Vancouver on September
11th.
Embarkation and disembarkation was very smooth and well coordinated.
We had an outside stateroom, number 150 on the lower promenade deck, which was very
adequate and nicely laid
out. We had a queen bed, which was uncomfortable because it is really two standard beds
pushed together and the
mattresses don't line up leaving a hard ridge down the center. Our first impression upon
arriving at our stateroom was
not the best as there was a musty smell in the passageway. This smell was not noticeable
after we got underway. The
stateroom was very quiet even in moderate swells. It was quieter than some of the better
hotels we've stayed at.
The food and service were great, especially in the Amsterdam dining room. I was especially
pleased with the
vegetables, which were properly cooked. Our meals here were as good and sometimes better
than we have had at
expensive restaurants. The Lido and Veranda restaurants were also very good but it was
usually hard to get a table.
We preferred the Veranda restaurant as it was on the Sun Deck and offered a better view.
Even the lowly hamburger
was done to perfection on the Veranda.
The salmon bake was a real treat as was the Royal Dutch Tea. Unfortunately the regular
afternoon teas were a
disappointment as they lacked variety and substance.
The entertainment was first-rate and my wife attended most shows in the Admirals Lounge.
We chose the Renewal of Wedding Vows package and this was absolutely excellent! Flowers
were delivered to our
stateroom upon arrival then we were invited to a private party with a few other couple who
were also renewing their
vows, in the lovely Explorers Lounge with the Captain and Hotel Manager. The Social
Director, Danielle Gomez
beautifully arranged all this. The service was particularly well done and they had a live
orchestra playing background
music. Photos were taken and refreshments served while we all socialized.
Our favorite lounge was the Queens Lounge where Nic, our steward, pampered us. We
discovered the lounge upon
returning to the ship after a long exhausting shopping spree in Juneau. After that we made
a point of visiting Nic at
least once every day.
My only complaint in any of the lounges was that the windows were not clean. I realize
that it is difficult to keep glass
clean at sea however it would have been nice to start out clean.
The Filipino crew were very attentive and usually smiling. Especially Anton our Assistant
Table Steward and Arief our
dining room Supervisor in the Amsterdam room. The Dutch crew on the other hand, with the
exception of the Captain
and Hotel Manager were a somber bunch who I never saw smile even when I tried my best to
get a reaction from them.
Perhaps too shy? If I were captain for an hour I'd have reminded them of just who pays
their wages.
The shore excursions were excellent. These people know their business and treat tourists
royally. The gold panning in
Juneau was real fun, as was the ride to the top of the mountain. In Skagway we took the
train up through White Pass
and then the bus back to base which was a true highlight. The plane ride over the Misty
Fjords and the visit to the
cannery was another well-done excursion.
Overall, Holland America exceeded our expectations. We are now planning our next cruise
with Holland America Lines.
Name: Lamar Cherry
Email: cherrypye@visto.com
Age: 53
Occupation: Transport Driver
NumberOfCruises: 08
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Holland-Westerdam
SailingDate: 11-13-99
Itinerary: Nassau, San Juan, St. Thomas, Half Moon Cay
Cabin: 277K
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 100
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 60
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 100
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 70
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Dec 1999
Time: 16:36:08
Remote Name: cos2.co.sacramento.ca.us
Remote User:
Comments
This was a "Rock and Roll" theme cruise and our first cruise with Holland
America. My first cruise was with Carnival,
followed by six cruises on R.C.C.L. This leaves me plenty of room for comparisons. The
service and food on Holland
America were the best yet. Not only the quality, but the attitude of all the staff,
especially the wait staff was excellent. The
wait staff are all Indonesian and Filipino and all very eager to please. Our cabin steward
was outstanding! He maintained
our cabin impeccably clean. Although I have read other reviews that said that there was a
language barrier, my wife and I
did not experience this at all.
Although Holland America has a "no tipping " policy, the service was so good
that we tipped everyone. The staff probably
expected tips, but seemed genuinely grateful to receive them. This ship is not the newest
nor the largest, but is very well
laid out and spotless. The outside promenade deck completely encircled the ship. There are
two complete buffets if one
prefers to not use the dining room. The buffets were usually good, and there are a
hamburger and a hot dog grill by each
of the two pools. For the Westerdam's size at almost 54,000 tons, 798 feet long, and with
1450 passengers, she was not
crowded. The only lines that we experienced were at the buffets, and they were not long at
all. The entertainment was
very good, if not quite as glitzy as R.C.C.L. We were very pleased with the entertainment,
especially the "Rock and Roll"
theme that prevailed throughout the week.
Holland America generally attracts an older crowd [50,60 and 70 year olds], on this
particular cruise, there were many 40
year olds. Probably due to the "Rock and Roll' theme. I believe that the service is
especially good because Holland
America caters primarily to older cruisers. Most of the passengers were Holland America
alumni. Our three table mates
were presented with platinum medallions by the captain, for having sailed more than 100,00
nautical miles.
There were plenty of activities for everyone, and plenty of deck chairs to just read,
relax or take a nap. My wife and I will
again cruise on Holland America. We want to take the "Rock and Roll" cruise
again and a ten-day Southern Caribbean on
one of the new ships.
In conclusion, this was our best cruise yet, and definitely will not be our last Holland
America cruise.
Lamar Cherry Elk Grove, California
Name: Mark Massop
Email: marklor@swbell.net
Age: 33
Occupation: Law Enforcement
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Westerdam
SailingDate: 01/23/99
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbian
Cabin: K232
FoodDiningRoom: 40
CruiseDirector: 50
CabinComfort: 05
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 20
CabinAmenities: 10
FoodLidoDeck: 30
DiningRoomService: 05
CabinQuietness: 30
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 10
ShoreExcVariety: 30
FoodVariety: 20
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 30
GoodForHoneymoon: 10
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 30
GoodForFamilies: 10
LoungeService:
TenderService: 20
GoodForSeniors: 40
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 30
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 30
CruiseActivities: 40
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 40
EmbarkDisembark: 40
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 40
Stabilization: 50
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 40
OverallCruiseValue: 05
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Mar 2000
Time: 10:25:56
Remote Name: 209-184-101-90.mhisc.org
Remote User:
Comments
We took this cruise with my wife's sister and her husband. We booked an inside cabin and it was our
understanding that the beds in the cabins converted into queen beds. When we arrived on board, we
found that the beds were singles that were bolted and unable to be converted.
We left a message with Katja van Biljouw, the Guest Relations Manager, asking that we be contacted
concerning the rooms. Instead of a personal response, we received a letter from her explaining that none
of the inside cabins have beds that convert and that there were no other cabins available. The next day
we contacted Ms. Biljouw in person and she stated that there was nothing she could do. She then
provided us with the phone number to Holland America's complaint dept. and stated we could call them
when we got home. The following evening, we met another couple that had complaints concerning their
room and they advised that they had been given a choice of three cabins to move to. Upon hearing this,
we asked to speak to the hotel manager. We were informed that any request to see the hotel manager
had to go through the guest relations manager. At that point we left a written message for Ms. Biljouw to
have the hotel manager contact us.
We did not here anything for two days. Halfway through the cruise, the hotel manager sent a survey
(form letter) to the passengers asking for input concerning the cruise. We completed the form adding that
we had asked to speak with him several days earlier. We took the form immediately to the office and a
short time later, he called and agreed to meet with us. After hearing our complaints, he stated that he
would check into them and get back with us. The hotel manager called us a short time later and explained
that two cabins became available because the passengers had disembarked at our previous port of call.
However, to change to the cabins, it would cost $300 to 'upgrade'.
When we moved into our 'new' cabin, it was very obvious that it had not been occupied since we left
Miami. In my in-law's cabin, they found a bottle of wine that was apparently a gift for the original occupant
and it was clearly evident that the cabin was also never occupied.
In addition to the fiasco with the cabins and the customer service, the service in the main dining room was
terrible. Almost daily, we had to wait 20-30 minutes between courses and we had to beg to have our
water and tea glasses filled. At one point, we asked the waiter to leave the water pitcher on the table so
we could serve ourselves.
When we returned home, we contacted Holland America's complaint dept. We were advised to type our
complaint and either fax it or mail it. We did both and asked to be contacted to confirm the receipt of the
document. We heard nothing for approximately two months. We then received a letter from Cole C.
Quinn, Special Advisor, Office of the President. Mr. Quinn sent a letter to my wife and I and a letter to my
in-laws. In the letter addressed to my in-laws, he offered a two-cabin upgrade on a future cruise.
However, in the letter addressed to my wife and I, he stated that he could not offer any compensation for
our personal dissatisfactions.
Based on our experiences with Holland America and the fact that their parent company is Carnival Cruise
lines, we will never book with either company again. I know for a fact that if I had received the same
service and poor customer service from any land based vacation package, I would have left and taken
my vacation dollars else-where. As it was, we were trapped.
Name: Lee Schwartzberg
Email: leeschw@campmor.com
Age: 36
Occupation: Graphic Designer
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Westerdam
SailingDate: March 4, 2000
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: 196 BB
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 98
GoodForHoneymoon: 60
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 99
GoodForFamilies: 50
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 99
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Mar 2000
Time: 14:00:21
Remote Name: whitefish.campmor.com
Remote User:
Comments
Cruise Review
Holland America Lines m.s. Westerdam March 4-11 Eastern Caribbean
Passengers: Me - age 36, My Husband (Barry) age 50
I need to preface this review by saying that we had a great time. So, despite all the criticism you’ll read,
we still had a lot of fun, and really enjoyed ourselves. We weren’t looking to find problems, but they were
there just the same. Our previous cruise experience is limited. I’ve been on two before (NCL Leeward
(March 1997) and RCI Rhapsody of the Seas (March 1998). Barry’s only other cruise was the Rhapsody.
We flew to Ft. Lauderdale on the Thursday before the cruise. We used the extra time for visiting
family/friends. We returned our rental car and We took the free shuttle to Port Everglades, provided by
Alamo. We got to the dock at approx. 11:45. They processed us right away and sent us upstairs to a
large waiting room. There was duty free shopping there, but they were very rude. Don’t believe
them...you can buy booze on board, duty free, for use in your cabin. Their prices weren’t great anyway.
Also, in the waiting area, the Steiner Spa people set up a table for making appointments for the week.
This was super - one less thing to do right away, once on board. I scheduled a massage for the next
afternoon.
At 1:30 they started letting people board. We were given numbers when we checked in (we were #3). The
wheelchairs went first. Then the numbers followed. It didn’t take long, at all. You enter the ship at
midships Main Deck, so it was one up for us to our Lower Promenade Deck cabin (#196). Cabin was
more than adequate, though not anything special. The decor was very plain. Walls were paneled with a
dark wood, bedspread was solid blue, unmatching window/privacy/closet curtains were a variety of
paisley. The room was very clean, but lacked any kind of style/appeal. Simply serviceable. Closet space
was good, drawer space was limited. Window as pretty big and pretty clean. Bathroom was surprisingly
large, with a full tub and dual shower heads. Typical ship toilet and sink. Bathroom was tiled, and the
white tile grout showed not a trace of mildew.
We left the cabin and went exploring. First stop was the excursion desk. We wanted to do the Dolphin
Encounter the next morning, in Nassau. Space was very limited on this one, so we wanted to get our
names in early. The sign-up for shore excursions was the best so far, of all three cruises. All excursions
for all ports are printed on one sheet, with brief descriptions. You just write your desired quantity in the
space next to each, drop it in the box, and keep your fingers crossed. We were probably one of, if not the
first, form to be dropped in the box. Not sure how often the drop boxes are emptied, but we ended up
getting all three excursions we wanted. Yippee!!!!
Can’t remember what we did our first evening before dinner. There was muster, of course, and we spent
some time on deck watching us leave port. That’s about it.
Went to dinner in the Amsterdam dining room. Compared to the other ships I’ve been on, this dining room
was pretty claustrophobic. It’s pretty low down, in the ship, and there are only portholes to the outside.
The room is only one level, so there’s no high ceilings or anything. But, the decor was fine,c lean, etc.
We were seated at a table for 10. Once everyone was seated, there were two empty spaces, and we
were told that there would be someone there the following evening. We figured that the two passengers
had missed the ship or were seasick in their cabins, or something. The three other couples at the table
were really great, and we really enjoyed our very lively dinner conversation, every night. Fortunately, we
all shared similar political views, so there was never any tension. But, very stimulating conversations
every night - they had to kick us out of the dining room once or twice.
On the second night (Formal) we found out that the two empty seats were for the Chief Engineer and his
wife. This was really a special treat to be seated with them - and the wine flowed very freely. They joined
us on the second formal night, as well.
In the middle of the first meal with the Chief Engineer, his beeper went off, and he excused himself from
the table. A minute or two later, all the power went off. Fortunately, it was a candlelight meal, so we had
some light in the dining room. The power was off for a very brief time, and came back on, system by
system. The toilets didn’t work for several hours, which was a bit of a challenge. AC seemed to be
malfunctioning throughout the ship, in various spots, from time to time. We saw the engineer’s wife on
deck the next morning, and she said he didn’t get back to the cabin until 4:30am. Poor guy.
By the way, we had selected late seating this time. I thought it was pretty funny that early seating got filled
first. On RCI and NCL, late seating was more popular but we had done early. On this ship, perhaps
because of the average passenger age (65+), early seating was more desirable. Not sure yet, what my
choice will be the next time. But, now that I’ve done both, I can see definite benefits, either way. With late
seating, I loved being able to take a nap before dinner, but I hated that I was still so full from dinner, to
take advantage of the late night buffets - especially the “dessert extravaganza”. Also, on two nights, the
late seating saw the show before dinner, at 6:15. We skipped those two.
We didn’t see many shows. We went to the first night, and were not at all impressed with the HAL
singers/dancers, so we skipped their big production number shows. There was a comedian that first night
(Richie Minervini) who was pretty funny, so we caught his late night show later on in the week. I
overheard conversation between other passengers, who were very offended by this comedian. People
should really not take things so seriously. There was a movie theater on board, which was a nice option.
They had several movies during the week, with rotating times, so you could have an opportunity to see
them at any of the times. The featured movies were The Sixth Sense, Galaxy Quest, Double Jeopardy,
The Story of Us and For the Love of the Game. We only saw Double Jeopardy. Very comfy seats in the
theater, but the sound system was really awful. They need to work on that.
First day was Nassau in the morning, at sea in the afternoon. We did the dolphin thing, which was really
great. The dolphins were very trained, but being able to touch, hug, interact with them was incredible. We
loved this. There are lots of buying opportunities here (pictures, videos, souvenirs). We got back to the
ship just in time for sailing. We ate a quick lunch and went up on deck for the afternoon and then I had a
very excellent massage with Lindsey at 4:30.
Here’s where I’ll talk about deck space/chairs on this ship. There’s the Lido pool area, which is aft, a few
decks down from the top. We didn’t spend time there, so I don’t know how crowded it got. I have a feeling
it was a bit more lively than the Verandah pool deck, which is up top. The Verandah deck has a
retractable roof, which was only retracted half-way on all days. Above and around the Verandah deck
was the Sports Deck, which is where we spent our deck time. There were an incredibly small number of
chairs on deck, but it really seemed adequate. Just a few times, we saw passengers looking for chairs -
usually you could get a chair if you wanted one. I was always out on deck very early, so I never had a
problem - and I didn’t give up my chair until late afternoon. Not the same as saving - I was in my chair for
98% of the time. The amazing thing is that there was so much room for more chairs on deck, so no one
needed to be disappointed, but they just didn’t have them, or didn’t put them out...not sure. Deck was
really quiet, which I loved. No loud band or music, no loud pool games. Really peaceful.
Second day was at sea. Nothing much to report.
Third day was in San Juan. We had the best position in port, for access to Old San Juan. We left the ship
at 10:45 for our shore excursion - horseback riding. We took a bus to the town of Eldorado. The stable
was right on the coast, in a pretty rural area. The landscape was beautiful Coast to rolling green
meadows, with views of the mountains and rain forest off in the distance. Really picturesque. I’m glad I
had a view of Puerto Rico other than the congestion of San Juan. The horseback ride was excellent, and
the guides were really great. It was totally non-commercial, low key - no photographers snapping away.
And, the horses seemed very well cared for and were very responsive - usually not found in these “hack”
horse situations. A very excellent excursion. Once we got back to the ship, we showered quickly and went
into Old San Juan. We walked up to the fort El Morro, and had about 20 minutes to see the place before
the 5:00 closing. Pretty cool place, and a nice walk. After the fort, we shopped around in Old San Juan
(bought nothing) until dinner. We stayed on shore for this meal - ate at the Parrot Club - our best meal of
the week. If you’re in San Juan, I would highly recommend it. Back to the ship, for late midnight sailing.
Next day was St. Thomas. Left in the late morning for our sea kayaking excursion in the mangrove wildlife
sanctuary. This was also a great excursion. The folks who ran the facility were knowledgeable and lots of
fun. We paddled, all together, about 3 miles. They brought us to a snorkeling spot, which had beautiful,
clear water, but not much to see. Got back to the ship barely in time to sail. Did no shopping in Charlotte
Amalie. With six ships in port (including the Grand Princess) the streets were, I’m sure, packed. And, we
really weren’t looking to buy on this trip. So, we skipped the shopping thing.
Next day we were at sea. Nothing much to report, although I absolutely love these days at sea - nothing
to do but relax.
Next day was at Half Moon Cay, the HAL private island. I loved this day. This island is so gorgeous.
Beautiful white sand beach, crystal clear water - a real paradise. We were on the very first tender of the
day, and were almost first on the beach. We found a spot and settled in for a nap. Later that morning, a
gang of older folks (average age 70) settled in right next to us, and they were LOUD!!! Here, I always
thought it was the teens that were the boisterous ones, but these people were out of control - screaming,
yelling. We moved down the beach from them, to a more peaceful spot with teens and kids. Tendered
back at about 2:30. Final tender was at 3:00. Wish we could have stayed on this island longer. One word
of caution for people prone to seasickness - the tenders rock like crazy and are pretty tight quarters. I sat
next to an open window, thankfully, and stuck my head out like a dog with a car window. But, I was real
happy to step up into the ship, let me tell you.
Food was so totally average. This was a big disappointment. Dinners were good, but nothing special. The
waiter and assistant waiter were very competent, but there was absolutely no interaction with us, at all. He
took our order, he served our food, and that was it. Our preferences were never learned (I drink hot tea
after dinner - by night 6 or 7, maybe they should have picked up on this?). My experiences on RCI and
NCL were very different than this. On the other two cruises, the dinner waiters were such a vital part of
our enjoyment - maybe that’s why I felt the food was better - atmosphere was everything. We ate one
lunch in the dining room, and tried to eat one breakfast there, but only got through the fruit/juice course.
We stared at dirty dishes in front of us for 45 minutes, and waited for our main course. We asked our
waiter to remove our dirty dishes (took ours, left the other four passengers dishes. Finally, we all got up
from the table, to go eat at the buffet. As we were leaving the dining room, the head waiter told us our
order had been lost in the kitchen. Why hadn’t they told us, and taken our orders again? How long would
they have left us at the table, to wait for our food? We didn’t try the dining room for breakfast again. And,
the dining room breakfast menu was completely boring, uninspired. We ate breakfast in the Verandah
restaurant, which got pretty dull, too. The menu varied just slightly each day, but about 90% of the menu
was the same every day. We ate lunch in the Verandah restaurant all but three days - menu was varied
and food was pretty good. Once we ate in the dining room. Twice, we completely missed lunch because
of excursion scheduling. Here’s one of my big complaints!!!!! If the cruise line is going to schedule
excursions to completely encompass all dining hours for a particular meal, they really should supply a box
lunch, or something. Or, have the excursions earlier/later so we can eat lunch!!! The only food option
available, on return from two very high energy excursions (horseback riding in Puerto Rico and sea
kayaking in St. Thomas) were burgers and hotdogs at the poolside grill. I would hope for a little better
than that, on a cruise. As an extra snack, I wouldn’t complain, but as my only food choice for a meal, it
was disappointing.
Our cabin steward (Sis) was good. The room was very clean, and cleaning/turn down were well timed. We
did order lots of room service, so he did have more than his share of tray clearing, to contend with. We
were satisfied with Sis.
Casino staff were my favorite crew members of all. I don’t gamble a lot of $$ ($20 per night is my budget).
But the dealers were a hoot. All English. Very friendly, talked to the players, joked around, always smiling.
The friendliest casino I’ve ever experienced at sea or on land. Thumbs up to them.
Majority of passengers were old - 70+. No big deal, until I got caught one too many times behind a walker
in a narrow passage way, on my way to dinner. Only kidding - this really did happen but it wasn’t a big
deal, at all. There were a few kids and teens on board, who seemed to be having a pretty good time. I
saw the kid’s area on board, but didn’t have an opportunity to see their schedule of activities.
I liked the quietness of this cruise. There was a disco, which we didn’t go to, but I heard that it was pretty
good. We did spend some time in the Explorers Lounge, listening to a string quartet - they were pretty
bad, and our tolerance didn’t last too long. Library was ok - there was a daily trivia quiz available, and the
winning sheet was posted at the front office every evening.
This has gone on long enough. Sorry to bore you. If anyone has specific questions or comments, please
feel free to ask away.
Lee
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