holland-westerdam5

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Jeffery Hobbs
Email: hobbsey@aol.com
Age: 43
Occupation: Sales Manager
NumberOfCruises: 8
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Holland-Westerdam
SailingDate: March 25, 2000
Itinerary: Easter Caribbean
Cabin: G-877
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 99
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 99
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 99
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Apr 2000
Time: 08:56:34
Remote Name: mailgate.harpercollins.com
Remote User:

Comments

Holland America Westerdam March 25 – April 1, 2000

I have heard cruisers say, 'the best cruise is the next cruise'. I don’t know if I agree with that sentiment; I
have a 'bird in the hand' mentality I guess. Plus my obsessive personality makes the wait after booking
hell for my traveling companion and a personal distraction for me. Planning the cruise up to booking is
fun. Over-thinking the decision and finding creative ways to wait it out to embarkation is not.

Over the last two years I have had the chance to take vacations on some very nice ships and some that
many feel are not so nice. Often the nice and the not so nice ships are one and the same ship based on
different cruises and cruiser opinions. I have been on the Seabreeze in June of ‘98 and again in July of
’99. A real nice, low-key experience with some of the best food and dining service at sea. In between
those two I took my honeymoon on Celebrity’s Century in Oct. ’98. A thrill, a delight and with butler
service in a sky suite a real hi-light of my life. Last summer, August ’99, I was on a Bermuda run on the
Norwegian Crown (maybe my least enjoyable cruise due both to some on board glitches and some other
factors not part of the actual cruise experience). In November of last year I had the honor of being on a
two night pre-inaugural cruise on Voyager of the Seas; an experience I would not really rank as a cruise
even had it been for a week or longer (we were in 12 ft seas and never felt the ship roll!!). Some might
find that appealing, I found it boring.

So now Becky and I have just returned from our very first Holland America cruise on board the M/S
Westerdam. It was a round trip, 7-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, FL. The
itinerary included Nassau, Bahamas; San Juan, PR; St. John/St. Thomas, USVI; Half Moon Cay (Little
San Salvador Island), Bahamas; and two fun yet relaxing days at sea. I can honestly say, weighing all
the factors together, that this was my most enjoyable cruise….so far.

Getting There

We decided to fly down to Fort Lauderdale a day early. We live in Northeastern PA and weather can
always be a factor even in late March. As traveling day approached we were glad we had made these
plans because we were booked on US Air. Flight day was the 24th, the strike was scheduled to begin at
12:01 am on the 25th. Whew. Thankfully for those traveling on the 25th the strike was avoided but I was
glad to have peace of mind for the weeks leading up to the cruise.

We stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn Express near the convention center. For anyone looking for
affordable accommodations either pre or post cruise I highly recommend this Inn. They provide free
airport and cruise port transportation, a clean and well-appointed room and a good continental
breakfast. The property is located within one mile of where the Princess ships dock and has many dining
and shopping areas nearby. We were able to kill some time getting last minutes “essentials” across the
street and still had time to visit a local outdoor patio bar for a pre-cruise Bloody Mary before taking the
hotel shuttle to the pier at 2:00 PM.

Embarkation and Sail Away

I have discovered over the last 2 years that the worst thing I can do for myself is show up at the pier
early and then have to wait around with the ship just feet away. My mental state stays more stable if I
find something to do in the morning. So, after a nice breakfast at a local diner my wife and I went to visit
the Volendam. Since Becky is a cruise specialist and franchise owner with CruiseOne we had permission
to attend the tour and it was great, what a beautiful and classy ship. But it ended much too early and
HAL begins boarding later than most lines (1 PM on the dot). So we headed off to do some last minute
shopping, drank those Bloody Mary’s and got to the ship at about 2:15. What a relief to find the lines
were short and within 10 minutes we were on board. Believe me folks, it pays to have all those
documents filled out in advance.

I had been in touch with a number of people on AOL and had planned a small sail away get together on
board following the boat drill. Unfortunately not everyone attended but by the end of the week I had met
almost all of them.

Speaking of the boat drill, this was the most comprehensive and serious drill I had ever attended since
my first cruise in 1969 on the Lurline (that one was done at sea in the tossing Pacific). They even
lowered a boat so that we could see its compartments and operation. Unfortunately an older woman
standing behind me nearly was overcome by the heat and had to sit down on a deck chair. She got far
more attention then she needed I’m sure and with all the warm bodies that crowded around her. I am
surprised she was able to find any oxygen at all, but she survived.

We hooked up with a few of our on-line friends (Cham n Cav) at the Veranda and then went up to the
sports deck. With our bucket of sail away Champaign by our side and amid the bells and whistles of the
surrounding condos we cruised out into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Ship

The Westerdam (nee Homeric of the Homes Lines) is not the flashiest, nor the glitziest, nor the most
beautiful ship at sea. But in terms of hominess and comfort she’d be hard to beat. She is aging
gracefully and is kept clean and neat by her friendly and caring staff. Are there wrinkles and scars? You
bet. That’s part of the charm. You don’t have to be on board very long before you get a sense that you
have founded a wrinkle in time…to steal a phrase from a book title. This is the kind of relaxing,
non-imposing atmosphere, that I believe a cruise vacation should provide.

Our first stop after boarding was our Cat. “G” cabin, aft on the “A” deck; number 877. It was very roomy
at about 190 sq. ft. It had a standard double bed, no seam in between us. All was neat and clean and in
order as it would be for the remainder of the week. There were plenty of drawers and closets and it’s a
good thing because I always over pack. The bathroom was big enough for two if one was in the shower
but still bigger than many I’ve shared for a week. There were two bedside tables a full size sofa and a
small coffee table too.

She is a ship, first and foremost. If you are looking for a floating hotel or resort such as the Grand
Princess, or any of those new Princesses (not to mention nearly any other new ship from the last 5 or so
years) then you’ve booked the wrong cruise. You can sit in open air aft on any of 4 decks and see
exposed pipes and over-painted seams. Some of the lifeboats are uncovered. She has a nice gait to her
when she is in open seas but watch that rear vibration when the thrusters are used. All the doors and
drawers were shaking and rattling especially when we were leaving San Juan. Some might find that
appalling, I find it stimulating.

All of the public rooms show their age in character and design. I love the HAL decorating standard of
using art and artifacts from the era of exploration. The objects of art are tasteful and not overly imposing
becoming part of a room’s ambiance rather than taking center stage. I like this style over the more
modern pieces one sees on other lines such as Celebrity . Everything seems warm and inviting and
nothing ever shouts itself out begging to be noticed. I’ve toured other HAL ships and found this to be the
case nearly every time.

Our favorite spots in the evening became the Casino, where we came away with some modest winnings,
and the Ocean Bar. Before boarding I had thought “my place” would be the Explorers Lounge but I
found it too closed off and far too quiet. Another surprise for me was how much I preferred the Lido Pool
to the Veranda. The dome on the Veranda kept it very humid and very noisy up there, despite its
roominess and beauty. The Lido had a more open feeling, was never over crowed and not noisy at all.
The bar staff back there, over-seen by Tony, was very friendly and never pushy.

Speaking of the staff, over-all they are the best I have encountered. After one meeting they would
remember your name and usually your drink preference. We made lots of fiends on board among the
bar staff in many of the lounges and they showered us with hand made gifts before the end of the
cruise. Armando was great with his knack for calligraphy. He made us a beautifully decorated “Dutch”
hat that we will frame and hang. Juliet served us daily in the Ocean Bar. Her talent lies in Origami and we
have a nicely folded eagle to prove it. Jane was behind the bar, she makes a great martini!!

The cruise staff was surprisingly young and energetic considering the average age of cruisers on HAL
ships. The cruise director is Jay Bernard and he is wonderful. He is just 26but very poised and
comfortable speaking impromptu in front of large groups. He was great with his gentle one liners even
standing up to the likes of Carole Channing. His staff did a good job keeping the passengers
entertained and directed, when they wanted to be entertained and directed. But there was no pushiness
and no annoying announcements to break the relaxing pace of the week.

Actually I really never met a rude or inconsiderate person on board among the staff or (more
surprisingly) even among the passengers. Even the notoriously surly front desk was pleasant and
patient for all requests and complaints (of which I had none). The mood, tone and style of this ship
helped to make this the great cruise vacation that it was.

Entertainment

It was a Broadway theme cruise. I’ve never been on a theme cruise before. They have always kind of
scared me. But as long it’s on HAL they won’t scare me anymore. I spoke with Jay Bernard about this on
the last day at sea. He assured me that it is the line’s policy to never have a theme on board that might
detract form the over-all cruise for those passengers who have booked without knowing of the theme.

This one resulted in some of the best entertainment I have seen on board any ship. Becky and I are not
great fans of the dance and musical revues held on most ships. They all start to sound and look the
same to us, no matter how highly they are touted as “cruise line original” or “shipboard exclusive”. We
had some bonafide stars on board with us in Lee Roy Reams, Marilyn Michaels and the great Carole
Channing. Lee Roy Reams is a wonderful song and dance man with many Broadway shows to his credit.
He was charming, funny and touching in even doses. Marilyn Michaels you might remember from her
many appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She is a comedienne and impressionist
who might be best known for her personification of Barbara Streisand. Carole Channing of course will
always be remembered for Hello Dolly and Gentleman Prefer Blondes. Unfortunately she was not able to
sing for us but she did keep the audience in rapt attention for both a two-hour walk down memory lane
and a 90-minute Q&A. She had some great stories about her friendship with Ethel Merman while they
shot an episode of the original Love Boat.

The rest of the week’s entertainment included a magician who was good and juggler who was better and
the more than competent, and very enjoyable singers and dancers of the Westerdam. The musicians on
board were on par with the orchestras and bands I have heard on other ships…meaning very good for
the most part. The stand out among them all was the Steel Drum band. They played daily at poolside
but were never loud or “in your face”. Later in the week they did a concert of truly classical music on
their steel instruments which was all the more enjoyable when you consider that not one of them reads a
lick of music.

The Dining Room and the Food

Much has been written about the location and appearance of this dining room. It’s down low on the ship
and has no panoramic ocean views. I’ve eaten in ship dining rooms with big views and in ship dining
rooms with portholes. The truth is that most passengers only eat one meal a day in the dining room,
dinner, and its dark outside, so what’s to see? I’ve found that once I’m seated and making acquaintance
with my new best friends little else going on away from the table has much meaning.

The dining room on the Westerdam is set very nicely, it offers first class appointments and ambiance
and the service at our table was very good. I hardly ever had to wait for the wine steward, dinner always
arrived hot and on a timely basis and the cappachino after dinner never had to be ordered after the first
day, it merely arrived every day after that.

We were lucky enough to be seated at an Officers table so the wine ran freely both formal nights. It was
the Purser and he was not much of a conversationalist but was a gracious host none-the-less. His
beautiful wife joined us, visiting from Indonesia. She did not speak much English but was nice and smiled
constantly. We had bought the wine navigator 4-bottle package but because of our luck we wound up
taking two bottles home.

So, what’s left to talk about…Oh Yeah!! The Food!! It ranged from merely good to great. I don’t know if it
was the environment, the lack of vibration and motion or the food itself but once again I have to rate this
ships food higher than the Century. Presentation was good, portions were fair and the flavor was, well,
flavorful. Unlike Norwegian, they do not cover everything with sauce and gravy, which I appreciate. The
deserts were good too and they had a different sherbet every evening, which Becky enjoyed.

On Tuesday, the first day at seas, I was lucky enough to win a food tasting contest, competing against
17 other guests. The prize was a private tour of the galley and a champagne lunch with the executive
chef, Kees Van Santen. He proved to be a most interesting and generous host. We learned that he has
a staff of 65 in the kitchen, 16 of them are chefs. Everything was spotless and the work continues
around the clock. They bake all their own bread on the Westerdam but not any of the cakes or
cheesecakes. Attention Ann Campbell, that chocolate cake you love so much can be bought at your
local super market, it’s Sara Lee (Nobody Doesn’t Like It!!).

We finished off two bottles of Domaine St. Michael along with a great dish of Lobster over fettuccini. The
desert was a ¾ inch slice of split dark and white chocolate mousse with chocolate dipped orange slices
and strawberries. Ymmmm! Kees had no idea what we were going to be served. As part of his shipboard
training program he allows the chefs and cooks their own head in preparing these meals and they are
supposed to both surprise and impress him. I don’t know about Kees, but I was both surprised and
impressed, and delighted.

The Lido and the Veranda restaurants were very well run and the food was better than average. The
main entrees changed daily with the typical side dishes and basics remaining constant from day to day.
The cooks and servers all were friendly and helpful and the bus boys did a good job keeping the tables
cleared for the next wave of passengers. I did find that the lines were shorter in the Veranda buffet. Ice
Cream was free and available for large portions of the afternoon and evening. Becky loved the pizza
every afternoon. The grills were kept busy pushing out the hot dogs and hamburgers. At the veranda
poolside every afternoon there was a special buffet bar set up one day with tacos, another day with
curry dishes, etc. A special note to those who are looking for an informal dinner setting. The Veranda
offers informal dinner every night except the last one (including both formal nights). Even though we had
every intention to do so we never made it up there.

Full menu room service is available during meal times. The rest of the day the choices are limited but
still tempting. Twice we ordered the chocolate cake after retiring and Ann is right, it is very good.

I’m not a big fan of midnight buffets so I don’t have much to say about them. I only attended one, to
watch not to eat. It was the Dessert Extravaganza held by the Veranda Pool. The lines were long, the ice
was melting and the desserts were tempting, but we didn’t stick around.

Ports of Call

I go on cruises to get away and to relax. One of my primary goals is to fall in love with the ship and the
staff. However I like the port stops as well. Here is a recap of where we went and what we did.

Nassau, Bahamas: The ship is only there for a half day and its hard to plan a decent schedule on land
when you have to be back on board before noon to sail away. I found the town to be quaint, kind of
attractive and much less commercial than I expected. We got off the ship at about 8:45 and found a
motor scooter rental just past the taxi stand at the waterfront. We zoomed over to Paradise Island and
found a piece of beach for about 90 minutes. Then we zoomed back to the mainland and shopped for a
short while at the straw market. We made it back on the ship on time and relaxed the rest of the
afternoon at the Lido. Over all it was fun but not too satisfying since the time was cut so short.

San Juan, Puerto Rico: As short as the stay is in Nassau its probably too long in San Juan. We docked
at 9 AM and it was fun to be up at the rail as we sailed past El Morro and into Old San Juan. We got
back on land a did our own walking tour of the old city which was very quaint and picturesque. It was a
little rainy that day but not too bad. There were mobs of school kids on an outing this day and they
dominated the sidewalks. The auto traffic was very thick as well and we were glad we opted out of an
offered taxi tour. We shopped, toured and browsed the morning away in peace.

That afternoon we had scheduled our only shore excursion of the week, the El Yunque Rain Forest
Hike. This one ran both hot and cold. We loved the rain forest, it was lush and green and yes, it did rain.
We saw lots of flora but very little fauna. I swam under a waterfall and it was exhilarating. The direct drive
to the rain forest should take less than 50 minutes but our driver thought we might like to go the scenic
route outbound. It took more than 90 minutes and it was kind of depressing. There is lots of poverty in
Puerto Rico but there is even more litter. I don’t know how poor people can generate so many empty fast
food wrappers and beer bottles, unless they aren’t really that poor, just messy. Anyway, we could have
gotten to the forest more quickly and then gotten back to the ship at an earlier hour but instead we got
back after 7 PM and had to rush around to get ready for dinner.

We decided to dine on shore that night and enjoyed an authentic Spainish dinner in Old San Juan. The
ship did not have any recommendations for this “do it yourself” exploration so I found a taxi driver, told
him what I was looking for and he made the absolute best choice, La Mallorquina. The Sangria was cold
and the food was delicious and the weather cleared in time for us to have a nice stroll back to the ship.

St. Thomas, USVI: The Westerdam was the sixth of seven cruise ships in port that day. We could see
both the Maasdam and the Sun Princess at anchor in the harbor. We however, continued past the main
port around to the old abandoned sub base and had our own pier all to ourselves. There are plenty of
cabs at $2.50 per person to take you into Charlotte Amallie. So off we went to shop, for about 90
minutes. We tracked down some bargains for later and headed off for adventure.

Most of my life I have wanted to try scuba diving and now I was going to finally give it a try. $10 and a
15-minute cab ride later and we were at Coki Beach where I had made arrangements to meet Pete
Jackson of the Coki Beach Dive Center. Pete has been diving in St. Thomas for years and years and
runs a great outfit right on the beach. In fact he is one of the main contractors for Princess Cruises for
both snorkeling and scuba. I found out about him reading a rave review on the Sealetter web site. He
only takes out groups of 6 or less in his non-certified resort course. We did about 30 minutes on land,
passed the quiz and got into the gear. We were under water for over 40 minutes and went out to a depth
of about 40 feet.

It was amazing, and much easier than I had thought. Our guide led us out to and around the reef
pointing out various fish, crabs, eels and squid. We had the opportunity to have our pictures taken by
him as well. More important than any of this though was the care they exercise in seeing to our safety
while in the water. The guide was always counting heads, checking equipment and monitoring gauges.
At one point one member of our group was having a problem with her mask causing her to have to
surface a bit early. In a flash there was Pete in snorkel gear. He had been watching from the beach and
was there with us (about 90 yards off shore) in record time to help her back to shore. I highly
recommend Pete Jackson and the Coki Beach Dive Center. Check out their web site and go visit them
when you are on the island. They are located just Northwest of Coral World.

Finally it was time to head back to town and make some purchases. Becky had been anxious to buy a
new silver bracelet and we got some good pearl earrings too. Then we flagged a cab and made it back
to the ship with 30 minutes to spare for sail away.

Half Moon Cay: Absolutely the most gorgeous beach I have ever seen. This is the only tendered port
and may be skipped based on weather. We had a great day and went ashore at about 9:30. Since we
were sharing the island with the Maasdam that day things were a bit crowed on the south end of the
beach. But regardless we got some lounges a small table and two umbrellas and planted ourselves.
Lunch was served at the pavilion, beverage service was available, there is an ice cream parlor and a
small straw market as well. We played volleyball, the snorkeling was fine and in all it was great way to
end the cruise. As we sailed away I spotted some great coves and private beaches on the far north end
which I will visit the next time I am there.

In Conclusion

This was the best cruise I have taken so far. It was calm and relaxing. The activities we choose to do
were exhilarating and fun. The staff was the friendliest and most accommodating. The ship was pleasant
and comfortable. The weather cooperated completely. We love the eastern Caribbean and now we love
HAL. Here are a few points to know and keep in mind when booking this line and this ship.

--Flowers everywhere. The cruise line spend $20K per week on flowers for the ships. --There is an
express line for the breakfast buffet as well as a separate line for cereals and fruits and there is a fresh
squeezed juice machine. --The is a salad bar at lunch full of fresh items and many of those items
change from day to day. --The pizza is fresh and available every day from 3 to 5 and there is also cabin
delivery. --The ship has no forward observation lounge or deck except for the wraparound promenade.
This is my only real disappointment with this ship. --Tipping not required does not mean tipping is
included. I may have spent more on tips this cruise than on any other. The service warranted it. --There
is a great amount of vibration in the rear of the ship. Avoid booking back there if this is bothersome to
you. --Do not worry about HAL’s median age. If you are looking for a low key, relaxing, well appointed
and well serviced cruise then this is the cruise line for you. If you are looking for more action or
rowdiness then look elsewhere.

If you gotten this far and are still awake then thanks for reading and feel free to e-mail with questions or
comments. Happy cruising!!

Jeff Hobbs hobbsey@aol.com

Name: Harold Koenig
Email: HalandMary@aol.com
Age: 76
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 14
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Westerdam
SailingDate: 03/25/00
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: 112/Outside
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Apr 2000
Time: 12:36:36
Remote Name: spider-wo043.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

There is no glitz or flash here, just good old-fashioned cruiseship decor. This is a roomy ship, although
somewhat baffling in its layout due to a stretch back around 1990. For example, the exercise facilities
can be difficult to locate as they are in the middle of the navigation deck.

Holland America seems to have a reputation for excellent food and entertainment, and that was true on
this cruise. A bonus was having Carol Channing on board to give a talk about her show business career.
The eight singer/dancers that put on two musical productions during our one-week cruise were excellent
- some of the best we've seen.

The cabins tend to be somewhat dark because of brown panelled walls, but they are of a good size and
our bathroom, with a tub/shower, was more than adequate. The in-room TV set was larger than normal.

The decks are completely misnamed. 'Lower Promenade' deck contains cabins only; 'Promenade' is all
inside and has the lounges, casino, front desk, etc.; 'Upper Promenade' has a bonafide outside
walkway.

HAL appently has an obsession with selling Evian water, which at $3.25 a quart is approximately seven
times today's inflated price for a gallon of gasoline.

HAL's private island, Half Moon Cay, was almost worth the trip by itself. The beach is gorgeous, the
lounge chairs and mats are great, the water is clear and warm, and the picnic lunch is delightful. They
could have skipped St. Thomas (where SEVEN cruise ships were in port on the same day) and spent
more time here!

Name: Philip Wojcikiewicz
Email: phillip.wojcikiewicz@tellabs.com
Age: 27
Occupation: Technical Support Engineer in Telecommunications
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Westerdam
SailingDate: 4-1-2000
Itinerary: Eastern Caribeen
Cabin: 264-K
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 88
FoodRoomService: 87
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 86
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 94
CabinQuietness: 92
FoodMidnightBuffets: 94
CabinSteward: 92
ShoreExcVariety: 96
FoodVariety: 93
DeckService: 86
ShoreExcValue: 89
GoodForHoneymoon: 75
CasinoStaff: 84
PrivateIsland: 88
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 88
TenderService: 87
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff: 88
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 91
OverallPortsofCall: 92
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 83
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 87
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 94
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 89
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 87
SpaceRatio: 93
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Apr 2000
Time: 11:02:06
Remote Name: gate-out.tellabs.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our 1st cruise and it was a great experience. Holland America (HAL) does tend to draw an
older crowd, but this was in no way a draw back to the overall cruise.

Our dinner table was great, we had 2 couples that had been on over 30+ cruises apiece, and the 3rd
couple had been on almost 20. Their knowledge just added to our overall enjoyment of the cruise.

The staff, at every level, was just tremendous. They were all courteous and friendly at all times. They
went out of their ways to make sure that we were enjoying our vacation. Not only were they friendly on
the ship, but while we were in a couple of the ports we saw some of the crew that we knew, and they
were just as friendly off of the ship as well.

The entertainment was better than expected but not the best that we had seen, but by no means bad.
There was always plenty to do on the ship, with a wide variety to choose from as well.

We opted to do the shore excursions, which were well described, and were well worth their costs. We did
the Dolphin encounter, which was just amazing; we would recommend it to anyone. We did the El
Yunque Rainforest walk in San Juan, it was beautiful, but it was a lot of walking. We tried the beginners
SCUBA in St. Thomas, and that was great, it you have ever wanted to try SCUBA this is the way to do it,
well worth the cost.

The food was great, a great variety, and everything from the exotic to the ordinary to choose from, with
everything in between. If you go home hungry from this cruise it's your own fault. We weren't able to find
anything that wasn't good; everything was prepared perfectly, and looked just as good as it tasted.

The on board activities were very well planned, and well spaced out. They offered lots of variety and
gave just about everyone something to choose from.

The worst part of this entire cruise was leaving!!! The 7 days just wasn't long enough. And being that we
won the FREE cruise while playing BINGO, yeah us!!, we will definitely be back for more. I would highly
recommend this cruise and the entire HAL line to anyone looking to experience an enjoyable and
exciting 1st cruise experience. We can not comment how this cruise compares to other cruise lines being
this was are first, but this definitely won't be our last cruise.

Name: Martin Ryszka
Email: martystretch@yahoo.com
Age: 49
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 14
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Westerdam
SailingDate: 4-1-00
Itinerary: Eastern Carib
Cabin: 136
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 99
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 91
ShoreExcValue: 91
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 99
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 May 2000
Time: 12:15:11
Remote Name: 209.69.198.170
Remote User:

Comments

Please take my casino number somewhat tongue in cheek; and excellent staff overall they were just too
helpful with my wallet...this time. My waiter seemed to be preoccupied the entire trip. Though we were assured
he was one of the more experienced waiters we had several meals in which orders were forgotten or totally
wrong. The errors were quickly remedied and profusely apologized for which made me wonder if the problem
might have been in the galley. This was my first time on the Westerdam and I could not have been more
thrilled. She is an older ship, refitted in 1990 after being purchased from the old Homeric Lines. Cut in half,
stretched and refitted with more rooms, stores and elevators. In fact I still marvel at the mid-ship elevator that
connected the Promenade Deck #8 with the restuarant on deck #4 with the restuarant split on either side. This
ship was so different from the cookie-cutter Statendam class of ships that I totally fell back in love with the
adventure of cruising. This isn't meant as a disparaging comment of the Ryndam, Statendam, Volendam and
Veendam ships which I also thuroughly enjoyed. It is rather and acknowledgement of the refreshing
differences found on the Westerdam. For instance, the theater is topside on the Sun deck. The Verandah Grill
is on the Upper Promenade and the Lido Restuarant is on the Promenade--there is no Verandah nor Lido
decks. I loved it! Kept me disorganized the entire week like I was a first timer all over again! The food was
without exception delicious and appealing to the eye as well as the taste buds. Despite the errors in delivery. I
shared a great table with six other people all of whom shared my passion for the cuisine. We covered all the
menu offerings at every dinner, even the desserts were fully covered. As the old adage goes that the average
cruiser puts on 6-8 pounds, well we raised the average with gusto. The cruise director and his staff were as
friendly and personable as any I have encountered and their individual abilities at name and face recognition
left me truly impressed. One to many times to Nassau has left me a little jaded with the Eastern Caribbean but
the chance to tour the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island is almost worth a trip in itself. What the Westerdam
may lack in age or size she more than makes up for with style, grace, charm and class. A truly beautiful
cruising experience I look forward to repeating with other friends and family.

Name: Geralyn Brock
Email: gbrock@rmfinc.com
Age: 34
Occupation: Construction Marketing
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Westerdam
SailingDate: 5/13/00
Itinerary: Inside Passage Alaska
Cabin: 459 / Category L
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 50
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 50
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 99
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon: 75
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 30
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 99
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess: 95
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 May 2000
Time: 12:19:37
Remote Name: watchguard.rmfinc.com
Remote User:

Comments

Holland America M/S Westerdam May 13 - 20, 2000 Inside Passage - Alaska

This was our very first cruise, so please excuse my gushing! Overall, my impression of cruising is that it is the
ONLY way to travel. Unpack only once, see great ports . . . I am already planning our next cruise.

My husband had always wanted to see Alaska, and the only way I would agree is doing a cruise. I am so glad
we did, and especially glad we chose Holland America, for reasons I will describe. We are in our early 30’s,
and although HAL is known for catering to older crowds, we couldn’t have been more pleased. So many
interesting people from all over the world.

1) Booking—We booked through Ship-N-Shore in Englewood, Florida. I found them on the Internet, and we
got our cruise for $1750 per person, including airfare! I though this was a terrific bargain. I was a nervous
wreck and Joanne and the entire customer service department was so patient and understanding. I will
definitely use them for booking our next trip. I must have called those poor people a hundred times, and come
to find out, they were right! I didn’t have a thing to worry about. Our documents arrived seven days before we
left, and although I would have preferred to get them earlier, it was no big deal.

2) Holland America booked our flights, and we luckily got a non-stop from Detroit (we live 45 minutes away) to
Vancouver. Crowded, but a pleasant flight on Northwest. Vancouver’s airport was extraordinary. A huge
waterfall in the Customs area made the 15-minute wait bearable. Lots of Native artwork. What a nice
experience in an airport! A Holland America Representative met us after we cleared Canadian Customs, and
directed us to the motor coach that took us to the pier. So very smooth! The driver took the “scenic” route to
Canada Place Pier, and Vancouver is a lovely city. I’d like to return and stay for a couple of days and explore.

Our luggage was checked in Detroit, and it miraclously appeared in our state room. I was nervous about it,
but everyone assured me that Holland America NEVER loses luggage, and it’s true!

3) When we got to the pier, checking into the ship was very quick, very smooth and organized. There were
two other ships at the pier also boarding, but we were so organized, I never noticed how many people were
around. You can certainly tell HAL has been doing this for 125 years. We waited only 5 minutes in the seating
area before we boarded. As we walked down the hallway to the gangplank, we were stopped to have our
picture taken. Not having cruised before, I thought this was necessary for ID cards or security. Later, we
found out that photographers take your picture and you can purchase them as memoirs. I looked like, well,
not my best, and I would really have rather not had my picture taken, but I did not have to pay for it if I didn’t
want it. That was somewhat annoying, as they took your picture repeatedly during the cruise. On the third
day, we told them to stop. The photographers never bothered us again.

4) When boarding, a string quartet was playing as you entered the ship. How nice and calming. We were
immediately shown to our stateroom... I couldn’t believe how many staff members were around to help! Our
room was on the Main Deck, right around the corner from the main gangway and the shore excursions office.
Very convenient for us!

Many people warned us our cabin would be so small but we were pleasantly surprised when we entered our
room. It was an inside cabin, which we wanted, as it is daylight 20 hours per day in Alaska at this time of year.
Very comfortable for us. Perfectly adequate... we didn’t spend enough time in our cabin to care. Our room
was cozy and clean and well lit. I wouldn’t pay for a bigger cabin. We just didn’t need it.

5) After checking out our room, we hurried to explore our ship. The Westerdam is not one of those modern
monstrosities. It is a smaller, more elegant, understated affair. I could not have been more pleased. I never
thought I’d figure out where everything was, but it only took a day to familiarize ourselves with the layout. I
LOVED the open-air aft decks and wrap-around Promenade deck. 6) I was impressed with the emergency
drill. My husband said when we boarded, “I wonder if those life boat mechanisms actually work?” Being an
engineer, only he would think of such a thing, but yes, indeed, they did work. Holland America does a great
job on these drills. Very thorough. The officers and crew were serious about this, and I felt reassured I would
survive a disaster.

7) After a bit of exploring, we had lunch in the Verandah restaurant. HAL has a special embarkation
buffet-style lunch, and we were thrilled with the quality, taste and quantity of food. We were of course starving
by then, but it was nice.

After lunch, we went back to our room to check if our luggage had arrived. It had, and we got someone else’s
bags, too, but we told our steward, and they took them away immediately.

8) We got under way precisely at 5:00 p.m. That was thrilling. I didn’t feel a thing. I thought I’d all of a sudden
feel seasick, but the boat was so smooth!

9) Lion’s Gate bridge was fantastic, as was all of Vancouver. So beautiful! We are from Ohio, so any hill that
was not a highway overpass was a treat. The majesty of the snow-capped mountains was breathtaking.

10) The Westerdam itself is a great ship. As I mentioned before, it is a very elegant ship. We spent alot of
time in the Explorer’s Lounge and the Book Chest (the ship’s library) because we both wanted to relax, read,
and take in the beautiful scenery. Huge windows, excellent service, great music. The Champagne Strings
played every night in this lounge. So romantic! I found a cozy corner in the Book Chest that I escaped to for
some quite time frequently throughout the cruise. Wonderful!

The Ocean Bar was also a great place. Very relaxing. Rain, our waitress in the Ocean Bar was so attentive.
She remembered our names, my husband’s preference for Chivas, and my idea of a perfect Margarita. In the
evenings, a smooth band played dance music. It was so nice to see older couples dance together.

The Queens Lounge is where we met our friend Armando. He was such fun! I saw him everywhere after our
initial meeting. Boy, do those people work hard!!! 12 hours per day, seven days per week. Wow! Although
HAL has a “tipping not required” policy, I tipped nearly everyone that served us during the week. These
people make virtually nothing, and they worked SO hard to make everyone happy.

11) We never went to the casino. I have no desire to gamble, and never even knew where it was, and didn’t
care.

12) The shops were nice, but I didn’t come to Alaska to shop. Pricey, but again, not an issue for us.

13) Never had a need to talk with the front desk. I did go there to let them swipe my credit card for quick,
easier debarkation. Another quick, smooth transaction. No waiting, I didn’t even speak a word. Just gave them
my boarding card and my credit card. He swiped it, I signed a paper, and that was it. I never went there again.

14) The on-board lectures on wildlife and the history and culture of Alaska could have been better. By that, I
mean they could have gotten a more interesting and dynamic speaker. Frieda was an older lady and rather
dull, but we did learn quite a bit about the flora and fauna of Alaska. We attended all her lectures.

All during the cruise, everywhere you looked was the beautiful scenery in Alaska. So untouched and
unspoiled, it really is the last frontier on earth. Our first port of call was Juneau. We had pre-booked all of our
shore excursions, and I highly recommend that. After docking, disembarkation was very smooth. When we
originally boarded the ship, we got swipe cards to disembark and re-embark at the ports. Very smooth.

15) Juneau was great! Our tour guide met us at the end of the gangplank. We chose the Juneau Wildlife
Cruise, as both my husband and I love whales and animals. We were incredibly blessed! Although we were
late docking, they still took us on our 4-hour tour of Auke Bay. The company that ran this tour is a family-run
business. Nice, smaller boats with an upper deck and lower enclosed deck were perfect for watch for whales,
seals, sea lions, etc. There was a naturalist on board doing commentary. He was very knowledgeable. As he
was talking about humpback whales and what to watch for, we saw a humpback spouting then his tail. We
were thrilled we got so close. He continued to talk about them, that then the whale breached right in front of
our boat. What a rush!

The naturalist and the captain of the boat were both very surprised, because they hadn’t seen a whale do
that all year! We were so lucky. Then, he breached again! And again! We stayed with that whale about an
hour, and he must have jumped to the air twenty times! The captain was almost in tears! (It was a woman
captain, by the way. She was great. Her name was Molly, I think.) The naturalist, Casey, was just
flabbergasted. The whale, after he was done showing off, then started to slap his pectoral fin on the water for
about twenty minutes. We were all shocked about that, as that is very social behavior for a whale, and it is
early in the season yet for socializing. The whales come to Alaska mostly to feed. He also did a few tail slaps
on the surface. It was so awe-inspiring! That alone was worth every cent we paid for that shore excursion.

Then, as we continued on Auke Bay, we saw harbor seals, which are normally very skittish and shy, but our
captain cut the engines so we wouldn’t scare them and they let us come close. They are so cute! We got
some great pictures. We also saw Stellar sea lions. They are huge and noisy! I can’t believe how close we got
to them. They are friendly and curious. Got great pics of them, too.

Bald eagles were in virtually every tree. Our captain and Casey were so alert to all the wildlife and shared so
much knowledge with us. I can’t believe bald eagles were ever endangered. They are everywhere. We also
saw their huge nests.

Coming back to shore, I though I saw a pod of orcas, but it was a school of Dall’s porpoises. Boy, do they
move fast! I would highly recommend this excursion to anyone going to Alaska. It was fabulous!

Since we stayed out so long, the captain of the Westerdam called to Molly and told her he would have a steak
dinner waiting for us when we got back, and not to hurry and to enjoy ourselves. We were so late, but the
entire crew was very accommodating to our schedule. Everyone wanted to hear about our little trip. Our
dinner was great, and the staff did not mind us being in the Verandah so late.

16) The next day was Skagway. What an interesting little town. We had scheduled a flight-seeing tour of
Glacier Bay from Skagway, but the weather was iffy, so they cancelled it. Better safe than sorry. We were
disappointed, but recovered quickly when another tour operator asked us if we wanted to go on a tour. We
said sure, and went on a delightful tour of Skagway and the surrounding area, and into the White Pass. We
went to the top of the mountain where the Canadian/Alaskan border is, and it started to snow. It so was
incredibly beautiful, I wanted to cry. The entire tour was fabulous, but a little scary. The road was narrow, and
the cliff was shear. All sorts of waterfalls everywhere. Glacier water tastes great! We had some when we
stopped by a waterfall on the side of the road.

17) Wednesday was sailing through Glacier Bay. Words cannot describe the raw beauty of this place. We
took on some park rangers from the National Park Service who did some commentating through the PA
system all during our time in Glacier Bay. We saw the Marjarie Glacier calving. That is magnificent. The sound
of the cracking and the enormous chunk falling into the sea and the huge splash astounded me. It was very
cold in Glacier Bay, but the crew had hot cocoa and coffee on deck all the time. The rangers were very
knowledgeable and had set up an area in the Queens Lounge for questions. Our captain was so great! He
kept turning to boat around so we could see as much of the glacier as possible. They only let one ship/day
into the bay, and we were very alone and very lucky.

18) Thursday we docked in Ketchican. We had no shore excursions planned for this day. This is my one and
only regret about the entire trip. Please, if you are booking a cruise, plan as many excursions as possible.
The learning opportunities are so great! If the timing works out, book two tours if you can. Nevertheless, we
shopped for souvenirs and gifts at the many shops in Ketchican. It was fun.

19) Friday was a cruising day. I was exhausted. So, we went to the movies and a vegetable-carving seminar.
That was fun and interesting.

You should never be bored on a cruise. There is so much to learn and to do.

20) FOOD: The only thing I can say is Oh My God! I never saw such quality and quantity in my entire life.
What luxury! The formal dining room was beautiful. Our waiter and bus boy were very attentive. We had a
table for two, (pre-booked) but towards the end, we wished we would have sat with the table next to us. They
were such fun! The food was extraordinary! I’ve tried things I never thought I would eat: duck, filet of sole,
lobster fettuccini, etc. Everything tasted so good! Everything was presented beautifully. More than enough!
The first night in the dining room, I didn’t know what I was doing and didn’t get an appetizer or soup or salad.
The waiter was so funny: he asked me 'Are you on a diet?' But from then on, I tried everything and loved
mostly all of it.

Desserts were out of this world!

We had lunch almost every day on the Lido Deck. Sometimes we ate from the grill, sometimes from the buffet.
Always excellent.

Breakfasts were great! There were a lot of Europeans on board, and they eat some very different things:
salmon and cream cheese, muesli, etc. Very interesting. My husband and I normally do not eat large
breakfasts, but we did on this cruise. Towards the end of the cruise, we were getting ill from eating so much of
such delicious, rich food!

We tried to stay away from the Verandah pool area. It smelled kind of funny and was very humid from the
pool.

21) Entertainment: I can’t really comment too much on this . . . We had the late seating for dinner, and by the
end of dinner we were so exhausted, we just want to relax in a lounge with a cocktail or go to sleep. The fresh
air made us sleep so well. I heard from our new friends that the entertainment was good and that they
enjoyed it.

Although I have no other cruising experience to compare it to, our sailing on the Westerdam was an
experience of a lifetime. Not only was the ship and crew excellent, Alaska is like a dream world. I was living a
fantasy for a week. I was so sad when we had to leave. I am already planning our next cruise. I loved the
experience!

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