Westerdam Caribbean Review B2B

[pjs9876]

Westerdam Caribbean Review

10-25-09 and 11-1-09 B2B

Husband is 46 and I am 57. We have done about 15 cruises on Carnival, RCL, NCL, Costa, Disney, and Celebrity with the most on Princess. We always get a balcony.

First cruise with HAL.

Embarkation

We arrived about 11:45. We parked at the garage across the road from the ship after giving our luggage to the porters. Entered building and found a long line going left and right. We guessed where we were supposed to join. I carry a pen so we filled out our cards and had passports ready. Check in went quickly. Then we sped upstairs to a holding area. We went aboard about 12:30.

Embarkation lunch

We were invited based on previous cruise history. I did not care for the fixed menu or the taste of the food. There were a lot of different food items in sauces. We had our carry on luggage with us. Our other luggage arrived in our rooms about 3. The second week, we talked with a couple that gave their bags to the porter but it went on the incorrect ship!!! HAL was giving them free laundry and wine but it was a rough trip. I don’t see how it can happen but in their case it did happen.

Safety drill

Passengers were directed not to take life vests. It went quickly. I had purchased a soda card for $16 giving me 18 drinks at the Lido Bar. When I pulled it for the drill I had the wrong card. I went to the station number on this card and called the person’s name. No answer. When we went to the purser’s desk we were told the passenger left the previous week. ???

Cabin

4134 Bed was wonderful. Room stewards were perfect. They supplied extra pillows and our request for ice was fulfilled immediately. We let them know when we were just lounging in the room and did not need service. The room layout does not allow the light to shine into the closet very well. I had trouble putting all the needed items on a flat surface. The desk and end tables were all filled to the brim as well as the closet shelves. I placed all hanging in one place and made shelves out of the others but I prefer a different layout

There was only one outlet in the room across from the beds above the desk. We use two CPAPS. I had brought two extension cords but it would not have worked. The cabin steward bought the one they used. It was taped together but at least it worked.

Vista Dining Room

We chose anytime dining and chose to walk in and usually eat with others. We did not have long waits at any time. The china used is lovely and service was very good. I am not in the least a picky eater but I did not find the food to be very good. When it was good, it was wonderful and delicious but many times it was poor. My steaks were tender but lacked flavor. Duck le ‘orange consisted on 4 slices of meat (looked like it was processed) with a dollop of gravy on top. The lobster was good but the beef was dry.

Lido

On the first day I unpacked and asked hubby to get me something to drink. The program said the Lido was open. He arrived to closed sections. Nothing and I mean nothing was open. There was a sign stating they were serving crew only. Tea and water were roped off. He went behind the lines to get tea and was told by a waiter that the section was closed. He was able to get tea while the waiter WATCHED. Tea was served in small glasses. When we later spoke to an officer, she said the person doing the daily events was new (several more mistakes followed). She told us to ignore signs and go ahead. Wonder how much fun we could have following that advice?

In the morning there was a station for waffles (very good) and about 20 feet down is the juice. Continuing in the same direction about 15 feet is a station for scrambled eggs, bacon, etc. Further down another 15 feet is the omelet station and around the corner is bread. Coffee is on the opposite wall. Starting back at the beginning and on the starboard side is a station for eggs benedict. This is followed by a repeat of the port side. Something is going to get cold before you can eat it. It required a number of trips to get juice, milk coffee, waffles and bacon to the table. The orange juice was NOT fresh squeezed and the concentrate separated long before I picked it up. In 2 weeks we saw 1 coffee cart and even then he skipped our table and we had to call him. In 2 weeks I had my 1 plate carried to the table 1 time. There were a lot of workers. They wiped a lot. They cleared plates the minute the last bite went into your mouth but they did not help in any other way.

The salad bar on most days offered Romaine lettuce or Romaine lettuce with some purple tipped greens. Only the very basic items like broccoli, carrots and onions. I found an entire bin of Blue cheese one day but only for the one time. Another day I got to the tray to select a dressing. I was lifting the containers up with my left hand and holding the greens with my right hand. A waiter took it back from me and picked up the tray containing ALL choices and walked away! When I tried to call him back, he “didn’t hear me” There were people in line after me-guess they didn’t want any salad dressing either.

I had a Rueben sandwich one day at the pannier station. The next day I asked for another. They could not make one. I asked for ham and cheese. He only had great big rolls. At a sandwich station and there was not one kind of sliced bread??

Hamburgers by Lido pool

The poor guy was often left without help. He had help but not with the actual cooking. Two times it took 20 minutes just to get a hamburger. There were crew in the area but they did not do cooking. They were wiping and filling up ketchup.

Lido deck BBQ

We had several cook outs. It was listed below the times for the Lido on the daily program. Sometimes in was aft. Sometimes it was beside the main pool. They only stated Lido deck. It was always a hunt. The food was good. Steaks, ribs or beef with spicy oil cooked like stir fry. Could not find tea, water or punch except back in the Lido. Lots of uncut fruit. Cut fruit was crunchy cantaloupe or watermelon.

At lunch one day was stir fry beside the main pool. Surprise! Nothing was said in the program so unless you blundered into it at the right time, it slipped by unnoticed. It was one of a small number of times I saw shrimp. They were cooked while you watched and were tasty.

Dessert extravaganza

Held at 10:30PM beside the main pool. Lots of cakes and pies. I found a cheesecake that I liked. Very pretty display and lots of choices but they looked better than they tasted. They did chocolate fountains and white chocolate fountains. The only problem was that it was chocolate syrup not a true chocolate that would coat. There was nothing to drink in the area except things like chocolate martinis that of course were at an extra cost. It was also very warm. Many passengers went back inside the Lido because of the heat and because every seat was taken. If they open the “dome” just a little it causes a wind tunnel effect. If they open it fully the wind was actually less but at night it was closed.

They were also cooking what was called Bananas Foster and another banana dessert. It was not cooked to order and there was no flame. I was given a dish containing 2 pieces on warm fruit in a thick slime. I did not care for it.

Room service

This was lovely and a wonderful experience. Because I read cruise critic, I knew to order in the first ½ hour of service from the posted menu. Our meals were outstanding. Breakfast did not require multiple trips to the bars and arrived hot and exactly what I ordered. I tipped for each order. OK, one day they got it wrong, so what? On formal night we feasted on escargot, lobster and tender fillet. I sat there in my jammies and just made purring sounds. Decadent!

Pinnacle

Lovely experience (almost). Elegant without being at all stuffy. I had the crab cakes and lobster bisque. I knew they would flambé at the table. They did pour a little liquor and light it but it was a very short presentation. I then had the 22 ounce ribeye. I ate and ate and ate. It was tender enough to cut with a butter knife. That was a good thing because they did not bring a steak knife! I stuffed myself leaving just a little room so I could have my favorite dessert, crème brule’ .I asked if he would make me a swan so I could eat the steak for breakfast. He said there is a policy that since they can not guarantee how the food is kept after leaving the restaurant and since it might make me sick, they were not permitted to let you take food out. Excuse me? I had taken food out of the Lido to my room. I had ordered room service and no one had worried about my health or when I ate it. On top of that huge disappointment the crème brule’ arrived and was prefixed, not prepared to order.

Entertainment

We attended 2 of the singing and dancing shows. They were fine. We knew what to expect from Julie Barr and so the language and jokes were funny. Some of the material is old but we are still laughing at “scooch down”. She got off the boat with suitcases so I do not know her plans. The ship was a charter jazz cruise the following week. We liked the piano bar and sang many many songs there with new friends. The Elton John show pleased a lot of people.

Pools

We went in the aft pool. On the bottom was a black material that moved back and forth with the ship motion. It would have filled two dust bins. I did not want to dive down and see what it was. The pools are closed at night and roped off. They had just removed the ropes so maybe the black stuff came from them. The hot tubs were sometimes open later. I like to swim at night after the shows so I missed doing that on HAL.

Computer classes

Chris did a really good job of teaching digital manipulation of photos. Classes were free.

Crew

The following are just a few examples of little annoyances that kept adding up. They do their assigned jobs but cannot change with circumstances.

My husband was in the only one in the bathroom. An attendant came in while he was washing his hands. The attendant asked him to move aside, and then proceeded to fill the soap dispenser! Couldn’t he wait a minute?

I tried to find a bathroom by following signs near the casino and main showroom. I walked in a circle and then did it again. I asked a crewman for help. The bathroom was hidden behind double doors! A second set should have been closed instead of the first set.

We watched 2 movies in the Queen’s lounge. The quality of the projector system was poor and drenched out the color and clarity. While we watched one of the movies a crew member started blowing up balloons or cutting Styrofoam. It was causing many folks to turn around and be distracted. My husband told the person he was detracting from the experience and the crew member said sorry and tried to be quieter but did not go to another area. By the way, about 10 light bulbs were out in the lounge but this was never addressed. The seating is orange fake leather. There was a black spot about 1 ½ inches diameter where someone had left gum on the seat. It had been cleaned but the overall appearance was tawdry.

ESPN 1 and 2 are shown on the ship. They advertised the college football coming that afternoon. We asked at the sportsbar, “Would we be able to see the game?” He did not know. We asked at the front desk. After a lot of searching, they said no, a soccer program would be playing but they were not sure. 20 of us waited in the Sports Bar as the TV scroll kept saying the game was coming. When the big moment arrived the station switched and suddenly little white balls were being kicked. We all left. Later that night the football games after the game we wanted were shown. The lounge had a crowd.

I know each of the things mentioned are little bitty items but they arrived constantly.

Ports

HMC

I wanted to go early so we could find some shade. On the way to the tender area I asked the person dealing with shore excursions if in fact I was headed to the correct area to wait for the first tender. I was told, “I could wait anywhere.” That was not what I wanted to know. I went back to her and asked where the line would form. I was told, “HAL doesn’t have lines”. Oh really. I was really glad I walked on to the main atrium and asked the front desk where would be good place to wait. She told me exactly where the best spot was.

I was on the first tender and the first on the beach. There is an old Tiki Hut beside the Lifeguard station. It provided shade and was cool. There is only one and the next storm may blow it away. The beach and water was the best of any private island I have been on. It was a glorious day. The second week was very rough and windy and we were not able to go in. BBQ on the island was fine. We headed back early to avoid the rush.

Aruba

Avoided the rush and did not go ashore till about 4. At the pier a tour driver approached and for $10 each we toured the island. It was a lot of fun and we learned a lot. We did a little shopping and returned to the ship early.

Curacao

They took all the different times for the trolley tour and turned it into just 2 times. We waited in the hot sun beside the ship then were jammed into vans. They had AC. HHHHHHHAAAAAAA! The trolley was filled to the max with a lot of folks riding backward. Tour guide was dealing with a ton of problems and became rude. Actual tour was OK. Best thing was spotting a Tiki Hut through the arches of the fort. It sat over the breaking waves and served wonderful drinks. Wonderful!

San Juan

We got off after the main groups departed. We were going to take another tour from the pier but after loading 24 people on the bus he was arranging to fill every seat so we bolted. We walked a little to the left and up the hill. We found lots of shops selling unusual artwork. We would walk and then sit in the many parks. The little parks have fountains and hundreds of pigeons. We went around to a wonderful panoramic view from high on a hill looking down at the ships.

St. Maartin

Our favorite stop in the Caribbean. Took the water taxi and did some shopping. Easy to get off at one of the stops and shop then go back from the other stop. The shop keeper at the pier knows our name when we walk in so it is always fun to feel important.

Grand Turk

We just walked through Margaretville and settled on the beach. The beach has a shelf of very soft sand that must be traversed when going swimming. It requires a little effort but the water was inviting. Also we had a little seaweed and a few rough bottom areas. I wore water shoes. We swam in the area near the ship and other areas farther away may have been better. Margaretville was not overly crowded and seats with shade could be found all day.

Disembarkation

Our time to disembark was 9:45. The steward made the bed when we left for breakfast about 7:30. We still had personal items to gather. He asked what time we were leaving but did not bother us. We tipped him extra on top of the standard plus gave him a bottle of wine. At 9:45 we left our room and joined the line reaching from the atrium past the full length Explorer’s Lounge. It moved fairly quickly into the main building. To get to the purple tagged luggage we had to cut through the line of folks that already had their bags. The line was over 100 feet long and about 5-6 people wide.

A few cones with tape would have helped a great deal. Slowing the lines would have helped.

Overall

We enjoyed the trip. One little thing or several little things are not going to turn a cruise into a disappointment. However, if the little things keep adding up then it begins to be a problem. Some of the crew were wonderful but others were totally inattentive. Some of the food was wonderful and other experiences were awful. We have been on Princess Cruises and when we got off the ship and asked ourselves, “Did anything at all go wrong?” The answer was an emphatic, “No!” We missed several favorite foods and activities. Each line cultivates different clientele. I don’t think Holland America is a perfect match for us.

[dutch46]

I would disagree with you on a number of the things you said. I believe you may be a little bit nit picky in your review. We found the crew in almost all respects to be very courteous and helpful. I firmly believe each cruise is only what you make of it and not what is made for you. Since this was our fifth on HAL, we can tell you that yes, they are cutting back on some things. (No crepes on the desert menu, no croissants at breakfast, only the three basic flavors of ice cream, smaller portions (not a problem)). But there are so many options to choose from that the loss of those things are not a problem. We will continue to cruise with HAL and from the sound of your review, I am sure we will not run into you on any of our future cruises.

 

Harlan

[mrsltg]

I would disagree with you on a number of the things you said. I believe you may be a little bit nit picky in your review. We found the crew in almost all respects to be very courteous and helpful. I firmly believe each cruise is only what you make of it and not what is made for you. Since this was our fifth on HAL, we can tell you that yes, they are cutting back on some things. (No crepes on the desert menu, no croissants at breakfast, only the three basic flavors of ice cream, smaller portions (not a problem)). But there are so many options to choose from that the loss of those things are not a problem. We will continue to cruise with HAL and from the sound of your review, I am sure we will not run into you on any of our future cruises.

 

Harlan

 

Interesting. I was on one of the same cruises as the OP (11/1.) I had croissants at breakfast (wonderful!!!) and there were more than the three basic flavors of ice cream and I did my best to try each which may have something to do with the title of my review, "Why are my jeans so tight?"

 

While my experience was not the same as PJ's on several fronts, she is giving her opinion. However, I too noticed there were several errors in the program. DH or myself would go to attend whatever program and it had started either a half hour earlier or later. It was somewhat annoying. We really enjoyed the food on this cruise but I cruise the Westerdam in March and found most of the food simply "okay." Maybe I'd adjusted my expectations on this cruise enough to enjoy it for what it was? Again, very subjective.

 

PJ - the day of the poolside Mongolian BBQ, are you referring to Saturday, the 7th? That was put together at the last minute due to the canceled port. That's why it wasn't listed.

 

Welcome home!

[IRL_Joanie]

Thank you for your review of my favorite ship. I will be on her once more in February for a B2B and cannot wait.

 

Once more, thank you for your review.

 

Joanie

[Sanibel*Gal]

DH & I were also on the 1st week of the Westerdam cruise with PJ and other members of our CC roll- call. I would just like to add some observations of my own since this was also our first HAL cruise. Have sailed with Carnival, RCCL & Princess previously.

 

We found the embarkation very easy – drove to port, park car in garage, check in and we were on the ship in about 20 mins.

 

Had a partially obstructed cabin but it was large, tub in bath was great and our room steward & assistant took excellent care of us . The beds on HAL are the best – hands down!

 

Lido food, we found, was usually quite good with a nice variety. The taco bar on deck was also a nice option but the Terrace Grill (burgers & hot dogs) was very slow with service. The only condiments for my hot dog were – ketchup & mustard. Bar service on the ship was good but the stock was not. If we would ask for a bucket of beer they never had enough beers. One of the servers would ask us to wait while he went to another bar to get our beer. Mind you this was only Bud Light and it happened 3 different times – 2x at the same bar. We also asked for a vodka drink in another lounge, just bar stock but they were also out of that and again, had to send someone to retrieve a bottle somewhere else. Did it ruin our vacation, no - but found it strange that they were short on stock in the bars.

 

We found service in the dining rooms to be hit or miss as well as the dining room food. Did the anytime dining and sat at different size tables but found the service very inconsistent. I understand that food is always subjective but I ordered a seafood linguini and found only a couple of scallops and a few clams. Salads were good as was the steak & prime rib.

 

Pinnacle Grill was also disappointing in service, food was wonderful but we felt completely ignored and time between serving courses very long. There were a couple of other tables that seemed to be dominating the staff. When the meal was finished, I ordered dessert along with a coffee. The dessert came, creamer & sugar caddy but no coffee, DH called over one of the servers to ask again. He said he would let our waiter know but it never came.

 

Half Moon Cay & the BBQ they serve is one of the best we ever had and the ports, Aruba & Curacao, were wonderful.

 

I had always read here on CC and it was repeated over & over on our roll-call that we would love the Westerdam and the service was above & beyond. We did enjoy the ship, the crew was very friendly but the service was not quite what we expected. Maybe that was our fault, our expectations were way too high – not sure. Would we take another HAL cruise - absolutely depending on price & itinerary. After all - we were on a cruise and never had a bad one!;)

 

Andrea

~~~~~~

[IRL_Joanie]

Thank You Andrea for your review. Honest and straightforward.

 

Joanie

[AlexandNessa]

 

Lido food, we found, was usually quite good with a nice variety. The taco bar on deck was also a nice option but the Terrace Grill (burgers & hot dogs) was very slow with service. The only condiments for my hot dog were – ketchup & mustard. ~~~~~~

 

 

Just want to point out that the "taco bar" had chopped onions, sauerkraut, cheese, chili, and relish. I know it was odd to put these things there, but they were all there if you looked for them.

I will agree that the Grill service was pretty slow, but then we were behind crochety people who would bark "toast the bun!" or "make that burger well-done" or "melt the cheese more!" which took some time. Did anyone try the turkey burgers there? Yum!

Yes, we were on 10/25 - 11/8 as well.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Westerdam Caribbean Review

10-25-09 and 11-1-09 B2B

 

Husband is 46 and I am 57. We have done about 15 cruises on Carnival, RCL, NCL, Costa, Disney, and Celebrity with the most on Princess. We always get a balcony.

First cruise with HAL.

 

Embarkation

We arrived about 11:45. We parked at the garage across the road from the ship after giving our luggage to the porters. Entered building and found a long line going left and right. We guessed where we were supposed to join. I carry a pen so we filled out our cards and had passports ready. Check in went quickly. Then we sped upstairs to a holding area. We went aboard about 12:30.

 

Embarkation lunch

We were invited based on previous cruise history. I did not care for the fixed menu or the taste of the food. There were a lot of different food items in sauces. We had our carry on luggage with us. Our other luggage arrived in our rooms about 3. The second week, we talked with a couple that gave their bags to the porter but it went on the incorrect ship!!! HAL was giving them free laundry and wine but it was a rough trip. I don’t see how it can happen but in their case it did happen.

 

Safety drill

Passengers were directed not to take life vests. It went quickly. I had purchased a soda card for $16 giving me 18 drinks at the Lido Bar. When I pulled it for the drill I had the wrong card. I went to the station number on this card and called the person’s name. No answer. When we went to the purser’s desk we were told the passenger left the previous week. ???

 

Cabin

4134 Bed was wonderful. Room stewards were perfect. They supplied extra pillows and our request for ice was fulfilled immediately. We let them know when we were just lounging in the room and did not need service. The room layout does not allow the light to shine into the closet very well. I had trouble putting all the needed items on a flat surface. The desk and end tables were all filled to the brim as well as the closet shelves. I placed all hanging in one place and made shelves out of the others but I prefer a different layout

There was only one outlet in the room across from the beds above the desk. We use two CPAPS. I had brought two extension cords but it would not have worked. The cabin steward bought the one they used. It was taped together but at least it worked.

 

Vista Dining Room

We chose anytime dining and chose to walk in and usually eat with others. We did not have long waits at any time. The china used is lovely and service was very good. I am not in the least a picky eater but I did not find the food to be very good. When it was good, it was wonderful and delicious but many times it was poor. My steaks were tender but lacked flavor. Duck le ‘orange consisted on 4 slices of meat (looked like it was processed) with a dollop of gravy on top. The lobster was good but the beef was dry.

 

Lido

On the first day I unpacked and asked hubby to get me something to drink. The program said the Lido was open. He arrived to closed sections. Nothing and I mean nothing was open. There was a sign stating they were serving crew only. Tea and water were roped off. He went behind the lines to get tea and was told by a waiter that the section was closed. He was able to get tea while the waiter WATCHED. Tea was served in small glasses. When we later spoke to an officer, she said the person doing the daily events was new (several more mistakes followed). She told us to ignore signs and go ahead. Wonder how much fun we could have following that advice?

 

In the morning there was a station for waffles (very good) and about 20 feet down is the juice. Continuing in the same direction about 15 feet is a station for scrambled eggs, bacon, etc. Further down another 15 feet is the omelet station and around the corner is bread. Coffee is on the opposite wall. Starting back at the beginning and on the starboard side is a station for eggs benedict. This is followed by a repeat of the port side. Something is going to get cold before you can eat it. It required a number of trips to get juice, milk coffee, waffles and bacon to the table. The orange juice was NOT fresh squeezed and the concentrate separated long before I picked it up. In 2 weeks we saw 1 coffee cart and even then he skipped our table and we had to call him. In 2 weeks I had my 1 plate carried to the table 1 time. There were a lot of workers. They wiped a lot. They cleared plates the minute the last bite went into your mouth but they did not help in any other way.

 

The salad bar on most days offered Romaine lettuce or Romaine lettuce with some purple tipped greens. Only the very basic items like broccoli, carrots and onions. I found an entire bin of Blue cheese one day but only for the one time. Another day I got to the tray to select a dressing. I was lifting the containers up with my left hand and holding the greens with my right hand. A waiter took it back from me and picked up the tray containing ALL choices and walked away! When I tried to call him back, he “didn’t hear me” There were people in line after me-guess they didn’t want any salad dressing either.

 

I had a Rueben sandwich one day at the pannier station. The next day I asked for another. They could not make one. I asked for ham and cheese. He only had great big rolls. At a sandwich station and there was not one kind of sliced bread??

 

Hamburgers by Lido pool

The poor guy was often left without help. He had help but not with the actual cooking. Two times it took 20 minutes just to get a hamburger. There were crew in the area but they did not do cooking. They were wiping and filling up ketchup.

 

 

Lido deck BBQ

We had several cook outs. It was listed below the times for the Lido on the daily program. Sometimes in was aft. Sometimes it was beside the main pool. They only stated Lido deck. It was always a hunt. The food was good. Steaks, ribs or beef with spicy oil cooked like stir fry. Could not find tea, water or punch except back in the Lido. Lots of uncut fruit. Cut fruit was crunchy cantaloupe or watermelon.

 

At lunch one day was stir fry beside the main pool. Surprise! Nothing was said in the program so unless you blundered into it at the right time, it slipped by unnoticed. It was one of a small number of times I saw shrimp. They were cooked while you watched and were tasty.

 

Dessert extravaganza

Held at 10:30PM beside the main pool. Lots of cakes and pies. I found a cheesecake that I liked. Very pretty display and lots of choices but they looked better than they tasted. They did chocolate fountains and white chocolate fountains. The only problem was that it was chocolate syrup not a true chocolate that would coat. There was nothing to drink in the area except things like chocolate martinis that of course were at an extra cost. It was also very warm. Many passengers went back inside the Lido because of the heat and because every seat was taken. If they open the “dome” just a little it causes a wind tunnel effect. If they open it fully the wind was actually less but at night it was closed.

 

They were also cooking what was called Bananas Foster and another banana dessert. It was not cooked to order and there was no flame. I was given a dish containing 2 pieces on warm fruit in a thick slime. I did not care for it.

 

Room service

This was lovely and a wonderful experience. Because I read cruise critic, I knew to order in the first ½ hour of service from the posted menu. Our meals were outstanding. Breakfast did not require multiple trips to the bars and arrived hot and exactly what I ordered. I tipped for each order. OK, one day they got it wrong, so what? On formal night we feasted on escargot, lobster and tender fillet. I sat there in my jammies and just made purring sounds. Decadent!

 

Pinnacle

Lovely experience (almost). Elegant without being at all stuffy. I had the crab cakes and lobster bisque. I knew they would flambé at the table. They did pour a little liquor and light it but it was a very short presentation. I then had the 22 ounce ribeye. I ate and ate and ate. It was tender enough to cut with a butter knife. That was a good thing because they did not bring a steak knife! I stuffed myself leaving just a little room so I could have my favorite dessert, crème brule’ .I asked if he would make me a swan so I could eat the steak for breakfast. He said there is a policy that since they can not guarantee how the food is kept after leaving the restaurant and since it might make me sick, they were not permitted to let you take food out. Excuse me? I had taken food out of the Lido to my room. I had ordered room service and no one had worried about my health or when I ate it. On top of that huge disappointment the crème brule’ arrived and was prefixed, not prepared to order.

 

Entertainment

We attended 2 of the singing and dancing shows. They were fine. We knew what to expect from Julie Barr and so the language and jokes were funny. Some of the material is old but we are still laughing at “scooch down”. She got off the boat with suitcases so I do not know her plans. The ship was a charter jazz cruise the following week. We liked the piano bar and sang many many songs there with new friends. The Elton John show pleased a lot of people.

 

Pools

We went in the aft pool. On the bottom was a black material that moved back and forth with the ship motion. It would have filled two dust bins. I did not want to dive down and see what it was. The pools are closed at night and roped off. They had just removed the ropes so maybe the black stuff came from them. The hot tubs were sometimes open later. I like to swim at night after the shows so I missed doing that on HAL.

 

Computer classes

Chris did a really good job of teaching digital manipulation of photos. Classes were free.

 

 

Crew

The following are just a few examples of little annoyances that kept adding up. They do their assigned jobs but cannot change with circumstances.

My husband was in the only one in the bathroom. An attendant came in while he was washing his hands. The attendant asked him to move aside, and then proceeded to fill the soap dispenser! Couldn’t he wait a minute?

 

I tried to find a bathroom by following signs near the casino and main showroom. I walked in a circle and then did it again. I asked a crewman for help. The bathroom was hidden behind double doors! A second set should have been closed instead of the first set.

 

We watched 2 movies in the Queen’s lounge. The quality of the projector system was poor and drenched out the color and clarity. While we watched one of the movies a crew member started blowing up balloons or cutting Styrofoam. It was causing many folks to turn around and be distracted. My husband told the person he was detracting from the experience and the crew member said sorry and tried to be quieter but did not go to another area. By the way, about 10 light bulbs were out in the lounge but this was never addressed. The seating is orange fake leather. There was a black spot about 1 ½ inches diameter where someone had left gum on the seat. It had been cleaned but the overall appearance was tawdry.

 

ESPN 1 and 2 are shown on the ship. They advertised the college football coming that afternoon. We asked at the sportsbar, “Would we be able to see the game?” He did not know. We asked at the front desk. After a lot of searching, they said no, a soccer program would be playing but they were not sure. 20 of us waited in the Sports Bar as the TV scroll kept saying the game was coming. When the big moment arrived the station switched and suddenly little white balls were being kicked. We all left. Later that night the football games after the game we wanted were shown. The lounge had a crowd.

 

I know each of the things mentioned are little bitty items but they arrived constantly.

 

Ports

HMC

I wanted to go early so we could find some shade. On the way to the tender area I asked the person dealing with shore excursions if in fact I was headed to the correct area to wait for the first tender. I was told, “I could wait anywhere.” That was not what I wanted to know. I went back to her and asked where the line would form. I was told, “HAL doesn’t have lines”. Oh really. I was really glad I walked on to the main atrium and asked the front desk where would be good place to wait. She told me exactly where the best spot was.

 

I was on the first tender and the first on the beach. There is an old Tiki Hut beside the Lifeguard station. It provided shade and was cool. There is only one and the next storm may blow it away. The beach and water was the best of any private island I have been on. It was a glorious day. The second week was very rough and windy and we were not able to go in. BBQ on the island was fine. We headed back early to avoid the rush.

 

Aruba

Avoided the rush and did not go ashore till about 4. At the pier a tour driver approached and for $10 each we toured the island. It was a lot of fun and we learned a lot. We did a little shopping and returned to the ship early.

 

Curacao

 

They took all the different times for the trolley tour and turned it into just 2 times. We waited in the hot sun beside the ship then were jammed into vans. They had AC. HHHHHHHAAAAAAA! The trolley was filled to the max with a lot of folks riding backward. Tour guide was dealing with a ton of problems and became rude. Actual tour was OK. Best thing was spotting a Tiki Hut through the arches of the fort. It sat over the breaking waves and served wonderful drinks. Wonderful!

 

San Juan

We got off after the main groups departed. We were going to take another tour from the pier but after loading 24 people on the bus he was arranging to fill every seat so we bolted. We walked a little to the left and up the hill. We found lots of shops selling unusual artwork. We would walk and then sit in the many parks. The little parks have fountains and hundreds of pigeons. We went around to a wonderful panoramic view from high on a hill looking down at the ships.

 

St. Maartin

Our favorite stop in the Caribbean. Took the water taxi and did some shopping. Easy to get off at one of the stops and shop then go back from the other stop. The shop keeper at the pier knows our name when we walk in so it is always fun to feel important.

 

Grand Turk

We just walked through Margaretville and settled on the beach. The beach has a shelf of very soft sand that must be traversed when going swimming. It requires a little effort but the water was inviting. Also we had a little seaweed and a few rough bottom areas. I wore water shoes. We swam in the area near the ship and other areas farther away may have been better. Margaretville was not overly crowded and seats with shade could be found all day.

 

 

Disembarkation

Our time to disembark was 9:45. The steward made the bed when we left for breakfast about 7:30. We still had personal items to gather. He asked what time we were leaving but did not bother us. We tipped him extra on top of the standard plus gave him a bottle of wine. At 9:45 we left our room and joined the line reaching from the atrium past the full length Explorer’s Lounge. It moved fairly quickly into the main building. To get to the purple tagged luggage we had to cut through the line of folks that already had their bags. The line was over 100 feet long and about 5-6 people wide.

A few cones with tape would have helped a great deal. Slowing the lines would have helped.

 

Overall

We enjoyed the trip. One little thing or several little things are not going to turn a cruise into a disappointment. However, if the little things keep adding up then it begins to be a problem. Some of the crew were wonderful but others were totally inattentive. Some of the food was wonderful and other experiences were awful. We have been on Princess Cruises and when we got off the ship and asked ourselves, “Did anything at all go wrong?” The answer was an emphatic, “No!” We missed several favorite foods and activities. Each line cultivates different clientele. I don’t think Holland America is a perfect match for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to write your review.

[Krazy Kruizers]

DH & I were also on the 1st week of the Westerdam cruise with PJ and other members of our CC roll- call. I would just like to add some observations of my own since this was also our first HAL cruise. Have sailed with Carnival, RCCL & Princess previously.

 

We found the embarkation very easy – drove to port, park car in garage, check in and we were on the ship in about 20 mins.

 

Had a partially obstructed cabin but it was large, tub in bath was great and our room steward & assistant took excellent care of us . The beds on HAL are the best – hands down!

 

Lido food, we found, was usually quite good with a nice variety. The taco bar on deck was also a nice option but the Terrace Grill (burgers & hot dogs) was very slow with service. The only condiments for my hot dog were – ketchup & mustard. Bar service on the ship was good but the stock was not. If we would ask for a bucket of beer they never had enough beers. One of the servers would ask us to wait while he went to another bar to get our beer. Mind you this was only Bud Light and it happened 3 different times – 2x at the same bar. We also asked for a vodka drink in another lounge, just bar stock but they were also out of that and again, had to send someone to retrieve a bottle somewhere else. Did it ruin our vacation, no - but found it strange that they were short on stock in the bars.

 

We found service in the dining rooms to be hit or miss as well as the dining room food. Did the anytime dining and sat at different size tables but found the service very inconsistent. I understand that food is always subjective but I ordered a seafood linguini and found only a couple of scallops and a few clams. Salads were good as was the steak & prime rib.

 

Pinnacle Grill was also disappointing in service, food was wonderful but we felt completely ignored and time between serving courses very long. There were a couple of other tables that seemed to be dominating the staff. When the meal was finished, I ordered dessert along with a coffee. The dessert came, creamer & sugar caddy but no coffee, DH called over one of the servers to ask again. He said he would let our waiter know but it never came.

 

Half Moon Cay & the BBQ they serve is one of the best we ever had and the ports, Aruba & Curacao, were wonderful.

 

I had always read here on CC and it was repeated over & over on our roll-call that we would love the Westerdam and the service was above & beyond. We did enjoy the ship, the crew was very friendly but the service was not quite what we expected. Maybe that was our fault, our expectations were way too high – not sure. Would we take another HAL cruise - absolutely depending on price & itinerary. After all - we were on a cruise and never had a bad one!;)

 

Andrea

~~~~~~

 

I appreciate you taking the time to write your opinions.

[bettacanuck]

I have to say that these review are kind of good for me to read...I go on the Westerdam in a couple weeks and my expectations are now very low.

 

I am very easy to please though and I'm sure that I will be happy:)

 

Thanks for taking the time to write down your observations.

[momatibm]

I have to say that these review are kind of good for me to read...I go on the Westerdam in a couple weeks and my expectations are now very low.

 

I am very easy to please though and I'm sure that I will be happy:)

 

Thanks for taking the time to write down your observations.

 

Please look at the good points -- some times it is more important to explore than to expect things to be 'handed' to you. I found that the 'taco bar' was the condiment bar for both tacos and the grill -- been on multiple ships and talking with folks it's more a perception than reality.

[AlexandNessa]

I have to say that these review are kind of good for me to read...I go on the Westerdam in a couple weeks and my expectations are now very low.

 

I am very easy to please though and I'm sure that I will be happy:)

 

Thanks for taking the time to write down your observations.

 

 

Well, not to over-inflate your expectations, but as I mentioned we were also on this B2B, and with a few minor exceptions had a GREAT cruise! We are not loyal to HAL, but we had such a great time on this cruise that we booked another one sooner than we thought.

 

Here are our observations:

 

• We had fixed dining, and I will say that our second week of servers was far better than our first week servers. We had Anton and Elvis our second week, and they were really great. After Anton and Elvis, it was clear we had the "B Team" our first week.
  
• Our cabin stewards were great too. We are not demanding by any means, but we didn't exactly make it easy on them, just with the schedule we keep. And by schedule, I mean no schedule! Some days we are out by 9, some days we sleep till noon. We were amazed they kept track of us so well.
  
• Treat your bartenders well (throw in an extra tip once in a while ... carry some $5s and $1s) and they will treat you well too. More importantly, get to know them. We made some friends this trip and got some rounds every once in a while on them.
  
• Speaking of .. since it was Halloween, we brought along king-sized candy bars for the staff we met throughout the cruise and passed them out. That was a big hit. We usually bring along some kind of small, easily usable gift for the crew, but that also made us pretty popular among the staff. :)
  
• We did have some mis-steps getting reservations at the Pinnacle. On two nights, they insisted they couldn't accommodate a Table for 4 at 8 or 8:30, but when we arrived, the restaurant wasn't even half full. When we made our 3rd reservation (party of 4 for between 8-9pm), they gave us the same song and dance at "being full," but we called their bluff from the previous two reservations. They begrudgingly accommodated us at our requested time, and guess what? When we arrived at the restaurant, there were maybe eight other tables occupied, if that. That said, once we were seated, we had great service and great food. I just don't know why they gave us such a hard time getting a reservation in the first place.
  
• We found the food to be quite good, and we were never hungry. In fact, I am regretting all our indulgences right about now as I feel myself growing out of these pants I'm in by the minute. ;)
  
• We had a great time doing the Pub Crawl, participating in trivia, and going to Northern Lights. Because we were regulars at Northern Lights, we got to know DJ Jazzy pretty well (he's very personable) and it made us enjoy our nightlife all the more.
  
• 2 Minor gripes (and I do mean minor): 1. the tiles we got as Mariners didn't have the Westerdam name on them; they were generic HAL tiles. I was hoping to have one with the Westerdam name on it to add to our growing collection. 2. The name tags the crew members wear. A few years ago, the crew/staff wore tags with just their first name. They were easy to read, as the letters were larger. Now, they wear tags with their first and last names and their picture. They were too hard to read, which is probably why I still don't know the names of our B-team waiter and assistant. We couldn't read their tags, and they were too rushed to tell us their names!
  
• Our last minor complaint was that we sprung for the Butler package in our cabana, and our butler didn't quite get the "butler" part of his job. I actually had to chase him down the beach and tell him we wanted a round of beers. He said, "But I just brought you water and diet coke." I said, "yes, you did, but we really want a few Miller Lites and Coors Lites." After he brought them, I slipped him half his tip for the day and told him to restock the beer every 45 minutes. Problem solved. :)
  
• A lovely touch on HAL's part: cool wash cloths upon returning to the ship from San Juan.
  
• We found the ship perfectly maintained and spotless. We enjoyed the Westerdam very much.
  

[bettacanuck]

Well, not to over-inflate your expectations, but as I mentioned we were also on this B2B, and with a few minor exceptions had a GREAT cruise! We are not loyal to HAL, but we had such a great time on this cruise that we booked another one sooner than we thought.

 

Here are our observations:

 

• We had fixed dining, and I will say that our second week of servers was far better than our first week servers. We had Anton and Elvis our second week, and they were really great. After Anton and Elvis, it was clear we had the "B Team" our first week.
  
• Our cabin stewards were great too. We are not demanding by any means, but we didn't exactly make it easy on them, just with the schedule we keep. And by schedule, I mean no schedule! Some days we are out by 9, some days we sleep till noon. We were amazed they kept track of us so well.
  
• Treat your bartenders well (throw in an extra tip once in a while ... carry some $5s and $1s) and they will treat you well too. More importantly, get to know them. We made some friends this trip and got some rounds every once in a while on them.
  
• Speaking of .. since it was Halloween, we brought along king-sized candy bars for the staff we met throughout the cruise and passed them out. That was a big hit. We usually bring along some kind of small, easily usable gift for the crew, but that also made us pretty popular among the staff. :)
  
• We did have some mis-steps getting reservations at the Pinnacle. On two nights, they insisted they couldn't accommodate a Table for 4 at 8 or 8:30, but when we arrived, the restaurant wasn't even half full. When we made our 3rd reservation (party of 4 for between 8-9pm), they gave us the same song and dance at "being full," but we called their bluff from the previous two reservations. They begrudgingly accommodated us at our requested time, and guess what? When we arrived at the restaurant, there were maybe eight other tables occupied, if that. That said, once we were seated, we had great service and great food. I just don't know why they gave us such a hard time getting a reservation in the first place.
  
• We found the food to be quite good, and we were never hungry. In fact, I am regretting all our indulgences right about now as I feel myself growing out of these pants I'm in by the minute. ;)
  
• We had a great time doing the Pub Crawl, participating in trivia, and going to Northern Lights. Because we were regulars at Northern Lights, we got to know DJ Jazzy pretty well (he's very personable) and it made us enjoy our nightlife all the more.
  
• 2 Minor gripes (and I do mean minor): 1. the tiles we got as Mariners didn't have the Westerdam name on them; they were generic HAL tiles. I was hoping to have one with the Westerdam name on it to add to our growing collection. 2. The name tags the crew members wear. A few years ago, the crew/staff wore tags with just their first name. They were easy to read, as the letters were larger. Now, they wear tags with their first and last names and their picture. They were too hard to read, which is probably why I still don't know the names of our B-team waiter and assistant. We couldn't read their tags, and they were too rushed to tell us their names!
  
• Our last minor complaint was that we sprung for the Butler package in our cabana, and our butler didn't quite get the "butler" part of his job. I actually had to chase him down the beach and tell him we wanted a round of beers. He said, "But I just brought you water and diet coke." I said, "yes, you did, but we really want a few Miller Lites and Coors Lites." After he brought them, I slipped him half his tip for the day and told him to restock the beer every 45 minutes. Problem solved. :)
  
• A lovely touch on HAL's part: cool wash cloths upon returning to the ship from San Juan.
  
• We found the ship perfectly maintained and spotless. We enjoyed the Westerdam very much.
  

Thanks very much for your much more positive review! I get slightly worried when I read so many negative opinions about the Westerdam, but then I have to remind myself that I am just thrilled to be on vacation!! I don't sweat the small stuff at all, and I strongly believe as you mentioned that a few small tips here and there make all the difference in the world:cool:

 

I'll let you know when I write my own review after my return. I'm expecting a positive one, unless a disaster occurs:D

[IRL_Joanie]

Well, not to over-inflate your expectations, but as I mentioned we were also on this B2B, and with a few minor exceptions had a GREAT cruise! We are not loyal to HAL, but we had such a great time on this cruise that we booked another one sooner than we thought.

 

Here are our observations:

 

• We had fixed dining, and I will say that our second week of servers was far better than our first week servers. We had Anton and Elvis our second week, and they were really great. After Anton and Elvis, it was clear we had the "B Team" our first week.
  
• Our cabin stewards were great too. We are not demanding by any means, but we didn't exactly make it easy on them, just with the schedule we keep. And by schedule, I mean no schedule! Some days we are out by 9, some days we sleep till noon. We were amazed they kept track of us so well.
  
• Treat your bartenders well (throw in an extra tip once in a while ... carry some $5s and $1s) and they will treat you well too. More importantly, get to know them. We made some friends this trip and got some rounds every once in a while on them.
  
• Speaking of .. since it was Halloween, we brought along king-sized candy bars for the staff we met throughout the cruise and passed them out. That was a big hit. We usually bring along some kind of small, easily usable gift for the crew, but that also made us pretty popular among the staff. :)
  
• We did have some mis-steps getting reservations at the Pinnacle. On two nights, they insisted they couldn't accommodate a Table for 4 at 8 or 8:30, but when we arrived, the restaurant wasn't even half full. When we made our 3rd reservation (party of 4 for between 8-9pm), they gave us the same song and dance at "being full," but we called their bluff from the previous two reservations. They begrudgingly accommodated us at our requested time, and guess what? When we arrived at the restaurant, there were maybe eight other tables occupied, if that. That said, once we were seated, we had great service and great food. I just don't know why they gave us such a hard time getting a reservation in the first place.
  
• We found the food to be quite good, and we were never hungry. In fact, I am regretting all our indulgences right about now as I feel myself growing out of these pants I'm in by the minute. ;)
  
• We had a great time doing the Pub Crawl, participating in trivia, and going to Northern Lights. Because we were regulars at Northern Lights, we got to know DJ Jazzy pretty well (he's very personable) and it made us enjoy our nightlife all the more.
  
• 2 Minor gripes (and I do mean minor): 1. the tiles we got as Mariners didn't have the Westerdam name on them; they were generic HAL tiles. I was hoping to have one with the Westerdam name on it to add to our growing collection. 2. The name tags the crew members wear. A few years ago, the crew/staff wore tags with just their first name. They were easy to read, as the letters were larger. Now, they wear tags with their first and last names and their picture. They were too hard to read, which is probably why I still don't know the names of our B-team waiter and assistant. We couldn't read their tags, and they were too rushed to tell us their names!
  
• Our last minor complaint was that we sprung for the Butler package in our cabana, and our butler didn't quite get the "butler" part of his job. I actually had to chase him down the beach and tell him we wanted a round of beers. He said, "But I just brought you water and diet coke." I said, "yes, you did, but we really want a few Miller Lites and Coors Lites." After he brought them, I slipped him half his tip for the day and told him to restock the beer every 45 minutes. Problem solved. :)
  
• A lovely touch on HAL's part: cool wash cloths upon returning to the ship from San Juan.
  
• We found the ship perfectly maintained and spotless. We enjoyed the Westerdam very much.
  

 

Thank You! Good review, honest and straightforward and to the point.

 

Joanie

[pjs9876]

I have to say that these review are kind of good for me to read...I go on the Westerdam in a couple weeks and my expectations are now very low.

 

I am very easy to please though and I'm sure that I will be happy:)

 

Thanks for taking the time to write down your observations.

 

 

It is not my intention to "trash" the crew, ship or line. That is why I got so detailed about some of the "nit-picky" items. I wanted to give just a few examples of little tiny things that did bother me only because they kept happening. I tried to list some of the excellent things too.

 

Maybe my expectations were too high to begin with before the trip. The many friends I made on board (Hi guys!:D) can tell you that we had a good time. The CC group was part of the experience both weeks and added to the cruise.

 

I just wanted to put out there our personal experience. It is intended to help other cruisers avoid pitfalls and make wise choices. If I had read a review such as this it would helped me anticipate and maybe alleviate problems.

 

I hope you and all who sail have a truly wonderful cruise!

[pjs9876]

PJ - the day of the poolside Mongolian BBQ, are you referring to Saturday, the 7th? That was put together at the last minute due to the canceled port. That's why it wasn't listed.

 

Welcome home!

__________________

Erin

 

Hi! Nah, I gave 'em a pass for that one. , welcome home yourself!

[pjs9876]

DH & I were also on the 1st week of the Westerdam cruise with PJ and other members of our CC roll- call. I would just like to add some observations of my own since this was also our first HAL cruise. Have sailed with Carnival, RCCL & Princess previously.

 

We found the embarkation very easy – drove to port, park car in garage, check in and we were on the ship in about 20 mins.

 

Had a partially obstructed cabin but it was large, tub in bath was great and our room steward & assistant took excellent care of us . The beds on HAL are the best – hands down!

 

Lido food, we found, was usually quite good with a nice variety. The taco bar on deck was also a nice option but the Terrace Grill (burgers & hot dogs) was very slow with service. The only condiments for my hot dog were – ketchup & mustard. Bar service on the ship was good but the stock was not. If we would ask for a bucket of beer they never had enough beers. One of the servers would ask us to wait while he went to another bar to get our beer. Mind you this was only Bud Light and it happened 3 different times – 2x at the same bar. We also asked for a vodka drink in another lounge, just bar stock but they were also out of that and again, had to send someone to retrieve a bottle somewhere else. Did it ruin our vacation, no - but found it strange that they were short on stock in the bars.

 

We found service in the dining rooms to be hit or miss as well as the dining room food. Did the anytime dining and sat at different size tables but found the service very inconsistent. I understand that food is always subjective but I ordered a seafood linguini and found only a couple of scallops and a few clams. Salads were good as was the steak & prime rib.

 

Pinnacle Grill was also disappointing in service, food was wonderful but we felt completely ignored and time between serving courses very long. There were a couple of other tables that seemed to be dominating the staff. When the meal was finished, I ordered dessert along with a coffee. The dessert came, creamer & sugar caddy but no coffee, DH called over one of the servers to ask again. He said he would let our waiter know but it never came.

 

Half Moon Cay & the BBQ they serve is one of the best we ever had and the ports, Aruba & Curacao, were wonderful.

 

I had always read here on CC and it was repeated over & over on our roll-call that we would love the Westerdam and the service was above & beyond. We did enjoy the ship, the crew was very friendly but the service was not quite what we expected. Maybe that was our fault, our expectations were way too high – not sure. Would we take another HAL cruise - absolutely depending on price & itinerary. After all - we were on a cruise and never had a bad one!;)

 

Andrea

~~~~~~

 

Hello-Hello!! Thanks for posting.

:D PJ

[suse]

Thanks very much for your much more positive review! I get slightly worried when I read so many negative opinions about the Westerdam, but then I have to remind myself that I am just thrilled to be on vacation!! I don't sweat the small stuff at all, and I strongly believe as you mentioned that a few small tips here and there make all the difference in the world:cool:

 

I'll let you know when I write my own review after my return. I'm expecting a positive one, unless a disaster occurs:D

I already know that my review is going to be 100percent positive. After the year I've been through, yeah, it's going to be heaven.

[pjs9876]

Thank you for your review of my favorite ship. I will be on her once more in February for a B2B and cannot wait.

 

Once more, thank you for your review.

 

Joanie

 

 

You are always so nice to thank the folks that post. THANK YOU!

PJ

[LMB01]

Our last minor complaint was that we sprung for the Butler package in our cabana, and our butler didn't quite get the "butler" part of his job. I actually had to chase him down the beach and tell him we wanted a round of beers. He said, "But I just brought you water and diet coke." I said, "yes, you did, but we really want a few Miller Lites and Coors Lites." After he brought them, I slipped him half his tip for the day and told him to restock the beer every 45 minutes. Problem solved. :)

• 
  

 

Interesting problem as we had the exact opposite on a B2B on the Westerdam this past March. We also did the butler in the cabana and we could not get rid of the guy (most of them, as was ours, waiters from The Pinnacle). We take a sip of our cocktail and he wanted to run after more! We say another cabana butler building sand castles with one of the other cabana members child. I guess it really depends on who you get for your butler.

[AlexandNessa]

Interesting problem as we had the exact opposite on a B2B on the Westerdam this past March. We also did the butler in the cabana and we could not get rid of the guy (most of them, as was ours, waiters from The Pinnacle). We take a sip of our cocktail and he wanted to run after more! We say another cabana butler building sand castles with one of the other cabana members child. I guess it really depends on who you get for your butler.

 

I understand. We had a cabana butler on the Volendam in 2006 and had that type of service. We had so much left over beer, they helped us carry it back to our stateroom! The one this trip was new to the butler thing though. And I don't think he was from the Pinnacle. He wore blue, and not the usual Pinnacle white coat. Nice kid, just a little slow on the uptake. ;)

[dutch46]

If my reply to the OP appeared negative, I apologize for that. DW and I had a wonderful time on this cruise as has happened on every cruise we have been on. Each cruise is an unique experience and cannot be compared with another cruise (even the same destinations, same ship, etc.). We try very hard to not worry about the small things and always look at the positive things about each "adventure" in life.

 

 

Harlan

[Sanibel*Gal]

Hello-Hello!! Thanks for posting.

:D PJ

 

Your welcome!

We sure looked good on Halloween, didn't we????:D

 

I too did not mean to be nit picky or negative, just what I noticed. We did have wonderful bar service in the Ocean's Bar with William & Jason before dinner. The appetizers each evening were a very nice touch. We always tip extra for good service, no matter who it is, bar servers, dinner waiter to our room stewart but on this cruise we had inconsistent service. As a matter of fact I had three different people makes comments to me about it & I didn't even know them! Once in the bingo line in the Crows Nest and the other two were in the ladies room.

 

 

Harlan - You are so right - every cruise is a unique experience and new adventure. Again, we had a wonderful time - met many new friends & enjoyed our cruise! Any day on a ship is better than a great day at work!:)

 

Andrea

~~~~~~~

[Crusing Bob]

Sorry, PJ and Andrea, that you had some issues after I had bragged about the Westerdam so much on our Roll Call. We had excellent service from the cabin stewards, dining stewards, somelier, Andreas, dining room mgr and others that I may have left out. We only hope that it will be as great on the Zaandam.

 

Bob

[HeatherInFlorida]

A very discouraging review from the OP and a couple of others as I look forward to our March cruise on the Westerdam. Still, I do see you were very happy with some things so I'll look on the bright side.

 

I didn't know the croissants are history and if that's true it just may be my biggest disappointment. One of the highpoints (for me) of a HAL cruise are the chocolate croissants. Oh wait! Now I see mrsltg says they do have the croissants ... phew :D

 

Thanks to everyone who reviewed on this thread. I don't consider any comments nitpicking since that's what I look for in a review. Glossing over everything and just saying "it was great" or "it was lousy" doesn't help anyone. So thanks for nitpicking just a bit!!

 

On a lighter note, pjs, I'm fiendishly jealous that you are 57 and your husband is 46. No wonder you purred over your lobster and escargot!;)