Westerdam

FEBRUARY

I'm very happy the excursions I have selected. I wish the departure time in Osaka is later at night so we have a chance to go shopping after our excurrsions.

JANUARY

The Westerdam is a fine ship well-maintained and Nicely kept. Its crew is friendly, happy and capable. We were made to feel very welcome. However, details for shore Excursions were quite lacking and sometimes in accurate. They are also quite expensive and local guides were unwilling or unable to explain, or narrate the local Surroundings. Holland America Needs to create a higher level of expectations from the local guides. Holland America needs to invest in Vox boxes so that guides can better communicate with passengers. In addition, the itinerary Did not describe the actual number of days at sea. The distance covered between Hong Kong, and Singapore requires more days at sea than we realized.

JUNE

Wish they had more excursions. Japanese government requested wearing mask . Staff where friendly and very helpful.

APRIL

Wish they had more excursions. Japanese government requested wearing mask . Staff where friendly and very helpful.

APRIL

We were very disappointed with our first voyage since the pandemic on Holland America. Evident cost cutting on food, wine, cancellation of the classical music venue Lincoln Centre, extra charges in the Pinnacle dining room that is already extra money. Insufficient excursions offered in many ports, charging for shuttles , even when the port offered them for free.

SEPTEMBER

This was our first trip on this boat.!It was very clean! Food was fantastic and everyone treated us well !

SEPTEMBER

<div>Our room attendant, Adi was the best! Extremely polite, professional and personal. We enjoyed our stateroom. However, the buffet left a lot to be desired.</div>

AUGUST

We had one day At McKinley and one day at Princess Wilderness. It would have been better to have 2 days at McKinley. The travel schedule for arrivals and departures on one day does not allow enough time for excursions into the Park. Staff did a wonderful job adjusting schedules to accomodate the impact of fire and rock slides.

AUGUST

It was a great trip. The ship was very well maintained and the staff friendly. We did encounter a few staff members that weren't but they were few and far between. Maybe they were just having a bad day LOL. The food was much better than anyone in our group expected as was the talent of the evening entertainment. All in all it was a wonderful experience filled with lots to do and see.

JULY

We are already starting to plan our next trip, our third trip, on the Westerdam.

JULY

We enjoyed the quiet relaxed atmosphere of the ship, the entertainment and programming options.

JULY

For a first time cruise traveler, I was impressed with how efficiently the ship and the daily activities and excellent service at the restaurants operated. Also, the very personable, helpful and caring crew members was exceptional.

JUNE

See above.

APRIL

I would recommend this ship to travelers who prefers to participate less in ship’s activities and just simply relax and enjoy the tours.

FEBRUARY

Room 1105 was perfect. Elevator right a round the corner. Dinning room was an easy walk up. (floor 2-3) Guest services down the hall way. shopping ... *** I chose not to attend the activities or entertainment (1 bingo only)

NOVEMBER

Like its sister ships (Oosterdam, Zuiderdam, Noordam) the Westerdam got refurbished and has a new entertainment system (similar to Hotel Pay-TV systems except you don't have to pay extra). The downside is that the staterooms no longer have DVD players and the central movie server has less different movies than there were different DVDs with the old systems. For WIFI three different per day options are available instead of the old per minute choices. Unfortunately, the WIFI doesn't seem any faster than before even with the highest performance (and most expensive) option which is advertised to support VIDEO streaming (don't believe it). The common areas also got refurbished (and look nice) but some location choices don't make sense like moving the Excursion desk to the premium real estate in the crows nest (deck 10) instead of deep in the bowels of the ship where they belong. The shops area on deck 3 also got expanded which not everybody will see as an improvement.

SEPTEMBER

This was our first cruise. What a great experience for first timers. Not disappointed at all. Will be a couple of years before we go again. But will definitely go again!

SEPTEMBER

This was a vastly different touring experience as we have done all of our previous traveling by car or motorcycle with camp trailer. During our tours, we saw the entirety of Denali on three consecutive days!! We saw moose, bear, caribou, Dahl sheep, eagles, and other smaller wildlife while on land. The tour of Glacier Bay was terrific. The calving of glaciers was quite a sound. On sea we observed whales, sea lions, eagles, cormorants, and jellyfish.

SEPTEMBER

a vacation to remember

AUGUST

The next time I will do the land journey first and then the cruise for a more relaxing time.

AUGUST

Great cruise to Alaska. Felt at home. Staff was friendly and eager to help with anything needed.

JULY

We had great weather and calm seas.

JULY

Overall a wonderful vacation

JUNE

Loved piano entertainment.

JUNE

One of the best trips I have been on in a long time! I loved the laid back atmosphere and how the itinerary catered to adults!

JUNE

Alaska is breathtaking and the combination of the cruise and the 3 day Denali tour was a great way to see the beauty of the land.and sea.

MAY

I could not have been happier with my first time cruise. There were maybe three children onboard, a plus for me! I loved the adult, classy atmosphere on the ship. The size of the ship and the ease of getting around. I never felt crowded or disappointed in anything we decided to do. We loved the observation deck and our morning café treats! The information and programs provided onboard were great. The ease of boarding and leaving the ship, the open dining, the classical music programs, everything was fabulous. I was so impressed with the ship, crew and itinerary that I plan to go again in the future with my husband and expect to enjoy the same level of service, and my experience on this ship has spoiled me, making me loyal to HA line!

MAY

This was our first cruise with HAL. We had twice previously cruised on RCL. Our next cruise will be on HAL.

APRIL

We were surprised by the quality of the food in the dining room. While still on the bland side it was well prepared and there was a good selection. Dinners in Pinnacle and Rudi's Sel de Mer were excellent. Band and singers in BB King Allstar Blues Band were all excellent. Very average food in Canaletto. Definitely not worth paying anything extra for this. Poor location being part of Lido. Quality of dancing and choreography of production cast dancers was poor. Singing was good.

APRIL

Overall the cruise was fine, a bit long in the tooth with all the sea days, but we knew going in that there would be a lot of at-sea-days. The ship looked like it had been refurbished in the last year or so, which made it look fresh. This was the first Holland America Cruise where we found that the crew spoke English (second language), but had difficulty processing what was being said, a bit of difficulty with language nuances. For instance, when asked about a certain fish on the menu that I was unfamiliar with, the response was that it was seafood. Because of the sea days, it was disappointing to see that the library had been dismantled, and for those who wanted to dance (yes! Old people do like to dance), the crow's nest has been turned into a coffee hang out, with the ability to order a drink in a very low-key atmosphere. We did enjoy the cruise, the food was fine, and cabin cleaned thoroughly every day.

FEBRUARY

HAL charges extra for items that I think should be included. To charge for bottled water when going ashore to a port where they recommend you do not drink the local water smacks of opportunism. Basic Wi-Fi should be included.

JANUARY

This was such a fun way to ring in the New Year!

DECEMBER

All in all, a wonderful cruise! Food was excellent in dining room, Canaletto's, Pinnacle Grill, and the Dive-In. Every member of the crew we encountered was very friendly, courteous, and accommodating. Good variety of entertainment and most was good (except the magician). Especially enjoyed Danny O'Brien on piano at Billboard Onboard. B.B. King's Blues Lounge was good. Selection of daily activities was fine--varied enough for most everyone. We had a cabin on the Verandah deck (balcony) and it was nicely appointed, though a bit small. Bed and other furniture was very comfortable. Really appreciated the traditional décor, statuary pieces, and art in the public areas. Would book this ship/cruise again.

DECEMBER

Loved this ship!!! We have been on a lot of cruises on different lines. This is a midsize ship. Quick embark & debark, great service on entire ship. Good food in main dining room & room service. Loved Caneletto’s and Pinacle Grill Steak was very good. We LOVED Billboard with the dueling pianos. B B King was good. Lincoln Center with classical music was interesting. Always a show in main stage room. Shrimp Feast in Mazatlan was great. Beautiful grounds, pool, live music, food & margaritas!!! Leaves out of San Diego so no flight. We will take this cruise again!!

DECEMBER

The overall cruise was very nice. We liked the ports of call. Our balcony cabin was very comfortable. The food was very good, but I would not rate it as excellent. The entertainment in the main theatre was poor to say the least. There was not a show which was memorable.

OCTOBER

This ship was recently refurbished and is beautiful and inviting. Elegant but comfortable. Out Captain was the best putting our safety first each time even when he knew a later departure or arrival would be unpopular. The crew was as advertised in their literature and ads and genuinely enjoy the service they so skillfully provide with such personalized care. Dining with HAL provides the right options and the meals in the dining room are really part of the experience and adventure. The new EXC lounge in Crow's Nest was a great place to learn and relax. There is music for every task or mood of the day. This was a spectacular cruise and we have already booked our next with HAL.

DECEMBER

There was not a good variety of food.

NOVEMBER

We had an easy transfer from our flight to the ship with assistance from the staff at the airport. Our stateroom was well located near the aft elevator, which made for easy access to the dining areas. We enjoyed our open seating dining, as well as our dinner meal in the Canaletto Restaurant. We did not sign up for any excursions, since we had visited all three ports before.

NOVEMBER

Have sailed on this ship in Mediterranean several years ago.Also an excellent experience.

AUGUST

Distinct pluses: including Sitka, Victoria BC and the ease of sailing in and out of Seattle. The cruisers packed the BB King Blues club every night. Good food and HAL's gracious service are always a treat.

AUGUST

I had an amazing time! Such a great cruise :-) Jorge, Sarah (the cruise director) Wilson (on of the beverage attendants) Lyndsay and Donny in the northern lights and Benn in the Casino ensured myself and my gf had an amazing time!!

MAY

Great trip

MAY

The weather was out of their control, and basically it rained all the time in the South Pacific. Our first stop there, Fanning Island, was a zero visibility situation so we sailed on to the Rarotonga where the sea was too rough for the anchor to hold the ship. The only reason we stopped was to offload a medical emergency. So off we sailed to the next wet island. Raiatea was a pleasant stop for my daughter as she was able to converse in French and they had a great bookstore. Bora Bora was too rainy to take a chance and by that time, I had a bad cold (as did quite a few passengers, lots of coughing). We got off in Papeete as they docked. We enjoyed a really great ice cream sundae in a sidewalk cafe but we knew it was expensive ($17 each -- location, location, location). It was hot and muggy but we got back to the ship before it rained. The last stop, Nuku Hiva, was again, a disappointment. We question whether that stop should have been scheduled. Only one tender could land, and the commercial dock was off limits. We got our tender tickets at around 10:30am, waiting time almost 2-1/2 hours to go ashore. By noon It was in the 90's with no shade on the dock to shield us from the one day of blazing sun, so we passed on going ashore as did many of the other passengers. But we really enjoyed our days at sea and spent a lot of time by the pool.

NOVEMBER

See above

OCTOBER

My wife and I really enjoyed the ship. Our cruise agent really helped us prepare for a great trip. Thanks Peggy.

JULY

<div>Holland America had wonderful food. entertainment and wait staff were superb</div>

JUNE

We had 26 in our group and all of us had a fabulous time! We were supposed to go to Victoria, but because of a tragic accident on one of the excursions, that stop was cancelled.

MAY

overall good experience

FEBRUARY

We really like sailing with Holland America. It is a high class experience.

JANUARY

Holland America provides a traditional and polished cruise experience.

DECEMBER

The best cruise I have ever taken, crew members were wonderful

NOVEMBER

We enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere of the cruise and all the things they have to offer. The entertainment was very good and selection of food was good. Enjoyed the night we celebrated our 50th anniversary in the dining room.

OCTOBER

Downward Views from the Veranda Deck mid ship are restricted because of placement of lifeboats. The rates charged were the most expensive veranda staterooms making you think you have the perfect stateroom. So disappointing!

SEPTEMBER

<div>Great Cruise. Wish we would have had more time in Sitka and Ketchikan.</div>

AUGUST

A very pleasant and relaxing trip with professional, courteous service, and lots of good dinning and drink. The Signature Travel Network guest were very pleased with the extra special pampering on a hosted cruise.

AUGUST

We had 23 people in our group, family and friends, and everyone had a wonderful time.

JUNE

<div>This was a great itinerary with very helpful and friendly staff. The evening at Le Cirque was fabulous and the excursions offered were excellent. A balcony stateroom offered an excellent view of the Glaciers. Sitka was a great port and offered many choices. Enjoyed the Art Walk and a visit to the Fortress of the Bear. The excursion with the Deadliest Catch Bering Sea Crab fisherman in Ketchikan was so much fun and very informative!</div>

JUNE

Food, room and some entertainment are all that's covered in the initial price. Everything else is not and they are not cheap. But, the service and attitude are excellent.

JUNE

Overall Holland America offered a quality cruise. As a retired food service equipment sales professional with over 43 years experience my opinion is as follows. Overall food quality - exceptional. Some minor negatives - coffee needs an upgrade - too weak. Some meat items need improvement. (steaks - bland/unseasoned - my family owned a steak restaurant) Sometimes bacon not completely cooked - should be cooked crisp. Service staff attentive - captain friendly and personable - cruise director Michael and his assistant Linda did an excellent job! Dining room staff did an excellent job especially Harry our waiter. New program for expediting luggage to final destination is a keeper. Improvement on document logistics is needed to insure all forms are in order - my wife and I did not receive info letter and custom form in the paperwork package sent to our cabin. Had we not seen another package belonging to traveling companions we would have been delayed at disembarking. One of our group of six couples never received the luggage expediting forms package.

MAY

<div>Our cabins were near the top just behind the bridge, close to the gym. We were even fortunate enough to exchange a few greetings with the ship&#39;s captain in passing. Our cabin stewards kept our room spic &amp; span and even created different sea creatures each night from bath linen. The accommodations were satisfactory and comfortable. We enjoyed the evening entertainment and were delighted with Mollie, the computer tech teacher. Loved the Explorations Cafe and lending library---what a treasure!</div>

APRIL

<div>We sailed on the Westerdam 4/15/2014. It had just gotten out of a major overhaul during the past month. The rooms were great. Most of them had new carpet. The food was really really good. The surprise was the shows. They were all new and very good. Usually cruise ship shows aren&#39;t the best. Captain Scott was interesting and very good also. I look forward to my next cruise</div>

AUGUST

<div> The Westerdam was very clean, loved the staff, the food was outstanding. The Lido Deck had BBQ&#39;s and an Alaskan Salmon Bake. It was a big hit with all cruisers.</div>