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Alaskin Cruise
This was our first cruise, and it will not be our last. We are so appreciative of the time we spent on and off the ship along with all the opportunities given to us along the way. Kudos to Holland America Line.
As good if not better than last time
It was a great cruise, and the staff went of of their way to please. Saw a few different things this trip, and that made it even better.
The entertainment was top notch.
When the first Interdenomination church service was standing room only in the Hudson Room, people even walked away as there was little room left, the Scheduling Director gave us the Queen's Lounge for the following Sunday. We really appreciated that.
Alaska 14 day
see above
alaska cruise
The entertainment could have been a little better on the ship, the rest of the journey was great.
World Cruise Segment One - Ft Lauderdale- Auckland
From the moment of check in at Ft Lauderdale pier, it was like a "High School reunion." So many familiar faces of both passengers and crew from last year. Made you feel WELCOME immediately. That feeling of "WELCOME HOME" prevailed throughout the voyage.
The Captain Jonathan Mercer and his wife Karen, were a major factor in everyone LOVING the voyage. He was always available and speaking and socializing with the guests. Dining room and service were outstanding and every special request (in reason of course) was honored if possible.
7-night Alaska cruise from Vancouver
Sailing to Alaska is on the bucket list of many people, and a 7-night round-trip cruise from Vancouver works neatly for many schedules. Holland America provides transfers between Seattle airport and Canada Place in Vancouver, which is helpful for US domestic flights.
The Holland America MS Amsterdam is not a large ship, which is very nice, and it never felt crowded at all, even for peak viewing moments, such as seeing Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm Fjord. There were also some prime viewing areas where guests could sit and be more comfortable than if they were standing on deck (the Crow's Nest and the area by the pool, which is enclosed).
Having a retractable roof over the pool is a great thing for the Alaska itinerary, so families can make use of the pool and hot tubs in comfort. One of the food highlights of the sailing was the salmon BBQ buffet, held at the pool deck during the Tracy Arm cruising day.
Staterooms are very reasonable-sized, with extremely comfortable beds, and plenty of storage space. Our room steward was incredibly efficient, and our room was always tidy.
I especially liked the very large library area, which blended into an area for the internet cafe, next to a dedicated card room. I thought it was a great idea to have plenty of board games on the ship, and these games could be checked out by guests. There was also an impressive DVD list, which could be ordered in the guest's stateroom, and delivered; extremely convenient!
Staff onboard was very pleasant and willing to assist. I enjoyed the 'club' venues with their musicians more than the stage shows.
The room service menu is extensive, and here's the best hint of the cruise: Order the room-service chocolate cake! You can't get it in the dining rooms, and it's the best dessert onboard.
The dining room service and selection was good, and I found the dining server's recommendations to always be the best choice for dinner. The breakfast buffet has a good selection, but the menu did not change any mornings (a little variety would have been nice but this is not a deal breaker—there's no variety in my own pantry every morning!)
Segment 3 of World Cruise (Hong Kong to Cape Town)
Segment 3 covered the Far East, Indian Ocean ports and South Africa. Boarding in Hong Kong was painless and efficiently run. Embarkation and disembarkation activities are run like a well-oiled machine with the only hiccups a result of the delays caused by local authorities. Activities during days at sea are plentiful and varied. The lecture topics were interesting and relevant to the itinerary and well attended by passengers. The lecturers were professional and knowledgeable. The Microsoft laboratory and workshops in particular were very popular. In general, days in port provided sufficient time to explore the area and the ship’s excursions were very popular. The two premium restaurants on board had lovely menus and exceptional food and service. The food in the main dining room was good, but not great. And the breakfast/lunch buffets on Lido deck were well managed (there were never lines and provided lots of variety). The library was well stacked and the librarians extremely helpful to passengers who were experiencing internet problems (computers were located in the library). The service staff generally was very helpful and accommodating, particularly the Lido staff who were very solicitous of the elderly and disabled. There were two special activities for the clients in our group during this segment (a welcome cocktail party and an exclusive tour of the kitchen), both of which were well attended and enjoyable. I interacted regularly with several of the other passengers at breakfast and lunch and many of the excursions. All were very experienced cruisers and very aware and appreciative of the benefits available.
Mixed Bag
Very disappointing food. Pinnacle Grill steaks were tough. Production shows were disappointing. Singers were very average, content was not exciting. No Broadway songs or shows.
Alaska cruise
We enjoyed our cruise very much. Our trip was changed due to weather, we were disappointed to miss Sitka, but understand the reason. The Crows Nest club was nice and we spent time there most days. The bar staff were great and very friendly. The entertainment was very good, but for the dance club, I felt there should be a band there most nights. The one time we were there and the band was playing, it was a lot of fun. The other nights, it was just like setting in one of the low key bar areas, not too much fun.
Maury's Review
In this modern era there is no excuse for having internet access as bad as was on that ship. I think it is a rip-off and will consider other cruise lines because of this. Not only that but there were only two wine selections that I could drink. Two!
Around the World on the MS Amsterdam
Upon embarkation I could tell this was going to be a sailing like no other. With friendly faces, smiles, cool towels and a beverage waiting as we boarded the ship, the service we would encounter as the days went on would only elevate. Checking in was a breeze with the front desk and the women behind customer service helped me nearly every day on this sailing with one thing or another. From DVD rentals, to delivering mail to fellow guests, to event invitations.
Our home away from home would be our stateroom, I was blown away by it’s size, large spacious not cramped, lots of storage, closets and drawers. Enough room to store luggage and other items so that the walkways never felt cluttered. The bathroom was full size, well equipped and large enough for 2 people to share. We were thrilled with our ocean view window and loved being able to watch us port in the mornings. The stateroom stewards were above and beyond any similar service I have ever had. They were available 24/7 and became accustom to our schedule she that they could sneak in and out without having to bother us, or make sure we had ice when we liked it, new towels, etc.
The dining room was a place for meeting and socializing. The stewards quickly remember your name, likes and dislikes and have the table set with your preferred items in a flash. How they remember everything is a mystery but they are wonderful at what they do. We had many nightly conversations with them about their homes, families and what parts of the world they have traveled. It makes you feel that they are traveling with you, not just serving you. The kitchen staff put out wonderful displays of food sculptures, ice carvings, buffet decorations and other delicacies throughout the sailing. The food was good, and there was little to no repetition, something new to try every day.
Activities on the ship were round the clock, with group crafts, book clubs, bridge, board games, puzzles, language lessons, dance lessons, aerobics, computer courses and many many more opportunities to learn something new or gather with like minded people. The staff did a great job of keeping people entertained and engaged so that no one was bored or left out. The nightly entertainment around the ship was very nice. Different musical acts in the various lounges and bars kept things upbeat and allowed for dancing or socializing with a cocktail after dinner. The Main theater entertainment lacked in exciting acts. We skipped this venue throughout the sailing with the exception for about 4 performances.
In final thoughts the sailing would not have such a great success without Captain Jonathan Mercer. His daily engagements with the guests over directional information, idioms, or geographical historical information was much loved by everyone. His staff adored him and you could tell he was true and gracious leader.
2017 World Cruise on board the M/S Amsterdam
A World Cruise with HAL should be on everyone's bucket list. The ship is nice and heavy and rode the waves beautiful! It was so smooth that it didn't even place a ripple in my wine glass. :) Of course the staff/crew are one of the best on the high seas. You are on the ship so long that we were referred to as "residents" and that is what we felt like as well as fellow family members. The itinerary was a very interesting one in that it hit almost all the continents...and each port of call was more interesting than the last. Was it nice to get home you ask? Yes, but after experiencing the World Cruise with HAL we're ready to go again in a heart beat!
Holland America World Cruise 2015
This was one of HAL's "Grand Voyages" and it was indeed grand. The food was delicious, and the staff from the Captain on down to the room steward and assistant waiter were wonderful. Everyone was exceptionally friendly and helpful and made it a real pleasure to be onboard.
In addition there were many special events, such as wonderful decorations in the dining room for themed dinners, sailaway parties with free drinks and/or wine, special lunches, etc.
Entertainment was good, with many different entertainers brought in along the way. In addition to their regular show they would often do an additional "spotlight" show the next night early or even a matinee on some sea days.
Speaking of sea days, of which we had many, there were always many different activities to keep everyone busy with a wide variety of choices. And of course there was always HAL's wonderful walk-around promenade deck where you could relax in a deck chair and watch the sea go by.
Especially nice on sea days were the different lecturers on board. We had four different ones while I was on board, and all were very good and interesting.
The Amsterdam is a lovely ship and just right for this cruise. She handles the seas well and is a perfect size. There was always plenty of room for everything and it never felt crowded.
Overall it was a wonderful cruise and I hated when I had to disembark in Sydney.
Last leg of 2014 World Cruise
The Amsterdam is very well appointed and the library and jigsaw puzzle rooms are well used. Cabins, dining venues, shows and entertainment are all top notch.
World Voyage MS Amsterdam
Wonderful trip, good weather, fascinating ports can't really complain about anything exceptthe disembarkation at Port Everglades which was chaotic due to confusing instructions by HAL land staff and lack of porters
Two week Alaska.
Wonderful, relaxing two weeks in beautiful Alaska. Would highly recommend this cruise to anyone. This was my sixth time and booked again for next year. You won’t be disappointed.
Wonderful Midsize Ship
If you want a near perfect cruise this is the ship. With her itinerary, onboard activities, wonderful crew, staff and officers, not to mention the outstanding cuisine, the Amsterdam is top of the line.
Passengers return just as if it were their FL or AZ condo and it is the CREW and itinerary which pull them "home" to the Amsterdam. The ship is not the newest at sea (19+ years old) but it serves well for the journey. There are quiet spaces and there is plenty of entertainment (2 bands and a piano/string duo) and daily activities. There are several cultural programs with local representatives brought on board prior to a destination for an in-depth analysis of that country. Tahiti: music (learning Ukelele and Tahitian dance), history, language, foods and culture. You can be as active or as quiet as you want with a full library and digital host to assist with internet issues. There is now ONE price to pay for the entire voyage for internet use and it seemed to work well (three levels - from $600-700-800 depending on if you want to stream/Skype or just email). This should encourage younger passengers to join as they can work from the ship.
HAL 2020 World Cruise
Ship is due for dry dock in May 2020 but this may not happen due to the Co-Vid 19 and not getting workers from Eastern Europe. The people on the voyage are there not as much for the physical aspects of the ship as they are for the destinations, activities on board and seeing their friends and crew year after year.
GRAND VOYAGE
DESPITE THE CONS WE ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF THE VOYAGE
African ports cut in half without notice
2 years of savings and research bought a hughly anticipated 27 day unique African cruise out of Cape Town, South Africa. 4 days into the cruise, it morphed into 2 Cape Verde islands, 2 Atlantic islands and 4 Caribbean islands. We had already visited Cape Town and Namibia, 2 historically Dutch ports of call in African nations. The captain announced that he dropped 2 of the 4 African ports of call (Banjul, Gambia and Dakar, Senegal) because some guests had voiced to him their fear of ebola in West African neighboring countries. So that was that. A non-descript Cape Verde island was substituted and St. Lucia. The captain did not attempt to collect information from the other less influential guests and no fearful guest would have been obligated to go ashore. He did not disclose any statistical or clinical information about ebola that would have given his decision a factual basis about ebola as statistically compared to Somali pirates, terrorists, slip and falls, rogue waves, pilot error, passengers lost overboard and cruiseship diseases.
World Cruise Segment - Hong Kong to Dubai
This was a 26 day cruise visiting interesting ports in Asia. The time went very fast. There was a lecturer on board that provided excellent information on each port in a very entertaining manner. They also had lecturers discussing the history of the area and ancient civilizations. The lectures made the shore excursions much more meaning full and interesting. The crew were wonderful - very gracious and helpful. Many of the passengers had been on world cruises before and therefore provided interesting bits of advice and shared experiences. The ship was not full and people were embarking and disembarking in many of the ports. There was never a crowd at meals or on excursions.
Exceeded Expectations
We had a wonderful cruise to Alaska on the Amsterdam. We loved our Lanai room. All the staff was wonderful and helpful. The food was delicious. In the dining room, they brought me sorbet for dessert so I know they had it on board. Just couldn't get it on the Lido deck. Most of the excursions were fine, even if the weather was rainy a couple of times. Our favorite excursion was on Kodiak Island: the bus tour through town, visiting the Russian Orthodox chapel and the church, the Russian Tea featuring authentic Russian food and an unexpected concert from the island's balalaika players. It was wonderful. From there we went to a craft market featuring only local artists and finally a trip out into the wilderness to look for bears. (only saw fishermen, not bears) Would highly recommend this excursion for a fun and informative time.
Getting on and off the ship was a breeze and very much appreciated. The only port we really didn't like very much was Homer. It was very expensive to ride a bus into town and not much to do when you got there. The bus stops were limited and mostly inconvenient. We should have booked an excusion there.
The ms Amsterdam is the third ship to bear the name of the Dutch capital in Holland America Line's over 135-year history. Built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy, the ms Amsterdam blends the very latest in shipbuilding technology with the artistry, personalized touches and superior service that has made Holland America Line one of the highest-rated cruise lines in the world.
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