North to Alaska!
Written: May 28 '08 (Updated Jun 06 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Comfortable, friendly and relaxing
Cons: Buffet food, so-so entertainment.
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this ship and cruise line. Very enjoyable.
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| lisah25's Full Review: Holland America Westerdam |
I just got back from my first cruise on the Westerdam, a 7 day cruise to Alaska departing from and arriving in Seattle. It was one of the best vacations I’ve taken, for several reasons. Including things not related to the cruise line, like going with a good friend I’ve known for 28 years, and having good weather and good timing.
Starting off:
The embarkation process went very smoothly. From the time my husband dropped me off(this was a girl’s only trip, he had to stay home) until we were in our state room was about ½ an hour. They were very organized and clear about where to go. We dropped off our stuff and headed out to the deck to watch the ship leave port. Which due to an oil boom getting caught on a propeller was about 3 hours later then scheduled. The captain did a really good job keeping us all informed and they made up the time by our first port. And really, sitting on deck drinking rum punch isn’t a bad way to pass time waiting to go.
The Stateroom:
We booked a Veranda room with two twin beds. The room was clean and comfortable, roomier then I had suspected it would be. There was a small couch and coffee table, the beds and two nightstands in the main part of the room, then three closets across from a compact bathroom. We had room for all our clothes(and shoes) and the empty luggage slid under the beds for storage. We liked having the Veranda as a place to sit and drink coffee and watch the scenery go by, but I’m not sure I’d pay the extra again or not. As noted below, there are lots of places on the ship to sit and relax.
The Staff:
With one exception(more later) everyone we dealt with were very friendly and helpful. Our dining room waiter got our names the first night and used them the rest of the cruise. They remembered that I like decaf coffee after dinner. The cabin steward was friendly and of course we loved the towel animals he left each night. (The last night, we made two and left them for him, having bought the book. We were quite amused to return and find he had fixed them to look better!) The bar staff was friendly, as were any staff we passed on the ship.
The one exception was the front desk. We went to them three times with what we thought were fairly routine questions, and they couldn’t answer any of them. They were polite about it, but clearly need better training.
We did get a massage while we were there, they were offering 20% for any treatments received the first night. We missed our appt due to a misunderstanding on our part, and they re-booked us for the next day and still gave us the discount. The massage was wonderful. The only down side was that afterwards they tried to sell us their products. But at least they were pretty low-pressure about it.
The Food:
We tried all the options, room service for breakfast and lunch, the Lido deck buffet for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, and the formal dining room for breakfast, lunch and of course dinner.
Room service: They delivered our food on time, and were very pleasant. The coffee was always good, as were the croissants. My friend’s omelet however was cold and rubbery. Her toast was also cold. Lunch was delivered hot, and for some reason the burger was one of the best I’ve ever had. Juicy and flavorful. Later burgers proved as good.
Lido buffet: This is pretty typical buffet food. Not great, not bad. They have a pretty decent selection, pizza, pasta, some Asian dishes, sandwiches, ice cream and other deserts. Typical breakfast choices, eggs, bacon, pastries and the like. This got pretty crowded at meal times.
Dining room: This was fun, getting to pick what we wanted without looking at a price. The breakfast wasn’t good, took a long time to get service, and the food was cold. Lunch was better, food was hot and the chowder I had was very tasty. But dinner was by far the best. The selection was good and varied every night, and I got to try some things I hadn’t had before. I loved being able to order several appetizers if I wanted, and no entrée, or two entrees or whatever. Now, the food isn’t as good as a fine dining restaurant, but it was much better then I expected given the amount they prepare each day. The lobster was one of my favorites, very tender and moist.
Late night buffets: A let-down for me. Mostly the same food that was available all day, and the desert buffet was dramatic to look at, but the deserts just weren’t all that tasty. They had several types of cake, and they were boring I thought.
The shows:
Eh, OK. Free at least. The first night was singing and dancing, and wasn’t anything that special. The two magic acts were funny, but also cheesy. The last night was singing and dancing again, and was pretty good.
Shore excursions:
We did two, a helicopter tour of glaciers and a dogsled camp in Juneau, and a sea-otter cruise in Sitka. Both were well run and enjoyable, with the glacier tour in particular being spectacular.
As far as the towns themselves, we didn’t find much to do on our own after the first few shops, they tended to have the same stuff. Sitka was probably the best for shopping overall.
General:
One thing I really liked was the layout of the ship. We were pretty full on our sailing, but there are lots of spaces to go sit outside in a deck chair, or inside to read and have a drink, so other then at the buffet, I never felt like I was on a crowded ship. We had the aft pool(the kid free one) to ourselves most mornings, and even on a very sunny day there weren’t a lot of people out there.
I also appreciated how well organized everything was. I knew when I had to be where for shore excursions and such, and it made for a really stress-free trip.
Neither of us are big drinkers, so having to pay for our own booze wasn’t a big deal. I got a wine card and saved some money on that.
I’m not sure how I feel about the $10 charge they add each day for each person. They tell you that none of that goes to the cruise line, and that it is split up among staff. They also tell you that you can opt out or adjust the amount. We did neither, so I don’t know how well that works.
Disembarking:
While we didn’t want to leave, the process was made smooth and easy. They delivered the information we needed the day before, so we knew when to leave. It was organized, no lines and our luggage was waiting for us when we got off the ship. Hubby picked us up and our wonderful cruise ended.
Now, as I said this was my first cruise, and I went into it with an open mind as far as what to expect, and was very happy with the experience. Almost all the other passengers we talked to, including several experienced cruisers also were having a good time so I feel justified in enjoying myself :-). The complaints we did hear were along the lines of the front office not being able to answer questions, or the one woman who said there weren’t enough Bingo games for her liking. To each their own! We are planning another cruise and will certainly consider Holland America again.
Edited to add - I forgot to mention that the beds were very comfortable. I get a sore back often on vacation from the beds, no such problem here. I slept very well and woke up feeling good.
One other point I forgot, there weren't many electrical outlets in the room. We only found one that worked, and had to request an extention cord for my CPAP machine. Next time, I'll bring my own power strips.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
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Epinions.com ID:
lisah25
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Reviews written: 35
Trusted by: 3 members
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