We have nearly 200 days on Holland America and they are our go-to cruise line at this point. You get what you pay for, HAL delivers pretty good value for the dollar. If you don't like a lot of noise, HAL is a good place to go. Younger people with young families might like sister ships on Carnival better, but at our age (60s) we really like the cruising environment they provide. All cruise lines try hard to provide great customer service on board. HAL seems to have really mastered it without being overbearing. We especially like the food variety in Lido and often at lunch go to the Asian food station. Remember, many of the staff on board are from Asia so they know how to cook Asian! Sometimes we like to be less formal and eat dinner in Lido as well. Lido is a buffet restaurant and is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and later evening "snacks" as well. I say snacks but it's really like another dinner serving.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Even though we did not have enough stars to get the "special treatment" line, check in at the port was very efficient and we only waited in line about 10 minutes.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Food on HAL is pretty good compared to some other cruise lines we have sailed on. I LOVE the bread pudding at lunch (but you have to ask for it on Eurodam, it's by the ice cream station). On Amsterdam, it is self-serve.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We mostly attend lectures on board, we're not into the higher impact activities.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Always exceptional attitude towards passengers and to each other! Well trained and courteous at all levels.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
HAL is fastidious about maintenance and cleanliness on their ships. They get an A+. Even the public restrooms are very clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ship tip
Don't bring too much "stuff". You typically bring much more than you need.
We walked around town as well as went on a city tour. Our guide was excellent, this is a lovely town, by far the nicest downtown for shopping and hanging around. Very clean.
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