This was a bucket list cruise for us, and a chance to see and learn about one of the world's engineering marvels, the Panama Canal. We also got to see resort areas in the western side of Mexico, which we never would have done if we hadn't been on this cruise. Baja California is spectacularly beautiful; we fell in love with Huatulco and the Los Cabos area. My spouse had never been to San Diego, and after having been there a few days, we can't wait to go back!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We used Holland America's new Navigator app and VeriFly, which speeded up embarkation considerably. We didn't have to wait in line at all.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We loved the main dining room and ate most of our dinners there. Impeccable service.
Neither my spouse nor I eat much; we appreciated the fact that the serving sizes were not overwhelmingly large. The buffet is no longer self-serve for most items, which we appreciated as a health safety measure. There were lots of options to choose from. We had dinner at 3 of the specialty restaurants: Tamarind (yummy!); Canaletto (meh); and Pinnacle Grill (OMG. So good.)
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
I bought a daily pass to the Thermal Suite, which was only $20 a day. I loved the hydrotherapy pool and the heated ceramic lounges - great for relaxing tight muscles.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
I only attended one theatre performance - a small dance troupe. The dancers were very good, but the performance was not something I would have paid to see.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Staff was really great - personal service with a smile. Renato served us in the Lido buffet and was always very helpful. If I was to rate him on a scale from 1-10, he'd get a 10! Our room stewards were equally helpful and kind. My massage therapist Cholthicha Pinson was so nice and gave a great massage.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Good sized cabin, plenty of storage space, great bedding. On Deck One midship.
Ship tip
We were initially given a cabin on Deck 5, a Veranda deck, but it was an interior room and not a Verandah room. Horrible room - not even a chair to sit on, let alone a couch. I've been traveling with Holland America for 20 years and have never had such a bad location. We went to Guest Services at the first opportunity after boarding to get it changed. Otherwise, we loved the ship and its amenities.
We live in South Carolina, which is hot and humid during the summer. SC's weather is nothing compared to Cartagena - we were dripping with sweat just sitting on the bus. I went on a "highlights" tour; the first stop was the Spanish fort. I would not recommend touring the fort for anyone who walks with a cane or a rollator, especially since the heat and humidity are so bad. There were no stairs, but a series of very steep ramps which led to the top of the fort.
We booked an excursion to Antigua, but unfortunately we had the worst tour guide ever and lots of traffic (it takes over an hour to get to Antigua from the port). The outcome was that we got to see very little of this charming colonial Spanish capitol. And the tour guide didn't speak at all on the way back to the ship.
We stayed 3 days in San Diego after the cruise and couldn't see everything. We went to Old Town State Part, toured the city on the Hop On Hop Off bus, had lunch at Hotel del Coronado, spent a day in Balboa Park enjoying the museums, and spent a day on a whale watching tour. We'll be back!
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