This was our first time cruising with Holland America and we were very impressed with the food, the service, and all the little extras.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
VeriFly helped to speed up the process but I wish we had been informed ahead of time that we needed to complete ArriveCan a second time for our return to Vancouver at the end of our cruise.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Best food we've ever had on a cruise! We ate in the MDR, Lido buffet, Dive-in, New York Pizza, Pinnacle, and Canaletto. Everything we had was delicious!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
This was definitely the most laid- back cruise I've been on. They had the usual activities (trivia, martini tastings, movies by the pool) but also had some I hadn't seen before (flower arranging, origami). We also enjoyed hearing from the Park Ranger when we were in Glacier Bay.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Music Walk was my favorite spot on the ship! We would bounce back & forth between BB King's Blues Club and the Rolling Stones Rock Room every night. The music was fantastic! We also saw a few stage shows which were pretty good. BBC Earth in Concert on the World Stage was one of my favorite events.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Every crew member we met was so friendly & personable.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Ship was clean & well-maintained.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We splurged on a Vista Suite for our 30th anniversary and were not disappointed. The room was spacious & we loved the large wrap-around balcony. I also enjoyed all the little extras in the room (robes & slippers, fleece blankets, binoculars, umbrella, q-tips & cotton swabs in the bathroom, loofah, etc). Our cabin stewards, Gede & Yogi, were outstanding!
Ship tip
Don't miss the Orange Party! HAL celebrates their Dutch heritage with a party where they play music, dance, and serve Dutch appetizers & orange cocktails. Make sure to bring something orange to wear!
We arrived a day before our cruise to tour the city. The horse-drawn carriage in Stanley Park was well worth the money. We also enjoyed seeing the sun set at English Bay Beach. Make sure to see the inukshuk & laughing statues while you're there!
Our helicopter/dog sledding excursion was cancelled due to bad weather at the dog camp but we were able to reschedule a helicopter tour to see glaciers. I was a bit bummed that we couldn't do the dog sledding but the helicopter tour was a great experience.
Most amazing scenery I've ever seen! The glaciers & snow-covered mountains are just stunning! I loved the hot bowl of pea soup that was given to everyone on the viewing deck while outside in the cold at Glacier Bay.
We were on that ship in Dec for a Mexican cruise and had the same great experience you guys did. We are back on her again in September for the very cruise you just did. I am looking forward to it.
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