Overall the cruise was exactly what we wanted. A nice quiet ship to test the waters in many locations.
We did not add alcohol to our trip and only did two shore excursions to make it an affordable long vacation. We'll go back to Bonaire & Curacao someday. And we'll cruise again with HAL again.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was very organized for the masses of people they had to deal with.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We ate in the dinning room one night and the buffet after that. Food was all fresh and well presented. The staff was VERY pleasant and always had a smile.
Explorer's Lounge
5 out of 5
Great open area to lounge, play games and learn.
The air conditioning was WAY too high and the musty smell was a bit much.
Lido Market
5 out of 5
Good clean well presented food.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Onboard Activities were well organized, started on time and slightly low key (which is what we wanted). There was always something to do and nothing to do. PERFECT!
Greenhouse Spa And Salon
2 out of 5
A bit to much 'selling' for the spa/gym area. Would've wished a more relaxed area. Because of this I did not partake in the spa or gym area.
Lido Pool
5 out of 5
Wonderfully clean, open area with ample seating and sunning.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Well organized and well done.
Art Gallery
3 out of 5
Learned a few things - but didn't quite like being SOLD art on a cruise.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Rooms, common areas, buffet, pool = ANYWHERE you were the staff was wonderful, attentive and kind. They let you relax but still make sure you were taken care of.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Ship was overhauled recently and everything looked very nice. Staff was constantly painting and taking care of the ship - was nice to see.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Level 1 at the end of the hall. I thought that it would be loud since we were by a Crew Only door - but it was just the opposite. It was wonderfully quiet!
Ship tip
The longer the cruise the older the vacationers. We're on the young side but wished for relaxation, sunshine and no parties. That's exactly what we got! Fresh chilled towels & ice cold water in each port before re-boarding the ship was a WONDERFUL perk!!
Because of the rough seas we didn't get to visit. I appreciate that the captain didn't stop and let the tender bring us in... but I was really looking forward to it.
Wonderfully clean and well maintained port.
Our tour to a private beach was adventurous and fun! Perfect amount of sight seeing and beach.
Weather was nice for an hour or two and then it turned rainy... what can you expect in the tropics!
Gorgeous little island!
Samur Siamese Junk Snorkeling Tour to Klein Bonaire was OUTSTANDING!!! The ship, the crew, the obvious respect for the ocean and island, the instruction, the humor, the island, the snorkeling, the fish, the beach.... all are due for a repeat performance someday!
Curacao was an older port but still well maintained. We walked all over town, went to see the open air market with the boats that travel up from Venezuela for the day. WISHED we could've purchased the fruits and vegetables. They all looked magnificent.
This town was a bit more pricey than the other islands. Shopkeepers were not all that kind.
WINDY!
The beach, powdered sugar sand and sunshine were wonderful - but the wind was relentless.
We went to Palm Beach (took the bus for $5US round trip). Get off by the Hilton and walk through their lobby. You have to purchase a beach chair and umbrella as it is not a private beach. Eagle Beach looked nice as well - no hotels.
I've wanted to visit Aruba for a while now - I was not aware of the wind. Without the wind it would have been far too hot to do anything.... but it was really windy.
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