Not good at all. The worst of 7 cruises I’ve been on.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
Due to a mechanical issue, we were stuck in our embarkation port for two full days. The cruise line sent out an email two days before we left to tell us they’d eliminated two of the ports originally on the schedule, and they added Nassau, Bahamas. We specifically wanted to avoid Nassau because it’s so gross, but that’s what they did so what could we do. So, we lost San Juan, Puerto Rico & St. Thomas, and added Nassau & a second day in Fort Lauderdale. They also reduced the time we could spend in the ports significantly! The entire cruise gave us only 16 hours in port. The schedule change was extremely disappointing. They gave everyone $250 to spend on the ship, so that was a little compensation.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Overall, the food was okay but not great - a disappointment.
Dining Room: In the main dining room, I am almost certain I was served fried chicken that was cooked the previous day and just warmed up for my fried chicken meal. It also seemed to me that the kitchen uses a lot of premade breads, sauces, and other food items. I also didn’t like having to choose my entire meal appetizer, main dish, and dessert) all up front; sometimes the appetizer of main dish changes what I would like for the main dish or dessert.
Lido Buffet: A good variety of foods! The staff were the nicest here! The salad bar was wonderful, but the breads were all stuff I old buy in a basic grocery store. The main dishes were marginal, but the highlight was the carved beef tenderloin. The biscuits and the gray at the breakfast buffet were certainly from a box or bag, and the scrambled eggs were not real eggs.
Specialty Dining: We dined at the Pinnacle Grill, which served up a wonderful Filey Mignon! The service was very nice, but we had to ask for our water to be refilled several times due to the server being occupied elsewhere.
Crow’s Nest Cafe/Bar: The baristas were quick at making the coffee drinks. The beer was not very cold at any of the bars.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The cruise director had the personality of a robot - no enthusiasm, no excitement, and everything he said sounded like a bad telephone recording. He was a nice guy but not a good fit for the job. We played trivia in the bar, which was well organized and fun. The fitness center was well equipped and clean.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
They had a magician/comedian perform twice, and a standup comedian perform twice. Both men were entertaining, but where were the dancers, singers, or anything glitzy/glamorous? Could not have been more disappointed in the limited shows on the main stage.
The BBKing Bar had a killer band - incredible music!
The dueling piano bar was lame. Talented musicians, but they are not “performers.”
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
All of the servers in the bars and restaurants were very welcoming and eager to please! Two people prevent me from ranking this higher… the nurse at the medical center was very rude to my wife when we asked for help with a toe that got broken.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship and our cabin was VERY clean! Teams of people were constantly wiping down surfaces, and there were plenty of hand sanitizer dispensers around.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Our cabin was on the 10th floor, so we had a good view; however, we had a constant puddle of water on the deck (not from rain or any obvious source), so we couldn’t enjoy it without tracking water back inside. It was clean, spacious, and the bed was okay.
Ship tip
Choose a different ship. Overall, it’s was the worst cruise we’ve been on, and we will not be cruising with Holland America again. Even if they offered me a free cruise, I’d have to think long and hard about whether or not it would be worth the time and energy. Several other reviews we’ve read mentioned they also experienced negative changes to their itineraries due to maintenance issues, which is what happened to us. Holland America eliminated two nice ports and added the disgusting port of Nassau, so very poor judgement on their part; the entertainment was not on par with any other cruise we’ve been on (6 other cruises on 3 other cruise lines); significant portions of the food were out of a box or bag (if not, it tasted like it); even the ports we made it to cancelled excursions, but Holland America didn’t even know about it; the medical center nurse was rude; one person at Guest Services was rude; the drinks contained about 1/2 a shot of alcohol; I was served day old fried chicken (If not, it tasted like it); even the upgraded internet service was constantly disconnecting me; and they decommissioned the pool and other venues on the boat during the last night of the cruise.
Beautiful water and beach! Holland America reduced our time on the beach, cancelled all the excursions, and they closed the bar down an hour early. So, a great beach, but Holland America screwed up the experience for everyone.
I would give this a five if our entire group wasn’t so upset that the ship started getting ready for the next cruise before our’s was complete. A charter cruise was coming up, so on our last night they took away all the board games, card tables, and they shut down the main pool to set up little stages. We weren’t through enjoying the ship, but they started shutting down services. Had this not happened on top of the already downgraded cruise, it may not have been as big an insult.
Appreciate your detailed feedback. It’s so frustrating when any ship starts preparing for something else while you are STILL on board (next cruise, dry dock, specialty cruise, etc.). Sorry this cruise didn’t meet your expectations.
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