The best week ever with memories we will have forever! Thank you Holland America!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was easy. We got there early, so did many others. We waited for a bit before we could board, but it was fast when they started calling numbers. Rooms were ready when we boarded about 11:45.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The food was absolutely divine. We did not eat at any specialty restaurants because there is no need. We had 11 people in our party and the quality of food in the dining room was fabulous. We ordered great variety and loved every thing. The Dive-in joint by the pool was a favorite of my family. We loved all the hot dogs, burgers, and fries. The Buffalo Fries and Cannonball burger were my favorite. The pizza place was great as well. The servey chocolate and caramel pretzels after 9 pm that were amazing. We also enjoyed the Dutch Cafe. The buffet was well-stocked and had a great variety every day. I went up to the Explorations Cafe a few mornings to order a Chai tea. I can't say enough about the food.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
With three kids in my family and two others in the group, we spent a lot of time at the Lido pool. It was great fun. Kids loved going back and forth between the pool and hot tubs. The chairs around the pool were nice for the adults to lounge and watch. On sea days, it was harder to get chairs. We just learned to get there early. It is spring break time, so there were more kids on the boat that was typical, I think. That made the pool a fun place to be, but not overly crazy.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We were amazed by the dance show Humanity. This is a must see. The other dance show was great as well. We also saw the magician; he was great. Our family also enjoyed the America's Test Kitchen demonstrations. The music on the music walk was outstanding!
Children's Programs
4 out of 5
I was pleasantly surprised with the number of kids on the ship. I was a bit worried that we would be the only ones. We had five kids with the group age 9 though 14. The younger two boys tried Club Hal, but didn't really enjoy the mix of kids. They all decided they would rather hang with their family. We were happy with that choice! After all, we went on a family vacation to be with family. They cousins had fun together swimming, exploring the ship, watching the shows, playing on the beaches, and experiencing shore excursions. They were never bored even without the Club Hal experience. They loved trying all the unique food dishes available. I would not hesitate to bring kids on this ship.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
I can't say enough about the service. These employees seem to take pride in their work and make you feel at home. Our wine attendant at dinner was John, and he really went the extra mile. Room stewards and servers were also excellent. They all work so hard.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Beautiful ship! Lovely design.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
With a family of five, we appreciated the family suite option. We had a comfortable queen-size bed, a pull out couch that was also a queen, and a twin that dropped down from the ceiling. Space was definitely limited as with any ship, but we had enough storage for our clothes and suitcases.
This was a beautiful island. We booked an excursion through Shorefox. It was the BEST day. The family was able to snorkel straight off the boat in the middle of the ocean. We saw amazing fish. Darrel (the assistant) went down and pulled out a nurse shark, and we all touched him! We then went a secluded beach where we all held and posed with a sting ray. Mitchell (our captain) dove down for conch. He then cleaned one and let the kids taste fresh raw conch. He also brought up a star fish. It was truly an amazing experience for this kids (and adults!) from Wyoming.
It was a beautiful historic city. Half of our group enjoyed a food tour. We did a historic walking tour on our own, had Senor Paleta Popsicles, and cooled off with a mojito at a local spot.
The whole group went to Trunk Bay in Saint John with a cruise sponsored excursion. Wow! This beach was divine! The color of the water is unmatched. We did some decent snorkeling and enjoyed Painkillers on the beach. The only negative was that it was too short!
We waited a short time for tender both ways, but nothing too long. We rented kayaks and floating mats before we arrived. One of the memories I will take with me is floating on that clear water with my family. It was a nice relaxing day where the kids just got to play on the beach. We didn't do the barbecue because we heard the line was VERY long. We ended up going back to the ship about 1:30 and having lunch by the pool.
Really this was the ONLY negative of the cruise. We requested expedited disembarkation because we had a flight at 10:30. The port was extra busy the day we arrived. There were seven other ships and we heard that the Nieuw Standendam docked a lot later than was planned. This created many angry people trying to get off the ship. Instead of waiting in the long line, people were cutting and fighting. Not fun. We got to the airport in time, however, and all was fine.
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