This was our first visit to Norway and Iceland. If you plan it right you can avoid the crowded tourist spots in Iceland and still see glaciers, waterfalls, steam vents, lava etc. Holland America is ideal for seniors. Being in our 60's we were among the younger seniors present.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Efficient
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We ate at each of the specialty restaurants and had excellent meals and service. One of the things that draws us to Holland America is the fine food. We also like that their buffet is NOT self-service.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
One of the nicest fitness centers as it is at the front of the ship with floor to ceiling windows looking outward.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The Rolling Stone Rock Group was fabulous. They bring in outside musicians for this and the BB King room, and they are far better than the standard ship bands on some cruise ships.
Children's Programs
We did not bring children on this cruise. Even though they have a program for children, there is little on board to keep them entertained. Other cruise lines are better suited for children.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Small room, but you get what you pay for. Nothing special nor bad about it.
Ship tip
Seats in the Crow's Nest go fast on sail-away days.
Our excursion - hiking the Varden Path, was a waste of time as the guide had only arrived in Molde the week before and knew nothing about the area, flora or fauna. (He was from Michigan). We didn't realize ahead of time that we could have walked from the ship to the trail.
We took a rubber inflatable boat to go whale watching. I had not been in an RIB before and didn't realize we had to straddle the seat. Being 5'3" I found it difficult to get my leg up and over the seat. The ride was uncomfortable. The excursion experience let us to believe we might see several types of whales, but upon arrival at the boat we learned that they rarely see anything but humpback whales.
We avoided the Golden Circle spots and took a CruisesOnly South Coast tour to avoid the crowds. We got up close to several waterfalls, saw bubbling "mud pots", steam vents, a black sand beach and the village of Vik. This was our first non-ship tour and we were disappointed in having to wait 45 minutes for the bus to arrive. Then we were taken to a bus terminal where we had to wait for others to arrive. We had an excellent, knowledgeable guide who saved the day. The following day we took the ship tour with a professional photographer, and despite the lack of sun, enjoyed many scenic highlights off of the beaten path. It was a day well spent.
The port itself doesn't have a lot to offer. We did have excellent birding at the pools outside of the village, about a mile or two walk from the ship.
We didn't explore the port, but the excursion we took of the highland and Eileen Donan castle was very good. Lots of scenery, plus we appreciated having two hours at the castle to explore on our own, audio headsets included.
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