30 Night Amazon Explorer (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: November 18, 2017
Ship:
Prinsendam
Cabin type: Oceanview
Cabin number: 257
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 6 years ago
Review summary
An excellent trip, we learned a lot, experienced a lot. Had some adventures. We are glad we went. But I don’t think it would be a want to go back cruise. (Unlike The voyage of the Vikings, and the Svalbard cruise). We were disappointed we didn’t see more wildlife, the trip was marred by lots of smoke in the air along the Amazon. Through no fault of the cruise, the heat and humidity were intense making it difficult to enjoy the ports of call. I should say I got the ship’s cold and cough going around and that takes the edge off enjoyment as well.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
We had a ship’s transfer from the airport directly to the ship. In hindsite, Fort Lauderdale airport is very close and think next time we would just take a taxi.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Holland America excels in good food, varied menus and unparalleled service. This cruise was no exception. Fabulous
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We don’t participate in many activities but the trivia game was fun. The digital workshop was very good. I went to one America test kitchen events.. and the lectures were good. Would have liked more Amazon related lectures.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Good mix of shows. I always find the singers and dancers a bit frenetic and loud, but they have good voices and dance wonderfully.
So glad they have two shows.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Service and staff are without equal in this cruise.. as always. They remember your name, greet you when they see you anywhere on ship. They quickly learn your needs, the front desk extremely helpful. We had a little medical emergency and the ship doctor was great and arranged for us to go to a specialist the next stop. They arranged everything, we had nothing to worry about except the medical issue. And the prices were reasonable.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The Prinsendam is an older ship. However this is its charm. They are constantly repainting, varnishing and cleaning. No issues with cleanliness, everywhere was clean. Constant cleaning of banisters etc. The cushions for the deck chairs need replacing or cleaning. The inside of the ship was in beautiful condition. I love the wood promenade deck. The Prinsendam is a smaller ship so very easy to get around.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Just loved our cabin, it was large, we had space to spare. The view out the window was perfect. The bathroom had a tub bigger than ours at home. Just wish there were more electrical outlets. The t.v. Was terrible. Hard to read the words for the information channels and the ships repeated programs were hard to see.
Ship tip
We eat I. The Lido, and we are early people, so we never had crowds. My tip is to eat early
We took a taxi to Coki Beach. The aquarium was closed (hurricane) but the beach and snorkeling were fabulous.
Took a two dollar bus home, you get it a little walk up the road.
We did a ship's excursion through a rain forest. It was very good. As always busses and lines and too many people, and it was a long driving day. But we would recommend it. We got delicious banana chips, like nothing I’ve had before at a banana plantation. And we visited little fishing villages. The sulphuric springs weren’t much of anything. But loved the tree ferns p, and various trees
I think this was my favourite stop. It was more like the jungle I expected I. The Amazon. The insects were singing, the monkeys were all over, and the agouti were about. It was very hot. The history was interesting, but I lived the plants and animals
Very hot, we took a taxi to town as we were docked in the industrial part.
We walked down a local shopping street that was very interesting. And we visited the lovely blue church.
I used wifi at a tourist pavilion. And bought some fish scales... the thing to bring back. They are huge,
My husband went off on their, rented a little boat, for five dollars and gave him ten. Ian enjoyed the wildlife. Several people said it,was their best stop. I don’t like to see sloths, parrots and iguana on leashes being exploited for cash, nor to see the children taught to essentially beg for money. But I could be wrong, this is how they survive.
We did two ships excursions. One to the wildlife place and military zoo. It was a good excursion. Especially INPA the jungle habitat and sanctuary for people to experience the Amazon. We spent most of our time here, learning about the trees, the animals . There was a great little museum. The second part is where the military train, they have part of it set is as a zoo. I’m not fond of zoos, the best thing here was the aquarium where you could see the fish whose scales I bought.
The second was the opera house at night and the conspcert. Was fabulous and a must do.
What I enjoyed was walking amongst the river ferries with the slun up hammocks and the bustles of people loading the boats ready for 1t day’s journey up and down the Amazon. No roads.
Unless you want to see the tourist show I wouldn’t bother, We just walked the streets a little, way too hot. We did not go to the show, a hundred dollars a ticket wasma bit night I thought for an hour. But if you like festival noise and costumes and such it would be worth it.
Another favourite stop. We took a privatmboat tour into the little channels. More like the way we think of the Amazon.
Reasonable, 15 each and a very small boat, just fits 6. Perfect.
We took a ship excursion... the jungle walk and river cruise. It was okay. Way too many people even though they tried to split us in to groups for the walk. They said it was prim forest but it wasn’t. The river was wider than I would have liked. You really didn’t get a sense of jungle. However it was good too. We did enjoy the walk, saw lots of plants. Not much wildlife. It was long drive to get there and back.
Balem is an ugly city, that what we saw anyway. Black vultures the main bird feeding on the garbage in the streets. I would not have felt safe going off on our own
This rating is not for the city, I don’t think it is a very nice tourist destination. But it is rated for the fabulous Asa Wright bird sanctuary. We took a ship’s tour there. Again..too many people. But the place is wonderful. Only if you like birds and nature. The walking tour is rather treacherous, slippy, up and downhill, roots, rocks. It is a true jungle rainforest. The birds were pointed out by a most able guide.
There is a deck where you can watch the birds without going on the walk. It would be fabulous to just stay there.
City busses are easy. We went to the butterfly farm, which was wonderful, better than you would expect. And the. A swim just across the street. All beaches are public. Great white sandy blue water...wonderful. Easy city to get around and clean.
Yes on a mid-size ship on a long cruise you get to feel like one big family. We still keep in touch with friends we made on our long cruises. We meet for lunch or dinner when we can arrange it. Glad that your cruise was a good one.
We took a similar voyage and really enjoyed it, in November 2012: Even though the Amazon pretty much parallels the equator we didn't experience uncomfortable humidity and heat, in fact it was just right. We traveled about 1000 miles up the River before turning back. Would like to do it again: "This trip was Miami to Miami,13 ports visited, 6 on the Amazon River. Very educational and enjoyable. This was our second cruise on the Navigator and third on Regent. Very good ship for exploration style voyages."
Our Amazon adventure was on the Seven Seas Navigator. We have been on the Prinsendam too though, for an almost three month long wonderful cruise: I.e. "It was a wonderful trip and most ports visited were a first for us. We learned an lot about the continent and other people. There was so much that to try and relate even a small percentage isn't practical for this review. A lot of it was unique to cruising, let alone the warship escort (Between Kenya and Oman) there was much more, for instance as we progressed south down the west coast of Africa and neared the equator the captain decided it was within his purview to alter course about 100 miles. He did this in order to take us further out into the Atlantic to "zero-zero". A rare experience indeed. Zero-Zero refers to zero degrees longitude and zero degree latitude. After completing that the ship's company put together nice certificates for all of us stating where we had been."
I forgot one important thing. The Prinsendam is a smaller ship and the cruise was fairly long, and one of the most enjoyable things about this cruise was making friends, It was the most social time we have ever had.
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