7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)
Sail date: October 30, 2019
Ship:
Veendam
Cabin type: Inside
Cabin number: 364
Traveled as: Singles/Friends
Reviewed: 5 years ago
Review summary
Very disappointed in the cruise itself due to the lack of activities for someone that is middle-aged and younger. Even my 74 year old mother was bored. Holland security broke an item I purchased in Puerto Rico, after asking them to be careful with it. There goes over $100. I seriously doubt I would ever book another Holland trip. I have been on four cruises and this is the only one that has been disappointing and a waste of my money.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
It was fine. No hold ups, fairly smooth.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
I can't speak for the dining room or the restaurants but the buffet, which is not serve yourself, was rather disappointing. The choices were somewhat limited and the taste, in most cases, was sub-par.
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
The activities around the ship was geared toward the elderly crowd. The average age on the ship had to be 70+. Extremely disappointing, especially when one port of call was cancelled, which left us 3 days at sea, with nothing to do.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Again, catered to the older crowd.
Children's Programs
1 out of 5
Thank goodness, I didn't have children but there were a few on board and they must have been board to death.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
This was the only good thing about this ship. The waiters and room stewards were fantastic. Bartenders could be better (more attentive). The entire cruise, I was only approached by one person to ask me if I wanted a drink and because we were at sea for 3 days with nothing to do, there was a lot of sitting around.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The steward kept the cabin very clean but the beds were extremely uncomfortable, the room had a loud rattling all week and we could hear staff just next to the cabin, all hours of the night. There was no rest. On top of that, there were bugs or something in the room because my mom was getting bit each night in bed.
I am giving it 3 stars because our excursion was mostly horrible "The Ultimate Island Experience". The ultimate experience was ultimately disappointing and dangerous and not what was sold to us. The tour guide put our lives at risk in a vehicle with bald tires and burning brakes to go up and down the mountain, on very narrow mountain roads with cliffs on each side. The excursion was to include shopping and beach at the beginning of the day. Shopping consisted of a couple of tents that sold the same exact crap (tshirts, shotglasses, bags) and we were stuck there for 2 hours.
Why would you continue to eat at the buffet if you didn't like it? The main dining room has much better food and you could always try the specialty restaurants.
@DerekMire -- I've been on several cruises, on a few different cruise lines, and I have to agree with the OP. Holland America is definitely geared toward the older cruiser (70+).
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