Panama Canal is a Must Do
Westerdam Cruise Review to Panama Canal, Central America
14 Night Panama Canal Eastbound (San Diego To Ft. Lauderdale)
Sail date: October 19, 2013
Ship: Westerdam
Cabin type: Suite
Cabin number: 6108
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 11 years ago
Review summary
This was a great experience. The service was excellent and the ports were great and a little different than the normal touristy ones. About the ship..this ship is looking old and in need of repair. It's looking a bit shabby - upholstery worn, things worn out, etc. The food was excellent in the Pinnacle Grill and ranged from fair to good elsewhere. We had about 10 employees on the ship that really made the trip fantastic. The Captain was really interesting and very available to passengers. One thing to note and note well - if you are travelling with a disabled person the ship and ports are NO WHERE near as accessible as they would lead you to believe. Most ports and shore excursions do not offer accessible transportation. Further, getting on and off the ship is a challenge with a scooter or power chair. The same issue with any exits that have a metal lip including those on the Promenade deck, the stateroom veranda and the top decks of the ship. Having said that, the staff built us a plywood ramp to our veranda so my husband could enjoy it. He was not, however, able to go anywhere or do anything in Caldera or Cartagena. We would definitely take another Holland cruise but would select a newer ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
Explorations Café in the Crow's nest was my favorite place to have a latte and watch the world go by. Introduce yourself to Captain Scott - He's amazing! Eat at the Pinnacle Grill, but skip LeCirque .
Ports of call
Huatulco, Mexico Did not visit port
Puerto Chiapas (Tapachula), Mexico
Panama Canal (Cruise Into Canal)
Exit Panama Canal At Cristobal
Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida