Everything onboard was a sales pitch, limited onshore choices.

Item: Westerdam
Rating: 2
Author: brettwyatt

Westerdam Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage

brettwyatt

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 63

Overall rating:

2 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Alaskan Explorer With Glacier Bay (Seattle Roundtrip)

Sail date: September 03, 2016

Ship: Westerdam

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 7112

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

All on-board activities were sales pitches in disguise. Hands out for money everywhere. On-shore choices were limited and did not offer what was advertised. We went kayaking, canoeing, and rain forest hiking. They are best described as "the experience of kayaking and canoeing, since these events were very limited. We took a rain forest tour which lasted 10 minutes on a 200 foot trail in and out of a forest. I kid you not! The food was OK, the trip to Mendelhall Glacier was inspiring, kudos to the captain. The dance acts were also good. Sadly, eating and reading were the most enjoyable activities on board.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

The buffet worked out well. The other dining arrangements either cost extra money or, for reservation service, the food was not as good as the buffet.

Onboard Activities

1 out of 5

Money, money, every event was a sales pitch.

Entertainment

3 out of 5

Some acts were very good, like the ship's own performers. Outside acts varied from very good to abysmal.

Children's Programs

1 out of 5

This is a cruise for an older crowd. I felt sorry for the children brought by parents who didn't get this right!

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Very friendly, but they are all from Indonesia and the Philippines, on 9 month contracts, and have to be nice, or else. I think they were mostly genuine.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Very friendly

Ship tip

Don't book anything through Holland America, wait until you get off the ship. Accept the gym for what it is (not the company's priority) and use it to burn off those pounds that you will put on. Go to the evening shows, that's where you find out what's going on. Buy your drinks at happy hour.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Seattle, Washington

3 out of 5

Juneau, Alaska

1 out of 5

Cruise Glacier Bay

5 out of 5

The captain brought us up to the glacier, best part of the trip/

Thumbs Up 3

Sitka, Alaska

5 out of 5

We walked far into town to the local supermarket, fifteen minutes from the port. The people were friendly, the coffee was good.

Thumbs Up 0

Ketchikan, Alaska

3 out of 5

On shore excursions were not very interesting.

Thumbs Up 0

Victoria, British Columbia

1 out of 5

Ship was late, too bad for everyone.

Thumbs Up 1

5 Comments

Gwbigdog 2 years ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise.

Thumbs Up 0

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GerryBCruisin 3 years ago

Thanks for taking the time to share your review of the Westerdam.

Thumbs Up 0

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dmbdriver1 8 years ago

Welcome to the new world of cruising. We were on the Celebrity Millennium less than a month ago and the cut backs on food and entertainment was unreal.

Thumbs Up 0

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jackie63 8 years ago

All I can say is you can't please all of the people all of the time, some people can't be pleased at all. HAL is fantastic we will be sailing again June next year, we can't wait as you are so looked after by all the staff

Thumbs Up 1

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SvetlanaS 8 years ago

Do your homework - HAL working for older crowd. Excursions need to be doible. Plus there is activity level listed on every brochure. We love HAL for the piece and service level. I don't need clowns to keep me entertained.

Thumbs Up 1

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