Westerdam Cruise Reviews - Reviews

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.

The best part of the cruise is Glacier Bay.  The downside was the touristy portion and disappointment in Juneau.  Holland America is a reasonably priced cruise line and we have no other to compare it to but it seems they are out to extract every penny they can from you.  This was our third cruise with them and we felt the entertainment on this cruise was below expectation. However the food was good and the service always perfect.

The extra perks that my travel agent had in store for my wife and I was very rewarding.  Holland America is our number one selection for cruising!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

The crew was excellent, the food was excellent.   Two of three of our excursions were cancelled due to weather and a breakdown of the boat on one of the excursions.   The itinerary, as stated when booked, was not adhered to.   Time in Victoria was severely cut and some of the times to be on board were not the same as on the itinerary.    That should be improved upon.   Granted, one excursion in Ketchikan was late getting back, but feel Victoria could have been a better experience.

The entertainment, most meals and balcony cabin were very good. We especially enjoyed the piano lounge with Stryker, the Blues band and the shows. Room service is nice and at no extra charge. We ordered breakfast in bed on a few occasions. The ship is in need of a renovation which is scheduled for April 2017.

We asked to have tables for two because we really wanted to spend quality time together.  We know that this is not an easy request, and that frequently cruise lines will have more than one group at tables for dinner.  However, every night we went to dinner in the main dining room, we had a table just for two.  

Everything about the cruise was above what we expected, as we have cruised before, but not with Holland America.  Holland America and all who work for them go above and beyond to make your stay fabulous!

Our favorite part of the cruise was the excellent service and friendly staff, the dining room cuisine and the on-board entertainment each night. We lucked out on the weather!

The internet service could be improved in terms of speed and bandwidth.

Other than the treadmills, the gym machines should be upgraded and increased in number.

Overall, an excellent cruise and good value for the money.

Our favorite part of the cruise was the excellent service and friendly staff, the dining room cuisine and the on-board entertainment each night. We lucked out on the weather!

The internet service could be improved in terms of speed and bandwidth.

Other than the treadmills, the gym machines should be upgraded and increased in number.

Overall, an excellent cruise and good value for the money.

It is great not to have to worry about what to cook for a week. In addition, it is very nice to have someone come in and straighten up the beds, bathroom, and tidy up the room. You get a taste of what it must be like to have a live in maid/butler at your beck and call 24 hours a day. Great, short, getaway.

Port times were short, and the day in Glacier Bay was long.  Food attendents on Lido don't really listen (or maybe they don't understand) what you are wanting on your plate and you feel like you have to repeat a hundred times or give up.

Dining in Vista was enjoyable and I appreciated being served.  The kids club had so many older roudy kids in it that I didn't feel comfortable leaving my 5 year old there, so he tagged along wherever he went and made lots of friends with the staff.

Fabulous cruise except the weather. It was great during our day in Glacier Bay, but not so great in other ports of call, specifically Juneau. There's nothing anyone can do about the weather, but it did put a damper 😋 on our day in Juneau. 

The only other complaint I have is regarding the photo department. They promised us our digital prints on disc the night before our departure. This didn't happen and I was told they would be mailed this week from Juneau. I hope this happens as I paid quite a bit of money for the images. 

service was the best thing about the trip. they canceled the last stop in Victoria, which was the best part about the trip. claiming they couldnt duck because of the weather. while 2 other ships were sailing along ducked and had fun in Victoria. there is no excuse for that. I think they wanted to save money because it cost a lot for ducking the ship. I wasnt very impressed with the shore excursions either. and they were very very expensive. we signed with them when we were on the ship, but  I am going to cancel.

The glaciers were my favorite part, Mendenhall in Juneau and going through Glacier Bay.  The Whale Quest in Juneau was close - we saw dozens of whales, including a breach, seals, orcas, sea lions.

Our only disappointment was the 40 knot winds which prevented the ship from going into Victoria.

On ship dining was delicious, every meal, and we thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment.

This was a wonderful trip for us.  We not only saw Seattle for the first time, (two days early), but the cruise provided a chance to see parts of the country we've never seen before.  The ship was good, not gigantic, and managed well.  It was clean and well kept, though a little tired looking.  Everyone was very friendly.  The balcony cabin was fine.  It did seem a bit small compared to ones we've been in on other cruise lines.  There was no bathroom exhaust fan, or one that didn't work.  There was a two-way lighted make-up mirror (with a switch) attached to the desk/ console that didn't work.  Storage was good.  Our cabin steward was wonderful.  The entertainment onboard was great.  We took two dance classes, and won at trivia many times receiving a pin for each win.  We were very impressed with the library (like a mini Barnes and Noble), as well as the librarian.  The cruise director, Sarah, was exceptional and all the staff were personable and engaging.  We didn't use the specialty restaurants, just the buffet and regular dining room.  Both were great.  The fitness room was well equipped but there should be more stationary bikes with backs.  The ship's layout was good.  It was easy to get around but we should have a small, handheld diagram of the ship instead of running over to the large diagram at the elevators every time we wanted to know where we were and how to get somewhere else. The signage for disembarking at a port could be improved.  Though announcements are made, they should be repeated, and more signs should tell us where the gangway is set up.  If the rugs in the elevators are changed daily (for the days of the week), then exiting signs should be more visible.  The disembarking schedule at the end of the cruise was superbly handled.  This is the first time ever that we have exited on time, and so smoothly, compared to the two other cruise lines we've been on.  Excellent!

If you enjoy the outdoors, then the Alaskan cruise is for you. The ports of call are all beautiful and the variety of activities can meet anyone's itinerary. Absolutely a wonderful time. 

My husband and I had a fabulous trip. The excursions were exactly what we wanted. We did the trolley in Ketchikan, free shuttle in Sitka and visited Mendenhall's Glacier and took the tram in Juneau. This is a must trip for those wanting to renew and refresh. The Westerdam has great employees, great food, and is very clean! 

Overall- Very good. Would have preferred more time in Ketchikan and Victoria and less time at sea. Would have preferred going to Skagway rather than Sitka. Not enough to do or see in SItka.

I was amazed at how well the crew takes care of you. Friendly, gracious, helpful and very fun people!!!!!

The food was unbelievable, there are so many options for food at any given time. I ate salmon at the salmon bake and I never eat salmon! 

There are so many things you could do on the ship, I tried to do a little of everything. Loved all the trivia games, we made some great friends that way!!

The kids made some great friends hanging at the Loft and playing basketball!

The lumberjack show was so much fun, the glacier and waterfall were amazing!!!

Linda Clifford was my agent.  She handled everything professionally and provided excellent customer service.  Having said that, there are 2 items that remain unresolved.  The first is that I was told by Linda that my husband and I would receive 2 on board credits, one for $240 and the other for $200. The first credit came from Holland and the second from .  The $240 was made by Holland and showed up on our shipboard account day one.  The cruise.com credit never showed up.  Holland email Linda, but we never heard back. The secon credit we are still waiting for is the airline transfers to and from the airport. Unless these issues are resolved, I will not use again. 

we try to do a cruise with our entire family every couple of years. It's a great family/bonding experience ...we get together for dinner and events during the day but people also have their "own time."

We really like HAL.

We only had a few complaints:

The AC in the Crows Nest is way too cold. We were told there was a mechanical issue.

also, the last stop was Victoria. It was a waste of time. The ship arrived late and we re there for just a few hours.  We understand the issue of the Jones Act but there needs to be another solution.

Otherwise a great time.