We loved the ports, the crew, and the excursions we took. We were let down by the food and entertainment. We generally sail on larger ships with a more varied age range so this could be the difference in activity choices.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We walked right through checkin and onto the ship in just a few minutes.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The food was all quite bland and dry. The Lido deck seemed to be a repetition every night. The pasta on the buffet line has almost no sauce but it tasted bad anyways, so no loss.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Definitely geared to an older, less active crowd. The trivia was difficult because they do it during happy hour at a bar so it was crowded. Shuffleboard and pickle ball aren’t my cup of tea.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
The musical numbers were okay for free entertainment but they wouldn’t have won a competition. The comedian wasn’t very funny—he basically just recited a bunch of jokes that I had heard elsewhere. There was no “story line” to his routine. He did some impressions of actors that no one under 55 would know.
Children's Programs
No kids
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff were all very courteous and quick to help out. Our room steward was great!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
You could always spot areas being deep cleaned. The layout of the ship is super simple because it is a small ship. The Vaandam cruises in a river so it has to be a smaller ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Size was the same as all other ships’ balcony rooms. The view was nice and unobstructed. The beds were a bit hard for my liking, but that is just personal preference.
Ship tip
Bring a book! The game and trivia times are too crowded to enjoy because they were during happy hour at one of the bars.
Halifax is much larger and we paid for a walking tour. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly. His delivery was very good. But…when you are on a cruise with mostly older people, be aware they will also be on your tours and drag the pace. We could have been done an hour earlier and had more shopping time if we weren’t having to wait every 500 feet for those slower guests.
I loved this town. It is very touristy now, but also vibrant and welcoming. We did the Acadia small group tour and the guide was brand new and basically just reading her notes to us while trying to drive! Made me nervous. We had very few stops and only 10 min at the ones we did make so not much time to get pictures, use the toilet, get a drink or visit a gift shop.
So much to do and see in Boston, we stayed on there an extra four days just to be able to see all we wanted and still have items unchecked on our list.
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