Great ports to visit on this Holland America cruise
Zaandam Cruise Review to Canada, New England, New York
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 3
Helpful Votes: 70
Review summary
This was the smallest ship we have sailed on. We missed some of the amenities of a larger ship. The choice of ports to visit overcame this problem.Embarkation
Had to work hard to ascertain location for shuttle pickup from airport to ship; once we knew where to go the experience was fine
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The Pinnacle Grill was excellent, although pricey. The restaurant food was quite good although the menu was limited. The buffet food was uneven. The pool-grill food was above average.
Onboard Activities
Small ship - not many options; the pools were adequate and so was the fitness center.
Entertainment
Small room entertainers were quite good except for the singer who accompanied herself on guitar for her rock and roll sessions and used prerecorded music to sing Broadway numbers. Her stage presence and vocal production for the Broadway numbers left a lot to be desired. The dancers were adequate.
Service and Staff
All of the ship's personnel were very helpful and made you feel welcome.
Ship Quality
Room serviced only once per day. Some parts of the ship showed her age
Cabin / Stateroom
The size and configuration of the cabin worked for us. There was a lot of storage space. The cabin was kept clean, however, there was a slight musty smell - maybe the room needed an overhaul.
Ports of call
Tender port - really nice downtown including good restaurants try the West Street Cafe.
Good local transport (in season only)
Thumbs Up
0
Lots to do in the area right around the port, but if you want an excursion, one to Peggy's Cove and/or Lunenburg are worthwhile.
Not much to see in town. For an excursion, the historic Fort Louisburg (in season) shows the early French presence in Canada.
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Disembarkation
Very smooth all the way to the airport; guest services were very helpful getting us on the right bus so there was no problem at the airport.