Really enjoyed the history and operation of the Panama Canal. Hit most of the talks and movies in advance to understand how it came to be and the challenges they faced 100+ years ago. Very satisfied with the experience and loved watching a lot of the action at the locks from our aft balcony after seeing the entrance to the canal and first lock from the bow. Holland America is a great fit for us and we really enjoyed the experience as we have on our previous cruises with them.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
very efficient
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Overall excellent quality food and drink. Didn't do any specialty restaurants this time. Did open dining most days and enjoyed it. Hit the lido deck a couple of times in the evening which wasn't quite as nice as the dining room experience.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Spent time in the casino, but didn't do much else other than relax.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Only went to one dance show called Humanity which was enjoyable. Dualing piano musicians next to the casino were nice and popular. BB King band was good, didn't spend much time there. Classical musician performances were always full, just not our thing. People were raving about the juggler but we missed the show.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Almost all personnel greeted us warmly with a smile, made it very enjoyable. Cabin stewards were outstanding as always.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Very clean - showing her age but in early Dec the Zuiderdam will go in for a 10 day minor drydock to replace carpets, windows, tile on the lido deck, etc. bringing her back up to full quality and modernizing a few areas.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Verandah cabin at the back of the ship, really enjoyed cruising through the canal there as well as waking up to the ocean and moon or sun out the back. Very comfortable overall.
Ship tip
Captain gave a talk which was outstanding. Pretty rare to have a Dutch sea captain with a great sense of humor. He took questions for probably 30 minutes after his talk, don't miss this if offered on your cruise.
Really enjoyed entering the canal, were on the 4th floor bow at 5 am. I think the people who went to the front of the decks above us probably had an even better view and we couldn't hear the speaker narrating us through anyway so I'd head there next time.
No excursion, they had the shopping area off the dock area open and it was very pleasant. Ventured out into the town which was pretty run down around the port area - it was Sunday morning so not a lot was open.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
