We loved the ports but will never again travel with 1900 passengers.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Arrived late in the day so it was seamless as no one else was checking in
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Quality on Holland America has definitely declined a bit since Covid. The food was not as good as previously and the main dining room experience was very disorganized with almost everyone wanting to eat at the same hour and very few people choosing fixed dining. The dining room managers routinely assigned couples to 6 person tables leaving lots of space but no seating opportunities for others. Anytime dining really needs to be looked at carefully. We opted to eat in the Lido after the frustration of the first 10 days.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Tai Chi onboard was excellent. The instructor patient and knowledgeable. The library was excellent although it lacked all reference material on ports and wildlife. Fitness center was good and walking deck is excellent.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Evening activities were so so. The first 12 days we had dancers and singers onboard, all of whom were good. After that there were mediocre comedians and magicians and a few outstanding performances from Lincoln Center onboard (they were only on for a week). Daytime lectures were mostly provided by passengers contracted to provide lectures and the Cruise Director. They were less than overwhelming. We didn't try the alternate music venues so can't comment.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
As always staff remains excellent although HAL has cut back and the stewards had more rooms to clean and there were fewer waiters.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Layout is good. Design is functional though not awe inspiring. Everything was clean and well-maintained.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Although smaller than the cabins on the older ships, the cabin size was adequate and comfortable.
Ship tip
Be flexible. We appreciated the perks of 5 star guests, particularly laundry and a separate waiting room for going ashore on tender days.
Access to prime excursions was limited and there were several ships there at the same time. We managed to book the excursion to Hesteyri on our own and were rewarded with close encounters with Arctic Fox and excellent hike with our guide. Plus a great whale encounter on the way back.
The rating was affected by the fact it rained most of the day. We had a very interesting visit to the Cathedral where a docent gave us a full account of its history. On a nice day it probably would have been great.
Interesting city with lots of things to see. Great fish and chips. HAL bus to the center was 15 dollars each (most cruise companies provide free shuttles according to the locals). We opted for a local bus and walking.
Took a local bus up island because it was raining when we arrived and got a unique view of the island. Weather was better in the afternoon so we walked to the "castle". Nice view of the harbor and city.
Did not dock but tendered both days. The cruise port was far from downtown and the shuttles were shared with 2 other large cruise ships so getting downtown was difficult if you didn't want to walk the 3 miles. We chose to explore a nearby island Videy, whose ferry was conveniently located next to our tender sport. It is beautiful and peaceful.
Nice walk out to the headland opposite where the ship was "anchored". Excellent restaurant and cute little museum at the Emporium next door. Very friendly locals.
Wandered on our own and discovered Halifax Central Library on our way to the Botanical Garden. The library is fantastic with fascinating art works and cool design. Lots of interesting galleries in Halifax.
4 and 5 star had priority disembarkation i.e. you could disembark at will however the way HAL handled the immigration inspection was chaotic.. Too many groups were called simultaneously and no instructions were provided to take the center stairwell so that those descending in the front had to walk back to the center in the corridor next to those queuing from the center stairwell. Not a problem for us but for those with limited mobility it was extremely challenging. Hal could have handled this much better.
Wow!! I would love to see those ports! Very interesting post! I have not seen that itinerary before. Maybe it's part of "around the world" sailing. I was on that ship thru the Panama Canal just before covid. It was fabulous food, not a lot of activities on sea days. We brought our own games/cards etc. I think we did not see any books on our ports of call either. I guess people only use Google info nowadays. Sounds fabulous!!!
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