Cruise Ship Reviews : Holland America Line Reviews
goin2enjoy saw things this way:
Very pleased with overall experience, March 15, 2013
Reviewer: goin2enjoy
Pros: Friendy staff, excellent service
Cons: Poor experience in 'specialty' restaurant with wine steward and maitre d.
Date of cruise: March 3, 2013
Departure port: Tampa
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
Great ship, great crew and great itinerary.
lutmer saw things this way:
Very good cruise overall, despite health scare (intestinal flu), February 15, 2013
Reviewer: lutmer
Pros: Great cruise director, entertainment, food and service
Cons: Elderly people, extra health standards
Departure port: Tampa
Region visited: Caribbean - Southern
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 787
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: Yes
Cruised the southern Caribbean. Ports excellent, staff very good, food and entertainment outstanding. The ship is showing some age, probably a 4.5 but no maintenance issues or problems. Had a red alert issued for a GI that was going around. Never exceeded more than 3% of the ship due to extensive health and cleanliness protocols. Despite the extra work, the staff and crew were great. The food, as usual, was excellent, the entertainment the best that we have had on a cruise. As is the common case for HAL cruises departing from Florida or California, the average age of the cruisers was very high. This made for some delays, especially when tenders were involved. Despite the health and age issues this was a very good cruise on a solid 4.5 ship.
dmerrill saw things this way:
Excellent 21-day cruise to the Caribbean, February 2, 2013
Reviewer: dmerrill
Pros: Excellent service and excellent staff.
Cons: It is an older ship. It would be nice to have free WiFi.
Date of cruise: January 7, 2013
Departure port: Tampa FL
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 372
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
We cruised for 21 days in January out of Tampa, Florida. Had excellent weather for the first two weeks. On the last week, we did have some rainy days. Overall, the experience was very good. We are three-star members of the Mariners Club.
aubrey saw things this way:
Went on the 14-day cruise out of Tampa with an overall excellent experience, February 1, 2013
Reviewer: aubrey
Pros: We met some great people and had extraordinary good times at happy hour
Cons: The ship's repair could have been better
Date of cruise: December 9, 2012
Departure port: Tampa
Region visited: Caribbean - Southern
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 418
We had a great time on this 14-day cruise of the Eastern and Southern Caribbean. A somewhat older crowd meant we didn't have children riding up and down the elevators and running around the dining room (which we have experienced on some other cruises). The service and food in the main dining room was up to Holland's high standards and the steak diane in the speciality restaurant was superb. Okay, so the coffee generally stunk -- but everything can't be perfect. The guest entertainers were quite good and some were exceptional. The "staff" entertainers were among the best we have experienced on any cruise (except Oasis and Allure where all the entertainment was fabulous). We had some wonderful times with our fellow passengers for happy hour in both the lounges where it was offered. Overall, a great cruise I would recommend to anyone seeking relaxation, good food, excellent shows and a nice Caribbean adventure.
gmajones saw things this way:
We had a wonderful time on the cruise portion of our Alaska trip, September 1, 2010
Reviewer: gmajones
Pros: Drew, the cruise director, was the best one we've ever had in 20 cruises
Cons: Obviously, they cut corners wherever they can; not what cruising used to be
Date of cruise: August 15, 2010
Departure port: Vancouver
Region visited: Alaska
Cabin category: Inside
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Food and service were very good, however, the cruise lines all seem to be cutting corners. Our bedding and towels were looking quite shabby. There is a charge for many activities and the free ones don't amount to much. Neither do the "prizes." However, I still think cruising is the best way to vacation. I like being able to unpack once and be settled in my room.
AloraDanin saw things this way:
Not up to our previous Holland America sailings., July 19, 2010
Reviewer: AloraDanin
Pros: Nice clean cabin.
Cons: Poor service.
Date of cruise: July 1, 2010
Departure port: Vancouver
Region visited: Alaska
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 553
We were quite disappointed with this cruise on the Ryndam. We sailed on her eight years ago and the service has really gone downhill. Our dining room servers were not very attentive, didn't remember what we liked to drink until the sixth night, had to be reminded about items ordered, and overall did not seem to put much effort into serving us. Our room steward was very good. We were hardly aware of his presence, and he kept our room looking neat and tidy. Holland America charges exorbitant prices for the onboard photographs. They print up every photo that they take and then throw them away if you don't buy them. Why haven't they joined the digital age...put all of the photos on a disk and sell it for a reasonable amount? The specialty restaurant was very disappointing. The amuse bouche...did not amuse. It was dull and tasteless. Our appetizers were bland. My husband enjoyed the french onion soup, but my caesar salad was very uninspiring. My husband had the Land and Sea for his main meal and enjoyed it. I had the Steak Diane and it was delicious, but the scalloped potatoes were horrible and I left them. The chocolate souffle and creme brulee for dessert were also bland. The service was terrible. We didn't get anything to eat for an hour. Then as we were finishing our appetizers the waitress came and asked what we would like for dessert...she didn't realize that we hadn't had our main course yet. My husband asked for the wine menu after we finished our appetizers and they never brought it. All in all a bad experience. I was pleased that we had been given the meal by our online travel agency. I would have been very upset if we had paid for it. We did back-to-back seven-day sailings and they only had one guest performer. The other nights were the Ryndam singers. The singers were of a better caliber than we have seen before on cruise ships, but it is obvious that this is an area where they are trying to save money. Watching the same people sing every night got very boring. They gym was fine but half of the days the treadmills didn't work. The trivia was run efficiently and in a fun way by the cruise director and DJ. It is a nice that they have a self-serve laundromat onboard. There were quite a few children on board but they did a good job of keeping them amused during the day, but at night there were lots of young teens in the Crows Nest Bar which we felt should have been an adults-only area. Overall, a disappointing cruise. We will be trying another line for our next cruise to see if they are all lowering their standards.
kekap697 saw things this way:
My favorite ship, wonderful service, food, and entertainment, May 27, 2010
Reviewer: kekap697
Pros: Terrific string quartet and small jazz group. Great food and service.
Cons: The revues.
Date of cruise: December 1, 2009
Departure port: Tampa
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Outside
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Older ship, recently refurbished. Wonderful value.
kopke saw things this way:
Superior service and well executed arrangements, May 14, 2010
Reviewer: kopke
Pros: Very pleasant journey
Cons: Two weeks is too short on board this great ship
Date of cruise: July 1, 2009
Departure port: Vancouver
Region visited: Alaska
Cabin category: Inside
Excellent weather for two weeks in Alaska and superior surroundings on board made that trip a very pleasant experience. At Holland America they do their best on the "Dam" ships.
Ryndam reviews
Average customer rating:
4.33 / 5
4.33 / 5Average Rating based on 8 Reviews:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
4.63
4.50
4.38
3.60
4.63
4.43
4.00
3.25
4.63
4.50
4.38
3.60
4.63
4.43
4.00
3.25
4.63
goin2enjoy saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
5
5
5
5
5
3
5
5
5
5
5
3
5
Very pleased with overall experience, March 15, 2013
Reviewer: goin2enjoy
Pros: Friendy staff, excellent service
Cons: Poor experience in 'specialty' restaurant with wine steward and maitre d.
Date of cruise: March 3, 2013
Departure port: Tampa
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
Great ship, great crew and great itinerary.
lutmer saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
4
4
5
4
5
4
4
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
4
4
5
Very good cruise overall, despite health scare (intestinal flu), February 15, 2013
Reviewer: lutmer
Pros: Great cruise director, entertainment, food and service
Cons: Elderly people, extra health standards
Departure port: Tampa
Region visited: Caribbean - Southern
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 787
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: Yes
Cruised the southern Caribbean. Ports excellent, staff very good, food and entertainment outstanding. The ship is showing some age, probably a 4.5 but no maintenance issues or problems. Had a red alert issued for a GI that was going around. Never exceeded more than 3% of the ship due to extensive health and cleanliness protocols. Despite the extra work, the staff and crew were great. The food, as usual, was excellent, the entertainment the best that we have had on a cruise. As is the common case for HAL cruises departing from Florida or California, the average age of the cruisers was very high. This made for some delays, especially when tenders were involved. Despite the health and age issues this was a very good cruise on a solid 4.5 ship.
dmerrill saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Spa
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Spa
Staff and Service
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
5
Excellent 21-day cruise to the Caribbean, February 2, 2013
Reviewer: dmerrill
Pros: Excellent service and excellent staff.
Cons: It is an older ship. It would be nice to have free WiFi.
Date of cruise: January 7, 2013
Departure port: Tampa FL
Region visited: Caribbean - Eastern
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 372
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
We cruised for 21 days in January out of Tampa, Florida. Had excellent weather for the first two weeks. On the last week, we did have some rainy days. Overall, the experience was very good. We are three-star members of the Mariners Club.
aubrey saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
5
5
Went on the 14-day cruise out of Tampa with an overall excellent experience, February 1, 2013
Reviewer: aubrey
Pros: We met some great people and had extraordinary good times at happy hour
Cons: The ship's repair could have been better
Date of cruise: December 9, 2012
Departure port: Tampa
Region visited: Caribbean - Southern
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 418
We had a great time on this 14-day cruise of the Eastern and Southern Caribbean. A somewhat older crowd meant we didn't have children riding up and down the elevators and running around the dining room (which we have experienced on some other cruises). The service and food in the main dining room was up to Holland's high standards and the steak diane in the speciality restaurant was superb. Okay, so the coffee generally stunk -- but everything can't be perfect. The guest entertainers were quite good and some were exceptional. The "staff" entertainers were among the best we have experienced on any cruise (except Oasis and Allure where all the entertainment was fabulous). We had some wonderful times with our fellow passengers for happy hour in both the lounges where it was offered. Overall, a great cruise I would recommend to anyone seeking relaxation, good food, excellent shows and a nice Caribbean adventure.
gmajones saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
4
5
3
5
5
4
5
3
5
5
4
We had a wonderful time on the cruise portion of our Alaska trip, September 1, 2010
Reviewer: gmajones
Pros: Drew, the cruise director, was the best one we've ever had in 20 cruises
Cons: Obviously, they cut corners wherever they can; not what cruising used to be
Date of cruise: August 15, 2010
Departure port: Vancouver
Region visited: Alaska
Cabin category: Inside
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Food and service were very good, however, the cruise lines all seem to be cutting corners. Our bedding and towels were looking quite shabby. There is a charge for many activities and the free ones don't amount to much. Neither do the "prizes." However, I still think cruising is the best way to vacation. I like being able to unpack once and be settled in my room.
AloraDanin saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
4
4
2
2
3
4
1
3
4
2
2
3
4
1
3
Not up to our previous Holland America sailings., July 19, 2010
Reviewer: AloraDanin
Pros: Nice clean cabin.
Cons: Poor service.
Date of cruise: July 1, 2010
Departure port: Vancouver
Region visited: Alaska
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 553
We were quite disappointed with this cruise on the Ryndam. We sailed on her eight years ago and the service has really gone downhill. Our dining room servers were not very attentive, didn't remember what we liked to drink until the sixth night, had to be reminded about items ordered, and overall did not seem to put much effort into serving us. Our room steward was very good. We were hardly aware of his presence, and he kept our room looking neat and tidy. Holland America charges exorbitant prices for the onboard photographs. They print up every photo that they take and then throw them away if you don't buy them. Why haven't they joined the digital age...put all of the photos on a disk and sell it for a reasonable amount? The specialty restaurant was very disappointing. The amuse bouche...did not amuse. It was dull and tasteless. Our appetizers were bland. My husband enjoyed the french onion soup, but my caesar salad was very uninspiring. My husband had the Land and Sea for his main meal and enjoyed it. I had the Steak Diane and it was delicious, but the scalloped potatoes were horrible and I left them. The chocolate souffle and creme brulee for dessert were also bland. The service was terrible. We didn't get anything to eat for an hour. Then as we were finishing our appetizers the waitress came and asked what we would like for dessert...she didn't realize that we hadn't had our main course yet. My husband asked for the wine menu after we finished our appetizers and they never brought it. All in all a bad experience. I was pleased that we had been given the meal by our online travel agency. I would have been very upset if we had paid for it. We did back-to-back seven-day sailings and they only had one guest performer. The other nights were the Ryndam singers. The singers were of a better caliber than we have seen before on cruise ships, but it is obvious that this is an area where they are trying to save money. Watching the same people sing every night got very boring. They gym was fine but half of the days the treadmills didn't work. The trivia was run efficiently and in a fun way by the cruise director and DJ. It is a nice that they have a self-serve laundromat onboard. There were quite a few children on board but they did a good job of keeping them amused during the day, but at night there were lots of young teens in the Crows Nest Bar which we felt should have been an adults-only area. Overall, a disappointing cruise. We will be trying another line for our next cruise to see if they are all lowering their standards.
kekap697 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
5
4
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
5
My favorite ship, wonderful service, food, and entertainment, May 27, 2010
Reviewer: kekap697
Pros: Terrific string quartet and small jazz group. Great food and service.
Cons: The revues.
Date of cruise: December 1, 2009
Departure port: Tampa
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Outside
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Older ship, recently refurbished. Wonderful value.
kopke saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Staff and Service
5
4
5
3
5
4
4
5
4
5
3
5
4
4
5
Superior service and well executed arrangements, May 14, 2010
Reviewer: kopke
Pros: Very pleasant journey
Cons: Two weeks is too short on board this great ship
Date of cruise: July 1, 2009
Departure port: Vancouver
Region visited: Alaska
Cabin category: Inside
Excellent weather for two weeks in Alaska and superior surroundings on board made that trip a very pleasant experience. At Holland America they do their best on the "Dam" ships.
