R'man

On our recent scenic cruise around the Antarctic Peninsula we received a notice of the international rules in our room. Among the items noticed was that ships carrying more than 500 passengers are not allowed to take any ashore. So, be clear with HAL on their definition of an Expedition cruise. And due to the company's ship insurance, we were not allowed to cross the Antarctic Circle. The captain brought us within seconds of it, in the middle of the night, but never across. (I have the exact coordinates somewhere.)

The itinerary was excellent. We had a party of six and enjoyed every port stop, although a few were a bit rustic. Now, beware, the weather can play a major part in all this, particularly as you head south across Drake's Passage, around Antarctica, and return via the Falklands. Several complained when we skipped the Falklands to avoid heavy weather, not to mention the harbour at Stanley was closed for that reason. It just ruined their entire trip, you know. As far as a "true Grand Voyage"...I don't know what that means. I'm an inside steerage denizen. By my observation, bring a little black dress/blazer/sport coat/dress slacks and you'll be fine. Bring a tux and formal dresses if that's your preference. The difference between smart casual, gala and formal wear in the dining room is a bit blurred. It's all pretty liberal - even shorts on men occasionally pass muster.

You're welcome to read my review of our seven night cruise aboard Zuiderdam just before Christmas.

I suppose that means be prepared for human waste spilling in the hallway from a plumbing blowout with repairs taking days. Or, a burst water pipe flooding yours and a dozen other cabins in the middle of the night. These and other such events happened on Volendam during its recent South America Grand Voyage - I was there. All are related to the age of the vessels. In both cases full repairs were delayed by not having repair parts on board. As the chief engineer explained, there is no store of these obsolete parts. They require fabrication. Among the more mundane, newly installed drink dispensers in the Lido go unused for reasons unknown. But, the carpets have just been refreshed, protected by numerous buckets catching the drips from the ceiling. I say these things after 74 days aboard Volendam, and a week aboard Zuiderdam that was so bad the CD apologized from the stage. These ships are each over 20 years old and their mechanical conditions show every year of it. People come here looking for honest answers to their questions, not "It's all great" when it's not. Right now, based on my very recent 81 days of combined HAL cruising, I say it's not. That said, if the itinerary is what the poster is drawn to, ignore the ship's shortcomings and spend time enjoying the places one will visit. (BTW: We will be aboard for this voyage out of Boston in '24. We have our eyes open and expectations set accordingly.)