Zaandam, Hawaii Circle Cruise 1/05-review

RocketCity · February 1, 2007

This was our 6th cruise--the first with Holland America, the first to Hawaii, and our first sailing without a balcony. If I was allowed only one word for this experience it would be TERRIFIC! That said, there were a couple of glitches that provided some consternation, but nothing could diminish an overall A+ experience.

San Diego: We arrived on our own, one day prior to cruising. We highly recommend arriving one day prior for a cruise that begins with 4 days at sea. We stayed at the Hotel Solamar in the Gaslight district and loved the restaurant there. It was an easy $12.00 cab ride to the port and just slightly more from the airport.

Embarkation: We arrived a little before noon. The embarkation procedure was well organized and completed in less than 45 minutes. The only hitch was when the tide shifted and they had to adjust the ramp. That event resulted in a little people shifting and brief wait.

Since HAL allows departing passengers to remain in their staterooms prior to disembarking (so humane) we were not allowed in cabins before 1:00. Lunch was served on the Lido deck and there was plenty of room to sit and wait.

Cabin: Our cabin was on the lower promenade deck. Since this was our first time sailing without a veranda/balcony we feared this would be an “issue”. Our cabin, 3364, was next to the mid-ship door leading out to the promenade deck. There were ample numbers of teak deck chairs on the deck and we felt like we just had a really BIG balcony for this trip! We were underneath the Pinnacle Restaurant and had a very quiet cabin. We did hear others on this deck complain that they were not so lucky. Be sure to look before you book any cabin on any ship for what might be above or below your cabin.

Our cabin steward was quiet and extremely professional. The cabin provided ample storage space. There are even 2 drawers under the foot of the bed! We did have several problems with basic systems in the cabin. By the 2nd day we were sure that the air did not seem to be cooling the room adequately. A technician came about 1 hour after reporting the problem and he fixed the broken capacitor. We have complained about warm cabins on other ships and were told port days were different and that rooms would not be as cool. Now, we wished we had called the first day instead of waiting as there was a real problem and even on sea days the cabin remained comfortable! The second problem was with the toilet. For several days we experienced problems flushing. Sometimes it flushed with as much as a 30 minute delay and other times it just didn’t flush at all. It took repeated phone calls to get this resolved. We heard there were others with a similar problem. Happily, this was resolved within 3 days.

Two of the four elevators mid-ship did not work on a regular basis. One would open its doors and after the doors closed it would remain on the Lido deck until someone would push the elevator call button. My husband would report this daily and ask them to shut it down rather than continue to hold passengers in a closed elevator. Unfortunately, this was not done and it we met a woman who experienced the beginning of an anxiety attack waiting for the doors to open. The elevator was the only complaint/problem that was not promptly addressed the entire cruise.

Laundry self-service: Small units, $2 to wash and $1 to dry. We did laundry twice and only waited a short time for units. The washers have an internal soap dispenser. Don't push more than once! One lady did and it must have taken 3 washes to get the soap out.

Food: The dining room and bar staff/wine stewards were among the best we have ever had. The food was always hot or cold as appropriate and delicious. We looked forward to reading the menu earlier in the day and thinking about what our decision would be for the night.

The Pinnacle Grill, an added fee venue, provided excellent food and service. We ate their twice, once on our 25th anniversary and they provided a special cake.

The food on the Lido deck was varied and good, but a little bland at lunch time. The flow at breakfast was not well designed and often resulted in bottle necks at the hot stations. The staff there is top rate. The lido stewards are just the best ever. They quickly learn your name and what you like to drink. They anticipate your needs and act on them. Be sure to check the daily newspaper for its hours of operation. The hours varied daily by a half hour at the front and back end some days. They also did not always follow their printed times.

This was the first cruise we have been on that did not have a variety of food available (outside of room service or the fruit in your room placed by the steward) in the early evening. There was a period of time, after five, when the only food available would be at the library café (the drinks were extra). They served a muffin with frosting, etc. Since we had dinner at 8:15 we had to plan ahead to have crackers or bread and cheese available if we got hungry before the Lido reopened at 6:30. (For most folks this is a silly complaint, but due to a medical problem I had to plan ahead for protein options.)

We enjoyed the Royal Dutch High Tea and the Indonesian Tea. They were great fun.

Entertainment: We only went to hear the Classical Strings/Piano Trio and the crew shows. The classical musicians were very good. We did have problems locating them as the ships’ newspaper was often not correct. The staff was not able to help us find when they would play that evening. The crew shows were very dear. There was lots of pride and soul in each. We also went to see the local talent from Hilo, a group of 50yo+ women who performed the classic hula. They provided a lovely show.

The onboard speakers were not as entertaining as some others we have heard. The timing of their talks (after the events) seemed odd.

For a $15 donation, the ship offered a 5K Pink Ribbon walk for the Susan B. Komen Foundation. There was a good turn out. The Captain and Cruise Director walked with the group and they were always very accessible during the course of our whole cruise.

Shore Excursions: We took 3 of HAL’s offerings. On Oahu, we did the USS Arizona, the Mighty Mo and Punch Bowl/downtown Honolulu; on Hilo, we did Akka Falls, macadamia nut factory and a botanical garden; and on Maui the Atlantis Submarine. All three tours were well done and worth the charge. Our bus driver for the Oahu trip offered lots of insights as a native Hawaiian. The Falls were beautiful, but the walk was more challenging than described. My husband has severe arthritis in his hips and it was a little difficult.

Weather: We had been told to expect a climate similar to San Diego for the first couple of days. It was still cooler than I expected while on the seas. Bring enough pants and a sweater or sweatshirt. I wore a wrap every evening at dinner.

Seas: I normally wear a ReliefBand (an electronic device based on similar principle as pressure band) and it has always worked…even in the rough North Atlantic. It wasn’t enough on the second day to keep me from getting sea sick. I took Bonine and didn’t keep it even 10 minutes--finally went to a patch. Everything was okay after that. However, I don’t like to take drugs and made sure to keep a little food in my stomach at all times on the return trip and did not have to use the patch.

Overall impression: The best thing about HAL is their staff. It is truly just first rate. They are professional people who give the appearance of liking each other and their jobs. Every person we encountered made us feel welcome and special. The ship was beautifully appointed and very classic. We loved how the ship never felt overcrowded or too spread out. The library is a real library! It felt like a comfortable coffee shop with the Explorer’s Café in the middle of the library. The average age of passenger was probably about 65, but there were lots of very vigorous 60+ year olds on board! My very favorite parts of the trip were seeing and hearing whales and going by an active volcano at night. It was truly a memorable vacation cruise.

Give yourself a treat and be sure to consider HAL when looking for your next cruise.

:)

RocketCity · February 1, 2007