Fresh Off Westerdam - Not Good :(

[andilynnwright]

As OP spent more in the Casino than she did on her cruise, perhaps a Vegas vacation might be more to her taste. I'm sure the dealers would be more attentive.

 

No , Vegas is not my style. Saying I spent more in the casino than on the cruise isn't saying much because I got a great deal on the cruise. I know that might make some people say if I paid less for the cruise I should lower my expectations. I disagree. HAL should have the same level of service as a standard company wide and no matter what I paid.

 

I love playing cards, always played with my grandparents since I could count, and will play if it's free or if it's five dollars. Not to mention the wonderful people I met in the casino chatting over a five dollar poker game.

[andilynnwright]

OP, since you said like to spend a lot of time in the casino is not Royal Caribbean or is it NCL known for catering better to this activity far better than HAL ships? The casino and gambling always seems like a minor emphasis on HAL ships. We like the more self-contained atmosphere of HAL ships. I think the size of the space devoted to their libraries pretty much tells the HAL story more than any other feature. Long may they sail.

 

Really, I gamble five dollars at a time and can play pretty long for a hundred bucks. I'm a night owl and my Mom went to bed early. So after the show I would play cards and chat with nice folks just relaxing and playing cards. So, really it was fine for me because there was not much going on after 10:00 pm and by myself.

[OlsSalt]

Really, I gamble five dollars at a time and can play pretty long for a hundred bucks. I'm a night owl and my Mom went to bed early. So after the show I would play cards and chat with nice folks just relaxing and playing cards. So, really it was fine for me because there was not much going on after 10:00 pm and by myself.

 

You earlier reported only: I played cards in the casino every night and not even once did the casino staff ask me my name or call me by name. They took my cruise card every time I put cash on the table so I just don't understand why the manager or any of the staff ever acknowledged me. I spent more in the casino then I did on the cruise so they should've at least said hello to me and called me by my name!

Glad to learn now that you had a good time after all. :cool:

Edited December 7, 2013 by OlsSalt

[andilynnwright]

You earlier reported only: I played cards in the casino every night and not even once did the casino staff ask me my name or call me by name. They took my cruise card every time I put cash on the table so I just don't understand why the manager or any of the staff ever acknowledged me. I spent more in the casino then I did on the cruise so they should've at least said hello to me and called me by my name!

Glad to learn now that you had a good time after all. :cool:

 

I think I'm learning never post any comments on cruise critic unless you want to be beaten up or called negative. It's sad. Nothing in life is black and white or all good and all bad. My mistake was saying my cruise wasn't good. Certain aspects of my cruise were not good and I might have enjoyed a different cruise better, in this case only. But I find joy and fun in every part of life even when everything isn't as it should be. Will probably stop posting here because the mean people ruin it for all the nice people. Unfortunately mean comments hurt.

[Katie333]

Sorry all things didn't go according to plan.

 

Your post has raised an interesting debate about expectations. I agree with the many who highlight the glossy cruise brochures and videos which sell a very different experience than the one the OP received.

 

I don't think the staff can keep up with the standards they advertise. Especially for brand new cruisers this must be a letdown, unless you get a few crew members who really make the difference!

[startwin]

I think I'm learning never post any comments on cruise critic unless you want to be beaten up or called negative. It's sad. Nothing in life is black and white or all good and all bad. My mistake was saying my cruise wasn't good. Certain aspects of my cruise were not good and I might have enjoyed a different cruise better, in this case only. But I find joy and fun in every part of life even when everything isn't as it should be. Will probably stop posting here because the mean people ruin it for all the nice people. Unfortunately mean comments hurt.

Please don't stop posting just because of one or two that cannot accept an opinion or experience different from their own. I, for one, appreciate all feedback, both good and bad. Life is never one thing but never the other, after all.;)

 

Edited to add..... find the "Ignore" feature. It helps.

Edited December 7, 2013 by startwin

[Chelly]

I'm compelled to say that the OP's posts send mixed messages.

 

I love HAL and because I DO NOT expect it to be the cruise line it was 30 years ago, I always have a great experience on all HAL ships.

 

Simply put, in order to keep fares down, staffing suffers.

 

These days, I don't expect my name to be remembered; it's OK if I'm not wished happy birthday. If my water glass doesn't get filled, my dinner isn't ruined. Little things, and sometimes big things happen on board, but I don't carry a resentment home with me. IMO, attitude is important.

[lizzies_mom]

OP, sorry you didn't enjoy your cruise. DH and I are looking forward to our first Westerdam cruise in January, so I'm concerned about your comments. While we have enjoyed many of our recent cruises on smaller ships, I think I noted some similar concerns on our Eurodam TA this year.

 

One observation is that the evening activities seem more oriented for Anytime Dining or perhaps the Early Seating. We've not been finished at 9:00 any time in recent history, and for that reason, we are giving up our late seating for the first time. Our tablemates thought that there were few late afternoon activities beyond support groups and such, another concern that would favor earlier seating.

 

One one early cruise, we had trouble making the acquaintance of the wine steward after not buying a bottle the first night. Since that time we have purchased wine packages. Even with that, we were afraid that we wouldn't be able to drink all the wine as the steward was not to be found when there was only one glass left in the bottle saved from the previous night. I used a card in the room, politely detailed the problem, and dropped the card off at the Front Office. Ah, the next evening one would have thought a celebrity was at our table, and yes, the problem did not recur.

[0bnxshs]

Hello, sorry I am just now coming back to your kind response. I was disappointed to not be able to see you as well. My Mom wasn't feeling great that morning so I was hanging out with her. She had a long and not good trip from California to Florida with delays and layovers.

 

At any rate, we had late seating and because 4 of the 8 seats were empty the first night and again the second night, plus the nice couple we met left for early seating, we got moved to a different section altogether and still had bad service. Even the two couples at our new table felt the same. My Mom loves Creme Brûlée and each night it wasn't set right. Strange, they make it a million times, I'm sure.

 

The friends we made on the cruise love to Ballroom Dance so were looking for that type of dancing. HAL was recommended to them and they have loved MSC for the dancing. It was hit or miss in the Ocean Bar and they said when there was dancing they were often the only ones. They went to the Dancing with the Stars sessions which were just a canned routine and they said not for someone who has taken real dancing lessons. I had fun watching folks trying to learn the routines!

 

Luckily rough seas is not an issue for us. We were apparently made for the sea. My Sister doesn't cruise, she tried, because she can't handle it, even on the biggest of ships or with medication. She gets car sick as well :(

 

I filled out the survey ASAP when I got it in my email the day we got off the ship. Haven't heard a thing, yet anyways.

 

Looking to book a little solo cruise for myself since I need some alone time.cvFound great Deals on Carnival Fantasy or Norwegian Epic. I've never sailed either line and I'm not a party animal so am worried to book either. I really am a HAL type of cruiser.

 

Ok, sorry so long winded. Thanks again for your kindness!

 

Hi Andrea!

 

No need for apologies! I am just sorry that HAL did not deliver the product you had expected. I'm glad you filled out the survey; you may not get a response but I've found they do read and ingest them. Upon boarding the Prinsendam last May we had a note from the Hotel Manager regarding our New Year's cruise on Ryndam and the efforts they had taken to improve the service we had identified as lacking on that cruise. So, you never know.

 

Odd that your mom had a bad trip from home to FLL. Our tablemates at dinner were also from Cali and had a bad trip that they blamed on the airline they had chosen: Virgin America. I hope your mom had a better trip home.

 

Ah, ballroom dancing. I can see why they had a more difficult time finding their fill of that. I have heard good and bad about DWTS but I am glad you got a chuckle from watching the lessons. :)

 

I love the seas and, like you, think I was meant to spend time on my "sea legs". The rest of my family.... well, Bonine seemed to make them much happier campers. As far as your consolation cruise, I've taken only 1 Carnival and 1 NCL cruise each, but if you are looking for quiet time someplace nice, I think I would go with the NCL cruise. NCL seemed to be more layed back while Carnival seemed more high energy from dawn to late into the night, but that's just MHO. Nothing wrong with either; you just need to choose the right cruise for what you need next.

 

Hopefully we will catch you on another cruise and be able to chat! Please don't stop posting; I appreciate yours and everyone's points of view and I believe most of us do. Some peoples' attempts at being helpful sometimes don't come across that way and I know can be hurtful even, but as "startwin" pointed out there is an "ignore" feature for those we find unhelpful.

Edited December 8, 2013 by 0bnxshs

[CoronaCRZR]

Andrea, please do not stop posting. It is always hard to post a somewhat negative review on the HAL board and people like OlsSalt (one of HAL's greatest cheerleaders) will tell you HAL is the greatest and downgrade your experience.

Take their comments with a grain of SALT.....

 

 

 

 

I think I'm learning never post any comments on cruise critic unless you want to be beaten up or called negative. It's sad. Nothing in life is black and white or all good and all bad. My mistake was saying my cruise wasn't good. Certain aspects of my cruise were not good and I might have enjoyed a different cruise better, in this case only. But I find joy and fun in every part of life even when everything isn't as it should be. Will probably stop posting here because the mean people ruin it for all the nice people. Unfortunately mean comments hurt.

[andilynnwright]

Andrea, please do not stop posting. It is always hard to post a somewhat negative review on the HAL board and people like OlsSalt (one of HAL's greatest cheerleaders) will tell you HAL is the greatest and downgrade your experience.

Take their comments with a grain of SALT.....

 

Thank you so much. I appreciate your comment!

 

For anyone that thought I was sending mixed messages, I apologize. It's not my nature to complain or be negative. It's not easy to post your opinion when it conflicts with others opinions and your experience was not the norm. Even during the worst of situations there is always something good. That's how I feel about life so that's probably why I contradict myself.

[summersigh]

DH and I are just back tonight from the same cruise as the OP said they were on .... but my experience was TOTALLY DIFFERENT. We had a grand time!!! (actually one of the best we've been on)

 

And I must say the OP's opinion was totally different from the dozens of folks we met ... all of whom were really enjoying themselves as well. No waiting in unreasonable lines for anything , good dinner service, good food that was well seasoned ... I'm not sure I understand were the OP was coming from.

 

More about our experience tomorrow ... unpacking is tonight's priority.:)

[Chelly]

Summersigh:

Thank you for taking the time to post. Your impressions of your cruise are important to many of us here. (Particularly yours truly....Will be on Westy in four more weeks) Looking forward to reading more.

C.

[MermaidWatcher]

I think I'm learning never post any comments on cruise critic unless you want to be beaten up or called negative. It's sad. Nothing in life is black and white or all good and all bad. My mistake was saying my cruise wasn't good. Certain aspects of my cruise were not good and I might have enjoyed a different cruise better, in this case only. But I find joy and fun in every part of life even when everything isn't as it should be. Will probably stop posting here because the mean people ruin it for all the nice people. Unfortunately mean comments hurt.

 

Can't take the criticism personally, everyone who posts is going to face disagreement and criticism at some point. I don't think any here feel that you are not entitled to your opinion, but there seem to be a lot of conflicts between what you say you did when initially describing your experience and then your subsequent description of the same experience when you are criticizing it.

Pure negative comments always get fans of that line on a roll of defensive remarks, just look at the board for any brand.

Having been on only two HAL cruises myself, and being pretty vocal with criticism of Hal on the AC issues for one sailing, I hardly qualify as a HAL cheerleader. But I do admit, that I wonder how someone could spend an entire cruise and not stumble onto something positive.

I remember one of your early statements that may have been in your first post after booking or maybe even pre booking that talked about going on this cruise with your mother, but you were questioning it because "she was a Princess girl". Could the well have been poisoned, so to speak, from before day one?

[pdroth]

I'm just off the Westerdam as of Saturday, November 30th. This was my second HAL cruise with my first being on the Oosterdam. This cruise was not good. I do have to say that my Steward, Aep, was kind and I wanted to take him home, but that's about it.

 

It was nearly impossible to get a drink! Just because I didn't want a glass of wine my first night at dinner, doesn't mean that I didn't want a drink of wine the rest of my cruise. I couldn't even get a drink in a bar! I waited for a half an hour for a drink at the pool. When I was listening to the adagio I couldn't get a drink in that bar either. It was nuts!

 

The show host, Mark, was extremely unhappy and very rude. I realize that he was sick most of the cruise but if you're going to be sick and unhappy you should just stay in bed.

 

The food was subpar at best. The waitstaff was horrible! I hate to say it because I really wanted to love them. It took me until my main course to get my soft drink. I realize that I had a soda card but I paid for that card so I should get service just as much as the next guy. I will never ever get another soda card, ever! If you're never, ever going to clean the soda gun or machine and my soda is going to taste moldy then forget it. When I mentioned the quality and asked for a can I was told no.

 

Our water glasses were never filled. My table mates drank iced tea and never got a refill. They had to ask each night for an iced tea even though the first night they said they always wanted a glass with dinner. The waiters never brought a pitcher to their station so they could do any refills. We would consider ourselves lucky when we got what we ordered because most of the time we didn't.

 

We went to bingo one day, waited in a long line, paid for our cards just to learn that we weren't even going to have bingo at all. They were three cards short for us to have a bingo game. Why didn't they ask if there were any husbands or wives in the room that could buy a card so that we all could play? Why couldn't the ship buy three measly cards so that the group could play? Why couldn't we at least have a game for some junk prizes? It doesn't make sense! I could have gone to see the movie instead.

 

I played cards in the casino every night and not even once did the casino staff ask me my name or call me by name. They took my cruise card every time I put cash on the table so I just don't understand why the manager or any of the staff ever acknowledged me. I spent more in the casino then I did on the cruise so they should've at least said hello to me and called me by my name!

 

Any time there was a fun activity, like a game show or special event, they only did it once a night and it was during the middle of my dinner. So I never got to attend anything. My new friends that I met on the cruise came on Holland America to dance. There was only one hour of dancing each evening, if they were lucky, and smack dab during the middle of dinner. So they had to leave our dinner group to go dancing and switch to a different mealtime. Several nights they ended up coming to dinner anyway because the dancing got canceled. We had a full ship during the Thanksgiving holiday so none of these things should've ever happened.

 

I could go on but I'm just so sad. I really wanted to love Holland America and make it my cruise line. I was even planning on booking my next cruise while on-bored but just don't think I'll ever go on Holland America again. I even wanted to book something for Christmas!

 

 

 

 

I'm home today from cruising on Westerdam. A full review is coming in a few days, but I have to say that I was terribly disappointed as well. I did Eurodam last year and that experience was nothing short of perfect. Westerdam seems like it is the ship where the worst HAL employees go as punishment until they get their act together. A completely different, and low-class operation when compared to Eurodam.

 

I guess I will be attacked by the cheerleaders as well, so let me just sum up a few of the issues:

 

No A/C until day 2. Was lied to a few times by a few people that it was fine in our room, normal. When we asked for a fan on first night the porter who delivered even commented how hot it was and that it certainly wasn't normal. The fix? Someone from maintenance came up and opened the vents. Apparently someone who occupied that cabin prior to us had ordered them shut and no one knew or thought to have them opened back up. Our restitution was a free Pinnacle dinner. Big deal. We sweat in our beds and they offered us a better steak.

 

Major billing issues. My card was printed properly but the person who was being charged for everything wasn't me. I was getting charges for someone else. A big disaster, which only got resolved yesterday, on day 6. I spent a lot of time that I shouldn't have had to waste helping them fix their billing issues.

 

The Neptune lounge... Well everyone here knows about the missing cookies. Only on the Westie, they think that the cookies are gone fleet wide, not just their boat. The two people who were in there are ok, but are no match for the ones on Eurodam who knew what they were doing and never had to be asked for anything. Those two were perfect. They should be training the fleet on how to do it right. There just wasn't anything special here

 

The casino staff, except for one person that I had the pleasure to play with, was the WORST and has the RUDEST dealers. They are mostly Ukraninan, and although they are always supposed to speak English at all times they often do not which I don't trust. I was shorted chips when coloring up one night, asked them to review the tape and they refused saying I was the one who must have made the mistake and that I probably miscounted because I drank too much. A few other cruisers also had their bets taken even though they had actually won. Never an apology. One dealer made a mistake and was told after a new hand had started so the dealer stopped and actually reached across the table and took the chips from the player!!! Unbelievable, and completely unprofessional. Full disclosure - I won a lot at this casino. This isn't sour grapes from someone who lost.

 

And I echo the sentiments about getting drinks - very difficult. Maybe my timing was just bad, but no matter when or which bar or dining venue I was in I just couldn't get a drink quickly without speaking up. At one bar I asked for some mixed nuts, was told they were out. Came back for round 2, and they are out on the bar suddenly. The bartender didn't even think to offer them to me not 10 mins later.

 

Room service? On Eurodam, if you asked for a Caesar salad at midnight they asked you if you wanted chicken or shrimp added. On Westy, we called at 10:10 and asked for one and was told they don't serve them past 10PM. Sorry, no exceptions. Those are the rules.

 

It didn't take long for the email survey to arrive, so I will be sharing all of my comments, including the positives, in the hope that their product improves. Next year however, I'm afraid I will be sailing on a different line. There was just too much of a falloff in quality from one year and boat to the next. The things that went wrong for us just should not have happened on a shop that prides itself on excellence.

[Linda&Vern]

In March we had what we considered one of our best cruises ever, on the best ship ever - the Westerdam. What could have happened in that short time? Did the entire crew change? Something obviously happened..

[Typhoon1]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Hope you find a cruise line that belter fits your needs.

[hypercafe]

The problem could be it was a holiday cruise and the ship was very full. The staff has been cut back lots and maybe streched very thin on your trip. IMO HAL really can not deliver the type of trip they talk about in the sales info. I do not use them any more as I do not like guessing if the basic services in my cabin will work, if I just want to go from point A to B I can take the Staten Island Ferry for free.

[Chelly]

I must say the issues with the Westy are getting interesting. Wonder what's in store for me on my sailing in three weeks....huuummmmm.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Crew News]

We will be on the Westerdam in seven more months to Alaska and confident in the high probability that it will be a good cruise.

 

It was pointed out by the Cruise Director on our last Westerdam cruise that the the "Westy" has the highest rate of returning passengers of any other HAL ship. It also has the highest number of returning crew members in the HAL fleet.

[andilynnwright]

I'm home today from cruising on Westerdam. A full review is coming in a few days, but I have to say that I was terribly disappointed as well. I did Eurodam last year and that experience was nothing short of perfect. Westerdam seems like it is the ship where the worst HAL employees go as punishment until they get their act together. A completely different, and low-class operation when compared to Eurodam.

 

I guess I will be attacked by the cheerleaders as well, so let me just sum up a few of the issues:

 

No A/C until day 2. Was lied to a few times by a few people that it was fine in our room, normal. When we asked for a fan on first night the porter who delivered even commented how hot it was and that it certainly wasn't normal. The fix? Someone from maintenance came up and opened the vents. Apparently someone who occupied that cabin prior to us had ordered them shut and no one knew or thought to have them opened back up. Our restitution was a free Pinnacle dinner. Big deal. We sweat in our beds and they offered us a better steak.

 

Major billing issues. My card was printed properly but the person who was being charged for everything wasn't me. I was getting charges for someone else. A big disaster, which only got resolved yesterday, on day 6. I spent a lot of time that I shouldn't have had to waste helping them fix their billing issues.

 

The Neptune lounge... Well everyone here knows about the missing cookies. Only on the Westie, they think that the cookies are gone fleet wide, not just their boat. The two people who were in there are ok, but are no match for the ones on Eurodam who knew what they were doing and never had to be asked for anything. Those two were perfect. They should be training the fleet on how to do it right. There just wasn't anything special here

 

The casino staff, except for one person that I had the pleasure to play with, was the WORST and has the RUDEST dealers. They are mostly Ukraninan, and although they are always supposed to speak English at all times they often do not which I don't trust. I was shorted chips when coloring up one night, asked them to review the tape and they refused saying I was the one who must have made the mistake and that I probably miscounted because I drank too much. A few other cruisers also had their bets taken even though they had actually won. Never an apology. One dealer made a mistake and was told after a new hand had started so the dealer stopped and actually reached across the table and took the chips from the player!!! Unbelievable, and completely unprofessional. Full disclosure - I won a lot at this casino. This isn't sour grapes from someone who lost.

 

And I echo the sentiments about getting drinks - very difficult. Maybe my timing was just bad, but no matter when or which bar or dining venue I was in I just couldn't get a drink quickly without speaking up. At one bar I asked for some mixed nuts, was told they were out. Came back for round 2, and they are out on the bar suddenly. The bartender didn't even think to offer them to me not 10 mins later.

 

Room service? On Eurodam, if you asked for a Caesar salad at midnight they asked you if you wanted chicken or shrimp added. On Westy, we called at 10:10 and asked for one and was told they don't serve them past 10PM. Sorry, no exceptions. Those are the rules.

 

It didn't take long for the email survey to arrive, so I will be sharing all of my comments, including the positives, in the hope that their product improves. Next year however, I'm afraid I will be sailing on a different line. There was just too much of a falloff in quality from one year and boat to the next. The things that went wrong for us just should not have happened on a shop that prides itself on excellence.

 

Thank you for sharing your comments. I appreciate you doing so. I took a bit of a beating for my thoughts and concerns and am sorry you had a similar experience to mine. Hope your next cruise is amazing!

[summersigh]

In March we had what we considered one of our best cruises ever, on the best ship ever - the Westerdam. What could have happened in that short time? Did the entire crew change? Something obviously happened..

 

We just got off the Westerdam Dec 7th and like you Linda&Vern, considered it one of the best of our 8 cruises. :D

I can't speak for the casino but as for the rest we did not encounter any of the problems the OP speaks of.

As to getting a drink ... we actually liked not being asked frequently (read - pushed to buy) if we wanted more drinks. If we wanted one we waved at the server and were taken care of. Otherwise we sat back and enjoyed the entertainment in the various venues.

Not being a cheerleader ... just stating what we experienced on the same ship.:)

[sherilyn70]

Reading this thread it's clear that different people have different levels of expectations. I fall somewhere in the middle. I don't care if the staff asks my name or even knows it as long as they are friendly and smiling and accessible. I often people watch and find that the people that felt they didn't get the service they desired also gave off body language which discourage others from wanting to interact with them. So I have to ask the customer... did you return the same graciousness that you expected from the staff to them? Did you call them by name or engage them in conversation and smile at them?

 

I don't want a waiter in a bar constantly asking me if I want a drink. I prefer to either go get it myself or to find a server who is paying attention enough to see when my body language changes to "hey can you come assist me?" I also don't think that their brochures are misleading as some would imply (Yes, I'm a first time customer and have never sailed HAL yet)... I read the marketing "junk" and what I got out of it was high end banquet meals from the description and a staff that will treat me very well. I would put this comparable to when I stay at the Hilton Garden Inn based on other cruising experience and travel. I'm not expecting something spectacular, I would have sailed Regent or Crystal if I wanted those things (and we were looking at and planning on Regent until I got diagnosed with cancer). If you choose to interpret as more than that that is your choice but I don't think the miss-advertised from everything I see get posted here. I do also believe there are a lot of people that are hanging onto a days of past feeling as well and not adapting to any of the changes that ALL of the crusielines are making.

[IRL_Joanie]

Reading this thread it's clear that different people have different levels of expectations. I fall somewhere in the middle. I don't care if the staff asks my name or even knows it as long as they are friendly and smiling and accessible. I often people watch and find that the people that felt they didn't get the service they desired also gave off body language which discourage others from wanting to interact with them. So I have to ask the customer... did you return the same graciousness that you expected from the staff to them? Did you call them by name or engage them in conversation and smile at them?

 

I don't want a waiter in a bar constantly asking me if I want a drink. I prefer to either go get it myself or to find a server who is paying attention enough to see when my body language changes to "hey can you come assist me?" I also don't think that their brochures are misleading as some would imply (Yes, I'm a first time customer and have never sailed HAL yet)... I read the marketing "junk" and what I got out of it was high end banquet meals from the description and a staff that will treat me very well. I would put this comparable to when I stay at the Hilton Garden Inn based on other cruising experience and travel. I'm not expecting something spectacular, I would have sailed Regent or Crystal if I wanted those things (and we were looking at and planning on Regent until I got diagnosed with cancer). If you choose to interpret as more than that that is your choice but I don't think the miss-advertised from everything I see get posted here. I do also believe there are a lot of people that are hanging onto a days of past feeling as well and not adapting to any of the changes that ALL of the crusielines are making.

 

AMEN!!! and

 

With your attitude Sherilyn you will so enjoy your cruise on my 2nd favorite ship in HAL's fleet!!!

 

When I read the OP and the post by others on the same cruise, good and bad, I kept in mind that these wonderful people who waited on all during that time frame and even later, had been undergoing tremendous worries of their family and friends at home due to the largest cyclone (or whatever it is called) to ever hit. I know that one of my adopted sons (55 now call me Mommie) on Zuiderdam had to be sent home by HAL because his home had been completely destroyed:( Thankfully his family made it through alright, but barely.

 

So, when I think about lack of attention by any staff or crew, I wonder what is going on in their life that might be causing less than stellar service for me.

 

But like I said, with your attitude, you will thoroughly enjoy the cruise and revel in the memories:)

 

Joanie

[Cindy]

When I read the OP and the post by others on the same cruise, good and bad, I kept in mind that these wonderful people who waited on all during that time frame and even later, had been undergoing tremendous worries of their family and friends at home due to the largest cyclone (or whatever it is called) to ever hit.

Joanie

 

Don't be so fast to attribute the negative experiences to the cyclone. We didn't care for the Westerdam at all, and that was in September well before the tragedy in the Philippines. The biggest negatives we encountered were extremely poor service in the MDR at breakfast and lunch, and the (IMO) generally nonchalant and dismissive attitude from much of the staff. We were surprised, because we loved the Noordam and expected to have a similar experience on the Westerdam.

Everyone's expectations and experiences are different. One can have a perfect cabin while someone on another deck encounters numerous problems. I could have poor service in the MDR while someone at the next table could have stellar service.

We (meaning everyone on Cruise Critic) need to allow people to post their experiences, both positive and negative, without them being made to feel like they're not welcome here, their opinion isn't valued, or can be easily justified.