New'ish to Cruising - Holland America on MS Zaandam next? Advice please!

[marchie1053]

I posted this on the 'New to Cruising' Section as my first post since joining Cruise Critic - my apologies if you are seeing this for the second time ...

 

Just returned from our 2nd cruise, a rather bumpy Fred Olsen Xmas/New Year Canaries/Cape Verde roller coaster via the Bay of Biscay on the Balmoral Not quite what we signed up for, but hey ho!

 

We've just seen the mid-February Holland America cruise from Buenos Aires to Chile on MS Zaandam and would appreciate any advice/tips, especially with regard to how formal onboard life is (lounge suit, formal shirt & tie OK for dining?: drinks prices (we are very modest drinkers - managed 1 bottle of wine between us on 18 night cruise with Fred Olsen) and range: Is it all razamatazz or is there scope for a wander around the promenade deck between food breaks : Is an outside cabin a good idea? Any other advice will be much appreciated.

 

My wife and I are 62 & 60, reasonably active and the destinations, rather than the pure cruising aspect are most important. Our ideal day is to wander off at the port, armed with the cameras, take as many photos as possible and then return to the ship with sore feet and stupid grins on our faces at the sights we've seen and the people we've met. We prefer informality as far is possible - the farther away from a dinner jacket I can get, the better I like it, although I do appreciate the need to dress according to custom and practice of the cruise company.

 

All and any advice will be warmly received - thanks!

 

Steve & Elaine

[HALGirl]

I posted this on the 'New to Cruising' Section as my first post since joining Cruise Critic - my apologies if you are seeing this for the second time ...

 

Just returned from our 2nd cruise, a rather bumpy Fred Olsen Xmas/New Year Canaries/Cape Verde roller coaster via the Bay of Biscay on the Balmoral Not quite what we signed up for, but hey ho!

 

We've just seen the mid-February Holland America cruise from Buenos Aires to Chile on MS Zaandam and would appreciate any advice/tips, especially with regard to how formal onboard life is (lounge suit, formal shirt & tie OK for dining?: drinks prices (we are very modest drinkers - managed 1 bottle of wine between us on 18 night cruise with Fred Olsen) and range: Is it all razamatazz or is there scope for a wander around the promenade deck between food breaks : Is an outside cabin a good idea? Any other advice will be much appreciated.

 

My wife and I are 62 & 60, reasonably active and the destinations, rather than the pure cruising aspect are most important. Our ideal day is to wander off at the port, armed with the cameras, take as many photos as possible and then return to the ship with sore feet and stupid grins on our faces at the sights we've seen and the people we've met. We prefer informality as far is possible - the farther away from a dinner jacket I can get, the better I like it, although I do appreciate the need to dress according to custom and practice of the cruise company.

 

All and any advice will be warmly received - thanks!

 

Steve & Elaine

 

Hi Steve and Elaine,

 

I am on the Zaandam for the Jan 31st sailing. Look at Zaandam in the Roll Call section and you will see several cruises before you with the same itinerary. This will give you some ideas in the ports of what people are doing. Also many times people do blogs about the sailing. HAL is a mix of ages. Some people like to dress others do not. I suggest if you do not want to dress on the Gala Nights" (used to be called formal) you can always eat in the Lido. I also suggest you might want to bring a Jacket, slack (even a Kakhi) and tie if you prefer to eat in the main dining room on those nights or even the Pinnacle Restaurant. For ladies I am seeing that a pair of slacks and dressy top is sufficient. I don't pack all the dressy heels or outfits anymore as ships have become more casual. I wear a pair of sandals with a bit of bling. I have even seen rhinestone flip flops worn. I would not stress over attire. I think if you don't look like you slept in your clothes you are just fine. LOL There is a self service laundry as well as ship laundry service so people can pack light if they choose. You are both allowed to bring on one bottle of wine free of charge. You need to show it when boarding and they will sticker it. You are supposed to consume these in your stateroom. We always bring our two bottles and have a glass while dressing (our little happy hour). We also go to happy hour. If you should have any more questions about HAL you can always post and people will answer. Just remember there are those who like the older Grand Days of Sailing and those that like a more casual cruise.

 

Bon Voyage (to both of us) Joanne

[dakrewser]

Dress is generally what's called "smart casual" - collared shirt and slacks for men, similar for women. This will get you through the entire cruise although on "Gala nights" many men will wear a jacket and tie.

 

Cocktails average ~$8 with wine by the glass at $7-12. Bottles of wine start around $20

 

As to "razzmatazz", you can be as involved in ship's life as you'd like - participate in everything or nothing. Loads of time for a meander around the decks.

[Tom O.]

First, I will say I have never done a South American Cruise. I am sure you are aware that you will be going around Cape Horn, which is famous for rough seas.

Formality: HAL has discontinued its formal nights and replaced them with Gala nights. On Gala nights formal wear is not required, but is still encouraged. I understand that most men are still wearing business suit type clothing, but tuxedos are getting rare. But you will be admitted to the Main Dining Room as long as you are "smart casual." Smart Casual is a collard shirt (button-up) and slacks for men, no jeans for women (slacks ok).

Most passengers on HAL ships are senior citizens, you may find yourself slightly younger than the average passenger. As a result of this demographic, the ships are fairly quiet, especially late at night. Not to much razzle dazzle.

All HAL ships have very nice promenade decks, so just walking around should be a nice experience.

I rarely order drinks at the bars, but I believe the cost is around $6-8 each. I prefer to have a bottle of whiskey delivered to my room and enjoy it on our balcony. A liter of whiskey is $38-60 depending on quality. You can pre-order bottles of liquor so they arrive at sailing time.

I will not sail, unless I have a balcony (HAL calls them verandahs). Once you have one you will be spoiled. HAL still allows smoking on balconies. This is a concern for me, and I am hoping they will change this policy before my next cruise.

[marchie1053]

Hi Joanne

 

Thanks for the advice - it helps to get a 'feel' for the cruise. Our Xmas/New Year cruise didn't live up to expectations and we really want to find a cruise line where we can just say 'If it visits our chosen destination, we're in' and know that we'll have a good time.

 

We're booked to visit Canada at the end of August (St Lawrence seaway) on the Marco Polo, sailing from the west coast of Scotland. The ship seems pretty basic, but the itinerary - whoopee! Elaine shouts from the lounge 'Fancy Canada?' - my instant reply 'Yep' - no questions about cost, who with, when etc - who cares! I'm thrilled skinny at the prospect and I hope the HAL cruise will be the same! I suspect that the credit card will take another battering tomorrow when the Booking Site surfaces - we think of it as our attempt to kick start the economy ...

 

Steve & Elaine

[marchie1053]

Thanks Tom,

 

The information builds nicely - I am comfortable with wearing a shirt, tie and sports jacket or suit so it sounds ideal. we've been looking at other cruise lines whose websites refer to 'You will be advised of the Dress Code and it will be enforced' (honestly) - don't care where the itinerary points - I don't need to be 'enforced' when on holiday - reinforced around the waist towards the end of the cruise, perhaps!

 

BTW, have you tried Glengoyne whisky? It's distilled in a small plant to the west of Glasgow and does not use peat to dry the barley so there is no smoky/sharp taste. It's really smooth, but the bad news is that it removes leg functions much quicker as a consequence ...

 

Steve & Elaine

[marchie1053]

Thanks, Dakrewser. 'Meandering' has taken on a new definition for me - on our Xmas/New Year cruise, my record for a lap of the deck extended to 1 hour 36 minutes - and it's only 1/4 mile ... Too many people to talk to with too much interesting information (that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!). Elaine did say that I have lips purely to stop my mouth from fraying ...

 

I think we'll be booking the cruise - fingers crossed!

 

Steve & Elaine

[Tom O.]

BTW, have you tried Glengoyne whisky? It's distilled in a small plant to the west of Glasgow and does not use peat to dry the barley so there is no smoky/sharp taste. It's really smooth, but the bad news is that it removes leg functions much quicker as a consequence ...

 

Steve & Elaine

 

I have never developed a taste for Scotch Whiskey, I drink Bourbon Whiskey, such as Jim Beam or Jack Daniels. This is just as well, since Scotch whiskey costs more (at least in the U.S).

I also like wine with dinner sometimes. Here, once again, I am very lucky, as I cannot taste the difference between cheap wine and the expensive stuff.

If you want to see the prices of alcoholic beverages that can be delivered to your room, go to the HAL website and look under "Indulgences." The prices are more than double what you could buy them for at a liquor store, but still much cheaper than if you bought individual drinks in a bar or restaurant onboard.

[boulders]

We did an Antarctic cruise on Zaandam 2 years ago over Christmas. It's not quite the same cruise as you are looking at, but it's close. You should be right at the average age for this cruise. Our cruise was fabulous. I would go again in a heartbeat.

[OlsSalt]

Some of the ports are not well suited for just disembarking and wandering on this itinerary so do a little homework and see if this approach suits you. We enjoyed both the ship and route immensely, but we also took a lot of shore excursions too in this spectacular part of the world.

 

The main dining room is heavy white table cloths, silver and china, and a charming level of formality of service. On formal nights it is dressed up even more to reflect the formal intent of the "gala" evening. Wear what makes you feel comfortable in such a setting. There are no rules any longer.

 

Or try the other dining alternatives which have a more casual feeling like the Lido or Caneletto. Room service works too if you just don't want to do anything at all -which we find to be the case more often now ourselves.

 

This is not a really "warm" itinerary so you might not use a balcony that much but it is always the better choice if it fits the budget for all sorts of more intangible reasons - larger windows, better inside seating for an indoor view, drying space, fresh air access, hanging over the edge for view and photos when coming in early to port and you are still have a robe and coffee, etc.

Edited January 14, 2016 by OlsSalt

[RMLincoln]

Greetings to marchie1053! Welcome to Cruise Critic and I want to say how much we enjoyed our all to short visit to Scotland last November, excellent.

 

We did around the horn a couple of years ago... it's cool, meaning chilly. DH did not bring a jacket for dinner but he brought a tie (easier to pack), collared shirts and a black cardigan which he also used for layering for warmth, so double-duty clothing and he looked quite sharp to me, and I'm the one who counts!

 

I think it's a fabulous experience and I hope you get to do it. Enjoy, m--

[Alphen]

I posted this on the 'New to Cruising' Section as my first post since joining Cruise Critic - my apologies if you are seeing this for the second time ...

 

Just returned from our 2nd cruise, a rather bumpy Fred Olsen Xmas/New Year Canaries/Cape Verde roller coaster via the Bay of Biscay on the Balmoral Not quite what we signed up for, but hey ho!

 

We've just seen the mid-February Holland America cruise from Buenos Aires to Chile on MS Zaandam and would appreciate any advice/tips, especially with regard to how formal onboard life is (lounge suit, formal shirt & tie OK for dining?: drinks prices (we are very modest drinkers - managed 1 bottle of wine between us on 18 night cruise with Fred Olsen) and range: Is it all razamatazz or is there scope for a wander around the promenade deck between food breaks : Is an outside cabin a good idea? Any other advice will be much appreciated.

 

My wife and I are 62 & 60, reasonably active and the destinations, rather than the pure cruising aspect are most important. Our ideal day is to wander off at the port, armed with the cameras, take as many photos as possible and then return to the ship with sore feet and stupid grins on our faces at the sights we've seen and the people we've met. We prefer informality as far is possible - the farther away from a dinner jacket I can get, the better I like it, although I do appreciate the need to dress according to custom and practice of the cruise company.

 

All and any advice will be warmly received - thanks!

 

Steve & Elaine

 

 

We had our best cruise ever so far on Zaandam in January 2015, to south-America and Antarctica. Not only the itinerary was absolutely grand, but also Zaandam.

A very friendly and nice ship, our warmest bath ever.

 

Drink prices have gone up since August 2015, but if you are not a large drinker, you can look out for happy hour, which is every day on fixed times and fixed place (watch your daily on-location for information), where the second drink of the same sort, will set you back just a dollar.

 

As mentioned above, most ports will not provide much when just wondering around, you will have to take an excursion to see something worth remembering. The south-America roll calls are pretty busy mostly and a lot of private tours are organized to look out for!

 

Good luck.

[marchie1053]

We had our best cruise ever so far on Zaandam in January 2015, to south-America and Antarctica. Not only the itinerary was absolutely grand, but also Zaandam.

A very friendly and nice ship, our warmest bath ever.

 

Drink prices have gone up since August 2015, but if you are not a large drinker, you can look out for happy hour, which is every day on fixed times and fixed place (watch your daily on-location for information), where the second drink of the same sort, will set you back just a dollar.

 

As mentioned above, most ports will not provide much when just wondering around, you will have to take an excursion to see something worth remembering. The south-America roll calls are pretty busy mostly and a lot of private tours are organized to look out for!

 

Good luck.

 

Thanks, Alphen

 

We are new'ish to cruising and also this will be the first time for us on an American ship so we are very keen to find out how things are done! Our Xmas/New Year cruise wasn't what we signed up for and we want to avoid another disappointment.

 

We are in France at present, doing battle with a house renovation (suffice to say we estimated 6 months to refurb it when we bought it in September 2010 ...). So, in between demolishing and rebuilding bathroom walls to get the toilet reconnected, I will have to find a French medical centre and work out the vocab to get the innoculations sorted out. Seems they require 1 month to innoculate and ensure protection from Day 1 so the timetable is getting tight!

 

But there again, if I don't sort out the plumbing quickly, I shall begin to develop immunity to a lot of the diseases with our rather rudimentary present set up ... Too much information? :eek:

[marchie1053]

Greetings to marchie1053! Welcome to Cruise Critic and I want to say how much we enjoyed our all to short visit to Scotland last November, excellent.

 

We did around the horn a couple of years ago... it's cool, meaning chilly. DH did not bring a jacket for dinner but he brought a tie (easier to pack), collared shirts and a black cardigan which he also used for layering for warmth, so double-duty clothing and he looked quite sharp to me, and I'm the one who counts!

 

I think it's a fabulous experience and I hope you get to do it. Enjoy, m--

 

Thanks 'm'!

 

Where did you visit in Scotland? If you visited Edinburgh castle, you could have waved at our (somewhat less grand) flat across the water (about 3 miles in a straight line).

 

I'll pack a tie, safe in the knowledge that Elaine will use it to pull me away when I stop and talk too much to fellow passengers - it's a bad habit for me, being permanently curious ...

 

Steve & Elaine

[marchie1053]

We did an Antarctic cruise on Zaandam 2 years ago over Christmas. It's not quite the same cruise as you are looking at, but it's close. You should be right at the average age for this cruise. Our cruise was fabulous. I would go again in a heartbeat.

 

Thanks for the reassurance, Boulders. It's taken us a long time to get the age qualification :D and we'll work hard at enjoying our new leisure pursuits!

 

A lot will depend upon our ability to get the innoculations for the cruise organised - we need a month to ensure that they will be effective from Day 1.

 

Steve & Elaine

[marchie1053]

Some of the ports are not well suited for just disembarking and wandering on this itinerary so do a little homework and see if this approach suits you. We enjoyed both the ship and route immensely, but we also took a lot of shore excursions too in this spectacular part of the world.

 

The main dining room is heavy white table cloths, silver and china, and a charming level of formality of service. On formal nights it is dressed up even more to reflect the formal intent of the "gala" evening. Wear what makes you feel comfortable in such a setting. There are no rules any longer.

 

Or try the other dining alternatives which have a more casual feeling like the Lido or Caneletto. Room service works too if you just don't want to do anything at all -which we find to be the case more often now ourselves.

 

This is not a really "warm" itinerary so you might not use a balcony that much but it is always the better choice if it fits the budget for all sorts of more intangible reasons - larger windows, better inside seating for an indoor view, drying space, fresh air access, hanging over the edge for view and photos when coming in early to port and you are still have a robe and coffee, etc.

 

Thanks for the detailed response, OlsSalt - much appreciated.

 

I love the wandering approach when arriving at a new destination and have met some great people. Sometimes things don't go exactly smoothly, though, and I was mugged in Paris on New Year's Eve in 1994/95. Elaine and I also had an amusing outcome to meeting up with a family in Cape Town in 2008 but it could have gone badly wrong - we laugh about it now but, at the time it was a wee bit fraught!

 

The balcony suite is very appealing - depends upon the flexibility of the credit card after I have finished battering it with the purchase of building materials for our house refurb in France. It would be nice to get a properly functioning bathroom before we go cruising again :D I'm wrestling with a bathroom wall support problem at present so am undertaking some Displacement Activity to avoid tackling the work by 'researching' the cruise ...

 

One day I shall be geared up to tackle my procrastination - but it won't be today ... :p

 

Steve & Elaine

[RuthC]

Are you absolutely certain that you need inoculations? I do realize that different countries have different requirements, and you live in a different country from me, but I know I have not needed any shots to cover the Buenos Aires to Valparaiso route.

I have been down that way three times going from Rio to Valparaiso (flying out of Santiago) twice, and Valparaiso to Buenos Aires once.

 

Now, if you intend to do some land touring that wasn't mentioned, that could change what is necessary. But do double check before you go to the extra trouble.

[RMLincoln]

Thanks 'm'!

 

Where did you visit in Scotland? If you visited Edinburgh castle, you could have waved at our (somewhat less grand) flat across the water (about 3 miles in a straight line).

 

I'll pack a tie, safe in the knowledge that Elaine will use it to pull me away when I stop and talk too much to fellow passengers - it's a bad habit for me, being permanently curious ...

 

Steve & Elaine

 

We were on a Globus tour which took us from Wales into Glasgow, Isle of Skye, Inverness, St Andrew's, Edinburgh. I think I have a your flat in my photos :). It was all too short for such a fantastic country -magnificent land and seascapes, rich history, old and modern and wonderful architecture. The tour was an overview and we hope to return maybe with a hire car as we did in Cornwall while we explored family heritage locales.

 

SA immunizations: We only took our normal shots which we keep up for all travel: Hepatitis A and B, seasonal influenza. We did not have tours deep into the land so we didn't need a yellow fever shot, but you will have to follow your physician's and county's protocols.

 

The sights of the Beagle Channel were worth the trip! I recommend taking tours to the special sights on your itinerary... not all of us will come back multiple times like RuthC ;), but good for her!! Which sights are special depends on your desires. We're happy we went on tour to places beyond the Puerto Montt port and Ushuaia for their deeper perspectives (former for cultural and vistas, latter more for the vistas) but also happy to have had a fair amount of time to walk around Ushuaia, lovely. BsAs is easy enough to get around on your own. I don't know if you will get across the channel to Montevideo but that was a wonderful and pleasant surprise - everyone loved it so there. Many with us made plans to return! It's a short ferry ride from BsAs pier across to Colonia and maybe with BsAs as an endpoint of your cruise you could arrange some time there.

 

And we also are into a bathroom redesign... more fun here! Happy planning! m--

[Alphen]

Thanks for the reassurance, Boulders. It's taken us a long time to get the age qualification :D and we'll work hard at enjoying our new leisure pursuits!

 

A lot will depend upon our ability to get the innoculations for the cruise organised - we need a month to ensure that they will be effective from Day 1.

 

Steve & Elaine

 

In Holland we did not need any innoculations for Argentina and Chile.

[OlsSalt]

If this cruise goes to the Falklands, the expensive and arduous 4 Wheel drive out to see the King Penguin colony is well worth it. It is not for the faint of heart and you have to hold on tight as you bounce free-style across the rough terrain but the penguin experience is up close, personal and highly memorable.

 

I would trade the extra cost of a balcony cabin for not missing this shorex, if it comes down to that. But you do have to be willing to get bounced around in the 4X4 ... a lot. Others can offer their perspectives about this trip, but most come back very happy they did it.

[solocanadian]

Dakrewser answers your concerns the very best and to the point without a lot of rambling. Enjoy your cruise on the Zaandam. She is my favourite Hal ship. I love the interior decor since it is very much like my home. I would definitely get an outside room with a window. Balconies are very pricey on this ship. I did the Balmoral in 1989 when it was the Crown Odyssey. Loved the ship.

[marchie1053]

Are you absolutely certain that you need inoculations? I do realize that different countries have different requirements, and you live in a different country from me, but I know I have not needed any shots to cover the Buenos Aires to Valparaiso route.

I have been down that way three times going from Rio to Valparaiso (flying out of Santiago) twice, and Valparaiso to Buenos Aires once.

 

Now, if you intend to do some land touring that wasn't mentioned, that could change what is necessary. But do double check before you go to the extra trouble.

 

Hi Ruth

 

The UK advice is to get at least Hepatitis A and Typhoid inoculations. The cruise package we are looking at includes 3 days in Buenos Aires at the start and 3 days in Valparaiso at the end. I'm not sure when my last typhoid injection was - about 2007/08, I think. I suspect my Hepatitis A was given at the same time and probably better to be safe than sorry ... :confused:

 

I haven't done any more research today - the building problem in the bathroom was more trouble than I feared. So, now we have most of the bathroom floor removed and tomorrow I shall have to begin removing the rest and then strengthening the joists, re-levelling by cutting wedges to replace the bits of beam that the woodworm ate, and then rebuilding the walls - that's the theory. Based on the refurb experience to date, we'll probably uncover a couple of extra problems so cruise research may have to take second place to getting the bathroom working again :D

 

Steve & Elaine

[dakrewser]

If this cruise goes to the Falklands, the expensive and arduous 4 Wheel drive out to see the King Penguin colony is well worth it. It is not for the faint of heart and you have to hold on tight as you bounce free-style across the rough terrain but the penguin experience is up close, personal and highly memorable.

 

I would trade the extra cost of a balcony cabin for not missing this shorex, if it comes down to that. But you do have to be willing to get bounced around in the 4X4 ... a lot. Others can offer their perspectives about this trip, but most come back very happy they did it.

 

I'll 2nd this - it was one of the two great excursions on our Antarctic cruise (the other being another penguin colony!).

[dakrewser]

The UK advice is to get at least Hepatitis A and Typhoid inoculations. The cruise package we are looking at includes 3 days in Buenos Aires at the start and 3 days in Valparaiso at the end. I'm not sure when my last typhoid injection was - about 2007/08, I think. I suspect my Hepatitis A was given at the same time and probably better to be safe than sorry ...

 

 

That's sound advice - the same we were given when we did a similar cruise a few years ago.

[marchie1053]

We were on a Globus tour which took us from Wales into Glasgow, Isle of Skye, Inverness, St Andrew's, Edinburgh. I think I have a your flat in my photos :). It was all too short for such a fantastic country -magnificent land and seascapes, rich history, old and modern and wonderful architecture. The tour was an overview and we hope to return maybe with a hire car as we did in Cornwall while we explored family heritage locales.

 

SA immunizations: We only took our normal shots which we keep up for all travel: Hepatitis A and B, seasonal influenza. We did not have tours deep into the land so we didn't need a yellow fever shot, but you will have to follow your physician's and county's protocols.

 

The sights of the Beagle Channel were worth the trip! I recommend taking tours to the special sights on your itinerary... not all of us will come back multiple times like RuthC ;), but good for her!! Which sights are special depends on your desires. We're happy we went on tour to places beyond the Puerto Montt port and Ushuaia for their deeper perspectives (former for cultural and vistas, latter more for the vistas) but also happy to have had a fair amount of time to walk around Ushuaia, lovely. BsAs is easy enough to get around on your own. I don't know if you will get across the channel to Montevideo but that was a wonderful and pleasant surprise - everyone loved it so there. Many with us made plans to return! It's a short ferry ride from BsAs pier across to Colonia and maybe with BsAs as an endpoint of your cruise you could arrange some time there.

 

And we also are into a bathroom redesign... more fun here! Happy planning! m--

 

Hi m,

 

You should have told me you were taking piccies from Edinburgh castle - I would have cleaned the windows in our flat :D

 

Elaine has been working away in the background (in between answering my requests - i.e. bellowed expletives - for assistance in hat has now become a bathroom demolition and rebuild ...) and is really keen to take the cruise. So, that's pretty much the decision made :D I know who's the boss - it isn't me ...

 

My only reservation is whether I can get all the work done here before the cruise date - I am a fairly cautious individual ('impromptu' has now been reduced to 3 weeks' notice as I cut loose in my old age :eek:) and would hate to cause Elaine disappointment and expense of cancelled bookings etc.

 

I hope to have a better idea over the weekend of the likely timetable for finishing the repairs - fingers crossed!

 

I didn't notice where the Estate Agent put the emphasis in the phrase 'House with potential' when we bought it in September 2010 - there was much more potential than viable house! To think that I thought we could have all the refurbishment completed in 6 months! And as for the original budget ...

 

It's only money - and if we didn't spend it on repairing the house - we'd have to spend it on cruises and cameras and that would be silly :rolleyes:

 

Steve & Elaine