[LittleDog]

Originally Posted by Avista

We usually sail on Royal Caribbean, but about 18 months ago took a 14 day Ryndam cruise. It was very enjoyable except for one thing. The evening dining room service was teribble. We had to wait soooo long for everything. For that reason only we are reluctant to travel HA. Perhaps, it is wrong for me to judge based only on one cruise.

We also sail mostly on RC but have been on one HA cruise and agree with you about the slow service in the dining room. I think the problem is more a matter of a poor system and not the fault of the servers.

John

[memason]

Originally Posted by Happinow

Sorry to be the debbie downer here but we took a cruise on the Zuiderdam and it was dreadful. The ship was old and there was nothing to do. We were very board and felt that we wasted our money. Our travel agent recommended this cruise line because he said it was a very nice, upscale cruise line. When we got home we informed him that we felt differently. We had been cruising Carnival but that too has changed. Why would you want to travel on an old ship when you can travel in style on one of the newer ships from a different cruise line? Pick a smaller ship from another cruise line and enjoy. The newer ships are so bright and colorful....the Holland America line...dark and dreary.

I have to agree, in part, to Happinow. We took an 11 day cruise on the (HAL) Noordam, last fall. The food was rather disappointing and I am not a gourmet diner, by any stretch. There was very little to do on the ship and it seemed everything was closed up by 9:00 or 10:00 each night. Entertainment, in the theater, was really not very good and the casino was small.... The buffet restaurant closed at approximately 10:00 each night, so the midnight snack on the back of the ship was out.

On the plus side, the rooms were nice and the room stewards were very attentive.

We have cruised Royal Caribbean and Princess lines previously and will return to those lines for future cruises.

Just my assessment, but everyone has different reasons for cruising and what they like. You have to experience different ones to find the ones that really "float your boat".

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Avista

We usually sail on Royal Caribbean, but about 18 months ago took a 14 day Ryndam cruise. It was very enjoyable except for one thing. The evening dining room service was teribble. We had to wait soooo long for everything. For that reason only we are reluctant to travel HA. Perhaps, it is wrong for me to judge based only on one cruise.

Our Ryndam dining room service was fast and fabulous. The waiters were professional and attentive. The food choices were amazing. Seven vegetarian choices every night. The qualify of the food selections was excellent. But that was in the Mediterranean, perhaps that makes a difference. Or perhaps I'm just easily impressed.

[duffysmom]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Our Ryndam dining room service was fast and fabulous. The waiters were professional and attentive. The food choices were amazing. Seven vegetarian choices every night. The qualify of the food selections was excellent. But that was in the Mediterranean, perhaps that makes a difference. Or perhaps I'm just easily impressed.

I've sailed on HA as well as most of the other cruise lines and enjoyed the elegance of HA as well as the superior service. We no longer eat in the dining room when we cruise because of the slow service we experienced on cruise ships in the past. We enjoy eating in the laid back Buffet (lots of choices) and if the ship has it we always eat outside. Cruising is what you make it; we love to read and relax and a cruise is perfect for that.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by duffysmom

I've sailed on HA as well as most of the other cruise lines and enjoyed the elegance of HA as well as the superior service. We no longer eat in the dining room when we cruise because of the slow service we experienced on cruise ships in the past. We enjoy eating in the laid back Buffet (lots of choices) and if the ship has it we always eat outside. Cruising is what you make it; we love to read and relax and a cruise is perfect for that.

That reminds me, the Ryndam has a great library if you like to read, which we do. Also, we often ate at the buffet because it's ultra casual. We also ate a lot on our veranda (which is really just HA's name for a balcony). Room service was available 24 hours a day and offered selections like smoked salmon, as well as soups, salads, and some main courses.

[TednRobin]

Originally Posted by duffysmom

I've sailed on HA as well as most of the other cruise lines and enjoyed the elegance of HA as well as the superior service. We no longer eat in the dining room when we cruise because of the slow service we experienced on cruise ships in the past. We enjoy eating in the laid back Buffet (lots of choices) and if the ship has it we always eat outside. Cruising is what you make it; we love to read and relax and a cruise is perfect for that.

We do the same thing now, duffy. We don't even take the formal wear anymore. Just relax and have fun.

[TrudyM]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

We felt that Holland America offered an upscale experience. We would not consider Carnival. We enjoyed our HA experience. Each to their own.

In 1989, HAL became a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Corp., however it is managed at present by its Seattle based offices not by the Carnival group in FLA. How much Carnivals current troubles will affect the budgets it approves for running Holland is my fear. I have friends who work for them here in Seattle and they are worried.

[Ooper]

Can anybody compare the movements of a smaller ship like the Ryndam at 55kTons compared to a larger ship of say 130kTons if it gets a little rough?

[kaydee]

great question ooper...I do hope this brings some replies. Very interested myself

[Sonny39]

Did a 15 day trans-atlantic crossing, 10 days at sea on the great circle route that went as far north as Newfoundland on the Ryndam last Apr. from Tampa to Rotterdam, no problems as far as rough seas.

[wilkinsm1]

We went on the same cruise last December and loved it. It was our first cruise on Holland America...have been on many Carnival, Princess, Norwegian and Cunard cruises over the years and we were very impressed with HA. The food was excellent, service outstanding and the entertainment was first rate. We were even invited to eat at the Captain's table the last formal night. For the life of me, I can't figure why, since this was our first time on HA. The captain is from The Netherlands, but has married a woman from Mt. Dora and now lives there and in North Carolina. The steak house there was also excellent. I think you will enjoy it....we liked it so well we booked another HA cruise for next Dec....this time out of Ft. Lauderdale.

[swrinfla]

I sometimes like to stir the pot!

Ooper: today's ships are so well protected against high seas and such that their size [that is 55,000 tons vs 100,000+ tons] doesn't really matter that much.

TrudyM: it's true that Carnival now owns Holland America, as well as Princess, Costa and a number of others. The Good Thing is that each individual line has retained its "corporate identity" and image! So, Holland America's well-earned reputation of catering to the "older" generation remains intact!

SWR