Holland America Line

Author Message   Leland Senior Member Username: Leland Post Number: 4219 Registered: 05-2006 Posted on Saturday, February 28, 2009 - 09:34 pm:    Yup, just got my Kindle 2. It can hold 1,500 books. Books in the public domain are free at many sites on the net - I have already downloaded the complete Sherlock Holmes, along with PG Wodehouse, Mark Twain and Charles Dickens. Never run out of books to read in a package the size of a paperback.   Michael Mullins Junior Member Username: Michaelg Post Number: 6 Registered: 01-2009 Posted on Friday, February 27, 2009 - 09:48 pm:    Regarding Cherry's comment about running out of reading materal - I found a few years ago an inexpensive ($135) 'eBook' reader which you can load up with more books than you can ever read on a long trip - and thus you only have to carry it rather than several 'paperbacks'. Another neat feature is that you can load your own text (.txt) files or Word files (.doc) and have a place to access everything from names/phone numbers, passport info, schedules, passwords, CC info, etc. Can also handwrite notes, scatch out a map and such! Really like it! http://www.ebookwise.com/ebookwise/ebookwise1150.htm   Al Lo Cascio Intermediate Member Username: Sandyone Post Number: 113 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Friday, February 27, 2009 - 05:43 pm:    Thank You All. We are sailing on the new ship. The Eurodam Out of Ft Lauderdale.My commander makes all the decisions now. i guess she made a good one Thank You Al,   Leonard Self Member Username: Wekanfly2 Post Number: 27 Registered: 06-2007 Posted on Friday, February 27, 2009 - 01:09 pm:    We also have sailed on HAL several times to the Caribbean and once southbound Seward to Vancouver. Our favorite part of the ship is the Crows nest lounge as it provides at least a 180 view and is very relaxing.It is my understanding that some of the fleet is being overhauled to include a large spa area in the back. We also like the fact that the glass roof can cover the pool area during bad weather. We also like the number of lounges and the varied types of music provided allows you to get away from large crowds.We have always had great service on HAL and am sorry to hear about Phyllis'experience. I would still be persuing them if it happened to us.We once had a bad experience on NCL and will never book them again I was younger then and did not persue the issue but wish I had. Bon Voyage Al   Phyllis DeLancey Senior Member Username: Phyllis Post Number: 1864 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Friday, February 27, 2009 - 12:06 am:    Cherry, I should have got sick after my lock up. I was most surprised by the attitude of the ship when my problem happen.   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 4823 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 11:38 pm:    We've sailed with Holland America, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean (RCCL) and Norwegian (NCL). Of these, we far and away prefer H-A, not only because we enjoy the moderately sized ships (about 1200 people is our ideal, although we've been on one of the newer H-A class with about 1900 pax -- and didn't like it as well). The main reason we prefer them is the high level of service and the helpful attitudes of the people. All the stewards (room and dining) are CAREERISTS, usually Indonesian. This is what they do as a living, and they are very well trained (H-A has a special facility in Jakarta where people are put through their paces before they ever join a ship) and eager to please without ever being annoying. (The cooks, deck hands and engineering crew tend to be from the Philippines, while the officers are Dutch or Brit -- and all the above are also in their work for the long term, being promoted from within. All are very pleasant and easy to interact with.) On the other cruise lines the worker bees while pleasant seemed to be young people from around the world working for just a 2 or 3 year contract to "improve my English" or "see the world" or "save enough money to start a business back home." There just is not the dedication there to pleasing the customer, and the very smooth operations, that we've found on H-A. The H-A food is also excellent, although I think the meals on Celebrity were just a shade better. Food on RCCL and NCL was definitely more downscale. (Example: on H-A when it's "lobster tail" night you get real, coldwater, Maine lobster tails. On RCCL and NCL you get South African lobster tails that just do not have anything like the flavor of The Real Thing.) As far as the dining setup goes, I think H-A is experimenting with dividing the main dining room in half for the evening meal -- since it's on two levels anyway. On one level there will be assigned tables at one of 2 seatings, early or late (the system we prefer). On the other level of the dining room it will be the whenever-you-wish (within certain time limits) system. You have to indicate which system you want when you make your reservation. On our most recent H-A cruise I suddenly became ill, and got wonderful care and treatment, including visits by the nurse to my cabin to see how I was doing. For a while I was confined to my stateroom lest I "contaminate" the rest of the ship, and to my surprise I was given a big shipboard credit -- I think if I recall correctly it was $100 per day (or else $150?). We actually walked off the ship with extra money in our pockets because we couldn't spend it all! The H-A ships also have quite good libraries, especially nice if you are a "reader" because no matter how much material you bring along you'll finish it up and be looking for more books.   Phyllis DeLancey Senior Member Username: Phyllis Post Number: 1863 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 08:46 pm:    We had done Holland twice. The ships are lovely, well cared for and very nice. The last time we were on board they were talking changing to open seating, and if they do, I think this would be a shame. Their service was excellent, even had one of the waiters in a bar one night comment on my perfume and told me the name of it, now this is good for a guy, my husband couldn't even do that. I had a problem with them, in that I was locked in the laddies room, in a small stall, for over an half hour and no one came when I pushed the red button, 3 different times. Lucky for me after 20 minutes my husband wonder what the heck I was doing and open the main door and called my name. This laddies room was in the front of the ship just off the walking deck, so no one else had come in to hear me yelling and banging. Once my husband found out the problem, he went and found someone, they went for help, and Jim starting using our room key to pry open the door. The door was floor to celling so I couldn't not craw out, he did get it opened and out I came. I went to the pursers desk, in tear, and was told "someone had come to check when the alarm went off, but they didn't speak English, so they didn't say anything, just went for help" To this day I don't think that is true, since my husband was standing outside and saw no one. They sent me a lovely plate of chocolate cover fruit, two coaster and that was it. I wrote when we got back, but never heard from them, so they don't get my business now.   Michael Mullins New member Username: Michaelg Post Number: 4 Registered: 01-2009 Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 05:30 pm:    Al - Karen and I prefer Holland America as the ships are somewhat smaller which means there is less of a problem getting on-off at ports, fewer children usually and generally better service. Cost is a little more but worth it! The Alaska and Canada/New England cruises were our favorites; but Hawaii (our first cruise) was special too. Have a good time!!   Tom Jackson Advanced Member Username: Tombo Post Number: 260 Registered: 05-2004 Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 04:39 pm:    Al - I have taken three cruises on Holland America. Twice on the Oosterdam and once on the Zuiderdam. All three were seven days cruises to the Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale. The wife and I both enjoyed the ships, the staff and food, especially the food. Holland attracts the older crowd unlike Carnival and Royal Caribben. But that didn't bother me, because I am old as well and rather liked the more layed back cruise aspect instead of the loud music and 24 hour partying. You should enjoy Holland America.   John R Garrison Senior Member Username: Majorg Post Number: 1102 Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 02:22 pm:    Al: Have sailed with HA twice, both were Alaska Cruises. Absolutely top notch! Fewer pax for same size ship than say Princess,for example, and it shows! Fantastic service. Enjoy! Happy Travels, John   Al Lo Cascio Intermediate Member Username: Sandyone Post Number: 112 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 01:23 pm:    We will be takeing our 5th cruise again in December. It's our christmas present to each other.My question is. this time we booked with Holland america.Has anyone cruised with them before and were you satisfied. we will be leaveing from Ft Lauderdale.Dec.19th/27th as always Thank You. AlFrom Orange City FL.