This was my first time on Holland America. I chose the Ryndam for the itinerary -- Key West, Trujillo, Santo Tomas Castillo, and Costa Maya. The ship is mid sized, and she is just gorgeous. The decor is not glitzy, but very elegant focusing on old world nautical decor. It's easy to navigate as well. I had a Vista Spa Suite, and it was huge with all the amenities which made the cruise even more pleasant. The bedding was fantastic. The food and service on board was first rate. Room service was also first rate and beautifully presented (prompt too). The entertainment was great. Many cruise lines have cut back on entertainment, but it seems that Holland America has not made any cutbacks. I loved the different afternoon teas and they all had a different theme. Embarkation and debarkation was a breeze. Believe me when I tell you that Holland America is a first class operation. They really know what they are doing and they do it so well. Age group was a good amount of seniors, but middle age and young as well. I felt there was something for everyone to enjoy while on board. I have been on almost 60 cruises, and I believe this expereince was among the best for me. I felt it far exceeded Celebrity as Celebrity has cut back a lot and it's very noticeable to its guests. The ports were great. Unfortunately, there was a lot of rain in Honduras, and many passengers were stuck on a bus (including myself) for several hours because the bus could not initially cross a river. Holland America made good on the bad experience, and refunded our money for this shore excursion. I believe they will do further research about this port because the roads are primitive, and the transportation cannot safely transport cruise guests. However, Trujillo is a beautiful place, and the locals were trying in every way to make us happy.

Areas of improvement. Holland America needs to have a string quartet or some sort of music during dinner in the main dining room. Homemade ice cream would also be a plus.

Overall, this was a very organized cruise and an extremely pleasant experience for me. I would definitely sail with Holland again before even considering other cruise lines. Truly, I felt as if Holland America still continues with providing guests with a classy cruise experience of years gone by, which many cruise lines don't provide these days.