This cruise, our 5th with Holland America Cruises, was a last minute decision, since the price was tempting, the embarkation port of Tampa was nearby and we were celebrating our anniversary. The boarding process went smoothly and we were satisfied with our stateroom, mid ship and on the main deck, just one level down from the lower promenade deck, convenient for those daily walks. We did find the lifeboat drill to be a noisy event, people were talking all through the verbal instructions and cabin numbers check in, so consequently we did not hear ours and had to reconfirmed later with the front desk that we had attended. Perhaps more crew should be required to participate in this and ensure that the guests are aware of the importance of this drill.

The departure from Tampa was scenic and as the ship passed under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, we joined lots of folks taking pictures from the top deck forward.

We chose Anytime Dining, and found the service and food to be good. We usually were seated at a table of six or eight, and always had interesting conversations with people from various locations. We did not travel on this cruise with formal clothing, so on those nights, we dined at the Canaletto or the Lido. Read more