We are both experienced cruisers with one previous trip to Alaska 2 years ago. We chose the Statendam based on our previous trips with HAL and the land portion trip to the Arctic Circle and Denali National Park.

We boarded the Statendam in Vancouver and immediately loved the feel of the newly renovated ship. The public rooms were beautifully laid out and everything was spotlessly clean. As usual, HAL has it all covered with a place to store our carry ons for the short time it took for our cabin to be ready.

The Lido Cafe was well staffed the entire trip and as a previous reviewer stated, for the first two days passengers cannot touch the buffet. This, however, is a GOOD THING not a negative. It is to protect passengers from illness, something we saw over and over. Read more