We always bring our fun so.......
Anyway, here are some thoughts on this adventure. Ship is 20 years old and showing her age. Didn't stop the fun. Beds were comfortable, water was hot and toilets flushed. Food in main dining room was excellent - I've always found the upcharge restaurants on HAL to miss the mark - the Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto's just aren't what they should - buffet was ...
Embarkation
We cruised from Valparaiso, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina on Feb 24-Mar 10 2023 on the Oosterdam (I renamed it the Disasterdam!). On the cruise there was an interesting talk to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Holland America Line on HAL’s history. One segment was about the line transporting immigrants from Europe to the US in the late 1800’s-early 1900’s. They decided to ...
We chose this cruise, and ship, because we wanted to visit South America and the itinerary was just what we wanted. Never having sailed with HAL before, we were encouraged by remarks that they are 'just like Cunard', our favourite line. Sadly this proved to be, most definitely, not the case.
The embarkation, at Valparaiso, was the most shambolic we have ever encountered in 20+ cruises. There ...
We chose this cruise as it was offered to us at a discounted price due to our mariner status & casino offers. The fruit was old, meat chewy, food cold many times and many areas of the ship needs repair. We had multiple issues with our cabin and never got them resolved. We were very dissatisfied and unsure we will return to Holland cruise line even though we have 4 star mariner status. The line has ...
Wanted to passage the Panama Canal again - to see the new larger locks that were being built the last time we passed this way - Holland America was recommended to us - we were disappointed at the poor meals - not much choice and constantly had rice (which we are not keen on) - the expensive poor trips - some of which did not actually visit all the places listed.
As the cruise went on - things ...
My first ever cruise - wanted to visit as many South American countries as possible. 14 hour flight from London direct to Santiago (spent 3 days there beforehand which was amazing). Cabin on Dolphin deck very adequate, if slightly dated. Had 16 nights on board and visited some amazing places including ports in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. Chilean fjords were spectacular and weather on the ...
I always wanted to see the Antarctic and Holland & America was the only cruiseliner that touches the top of this amazing continent, mind you they only operate 3 cruises a year so book it quick!!
We started off in Santiago and travelled down to Cape Horn and then took 2 days to reach the top of the Antarctic. Must admit I wasent particular impressed with the ports of call on the west coast of ...
Background and Hotel information
We chose this cruise for various reasons, primarily to see Antarctia, a location that both my wife and I have always yearned to see, secondly, to experience the Chilean Fiords (Fjords). We had previously toured in Peru and cruised up the coast of Chile, however, we had not travelled to the south of Chile to see the Fiords and southern regions of Chile, parts of ...
The service was very good and the food was great! Some of the ports were not very nice but it was interesting to see other parts of the world. Embarkation and disembarkation went very smoothly. The staff was friendly and well trained.There were great lecturers and also a chaplain for religious services.
Shore excursions were well organized and there was a variety of them to choose from. ...
We wanted to explore South America and did. We explored ports we never even heard of in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Mexico. The ports were small but very interesting and exciting.
Holland America Line's strength is still their staff who were as always very friendly and professional, made up of, you guessed it, Phillipinos and Indonesian crew. The ship officers were not ...