This was our 8th cruise with Holland America & among the best so far. It was a great mix of beaches (Half Moon Cay & Aruba), interesting cities - Willemstad in Curaçao and Cartagena in Columbia and fascinating destinations - Panama Canal & Costa Rica with 4 relaxing "At Sea" days thrown in. btw, we found there is a lot to do if you want on "At Sea" days but I was very happy spending time on the verandah reading. For me, reading while listening to the sound of the waves, is special.

Embarkation went very smoothly. We arrived at the cruise terminal around 11:15 am and were in our stateroom by noon. We really appreciated the lunch Holland makes available to Holland America Mariners in the Vista Lounge (Main Dining Room). It was a very nice meal & we appreciated not having to go through the crowds at the main buffet.

Once we headed out we found it was hot everywhere we went - temperature in the mid 80's (mid 30's C) and particularly humid in Panama & Costa Rica. A great break from the freezing temperatures back home in Canada. Read more