I chose the Holland America line (HAL) partly because a close friend/travel agent highly recommended it as did many experienced cruisers I’ve met. The other reasons were the ports of call and the excursions available. However, HAL did not meet my expectations.

Bad weather and operational issues delayed the Veendam’s arrival and, hence, our departure. The schedule to reach Cartagena and the Panama Canal was much too tight, so we missed our original time slot through the canal, losing one port of call in Mexico and cutting short our stops in other ports. This made some excursions exceptionally rushed. Then a mechanical issue led to unhealthy fumes permeating much of the ship, and the cancellation of our remaining stop in Mexico. The compensation offered was inadequate (a credit of 20% of the base fare on a future Holland America cruise). Many older travelers stated that this was their last cruise, and others were so dissatisfied that they have no intention of taking HAL again.

On the positive side, the departures for excursions were exceptionally well-organized, there was a variety of excursions suitable for older travelers, and the location talks were the best I’ve ever heard.