I just returned from a 7 day Alaska cruise onboard the Amsterdam. I would like to share some of my experience with my fellow cruise critic members.

Embarkation in Seattle: Very organized, fast and efficient. Plenty of porters to take your luggage. Check-in was a breeze and in no time we were onboard the ship. Lunch buffet served in the Lido Buffet while the cabins were being cleaned.

Cabin: We were in a verandah suite on deck 6. The cabin size was very good. The large couch and sitting area made a difference. The size of our verandah was also very good. That's where the positive stops. The cabin was filthy dirty. Piles of dust behind the flat screen tv, dust on the couch, a beat up refrigerator ( I mean you could have dropped it from the side of the ship and let it spend a month at sea and bring it back on board, that's what it looked like). Rust and scratches. Bathtub had rust lines that leaked down the wall every time we took a shower. I was absolutely shocked. I had heard all the wonderful things about Holland America Line and found this to be outrageous. I'm wondering if this is what they mean by "Signature of Excellence". Cabin was not made until 2 or 3 p.m. Read more