Never Again on Holland America!

My recent trip to Alaska from Seattle on Holland America’s Westerdam, in celebration of my grandson’s 10th birthday, was so disappointing that I will NEVER travel with this line again and I will advise my friends the same. I chose HA as I had traveled with the company before (I am a HAL "Mariner" and have been to Alaska and the Caribbean, albeit on other HA ships) and found both experiences very satisfying. Unfortunately, this was not the case this time! Here are the most glaring, and disappointing, examples of my displeasure with the cruise and the very poor customer service.

Ship and Crew: The ship itself was worn and somewhat seedy in places. Our “large inside stateroom” (booked because my daughter gets very seasick and did not to be in an outside room from previous experiences) was small, with a tiny bathroom and peeling wallpaper. I was offered a veranda upgrade before we left, but when my agent went to book it, she was told “everything was gone”. I tried to upgrade on the ship, as I was advised to do, only to be told by a very rude and dismissive officer that they send out “email blasts” on these upgrades and, “sorry, Madam, you were too late”. (By the way, my agent said this had never happened to her as she has booked HA cruises and others before.) When I asked about a clock in the room, he told me to turn on the TV. He was so rude that the woman behind me even remarked on his behavior. Read more