After a year absence from cruising, things had changed. Food is important to us, I think it has improved, my wife wasn't sure. Service was excellent and professional but fewer stewards. The room was good, clean and in good repair. They have reduced the room stewards by maybe 2/3rds, they work hard and do a good job but cant measure up to more stewards. The crew around the ship is smaller, hence the service and condition of the ship suffers.

Examples: On deck showers did not work and were not fixed, one drain very slow both shower heads bad and pressure off, not clean. Deck whirlpools worked erratically and were not cleaned, great white foam from body oils was left on every bather. Fewer stewards in main dining area. On and off security was often handled poorly, for security and convenience. List goes on but this is an idea of how things have slipped. I didn't expect "average" from Holland American before.

We arranged our own excursions which we always think is better and usually cheaper