Holland America Westerdam Mediterranean Civitavecchia (Rome) to Barcelona June 2017

While everyone has their own likes and dislikes, there was very little not to like about this cruise on the Westerdam. This ship had been in drydock a few weeks earlier. Some of the rehab work took longer than expected and continued up until our voyage. By the time we got on, all of the work appeared finished.

New carpet and drapes were just the start. The lobby was completely redone (the crystal chandelier is gone), along with most public areas of the ship. A few new cabins were added. The most controversial moves among the HAL devoted were the elimination of the old library and the Crow’s Nest, the former high front-facing bar/nightclub. The real consternation on message boards seems to be the worry that HAL is straying from the classic maritime look. After actually seeing the changes in person, I personally think the worry is overblown. The new look is definitely more “modern.” For the most part, the color palate is understated with grays, browns, golds and creams with a few other splashes of color carefully mixed in (frosted blue chairs in the cabin for example). Nothing screams at you. I remember the world almost came to an end when the Zuiderdam was first introduced with the bold loud colors. While some elements may not be my personal taste, the look is certainly fresh and clean, and I would argue, classy. Read more