I overlooked the fact that the Veendam is HAL's least desirable ship because I wanted the opportunity to experience Cuba. Unfortunately, the circumstances for our visit to Havana were complicated by the current administration's revision of its Cuba policy, which required redoing all the shore excursions. HAL was remiss in communicating these revisions to customers to let them know when new options opened up. Furthermore, the Havana excursion I booked was a great disappointment -- it did not go to some of the places promised, e.g. the famous mosaic art installation, and emphasized public squares, a fortress and a cemetery. There was no attention to art or architecture. The people-to-people segment was poorly explained. The tour did include a surprisingly nice lunch in an attractive restaurant. After an eight-hour tour, I was too tired to go out again after dinner for the Tropicana tour, which I regret because I heard good things about it. In Cienfuegos, the botanic garden turned out to be an arboretum with nary a flower in sight. The other ports were all places I had been before. The chocolate making and wine pairing excursion in Cozumel was very enjoyable. The tea at Good Hope Great House in Montego Bay was pleasant but poorly organized.

The Veendam is showing its age. One aft elevator was out of service throughout the cruise and a second was broken for several days. A broken pipe forced me to change cabins. Fortunately the ship was not sold out. Cabin steward service was excellent. The onboard activities were sparse with little to engage the mind. The food in the dining room was excellent, significantly better than I had experienced last June on the Maasdam.

Judging from my experience, I would not advise anyone primarily interested in seeing Cuba to book a HAL cruise. One day (even less on some itineraries) is not enough time to spend in Havana, especially with inferior shore excursions.