Arrival/Hotel/Excursions Before Departure: We traveled by self-arranged air to Buenos Aires about a week early, and went on a side excursion to Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil)prior to the cruise. Iguazu Falls is amazing and a "must do" if you have the time and ability to add that to your itinerary. In Buenos Aires we stayed at the Lola House Hotel, a small boutique style hotel in the Boedo area of Buenos Aires (outside the normal tourist area). It turned out to be a great choice for us, as the staff (especially Clara) of Lola House truly made our stay in Buenos Aires. Another highlight of Buenos Aires was a 7-hour walking tour.

Embarkation/Public Rooms/Stateroom: We took a taxi to the cruise port from our hotel and were met curbside by an enthusiastic Holland America rep. She noted our Holland America luggage tags, got the luggage loaded on a cart, and hustled us to the check-in station in less than five minutes. There was no line (about 1:00 p.m.), so five minutes later we were walking aboard ship. We stowed bags and did a tour of the ship to get oriented, finishing in Lido, where lunch was in full swing. Our impression of the ship was that it was well maintained...but showing its age. Still, everything was clean, serviceable, and cozy. There was a small hiccup after the three days in Anarctica (when waste could not be dumped from the ship). Nearly every public restroom became "out of order". The Lido was in the "no self-service mode" for the first two days...which caused lines and frustration. That was mostly mitigated when that policy was rescinded about Day 3. Our stateroom was spacious with plenty of storage. The closets easily held all our clothing. The bath had recently been remodeled and was very pleasant and it was nice sized, with a bath tub. Our stewards came by to introduce themselves and give us a card. They were very competent and very low key...we rarely saw them.

Dining: We enjoyed the food service in most of the venues on board. The food in the Lido was only serviceable. The hamburger bar was very good, and the pizza place was convenient. We really enjoyed the food and service in the main dining room (we were "as you wish dining") and though few meals were "memorable", the food was continually excellent. We went to the Pinnacle Grill twice, once for a Le Cirque evening and the second time for a Cellarmaster's Dinner--both specialty events, even for the Pinnacle. The food and service seemed to be at a lower standard than we have experienced previously in Pinnacle Grills or equivalent. The Cellarmaster's Dinner was particularly disappointing. As wine lovers, we expected the cellarmaster to do a better job picking/pairing wines. The wines selected were terrible with the pairings made. With one or two notable exceptions, all the dining room and bar service crew was friendly and helpful. We especially enjoyed the wine steward Noel in the main dining room. Read more