Grandeur Reviewed by Megan

After a year and a half of reading and enjoying everyone else?s cruise reviews, I?m finally in a position to write my own, and I hope you all enjoy! We sailed March 11-18 aboard Grandeur of the Seas. It was our long-awaited first cruise, and I (Megan - 40), husband (Herb - 51), daughter (Stacy - 15) and son (Eric - 16) had a wonderful holiday.

PRE-CRUISE . . .

We arrived in Miami on Wednesday evening, picked up our Avis rental at the airport, and proceeded to the Sheraton Biscayne Bay for three nights. We were very impressed with the hotel - the grounds were so beautifully landscaped with hibiscus hedges and azaleas, and such beautiful green plants and palms, that it felt like we were in a tropical greenhouse. We had a lovely and large room (344) which overlooked the bay and the port. The room had two double beds, a pull-out couch, chairs, large closet, iron & board, and a balcony with a small table and two chairs. I didn?t realize how close to the port we were until Friday morning, when we were able to make out some ship names with our binoculars - Ecstasy, Splendour o/t Seas, an NCL ship, and one other which escapes my memory. At night you can see the blue Royal Caribbean sign on their buildings. Miami is so beautiful - we did some sightseeing - and enjoyed (we came from Northwestern Ontario) the sunshine, and the beautiful palm trees and ocean breezes.

EMBARKATION . . .

We returned our rental car to Avis at the port and took their shuttle to the pier. Little did we know that it was only a half-block walk! We arrived upstairs by the security scanners at about 11:30 and were among the first in line. At 12:15 they began the security process and we proceeded directly to the counters for check-in. We all had to complete another card for our Bahamas stop, because they had changed it slightly from the one that was included with our cruise documents - a minor irritation. We surrendered our passports, scanned in our credit card, which activated our ship account, and we were off. We entered on Deck 4, and were in awe of the beauty of the Centrum - glass, brass, marble, greenery - just gorgeous! The welcoming staff pointed us in the right direction, and we were off!

THE CABIN . . .

We found our cabin, 8555 Bridge Deck 8, a larger inside Category K. I really wasn?t expecting the cabin to be as small as it was - since it was supposed to be a larger inside (I?d hate to see the size of a standard room)! Since we like each other, and with a little organization and tolerance, we managed quite nicely. The only time we really noticed the squeeze was dressing for formal nights. Other than that, it wasn?t too bad. The beds were very comfortable. The bunks dropped down from the ceiling, and were kept folded against the wall during the day, just in case someone needed a nap. There was plenty of drawer space, the suitcases fit nicely under the beds, and we were satisfied. The decor was very soft - taupe, peach, and creams - lovely. I was quite surprised by the bathroom, however. After experiencing the atomic toilet, I found the bathroom to be rather cozy. The shower had good water pressure, the shower head was removable, and although the shower curtain tended to get fresh with its occupants, it really was okay. There was excellent lighting and storage space. They even provided environmentally friendly shampoo and conditioner. There was plenty of drawer space - two small drawers in each night table, three large and small drawers in the vanity, and three small drawers in the closet.

I found our cabin to be a bit warm during the day, even though we had our temperature control turned to the coldest setting. Ana (our cabin attendant) said that leaving the balcony doors from the outside rooms open played havoc with the air conditioning. When we returned to the cabin in the evening, though, it was always comfortable, but never ever reached the point of being really cool or too cold.
We were also pleased to find a gift basket in our room from our travel agent. This was a really nice touch.

THE TEENAGERS . . .

If you are planning to take your teens on a cruise with you, please heed our advice. Desperately refrain from throwing them overboard on the first day, because it will get better. Our daughter?s exact words were, ?I don?t care, Mom, this is the worst vacation I?ve been on. I wish I could go home right now. I hate this.? Everyone is apprehensive at first - it?s a boat load of strangers, and it takes a bit to break the ice. The teen orientation takes place at 10:30 p.m. the first day, and much later that evening, all was well with the kids. They met new friends, had a great evening, and by morning there were names and cabin numbers taped to the mirror, and the phone started to ring (just like at home). They even met someone from our own town - what a small world! We saw very little of them after that, and they had a wonderful time. They?re already e-mailing each other on a daily basis now that we?re home.

OUR CABIN ATTENDANT . . .

Ana (Romania) was so good to us, and such a pleasant and gentle person. We saw her every morning and evening, and during the day also. I?m very sad to say that Eric is a bit of a slob! In the first few days, he had worn everything in his suitcase at least once, and never did an item get folded and put away. We hounded him regularly and he would tidy up, but he basically was his usual happy-go-lucky, but messy, self. I reached the point one morning where I just heaped his things into a corner. I made a point of asking Ana to please work around the pile and let him tidy up his own mess. She said, ?No, no, that?s alright. He?s on vacation!? These people are trained to please and spoil their passengers. I again asked her to leave his things, but of course, she didn?t - everything got folded. Eric was quite embarrassed, and issued a sincere thank you of his own to Ana. And Eric made an extra contribution to Ana?s tip from his own financial resources!

DINING ROOM . . .

We were very blessed to have such wonderful tablemates - our new friends Doug & Jean, and their children Sara & Steven (who were good age matches with our own). They had cruised several times before, and were a wealth of information and helpful hints for all of us. Never have I seen people work harder than the dining room staff. Our waitress, Bing Chai (China), was just so cute and amusing, and saw to our every need. This little bit of a girl could carried a huge tray loaded with meals on her shoulder and never miss a beat. Her assistant, Katerina (Trinidad), was a gem (anyone who keeps the diet coke flowing receives top marks from me!). They both went out of their way to provide wonderful service. As an example, one evening our son didn?t make it to dinner because he was feeling a little unwell from the roll of the ship. Bing Chai prepared a take-out meal for him - lobster tail, filet mignon, rice & veggies - ?because he missed dinner and he?ll be hungry later?. She also sent cookies - wrapped in foil and shaped into a swan - for Steven ?because he missed dessert?. This thoughtfulness was so very appreciated by all of us. Our meals were always delicious - our chef was a woman named Helga (Norway) (I think she may be the only female RCI chef, if I heard correctly) - the beef was superb, chicken was delicious, as were most things. We tried to sample different things for us - I had escargot, Herb ate eel as an appetizer (that?s too weird for me!), and most things were very good. I think there was only one thing that I truly didn?t care for - lobster bisque. Other than that, I can only rave about our meals and service. The biggest dinner time shock for our kids came when they asked for tossed salad, instead of the menu salad. They were brought a wedge of iceberg lettuce, and while they stared at it and tried to figure out what to do, Bing Chai promptly proceeded to cut their salad up for them. We?re now in the process of deprogramming them back to cutting their own food!

WINDJAMMER CAFÉ . . .

I?ve heard plenty of complaints about this area, but I really have nothing bad to say about it. It?s certainly not haute cuisine, but we enjoyed everything we ate here. We ate breakfast and lunch here every day simply because we couldn?t be bothered leaving the pool deck and changing to go to the dining room. I loved having my breakfast on the pool deck with the ocean breezes cooling my food before I even made it to the table. And do you know what? I didn?t even mind - I didn?t have to cook it, I was in paradise, and all was good! There was an omelette bar (which we didn?t discover until day 5 - dumb, huh!), and they also had a carving station at lunch (discovered on day 3 - well, you can?t find everything in one day)! Afternoon snacks, when we ate them, were a scrumptious assortment of baked goods, little sandwiches, fruits, etc., and if you?re partaking, look for the macaroon cookies which are to die for! Also, try the watermelon - it?s the best I?ve ever had.

LABADEE . . .

This is how you spell paradise! What a beautiful spot. It was so clean, with sugary white sand and beautiful palm trees. The standard tip for beach chairs was $1/chair, and there were plenty for everyone. I loved it here. We wandered from beach to beach, all only a short walk from each other, had a delicious barbecue lunch, and did a little swimming and snorkeling. I have to relate my husband?s snorkeling experience for you. After drying off, he sat down, and sensed that something wasn?t quite right, but he couldn?t put his finger on what it was. He moved and felt something sharp in his pocket. He reached into it, and what did he pull out - his partial plate! He figures that he must have lost them when he spit the snorkel tube out when he got a mouthful of water - and they floated through the water right into his pocket! Needless to say, we both said a prayer of thanks to the Snorkel Fairy for averting a disaster. In general, though, the snorkeling here was poor - but we were warned of it in the shore excursion talk, and didn?t feel mislead.

SAN JUAN . . .

I didn?t enjoy this stop very much - I?d heard both good, but mostly bad - and I may have subconsciously decided not to like it. We didn?t take any tours here, but did walk to the shops in Old San Juan, which is just a short hike from the pier. After about a half hour, Eric declared that he didn?t like it and walked back to the ship (he later told me that he was quite scared, and that people kept calling to him to buy things - he didn?t know to keep quiet and just keep walking - I felt bad for letting him return alone, and so thankful that he made it there safely.) Stacy and I decided to wander around, while Herb was more adventurous and walked to one of the historical sights. I was very uneasy in San Juan, and was glad to get back to the ship. I couldn?t really identify what made me feel this way, I just know that I did. The next morning we were talking with a woman who had been walking around with her daughter. Apparently someone stopped a car next to them, got out and told the daughter to ?get in?. They turned a ran, and realized that they must have wandered off the beaten path. I don?t want to knock San Juan, because some of what we saw was very lovely, and we took some beautiful and quaint pictures, but personally I wouldn?t care to go back there. Perhaps if we had taken a guided tour things would have been different, because I do know of many people who love it. To each his own. Just a little tip if you?re in a situation where you don?t all return to the ship together - I kept a little pad of post-it notes and a pen handy so that as each person returned, they so noted on the post-it and stuck it to the mirror. This way we knew everyone was on board, and didn?t have to run around the ship looking for each other.

We suffered a little in San Juan from the effects of the ship. As we were walking along, the ground would move - I thought the earth was shifting, but didn?t think this was earthquake territory. Turns out that the earth was stable. We were merely doing the ship walk. It?s an odd sensation.

ST. THOMAS . . .

Now here?s a beautiful little place. We shopped (or rather looked) downtown in the morning. The cab ride was $2.50 per person from the pier, plus a tip. We wandered in and out of the stores, up and down the maze of little streets and alleys, and really enjoyed it. This is the place to buy your jewellery, watches, etc. But be warned, it is expensive. My big purchase was a large canvas bag with parrots on it - my parrot bag - for $10. The ship did an excellent job of preparing you for your shopping experience, so be sure to take in the shopping talks on board. I thought I might like to purchase a loose tanzanite stone, since I couldn?t find a piece of jewellery that I wanted. I picked out a beautiful little stone, no bigger than my baby fingernail - the cost was a mere $1,100. I left it there for someone more deserving than I to buy! In the afternoon, we took the Mountaintop and St. Peter?s Greathouse tour. This was very worthwhile. Our driver, Emmanuel, took the open-air taxi up, up, and away up high, through narrow and hairpin-bended roads. This made for some white knuckles, but we had some beautiful views of both sides of the island, and he was very good at pointing out landmarks he felt we should see. There were six ships in port that day, the Grand Princess being one of them. I thought the Grandeur was a huge ship, but next to the Grand, we looked like a dinghy! That is one big ship, and very beautiful. Once we reached St. Peter?s Greathouse, we had some wonderful photo opportunities. This was a house with many tiered rooms and decks, and it has been turned into a botanical garden of sorts. There are spectacular views, almost aerial shots because you?re so high, of Magen?s Bay and the surrounding islands. We helped ourselves to complimentary rum punch and looked around and basked in the sunshine. You have to remember that as high up as we travelled to get there, we had to go down that far to get back, so I told Emmanuel that he couldn?t have his rum punch until we got to the bottom! He laughed, I?m not sure he listened, but he did get us safely back to the ship. I recommend this tour as very worthwhile.

COCO CAY . . .

Our final stop was for snorkeling at Coco Cay. For looks, Labadee wins the prize over Coco Cay, but for snorkelling, Coco Cay is the place to be. I was having a little choking problem with the snorkel, but once I saw what was under the water, the sensation disappeared. It?s another world under there, and a beautiful one at that. I saw so many different fish, tiny electric blue ones, orange and blue striped ones, transparent silver ones, just thousands of them. There was a huge angel fish swimming in the shallows, almost playing with the swimmers and floaters. It was so sweet. The lifeguards keep a close watch over everyone, and if you move out of bounds, they quickly reel you in. They are very serious about maintaining the safety boundaries which they have established. They had a guided snorkel tour into the deeper water, and here Herb saw a pod of 7 or 8 eagle rays. It was fascinating. There also were rays straight out in the shallower water, and one ventured into the very shallow water near the shore and visited for about an hour, much to everyone else?s delight (I think this was while we were at lunch, of course!) Snorkel vests were mandatory ($6 to rent), and there was no getting around it, so don?t even try. Eric also went parasailing here and really enjoyed it, although he was hoping to get ?dipped? in the water, which never happened. This was a rather expensive excursion - $65 plus an additional $20 to go to 800 feet of line. I?m not complaining, though, since this was a once in a lifetime (so far) adventure for him.

ENTERTAINMENT . . .

The shows, Starstruck and The Beat Goes On, were excellent. Our cruise was the first performance for the new cast, and they did a terrific job. Our comedians, Rick Starr, Sean and Dave, and Rondell Sheridan (the voice of Skeeter from the Muppets) were very funny. I especially liked Rondell. We could hardly breath we were laughing so hard. Our celebrity entertainer was Yakov Smirnov who came on board in San Juan. He was only okay. When he was being funny he was very funny, but when he wasn?t funny he was depressingly serious. I would have preferred Rondell Sheridan or any of the others again instead of Yakov. Oh well, one so-so performance certainly didn?t spoil my vacation.

The Marcus Anthony Trio played nightly in the Centrum - what a voice this man has! The Chameleons held the fort in the South Pacific Lounge, and were very good. Jason played piano tunes in the Schooner Bar, and every entertainer was very good. Our Cruise Director, Christopher Laine, unfortunately was a dud - sorry Chris, but Mr. Excitement you are not!

Our most favourite entertainers were the calypso band, High Seas, who kept the pool deck in motion the whole cruise, and provided a true tropical feel. We enjoyed listening to them so much that we bought their CD from the gift shop - it?s very good.

TIPPING . . .

In the departure talk which plays on the television, they outline suggested tipping rates - $3.50 per person per day for the cabin attendant and waiter; $2.00 per person per day for the assistant waiter; and the big shock/surprise - the suggested tip for the Head Waiter was $2-$3.50 per person per day, depending on the service you felt he gave to you. For our family this would have amounted to $60-$100 for the cruise. He was a very nice guy named Bela, and came to our table each evening to chat, and he made Bananas Foster and Cherries Jubilee for his section of the dining room. Through this ng I learned that most tip him for any special service he may have provided above and beyond, and I felt that to suggest a tip of this size was inappropriate, especially since he certainly didn?t come close to providing the service that Bing Chai and Katerina provided to us. Armed with this knowledge, we tipped what we felt was suitable, and it wasn?t near the suggested amount. I don?t know if we were wrong, but we were comfortable with our decision.

PICTURES . . .

The ship?s photographers made the rounds on a regular basis, and we always managed to find our pictures. Some were good, some were pretty bad, and all were pricey. 5x7's were $9.95, while 4x6's were $6.95 (can you guess what size most of the pictures were done in). They also had 8x10's, but I?m not sure of the price for them. OTHER SHOPS . . .

The boutiques were fun to browse through. They had a good assortment of everyday items, tanning lotions, candies, film, etc., there was beautiful jewellery, fancy clothes, casual clothes, souvenirs, and liquor. The Caribbean Rum Balls I bought at St. Thomas were also sold on the ship, and since they were so-o-o good, I bought some more.

MIDNIGHT BUFFET . . .

There were two midnight buffets - one on the pool deck during Dancing Under the Stars night (this was a smaller buffet, not overly fancy, but nice), and the Grand Gala Buffet, which was spectacular. I didn?t know you could do things like that with food! They even had little penguins made of boiled eggs, olives, and almonds. There were beautiful flower food bouquets, and palm trees made from carrots and green peppers. My pictures turned out beautifully here. The first hour was for photos only. We didn?t make a second trip to taste - you reach a point where you just can?t eat anymore. At midnight on all other nights, they served ?Midnight Delights? - a variety of appetizers both hot and cold, which were served around the ship. Yum!

FAVOURITE THINGS . . .

Oddly, my favourite shipboard things were not the food, or the service, or the entertainment. My favourites were much simpler. We loved sitting on Deck 5 late in the evening, feet up in the most comfy lounge chairs, listening to the waves, feeling the warm breeze float across us, looking at the stars and distant ships, and falling asleep. Yes folks, we required a nap before bedtime! I loved to walk around Decks 10 and 5, especially in a good breeze. At the bow and stern, the breezes made for what we called a ?wind tunnel?. Sometimes the wind blew so hard that we could barely walk forward into it. I also loved getting dressed in the morning, doing my hair, cementing it in place with hair spray, then going through the wind tunnel! I had seven bad hair days in a row, and I didn?t even mind, because everyone else had them too. As the cruise progressed, I gave up on the hair spray.

Our other favourite was Carlton Whyte, bar server extraordinaire. He?s a classy, unobtrusive, non-pushy, and just plain nice guy. Say hello from us if you see him.

ROCK-A-BYE-BABY . . .

At one point we were sailing through 20 foot swells, and the ship established a pretty good rocking motion, with a few jolts and bangs thrown in for good measure (this went on for two days). It was very noticeable in the Palladium Theatre which is at the front of the ship, and until you got used to it, it was a bit unsettling (yes, thoughts of Titanic did come to mind). On the pool deck during the day the rocking was a bit scary - I?d watch the horizon rise in slow motion above the railing on one side, then rise above it on the other side, as we rocked from side to side. But overall, the ship sailed smoothly, and the rocking actually made me sleepy.

THE DREADED DEBARKING . . .

The day before we provided some info to our cabin attendant regarding our plans after the cruise. This included the number of bags we would put out, our flight connections for Saturday morning, etc. I indicated that we had no flight to catch, as we were driving to Orlando for a few days before flying home on Monday. We were given red tags for all our bags, and it was a surprise to find our colour called in the first group. I thought that we would be among the last to be let go because we had no timelines to follow. Surprisingly, we were off the ship by 8:30 a.m., made the 30-second walk from the pier to Avis, picked up our rental, and were on our way by 9:00 a.m. The cruise was definitely over. Out with the old and on with the new!

A SUGGESTION . . .

For all you girls out there who just have to have shoes matched to every outfit (like me), forget it! Take something comfy for walking in port and around the ship, you?ll need some water footwear (I found some of the beaches to be a bit rocky - I wore my Teva sandals), and for your dressier outfits, bring a pair of neutral footwear that will go with everything. I wish I had only brought my soft gold sandals (which go with everything), instead of the black, beige, navy, black again, cream .. . . you get the picture.

Another suggestion is to not pack as tightly as we did. I was bound and determined that we each would make due with one mid-sized suitcase and a carry-on (plus a garment bag for the fancier duds). We all managed to adhere to ?my? limits, but what a mistake! We were packed so tight that we couldn?t have squeezed an extra pair of socks into our luggage to save our souls. So, pack a little looser - you?ll have more room for your purchases.

As recommended in the ng, I bought a night light for our cabin, but we didn?t need it. We merely left the bathroom light on and left the door open about a half inch. This provided enough light to find your way in the pitch blackness of an inside cabin.

Overall, I think this sums up our first cruise as a truly wonderful vacation. You haven?t lived until you?ve cruised, and now I know first-hand what everyone else raves about. What could be better than no cooking, no cleaning, soaking up the warm sun like a well-fed cat, and being pampered and spoiled on a daily basis. We?re already looking through the brochures to choose our next one, but that?s a few years away. I?d be happy to answer any questions - ask and I shall answer!

Megan

Western Caribbean Cruise Reviewed by Robin

This was the first cruise for all five of us. Traveling with me (I'm 44) were my wife Barbara (45), daughter Chelsea (15), my daughter's friend Devin (15), and our friend Janice (Devin's mother, 45). I was amazed at how few rooms were left at this time. RCI kept upping the price once or twice a week. We booked a Category I cabin, # 2538, on deck 2 for my family, and Janice and Devin booked the adjacent room. I visited the rec.travel.cruises newsgroup almost daily until the cruise. I learned everything I needed to know to plan a great cruise here. Thanks to those who responded to my posts.

We felt comfortable leaving our two 15 year olds roam the ship together. They had to join us for dinner at 6:00 and be in by 1:00 AM (2:00 AM if we did not have to get up early--days at sea). We ran into them frequently around the ship and they sometimes joined us at the pool and shows. Our cabin steward, Allan, did a great job. Our room was cleaned, made up, and decorated with 'pillow art' twice daily, after breakfast and after dinner. Our waiter, Forlindo, was extremely attentive and did everything he could to see that we enjoyed our meal. Overall the entire staff were delightful. The only negative experience was that that one ship photographer, Andrew, was rude to us on two occasions.
This was our first cruise and we are hooked. It far exceeded our expectations. We will be sailing again and probably with RCI. Our friends just got back from the Carnival Destiny and hated it. We compared notes and the Enchantment seemed like a much better ship in all aspects.

Day 1 - Ft. Lauderdale
We left Pennsylvania at 7:30 AM arrived in Florida at 11:50 AM (via Pittsburgh). We had purchased the air/sea program. At the terminal RCI met us and we were herded into a lounge to await the bus to the boat. It was around a one hour wait, then a 5 minute bus ride to the dock. The embarkation line took around an hour to get through. At 2:00 we were in our room. We were all pleased with it, small, but well designed.
We went to the Windjammer for a lunch buffet, toured the pools (they were closed the first day), and signed up for excursions. Excursions fill up fast, I recommend signing up soon after you get on the ship at the pursers office. They have forms you fill out and put in a box. Our tickets for our excursions were on our bed that evening.
At 4:00 we went back to the room and unpacked. At 4:30 they had the lifeboat drill. At 5:00 there was an embarkation party by the pool with dancing. Quite a few people danced to the Electric Slide, Macarena, etc... 6:00 was dinner (early seating) in the My Fair Lady dining room. Casual dress tonight. Prime Rib. Overall throughout the cruise I thought the food was excellent. At all meals there were around 6 appetizers you could choose from (as many as you like), one salad, around 6 entrees (as many as you like), and around 6 desserts (two low-calorie).
After dinner I went to the casino. I had downloaded the game "Super BlackJack" from the Internet before the cruise and brushed up on BlackJack strategies. I played BlackJack after dinner all week and was around $10 behind at the end of the week. Better to almost break even then loose big. I had a lot of fun playing, this was only my second time in a casino. I can see how gambling can be addicting. The show on the first night is not really a show. There was a 15 minute talk by the cruise director followed by comedian who was on for 30 minutes. The comedian was Janine Gardener--we did not like her.
Map of Key West was on our bed with our excursion tickets for the week (Sting Ray City and Dunns River Cruise) when we returned to our room.

Day 2 - Key West
From 7:00 to 7:45 I watched the boat approach and dock at Key West. From Deck 10 you can watch the captain below on the left side of the boat as he maneuvers. They can turn these boats on a dime.
Last night we ordered breakfast in the room for today from a very limited menu. It never showed up. We went to the WindJammer. Although I liked the breakfasts here two people in our group were not fond of them.
At 9:00 we were on the free train ride to downtown Key West. We walked up Duvall Street and shopped. Not great shopping--mostly T-Shirt shops. If I had to do it again I probably would have done an excursion (snorkeling or glall bottom boat) and skipped the shopping.
We had lunch in Margueritaville (Conch soup and Key West Ale). I purchased a mask and snorkel across the street from Margueritaville (of Jimmy Buffet fame) at a good price.
At 2:00 we were back on the ship and at the pool. 6:00 was formal dinner. I had rented a tux (I would say around one out of every five men had one on) and plan to rent one again on our next cruise. We missed the show that night in the theater. At 10:00 we watched the "Battle of the Sexes" in the Carrousel Lounge. 11:00 we went to the Centrum Disco. Danced. 12:00 was the Galley Tour and Galley Buffet (a buffet set up in the galley). Amazing that they make close to 10,000 meals per day on this ship.

Day 3 ? Cozumel
Thank you to everyone that recommended Chankanaab Park. It was the highlight of our cruise (Stingray City was a close second).
At 11:00 AM we took a cab from the ship to Chankanaab Park. It was $8 for the cab ride and $10 per person to get in. It was beautiful. Grass umbrellas shaded free beach chairs. Snorkeling was unbelievable ($5 to rent equipment). Fish everywhere. I took some bread in as suggested and was 'attacked' by around 200 fish before I could get it out of my hand. Take an underwater camera here.
The wife and I went scuba diving. A one hour dive with lesson for $40 each. I was certified and had dove twice. My wife had never dove. With one instructor for just the two of us I felt it was safe for my wife. The 20 minute lesson they gave my wife (in broken English) was not really sufficient preparation to dive. She only stayed down 40 of the 60 minutes. Diving was beautiful, tons of fish (big and small), sponges, caves, etc... If you are PADI certified and have not dove for a while you would love this.
We went to the free showers and changed, took a tour of the Mayan ruin replicas, and at 4:00 grabbed a taxi into town to Los Sincos Soles in San Miguel. We had dinner in the back of Los Sincos Soles at Pancho's restaurant. Good food. We shopped briefly in Los Sincos Soles and then hit several other shops. If we had to do it again we would have spent most of our shopping time in Los Sincos Soles. Their prices were as good as anywhere and the sales people were not pushy as in the other shops. The $4 Mexican blankets made great gifts for relatives.

Day 4 - Day at Sea
At 8:00 AM I was the first person in the Solarium pool (By 10:00 all good seats were taken). No kids under 12 are allowed in this pool. It is a quiet area nice for sunbathing, reading, and chatting with new people you meet. At 12:00 I took a tour of the ship and walked around every deck, then back to the pool. There is a snack shop by the pool with pizza, hamburgers, and great fries.
6:00 PM was Jamaican night in the My Fair Lady dining room. The waiters did the "Dance of the Flaming BaBa-Loos". They had cakes on their heads with lit candles and danced around the dining room. A fun dinner.
9:00 PM was LaRaf (2 magicians) in the Orpheum Theatre. Everyone seemed to like them but me. They use what I call store bought magic--tricks you purchase. I saw no slight of hand or anything that required actual talent.
At 10:15 PM my table won 2nd place in the 50's-60's trivia contest in the Carrousel lounge.
My daughter and her friend often hung out in the teen club. Every night they would have many activities planned for them. One night they had karaoke, another night they had to go in groups (guys vs. girls) with a Polaroid camera in search for the most gorgeous people on the ship. The girls thought that was really fun. All the activities were very fun; they were definitely geared toward their age group. They met many new friends from all over and still keep in touch with them. Also in the teen club they would have free drinks (e.g. non-alcoholic pina colodas), which you don't often see on this ship, and free cookies, sandwiches, and fruit.

Day 5 - Grand Caymans
8:15 we departed on the Sting Ray City Tour. Not to be missed. They boat you to a sand bar around 3 miles from shore where you stand in waist deep water and feed sting rays pieces of squid from your hand. It is an unbelievable experience. A must do.
At 12:00 we walked from the Sting Ray City boat dock to the Beach Club Colony (around 3 blocks). We stopped on the way for an ice cream cone--it was $7.50 (and they would not give me change in American dollars!)! What they say about high prices in Grand Cayman is very true.
The Beach Club Colony is a resort that allows cruise ship people on their beach. Of course it costs $5 to get on their beach, and another $5 for an umbrella. They pack you in like sardines--5 rows of chairs all next to each other. The water was clear with a sandy bottom. As you looked up and down the beach at the uncrowded sections it looked beautiful. I snorkeled and only saw one fish. I would never come back to Beach Club Colony.
At 2:00 it started to rain and we left Beach Club Colony. We shopped brieflly by the pier on the way out and bought two large rum cakes ($18). I wished I would have gotten more. I'm surprised they did not kick me out for all the free samples I ate (I really pigged out).
At 4:00 they gave out sheets by the pool and demonstrated how to tie togas. 6:00 Italian night in the dining room. Waiters sang O-Solo-Mio (forgive my spelling). The 9:00 PM show Flashback was excellent. Great talent. They sang music of the 50's - 90's. The comedy juggler that followed was also excellent.
11:00 Toga party. Not to be missed. How often do you see 100-200 people in togas doing a chain dance around the pool. A small buffet was also set up by the pool.

Day 6 - Jamaica
We took the 11:00 AM Cruise to Dunns River Falls excursion. At the pier we boarded a boat with around 40 other people. Cruised along Jamaica to Dunns River Falls. Climbed the falls (took around 1 hour). The few vendors near the falls were very pushy ("Why don't you want your hair braided"!). This is another not to be missed event (the falls, not the vendors). The falls are a bit treacherous at spots (one person from our ship broke his leg here). Cruised back to ship. They served some very strong rum punch on the cruise back and sold hats, T-shirts, Jerk sauce, etc... I purchased my Jamaican mementos here.
At 2:00 I went to the pool and my wife and her friend went shopping in Jamaica. I had heard bad things about Jamaica and was surprised when my wife and Janice said they had a great time. They found a craft bazaar with hundreds of vendors and got the best deals of the whole cruise. They felt the vendors in Cozumel were more pushy than Jamaica.
6:00 - Formal night number two--French Cuisine. We went early and had our pictures taken by the ship's photographer. They came out nice and we ended up purchasing them.
The 9:00 show with the ventriloquist and his 'parrot' was very good.

We continued the evening at the Champagne Bar in the Centrum listening to jazz music.
Made it to the Grand buffet at midnight. It was around 4X bigger than I expected.

Day 7 - Day at Sea
At 8:00 AM I was at the pool and reserved 5 chairs for our group by the main pool. By 9:00 AM all chairs were taken.
A lot going on as usual-- Bingo, horse racing, slot tournaments.
6:00 - International Night in the dining room, then we went back to the room and packed (bags must be set in the hallway by midnight).
The 9:00 end of the cruise show with the staff and the juggler/comedienne was hilarious. Don't miss this.

Day 8 - Disembarkation
I was surprised we did not see anyone being checked by customs as we disembarked.
Flew back to Pennsylvania.

Looking forward to our next cruise.

Pacific Northwest Cruise Reviewed by Ernest

Pre-cruise:
We live in Atlanta and spent four days in Los Angeles prior to the cruise. We stayed at the Bel Age in West Hollywood which was quite nice. Unfortunately filming was taking place on the roof top pool for a new movie entitled "Showtime". This necessitated restricting access to the area for all guests, which I was not too happy about. I've contacted Wyndham hotels regarding this inconvenience, and I'll be interested in their reply. From LA it was on to Seattle for one night at the W Hotel. I highly recommend this excellent and eclectic hotel, although it is pricey. Our room was on the 26th floor (highest level) and offered a beautiful view of the Puget Sound of Seattle. Service was excellent and the "unique" amenities deserved a chuckle. I enjoyed dinner at a private dinner club called The Ruins with a friend I met on the NORWAY in March.. My partner had dinner with his Aunt and Uncle who live in Bellevue.

Embarkation:
We arrived at the pier, which is located near Pikes Place Market in downtown Seattle at about 11:15am. There was no line to check in although those that already checked in were beginning to build up. Check-in was painless, with the usual credit card imprint and presentation of the cruise cards. It always helps to have your forms filled out and ready. Too bad the majority of passengers don't seem to feel the same way. An announcement was made that boarding would begin at 12 noon, and so it did. By this time the line to check-in was winding through several barrier straps and those who already checked in had increased ten fold. At 12 noon they began boarding although in no organized fashion. Everyone piled into a wide hallway that led to the A-pass security registration system and the metal detectors. It was basically a cattle call and my partner and I both felt as if we were waiting in line for a popular ride at Disneyland! Your picture is taken for security purposes and embedded with your cruise card. Then the metal detectors and the obligatory welcome aboard photo, and finally onboard the ship. You are welcomed by a single person then on your own to find your cabin. You enter directly into the Centrum Lobby which is quite impressive.

The Cabin:
Deck 10 aft, number 1586, Category C (mini-suite). I had the same type cabin onboard VOYAGER, and for some reason it seemed larger on VOYAGER although the square footage listed states otherwise. RCI lists the cabin as 293 sq. ft. with a 41 sq. ft. balcony. The layout is exactly the same as on VOYAGER, with a walk in closet as you enter on one side, and the bathroom complete with tub on the other. The decor is darker and richer than other RCI ships, more suited to Celebrity than the usual RCI pastel decor. Amenities include a terrific safe, hair dryer, mini-bar (only partially full), and remote control TV. RCTV as they call it is excellent. The TV is completely interactive and you may order room service, purchase movies, make dinner reservations, purchase shore excursions and listen to music all through a touch of your remote control. RCI also provides nice bath amenities which were replenished daily. Flowers and a snack pack were waiting for us which was a nice touch from our agent. Our cabin stewardess introduced herself early on, and provided excellent service throughout the cruise. The balcony was fairly large, and contained two chairs and a table of a high quality (not resin plastic). Privacy was quite good and the only time you could see other people was if you were leaning over the rail. Avoid cabins on Deck Seven midship if possible. These cabins (like most balcony cabins) are recessed from the outer hull of the ship, but since they are the first deck of balcony cabins they are above an awning which hangs above the lifeboats. This overhang restricts your view looking down to the water, and you may only look straight out. As you progress to higher decks, this problem is alleviated. Sound proofing was excellent, and we never heard our neighbors or noise from the hall. A doorbell was a nice touch!

The Ship:
Much has already been written about RADIANCE, so I will not get into too much detail. Suffice it to say, RADIANCE is a stunning ship. Areas that stand out are the African themed Solarium, the Centrum Lobby, Aurora Theater, and the Colony Club. These areas really left a lasting impression as some of the most beautiful areas afloat. Unfortunately there are some serious design flaws that hopefully will be addressed on future RADIANCE class ships. The most obvious is a lack of a third (aft) staircase and elevator bank. The entire ship only has 9 elevators for 2100 or greater passengers. For this reason, stairs and elevators were ALWAYS crowded and necessitated longs waits. For myself and partner, it's really not a big deal as taking the stairs is not a problem. For those who are elderly or incapacitated in some manner, the lack of elevators is a real problem. It's interesting to note that on MILLENNIUM, which is built on the same hull platform as RADIANCE, has basically the same layout, but carries less passengers, there are 12 elevators and three stair towers. Similarly sized vessels such as CARNIVAL SPIRIT have as many as 15 elevators and again three stair towers. It amazes me that RCI would build a new vessel with such a serious lack of passenger mobility. Although VOYAGER OF THE SEAS only had two stair towers, there were actually four as they were separated on each side of the ship, and 18 elevators in all. While RADIANCE many times felt crowded, VOYAGER never did. The other design flow problem is just aft of the Aurora Theater. On the lower level of the theater, everyone must squeeze through a small hallway which enters the art gallery and photo shop. There is another hall which enters Books, Books, and Coffee, but this shop closes at 8pm and the doors are locked. Therefore, everyone on the lower level of the theater has only one exit unless you decide to walk outside, which is not always possible due to the weather. Another area which seemed crowded was the Windjammer Cafe. The cafe itself is beautiful and very well laid out, so I think the problem stems from colder weather and the inability to use the outdoor seating areas. Once the ship is in the Caribbean, I'm sure this problem will be alleviated.
I loved the Solarium and Shipshape Spa area, and made good use of them every day. Women's and men's steam room and saunas are free of charge, and beautifully laid out and decorated as is the entire spa area. There is also a Thermal Suite which is quite beautiful with saunas facing the ocean with huge windows. There is a charge to use this area, and I believe a flat rate provides admission for the entire cruise. The spa area is run by Steiner's, as is the case on many ships. On RADIANCE, they are adopting a new philosophy where as you enjoy the entire "spa experience" rather then be rushed in and out.

Food and Service:
I have nothing but great things to say about both the food and service. The menus have greatly improved since my cruise on VOYAGER. We had second seating on the upper level of the Cascades Dining Room. Our table was directly next to floor to ceiling windows which provided incredible views. Service was timely and professional and all food arrived at the correct temperature. These are the basics which RADIANCE more than surpassed. We also enjoyed room service which always arrived quickly and was well presented. Food in the Windjammer was pretty typical, but was also well presented. One evening we enjoyed dinner in Chops Grill. At $20 bucks per person (+ tip), I expected this to be excellent, and it was. I only paid $5 per person at Portofino's on VOYAGER last year, so RCI has certainly increased this charge. I do recommend it, even at the $20 charge, as it truly was a special evening.

Entertainment:
The shows onboard RADIANCE are two of the best I've seen on a ship. "Welcome To Our World" is the first show, and is more in line with what you might see in Vegas. The second show, "Rockin' In Paradise" was truly excellent, and included some stunts and pyro-technics I have never seen onboard a ship. The theater itself is beautiful and well laid out. I don't think there a bad seat in the house. The dancers and singers were a very talented group, and the leads truly had the strong vocals needed to support these production shows. We also enjoyed the juggler, Jason Garfield who was not only talented, but quite funny as well. Parker Cristan was the Cruise Director, and our cruise was his first onboard RADIANCE. I think he did a great job considering this was his first time on the ship. He was very chatty and could always be seen walking around the ship. The rest of the cruise staff were also very visible and a pleasure to speak with. The Captain, Kent Ringborn is probably the most personable I've ever met. He even sang during his welcome aboard party and I must say his voice is excellent.

Staff and Crew:
Everyone we encountered was eager, polite and offered a smile. The crew and staff were truly wonderful and seemed sincere to ensure a great cruising experience. Hello's were offered when ever passing a crew member in the hallway, bartenders and wait staff were always available, and our cabin stewardess, dining room waitress and busboy were a pleasure to be served by. The Maitre d' was also extremely helpful, switching us to an excellent table for two directly by the window with no hassle what so ever. The staff and crew seem to be treated rather well on RADIANCE. Each crew cabin is two to a room with private bathroom, refrigerator, VCR and TV. In addition, every crew cabin has an IBM monitor which is linked to the Internet and ship's Intranet. I think this is a first for any cruise ship.

Fellow passengers:
Mostly from the Pacific Northwest, there was a good mix of all ages. No one group really stood out. There were very few children onboard, or at least they were not noticeable. The crowd did tend to stay up late, which surprised me as the disco was crowded on several occasions (with staff as well).

Ports and weather:
Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle. The ports were beautiful and it was wonderful returning to Vancouver. Several years ago I used to spend quite a bit of time in Vancouver, and this beautiful city remains one of my favorite in the world. I spent the day having lunch with an old friend and partaking in lot's of shopping. It was nice to take advantage of the favorable exchange rate, and Vancouver offers excellent shopping especially on Robson Street (a short walk from Canada Place pier). We did not do much in Victoria and the final day was at sea. The sea day was spent cruising at very slow speeds (10 knots or less) around Vancouver Island and up a little way into the inside passage. In fact, we rarely sailed over 10-14 knots which was a little disappointing. I like to "feel" like I'm going somewhere. The weather was mostly overcast and in the 50-60 degree range, fairly typical for this area of the world. There was some drizzle but no downpours which was a plus. RADIANCE sailed with absolutely no vibration what so ever. When I say none, I mean none! The only movement was the occasional turn to port or starboard. In addition, there is no visible emission from the smokestack due to the highly efficient and quiet Gas Turbines. RADIANCE is probably the most environmentally friendly ship afloat, which is perfect for the ecologically delicate Alaska region. I must admit, I really missed the roar of the engines, the slight vibration, and slow rocking that helps me appreciate I am in fact, on a ship!

Disembarkation:
Quick and easy, by colored coded tags. We stayed in our suite until our color was called. This is also a great time to explore other cabins as many of the doors were open. We were off the ship by 9am and at the airport by 9:45am. We took a towncar which was a $35 flat fee to the airport. A very comfortable way to end the cruise.

Conclusion:
All in all a great cruise. At the end of the day I prefer VOYAGER to RADIANCE, basically due to the flow and design flaws of RADIANCE and the feeling of crowds at certain times. As I stated earlier, this problem may resolve itself when the ship is in warmer weather such as the Caribbean. RADIANCE is an incredible vessel with a wonderful staff, and I'm certain she will be a success wherever she sails. I would like to try her out on a longer cruise, and in warmer weather to really take advantage of all the great things this ship has to offer. To all her future passengers, you are in for a real treat!

Hawaii Cruise Reviewed by Judi

I have cruised regularly since the early 80's, on various different lines and believe that this was cruise # 27. HAL is my favorite cruise line and the NORWAY is my favorite ship. I am 44, married and my cabin mate is 48 and married. Our husbands because of business and other hobbies don't cruise that much, so Deb and I cruise together, usually 3-4 times per year. It works out very well!

I left Memphis on Tuesday January 9th, flying directly into San Diego. We stayed at the Embassy Suites downtown and had a rental car. For what it is worth, the Embassy Suites is a nice hotel but for the price I expected a whole lot more. The hot made to order breakfast was very nice, but the afternoon manager's reception consisted of chips and drinks, nothing more. They did shuttle us to return the rental car and shuttled us to the pier.

On Wednesday we drove down to Tijuana and spent the morning combing the different shops and pharmacies. Please note that if you are going there to purchase medications, there are some good buys, but you really have to know what you are purchasing. There were many items that were cheaper to purchase using my co-pay through the insurance company. If you need narcotics or injectibles you will need a prescription. In the afternoon it started to rain so we headed over to the Barona Casino. What a nice place and very well run. We had lunch there and spent the afternoon. I walked out with about $500.00! They do run a shuttle and will pick you up at your hotel and drop you back off. It was much nicer than the casino's down in Tunica, MS along with some of the ones in Las Vegas.

On Thursday it was still raining so we drove over to the Seyquan Casino. Although not as nice as the Barona, it was still very good to us. Because of the rain, we just went back to the hotel and ate in.

Friday morning is now here, the big day and it is still raining. Two whole weeks aboard the beautiful MS Statendam. I am so excited as I have never been to Hawaii before. Deb lived in Oahu for 7 years, so I had a built in tour guide. Each day in Hawaii had been carefully mapped out to get the most out of our 5 days. Finally the time comes to head over to the pier. The shuttle dropped us off at 11:00 and there was a porter there to take our baggage away. There were some folks already inside waiting for the check in to start. There is a sign that states check in at 12:30, embarkation at 1:30. If you arrive earlier you will need to find the person that hands out the embarkation numbers. Otherwise you will receive one at the door. We were fortunate and received number 2. Embarkation started at 1:15 with the wheelchairs first and then the suite passengers. We were called within 5 minutes of that and were on board at 1:25. They did not escort us to the cabin as had been done in the past, but that was O.K. as we knew exactly where we were going. We dropped off our carry-ons and headed off to the front desk to set up our sign-n-sail card. Then off to the Lido for lunch. Wow, we are finally here! The embarkation lunch started out what was to be the best meals I have had on any cruise. The food was consistently well done. I can not remember any item that I did not care for. After lunch we set off to explore the ship. I pretty well knew the layout since I had previously been on the Veendam. It was still raining so we busied ourselves exploring and then back to the cabin to unpack. Our luggage was waiting there for us when we returned at 3:00. The lifeboat drill was held at 4:15 and remember with HAL it is MANDATORY to be there. Once that was over an announcement was made that we will depart at 6:30pm since some passengers flights were delayed. Sail away came but it was still raining so we did not go out on deck. We went into the casino for awhile and then went off to dinner. We were in second seating in the smoking section and had the pleasure of sitting with Ermalee and Bill McCauley and Eileen and Howard Garland. All I can say is "FANTASTIC". Never had I ever been made to feel so comfortable with folks I had never met before. Each meal was a pleasure!!

The next four days were spent at sea. Unfortunately for us it was cold, rainy and windy therefore no sunning. We made do attending the different lectures, the daily movies, playing in the casino, the various game shows, playing trivia and doing the daily quiz. Debbie won a prize for the daily quiz on Hawaii. We would have much preferred the sun, oh well!. The seas were pretty rough the first three days and nights, and more than half of the dining room was absent. What I still can't figure out is why people do not take the necessary precautions. To be sick and stuck in your room is no way for me to start out a vacation.. There were two informal nights and 1 formal night along with the first night casual. We also had our usual visit to the hair salon. Debbie got me hooked on having my haircut on board. I live in a very rural part of West TN and the best haircuts I have had in the last two years have been on ship by the Steiner girls. We usually ask one of the crew who does their hair and then make our appointments accordingly. I don't mind paying a little more money, since they always do a far better job than my local beauty shop.

As we were waiting to dock in Hilo, we were outside on the lower promenade deck walking and waiting and watching the scenery when a man approached us and told us that whales had been spotted toward the rear of the ship, we ran back there and then after scanning the horizon for about 10 minutes we finally spotted them jumping and splashing in the sea. There were out there the whole time we were docking. Waiting for us at the pier was a group of women dressed in the traditional hula skirts and men in aloha shirts, bidding us welcome with song and dance. We had our only shore excursion arranged for Hilo. It was the Volcano National Park and Hilo city tour and was well worth the price. We started off at a beautiful waterfall ( I can't remember the name) and then headed up to Volcano National Park and stopped for lunch at the Volcano house. What breathtaking views of the Kilauea caldera and the horrible smell of sulfur. We then drove all over the Chain of Crater's road area, looking at the crater from different views and the old lava flow patterns and then headed over to the Thomas A. Jaggar museum. Please don't try and take a piece of lava or rock that you will see on the ground. The legend of Pele (Goddess of Fire) considers them her children and bad luck will come upon you if you take one of her children. The post office there receives the largest amount of packages in the whole United States and these contain rock or lava which people have returned hoping that their string of bad luck will change. After driving through the park, we stopped at the lava tube and had the opportunity to walk through it. It is very cool and damp in there. We then drove over to Kalapana, this is the town that was lost to the lava flow in the 80's. 187 homes were lost and 800 acres added to the Big Island. You can walk all the way out to the ocean on the lava. It has a strange texture to it almost like peanut brittle. We then drove on and stopped at the Macadamia Nut Factory where you can purchase all kinds of nuts in various different flavors and chocolate covered combinations. There is also a self guided tour which go through all the various steps to produce the nuts. We then headed back to the ship for dinner. It was our first Hawaiian night. Wear your best and brightest!!

The casino is closed the 5 days you are in Hawaii. Each evening they have some kind of fun things to do. A slot tournament, you be the dealer clinic, poker tournament, etc. There is no money exchanged for these, just fun!

Our next port is Oahu. Upon arrival we were greeted by a fire ship and a helicopter that dropped flowers. Honolulu is just like any other big city. Lots of all buildings and very very crowded. We made our way by taxi to pick up our rental car at the airport. Then we were off to explore Pearl Harbor, the north shore and then the Polynesian Cultural Center. We drove all over the island stopping to marvel at the 25 foot waves on the north shore and then headed down to the Poly center This was the highlight of the day. Everything and anything you wanted to know about the Polynesian's you can learn about here. It is run by the Mormons and is affiliated with Brigham Young University. The students are your tour guides and run the different exhibits. Each of the students that work there work for 18 hours a week and in exchange they receive an almost complete scholarship to attend BYU. We opted for the Ambassador package which gave us a private tour guide, front row seats at each exhibit, our luau and 2nd row seats at the night show which was awesome!!! We made our way back to the airport and dropped off the car and then back to the ship where we showered and fell into bed.

The next day is Maui. You have to tender into Lahaina. The playground of the rich and famous. Our day was spent on the road to Hana, driving through the rain forest. What a most awesome experience. Deb knew of a place where you purchase a cassette or c.d. which gives you a guided tour of the road to Hana. It tells you all the points of interest, the places where you should stop and take pictures or hikes back in the woods to see a remote waterfall, or where to stop to see one of the last black sand beaches. It took us 3 hours to get up to Hana and for those that have been on that road before, it is now paved and is mostly 2 lane. There are still 600 curves and 54 bridges to go over. Awesome beauty!

Our next port is Kauai. This was an easy day as we just shopped in town and then went over to the Islander Hotel and spent the rest of the day at the beach.

Our last day is on Kona. We tender in to the beach where they do the Iron Man contest swims. We walked around town and did some last minute shopping and then on to or whale watch excursion. We booked this independently through Dan McSweeny's whale watch. He is one of the whale researchers who has been instrumental in identifying over 5000 humpback whales in both the Hawaiian Islands and also Alaska. He really knows where they are. We were able to get up close and almost personal with about 30 or so of these massive creatures. I have attached some pictures that Deb was able to get with her video/still camera. We also were able to see some pilot whales, and bottlenose and spinner dolphins. To see them out free in the ocean without a tank is simply breathtaking. We also were able to hear the males "singing" through a microphone that was placed in the water. Truly awesome. After we had dinner back on the ship, at around 10:00pm we sailed by the active lava flow. This was a totally awesome experience. You could actually feel the heat and smell the sulfur. Fortunately the weather was clear so we really got a good look at it.

Our next 5 days are spent heading back home. The first two days we had great weather, but then the skies got cloudy again and the winds and the waves picked up. We spent the days again playing Bingo, cards games, enjoying the shows and just relaxing. We also were able to see the bridge this time. A special request was made at the front desk and we were placed with a group of 20 others.

In conclusion, we had a most enjoyable 15 days. Our Statendam experience was wonderful. The food and service were excellent. This is a very happy ship. All staff, crew and officers that we encountered were very friendly and seemed genuinely happy . We did run into some minor problems that were addressed to the hotel manager. These problems were acknowledged by the hotel manager and a very nice French wine was sent to our table one evening for dinner.

Volendam Caribbean Reviewed by Steve

This is a review of Holland America Line?s 10 day Southern Caribbean Seafarer on the MS Volendam. The itinerary and detailed physical descriptions of the ship are available at Holland America?s web site. The following is a summary of our experience(s). We are two sixty plus senior citizens who are not yet ready for The Home.
As is HAL?s custom, boarding did not begin until about 1:30PM. Those who complain about late embarkation may comfort themselves with the thought that HAL actually cares about between cruise cleanups. Once begun, boarding moved at a snail?s pace. For example, our wait for number eighteen exceeded an hour. Crew and staff attitudes and rapport with the passengers was unconditionally excellent, especially the front desk people. The infirmary is well staffed and considerate. Our cabin steward was typically capable and willing. Regrettably, the dining room was sorely understaffed for the evening meal. Our waiter was strained by the lack of an assistant (bus boy). He worked his tail off, but courses were slow coming and drinks seldom replenished. Early seating, 6:00 PM, seldom got out before 7:30. None of this was our waiter?s fault. We were a table for six, none of whom imbibed. Consequently, the wine steward only approached us on the first night, a pleasant change from prior experiences. The Maitre d? never visited our table. I guess he had heard enough complaints about the staffing. The food was typical HAL. Preparation and presentation were acceptable, but undistinguished. I prefer Celebrity?s menus and preparation. Breakfast and lunch service in the main dining roo! m was very prompt, and the servers pleasant. We dined in the alternative Marco Polo twice. Reservations were easy to come by. Technically, Marco Polo reservations are only available between 9 and 11AM. However, I stopped by the first evening and the headwaiter accepted my application. I made our reservation for a second night at a later date, with no difficulty. The menu is on HAL?s web site. It is Italian and well prepared, but the Marco Polo is also understaffed. On a busy night, our waiter was too rushed, once delivering the wrong entrée. However, he made a quick recovery and brought the correct order, accompanied by a profound apology. There were three formal and two informal nights. Formal dress was typically HAL, mostly tuxes and dark business suits for the men and elegant formal for the ladies. For those unaware of HAL customs, formal wear is retained throughout the evening. The Shore Excursion office folks are eager and pleasant, but their lack of experience with this itinerary caused a number of tour problems at many islands. Itinerary changes were common. Change notices were placed under the cabin door the evening before departure, far too late to make alternative choices. At Nassau, key excursions were actually cancelled at pier side. The blame was placed on the tour operator not having us scheduled, but a more experienced ship?s staff would have the tours confirmed in advance. Although this was a Caribbean cruise, HAL maturity still prevails. If you?re looking for a more representative Caribbean experience with a gay, festive, party atmosphere, this ain?t your boat. Despite some disruptions and disappointments, we had a pleasant experience. I think I can best summarize my feelings about the trip with the following:

Reflections on a 10-day Southern Caribbean Cruise:

1)A ten-day Caribbean cruise is 3 to 5 days too long.
2)Two consecutive sea days is two days too many. I don?t limit this to S. Caribbean trips. However, I must concede that a sea day is often logistically necessary, and is preferable to a day of air travel. Unfortunately, the travel mode required just to get to the ship often negates the air travel day analogy.
3)Six S. Caribbean islands are five too many. Although each island has its own unique qualities and characteristics, they are all too similar when visited for only one day.
4)The Caribbean experience is antithetical to the regimented and confining environment of a cruise ship.

Conclusions:
Instead of a cruise, spend four or five days at a select all-inclusive resort. Sandals, St. Lucia, would be a great choice. There?d be enough time to truly enjoy the island, become familiar with the surroundings, and experience a pampered, relaxed, laid back, Caribbean setting.
This may be slightly more expensive than the cruise, but it sure takes care of 3 and 4 above. Or, if one must visit the S. Caribbean by ship, take a seven-day cruise out of San Juan, if the airfare isn?t a deal breaker. This option takes care of 1 and 2 above, but still leaves 3 and 4 as dominant factors!

Admittedly, I couldn?t have realized these revelations if I hadn?t taken the cruise. Experience is the best teacher, but it sure is a costly tutor!
Note: if you deem the cruise ship a sought-after destination, then none of the immediately preceding comments apply. I use cruise ships as an alternative to hotels. A ship is sometimes more convenient, but it is certainly more confining, disciplined and cramped than any 3 or 4 star hotel.