Age: --- 64

How many cruises taken previously: --- 6

Traveller Type: --- Couple

Name of cruise line and ship: --- Holland America Line, Statendam

Cabin category and comments: --- Oceanview -- large stateroom with many amenities and good-sized bathroom.

Embarkation/Disembarkation Experience: --- Embarkation was a bit scattered, but disembarkation was the smoothest we’ve ever had.

Food and Service: --- Superior (but not excellent) food. Variety was very good. Pinnacle Grill restaurant was not any better than dining room, so it shouldn’t charge extra for service.

Entertainment: --- Excellent song and dance troupe who performed four shows. Other entertainment was spotty – some good, some not so good. Enjoyed the Irish piantist/comedian.

Shore Excursions: --- Way overpriced. We did many of the excursions on our own for less than half the price.

Onboard Activities: --- Good variety – afternoon teas, trivia, bingo, casino, bridge, daily walks, and one of the absolutely best-equipped fitness centers I’ve seen on board any ship.

Children’s Program: --- N/A

Overall impression of the Ship: --- Although it shows a bit of age, the Stattendam nevertheless was kept exceptionally clean by a hard-working crew.

Any comments that you may have that would benefit future cruisers who are contemplating sailing on this ship? --- Beware the swimming pools! They are kept way too cold – even though the sun was shinning, the water never heated up enough to feel comfortable enough to swim. Usually we stayed in the pools for a lap or two, then went right to the hot tubs! Statendam crew did a fabulous job of ensuring that our cruise did not experience the norovirus, although it had affected the passengers on the cruise just before ours. The entire ship was thoroughly cleansed, and for the first four days of our trip, the crew handed us coffee cups, salt and pepper packets, plus gave us Purell about 20 times a day. We used it every time we walked downstairs, took an elevator or opened a door. As a result, no one on our ship got the virus, and eventually we were able to pour our own coffee, use the salt and pepper shakers, etc. That was an excellent preventative plan.

Posted: 03/02/2007

Age: --- 50

How many cruises taken previously: --- 2

Traveller Type: --- with Partner

Name of cruise line and ship: --- Holland America, Statendam

Cabin category and comments: --- Outside stateroom

Embarkation/Disembarkation Experience: --- Very positive

Food and Service: --- Food acceptable, service excellent

Entertainment: --- Acceptable

Shore Excursions: --- Excellent

Onboard Activities: --- Acceptable

Children’s Program: --- N/A

Overall impression of the Ship: --- Older ship, definitely showing its age.

Any comments that you may have that would benefit future cruisers who are contemplating sailing on this ship? --- If possible s