HOLLAND AMERICA KONINGSDAM | LIKES and DISLIKES |Our FIRST HAL Cruise

We break down some of our our Likes and Dislike from our first Holland America Cruise!!! A few of these might be very surprising!!!
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[@susananderson618]

Variety is the spice of life and everyone has his/her own opinions.....it surely sounds like you enjoy more party atmosphere cruises....been there done that no longer interested in that venue.....we moved over from Carnival to HAL several years ago and we love HAL! We specifically enjoy that they serve the food to you in the buffet lines, saves on waste, we hardly ever eat in the main dining room. We love BB Kings and we have had very different experiences with bartenders for sure. Glad you shared your opinions with us but your dislikes have not discouraged me from sticking with HAL!

[@franksinapi2121]

Holland America is about the destination. They give historical and geographical talks about the ports to help you learn and decide what to expect at the ports of call.

[@MNP208]

This is exactly what we are looking for in an Alaskan cruise

[@rtkadventures]

We have been on HAL 2 times and is our favorite line. We like the laidback feel of the ship. We love being able to get coffee and enjoy the views in the crows nest. Hope you still enjoyed your trip.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Definitely enjoyed it!!! Thanks for watching!!!

[@chrisvetch5221]

You guys nailed it. The toilet placement, the weird restaurant hours and the lack of mellow Music Walk sounds. And the best shower at sea! It was also my first HAL cruise and I was quite mixed in feelings.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching Chris!!!

[@thisiskrista]

Thanks for being kind about what you said about the Music Walk. I was your female Billboard Onboard pianist. MY favorite tunes all on piano don’t cut it for me either! I get it haha I couldn’t agree more with the layout of the Rolling Stone Rock Room. Who designed this set up?! For real! And that lounge, as well as our lounge, does not allow the capacity of guests that hang out. It is weird. I’ll just say this… I don’t feel like you sat a while at BB Kings or the piano bar (me). I think if you had, you’d have gotten passed the horn intros they use before bringing the singers on. After that point, it’s all variety. And if you love rock n roll, I know I could have pulled you into my rock world with my committed spirit to the gods of rock 😉 what I love about my job… is that I get to disappear and embody the greatest legends in music each night. And people talk about the memories that come back to them, or the losses. We take them through life all over again with every lyric and story of each song. Sometimes the story of the song gets lost with loud instruments or a “big show.” Some people just want to hear the words, re-live those memories, or (from what I hear), fully understand the song for the very first time in their lives. I’m here to touch the heart and the soul while guests are cruising. The spa soothes the body, my playing music soothes the spirit. And we’re doing comedy and dropping a ton of facts about each song. I think you would have found it pretty interesting 😊 The coffeeshop at Crow’s Nest has more options than the Dutch Cafe’. All the good stuff. Overall… I cannot disagree. Thanks for saying we’re talented! Cheers! I really appreciated your opinions and how tasteful you are with them! I’m curious which HAL ship you’d love best. MY favorite entertainment is the Lincoln Center Stage. HAL seems to be doing away with a lot of that too. That saddens me. I love class on a cruise ship. I’d choose HAL over so many other cruise lines though. Hands down the best company to work for as an artist. Least favorite: indoor smoking. And yes those damn toilets! Cheers!!! ❤️

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thank you Krista, for watching the video, and for taking the time to reply. As this was our first HAL cruise, we tried to absorb as much as possible in the short time of just 7 days, and I'm sure we missed a few of the nuances of the Koningsdam. We hope to get back on a HAL ship in the future, as we know each ship has it's own personality. Cheers, and thank you for taking your talent to the High Seas!!!

[@kens805]

Krista, I love Holland America but it's a long way from Texas to Florida and/or California! Please tell them to start cruising out of Galveston,Tx!! It will be worth the money to them because Carnival seems to charge more from cruising out of Galveston than anywhere else!! PS: "piano bar" is my favorite entertainment on the whole ship!! It's the main reason I cruise!! Keep up the good work!!!!

[@thisiskrista]

@@kens805 That would be great, wouldn't it!?! I love HAL

[@cathrynschultz1897]

I just went on that cruise too . Very surprised to hear what you said about the b.b.king and Richie Vee . He is amazing and world renowned. The heart of the band. The place was packed every night and they are very interactive with the crowd very entertaining.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching Cathryn!!! You are correct with everything in your comments...it just wasn't Jamie's jam.

[@dannasilva9079]

I appreciate this review. You have convinced me why I will not cruise on carnival but HAL sounds more our speed. I would prefer a more laid back experience. Nothing wrong with enjoying a more lively cruise tho if that is your jam 😊

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Glad it was helpful!!! Thanks for watching!!!

[@reestyfarts]

HAL has very strong cooks but you have to be open to their delicious dishes from their homelands. Breakfast has a variety interesting options. They can definitely take care of vegetarians. Their wine list is above average. Their fresh pasta station is ingenious. The specialty restaurants are open for lunch on sea days so you can have a coursed lunch with wine and go featherlight at dinner.

[@user-sw5if2fm5u]

Been on the Koningsdam, loved it. I'm not a huge crowd, party all night person so this cruise line works for me. Sounds like it didn't work for you. That's okay. Each to their own.

[@TeachHiddenInTheLeaves]

I could've told you since you seem like Carnival cruisers that Holland America would not be your taste for cruising. It's more for relaxing. You're not going to find partying elements on that ship.

[@ksessa1010]

Thanks that is what I love about you 2, the comments are never snarky or nasty. We were never on Holland American cruise so this was so helpful thank you for sharing.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching ksessa!!!

[@michellestevens2454]

The beds on HAL are very comfortable, even in the cheap cabins. I always sleep well on HAL.

[@markcoleman8568]

There is a whiskey bar very high end by the piano bar - and the pool bars the bartenders outside very friendly, we’ve been that ship three times in two years. Koningsdam is one of the friendliest crew I’ve ever met and we have been on over 30 cruises!

[@davidwelty9763]

Holland America is not a deck party kind of cruise. Also no belly flop contests.

[@sarahthompson5518]

I may be showing my age, but it sounds better and better.

[@gtjgtj8334]

Hey guys! Thanks so much for the review of Holland America and the musical entertainment. I've always wanted to take a HAL cruise to Alaska as we have only cruised Carnival. Just wanted to make sure I thank you guys for everything you do for us!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks gtjgtj!!!!

[@dianeparodi7051]

Enjoyed your review. I would compare Holland America to Cunard. However, Cunard has figured out include fun with their cruise. I think the Holland fans are a little more private and conservative. Believe it or not the Cunard crew and patrons are a little less uptight and the food definitely better. Holland America's crew and passengers are a little grumpy and reserved. It's good to figure your cruising style.

[@MD-px4tg]

We’ve only cruised HAL past few years. Been on 5 of the Dams. We enjoy sitting out back all day enjoying the views and meeting people. Going inside at night to listen to the great music at BB Kings and playing in the casino. We make plans to attend a few of the daily events, but usually end up skipping because we are having fun outside rain or shine. We always find the deck party 🙂 Lack of daily events doesn’t bug us at all. With nice long port days, and great excursion options, you only have a couple sea days on a 7 day. The Service on HAL is the best. If you sit in the same area for the week, you are really taken care of by the same really friendly people. The toilets ARE weird but my husband just sits kinda sideways a little, and the huge shower makes up for it. We always book Club Orange on the ships that have the private dining venue. It also allows us to upgrade our free room offers to the room of our choosing.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching MD-px4tg!!! It was definitely a relaxing cruise, for sure. Might have to try the Orange Club next time.

[@mimikarenbryant7325]

Appreciate your candid sharing of your likes and dislikes. We are all not the same so cruising isn't a one size fits all. I've loved my HAL cruises and will continue to sail on HAL. Our MDR experiences have been excellent for both service and the food! We mainly cruise for destination. We are also trying different cruise lines because we enjoy variety.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Since that cruise, we have tried Hal Volendam and really enjoyed it, and for the record, we really enjoyed Koningsdam too.

[@andrealin2211]

Thanks so much for your detailed review! Hearing the good and bad, in detail, is really helpful for someone new to cruising who has no plans to repeat a destination; for me, I want to get it right the first time. You certainly weren't too negative; your dislikes likely mirror some of what ours would be but HAL is likely still a better fit for our group than some others so thanks for helping set expectations!

[@suziequeue2]

I think especially on Alaska cruise that is port intensive there are less daily activities. I enjoyed all the naturalist talks and viewing Alaska. I also loved the spa area. I guess I entertain myself😂 My experience was 2019 (precovid) and I found the service to be incredibly friendly. We enjoyed the classic music venue too (forget name). Really enjoyed BB kings. I’m a Disney fan but would choose HAL again.

[@charlesrichard8601]

We love breakfast every morning in the MDR It's a treat to start the day and the trivia shows/comedians really lack. You may have missed the sail away parties at the pools when leaving ports. We'll be back on Koningsdam Dec.21st Holiday Hawaiian/New Years Cruise and have our 3rd Cruise on her, happy to update thing's about the ship when we get back in 2024🎉🎉🎉 Happy Cruising ⛴️ 🙏 ❤️

[@kevincounts5662]

Thanks for another quality video. My dad would say that's why they make Fords and Chevys. Some people like Fords and some people like Chevys. We are actually not fun people, so we like HAL. We prefer cruise lines that are more relax and chill; however, I can see how people that like Fun Ships could get bored on a Dam Ship. It doesn't take a lot to entertain us: we're actually pretty good at entertaining ourselves. While I do like the music walk, I prefer to sample it on my way into and out of the casino. I don't spend large amounts of time at the music walk, and I don't hangout at the piano bar. I also like the fact that there are no big parties or blaring music on on the pool deck. BTW - HAL has always served people in the buffet. I doubt that they will change that anytime soon. #freethecondimennts

[@peggy2429]

Will be going on the Eurodam in less than 2 weeks. HAL is our preferred cruiseline. Laughing at the toilet situation lol. Luckily we haven’t had that problem. I prefer that the staff serves you, cuts down on spreading viruses. We like this cruiseline because we just like to relax. Appreciate your review. Just came across your channel love it!

[@beachbasket8695]

Go ahead and go to the cruise lines that have open buffets. Since Holland America went to cafeteria style they have cut Nora Virus by over 90%. And they did this way before Covid. That’s one of the many reasons that we enjoy this cruise brands. On the Nieuw Statendam this past June & July there was a DJ that played in the BB King Blues Club early evening and beginning at 11:45. They guy was actually very good and had worked sound for Tina Turner.

[@davidtavakoli5858]

Sailing on Koningsdam in January for a 17 day Hawaii cruise. First time on HAL. Very informative video. I agree with you, a lot of what was mentioned was a matter of preference. One thing that struck me was the dining venues' hours of operation. That's great information to have. As long as we're aware of it, we can work with it. Thanks you guys! Gotta love ya! 🥰

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks David!!!

[@mammothscott1455]

Are you sailing on the 1-30-24 trip? See you there

[@normantkachenko9994]

Thank you for your likes and dislikes on your Holland America Cruise. I have to agree with you on a number of the dislikes you mentioned. I did a back to back cruise on Holland and i think they can do better. The quality of food was interesting because one week the food quality needed improvement and on the second week the food quality was a lot better. It also seamed odd that they would run out of food in the Buffet and the taco bar. Glad to hear that Guest services on your trip was good. Guest services on my trip had a lot to be desired, it seamed like most were new and just didn’t know the answers to my concerns and didn’t know where to go to get the answers. The entertainment was good but nothing great, i know Holland can and has done better. I feel most of the cruise lines are having post covid issues and it will take time to figure them out. Again thanks so much for your honest post.

[@Trebor0178]

Thank you for the review. No desire to leave Carnival, and now you assured me. Great job!

[@gregparkes633]

Thanks Jamie & Sharon for the honest review. I’ve never been on Holland before, but am certainly open to doing so at some point in the future.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks Greg!!!

[@IATR6694]

Nice in depth pros and cons vid thank you for sharing your experiences :)!!

[@simonl3333]

Totally agree on food comments. Did Niew Statendam a few months ago. Same observation. Lunch time repetitive menu, gets boring after a few days. Main dining room nothing to remember as an outstanding dish. In the evening after 9pm everything eating venue is closed. Cruising is about the wow factor, and Holland America should go back to plan how to put it in, and revive as it was just a few years ago.

[@sarahthompson5518]

It seems like HAL gets the boring activities critique a lot. Many other people say that it is oriented more towards the shore activities. What would be surprising is if everything was awesome. There is always things or events that just don't work for everyone. Thanks for your comments. I certainly don't know because I have never been on one of these ships.

[@marymcmann9546]

My first cruise on HAL was awful. It was on the Niew Amsterdam and I think they were just having problems with staffing. I had an opportunity to go on the Eurodam and it was fantastic. I loved everything on that cruise. It was a smaller ship going through the Panama Canal. The food was great and I didn’t mind being served at the buffet but I don’t remember having to ask for butter. I think the quality of services are affected by the leaders on each ship. If the staff is happy they will give you good service. I loved the music walk but the venues were small. The entertainment was outstanding. So you might want to give them another chance (when you get a little older!) because it may be a better experience on another ship. Personally, I’m not a Carnival fan, although I’ve been on the Mardi Gras and really liked it. We are all different and I’m glad there are cruises that are a fit for every personality.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

We definitely want to try another Holland Ship!!! Thanks for watching Mary!!!

[@larrystandley7995]

We did Eurodam Panama Canal cruise and it was fantastic. Agree with some of your dislikes but we had great service and some other likes.

[@homeisanisland..inthenwatl5526]

Thanks for posting! My first cruise will be that in May & liked how you present things, emphasizing that’s that just your feeling ‘, etc! Thanks!

[@mnratch]

Holland America is not a "deck party" ship

[@charlesrichard8601]

Ok one more about the MDR the hour are opening time and the closing times mean they will not let anymore guest in for service but you can stay and enjoy you meal with great service. 🙏

[@susanbrezina3669]

Thanks for the review! We’re taking our first hal cruise in November!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks Susan!!!

[@fredsmodel3n192]

Great Video guys, I’m not into the whole music thing now, Like you I did my first Holland in January on Zaandam, much older and small ship 16 day Panama canal, seems like the ship closed earlier at night with very limited food options but I did enjoy the much older Vibe, we had approximately 12 kids onboard which I hardly saw. I’m a lot older today so now I am cruising more on Celebrity, Princess and Holland and not so much the other ones due to the loud noise and especially the amount of kids running amok. Great video and keep it up guys.

[@thomassnider3304]

Good and honest review, thanks. We will be sailing on our third HAL cruise shortly and for us we don't need all of the big productions. I would definitely agreee with your thoughts on the BB Kings issue. I appreciate your vlogs, keep up the good work and happy travels.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks!!!

[@ericgranger5014]

Love hearing about different cruise lines!

[@sandydowney5742]

We cruised on Koningsdam in July. I agree with you with almost everything!! I did like the Dutch Cafe, but the lines were super long. You could get flavored coffees there at Dutch Cafe. We also enjoyed Rolling Stones music venu, but other than totally agree. Will probably go back to our favorite NCL 😂

[@michellestevens2454]

My favorite bar on HAL is the Crows Nest. At the top of the ship with panoramic views.

[@jeandalton7108]

I miss the stringed orchestra and violin music they used to have playing in the atrium. They have made some changes that are not as good as in the past. They used to have an ocean bar near the dining room where they had drinks and dancing before dinner. That was much nicer than the music walk.They used to have a movie theater with popcorn. They used to have cooking demonstrations with tasting. I really wish they would ask the cruisers before making major changes.

[@thisiskrista]

As an entertainer on Holland America, I couldn't agree more.

[@careym3901]

I'm with you on the Billboard & the design of the Rock Room!

[@Lovesapuzzle]

I agree on the condiments. Everyone likes to add their own condiments.

[@tinaparmer6545]

Holland America is not a party ship like Carnival. I think it leans towards an older crowd but I love some of their itineraries. The ones we have been on were destination oriented with the enrichment talks. We really love Celebrity. You should try them. Most of our cruising has been Holland and Carnival but we recently took the RC out of Galveston and started doing Celebrity.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks Tina!!! We hope to try Celebrity in the future!!!

[@j.r.7125]

Hey there Jamie and Sharon….I was on my 2nd cruise on the Koningsdam for the Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver….with a family of 6 in 3 vista balcony staterooms…Absolutely just loved it…but I appreciate what your views and opinions are from your perspectives…and I did agree with you two on several likes and dislikes….I did have some issues with embarkation and disembarkation…several ships were in port at one time….😅 Thank you…

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@nicza460]

Thanks for the video! It was very helpful. I was trying to decide between Holland or Princess for an Alaska cruise because they can both go to Glacier Bay. I feel better about my choice to try Princess this time. Maybe we will try Holland for another cruise one day but right now we prefer Carnival or Celebrity (Edge class).

[@maryevans1972]

thanks for always giving your honest opinion

[@ghazanfaryaq6776]

We had a wonderful week long cruise to Alaska in Koningsdam

[@davidwilliams4865]

Love HAL and especially Club Orange on the three Pinnacle Class ships!

[@jhollie8196]

Enjoy HAL. Sailing on Koiningsdam in April 2024 in aft Neptune Suite. We really enjoy this level of suite and what comes with it. We found food has gone downhill since our sailing in 2019. Sailed for 14 days through Panama Canal in Feb 2023 and the food plus entertainment were way below par. Thanks for sharing and safe travels.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching, jhollie!!!

[@sandracarlson7572]

Thanks for the info. We have been on nine HAL cruises and a few other cruises on other lines. We prefer HAL. This year will be our first cruise on the Koningsdam and it was good to get an idea of what to expect. I am disappointed to hear about the music venues. My husband and I enjoy ballroom dancing and on all previous HAL cruises there have been great music for dancing. Also enjoyed the classical string musicians in the past.

[@SC-ie5bm]

Totally agree with your dislikes about Holland America. I’d done 35 cruises on 8 different lines and then recently went on the new Rotterdam. The entertainment was abysmal. The evening “shows” were very, very weak. Daytime entertainment was paltry and poorly run. Buffet was difficult because of all the different “stations” so you had to get multiple plates from different places just to get a complete meal. HAL is super proud that they brought immigrants to America from Europe in the 1800s. I felt like they still think it is 1870 and haven’t heard that people in the 21st century like to be entertained on cruise ships. My impression is that people who love HAL are the same people whose idea of entertainment is to just sit in a bar and get drunk. It was my first and last cruise on Holland America.

[@monkeyb1820]

we've done two hal pinnacle cruises and I think that they have some late eats near the pool, at least when they have a pool-side movie. I'm not sure what time they put it out. It's similar types of things that Carnival puts out for late-night eats. But I see your point regarding limited food choices when you're feeling like a late afternoon snack. We did the hals b/c they had some great pricing, one was a summer cruise out of FLL.

[@kakk00]

I’ve never cruised on Holland America but I’m definitely on team self serve in the buffet. And not just for the condiments! I know peoples opinions are divided on this, but I personally want to control my own portion sizes for opposite reasons than most. I often want to just try a tiny spoonful of something to see if I like it and it’s near impossible to get the servers to understand how small a portion I want. So please let me serve myself. 🙏 That’s one of the great things about most buffets on land or at sea! You can do it your own way.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@georgeweis9040]

I been cruising with Holland America since 2016. At breakfast on the Lido I usually have to ask for syrup for the pancakes and they give to me in a little cup. With Billboard Onboard which I found out last year if they have a male & female piano players, they put them on the world stage with the dancers for a show called Billboard off the charts or billboard rewind. I agree with the you said about the toilet in the bathroom in the staterooms, which is same on all their ships & could use a better design. I like cruising with them because of the staff always seems to be very friendly.

[@timhuggins8174]

We’ve been on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess and Virgin Voyage. Now we’re gonna try Holland next April. We believe everyone goes on cruises for different reasons. We enjoy a little bit of everything! lol. So if something isn’t all that great then we’re always sure there will be something else that we love about the cruise. We’ve seen areas that need improvement on all the cruises we’ve been on. It’s just the way it is. We really enjoy Virgin for the party atmosphere and really friendly people and we love Royal very much as well. One of us is happy as long as there’s cold beer, string bikinis and some relaxation. lol

[@Leeann-gs5qz]

You won't find any string bikinis on HAL. I'm 60, and I was one of the younger cruisers on my trip with HAL.

[@teresah5318]

We are mostly Princess cruisers. We have tried Carnival and NCL. Wanted to try HAL and Celebrity in the future. I did not find your review of your experiences on HAL outrageous at all and I still want to try it. Thanks for sharing!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching Teresa!!!

[@kathyslocombe1182]

I'm surprised by some of your comments, BUT, one has to appreciate that everyone's experience is different. We were committed Celebrity cruisers and decided that we needed a change and chose HAL for our next cruise in February....mainly because of the food and longer itinerary. In our opinion, Celebrity's food has tanked compared to what it was so we hope that HAL is better but I'm now worried based on your comments. We, personally, like that we're served in the buffet because we've seen passengers touch food and put it back and those passengers who put sooo much on their plate and then leave it to be put in the garbage. I appreciate your comments about the condiments, to which I agree. Thank you for your honest comments!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching, Kathy!!!

[@sandydowney5742]

We cruised on Koningsdam in July. I agree with you with almost everything!! I did like the Dutch Cafe, but the lines were super long. You could get flavored coffees there at Dutch Cafe. We also enjoyed Rolling Stones music venu, but other than totally agree. The food was ok nothing outstanding and they ran out of a lot of things! Will probably go back to our favorite NCL 😂

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching, Sandy!! We love NCL as well!!!

[@markmark8156]

Very good review. I never sailed on Holland and was thinking of it. Your review convinced me it may not be the line for me.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks MarkMark. It was certainly a different Vibe. We hope to sail HAL again in the future!!!

[@susanacorreia109]

Thanks for the info. I have been thinking about cruising HAL with my hubby and two young adult children, not sure if it would be our thing. Always great to hear your take on the different ships. Do you have any plans to cruise the new VIVA ship?

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks!!! And yes, we do have plans to sail on the Viva in December..can't wait to sail on her!!!!

[@denisebruce5361]

Funny we were on this ship right after it was new out of Ft Lauderdale, will say we agreed with almost everything you said. The ship was beautiful, our service was excellent but activities were lacking including the movies offered on the big screen which for our cruise seemed to be a lot of what you would find on the Discovery channel. We ended up eating at the buffet except for two nights when we went to speciality dining because we actually found the choice better than on Lido than the MDR and we are not buffet people except for breakfast. The best part was when someone that was in management on the ship approached us in St Kitts and told us that we were not old enough to be on the ship and we are older than the two of you but had a tendency to agree.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching, Denise and Bruce!!!

[@jlizardi5013]

I'm glad Carnival keeps improving their ships so you could happily cruise with them!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

We like some of the older Carnival ships too!! And some NCL ships..and we enjoyed RCCL Navigator of the Seas, but Symphony of the Seas was a little big although we are excited for our Icon of the Seas cruise in March, and of course our NCL Prima in Europe next summer, but yes, we will be on Carnival to celebrate New Year's Eve.

[@l.a.rivasesq.8841]

Sounds like you’re one and done. That’s okay. I was one and done with Carnival. I’ll never cruise on Norwegian. I’m glad that there’s a variety of cruise lines for us to choose from.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

You should watch our Volendam Vlogs!!! #notoneanddone

[@MNP208]

I feel the same about Princess. I wouldn't cruise that line again.

[@KK-tr8tf]

I think your video is the only one that is pointing out the awkwardness of the toilet! 😂 I have done a lot of research getting ready for our upcoming cruise (been 10 years), and my very 1st thought when I see the restroom layout was "Why is the toilet so eskew?" 😅

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks!! We try to cover the hard-hitting news!!! lol But seriously..I think it was designed by race-horse jockeys!!!

[@homeisanisland..inthenwatl5526]

That’s was my thought when I looked at the floor plan…. Designed by short people, reviewed by short people, and approved by short people!

[@david2723089]

doing my 4th HAL cruise in 2024. Now a little worried as all the things I really like about HAL you listed in the don't like category. I am still going but hope I am not disappointed. Will not be on NeiuW Amsterdam so hope it is still high quality

[@larrythomas5588]

Good video thanks for the heads up I just hope when we go on the Oosterdam in November it's a little more our style than the Koningsdam 🤞

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks Larry!!!!

[@darrellgritten4398]

Thanks for your interesting and informative video. My wife are booked for a January, 2025 cruise on this ship. It will be interesting to see what we like and dislike. Was self serve soft ice cream available? It is disappointing that most cruise lines are now charging more and providing less. We noticed on NCL this past January that our cruise had diminished housekeeping, food, and entertainment.

[@1104kdd]

We understand that Holland America is in the process of changing the layout of the music walk on some ships. But not the pinnacle ones like the Konigsdam. Bbkings is going and the rolling stone rock room will take over BB King's space, but add some R&B material. Shame the rock band can't get the BBKing on the pinnacle ships (in my option!). The layout sucks. Whereas the BBKing venue is awesome. Lincoln centre is now a larger travelling group thatll appear on the main stage. But not Always it seems. Which figures. Also a trio will perform at the ocean bar. But not on Pinnacle ships. There are 4 specialty restaurants on the pinnacle ships, not a couple. We love Tamarind. Also you can order in advance Indian food in the main dining room if you find it too bland. The curry was excellent. Agreed the bar service not always being very helpful or efficient. But they made a great effort to make "duck farts" specially for us. Alaska's signature cocktail. We had fantastic service in the dining room last time. It varies of course. Our guys were awesome. The Dutch cafe has some nice interesting Dutch specialty foods. And we had some lovely flavoured coffees in the exploration lounge/Crowsnest up front. We miss the exterior glass elevators of the vista class ships. We love all the trivia and music quizzes on Hal, there's several just about every day. Great place to meet people. The dive in burgers and fries are excellent. As is the salmon in the mdr. The End.

[@ssbrod1]

I been on 2 Hal cruise, BB king band was great I danced the night away ever night. I loved the fresh squeezes orange juice in the morning. Sharon you need to eat at the pinnacle grill. It’s the best steak I had on a cruise.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching!! We did eat at the Pinnacle Grill, and it was great!!!

[@kimberlyurquiola6187]

Good to have perspective

[@lindacollamer1522]

Were going to Hawaii this november With HAL for 18 days i think its Voningdam is the ship name, and I just heard what you guys experience on your cruise, and this our 2 nd time with Holland d

[@kevinbrubaker3707]

Those poles were a perfect opportunity for Jimmy to come out and play!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

LOL!!!!

[@hazcatsophia]

I just got off the Koningsdam yesterday and I agree with the food situation. I was grossly disappointed with the food. Even got food poisoning somewhere. My last day was spent in the cabin. I didn’t eat anything on Friday or Saturday.

[@MNP208]

RN here. Norovirus is VERY common on cruises. It's not specific to a cruise line and you may not have caught it from the food. We see many sick patients who have returned from cruises. Believe it or not, vomit can be aerosolized and spread through the ventilation system.

[@kevinbrubaker3707]

As a member of the Get Off My Lawn folks, we need that structure. We are up at 4AM to pee, then have dinner at 4PM and asleep by 6. I don't need those slippy slidy things and rock walls...the only rock I need is a rock in my chair! #getoffmylawn ;)

[@kevincounts5662]

Where's my Geritol and Ben Gay? #damnyoumeddlingkids

[@darlenesettlebarrington8118]

I understood that room service is 24 hours (yes? no?) so lunch and dinner could be ordered through room service if you find times are limited in the MDR?

[@JuliaCarroll-bw9br]

I have done 20+ cruises on HAL. Always have a solo guitar that plays at barious lications, like the crows nest. Had dance classes and computer classes, educational lectures. I don’t think you looked fir the buttet. Small foil wrapped butter. they also had individual syrps in sealed packets. , along with jans, pnut butter, etc and small containers for them.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching!!! We walked all around the ship and did not find a solo guitar player. We actually ate in the buffet a number of times...no foil wrapped butter, as a matter of fact, I had to ask for butter on one instance and the person had to go to the back to get it..took about 2 minutes to come back out. It struck us as odd since every buffet station seemed to have a great selection of bread.

[@rsimms2]

Doing my fiirst Holland America cruise on this ship next year, in a Neptune Suite. I'll be interested to see what I think... I understand some of the things you're saying here. While you didn't specifically say that Carnival was the line you've done most, it seemed kinda obvious. And I agree, there are things taht Carnival does SO well (deck parties, lots of different food options, etc). The comment about the food sort of surprised me... and the one hour lunch window? That's insane! Anyway, fun, honest review. Thanks for sharing!

[@MNP208]

I'm wondering if the shortened food hours are due to difficulty finding staff.

[@ColoRadio6996]

Be sure to grab some French Fries at the Dive In Bar, by the main pool... Yum, Yum..

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

We had 2 diff types of fries, one time they were awesome, the other they were plain like from the frozen food section at the grocery store.

[@ScreamieBirds]

Totally agree. The food is a bit bland in my experience. Curious what you would think of Princess. The mini suites are lovely.

[@curtispolk561]

After 'slinging paint' in Arizona before retirement, Jamie certainly is not going to pay $25 to paint canvases on a cruise ship! 😂 Way to go, Jamie!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks Curtis!!

[@janreynolds3794]

Thanks for your views!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks, and you are welcome, Jan!!!

[@MagnoliaHoosier]

Yeah, HAL is known for their “enrichment” programs. Butter was a big deal for me on our Disney cruise. They thought I was crazy for asking for butter for my bread each night. We’ve been disappointed with the food, too.

[@richardvandenarend8149]

I think I warned you guys about the toilet. Thanks for your input. It got me thinking more about our recent cruise on the ship. Jamie, it sounded like you didn't sit down and catch a while set in the Blues club.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Hi Richard..We didn't do a whole set at the Blues Club, you are correct. Walked by it 20 times, and every time, it sounded like the same thing. We stopped to listen a few times, but it never drew us in to try to find a seat. I wanted to love it, I really did. Say hi to Lorie for us!!!

[@gabrielnelson3400]

Informative. Yeah, been on HAL years ago and they definitely target a specific sailing crowd. Some of the critiques point directly to this...a few do not. Well done overall.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks Gabriel!!!

[@csmith2435]

Appreciate your honest-candid real people review! Would you cruise HAL again? Was the juice worth the squeeze regarding the cost of the cruise and the value received? For example, NCL is nice, but I think they are over priced. The juice is not worth the squeeze! Thanks again!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching, csmith. Sure we would cruise HAL again..just maybe not to Alaska.

[@csmith2435]

Thanks!@@SharonatSeaTravel

[@foursheetswind1]

lol, i understand the piano bar "mild" questions

[@terrih790]

I have seen many videos of the Koningsdam. On our cruise last year, the BB Kings band and lead singer were amazing, but the Rock band was not as good. On other cruises, it is reversed. Still, we are music lovers, and I love Holland America for that music walk! I never thought about the poles in the Rock Room, but you are right! Also, the most personable bar servers were in the Observation lounge. They would pull together drinks that were off menu and were so good! Glad you had fun on the cruise!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching Terrih790!!!

[@user-qy4gi4ld9y]

Hello Sharon & Jamie. we met you on that cruise and never really introduced ourselves (Damian & Laura). Sorry we never really connected over the week, but we tried to let you do your work. Agree there were not many activities, the bars were not energetic, and the Rolling Stone Rock Room could have been a much better venue 9and the band was good). We did however feel the variety and flavor of the was a pleasant surprise compared to our recent experiences on Royal. We will continue to watch this great content and hope to see you on another cruise in the future.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks so much Damian and Laura!!! We hope to run into you again sometime on the High Seas!!!

[@grannyoffive1313]

Thank you so much for your honest opinion… Jamie, we are not piano bar, people either… I get it!!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching Granny!!!

[@grannyoffive1313]

@@SharonatSeaTravel ... I love that you called me, granny… All seven of my grandchildren do call me, granny… Love it!!!

[@forkyfork]

Thanks for this. DO you remember what kind of trivias were offered? You said it was "odd". I'm looking at this ship and look at this as more of a relaxing cruise.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching!! There was lightning trivia, team trivia, music trivia, todays..it was just very general..not a lot of specific topics.

[@conniejohnson9393]

I was on Koningsdam last fall and I agree with you on just about everything. My daughter and I were in a balcony cabin and I use a walker. Now my walker folds up (to a point) so I didn't think I would have a problem with enough room, but I sure did. Also never been in twin beds on a cruise so can't say what it is like on any other line, but hated the way they did the bedding. Very uncomfortable. We had such bad service in the dining room the first time we went so only went twice. Not good. Also because of using the walker I didn't enjoy the buffet as much. By the time you get your food at a second station the food from the first is cold. But I found that at dinner it wasn't as busy. Also at dinner they served pretty much the same food as the dining room. (also found the hours to be strange). Sorry I seem to have written a novel.

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks Connie!!! True about the buffet stations, I guess it's meant to minimize the lines, but if you want to try different things, you have to wait in 4 short lines instead of 1 big one!!!lol

[@MarySouzaAJ]

I didn’t understand food options either. The burger place as an example closed early but it looked like you could order until 11 pm or until 6 am (I can’t remember). Did you order room service other than breakfast?

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching, Mary. Only breakfast from Room Service on this cruise.

[@autobotdiva9268]

ive been thinking of a HAL cruise during my griveing process. i dont want overstimulation and loud kids however i would think HAL had nice pasta, salad and fruit style stations to expand the pallet.

[@Tillyduck]

HAL, Princess, very much alike.

[@scottmcmillan1662]

I said exactly the same thing about the rock bar!! Very badly laid out. I liked cruising with them in Alaska, not sure i'd like them elsewhere as here is a lack of things to do. Alaska being off all day and up early, this ship suited the purpose

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks for watching Scott!!!

[@mikeeno104]

You did not mention Lincoln Center, they play classical music (love it). I like the the dueling pianos, but I've seen great partners and just okay partners on the many cruises I have taken with HAL. I had no issues with the food taste or timing. The bars are similar, but there is a whiskey bar on deck 2 near the MDR. Also there are two coffee places. The exploration café on the top deck had limited selection, but there was another place that had a large selection with lots of flavor shots. Agree HAL is not for everyone. I like HAL because it is relaxing, but I wish they had a little more choice of things to do... Great review... Thank you!

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Thanks Mike!! A few others mention the Lincoln Center. We heard nothing about it on the cruise, and we looked over our Daily Programs and there was no mention. I read it's not always on all the ships anymore.

[@thisiskrista]

Sadly, most of the ships no longer have LCS. It was my favorite music too. It brought class to the cruising experience.

[@mikeeno104]

@@thisiskristaYes it did... I will mis it greatly...

[@matthowe5193]

We will be cruising first time on Koningsdam appreciate all your detailed comments!

[@virginiajohnson1118]

We were on the Koningsdam for just 3 nights in July. We didn’t choose to participate in any activities by choice, but I did not see anything all that interesting for mature adults (old fogeys.). Our veranda stateroom was lovely near the front of the ship. All the food was at the rear so we had quite a walk. We only ate one breakfast in the main dining room and it was exactly buffet food brought on a platter. We did not realize reservations were encouraged so we had to wait quite a bit of time. We ate at the buffet for most meals, and yes, after 3 days we were tired of the fare. Wish we had tried room service. It is a beautiful ship and young families looked very happy at the pool and ping pong tables and teens at the pizza bar.

[@LeslieDelgado-gk4kr]

I’m looking to book for Alaska, between this cruise ship on HAL, Norwegian Encore or the Royal Princess. If you had the choice which one would you do? I know everyone is different but wondering what you would do?

[@SharonatSeaTravel]

Tough question. WE love the NCL Encore!!! Haven't been on Royal Princess. If you want the true Alaska experience, HAL is the way to go.

[@thevanmarwykfam6474]

Holland America is definitely not a party ship. HAL has always served the food for you and if you asked for something on the side they would have gotten you a dish and put it on for you . For the dining room you can show up at 12:45 and still get seated. 12-1 is the time you can get seated. It sounds to me like you guys like a bigger ship with more choices and more partying,.

[@joansarratt]

Agree! They always put condiments on the side at the Lido buffet. Since I started cruising in my 30s, I’ve avoided deck parties and enjoyed the classy, laid back vibe they have. Over the years , I’ve made so many friends on HAL cruises. I’ve sailed NCL, RCL snd Carnival, and HAL has the best food!