Feb 2023 we did a 14 day trip through the canal from Fl to San Diego. Was a bucket trip for me. Sailed on the Zaandam which was the 4th HAL ship we sailed on. To start, months before sailing, HAL took away a port and did nothing to make up for it. Just added another sea day We discovered that if you sail from San Diego to Fl, the ship stops at a HAL island! What the heck. Why could we have not done that going west especially since you took a port away from us. We found the Zaandam to be a low quality ship and showed her age!. We sailed in a Neptune suite so it was not cheap. Room directly below Lido deck and heard carts rolling most of the night. I paid over 30k for this bucket list trip only to hear carts rolling all night long. Ship showed her age in many ways as mentioned. The focal point was the organ at midship and did not work. Only 1 real shop on ship. MDR was just ok. Lacked any real entertainment with exception of 3 days. They did a lot of talks instead of real entertainment. That sucked. 14 days, one would expect great entertainment and things to do while at sea other than visiting the library. Nope! Now for the canal.. It was ok. Got up early to be on bow and see us enter from the east coast side. By the time we got to the first lock, people are pushing and forcing their way to the bow. They mention this in this video! Not a ship issue, but a people issue. Second locks looked the same as first lock so we decided to go eat breakfast at Pinnacle Grill and decided to go to room afterwards. Glad we had a Neptune suite because this is where we watched the remaining locks in the comfort of our room. Only excitement was passing other ships and passing this hotel looking building with a lot of people waving at us. What made the cruise good was the staff. Never had a bad crew on all our HAL cruises despite the ship. Pinnacle Grill staff was awesome. Neptune Lounge staff just as great. MDR staff were good also but food was just ok. So this is,a,cruise I would not do again. Maybe a newer ship would have given us a better experience. Will never know. We are returning back to Alaska for our 5th time in Sept 2024.
@@GoTravelTV I am a travel advisor. Their reps are not well trained when I'm making a booking or have questions about a reservation for a client. Very frustrating.
We booked the 12 day Holland America Panama canal sunfarer for March 2024 on a good deal then Holland America have just completely changed the itinerary. Not going to the canal now, rather around the Carribbean. They've offered us an extra $75 on board credit if we still want the new itinerary but a Panama canal cruise that doesn't go to the Panama canal isn't, is it!! Still love the Holland America cruise line, but right now I don't like them very much. I'll probably get over it.
I just went on 15 day from San Diego to Ft. lauderdale on Holland America… They told us the cost of the ship going thru the canal was over 450,000.00 There is a water shortage and they take 51 million gallons for each ship to get thru the canal, and it goes into the ocean. Panama is in a drought right now… im guessing that’s why they’re changing the itinerary.
In Dec 2022, after completing a Land+Cruise package with HAL, we booked a 21 day full transit itinerary (Ft. Lauderdale to Seattle) in April 2024. One of the promised ports was Cortino, however we received notifiction in early October 2023 that the Eurodam will no longer call to Cortino, and we would get an extra day at sea. Wasn't pleased with this news. No real explanation, and no type of compensation offered.
Hi Laurie. We checked with Holland America, and they were able to provide a little more feedback... not a full explanation, but hopefully this can help with a little more clarity. Here was their response: "Due to government restrictions on cruise ships, Eurodam could not call Corinto, Nicaragua on Saturday, April 20, 2024 and and instead spent the day at sea. Additionally, they could no longer call to Santa Barbara, California on Sunday, April 28 (replaced with Avalon, California). Unfortunately, the government of Corinto, Nicaragua can restrict vessels from docking. It is a matter beyond the cruise line's control."
Feb 2023 we did a 14 day trip through the canal from Fl to San Diego. Was a bucket trip for me. Sailed on the Zaandam which was the 4th HAL ship we sailed on. To start, months before sailing, HAL took away a port and did nothing to make up for it. Just added another sea day We discovered that if you sail from San Diego to Fl, the ship stops at a HAL island! What the heck. Why could we have not done that going west especially since you took a port away from us. We found the Zaandam to be a low quality ship and showed her age!. We sailed in a Neptune suite so it was not cheap. Room directly below Lido deck and heard carts rolling most of the night. I paid over 30k for this bucket list trip only to hear carts rolling all night long. Ship showed her age in many ways as mentioned. The focal point was the organ at midship and did not work. Only 1 real shop on ship. MDR was just ok. Lacked any real entertainment with exception of 3 days. They did a lot of talks instead of real entertainment. That sucked. 14 days, one would expect great entertainment and things to do while at sea other than visiting the library. Nope! Now for the canal.. It was ok. Got up early to be on bow and see us enter from the east coast side. By the time we got to the first lock, people are pushing and forcing their way to the bow. They mention this in this video! Not a ship issue, but a people issue. Second locks looked the same as first lock so we decided to go eat breakfast at Pinnacle Grill and decided to go to room afterwards. Glad we had a Neptune suite because this is where we watched the remaining locks in the comfort of our room. Only excitement was passing other ships and passing this hotel looking building with a lot of people waving at us. What made the cruise good was the staff. Never had a bad crew on all our HAL cruises despite the ship. Pinnacle Grill staff was awesome. Neptune Lounge staff just as great. MDR staff were good also but food was just ok. So this is,a,cruise I would not do again. Maybe a newer ship would have given us a better experience. Will never know. We are returning back to Alaska for our 5th time in Sept 2024.
Love HAL. They just need to do something about their in-house reservation agents who are not well informed.
Well, this is a perfect reason to always call your preferred travel advisor! :)
@@GoTravelTV I am a travel advisor. Their reps are not well trained when I'm making a booking or have questions about a reservation for a client. Very frustrating.
@@RTD3 For sure... Definitely frustrating for the advisor. The positive side is that it means all the more value you bring to your clients.
Very informative! Makes me want to travel the famous Panama Canal!! 😍
We booked the 12 day Holland America Panama canal sunfarer for March 2024 on a good deal then Holland America have just completely changed the itinerary. Not going to the canal now, rather around the Carribbean. They've offered us an extra $75 on board credit if we still want the new itinerary but a Panama canal cruise that doesn't go to the Panama canal isn't, is it!! Still love the Holland America cruise line, but right now I don't like them very much. I'll probably get over it.
I just went on 15 day from San Diego to Ft. lauderdale on Holland America… They told us the cost of the ship going thru the canal was over 450,000.00 There is a water shortage and they take 51 million gallons for each ship to get thru the canal, and it goes into the ocean. Panama is in a drought right now… im guessing that’s why they’re changing the itinerary.
Indeed, it is the constantly changing mood of the earth and her oceans which makes cruising such an adventure.
In Dec 2022, after completing a Land+Cruise package with HAL, we booked a 21 day full transit itinerary (Ft. Lauderdale to Seattle) in April 2024. One of the promised ports was Cortino, however we received notifiction in early October 2023 that the Eurodam will no longer call to Cortino, and we would get an extra day at sea. Wasn't pleased with this news. No real explanation, and no type of compensation offered.
Hi Laurie. We checked with Holland America, and they were able to provide a little more feedback... not a full explanation, but hopefully this can help with a little more clarity. Here was their response: "Due to government restrictions on cruise ships, Eurodam could not call Corinto, Nicaragua on Saturday, April 20, 2024 and and instead spent the day at sea. Additionally, they could no longer call to Santa Barbara, California on Sunday, April 28 (replaced with Avalon, California). Unfortunately, the government of Corinto, Nicaragua can restrict vessels from docking. It is a matter beyond the cruise line's control."
Key West has been cancelled January 2024/Rotterdam :(