Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/27/25 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/27/25

Swan Hellenic’s SH Vega

We spend 10 nights aboard Swan Hellenic SH Vega on an expedition cruise from Iceland to Greenland.

Itinerary: Reykjavik, Iceland - At Sea - Greenland -Bear Islands & Sydkap - Storefjord & Norreflord - Segelsällskapet Fjord - Blomsterbugt - At Sea - Isafjöður & Vigur Island - Dynjandi - Disembark

Review Video

Daily Cruise Blog

We spent 10 nights aboard Swan Hellenic’s SH Vega sailing from Reykjavik, Iceland, to Northeast Greenland and returning to Reykjavik. Swan Hellenic invited us on this sailing as journalists; however, we are not being paid for our review or our video. As is always the case, we will tell you exactly what we liked about this cruise, and anything we did not like. This was our 149th cruise and we have sailed on 41 different cruise lines.

PRE-CRUISE

*Courtyard by Marriott Keflavik Airport*

Swan Hellenic offered all guests a one night pre-cruise hotel stay in Reykjavik before embarkation. More accurately, it was a hotel in Keflavik, which is where the international airport for Reykjavik is located. Our hotel for this cruise was the Courtyard by Marriott Keflavik Airport (see above). Keflavik is located about 45 minutes from Reykjavik, so the pre-cruise stay is really nothing more than spending time at the hotel, since there is little to see or do in Keflavik. A better option would have been a hotel in Reykjavik so that the day could be spent sightseeing, dining, etc. That said, the Courtyard was very nice, spotlessly clean, modern and had two restaurants on site.

Another perk for cruise travelers is that there is a very nice pharmacy located in the parking lot of the hotel. So, if you need to stock up on any toiletries or over-the-counter meds, here is your chance. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will be your pre-cruise hotel with Swan Hellenic.

“Travel Tip - When looking for a pharmacy in a foreign country, look for Apotek, Pharmacia, or usually a green cross.”

— CruiseReport

After an overnight flight, we were only interested in catching up on sleep and the beds and bedding at the Courtyard were some of the best we have found in any hotel.

The one-night stay also included complimentary breakfast the following morning before the 11am departure for Reykjavik. Motor coaches are used to provide guests with a complimentary transfer to Reykjavik. Guests were advised to have their luggage tagged and in the hotel lobby by 9:45am. Luggage is loaded into a separate truck to be transferred directly to the ship.

*Guest luggage waiting to be loaded into the truck*

Since the ship does not begin embarkation until 2pm, the coaches drop guests off in front of the Reykjavik Opera House. It is an easy walk from the Opera House to the port where the ship was docked and there are also shops, restaurants and museums nearby to occupy the four hours prior to embarkation.

*Two motor coaches wait to transfer guests to the ship*

We walked to the iconic Luthern Church, a landmark in Reykjavik, to get some photos. The pedestrian street leading to the church is lined with souvenir shops, cafes, clothing shops and restaurants. We learned very quickly that Iceland is expensive. We stopped at a cafe for a cup of coffee and hot chocolate and the tab was $9. A souvenir refrigerator magnet that we often pay $2 to $3 for in Europe was $10!

*Evangelical-Lutheran church Hallgrimskirkja*

Rickee was interested in purchasing a small backpack for the trip because she forgot to bring her backpack. She found one she really liked at a shop in town, but the price was $240! And, it wasn’t even leather.

EMBARKATION

Even though embarkation was scheduled for 2pm, we were able to embark at 1:30. After a brief passport check in the terminal, we walked to the gangway to board SH Vega. As soon as we reached the top of the gangway, we are welcomed aboard by Hotel Director Ferdinand Fernandes and Captain Lyubo Garciyanov. We are instructed to go to the Observation Lounge on Deck 7 to complete check-in.

When we arrive at the Observation Lounge, we are greeted with welcome-aboard glasses of champagne, a luxury touch that you won’t find on many cruise lines. Check-in was as simple as showing our passport, getting a photo taken, and receiving our stateroom key cards. At check-in, we were informed that we had been upgraded to a suite on Deck 5 midship, most likely because the ship was only about 50% capacity. We were assigned to Suite 515.

*The check-in line at Observation Lounge*

After check-in, we were invited to enjoy a light snack in the Club Lounge located aft on Deck 7 where Afternoon Tea was being offered. We will talk more about Afternoon Tea in the section on Food and Dining. Rickee has some prescription eyedrops that have to remain frozen, so she asked Hotel Director, Ferdie, if they would be able to keep the eyedrops somewhere in the galley where they would remain frozen. There is a refrigerator/mini-bar in each stateroom, but it simply is not cold enough to keep things frozen. Ferdie was happy to accommodate Rickee’s request and summoned Restaurant Manager, Fhilbert, to assist. Fhilbert actually remembered Rickee and the eyedrops from when we sailed with him on SH Diana and knew exactly what to do. This is great service and not every cruise line will accommodate such requests.

It only took about 30 minutes for our luggage to arrive in our suite and we had enough time to unpack most everything before the mandatory muster drill at 5pm. After the muster drill in the Observation Lounge, guests were invited to the Pool Deck (Deck 7 aft) for a Sail Away party.

Waiters and waitresses are greeting guests with complimentary glasses of champagne and other cocktails. Of course, wine, beer and spirits are complimentary on Swan Hellenic.

The weather is unseasonably nice and sunny, although a little cool, as we sail away from Reykjavik. We were docked right next to a NATO warship and, as we sail away, the sun is perfectly positioned to get good views of the top of the iconic Lutheran church.

One unique feature of a Swan Hellenic cruise is that dinner is served buffet-style on the day of embarkation. Tonight they have a very extensive buffet set up in the Swan Restaurant on Deck 4. I will go into much more detail about the food and dining later in the review.

After dinner, we return to our suite to finish unpacking. The embarkation process on Swan Hellenic is buttery smooth.

THE SHIP

SH Vega is one of two identical sister ships in the Swan Hellenic fleet, with SH Minerva being the first ship in the fleet. SH Diana is the third ship in the fleet and is slightly larger, but looks nearly identical to the other two ships, both inside and out. She is just a bit longer and has a few more staterooms and a larger spa. We sailed on SH Diana through the Panama Canal in 2024.

SH Vega has a tonnage of 10,617 with 9 decks, can accommodate 158 guests and up to 122 crew members. She is powered by four diesel generators which power two shaft-driven propellers. SH Vega is a Polar Class 5 rated vessel with ice breaking capabilities. The ship has 2 rudders, forward and aft thrusters and oversized stabilizers.

The ship is outfitted with 10 MK5 Zodiacs and 2 MK6 Zodiacs. These are used for excursions in remote locations where wet landings are often required.

There are two elevators midship along with a very wide staircase, which is more than adequate for this size vessel. The elevators are large and very fast. Elevators can carry guests from Deck 3 to Deck 8. Deck 9 Is only accessible by stairs; however, Deck 9 was not used at all on our cruise.

The main hub of activity on the ship is the Observation Lounge on Deck 7 forward. This lounge features comfortable seating, views of the ocean on both port and starboard sides, and a full bar. There is a small gift shop located near the entrance to the Observation Lounge selling Swan Hellenic logo items.

The Observation Lounge is where the Expedition Team conducts the Daily Briefing and Recap (usually at 6:30pm). This is also the location for all of the lectures conducted onboard. There is a large screen at the front of the lounge to display slide shows, videos, and when lectures are not underway, displays the view from the bow camera.

There is a small heated infinity swimming pool located aft on Deck 7, but no sun loungers were present on our Arctic journey. When in warmer climates, the crew will set up the sun loungers around the pool. There is an open-deck Jacuzzi hot tub located on Deck 8 starboard. There is also a gym on Deck 8 along with a sauna with an ocean view window.

There is a small, and I mean small, beauty salon and spa on Deck 3. Also on Deck 3 are a library, an expedition lab and Basecamp, the ship’s mudroom and Zodiac embarkation area. Additionally, the ship’s Medical Center is located on Deck 3.

As I previously mentioned, for those wanting to stay in shape, there is a small gym located on Deck 8 with modern stationary bicycle, treadmills, rowing machine, free weights and other weight machines.

There is a launderette on Deck 4 that is available to all guests on a complimentary basis. There are three commercial-grade washers and three dryers and they are almost completely automated. There is no charge for detergent. In addition to the washers and dryers, the launderette has a sink, a clothing steamer and an ironing board with iron. They also provide distilled water for the steamer and steam iron.

Before our cruise, guests were required to submit a medical release from their doctor. This is because, on a sailing to Greenland, the locations are so remote and uninhabited, there are no medical facilities within hundreds of miles or more. That said, the ship is equipped with a medical clinic that has the capability to treat many conditions or injuries should they arise. The Medical Clinic is staffed by a doctor and a nurse.

I was on a three-day media sailing of SH Vega shortly after her launch in 2022. I was very pleased to see that the ship is showing very little, if any, signs of wear. All of the public spaces, carpeting, furnishings, and hardware look fresh and new. I saw no visible rust on the exterior of the ship or on our balcony, an indication that the ship is being very well maintained.

For 9 out of the 10 days, the ride on SH Vega was rock solid with no noticeable motion when underway. On the sailing from Greenland back to Iceland, we did get a fair amount of pitching motion, on which the ship’s stabilizers have no impact. Even so, for a small ship, the motion was tolerable. Seasickness medication is provided at no charge and could be obtained from the Reception Desk on Deck 4.

ACCOMMODATIONS

As I mentioned earlier, we were upgraded upon embarkation to a suite on Deck 5. The size of the suite is 40 square meters (430 square feet). On my previous sailing aboard Vega, I was in a Balcony D5 stateroom which, by most cruise ship standards, would be marketed as a suite. Balcony staterooms are 25 square meters (269 square feet), however, 53 square feet of that is taken up by the balcony.

We had the opportunity to tour the Oceanview, Balcony, and Premium Suite categories. The standout feature of all categories is a massive amount of storage. Even the Oceanview and Balcony staterooms have large wardrobes for hanging clothes and an entire wall of storage cabinets across from the bed.

Bathrooms are spacious and include rain shower heads and lighted magnifying makeup mirrors. Our suite also had a separate bathtub. There are two very large drawers under the sink as well as a large medicine cabinet for your personal items. Bathroom amenities include hand soap, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner and body wash. All of these amenities are provided in full-size pump bottles. There is no bar soap provided. Robes and slippers are also provided. Our only critique of the bathroom is that the lighting is a bit dim.

Oceanview and Balcony staterooms have a nice desk/vanity with flip up lighted mirrors built into the desk, a feature not found in the suites.

*Oceanview/Balcony stateroom living room*

It should be noted that the Oceanview staterooms are identical in size and design to the Balcony stateroom, the only difference being the lack of a balcony. If you don’t need a balcony, the Oceanview staterooms are a real value proposition. The ship is small enough that, if you want to be outdoors, you are never more than a few steps from an outer deck.

All staterooms are equipped with comfortable beds and quality bedding. There is a large flat screen television with tons of programming (suites have two televisions). On our sailing, the television channels were almost never available, possibly due to a lack of satellite connection in that remote part of the world. However, we really enjoyed watching the view from the Bow Cam and appreciated the replays of the briefings and lectures available on the closed-circuit TV. There is also a nice selection of movies available at no charge.

There are electrical outlets placed throughout the stateroom/suite and USB-A ports are available just under the bedside LED reading lamps and on the desk/vanity. Many of the lights are on dimmer switches and there is a subtle nightlight feature that illuminates the floor for late night bathroom visits.

*Bedside switches for lights and a US-style 110 outlet.*

The most distinguishing feature of Swan Hellenic staterooms/suites is the fireplace. That’s right. When you return from your polar adventure, you can relax in front of a crackling fire. Well, it’s not a real fire, but a simulated one. We have not seen this on any other cruise line. Of course, you can turn this off if you like using the remote control. We really enjoyed having a fireplace.

Balcony staterooms and suites have nice-sized balconies equipped with a metal table and two metal chairs. Suites get a sun lounger as well. Access to the balcony is provided through a heavy, sliding glass door, which we much prefer over the hinged balcony doors present on some ships. Suites have the sliding door access to the balcony from the living room and also from the bedroom. Opening the balcony door will automatically shut off the stateroom air conditioning, so make sure you close and lock the balcony door when you come back into the stateroom from the balcony.

There is no lack of storage space in any category stateroom or suite. I don’t think we have ever seen such efficient design when it comes to storage. In our suite, there were three large double-door wardrobe closets in the entry hall. Two of these can accommodate hanging clothes, while the center one has shelves and drawers from floor to ceiling.

Across from the closets you will find four hooks on the wall. We wish every cruise line would add hooks like this. They are great for hanging up jackets, backpacks, caps, etc.

Our bedside lamps were missing the round glass globes to cover the bulbs. The head of housekeeping said that a previous guest broke one of them and they were waiting on a replacement globe to arrive.

Every stateroom receives complimentary Basic WiFi service, which we found to be quite slow. We upgraded to the Platinum Plan, but even that service is slower than premium plans on other cruise lines. As far as I know, Swan Hellenic is not using Starlink, the use of which would probably provide an upgraded experience. Nevertheless, with the Platinum Plan service, I was able to upload a couple of small videos to YouTube and keep my Instagram updated throughout the day, so it was definitely useable.

Swan Hellenic has some of the most spacious and comfortable staterooms we have experienced. And, the staterooms have more storage than we have ever seen. Although, they do not have dedicated butler service, our stateroom attendant, Kadek, did an amazing job of keeping our suite spotlessly clean and was there whenever we needed anything. Staterooms and suites are serviced twice each day. This includes refilling the water carafes that replace bottled water on this environmentally-focused voyage.

We had one small challenge in our suite which involved the air vents in the bedroom. They are located at the top of the wall where it joins the ceiling and are aimed directly at the bed. At night, the air was hitting Rickee right in the head and was uncomfortable. I had a similar issue a few years ago on an MSC ship. On SH Vega, I came up with a hack for blocking the air coming from the vents on her side of the room. I tucked and secured a couple of sheets of paper into the top of the vent. This forced the airflow downward and solved the problem. We did not notify Kadek about this, nor did we call Guest Services and ask for someone to come and change the direction of the vents. We have no doubt that this would have been immediately addressed if we had let someone know. Instead, we just fixed it so it worked for us. Some people like having air blowing on them at night. Rickee just doesn’t happen to be one of those people.

FOOD AND DINING

There are three dining venues on SH Vega. The main dining venue is the Swan Restaurant on Deck 4, offering tables for two, four or more as tables can be combined to accommodate larger groups. During the daytime, Swan Restaurant is a casual buffet venue serving breakfast and lunch. In the evenings, it is transformed into a more “formal” restaurant with full table service. I put “formal” in quotes because, while the dining room and service is formal, the dress code on Swan Hellenic is always casual and relaxed.

There are also several comfortable booths that can each hold four guests. We really liked the booths.

*Two-top tables can be combined for groups*

All of the food and dining onboard Swan Hellenic is supervised by Restaurant Manager, Fhilbert, and Head Waiter, Kadek (yes, there are two Kadeks onboard). When it comes to food preparation, a team of 11 chefs prepare dishes fresh each day under the watchful eye of Executive Chef, Amit Rao. Preparing delicious food on an expedition cruise such as this is quite challenging since the ship can only provision on embarkation day in Reykjavik for the entire 10 days. In spite of this challenge, we felt like Chef Rao and his team were able to deliver very good food throughout the cruise.

*Head Waiter, Kadek and Restaurant Manager, Fhilbert*

Breakfast buffet items are pretty much the same each day, with a few variations. Always available are scrambled eggs, bacon, beans, tomatoes and some sort of breakfast sausage. There are also pancakes, cereals, freshly-baked breads and pastries, yogurt, a variety of fruit, oatmeal, sliced meats, cheeses and more. There is an egg station where you can order Eggs Benedict, or eggs prepared any way you want them.

Lunch entrees change every day and are usually ethnically themed (Greek, Mexican, Asian, Caribbean, etc.). Every day you will find sliced meats, cheeses, a variety of salads, olives, fresh breads and tempting desserts.

Evening menus change daily, with four main course offerings, a soup course, a couple of salad choices and a couple of starter choices. There is always a vegetarian dish available. A bread basket is placed on the table each evening and the breads are very good. They also offer a different specialty dip each evening along with the butter. You can order from the “Always Available” menu which features items such as chicken breast, steak, Caesar Salad, spaghetti, and more.

Complimentary red and white wines are offered with lunch and dinner and the choices change each day. However, if you have a special wine you prefer, and they have it available, they will pour that for you. We found that they had a Selbach Riesling that we really liked and, Cherry, one of the wine stewardesses, would bring a bottle to our table each day at lunch and dinner.

We found all of the soups at lunch and dinner to be very good. For some reason, many cruise lines really struggle to get soups right. Not so on SH Vega. Every soup I had was exceptional, and well seasoned.

Salads were also very good. I cannot recall having a better Caesar salad on any of my previous 148 cruises. Not even on the Italian cruise lines.

The meat dishes ranged from good to very good. My Chicken Karagge was really nice, while the “always available” steak was just so-so. The Prime Rib served one night was delicious and perfectly cooked.

Portion sizes were generous at dinner time, and while we never asked, I am sure second helpings would be provided if you asked. Table service was very attentive without being overly so.

We did feel like the food on SH Vega was a slight step up from what we enjoyed on SH Diana last year.

When weather permits, lunch buffets may be moved upstairs to the Pool Deck for al fresco dining. We had such great weather on our cruise, that we enjoyed an outdoor buffet on three days. And, they even served a dinner buffet on the Pool Deck on the last night of the cruise.

Guests who do not want to eat outdoors can always take their food into the Club Lounge where tables are set for meals.

And, that is the perfect segue into talking about Club Lounge, the second dining venue on SH Vega, located on Deck 7 aft. Club Lounge is a very casual area with a small buffet serving light breakfast items (pastries, yogurt, fruit, sliced meats, cheese, donuts, muffins and cookies), lighter lunch fare (salads, breads, pizza, and sandwiches) and an informal Afternoon Tea which included scones with the trimmings and is served from 3:30 to 5:30 each day.

There is a self-serve coffee machine located in Club Lounge that can make all of your favorite coffee drinks or provide hot water for tea. A juice machine offers a variety of fruit juices. A nice selection of tea bags is available. There is honey should you want to sweeten your tea.

Club Lounge was my early morning go-to spot for coffee and to work on my daily cruise blog. I love the booth seating there.

The third venue for dining is the Pool Grill which is open for lunch. Here you can order burgers, sandwiches, kabobs and a few items that will change daily. If you do not want to sit outdoors, you can always sit inside at Club Lounge. And, waiters in Club Lounge will take and deliver your orders from the Pool Grill.

There is one more venue for dining on SH Vega and that is your stateroom or suite. The ship offers 24-hour complimentary room service with a nice menu. During dinner time, you can order from the Swan Restaurant menu. I had room service one evening and ordered my favorite Caesar Salad along with a Chicken Teriyaki skewer from Swan’s evening menu.

I was pleasantly surprised when the food arrived in under 10 minutes. The Caesar salad was delicious, as always, and the chicken skewers were hot and also delicious.

All of the dining on Swan Hellenic is included in your cruise fare.

EXCURSIONS and ACTIVITIES

On an expedition ship there are really only two types of activities: excursions, which take place off of the ship, and lectures, which are held on board. Rather than a Cruise Director like you find on a typical cruise ship, expedition ships instead have an Expedition Leader. Our Expedition Leader for this sailing was Nicki D’Souza. We have been fortunate to sail with Nicki on at least three other cruises (on multiple cruise lines) over the past 20 years. She was our Expedition Leader last year on SH Diana when we transited the Panama Canal. So, we were very excited to see her again on this sailing.

There are 11 members of the Expedition Team, many with a background in one or more sciences. The Expedition Team members are responsible for transporting guests safely from the ship to shore using one of the ship’s 12 Zodiacs. The Zodiacs are inflatable watercraft, two of which can carry up to 14 guests. The other ten are most comfortable with a limit of 10 guests.

Before guests can board the Zodiacs, they must be properly outfitted with waterproof pants, Muck boots (provided), a portable life vest (provided in each stateroom) and a parka (also provided). Guests submit their parka size to Swan Hellenic in advance of the cruise and, the parka, along with a waterproof backpack with refillable water bottle, are on the stateroom bed when you arrive onboard.

Guests are also provided waterproof Muck boots, which are tall, rubber, and have very thick rubber soles which are good for staying sure- footed on slippery rocks. Each stateroom is assigned a locker in Basecamp to store the boots. Each guest must provide their own waterproof pants to go over your jeans or other pants. The boots and waterproof pants are required since many of the destinations require a “wet landing” where you step off of the zodiac into 6 to 12 inches of water. In addition, Zodiac rides often involve a lot of splashing so being covered by waterproof clothing items is always a good idea.

Crew members are on hand to make sure you safely board and exit the Zodiac both from the ship and ashore.

There are typically two excursions each day involving the Zodiacs, at least on this itinerary. One excursion is in the morning and the other in the afternoon (except on days at sea). Guests are not required to participate in all, or any, of the Zodiac excursions. However, the Zodiac exploration of remote areas is really the whole point behind an expedition cruise.

Sometimes guests are invited to simply do a sailing aboard a Zodiac to view icebergs, glaciers or wildlife. Usually, optional tours are available (purchase required). On this cruise, we chose an optional Whale Watching tour in Iceland during which we did see several whales. But, the next day, we experienced so many whale sightings from the ship! It was amazing!

The Expedition Guides will explain the various wildlife viewed from the Zodiacs and are there to answer any questions. We found all of the Expedition Guides to be exceptional. All were very professional and put the guests’ safety first and foremost.

The only way you will ever get memories like the one below is on an expedition cruise. The mountains in the background are over 900 million years old.

*Rickee and I at Segelsällskapet Fjord, Greenland*

In addition to the excellent excursions, we enjoyed a series of informative and inspiring lectures on a variety of topics. Expedition Guide, Anya, is a Marine Biologist and gave an excellent lecture on Polar Bears. Dr. Becca Robinson, who works with the SETI Institute, was a guest Lecturer who enlightened us about the Northern Lights and also space exploration.

There were additional lectures on volcanos, plankton and a variety of other environmental topics. All were very well presented and interesting. All lectures are recorded and available for viewing later on the stateroom televisions.

Guests could also utilize the onboard Spa. Available services include manicures, pedicures, massage, facials, and hair styling. Both Rickee and I had an opportunity to visit the Spa on board SH Vega. The space allocated for the Spa is very small, but the area is efficiently used. The Spa is staffed by three women, two of whom specialize in massages and facials, while the other specializes in hair and nails. I chose to have a pedicure and Rickee chose a facial which, afterwards, she described as “heavenly”. My pedicure took place in the small Spa room on Deck 3. Rickee’s facial took place in a room on Deck 8 where there was a comfortable massage table. Rickee said products used in her facial were by La Mer, a highly-respected luxury brand. We both enjoyed our Spa visit.

STAFF AND CREW

In 149 cruises, this was perhaps the most warm and engaging crew with which we have ever sailed. Everyone went out of their way to make sure the trip was special. We recognized a few of the crew members from our previous cruise aboard SH Diana in 2024. Jona, at the Guest Services Desk, was always available when we had questions or any special request.

One the third day of the cruise, Rickee had to visit the Medical Clinic for fear that she may have contracted Covid. She had developed a cough and a sore throat. Dr. Mila Delgado tested her for Covid and Influenza A and B and all tests came back negative. She prescribed some antibiotics and cough medicine (which were provided). Of course, we have travel insurance to cover the medical expenses. From that moment on, every time Dr. Mila saw Rickee, on the ship or on shore, she would give her a big hug and ask her how she was feeling. I don’t recall any cruise ship doctor taking this level of interest in the guests’ well-being. Dr. Mila Delgado is a real treasure and SH Vega is lucky to have her.

A great crew comes from the top down and Captain Garciyanov, or Captain Lyubo as he prefers to be called, is one of the most personable Captains with which we have ever sailed. You can see him around the ship talking with guests and he is very accessible, as was the entire Senior Staff. Captain Lyubo made it a point to always have guests notified when wildlife had been spotted from the bridge and he always positioned the ship for the best viewing.

FINAL ASSESSMENT

Our voyage to Iceland and Greenland on SH Vega was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As I said previously, we have sailed on several other expedition cruises with Cruise West (now out of business), Uncruise, Viking, Silversea, and Abercrombie & Kent. What distinguishes Swan Hellenic is that the company does only expedition cruising. The ships are purpose-built for harsh Arctic and Antarctic environments.

Service levels are near the top of what you will experience in expedition cruising. Is Swan Hellenic “luxury”? While I would not consider it to be the same level of luxury as Silversea or Abercrombie and Kent, it certainly comes close. It is about as close to all-inclusive as you can get.

We can highly recommend Swan Hellenic. We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise aboard SH Diana in 2024 and enjoyed this one on SH Vega even more. This would be the perfect ship on which to book a cruise to Antarctica.

VIDEO

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We spend seven nights exploring Carnival’s newest Fun Ship. This cruise line just keeps getting better.

Vineyard in Galician Region of Spain. High enough to provide shade

Carnival is never satisfied with the status quo. They just seem to delight in exceeding customer expectations. Our recent sailing aboard Carnival’s newest ship, Carnival Panorama, was our 131st cruise, and our eighth with Carnival. A Carnival cruise is a true value proposition, with competitive cruise fares bringing a cruise vacation into the budgets of just about any household. But, while a Carnival cruise can be a real bargain financially, it would be a mistake to assume that you have to compromise on quality or service.

CRUISE BLOG

The Itinerary

Embarkation (Long Beach), At Sea, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, At Sea, At Sea, Disembarkation (Long Beach)

The Ship

The latest in the Vista-Class ship series, Carnival Panorama can carry 4,008 guests cared for by an international crew of 1,450. The 133,000-ton vessel has all of the latest technology to keep guests comfortable and safe. There are eight forward elevators, four midship and four aft, each with its own set of stairs. The new style elevators took a little getting used to. No longer do you get into the elevator before choosing your desired deck. You select your destination from an electronic panel in the elevator lobby, then you will be instructed as to which elevator to occupy. There are no deck buttons inside the elevator. It is hard to say whether this new system works better than the previous, but it does seem to work.

Like other Vista-Class ships, shipboard activities take place primarily on Decks 4, 5, 6 and 10. Muster stations are located on Deck 4.

Accommodations

We occupied one of the 753 balcony cabins (#6392) with ours being located on Deck 6 aft. Our stateroom was nothing out of the ordinary and comparable, if not an exact match, to the balcony cabin we had on Carnival Vista in 2017. At 185 sq. ft., the cabin is small, but very well designed and has plenty of storage space. The large sofa is comfortable and, in some cabins, will convert into a bed. The stateroom bed can be configured as two twin beds or a king-size and we chose the latter. We found the bed to be quite comfortable. The nightstands have built-in lamps, but no USB charging ports.

The small desk does have two USB charging ports, two 120v US-style outlets and a single 220v European-style outlet. A small desk drawer holds a captive hair dryer. There are spacious shelves over the desk, great for holding camera gear or other devices. A small padded cube serves as a seat and is stowed under the desk.

There are three closets, two for hanging clothes and a third with shelves and drawers. A small electronic safe can be used to protect jewelry or cell phones, but is not large enough to hold a laptop, or even a large iPad. One of the closet doors has a full-length mirror. Kudos to Carnival for offering real wooden hangers as opposed to the cheap, plastic “captive” hangers used on NCL and some other lines.

The bathroom is small, but functional, with a shower stall utilizing a shower curtain rather than glass door. There are six glass shelves (3 on each side of the vanity) providing enough room to store all of your lotions and potions. We found the hand towels and face towels to be a little thin and cheap feeling, but the bath towels were thick and fluffy. Only conditioning shampoo and body wash are provided (in canisters inside the shower) along with a small bar of soap at the sink. If you require body lotion or hair conditioner, you will need to bring your own.

There is a large, flat-screen HD television on the wall opposite the bed with a fair amount of programming. The only news channel was CBSN, no Fox News or CNN. There were a couple of Discovery-network channels and on demand movies (some free, some at a fee). Most of the TV programming was CCTV Carnival-oriented programming.

Our balcony was small and equipped with two chairs and a small table. The balcony door is the hinged variety, meaning it will rattle the walls of your cabin when your neighbor allows their door to slam shut, as our neighbors did repeatedly. A sliding glass door is preferred, in our opinion.

Everything in our cabin worked as expected. HVAC was excellent. The only obtrusive noise came from the neighbor’s balcony door, and noisy kids running and screaming through the hallways. There was no noise from the public spaces located on Deck 5 just below us. Overall, our cabin was quite comfortable.

Food and Dining

This is one area where Carnival really does exceed expectations. We have noticed steady improvement in food quality and overall dining experience over the years. Carnival has expanded its specialty dining offerings on Panorama to include a new Teppanyaki grill and the new Carnival Kitchen experience.

Carnival guests can enjoy a variety of delicious dining options without spending any extra money on food. The Vista and Horizon restaurants are the large, traditional dining venues on board and offer early, late or Anytime Dining times. Lunch and dinner menus change in these restaurants each day. You can eat very well on Carnival without spending an extra dime on food. In addition to the main restaurants, you can enjoy the best cheeseburgers at sea (or on land, for that matter) at Guy’s Burger Joint on Deck 10 midship. Carnival’s pizza is legendary in the cruise industry and is available 24-hours-a-day at Pizzeria del Capitano (Deck 10 aft). We agree, it is among the best we have had on a cruise ship. And, for $5, you can have your pie delivered to you anywhere on the ship!

*Pizza at Pizzeria del Capitano available 24 hours a day*

There is a nice room service menu with a few complimentary items, and some that carry a small charge.

Bonsai Sushi (Deck 5 midship) is one of the best spots to stop in for a light lunch or dinner. This á la carte restaurant is a great value with an eight-piece Spicy Tuna Roll offered for only $5. Make sure to try one of the noodle bowls for a real treat.

A new must-try venue is the adjoining Bonsai Teppenyaki. The two teppenyaki-style cooking tables fill up fast, so make sure you get reservations in advance. Dinner is $32/pp and it is a bargain for the massive amount of food, and the great show. This might be the best teppenyaki dinner we have had… anywhere.

Even though we did not dine here on this sailing, we have enjoyed JiJi’s Asian Kitchen on Carnival Vista. We did get a chance to re-visit Cucina del Capitano Italian restaurant on Panorama and were pleased to find the food and atmosphere to be as good as we remembered. JiJi’s and Cucina del Capitano are located on Deck 11 aft.

We enjoyed a special Valentine’s Day lunch at Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (Deck 5 midship). The $38/pp dinner menu here is another one of Carnival’s great dining values.

Our only real disappointment was with the lunch and dinner offerings at The Lido Marketplace buffet. The breakfast buffet, however, is quite extensive and good. The best offering at lunch is the Marketplace Deli where they make sandwiches to order. However, the French fries here were cold and stale. You are better off going to Guy’s Burger Joint for your fries.

Neither Rickee nor I are big on seafood, so we did not try the Seafood Shack (Deck 10 aft), but the lobster rolls served here did look quite good, I must admit. Another venue we did not try was Guy’s Pig and Anchor BBQ. At lunch, the BBQ here is free, but there are different á la carte offerings at dinner time and we heard nothing but good things about the BBQ.

If you enjoy cooking and want to combine a learning experience along with dinner, check out Carnival Kitchen. This new concept allows you to cook right alongside Carnival’s chefs in a special kitchen outfitted with individual cooking stations. After preparing a few dishes under the watchful eyes of the chefs, you will enjoy a sit-down dinner prepared for you by the chefs. There are several different ethnic-themed dinner and lunches offered here. Make sure you book in advance, because space is limited to 14 people per session.

The ultimate dining experience on Carnival is the Chef’s Table ($95/pp). The Chef’s Table is restricted to 14 guests per evening, so space is very limited. Reservations in advance are highly recommended. Chef’s Table guests are asked to meet on Deck 3 where a Sous Chef meets and greets them. Then, guests are led through the dining room and into the main galley. After everyone thoroughly washes their hands, the show begins.

*Amazing Technique and Presentation at Chef’s Table*

Guests stand around a prep table where Sous Chefs prepare a variety of Amuse Bouche treats. A bottle of Möet Champagne circulates around the room filling guest’s glasses as we watch the incredible culinary techniques used in making these delicious tastings.

After champagne and a few small tastings, we are moved into a very nice dining room just off the main galley. Then the multi-course meal begins. There were eleven courses in all, and all of the dishes were beautiful, delicious and meticulously presented.

You can read our full Chef’s Table review here.

Bars and Lounges

As with most new cruise ships, there’s no shortage of bars and lounges aboard Carnival Panorama. Drink prices are in line with other mainstream cruise lines. A Crown Royal will cost you about $8, fancy drinks are about $11. Carnival offers their Cheers! drink package which basically gives you unlimited drinks for $51.95/per person/per day (if you purchase prior to sailing). Of course, every adult staying in your stateroom is required to purchase the Cheers! package, and, there’s no sharing of drinks.

*For The Best Martini Cocktails, Go To Alchemy Bar*

Rickee and I simply don’t drink enough to justify the Cheers! package, but a lot of Carnival guests take advantage of this program. And, Carnival’s Cheers! package is about half the price of some other cruise line drink packages.

We found the service and drinks in all of the bars to be good, with only once exception. We waited for over an hour to order a drink in Piano Bar 88 one evening, and nobody ever came to wait on us. And, the place was nearly empty! Other than that one experience, bar service was excellent. Our favorite bar was Alchemy Bar on Deck 5 midship. The Cucumber Sunrise is our new favorite cocktail!

Entertainment

This is where we felt Carnival has undergone the most improvement. In the past, Carnival’s production shows have always left us wanting for more. They seemed to be plagued with poor audio, lackluster choreography and average overall performances. We were very pleasantly surprised by two of the production shows on Panorama: Celestial Strings and Rock Revolution were both excellent shows.

The main floor (Deck 4) of the Liquid Lounge now features a center section made up of padded chairs that can be rearranged so that the performers can move about in the audience. This is where you will find your best seating and sight lines, but you have to get in line early for a good seat.

Celestial Strings features the most elaborate costumes and the taped music is backed up by the ship’s own trio of violinists.

Rock Revolution is a celebration of the biggest hits from 1969. Once again, Carnival musicians back up the taped music and computer controlled drones dance overhead during “Lucy In The Sky with Diamonds”.

The acoustics and/or sound system has been vastly improved over what we remembered on Carnival Vista. We enjoyed both shows immensely.

One of our favorite entertainment venues on Carnival is the Punchliner Comedy Club, held in the Limelight Lounge on Deck 4 aft. During a seven-night cruise, guests will enjoy four different top-level comedians and we have yet to see a bad one. Carnival does comedy better than any other cruise line, period. Each comedian performs a PG-rated show in addition to an adult (no kids allowed) show. And, in the adult shows, there’s no holds barred.

Activities

There is no shortage of activities going on all over the ship on sea days or port days. Under the energetic leadership of Cruise Director, Emma Nixon, the crew does its best to keep everyone having loads of fun. While on the subject of cruise directors, Emma Nixon has to be one of the most visible and energetic ones with whom we have ever sailed. She is literally a bundle of energy, and her enthusiasm is infectious.

If you enjoy trivia contests, as we do, there are multiple ones going on all over the ship at various times throughout the day. There’s bean bag toss, hairy chest contests poolside, and dozens of other off-the-wall activities. If you are cruising with your kids, Camp Carnival staff will keep them occupied throughout the day with a variety of fun activities.

To stay in shape, there is a huge fitness center with all of the latest cardio equipment and weight machines, as well as free weights. An adjacent fully-equipped Serenity Spa and Salon can deliver any massage treatment you may desire, or hair and nail treatments.

The two swimming pools are always popular on sea days, especially when the skies are clear and the weather is warm. The Beach Pool (Deck 10 midship) is the larger of the two and has movies playing throughout the day on a huge video screen. The Tides Pool (Deck 10 aft) is smaller, but is quieter and more relaxing. There are plenty of loungers at both pools and the upper decks surrounding the pool. The best place we found for quiet lounging in the sun (or shade) was The Lanai on Deck 5 forward. This little known spot goes virtually unnoticed and has the only padded sun loungers we found on the ship.

For adults wanting an escape, check out Serenity on Deck 15 forward. On sea days, Serenity can get very crowded, so it is best to get there early. If you shell out for one of Carnival’s adult-only Havana staterooms/suites, you have semi-private access to the Havana Pool on Deck 5 aft. The Havana Pool is much less crowded than either of the two other pools and features two large hot tubs on either side of a beautiful infinity-edge pool overlooking the back of the ship. On sea days, however, the Havana Pool loungers can fill up, too. There is a Havana Bar serving guests in this area as well.

Carnival Waterworks is popular with kids of all ages. The main attraction here are the two water slides. The Red Slide is a more sedate, leisurely trip down a slide as you sit comfortably in an inner tube. The Blue Slide is a bit more intense where it is just you and the slide. Neither slide is super aggressive, like some we saw on NCL Encore, but they are both fun.

The SkyRide is located on Deck 12 midship and is one of the most fun things you will ever do on a cruise ship. After you get strapped into one of the little Sky Bikes, you begin pedaling your way around the track that suspends you more than 100 feet above the ocean. The bikes are very easy to pedal and there are some unexpected dips and turns along the way to make the ride quite exciting. Here’s a tip: to avoid long lines, go to SkyRide on a port day when most people are off the ship.

Right across from SkyRide is the Ropes Course. This was the first cruise where we have tried the Ropes Course and I am really glad we did. This was quite challenging at first. It is a little unsettling when you step out onto a rope that is only 1” in diameter, especially when you are 25 feet above the deck! Of course, you are wearing a safety harness that would prevent any injury should you slip off one of the obstacles.

Carnival’s new Sky Zone also looks like a ton of fun if you love jumping on trampolines. We did not check it out on this cruise, but certainly will the next time.

If you are in the mood to do some shopping, you will find a lot of Fun Shops on Decks 4 and 5 forward surrounding the Panorama Atrium. You can find everything from liquor to candy to jewelry to sundries and logo gear in the Fun Shops.

Ship’s photographers are all over the ship to take photos in the evenings and photos can be purchased through a unique digital ordering system at Pixels on Deck 4. No more hunting through hundreds of thousands of printed photos. Walk up to one of the iPads at Pixels, enter your stateroom info, and you can see all of your photos. You can even purchase digital versions of your photos (thank you Carnival).

Itinerary

This Mexican Riviera itinerary has only three ports of call. Cabo San Lucas is the first port and is an excellent spot to take a whale watching excursion. Of course, there are many resorts where you can spend the day lounging at the beach, or poolside. Or, take the tender into the marina and just walk around the seaside shops, bars and restaurants.

Puerto Vallarta is one of our favorite ports where you can hop in a taxi just outside of the port security area and go to Malecon, a pedestrian walkway with tons of shops, restaurants and bars lining the ocean front.

In Mazatlan, there are dozens of shore excursions offered. If you go on your own, you can grab a taxi into the Old Town to do a little shopping, or, there is a sizable shopping market right at the port cruise terminal.

Service

We found every crew member to be pleasant and willing to serve, with only one small exception. One evening, before dinner, we sat in Piano Bar 88 for nearly an hour and nobody ever came over to take a drink order. We noticed several other guests having the same issue. There was a bartender, and there was a waitress, but nobody ever approached us. Other than that one small incident, everyone one else was super nice, pleasant and willing to go out of their way to serve.

Summary

Carnival knows exactly what they are doing. They understand their customers and continue to deliver a product that keeps people coming back year after year. Our first Carnival cruise was in 2002 and we have seen steady improvement with each subsequent cruise. Yes, Carnival is getting better. The entertainment is better than it was in 2017. The food quality and variety is as good or better than it was in 2017. The activities are as good or better than in 2017. Should I continue? Carnival just keeps getting better and better. And, all of this at very competitive prices that make Carnival one of the best values in the cruise industry. I look forward to our next Carnival cruise, hopefully on the new Mardis Gras.

Video Review

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 12/10/19 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 12/10/19

Holland America - Nieuw Statendam Review

I spend a week aboard Holland America’s newest ship in the Caribbean

The Itinerary

Cruise Blog

Embarkation (Port Everglades), Half Moon Cay, At Sea, Grand Turk, Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), At Sea, Key West, Disembarkation (Port Everglades)

The Ship

The newest Pinnacle-class ship from Holland America makes a great first impression. These Pinnacle-class ships are beautiful ships and they are well-designed. Public spaces are found on Decks 2, 3, 9, 10, 11 and 12. There are elevators and stairs forward, midship and aft. The ship’s two Azipod engines pull the ship along smoothly and quietly.

Accommodations - Veranda Stateroom

My Veranda Stateroom (5 074) was located on Gershwin Deck (Deck 5) just forward of midship. Staterooms in this category range from 228 to 405 sq ft. My stateroom was definitely in the 228 sq. ft. category. This is fairly typical of balcony or veranda staterooms on newer ships.

The layout and design of the stateroom, however, has been very well thought out and executed. It is about as comfortable as you can make 228 sq. ft.

The closet area is large enough to hold hanging clothes for a 14-day cruise for two people. There are plenty of shelves and drawers for smaller or folded items. Storage space should not be an issue in this stateroom. There is a refrigerator/mini-bar stocked with soft drinks, and a few not-so-soft drinks. A menu is provided with the pricing of the items.

The king-sized bed (or, two twins) is very comfortable. It is a little on the firm side, which I prefer. Bedding is top quality. There are two nightstands, each with drawers and a shelf for additional storage.

There is a small desk with drawers and plenty of power outlets. The balcony is large enough for two people to enjoy days at sea, or early morning coffee. There are two chairs with foot rests and a small table.

The bathroom is compact, but has a very nice, large walk-in glass shower that is the full width of the bathroom. I love the glass door on the shower as opposed to a shower curtain that tends to chase you around the shower and stick to you. There are three small shelves for storage, as well as the sink surround. A shelf under the sink can also be used for storage. The toilet seat and lid are soft close so as to not slam down in the middle of the night and wake a neighbor.

Video

Overall, this is one of the most comfortable Veranda Staterooms I have occupied. There’s plenty of storage, good lighting, a huge flat-screen television with excellent programming, and I really like the light wood tones. The only improvements I would request might be better insulation from noise in the hallway, and a small coffeemaker might be a nice touch. But, overall, Holland America did a great job designing this stateroom.

Food and Dining

Food is the most subjective topic to cover because everyone has different tastes. Overall, the food on Nieuw Statendam is good. There are some exceptional meals that stick out in my mind, and some that were less impressive.

Lido Market (included)

Lido Market is the ship’s buffet located on Deck 9. There is a wide selection served here at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I should preface my comments with letting you know that I am generally not fond of buffets, and try to avoid them if possible. The Lido Market has identical serving lines on the port and starboard sides of the ship, each with multiple themed stations: “breads”, “sandwiches”, “desserts”, etc. On the port side, you will find an Asian station serving different Asian dishes each day.

The food I tried here was pretty typical buffet fare. I did not find anything unusually good or bad. The Asian station had the most interesting items, in my opinion.

One thing I did like about Lido Market is that the food is served by crew members behind the serving line as opposed to guests grabbing utensils and serving themselves. This is a much more sanitary system.

The Dining Room (included)

The Dining Room is the ship’s main “traditional” restaurant. Breakfast and dinner are served here each day and the dinner menu changes each evening. I only dined in The Dining Room a couple of times during this cruise, once for breakfast and once for dinner.

My breakfast was good, but my poached eggs were overcooked (read my Day Two blog). My dinner meal here was the Gala Night dinner which featured Surf and Turf. Of course, I ordered the Surf and Turf (Tenderloin and Lobster). My Shrimp Cocktail starter was excellent, as was the Chicken Orzo soup. The Lobster was very good, but the beef was not as tender as I expected. Overall, I enjoyed The Dining Room. Service on both occasions was excellent.

Dive In (included)

This is the ship’s burger joint located on Deck 9 poolside. Here you can get hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, etc. The burgers are served fresh, made-to-order and are okay. The French fries are some of the best you will find, served hot and very crispy.

New York Deli and Pizza (included)

If you are in the mood for a morning bagel or afternoon pizza, this is the spot. From 7:00am until 11:00am, you can get bagels, cream cheese and a variety of other breakfast sandwiches and pastries. Starting at 11:30am, you can get made-to-order pizzas, sandwiches and salads. There is no ‘pizza-by-the-slice’.

I found the Caesar salad here to be good, but the pizza was somewhat lacking. The crust tasted like it was undercooked and a little “doughy” (is that a word?). The Meatball Sub sandwich was quite good, but could have used more marinara sauce. This is a popular place at lunch, so get here early.

Canaletto ($19 pp)

Canaletto is the ship’s evening Italian-themed bistro dining located on Deck 9 starboard. Actually, Canaletto is a section of Lido Market that is transformed into the bistro dining each evening. Caneletto is only open for dinner and reservations are required.

The menu is different than my last visit to Caneletto (on Nieuw Amsterdam). Sadly, the Braised Beef Short Ribs have been moved from the regular menu to a daily special, and I am not there on that day.

For a complete review of Canaletto, read my post in the Cruise Ship Dining blog click here.

Review

Tamarind ($30 pp)

Tamarind is the Asian-fusion restaurant found on all Pinnacle-class ships. Tamarind is located on Deck 10 aft. I dined here my first evening on board and the meal was excellent. Tamarind remains one of my favorite restaurants on Holland America ships.

You can read my full review of Tamarind here.

Nami Sushi (a la carte)

Nami Sushi is located in the same space as Tamarind on Deck 10 aft. Nami Sushi is a new restaurant serving sushi, sashimi, sushi rolls and a variety of main courses, starters and desserts. I dined here one time and loved it.

You can read my full review of Nami Sushi here.

Rudi’s Sel de Mer (a la carte)

Rudi’s Sel de Mer is an intimate, very upscale French seafood restaurant located on Deck 2 midship. I dined here one evening and enjoyed the meal. However, I did not order a seafood dish, which was a mistake. The bread served here is to die for.

You can read more about my meal at Rudi’s Sel de Mer in my Day Two blog.

Pinnacle Grill (Lunch $15, Dinner$39 pp)

This is the first Holland America cruise in recent history where I did not dine in Pinnacle Grill, other than for lunch one day. I did have reservations to dine at Pinnacle one evening, but I somehow screwed them up when I got on board the ship. My bad.

I did, however, have lunch at Pinnacle Grill one day and it was AMAZING. You can read all about my experience in my Day Three blog.

Review

A Taste of De Librije ($49 pp)

De Librije is the only three-Michelin-star restaurant in the Netherlands. The restaurant has teamed up with Holland America to deliver a unique dining experience on Pinnacle-class ships. One evening per cruise, the Pinnacle Grill is transformed into “A Taste of DeLibrije”. To read all about my incredible dining experience here, click here.

Room Service (included and a la carte)

Room service is available 24 hours a day and there are items throughout the day that are offered at no charge. There are, however, some room service items for which you pay. For example, you can order a Ham and Cheese Omelette for breakfast at no charge. If you want Steak and Eggs, it will cost you $9.50 (US). I had room service breakfast on the day of disembarkation and it was delivered to my stateroom on schedule and my omelette and coffee were hot. The toast, however, was ice cold. I did not order the toast, so it did not matter. Even the best room service has difficulty keeping toast warm without it getting soggy. I also had coffee delivered to the stateroom one morning, which was hot and quite good.

Club Orange

There is a private dining room on Nieuw Statendam for guests who have upgraded to the Club Orange VIP experience.

Bars and Lounges

You will not have a problem finding a place to quench your thirst aboard Nieuw Statendam. Drink prices have increased since the last time we sailed with Holland America. Soft drinks have gone from $2.00 to $2.50, a 25% increase. A glass of sparkling wine is now $9.50, a Crown Royal is $8.50, beers range from $7 to $9. And, all drinks come with a 15% gratuity add-on.

Bar service is the one area where the ship felt understaffed. I was on the Lido deck, poolside during sail away from Port Everglades and I never saw a waiter taking drink orders. I was there for more than an hour. The bar, however, was very busy with guests crowding around to order and receive drinks.

On the Lido Deck, they have placed little electronic buttons to request drink service, but I cannot tell if they work or not. I pressed one several times at the pool and no waiter ever arrived.

Beverage service in the Lido Market was very good. I visited the Lido Market three times, and within just a couple of minutes, a waiter or waitress arrived asking for a drink order. This was true of every dining venue. Only in the bars did I find slow or non-existent service.

Happy Hour has also changed on Holland America. As I recall, there used to be Happy Hour in all bars and lounges at the same time each day, and waiters would circulate through the lounges (or at least a couple of the lounges) with trays of complimentary canapés. Happy Hour is now offered in the Ocean Bar (Deck 2) from 4pm to 5pm and in the Boardwalk Bar from 6pm to 7pm. The Happy Hour special is “buy a drink and get the second for only $2.” Oh, and the canapés are no longer offered.

Happy Hour Example - Crown Royal Double

1st Crown Royal - $8.50
2nd Crown Royal - $2.00
15% gratuitiy - $1.58

Total: $12.07

By having Happy Hour at only one bar at a time, it creates huge crowds and puts the bartenders and waiters under extreme pressure to deliver drinks to all the guests in attendance. A better system, in my opinion, would be to have Happy Hour at the same time (4pm to 5pm, or 5pm to 6pm) in at least two lounges to spread the crowd out a bit. On one afternoon at the Ocean Bar, I waited 20 minutes for my drink to arrive, and an additional 30 minutes to get my key card back from the bar waiter.

Entertainment and Activities

The variety of entertainment aboard Holland America’s Pinnacle-class ships is unmatched for ships of this size. The World Stage is the ship’s main theater, and it is the most innovative theater we have seen on any cruise ship. Guests are not only seated in front of the stage, but around it as well creating sort of a “theater-in-the-round”.

The seating is not the only innovative part of World Stage. The lighting and wrap-around LED screens literally surround the audience with images and sound. And, the sound system is one of the best I have heard on any cruise ship. However, what was interesting on my seven-night sailing was that there were no vocalists performing in either of the production shows. The cast from StepONE Dance Company consisted of six dancers, all of whom were quite good. Other performances in World Stage included Wayne Hoffman (magician); Doug Funk, comedian;and singer/impersonator, Karen Grainger.

The World Stage is on Deck 2 Forward and as you exit, you walk through a literal corridor of entertainment venues that make up the forward half of Deck 2. The Rolling Stone Rock Room was packed with guests every night jamming to the THE ROCK ROOM BAND. It was one of the most popular entertainment venues on the ship. Just across from Rolling Stone Rock Room is Billboard Onboard with dual pianos facing each other where musicians play popular music.

Shows are staggered at various times throughout the evening between the various venues, making it easier for guests to hop from one venue to another, so as not to miss any of the fun.

B.B. Kings Blues Club and Lincoln Center Stage share the same venue midship. If you love heart-pounding jazz, you will love B.B. Kings. And for those who prefer the more sedate tones of classical music, the ship’s quintet performs at various times throughout the day at Lincoln Center Stage. I cannot think of any cruise ship that offers as much variety of entertainment as Holland America does on its Pinnacle-Class ships.*

*They may offer this entertainment on other ships, but we have not sailed on any non-Pinnacle-class ships in many years.

Swimming Pools

There are two swimming pools on Nieuw Statendam. The Lido Pool is located midship on Deck 9. There are three hot tubs at one end of the pool, and a large TV screen at the other end with programming throughout the day. In the evenings, movies are shown on this screen so guests can enjoy “movies under the stars”. Colorful loungers surround the pool and towels are complimentary and readily available.

Nearby, you will find the Lido Bar, Gelato (ice cream), Dive In (burgers), New York Deli and Pizza and the Lido Marketplace (buffet) is just aft of the Lido Pool. This seemed to be the pool where most families would congregate. The Lido Pool’s exposure to the sun can be somewhat hindered by the large sliding glass roof which can be closed during rain or cold weather. However, the roof remained open during our entire cruise.

The Sea View Pool is located aft on Deck 9 and offers the best exposure to the sun of the two pools, since there is no roof overhead. There are plenty of loungers here as well as on Deck 10 just above and overlooking the Sea View Pool.

The Sea View Pool is served by the Sea View Bar and the Lido Marketplace is just steps away, should you get hungry while soaking up the sun.

Fitness Center/Spa

Nieuw Statendam has a very large and well-equipped fitness center located on Deck 9 forward. Those who use treadmills will have one of the best ocean views on the ship as they face a wall of glass. Excellent weight training machines from Precor can be found here as well as free weights.

The Greenhouse Spa and Salon is just aft of the Fitness Center and offers every possible massage treatment as well as hair and nail services. If you choose to partake of the beautiful Hydro Pool, sauna, steam and other spa area goodies, plan on spending $40 per day/per person. They do offer a discounted weekly plan, which is a good value if you plan to visit more than twice per cruise.

Itinerary - 7-Day Tropical Caribbean

My seven-day itinerary included port calls in Half Moon Cay (Holland America’s Private Island), Grand Turk, Amber Cove and Key West. There were two days at sea. Our first stop was on day two at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. This is Holland' America’s private island and a highlight of any HAL Caribbean cruise. The island is spotlessly clean and has a beautiful white sand beach for those who want to take in some sun, or some snorkeling in the clear blue Caribbean waters.

In addition to plenty of complimentary loungers to enjoy, there are other beach activities available. Bar service is also available and you can use your shipboard account to purchase drinks. An Island BBQ (complimentary) is offered for lunch with burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and a variety of salads and desserts.

After a day at sea, we made a stop in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. There are many excursions offered by Holland America in Grand Turk, or you may just want to walk to the cruise shopping area, just a five-minute stroll from the ship. There is also a public beach in Grand Turk visible from the ship and you can rent two loungers and an umbrella for $25 a day. There is also a large swimming pool next to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville restaurant that is free to use, as are the loungers! So, you don’t have to spend money on a ship’s excursion unless you just want to.

Our next stop was Amber Cove, a relatively new cruise port in Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic. This was my first time to visit Amber Cove, and I was quite impressed. The cruise terminal/shopping plaza is similar to the one in Grand Turk, but without a beach. However, what they do have is an even bigger and nicer swimming pool, free for cruise guests to use, a zip line that you can enjoy all day long, as many times as you like, for only $20! There are also private cabanas for rent as well as a variety of water toys (kayaks, peddle boats, etc.). Coco Caña restaurant and bar is located poolside for those who don’t want to walk back to the ship for lunch. I heard from some guests who ate there that the food was very good.

In Amber Cove, you will also find plenty of shops and local vendors selling tours. I found a vendor selling a 2.5 hour, air-conditioned motor coach tour of the island for $29 per person. Of course, many will feel more comfortable booking their excursions through the Shore Excursions desk onboard, but the options are available for those who prefer to go it on their own. I should also mention that the entire shopping plaza area was spotlessly clean. This is a place I would like to visit again.

After another day at sea, our final stop was at Key West, Florida. Key West has become a popular cruise destination over the past few years. It is always fun just to walk around town, see the sights, or stop in for some Key Lime Pie at one of the many pie shops. Our favorite is Key Lime Pie Company on Greene St.

During this visit to Key West, I was able to re-visit 3D Mini-Me, a small business that I found a few years back. They make 3D figurines after taking a 3D scan/photo of you. I think the coolest thing you can do in Key West is to get your own “Mini Me” made using their 3D printer. It only takes a few minutes for them to shoot the photo and they ship the Mini-Me to you in two to four weeks. I had one made a few years ago and loved it. So, I am getting another one made. I think the technology has improved since I got mine, so I can’t wait to see it when it gets here!

The Holland America Experience

Everyone invariably asks, “so, what does Holland America compare to?” In the Carnival family of cruise brands I would say the HAL experience is pretty close to that of Princess Cruises, with each brand having some unique features not found on the other. HAL’s Pinnacle-class ships definitely have nicer Veranda staterooms than Princess, but Princess’ newest ships have that amazing Sanctuary (private cabana experience), which tops HAL’s “The Retreat”. Holland America is still a more adult-focused product compared to Princess or Carnival for sure, but that is changing. Where Holland America has really distinguished itself is with lounge entertainment. No other cruise line comes close.

When comparing to non-Carnival brands, anyone considering a Celebrity cruise should give these new Holland America ships a closer look. And, don’t forget, Holland America is a leader when it comes to Alaska cruises.

Summary

It is clear that Holland America has radically changed its target audience with this new series of Pinnacle-Class ships. It is not uncommon to find families with young children onboard these new ships, something that was almost non-existent 20 years ago. You may pay a little more for Holland America than you would on a “budget” or “mass-market” cruise line, but what you will get in return is some excellent dining options, unmatched entertainment choices, excellent itineraries and perhaps nicest Veranda staterooms in the industry.

Have a question about my Holland America experiences? Post your comment or question below.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 11/2/19 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 11/2/19

Eurodam. Sailing south from Vancouver with great entertainment and excellent food.

“I guarantee you, we have the best live music at sea.”

— Rubin Kooiman

By John and Sandra Nowlan

A possible exaggeration from Rubin Kooiman, the genial Hotel Director of Holland America’s 2100 passenger cruise ship, Eurodam. But with 11 days ahead of us, we were looking forward to seeing if his boast was valid.

In recent years, Holland America has evolved its live music program on several older ships and on its newest vessels, Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam. The Music Walk is a series of Deck Two venues added to Eurodam in 2015 that run the gamut from hard rock to blues, from Top 40 to classical.

As on all large cruise ships, Eurodam, launched in 2008, has a main theatre where a team of talented dancers present several different Broadway-style productions each cruise with dazzling special effects from the background light curtains. On our cruise from Vancouver to San Diego, with three stops in Mexico, we also had main stage solo acts, usually from singers and pianists, accompanied by a live band.

But the Music Walk is what sets Holland America apart. Every evening there were several choices for live music, always with a large, appreciative audience. The loudest was the BB King’s Blues Club with a full band and soloists belting standards from the Blues repertoire. Next door was Billboard Onboard, twin pianos played by a pair of singers who know the Billboard charts through the decades and can handle almost any request. On the two newest, slightly bigger HAL ships there’s an additional venue for the high volume Rolling Stone Rock Room.

Stunning Special Effects in Eurodam Theatre.

Our favorite Music Walk venue was the Lincoln Center Stage, located towards the stern of the ship, with two or more concerts each day featuring a pianist and an exquisite string quartet – cello, viola and two violinists. Each player, a recent graduate of a top American music school, was obviously a skilled professional with a wide repertoire ranging from the classical standards – Bach, Schuman, Beethoven – to Leonard Bernstein, the Beatles and Freddy Mercury. Judging by the enthusiastic overflow crowds for each Lincoln Center performance, the smallish room used by the quintet needs to be expanded in the future.

A dynamic quintet perform at Lincoln Center Stage.

No expansion is needed in the Eurodam’s generous dining areas. The ship may be American-owned and registered in the Netherlands but the Asian food, in particular, has to be among the tastiest and most creative of any cruise line. The Lido Buffet, on Deck 9, always has a good selection of Thai, Indian or Japanese food at lunch or dinner but the best venue is Tamarind on Deck 11. This extra cost ($25 per person) restaurant in a quiet, secluded section of the ship, has charming Indonesian servers and a menu filled with visual and tasty delights - Shrimp Tempura, Shanghai Ribs, a spicy Satay Sampler, and for mains, Lime Glazed Sea Bass or Wasabi and Soy Crusted Beef Tenderloin.

Tamarind was also the location of a special Asian dinner, prepared by Japanese Sushi Master Chef Andy Matsuda from Holland America’s Culinary Council. It was a five course feast, imaginative sushi of course but also included a delectable Sashimi Style Tuna Trio and Grilled Scallops Dengaku. Each course was accompanied by high end wines.

Grilled Scallops Dengaku, from Chef Andy's Special Asian Dinner.

The two other extra cost dining rooms are Pinnacle Grill, the ship’s top quality steakhouse and Canaletto, an Italian specialty restaurant.

Along with the rarely crowded Lido Buffet, the cost-included main dining room covers two floors at the rear of the ship and, on our 11 day cruise, had varied and interesting fare each evening. We were impressed. Covered with white cloths, the tables for two, four, six or eight guests have well trained, friendly waiters who presented menus with selections like Surf & Turf (tender and delicious lobster and beef), BBQ ribs, veal cutlet or chicken parmigiana The fish, especially the fresh wahoo the chef picked up in San Diego, was particularly good. Of course, vegetarian options were always available. Our only disappointment in the main dining room was with the Mexican food, offered for a couple of evenings while we were cruising along the Mexican Riviera. Very bland compared with the real thing.

With very few miscues, cuisine is obviously very important on Eurodam. During the day, the BB King’s Blues Club is converted into America’s Test Kitchen where chefs prepare special dishes before an appreciative audience and answer questions about their techniques. Master Chef Andy showed off his sushi skills with a whimsical Panda Face roll.

Our itinerary included five sea days giving us the opportunity to fully explore the ship. From pickleball and shuffleboard courts on the top deck to the two swimming pools, observation lounges with a library, computer center, lecture rooms and a smoke-free casino, there was always something to do.

We boarded Eurodam in Vancouver, one of the most livable, picturesque cities in North America. It has an excellent cruise port facility at Canada Place and. as expected, boarding the ship was easy and efficient.

After two busy sea days we anchored off the charming California city of Santa Barbara where Eurodam’s lifeboat tenders were used to take guests ashore. This was the first of two tendering stops, both of which seemed to have delays and logistical problems.

Next day, on the pier in San Diego, we found a nearby hop-on, hop-off trolley which gave us an excellent overview of this attractive city with its palm lined boulevards. A highlight was crossing the two mile long Coronado Bridge. We can only be envious of San Diego’s semi-tropical, year-round sunny weather.

In the San Diego Trolley. Crossing the Coronado Bridge.

The Mexican Riviera offered guests a trio of fascinating cities, each with its own special attributes. Cabo San Lucas is a resort destination at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. It was another port requiring a tender (with delays). The city of 80,000, one of the Top Five Mexican tourist destinations, is in a beautiful Pacific setting with pristine beaches alternating with rugged cliffs.

Mazatlan, population 500,000, is slightly off the Mexican tourist radar and thus more authentic with many colonial buildings. Its colorful waterfront walk is filled with sculptures and souvenir shops. As a thrill for tourists, daring young men dive into shallow water from a 50 foot high rock.

Colorful Souvenir Shops in all Mexican towns.

Our last Mexican port, the tourist hot spot of Puerto Vallarta. has a magnificent beach setting flanked by lush, palm-covered mountains. We chose a spirit and food tour where the chefs made us complex cocktails using raicilla, a cousin of tequila, also made from agave. This was followed by some authentic Mexican food – spicy and tasty. .

Mixing a Raicilla Cocktail in Puerto Vallarta.

As we sailed north towards San Diego and disembarkation we were glad we splurged for a Signature Suite, the lowest of three suite categories. We had a large room with plenty of storage space, a generous balcony, a huge 50 inch flat screen TV with plenty of channel and movie choices (including MSNBC, Fox News and BBC News) and, best of all, a large bathroom with twin sinks, a Jacuzzi tub and a separate shower. We were spoiled and would probably upgrade again.

At the start of the cruise, the Eurodam Hotel Director told us he’d guarantee the best live music at sea. He was right. But with the ship emerging from dry dock in 2015 and with continuing improvements since then, we’d say his prideful boast could be accurate about several other areas of this sophisticated vessel.

John and Sandra Nowlan are travel and food writers based in Halifax.

Photos by John and Sandra Nowlan

John & Sandra Nowlan 9/27/19 John & Sandra Nowlan 9/27/19

Queen Victoria. A Cunard European Wine Cruise. Tasteful Elegance.

Our fourteen day “Voyage du Vin” on Cunard’s Queen Victoria left Southampton and headed south towards some of the prime grape growing areas in Spain, Italy and France.

By John and Sandra Nowlan

Samuel Cunard would be very pleased with a cruise that focused on vineyards and wine. According to Cunard historian John Langley, the Canadian-born founder of the famous shipping and cruise line was probably a teetotaler. But the steamship pioneer saw the virtue (and profit potential) of stocking even his early paddle wheelers with fine wines from Europe.

Our fourteen day “Voyage du Vin” on Cunard’s Queen Victoria left Southampton and headed south towards some of the prime grape growing areas in Spain, Italy and France. Ahead of us were tours of some outstanding European vineyards, guest speakers with broad knowledge of wines, elaborate dinners with matching wines for each course and onboard tasting sessions featuring many of the best of the more than 400 wines from the Queen Victoria’s extensive cellars.

Arriving in England a day in advance we stayed at a Cunard-recommended hotel, Chewton Glen, a magnificent Relais and Chateaux historic inn adjacent to the New Forest and close to the port of Southampton. With sumptuous surroundings and some of the best seafood we’ve ever enjoyed, we felt totally pampered.

Boarding the Queen Victoria the next day was quick and efficient. The elegant grand lobby led to many spacious public rooms designed for comfort and convenience. The centerpiece is the huge Queens Room, used for big band dancing, afternoon teas, concerts with the resident string trio or guests like the outstanding classical guitarist, Carlos Bonell, daily exercise classes (like line dancing and aerobics) and formal receptions on gala nights.

The 730 seat Royal Court Theatre is designed to look like a large, historic London West End playhouse with comfortable, red velvet seats, great sight lines and even 16 private boxes along the sides. Unlike many cruise lines, Cunard emphasizes live music and employs two orchestras (one in the theatre and one in the Queens Room) along with a talented ensemble of ten dancers and four vocalists who present six different, complex song and dance shows over the course of the cruise plus a full length play (in our case, it was Neil Simon’s witty California Suite). The musical highlight was a brand new staging of the award-winning West End tap dancing musical, Top Hat, based on the 1935 movie starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Marvelous entertainment with familiar Irving Berlin tunes.

Every day, in addition to the wine themes, there were dozens of choices of things to do (from sporting challenges like darts, ping pong, shuffleboard and fencing to trivia, art and bridge classes to guest speakers on a wide variety of subjects like astronomy, climate change and the Royal Family). If guests prefered to read and relax, the 6,000 volume library (covering two decks via a spiral staircase) is one of the best at sea.

On most cruise ships, the main buffet restaurant is usually crowded and unappealing. On Queen Victoria, the Lido (covering the back half of Deck 9) was never crowded and offered a wide variety of British and international dishes. In fact some guests told us they preferred to dine each day in the Lido rather than the more formal Britannia dining room on decks two and three. As most cruise lines become more casual, Cunard alone retains the tradition of requiring men to wear a jacket (tie optional) each night at dinner and, for several formal nights each cruise, a dark suit, tuxedo or dinner jacket. Clearly, Cunard guests love to dress up. One guest from Wales told us the formal nights were great because they reflected the ship’s opulence and style.

*Lido Buffet. Large and usually uncrowded*

After a day at sea, our Voyage du Vin began in earnest. The Queen Victoria docked in Vigo, Northern Spain, and we chose a tour to the Galician wine region. The normally damp, cool climate produces some wonderful white grape varieties, especially the Albarino. To avoid rotting on the wet ground, grape vines are supported by wooden or cement pilings, sometimes a couple of yards high.

Over the course of the cruise, several wine experts gave talks and hosted opulent dinners in the Verandah Restaurant. One evening we chose a Bordeaux theme dinner with Wall Street Journal and Sunday Times wine writer Will Lyons. At a “nominal” extra cost of $US 230, the chef went all out with his cuisine (Gin & Tonic Smoked Salmon, Tea-smoked Duck Breast, Dry Aged Black Angus Beef Fillet and a decadent Strawberry Pavlova dessert) while Will Lyons introduced our seven Bordeaux classic wines including Chateau La Fleur des Graves Blanc, Chateau l’Evangile Pomerol, Chateau Magdelaine Grand Cru Classé and, for dessert, Chateau d’Yquem, 1996. Excellent food and high end wines

Our next stop was in Mallorca, Spain, where our tour took us to small, rural winery run by a family proud of its botanical garden (exotic cactus) and historic farm implements. Seated in the garden along two long tables, we were served several excellent Mallorcan white and red wines along with an outstanding sweet wine.

Following another activity-filled day at sea we docked in La Spezia, Italy (unremarkable since it was reconstructed after heavy bombing in World War Two) but, like many tourists, headed for nearby Pisa and its famous Leaning Tower (now leaning less, thanks to clever engineering). But Italian wine beckoned as our tour then proceeded to a 17th Century farmhouse in Tuscany where the wine maker provided generous samples of his excellent vintages along with snacks and cheese.

*Italian Wine Samples in 17th Century Farmhouse*

In Cannes, France, we had to anchor the Queen Victoria and use lifeboat tenders to reach the port. We’d seen the glamorous film city before and opted for a tour to Old Antibes, an ancient town dating back to the Iron Age. The town has an excellent Picasso Museum and includes the largest yachting harbour in Europe. We enjoyed the lively provincial market, including colourful spice shops, reminiscent of Istanbul.

After docking in Barcelona, another non-wine tour took us to the old Roman city of Terragona. Its amphitheatre dates from the second century while the impressive town cathedral was begun in 1154. There are lots of tourists in Terragona…and lots of pickpockets.

Back on board Queen Victoria, we chose another opulent, extra cost dinner, this time focusing on Italian wines. Our host and wine guide was Canadian Master of Wine, David Gleave. For our “nominal” $US 130 we had another superb dinner featuring Herb Gnocchi, Smoked Venison Carpaccio and Chateaubriand. Our favourite wines among the eight served were a dry, well-balanced La Rocca Pieropan, a 2016 Fontodi Chianti Classico and a 2014 Barolo Aldo Conterno.

*Smoked Venison Carpaccio. Italian Dinner*

Our final Cunard tour, before sailing back to Southampton, was from the fascinating port of Gibraltar We left the British Territory, crossed the airport runway (traffic stops when planes come and go) and entered Spain again. Our destination was a cork and cattle ranch where the friendly owner showed us how cork is stripped from the trees every nine years and then regenerates. The main use is for wine stoppers but purses, hats and toys can also be made from the material. With screw caps becoming more common, the cork farm owner is trying to diversify and use his acreage as a wedding venue and a kind of cork theme park with animals and educational exhibits.

Arriving back in Southampton was as seamless and efficient as embarkation. This Voyage du Vin was an excellent way to combine traditional Cunard hospitality with increased knowledge of and enjoyment of wines. Next year Cunard is planning its “Food and Wine” event aboard the Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 as it crosses from Southampton to New York in June. Like this year, the crossing will feature many wine-focused events and expert speakers. Samuel Cunard would be delighted.

Photos by John and Sandra Nowlan

John & Sandra Nowlan 1/24/19 John & Sandra Nowlan 1/24/19

Nieuw Statendam. New Ship. Brilliant Entertainment and Dining.

A review of Holland America Nieuw Statendam by Canadian journalists, John and Sandra Nowlan.

Cruise line entertainment has just taken a giant step forward. All the major cruise ships have theatres for evening production shows and most include a few other small venues for specialty acts. But Holland America Line, on its Pinnacle Class ships, has upped the ante.

We’ve just returned from a week-long cruise aboard the newest ship to sail the Caribbean, HAL’s Nieuw Statendam. This 2600 passenger vessel features the World Stage, the most innovative main theatre we’ve ever seen. On decks two and three, at the bow of the ship, World Stage is almost Theatre in the Round, with seats surrounding the performance area. The backdrop is a two story, 270 degree LED high definition screen with sophisticated special effects and superb sound quality. The two 45 minute shows we saw in the theatre, “Humanity” and “Stages”, from the Step One Dance Company, featured six very talented performers and dazzling, interactive use of light, sounds and action. It was brilliant.

*Dazzling Dancing and Special Effects in Main Theatre.*

Also brilliant on Nieuw Statendam are the ship’s four other entertainment venues. Called the “Music Walk”, the mid ship area has something for every musical taste. We particularly loved the Lincoln Center Stage and its group of five remarkable classical musicians – a pianist and a string quartet. In addition to traditional favorites (Bach, Schumann) the quintet performed music from the movies – Star Wars, Psycho and many others. Lincoln Center shares its stage with BB King’s Blues Club, eight talented musicians who bring the crowd alive with southern blues and classic soul.

Classic rock is not forgotten. Five young rockers perform three shows daily in the Rolling Stone Rock Room, a partnership with Rolling Stone Magazine. Across the corridor, two singer/pianists alternate performance times with the rock group and honor all time Billboard Magazine hits. It’s very interactive with lots of stories and requests from the audience.

*Rolling Stone Rock Room. Loud, but Fun.*

In addition to entertainment, a priority for most cruise ship passengers is the dining. Like its sister ship, Koningsdam, the Nieuw Statendam has a bright, two story, main dining room with red and clear glass chandeliers. The innovative design reminded us of giant whale bones. It’s open only in the evening but there are plenty of other dining choices. The Lido Market on deck 9 is the main buffet venue and is cleverly divided into various food islands so crowding is minimized. Food choices are excellent, especially at breakfast. The coffee is not great but better than on most cruise ships. Other areas for complimentary food include the New York Deli and Pizza (very good pizza) and the Dive-In for excellent hamburgers and hot dogs. The hamburgers at Guy Fieri’s Joint on Carnival ships are still a bit better.

*Main Dining Room. Like being inside a whale.*

Nieuw Statendam includes several extra-cost dining areas. We were able to sample four of them. Rudi’s Sel de Mer (named for Holland America’s Master Chef, Rudi Sodamin) is a French-Mediterranean brasserie. One recent survey claimed it had the best seafood at sea. We agree. From the massive Fruits de Mer appetizer (King crab legs, langoustine, crab claws, jumbo shrimp, mussels and clams) to marinated lobster, Dover sole, scallops, sea bass and salmon, we were impressed by the fish quality and innovative presentation. We also has an excellent meal at Pinnacle Grill, the ship’s US Northwest inspired steakhouse. It’s hard to beat a great steak, perfectly cooked. Tamarind is the ship’s 140 seat restaurant that features cuisine from Southeast Asia, China and Japan. We enjoyed giant Indochine tempura shrimp and Mongolian lamb chops. Every evening a portion of the Lido Market becomes Canaletto, an excellent Italian restaurant that’s now part of almost all Holland America ships.

Food is taken very seriously at Holland America so we weren’t surprised at the popularity of America’s Test Kitchen (cooking demonstrations in the main theatre) or the tour of the sparkling, stainless steel galley and its 200 chefs and cooks.

Because of its Dutch heritage, large elegant floral arrangements are scattered throughout the ship. Another delight is the creative artwork on every staircase and in most public areas. We love quirky and the 3D artwork and unusual sculptures delivered many smiles. On Deck Nine there’s even a six foot glass reproduction, anatomically correct, of Michelangelo’s “David”. For fun, he’s holding a smart phone for a selfie.

*Michelangelo's "David". Taking a selfie.*

Fort Lauderdale, with easy access from the nearby airport, is the current base for Nieuw Statendam. Our Eastern Caribbean itinerary took us first to Nassau, Bahamas, a very popular cruise destination (when we were there, five large ships were docked next to each other). We took the boat tour to nearby Blue Lagoon Island with some quiet beaches and the well-known Dolphin Encounters. Close interaction with these marine mammals is very popular and they seemed to be well cared for.

After a welcome day at sea we arrived at the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a Territory of the United States. It was a delight seeing the 16th Century landmark fortifications and the Spanish Colonial buildings in the Old Town, now a UNESCO Heritage Site. We joined a Spoon Food Tour led by Pablo, an entertaining guide, who knew the history of every nook and cranny and who introduced us to some unique Puerto Rican cuisine – Mofongo (the national dish of fried plantain with chicken and sauce) and Pernil (marinated roast pork with beans, rice, ceviche and churros).

That fascinating city was followed by another sea day and two beach days, first at Trunk Bay Beach on the island of St. John, a half hour boat ride from our landing in St. Thomas. The beach was wonderful (great snorkeling) but we passed evidence of much destruction from recent hurricanes. The last beach day and our last onboard (we love Caribbean beaches, especially during our winter) was on Holland America’s private Bahamas Island, Half Moon Cay. Reached by large, efficient tenders, the white sand beach is superb with the clearest ocean water we’ve ever seen. Some guests chose optional horseback riding, kayaking or Sea-Dooing. There were plenty of beach chairs available. Back on board the ship offered its guests cold towels and drinks. Even some ultra-luxury lines don’t do that anymore.

*Private Island Beach. Crystal Clear Water.*

We were sad to leave Nieuw Statendam and head for home (disembarkation was remarkably fast and efficient). This was the sixth Holland American ship, dating back to 1898, with the proud Statendam name. Earlier travellers on its namesake would have been astonished by the dramatic, positive changes in comfort, cuisine and entertainment.

John and Sandra Nowlan are travel and food writers based in Halifax.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/31/18 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/31/18

10 Night Panama Canal on Island Princess

Island Princess is one of the cruise lines’ older, smaller ships, but still shines with a lot of character and an amazing staff.

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Itinerary: Ft. Lauderdale, At Sea, Falmouth, At Sea, Cartagena, Panama Canal, Limón, At Sea, Grand Cayman, At Sea, Ft. Lauderdale - Read Cruise Blog

island princess review, princess cruises review, princess cruise review, caribbean cruise, panama canal, panama canal cruise, chris dikmen, rickee richardson, large cruise ship, travel photography, cruise ship dining, cruise blog, travel blog

When Island Princess was inaugurated in 2003, her 92,822 tons would have classified her as a large ship. Princess' newest ship, Majestic Princess, is 143,000 tons and can carry 3,500+ guests. Our concern going into this project was that our previous experience aboard Royal Princess would leave us wanting more from the smaller, older Island Princess. As we would soon learn, youth and size are not everything.

Cruise Personalizer Website

Princess' website allows you to pre-book shore excursions in each port, make restaurant reservations (at alternate restaurants), book spa treatments and more. Pre-booking these items does require that you pay using a credit card prior to the cruise. If you have shipboard credit, those charges will be reversed and refunded to you after you board the ship. You can also print all of your cruise documents right from the website. More info here.

Embarkation

We arrived at Port Everglades Terminal 2 at 12:15, just as embarkation was getting underway. We were shocked when we breezed through security and document check. We were issued our stateroom key cards (which also serve as charge cards and ID cards when disembarking the ship in port).

Our stateroom was ready as soon as we boarded. When we arrived, our excellent room steward, Dario, greeted us in the hallway.

The Ship

Like all Princess ships, Island Princess features an impressive multi-deck, centrally-located atrium.

Shops can be found on Deck 6 and Deck 7 in the Atrium and offered many opportunities to grab a bargain on a wide variety of goods including jewelry, liquor, clothing, sundries and Princess logo items. Main dining venues and several lounges are either in the Atrium or close by. The Promenade Deck (7) has an outdoor teak promenade, but it does not wrap around the aft section of the ship.

There are two swimming pools on the Lido Deck (14). The Lido Pool is the larger of the two and is completely exposed to the elements. This is the pool where you will find the most sun.

There are three hot tubs at corners of the pool and the sun loungers here are your basic mesh style.

There is a big-screen television at one end of the Lido Pool deck with programming throughout the day, and Movies Under the Stars in the evening.

There are more sun loungers located on Deck 15, above and looking down on the Lido Pool.

For families with little ones who want to get wet, there is a Splash Pool on Deck 16 forward.

For those who enjoy a quieter poolside experience, the Lotus Pool is located forward of the Lido Pool and is covered with a glass roof.

The loungers in Lotus Pool are cushioned, making them a more comfortable alternative to the Lido Pool loungers.

Swirls, Island Princess' ice cream dispensary is located in this area.

The Sanctuary, located on Deck 15 aft, is the ultimate sun-lover's retreat. This adult-only space is available by reservation only. The Sanctuary offers two levels of comfort. Sun loungers are available for a half-day or full-day at $20/$40 respectively. The loungers are super plush and very comfortable. Upgraded towels are provided.

Private cabanas are available for half-/full-day as well at $140/$220 respectively.

Cabanas are furnished with a large sectional sofa, wicker chair and coffee table, flat-screen TV, mini-fridge, and two sun loungers. A ceiling fan helps keep air flowing through the cabana on warm Caribbean days.

Sanctuary guests are served complimentary cold cucumber-infused or orange-infused water throughout the day.

A team of Sanctuary crew members provided excellent service throughout our cruise.

At lunchtime, guests at The Sanctuary don't have to interrupt their sun-soaking. A crew member will come to your lounger with a lunch menu to take your order and deliver your meal right to your lounger (there is a modest $3 service charge for food orders).

In our opinion, The Sanctuary is one of the best features of a Princess Cruise. You get five-star resort service and amenities for a very reasonable price. We visited The Sanctuary several times during this cruise and loved the uncrowded, peaceful environment.

We observed some areas of the ship that look a little tired and in need of a refresh. The Explorer's Lounge, Wheelhouse Bar, and Atrium on Decks 6 and 8 could benefit from new carpet and furnishings. Carpet on Deck 7 in the Atrium looks new and modern, as does Crooner's Bar. Carpet in the staterooms looks new, as well.

Accommodations

Our Balcony Stateroom (E211) was located on Deck 8 Forward. The layout of the stateroom was similar to our Balcony Stateroom on Royal Princess in 2014. The large flat-screen television was mounted in the corner over the mini-bar rather than on the wall facing the bed. The desk on Island Princess is wider and has two drawers and a small shelf that provide some additional storage.

There are only two electrical outlets in the entire stateroom. And, they are right next to each other, making it hard for some battery chargers to fit with other plug-in items. To further complicate matters, a light switch is very close to one of the plugs.

There is a desk chair (shown above) and another chair paired with a small round coffee table of sorts. The small table remained up against the wall next to the mini-bar/fridge the entire cruise. A cube-style table with storage inside might be a better choice.

Storage space is at a premium in this stateroom. Our advice: pack light. The only drawers are in the small nightstands and the two in the desk. The closet has a cabinet with a series of relatively narrow shelves (although wider than the ones on Royal Princess) for storage.

The bathroom is quite small and dimly lit and has one of the smallest shower stalls we have seen on a modern ship. Pump bottles mounted to the shower wall contain shampoo and body wash.

The bottle of conditioner you see is one we brought with us from our hotel. No conditioner is provided nor is body lotion. By the end of the cruise, you will have an intimate relationship with the shower curtain, especially if you bend over in the shower. Gone is the handheld shower wand. It has been replaced with a fixed shower head, which can be moved only slightly on its base from left to right.

There are three shelves mounted to the back wall of the bathroom, and a long shelf under the sink. There are no cabinets or drawers.

The balcony is modest, but very usable. The decking is covered in a blue non-skid plastic material. There are two chairs and a small table (sorry, no photo). The sliding balcony door was easy to open and close. The stateroom door, left unattended, would slam shut with a wall-shaking intensity.

The Princess Luxury Bed was designed and created in conjunction with sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus and HGTV design star, Candice Olsen. Princess has installed 44,000 of these beds fleet-wide in an effort to provide their guests with a better sleep experience. After spending 10 nights on this bed, we have to admit, it is one of the most comfortable beds on which we have slept.

The Balcony Stateroom is compact, but comfortable enough for a 10-day Panama Canal cruise. Princess should consider adding additional electrical outlets, USB charging ports, a better hair dryer and a lighted makeup mirror in the bathroom.

Food and Dining

Island Princess has a variety of dining options available for guests. Bordeaux Restaurant (Deck 5 midship) is designated for guests with Anytime Dining from 5:15pm to 9:30pm. The Provence Restaurant (Deck 6 midship) is for those who prefer Traditional Dining (early or late seating at assigned tables). Breakfast and lunch are offered in the restaurants on sea days and dinner is served every evening. Evening menus offer an Always Available selection as well as items that change every day.

We ordered the Prime Rib in Provence Restaurant one evening, which was very good and cooked perfectly.

Princess now features a main course each evening designed by celebrity chef, Curtis Stone. On our second visit, I tried Chef Stone's Roasted Pork Belly and found it to be delicious.

On one visit to Provence, I ordered the New York Strip with Green Peppercorn Sauce. Unfortunately, it arrived seriously undercooked. I ordered Medium, and the steak served to me was extremely rare. Also, I never did receive the Green Peppercorn Sauce.

Our waiter quickly replaced my undercooked steak with a new one which, too, was blood rare. At this point, I asked the waiter to change my order to the Roasted Pork Belly from Chef Stone's menu (for some reason, it was on the menu again that night). No problem.

Horizon Court is Princess' Lido buffet restaurant and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Horizon Court is a cafeteria-style buffet with long serving lines on port and starboard side, each serving identical fare.

Horizon Court is very popular for breakfast and lunch, and also attracts a crowd at dinner.

Self-serve coffee, decaf, and hot water are available here. The coffee is actually drinkable, high praise coming from someone who travels with his own French Press and ground coffee.

The food served at Horizon Court is pretty standard cruise ship buffet fare. There are lots of choices, but rarely do any of them rise to the level of stand-out cuisine. As is the case with most buffets, food that should be served hot was usually lukewarm.

The Grill on Deck 15 midship serves burgers, hot dogs, fries, etc. The Grill is open from 11am until 10pm and, after 6pm, also offers Smokehouse BBQ items, which change each evening. We did not try the Smokehouse items, but the burgers were better than what I remembered from Royal Princess in 2014. They have improved the bun and the meat is juicier. Fries are good when they are fresh and hot.

Pizza is also available at the Pizzeria on Deck 14 midship. We have decided that the pizza may be the best pizza on any cruise ship.

Sabatini's is Princess' Italian-themed alternate restaurant and Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse is a New Orleans/Cajun-themed venue. Both restaurants have a $29/per person cover charge.

Of the two, Sabatini's was our favorite. The atmosphere is more romantic and the menu more 'mainstream', while still being innovative. We consider Sabatini's to be well worth the $29 cover charge. You can read our full Sabatini's review here.

Bayou Café, on the other hand, is a toss-up. It is much more casual and a concept we have a hard time understanding. How many people are really into Cajun cuisine?

The food at Bayou Café was good, just not as impressive as Sabatini's. Bottom line, while we would return to Sabatini's, we would probably skip a return visit to Bayou Café.

The ultimate dining experience on Island Princess is The Chef's Table. This 'once-per-cruise' event is limited to a maximum of 12 guests. After a five-course appetizer tasting in the galley, guests then enjoy a multi-course feast prepared by the Executive Chef. Foodies will have no problem with the $95/pp cover charge (which includes premium wine pairings). This was perhaps, one of the best meals we have ever had on a cruise ship.

*Guests are served appetizers in the galley at The Chef's Table*

For more information on The Chef's Table, click here.

Service in every restaurant on board was excellent. A choice of very nice wines is available in every restaurant but wine choices vary from one restaurant to the next.

Entertainment and Activities

The Princess Patter (daily newsletter) is filled with all sorts of activities going on during the daytime. Trivia is one of our favorite daytime activities, and there were several trivia games offered throughout the day.

*Asst. Cruise Director, Jade, is about to start morning trivia*

All entertainment and activities onboard Island Princess are under the auspices of Cruise Director, Kevin Tugwell, who is from Canada. Kevin could be seen around the ship and was very approachable and always willing to converse.

Evening entertainment includes musical performances in the various lounges onboard, and typically two shows (early and late) in the Princess Theater. The Princess Theater has an excellent sound system, great sight lines and the latest tech. The highlight of the cruise's production show series was The Secret Silk, produced by Stephen Schwartz, the producer and composer of the Broadway play, WICKED. It was one of the best shows we have seen on any ship. Read more about The Secret Silk here.

In addition to production shows, a variety of comedians, magicians and musical acts were presented throughout the cruise. It is clear that Princess is stepping up its game in the area of entertainment.

There is a very well-equipped fitness center with all of the latest cardio equipment and weight machines. The Lotus Spa occupies Deck 14 aft and offers every possible spa treatment you could ever want. A very nice beauty salon is on hand for tending to hair and nails.

If, like us, you have to stay in touch with your business or friends back home, you will be pleased to know that whatever Princess did to the Internet/WiFi on board during the last refurbishment of Island Princess worked. Not only is the Internet service reliable (I did not lose my connection one time in 10 days), but the interface is one of the best you will find on a cruise ship.

Once you CONFIRM your intent to connect to the Internet (above), CONNECTED screen appears in your web browser that allows you to log out, and shows a running total of your minutes remaining.

You can keep this window open in a separate browser tab or window so you always know how much time you have remaining. Princess offers several Internet plans starting with 100 minutes for $69 all the way up to 600 minutes for $199. If you pre-purchase your Internet through Cruise Personlizer before your cruise, you can get bonus minutes added to your plan. I got 80 bonus minutes on the 600-minute plan.

I would have to say that the Internet/WiFi on Island Princess was the best we have experienced on a ship this size. Sure, it is not the blazing fast Internet we get at home, but for a cruise ship it was impressive. I was able to post my daily blog which requires uploading of several fairly large photos to our server in Dallas. And, the WiFi was available from everywhere on the ship that I tried, even The Sanctuary!

Itinerary and Excursions

The highlight of this 10-Day Panama Canal sailing is definitely the transiting of the canal locks from the Caribbean into Gatun Lake.

Princess does offer a lot of shore excursion opportunities in each port. We had a good experience with the shore excursions and felt like they were a good value.

Tour Desk staff do a good job of organizing disembarkation for the various excursions. Even with relatively mundane ports such as Limón, Falmouth and even Cartagena, Princess does a great job of bringing out the best of each port with an excellent choice of interesting excursions.

Service

We were very pleased with the service of the entire crew and staff throughout the ship. Guest Services Manager, Christine, was extremely helpful. We have already mentioned the great service we received from our room steward, Dario. The team at The Sanctuary was nothing short of amazing. And, we cannot forget Maitre'd Hotel, Silvio Zampieri. Silvio has been with Princess for more than 30 years and his level of service and personal attention harkens back to the early days of cruising.

*Silvio Zampieri and Rickee at The Chef's Table galley tour*

Summary

The bigger ships may have newer facilities, more restaurants, etc. But, ships like Island Princess have the charm and small-ship feel that you just cannot get on the larger vessels. We were impressed with how the staff and crew made it feel like a much smaller, more personal ship. Island Princess delivers the traditional cruise experience that we have come to expect from Princess Cruises. As for the Panama Canal, it is a destination that every cruise enthusiast should have on their bucket list. And, there is no better way to see the canal than onboard a Princess ship!

For more information on Princess Cruises, visit their website at www.Princess.com

GALLERY

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/20/17 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/20/17

8-Night Eastern Caribbean Sailing on Carnival Vista

Carnival's largest ship reveals a few surprises and delivers loads of fun…

Daily Blog

Itinerary: Miami, At Sea, Grand Turk, La Romana, San Juan, St. Maarten, At Sea, At Sea, Miami - read our daily cruise blog

carnival cruise line, carnival vista, carnival vista review, carnival review, caribbean cruise, large ship,carnival cruise line review, travel photography, cruise ship dining, guy fieri, guys burger joint, chris dikmen, rickee richardson

What can possibly be said about Carnival that has not already been said? Perhaps nothing. Our recent sailing on Carnival Vista, Carnival's largest, and newest, ship revealed few surprises. However, we did notice subtle changes since our 2014 Carnival Breeze sailing.

Embarkation

“There is nowhere else that you can get this much fun packed into a week’s vacation at such a modest cost.”

— Chris Dikmen

As usual, the embarkation crowds were huge. We were fortunate to have Carnival's Priority Embarkationwhich is available to Diamond and Platinum VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) loyalty recognition program members as well as those who purchase Carnival's Faster To The Fun package (more info). By showing our Priority Embarkation document at the port terminal, we breezed past the long lines, and through security. There was a special "Priority Embarkation" line at check-in which probably cut another 20 minutes off the wait. However, after check-in, we were supposed to be whisked past the line to an escalator that took us directly to the ship, but apparently the young lady working that section was unaware of what Priority Embarkation meant, so we ended up in the normal line. That probably added 15 minutes to our embarkation. Nevertheless, we were able to embark in under 45 minutes from the time we arrived at the port terminal.

We stepped on board the ship at around 12:45. Our documentation said we could occupy our stateroom as early as 11:30.

welcome aboard carnival | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

However, when we arrived at Deck 9 aft, we were greeted by a closed fire door with a different message:

carnival embarkation notice | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

It was not a big deal to us since it was already 12:45. We decided to go have lunch then come back to our stateroom at 1:30. But, those who pay for the Faster to the Fun package and embark earlier may find the inability to access their stateroom to be disappointing. The bottom line is that the Priority Embarkation is a great feature, but Carnival still has a few kinks to work out in its implementation.

The Ship

Carnival Vista is only slightly larger than Carnival Breeze at 133,000 tons with a passenger capacity of 3,934. She is plenty big. Even though Vista only carries 244 more guests than Breeze, she felt much more crowded. Perhaps Vista has more, smaller venues resulting in this sensation, or, perhaps it is our imagination.

Lobby Bar | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Carnival faithful may bemoan the lack of an impressive atrium with glass elevators ascending eight or more decks. Vista's three-deck atrium is sedate by comparison, but does have an interesting centerpiece that rises from the Lobby Bar on Deck 3 all the way to the ceiling featuring ever-changing artistic displays.

The layout of Vista is very similar to Carnival Breeze (and her sisters, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic). So, if you have sailed on a Dream-class ship, you will feel right at home on Vista. There are eight forward elevators, four amidship, and four aft. However, to get to Guest Relations on Deck 3 forward, you will have to use the forward elevators. You can walk all the way forward and all the way aft on Decks 4 through 10.

*Long walkways like this on Deck 4 take you all the way forward or aft*

Most public spaces are located on Decks 4, 5, 10, 11. The Cloud 9 Spa and the Fitness Center are located on Deck 12 forward. WaterWorks is also on Deck 12 midship and the Skycourt (basketball) is located aft on the same deck.

For me, the most interesting, and fun, feature on Carnival Vista is the SkyRide, which also happens to be on Deck 12. Try to imagine a recumbent bicycle hanging from a monorail system that you pedal around the aft section of the ship! SkyRide is unique to Vista and is one of the coolest activities we have seen on a cruise ship. Here's a CruiseReport.com tip: make sure you start on the inside track when riding the SkyRide.

Accommodations

We were able to access our Balcony Stateroom (9441) at 1:30, once the fire doors were opened. The stateroom is a pretty standard Carnival-issue balcony cabin. The 185 sq. ft. stateroom is very well designed with a decent-sized closet, small desk, large sofa w/coffee table, a king-sized bed (which can be configured as two twins), two small nightstands and decent lighting.

Balcony Stateroom | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The three-door closet reveals one area for hanging long clothing items while the middle section is divided by two hanging bars. We discovered that the lower bar can be removed in case you want to hang more long items. The captive hangers are a bit of an annoyance, but prevent guests from taking hangers home with them. One of the closets is outfitted with a couple of large shelves, an electronic safe and a three large dresser drawers.

hangars on carnival | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

There is a small mini-fridge located underneath the desk that can be used to store sodas, bottled water, wine or other food items. As is typical of cruise ship mini-fridges, it does not get very cold. Ours had some rack pieces just laying loose in the bottom of the fridge and I never could figure out where they went.

Mini Fridge | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

There are three small shelves on one side of the desk, good for storing camera gear, caps, vitamins, etc.

Desk and Safe | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Carnival has thoughtfully included two US-Style 100v outlets on the desk as well as two USB charging ports. Now, if we could just get them to add USB ports to the nightstands! Hey, we will take what we can get. There is a small drawer under the desk that holds the hair dryer (already plugged in) and has enough space to hold charging cables and such.

Electrical and USB Outlets | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

By clearing off and relocating all of the promotional materials on the coffee table, we created another nice storage place for various items. A shelf under the coffee table is also good for storing bottled water or other items that need to be kept out of the way. The sofa itself is large enough to use for additional stowage of backpacks, beach bags, etc.

Bed and Sofa | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The bathroom is compact, but efficient. Carnival is not going to win any awards for decor, but everything works well and the shower is actually larger than it looks. We would like to see the shower curtain replaced with a door, but now we are nit-picking. The three glass shelves affixed to the wall at each end of the vanity provide a lot space to store personal items.

bathroom | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Only bar soap is provided at the sink and shampoo and shower gel are provided in dispensers inside the shower stall. There is no body lotion or hair conditioner provided, so plan to bring your own.

shampoo and soap | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The balcony is also quite compact, but can seat two in relative comfort. A small table is able to hold your coffee, soda or champagne as you sit and enjoy the view. Carnival's new smoking policy prevents your neighbors from smoking on their balconies, making the balcony a much more enjoyable experience for those of us who cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke.

The worst feature of the stateroom is the balcony door which can loudly slam shut with such force that it shakes the walls. We always seem to end up next to neighbors who can't decide if they want to be on their balcony or inside their stateroom. A neighbor's balcony door slamming shut every 4 or 5 minutes day and night can become very annoying. The door can be shut softly by holding the handle down and gently closing the door. But that requires thought, consideration and a concern for the well-being of your neighbors. The same is true of the stateroom door. And, don't think this is an issue unique to Carnival. It happens on a wide range of cruise lines, at all price points.

Balcony Door | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The stateroom has some sound insulation. However, we could hear our neighbors cough and sneeze. Even mid-volume conversation will be heard through the walls. Being on Deck 9 aft, we were treated to the continual noise of chairs and equipment being dragged across the pool deck above. The consistent noise from above had us reaching for our our Bose noise-cancelling headphones every night in order to get any sleep. Another tip: If you are a light sleeper, don't book a stateroom on Deck 9 (or any deck right below the pool deck).

Other than the location of our particular stateroom and the associated noise, the design and layout of the cabin is near-perfect for a basic balcony stateroom. There is plenty of room for everything you need, tons of storage underneath the beds for luggage, ample light, a nice desk. The large, flat-screen television is mounted to the wall directly across from the bed. Programming is good and includes CNN, CNN International, BBC, TBS, TCM, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox and several Carnival closed-circuit channels. There is no Fox News.

Food and Dining

This is one area where Carnival punches above its weight class. You might not expect a value cruise line to offer such exceptional dining, but you would be wrong. We found the quality of food served on Carnival to be equal to, or better than, just about any cruise line. The Horizon Restaurant(Deck 4 & 5 aft) and Reflections Restaurant (Deck 3 forward) offer the traditional cruise ship dining experience with a choice of seating times. Early Seating is offered at 6:00pm, Late Seating at 8:15pm or Your Time Dining from 5:30pm until 9:30pm. We chose the Your Time Dining which now requires check-in on Deck 5, amidship.

This check-in process is actually a good idea. If the table you desire is available when you arrive, you are assigned the table, given a slip of paper to show the host/ess at the assigned restaurant and off you go. If the restaurant is slammed when you arrive at the check-in desk, you are given one of those flashing light, buzzing electronic devices to let you know when your table is ready. This prevents long lines of Your Time Dining patrons from standing around outside the restaurants during peak periods. Good idea.

When we dined at Horizon Restaurant, we arrived at the check-in desk at 5:30pm and had no problem procuring a nice table for two. The menu was fairly typical for a cruise ship main dining venue.

The menu, which changes each evening, is divided into three main sections: Appetizers, Mains and Desserts. Soups, salads and appetizers now appear under the Appetizers heading. However, you are more than welcome to order more than one item from the Appetizers section, which we did. There are also some grill items that are "always available" just in case none of the daily offerings excite you. There is also a new Steakhouse Selections sub-menu from which you can order "premium" cuts of steak for a $20 surcharge, or a Seafood Tower for $60 (for 2).

Premium Dinner Selections | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

We found the food served in Horizons to be good, but not great. Nothing really stood out, but the food was served hot and everything was relatively tasty. It was pretty standard cruise line fare. The service in the dining room was crisp and efficient, although we struggled to understand our waiter's English. One change we noticed since our last Carnival cruise in 2014 is the lack of tablecloths used in the dining rooms. In fact, we did not see tablecloths in any restaurant on board. While this does give the restaurants a much less formal feel, I am confident this move was intended to save on water and for other environmental reasons.

The most popular dining venue on any Carnival ship is the Lido Marketplace buffet (Deck 10 aft). Rickee and I are not huge fans of buffets, but Carnival's Lido Marketplace appears to be better than most. It can get really crowded here during peak dining times, but we visited one afternoon at lunchtime while most guests were in port. We tried the Deli which offers a selection of delicious sandwiches and panini. My Cubano sandwich was very good and Rickee enjoyed a fully-loaded hot dog.

Of course, the buffet is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At breakfast, the omelette stations get very busy, so the earlier you can get in line, the better. Lunch and dinner items change each day, and everything we saw looked fresh and nicely presented. There are plenty of beverage stations with coffee, tea, water, fruit juices (mornings), lemonade and fruit punch (afternoon and evenings).

lido marketplace buffet | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Ice cream lovers will find soft-serve machines in Lido Marketplace, close to the pool area entrance. There are machines on the port and starboard sides. In addition, there is also a station where fresh ice cream is being made and scooped into bowls. We found this ice cream to be very good. There are toppings available so you can make your own sundae.

carnival vista ice cream | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Our favorite lunch spot on Vista (as it was on Breeze) is Guy's Burger Joint, located on Deck 10 amidship, starboard (by the pool). Carnival's partnership with Food Network star, Guy Fieri, has resulted in the best hamburger you will find on any cruise line, period. On sea days, the lines can get really long here, so get in line early. The burger is well worth the wait. And, the fries are fresh, well-seasoned and delicious. The 80/20 beef/pork-mixture burgers are cooked fresh on a super-hot griddle. The melted cheese atop the crusty beef patty is sublime. The buns are fresh, soft and a lightly toasted. It is burger nirvana. A Toppings Bar offers a wide variety of items (onions, peppers, mushrooms, sauces, etc.) to tailor the burger to your specific tastes.

Guy's Burger Joint | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Directly across from Guy's Burger Joint is Blue Iguana Cantina (Deck 10, port side). If you are in the mood for a huge, made-to-order burrito or soft taco, this is your place. Blue Iguana can get very busy, too, during peak periods. At breakfast, they offer a nice choice of made-to-order breakfast burritos.

While we are on Deck 10, let's not forget two other popular venues: Pizzeria del Capitano and the Seafood Shack. Pizzeria del Capitano is located on Deck 10 aft, port side, by the Tides Pool. Carnival's pizza is legendary and we found the pizza served here to be quite good.

Pizzeria | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The pies are all handmade and the pizzeria is one of the few places open 24/7. So, if you get the munchies at 3am, head to Deck 10 aft and a pie will be made for you. Pepperoni is the most popular, but there are several choices available. If you are not in a hurry, wait for a fresh pie right out of the oven. These pies have a short shelf-life and the longer they sit, the more flavor they lose. But, when they are fresh, they are very good!

On the opposite side of Deck 10 aft is Seafood Shack. Here, you can get a variety of fresh seafood items. Unfortunately, we did not have an opportunity to try Seafood Shack, but the menu looked very tempting, and quite a good value. This is the only dining venue on Deck 10 where there is an additional charge for the food.

Seafood Shack | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

If you are in the mood for barbeque, you will want to check out Pig and Anchor BBQ on Deck 5 starboard midship. This is another Guy Fieri project and the lines here can also get very long. This venue is only open for lunch. We tried every item on the menu and found the pulled pork to be our favorite meat. The potato salad and beans are quite good and the Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ sauce is a real winner.

Pig and Anchor BBQ | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Unfortunately, everything we tried was served at room temperature. None of the meat items were hot, nor were the beans. But, the flavor was certainly there.

Bonsai Sushi on Deck 5 amidship is another one of our favorite dining spots on Vista. The menu is very limited, which may be one reason the quality is so high. The Spicy Tuna Roll ($7) is as good as I have had anywhere, and an excellent value. The Edamame ($2) is great for sharing. Ordering is as simple as filling out the menu on the table and handing it to your waitress.

Bonsai Sushi | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

There is also shaded outdoor seating at Bonsai Sushi (starboard) and you can get orders to go. Service is excellent.

There are three restaurants on Vista that require reservations, and have a cover charge. Cucina del Capitano ($15 per person) is an Italian restaurant (Deck 11 aft). JiJi Asian Kitchen ($15 per person) is an Asian-these restaurant located right across from Cucina del Capitano on Deck 11. Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse ($35 per person) is located on Deck 5 amidship. We had the opportunity to experience all three of these restaurants on our eight-night cruise. Each of these are featured in our new Cruise Ship Dining Reviews blog, so for more details, check our reviews below:

Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse click here
Cucina del Capitano Italian click here
JiJi Asian Kitchen click here

Bars and Lounges

We visited a few different bars and lounges during our eight-day cruise. Our first stop was Plaza Baron embarkation day, which is sort of the "go to" bar for anyone hanging out at Ocean Plaza on Deck 5. The two rum punch drinks were both tasty at $8.95 per drink, plus 15% gratuity.

Plaza Baron | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The Red Frog Pub is one of the most popular watering holes on Vista, and this one even has its own micro-brewery! I ordered a Crown Royal one evening and was a little surprised when it was delivered in an aperitif glass! A Crown Royal will set you back $7.25, for a modest pour.

Red Frog Pub | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Although it is not widely advertised, you can make any drink a "double" for only $3 more. That is actually a much better value than having two drinks. After my Red Frog Pub experience, I began specifying that I wanted my Crown served in a rocks glass. The Lobby Bar complied with a generous double pour in a proper glass.

Rickee was ordering Lemon Drop martinis. She has struggled to get them made the way she likes them on other ships, but not so on Vista. The bartenders seemed to make them just the way she liked them.

Overall, we found the bar service to be very good. Drink prices are comparable to what you will find on other cruise lines. The double-shot is a good value. If you consume more than six alcoholic beverages per day, you should seriously consider Carnival's CHEERS! Drink Package. The package offers you up to 15 drinks per day for $49.99 per person (if you purchase in advance).

The only "bad" experience we had was at Havana Bar one evening. There were only two other guests in the entire bar and we sat at a table for more than five minutes. The bartender basically ignored us. He was engaged in a conversation with the other employees. We just got up and left. There are plenty of other bars on Vista where you don't have to wait.

Entertainment and Activities

Carnival Vista is a "Fun Ship", like all Carnival ships. There are so many things to do on Vista that you will have trouble doing all of them in only eight days. When the ship is "at sea" the list of activities is seemingly endless. For an interesting look at humanity, you won't want to miss the "Very Hairy Chest Contest" poolside. Decks 10, 11, 12 and 15 are filled with guests soaking up the sun in a variety of ways. The Beach Pool (Deck 10 midship) is the most popular venue for sun-lovers with its massive screen playing music videos throughout the day. There are plenty of shaded loungers on Decks 10 and 11, too, with a view of the pool.

Pool (Lido) Deck | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Just a couple of decks up from the Beach Pool is Carnival WaterWorks featuring two exciting water slides. WaterWorks is popular with kids of all ages. We tried both Kaleid-o-Slide and The Twister slide. Both are fun, but The Twister is the more exciting and does not require the hauling of a big inner tube up a lot of stairs.

The Tides Pool is located on Deck 10 aft and has the advantage of proximity to Pizzeria del Capitano and Seafood Shack, just in case exposure to the sun gives you the munchies. There is also the Tides Bar nearby to keep guests "hydrated". Two large hot tubs and expansive views from the stern make this a popular spot.

tides pool carnival vista | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Since we have been to all of the ports visited by Vista on this cruise, we decided to stay on board and enjoy Serenity, Vista's adult-only retreat on Deck 15 forward. Serenity is always a better option for a more peaceful adult getaway, but even more so on port days when everyone is off the ship. Here you will find large wicker "cocoons" with cushions and pillows, perfect for comfortably enjoying the sun. There are also plenty of sun loungers scattered around for direct contact with the sun.

cacoons at serenity on carnival vista | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Serenity also has two hot tubs (one port and one starboard) with views of the ocean.

hot tubs at serenity | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Serenity was one of our favorite daytime spots on Vista. Of course, there are all sorts of outdoor activities going on amidship. Long lines form early for SkyRide, Vista's very cool and very fun monorail bicycle ride. The SkyCourse is a ropes course where guests can test their balance and agility. And, SkyGreens is a miniature golf course where you can put your putting skills to the test.

For complete relaxation, the Cloud 9 Spa (Deck 12 forward) offers every imaginable spa treatment. And, a fully equipped Fitness Center offers circuit training machines, free weights and cardio gear. And, of course, the cruise staff conducts trivia, games and contests in Ocean Plaza (Deck 5 aft) throughout the day. Camp Carnival and Carnival Youth Program staff members keep the little ones entertained with a variety of activities, day and night.

When the sun goes down, the entertainment options on board include a variety of lounge entertainers in Ocean Plaza, Red Frog Pub, Piano Bar 88and the lobby.

*Carnival's lounge entertainers are the best we have found on any cruise line*

Our favorite spot was Piano Bar 88 (Deck 5 amidship), where Elizabeth kept everyone entertained with sing-a-long classic tunes. Return visits toPiano Bar 88 revealed a group of "regulars" who came here every night to enjoy the music. It had the feel of a neighborhood bar!

Carnival's production shows are also very popular. Even though we found the Liquid Lounge to be rather unimpressive compared to other large ship theaters, the stage, lighting and choreography were all first rate.

Production Show | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Another very popular evening destination for us, and for many Vista guests, is the Limelight Lounge (Deck 4 aft), home to Punchliner Comedy Club. Each cruise, Vista features a variety of first-rate comedians and they have expanded the number of shows each day. Lines can get very long to get into these shows, so show up early!

Punchliner Comedy Club | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Staff, Crew and Service

When evaluating individual job performance of cruise ship staff, it is important to remember that when we visit a ship, we are only there for a brief time. Those working on the ship are there for four to six months, or more. They work long hours and have to deal with every sort of guest. Yet, in almost every case, crew members are smiling and always willing to assist.

We found everyone on Carnival Vista to be very pleasant and helpful. From a service standpoint, the only hiccup was with our stateroom attendant. He was pleasant enough, and willing to assist, but upon embarkation we found our stateroom to be in disarray. The mirror in the closet was very dirty, the balcony door had hand prints all over it, we did not have any beach/pool towels placed in the room, there was dried syrup (like from an exploded soft drink can) on the wall next to the desk and the telephone buttons were sticky, too, there was only one glass in the bathroom, and the drawer under the sofa where they store bedspreads was open. It is almost as if he got distracted, or called away, in the middle of cleaning the room. However, the mirror and glass never did get cleaned throughout the eight days we were on board. And, we only got the beach towels after requesting them. Really, nothing major, but not up to the standards we have come to expect from Carnival housekeeping.

We visited Guest Relations (Deck 3 forward) on a couple of occasions. Guest Relations has to be the hardest job on the ship, yet we found everyone working there to be pleasant and helpful.

We sailed with Matt, the Cruise Director, on Breeze in 2014. He is very affable and an excellent Cruise Director. One of his staff, Ryan, would host the comedy shows each evening and was very entertaining. He would also host some of the trivia. Ryan is someone to keep your eyes on; he could end up as a Cruise Director one day.

*Ryan doles out trivia questions in Ocean Plaza*

All of the restaurant staff that we encountered in all dining venues were top notch. Mirela, at Fahrenheit 555, was an excellent waitress. But, all of the wait staff were good throughout the ship.

Final Analysis

This was our seventh Carnival Cruise and, over the years, we have seen many improvements in the product. Carnival is successful for a reason. And, we think the reason is that they continue to deliver one of the best vacation values on Earth. There is nowhere else that you can get this much "fun" packed into a week's vacation for such a modest cost. The service is good, the food is much better than you would expect, the accommodations are comfortable, and the entertainment is off the charts. Sounds like a formula for success!