Has anyone been to Hawaii by Holland America Cruise line "ms Zaandam" from Los Angeles?

Question

I am looking for more information on this cruise line call "ms Zaandam". How are there services? Is it too long for 15 days to Hawaii? What you can do during 4~5 days on the way and back from Hawaii since the ship will be at sea? Do you recommend this cruise line? Do they have internet access and how much? Kid and teen programs? I think this cruise going to 4~5 islands. What I can do there? Do I need to rent a car to go around or join tour? Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

Nick. Send me an email at [e-mail]

I will send you all the infomation on Holland America Cruises that you will need

Answer 2

Holland is known for catering to an older, more-mature crowd and on a 15-day cruise to Hawaii, this will be exaggerated.  HAL doesn't have a high level of activities, in general.  There would likely be few children or teens on board, as not many families can afford the time off or the expense of 15 days or more.

You can get information about port excursions and activities, and reviews of the Zaandam at CruiseCritic.com.  Click on "Boards" and go to "Ports of Call"; click on "Reviews" and read "Member Reviews".  You might also want to check out "Cruise Styles" [at the top of the home page] for a comparison of the style and demographics of the different lines and ships.

If you are a US citizen, you should have no trouble feeling comfortable with going on your own at the different ports.  This will save you money and time and you will be able to get just what you want.  The only requirement is that you make sure you get back to ship on time, because the ship won't wait for you if you're late unless you're on one of the ship's tours.  Although in Hawaii, this would not be that critical - it would simply cost you a little extra to get to the next port on your own.

Answer 3

Nick, I have not taken this particular cruise, but I have taken two other cruises on Holland America Lines. You will have a great time. There are activities going on all day long on the ship and well into the evening. There is internet access, but, unless it is for business, I suggest that you leave your laptop at home. You simply will not need it. The cost is high for the internet. You can get the cost at the HA website.

There is a portion of the ship that is reserved for kids and teens, and great staff to keep them busy. On our last cruise, there were over 200 children on board, and we never saw them, to speak of.

Off the ship, there are all sorts of activities to get into, many of which are sold on board the ship. I recommend that if you do something off the ship, book it through the ship's office. The reason for this is that the ship keeps track of where the passengers are, and at departure time, if you are not back on a ship-booked tour, they wait for you. If you are on you own, they don't wait and it will be up to you to catch up again. Hawaii has a lot to offer, so see as much of it as you can.

I hope you enjoy your trip.

Regards,

Dan

PS You might want to take you laptop to park your photos, unless you have a really large card. I would buy a second card for my camera, if I were taking this trip. There will be a lot of things to photograph, and mine will only hold 296 8x10s.

Answer 4

i have been on a few holland america cruises. I would talk to a travel agent who specializes in cruising.  They can give you lots of info on the specific ships and itineraries.

in general holland is less well known for the entertainment on board and an quieter more refined crowd. that said, the holland america cruise to hawaii sounds really fun.

you might think of a princess ship or a royal carribean ship to hawaii for your teens.

best wishes

and happy cruising.

cruisecritic.com is a great site for info.