We have just returned from a cruise to Alaska on Volendam.
Check in at Vancouver was extremely efficient and our cabin was ready on time.
The cabin was kept clean and the staff on board were very friendly and helpful.
We really liked the buffet area.
We have sailed with P&O and it really is sometimes a bun fight, and people help themselves, pile it on the plate and then leave most of it.
In the buffet area on this ship, food is prepared for you there and then (eg.
fried eggs, salads) by the catering staff and no member of the public touches it.
There was no waiting, and this must prevent a possible contamination problem, but I would guess the biggest advantage is cutting down on waste.
Top marks for HAL for this and P&O should learn from it.
Entertainment maybe could have been better (the comedian should have known his audience) but then again, it’s a smaller ship than our P&O ones, so massive production numbers cannot be expected.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
