Sunfinder Vacations

Writer Rob Lovitt based this independent review on his 7-night Alaska cruise departing from Seward, Alaska.

The first Statendam launched in 1898; the current one, Statendam V, in 1993. Like her predecessors, No. 5 is a bastion of refined style -- afternoon tea, evening dancing, ever-ready attendants -- that inspires a leisurely, low-key approach to onboard life. But she’s no fuddy-duddy: Thanks to a major renovation in spring 2005, guests can now explore a massive multimedia library, experiment in a cutting-edge culinary arts center, or catch a DVD in their own cabin/cocoon. You could call her Statendam version 5.5, although most of her 1,266 passengers are happy just to call her home.

Why Statendam?

• A nod to the past: Guests relax in comfort as the classic amenities of cruise life -- afternoon tea, a teak-decked outdoor promenade, five-course dinners with set time/seating -- are presented with seamless service.
• A taste of tomorrow: New amenities, including a culinary arts center, high-tech library/Internet café, and ahhhh-inducing spa, invite passengers to exercise their minds while their bodies go on total vacation.
• A good night’s rest: Pop in a DVD, nibble on room service fare or the daily fresh fruit basket, and drift off to sleep on plush, new bedding. Step up to a deluxe suite (jetted tub, concierge services), and you may never come out.

Who should go
Statendam attracts a well-traveled, down-to-earth crowd from across the U.S. Many are seasoned cruisers who like to be pampered, but not coddled or corralled into silly games and organized activities. Not surprisingly, perhaps, most passengers are over 50, many are over 60, and there’s a direct correlation between itinerary length and average age. The ship’s newer amenities -- DVD rentals, CD listening stations, the culinary arts center -- will appeal to younger guests, but Statendam will never be a party boat.

Who shouldn’t go
If you’re looking for boogie nights, or daily deck parties, you should probably look elsewhere. Families, meanwhile, should consider the season: The ship’s children’s center is a stunner, but if school is in session, your kids may be the only ones in it.

Hits and misses

• Don’t miss: The Indonesian Crew Show -- you haven’t heard “God Bless America” until you’ve heard 30 stewards and waiters perform it on clattering bamboo angklungs.
• Best part of the ship: Anywhere there’s teak (on the outdoor promenade, on the open bow, maybe on your private balcony) is a wonderful place to be.
• Best experience: Many ships feature afternoon tea and late-night dessert extravaganzas, but few do so with the elegance and artistry displayed here.
• Best shipboard activities: Culinary demos, hands-on cooking classes, and wine tastings offer informative insights, and ample sampling. Naturalist talks (in Alaska) are a bonus.
• Needs improvement: A little more spice in the food and a little more warmth from the crew would make for a more personal, more memorable experience.
• Activities to skip: During the Welcome Aboard show, several bands play a few snippets of music and the ship’s dancers take a bow, but don’t even dance! Why bother?

How to meet the captain
You’ll get your best shot, so to speak, when the captain poses for photos before his welcome reception on the first formal night. Returning Holland America cruisers get to see him again at a second, smaller reception, although only those with 100-plus days at sea get another photo op. He’s also been known to eat in the main dining room on Hawaii cruises (first formal night, second seating), but rarely does so on Alaska itineraries.

Heard on the deck (during a break in the music at the captain’s welcome reception): “Well, that was nice. Now play something we can dance to!”

Whether it’s a five-course dinner in the Rotterdam Dining Room, serial buffets in the Lido, or just a burger on the go, food is never far away. Epicureans will find most dishes more satisfying than surprising -- think high-quality comfort food -- yet it’s always provided with efficient (if not effusive) service. Ultimately, nothing is overly spicy, which, in turn, means you can try that chicken tandoori or seafood curry without fear. As they like to say in the Lido Restaurant, “If you don’t try it, you’ll never know.”

Rotterdam Dining Room
With its tall pillars and ceiling of Venetian glass blossoms, Statendam’s two-story main dining room is formal yet convivial. Bustling waiters weave among tables, wine stewards proffer bottles, and passengers banter over cocktails and five-course dinners. Menus highlight the classics -- salmon, slow-roasted meats, surf and turf -- with light entrées and vegetarian options for more health-conscious guests. Even the latter, however, may succumb to the tiramisu or double strawberry cheesecake. (The restaurant is also open daily for breakfast and most days for lunch, both open seating.)

Pinnacle Grill
The fine silver, Bulgari china, and gracious European waiters are lovely, but this small specialty restaurant warrants its $20 cover charge for one reason: It offers the best meat onboard. Tender filets, marbled rib eyes, and 20-ounce porterhouses are cooked on a 1600° grill and served with signature sauces perfectly paired to each juicy, char-grilled cut. Seafood from king salmon to cedar-planked halibut is also top-notch; ditto for the chocolate volcano cake and other desserts. But that fork-tender filet mignon is what you’ll remember.

Lido Restaurant
Much of the food in this buffet restaurant, on the other hand, is fairly forgettable. There are made-to-order omelets for breakfast and wok and pasta stations at lunch, but even the more exotic offerings (Thai chicken, chili-crusted catfish) seem to skimp on the spices. Still, once you add in the pastries, make-your-own sundaes, and late-night buffets, no one goes away hungry. And the service is a treat. During the day, waiters whisk your tray to the nearest empty table; at night, they deliver your made-to-order entrée once it’s prepared.

Other dining options

• Terrace Grill: This take-out window by the main pool offers burgers, unique pizzas (avocado, mushroom, and Canadian bacon anyone?), and tacos that are arguably the spiciest dish on the ship.
• Afternoon tea: Canapés, mini-quiches, and pastries are served each afternoon in the Rotterdam Dining Room, complete with white glove and silver tea service, and classical music in the background.
• Room service: Choose from hot and cold items for breakfast, a good selection of appetizers and entrées from noon to 10 PM, and omelets, burgers, and smoked salmon around the clock.

Best dining

• Dish: For a true treat, try the chef’s tasting menu in Pinnacle Grill -- five courses (including multiple entrées) and five Washington state wines, all for $49.
• Dessert: Flavored with a hint of Grand Marnier, Pinnacle Grill’s chocolate volcano cake is warm, rich, and all but guaranteed to knock a recovering chocoholic off the wagon.
• Restaurant: Passengers seeking superlative steaks and chops, impeccable service, and a more intimate dining experience will find it at (where else?) Pinnacle Grill.
• Food seminar: Attend a hands-on cooking class, and you’ll prepare dishes for a cocktail party (crab puffs, herb-crusted brie, and duck carpaccio) or elegant dinner (monkfish medallions with goat cheese polenta). Limited space, fees apply.

How to…

• Get a table for two: Request one, either when booking or by talking to the maître d’ on embarkation day. With 36 to choose from, your odds are quite good.
• Celebrate a birthday/anniversary: Give the maître d’ a day’s notice, and he’ll arrange a complimentary cake and chorus of waiters. In-room flowers and balloons can also be arranged (fees apply).
• Change seating: See the maître d’ between lunch and dinner on embarkation day. Many passengers like to eat early, so it’s generally easier to switch from early seating to late.
• Dress for formal night: Most women forgo the gown for matching separates or a mid-length dress. Many men get by with a coat and tie, with a few suits and even fewer tuxes.
• Dress for casual night: Expect plenty of knit tops and sweaters among the women, golf shirts on the men, and casual slacks throughout.

Tips:

• If you want a table for two and a window view in the Rotterdam Dining Room, request table 26 or 27.
• You can bring your own wine to the dining room, but expect to pay a $15 fee to have it opened.
• The orange juice set out during breakfast buffets is made from concentrate, but fresh-squeezed OJ is available on request.
• The Lido buffet restaurant closes daily at 2 PM, but a deli station offers made-to-order sandwiches throughout the afternoon. (They’re especially tasty grilled.)
• Espressos, lattes, and other coffee drinks are $1.50-2 in Explorations Café, but free during meals in the Rotterdam Dining Room.

Heard on the deck (from a woman getting in the elevator): “I just automatically hit 11 because that’s where the Lido Restaurant is.”

Fresh out of drydock, Statendam’s spacious cabins are now spacious and stylish. All 633 cabins feature flat-screen TVs, DVD players, and baskets of fresh fruit. Waffle-weave bathrobes and massaging showerheads provide comfy touches, while new beds with Euro-top mattresses and 300-count cotton sheets ensure a good night’s rest. Come morning, beds get made, fruit baskets get replenished, and room-service trays miraculously disappear -- you just never see it happen.

Balcony suites offer all of the above, plus minibars, jetted tubs, and teak-floored balconies. Move up to a deluxe balcony suite, and you’ll enjoy a host of complimentary extras, including DVDs, dry-cleaning/pressing, and access to a private lounge with a concierge. Have your Continental breakfasts, light lunches, and evening hors d’oeuvres delivered to your room, and you begin to understand why many onboard activities seem under-attended: Such posh accommodations can be hard to leave.

Cabins for guests with disabilities
Wheelchair travelers give Statendam mixed reviews. On the plus side, six cabins are fully wheelchair accessible (with wide doors and roll-in bathrooms and showers). On the negative, the other nine are considered “modified wheelchair accessible” because they have shower-only bathrooms, but narrow doors, limited turnaround space, and other obstacles. Likewise, the ship could use more and bigger wheelchair-friendly public bathrooms, but everybody raves about the crew and how eager they are to push chairs and carry trays.

Tips:

• If your cabin isn’t ready when you board on embarkation day, you can check your coat and/or carry-on bags in the Half Moon Room, just aft of the front desk.
• Leave the hairdryer at home: There are two in each cabin: One mounted on the bathroom wall and a portable unit in a desk drawer.
• Complimentary shoe shines are available. Place shoes in the provided basket, call for pick-up, and you should have them back within four hours.
• Oceanview and balcony cabins have bathtubs, but inside cabins are shower-only (worth considering if mobility issues make climbing into a bathtub with a high lip difficult).
• Self-service laundry facilities are located on decks 5, 6, and 9. Washers are $2 (including soap) and dryers $1, but both are free for guests in deluxe balcony suites.

Anchored by a large mermaid sculpture/fountain, Statendam’s three-story atrium sets a tasteful, understated tone that’s echoed throughout the ship. Hallways with paneled walls, brass railings, and display cases of antiques lead to intimate lounges and cozy sitting areas, and the ambience is always unhurried whether you’re heading for a bingo game, art auction, or trivia contest. Even the public-address announcements begin with “Please pardon the interruption.” And yet, amid all this old-fashioned elegance, you’ll find amenities for today’s most tech-savvy travelers. The Explorations Café on Deck 8, for example, is a combination library/Internet café with 2,000 books, 1,000 DVDs for rent ($3 per night), and a half-dozen listening stations with songs in every genre. One deck down, the 200-seat Wajang Theater hosts movies, naturalist talks (in Alaska), and culinary demonstrations in a state-of-the-art show kitchen. Of course, if you’d rather play bridge or work on that 3,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, that’s fine, too.

Bars, lounges, and casino
As the ship sails away from each port of call, guests naturally congregate in the light-filled Crow’s Nest (Deck 12, far forward) for drinks, scenery gazing, and free happy-hour appetizers. Later, they might swing by the Piano Bar for soft music or the Ocean Bar for cocktails and a romantic spin around the dance floor. The casino (105 slot machines, nine gaming tables) draws a decent after-dinner crowd -- more for nickel slots than $5 poker -- although it thins out fairly early. Most nights, the DJ in the disco looks rather lonely.

Heard on the deck: “You know you’re having a good time when you’ve only been onboard for a few hours and your bar bill is already over $100.”

Swimming pools
In Alaska, the retractable glass roof over the Lido Pool is often closed; on tropical itineraries, it’s usually open. Either way, most guests are content to read and doze -- the pint-sized pool is better suited for a quick splash than actual swimming -- and you’re far more likely to see a golf-chipping tournament than a belly-flop contest. You’ll also find two hot tubs, a second pool far aft (outdoor, adults only), and an ample supply of lounge chairs, pool towels, and, in Alaska, wool blankets. Pools close at 7 PM; hot tubs, 9 PM.

Shows
A serial celebration of Broadway hits from Annie to Phantom… a French-themed revue with can-can dancers and lots of ooh-la-la… a tribute to John Denver… There’s a show every night in the 600-seat Van Gogh Lounge, although most are more competent than compelling. The big exception is the Indonesian Crew Show, in which several dozen waiters and stewards share the songs, dances, and stories of their homeland to thunderous applause. Get to the theater early for this one as poor sightlines are a problem.

Shore excursions
Booking tours and onshore adventures couldn’t be much easier: You can reserve space online (with a cut-off 10 days before sailing), by dropping a form in an onboard drop box, or by visiting the shore excursion desk during its extended open hours. Flightseeing and other limited-space activities tend to sell out quickly -- check the display screen near the desk -- but you can book many other tours once you arrive in port. You won’t get a discount, but at least you’ll know if the weather is going to cooperate (most tours operate rain or shine).

Weddings and vow renewals
All weddings are conducted in port by local officiants, either in an onboard lounge or on shore (Juneau, Alaska, and Kona, Hawaii, are popular choices). Vow renewals, on the other hand, are performed by the captain, who presides over group ceremonies complete with champagne, cake, pictures, and a certificate. Wedding packages for two start at $1,295; vow renewals, at $129. All arrangements should be made prior to sailing.

Looking for…

• Quietest spot: The Explorations Café is often so quiet you can hear people turning pages and placing Scrabble tiles. Then again, even that would be loud in the spa’s relaxation room.
• Liveliest spot: After a day of shopping in port, the Crow’s Nest draws an enthusiastic crowd for cocktails, line dance classes, and the occasional sail-away party.
• Most popular activities: Morning walks on the outside promenade (four laps equal one mile) and afternoon cooking demos (with samples) set the stage for serious poolside napping.
• Best view: Weather permitting, head to the very bow of the ship on Deck 7, and you’ll enjoy the scenery with the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. (Tip: Bring a windbreaker.)
• Best show: Talented singers, exotic dances, and colorful costumes… no, it’s not the big Broadway or Vegas-style revue; it’s the Indonesian Crew Show.
• Best drink: If the 30-odd desserts at the late-night dessert extravaganza don’t satisfy your sweet tooth, an accompanying espresso martini (vanilla vodka and Kahlua) should do the trick.

Tips:

• Once each cruise, the casino staff lowers minimum bets for blackjack and poker from $5 to $3.
• The ship features 12 Internet stations and several wireless hot spots, although service for both is slow and pricy (75¢ per minute, plus a $3.95 activation fee; wireless cards not available).
• Purchase a 100-minute Internet plan on the first day ($40), and you’ll receive an extra 20 minutes free; purchase a 50-minute plan ($27.50), and receive an extra 10.
• The ship offers daily wine tastings of up to eight wines for a nominal fee; however, the fee is waived if you order a bottle of one of the featured wines for dinner.
• A cancellation fee of 10 percent applies to all shore excursions immediately upon booking.

As part of the ship’s renovation, Club HAL is now way cool. There’s a Technicolor-hued playroom for the little ones, foosball and video games for the ‘tweeners, and a disco and hang-out area that’s popular with teenagers. And everybody loves The Oasis, a Gilligan’s Island-inspired outdoor deck with hammocks, fake palm trees, and a waterfall/splash pool grotto. Some parents may be concerned about the program’s age mix -- 3-7, 8-12, and 13-17 are fairly large spreads -- but the kids don’t seem to mind.

Tips:

• Club Hal closes daily for lunch and dinner, but lunch is available on port days (advance reservations required).
• Group babysitting is available in Club Hal from 10 PM to midnight ($5 per child, per hour). Private in-room babysitting is $8 per child, per hour and can be arranged through the front desk.

Spa and salon
The Greenhouse Spa is like your hometown’s best day spa, a relaxing retreat where bathrobes and slippers wait in the locker room, and you can get your hair colored, your skin replenished, and your body wrapped, rubbed, and scrubbed in dozens of ways. The treatment menu lists 50 soothing services, and therapists usually offer, but rarely push, take-home products. A special “thermal suite” features a burbling hydrotherapy pool, five heated loungers, and lovely ocean views, although eyes seldom stay open for long.

Fitness areas
With 30-plus machines, a good-sized aerobics area, and panoramic views over the bow, Statendam’s fitness center is a stunning place to work out -- there’s just rarely more than two or three people in it. Fact is, guests are more likely to Walk A Mile than tackle the treadmill, which can be a good thing: You can always find an open machine or space in an exercise class. (Aerobics classes are free; yoga, spinning, and Pilates are $11 each.)

Tips:

• The fitness center offers a free, 30-minute Introduction to Yoga class on embarkation day.
• Buy a fitness ball for $39.99, and you can receive a free 30-minute session with a personal trainer.
• A day pass to the spa’s thermal suite is $20 ($15 on port days), but access is free up to 30 minutes before all major spa treatments.
• The ship’s steam room is in the thermal suite, so there’s a fee for access. Locker-room saunas, however, are free.
• If you’re going to book a spa treatment in port (to receive the port-day discount), reserve a time before the crew begins reloading the tenders. (It can get a bit noisy.)

Statendam’s five onboard shops sell the usual tax- and duty-free goods, but the best browsing takes place on the tables set up out front each day. Amber and jade jewelry attracts the most lookers; gold by the inch, the most buyers. On the last sea day, a poolside “clearance sale” offers T-shirts (2 for $20), outerwear (50 percent off), and more gold by the inch ($1-4 per inch). As for liquor, bottles bought during the cruise are held by the crew and delivered to guests’ cabins the day before debarking.

Heard on the deck (after a day of power shopping in port): “I think my arms are going to be two feet longer by the time we get home.”

Statendam sails 7-night cruises between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska, through mid-September 2005. She then offers 15-night sailings between San Diego and Hawaii (through mid-November), followed by 14-night South Pacific cruises (mid-November through February 2005) and 14-night Asia cruises (through April 2006).

Heard on the deck (from a guest trying to guess the passenger secretly named “Mr. Statendam”): “Are you Mr. Statendam?”
His reply: ”No. I was Mr. Maasdam once, but I’m just Mr. Williams on this cruise.”

Tip: Passengers can participate in an onboard airline check-in program, which provides priority disembarkation, facilitated airline check-in, and luggage transfer to your final destination (U.S. citizens only, fee applies).

• Cruise line - Holland America
• Ship name - Statendam
• Type of cruise - Elegant
• Passenger capacity - 1266
• Decks - 10
• Total cabins - 633
• Private balcony cabins - 149
• Total crew - 557
• Year entered service - 1993
• Tonnage - 55451
• Officers nationality - Dutch
• Ship size - Large
• Registry - Netherlands
• Ship length - 720