Heading Home...
Trip Start
Apr 14, 2009
1
9
Trip End
Apr 24, 2009
At sea, Baja California, Mexico
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Last Day
Perhaps not the best cruise we have taken...but is there really ever a bad cruise? We had a good time, saw some great things, learned some things and enjoyed good friendship.
Mexico is a wonderful country, and I know that sounds weird considering everything we hear and see on the news about the drug cartels and mass murders going on daily in some of the northern border cities, but nowhere did we feel threatened or uncomfortable being in Mexico.
The prices for goods and services were fair....perhaps a little high in San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, but about 50% of the populations of those places are wealthy Americans whose very presence inflates prices. In other places, like Loreto and El Fuerte, we found affordable prices and good services.
As for the Ryndam and Holland America...let's just say it was disappointing. As usual the crew was terrific and bent over backwards to keep us smiling, but this ship has a problem with senior management...Hotel Manager, Executive Chef, and I guess ultimately the Captain who is responsible for the entire operation.
It was a combination of minor issues, the kind that are the result of lack of leadership, promoting an "it's OK" attitude from the managers to the crew that get you fuzzy strawberries dipped in chocolate, 'off' crab cakes that make you sick to your stomach, having to listen to a basketball game being played above your head during dinner in the Lido, the 6:00 am 'wake up call' coming the day after you you need it....and on the first day in six days you get to sleep late... and being lied to by supervisory staff when you ask questions...."There is nothing we can do" being the prominent response to problems! Minor issues such as these are like the proverbial 'handful of sand in your shorts....it's not fatal but is sure an annoying pain in the butt'!!! Minor issues like these make people look for other cruise lines to spend their money on!! It is too bad Holland America doesn't seem to understand that.
Overall it was a good trip and we have no regrets. Ten days is a good length for me...Deb is trying to figure out how she can extend it by a week or two....but I don't think that can happen.
So it's off the ship tomorrow morning and home in Vancouver in time for dinner. I wonder what is being served in the Lido?
