by Andy Vladimir
The Westerdam receives high marks for accessibility.
Ilost count a long time ago of the number of cruises I’ve been on. But it’s a lot. I’ve written three books on the cruise line industry, which means countless days working at sea. But when I wanted to take a cruise for the sheer joy of being on the ocean, I decided on a Holland America cruise on the Westerdam.
People invariably write and ask me to rank cruises by awarding them stars. I don’t generally do that, but if I did, I’d give the Westerdam a solid 5+. With the exception of poor accessibility for water activities, the Holland America line is one of the best around for people with mobility challenges.
On many ships today, all of the accessible cabins are down below, or inside. Few lines go to the extent of Holland America to see that everyone can get exactly the cabin they want, where they want it. Most of the cabins have balconies and 30 of them are accessible in just about every category (such as bathrooms, beds and room size). Indeed, I found the ship accessible all over, including the show theater where there is a special section in the front to park wheelchairs and enjoy drink service. Many ships put persons with disabilities in the back of the balcony, so the Westerdam was a pleasant surprise.
I picked a seven-day cruise from Ft. Lauderdale with only three ports — Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Oranjestad Aruba, and Willemstad, Curacao — leaving four more glorious days at sea. In case you weren’t aware of it, this is a longtime closely kept secret among cruisers — the more days at sea, the better the cruise. On cruises that visit a port a day, there’s little time to enjoy the vessel itself. You’re rushed around from one destination to another with just a few hours in the evening to enjoy the ship.
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