Recently, my younger sister Yvonne and I had the privilege to join a world cruise aboard Holland America’s MS Amsterdam, which sails from Los Angeles to Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia. From here, the luxury liner proceeded to Vietnam and Singapore before it set sail for Malaysia, Thailand, India, Seychelles, South Africa, Brazil, Florida and New York.
Holland America Line’s newest ship is MS Amsterdam, the third company ship to bear the name. It made its grand entrance into the cruising world on Oct. 30, 2000. According to Conde Naste Traveller, the liner topped the list of premium cruise ships. The company has also been rated as the "Best Cruise Value" nine years in a row by the World Ocean and Cruise Liner Society – an elite group of experienced cruise travelers.
We took a very comfortable Cebu Pacific flight from Manila to Cebu and met up with our traveling group before boarding the luxury liner to Hong Kong. We were warmly welcomed by gracious Rolf Klug, director for international marketing and sales. In Hong Kong, we stayed in an elegant suite on the 55th floor of the luxurious Conrad International Hotel located in the central business district with an exhilarating view of the former Crown Colony. Affable Glenda Maloto, regional director for finance, welcomed us at a delicious lunch of assorted dimsum, fresh crab claw with minced ginger and rice wine, shallow-fried crispy chicken at the Golden Leaf restaurant of the hotel.
In Jules Verne’s famous novel Around the World in Eighty Days, Phileas Fogg attempts to prove that it is possible to circle the globe in 80 days. Unlike Phileas, however, Holland America believes in taking its sweet time to experience the world in style for a period of a hundred days. Thus, the company accorded the 2002 Grand World Voyage to its luxurious new flagship, the MS Amsterdam.
Perhaps the ultimate classic voyage for any experienced traveler is the round-world cruise (usually defined as the complete circumnavigation of the earth in a continuous one-way voyage). With Holland America, for instance, you can sail wherever your spirit leads and enjoy crisp, clear days, sparkling nights, delicious food, tasteful entertainment, superb accommodations, delightful company and unforgettable memories that breathe new life into that old salute "bon voyage!"
Oh, how great the food was! During our kitchen tour, we saw how the hundreds of staff prepare the chow. The succulent lobster tail served with lemon butter sauce (which my sister Yvonne had three servings of) was unforgettable. So was the Alaskan king crab (I had four!). You can choose and eat all you want. Executive chef Bernie Rius, who has worked for the Holland America company for 25 years, gave cooking lessons – teaching us how to make appetizers, soups, pastas, main courses and desserts. We were lucky to sample Indonesian-Filipino cuisine which was featured at the Odyssey alternative restaurant for this particular world cuisine. They usually serve Italian food in this restaurant but we had tortang talong, fresh spring rolls, nasi goreng kambing, aromatic chicken, mandura pork and chicken-pork adobo, among others.
And don’t worry if you eat too much. There is an excellent gym, sauna and jogging tracks for those who want to stay fit while on board.
After dinner, nights on board glitter with choices. One can enjoy an award-winning production spectacular one night, then an illusionist or top-name vocalist the next. There are also intimate lounges with distinct musical themes, fabulous theme parties, mega slot tournament (wherein waiters keep champagne glasses filled). Many thanks to bar supervisor William Lee and bar steward Bong Ranay who made our evening so memorable. Another spellbinding portion was the world-class Filipino Crew Show of songs and dances from our native land.
At the mariners party – held for those who have sailed the Holland America before – there was a special reunion. My sister Yvonne had sailed with my folks to the Baltic Sea on the MS Maasdam a few years back. Joanne and Jay Gibson, who love the Far East, received an award for having sailed over a thousand days on the Holland America. Mr. and Mrs. Ankalee Anderson joined seven world cruises and sailed over 750 days. "We have met so many wonderful people who have become our special friends and cruising companions. The food and service are excellent, plus we love the artwork," they enthused, adding that this opulence is apparent in the stunning $2 million art collection and spacious staterooms, including many with private verandas from which to view the world.
For Holland America, it is a tradition to enhance the shipboard décor with priceless works of art – a magnificent collection of paintings, sculptures, artifacts and antiques that take you back to an era when commercial and cultural ties were being formed between Holland and the rest of the world.
MS Amsterdam is built for speed. While there is still plenty of time to enjoy the good life at sea, powerful engines and a revolutionary Azipod propulsion system assures more time ashore. There’s also more time for extended stays in places such as Sydney, Hong Kong, Mumbai (Bombay) and Cape Town. Overland adventures feature Kathmandu, the Taj Mahal and the Khmer temple of Angkor Wat. You can decide to take the entire 100-day voyage, or select one or more of the Grand World Voyage Segments, ranging from 13 to 31 days.
The MS Amsterdam gracefully combines classic and state-of-the-art features like an Internet center, a sports bar, a concierge desk for suite guests and a children’s activity room. There’s even daily Mass and Bible study. The MS Amsterdam offers six lounges and spacious staterooms 25 percent larger than other ships in its class. We also dined at the 747-seat La Fontaine Dining Room, featuring views of the sea on three sides and a colorful stained-glass ceiling.
Little extras that make a big difference include the ship’s famous complimentary make-your-own ice cream sundae parlor (complete with liquors). And fresh fragrant flowers can be found literally everywhere onboard the ship.
That’s why every day, more and more people are discovering the pleasures of a cruise vacation on the Holland America.