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using canes, walkers, or wheelchairs. And “We particularly like the transatlantic
we gave them credit for continuing to itinerary with the combination of new
travel—even with the challenges getting ports,” said Ellie, “plus several days at sea
on and off the occasional tender boats, to enjoy the available ship activities”--
with assistance from the helpful crew. which included line dancing, Tai Chi, lec-
I was amused to see that the ship's app tures, painting, cooking demonstrations,
displayed a quotation from Hans Christian music trivia, Victorian afternoon tea, reli-
Andersen: “To Travel Is To Live.” Amen! gious services and a Q & A with the cap-
We enjoyed chatting with several staff tain.
members, who were thrilled to be back on- “It's always such a pleasure to meet
board post-COVID. Our new people and learn
head waiter, from In- about their lives and their
donesia, told us that he stories,” she continued.
had been out of work “It's one of the reasons
for two years. He had we enjoy cruising and go-
boarded the ship in ing by ourselves. Another
March and, despite that cruising favorite is the
he would not see his chance to learn some-
wife and three children thing new. This time we
until December, he was took bridge lessons and
upbeat, so grateful to loved doing it. And we es-
have his job back. Hear- pecially liked the spe-
ing their stories, we cialty restaurants.
were happy to tip the Canaletto was great!”
staff extra. Since many of the
This was our 35th popular shore excursions
cruise (second with Hol- were waitlisted—and Carl
land America, which cel- and I had visited several
ebrated its 150th of the ports on earlier
anniversary in 2023) cruises—we opted to stroll
and our 10th transat- by ourselves around the
lantic crossing—which charming and picturesque
was the smoothest ever! towns of Ponta Delgada,
And during the five Azores; Weymouth, Eng-
weeks abroad not one land; Eidfjord (population
day of rain! 1,000) and Stavanger,
On the hotel shuttle Norway; and Lerwick,
in Ft. Lauderdale on the Shetland Islands.
way to the cruise port, “We thought the ports
we chatted with Ellie were outstanding,” added
and Harry Avila from Fremont, Calif., who Ellie. “In every port we loved the chance to
have taken several cruises (this was their sample the great local food and learn
second with Holland America)--then ar- some history.”
ranged to meet them for pre-dinner drinks Since Carl and I happily discovered
on the ship a few days later. that we had a larger than usual cabin—

222 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2024