We choose a cruise as the best way for us to explore Indonesia. It wasn’t our only option but we had never been to this part of Asia before, our time was limited and our wish list of what we wanted to explore was extensive, especially for Ken. He has been fascinated by the geography, history and culture of Indonesia for a very long time.
Holland America offered the best itinerary for our needs and even though we had never sailed with them before we decided to do so with this itinerary. Everything about our experience was great except for one thing – the limited number of shore excursions offered.
Since it was our first time I am not sure if offering only a few, sometimes no more than two or three excursions, is normal for Holland America. Or perhaps it was the destinations themselves. We explored private tours, which seemed expensive and somewhat risky in an area we were not familiar with, and group shore excursions offered by third parties, such as Viator and Trip Advisor, but rejected them for the same reasons. That left either exploring on our own or booking with the ship. Not many of the places we wanted to explore were close to the ports so getting off on our own was not practical, unless we just wanted to shop.
The ship’s excursions were excellent! We had knowledgeable local guides, comfortable air conditioned buses (if lacking the abundant knee room we are used to in North America) and full well thought out days, most including a local meal. There are no complaints about the execution or content. There is just the reality of a large number of buses, full to brimming with eager tourists, all going to the same places at the same time.
For one such stop there were a total of 15 buses, accompanied by a police escort to ensure a smooth and timely trip, that arrived at each of our stops at the same time. Kudos to the locals for being well prepared for the crowd, including the locations that quickly offered everything from light refreshments to full sit down buffet lunches to available traditional clothing for entry into the sacred temples for those who were otherwise unprepared.
The biggest issues were a shortage of toilets, or at least ones that many North American and European travelers were comfortable with.
The ship’s excursions did guarantee that we got to the advertised sites and back to the ship on time. That was important, especially in large cities like Jakarta where the traffic is hellish. Even then we were subject to the whims and behaviours of some passengers. Not a single bus left the sites until the last person was on board.
This is not a rant, or a complaint. The locals handled our groups with grace and hospitality and as a result we got to visit some amazing historical, cultural and religious sites in Indonesia, a place we never thought we would be able to see in person. It is more a cautionary tale for passengers to bring lots of patience and consideration for others on your trip. Remember you are only one of hundreds, sometimes thousands, that are enjoying travel in the same place and at the same time.