We chose this cruise for the multiple stops in Chile and the 4 days in Antarctica. We had been around the horn on HAL 6 yrs. ago and regretted not including Antarctica at that time. We also missed the Falkland Islands on that cruise. We were told that Zaandam would get lanai cabins on the previous dry-dock so we booked a cabin that we thought would be converted but lanais were not installed.. Embarkation at San Antonio went smoothly and we found ourselves in our cabin by noon. Our suitcases arrived in good time so we were all moved into our cabin before the muster drill. We found all the staff on board to be very friendly and helpful. Our room stewards, Nengah & Romli, worked very hard and did an excellent job. We enjoyed the towel animals on our bed each evening. We were surprised that there were so few hand sanitizers on board, especially near the eating areas. We never had to wait for anytime dining because we like to eat early. However, it was annoying to be seated at a table for 6 and have to wait 15-20 minutes for the table to fill up so we could order. Food service was reasonably fast and food quality was good, although a bit too salty! We ate in the Pinnacle Grill on the first night and were not impressed. My husband's steak was over-cooked and my chicken was not that tender. We also did not like the pressure from the wine steward to buy bottles of wine rather than glasses. We did enjoy our Rijsttafel dinner at the Pinnacle Grill later in the cruise. Internet was okay if you went on early in the day or during the evening meal. This was very important to us as we had 2 grand-children undergoing surgery during our cruise. There did not seem to be as much emphasis on sales, e.g. no "inch of gold" or evening purses on sale. Kudos to HAL for printing fewer sale flyers each day. We enjoyed getting a newspaper and puzzle each day. The flowers were beautiful for the first 2 weeks but then the same bouquets became very sad and wilted and yet remained on display. We were disappointed with the music in the Ocean Bar as it was not good for dancing - they played a lot of jazz. The Adagio Strings were wonderful and we very much enjoyed listening to them. In the main theatre, we found the sound volume much too high and had to bring earplugs to performances. The tendering process worked very smoothly for us. We had an excellent Expedition Team with Scott, Bryan, and Tamara giving very interesting lectures. We learned so much about Antarctica. We also enjoyed the session with the Palmer Station staff. They answered questions and it was great to have the microphones in the audience. The port guide, Kevin, also gave wonderful, humorous talks and very practical information. He was frequently available for consultation. .Although we had to skip Puerto Montt due to high swells, we made it to the remaining ports which was fantastic. We liked that the scenic cruising in Antarctica was broken up into segments by entering different bays and channels. We were also blessed with good weather. It was good to get the commentary about where to locate wildlife. The whales were really active on our cruise! Each day we enjoyed going to the Explorations Cafe for a cup of tea & coffee. Michelle there was wonderful - she was highly organized, efficient, friendly and remembered our names and what we like to drink. We did not take any HAL excursions but all our private tours returned us to the port in plenty of time. Our cabin was comfortable with plenty of storage space. The shower was spacious. Temperature control was good. We should have asked for a lighter weight blanket as we often found the duvet too warm. Overall, this was a wonderful cruise with only minor flaws.