Cruise4food

Pre-Pandemic, HAL put me and a bunch of other Trans-Atlantic cruisers into the Rotterdam Hilton. The hotel is located next to a traffic circle with transit trains zooming through.

For timing of update to Mariner Status, I disembarked Koningsdam on July 29, newly qualified to 4 Star. The new status now appears on my account listing today Aug 1 (just three days).

After the ipods to borrow disappeared from the HAL ships, you could still download an art tour podcast per ship and use your own device. I did have the podcast file for the Rotterdam R-class (previous Rotterdam) but erased it after she left the fleet. Was hoping to sail on her once more but never happened.

Transfer at sea. A little photo from our Roll Call to affirm your decision. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2864068-july-22-2023-alaskan-inside-passage-from-vancouver/?do=findComment&comment=64108868

Same opinion for me in Zaandam EE3414 Alaska Outside Passage (2018). The silver plating on the window seems quite good on the older ships. I was at the desk one day reading thru the paper-work when I caught motion out of the corner of my eye. Looking over, I saw a woman was on the Promenade and looking in my window. But actually not. She was using it as a mirror to comb and straighten up her hair.

Say Hello to this family. A retired Captain with daughter and grandson.

Only you can decide what area of the ship is your preferred level. If an upper deck suits you, look at the deck 11 interior room photos for sister ship Nieuw Statendam. The description above is accurate for most interior rooms. https://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/11058-nieuw-statendam/

Zaandam/Volendam 7083 and 7086 are Ocean View Partial Obstructed staterooms with wake watching through the window and easy access to that aft deck (which others described in this thread). A few people will discover that public deck but it is not high traffic. You can see pics on the Facts of HAL site. https://halfacts.com/r-class/7086-volendam/

Oh yessss. If I recall, Shortribs are not on the menu every evening of the voyage?