pthardy

We just sailed on the Rotterdam last month and I did. A long review with lots of photos.

 

See the link in my signature line, that might help. By the way, we lived the ship!

Thank you very much Lisa! We have read your excellent review and no longer have any concerns, will definitely go ahead and book. Thanks also to everyone else who responded, we very much appreciate it.

We are considering booking the 49 day cruise on the Rotterdam from Rotterdam to Capetown, departing Sept. 27th. We have never sailed Holland America before, most of our cruising has been with Princess. After reading some reviews we are a bit concerned about this ship. Is there anyone out there that has sailed on her recently and could let us know their opinion, especially regarding the food, and entertainment, including what is available on your stateroom TV as far as movies. Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

Hi Alison, I really don't know how to start :confused:.

With your own transport you can cover a huge area and the possibilities are endless. If you could give some ideas of your interests it would help. Meanwhile I can only tell you what I would do if I had the luxury of my own transport.

 

1. Head East and visit the beautifully preserved Medieval town of Stralsund

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1067

possibly taking in the small town of Ribnitz-Damgarten and the Amber Museum on the way

http://www.ribnitz-damgarten.de/

 

2. Drive over the spectacular new bridge from Stralsund to the Island of Rügen and the Jasmund National Park with its beech woods and cliffs made famous by the painter Caspar David Freidrich. Visit the Park Information Centre at Königstuhl.

http://www.koenigsstuhl.com

 

3. A little further on is Kap Arkona, the most northerly point of Germany

http://www.kap-arkona.de

 

4. Return along the Baltic east coast via Sassnitz and Ostseebad Binz, a typical 19th/20th century Spa resort.

Just before Binz you can also see Prora, the huge holiday resort which the National Socialists (this site will not let me use the N... word) started but never finished.

http://www.proradok.de/seiten_english/dokuzentrum.html

 

A German meal ? - depends on what this means to you. Every region of Germany has its own speciality and even small areas within regions have their own too.

On the MvP coast the speciality is, of course, fish - prepared in every possible way you can think of but especially smoked. In the countryside some of the higher end restaurants which have sprung up in restored Manor Houses specialise in wild game - boar, deer, pheasant etc prepared with wild herbs and vegetables.

Local everyday favourites include:

Eisbein - pickled ham knuckle, served hot with pureed potato and sauer-kraut ;

Mustard Eggs - hard boiled eggs served with mustard sauce, boiled potatoes and pickled red cabbage;

Soljanka - a spicy stew made popular by the Russian occupation troops during the GDR;

Linsen Eintopf - a one-pot meal with potatoes, vegetables, sliced Bratwurst and linseed in a thick gravy.

Sorry I can't be of more help but everyone has different interests and different tastes so I don't like to advise. Maybe another cruiser can suggest a place which they have experienced.

Happy cruising, :)

Anni

http://www.travelanni.webs.com

Thank you very much Anni, we appreciate your help.

Alison

We will be arriving in Warnemunde on Sunday, May 26th and have rented a mini-van for the day, there will be six of us. We thought we would like to just drive around the area and see as much as possible in a day. Can you suggest a route we might take. Also, any suggestions where to stop for a German meal.

Thanks

Alison