Westerdam vs Oosterdam

[happycruising88]

Planning last minute Alaska cruise for June, and considering HAL because I've heard about its food and service quality. We appreciate good food and interesting ports, and don't care much about the night lives or entertainments. Between Westerdam and Oosterdam, both share the similar itinerary and round trip from Seattle. So I wonder what would be the differences between the two on food and Club HAL (2 kids, 3 and 5)?

 

Any input is appreciated!

[jtl513]

The decor is probably the most notable difference between them. I'm pretty sure the W doesn't have the "screening room" on the Promenade deck.

[Okie1946]

Planning last minute Alaska cruise for June, and considering HAL because I've heard about its food and service quality. We appreciate good food and interesting ports, and don't care much about the night lives or entertainments. Between Westerdam and Oosterdam, both share the similar itinerary and round trip from Seattle. So I wonder what would be the differences between the two on food and Club HAL (2 kids, 3 and 5)?

 

Any input is appreciated!

 

We sailed on the Westerdam in September 2009 and will be cruising in 9 days on the Oosterdam. Am sure that the only difference at this time, is the decor but, I am taking my net book with me and will post a complete response to this when we board. Will be honest, we really enjoyed our trip on the Westerdam and really loved the intinerary. Can't say too much about Club HAL because we never had any interaction regarding it.

 

But I look at it this way, a cruise is a cruise. You only get out of it what you put into it. Will post again in about 12 days. :)

 

Previous Cruises:

Westerdam - Alaska - September 2009

Rotterdam - Alaska - September 2010

[debby4000]

The two ships seem very similiar in terms of layout and I'm guessing as far as food and club hal but we went with Westerdam because it appeared from the route map that the first day on the oosterdam is way out at sea, all the way to the first port of call whereas Westerdam went more inside where there is more scenery. Having been on an Alaska cruise from Seattle before we know that first day came be really rough when your not on the inside passage so we went with Westerdam because of that - looks like it might more scenic on the way up and back. Not sure how accurate those maps are so that was just a guess. It also leaves on Saturday which we preferred.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

The biggest difference between the two is actually the itinerary the Westerdam goes to Hubbard Glacer and the Oosterdam goes to Glacier Bay National Park. NOw in past years I would always highly receommend going to Glacier Bay although Hubbard Glacier is really great as well but starting next year the number of permits for cruise lines to go into Hubbard Glacier are now extremely limited. HAL will not longer have a 7 day weekly cruise out of Seattle going to Hubbard, and no other cruise line will be going to Hubbard. I feel that Glacier Bay will most likely always be available so if you plan to go to Alaska this year I would go on the Westerdam just for the fact that after this year it will be very difficult to view Hubbard from a ship.

 

Personally both Oosterdam and Westerdam are both great ships and the experience cruising to HAL will be pretty much the same.

[happycruising88]

Thanks for the tips! We'll probably go for Oosterdam as now it looks like the airfare from LAX is cheaper on Saturday, and we don't need to take Friday off from work. I really hope DH would like HAL. He's all about food when it comes to cruising. We've sailed with various lines (NCL, RCCL, Carnival, and Celebrity). DH ranks Celebrity top simply because of the quality of the food...

[CruiseMob]

I'm pretty sure the W doesn't have the "screening room" on the Promenade deck.

Do they have a screening room on another deck?

 

We sailed on the Westerdam in September 2009 and will be cruising in 9 days on the Oosterdam. Am sure that the only difference at this time, is the decor but, I am taking my net book with me and will post a complete response to this when we board. Will be honest, we really enjoyed our trip on the Westerdam and really loved the intinerary.

I can't wait to read your full response. We took the Oosterdam in September and we're on the Westerdam late May/early June. So, I'm very interested in the differences.

 

The biggest difference between the two is actually the itinerary the Westerdam goes to Hubbard Glacer and the Oosterdam goes to Glacier Bay National Park. NOw in past years I would always highly receommend going to Glacier Bay although Hubbard Glacier is really great as well but starting next year the number of permits for cruise lines to go into Hubbard Glacier are now extremely limited. HAL will not longer have a 7 day weekly cruise out of Seattle going to Hubbard, and no other cruise line will be going to Hubbard.

This is excellent information to know, thanks!

 

Thanks for the tips! We'll probably go for Oosterdam as now it looks like the airfare from LAX is cheaper on Saturday, and we don't need to take Friday off from work. I really hope DH would like HAL. He's all about food when it comes to cruising. We've sailed with various lines (NCL, RCCL, Carnival, and Celebrity). DH ranks Celebrity top simply because of the quality of the food...

The food we had on HAL was quite good, but I would also give the slight nod to Celebrity on food. Having said that though, I had the best embarkation and disembarkation on HAL and you can't beat the suite perks of the Neptune lounge and free laundry service - especially with kids. :-) Speaking of kids, they LOVED Club HaL. as a matter of fact we are going back so soon after the last cruise because they begged to go back, they had so much fun. These are experienced cruisers, DD is 8 and this is her 5th cruise, surprisingly enough, when I ask them to rank the kids clubs they say: HAL, Celebrity, then Disney. I always preface this with the disclaimer that I think one of the reasons is because we typically travel off season which provides more one on one bonding with councilors and other kids on HAL and Celebrity. Disney has wonderful kid’s clubs facilities and activities, but there are just SO many kids, I think they sometimes felt lost in the crowd.

[happycruising88]

 

The food we had on HAL was quite good, but I would also give the slight nod to Celebrity on food. Having said that though, I had the best embarkation and disembarkation on HAL and you can't beat the suite perks of the Neptune lounge and free laundry service - especially with kids. :-) Speaking of kids, they LOVED Club HaL. as a matter of fact we are going back so soon after the last cruise because they begged to go back, they had so much fun. These are experienced cruisers, DD is 8 and this is her 5th cruise, surprisingly enough, when I ask them to rank the kids clubs they say: HAL, Celebrity, then Disney. I always preface this with the disclaimer that I think one of the reasons is because we typically travel off season which provides more one on one bonding with councilors and other kids on HAL and Celebrity. Disney has wonderful kid’s clubs facilities and activities, but there are just SO many kids, I think they sometimes felt lost in the crowd.

 

Oh the information is much appreciated! One of the more formal cruise review websites I read on has comments that Club HAL tends to be on boring side. So I was really worried about it... I know the kids probably won't spend much time there in the Club during the day since there are so many ports to visit but I was hoping they'll love the club enough to stay there in the evening while me and DH enjoy dinners.

[schoolinmy3]

Oh the information is much appreciated! One of the more formal cruise review websites I read on has comments that Club HAL tends to be on boring side. So I was really worried about it... I know the kids probably won't spend much time there in the Club during the day since there are so many ports to visit but I was hoping they'll love the club enough to stay there in the evening while me and DH enjoy dinners.

My daughter was 10 on her first cruise last May. She went up to Club HAL every evening. She really enjoyed the actvities. There happened to be only about a dozen kids TOTAL on the cruise - not sure why except that it was the end of May. Anyway, she enjoyed the individual attention. She is not a big fan of crowds or noise so Club HAL was a perfect fit for her. ;)

Diane

[CruiseMob]

My daughter was 10 on her first cruise last May. She went up to Club HAL every evening. She really enjoyed the actvities. There happened to be only about a dozen kids TOTAL on the cruise - not sure why except that it was the end of May. Anyway, she enjoyed the individual attention. She is not a big fan of crowds or noise so Club HAL was a perfect fit for her. ;)

Diane

Oh that's very good to know, we're going the end of May, and I was hoping it wouldn't be too busy.

 

The only complaints with Club HAL are from me, the kids LOVED it, and they are not really complaints so much as I wish they did things a bit differently. I thought everyone was really wonderful, and they did a great job with the kids. I just wish they used a beeper like DCL does, so that I was comfortable wandering around. In Club HAL they ask you to sign in where you'll be so they can contact you if they need to. But I NEVER know where I'm going to be. So I felt kind of limited in staying somewhere I said I'd be. I also wish HAL would stagger some of their activities with the kids club hours. An activity starting or ending at the same time the kids club opens or closes makes it hard to check them in or out and rush to the other side of the ship and on a different floor. But I don't/can't fault the kids club for that.

[schoolinmy3]

Our daughter was 10 so she could sign herself in and out of Club HAL. That worked well for us since she was staying in a room with her brothers. (they were 17 and 19). We carried post it notes with us and would leave notes in their room whenever we were going to be at a show or something.

Diane