LIVE from the ROTTERDAM 14 day Aug 11/2012 Norway Voyage!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am enjoying your "M & M's"..

[sldispatcher]

Why the Rotterdam Sailing to Norway is for You

The grey waters of the port of Rotterdam were barely stirring this morning. We would have slipped into port unnoticed had the Arctic summer light not peered over the horizon at its usually early calling time.S

We had room service breakfast, which I think Holland does as well if not better than anyone else. Slipping off of a ship with just 1300 passengers is relatively easy. We sauntered up to the Hop On/Hop Off bus area and bought tickets ($40 pp) for the ride. If you are interested in any of the tourist attractions in the area, this bus will get you most places. Just pay attention to the map. Directions/narration is offered in multiple languages. As there are two operators, just make sure you pay attention to which red bus you have chosen.

For those needing more adventure, the train station is an easy 10 minute walk from where we docked. We were joined today by the Ryndam and an MSC ship.

Oslo had multiple shops and seemed to be in a good temperament. We enjoyed the brief visit and could see ourselves returning one day. Of course, the biggest news of the day was Return of the Fan. A replacement has been obtained and hauled back on the ship. I earned major brownie points with the wife today. But of course, all of us men know that those have seriously short expiration dates.

My wife has not gone through her weapons of mass construction as quickly as she anticipated. We signed her up for 3 spa treatments. No one knows how to separate a man from his money like the shipboard spas.

Now, I have spent a few posts putting down some specific thoughts on areas of possible needed improvement. I’d like to take a moment or two and tell you that the positives are simply too many to list.

Tonight was the first night to Canalleto’s. Worth the effort. And a great break from the routine.

Main Dining Room is really excellent in terms of variety and level of spice where appropriate.

This ship is CLEAN. The room attendant is outstanding. In fact, every attendant we encounter in the hallways is wonderful.

If Oceania’s Marina is someone’s Park Avenue or Beverly Hills home, the Rotterdam is more akin to the vacation home you always dreamed. Comfortable. Lived in but not worn out. I am a huge fan of this size ship.

Lots of extras of which cabin size and closet space is just one of them. Neat little towels on the floor where you step in /out of bed at night.

This is one of those ships where the ship itself doesn’t get in your way. If you don’t get this, you won’t get Rotterdam at all.

The Itinerary: I feel like we are just gearing up. They had narration for the departure of Oslo through the first part of the fjord.

Aft balconies: You’ll hate them. Don’t even think about reserving one until you have cleared it with me that I’m not on the ship and …cough…being forced..cough…to take one. ;)

Not difficult to find a quiet place especially any parts forward of the mid ship elevators.

Found out that they decided day – to – day on whether to open main dining from for lunch. Most of it based on number of excursions purchased. For instance, in Oslo it was closed but Pinnacle Grill was open. Tomorrow, in Kristansand, everything is open for lunch.

I’m a big fan of saying you haven’t really been on a cruise until you break past the 7 day barrier. Until you try the 10, 12, or 14 day cruises…you probably won’t appreciate what I’m saying. Break that barrier and you’ll understand why this is a voyage and not a cruise.

I think you’ll like the Rotterdam to Norway very much. So far, so good.

Bottom line? Am I happy that I booked it? You betcha!

[kazu]

Oh my heavens - I don't think I will ever do a LIVE post again. Yours are absolutely enchanting (and I don't have your skills).

 

You summed up the ship so well (we were on her in South America).

 

You just make it all so wonderful. So well done - I'm glued - DH will say I'm addicted - no wonder with these types of reports:D

 

I hope time and money permits you to continue. This is a real jewel of a thread:):D:p

[Coolcruise02]

Can't wait for more...................... :)

[Skipper's Mom]

Continuing to enjoy your daily reports. Thanks.

[Skipper's Mom]

Posting to bump this up in anticipation of the next post.

[luvflorida]

LOVE your poetic way with words. Thank you for taking the time.

[sldispatcher]

The Difference with Indifference

Unfortunately, I had to make a call back to the States at 1130pm last night. Nothing bad, just that I could not get to bed by 1030pm! Using Skype, I was able to make the call via the wi-fi. There was an initial 5 second delay, but that did improve with time.

Not surprisingly, the ship was quiet. I was stationed in the Exploration Café on Deck 5 and didn’t notice that someone had come along and pulled down the metal screens over the books in the library. I did discover that the next day’s menus for the main dining room had already been put out next to the entrances. There were a couple of people playing slot machines in the casino, but even the gaming devices looked lonely.

Although some people want to party into the night, this is just not the itinerary for that. I would even venture to guess that anything past 7 days in the Caribbean is not going to be that way.

With bluebird skies, we eased into Kristansand past the two guardian lighthouses and into the port. A hard turn to starboard lined us up with the pier. Today, my DW and I chose the Lillesand tour. Word to the wise, the boat portion gets a little long and they only give you 30 minutes in Lillesand. The tour was informative, but I would not do that again just because the boat tour was excessive. A small shuttle in the shape of a train will save you steps into town for $14.

Last night, we were greeted with a letter that said our section of the ship would have air conditioning maintenance for 2 hours while in Kristansand. You know how the airlines tell you that you will have an update in 15 minutes and 50 minutes later they give you one? Well, 2 hours before the scheduled time for the A/C to go down, it went down. Nothing bad there and we understand maintenance. However, by 4 pm, still no air and no update. I had to call down to get a report (that should be a no-no in the hospitality industry). By 500pm, the air started flowing, but not necessarily as cool as I thought.

We returned from dinner and the blowers in each of our three rooms were not working..at all. A call to guest services had someone up in the room in 20 minutes…to check the temperature. Of course, my report of no air blowing did no good, but the first hand experience got things rolling.

As I write this, I have to seriously contemplate sleeping outside to be comfortable. That is not necessarily a bad thing if I could have the comfort of the bed out there as opposed to a deck chair.

Kristansand reminds me of the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Green is in multiple shades from dark to light and the rock studded islands are dotted with typical camp residences both small and large. Pleasant in the general feel of the town and a good stop.

Returning the ship, my wife slipped off and cancelled her 3 spa appointments. Why? Not because of coast, but because of indifference. When we made the appointments, there was hardly any push by the desk representatives to even attempt to find out what she was interested in having done. A salon worker was sitting in a styling chair reading a book. Today, upon approaching the desk, my DW was greeted by a worker with chin in palm that never moved. Amazing. An obvious revenue generator on the ship that is helmed by indifference.

The polar opposite was Jerry in Explorations Café and Maria in Mix. Both have been very pleasant and struck me as enjoying their jobs and doing what they could to make the guests feel important.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. There has been an air of difference on this cruise as compared to the Amsterdam cruise of 5 or so years ago. Instead of a ship wide feeling of unbelievable hospitality, it is now shifted onto the backs of a few workers who choose to do so. It is a consistency problem.

I’ve been in the business of dealing with the public long enough to know that when it becomes a consistency problem, that is a mid-level management issue. Perhaps, it is pressure from above? Perhaps, personnel who were with the company have moved on to other lines or other avenues of work. It doesn’t matter, but it is pervasive on this ship and it is becoming glaringly obvious.

That is not to say that you won’t have a great time. But the soft product is not what it used to be. There is almost a sense that the crew is having to deal with everything on their own. That breeds a less than caring attitude. The GI illness issues may have really worn the front line staff down to a frazzle.

I know this: If the current Rotterdam experience is fleet wide, there is a major issue brewing at Holland that is going to be malignant in 3 – 5 years. Although I understand the need for the Eurodam/Niew Amsterdam, that big ship culture is not what the core HAL cruiser expects by my humble estimation. Eventually, at these prices, the typical HAL cruiser will move on to other options out there. I love these R & S class ships. I’m hoping these are just isolated incidents and even more so just to this ship.

I am rooting all the way for HAL to make the change.

So I’ve wondered for 4 days what the unusual problem was with this sailing. Now I know.

The difference is indifference.

[kazu]

to be honest, I've always found the spa people to be kind of indifferent (other than day one when they are trying to lure you to book).

 

this is not part of HAL - it's a contract and I think a big mistake by the corporation IMO.

 

I've only done the spa once on the Maasdam and you're right - (other than the first day) - indifferent, nearly uncaring.

 

the rest of the crew was great. I hope it's just the spa for your. When we were on the Rotterdam the crew was a jewel - but times change - I hate the word indifference (not aimed at you) - it means they don't care.

 

People who don't care - don't do their jobs well IMO.

 

Sad, but true

 

Here's hoping things change and aside from the spa you are happy campers? Please keep posting as I find them very good.

[MightyQuinn]

Well Sldispatcher, you may be a medic by profession, but there's a poet hiding inside you trying to get out! You truly have a wonderful way of telling a story, even if it's a tough tale to tell.

 

Consistency is a hallmark of excellence and it's a real shame that HAL can't seem to maintain uniform standards across the fleet. It's no good to have some ships that are superb while others go wanting. It's also unfortunate if staff have lost their enthusiasm and aren't always customer-focused, whatever the root cause for their indifference may be. We took a break from HAL over 3 years ago, feeling that the product had slipped below what we expected on a cruise. Then we returned last year and enjoyed a most wonderful cruise on Amsterdam. We exclaimed to each other many times just how great it was to have the "old" HAL back! Since then, we've been on both Statendam and Volendam and now feel that HAL is better than it was when we left 3 years ago. So I sincerely hope that your experience on Rotterdam is an exception.

 

Methinks the fan is getting an extra work-out! Gotta thank your wife that you're so well prepared ...

 

Keep up the great reporting.

[sldispatcher]

Update from the High Seas

Not long after I had submitted my previous post, a young gentleman wearing a white jumper, sporting the best imitation haircut in the style of Larry of Three Stooges fame, came right into the room with the lights out, etc. His English was about as good as my Russian.

He was brandishing a wand that could have easily belonged to the Orkin man. This time, however, he used it to check the temp coming out of the vent which apparently was just turned on again.

I could see the Celsius reading dropping on the monitor. 22.7. 22.5. It continued down to 17.5. The blessedly cool air was now blowing again.

I sent Larry on his way with a “nyock, nyock, nyock”. No sooner had I rounded the balcony door escape route to my parent’s next door cabin when he came barreling through their room. My mother was laid up in her conservative night clothes but still grabbed the sheets and parked them under her nose.

He tested their air as well.

All was good…….for a bit.

I awoke at 130am thinking that it felt warm again. Confirming my suspicion was the fact that there was no air blowing from the vent again. This time, some anger and frustration started to build. I proceeded to open the door to the balcony to generate some air flow and picked up the phone that sits next to my wife. Using the light from the cell phone, I could see where to call the front desk.

The conversation went something like this:

Front Desk Male: “Sir, dis is da frunt desk, ha may I hep you?”

Me: “I am calling to report that the air conditioning is not working ag..”

Front Desk Male: “I wih sen sum whan up to check da tempahtur”

Me: “No sir. Don’t send anyone up here. They were just…”

Front Desk Male: “What do you whant me to dooo den, siirrr?”

Me: “I’m trying to tell you that they just sent someone up from the engine room. They had to do something out side of the room. Can you please just have them do the same thing again?”

Front Desk Male: “I wih call engine-near-wing and let dem know.”

And then without prompting, but certainly with a degree of clairvoyance I haven’t seen in quite some time, Front Desk Male asked the most unexpected question.

“Sir, do you have a fan?”

[aquasat]

We where on the 4th - 11th aug cruise on the Rotterdam and I told my partner several times that it must be so hard for the crew to work 7/7 and always with a smile and so helpfull. I only had one staff member that could not hide her bad day (we all have a bad day from time to time). It was at the front desk. All bar, restaurant and cabin crew worked so hard and always with à smile.

 

We never used the Spa.

 

I hope the AC problems are fixed by now.

Thanks for the live review, it is like i'm still on the Rotterdam.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Love you reporting.

Sorry that you are encountering some problems.

[kazu]

I hope the air improves on a consistent basis for you!

 

I have to say that your sense of humour is great though:):)

 

Looking forward to the sequel:D

[hippychick925]

Oh dear, so sorry to hear about your AC problems! I know DW is having the vapors over that! I'm so glad you found a fan in Oslo!!

 

As always, I love to read your descriptive narratives!

[aliaschief]

Last year on our TA cruise aboard the MS Rotterdam, we had fixed upper dining and seated along the aft windows. It was very warm especially on Formal Nights when dressed in tuxedo.

 

Finally, an officer told us that this area is always uncomfortable and they have tried everything to fix it. The officer stated it was a design problem.

[sldispatcher]

BergenMeister MeisterBergen

Overnight, the ship sailed to the North and West to find its way to the waiting pilot for the rather long journey into Bergen. It was 6 AM, and I am a fiend when it comes to being present for sail in/sail away from ports.

The channel began wide, but narrowed as we approached the 90 degree left turn into the fjord/bay where the city lays. The rocky layers are frequently covered with homes as we make the final mile approach to “the turn”. There isn’t anything specific to this other than lining up to go under the suspension bridge which makes for a dramatic entrance. As it almost appears suddenly from the rocky outcroppings on either side, the grey structure was almost moody in the morning light.

Ah, the morning light. The Rotterdam was greeted with nary a cloud in the sky today. It would remain that way for the entire time at port. We had company in port today with a P&O ship (looked like a former Princess boat), Cunard’s Queen Victoria, MSC Peosia, and the Ocean Princess. Like small kids on Christmas morning, pleasure craft, ferries, and oil field service ships moved about the wide open space before us all the day long. From our aft vantage point, we had an all day parade in and about the harbor area of these smaller craft. Some jetted across with a purpose while others looked like they were aimless in their direction but full of purpose for leisure.

Today, the DW and I had another ship sponsored tour that included a bus tour of the city, the funicular ride, the fish market and the Bryggen area. There are hop on/hop off busses here and I would strongly consider doing a little research ahead of time and then doing the city independently.

The funicular was quite scenic, but with 5 ships in port and a beautiful day, you can imagine that the line looked longer there than one for government cheese. The views from the top are spectacular.

This is a good port to start early and take your time in enjoying.

For the afternoon, we spent most of our time watching the aforementioned port activity and napping.

Just like spaceships departing for distant planets, the parade of cruise ships started out of the harbor. Isn’t it crazy that with all of the natural beauty around that we are all so attracted to watching man made giants glide away while pesky gnat like boats dart to and fro? Even more so, why do we stare at these other ships and have one of two strong reactions:

1. “I wish I could be on that ship/need to try that one day.”

2. “Glad I’m NOT on that ship!”

This evening was the Pinnacle Grill. They had a water leak in the back half of the restaurant which has severely limited reservations there for the next 2 days. Although I was originally told “no” this morning, I stopped by and found us a table for 6 at 7pm. We had an enjoyable evening with great service from Ria. I am a big fan of the chocolate volcano cake and it did not disappoint!

Tua in the Lido get special props. He runs around with the drink cart and I don’t think knows anything but cheer and good will. The world needs lots of Tuas. HAL could use a few more of him as well.

Today, there is not so much evidence of indifference. I hope that infection has come and gone. The evening menu in the dining room was less than inspiring so we were glad to have the Pinnacle Grill reservation. It tickles me that food is so subjective. We are not snooty, but know quality when we eat it. Last night had been a little “off” in the dining room in terms of food. Then the amazing thing happens where you get a menu and you want 3 of the entrees and 2 of the starters. Oh well.

As I sit in the library at 1035pm, there is far more activity around the ship. Most likely a result of the sea day that lies ahead.

After dinner, with the summer sun searing the horizon with oranges and light pinks while the coast of Norway started going to sleep with a nice blanket of light fog, we sail northerly at a fairly good pace. The seas are still quite calm, the ship is stable with just enough vibration to remind you that we are at sea. The air is crisper this afternoon. If the air were an apple, it would be a Golden Delicious.

As we sail towards the Arctic Circle, I’m fairly certain that we are now much more alone. On the horizon, evidence of the oft mentioned North Sea drilling platforms have come into view. The other ships seemed to have headed south.

As much as we move towards the land of reindeer, northern lights, and the literal top of the civilized world, I’m reminded of the Christmastime story featuring the grouchy Meister Berger who turned a new leaf.

I’ve certainly not been grouchy and not cancelled anything, but our stop in Bergen did seem like a nice turning point today. The air conditioning is finally working. It was an excellent port and excellent afternoon.

Maybe I’ve become the MeisterBergen BergenMeister.

[monina01]

Hi David,

 

I remember your "Live from" thread from the Marina Maiden Voyage very well. Loved it (and the photo's of Marina :)), and love this one too!

 

thanks for posting!

[sldispatcher]

Day 6 – Any Day at Sea

How did they do it?

How did people of centuries ago climb aboard small ships and sail out onto the rolling oceans? During the night, we were under a layer of fog. At times, the officer in charge was using the ship’s fog horn as well due to the thickness of the moisture surrounding our vessel. The air is noticeably cooler outside as we continue our journey north.

This morning, the entire ship seemed lazy and slow to get started. The Lido was rather empty for breakfast until 900AM.

By noon, most public spaces were filled with passive cruisers. The Crow’s Nest probably seemed the most quiet section, but it does have the musty smell of past tobacco products. I’m not sure if that has anything to do with the low number of people present.

At 312pm we crossed the line of the Arctic Circle….we are now where few ships ever go.

There was some additional time this afternoon in heavy fog that required the horn to be used again. I didn’t hear much of it because these R & S class ships have some of the more generous cabin sofas afloat. It is very easy to lay down full length and catch a snooze. That was the case between the 200pm Norway lecture and 400pm Bingo game that was attended.

Tonight was another formal night with crab legs, beef wellington, and chicken kiev as some of the highlights. Dinner seemed very well attended this evening.

The Captain has informed us that we will be picking up our pilot at 10am tomorrow for the sail in to Tromso with an expected arrival time of 1pm. We are all hoping for some nice scenery for the transit time through the fjord. The forecast is for cloudy skies with a high of 50 degrees.

For those who followed the air conditioning saga, all seems well in that department. A bottle of wine and a small plate of chocolate covered strawberries were delivered to each affected room as an acknowledgement of the inconvenience. I consider the matter closed.

Perhaps in part due to the demographics of the passengers, the future cruise desk has seemed the least visited I have ever seen on a cruise ship.

Although some might not care for the low overcast deck of clouds that have lingered all day, the effect for me personally has been one of the sensation of going to a whole new world. It seemed fitting for or crossing over the line of the Arctic Circle.

I, for one, wish there were more cruises that feature scenery days and fewer port days. I keep eyeballing the 20 day South America/Chilean Fjord cruise for that very reason. I would think Norway would lend itself to having a day or two less in port and simply hunting down and sailing into the major navigable fjords of this beautiful country. But alas, I believe I am in the minority and most people love ports of call. The 14 day Alaska was a dream cruise in our book, but hopefully someone in Seattle is going to make the decision to bring that back in 2014. We are still just a little hesitant on booking another HAL cruise until this one is near the end. There are some things they still have to prove to us.

Although some might not care for the low overcast deck of clouds that have lingered all day, the effect for me personally has been one of the sensation of going to a whole new world. It seemed fitting for or crossing over the line of the Arctic Circle. I love sea days as much as port days. The relaxation factor just goes through the roof.

Maybe the norsemen of past generations just loved being out in the water. No matter the size of their ship, or the condition of the weather or water, they found peace amongst the swells and sea breezes.

Cruising is still a fantastic way to relax and unwind.

Come to think of it, any day at a sea is a good day.

[RuthC]

I am enjoying the poetry of your tale as you take me along to places I know so well. Thank you for this journey. And I agree with you about sea days in this area. They are the best!

Tell me, is there going to be an "Arctic Swim" while you are north of the Arctic circle? We always had one in the aft pool, but that won't be possible on the reconfigured Rotterdam. Somehow, having it in the Lido pool seems like cheating.

[sldispatcher]

I have no idea if there will be an Arctic Swim, but I can tell you at 700AM today it was an Arctic Walk up on deck 9 around the pool area.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I love the way you are doing your "Live" thread -- it is great reading.

[kazu]

Like you I really enjoy the scenic cruising days as well:)

 

Thank you for such wonderful posts. Your live thread is tremendous. Enjoying it so very much:)

[RuthC]

I have no idea if there will be an Arctic Swim, but I can tell you at 700AM today it was an Arctic Walk up on deck 9 around the pool area.

Oh. :( Thanks for answering anyway. It would be a pity if that fun event went by the wayside just because there's no good place to hold it anymore.

 

Hope this day goes well for all, and you have a great time exploring this remote area.

[sldispatcher]

Majestic

When mountains meet ocean water it always seems to touch the inner recesses of your soul that says that there is more to this world than the concerns and worries we have each day.

Baby blue bright skies greeted us this morning as we met our pilot boat 3 hours outside of Tromso. The next 3 hours were spent meandering through the passage to our next port of call. Lonely houses with stories to tell dotted shorelines on the left and right of the ship. Perched securely in lofty mountain bowls and rocky slopes, snow banks and small remnant glaciers could be seen.

This is Norway. This is majestic. This is what we have come so far to see.

We departed Tromso via a different route. Again, beautiful scenes unfolded in our literal wake. Mountainscapes that looked appropriate for Tahiti with green slopes and high rocky cliffs were on either side. Clouds seemed determine to pamper some of the peaks with a blanket of white while other mountains were left to stand as naked guardians to small branches of the fjord.

This is Norway. This is majestic.

Traveling directly behind our ship was the pilot boat. The orange and white appearance have been consistent with each Norway stop. This pilot boat’s captain decided to have fun and zig zagged across the wake of the Rotterdam like a playful slalom skier. From our aft cabin viewing spot, the smaller vessel seemed to almost play tag with the larger cruise ship in terms of proximity.

Although the sun had been out most of the day, the evening sail out would put a blanket of clouds over our heads and make viewing of the timid aurora borealis most improbable this evening. I was hoping for better weather for potential viewing purposes, but I will take what I can get.

Tonight we literally go over the top of Norway’s mainland. From a map standpoint, we are above Greenland and Alaska at this point. 44 degrees is the forecast high tomorrow.

The Rotterdam and HAL are not trying to intrude on the landscape. Instead, the ship seems almost to be sheepishly making its way through this part of the cruise. Balcony time is reserved for blending in with the world around us.

That’s where I get back to my initial point. Looking at soaring mountains meeting ocean fjords should not be taken lightly as far as my opinion is concerned. The hard lives of those who have gone before us and seen these sights so many years ago can often be hard to understand. How did they do it? How could they make it?

For them, it was home. They made the most of what was offered to them. I hope everyone on this cruise is doing the same.

This is Norway. This is majestic.