Question about the Rotterdam

[ldog]

I've been reading these boards for a month or so now and have seen very little written about the Rotterdam. We are booked on the October 24, 2005 Venice to Lisbon cruise.

 

We tend to book cruises for the itinerary and/or dates rather than a particular ship. We've sailed HAL before but on the Vista class ships, Oosterdam in the Baltic and Westerdam in the Caribbean. We enjoyed them but found them awfully big and somewhat impersonal. The crew was great and remembered us but we didn't really connect with a lot of other passengers other than our tablemates.

 

Can any of you comment on the differences, please? It won't change our minds. We are so looking forward to this trip. Just asking what to expect.

 

thanks

jan

[peaches from georgia]

You will love the Rotterdam and will have a terrific time on the ship. We much prefer the smaller ships such as the Rotterdam, Volendam and Maasdam. You will have the opportunity to recognize other pax on a number of occasions in various parts of the ship and it is easier to make friends if you wish.

 

The crew is great on the Rott and other of the mid-size ships and we much preferred dining on these ships, too. No where near as crowded, noisy or rushed as on the Oosterdam.

 

Enjoy and report back.

[jhannah]

You will enjoy the Rotterdam. She remains my favorite ship of all. Zuiderdam was fun, and the Prinsendam is intimate. But the Rotterdam is just the right overall blend, IMO.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You will love the Rotterdam. We sailed on her a couple of years ago and loved her.

 

We like the idea that you can approach the dining room from both starboard and port sides unlike the Vista class ships.

 

The cabins ar larger - so are the verandahs.

[Copper10-8]

The Rotterdam is a great ship, just the right size. She's my favorite HAL ship also. You'll have no problems running into people you've met before. Friendly crew, no complaints whatsoever. You'll have a great time, enjoy your cruise!

[sail7seas]

Rotterdam is a gorgeous ship. She was built as the Flagship and World Cruiser and she looks it. IMO

 

 

We have cruised on her a number of times and have always loved her. The last time we sailed Rotterdam was March 2004 for a Panama Canal cruise and she was terrific and we have also cruised her in Europe....and back-to-back for Christmas and Millenium New Years. We also cruised her for her Inaugural New Years Eve.

[calm_seas]

You will love the Rotterdam. It is a very comfortable ship, and easy to learn the deck plan on (moreso that the Oosterdam, IMO). In four cruises on her, there has never been anything to complain about.... not ship, not crew & staff, not dining. Enjoy your cruise!

[dougnewmanatsea]

I am going to be on ROTTERDAM in two weeks (as will John if you look at his signature :) ) so if you wait about a month or five weeks, you will see a lot written about her (by me) along with loads of photos!

 

This is my first time on her, however if you like HAL but think the Vista-class ships are too big, she should be just your cup of tea.

[bobpatj]

We've had 4 wonderful cruises on the Rotterdam and would hope to sail on her, again, anytime! We'd love to have you post a review of your cruise when you return.

[doone]

I have sailed both the Zuiderdam (vista style ship) and the Rotterdam. The Rotterdam, you will find to be a small and more intimate ship. If you were feeling a bit lost on the Oosterdam and Westerdam, you won't feel that way on the Rotterdam. I think you will be pleased with her.

[dougnewmanatsea]

The Rotterdam, you will find to be a small and more intimate ship.

Eek - 60,000 GT is small these days ;) ?

 

(She probably will seem small to me - last weekend I visited QM2 which even makes the Vista-class ships look puny!)

 

Incidentally, John, if you're reading this - you have mail.

[Copper10-8]

Eek - 60,000 GT is small these days ;) ?

 

(She probably will seem small to me - last weekend I visited QM2 which even makes the Vista-class ships look puny!)

 

Incidentally, John, if you're reading this - you have mail.

 

Yeah, small compared to those 150,000 and bigger (158,000 ton) behemoths, I guess:eek:

Thanks Doug, you have one in return re: Red Oktober in St. Petersburg

[ldog]

thanks everyone for your replies.

 

I'm looking forward to the reviews from the Baltic. We were there a few years ago and loved it! Very busy and losing those hours on the Eastbound portion was tough but we had a great time anyway.

 

We overdid the touring in Finland... went on the Arctic circle tour which was a long day and then a long day in St Petersburg after that. I dozed off in the middle of the Cossack dancing at the Folkloric show and we were sitting in the third row!

 

Loved Tallinn - a really pretty city... great to walk around.

 

jan

[Venture]

Having sailed in Rotterdam on a 21 day Med/Transatlantic prior to her SOE upgrades and having recently completed an 18 day Ft Lauderdale to Venice aboard her after her SOE, I feel compelled to make some comments on the 'changes'.

 

She still is the best 'Flagship' in the fleet!! Yes Amsterdam is great but Rotterdam is superior with her aft pool located on the Navigation deck, the same as 'S' class ships which gives (gave) her 3 aft sunning decks.

 

With the addition of The Oasis and Loft for 'teens only' on Sports deck aft,that beautiful teak deck was drastically reduced in area (compare the old and new deck plans in HAL brochures).

 

The Spa and Gymnasium on Lido deck has expanded forward and flush with the front of the bridge below. This has done away with the lovely forward viewing area above the bridge with the exception of the small area above the bridge wings, (although the new plans do not indicate this). This has also altered her exterior visual appearance- deck to deckhead windows above the bridge. A senior officer aboard was quite upset with this extention and to the legality of 'having a bloody spa tub directly above the bridge packed with electrical equipment', and 'looking forward from the crow's Nest you can see a lot of roof from the Spa'!!

 

The Amsterdam has her SOE this fall- her aft pool is on Lido deck- with the teen area added,that will obliterate the Sports deck so her aft deck area will be greatly diminished, All this for a children's play area. I note that she is doing a World Cruise in 2007- how many teen's will be on that voyage!! I believe the addition of the teen area aft and the extention of the spa forward is a mistake on the 'R' ships. Come on HAL, have a second look before you reduce deck space on Volendam and Amsterdam!

 

The interior upgrades in Rotterdam are excellent. Cabin flat screen T.V's-all new Euro-Top mattresses- large fluffy cotten towels- terrycloth bathrobes, all great stuff. You will also enjoy the Exploration Cafe, a magnificient job was done here.

 

To all of you boarding the Rotterdam, wish I could join you. She is still the best- just a gorgeous, comfortable classic ship, with the most wonderful crew.

[doone]

After doing back to back cruises, one on the Zuiderdam and then venturing onto the Volendam, she sure did feel small.

[Krazy Kruizers]

SMALL!

Our first cruise was on the Cunard Countess - 18,000 tons.

And we also have sailed on the Cunard Princess - another 18,000 ton ship.

The Rotterdam is a very nice size!!!

[dougnewmanatsea]

Yeah, small compared to those 150,000 and bigger (158,000 ton) behemoths, I guess:eek:

Well... I suppose size is relative, but I still have a hard time calling 60,000 GT ship small!

 

When Carnival's Pinnacle project (210,000 GT, 5000 pax) comes out, she'll be a lot bigger than QM2, but you can bet that even if we have 500,000 GT ships I will never consider QM2 small ;) ...

 

Thanks for the e-mail.

[aaerobear]

We are heading out on the Rotterdam on 19Aug and look forward to seeing her after the SOE changes. I am sure it will be great.

 

 

Ed/Jeff

[ukcrusing]

Been back off the rotterdam for a week now, and seriously suffering post cruise blues. I loved the ship, crew were great, and passengers were nearly all friendly. As our previous (and first ) cruise was on the QMII, I can comment that the rotterdam did certianly feel much smaller, but this provided a more intimate exeprience, but both had agood and bad points. But woudl defintley go back on the rotterdam, lovely ship

[WebSters]

In just another month, we'll be boarding for the same cruise! HA has been consistently a wonderful and dependable cruise line.

 

Having been on the "old" Rotterdam, along with a few other HA ships for short trips, we are certain this will not disappoint. Only comment from another thread was the expansion of the exercise room that cuts-into the views from the Crows Nest and diminishes the look of the ship overall. That sounds a bit disappointing, but am certain will not take away from our experience.

[Navy_Chief]

Man that's a shame they took all that area away above the Bridge. That was one of my favorite hang outs in the morning at sea or even pulling into port. Might as well have extended the Crow's Nest forward so you wouldn't see all that roof too. All in all, the Rotterdam is still a great ship.

[QQRZZA]

We did the Norwegian Fjord cruise on Rotterdam in June (2005). It's truly a wonderful ship, and a great itinerary. Having been on Maasdam, Oosterdam, and Veendam in the last year, Rotterdam wins by a mile. The staff is friendly and competent, well trained and happy. The ship is well maintained and laid out in a passenger friendly manner. The mob-scene of the mega liners is not evident on Rotterdam. Rotterdam has a warm atmosphere, with fresh flowers, plants and appropriate art. The upgraded bedding is a wonderful improvement over the old prison quality mattresses. :) We would be back on Rotterdam at the first chance.