Circumnavigate the Oosterdam?

[Verandah View]

Good afternoon! I am new to the forum and welcome any answers I can get from all the veteran cruisers. From reading some of the threads I've seen that you can circumnavigate the Oosterdam on Deck 3 (Promenade Deck). Is this the only deck that you can do this and what decks can you get the farthest forward for general viewing? Thanks in advance for any and all information about gettin around the ship. My wife and I ,my wife's sister and her husband and their daughter are all looking forward with exitement to our cruise!

[MrOZ]

On the Vista class ships, the Promenade deck is the best for walking around. I think 3 times around was a mile if I remember correctly. (If not, I'm sure someone can correct me.) Note that generally, one cannot go onto the front part of that deck (with exceptions like Glacier Bay in Alaska). One can walk most of the way around on the Observation deck, but the wind breaks make it a bit tedious.

 

I think the further forward one can generally go outdoors is the patio in front of the fitness center on the Lido Deck (Deck 9). The observation area on the Sports Deck is also pretty decent.

[Verandah View]

Thank you MrOz for the information about the different vantage points on our ship.

[Moriah]

Yes! Deck 3 on the Oosterdam does go all the way around and as someone already noted, 3 times around is a mile. The bow area discussed above is actually on deck FOUR, not 3, and it's not part of that "circumnavigation". When the bow is open, as it usually is for glacier viewing, you get out there through doors all the way forward - inside - on deck 4, which is a regular "residential" deck. Deck 3 has the shops and public areas, and all doors leading outside go to the wonderful wrap-around deck for walking and just enjoying the outdoors. That bow area is an enclosed work area for crew on deck 3 and it's the only part where your view is not open to the sea while "circumnavigating" the ship. I believe deck 3 is called "lower promenade" and it's one of the things I love best about the HAL ships, and something I really missed when sailing on Celebrity. Happy walking while taking in the wonderful sea air!!!!

Edited May 9, 2014 by Moriah

[MrOZ]

.... The bow area discussed above is actually on deck FOUR, not 3, and it's not part of that "circumnavigation". When the bow is open, as it usually is for glacier viewing, you get out there through doors all the way forward - inside - on deck 4, which is a regular "residential" deck....

 

Ooh, right! Senility is hitting very early for me, I guess! Thanks for the reminder. P.S. I would hate to have one of those rooms right by the door on an Alaska cruse; people seemed pretty loud on the bow.

[curtdesilets]

That Promenade on HAL....

is one of the best things about their ships.

 

All of the new S-Class Celebrity ships do not have a wrap around promenade deck, which is a shame.

 

I love walking around the entire ship. They often have a Breast cancer walk for charity as well. The "3 laps equal 1 mile" is a great monitor of your exercise activity also. It also indicates just how huge these ships really are!

 

As a side note, we once had an Aft cabin on Oosterdam. I was going to the Spa area in the front of the ship and forgot my bathing suit, so had to go back to the stateroom to retrieve it. The distance from the aft room to the spa is over 900 feet. So the walk initially to the spa, back to the room and back to the spa was approx. 2700' , or over half a mile! Big ship, even for this mid-size!

Edited May 9, 2014 by curtdesilets
clarification