Rotterdam refurbishment

[rotjeknor]

It is clear to me now that Cruise Critic is censoring reviews. Blocking all the reviews that folks take an hour composing regarding the Rotterdam. How much HAL monies are you guys getting for your 'keeping the forum clean?'

 

I expect to get banned for this comment, but I challenge C/C to prove me wrong. Leave this up and show me I am wrong, it's not too late.

 

You think so ? Scroll thru this thread and see for yourself. Quite a bit of dirt has been unloaded on HAL, its management and the Rotterdam itself as well.

Since you post is still visible.......:confused:

[Tampa Girl]

It is clear to me now that Cruise Critic is censoring reviews. Blocking all the reviews that folks take an hour composing regarding the Rotterdam. How much HAL monies are you guys getting for your 'keeping the forum clean?'

 

I expect to get banned for this comment, but I challenge C/C to prove me wrong. Leave this up and show me I am wrong, it's not too late.

 

You've posted a grand total of five times on this forum. Where ARE you coming from! You made the allegation. The burden of proof is in your court.

[opusX]

A lot of people, including me have posted reviews of the 15 day cruise beginning 11/4. I only see one published. Why?

[photokay]

I'm planning to book a Christmas Cruise on Rotterdam this year (2017) and would like to know if the problems with toilets, AC, hot/cold water have been fixed? Also, how was the food?

[CaribbeanSue]

You should be fine with the cabins. The dry dock issues seem to be all gone. Food is good, staff is better. Despite our Nov. 4th issues, we are booked on the April 8th sailing. Once again we might be taking a chance since its the last Tampa sailing this year and we saw how the first Tampa sailing went !!

[opusX]

I thought the food and service was great.

[CaribbeanSue]

OpusX --

 

If you still have your review content you might post it here. Or get it to me at sara dot j at embarqmail dot com.

If it is now lost in the cyber black hole I feel for you -- happened too many times to me also.

[opusX]

Here was my review that I submitted 11/21.

 

Just got off the Rotterdam. Expedited debarkation was great. We were off the ship and through customs and at our car

at 8:05am

.

First the good.

Food and service was great in all the dining venues. Service was outstanding in Mix Martini bar, Henry and Russel were great.

This was the most disappointing cruise we have had in 48 cruises. Our cabin 6184 a Vista Suite was soaking wet, the glue they used to lay the carpet came through the carpet. Our shoe bottoms had about 1/2 inch of new carpet fuzzies glued to them, if you walked barefoot they were stuck on your feet. Customer service gave us 1852 just to sleep in. No hot water and a toilet that worked some of the time, all our clothes were in 6184 so

Sunday morning

we returned to 6184, they placed large towels on the floor that became soaked and started sticking to our shoes. We had a large fan in our cabin 5 days and nights. We turned it off while we were sleeping. By the second week the carpet was mostly dry but still sticky. They sprayed a solution to make it less sticky. They sprayed a second time yesterday so who ever gets 6184 today should have no problems.

As bad as this was it was not the worst thing for us.

The worst for us was the complete lack of things to do. No music at all on lido deck, no island bands, no sail away parties, no parties at all on lido. The last time we sailed on Maasdam in June 2016 we had two salmon bakes on deck, they had interesting speakers, served bean soup and chilli on deck several times. We had only port and shopping lectures.

There was no dance music at all

until the 5th evening

and then it was the jazz trio had added a singer. There was a five piece band on board but they only played in the show room. The crows nest was utilized on the last sea day for a 1 hour line dance lesson, the only lesson the entire 15 days, it was mobbed with many comments that the staff finally organized something on the last day. They actually had chairs and tables on the stage area.

Americas Test kitchen was nice on sea days but they would often schedule it

at 1pm

so if you wanted to go you would miss lunch in the pinnacle grill or dining room, since it was so busy you needed to get to the theater at least 15 minutes early to get a seat.

One night at the martini bar a group of officers, 6 or 7, arrived, did not speak to any one, kept their backs to us, a friend of ours excused himself and carried a bar chair that the officers were not using over to the other side of the bar so his wife could sit. No offer of help. After the officers left Henry the bar tender said the hotel manager told him to buy us all drinks, he understood the officers had been rude. We found all the officers very unapproachable.

 

They cannot seem to solve the problem of leaks in the lido market area, I think the leaks were a/c condensation. Most days there were two or three buckets but often seven or eight. Also one side of market was hot and the other side cool.

We like HAL but are definitely reconsidering our future cruises do to the lack of activities. We probably will be on Oceana or Viking for our next cruise.

HAL did step up and gave us a unrestricted $1200.00 OBC for the problems with our cabin.

[NO1LKME]

Our family had an outstanding Thanksgiving cruise on the Rotterdam! We are all "homesick" from being away only 4 days now.

Yes we had some issues of the toilet but it was attended to each time. Our ac was just fine in our cabin. The food and service was outstanding.

I really love the small ship size and appeal. It never felt crowded even though the cruise was sold out.

I would not hesitate to book another cruise on the Rotterdam again!

By the way my wife and I traveled with a 9 year old and 19 year old.

[cidymom]

Is the entertainment improving on the Rotterdam? Never sailed HAL before but they have an itinerary that I really like to do so. Still deciding between Veendam and Rotterdam. Entertainment like the production shows, comedians, etc. is more important to me than food. Thanks all.

[opusX]

On our November cruise the evening entertainment was mixed. The production shows were just OK. The headliners were also mixed. Mostly very good but the comedian and magician were weak on their first preformence but improved a lot for the last show together. We went to all the shows, left the first production show as it was mostly a aerobic routine. The production shows steadily improved during the two weeks.

[Flamingolee]

We too were on Rotterdam’s Thanksgiving cruise. We are 4 star cruisers with HAL and I have to agree this was he worst cruise we have been on.

Cabin 7007 was fine but it was downhill from there.

Absolutely nothing to do. No interesting lectures, no music, no games etc. Fortunately we like Trivia and I went to a couple of digital classes. There was no Social Director on board until the 2nd day.

Repairs still being completed, ladders in odd places and strong smelling paint in many places daily, sometimes it was hard to navigate the Promnade deck.

Lots of crew drills that stopped activities on the ship during the day perhaps due to brand new makeup crew.

Maybe it’s time to for us to reuse alternate cruise lines we have enjoyed in the past.

[NO1LKME]

I am sorry people had a bad experience on the Rotterdam during Thanksgiving cruise. Our family loved it!

[Iris5383]

I am sorry people had a bad experience on the Rotterdam during Thanksgiving cruise. Our family loved it!

 

That is so good to know. :cool:

[drbees]

It is good to keep in mind this is an old ship, that is up for sale. They are not going to spend big bucks on the ship. We did the Voyage of the Vikings in 2016 on her. The hot/cold water issues were significant on that cruise as well. The plumbing systems need to be totally replaced, and they are not going to do that on a ship they are trying to sell. I was hoping to hear good reviews on the infrastructure, but that does not seem to be the case.

 

The ship is not going to attract the best crew members, but we should not accept less than great service. They are a new crew, and it will take a little time for them to get together, We are doing the 21 days out of Tampa 7/7/18. Still despite issues, I have never had a bad cruise, and the next one on the old ship will not be my first.

[RMS Olympic]

Leaving on the Rotterdam in about three weeks. As long as the ship is clean, the drinks great, and a friendly crew...ill be a happy cruiser. Some of the best cruises I have ever taken were on old buckets....but old uckets tend to have personalities whereas these new mega liners have none.

I think the only thing that could ruin my cruise is if I have to listen to complaining all over the ship. Yes everyone is entitled to their opinion, but non stop complaining so all can hear....I don't appreciate. If this turns out to a total complain session.....ill take my drink, and find someplace alone and be thankful I'm on a cruise....that I have been blessed to be at sea yet again.

[sammiedawg]

Leaving on the Rotterdam in about three weeks. As long as the ship is clean, the drinks great, and a friendly crew...ill be a happy cruiser. Some of the best cruises I have ever taken were on old buckets....but old uckets tend to have personalities whereas these new mega liners have none.

I think the only thing that could ruin my cruise is if I have to listen to complaining all over the ship. Yes everyone is entitled to their opinion, but non stop complaining so all can hear....I don't appreciate. If this turns out to a total complain session.....ill take my drink, and find someplace alone and be thankful I'm on a cruise....that I have been blessed to be at sea yet again.

 

People have every right to complain if conditions are as bad as on the Rotterdam. And I would never assume a ship was clean if mystery water is leaking from ceilings. I cannot imagine seeing this in areas where food is served. I would never assume a ship was clean with soaking wet carpets. I would never assume a ship was clean with non working plumbing and no hot water.

Buyer beware, you couldn’t pay me to sail on these old Holland America ships. Unfortunately many cruisers don’t read cruise critic and will have no idea that the physical plant is nasty.

[AKJonesy]

We were one of those more unfortunate to have experienced her right out of drydock on the 11-4 sailing. We are 4 star mariners on HAL, so we have experience with this line, and it was very disappointing to have experienced so many problems after having such good experiences with HAL. We were compensated as well. Mostly what disappointed me was too much indifference by the crew, and not experiencing this in the past. I'm sure those on the front lines of the 11-4 sailing problems were probably tired of having to deal with problems that landed in their laps. So, I just think this was a poor move on the part of the HQ in Seattle. By the time we disembarked, many of us commented that oncoming passengers would not even know what happened! But, not everything was completed upon returning to Tampa. So, I shall watch the Rotterdam boards and see if everything is getting back to normal and people are happy. There is a sailing on Rotterdam in 2018 we are interested in, but we'll have to see.

[knittingninja]

Leaving on the Rotterdam in about three weeks. As long as the ship is clean, the drinks great, and a friendly crew...ill be a happy cruiser. Some of the best cruises I have ever taken were on old buckets....but old uckets tend to have personalities whereas these new mega liners have none.

I think the only thing that could ruin my cruise is if I have to listen to complaining all over the ship. Yes everyone is entitled to their opinion, but non stop complaining so all can hear....I don't appreciate. If this turns out to a total complain session.....ill take my drink, and find someplace alone and be thankful I'm on a cruise....that I have been blessed to be at sea yet again.

We did not have a useable shower in our cabin for 12 of 15 days on our 11/4 sailing. You betcha I was complaining each and every day to the front desk. Husband resorted to using the pool deck shower on most days. Completely unacceptable! If this was a land based vacation we would have checked out after the first day.

[RMS Olympic]

Well I guess my cruise on Jan 7 will be ruined. Too late to cancel. Perhaps I should just forget it, stay at home and chalk it up to a mistake. Thank you all for convincing me the ship and everything about sailing on the Rotterdam is crap. I respect your opinions as to experiencing this mess first hand. So I will just stay at home rather than take the chance that nothing has improved in 2 months since the post dry dock cruise. I'll also refrain from ever ailing HAL again since the upper management is really to blame. This was to be my 84th cruise....time to quit.

[woodworker&knitter]

We are a family of 14, sailing Feb 4-11 in 4 cabins, 12 will get off and we sail Feb 11-25. I will let you know what the Rotterdam is like

[Jitterbug]

On the ship today. The refurbishment looks beautiful. So far so good.

[woodworker&knitter]

On the ship today. The refurbishment looks beautiful. So far so good.

Enjoy your cruise

[rapata]

On the ship today. The refurbishment looks beautiful. So far so good.

 

 

 

Hope to hear more from you during or after your cruise. We are on Rotterdam on January 14th and despite so much negative comment recently are going to board with an open mind and try not to sweat the small stuff.

 

 

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[MudbugsTherapist]

I wish that more people would update with their experiences on the Rotterdam to give those of us who are sailing in 2018 some hope. We are trying HAL for the first time due to the price hikes on NCL, and we prefer the regular ships instead of the megaships. I know that there are some things that are out of the staff's control, but a great crew can make a ship's errors seem charming. (NCL Gem is well-known for this.)

Are the HAL ships a training ground for green staff?