Rotterdam: When and Where Does She Feel Crowded

[Florida_gal_50]

49 minutes ago, decrepit old man said:

Dumb question but if you have trouble finding a table at the buffet are you allowed to take your food and eat it at another part of the ship?

Absolutely.  Sometimes I take it out on my balcony to eat.

[BermudaBound2014]

I just want to point out that this is a very nice perk still being offered by HAL.

 

Many main stream lines have discontinued this service.  I tried several different angles on Celebrity last January and they simply could not deliver any food that wasn't specifically listed on the room service menu. Historically, Celebrity had always done an exceptional job with room service. But those days are over.

 

Hate to say it, but I would not be surprised to see HAL move in the same direction (along with adding nominal room service charges). Not trying to be negative, just keeping expectations aligned with the current reality. If complementary room service is still being offered next February when I sail HAL; I will consider that a pretty big win :-). 

[donandmelissa]

2 hours ago, decrepit old man said:

Dumb question but if you have trouble finding a table at the buffet are you allowed to take your food and eat it at another part of the ship?

Not a dumb question at all.  The short answer to your question is "yes".  There are tables just outside of the Lido and you often see people bring their food there.  Also, in our experience, most people are happy to share their table with you during crowded periods.  It is one of our favorite ways to meet people.

[NCTribeFan]

I should also point out that it was quite cold on many of the days of my recent Rotterdam sailing, so that, naturally, forced more people to the indoor areas.  Some hardy souls (I'm guessing those from Northern European/Scandinavian countries) were sitting out at the Sea View pool, but that's always an issue when the weather doesn't cooperate.  I've been on a few Caribbean sailings when there was a lot of rain, and the ship (any ship) feels so much more crowded when folks can't sit by the open-air pools or up on the sun decks.  So, the itinerary makes a difference.

 

[oaktreerb]

7 hours ago, decrepit old man said:

Dumb question but if you have trouble finding a table at the buffet are you allowed to take your food and eat it at another part of the ship?

We sometimes have a salad made for us at the salad bar in the Lido, grab a roll and butter and napkin wrapped silverware and take it all back to our stateroom.  The room stewards will remove your dishes when they clean the room.  Just leave the dishes on the table when you go out.

[oakridger]

4 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I should also point out that it was quite cold on many of the days of my recent Rotterdam sailing, so that, naturally, forced more people to the indoor areas.  Some hardy souls (I'm guessing those from Northern European/Scandinavian countries) were sitting out at the Sea View pool, but that's always an issue when the weather doesn't cooperate.  I've been on a few Caribbean sailings when there was a lot of rain, and the ship (any ship) feels so much more crowded when folks can't sit by the open-air pools or up on the sun decks.  So, the itinerary makes a difference.

 

 

This is why ships that have a retractable cover over the pool area have an advantage over those that don't.  I often sat in the Lido pool area, rain or shine, to eat lunch.  All of the HAL ships have the pool cover.

 

~Nancy

[pellanor]

Decks 2 and 3 near the theater can feel very crowded after shows because there is only one path on one side of the ship available to walk through (on deck 3 only starboard side through casino and on deck 2 through middle of Billboard and Rolling Stone). Granted Rotterdam is the only HAL ship I sailed on, but on other ships walkways on both sides of the ships are usually available to relieve congestion.

[Ipeeinthepools]

On 5/21/2023 at 5:21 PM, oaktreerb said:

We sometimes have a salad made for us at the salad bar in the Lido, grab a roll and butter and napkin wrapped silverware and take it all back to our stateroom.  The room stewards will remove your dishes when they clean the room.  Just leave the dishes on the table when you go out.

 

Or you can just place the dishes in the hallway if there isn't enough room in your cabin.  The typical cabin doesn't have a dining room table.  The stewards will pick them up from the hallway.

[0106]

39 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

Or you can just place the dishes in the hallway if there isn't enough room in your cabin.  The typical cabin doesn't have a dining room table. 

Do not places dishes in the hallway; it makes it very difficult for people with mobility issues to navigate the halls.  Dishes in the halls could provide an obstacle if there was an emergency.  Every cabin has a “desk”; leave your dishes there.  You can also call room service and ask for dishes to be picked up.

[MISTER 67]

On 5/18/2023 at 10:47 AM, baggal said:

It won't necessarily feel crowded but it will feel BIGGER.  For instance, it’s a longer walk from the MDR to the entertainment areas.  And depending where your cabin is located you might have a longer walk to the Lido.  It’s just a bigger ship.

The Pinnacle class ships are 48 feet longer than Signature class ships, not a huge difference, not like Royal Caribbean ships and some of the other behemoths that are over 1100 feet long.

We were on the Rotterdam a year ago and though we prefer the Eurodam and the Nieuw Amsterdam we didn’t find the Rotterdam crowded at all and it was sold out.

[fsufancc]

On 5/21/2023 at 8:36 AM, decrepit old man said:

Dumb question but if you have trouble finding a table at the buffet are you allowed to take your food and eat it at another part of the ship?

On all the lines we have sailed on, I head to the buffet early and create a mini "charcuterie" plate and take it back to the room.  Mrs Fan and I have happy hour while we get dressed for the evening.  A glass of wine (or whiskey for me) and some cheese, meats and finger foods in the room or out on the veranda/balcony. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

24 minutes ago, 0106 said:

Do not places dishes in the hallway; it makes it very difficult for people with mobility issues to navigate the halls.  Dishes in the halls could provide an obstacle if there was an emergency.  Every cabin has a “desk”; leave your dishes there.  You can also call room service and ask for dishes to be picked up.

  A couple dishes in the hallway hardly make a difference when there are service carts and other items that are left by the staff in the hallway during the day.  There isn't much room in a standard cabin and my "desk" has plenty of other items on it and I use it as a "desk" during the day.  If emergency evacuation was really an issue the staff wouldn't be permitted to leave items in the hallway.

[0106]

1 hour ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

If emergency evacuation was really an issue the staff wouldn't be permitted to leave items in the hallway

@Copper10-8 or @chengkp75 could you chime in with HALs official policy for items left in the halls. We always appreciate your expertise.
 

I have moved plates to assist people on mobility scooters navigate the halls.  I worry what would happen if there was a medical emergency.

[kazu]

5 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

  A couple dishes in the hallway hardly make a difference when there are service carts and other items that are left by the staff in the hallway during the day.  There isn't much room in a standard cabin and my "desk" has plenty of other items on it and I use it as a "desk" during the day.  If emergency evacuation was really an issue the staff wouldn't be permitted to leave items in the hallway.

 

Sorry please don’t do this.  

they are in the way and we are asked to leave the dishes in the room.  You can call for them to be picked up.  It’s really not that hard.   If you don’t want them in the room and cannot wait then why not return them to the Lido?  Please don’t leave them in the hall. Try navigating the hall in a wheel chair, scooter or even crutches or cane when there are dishes outside.

[Susanmaz]

We were on the Kdam in November.  There were people EVERYWHERE. There was nowhere to find a simple place to just sit. The walk from front to back took 30-40 minutes for me with my mobility issues - there were no seating areas or benches. There were always lines at guest services. Our recent sailing on the Volendam was so different. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

26 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Sorry please don’t do this.  

they are in the way and we are asked to leave the dishes in the room.  You can call for them to be picked up.  It’s really not that hard.   If you don’t want them in the room and cannot wait then why not return them to the Lido?  Please don’t leave them in the hall. Try navigating the hall in a wheel chair, scooter or even crutches or cane when there are dishes outside.

 

Please tell me how a few dishes in the hallway are a bigger obstacle than service cart, laundry or other trash bags left in the hall by the staff?

[highscar]

If you have a problem with a staff cart in the hall the staff will likely be in the room beside it. Simply ask the staff person to to make room for you. They will accommodate you.   No problem.  

[Ipeeinthepools]

I honestly can't find any HAL policy on the issue but John Heald a Senior Cruise Director from Carnival has addressed this issue numerous times on FB.  I see no reason that Carnival's sister company HAL, would be any different.  His response has been consistent over the years, here's one of his responses.  "we do prefer you to place your room service trays outside of your cabin door as soon as you have finished with them. This way we can get them collected quickly, washed and cleaned and back into service"   

 

I'm sorry if others object, but this appears to be the policy.

[highscar]

@Susanmazon the K in January and was pleased to see lots of places to sit.  Some with tables.  I cannot walk very far and was delighted with the availability to rest.  I found the longest treck  was the photo hallway.  

[kazu]

47 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

I honestly can't find any HAL policy on the issue but John Heald a Senior Cruise Director from Carnival has addressed this issue numerous times on FB.  I see no reason that Carnival's sister company HAL, would be any different.  His response has been consistent over the years, here's one of his responses.  "we do prefer you to place your room service trays outside of your cabin door as soon as you have finished with them. This way we can get them collected quickly, washed and cleaned and back into service"   

 

I'm sorry if others object, but this appears to be the policy.

 

Carnival is NOT HAL.   So sorry but no, Carnival’s policy is not HAL’s.  Sailing on Carnival - fine - follow those instructions.

 

 If you have ever ordered room service on HAL you might recall a card on your tray requesting you NOT put the tray and dishes outside your cabin and instead dial 98 (I think it was 98) for your tray and dishes to be picked  up.  

 

But explaining seems to be useless as it appears you will do as you choose.  I’ll follow HAL’s procedure and make life easier for those in the hallways, thanks.

[highscar]

@kazuAmen.     

[Ipeeinthepools]

7 minutes ago, kazu said:

... If you have ever ordered room service on HAL you might recall a card on your tray requesting you NOT put the tray and dishes outside your cabin and instead dial 98 (I think it was 98) for your tray and dishes to be picked  up.  

...

 

Never seen this on any room service order and never seen anything about dishes brought from the buffet.   Sorry you don't agree but all of the accessibility issues are the same between cruise lines and apparently Carnival corporation has decided they are not an issue.  Please help returning the dishes to the kitchen as soon as possible instead of gathering them in your cabin.

[shipshape sam]

We have not used room service or carried a 'meal' back to our cabin.  We have been able to put the small plate/glass next to wall unit/closet for most times.  If not, we will put it somewhere in our room including the floor if needed.  DW did call some extension once or twice as I recall.

 

We will follow whatever HAL stipulates.  

 

We did travel with another couple this past March where she had a scooter and it does slow down the process of making it to the bank of elevators.We moved on occasion something preventing her from getting around the item.  

 

We also had a scooter parked outside in the hallway and that was a bigger problem for our friends.  It was wide.  Good news was that they were close to a small  connecting hallway by the elevators and could park it there if the room stewards were not out with their carts and bags of linen. We did have to reverse direction and get to the port side to reach the elevators once as I recall.  They were 3 cabins from the aft facing cabins.  We were aft facing in the starboard corner.

 

 

[shipshape sam]

We never felt really crowded on our March 2023 sailing.  It was 11 days.  There were a fair number of scooters/walkers.  

 

Leaving the MDR there were at least 15-20 of them parked at the forward/starboard side of MDR when we were heading out each night.  We typically ate around 6:30pm.  

 

As I am typing this, it did seem crowded and congested when getting off ship for excursions and I can tell you it was a 'pain' to try and get an elevator with room for her scooter during the early disembarkation for excursions. 

 

There were a few stations that were popular and seemed to have a line in LIDO.  For me, it was the taco line.  Many times only one person working the station

 

The music/entertainment area got busy when one of the bands /acts were ready to play.  As you would expect with an open venue, lots of people walking by and deciding to stop and listen. BBKing venue at times was real busy and they brought in some straight back chairs.

 

WE loved Rotterdam VII enough, that we have already booked another cruise on her!  

[seaoma]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 If you have ever ordered room service on HAL you might recall a card on your tray requesting you NOT put the tray and dishes outside your cabin and instead dial 98 (I think it was 98) for your tray and dishes to be picked  up.

 

I have to say that on my last 2 cruises, that card has not shown up. We have called to have our dishes picked up and they have asked us to place them outside the room every time. We questioned them about this and they reiterated that we should put them outside the room.

 

I didn't like it, but I did as we were told.