Westerdam cabin question

[Shir Hayam]

Hi HAL Cruisers,

 

My DH and I just booked our first HAL cruise - we've done mostly X. We've gotten a good price on the 11/25/07 Westerdam itinerary and our TA suggested cabin 5067 (VF). Since we've never sailed on this ship before, I'd love to hear from you experienced folks about whether this is a good cabin location. The deck plan shows some sort of doorway across from the cabin, but it doesn't appear to be any sort of stairway. I can't figure out what it is. Are there any other tips you can share that might be useful to know about this ship?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Sheila

[grannynurse]

Hi Sheila,

We liked the Westerdam so much we booked her for our next transatlantic in October '07

Perhaps you should check to see if your VF cabin has a steel railing which makes it impossible to see out if you're sitting down. The VFs in the foreward part of the ships do. Please check anyway so you won't be disappointed. You know, I think I remember hearing that it's the deck 4 cabins that have the steel railing, but check.

 

You're screen name means "life song" doesn't it? I love it.

You wouldn't be from Peabody, would you?

GN

[RetiredMustang]

Sheila,

 

For tips on Westerdam, see the member review page http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=306

 

We went on Westerdam just a few weeks ago, and I talk at some detail about the cabin (http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=26653)

 

We had cabine 5112, a VE. There should not be much difference. You would get a bit more ship's movement there, but it should be as quiet as the one we had. I'm not certain about the steel railing, but a squint at a photo I found by googling (http://www.02cruise.com/lines/holland%20america/westerdam/photos/highres/westerdam%20exterior%20front.jpg) it looks like it probably has a plexiglass front with wood railing as most do. It is just above the lifeboats, which only block the view straight down -- we could see out while seated on the verandah. The steel ones usually are near the very front or back -- you can see some nearer the bow in the picture.

 

The door looks from the deck plan like one the crew would use, not a passenger door -- there are closets for linen, ice and things, and some doors lead to interior stairs that the crew uses. I've never found it made any difference to be near one.

 

Added on edit: The Westerdam will be doing a yard period this month to get upgrades. The main refit/change that would affect the cabin is I think they will be installing flat-screen TVs with DVD players.

 

Welcome to HAL, and good sailing!

 

Dave

[jtl513]

You know, I think I remember hearing that it's the deck 4 cabins that have the steel railing, but check.

GN

Only cabins 4001 to 4042 have the steel railings.

 

The door looks from the deck plan like one the crew would use, not a passenger door -- there are closets for linen, ice and things, and some doors lead to interior stairs that the crew uses. I've never found it made any difference to be near one.

I agree that it is probably a steward's supply room, or possibly just storage. We were across from one on the Noordam, and found it very convenient, because whenever we wanted something the steward was very often in or near there. He also usually knew when we were leaving for dinner or whatever, and would often go in to service the room before we were out of sight!

[O2B@C]

Hi HAL Cruisers,

 

My DH and I just booked our first HAL cruise - we've done mostly X. We've gotten a good price on the 11/25/07 Westerdam itinerary ....

 

Sheila

 

Hi, Sheila! I'm afraid I can't answer your actual question, being a first-time-HAL-cruiser-to-be myself, but I did want to invite you to join our Westerdam 11/25/07 roll call if you haven't already. You'll find it here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=448045

 

Welcome aboard!

[Shir Hayam]

Thanks to all for the tips. I did check the "Reviews" board and decided to see if I could get cabin that wasn't directly above the lifeboats. Sooooo....we are now in 5134 (still a VF). Hope this is a good location/price compromise for us.

 

GN, you are close on my CC name. It's a probably poor transliteration for "song of the sea". Shir ha Yam might have been better. It seemed like an appropriate one for Cruise Critic. Besides, "Jake's mom" was taken several times over.

 

O2B, I haven't made it over to the HAL roll call board yet, but I'm certain I will eventually. Right now I'm chatting with a group from Celebrity's Galaxy where we're going on a June Med cruise.

 

Sheila