"Current condition" of the Oosterdam

[jscdagourmet]

We are new to cruising and are booked on a 5/08 Alaskan cruise.

We have been receiving conflicting reports on the "maintenance" of the Oosterdam..some reporting very positively, but others reporting "tired-looking", "needing updating", etc. I would appreciate a current analysis of the ship's condition.

#2 We are "wait-listed" for early dining and have been told by Triple A

to contact the dining room mgr. when we board. Thoughts?

#3 Is it accurate that one can bring any amt. of wine onboard?

#4 Can we count on 6am room coffee delivery?

We appreciate your thoughts!

[mrsmoore07]

We are on the Oosterdam in 5/08 too, leaving Seattle 5/31. I look forward to answers to your questions! My understanding is you can bring wine on, my husband loves that!!

[jscdagourmet]

Great! Glad to hear from you. This is the first time I've ever posted on a board or newsgroup or whatever so I'm stumbling about. I hope we have some luck!

[Aunty Pat]

I was on the Oosterdam for Thanksgiving. Here are answers to your questions:

HAL is always working on maintaining their ships. There’s always someone painting somewhere. That’s why the navy & white paint job always looks crisp and clean. The soft goods (bedding, towels etc.) were all updated in the past 2 years. The TV’s have been replaced with LCD TV’s with built in DVD players. That being said there a probably some pieces of upholstered furniture that need to be reupholster and probably will be done in the next year. As far as "needing updating" goes, HAL ships are classical in design and not plasticy and glitzy like RCC or NCL – the wood is real, the brass is real and always polished, the art collection is a true collection and not just decorations stuck on the walls.

#2 We are "wait-listed" for early dining and have been told by Triple A to contact the dining room mgr. when we board. Thoughts? You’re lucky to be wait-listed. At Thanksgiving, I booked on the Eurodam for Oct. ’08 and the waitlists for both early and main were full so I’ll have to make due with anytime.

#3 Is it accurate that one can bring any amt. of wine onboard? Yes

#4 Can we count on 6am room coffee delivery? Yes

Aunty Pay

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07, Statendam ’02, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Pending Cruises – QM2 Feb. 2 ’08 & Eurodam Oct.1 ‘08

[Aunty Pat]

I was on the Oosterdam for Thanksgiving. Here are answers to your questions:

HAL is always working on maintaining their ships. There’s always someone painting somewhere. That’s why the navy & white paint job always looks crisp and clean. The soft goods (bedding, towels etc.) were all updated in the past 2 years. The TV’s have been replaced with LCD TV’s with built in DVD players. That being said there a probably some pieces of upholstered furniture that need to be reupholster and probably will be done in the next year. As far as "needing updating" goes, HAL ships are classical in design and not plasticy and glitzy like RCC or NCL – the wood is real, the brass is real and always polished, the art collection is a true collection and not just decorations stuck on the walls.

#2 We are "wait-listed" for early dining and have been told by Triple A to contact the dining room mgr. when we board. Thoughts? You’re lucky to be wait-listed. At Thanksgiving, I booked on the Eurodam for Oct. ’08 and the waitlists for both early and main were full so I’ll have to make due with anytime.

#3 Is it accurate that one can bring any amt. of wine onboard? Yes

#4 Can we count on 6am room coffee delivery? Yes

Aunty Pay

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07, Statendam ’02, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Pending Cruises – QM2 Feb. 2 ’08 & Eurodam Oct.1 ‘08

[Jsipes]

The condition of the Oosterdam was terrific in Decwhen I was aboard....:)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I too agree that the Oosterdam is in excellent condition, otherwise I would not continue to sail on her;)

Seriously this ship is in great shape.

Your #2, chances are by the time you board you will have you dining assignment. If youa re Waitlisted for Early or Main you will more than likely get it. With having the Dine As You Wish they each week is not treated differently if one week they need more early than late fixed than they can place some of them in Dine As You Wish Same with Main Dining. They have been doing really well at getting people what they request. So you more than likely will have your table number for dining on your Ship Board Card.

#3. I have bought several bottles of wine and Champagne and this coming cruise in Feb. on the Oosterdam I am brining on a full case of Champagne so I do not plan to have any problems:D

#4 only if you really want to get up that early while you are on vacation:eek: ;) Yes, I do remember a box that you can check for room service breakfast at 6 AM

[Golfette]

Cruised on "O" in December. It was beautiful. Only thing I noticed was the leather chair in my cabin was stained rather badly. About 2 days before the end of the cruise, it was removed (although we hadn't said anything), but not replaced. I guess it was being recovered for the next week's cruise.

[hammybee]

I too agree that the Oosterdam is in excellent condition, otherwise I would not continue to sail on her;) Seriously this ship is in great shape.

 

/quote]

 

 

Note to OP: Listen to Lisa. I think she has sailed the Oosterdam more than anyone not employed by the cruise line and she would be the first to say somethig was rotten in Denmark.:)

[dam1050]

We are new to cruising and are booked on a 5/08 Alaskan cruise.

We have been receiving conflicting reports on the "maintenance" of the Oosterdam..some reporting very positively, but others reporting "tired-looking", "needing updating", etc. I would appreciate a current analysis of the ship's condition.

 

Welcome to the boards.

You are always going to find that some people will find any particular ship "dirty" / "clean" , "well-maintained" / "poorly-maintained" "good" / "dreadful" food etc.... and all on the same sailing!!!

After you've been on the boards for some time, you will note that some people tend to be critical and others tend to be overly pro-cruise line ; cheerleaders ; the line can do no wrong. (usually the posters with the most posts per day/month/year) Take most reviews with a 'grain of salt' and you'll do well.

 

#2 We are "wait-listed" for early dining and have been told by Triple A

to contact the dining room mgr. when we board. Thoughts?

 

Do contact the maitre'd and you'll most likely get your requested dining seating.

 

 

#3 Is it accurate that one can bring any amt. of wine onboard?

 

Sorry - don't drink, can't say ...

 

#4 Can we count on 6am room coffee delivery?

 

HAL is very good with room service and you should have no trouble with that request at all.

 

We appreciate your thoughts!

 

Enjoy your cruise and you may also want to check out the 'Port of Call - Alaska' boards at :

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55 for lots of good information on excursions in your ports.

[duck tune]

Just got off the Oosterdam 1/12 and as stated earlier the ship is constantly being cleaned and maintained at all times. On all HAL ships we have always seen the crew hard at work all of the time. Usually on days in port the crew will be painting or working on decks, occassionally they may need to spend 30 minutes or so on a particular section of balcony cabins but you are always notified the day before if work will be done and the time frame involved.

 

Considering the number of passengers that board any given ship of the course of a year there may be areas that get worn or accidents that happen just like at home, but the ship is really in great shape.

 

There will be opportunities to speak with someone about your dining should you not be satisified. I wouldn't worry about that.

 

Yes, you can bring on wine, soda, water - just no hard liquor.

 

There is a room service card that you will get each evening and can fill out what you want, when you want it even as early as 6 a.m. Coffee is also available in the Lido 24/7. Room service has always been timely and everything we've ever ordered has been fresh, hot and delivered cheerfully!

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

[Copper10-8]

We were on Oosterdam two weeks ago. She is in fine shape and running on both pods like a well oiled machine...............wait, that's what she is, a well-oiled machine! Enjoy your cruise to Alaska and, if you have the time, let us know about it!

[fcorey]

We are new to cruising and are booked on a 5/08 Alaskan cruise.

We have been receiving conflicting reports on the "maintenance" of the Oosterdam..some reporting very positively, but others reporting "tired-looking", "needing updating", etc. I would appreciate a current analysis of the ship's condition.

#2 We are "wait-listed" for early dining and have been told by Triple A

to contact the dining room mgr. when we board. Thoughts?

#3 Is it accurate that one can bring any amt. of wine onboard?

#4 Can we count on 6am room coffee delivery?

We appreciate your thoughts!

 

 

Hmm...seems her 2nd godmother (Lisa) beat me to it again! :) but i'll throw in my 2 cents anyway. I was aboard for one of the last Alaska sailing in 2007 and she looked very very well. HAL seems to do a good job of ongoing maintenance of their ships. However I will be aboard her again in 3 weeks and will post here if she is not looking up to snuf.

 

As for your other questions, I havent had to deal with the waitlist, but the dining staff does do what they can to accomodate you with requests when you board. However maybe you can try to call ship services as the trip gets closer to see if there is somethign they can do.

 

I have brought wine and champagne aboard, if its consumed in your room, there is no charge. If you wish to drink what you brought aboard in a dining room then there is a corkage fee like most restaurants.

 

I wouldnt count on something being deliver at exactly the same tiem every single day. That rarely happens in a large hotel so I doubt they can be that exact on a ship with 2000 passengers. However they give you a 30 minute window, and my experience has been that they usually meet that delivery window most of the time. I think I had one time where it was 15 minutes later.

 

Good luck and happy cruising