 |
 |
|
Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Jeff Coudriet
Email: JeffCoud@aol.com
Age: 36
Occupation: Government Employee
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Rotterdam6
SailingDate: 04/28/99
Itinerary: Transatlantic NYC - Lisbon
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 99
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 99
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 31 May 1999
Time: 15:35:40
Remote Name: 98ca961a.ipt.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
Rotterdam Review - 4/28/99 Transatlantic Crossing from NYC to Lisbon
We just got back from our 9 day voyage from NYC to Lisbon on Holland America's Rotterdam.
We had a great time
and liked the ship very much, but there are some minorcriticisms too. For the truly
information deprived, here are all
the details....
We booked our land and air arrangements on our own, so we took the Amtrak Metroliner from
Washington's Union
Station to Penn Station in New York. Since we had 4 good sized bags we got a porter within
steps of getting off the
train and we got our bags up from the subterranean depths to the cab stand--worth the $10
tip. We got a cab quick
and went to the Passenger Ship Terminal on 55th and 12th Avenue in no time. Arriving there
we didn't see anyone
in a Holland America shirt or jacket so I was wary of leaving our bags there (it is NY
after all!) so we rolled our bags
into the terminal to face a very long line--they were not letting anyone on board yet. So
it took us a good hour to get
on board and there was no real organization to the lines at the 7 or 8 check in counters
once inside. We were not
amused, but hey, we were going on a cruise and the memory of that would soon fade. We got
to the gangplank
(finally) and HAL staff carried our bags to our room right then and there, which was nice,
so we could unpack right
away. It was a nice bit of white gloved service.
The Cabin: We had a Category A mini-suite which was quite sizeable, with a veranda. We had
the 2 beds put
together to make almost a king sized bed and the sitting area near the veranda had a very
large leather couch
which was very comfortable! It was definitely larger than the comparable room on the
Celebrity Galaxy which we
sailed in December. The bathroom was nice and had ample storage and a small whirlpool tub,
which I always enjoy
a good soak at night before bed--you can make your bubbles get real big by turning on the
water jets! The veranda
was slightly bigger than the Galaxy's as well with a full lounge chair, a regular chair,
and small table, enough to put
some drinks on and your book. There were 5 closets and 13 drawers, very ample storage
indeed. This room also
has a TV and VCR which we utilized a couple of times to rent movies from the Library (free
of course) since we had
5 'at sea' days on this cruise. There was a safe in one of the closets. The decor of the
room was a somewhat
subdued Scandinavian modern look which I liked, although the finishes on the furniture
seemed a little less real
wood-like than on the Galaxy, but it was a nice big attractive room nonetheless. The
coffee table in front of the
couch could be raised or lowered according to your likes, but looked rather formica-like.
There were also a chair
and a stool under the vanity, really more seating than you would ever need for 2 people.
The wall and the door to
the veranda were floor to ceiling glass, providing very nice sea views at all times, a big
plus--we kept our curtains
open at all times! All and all a rather attractive room which we enjoyed spending time in.
The veranda was nice and I
took a few naps out there while we were at sea. The cabin also had 2 nice robes for our
use on the ship and one of
those hairdryers in the bathroom with the vacuum-hose-like tube.
The Public Spaces: We loved the Crow's Nest at the top of the ship and the Ocean Bar. Both
rooms were used for
various functions throughout the day (and night) and were among the nicest rooms on the
ship. In both rooms HAL
would serve appetizers before each dinner seating, a very nice touch. Since there were so
many days at sea one
needed to fill one's time with activities at times. To that end, we attended the team
trivia at 11:00 am in the Ocean
Bar nearly every morning with Jason, who was a very funny man. Everyone had a good time.
My partner, the Java
Junkie, loved the Java Cafe one level down and got capuccino and espresso every day there
and brought it up to
the Ocean Bar for our trivia fix. He thought the coffee in the Lido restaurant and in the
La Fontaine dining room left
something to be desired so the Java Cafe was a must stop for coffee lovers on board. In
the Crow's Nest, in addition
to having great views out to the ocean, had wonderful leather chairs and ottomans to read
in by day or relax in by
night. They also had these Biedermeier-esque leather chairs that we very much wanted to
take home. The Lido pool
area became a favorite place to sit and read while people watching. I liked the big seal
sculptures at the foot of the
pool but didn't like the use of the color yellow (but that's my own personal taste--I
don't like yellow) and the tiles at
the bottom of the little kiddie wading pool were yellow too, which under water makes the
water look dirty--not a good
choice. The Lido pool has a retractable roof which was opened on nice days--about half of
the days were good
weather and half not. There is also a nice open air pool area at the back of the ship as
well which I enjoyed on
sunny days and got a nice tan, which I wasn't expecting on a transatlantic crossing, but
then again, I tan easily! The
LaFontaine dining room was very nice and we had a table for 6 on the upper level in the
back of the ship right next
to the windows looking out the back of the ship. It was a very nice view but it was hot
every night back there in ways
that it wasn't hot in other areas of the dining room, even on cloudy days without the sun
streaming in. Guess they
needed more air conditioning back there! We did enjoy looking at the wake of the ship
every night thought. The one
public room that I thought did not work was the main theater, the Queen's Lounge. It needs
a design overhaul. Lots
of yellows and golds that didn't mix well together (but remember my bias against yellow.)
It just wasn't harmonious.
The seating was haphazardly designed in some ways and not attractive. But that was the
only room I really didn't
take to. The other decor problem I had was with the antiqued mirrored tiles they used to
line the staircase wall in the
atrium--in a word, yuck. A little too glitzy for my taste on a ship that was generally low
key and classy looking. The
flow of the public spaces I thought was pretty good once I figured out where everything
was. The signage was
generally in the 3 elevator lobbies on each deck. We are 'stair' people generally on
cruises since we need to work
off all those extra calories and if you're taking the stairs you don't see a lot of the
signage. This sailing was not full,
they said around 1000 people on a ship that fits 1300+. We liked the somewhat smaller size
from the Galaxy, which
that combined with so many days at sea meant we would bump into people we had met on a
regular basis, which
was nice. Speaking of meeting people--we had arranged a lunch the first day at sea with 4
other couples we met in
advance on AOL. It was wonderful meeting them and we felt like we had friends onboard from
the first day which was
very nice. We had a great time bumping into them onboard all week (hi gang!)
The Staff: We found the service in the dining room and our cabin steward to be great. Warm
and friendly without
being too friendly if you know what I mean. They were genuinely nice people and their tips
were most certainly
earned. Our wants at the dining room were anticipated, for example I like iced tea with
dinner and decaf with
dessert. It took Robertus and Jaya one day to figure that out. Our cabin steward, Sam,
kept our room very clean
and well stocked with towels and soaps and stuff like that. The one thing that mystified
me about Sam for several
days was what his voice reminded me of--ET the Extra Terrestrial! You'd have to hear him
to believe it. In any case,
speaking of soap, I liked the bathroom products HAL has, the soaps and skin
lotions--pretty nice stuff. On our
disembarkation day we had one irritating thing happen, Sam came into our room while I was
half naked very much
rushing us to get out. That left a somewhat sour note so I reduced his tip! We literally
needed 10 minutes more (it
was quarter to 8 am for goodness sakes) and we would have been gone soon enough so I felt
a little bit like 'don't
let the door hit you on the way out'. Otherwise it was all very nice service. Robertus,
our waiter, thoughtfully
remembered to give me a copy of our dinner menus for the whole cruise, which being the
information junkie that I
am I loved. The Cruise Director was Gary Walker who we basically enjoyed, but I think most
of these type people
come off as pretty fake and cheesy, and he was no exception. I am cynical 36-year old what
can I say? But he was
nice and friendly when we saw him out and about on the ship. By the end of the cruise we
were on hello terms with
most of the cruise and entertainment staff, a friendly bunch. Jason, the triva king, and
Jenny, his occasional
substitute, were both lively and entertaining.
The Food: It started off not very well. Maybe the kitchen staff was just tired and bored
since the Rotterdam was just
finishing up her world cruise for 1999. Not very interesting desserts and small, tired
looking cuts of meat. My dining
mates liked the seafood entrees though and one lady had a very large lobster tail one
night that she liked. Some of
the cold soups were very very good but the salads were not imaginative usually. Too much
iceberg lettuce! Some
nice salad dressings though--including a chardonnay sesame seed and a few other
interesting ones. They couldn't
seem to cook rice without making it too mushy. Oh well, the food did get better as we went
along, and started
coming close to the more interesting food we had on Galaxy. We are foodies to a certain
extent. The Rotterdam also
has a special Italian restaurant onboard (the 'Odyessy') which you need reservations for
(but which is otherwise
free, of course) and we didn't get to eat there until the last day onboard--which was a
mistake. Run and make
reservations your first day on board to eat there--the food is absolutely terrific and
puts the dining room food to
shame in terms of quality and presentation. The food from room service and up in the Lido
was acceptable. I
generally avoid buffets on a cruise ship--after going to school for 20 years and then
working for the government the
last 15 years the last thing I want to do on vacation is wait on line for food served
cafeteria style! I don't know why
people find this attractive. Speed is one thing I realize, especially when you are on a
very port intensive cruise and
are in a rush, but for me the dining room and sitting down is always the way to go. No one
says you have to order
every course and sit there for an hour and a half for lunch. Just get an iced tea and the
entree and you can be on
your way in no time. No waiting on line for me unless I have to! We loved having the soft
serve ice cream in the Lido
late in the afternoon in a very large waffle cone! Now that is worth the wait! We also did
enjoy getting capuccino and
baked goods and an omelet or two in the morning via room service to eat out on our
veranda--always a nice thing to
do. Our friends up a deck in the really high rent district missed having a butler to bring
appetizers before dinner and
such.
The Activities: I tend to think most of the production shows on these things are pretty
tacky and stupid and certainly
this cruise didn't change my mind at all. The women in the shows were the better singers
but the men were the
better dancers. They were trying certainly. The best show was the Salute to Broadway or
whatever it was called.
Good reliable show tunes and production values. The other 2 shows were only passable, but
hey go anyhow (what
else are you going to do for 5 days at sea!) The ship's orchestra was very good and
handled the music for some
special acts with quite a bit of professionalism, I was impressed. There was a comedian on
this sailing who did
impressions, Joey Van, whose act was 30 years old (at least) but very funny. There were
quite a number of musical
cues for his act and the band was on the money and well rehearsed. The most intriguing act
were two older ladies
who called themselves the Marimba Mamas who played the marimbas, instruments which are
like bells you hit with
little mallets. They were a hoot and had a good schtick going. To think they could do all
that playing just exhausted
me looking at it. They were lively and fun and had a sense of humor about themselves, very
refreshing. There were
all sorts of other activities like bingo and horse races and the usual cruise ship stuff
which you could do or not do
depending on your choice. They did make announcements over the PA for such things several
times a day which I
find annoying! We like Celebrity's policy of not having such announcements better. We can
read the daily program
for ourselves, thank you! Two other activities I enjoyed were a tour of the ship's galleys
and the 3 art tours they had
of the ship's art. Denise, the art tour guide on the ship staff, was very good and the art
was fascinating in many
ways. The large reproductions of the Chinese warriors and horses from Xian are nice but in
an inappropriate
location for their size. They deserve to be shown off better than they are.
The Ports: Obviously, on a transatlantic crossing there aren't too many ports! We had 5
at-sea days which we spent
reading, relaxing, occasionally sunbathing, going to the well equipped fitness center, or
napping. To us that is what
vacation is all about, but I'll run you through the ports we visited anyhow. Hamilton,
Bermuda--we had rain all day
there so we didn't do all that much expect walk around Hamilton, which seemed pretty nice.
Horta, the Azores--Horta
did not have much to offer as a port town. We tendered there and got to take some nice
pictures of the ship from
some hills in town. Hopefully they will come out nice, but really nothing much to do in
town. We probably should have
signed up for a nice island tour! Ponta Delgado, the Azores--Ponta Delgado is a bigger,
rather attractive town and
the capitol of the Azores. We found a nice store in a mall downtown that sold products
made on the islands that had
interesting stuff. Got a nice bottle of wine for under $5, should have bought more. We
brought 2 bottles with us to
share at our dinner table, and everyone enjoyed that. Even with the corkage fee it keeps
the bar tab down! We took
the Crater Lakes tour on this island and took a bus up to the rim of a now dormant
volcano. It was breathtakingly
beautiful with 2 gorgeous lakes inside the crater with a little village nearby. Quite
stunning. Hope the pictures of that
come out good! We then went to a pineapple plantation that was skippable. In the store at
the plantation they sold
pineapple liquer in some cute ceramic flasks which I thought would make nice little gifts
until I tasted the awful stuff!
Oh well, it was a funny moment for me!
Disembarking: We arrived in Lisbon and took our time having breakfast in the dining room
one last time and saw lots
of our new friends one last time. We were off the boat after our number was called in no
time, but waited on the
ground over an hour for a taxi to our hotel. The people who got the bus transfer from HAL
fared little better in the
speed department. This was very frustrating and somewhat hot and uncomfortable waiting
there outside with all our
luggage. HAL needs to get it's act together I guess on long lines getting on and off the
ships. I suppose they could
have had their port representatives call for more cabs in advance?? Might have been a good
idea. Lisbon was a
very charming city and I would certainly go back there. Other than the immediate compact
downtown area (charming
old buildings and pedestrianized streets) Lisbon is all hills with many charming
cobblestone streets winding their way
between old buildings. Not for people in walkers but very charming. We took a cab up to
the castle and walked
down. The downtown has been largely untouched by the wrecking ball thank goodness. We had
a hotel room for the
day at the Sofitel which was close to downtown on the Avenue Liberdade, which we booked on
our own. Late that
night we hopped a cab to get on the overnight train to Madrid. We also loved Madrid which
reminded us somewhat
of Vienna or Paris, very grandiose in some ways. We toured the Royal Palace and the Prado
Museum, of course,
and flew back direct to Washington, DC the next day. My partner hates flying so that's why
we went to Madrid--there
are no direct flights back to DC from Lisbon. We could have otherwise stayed many extra
nights in Lisbon which we
like very much. I think we might have to take a nice land vacation to the Iberian
peninsula sometime soon to spend
more time exploring Lisbon, Madrid, but also Sevilla, Barcelona, and maybe a beach or two,
something you don't
really have time to do in depth on a cruise. But this cruise gave us a nice taste of the
region to entice us back! A
nice safe way to check things out in advance of a longer exploration.
Ok, for you lazy readers out there, here's my quickie guide to this cruise:
Cabin: A Food: B- Staff: A- Activities: B+ Ports: B+
It's more than a passing grade, and I hope I don't sound too negative because we really
did have a great time.
Would we take this ship or Holland America again? Yes probably, but we would take second
seating at dinner to get
a somewhat younger crowd, although we met many older folks whose company we thoroughly
enjoyed. I think the
change in seating time probably would have been a smart change and certainly that wasn't
the cruise line's fault--we
were assigned late and switched to early thinking the extra time at night would allow us
to do more after dinner. As it
was, even at sea for 5 days we felt rushed going to dinner at 6pm! I guess also more of a
passenger diversity mix
would have been preferable, but realistically going into this cruise we were aware that on
a longer sailing in an off
time of the year and on HAL we were likely to have a somewhat older crowd. It was fine
though and really we had a
great time regardless--we can pretty much get along with anyone and aren't too nit picky!
The one other little oddity
that we didn't think about was that when you sail across the Atlantic West to East you
lose 5 hours to Lisbon, so
there were 5 nights that we had to move our clocks forward 1 hour! Imagine our sadness at
having 23 hour days 5
times! Next time we'll sail west and have 5 25 hour days instead!!! Much better for
catching up on all that sleep on
your vacation!
Anyhow, anyone who has any questions about the Rotterdam VI or this cruise in particular
(the ship makes 2
transatlantics a year to reposition to/from Europe) certainly can feel free to write me
with questions!
JeffCoud@aol.com
Name: Stephen Johnson
Email: stevesan@earthlink.net
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Rotterdam6
SailingDate: May 19, 1999
Itinerary: Rome to Harwich, England - 9 intermediate ports
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 60
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 0
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 60
TenderService: 100
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 70
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Jun 1999
Time: 13:25:34
Remote Name: 2cust56.tnt1.hou3.da.uu.net
Remote User:
Comments
My spouse and I sailed Holland America’s Rotterdam VI on a twelve day ‘Grand
Capitals of Europe’ tour.
We have only been on one previous cruise and had originally planned to take a land tour of
Europe, but
after contemplating packing and unpacking and checking in and out of hotels every couple
of days, as well
as spending half the trip confined to bus or train seats, we decided to take our hotel
with us. We ultimately
chose this cruise for its itinerary that included ten ports in twelve days. We embarked at
Roma
Civitavecchia and disembarked at Harwich, England.
The Rotterdam VI, hereinafter known as RVI, is a marvelous vessel accentuated by changing
color
schemes and decor. Its lines are the antithesis of the classic ocean liner. It looks
exactly like what it is: a
floating hotel, comfortable, spacious and well appointed with numerous public lounges.
Additionally, there
is a well stocked library, a puzzle room large enough for meetings and bridge tournaments,
a comfortable
movie theater, and possibly the best large show room afloat. The main dining room is on
two levels and
decorated with lots of glass and brass. The overall decor of the ship, with its abundance
of primary colors
and bright shiny brass, is somewhat extravagant for some tastes. A previous reviewer
described the RVI
as a Las Vegas hotel. A not inaccurate description; however, I like Las Vegas hotels.
The RVI is exceptionally well maintained. Spit and polish abounds throughout. Of the ten
passenger
decks, five are devoted to public areas. The lower three decks are cabins, some inside,
the majority
outside. The outside cabins are 196 sg ft and include a bathtub/shower. The inside cabins
are identical,
but slightly smaller, 186 sg ft, and have a shower only. The rooms are comfortable and
include two beds, a
leather sofa, small coffee table, a make up table and two large closets with plenty of
drawer and shelf
space. There is sufficient under bed space for luggage storage. The bath rooms are large
by ship
standards, with adequate shelf space and a medicine cabinet. If you require more detail,
HAL has cabin
and suite photos posted at their web site. The sixth level is the mini suite verandah deck
and the seventh
contains the suites and four penthouses. The suite deck has a lounge and concierge for the
exclusive use
of suite passengers. There are self service launderettes on all the cabin and mini suite
decks. I should
note that we selected an outside cabin on deck three with a partially obstructed view,
thereby realizing an
effective six level upgrade.
Most of the public areas are on the 4th and 5th decks, including the main and alternative
dining rooms.
The main dining room is the La Fontaine, the Odyssey being the alternative. The Odyssey
has an upscale
Italian menu, as well as excellent quality and service. It is, however, small, and the
Maitre D’ allowed only
one reservation per couple during the voyage. The 8th deck contains the Lido Buffet and a
pool side grill.
Our choice for breakfast and dinner was the La Fontaine, but we preferred the Lido for
lunch. The Lido
has an excellent buffet with an a variety of entrees and appetizers as well as a large
salad bar and an ice
cream bar. Midnight buffets are in the Lido from 11:15pm to 12:15am, great for a late
snack and a dish of
ice cream. The La Fontaine menu was exceptional and the food nearly always top quality.
Service was
excellent with three servers per table, all very attentive and thoughtful. There was
little or no delay
between courses. Seatings are at 6:00 and 8:15. We selected first seating and did not
experience any
rush to arrive on time, even following shore excursions. We were occasionally up to a half
hour late, but
were seated and served with the usual cheer and efficiency. There were three formal, three
informal and
six casual nights. Most of the men wore tuxes on formal night, not only for dinner but
throughout the
evening. Informal night saw an overwhelming majority of jackets and ties and a few sport
jackets. Slacks
and sport shirts predominated on casual nights, but if someone attempted to be too casual,
they were not
welcome. We witnessed a family turned away for attempting to wear shorts to dinner. On
formal nights, the
distaff side dressed appropriately in formal pants and dresses, but not to the ball gown
level.
The main swimming pool area takes up the center portion of the 8th, Lido, deck, and has a
sliding glass
roof for inclement weather. There is a second outdoor pool one deck below off the fantail
of the Navigation
deck. Forward on the Lido deck is a large, well equipped, gymnasium and spa, including
steam and sauna
rooms with a beauty salon and massage parlor.
Entertainment continues throughout the day, whether in or out of port. There are
continuing deck and
game activities varied enough to match any interests. The main show room, the Queen’s
Lounge, has two
shows every night. The ship’s company consists of ten dancers/singers who put on
three different variety
shows. Other nights featured an assortment of musical performances and the usual
collection of comics,
ventriloquists and magicians, mostly a cut above in quality. Of course, there is a casino
as well as a video
arcade and two lounge bands for early and late night dancing. The bands are of excellent
quality. We
especially enjoyed the Ocean Bar trio who specialized in swing with some Latin, waltz and
slow dance. The
Wajang Theater shows first run films throughout the afternoon and evening, and there are
first run films
on the ship’s TV network, as well. Both suite mini suite passengers have access to a
video library. Bingo
games are usually twice a day, and there are the ever present art auctions. A number of
people enjoy the
auctions, and consider their art purchases a bargain. There are so many activities, both
passive and
active, that if you are bored on this ship, you are either a hermit or a grouch.
The swimming pool is a great place for relaxation. The deck area is large, with abundant
and comfortable
padded lounge chairs. There are two Jacuzzis that have dozens of jets. These are marvelous
therapy.
There is also a small kiddy pool that was left dry this voyage. The main pool is filled
with fresh, not sea,
water and is heated so it is comfortable on chilly days. There is a pool side grill as
well as a bar. The bar
stewards do not intrude on bather's privacy, fetching drinks only when asked.
Service on the RVI is mixed. The dining and cabin stewards are dedicated to providing
quality service in a
cheerful and sincere manner. The service in the Odyssey is truly professional, up to three
star Michelin
level. Stewards in public areas such as lounges and casino, however, are more uneven in
their service.
This became somewhat understandable, though, once I realized that a majority of passengers
fail to tip for
drink service. Older people seem to often be tighter with their money than the young or
middle aged. The
great majority of our fellow passengers were, shall I say, geriatrically challenged. Both
my spouse and I
are well into our sixties, but we felt like youngsters in this crowd. It should be noted
that due to the mature
age of the passengers, nearly all events were subdued, often even sedate. The demeanor in
all areas,
especially the dining room, was definitely reserved. If you require a gay, festive, party
atmosphere, then a
twelve day European voyage on the RVI is not the right cruise for you. The quiet,
conservative
environment, however, was often welcome after a full day shore excursion. We often
returned quite tired,
and were probably not up to a party atmosphere, anyway. So, given the context of our
schedule, the
constrained tone was probably more appropriate than a swinging singles Carnival cruise
atmosphere.
What I do not understand is the distant and indifferent, attitude of the middle management
staff on the
RVI. These people are in dire need of intensive customer relations training. Invariably,
when confronted
with a problem or questions regarding ship’s policies, they become defensive, even
rude and insulting, in
an effort to turn the problem back on to the customer. Given the excellent treatment we
received from the
ship’s crew and the stewards, I am confounded by the behavior of the people in
management positions.
They have not learned to simply smile, apologize and ask what can be done to make things
right. Instead,
they seem compelled to go on the attack. I quickly learned to ignore these management
misfits in order
that they not ruin my cruise. They did, however, leave an indelibly bad taste in my mouth
aimed towards
Holland America. HAL’s passengers deserve better treatment.
As previously mentioned, we selected this cruise for its itinerary, and were not
disappointed. The RVI
stopped at ten different ports, including the Cote D’Azur, the Costa Del Sol,
Casablanca, Gibraltar, Lisbon,
Vigo, Le Havre, Rotterdam and Antwerp. HAL offered a variety of ship sponsored shore
excursions at
each port. A number of people went on their own, but since this was our first real visit
through Europe, we
went with the ship’s tours. We were fortunate in not experiencing any equipment
problems. A few groups
suffered bus break downs, and other equipment failures. In the main, though, the busses
were well
maintained, comfortable and all had air conditioning and elevated seating. Our tour guides
ranged from
good to outstanding. As far as I could tell, all were university educated, and most had
extensive additional
training as tour guides. They were all very expert in their regions. The two highlights of
our shore
excursions were both in Spain, and included The Alhambra and Santiago de la Compostela.
The
Alhambra, adjacent to Granada, is a Muslim-Hispano complex of palaces, buildings and
gardens dating to
the 14th century. The beauty of the detailed mosaics and architecture is spectacular,
especially the
marvelous Court of the Lions. Santiago is, of course, the Cathedral of St. James, and is
located near the
port of Vigo. For centuries pilgrims have walked across the breadth of Europe to visit the
burial place of
St. James. His remains rest in a silver sepulcher located in the cathedral’s lower
burial chamber. The
cathedral is the quintessential example of gothic architecture. The effect of the interior
sculptures,
paintings and carvings was so overwhelming that I experienced near sensory overload. This
is a site that
deserves more time to explore and understand. There is an excellent five star hotel, The
Parador,
adjacent to the cathedral. Any return visit to Europe would include booking a couple of
days there to
better appreciate this amazing cathedral and its surroundings.
We did select tours so as not to overexert ourselves. We chose four full day tours
interspersed with five
half day tours at the remaining ports. Some of the shore excursions were pricey, but
Europe is expensive,
and taking the ship’s tours ensures that the ship will not sail without you. Tour
selection is offered in
advance. A shore excursion brochure and application form are included with the documents
which we
received approximately a month prior to sailing. However, a number of people apparently
wait until the last
moment. There was a long, slow moving line at the shore excursion desk the first couple of
days. Some of
the tours had filled up, but HAL managed to secure additional guides and transportation,
so I think nearly
all were accommodated. I would, however, definitely urge booking in advance. There is a
modest ten
percent cancellation fee if you later change your mind. I did switch a tour on board, and
was not charged a
fee for doing so. On the subject of fees, be sure to use credit cards for purchases while
touring. The
ship’s fee for currency exchange is usurious, in excess of ten percent. I only
changed enough currency,
$20 or $30, ashore for coffee and very minor purchases. Between Lisbon and Vigo I
exchanged some
remaining Portugese Escudos into Spanish Pesetas. The currency exchange office on the ship
ran it
through US dollars, so the fee exceeded twenty percent. I should mention that the ship
does not have an
ATM, nor do they cash personal checks. An ATM is often the best way to obtain cash, but
they are difficult
to access in port while touring with groups, so if you don’t use credit cards, bring
plenty of cash or
travelers' checks along. There is a cashless society on board ship. You may roll a credit
card at the
beginning of the cruise and thus effect an express checkout, or you can pay up at the end
of the cruise.
The front office will accept personal checks to settle final bills.
We booked fly-cruise with HAL, including hotel accommodations in both Rome and London. You
may be
able to realize a lesser air fare booking yourself, but you would have to pay additional
for land transfers,
which would probably result in a near wash of the total cost. By booking with HAL, we
ensured they would
take care of any problems that arose, such as misrouted luggage and late schedules. The
peace of mind
this offered was well worth any additional cost. HAL’s land service was outstanding.
We were met at the
airport and escorted to the hotel where HAL Agents remained on duty throughout our stay,
assisting with
tours and any other needs. The transfer from the hotel to the ship included a city tour of
Rome, as well as
a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral. The transfer from the port at Harwich to the hotel
included a city tour of
London, as well.
Despite a few minor annoyances, we were totally delighted with our cruise, and given the
right
circumstance, would sail with HAL again. The RVI is a wonderful vessel, comfortable, easy
to negotiate
and offers an abundance of luxuriant facilities.
Name: Robert Lynch
Email: rlynch0527@aol.com
Age: 58
Occupation: Professional
NumberOfCruises: 13
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Rotterdam6
SailingDate: August 29, 1999
Itinerary: Great Capitals of Europe
Cabin: 6116/Verandah
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Sep 1999
Time: 09:31:43
Remote Name: dt143n4f.tampabay.rr.com
Remote User:
Comments
Having originally booked the Maasdam for this cruise, my party of four were pleasantly
surprised in May when Holland
America through our travel agent informed us that the Rotterdam was picking up the
Maasdam's itineraries for the
balance of the season in Europe. Passengers on the original Rotterdam twelve day cruise
from Copenhagen to Rome
were given four additional days at no additional cost - a great deal for them.
EMBARKATION
My party flew on our own and met in London. On departure day, we used the Holland America
line dedicated bus from
Victoria Station to the pier in Harwich($40.00). Since the Maasdam was also in Harwich at
the same time for its seven
day ocean crossing to Boston, there were quite a few people at the Green Line bus station
but luggage and bus
loading went well. It took two hours to get from downtown London to Harwich on a Sunday
morning but check-in
pierside was immediate and we were at lunch by 12:30pm. Our luggage was in our cabin when
we got there. 800
people boarded the Rotterdam in Copenhagen and about 450 of us boarded in London.
SHIP, CABINS, CREW
There is no question in my mind that the Rotterdam VI deserves to carry the title
"flagship." She is lovely and they
have corrected many of the small errors of design in the previous four ships (Statendam
class). She is roomier, more
comfortable in her public spaces and rooms, and really quite elegent. No where is the
improvement as noticeable as in
the Crows Nest lounge which now has comfortable chairs facing the correct directions.
The cabins are spacious and exactly like her predecessors except that leather has replaced
fabric on the cabin sofas.
Also, glass replaces steel on the verandah deck bannisters allowing a full view of the sea
from outside and inside. Nice
move, Holland America.
The Master changed in Harwich with Captain Jacob van Dyke taking some rest time and
Captain Kees Buckens
leaving the Maasdam that morning and assuming the command of the Rotterdam. He was every
where and available
to everyone who approached him. His announcements were interesting and appropriate as well
as helpful. This ship
still has an all Dutch navigation and engine room crew, unlike the Ryndam and Veendam
which are in the hands of the
Brits - so much for the Dutch tradition of seamanship.
All of the crew were first rate and it would be nit-picking to choose anyone who did not
perform 100% on this cruise.
FOOD
I find the food on Holland America getting better all the time and the Rotterdam was
wonderful. The Maitre'D, Puto, was
everywhere in his dining room, speaking with and getting to know all his guests. His
captains were also at table every
night asking if we were interested in a flambe dessert. Our waiter seemed to be overworked
with eighteen people to
serve and on evenings when they open the Lido for dinner, they "steal" (yes,
that is the right word) the assistant
waiters which causes problems in the main dining room.
We ate in the Odyssey alternative restaurant on two of the twelve nights and had an
excellent Italian meal served very
well. It is a nice change on a long cruise to have another venue for dinner.
SHIP
Our itinerary did not require that the ship make good the time and speed she is capable of
but were were always on
time in every port. The air conditioning failed on an at sea day when we were between
Almeria, Spain and Tunis,
Tunisia. It made for a very hot dining room experience on a formal night. When they
corrected the problem, they
offered us free wine at dinner for two nights. I did not find the heat oppressive in the
cabin. Otherwise, there were no
other failures during our cruise.
HOTEL DEPARTMENT
If you sail in a Holland America line ship and find the hotel manager to be the veteran
Mr. Fekko Ebbens, you are in
luck. His presence everytime I have sailed with him is demonstrable. Little touches and
flourishs are present and the
ship is immaculate. He does an outstanding job. However, the crew does not always feel
lucky for sailing with him as he
is a perfectionist and gets to them. When you ask on other ships where he is, the crew
shrugs and sighs and seems to
thank the Lord he is not on their ship. However, I think he runs a good ship.
PORTS
My advice to other people considering Holland's twelve day cruises in Europe is to be
advised that they tend to be
long on port days and short on sea days. Consequently, one gets up early and spends the
daylight hours rushing to
see things. It is not exactly relaxing. On this cruise with eleven days, eight of them
were spent in ports.
LeHavre provided an opportunity for most of the ship to go to Paris on busses. It is at
least a 12 hour day. My party
rented a car from Avis at the train station and drove to the Normandy battlefields (90
minutes away). It was a great
day. At sailing time, we were casting off lines and had the gangway fully down on the dock
when a final bus pulled up
from Paris (someone can't count).
Vigo, Spain, was used by most people for trips to Santiago de Compostello, a well-known
Catholic shrine where the
remains of St. James are reputed to buried. Again we rented a car from Avis and went on
our own. Not much else to do
in this port if the Shrine does not interest you. However, the ship docks right downtown.
Lisbon, Portugal saw my group rent a taxi in the afternoon for a three hour tour of the
city.
Gibralter was an afternoon port of call which is all it needs and most people seemed to
enjoy it. No need for tour
excursions here - one can walk to taxi anywhere easily and cheaply. Upon leaving the ship
sails alongside the rock for
about an hour about a quarter of a mile off.
Almeria, Spain was the port for everyone to go to Grenada, some two hours by bus away.
This occasioned my angriest
moment with the ship's tour department. They offered and we took a transfer bus from the
ship to Granada with four
hours during which we could visit the Alhambra. However, getting to the ticket office at
1038am, we were sold tickets to
enter the Moorish palace between 2-230pm. Our bus left downtown Granada at 230pm to return
to Almeria.
Apparently the bus operator knew that people on the transfer bus would likely run into
this problem and offered to
secure entrance reservations but the ships tour department declined on our behalf.
LaGoulette, Tunis, Tunisia. Hot and humid, this stop allows one the opportunity to see the
ruins of ancient Carthage.
The magnificent buildings of the 4thBC-1stBC Carthagenia empire were destroyed by the
Romans so seeing where
Hannibal departed from and lived is not possible. The Roman bath ruins are very visible,
however, and interesting
enough. Carthage is interesting but probably not worth the stop. Perhaps the most annoying
thing about this stop was
that the Presidential Palace is right next to the Roman ruins and you are forbidden to
take pictures of the ruins at
certain angles lest you photo the palace. Film is confiscated.
Valetta, Malta, was substituted for Drobnovick and was a pleasant half day stop.
Venice - there is no thrill qite like sailing in from the Adriatic to Venice, to the mouth
of the Grand Canal and The
Doges Palace and Sat. Mark's right off the starboard bow. Wow. The ships docks close
enough to talk to the vaporetto
to do all the sightseeing and purchasing necessary.
DISEMBARKATION - Easy and fine. For people on their own and either doing to a hotel or the
train station, beware
that you must call an expensive water taxi to take you a short distance at a very high
rate of money.
OVERALL - Exhausting but enjoyable. The ship when we were on it was superb, classy,
comfortable, occasionally
exquisite. The crew from the master on down were wonderful. Make reservations for the
Odyssey restaurant the
moment you board and can do so (it fills up fast - 120 a night with first sitting
beginning at 530pm). Also, if you wish to
visit the Bridge, you must go to the front desk (I found them wonderfully helpful and
pleasant and not the difficult
people described in other reviews here-but then Mr. Ebbens was on board) early and get
assigned a time.
Hope these thoughts are as helpful to some people as other reviews on this site have been
to me.
Name: michael s. zeneri
Email: zeneri@sssnet.com
Age: 49
Occupation: vice president sales & marketing
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Rotterdam6
SailingDate: 12/9/99
Itinerary: southern caribbean-panama canal
Cabin: 6219/cat b mini-suite
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 92
CruiseStaff: 79
CabinAmenities: 91
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 87
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 79
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 70
FoodVariety: 93
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 60
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 65
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 65
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 97
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 89
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 97
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Jan 2000
Time: 20:17:35
Remote Name: tw-153-176.sssnet.com
Remote User:
Comments
Comments
Background
My wife and I have been married for 30 years and wanted to have a special celebration so we chose this 10-day
Caribbean-Panama Canal cruise since we like mostly days at sea and had never been to the Panama Canal. Having
previous experience on Holland America, we settled on this ship for an elegantly, refined experience at sea. We have
been on the Westerdam twice ,in addition to NCL and Celebrity. We now agree our experience is most enhanced by
HAL. I was very pleased at how relaxed we both became on a 12-day vacation verses our usual 7 days. We added an
extra day on the beginning and end of this cruise at a beachfront Ft. Lauderdale hotel. We both have busy and
stressful lives day to day and the opportunity to really unwind with only each other to please was a welcome change. I
highly recommend to everyone that arriving the day before a cruise is the only way to go!
Embarkation
We arrived by cab at 12:30 pm and were checked in 10 minutes later. Boarding began at 1:30 and we were in our
room by 1:50. At 2:00 we were having a light lunch in the Lido Café. I then realized how superior HAL is to other cruise
lines.
The Ship
We had high expectations for the Rotterdam. We had viewed the video and researched other ships in this same
manner . I also spent a great amount of time on-line to make sure this was the best decision for us. One of the
deciding factors was the lay-out of public rooms on HAL ships verses others. We appreciate having most public areas
on just two floors. We always seemed disoriented on the Galaxy, since it had public rooms on so many floors. The
overall appearance was very elegant. The art is exquisite and challenging to the senses. Be sure and take a tour of all
the pieces on board. The negative here was the hostess assigned to this tour had obviously never conducted a group
of passengers in such an event. She was pleasant but definetly ‘over her head’ and could only read the literature that
she had passed out to us. This would have been a greatly enhanced session if she could have provided any insight
into the ship and artwork. Having read some reviews, I tend to agree that some colors and fabric combinations were
not my favorite; but overall, this is a beautiful ship. The design and flow of public areas and people never made me
feel crowded or uncomfortable. The only area of criticism is the lack of sufficient deck chairs near the pools. You
needed to be there early or you were left out. I commend HAL for adding the Crows Nest to the top of the ship. This
room provides great views by day, especially if the weather is bad. Having three main staircases is also a fantastic
idea. No matter where you are, it is only a short distance to the stairs.
Our cabin
We chose a min-suite veranda for this cruise. I preferred to be towards the rear of the ship, as it provided me with
easy access to a pool and sundeck. This is where a lot of my time is spent. We really enjoyed the veranda in the
mornings for breakfast and on the days at sea. It is so relaxing to sit and read or just enjoy the passing waves. A clear
safety glass, with no obstructions, allowed for ocean viewing from the leather couch or even your bed. The
adjustable-height coffee table was a great touch for eating a meal or reading. I also appreciated having draperies to
screen off certain sections of the room, since my wife prefers to sleep- in some days. I can enjoy the sun and sea in
my own room without waking her. Closets were more than adequate for us and we are definetly heavy packers.(six
large suitcases full). The bathrobes were a nice touch as well. The bathroom amenities were all top-quality. We have
learned to expect that from HAL.
Food
The two-tiered dining room is magnificent! We were on the top level, with a panoramic window at the back of the ship,
as requested. Early seating provided us with a great view of sunsets. We experienced little, if any, vibration on the
Rotterdam, even if we were leaving port at dinner. This was quite annoying on the Galaxy last year. We always
request a large table to meet as many new people as possible. Our first night at dinner was a little disappointing
because of food quality and service. Our waiter, Fajar, seemed to be alone for most of the evening while he was
serving 4 or 5 tables. There were assistant waiters and a supervisor, but none were really helping him out. He did
inform us that he had just come aboard, along with 20% of the other crewmembers. The food that evening was only
average. However, the very next morning, we were back in the dining room. Food and service was back up to the HAL
standards we expected. We choose to eat most meals in the dining room, except breakfast on our veranda we both
like the elegance and selection of the dining room, verses buffets or room service. There is nothing quite like
overlooking the ocean from floor to ceiling windows while sitting at an exquisite table set with silver, china, and crystal.
Not to mention enjoying superb cuisine and expert service! To me, that’s living the good life! The food quality and
selection has definetly improved since our last cruise on HAL in 1997. I normally eat seafood for lunch and dinner,
including appetizers and entrees. Therefore in 10 days, I have tasted most, if not all, seafood aboard. I am quite
impressed with the new style and selection offered. I felt previous to this cruise that Celebrity offered the better food,
but the Rotterdam was equal. After the first night, we found that the wait staff figured their roles out and service was
up to our expectations. HAL should caution their supervisors of this momentary glitch when transitioning a large
proportion of staff. I did try the Lido Café and pool grill for a couple of meals. They are superior in quality and
selection to my other cruise experiences. But for my preference, it’s better to be in the dining room.
Service Staff
We found the Cabin steward to be experienced at anticipating our needs and the usual at delivering great service
without ever being seen. He adapted well to my wife sleeping in on several mornings and his kind Indonesia
personality was always evident. The bar areas we frequented quickly memorized our routines and pattern of ordering
certain drinks. Our favorite staff person was the wine steward. He was always helpful whether serving and selecting
our choices or delivering gifts from our kids or travel agent. One night we even had Champagne compliments of the
captain. We had traveled with Susan the cruise director on our 1997 Westerdam trip and she is a true professional.
Entertainment
As other reviews indicated the regimen of entertainment is becoming standard on all ships. A couple of big Broadway
type shows, a comedian juggler, and HAL threw in a Harmonica player and two Spanish Dancers to boot. The
orchestra was only slightly bigger and better than other cruises. However the other entertainment was horrible with
one notable exception. The George Kowalski trio, which preformed in the Ocean Bar, was very bad in quality and
selection of music. The Bahamas Band (Crows Nest Lounge) was the worst I have ever seen on a ship. The lead
female vocalist was always out of key and talentless. On other HAL cruises the Rosario Strings were always pleasant,
however on this cruise we had the Champagne Strings. This supposed string quartet consisted of a very
inexperienced violinist, an acceptable bassist, a very good piano player and a lousy guitarist. Even a good classical
guitarist could not have salvaged this group. Their selection of music was primarily renditions of the Fiddler on the
Roof sound track. My suggestion is to bring back a good traditional string group. The highlight of the entertainment
was Perry Grant (Ambassdor Lounge), a fantastic piano player and vocalist. But the real key was his personality. His
lounge was full every night while the other rooms were virtually empty. HAL needs to correct this problem immediately!
Shore excursions and ports
We arrived at San Juan around 2 pm. Since we were just in this port last October we decided to pass on any ship
offerings. Instead we opted for fine dining at Ramiros restaurant. I was familiar with this place from a previous trip and
had called for reservations in advance. Last year when I was here we ate next to a table of people from Bon Appetite
Magazine and they remarked to us this was their favorite place in town, enough said! Our next port was Aruba and it
was raining so hard we just shopped in town and after lunch headed back to the ship. This port has a very nice
downtown adjacent to the pier and the people are very friendly to tourists. Next was Cartegena. This is one of the
worst ports of call I have seen in the Caribbean. We took a city tour since we had never been there and went to a
typical Spanish fort, then stopped at what was supposed to be the best shopping in the city. It was an absolute rip-off
and we found out the whole shopping complex was owned by the tour operator. HAL needs to revise this excursion.
Next was the Panama Canal. This definitely turned out to be the highlight of all our stops. We took the tour over to the
yacht club and rode a bus the canal works, which was very informative. Our next stop was Half Moon Cay. We stopped
on what appeared to be a beautiful day but according to our Captain were a bit to windy disembarks. What a huge
disappointment to the entire ship. I spoke with other passengers and it seems this happens quite often.
Summary
I feel the Rotterdam lived up to our expectations with only a few minor exceptions, the itinerary was perfect for us and
the overall experience did nothing to change my mind that cruising is the best possible vacation for my wife and I. I
would highly recommend this ship anywhere it happens to sail. HAL continues to be one of the best overall values in
vacationing that exists. .
Want to book your cruise at a great rate?
Click here.
Questions or comments? Mail to webmaster@cruiseopinion.com.
Copyright ©1996-2001 CruiseOpinion.com. Last modified: March 22, 2000.