First Time on Holland America

[cruiserjanet]

Hello. My DH and I will be traveling on the Oosterdam next year for the first time. As you can see by my signature, we have cruised primarily on Princess. We wanted to go to the Mexican Riviera in October 2011 and Princess doesn't have a ship going there so this was a great time for us to try out Holland America. We welcome any suggestions or tips you would like to give us with regard to the Oosterdam and what to expect from Holland America in general.

[SwissMyst]

We did that same trip over Christmas last year and there were 380 children on board and lots of holiday decorations so it was not a normal time to be on the ship. Not to diminish it but of all the HAL ships so far, the Oosterdam is not at the top of our list of favorites but it still ranks high for us compared to taking any other cruise line and we would take it again for this same trip -- and probably will.

 

I didn't warm up to the color scheme on this ship the way I have on other HAL ships --- so you can see how serious my complaint is. And I did not feel the food was as consistently good as other HAL ships too, but it was still very nice.

 

I think a lot of the feeling was having so many people in large family groups that changed the typical quieter HAL atmosphere that we really, really appreciate with this cruise line. I like cruising with "older people" just for the comfort of being with a peer group. But the children were all well-behaved and the HAL crew was keeping them busy and happy. Taking a holiday time cruise like this Christmas one is a very different feeling.

 

We liked the itinerary and did Mazatlan on our own, walking from the ship into the very lovely Centro Historico and having lunch at a wonderful restaurant "Te Amo Lucy" -- really worth stopping there and be sure to have his homemade ice cream - an expat American lawyer and his superb chef wife run this casual place that makes this port stop very unique and one of the reasons we would happily take this trip again just to go there in Mazatlan.

 

Puerto Vallarta - we took the local bus in front of the port (need to get some pesos for the very cheap fare first) and then went into town and walked the upper and back streets of PV for very quiet and historic feeling about this former very small town that has gotten very frenetic. Also found some wonderful small family run restaurants in this older neighborhood and had fresh tamales. Wonderful Talavera pottery to be found at Galeria Indigina in the dowtown on these upper blocks.

 

We took the ship excursion to San Jose del Cabo for a look beyond the hyper acitivity of Cabo itself and enjoyed this quiet artist village, also going through a colorful historic renovation.

 

It is a very good 7 day trip. Easy to get on and off in San Deigo as well as connect to parking, airport or train to get you there and back.

 

Welcome to Holland America - there is lot to like about this cruise line and it has become our solid favorite. It is mainly the professional and courteous staff that sets these ships apart. They are wonderful and one of the biggest reasons we keep coming back.

[sevenseasnomad]

Hello. My DH and I will be traveling on the Oosterdam next year for the first time. As you can see by my signature, we have cruised primarily on Princess. We wanted to go to the Mexican Riviera in October 2011 and Princess doesn't have a ship going there so this was a great time for us to try out Holland America. We welcome any suggestions or tips you would like to give us with regard to the Oosterdam and what to expect from Holland America in general.

 

Going in October you should have the quiet, laid-back cruising experience that so many of us HAL fans love.

 

What can you expect? Great service with a smile. W-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l beds, the most comfortable at sea. Slower paced atmosphere that will relax you. Daily free home-made ice cream in delectable, unusual flavors. Best bread, baked fresh daily. Larger cabins, usually. Heated loungers in the lovely spa area that soothe body & soul. Fresh hand-mixed drinks at reasonable prices. Can you say potent? Considerate passengers who remember to use manners (for the most part). Fresh flower arrangements, antiques & art throughout the ship. All types of music from classical to latest rock.

 

What you can't expect? A party hardy atmosphere. Some ships, except for casino, may shut down at midnight.

[outerspaceguy]

We wanted to go to the Mexican Riviera in October 2011 and Princess doesn't have a ship going there so this was a great time for us to try out Holland America.

 

I live in a border state (as apparently does the OP). You see your local news, just like we do here in AZ.

 

I'd be really careful in Mexico right now. Hopefully their security issues will be solved by Oct 2011, but....

 

I'd definitely suggest only doing ship tours in Mexico, and you might want to simply decide to stay on board the ship in Acapulco (if you visit there). No matter what, I would not leave the secured port area unless it is a ship tour....

 

I personally think that the Mexican security situation part of the reason RCCL pulled out MarinerOTS... not many people want to chance a vacation in Mexico right now... and Mariner is a _big_ ship.

 

My two cents.

[SwissMyst]

I live in a border state (as apparently does the OP). You see your local news, just like we do here in AZ.

 

I'd be really careful in Mexico right now. Hopefully their security issues will be solved by Oct 2011, but....

 

I'd definitely suggest only doing ship tours in Mexico, and you might want to simply decide to stay on board the ship in Acapulco (if you visit there). No matter what, I would not leave the secured port area unless it is a ship tour....

 

I personally think that the Mexican security situation part of the reason RCCL pulled out MarinerOTS... not many people want to chance a vacation in Mexico right now... and Mariner is a _big_ ship.

 

My two cents.

 

Agree, much of Mexico news gives a very unsavory feeling but the ports visited on this cruise belie the headlines and there was nothing but a feeling of welcoming hospitality and surprising normalness.

 

When the first thing you see off the deck in PV is a WalMart and modern shopping mall as well as the very nice commercial development of much of these relatively prosperous port cities over the past several decades it does bring one of short comparing the very real border town nightmares and these pretty well-developed tourism dependent ports.

 

Good jobs and shared prosperity does a lot to counter the drugs and terror image of other less tourism dependent parts of Mexico. But with that being said, and having now been robbed three times in the past three years while traveling (Urumqui China, Antigua, Capetown) - caution and as much prevention as possible is still the best course of action.

 

We both travel "very light" these days. If it does not go into a secure pocket, it does not go ashore with us. And now zero jewelry because even a very simple gold neck chain was rather abruptly ripped from my neck in downtown Capetown on a busy street two blocks from my hotel at 3pm in the afternoon, right next to their rather lovely Tax and Revenue Office. Some times there are no adequate precautions; just voluntary abandonment when it happens and preparation for responding to any possible loss.

 

When I think of all the peril and highway robbers and ambushes when travelling in the bad old days and the relative freedom we know have getting around all over the world, I guess this is the dues paid.

[outerspaceguy]

Good jobs and shared prosperity does a lot to counter the drugs and terror image of other less tourism dependent parts of Mexico.

 

...Recent News Stories from some of the "tourism dependent" areas of Mexico:

 

Rocky Point:

The police chief of Rocky Point was critically shot and his bodyguard also wounded during a Saturday night ambush by gunmen on a major street in the Mexican resort town, according to municipal officials.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/06/21/20100621rocky-point-police-chief-ambushed21-ON.html#ixzz0rzC6JMlC

 

 

Acapulco:

Cindy Pelaquin and Michelle Johnson, both of Boston, were watching the famous Acapulco cliff divers less than a mile away. They saw the military roadblocks but heard nothing.

"We were just lucky I suppose," said Johnson, a Boston nurse.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/07/acapulco-resort-shooting-_n_212288.html

 

 

A gunfight erupted Wednesday on the main boulevard in the heart of the Mexican resort city of Acapulco, killing five people, including an eight-year-old girl and her mother

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/04/14/mexico-acapulco-shootout.html#ixzz0rzBKA1UX

 

 

That's just a sampling. Do your own google search for more. I watch the local news.

 

 

I would only do a ship tour in Mexico at this point, and would also look for comparable cruises that visit other countries instead of Mexico.

[SwissMyst]

...Recent News Stories from some of the "tourism dependent" areas of Mexico:

 

Rocky Point:

The police chief of Rocky Point was critically shot and his bodyguard also wounded during a Saturday night ambush by gunmen on a major street in the Mexican resort town, according to municipal officials.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/06/21/20100621rocky-point-police-chief-ambushed21-ON.html#ixzz0rzC6JMlC

 

 

Acapulco:

Cindy Pelaquin and Michelle Johnson, both of Boston, were watching the famous Acapulco cliff divers less than a mile away. They saw the military roadblocks but heard nothing.

"We were just lucky I suppose," said Johnson, a Boston nurse.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/07/acapulco-resort-shooting-_n_212288.html

 

 

A gunfight erupted Wednesday on the main boulevard in the heart of the Mexican resort city of Acapulco, killing five people, including an eight-year-old girl and her mother

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/04/14/mexico-acapulco-shootout.html#ixzz0rzBKA1UX

 

 

That's just a sampling. Do your own google search for more. I watch the local news.

 

 

I would only do a ship tour in Mexico at this point, and would also look for comparable cruises that visit other countries instead of Mexico.

 

Thanks for the sobering reports. Did not think of Acapulco as a cruise ship tourism town like the small towns the Oosterdam visits. I should have qualified this, and certainly as much cruise ship dependency most Caribbean islands have, this is not sufficiently adequate criteria either. But I do think Acapulco has long gone past being essentially a tourism dependent town nor is that large Gulf Coast resort whose name totally escapes me now too -- but again it is not so much a cruise ship dependent tourist town.

 

Times are troubled in Mexico, which is why it was so refreshing to see so much of what appeared to be middle class normalness now in so many previously impovrished Mexican town. And I admit, PV and Cabo also exceed cruise ship dependency too, but not as bad as some of the other major resort dependent cities .Behind it all is drugs, and the attraction to a lot of relatively wealthy, younger and easy living Northerners party goers.

[Classiccruiser777]

What to expect on HAL? Fresh squeezed orange juice, outstanding room service menu, free DVDs, comfortable beds, real art on board, lots of fresh fruit, good drinks at reasonable prices, more intimate ships, most likely an older group of passengers, overall a more traditional cruise experience rather than a "fun ship." A great cruise for relaxation.

[CowPrincess]

A wonderful room service menu, available 24/7. You can stay in your cabin till your disembarkation time. HOT room service breakfast. You can even order RS breakfast on the last day of the cruise. VERY FEW p.a. announcements. A walking deck that goes all the way 'round. Cold lemonade and cool washcloths awaiting you when you return to the ship after being in the port.

 

Wine cards -- I don't think Princess offers those -- you can buy a 10-punch card for 10 glasses of house wine for a very reasonable price (about $40 incl 15% gratuity).

 

The buffet is not open 24 hrs a day.

 

We found all the ports we did in Mexico to be warm and welcoming. We did not go to Acapulco, though.

[NSWP]

All sounds good to me (us) our first time on HAL next year, Westerdam 15 days in the Carib, one day after getting off Star Princess in FL after 30 days around South America, will be interesting to have a change of line.

 

Thanks for the usual good information from the vet HAL cruisers on here.

[cruiserjanet]

Thanks for the replies so far. This may sound strange but we are only getting off the ship in Cabo for an excursion to the arch. This cruise will be a relax (and exercise for me) only cruise. DH just wanted a cruise where he could nap and read, and what better way to do it than on a ship. LOL!! We aren't party people nor do we go to the casino or the shows. Strange but we are in our 40s. On other cruises, we like to go on excursions and enjoy looking around the port. It's different for this cruise and not because of security issues either. We've had friends go on Holland America and raved about it so this is a good time for us to "expand our horizons" so to speak.

[cruzrbachoua]

I thank you for the warnings, but we (I) was hoping for some happier replies regarding the ship and line themselves. We are the friends that are cruising with Cruiserjanet on this cruise. We typically do cruise excursions however based on rave reviews on CC there will be one we do alone, Randi's Happy Horses. But I have read and am sure she doesnt bring us into dangerous areas in Mazatlan. While this is a free country and again thank you for the warnings, I would like to get back to the real question about the ship and HAL in general.

 

Here is my silly question, I was reading online somewhere (cant remember) and I thought I read that HAL announces dinner with a bell or some type of music? Is this true, cause all I can think of is how they announced dinner in the movie Titanic with the music.......and it making me so excited...:D If it doesnt happen ok.....but i thought i would ask....

 

We love that this sounds much like princess, no party atmosphere just laid back polite people. We are in our 30's but are sooo not into the party hardy scene. We prefer calm on vacations which is also why we plan so far in advance...lol.

[kazu]

I have been on Princess and am happy to tell you that IMO you're going to be very happy on HAL. I find it far superior IMO. Food is better, service is better and there is just a nice ambience to HAL. Depending on the category you are booking, Hal offers some nice perks as well.

 

24 hour room service, you can order from the MDR menu if you want room service for dinner (have to order at certain times). Sailed the Ooesterdam with great trepidation as a larger ship than we are used to and were very pleasantly surprised.

 

I think you will be in a for a very nice surprise sailing HAL. enjoy your cruise:):)

[cruzrbachoua]

oh great thanks. Love that you have been on both and can compare. we have an interior room on deck 5 and our friends have a VA category looking out over the back end of the ship. our L room is 1-2 rooms away from them all on deck 5.

[Belle]

On the Zaandam in March they

had a man in uniform with hat

ringing the chimes. It was a

nice touch. Hope there still doing it!

[cruzrbachoua]

oh too neat.....I cant wait now. :D it is the little things in life ya know.

[cruiserjanet]

I have been on Princess and am happy to tell you that IMO you're going to be very happy on HAL. I find it far superior IMO. Food is better, service is better and there is just a nice ambience to HAL. Depending on the category you are booking, Hal offers some nice perks as well.

 

24 hour room service, you can order from the MDR menu if you want room service for dinner (have to order at certain times). Sailed the Ooesterdam with great trepidation as a larger ship than we are used to and were very pleasantly surprised.

 

I think you will be in a for a very nice surprise sailing HAL. enjoy your cruise:):)

 

Do they have two formal nights for a one week cruise?

[kazu]

Do they have two formal nights for a one week cruise?

 

normally they do, depends on how many sea days you have. Normally, when you print off your documents, there is an indication for formal nights I believe.

 

If you email HAL, they will confirm for you. I would plan on two though.

[cruzrbachoua]

Hi Kazu, got another question for ya:

 

Does HAL do the boarding pic, casual, formal dinner pics and port pics like princess does?

[EviesCruisin]

Thanks for the responses. I've sailed Princess 3 times and will be sailing HAL for the first time in January. I did not realize you could stay in your room until you disembark and have breakfast - definitely a nice perk. :D

[catergirl]

hi we were on the panama cruise with you and were at the meet n greet. we like you are princess fans but because of timing last year, went on a HAL. it was the staatendam to alaska and i must say after that we didnt think we would do HAL again. it was anolder ship, had a real bad smell on the lower deck at the back of the ship that wafted up to the top deck thru the elevators:eek:. finally said something, they claimed they were not aware, but it did seem to improve. the buffets shut down early and the pool closed early 7pm 2 or 3 nights as well as the hottub. and since there wasnt much entertainment...DH liked the soups, we both enjoyed a change of menu, service soso, but i did like having free capacinos, decaf ones at supper:D standard rooms were bigger with love seat and bigger bathrooms. anyway got a got deal on a canada new england cruise for sept and again with the timing of work, it fit in and the eurodam is newer! if they have it the italian restaurant is N/C so i will that a go and they have the tamarin restaurant upcharge i want ot try. hey, maybe i get converted, nah, i like the free internet;) on princess.

[Rocklady]

Just got off the Amsterdam and can report that the chimes still ring, pix are taken at all appropriate opportunities (boarding, formals, excursion day) and there are also professional portraits on the atrium stairway regularly. You will always know the day (just check the floor of the elevator), hot white chocolate in Explorer Cafe is still DEVINE, embarkation (do the pre-cruise sign-in on the internet) and debarkation still only take 5 - 10 minutes. HAL now offers taking your luggage to your airlines for a small fee. Put outside your door at midnite night before you leave (with appropriate tags) and pick-up at your flight destination in baggage claim. Ahhhhhh I love Holland America.

[kazu]

Hi Kazu, got another question for ya:

 

Does HAL do the boarding pic, casual, formal dinner pics and port pics like princess does?

 

yes there are lots of photo opps including formal, ports, the whole meal deal. If you like pictures, look at buying one of their photo packages. There is usually a special on day one (when you board).

 

also, on top of the HAL boards, there is a stickie by Joanie, you can view some of the cabins/staterooms on HAL on each ship. worth a gander. It's very helpful. enjoy your cruise :):):)

[cruzrbachoua]

Great thank you all for all the feedback. yeah we typically like to buy the photos. At least the embark, formals and 1 at each port. just as part of our memories.

 

Do they patters or something similar like princess does? If anyone has one and can scan and email I would love it. my email is in my signature....just put CC HAL in the subject line so i dont spam it. LOL

[kazu]

Great thank you all for all the feedback. yeah we typically like to buy the photos. At least the embark, formals and 1 at each port. just as part of our memories.

 

Do they patters or something similar like princess does? If anyone has one and can scan and email I would love it. my email is in my signature....just put CC HAL in the subject line so i dont spam it. LOL

 

yes they do and I like it getter that Patters, but remember I'm prejudiced. Do keep them usually, will have to check and if I scan (am technologically challenged sometimes) will send it to you.

 

Hopefully you will enjoy your cruise. I always enjoy HAL.

 

the smiles, the chimes, the Neptune lounge, the flowers, the service, need I go on???:D:D:D