Our Christmas and New year's cruise on the Oosterdam

[sun-set]

Thanks for posting the pictures, as I have a friends on board arriving at The Isle of Pines tomorrow I am very interested to read your review.

Pity they don't have webcams on HAL ships, :mad: I would have thought it well worth the advertising value, I'm sure many cruises are sold to people after they have followed previous cruises on the cams.:)

More great pictures since I posted, what wonderful company to travel with, you were guaranteed a fun cruise.

Edited January 7, 2014 by sun-set

[tompaddyelle]

Once we had dropped off our carry on bags we headed to the Lido for lunch.

 

The Lido is the buffet style restaurant on the Oosterdam.

 

To stop the outbreak of Norovirus (which didn't work) the staff served you your food for the first 48 hours.

 

Once again we didn't take many photos of this area (guess we were too busy eating :o ) but the layout worked very well with very little queuing. The food was quite good and there was something to please all of us (we are a pretty fussy bunch too! :D )

 

 

[tompaddyelle]

After lunch we had time to unpack before the safety drill.

(actually found the drill to be strange as they took a roll call rather than scanning our cards. Seemed a bit old school to me :\ )

 

Then it was time for sailaway.

 

A band played at the Lido pool.

 

 

 

 

Oh yeah and today was .......

 

[tompaddyelle]

Thanks for posting the pictures, as I have a friends on board arriving at The Isle of Pines tomorrow I am very interested to read your review.

Pity they don't have webcams on HAL ships, :mad: I would have thought it well worth the advertising value, I'm sure many cruises are sold to people after they have followed previous cruises on the cams.:)

 

I found it so hard to find anything about this ship before we cruised.

It is almost the invisible ship!

I felt like I was joining some secret society by cruising on it ;)

I think it may be that usually "older" cruisers go on HAL cruises and they don't want others to know how good they are. :)

Oops they might come after me now!

[yatchet]

Great Pics.... hope there's more, I love looking at pics.

 

When we were berthed at Juneau/Alaska last sept. Oosterdam was "parked" behind us. I thought she was a nice looking ship.:)

[jennyau]

Am following your review. My husband and I are thinking about booking on the Oosterdam March 2015.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

[MicCanberra]

I love the penguins on the iceberg by the pool.:D

[cruiselover53]

Thanks.....am enjoying so far.Just because you're tired and have other things to do is no reason to stop !!!:)

[MicCanberra]

Thanks.....am enjoying so far.Just because you're tired and have other things to do is no reason to stop !!!:)

 

LOL, yes, we are all waiting for the next installment.:D

[Australian family]

I found it so hard to find anything about this ship before we cruised.

It is almost the invisible ship!

I felt like I was joining some secret society by cruising on it ;)

I think it may be that usually "older" cruisers go on HAL cruises and they don't want others to know how good they are. :)

Oops they might come after me now!

 

We sailed on the Oosterdam the Xmas before, we didn't have any trouble finding information, just go to the HAL section on the boards and ask questions and you will get heaps of answers.

 

You probably won't find much on this section, as the ship is only new to Australia.

[Wastegirl]

Elise

 

I am interested in your good reference to the Promenade Deck (Do you mean the outside Promenade?) . I am an aficionado of Promenade Decks and consider them to be one of the prime determinants of what makes a good cruiseship :) http://ukagain2010.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/thats-not-promenade.html

 

What did you like about Oosterdam's Promenade deck?

 

 

Barry

 

Barry, it is one of our favourite places on the Oosterdam, full wrap around teak deck, close to the waterline. Early morning constitutionals after breakfast, after lunch strolls to check out what everyone is doing, scenic viewing and best of all in the South Pacific, evening strolls in the warm night air (very romantic). Even on our New Zealand trip, a bracing walk around the deck watching what all the 'bird watchers' were doing with their big cameras and telescopes was a must.

 

Even though we had a verandah, sitting on one of the teak lounges on the Promenade Deck watching the world go by was just what I imagined cruising to be about.

[bazzaw]

Barry, it is one of our favourite places on the Oosterdam, full wrap around teak deck, close to the waterline. Early morning constitutionals after breakfast, after lunch strolls to check out what everyone is doing, scenic viewing and best of all in the South Pacific, evening strolls in the warm night air (very romantic). Even on our New Zealand trip, a bracing walk around the deck watching what all the 'bird watchers' were doing with their big cameras and telescopes was a must.

 

Even though we had a verandah, sitting on one of the teak lounges on the Promenade Deck watching the world go by was just what I imagined cruising to be about.

 

Hmm -- Oosterdam sounds like my kind of ship.

 

Barry

[tompaddyelle]

I love the penguins on the iceberg by the pool.:D

 

Certainly was a strange thing to see whilst sitting in the humid air in the Siuyth Pacific!

[tompaddyelle]

Thanks.....am enjoying so far.Just because you're tired and have other things to do is no reason to stop !!!:)

 

:D

 

Ok ok I am home from work!

 

Will get to it straight away. :D

[tompaddyelle]

So after we sailed away we had dinner in the dining room.

The food was beautiful and the service very attentive.

 

The kids went out and explored the ship.

 

Here are some of the photos they took.

 

The entrance to the Lido restaurant.

 

 

walking out from the Lido restaurant heading for the Lido pool (pretty much where we lived for 14 days :o )

 

[tompaddyelle]

The Northern Lights Disco.

 

I think this is where DS 20 and his friend spent most of their time :)

 

 

 

[tompaddyelle]

The atrium.

 

Not as grand as on other ships. Actually it was quite a disappointment.

 

 

 

Have no idea where this was exactly but I just liked the photo!

 

[MicCanberra]

Cheers, they are certainly not scared of using bold colours throughout their ship.:D

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Cheers, they are certainly not scared of using bold colours throughout their ship.:D

 

Holland America are known for that. They use colours very well. They make the Princess and P&O ships look a bit drab in comparison, and yet they are still "conservative" and not over the top and garish as the Carnival ships tend to be.

 

 

[MicCanberra]

Holland America are known for that. They use colours very well. They make the Princess and P&O ships look a bit drab in comparison, and yet they are still "conservative" and not over the top and garish as the Carnival ships tend to be.

 

 

I don't mind it, just looks different to X and Princess as you have said.:D

[tompaddyelle]

Holland America are known for that. They use colours very well. They make the Princess and P&O ships look a bit drab in comparison, and yet they are still "conservative" and not over the top and garish as the Carnival ships tend to be.

 

I think the ship was a bit ugly inside. Some of the artworks were just pukey :cool: I'll be posting photos of some of the more interesting pieces later.

I have never seen so many ugly chairs before in my life! :D

I think I will stick with drab ;)

[Australian family]

I think the ship was a bit ugly inside. Some of the artworks were just pukey :cool: I'll be posting photos of some of the more interesting pieces later.

I have never seen so many ugly chairs before in my life! :D

I think I will stick with drab ;)

 

Some of the colours and artwork are very odd. Maybe they got a good deal on the carpets etc. Not my taste. But HAL do do there ships differently.

 

I agree the Atrium is very small and a disappointment. The Atrium on the Volendam is larger. A lot of people we spoke to who have sailed on both the Oosterdam and Volendam agree the Volendam is a nicer ship.

 

The glass lifts are also nice on the Oosterdam.

 

The one big positive for us with the Oosterdam was that we could have a balcony cabin for not much more than an outside. Whereas on the Volendam as a family of four you would need to book a suite.

 

The lido buffet was more crowded than the Volendam, and we found that it was harder to get a seat. We hardly ate at the lido, much preferred the dining room, much quieter.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Australian family

[bazzaw]

I think that this just goes to show that there are different horses for different courses. For me the outside of the ship is possibly more important than the inside :) For example, the Radiance of the Seas has a magnificent Atrium -- but Hmm- so what?? Once (I) have seen it, (I) have seen it. BUT -- what about the outer decks?? When I am at sea this is where I like to be -- else I could just be inside a very nice hotel in (say) Singapore.

 

So far, my favourite ships have been P&O Oriana and Cunard QM2. But I also have a great fondness for the old Pacific Star -- but she was my first and we won't go there ! However she too did have a GREAT outer decks area. :)

 

Atriums??? Nah - can take'm or leave'em :)

 

 

Barry

Edited January 9, 2014 by bazzaw

[cruiselover53]

I think that this just goes to show that there are different horses for different courses. For me the outside of the ship is possibly more important than the inside :) For example, the Radiance of the Seas has a magnificent Atrium -- but Hmm- so what?? Once (I) have seen it, (I) have seen it. BUT -- what about the outer decks?? When I am at sea this is where I like to be

Barry

 

Totally agree.I love the outer (promenade) decks.I love to walk around outside or sit and read (doze)a book and stare at the waves. :)

[MicCanberra]

Totally agree.I love the outer (promenade) decks.I love to walk around outside or sit and read (doze)a book and stare at the waves. :)

 

i am definitely an inside guy when cruising apart from the upper decks and bars so I really appreciate tasteful and interesting decor. These images tend to lend themselves to a 70's type colour scheme, which while bold is still attractive as a theme across the ship. The decor is only one part of the atmosphere, people, music, lighting, etc, is what really gives the ship it's life.:D