Just got back from the Westerdam

[Lanson5]

Just got home from Ft Lauderdale where we left the Westerdam after our Jan 3rd Caribbean cruise. The Westerdam is a beautiful ship. We had just sailed on the Zaandam last May and have to tell you this trip was much better. Not to say that the Zaandam was a bad trip, just not quite as good as we expected. The Westerdam however, the food in the dining room was great, we had terrific table mates and an excellent waiter. Food in the Lido always very good and of course Half Moon Cay was exactly how we left it in May (just awesome). Very friendly and helpful cabin steward, we had a great room on the Navigation Deck, excellent location. We immediately recognized the voice of Michelle the cruise director, she had been on the Zaandam and moved over to the Westerdam. It was almost like running into an old friend.:cool:

It suddenly dawned on me this trip, that one of the major advantages of HAL is that you very rarely have to wait in a line. I am one of those impatient people that just hates to wait in lines, and for as many people that are on these ships there is never a line. Even embarkation, it moved very smoothly and quickly. This trip was extremely fun and relaxing, exactly how it was supposed to be.

 

The only bad part of the trip (had nothing to do with HAL) was the cab ride from Port Everglades to the Marriott at Hollywood Beach. Beware of Comet Cab Company....they overcharge big time.

 

Other than that, it was a really good time.

[wcolucci]

Thanks for the update....We're on her 1/22

 

Who is the captain??

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise on the Westerdam. We also thought she was a lovely ship when we sailed on her.

[Lanson5]

Captain Harris was on the ship. Very nice man, seemed pretty young to be a captain.

[Charliesmom]

If I had been overcharged big time by a cabbie, I would report it to the taxi commission in Fort Lauderdale. The last thing they want to have publicized is that their cab drivers rip people off.

 

Also, always protect yourself by insisting that they turn on the meter.

 

Roberta

[LolaWiz]

Welcome back!

IT is so wonderful to hear good things about the Westerdam!

 

Did you go to any of the shows? how were they? did you notice if there were any slot tournaments in the casino?

[LollyT]

Welcome back. Glad to hear of yet another happy Westerdam visitor. We had a great time on her back in December. Did you happen to hook up with any other CCers?

 

Laura

[Lanson5]

Lolawiz,

 

We went to all of the shows. Singer Alfreda, I really enjoyed her. She was a cross between Diana Ross and Gladys Night. An Illusionist who was also pretty good and of course the Broadway type shows were okay. The second one was better than the first, but we enjoyed all of them.

They had two different slot tournaments. We only entered one and did not do so well. I was a little surprised actually at the size of the casino. It really wasnt much bigger than the one on the Zaandam.

 

LollyT,

 

Did not run into any other CCrs. This was only a 5 day cruise, so I dont think a whole lot of the hard chargin cruisers take the shorties. At least there were not a whole lot on the Roll Call.

 

Charliesmom,

 

Believe me, I tried to contact someone regarding the cab, but because they were not out of that county the Fort Lauderdale commission was not interested. They did give me another number, but I never got a call back. I even tried to call the company twice and they were going to return my call and never did. I hated to just give up because I hate when they take advantage of tourists. It was not a meter issue, the cabbie just took the really long route. I called the Hotel and asked an approximate cost so I had a ball park figure of what it should be. The hotel clerk told me that they just took a really long route to get there. Should have stuck with yellow cab. But wasnt going to let it ruin the trip, it was a great relaxing time except for that.

[Ziggy7]

Thanks for sharing with us :) :)

[KalenaD]

I had to giggle abut your post, we were on the Zaandam last April, and sailed on the Westerdam in Dec, we recognized Micheles voice too, talk about a small world. The other funny thing is it just goes to show how subjective cruising can be, we had just the opposite opinion than you of the ships, we liked the Zaandam just a bit better than the Westerdam, nothing major, just little things. I would sail on either ship any time!

[Lanson5]

That is funny.........what a small world. And you are so right about how it is so subjective. There were people on the April Zaandam cruise that just raved about it, but not so much for us. Again, nothing big, just little things and I think maybe our expectations were a little too high. That was our first HAL cruise.

We just had a really good time on this one, and probably a much better stateroom.

 

But like you...we would sail on either one again, and again and again, etc etc etc.:D

[luvabeach]

Love reading all these reviews and reliving our 12/18 Westerdam cruise.......and just wonderful imaging it all again. Am planning another......would love Caribbean Dec 06 again....love the heat and beach but am also comtemplating ALaska as I believe its a must!??:rolleyes: