Questions about Rotterdam Baltic Itinerary

[ciaobella]

I would love some info on the following!

 

1. Has anyone used the Virtuoso Esperance tours in St. Petersburg? If so, how did you like it and would you do it again? We're trying to decide between Virtuoso, HAL, RO, and Denrus - so many choices!

 

2. Where does HAL purchase the beef it serves on board? Just wondering as a family member works for the USDA!

 

3. Formal nights - how formal is this? We are a group of four women, no escorts! Is semi-formal attire okay? We always look nice, but we don't want to pack "ball gowns!"

 

4. How long does it take to travel from Amsterdam to Rotterdam to board the ship? We are thinking of private transportation to have more flexibility.

 

5. Baltic weather in July? I was on a fjord cruise two summers ago - the weather was very pleasant. All I needed was a light jacket. It rained one morning but the rest of the trip was glorious with temperatures in the low 70s.

 

6. One member of our group is prone to motion sickness. I didn't think there was much movement on the fjord cruise or on an Alaska cruise. I'm thinking the water will be similar in the Baltics. Can anyone comment on this?

 

Thank you so much to all who respond - this board is a great way to share information!

 

Ciao!

[grannynurse]

I would love some info on the following!

 

1. Has anyone used the Virtuoso Esperance tours in St. Petersburg? If so, how did you like it and would you do it again? We're trying to decide between Virtuoso, HAL, RO, and Denrus - so many choices!

 

2. Where does HAL purchase the beef it serves on board? Just wondering as a family member works for the USDA!

 

3. Formal nights - how formal is this? We are a group of four women, no escorts! Is semi-formal attire okay? We always look nice, but we don't want to pack "ball gowns!"

 

4. How long does it take to travel from Amsterdam to Rotterdam to board the ship? We are thinking of private transportation to have more flexibility.

 

5. Baltic weather in July? I was on a fjord cruise two summers ago - the weather was very pleasant. All I needed was a light jacket. It rained one morning but the rest of the trip was glorious with temperatures in the low 70s.

 

6. One member of our group is prone to motion sickness. I didn't think there was much movement on the fjord cruise or on an Alaska cruise. I'm thinking the water will be similar in the Baltics. Can anyone comment on this?

 

Thank you so much to all who respond - this board is a great way to share information!

 

Ciao!

 

Hi,

Our TA is a Virtuoso agent. He tells us that if a cruise is designated a "Virtuoso" cruise then a complimentary shorex is included as well as other perks. You can choose a virtuoso agent who will also book you on HAL.

 

I have not seen many ball gowns on HAL formal nights. Long dresses, long skirts with dressy tops and formal pantsuits are more the norm.You will see more formal attire than business dress on formal nights. Even informal nights tend to be dressy for some. It really depends on the itinerary and length of cruise. We saw many men in tuxedos on a 7 day New Engalnd trip last summer, and on an 11 day Caribbean last winter. Europe, however, is decidely more formal. The Rotterdam has a more traditional atmosphere with many repeat cruisers. We've been on her 4 times and it's always more dressy than other HAL ships we've been on.

 

The trip from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, we did the reverse, is about an hour by motor coach. Ours was a HAL arranged transfer from the pier in Rotterdam to Schipohl airport in Amsterdam.

 

Several years ago (2003) there was quite a heat wave in Europe. The Baltic trip was unseasonably hot. Plan to dress in layers anywhere in Europe. Rain is always possible, especially in the British Isles.

 

Our Arctic ocean trip was calm (June) but it's hard to predict what you will run into even in the Baltic.

 

We love Rotterdam VI. As sister flagship with the Amsterdam she carries herself very proudly.

GN

[eldercruser]

I was told a year or two ago by ship staff that almost all of the meat products were packed and shipped from the States to Europe for each cruise. We did notice that most of the fresh dairy products were local.

[dougnewmanatsea]

1. I didn't even know Virtuoso sold shore excursions... Perhaps this is new this year?

 

We did get a free excursion in Tallinn from Virtuoso, which was great.

 

I don't know anything about the Virtuoso tours but if choosing between HAL's tours or a private tour with RO or Denrus I would take a private tour (not sure with which company - both seem to get gerat reviews). We pretty much had to take HAL tours becuase of a complicated situation I won't get into here, but I would much rather take a private tour as I think you see a lot more that way. Don't get me wrong, the HAL tours are fine, but it is simply impossible to see as much on the HAL tours as you would if you had a private guide. Everyone I've ever spoken to who has taken a private excursion with either company has been extremely satisfied, though to be fair I think most people are satisfied with HAL's tours too, and I had no complaints about them myself... It's just the nature of the beast, I think, that you will see more on a private tour.

 

I should probably add that I am the kind of person who is averse to "group tours"... We always seem to wind up with at least one person on the tour who is an absolute pain in the you know where, so that has soured me on group shore excursions!

 

2. I think most of the meat used on board is bought in the US. As I recall, any time they serve beef from outside the US, it is noted on the menu as such.

As another poster notes above, things like milk and eggs are necessarily sourced locally, in Europe (though perhaps in some areas - certainly not Scandinavia - where sanitary standards are questionable, they might use UHT milk and whatnot so as to avoid using local products altogether).

 

3. Formal on HAL is more formal than many other lines, but it isn't necessary to go over the top if you don't want to... However I'm clueless when it comes to women's formal attire (it's so much easier for men, I am forever thankful that I am one!) so I'll leave it to our women members to answer that question!

 

4. The trip from Schiphol (Amsterdam's airport) to Rotterdam takes perhaps an hour... Not a long trip. The HAL transfer works nicely but I am sure you could take a cab, and there is also a railway station in the airport though getting your luggage from the railway station in Rotterdam to the ship could be a problem. But basically, Holland is a very easy country to get around... Like most Northern European countries they have an exceptionally good transport infrastructure and also, virtually everyone speaks English.

 

5. Low 70s is about right, but it can get quite cold and occasionally, quite hot... Like most temperate climates, you have to be ready for just about anything. Repeat after me: layers, layers, layers :) !

 

6. You may have rough seas on the North Sea crossing from Rotterdam to Oslo - we did. The Baltic itself, where you will be from Oslo onward, is usually relatively calm but the truth is that rough weather can occure anywhere, at any time. Be prepared just in case... Though actually, seasickness pills are free on HAL so buying your own is almost a waste!

 

For more on this cruise, you might want to click here to read my review of my own cruise on this itinerary last August. It is very, very long but hopefully you will be able to get something out of it. This is probably in the top two or three cruises I've ever taken, the whole experience was pretty much flawless from beginning to end. You have chosen well!

 

Above all, don't worry too much about the little details (though as a compulsive planner I guess it is a bit hypocritical of me to say that!)... As much as I plan (and believe me, I do), some of the nicest experiences I've had when travelling have been completely spontaneous. So don't get too bent out of shape - just go, and have a wonderful time! This is a great ship and a great itinerary, you will love it!

[ciaobella]

Grannynurse, Eldercruzer, and Doug,

 

Thank you for your words of wisdom!

 

Doug, I have read your terrific review - thank you for taking the time to be so so detailed!

 

Happy crusing to all!

Ciao!