Thoughts .. experience doing a TransAtlantic on either New Statendam -Rotterdam?

[liamur14]

Interested in your experiences doing TransAtlantic on Nieuw Statendam or on the Rotterdam.  14 - 17 days.Europe to Ft Lauderdale.😎

[HELENPSL]

1 minute ago, liamur14 said:

Interested in your experiences doing TransAtlantic on Nieuw Statendam or on the Rotterdam.  14 - 17 days.Europe to Ft Lauderdale.😎

We did the TA last October from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale on the Oosterdam and it was fabulous.  Now booked this October on the Rotterdam from Amsterdam to Fort Lauderdale.  Been on the Rotterdam before and it’s a beautiful ship.

Helen

[Gigi1977]

We love only having to fly one way internationally.  Also try and book something of the ‘front end’ - another cruise or river cruise or a land trip to justify the cost of the international flight.  I have gotten too old to fly in coach, imo! 😜

[Mary229]

We had an aft cabin on the NS FLL to Rome.  We loved it.  NS is such a nice spacious ship and we had quite a bit of entertainment and programming while sailing.  The food was good, the gym is nice, the specialty dining is nice. 

[Irish110]

We did our first TA in April on the Nieuw Statendam from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona and I love it. We had six days at sea after Fort Lauderdale and I was afraid it would be too many days in a row but I enjoyed it. I would have liked more activities during the day besides trivia. I wish they would bring back America's Test Kitchen or a similar program. A chef demonstration on a MDR meal would be enjoyable. There was a lot of choices for things to do in the evening so I would recommend a Pinnacle class ship. I also enjoyed our ports of call in Spain and the Azores. Let me know if I can answer any questions about the Nieuw Statendam.

[liamur14]

Thanks Irish, that is the exact cruise I was looking at but in reverse. I was worried about all the sea days, was it rough sailing? 

[liamur14]

24 minutes ago, HELENPSL said:

We did the TA last October from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale on the Oosterdam and it was fabulous.  Now booked this October on the Rotterdam from Amsterdam to Fort Lauderdale.  Been on the Rotterdam before and it’s a beautiful ship.

Helen

 Thanks

[liamur14]

19 minutes ago, Gigi1977 said:

We love only having to fly one way internationally.  Also try and book something of the ‘front end’ - another cruise or river cruise or a land trip to justify the cost of the international flight.  I have gotten too old to fly in coach, imo! 😜

Oh my , that is us exactly, thanks for your response.

[Irish110]

26 minutes ago, liamur14 said:

Thanks Irish, that is the exact cruise I was looking at but in reverse. I was worried about all the sea days, was it rough sailing? 

Smooth sailing. No rough seas. 

[FlaMariner]

Do it!

 

We've done TA's on the Nieuw Statendam and the Rotterdam.....and we've been both directions.  

 

Our preferred route is Europe to USA (but both routes are fantastic):

 

Why?

We get jet lag and the flight out of the way.

We spend time in Europe on the go.  Very busy touring.  We then board the ship and enjoy some more ports right up front.....again, very busy.....then, it's relax, relax, relax as you take full advantage of those 7 sea days that go by fast.  You also get an extra hour for many of those sea days as the clocks change to your favor..arriving back home rested.

 

 

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, liamur14 said:

Interested in your experiences doing TransAtlantic on Nieuw Statendam or on the Rotterdam.  14 - 17 days.Europe to Ft Lauderdale.😎

If you're looking for "help" deciding between the two ships, they are both Pinnacle Class (the largest and newest in the HAL fleet). The experience will be very similar.

 

It appears (1) the website is not showing me all the choices -- no 17 days, only longer combined cruises, and (2) one ship will leave from the Mediterranean (Rome?) and the other from the north of Europe, likely Rotterdam. 

 

You should make your choice depending on where you would like to spend a few days pre-cruise! If that is still a draw, the longer cruise always!

[liamur14]

9 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

If you're looking for "help" deciding between the two ships, they are both Pinnacle Class (the largest and newest in the HAL fleet). The experience will be very similar.

 

It appears (1) the website is not showing me all the choices -- no 17 days, only longer combined cruises, and (2) one ship will leave from the Mediterranean (Rome?) and the other from the north of Europe, likely Rotterdam. 

 

You should make your choice depending on where you would like to spend a few days pre-cruise! If that is still a draw, the longer cruise always!

Also looking at 17 day Hawaii on Konningsdam😎

[Mary229]

4 minutes ago, liamur14 said:

Also looking at 17 day Hawaii on Konningsdam😎

That is a lot of sea days.  I really liked the NS but the K not as much.  The K was the first of the Pinnacle ships, the NS learned from the K’s mistakes and corrected some human traffic flow issues. 

[liamur14]

Thankyou Mary229, im in favour of NS and R. I think that is waay too  many sea days for me. Youre right! 

[Haljo1935]

Hey @liamur14 I'm doing my first TA this fall on NS Rome->FLL. I really enjoy the NS and guess I'll find out how I feel about so many sea days. Very interested in your final decision.

Safe travels - enjoy your cruise!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Best way to relax 😀

[liamur14]

36 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Hey @liamur14 I'm doing my first TA this fall on NS Rome->FLL. I really enjoy the NS and guess I'll find out how I feel about so many sea days. Very interested in your final decision.

Safe travels - enjoy your cruise!

Have fun we’re looking at 2024, same TA… rome to Fll too. Never been on that many sea days. Pretty sure this is the one we’ll  choose😎 im liking all the positivity on the NS.  Cheers 

[Nodakboiler]

Remember that you could end up with 8-9 sea days in a row if weather prevents a stop in Madeira or the Azores. We've had that happen twice.

[FlaMariner]

6 minutes ago, Nodakboiler said:

Remember that you could end up with 8-9 sea days in a row if weather prevents a stop in Madeira or the Azores. We've had that happen twice.

 

ditto.  we missed the Azores when on the Rotterdam and it was 9 sea days....but no problem for us.  They flew by.  YMMV. 

[kazu]

I’ve done a number of Transatlantics in my time.  Last year on the Oosterdam with a fantastic crew and some great activities/entertainment by the crew and captain.

 

this year we are sailing on the Rotterdam as that itinerary appealed and it’s always nice to have a pre-cruise stay in Amsterdam.  

 

there is no predicting King Neptune but overall, all my sailings have been smooth.  A couple were like glass.  I think in all my TA’s there were a whole 2 days of motion of the ocean.  (Hope I didn’t just jinx us 😉)

 

Go and enjoy.

[Bxc53]

Jumping on as we have a TA on the Rotterdam , FLL to Rotterdam , coming up in April ‘24. Does anyone have comments on informational  presentations on the sea days?  

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, Nodakboiler said:

Remember that you could end up with 8-9 sea days in a row if weather prevents a stop in Madeira or the Azores. We've had that happen twice.

No, don't say it, take it back!! Lol

We are really hoping to make the stop in the Azores, not so much for breaking up the sea days, but because we hear it's beautiful and really want to visit.

[liamur14]

Haljo, I feel the same way,I want to see the Azores😎.

[NCTribeFan]

I did 26 nights on Rotterdam this past April - the 150th Anniversary sailing that went from Ft Lauderdale to Rotterdam, then we stayed on for another 10 days.  Had Club Orange and loved that, with the separate dining room.

 

I'm a solo traveler (although I mostly sail with friends these days) and I book interior cabins.  I was just fine with that.  Saves me some money so I can sail more often.

 

Loved Rotterdam so much that I'm booked on the westbound TA in October 2024 from Amsterdam back to Ft Lauderdale.

 

I've done TAs on other lines as well (NCL and Carnival).  We did miss a stop in the Azores (Praia Da Vitoria) on Carnival Pride last October.  We made our call at Ponta Delgada but it was cold and rainy.  Luckily, I'd been there before when we did a wonderful all-day private tour.

 

We've had mostly calm seas but you never know.  That Pride sailing last October had us riding some large swells thanks to a tropical storm in the Caribbean.  No problem on Rotterdam this past spring although it was rather cool, as expected in the North Atlantic in early April.  Of course, when the weather's colder, that forces more pax inside which makes for some crowded common areas.

[Nodakboiler]

Our issue was missing the chance to load up on good chocolate for the trip home!