Help us decide - Rotterdam or Zaandam to Alaska

[ORDPLATAA]

Trying to decide between these two ships - we are going with outside cabins (verandah's are a bit pricey when we are paying for everyone going). Anyhthing that makes one or the other a standout choice?

[CowPrincess]

Are the itineraries and port times the same? IME an Alaska cruise is all about Alaska :) and the ship is completely secondary.

[RuthC]

The two ships were essentially identical until the recent Rotterdam renovations. Now the Rotterdam has lanai cabins, with direct access to the Lower Promenade, a revised Lido Deck aft, and a change in the interior where the Piano Lounge and Casino Bar used to be.

Where do the two ships sail from? Seattle and Vancouver offer different first/last days out. As already asked, are the itineraries different? I agree with Cow Princess that in Alaska, the itinerary is what matters. All else being equal, what day of the week is sailing? That can make a difference in ease of getting to/from the embarkation port; it can also make a difference in how many other ships are sharing your Alaska ports. You might want to take a look at that aspect, too. Too many passengers can really overwhelm a small port.

[ORDPLATAA]

Thanks for the replies - both are leaving from Seattle (where we live). The Zaandam is a Friday departure and Rotterdam is a Saturday or Sunday. Both itineraries are basically the same - more than anything looking for quality time with my mom. Just wasn't sure if either ship had a bit more "pop" - or a better reputation.

[velvetred]

Well, one key difference in the two is that the Rotterdam sails to Hubbard Glacier while the Zaandam cruises Glacier Bay. The Rotterdam has just come out of dry dock with some structural changes (additions of cabins including lanai staterooms) as mentioned above. You can view some of the pics of the Rotterdam at www.hollandamericablog.com

The stateroom interiors of the Rotterdam have been redone as well during the dry dock. The Zaandam still has the lovely seaview pool area while on the Rotterdam the area has been turned into the Retreat - a shallow wading pool with a movie screen and Slice pizza. Of course, in Alaska you may not get much mileage out of the pool area on either ship. One thing to keep in mind if you book the Rotterdam - apparently the pool on the Retreat leaks into the cabins below based on recent comments - reports are that the pool has been drained - hopefully HAL will have it repaired by summer 2010.

[Mary Ellen]

Me? Given those choices, I'd take the Zaandam. Since the Lanai cabins were added to the Rotterdam recently, IF you'd like to sit out on the Lower Promenade and watch the scenery go by, you'll have more flexibility as to where you are allowed to sit if you are on the Zaandam.

Actually, I'd make the trip to Vancouver and sail the Volendam. I grew up in Seattle, this is what we did when we still lived there and my family who still lives there also prefers the Vancouver sailings. We have done (one) Seattle sailing, but the scenery is SO much better from Vancouver.

[CowPrincess]

The cruises from Vancouver do have better scenery but the cruises from Seattle go to Sitka. I love Sitka and hope that sooner or later HAL will stop there on some itins that leave from Vancouver.

[Mary Ellen]

We prefer Skagway to Sitka. We've been to Sitka 3 times - never have we seen the mountain. Actually, we have seen it in a HAL brochure. I pointed it out to DH: 'See? This is what we've been missing.'

In Skagway we LOVE renting a car and driving up into the Yukon. Even if it is cloudy in Skagway, we've soon driven high enough to get the sunshine and beautiful scenery.

It is great that HAL offers both ports.

[ORDPLATAA]

Thanks for the responses. When looking at the Zaandam, it is a Friday departure meaning we would have to take an extra vacation day (6 total) versus the Rotterdam where we would only have to take 5 total. We are balancing the need for an accessible cabin for mom, having to pay for two cabins (one for mom and one for us while being fiscally responsible;)) and finding cabins with a decent location. With all that said, I think we are leaning towards the Rotterdam.

[ORDPLATAA]

Thanks for all of the help - we have decided to do the 8/21 sailing on the Rotterdam. We went with an Cat K accessible for mom and a Cat DA for us across the hall on Main Deck. We looked at the cabins on the Lower Promenade deck - while ease of access to the outdoors would have been nice, the fact that out window would look out over the deck was a little weird to us. :o

Anyway - we are very excited about the trip - let the planning begin!

[Himself]

The Zaandam goes out on Friday and the Rotterdam on Saturday. I like the Rotterdam and have sailed on her a couple of times. I love the Zaandam and have sailed on her a couple of times. I personally might lean toward the Zaandam but must admit I am going to be on the Rotterdam this summer.

[velvetred]

Himself - it would be nice if you would explain why you like the Rotterdam versus love the Zaandam. What gives the Zaandam the edge in your view?

[jmdpsca]

Thanks for all of the help - we have decided to do the 8/21 sailing on the Rotterdam. We went with an Cat K accessible for mom and a Cat DA for us across the hall on Main Deck. We looked at the cabins on the Lower Promenade deck - while ease of access to the outdoors would have been nice, the fact that out window would look out over the deck was a little weird to us. :o

Anyway - we are very excited about the trip - let the planning begin!

We were on the Zaandam, July 2008, and it was a disaster, as they had a oil/fuel spill in the engine room, and it came thru the AC and we had fans everywhere, could not sleep, some of the lower decks were found on the Lido deck with pillows and blankets...it was not too great, to say the least. We opted not to have a balcony, which is this case would have helped, but beware, it is pretty cold..and the Zaandam is not updated..
pretty tired.

[moviefan2010]

Stay away from the Rotterdam for a few years since the recent dry dock work left it in a disasterous state. You should check the dry dock schedule for the other ship and skip if too if it has recently been in for rework or will be in before your cruise.

[RuthC]

Stay away from the Rotterdam for a few years since the recent dry dock work left it in a disasterous state.
Years? Sounds a bit extreme, doesn't it? It may take a few weeks to get the Rotterdam functioning smoothly, but stay away for years? :rolleyes:

[DutchByAssociation]

We were on the Zaandam, July 2008, and it was a disaster, as they had a oil/fuel spill in the engine room, and it came thru the AC and we had fans everywhere, could not sleep, some of the lower decks were found on the Lido deck with pillows and blankets...it was not too great, to say the least. We opted not to have a balcony, which is this case would have helped, but beware, it is pretty cold..and the Zaandam is not updated..
pretty tired.

What you are describing is quite obviously an isolated incident. An unfortunate one, of course, but rarely is an isolated incident a good thing...

Not sure what you mean by 'updated', but the ship is in the middle of a 2 week dry dock as I type this.

To the OP, I was on the Zaandam down the Pacific Coast for a week this past October and had an incredible time!

I also want to see the Rotterdam though as it has NEVER sailed out of Seattle since she launched (routinely... there may have been SOMETHING at some point that was here) and I would love to get a first hand look at the changes as well as the ship itself since she heads back off to Europe in 2011.

[Copper10-8]

We were on the Zaandam, July 2008, and it was a disaster, as they had a oil/fuel spill in the engine room, and it came thru the AC and we had fans everywhere, could not sleep, some of the lower decks were found on the Lido deck with pillows and blankets...it was not too great, to say the least. We opted not to have a balcony, which is this case would have helped, but beware, it is pretty cold..and the Zaandam is not updated..
pretty tired.

An oil/fuel spill in the engine room and its unfortunate consequences as you experienced it, is not a daily occurance or even a semi-regular occurance. It's a one-time incident, obviously regrettable but mechanical stuff breaks down at times as it does on our cars. When that happens on the open seas, it's not possible to make a right hook shank to pull into a Manny, Moe & Jack for a new waterpump and an oil change. As far as being tired, Zaandam is currently in dry-dock in the San Francisco area for routine maintenance and some upgrading. We spent fifteen days on Zaandam last November on a roundtrip Hawaii and had a great time. She's a fine ship!

[caltnl]

I find it interesting Copper that the Zaandam is being dry docked in San Francisco. Have read several places that HAL likes to use foreign dry docks to (save money my words) because they can work with the metric system the ships are built with.

Possibly things are slowing down in the US now and the ship yards are getting hungry for work and will start competing in the world market.

[Copper10-8]

I find it interesting Copper that the Zaandam is being dry docked in San Francisco. Have read several places that HAL likes to use foreign dry docks to (save money my words) because they can work with the metric system the ships are built with.

Possibly things are slowing down in the US now and the ship yards are getting hungry for work and will start competing in the world market.


I find that interesting also, Bill. HAL usually uses Esquimalt (Victoria), BC and Freeport, the Bahamas for dry-docking in North America. Maybe it's a bid process and the yard in SF had a lower bid than our Canadian friends on Vancouver island for the work on Zaandam

[ORDPLATAA]

could the olympics being in vancouver also have caused an issue with choosing BC?

[Copper10-8]

could the olympics being in vancouver also have caused an issue with choosing BC?

I'd imagine, it could have, as can availability (dock splace) in the Esquimalt yard. Someone told me once that dockyard time is scheduled at least a year in advance unless for emergency repairs such as Oosterdam's ailing azi-pod several years ago