Westerdam Double Dry Dock 2007? Or Charters?

[glanders]

We've noticed large gaps in the Westerdam's schedule for next year. She finishes a 16-day TA crossing in Rome on April 16 then doesn't go out again until May 10. She then finishes a 10-day in Rome on June 19 and doesn't go out again until July 10. We're booked on the July 10 sailing, and we're concerned we might be on the first cruise after a dry dock. We had heard she was getting the deck stretch in April, but now we're not so sure.

Can anyone help?

[grannynurse]

glanders,
I find the same gaps in Westerdam's cruise schedule. I'm sure she is in Europe for the whole summer. I can't imagine why they would consider "stretching" her, there's nothing to stretch as she is one of the largest HAL ships and is only 2 years old.
Maybe they are changing itineraries to include other areas of Europe. The listed itineraries are different from the ones on HAL's 2006 cruise planners as she wasn't even scheduled for Europe in 2007. It's probably an unfinished plan to date.
GN

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Actually she will be the first of the Vista's to get her deck stretched and the deck/cabin configuations to be just like the Noordam. She is to have it done in 2007, just not sur e which of these dates that is happening. I would think they would need more time. Unless..... they are doing it in two stages:confused:

[Newfies]

Apologies in advance for a true newbie question . . . what does it mean to get her "deck stretched"?

[amusea]

Is there any internet site that provides information as to when ships are in drydock? Similarly, I am booked on the Amsterdam at the end of September 2007 and I notice that the last scheduled cruise before then is in May 2007. I have been able to find several charters that the ship is doing during the summer. The last one seems to be Sept. 7 - 14 ending in Seattle. I would like to know what happens during that final week - Sept. 14-21 before I embark in Seattle on Sept. 21for a 64 day cruise.

[K&RCurt]

Apologies in advance for a true newbie question . . . what does it mean to get her "deck stretched"?

The upper decks on the ms Noordam, which is the newest of HAL's Vista Class ships (The others are the Westerdam, Oosterdam and Zuiderdam) are a few cabins longer than her sister ships. Hal is planning to modify the upper decks of the other 3 to match the configuration of the Noordam. Hence "Deck Stretching".

[Newfies]

Thank you for "educating" me . . . and I enjoyed your pictures. I'm going to Alaska on Wersterdam in August, so it was good to see some "live" pictures of the ship.

[sammiedawg]

We're booked on the Westerday May 2007, this is news to me. Suprising they would remake an almost new ship. Will they have to tear the ship in half?

[glanders]

Sammiedawg:

No. From what I've read, they'll just add on to the rear upper decks so that the rear balconies will not be as large and the overall stern will be less raked.