Oosterdam grief

[Card Pride]

This was my first cruise with Holland America. I've been on several cruises with Princess, Royal Caribbean, Cunard, and others. Check-in procedure, the day I left, was extremely confusing. Perhaps it was the first day for several of the HAL shore crew. They didn't know what they were doing, and couldn't answer any questions.
Once aboard, we couldn't go to the cabins and no one mentioned that carry on luggage could be checked-in on board. So, I was toting around my carry on while trying to go through the lunch line. Find out where carry on luggage can be checked-in.
I booked a large oceanview stateroom. I would NOT recommend that category of cabin to anyone. There is virtually no drawer space, and only if you fiddle with the shelves is there adequate shelf space (for one).
I'm writing to especially warn anyone to avoid cabin 1055, and any cabin near it. According to the deck plans, 1055 should be just fine. But, it's directly under a hallway outside the Queen's Lounge that's built of plywood! Anyone who just barely walks in that area sounds like a giant stomping across a stage. ALL of that noise goes directly into 1055. Also, 1055 is located directly under a storage closet from which the staff start removing items at 5:15 am, and into which they return those items until well after 1:00 am. Do not count on any sleep if you choose this cabin.
Debarkation process was very smooth. The ship was clean, the food was fine, and the service--for a large ship--was OK.
Just avoid cabin 1055, and unless you really are trying to save money, avoid an oceanview cabin.

[lougee1043]

card pride

welcome to our board-- sorry about the problems you had at check-in

regarding storage of hand carried items --this is a recent thread regarding this subject -- you must have missed it being a brand new poster

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=365205

also cabin selection is also discussed on this board with regularity

glad the rest of the cruise was ok for you

[bepsf]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience - but just a couple observations:

Please understand that the shore staff who check you in are not HAL employees but employees of an outside contractor for HAL and many other cruiselines - so they are not as familiar with the specific ships as exclusive HAL employees would be. They are not well compensated and only do this work a few months a year (since the season for ships sailing out of Seattle is rather slim) but in my experience they really do try to do their best when treated nicely.

There's been some discussion here about checking in hand luggage - and there isn't a place to do so on the ship before staterooms are opened. The staff do need time to clean up from the previous guests who may have been in their rooms as late as 10.30 am the day that you boarded. The trade-off is either arriving later, or carrying your small bag with you so that you can enjoy the ship for a longer time the day of departure.

Yes, there really isn't much drawer space in any of the Vista Staterooms until you get to the SS/SY level of accomodations - only the 4 drawers in the nightstands.

The deck above you is made of Steel and Concrete - not plywood. Wood is prohibited from being used aboard any ship due to SOLAS regulations as it is flammable. It's a darned shame that the floor isn't well covered in the pantry for the adjacent bars - Did you happen to ask the Hotel Manager if there were other rooms to relocate to? If Mr Deering was aboard, I know he would have bent over backwards to make some other accomodation for you.

In all I agree w/ your assessment - those spaces above the Main Deck staterooms are high-noise generating areas late into the night. This should serve as a reminder for folks who are light sleepers to study the deck plans when booking a stateroom to make sure that they are away from these areas - aboard a Vista, you'd have been better served in one of the staterooms on a higher deck - say a Category G or F on Deck 4

I hope you enjoy a better time on your next cruise!:)

[Card Pride]

Thanks, bepfs, for the info. BUT, when the hotel manager and I walked along that hall, she made the remark, "This hallway must be made of plywood!"
Maybe plywood isn't allowed at sea, but ... Also, one of my tablemates was a home builder. He, too, remarked that the hall must have been made of plywood because of the "give". If it's constructed, as you said, of steel and concrete, it's an AWFUL job in that area above cabin 1055.
To one and all: AVOID CABIN 1055.

[RedmondCruiser]

I agree that the Vista ships do not have much drawer space - or so we thought. After a few days on a 21 day PC cruise we found four more drawers that we did not know about. two under the foot of the bed and two under the couch. Finding those eased the drawer problem. I remember the old Noordam where the A, B & C cat rooms had more drawer space than was needed. And as mentioned above no floors are constructed with plywood.