Oosterdam Secrets

[cruisencrazy]

We will be on the Oosterdam for Christmas. What should we not miss on the ship?

[Assateague Island Princes]

Deck 5 - go all the way forward, open the hatch to the front deck and you'll have it all to yourself! We went out there during our visit to Hubbard Glacier...us and about 50 other people, but other times, no one is out there - great views!:D

Room service for breakfast is so relaxing and nice - food arrives hot and on time - take it out to your balcony to eat and enjoy the spectacular views.

Go to the bar on the observation deck - its partially sheltered and partially open and no one is ever there! The hot tub is right there so you can hop in for a nice soak whenever you please.

Try a day pass to the thermal suites in the spa - wow! Very relaxing - I fell asleep every time!

Enjoy the wonderful staff - get to know them! Our cabin steward on this year's cruise to AK, Mano, was fantastic! He's so friendly, told us about his life in Indonesia - showed us pictures of his beautiful wife and family. We're also friends with one of the bar staff - Chris, who continues to email us from our 2006 Alaskan cruise! Just great people - always with a smile and a sincere willingness to please. Best crew on the seas!

The Lido is terrific for dinner - pick out your salad and appetizers, then go up to the podium, order your main course, they seat you and bring it to you, fresh off the grill! We really enjoyed the fresh squeezed OJ from the Lido every morning, and the freshly made omelets are to die for!

If the peach melba sundae is for dessert in the dining room some night - try it! YUM!

Just enjoy yourself on that lovely ship - she is our favorite! Happy sailing!:)

[pipedreams62]

There's a secret door that takes you into the engine room

http://www.cinematographers.nl/GreatDoPh/Films/BenHur2.jpg

[NYGirl1002]

OMG I can't wait to find Charlton Heston!!

[RuthC]

OMG I can't wait to find Charlton Heston!!
Maybe ya can. He died, you know.

[pdxmomto2]

no secrets here - but I'll also be on the Oosterdam for Christmas! Can't wait!:D

[cruisencrazy]

Glad to see you have a sense of humor. Thanks for the "secrets". These are the kinds of things you can't find in a brochure. I hate when you find a great thing on the ship on the last day of your cruise....

[Krazy Kruizers]

Enjoy the Crow's Nest before they chop it up next spring and add the Exploration's Cafe there on the starboard side.

[NorthPhoenixGuy]

One thing I recommend "missing" is don't get off the ship. You'll love it so much you'll want to stay forever.

[MWGuy]

Our friends and I particularly enjoyed the culinary class. Sign up early and you will be eating what you all prepared. Fun!

[JerseyJaguar]

Check the daily program for the kitchen tour, it was on the first sea day and it was great seeing where all the meal magic happens. There were a few guys doing demos (one who made animals out of bread, another who made flowers out of veggies).

[Susie51]

Thank you for the secrets. I found the lounge chairs on Zuiderdam in the Observation lounge. There was always on waiting for me. I love this room and I'm glad I will get to use it on Oosterdam before the changes are made.

[gordons4]

Do not miss the chilled berry soups--all of them. Blueberry was my favorite, but they're all good. (Our waiter started bringing me blueberry soup every night--even when it wasn't on the menu. :D )

Thermal suite pass for the day is good--thermal suite pass for the week is better. :D We used it all seven days--sometimes multiple times a day.

Definitely get to know the staff, and ask them their stories. They love to share about their families back home. (We met a 22 yr old in the thermal suite who told us he was very homesick. We spent about 1/2 hr just talking to him--being his replacement family for a short bit.)

You'll love the Oosterdam--have a great time.

Sheri

[NYGirl1002]

The more I read this board the more excited I get. At first my husband was tired of hearing me talk about the cruise but I am now contagious. He now calls me at work to ask me.."so what's new with the cruise? Have you learned something new on the message board? What have you changed?" He told me he's getting very excited now.

The only thing I'm discovering now is the time difference. When I look at the webcams it shows a 4 hour difference with our time zone. My husband gets up at 3:00 am to go to work so that is going to screw him up royally when he gets up at 11 pm looking for something to do and the ship is quiet.

[HALleluiah]

Who says the ship will be quiet at 11pm? He'll find plenty to do at that hour! I was on the Oostie at the end of June/beginning of July and sometimes didn't wander back to my room until 1 or 2 or 3........ There's the casino, the Crow's nest, Northern Lights... Plenty of things to keep you busy until a little later!

Of course in Alaska it was still practically daylight at those hours! Practically....

I'll be on the December 13th cruise and can't wait to see the Oosterdam crew again and unwind in my "old haunts."