Info about The Rotterdam and Europe

[MaryTiller]

We just booked our first European cruise for next summer. I was hoping I could get info, pictures and feedback on the ship, shore excursions and pre and post hotel inf0. I booked deluxe hotels in both Rome and London. I remember that we will be staying at the Hilton Park Lane in Rome but I don't remember the hotel in Rome.

We are leaving Rome on 6-8-04 for a 12 day cruise that ends in Dover (London). This will also be our very first suite, very excited, and can't seem to find out very much about the Rotterdam. We cruised Alaska earlier this year on the Oosterdam and went cabin shopping for our next trip which we thought would be Westerdam but we liked the ports better on the Rotterdam.

Any photos, info, insight, and/or comments would really be appreciated!! We are also interested in how well HAL does in picking up at the airports/transfers to the hotel and then getting us to the ship on sail day.

Mary Tiller

[sail7seas]

You've chosen well for your first European cruise. Rotterdam is a magnificent ship IMO We have cruised her a number of times including this past March for the Panama Canal. We cruised on Rotterdam about 3 years ago in Europe and cruised from Pireaus (port of Athens) and finished up in Rotterdam, Holland. It was a fantastic cruise.

We always cruise in the "S" suites and have done so a great many times. You will Love it. Particularly for Europe, IMO, the extra space and comfort will really add to your enjoyment. And the included laundry/dry cleaning will enable you to cut back on your packing.

HAL handles airport pickups and transfers to the ships/hotels excellently. They have done this for a great many years and are very good at it. They have excellent ground support in all ports they visit. Sometimes the price is a bit higher than if you transferred by yourself but the convenience and security of it is often very worth the difference.

We have done it both ways in Europe. Because long before we started cruising, we traveled extensively many times in Europe, we felt very comfortable taking off on our own. But, in the beginning, we depended upon others for transfers etc

Rotterdam is Flagship of the fleet and until recently was the World Cruiser. Congratulations on booking a beautiful ship.

[grannynurse]

Hi Mary,
I posted my Rotterdam summer 2004 transatlantic photo album this fall. There is a link on this board to it. There are pix of the ship, Norway, Germany, Holland etc. If you click on slide show it will advance the pictures for you.
Here is the link:

http://community.webshots.com/user/riosmom101
GN

[Stevesan]

The Park Lane Hilton is a good choice. It primarily caters to business travelers so it has a good concierge, excellent restaurants and the rooms are larger than the typical European/British rooms. Be sure to have late afternoon high tea there, it substituted for our dinner one night. The public area on the top floor has great 360deg views of London. The hotel is within walking distance of many attractions including Harrod's and the V&A Museum. A tube (subway) stop is directly across the steet from the front entrance.

Warning: if you go to an evening performance in the West End, be sure to know the nearest tube stop(s) for returning to the hotel. I took for granted that there would be an abundance of taxis available after the show - WRONG! Hundreds of theatre goers lined the streets vieing for the few cabs that cruise through. After about an hour, we finally nabbed a gypsy cab. Also, plan on after theatre dining elsewhere. The West End restaurants close early!!! This ain't Broadway.

If you're booked into the Cicerone in Rome run, don't walk, to your TA and get that changed. It's convenient to the Vatican, but it's a poorly run third rate hotel that attracts a lot of tour bus travelers.

If you're not a savvy European traveler, book your tours thru the cruise line. They're expensive, but you get value for money. Without exception, our tour guides were all first rate certified guides. Every one was college educated and extensively trained as guides in their areas. Don't avoid the all day tours. They're comfortably paced so you aren't too over extended. We were able to alternate half day and full day tours. Our European Capitals trip had only two sea days, but we were able to schedule full day tours ahead of each. That worked out well. If you'll list your itinerary, maybe we can make some specific suggestions.

[jazzsea]

You have picked a terrific ship and itinerary. Your hotel in London is perfect. Please let us know your Rome hotel.

[sail7seas]

Holland America used the Majestic on Via Veneto for a few years as their delux hotel. Is that the one they are still using?

[LizB1]

Hi Mary,
We have also sailed many, many times on the Rotterdam in Europe as well as Transatlantic and most of the 2001 World Cruise and love that ship. We like the size of the ship better than the new Vista ships, and I don't think you will be disappointed.

Also, this year HAL had the Parco Dei Principi Hotel as their deluxe hotel in Rome. This is located on the edge of the Borghese Gardens, and I understand from friends who stayed there after their Noordam cruise it was a wonderful hotel and they were very pleased with everything. It is also close to Via Veneto for shopping or dining, etc. and not far from the Spanish Steps.

Do hope you enjoy the Rotterdam as much as we have.

[debsea]

MaryTiller,

You will have a wonderful time. We have cruised 3 times on the Rotterdam in a suite. It's a beautiful ship, and you will delight in the convenience of the Neptune Lounge.

The Hilton Park Lane is a great hotel. Just don't move anything in the mini-bar. Every item is on a gadget that registers a purchase electronically with the front desk. I like to move things around to make room for my own items, but had to call the front desk to have the charges of every item I moved taken off our bill. The location is wonderful for walking - out the door, across the street and right through Hyde Park to Kensington Gardens. If you walk early in the morning, you can catch the Queen's horses out exercising. If you walk to your left, out the front door, through Green Park, it will take you to Buckingham Palace. There's a nice restaurant on the top floor but it's very pricey. I think there's a Trader Vics on the lower level. When we were there, just shortly after the marriage of Prince Edward, he and his wife arrived to present the Duke of Edinburgh Awards at a reception at the hotel. They walked right by us in the lobby.

You'll have a great time. I love European cruises.

[MaryTiller]

Thank you all for your reply. This is my very first posting and I am thrilled to have received your information.

As to the hotel in Rome: I believe it is Parco die Principi but I think we aren't confirmed but rather waitlisted. If we can't get confirmed then we are at Cicerone. Hopefully we will know soon. Thanks for the heads-up Stevesan.

We have cruised extensively but never in Europe. As I looked at our trip options, I likened a cruise to a buffet. We are able to see many different ports and countries the first time, digest our experiences and then decide the next time where we want to go for "seconds".

I looked up all hotels in the internet and the Hilton Park Lane looks to be the closest to what we are use to. Desea, thanks for the heads up on the minibar. I also like to put my stuff in there so we will be on alert not to or at least make sure we check or bill.

We have a good itinerary: 1 pre-night in Rome,then Pisa and Florence, Monte Carlo,Marseille, Barcelona,Cadiz,Lisbon,The Channel Islands,Ha Harve (Paris) ,ending in Dover then on to two nights in London. I am happy to here that we will have educated, informed guides on our day trips. I took one trip per day for 10 shores and it added up to 947.00 per person. It is always nice to know that we should get our moneys worth.
Every other cruise we have ever taken, we have gone on pre and post cruise extensions and we always have gotten ourselves to and from the airport, hotel and port. I agree that in a country that I am not familiar with, especially since we don't speak Italian, we are placing ourselves in HAL's hands.

After I post this repsonse, Grannynurse, I am going to check out your slide show.

Thanks again
MaryTiller

[MaryTiller]

Thank you all for your replies. This is my very first posting and I am thrilled to have received your information.

As to the hotel in Rome: I believe it is Parco die Principi but I think we aren't confirmed but rather waitlisted. If we can't get confirmed then we are at Cicerone. Hopefully we will know soon. Thanks for the heads-up Stevesan.

We have cruised extensively but never in Europe. As I looked at our trip options, I likened a cruise to a buffet. We are able to see many different ports and countries the first time, digest our experiences and then decide the next time where we want to go for "seconds".

I looked up all hotels in the internet and the Hilton Park Lane looks to be the closest to what we are use to. Desea, thanks for the heads up on the minibar. I also like to put my stuff in there so we will be on alert not to or at least make sure we check or bill.

We have a good itinerary: 1 pre-night in Rome,then Pisa and Florence, Monte Carlo,Marseille, Barcelona,Cadiz,Lisbon,The Channel Islands,Ha Harve (Paris) ,ending in Dover then on to two nights in London. I am happy to hear that we will have educated, informed guides on our day trips. I took one trip per day for 10 shores and it added up to 947.00 per person. It is always nice to know that we should get our moneys worth.
Every other cruise we have ever taken, we have gone on pre and post cruise extensions and we always have gotten ourselves to and from the airport, hotel and port. I agree that in a country that I am not familiar with, especially since we don't speak Italian, we are placing ourselves in HAL's hands.

After I post this repsonse, Grannynurse, I am going to check out your slide show.

Thanks again
MaryTiller

[dakrewser]

Based on the reviews on TripAdvisor (http://rome-hotels.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187791-d229042-Reviews-Cicerone_Hotel-Rome_Lazio.html), if you do get the Ciccerone, go for a high room away from the street...

Click the links to "western Med" and "Italy" in my signature for notes & pix on Rome, Barcelona, Cadiz & Lisbon. There are also pix & notes of Paris visits available here (http://vquill.com/gallery/getawayl.html) and here (http://vquill.com/gallery/Paris.html).

Enjoy!

[sail7seas]

MaryTiller:

THIS IS A HUGE FAVOR I ASK OF YOU.

If you stay at the Cicerone (we stayed there about 15 years ago when on an Amercan Express Tour through Italy and it wasn't all that bad. Not the best we ever stayed in for sure.....but not horrid. (at least that was the case 15 years ago :) )


IF YOU STAY THERE....

You wll see on the corner (when you go out the front door of the hotel, turn left) a Trattoria named Trattoria Cicerone. It is about 5 buildings down the street.

PLEASE PLEASE DO YOURSELF (and me) A FAVOR AND GO THERE IF EVEN FOR LUNCH.

We have eaten there through the years many times for a snack or lunch or casual dinner when we were all eaten out at the fancy pants places.

We became very good friends with the owners. They are a senior couple and their son is a tv newscaster on TV in Rome. When they see us come down the street, they run to greet (and hug) us.

Stop in there.
Enjoy the food. It is ALWAYS EXCELLENT.
And, hopefully, please tell me that lovely senior Italian couple are still there and are well. I think of them often and am so afraid something has happened to one or both. They do not have e-mail addy's and they do not write English so we can't write.

If you go, when you return, just a sentence posted here telling me that lovely couple is there and well would mean so very much!!!


(Their antipasti is amazing...
Their fresh bread is sooooo good.....
Veal,fish,chicken, everything....
Tiramisu like have never eaten the likes of anywhere else.)
Ultra casual and you will feel very welcome (if it is the same owners) and will be well fed for a fair price.