Review of the Rotterdam 10/09

jerseyk · #1 November 5th, 2009, 10:27 AM

About us, we are early 60’s and this was our 36th cruise and the 3rd on HAL. Our daughter mid 30’s sailed with us.
We came into Greece 3 days early spending 1 in Athens and 2 at a resort. We walked up to the Acropolis and over to Hadrian’s Arch, Temple of Zeus, Olympian Stadium, old and new palaces etc..

Embarkation/Disembarkation. This was very smooth. As we had a suite we were on and off early. Getting on early meant that the cabin wasn’t ready yet so we went up to the Lido for lunch. Our luggage was very slow getting to our cabin with the last piece not received until 5 hours after boarding.

The ship, Very good condition. It’s going for a refit but everything was clean and well taken care of. The Rotterdam is a mid size ship and very easy to find your way around. Everything is well sign posted and the elevators are very fast.

Fellow passengers, Mostly American, large group from Canada and the U.K.. Most 70’s to 80’s but very few wheelchairs. We seemed to have a certain percentage of crabby pushy folks. Don’t understand why anyone would be cranky going on a wonderful cruise? Some were very nasty to the workers on the ship and that was upsetting to us.
We had a great CC group. It was very nice to meet folks that we had been chatting with. A fun bunch of people.

Our cabin was a deluxe suite. Very good size for 3 people with lots of storage space. Very large verandah. The fold out couch was very uncomfortable for our daughter but was a little better after they put an egg carton on it. Our big problem was that all the suites are under the pool deck and the noise at night was terrible as the crew moved chairs and cleaned over our heads. After a few sleepless nights we made some complaints and 90% of the noise went away. Don’t know why they don’t put more insulation in the ceilings. Had some trouble getting the cabin cool enough for our taste. We feel that on the ships that we have been on the last few years that they have cut down on the ac to save money.

Service, top notch. From cleaning person to the Captain all were very friendly and helpful. Some of the best folks on any ship that we have been on.

Shops, very high end. Duty free shop very poor selection.

Dining, we had a table of 4 for the 3 of us first seating. Dining room food was very good and the staff was perfect. Could not ask for better. Lido food was so so. Salad bar poor we thought. Room service very good, it came fast and was correct.

Queens lounge is the main show room. Never had a problem getting a good seat. We stopped sailing on HAL for awhile because of the entertainment was geared to folks born 1920-1930. This is slowly changing. We liked all the main shows (some of the singers were a little weak) Piano man Stryker was very good and could play everything. The pool band was very good and would also play in the crow’s nest some nights. They played music that we could dance to.

Weather, a little rain in Greece but not too bad and one day of rain at sea. All the other ports were dry with lots of sun, warm temp but not too hot. Cooled down in Italy. October is a great time to go weather wise.

Ports and shore excursions:
Rhodes-We have been here before so we did it on our own. Very easy to walk into the walled town from the ship.
Antalya Turkey- Took a ship tour to Perge and Aspendos. We enjoyed it.
Iskenderun Turkey- Few ships stop here as it’s not a tourist type of town. We had a ship tour but they cancelled the one thing on the tour that we wanted to see so we cancelled it and walked into town on our own. Free shuttle to the port entrance and then a long walk through a dirty run down part of town to get to the water front park. The walk way on the water front was nice once you got to it. Very few people knew more then a few words on English. Don’t bother going here!
Haifa Israel- Took a 10 hour ship tour to Nazareth, Cana, Tabgha, Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Yardenit Baptismal site on the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee with lunch at a Kibbutz. Wonderful day!!!
Ashdod Israel- Another full day ship tour to Jerusalem. It was a wonderful experience to walk in the foot steps of Christ. We seemed to cover everything and had a nice lunch in a hotel.
Alexandria Egypt- Another full day ship tour. 3 hour ride to the Pyramids and the Sphinx (Got on a camel)then a lunch cruise on the Nile and a 3 hour sleep going back to the ship.
Malta- We did the town of Valletta on our own. The ship docks right under the walls and it’s a long uphill walk to the top but not to bad. Great town and wonderful fortifications. Good duty free shop at the port.
Gozo- Took a half day ship tour of the Island, very nice.
Messina- Full day ship tour to Castelmola and Taormina with lunch at a hotel overlooking the Bay of Naxos. Both towns are worth seeing and we could have spent days here. Saw snow capped Mt. Etna.
That night on the way to Naples we passed by the volcano Stromboli. We were very close and saw lava shooting up from the crater.
Naples- We have been here 4 times so didn’t do a tour. We walked around town for a while before going back to the ship. Naples is dirty and noisy, not a place that we care for.

All of our ship tours were very good with good guides. We spent 2 days walking around Rome before flying home.

While in Malta a virus broke out on the ship. No more helping yourself for the rest of the cruise. The ship handled this well.

All in all it was a great cruise and we saw wonderful things. We are very lucky people and will sail on HAL again.
Walter

CowPrincess · #2 November 5th, 2009, 11:24 AM

Welcome home! Thanks for the review..... This gave me a smile:

Quote:

We are very lucky people

Divi · #3 November 5th, 2009, 11:37 AM

Our first cruise was on the Rotterdam and we loved it.
The only thing I didn't like was the location of the Pinnacle but I see that is being changed during the refit - yay, windows!!
Thanks for posting your review, Walter. I enjoyed it.

IRL_Joanie · #4 November 5th, 2009, 05:31 PM

Welcome home!!

Thank you for the great review!!

I have a question for you about your time in Athens...

When you were in the ancient part of the city, did you go to the Plaka (or as it is called in Greek "Agora" (the shopping district), did you happen to notice the Ancient Agora has been completely excavated??

The reason I ask is that when we lived there, they had just begun excavation of it, after only discovering it a couple years prior, so this was in abour ca. 1985...

Just curious.

Joanie

Tallcruiser · #5 November 5th, 2009, 06:09 PM

Welcome home Walter and Linda!!!
Thank you for the review. No scooter races? Just a lot of shuffling? Just kidding.
I am always surprised by the people who treat the crew poorly. Sorry to hear of even a few people on board, were crabby, pushy folks. Don't they know how fortunate they are!!!???
A Camel? Really?!! I gotta see pictures of that!
Sounds like a terrific adventure.

jerseyk · #6 November 5th, 2009, 06:35 PM

Glad that you enjoyed the review. It was my first. This was a very busy cruise with lots of ports. We had a great time and love the ship.
Walter

jerseyk · #7 November 5th, 2009, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IRL_Joanie

Welcome home!!

Thank you for the great review!!

I have a question for you about your time in Athens...

When you were in the ancient part of the city, did you go to the Plaka (or as it is called in Greek "Agora" (the shopping district), did you happen to notice the Ancient Agora has been completely excavated??

The reason I ask is that when we lived there, they had just begun excavation of it, after only discovering it a couple years prior, so this was in abour ca. 1985...

Just curious.

Joanie

Hi Joanie,

No we didn't get to the Plaka. After our long flight we went into a 10 hour sleep and were running behind so had to skip it. We were in the Plaka about 6 years ago but don't remember Agora, but I forget a lot

Walter

jerseyk · #8 November 5th, 2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tallcruiser

Welcome home Walter and Linda!!!
Thank you for the review. No scooter races? Just a lot of shuffling? Just kidding.
I am always surprised by the people who treat the crew poorly. Sorry to hear of even a few people on board, were crabby, pushy folks. Don't they know how fortunate they are!!!???
A Camel? Really?!! I gotta see pictures of that!
Sounds like a terrific adventure.

Robin, some people don't have a clue. We are happy every day that we wake up!!!
I am working on the photo's.
Walter

IRL_Joanie · #9 November 5th, 2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerseyk

Hi Joanie,

No we didn't get to the Plaka. After our long flight we went into a 10 hour sleep and were running behind so had to skip it. We were in the Plaka about 6 years ago but don't remember Agora, but I forget a lot

Walter

Sorry to hear that Walter. But you definitely needed the rest!! I remember the long flight there and back.

Actually, Agora is the Ancient Greek name for the Shopping area now called in modern times "Plaka." It is below the Acropolis.

Lord, I was going to say south or north of the Parthenon, but I cannot remember any directions now.
It has been 24 years since we lived there. OH MAN!! I just realized how old I am with that statement

At the far end of today's modern Plaka or Agora, they had just discovered an even more ancient Agora that they believed was dated to the time of Socrates or Plato, I cannot remember which. Oh well, maybe we will make it back there some day to see for ourselves.

I am glad though that you were able to enjoy your cruise and had good weather 97% of the time

Joanie

iamaqt2 · #10 November 5th, 2009, 09:33 PM

Thank you for the wonderful review Walter!! DH and I are sailing her in May to Alaska for our 10th anniversary. Hopefully we won't find the other passengers well out of our age bracket. (me late 30's, he late 40's) Could you elaborate on the nightly entertainment please? Just wondering what types of shows there were.

Thanks bunches, and so glad you enjoyed your cruise!

jerseyk · #11 November 6th, 2009, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamaqt2

Thank you for the wonderful review Walter!! DH and I are sailing her in May to Alaska for our 10th anniversary. Hopefully we won't find the other passengers well out of our age bracket. (me late 30's, he late 40's) Could you elaborate on the nightly entertainment please? Just wondering what types of shows there were.

Thanks bunches, and so glad you enjoyed your cruise!

Sure, In 2 weeks we had 4 main shows in the Queen's lounge. The shows all were very good. The dancers great, male singers good, lady singers just so so. They also had a comic that was ok and a comic/magician that was very good. Also a singer, Sally Joans, who was wonderful.
A jazz band plays in the Ocean bar, a quartet in the dinning room and around the ship. Piano man Stryker in the Tropic Bar was very good. A dj in the Crow's nest every night. The house band "Regina and the HAL cats" played at the pool and Crow's nest.
Hope that helps, you will have a good cruise.

One thing we should have added to the review and forgot to do so, the prices in Europe are sky high. We have been to Europe over 15 times but were taken aback by the cost of things. Our cash doesn't buy what it did last year. The euro is very strong, be prepared!!
Walter