Thoughts & pictures from my recent ROTTERDAM VI crossing

[eroller]

This is not so much a review of ROTTERDAM VI, but some thoughts and opinions about the experience.

 

Itinerary: Departure on July 12, 2011. 9-nights. New York to Rotterdam with one stop in Cobh, Ireland.

 

This voyage was touted by Holland America as a traditional crossing. One mailing I received advertised "Relive the days of the great transatlantic crossing". Well that was enough to grab my attention! Two crossings (one Eastbound and one Westbound) were advertised to commemorate the 40-year anniversary of Holland America's transition to vacation cruising. Scheduled to be onboard were The Pasadena Roof Orchestra; Master chef Daniel Orr; Bill Miller aka "Mr. Ocean Liner"; marine painter Stephen Card; and Naval Architect Stephen Payne. Unfortunately Mr. Payne did not make the voyage, but in his place was actor and singer Lorna Luft, better known as the daughter of legendary Judy Garland.

 

As much as I enjoyed the crossing, I don't think HAL will be scheduling a repeat performance. Fares hit rock bottom, and while the ship was full the yields had to be very low. Frankly most people are just not interested in a leisurely crossing with 7 days at sea and only one port. For me it was an itinerary made in heaven! The fewer ports the better! According to the Cruise Log, we motored our way a total of 3443 nautical miles from New York to Rotterdam, with a single stop in Cobh, Ireland. Our cruising conditions ranged from slight seas and fog to a fresh gale and rough seas. All in all it was a smooth voyage, a little too smooth for my liking. The first couple days were almost Caribbean like, with warm temperatures and plenty of sun bathing by the pool. Later the temperatures dropped, although it was never cold and there was some fog.

 

I started the trip in my hometown of Philadelphia, visiting family. Being in Philadelphia afforded me the opportunity to swing by the waterfront and grab some photos of SS UNITED STATES. Even in her current state she is an imposing and impressive figure on the waterfront. Her stacks still rank as some of the most impressive ever put to sea. A quick ride on Amtrak's Acela Express from 30th Station and I was in NY. My ship, the ROTTERDAM VI awaited at the West Side Passenger Ship Terminal in Manhattan.

 

My first impressions of ROTTERDAM VI were quite positive. She is in excellent condition and I liked the upgrades performed on her, minus the ridiculous "Retreat" at the aft end of the ship. I do admit The Retreat looks better in person, but frankly it's a complete waste of space and a second quiet pool is sorely missed. We had many families on this crossing and the kids basically took over the only pool, which is located midship under the magrodome. Public spaces and my cabin looked excellent and were in top condition. I absolutely loved the size of ROTTERDAM VI. At just 1404 passengers and 59,885 gross tons, she is easy to navigate and never overwhelming. I actually preferred her over the brand new NIEUW AMSTERDAM which I sailed on last November.

 

I occupied cabin 3307, which was forward on Lower Promenade Deck and overlooked the outdoor promenade deck. My window was tinted, so at least during the day the walkers outside could not see in. The cabin was a nice size and offered a good view of the ocean. I liked the fact I could easily get out on deck in a matter of seconds. Overall though I would have preferred an outside cabin on Deck 1 or Deck 2 with direct ocean views. Being so far forward meant a little more movement, and being directly under the show lounge meant you could hear rehearsals each morning starting at about 9:45am, and of course the evening shows as well if you happen to be in the cabin. I was usually still sleeping when the rehearsals started so they became my morning wake-up call. Most nights I didn't get to sleep until 3am or later, in part because we lost an hour most nights of the cruise. This is definitely a disadvantage of an Eastbound crossing. On a couple occasions we even lost an hour during the day, with the clocks being set forward at 2am and 2pm. One feature of the cabin I haven't seen in years is piped in music. These days on the newest ships, if you want music you have to turn on the TV. On ROTTERDAM VI, they still have a separate little control panel by the bed with several channels of piped in music over the cabin's speaker. This was a nostalgic touch I really enjoyed.

 

One incident that happened early on is that I got sick, presumably with the dreaded noro-virus. This happened on the first evening after dinner. It came on quick, in the way of an upset stomach and fever. The next day I decided to go to the doctor and I was quarantined for 24 hours. Basically the symptoms went away as quickly as they came on, in just under 24 hours. What is interesting is that I'm a flight attendant exposed to thousands of people held captive in a silver tube every month, and I've never gotten this illness before. I've also sailed on about 90 cruises and this was the first time I contracted this virus. I guess there is a first time for everything, no matter how careful you are. One aspect of this illness that marred my entire crossing was an oversight by the medical center. They put me into the computer as being under quarantine. The next day they called me to check on my condition, and at that point I was released from quarantine. Unfortunately they never took me out of the computer. This meant for the entire cruise whenever I gave my cabin number, I was identified as being under quarantine and given the third degree by a staff member. They would then have to call the medical center (if it was open) to confirm I was released. The medical center would advise that I would be taken out of the system but they never followed through. On the last day of the cruise my friends and I decided to have lunch in the dining room. For whatever reason HAL requests your cabin number as you enter. Sure enough when I gave my cabin number the quarantine was still listed and we were asked to step aside. This is when I about blew a gasket. It was the last day of the cruise and frankly I was tired of being reminded and inconvenienced about something that happened on the first day! I think the friend that was with me was even more upset than myself, and demanded to speak with the Hotel Manager. Unfortunately that never happened and we got apologies but no real resolution to the situation. This aspect of Holland America did not impress me.

 

Since we are on the subject of service, I'll say that overall food and service was adequate. We had traditional main sitting (late) for dinner and we never had the nice introductions from the wait staff. Our head waiter never came to check on us until the last evening. Too little too late. Often times the waiter would forget who ordered what and would have to ask, or sometimes just forget all together. It wasn't horrible or anything, but it certainly wasn't polished or memorable either. The same holds true for the quality and presentation of the food. It was all good enough, but nothing really stood out as being exceptional.

 

Some of the entertainment on this crossing was truly a highlight of the voyage. The Pasadena Roof Orchestra was a delight, and really transported one to a bygone era of big band, dancing, and glamour. Bill Miller as always gave exceptionally entertaining lectures, and I never tire of them no matter how many times I have heard the same stories. Stephen Card was also onboard, and for those that don't know him he is an incredible marine artist based out of Bermuda. His beautiful paintings are all over the ROTTERDAM VI and the entire Holland America fleet for that matter. I think what truly sets his paintings apart is a three-fold approach. First is his love of ships and this certainly comes across in his work. Second is the amount of detail in every painting. Stephen goes to great lengths to ensure the setting for each painting is historically valid, and also that the ship is aesthetically correct in every way. This takes a great deal of time and research. Third is just pure talent, which Stephen possesses in abundance. The colors literally jump out at you and can be quite dramatic. Stephen gave one lecture which unfortunately I missed (I fell asleep on deck!), but I was able to catch it on TV and also some of it one to one during a dinner I was invited to in his penthouse. That was a lovely evening. Thanks again Stephen if you happen to be reading this! A surprise entertainer was Lorna Luft, daughter of legendary Judy Garland. Her performance was very entertaining, although I will say some of the notes were a bit of a stretch for her. She has an old Hollywood style so I think it was quite fitting she performed on this traditional crossing. Lastly we had Holland America's production shows, if you can call them that. You see they have this concept called "Showroom at Sea". It's supposed to be a more intimate cabaret type setting with shows that are equally more intimate. Translation is that the large production shows are history, replaced by smaller shows with four lead singers and only two female dancers. That is the entire compliment of performers for the shows. Personally I thought the shows were rather amateur and it truly seemed like more of a cost cutting measure to me. When I was on NIEUW AMSTERDAM last November, they still had the large production shows but also some smaller shows like Cantare, which comprised of four males singers performing in a similar style to Il Divo. It thought it was excellent and would have loved to have seen it again on ROTTERDAM VI.

 

Our single port of call was Cobh, Ireland. This city is pronounced as "Cove". It's a lovely little waterfront town with quite a heritage. Cobh is somewhat famous for being the last port of call before TITANIC met her doom several days later. The last photographs of the ship were also taken as the ship departed Cobh. Many aspects of the town have a Titanic theme from pubs to gift shops. Overall it was a quaint and charming diversion from shipboard life. Not too far away is the Blarney Stone, but already kissed that on my last visit!

 

This voyage ended in the city of Rotterdam, which after all is quite fitting considering the historic nature of this crossing. We docked not far from the original Holland America Line headquarters, which you can now spend the night in as the Hotel New York. We also passed the now static ship ROTTERDAM V, which is permanently docked as a floating hotel. Since I started this adventure off by seeing the beautiful laid up SS UNITED STATES in Philadelphia, what better way to end it than by staying the night on the original "Grande Dame", the ROTTERDAM V. I wish I could say my visit to the hotel ROTTERDAM V was a complete success, but this was not the case. On the positive she is beautifully restored. Absolutely stunning and the restoration work is first class all the way. She is very much how I remember her aesthetically.

Unfortunately I can't recommend staying onboard as the current management is pretty horrific. I can't remember when I've encountered so many rude staff members and one hardly feels welcomed onboard. Most of the ship feels like a police state, as there are rent-a-cops all over the ship looking and acting like they belong in the **** SS. You would think they were guarding Hitler himself! Honestly it was beyond ridiculous. Even when you first embark the ship there is a large security office just as you enter, looking very high tech and imposing. This is your first impression and unfortunately it sets the tone for the overall experience. While I enjoyed my time onboard, I would not return under the current management and cannot recommend it to anyone else.

 

I was able to capture some photos of the beautiful public rooms (which wasn't easy believe me), and they are looking very much as I remember from her sailing days with HAL and Premier. The cabins/rooms were also nicely done, and for the most part they are the size of two cabins when the ship was active (an inside and outside cabin).

 

Overall I really enjoyed this trip. It afforded the opportunity to spend time with some old friends and make new ones as well, all in an atmosphere of relaxation and no set schedule. If you have any questions, please let me know.

 

Attached are two picture links, those of the current ROTTERDAM VI crossing and another link for the static hotel ship ROTTERDAM V. I hope you enjoy.

 

Ernie

 

 

Pictures link:

ROTTERDAM VI Crossing

 

ROTTERDAM V Static Hotel Ship

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aliaschief]

Thank you for your review and sharing your TA experience.

[soccerpapi]

Hey Ernie, I was on the ship with you and had a nice time. Thank you for your review. I was the troublemaker on the ship from Bethlehem, PA.

 

I really enjoyed the ship and most of the guests onboard.....hehe.

 

The last 30 hours before arriving Cobh, Ireland, the seas were pretty rough for me, I was a little sea sick. So we differ on how rough we like it!

 

The entertainers onboard, Vinnie, Erwin, Jason, Oliver and the others whose names I can not remember right now were all very nice. I really enjoyed the Lorna Luft Q & A on the last day of the cruise.

 

I am glad I took this cruise and would recommend the ms Rotterdam and Holland America Lines to others.

 

Maybe our paths will cross again, take care.

 

soccer

[erewhon]

eroller,

Thank you for your review.

What a privilege to meet Stephen Card.

We greatly admire his artwork.

[Bramcruiser]

Hi, Ernie. Too bad we were going in opposite directions. I meant to write a review of my westbound transatlantic but .....well ship happens. Translated to: I got lazier as time went by.:) Thanks for sharing your observations with you. Let's compare notes.

 

I basically agree with you on the ship being the right size and in good condition. It isn't so overwhelming like some of the newer ships. I didn't note any real wear and tear which I always see as a good sign. I heard of one couple with plumbing issues but we had none.

 

I also agree that HAL likely won't be repeating this "classic transatlantic" experience for quite some time. The westbound simply was not sold out and the rock bottom pricing as the sailaway date approached told of the line's desperation to unload empty cabins.

 

As HAL has not had a true crossing in over 40 years the attempts to make this such was not always successful. It was nice having Stephen Card and Bill Miller as guest lecturers. However, there was a definite lack of merchandise/souvenirs celebrating this "historic" event and the Museum at Sea was somewhat schlocky. Someone already posted a comment about how it looked like a display that one puts in the back of their car when the day was over. A very good description actually.

 

It was nice that HAL made a marked effort to sell the ship to the Dutch public. I would say roughly 60% of the westbound passengers came from the Netherlands. The marketing and the tie in with a large Dutch travel company managed to give it an air of the Netherland's return to ocean crossings. On that note, the trip gets high marks. This was a badly needed boost as HAL plans to permanently reposition the ship to Rotterdam in 2012 to begin a new life operating over there. It simply needed to capture the imagination and support of the people of the Netherlands. If the crowd on the ship wasn't an indicator, then the on shore sailaway party and the greetings and fireworks we got during the two hour journey down the river to the North Sea certainly proved it.

 

A personal note: while it was great that they had a cruise director that could speak Dutch, I don't think Glen had to say every single time he introduced himself that he was "Glen, you're Dutch speaking cruise director!". I mean, it was obvious from the start when he gave his announcement in both languages. Yet he did it every day and it became a joke amongst the passengers as time went on.

 

Ernie, sorry to hear you had "adequate food and service" in the MDR. We had decent service but I found the food to be excellent on this crossing. I never had a meal I regretted ordering. Our wait staff introduced themselves the first night and even went as far as to ask us how we would like to be addressed during the cruise. I never had that asked of me before. Knowing most english speaking people have problems with my last name and not really liking people address me as "Mr. David" I just said "call me David". Yes, a little informal but its my name and Mr. makes me sound--OLD!

 

Did you do the Pinnacle Grill? Of our three HAL trips this was the best of the lot so far. We did a dinner and a lunch there. Even the lunch menu which made me want to run back to the MDR (it didn't appear to be anything special) surprised me. I had one of the best pasta dishes I ever had anywhere.

 

Its funny how we view the entertainment differently. First, we're not big on the shows. We usually are in bed by the time the late dining is over. The Pasedena Roof Orchestra was just okay in my books but the one stage show I did attend - called Amore - was absolutely wretched. I always thought HAL had the worst entertainment on any cruise line I've been on an this trip didn't improve my thoughts on it. Still, we don't cruise for the entertainment. I did enjoy the string quartet and the little band (forgot their name) in the lounge.

 

Going in the opposite direction from you we started at the Hotel New York in Rotterdam (the old HAL headquarter building). Talk about a step back in time. We were given a KEY to our hotel room. Not an electronic card but an actual key. I loved the fact that the hotel was kept in the style of the turn of the century period. It oozed history everywhere. We had a balcony room at the front of the hotel and I must admit it was the perfect location. On the morning of July 3 we woke up to see the Rotterdam sailing right by our hotel window. I thought how wonderful to be in the old HAL headquarters and see one of their ships sail by and knowing it was about to do an historical crossing. It was just one of those magic moments.

 

There is much more I can go on about but I'll end here. Needless to say we had a good time, the sailing was a bit too long for a classic crossing but we did meet some interesting people and had some great experiences along the way. I don't see HAL repeating this anytime in the near future. It was far from my favourite trip - I didn't get the WOW factor from it - but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

[eroller]

Hi, Ernie. Too bad we were going in opposite directions. I meant to write a review of my westbound transatlantic but .....well ship happens. Translated to: I got lazier as time went by.:) Thanks for sharing your observations with you. Let's compare notes.

 

I basically agree with you on the ship being the right size and in good condition. It isn't so overwhelming like some of the newer ships. I didn't note any real wear and tear which I always see as a good sign. I heard of one couple with plumbing issues but we had none.

 

I also agree that HAL likely won't be repeating this "classic transatlantic" experience for quite some time. The westbound simply was not sold out and the rock bottom pricing as the sailaway date approached told of the line's desperation to unload empty cabins.

 

As HAL has not had a true crossing in over 40 years the attempts to make this such was not always successful. It was nice having Stephen Card and Bill Miller as guest lecturers. However, there was a definite lack of merchandise/souvenirs celebrating this "historic" event and the Museum at Sea was somewhat schlocky. Someone already posted a comment about how it looked like a display that one puts in the back of their car when the day was over. A very good description actually.

 

It was nice that HAL made a marked effort to sell the ship to the Dutch public. I would say roughly 60% of the westbound passengers came from the Netherlands. The marketing and the tie in with a large Dutch travel company managed to give it an air of the Netherland's return to ocean crossings. On that note, the trip gets high marks. This was a badly needed boost as HAL plans to permanently reposition the ship to Rotterdam in 2012 to begin a new life operating over there. It simply needed to capture the imagination and support of the people of the Netherlands. If the crowd on the ship wasn't an indicator, then the on shore sailaway party and the greetings and fireworks we got during the two hour journey down the river to the North Sea certainly proved it.

 

A personal note: while it was great that they had a cruise director that could speak Dutch, I don't think Glen had to say every single time he introduced himself that he was "Glen, you're Dutch speaking cruise director!". I mean, it was obvious from the start when he gave his announcement in both languages. Yet he did it every day and it became a joke amongst the passengers as time went on.

 

Ernie, sorry to hear you had "adequate food and service" in the MDR. We had decent service but I found the food to be excellent on this crossing. I never had a meal I regretted ordering. Our wait staff introduced themselves the first night and even went as far as to ask us how we would like to be addressed during the cruise. I never had that asked of me before. Knowing most english speaking people have problems with my last name and not really liking people address me as "Mr. David" I just said "call me David". Yes, a little informal but its my name and Mr. makes me sound--OLD!

 

Did you do the Pinnacle Grill? Of our three HAL trips this was the best of the lot so far. We did a dinner and a lunch there. Even the lunch menu which made me want to run back to the MDR (it didn't appear to be anything special) surprised me. I had one of the best pasta dishes I ever had anywhere.

 

Its funny how we view the entertainment differently. First, we're not big on the shows. We usually are in bed by the time the late dining is over. The Pasedena Roof Orchestra was just okay in my books but the one stage show I did attend - called Amore - was absolutely wretched. I always thought HAL had the worst entertainment on any cruise line I've been on an this trip didn't improve my thoughts on it. Still, we don't cruise for the entertainment. I did enjoy the string quartet and the little band (forgot their name) in the lounge.

 

Going in the opposite direction from you we started at the Hotel New York in Rotterdam (the old HAL headquarter building). Talk about a step back in time. We were given a KEY to our hotel room. Not an electronic card but an actual key. I loved the fact that the hotel was kept in the style of the turn of the century period. It oozed history everywhere. We had a balcony room at the front of the hotel and I must admit it was the perfect location. On the morning of July 3 we woke up to see the Rotterdam sailing right by our hotel window. I thought how wonderful to be in the old HAL headquarters and see one of their ships sail by and knowing it was about to do an historical crossing. It was just one of those magic moments.

 

There is much more I can go on about but I'll end here. Needless to say we had a good time, the sailing was a bit too long for a classic crossing but we did meet some interesting people and had some great experiences along the way. I don't see HAL repeating this anytime in the near future. It was far from my favourite trip - I didn't get the WOW factor from it - but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

 

 

Nice to compare notes!

 

I completely agree about the lack of gift shop merchandise. What a missed opportunity. The selection was pathetic. Interesting on the static ROTTERDAM V hotel they had a wonderful gift shop with an amazing selection. HAL could learn something.

 

As you can see by my review I didn't even mention the "Museum at Sea". What a poor display. I thought if this was the best HAL could come up with considering their history, it's sad.

 

Glad to hear you had good dining room experience. I did dine at both Pinnacle Grill and Caneletto. Both were fine but again nothing memorable. It's not like dining at the speciality restaurants on Celebrity where you are really wow'ed (butterfly service and all).

 

Funny you mention the little band. I assume you mean the "HAL Cats". OMG they were awful. It was painful to even listen to them, but I did almost every night in the Crow's Nest (no choice). That female lead singer needs serious vocal lessons.

 

Interesting you were not impressed with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra. They were a highlight for me and one aspect of the crossing that really felt "traditional", from a bygone era.

 

Overall I had a good time, but in the end no one does crossings like Cunard. They just have a certain feeling and atmosphere that I have not seen duplicated on any other line.

 

Ernie

[kazu]

Thanks for you comments and notes regarding your cruise.

 

It's always interesting to see how different people can view the same cruise. Just shows that a lot of our cruise experiences are 'subjective' which is not a bad thing. If everyone was the same, life would be boring:D

[eroller]

 

The last 30 hours before arriving Cobh, Ireland, the seas were pretty rough for me, I was a little sea sick. So we differ on how rough we like it!

 

The entertainers onboard, Vinnie, Erwin, Jason, Oliver and the others whose names I can not remember right now were all very nice. I really enjoyed the Lorna Luft Q & A on the last day of the cruise.

 

I am glad I took this cruise and would recommend the ms Rotterdam and Holland America Lines to others.

 

 

 

 

Sorry to hear you got a little sea sick. That is never fun I'm sure.

 

Vinnie and Erwin were a lot of fun. They were nice guys and attended the LGBT meetings a few times. I missed the Lorna Luft Q&A. Can't remember what I was doing LOL.

 

I'm also happy I took this crossing, and really enjoyed the ROTTERDAM. She is a beautiful ship and just the right size. I would certainly sail on her again.

 

Until next time ....

 

Ernie

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the review and pictures.

[sunviking90]

Thank you for your wonderful pictures and review.

[soccerpapi]

I'm also happy I took this crossing, and really enjoyed the ROTTERDAM. She is a beautiful ship and just the right size. I would certainly sail on her again.

 

Until next time ....

 

Ernie

 

Thanks Ernie, I would agree with you, the ms Rotterdam is a beautiful ship and I would definitely sail on her again. Take care.

 

soccer

[ironin]

Thanks for the review, Ernie! I can't help thinking just how much of a treat it would be to meet Stephen Card, as his occasional posts here on CC are always so lively, even more just prior to the cruise. I had some time to stop and admire his work, rather than glance at whatever happened to be on the wall while going elsewhere, while on the Zuiderdam repositioning cruise earlier this Spring, and am very glad I did. Ended up doing my own private Stephen Card art appreciation tour one sea day.

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed that Pasadena Roof Orchestra! Having such a large contingent from the Netherlands must have added a deliciously enjoyable flavor to your voyage.

[jschm27]

Eroller - Thanks for the review. We sailed on ROTTERDAM in 09 on a Panama Canal transit. I love the ship and like you said, the size is just right.

 

On a personal note, were (are) you in the Navy or Coast Guard? I am retired CG and we always capitalized the names of ships. You are the first person in CC that I have come across that does this. Just wondering where you picked this up? :)

 

John

[jschm27]

eroller - I just went through your photos of the crossing. Thanks for all of the great photos. They brought back many memories. How did you get so many interior ship photos with no people in them?

 

John

[RD64]

Ernie

 

I was on the crossing with you, and have to say that overall it was a very enjoyable, and relaxing cruise. My only regret is that I wish I had done the nine days from Rotterdam to New York as well. But what time did you get up to take those excellent pictures with nobody in them? You definitely have quite the photographic eye. Please tell Frank that I have a picture for him, one that I did not see in your gallery.

 

Cheers Rob

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[eroller]

I usually snap my photos soon after the ship docks in a port. In this case the only port was Cobh. It's rare I'm the first to rush off the ship as I don't like waiting in lines. I take it easy in the morning and wait for everyone to disembark. I'm in no rush. Then it's the perfect opportunity to roam the ship and capture photos. The ship is almost always empty. After that I can disembark at my leisure with no lines and no waiting. It's a formula that has worked time and time again for me over the years.

 

I'm glad everyone is enjoying the pics.

 

Ernie

[eroller]

Ernie

 

I was on the crossing with you, and have to say that overall it was a very enjoyable, and relaxing cruise. My only regret is that I wish I had done the nine days from Rotterdam to New York as well. But what time did you get up to take those excellent pictures with nobody in them? You definitely have quite the photographic eye. Please tell Frank that I have a picture for him, one that I did not see in your gallery.

 

Cheers Rob

 

 

Hey Rob,

Glad you had a good time. Me too.

 

Hopefully your journey home wasn't too stressful.

 

Take care,

Ernie

[Calliope]

ernie

 

but what time did you get up to take those excellent pictures with nobody in them? You definitely have quite the photographic eye. Please tell frank that i have a picture for him, one that i did not see in your gallery.

 

Cheers rob

 

 

 

omg... Elvis !!!

[lettienets]

Your observations echo mine. So so, this and that. The speakers were the best and the celebrity chef was good too. I thought Lorna Luft and the Pasadena Roof Top band were outstanding, very professional.

I hate that retreat area and had to endure the next 12 days on the Baltic cruise of mainly wonderful weather with a ship pool full of kids in the only pool now in the Lido and it is congested, loud and awful especially after the Hal Cats arrive. Not enough sunbeds either. That is the last time I will be on the Rotterdam. Forget Veendam.

Our waiters did not introduce themselves either.

As far as the rest of the entertainment, it was so so and repeated on the b2b except for new solo acts, the juggler, the violinist and the pianist. After many cruises the entertainment doesn't matter that much. I do like comedians but none on these cruises. The Dutch piano guy Rens on the TA was great.

I enjoyed meeting the Mariner Society Director Gerald Bernhoft on the TA.

[eroller]

I hate that retreat area and had to endure the next 12 days on the Baltic cruise of mainly wonderful weather with a ship pool full of kids in the only pool now in the Lido and it is congested, loud and awful especially after the Hal Cats arrive.

 

 

 

I agree 100%. While I really liked the ROTTERDAM, I would not sail on her during the Summer in a warm weather destination due to The Retreat. One pool is simply not enough.

 

Ernie

[RD64]

Yes Calliope...the one and only Elvis. And as luck would have it, I also managed (unintentionally) to catch D. Bear.

 

And Ernie...thanks for the tip...will have to remember it for my next cruise...yesterday I received my Cunard 2012-2013 brochure...I am assuming that the Winter Crossing Club will be on the January 3, 2012 transatlantic......sigh...one day when work permits...

[RD64]

I agree the retreat was a complete waste of space...I am fairly limber, and found it a hassle to try and sit on one of those seats. Given HAL's demographics, I can't help but wonder what they were thinking when they designed that splash pad. A second, adult only pool is definitely necessary.

[eroller]

omg... Elvis !!!

 

Wonder if Elvis and D. Bear will be on QM2 in January. Wouldn't that be a treat! LOL

 

Ernie

[eroller]

 

And Ernie...thanks for the tip...will have to remember it for my next cruise...yesterday I received my Cunard 2012-2013 brochure...I am assuming that the Winter Crossing Club will be on the January 3, 2012 transatlantic......sigh...one day when work permits...

 

Yup, that's the date. We will miss you. :-(

 

Prices are great too.

 

Ernie