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Sporadic Snippets from the Rotterdam 2/20-27

Cruise Suzy

By Cruise Suzy,
in Holland America Line

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Cruise Suzy

Cruise Suzy

Posted
Posted (edited)

If I'm going to post sporadically, guess I'd better start!

 

Sunday, we left the Wyndham Gardens just before the check-out deadline of 11AM. Official boarding time was 1:40PM. The parking lot shuttle dropped us off at 11:35 and we were ushered right in - no line anywhere, no waiting. Not in a suite, didn't pay for Club Orange nor have high Mariner status. In our verandah stateroom before Noon.

 

Our muster station check-in was right next to where we ate - Grand Dutch Cafe, but no one was to be there until 1. Had an extra beverage while waiting. All bags were waiting when we returned. Got things unpacked, put away and everything else organized. Departure was scheduled for 4PM and we had to wait just a few minutes for Edge to clear. The PEV camera picked up the Rotterdam around 4:30. We had Beef Wellington in the MDR. DH tried the seafood Cocktail appetizer; I had French Onion Soup.

 

As usual, we stayed aboard at HMC. pizza from NY Pizza & Deli for lunch. Gala Night. Dined at Pinnacle. DH had lobster bisque and the larger filet. We think it was more than the advertised 10 oz - he left about a third of it. I had the crabcakes and small filet. Both filets were very tinder.

 

Tuesday was the Meet & Greet for our Roll Call, followed by a Slot Pull in the casino. Rueben and Club sandwiches were lunch. Ate in the MDR again for dinner. DH had upcharge shrimp cocktail and I had the French onion soup. He had salmon and I had the rustic lasagna.

 

Laundry is very fast service - what the stewards pick up in the morning is returned in the evening.

 

Til later - we're beginning to see land now.

 

Questions??

 

 

Edited by Cruise Suzy
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cruzingnut

cruzingnut

Posted
Posted

We got off when you got on so it will be nice to hear about the following cruise.  We had about 1,200 passengers onboard and we sure got spoiled being able to find places to sit around the pools!  Normally we never get to do that.  I'll miss that when cruising gets back up to capacity.  Enjoy your trip!

 

Linda R.

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RedneckBob

RedneckBob

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, aliaschief said:

We’ll be boarding next month for back to back cruises so we especially appreciate your cruise experiences. Thanks.

With ship half full the Speciality Restaurants are not busy and service excellent at MDR, Tamarand & Pinnacle Grille. Have been in and out in an hour. Captain said there are 1000 crew for the 1372 passengers

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RedneckBob

RedneckBob

Posted
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Follow on to HMC

 

It was a beautiful day. Approximately 1000 passengers went ashore. Part of Beach is closed near entry due to beach sand being washed away and rocks are exposed. Very unusual since area has not been hit by tropical system in several years. Water was perfect.

 

It appears the N. Statendam with be in HMC with the Rotterdam on next cruise.

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rkacruiser

rkacruiser

Posted
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42 minutes ago, Roz said:

I just checked a gala night menu and it has a jumbo shrimp cocktail listed in both places so I'm not sure what to tell you. 😁

 

I think there is a difference between the two.  The extra cost Shrimp Cocktail reminds me of the Shrimp Cocktail served in Sel de Mer.  

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Cruise Suzy

Cruise Suzy

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One sign that cruising is getting back to normal is that our room is being serviced twice a day as the norm, no need to request it. At least on the Rotterdam. Also, when we returned from dinner on Monday (Gala Night), we found "the elephant in the room" and two chocolates.

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RedneckBob

RedneckBob

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Cruise Suzy said:

One sign that cruising is getting back to normal is that our room is being serviced twice a day as the norm, no need to request it. At least on the Rotterdam. Also, when we returned from dinner on Monday (Gala Night), we found "the elephant in the room" and two chocolates.

I am on Deck 7 forward and did not get our elephant until Tuesday and still no chocolates. Maybe tonite.

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Cruise Suzy

Cruise Suzy

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58 minutes ago, RedneckBob said:

I am on Deck 7 forward and did not get our elephant until Tuesday and still no chocolates. Maybe tonite.

Sorry you didn't get chocolates. I'm in 7118 and started cruise 1 day shy of 2-star. So nothing special to warrant getting perks.

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jimmy2x

jimmy2x

Posted
Posted

I am also following along with interest. We will be on her for  b to b next year right about this time. Am hopeful that by then things will be back to normal. Managed to get a cabin on the 6th deck on the stern. Makes for some long walks, but the balcony is much larger and the view is great. 

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VMax1700 "Live from...." Rare

VMax1700

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, RedneckBob said:

Since I have not sailed on HAL in three years, when did HAL stop having professional entertainers in the showroom on these class of ships. Very surprised!

Only entertainment is Dance Company and some movies

What do you mean by 'professional entertainers'?  I'm sure that the dancers are paid, therefore they are professional.

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Cruise Suzy

Cruise Suzy

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Posted (edited)

Regarding the laundry, I've searched high & low for the tags that others have mentioned. They are nowhere to be seen on any of our returned items. We've had shirts, slacks, socks, underwear and pajamas laundered. No tags at all.

 

Ate at Canaletto last evening. Wednesday their special is veal liver, which I love. (I know many others, like DS and DD, can't stand the thought.) DH ordered it as well along with the Langoustine-Tomato soup. I had the hazelnut tart and he had the ricotta tart. We had a late breakfast and early dinner, so I just had bread pudding for lunch. Priorities, you know.

Edited by Cruise Suzy
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MISTER 67 Great Review Rare

MISTER 67

Posted
Posted
On 2/23/2022 at 10:53 AM, Cruise Suzy said:

If I'm going to post sporadically, guess I'd better start!

 

Sunday, we left the Wyndham Gardens just before the check-out deadline of 11AM. Official boarding time was 1:40PM. The parking lot shuttle dropped us off at 11:35 and we were ushered right in - no line anywhere, no waiting. Not in a suite, didn't pay for Club Orange nor have high Mariner status. In our verandah stateroom before Noon.

 

Our muster station check-in was right next to where we ate - Grand Dutch Cafe, but no one was to be there until 1. Had an extra beverage while waiting. All bags were waiting when we returned. Got things unpacked, put away and everything else organized. Departure was scheduled for 4PM and we had to wait just a few minutes for Edge to clear. The PEV camera picked up the Rotterdam around 4:30. We had Beef Wellington in the MDR. DH tried the seafood Cocktail appetizer; I had French Onion Soup.

 

As usual, we stayed aboard at HMC. pizza from NY Pizza & Deli for lunch. Gala Night. Dined at Pinnacle. DH had lobster bisque and the larger filet. We think it was more than the advertised 10 oz - he left about a third of it. I had the crabcakes and small filet. Both filets were very tinder.

 

Tuesday was the Meet & Greet for our Roll Call, followed by a Slot Pull in the casino. Rueben and Club sandwiches were lunch. Ate in the MDR again for dinner. DH had upcharge shrimp cocktail and I had the French onion soup. He had salmon and I had the rustic lasagna.

 

Laundry is very fast service - what the stewards pick up in the morning is returned in the evening.

 

Til later - we're beginning to see land now.

 

Questions??

 

 

Thanks for your take on things, we are sailing on the Rotterdam on March 20th. It will be interesting to see how many passengers we have on that cruise, we sailed on the Caribbean Princess twice in December and were spoiled as the ship was only about half full for both cruises.

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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
50 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Regarding the laundry, I've searched high & low for the tags that others have mentioned. They are nowhere to be seen on any of our returned items. We've had shirts, slacks, socks, underwear and pajamas laundered. No tags at all.

(This is if HAL has not changed the system.) 

You won't find any tags on underwear or socks. Things that come back in a basket are untagged. The remaining clothes usually have the tags on the inside of a hem, or a seam, or sometimes a neckline. I have had to search really hard sometimes to find the tag, but eventually I do find it. 
One time I either didn't find it, or forgot to look, or something, but I found it as soon as I wore that garment again! They are scratchy! 

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