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Reporting from on the Rotterdam January 14 through February 25

iflyrc5

By iflyrc5,
in Holland America Line

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15 hours ago, iflyrc5 said:

Sunny and smooth sailing on the Rotterdam today - pools were packed.

 

Here is the daily program for Valentines Day - 14 Feb - also Half Moon Cay.

 

Thanks for posting the daily schedules. We're doing the same itinerary in about a month, so it's been interesting to see what activities are offered. It seems like HAL is second to none in its enthusiasm for teaching people to fold origami. Seems to be a class offered nearly every day.

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leerathje

leerathje

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On 2/11/2023 at 6:52 PM, Catlover54 said:

I was recently on the Rotterdam for the first time, but for only 10 days, so I did not get a chance to check out a few things that I would like to know in preparation for another cruise on her (this next time will be with DH, who has specific questions to help him prepare, while my prior cruise recently was with a friend).  Apologies if this has been recently addressed elsewhere:

 

1.  Is the hot tub that is up near the cabanas open to all, or only open to guests who pay cabana fees (and if the latter, what do cabana fees run , absent a special, per day per person)? My DH loves hot tubs on ships, but not when they are in the middle of a loud, busy pool area.

 

2.  Are the hours for the hot tub near the cabanas the same as for the hot tubs and pools elsewhere (i.e., 8am-9pm)?

 

Related:  can you access the cabana area after 9PM (just to sit, and without service?).

 

3.  Can one get either Activia or some other probiotic enhanced yoghurt or super probiotic enhanced health drink on the ship (with or without advance special order/accomodation)? I did not see any at room service or at the two times I went for a late Lido breakfast.  I know there is regular Greek white yoghurt 

 

4.  I noticed there were no trays available for guest use  in the Lido or comfort food areas (Dive-in, NY pizza, Dutch cafe), which made it hard to transport a plate and a drink back to our cabin while still navigating elevator buttons etc.  (e.g., when there was no seating nearby and/or the area was too warm).  Lack of a tray also meant one had to walk several times to take food from the food lines to a table for a quick lunch (which can be challenging for those with unsteady gaits and/or when the ship is swaying a lot ). A crew member  whom I asked vaguely said it was to discourage food waste, and that crew are now also not given trays for this reason. 

 

Does anyone know if it would be permissible for a passenger to bring her own tray to use while on the trip, so she could carry things more easily in one trip, or is that forbidden (or is it perhaps allowed with an advance medical justification?).  

I also did not see enough staff in the Lido to help unsteady pax with their plates, e.g.,  when they had canes or their  seats were far away from the serving areas.  Are they perhaps allowed to ask one of the drinks staff to bring them something, or is it just expected that they go eat either in the main dining room or get room service, if they have problems carrying individual plates to the table?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies!

 

Ther are technically 2 trays in your room. There is a tray under you ice bucket.  Workd great for bringing coffees back from the Grand Dutch Cafe because the cups are very hot, even with the cardboard sleeve. There is also a tray under the sink you could use to bring food to your room.

 

Leanne

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iflyrc5

iflyrc5

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We didn't get the daily program for Wed which is our turn around day in FLL so can't post it but we did find a traveling duck this morning after breakfast as we were leaving the lido.  Also the beach at HMC had substantial erosion from a storm that went through Sunday and Monday.  A section about 100 yards was closed and lots of sand had been pushed out into the water.  In some areas you could go out to the rope area and still be only in waist deep water.

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Zanne208

Zanne208

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9 hours ago, iflyrc5 said:

We didn't get the daily program for Wed which is our turn around day in FLL so can't post it but we did find a traveling duck this morning after breakfast as we were leaving the lido.  Also the beach at HMC had substantial erosion from a storm that went through Sunday and Monday.  A section about 100 yards was closed and lots of sand had been pushed out into the water.  In some areas you could go out to the rope area and still be only in waist deep water.

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Thank you for all the time you put into these posts.

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leerathje

leerathje

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8 hours ago, iflyrc5 said:

We didn't get the daily program for Wed which is our turn around day in FLL so can't post it but we did find a traveling duck this morning after breakfast as we were leaving the lido.  Also the beach at HMC had substantial erosion from a storm that went through Sunday and Monday.  A section about 100 yards was closed and lots of sand had been pushed out into the water.  In some areas you could go out to the rope area and still be only in waist deep water.

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That's funny! That was me, trying to explain what a "cruising duck" was to the person holding the duck in the 30 seconds I had before the elevator came! Did you keep it?

 

L.

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iflyrc5

iflyrc5

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1 hour ago, leerathje said:

 

That's funny! That was me, trying to explain what a "cruising duck" was to the person holding the duck in the 30 seconds I had before the elevator came! Did you keep it?

 

L.

We hid it again so probably still on the ship

 

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bigbeergut

bigbeergut

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On 2/15/2023 at 4:01 AM, Ipeeinthepools said:

We had the same question about water depth.  Are you sure the water depth wasn’t an effect of the tide?  Low tide was at 8:23 am and high tide at 1:40 pm.   What time were you in the water?

 I think this is the answer to the difference in water level.

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iflyrc5

iflyrc5

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On 2/15/2023 at 4:01 AM, Ipeeinthepools said:

We had the same question about water depth.  Are you sure the water depth wasn’t an effect of the tide?  Low tide was at 8:23 am and high tide at 1:40 pm.   What time were you in the water?

We have been to HMC many times and were there Jan 26, Feb 14 and again today.  When talking to a life guard he said they have a bad storm on Feb 12/13 that washed out the beach sand.  In some areas you can be out by the ropes and it is only waist deep.  When there today they have opened up the section that was closed on Feb 14 - probably because we had 2 large ships in at the same time.

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Iloveretirement

Iloveretirement

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We are sailing on the Rotterdam Feb 25. Have there been any mechanical difficulties with the ship that caused you to miss any ports.? Our last trip to the Caribbean , a problem with one of the engines caused us to miss the first port. High winds prevented our ship from docking at two other islands ! .Is there a piano bar on board ?  Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

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bigbeergut

bigbeergut

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4 hours ago, Iloveretirement said:

We are sailing on the Rotterdam Feb 25. Have there been any mechanical difficulties with the ship that caused you to miss any ports.? Our last trip to the Caribbean , a problem with one of the engines caused us to miss the first port. High winds prevented our ship from docking at two other islands ! .Is there a piano bar on board ?  Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

When was your last trip on the Rotterdam?  I’m not aware of any propulsion issues.

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iflyrc5

iflyrc5

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18 hours ago, Iloveretirement said:

We are sailing on the Rotterdam Feb 25. Have there been any mechanical difficulties with the ship that caused you to miss any ports.? Our last trip to the Caribbean , a problem with one of the engines caused us to miss the first port. High winds prevented our ship from docking at two other islands ! .Is there a piano bar on board ?  Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

The Bill Board on Board is the piano folks - the old fashion piano bar is long gone.   No mechanical problems except on our first stop at Grand Turk several weeks ago they found a rope wrapped around the port Azipod prop that the had to bring it divers to remove.

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iflyrc5

iflyrc5

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We went to the 9:30pm show of the new on board singing group "The Knights".  It was a packed house and they were very good.  They will be doing a second show in a few days.

 

Here is the daily for Feb 19 - day at sea heading to Bonaire.

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AKJonesy

AKJonesy

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On 2/11/2023 at 2:25 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

Of course.  I do that for all surfaces daily including the sink.  I also do the phone, door handles and the remote and light switches.  Actually I do most of it twice a day.

On way to town I listened to a national radio program.  Both people recently had NORO.  Interesting, they did not know what it was until they heard it elsewhere and that it's at high levels.  That reminded me to bring my wipes for my March Caribbean trip on RD.  I also wipe the surfaces of everything in my stateroom as soon as I arrive and after anyone has been there.  I had norovirus on an Alaska cruise and was sooooo sick and NEVER want that again.  It really knocks you down.  

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