"LIVE" from the Westerdam / 3-09-08

[MomtoCCC]

Radio,

 

I'm loving your "live" cruise. I've only sailed RCCL but this has me interested in trying other cruiselines. A few questions.. are there any kids on board? Have you heard anything about the kids program? What would you say is the average age on board?

 

Thanks!

[our turn]

Thank you so much for this live report. Your pictures are fantastic and bring back such great memories. It sure does make it hard to be in my office!

[RuthC]

Chair saving ? ;)

 

 

I'm not seeing any chair saving in that picture---at least not in the foreground. Perhaps further away? I can't tell.

The towels are placed like that by the stewards so you don't have to get your own.

[Sea Island Lady]

Radio, your photos are just great and are bringing back lots of good memories. I didn't take many pictures on our cruise so am going to send a link to this thread to several family members so they can see just how gorgeous the ship is.

 

Now, the favor I'm asking. DH and I will be on the Westerdam's sister ship the Zuiderdam next January. We're in SY5001 which is all the way forward on the starboard side of the ship. It has a balcony on the side but a window looking out to a forward deck.

 

If you get a chance in your roaming around the ship could you go out to the forward deck on the Verandah Deck and take some photos of what that window looks like and even a sneak peak around the corner at the balcony if that's possible and not too intrusive.

 

That would be just great. And if you don't want to post the picture here you could send it to me at bdglass at charter dot net.

 

Thank you so much!

 

Beth

Beth - Did you see this thread of mine the other say? It has some close-up photos of that window and the balcony. Look at post #13 from Copper10-80: ;)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=731351

[RuthC]

Hey does the glass door to your balcony a sliding one or a regular one?

 

I can answer that one. The doors open out toward the balcony. No sliding doors which I would have preferred.

The doors are set up so that they close behind you.

If the door were to be left open it would shut off the HVAC system for every other cabin on that line. The other cabins can be inside, or even on other decks! :eek:

Not good for the others. :(

[hylasgirl]

I'm not seeing any chair saving in that picture---at least not in the foreground. Perhaps further away? I can't tell.

The towels are placed like that by the stewards so you don't have to get your own.

 

I am pretty sure he was teasing....

[TPKeller]

I'm not seeing any chair saving in that picture---at least not in the foreground. Perhaps further away? I can't tell.

The towels are placed like that by the stewards so you don't have to get your own.

Ha ha, yeah it could appear that way since only the middle section has towels. The near section and the far section (and even the third row of the middle section!) do not appear to have towels, so one could think that a big group came early and saved that section! ;)

 

Theron

[CrystalWater]

Radio,

 

I'm loving your "live" cruise. I've only sailed RCCL but this has me interested in trying other cruiselines. A few questions.. are there any kids on board? Have you heard anything about the kids program? What would you say is the average age on board?

 

Thanks!

 

I would definitely say the average age is many years older than the average age on RCCL. They are a completely different experience. RCCL is definitely more upbeat and has a younger crowd in general. Holland is known to be the cruise line for the older in age in general, but, that said, it's also very classy and relaxing. I enjoy both types of cruises - the younger crowd more upbeat ones, and Holland and Celebrity's class and more relaxing. I actually enjoy all of the cruise lines except NCL for different reasons. Even Carnival was fun!

[RuthC]

I am pretty sure he was teasing....

Perhaps. But with the "?" after the picture title, I thought it was questionable in Radio's mind.

In either case there may be readers on this thread who aren't aware of the practice, and they could think rolled towels on the chairs were placed by chairhogs. They aren't.

[FL_Cruiser64]

Yet another great thread by Radio. :D

 

But where are all the people? Is Radio sailing by himself?

[FL_Cruiser64]

I would definitely say the average age is many years older than the average age on RCCL. They are a completely different experience. RCCL is definitely more upbeat and has a younger crowd in general. Holland is known to be the cruise line for the older in age in general, but, that said, it's also very classy and relaxing. I enjoy both types of cruises - the younger crowd more upbeat ones, and Holland and Celebrity's class and more relaxing. I actually enjoy all of the cruise lines except NCL for different reasons. Even Carnival was fun!

 

So on RCI we have

 

main seating and second seating

 

and on HAL they have

 

'early bird seating'?

;)

 

Seriously, what is the average age on HAL?

[yortkrause]

Perhaps my cruises on HAL have been the exception. I would say that the average age on the HAL cruises I've been on is late 40's to early 60's. Every cruise had plenty of children on board however not the numbers that you would find on RCC or Carnival.

 

I did not see anyone with a walker on board as has been suggested on many threads, nor did I see a lack of enthusiastic cruisers doing everything from belly flop contests too seeing how many people can stuff golf balls in the swimming suits.

 

No rock wall or skating rink, just a feeling of elegant relaxing cruising. Isn't that what being on a cruise is all about?

[Desdemona01]

So on RCI we have

 

main seating and second seating

 

and on HAL they have

 

'early bird seating'?

;)

 

Seriously, what is the average age on HAL?

 

that question doesn't have just one answer. On the 7-day Vista-class cruises the demographics are much younger and include more families. On the longer cruises, as with ALL cruise lines, the ages skew older.

 

And, age is really a state of mind. I've met plenty of crabby younger people and warm and fun older people....

[innlady1]

So on RCI we have

 

main seating and second seating

 

and on HAL they have

 

'early bird seating'?

;)

 

Seriously, what is the average age on HAL?

On HAL, there are two seatings. The upper level is Fixed Seating, the lower level Open Seating.

Someone on our cruise said that the average age on ours was 72. I'm not sure if that's accurate or not. We're usually too busy enjoying ourselves to do an age poll! ;)

Ours was a 10 day cruise. 7 day cruises usually attract a younger demographic.

[Fruitcake]

In either case there may be readers on this thread who aren't aware of the practice, and they could think rolled towels on the chairs were placed by chairhogs. They aren't.

 

Very neat chairhogs! :D

[RuthC]

Seriously, what is the average age on HAL?

77 years, 3 months. The Spring Breakers bring the average down. ;)

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Hi Radio! I 'just' found ya! Guess I will have to backtrack a week and read instead of travelling with. Arrgghh, hate when real life gets in the way of cruise critic!

Cant wait to read through!

 

(blonde moment, realizing you just sailed out a few days back. I MUST need a cruise,lol)

[razman]

Just came off the Westerdam on Sunday, reading your reports makes me feel like I'm still there. Thank you.

[FL_Cruiser64]

77 years, 3 months. The Spring Breakers bring the average down. ;)

 

lmao :D

 

Thanks to everybody else. I was just curious because you always hear that HAL ships are floating retirement homes. I certainly do not show up on the HAL board and ask if HAL cruisers are old...;)

 

So knowing Radio and his reports from the RCI board I just grabbed the opportunity to hijack his thread for a moment.

 

You all are certainly good spirited and humorous. BTW, we are in the mid 40 range. So, by the standards of my son: old!

:D;)

[bucsfan100]

I know a couple other people have asked this, but I haven't seen an answer so .......

 

Radio, can you tell us what kind of camera you are using? The pictures are really awesome and I have been looking into a new camera for our cruise to Alaska on the Westerdam this June.

 

Thanks alot!!!

[PH8]

too seeing how many people can stuff golf balls in the swimming suits.

 

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww~~~~~~~~ let me guess..........Carnival??;)

[lovetocruise75]

Hey Radio,

 

Hope your having a great time!

 

I believe you were in Cozumel today, correct?

 

How did it look? Amy and I were there in December of 05', shortly after the Cat 5 hurricane destroyed everything. Have the hotels been rebuilt?

 

Rick

[Radio]

I know a couple other people have asked this, but I haven't seen an answer so .......

 

Radio, can you tell us what kind of camera you are using? The pictures are really awesome and I have been looking into a new camera for our cruise to Alaska on the Westerdam this June.

 

Thanks alot!!!

 

I have several, but the one I am using mostly on this Cruise is a Sony DSC-W50. It is very small and easy to put in my pocket ! Thanks for the nice comments. . .

 

Radio

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[TPKeller]

According to Cruisecal, here is the itinerary of Westerdam this week:

 

Sunday - Ft. Lauderdale

Monday - Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Tuesday - Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos

Wednesday - At Sea

Thursday - Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Friday - Cozumel, Mexico

Saturday - At Sea

Sunday - Ft. Lauderdale

 

I'm betting Radio doesn't want to be in Cozumel just quite yet! :)

 

Theron

[Radio]

Hey Radio,

 

Hope your having a great time!

 

I believe you were in Cozumel today, correct?

 

How did it look? Amy and I were there in December of 05', shortly after the Cat 5 hurricane destroyed everything. Have the hotels been rebuilt?

 

Rick

 

 

Hello Rick !

We are at Sea today, and tomorrow is Grand Cayman, Friday is Cozumel. I will post a report on how the Hotels are doing. . . I plan on visiting one of the Hotel beaches. :)

 

The hotels were very bad when I was there last too. . .

 

Radio

:rolleyes: