On the Rotterdam, they have removed the Java Cafe and turned the existing Library/Internet Cafe/card room into the Explorations Cafe, where you can buy specialty coffees, pastries (free), listen to music, read, or use the internet cafe in a very nice relaxed setting.

Rotterdam is a wonderful ship.

[ 05-20-2005: Message edited by: sympatico ]

Nice to hear you will be sailing with the MS Rotterdam! Which cruise will you do? I am onboard from July - January as a cadet officer, looking very forward to it.

Kind regards,

Greetings Ben.

The Rotterdam as Diane said is a wonderfull ship an modern classic grand dame to cruise ore work on.
Have a wonderfull time.

[ 05-20-2005: Message edited by: Maasdam ]

quote:

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Originally posted by kit:
thanks sympatico,for your reaction.I believe that for the moment only the Rijndam has already the SOE.I hope that the rotterdam is ready when we go.

Rob,we are going on the cruise from 31 of august .For me ,it is a dream to start a cruise on the Rotterdam from Rotterdam.What can be more right than that.What is your job on board ,as a cadet officer?And is this the first hal ship you are working on?

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Hallo Kit.

The Rotterdam have some of the amenities in place the whole transformation will be ready in the spring of this year.

HAL profide on there website an PDF file with the shedule fore the rebuilding and upgrading of the fleet.
Signature of Excellence Update april 2005

Ore go to the Signature of Excellence page.
Signature of Excellence

Greetings Ben.

It's a dream to sail frome Rotterdam on the Rotterdam.

[ 05-20-2005: Message edited by: Maasdam ]

quote:

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Originally posted by kit:
hi Ben,you must be excited to go to alaska on the Zaandam.You are going earlyer, so you can tell me all about the experience of cruising a HAL ship.
I did that once,but that was in 1971,as a young girl,on the amsterdam,just before she stopped cruising from europe.So i also don't know what to expect.But it must be wonderfull.I must admit,that i found every cruise i made, was terrific,(well,almost every cruise),but there are differences.Hope you have a wonderful vacation. greetings KIT

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Oh Kit you have cruise the t.s.s. Nieuw Amsterdam 2 What an experians fore a child/adults must that have been. Do you remember that sailing. Indeed 1971 marks the end off 98 years HAL trans atlantic service. And Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Europe say goodbay to the Grand dame t.s.s. Nieuw Amsterdam 2.

Kit have an wonderfull time a/b the Rotterdam.

Greetings Ben.

[ 05-20-2005: Message edited by: Maasdam ]

quote:

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Originally posted by eroller:
I just came off the OOSTERDAM a few weeks ago. Most of the Signature of Excellence features were in place. They were all nice but the one that mattered most to me was the beds. They are fantastic!

Ernie

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Weren't they fanstastic, Ernie? I have never had a better night's sleep as I had when we were on the Westerdam. And how did you like those nice big fluffy bath towels?

How did you find the ship - too big? For me it was and I found I did a lot of walking and lost my way many times. I guess I am so used to the other HAL ships, which don't have any bends are curves in the hallways.

We had an SS suite and couldn't get over the space - double sinks in the bathroom and a separate shower stall besides the bathtub with shower.

[ 05-20-2005: Message edited by: sympatico ]

Pam
[Did you fall off the bed then Sympatico? They were high and I had to sort of give a 'jump' to get on]

[ 05-21-2005: Message edited by: PamM ]

quote:

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Originally posted by sympatico:

How did you find the ship - too big? For me it was and I found I did a lot of walking and lost my way many times. I guess I am so used to the other HAL ships, which don't have any bends are curves in the hallways.

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I quite enjoyed the cruise, and I felt HAL had greatly improved the product from a cruise I took a couple years ago on MAASDAM. I thought the decor on OOSTERDAM was a bit odd, but that's just my personal preference. As far as food, service, and entertainment goes .... no complaints from me.

The size of the ship seemed fine to me. Not too big or too small, but I think I'm getting used to larger and larger ships.

quote:

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Originally posted by PamM:
Agreed here, the beds on Westerdam were wonderful, not conducive to getting up in the mornings.

Pam
[Did you fall off the bed then Sympatico? They were high and I had to sort of give a 'jump' to get on]

[ 05-21-2005: Message edited by: PamM ]

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No, Pam - just made a mistake in editing, so decided to remove the whole post.

They were high, weren't they. Almost needed a foot stool to step on to get into bed.