4.000 tour guests.

Lido restaurant 12.500 guests.
They ordered 7.500 coffee, 2500 thee, 4.500 glasses wine, 4.000 glasses of beer, 3.500 pieces of apple pie.

Club Room restaurant 700 guest.

Hotel department received that week alone 1500 reservations.

On shore Off shore party catering trail running since December 2009 welcomed more then 10.000 guest on board high point the meeting of the Lijn Foundation on Sunday January 30 2.884 guest.

Quite impressive, they are starting weekend evening party's and offer high tea and brunches on Saturday and Sunday. She's a hit.

Greetings Ben.

[ 05-19-2010: Message edited by: Maasdam ]

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Originally posted by NorwayViking:
Great, I hope to get time to go there later this year.

Any suggestions what kind of cabin I should book the get the
best ocean-liner feeling? Are some cabins more authentic then others?

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Look on there site Fore explanation of the cabins. "De Rotterdam"

quote:

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:
From what I have read, the wonderful main public rooms such as the theatre, Ambassador Room, both dining rooms, smoking room, Queens lounge and the lovely Ritz Carlton etc. are off limits to hotel guests and cannot be seen even w/the tour. Is that true?

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Yes this is right, but I have heared that some hotel guest walked around and not have be holded back by staff. They are still planning a new tour through the lounges and bars of the ship. This tour is planned only in the weekends.

quote:

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:
From what I have read, the wonderful main public rooms such as the theatre, Ambassador Room, both dining rooms, smoking room, Queens lounge and the lovely Ritz Carlton etc. are off limits to hotel guests and cannot be seen even w/the tour. Is that true?

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Indeed, all those spaces are out of limit for hotelguests. The greatest problems ar on Saturdaynights, when the Ocean Bar is overcrowded, while you can look into an empty Queens Lounge.
Speaking about the Ocean Bar. It starts te be weared out. The walls are damaged by the furniture and the carpet has started to look terrible.

As per information I received, it seems that the negotiations about giving access to the lounges for visitors (hotelguest or not) are very tough.
I am afraid it will take a long time before any access will be possible.

Meanwhile it has been reported that management of both the owner and the hotel are not giving any answers of feedback to complaints from many visitors.

Sounds like they are only allowing access to places where people spend money.

Personally I would have been pissed if, during my two stays on Queen Mary, I wasn't able to see a majority of her public rooms.

quote:

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Originally posted by linerguy:
If the public rooms are off limits, I don't see the point of going.

Sounds like they are only allowing access to places where people spend money.

-Russ

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If they want people to spend money, they should open the lounges and staff the bars.

On Saturday nights, the Ocean Bar is overcrowded, so why don't they hire a musician and open the Queens Lounge, man the bar and you will have more people spending their money.

Having Affligem beer on the Lido was also a special treat.

The thing I was not aware of (either because it has not been mentioned or I simply missed it), is the splendid film called Rotterdam Experience. It uses new and archival film to give an idea what a crossing was like c. 1959. The wardrobe, hair, and makeup is perfectly executed! In fact, I watched the film twice "from the rails." I laughed out loud at the 3-way shot of suitcases being unpacked... father, mother, and young son.

My guide for the engine room tour was also entertaining and knowledgeable, and while I am no "gear head" I really liked the time far below decks.

Back at the bar, I was examining my book purchases and struck up a conversation with 2 former crew members from the Dutch fleet. One was on the Rotterdam in the '70's for her world cruises. It was an awesome conversation!