Great room and staff, marginal dining
Oosterdam Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 64
Review summary
The Specialty and Fine dining was grossly misrepresented and 3 star at best. After trying the Pinnacle and Canaletto restaurants, we saw no reason to try the other two. The Canaletto was anything but a fine dining experience. It was just a section of the buffet dining area that was sequester in the evenings. Quality was very average at both. Some of the excursions were great and others not so much. We could have saved money and had a better experience in Victoria with the Bouchart Gardens by just taking a Taxi to and from the ship, arriving earlier, and skipping the fireworks.Embarkation
Ok. No real problems.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Fine and specialty dining was very mediocre. After three attempts, we all opted for the buffet. There is no acceptable beverage package offered. Usually, suites allow for at least free water and often include non premium beer, wine, and basic drinks. None of this was included on the Oosterdam.
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
No kids
Service and Staff
On board ship personnel were very accommodating and trying hard to please.
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Stewards did great job. Relatively spacious. Great bathroom for a ship.
Ship tip
Skip the three star at best fine and specialty dining areas. You will do as well or better in the Lido buffet.
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
We spent the day before and the day after the cruise in Seattle. Typical big city. Lots of homeless people. Strangely, we encountered a higher percentage of cigarette smokers than any major city in recent memory. Disgusting.
We did the Mendenhall Glacier helicopter tour and were very pleased with the experience.
We did the Tongrass Hike, and it was very +/-. Instead of the described hiking in the woods, we had an out of shape lady take us on a manicured route that included retracing paths, walking on highways. Very tame. Additionally, according to our guide, every plant in the forest can cure some disease. It got pretty old.
We did the bear and salmon hatchery tour. It was ok, but it was all black bears.
We had hoped for a grizzly experience, but it was still ok.
Way to brief. Understanding logistics dictate the timing, It was still uncomfortable timing. We would have liked more time in the Bouchart gardens with more daylight. The fireworks were basically what we had seen in any number of places and not worth the traffic and getting back at midnight.
Disembarkation
Easy enough.