Great Adventure
Oosterdam Cruise Review to Europe - Eastern Mediterranean
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 1 cruise (first)
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 10
Review summary
For my first open water cruise it was great. I like the fact that you can see a lot of different places without having to unpack and repack and if you're tired of shore you can just sit back and relax. well worth it for me.Embarkation
Holland America makes boarding easy. If you use their transports you are greeted at the airport, directed to a bus where your luggage is loaded on. You are then driven to the port where as your luggage is unloaded from the bus it is handed off and delivered to your cabin.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The buffet was above average. Plenty of choices for all apetites.
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Looked in on some of the shows hut didn't really stay to enjoy the whole featyre.
Service and Staff
MY room steward was fantastic. Somehow, even though I'm sure he dealt with many guests he managed to remember my name and greet me with a smile whenever he saw me. Great service. My room was always spotless after he visited, and my ice bucket was full.
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
For one person it was quite spacious. For two people and their luggage it might have been a little tight, but liveable.
Ship tip
For me, the laundry service option was quite helpful. It allowed me to pack fewer articles of clothing so I had more room for souvenirs.
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
You can step off the ship and be in the port city. Walkable. Lots of shopping, dining and some beaches, though I was told the better beaches are in other locales.
One of my main reasons for choosing this particular cruise. Went to the Grand Bazaar twice. Both times were great. I'm 73 and I was not too intimidated by the craziness. Explore the side lanes. Had a Turkish dinner tour. Wonderful samole of Turkish cuisine.
For ancient history buffs and people interested in religious history this was THE place. well preserved, large (and still growing, they unearth more every day).
Disembarkation
My first open water cruise. It was a much easier disembarkation than I was prepared for. My bags were taken to the processing station where I picked them up and then I was outside. I thought the process would take more time so I ended up having to wait a long time for my ride. My bad.