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Just returned, HAL's ms Rotterdam in the Baltics
Greetings, RTC'ers,
I hope everyone is enjoying a great summer! We just returned from a 12-night cruise on HAL's ms Rotterdam from Rotterdam to Copenhagen with stops in Oslo, Norway; Arhus, Denmark; Warnemunde, Germany; Tallinn, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; and Stockholm, Sweden. We spent time in The Netherlands pre-cruise and in Copenhagen and London post-cruise. We traveled as a party of 5 adults and 3 kids spanning the ages 12 to a very active 82. The itinerary was grand and the driving force behind our selection of the HAL ms Rotterdam. Once interested, we couldn't pass on a "flash" sale of cabins about 45 days pre-sail. Our cruise experience on the Rotterdam, however, was just "okay." The ship is quite lovely (she's HAL's flagship, and it shows); our staterooms were very comfortable (love those Euro pillow-topped mattresses) and well-appointed (we lucked out on our guaranteed booking and were assigned the highest category of OV's in a convenient amidships location); and the Signature of Excellence enhancements are nice, especially HAL's creation of a New York Times co-branded Internet cafe and library/multimedia center (one great place to hang out!). The food and entertainment as we experienced them on this cruise were not a good fit for us, though, and with the exception of our stateroom attendant, who I'm delighted to report was the best we've ever had, service generally was not up to par (there had been staffing cutbacks on this ship). We were fortunate to unexpectedly take a "just for fun" Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Miracle in June, so with two cruises fresh in mind, it's easy to make comparisons. Curiously, our HAL and Carnival cruises are sides A and B of the same record (yeah, how old am I to talk about records??!)--we thought the food and service on Carnival were top notch, but the ship was ugly! Based on what we've seen on 13 cruises over the past 5-1/2 years since we've discovered cruising--and we've now cruised on all of the mainstream lines except Disney, plus enjoyed one small ship river cruise experience--our family's happiest on Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean (in no particular order--each has its strengths and weaknesses). Celebrity is still a question mark--she failed to impress when we tried the Millie in the Med last summer--and we just don't think HAL or NCL are good fits for our tastes and interests. YMMV We go back to school early in Texas, so considering post-trip catch-up and back-to-school chores, I doubt I will get a trip report prepared soon enough to be of benefit to anyone who may be going to the Baltics before the season is over or cruising on the Rotterdam soon. However, I am happy to answer any questions. BTW, the current production of Guys and Dolls in London featuring Ewen McGregor as Sky Masterson is unexpectedly magical! I wholeheartedly recommend it to any of you who may be in London in the next few months. Ewen is the draw, to be sure, and he is surprisingly good on stage, but the runaway stars are the American singer/actress Jane Krakowski who plays Miss Adelaide and, collectively, the ensemble cast of actors/singers/dancers who play the missionaries and the gamblers, plus the orchestra. The normally reserved British audience (compared to Broadway theatre goers) went wild at the end of a contagiously enthusiastic, "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat." This musical (new to the West End and slated for a short run, at least with the current cast) is very popular with residents, and our performance was SRO--the first time I've ever seen folks pay to stand at the back! Anyway, another memorable travel experience, moving right into anticipation mode for the next.... Smooth sails to all, Diana Ball near Houston, TX |
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