Clear Sailing!
Written: Feb 01 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Holland American Product / Quality
Cons: None
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| Der_Kaiser's Full Review: Holland America Westerdam |
MV Westerdam
Built: Jos L. Meyer Werft, Papenburg (Germany) (1986)
Officers: Mainly Dutch
Staff: Mainly Indonesian
Passenger / Crew Ratio: 2.5
Today’s Westerdam is in many respects a product of the beginning of the modern cruise industry. Originally constructed as the Homeric for the now defunct Home Lines in the mid eighties, it was later the subject of one of the first in a series of cruise industry projects involving a now common ship lengthening process. In essence a ship is cut in half and stretched in order to accommodate more passengers and public facilities. When Holland America lengthened this ship, it was considered to be one of the largest passenger vessels to be in operation. This was a time just before the giant boon for the creation of super cruise ships, such as the Carnival Fantasy Class vessels followed by much larger ships like the Carnival Dynasty and Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas. In the case of the Westerdam, the lengthening process added just less than 14,000 gross tons to the original 40,000. The length increased a considerable 130 feet, making the final footage from bow to stern a grand total of 798. Passenger capacity was increased to just under fifteen hundred, which surprisingly didn’t detract from the spacious atmosphere.
Like all Holland America ships, the Westerdam comes complete with a fine collection of art, which is proudly on display throughout the ship. A passenger may even receive a guided tour of the art in order to obtain an even greater knowledge and appreciation of these fine works.
The interior of the vessel is finely appointed with the normal high quality found on all ships of the line. I use the term fashionable restraint in order to describe the décor. Just a walk through the public rooms and traditional teak decks of this ship makes one feel as if he / she has been transported into the golden age of transatlantic travel, when ships like the Rotterdam V and France (now SS Norway) graced the North America to Europe route. Although not in the same league as the Rotterdam V and the France, there is much to be said for a ship like the Westerdam, which illuminates a style that is becoming harder to find outside the history books of passenger ships.
A passenger will find that the public rooms and spaces are generous and offer fine views for shows and dining. One of my favorite rooms is the rather large theater, which still shows recent movies, like ships did in the past, before completely replacing them with the VCR and in-cabin movie. Lucky for Westerdam passengers, there is a choice of both. Two of the busiest places on board during any voyage will be the Verandah Pool with a retractable glass dome, and of course the casino.
The food and service onboard any HAL ship is well above that offered on all other mass market cruise lines and the Westerdam is no exception. A passenger will also find quality entertainment that will make the evening all that much better. Staterooms on all Holland America ships are large by industry standards, and here too the Westerdam is no exception.
If you have not cruised on this ship or any other Holland America ship, be aware that the average passenger age is higher than those on lines such as Carnival or Norwegian. This is not meant to be negative, but rather valuable information for anyone interested in a certain type of cruise. There are a number of different cruise lines which generally offer a different type of product than the others and on occasion different products among there own fleet of ships. Generally speaking Holland America caters to an older crowd as a line, and the Westerdam fits somewhere in the middle of the fleet as far as passenger age. This would place the average Westerdam passenger somewhere in the 45 and up category. In recent years HAL has attempted to make its ships more child friendly. As much as I like the idea of families being able to travel together, I think it is an error in judgment on management's part, as it has changed the overall cruise experience that was always taken for granted on any Holland American ship. Since the parent company is Carnival Cruise Lines, which offers an amazing array of facilities for young children and teenagers alike, it is strange that they would change one of their products that was, and to some extent remains, distinct within the CCL family of companies.
Overall I would have no problem recommending this ship or any other Holland America vessel for a more upscale cruise experience.
FYI: I have taken almost 20 cruises on approximately 15 different cruise ships since 1979, and have a particular liking for Holland America. However, please note that there are many different cruise products and many are of top quality within their own category. Although I love HAL, I also have a deep liking for Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, Crystal, Seabourn, etc…
It would be a big mistake to compare a line like Carnival with Holland America, but equally wrong to compare Holland America with Crystal or Seabourn. They are all very different products and offer completely different experiences.
I believe that unless you have a serious phobia about sea travel there is at least one cruise line for you. But since not all cruise lines are the same, what may suit one persons needs may be contrary to your own. Therefore, do your research before you take your cruise, so that your trip may be all that you should expect and want. A good cruise specialist can’t hurt either.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Der_Kaiser
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Member: Tim
Location: Staten Island, New York
Reviews written: 23
Trusted by: 28 members
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