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Hard as it is for even me to believe, this was my first cruise to Alaska, so my family and I decided to take Oosterdam's 7-day Inside Passage itinerary from Seattle to Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Victoria, B.C. and Hubbard Glacier. We loved every one of the destinations for different reasons: Juneau for its charming downtown at the foot of majestic fog-shrouded peaks, Ketchikan for the thrilling ziplining adventure through spruce and cedar treetops, Sitka for its nature conservatory and mirror lakes, Victoria for its wonderfully accessible seaside walkways and charming cafes. (Tip: Check out Nourish Cafe, 225 Quebec St., right on the waterfront, for farm-to-table goodness.) An hours-long encounter with majestic Hubbard Glacier, with its blue ice and frozen tundra, was teeth-chattering but a raw reminder of the Alaska ecosystem's fragility. The four-hour whale-watching excursion in Auke Bay with Gastineau Guiding was also well worth it.
An hours-long encounter with majestic Hubbard Glacier, with its blue ice and frozen tundra, was teeth-chattering but a raw reminder of the Alaska ecosystem's fragility. The four-hour whale-watching excursion in Auke Bay with Gastineau Guiding was also well worth it.
Dining proved to be one of the highlights and unexpected pleasures aboard Oosterdam, with reservations easy to make and a pleasant variety of choices. The ship offers both As You Wish (anytime) dining as well as set seating times.
Master chef Rudi Sodamin oversees a kitchen that offers extensive dining options, including "light and healthy" items, continental and ethnic cuisines, and vegetarian dishes. The alternative dining venues cost a bit extra but I found the added value well worth it.
You won't find a shortage of bars and lounges aboard Oosterdam. Choices include the posh Gallery Bar (pictured above), stylish Ocean Bar, cozy Pinnacle Bar, Explorer's Lounge next to Lincoln Center Stage and the Lido Bar and Sea View Bar on the deck 9 next to the two pools. The Neptune Lounge is available to Penthouse and Deluxe Verandah Suite guests. The Queen's Lounge served chiefly as the venue for the B.B. King All-Star Band shows.
In addition to the winning cuisine and diverting excursions, I was also pleasantly surprised by the quality of the entertainment on board. Just after the cruise ended I posted video interviews of the lead singers in the B.B. King All-Star Band and with three of the musicians with Lincoln Center Stage. Here were some of the entertainment highlights:
There was also piano music, a comedian who was fairly entertaining and a cast of Billboard Onboard performers singing familiar pop hits whom we found less than enthralling.
Some of the top activities on Oosterdam during our sailing included:
Fun could also be had at the casino, watching big-screen movies, playing cards and bridge, art auctions, learning Windows 10 and one of our favorites: afternoon tea time. Note that Holland America doesn't do the amusement park at sea thing, so you won't find waterslides, bumper cars, rock climbing or simulated skydiving.
On an Alaska cruise, you really need to snag a veranda stateroom to watch the passing show, but we like balconies on just about any cruise. On Oosterdam 639 of the cabins have balconies — that's two-thirds of all staterooms. Our balcony stateroom, coming in at 200 square feet, was a tight fit for three people (including a teen) but had all the amenities we needed: two double beds, a sofa bed, small desk, TV offering a handful of cable channels (MSNBC, CNN, ESPN) plus an on-demand catalog of movies that weren't half bad. The bathroom had a nice shower-tub combo that offered shower gel, conditioner and shampoo.
Other room options include the posh Penthouse Verandah Suites (1,000 square feet plus 318-square-foot balconies). Deluxe and Superior Verandah Suites come in at 398 to 700 square feet if you include balcony footage. All suites feature dressing rooms, sofa beds, whirlpool tubs, separate shower stalls and dual vanities.
The ship also has 154 Standard Inside cabins (170 to 200 square feet) and 165 Standard Outside cabins (185 square feet).
Holland America welcomes children, but it's not known as a cruise line that appeals to families with young kids. That said, you'll find:
Oosterdam embraces the latest industry and environment-friendly technologies such as her use of a diesel-electric power plant for optimal energy efficiency and an Azipod propulsion system that maximizes maneuverability.
To be candid, Internet sucked throughout the voyage — which is still par for the course for most cruise lines today, alas. Wi-fi download speed topped out at 1.16 Mbps and upload speed was 0.38 Mbps. At times I couldn't get online for 10 straight minutes or more. I waited until I was on shore to upload most of my photos and videos to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, though I did have one troubling incident where my iPhone's signal was hijacked by Cellular at Sea.
Expect to pay $13.50 per person per day for the excellent service you'll receive if you stay in a veranda, oceanview or inside cabin; those staying in suites pay $15 per person per day.
For pricing, itinerary information and to reserve your spot on Oosterdam, contact a Cruiseable travel consultant by email or call 1-877-322-3773.
