Cruise holidays: What it’s like to sail on Holland America’s Oosterdam

Mykonos, one of the ports of call on a Mediterranean cruise with Holland Amercia. Photo / Getty Images

They had me at the name: “Aegean Sunsets”. From the moment I boarded New Holland Line’s Oosterdam in Athens that early afternoon, it was clear they would deliver. Just hours later, I was mesmerised by the stunning twilight from our stateroom veranda as we sailed across the Aegean Sea. I add “does what it says on the tin” to the list of this Holland America itinerary’s favourable first impressions.

Having been a keen student of Classical Studies at high school (with the odd uni paper later on), it has been a long-held goal of mine to visit this part of the world, and the promise of a whirlwind Greek islands cruise has been too tempting to resist.

Holland America's MS Oosterdam. Photo / Supplied

This is my third ocean cruise, but my first with Holland America Line (HAL). It is celebrating its 150th sailing anniversary in 2023. Oosterdam (pronounced with an “oh” rather than an “ooh”, though both are apt - “oost” being Dutch for East) is a Vista Class ship, designed so that 85 per cent of the staterooms have ocean views and 67 per cent have verandas. It’s the largest cruise ship I’ve ever sailed on, measuring 285m in length and with a stated capacity for 1964 passengers. Curiously, though, it’s actually a chocka 2040 on our sailing, which coincides with the Northern Hemisphere summer holidays, so many of the families onboard have bunks in their staterooms.

Our own stateroom is on deck 7, at the aft of the ship - a good place to be in rough seas. Although that’s not tested in the perfect weather we experience during our week onboard. We’re close to the aft elevators, and we find their proximity is a convenience rather than a curse.

A stateroom balcony on a Holland America Line cruise ship. Photo / Supplied

Those favourable first impressions start the moment we open our stateroom door. Our luggage is already waiting for us inside, and at 20sq m, our cabin is small but perfectly formed - a better layout, and with better amenities, than the boutique cruise ship I last sailed on. Unpacking is an easy task with plentiful wardrobe space and drawers, and our empty cases stow out of sight beneath the twin beds, made up with high-quality linens and pillows. There’s a couch and chair, a desk with a mirror and stool, curtains to partition off sections of the cabin (helpful if an afternoon nap is required), a widescreen TV, and thoughtful extras like a hairdryer, magnified makeup mirror and fluffy bathrobes with slippers.

The bathroom is particularly impressive, featuring a shower over a bath, and toiletries from luxury UK brand Elemis. And that veranda, from which I’ll soon be snapping pics of glorious sunsets, has a table and chairs, footstools and a glass balustrade so it feels like there’s nothing between me and the ocean. It’s the perfect place to enjoy the canapes, macarons and bubbles that have been waiting for us, and toast our good fortune.

Before we know it, it’s approaching dinnertime, so we head to the two-storey Dining Room, HAL’s flagship restaurant. Conversations flow as freely as the cocktails as we peruse the menu, which changes daily; it’s not extensive, but there’s enough variety with six starters and eight main courses to choose from along with two or three staples that remain throughout the cruise, and an extra “port to table” option which brings guests some of the culinary traditions from the ship’s current destination.

Food on board Holland America's MS Oosterdam. Photo / Supplied

I invoke my self-imposed lobster rule (if there’s lobster on the menu, I must order it - I also have a creme brulee rule) and decide on filet mignon with lobster tail, the classic surf and turf. While most of the menu is included in the cruise fare, there’s a small surcharge for this dish of US$18 ($30), which I feel is fair - it’s generously proportioned, cooked to perfection and comes with a side dish of flair as the tail is shelled at the table by our waiter. And would you look at that - there is creme brulee on the menu!

Fully sated, we stroll to Mainstage, a two-storey theatre where polished cruise director Nick Hollevoet walks and talks us through Holland America’s history: a more fascinating story than I’d anticipated, with HAL beginning in Rotterdam in 1873 and sealing its legacy by transporting hundreds of thousands of emigrants from the Netherlands to North America in just its first 25 years.

And then it’s back to our stateroom, where the attendant has turned down the beds and left some after-dinner treats to enjoy alongside that stunning Aegean sunset. It’s hard to imagine a better first impression - but this exceptional expedition has only just begun. Here’s a whirlwind look at this whirlwind cruise.

Istanbul, one of the highlight ports of call on a Mediterranean cruise with Holland Amercia. Photo / Getty Images

THE SIGHTS

Our seven-night cruise takes us from Piraeus (Athens), down through the Dardanelles (where we pass right by Gallipoli), overnighting in Turkey’s Istanbul (an absolute highlight), a day on Mykonos followed by a day on Souda in Crete, a further day exploring Katakolon (Olympia), then a day at sea before arriving in Italy’s Trieste, near Venice. The weather for the entire trip is idyllic, with day temperatures around 30C and sailing conditions perfect.

STAYING CONNECTED

It’s important to remember that even when you have a roaming package for your phone, exorbitant “at sea” rates apply once you leave port - the Wi-Fi package we purchase at US$35 each per day gives (unlike some other cruise lines) fast, reliable connection that supports video calling, so we’re able to switch our phones to flight mode and avoid a nasty bill upon arriving home. HAL’s Navigator app is also a wonderful innovation to plan your daily activities, browse and purchase shore excursions, view restaurant menus, make dining reservations, check your account balance and more.

THE GUESTS

As with any cruise, the majority of passengers are 50+, though there are a lot of families on board (in some cases, spanning several generations). Most are from the US, though we hear a variety of languages and accents throughout our voyage - and even meet a couple one morning at breakfast who live just five minutes drive from us back home. As the old song goes: it’s a small world after all.

FOOD AND DRINKS

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the fare, with the choice of the upmarket Dining Room or more casual Lido Market, while Dive In serves burgers and hotdogs by the pool from late morning til early evening. Twenty-four-hour room service from an extensive menu is also inclusive; we opt for breakfast in our stateroom most mornings, and delivery is always prompt.

In addition, there are two speciality restaurants that require bookings and incur a small surcharge: Pinnacle Grill, which specialises in steak and seafood; and Canaletto, with delicious Italian fare that I would happily dine at every night for the rest of my life, waistband notwithstanding. The dinner I have here (calamari, followed by braised beef gnocchi and finished with affogato) is outstanding.

We’ve bought a drinks package (US$17.95 each per day) which covers water, sodas, milkshakes, mocktails and speciality coffees at Exploration Cafe, but with complimentary beverages served during restaurant meals this is by no means a must. Alcoholic beverage packages are also available and are a good option if you like to imbibe throughout the day.

KEEPING BUSY

It’s clear from the get-go that there’s something for everyone on board Oosterdam. Travelling with kids? Club HAL caters for tots, while High Score is a fun kids-only space for 7-17-year-olds, with plenty of organised games throughout the ship and throughout the trip for tweens and teens.

Wanting to find your tribe? There are daily meetups for LGBTQ+ and friends; for singles and solo travellers; for young adults; for ex-military; and for friends of Bill W.

Fancy playing bridge? Mahjong? Table tennis or poker? Every day, there’s an opportunity to pit your skills against your fellow guests.

There are sessions for various crafts, and several trivia games throughout the day which become a firm favourite with our competitive group of travellers.

We attend a master mixology class for a small fee, and learn how to rustle up a Trader Vic’s Mai Tai, Amaro Tai, Old Fashioned and a smoky but delicious Oaxaca Old Fashioned. Hosted by the vivacious bartenders with plenty of guest participation, it’s a riot and highly recommended.

You can work off some of the over-indulgence at the gym, which offers free exercise classes each day, or you can join a Pilates or yoga class for a small charge.

There are two pools, though these can be crowded on hot sea days and loungers hard to come by. Each pool has two inset spa pools. Up top, a games deck offers basketball, volleyball and (very popular) Pickleball courts alongside the stunning views.

For me, Greenhouse Spa and Salon is a must-visit: my 75-minute full body massage has me floating on cloud nine as we float at sea, and The Shops provide therapy of a more retail kind - look out for the daily specials and pop-up market stalls.

After dark, you can have a flutter at the casino, watch a movie or world-class show on the MainStage, enjoy some music at Ocean Bar, at Billboard Onboard or dance the night away at Rolling Stone Lounge - I manage to try the lot in the week on board. The Orange Party also happens once per cruise: we’ve packed our brightest outfits in anticipation of this celebration of HAL’s Dutch heritage. Some nights, though, we simply head back to our stateroom where we can pick from more than 100 movies on demand - or retire to the veranda and enjoy those stunning Aegean sunsets!

THE VERDICT

Those first impressions were spot on. Our week onboard Oosterdam is a terrific tasting platter: a sample of Aegean delights while travelling in style, and whetting our appetites to revisit and devour more. Would I cruise like this again? HAL yes!

Checklist

HOLLAND AMERICA

DETAILS

For more information on Holland America cruises, see hollandamerica.com