Oosterdam: new "Vista Class" vessel points Holland America line's 130-year tradition of excellence in a bold new direction

Cruise Travel, July-August, 2004 by Peter Knego

Daytime activities include enjoyment of the vast ship's facilities in addition to bingo, art auctions, exercise and stretching classes, wine and liquor tasting, enrichment lectures, movies (in the Queen's Lounge or on cabin TV), port lectures, shuffleboard, various tournaments, or just reclining in a deck chair.

With three Vista Class ships in service and a fourth on the horizon, Holland America Line has adroitly fashioned its fleet to accommodate a new generation of cruisers who require all of today's seagoing options while at the same time satisfying a loyal following who covet the company's polished service and traditional atmosphere. All four directions of Holland America's new Vista compass point to the best of both seagoing worlds.

MS OOSTERDAM FACTS & FIGURES

Company: Holland America Line.

Built: 2003, Fincantieri shipyard (hull number 6076), Marghera (Venice), Italy.

Country Of Registry: Netherlands.

Gross Registered Tonnage: 85,000.

Length: 951 ft. Beam: 105.8 ft.

Draft: 25.74 ft. Speed: 22 knots (24 max).

Propulsion: Three 16,cylinder Sulzer diesels (11,520 kW each), two 12-cylinder Sulzer diesels (8.646 kW each) for a total of 51,840 kW combined with one GE Aero Energy gas turbine (14 mW) to drive twin 17.5 mW Azipods (23,467.88 bhp each).

Passenger Capacity: 1.648 (double occupancy), 2,388 (total berths).

Passenger Space Ratio: 46.

Normal Craw Size: 800

Nationality Of Crew: Officers are British and Dutch; crew, international (mainly Indonesian and Filipino); cruise staff, international; hotel staff, European (mainly Dutch).

Cabins: 924 staterooms on six decks--of which 788 are oceanview and 623 have private balconies--in 24 categories, including: 2 Penthouse Verandah Suites with private balconies (1,343 square feet including balcony), 60 Deluxe Verandah Suites with private balconies (528 sq. ft. including balcony), 100 Superior Verandah Suites with balcony (392 sq. ft. including balcony), 461 Deluxe Verandah Outsides with balcony (241 to 262 sq. ft. including balcony), 165 Large Outside cabins (183 to 194 sq. ft.), and 136 Inside cabins (154 to 185 sq. ft.) There are 26 shower-only wheelchair accessible cabins equipped with modified doorways and bathroom facilities, 24 of which are outside. All staterooms feature private facilities with showers or bathtubs, individually controlled air-conditioning, 2 lower beds convertible to a queen-size bed. spacious closets, mini-bars, data ports for laptop computers, double closets with full-length mirrors, safes, extra-deep chests of drawers, direct-dial telephones with voicemail and computerized wake-up service. multi-channel music system, remote controlled multichannel color television, free 24-hour room service, and turndown service with pillow chocolates. All verandas have privacy screens, tables, and deck chairs. Penthouse, Deluxe Verandah, and Superior Verandah Suites have all the standard features plus whirlpool baths. Penthouse and Deluxe Verandah Suites have exclusive use of the Neptune (concierge) Lounge.