Today Oosterdam is at Sitka, Alaska, and the ship’s Security Officer John Pris was able to capture stunning Mount Edgecumbe up close and from a distance. From any angle it looks just breathtaking!

Nice day in Sitka with Mount Edgecumbe, a 3,200-foot tall dormant stratovolcano, located on southern Kruzof Island.

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Although HAL blogger Gary Frink is home from his Oosterdam cruise, he still had a few wonderful posts to share. Enjoy!

By a geographic quirk of fate, the international dateline splits the nation of Samoa from American Samoa. By the Oosterdam passing through the dateline, the passengers and crew were rewarded with two Sundays, April 21, 2013, one in Apia Samoa and one in Pago Pago, American Samoa. We shall begin with Apia, our first Sunday.

The day broke bright and hot; sea breeze or not, 90 degrees (F) is beyond warm. Jeanne and I began our late morning and ambled into the capital of Samoa, absent a trace of urgency. We had been told that Sunday brings on Apia slowdown, falling to a grinding halt; except, of course, in the churches; there holy energy abounds.

Jeanne and I were each raised in the Congregational Church, I in Michigan and she in Iowa. Before returning ourselves to our Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia cabin in 1990, we lived on the bank of the St. Clair River and belonged to the First Congregational Church of St. Clair Mi.

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I loved the Dancing with the Stars: at Sea experience [on Oosterdam's May 12, 2013, cruise]. It is very professional and well done. We were treated wonderfully by the dancers as well as the cruise director and judges. It dramatically enhanced my cruising experience. I found myself looking forward to the next dance class on a daily basis. I would highly recommend this for people of all levels of dance skill and interest. — “Dancing with the Stars: at Sea” Cruise Competition Winner Ryan Hansen

Ryan dancing the waltz with shipboard professional dancer Erin.

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Topics: Art, Activities & Entertainment, ms Oosterdam | | 3 Comments

Although HAL blogger Gary Frink is home from his Oosterdam cruise, he still had a few wonderful posts to share. Enjoy!

Suva, Fiji provides exotica in multiple layers: a history of cannibalism through the early 20th Century — “A cannibal fork is the one thing I’ll buy here,” Jeanne announced; military coups; beggars and shoe shine boys in the streets; ethnic Melanesian/Polynesian men wearing Sulus (including police and military,) wrap-around, skirt-like garments bound at the waist (East Indian, roughly half of the population, men wear trousers;) very colorful, attractive postal stamps and currency notes and finally the clock tower, Big Ben of Fiji which, when functioning, strikes on the quarter hour (alas, it was apparently ailing and certainly soundless during our pass-through the campus of government buildings, where it resides.)

The day began with a stroll along the dock, past the police department orchestra, there to serenade us, near the bow of the ship. From the dock, we exchanged “BULAS” (the Fijian shout of welcome) with any and all, as we strolled to our first stop toward realizing our goal of leaving a sprinkling of Yankee Dollars in the City of Suva.

“Go into my shop, have a look around,” said an East Indian merchant, as Jeanne and I entered a long shed, divided into narrow, shallow, shop units. The salesman was leaning against the outside wall facing the one aisle extending through the shed; by loitering outside his limited space, he attempted to chat-up into his space, the foreigners passing down the aisle.

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During its 24-day South Pacific Crossing voyage, the ms Oosterdam experienced April 21 twice, as it passed the international date line through the islands of Western and American Samoa.

For the first April 21, 2013, the Oosterdam invited a local Christian youth group on board during its call at Apia, Western Samoa. Hosted by our Event Manager Aaron Whipple, the youth group enjoyed a tour of the ship as well as lunch on the lido’s pool deck.

From left: Oosterdam Second Executive Chef Norbert Sommerhalter and the ship’s Lido Assistant Steward Indaharini Nenobais serve children food on board.

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Topics: Australia/New Zealand, Good Deeds, ms Oosterdam, South Pacific, Staff & Crew | | No Comments

The Culinary team onboard the Oosterdam did a real outstanding job of the making of the cake for our 140th Anniversary celebrations. So many guests were impressed.

From left: Assistant Pastry Rowel Salvador, Assistant Pastry Kathleen Tilbe, Tournant Chef Gurunathan Sudulaimuthu, Executive Chef Udo Sandering, Patissier Nandy JR Alejandro Pablo, Assistant Pastry Jovelyn Duran and Culinary Operations Manager Csaba Desvari.

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During Oosterdam’s South Pacific Crossing, International Concierge Maria Boyen shared with me her experience on the Hobbiton Movie Set crew tour that took place March 28, 2013, near Tauranga, New Zealand. She and the crew loved visiting the original movie set of “The Lord of the Rings!”

Twenty-two brave men and women of the fellowship of the Oosterdam made their long journey to the Shire and followed Frodo’s hairy footsteps. There they enjoyed a sunny afternoon stroll passing many hobbit holes and enjoyed the view over the Shire and a short rest under the Party Tree. The journey continued through a little forest path and over the bridge next to the watermill to the Green Dragon, where the crew enjoyed a cup of cool Hobbit beer.

Natalie Ansari is Oosterdam’s human resources manager.

Topics: Australia/New Zealand, ms Oosterdam, Shore Excursions, Staff & Crew | | No Comments

HAL blogger Gary Frink was sailing on board Oosterdam and this is the last posts from his voyage.

Aboard Oosterdam en route to Honolulu to Vancouver.

This is our last full day aboard the Oosterdam. We first found our way to cabin 4082, and the large orange life boat hanging three feet out our window, in Auckland N.Z., Saturday, March 30. Now we are in May. The end is near. Reality is slowly slipping into our consciousness.

Little mimics real middle-class life during a long voyage on a Holland America ship: Every need and material desire is provided for, great varieties of well-prepared food in varied dining locales, including 24 hour room service, and special culinary events (last evening a chocolate extravaganza began at 10 pm); during the day, lectures, games of trivia, bridge tournaments, sports contests, books, magazines to be read and puzzles to be solved in the ship library, workouts in the gym; in the evening, entertainment (sometimes energetically and melodically laid out by the lavishly-costumed, ship ensemble of 12 singers and dancers) presented on the large stage in the ship show theater, music in four lounges for listening or dancing, and importantly for Jeanne, the casino. Medical attention is always available. My late mother would have summed up our voyage: ”You have been waited on hand and foot.” Indeed!

Jeanne with Di-an and Sandy.

Yesterday, we indulged ourselves during a formal, four-course (including desert), white-table-cloth luncheon in the formal dining room (our habit is to eat a large late breakfast in the 9th deck buffet dining area, then a light salad at 3-4 pm, again on the 9th deck or from room service.) Dinner is at 8 pm in the dining room. During lunch I said to Jeanne: “We could live on a cruise ship.” It is a truth that has been upon us for years.

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Topics: Food & Beverage, ms Oosterdam | | No Comments