Holland America, Mediterranean

Itinerary: 14 day Ultimate Mediterranean Explorer
Sailing: 14 July 2024
Ship: MS Oosterdam
Author: Helen Courias, Key Account Manager – Holland America Line                                                                              

From enchanting ports to exceptional service, Helen’s Mediterranean voyage with Holland America Line aboard the MS Oosterdam was a truly memorable experience. Here are her top 10 highlights that made the journey one to remember:

1. Stunning Ports of Call: This was a premier highlight, our amazing itineraries just shine. I visited stunning ports such as Valetta, Taormina, Naples for Amalfi Coast, Livorno for Florence/Pisa, Marseilles, Athens, Olympia and Cagliari, Sardinia, overnight in Barcelona and even went to Tunisia. I love how cruising in the Med allows you to not only wake up in a new city each day but at times an entirely new country. Just fabulous! A true mix of cultural Mediterranean hubs and historical marvels.

Each port had its own vibe—charming townships, ancient ruins, and vibrant markets. I loved wandering through the streets, soaking in the local culture and stunning scenery at every stop. It felt like stepping into a postcard!

2. The MS Oosterdam: I really feel the ship size of under 2000 guests is a real highlight. It was so easy getting on and off the ship in each port, with less queues to that of larger ships, the ship is quite elegant with spacious open public areas onboard and recently refurbished, from the public areas to the staterooms and suites, making it an elegant home away from home feel.

3. Onboard Dining Experiences: The food onboard was a highlight for sure! From the main dining room, right through to our wonderful specialty dinners such as the Pinnacle Grill, every meal was a treat and high quality. I can really see how our new Global Fresh Fish Program is in play onboard, serving the freshest seafood each night, and I loved how the Lido Market also had special themed nights, as an example, when we were sailing through Greece or Italy, they served Moussaka, Greek lamb specialty, Baklava as dessert and Haloumi as part of the cheese sections. Just loved it.

4. Enriching Shore Excursions: I signed up for some amazing shore excursions! Whether it was exploring the ancient ruins of Olympia, or easy access points to townships such as Aix En Provence from Marseilles, each experience brought me closer to the local culture and made the destination really come to life, plus having the security of the ship tour taking us back on time and never risking miss the ship departure!

5. Veranda Stateroom Accommodations: My stateroom felt like a retreat, it was cozy and stylish and after long days of exploring, it was the perfect place to kick back, relax, and enjoy the gentle sounds of the waves outside, and nothing beats hanging out on the Veranda in the warm breeze of the Mediterranean summer. If you can, always try to upsell into the Veranda staterooms or suites to take advantage of the verandas and beautiful vistas all from the privacy of your stateroom.

6. Engaging Entertainment: Evenings were a blast onboard! The Rolling Stones Lounge was so energetic playing so many Rock favourites over the years. On alternative nights we had the soulful and talented artists playing all the famous blues music tunes, they were absolutely outstanding entertainment! If we felt like more easy listening, we really enjoyed the Billboard Onboard, playing all the hits by piano and the crowd makes requests. So much fun! There were great shows on the World Stage each night and a funny comedian completed the entertainment package.

7. The guests and crowd onboard: During peak holiday season on Holland America anywhere in the world you are sailing, in particular on voyages that are 7 -14 days in length, you are always going to get a very mixed crowd onboard. This cruise was no exception. There were many people onboard in their 30s, 40 and 50’s, along with kids and retirees. It truly made for some engaging, energetic and lively ambience in the restaurants, the bars and our world-famous live music venues.

8. Longer port stays and overnight in Barcelona: I love how HAL itineraries always have quite a few longer port stays and on many European itineraries we have overnight stays in some marquee ports. On this particular itinerary, we were able to linger longer in Valetta, Marseilles and we were lucky to have an overnight in Barcelona. This was a real highlight as we dined out in a local Tapas Bar and enjoyed the port vibrancy of this fantastic town by day and by night!

9. Exceptional Service: The crew was simply amazing! They went above and beyond to make everyone feel special. From the friendly waitstaff to the cabin stewards, their warmth and attentiveness made the experience feel personal and welcoming.

They always remembered our favourite preferences either in the dining, the bars or our stateroom, and it truly felt like a home away from home.

10. Memorable New Friendships: I met so many wonderful people on this trip! Sharing stories and laughs with fellow travellers over dinner and activities made the experience even more special. It was great to connect and bond over our adventures, creating memories that will last a lifetime. We really had a fantastic cruise holiday!