Public Areas & Facilities

Vista-class vessels like Oosterdam integrate new youthful and family-friendly elements into Holland America Line's classic fleet. Exquisite Waterford crystal sculptures adorn triple-deck atriums and reflect vivid, almost daring color schemes. Although all the public rooms carry the traditional Holland America names (Ocean Bar, Explorer's Lounge, Crow's Nest), their loud decor may make them unfamiliar to returning passengers.

Only two decks are termed promenade, and the exterior teak promenade encircles public rooms, not cabins. As a result, there are numerous outside accommodations with views of the sea restricted by lifeboats on the Upper Promenade Deck.

Restaurants

The formal dining room has four dinner seatings; alternatives are Pinnacle Grill, the upscale specialty restaurant, and the casual Lido Cafe, which also serves buffet breakfast and lunch. Terrace Grill serves lunch poolside. The extra-charge Windstar Cafe offers specialty coffees and pastries.

What Works & What Doesn't

Adjacent to the Crow's Nest, outdoor seating areas covered in canvas are wonderful, quiet hideaways during the day as well as night when the interior is transformed into a dance club. Missing from the Vista-class ships are self-service laundry rooms, a serious omission for families with youngsters and anyone sailing on back-to-back Caribbean itineraries or cruises of more than a week. The murals in Pinnacle Grill restaurants are strangely chintzy looking.

Accommodations

Layout: Comfortable and roomy, 85% of all Vista-class accommodations have an ocean view, and almost 80% of those also have the luxury of a private balcony furnished with chairs, loungers, and tables. Every cabin has adequate closet and drawer-shelf storage, as well as bathroom shelves. Some suites have a whirlpool tub, powder room, and walk-in closet.

Amenities: All staterooms and suites are appointed with Euro-top mattresses, 250-thread-count cotton bed linens, magnifying halogen-lighted makeup mirrors, hair dryers, a fruit basket, flat-panel TVs, and DVD players. Bathroom extras include Egyptian cotton towels, shampoo, body lotion, and bath gel, plus deluxe bathrobes to use during the cruise.

Suites: Suite luxuries include duvets on beds, a fully stocked minibar; some also have a whirlpool tub, powder room, and walk-in closet. Penthouse Verandah and Deluxe Verandah suites have exclusive use of the private Neptune Lounge, personal concierge service, canapés before dinner, and complimentary laundry, pressing, and dry-cleaning services.

Good to Know: Twenty-eight staterooms are wheelchair-accessible.

Category	Size (square feet)
Penthouse Suites	1,000
Deluxe Verandah Suite	380
Superior Verandah Suite	298
Deluxe Ocean View	200
Standard Ocean View/Inside	185

Favorites

Most Unusual: Tables in the Pinnacle Grill specialty restaurant are set with Frette linens, Riedel stemware, and Bulgari china by Rosenthal, but traditional appointments stop at the table top. The chair design is based on organic forms and resembles delicate, silvery tree branches. Some may require seating assistance, though -- in reality, the chairs are cast aluminum, and are so heavy that they don't budge without a great deal of effort.

Moving With the View: Take a good look at the etched-glass doors of the four outside scenic elevators -- they mirror the 1920's motif of the 10 interior elevator doors, which are done in cast aluminum. The design effect may look vaguely familiar because it was modeled after the art deco Chrysler building in New York City.

Our Favorite Spot for a Nightcap: The canvas-covered areas outside the Crow's Nest narrowly edge out second choice -- a seat by the faux fireplace in the Oak Room.