We are sailing on the Oosterdam Mexician Riveria on Dec 10. Mostly interested in suggestion for shore excursions. What is the best snorkeling cruise? What is the best port for mountain hiking? What is the best port for shopping? Also would love to hear about good restaurants in the various ports.

This is my wife's first cruise. Any suggestions on what I can do to make it really special for her?

Ron

I have sailed the Zuiderdam twice. As you know it is the sister ship of the Oosterdam. My wife and I enjoy cruises that has an array of participation activities. If you enjoy trivia, every afternoon at 3:15 they have team triva with the winning team winning different awards every day. In the evening, they have game show mania on one night and almost everynight in the Northern Lights they have either music triva or TV theme song trivia. Of course there is the newlywed and not so newly wed game show. The way the activities are set up it is difficult to get to many of the early evening events if you are on the late seating. Oh if you like to sing, they have a very good superstar competition thats very enjoyable. I am looking at sailing the Oosterdam next summer to Alaska. Enjoy your cruise!

Also, Im sorry I could not help with the shore excursions as the trips on the Zuiderdam were in the Caribbean!

The HAL website will list the shore excursions available for your ports. I can't help with shopping, as I live only 60 miles from Mexico, so we haven't done any shopping in Mexican ports when we were there.

arckac,

On the Oosterdam, can the balcony dividers be opened such that a group traveling together can walk between ajoining balconies.

We were able to do this on our last Alaska trip on the Sapphire and it made it a lot of fun.

Thanks Steve

Yes Steve. I have been on the Zuiderdam twice and I beleive that there was a key hole on the divider. I was not traveling with another party that was in the room next to us therefore there was no need for it to be opened.

Thanks arckac for the confirmation. This is an obscure detail about which it would be easy to receive inaccurate information.

Do you have any insight into the best approach to get the best deal. Specifically, we want to book for July soon. Are promotions as good as they get now, or will waiting a few weeks get us something better? I meant to keep track of the pattern last year, but failed to follow through. Thanks again.

Steve

I just booked on the Oosterdam for August 19, 2006. I used Cruisecompete.com and received some very nice competitive quotes. The best quote for a VF category cabin, which I booked, was $700 less than if I booked directly with the cruise line.