‘I never thought I’d be a cruise person - this completely changed my mind’

As a first-time cruiser, I was a little (OK, a lot) nervous walking on board Holland America Line’s Oosterdam for seven nights at sea in the Western Mediterranean. I’ve backpacked, road-tripped, taken too many trains and stayed in some fancy – and not-so-fancy – hotels, but I’d truly never given a cruise much thought.

I had no idea what to expect, and if I didn’t like it, there was no escape.

Thankfully, I’d been worried over nothing. In fact, it didn’t take long for me to realise I’d been missing out on a pretty epic way of seeing the world.

Life onboard Oosterdam

My partner and I embarked on Oosterdam in Civitavecchia, north of Rome, and despite joining just under 2000 other guests, I was immediately pleasantly surprised by how spacious it felt.

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We stayed in a verandah stateroom that included floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading out to our balcony, a desk and couch seating area, TV and a combination shower and bath.

I’m a notoriously terrible sleeper, but I’m still dreaming about how comfy the bed was.

With a spa, fitness centre, pickleball court, casino, art gallery, shops and theatre on board, you could barely walk a few metres without stumbling across something to do.

Oosterdam launched in 2003 and, decor-wise, it was a little dated.

The blue and orange combination (a nod to the cruise line’s Dutch heritage) made me laugh at first, but I actually found it quite charming by the end.

The quirky carpet didn’t really matter when things were maintained as well as they were. With twice-daily room cleaning and very attentive staff everywhere else, it was always spotless.

If you’d prefer a ship that feels a little more modern, you’re in luck as Oosterdam will soon become the first of six Holland America Line ships to get a major refurbishment in 2027.

I’m intrigued to see how it looks – so much so my partner and I are already eyeing the ship’s post-reno itinerary to see if we can experience it for ourselves.

The food

The Dining Room is Oosterdam’s main complimentary restaurant.

It featured a rotating menu offering fine-dining elements and, as I walked away from the meal completely stuffed, I realised you’d never go hungry on a cruise.

With complimentary room service, buffets, burgers and onboard restaurants offering something a little classier, the options felt endless.

There were two other specialty dining options on board: steak and seafood restaurant Pinnacle Grill, and Italian venue Canaletto.

Canaletto was easily my favourite because I can’t go past pasta and affogato (and tiramisu, and gelato). We ended up there two nights in a row in a bid to tick off all the desserts.

Another of my food highlights was The Dive-In, a burger joint near the Lido Pool.

It was a casual option offering fries, hot dogs and “the best burgers at sea”. Big call, sure, but I had four of them across the seven days, so I have to agree.

We began most days at the Lido Market, the included buffet that served up a huge variety of food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

One of Holland America’s best perks is 24-hour complimentary room service, and we definitely made good use of it, with dinner delivered directly to us after a particularly jam-packed, sun-soaked day in Corsica.

Each night, our cabin steward delivered a breakfast menu, so if you were after a slower start or ultra-convenience, you could also organise morning brekky (and coffee) delivery.

Overall, I thought the food was excellent. The meat and produce were fresh, there was always a balance of healthy options and treats.

Entertainment

Oosterdam had plenty on board to keep us entertained, from spots for a chat over cocktails to live music and theatre shows.

My favourite was Fosse and Verdon, The Duet That Changed Broadway, a Holland America original production celebrating the lives and careers of Broadway legends Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon.

I knew nothing about the pair beforehand, but the show, which combines singing, Fosse-inspired choreography and a crash course on their impact, was really impressive. The talent at least matched shows I’d seen in Sydney theatres and on Broadway itself.

Another surprise highlight was the Orange Party, a signature event on every Holland America Line cruise to celebrate the company’s Dutch heritage.

I had intended to drop in for a brief look before crawling to bed for an early night, but I got swept up in the fun of a live band and energetic dance floor and ended up spending hours dancing with a G&T (or three) in hand.

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Life in port

The seven-night itinerary, beginning in Rome and ending in Barcelona, included four port days – Portofino in Italy, Ajaccio and Marseille in France, followed by two sea days either side of visiting Gibraltar.

I liked the balance – a few action-packed days, plus a couple for sleeping in, exploring the ship and peak relaxation.

We also balanced Holland America shore excursions with taking things at our own pace. I enjoyed doing my own planning for some spots, while leaving the admin to someone else for the others.

Portofino

I had been to Portofino on the Italian Riviera once before as a penny-pinching backpacker 10 years ago, and I was still haunted by the cost of gelato in the village lined with pastel houses and a harbour full of superyachts.

But those views? Priceless.

We opted to explore on our own, mostly because I was dying to make the stunning five-kilometre coastal trek to Santa Margherita Ligure, which I considered my absolute favourite spot during a month-long tour of Italy.

When we arrived in Santa Margherita, it was all about relaxation – sitting by the water, wandering the shade-covered backstreets and savouring every bite of a delicious pasta lunch.

Ajaccio

Much like cruising itself, I had never given much thought to visiting Corsica, but the island’s capital ended up being a trip highlight.

I joined a shore excursion called Panoramic Prunelli, which took us up into Corsica’s dramatic inland mountains.

The scenery was stunning – definitely not the kind of views I thought I’d be seeing in the middle of the Mediterranean – and we enjoyed a sampling of local food and wine in one of the villages along the way.

It took just under four hours and afterwards, I found myself a spot on the sand at Plage Saint-François.

Marseille

When researching Holland America’s excursion offerings for the trip, snorkelling within France’s Calanques National Park instantly shot to the top of my list.

I’d only ever snorkelled in tropical South Pacific waters before, so the Frioul Archipelago, about three kilometres offshore from Marseille’s Old Port, definitely didn’t have the same wow factor of colourful fish and reefs.

Still, exploring the clear waters surrounded by chalky-white cliffs made for a really fun day out.

The incredible views of Marseille from the boat were a welcome bonus.

Gibraltar

As Oosterdam sailed in (and later out) of Gibraltar’s harbour, dolphins gave us a show, diving in and out of the water along the wake.

The wildlife experiences continued as we disembarked and walked our way through town to hike up the Rock, where we found fantastic views, fascinating history and a game of tug-of-war with a Barbary macaque.

About 300 macaques call the Rock home, and they’re very comfortable with the tourists who walk up and down it.

In my case, a little too comfortable. I had a tote bag over my shoulder and, as I took a selfie, a monkey launched from behind and began to fight me for it.

They associate bags with food, but all I had in there was sunscreen and our passports – so sorry to that monkey, but I had to fight back.

The views from the top of the Rock were breathtaking and well worth the tired calves. But it was completely foggy on the side that faces across the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco. Luckily, as Oosterdam departed in the evening the cloud lifted to finally show us Africa. That was pretty spectacular.

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The verdict

I boarded Oosterdam full of nervous energy, but by the end of day two I was looking up other Holland America itineraries, so I can definitely say I’m a cruise convert.

I’m an “everything” traveller – I love an active adventure and a beach day, natural wonders and bustling cities, sitting al fresco to try local cuisine and a lazy night in bed with dinner delivered to my door.

It’s pretty difficult to find a holiday destination that offers it all at once, but taking this cruise through the Mediterranean was as close as it gets.

We could have a jam-packed day in port or lay in the sun on our balcony, listening to the sound of the ocean below us.

We could order room service and lounge about in our robes or pop on our activewear and head to a fitness class.

We could go to the pool, the beach, a lovely French café … and we could even do all of those things on the same day if we wanted, without having to pack our bags or worry about the logistics of travel.

It completely opened our eyes to a new way to travel, and these first-time cruisers are definitely looking forward to becoming second-timers in the future.

The writer travelled as a guest of Holland America Line.