One calls it pollution on the horizon, but for another it is daydreaming to distant journeys. One or more cruise ships have been permanently present off the Scheveningen coast for over a year now. From the beach in Scheveningen you can still see the passenger ship Oosterdam today. It seems very close but to save costs it has been chosen to anchor in the territorial waters. The Hague has nothing to say about these ships, because the cruise ship is not there alone. Seven permanent ships have been lying off the coast for months and have now become part of the view of the sea for the residents. If they are more than 1 kilometer from the coast, The Hague no longer has any control over them.
They are deliberately located there because mooring in the Rotterdam home port is far too expensive. Ships are moored off the coast all over the world. If one wants to have all these ships moor in the ports, shipping companies will have to spend a lot of money on the ports. And yet you see them now and then sailing and they come closer. Last Friday there was movement. Every so often the ships go to the coast to discharge waste. Not much special happens on the ships. Most of the staff have been sent home. Still, it will surprise you how many crew members do remain on board.
52 ° 9 ′ 29.448 ″ N, 4 ° 13 ′ 15.643 ″ E
It depends a bit on the type of ship, but there must be between 100 and 120 people on the boat, such as officers, technical staff and cooks. Running the engines is extra important. Staff is needed to maintain the ship, prepare food for the staff and run the engines every so often. Travel is currently not an option for the Oosterdam built in 2003. The last big trip lasted 21 days and was towards the port of IJmuiden.
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You can follow all ships live via the radar, including the Oosterdam. The radar is available 24 hours a day and is set to the Netherlands and surroundings. You can easily zoom out and zoom in on certain areas. This way you can easily zoom in on the harbor of Rotterdam or for port of Amsterdam. All ships can be followed live via this radar and is always online.
Holland America Line
The Oosterdam is a cruise ship of the Holland America Line. Holland America Line's more than 140 years of history is everywhere on the Oosterdam. In the atrium, a crystal globe symbolizes the many journeys passengers have made with the shipping company worldwide. Due to the classic appearance of the ship with lots of wood, copper and art, you get the feeling as a passenger that the good old days have been preserved here. At the same time, the ship has all possible modern amenities and fresh colors show that it has moved with the times.
New Zealand Cruise from Sydney to Sydney
Nevertheless, there is hope that the Oosterdam will return to service. At the beginning of January 2022, a cruise on the agenda. When the weather is nice, you can take a stroll on the teak decks, or swim in the pool with the retractable glass roof. In the evenings, the ship turns into an entertainment center with spectacular shows and atmospheric bars and clubs. The Piano Bar in particular is very popular on Vista class ships. As we started our article today, it continues to dream away to distant travels.
Also read: An exciting year for MSC cruise ships
