Living in St Petersburg, Tampa is our home port, just 45 minutes from home to terminal 3 where the Oosterdam was docked. I have cruised from Tampa before, as my first ever cruise was 28 years ago on the Veracruz, a 10,000 ton ship that did a 2 night cruise to nowhere. We had a wonderful time on it despite a tiny inside room with no frills what so ever. I think it was $119 each.

Having graduated up to Holland America in 2003, on the previous Noordam, never really envisioned a ship the size of the Oosterdam (82,000 tons) sailing from Tampa. When questioned at the Captain's chat, Captain Robert Jan Kan responded that the Oosterdam has about 2 meters (6 feet) clearance under the Skyway Bridge which spans Tampa Bay near the entrance from the Gulf of Mexico. That is if it passes directly under the middle, which we did, about 6:30 pm after leaving the dock in Tampa quite promptly at 4:00. Prior to Oosterdam, HAL has never had a ship here bigger than the S class; Veendam and Ryndam were the biggest HAL ships here.

This was the first 14 day cruise of the season and only the second Oosterdam cruise from Tampa. Captain Albert was also aboard as the traveling and training officer. Probably with the head navigation's decision as he has been in and out of Tampa about 300 times over the years by his own figures. It was great to read his blogs of exactly what the bridge was doing while we were enjoying. Read more