Oosterdam Crew Tour Rotorua, New Zealand
During its South Pacific Crossing, the crew of the ms Oosterdam were treated to a tour of Te Puia in Rotorua, New Zealand, where traditional dances were performed for the group.
The crew members then enjoyed a traditional hangi lunch, cooked underground with hot rocks.
After enjoying this tasty treat, the crew members walked around Te Puia’s geysers, which were active, for approximately 30 minutes – plenty of time to get some photos!
Crew members were also able to see bubbling mud, and the tour guide explained how the mud has been used both historically and today.
After touring Te Puia, the crew embarked on the bus for a tour of the Government Gardens and the base of Mount Maunganui. Throughout the bus ride, the driver enriched the tour by giving historical and trivial information about each area, finally returning the crew members back to the local port of Tauranga where the ms Oosterdam welcomed them back onboard.
Natalie Ansari is Oosterdam’s human resources manager.
It was such fun to get to see the same places we saw when we visited Rotorua with our Australian friends in 2011.
How wonderful to see members of the very hardworking crew enjoy sights that usually only the passengers get to see. Did that trip in January and recognized many in the pictures. I hope Holland America paid for this adventure. That crew was outstanding.