We sailed on the Noordam in Cabin SS6109 ( a Signature Suite) as a novel way to spend Christmas and New Year and avoid all the hype that can be attached to buying and preparing expensive food and indulging in the giving of unwanted presents. It could not have been much better. The small suite is quite spacious with a remarkable amount of storage and a very comfortable cabin and spacious bathroom. ...
The cruise started promising: beautifull big cabin (neptune lounge facility) large balcony-two stewards-not good at cleaning. activities: poor-very poor. port and shore excursions:verry expensive dinning:verry good (sometimes bad in specialty restaurants.entertainement: non existent . Disembarkkation: fortunately very quick summary very expensive from any aspects;exchange rate (on ship) for ...
Our 7th cruise but the first with Holland America. We normally book a balcony room but as the choice was so limited when we booked we went for an ocean view and were very happy with the cabin. The bed was the comfiest we have had on any cruise , the bathroom layout was very good with both a bath and shower and the window was much larger than expected. The room was at the very front on the bow ...
This was my second HAL cruise, my first being in October on the Maasdam out of Montreal. this time the ship was better (the Maasdam old at 22 years for a cruise ship) but still tired and in need of a refit although a beautiful ship. My bathroom smelt of mildew and mould and despite the very best efforts of my delightful cabin crew who kept it spotlessly clean they couldn't solve the problem. My ...
We have just disembarked in Sydney from our 16 night cruise around New Zealand over the 2015 Christmas and new year period. The cruise experience was enjoyable but, having cruised with Holland America in 2010, it just felt that the company is cutting corners and is turning every cent. The staff were visibly tired and overworked. The entertainment (yes I know it's not the cruise line with a ...
This was our 2nd cruise with HAL. Last one was on MS Oosterdam in Dec 2014, which was good but some aspects were definitely lacking. By comparison the MS Noordam is far superior in every way. First & foremost, the food was perfect & we ate every dinner at the Vista dining room. Had same table every night, same wonderful servers & wine steward, all gracious, friendly, eager to please, accommodating ...
Ok - new Zealand was great - except for Akaroa where we were not able to tender because of high winds (do not book a tour called the Mail Run - they do not refund). All other ports were great and interesting. Fiji portion - well if you have nothing else to do book it - I would not do it again (remember I am from Canada) the best port on that trip had to be Drauni Island, a small island of about ...
NOORDAM was a beautiful ship and we enjoyed our cruise tremendously! It was our second venture onto Holland America Line and as we did with our transpacific cruise in 2014 we would highly recommend HAL. This trip was to New Zealand one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The people are friendly and the scenery spectacular.
The service aboard could not be faulted, the cabin ...
Some people have inflated expectations, and (as a result) complain too much. We embarked in Sydney and stayed on the Volendam in Singapore for a second cruise in SE Asia. We liked the Volendam much. It is smaller than the Oosterdam (which we sampled in March 2015), easier to find your way around, and you don't feel feel (after walking stern to bow) that they should install travelators.
Our ...
Our first HAL cruise, re-positioning from Sydney to Vancouver. The price was right and there were plenty of sea days which we like. Boarding was easy as there were quite a number of transit passengers that had boarded in New Zealand. Our first impression of the internal areas of the ship were 'Dull and Dark` with a capital D. It has an interior decor that just sucks up the light and makes ...