Noordam Review

Budget Ship Noordam

Review for the Southern Caribbean Cruise on Noordam
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DeborahFitzpatrick
10+ Cruises • Age 70s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
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Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Mar 2015
Cabin: Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
Traveled with children

Sailed on 20 March. First time with Holland America. Had high expectations, was let down. Ship felt dated. The ship did not appear to be maintained as a once beautiful ship built in Italy in 2006. Sound system around the pool cracked and spit many times making it hard to enjoy music. The overhead retractable ceiling on the Lido deck leaks all over the lounge chairs when it rains. Pool just plain ugly. Painting around the outline of the pool white with black smears, not attractive.! Great crew, worked really hard to help everywhere. Loved the fruit options in the cabins, the orchids in the Lido buffet. The fresh flower arrangements were beautiful. Cabin staff kept rooms perfect. Problem with balcony door when wind picked up, whistled like three tea kettles going off at the same time different pitches. This sound was heard repeatedly on many decks as other rooms seemed to have the same problem with door seals. Reported to front desk multiple times and the solution was ear plugs. Don't think so. Need Plexiglas around outside railings of ship to keep small one from falling to their death. " Front office" name needs to be changed to Guest Services, reminded me of school days. Some staff in" front office" need retraining on problem resolution techniques. Loved the fresh squeezed orange juice included. First dinning felt rushed and hectic, kitchen could not keep up, making the dinning servers look bad. Too much paper used for adds daily, switch to digital and put it on the TV. Great safety presentation, well done. Deck chairs on Deck three need some attention and a little varnish. Cushions on Deck 3 no longer cushion. Food was good, but did not impress, except on last night. It was totally a 10. Serve food like that nightly and you will always have a full ship. Entertainment very good. Beautiful theater. Do not take the Curacao Trolley Train Tour over priced for what you get and not worth it. The other excursions from the cruise line in Bonaire was one of the best ever. The ship excursion in Aruba good too. The comment heard most often on the ship was "Well it's going into dry dock when it gets back" Most people were commenting on the great need for a facelift. The food served on the Lido deck at the food buffet outside by the pool was at deck temperature. Cold should be cold, and hot, hot. This was not.!! Chicken and beef at deck temp. for extended periods is not a good thing. Crew amazing. Always so helpful thank you. Would like to see the dinning room open daily for sit down service even if it is only one hour. It was not. The afternoon tea was delightful, great idea. The coupon for 1 hr free hydrotherapy pool was most appreciated while in Port. Thank you. If you paid the last minute price you would not be disappointed in this cruise, however, if you paid the price from two months earlier, think again. Curacao and Bonaire and Aruba great destinations. They were so different from the typical Easter/Western run. Must see. The library area is a nice change from the rest of the ship with books to read, magazines and games, comfortable seating. The coffee shop in the library area serves good coffee, maybe offer a reward card. Child care was wonderful, they took great care of the kids and offered a myriad of options. Confused when in port till 11pm, however child care area closed at 4pm.(unless on a ship excursion) I was told. No other cruise line shortens the child care available while in port whether you are on a ship excursion or not. Thank you to Katie and Katy for a great job.

Cabin Review

Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom

Cabin VH

Cabin very comfortable. Did not like the configuration of the bunk bed three feet over the main bed. Kept hitting my head on the bunk bed to lay down or get out.

Port Reviews

Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

The port is very busy. Have to arrive with extra time as the lines everywhere are long. The ship employees working at the cruise terminals can be cranky at times and very set in their ways. Must be flexible. They are not.

Half Moon Cay

Did not get off the ship at Half Moon Cay. Heard from guest around ship that it was very hot that day. Used tenders for excursion guest first and that meant that the ship tenders did not open for use by the non excursion guest till 10:30am or later. By then it was really hot out and the boats only left every 30 min. so could get stuff in the heat for awhile.

Grand Turk

Grand Turk nice port. Heard from crew that Jakes' Shack was the place to go for cold beer and jerk chicken and honest local experience. Just a short walk up the beach. Did not make it got half way and the 95 degree heat with no breeze stopped me in my tracks. Next time.

Samana and Cayo Levantado

Samana a place of natural beauty with honest hard working people struggling to make it. It is a jewel that needs some help. The landscape is amazing and the people genuine. Have to see it and buy some larimare found on this great island. The MamaJuana was something I had never seen before. This health bark left me intrigued.

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