Noordam Review
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We are a family of 5, traveling with 3 daughters in their 20’s. Let me start by saying that we had a nice time on this cruise and it was a good value for the money for a holiday cruise. But there is certainly room for improvement by HAL.
First the high points. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the crew. They work incredibly hard, always with smiles on their faces. A special mention goes to Yohannes, one of the maitre d’s in the Main Dining Room. Two of our daughters are vegetarians and Yohannes,along with our waiter Suarta, worked to make sure that they had plenty of choices for dinner. While the daily menus have vegetarian options, there are special vegetarian and Indian menus from which orders can be placed the evening before. Yohannes even worked on special requests for our daughters. The quality of the food overall is a step above similar cruise lines we have been on, but the choices were limited and repetitive in the Main Dining Room. The Lido Buffet is very good for breakfast and lunch with nice choices. We really enjoyed the Dive In Grill by the pool. The Pinnacle Grill is wonderful, but the upcharge was $39 pp. I am glad we splurged on that for one evening, and wish we had gone another evening as well (there is a slightly reduced price for a package of 2 dinners pp).
Also, thank you to HAL for having a Catholic priest onboard to celebrate Mass daily. Father Joe was great. We would not have been on this cruise over Christmas without the opportunity to attend Mass.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
Cabins and bathrooms are in need of an update and refresh. There was great storage, and new large TVs were just installed. Stewards were great.
Port Reviews
Napier
Tour operators were lined up in the city. It was easy to find an interesting experience at a reasonable price.
Wellington
This is an easy city to do on your own. Get off the shuttle bus at the second stop. We toured the museum for free, took the cable car (for about $5) to the top of the hill and walked down towards shuttle stop one through the gorgeous gardens. Tours of Parliament are available but probably should be booked in advance. Make sure you stop in St Paul Anglican Cathedral. It is beautiful with a lovely gift shop and helpful people.
Dunedin
I wished we had taken a formal excursion we had to pay $20 (NZ, AUS or US) for a shuttle to town ( not provided by HAL). Difficult to see much on your own.
Hobart
Took Uber to Bonorong on our own. If only 2 people take an excursion-available as you depart ship. Bonorong was great and a must see! Feed and pet the kangaroos ! Nice city to walk around.
Port Arthur
Take the free walking tour and free harbor tour. I wish we had taken the ship’s eco tour through the harbor to see the wildlife.