Bescotti

I visited Conflict Islands last month on the Noordam and loved it. I paid for a snorkelling trip to see the better coral locations as it was a fair swim if you were doing it yourself.

I also took my own snorkelling gear so also snorkelled nearer the shore and actually had a huge sea turtle accompany me for about 50 metres - magic! They seemed to be out more in the morning so I was lucky to see one after lunch. 

You can can do a shore excursion to see the turtle hatchery but when there is no shore excursion in the building, you can make a gold coin donation to go in.

The Conflict Islands is privately owned by Ian Gowrie Smith so you won’t find private tour operators ashore. Apart from the cruise ship excursions such as snorkelling, glass bottom boats, etc. the island itself offers activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, etc. for AUD$20 per hour plus deck chairs for the day for $5 (lots of shade to set up camp for the day).

 Note: just saw the date of the original post but thought I would still post in case anyone else is going to visit.

I received the Moleskine journal on the 2018 World Cruise last year.

I recently did the 15 night cruise to Papua New Guinea and Far North Queensland on the Noordam and found the ship in great condition - carpets immaculate etc. Some stateroom TVs could be better but that was about the only complaint I heard (I was travelling with a family group). I also heard on board that the Noordam isn’t going into dry dock until 2020 but can’t confirm that. 

Although I haven’t done the itinerary you’re looking at, I did New Zealand on the Maasdam last year and enjoyed the ports visited.  NZ ports have information centres where you can easily book tours once on shore, rather than using HAL’s tours.

I had a Signature Suite and thought it was well worth the money.

As an American, I don’t know if you can book with an Australian TA as unless Australians have a US address or a long-standing relationship with a US TA, we cannot book with a US TA.

In the past, cruise fares would often drop but I have found that my last 3 cruises on HAL the cruise fares didn’t change much, often going up instead. It was only the lower category staterooms on the FNQ and PNG cruise dropped about a week out from the cruise - the balconies and suites mainly stayed the same fare as when they were first released.

I would have no hesitation though in doing that cruise on the Noordam but unfortunately can’t advise on how to get the best fare.

I was on this cruise too but as I was travelling with extended family, didn’t join the roll call this time.

One thing on this cruise which I hadn’t seen before on HAL was that they were selling 2 beers for the price of one at the Sea View Bar anytime during the day - not just at Happy Hour. I could not find this advertised anywhere though - just seemed to be word of mouth. One of my party was sorry he only found this out in the second week of the cruise.

It’s a pity you have ruled out Australia/New Zealand as I have just returned from a 15 night cruise out of Sydney to Far North Queensland and Papua New Guinea (PNG). Cruise ships have only started going to the PNG Islands 3 years ago so they are pretty untouched - no shops or tours on 2 of the islands, just enjoying the tropical waters and interacting with the locals.

One of the other islands we visited was the Conflict Islands, a group of 21 islands privately owned which takes no overnight guests and only 12 ships visit a year. It is number one for marine biodiversity in the world and number two for its pristine coral reefs. 

I was travelling with with an extended family group of 6 and we all wanted to return.

15 hours ago, castaway01 said:

 

If you are going this is going to read   https://www.5losttogether.com/papua-new-guinea-cruise-tips-ports/

Thanks for the link - very helpful as I leave in 2 weeks for a FNQ and PNG cruise with HAL.

I’m sailing with a family group, which includes a 12 month old, on HAL next month. There was a reduced fare if sharing with 2 adults or full twin share if sharing with only 1 adult.

It might sound a little unfair for a one year old, but HAL will be catering for her and her food allergies, plus cleaning up after her when she eats as not everything on her plate makes it’s way to her mouth.😄 They are also providing a cot and high chair.

i should say that if her parents had been 1 star Mariners (I.e. one HAL Cruise), a third person in their cabin would have had a 50% reduction. 

15 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

I spent hours last night reading pages of posts in the HAL forum.  Little mention of the Noordam, apart from several complaints about it being tired and well overdue for its 2019 refurb. Did enjoy reading a current TR from a Midwest guy with a great sense of humour who just cruised Fiji, NZ, etc on her.  Will definitely ask my questions on the HAL forum though. Had got great info from the Royal forum in the past.

I don’t mind answering questions if I can help. I tend to only cruise with HAL now as I like it’s more interesting longer itineraries. This 15 night cruise will be the shortest I’ve taken in years.

I’ve enjoyed the BB Kings Blues Club in the past and I’ll be interested in seeing what the Lincoln Centre Stage is like, which was first introduced on the Koningsdam.

14 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

It's been a few years since I last cruised HAL. Do they still provide shampoo and conditioner or have they gone the way of others and supply generic "shower gel"?

HAL provides Elemis shampoo, conditioner and shower gels in dispensers. I usually take my own as I’ve got very sensitive skin.

3 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Thank you for the clarification re visa.  Much appreciated.  For those of you already booked, are the port tours all booked out?  Also, I am madly doing my research but a couple of basic questions: I have read elsewhere that 1 bottle of wine person is permitted free.  Additional bottles have a corkage?  Plugs are they US & Euro?  I assume pool towels are supplied by cruise line.  Can they be taken off at ports?  Any other basic info you can think of to throw my way would be great.  Thank you.

Most port tours are still available so I’m not going to book mine until I’m onboard.

You are correct regarding wine - 1 bottle permitted free per person plus corkage for additional bottles.

There should be one Euro and one US socket at the dressing table.

Towels will be provided in your cabin to take ashore - they are usually striped, different from the pool towels provided on deck.

Something a lot of passengers don’t seem to be aware of is that you can phone the Dining Room when it opens at 5.30pm and order off the evening dinner menu (available on the HAL intranet on your phone, tablet, etc) and have it delivered to your cabin at a time you nominate and there is no charge for this. I’ve done this with others when we couldn’t be bothered dressing up for the Gala night but wanted to enjoy menu items from the Gala menu. As one of the others had a large rear facing balcony, she had her steward set up table and chairs out there for us.

I’m also on this cruise, along with some other family members. I checked with both the PNG Consul and HAL to confirm that HAL will organise the PNG visa. Apparently not all the other cruise lines do this.

Bev, sorry to hear about your mother. But, lucky you on the World Cruise!

Thanks Deb. Two of my table mates on the WC were originally from Ohio, one had worked at OSU.

Recently returned from the WC and am booked on the 2020 WC on the Amsterdam so I’m spending more time on my roll calls - plus having a mother in the final stages of Alzheimer’s tends to focus my attention away from spending too much time on here.

I’ve done several Mediterranean cruises, doing land stays before or after the cruise.

You should check how long the ship is in each port because from my observations a couple of years ago Costa and MSC spent less time in the ports than the ships I was on. An example was at Santorini - I was there from 7.30am to 5pm while Costa was there from 8am to about 1 pm.

I’ll be joining HAL’s world cruise shortly for the last half and we also visit Mozambique. The visa issue was a much followed topic on my roll call.

There was a problem with some officials a couple of months ago when it came to issuing visas so one cruise ship turned around and cancelled the port altogether. There was such an outcry from locals losing valuable tourist dollars and govt officials that the system has been reviewed and the couple of ships that have visited since have had no issues getting the visas on board.

I’ll be joining the Amsterdam for the last half of its 2018 WC in Hong Kong. I was originally going to join in my home port, Sydney, when it arrives here next month but decided I would rather do a complete circumnavigation of Australia instead. So, I’ll definitely be checking out if HAL has scheduled a circumnavigation for next year.

I spent 5 nights independently on Easter Island, flying in from Santiago and out via Tahiti. I did a day tour then hired a vehicle and drove around the rest of the time. I was lucky to be there during a full moon so visited the different moai for both sunrise and sunset. A day visit by cruise ship would not have covered all the sites that I wished to see.

You could always do a cruise starting or finishing in Papeete and tag on a visit to Easter Island for a few days.

Looking forward to following your blog,Kathi, until I board in Hong Kong.

I got off the Maasdam last month after 39 nights on board in a DA cabin on Main Deck. Only a couple of times did I hear people walking on the Promenade deck, none of them early, compared to a few years ago on the Amsterdam in a similar cabin I would hear the decks being washed down by the crew plus lots of walkers.

I would have no hesitation booking a DA cabin on the Maasdam again and was looking to book a 63 night cruise on her later this year but unfortunately family commitments have made me postpone my plans.

Thanks so much for all the time and effort you are putting into your very informative blog. I join the Maasdam in January for her 39 night cruise back north and am really enjoying following your cruise south.

Looking forward to following your blog as I will be boarding the Maasdam in Sydney for the 39 night return trip north.

I've cruised from all 7 continents and Antarctica wins hands down.

I can understand your reluctance to have the YF vaccination. I was in my 40's and healthy when I had mine but was unlucky enough to be in the very small percentage to have a serious adverse side affect which now has lifelong health implications. Because of my experience, when I went with some family members and friends to Africa last year, none of them were willing to have the vaccination but were all opting for the medical waiver until the country we were visiting was removed from the YF endemic list by WHO.

Speak to your doctor about the pros and cons of the vaccination and confirm with HAL if a medical waiver is acceptable.

Please add:

15 January 2017 - Maasdam - Sydney to San Diego 39 nights

11 February 2018 - Amsterdam - Sydney to Fort Lauderdale world cruise sector 76 nights

Love these longer cruises

Bev

Kangaroo Island is an amazing place - I spent a week there on a photographic trip a couple of years ago - and I'm hoping to return on a HAL ship in 18 months.

There is a lot to see and when I did it we did not use a 4WD and we were still able to see everything.

When I revisit on my HAL cruise I would look at hiring a vehicle and heading to Flinders National Park and the Remarkables first thing and then come back via Seal Bay which would then be about 1-1.25 hour drive back to the Maasdam at Peneshaw.

If you don't want to drive yourself and can't arrange a private tour then I would go with a HAL tour as you might not get back by the all aboard time on a standard local day tour.