REVIEW: 10 Fabulous Days on the Elegant ms Noordam

[BoiseIdahoSpud]

10 Fabulous Days on the Elegant ms Noordam

What more could you ask from a relaxing and elegant cruise vacation? Our 10-day cruise on the Southern Caribbean Wayfarer itinerary was nothing short of spectacular. This was our first visit to the Caribbean.

• ABOUT US • This is our third cruise with Holland America Line and once again they earned our respect and highest praise for offering an outstanding vacation. My partner and I were joined on this cruise by our delightful mother and best friends plus their two children ages 15 and 11. We cruise for service, food (variety and quality), ship ambience and the escape afforded by the endless sea.

• THE SHIP • The Noordam is an elegant ship and we prefer the design and layout to the Oosterdam. While the ships are essentially the same, there are some differences in the Explorer’s Lounge on deck 3 that we really liked. This is a nice space in the ship that we never really found on the Oosterdam. The interior design of the Noordam is more elegant and classic, particularly in the Lido and Captain’s Corner of the Crow’s Nest. As you expect from Holland America, the deck 3 teak promenade, furniture and surrounding metal work is spotless. It provides a real sense of nautical pride and tradition. Perfect for “long walks on the sea”.

• OUR SUITE • Our previous cruises were on the Oosterdam (SA7086, SA7080) and this time we selected SA7048, which is the farthest port cabin forward, just aft of the penthouse. We preferred this cabin location as we frequent the Neptune Lounge for ice, delicious snacks, and to say hello to the wonderful concierge team of Doris and Reyan. In addition to the proximity to the Neptune Lounge, we also liked being closer to the forward elevators which put you right at the Explorer’s Lounge, casino, spa, and Crow’s Nest. Putu and Dwi, our gracious and professional cabin stewards were the best yet and were “never in the way, never out of reach”. Their smiles and laughter were a genuine addition to the cruising experience.

• THE ITINERARY • We just loved this itinerary. The Noordam alternates between the 10 day “Seafarer” and “Wayfarer” itineraries. We chose the Wayfarer because it starts with two sea days to “get you in the mood” and ends with the spectacular Half Moon Cay (more on that in a bit).

We left Ft. Lauderdale in a beautiful lightning storm which put on a show all through the dinner service. This was a first for us and the captain (John Scott) assured me that as long as I was touching metal with one hand and holding a vodka in the other… my head would explode if lightning struck the ship. He had a great sense of humor so I relished reporting the next day that I tried all night and had no explosion to report. (For novices like me… when lightning strikes the ship, it passes unnoticed through the ship and into the sea.) The sunrise of the second day was proof that the storms were left in Florida and the weather was spectacular for the rest of our journey.

The first port was St. Maarten. As first-timers to the Caribbean, I cannot express what excitement we felt when we opened the drapes to see the jewel-like, electric blue water in the harbor. The Caribbean water is just stunning and mesmerizing – a reason itself to make the trip. We took a taxi for $40 (thank you Selma of “Love’s Paradise” taxi!) to the world famous Sunset Beach to watch the planes land over the sand. What a fun day this turned out to be! The beach was lovely, the water color and temperature were magic, the food at the bar was delicious (try the tuna steak sandwich!), and then add the thrill of commercial airliners landing right over your head. We all laughed and laughed. And rest assured, there are long periods in between landings so it is an occasional thrill that doesn’t dominate your beach experience. The only downside of the day was my excitement to be in the sea made me forget sunscreen and well… the sun is hot. Consider yourself warned.

St. Lucia was the next port of call. The harbor is just lovely. This was a special day for us as we brought the ashes of my uncle and grandfather to scatter into the sea. The ship allowed us to select a location and we chose the Pitons at Soufriere Bay. Iris the Guest Relations Manager, Doris and Reyan from the Neptune Lounge, Mark Pells the Hotel Director, and Frank the Cellar Master arranged for a wonderful private ceremony for us at the aft of the deck 3 promenade. The air was completely still as we placed the ashes and rose petals into the sea while sailing into the bay as the sun set on the Pitons. IT was a “wow” moment. The ship’s photographer was present and sent us home with some lovely pictures commemorating the moment. We cannot thank the crew enough for arranging this memorable occasion we will cherish forever.

Barbados was very fun as we booked the 5-Star Catamaran Swim with Turtles Excursion in advance of our cruise through HAL. The catamaran is purpose-built with wide open decks, a shaded recessed area, and a wrap-around bar! The three-man crew was really fun and friendly and provided great food, drink and laughs. Swimming with the turtles was a real highlight of the trip which included a second snorkel stop over a reef where we saw large “brain” coral and some colorful fish.

Martinique was next and our friends raved about the lush gardens.

At St. Thomas we booked the Champagne Catamaran sail to St. John through the ship. The harbor and town were very busy that day (7 ships) so we were happy to take a beautiful sail to St. John where we enjoyed a couple hours of snorkeling followed by drinks and a light snack (the Barbados catamaran provided a full lunch but was more expensive). We highly recommend taking a sailing excursion while you are on a cruise – it gives you a very intimate experience with the sea.

The crown jewel in the itinerary was saved for last with HAL’s private island, Half Moon Cay. Everything wonderful you read about Half Moon Cay is true. The sand is phenomenally fine and powder-soft and the water is electric blue. We rented the Private Oasis for the day and the food and bar service were off-the-charts fantastic. Francisco (Pinnacle Grill) was our butler for the day and he took such good care of us. There were bartenders and several cooking staff who prepared the lovely lunch – even cooking our steaks to order! The Private Oasis is a first class experience we will never forget. We named our giant floating mat the “I Wish I Could Stay Here Forever Too”. I’m not kidding when I tell you there were tears shed as we took (were dragged onto…) the last tender from the island.

• FOOD • We reserved a late fixed seating at table 50 (8 seat table) – a great table with awesome dining staff, Apri, Budiasa, and wine steward Nick. We really enjoy the variety and quality of the food in the main dining room and found it to be the same quality we have come to expect from our previous HAL cruises. We appreciated that Christian, the Assistant Dining Room Manager, made a point of stopping by every night with a friendly smile, story and inquiries about out day.

We also enjoyed “An Evening at Le Cirque” which was very nice. The amuse of foie gras and rhubarb chutney, prime beef (very rare and sliced tableside), and crème brulee were so delicious and transported us to a different mental space… like we were living the grand high life of the luxury liner crossing days. Dante our server was a true delight with a generous laugh and Jenny the Pinnacle Grill Manager was beautiful and professional – it was a great evening.

We used the Lido more than our previous cruises and some of the poolside barbecues. We remain amazed at how they prepare such a variety of high quality food for so many people. Also worth mentioning is the Pinnacle Grill daily display in the Neptune Lounge… again, always a treat to see what feast for the eyes and palette they can create.

• THE CREW • The crew of the Noordam is first class. The CC Meet and Greet was well-attended by many officers and crew members which we appreciated. Mark Pells provided snacks and champagne which was also appreciated. Thanks to Candy for coordinating too.

Mom and I took the “Behind the Scenes” ship tour which was hosted by Marc Thompson, the Onboard Marketing Manager. Marc is the consummate gentleman and was a wonderful host throughout the cruise. The tour itself was a unique experience mom and I would rate as a “must do” for any avid cruise addict. You gain a very deep appreciation for the incredible effort it takes to make these magnificent vessels run like clockwork while pleasing all the guests. The cost of the tour includes some lovely champagne (served between the provisions and waste management areas!), parting gifts, and cocktails at the end. You see the bridge, engine control room, laundry and tailoring (fascinating!) and many other interesting areas you would never otherwise see.

This is a long review so if you made it this far, congratulations! I’ll close by sharing that one of the most touching moments of the cruise was when we returned to our stateroom from Half Moon Cay. We always collect our favorite towel animals and keep them on a shelf of honor we call “the zoo”. When we got back to the ship, Putu and Dwi had taken all the animals from the shelf, placed them on the bed, added one more animal friend, and left us a heartfelt note about “wanting us to come back and visit the zoo and that the animals would miss us”. It was very meaningful and a classic Holland America Line touch of “friendly elegance”.

Thank you so much to the crew of the elegant ms Noordam for the Caribbean vacation of a lifetime! We hope to be onboard again as soon as time and resources permit.

[Cruizer Bill]

Thanks so much for your review! We were on Noordam last month and loved it exactly as much as you do, it's great!

For all you do, this Spud's for you !! :):p

[erewhon]

Thank you for posting this positive review of your cruise.

So pleased that you and your group had such a good time on the Noordam.

 

Were the occupants of the penthouse able to look into your balcony?

Or did you feel your balcony was quite private?

[BoiseIdahoSpud]

Were the occupants of the penthouse able to look into your balcony?

Or did you feel your balcony was quite private?

 

The balcony of 7048 if fully private. If you are standing right at the rail you can lean out a bit and see the forward portion of the PS balcony including the outside hot tub. Glad you liked the review.

[sail7seas]

Wonderful review of the very beautiful Noordam. We sailed her last month and truly enjoyed our time aboard. She's a special ship.

 

Welcome back and thanks for a great review.

[JamesEM]

Thanks for the review, we were on the Noordam in Jan. and had a great cruise. We ate dinner in the Lido several times during the cruise and found the food to be very good.

[Krazy Kruizers]

thanks for taking the time to write your review

 

we also love the noordam

 

and we do like booking the cabins close to the neptune lounge

[kazu]

Welcome back! A wonderful review with great tips and a very enjoyable read. you must really be going through cruise withdrawal after living the suite life for 10 days;)

 

Thanks again for sharing:)

[SmokinActuary]

Excellent Review! Thanks for writing it.

[aliaschief]

Great review. Thanks for sharing. The MS Noordam continually receives stellar reviews.

[bernie5]

Thanks so much for the review! I cannot wait.

We are so excited about our first HAL cruise and the beautiful Noordam---our home for 20 days next month. What a dream--OK enough bragging.

 

How do you reserve for the Ship's Tour? I cannot find anything on the HAL website so it must be after you board the ship. I really want to do this.

Did you visit the spa?

Did you eat at the Canaletto's-- Italian Restaurant? Pinnacle Grill--regular menu?

 

Thanks again for all your efforts writing the review.

[BoiseIdahoSpud]

Thanks so much for the review! I cannot wait.

We are so excited about our first HAL cruise and the beautiful Noordam---our home for 20 days next month. What a dream--OK enough bragging.

 

How do you reserve for the Ship's Tour? I cannot find anything on the HAL website so it must be after you board the ship. I really want to do this.

Did you visit the spa?

Did you eat at the Canaletto's-- Italian Restaurant? Pinnacle Grill--regular menu?

 

Thanks again for all your efforts writing the review.

 

20 days? Lucky you!

 

TOUR: The "Behind the Scene's Ship Tour" cannot be booked in advance. You can book it through the Front Desk or Neptune Lounge once you are on the ship.

 

SPA: Our account will show that the spa was used frequently! But by my better half, not me. He used it repeatedly as did mom and our travelling companions. They had massage, accupuncture, facials, thermal suite, you name it. All rave reviews for the staff.

 

CANALETTO: We did not dine there. However, we did have two of the antipasto plates delivered to our suite for a social hour and they were delicious.

 

PINNACLE: We have done many dinners in the PG and they are always delightful. This time we just did the Le Cirque meal.

 

Please let me know if you have further questions and enjoy your 20 days on the beautiful Noordam!

[portofrome]

Thank you for the review.

[sevenseasnomad]

Thanks for the lovely review. We sail on Noordam for the 1st time December 23, 2011. Your descriptions of the service and the ship have notched up our anticipation level. :):):)

[cruiseapril]

Boise- We were on this cruise also and attended the Meet & Greet. I wrote a review a few days ago about how much we enjoyed the Noordam. This was our second HAL cruise and we decided to take the Nieuw Amsterdam 14 Day in 2013, as we like HAL so much.

 

Good to read your port reviews. We had a grand HAL tour in Martinique- one of the best ever for us- to St. Pierre, through a Rain Forest, and to Balata Gardens. Would like to spend a week on this island (as well as several others.)

 

Thanks for your review.

[DeepWaterMariner]

We were on the Noordam last month and join you in singing the praises of that ship. Some of the names have changed (our concierges were Jackie and Margaret, both wonderful) but the outstanding service continues.

[BoiseIdahoSpud]

Boise- We were on this cruise also and attended the Meet & Greet. I wrote a review a few days ago about how much we enjoyed the Noordam. This was our second HAL cruise and we decided to take the Nieuw Amsterdam 14 Day in 2013, as we like HAL so much.

 

Good to read your port reviews. We had a grand HAL tour in Martinique- one of the best ever for us- to St. Pierre, through a Rain Forest, and to Balata Gardens. Would like to spend a week on this island (as well as several others.)

 

Thanks for your review.

 

Hi April! Glad you are enjoying the HAL experience as much as we are. I read your review too and it sounds like you had a great time. They really do it right on the Noordam.

 

Take care... And we'll see you on the seas!

[MTL=CRUISEFAMILY]

Thank for the great review, it helps us undecided ones to look at this line a little closer...

 

We are considering, a Feb cruise and wanted to know if kids will be entertained, I notice you were cruising with teens, Is there enough to do?

 

Is there evening entertainment that will keep their interest, not necessarily in the kids club but joining us in the evening.

 

your responses are appreciated..

[BoiseIdahoSpud]

Thank for the great review, it helps us undecided ones to look at this line a little closer...

 

We are considering, a Feb cruise and wanted to know if kids will be entertained, I notice you were cruising with teens, Is there enough to do?

 

Is there evening entertainment that will keep their interest, not necessarily in the kids club but joining us in the evening.

 

your responses are appreciated..

 

I'm happy to try and provide you some insight. Our traveling companions kids are 11 (girl) and 15 (boy). I think the experience for your kids will vary by itinerary and time of year. Shorter cruises during the summer will have more kids. Our 10 day itinerary had about 10 "teens" (12-17) and 30 (11 and younger). The count is pretty accurate as per a HAL employee. You can ask your travel agent or HAL for a kid count on any cruise you are considering.

 

My best assessment (report from the 15 year old) is there was always a full slate of teen activities, but they were seldom attended. We met some nice Canadian teens who were happy entertaining themselves. The younger kids activites however were better attended and the girl spent a lot of time at Club HAL. The older boy found lots of things to do and even enjoyed the spa.

 

So I think my advice is this, if your teens are comfortable entertaining themselves with all the activities normally available on a cruise ship, they'll be fine. If you are on a longer or school time itinerary, don't expect a lot of kids. If they want to meet others teens they need to be ready to introduce themselves around the ship and not rely on The Loft as a place to meet kids.

 

One more thing... The kids received special daily activity programs every day.

[debijaynes]

We were on the same cruise and agree with all that you mentioned. After a second time enjoying the Neptune Lounge, we decided it is the only way to go. The service was impeccable and those afternoon snacks were to die for!And what about the Orange Juice!!!!

We did feel that the ship is a little on the large size and have booked the Maasdam for our next venture.

One of these days I'll actually get off at Half Moon Cay: as we live at the beach, I just don't want to fight the crowds!

And boy did those cruise day credits add up!!!!

[cruiseapril]

Boise- Have been thinking of taking the Noordam again in 2014- the Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire cruise. The staff and crew are just fantabulous! Maybe there is a Mariner cruise on the Noordam? Anyone done a Mariner cruise?