NAdm TA Crossing - The Good, Bad and Ugly

[CBTex]

This was our sixth cruise and second on Holland America. It was our first transatlantic crossing. By the third day we were so relaxed that our only care was when our next meal was being served.

 

We had a VA veranda on the port side near the aft on the Rotterdam (7) deck. The cabin was more than adequate for two people. This was our first verandah and it was like having our own private porch to the world. We thoroughly enjoyed drinking wine and room service snacks while watching the world pass us by. The weather was ideal and the ocean was like glass. It was a perfectly relaxing vacation. Hint, you can get fruit juice and fresh fruit in the Lido and bring wine aboard to make your own sangria. Heaven!

 

The Good: The ship is absolutely beautiful. The art and fresh floral arrangements everywhere make the ship a destination in itself. The crew is the best. To the man, or woman, they are genuinely friendly and want to make your trip as enjoyable as possible. Our cabin steward and associate, Joko and Made were terrific. They were stealth stewards, we never saw them, but they always knew when to make up our room – several times a day.

 

The quality and presentation of the food is top notch. We had anytime dining and never had an issue in the MDR with either making reservations or walking up and being seated. We ate in all three specialty restaurants, including the special Cirque night and was not disappointed. The food was well-prepared and presented, menus varied and imaginative with very attentive service. The specialty restaurants broke up the dining experience. We liked the circular design of the MDR. It made for more intimate dining, than having a larger, more open dining room.

 

The entertainment was outstanding. The Showcase at Sea rivals a well-equipped theatre with turntables, stage elevators, LED back screens and lighting. The productions were the best we’ve seen from a staging and talent perspective. The singers, dancers, staging and costumes rivaled professional theater. The 4 male singing group Cantare were very talented, as were the dancers and two female singers. The outside entertainers – pianist,

magician, comedians were OK. Matt Murphy, the vocalist and acoustic guitarist at the Crew’s Nest was incredibly talented. We spent many a cocktail hour (happy hour) listening to him. The Hal Cats provided great music for shows or dancing. We took advantage of the

2 drinks for $1 more Happy Hours throughout the ship.

 

We also went on the Pub Crawl and had the best time drinking and enjoying the company of both younger and older passengers. We’re 60 and we haven’t let our hair down since college days. I was surprised that I could hold my own against the younger crew and passengers on the drinking games. It was an absolute blast! We were adopted as honorary parents by some of the 20-something year old cast members who joined us on the crawl.

 

The Bad: With the caveat of how bad can it be when you’re cruising on Holland America? we did have a few “nits”. The Lido deck is a disaster. The midship pool area is cramped and too small for all-ship activities such as Caribbean night, Chocolate Extravaganza etc.

 

The design of the cafeteria doesn’t work. You have to pass through

the cafeteria to get from mid-ship to aft and have to fight people standing in line for their food, just to get to the other end of the ship. We ate two breakfasts in the Lido and without trays, you had to make a separate trip for juice, a trip for coffee, a trip for pastries, a trip for main entrees etc. Each required a trip to a different station along a straight hallway. The same passage you use to get from one end of the ship to the other. Plus the staff was slow to clear tables, so you often had to search for a clean table. We avoided the Lido as much as possible. This was our only major complaint.

 

The coffee on board was sub par. Fortunately thanks to this CC board we were alerted to this possibility and brought Starbuck VIA packets and all was well.

 

Unfortunately the string group Adagio Strings were not up to the standards of the other entertainers. They couldn’t play in tune and looked like they were not having a good time as did their audience. Just passing through the Explorer Lounge when they were playing hurt our ears. Hopefully their contract is up soon and they will be replaced with more talented string players.

 

Drink cards can only be used for the corkage fee in the MDR and no where else on the ship. This inconsistency across dining venues was irritating.

When the Wine Steward asked us in the Tamarind Restaurant if everything was OK, we complained and he said that this was HAL policy and an accounting issue. He apologized and said that Seattle has been notified of this irritation to the customers.

 

The Ugly: Taste is in the eye of the beholder, but the silver settees by the elevator lobbies have got to go. They look like they belong in an 19th century Italian bordello and are not keeping with the otherwise extremely tastefully decorated ship. Fortunately this is an easy fix. HAL can offer them for sale on Craig's List.

[Krazy Kruizers]

thank you taking the time to write your review

 

agree about how 'tight' it is in the lido buffet area

 

the group of adagio players we had on the nieuw amsterdam in november/december were very good -- sorry to hear the group you had were not good

[Boytjie]

When I want to avoid the crowd in the Lido and to get from one end of the ship to the other I would either go outside and up a deck, or go down a deck and walk through inside.

 

Thanks for your review. :)

[erewhon]

Thank you for your review.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the review, I love the "stealth stewards" comment! Sorry to hear about the Adagio Strings as that is something we alway enjoy before we go to dinner. We cruised on the Noordam last summer and found the ship and crew to be awesome.

 

Kirk

[the2ofus]

Thank you for your review. I find that the Adagio strings can be hit or miss. On some cruises they are good, on others not. On our recent Volendam cruise in New Zealand they were in the 'not' category, and they did not look happy. One of our fellow cruisers was a member of an orchestra in the US. She believed that they had not been hired as an ensemble and were having trouble playing as a group. They were not so much out of tune as out of sync with one another. Not pleasant to listen to!

 

Like Boytjie, at times when the Lido area is busy I go up or down one deck and avoid the aggravation.

[SmokinActuary]

Thanks for the review!

 

I remember the Lido Pool area feeling cramped on the Zuiderdam. I could only imagine how much more cramped it is with the Cabanas on the NA.

[CruiserBruce]

Thanks for the review. Was very interested as we will be on the N. A. in December,

 

Curious to know how you know what the furnishing of a 19th century Italian bordello might look like?

[portofrome]

Thank you for your review.

[Linda&Vern]

CBTex wrote "Drink cards can only be used for the corkage fee in the MDR and no where else on the ship. This inconsistency across dining venues was irritating. When the Wine Steward asked us in the Tamarind Restaurant if everything was OK, we complained and he said that this was HAL policy and an accounting issue. He apologized and said that Seattle has been notified of this irritation to the customers."

 

OP - Can you explain further? I'm not sure I understand.

 

[kazu]

Thanks so much for your review. One of the things we always enjoy are the strings. Sorry that they were not good on your cruise.

 

I too am confused on your drink card comment. Hope you wouldn't mind to come back and elaborate. Are you saying you could only use your beverage card for corkage fees and not for drinks?

[E-500]

The Ugly: Taste is in the eye of the beholder, but the silver settees by the elevator lobbies have got to go. They look like they belong in an 19th century Italian bordello and are not keeping with the otherwise extremely tastefully decorated ship. Fortunately this is an easy fix. HAL can offer them for sale on Craig's List.

 

Too funny, if they ever go on E-Bay, look for my high bid, trying to beat out all the hookers from Milan to Rome. We thought they looked great.

 

Loved the rest of your review.

[CBTex]

Maybe I should have said, what I imagine one would find in an Italian bordello!

They really are, as my kids would say, fugugly.

 

Sorry for the confusion over my drink card comment. What I meant to say was we could use the card to cover the corkage fee in the MDR, but not corkage fees in other venues - Canaletto, Tamarind, Pinnacle Grill. The drink card could be used throughout the ship, except for drink specials and Happy Hour 2 plus $1 drinks.

[kazu]

Maybe I should have said, what I imagine one would find in an Italian bordello!

They really are, as my kids would say, fugugly.

 

Sorry for the confusion over my drink card comment. What I meant to say was we could use the card to cover the corkage fee in the MDR, but not corkage fees in other venues - Canaletto, Tamarind, Pinnacle Grill. The drink card could be used throughout the ship, except for drink specials and Happy Hour 2 plus $1 drinks.

 

thanks for the clarification - that is strange though - I would think you should have been able to use them for the corkage fee in the specialty restaurants too. very, very strange. :)

[prima luce]

I was on that cruise also. It was every bit as great as stated. How lucky were we to have the great weather for the crossing! My favorite place on the ship is The Silk Den. The view is amazing and Aurora makes the best martinis. All the entertainment was great except the Adagio Strings and I felt the guy in the piano bar had an attitude problem. Only went there once. Loves the Neptunes in the Ocean bar. The crew were the nicest I've ever met and this was my 8th cruise, 3rd on HAL. All the ports were nice and you must take the wicker sled ride in Funchal, Madiera. It was the most fun I ever had. I really did have the time of my life. Next time I'm bringing my husband. I'm hoping to make the Venice to Ft. Lauderdale crossing in Oct. 2012. Wish I didn't have to wait that long but got to save my pennies.

[EaglesWing]

Great review - thanks!

 

Does the group in the Ocean Bar play danceable music? We've been disappointed in the past couple of cruises....:(

 

How would you rate the Captain and Cruise Director?

[prima luce]

Yes, the Neptunes play music for dancing in the Ocean Bar. They are a jazz trio..woman on piano with bass and drum? She sings like Diana Krall and they play The great American Song Book. Captain Mercer was very nice, around a lot and very approachable. Unfortunately, it was his last cruise on the NA. He was leaving on vacation and would either be reassigned or maybe even retire. He has been with HAL 40 years. Gene Young is the best cruise director! He has so much personality and also is very anxious to mingle with the passengers.

[v702]

Captain Mercer was very nice, around a lot and very approachable. Unfortunately, it was his last cruise on the NA. He was leaving on vacation and would either be reassigned or maybe even retire. He has been with HAL 40 years.

 

 

So sorry to hear this as we are cruising in December on the NA and were hoping very much that Captain Mercer would be on board. I agree that he is very approachable. Does anyone know anymore about this?:(

[rkacruiser]

I, too, am sorry to learn that Captain Mercer is leaving the Nieuw Amsterdam. He is a very pleasant and passenger-friendly Master. However, if he does choose to retire, he most certainly has earned it! 40 years at sea is a very long time.

 

This does explain something that I saw on the Holland America Blog, however. When the Amsterdam and the Nieuw Amsterdam were in a Spanish port together recently, the Amsterdam passengers were invited aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam. In a photo of a receiving line of Nieuw Amsterdam crew, welcoming the Amsterdam passengers aboard, there was a deck officer with 4 stripes on his shoulder board in the line--a "second Captain"--I wondered. I thought this odd. This gentleman was probably Captain Mercer's replacement. I did not recognize him and I wonder if anyone knows who he is. I would have thought that Captain van Zaane would have replaced Mercer when he went on leave.

[Tonklily]

Thank you for your review. We are boarding the NA on June 15th. Looking forward to the Showroom at Seas Shows. Any more word on who the new Captain is??? :)

[meterman2]

We were on this cruise as well. Can't comment on the "Strings" which we didn't go see but we can certainly concur about all of the positives. The shows were top notch, as were the dinners, ports of call and of course the very best crew in the business. We were blessed with pretty calm seas, nice weather and what appeared to me, a pretty happy bunch of fellow passengers. As with other transatlantics, this type of cruise attracts a majority of experienced cruisers and every part of the ship seemed to be well utilized.

 

I'll agree that the lido pool cabanas do make the area much more cramped and I can't understand the appeal of the retreat cabanas on deck 11 forward because it is always so windy up there. That said, we rarely utilize those parts of the ship and I guess HAL needs to generate revenue some how.

 

I do remember the Captain stating his schedule is 3 months on and 3 months off. I never heard mention of any retirement. So if his schedule remains consistent, he should be back onboard the later part of July.

 

In Catagena, Spain, we were in port with the Nieuw Amsterdam's little sister, the Amsterdam, which was concluding a world cruise. It was a pretty site to see these two beautiful ships "side by side", large and small, young and old. The crews played a soccer match and the N. Amsterdam won 7-5 (our assistant dining steward Rudy scored two goals).

[cle1]

I agree with you on the Lido. It was BAD! I never knew where the lines started, then tried to make room for people to walk past. Towards the end of our cruise, I gave up trying to get to the ice cream bar. First HAL cruise where I did not at all enjoy the Lido.

[woody14h]

Thanks for the review. Was very interested as we will be on the N. A. in December,

 

Curious to know how you know what the furnishing of a 19th century Italian bordello might look like?

 

Maybe Shirley MacLaine told him??