Just off the Koningsdam...aft Neptune review

[jvalentine]

Florida gal...pricing in there was a la carte...just like a normal restaurant so everything has different pricing on the menu. Thank you about the pics! There's more to come!

Edited June 22, 2016 by jvalentine

[jvalentine]

Took the funicular up to the top for the panoramic picture spot. Get there early to avoid long lines. If you go be aware there are two different lines...one for groups and another for individuals. (LOL, apparently we are the worst at getting in a cue.)

 

Grabbed lunch at Peppes pizza. Get the ham and truffle oil one....so good! Then we took the city train around. Good lord...save yourself. Such a rough ride...it was kinda painful and we were eager to get off. Beautiful city though...best time was just walking around town on our own. Great shopping too. Short walk from downtown to the pier. We were pretty lucky too with the weather...rain held off most of the day.

 

View from where we were docked:

 

View from up at the top via the Funicular:

 

The funicular...fairly sure the folks in the first car thought I was crazy.

 

The rhododendrons...if you like this flower this is the city for you! Tons of them everywhere.

 

The Bryggen:

[jvalentine]

More of the art on the Koningsdam:

 

 

Closer look at the beads and tiny bits used to make up the collage piece I posted earlier:

 

 

 

Vinyl art:

 

 

 

Loved this piece too...virtually impossible to avoid the reflections in the glass though. (although the ship sails/mast in the reflection is pretty neat)

 

 

 

 

 

More atrium:

 

[bobalink]

jvalentine,

 

Wow! Your review and photos are simply amazing! Outstanding job!

 

We will be on ms Koningsdam in a few short weeks.

 

It is refreshing to read your positive review. I can't wait to get onboard.

 

We will also be staying one night at Hotel Estherea in Amsterdam.

 

It sounds like it is easy to DIY in many of the ports. Thanks for any insights you can give or what is "not to be missed" in the ports.

 

I know what a tremendous effort it takes to write a review and include photos. Thank you for taking the time to share your adventure!

 

Thanks!

[jvalentine]

Thanks Bobalink!

 

If you have the time in Amsterdam see if you can check out Volendam (city very close by) or do the old windmill tour. There's a ton of stuff to do in town, but we really enjoyed going out to the countryside. (We did a tour that hit both for $49E per person...was able to book it at the hotel. Be advised if you pay at the hotel they'll want euros for it, no card payment on that tour)

 

Speaking of that...arrange to get some Krones and euros before you go so you get better exchange rates. I took the equilavent of about $500 US dollars with me in euros/Krones and ended up stopping to exchange out for a few more.

 

In Alesund..do try and check out the fish and chip stand if you like those. It was very good...located really close to the city center. And definitely find a way to get up to the top for that view. You'll also probably be leaving there around sunset...be sure to grab a good spot to watch that one.

 

For Geiranger...I wish we would had been awake for the sail in the fjord to see the seven sisters waterfall. On the way out we were on the other side. Going in the fjord, it'll be on the left if you're looking forward. Still got some great shots of it since we were in the back, but would have been awesome to be a bit closer.

 

In Bergen...check out the fish market/bryggen area for lunch. The market had some great looking paella that I wish I'd tried. And really the seafood there looked awesome. Do the funicular first thing. It's a great photo op and relatively cheap. You can get tix for the funicular at the tourist info office right by the market.

 

I'll post more if I think of anything else.

 

Here's a link to a few more shots from the trip too: https://www.flickr.com/photos/133754860@N03/albums

Edited June 22, 2016 by jvalentine

[alwaysfrantic]

The beauty of the new ship is making me question Alaska on the Noordam in favor of anywhere the Konsindam is going.

[FunTraveler52]

Thank you so much for posting your review and pictures. We will be on the July 17 sailing of the Midnight sun cruise. Your posting is making me so excited. Can't wait!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[jvalentine]

Hi Alwaysfrantic! We did Alaska on the Noordam with the Inside Passage/Glacier Bay...it was wonderful too! Alaska has amazing scenery as well, but a ton more wildlife. (Whales, bears, porpoises, sea lions...didn't see much wildlife in Norway) Norway fjords are somewhat similar to Tracy Arm up in Alaska...but on a much larger scale and with amazing waterfalls. In the city stops you have a ton more historical architecture in Norway. Obviously they're each different and beautiful in their own way, but if I had to compare it to something state side for scenery..probably Tracy Arm. As for the ports, there isn't anything I can really compare it to since the cities are so different...quintessentially European.

 

I will say food on the Koningsdam is a million times better than what we had on the Noordam. Nothing earth shatteringly new on the menus, but the preparation was much nicer and things just tasted better. I will say on both ships desserts in the regular dining options never really appealed to me. Maybe I'm a dessert snob, but I usually opted for the gelato if I had a sweet tooth..it just tasted better to me.

 

Service on both ships was equally good. If it were me, I'd probably wait a bit and do the Alaska itinerary again on the Noordam in hopes that the prices go down a little on the K. I do have my eye on a 2017 Nieuw Amsterdam Inside Passage sailing...hoping it will have gone through the refurb at that point.

Edited June 22, 2016 by jvalentine

[travelinjones]

Thanks for sharing all of your photos and impressions. We are heading to Amsterdam in less than 2 weeks to sail on the Koningsdam; your posts have me ready to start packing now.

 

 

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[jvalentine]

Pinnacle Grill:

Dinner: The amuse-bouche was a lobster flan. I think I was predestined not to like it since I generally don't care for flan. My lobster bisque soup was very good...really good flavor. Husband's shrimp cocktail...very tasty and worth noting the shrimps were huge. Dinner we had steaks...the meat cuts were very tender, but they needed seasoning. (Maybe that's why they want you to order a sauce with your steak...a little salt would really go a long way.) I've never been a heavy salt seasoner, but these did need a little...steak were a little bland and over cooked for my taste. I generally don't like sauce with my steak...a well seasoned and cooked steak has enough flavor for me if it's prepared right. (The Tamarind filet is better in my opinion.) Dessert I had the homemade cheesecake and husband had baked Alaska. Desserts were good (that's a big thumbs up for me since I hardly ever care for cruise desserts) and dinner as a whole was quite nice.

 

Breakfast service: Hit and miss as far as breakfast goes...some things are fresher and taste better from the Lido. (True statement) However, dealing with the mass of people in the Lido before I've had a few cups of coffee in the morning is not a good idea for me. Nothing breakfast wise was ever bad, just that somethings were not as fresh...hot off the griddle as in the Lido. If given the choice of Lido vs Pinnacle for breakfast I choose the Pinnacle every time.

 

Service in the Pinnacle any time we went was always very, very good...in general it usually made up for any short comings as far as the food was concerned. The whole atmosphere in there is very relaxing and tasteful...some modern touches, but still unmistakably HAL.

[CruiseLady88]

Talk about huge shrimps. Every time we think of the King Prawns we had, our mouth still watering.

[jvalentine]

Amsterdam!

 

We had the most time in Amsterdam since we spent a night pre cruise and post cruise before heading back home to Nashville.

 

Fair warning...there is going to be a lot of pics!

 

Excursions to Volendam, Cheese Factory and Wooden Shoe Factory:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jvalentine]

Amsterdam Canal Cruise:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jvalentine]

More Cheese and Windmills:

 

 

More Zaanse Schans windmills:

 

This was over in the Zaanse Schans. I could have spent the day here!

 

There were beautiful gardens everywhere over in Volendam...really stunning countryside.

 

Not being crass, but I thought this was hysterical. :)

Edited June 22, 2016 by jvalentine

[jvalentine]

Last one...me being an uber tourist. I really don't think I could personify the stereotype anymore than what's pictured below. When in Rome...err, Holland, wooden shoes and a cheese factory visit are a must. :)

 

 

Hope you all enjoyed the pics! Thank you for all the comments as well! If you have any questions about the ship or the ports I'll do my best to answer!

[CruiseLady88]

Well done! Thanks for sharing all the beautiful pictures.

[sunnymonkey]

@jvalentine - Thanks for the detailed review! Did you pre-book the Culinary Arts Center or book onboard? I read another review from an earlier cruiser saying that it was quite empty for dinner most nights. Did you find this to be the case? I'm debating whether or not to pre-book it since I plan to try the other specialty restaurants onboard and we only have 7 days!

[Florida_gal_50]

Florida gal...pricing in there was a la carte...just like a normal restaurant so everything has different pricing on the menu. Thank you about the pics! There's more to come!

 

Thank you :).

[jvalentine]

@Sunnymonkey...we didn't pre-book, just did a reservation once we were on board. Most nights traffic was pretty light in there and you likely won't need a reservation.

[CruiseLady88]

On our 14-day cruise, we saw two accidents. One accident occurred in the theatre on a formal night. The lady fell and tumbled down few stairs (the ship may not be stable when she walked down). Glad that she was ok, no bone fracture. Good that she was not an older woman.

 

Another accident occurred in Flam. A Dutch lady tripped and fell to the wooden floor on her way back to the ship. She must have fallen on her side, broken her glasses, broke her right shoulder (or arm). Glad that there was a nurse passenger around to help until the ship's doctor came to help.

[sunnymonkey]

@Sunnymonkey...we didn't pre-book, just did a reservation once we were on board. Most nights traffic was pretty light in there and you likely won't need a reservation.

Thanks!

[lahlah57]

Pinnacle Grill:

Dinner: The amuse-bouche was a lobster flan. I think I was predestined not to like it since I generally don't care for flan. My lobster bisque soup was very good...really good flavor. Husband's shrimp cocktail...very tasty and worth noting the shrimps were huge. Dinner we had steaks...the meat cuts were very tender, but they needed seasoning. (Maybe that's why they want you to order a sauce with your steak...a little salt would really go a long way.) I've never been a heavy salt seasoner, but these did need a little...steak were a little bland and over cooked for my taste. I generally don't like sauce with my steak...a well seasoned and cooked steak has enough flavor for me if it's prepared right. (The Tamarind filet is better in my opinion.) Dessert I had the homemade cheesecake and husband had baked Alaska. Desserts were good (that's a big thumbs up for me since I hardly ever care for cruise desserts) and dinner as a whole was quite nice.

 

Breakfast service: Hit and miss as far as breakfast goes...some things are fresher and taste better from the Lido. (True statement) However, dealing with the mass of people in the Lido before I've had a few cups of coffee in the morning is not a good idea for me. Nothing breakfast wise was ever bad, just that somethings were not as fresh...hot off the griddle as in the Lido. If given the choice of Lido vs Pinnacle for breakfast I choose the Pinnacle every time.

 

Service in the Pinnacle any time we went was always very, very good...in general it usually made up for any short comings as far as the food was concerned. The whole atmosphere in there is very relaxing and tasteful...some modern touches, but still unmistakably HAL.

 

I must say, your images are picture perfect and far too professional to even look real!:D

 

I was starting to regret our choice of cruise on the K-dam in october because of the negatives I have been reading but keeping up with your take always gives me renewed

hope!

Had no idea Pinnacle had breakfast. Is this at an extra fee? Do they have it every morning or will Lido be our only choice? Not too many good reviews of the breakfast buffet there. Is it all that bad or are certain times at it's worst? Your info is valuable!!!!

One last question.....Did you make any of your reservations on line or did you just wait till on board? Thankyou so much for all of it!

[jvalentine]

Hi lahlah57,

 

Thank you so much for your comments on the pics!

 

As far as the Lido goes...I never consistently found a good time to go where it was less hectic. If you're willing to brave the crowds the food was pretty decent and there were a lot of options, just seating was very hard to find. (That's the part I found the most annoying because after you wait in line with plate in hand..the last thing you want to do is go hunting for seat.) New York Pizza had virtually no lines for a quick and less hectic breakfast option.

 

The Pinnacle is open for suite guests for breakfasts at no charge. Other options we didn't try for breakfast were the main dining room which, in hindsight, probably should have done just to test it out because we don't always sail in a suite.

[CanuckCruizer]

jvalentine - thanks very much for the pictures of that suite - we are looking at booking that one, so it was very nice to finally see it!:)

 

Do you have any pictures of the closet area in the suite or can you describe it? Wondering if there is a full length mirror somewhere? I need to get close to a mirror to do my makeup and from your pictures, it looks like I might have trouble trying to lean over the bathroom counter or desktop to see myself close. From previous experience, if I can stand at a full length mirror and get really close, that works better for me.

 

My DH is admiring your photos and would like to know what kind of camera you used?

 

Thanks again for the nice review.

 

Canuck

[jvalentine]

Hi Canuck!

 

There is a full length mirror outside the bathroom. :)

 

I use a Nikon D5500, and most of this trip I used a Tokina 11-16 DXII lens with it. It's been great for inside work and landscapes.

 

The husband shoots with a Nikon D750...he's still working on his pics and I'll post some of those whenever they're done. He's way pickier than me...lol)