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Noordam Refitting


bichonsx2
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We will be on the Noordam 12/7/19 cruise from Sydney to N.Z.  I have been reading very negative reviews about the Noordam...saying she is very dingy and service is horrible.  We were told that the Noordam is due for a 2-week drydock refit in September.  Does anyone know what they can do to update the ship in just 2 weeks?

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We were on the Noordam in July and I have to agree she needs a lot of work with worn out carpet and furniture everywhere. Our SS cabin still had the small 24" TV on the desk and it was worthless. The furniture on our balcony was in terrible shape and the cushions were stained and torn. We were told the dry docking was going to upgrade all cabins to the 42" interactive TV's and new furniture. The crows nest is going to get the HAL Explorers Lounge upgrade which I disagree with as it us one of my favorite public places on HAL ships. She will get the same upgrades that the Westerdam got last year.

 

Other than the needs of dry docking we enjoyed our Noordam cruise, service was 100% fantastic and up to HAL standards. You will not be disappointed  on your Noordam cruise.

Edited by terrydtx
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We did Australia and new Zealand last December. Food and service we thought were excellent.  Cabins are dated and really need to be updated. We had a verandah, and the small chair and small table in front of the couch were falling apart. I never complain, but I did this time. Both items were replaced. With that being said the cruise was great.  

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Besides standard dry-dock maintenance in Esquimalt, BC from 29 Sep through 12 Oct, NODM will have her Shorex/‘Journey’s ashore’ dept. moved to the starboard side of the Crow’s Nest  where it will become part of “Explorations Central” with ‘the Hub’, ‘Destinations Display’, ‘Virtual Bridge’, ‘Theater EXC’ and ‘the Library’’; will get “Billboard Onboard,” incl. the two grand pianos, instead of her current Sports Bar and part of her Casino; a Casino Bar instead of the Piano Bar; and the Gallery (Arts) Bar instead of the Northern Lights nightclub;  her Explorations Café/Library. currently on Deck 3 starboard side,  will also move up to the Crow's Nest with the coffee bar merged with the Crow's Nest bar. Her Atrium Bar; aka the "Olive Pit," will be removed from the Deck 1 Atrium area and the creation of a sitting area with two internet stations near the former Shorex desk in the Deck 1 Atrium area; New carpeting in Deck 1 Atrium. 

 

Suite upgrades and enhancements, incl. new sofa, lounge and desk chairs, carpeting and wall covers, a quartz stone top on the desk, dresser, nightstands and makeup vanity. Electronic upgrades include USB outlets added each side of the bed's headboard, LED reading lights and a lighted closet rod. A Bose iPod docking station, in-cabin coffee and espresso machine in PS and NS suites only. An interactive TV system on large LED flat-screen TV’s with complimentary movies on demand as well as access to the daily program and shipboard information incl. restaurant overviews, spa services and guest billing; bathroom enhancements; standard stateroom upgrades incl. wall-mounted flat TV.

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Do you know if the electronic upgrades will be included in the cabins (inside & outside) on the lower decks?  Looking forward to our J1053 cabin and hoping they will be there in the fall.

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I haven't sailed on the Noordam for several years, but at that time, the Noordam was my favourite cruise ship.  Consequently, it has been really disappointing reading negative reviews and reports of this particular ship.  Thank you, Cooper, for providing some really detailed information on the upgrades and repairs that are planned for the Noordam.  Hopefully, at the end of this process, the Noordam will remain our favourite ship in the HAL fleet.

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44 minutes ago, boards said:

Do you know if the electronic upgrades will be included in the cabins (inside & outside) on the lower decks?  Looking forward to our J1053 cabin and hoping they will be there in the fall.

 

Don't know, sorry! perhaps, someone who has sailed one of the three older Vista-class sisters recently in that particular cabin category can respond

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3 hours ago, GlennG said:

I haven't sailed on the Noordam for several years, but at that time, the Noordam was my favourite cruise ship.  Consequently, it has been really disappointing reading negative reviews and reports of this particular ship.  Thank you, Cooper, for providing some really detailed information on the upgrades and repairs that are planned for the Noordam.  Hopefully, at the end of this process, the Noordam will remain our favourite ship in the HAL fleet.

Having sailed on the Noordam last month I would have to say the Vista's are my second favorite HAL class to the two Signature class ships primarily because they have the Tamarind Specialty restaurants. I believe the dry dock upgrades will bring up to par with any other newly renovated Vista. I will still miss the Crows Nest bar.

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Why on earth do they let the ship get into such a state before deciding that it is time to invest some money in a refurbishment?  Other cruise lines that we have been on have never had this issue...at least when we sailed.  Including HAL 

 

This approach may work for hard core HAL loyalists but it certainly does not work for people read the reviews and are open to booking any ship on any cruise line as long as it suits them.  It does not just put them 'off' one ship, it gives them a poor impression of the entire cruise line.   It must be bad for business. 

 

You have to wonder how many first time HAL customers on that ship/sailing  who won't bother looking at another HAL ship for their next cruise because of the condition of their cabin furnishings and the general appearance of the public areas and carpeting.

Edited by iancal
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 8/23/2019 at 6:53 AM, terrydtx said:

We were on the Noordam in July and I have to agree she needs a lot of work with worn out carpet and furniture everywhere. Our SS cabin still had the small 24" TV on the desk and it was worthless. The furniture on our balcony was in terrible shape and the cushions were stained and torn. We were told the dry docking was going to upgrade all cabins to the 42" interactive TV's and new furniture. The crows nest is going to get the HAL Explorers Lounge upgrade which I disagree with as it us one of my favorite public places on HAL ships. She will get the same upgrades that the Westerdam got last year.

 

Other than the needs of dry docking we enjoyed our Noordam cruise, service was 100% fantastic and up to HAL standards. You will not be disappointed  on your Noordam cruise.

thank you for your encouraging reply!!

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On 8/23/2019 at 11:29 AM, boards said:

Do you know if the electronic upgrades will be included in the cabins (inside & outside) on the lower decks?  Looking forward to our J1053 cabin and hoping they will be there in the fall.

 

the Zuiderdam, post drydock, has USB port on by the headboard (inside cabin)....

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 8/23/2019 at 7:19 AM, zelker said:

We’ll be boarding her in Vancouver the day she comes out of drydock and are looking forward to spending 40 days sailing to Auckland on her after she’s all “gussied up”! 😁

Please post pics of changes that you notice! 

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12 minutes ago, SempreMare said:

Please post pics of changes that you notice! 

 

Sorry, but this will be our first time sailing the Noordie so will have no idea what's changed.  That said, keep an eye out for a "Live From" on the main HAL forum that @richwmn plans to do (with others contributing along the way) and if there are specific things you want to know about or see, perhaps you can get answers there.  

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On 8/23/2019 at 3:25 PM, iancal said:

Why on earth do they let the ship get into such a state before deciding that it is time to invest some money in a refurbishment?  Other cruise lines that we have been on have never had this issue...at least when we sailed.  Including HAL 

 

This approach may work for hard core HAL loyalists but it certainly does not work for people read the reviews and are open to booking any ship on any cruise line as long as it suits them.  It does not just put them 'off' one ship, it gives them a poor impression of the entire cruise line.   It must be bad for business. 

 

You have to wonder how many first time HAL customers on that ship/sailing  who won't bother looking at another HAL ship for their next cruise because of the condition of their cabin furnishings and the general appearance of the public areas and carpeting.

Princess has the same problem, we have sailed 8 times on the Caribbean Princess from the time she was brand new to summer of 2018. We finally had enough as we saw her deteriorate little by little, worn out and dirty carpeting,  dinged up and worn out furniture, moldy shower curtains and she went about 3 years with engine problems were she could only do about 18 knots cutting times in all the ports. They had to cut a section in the hull to replace one of the engines. On the last cruise the food also went downhill, we had heard that Princess had cut the food budget and it was true especially in the World Fresh Market which is anything but. 

We are Elite with Princess and get some nice perks but for now we prefer not to sail with the company anymore.

Edited by MISTER 67
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/24/2019 at 12:08 PM, SempreMare said:

Please post pics of changes that you notice! 

DH and I will also be in the Oct. 13 sailing, Vancouver to Sydney. I will (hopefully) post pics after the cruise and possibly a few during if free Wi-Fi in ports is powerful enough. Very much looking forward to 26 days on the New Noordam and a few extra days in Sydney!

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On 8/23/2019 at 10:16 AM, Copper10-8 said:

 

Don't know, sorry! perhaps, someone who has sailed one of the three older Vista-class sisters recently in that particular cabin category can respond

I will take a photos of our partially-obstructed (or better; we booked guarantee, hoping for upgrade) on the first cruise out of drydock leaving Oct. 13, and will post upon return or sooner.

Edited by Iris5383
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If you're on Facebook, go to this page  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Seaspan-Victoria-Shipyards-Esquimalt-Harbour-BC/129676153785927    and check out photos that crew and vendors are starting to post.  The flooring company (JayCurt Floording) actually has several posted, including some of the stairway carpet being laid but those are the only internal photos I've found so far.  Noordam posts would be anything posted September 30th or newer.

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2 hours ago, zelker said:

If you're on Facebook, go to this page  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Seaspan-Victoria-Shipyards-Esquimalt-Harbour-BC/129676153785927    and check out photos that crew and vendors are starting to post.  The flooring company (JayCurt Floording) actually has several posted, including some of the stairway carpet being laid but those are the only internal photos I've found so far.  Noordam posts would be anything posted September 30th or newer.

 

Nice catch! Check out how her lifeboats and tenders have been/are being removed and temporarily parked elsewhere inside the yard. The rear shows some of Canada's west coast naval base

 

Image may contain: sky, outdoor, water and nature

 

Image may contain: outdoor and water

Edited by Copper10-8
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