On nieuw Amsterdam

[Caymus88]

4 hours ago, Porschewife said:

We are so disappointed in this ship.  Service everywhere has been spotty at best.  Today we are in Grand Turk and chose to stay on the ship to just relax.  Ha!  Drills, saws, hammering.  It is like they are in the middle of revamping the ship.  Shame on HAL!  This is our last cruise with Holland America.

We went on an open air tram because we hadn’t been here before.  It was fine.  Interesting   Donkeys everywhere.

havent fried MDR yet.   Brother did.  He liked it.  At gala night last night.

we hear something at night, but not too disturbing.

our next cruise is Oceania.  Love that ship

Lido staff is great, though.  

Edited November 26, 2019 by Caymus88

[kazu]

Oh dear on your Canaletto.

 

I guess I best be prepared on my future cruises.   We’ve really enjoyed the Canaletto on the Prinsendam & the Rotterdam.  But the Prinsendam is gone. 😞 

 

I’ve only been on the N Amsterdam once and left their Canaletto too as you did.

 

disappointing as my cruise was some time ago. 😞 

[Caymus88]

Just ate at the MDR. Our group was very happy with the food. Especially paired with the 2014 Beringer wine 

good service, too.

going to bed early. Don’t see a show tonight listed. Odd

 

[wdw1972]

I've never been a fan of Canaletto, and as a result have eaten there very infrequently and not at all for the past several years.  The last couple of menus had nothing I'd want to eat (picky eater).  However, the current menu here on Koningsdam has a few items I'll eat, and we decided to give it a try - with some concern it would be disappointing.

 

However, it was fabulous - great service, excellent food, etc.  The 2 people I dined with are Italian, so they were able to explain some of the menu items to me.  They were both impressed with their selections (I was too).  We liked it so much we booked again for tomorrow night.  Hope the Nieuw Amsterdam can get their act together!

 

Sue/WDW1972

[Krazy Kruizers]

Following your reports.  Glad your dinner in the main dining room was fine.

[Caymus88]

Went to Amber Cove today. Cute little ship area to browse around; very quiet.

there are taxis to take to town, but no one wanted to go

Quite hot.

breakfast was good, Pinnacle grill.

Tonight we have an illusionist. Hope he’s better than the Half funny comedian show two nights ago. No show last eve

, but lincoln stage and billboard.  All music

[Crusinsusan2]

6 hours ago, wdw1972 said:

I've never been a fan of Canaletto, and as a result have eaten there very infrequently and not at all for the past several years.  The last couple of menus had nothing I'd want to eat (picky eater).  However, the current menu here on Koningsdam has a few items I'll eat, and we decided to give it a try - with some concern it would be disappointing.

 

However, it was fabulous - great service, excellent food, etc.  The 2 people I dined with are Italian, so they were able to explain some of the menu items to me.  They were both impressed with their selections (I was too).  We liked it so much we booked again for tomorrow night.  Hope the Nieuw Amsterdam can get their act together!

 

Sue/WDW1972

 

I am amazed that the OP had such a terrible experience at Canaletto on the NA.  We did the 16 day panama in early October and ended up there 6 nights out of the 16. It was that good. Food and service were excellent. Maybe there has been a Chef or staff turnover since then or just a lousy night when everything goes wrong? Still dreaming of the carpaccio and grilled lamb chops with truffled polenta & fava beans. In addition to the regular menu on a gala night they were more than happy to bring a few lobster tails as side dish 🙂      

[Caymus88]

Two of our group went back to the Canneleto last night. They received extremely attentive service and enjoyed what they ate. Maybe our experience was unusual, but the rest of us wont go back.

 

Today the food/beverage manager stopped to talk at the Lido.

Very apologetic gave us a free drink.  I was impressed. We are after all a very small percentage of the passengers.

Good for HAL.

[vicd1969]

Glad to see the ship staff making amends with your group. Based on my admittedly fewer cruise experiences, first night dinner regardless of location is always a roll of the dice for timeliness. 

[sunbunny~]

Still that incessant grinding going on. I have been by the aft pool so you can't hear it. But mid ships, awful!

 

As per HALs usual, the pool water is very cloudy and not nice. Not enough bar servers. For a fairly full cruise, with large all ace family groups I am surprised. 

 

Just leaving hot sunny Amber Cove.

[projecthandbag]

What a difference a week makes!  We were onboard last week and someone told me there were 45 children onboard and this week there would be over 250 children as it's Thanksgiving week.  We had a lovely cruise, the crew was outstanding!  I did not see any construction on the ship.  The pool areas were not crowded at all, well maybe a bit on the sea days in the center pool - but compared to some other lines, I'd say it was uncrowded!  My only complaint is I would prefer more evening entertainment.  BB King's was outstanding, but I didn't care for the Billboard Onboard entertainment.  Lido lunches and dinners were so good that we never made it down to the dining room.  We enjoyed our cruise so much that we booked another while onboard.  

[Caymus88]

4 hours ago, projecthandbag said:

What a difference a week makes!  We were onboard last week and someone told me there were 45 children onboard and this week there would be over 250 children as it's Thanksgiving week.  We had a lovely cruise, the crew was outstanding!  I did not see any construction on the ship.  The pool areas were not crowded at all, well maybe a bit on the sea days in the center pool - but compared to some other lines, I'd say it was uncrowded!  My only complaint is I would prefer more evening entertainment.  BB King's was outstanding, but I didn't care for the Billboard Onboard entertainment.  Lido lunches and dinners were so good that we never made it down to the dining room.  We enjoyed our cruise so much that we booked another while onboard.  

I don’t care for billboard either.  Not a show every night either

the illusionist tonight was very funny. Hope I make his next show

[Caymus88]

Anyone know where to go for disembarkation as we have an early flight 

[billbunger]

You will be given a color coded card that tells you what disembarkation group you are with and the approximate time your color will be called to leave the ship. You will also be given the opportunity to self disembark early, you will be responsible for getting your luggage of the ship on your own. Self disembarkation is usually the first group off the ship. The last time we self disembarked in  Fort Lauderdale we were of the ship and waiting for a cab around 8:00am.

 

You can stay in your cabin until your group is called, others will wait in the lounges instead of their cabins. 

Edited November 28, 2019 by billbunger

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sounds like you had a nice day at Amber Cove.

 

HAL is no longer great for entertainment.  It has gone downhill over the last several years.

[Caymus88]

7 hours ago, billbunger said:

You will be given a color coded card that tells you what disembarkation group you are with and the approximate time your color will be called to leave the ship. You will also be given the opportunity to self disembark early, you will be responsible for getting your luggage of the ship on your own. Self disembarkation is usually the first group off the ship. The last time we self disembarked in  Fort Lauderdale we were of the ship and waiting for a cab around 8:00am.

 

You can stay in your cabin until your group is called, others will wait in the lounges instead of their cabins. 

Thanks we are self disembarking.  Have an early flight

[ABoatNerd]

Thanks to the OP for posting.

 

Most unfortunate as HAL has a legendary history and was a good product.  

 

These types of posts are becoming for frequent on all the boards - the quality is slipping on all lines. Check out the 2 current threads on Celebrity board about high prices combined with declining product. 

 

As a number of posters have said, they, like I, are moving our travel business to land vacations etc.

 

The situation in cruising is what happens when a customer is taken for granted.   But it also happens in other business sectors, my 2 favorite restaurant chains just released new menus; very considerable downgrade in product with increased prices. I contacted both to say, taking my business elsewhere.

 

Consumers must be vigilant and walk from a supplier when the value proposition declines.

 

 

[Porschewife]

We will be walking for sure.  Our experience has gone from bad to worse.  

 

We are just barely past midship, 8090, and we have had nothing but problems, especially with noise.  I don't know how I missed realizing we were below the Lido deck.  Non-stop noise 24 hours a day.  Combine that with drilling, sawing and hammering at every port when we should be able to relax.  Yesterday, we had to stay in our room due to illness and the air conditioning was not working because they were doing maintenance.  TV didn't work either.  My husband went to the Lido deck to get me a soft serve ice cream and all the machines were broken!!!  This ship should be in dry dock to get a total re-hab.

 

Our room stewards are great, thankfully.  But, we gave up on the MDR because we had such terrible service and are eating in the Lido or specialty dining. Lido servers are few and far between but we just get up and get our own water and iced tea.

 

I agree, when things like this happen, we simply say goodbye and move on to another product.  We love Celebrity and Azamara and will make them our choice from now on.

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

[LMaxwell]

Have a courtesy hold w my TA until tomorrow for this ship and this itinerary.  Have been debating if worth the extra $$$ over Carnival.  Was hoping for new style of entertainment, which sounds like there is, but nights with no shows is what I expect on Carnival.  Experience sounds identical.  I'm willing to pay more for HAL in hopes of refined service and good food.  Now am unsure. 

Edited November 28, 2019 by LMaxwell

[lvz2cruz]

4 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

Thanks to the OP for posting.

 

Most unfortunate as HAL has a legendary history and was a good product.  

 

These types of posts are becoming for frequent on all the boards - the quality is slipping on all lines. Check out the 2 current threads on Celebrity board about high prices combined with declining product. 

 

As a number of posters have said, they, like I, are moving our travel business to land vacations etc.

 

The situation in cruising is what happens when a customer is taken for granted.   But it also happens in other business sectors, my 2 favorite restaurant chains just released new menus; very considerable downgrade in product with increased prices. I contacted both to say, taking my business elsewhere.

 

Consumers must be vigilant and walk from a supplier when the value proposition declines.

 

 

We haven't cruised much lately because we've had annual passes to Disneyworld the last two years and are in the timeshare there.   Over that time bus service has gotten worse, rides are down often, shorter hours open yet much higher prices on everything, and on and on.    Cutbacks are everywhere. 

 I'm not condoning it at all, but in this booming economy there are several new customers taking the place of those fed up and moving on.  

I'm hopeful for a great cruise in 55 days but who's counting.

 

[Caymus88]

4 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

Have a courtesy hold w my TA until tomorrow for this ship and this itinerary.  Have been debating if worth the extra $$$ over Carnival.  Was hoping for new style of entertainment, which sounds like there is, but nights with no shows is what I expect on Carnival.  Experience sounds identical.  I'm willing to pay more for HAL in hopes of refined service and good food.  Now am unsure. 

I have never been on Carnival, but I have also never been on a cruise with no main stage entertainment at night.

Cut backs I guess.  The Edge is more than twice the price, but you do get entertainment. Most geared toward millennials. We walked out of a few shows there.

i would try this ship.

especiallynif you like small music venues.

 

 

 

 

 

[awhcruiser]

We were on NA last month.  Didn't try Canneleto but it didn't look that appealing either.  Just an area roped off in the buffet area.

[Caymus88]

Service has been great since ou first debacle

One of our group said best service for him since his last 5 cruises (different lines)

But lack of entertainment is an issue for us.

[Fb_cruiser]

We’re currently on Nieuw Amsterdam. Different people will have different experiences. For us, service has been excellent. No complaints there at all. We also ate at Canaletto on the first night and had no issues. The food was good and as expected. Yes, there are many children and young couples aboard; the children for the most part have been very well behaved. I much prefer that to the reckless scooter drivers we experienced on our first HAL cruise years ago where we we by far the youngest cruisers on the ship (as 40 year olds!). The entertainment has been up to par for HAL standards, which is to say poor, but we expected that going in. This is not RCCL. I will say that the band at BB King’s has been excellent. Everything else not so much. Overall, I’d rate this a very good cruise.

[dot73]

Thank you for all your comments.  I will be on board from Dec 7-21. Could someone tell me when the gala nights were held?  Thank you,.