Just Off the Koningsdam

[Djptcp]

This was our 53rd cruise and 9th on Holland America, first time on the Koningsdam for a 10-day Caribbean cruise. What a gorgeous ship! Fabulous food in the various restaurants, especially in the Tamarind and Canaletto. Loved the bagel breakfasts and pizzas in the NY Deli and Pizza venue. We had a guaranteed ocean view and were upgraded to a mid-ship verandah cabin that was very comfortable. On our last 5 HAL cruises we had booked Neptune Suites (deeply discounted fares so very affordable) so this cabin was a bit of a let down and we missed the Neptune Lounge, but we still enjoyed the verandah cabin anyway. Ship's crew was very friendly as always.

 

Some negatives: The casino was too tiny for a ship this size and laid out poorly in the slots area - couldn't get between the chairs when the casino was full. The music venues, with the exception of the Lincoln Center Stage, were way too loud and we just couldn't enjoy them and didn't stay long. We talked to people who had cabins on Deck 4 above them and they couldn't sleep because of the loud noise. DH said the laser shows in the main lounge were strange and he didn't stay long.

 

Debark was a nightmare for us as I needed a wheelchair to leave the ship and the designated area seating was filled with people who didn't need wheelchairs and just wanted to wait close to the debark doors. Someone needed to monitor the area to get rid of these people so special needs people could sit down. People who didn't wait for their color code to be called commandeered wheelchairs by just sitting in them and the wheelchair pushers assumed they were next. No one seemed to be in charge.

 

Several of the ground crew in the terminal was very rude to me for no reason as I hadn't even communicated with them - they need to take lessons in providing good customer service from the excellent ground crews at Tampa and Port Canaveral. I know they are not HAL employees, but just thought I'd mention it. Waiting outside for DH to get the car and pick me up, I was amused at some of the Uber users who got small cars and their luggage wouldn't fit. Never used Uber, but people should mention all their luggage so that appropriately sized cars were sent.

 

Despite some of the negatives and the debark fiasco we would definitely sail on the Koningsdam again. We have a Vista Suite booked on the Veendam that sails in 24 days.

[erewhon]

Thanks for your report.

Wishing you a fabulous cruise on the Veendam.

[Himself]

Thanks for the report.  I agree with you on the noise level from the music venue.

[DeeniEncinitas]

Djptcp, Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review! I can definitely understand Neptune Suites and missing the Neptune Lounge. I haven’t been on her yet but in 2021 will be doing a 24 day. I also will miss the promenade which from what I hear is so very narrow. 
Happy Cruising 

Denise😊

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for your review.

 

I know what you mean about the waiting area on the ships being taken over by others waiting to get off the ship. I also have to use a wheelchair to get on and off the ships and too many times there were no seats available in the deparkation area -- not even enough wheel chairs.

[Dunelm]

Thanks for your feedback.  I agree about the music being far too loud, but loved the new wrap around stage and its amazing technology.  It was the largest ship we had ever sailed, but somehow did not seem too large.  We have another cruise booked on it.

[Djptcp]

The Promenade is very narrow and the cabin hallways seemed narrow to us also. We hope to cruise on her again soon.

[Go38car]

Hi DJ—

 

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!  I’m sorry to hear about your disembarkment issues.

 

Do you recall which nights were the Gala nights?  Pretty sure I am on the same itinerary to the ABC islands.

 

Thanks again!

 

Teri

[Djptcp]

First gala night was day 5, an at sea day, and second one was day 9, another at sea day. We ate in the Canaletto again on day 9 and we could order a lobster tail with our entree at no extra charge. The tails were perfectly prepared and good size. Nice surprise.

[Iggysue]

We just completed our first cruise on the Koningsdam this last December.  We generally cruise on the vista-class ships, and we were interested to experience the newer ship.  We were in the aft wraparound suite, and were surprised at how much smaller the cabin space was, and the balcony.  Still the ship was beautiful and we adjusted.  The two things I was really disappointed in was how much narrower the promenade deck was.  Also, up in the spa area, where I went every day as we enjoy the Thermal suite - I think the changing rooms are a huge miss. Besides being so small, SUCH poor design!  All the doors are on handicap power assist, which is not a problem except that the doors stand open for 10-15 seconds, leaving anyone changing in the tiny changing room just exposed to all who walk by in the hallway.  All in all, we did thoroughly enjoy our cruise in spite of  the negatives, but we did leave thinking we preferred the Vista class ships.

[VMax1700]

On 1/13/2020 at 9:39 PM, Go38car said:

Hi DJ—

 

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!  I’m sorry to hear about your disembarkment issues.

 

Do you recall which nights were the Gala nights?  Pretty sure I am on the same itinerary to the ABC islands.

 

Thanks again!

 

Teri

We are currently on the 10 day ABC islands cruise. First gala night was night 2, which was Half Moon Cay day so early (3pm) departure.

We have not had second gala night yet.

[MisterBill99]

13 hours ago, Djptcp said:

First gala night was day 5, an at sea day, and second one was day 9, another at sea day. We ate in the Canaletto again on day 9 and we could order a lobster tail with our entree at no extra charge. The tails were perfectly prepared and good size. Nice surprise.

 

39 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

We are currently on the 10 day ABC islands cruise. First gala night was night 2, which was Half Moon Cay day so early (3pm) departure.

We have not had second gala night yet.

 

Vmax1700 s correct about the first gala night --i t was the the Half Moon Cay night, not the first sea day. The second gala night is the first of two sea days at the end.

 

If anyone cares, they changed the clock back the very last night of the cruise. The captain said passengers liked it that way. I did not and many others I spoke to also felt that way.

Edited January 15, 2020 by MisterBill99

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for posting your comments.

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 1/13/2020 at 4:39 PM, Djptcp said:

The Promenade is very narrow and the cabin hallways seemed narrow to us also. We hope to cruise on her again soon.

 

Yes, hallways are narrow. I saw someone on a scooter having trouble making the turn into his room.

 

 

11 hours ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

 

Vmax1700 s correct about the first gala night --i t was the the Half Moon Cay night, not the first sea day. The second gala night is the first of two sea days at the end.

 

If anyone cares, they changed the clock back the very last night of the cruise. The captain said passengers liked it that way. I did not and many others I spoke to also felt that way.

 

I'm usually up early on disembarkation day, so I appreciate the extra hour to sleep. Putting the clock back gives the crew an extra hour to haul luggage around. 

 

[Jdleong]

On 1/14/2020 at 7:51 PM, VMax1700 said:

We are currently on the 10 day ABC islands cruise. First gala night was night 2, which was Half Moon Cay day so early (3pm) departure.

We have not had second gala night yet.

Did you have any theme nights?

[VMax1700]

4 minutes ago, Jdleong said:

Did you have any theme nights?

no theme nights!

[esimon]

thanks everyone -  doing this cruise on 2/23 -   very excited for the new ship - nothing too negative for me.  

[NCTribeFan]

I sailed her in November 2017 as a solo and really liked the ship.  Met some wonderful people on that sailing (11 nights).  I typically sail in inside cabins due to the cost of sailing solo but was able to upgrade myself to a balcony due to price drops.

 

I never hang around the main pool area but loved the loungers on the deck above.

 

Thought the food was very good.  Loved the burger and pizza places.

 

I did think the layout with Musicwalk just under the casino was a bit unfortunate.  I think they've shifted the locations around (or maybe that's on the NS).  The string quintet would be playing something lovely and there was whooping and shrieking coming from the casino just above.  Or people across the walkway sitting at the bar (where the piano bar is located) that were loud and totally oblivious to the music (even with "quiet please" signs put out around the Lincoln Center Stage area.

 

Anyway, I'd love to sail her again.  Instead, I'm booked on Zaandam for the end-of-April repo.  She was my first HAL ship (circle Hawaii) and I'm really looking forward to sailing her again.  I typically prefer smaller ships, but I did really like K'dam.  I thought she was lovely.  She's about as large a ship as I want.  Big enough to have lots of venues but not so big that you stay lost the entire cruise! 😄

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[NordicPrince]

Just off the Koningsdam.

DW and I are in our early 60's.

All this discussion about "the music being too loud" and "noise from a bar disturbing Lincoln Center Stage" has me very confused.

First, there are 4 presentation areas on the Music Walk/ None of them play at the same time so there is no noise overlap.

Now what music is too loud? Lincoln Center Stage is strings and piano so this is not loud. Billboard is 2 pianos so this is not loud. Now the other 2 have varying degrees of loudness. BB Kings is rythym and blues so you have drums horns keyboard guitar so it may be loud but is it overly loud? Not in my estimation, it is supposed to be lively. The Rock Room is rock music so rock music is well rock music, it is supposed to be loud, If you go to the Rock Room and expect to be in a library you're in the wrong place.

Now this thing about Lincoln Center Stage and noise. The Lincoln Center Stage is the first stage going forward of the rest of the Music Walk. It is 2 decks high

open in the middle. There are shops on one side of it with an open hallway and a buffering wall. People know to be quiet as they walk by. Remember this is the typical "raucous" HAL crowd we are talking about here. Now the rest of the stages are forward of this and no one else is playing, and my observation is that these bars are fairly empty and remember these are your usual "rowdy"

HAL passengers. So my question is, where is this so called noise coming from?

Sorry from my experience being in the Lincoln Center Stage I just didn't hear or see it.

Maybe people just want the ship to be in bed after dinner but I enjoyed seeing people having a good time until a reasonable hour well before midnight.

Enjoy your cruising days.

[esimon]

Nordic -

 

Completely agree!!     

[3rdGenCunarder]

14 hours ago, NordicPrince said:

Just off the Koningsdam.

DW and I are in our early 60's.

All this discussion about "the music being too loud" and "noise from a bar disturbing Lincoln Center Stage" has me very confused.

First, there are 4 presentation areas on the Music Walk/ None of them play at the same time so there is no noise overlap.

Now what music is too loud? Lincoln Center Stage is strings and piano so this is not loud. Billboard is 2 pianos so this is not loud. Now the other 2 have varying degrees of loudness. BB Kings is rythym and blues so you have drums horns keyboard guitar so it may be loud but is it overly loud? Not in my estimation, it is supposed to be lively. The Rock Room is rock music so rock music is well rock music, it is supposed to be loud, If you go to the Rock Room and expect to be in a library you're in the wrong place.

Now this thing about Lincoln Center Stage and noise. The Lincoln Center Stage is the first stage going forward of the rest of the Music Walk. It is 2 decks high

open in the middle. There are shops on one side of it with an open hallway and a buffering wall. People know to be quiet as they walk by. Remember this is the typical "raucous" HAL crowd we are talking about here. Now the rest of the stages are forward of this and no one else is playing, and my observation is that these bars are fairly empty and remember these are your usual "rowdy"

HAL passengers. So my question is, where is this so called noise coming from?

Sorry from my experience being in the Lincoln Center Stage I just didn't hear or see it.

Maybe people just want the ship to be in bed after dinner but I enjoyed seeing people having a good time until a reasonable hour well before midnight.

Enjoy your cruising days.

 

If you read NCTribeFan's post, it says that this was 2017 (and also that things might have been shifted since then, which is true). Originally on the K, Lincoln Center was where the Rock Room is now. It was very exposed to traffic and people did not know to be quiet as they walked by. During a refit, LC was moved to a larger more enclosed area, sharing with BB King.

[STANCPA44]

I am currently on the ship, have been since 1/22. The food in the main dining room leaves a lot to be desired. I just made 4 star in the past the dining room food was better than most lines, now it is bellow most lines and I compare it to Norwegian line.  What happened?