Update on the Noordam

[Sailnsurf]

We have an upcoming cruise on the Noordam and have not been on her since its last upgrade so would welcome information about its current condition particularly relating to cabins and public areas. We will be in a Signature Suite with a larger z shaped balcony - cabin 6117. Any information on that actual cabin would be great.

[VMax1700]

6117 on Oosterdam also has z shaped balcony.

https://halfacts.com/vista-class/6117-oosterdam/

and on Westerdam https://halfacts.com/vista-class/6117-westerdam/

[Sailnsurf]

Thanks so much VMax for the links. Did the service elevator cause you any problems? I followed your posts on the Oosterdam because we have a 24 day Med cruise booked next year and gleaned quite a bit of useful information. Thanks for that too.

[cruisingrob21]

Id be curious about any updates to the noordam as well.  Will she ever get the gallery bar?  What is the Oak room used for now that smoking doesnt seem to be permitted in it?  Poor ship, was always kind of the odd child out of the vista class.

[rover16]

We were on the Noordam in May and thought she was in good condition. Good service except for getting drinks in the MDR. Very slow. Not crowded, most folks followed the then-existing mask rules. Like the size of Noordam and her sisters.

[VMax1700]

21 hours ago, Sailnsurf said:

Did the service elevator cause you any problems?

No problems.  If the staff left the door open and the elevator arrived at the same time, we could hear the ding ding in our room, but there was no noise during the evening or night and none in the morning that we heard.  There were times we exited our room and there were trolleys with trays of used dishes etc in the service area, and if the door was open it was a bit untidy looking, but as I didn't have to do the washing up, I really didn't care. 😉

[Sailnsurf]

Does not sound like anything worth worrying about. Thanks VMax and rover 16 for the general report. I was a bit concerned cabins might be a bit tired. Loved the Noordam when last on her in 2014 - in fact all the Vista class we have been on but they are ageing. The Pinnacles are just too big and do not give the serenity I look for on a cruise. So if the older ships get too tired it may be time for us to look for something else.

[cruisingrob21]

 

On 7/7/2022 at 5:30 PM, Sailnsurf said:

Does not sound like anything worth worrying about. Thanks VMax and rover 16 for the general report. I was a bit concerned cabins might be a bit tired. Loved the Noordam when last on her in 2014 - in fact all the Vista class we have been on but they are ageing. The Pinnacles are just too big and do not give the serenity I look for on a cruise. So if the older ships get too tired it may be time for us to look for something else.

HAL was doing some nice updates on the Amsterdam and Rotterdam with cabin freshening - it would be nice to see them do the same for the Vista class as I agree, they are aging, especially the cabin finishes.

[judi666]

I was on the Noordam in May. It was in good shape. Our Sig suite was like new.  The only thing I didn’t like was the cloth shower curtain.

 

There were service issues ( first cruise with passengers in over 700 day). Staff seemed in chaos a lot.

 

Ship itself is good and was very uncrowded.

Liked the Lido pool area!

[Btimmer]

We're just finishing a week in the Noordam and we have no complaints.  The Captain today in his 'Ask the Captain' talk that the LIDO will be re-carpeted.

[Sailnsurf]

On 7/10/2022 at 7:33 AM, judi666 said:

I was on the Noordam in May. It was in good shape. Our Sig suite was like new.  The only thing I didn’t like was the cloth shower curtain.

 

There were service issues ( first cruise with passengers in over 700 day). Staff seemed in chaos a lot.

 

Ship itself is good and was very uncrowded.

Liked the Lido pool area!

Thanks to you and Btimmer for your responses. What is it about the Lido pool you liked? I hope it was just the decor and ambiance and did not have anything to do with a large entertainment screen. That is one of the things we did not like on our last Nieuw Statendam cruise and which made us  turn to the Vista class ships for our future cruises. I am heartened by what I have been reading on CC that experiences post Covid resumption to cruising seem generally to be improving.

[Btimmer]

7 hours ago, Sailnsurf said:

Thanks to you and Btimmer for your responses. What is it about the Lido pool you liked? I hope it was just the decor and ambiance and did not have anything to do with a large entertainment screen. That is one of the things we did not like on our last Nieuw Statendam cruise and which made us  turn to the Vista class ships for our future cruises. I am heartened by what I have been reading on CC that experiences post Covid resumption to cruising seem generally to be improving.

There is no large entertainment screen in the pool area on HAL ships other than Pinnacle Class (Konigsdam, Nieuw Statendam, & Rotterdam).  The pool area on the Noordam is nice with deck chairs alongside the pool and chairs and tables near the windows.  There's a bar and the Dive-In burger station at the aft end of the pool area.

 

While I agree with you about the screen, I wish more of the smaller class ships had the Tamarind Grill.

[Sailnsurf]

Sounds great. Thanks again.

[LJProk]

We were on Noordam in June this year, first time with HAL. We liked the ship, some areas maybe seemed dated but overall it was nice. The MDR was nice, we didn't eat in the Lido much but it was never crowded on our trip (full yes but not like other trips where the buffet has left you looking for a place to sit). My husband liked the bar in the Crow's Nest the best (the bartender there made the best margaritas). The Lido pool area was nice and while not crowded always had people sitting in there. Good views, tables with chairs along the windows, a bar, the Dive In, three hot tubs, plus the pool and lounge chairs. We were in Signature Suite 8060. Very nice and comfortable cabin. The bathroom was very large with two sinks, a tub with shower and a separate shower. The bathroom even had a nightlight in the ceiling. My 16 year old liked the Billboard piano bar in the evenings.

[Colleen @ Sequim]

On 7/12/2022 at 12:54 PM, LJProk said:

We were on Noordam in June this year, first time with HAL. We liked the ship, some areas maybe seemed dated but overall it was nice. The MDR was nice, we didn't eat in the Lido much but it was never crowded on our trip (full yes but not like other trips where the buffet has left you looking for a place to sit). My husband liked the bar in the Crow's Nest the best (the bartender there made the best margaritas). The Lido pool area was nice and while not crowded always had people sitting in there. Good views, tables with chairs along the windows, a bar, the Dive In, three hot tubs, plus the pool and lounge chairs. We were in Signature Suite 8060. Very nice and comfortable cabin. The bathroom was very large with two sinks, a tub with shower and a separate shower. The bathroom even had a nightlight in the ceiling. My 16 year old liked the Billboard piano bar in the evenings.

We were on that first trip following "Pause."  I found the public areas to be nice and rather new looking.  Cabins seemed to be a work in progress.  Ours, was a mixture of old and new.  Clean and all that, but partially dated in decor.