New to HAL, I've got questions.

[jules815]

My husband and I are new to Holland America, but not to cruising.  We've sailed many times with Royal Caribbean (our go-to when our kids were younger), Celebrity, a few with Carnival, and most recently we've been sailing with MSC in their Yacht Club. My parents used to cruise almost exclusively with HAL and LOVED it. We'll be in Ft. Lauderdale next April for a wedding and decided to add a cruise onto the end. We're currently booked on a transatlantic from Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona on Celebrity ASCENT. This cruise sails the day after the wedding on April 14th.  My fault jumping the gun and booking. Found out a few days ago that there's been a venue and date change to the weekend before. This left me scrambling to find something sailing on April 7th. My travel agent sent me options (we weren't interested in Caribbean) and the one we're planning to book is on HAL Nieuw Statendam, a 14 day transatlantic with ports that would be new to us (Yay!) ending in Rotterdam. The contract for the new wedding venue is hopefully being signed on Tuesday and that's when I'll make my move to cancel X and then book with HAL.

 

My husband and I are recently retired (66 and 62) and ready to try some different itineraries. We've done one transatlantic on a RC ship back in 2016 from Barcelona to FLL and loved it. It was the sailing bringing Harmony of the Seas to the US for the first time. Lots of fanfare on that one.

 

I've been doing a little research online and watching YouTube videos about Nieuw Statendam. I know really nothing about HAL's ship layouts so trying to absorb all that I can. From what I've learned so far, it probably looks like we'd book either a Vista suite or whatever the one level up from that is. We'd probably add Club Orange and a definitely a drink package (I've read about the different packages). 

 

We don't mind being toward the front of the ship or on a higher deck at all, we actually enjoy a little motion. We've never had an aft cabin before, but the one we have reserved on Celebrity happens to be an aft Sunset Veranda. It was going to be our first one and we were a little excited about it.

 

Looking for any recommendations of decks or cabins to avoid. Things you love about the ship, HAL, and what we shouldn't miss.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[Haljo1935]

Congrats on retirement and welcome to HAL!!

Haven't done TA, so nothing to contribute specifically to that experience, but happy to provide insight and offer my experience where I can.

We LOVE the true aft cabins as we enjoy the wake views and being able to see both Port and Starboard. On itineraries with a lot of wildlife (like AK), we really live on the balconies and enjoy the deeper balconies that most aft balconies provide vs side locations.

Sunrises and sunsets are even more fabulous with a wake view. IMHO.

We also like being able to just walk up or down the stairs (thus avoiding elevators) to get to dining.

Since true aft is more a destination rather than a passage way, there tends to be less congestion. 

Some people say there is more movement aft; we haven't noticed that to be so, but aren't prone to motion sickness. The sound of the waves seems more noticeable, which we really enjoy; like being at the beach - non-stop.

[boatmad]

Vista suite is not much of an upgrade from veranda cabin.  Signature suite gives you more room, bigger bath and veranda.  If you want something beyond basic veranda that would be my choice.

[jules815]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Congrats on retirement and welcome to HAL!!

Haven't done TA, so nothing to contribute specifically to that experience, but happy to provide insight and offer my experience where I can.

We LOVE the true aft cabins as we enjoy the wake views and being able to see both Port and Starboard. On itineraries with a lot of wildlife (like AK), we really live on the balconies and enjoy the deeper balconies that most aft balconies provide vs side locations.

Sunrises and sunsets are even more fabulous with a wake view. IMHO.

We also like being able to just walk up or down the stairs (thus avoiding elevators) to get to dining.

Since true aft is more a destination rather than a passage way, there tends to be less congestion. 

Some people say there is more movement aft; we haven't noticed that to be so, but aren't prone to motion sickness. The sound of the waves seems more noticeable, which we really enjoy; like being at the beach - non-stop.

Thank you!!

 

What decks are the "true aft" cabins on? Any to avoid?

[jules815]

52 minutes ago, boatmad said:

Vista suite is not much of an upgrade from veranda cabin.  Signature suite gives you more room, bigger bath and veranda.  If you want something beyond basic veranda that would be my choice.

Thanks for this info. Longer cruises we like a little more room.

 

So a Signature is larger without being one of the higher ends suites? It wouldn't get the perks that high end suites get...we'd still pay for Club Orange? Maybe like a junior suite on RC?

[Haljo1935]

Just now, jules815 said:

Thank you!!

 

What decks are the "true aft" cabins on? Any to avoid?

"True aft" are on decks 4-8; also known as the "fantail;" they face out the back of the ship, over the wake. Do a mock booking to see available cabins, selecting "aft" returns cabins Port and Starboard toward the rear of the ship (such as VB4176 and VB4203 on attached screenshot). These are aft cabins, but not "true aft" as they have a side view, not a wake view.

We avoid deck 8 unless that's all that's left because it's under the smoking area. We prefer deck 4 so we can just walk down 2 flights to eat and have not noticed noise from the MDR below on 3. Deck 4 is also convenient on port days for walking to gangway.

hal-ns-deck-plan-010822_230418_000234.pdf

[Haljo1935]

Correct, Signature Suites are larger w/o the full suite perks and have nicer bathrooms than Verandahs. There are no SS true aft, so the decision is space vs view.

Note that SS balcony is wider because of size of the cabin, but are generally not as deep.

DH says he's spoiled on SS but for Alaskan itineraries wants true aft for the views. 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Haljo1935

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, jules815 said:

Thanks for this info. Longer cruises we like a little more room.

 

So a Signature is larger without being one of the higher ends suites? It wouldn't get the perks that high end suites get...we'd still pay for Club Orange? Maybe like a junior suite on RC?

We always book the Signature Suites for the room size our next choice is Vista Suites. With Club Orange you get a private dinning room for Dinner and breakfast plus priority boarding and tendering. For $25pp per day it is worth the cost. We have an aft facing VS Verandah on the 6th deck on the Koingsdam in November with CO added. The K'Dam is the NS's sister Pinaccle class ship.

Edited May 28, 2023 by terrydtx

[Nodakboiler]

On a TA, the aft balconies don't have the wind drafts that the port & starboard balconies get. If you enjoy sitting out on your private balcony to read or relax, these are great.

[jules815]

55 minutes ago, Nodakboiler said:

On a TA, the aft balconies don't have the wind drafts that the port & starboard balconies get. If you enjoy sitting out on your private balcony to read or relax, these are great.

Good to know! thank you!

[jules815]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We always book the Signature Suites for the room size our next choice is Vista Suites. With Club Orange you get a private dinning room for Dinner and breakfast plus priority boarding and tendering. For $25pp per day it is worth the cost. We have an aft facing VS Verandah on the 6th deck on the Koingsdam in November with CO added. The K'Dam is the NS's sister Pinaccle class ship.

Are there any Signature Suites with obstructed views? Any decks we should avoid for that reason? Back in the day, one of our favorite rooms was a mid-ship balcony on any of the RC Voyager or Freedom class ships. Usually deck 7 or 8. I was watching a Youtube video of a Signature suite (mid ship) on deck 7 and the balcony view reminded me of those RC cruises we took.  Lately we've been staying on higher decks. Not complaining at all, but kinda miss being closer to the water.

 

Also, is it true there's an outdoor deck you can walk that goes around the entire ship?? Another thing we've missed.  

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, jules815 said:

Are there any Signature Suites with obstructed views? Any decks we should avoid for that reason? Back in the day, one of our favorite rooms was a mid-ship balcony on any of the RC Voyager or Freedom class ships. Usually deck 7 or 8. I was watching a Youtube video of a Signature suite (mid ship) on deck 7 and the balcony view reminded me of those RC cruises we took.  Lately we've been staying on higher decks. Not complaining at all, but kinda miss being closer to the water.

 

Also, is it true there's an outdoor deck you can walk that goes around the entire ship?? Another thing we've missed.  

I am not aware of any SS with obstructed views, they are mostly on the upper decks well above the lifeboats. The only decks we avoid are the decks under the Lido because of noise from moving things around at night. On the Vista class ships that deck we like is deck 6, with a deck of cabins above and below the deck. One of the nice features of all HAL ships is a complete promenade deck that you can walk around the ship.

[Haljo1935]

53 minutes ago, jules815 said:

Are there any Signature Suites with obstructed views? Any decks we should avoid for that reason?

...Also, is it true there's an outdoor deck you can walk that goes around the entire ship?? Another thing we've missed.  

@jules815 I don't believe any Signature Suites have obstructed views; on Nieuw Statendam the ones on deck 7 look down onto the lifeboats on deck 4. We were in one of those on another ship on deck 6 so, a little closer, and it didn't bother us at all. Just look at the deck plan for the SS cabins and you should get a pretty good idea of how close they would be and if there are any obstructions.

Promenade Deck 3 has the deck that goes around the ship. I believe 3 laps is a mile. And the jogging track on 11, 12 laps is a mile. You may want to confirm those numbers as those are something I read, not from HAL.

hal-ns-deck-plan-010822_230418_000234.pdf

[crystalspin]

8 hours ago, jules815 said:

...I've been doing a little research online and watching YouTube videos about Nieuw Statendam. I know really nothing about HAL's ship layouts so trying to absorb all that I can. From what I've learned so far, it probably looks like we'd book either a Vista suite or whatever the one level up from that is. We'd probably add Club Orange and a definitely a drink package (I've read about the different packages). 

...

Looking for any recommendations of decks or cabins to avoid. Things you love about the ship, HAL, and what we shouldn't miss.

We sailed a back-to-back over New Year's on the Koningsdam (sister to Nieuw Statendam), in Vista Suite 4100. I booked the VS to use up Pandemic credit that was going to expire and also for the double Mariner Points. We liked the cabin and the location enough that we are booked in the same stateroom for a 35-day cruise in 2024. 

 

Comparing a Verandah to a VS, there really is more room in a VS. In most if not all Verandahs the sofa and desk are off the balcony, whereas in the VS we had (and all that are midships) the bed is next to the balcony. 

 

Comparing a Vista to a Signature Suite? I can't help you!

[cruiseaholic78]

This site is a wealth of information with many photos of cabins etc, just click on Pinnacle class.

https://halfacts.com/

happy planning

Rosalyn