Live From Alaska Aboard Ms Nieuw Amsterdam - May 5-19, 2024

[talpostal]

I am heading on this cruise in mid-June! How is the nightlife going? From reading it sounds like people do the piano bar and BB King's in the evening and then the late option is the casino bar?

[Crew News]

46 minutes ago, talpostal said:

I am heading on this cruise in mid-June! How is the nightlife going? From reading it sounds like people do the piano bar and BB King's in the evening and then the late option is the casino bar?

I have copied the daily programs so far and will start posting them tonight o tomorrow to show what the current entertainment is available. 

[0106]

7 hours ago, talpostal said:

From reading it sounds like people do the piano bar and BB King's in the evening and then the late option is the casino bar?

Unfortunately, there is no BB Kings on the Nieuw Amsterdam.  There is a Rolling Stones lounge that will probably do three different sets of three different types of music.  I do not think of the casino bar as a place to hang out but you can get a drink there.  Play hard during the day and get up early to watch the sunrise.  Enjoy Alaska!

[ricka47]

3 hours ago, 0106 said:

Unfortunately, there is no BB Kings on the Nieuw Amsterdam.  There is a Rolling Stones lounge that will probably do three different sets of three different types of music.  I do not think of the casino bar as a place to hang out but you can get a drink there.  Play hard during the day and get up early to watch the sunrise.  Enjoy Alaska!

Wow, I understood that BB Kings was still on the Nieuw Amsterdam. So, are both rock and blues in the new Rolling Stones lounge?

[0106]

2 minutes ago, ricka47 said:

So, are both rock and blues in the new Rolling Stones lounge?

My experience with the Rolling Stones lounge was a set list posted outside the venue of the type of music that would be featured during the 3 sets. I’ve seen Beatles, 80s, Disco, R&B.  Unfortunately, it is difficult for one band to play such a diverse set list.  BB Kings was always my favorite because of the horn section.  It only remains on the Pinnacle class ships (NS, Koningsdam, Rotterdam)

[ricka47]

3 minutes ago, 0106 said:

My experience with the Rolling Stones lounge was a set list posted outside the venue of the type of music that would be featured during the 3 sets. I’ve seen Beatles, 80s, Disco, R&B.  Unfortunately, it is difficult for one band to play such a diverse set list.  BB Kings was always my favorite because of the horn section.  It only remains on the Pinnacle class ships (NS, Koningsdam, Rotterdam)

Right - we enjoyed that very much as well. As an amateur musician, I appreciated their talent!

[ricka47]

42 minutes ago, 0106 said:

My experience with the Rolling Stones lounge was a set list posted outside the venue of the type of music that would be featured during the 3 sets. I’ve seen Beatles, 80s, Disco, R&B.  Unfortunately, it is difficult for one band to play such a diverse set list.  BB Kings was always my favorite because of the horn section.  It only remains on the Pinnacle class ships (NS, Koningsdam, Rotterdam)

PS It looks like we'll see you on the January 2025 Hawaii cruise!

[BaileyMJ]

Good Morning from Seward - just waiting for message that we can leave ship!  On the Daily planner it stated free but limited shuttles to town center so stated the at 7:30am Rolling Stone to obtain tickets for the shuttle.  Last shuttle 2pm back to ship and all aboard 2:30pm.  

[BaileyMJ]

[SusieKIslandGirl]

It sounds like chocolate chip cookies are plentiful but what about oatmeal raisin? Thanks.

[Crew News]

6 hours ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

It sounds like chocolate chip cookies are plentiful but what about oatmeal raisin? Thanks.

Chocolate cookies go quickly and I am still trying to understand the baking schedule to be present just after they appear.  I have always been able to find both oatmeal and peanut butter cookies.

[booksfan]

On 5/7/2024 at 5:32 PM, BaileyMJ said:

May 6 my beverage day report continued

 

Yesterday was dressy night and saw quite a few tuxedos.  I started my evening in Tamarind Bar at 5:30pm - such a wonderful setting and it is the Martini Happy Hour venue.  Ocean Bar was packed vs relatively empty TB - I love the seating and views. My pre dinner beverage was Momokawa Pearl Sake an unfiltered cold sake  just wonderful.   

Now the ship was pitching so that may be reason for the sparse attendance.  I just could not capture rocking and rolling on my iPhone but tired.  

 

 

 

IMG_4717.mov 13.47 MB · 2 downloads  

 

 

Due to the sea swells the evening show scheduled was Step One Dance Company Musicology canceled and they had a comedian perform. I have fixed late seating - I was told when I booked the cruise last week it was at 8pm but once on board it is at 7:30pm but either way I never make it to a show.

 

Meals have been good but even better company.  What I noted in the MDR is a-lot of floor vibrations and vs the Westerdam we had plenty of rocking and rolling in South Asian sailing but I never felt floor vibrations.  Perhaps different engine room locations.

Question re dress. My Navigator app shows the dress for each night of the cruise as Smart Casual, no Dressy nights so I altered my packing plan to remove my dresses. Is the app incorrect? We week be on the Nieuw Amsterdam the end of June.

[Crew News]

2 hours ago, booksfan said:

Question re dress. My Navigator app shows the dress for each night of the cruise as Smart Casual, no Dressy nights so I altered my packing plan to remove my dresses. Is the app incorrect? We week be on the Nieuw Amsterdam the end of June.

The menus I have posted show two Dressy Nights for every 7-Day Alaska cruise.  With the exception of southbound Alaska cruises, Dressy Nights will be Day 2 and Day 5.  7-Day Alaska Menus 2024

 

Dressy Nights can be as formal as you wish and as informal as you wish as long as you comply with the minimum collared shirts with slacks.  The same menu served in the MDR is also available via Room Service during dinner hours if you choose. 

Edited May 9 by Crew News

[Sea-n-Ease]

Is this thread about Nieuw Amsterdam or Koningsdam?  Thread title states “Nieuw Amsterdam”, but OP’s opening comment states “Koningsdam”. 

[oakridger]

11 minutes ago, Sea-n-Ease said:

Is this thread about Nieuw Amsterdam or Koningsdam?  Thread title states “Nieuw Amsterdam”, but OP’s opening comment states “Koningsdam”. 

 

He completed Koningsdam and is now on Nieuw Amsterdam May 5-19th.

[Crew News]

3 minutes ago, Sea-n-Ease said:

Is this thread about Nieuw Amsterdam or Koningsdam?  Thread title states “Nieuw Amsterdam”, but OP’s opening comment states “Koningsdam”. 

My apologies for omitting "also" from the following statement: " I have just completed seven days in Alaska on the Koningsdam and will ALSO be posting information that I have gathered from that experience."

 

Since there was no live thread for the first Alaska cruises, I opted to share information that may be interesting to those going on 7-Day cruises in addition to the titled thread information.  Although this ship is currently completing a 14-Day cruise, it will return to a regular 7-Day itinerary this Alaskan season.

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, booksfan said:

My Navigator app shows the dress for each night of the cruise as Smart Casual, no Dressy nights

The Navigator is really intended for onboard usage. Have read the "smart casual" will update when you board and that Dressy night frequency is as previous.

[crystalspin]

On 5/7/2024 at 10:20 AM, Duane S. said:

wife and I are considering a 14 day Alaska cruise next May, thought I would ask current cruisers if they felt like 14 days would be too many?  

Not currently cruising, but have done three HAL Alaska cruises: 7-day NB, 7-day R/T Vancouver, and 14-day R/T Seattle. The long one was the best; R/T Vancouver would be even better! because of the Inside Passage, very scenic for first and last days.

[Crew News]

Day 03 At Sea

For a second day, the seas were bumpy and caused many guest to hibernate in their staterooms.  Room Service made a lot of meals for guests not feeling i[ to Dressy Night. 

 

For me, it was a time to organize my living environment.  The powerful magnetic hooks I purchased on Amazon were tried for the first time.  All of the cords that formerly covered my desktop are now on hooks on the wall and my desktop is cleared.  Now I can leave a scanner, camera battery charger, backup portable drive, second monitor, phone, electric toothbrush, smartwatch charger, electric razor, and portable waterpik charger in operation at the same time.  Of course my wall looks like a gaggle of red, black, white, checkered gray, black, and silver cords that are no longer intertwined on my desk.  

 

A Mariner reception was held at the indoor pool for 3, 4, and 5 Star Mariners.  The event was well attended and I spent my time talking with the IT folks.  I learned that ESPN and ESPN2 does not carry all of the US programming rather.  The question of NBA finals games got a "maybe" response.  I learned that the facial recognition conducted in Juneau and Skagway was for local authorities and not connected to the ship.  We discussed the HAL failed switch to MDR tablets and its overwhelming of the ship WiFi network.  The IT folks were best described as "giddy" with the new Starlink internet system as their guest interaction is no longer overwhelming.

 

The rolling seas began to subside as I went to the PG for dinner.  At the entrance, the Manager, with a broad smile, informed me that he had talked to the chef about the proper preparation of scallops to achieve a Gordon Ramsey-approved brown crust on both top and bottom of each scallop.  My lamb chops entree were perfectly cooked and tender.  When the chef appeared at my table, I congratulated him on the excellent lamb as well as my previous disappointment with his scallops allegedly seared in olive oil.

 

My evening closed with much quieter seas and hopes for a clear day in Seward.

 

Tid bits:

• The nacho cheese sauce has quite a zest.
• Unlike other ships in the HAL fleet, nacho chips are only during lunch hours.
• Laundry turned-in around 10:00 AM is returned around 6:00 PM.
• Internet speed in my aft stateroom at 10:00 PM was 79.8 Mbps and 19 Mbps.

 

More tomorrow.

[Alberta Quilter]

4 hours ago, Crew News said:

For me, it was a time to organize my living environment.  The powerful magnetic hooks I purchased on Amazon were tried for the first time.  All of the cords that formerly covered my desktop are now on hooks on the wall and my desktop is cleared.  Now I can leave a scanner, camera battery charger, backup portable drive, second monitor, phone, electric toothbrush, smartwatch charger, electric razor, and portable waterpik charger in operation at the same time.  Of course my wall looks like a gaggle of red, black, white, checkered gray, black, and silver cords that are no longer intertwined on my desk.  

Would you be able to post a picture of this setup when you get a chance, please?  I'll need to rig up something similar for my cruise; different devices but there will be two of us and two sets of devices to be charged (and only one outlet).

[BaileyMJ]

Good Morning  May 9th - sail in to Anchorage 

 

Absolutely the itinerary for this cruise is great - yesterday was Seward and that port alone for me was worth the cruise.  The only drawback is I am in an obstructed ocean view - so nice to have your balcony but my work around has been to just get up and go to  deck 10.  

 

It was a wintry mix freezing rain and fog but the ocean views never disappoint me.  
 

Early rise perk is the latte in Crows Nest and I can catch up on reading Cruise Critic blogs.

 

[0106]

Any comments about time spent in your first port?  What did you do when you went ashore? 

[StuffedOlive]

11 hours ago, Crew News said:

The menus I have posted show two Dressy Nights for every 7-Day Alaska cruise.  With the exception of southbound Alaska cruises, Dressy Nights will be Day 2 and Day 5.  7-Day Alaska Menus 2024

 

Dressy Nights can be as formal as you wish and as informal as you wish as long as you comply with the minimum collared shirts with slacks.  The same menu served in the MDR is also available via Room Service during dinner hours if you choose. 

I am on Noordam one way northbound  from Vancouver next month. Will day 5 really be a dressy night even though that is a port day until 9pm in Skagway?

Thanks for your knowledge! Love reading all your tips and experiences 😀

Edited May 9 by StuffedOlive

[Crew News]

6 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

Would you be able to post a picture of this setup when you get a chance, please?  I'll need to rig up something similar for my cruise; different devices but there will be two of us and two sets of devices to be charged (and only one outlet).

Here is a photo of the electrical layout I had last year in VB5192.  Add another USB-A port on each side of the bed.  I will take a photo and identify the devices I used to make my cord maze sometime today.

[Crew News]

31 minutes ago, StuffedOlive said:

I am on Noordam one way northbound  from Vancouver next month. Will day 5 really be a dressy night even though that is a port day until 9pm in Skagway?

Thanks for your knowledge! Love reading all your tips and experiences 😀

Thanks for your input.  I now know that both Alaska North and Southbound days are different from what I was led to believe.  In the aforementioned instances, Dressy Nights may be moved to intersect with sea days and early port departure days while the other MDR menus remain in the same sequence.