Noordam 1/06/07

[luvTObs]

Hello everyone

 

I am very exited, I just booked 2 cabins for 4 people on Noordam few days ago. I heard that this is sold out now. Just had a few questions since it is my first time on Holland America (we have been NCL customers for a long time, this deal was just too good to pass up.)

 

Our first concern is that we were wondering if there will be decent amount of teenagers on board. Our 2 daughters 15 and 19 are traveling with us.

Second, if we were to bring a case of wine, does that count as one luggage?

Third, they don't have unlimited soda cards on board?

Fourth, I have heard different things about a movie theater being on board, is there one?

Lastly fifth, since it will be our first time with assigned dinner times (on NCL it's freestyle dinnig) are we put on table with strangers? Same table and waiters very night?

 

I have read a lot of great things about this ship. My family and I can't wait to experience this first hand. Sorry about this long post. I hope to hear from fellow passengers traveling on this date.

 

Tah

[Navy_Chief]

Hello everyone

 

I am very exited, I just booked 2 cabins for 4 people on Noordam few days ago. I heard that this is sold out now. Just had a few questions since it is my first time on Holland America (we have been NCL customers for a long time, this deal was just too good to pass up.)

 

Our first concern is that we were wondering if there will be decent amount of teenagers on board. Our 2 daughters 15 and 19 are traveling with us.

Second, if we were to bring a case of wine, does that count as one luggage?

Third, they don't have unlimited soda cards on board?

Fourth, I have heard different things about a movie theater being on board, is there one?

Lastly fifth, since it will be our first time with assigned dinner times (on NCL it's freestyle dinnig) are we put on table with strangers? Same table and waiters very night?

 

I have read a lot of great things about this ship. My family and I can't wait to experience this first hand. Sorry about this long post. I hope to hear from fellow passengers traveling on this date.

 

Tah

 

Ok lets take these one at a time.

1) There were teenagers on board the sailing we just finished. I can't give you a solid number as to how many and it varies from sailing to sailing. Your kids will have a good time on the Noordam regardless.

2) It is the airline that sets luggage policies, not HAL. You could drag ten suitcases on board and it doesn't matter to HAL (I would tip your steward extra if your dragging ten suitcases on thoutgh :D). I wouldn't check the wine as a checked item though. We thought about dragging lots of wine on board but we canned that idea as we didn't want to deal with having to carry it (and we took a HAL Homeport Motorcoach). But to your question, as far as HAL, no.

3) Unlimited soda cards went the way of the DoDo with HAL. Your best deal is to pre-purchase the 20 drink punch cards from ships services for $18 and some change. They are for fountain sodas only, don't try to get a can of Fanta with them.

4) Movies are shown in the Queens Lounge (Deck 2 midships). The same movies are shown the next day on the cabin TVs. Check the listings in the Daily Programs for times and showings and your TV listings in the Cabin Information Binder (in each cabin).

5) You are assigned a table for dinner. In our case, we were a group of 6 family members so we had our booking numbers linked and requested a table for six by a window at booking and we received just that. If you need to change something around, you can see the staff when you get aboard (be prepaired to wait a couple of hours). My suggestion is to take the table assignment given then if there's an issue, straiten it out the next day. You have the same waiters each night. As far as the dining times go, first seating can enter at 5:30 but must be seated by 6 PM. The late seating can enter at 8 but must be seated by 9PM. Here's the trick. The first night your seated with your tablemates, you should all decide what time everyone will show up AND agree to inform the group that if your going to not be there the next day that you let the group know so they won't hold their order up until you show up (common courtesy /sense).

 

Feel free to see my LIVE from Noordam 12/6 to 12/16 thread and I will be posting much more today in my final report.

[luvTObs]

Thank you so much for replying back... can't wait to read the review.

 

Thanks again

[sail7seas]

There are somewhere around 80 HAL CC'ers booked for this cruise. You may wish to go to the Roll Call Boards and read the lengthy Roll Call for that cruise. Some of these families are traveling with teenagers.

 

DH and I are among the many others who are very much looking forward to our cruise.

 

Hope to see you aboard.

[RuthC]

You can call Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576 to learn how many kids in the various age ranges will be on this cruise. They will give you info on how many are in the 15 year old's group; they won't have any info about over 18, though.

I expect there will be fewer kids on this cruise as it is an 11-day cruise sailing after Christmas vacation is over for most.

There is a lengthy roll-call for this cruise. Come on over to the HAL Roll-Call board and give a look-see. You're welcome to sign in. :)

[RuthC]

Did you ever notice that when the post takes forever to load you get the WSOD?

[SmileHMB]

I took my teenager on the Noordam last March. He loved the ship, our tablemates and such, but couldn't stand the lack of teenagers. There were about 20 on our cruise. They ended up in 2 groups mainly, one group I wouldn't want him near and the other just wasn't him. The program they had set up for the teenagers was never followed. I said here's your schedule, he said I don't need that, we do whatever we want. I found him in the cabin way too much! Just so you know , my son is very social. He had been on a 5 night Carnival cruise before and was comparing it to that. There were more children and the program was well organized. I would never take him on HAL again, unless I brought along a group of friends for him, or at least one friend. I found the average age on the ship to be much older, I was one of the youngest adults. I can say the crew and the food are awesome!

[Willia]

Did you ever notice that when the post takes forever to load you get the WSOD?

 

 

I'm new around here - what does WSOD stand for, please?

[luvTObs]

There are somewhere around 80 HAL CC'ers booked for this cruise. You may wish to go to the Roll Call Boards and read the lengthy Roll Call for that cruise. Some of these families are traveling with teenagers.

 

DH and I are among the many others who are very much looking forward to our cruise.

 

Hope to see you aboard.

 

 

Ohh where can I find the roll call list??

 

Again thanks everyone.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I'm new around here - what does WSOD stand for, please?

 

White Screen of Death:) . It's when your post either doesn't take and you lose everything you wrote or sometimes it has taken and just doesn't show up. So some people post again and then you see double posts.

 

LuvTObs, welcome to CC and have a wonderful time on the Noordam. You have a ton of CCers joining you and I wish I were one of them. Just to be helpful, here's a link to page 1 their Roll Call ...

 

Noordam - January 6, 2007 - Caribbean - Cruise Critic Message Boards

[luvTObs]

Thanks HeatherinFlorida

 

I just added my family and I for the cc Meet and greet. Wonderful idea whoever started that.