Questions re HAL

[jcpc]

A group of us just booked Noordam April 11 2007 sailing from NY. Having sailed almost exclusively with Celebrity for the past 15 years, we have a few questions. Hopefully, someone will be able to answer!!

 

1. We're confirmed for "Main Lower Dining" - our TA said this is Late seating, which is what we want. But now I'm reading about "dining windows" and a trend towards freestyle rather than conventional dining....is Main Lower Dining late dining and will we be assigned the same table/wait team for the entire cruise?

 

2. Two in our group of six smoke. On Celebrity all of the bars, lounges, casinos have smoking sections (show lounge and all dining areas are non smoking). Is this the same on the Noordam? Will we be able to smoke at just about any bar and outside by the pool (on one side of the ship)? (Please, I don't want to start a smoking debate!)

 

3. When we sail Celebrity we always bring a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream in our carry on bag so we can have a nightcap on the balcony prior to going to bed. Does HAL allow you to carry on a bottle of liquor? (Again, not trying to start a debate re smuggling on liquor!!)

 

Thanks in advance for your answers. As more questions come up, I'll post them.

 

Janice

[tomc]

Janice --

 

I invite you to join us over at the Roll Call board for that cruise. We're at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=413073 Drinks on us; join the party now going on.

[RuthC]

I'll give it a shot---

1. We're confirmed for "Main Lower Dining" - our TA said this is Late seating, which is what we want. But now I'm reading about "dining windows" and a trend towards freestyle rather than conventional dining....is Main Lower Dining late dining and will we be assigned the same table/wait team for the entire cruise?

As of now the Noordam is under one "experiment" for dining times. For main (later) sitting there is a "window" from 8:00-9:00. You are assigned the same table/tablemates/stewards and may arrive any time during your "window".

Who knows if that will still be the way of the (Noordam) world when you sail.

 

2. Two in our group of six smoke. On Celebrity all of the bars, lounges, casinos have smoking sections (show lounge and all dining areas are non smoking). Is this the same on the Noordam? Will we be able to smoke at just about any bar and outside by the pool (on one side of the ship)? (Please, I don't want to start a smoking debate!)

There has been a smoking section in or near every lounge on the Noordam, as well as a smoking area near the mid-ship pool. There are recent reports that there have been cutbacks in the allowed smoking areas recently. The separate room near the Explorers Lounge was taken over for some other purpose, and the smoking area at the mid-ship pool was declared non-smoking.

Again, this may or may not still be true when you sail.

 

3. When we sail Celebrity we always bring a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream in our carry on bag so we can have a nightcap on the balcony prior to going to bed. Does HAL allow you to carry on a bottle of liquor? (Again, not trying to start a debate re smuggling on liquor!!)

HAL's rules are that you may bring wine/champagne, soda, water aboard. They prohibit beer and alcohol.

You may pre-purchase a bottle of your favorite potent potable via Ship's Services. Or, you may purchase from room service or any bar after you board.

[jcpc]

RuthC -

 

Thanks so much for the speedy reply.

 

Janice

[newmexicoNita]

A group of us just booked Noordam April 11 2007 sailing from NY. Having sailed almost exclusively with Celebrity for the past 15 years, we have a few questions. Hopefully, someone will be able to answer!!

 

1. We're confirmed for "Main Lower Dining" - our TA said this is Late seating, which is what we want. But now I'm reading about "dining windows" and a trend towards freestyle rather than conventional dining....is Main Lower Dining late dining and will we be assigned the same table/wait team for the entire cruise?

 

2. Two in our group of six smoke. On Celebrity all of the bars, lounges, casinos have smoking sections (show lounge and all dining areas are non smoking). Is this the same on the Noordam? Will we be able to smoke at just about any bar and outside by the pool (on one side of the ship)? (Please, I don't want to start a smoking debate!)

 

3. When we sail Celebrity we always bring a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream in our carry on bag so we can have a nightcap on the balcony prior to going to bed. Does HAL allow you to carry on a bottle of liquor? (Again, not trying to start a debate re smuggling on liquor!!)

 

Thanks in advance for your answers. As more questions come up, I'll post them.

 

Janice

Janice, I haven't read the other responses so I may be just repeating what others have said, but here goes:

 

1-yes you do have late seating and the main level is traditional. There are only a few HAL ships experimenting with freestyle. You are fine on that one.

 

2-smoking, you can smoke in your cabin, the casino (except on the Amsterdam, they had a couple of nights that were smoke free. I think is great for the non smokers) and most of the bars. Other than that and on deck, there are not many places you can smoke on the ship. Even the sports bar we could only smoke at the bar, not at the cocktail tables. You could smoke in certain sections of the Crow's Nest as well.

 

3-Baily's Iriah creme, you are not supposed to bring any liquor on board, but you can bring all the wine you want and I think Baily's is listed on the bar set up list, I am not certain. whether you do or do not decide to try and bring a bottle on, that is up to you.

 

NMnita

[laineymb]

We were at the 8pm seating in the upper dining room on the Westerdam and the lower dining room was traditional seating at 8:30pm

There were designated smoking tables on the Lido deck but I did not see or smell any smoking in the dining room so I am not sure. There was one non smoking night on our 7 night cruise in the casino.

We purchased a bottle of Baileys in Turks and Caicos and buried it in a towel in my carry on, put it through X Ray and they took it away, returned it the evening before disembarkation.

By the way, we put it in our carry on back pack, sealed of course, and they told me I had to go back downstairs and check it. The counter person would not accept it (I had asked if he had a shipping box) and unless I wanted to wait while they looked for my checked luggage, have them retrieve it and pack it in there without proper packing stuff I would have to figure out another way.

I did-I gave it to the nice porter at the airport who helped us-Merry Xmas!:D

[mmp13]

So glad you are going first. I will be on pins and needles waiting to hear about your experience. we will still have time to change our minds if you are unhappy. Did you book an aft cabin??

[mmp13]

So glad you are going first. I will be on pins and needles waiting to hear about your experience. we will still have time to change our minds if you are unhappy. Did you book an aft cabin??

[jcpc]

Hi Peg,

 

So....I see you're over here lurking on the HAL boards to find out all you can......Your post made me laugh. Don't worry......I'll report back!! No, we didn't book an aft cabin because there are three of us sharing the cabin and HAL said they didn't have any afts that accommodate three. It was kind of a last minute decision to go in April so I didn't really have time to research on their website exactly what cabins were available that would accommodate three. I should check it out and see if one is available that can accommodate three.

 

I'm sure HAL will be fine -- I know it will be different from Celebrity (I can't imagine going and not knowing any of the crew or officers....that will be quite different for us). I don't even know if the Noordam has a martini bar - but if they don't I hope I can find a bartender who can make a decent French martini!

 

Janice