NOORDAM 1/6 Cruise - Where's The Details

[bobpatj]

What fun it's been to read this thread and catch up with you former "Spamdammers" on your Nordam cruise. The pictures are great and you all look like you had a ball. We're just back from our 14 days on the Sea Princess, our first Princess cruise,:o and we had a wonderful time. Coming back to sub-freezing temps had not been fun, though. We're still mostly HAL cruisers, though. Our next two are booked on HAL.:)

[RevNeal]

What fun it's been to read this thread and catch up with you former "Spamdammers" on your Nordam cruise. The pictures are great and you all look like you had a ball. We're just back from our 14 days on the Sea Princess, our first Princess cruise,:o and we had a wonderful time. Coming back to sub-freezing temps had not been fun, though. We're still mostly HAL cruisers, though. Our next two are booked on HAL.:)

 

Pat ... we missed you on the noordam! Where are you and Bob going next!?

[bobpatj]

Pat ... we missed you on the noordam! Where are you and Bob going next!?

 

Greg,

We're sailing on the Amsterdam in September, the first half of the Asia/Pacific cruise, Seattle to Singapore. We'll need to get all kinds of advice, from you, on what to see and do in the Asia ports when you get home from your cruise. We've also booked the Ryndam Hawaii, Tahiti, etc., 30 day cruise from San Diego, instead of the SA/Antarctica:( , since we really want to see more of Hawaii than we did, in October, and visit new ports all in warm climates. We'll miss you all and would love to have you change your minds and join us on this warm weather cruise.:)

[bobpatj]

Pat ... we missed you on the noordam! Where are you and Bob going next!?

 

Greg,

We're sailing on the Amsterdam in September, the first half of the Asia/Pacific cruise, Seattle to Singapore. We'll need to get all kinds of advice, from you, on what to see and do in the Asia ports when you get home from your cruise. We've also booked the Ryndam Hawaii, Tahiti, etc., 30 day cruise from San Diego, instead of the SA/Antarctica:( , since we really want to see more of Hawaii than we did, in October, and visit new ports all in warm climates. We'll miss you all and would love to have you change your minds and join us on this warm weather cruise.:)

[bepsf]

Mary and Keaka--

Congrats on your joyous news!!!

Now we just need to make up a bib for your skeet:

"I'm training for the 2057 Holland America World Cruise"

;)

[AlohaPride]

Mary and Keaka--

 

Congrats on your joyous news!!!

 

Now we just need to make up a bib for your skeet:

 

"I'm training for the 2057 Holland America World Cruise"

;)

 

LOL!! I love it!!

[RevNeal]

We're sailing on the Amsterdam in September, the first half of the Asia/Pacific cruise, Seattle to Singapore. We'll need to get all kinds of advice, from you, on what to see and do in the Asia ports when you get home from your cruise. We've also booked the Ryndam Hawaii, Tahiti, etc., 30 day cruise from San Diego, instead of the SA/Antarctica:( , since we really want to see more of Hawaii than we did, in October, and visit new ports all in warm climates. We'll miss you all and would love to have you change your minds and join us on this warm weather cruise.:)

 

:)

Sadly, I can't help you on the Asian leg of your journey. Christopher and I had to cancel our cruise on the Statendam this spring due to scheduling conflicts and directives from the Bishop. :(

[crystal808]

"Round the corner" bump (for the 20/page entries missing!)

[RuthC]

Doing what I can to bump some posts into revealing themselves. :rolleyes:

[RevNeal]

The board has been very sick today. :(

[AlohaPride]

The board has been very sick today. :(

 

I don't really understand why we are having so much trouble. Aside from the new (ugly) color scheme and a few extra buttons, the "updates" have really NOT been working very well.

[bepsf]

(I wrote this all out earlier, then tried to post and the boards blew up - GRRR!!!)

 

Not everything was perfect on the Noordam cruise either. For instance...

 

...it seemed everywhere I went, all the entertainment from the Ocean Bar to Josie and the HAL Cats - even Randall's piano in the Piano Bar - was way overamplified. I felt as if I'd been transported back to MSC where they have no understanding that appropriate sound levels are generally somewhere between Off and MAXIMUM VOLUME!!! I mentioned this to Jazzy who apparently spoke to the others who seemed to comply somewhat - although when the guys in the Ocean Bar started playing at their slightly lower tone, the singer made up for it my leaning his mouth against the microphone and hollering his lyrics into it. UGH!!!

 

Speaking of those guys in the Ocean Bar...

They played the exact same set night after night after night - You could almost set your watch by what they were gonna play next. Oh how I wished that the Joanne Mitchell Trio who were on Amsterdam back in 2004 were aboard...

 

As long as we're kvetching about the Ocean Bar...

I thought it was sweet the way a couple of families brought their little 2-3 y/o boys into Ocean Bar to socialize and enjoy the music w/ the adults - even a cute little dance w/ Mommy or Daddy - I mean how else is the little guy going to learn how to act in public, Right? However, we also had some elderly couples trying to dance who did not appreciate the bambinos allowed to go running around the dancefloor nearly every night! Let's do the math: One elderly couple lacking peripheral vision plus little Joey zooming underfoot plus a moving dancefloor equals what - A broken hip, perhaps? Once is "Oops" - every night is Not a good idea Mom and Dad! Oh, and as if the room weren't crowded enough, they even schlepped a stroller into Ocean Bar and parked it right next to the dancefloor! Geex - is this Romper Room or the Disney cruiseline?

 

On to another pet-peeve of mine...

On the evening of our second to last dinner as we were readying to leave the table, our wonderful waiter Rizal started into a schpiel about how we should rate him on our comment cards! I stopped him mid sentence, discretely telling him that not only did our group not appreciate being asked for a good rating, but that his service was so good that he didn't need to ask for a great rating. I hope he got the message.

Next AM in the Lido, a similar thing happened - the one they call "Burt Reynolds" was passing out trays at the head of the line and being very chummy (I had not seen him in that position all week - someone else was usually there) - then showing folks on an old worn out comment card where to put 9's. Needless to say, I was not the only one put off by this...

 

I've read it many times here, but it bears repeating: We don't appreciate being goaded by CD's, waiters, stewards or anyone else into giving 9's across the board - just tell folks at the disembarcation talk what the ratings mean, and let us grade you ourselves. After all, we were smart enough to earn the money to book the cruise and managed to get back to the ship on time all week - I think we should be smart enough to know when someone deserves an 8 or a 9 and when they don't...

[RuthC]

I made it a point to mention on my Comment Card that the sound was too loud in the various lounges. I hope they "hear" me.

I would have liked to have spent more time in Northern Lights with everyone; couldn't with the volume so loud. I'd rather spend my money on more cruises than hearing aid batteries, doncha know. ;)

[Willia]

Oh Dear! I read all these comments and wonder if we should book HAL again. We haven't cruised for a couple of years and things sure seem to have changed - seems like a whole different world out there!

 

We enjoy 'traditional dining' a.k.a - time and table assigned; we 'respect' the dress code stipulations (I enjoy dessing up!) - in a nutshell, I guess we're active, outgoing traditionalists in our early 70's - begin to think that's a 'crime'!! :confused:

[hammybee]

[quote name='bepsf;9058614

As long as we're kvetching about the Ocean Bar...

I thought it was sweet the way a couple of families brought their little 2-3 y/o boys into Ocean Bar to socialize and enjoy the music w/ the adults - even a cute little dance w/ Mommy or Daddy - I mean how else is the little guy going to learn how to act in public' date=' Right? However, we also had some elderly couples trying to dance who did not appreciate the bambinos allowed to go running around the dancefloor [i']nearly every night[/i]! Let's do the math: One elderly couple lacking peripheral vision plus little Joey zooming underfoot plus a moving dancefloor equals what - A broken hip, perhaps? Once is "Oops" - every night is Not a good idea Mom and Dad! Oh, and as if the room weren't crowded enough, they even schlepped a stroller into Ocean Bar and parked it right next to the dancefloor! Geex - is this Romper Room or the Disney cruiseline?

 

I think it's bad form, on so many different levels, to bring a child into a bar.

[hammybee]

:)

Sadly, I can't help you on the Asian leg of your journey. Christopher and I had to cancel our cruise on the Statendam this spring due to scheduling conflicts and directives from the Bishop. :(

 

I am sorry to hear this. I know how much you were looking forward to it.

[sail7seas]

Willia........ HAL is still the HAL so many of us love so much. Nothing in the world is exactly as it was ten years ago and HAL, also, has made some changes.

 

When it comes right down to all that matters on the ship, though, IMO......it is still the very wonderful crews on the HAL ships that make HAL stand apart from all the rest. The crews are as special as ever. Maybe even better!! The dining quality is better than ever. The ships are still spotlessly clean and are magnificent. Each new ship that has come out is, IMO, more beautiful than the one before it. Noordam is Gorgeous!!! ( IMO)

 

Many of us still abide by dress code...the vast majority of us.

 

If you loved HAL five years ago, you will still love HAL. It is miles ahead of some of the others we have tried......IMO

 

[sail7seas]

Brian....... We clearly noticed the little ones and had exactly the same thoughts you expressed here.

Aside from dangerous for the kids as well as those trying to dance, it was annoying and inappropriate. Mom and Dad really should have been a little more conscious of the rest of the guests around them.

 

 

Ruth.......I also made mention of how loud the music was on my comment card.

 

One afternoon we went to the taco bar for a snack and thought we'd have a drink and sit and relax for a bit but the band was playing. It was ear piercingly loud to the point of pain. There was absolutely nothing pleasant about it at all. I had to run away and could not dream of sitting there to enjoy a drink and a snack. It was unbearable for me. I have never heard anything like that on an HAL ship with the possible exception of one of the times we heard the Master Chef's Dinner performed on Maasdam. That singer was so loud it was beyond description.

 

 

 

[RevNeal]

I am sorry to hear this. I know how much you were looking forward to it.

 

Thanks, hammy. But, really, I had no choice. The Bishop told me that it would not be wise for me to be out of the country in May with me probably moving in June, and I had to say that I agreed.

 

Christopher and I will book it for some other time. In 2009, possibly.

[RevNeal]

I agree regarding the children.

Yes, the boys were cute.

Yes, learning to socialize is important.

But being aware of what's going on around them is important for this family. I don't say that they were not welcome. Quite the contrary! However, some common sense and attention to safety for the seniors as well as their children was in order ... but wasn't exercised. It would have been fine for them to have had their boys out on the dance floor, dancing and having fun, in the early evening ... before the floor got crowded. But after the floor was filled with people the boys were STILL running across it. I kept expecting to see a spill, with an 85 year old on the hard floor with a broken hip and a child smashed underneath him. At one point it got so bad that I nearly got up and walked over to the mother to say something ... when, it would appear, someone else bet me to it.

 

I am reminded of my childhood journey on the SS United States. One night I distinctly remember visiting one of the lounges with my parents. I don't know which one it was, my memory of it was that it was big and filled with VERY tall people and a loud band playing music. We were there for a short period of time, watching the big people dance, and then we were whisked away and that was it. I might have liked staying, maybe, but I much preferred going back to our cabin to play and get ready for beddy-by. And, frankly, I couldn't help thinking the same for those boys. By the time we were getting up to leave for dinner it was 8 pm. When I was 3 or 4 years old, by 8 pm I was being put to bed; I wasn't out, running around the dance floor or a night club, getting under the feet of 30 or 40 senior citizens.

[bepsf]

Thanks, hammy. But, really, I had no choice. The Bishop told me that it would not be wise for me to be out of the country in May with me probably moving in June, and I had to say that I agreed.

 

Christopher and I will book it for some other time. In 2009, possibly.

 

Sorry Greg - I know you were looking forward to going...

...I guess you & Mr C will have more money saved for when we go to Europe!

;)

[WNYCRUISER]

I made it a point to mention on my Comment Card that the sound was too loud in the various lounges. I hope they "hear" me.

I would have liked to have spent more time in Northern Lights with everyone; couldn't with the volume so loud. I'd rather spend my money on more cruises than hearing aid batteries, doncha know. ;)

 

Apparently they cannot hear the comments above the music. We emphatically made the same comments on our cards at the end of the Christmas cruise. We tried having several lunches in the Lido Pool area (Josie and the Pussy Cats), sitting as far away as we could, yet they ended up being some of the quickest lunches we have ever eaten. It was soon that we moved ourselves to the Lido Dining area for the remainder of the cruise. Just not worth it. I will say I was overall disappointed with the musical entertainment on that cruise. I hope they make some changes before we sail again in March.

[bepsf]

Apparently they cannot hear the comments above the music. We emphatically made the same comments on our cards at the end of the Christmas cruise. We tried having several lunches in the Lido Pool area (Josie and the Pussy Cats), sitting as far away as we could, yet they ended up being some of the quickest lunches we have ever eaten. It was soon that we moved ourselves to the Lido Dining area for the remainder of the cruise. Just not worth it. I will say I was overall disappointed with the musical entertainment on that cruise. I hope they make some changes before we sail again in March.

 

WNY--

It's a shame that you had the same experience being chased from the Aft Pool area with overly loud music, because with the awnings surrounding the aft pool that's one of the best places to enjoy lunch, breakfast or even a quiet cocktail.

:(

[RevNeal]

Sorry Greg - I know you were looking forward to going...

...I guess you & Mr C will have more money saved for when we go to Europe!

;)

 

Some ... yes. When I had to cancel the Asian cruise we booked the 10-day Ryndam cruise to replace it. Yes, this one is quite a bit cheaper than the Asian cruise would have been, and it's a lot closer to home too. :) It also leaves a full month earlier ... which is why I can do it. I won't be gone any in May. :)

 

Oh ... and he has said yes to the Eurodam. Which is good news.

[Love Cruises]

RevNeal... So sorry to read that you had to cancel your Statendam cruise. We did this one in 2006 and really enjoyed it. You definitely have to reschedule this trip and it is quite interesting. What was really amazing was traveling over the International Date Line. We had 2 Friday - May 13th last year and HAL, of course, charged us the tips for the repeat of the day. This really confused one of the office workers.

 

Being an amateur photographer, I really enjoy looking at all your beautiful photography. Besides being clergy (an exemplary vocation), you are a very gifted photographer. I just looked at your Israel trip and your photo journal was absolutely wonderful. We were there in 1999 so it was great seeing the places again. Cannot believe how much more has been escavated at Caesarea.

 

Now we are looking forward to more NOORDAM shots ... although, it would be hard to top the ones you took last year.

 

Thanks for bringing me much pleasure viewing your site and keep up the good work.