LIVE from the Noordam

[Freedom55]

Yoohoo! are you still there??? LOL (having too much fun I'll bet!)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the updates.

[Rhea58]

Am avidly following your post (hope the illness aboard is not playing

havoc with your enjoyment).

 

Would you mind posting exactly where She docks in St. Martin & St.

Thomas so I can figure out my game plan as I wish to go it solo

ashore.

 

many thanks in advance and Happy Cruising.

[Lynne Myrna]

So happy that you're having a good cruise. We saw Justin Miller on our cruise in Nov......he is a wonderful story teller & musical performer, also a very nice, warm person to talk to, not stuck up at all:) Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

 

Lynne:)

[ElsieKay]

Hi,

We're leaving on the Noordam in just over a week but cannot find where to sign up for a meet and mingle. Can anyone post the link? Hopefully it's not too late.

Thanks,

Lynn

[innlady1]

Hi,

We're leaving on the Noordam in just over a week but cannot find where to sign up for a meet and mingle. Can anyone post the link? Hopefully it's not too late.

Thanks,

Lynn

 

I think you would be able to sign up on the Roll Call. Have you signed on there?

 

If not, go to Roll Calls/Hal. Then Noordam, then look for your cruise. I know it's there...I've seen the Roll Call for the 01/16 Noordam sailing.

[MERIDIAN]

jrzebird - According to ship tracker at 10:00 a.m. this morning you had not reached port. Did something happen? http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shiplocations.phtml

[jrzebird]

jrzebird - According to ship tracker at 10:00 a.m. this morning you had not reached port. Did something happen? http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shiplocations.phtml

We actually docked 20 minutes early, about 2:40 pm. We were scheduled for 3:00 - 9:00. Now we're off to Dominica.

[Georgeny]

Being on next sailing we are enjoying your live coverage. Keep it coming :)

 

George in NY - be waiting for you on the pier:D

[BillPatrice]

jrzebird - I assume you have your on board schedules - What days are formal? I'm trying to determine what day I want to schedule the pinnacle grill.... I have heard they are usually sea days and fridays and wednesdays have been mentioned.

[jrzebird]

jrzebird - I assume you have your on board schedules - What days are formal? I'm trying to determine what day I want to schedule the pinnacle grill.... I have heard they are usually sea days and fridays and wednesdays have been mentioned.

 

 

So far, the only formal night was the 3rd night. Last night was a BBQ and tonight is smart casual. I'm going to guess that tomorrow is formal, but we don't have any kind of cruise-long schedule, and if there is one, I don't know about it.

[Studebaker59]

mamaofami- We sailed on the Noordam last month, and lunch definitely was served in the Vista Dining Room when we embarked. We ate lunch looking out on the Hudson River. It was wonderful! It wasn't crowded & hectic like the Lido Buffet at Embarkation Lunch.

 

BillPatrice- Our 10 night Eastern Caribbean cruise had three formal nights. They were Nights 3, 6(optional), & 9. There were men in tuxes, but they were in the minority.

[innlady1]

mamaofami- We sailed on the Noordam last month, and lunch definitely was served in the Vista Dining Room when we embarked. We ate lunch looking out on the Hudson River. It was wonderful! It wasn't crowded & hectic like the Lido Buffet at Embarkation Lunch.

 

BillPatrice- Our 10 night Eastern Caribbean cruise had three formal nights. They were Nights 3, 6(optional), & 9. There were men in tuxes, but they were in the minority.

 

From what I've gathered, it seems that the dining room is open sometimes/closed others on embarkation days.

 

Last year, our formal nights were the same as yours, Studebaker. I think this is true for all 10 day cruises on the Noordam.

[sail7seas]

Thanks for your 'from aboard posts'. Always great to read. Sounds like you are really enjoying yourself.

 

If you still have your Daily Program that was in your cabin when you boarded, it should list the whole cruise dress code day by day. I always hold onto that program so I know in advance which nights will be formal.

 

Continue to enjoy!

[mamaofami]

mamaofami- We sailed on the Noordam last month, and lunch definitely was served in the Vista Dining Room when we embarked. We ate lunch looking out on the Hudson River. It was wonderful! It wasn't crowded & hectic like the Lido Buffet at Embarkation Lunch.

 

BillPatrice- Our 10 night Eastern Caribbean cruise had three formal nights. They were Nights 3, 6(optional), & 9. There were men in tuxes, but they were in the minority.

 

 

Guess we'll try eating in the dining room. Usually, they just direct the elevators right up to the Lido where we have to scramble for a table. Thanks for the info, though.

[Wineguys]

Am avidly following your post (hope the illness aboard is not playing

havoc with your enjoyment).

 

Would you mind posting exactly where She docks in St. Martin & St.

Thomas so I can figure out my game plan as I wish to go it solo

ashore.

 

many thanks in advance and Happy Cruising.

 

Rhea, it depends on the number of ships in port that day. Most ships dock at Havensight (the old port), but a few (I think only up to 2) dock at Crown Bay which is lovely. When I was there on Dec. 27th, we were on the Noordam and we docked along with the Carib Princess at Crown Bay. The Westerdam and A NCL and a RCL were docked at Havensight. I think if its more than 5 (6?), the others need to tender and are dropped right in Charlotte Amalie.

 

St. Maarten is a long dock that can accomdate up to 4 ships on 2 sides but can be a loooong walk to the end. Still, both are great places, among my favorites in the 'bean!

 

Patrick

[Georgeny]

BillPatrice- Our 10 night Eastern Caribbean cruise had three formal nights. They were Nights 3, 6(optional), & 9. There were men in tuxes, but they were in the minority.

 

Studebaker, thanks you just answered the question I was going to pose, how many formal evenings. I asked two guys I had lunch with yesterday since they had sailed the Noordam recently. One said two ,the other said three. One optional maybe that explains it? Anyway I will figure three. Never sailed HAL before but have sailed several 10 day sailings and don't recall any ship having first formal on 3rd day, unusual I would think.

 

The other question was concerning tuxes. I often do get onboard rental one but decided leaving from NY I could just drag a suit instead. Can carry that, normally would have to pack it therefore taking valuable shoe and handbag room from my bride. Was thinking that this ship being HAL and also being 10 day may have higher tux percentage but I guess not.

 

Studebaker, first wife had one of those. Both are history :D I still remember the shift on colum and turning the wheel of the would be tank. The car I'm talking about .;)

I know ladies I apologize just couldn't help myself...after 23 years with the new wife I guess I'm getting braver....she's still new too

 

Thanks again...

[Studebaker59]

Our Studebaker is a pink '59 Lark Hardtop. We've owned it for over 16 years, and use it all the time. Glad we were able to bring up some "interesting" memories.:)

[jrzebird]

mamaofami- We sailed on the Noordam last month, and lunch definitely was served in the Vista Dining Room when we embarked. We ate lunch looking out on the Hudson River. It was wonderful! It wasn't crowded & hectic like the Lido Buffet at Embarkation Lunch.

 

BillPatrice- Our 10 night Eastern Caribbean cruise had three formal nights. They were Nights 3, 6(optional), & 9. There were men in tuxes, but they were in the minority.

 

 

The Vista dining room was not open on embarkation day, according to the daily program. Plus, we were very late boarding, so it was chaotic.

 

I haven't seen as many men in tuxes this trip. In fact, tonight was a formal night and many women were smart casual. Not as dressy this year.

[monsoon20009]

Rhea, it depends on the number of ships in port that day. Most ships dock at Havensight (the old port), but a few (I think only up to 2) dock at Crown Bay which is lovely. When I was there on Dec. 27th, we were on the Noordam and we docked along with the Carib Princess at Crown Bay. The Westerdam and A NCL and a RCL were docked at Havensight. I think if its more than 5 (6?), the others need to tender and are dropped right in Charlotte Amalie.

 

St. Maarten is a long dock that can accomdate up to 4 ships on 2 sides but can be a loooong walk to the end. Still, both are great places, among my favorites in the 'bean!

 

Patrick

 

 

When we were in St. Maarten in November on the Noordam, there were only two ship in port--the RCI ship docked at Havensight, and we docked at Crown Bay.

[Seago2]

Thanks for your posts! I'm looking forward to the next installment!

 

I've always laughed at the term "smart casual." Does that mean if I wear my new Harvard Law T-shirt I got for Christmas, I'm good? That with a MENSA hat, maybe?

 

I vote for renting a tux and having it waiting for you on board. That was the easiest thing we ever did. Suits are heavy!

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

JRZ - If you happend to be in the Crow's Nest for a drink, please say hello to Jude from Maria and Glenn. He was an awsome waiter. Glad you are enjoying your cruise and thank you for taking us with you.

[CTBob]

JRZ - If you happend to be in the Crow's Nest for a drink, please say hello to Jude from Maria and Glenn. He was an awsome waiter. Glad you are enjoying your cruise and thank you for taking us with you.

 

I agree, Jude was great. In fact we had to go and find him at the end of our cruise to give him an extra tip. There was also our wine steward in the dining room who was wonderful, but I can't remember his name as it was very unusual.

 

Bob

[calm_seas]

There were 4 formal nights listed on our docs, but the embarkation day program lists only 3 (no "optional" mentioned). They are:

 

Monday - (SECOND Sea Day) instead of usual first sea day.

Thursday - BARBADOS

Monday - FIRST Sea Day after Puerto Rico

 

First formal evening did not appear to have as many gowns, cocktail dresses and tuxes as last night. Did see one guy show up in a T-shirt for dining room, but couldn't fsee what happened to him (if he was turned away) because he was quite far in line ahead of us.

[Wineguys]

When we were in St. Maarten in November on the Noordam, there were only two ship in port--the RCI ship docked at Havensight, and we docked at Crown Bay.

 

You mean St. Thomas, I assume. Havensight and Crown Bay are in the USVI. That's why I love Cruisecal. I love to see who's going to be in port that day with us, except it doesn't show many of the P&O ships.

 

St. Maarten had just the one dock that I know of and it supposedly is new, since friends who visted there about wsix yeras ago said they had to tender because there was no dock, but their getting old and have too many cruise under their belt to remember correctly! :p :p