Noordam Aft Cabins Are They Bigger?

[deluxerider]

Are the Noordam Aft Cabins and verandahs bigger than the side cabins with Verandahs? I've read threads where some say the verandahs are bigger and some say not? We're sailing out Feb. 09...I can hear the wake already!!:D

[mamaofami]

We had an aft veranda cabin on the Noordam last February. The cabin might have been slightly bigger...ot really sure, but the veranda was a lot bigger and it was great sitting out there and watching the wake. I went in Feb. too, but we silaed out of NYC. Sadly, the Noordam isn't leaving from there anymore.

[deluxerider]

Thanks for answering!! Did u have a cabin on the corner or in the middle. what was your cabin number?

[mamaofami]

No, we didn't have a corner SC..just a regular aft cabin: 5186. I loved it. Took one like it for the Eurodam cruise.

[deluxerider]

Great. We will be in a VA with hopes of being upgraded to a suite. Keeping our finders crossed.:o

[Gonzo70]

I had an aft (non corner) VA and the balcony is definitely significantly larger than side balconies (it was probably around 120 square feet I'd guess). I don't know if the interior portion of the stateroom was any larger though; if it is it is not likely by much.

[Spender Nui]

Are they completely covered?

[innlady1]

Are the Noordam Aft Cabins and verandahs bigger than the side cabins with Verandahs? I've read threads where some say the verandahs are bigger and some say not? We're sailing out Feb. 09...I can hear the wake already!!:D

Do you mean the staterooms on the stern of the Noordam?

Aft means toward the back of the ship; forward is toward the front of the ship.

If you're asking about the staterooms and verandah's on the stern, yes, the verandah's are larger. We were in #5188 at the stern last February; the year before we were in #5150, port side, aft. The staterooms were exactly the same size. Only the verandah's were different sizes...our verandah on the stern of the ship was much larger than the one on the port side.

Here's the definition from Wikipedia:

"Aft, in naval (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy) terminology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminology), is an adverb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverb) meaning 'towards the stern (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stern) of the ship (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship)', when the frame of reference (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frame_of_reference) is within the ship. Example: "Able Seaman Smith; lay aft!". Or; "What's happening aft?" Its antonym (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonym) is forward, pronounced "forrard".

The corresponding adjective (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjective), in distinguishing one feature of the vessel from another is after. See the caption to the right. Its antonym is forward.
The corresponding preposition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preposition) is abaft. For example, the mizzenmast (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizzenmast) is abaft the mainmast (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainmast). Its antonym (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonym) is before or, in a more clumsy form, forward of. Aft, sometimes also describes the direction of a movement within an aircraft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft); that is, towards the tail. Example: "Let's go aft." It may also describe the back/tail location or region within an aircraft cabin.
Example: "Aft cabin."

The difference of aft and stern is that aft is the inside (onboard) rearmost part of the vessel, while stern refers to outside (offboard) rearmost part of the vessel."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bark.svg)

[ASIWISH]

Are the Noordam Aft Cabins and verandahs bigger than the side cabins with Verandahs? I've read threads where some say the verandahs are bigger and some say not? We're sailing out Feb. 09...I can hear the wake already!!:D

They are wonderful!

The verandahs are bigger... and they are about 50-60% covered. You will feel rain, and can see the people in the cabins above you.

We had cabin 4181, and our two kids had 4179... LOVED THEM!

Have fun!

[deluxerider]

Thanks for the info!! Our cabin is at the back of the ship cabin# 6162.
I'm lost as far as what the stern, port side etc. means. I've cruised a few times but this is my first Aft cabin (back of ship looking at the wake)
I've read some reviews saying the crew stays on the sixth floor. Can anyone confirm this?

[mamaofami]

No, the aft cabin verandas are not completely covered...at least not on deck 5 of the Noordam. Some sun and some shade and if you stand by the railing those above you can see you.

[m steve]

The Sterns serve kosher food. The Afts served shrimp!

[Gonzo70]

Do you mean the staterooms on the stern of the Noordam?

Aft means toward the back of the ship; forward is toward the front of the ship.




Technically speaking you are correct, but when someone says they are in an aft balcony, 99% of the time they are referring to the balconies that face the opposite direction that the ship is moving.

[jtl513]

I've read some reviews saying the crew stays on the sixth floor. Can anyone confirm this?Not on the Noordam! On all HAL ships there are cabins on the Navigation Deck (8) right behind the bridge for the Captain, First Officer, and other high-ranking officers. I think maybe some people like the chaplains, doctors, etc get cabins up there on some ships. On the far forward end of the Rotterdam Deck (7) there's 6 cabins for high-ranking crew too, but there are no crew cabins on decks 6 or 5. Not sure about two small rooms on the forward end of deck 4. To me they look too small to be crew cabins.

[innlady1]

Technically speaking you are correct, but when someone says they are in an aft balcony, 99% of the time they are referring to the balconies that face the opposite direction that the ship is moving.

My DH grew up on sailboats and we now have a small trawler...He teaches classes for the Power Squadron ad the CGAux! So, he's tried to instill proper boat terminology all these years!

On our last Noordam cruise, I told him I'd booked an aft verandah. He told me we'd had an aft port side last time. So what was different about this next cruise: I explained aft as on the stern of the ship! ;) ;) ;)

[deluxerider]

Thanks so much for your information. We're really looking forward to our cruise in Feb 09!! Celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary :)

[Spender Nui]

No, the aft cabin verandas are not completely covered...at least not on deck 5 of the Noordam. Some sun and some shade and if you stand by the railing those above you can see you.

Thanks for the information. Would you venture an estimate of the size of the verandahs and the % covered? Important for me to stay out of the sun. Didn't do it years ago and now I spend a lot of time with my dermatologist.

[deluxerider]

I'm in the same boat as you...Need to start staying out of the sun!!:(

[ranles]

We just came back in June. Noordam. On the stern. The Varanda is larger (we later had a cabin on the side). The portion covered is less than half. That is not the important measure! What is important is the direction of travel and time of day. The whole veranda may be in sun or part sun depending on these factors. You will not be able to know in advance as this changes with each route, direction of travel and time of year.

If you do not have a corner suite, then you will often have shade next to the side walls on both sides of the veranda, when otherwise most is in sun. You cannot depend on sun or shade all of the time.

Read our trip report of 5das in Rome and 20 day Med. We spent 14 days in 5089, then 6 days in 6072.

[deluxerider]

Did u have a corner cabin? Which cabin did u like the best the aft or side?