Live from the Noordam - Transatlantic - NY to Rome

In just about fifteen hours and change we will be boarding the ms Noordam in New York City. It seems only fitting that this much loved ship will host a wedding on her last trip from New York.

We have a large group of excited Cruise Critics aboard for this voyage numbering around 70. We have been wondering who our captain will be, if anyone out there in Cruise Critic Land has an inkling we'd love to know.

Our eight port stops include Bermuda - Funchal, Madeira - Lisbon, Portugal - Cadiz, Spain - Casablanca, Morocco - Barcelona, Spain - Monte Carlo, Monaco -Livorno & Rome.

Our bags are packed, all that is left to do is prepare a care and maintenance list for our two dogs, Rebel and Binky. Tomorrow is a big day for us, our wedding cake incidentally we be designed to look exactly like the Noordam, very excited to see how this turns out. Then it's off on a great high seas adventure aboard our beloved Noordam. I look forward to reporting in from from the Atlantic with a daily scoop.

Jonathan

How exciting - not only the cruise itself, but a wedding and honeymoon to boot! It's great that you'll be doing a Live From Thread - be sure to post a pic of that wedding cake!

Cruiserking, I'm so happy to know you'll be doing a live from thread. What time do you leave NYC? I can't get onto the HAL site to see.

Your itinerary sounds fantastic. Hae a wonderful cruise.

I too would love to see a picture of your wedding cake...oh and any others you care to share!

I look forward to sailing along with you.

Enjoy your cruise.

Rochelle

Hey Jonathan - you jumped the gun - we're not there yet. I guess what with the wedding and all, you guys must be very excited. I'd like to see pics of that wedding cake too. Can't wait to meet you tomorrow in the Crow's Nest - will you still be wearing your wedding attire? That would make it very easy to find you.

Looking forward to toasting your happiness and it looks like we'll be doing lots of toasting on board with all of the anniversaries, renewal of vows and birthdays.

With all our good wishes to you and Elene for a Happy Wedding, good health and smooth sailing forever.

How exciting - not only the cruise itself, but a wedding and honeymoon to boot! It's great that you'll be doing a Live From Thread - be sure to post a pic of that wedding cake!

I too would love to see a picture of your wedding cake...oh and any others you care to share!

 

I look forward to sailing along with you.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Rochelle

Thanks very much Rochelle. I definitely will try to post a picture of our cake. A very good friend of ours is a professional cake designer. I'm told the Noordam Cake is 3 feet long and 1 1/2 feet high.

Cruiserking, I'm so happy to know you'll be doing a live from thread. What time do you leave NYC? I can't get onto the HAL site to see.

We're scheduled to depart at 5 pm, the tandem voyage of ms Noordam & Cake Noordam.

Jonathan

Hey Jonathan - you jumped the gun - we're not there yet. I guess what with the wedding and all, you guys must be very excited. I'd like to see pics of that wedding cake too. Can't wait to meet you tomorrow in the Crow's Nest - will you still be wearing your wedding attire? That would make it very easy to find you.

Looking forward to toasting your happiness and it looks like we'll be doing lots of toasting on board with all of the anniversaries, renewal of vows and birthdays.

With all our good wishes to you and Elene for a Happy Wedding, good health and smooth sailing forever.

Hi Barbara,

Fancy meeting you here!

I think I'll probably change into more low key attire following the festivities. Elene would love to stroll around in her white dress but, it would be a real pain to have to ship it back from Rome.

Looking forward to meeting you at the Crows Nest and toasting our grand Noordam Transatlantic Voyage, I'll see if I can bring some Noordam cake too.

Jonathan

I was hoping someone would post live from this cruise...and a wedding to boot! Congratulations. :)

I will be on the June 8th sailing, so looking forward to hearing all about the Captain, crew, food, entertainment and about ROME.

If you have never been to Bermuda, you will love it!

Until your next posting...;)

I was hoping someone would post live from this cruise...and a wedding to boot! Congratulations. :)

 

I will be on the June 8th sailing, so looking forward to hearing all about the Captain, crew, food, entertainment and about ROME.

 

If you have never been to Bermuda, you will love it!

 

Until your next posting...;)

Thanks very much Sea Island Lady. I haven't been to Bermuda in about twenty years or so, really looking forward to visiting Front Street and exploring the Royal Navy Dock Yards.

Will do my best to keep you apprised of all the excitement and events aboard the ms Noordam. It's been a long wait for this voyage and it is almost here..:D

Jonathan

Have a wonderful cruise...and wonderful wedding! Can't wait to see photos of your cake.

We will all look forward to your "Live from the Noordam..."

What a great itinerary!

Bon Voyage!!! :D

Have a wonderful cruise...and wonderful wedding! Can't wait to see photos of your cake.

We will all look forward to your "Live from the Noordam..."

What a great itinerary!

Bon Voyage!!! :D

Thanks very much Innlady. We can see the New York Cruise Ship Terminal from our living room. I watched the Noordam gracefully ease into her berth at 6:51 am.

Despite a dismal, rainy forecast the crowning is the patches of blue and streaks of sunlight breaking through.

Jonathan

A posting at 12:24 AM, and then you were up for the Noordam at 6:51 AM. :eek: With a honeymoon coming up, you needed your sleep! :D

Hope the weather holds up for you!

Congratulations, Jonathan and Elene. Wishing you many years together in good health and happiness.

How exciting to be married aboard the beautiful Noordam.

Looking forward to seeing photos.

Have a wonderful wedding/honeymoon/cruise.

Fair winds and a following sea.........

Congratulations - enjoy your cruise - sounds awesome to get married

on the beautiful Noordam.

How many days is this awesome repositioning cruise?

Dave

Thanks very much Innlady. We can see the New York Cruise Ship Terminal from our living room. I watched the Noordam gracefully ease into her berth at 6:51 am.

 

Despite a dismal, rainy forecast the crowning is the patches of blue and streaks of sunlight breaking through.

 

Jonathan

What a sight that must have been, Jonathan. I envy you...being able to look out your living room window every 10 or 11 days in NYC during the winter!

Enjoy your wedding, honeymoon, and cruise on her!

We're all anxiously awaiting her departure this last time from NYC! ;)

Thank you very much Innlady, David & Sail.

Our wedding on the Noordam was a truly magical experience. For anyone out there considering getting married on a HAL ship, go ahead and take the plunge.

In typical Holland America fashion the presentation and food at our reception at the Crows Nest was really elegant and delicious. Everyone had such a blast. Our guests had the ability to roam around the ship and explore it's nooks and crannies, it was a very special day.

We were married in the Vista Lounge earlier and shortly after ascended to deck 10 for a rousing few hours with close friends and family, the time flew by.

We've been waiting for this cruise for over a year and the anticipation has been enormous. We have the joy of seeing the Noordam every ten days throughout the winter, but, standing there outside the terminal and gazing ahead at her mammoth bow, her spiraling funnels, her pristine white paint gleaming in the sun, it sends shivers up your spine. This is why we cruise.

We were the first people to board the grand ship, it was like having the keys to the chocolate factory. Up the gangway and at once you are bathed with that comforting, welcoming feeling of coming home to our beautiful Noordam, our home for the next 17 days across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe.

We were late leaving tonight and only just cleared the Verrazano Narrows about half an hour ago. We finally withdrew from the New York Pier at 8 pm. The Noordam was waiting on delivery of parts she will transport to Europe for other ships in the HAL fleet. According to reports from the Captain the truck broke down and later got lost in New York.

The late departure was a blessing really because to leave New York at night by ship is one of the great thrills of a lifetime. Every iconic Manhattan structure along the waterfront and beyond glittered and echoed with dramatic authority. The majestic Empire State Building adorned in a halo of white light, the Chrysler Building resplendent in deco and power.

We will always remember going to the muster drill decked out in our wedding finery and fielding enthusiastic congratulations and cheers from our fellow Noordam Voyagers.

Captain Hans Mateboer is at the helm for our journey across the sea. I have just purchased his book The Captains Log and look forward to delving into his adventures as ship's commander.

Tomorrow is our Cruise Critic meeting, 10:30 am in the Crows Nest. We have met several Cruise Critic pals already, a fine friendly bunch they are. We are gradually making our way out to sea. There are some dwindling lights flickering in the distance.

We steam for Bermuda, with magical memories bobbing in our brains. The spectacular sun drenched day was a gift in itself after a near monsoon had been predicted. The Noordam is a buzz with activity. It's great to be home again.

Jonathan

Congratulations!!!

Enjoy your honeymoon & cruise.

Debbie

So glad to see a "live from" thread! My parents are sailing with you - Bill and Pam. I hope everyone has a wonderful time!

Congratulations!!!

 

Enjoy your honeymoon & cruise.

 

Debbie

Thank you very much Debbie.

So glad to see a "live from" thread! My parents are sailing with you - Bill and Pam. I hope everyone has a wonderful time!

Hi Jenny,

We met your folks last night at an informal Cruise Critic gathering in the Crows Nest, lovely people. BillfromTulsa we've been chatting on our Noordam for the past six months or so, nice to put a face to a name.

Well we're bumping our way along to Bermuda this morning. It's a grey, rain soaked morning, a few ship board rattles and sqeaks (sounds like a British breakfast item) reverberating here in the Exploration Cafe, but it feels more like being on a ship. We have traveled 207 nautical miles from New York with 499 miles remaining until we arrive in Bermuda, the seas are moderate.

I can never sleep late aboard ship, I'm so terribly excited to back in this nautical, fantasy world that I have to be up and about. I'm also kicking myself that I managed to lose my blue blazer somewhere between the limo and the pier. Will try and pick one in Bermuda.

Strolling around the ship this morning was a very special tonic, not a creature was stirring save for a few smiling Noordam faces ever polishing and scrubbing. We are in an S cabin on the Navigation deck. They are terrific and spacious rooms. Same cabin we stayed in last January, I have already clocked several calls to the phone concierge I believe this is one of the perks of the S cabins, they are extremely helpful.

Well I'm off again to the excursion desk for a recommendation for a blazer shop on Front Street in Bermuda.

Jonathan

Congratulations on your marriage. Hope you have a spectacular honeymoon. Thank you for taking the time to post a "live" thread.

Your trip is certainly off to a rousing start. Congratulations on your marriage, and fair winds for the rest of your cruise.

Hi Jonathan,

Jim and I had a wonderful time at you wedding yesterday. It was a truly beautiful ceremony and a great reception in the Crows Nest. I can't believe that Elene wore the dress to the life boat drill. How will you eve get it home from Rome? Ship it DHL! Elene looked beautiful and so very happy. Yesterday we we arrived home, I watched the Gem pass under the VN Bridge and then we waited & waited for the Noordam. I thought that maybe she went out before the Gem & I missed her. Then at 9PM the Noordam appeared outside our apartment. She does look beautiful all ablaze.

I have pictures from the wedding, including the Noordan cake but I don't know how to post pictures on this site. I will try to lean but if I can't I will send them to your personal email address. Also will try to post to my Shutterfly account and send you link.

Have a great day!

JoAnn

Hi all - weather wise it is a miserable gray rainy day :mad: . But we are on vacation, so the sun is always shinning - inside everything is beautiful on this ship :) .

The Noordam is a nice as we were told. We did see Jonathan and Elene on our way to muster. They were very identifiable, handsome and beautiful in their wedding finery. We introduced ourselves on a stairway, it was fun. We'd love to see some of those wedding pics. If you can't get them posted here, hopefully you can post the link to the Shutterfly album.

Gotta run now to get ready for the big CC Meet & Greet :D .

Jonathan and Elene...congratulations on our wedding. What a wonderful ship to get married on. We almost came down to see the Noordam leave, but we were at a party and stayed there until 4"30 and then figured it was too late. Then we spent the time watching from the webcam. Hope you have a wonderful cruise and a great CC meet and greet. Love having this live thread from aboard.

SInce no one ever signed me out on the computers, my spirit is sailing along with you guys.

Thanks so much for taking us all along on your honeymoon:) Just love reading these "live threads" and we are thinking about the Noordam next year when she sails out of FLL. Smooth sailing and hope you find a blazer in Bermuda:)