Chances of kid overload in pools 2/6 Koningsdam?

We enjoy HALs smaller ships. They seem more spacious and less kid friendly. We cruised aboard the Oosterdam, and didn't like the enclosed feel of the ship. I like the looks of the Koningsdam 2/6 itinerary, but am reluctant to book due to crowds and kids overtaking the pools. Most recently, our cruises have been with Azamara and Viking Oceans (which we loved, loved).

We do enjoy lounging by the pools. What will the pool experience be like aboard the Koningsdam for a February cruise: quiet and restful or crowded and noisy?

Thank you.

Caroline

Hard to predict. If it is a 7 day cruise, I would be more worried than if it was a 10 day cruise. We went for 21 days in March two years ago (a 10 day, and an 11 day). I doubt there were 15 kids on board.

But there are two pools, one is adults only.

I usually only see children during the school holidays. (Christmas, summer, Spring Break) And, even then, they are well-behaved and small in number. Most kids are back in school in February.

This is a 10 night cruise.

This is a 10 night cruise.

Better check your date. I'm on Koningsdam departing on 2/13 for the 11-day Southern Caribbean Wayfarer.

I did find a10-day Koningsdam Southern Caribbean Seafarer leaving on 2/3.

I don't want you to miss the ship by arriving at FLL on 2/6!

Just checked the date. It's February 3, not the 6th. :-0

Just checked the date. It's February 3, not the 6th. :-0

You should be ok, kidwise, with those dates. It's past Christmas/New Year's, too early for President's Day week or weekend, and well before Spring Break. Just input from a mom:D

I go every year during Thanksgiving and i have never seen more than 10-15 children on the koningsdam.

Just checked the date. It's February 3, not the 6th. :-0

We were on the Koningsdam during this period in 2018 and have this cruise booked again from Jan 13 - Feb 24. In Jan 18 we had about 15 kids on the ship that used the pool. Most of the kids used the middle pool so you still had the aft pool that did not have many kids. I will say that the pools on the Koningsdam are smaller than the other HAL ships so they can get crowded. Since we are doing all these ports twice and have been to all of these ports multiple we will be staying on board or coming back to the ship early so should have the pools too our selves.

We enjoyed the Koningsdam, especially the music entertainment.

We enjoy HALs smaller ships. They seem more spacious and less kid friendly. We cruised aboard the Oosterdam, and didn't like the enclosed feel of the ship. I like the looks of the Koningsdam 2/6 itinerary, but am reluctant to book due to crowds and kids overtaking the pools. Most recently, our cruises have been with Azamara and Viking Oceans (which we loved, loved).

We do enjoy lounging by the pools. What will the pool experience be like aboard the Koningsdam for a February cruise: quiet and restful or crowded and noisy?

Thank you.

Caroline

There is no room to move at the inside pool, and it will be full of kids, outside pool is better, but in both cases you need to put a book on the lounges around the pool at 7:30am otherwise no seat for the whole day..

... but in both cases you need to put a book on the lounges around the pool at 7:30am otherwise no seat for the whole day.

I enjoy a good mystery book while cruising, especially those left behind for us to enjoy when we assume the usage of those unattended “claimed” loungers. [emoji6]

Viking May have spoiled us for life. We were able cruise Viking and Azamara at reasonable costs. But it seems their rates have gone up and I simply refuse to pay so much. So, I’m afraid the Koningsdam may be too crowded for us. I checked their space ratio per passenger, and it’s not conducive for elbow room. I’ll continue to search for a smaller ship aboard HAL.

Thank you.

I enjoy a good mystery book while cruising, especially those left behind for us to enjoy when we assume the usage of those unattended “claimed” loungers. [emoji6]

I bring plenty of books on my Kindle, so we just turn the books over to the employees who are happy to remove them when they see that they are space-savers!

There is no room to move at the inside pool, and it will be full of kids, outside pool is better, but in both cases you need to put a book on the lounges around the pool at 7:30am otherwise no seat for the whole day..

We were on the Koningsdam from Jan 3 - Feb 4 2018 and that was not our experience.

No - we are not chair hogs by putting books and towels on the chairs. We usually spend 3 or 4 hours at the pool - late morning through mid-afternoon and had no problems getting a chair or table.

HAL is not Viking. The Koningsdam is a good ship which is why we are booked for 42 days in Jan-Feb 2019. We do enjoy the smaller HAL ships and sailed on just about all the classes during our 500+ days on HAL. We love the HAL crew.

I enjoy a good mystery book while cruising, especially those left behind for us to enjoy when we assume the usage of those unattended “claimed” loungers. [emoji6]

Wait, you mean it's not the cruise ship leaving swag bags, books & towels for passengers on the chairs? I've always assumed it was just a HAL perk. :'):')

The big difference will be the passenger space ratio. Kdam will feel much more crowded than the two lines you normally sail.

The premium cruise lines offer a different experience with more included features and better food and service. You may be irritated with the nickel and dining.

The big difference will be the passenger space ratio. Kdam will feel much more crowded than the two lines you normally sail.

The premium cruise lines offer a different experience with more included features and better food and service. You may be irritated with the nickel and dining.

What is your own per diem price point to avoid getting "nickel and dimed" on premium brand cruise ships compared to HAL ships? Are you willing to pay an extra $100 or $1000 more per day to not be irritated by HAL "nickel and diming"?

What "nickel and diming" irritates you the most on HAL ships. I must be oblivious to it, so not sure what you are talking about.

What is your own per diem price point to avoid getting "nickel and dimed" on premium brand cruise ships compared to HAL ships? Are you willing to pay an extra $100 or $1000 more per day to not be irritated by HAL "nickel and diming"?

 

What "nickel and diming" irritates you the most on HAL ships. I must be oblivious to it, so not sure what you are talking about.

We are willing to pay more for better space ratio, nicer ships, better food, service and general ambience. We stopped a long time ago quantifying the price difference.

Holland America is a great value line but a definite step down from the lines the OP normally sails.

The most irritating nickel and dining on every Holland America ship is being charged for bottled water. We don’t want to drink the sometimes brown tap water. Even overnight budget hotels provide two noname bottled waters per room.

We are willing to pay more for better space ratio, nicer ships, better food, service and general ambience. We stopped a long time ago quantifying the price difference.

Holland America is a great value line but a definite step down from the lines the OP normally sails.

 

The most irritating nickel and dining on every Holland America ship is being charged for bottled water. We don’t want to drink the sometimes brown tap water. Even overnight budget hotels provide two noname bottled waters per room.

Oh good grief. Now we have "brown tap water"? Alors!

Even cheap motels have access to land-based recycling centers so if they want to trash things up with gratuitous small bottles of water, this may be a different corporate decision than a self-contained ship may make. At least HAL lets you bring on as much bottled water as you like, or offers their own brand at a reasonable package price for in cabin use. (Evian).

Not my version of "nickel-diming" to pay for this personal choice, and glad I am not paying for extras I would never use myself. I don't expect others cruise fares to subsidize my own preference for in-cabin mineral water.

there are times I want to suggest a group get together and charterf a privgte yacht. . Thry wont hav e to put up with 'others' being on their ship.

I agree with Old As Dirt Mom. There are no school holidays around that time frame so you should be ok. We did a 7 day Western Carribean departing New Years Eve '17/'18 thinking it would be minimal children but the center pool turned out to be a kidfest and the "Adult Only" pool on the newly remodeled Westerdam was a joke to say the least. It had a maximum depth that was about ankle deep...seriously. It would have been fine for a kiddie pool! The aft jacuzzi was nice.

We also took a 7 day Alaska on the Westerdam in Aug '16, it too was a kidfest but then school had not started yet. Lessons learned.

Finished a 28 Day Inca Explorer Round Trip out of San Diego last Feb and only had 1 smaller child on board. Lucky kiddo got all of the attention.

Our preference was Celebrity cruises until they abandoned the California ports :rolleyes: Just now they are doing a Hawaii cruise from San Pedro Ca in 2019 at $1700 more than Princess for a balcony cabin

We have sailed HAL in the past & now after becoming a Carnival share holder we have booked 2 HAL cruises( Mexican riviera on Eurodam Dec 4 ,2018 & a !0 night So Caribbean in March 17 on Koningsdam) & one Princess cruise (Hawaii 15 night Dec 4 ,2019 ):p

Both Celebrity & RCCL has lost our business because of lack of servicing California ports :loudcry:

Our preference was Celebrity cruises until they abandoned the California ports :rolleyes: Just now they are doing a Hawaii cruise from San Pedro Ca in 2019 at $1700 more than Princess for a balcony cabin

 

We have sailed HAL in the past & now after becoming a Carnival share holder we have booked 2 HAL cruises( Mexican riviera on Eurodam Dec 4 ,2018 & a !0 night So Caribbean in March 17 on Koningsdam) & one Princess cruise (Hawaii 15 night Dec 4 ,2019 ):p

 

Both Celebrity & RCCL has lost our business because of lack of servicing California ports :loudcry:

California keeps adding more environmental restrictions that some cruise ships cannot meet. Some can, State residents currently have a love-hate relationship with cruise ships. Not sure where the future of more California cruise ports will go. It would be a shame because there is much to explore from California coastal cities. But we also do not want to turn into a Key West.

I enjoy a good mystery book while cruising, especially those left behind for us to enjoy when we assume the usage of those unattended “claimed” loungers. [emoji6]

Gold!

We enjoy HALs smaller ships. They seem more spacious and less kid friendly. We cruised aboard the Oosterdam, and didn't like the enclosed feel of the ship. I like the looks of the Koningsdam 2/6 itinerary, but am reluctant to book due to crowds and kids overtaking the pools. Most recently, our cruises have been with Azamara and Viking Oceans (which we loved, loved).

We do enjoy lounging by the pools. What will the pool experience be like aboard the Koningsdam for a February cruise: quiet and restful or crowded and noisy?

Thank you.

Caroline

I have never been on a winter cruise on HAL that was over run with kids. When you do see kids they are usually in strollers, which means they were not old enough to over tun the pool.