Noordam recent cruise

[ON cruiser]

Hi all, we recently returned (just before Christmas) from 11 days on the Noordam, and had a very good cruise. I did a full review which is posted if anyone cares to read it. Bottom line: other than rather poor laundry service (things had to be re-pressed or re-done on several occasions), it was a great cruise--food and service were, in our subjective opinions, quite excellent.

 

I had read some comments a few months ago about roast beef served with sauce, etc., but can report that embarkation dinner offered traditional roast beef, and it was the same as on past cruises--very nicely done. Having been on Noordam in December 2010 as well as this past December, we actually thought the food quality and choice had improved somewhat...perhaps we were just so happy to finally be on holidays?

 

The crew continue to work hard yet are always in good spirits; and while they likely "do more with less", this was not apparent to us as passengers. We were quite pleased and look forward to another cruise as soon as we can find the time.

 

Regards,

[Linda VH]

We were also on that cruise. I have hesitated to post because, if you do have negatives...... Anyway, we thought the crew was wonderful! Only ate in the MDR once as we had "As You Wish" which Isn't! You had to make a reservation a day or so ahead if you wanted a table for two - defeated the purpose for us so we ate in Pinnacle or Canaletto. The Le Cirque dinner was wonderful! Everyone I spoke to agreed that it was superb! Our laundry service worked well (we had one item for dry cleaning), b-fast in Pinnacle was great. Neptune was very good (love their coffee). Why a negative? We are "casino rats" and love to play the table games - that is OUR entertainment.

Negative: They allow smoking in the casino. My favorite game had at least 3 to 4 people smoking at any given time. The casino reeked! The ceilings are low and the smoke has nowhere to go. We will not sail HAL again until HAL stops the smoking in the casino. Understand, I am not allergic and have been to many casinos but this was just impossible.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were also on that cruise. I have hesitated to post because, if you do have negatives...... Anyway, we thought the crew was wonderful! Only ate in the MDR once as we had "As You Wish" which Isn't! You had to make a reservation a day or so ahead if you wanted a table for two - defeated the purpose for us so we ate in Pinnacle or Canaletto. The Le Cirque dinner was wonderful! Everyone I spoke to agreed that it was superb! Our laundry service worked well (we had one item for dry cleaning), b-fast in Pinnacle was great. Neptune was very good (love their coffee). Why a negative? We are "casino rats" and love to play the table games - that is OUR entertainment.

Negative: They allow smoking in the casino. My favorite game had at least 3 to 4 people smoking at any given time. The casino reeked! The ceilings are low and the smoke has nowhere to go. We will not sail HAL again until HAL stops the smoking in the casino. Understand, I am not allergic and have been to many casinos but this was just impossible.

 

Don't think that you will ever see smoking banned in the Casino.

I would rather HAL ban smoking on the verandahs.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Hi all, we recently returned (just before Christmas) from 11 days on the Noordam, and had a very good cruise. I did a full review which is posted if anyone cares to read it. Bottom line: other than rather poor laundry service (things had to be re-pressed or re-done on several occasions), it was a great cruise--food and service were, in our subjective opinions, quite excellent.

 

I had read some comments a few months ago about roast beef served with sauce, etc., but can report that embarkation dinner offered traditional roast beef, and it was the same as on past cruises--very nicely done. Having been on Noordam in December 2010 as well as this past December, we actually thought the food quality and choice had improved somewhat...perhaps we were just so happy to finally be on holidays?

 

The crew continue to work hard yet are always in good spirits; and while they likely "do more with less", this was not apparent to us as passengers. We were quite pleased and look forward to another cruise as soon as we can find the time.

 

Regards,

 

Read your review.

Very nicely done.

Thank you.

[kazu]

Thanks very much for your comments and pointing us to your review. Very Nice. Glad you had a good time:)

[portofrome]

Thanks for the review.

[KirkNC]

Welcome home, glad you had a good cruise. We very much enjoyed the Noordam in 2010.

[yiddishkopf]

I love telling this story...

A few years ago, my SO anhd I were on the Statendam sailing fromm Kobe to various ports in Japan, the Kamchatka Peninsula and Alaska. I had heard that the first night of the cruise, there were low limits on table games in the casino. I went to the blackjack table but someone was smoking a putrid smelling cigar so I moved to a video poker machine.

 

After playing for a while, I had my very first (and probably only in a lifetime) royal flush -- and yes,I had the maximum coins in. I won $1,000 that night!

[ON cruiser]

I would agree with those that expressed regret over the smoking in the casino--but, on the other hand, as neither my wife nor I want to be too close to too many smokers for too long, that limits our losses! :)

 

Kidding aside, I also agree that I would like to see further incremental limits to smoking, as it is on other lines (no smoking on verandahs would be nice) but also allowing smokers a place to smoke--up on deck at some spot and in the cigar room on deck 10, for example.

 

Regards,