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Noordam first hal cruise what can i expect?


Minoushka

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HIYA

 

our Roll call for July 17 is SOOOOOOOOOOOO quiet so what can I expect on NOORDAM What not to miss ?Food ?Entertainment?Drinks ?Fun >Casino

Please share it all Looking forward to the MED

 

Michele

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Hey! I'l be sailing on the Noordam on July 17 th with you! Iv never been on HAL. I'm not expecting much from from the boat as our trip is port intensive. I'm doing a pre and pst stay in Rome, so we welcome the two sea days as rest days.

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Hello, we were on Noordam in Caribbean March/April, our first ever cruise. Noordam is a very traditional elegant ship. Staff were helpful and smiling, the food was good.

When leaving ship on port days we were handed a beach towel and on our return a cold flannel and iced water/lemondade.

We took own wine onboard, to drink on our verandah. They also have "happy hour" in different bars, starting at 5pm in the Crows Nest, which is where my husband and friend would go for a cocktail, whilst us ladies chilled.

There is live music around the ship at different venues, but we rather like to chill and have a late dinner, so cannot really comment too much on entertainment. We were in a suite and the amenities were very good. Wishing you a WONDERFUL cruise, wish I was on it.

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Hey! I'l be sailing on the Noordam on July 17 th with you! Iv never been on HAL. I'm not expecting much from from the boat as our trip is port intensive. I'm doing a pre and pst stay in Rome, so we welcome the two sea days as rest days.

 

 

What is your pre-cruise hotel? :)

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I did the Noordam Eastern Med itinerary in August of 2009 as my honeymoon - it made me fall in love with the ship, with HAL and with cruising! (it was my first cruise). Perfect sized ship, in my opinion. Not to small, but not a behemoth either. Lovely, warm attentive staff. Delicious food. Interesting fellow travelers. Plus - it's the Med! Enjoy!

 

Oh, and the MOST comfortable beds at sea!!!!

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I'm staying at the RAGANELLI Hotel near Vatican ...of course NEAR is relative It is a 4 star ...European style ...nothing like ours I will arrive on the 15th after my sardine can flight on Air Transat BUt they were a LOt cheaper so I will suffer in SILENCE!!!...or maybe not so silent

Meeting my son in Rome Looking forward to All our stops

Anyone willing to share a ride to port I know a GREAT transfer company We used them 3 times last year Clean vans,great service and reliable Driver went all over Rome to pick up pax It was reasonable for 8 of us better then other ways

Anyone interested????Let me know

 

What about tours ???? I would love to join others but ROLL CALL is DEAD Help

I would love certain tours in different places like Pisa and Florence or Monte Carlo etc

 

TALK TO ME

 

Michele

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Noordam was our first HAL cruise too after numerous voyages on Queen Mary2.

I can assure you it was the first of many HAL trips to come, with one booked already back on Noordam and another in the planning stages.

 

I think you will find her to be an engaging ship that just grows on you with each passing day. She's classy, understated and just plain delightful. The staff has to be the best we've encountered on any ship. They make her feel like such a happy ship no matter where you go or who you encounter. You just feel so welcome!

 

We aren't the types to bother with shows and nighttime entertainment so I can't really comment beyond saying some of the musical entertainers we happened across were very pleasing to hear.

 

I guess what snagged us was how she continued to impress, day after day in all respects. My review of that trip can be found here if you're interested in the view from another HAL newbie.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1544173

 

Enjoy.....wish I were going on that trip too but other summer plans have taken precedence this year so I'll have to be patient for my Noodam "fix" until Christmas.

 

Cheers, Penny

 

Penny’s “Affair to Remember” QM2 Review Dec. 2006

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...QM2 to the Caribbean again

October 16,2008...QM2 transatlantic in tandem with the grand QE2 on her final transatlantic voyage.

December 9, 2008...QM2...back to the Caribbean

July 30, 2009....QM2....transatlantic again...

August 7, 2009....QM2... “home” to Norway

Feb. 7, 2010....Emerald Princess to the Caribbean

Aug 14, 2010...QM2... return to Norway, all the way to the top!

Aug 22, 2011...Diamond Princess....North to Alaska!!

Dec 2,2011...Noordam to the Caribbean...outstanding! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1544173

2012...Assorted trips

2012...Booked on the lovely Noordam again

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Thank you thank you for sharing your review You have officially gotten me REAL excited about this ship Considering we will be spending 20 days on her All you say adds to the enjoyment

I was afraid ship pax would be too old for my son who is 20 but because this cruise is so port intensive I'm hoping age will not matter I am really looking forward to Noordam ..Could you specify what not to miss????

 

Michele

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Thank you thank you for sharing your review You have officially gotten me REAL excited about this ship Considering we will be spending 20 days on her All you say adds to the enjoyment

I was afraid ship pax would be too old for my son who is 20 but because this cruise is so port intensive I'm hoping age will not matter I am really looking forward to Noordam ..Could you specify what not to miss????

 

Michele

 

Well then Michelle...I am happy if my experiences have given you something to anticipate. I'd love to be on her for 20 days and I have a feeling, given your itinerary, your son will have a ball. I'm sure there will be other young people on a trip like this one. One of my most memorable trips ever was a crossing when I was 19...it was magical at that age despite the fact I'd done many other crossings prior to that.

 

Don't miss a fabulous meal in the Pinnacle. It was hard to leave the MDR for one night as the food there was so great as well as the service, but the Pinnacle was truly an event in dining. We enjoy the Casino at night.....so we tend to skip the theater stuff but judging by how full the events there are, I'm sure you'll enjoy them. We had some great musicians on our trip...the Piano Bar was hopping every night!

 

For me, nothing beats that late afternoon sailaway time by the rear pool...leaving port while sitting there enjoying the ambiance was a daily event for the 4 of us. It just seemed to make the day come together in a most pleasant way.

 

Don't miss the bread pudding in the Lido. I've had better but I kept going back anyway. There is something addictive they put in it I think!;)

 

Don't miss happy hour in the various bars. I don't drink but my husband and our friends found that to be a delightful surprise per dinner and they usually took one of the drinks into the dining room as a great starter while we waited to order.

 

Most of all, just enjoy the pretty ambiance around the ship....she sparkles from great maintenance and with an abundance of little places to just sit and enjoy people watching. I'm envious of your great trip!

 

Cheers, Penny

 

Penny’s “Affair to Remember” QM2 Review Dec. 2006

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=471053

 

November 10,2007...QM2 to the Caribbean again

October 16,2008...QM2 transatlantic in tandem with the grand QE2 on her final transatlantic voyage.

December 9, 2008...QM2...back to the Caribbean

July 30, 2009....QM2....transatlantic again...

August 7, 2009....QM2... “home” to Norway

Feb. 7, 2010....Emerald Princess to the Caribbean

Aug 14, 2010...QM2... return to Norway, all the way to the top!

Aug 22, 2011...Diamond Princess....North to Alaska!!

Dec 2,2011...Noordam to the Caribbean...outstanding! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1544173

2012...Assorted trips

2012...Booked on the lovely Noordam again

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I will 'warn' you................you walk up to the ship and then they 'get you' once you take that glass elevator up to your deck. Beautiful ship, great staff, wonderful passengers. Food was good, no complaints actually. Try the Pinnacle for a meal. Absolutely wonderful. Our first meal was a gift from our travel agent, we enjoyed it so much, went back on our own dime.

 

Have a great trip.

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We took the Noordam's TA cruise last November. She is a beautiful ship! You will love it. Re tours, we enjoyed the "Nice 'n Easy" (Nice and Esse) tour in Monte Carlo. I so envy you. Want to go back - now!

 

Do not envy me ...my sciatica is acting up MAJOR OUCH I can hardly walk I hope I won't have to cancel!!!!BOOHOO

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Thank you thank you for sharing your review You have officially gotten me REAL excited about this ship Considering we will be spending 20 days on her All you say adds to the enjoyment

I was afraid ship pax would be too old for my son who is 20 but because this cruise is so port intensive I'm hoping age will not matter I am really looking forward to Noordam ..Could you specify what not to miss????

 

Michele

We did the 20 day Med cruise on Noordam last Sept. The 20 days just flew and we did not want to get off! Still think about it every day and can't wait to go back!

Hope your sciatica clears up and you don't have to cancel.

Marge

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Do not envy me ...my sciatica is acting up MAJOR OUCH I can hardly walk I hope I won't have to cancel!!!!BOOHOO

 

 

Suck it up and go! Otherwise, as soon as you cancel, your sciatica will disappear. We cancelled a trip to Tahiti last year because of my hip bursitis. Of course . . . within three weeks of taking liquid fish oil, I was able to walk again.

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What does fish oil do? I'm on ibuprophen which ZOMBIES me out beautifully I hate the feeling plus I use ACTIV on I'm a tad better but the pain travels down my legs HERE I was planning to walk everywhere AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Who cast an EVIL eye on me?????

 

Betcha my MIL

 

Michele

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