1st time with HAL - advice needed please!

[Tobysmum]

Hi, we're a couple from Sydney, Australia, and thinking very seriously about booking for 'Magic of Mediterranean Cruise', Barcelona to Venice on Nieuw Amsterdam next September (2015).

We're not very experienced cruisers, having done one with Princess and one with Cunard before.

The cruise seems very popular and cabins are limited, even at this early stage, so any advice would be much appreciated. We're planning on booking a verandah cabin.

1) Would it make any difference if we were on the port or starboard side of the ship? I'm thinking that as there as so many ports to be entered, it will work out pretty evenly either side.

2) As we're not great sailors and are a bit prone to motion sickness, we're trying to get as close to midship as we can. Deck 5 (5057, 5061, 5083) are all possibilities, and this seems to be a good option. Does anyone have any thoughts about either the deck itself or those cabins in particular?

Other possibilities are Navigation Deck - 8036; Upper Verandah - 6142 (aft) and Rotterdam - 7118 and 7119 (also aft).

3)Is the ship quite stable and/or should we be expecting mostly smooth sailing in the Mediterranean at that time of year?

Sorry for all the questions but before we commit to booking we'd love the help of the CruiseCritic fraternity! We've always had great help in the past:)

Thanks

[Stratheden]

I would avoid 8036. It is under the Lido Pool and there could be noise from chairs etc.

if you are prone to motion sickness you should stay low and mid ships. Of all those cabins 5083 would be my choice.

Are those the only cabins available 14 months out

[nana51]

Check out halfacts.com They have a lot of info and pictures of the actual rooms

[Tobysmum]

I would avoid 8036. It is under the Lido Pool and there could be noise from chairs etc.

if you are prone to motion sickness you should stay low and mid ships. Of all those cabins 5083 would be my choice.

Are those the only cabins available 14 months out

Yes, apparently all other verandah cabins are sold - although it does seem hard to believe at this early stage.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If you are prone to sea sickness, then you should book a cabin midships and low.

The aft you will feel the motion more.

Ad to port or starboard, we have found that most times the port side faces inland when the ship is docked.

Nieuw Amsterdam is a wonderful ship. One thing we like about her is the Tamarind Restaurant -- Pan Asian food.

[boulders]

We did that cruise in 2012. It's a great cruise.

 

The one time that I think port vs starboard would be an issue is the sail into Venice. Starboard is much preferred for that sail. Of course, if the best time is the sail out, the port would be better.

 

The ship is very large and very stable. We never noticed any rocking. We were in an inside on the main deck. But that was in July.

[Typhoon1]

All ships are quite stable.

 

Mother Nature is unpredictable.