LIVE from the Noordam-- a Disasterdam

[canadianbear]

This concerns me also as we were hoping to book the Noordam soon. Had always heard such great things about her. Paying $17,000 for a Neptune suite and not getting what you expected is truly a disappointment. I'm sorry you are going through this and it sounds like all this has ruined your family holiday. Sad to read you feel the ship is tired and beaten as is the crew. I wonder what has happened-can having the Hotel Director moved to another ship make such a difference? I have no idea.

[rafinmd]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2078557

 

Roy

[IRL_Joanie]

I have no worries about cruising on Noordam in about 280 days. I will not let one report bother me since I know that different strokes for different folks is the norm, at least for me it is:)

 

Heck, I might just make some more friends of all "those" Europeans and any others that buy their cruises at a lower/bargain basement rate than I do.:D

 

Joanie

[kjw869]

Oh dear, we board Noordam on Sunday..............in a Neptune Suite! This is our first time on HAL and I am really looking forward to it. I hope the last few days of your cruise pick up a bit and you receive the service you deserve.

 

I will probably be on our balcony most of the time watching the world go by :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

As others have posted including myself, I find it extremely difficult to understand that this ship deteriorated in five plus months.

 

I've in the past read these type of reviews on ships we were about to sail, and never once, experienced and of those problems that were described. Go and have fun, it's a wonderful ship. We were in a Neptune Suite on the Noordam earlier this year and loved it, the same as the cruise two years prior. That is why we booked the Noordam for next May.

[Linda&Vern]

"Getting our Signature Beverage Package Card took 4 days because we were told they were very expensive. After spending as much as we have on a Neptune Suite, the response was insulting."

 

Were you to have the Beverage Package free under the E4 program? Was the ship trying to say you did not have this benefit? Or were you trying to buy the package on onboard? I thought to buy it you just go to any bar the first two days of the cruise and purchase it. Or did you think the SBP came free with a Neptune Suite?

 

Can you explain this problem further. We are very curious.

[frankc98376]

Sounds like OP was expecting a Crystal or Seabourn experience in the NS. They paid 17,000 for the family for 22 days. Not sure how many that included but will say that the same cruise on Seabourn would be about 30,000 per person for an equivalent suite; probably close to that on Crystal.

My guess is that expectation was far higher than what HAL delivers. We book NS on all of our cruises knowing that we will have a larger stateroom, the NL, the PG for breakfast, and laundry and dry cleaning. We've never had a problem with the laundry.

We by no means consider HAL a luxury line- we see it as an upscale mass market line on the order of Celebrity. Sad they haven't taken time to get to know the wonderful Indonesian and Filipino crew- for us that is the highlight of our cruise experience on HAL.

[cbr663]

If you take the time to read a few of the recent member reviews on CC, you will find that the OP is echoing many of the same sentiments. Seems the Noordam is currently in a rut and bad experiences.

[Vict0riann]

"Getting our Signature Beverage Package Card took 4 days because we were told they were very expensive. After spending as much as we have on a Neptune Suite, the response was insulting."

 

Were you to have the Beverage Package free under the E4 program? Was the ship trying to say you did not have this benefit? Or were you trying to buy the package on onboard? I thought to buy it you just go to any bar the first two days of the cruise and purchase it. Or did you think the SBP came free with a Neptune Suite?

 

Can you explain this problem further. We are very curious.

 

Me, too! We have the explore4 promo on our next. I plan to take a paper printout of the confirmation!

[Vict0riann]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2078557

 

Roy

Very interesting, Roy. I got an email from Cunard today offering what is probably one of those "cut-up" cruises. We have never even wanted to cruise QM2, only use her to cross the Atlantic - I feel she's just too big for multiple stops.

[fuzzywuzzy]

I have to jump in here. Our last cruise was on the Noordam last Oct-Nov. 2013 which sailed across the Atlantic. We had a wonderful time. We did not have any problems whatsoever with the cabin, a/c, food, carpeting, staff, dining experiences, etc.

 

The crew were tirelessly cleaning and working hard to keep the ship in order. Upon reflection I really can't recall any part of the ship where I could say it needed cleaning or upgrading. There were always fresh orchids in the washrooms and diningrooms. I did note that they had cut back on their huge live flower arrangements as compared to other HAL cruises we were on but that is a minor issue.

 

This was my experience anyway. Btw, we had a verandah.

Edited July 29, 2014 by fuzzywuzzy

[Fouremco]

Out of curiosity, I looked at a number of the OP's past posts and found them generally to be very pro HAL. Clearly something is amiss when a passenger's evaluation of a ship takes such a drastic change for the worse.

[iancal]

The CC reviews are very mixed. Not a good sign. No consistency?

[LMaxwell]

it is, again, one person's opinion.

 

 

Management unavailable in PG; broken machines with no attempt to fix, visibly stained soft goods...those are objective details, not opinions.

[RuthC]

Certainly the lounger pads could be more comfortable, and fresher. No doubt about it. Perhaps the ship is waiting for parts to fix the broken machines? That's possible.

 

What I don't understand is why it is HAL's fault if things aren't turned in to Lost & Found when it was the OP who forgot them somewhere. That "failure" makes the rest of the post suspect, imo.

[nb125]

You have not joined the roll call. Come on over.

Terri

 

I am there but my DH registered for both of us, Steve and Norma, East Yorkshire, UK.

[Cruzin Terri]

I am there but my DH registered for both of us, Steve and Norma, East Yorkshire, UK.

 

Good to know that. See you there.

Terri

[sail7seas]

"Getting our Signature Beverage Package Card took 4 days because we were told they were very expensive. After spending as much as we have on a Neptune Suite, the response was insulting."

 

Were you to have the Beverage Package free under the E4 program? Was the ship trying to say you did not have this benefit? Or were you trying to buy the package on onboard? I thought to buy it you just go to any bar the first two days of the cruise and purchase it. Or did you think the SBP came free with a Neptune Suite?

 

Can you explain this problem further. We are very curious.

 

 

 

Thanks for asking this.

 

I hope OP answers as I also wonder what (s)he means.

 

Edited July 29, 2014 by sail7seas

[Wakepatrol]

Wasn't it a year ago that a passenger was over in Europe on the Noordam and spent most of his day shooting video of his toilet flushing:eek:

[LMaxwell]

Certainly the lounger pads could be more comfortable, and fresher. No doubt about it. Perhaps the ship is waiting for parts to fix the broken machines? That's possible.

 

What I don't understand is why it is HAL's fault if things aren't turned in to Lost & Found when it was the OP who forgot them somewhere. That "failure" makes the rest of the post suspect, imo.

 

Of course it is possible for a machine to fail and to be waiting for parts. But an advertised amenity should work for at least the majority of a cruise. The OP said no effort has been made by the staff to provide the same service in a workaround way.

 

Noting that HAL does not have sufficient deck security and patrol is merely an observation. It is not HAL's fault a thief exists. But if their deck patrol were more vigilant perhaps such issues wouldn't occur. Nothing about their post makes me suspect. They have legitimate gripes, concerns, and experiences that they are sharing with others. Can't just white wash over that and dismiss their entire post because of an observation.

[POA1]

We were also on the Noordam in January/February and saw and experienced none of these problems. We ship was well kept, service was outstanding as well as the food. That is why we booked her again fir May of next year.

 

I guess I can't understand how this ship has deteriorate din less than six months with one of the best Hotel Directors in the business.

Just to shock you and agree ;) - We found the ship and crew to be excellent in March. There were complaints about the laundry coming back dingy, and all the Explore 4 reservations definitely taxed the Pinnacle.

[Lizzie68]

We all know, and most of us have acknowledged, that it is entirely possible for two people on the same cruise to have a totally different experience. So I tend to take reports at face value, both good and bad. General condition of the ship, however, should be pretty much the same for both. The espresso machine in the PG and the coffee machine in the Neptune Lounge breaking down are likely valid complaints - perhaps the other cruiser has not experienced either. We also know a negative experience can pretty much colour the way you look at everything else.

[kazu]

Oh gosh, I have just booked my first HAL cruise, to the Carribbean - I'm now worried that being a European I won't be very welcome!:mad:

 

Not true at all. This is one thing of the OP's review that I did not like. I felt like this was a dig at Europeans.:(

 

Holland America sails the world, not North America. Diversity is what makes the cruises so wonderful - so many different people and cultures are part of what we enjoy.:D

 

Harbouring ill will for those who do not have to fly or have the flexibility to do the cruise easier last minute (assuming they did) in Europe is as silly as I harbouring ill will to Floridians , residents near Seattle, etc. who can snatch a lot of those cheap last minute deals.

 

We don't go around asking what other people paid and I would assume/hope that the OP does not either, so I suspect that is their best guess?

 

We're looking forward to our European Cruise in a few weeks. :D

[sppunk]

"Those Europeans" - how dare they sail a ship homeported in their town.

[hal lover]

WOW, just wow.

 

I hope that you find the rest of your cruise to be more to your liking.

[chrispb]

There does appear to be an overload of ships in the Med and increasing year by year. Prices do seem to be very competitive (cheap as OP said) and I wonder if that's because Brits (and other Europeans) are not massive cruisers?

 

From reading CC I see the majority of Americans seem to favour Alaska, Caribbean or East Coast cruises because they no longer enjoy flying so if prices are not cut how else will they fill these ships and entice new cruisers?

 

I know many people who have never cruised and others who just do an occasional cruise in between other types of travel. It just doesn't seem to appeal to the masses for whatever reason.