Read Kdam not so good elements but.....

[lahlah57]

.....how about some of the best elements?

I know the promenade is non existent (almost)

I know the library is non existent (for now)

I know veranda rooms lack drawer space (oh well)

.......just give me what stood out as the best of the KDam product:confused:

PLEASE ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY SAILED ON HER

Edited May 8, 2016 by lahlah57

[LAFFNVEGAS]

.....how about some of the best elements?

I know the promenade is non existent (almost)

I know the library is non existent (for now)

I know veranda rooms lack drawer space (oh well)

.......just give me what stood out as the best of the KDam product:confused:

PLEASE ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY SAILED ON HER

 

The ship itself is beautiful, the lighting fixtures through in the common areas of the Swarovski crystal are some of the nicest I have seen on a ship or large upscale resort.

 

The Main Show Lounge known as the World Stage, is very nice, seating in all areas is good, chairs very comfortable and sound system excellent.

 

The NEW Grand Dutch Cafe is probably one of the new big winners of great additions. With the new added features of Dutch food and the seating area right next to it feels very Dutch.

 

Definitely some beautiful artwork through out the ship that is quite nice.

 

The combining of the two decks around the Lido Pool was done nicely with out feeling crowded and for those that like it the Movie Screen and sound system is very nice and would make for a nice evening watching a movie.

 

The New Queens Lounge for the BB Kings Blues Club was also nice.

[TiogaCruiser]

I haven't read your entire live thread, but is there an Explorers Lounge? Actually, does Adagio perform each night for several hours somewhere?

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I haven't read your entire live thread, but is there an Explorers Lounge? Actually, does Adagio perform each night for several hours somewhere?

 

Yes, there is still an Explorer's Lounge but it is kind of altogether with Lincoln Center Stage and across from BillBoard on Board Dueling Piano Bar. I do not recall Adagio Strings performing but there was definitely similar entertainment.

[Oville]

The ship itself is beautiful, the lighting fixtures through in the common areas of the Swarovski crystal are some of the nicest I have seen on a ship or large upscale resort.

 

The Main Show Lounge known as the World Stage, is very nice, seating in all areas is good, chairs very comfortable and sound system excellent.

 

The NEW Grand Dutch Cafe is probably one of the new big winners of great additions. With the new added features of Dutch food and the seating area right next to it feels very Dutch.

 

Definitely some beautiful artwork through out the ship that is quite nice.

 

The combining of the two decks around the Lido Pool was done nicely with out feeling crowded and for those that like it the Movie Screen and sound system is very nice and would make for a nice evening watching a movie.

 

The New Queens Lounge for the BB Kings Blues Club was also nice.

 

So what were the negatives? We are booked in an aft Neptune Suite with the cabin size 381 sf and the veranda at 474 sf for a total of 855 sf. Are we making a mistake?

 

We are mostly Celebrity suites cruisers and obviously their suites perks far out weigh anything HAL has to offer but we're looking for a change and the music theme on K-dam appealed to us. But honestly HAL boards have been sooooooo negative in general and the K-dam comments awful including those who never set foot onboard. I'm getting concerned about the K-dam and more importantly who we are going to meet onboard. Are actual cruisers really so unhappy?

 

Thanks!

Edited May 9, 2016 by Oville

[Oville]

The ship itself is beautiful, the lighting fixtures through in the common areas of the Swarovski crystal are some of the nicest I have seen on a ship or large upscale resort.

 

The Main Show Lounge known as the World Stage, is very nice, seating in all areas is good, chairs very comfortable and sound system excellent.

 

The NEW Grand Dutch Cafe is probably one of the new big winners of great additions. With the new added features of Dutch food and the seating area right next to it feels very Dutch.

 

Definitely some beautiful artwork through out the ship that is quite nice.

 

The combining of the two decks around the Lido Pool was done nicely with out feeling crowded and for those that like it the Movie Screen and sound system is very nice and would make for a nice evening watching a movie.

 

The New Queens Lounge for the BB Kings Blues Club was also nice.

 

So what were the negatives? We are booked in an aft Neptune Suite with the cabin size 381 sf and the veranda at 474 sf for a total of 855 sf. Are we making a mistake?

 

We are mostly Celebrity suites cruisers and obviously their suites perks far out weigh anything HAL's has to offer but we're looking for a change and the music theme on K-dam appealed to us. But honestly these boards have been sooooooo negative I'm getting concerned about the K-dam and more importantly who we are going to meet onboard. Are actual cruisers really so unhappy?

 

Thanks!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

No, definitely not making a mistake. I love the aft corner suites. We had a Starboard side Neptune Suite. But through the years have enjoyed many a corner aft Neptune on the Vista Class of HAL.

I am a firm believer that it is good to try other lines from time to time.

HAL is not like Celebrity but there are some similarities. We have sailed HAL over 30 cruises but in recent years have become NCL Suite fans. We did find ourselves comparing our last NCL suite experience with the newest HAL ship. We found that over all our preference is to the NCL side. But that is not to say that someone else coming in trying HAL's Neptune Suites won't think the whole HAL experience was better than sliced bread lol

We really liked the new additions they added in the Neptune Suites, loved the lay out of the bathrooms.

We just felt HAL fell short in several areas but that is not to say that your experience may be that it will be the best cruise you ever took.

Not sure I really want to go into detail of my negatives :-(, let's just say that the HAL we frequented numerous cruises a year is not the same HAL. Has HAL changed....YES, has our tastes and wants out of a cruise line changed... most likely. For us it is did not meet our expectations.

My opinion is any day at sea is better than a day at home or work :D

Edited May 9, 2016 by LAFFNVEGAS

[Bell Boy]

.....how about some of the best elements?

I know the promenade is non existent (almost)

I know the library is non existent (for now)

I know veranda rooms lack drawer space (oh well)

.......just give me what stood out as the best of the KDam product:confused:

PLEASE ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY SAILED ON HER

 

My Koningsdam trip the other week was my first introduction to HAL ;

 

'The Lido', the waiter service and the food was 'Outstanding', and that coming from a Cunarder with over 45 voyages (Diamond level) and 7 voyages on Seabourn (Platinum level ) is saying something !

 

The Indonesian crew members in the main dining room and throughout the ship were outstanding ( Bar staff in all venues and on deck were a 'shambles and very unprofessional' when interacting with the guest)

 

The front desk handled the guest complaints very well and were the most professional team I've ever encountered at a Pursers desk/guest services.

 

I enjoyed my first experience on HAL, but I certainly will not be returning to this style of 'Pinnacle class/brand'. Far too informal and casual, more like a mini version of NCL/MSC.

 

Cunard Line has the edge and attention to detail in all aspects of service delivery, particularly in Bar venues after 6pm.

[InTheWASide]

.....how about some of the best elements?

I know the promenade is non existent (almost)

I know the library is non existent (for now)

I know veranda rooms lack drawer space (oh well)

.......just give me what stood out as the best of the KDam product:confused:

PLEASE ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY SAILED ON HER

 

Here's my review:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=531923

Edited May 9, 2016 by InTheWASide

[TylerRose]

We felt very fortunate to share in K's premiere voyage...

I am sorry all the negative reports are dominating on CC. I have tried to post some reassurances for those booked or booking that some of us loved her.

Let's face it... K is a new HAL class and has been created with features that will never appeal to some... while attracting some cruisers HAL might not have appealed to before.

 

We stayed in a Neptune Suite & I liked the layout- especially the bathroom. We appreciated the much discussed wall mounted TV & found it relaxing to watch late evenings from bed... and in chairs daytime if we did not feel like stretching out.

 

I thought she was beautiful & the music theme allowed a direction for architects, designers, and everyone else to explore. Much of the artwork was worth the extra look even if just to figure out how & what... and others were so elegant the mix was perfect!

 

We loved the new Music Walk. Great music and energy past 11PM every night. On other HAL ships, we have participated in the "themed eve" in the crows nest for later evening entertainment... I do not know if those even existed on K- because we so enjoyed bopping back & forth between BBking Queens Lounge & the Billboard dueling piano bar- I never bothered to look! (But the HALcats were somewhere when not in the stage show... so I would be surprised if they weren't).

The nightly sing-alongs were always full, with themes changing each set and guest inclusive.

I felt all the HAL entertainment on K was a step up from previous voyages.

The World Stage has far more potential than it was currently used for... the musicians, dance & vocal teams were the best I have seen as cast on HAL & I have no doubt the shows will evolve to use the special theatre features. It was definitely added to be an entertainment game changer for HAL and with that investment... they will learn to better use it I have no doubt.

 

We loved K's thermal pool... The "round waterfall effect" was beautiful & views from steamer & ceramic loungers were great.

 

I liked the new lido pool eateries, its set up & movies in the evening. The screen is small compared to other line megaships & felt more appropriate for HAL... families were cuddled beneath blankets on round loungers one eve we wandered by watching Star Wars... while others soaked in hot tub.

 

I did post a full review... We booked our next cruise on K while still on board.

[Sundagger]

I'd like to thank IntheWASide and Tyler Rose for their comments and photos.I think I value the posts of IntheWASide over all others.

 

I made a reservation for a November cruise on the Koningsdam almost 7 months ago and was very anxious for the first reviews to come out. Although my reservation is for a great deal of money, these reviews have confirmed that I am going to love the cruise (to the ABC islands and a few others) and the ship. I love almost all of the new features, and the lack of a true promenade and a large library do not affect me. I'm glad I waited for a cruise to my favorite itinerary and at a date somewhat removed from the maiden voyage.:D

[kalliekae]

Thank you, TylerRose, for your review. From your review and others, it sounds like the Koningsdam will not appeal to many loyal HAL cruisers. However, I think HAL is trying to attract other cruisers to HAL and this ship will help accomplish that goal. We were loyal HAL cruisers until we tried Royal and now we find we prefer their ships, but we will be giving the Koningsdam a try in the future. HAL cannot be all things to all people, but the Koningsdam sounds intriguing to us and we look forward to cruising on her.

[jhsocal]

Yes, it would appear that HAL is trying to attract a wider demographic. No need for loyal HAL cruisers to completely abandon ship. They can still enjoy the traditional aspects of HAL on the other ships. Appreciate the balanced reviews. Look forward to more reviews, to see if there is a general conclusion about this ship.

[Lovely other]

Positives

 

The ship itself is beautiful inside and out ... We were docked next to an NCL ship in Naples and it was like a big tower block in comparison to the Koningsdam . I feel a certain sense of pride when returning to the smart HAL ships.

 

The new eateries such as the NYC deli and Dutch Cafe give passengers a few more options for food that I always felt HAL lacked before. Particularly being able to grab a pizza at night. We are late night dancing and casino goers and often end up with a group of new friends, so having later bars and eateries means we don't feel forced to bed early :D

 

The outside screen for movies was great and not obtrusive during the day.

 

I love the big beds on the upper lido level.

 

The thermal suite is fabulous ... We only had a day pass but I may buy a week next time.

 

The new lido set up is very passenger friendly and there were rarely any queues.

 

Bar staff in most bars (yes we did try them all 😎) were friendly and happy.

 

The ship itself was spotless as always in public areas.

 

The gym is excellent for a ship.

 

The entertainment and in particular the BB Kings Club was a level above what we had experienced before .

 

The atmosphere sits nicely between formal and fun with the attentiveness and politeness HAL staff are known for, but on a slightly more young feeling ship.

[idiebabe]

Thank you IntheWASide and TylerRose for your comments and reviews! :) We are sailing on her for the TA and very much looking forward to trying this new HAL Ship!

 

Also, thank you both for posting your wonderful pics in other threads! :)

[lahlah57]

It's nice to hear a variety of opinions on the Kdam! What's important for one may not be for the other. Looking forward to our 2 week cruise with a TA crossing to boot.

I hope they make changes and get things in better working order for October!

[iancal]

This one is on our list. Hope to make it onboard in Sept/Oct. no doubt there are teething issues however we have no doubt that HAL will get them resolved.

 

It really does sound like HAL is 'moving forward' with this ship.

[Oville]

So what were the negatives? We are booked in an aft Neptune Suite with the cabin size 381 sf and the veranda at 474 sf for a total of 855 sf. Are we making a mistake?

 

We are mostly Celebrity suites cruisers and obviously their suites perks far out weigh anything HAL has to offer but we're looking for a change and the music theme on K-dam appealed to us. But honestly HAL boards have been sooooooo negative in general and the K-dam comments awful including those who never set foot onboard. I'm getting concerned about the K-dam and more importantly who we are going to meet onboard. Are actual cruisers really so unhappy?

 

Thanks!

 

Here is what I posted last evening and after reading posts the after mine, I feel relieved. Thank you all for making me think we haven't made a huge/expensive mistake and the Koningsdam will be all we hoped it would. Now if HAL would improve their suites perks.......;):p

Edited May 10, 2016 by Oville

[Jade13]

Positives

 

 

 

The ship itself is beautiful inside and out ... We were docked next to an NCL ship in Naples and it was like a big tower block in comparison to the Koningsdam . I feel a certain sense of pride when returning to the smart HAL ships.

 

 

 

The new eateries such as the NYC deli and Dutch Cafe give passengers a few more options for food that I always felt HAL lacked before. Particularly being able to grab a pizza at night..

 

 

 

The new lido set up is very passenger friendly and there were rarely any queues.

 

 

 

Bar staff in most bars (yes we did try them all [emoji41]) were friendly and happy.

 

 

 

.

 

 

Are these extra pay restaurants? What about the NYC Deli and Grand Dutch Cafe?

 

If you have a drinks package can you use any bar? Is there a bar in the lido buffet?

[Bell Boy]

There is no charge for food items in the NYC deli, In the Dutch Cafe you pay only for the beverages Coffee/Teas etc , small food snacks are complimentary.

 

There is no Bar in the Lido, however bar service is available from the waiters.

Don't know about drinks packages, didn't know if these were available other than the wine packages

[InTheWASide]

There is no charge for food items in the NYC deli, In the Dutch Cafe you pay only for the beverages Coffee/Teas etc , small food snacks are complimentary.

 

There is no Bar in the Lido, however bar service is available from the waiters.

Don't know about drinks packages, didn't know if these were available other than the wine packages

 

Dutch Cafe has charges for some small specialty items... various imported licorices and so forth... If you see pictures look for the glass jars in front of the coffee machines. Those have small costs. All the food items on the menu boards are included.

 

There are 2 bar stations inside the Lido Market (yes, this is something brand new and totally unique to Koningsdam) and the Lido Bar at the pool deck.

 

For any curiosity about the Lido Market bar stations, if you look on the deck plans they are the oval shapes just a little bit forward of the aft elevators.

Edited May 10, 2016 by InTheWASide

[Bell Boy]

In The WASide , Not too sure what use those Lido 'Bar stations' are to the guest. They are after all, only an area or a service station for use by the bar crew members them self. Or are you suggesting that the guest places an order at one of these stations and collects their own drink. ?

 

Seems like a complete waste of time and totally unnecessary when there are floor waiters canvasing all guests table side, during Lido opening times.

[OlsSalt]

A cruise:

 

1. It is travel to different destinations.

2. It is a hotel for the duration of the travel.

3. It is not a marriage.

[sail7seas]

aDoes this ship haGodfathereve w Godmothrer?When wirll she be cHRISTFENED?

Edited May 10, 2016 by sail7seas

[Topsham]

A cruise:

 

 

3. It is not a marriage.

 

 

You wanna bet?

 

I'll bet more marriages are made on cruise ships than hotels or planes!