Just off the Neiuw Statendam Port Everglades

[Cruising-along]

3 hours ago, CJcruzer said:

We were specifically told to wait in our cabins - by announcement and also cabin stewards.   

Yes, it's made clear what you're to do.  People just need to listen to the announcements.

[510picker]

We were on the 11/17 - 11/24 sailing. We were told to wait in our cabins and watch the video, then proceed to our muster station when it was announced to do so. The safety video never did work and we were wondering if we did something wrong. Then they announced to go to the muster station where they scanned our cards. We then watched a crew member demonstrate how to put on the life vest and were released.

[RocketMan275]

3 hours ago, CJcruzer said:

When we were on the Koningsdam 2018, I do not remember being told to wait in cabin -

I can understand that.  According to previous information, in the event of an emergency, passengers are to return to their cabins and await further instructions.  If the situation is deemed to warrant, then passengers are ordered to the 'muster stations'.  The 'muster' as you describe it mirrors this process.

[Cruising-along]

4 minutes ago, 510picker said:

We were on the 11/17 - 11/24 sailing. We were told to wait in our cabins and watch the video, then proceed to our muster station when it was announced to do so. The safety video never did work and we were wondering if we did something wrong. Then they announced to go to the muster station where they scanned our cards. We then watched a crew member demonstrate how to put on the life vest and were released.

Strange that the safety video didn't work for your cruise.  We were on the NS for 39 days Sept-Oct and had to watch that video 3 times each time a new segment of the cruise started. 😂  Our steward told us to just let it run through, because even though we weren't required to go to muster drills after our initial one, we couldn't watch anything else on the TV until that video had been watched.  

[opa&oma]

11 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

I am so glad that you enjoyed the ship, and I hope you will be back, but based on both your comments, these ships are a disaster.

What a turn off!!

A "disaster" ???  Not even close.  Love the ship.

[dot73]

6 minutes ago, opa&oma said:

A "disaster" ???  Not even close.  Love the ship.

Me too.  Saturday will be my 3rd 14-day cruise on the NA.  For  me, a disaster would be not being able to afford to cruise once a year or the ship sinking.😀

[MarkWiltonM]

4 hours ago, ger_77 said:

Wow, we'll be on the Nieuw Statendam in January; it will be interesting to see if they've figured this out or not.  It really does sound disjointed.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

We were on the Nieuw Statendam earlier this year and the Koningsdam the year before. We love the ships and especially the Lido deck buffet.  The Crow's Nest on the Nieuw Statendam is also great.  

[ger_77]

17 minutes ago, MarkWiltonM said:

We were on the Nieuw Statendam earlier this year and the Koningsdam the year before. We love the ships and especially the Lido deck buffet.  The Crow's Nest on the Nieuw Statendam is also great.  

Definitely looking forward to it!

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

[Sir PMP]

55 minutes ago, opa&oma said:

A "disaster" ???  Not even close.  Love the ship.

Beetje verdwaald?

[AlexCherie]

Same cruise.

Pros: Food was just a hair short of outstanding in every venue. We dined in Canelletto, Rudi's Sel de Mer and Tamarind as well as the MDR. 

Canelletto: Menu is much, much improved. We enjoyed Suvat's service (such a smile!) and I felt combining regal Lamb and Truffles with humble beans and polenta was a master stroke. Moist, wonderful. Breads served warm, the various dips served with were excellent. Appetizers, desserts spot on. I could and should have gone back. 

Rudi's Sel De Mer: Dined twice. First experience was mostly outstanding. I spoke with Constantin regarding the beans served in the Confit and was told their interpretation of the classic duck dish allowed for "toothy" beans. For me, that was really not a realistic answer. Beans in Cassoulet should have absorbed the flavor and it wasn't perfect. Still, a good meal (the duck itself was incredible) and the $49 for a Haut Brion personating wine was right priced and carried to the next visit. My wife loved the amuse bouche - puff pastry shaped as fish filled with salmon and cream cheese. Wife ordered the seafood tower (for lack of a better word) and really felt it was wonderful. 

Second experience, the 12 ounce lobster tail came out gray and curled, like a hand tortured by arthritis. Worse still, Constantin and his partner dropped off the overcooked tail without taking it from the shell. My own bouillabaisse was cold by time I shelled the fish out - and at no point was the broth hot enough to help the garlic rouille melt into it. To be completely fair, the broth was well flavored and no seafood was overcooked.

An apology was made regarding the server's inexperience for not taking the shell off - even though the restaurant manager himself was there at the delivery. Sorry, that's a bullshit response and the weak way out.  The MDR serves some 4000 lobster tails and takes off the shell of each and every one.

When I spend money - a lot of money - for additional dining there is no room for mistakes. (We noticed the next two lobster tails headed to other tables looked better, and were properly served.) This may seem picayune to some. But we paid to eat on a cruise ship five out of seven nights. 

To the plus side, the haricots verts and ratatouille were spot on, as were the desserts once again. Although I didn't ask to have them comped, the management did not charge for the desserts.

Tamarind: Dined twice. Just incredibly outstanding in every way I can imagine. If they are available, ask for Anita and Sukma ... great service. So good on our first visit we dragged two other couples for our final night at sea. They are incredibly hard graders and agreed with us. What to pick? Everything. Satay sampler, Thai beef salad, lobster and shrimp stir fry, Wasabi beef, the duck (perfect. Their MDR interpretation normally is horrible) ... the fortune cookie was stellar among the desserts but I enjoyed the mango dessert as well.

MDR: Surf and Turf on Gala night, spot on. No part of that meal was wrong and I enjoyed the Sea Bass as an appetizer. Thanksgiving, I had asked to get stuffing with my filet mignon. The serving was literally a #2 scoop, barely a golf ball and the same shape. I couldn't stop laughing - but frankly I wouldn't have eaten more. Really wasn't that good, neither was my wife's Turkey dinner.

Lido: good as always for breakfast and lunch. The one gala night, I actually went down to try the Filet Mignon and thought it was better than the MDR that night.

Dive-in: Outstanding. 

NY Pizza: One small pizza and it was ... fine. Veendam experience was better.

Room service: only ordered on our final morning, but on time, hot and excellent.

 

Grand Dutch Cafe: Super, just super. Have the pea soup, the apple pancake, the chocolate puff pastry, chocolate chip cookies ... really, anything. Although I was waiting when they ran out of some things - thankfully, nothing I wanted that day. I would strongly recommend this as an alternative to having the same thing morning after morning in the Lido.

Entertainment: Comedian was funniest when he wasn't involving the crowd. Mentalist Wayne Hoffman will have you shaking your head - and one of our "crew" is literally a magician. Dance group was good and the involvement of technology was seamless. Other shows in the room were great. 

BB King band ... I just can't say enough. I watched them frequently for 3 shows. Imagine doing three sets, every single day. When this high energy band completed a night, they were stretching themselves to their utmost limit. Great stuff. Other music was ... a bit better than fair. Dueling pianos included a great rendition of Etta James' by the female performer.

Embarkation: We got to Port Canaveral at just about 11:15 and it was a waste. Get there closer to noon and you should walk right on to the ship. But flawless. While the original poster had troubles getting off (I guess), we were called on time at 9:45 and were off the vessel by 9:50 and found our bags nearly immediately. I do appreciate being able to sit in my room until being called. 

Excursions: Nearly none other than horseback riding at HMC. I understand it's worthwhile to take an excursion at Puerto Platas. 

Cabin appointments: Stayed in room 4086, a partially obstructed Verandah. Great, great, great value. Obstruction merely prevented me from looking straight down. Big deal. Bathroom isn't big but fair enough. Bed, as expected, wonderful. If you like a cold room at night, this ship gets it there. 

Bottom line: nearly flawless in every regard. When you compare the costs of this trip to what heaven forbid the Edge or Regal Princess offered, there isn't a chance you'd sail elsewhere. In fact, one of our guests took Edge and Statendam back-to-back and said they preferred the food on board HAL. Cruise received nearly uniform 10s from our cabin. 

It's highly unlikely we will cruise another line in the near future and booked an additional 40 days on three trips while onboard.

 

[*Miss G*]

28 minutes ago, AlexCherie said:

We got to Port Canaveral

 

Excellent review (and vocabulary) AlexCherie!  Thank you.  I am guessing you meant Port Everglades^^.

[Happy2cruise]

6 hours ago, ger_77 said:

A couple of questions for the OP:  so you had to show up at your muster station, then return to your cabin to watch the video, and go back to your muster station?   It seems to me it would make more sense if people watched the video, then proceeded to their muster station.  There must have been a lot of people all walking around!

 

Where did you muster?

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

 

Does anyone know how they handle this procedure for passengers with mobility problems that cannot do a lot of walking and/or do stairs?  Thanks!

[YXU AC*SE]

1 hour ago, Happy2cruise said:

Does anyone know how they handle this procedure for passengers with mobility problems that cannot do a lot of walking and/or do stairs?  Thanks!

 

Elevators are made available for those with mobility issues.  As are crew stairwells as stairwell volumes build as you get to the lower decks.     Scott.

Edited December 3, 2019 by YXU AC*SE

[AlexCherie]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Excellent review (and vocabulary) AlexCherie!  Thank you.  I am guessing you meant Port Everglades^^.

yes of course.

[St Pete Cruiser]

We, too, enjoyed the NS, also in an obstructed verandah on 4th deck.  We did have noise from the BB King lounge.  Guest services apologized and gave us two dinners in Tamirand to compensate as the ship was full.  A good move on HAL's part as it was our first time to dine there and we enjoyed it.

[AlexCherie]

21 minutes ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

We, too, enjoyed the NS, also in an obstructed verandah on 4th deck.  We did have noise from the BB King lounge.  Guest services apologized and gave us two dinners in Tamirand to compensate as the ship was full.  A good move on HAL's part as it was our first time to dine there and we enjoyed it.

Where was your cabin located? I was worried about the bands, given that they were only two floors away. But we were mid-to-forward. I'm guessing you must have been mid-to-aft to have heard the band. 

Glad you enjoyed it as well. 

[St Pete Cruiser]

53 minutes ago, AlexCherie said:

Where was your cabin located? I was worried about the bands, given that they were only two floors away. But we were mid-to-forward. I'm guessing you must have been mid-to-aft to have heard the band. 

Glad you enjoyed it as well. 

We were 4068. Port side, above lifeboat #10, which is directly above BB Kings. That lounge opens onto deck 3, and the bass rumbles up. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We spent 53 days on her, nice ship.

[AlexCherie]

2 hours ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

We were 4068. Port side, above lifeboat #10, which is directly above BB Kings. That lounge opens onto deck 3, and the bass rumbles up. 

Well that's surprising ... we never heard a thing. Only a few rooms away in 4086, same side of ship. There you, location is everything. 
 

[unclediggy]

Heading out Dec 08 for 14 days. Two 1 week cruises back to back. Does anyone know if you have to get off the ship after the first week or can you just stay on while the new folks come on?

[ger_77]

11 hours ago, unclediggy said:

Heading out Dec 08 for 14 days. Two 1 week cruises back to back. Does anyone know if you have to get off the ship after the first week or can you just stay on while the new folks come on?

It depends - you may be directed to a "holding area" which could be the show lounge, where you'll wait until all the passengers leaving have disembarked, then you can return to your cabin.  Or, you may be led to an area in the terminal just off the ship, where you can stay until the ship has cleared, and then you can return and enjoy the rest of the day.   You will receive instructions in your cabin a day or two before turn-around day.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

[AlexCherie]

13 hours ago, unclediggy said:

Heading out Dec 08 for 14 days. Two 1 week cruises back to back. Does anyone know if you have to get off the ship after the first week or can you just stay on while the new folks come on?

We did back to back on several other cruises and on other lines.

Yes, you can just chill on deck - you aren't required to get off and get back on again.

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, AlexCherie said:

Yes, you can just chill on deck - you aren't required to get off and get back on again.

That totally depends on the country you are doing the turn-around in. I have been in several countries where what you say is true, but not in the US or Japan. 

In the US, everyone must clear Immigration. That is done either by leaving the ship so it can be 'zeroed out', or the continuing passengers meeting in a set public room and clearing there. 
But you MUST report by whichever method the US authorities determine for your ship on your cruise. 
 

[rafinmd]

On 12/3/2019 at 8:44 AM, JoeMammy said:

One other thing of note is if you have a stop in Key West at the end of your cruise. Our initial schedule had us able to get off the ship at 8:00. I had plans that included getting right off as early as possible.

 

The time to disembark was changed to 8:30 and you had to go to the Lincoln Center Stage with your passport for immigration before you could get off the ship. It also stated in this notice that EVERYONE whether planning to go off or not had to go through this process- yes, 2666 pax had to converge on this stage at some point of the day! 

 

So I went to the stage area a little before 8:00 and there were already about 100 folks in line. Crew walked up and down the line and said that immigration officers had yet to arrive. At about 8:40 they opened to doors to the stage, I proceeded in a slow moving line and showed my passport to an officer and then received a gold star on my cruise card and told I was free to leave the ship. By this time the line behind me was huge. As I moved to find the gangway I passed a huge line of starless folks and joined another long line of starred folks waiting to get off.

 

All I could think of was the child's Dr. Seuss book, "Stars on Thars!" Needless to say it was after 9:00 before I could get off the ship.

I hope we were not part of your problem.  I was on the Crystal Serenity and our meeting with Immigration was due to start at 7:30.  My group 3 was already processed by that time and continued very rapidly after that but we had about 4 holdouts that were still being paged a half hour after the authorities had finished their work.  I would hope that the CPB staff either were proportionally assigned to each ship and/or left promptly when our workload lessened.  We got punches in our cards rather than stars.  Possibly because NS uses a chip-type card.

 

I still prefer the older ships to the Pinnacles but will happily sail on them at any time.

 

 

Roy

Edited December 4, 2019 by rafinmd

[Himself]

23 hours ago, opa&oma said:

A "disaster" ???  Not even close.  Love the ship.

I agree the ships are not disaster.  They are too big and noisy for my taste but they are beautiful ships.  I was chaplain on the K and have been both passenger and recently a chaplain on the NS.. 

Edited December 4, 2019 by Himself