On Koningsdam now

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, wetterthanwater said:

Maybe I'm being unduly critical but I thought the seminars in the World Stage on Koningsdam were a bit weird. They were given by the cruise director who wad reading off an autocue. Kinda wondered what the point was..

Those canned productions bore me to tears but they have avid supporters.  People tell me they love 💗 them 🤷‍♀️.  I don’t get it, I could watch a YouTube video or read a book. I like the lectures of old where people had hands on experience and special knowledge 

[highscar]

Cruised the K two years in a row no complaints.  Booked again Jan next year.  

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Those canned productions bore me to tears but they have avid supporters.  People tell me they love 💗 them 🤷‍♀️.  I don’t get it, I could watch a YouTube video or read a book. I like the lectures of old where people had hands on experience and special knowledge 

I'm with you - Dec/Jan on K'dam, I kept waiting for the CD to hand out test booklets after her "talks."

They had great info, but were poorly delivered.

[Seasick Sailor]

Enjoyed our 30+ days on Koningsdam Hawaii/Tahiti last year. The food, crew, service was perfect. We met crew members from previous cruises and met some lovely friends we keep in touch with. Loved the Lido pool bartenders and waiters. Our waiter made us swans and gifts every single day and watched our table for anything we wanted. Loved the K!

 

 

[zonk42]

I was on Koningsdam last week. Our embarkation and disembarkation experiences were both very smooth and quick. We had a 12:40 flight. Walked off the ship at 7:45 and was at our gate before 9:00 am.

 

The ship was definitely full, and it was hard to use the Crow’s Nest; always packed. Music walk was excellent. We had great service and food in the MDR, Pinnacle, and Canaletto. Lido was crazy unless you went early. Dive-In was quick. Deli/Pizza very slow. Overall a great cruise; enjoyed the ports and shore excursions as well as the scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and the inside passage on the last sea day.

[critical22]

What are the hours for the Crow’s Nest? First time on HAL, is is packed all the time or are there high / low points?

[Mary229]

6 hours ago, critical22 said:

What are the hours for the Crow’s Nest? First time on HAL, is is packed all the time or are there high / low points?

24 hours though beverage service, shore excursions have hours.  I often stay on the 10th floor (same floor) and from experience: on scenic cruising days it starts to fill around 7:30 and is usually full thereafter until either sunset or scenic cruising is completed.  On other days it ebbs and flows all day 

[Sea-n-Ease]

9 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

24 hours though beverage service, shore excursions have hours.  I often stay on the 10th floor (same floor) and from experience: on scenic cruising days it starts to fill around 7:30 and is usually full thereafter until either sunset or scenic cruising is completed.  On other days it ebbs and flows all day 

What’s the max capacity of the Crow’s Nest?

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, Sea-n-Ease said:

What’s the max capacity of the Crow’s Nest?

🤷‍♀️ but is spans the entire bow 

[Sea-n-Ease]

20 minutes ago, Sea-n-Ease said:

What’s the max capacity of the Crow’s Nest?

I’m looking for what the seating capacity is in the entire Explorations Cafe/Crow’s Nest area on Deck 12.  

Edited May 15 by Sea-n-Ease

[Sir PMP]

32 minutes ago, Sea-n-Ease said:

What’s the max capacity of the Crow’s Nest?

150 pax.

[critical22]

Great info, thanks.

[57redbird]

22 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Enjoyed our 30+ days on Koningsdam Hawaii/Tahiti last year. The food, crew, service was perfect. We met crew members from previous cruises and met some lovely friends we keep in touch with. Loved the Lido pool bartenders and waiters. Our waiter made us swans and gifts every single day and watched our table for anything we wanted. Loved the K!

 

 

Agree - we were on the same cruise --- a few small dining hiccups related to my dietary restrictions but CO (Joye & Hengky) came through.  Room stewards Putu & Aris were great.

[jeh10641]

On 5/14/2024 at 12:09 PM, Mary229 said:

There are some design flaws on the K which were corrected on the other two ships. My theory is the dining room issues are related to a flow problem.  My least favorite ship in the fleet is the K but one of my very favorites is the NStatendam 

Hi, Mary,

Our only other Pinnacle class cruise was on Rotterdam in December 2021 when she was only six weeks old. Koningsdam will be our second trip on this class. My only complaint on Rotterdam was the smoke from the casino rising up into the Music Walk, at times almost overwhelming. Now, I am complaining about the lack of Lincoln Center and country music (the latter may be baseless according to some comments I have on another thread). As always your comments are most welcome.

Jim

[wetterthanwater]

They had live country music on in the rock bar sometimes.

[Mary229]

24 minutes ago, jeh10641 said:

Hi, Mary,

Our only other Pinnacle class cruise was on Rotterdam in December 2021 when she was only six weeks old. Koningsdam will be our second trip on this class. My only complaint on Rotterdam was the smoke from the casino rising up into the Music Walk, at times almost overwhelming. Now, I am complaining about the lack of Lincoln Center and country music (the latter may be baseless according to some comments I have on another thread). As always your comments are most welcome.

Jim

We will have to compare notes.  I loved the NStatendam, I still don’t like the K and I will be sailing the R in September.   On my K journey we did have a classical music trio performing often and I found these musicians far superior to the run of the mill LCS musicians.  We also had a fantastic concert pianist on stage.  He was the very first performer I have ever made a point of thanking heartily for his performance.  He was old school, loved sailing and came direct to HAL by his own efforts not through a talent agency. 

[jeh10641]

8 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

We will have to compare notes.  I loved the NStatendam, I still don’t like the K and I will be sailing the R in September.   On my K journey we did have a classical music trio performing often and I found these musicians far superior to the run of the mill LCS musicians.  We also had a fantastic concert pianist on stage.  He was the very first performer I have ever made a point of thanking heartily for his performance.  He was old school, loved sailing and came direct to HAL by his own efforts not through a talent agency. 

Hi, Mary,

I will stay in touch. I will look for my review of Rotterdam and try to give you a link.

Jim

[jeh10641]

To Mary229,

I found the link (below) to my Rotterdam review. I hope you can open it. Let me know. Thanks.

Jim

 

Holland America Rotterdam Cruise Ship: Review, Photos & Departure Ports on Cruise Critic

[Mary229]

10 minutes ago, jeh10641 said:

To Mary229,

I found the link (below) to my Rotterdam review. I hope you can open it. Let me know. Thanks.

Jim

 

Holland America Rotterdam Cruise Ship: Review, Photos & Departure Ports on Cruise Critic

Thank you so much.  My DH tried the Ruben twice and said never again.  He also tried the pretzel (New Jersey guy) he said never again but I agree with your other food choices though I think the Canaletto has gone down.  My new favorite is the Pinnacle lunch.  I was happy to see your comments about your room 1146, we chose room 1154 just 3 or 4 doors down.  We were originally 3 but dear sis cannot make it.   We have a habit of picking long cruises with few rooms housing more than 2  so HAL said we can keep the family room (so far)

 

One overlooked aspect in our online discussions of HAL is their commitment to religious services. I am glad you detailed that aspect. 

[cattman]

Sailed the Kdam 5 times in the last two years, great sailings all.

Always book Club Orange or Neptune Suite so no MDR or Lido issues to deal with, only use the CO dining room where service and food were always excellent.

 

Agree re: the "seminars", we miss the guest speakers on Princess

[jeh10641]

9 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Thank you so much.  My DH tried the Ruben twice and said never again.  He also tried the pretzel (New Jersey guy) he said never again but I agree with your other food choices though I think the Canaletto has gone down.  My new favorite is the Pinnacle lunch.  I was happy to see your comments about your room 1146, we chose room 1154 just 3 or 4 doors down.  We were originally 3 but dear sis cannot make it.   We have a habit of picking long cruises with few rooms housing more than 2  so HAL said we can keep the family room (so far)

 

One overlooked aspect in our online discussions of HAL is their commitment to religious services. I am glad you detailed that aspect. 

We try to book different ships but from the same company. We also try to find new to us ports of call. We are running out of options. I want to go to Alaska even though I spent six weeks a year there for 20 years for my publishing job. Madie has never been there. I traveled to such exotic cities as Nome, Kodiak, Petersburg, Wasilla, Kenai and Homer as well as most of the big-ship ports of call (Fairbanks even though ships do not actually go there).

Jim

[leerathje]

To those of you on the Koningsdam, here you are, going by Campbell River on your way to Vancouver.

 

L.

[RobTheGob]

We were waving as you went past Brown’s Bay Resort (just north of Campbell River)!

 

[jeh10641]

Keep her healthy as we travel on her next January to Hawaii.

Jim

[julia]

We found the Koningsdam to be loud and crowded last year on a 35 night So Pac cruise.  Tried the MDR for dinner, but quickly tired of the long lines. The canned music was ridiculously everywhere (even in the Crow's Nest), you could NOT find a quiet space. Madonna at 6:30 am in the Lido was soooo annoying! I discussed this with guest services (as did many others), and was told it was "a corporate directive" (what bs is that?) Just off a week on Noordam... lovely, quiet music, with quiet spaces (I guess they didn't get the memo). 😅