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Named for the Northern compass point, Noordam dazzles with museum-quality art and lavish staterooms. Guests of this Vista Class cruise ship will have their pick of onboard activities. Listen to pianists play favourite hits at Billboard Onboard. Get moving with a pilates class at the fitness centre. Or savour the delights of numerous specialty restaurants. The Pinnacle Grill serves the juiciest steak at sea and Canaletto beckons with tantalising Italian dishes. These name just two of many dining options.
We hadn’t cruised with HAL for 10 years but this time as I looked for a Christmas cruise HAL offered a different cruise. As the date got closer, I grew more apprehensive about whether we would like it. We needn’t have worried. We had been cruising with Princess and have been more than dissatisfied with the cut backs. Food was no longer excellent and for that matter, everything but the crew had deteriorated. The showroom acts were mostly second rate - but then I’m supposed to be talking about HAL. The food on the Noordam plus the wait staff was excellent. The production performances were more than excellent. My only criticism was the second show being on at 9pm which could made it difficult to eat and get to the show on time. Overall we could have stayed on board - me to read the books in the library as there were so many I wanted to read. In 17 years of cruising this was the first time I was able to drink the coffee on board - even the speciality coffee. Can’t wait to get back on board.
This report describes a recent trip to Australia and New Zealand aboard the M.V. Noordam. The Noordam is the youngest of Holland America’s Vista class of ships. We had previously sailed on her sister ship (Westerdam) across the northern Pacific from Yokohama to Vancouver. The Noordam is definitely showing her age, both inside and out. We noticed cracked windows in the Lido buffet and in the Crow’s Nest, obvious corrosion on many of the outside fittings, dents and bulges in some of the bulkheads, water leaks from overhead pipes in our corridor, and the unmistakable smell of overheated electrical insulation in one of the rooms the cabin stewards use for storing clean bed linens towels, etc. This seemed to require removal of the door and a great deal of remedial work to the door surround. The buffer stops that are supposed to stop the panels that separated our veranda from the neighbouring veranda from vibrating were so badly worn that the panels vibrated almost constantly. The noise was so loud that at first we thought an empty oil drum was rolling around somewhere. We didn’t consider the ship to be unsafe, but in our opinion at twenty years of age she is due for a refit. Cabin We booked a veranda cabin on the port side because we would be circumnavigating New Zealand in a counter-clockwise direction, and we were always able to see the coastline as we sailed past. Our cabin was configured exactly as we like it, and our steward (Walidi) kept it in shipshape during our cruise. Food We enjoyed the meals in the Lido Buffet, Main Dining Room (MDR), and speciality restaurants. Menus in the MDR are more restricted than they used to be pre-COVID. For example, escargots and crème brulee are available only on ‘dressy’ nights now, and dressy nights are the only time you’ll get a chocolate on your pillow! We’re not sure how to interpret the term ‘dressy’, and it seems others are equally confused, because we noticed that some passengers seemed to think it includes jeans and a T-shirt. We much preferred the term ‘formal’ for special occasions in the MDR. The service in MDR was generally very good, with no long waits for a table and appropriate times allowed between courses. When it was open, we had breakfast and lunch there frequently, as it was more tranquil than at the Lido. Entertainments We were very pleased to see the return of spectacular musical floor shows on the World Stage. The company of performers presented six different shows during our 18 day cruise, and they were all very impressive performances. We were pleased that a live band supplemented or replaced canned music on many occasions. We enjoyed the work of unique guitarist Thomas Ward, but there wasn’t much variety in choice of entertainers. There were no magicians, ventriloquists, comedians, etc., just musicians. The band at the former BB Kings (now Rolling Stone Lounge) now lacks a horn section and has only one vocalist. Their music selections quickly got repetitive. The first set was usually boring. This venue is used for game night, which was fun, so the second set didn’t start until 9:30. We never made it to the last set. One improvement would be to list the themes of each set in the daily program. The cruise director and activities staff were energetic and did a great job keeping us occupied. It was nice to see the return of some classical music, even if only a duet. The audio amplification needs to be reduced during afternoon teas in the MDR, as it was impossible to have a conversation with your tablemates. Smoking We were very pleased to see that smoking is confined to the starboard side of deck nine (Lido) aft, and smoking is no longer allowed in the casino. This means passengers no longer need to hold their breath when navigating through the casino, en route to the World Stage. Kudos to HAL for implementing this improvement. Pool On the only day aboard that felt warm enough for swimming, the adults-only Seaview Pool was occupied by two noisy, rambunctious, unsupervised children, whose family was ensconced for the afternoon in the smoking area of the rear deck enjoying cocktails. The pool attendant seemed unable to remove the children, and a complaint made to Guest Services yielded no results. Weather During the short time we spent in Sydney the temperatures ranged from cool, through very hot and humid to comfortably warm. We thought summer clothes would be appropriate for the cruise, as it was early summer in the southern hemisphere. TIP: ignore the average temperatures listed, and pack for a lot of variation, including long-sleeved tops. Every port seemed to be cool and windy, especially in the South Island. Check the elevation of any excursions where you may be outdoors for any length of time. On the wonderful trip to see the Kauri tees at Waitangi, it was warm at the dock, but much cooler up in the highlands. A light rain jacket is a necessity. Surplus clothing can be left on the bus while you’re out sightseeing. Would we take this trip again? We thoroughly enjoyed visiting New Zealand, and saw much of the east coast and some of the interior, so the possibility of a repeat trip seems enticing. We saw very little of Australia (only Sydney) and would like to see more of that huge country. However, the constraints would be getting to Sydney from here in Ontario. We flew from Toronto to Vancouver (5 hours) and then from Vancouver to Sydney (16 hours). The flying time and the time zone changes place a lot of stress on the body. If we decided to go again, maybe we should take a ship to Australia!
As a person who lives with a disability and also has Celiac Disease, cruising can be both challenging from an accessibility standpoint for the excursions however a wonderful way to see the world at the same time. This is our 2nd Cruise on the Noordam, and our 9th cruise on HAL. I have noticed in the last decade a "relaxation" of certain services which at times bothers me - such as the gluten free meals on board can be VERY good but you always have to be on your toes watching you get the correct food, yet the provisioning of the ship with gluten free items has gone downhill. They used to have great gluten free products on board and now some of them taste like sawdust - such as some of the gluten free foods I ate when first diagnosed in 1980! As a person who filled out the paperwork indicating Celiac Disease and requiring gluten free food, for this cruise it has been like pulling teeth to find out what products are on board and I have access to. It has been a learning experience! I am not sure if it is all the people now eating gluten free and HAL tightening their purse strings or what, however it can be frustrating at times. Previous cruises I was served 2 pieces of bread at dinner - this cruise I get 3 little slices from a baguette instead, where my husband gets a full bread basket to choose from. I only dine in the Main Dining room - on days that it is not open for lunch, I sometimes have a big breakfast from Room Service and then skip lunch and then just have dinner as the Lido restaurant and cross contamination scares me at times. I have been fed gluten items and had to return them - despite being at the gluten free station. When it comes to excursions, HAL offers some wonderful ones - when the ship was in Hawaii, on Kawai, some were wheelchair accessible. However all the other excursions are not. The Accessibility department at HAL whom I corresponded with prior to this cruise, really does not know what each excursion entails. I have had WONDERFUL service on board the Noordam by the Excursions Manager who called me concerned about some of the tours that I had selected (which the Accessibility Department said would be fine based on my needs) and asked me to come by to visit him. That has never happened on a cruise previously. I was in Cinque Terre in Italy, on a excursion that the HAL staff said would be fine for me and ended up having to go down a flight of 30 stairs - no one knew that was part of the tour! That is difficult for me to do. So Benoit, went through the two excursions he was concerned about, showed me pictures of the boats used and we discussed the different parts of the excursion and worked out a plan so I could be accommodated. Now, that is the first time in 9 cruises that has happened. However as the population ages, HAL is going to have to pick up their socks and encourage their tour partners to be able to offer more inclusive tours to their guests. I totally understand that some places, like where we are today in Savusavu, Fiji, that is not possible, however in countries like Italy, Spain and France, where I have also cruised, accessible touring is possible and should be offered. I rate this cruise as very good due to those pieces of feedback - there is room to grow in terms of accessibility and serving those people who have medical required diets on board the DAM ships.
With refined amenities and Holland America Line signature Mariner’s Dream bed gracing each elegant stateroom, the ship offers six grades of staterooms. Most are ocean-facing, many featuring teak-lined verandas for dining alfresco or private sunbathing.
Holland America Line invites you to dine "As You Wish". To savour Italian cuisine one night and a perfectly grilled porterhouse steak the next. To take your place in the Dining Room at a specific seating time or be spontaneous, following your desires. Onboard, there are restaurants to suit every mood, along with the flexibility to choose the dining style you prefer.
Every day aboard a Holland America cruise ship brings a wealth of cruise activities and indulgences, along with the freedom to partake in as many- or as few- as you please. It's an opportunity to try something new that surprises you, every day. Dabble, discover, daydream- do everything, or do nothing at all.
Whether you want to workout in the Fitness Centre, learn yoga, pamper yourself with a massage and spa treatment, or enjoy a game of basketball, there's a perfect onboard activity for everyone.
Holland America Line's youth activities program, Kids Club, offers an array of entertaining events for kids and teens ages 3-17, supervised by a full-time, professionally trained staff. They'll have an opportunity to join other kids their age for arts and crafts, sports, video game competitions, scavenger hunts, challenging team games and themed parties.
Note: Kids Club is not offered on cruises of 25-days or longer, including all Legendary and Grand Voyages. We will offer a selection of children’s activities throughout these longer voyages for any children who may be onboard.
Safety Comes First
Safety is our primary concern and strict policies are in place for effective supervision. Adult guests are not permitted to remain in Kids Club unless attending to a special-needs child.
Please note: During voyages with a high number of families onboard, we will make all efforts to accommodate interested parties. However, participation in our program cannot be guaranteed. Hours of operation may change to better serve our guests.
