scopewest

Have a wonderful cruise and thanks for doing a live review!

So sorry for your loss.

Terri, I just saw this thread. I'm glad you were able to get away and rest.

I totally agree with you on the cabana location. We rented a cabana for one day on our Noordam cruise in November, and DH wanted one facing the pool instead of the side of the ship. Pro was that we could see out both sides of the ship. Con was we were right smack next to the stairs and could see anyone walking up/down. Since it was a port day, we did not have too much traffic but there was enough to take away some of the privacy for us. If we did this again, I'd chose an oceanview cabana.

Thanks for posting your review!

Enjoying your review, have fun!

Looking forward to your review, have a wonderful cruise!

Wonderful, another Trainman-2 review! Enjoy your cruise!

Great review and pictures, thanks for taking the time to post all this!

We booked the Noordam cabana in November for one day while in port for $45. They told us it would be $75 for a sea day. We booked it through the concierge (we had a suite). Price included bottled water, champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, lunch brought to us (from Dive In). They also brought us ice cream and lemonade.

We got up there when they opened. An hour later it poured. They ran over and closed the cabana sides. Rain stopped, cabana opened. Rained again, closed. Rain stopped. Rained again. The attendants had to sweep the water off the deck with a broom as it really accumulated. But the rain didn't stop them from waiting on us! We just stayed put and opened/closed the cabana depending on the rain. We also found it interesting to watch the pool deck cover open/close/open/close as well due to the rain!

We had them on our Noordam cruise in November. So loud they drowned out the male singer's voice. DH was disappointed it wasn't blues music per se but more current pop tunes jazzed up, so to speak.

For me the best part was some of the HAL dancers started dancing and put on quite a show. They even brought a couple of people from the audience to the floor to dance with (their dancing was like the DWTS freestyle dances). Very entertaining!

As for noise from the cabanas, it depends on how occupied they are. We tried a cabana for one day while the ship was in port, and there were the two of us and one other couple up there for nearly the entire day.

I know we're talking about the SBP but for anyone also considering the beverage card, our experience was that it was hard for us to use up the $50 free card we each got on our cruise. We don't usually order soda or alcohol at meals, we drink the coffee, tea, milk, juice and water that comes with meals or is available at the Lido buffet, and we had to constantly remind ourselves to use the card and order something.

I know those of you who enjoy a couple or more drinks a day are thinking are you kidding me, but for us the cards turned into a real pain to try to use them up, and we were on a 10-day cruise!

We were on the Noordam in November. I also saw the collection of coats at the dining room entrance, but I saw men who were not formally dressed (shirt and slacks, no tie, no coat), and they were seated for formal night.

What I noticed was the lack of photo ops (formal night, etc.) on the ship. I was used to seeing a background setup around every corner, but not on our cruise.

Have a wonderful cruise!

How exciting for you! Thanks for taking us along!

In 1995 DH attended a seminar in San Diego. I was looking at the hotel's TV channel and saw a one-day cruise to Ensenada and back (aka gambling cruise which they did in CA on a daily basis back then). I talked him into going, and it was great until we left the harbor and I got seasick. To make a long seasick story short, when we got back home I insisted on taking a "real" cruise but making sure to bring medication this time. He balked at the idea until his mother!!! told him to take me on that cruise.

We've taken a cruise once a year (that's all the vacation time we can get) ever since. And now he's proud to be a 3 star mariner (we tried other lines in between our HAL cruises)!

Wow, another year has come and gone and you're off again on the WC! Looking forward to reading your reports. Have a great time!

We had open dining last month on the Noordam, and we got a table for 2 reservation for three nights in a row (the most they would let us book at one time). It turned out to be one of those tables of two set by the windows where the table for 2 next to you was so close you had no trouble talking to your neighbor, and the lady next to me was chatty with all four tables in our group of tables!

After two nights of nonstop chatter (including comments on what I (and everyone else at our "8 top") ordered for dinner, asking us how it tasted, etc. etc.) I went begging to the maître 'd to switch us, and he gave us a table for two elsewhere. If she had just said hello, how was your day, and then ignored us, that would have been fine with me but she didn't stop with the chatter.

If I had wanted to talk to others, I would have asked for a table for four or six in the first place!

More, please! Love this!

Since I had commented earlier, I thought I'd come back and report that at the suite cocktail party the night we boarded I met the captain and asked him why the ship had docked the night before. He said that since they could not stop at HMC as planned due to the weather, and because they had two medical emergencies they decided to sail straight through and arrive the night before. Both passengers left the ship after they docked that night.

However, what I saw in the terminal was a third medical emergency that happened that morning. The captain said they had received word that all these passengers were doing okay. And FYI, we were able to dock at HMC and all our ports, our seas were calm!

I just saw someone come down the terminal ship elevator on a stretcher being wheeled by the fire department so maybe something happened last night so the ship had to get into port early

Sitting in the terminal right now so whatever the problem was or is, so far it hasn't affected us.

Thanks for taking the time to post live, looking forward to all the details!

Yay, another Radio review! I really appreciate the time and effort you put into your reviews.

Great review and love the photos and videos! Thanks for taking the time to post.

We've had OV, balcony, and suites on various cruise lines over the years. We finally tried an inside cabin on our last cruise because of all the raves. We can now say been there done that. Once was enough. I really missed not being able to see the ocean from our cabin. After all, that's why I cruise in the first place. Otherwise I'd take a land vacation.

Luckily ships have enough cabins to suit everyone's taste and $$.