Tashi123

I was fully intending to take photos for Hal facts as had searched the site regularly before we left home. We were assigned the cabin when we booked 6 months out and assured by the HAL rep that it was a very desirable place to be!

I was so befuddled and stressed that I completely forgot to take a picture but I will send comments to Hal facts.

I requested a meeting with the hotel manager on board and I ended up seeing the Guest Relations Manager Marion Keijer Koopman who was amazingly sympathetic, understanding and helpful. I had a feeling she had heard it all before but I felt much better after I had spoken to her and rationally explained why Seaatle needed to fix the problems at least for the next poor occupants of deck 10. I went to the meeting armed with a written list of 10 points / suggestions so that I wouldn't cry and forget it all in my frustration.

To be fair, the rest of our Noordam experience was great. The ship was lovely. It is just those wretched cabins on deck 10. There were four of us travelling, my husband, myself and our two teenagers. I am cross that HAL marketed these rooms as VB cabins when really they should be right at the bottom of the list possibly the same ranking and price level as an ocean view cabin but then only with two or three beds at the most. I wonder is any one from HAL has stayed in one of these cabins when the pull down bed is in operation.

Yes it would have been possible to split the main bed into twins on the opposite wall but that would have been more problematic as there was only about 40 cm from the end of the bed to the wall and this would allow no access to the sofa bed without everyone needing to duck constantly under the drop down bed. As it was a full ship the stewards were very busy and our bedroom was not serviced until around 2pm which meant that the bed could not be retracted until then ( we were not able to do it ourselves, believe me I tried!)

We have just returned from staying in the deck 10 cabins on the Noordam. NEVER AGAIN. Not only were the rooms smaller than other staterooms in the same category they have been retrofitted to sleep four people. It honestly was total hell. Not only was the ac broken the whole time, the bath tub didn't drain, the sewer stench was revolting and the verandah too small to sit on without sitting sideways, the real problem was that when the single bed that dropped from the ceiling over the main bed was down it was so low that my husband and I could not sit up in bed to read. We banged our heads almost every time we got up. We spent he entire cruise with bruised heads. I would prefer not to cruise than to put up with 10 days in these cabins. I did complain but the ship was fully booked. My advise would be to try and move cabins or failing that cancel the cruise. It really was a dreadful experience.

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Came back to Aust yesterday after 10 days in the Med on the Noordam. HAL's regular coffee is practically undrinkable. I found that a double shot latte from the Explorations Coffee shop was just about up to normal Australian coffee shop strength. Well worth the price compared to the dishwater they serve in the Lido.