February 23rd Noordam Cruise

[Rudolph38]

We just got back, and I thought I would share a few observations and personal opinions.

 

My wife and I are in our 70's and healthy. This is our 5th cruise on HAL in the last 4 years---4 in the Caribbean and 1 to Alaska. The Caribbean cruises have all been around this time of year. For us, the purpose of the cruise is to relax, read, and be pampered. We have no desire to do this more than once a year. Now onto a few experiences and observations.

 

We live in the Northeast and make independent arrangements with Jet Blue, which I consider to be superior to the larger, standard airlines in terms of convenience, comfort, price, service, punctuality, and friendliness. All trips were on time and no baggage problems.

 

We stayed at the Sleep Inn in Dania. This was very satisfactory. It was one of the most reasonable in price. It was clean, and our room was large with a sitting area. The area is good with a plaza across the street that has 2 decent restaurants and a Publix store to buy wine. The breakfast was excellent. And to think a couple of years ago we spent much more money at the dreadful Ramada Air and Cruiseport. (How that place stays in business is beyond me.) The only slight negative was having to wait 45 minutes for the free shuttle.

 

Embarkation was easy and efficient as usual. The Mariner lunch in the Vista was a great idea. It sure beat the madhouse in the Lido. (I thought the Mariner brunch later in the cruise was a waste of time, and we will not do it again. I don't see what is special about it except for the free wine.) Our room, a B veranda was ready after lunch. We were upgraded from a VD to the VB. It was 3 flights down from the Lido, and an easy jaunt in the morning to get coffee and fruit for the veranda while my wife was getting ready. We have always taken a guarantee, and always been upgraded. The stewards did an excellent job, and I see no deterioration in service since they moved to working stewards in a team. We requested our room be made up early, and it almost always was.

 

I have always noticed the distinctly older demographic on these cruises, and I would not recommend HAL to younger people unless they were fully aware of this. Also, the Vista Lounge entertainment is slanted toward our age group. The ship is nice and quiet at night, perfect for those taking a cruise for our reasons.

 

The food was good both in the Vista and the Lido. Two nights we ate in the Canaletto, and that was a real nice experience. It now gets booked up early, and I predict people will be paying for it by next year. The atmosphere and table service is great---the food OK. A great antipasto, but the pasta dishes are typically American Italian restaurant---large and very heavy on the creamy sauce. Between my wife and I, we sampled both of them. The lasagna was good, and a little different from what you get in the US. The cod was just OK. Desserts were good.

 

Vista dining was good. Great presentation on the food. I enjoyed everything I ordered. We had open seating at tables of 6 and 8. All diners, but one sourpuss, were nice and friendly. My hearing is going, and it was just my luck at 2 dinners to sit next to 2 very nice guys from Scotland who spoke with heavy accents. I did a lot of nodding and grinning, not understanding much. I suspect that my political persuasion is different from that of the majority on the cruise. My wife forbade me to bring up any controversial topics, and after two attempts to discuss health care reform, I could see why. It did get a bit tiring, though, to always be talking about family, areas of residence, and work experience. (Please don't flame me; that's just the way *I* feel.) We always made reservations at 5:15. Dinner takes up to 2 hours, but always in time for the 8:00 show. We don't do formal nights anymore. We went to the Lido and Canaletto on those.

 

Lido lunches and breakfasts were good. It is a madhouse at certain times, especially on sea days, but we learned when to go. I think the no trays idea is a good one for HAL. I believe it cuts down on the gargantuan amounts of food some people feel compelled to take to their table and try to eat. If so, healthier for them. But from HAL's perspective a smart business decision, cutting down on labor and waste. (Once again, my opinion---please don't flame me.) There was carrying help for those who had walkers and canes. The Lido seems busier at dinner times, with longer lines and waiting times, than it did on previous cruises. I wonder if this shows a trend away from the more traditional dining.

 

We really enjoy the entertainment. I have always liked the kids they hire to do the revues. There were 3 of them, and all music was our kind. The comedians were good, especially a fiddler. A singer from the revived Glenn Miller band sounded good and sang nice songs, but in her comments I felt this 40 year old was a bit pandering to us older folks. Hey! Glenn Miller was even before my time. My wife loved the classical pianist.

 

The islands are not important to us. Sometimes we don't even get off, and when we take excursions, they are just to see some of the island. We did that at St. Maartens, St. Lucia, and Barbados. They were nice trips. At St. Thomas we docked next to the Oasis of the Seas. It was like being docked next to an apartment building. Not for us.

 

My only criticism is that I wish HAL would put a little more effort into creating a few programs with a little more depth and Elderhostel flavor. We like our travel to also educate us if possible. They do this on the Alaska and Panama Canal cruises, where they have a resident expert lecturer. I wish they would do it with the Caribbean cruises---offer a daily lecture by an expert on topics like the history of the individual islands, the development of their languages, ecology of the islands and the Sea, etc. There is a bit of this, but the person presenting the topics is not, as far as I can tell, an expert---they have just done some reading on it. I'm sure there are retired university teachers and other experts who could be hired at fairly minimal cost to HAL. But this is my only criticism. We plan to take another cruise next winter.

 

Well, those are my opinions, for whatever they are worth. Now I have to get downstairs to watch the Sabres play the Rangers.

 

Rudy

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for taking the time to write your review.

 

We also would like to have better lectureres on cruises other than Alaska and the Panama Canal.

[IRL_Joanie]

Great review. Thank you!

 

By the Way I know where you live!! We used to be stationed at Seneca Army Depot in Romulus in the early '70's!!

 

Joanie

[cruiseapril]

Enjoyed reading your review and would like to have more in depth classes about the Caribbean islands- we try to go on Eco-Tours and would like to learn more about the flora and fauna,

[innlady1]

Thanks for the review, Rudy.

 

We were on the Collector's Voyage earlier in the month, and disembarked the day you boarded. We take JetBlue, too....a great airline...have never been disappointed.

 

I agree on the Canaletto. We had dinner there early in the cruise...after that, it was "sold out" every night, so I heard. Loved the antipasto, but the rest of the meal was just OK. Italian food isn't HAL's strong suit, IMO.

 

We, love the Noordam...we've done 60 days on her! LOL!

[Quentin]

We were on the Noordam (Feb. 3rd - 23rd) and also wished there were a lecture or two on the islands visited (that didn't include where to shop for jewelry). We have attended onboard lectures on itineraries farther afield, on South America and Med., Black Sea cruises, so we know HAL does occasionally offer them. We still had a great cruise!

[Rudolph38]

About the Italian food in the Canaletto. We have spent a little time in Italy, and when they serve pasta, it is fairly simple, heavy on fresh vegetables, and delicious. In American Italian restaurants, as was the case with the Canaletto, the pasta is buried in very rich cream sauce. I didnt even try to finish it. I prefer the lighter "real Italian" pasta dishes with an olive oil base. It's also healthier.

 

About lectures on the Caribbean. There are all sorts of possibilities. Of course, the history of each island. Customs of the people living there. Relations of the various groups on the island. Ecology of the island and the surrounding sea. The economy of the island. As one who is interested in languages, I would have loved to learn something about the development of the Caribbean patois (sp?)---How it came to be, what languages are present in it, and to what extent, and whether or not the language is different from island to island. As a bonus we could learn some simple greetings, thank you's, etc. to demonstrate a bit more respect for them and their culture. Hiring someone knowledgeable in these areas to do them would be a very minimal cost with virtually no overhead to the company compared to the total cost and overhead of everything else.

 

There would probably not be a large group of people attending these lectures, but we are a niche of the passenger base, and word would be passed to others like us considering a cruise. I certainly think the numbers would at least match the "How to make Towel Animals" type of program. If HAL is to continue sailing on smaller ships, as I hope they do, such programs would add something to the HAL experience and reputation that the other lines don't have. And if anyone from the company is reading this, please, please, please don't go in the direction of the "Men's Belly Flopping Contest". (It was on our cruise too.)

 

Rudy