Just back from NIEUW AMSTERDAM - Review and Photos!

[seagarsmoker]

Ernie, thanks for the review, it was wonderful!

 

We also had an aft cabin (7134) and had the same problems you incurred with rocking and motion. We also had the same problem in the dining room (3rd deck) as we had an aft window table. Several evenings we would see or hear items falling from tables. Overall the worst thing we saw were people falling when the ship would roll, then suddenly 'jerk'.

No problem with the ice bucket during code red as it was replaced twice a day.

 

Turks has 'sand' damage. All of the snorkeling activities were canceled as the boats are all stuck as the sand shifted and they are now closed in at the dock (different location than the ship pier). We were told they will dredge the area and move the sand and should have the boats moved in the next few weeks.

 

I'll also write a review in the next few days with our personal experience, however I will say the food and service were actually better than the Westerdam cruise we were on last year.

[cruise crazed]

Thanks for the pictures and the great review. I am sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam on 11/28 , looks like I won't be disappointed.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I've sailed on over 80 cruises, and thankfully this was my first "Code Red". I'm not sure what other cruise lines may call it but I sail mostly on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean?

 

Anyway, I can't speak for other code red situations, but in this case the entire ice bucket and tray were removed from the cabin. Perhaps they would have made an exception if you asked?

 

Ernie

 

This just seems so strange knowning that we have been on quite a few sailings with ships in Code Red and never had anything like that.

Just looked at all your pictures -- Great!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Ernie, thanks for the review, it was wonderful!

 

We also had an aft cabin (7134) and had the same problems you incurred with rocking and motion. We also had the same problem in the dining room (3rd deck) as we had an aft window table. Several evenings we would see or hear items falling from tables. Overall the worst thing we saw were people falling when the ship would roll, then suddenly 'jerk'.

No problem with the ice bucket during code red as it was replaced twice a day.

 

Turks has 'sand' damage. All of the snorkeling activities were canceled as the boats are all stuck as the sand shifted and they are now closed in at the dock (different location than the ship pier). We were told they will dredge the area and move the sand and should have the boats moved in the next few weeks.

 

I'll also write a review in the next few days with our personal experience, however I will say the food and service were actually better than the Westerdam cruise we were on last year.

 

Good to hear that you had an ice bucket.

[Seavoyage]

Eroller -

 

Thank you for your review and the pictures!!!

[eroller]

Oh Ernie, what a great review of your voyage and the pictures.... WOW, but of course the Olympus takes excellent photographs, I have three cameras of this brand, have been very pleased with my pictures and we are presently looking at the SP-600UZ.

 

 

I agree Olympus makes excellent cameras. Of course a camera is only as good as the person standing behind it. ;)

 

Ernie

[eroller]

Would you happen to know who the Hotel Manager is on the N.A., was hoping for Stan Kuppens, but read somewhere that he is on the Eurodam.

Anyway, thank you so much for giving me a little "preview" of the ship. Hope you will enjoy smoother seas on your next cruise.

 

Current senior staff (subject to change of course) is as follows:

 

Captain: Jonathan Mercer

Chief Officer: Arno Jutten

Hotel Manager: Mark Zeller

Chief Engineer: Marcel Kiers

Culinary Ops Mgr: Make van Bokhoven

Cruise Director: Shane Michaels

Guest Relations Mgr: Geri Van Luven

Purser: Myrthe Coenen

Dining Room Mgr: Kiki Basuki

Chief Housekeeper: Ajoy Alex

Executive Chef: Nizam Nor

Beverage Manager: JJ Jorissen

 

 

As for the rougher weather, I quite enjoyed it. I'm a pin carrying member of the WCC (Winter Crossing Club). We actually book North Atlantic crossings in December and January on Cunard in hopes of rough weather! It's great fun, I just didn't expect it on this Caribbean cruise. LOL

 

Ernie

[IRL_Joanie]

Just got a chance to check out the photos and they are Awesome!!!!

 

May I use some of the ship and stateroom photos for the HAL Staterooms/Cabins Pages??

 

Joanie

[jtl513]

Our ice bucket and tray were not removed from cabin 8057 during our Code Red, but it was just the last three days in our case.

 

One thing I forgot to mention in the review was the Mariner program. What do you 3 and 4 star Mariner's think of the program?

Our 25% discount on many things is nice.

 

As a Mariner, you usually get a real nice ceramic tile with one of the HAL ships painted on it. I just realized that I didn't get one on my last Noordam cruise. I wonder if HAL has stopped giving them out.

They're still giving them out. In most cases, it is no longer a picture of ship, but on the Nieuw Amsterdam this year it is, and says "Inaugural Season".

Usually they give them out at the Mariner's Brunch, but if you said you weren't going to that they should have left one in per person in your cabin. You can see the others HERE by clicking Tiles on the left side.

 

Agree with your comment on the dining room being too red, at least from looking at your photographs.

I agree it is much too pink. Edited November 15, 2010 by jtl513

[eroller]

Just got a chance to check out the photos and they are Awesome!!!!

 

May I use some of the ship and stateroom photos for the HAL Staterooms/Cabins Pages??

 

Joanie

 

Absolutely Joanie. Your site has been a great resource and I'm happy to contribute. FYI I also took just a few pictures of an inside cabin as we waited to disembark. I labeled it with the cabin number.

 

Ernie

[DFD1]

Thanks for your great pictures and wonderful review. Both excellent!

[IRL_Joanie]

Absolutely Joanie. Your site has been a great resource and I'm happy to contribute. FYI I also took just a few pictures of an inside cabin as we waited to disembark. I labeled it with the cabin number.

 

Ernie

 

As soon as I hit Submit I am on my way to start grabbing!!!

 

I saw that everything is labeled, will definitely make it so much easier for me. You are an absolute ANGEL!!

 

Joanie

[MauiGirl55]

WOW! What a magnificent tour of the ship! We sail in less than 3 weeks--really looking forward now since seeing your photos! Just a quick question--was there any sort of sail away party/barbeque on deck when you sailed out of San Juan?

[seagarsmoker]

WOW! What a magnificent tour of the ship! We sail in less than 3 weeks--really looking forward now since seeing your photos! Just a quick question--was there any sort of sail away party/barbeque on deck when you sailed out of San Juan?

 

We had a sail away party, however no bbq that I am aware of.

 

We arrived at Old San Juan port (#3) about ten minutes early as we were suppose to get off the ship at noon. However the ship wasn't cleared upon arrival and we didn't get to leave until 12:45.

[ariawoman]

Can I cry now? I miss my ship lol

 

Great photos! I wish I had taken more of the actual ship on my trip, but yours will serve as good reminders :-) I took about 300 pictures a day in port though, still going through them all and i've been home for almost 1 month. :-)

 

Olympus makes great cameras. I really wanted something to slip into my pocket with a great zoom, and ended up with a Samsung HZ-30W i think is the model. It did really well for such a point and shoot/small camera.

 

If it were up to me I'd have a few cameras to carry around, but my back doesn't like carrying more than it has to LOL.

 

I saw the Olympus Tough at a Sams Club and they had the camera in a box of ice to prove it's durability. Rather odd.

[OVgirl]

Ernie, loved your pictures. We are really looking forward to our cruise in January.

Thanks for taking the time to post your review.

[VermeulT]

awesome pix!

[AtMaui]

Great review, Ernie. I agree with you about the weather. I don't think I've ever been on a Caribbean cruise that was as rainy and cloudy as it was last week. Yes, it was a bit rough but it didn't bother me and I kind of liked being rocked to sleep.

 

The crew was all smiles and always spoke, no matter how low on the totem pole they might have been.

 

My ice bucket and tray were never taken away but the ice was put in the champagne bucket every day and the "ice" bucket was left empty.

 

My 2 friends and I had a family cabana in the Cabana Club for the entire week and it was, in our opinion, the best part of the cruise. Even when it was cloudy and/or rainy, we still used it.

 

The disembarkation was the smoothest I have ever experienced on ANY ship.

 

We were on the Eurodam last year and booked the Eurodam for next November. We don't want to give up Pinnacle, Tamarind or Cabana Club!!

[Cruisin Suzin]

Great review, Ernie. I agree with you about the weather. I don't think I've ever been on a Caribbean cruise that was as rainy and cloudy as it was last week. Yes, it was a bit rough but it didn't bother me and I kind of liked being rocked to sleep.

 

The crew was all smiles and always spoke, no matter how low on the totem pole they might have been.

 

My ice bucket and tray were never taken away but the ice was put in the champagne bucket every day and the "ice" bucket was left empty.

 

My 2 friends and I had a family cabana in the Cabana Club for the entire week and it was, in our opinion, the best part of the cruise. Even when it was cloudy and/or rainy, we still used it.

 

The disembarkation was the smoothest I have ever experienced on ANY ship.

 

We were on the Eurodam last year and booked the Eurodam for next November. We don't want to give up Pinnacle, Tamarind or Cabana Club!!

 

Thanks for writing about the Cabana, I have the family one booked for the week that I cruise as well and plan to get full use out of it.

 

Did you also rent a Cabana on HMC..I have and just wondering what people thought of that..

[dot73]

I have a club cabana booked for my NA 14-day cruise and I am so glad to see all these positive comments. It seems that all negative comments on these boards have been from people who "would never book them". I am in desperate need of a totally relaxing and quiet vacation and I think having the cabana will make the cruise perfect.

 

One question about the club cabana - can you leave reading material, etc. in the cabana overnight or do you have at clear it out by the end of the day?

[kalliekae]

Great review, Ernie, with awesome pictures! We were also on this cruise in cabin SB7137 and we have never experienced such motion!! I doubt we will ever book an aft cabin again. LOL

 

I will post a short review of our experiences soon.

[AtMaui]

Cruisin Suzin -- We did not even go to HMC. I went over there last year and decided to stay on board this year.

 

dot73 -- We never left anything overnight. You certainly could leave things during the day when you walked out but I think they clean everything out at night.

[jtl513]

One question about the club cabana - can you leave reading material, etc. in the cabana overnight or do you have at clear it out by the end of the day?

There's nothing but a couple of little ropes to keep non-renters out of the area at night, so I wouldn't leave anything that I really wouldn't mind losing.

[Gator83]

Hi,

Can you tell me what the "theme" was for each night in the MDR? For example, what night was Italian night, etc.

 

Thank you,

Nancy

[kazu]

Thanks for your review. We were on the transatlantic where we had code red for endless days. We had no problem getting our ice buckets filled twice a day as per normal.