Review on our 10 Koningsdam Cruise

[Hflors]

We were 4 sisters sailing after the death ofone sister’s husband. So we were solooking forward to “getting away from it all” kind of cruise. We did and enjoyed being together andremembering old times when we were young.

 

The ship is beautiful,but the whole 10 days I really didn’t feel like I was on a HAL ship. We four booked a balcony cabin # 8097. BIG mistake. We have had a cabin for 4 on several other cruises and always had enoughroom. This cabin was SMALL and no wayshould it be booked for 4 children, much less 4 adult women. With the love seat bed pulled out there is NOfloor space at all. On our other cruiseswe had a set of bunks a sofa bed (not pulled out but more like a day bed and asingle bunk. We always had space to siton the daybed and do whatever.) Not this time. Since the cabin is so small there is no daybed but only a love seat thatpulls out into a single bed. We didhave a very large balcony.

I want to tell you all about our outstanding room stewards Aris and Aris who take care of cabin # 8097. If you are lucky enough to get these two hard working men you will be very lucky people. Now four women in a cabin can leave quite a mess even though we tried to keep the mess under control as much as possible, but these two men had that cabin looking pristine every time they came to clean. Neatly made beds, fresh towels and in the evenings a wonderful towel animal! I can't say enough good things about them. As I say if you are lucky enough to get them as your cabin stewards you are very lucky.

The other person who was a wonder was the room service young man who brought us coffee every morning. After the first day he asked us if we wanted our coffee every morning at 6:30 and we said yes. Well at 6:30 am EVERY morning he was there! Hot, fresh coffee and Danish right on time. I am sorry to say that I have forgotten his name, but if you are in cabin #8097 you will also be lucky to have him visit your cabin every morning. Tip him good! He deserves it.

 

The dining on the ship can only be classified as SLOW. Or rather slow, slower and slowest! This is not the fault of the servers. The problem is that there are just too fewstaff members to cover any of the venues. And I mean dining room, leto, Tamerand, Pinnicle Grill and most of allSel De Mar. In every venue it took atleast 20 minutes from the time we sat down for the serverto come and take our order and one night it took 20 minutes to get menus! The servicein Sel de Mar was one of the worse. Ittook 3.5 hrs., to have dinner and for them to figure out our bill and theystill got it wrong as we are 4 star and we were only given a 25% discount. Thelast thing I want to bring up about dining is, we were on “as you wish” diningand would ask for a table by the window. The couple of nights we went to the dining room we were sat down in someof the less desirable places. I meanreally less desirable like in front of the kitchen where there was a steadystream of servers going back and forth with dirty dishes or just plates filledwith food. Knowing we would be eatingthe last night in the dining room, earlier in that day we went to the matre’dand asked for a table # 58 which sits at the back window. He told me that the window tables in thelower level which is in the “as you wish” dining are reserved for the “set”dining people! Then he said that heknows that I know that the most popular places in the dining room are thewindows! I mean honestly, who knew thatHAL feels that the people who use a “set” seating are more important than thepeople who do “as you wish”! My lastcomment about dining is that next to the leto which I have always consideredthe “last resort” when it comes to eating and I avoid it like the plague, mynext new low is the dining room. Thedecimal level is near ear splitting and add to that the horrible “music” whichno one can hear properly or understand and just adds to the general confusionand makes the dining room in the evening my next least favorite place to eat.

 

We didn’t attend any shows so I can’t comment on that. We did attend one of the performances of theBB Kings and it was fine, but even with a piano player that seemed very good Imiss the violin music at night. It usedto be so wonderful after dinner and even before to have the violin playing inthe “Explorers lounge”. Such wonderfulmusic. I guess we all must move on withthe times and accept that things change, but it was wonderful to listen to thatwonderful music.

 

Lastly I want to comment on one other thing that HAL seemsto have been changed. I have always beenable to buy an FCC for dh when I go on a cruise and then we booked the cruisewhen I got home. Well that has changed. To buy a fcc for your spouse, that personmust be onboard. I had planned to go andspeak to the future cruise people on one of the days. Unknown to me my sister went on the first dayand spoke to them. When she got back toour cabin they were on the phone to her telling her she couldn’t buy one forher husband (who was at home as this was a girl’s cruise). She was quite unhappy and I heard her tellthe Future cruise person to “then cancel the whole thing.” She was so angry she told the future cruiseperson that if they didn’t want her booking that there were a lot of othercruise lines out there she could book with. Now I don’t know what she hadbooked, but I know HAL lost a large sale (she and her dh always sail in suitesand spend a lot of money onboard). I dothink HAL is very short sighted in not allowing people to buy FCC’s for thespouse. They actually lost my booking aswe were getting ready to book a SA 30 day cruise while I was onboard. We are both 4 star and I can tell you it lefta bad taste in our mouths.

 

All in all we enjoyed the four of us being together. As I said before the ship is beautiful. Of the 4 of us one sister said she would sailagain on Koningsdam, the other 3 including me felt though we liked the ship itwas just too many people and too big and didn’t feel like a “HAL ship”.

As I said before this is "my" opinion of "my" cruise.

[Keith1010]

Thanks for your review.

 

I am sorry that the cruise didn't work out but sounds like it was great that all four of you together.

 

In the end only one opinion maters and that is your own.

 

Thanks for saying your opinion.

 

Keith

[Lady Arwen]

Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your cruise on Koningsdam. Sorry that some aspects were a disappointment. We were on Kdam recently and we really enjoyed it. I do agree, the MDR service can be slow.

[Stpatsirish]

Thanks for the review. Just one quick point - on the Koningsdam they do not separate the dining on the two levels. There is set dining and open dining on both levels. And yes, on our cruise, the window tables were mostly used by the set dining crowd.

[cbr663]

Thanks for your review. Four adults in one cabin must have been very tight.

 

The change with Future Cruise Deposit is certainly surprising. I wasn't aware that you had to be onboard to purchase. I thought you could buy them as gifts for others?

 

The lack of staff on your sailing is completely opposite of what we experience on the K in Norway in Spring of 2017. I wonder if the lower prices in the Caribbean contribute to lower staffing levels?

[baggal]

Just curious: yes, not only was your cruise a "girl's getaway" but a "sisters' cruise" as well. But you say you"re all 4-star.

Didn't anyone, or all of you, consider two lower priced cabins instead of one more expensive balcony? I can't imagine 4 women in one cabin with one bathroom. I guess its a "sister" thing.

 

And just a word about the Future Cruise Consultant. In February 2017 we were on the Zuiderdam and went to speak with the future cruise consultant about a possible future cruise to Cuba since many of the cruise lines were rolling them out. Not only was she dismissive of our inquiry but nasty and rude too. "Holland America will NEVER have a Cuba itinerary." She made us feel as though we were wasting her time. We returned from our cruise and the very next day booked a Cuba cruise on another cruise line. And of course, a few weeks/months(?) later HAL announced its new itineraries. Who manages these people? On board or from Seattle?

 

Thanks for all your comments.

[kazu]

Thanks for the review and sharing your experiences.

 

That cabin does sound very tight indeed. :(. Your description is very helpful to others who may be considering it.

 

The Future Cruise Deposit rules did change a while ago, sadly.

 

Sorry to hear of your disappointments.

 

Hopefully the 4 of you still enjoyed yourselves.

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[jbecker6469]

Thanks for your review. We sailed in November '17 in stateroom 8099 (neighbors) and had Aris as our room steward. His partner was different, but Aris was perfect for 21 days. Never missed a thing, and went above and beyond to care for us. Agree that he is a good as you can hope for.

 

Can't imagine 4 adults in a Vista suite, which is what we both had.

[stickey_mouse]

The Future Cruise Deposit rules did change a while ago, sadly.

Where did you hear this? I was told on the telephone last week by two different HAL employees that you can purchase FCCs for people not onboard.

[doone]

Thanks for the review and sharing your experiences.

 

That cabin does sound very tight indeed. :(. Your description is very helpful to others who may be considering it.

 

The Future Cruise Deposit rules did change a while ago, sadly.

 

Sorry to hear of your disappointments.

 

Hopefully the 4 of you still enjoyed yourselves.

 

When did this FCD rules change? I sailed the Eurodam March 2017 and was able to get my entire family one, once the 2019 sailing dates opened up, I booked the Koningsdam for all of us.............I am very disappointed to hear that.....

[dfish]

I'm another one who was able to purchase a FCC for my sister while on board last summer. This is a big step in the wrong direction.

[Cruising-along]

Thank you for taking the time to write your thoughts about your cruise. We sailed the Koningsdam a year ago and I have mixed feelings about it. Lots of good but the bad was very bad. Sadly our cabin stewards were the total opposite of yours. In over 20 cruises we've never had such inept cabin stewards. I won't go into the billing problems and lost bottle of wine, all water under the bridge, but I do have one question. Are you saying there was no Adagio in the Explorers' Lounge on your cruise? Another recent review on another ship said the same. I hope this isn't another change.

[Tinknock50]

Isn't Lincoln Center on this ship? There is some beautiful string music there!

 

Just checked....the K does have Lincoln Center. What a shame to have overlooked it. :( It would have gone a long way toward relaxing from your troubles on board.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Tinknock50

[OlsSalt]

When four adults share a single cabin, what was your per diem cruise cost? Thanks.

[Northernmags]

I read with interest your excellent review. We too will be sailing on this ship in mid March and lo and behold, we have the same cabin. Since there is only my husband and me the size of the cabin should be adequate. We booked this cabin for location and the very large balcony. If the same cabin stewards are onboard we will be thrilled.

So sorry that you were not happy about the dining service in general and hopefully this is not the norm overall. We are really looking forward to this cruise and appreciate your comments.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time to write your review and telling us about your experiences on the Koningsdam.

When she came out -- there was a lot of staff -- but once she was brought over to the Caribbean -- staff was cut. It's like many of those on the first sailings had contracts ending in a few months and HAL never bothered to replace them.

I have not sailed on her and have no intention of sailing on her. Heard about smaller cabins -- not for us.

[kazu]

Where did you hear this? I was told on the telephone last week by two different HAL employees that you can purchase FCCs for people not onboard.

 

I don't trust anything that I am told by Seattle ;). Unless, of course, I call 5 times and get the same answer 5 times ;)

 

When did this FCD rules change? I sailed the Eurodam March 2017 and was able to get my entire family one, once the 2019 sailing dates opened up, I booked the Koningsdam for all of us.............I am very disappointed to hear that.....

 

The inability to buy them for those not onboard was reported here - I believe around May/ June 2017? But, my memory can be short as to the dates.

 

I do know that I was not able to buy one for my DS on our Rotterdam sailing.

 

I had a CC member offer to buy me one if I was short and they too could not do it. That was in the fall of 2017, IIRC.

[Copper10-8]

........................

When she came out -- there was a lot of staff -- but once she was brought over to the Caribbean -- staff was cut. It's like many of those on the first sailings had contracts ending in a few months and HAL never bothered to replace them.

..............................

 

Source?

[stickey_mouse]

I don't trust anything that I am told by Seattle ;). Unless, of course, I call 5 times and get the same answer 5 times ;)

 

 

 

The inability to buy them for those not onboard was reported here - I believe around May/ June 2017? But, my memory can be short as to the dates.

 

I do know that I was not able to buy one for my DS on our Rotterdam sailing.

 

I had a CC member offer to buy me one if I was short and they too could not do it. That was in the fall of 2017, IIRC.

Interesting. They need to state this restriction in the fine print of their Future Cruise flyers. Edited January 25, 2018 by stickey_mouse

[dfish]

The inability to buy them for those not onboard was reported here - I believe around May/ June 2017? But, my memory can be short as to the dates.

 

I do know that I was not able to buy one for my DS on our Rotterdam sailing.

 

I had a CC member offer to buy me one if I was short and they too could not do it. That was in the fall of 2017, IIRC.

Interesting to note that. I looked on the HAL site in the Know Before You Go where they talk about the benefits of booking onboard and FCDs. There is no statement saying you can't buy for someone else.

[Sea girl 23]

An(admittedly) small cabin for 4 people?no wonder it was cramped.There.I said it.

[kazu]

Interesting to note that. I looked on the HAL site in the Know Before You Go where they talk about the benefits of booking onboard and FCDs. There is no statement saying you can't buy for someone else.

 

Bolding is mine. Nor is there a statement saying you can buy for someone else ;). It does say "you" though which implies the purchase is for yourself, I think.

[stickey_mouse]

Bolding is mine. Nor is there a statement saying you can buy for someone else ;). It does say "you" though which implies the purchase is for yourself, I think.

I would typically agree with you. But here we have a change in policy which merits some sort of written announcement, rather than just word of mouth.

[Daisyloo]

We bought a FCC for our son while we were on the Koningsdam in April. (he was not on the cruise)

 

The Koningsdam has the Lincoln Center Stage - a fabulous venue for classical music - it was always heavily attended on our 3 cruises on the Koningsdam. OP, it's unfortunate you missed it.

 

We thought the food quality on the Koningsdam was the best of any of our cruises. The service in the MDR was slow.

 

Our cabin stewards were great, all 3 times.

 

The Koningsdam gets a lot of criticism, often from people who have not sailed on her. She is not perfect, but then no ship is. There are things we miss like a library or nice seating on the promenade deck. But overall, we have really enjoyed our time on her and look forward to sailing on her again someday.