Cruise to Alaska, 19-26 May 2018, on Nieuw Amsterdam---a Review

[CDR Benson]

As requested, here is my review of our recent, and first ever, cruise. We went to Alaska on Nieuw Amsterdam on 19-26 May of this year.

 

I guess I should warn you, it's lengthy---because it's detailed. A review is like an evaluation; it's worthless without details, so I've included several personal observations and attitudes. (And if you think this review is long, you should have seen it before I took a blue pencil to some of the lesser items.) Hopefully, you'll find something of interest here. I'd love to give back to the posters information as valuable as what you gave the Good Mrs. Benson and myself.

 

O.K., here we go!

Pre-Arrival. Per the conventional wisdom, the Good Mrs. Benson and I flew into Vancouver the day before the ship’s sailing. Our travel agent made arrangements through HAL to reserve us a room at the Pan Pacific, which carried the additional benefit of HAL-arranged transportation for us from the Vancouver Airport to the hotel.

The flight, with two connexions, was long and onerous, as air travel from the east coast of the U.S. could only be. There were no glitches with the air arrangements, but twelve hours of air, or air-related, travel is a long time. However, the HAL reps were there to greet us the instant we arrived at the Vancouver Airport baggage claim. As soon as we collected our luggage (which was unloaded pretty quickly), they had us in a taxi (on HAL’s nickel) bound for the Pan Pacific.

The Pan Pacific was everything a five-star hotel should be. When we checked in, we discovered a gaffe had occurred. Our TA requested a standard room with a king bed; instead, we were booked into a standard room with double beds. I asked if a room with a king bed was available, and at no charge, the hotel upgraded us to the next level of room, with a king bed, and a view overlooking the harbour, where the GMB was able to see Nieuw Amsterdam pull in the next morning. (I opted to sleep in.)

When we checked in, we also received a letter from HAL informing us that (1) a HAL rep would be in the lobby the next morning and at 0900, we should check in with him to confirm the number of bags we wanted transferred straight to the ship; and (2) at 1030, meet with the rep in the lobby and he would escort us to the port terminal check-in venue. Part 1 went off as planned. I found the rep, gave him the number of bags, and they were picked up and delivered to the ship without a hitch.

Part 2 did not go so well, and that was the beginning of the only major snafu of the experience. The GMB and I got to the lobby at 1020, to await the HAL rep; he was not there at 1030. The hotel concierge came to our rescue by contacting HAL, and ten minutes later, a HAL rep showed up. However, he seemed confused on why he was there and what he was supposed to do. Eventually, he finally led us to the proper venue for check-in. But the delay turned out to be crucial, as the next section will reveal.

 

 

 

Embarkation. All of the information I had read on embarkation, either on message boards or in articles, lacked sufficient detail to completely convey the experience. I’m going to describe the embarkation procedure for us as thoroughly as I can.

First, I had been misled by virtually every write-up on the embarkation process I had reviewed. They had stated that the order of events was first, passing through security, then customs, then the actual check-in at the HAL counter. That was not how it actually progressed.

The GMB and I were dropped off at the HAL check-in counter first. That part of it went just the way it was supposed to. There were about fifty to sixty people in line, but we were Neptune Suite passengers, and there was a special line for that status, with no-one in it.. We went straight to the counter and presented our boarding passes (printed from on line before we left) and our passports. Our photos were taken, and then we were presented with our key cards and a couple of green cards marked for U.S. customs. The girl behind the counter said, “Oh, you have green cards!” in a tone that indicated that it was a good thing.

Then we were directed to the line to the security check, and that’s where the green cards came in. We were removed from what appeared to be a lengthy line of folks and directed to another room. I don’t know what those other folks, the ones who weren’t pulled out of the line, had to go through, but our experience went somewhat faster. The security procedures themselves weren’t any more rigorous than what you’d go through at a U.S. airport. Empty your pockets and place your carry-ons into trays to run through an X-ray machine; walk through a metal detector; and if the metal detector goes off, you get scanned with a wand until they find the offending object.

At this point, the “somewhat faster” became a problem. The terminal employees began rushing folks through every wicket. It was “hurry, hurry, hurry”. Certainly, one doesn’t want to be held up by dawdlers, but at the same time, one doesn’t want to be shoved through so fast that he doesn’t have time to process what he needs to do or how to do it right. Security is my case in point. I have an arthritic knee. Normal walking around, I’m fine, but for long stretches, like going from Concourse A to Concourse E in an airport, I use a cane to get around better. I had my cane with me going through embarkation, but really didn’t need it. But we got rushed through security so fast, we were halfway through the next wicket, customs, before I realised that I had left my cane in the security conveyor. So we had to backtrack all the way back to security to retrieve it.

Customs was pretty easy. You’re directed to one of about a dozen machines in which you insert your passport (turned to the page with your photo). The machine reads the bar code; you confirm your identity; answer the basic questions about items you are or are not bringing into the country; and get your picture taken. Then you receive a print-out with the photo just taken and hand it to the customs officer at the exit. Took about five minutes.

Then we were directed to the holding area---for a Chinese fire-drill.

Apparently, this was a staging area for on-coming passengers to wait to embark their respective ships. There were only two ships in port, Nieuw Amsterdam and Golden Princess, and their on-coming passengers were just directed to rows of chairs in which to sit, without any apparent order to the seating. A number of terminal employees, including one large fellow with a Stentorian voice that shook the rafters, were ordering various rows of passengers into a line. As with the seating, there seemed to be little rhyme or reason to which group of folks were selected to board. It was a total goat-rope.

After a minute or so, it dawned on me that this was the line for boarding the ships proper, and there was no order to it, other than whichever row the big guy with the the big voice decided to call. That irritated me because one of the main perks that we wanted in selecting a Neptune Suite was the priority boarding,and instead, we being herded like arriving immigrants at Ellis Island.

So, when the next row got called to board, I just told the GMB to come on, and we got up and got right into the line. If someone had called us on it, I would have flashed our gold-striped key cards and made an issue of it. But the whole operation was so disorganised that no-one noticed. As we got into line, I realised that, if the HAL rep assigned to escort us had been there on time, then we probably would have gotten through the check-in process in time to have been called first when the boarding commenced.

One thing that all the descriptions of the embarkation process got right was the staged photo-op set up for customers in the boarding line. I don’t like my photograph taken, but I probably wouldn’t have made an issue of it---except that it held up the line, waiting for each couple/family to stand there, pose, and have three or four photos snapped. So by the time the GMB and I got to the smiling HAL attendant guiding us one of the two backdrops, I told him, “I’m not holding up the rest of the line for this!” To the man’s credit, he didn’t try to sell the photo-op; he simply said, “O.K.,” and guided us around.

After that, a few more twists and turns, and we boarded the ship proper. A security officer at the podium scanned the bar codes on our key cards, matched our faces against the photos taken at the check-in, and welcomed us on board.

We didn’t get on board as fast as I would have liked---and expected to, given that priority boarding was one of our perks. About half an hour from beginning to end,which wasn’t too bad, but the only reason it wasn’t worse is because I ignored the chaos in boarding passengers and just got in line.

 

Settling In. Once on board, we were pretty much on our own. The GMB left it up to me to get us to our suite. Fortunately, years of steaming with the Navy taught me how to get around on ships (“Remember, folks: PESO---Port Even, Starboard Odd.”) Besides, I had spent ten months studying Nieuw Amsterdam’s deck plans. Finding our cabin wasn’t a problem at all.

After ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the suite, we went up tothe Neptune Lounge, which had a nice supply of small sandwiches, finger foods, pastries, and beverages to tide our hunger until things settled down on board. About half an hour later, we returned to our cabin and found the GMB’s luggage waiting for us. At that time, our steward, Kus, introduced himself to us. He explained his duties, informed us of the ship’s various services, and of the perks attached to the Neptune Suite.

My bags took quite a bit longer to arrive, but I used the time to study the location of our lifeboat station---it was an easy one to remember: deck three, just outside the starboard amidships elevator, which our suite was near. At the appointed time for the muster drill, the GMB and I took the ladder (for you non-nautical types, on a ship a stairway is called a ladder) down three decks, turned aft, and arrived at our station.

Apparently, not too many folks dragged their feet in reporting to muster; we were secured in about fifteen minutes. But some of the passengers got under my skin. I can understand confusion overwhere their lifeboat stations were, but with a few, there was a distinct lack of urgency. I remember one fellow just ambling up to the lifeboat-station captain, looking for his station (which wasn’t ours) and after he got directed to where he was supposed to go, he just nodded and ambled off, like he was on a stroll on the park, looking for the hot-dog stand.

Once the muster drill had secured, we were on our vacation!

 

 

TheShip. Nieuw Amsterdam is a gorgeous ship, with lines that evoke the halcyon era of cruising. It looks like a vessel from the old steamship days, with none of the attractions or diversions that make many cruise lines’ ships look like floating amusement parks. That nostalgic grandeur is Holland America’s brand, and it should stick with it.

Within, the décor is elegant, from the multi-deck Atrium, to the showrooms and lounges. Intermixed with the sense of Old World-design are modern touches, such as the Crow’s Nest’s interactive table screens which let you track the movement of the ship, or pull up maps of the scheduled port visits, complete with landmarks and places of interest.

No doubt due to the recent refurbishment, I noticed nothing that looked seedy or threadbare.

 

1. Passenger Complement. To no surprise to you veteran HAL cruisers, the passenger population on board skewed to middle age. The age range was primarily 40 years of age on up, with many in their 50’s and 60’s. I observed very few adult passengers in their 30’s or younger, and just a smattering of children.

The overall maturity of the passengers carries certain advantages, of course. We experienced no bacchanals, wild revelries, or stupid, outlandish behaviours that youngsters in their 20’s are heir to. The few children spotted roaming free were quiet and well behaved. That is, with the exception of one squalling toddler (uncontrolled by parents oblivious to the child’s disruption) in the Crow’s Nest on the next-to-last day.

 

The GMBand I were happy to be among the older, more mature group of folks who prefer Holland America ships. Most of the cruisers with whom we interacted were bright, on-the-ball people who'd lived lives full enough to have their own fascinating stories.

 

2. Service. Exceptional. Not flawless; there were a few glitches which I will go over later down. But courteous, efficient service with an attention to detail that most Americans do not enjoy in service industries in the U.S., anymore.

Kus, our steward, kept our suite immaculate. On our first meeting, I asked him what time he would prefer to handle the housekeeping chores for us---we would make sure we were absent from the space so he could do his work unencumbered---and he requested 0900. Most of the days, we were out some place else at 0900, but there were a few times we could not manage that. Nevertheless---sometimes it was earlier in the morning, sometimes it was later in the day---Kus always knew when he would be able to clean our cabin before we returned. And a few small things we requested of him, when we encountered him in the passageway, he immediately handled, dropping whatever he was doing at the moment to take care of it.

Not only did Kus learn our habits, but that was routine with the staff ship-wide. The Good Mrs. Benson visited the smoking section, located near the fantail, aft of the Lido Market, a couple of times a day. On her first visit, the first night out, a waiter offered to bring her a cup of coffee, and the GMB told him how she liked it (light on cream, no sugar). From that visit on, the GMB never had to give those instructions, again. Whenever she was on the fantail and was given coffee, no matter who the waiter was, it was prepared precisely the way she asked for it that first night.

But I have the best attention-to-detail example. Wherever we wandered on board, any member of the staff we happened to encounter would unfailingly smile and most greeted us by name. In a recent review of Nieuw Amsterdam I had read just before we took our cruise, the reviewer stated that his impression was that the courteousness and friendliness of the staff was genuine, that their smiles didn’t disappear once the guest’s back was turned. That was my impression too, in most cases. Their graciousness and courtesy felt like a genuine part of who they were, rather than a pose to keep the guests happy.

Now, I said that wherever we went, the staff greeted the GMB and myself by name. That was true most of the time, even from staff members who would have no reason to know our names, such as waiters in the Ledo Market and main dining room, or various bartenders. We constantly heard “Goodmorning/evening, Mr. Benson, Mrs. Benson!”

Now, that’s impressive enough. But here’s why it’s my top attention-to-detail story. I detest the practice becoming so common in America of addressing everybody---stranger, patient, customer, even the most casual acquaintance---by his first name. The stories of how I’ve responded to being called by my first name by some receptionist or clerk make the GMB cringe. (She agrees with my attitude toward it, but prefers to just go with the societal flow.)

There’s an additional twist with me, in that I hold a military rank. (Yes, I’m retired, but a U.S. military officer’s commission is for life---unless he resigns it, or it is stripped from him in a disciplinary action, neither of which applies to me.) Generally, I don’t stand on being addressed as “Commander Benson” by someone who would have no reason to know. “Mr. Benson” is a bit less accurate, but it’s a proper level of protocol, and I had no problem with the Nieuw Amsterdam’s staff addressing me that way.

Here’s where it gets interesting. On our second night, I had made dinner reservations at the Pinnacle Grill. For that dinner, and for the last Gala night of the cruise, the GMB gussied up (she cleans up wonderfully!) and I wore my service dress blues. (Yes, after fifteen years, they still fit; though it wouldn’t have hurt to have dropped five more pounds before the cruise.) Ribbons, SWO pin, command pin, three gold stripes on the sleeves---the whole show.

On the night of our dinner at the Pinnacle Grill, the GMB and I swung through the Neptune Lounge for some incidental reason, then went down to dinner. (A wonderful experience, which I’ll mention below.) Other than being in uniform, nothing came up about my service or rank or anything Navy connected.

The next day, the ship went pierside in Juneau. The GMB and I did a whale-watching excursion, and when we got back, she decided to wander through some of the shops, while I went back to the ship. I walked down the pier and approached the security kiosk, the one where you have to show your keycard and photo ID before you can go up the brow. I showed my key card and identification, and the guard said, “Welcome back, Commander Benson.”

From that moment on, I discovered most of the shipboard staff now addressing me as “Commander Benson”. Without a word from me, other than wearing my dress uniform for dinner the previous night.

Now that’s attention to detail.

 

3. Shipboard Activities. As you HAL veterans know (and prefer), if a prospective cruiser is looking for water slides, rock-climbing walls, mob flashdances, and (body-part and description) contests, Holland America is not the cruise line for him.

The diversions on board are sedate. Cooking demonstrations. Lectures on local wildlife and culture. Art displays. Wine tastings. Daily movie showings. A spa and a fitness centre (well appointed, too). There’s a casino,of course (which we went to, and then stopped after losing two hundred dollars---which I chalk up as the price of gaining experience at a real-life blackjack table), with various tournaments and nightly lottery drawings.

Every afternoon and evening, there were trivia contests of some sort, hosted by the cruise director or his assistant. The GMB and I went to one of these, toward the end of the trip, and I realised the canny purpose behind such contests. The prizes were negligible---bragging rights and, maybe, a HAL key chain---but the games helped break the ice for people to socialise.

As for shipboard entertainment, I equate it to, for you folks with long memories, The Ed Sullivan Show. On any given night,you have some variety acts (comedians, magicians, ventriloquists), some B- and C-list musical acts (Billboard Onboard, B.B. King’s All Stars), and some classical performances (Lincoln Center Stage). Like Sullivan’s programme, it’s aimed at middle-age, middle-America tastes; you won’t find anything cutting edge or new generation.

That’s not a criticism. It appeals to the widest degree of passengers on board. If you’re a fan of popular music after rock groups stopped naming themselves in the plural, then you’re in the fringe demographic. (And, in fact, the music didn’t go back far enough for my tastes.)

 

Our Neptune Suite. We stayed in # 6061, located on the Upper Verandah deck, starboard side, amidships. When we stepped into it for the first time, I discovered that this was the first occasion that I can recall where something was actually bigger in real life than it looked in photographs. In fact, it was larger than the hotel room we had at the Pan Pacific.

I know the arguments for and against staying in a suite,and I’ll admit, it was an indulgence. I like perks, but more important, this was our first pleasure cruise, and while it probably won’t be, it may be our only one. With that in mind, I wanted to go big.

From older photographs from which to compare, the renovations done to the staterooms during last December’s refit were definitely an improvement. The décor boasted softer, more elegant tones. We loved the picture window, which gave us quite a view of the Alaskan shorelines and ranges from our king bed, when we woke up in the morning.

The bed was one of the most comfortable either the GMB, or I, have ever slept in. And the pillows were the most comfortable I’ve ever laid my head upon.

The balcony was spacious, and it was convenient, especially for uncrowded, unimpeded viewing during our day at Glacier Bay. While we enjoyed it often, we never were able to do the one thing we anticipated: room-service dining at the balcony table. It was either too cold or raining every day of the trip.

If I had any criticism of the suite, it lurked in my choice of a Neptune Suite on the sixth deck, away from the “millionaires’ row” of Neptune Suites on the seventh deck. I chose # 6061 because of its amidships location and because it was one of the suites with the most square-footage. A comparable suite on the seventh deck would have cost four hundred dollars more, and not be any bigger or have any more benefits---except being closer to the Neptune Lounge, and I could live with taking an elevator up one flight.

We enjoyed all the perks and status of occupying a Neptune Suite; we weren’t short-changed there in any way. However, over the week, a vague suspicion began to gnaw at me: that Neptune Suites that weren’t on the seventh deck were kind of treated like bastard step-children, in small ways. There were slight foul-ups that didn’t seem to fit the notion of the impeccable service for Neptune Suites. Things like the coffee cups for the coffee machine weren’t ever replaced after we used them the first night.

Laundry was also a problem. At the airport, during our travel to Vancouver, I had accidentally put a small tear in the seam of a pant leg of my trousers, just below the right pocket. In our inaugural chat with Kus, he informed us that there was tailoring available on the ship, and all I had to do was make a note of what needed to be done in the comment box on the laundry form. I did so, when I bagged our laundry/dry cleaning from that first day. It came back the next afternoon,nicely laundered and pressed---but the small tear had not been repaired.

Two days later, I sent out my white dress shirt for cleaning and pressing, to ensure that I would have it back in time for Gala night in the MDR, and it was lost.

We found work-arounds, such as bringing coffee cups with us from the Lido Market, but it struck me that such small, to be sure, but annoying glitches were not in keeping with the level of service one occupying a Neptune Suite would expect. Which made me start thinking that maybe suites on the sixth deck didn’t get quite the quality of service that the suites on the seventh deck did. To be fair, having never stayed in a NeptuneSuite on the Rotterdam deck, maybe such minor failings occurred there, too.

The saving grace in most of those circumstances lied in what I am about to cover next.

 

The Neptune Lounge. In reading the various threads regarding the perks attached to a Neptune Suite, I saw quite a diversity of opinion regarding the Neptune Suite guests’ exclusive use of the Neptune Lounge. Some stated that it was a great benefit, for the available appetiser-level foods and the presence of the concierges, who would answer questions, take care of dining and excursion reservations, and handle other tasks usually performed by Guest Services---without having to wait in line at the Guest Services desk down on deck one. Others insisted that the Neptune Lounge was overrated and wasn’t that special.

That got me thinking. We had already made, on line, all the dining and excursion reservations we were going to make. And I had done my research, on cruising, on Holland America and on Nieuw Amsterdam, so while we might have a small question or two, I couldn’t think of anything we would have to ask the Lounge concierges to handle.

But, I’ll tell you now, by the end of our cruise, I can honestly say that having access to the Neptune Lounge and its concierges was one of the high points of the entire cruise.

True, the Neptune Lounge itself is no big deal. It resembles a very nicely appointed waiting room at the doctor’s office, along with a large dining table surrounded by shelves with board games and the daily newspaper digests, culled from the wire services. There’s a section for a fairly extensive selection of finger foods and appetisers, along with drink dispensers with water, cranberry juice, iced tea, and orange juice. And the concierge desk occupied a corner on the same side as the food.

The GMB and I made use of the available food a great deal. It was perfect for those times when we were feeling peckish between the operating hours of the regular dining services on board.

All of that falls under the category of nice-to-have stuff. What really made the Neptune Lounge an invaluable perk for us was the access to the concierges. For our cruise, they were Paula and Christine, and they were worth every penny we paid for our suite.

There was the stuff you’d expect, of course: from our first day on board, Paula and Christine knew our names, welcomed us on aboard, invited us to enjoy---and even offered to bring us---the food from the serving counters. On the first night, they explained their duties, and even while I listened, I was thinking that I probably won’t need them much.

It goes to show that I’m not much of a clairvoyant. Remember that problem with the torn seam in my trousers? After I discovered that it had not been repaired, as I had asked on the laundry form, I immediately took the trousers up to the Neptune Lounge. Paula was on duty and, without telling her that I had already made a request to the laundry to fix the torn seam and it had been ignored, I asked her if there was tailoring service on board. She replied that the ship had an excellent tailor. I showed her the torn seam, explaining that it had not happened on board ship, and asked if the ship’s tailor would repair it.

Paula replied that certainly the tailor would repair it, and that she would make it so. I gave her the trousers. Then I went back to our suite, and the GMB and I went first back to the smoking sponson, so she could light one up. Then we stopped by the Crow’s Nest. We got back to our suite about an hour after we had left it.

My trousers, expertly repaired, were lying on the bed.

That was only the first thing that she or Christine handled for us. For the first port visit, in Juneau, the ship was scheduled to tie up at 1100. The GMB had scheduled us for a whale-watching excursion that required us to meet at the designated mustering point for that excursion at 1115. If the ship docked on time, there would still be some time required to get the brow over, so the schedule was tight.

That morning, I went to Christine and explained the situation. She told us to be in the Neptune Lounge at 1030, and she would ensure that we got off the ship in time to make that 1115 muster. She did and we did.

And then there was that other laundry snafu---where the laundry had lost my white shirt. It was the only one I had brought, and I needed it to wear with my dress blues for Gala night. It was noon of the day of the Gala night, and still no white shirt. I went to Paula and explained the situation. I also informed her that the shirt could be identified by a thumb-length stain on the shirttail, an orange-and-black stain (a combination of gun oil and metal filings; don’t ask) that my dry cleaner at home had never been able to remove. But that didn’t matter, because the stain was below the belt line. I just needed the shirt to get a regular dry cleaning and be back in time for dinner that night.

Paula said she would take care of it. At about 1400, she called our suite and told me that I would have the shirt by 1600. At 1555, a steward showed up with the shirt. Not only was it cleaned and pressed---in fact it was strikingly white---but that previously indestructible orange-and-black stain was almost completely eradicated.

This is what they do. The Neptune Lounge’s concierges are troubleshooters not for the two thousand passengers on board the ship, but for the comparatively small number of guests staying in Neptune Suites. They have the knowledge, the mandate, and the wherewithal to get things done fast. Of all the many, many things which made our cruise an absolute pleasure, Paula and Christine unquestionably top that list.

 

Food. The thing that everybody who talks about a cruise talks about. You can eat twenty-four hours a day. You can have as many portions as you want. You’ll gain ten pounds by the end of the cruise.

Most certainly, on our cruise, food was certainly prevalent. Between the main dining room, the Lido Market, the specialty restaurants, room service, and, for us, the Neptune Lounge, there wasn’t a minute of the day that we couldn’t have gotten something to eat.

The quality of the food was uneven. It depended on the venue, on the bill of fare, and even which meal of the day it was. The GMB and I took our meals from the following availabilities:

 

1. The Neptune Lounge. As noted above, this was the first place we ate after boarding. The fare tended to be appetiser-sized selections, geared toward breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as appropriate: yoghurt, fruit and vegetable plates, finger sandwiches, chips and salsa, pastries, that sort of thing, along with coolers of juice, water, and iced tea. All of it was quite good, and if one was willing to make a few trips to the counter, there was actually quite a meal there.

 

2. The Lido Market. Our initial notion was that we would not dine at the buffet much, if at all. Curiously, it proved to be the venue at which we ate most often. Usually when our schedule let us get there right when it was opening for the next meal, in order to find a place to sit. The Market was the most popular service of the ship. It was never uncrowded; it was simply crowded or more crowded. That made getting there early an absolute must for me. I have little patience standing in line behind a half-dozen people who have their minds in la-la land until the server asks them what they want, and then they try to make a decision. It also slows things down that, as a sanitation precaution, most of the foods are handled by the servers, not the passengers. So a diner just can’t use the tongs to grab his own piece of chicken and be on his way. I understand, and agree with, the health concerns involved, but it does impede progress somewhat.

The food at the Lido Market itself widely varied in quality. Some of it, such as the red meat (prime rib, beef tenderloin) and the deli sandwiches provided at lunch were quite good, and the made-to-order omelettes were the best on the ship (including the Pinnacle Grill). But other things were dismal. I noted grilled-cheese sandwiches on the luncheon menu twice, tried them both times, and both times they were stone cold (and one of these occasions was at the very start of the lunch service that day). The pasta bar offered made-to-order selections, along with some pre-prepared dishes; the former were reasonably tasty, while the latter were cold and unappetising.

If one arrived at the Market at the right time and put the right choices on his plate, it would be a very satisfying meal. But show up in the middle of service and choose the wrong selections, and it was like going to a Golden Corral, only with worse food and more crowd.

The service was uneven, as well. On some visits, our waiter was Johnny-on-the-spot from the moment we sat down and every time we needed refills or plates cleared away. Other times, we had to practically trip one of them to service our table.

 

3. The Pinnacle Grill. This was the culinary gem of the ship. The GMB and I had dinner there on the second night of the cruise, and everything about it was impeccable---the ambiance, the service, the food. It’s the kind of restaurant where, back on land, rich people go to be spoilt. From the moment we arrived, we were treated royally. The waiters were attentive and gracious, friendly without over-familiarity, and put us right at ease. The restaurant manager stopped by (between courses, rather than when our mouths were stuffed with food, the way it usually happens) and, noting my dress blues, engaged in a little semi-shop talk.

The food was outstanding, easily the best food on the ship. The Good Mrs. Benson started off with the lobster bisque which was essentially prepared tableside and served with an artistic display on the surface of the dish. My appetiser was the shrimp cocktail, but it more appropriately should have been called a “prawn cocktail” because the shrimp were nearly twice the size of my thumb.

For entrées, mine was the ten-ounce filet mignon, while the GMB had the fourteen-ounce lobster tail, accompanied by the eight-ounce filet. Both filets were beautifully cooked to the right temperature and so tender that no steak knives were provided; a butter knife did the job perfectly well. And the sides were every bit as well prepared and tasty.

We returned to the Pinnacle Grill twice more, for breakfast (a perk of Neptune Suites). The service was just as outstanding. The manager and staff remembered us and called us by name. The food was again of high quality, but not quite as stellar as our dinners had been. Both times I got hash browns with my meal, and they were tepid to cold, rather than being hot. The omelettes were cooked exactly as the best cooking texts say to do, but I prefer mine cooked a little harder. I like that light brown patina on the outside of the omelette---like the way they were served at the Lido Market.

But those are quibbles. Overall, the best food experience on Nieuw Amsterdam was the Pinnacle Grill.

 

4. The Main Dining Room. We visited the MDR only once, on the second Gala night, and that was because I knew the dinner menu would include surf and turf. Going by the nightly menus, the MDR distinguishes itself from the Lido Market by providing a more upscale bill of fare, with fresh chef’s creations every evening. The only dinner menu that really appealed to us was the second Gala night’s steak-and-lobster offering.

Of course, Gala night meant dress blues, again, for me,and a cocktail dress for the missus. The MDR is elegantly appointed, if a tad rococo. However, the tables were arranged too close to each other, as I imagine they had to be, to accommodate a large number of diners. We couldn’t help feeling cramped, though.

We both got the steak and lobster, excellently prepared. The portions were significantly smaller than what we received for a similar meal in the Pinnacle Grill. I would have been dismayed,except for the fact that we could have as many repeat orders as we wished. Still, both of us were satisfied by the single plate a piece.

The service was excellent, just what one would expect from a fine-dining establishment (albeit, a shade less attentive than from the Pinnacle Grill; I requested iced tea that never arrived at our table). Our waiter was gracious and accommodating, particularly when the motion of the stern (the MDR extends all the way aft) made the GMB queasy, and he provided our desserts under cloches so we could retreat with them to the relative stability of our suite.

I noted, with approval, that nearly all of the female patrons of the MDR that night were dressed to the nines, and the plurality of the men wore suits, or at least a sport coat and tie. I’ve read the various threads on the issue of what to wear on Gala nights, and while I’ve never weighed in on any of them, my thoughts on the subject are traditional, but tempered with practicality.

Tradition calls for semi-formal attire for the men. But the considerations of packing, particularly with the “weight of bag = more money charged” standard imposed by the airlines, make packing a tuxedo impractical. A tux would be worn aboard ship only on the two Gala nights. A suit, on the other hand, is appropriate for almost any occasion. (That rationale is, in fact, why I brought only my dress blues, and not a mess dress uniform.) So I have no issue with the men wearing a suit, instead of black-tie, on Gala nights.

To the traditional end, given the refined setting of the MDR, I would insist that a suit was de rigueur for men any night they dine there. I, for one, would find it awkward dining in an establishment where the staff is better dressed than I am.

To the backward-baseball-cap/t-shirt/blue jeans-wearers who insist that suits are uncomfortable and that it really doesn’t matter what one wears to a restaurant, I reply, “Nonsense!” to both points.

A suit is not inherently uncomfortable. If a fellow is uncomfortable wearing a suit, it’s because the suit is ill fitting. Either he selected the wrong size to begin with, or he’s added too many extra pounds to his girth. Either way, it’s not the suit’s fault. I’ve often heard men proclaim, “I feel like I’m being choked when I wear a necktie.” It’s not the tie that’s choking you, guys; it’s your buttoned shirt collar. Either you bought a shirt with a too-small collar, or you’ve made it too small by too many between-meal meals.

And as for whether it matters, wearing a suit to a fine-dining establishment shows respect for the establishment, for its staff, for your fellow diners, and---most important---for yourself.

End of soapbox.

 

Room Service. We ordered room service twice. On our first morning underway, we ordered breakfast from room service. It arrived on time, with all of the requested items (including those pen-and-ink changes or additions I made to the card left on the outside door handle of our cabin the night before), and properly prepared. It was a satisfying meal, with no complaints.

Our second occasion to order room service was late one evening, when we ordered burgers from the Dive-In. The food arrived quickly and the burgers were cooked as we requested. But we found them rather ordinary. Not bad, but not world-beating, either. We could have gotten better burgers from Red Robin.

 

New York Pizza. Over the course of the cruise, we got four pizzas from New York Pizza. As with the Lido Market, the quality of the food was uneven. On two occasions, the crust was cooked enough to give it that slightly crispy, light brown toasting that allows for a good, satisfying bite. Those two pizzas were superb. The other two times, the crust was somewhat undercooked, which caused the individual slices to collapse, sliding the toppings off. I’m not a fan of gloopy pizza.

 

 

Excursions. We took an excursion at each of the three port visits of the cruise. In Juneau, we went of the whale-watching and wildlife tour. After a bus ride through the town, we and our fellow excursioners boarded a ferry-type watercraft which took us into Stephen’s Passage. The operators guarantee whale sightings, and that’s no idle boast. Not too long after hitting open water did we spot whales. I’d seen surfacing whales during my active-duty Navy days. You see their water spouts, their backs and dorsal fins, and occasionally their tails. We saw plenty of these during the excursion, one whale even surfacing about a foot away from the starboard side of the vessel. Overall, there were sixteen-to-twenty whale sightings, so from that standpoint, the excursion delivered.

 

What was off-putting was the constant sales-pitching by the crew. Buy their smoked salmon. Buy their kelp salsa. How about a t-shirt? Tips are graciously accepted (expected). A certain amount of promotion is understandable, but they never gave it a rest.

In Skagway, we took a trolley tour of the town. It turned out to be quite interesting. The driver/tour guide had a colourful spiel, providing a vivid account of the history of Skagway, reïnforced by stops at various locations highlighted in her account. Our hostess went a bit over the top at times; still, hers was an entertaining narrative. We tipped her.

Ketchikan saw us on another tour---a duck tour. A duck, in this context, is an amphibious vehicle that drives on land and but can also motor through the water like a boat. This was also an entertaining and eye-opening experience, thanks to a knowledgeable and light-hearted tour guide. Ketchikan, for our money, was the most picturesque of the three towns, and we enjoyed it.

One precautionary note: because of the logistical problems in delivering commodities to such a remote region, expect to pay considerably more for goods and services in Alaska. For example, in Ketchikan, a simple two-piece meal of fish-and-chips runs eighteen-to-twenty dollars.

 

Tipping. Speaking of money, I also read all of the threads on tipping on board ship. In the final analysis, whether one tips or not, and how much, is a matter of one’s own standards. In our case, while we were fine with the scheduled hotel service charges, we felt that our steward, Kus, and the two Neptune Lounge concierges, Paula and Christine, deserved more personal expressions of our appreciation, which we gave them in envelopes on the morning of our arrival back in Vancouver.

 

Debarkation. Nieuw Amsterdam docked at 0700, Saturday, 26 May, and we were scheduled for an 1100 flight out of Vancouver Airport. Because the cruise line had arranged our air travel, it also arranged our transportation to the airport, and the GMB and I were included in the first wave to depart the ship.

We debarked in a timely manner, and we were deposited, with our luggage, at the airport in time to make our flight. It would have been nice, though, if something, somewhere, had provided details on the evolution itself.

For example, when we left our bags outside our cabin, we expected them to be ultimately transferred to the vehicle taking us to the airport. Instead, once we crossed the brow, we found our luggage, and that of everyone else in the first group, waiting in a terminal bay. The GMB and I had to lug our four bags as we were herded into a creeping line to a waiting bus.

O.K., there was nothing terrible about that, or about riding to the airport in a bus. But, like with the embarkation, there was that aspect of “rush---rush---rush!” and having to figure things out as we went. With all of the other ship’s evolutions explained on the stateroom televisions, there’s no reason a video on debarkation can’t be included.

 

Miscellany. A few random thoughts thathave occurred to me since we got home . . . .

 

1. I felt that beverage cards would be more economical than a beverage package, and I pre-ordered three $50 cards that were waiting for us at check-in. But the GMB and I didn’t turn into the two-fisted drinkers at sea that I thought we would, and by the fifth night, we still had fifty dollars or so left on the cards. My expectation was that, if we didn’t burn that last fifty bucks, we’d get stuck with it. So the next day, our last full day on board,we downed more cocktails than we had the first five days. We still managed to leave $5.75 on a card.

When we received our final bill of charges, I was surprised, pleasantly, to see that the $5.75 had been credited back to us. That’s something to remember for the next time.

2. I didn’t notice, until a couple of days before we left home for the cruise, that the list of amenities one could purchase from the Holland America web site included shipboard credit. If I had noticed that earlier, and been thinking, then in the eleven months between booking the cruise and departing, I would have purchased two- or three-hundred dollars’ worth of shipboard credit every month. That would have blunted the sudden outlay in covering our final bill.

3. Over the months we waited to leave on the cruise, I wondered if I shouldn’t have held out for a longer cruise, maybe one of nine, twelve, or even fourteen days. That went back to my thinking that, if this should be the only cruise the GMB and I ever take, go all out.

But as it developed, as good a time as we had, especially in being treated like I wore stars on my collar, instead of silver oak leaves, both the GMB and I developed a sort of “vacation fatigue” after seven days. As much as we enjoyed our getaway, we were kind of weary of it and were ready to go home after a week. That’s a lesson noted, as well, for the next time.

4. Hey, what happened to the personalised stationery we were supposed to get?

 

The Verdict. We both badly needed a vacation; it had been a decade since we took our last real vacation, and this cruise, overall, rose to our needs. It was a near-outstanding experience!

We could not have been treated better or enjoyed ourselves more or, most important, relaxed more. There is nothing as unburdening in the world as waking up in the morning with absolutely nothing to do but what one wants to do.

The only hard downcheck was the mishandling of the embarkation. That zoo was the only real disappointment. The other glitches were just that: minor flubs that were swiftly remedied by the ladies in the Neptune Lounge. More important, none of those oversights were due to anything I had not anticipated. I had learnt from my on-line research and, as I said three weeks ago, thanks to the invaluable information provided by you fine folks here on this board. You made us canny voyagers.

The things that matter most to us, quality of service, reliability, and attention to detail, were exceptional. Crowded buffets and food that occasionally misses the mark .. . well, that's just part of life (and kept me from gaining that ten pounds that everybody talks about. Heh.)

 

Neither one of us was wild about the long, multi-stop air travel to Vancouver and back. So our next cruise will launch from somewhere on the east coast. That will probably be in 2020. Next year’s disposable income is slated for home renovations. In the meantime, we will relive this one many times.

[Greengrouser]

Really excellent report Commander. Informative with a nice writing style. Thank you!

[ski ww]

Great report, enjoyed reading it. I agree embarkation in Vancouver is a zoo. We did this cruise last year, glad you enjoyed it.

[puppycanducruise]

Thank you for posting your comments.

A very interesting, balanced review.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time and detailing your experience of your cruise.

Glad you did enjoy your first cruise on a ship.

[freestyling]

Your detailed, unbiased report back was not only interesting but educational. I have shared the link with friends who are taking their first cruise in two months on the NA.

I am confident that they will find your review a worthwhile read.

Thank you for taking the time to post his review.

[Pompein]

First, thank you for your service.

Your report was well written and honest. We are sailing the NA in August and so I had a great interest in what you had to say. Thank you!

[canadianbear]

Great review and excellent detail which is appreciated.

 

We also asked about the personalized stationary as we had become accustomed to receiving it (and loved it) but were told they did not do that any longer. Miss some of the "old" Neptune perks. We rarely have had to use the Neptune concierge but when we did they were a wonderful asset.

 

So glad you both enjoyed yourselves and relaxed.

[sppunk]

Reading your review, it is written exactly as if my FIL - a retired army general - would wrote! Same tone, cadence, wow lol.

 

Glad you enjoyed the trip. For what it’s worth, embarkation and disembarkation very often are the most miserable part of a cruise. Even luxury lines can fail miserably here as it is out of the ship’s control.

 

If you are eying a future trip, I think the Queen Mary 2 would interest you - perhaps sailing home from a London jaunt. It’s formal, and has (military) lecturers that are quite good.

[SusieKay]

Wonderful review.

We sailed on her this past Thanksgiving in a Neptune Suite for seven nights before drydock and thought she was perfect then.

Excited to return same time this year for 14 nights to celebrate a milestone anniversary.

 

We also had an SC Neptune on deck 6 and loved the location-mid aft. Have booked the same for upcoming cruise.

No service issues. $800 pp savings just to take an elevator to stay on "millionare's row" is a no brainer for us also.

 

Any comments on two changes we are looking forward to: the addition of the Lincoln Center Stage and the totally non smoking casino.

 

FYI: We have cruised in and out of FLL many times and have never encountered the problems you had in Vancouver. Most times it has been nearly flawless. Though we always overnight there pre and post cruise, even living in Virginia.

 

Thanks again for the review

 

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Forums mobile app

[CDR Benson]

My thanks to all of you for your kind responses. I only wish there was an "edit" function for my post. Because it's length and real life getting in the way, I had to draught it in three parts, and I really needed to compare the three sections before I connected them and posted them. I can see where I was repetitive in some spots. I also had a problem with the cutting-and-pasting to this board. For some reason, hundreds of words got cramped together and it took me half an hour to go through and separate them, again. Going over it now, I can see I missed quite a few. It bugs the devil out of me that I can't go in and correct them.

 

And it's no surprise, sppunk, that my writing sounds like your father-in-law general's. Military writing---even things as simple as e-mail memoranda---tends to be more active and forceful. My stepson just hit twenty years in the Army. Back when he reached his first position of leadership, he gave me some of his e-mail correspondence to review---and in tone and style, it read just like my writing.

 

As to:

Any comments on two changes we are looking forward to: the addition of the Lincoln Center Stage and the totally non smoking casino.

 

The Lincoln Center Stage was one of the acts in which I was especially interested. It's a string quartet---two violins, a viola, and a cello, backed up by a piano---and they are especially good. Obviously, they're classically trained, but the performance that the Good Mrs. Benson and I attended presented a selection of hits from Leonard Bernstein and other musical composers, some of them from other nations. They didn't happen to choose any numbers that really grabbed me, but their playing was lively and exciting. The plan-of-the-day (the "Where and When") will inform you of their scheduled performance times and themes for any given day, so you'll be able to plan for it. They are definitely worth your time.

 

Being a non-smoker, I always prefer venues which are smoke free. However, the GMB made three or four trips back aft, on deck nine, to the sole smoking section, back aft---a cluster of about fifteen tables where the nicotine fiends gather. Interestingly enough, it's probably a passenger's best chance of interacting informally with the ship's officers and crew. The smoking members of the ship's personnel, after hours, have to light up down there, just as the passengers must. And the GMB would come back from a last cigarette of the night to tell me how she had fascinating conversations with some of the ship's entertainers and officers, who went back there for a quick smoke once they were off duty.

 

 

For those of you with upcoming cruises on Nieuw Amsterdam, you should have a wonderful experience. I knew our cruise, as with all things, would not run completely hitch-free, but the problems were overcome, and we have wonderful memories. (Photos, too, if the GMB ever gets around to downloading them from her digital camera.)

[oceanmom]

We were on the same cruise and experienced the same horrible embarkation fiasco in Vancouver. Much as we enjoyed the Inside Passage to Vancouver (that plus Skagway were our reasons for going through Vancouver), Seattle is usually a whole lot easier. We drove and spent 45 minutes both northbound and southbound waiting to go through immigration/customs at the US/Canada border. It was a completely different experience when we got off the ship in Vancouver, we found our bags, walked straight out to a taxi and 15 minutes later were in our car which we had left at the Hampton Inn in downtown Vancouver--locked garage and under cover.

 

 

 

We were lucky enough to get a $129 pp upgrade from a Signature Suite to the Neptune for this cruise. Seems like we usually get offers for upsells when I keep the booking with our PCC rather than transfer to the big box store. As always, enjoyed the Neptune suite and lounge and our wonderful concierges although I think there was a third one named PJ.

 

 

The updating done last fall was very nice. I really liked the tile work in the bathroom, beautiful blue/gray/white chevron pattern. The NA looked great, clean (except for some normal rust on the balcony). Personal preference--the sculpture of NYC was weird in the atrium.

 

 

Our best excursion was the luxury train car up the White Pass in Skagway. More than well worth the extra cost. Only 14 of us in the car with leather swivel seats, guide/bartender, mimosas and quiche and smoked salmon. Truly a splurge but a wonderful memory.

 

 

Until we took an 18 day cruise from AMS to Boston via Iceland and Greenland last year, I thought 7 days was plenty. The Viking Passages was wonderful with the right blend of sea days and port days, different cultures to visit, and I guess it helped that our adult daughters were along for the ride (giving up several future birthday and Christmas presents).

 

 

Overall a nice trip.

[Queen of Adventure]

Thank you for a wonderfully detailed review of your experience, Commander Benson. And thank you for your service.

[CDR Benson]

As always, enjoyed the Neptune suite and lounge and our wonderful concierges although I think there was a third one named PJ.

 

P.J. was Paula, the concierge who wore the red-framed eyeglasses. Sunday night, during their "here's what we do" meeting for the Neptune Suite guests, Christine introduced her as "P.J.", and I believe there were some written references to her as "P.J." But we spoke at length the next night when I dropped by the Lounge for something to drink, and she mentioned that she goes by "Paula", and not "P.J.".

[CDR Benson]

Our best excursion was the luxury train car up the White Pass in Skagway. More than well worth the extra cost. Only 14 of us in the car with leather swivel seats, guide/bartender, mimosas and quiche and smoked salmon. Truly a splurge but a wonderful memory.

 

The White Pass train ride was my preference for an excursion in Skagway. But the Good Mrs. Benson shuddered at the idea of going over that incredibly high trestle that the train passes over at one point.

[rubyreader]

Thank you so much for taking the time to craft such a detailed and thoughtful review, Commander Benson. I was a couple weeks before you, on a different ship, but also experienced my first cruise on the Westerdam to Alaska. I, too, was struck by the attention to detail. Our embarkation was also something of a mess, but our experience after that was really something very special. Thank you for helping me to appreciate it again.

[erewhon]

Thank you for reviewing your cruise.

During our last cruise (Maasdam) our concierge when asked, told me that as not many passengers use the stationery it was decided not to supply it, but they are happy to print it for those who ask. He printed off the number of sheets of paper I required, also handed me the necessary envelopes.

[baxley]

Greatly enjoyed your review! Very well done and interesting. Now I can't wait until our cruise in August! Thanks!

[n20manfl]

GO ARMY SINK NAVY

 

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Forums mobile app

[Jeremiah On a Cruise]

Wonderful and informative review! We are doing the same trip in around two months, and lifted several ideas from your trip. Thank you!!!

 

A couple questions:

1: I was sorry to hear about your boarding experience. Can you give us a sense of time on that? When did you get to the pier? When did you get on the ship?

 

2: We are seriously considering having multiple dinners in the Pinnacle Grill, and have heard other glowing reviews. But, our concern is that the menu may not be diverse enough to justify multiple dinners. Thoughts?

 

3: Did you attend any of the naturalist's lectures? How where they? What was his/her name? Were they active on the ship?

[CDR Benson]

Wonderful and informative review! We are doing the same trip in around two months, and lifted several ideas from your trip. Thank you!!!

 

A couple questions:

1: I was sorry to hear about your boarding experience. Can you give us a sense of time on that? When did you get to the pier? When did you get on the ship?

 

2: We are seriously considering having multiple dinners in the Pinnacle Grill, and have heard other glowing reviews. But, our concern is that the menu may not be diverse enough to justify multiple dinners. Thoughts?

 

3: Did you attend any of the naturalist's lectures? How where they? What was his/her name? Were they active on the ship?

 

 

Thank you for good words. I take them very kindly. As to your questions:

 

1. By the time the HAL rep got to us and finished escorting us to the first way point, the HAL check-in desk, it was probably 1045-1050. I estimate it was probably 1115-1120 by the time we got through all of the wickets and were deposited in that staging area that was such chaos. The GMB and I waited there about five, maybe ten, minutes. I don't know how long we would have been there if I hadn't decided, "The hell with this!" and we just got in the line with the next group of people to be called out.

 

Immediately after that line flowed out of the staging area, there was a HAL rep and a Princess rep to cull their respective passengers into two separate lines that diverged. The HAL line continued inside the terminal for a couple of twists and turns, in the "home stretch" of which was the photo-op set up. As I said, this slowed the line down somewhat, but we got a little ahead because we bypassed it. After that, we entered the gantry which took us over the pier and on to the ship. I didn't check my watch, but I'd say, approximately, we were on the ship by 1130-1135.

 

It seemed to go a little faster than that, because of all the activity---security check, customs, and the like---so our sense was that the evolution wasn't too bad, except for the madness at the staging area. The HAL rep who escorted us to the check-in counter told us that they wouldn't start boarding the ship until 1200. I suspect he was as confused about that as he was everything else about his escort duties. I suspect that they started boarding the ship at 1100, and if we had been in line at 1030, like we should have, then, with our Neptune Suite priority, we would have gotten right on the ship.

 

My advice to you for boarding would be: once you get to that huge staging-area room---if the terminal authorities haven't established a more systematic method of getting folks into the lines to their ships and it's still a madhouse---sit as close as you can to the exit, through which the passengers called up depart, and when the next line is called up, just merge into it. If you watch how it goes for a couple of minutes, you'll see when you have an opening.

 

The military man in me resists recommending anarchy like that, but if the situation for you is as uncontrolled as it was for us, then there's not much faith to be had that you will actually board in a proper order, based on when you got there.

 

 

2. As far as the Pinnacle Grill menu goes, it was certainly varied enough for both the GMB and I to have had dinner there, again. I was trying to hold down my post-cruise charges, but in retrospect, another $70 wouldn't have mattered much. Of course, I cannot speak to whether it would be varied enough for you. The best I can do is provide a link to the Roger Jett site, which has proven so helpful so may times on this board. The link here will take you to a .pdf file of the menu as it was for us:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Pinnacle-Grill-Dinner.pdf

 

 

3. We only attended one talk from the naturalists. That was early in the morning of our scheduled arrival at Glacier Bay. Two ladies gave the talk; I don't remember their names. It was conducted in the Mainstage. It was mildly entertaining and informative, but nothing about it jumped out at me, in the sense of "Wow! I didn't know that!" It was most helpful in that it gave us an idea of what kind of wildlife to expect to see and where.

 

Glacier Bay is the most stunning view you will have on the cruise. It's as close as one will get to nature untouched by man without actually going ashore. Pristine, majestic. One of the few places on Earth that looks virtually the same now as it did three hundred years ago.

 

Hope this helps.

[Bretty]

Thank you for a wonderful and thorough review Commander Benson. My partner and I were on the same cruise in a NS (6104), and we also had a wonderful time.

 

I found the embarkation process different to expected. We arrived at 10:30 via taxi from our hotel in downtown Vancouver. Check-in via the priority line was quick, then joined the line for CBP with separate lines for Canadian and US citizens and everyone else. Being from UK we joined the appropriate line, but there were simply not enough officers for the amount of pax expected, and they were bringing more in who had just come off shift from YVR, but still not enough. Our line initially only had 2 officers! As we proceeded, and because the US / Canadian line was moving faster with fewer pax, one of the port staff started moving us into different lines in order to process pax faster, so it was t too bad.

 

Then the holding area was a complete melee and the guy with the strong voice, from the port staff, I didn’t think had the best crowd control skills. This is where, for priority boarding, a member of HAL staff should have taken control. It wasn’t the “priority boarding” that we had paid a premium to have included but nonetheless we were on board by 11:30, but staterooms weren’t ready and MDR wasn’t open so everyone was taken to, nay herded to, the Lido. Chaos ensued to get food, but shortly after it was announced that rooms were ready and we left quickly to get to our suite.

 

From then on all was most excellent as you have outlined above.

My partner and I prefer to be called by our first names, upon invitation of course, and so when our steward Ari arrived to introduce himself, we advised him that we’re very informal and to address us simply as John and Bryan. He seemed reluctant at first but I assured him it was okay, and from then on he and his colleague Anang did so. Like you, we were most surprised to be greeted by name by many staffers as we went about ship.

 

We ate breakfast at Pinnacle Grill every day. The plans was to move around and try different breakfast offerings but my partner was content not to have to share breakfast with 2000 others every morning, so the grill it was. We got on very well with the staff, and we have a tendency to be chatty and ‘familiar’ which invites the same in response and developed a very good rapport with the servers in the grill.

 

Ahead of the trip I had contacted guest services to ask if our included dinner in the Pinnacle Grill (we were on the Explore4 package) could be on my birthday. I was told they couldn’t guarantee that, and of course our reservation was made for a different night. We went to see the Neptune Concierges to change the reservation and had no problem getting the day and time of our choice. I’m a very independent traveller and rarely make use of concierge services as I do my research and make independent arrangements wherever I go; I’m used to that, but we did call on Paula and Christine a few times during the cruise. We had asked for a tea try every morning around 08:00 I think and the first morning it never arrived. We mentioned it to the concierge and it was taken care of and arrived promptly every day from then on.

 

My partner had made some arrangements for my birthday and then on the day I had the most wonderful little surprises, flowers sent from Paula and Christine, a menagerie of towel sculptures from the stewards with a birthday message from them, a spa voucher, and then at dinner in the Pinnacle Grill, a generously sized birthday cake came to the table. My partner knew none of this was happening beyond what he had arranged.

 

We had excellent dinner at the grill and returned on the last night. I enjoyed the Gala Nights, but my partner didn’t so much. In our daily lives we never have occasion to dress up beyond smart casual (chinos or slacks and either a smart polo shirt or a collared shirt without tie), and I wear a suit once a year for a specific business event. I was happy to be wearing smart casual on the other nights but something in me had driven me to want to dress a little on the gala nights. I had sadly outgrown my suits since the last time I wore them so a couple of months before the trip I had been fitted for a new suit which I took with me. I enjoyed dressing up, but it’s not something we’re accustomed to and there is nowhere we go that calls for anything other than smart casual.

 

It was a most enjoyable cruise, also our very first cruise, and we’re now looking at doing a Norwegian Fjords cruise with HAL next year if we can.

 

Anyway, thanks again for sharing your experience.

Edited June 4, 2018 by Bretty
Correct typos

[CDR Benson]

Then the holding area was a complete melee and the guy with the strong voice, from the port staff, I didn’t think had the best crowd control skills. This is where, for priority boarding, a member of HAL staff should have taken control. It wasn’t the “priority boarding” that we had paid a premium to have included but nonetheless we were on board by 11:30, but staterooms weren’t ready and MDR wasn’t open so everyone was taken to, nay herded to, the Lido. Chaos ensued to get food, but shortly after it was announced that rooms were ready and we left quickly to get to our suite.

 

It's good to know that the chaos of the holding area wasn't just my perception, but was, indeed, a disaster in execution. The only thing that kept it from turning into a mob was the fact that most people are conditioned to follow directions, even when everything appears screwed up. More than most, I understand the need to directions to be followed, but it was obvious that there was no method behind the madness, and it didn't take long to figure that out. That's why I took the action I did, and the Good Mrs. Benson and I just got in the line to the ship without waiting to be told to do so. It was solidly against my nature, but I'm glad I did it.

 

I'm surprised that your suite wasn't ready. We got on board about the same time as you did, and once we got past the security desk, we were left to our own devices. We went straight to our suite (# 6061) and it was fully prepared for us. Still, that yours was not ready lends even more fuel to my suspicion that Neptune Suites not on the millionaires' row on the seventh deck get short-changed in small ways.

 

The GMB and I fully expected the Lido Market to be packed with newly arrived passengers and weren't about to deal with that swarm. My intention was that we would have luncheon in the MDR, but decided to familiarise ourselves with the Neptune Lounge first. When we got there, we found enough food to assuage our hunger until dinner. (Fortunately, it turns out, as you report that the MDR was closed for lunch.)

 

Setting aside the disaster of the boarding process, I knew that small glitches would pop up, but was thoroughly impressed at how Paula and Christine so swiftly and completely put things aright, as I see happened with you. That's what enabled us to just sit back for seven most relaxing days.

 

Glad to hear that it worked out the same for you and your partner.

[SusieKay]

Continuing to enjoy all the recent comments. We learn something from each one.

 

As newbies in a NS on our last cruise we did not visit the the lounge until the suites cocktail party on the first night.

We now know there is a much better lunch option upon embarkation than the crowded buffet.

 

Does anyone tip in the Pinnacle for breakfast?

 

 

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Forums mobile app

[oceanmom]

As it happened, the MDR was open for lunch but only noon - 1PM and you had to specifically ask someone if the MDR was open as they were guiding people to the Lido. It was very nice and quiet. We have not tipped for breakfast in the Pinnacle but usually keep track of names and write them up on the comment cards. Pinnacle is usually open for lunch ($10) on sea days and is very, very nice. My husband usually had breakfast on the Lido, I would just get a large fruit cup with some yogurt and a sweet roll for breakfast from the Lounge.