MS Nieuw Statendam inaugural Eastbound Transatlantic

[Caribbean Chris]

I didn’t see Copper’s deck-cleaning doohickey on the Nieuw Statendam a couple of weeks ago. Maybe they are testing it in the K-dam.

 

I have become familiar with HAL promenade deck-washing techniques because I take my service dog to her relief station every morning around 5 when the deluge is in full force. 

 

Roy, have you seen any service dogs on board for your crossing?

[Krazy Kruizers]

18 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Day NS2, Tuesday, April 23, 2019,  At sea, MS Nieuw Statendam

Queen Victoria is at sea from Walvis Bay to Gran Canaria, QM2 is at sea from New York to Southampton

Like most of my sea days this one started with a morning walk and it's probably time to talk a little bit about the promenade deck.  I'll preface this by saying that my first love in cruising is Crystal and many of my values mirror theirs.  Both of their ships have a lovely promenade deck but while wide and expansive it is a place for walking (NO loungers) and that is what I'm accustomed to so the absence of the loungers on HAL's new ships doesn't bother me in the least.  I've assembled a couple of collages representing a lap around the ship.  

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/prom1.jpg

The top row of the first one runs from the door outside the dining room (like Vista/Signature/QE/QV there is only an aft door on the starboard side with the galley on the port side).  To me the amount of walking space is about the same as the other ships given that much of the space on the other ships is taken up with loungers.  The middle row on that collage continues across the bow and back to the port door by the world stage.  The bottom row of that collage continues back the port side to midship.

The top row of the next photo continues back from midship to the point where the dining room begins.  The accumulated plaques are in the midship doors.  It seems like quite a collection for a ship less than half a year old but many right now are duplicates.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/prom2.jpg

The area where things get a bit touchy are the sides past the dining room.  On the port side there is one wide space which I assume is mainly the emergency exit leading to the aft lifeboats.  The aft passage across the stern is wide enough for easy passing or meeting another walker.  Finally, the section past the dining room on the starboard side is again narrow.

I walk early in the morning and rarely encounter a need to pass or be passed by other walkers, and have not yet had an encounter at the narrowest points.  The surface is imitation teak rather than real which I like on Cunard as all it really needs is a little touch up with a damp mop.  Spraying huge amounts of water every morning seems to be deeply imbedded in the HAL culture.  While that does tend to make the walk a bit more treacherous it does have the slight advantage that I can hear anybody approaching from behind squishing well before they get to me.  I'll have more to say about the promenade deck when we have On Deck For a Cause (Group walk for cancer) on May 1.

I got in 7 laps (2 1/3 miles) before heading up to deck 14 at sunrise, but there was no sun; I don't think I ever saw it in the morning.

There are 2 lecturers on the cruise.  The first. Tim Calvert was a lecturer on the first leg of my Grand South America cruise in January, but it looks like only one of his talks matches what he did then.  His first (10AM) talk was on the great Atlantic ocean liners.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/calvert.jpg

Cruise director Jairo had his first coffee chat (11AM) in the Lincoln Center stage with Step 1, the dance company for the World Stage.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/step1chat.jpg

In his noon update Captain deBoer indicated he expected improving conditions over the next 24 hours.  I continued wandering a bit taking a few more pictures, starting with the aft pool.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/aftpool.jpg

There is a specialty restaurant (Tamarind and Nami Sushi) behind the aft staircase above the aft part of the lido deck.  I'll speculate that it could be extended a bit and become the Grills Restaurants on the new Cunarder (it's fun to speculate not really knowing anything).

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/10aft.jpg

The fitness center is in the usual place at the forward end of the lido deck.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/fitness.jpg

I did not do a lot in the afternoon but did some writing and some file organization.  Holland America sells a "soda card".  It costs $25 and has a value of $50, good for about 21 sodas.  On most ships you get a receipt on each use but on the Nieuw Statendam it's all electronic.  I stopped by the front desk to get a statement on the card and at the same time signed up for the behind the scenes tour.  It will be 1PM Friday.

There were only 2 of us at table 232.  It was what they call the Culinary Council dinner; not a favorite of mine but I chose the carrot salad, pasta, and raspberry tart.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/dishes23.jpg

When I returned to my room there was another orange card, indicating another hour forward on the clocks.  Fortunately the show on stage was at 7 rather than 8.  Jon Stetson is a mentalist ("mind reader") whose observations are quite astounding.  He is said to be the inspiration for the US TV show, "The Mentalist".

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/stetson.jpg

After the show I stopped out on the promenade deck just in time to get a little glimpse of the setting sun.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/dusk0423.jpg

I'll finish off with a picture of the World Stage.  I don't think there is much of a back stage area but hopefully I will find out more on Friday.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/worldstage.jpg

My parting shot originates from the Cruise Critic roll call for the planned Oasis of the Seas transatlantic that was cancelled due to a shipyard accident in the Bahamas.  Several of those peoples are "refugees" on Holland America ships, and one is on the Rotterdam.  He reported being stranded again, this time due to severe storms in the eastern Atlantic.  According to Marine Traffic, the Rotterdam is still waiting out the storm in Ponta Delgada, almost 24 hours past when she was due to leave.  May the weather subside in time for the Rotterdam not to miss too many ports and especially before we are to go there (Monday).  JUST moving, 23 hour delay

 

Roy

 

Wonderful report Roy.  Will be anxious to read about your ship's tour on Friday.

 

Dinner didn't have that "wow" look about it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you Roy for the cabin pictures from your cabin crawl.

 

Cabins seem very small.

[cat shepard]

Ahh, now I know the technical name for the doohickey!

 

As always Roy I appreciate your pics. I must admit, I might be ok in a solo cabin. I would have to try it out on a short cruise, though.

[richwmn]

I have had the same solo cabin (1012) on Koningsdam twice and Nieuw Statendam once and did just fine it it. The cabin is roomy enough for me and the window isn't a problem for me.

[rafinmd]

Day NS3, Wednesday, April 24, 2019,  At sea, MS Nieuw Statendam

QM2 is at sea from New York to Southampton.  Queen Victoria is at Gran Canaria, Azores.  Coincidentally, I don't remember ever hearing of Gran Canaria before but in our first lecture of the day Tim Calvert noted it was the last stop Columbus made before heading west on his first transatlantic voyage, making final preparations to his ships for the long crossing into the unknown.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/grancanaria.jpg

On this voyage much of my walking is hemmed in by getting out of bed and ready at one end, and going up to deck 14 for sunrise at the other end.  As we sail east sunrise and sunset tend to get about a half hour earlier each day but then an hour later each time the clocks get moved.  This time I got in 11 laps (3 2/3 miles) before starting up to deck 14 forward.  I was actually about 3 minutes late getting to my perch but then I waited and waited and waited until the sun made a presence.  As I arrived a steward was just starting to set out the loungers on the Observation deck and said where do you want yours?  I took a spot looking forward and waited another 20 minutes until the sun started to appear through the top of the clouds.  Had I known how long it was going to be I could have finished walking before going topside but you never know if there will be an unexpected break in the clouds.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/dawn0424.jpg

I did complete 5 miles (15 laps, sort of)  with several of the laps detouring to the lido for coffee and/or food.  The lido entrances each have a pair of hand washing stations but there are also sanitizer dispensers at the stairway landing.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/washstation.jpg

There were 2 morning (10 and 11am) presentations on the World Stage, first the aforementioned talk by Tim Calvert on Columbus, and then the other speaker, Brian Beck, on "The Armada".

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/beck.jpg

In his noon update Captain DeBoer indicated we had passed about 80 miles south of Bermuda overnight.  I was surprised at how close our path came to Bermuda.

It was a pretty quiet afternoon although it was past lunch time when I finally completed my walking.

I'm starting to get used to 5PM dining but still haven't gotten used to the idea that the dining room is at the opposite end of the ship and was a bit late to dinner again.  This time it was just me and one other but not the same one as Tuesday.  I chose the Caesar salad, roast turkey, and peach crisp.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/dishes24.jpg

The entertainment on the World Stage was a vocal group, Vox Clever.  I skipped it in favor of  Karlijn's talk on the history of the Panama Canal.  In retrospect, I would probably have preferred the show as the talk only went as far as the opening of the canal, nothing about the Panama operation and the expansion.

My parting shot will be a belated wish for a great Anzac day for those who observe it.

Roy

 

[rafinmd]

4 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

I didn’t see Copper’s deck-cleaning doohickey on the Nieuw Statendam a couple of weeks ago. Maybe they are testing it in the K-dam.

 

I have become familiar with HAL promenade deck-washing techniques because I take my service dog to her relief station every morning around 5 when the deluge is in full force. 

 

Roy, have you seen any service dogs on board for your crossing?

I think I've seen one but not often.

Roy

[rafinmd]

12 hours ago, Happily@Sea said:

I appreciate the cabin pictures. That solo cabin is really something I wouldn't want. The window very inconvenient and inaccessible for some one like me. That tells me I would not like it but any of the others are fine.

 

I had a minimum veranda on the K'dam when I went.in 2017.

That surprises me considering how much you travel on trains.

 

Roy

[Happily@Sea]

2 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

That surprises me considering how much you travel on trains.

 

Roy

 

The window isn't blocked by the bed on the train, it is easily accessible by me. The size of the room is no problem, it's the usability [or should I say non- usability] of the window. I have bad knees and can't crawl across beds.

[DeeniEncinitas]

Hi Roy,

what a pretty sunrise breaking through the clouds! Glad you got a lot of good miles of walking too!

I really like the wash station they have in the lido area! I really appreciate that as well as the dispensers. 

Denise😊

[Krazy Kruizers]

That was nice of the crew member to set up your lounger to wait for the sunrise.

 

Those washing stations look nice.  Do they get crowded when a lot of people are arriving at the Lido at the same time?  Or do people just avoid them?

[rafinmd]

I think with 2 at each entry they do pretty well cover the traffic but suspect that sometimes people will avoid them when they are crowded and others likely avoid them even when they aren't.  That's why I'm glad there are regular sanitizer stations as well.  I suspect some people will take a second to get a bit of gel but won't  take the time required to wash their hands.  It seems like there are even those who bypass the sanitizer where that's all there is so the more choices the better.

 

Roy

[TriumphGuy]

15 hours ago, rafinmd said:

I think with 2 at each entry they do pretty well cover the traffic but suspect that sometimes people will avoid them when they are crowded and others likely avoid them even when they aren't.  That's why I'm glad there are regular sanitizer stations as well.  I suspect some people will take a second to get a bit of gel but won't  take the time required to wash their hands.  It seems like there are even those who bypass the sanitizer where that's all there is so the more choices the better.

 

Roy

Does staff serve at the Lido buffet? We are not familiar with HAL as we have been Princess cruisers in the past. The buffet on Princess has always been a bit of a free for all, and we were always a bit leery of handling utensils that others had before us.
We are booked for a transatlantic a year from now on Nieuw Statendam, so your blog here is quite interesting to us. Thank you for sharing!

 

[jimbri]

Enjoying your review and photos!

[rafinmd]

Thanks, Jim.

 

Day NS4, Thursday, April 25, 2019,  At sea, MS Nieuw Statendam

Queen Victoria is at sea from Gran Canaria to Southampton.  QM2 is at sea from New York to Southampton.

Weather and sea conditions continue to be excellent.  The first positive sign I saw was when I stepped out on the aft Lido deck and the moon was shining brightly above the flag pole on the stern.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/moon0425.jpg

Since we did not adjust our clocks Wednesday night sunrise was early again Thursday morning and I only walked about 2 miles before heading up to deck 14 to watch.  There were clouds on the horizon but the sun found a nice little opening.  I walked a 3rd mile in spurts over the morning and the final 2 miles after lunch.  For most of my walking I am wearing a sweatshirt and shorts, and that is just about right.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/dawn0425.jpg

The highlights of the morning were a talk at 10 by Tim Calvert on lighthouses and a Captain's Q&A at 11.  I stayed for about half of the talk on lighthouses (It was all photos and any segment was pretty much self sustaining).  The Captain's Q&A was PACKED.  I was lucky to find a seat on a plastic platform like the one in front of me but standees pretty much had the aisles jammed.  It may be that transatlantic cruisers are more interested in this kind of thing than  those sailing the Caribbean because Captain and Jairo seemed stunned at the turnout and quickly announced there would be another one after the Azores.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/packed.jpg

The session opened with quite a long introduction of Captain DeBoer and then a video tour of the bridge and engine room.  I discovered we had a bit in common as he said he had 5 years in the Baltimore Washington area as a flight instructor (the area, not the flight instructor part).  He said he applied to KLM as a pilot but at 32 was too old, so "here he is".

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/capnchat.jpg

I do like to speculate on what the new Cunard ship would look like and am thinking that the Lincoln Center Stage/BB King Blues space might be the spot for the Queens Room.  There's even a cutout in the deck a la QE/QV.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/lincoln3.jpg

 

In addition to completing my walk my one afternoon activity was a talk by karlijn on "The secret language of ships", flags, hull markings, and whistles".

There were 4 of us at table 232.  My choices were the apple salad, lasagna, and ice cream.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/dishes25.jpg

Several people have mentioned the dining room looking like the belly of a whale.  I don't really see it on the upper level but noticed the look while entering and leaving.  I don't know if those ribs have a structural role of are just decorative, and if they will show up on the Cunard version.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/ribs.jpg

The primary entertainment was a variety show of mentalist Jon Stetson and comedian John Wing.  I passed on it for the movie, "The Upside".  Unlike other HAL ships the Pinnacle class does not have a movie theater and movies are shown on the pool deck with the loungers all turned to face the screen.  I retired soon after the movie as we lost another hour overnight.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/movie.jpg

My parting shot is not one I want to make.  I'm not getting a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings about the operation of the Nieuw Statendam.  I think most of the issue is in communication.  One sore point is that while on the Prinsendam Captain Jeroen always broke the news (good or bad but it seemed more often bad) about clock changes in his noon briefings.  I've never seen any warning about time changes until that little card shows up at turn down leaving evening plans largely in limbo, and have often left me with contingency plans "I'll do this if we lose an hour and that if we don't".  I also would have thought the crowding for the Captain Q&A could have been anticipated (Wasn't there one on the maiden voyage), and there seem to be more billing errors on this ship than usual.  My last straw came just before bed time.  A card was slipped under my door cancelling Friday's behind the scenes tour "for lack of interest".  Based on the turnout at the Captain's Chat I would guess the tour would have sold like hotcakes if it had only been announced.  Finally the card said "We have tried to contact you".  Perhaps they employed Jon Stetson but I got no notes and specifically checked for messages on my phone and there was NOTHING.  Something just doesn't seem right.

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/cancelled.jpg

Roy

 

[Copper10-8]

Almost to Horta, Roy; been there before?

[rafinmd]

6 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Almost to Horta, Roy; been there before?

Actually, we aren't going to Horta.  A few weeks before the cruise there was a change to Praia de Vitoria.

 

I haven't been to Horta and can't remember being to Praia de Vitoria but some of the sights from the EXC talk today looked familiar so I may have.

 

Roy

[Copper10-8]

10 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Actually, we aren't going to Horta.  A few weeks before the cruise there was a change to Praia de Vitoria.

 

I haven't been to Horta and can't remember being to Praia de Vitoria but some of the sights from the EXC talk today looked familiar so I may have.

 

Roy

 

Thanks for the update Roy! Btw, even though Capt. Sybe did not make it at KLM, he got his commercial license at a flight school in the USA and worked four years flying as a commercial pilot before going back to sea and HAL as a 2/O in 1994. Wonder if he still has a PPL and goes up in the wild blue yonder at the controls

[Despegue]

3 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Thanks for the update Roy! Btw, even though Capt. Sybe did not make it at KLM, he got his commercial license at a flight school in the USA and worked four years flying as a commercial pilot before going back to sea and HAL as a 2/O in 1994. Wonder if he still has a PPL and goes up in the wild blue yonder at the controls

He is better off now. Trust me, he leads a healthier life.  He should thank The Koninklijke KLM for refusing him 😉, although they can retire at 55... (hence the age limitation as it takes on average over 20 years to become Wide-body Captain at KLM). 

 

[rafinmd]

5 minutes ago, Despegue said:

He is better off now. Trust me, he leads a healthier life.  He should thank The Koninklijke KLM for refusing him 😉, although they can retire at 55... (hence the age limitation as it takes on average over 20 years to become Wide-body Captain at KLM). 

 

How much is required to maintain a pilot's license?  I would think it would take a lot of hoops to go through to stay qualified to fly?

Roy

[Overhead Fred]

4 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Actually, we aren't going to Horta.  A few weeks before the cruise there was a change to Praia de Vitoria.

 

I haven't been to Horta and can't remember being to Praia de Vitoria but some of the sights from the EXC talk today looked familiar so I may have.

 

Roy

 

Praia de Vitoria is a lovely little town and is very amenable to self-guided "walking tours". I think you will enjoy it! We certainly did when we missed Horta due to weather conditions on the Koningsdam's eastbound crossing last year. 

[Krazy Kruizers]

How unique that when you got up, you saw the moon first and then sunrise.

 

We have found that even on 14 day Caribbean cruises (Not a Collectors Cruise -- no returning to Ft Lauderdale) there weren't any Q&A by the any captains in recent years.  The one we had on our 21 day Panama Canal by the captain was nothing but his talking about the bridge and showing pictures -- he allowed only about 10 minutes for questions -- very poor.  Many people left halfway through.

 

The majority of the captains only have a talk at 1 PM and never mention about the ship's clocks being changed.  Maybe that is just a Prinsendam and World Cruise thing.

 

Great report and pictures.

[Copper10-8]

45 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

How much is required to maintain a pilot's license?  I would think it would take a lot of hoops to go through to stay qualified to fly?

Roy

 

U.S. Commercial pilot license, yes, there are hoops (Despeque can explain)

U.S. PPL (Private Pilot License) never expires however, one has to:

 

1. Pass a physical exam (good for 3 years for those under 40; 2 years for above)

2. Review the current FAA Air (Part 91) Traffic and general operating rules 

3. Get a flight review from a certified flight instructor (good for two years)

[wdw1972]

On the 10-day Nieuw Statendam caribbean cruise last January, this captain had the Q&A session.  It was raining, so I attended <g> - lots of people were there, but it wasn't a standing room only crowd.  I'm almost positive the captain on the 7-night Rotterdam caribbean cruise I did earlier this month also had a Q&A session.  It was sunny, so I didn't attend that one!  The Rotterdam captain did mention the clock changes in his daily update - don't recall what happened on Nieuw Statendam, but if I had to guess I'd say he didn't.

 

HAL's started putting a document in the staterooms that show what's happening each day in terms of dress code, the main stage entertainment, and something else (can't think what it is right now) - it would be nice if that included the time changes as well!

 

Sue/WDW1972

[Copper10-8]

1 minute ago, wdw1972 said:

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

 

HAL's started putting a document in the staterooms that show what's happening each day in terms of dress code, the main stage entertainment, and something else (can't think what it is right now) - it would be nice if that included the time changes as well!

 

Sue/WDW1972

 

It's called "When & Where" and the time change is included on the first page