North Pacific Crossing

[Donabq]

For all of you HAL experts--any feel for how full the Noordam might sail next September on its passage to Yokohama?

[CruiserBruce]

I would expect it to be full, or so close you will have difficulty telling its not. The vast majority of cruises sail full, or very close.

[old mike]

The Westerdam, which was on that route last year, was close to full when we boarded in Vancouver and absolutely full after the stop in Yokahama.

 

Mike

[kazu]

5 hours ago, Donabq said:

For all of you HAL experts--any feel for how full the Noordam might sail next September on its passage to Yokohama?

 

We’re on that cruise 😄. Come join us on the roll calls.  There’s one for the TransPacific and another for the next segment.

 

Here is the link for the Transpacific sailing - 

and here is the link for the next segment - 

 

Some of the cabin categories seem to be booking up quite well but I have no idea how full the ship will be.  

 

We’re looking forward to the adventure next year though 😄 

[Lido deck main]

5 hours ago, Donabq said:

For all of you HAL experts--any feel for how full the Noordam might sail next September on its passage to Yokohama?

We sailed for the 28 days on the Westerdam in Fall of 2018 leaving Vancouver ending in Shanghai.  There were approx. 1,200 guest that went just from Vancouver to Yokohama, and then disembarked.  So in Fall of 2019 I was watching that cruise again and the approx. 13 day sailing (that was in Fall of 2019, in late August, went down to $548.00 plus port charges, two of my husbands co-workers whom have never cruised before went on that sailing.  Of course nothing is guaranteed but if you are just looking for the crossing that shorter cruise in Fall of 2018 it went down to $649.00 and in Fall of 2019 like I said it went down to $548.00 (prices quoted do not include port charges)  I found it very interesting as I never thought of taking the shorter cruise as a means to get to Japan, which in hindsight is what I now think is a great idea.  Anyhow the two co-workers who never cruised before and were even in Japan when the hurricane hit and they even missed a port, (we were concerned that they would have had a terrible experience) anyhow they both still loved the cruise, even going through a hurricane and missing a port.  Loved the food and Lincoln Centre.  Both of these guys are in their late 20's.  Anyhow if that is what you are after the shorter cruise maybe start looking in July 2020 for September 2020.

[Donabq]

I have booked the segment to Yokohama and was just curious as to how popular it might be.  I cruised to Japan last year from Seward through the Aleutian Islands on a much smaller ship and loved it.  The North Pacific demonstrated who's boss for a couple of days, but it wasn't unmanageable.  (Although the head chef got sea sick.)

 

Don

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Donabq said:

The North Pacific demonstrated who's boss for a couple of days, but it wasn't unmanageable.  (Although the head chef got sea sick.)

 

Don

 

An upset King Neptune is part of the adventure during this crossing.  During my experience, the Chief Engineer was injured during one very rough period and had to be removed at an unscheduled call at Dutch Harbor.

 

Unsure as to why you are concerned about how "full" the ship will be.  The Noordam, even when she is at capacity,  a spacious vessel for her guests.  

[kazu]

14 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

An upset King Neptune is part of the adventure during this crossing. 

 

I had a feeling about that 😞  

 

I’m just not going to tell DH and make sure i have plenty of his ginger pills, etc 😉 

[rkacruiser]

6 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

I had a feeling about that 😞  

 

I’m just not going to tell DH and make sure i have plenty of his ginger pills, etc 😉 

 

My experience was on the 2002 Maiden Asia Pacific Cruise of the Volendam.  We hit unexpected rough seas on day 1 west of Vancouver Island.  Sailing further Northwest, we hit the tail end of a typhoon.  That was when the Chief Engineer was injured.  A vivid memory:  standing in the Crow's Nest--hanging on to the furniture--watching the Volendam's bow rise up on the crest of a wave and then crashing down into its trough.  Sea water slashing over the top of the Crow's Nest!  

 

Volendam's Asia Pacific cruise was memorable for many, many reasons.  Surely, this was one of them.