New Noordam Dinner last night in Boston

[BostonBorn]

Enjoyed our time exploring the brand new shiny Noordam with HAL's Mariners last night. We've sailed many times with HAL, but this is our first time onboard any of her fleet larger than the "new" Rotterdam. All the stops were pulled out last night to welcome past passengers on board. Music, drinks, dancing, wonderful dinner served in style, the only thing missing was the opportunity to go back to my cabin! Thanks, Holland America for hosting such a fun evening!

[Spender Nui]

How were people dressed?

[BostonBorn]

The guests dressed in business attire. Most men wore jackets and ties, or suits and ties. A frigid, windy evening in Boston, coats were checked before we boarded. Many women wore stylish boots, pant suits or jackets and slacks. Few dresses, but most women opted for tailored slacks.

[gizmo]

Thanks for posting. It sounds like you had a good time.:)

 

How did you like the ship?

[sail7seas]

We thought the vast majority of people dressed as requested. In neat, appropriate business attire. Of course, there were a few who did not but they were a huge minority.

 

We truly thank HAL for a very special evening. It was wonderful.

[RuthC]

We thought the vast majority of people dressed as requested. In neat, appropriate business attire. Of course, there were a few who did not but they were a huge minority.

Yes, there were so few that they stood right out. I thought most men were in suits; most of the balance in sport coats/blazers with ties.

I did see many women in dresses/suits. More than a few fur coats, too (but I didn't touch to check if they were authentic;) ).

The coat check was very convenient---until it was time to head back! There was that spot just as you left the ship that was

cold-d-d-d-d-d-d.

[sail7seas]

I agree the coat check was great. They had plenty of people working it and plenty of space for all the coats. We didn't wait a minute for them to take our coats when we arrived and they immediately retrieved them when we were ready to leave.

 

I agree....lots of women in suits. (That's what I wore.)

 

 

 

[iluvcruzin]

How about some pictures to share??? Sounds like a wonderful event.:D

[retiredldo]

The attire was if you were going out to a nice restaurant. Suits, sports jackets and open collars were all seen.

 

The ship itself is identical to the other vista class ships with a few notable exceptions. Alot of state of the art features, for example when you go in the gym you are provided with a headset as all the machines have the typical work out club screens attached to them so what ever you are viewing in your cabin you can watch while you work out. Plasma screens in the lounges and of course with all the upgrades on linens, etc the cabins set up very nicely. But you can tell as they did with the Z and O etc they are attemping to change the market base of Holland and attempt to get a younger crowd on board, that is evident with the disco and a few other features.

 

The service was fantastic, I will post a copy of the menu for the meal but we had a lobster salad, a butternut and shalot soup and a choice of 3 main courses and it finished with cheesecake surprise. The portions were the typical cruising portions small but outstanding, for example I had to go to an awards dinner on sat night and the amount of food that was sent out to us was ludicrious far to much food, and to much waste. I think the cruise lines are very smart in that aspect. small portions little waste and yet you have plenty.

 

The lido deck and pool deck again just like the other vista class ships all in all an outstanding ship

 

Pete

[retiredldo]

Oh forgot to mention on the way out you got the following

 

a. Leather baggage tag with Noordam on it

B. A book on the Noordam what you will see in the cabins about how it came out etc

c. A nice place to celebrate the ship from Ryoal GOedewaagen Holland

d. A nice info packet

e. Cloth carry bag for the stuff

[RuthC]

Oh forgot to mention on the way out you got the following

I must have stayed too long at the faire. By the time I left Friday night my bag had the inaugural plate and a folio of brochures.

Still, I wouldn't trade the good time I was having for a baggage tag or a book.

[LizB1]

Ruth, those items including a very nice large tile of the new ms Noordam were given out as we disembarked on Saturday. Friday night we also received the Noordam plate which is great as this now completes our collection. Plates were not given out yesterday...just the tiles along with the book, literature and the leather luggage tags.

[RuthC]

Thanks for the clarification, Liz. I didn't realize that post was on Sunday. :o

Don't know if I'm losing time/space orientation, or if I should just chalk it up to a lost weekend. :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Thanks for the clarification, Liz. I didn't realize that post was on Sunday. :o

Don't know if I'm losing time/space orientation, or if I should just chalk it up to a lost weekend. :rolleyes:

 

We also were among the last to leave on Friday, Ruth......big surprise, there, right???!!! :)

 

We were delighted to receive the Inaugural plate (it's already placed on display with all our others) and the literature. Actually, I thought they did a great job on the portfolio with the photos and info. We looked through it yesterday and enjoyed reading it all. Nice job IMO

 

I remember those fabulous luggage tags from when we visited Amsterdam during her Inaugural. They're beautiful, heavy leather tags.......too good to use on checked baggage. I use them on our carryons!!

[LunchCompanion]

I hope they check all my winter things when I get out of the cab at pier ninety on March 15 and it is spring by the time I return March 25!;)

[peaches from georgia]

Ruth, those items including a very nice large tile of the new ms Noordam were given out as we disembarked on Saturday.

LizB1: I may have missed a post here or there, but I didn't realize you had spent the night on the Noordam (assuming I am reading this correctly) or maybe you just spent Fri and Sat on the ship and didn't sleep aboard. Good for you; you deserve something really special! Could you tell us more about what you did, please?

[LizB1]

Peaches, we did not spend the night aboard the ship but were at the Marriott Long Wharf in Boston which is not very far from the pier. It only took us about 10-minutes to go there after disembarkation on Friday night and the same when returning to the ship on Saturday morning at 8:45.

 

Really enjoyed our evening on Friday when we saw so many people we have sailed with before, and then on Saturday we had a chance to really explore the ship and have a leisurely lunch in the Lido before driving back to Cape Cod. We had an invitation to the dinner that evening but decided not to drive home after dark as it takes almost two hours from Boston and my DH is still recovering from his knee replacement. There were quite a few Mariners and guests as well as TA's there on Saturday but it wasn't crowded in the morning.

 

For us it will still take a lot of getting used to on a Vista ship. Compared to the other DAM ships it is huge IMO, but then I can remember way back when I thought the ss Rotterdam V was big too.

[RuthC]

I can remember way back when I thought the ss Rotterdam V was big too.

I can too, Liz. I can, too. Isn't it funny what we get used to.