Sundeck 11 is prohibited entry for passengers on the Nieuw Statendam!

[Bruges]

We have been a week on board of the Nieuw Statendam now, and all the time the aft of deck 11 has been closed for all passengers. “Team members or staff only” This was also the case in May last year. We thought this was a one off, but how wrong were we…. Deck 11 is the only place on the aft of the ship were you have an unobstructed view from port to starboard-side to take pictures. It is also the only place on the aft of the ship to walk easy from port to starboard side. So at departure deck 9 is the only (crowded) option. Asking for the reason, we were told by guest services this deck is only for crew members. An officer told us it is “because of the construction of the ship” (sic!) (please take you passengers more serious!) We have no problem with crew members on passenger decks, but there is never a crew member to be seen there, they are always on port side. So close port side for us like on the Zuiderdam. Four weeks ago we were on the Rotterdam for 3 weeks and deck 11 was accessible all the time! Next year we will sail to Hawaii and French Polynesia on the Koningsdam: will deck 11 also be closed??? This is the only issue we have, food quality and choice are excellent. Friendly crew members, stateroom and ship overall excellent. 

[Mary229]

The crew has always had an area for socializing.  A lot of cruises it is near Club Hal if there won’t be many children onboard 

[TiogaCruiser]

Haven’t we seen this thread before, just about a week ago?

[oaktreerb]

There was an area blocked off for staff but it was just a section along one side, not the entire aft.  It was not a problem for aft viewing on the Koningsdam.  

[Bruges]

54 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

The crew has always had an area for socializing.  A lot of cruises it is near Club Hal if there won’t be many children onboard 

I have never seen the intire aft deck only for the crew, just on the Nieuw Statendam. Normally the crew has the bow area.

[VMax1700]

The title of the thread is misleading!

Yes the aft section is closed for staff only, but the rest of Deck 11 is accessible to use running track or fitness equipment or anything else you care to do.

Also to say that the aft of deck 11 is the only place to is the only place on the aft of the ship were you have an unobstructed view from port to starboard-side to take pictures is stretching it a bit.  The complete Sea Pool area of deck 9 extends much further than Deck 11. Although you may have to negotiate a lot of people, it does have better views.   Also deck 11 is so windy that it tends to be the least inhabited place on the ship.

 

[Yipper]

We noticed it was closed on our NS sailing earlier this year.  Deck 11 aft was also closed on the Oosterdam last year.  I understand it is usually under utilized.  Now the crew primarily uses it as safe haven for crew to socialize and is also one of the few smoking areas for the crew.  I am sure this may be the case on the other HAL ships as well.  Perhaps with the heavy bookings lately they will open it up for guests at least on warmer sailings.

[Bruges]

Yes VMax1700, it should read “aft of sundeck 11 etc… , but I can not change it….

I don’t agree you have better views: for a photographer the higher the better! And deck 9 has all the windows at the sides so if you see birds or dolphins…no way take pictures (and dolphins there were!) And when you see dolphins and first have to negotiate….who would move? 
 

[Bruges]

18 minutes ago, Yipper said:

We noticed it was closed on our NS sailing earlier this year.  Deck 11 aft was also closed on the Oosterdam last year.  I understand it is usually under utilized.  Now the crew primarily uses it as safe haven for crew to socialize and is also one of the few smoking areas for the crew.  I am sure this may be the case on the other HAL ships as well.  Perhaps with the heavy bookings lately they will open it up for guests at least on warmer sailings.

A simple solution would be to close the port side, like on the Zuiderdam or Rotterdam: everybody happy…

[Bruges]

2 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

There was an area blocked off for staff but it was just a section along one side, not the entire aft.  It was not a problem for aft viewing on the Koningsdam.  

Yes, thats the way it should be…

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

The title of the thread is misleading!

Yes the aft section is closed for staff only, but the rest of Deck 11 is accessible to use running track or fitness equipment or anything else you care to do.

Also to say that the aft of deck 11 is the only place to is the only place on the aft of the ship were you have an unobstructed view from port to starboard-side to take pictures is stretching it a bit.  The complete Sea Pool area of deck 9 extends much further than Deck 11. Although you may have to negotiate a lot of people, it does have better views.   Also deck 11 is so windy that it tends to be the least inhabited place on the ship.

 

You are 100% correct. 

[oaktreerb]

There was an area blocked off for staff but it was just a section along one side, not the entire aft.  It was not a problem for aft viewing on the Koningsdam.  

 

The OP stated his experience on a specific ship on a specific cruise.  He went on to ask what to expect on the Koningsdam.  I, myself, was surprised to see a small side area reserved for staff on  the K. but maybe that’s the only area that is available.  A lot of crew members still smoke and the smoke stays in that small area.    No problem, I had not seen this on any other ships, although I have seen staff areas in the bow of some of the older ships.

[DFWGUYZ]

It was this way back in December 2021.

[deliver42]

Why do people complain when 1 tenth of 1% on a ship isn't for them?

[ChinaShrek]

A more important question to me is, does that happen on other cruise lines? If so, I am surprised that we don't see threads like this on the Carnival boards or others. If not, then why HAL?

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

A more important question to me is, does that happen on other cruise lines? If so, I am surprised that we don't see threads like this on the Carnival boards or others. If not, then why HAL?

I would hope there is somewhere nice for crew to unwind on the ship.  I am happy to give over a nice deck that they can enjoy their time off. To not have that would be inhumane. 

[510picker]

So what happens when a passenger goes under the barrier?

[highscar]

@Mary229agree 100/%

[kazu]

There has always been a place to unwind on every ship I have been on.

 

On the Prinsendam there was a door that led outside of the Crow’s Nest.  That area was for the crew.

On the Koningsdam it was aft when I was on.  I don’t see the big deal, myself - it didn’t interfere with my enjoyment.  There’s lots of ways to take photos from the Sea View Pool and you can work around the glass if it’s a big deal.

[Destiny0315]

Some of the residents of Holyhead, Wales this past Tuesday had no interest in seeing neither the pax or the crew taking photos from any deck on that "Monstrosity"! 😄

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/amazing-monstrosity-mammoth-cruise-ship-27533382

[ShipWalker]

"“Hideous!” said one woman. “Monstrosity of the seas,” said another."

 

Isn't that a Royal Caribbean ship? 😁

[TiogaCruiser]

3 hours ago, ShipWalker said:

"“Hideous!” said one woman. “Monstrosity of the seas,” said another."

 

Isn't that a Royal Caribbean ship? 😁

Kingkongdam’s sister

[QuattroRomeo]

7 hours ago, 510picker said:

So what happens when a passenger goes under the barrier?

They'll assign you 25 cabins to clean and worry about finding the hiring paperwork later..

[RD64]

2 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

They'll assign you 25 cabins to clean and worry about finding the hiring paperwork later..

My current stewards are responsible for 32 cabins.

[VMax1700]

9 hours ago, ShipWalker said:

"“Hideous!” said one woman. “Monstrosity of the seas,” said another."

 

Isn't that a Royal Caribbean ship? 😁

"Poor grammar and punctuation" said one reader.  "Why use generic sources as quotes" said another source!

Most prestigious, on June 4, was the 16-deck MS Queen Victoria, making its first call at the port under Stena Line’s ownership.

I didn't realise that Carnival Corportation had sold Queen Victoria! 😁 To my mind that is a very ambiguous sentence.  But then modern journalism is copy and paste.

 

(Stena Lines owns Hollyhead port).