Noordam or Nieuw Amsterdam?

[dallascruiser]

Getting ready to book Alaska cruise and wondering  which ship is better Noordam or Nieuw Amsterdam?  Thanks a bunch

[CruiserBruce]

Better in what way? You will see each has a large number of fans. We have sailed both twice, would sail each again in a heartbeat. 

[Sir PMP]

Which itinerary?

[dallascruiser]

19 minutes ago, Sir PMP said:

Which itinerary?

Alaska

[dallascruiser]

21 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Better in what way? You will see each has a large number of fans. We have sailed both twice, would sail each again in a heartbeat. 

Thanks just wondering if there was a glaring difference in anything, I thought they were pretty comparable

[dallascruiser]

28 minutes ago, Sir PMP said:

Which itinerary?

Alaska 14 days from Vancouver

[Sir PMP]

Itinerary about the same, so toss up: Nieuw Amsterdam, but not by much.

[ExArkie]

Possibly useful discussion from a few years ago:

 

[OlsSalt]

NA has Tamarind restaurant; Noordam is smaller and easier to get around. 

I personally  like the smaller ship intimacy of the Noordam, when the grandeur of Alaska is staring you in the face from all sides.

 

Recently spent 21 days on the Noordam, including 14 days in Alaska - no problems at all. Loved the addition of Valdez to the more typical Alaska itineraries. 

 

Another test - who will you be sharing ports with, and does one leave midweek and another follow the more standard weekend to weekend itinerary, though most 14 days cruises go more off the beaten path.

[Crew News]

Food options are significant.  Nieuw Amsterdam also includes the Tamarind Restaurant, Morimoto By Sea Restaurant, Tamarind Bar, and NY Pizza (Deck 9 by the outdoor pool).

 

NY Pizza has individual, made-to-order (choice of ingredients) pizza pies served in a take-out box.  In addition to pizza, NY Pizza also has salads and desserts.  The Noordam pizza is by the slice, not made-to-order, and is presented under a heat lamp in the Lido Market  Lido Market salads are only available when the Lido Market is serving lunch and dinner

 

The Tamarind Bar has appetizers available during the hours that the Tamarind Restaurant is open.

[cruisingrob21]

The ships are much more similar than different.  The main pro for the NA is more food options and a second defacto observation lounge (tamarind bar).  Pros for the Noordam is the Explorations Cafe which is down on deck 3 which serves as a second area for reading/games etc (with a coffee bar and small snack case) and a few hundred fewer passengers.

[sciencewonk]

I've not been on the NA but have been on Noordam for 52 days in the past two years and love it.  I personally like the smaller ships.  If I was picking for an Alaska cruise, like you are, I would lean toward Noordam because of familiarity, but ultimately, I would choose the one with the most appealing itinerary. 

[visagrunt]

NA for Tamarind and NY Deli.

[YourWorldWithBill]

As others have said, the Noordam is a bit smaller, and older. We were on the Noordam on our Alaska cruise. Many prefer the smaller ship size.

Our choices after that, however, have been the newer ships that include the NY Deli (my lunch choice many days) and Tamarind (which is our favorite restaurant). 

But to each their own. 

[dallascruiser]

6 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

NA has Tamarind restaurant; Noordam is smaller and easier to get around. 

I personally  like the smaller ship intimacy of the Noordam, when the grandeur of Alaska is staring you in the face from all sides.

 

Recently spent 21 days on the Noordam, including 14 days in Alaska - no problems at all. Loved the addition of Valdez to the more typical Alaska itineraries. 

 

Another test - who will you be sharing ports with, and does one leave midweek and another follow the more standard weekend to weekend itinerary, though most 14 days cruises go more off the beaten path.

I booked Noordam 14 day Alaska cabin J1073 which is large inside.  Thanks for all the thoughts

[dallascruiser]

58 minutes ago, sciencewonk said:

I've not been on the NA but have been on Noordam for 52 days in the past two years and love it.  I personally like the smaller ships.  If I was picking for an Alaska cruise, like you are, I would lean toward Noordam because of familiarity, but ultimately, I would choose the one with the most appealing itinerary. 

I booked Noordam Alaska which had a better schedule for Alaska, thanks for info

[YourWorldWithBill]

3 minutes ago, dallascruiser said:

I booked Noordam Alaska which had a better schedule for Alaska, thanks for info

Booking based on the itinerary is always the smart choice!

[crystalspin]

34 minutes ago, dallascruiser said:

I booked Noordam 14 day Alaska cabin J1073 which is large inside.  Thanks for all the thoughts

I think that is a good location! Here is the same cabin on the Zuiderdam (decor may be different but arrangement the same).

1073 – Zuiderdam | HAL Cruiser Information (halfacts.com)

 

I have always wanted to sail in a Super-K or J inside!

[OlsSalt]

39 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

I think that is a good location! Here is the same cabin on the Zuiderdam (decor may be different but arrangement the same).

1073 – Zuiderdam | HAL Cruiser Information (halfacts.com)

 

I have always wanted to sail in a Super-K or J inside!

 

Just add a few windows and a balcony and you almost have a Neptune Suite, or at least a Signature Suite. Pretty nice layout for that inside cabin.

[bluesplayer]

I don't think the Noordam has the Gallery bar..   my favorite....

[OlsSalt]

19 minutes ago, bluesplayer said:

I don't think the Noordam has the Gallery bar..   my favorite....

 

Noordam did recently add an expanded library space.

 

Which is not like the Gallery Bar additions which was a very good improvement -a place where groups could enjoy nosier table games and not get the stinky eye from.... (ahem)....  those of us who liked the former  library spaces to be quiet as a tomb. 

[JohnCoffield]

We sailed on both last year & are back on Noordam later this year in the far east. We prefer Noordam as it is smaller & has a great promenade with plenty of seating where you can spend a few hours on a sea day reading & watching the sea go by (admittedly this may not be a selling point for Alaska with colder temperature). NS has Tamarind which we really enjoyed & being a newer ship the decor etc is more contemporary, however it does carry almost 700 more passengers & we preferred the layout of Noordam & will always look for ships of this size in the future.

I don't think it's a case of which one is better, more one of which do you prefer & what is the itinerary.

 

[lyndarra]

I've cruised on both and, as I don't hang out in bars or use upmarket (pay for) reastaurants, I can't tell much difference except for the smaller size of Noordam. I'm more likely to be swayed by the itinerary than size.

[vicd1969]

Both about the same unless you really really want to dine at Tamarind. I prefer the Southbound Alaska itinerary that includes Hubbard Glacier versus the Northbound one that has College glaciers, since you can view the college glaciers from a local boat tour in Whittier as well, but Hubbard is almost impossible to get to without a cruise. Also more daylight time through the inside passage on the Southbound trip. And my biggest reason is you wont have to deal with the 1+ hour US CBP line leaving from Vancouver.