Noordam vs. QM2

[cruiserking]

I adore the QM2. The elegance and tradition of the Cunard ships is very appealing to me. Since the QM2 is not sailing out of New York until April of 2007, I have been flirting with the idea of booking one of the Noordam's winter cruises.

 

For anyone out there who has sailed both ships how would you compare them in regards to overall design, lounges, service, excursions, food, entertainment.

 

Are there many announcements broadcasted throughout the day? Does the Cruise Director hobnob with the passengers frequently and host games?

 

I've read many of the reviews of Noordam and looked at dozens of pictures. While many of her public rooms are attractive, personally, I find some of the design a tad on the garish side.

 

The Noordam's Caribbean itinerary is decent, but, at the end of the day, the ship is the trip, the ports are just gravy. I very much appreciate your comments.

 

Cruiserking

[sail7seas]

Noordam, Noordam, Noordam........

 

She is a gorgeous, fabulous, wonderful ship.

 

Noordam!!! :)

 

[bepsf]

Yes, Noordam is a lovely ship and probably along w/ Oosterdam the least garish of the Vista quartet.

Yes, the CD, cruise staff are very much in evidence - running games and often joining passengers in special dinners, evening/cocktail parties and other shipboard events. Sometimes you'll even see them in port enjoying themselves.

HAL also have more traditional touches/events similar to what you're probably accustomed to on Cunard like High Tea, a String trio after dinner in the Explorers lounge, traditional dancing and cocktails in the Ocean Bar, and Disco in the Northern Lights.

Since you're a Cunarder you may enjoy Noordam if for no other reason than she has a fairly similar layout to QV.

[gizmo]

My Aunt did the QM2 and loved it. She was a die hard fan of Hal until the Vistas. She sailed on the Oosterdam in Europe and did not like it. She also tried the Zuiderdam and hated it. (That was her cruise from h***) Hal was the only cruise line she sailed on for 40 - 50 years, with a minimum of 1 cruise a year, many being World Cruise segments. A couple of years ago she sailed on the QM2 and loved it. The only negative comment she had about the QM2 was the size. She likes smaller ships.

[Love Cruises]

I adore the QM2. The elegance and tradition of the Cunard ships is very appealing to me. Since the QM2 is not sailing out of New York until April of 2007, I have been flirting with the idea of booking one of the Noordam's winter cruises.

 

For anyone out there who has sailed both ships how would you compare them in regards to overall design, lounges, service, excursions, food, entertainment.

 

Are there many announcements broadcasted throughout the day? Does the Cruise Director hobnob with the passengers frequently and host games?

 

I've read many of the reviews of Noordam and looked at dozens of pictures. While many of her public rooms are attractive, personally, I find some of the design a tad on the garish side.

 

The Noordam's Caribbean itinerary is decent, but, at the end of the day, the ship is the trip, the ports are just gravy. I very much appreciate your comments.

 

Cruiserking

We were on the QM2 for a cruise to no where July 1-5, 2004. We were supposed to be back in NY harbor for the 4th of July fireworks/festivities but the NY security would not allow the ship to participate. The captain steered us up to Newport, RI for the 4th and the reception and fireworks there were fantastic. Of course, none of us were allowed off the ship in Rhode Island since it was a cruise to no where. The QM2 was too big for us and too glitzy. The morale of the crew members was very low at that time... in fact, our waiters didn't even introduce themselves. The food was not good at all. We understand though from other cruise friends that there was an overhaul of the staff sometime after this and things have improved for the better.

 

We were avid CUNARD fans... spending close to 200 days on the QEII which has really gone downhill.

 

We were on the Noordam this past March and enjoyed her so much more than the QM2. We felt there was so much more activities to participate in. The cruise director (Jason somebody) was someone we didn't particularly care for. You only saw him in the evening for the announcement of the shows. He made himself scarce most of the other time. The rest of the cruise staff, however, made up for Jason's lack of interest in the pax. QM2 had no games, trivia, etc. whereas the Noordam had many of those activities scheduled daily.

 

Personally, we have no plans to ever go back on the QM2 but would definitely go back on the Noordam if the itinerary appealed to us. We have become real HAL fans being on 8 of her ships since 2003. Right now HAL is number 1 on our cruiseship list and plans.

[pounder207]

Love Cruises: Help!!! My wife and I just back from the Crown Princess July 2 cruise. We have reservations on the Noordam for the March 31 Caribbean cruise. She likes the itinerary, but after Princess, is afraid there will be no activities on board the Noordam(horror stories from some of the Princess cruisers).

 

Any suggestions on where I can get a hold of the daily activities sheets from the Noordam's Caribbean cruises??

 

She really didn't like the QM2(actually, neither did I) and doesn't want a repeat.

 

Thanks. Bob

[ESLO]

Hi Cruiseking (Jonathan),

 

Thank you for your 7/3 reviews on our past cruise last week on the QM2. I enjoyed it very much. I am so glad we met you and your group last week on board. Must do it again! Your suggestions are special and very good. You know your observation sites.

 

You do know that we will be on the 10/14 cruise on the Noordam 11 day Southern Caribbean and would be glad to keep in touch with you on our personal reaction. Definitely two different experiences.

 

We have sailed on the past twice on the Rotterdam and know that the Noordam decor will be different and abit unusal. But we are keeping an open mind to the update look of a HAL ship. The Signature Series is the next class type ship that will be coming out next.

 

Till we talk next time......

 

Regards,

:cool: :) ESLO

(Ed & Bev)

[Bramcruiser]

Garish? I never found much about HAL ships garish. Anyway, you'd probably get about a dozen or so people vehemently defending HAL simply because this is the HAL board.

 

Personally, I'll wait and get back to you. Doing Cunard's QM2 for the first time in December. A comparison is impossible right now.

 

Its hard to form an opinion about Cunard other than it aims for a sophisticated element of the travelling public and that it has a long seafaring history behind it. It has only two ships and they are so totally different. One massive and mordern and the other smaller and from an era of cruising that no longer exists. I noticed Cunard fans are not fans of Cunard directly but rather fans of one or the other of the two ships. HAL fans tend to like the line across the board even though there is a segment that doesn't seem to like the new Vista class ships (which I have no problem with - loved the Oosterdam so can only expect good things from the Noordam). It'll be interesting to see if the new Queen Victoria will satisfy anyone.

 

Not knocking either line. Love HAL (good food, best beds on the sea, nice decor) and looking forward to Cunard. BTW, will also be doing the QE2 in 2007 so I can really say I sailed the entire Cunard fleet. he he he

 

David

 

Only negative about HAL - I'd say Carnival has the best entertainment. HAL does need to spruce up in this area but this is not the reason I cruise either.

[GMoney]

I have sailed both ships, and while neither are at the top of my preference list, I'd pick the Noordam in a second. I saw nothing that I would describe as garish. It's a sedate, nicely appointed ship. I found it to be very comfortable with great public areas. I love the Explorations room; I think it's the best of it's kind at sea, and I much prefer the Noordam's spa area to the QM2s.

[Love Cruises]

Love Cruises: Help!!! My wife and I just back from the Crown Princess July 2 cruise. We have reservations on the Noordam for the March 31 Caribbean cruise. She likes the itinerary, but after Princess, is afraid there will be no activities on board the Noordam(horror stories from some of the Princess cruisers).

 

Any suggestions on where I can get a hold of the daily activities sheets from the Noordam's Caribbean cruises??

 

She really didn't like the QM2(actually, neither did I) and doesn't want a repeat.

 

Thanks. Bob

We were on the Noordam for a Caribbean cruise this past March. Regretfully, I didn't keep the programs but believe me the days were packed with many activities. My husband and I especially love all the games and the trivia. We were going from one event to another. Also, on HAL ships they have sports activities which are a lot of fun. You don't have to be athletic to participate (believe me, because I am the least athletic person alive!). The games are golf chipping, shuffleboard, basketball throw, bean bag toss, ring toss, etc. Very easy events and you get DAM dollars for participating. At the end of your cruise you can redeem the dollars for sweat shirts, tee shirts, hats, water bottles ($30 dam dollars for sweat, $20 for t-shirt, etc). Just showing up you get a dam dollar so the dollars do accumulate. We particularly like these activities because you get to meet many of your fellow passengers.

 

Besides these games there are the great seminars, port talks, etc.

Believe me you will not be bored on the Noordam (as any other HAL ship).

[avalon1025]

The QM2 has one of the best spa's at sea. The QM2 is a amazing ship for crossing, the Noordam a lovely mass market ship great for a cruise.

[pounder207]

Love Cruises: Thanks for the response. I hope it makes my wife more comfortable about HAL. She's still a bit skittish from the QM2 experience and the horror stories from the Crown Princess passengers. Bob

[cruiserking]

Hi Cruiseking (Jonathan),

 

Thank you for your 7/3 reviews on our past cruise last week on the QM2. I enjoyed it very much. I am so glad we met you and your group last week on board. Must do it again! Your suggestions are special and very good. You know your observation sites.

 

Hi Ed,

 

Yes, I remembered that you and Bev are taking the Noordam in October. Thanks for the compliments on the cruise journal, still have a few days left to record before the memories evaporate completely.

 

It was great to meet you and Bev. I felt as if we were old friends after chatting away on the Cunard boards for three months or so. Look at this a Cunard Reunion here on the HAL Boards, scuze us folks.

 

Thanks everyone for your comments. We've decided to give the ms Noordam a whirl. I've just booked the January 6, 2007 11-day Caribbean voyage.

 

Love Cruises, all those passenger participation games sound like great fun. I like the idea of Dam Dollars. On the QM2 we were always in pursuit of the elusive yellow vouchers at trivia time, we will look forward to testing our smarts on the Noordam.

 

Ed, we'll have to compare our Noordam traveling notes sometime this winter. We look forward to sailing with you, Bev, Lottie and Stan aboard the QM2 in the near future.

 

Jonathan

 

P.S. Does ms stand for mail ship?

[CruiseShelly]

I'll be watching this post with great interest, especially since new friends from the recent 3 July QM2 trip are now here, too!! (i.e. CruiserKing and Eslo). We'll be booking the Noordam for 2007 or 2008, and I'll be interested in hearing about everyone's Noordam experiences! Our first cruise was on the previous Noordam (1989) and we absolutely fell in love with HAL and the ship. Can I get used to a new one? I hope so.

[cruiserking]

I'll be watching this post with great interest, especially since new friends from the recent 3 July QM2 trip are now here, too!! (i.e. CruiserKing and Eslo). We'll be booking the Noordam for 2007 or 2008

 

Hey CruiseShelly,

 

Why not join us on the January 6 voyage. I'm particularly fond of an early January cruise, it's a nice to enjoy after the holiday rush. It's always nice to have some QM2 pals aboard too. Let us know when and what you book.

 

Jonathan

[ESLO]

Hey CruiseShelly,

Why not join us on the January 6 voyage. I'm particularly fond of an early January cruise, it's a nice to enjoy after the holiday rush. It's always nice to have some QM2 pals aboard too. Let us know when and what you book.

Jonathan

 

Hi Jonathan,

Congrat on your booking of the Noordam on 1/6/2007. I was so glad to see you considering HAL again since your Rotterdam cruise. After this short trip, we are considering this as our full cruise. Your trip is the same amount of days and also the same layout of islands as ours. The only exception with both of our cruises is that you will be coming into St Thom & Dominica at 8AM and we will at 7AM. Otherwise we have the exact cruise in different parts of the year. You definitely should not have any hurricanes.

 

Yes, it would be nice for Cruiseshelly to consider the offer. I know that she was talking about it and was going to follow my postings before, during and afterward. She was considering a possible but did not state the time of year she would be interested. Not sure how she would booked, but should make a move to get what she wants.

 

Since we were suppose to do it in March and cancelled due to my medical problem we would have experienced it about the same season. I did start to look over the boards and also literature to get to know the ship better but stopped. Will start to do this again in August. So we can feel right at home on boarding. We are Early - Early sitting in the restaurant.

 

I also like to follow the booking section of the Fare area on the HAL site to see how the ship's bookings are doing. How fast is she filling up. Also how fast the dining room status is progressing.

 

I will keep in touch with you and also look to see when a Roll Call is started and who is heading it. I will keep in touch also to give you any insights that I may find.

 

Till next time.....

:) ESLO

(Ed & Bev)

[cruiserking]

I will keep in touch with you and also look to see when a Roll Call is started and who is heading it. I will keep in touch also to give you any insights that I may find.

 

That would be nice Ed. I'm very excited about trying a new ship. It's nice that you can see the excursions way in advance, I wonder if you can book them early or if you do that while your aboard.

 

Barbados is my favorite Caribbean island. I did a open air jeep type tour there a few years back one of the most fun excursions to date, second only to the train trip in Panama.

 

If you learn anything neat about Noordam or make any other discoveries, let me know. jpptrs@aol.com

 

Regards,

Jonathan

[CruiseShelly]

I'd jump at the chance to be with you all on the Noordam 6 January 2007, except for the fact that we are already booked on the QM2 Ft.Lauderdale to St.Thomas to Ft.Lauderdale that leaves 6 January!!!!! This time it will be my husband and myself. He's not saled the QM2 before, so he is in for a treat. But after that cruise, the Noordam is clear in my sights. I just had an email from HAL and they are sending me the Panama Canal Brochure has it has the deck plans for the Noordam.

[ESLO]

I'd jump at the chance to be with you all on the Noordam 6 January 2007, except for the fact that we are already booked on the QM2 Ft.Lauderdale to St.Thomas to Ft.Lauderdale that leaves 6 January!!!!! This time it will be my husband and myself. He's not saled the QM2 before, so he is in for a treat. But after that cruise, the Noordam is clear in my sights. I just had an email from HAL and they are sending me the Panama Canal Brochure has it has the deck plans for the Noordam.

 

Hi CruiseShelly (Shelly),

Longtime no talk and see. We were very happy to have met you & Janet (Say Hi!) and now going thru disembarkation withdrawal from all the people we have the pleasure to have met along with all the other fab CC's on that cruise. It would be a pleasure to meet them again.

 

We are now starting to go thru our paces for the Oct. cruise on the Noordam. Online Immigration Forms was completed yesterday and now waiting for the Final Payment sometime at the end of this month. Then we will rest till the Document Dance is performed on their arrival.

 

I have been privately keeping touch with Cruiseking (Jonathan) by email about our future adventures on our individual Noordam cruises. I know that Beverly definitely wants to return to the QM2 for a longer cruise. Possibly Caribbean and/or Panama Canal in the 10-12 day range to really get the full effect of the ship with sea days which you get to do more. I know my parents want to do the 2008 Panama Canal cruise and also Bev interested. I even think Jonathan is keyed into it. But time will tell and we will see. We have other cruises before that.

 

Well I know that you will be monitoring my roll call till Oct 14th for information. And will do my best possibly onboard to post or afterwards. I am not sure if others will do a Live On.... on that cruise also.

 

80 days till our boarding and 87 days till the Noordam will dock at St Maarten like the picture below.

 

If you would like to email me: eslomka@earthlink.net

 

Till the next time.......

Regards,

:cool: ESLO

(Ed & Bev)

[dougnewmanatsea]

I like HAL and Cunard - but for different reasons.

 

What I love about Cunard is the on-board atmosphere - the other passengers, the enrichment lectures, etc. Then again, I doubt the atmosphere is the same on Cunard cruises as it is on crossings. I don't know if I'll ever do a cruise on Cunard - I won't say that I won't, but I probably wouldn't choose Cunard for something other than a crossing.

 

On the other hand, HAL represents great value for money. While they maintain a very traditional product, the atmosphere just isn't the same as Cunard - but then, as I said, Cunard's cruises (as opposed to crossings) probably aren't the same either.

 

They're both excellent lines... Different, but very good.

 

Incidentally, I'm glad someone else thinks that QM2 ought to be based in New York, not Florida in the winter!

[CruiseShelly]

Thanks, Eslo. I'll be watching CruiserKing and your postings with great interest. I received a HAL brochure in the mail yesterday that has the Noordam deck plans in. Stuff to dream over!!!