Thread: Review of the MS Noordam 2010

10-DAY MEDITERRANEAN ALLURE 2-12 August 2010 HollandAmerica Line

We experience a consistent quality every day about service, information, food, hygiene, kindness and amazing teamwork between crewmembers.
Embarkation on the MS Noordam was smooth and quick, they provide us with cool drinks and cakes.
The safety drill onboard of the MS Noordam was this time without life jacket and quick finish. From the first alert signal everybody knows where to go, leading by crewmembers fast and orderly to the right direction.

Two things which was a bit disturbing, HAL decide for the first 48 hours onboard not allow self service on the Lido because of earlier outbreak of the Novo virus on 2 of their ships. Although it was a little unpleasant we could understand the reason of this decision but this has only sense so long as nobody leave the ship. As soon as people leave the ship to visit a port, they can bring the virus also onboard again when they return. I see people drink water from fountains in Rome because they belief it's clean, but this water is not clean because it recycling all the time. It's better to give people good information how to avoid such a illness at the moment they book a cruise.
This time we also discover more maintenance onboard like painting and grinding on decks between cruisers, this is should be don after cruise in a dock and not during a cruise.

The Soda cards have been change, the price is $25 but you get credit for $50 that means you can order 22 cans incl. service charge.

The shows in the theatre has been much improve with a professional sing and dance group with very professional décor, scenery and costumes a must to see.

During the cruise we get a message that the port of Rome (Civitavecchia) has raise it's price with $6,11 per person and will be added to the bill. But on the end of our cruise we get a surprise with $50 discount on our bill, a nice gesture of HAL.

The first day's we get a bit rouge sea because of some thunderstorms far away.

More about this review with pictures and video can be read on my weblog.

Hi, I really LOVED your site and have already begun telling others about it! Thanks for taking the time to make such a wonderfully detailed review complete with amazing photos! (really loved the ones of the food at Pinnacle)

I am so envious, looked like an amazing cruise! Maybe someday

Thanks for your review. Your website was lots of fun. The photographs tell a wonderful story. You are a great looking couple and I hope we get a chance to cruise with you someday. Lee

Originally Posted by luckybluesman

Thanks for your review. Your website was lots of fun. The photographs tell a wonderful story. You are a great looking couple and I hope we get a chance to cruise with you someday. Lee

Thank's for your kind words luckybluesman and SailKeyWest who knows maybe some day we just meet each other on a cruise

Thanks for the review, Nedstar. To get it a little more visibility, please feel free to add it to our Cruise Review search engine here:

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Originally Posted by timwilloughby

Thanks for the review, Nedstar. To get it a little more visibility, please feel free to add it to our Cruise Review search engine here:

http://www.cruiselinefans.com/hc/review/add

Thank's for your advice, I just add it

Originally Posted by nedstar2

Thank's for your advice, I just add it

Awesome. I'll make sure to post it on twitter and Facebook!

Originally Posted by timwilloughby

Awesome. I'll make sure to post it on twitter and Facebook!

I'm very happy you post it for me, thank's very much for your kindness.

Loved your review.

HAL started the Code Ornage on all their ships in March 2010 -- it varies from 48 - 72 hours -- depends on ship and captain.

It will not be discontinued any time soon.

nedstar:

So glad to read your review. My friend and I are sailing on the Noordam 23 Nov for our "traditional" American Thanksgiving cruise. A neighbor of hers reported great disappointment during her Mediterranean cruise just recently: "old, dirty; staff rude, inefficient; 3 days of buffet only, etc., etc." We were concerned.

Your review (and fascinating pictures) makes me feel more comfortable that we chose the right ship.

I've done 7 Holland America cruises, all on different ships, and still think they're the best, especially for my age group (shall we say, "over 70?")

SWR