short review Noordam 14 night Xmas cruise

We are a party of six (from Europe) with 3 teenagers and were on board
the HAL Noordam from Dec 22 to Jan 5 from NYC to the Southern
Caribbean and back to NYC. We flew direct Geneva-NYC and spent one day
prior to the cruise in Hilton Garden Inn on 8th Av (48 St) which was
excellently located. We spent two days at sea, visited 9 islands (one
per day - Gd Turk, Tortola, St Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Trinidad,
Barbados, St Maarten, Puerto Rico; very intense) and then back two
days at sea.
The ship is beautiful, service excellent, entertainment mediocre, an
elderly crowd on board, Atlantic was rather rough (both ways), food
was excellent, cabins were very good although the unfolding couch was
not ideal as far as circulating in the cabin was concerned (we had two
obstructed view cabins on upper promenade deck).
Sailing out of NYC was an interesting experience but the ship will
stop sailing from NYC as of spring 2008, apparently because of high
fuel costs at full speed during two times two days. Downside was the
lack of ball room possibilities (only one tiny dance floor in Ocean
Café on deck 3). The midship huge covered pool area is a real plus and
it was very well used during sea days on the Atlantic. Every island
was new to us (being from Europe this was only our second cruise in
the Caribbean but we know the Mediterranean inside out).
Will post a longer review soon.
Frank

On Jan 21, 10:21 am, SwissCruiser wrote:
We are a party of six (from Europe) with 3 teenagers and were on board
the HAL Noordam from Dec 22 to Jan 5 from NYC to the Southern
Caribbean and back to NYC. We flew direct Geneva-NYC and spent one day
prior to the cruise in Hilton Garden Inn on 8th Av (48 St) which was
excellently located. We spent two days at sea, visited 9 islands (one
per day - Gd Turk, Tortola, St Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Trinidad,
Barbados, St Maarten, Puerto Rico; very intense) and then back two
days at sea.
The ship is beautiful, service excellent, entertainment mediocre, an
elderly crowd on board, Atlantic was rather rough (both ways), food
was excellent, cabins were very good although the unfolding couch was
not ideal as far as circulating in the cabin was concerned (we had two
obstructed view cabins on upper promenade deck).
Sailing out of NYC was an interesting experience but the ship will
stop sailing from NYC as of spring 2008, apparently because of high
fuel costs at full speed during two times two days. Downside was the
lack of ball room possibilities (only one tiny dance floor in Ocean
Café on deck 3). The midship huge covered pool area is a real plus and
it was very well used during sea days on the Atlantic. Every island
was new to us (being from Europe this was only our second cruise in
the Caribbean but we know the Mediterranean inside out).
Will post a longer review soon.
Frank

Glad you had a great time .Yes it can be rough this time of year .HAL
is not a very good line for teenagers . We stop taking our 2 teen
boys.after our cruise on the Zuiderdam in 03 .But club HAL for the
younger set is great .Just not much for teens to do on HAL .When we
take the boy"s now it"s RCCI or Carnival. great lines for teenagers !
And you will find a more elderly crowed on a long HAL cruise . I will
be on the Noordam 2/16/08 for 11 day .I like HAL cruise .It"s more of
what a cruise use to be in todays market,and after 3 RCCI"s last
year .I am looking for a more layed back cruise. I"m looking forward
to leaving from NYC in the wintertime.PS i was at the pier when you
left .
Ken G........................