I just returned from an 11 night cruise on the Noordam, sailing to the Southern Caribbean. We left New York City, sailing past Lady Liberty (a spectacular sight in itself) and headed for open water. The sea was a bit rough, but we were so busy investigating every aspect of the ship that we hardly noticed. I was immediately impressed with the beautiful, classy surroundings. Everything was so very clean and sparkling it was hard to imagine that just hours before we arrived, another group had departed. We had a veranda room on the fourth deck and it was very nice. We truly appreciated the veranda the further south we went and could sit outside and enjoy the ocean view.

From our first meal in the Vista Dining Room until the last breakfast in the Lido cafe, we enjoyed some the most fabulous meals I have ever had abroad ship. Our waiters and wine steward were wonderful, always making us feel they were happy to see us, answered questions thoroughly, and by our second night, we looked forward to seeing them again. They catered to our every wish and always with a smile! We found the service throughout the ship to be extraordinary. Whether it was someone polishing the magnificent brass throughout the ship, the doorman at the Lido, or the waiters during the shows, everyone we met made us feel so welcomed. I can say with all honesty that the service we received on this ship was above and beyond anything I had experienced on previous cruises. Our cabin attendant was fabulous, and we so enjoyed the towel animals, chocolates, etc we had everyday.

The Cruise Director, Drew, and his entertainment staff are first-rate. They made sure we had plenty to do if we wanted to participate, and all the entertainment was top-notch. The cruise singers and dancers were great even though some nights the ship was rocking and rolling they held it together and gave us wonderful entertainment. The guest entertainers were great too. From morning til night, we could be as involved as we chose to be. Read more