10 Fabulous Days on the Elegant ms NoordamWhat more could you ask from a relaxing and elegant cruise vacation? Our 10-day cruise on the Southern Caribbean Wayfarer itinerary was nothing short of spectacular. This was our first visit to the Caribbean.• ABOUT US • This is our third cruise with Holland America Line and once again they earned our respect and highest praise for offering an outstanding vacation. My partner and I were joined on this cruise by our delightful mother and best friends plus their two children ages 15 and 11. We cruise for service, food (variety and quality), ship ambience and the escape afforded by the endless sea.• THE SHIP • The Noordam is an elegant ship and we prefer the design and layout to the Oosterdam. While the ships are essentially the same, there are some differences in the Explorer's Lounge on deck 3 that we really liked. This is a nice space in the ship that we never really found on the Oosterdam. The interior design of the Noordam is more elegant and classic, particularly in the Lido and Captain's Corner of the Crow's Nest. As you expect from Holland America, the deck 3 teak promenade, furniture and surrounding metal work is spotless. It provides a real sense of nautical pride and tradition. Perfect for "long walks on the sea".• OUR SUITE • Our previous cruises were on the Oosterdam (SA7086, SA7080) and this time we selected SA7048, which is the farthest port cabin forward, just aft of the penthouse. We preferred this cabin location as we frequent the Neptune Lounge for ice, delicious snacks, and to say hello to the wonderful concierge team of Doris and Reyan. In addition to the proximity to the Neptune Lounge, we also liked being closer to the forward elevators which put you right at the Explorer's Lounge, casino, spa, and Crow's Nest. Putu and Dwi, our gracious and professional cabin stewards were the best yet and were "never in the way, never out of reach". Their smiles and laughter were a genuine addition to the cruising experience.• THE ITINERARY • We just loved this itinerary. The Noordam alternates between the 10 day "Seafarer" and "Wayfarer" itineraries. We chose the Wayfarer because it starts with two sea days to "get you in the mood" and ends with the spectacular Half Moon Cay (more on that in a bit).We left Ft. Lauderdale in a beautiful lightning storm which put on a show all through the dinner service. This was a first for us and the captain (John Scott) assured me that as long as I was touching metal with one hand and holding a vodka in the other... my head would explode if lightning struck the ship. He had a great sense of humor so I relished reporting the next day that I tried all night and had no explosion to report. (For novices like me... when lightning strikes the ship, it passes unnoticed through the ship and into the sea.) The sunrise of the second day was proof that the storms were left in Florida and the weather was spectacular for the rest of our journey.The first port was St. Maarten. As first-timers to the Caribbean, I cannot express what excitement we felt when we opened the drapes to see the jewel-like, electric blue water in the harbor. The Caribbean water is just stunning and mesmerizing - a reason itself to make the trip. We took a taxi for $40 (thank you Selma of "Love's Paradise" taxi!) to the world famous Sunset Beach to watch the planes land over the sand. What a fun day this turned out to be! The beach was lovely, the water color and temperature were magic, the food at the bar was delicious (try the tuna steak sandwich!), and then add the thrill of commercial airliners landing right over your head. We all laughed and laughed. And rest assured, there are long periods in between landings so it is an occasional thrill that doesn't dominate your beach experience. The only downside of the day was my excitement to be in the sea made me forget sunscreen and well... the sun is hot. Consider yourself warned.St. Lucia was the next port of call. The harbor is just lovely. This was a special day for us as we brought the ashes of my uncle and grandfather to scatter into the sea. The ship allowed us to select a location and we chose the Pitons at Soufriere Bay. Iris the Guest Relations Manager, Doris and Reyan from the Neptune Lounge, Mark Pells the Hotel Director, and Frank the Cellar Master arranged for a wonderful private ceremony for us at the aft of the deck 3 promenade. The air was completely still as we placed the ashes and rose petals into the sea while sailing into the bay as the sun set on the Pitons. IT was a "wow" moment. The ship's photographer was present and sent us home with some lovely pictures commemorating the moment. We cannot thank the crew enough for arranging this memorable occasion we will cherish forever.Barbados was very fun as we booked the 5-Star Catamaran Swim with Turtles Excursion in advance of our cruise through HAL. The catamaran is purpose-built with wide open decks, a shaded recessed area, and a wrap-around bar! The three-man crew was really fun and friendly and provided great food, drink and laughs. Swimming with the turtles was a real highlight of the trip which included a second snorkel stop over a reef where we saw large "brain" coral and some colorful fish.Martinique was next and our friends raved about the lush gardens.At St. Thomas we booked the Champagne Catamaran sail to St. John through the ship. The harbor and town were very busy that day (7 ships) so we were happy to take a beautiful sail to St. John where we enjoyed a couple hours of snorkeling followed by drinks and a light snack (the Barbados catamaran provided a full lunch but was more expensive). We highly recommend taking a sailing excursion while you are on a cruise - it gives you a very intimate experience with the sea.The crown jewel in the itinerary was saved for last with HAL's private island, Half Moon Cay. Everything wonderful you read about Half Moon Cay is true. The sand is phenomenally fine and powder-soft and the water is electric blue. We rented the Private Oasis for the day and the food and bar service were off-the-charts fantastic. Francisco (Pinnacle Grill) was our butler for the day and he took such good care of us. There were bartenders and several cooking staff who prepared the lovely lunch - even cooking our steaks to order! The Private Oasis is a first class experience we will never forget. We named our giant floating mat the "I Wish I Could Stay Here Forever Too". I'm not kidding when I tell you there were tears shed as we took (were dragged onto...) the last tender from the island.• FOOD • We reserved a late fixed seating at table 50 (8 seat table) - a great table with awesome dining staff, Apri, Budiasa, and wine steward Nick. We really enjoy the variety and quality of the food in the main dining room and found it to be the same quality we have come to expect from our previous HAL cruises. We appreciated that Christian, the Assistant Dining Room Manager, made a point of stopping by every night with a friendly smile, story and inquiries about out day.We also enjoyed "An Evening at Le Cirque" which was very nice. The amuse of foie gras and rhubarb chutney, prime beef (very rare and sliced tableside), and crème brulee were so delicious and transported us to a different mental space... like we were living the grand high life of the luxury liner crossing days. Dante our server was a true delight with a generous laugh and Jenny the Pinnacle Grill Manager was beautiful and professional - it was a great evening.We used the Lido more than our previous cruises and some of the poolside barbecues. We remain amazed at how they prepare such a variety of high quality food for so many people. Also worth mentioning is the Pinnacle Grill daily display in the Neptune Lounge... again, always a treat to see what feast for the eyes and palette they can create.• THE CREW • The crew of the Noordam is first class. The CC Meet and Greet was well-attended by many officers and crew members which we appreciated. Mark Pells provided snacks and champagne which was also appreciated. Thanks to Candy for coordinating too.Mom and I took the "Behind the Scenes" ship tour which was hosted by Marc Thompson, the Onboard Marketing Manager. Marc is the consummate gentleman and was a wonderful host throughout the cruise. The tour itself was a unique experience mom and I would rate as a "must do" for any avid cruise addict. You gain a very deep appreciation for the incredible effort it takes to make these magnificent vessels run like clockwork while pleasing all the guests. The cost of the tour includes some lovely champagne (served between the provisions and waste management areas!), parting gifts, and cocktails at the end. You see the bridge, engine control room, laundry and tailoring (fascinating!) and many other interesting areas you would never otherwise see.This is a long review so if you made it this far, congratulations! I'll close by sharing that one of the most touching moments of the cruise was when we returned to our stateroom from Half Moon Cay. We always collect our favorite towel animals and keep them on a shelf of honor we call "the zoo". When we got back to the ship, Putu and Dwi had taken all the animals from the shelf, placed them on the bed, added one more animal friend, and left us a heartfelt note about "wanting us to come back and visit the zoo and that the animals would miss us". It was very meaningful and a classic Holland America Line touch of "friendly elegance".Thank you so much to the crew of the elegant ms Noordam for the Caribbean vacation of a lifetime! We hope to be onboard again as soon as time and resources permit.