Background

This was my eighth cruise with Holland America, and my fourth HAL big band cruise. I chose it specifically for the big band theme and am glad I did, since it does not appear that HAL has any big band cruises scheduled or 2007. This was my first experience with one of HAL's Vista Class ships, and frankly I had some misgivings about its size, as I usually choose ships ranging from 35,000 to 55,000 tons, such as HAL's Prinsendam and S-Class ships, Crystal's two ships, and Cunard's now-departed Vistafjord/Caronia. However, the Noordam easily accommodates its 1800 passengers and never seems crowded.

This was also my first experience with a ship built to the new "Signature of Excellence" standard, my last HAL cruise having been in December 2005 on the Maasdam, which had not yet undergone her Signature re-fit. So, I have no basis for comparison with the rest of the fleet, all of which I understand has now undergone the Signature of Excellence upgrading. However, I do have some reservations about some of the new features - some are excellent but others are, I feel, a step backward in the HAL experience. More about this later. Read more