Noordam Review
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My wife and I are both in our early 50's. We cruise every other year with our two best friends and have been on RCCL (2),Princess,NCL,and this year decided to try HAL on the recommendation of my father in law. A big plus for us was the Noordam was sailing out of New York and so we only had a 2 hour drive to the dock and would not have the hassle of flying.
Embarkation: Very quick and efficient. We were onboard within 1 hour of arriving at the terminal. Easily the best we've experienced. Since it was still early we went to the Lido Buffet for lunch and explored the ship for a bit until our rooms were ready. Stateroom: We had an obstructed view outside room on the upper promenade deck. At first it seemed great but as we were standing at the floor to ceiling window enjoying the view a huge lifeboat was hoisted up and planted right in front of us! Oh well ,the view was still better than an inside room which we have had in the past. The room was nice but a bit smaller than other lines and my wife didn't like the way the larger closet door was opposite the bath door and would get in the way. The bed was by far the most comfortable we've ever experienced. Ship: The Noordam is a beautiful ship and about what I expected,very elegant and low key. I agree with other reviews that there was no "WOW" factor. The public rooms were a bit small for a ship this size and the ceilings were low. The Vista Show lounge was a disappointment. It was poorly designed and had many obstructed sight lines due to columns supporting the balcony. The covered pool midship was nice but whenever the roof was closed it became very humid and stuffy. I did like the teak decks .
Dining: We were seated on the lower level in the Vista dining room and had the pleasure of dining with another couple from England,Avril and Isaac and we all enjoyed sharing stories all week. The food was very good overall but not as "dressed up"as some other cruises we've been on. Our waiter and his assistant were efficient but not very friendly or attentive. It took them 3 days to learn our names. On other cruise lines the wait staff were very animated and friendly and made you look forward to dinner every night. This was a big disappointment.