This was our second cruise on HAL. The moms liked our first cruise so much (Alaska Inside Passage) so much that I decided to try something a little more adventurous for our second cruise. So after 5 nights touring Rome on our own, we continued our adventure around the Western Med. I apologize for the lateness of this review; hopefully it will help anyone who is planning a similar itinerary for this coming October!

Ship: Noordam was a lovely ship; gracious and genteel staff as always (a plus for me because anything that the moms, who are in their 80's, needed were quickly attended to by HAL's wonderful attendants. We had access to the Concierge Lounge -- another plus if you think you might need a bit of extra assistance. For us, booking the larger cabin was well worth the extra $.

Cabin: The moms and I travel very well together so we all got along splendidly even though the idea of 3 women in one cabin might terrify some...! I slept on the sofa bed and found it very comfortable. The moms love HAL's great beds/linens. The only time the cabin was "tight" was when the sofa bed was open. I brought along a night-light in case anyone had to get up in the middle of the night, there would be no stubbed toes... When you book a Deluxe Verandah Suite, not only do you get the balcony (a great place to drink wine, play cards and watch the ever-changing scenery) but you also get both a shower and a tub. This was also a great safety feature for the moms -- showering on a slightly moving ship when you are any age, but especially when you are 80+, can be a neat trick. We had no mishaps and the moms felt perfectly steady the entire cruise. Read more