New Zealand in March
Noordam Cruise Review to South Pacific - Australia
14 Night New Zealand Discovery (Sydney Roundtrip)
Sail date: March 01, 2018
Ship: Noordam
Cabin type: Balcony
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 6 years ago
Review summary
Overall, It was very relaxing and well organised. Holland America has an air of reliability and we met many passengers who had sailed with them multiple times. We missed two ports and almost missed a third because of storms and it was rainy several days. March is probably not the best time to visit NZ. The day at Milford, Doubtful and Dusky sound was beautiful. We didn’t get much opportunity to use our balcony because of the weather, so not certain it was worth having it. Taking everything into consideration, the cruise was very good value.Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Vista Dining Room
Dinner service was very efficient and food quite good considering the numbers served each day. Just compare the experience to a large conference or function dinner, not an expensive fine dining dinner for two and you’ll be OK. The menu changed day to day, so we didn’t get bored. Only thing I didn’t really enjoy were the soups - most tasted as if they’d been stretched too far. Although there were vegetable dishes available, we found the overall quantity of vegetables less than we are used to. We found breakfast service a bit slow but enjoyed sharing tables with others. Afternoon tea was very good and also a nice social experience.
Lido Market
Amazing choice on offer. Easy to build a more homestyle meal here for a change from the main restaurant. Small dishes and desserts are pre-plated for you to pick up, the rest is served at the different food stations. Liked being able to have a salad made up or pasta cooked to order with a choice of ingredients. Wide variety of Asian dishes over the course of the cruise. Can be a bit busy and noisy with people moving about all the time, but good for a quicker meal and maximum choice. Good choice of teas. We also ate one dinner at Canaletto, the Italian restaurant which takes up part of the Lido. This is cheaper than the Pinnacle Grill, the service was great and we enjoyed everything.
Explorer's Lounge
Nice comfortable spot but I thought the coffee was really awful. I did meet someone who thought it was wonderful, so only you can tell.
Pinnacle Grill
Ate here one night only. It is a very pretty venue. Food was superior to the main dining room - the halibut dish with prawns and garlic butter with a side of asparagus I ate was delicious. The service wasn’t very engaged or engaging considering it costs extra and we preferred the friendliness of the main dining room.
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
Before I went on the Noordam I wondered whether an older ship would be OK, knowing it’s due for a refit. Don’t worry about the age of the ship - it’s only a part of the cruise experience. Yes, there are small signs of wear and tear, but the service and overall experience is still very good indeed. Most passengers were in the 55-70 age group and a lot were couples. This suited us fine but suggest you think whether that’s what you want.
Ports of call
Port Chalmers (Dunedin), New Zealand
Akaroa, New Zealand Did not visit port
Auckland, New Zealand Did not visit port
Waitangi, Bay Of Islands, New Zealand Did not visit port