Noordam Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Food too salty. Parts of the ship showed rust.Repetitive evening entertainment and artistes were less than talented. Lack of tourist attractions in NZ ports visited.NZ port / immigration authorities were less than welcoming and seemed to impose unnecessary restrictions on tourists.

Holland is our favorite line because they cater to older folks (we are 62 & 70); there are very few kids and they offer duplicate bridge.  We however heard a rumor they were trying to dump the bridge as an activity.  The Noordam was very nice - not too large and the food was the best of any Holland ship were have lived on.  The Noordam still has a traditional sing along piano bar which we love.  Mike McCabe was on contract and very, very talented.  We made our best friends on the cruise at the piano bar and at bridge.  The staff couldn't have been nicer and we loved the south seas and Australia/New Zealand itinerary.  The 39 days flew by for us.

We chose Holland America because our last cruise, years ago was so great. How the mighty have fallen. This trip might put us off cruising forever. I would like to start with the one positive from this cruise and that would be the staff. Yes the staff has a great incentive to provide excellent service and they do not disappoint. The entertainment was good, my only complaint there was the very limited number of songs the band in the BB King Club played. The play list was nearly identical every night, so after a couple of nights there was no real incentive to go back again, which was too bad because it was nice to sit and listen to live blues music. Food is a big reason to chose a cruise, but the food was uninspired and in some cases nearly inedible. The coffee served board could probably be used as fuel for the ship, except for the specialty coffee available for purchase from the Explorations Lounge. When booking our cruise we specifically noted on our reservations that our dining preference was Vegan. Had Holland America been forthright and honest they would have told us that they would not be able to provide a quality dining experience. Even the vegetarian dishes were either hidden away and you had to ask for them, or what was served did not resemble the description on the menu. The cruise industry has evolved a system that I call "PCES" (passenger's cash extraction system). What you get with your payment for your cruise is the bare necessities. Any experience enhancements cost money. Most annoying was the constant barrage of shopping seminars constantly rebroadcast on the in room television. The spiel is in my opinion, very deceptive. One particular store is pushed extensively, being Diamonds International. A long story is told about how they pass on savings by eliminating several levels of markup from the diamond trade. What they don't tell you is that Diamonds International is a division of DeBeers. Of course they can eliminate levels of distribution, but in the end the pricing is really no different than a smart shopper will find back home. On the web it is stated on several sites that the cruise ships get roughly 10% kickback from the stores from every customer they direct through those shops, that is the reason they are eager to make sure you have your VIP card when you get off the ship. Saving you money is not the reason. Get out and see the wilderness and leave the serious shopping for at home. If you see a souvenir you like, buy it because at the next port it might be sold out.

Nice cruise overall.  Lunches were a little chaotic on the Lido deck and disembarkment was awful.

saw lots of whales and the food was amazing.

my cabin was very nice, little dated but the ship is 10years old.

most of the crew was very friendly and the blues club was outstanding.

The cruise was wonderful, great service, friendly stuff, great food. 

The only problem that I had was with the booking of the cruise:  I have asked for the ocean view room, so that I could have the view from my room. So I got a fully obstructed view, I could not see any ocean at all from our room.  And the booking agent did not tell me about this.  So it was not a pleasant suprise. 

This cruise route is one that everyone should experience but during better weather and on a better cruise line. We have been on several cruises to various locations on other lines and found Holland American service inferior and the food very lacking in variety and quality. We found the services of our cruise agent () to be excellent.

We were in an SC class suite and was very disappointed in the condition of the room and its facilities.  The bathroom floor tiles were missing a large amount of grout.  Some entire sides were empty.  The outer door lock on our veranda door was nearly corroded away from sea air and salt water.  The deck was very rusty.  

The Main Dining Room food was good, as was the service,  and entertainment was surprisingly good.   A lot of the crew looked tired, not as outgoing as other HAL crews.  Will probably take a break from HAL cruising for awhile.

the cruise was great and as is with Holland America, the service and food was awesome.  Would have liked a bit more entertainment on board but other than that, can't complain.  The train ride from Denali to Anchorage was also great.  our rail guide kept us entertained and the scenery was breathtaking.  the only thing I can somewhat remark on in a slightly negative light is the hotel in Anchorage (Westmark).  It was not quite up to the Holland America standard.  It wasn't bad, just not what I would expect from HAL. 

the service was fantastic and the ship was very easy to get around.  The captain was great and always let us know when there was something you needed to see. The only complaint we had was the pillows.  The need replacing badly.

I was disappointed in the ship...it was ok but not grande....Never saw the captain..............Lots of extra expenses for entertainment on the ship...Food was ok...expected better.  The lido buffet was avoided due to the set up...no organization...guests all over the place...no body steering the crowd....rude rude rude guests.....

The cruise up the Inside Passage aboard Holland America's Noordam, stopping at various ports for all day shore adventures, returning each evening to dine in fabulous restaurants on ship, enjoying various activities on board and finally retiring to our cabin was an extraordinary experience above anything I even imagined. Our 14-day land adventure was equally amazing. Holland America personally guided our stays, transportation and excursions.  Topflight hotels and chalets plus luggage handling gave us the freedom to relax and immerse ourselves in the beautiful scenery and excursions. 

What makes this different from other cruises is that the scenery is awesome every step of the way. On other cruises, you enjoy the ship and ports of call. On this cruise it is all about what you are seeing as you cruise.  It was truly incredible and I think a cruise is the best way to experience Alaska. We did also enjoy the land portion as well. 

Being a first time cruiser, I have nothing to compare the cruise with.However, I feel Holland America knows how to make the Alaskan Cruise a special experience.  I cannot say enough about the staff. They were friendly, informative, accommodating, efficient, and provided impeccable service.  The food throughout the ship was great.  The dining room menu was creative and provided something for everyone. The buffet, too, had a wide selection of choices. Check out the burger at the poolside grill!  It is as good as any at gourmet burger restaurants.  My spa experiences were equally as good.  It was obvious the ship's captain wanted to showcase the Alaskan landscape and was an excellent wildlife spotter, important for an Alaskan cruise. The entertainment is overall OK, but loved the band in the BB King Blues Lounge and the Piano Bar entertainer. Besides, we were tired in the evenings from shore excursions and cruise activities.  The reason I cannot give the cruise 5 stars is there was a mechanical issue with a part of the ship (non-navigational) and it cost a nearly an entire day of the cruise/excursions.   I am looking forward to cruising again.

We had a good time.  We were disappointed in our balcony as people around us used the balcony to smoke therefore impacting our ability to be in a smoke free area.  We did share our concerns with the staff but we were told people had a right to smoke on their balconies.  Unfortunately it impacted us. The cruise amenities were otherwise grand.  This was our second cruise different ship, stayed in the same type of room, veranda balcony and this room was much smaller and more cramped.  However we had plenty of space for things and you don't spend a lot of time in your room.

The food was improved from our first cruise, it was outstanding and the opportunities were plentiful for activities for our 13 year old granddaughter

Ship and connections were great.  I asked you to ma and  sure I had an extension cord for my c-pap machine,  Had to wait for them to locate extension cord.  Also, I told you  it was my birthday on July 21.  It was not recognized at all by the crew or dining staff.  Very disappointed.

Our favorite part of the trip was cruising Glacier Bay - the magnificent scenery 

throughout the trip.  When I reflect, there were many favorite things.  I enjoyed swimming in the pool.  We enjoyed the food which was excellent.  We enjoyed meeting people from all over the world.  The entertainment was good. We especially enjoyed the classical music.  We enjoyed just resting - watching the ocean and mountains  Captain Bos was excellent - very thoughtful and kept us informed of the schedule, wildlife sites.  The service and crew were pleasant, considerate.  I could go on and on.  We truly enjoyed the trip and look forward to another one some day.  What would I change?  Its hard to think of anything.  Mabe more vegetarian options for food as we normally don't eat meat.  

but again, thankyou!

Jennifer and Tony Yeow

Our Holland America cruise to Alaska was a wonderful experience.  The staff could not have been more attentive. From the Housekeeping staff to the Front Desk to the Dining Room staff, everyone went out of their way to pampered us. The Dining Room Staff made certain to provide us with the seating we requested and the Menu had many options to satisfy every palate.

Alaska is a must see for those who love the beauty of nature. The ports of call were well chosen. Glacier Bay National Park was incredible.

The food was very good and our verandah cabin was more than adequate.  Not often you get a full sized bathtub these days.  The cruise was a typical itinerary and we followed or were followed by a Princess ship and a Crystal ship from port to port. Three days in three small, dreary ports were too much for a seven day cruise.  Entertainment on board was minimal.  For a ship some ten years old, the Noordam is in remarkably good condition and the public areas are quite upscale even today with marble floors, glass and brass.  Very nice lounge areas, gaming area, and quite seating nooks.

What a great itinerary!  Just enough time in ports with a stunning ending at the Glacier Bay National Park.  The crew was absolutely fabulous--nothing was too much trouble.  A wide variety of adult activities (i.e., no hairy chest contests), and some good entertainment.  Fellow passengers were a variety of young and old. There were some children on board, but they were few and well behaved.  The food ranged from very good to wildly outstanding.  Of note was the "Dive In", a hot-dog and hamburger hub by the Lido pool.  I normally limit myself to one hot dog a year, but had 5 on this cruise!  Addictive!  The sticky pecan buns at breakfast are sure to develop a cult following.  My only (and I mean small) complaint was dinner at the Pinnacle Grill.  The food was good, but not great.  A small flaw in an otherwise perfect experience.

Lovely ship, very clean. Food was better than other cruise lines that we have been on (NCL, RC) Only complaint was that the latest you can be seated for dinner is 9PM and the mealtime hours were shorter than we have been used to on other ships.

The spa was nice, but the gym was filled with dated equipment many with non-working monitors, or no monitors at all.

The Staff and crew were terrific.

All in all we had a wonderful vacation on HAL