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Holland America Line

MS Noordam

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Vince Sol
# previous cruises: 6
Date of Trip: July 20, 2001
Itinerary: Baltic/Black Sea/Russia

In a word this cruise was disappointing. We have sailed on Holland-America several times and this trip did not live up to what we have come to expect from the line.

The public areas are adequate but the casino seems to be located on walk through thoroughfare. In the dining room you have to walk through serving stations to get to many of the tables. The crows nest is an intimate lounge with a spectacular view.

The food was fine and the service staff quite attentive.

The cabins on this vessel are awful. While they are large enough they lack most amenities (there was no table on which to serve meals in ours). The plumbing backed up, the carpet and draperies are threadbare,the lamp shades stained, and the walls in the cabin and bath were chipped. Also, the phones didn't work for two days.

We found no entertainment of any interest other than the amateur show.

The ship stopped at Tallin, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Wedermunde, and Copenhagen. The side trip to Berlin was a colossal rip off. The fee for the excursion was not worth sitting on an uncomfortable train for 3 hours each way.Copenhagen was poorly done. Little port information was provided and the side trip to Tivoli was during the second seating and the Lido was closed.

One of the things we have always liked most about HAL is the shipmates we met and this was equally true on this trip.