So today we drove home after a very nice 14 days on board the ms Nieuw Statendam. We would prefer a smaller HAL ship (hence we are going to try Viking next February with 900 passengers) and we hope that HAL/Carnival will build some as HAL is losing customers to Viking as they have 12 midsized cruise ships that can call at smaller ports. (That will also make it easier to find another port during inclement weather) Something I was used to when I was with the ms Veendam (now still laid up in Greece) and ms Prinsendam (now ms Amera) in Europe.
Will we be back ???. YES. My Lord and Master has already booked a 14 day cruise in 2027 in the Baltic (September 17) with the Nieuw Statendam. There are some ports there, that were not visited by HAL during my days of sailing (Klapeida, Gdansk, Riga etc.)
The only real two complaints were:
A. the noise in the dining room in the “As You Wish” part. It could be quite easily fixed by HAL (egg shell sound proofing of ceiling, something I have seen at other companies). But for ourselves it also was easily avoided. Being married to an (almost) 700 day Mariner gave an extra Specialty Restaurant visit (plus extra one that came with the “Have it All package) and made it that the dining room was easily avoided, But my greatest respect for Host Fernando and his team to make it all work during the rush hours of serving. (We went twice to New York Pizza as well when we knew it was quiet)
B. The overbooking in the Pinnacle Restaurant near the end of the cruise. There is really no excuse for that, and it is not nice to expose the staff to this, when all they want to do is deliver the service that Holland America indicates, is famous for and expect them to deliver.
What would be nice:
A part of Crows nest that could be used for cocktails in the evening (the portside and midships), with a proper ambience and with all broken equipment removed. And maybe a small stage in the corner for a guitar player??
The late show to start at 21.30. It would relieve congestion (between 19.00 and 19.30) in the dining room and just give everybody enough time to enjoy a “good dinner experience”, instead of a rushed “going to eat”.
For the rest many compliments for our cabin stewards (hardly ever to be seen as usual), the cheerful Lido staff and the very had working Bar Staff, who did earn their money with soo many cocktail loving Dutch on board. Same for the Kitchen staff who kept up the best Lido afloat and delivered in the specialty restaurants even under high pressure circumstances. We liked the shows and the Dualling Piano’s and also the classical trio but we stayed away from the Rock lounge and BB Kings as the volume is way too high for people with good ears.
A pity was the sudden ending of the Orange Party, that was just gearing up (under the infectious enthousiasm of Miss X) and then it went back to BB. King, what a bummer.
This time we had a Vista Suite but her ladyship found it too small so next time we go for Neptune Suite. As ex HAL I can get discounted fares but with the danger that it all gets cancelled at the last minute, if the ship is fully booked or they can do an up-sail. Hence we book in the normal way via a travel agent. We do not have children so there is no excuse for not spending our inheritance anyway.
ms Nieuw Statendam
ms Queen Anne
On day 3 (4 if counted from Dover) I promised a comparison between HAL and Cunard now they both operate Pinnacle class ships (Costa Cruises has some as well).
This is a personal rating and the one that wins is in bold.
HAL Cunard: ,
Capacity 2600 Capacity 2900
Deck 1 Atrium Grand Lobby
Cunard has this wonderful space with a sitting area, coffee bar, drawing room, games room and in the corner the Pursers office. HAL has changed a previously completely lost space into the Park West art gallery. The Front desk is on desk 3, which is prime space now handed over to offices. Cunard has Shops here and open walking space for the guests.
Meeting Rooms ?????
For incentive cruises, HAL has 3 nice meeting rooms here. Could not find anything on Queen Anne except two small rooms.
Note: Meeting Rooms versus Pursers Desk location is a money decision to attract more groups. But I wonder with Cunard if the extra guest space provided does not generate a lot of revenue per square foot to offset the use of the function rooms. Cunard Shops and Barista bar where was always doing a good trade, when were there. (Ad I do not know if the knitting group we had on board this cruise were drinking very much)
Dining room 4 venues
Cannot compare as with Cunard as their restaurants are connected to your cabin class and get better with the size of the cabin, But Cunard has the same problems with “As You Wish” dining as HAL in the main dining room.
World Stage Royal Court
Cunard has a conventional setup and no LED screen. It is oke, but for lectures and shows the HAL LED screens knocks spots of Cunard.
CrowsNest Commodore Club
Cunard has a setup that HAL used to have back in 1992 with the arrival of the S-class, with comfy chairs and tables, an extensive bar and cocktail music.
Tamarind Sir Samuels Cunard’s expensive steakhouse looks like a cafetaria.
Library Library Cunard has many more books and a librarian.
Club HAL xxxxxx Cunard has a space but it is not as elaborate as HAL.
Grand Dutch Cafe Carinthia
The menu options and service are much better with Hal. Cunard took away the mid partition and thus created more tables. The GDC is too small between 1000 and 1400 hrs.
Ocean Bar Chart House Bar
Cunard has this beautiful round bar instead of a row of chairs backing into the Musicn Walk – walkway and half of the sitting area used by guests waiting for the Sel de Mer or Pinnacle.
Queens Lounge Queens Lounge.
For HAL, the most beautiful lounge on the high seas. For Cunard, they have a nice orchestra and dance floor in there, with good secondary shows, but only one (small) pathway on the starboard side, causing congestion and people standing in the way, while watching what goes on when going from one lounge to the other. The “Music Walk” flow works much better.
Pinnacle Space taken up by the Cunard Club Class Restaurant.
Rudy’s Sel de Mer Space taken up by the Cunard Club Class Restaurant.
Canaletto Lido Tramonto / Lido
At Cunard the space looks like a road restaurant with pretensions.
Regular Lido space Indian / Lido
At Cunard, the space looks like an road restaurant with pretensions.
Lido Restaurant Lido Restaurant. (Lido Market versus Artisans Food Hall)
HAL has much more variation and longer opening times.
Dressy nights Formal nights Cunard has formal and enforces it. And we love dressing up.
HAL service Cunard Service
Although the service at Cunard is very good, we always get the feeling that the Cunard crew serve us to do us a favor, instead of HAL “being happy to serve”.
HAL bar Prices Cunard Bar prices Cunard is very expensive.
HAL Drinks Package Cunard Drinks Package. This is a bit more complicated but:
Hal top package = $ 65.95 a day (with drinks to a maximum of 15 at $ 15,– each)
Cunard top package = $ 72,– a day (with drinks to a maximum of 15 at $ 13.50 each)
But if you book “Have it all ” (which Cunard does not have) then you get included WIFI, Drinks, Tips. $ 200 shore excursions and 2 x Specialty Restaurants . AND THAT MAKES THE HAL DRINKS A VERY GOOD DEAL.
So in general AND THIS IS US PERSONALLY, we like Holland America better as a whole. Regardless of having worked for HAL a very long time. But we are going on the ms Queen Victoria for the Christmas Cruise as it has more style and everybody dresses up. We are not going back to Queen Anne.
Looking a the number of hits, in the last 14 days, and the numbers of comments (thank you very much, much appreciated) I will do another blog for our next cruise in July. ms Amera (ex Prinsendam) of Phoenix Reisen in Germany. It will be a seven day cruise to Norway. I was 3 years Captain on the ship so we want to see what the Germans have done with it.
In the mean time, I will continue to add information to the Captain’s bio’s.
Thank you for your continued interest.
