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A New York Night Aboard The New NOORDAM continued
Published April 23, 2006. Page Two
The gyroscope and ceiling from the Main deck level of the Atrium. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
The Warhol print of Queen Beatrix. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
At the atrium's main deck level is a small bar with a marble and glass counter. Just around the corner facing the purser's desk is another Vista component, a Warhol print of The Netherlands' Queen Beatrix.
A colorful bust of former Queen Juliana guards the entrance to the Queen's Lounge.
Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
A culinary demonstration in the NOORDAM's Queen's Lounge by guest chef Michael Lamonico.
Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.ÊContinuing forward along Lower Promenade deck, the semicircular 170 seat Queen's Lounge and bar are open to the walkway on the starboard side of Lower Promenade deck. This particular lounge has been fitted with large lcd screens and a cooking station for the Signature of Excellence culinary arts demonstrations. The room has also been enhanced to offer alternate cabaret-style performances. On the port side of the diagonally-situated Queen's Lounge is the 58 person capacity Northern Lights Disco, laid out with dance floor aft and bar space forward. One must pass through the neon-fringed 199 person capacity Casino forward of the Queen's Lounge in order to reach the 3 deck expanse of the NOORDAM's Vista Lounge Showroom on Lower Promenade deck.
The Sports Bar, facing aft. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
The Piano Bar, facing forward. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
On the starboard side of the Casino is the attractive brown, orange, and brass-hued 42 seat Sports Bar with its multiple television screens. It adjoins the 70 seat Piano Bar just forward. Both of these rooms have full length windows and the Piano Bar is slightly different from those on the other Vista ships with its circular bar nestled in the center of the room. The Piano Bar is done up in very rich crimson soft fittings with eye-piercingly shiny metal pillars and neon trim. From Lower Prom deck, one enters the Vista Lounge at the back of the main level.
The Vista Lounge, facing port from the balcony. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
We proceeded up the aft stairs to the semicircular Promenade deck level balcony for a better overall view of the well-laid out room which has a distinctive burnt orange and purple pallete topped by a circular draped red fabric floral ceiling fixture. The sight lines in the 998 seat room are mostly excellent and its stage facility is one of the most advanced at sea with elevated platforms, and a myriad of sound and lighting effects to enhance HAL's big production shows.
As with all of the Holland America ships, the Promenade deck features a full wraparound teak circuit along its perimeter. These are among the most attractive and coveted promenades at sea.
The NOORDAM's Explorations Cafe, shown facing forward, is one of the ship's main social hubs.
Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.Inboard, the public rooms continue aft from the Vista Lounge with the excellent new 73 seat Explorations Cafe. Combining the coffee bar and internet cafe space into one room makes a great deal of sense. The room is "powered" by the New York Times, making the latest editions of the newspaper and its internet resources readily available to passengers. On the port side, across the passage from Explorations, is the trio of Half Moon, Hudson, and Stuyvesant meeting rooms which can be joined in various combinations that can seat a total of 90.
The Shopping arcade is next aft. The passageway is wider here than on the prior ships when the shops are closed, allowing for better passenger flow. However, when the shops are open, the displays extend into the outer reaches of the passage.
Facing down and forward/port from the Atrium's Promenade deck level. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
Where's the bar? Shown facing aft, the aft/starboard gallery in the Ocean Bar is now just an attractive, open seating area.
Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.The 150 seat Ocean Bar occupies the upper level of the Atrium and differs from the other Vista ships by having the bar relocated to the aft/port side of the room instead of the gallery extending along the aft starboard side. It's primary color scheme of rich red, gold, and blue is nicely illuminated by the span of windows on the starboard side.
The Photo Gallery, facing aft. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
The passenger flow continues aft along the starboard side via the Photo Gallery which then leads us back to the upper level of the Vista Dining Room.
After finishing our circuit of the lower public rooms, Rob and I adjourned to the 446 seat Lido Restaurant. One of the better seagoing rooms of its ilk, the Lido has a wide selection of cuisine at various stations which offer everything from pizza and pasta to a salad bar, standard buffet selections of a soup, cooked vegetables, potatoes, and a roast of some kind to a separate deli, Asian cuisine, and a separate dessert and ice cream bar.
Facing forward from NOORDAM's expanded aft Lido. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
We ventured all the way aft to the open lido platform and its large, inviting pool area.
A view over the Lido from aft Observation deck. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
Careful not to slip on the occasional puddle of ice, we continued our journey up to the aft Sports deck for a view over the stern.
NOORDAM's twin funnels from aft/starboard Observation deck. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
A corner of the Club HAL children's facility. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
Facing aft from the starboard side of the forward Sports deck. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
From here, it was forward along the starboard Observation deck, a quick peek at the 90 seat Club HAL with its separate children and teen facilities, and then all the way up along the closed Magrodome roof to the forward Sports deck for a shot over the NOORDAM's midships architecture.
Down the stairs one level to Observation Deck, entering on the starboard side, we visited the 26 seat Oak Room, HAL's topside haven for cigar smokers, before entering the always spectacular expanse of the 230 seat Crows Nest. Divided into three sections by screens separating the forward portion from the port and starboard sides, the Crow's Nest features angled full length windows that overlook the bow of the ship from the equivalent height of a twelve storey building. As expected, the room was packed with agents and guests who were savoring the view of Manhattan's skyline from its warm vantage and well-stocked open bar.
Greenhouse dream? Imagine the 1957-built STATENDAM's D. ten Hoedt etched glass panels returned to a similar area on a Holland America Line newbuild. Peter Knego collection.
We continued down one level to the Greenhouse Spa, its excellent gym and aerobics facility, adjoining steam room, thalassotherapy pool, and beauty salon. Here, we paused for a moment to envision the etched glass panels depicting undersea life (MidShipCentury STATENDAM glass page) I saved from the 1957-built STATENDAM being placed in the aft portion of the Greenhouse Spa that separates the thalassotherapy pool from the Magrodome pool area. These panels, created by Dutch artisan, D. ten Hoedt, were removed from the former STATENDAM as she lay at the shipbreaker's yard in India in 2004. I had them crated and safely shipped to my home in California (remarkably arrving in perfect condition) in the hopes that HAL would be utilizing them in one of their future ships. It seems like such a natural place for these rare wonders rescued from the transatlantic glory days of Holland America, but my attempts to convince the designers of the company's next series of newbuilds remain inconclusive. Dream onward and upward.....
The midships lido area facing forward. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
The excellent Magrodome pool area was being utilized to showcase the various offerings of the Carnival empire with individual tables set up for Costa, Cunard, Carnival, Windstar, Seabourn, and Princess Cruises. The large teak-lined pool with blue basin and creamy yellow border was filled, but netted over. Susanna Holt's latest marine mammal sculpture of leaping dolphins presided over the forward part of the pool adjacent to the elevated Jacuzzis. The Lido Bar and Terrace Grill are just aft.
After our quick tour, I attended the press conference where the speakers included HAL's erudite and gentlemanly CEO, Stein Kruse and Carnival's refreshingly down-to-earth CEO, Mickey Arison. The main topic for cruise ship fans was HAL's forthcoming 2,044 passenger Signature Class duo of ships, the first of which will debut in the summer of 2008 and the second, sometime in 2010. Additional features will include a panoramic topside restaurant, a wine tasting lounge, luxury jewelry boutique, new styles of staterooms, and an expanded youth center. The ships will be of similar size and proportion to the Vista ships but will have a new layout and profile.
Following the conference, we had time for cocktails in the Crows Nest and views of Manhattan's now beautifully lit skyline before heading to dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. We were to be part of a small group hosted by HAL's longtime architect, Frans Dingemans and his lovely wife, but the other media members did not show up. It was fantastic to sit with Mr. Dingemans and enjoy his stories of outfitting the company's ships, life at sea, the history of HAL, world politics, and the future of cruising.
The night drew quickly to a close following the show in the Vista Lounge. Those wonderful Signature of Excellence beds awaited, offering quick sleep to this erstwhile insomniac.
After an early breakfast in the Vista Dining Room, we made our 8:00 AM disembarkation call. A new group of guests was due to board the NOORDAM prior to her official christening by Marlee Matlin the following day and the commencement of her maiden cruise season from New York.
The NOORDAM completes a quartet of excellent ships, each identical in layout and design (save for the minor alterations noted here on NOORDAM) but with a distinct decorative flair. On the NOORDAM, the colors are rich but not overly vibrant, and there is a frequent use of pleasing blues and golds. The artwork and furnishings span a wide but familiar gamut from Stephen Card's magnificent stairtower paintings of the current and prior NOORDAMS (and a majestic pairing of the postwar combiliners DIEMERDYK and DINTELDYK); a large selection of neoclassical and 17th century art and antiques; to Roger and Lebigre's Eco Decor benches and spindly aluminum chairs. Although our time on NOORDAM was brief, the lasting first impression was a very good one, indeed.
Peter Knego April 23, 2006
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