Holidays of Australia

Our fingers are always on the cruising pulse, so when a cruise ship comes to Adelaide, we hop on board and take a closer look! Matt, our product manager jumped on board Golden Princess when she docked in Adelaide. Here are his thoughts…

The Golden Princess looks impressive from the outside, especially with its expansive use of blue glass and it doesn’t disappoint on board.

There’s a great range of facilities that you’d expect from a cruise ship of this standing; such as a great range of restaurants and dining, a relaxing spa, lots of seating in the public areas and some great shows. Princess is child friendly and has some great kids clubs and child friendly areas, and there are some interconnecting cabins available for families with younger children.

There are some impressive outdoor areas, most of which revolve around one of the many outdoor pools; one featuring brick oven pizzas cooked to order and served poolside. Had I been able to stay on board as they sailed I would have been found at ‘The Sanctuary’: a by reservation – adults only area which has a great pool and lots of space to relax and unwind. The Skywalkers nightclub probably has the best location on the ship- aft on the top deck, which has great views and is well worth a visit for the glass enclosed tunnel like approach alone, even if you don’t want to stay for the music or drinks.

The included dining offers great variety and looks delicious. The specialty restaurants offer a more formal dining experience with excellent food at a fraction of the price of what you’d pay in a similar restaurant in the city. The Whiskey Chilli prawns are well worth a try!

Words & images by Matt Scott.

With Holland America Line, sailing away in elegance is the norm not the exception.

MS Noordam goes above expectation to deliver a refined holiday and cruising experience.

Working in the travel industry has its perks and getting the opportunity to explore & dine on-board the MS Noordam is definitely one of them. The MS Noordam is one of four “Vista class” ships operated by Holland America Line. The four sisters MS Noordam, MS Oosterdam, MS Westerdam, MS Zuiderdam, are named after the four main points of the compass.

While MS Noordam has all the features of a modern luxury cruise ship, I was blown away by the detailing and care Holland America Line have gone into to make the cruising experience that much better. The MS Noordam features two inviting swimming pools; a relaxing Spa featuring a thermal pool & lounge; 5 bars & lounges including the famous B.B. King’s Blues Club featuring artists direct from Memphis; a Casino at sea; a state of the art theatre space featuring BBC Earth Experiences’ a fitness centre with yoga at sea classes; and delicious culinary experiences at many of the dining rooms and specialty restaurants.

If this isn’t enough, The MS Noordam goes further by featuring a collection of museum quality art, contemporary & inspiring deco, fresh flower motifs throughout the ship, and some of the best music heard on a cruise ship in partnership with the Lincoln Centre, all included with your cruise as standard.

MS Noordam also provides a family friendly experience with “Club HAL”, a youth and teen-friendly space featuring activities for ages 3 to 17, supervised by qualified full-time staff.

Although I didn’t have the opportunity to spend a night on board, the staterooms exude comfort, with luxurious, quilted pillow top mattresses, fine linens and towels. The bathrooms feature premium massage shower heads and Elemis Aromapure bath products.

So, what are you waiting for? Hop on-board the MS Noordam and enjoy its signature drinks and dance away to the funky & soulful tunes of B.B. King’s band as you sail away elegantly on your dream cruise holiday. Give us a call on 1300 854 897, or email [email protected] to enquire about travelling with Holland America Line.

– Words & images by Vajira Dias, Web Developer at Holidays of Australia & the World.