Holland America Noordam may have less than twenty dining venues like on competitor lines. Still, what it has, it does well. I cruised on the Noordam to Alaska as part of a cruise and land tour.
During my seven days, I tried most venues, from the dining room and buffet to room service and specialty dining. In this dining review, I share my thoughts on the food selection, service, presentation, and quality of the cuisine.
It was no surprise that the daily menus focused on seafood, with many choices of salmon, shrimp, and other fish.
Main Dining Room
The Holland America Noordam has one main dining room spanning two floors, decks two and three. Two set dining times were available on the upper floor, and anytime dining on deck two.
Not being fond of the early or late dining times, we were pleasantly surprised by Holland America’s flexibility. Since I needed the same table each night due to food allergies, Abbdul, the Maitre’D kindly accommodated us with a more suitable dining time.
We tried the dining room for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; the service was always exceptional. However, like most cruise lines, Holland America no longer includes lobster on one of the formal nights.
Although it can be purchased reasonably, along with steak and lobster, ribeye steak, and other premium selections. We tried to choose different selections to see how they tasted.
Night One
Since I need gluten- and lactose-free food, my food was adapted to meet my needs. As a starter, I had a shrimp cocktail instead of the Alaska crab seafood cocktail. My sister chose the alder smoked salmon chowder.
Our entrées were the Southwestern Alaska salmon bowl and the seared Alaska rockfish. Both were flaky with good flavor.
I had moist flourless chocolate cake, the pastry chef’s specialty. They served the same item three times at dinner and twice at afternoon tea.
Night Two
Our second night was the first of two formal nights. I was pleasantly surprised by the size of my shrimp in the orange jumbo shrimp cocktail. The addition of fruit was nice and gave it a tangy flavor. I had rack of lamb which was done to perfection.
My sister had excellent escargot, tenderloin, and grilled shrimp. Our entrees were beautifully presented. She finished with Crème Brule, which lacked Grand Marnier flavoring. I had the pastry chef’s choice, which was the same dessert as night one.
Night Three
On the third evening, I had one of the better appetizers of my cruise, the tabouleh and chicken salad. The pairing of ingredients gave superb flavoring and texture and was well presented.
My salmon bowl came with baked potato and sour cream, even though I’m allergic to dairy. While not a big salmon fan, I ordered it a few times because it was cooked to perfection and the flesh firm.
My sister, Kim, had the crab cake, which she said was very good. Her entrée, the steak and lobster, incurred an extra USD 18 but was worth the cost.
Night Four
That night, I had the second-best appetizer: a shrimp taco with avocado and lime salsa. The corn taco was naturally gluten-free, and the filling was delicious.
My entrée of prime rib had a side of stewed vegetables. However, my meat didn’t have enough gravy, and the portion was far too large. My dessert was fruit crumble, which was good but needed more sweetener.
Kim had chicken noodle soup and an Alaska teriyaki salmon bowl. Both were good, but the kitchen skimped on the entrée’s teriyaki sauce. She followed with Stroopwafel cheesecake, which was great.
Night Five
The fifth evening featured a “Dutch dinner,” although most selections weren’t Dutch. I started with the Westland Salad with balsamic instead of mustard dressing. It was excellent.
My entrée of pan-fried Dover Sole lacked flavor, and the portion was tiny. I finished with fruit crumble, which was good but not outstanding.
Kim had the bay shrimp cocktail and the Bami Goreng. Her main was one of the best entrées of her cruise, and even though I couldn’t taste it, it looked incredible. Her apple pie and ice cream were also good.
Night Six
We spent day six in Glacier Bay National Park, so it seemed appropriate to have the theme “A Taste of Alaska.” I chose the apple, pear, and cucumber salad and beef tenderloin Oscar. My entrée was the star of my meal, with the beef being very tender.
My sister started with one of her favorites, escargot Bourguignon, and it didn’t disappoint. Her 8 oz New York striploin was equally good. She completed her meal with Tiramisu, a guest favorite.
Night Seven
This last evening, I enjoyed the best appetizer and ordered a second, a first for me. The Thai vegetable spring rolls were done to perfection and had amazing flavor. I opted for the USD 25 12 oz lobster tail, which was so tough and dry that I couldn’t eat it. It was a big disappointment!
Kim went for the crispy, sweet and sour shrimp with jasmine rice and fared better than me.
Specialty Dining
The Noordam has only two specialty restaurants, although it offered two other specialty meals for our Alaska cruise. One evening, they featured an “Alaskan Seafood Boil” in a corner of the Lido Market.
The USD 35 dinner featured clam chowder and a large bowl of crab, clams, mussels, salmon, shrimp, and corn on the cob. Diners had the option to don plastic bibs to tackle their messy dish. While we didn’t go, the specialty meal appeared to be sold out and a big hit with diners.
One evening, the Pinnacle Grill, the ship’s steak house, featured Morimoto at Sea. Chef Morimoto created a three-course dinner that celebrated the ship’s global fish program.
The eclectic menu was Japanese-inspired, although I found the tuna pizza an odd addition. Other choices included Angry Lobster Pad Thai, Shrimp Three Ways, and Japanese Curry.
For traditional dining, select from the Pinnacle Grill or Canaletto. The Pinnacle Grill, for example, serves delicious steaks and seafood in an elegant atmosphere. This steak house opens for lunch on sea days and offers a scaled-down menu.
Alternatively, the Italian-inspired Canaletto offers a casual dining experience with small plates and family-style dishes. At USD 25 pp, it’s one of the most budget-friendly specialty restaurants across all major cruise lines.
Pinnacle Grill
We tried the Pinnacle Grill for lunch on our day cruising through College Fjord. I had previously enjoyed dining there on the Koningsdam six months earlier. But I chose to eat something different this time around.
While I’m not a big soup eater, I tried the tomato broth with spicy lemongrass chicken due to rave reviews. It was as good as everyone suggested. I followed with the shredded chicken and bibb salad, which was delicious and filling.
My sister went with the crab cakes and West Coast-style seafood cioppino, which she said was the bomb! We finished with coconut trifle and raspberry sorbet.
Casual Eats
The Noordam offers several casual dining options, including meals, snacks, and snacks.
Lido Market
The Lido Market, or buffet, on deck 9 offered breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It provided a great selection, including sushi, made-to-order pasta, salads, omelets, a carvery, and food to suit all dietary needs. I as thrilled they carried gluten-free soy sauce.
On busy days, we sometimes found it hard to get a seat, although the staff quickly cleaned tables after people vacated them. The buffet had a daily soup, which was always good and an excellent option on chilly port days.
Dive In
On the same deck, by the pool, the Dive In was a popular venue, serving hot dogs and burgers. Service was always speedy and efficient.
We tried the Jack Knife hot dog and Backflip burger. My chicken burger was delicious with lots of guacamole and Dive-In Sauce. The burger was messy to eat due to the addition of guacamole, but it was worth every bite.
The Jack Knife was good but didn’t match the flavor of a real Bratwurst sausage in Germany with curry ketchup.
The Dive In also had corn chips, corn tacos, and all the fixings. We tried the Mexican tacos and nachos, which made great snacks on days we wanted to avoid hitting the buffet or dining room.
Explorations Café
The Explorations Café provided specialty coffees and teas. Expect to pay under USD 5 for a regular-sized coffee or tea, such as an Americano or Chai Tea Latte. Large sizes cost USD 3.50 to USD 5.50.
Warm cocktails were a nice addition on cold days. They consisted of:
- Northern Lights – Coffee with Rhum Hardy VO, and Kahlua Crème de Cacao.
- Gold Rush Coffee – Hot chocolate with coffee and Grand Marnier.
- Glacier Bay Coffee – Java with Malibu Rum and Bailey’s Irish Cream.
- Alaska Railroad – Coffee, cream, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and Jameson Irish Whiskey.
During our day in Glacier Bay National Park, staff served hot Dutch pea soup on the open decks. It was yummy and the perfect snack on a frigid day outside.
Also, that evening, the ship hosted a Chocolate surprise event on deck two.
Afternoon Tea
Being half British, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity for afternoon tea. The Noordam offered two teas, one traditional and one Dutch. We went to both and couldn’t tell the difference because many selections repeated.
On sea days and the days we cruised Glacier Bay National Park and College Fjord, afternoon tea was served in the dining room.
We liked that each table received a tea-tiered stand of tasty treats. The selection was visually appealing; my sister said the items were great.
I pre-ordered my gluten-free tea the day before. I was disappointed to receive two chocolate-coated strawberries, one meringue, and the same chocolate muffin cake served to me on nights one and two.
Room Service
One morning, we tried breakfast in our stateroom, and the service was excellent. Breakfast delivery is available between 6 and 10 am.
I like that Holland America included gluten-free, vegetarian, and non-dairy items. We also enjoyed the addition of a full American breakfast and vegetable frittata with goat cheese.
Since we had an interior stateroom, our cabin lacked an area to eat a meal. So, one of us ate at the desk and the other at the foot of the bed. Although, all in all, the breakfast was fantastic.
Wrap It Up
Overall, we were thrilled with the dining service on the Noordam. The food selection was varied which catered well to guests with different taste buds.
Holland America is known for its great food, and on our voyage, it certainly lived up to its reputation.
