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Name: Michaeline Kolbicka
Email: mmk@ideas.com
Age: 49
Occupation: Program Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: 7/19/96
Itinerary: Western Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Oct 1996
Time: 13:27:51
Remote Name: 198.151.13.15
Remote User:
Comments
Although this was our first cruise we were so happy with the cruise that we have already
booked a cruise for next summer. Our accommodations were extremely good. We had a Category
B Suite with a beautiful private verandah. This however spoiled us as we have decided we
could not cruise without a private verandah. We were most impressed with the good time our
two teenage boys had on the cruise. We and they were very apprehensive about the trip for
fear they would be bored. Definitely not the case, in fact they were rarely with us except
for dinner in the evening. The dining room food especially for dinner was a bit limited if
you were not a heavy beef eater. More poultry dishes and pasta would have been
appreciated. Overall cleanliness and staff was very good. Overall rating of the ship is
that if Holland America would have a newer ship in the Carribean we would definitely have
booked Holland America again. The "no tip" philosophy was excellent as it let
you tip according to service not one of necessity.
Name: Donna and Ray Warren
Email: raydon@metrolink.net
Age: 47/50
Occupation: RN/Retired
NumberOfCruises: 8
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: 1/5/96
Itinerary: Eastern Carib.
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 88
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Jan 1997
Time: 17:14:29
Remote Name: 207.31.124.27
Remote User:
Comments
Having cruised previously with Carnival and NCL we looked forward to a new experience on
HAL. We were very impressed and pleased with our choice. The service staff on Holland
America are exceptional. Our cabin was Verandah Deck, had plenty of storage, a large bath
with tub and shower, a fridge and was exceptionally quiet. Meals in the dining room were
adequate and maybe not as good as previous experiences. Lido meals were better than
expected,nicely presented with much variety.
Entertainment in the show lounge was ok, no better. The night clubs, on the other hand
were marvelous. There was much variety and any age group could be satisfied.
The staff of HAL truly makes your cruise experience great.
The itinerary included St. Kitts, a delightfully unspoiled island, St. Thomas, Nassau and
3 sea days, my favorite.
Overall, we found this to be an excellent cruise, would take it again and recommend it to
friends, as long as we knew food was not the most important factor of their cruise.
Name: John Paul Picklesimer
Email: jpick@eagnet.com
Age: 53
Occupation: Teacher/Administrator
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: 7-12-98
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 97
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 97
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 96
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 98
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 96
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 96
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Jul 1998
Time: 18:56:02
Remote Name: 199.76.206.109
Remote User:
Comments
we were very interested to compare HAL with RCCL and we still after the cruise can't
really single out which is best..both have strong strong presentations.
To start off with..the negatives..can't get on board until 1:30..pits.. shore excursions
sold out immediately...pits. could use more help in dining room..both
waiter/helper did well, need bus boy..raw bacon in the lido at breakfast.;.you ask and all
you get is " all crisp" yeah..when dogs fly, could use more
adjusted
That may seem small, it was, it was not enough to keep us from going back on HAL..we are
sailing in a couple of weeks back on RCCL and I will confirm
which line I feel is best..again they are both awesome.
For the positive's...enbarkation..very smooth, debarkation very long, but not tiring or
out of the way..fair, the way they let you leave, according to flight
status, very fair..
Theatre was wonderful..frest popcorn, food great, room very nice and AGE group, class of
people..just right...Half Moon Cay should be a 7 day stop hell
with the rest, that Island is the best of anything we have seen or been too..HAL really
knows how to fix an Island..wish we could have had days longer
there..unbelieveable.
Entertainment was first class, strings great, good price on drinks, casino great, paid off
for a change(course we put it right back in)pools fine, ice cream
bar open all the time,..nice touch.
Fruit in room, and canvas bag ...nice touch..tender service..good..best yet..friendly
staff(99%) great...ease of buying something first class,and they
remember what you want, drink, etc.LOVE not having announcements in rooms, so you could
sleep..very good. thats it..overall great job, would not
hesitate to go with HAL.. just going to have a difficult time deciding between RCCL and
HAL...just take two and be fixed...
Name: Barry Frank
Email: BHFLV@aol.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Surgeon
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: December, 8 1996
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 41
CabinComfort: 96
FoodRoomService: 89
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 93
FoodLidoDeck: 84
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 84
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 96
ShoreExcVariety: 70
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 60
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 60
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 79
EntertShowLounge: 70
OverallPortsofCall: 89
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 75
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 97
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 72
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 96
OverallCruiseValue: 81
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Jan 1997
Time: 13:53:22
Remote Name: 152.163.231.160
Remote User:
Comments
The Veendam is a beautiful, brand new ship. The service, spaciousness and cleanliness of
the ship are superb.
Unfortunately a lot of the cruise activities were geared to, or restricted because of, the
'senior' aged passengers.
The cruise director was awful. (Essentially, I would not cruise on a ship on which he was
the director again!)
The food and entertainment were lackluster.
Onb our cruise we encountered a bit of rough weather and the ship creeked a lot.
Overall for 'senior' or more sedentary passengers this would perhaps be a good choise, but
for younger, more
athletic or active passenger the cruise lacked something.
Name: Gordon McDougall
Email: grmd@swbell.net
Age: 55
Occupation: Airline Employee
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: Nov 3 1996
Itinerary: Western CAribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 82
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 50
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService:
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Feb 1997
Time: 18:42:44
Remote Name: 151.164.42.18
Remote User:
Comments
This is our second cruise on this class of ship (also took Statendam to Alaska), and we
love it. It has lots of space
for sitting out under the sun or inside beside large windows (great for Alaska). The
cabins are roomy with alrge
picture windows. On this cruise, we had a room with a balcony and it was great. The food
is above average but not
as spectacular as some cruises we have heard of. The lIdo buffets are excellent. Coffee
and tea are available 24
hours. The no tipping required policy is for real and when I gave people a tip for a
special service, there was genuine
surprise and gratitude.
Loved the crew. The Philipino and Indonesian staff are cheerful and friendly. I am
deciding upon our next cruise and
it will be hard not to select the Veendam or one of her 3 sisters. For us they are the
perfect ship.
This ship is for a more sedate crowd (Jill and I are in our VERY early 50s0, and were very
comfortable.
Any questions do not hesitate to contact me. Also I took the Statendam to Alaska last year
and loved it also.
Name: Mitzie and Jack Hinde
Email: Zoo2You@aol.com
Age: 55
Occupation: Housewife/Bookkeeper
NumberOfCruises: 19
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: Jan 5, 1997
Itinerary: St. Kitts - St. Thomas - Nassau
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 94
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 93
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 94
CabinSteward: 97
ShoreExcVariety: 91
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService: 93
ShoreExcValue: 89
GoodForHoneymoon: 93
CasinoStaff: 94
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 99
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 96
WheelchairAccess: 97
ExerciseFacilities: 98
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 93
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 96
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 97
MedicalFacilities: 98
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 99
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Feb 1997
Time: 14:56:06
Remote Name: 152.163.237.227
Remote User:
Comments
The ms Veendam is excellant among this class ship. The service staff is exceptional. The
cabins are large and well
thought out. Activities and entertainment on board are varied so there seems to be
something for almost everyone to
do. The space ratio is wonderful for there is never crowding except when there is a tender
to take. The
Entertainment is varied but I do not feel that they are the best on the sea. The food and
variety has gone down over
the years but is still better than most. The shop staff is great; professional , friendly
and helpful. They are beginning
to get new merchandise and that helps. I wss particulary pleased with St. Kitts since we
had never been there
before. It is unspoiled and beautiful. We are looking forward to seeing the new island
that HAL has bought. Another
good thing on the Veendam is the musical groups. There is music for every type of dance or
relaxation. I know there
is much more I could report but if anyone has questions I am happy to share our
experiences. We highly
recommend HAL ships as a classy ship that does not cost too much. Cruising is a very
economical way to travel if
you use wisdom.
Name: Ross Binnie
Email: dianaros@vianet.on.ca
Age: 62
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: Feb 16, 1997
Itinerary: 2 days at sea, St. Kits, St. Thomas and Nassau
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 60
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 96
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 96
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 96
ShoreExcVariety: 50
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 60
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 96
LoungeService: 80
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 96
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 96
OverallPortsofCall: 70
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 96
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Feb 1997
Time: 16:32:06
Remote Name: 206.186.208.111
Remote User:
Comments
The Veendam is a very well run cruise ship. Food and entertainment are excellent. Hotel
staff are helpfull exept when there are serious problems. There are lots of on board
activities and the swimming pools and spas are very enjoyable. Over all it was an
enjoyable experience.
There are however, serious problems with cabin hot water supply on A deck aft. Cabin 828
is a real headache, hot water is a some time thing. Ship engineering are aware of the
problem but not able to resolve it without shuting down one section of the vessels water
supply. The vessel is due for a refit and the builder is supposed to rectify most of the
outstanding problems. If you have problems with hot water please don't accept staffs
expression of surprsie. It may require a serious confrontation to obtain alternative
accomodation.
Name: Susan Muldoon
Email: susan_muldoon@bestsoftware.com
Age: 33
Occupation: software designer
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: 2/23/97
Itinerary: St Kitts, St. Thomas, Nassua
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 89
CruiseStaff: 70
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 70
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 70
CasinoStaff: 98
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 20
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon: 80
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 20
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 20
DeckSpace: 70
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Mar 1997
Time: 18:01:49
Remote Name: 163.125.36.134
Remote User:
Comments
First for the negatives: the show lounge entertainment was miserable, I heard that the
Indonesian show by the waiters was great but we dislike the first and second show so much
we left at the beginning of the second show and never returned. Almost as bad as the
entertainment was on Star Princess a few years ago. There was no disco. Sometimes they ran
one of the lounges as a sort of disco but the average age is older and most dancing was
big band.
My traveling companion booke air/sea and had to book her own return flight because HAL
never entered her in the airlines computer. This took a few weeks to resolved (prior to
the cruise).
In their favor because of this problem our entire party (2 cabins) were upgraded from
category a (deluxe outside) to suites. Their suite amenities were great. Not as luxiouries
as Crystal but much more affordable. The suite was twice the size of the A category and
the veranda was 4 times the size of the A veranda. We had two lounge chairs plus a dining
table for 4. Suites could have full breakfast and standard room service for lunch, dinner,
and appetizers. Suites also receive priority embarkation and disembarkation.
The service was unobtrusive. We and most other people did tip, but there was no way to tip
the bar staff unless you brought cash with your. Tips added to the bill were denied or not
given to the bar staff.
The casino staff was the friendliest I have encountered. Very nice to inexperienced
gamblers. Plus they had quarter roultette!
The shops were dull, most of the merchanise was dowdy or dull.
Bingo had very small daily pots and one $2900 at the end. It was also expensive. $20 for 1
triple card you could not exchange in the middle.
The ship's interior was lovely, muted colors, assored art works. The central area was not
as impressive as RCCL's centrum's but the cabins are all big.
The food tasted good, comparable to Celebrity, RCCL, Princess, and Crystal. The variety
was outstanding. At least 8 flavors of ice cream during the day, a daily changing lunch
buffet plus the dining room, Mexican food for dinner, and so forth.
I will travel HAL again.
Name: Nancy Pearson
Email: opearson@citcom.net
Age: 45
Occupation: Registered Nurse
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: April 6, 97
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 94
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 86
CabinAmenities: 94
FoodLidoDeck: 84
DiningRoomService: 78
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: na
CabinSteward: 86
ShoreExcVariety: 88
FoodVariety: 70
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 86
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 86
PrivateIsland: na
GoodForFamilies: na
LoungeService: 86
TenderService: na
GoodForSeniors: na
BeautySalonStaff: na
EntertainmentLounges: 88
WheelchairAccess: na
ExerciseFacilities: na
EntertShowLounge: 76
OverallPortsofCall: 86
BeautySalon: na
EntertainmentPoolside: 86
CruiseActivities: 88
Casino: 88
AirSeaProgram: na
MedicalFacilities: na
ShipCleanliness: 92
EmbarkDisembark: 96
DiscoNightclubs: na
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio: 88
OverallCruiseValue: 88
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Apr 1997
Time: 00:59:30
Remote Name: 206.74.232.94
Remote User:
Comments
With the exception of the food, we found our cruise on the Veendam to be a very positive
and exciting experience.
Service was good but we did not experience the 'special' treatment Holland America boast
about. We have been
spoiled for all future cruises, if the cabin does not have a private veranda you won't
find us aboard! For a very
detailed review visit our personal web site at: http://web.infoave.net/~opearson/veendam.htm
Review of
Holland America's Veendam
Cruise to Eastern Caribbean
Beginning on April 6, 1997
My name is Nancy. My husband, Olen, and I sailed on the April 6 cruising of
Holland America's Veendam to the Eastern Caribbean. We would like to share
with you some of our experiences and impressions of the ship, ports, and
planning a cruise in general.
Planning
We spent a number of months gathering and analyzing various cruise lines
and ships. Considering our primary criteria which included a veranda suite,
quiet relaxation, maximum days at sea (ports generally unimportant), and
minimal exposure to children, we selected Holland America and the Veendam.
The planning was a lot of fun in itself and very educational. When we go
again (and we will), we (at least I) will look forward to this part of the
adventure almost as much as the actual time at sea. (Olen calls me "cruise-
obsessed" during this period!)
One very wise decision we made was to elect to fly to Ft. Lauderdale the
day before sailing. Otherwise, we would have had to arise at 3 am to catch
a 7 am flight which would have made for an unacceptably long and tiring
day. As it turned out, we were rested and had a wonderful first day. This
is something that we believe that everyone who has an early flight should
consider. But, you may have to take the initiative and mention the idea to
your travel agent; don't hold your breath for the suggestion to come to
you.
Alas, I must, however, say that the most harrowing part of our experiences
also occurred during this period. This involved dealing with the
aforementioned travel agent. Neither of us had previously made much use of
such services and will never do so again if we can possibly avoid it.
Although we selected what we considered to be one of the very best (AAA),
we had to continuously stay on top of things to get them done properly and
ended up having to do many things ourselves. (Of course, they had
absolutely no trouble immediately processing the credit card for payment!)
We very strongly recommend that you double-check all bookings and other
arrangements to see that they are indeed what you want. A few brief phone
calls are not too high a price to pay to avoid unhappy surprises (such as
poor or nonadjacent airline seats) on cruise day. (We will give serious
consideration to directly booking our next cruise ourselves. We have since
confirmed that, though they discourage the practice, this can be done with
Holland America and probably other cruise lines as well.)
Embarkation
Embarkation was orderly and easy. A number system is used for flow control.
Do not believe the literature about the time this will begin. Get to the
pier early and expect the process to begin about 3 to 4 hours before
sailing. But, if you are a bit late, don't worry; there will not likely be
an excessive wait or delay.
Our luggage arrived very promptly, within an hour or so of boarding which
was not bad, considering that we were among the very first to embark. Once
on board, head for the Lido Deck for your first taste of the
not-so-wonderful Veendam cuisine - more on that later. This will be your
first chance, and if you don't make the best of it, you will have to wait
until after the dreaded lifeboat drill.
Lifeboat Drill
Don't blame the lifeboat drill on Holland America; it's required of all
ships before they leave the dock. Take your anger at having to stand around
for an extra long time out on those thoughtless, selfish, (should be made
to walk the plank as shark bait) passengers who refuse to be there on time
as requested. You will have to wait in the heat and full life jacket attire
until these dodo-heads decide to grace you with their presence. But, once
the full assembly is present, it's not too long - and fairly interesting.
And, unlike the Titanic, the Veendam actually has sufficient lifeboats (and
life rafts) for all passengers and crew. (But, it is still the time-honored
- archaic, according to Olen - system of "women and children first" on
Holland America ships.)
Stateroom
We were fortunate to had one of the large suites with a private veranda on
the Navigation Deck. Upon entering, we were greeted by fresh flowers, fresh
fruit, and champagne. The suite was luxurious, very spacious, and very well
planned. Aside from the usual things like a king bed, sofa and chairs,
there was a fully-stocked (but not free) mini-bar, remote-controlled TV
with VCR, and sound system that could be controlled from a panel at the
head of the bed.
Lighting was both soft and adequate with switches everywhere including at
the head of the bed and supplemented by individual reading lights.
Following the obligatory "you must over pack rule," I did, and we still had
empty drawer and closet space.
The private veranda was our favorite place on the entire ship. It was
furnished with a table, four chairs, and two loungers. We took nearly all
of our breakfasts there as well as enjoying many other relaxing times. (My
husband enjoyed tossing banana peals and apple cores into the ocean over
the veranda rail!) It was wonderful to leave the doors leading to the
veranda open at night to have the sound of the sea and the gentle roll of
the ship lull us to sleep.
The room was generally very quiet with direct noise from adjacent suites or
from the corridor being very rare. But, any noise from neighbors on their
veranda appeared almost magnified and intrusive when the doors to the
veranda were open. And, surprisingly, the noise of chairs being scraped
along the floor on the Lido Deck above were often quite noisy. But, these
were only minor annoyances for the benefits of the accommodations.
Cabin service was generally very good. Like the rest of the ship, our cabin
was very clean - the only exception to this being the rather heavy layer of
sticky salt covering the veranda furniture when we first boarded. This
seems a rather obvious oversight in stateroom cleaning and preparation. Our
steward was, for the most part, prompt and attentive, servicing the room
twice daily, including the omnipresent chocolates on our pillows at night.
He did, however, seem to miss things on the veranda, leaving dishes there
all day or overnight on several occasions.
The Ship in General
The Veendam is clean and spacious. It is decorated in a variety of cheerful
colors and styles that do not insult your senses. The assortment of art
work is nice but maybe somewhat overdone. For example, the two-deck crystal
ornamentation, "Jacob's Ladder," that decorates the main atrium cost
Holland America over half a million bucks. I'd quickly forgo such
ostentation for a fare reduction.
The ship is systematically arrayed with numerous chairs and other small,
cozy sitting areas, both in and out of the many lounges and bars - but
don't expect to find a plush, overstuffed replacement for that old friend
that you left at home; the chairs and sofas tend to be a bit on the firm
side. Yet, you are rarely out of sight of a large window and good view of
the sea. Although there are the inevitable knots of crowds that develop at
certain times (beginning of meals) and in very popular locations (casino),
the ship is large enough with sufficient facilities to handle its passenger
load with ease. (By the way, the upper tier of the Rubens Lounge is
furnished with very uncomfortable, hard, seemingly backless benches that
should be avoided if you don't want a sore back and behind.)
Although the ship is huge and a bit overwhelming at first, moving about the
Veendam is very easy, even when you first arrive. Elevators are clearly
marked as to decks and locators are provided to help you find a particular
facility on any deck. You can go from one deck to another by means of any
of eight elevators (in two banks of four) or wide stairs. The only
complaint here is that each bank of elevators operates as two separate
pairs of two so each pair is ignorant of where or what the other is doing.
You must punch both buttons and hope for the best. Nevertheless, the system
appears to serve adequately most of the time; rarely did we have to "wait
for the next car."
We mostly traveled at about 19-20 knots with relatively calm seas so the
Veendam was remarkably steady with only a little roll and a slightly
discernable pitch, though it was a bit "bumpy." One day we passed through a
small storm, and the seas became rather choppy. Then, the ship's motion
became somewhat more noticeable making walking without appearing tipsy
almost impossible, but more fun than a problem. (Olen said this was a
humorous challenge when visiting the "little boy's room"!) The ship is
equipped with stabilizers which tend to rather effectively eliminate most
of the rolling motion.
One obvious absence was the lack of disrepair. During the seven days, we
saw only a single broken item on the entire ship. This was a broken rail in
an elevator which was repaired in short order. This is rather remarkable
for a ship of this size and population. (This does not count the 2 to 3
hours we were either stopped or limping along at 6 knots while a pump on
the starboard drive system was replaced!)
The Staff in General
With one notable exception, we found the staff on the Veendam to be both
courteous and helpful. But, Holland America's claim that each passenger is
treated as "special" is not born out. We felt that the staff did their job
adequately but nothing more, giving no better service than one might find
in any good on-shore restaurant or hotel. That is, they did nothing special
except when a specific request was made. And, quite honestly as described
below, sometimes, even some very simple requests were not fulfilled.
Do not confuse the "no tipping required" policy of Holland America with the
"no tipping accepted" or "no tipping permitted" policies of certain
other
premium lines. Basically, with Holland America, this only means that you
will not receive the little envelopes, guidance on tipping, or have an
automatic 15% gratuity added to your bar bills. On the other hand, you will
be exposed (should you choose to listen) to a discourse on how you will not
receive envelopes or guidance but are allowed to tip, and the staff
permitted to receive such rewards should you choose to offer them for
deserving service.
At times, you may find yourself wishing that Holland American provided
language dictionaries as standard equipment with each stateroom. Although
communicating with the staff was not a consistent problem; it was, at
times, a bit of a challenge. On many occasions we observed members of the
crew conversing with each other in their native tongue. While it may not be
the politically correct position, Holland America (and other lines) should
consider establishing an "English only" policy for its crew while on board
ship. This would surely serve to enhance English language skills, something
which will necessarily remain limited as long as native languages are still
used whenever possible.
One final points involves the Veendam officers. Holland America, even in
their on-ship videos, advertise that their ships are staffed by Dutch
officers, bragging on their over 500 year maritime heritage. Not so with
the Veendam which has British officers. No insult to the British intended,
but this is certainly no credit to either the Veendam or Holland America.
While the British are certainly capable seafarers, this is not as
advertised by Holland America. Olen has spent time in the Netherlands and
was looking forward to conversing with the Dutch crew. As it was, we rarely
saw any of the British officers.
Our Fellow Travelers
With the rare exception of a hurried individual who would rudely push
ahead, the group of passengers on the Veendam was very polite, pleasant,
and orderly.
The range of ages varied widely, but the average age appeared to be late
40's which is somewhat younger than we had been lead to believe from
reviews we had read prior to our cruise. There was an appreciated absence
of the swinging, partying crowd. We also very much enjoyed the almost
child-free environment; the few kids that were seen were, with one bratty&127
exception on the Lido Deck, well-behaved.
I have read that Holland America is planning to move toward a more family-
oriented environment. We sincerely hope they reconsider this. The probable
absence of children and families was a primary consideration in our
selection of a Holland America ship. Needless to say, should this change,
then Holland America will drop in priority when we select a ship for future
cruise adventures. While we respect the need and rights of families to
enjoy their vacations, quite frankly, we believe that there should be
kid-free ships (and other places, for that matter) for those of us who do
not share the pleasure that parents seem to find when their "darling"
little progeny "express themselves" at the maximum volume output of their
strong little lungs!
The Cashless Society
We very much enjoyed the "cashless society" offered by Holland America.
This simply means that you virtually never need cash for anything you
purchase on board the ship. We needed cash to purchase some postage stamps,
but that was all. For the bars, casino, gift shop, etc., you simply give
your cabin number and sign away. Nice, but dangerous if you don't keep
track. You will receive a preliminary statement of your count on the last
full day of your cruise, and a final bill before you dock. (If you have not
provided a credit card or otherwise arranged to settle your account, upon
docking, you will hear your name called repeatedly over the ship's
loudspeaker until you pay up.)
The Food&127
We were very disappointed in the food on the Veendam. In general, we found
it to be bland to tasteless. And, the methods of providing the food left
much to be desired.
There are basically four ways to acquire your meals on the Veendam; I will
look at each one at a time.
The Rotterdam Dining Room
This is a large, two-tier, beautifully decorated but often very noisy
dining area where more formal meals are served. Two nights required formal
dress, one semi-formal, and four were casual, though there was no apparent
distinction in the nature of the menu other than the parade of sparkling
baked Alaska at the captain's farewell dinner. The menu was available in
advanced to warn you what to expect.
Although the waiters are relatively efficient (They did miss Olen's salad
one night.), the service is highly regimented; just try to get anything
extra or out of sequence. One evening we asked for substitute rolls; we got
the same ones served along with dessert. And, Olen never managed to obtain
a second cup of coffee with dessert. Personalized or special service it was
not!!
The chefs (need more cooks and fewer "chefs") that prepare the meals on the
Veendam seemed to feel that nothing can be served unless it's combined or
smothered with something totally unrelated to it. Exotic, unpronounceable,
unrecognizable food is fine if that's your forte, but there should be&127
selections for simple, more traditional tastes. Okay, I'll give them a
little credit; they did serve prime rib one night - and totally cremated
it!!) Their idea of "home cooking" (their term) was beef stroganoff! -
maybe it's "home" if you are from Kiev. Is it really too much to ask that
each menu contain more traditional offerings along with the fancy, exotic
stuff?
But, with all this, you would at least expect to have your palette
assaulted with new and wonderful flavors and combinations of tastes. NOT
SO!! The fact is that the food on the Veendam, especially in the Rotterdam
Dining Room, ranged from bland to annoyingly tasteless! For example, I
looked forward to the night we were to have lobster; this is a relatively
rare treat for me which I always anticipate and enjoy with great
enthusiasm. It was totally tasteless and a huge disappoint - so much so
that I didn't even bother to finish it!!
The Lido Pseudo "Restaurant"
If you like cafeterias and feeding frenzies, you'll love this one. What is
technically called a "restaurant" is in reality a cafeteria with two food
lines. When first opened, the lines are long with waits of at least 15-20
minutes. The lines can persist for up to an hour so get all you want the
first time or prepare for another long wait in line. It is certainly not
our idea to pay such prices for this kind of service - or lack thereof!!
Though much better than in the formal dining room, the food in the Lido
"Restaurant" was nothing to write home about. The servers behind the line
rushed you along, almost to the extent of being rude, much like in any
regular cafeteria. Holland America should be honest and describe this for
what it is - a cafeteria and not a restaurant. So much for that special
service again.&127
This area also included an ice cream bar which was open at rather irregular
hours that did not necessarily coincide with those of the "restaurant" -
which were also irregular and changed daily. The ice cream and "fixings"
were generally very good though the assorted offerings at any one time were
somewhat limited.
Finally, the Sports Deck where various athletic activities were held was
immediately above this area. It did seem, at times, that the participants
in certain events would come through and land in our midst! Why Holland
America could not have put a bit more acoustical insulation in some of the
ceilings is a mystery.
The Lido Grill
This was more like a traditional grill and maybe the best place to get
quick food on the ship. When it was open, there were normally hot dogs and
hamburgers available, but other items like tacos would also appear. It was
here that a really great bar-B-Q was offered one evening which we enjoyed
in place of the dining room. With the possible exception of breakfast, this
was without any doubt the best food we had while on board.
One area of service here deserves particular note. In all locations on the
Lido Deck, including the "restaurant," the busing of the tables is
outstanding.
Room Service
The speed and efficiency of room service was surprising. (At times, you
could get a tray from room service faster than you could get through some
of the lines at the Lido Pseudo "Restaurant.") We ordered from room service
at least a dozen times. It was always prompt, warm, and correctly prepared.
Full meals had to be ordered the day before, but an adequate soup and
sandwich menu was available 24 hours a day. We highly recommend this option
to everyone.
Entertainment
There were nightly shows, usually two, one for each dinner seating, plus an
occasional extra offering. Our experience with the entertainment on the
Veendam was very limited. What we saw was less than impressive. If you like
the "amateur hour," then you will probably like the shows.
Lounges & Bars
This is where the Veendam shines. Though we did not find all the lounges to
our liking, there is something for nearly everyone - except hard rock and
heavy metal - thank Holland America's good taste for this! There is the
Piano Bar which we found boring but others seemed to be drunk enough to be
having fun anyway. The Ocean Bar offers quiet dancing of many types to the
music of an excellent band, and the Crow's Nest provides more lively sounds
with a DJ. When not in the dining room, a pleasant string ensemble with
piano provides quiet music at various places.
There are several other locations to imbibe such as the Casino Bar (Guess
where that is?) and Dolphin Bar on the Lido Deck and assorted places to
rest and relax with or without music. Whatever your mood, you can find a
setting to fit it on the Veendam.
The Cost of Boozing
We found the price of liquor and mixed drinks to be surprisingly
reasonable, beginning at about $3.75. Beer begins at $2.85 for American
brews with imports being somewhat more; we thought this to be a little
high. Cokes are also overpriced at $1.50 each. We do not drink wine so I
cannot offer any data on that, but it is available.
Although Olen was somewhat reluctant at first, we carried a supply of Cokes
and brews on board with us. To save having to bother with these on the
airplane, we had the taxi make a brief stop between the hotel and port in
Ft. Lauderdale for a supply. (We also replenished our supplies a bit in St.
Thomas.) We believe this is a reasonable way to save some money without
incurring any real inconvenience and encourage others to give it a try.
The Casino
What can you say about a casino? It's a place to lose your money. The
casino on the Veendam offers a variety of ways to accomplish this including
Caribbean poker, blackjack, roulette, and the omnipresent slot machines in
denominations from a dime to a dollar. The size of the bets are reasonable
so one can play a few rounds of most anything (or everything) without
fearing bankruptcy. If you don't know how to play something, don't worry;
they will teach you. There are special sessions, but if you miss that, the
dealers are very friendly, patient and helpful. The afternoon or early
evenings are less crowded and best for the novice.
Ship Activities
We are not social animals so most of our time on board was spent enjoying
the experience together. But, for those who prefer more socially active
endeavors, you will find a full schedule of games, contests, etc. to keep
you busy. The daily schedule that appears the night before lists events so
you can carefully plan your day.
Announcements are made periodically of what are deemed important activities
and events. The announcement system is very good. It is preceded by a chime
and can be easily heard throughout the ship (except around very loud
music). There are no speakers in the individual staterooms, but the
announcements can still be easily heard (or ignored) if desired.
Our one complaint here is that while those who control such things are very
quick to see that all bingo and other revenue-generating activities are
announced, sometimes more than once, there is never any mention of passing
sights (islands, marine life, etc.) that might be of interest. There were
several instances when we either learned of such things after the fact or
could not recall what the captain had said about them the day before during
his daily 1 pm "report from the bridge." If announcements would be too
intrusive, a simple display on the ship's TV system would do the job
nicely.
Observation Decks
As mentioned earlier, the Veendam abounds with huge windows that provide an
excellent view of the ocean from nearly any interior deck or facility on
the ship. Even if you never venture onto an exterior deck, there are few
places within any ship where you can obtain a better view than in the
Crow's Nest which is at the front of the Sports Deck, two decks above the
bridge.
Outside, the Sky Deck perches you high above it all with a view. You can
virtually see a full panoramic view. But, there are many other great places
to explore. To name a few, the Lido Deck has a terrific view forward, and
the Navigation and Lower Promenade Decks provide great stern vistas. If you
are lucky, you will be able to access the very front of the ship via
stairwells from either the Promenade or Lower Promenade Decks; here you
will see absolutely nothing but the sea before you.
Pools & Spas
The pools, spas, and hot tubs are very nice and more than adequate. Large
pools can be found on both the Lido Deck and the aft section of the
Navigation Deck. The former is under a retractable dome so that it can
continue to be used even when it is raining.
Although occasionally crowded, if you prefer a degree of serenity, be
patient, and you can find a quiet time. If you decide not to go ashore for
part of the time you are docked, try this time at the pool; you will find
it remarkably deserted. And, if you encounter rough seas, be sure to go
watch the pool come alive. It's worth it!
Other Facilities
The Veendam has a wide variety of other facilities including a beauty
salon, saunas, massage, and a very well-equipped exercise room. A laundry
is available for that necessity, and a doctor and nurse are in attendance
when needed. Several photographers are constantly working at their trade;
they are not bad for photos taken in natural light, but they tend to alter
colors in flash shots. (My deep lavender blouse became royal blue.) The
ship is almost a city at sea; one could nearly live there indefinitely if
funds and circumstances would permit.
We found the price of the ship-related souvenirs to be about what we
expected - high priced T-shirts and polo's but not unreasonable for other
small items. The boutiques were nice for window shopping but too high for
my meager budget. The duty-free liquor shop what you would expect - neither
high-priced nor a bargain. Other facilities that won't cost you anything
include a theater (with popcorn!), both book and video libraries, the Java
Cafe, and a late night buffet at the Lido "Restaurant" (different each
night). (We ate at second seating so we never attended the late night
buffet and cannot really comment on it. Oh yes, we did think we would try
one night and were discouraged by the feeding frenzy forming some 15
minutes before it was scheduled to open!)
Ports
We visited St. Kitts, St. John/St. Thomas, and Nassau with the approximate
times at each port decreasing from 14 to 8 to 4 hours, respectively. (We
were late arriving at Nassau which decreased our time there by 2 hours
causing all but one of the ship-sponsored shore excursions to be canceled.)
The ports displayed a marked contrast with St. Kitts being a rural, poor
island, St. Thomas being somewhat more modern, and Nassau looking like
something out of a commercial nightmare. In effect, we spent the most time
at the place with the least to do and vice versa. Again, we were not too
interested in the ports but mostly in spending time on the ship.
Shore Information & Excursions
There was a separate talk on each port before arrival. The talk could be
attended in person, but it was repeated several times on the TV which freed
that time for other activities. (The TV is a good source of both
information and Holland America propaganda.) The best thing that can be
said about these talks is that they were interesting. Beyond that, we found
the accuracy to be somewhat in doubt. We found the information given
regarding obtaining a private taxi for a tour in St. Kitts to be incorrect,
but to their credit, the Holland America representative came to our aid.
Also, most of the information in the talk was devoted to individual
businesses that have some type of guarantee partnership with Holland
America. Very commercial.
There was a wide variety of shore excursions offered by the ship spanning a
complete spectrum of interests and abilities. I took one of these tours
(Olen remained on the ship) at St. Thomas and was pleased. All I can say
about Nassau is that you will love it if you love crowds. We were one of
about 7 or 8 other LARGE ships, several larger than the Veendam. I have no
idea how many smaller ships may have been out of sight.
Debarkation
This was as orderly a process as embarkation. You were asked to have your
bags in the corridor by 2 am, and to be out of your stateroom by 9 am. Both
the dining room and Lido "Restaurant" were open for breakfast; no room
service on this day. A color and number combination was used to sequence
you off the ship and assist in sorting and finding luggage by group. It was
very easy and painless - no lines and no waiting once your number is
called.
Afterthoughts
In summary, the Veendam is a very beautiful, clean, and well-run ship with
only one significant negative - the food and how it is delivered. Holland
America provides a well-organized operation with few kinks. Though the
service and amenities do not always live up to promotional claims, they are
certainly adequate in most regards.
Will we cruise again? Yes, without a doubt.
Would we go again on the Veendam? Very possibly. We would like to consider
other ships, but certainly the Veendam and other Holland America ships will
be on our short list - unless, of course, Holland America elects to change
their format in some way to make them less attractive for us.
Would we recommend the Veendam/Holland America? Yes, we believe that the
Veendam (or other similar Holland America ship) should be on the final list
for anyone desiring a quiet but fun cruise. Also, we would recommend that
you consider a stateroom with a private veranda. Even if you normally spend
little time in your stateroom, you may find the unique pleasures a veranda
offers changing this habit.
Comments or Questions
If you have comments or questions about our adventure, you may e-mail us at
opearson@citcom.net. One of us will attempt to respond as promptly as
possible.
Best Wishes for Happy Sailing!
Nancy & Olen
Name: VLADIMIR LANG
Email: vladim5201@aol.com
Age: 72
Occupation: Retired Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: June 9, 1997
Itinerary: Vancouver-Alaska-Vancouver
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Jul 1997
Time: 21:53:15
Remote Name: 152.163.195.20
Remote User:
Comments
We liked very much the ship its setup, general cleanliness, decoration and the crew. All
facilities were outstanding. Embarkation and
disembarkation was well organized and flawless. Our cabin, No. C306, on the lower
promenade deck had outside window towards the deck. You
could see outside but people walking on the deck could not see inside - except at night
when one can detect the light in the cabin. Just
mentioning - but didn't bother us. We liked the mix of people - average probably in the
50's - and the soft music in the dining room and ocean
bar was fitting. The comedians were good and in good taste - not vulgar as they can be in
Las Vegas ! We appreciated this and I am sure the
majority of attendees did too. I find that some of the shore excursions are a bit
overpriced. On the other hand if someone is not willing to
research in advance all the possibilities you have no choice. We are sorry we did not take
the wildlife cruise from Juneau. According to people at
the table it was worthwhile. They could see lots of wildlife while from the ship it was
indeed hard to see without excellent binoculars. For me the
cruise was great but the weather could have been better. Rain, grey skies, low clouds -
4-5 days out of 7 - prevented me to take good photos
and I was looking forward to that very much. Now I can look at the nice postcards !
We were on Veendam for 7 day cruise in Alaska in June. Embarking, disembarking was
flawless, well organized. We didn’t have the air included
but paid $10 p.p. so that the luggage was transferred from airport to ship. This is our
2nd cruise. First was on Nordic Empress of Royal Carib. 3
yr. ago in Caribbean. Veendam was a bit more elegant, perhaps because new. Beautifully
decorated. We had an outside cabin, plenty of space.
We paid for outside cabin Category H called also guaranteed - it meant they will assign
the final cabin just before cruise and it is usually an
upgrade. And so it was :just about a week before cruise time we were assigned a larger
outside cabin one level up - main deck. Window was
looking to the deck, but one could not see you inside cabin. Service was excellent.
Waiters, stewards and all the crew were outstanding in our
opinion. As mentioned elsewhere it is true that they knew you by name. Food was excellent,
beautifully presented, tasty and plentiful. Plenty of
selection. This is true for the Rotterdam dining room and Lido. Pleasant and soft music in
dining room and the ocean bar. Swimming pool with
sliding roof was not in much use (except for few teenagers) because of weather, but at
least one could sit around and eat. We found
entertainment (Las Vegas style, comedians) very good and in good taste. Best of all shows
: the Indonesian/Filipino crew ! Passengers were
about mid 50’s or above. To us that was just fine. Shore excursions : well, we went
in Juneau only on the tram up on Mt. Roberts. We missed the
bus to Mendenhall Glacier (not organized by HAL). At table we found out the Wildlife tour
was a success. Allegedly :plenty of sighting: whales,
bears, seals and eagles. From the ship one could see some whales but without very good
binoculars one could not see much else. Juneau was
the only place an excursion would make sense because : the rest of the time was mostly
raining which didn’t make this cruise a big success for
us. All in all we can’t complain. We did see some glaciers and beautiful scenery but
if the weather would have been more cooperative the cruise
would have been a complete success. By the way: even in middle of summer : take rain gear,
pancho or else, including jacket. At the glaciers
temperature dropped to about 50 elsewhere was 55 up until we came near Vancouver
(60’s). But, a week before we hear it was in the high 70’s
- really unpredictable weather! My rating (1-10) Service ...............10 Food
...................10 Entertainment...10 Ship facilities.......10
Cleanliness..........10
Name: Erik Erichsen
Email: joy-erik-erichsen@worldnet.att.net
Age: 56
Occupation: DOE manager
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: 9-1-97
Itinerary: Alaska Inside Passage
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 98
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 70
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Sep 1997
Time: 20:58:08
Remote Name: 207.147.131.99
Remote User:
Comments
We drove to Vancouver,BC and used Cruisepark for our car. After the longshoremen unloaded
our luggage a driver from Cruisepark took off in
our car for parts unknown. We were little unsure about having a stranger leave with our
car, but we soon forgot all about the car as we got
ready for embarkation. This was fairly painless especially comparing it to our previous
cruise on Carnival. We had a deluxe inside cabin on the
navigation deck. The cabin was clean and had lots of storage space. The twin beds were
comfortable. The bathroom had a shower and no tub
which we preferred. It was rather small, but not too bad. Our room steward was friendly
and addressed us by name whenever we saw him in
the hall. He kept the cabin spotless, but we never crossed paths with him when he was
cleaning our cabin. We asked for a table for two in the
Rotterdam dining room. It was enjoyable not having to make conversation with strangers
during our meals. We only ate dinner in the
Rotterdam. The rest of our meals were eaten at the Lido Restuarant. We thought the food on
the Veendam was excellent and we enjoyed
everything we ordered. The Prime rib and sirloin steak was especially delicious. The
dining room stewards and other staff were very competent
and friendly. The one complaint we had was the pushing of drinks in the lounges. We wanted
to do some dancing and felt uncomfortable
refusing the repeated requests from the waiters to purchase drinks. We only came to dance!
We also would have liked to have someplace to sit
and look outside without having to put up with being hustled for drinks. The shows were
very well done and we attended all of them. There was
lots of variety and we never had a problem with finding a good seat. The Barbecue on the
lido deck was excellent, especiallly the ribs. The
people who manned the front desk tended to be a little snippy when compared with the
friendly attitude of the other staff. The jogging track on
the Sports Deck was not very good. It was small and had very sharp corners. The weather
was cool and rainy so it was used very little. We
really liked Skagway as it is a small, clean, and friendly place. Ketchikan was rather
seedy and Juneau had lots of good tours. Debarkation was
also painless. Our car was waiting for us and had been well cared for. All in all it was a
good cruise and we would recommmend the Veendam
and Holland American Lines to other travelers.
Name: Glenn Wittenberg
Email: wittenberg@utelfla.com
Age: 34
Occupation: Telecommunications
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: 09/22/97
Itinerary: Alaska Inside Passage
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 89
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 79
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 60
GoodForHoneymoon: 75
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 70
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Oct 1997
Time: 17:35:14
Remote Name: 138.210.148.16
Remote User:
Comments
Let me inform you! Our cabin steward and dining room wait staff were one hundred percent.
They deserved and received generous tips. As for
the cruise staff and director, they seemed tired and acted as if they were ready to move
onto warmer climates and new ports of call. Our cruise
was the last one for the Veendam in Alaska this season.
We stopped in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. All three are retail shopping mecca's
with a big hook out for the cruisers. My wife and I spoke with several shop owners who
were packing up their store as we looked on. Each one
told us that they were moving their inventory to either Hawaii or The Virgin Islands in
anticipation of the cruise ships landing there. Get the big
picture! Skagway has no doctor, dentist or veterinarian, but six hundred thousand cruisers
came through there this season. What does a town
with a populas of six hundred people need with six hundred thousand cruisers? Kethikan is
lined with made anywhere but the USA novelties
too. I asked about a collection of Whale ivory and the young lady said she would not
discount anything in the collection because she was going
to move it to Hawaii for the winter season. As for the excursions at each stop, the train
ride is nice in Skagway, but overpriced. We took the
helicopter ride upto the Mendenhall in Juneau. That cost us $169.00 each and I decided
that I walked on more ice and saw more snow when I
had to shovel it in the Chicago suburbs. Big whoop!
The lounge staff was indeed pushy with the drinks. I paid $4.15 for a Crown and Sprite.
My
wife paid $1.60 for each diet Coke she drank. I forgot that you can bring a bottle of your
favorite spirits and mixers aboard for personal
consumption. Naturally anyone associated with the travel industry is going to tell you and
sell you on how exciting and natural Alaska is. They're
right, leave it to the wildlife that you can bearly make out through your binoculars. The
shows and entertainment were good and Smitty can belt
out a song. We always enjoy the Indonesian's on their night to entertain. They are very
genuine and appear to put their hearts and culture into
the act. The food in the Lido restaurant was ok. The pancakes and french toast that we ate
were cold by the time we found a seat. The food in
the Rotterdam dining room was bland, but had good color and placement on the plate. The
lobster tails were rubbery. Our wait staff was
excellent and very entertaining most nights. They made our meal time come alive. We will
one day return to Vancouver and Victoria. We plan to
leave Alaska to the true outdoorsmen and the native people who make their livings from the
sea and the trees. We prefer to cruise to warmer
climates where you can get in the water and not just look at it. Bon Voyage!
Name: L Forbes
Email: lforbes@ibm.net
Age: 56
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: 09/15/97
Itinerary: Alaska inside passage
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 60
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 100
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 50
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 88
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 07 Oct 1997
Time: 18:06:38
Remote Name: 129.37.178.199
Remote User:
Comments
Over all i was very impressed with the Veendam I have to use a three wheel scooter and had
no trouble going any place on the ship.I had a handicap
room which was very spacious. I was pleased with the crew in every aspect the dining room
staff were super I could ride my scooter to the table and they
would take it away and after the meal they would fight about who was going to bring it
back. The bar staff was also very accomodating one waiter in
peticular knew me by name and cabin number after the first day. My only complaint would be
that I could only disembark at one of the ports because of
the ramps.I could walk off at all three but because of company policy the crew could not
carry my scooter off. Other than that I would not think ywice about
using Holland America again.
Name: Martha Teague
Email: diablo@aloha.net
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 15
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: Sept 29,1997
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 96
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 94
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 96
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 98
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 98
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Oct 1997
Time: 20:56:12
Remote Name: 204.94.116.80
Remote User:
Comments
A very exciting trip with force 11 winds Hurricane Pauline and all. We enjoyed every
minute of this 20 day cruise
starting with our arrival in Vancover. Very smooth, right to the hotel. A nice city tour
the next AM and right on board,
no waiting, no lines. The Captain did an excellent job of keeping us safe and escaping the
federales in Acapulco.There
was a bit of ship noise in the cabin but with the heavy weather that is to be
expected.There were no pushy waiters on
this cruise, they barely looked to see if you wanted anything and then left you alone.The
Rotterdam dining room was
outstanding for service and presentation but the food is a little bland for us. The bakery
things are absolutely
scrumptious. The Lido is,well, the Lido,the food is ok and if timed right no problem
getting a place to sit. There was
always a spot on deck to our liking to just sit and read and watch the water. The
entertainment was excellent, all
super preformers,some of whom we had seen before and enjoyed again. Dont deal with the
cruise staff as we do not
like games and that stuff but I guess they do a good job.The cabin steward was very nice
and always pleasant and
smiling.Our only complaint is the coffee is too weak!! We will sail HAL again-a good value
for money.
Name: GRAHAM SMITH
Email: SMITHG@TOR.GPV.COM
Age: 37
Occupation: LAWYER
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: NOV-23-97
Itinerary: EASTERN CARIBBEAN
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 65
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Dec 1997
Time: 15:24:43
Remote Name: 204.225.156.2
Remote User:
Comments
This is a very elegant, refined ship. The Indonesian and Filipino staff were their usual
gracious selves, although
there were language difficulties in the main dining room. The food in the main dining room
was spotty -- some
excellent meat dishes but some rather bland and/or dry pork and fish dishes. Our dining
room steward was very
pleasant and hard-working, but seemed to have been assigned too many tables. The Lido food
is about as good
as can be found on any ship, with a good variety. Room service was slow and the orders
improperly filled.
We had a cabin on Verandah Deck -- our first time with a verandah. It will be hard to go
back to anything less!
The cabin was spacious with lots of storage. Bathtub with jets was slightly undersized but
still a treat. It looked
like the bathtubs in the suites were full-size.
St. Kitts was wonderful. We took our own taxi ride (about $16 one way) to Turtle Beach.
This is a secluded, small
beach with a few wild monkies that are fed there. St. Thomas was its usual busy self. We
spent some time at
Magens Beach and rented snorkelling gear there. The attendant did not tell us that
absolutely nothing could be
seen through the murkiness that day. We also took the shore excursion offered by the
cruise line for a bicycle
tour. This was very interesting ($64 each) but gruelling...some serious uphill riding is
involved.
The cabaret-type shows were mediocre, however the ventriloquist and the Flamenco dancers
were superb. The
fitness room is top-notch, however there are big "No Jogging" signs on the
outdoor wrap-around promenade
deck. There is a designated jogging track up top, but it doubles as the shuffleboard area!
The soon-to-come stop at Half Moon Cay will be a substantial improvement over the stop at
Nassau with its 6
cruise ships at dock.
The facilities for kids seemed very limited, with a meeting-room doubling as Club Hal, but
there were kids'
counsellors running programs.....there is a small wading pool and a video arcade.
The movie theatre and free popcorn were a treat, as usual, and efficiently run. The Java
Cafe serves nice , free
cappucinos and the like, but is open only limited daytime hours.
Overall, a nice, elegant cruise experience with the typical Holland America extra touches
that make for good
value.
Name: Wallace Afalava
Email: Heliman@msn.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Sales Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: June 16th 1997
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 96
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 96
FoodLidoDeck: 93
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 92
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 82
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 88
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 88
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 94
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 82
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 93
EntertShowLounge: 84
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 78
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 94
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 93
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Dec 1997
Time: 05:33:38
Remote Name: 153.36.111.74
Remote User:
Comments
Since this was our first cruise, we have nothing to compare it with. But from what we've
experienced, Holland
America does a great job!
The most impressive part was the staff. They were so friendly! Service was good, prompt,
and efficient. The
officers though could be a bit more outgoing and nicer. They seem so stuck up and uptight.
Also we felt that
there were a lot of older passengers on the cruise.
The food was for the most part good. We had second seating and sometimes I felt that some
of the main courses
were a bit over cooked.
The ship was very clean, stable and comfortable. They could use a few more sport type
activities. Bottom line, I
would cruise again with the Veendam and Holland America, but next time I would like to try
a line that caters to a
younger crowd.
Name: Beverly D'Andrea
Email: BDandrea@aol.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Quotations Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: 11/23/97
Itinerary: St Kitt, St Thomas, Nassau
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 97
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 92
CabinSteward: 97
ShoreExcVariety: 88
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 97
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 76
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 93
TenderService: 83
GoodForSeniors: 96
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 96
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 98
EntertShowLounge: 97
OverallPortsofCall: 99
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 87
CruiseActivities: 97
Casino: 94
AirSeaProgram: 96
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Jan 1998
Time: 21:23:03
Remote Name: 152.163.195.240
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise. I'm 35 and my husband is 50. This was my birthday present to
him. We had a wonderful time. We had cabin 049 and
it was great. Very roomy, large bed, always had ice, clean towels, plenty of room for
clothes, which we brought to much, only issue we had was
the temperature of the cabin was not as cool as we like. Very comfortable and not crowded,
and view just great.
Food was overall very good, there was a nice variety each day. We like spicey food but we
did not expect it to be so we were not disappointed
but were suprised every now and than. The 1St day & the midnight desert buffet were
only times we had to wait in line. Waiters remembered
if you to tea or had coffee after dinner. Most shows were good, comedy good, staff show
good, rock and roll show good but a few were a little
boring.
The ship was wonderful, very clean, places to go if you wanted to be part of activities,
and areas that were shaded were we could relax and
read are book outside in the breeze. Exercise equipment nice but early morning very
crowded. Captains dinner was well done. Staff was
always polite even if some of the staff spoke little English. The puzzle room was well
designed, many latest books, the movie theater we did
not use but checked it out and the seats were comfortable. The pool on the Lido deck
usually had childern and bigger groups around the
dome that slides close if it starts to rain which we need one morning. The back pool
usually never had children and was quite. The art work
was amazing and it was generally easy to find your way around. The dining room and the
lounges were well decorated. Seats on the lower
area in the Rubins Lounge were comfortable, but the upper area were very uncomfortable.
Two issues we had problem with and one was when
I won the Triple 7's (jackpot) on a quarter machine and it took over 30 minutes to finally
get someone to do the payoff and that was after my
husband cashed out his machine and found someone. The other issue was the tender to St.
Thomas very confusing on what to do. The
newsletters under the door listing the activies were great. We had a wine tasting theme
and there was three sessions and Jamie from
Mondiva Winerys did a great job. First day alittle disorganized the staff but the rest
were great. Overall this was the best vacation we ever
had and the days just flew by and 7 days just did not seem long enough. It was wonderful.
Cannot wait until our next cruise!!!
Name: Douglas Murphy
Email: Doug@Collector.org
Age: 46
Occupation: Small Business Owner
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Holland-Veendam
SailingDate: 08/96
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService: 97
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 94
FoodLidoDeck: 96
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 99
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 93
FoodVariety: 96
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 88
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 94
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService:
TenderService: 96
GoodForSeniors: 99
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 97
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 94
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 93
CruiseActivities: 97
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 94
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Jan 1998
Time: 12:51:48
Remote Name: 153.36.90.65
Remote User:
Comments
The Veendam is beautiful, spacious, and relatively new. Her staff is friendly and highly
competant. Our cabin stewards took
special care to quickly learn our needs and desires and met them amazingly. Our names were
remembered in each lounge
and we were greeted by name with each successive visit ... they even remembered exactly
what we preferred! On the last
evening of the cruise, we found specially prepared gifts created by various staff members
delivered to our stateroom ...
wishing us a pleasant trip home and thanking us for sailing with them.
My highest commendations go to the Captain and his staff. During our cruised, we literally
had to out run an approaching
Hurricane. At no time were we in danger, but the crew maneuvered us through very rough
seas and nasty weather. We
barely knew had bad it was because of the excellent stabilization systems on board and the
wonderful experience of those
on the bridge!
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