Veendam --- need real assessment

Past HAL customer (4 cruises) looking at a New England itinerary and reading some really bad things on the Veendam. Would be sailing in a Neptune suite with husband and child. Need to know the true condition of this ship--lots of reviews citing smells, black soot, vibration, yikes... How is the food, service, everything? We love HAL but we have been on the newer ships. Thank you!

Will be on the Veendam next month...will definitely post comments and let you know!

Past HAL customer (4 cruises) looking at a New England itinerary and reading some really bad things on the Veendam. Would be sailing in a Neptune suite with husband and child. Need to know the true condition of this ship--lots of reviews citing smells, black soot, vibration, yikes... How is the food, service, everything? We love HAL but we have been on the newer ships. Thank you!

Recently on the Veendam last Dec/Jan 2018. Which was my third time on her - no problems. There are few here who trash her for reasons unknown. All ships will have glitches from time to time, but no ship can ever be as bad as some keep reporting as it the entire ship was in this condition 24/7. Those reviews really make me mad but that was their reality so if they hated it, no question they hated their time on board. And perhaps also loved hating it.

Mine after three trips on her, including the New England trip would have no trouble sailing her again. You will get one of the best cabins at sea with the Veendam Neptune suite - very big and very comfortable - perfect for a family to enjoy on this route. The AC on older ships can get stressed when hitting the equator but you move past this in a few days, and accept the fact one did choose to cruise in the tropics, so the tropics you get not some hermtically sealed environment so you can pretend you are somewhere in northern Canada when crossing the equator.

Yes, toilets can back up mainly when other passengers put things down them that don't belong. Yes, all ships have occasional "smells" particularly on these smaller ones where one is close to what it takes to be a ship - like engines and paint and ongoing maintenance repair work. If you want to feel you are in a land based hotel and not an actual ship, then maybe the Veendam would not be the best choice.

In the past 15 years or so I have cruised about 20 times on various mass market cruise lines: HAL, Celebrity, Princess, RCI and once on Oceania. NEVER on another ship have I experienced the sewage-smelling odors that permeated through the public areas and corridors of the Veendam. And no, I didn't "love hating it." It was my hard-earned vacation. Ship happens" is when you miss a port. It's not when your cabin corridor smells like "ship."

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In the past 15 years or so I have cruised about 20 times on various mass market cruise lines: HAL, Celebrity, Princess, RCI and once on Oceania. NEVER on another ship have I experienced the sewage-smelling odors that permeated through the public areas and corridors of the Veendam. And no, I didn't "love hating it." It was my hard-earned vacation. Ship happens" is when you miss a port. It's not when your cabin corridor smells like "ship."

 

 

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And now the entire ship is in HAL purgatory for ever and ever and ever? Sorry I missed your unfortunate experience. She continues to sail quite nicely from my own experience. Whats ya gonna do?.

When you have a poor experience on a single ship, best to also include the dates, general cabin location and itinerary so people can judge other reports that may be just the opposite to your own. Or whether there was a good chance what ever occurred on your cruise was later remedied. (See above)

We had nasty scuppers on our verandah on the Amsterdam Tales of the South Pacific - it was treated as ship happens because lots of things do happen on ships. HAL did what they could under the circumstances and we carried on.

A few years ago Veendam was the subject of quite a few negative reviews. On one Canada/New England Cruise she failed her inspection and many passengers were very unhappy with the shape the ship was in. As a result, I believe HAL didn't renew the contracts of several upper management people. I had a friend on that cruise, and they refuse to consider HAL again, even thou they had two good cruises on other ships prior.

Since that time Veendam has had at least one, probably two dry docks. I have been on three cruises on Veendam, one Quebec City to Boston, then Ft Lauderdale to Montreal and finally Montreal to Fort Lauderdale. While I am not picky, I didn't find any problems with the ship or crew and would easily consider another Veendam cruise.

Yes, Veendam is older but the crew takes good care of the ship. Remember that people who have problems are more likely to complain and that people who have a good time generally don't write as many reviews.

We just got back from a 7-day to Cuba on the Veendam. I thought it was in great shape. Wish the Amsterdam cabins were in as good shape as the Veendam's. They have redone and updated the bathrooms and the furniture in the cabins. The only thing I didn't like is they took out the old hair dyers in the bathrooms, thus eliminating the plug for electric razors that I always use for my electric toothbrush. Food in the dining room was really good. I didn't think the Pinnacle was as good as on the Amsterdam (our main ship), but all the other food was as good as on the Amsterdam and they even have the New York Deli/Pizza. I didn't get a chance to try it, but if it's anything like on the Konigsdam it should be good. Crew was outstanding, as on all Holland ships.

Just got off the ship today. It is the first time I am on this class of ship. No problem at all! She is beautiful and the best crew is taking care of the ship well!

Thank you. Lovely photos! :D

thank you all...it's hard to know what to think! Where was the horrible ship smell? How/when did the ship fail inspection? Thank you for the feedback-both good and bad!

Past HAL customer (4 cruises) looking at a New England itinerary and reading some really bad things on the Veendam. Would be sailing in a Neptune suite with husband and child. Need to know the true condition of this ship--lots of reviews citing smells, black soot, vibration, yikes... How is the food, service, everything? We love HAL but we have been on the newer ships. Thank you!

I sailed on the Veendam last December and found the ship is great shape. In my aft corner stateroom, I felt no vibrations, saw no soot, and encountered no abnormal smells. If the Veendam was not committed to Cuba, I would definitely sail on her again.

Here is Neptune Suite 008:

Here is a link to my photo review of the Veendam:

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/ms-veendam-on-board/

thank you! For anyone who has done the NE trip, is that a pretty smooth sail in the summer? Thanks again!

DH and I were on the Veendam for the 11 day Cuba/Western Caribbean cruise last month. This was our 25th HAL cruise so we have experienced it all. It was our 2nd time on the Veendam. We were in Verandah Suite 051. Stateroom was in perfect condition...water was hot and the toilet flushed. There was an electrical outlet in the bathroom. Cabin stewards were very efficient and soon adjusted their cleaning schedule to our dining/waking times. Food in the MDR dinner open seating was the best we have had on any ship. AYWD hosts Bayu and Jojo knew us by name the 2nd night, and we kept our table for 2 the entire cruise. Great servers. Pinnacle Grill was far better than on other ships. we enjoyed New York Pizza and Dive In.

Over all the ship was in good condition. I did not notice any unpleasant odors (though have on other ships.) only complaint, and this goes for other ships, the stateroom always gets too warm in the night, especially in warm climates. It is something that we have come to expect.

The final sea day, the captain came on the PA with an important announcement: the winds were strong and we would be 3 hours late arriving in Ft. Lauderdale. Actually we were 3 1/2 hours late. When the cruise line tells you not to book a flight before noon, this is the reason why. It was announced that anyone who had a flight before 11 am, come to the front office immediately. HAL flights were automatically rebooked. For passengers with Luggage Direct, it was cancelled. I am sure a lot of passengers missed their flights. We made ours with an hour to spare, but were panicked...not the way to end a cruise.

I would not hesitate to sail on the Veendam again!

Karen

thank you! For anyone who has done the NE trip, is that a pretty smooth sail in the summer? Thanks again!

what kind of entertainment is available on the NE/Canadian cruise? How are the ports?

We sailed on the Veendam on a 10 day Caribbean cruise from 3/7/18 through 3/17/18. I had the same concerns before the trip but they were all unfounded. This was our seventh cruise on HAL but our first on a smaller ship. Actually I kind of enjoyed the smaller ship as it was much easier to get around. We never experienced any of those problems that I had read about here and found the ship to be in very good shape and the staff on board were probably some of the best that we had ever cruised with.

Thos are beautiful pictures Friend100. Thank you.

I sailed on the Veendam last December and found the ship is great shape. In my aft corner stateroom, I felt no vibrations, saw no soot, and encountered no abnormal smells. If the Veendam was not committed to Cuba, I would definitely sail on her again.

 

 

 

Here is Neptune Suite 008:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a link to my photo review of the Veendam:

 

 

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/ms-veendam-on-board/

We are booked in a Neptune next January. Looking at the deck plan, there are no aft Neptunes and 008 is a forward cabin. The picture you show looks like the aft suite we had on the Zuiderdam

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We just got back from a 7-day to Cuba on the Veendam. I thought it was in great shape. Wish the Amsterdam cabins were in as good shape as the Veendam's. They have redone and updated the bathrooms and the furniture in the cabins. The only thing I didn't like is they took out the old hair dyers in the bathrooms, thus eliminating the plug for electric razors that I always use for my electric toothbrush. Food in the dining room was really good. I didn't think the Pinnacle was as good as on the Amsterdam (our main ship), but all the other food was as good as on the Amsterdam and they even have the New York Deli/Pizza. I didn't get a chance to try it, but if it's anything like on the Konigsdam it should be good. Crew was outstanding, as on all Holland ships.

Question : is there a plug for a curling iron in the bathroom or somewhere else? Got to have that curling iron or I'll be wearing a baseball cap the whole cruise!

Question : is there a plug for a curling iron in the bathroom or somewhere else? Got to have that curling iron or I'll be wearing a baseball cap the whole cruise!

There are plugs in front of the very large desk-large mirror area in the cabin - both 110 and 220. This actually looks like it is intended to be the "make-up" area for the cabin, instead of the bathroom. There is a large, lighted magnifying mirror attachment and the drawer where the in-cabin hair drying is also located here. Plus lots of space to spread things around.

That being said, I have always liked the very flattering lighting in all the HAL bathrooms so far after too many hotels that can make one look like a back-lighted ghoul. I hope they don't change that in any of the new bathroom re-do's.

There are plugs in front of the very large desk-large mirror area in the cabin - both 110 and 220. This actually looks like it is intended to be the "make-up" area for the cabin, instead of the bathroom. There is a large, lighted magnifying mirror attachment and the drawer where the in-cabin hair drying is also located here. Plus lots of space to spread things around.

 

That being said, I have always liked the very flattering lighting in all the HAL bathrooms so far after too many hotels that can make one look like a back-lighted ghoul. I hope they don't change that in any of the new bathroom re-do's.

Thanks OlsSalt...you are not only a Germ Guru, but a Cabin Amenity Guru as well! :D Good info to know...I sure need a magnifying mirror also....or who knows where my eye makeup will end up on my face! Blind as a bat without glasses. Another advantage to getting older.

I laughed about the "back-lighted ghoul" comment....isn't that the truth? Some lighting in hotels stinks.

thank you all...it's hard to know what to think! Where was the horrible ship smell? How/when did the ship fail inspection? Thank you for the feedback-both good and bad!

2012, I think it was around August or September, IIRC.

The CDC report documented several items of concern involving pipes in the galley, and lack of appropriate response on the part of employees.

Our RollCall followed the story as we boarded in January. We had a great cruise. There were some limited leak and plumbing issues that were addressed. (someone flushed a depends.*)

* Stupidity is an equal opportunity passenger and doesn’t care which ship he or she is on.

We are booked in a Neptune next January. Looking at the deck plan, there are no aft Neptunes and 008 is a forward cabin. The picture you show looks like the aft suite we had on the Zuiderdam

 

 

 

 

That photo looks like the Neptune ca bins along the sides of "S" ships.

 

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We are booked in a Neptune next January. Looking at the deck plan, there are no aft Neptunes and 008 is a forward cabin. The picture you show looks like the aft suite we had on the Zuiderdam That photo looks like the Neptune ca bins along the sides of "S" ships. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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I did not add the comment about cabins along the sides of “S” ships. My point was there are no Neptune aft cabins on the Veendam and 008 on the Veendam is forward on the ship

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