Volendam Aft Verandah:Should I Freak Out?

[UppieB]

My Mom has been bitten by the cruise bug big time, so I am taking her on her second cruise. We're sailing on the Volendam for the Inside Passage tour in one week.

 

I purchased a BB guarantee and got my cabin assignment today-- stateroom 7075. AA, I thought. Pretty awesome.

 

Based on a look at the boards, though, it looks like this couldn't be worse. It's on the starboard side, may run into engine noise, and is below the pool. Is this accurate?

 

Basically, how much should I be freaking out right now? I want my Mom to have the best time.

[Assateague Island Princes]

In my opinion, good location! Near the aft of the Navigation deck, out the back door to the "secret deck" then up one flight of stairs to the Sea View Bar and the aft Lido for snacks or meals. Sounds like a pretty darn good upgrade to me!:D

 

We've sailed on the aft of the sister ship, Amsterdam, to Alaska several times and were not bothered by engine noise at all. Ever. Nor were we bothered by being under the aft pool - its not like a warm weather cruise where there will be tons of chairs scraping in the morning. Your Mom will LOVE the location, and she'll LOVE Alaska! Trust me! Go. Enjoy. Count your blessings - you done good!;)

[cb at sea]

I think you got lucky! We always like being only 1 flight of stairs from the pool...mighty convenient!

 

The engines are decks and decks below the lowest passenger deck....if you start hearing engines, you're in serious trouble!! Relax and enjoy your cabin!

[cruz chic]

I think you got lucky! We always like being only 1 flight of stairs from the pool...mighty convenient!

 

The engines are decks and decks below the lowest passenger deck....if you start hearing engines, you're in serious trouble!! Relax and enjoy your cabin!

I TOTALLY agree. I'd love that cabin. To the OP, best not to book a guarantee if you are super picky.

[UppieB]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

 

I shall stop freaking out....as much.

 

Point taken on the guarantee. To be honest, I figured that narrowing it down to BB was as specific as one could get. I have zero clue why I thought that, in retrospect. :-/

[Aruba]

I wouldn't freak out; I would count my lucky stars.

[YOW]

Thanks! Now I've got the Le Chic song in my head. (fortunately it's got a good bassline) ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations!!

 

No way will you hear engine noise that far up.

 

Alaska -- not many people will be out on deck then.

 

On our last few Alaskan cruises -- the afternoon Salmon Bake was held on the aft deck -- that will probably be the only time you may hear some noise. And that won't last long.

 

And you are real handy to that Salmon Bake.

[PathfinderEss]

My Mom has been bitten by the cruise bug big time, so I am taking her on her second cruise. We're sailing on the Volendam for the Inside Passage tour in one week.

 

I purchased a BB guarantee and got my cabin assignment today-- stateroom 7075. AA, I thought. Pretty awesome.

 

Based on a look at the boards, though, it looks like this couldn't be worse. It's on the starboard side, may run into engine noise, and is below the pool. Is this accurate?

 

Basically, how much should I be freaking out right now? I want my Mom to have the best time.

You got a great cabin, enjoy your cruise.

[UppieB]

Thanks, everyone! The reassurance helps a lot--I get really control freak-y when it comes to doing stuff for Mom. Sorry for any inadvertent song-planting (although Freak Out is an awesome song.)

 

I found the person who wrote the review about staying in the same cabin and hearing noise and posted on her thread to double check.

 

In the meantime, I'm totally excited to be in the pole position for the salmon bake.

[vbmom87]

Thanks, everyone! The reassurance helps a lot--I get really control freak-y when it comes to doing stuff for Mom. Sorry for any inadvertent song-planting (although Freak Out is an awesome song.)

 

I found the person who wrote the review about staying in the same cabin and hearing noise and posted on her thread to double check.

 

In the meantime, I'm totally excited to be in the pole position for the salmon bake.

 

Don't freak out. Just realize that you bought a guarentee and with it comes suspense. I won't do guarentees anymore because we discovered we do not do well at the bow of the ship with all the motion there. After this experience, you may decide not to book guarentees anymore either. However, for now, just concentrate on all the good things of this cruise and you are bound to have a great time. If you are concerned there may be noise at night, bring some ear plugs. You really chose an outstanding itinerary for your cruise. I don't see how you can possibly not enjoy the cruise. We love to be out and about on the cruise ship viewing the beautiful scenery in Alaska. You may want to do the same. Please be sure to report back and let us know how it turned out.

[erewhon]

You will have a great cabin.

Have a wonderful cruise.

[pooh/tigger]

In my opinion, good location! Near the aft of the Navigation deck, out the back door to the "secret deck" then up one flight of stairs to the Sea View Bar and the aft Lido for snacks or meals. Sounds like a pretty darn good upgrade to me!:D

 

We've sailed on the aft of the sister ship, Amsterdam, to Alaska several times and were not bothered by engine noise at all. Ever. Nor were we bothered by being under the aft pool - its not like a warm weather cruise where there will be tons of chairs scraping in the morning. Your Mom will LOVE the location, and she'll LOVE Alaska! Trust me! Go. Enjoy. Count your blessings - you done good!;)

 

Tell me about this "secret deck" please

[Beejay4016]

Thanks, everyone! The reassurance helps a lot--I get really control freak-y when it comes to doing stuff for Mom. Sorry for any inadvertent song-planting (although Freak Out is an awesome song.)

 

I found the person who wrote the review about staying in the same cabin and hearing noise and posted on her thread to double check.

 

In the meantime, I'm totally excited to be in the pole position for the salmon bake.

 

C'est chic, n'est pas. Why worry; be happy. ;)

[NoobCruise]

I don't know about the Volendam, but we just got back from Alaska on the Westerdam. Our cabin was on the back corner of the navigation deck, directly under the Sea View Pool area. We did not have a problem with noise. There were people at the railings above during sail aways, but not for very long. They were also out on our Glacier Bay day. We did hear quite a few chairs scraping the deck on tat day, but only when the ship was idling in front of Margery and Johns Hopkins glaciers. Otherwise, we never heard any noise from above.

 

We were on the Navigation deck 8 and engine noise was not an issue at all, although the lower decks may hear it.

 

It was also very convenient being so close to the Lido. Although on the Westerdam, there's no "secret deck" and staircase on the back so we walked to the aft elevators/stairs, which deposited us right in the Lido Buffet.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Pooh/Tigger - the "secret deck" (actually several on the Main deck, and deck 6 as well) on the Amsterdam and the Volendam are just fabulous! The one I spoke of on the Navigation deck was right outside our aft cabin window (7056), literally five steps out our cabin door in the hallway to a door out to the aft. There is a staircase in the center that is one flight up to the Lido deck (aft pool/SeaView Bar area). Cabin 7055 on the opposite side of the ship also had the same configuration, however the view out its window was partially "blocked" by the staircase I mentioned.

 

The deck had loungers, some benches, and a couple of small tables (think round coffee table height). The great thing about the aft deck on the Navigation deck is that the railing is open for unimpeded wake views while sitting. The "secret decks" on deck 6 and the Main deck have the solid superstructure of the ship, so you need to be standing at the rail to take advantage of the wake view on those two decks.

 

On the Amsterdam to Alaska, we spent every waking moment on our "secret deck" scanning the seas for whales and enjoying the magnificent Great Land scenery that is all around you.

 

It is so handy to be able to run out the steps to the Lido for a bite to eat or a drink from the SeaView bar, and to run back to our cabin for the camera or our insulated mugs whenever we liked. The deck was very sparsely populated on our trip - perhaps because folks didn't know about it, and perhaps because the majority of cabins on the Navigation deck are balcony cabins so folks felt no need to come back there. Being in an oceanview cabin on that deck with the layout involved was perfect. The large window overlooking the aft deck in our cabin was not above the bed - the bed was configured sideways in the cabin so that there was a narrow walkway in front of the window along the side of the bed.

 

If you go to Joanie's sticky at the top of the HAL boards where she provides cabin photos supplied by fellow cruisers, you can see photos of this cabin and some of the aft deck as well - click on the Volendam, and look for cabin 7086 (it is the spitting image of cabin 7056 on the Amsterdam).

 

Love, love, love that cabin and would book it again in a heartbeat!

[Himself]

Enjoy your cruise, the Volendam is a fine ship.