Help needed choosing the Voldendam or Nieuw Amsterdam

[notalandlover]

My wife and I want to cruise to Alaska next yr. We like the Voldendam and Nieuw Amsterdam seven day itineraries out of B.C. Were new to Hal as well. Please tell us what you like and dislike about both ships. Thanks in advance.

[Lizzie68]

My wife and I want to cruise to Alaska next yr. We like the Voldendam and Nieuw Amsterdam seven day itineraries out of B.C. Were new to Hal as well. Please tell us what you like and dislike about both ships. Thanks in advance.

 

Personally, I like the smaller size of the Volendam and the Wednesday to Wednesday itinerary, which makes for less crowded ports.

[dcsam]

We MUCH prefer smaller ships, and have decided we'll not cruise on mega ships any longer. While the Nieuw Amsterdam is considered a mid-sized ship, it's 'mega' to us. If you're more interested in letting the ship entertain you with onboard activities, then go for the larger. If you're looking to have a more traditional cruising experience - one where simply 'being' rather than always 'doing', go for the smaller, more intimate ship.

[islandblue]

A friend and I are going to Alaska this May, and we were faced with a similar decision. I would have tended towards a smaller ship too, but the calendar dictated otherwise. So we'll be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam on May 28, which happens to be my friend's birthday. Can't imagine a better birthday for her! I've googled so much about the Nieuw Amsterdam and read so many positive reviews that I'm sure it will be terrific. And then my DH and I were looking for a Panama cruise in 2017...and there again was the Nieuw Amsterdam. So my next two cruises are on the NA - after which I should know definitively whether a bigger ship appeals to me. I did like the Zuiderdam very much, and also the Maasdam (smaller). I think that with HAL you can't go wrong :-)

 

 

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[RuthC]

Either ship is a fine choice, but of the two, I would choose the Volendam. The same reasons Lizzie gave are the ones I would site: smaller size and Wednesday departure.

I would add that the Volendam has a lot of sheltered outdoor space from which to sit and watch that beautiful Alaska scenery go by.

[freestyling]

We enjoy the NA especially the Tamarind specialty restaurant but based on your Alaska cruise choices I would also go with Volendam as well. Nice to have a Weds-Weds cruise for less congestion at ports. She is a Dam nice ship as well :)

[cruz chic]

I don't enjoy the smaller, older ships. No contest, I'd pick the NA.

[RMLincoln]

We have take Volendam to Alaska and liked it. We were on NA in the Med and found it didn't have a lot more to offer us, just bigger. Note that we are not fans of Asian food so Tamarind doesn't matter to us. The newer style buffet on NA was fine and the pizza was much better than on Volendam but on NA you have to order a whole (small) pie, it's not available by the slice.

 

One consideration is, "What type of room are looking for?" The NA insides are mostly smaller than on Volendam, and except for some of the Ks and Js, they do not have couches. The Volendam has a lower ratio of balconies so you may get a better price on balconies on NA.

 

For Alaska, I always recommend an itinerary with as many chances to see glaciers as possible; both these ships seem to have the same itinerary, not that I checked every departure date.

Happy planning, m--

[catl331]

We like the Vistas (lg ships) but now that we are older the smaller ships have less walking! So after walking around ports all day we don't need the long walks while sailing. We never had a balcony on Alaska cruises. When at the glaciers we either go out to promenade or the upper decks. We have not been lucky with weather either on a July cruise or Sept cruise on Alaskan waters. July trip was mostly fog!

Never had a windowless room. Need a little glimpse of outside and like ocean view.