Veendam needs to be decommisioned. You can see why HAL is desperately trying to sell

[terrydtx]

22 minutes ago, klonerga said:

You are correct, I will never sail on a ship that old or in that much disrepair in the future. My delivery may have been harsh, but it is accurate. You can't make this stuff up. I just don't want anyone else to go through what we went through when spending almost $10,000. I appreciate your honesty and your response. 

We are booked on a Viking Ocean cruise in 2020 that goes from Venice to Athens. We looked at a similar cruise on the Veendam with a Vista Suite. The VO cost for a Penthouse Verandah cabin was only $600pp more and taking the age of the Veendam into consideration we chose VO because it included so much more and the Viking Sea is only 3 years old. After reading this post and confirmed by others on your cruise, I am glad we choose VO. Since the Veendam is showing up in HAL 2020 cruises. it doesn't look like HAL will be selling her anytime soon.

[terrydtx]

22 minutes ago, klonerga said:

They don't want to take the time to warn others. Rather selfish and childlike including name calling: one post wonder.

I also want to apologize for my comment about the One Post Wonder. We see a lot of people post on CC only one time and usually it is a very negative comment, never to be heard from again or even returning to defend their comments and position. Thank you for coming back to explain more. 

 

We have not been on as many cruises as you have, but the only two ports we ever missed were on HAL and both times it was Half Moon Cay because of high winds. So we spent the last day of our cruise cruising in circles off of Fort Lauderdale.

Edited December 13, 2018 by terrydtx

[klonerga]

12 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

I also want to apologize for my comment about the One Post Wonder. We see a lot of people post on CC only one time and usually it is a very negative comment, never to be heard from again or even returning to defend their comments and position. Thank you for coming back to explain more. 

 

We have not been on as many cruises as you have, but the only two ports we ever missed were on HAL and both times it was Half Moon Cay because of high winds. So we spent the last day of our cruise cruising in circles off of Fort Lauderdale.

Apology accepted. I hope you have a wonderful day.

[wombatKY]

@klonerga, I too appreciate you coming back to further explain. I think your comments are much more valuable for it.

 

With your cruise experience, I'm in awe that you have never missed a port. It took 3 cruises before I ever stepped foot on Grand Cayman. 

 

I just have to say that I'm no longer surprised what happens or doesn't happen on a cruise these days. It's definitely no comparison to cruising when I began in 1980. I have been disappointed in service, food quality, maintenance, unmet expectations and fellow passengers so many times that I'm more likely to revel in the things that go well, than dwell on those that don't. Sadly, because of my opinion of the industry, I've begun to be much more selective when I do cruise and doing more land vacations,  where when things accumulate like you describe, you can just check out and move on.

 

 

[klonerga]

4 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We are booked on a Viking Ocean cruise in 2020 that goes from Venice to Athens. We looked at a similar cruise on the Veendam with a Vista Suite. The VO cost for a Penthouse Verandah cabin was only $600pp more and taking the age of the Veendam into consideration we chose VO because it included so much more and the Viking Sea is only 3 years old. After reading this post and confirmed by others on your cruise, I am glad we choose VO. Since the Veendam is showing up in HAL 2020 cruises. it doesn't look like HAL will be selling her anytime soon.

I'm glad you found the information I shared helpful. That was my whole point.You should love Viking. I have taken 3 Viking River cruises and have been overwhelmed by the fabulous experience every time! I have a Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection cruise booked in 2020.It seems many others are going towards yacht style cruises: Ritz, Virgin and Crystal. I will check into Viking Ocean cruises!  

[sammiedawg]

4 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We are booked on a Viking Ocean cruise in 2020 that goes from Venice to Athens. We looked at a similar cruise on the Veendam with a Vista Suite. The VO cost for a Penthouse Verandah cabin was only $600pp more and taking the age of the Veendam into consideration we chose VO because it included so much more and the Viking Sea is only 3 years old. After reading this post and confirmed by others on your cruise, I am glad we choose VO. Since the Veendam is showing up in HAL 2020 cruises. it doesn't look like HAL will be selling her anytime soon.

 

You made a great decision. Viking is a very, very nice line.  The Viking Sea is a palace compared to Veendam, or as some crew members say, the Veendoom.   We have been on both, our Veendam mistake was 2012 when I saw a desirable South America sailing that fit perfectly into a tight vacation window of time.  Reviews back then were bad and the mistake was on me.  I read reviews but wanted that trip to squeeze around our crazy busy schedule.   Elevators were out of service, even back then, non working HVAC on one entire side of our passenger deck,  smoke haze everywhere as the ventilation system did not work.  We saw leaking ceilings with buckets in hallways and public areas.   

It has been the most hated ship in the fleet for as long as I can remember, hard Core loyalists excepted. 

It has been for sale for many years. No takers.  Carnival Corp is raking every last dime out of this dud.  

[klonerga]

7 minutes ago, sammiedawg said:

 

You made a great decision. Viking is a very, very nice line.  The Viking Sea is a palace compared to Veendam, or as some crew members say, the Veendoom.   We have been on both, our Veendam mistake was 2012 when I saw a desirable South America sailing that fit perfectly into a tight vacation window of time.  Reviews back then were bad and the mistake was on me.  I read reviews but wanted that trip to squeeze around our crazy busy schedule.   Elevators were out of service, even back then, non working HVAC on one entire side of our passenger deck,  smoke haze everywhere as the ventilation system did not work.  We saw leaking ceilings with buckets in hallways and public areas.   

It has been the most hated ship in the fleet for as long as I can remember, hard Core loyalists excepted. 

It has been for sale for many years. No takers.  Carnival Corp is raking every last dime out of this dud.  

PRECISELY!!!!!!!! Some people on this board thought that my remarks were out of line. Clearly, my big mistake was booking on the Veendoom...

 

[whogo]

I would love to be the captain making that announcement: "Attention all guests. This is your captain. We will not be docking in Cienfuegos because the Veendam is broken. We will give you $50 onboard credit and a drink instead and call it even. Our cruise contract allows us to change the itinerary for operational reasons so don't bother complaining. Neener, neener."

 

[kazu]

21 minutes ago, fyree39 said:

I've been looking to book a HAL cruise for about the past three years.  One ship that I've no desire to go on is the Veendam.  The "cheerleader" reviews, those which use adjectives like superb, exemplary, outstanding, excellent and so forth, have me moving on to read the real life reviews from those who note the good as well as the bad.  

 

OP, I appreciate your review. I get the same feeling about the Veendam through photos and reviews.  I really do want to cruise on HAL (my husband said when the fall 2020 itineraries hit I can go ahead and book), but the Veendam just leaves me cold.

 

To be honest, Veendam is one ship I haven't been on but I haven't seen "cheerleader" reviews on it.  I do know some people like it's itineraries.  None of them have appealed to me yet, so we haven't been on but...

 

the problem the OP had IMO is that they came on to complain with a really  controversial title.  They are a 4* Mariner but never have been here ever to help new cruisers but simply finally posted to complain.  So, the OP was unknown and first post is a complaint.

 

I am not unsympathetic to this situation but it doesn't matter if the ship is old or new.  This stuff can happen.  It's the joy or challenge of cruising.   I have had a cabin flooded on NCL, had a fan in my room for 6 days, had key ports missed.  I know where the OP is coming from.

 

I'll be sailing the oldest ship in the fleet next year and happily.  The itinerary is fantastic, the crew is wonderful and if we miss a port, yes I'll be disappointed but I know those are the chances I take if I want to unpack once and not do a land tour 😉  

[iancal]

There are three very common themes that we noticed in the Veendam reviews.  Some reviews wax poetic about the ship.  Some say, very nicely, that it is showing it's age.  Others are not happy about anything.

 

The three common threads seem to be plumbing issues, HVAC issues, and elevator(s) that are not functioning.

 

We came to the conclusion that Veendam  clearly attracts a much higher than normal percentage of  cruisers who put things down the toilet that they should not.  Also, a higher percentage of cruisers who only think their cabin is hot and stuffy when it is not.  They are also the negligent type of cruisers who do not travel with a thermometer. 

 

It would seem there is a much higher than normal percentage of verandah cabin inhabitants on the ship who leave their sliding doors open.  These are the culprits that cause ALL of the HVAC issues. The ship also seems to attract a much higher percentage of cruisers who complain about elevators and are apparently do not appreciate the wonderful stairwells on Veendam..

 

Other HAL ships do not seem to attract nearly as many of  these cruisers.  This is probably a good thing.

Edited December 16, 2018 by iancal

[slidergirl]

14 hours ago, iancal said:

There are three very common themes that we noticed in the Veendam reviews.  Some reviews wax poetic about the ship.  Some say, very nicely, that it is showing it's age.  Others are not happy about anything.

 

The three common threads seem to be plumbing issues, HVAC issues, and elevator(s) that are not functioning.

 

We came to the conclusion that Veendam  clearly attracts a much higher than normal percentage of  cruisers who put things down the toilet that they should not.  Also, a higher percentage of cruisers who only think their cabin is hot and stuffy when it is not.  They are also the negligent type of cruisers who do not travel with a thermometer. 

 

It would seem there is a much higher than normal percentage of verandah cabin inhabitants on the ship who leave their sliding doors open.  These are the culprits that cause ALL of the HVAC issues. The ship also seems to attract a much higher percentage of cruisers who complain about elevators and are apparently do not appreciate the wonderful stairwells on Veendam..

 

Other HAL ships do not seem to attract nearly as many of  these cruisers.  This is probably a good thing.

 

I have to say that I LOVE your parody of one of the so-called "experts" here.  The thermometer was a great touch.  But, you forgot that the thermometer must be recently calibrated... 😉

 

[BRWolf]

We were on the Veendam a couple of years ago for Boston to Bermuda and had a good time.  It was our first ever cruise, so we didn't know any better.  It was showing its age.  We had no air conditioning or plumbing issues.  We were grateful for that.  We enjoyed using the stairs.  A little exercise never hurt us.  We were aware of a few too many elevators being out of order.

 

The crew was wonderful.  Overall, we had a great time.  Sorry the Veendam is not aging gracefully.  IMHO, HAL should maintain the ship or no longer use it.  

[klonerga]

1 hour ago, BRWolf said:

We were on the Veendam a couple of years ago for Boston to Bermuda and had a good time.  It was our first ever cruise, so we didn't know any better.  It was showing its age.  We had no air conditioning or plumbing issues.  We were grateful for that.  We enjoyed using the stairs.  A little exercise never hurt us.  We were aware of a few too many elevators being out of order.

 

The crew was wonderful.  Overall, we had a great time.  Sorry the Veendam is not aging gracefully.  IMHO, HAL should maintain the ship or no longer use it.  

I agree! The crew was superb, as was the food. I did mention those two items at the end of my review of the ship's issues and disrepair.

[klonerga]

20 hours ago, slidergirl said:

 

I have to say that I LOVE your parody of one of the so-called "experts" here.  The thermometer was a great touch.  But, you forgot that the thermometer must be recently calibrated... 😉

 

The stairwells are wonderful if you are not disabled.

[GlennG]

Thank you, klonerga.  I, very much, appreciate your review and comments regarding the Veendam.  As a casual visitor to the Cruise Critic site, I observe the dialogue on these boards to contain mostly opinion and editorial content.  There's nothing wrong with this.  I wanted you to know that I appreciate reading a "contrarian point of view" as compared to the cheerleader commentary.  Sometimes, I'm a little reticent to contribute to this forum, as I'm a little timid of the "pouncing" and critical commentary that follows.  Your comments provided a clear and personal assessment of the Veedam.  I intend to "steer clear" of this particular ship.  By the way, I don't find the title of your review to be offensive or even "controversial."

[klonerga]

18 minutes ago, GlennG said:

Thank you, klonerga.  I, very much, appreciate your review and comments regarding the Veendam.  As a casual visitor to the Cruise Critic site, I observe the dialogue on these boards to contain mostly opinion and editorial content.  There's nothing wrong with this.  I wanted you to know that I appreciate reading a "contrarian point of view" as compared to the cheerleader commentary.  Sometimes, I'm a little reticent to contribute to this forum, as I'm a little timid of the "pouncing" and critical commentary that follows.  Your comments provided a clear and personal assessment of the Veedam.  I intend to "steer clear" of this particular ship.  By the way, I don't find the title of your review to be offensive or even "controversial."

Thanks Glenn. Safe and happy travels to you!

[cbr663]

I also thank you @klonerga for your review.  You highlighted some hits and misses that you experienced on the ship, and as others have pointed out, the misses seem to be consistent with the Veendam.  The rude responses that followed your comments were just that - rude.  Simply ignore them.  Just know that there are many who appreciate your taking the time to share your comments.  Veendam remains on my Do Not Sail List.

[klonerga]

21 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

I also thank you @klonerga for your review.  You highlighted some hits and misses that you experienced on the ship, and as others have pointed out, the misses seem to be consistent with the Veendam.  The rude responses that followed your comments were just that - rude.  Simply ignore them.  Just know that there are many who appreciate your taking the time to share your comments.  Veendam remains on my Do Not Sail List.

Many thanks for your kind response. I wish you many safe and enjoyable cruises!

 

[HokiePoq]

On 12/12/2018 at 1:23 PM, summer slope said:

We will be on the Veendam in January for 3 weeks.  Our itinerary has already changed several times.  It's all part of the cruise experience.  I'll be happy with wherever we sail, no expectations other that being on the sea.

Have a great cruise!  I was apprehensive before our first cruise on the Veendam....a seven day Caribbean.way back in 2007...because of engine and plumbing problems reported on CC...but have never been disappointed in 90 days aboard.  The captains and crew have been fantastic.  I don't doubt the OP's experience and disappointment in missing the port they wanted to visit....have had that myself with other lines.  It doesn't mean a ship should be scrapped.   It means problems should be corrected....and probably have been as they were way back in 2007, allowing fabulous Amazon Explorer  and Voyage of the Viking cruises.   I am not an apologist who attacks everyone who criticizes HAL but I think it's safe to say that OP was not satisfied and yet the ship can still give great service and itineraries.

[jertom]

We were on the same cruise as OP. We thought that the compensation for missing Cienfuegos was on the skimpy side. We also didn't appreciate the limited elevator service. Our shower drain was a little slow. But overall we enjoyed the cruise. We still like the older HAL ships vs the alternatives. Most civilized ships for the price, and good itineraries.

 

[cayman09]

Was on the Veendam in 2015 and it was in very good shape. We had no issues with bathrooms or elevators, loved the size and the service was great. If it has indeed gone downhill in the past couple of years i consider that to be very sad. They aren't making them like that any longer and she was a joy to sail on. I'm glad that I had the chance to do it when I did.

[SeaDog-46]

I cannot comment on Veendam but I have sailed on her older sister Satatendam on it's last voyage for HAL & since as Pacific Eden.  Veendam is hardly middle aged at 22 years & HAL are NOT desparately trying to sell her.  Although she & others are on the market - but only at the right price.

Have a look at photos of 2 ships I recently saw operating in Europe.

At Lanzarote, Canary Islands - Albatross built as Royal Viking Sea in 1973. Thats 45 years ago.

At Rhodes, Greece - Golden Iris ex Cunard Princess built 1977 - christened by Princess Grace & operated by Mano Cruises Isreal.

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, SeaDog-46 said:

I cannot comment on Veendam but I have sailed on her older sister Satatendam on it's last voyage for HAL & since as Pacific Eden.  Veendam is hardly middle aged at 22 years & HAL are NOT desparately trying to sell her.  Although she & others are on the market - but only at the right price.

Have a look at photos of 2 ships I recently saw operating in Europe.

At Lanzarote, Canary Islands - Albatross built as Royal Viking Sea in 1973. Thats 45 years ago.

At Rhodes, Greece - Golden Iris ex Cunard Princess built 1977 - christened by Princess Grace & operated by Mano Cruises Isreal.

I sailed on both of them in their original incarnations. Wonderful cruises, both of them.
I agree with your assessment of age as it pertains to a ship. They do last longer than cars, after all.

[SeaDog-46]

Ruth - how lucky you were to sail on those lovely old vessels.

Best wishes for Christmas & New Year.

Thank you for you great contributions to the site.

[iancal]

I do not think that this is an age issue.  Rather, I think that it is a age combined with a periodic engineering refit of critical systems like plumbing and HVAC.  Plus a realistic preventative maintenance budget that does not get cut on a regular basis in order to reduce expenses to enhance a quarterly financial target/result.     

 

Some of those ships are old.  But some we taken out of service after a sale and completely re-fitted.  

 

Something akin to making the decision to shorten a realistic dry dock schedule and moving some of the work to the last cruise prior to and the the first one or two cruise post drydock cruises.