Lanai cabin on the Volendam: good, bad or ugly?

[ROBERTEVANOVER]

I am a solo traveler and I have booked a lanai cabin on the Volendam for two cruises - first one October 2023 round-trip San Diego Pacific islands to San Diego. The second one is a longer one 94 days round-trip San Diego to the South Pacific circumvents Australia New Zealand and comes back to San Diego through  different South Pacific ports. I sailed on the Mazdaam  but did have the lanai cabin. I’m very fascinated by this option since I like the promenade deck. Just wondering if anybody has had any lanai experiences could share pictures any issues with the designated seats outside the door noise etc.

Thanks,

Robert

[crystalspin]

11 minutes ago, ROBERTEVANOVER said:

Just wondering if anybody has had any lanai experiences could share pictures any issues with the designated seats outside the door noise etc.

Go here:

https://halfacts.com/r-class/

Scroll down to deck three. There are two Volendam (L) entries as well as three Lanai entries for the "historical" ships Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

 

I have booked but had to cancel Lanai cabins on a transAtlantic on the Rotterdam and the 51-day So.Pacific Volendam. We love the (lower) Promenade and have stayed in midship Deck 3 OV's on Volendam and Zaandam.

[Mary229]

I sailed in a lanai on the old Rotterdam, 42 days. For a solo it is a perfect cabin.   It is shorter than a standard outside cabin so instead of a full sofa you will have a love seat. The desk/vanity seemed slightly smaller.  The bath was the same.

 

we thoroughly enjoyed stepping out onto the promenade.  As a solo you will meet many people in a casual, quiet and comfortable way.   You have two reserved deck chairs.  Occasionally someone would be in mine but that was not frequent.  
 

You may hear noise from cleaning but I never heard disruptive people noises.  The evenings and nights were very quiet.  Please close curtains at night for privacy.  
 

 

[wandrr]

We have sailed in a lanai on two very long cruises, including a Grand World. In our opinion, that class is the best combination of both the exterior access of a verandah and the low cost of an ocean view. Mind you, some consider a lanai to be the worst of both - everyone has an opinion.

 

We heard noises from tender launching (hard to miss that) and occasionally the cleaning activities, but definitely not intrusive.

 

We gave permission to a couple of friends on the cruises to use our reserved chairs. That tended to keep other passengers out. It was also a source of amusement when I burst out of our cabin shouting "What the h#$% are you doing in my chair!" It was all in fun, but the other passengers didn't know that. 😈

 

Note that lanai's are among the first cabin class to sell out - that should tell you something.

 

In our opinion, you are very fortunate to have a lanai for two such long cruises.  

[lindaler]

Do the outside lights stay on all night? I heard that they turn most of them off about midnight but we will see. I too am a solo and also on the GA 2024 in these cabins. I know that if I have a balcony I will isolate myself by sitting on the balcony reading and such and by getting a lanai I will get to visit people as they pass or just people watch. If the lights are on for the promenade and the lights are off in your room would you still have to close the blinds? 

[Mary229]

I am super light sensitive during sleep and was not bothered by lights.  The closed curtains are light blocking.  I carry some clothes pin to be sure all slivers of lights are blocked out. 

[albingirl]

22 minutes ago, lindaler said:

Do the outside lights stay on all night? I heard that they turn most of them off about midnight but we will see. I too am a solo and also on the GA 2024 in these cabins. I know that if I have a balcony I will isolate myself by sitting on the balcony reading and such and by getting a lanai I will get to visit people as they pass or just people watch. If the lights are on for the promenade and the lights are off in your room would you still have to close the blinds? 

Many times, the staff will fold up the chairs and put the cushions away. Sometimes around 8. I think people make too much of the privacy issue. Just close the curtains  at night.  Its that simple. I love the lanai cabins. We sailed in them twice for long cruises. Plenty of room for us but we are not heavy packers or heavy people either.  

[wandrr]

35 minutes ago, lindaler said:

Do the outside lights stay on all night? I heard that they turn most of them off about midnight but we will see. I too am a solo and also on the GA 2024 in these cabins. I know that if I have a balcony I will isolate myself by sitting on the balcony reading and such and by getting a lanai I will get to visit people as they pass or just people watch. If the lights are on for the promenade and the lights are off in your room would you still have to close the blinds? 

In our experience, it is extremely hard to see through the doors, as long as it is light outside and dark inside. Basically, you need to stand directly beside the glass and shield your eyes in order to see anything inside. Like albingirl, I have repeatedly told people just don't worry about it, and close the curtains when the lights are on in your cabin. Personally, if some busybody outside wants to ogle my beautiful ripped 70 year old bod, bring it on!    🤣

 

Not much light through the curtains, and we too are quite light sensitive.

 

As another war story, I often stood just inside the door and watched other passengers (not with permission) sitting on our chairs. Great place to people watch in complete privacy!

[lindaler]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

I am super light sensitive during sleep and was not bothered by lights.  The closed curtains are light blocking.  I carry some clothes pin to be sure all slivers of lights are blocked out. 

I need to add clothes pins to my list of get ready stuff. Thanks for the heads up again.

 

1 hour ago, wandrr said:

   

Not much light through the curtains, and we too are quite light sensitive.

 

As another war story, I often stood just inside the door and watched other passengers (not with permission) sitting on our chairs. Great place to people watch in complete privacy!

I hope on the longer voyages people know to not sit there. I am pretty much an introvert and if I went outside to read and had to fight people to reclaim my lounger I would be very uncomfortable. I wouldn't want them to come back and pour liquid on my chair pads. Were they nice if you asked them to move?

 

[wandrr]

Just now, lindaler said:

I need to add clothes pins to my list of get ready stuff. Thanks for the heads up again.

 

I hope on the longer voyages people know to not sit there. I am pretty much an introvert and if I went outside to read and had to fight people to reclaim my lounger I would be very uncomfortable. I wouldn't want them to come back and pour liquid on my chair pads. Were they nice if you asked them to move?

 

To be completely honest, we actually had very few people using our chairs without permission. Those we asked to move certainly moved immediately. I suggest that you will get to know some other passengers fairly quickly. (Try your roll calls. I know you are on two with us for a sailing Dec-27 as well as the Grand South Am.) If you feel comradeship with someone, ask them to use your chairs if you are not there. A chair with a person in it is pretty much never used by someone else!

 

I happen to be cursed with insatiable curiosity, so I often stood inside our closed door and watched the deck crew launch the tenders. They had closed the promenade outside, but I had a superb view of the work.

[lindaler]

6 minutes ago, wandrr said:

I happen to be cursed with insatiable curiosity, so I often stood inside our closed door and watched the deck crew launch the tenders. They had closed the promenade outside, but I had a superb view of the work.

 

That sounds like fun, watching the launching. I hope to meet lots of people. And I have offered to share the loungers with another solo passenger so maybe that will help.  

[Crusin-Suzan]

We are on that deck next month for 28 days!  Not in a lanai cabin!   Are there extra chairs our there that other people can use?  Thanks!

[lindaler]

1 minute ago, Crusin-Suzan said:

We are on that deck next month for 28 days!  Not in a lanai cabin!   Are there extra chairs our there that other people can use?  Thanks!

 

There are lots and lots of chairs that are not outside the sliding doors of the lanai. They are there for anyone to use. 

[wandrr]

3 minutes ago, Crusin-Suzan said:

We are on that deck next month for 28 days!  Not in a lanai cabin!   Are there extra chairs our there that other people can use?  Thanks!

Yes. The Lanai chairs have a tag that says something like "Reserved for Lanai Cabin passengers" or something to that effect.

[LocoLoco1]

Not many extra chairs on the VOLENDAM. Very nice if you are chatty and social. No place to sunbathe au naturale’. You WILL be seen by passerby walkers if your lights are on and its not bright outside. (Ask my wife how we know.)

[lindaler]

The pictures of the deck on another site seem to show chairs lining 2/3 of each side. If there are 40 connected to the lanais then I would guess from the pictures there are over 100 spread over both sides not reserved. 

[wandrr]

3 minutes ago, lindaler said:

The pictures of the deck on another site seem to show chairs lining 2/3 of each side. If there are 40 connected to the lanais then I would guess from the pictures there are over 100 spread over both sides not reserved. 

In our experience, that is about right, though not on Volendam specifically.

[lindaler]

Other cruisers that I've talked to that have had a lanai seem sold on the design. I do know that they are the first to sell out.  I hope that I don't feel like I'm in a fish bowl but it seems to be a good way to be more social without going to large events.

[garlictown]

@lindaler

Linda,

👍We love lanai cabins and wish other Holland ships had them! Our friend Jo from Canada stopped by on her walk for a visit with us (DH, Auntie and me)....we met you on the Rotterdam last Christmas. 😊

Katie

[lindaler]

I remember you from the holiday cruise, @garlictown.  Those are great pictures. Not sure why there are no other people sitting out. It looks wonderful and a great way to catch up with people. That and trivia seem to be the easiest places to run into people.