Volendam 12/17/22 - 12/27/22 Review Verandah Suites 7048 and 6206

[kurtmi03]

 

 

We arrived at Pier 19 and were checked in and sitting in the upstairs lounge in about 10 minutes. Boarding began at 11:40, about 15 minutes after we sat down.

 

The ship looked great as we boarded, and our keys were at our room. Our Verandah Suite seemed a little warm, but I thought after we got underway it would cool off. Wrong. We had lunch in the main dining room, and it was tasty and quick. DW ordered a glass of wine at the table, and it was delivered promptly.

 

Having the HIA we ventured to several bars for drinks and met some old friends who had been bartenders on previous cruises. The service was as excellent as we remembered. We went to dinner in the main dining room the first night, late fixed, and many of the previous reviewers were spot on with their reviews.

 

Since I’m going to talk about the food, I would like to tell you where I’m coming from as a reviewer. We live in the suburbs of Chicago and have a wide range of excellent restaurants in the vicinity. If we want steak we can go to Gibson’s, Morton’s or other family owned restaurants. For Italian or other ethnic foods we have many family owned favorites we can count on. Both of us are picky about what we like, me more so than DW. Being as picky as I am, I’m over 300 lbs, so I do like good food.

 

Again, DW ordered a glass of wine that was delivered promptly. Our order was taken and then the wait began. Dinner took about an hour and a half without desert. Portions were smaller but still plenty of food.

 

Day 2 I called in the morning to complain about the air conditioning not working. It was hot enough that I didn’t sleep much and woke up sweating. The lady who answered the phone told me someone would look into it. We went about our day not spending any time in the room. Mostly reading by the pool. We didn’t get off the ship in Half Moon Cay as we have been there several times.

 

Dinner in the Canaletto was excellent. I loved the Chicken Parmigiana and DW was very happy with the Lasanga. Service was excellent.

 

The room was still hot, so sleep was difficult.

 

Day 3 and another call to complain about the hot room. Spoke to the same lady and found out I was not the only one with this complaint. They were having a meeting about it sometime that day and she would keep me posted. I don’t know who ”they” were or what time the meeting was but was told I wouldn’t need to be there even though I told her I would love to give a first hand account of the heat. She told me they had temperatures from multiple room that had complained.

 

We had lunch in the Pinnacle. It was delicious. I had a filet that was tender and juicy. DW had crab cakes for an app and the tri tip sandwich. Service and food were excellent.

 

Dinner was a Dressy Night. I wore slacks and a shirt like I did every other night. DW wore a sparkly top and slacks. As has been noted on here the outfits ran the gambit. Didn’t see any shorts but didn’t see everyone. There were more suits and sportscoats than I thought I would see, and also more women in dresses skirts. Overall, a well dressed group.

 

I had a filet, and it was tender and juicy. We each had an app, a main and I had desert. We were in and out in 35 minutes. We didn’t ask our waiter to hurry, everything just went quickly which was great.

 

I went to guest services after dinner since no one was in line and after I told Johanna what room I was in she gave me a key to another suite and told me to sleep there and if we liked it, we could have it for the rest of the cruise. It was nice and cool, and we got our first good night’s sleep of the cruise.

 

Day 4 and a trip down to guest services and I told her we’d take 6206 for the rest of the trip. The move was very simple with the help of our excellent room stewards. Same Verandah Suite layout just a few steps closer to stairs and elevators.

 

Sat out by the pool for a while. Easy enough to find chairs. Had lunch from the Dive-in. Burgers and hot dogs were good.

 

Docked at 3:00pm in Curacao. We have been there several times, so we didn’t get off the ship.

 

Dinner at the Canaletto was again excellent. Service and food were very good and the portions large.

 

 

Day 5 was Aruba and we finally got off the ship. Walked around downtown and bought a T-shirt for DD. We sat and had a few beers at one of the bar/restaurants along the water and saw some of the half day charters returning. From what we saw the fishing looks to be very good in Aruba.

 

Back on the ship for more sun and swimming. Pool not very crowded. Ordered on the Navigator app for the Dive-in. Took almost 45 minutes to get our food. I wish it would tell you on the app how long it will be.

 

Dinner in the MDR. Soup, salad, strip steak and desert. 40 minutes and we were done. While the strip steak wasn’t the biggest or thickest, I’ve ever eaten, it had good taste and was tender. They may not give you the huge portions they used too, but the food tastes good and you leave full.

 

Day 6 started like most others. I’m up early and sit in the quiet Lido before it opens checking email. Had eggs benedict which was delicious and grabbed a bagel and coffee to take to DW who sleeps a little later.

 

We went to the Panama Canal history talk in the Main Stage, which was well attended and then since it was noon decided to head to the MDR for lunch. The food was good but took forever. It was nearly 90 minutes for an app, a main, and desert. The food was good but the wait not so much. The waiter apologized numerous times for the wait.

 

Dinner was in the Pinacle. I had the shrimp cocktail and DW had crab cakes. Both were good but you only get 3 shrimp now in the shrimp cocktail. I had a strip steak and DW had the filet. Both were very good. I had the chocolate souffle and DW had the key lime pie. Both were good. I somehow had to finish DW’s pie.

 

Day 7 was our first HAL tour. We went on the Monkey Watch & Canal Nature Cruise. Times were off because of our time getting through the Gatun Locks. Originally, we were supposed to be in the Main Stage at 9:30am. The night before all cruises were pushed back an hour so we arrived at 10:30, only to find that every tour was still there. We were the last ones to go and we finally boarded a tender at 11:30. Not a good start but let’s see some monkeys. After a 110 minute bus ride we finally arrived at the boats to take us to see the monkeys. Another 30 minute ride on the boat we were under a tree with some monkeys in it. They were used to people, and we got some good photos. We did see more monkeys, toucans, iguanas, and a baby alligator. 30 minutes back to the bus and another 70 minute bus ride back to the ship. While we were happy seeing the animals, I don’t know if it was worth 3 hours on a bus.

 

Dinner in the MDR was quite good. We each had 2 apps a main and I had desert. In and out in 40 minutes and the food was good.

 

Day 8 started with a heavy downpour. We were close to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. About 40 minutes before we docked a large swell hit us and scattered food from the Lido all over the floor. Dishes were crashing, but the wonderful crew sprung into action and cleaned everything up and opened on time so we could have breakfast before going on tours. Rain stopped about the time the ship was tied to the pier.

 

We went on the Veragua Rain Forest Eco-Adventure & Tortuguero Canals. We were supposed to meet on the dock at 6:45 after docking at 6:30. We walked down to near where the gangway was supposed to be and waited in a long line to get down the stairs to A deck to get off the ship. The line finally started moving at 6:50 and we got off the ship. When we got to where the buses were parked, we were told by the shore excursion person to just find a bus with our tour name on it. It was rather chaotic with everyone trying to find the correct bus at the same time. Our bus pulled out about 7:30.

 

The tour was excellent. Our guide was Christopher, and he was really into showing us everything we could possibly see. He gave us a history of the country and his history while we rode. After about a 60 minute bus ride, over at times one lane road which was sometimes exciting, we got off the bus and walked the park. Some of the snakes, frogs, toads, and lizards are in habitats for you to see, but you also see some of them running around in the forest. We had a nice lunch and then onto the bus for a boat ride. On the boat ride we saw monkeys, sloths, iguanas, lizards, and a crocodile. We got off the boat ride and had some delicious fruit before boarding the bus back to the ship. A very good tour.

 

Dinner in the MDR was a dressy night that they kind of snuck in on us. Navigator showed no dressy nights prior to boarding. Once we boarded that changed to 2 dressy nights, which we expected. The first sea day and Christmas day. Somewhere around day 5, DW noticed that Christmas Eve was also dressy. Not a huge deal but more than 2 days’ notice would be nice so you can have things out to the laundry and back to wear.

 

Dinner itself was good but not a spectacular menu. I had jambalaya and DW had pork belly. Not exactly food you’d expect on dressy night, but it was good. DW had 2 apps, I had 1 and each had a main, no desert. We were in and out in 35 minutes.

 

 Day 9 was a lazy day at sea. We sat out on the balcony and read in the morning. We watched a little football and had room service for lunch. It took about an hour for 2 club sandwiches, but the food was good. We took a nap in the afternoon since our Pinacle reservations weren’t until 8:30. Had a few drinks in the ocean bar before dinner and then on to dinner.

 

Dinner was good. We both had filets and baked potatoes. They were done just right and tender and juicy. The only snafu was when the bill was presented. We are both 4 stars but we were charged $39 for each dinner plus the 18% service charge. The problem is they only discounted $19.50. I told our server, and he said the host would take care of it.

 

After dinner we returned to the room before having an after dinner drink. I found a letter stating we received $100 OBC for the A/C problem earlier in the trip. We headed to the Ocean Bar and there was Chocolate Surprise on deck 5. They were just a few small chocolate cupcakes, but they tasted good.

 

Day 10 and the final day of our cruise. We are at sea again. The correct amount from the Pinacle was on my statement, so it was all good. The $100 OBC was also on there.

 

Breakfast in the Lido was good again. Did a little reading as it was in the 60s and overcast. We had lunch in the Pinacle and DW liked her cod sandwich a I liked my burger.

 

I went to the Ocean Bar for a few drinks while DW played in the casino.

 

We had our last dinner in the MDR. It was a Culinary Council Menu. DW had a crab cake app and the chicken with gnocchi for a main. I had the coconut shrimp app and prime rib for dinner. DW really liked hers. I was less enthusiastic about mine. Just okay.

 

Disembarkation could not have been any easier or faster. We could get off between 8 and 9. They started calling colors and numbers at about 7:30 and called ours at 8:00. We were in no rush so we walked down at 8:20 and were in a cab by 8:30 and off to the airport.

 

Overall, we were happy with the trip and will be sailing HAL again in April and booked the 28 day Alaska for June of 2024. The service could not be any better. Our stewards in both rooms were excellent with twice daily service. The bar service in the venues we visited were top notch. Always ready with another drink. The waiters in the MDR and Lido could not have done a better job. Other than the first night in the MDR wait for the food, and the wait for one lunch in the MDR, everything else was very good. Were the portions in the MDR a little smaller? They were, but it was plenty for me and DW. The food also tasted good, and the beef was tender and juicy. Hopefully some supply chain kinks are getting ironed out so the food they can acquire is back to HAL standards. The laundry service is also outstanding. If in early sometimes back the same day but if not the next morning. Everything cleaned and pressed so nicely.

 

We were not asked about vaccination status at any time, and we never heard of anyone having covid on our trip.

 

[vicd1969]

Great review of your cruise. Very informative for those who are considering or have booked the Volendam or Zaandam. Highlights the service-related positives of sailing on the smaller ship -  especially on the dining front. Also the drawbacks of sailing on an older ship (A/C problems, fewer restaurant options). 

[canadianbear]

Thanks for taking the time to do your review.  Very informative and interesting to read.  Glad you got moved to a room where the AC worked.  We always prefer a cool room.  

[AFNavigator]

5 hours ago, kurtmi03 said:

 

 

 

We arrived at Pier 19 and were checked in and sitting in the upstairs lounge in about 10 minutes. Boarding began at 11:40, about 15 minutes after we sat down.

 

 

 

The ship looked great as we boarded, and our keys were at our room. Our Verandah Suite seemed a little warm, but I thought after we got underway it would cool off. Wrong. We had lunch in the main dining room, and it was tasty and quick. DW ordered a glass of wine at the table, and it was delivered promptly.

 

Day 2 I called in the morning to complain about the air conditioning not working. It was hot enough that I didn’t sleep much and woke up sweating. The lady who answered the phone told me someone would look into it. We went about our day not spending any time in the room. Mostly reading by the pool. We didn’t get off the ship in Half Moon Cay as we have been there several times.

 

The room was still hot, so sleep was difficult.

 

Day 3 and another call to complain about the hot room. Spoke to the same lady and found out I was not the only one with this complaint. They were having a meeting about it sometime that day and she would keep me posted. I don’t know who ”they” were or what time the meeting was but was told I wouldn’t need to be there even though I told her I would love to give a first hand account of the heat. She told me they had temperatures from multiple room that had complained.

 

I went to guest services after dinner since no one was in line and after I told Johanna what room I was in she gave me a key to another suite and told me to sleep there and if we liked it, we could have it for the rest of the cruise. It was nice and cool, and we got our first good night’s sleep of the cruise.

 

 

Day 4 and a trip down to guest services and I told her we’d take 6206 for the rest of the trip. The move was very simple with the help of our excellent room stewards. Same Verandah Suite layout just a few steps closer to stairs and elevators.

Regarding cabins being too hot, we were on the Nieuw Statendam the week before your cruise and our cabin was too warm.  We had 3 in our cabin which we found later may have indirectly been a partial cause of the overly warm room.  We informed our cabin steward of the heat problem the first morning.  He told us later that day that the service techs had come and "adjusted" the ventilation.  The temp was marginally cooler the rest of the week but still a bit too warm in the evening...not in the morning, just the evening.  The last night, I was in the bathroom and noticed the stack of shower towels--3 towels high for 3 of us--were completely blocking the bathroom vent.  I pulled the towels away from the vent and immediately felt air rush under the bathroom door and within an hour or so, the cabin cooled off.  Those towels blocking the outflow vent were apparently reducing the amount of inflowing chilled air.  I'm guessing the reason for the room being cool in the morning was that we used at least one of those towels before going to bed and, without knowing it, unblocked the vent.

Edited December 27, 2022 by AFNavigator
clarification

[oakridger]

@AFNavigatorthank you for posting your experience with the bathroom vent/AC!!  I haven't had an AC problem on HAL but it ever I do, I'll check that vent first.  I wonder how often this has happened, but no one (including the ship staff) thought to check that vent.  Very useful information.

 

~Nancy

[erewhon]

Thank you for reviewing your Volendam cruise.

[Maisyboo]

Good review &thanks for the info. Especially the food times . Nice to hear the crew was their usual excellences . IMO HAL has the best service.