Volendam and Zaandam - are there any positive reviews?

[World Gallery]

I am interested in the July or August cruise on either Volendam and Zaandam.  They are 24 and 25 day cruises, Boston to Boston, New England to Iceland.  I love the convenience of not having the long flight and we are trying to escape the heat of New Orleans.  I thought I found the perfect option until I started reading the reviews for both of these ships.  We did take one HAL cruise many years ago to Alaska and loved it.  Being these are 24 or 25 day cruises, we are reluctant because that is a long time for a ship to be "your home".  I do not need perfection and choose cruises based on itinerary but the reviews are significantly worse than reviews for other ships (cabins making noises, old and worn interiors, bad service, etc.)  Has anyone gone on either of these ships recently that can offer insight`?  Any positive feedback or should we avoid?  I know it is a trade off, old ship for great itinerary. 

[Mary229]

I sailed the Zaandam October 22 for 7 days and found no faults and if there is a sleep interruption I would definitely notice.  . I was in a Vista Suite aka balcony.   On small ships you should be extra diligent in selecting a room that is surrounded by other cabins, side and up and down.  
 

I sailed the Volendam for 35 days February/March 2023.  The air conditioning seemed to be uneven at the beginning of the cruise but was fine after the first week - the ship had just left the Antarctica and was now in the tropics and I am sure that played havoc with the system.  Other than that the room was clean, updated and spacious.  One thing about the smaller, older shops they do tend to have large cabins compared to today’s standards.  My DH said he noticed some signs of age but nothing remarkable except the pool and spas were not operating optimally.  The crew was exceptional even by HAL’s standards.  

[ottahand7]

We were on the Volendam for 81 days leaving the ship March 18.   The ship is older but we were pleased with the upkeep of the ship and the public spaces and the cabins.  We had a Vista Suite for the majority of the cruise but we had a Dolphin Deck ocean view for a week and that cabin was very comfortable too.   I agree with @Mary229 that the cabins seem slightly larger and the deck in the VS was better that the Konigsdam.   The food was excellent but that depends on the Food and Beverage Manager and the Executive chef how it shakes out on each cruise.  

[Crazy For Cats]

I was on the Zaandam last summer for two weeks and didn’t run into any problems. The staff were excellent and the Ocean Bar became our bar of choice.  We are booked on her again this year, May, July and September.  I expect everything will be fine then too.

[Btimmer]

We've sailed many days on the Volendam in many environments (Asia, Caribbean, Amazon, etc.), and we have no complaints.  It's probably one of our favorite smaller ships remaining in the fleet.  Some years ago we sailed on the Zaandam and loved it.  We're booked to sail on the Zaandam this coming fall on the GSA and highly anticipating that cruise.

Edited April 6, 2023 by Btimmer

[Sherry H]

If you go to page 2 (last Saturday) there are some great video tours of the Zaandam posted.

We just sailed her last month thru the Panama Canal.  Great ship and great cruise!

[StLouisCruisers]

We enjoyed the Volendam in November-December for 28 days in the Amazon.  And our next cruise is the Zaandam for the very first time this summer.  I have no qualms about these two ships and actually prefer smaller ships to newer larger ones.

[lissie]

4 hours ago, World Gallery said:

I am interested in the July or August cruise on either Volendam and Zaandam.  They are 24 and 25 day cruises, Boston to Boston, New England to Iceland.  I love the convenience of not having the long flight and we are trying to escape the heat of New Orleans.  I thought I found the perfect option until I started reading the reviews for both of these ships.  We did take one HAL cruise many years ago to Alaska and loved it.  Being these are 24 or 25 day cruises, we are reluctant because that is a long time for a ship to be "your home".  I do not need perfection and choose cruises based on itinerary but the reviews are significantly worse than reviews for other ships (cabins making noises, old and worn interiors, bad service, etc.)  Has anyone gone on either of these ships recently that can offer insight`?  Any positive feedback or should we avoid?  I know it is a trade off, old ship for great itinerary. 

Haven't cruised HAL yet at all and we're on the July 29 on Zaandam.  We have 21 ports in 25 days - all I ask of the ship that a) she doesn't sink and b) there is food and drink. Seriously - there are so few sea days it seems fairly irrelevant. We booked for the itinerary. 

[Cruise NH]

We were on a 16 day Panama Canal cruise on the Zaandam, then went on the Koningsdam for an 18 day Hawaiian cruise.  We would take the Zaandam anywhere while we hope to never sail on the Koningsdam again.  

 

The 'Z' is older for sure but it felt more relaxed and can I use the word...cozy...we loved it.  We were in a balcony room, termed a vista suite by HAL.  We did hear carts being rolled above us in the lido but it was infrequent and didn't disturb us.  If we had watched the floor plan above us more closely we could have avoided even that.  I wouldn't worry about taking the Z it's fine.

[lakedweller64]

Just did round trip Fll to San Diego 28 days.One of the best cruises I’ve been on.Not one complaint. I would book the Zaandam again.

[OlsSalt]

Older ships have many layers of paint and can show signs of rust, in the relentless war after years sailing in the salt air.

 

I always wonder if that is what people claim is so offensive about these beloved older HAL ships - or what they claim are 'signs of wear".  Be prepared to see it - it comes with the terrirtory. 

 

We would pick either ship, Zaandam or Volendam,  over any other ship HAL has in its now highly varied fleet. We have never noticed any other signs of wear - maybe some worn carpet edges on stairways right before they are due to go into dry dock.

 

HAL takes good care of their ships, but these were designed many years ago for the traditional cruise travelers who took things in their stride more than today, it appears.

 

 I personally do not get apoplectic over "dated"  pink tile bathrooms or these ships less than au courant trendy decor. They are "old shoe comfortable" for us, and that is now meant to be a putdown in any way.

 

Plus having cruised on HAL ships for over a decade, they are all beauty queens compared to what they were before corporate stopped using fire sale, mismatched carpet closeouts and having no over all coordinated decor theme. Yet they won our hearts anyway. 

 

Whatever happened to those Blue Boy benches on the Oosterdam anyway? 

[Navybikermom]

I sailed on Zaandam last Sept for a week and then January for full Panama Canal and loved both. Lots of sea days on the Panama Canal itinerary but I was never bored. It’s my ship of choice, but it doesn’t do the Mediterranean/Europe routes, so I sometimes have to sail on other ships. I am very hesitant about next year’s Rotterdam British Isles cruise since I’ve never been on one that large, but it’s quite port-intensive so at least I will be ashore a lot. 
 

I really prefer the layout of the Zaandam, with the Explorer’s Cafe on deck 5. The bigger ships have it in the Crow’s Nest. I thought the service was excellent in every aspect. Give me those little old ships any day!

[JeffElizabeth]

We are taking the Boston to Boston cruise this Summer and am glad to hear that these older, smaller ships have nice amenities that the modern mega ships don't.  

[Cruise Junky]

Personally, we would avoid both.  We book a balcony but there are no regular balconies, they’re sold as suites at a much higher price.  There’s also no fridges in rooms below suites.  If money weren’t an issue or we enjoyed oceanview cabins we’d consider them.  

[cgolf1]

We are sailing on the Zaandam soon from an inside room and all we have found on here and on recent you tube videos are positive info. We have sailed older ships before, so we know what to expect for wear and tear. We also like the older ship designs vs the more modern designs so we are really looking forward to this trip.

[OlsSalt]

30 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

Personally, we would avoid both.  We book a balcony but there are no regular balconies, they’re sold as suites at a much higher price.  There’s also no fridges in rooms below suites.  If money weren’t an issue or we enjoyed oceanview cabins we’d consider them.  

 

That is only a semantic difference, to give double Mariner points as "suites" - and nothing else.

 

The verandah cabins on these ships, no matter what their names,  are fine. The ships are simply too small, to have the various varieties of "verandah" offerings of the other larger ships.

[Cruise Junky]

5 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

That is only a semantic difference, to give double Mariner points as "suites" - and nothing else.

 

The verandah cabins on these ships, no matter what their names,  are fine. The ships are simply too small, to have the various varieties of "verandah" offerings of the other larger ships.

Semantic or not, they cost a lot more. There’s a very large price jump between an OV and the Vista Suite.  The OP wanted opinions, I gave mine.  

[spleenstomper]

Zaandam is a small ship. 1200 pax. There isn’t going to be mega ship offerings on small ships. Ask me again in a month after I debark from her in Boston. 

[spleenstomper]

1 hour ago, Cruise Junky said:

Personally, we would avoid both.  We book a balcony but there are no regular balconies, they’re sold as suites at a much higher price.  There’s also no fridges in rooms below suites.  If money weren’t an issue or we enjoyed oceanview cabins we’d consider them.  

Wait, so my balcony cabin isn’t a balcony cabin? I sure as heck don’t have a suite. Off to check .

[gregma60]

2 minutes ago, spleenstomper said:

Wait, so my balcony cabin isn’t a balcony cabin? I sure as heck don’t have a suite. Off to check .

I think what is trying to be said is that all staterooms on the Vaandam that have a balcony are called "Suites".  That ship has:

 

Inside cabin

Ocean View cabin

Vista Suite - This is the category with balconies

Neptune/Pinnacle Suite - Highest category with balconies.

 

Zaandam Cruise Ship - Elegant & Comfortable | Holland America Line

 

-gregma

[spleenstomper]

1 minute ago, gregma60 said:

I think what is trying to be said is that all staterooms on the Vaandam that have a balcony are called "Suites".  That ship has:

 

Inside cabin

Ocean View cabin

Vista Suite - This is the category with balconies

Neptune/Pinnacle Suite - Highest category with balconies.

 

Zaandam Cruise Ship - Elegant & Comfortable | Holland America Line

 

-gregma

Thank, I just checked and yes, it’s called a vista suite but it’s really just a plain old balcony cabin lol. We have only had balconies and suites… snobs like that so just wanted to make sure I didn’t accidentally book an inside cabin. (I love the idea of cruising more in an inside cabin but DH says absolutely not so….. lol) 

[gregma60]

4 minutes ago, spleenstomper said:

Thank, I just checked and yes, it’s called a vista suite but it’s really just a plain old balcony cabin lol. We have only had balconies and suites… snobs like that so just wanted to make sure I didn’t accidentally book an inside cabin. (I love the idea of cruising more in an inside cabin but DH says absolutely not so….. lol) 

I completely understand!  My DW would probably be happy in an inside also, but her DH (me) thinks the same as yours...)

 

-gregma

[cgolf1]

42 minutes ago, spleenstomper said:

Wait, so my balcony cabin isn’t a balcony cabin? I sure as heck don’t have a suite. Off to check .

 

The bonus is you do get an actual tub in the bathroom which could be nice. Not worth the extra cash for us, since we got the inside for under 500 for the week down to Boston.

[cgolf1]

37 minutes ago, spleenstomper said:

Thank, I just checked and yes, it’s called a vista suite but it’s really just a plain old balcony cabin lol. We have only had balconies and suites… snobs like that so just wanted to make sure I didn’t accidentally book an inside cabin. (I love the idea of cruising more in an inside cabin but DH says absolutely not so….. lol) 

 

32 minutes ago, gregma60 said:

I completely understand!  My DW would probably be happy in an inside also, but her DH (me) thinks the same as yours...)

 

-gregma

 

Insides are great for sleeping, as they are very dark. I generally get my best sleep on a cruise. I think it is a combo of the ships movement and the lack of light in the room.

 

We have done veranda and suite cabins, and for us we never used them enough to justify the extra money. We still haven't done an oceanview. We had one that we got on a move up bid on Celebrity, but they ultimately bumped us to a veranda due to low booking and that our assigned room was on the Covid floor.

 

I have coworkers though that love to sit out on a veranda in the morning and at night so it works for them.

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, Cruise Junky said:

Semantic or not, they cost a lot more. There’s a very large price jump between an OV and the Vista Suite.  The OP wanted opinions, I gave mine.  

I agree.  The only time I take a vista suite is if I am offered a super upsell or free upgrade.  They are usually twice the cost of the best outside view cabin which makes no sense to me.  I have been offered some very nice upsells on both of these ships so never have sailed in the original inside I booked.