help please: 1st time to be on VOLENDAM

[jerrybev]

i Hope someone will answer some questions for us. We will be onboard 10/3 for 10 Panama cruise.

the ice cream station: is ice cream free? Do they have upscale flavors or limited to van, choc,

strawberry? Or is it a soft serve self dispensing unit? Available all the time or when?

 

the hydrotherapy/thalassotherapy pool(s) is there a

charge for using that? Seems it is connected with

the spa.

 

Are we allowed to print our boarding passes online to

speed us through getting onto the ship?-

 

how can I determine if there will be a gathering of

the cruisecritic.com members while on the cruise ship?Any other tips or suggestions appreciate.

thanks

jerrybev

winston salem NC

[JohnQ]

Hi Jerrybev,

We were on the Volendam for back to back cruises to Alaska and back in late July. They had two ice cream stations on Lido deck. Different flavors on each and different hours. They had butter pecan, pistacio, rum raisan,burgandy cherry and others in addition to choc, vanilla and strawberry. They had several toppings including some kind of light colored choc. No dark choc except on ice cream and desserts at dinner in dining room. No charge for ice cream.

 

Don't know about spa.

 

You can print your boarding passes and complete all your paperwork online. Do it early and not at last minute.

 

Have a nice cruise and let us know how it was.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just check your daily program for the hours that the ice cream stand will be open. They also have sherbets. Sometimes they put out liquors that can be poured over the ice cream. AND it is ALL FREE!!

Don't forget to print out the immigration form to turn in when you get to the pier.

The spa is not free -- I don't know the prices as we do not use them.

[jerrybev]

hi

thankyou for the helpful information. You have been on HAL, Carnival, Princess and RCCL. We have done 4 RCCL, have a Carnival booked for Feb.

Please based on your experience, how do you rate these cruises (cruise lines) from 1 being best, to 4 being least favorite.

thankyou, again,

jerrybev

 

Hi Jerrybev,

We were on the Volendam for back to back cruises to Alaska and back in late July. They had two ice cream stations on Lido deck. Different flavors on each and different hours. They had butter pecan, pistacio, rum raisan,burgandy cherry and others in addition to choc, vanilla and strawberry. They had several toppings including some kind of light colored choc. No dark choc except on ice cream and desserts at dinner in dining room. No charge for ice cream.

 

Don't know about spa.

 

You can print your boarding passes and complete all your paperwork online. Do it early and not at last minute.

 

Have a nice cruise and let us know how it was.

[takemewithyou]

You are on the Volendam from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale 10/3-10/17??? My husband and I and another CC member (idog) are on that cruise, also. If you look under Roll Calls for the Volendam, there is a thread started. I would be gald to Talk with you there on the roll call.

 

The thermal suite of the spa is extra - price depends on the length of the cruise and the ship. It is something we plan on doing. I think you can get a couples pass for about $250. There is a daily fee, but it is cheaper to buy the pass. If you do a search on "thermal suite" on this board, you will find lots of information, including pictures of the thermal area. From what I can tell, there is a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam area and the most wonderful heated ceramic loungers that you recline in and look out at the ocean going by. The number who can use the area is limited, so I wouls get the passes the first day or take the tour of the spa first and then buy the passes, if you like it.

 

Hopefully you can check out the roll call area for this cruise. Just scroll down the page - about half way down the Volendam page is Volendam San Diego 10/2-10/17.

 

Cheers!

[jerrybev]

hi

thanks for your information. Our cruise is 11/3, not 10/3 (my error).

I dont understand roll call, so if you would copy and paste the url of your roll call, I will go there and look at it.

thankyou

jerrybev

winston salem NC

jerrybev1@yahoo.com

 

You are on the Volendam from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale 10/3-10/17??? My husband and I and another CC member (idog) are on that cruise, also. If you look under Roll Calls for the Volendam, there is a thread started. I would be gald to Talk with you there on the roll call.

 

The thermal suite of the spa is extra - price depends on the length of the cruise and the ship. It is something we plan on doing. I think you can get a couples pass for about $250. There is a daily fee, but it is cheaper to buy the pass. If you do a search on "thermal suite" on this board, you will find lots of information, including pictures of the thermal area. From what I can tell, there is a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam area and the most wonderful heated ceramic loungers that you recline in and look out at the ocean going by. The number who can use the area is limited, so I wouls get the passes the first day or take the tour of the spa first and then buy the passes, if you like it.

 

Hopefully you can check out the roll call area for this cruise. Just scroll down the page - about half way down the Volendam page is Volendam San Diego 10/2-10/17.

 

Cheers!

[Sundagger]

I was on the Volendam in April, and the Ice Cream Parlor (stations in the Lido) was open from 11:30AM-5:00PM, 6:00PM-7:45PM, and 11:15PM-12:15AM. I imagine the times could vary, but there are quite a few hours that it is open. I don't recall seeing a soft-serve machine, but I wasn't looking for one.

[Sundagger]

hi

thanks for your information. Our cruise is 11/3, not 10/3 (my error).

I dont understand roll call, so if you would copy and paste the url of your roll call, I will go there and look at it.

thankyou

jerrybev

winston salem NC

jerrybev1@yahoo.com

 

The roll calls are on the Cruise Critic boards. You are on one of the most active roll calls for HAL - a LOT of Cruise Critic members are on that cruise. (The one I was on had only about a dozen posts).

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=449495

[Sage]

Jerrybev,

 

Welcome to the 11/03 sailing. Just follow the link above, and it will take you to the roll call board. We have quiet a few CC people on our cruise, and we look forward to meeting you.