VEENDAM REFITTED: RETREAT Area

[localady]

I waited, trying to be objective despite my deep sadness for the loss of the outdoor pool (which I swam in daily on the warmer itineraries.)

Now I see the pictures and I am just sad. :( It looks like a slip and fall atty's dream retirement fund, and folks are going to fry on Carribean itineraries as they sit on top of the reflective water....(but hey, it means more liquor sales no doubt.;))

How loud is the big screen TV? If it runs all the time are the verandas a deck or two down listening to it also?:eek:

[Sunshine91]

How loud is the big screen TV? If it runs all the time are the verandas a deck or two down listening to it also?:eek:

 

Lisa - That's the first thing I thought, too.

 

Last time in St. Thomas, one of the Disney boats was tied up at Havensight while we were at anchor in the harbor. From our verandah on deck 4, we had a lovely view of that boat's humongous video wall. It's located in the same place as HAL's Lido pools, but they don't appear to have the magrodome for bad weather. What got to us was the V-O-L-U-M-E! It was sooooo incredibly loud, & we were across the harbor. We couldn't imagine trying to put a baby down for a nap.

 

Perhaps because Veendam's screen is in a more open area, the noise won't be so bad, it'll dissipate? We can only hope. :rolleyes:

[English_in_Spain]

On HAL's website, on the Signature of Excellence section, I see they are now referring to the 'Resort Pool' area

“… For the Veendam and Rotterdam there will be additionally a new resort pool concept ...”

The deck plan still shows the 'Retreat' area though.

In light of what this area has become, do you think they will change the name of it from 'Retreat' to 'Resort' as this is more what it is?

[RuthC]

The Lido pool has a retractable roof and is "outdoor" when the weather is sunny and warm.

 

Len

Yes, I'm well aware of the deck plans on all the HAL ships. The Lido pool is spoken of as just that---"Lido pool". It's not an outdoor pool in that it is not open on all sides as well as overhead.

It's just not the same doing the Arctic or Antarctic Swim in the Lido pool. There's something lost in the translation. :(

[scottjeanne]

There is a comment on this thread about the entertainment and service on HAL ships. I was pleasantly suprised at the very high quality of enteretainment on the Veendam, post retrofit. We were on the Volendam at Christmas and entertainment was bad! The man at the piano bar was crude and offensive. He wore a diaper and pacifier on New Years eve! And he weighed 300 lbs. Not a prettey sight. On the Veendam, the main stage shows were excellent. They were not HAL cast that did the same show each night. They flew in performers for a single show and then flew them home (or to other ships). The piano player, Dave, was super. You can hear him on his website (www.davidguidice.com). He was never crude, only professional and personable. The classical string quartet was from Europe and very good. The Ocean bar trio was great. Halcats played in the Lido pool area for sailaways. They were fun.

 

I did not have any trouble finding quiet restful areas on the ship. The explorations lounge and cafe were always quiet. The crows nest during the day was quiet except during trivia and line dancing. Even the Lido pool was restful except right after lunch when they held pool games.

 

The retreat area TV was broken after the first day and the first day the sound was off. I cannot comment on how the volume will be in the future.

 

The service was not up to HAL standards in the dining rooms. I do not know whether it was a reduction in staff, inexperienced staff, or the code red. Probably a combination of all three. Service was slow and inconsistent. I had no problems with our room stewards.

[suitedreams]

Lido (swimming pool)

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

 

 

 

A lido, in the United Kingdom and some other countries, refers to a public outdoor swimming pool and surrounding facilities, or part of a beach where people can swim, lie in the sun or participate in water sports.

On a cruise ship, outdoor pools and the surrounding facilities are referred to as the lido deck.

The term lido comes from the name of the Lido on the sandy barrier beach that encloses the Lagoon of Venice, where sea-bathing took place from the later nineteenth century.

[Ya Ya Cruiser]

I agree with Deck Chair's comments (don't know how to do that copy and paste in a box thing:rolleyes:). I just finished my first HAL cruise, expecting great things because I had heard how much better it was than the "other" premium lines. However, I commented to my DH that it didn't seem to know what it was anymore and it was hard to figure out what it's target market was. There were lots of young families (long stroller lineups in the dining room). At best it was just confused - trying to meet too many diverse needs and not meeting any of them well. It was very disappointing. However, having said that we were still happy enough to book on the Rotterdam for next March for a fabulous itinerary and a great roll call group - we are booked into one of the new aft balcony cabins on Deck 6 now I'm wondering about the wisdom of that.............

 

As nice as the retreat area looks (from the water perspective), I would much prefer an outdoor adult only pool - let's hope Holland reads the boards and takes the hint. It also sounds like they are looking at a new smoking policy too as we were surveyed on our cruise about our views on smoking in cabins, whether we would cruise if the ship was nonsmoking etc...Princess doesn't allow smoking in cabins anymore - perhaps Holland is looking at the same type of policies.............

 

YaYa

[dvdfreakmc]

So are the new deck plans on hollandamerica.com correct? The retreat will only be on several ships, and the Maasdam will stay exactly as she is today?

[Classiccruiser777]

Are there loudspeakers blasting that big screen TV's noise for 24 hours a day?

[wander]

Classiccruiser777,

 

NO sound at all from the speakers for the screen the 35* days I was onboard. *see below

 

I spent 35 days on Veendam beginning October 31. I spent a number of hours in the retreat area every day except for 2 or 3 QUITE cold weather days near Cape Horn when I only went out for a bit of fresh air as it was more protected from the wind if you stayed near the food part of the Lido than the lower promenade.

 

During the 35 days only one time was there sound from the speakers for the big screen. That day it was NOT loud, but the minute a passenger asked to have it turned off it was. (I was reading at the table next to his.) Other than that during the day it was totally silent. Sometimes there was a picture on it - usually looked like maybe a DVD of scenic places, but NO SOUND AT ALL related to the big screen or its speakers!!!

 

Several days the HalCats played out there at lunch time and for several sailaways, but they used their own speaker system and this use of the area is nothing new.

 

A few nights they did show a movie out there, but I never did go then as I was doing other things inside. (One complaint I had of the cruise was the very weak big screen movies they had onboard.)

[Spender Nui]

Classiccruiser777,

 

During the 35 days only one time was there sound from the speakers for the big screen. That day it was NOT loud, but the minute a passenger asked to have it turned off it was.

 

 

I wonder what they'd do if a passenger asked to have it turned up?

[wander]

I suspect that the others out there would have thrown him overboard! (Just kidding, but there would have been a scene.)

 

I have a suspicion as to why it was on at all, but only a hunch. Considering the music, I suspect the cleaning crew had it on while working. I was one of the first passengers out there that morning and the music was on. Numerous crew were on deck cleaning, setting up loungers, etc. As other passengers arrived it was evident that it was not music that appealed to them. It was the sort that really appeals to teenagers and some young adults today. The officer seemed most eager to turn it off when asked. On our cruise at least, the sound system was simply not a daytime factor. It is really an area for rest and relaxation.