Deck Chairs on Veendam Lower Promenade

[rkacruiser]

Couldn't resist. Much todo about nothing. Now solve the problem of towels holding chairs by the pool and world peace is not far behind!

 

I must respectfully disagree about the issue of deck chair location. I would be very displeased to find that the only deck chairs I would be able to use on Lower Promenade Deck would be so located to have only a view of steel superstructure.

 

Knowing that such a situation existed would be enough for me to not book a cruise on such a vessel.

[FamilyTreasure]

I got off the Veendam yesterday so the bitter feelings are fresh! If you book a nice outside cabin on the lower promenad deck, you have no right to a lounge chair with a view. These are for lanai guests. EVERY CHAIR along the open rail said "Reserved for lanai cabins." There's only room for two chairs by each lanai door, so if you sit in them, you are an obvious intruder. There are battered, pealing chairs behind the half wall (with no view but the sky) towards the aft and bow for "low-life" guests from other cabins. It's absolutely shocking! As we set sail, I was on the phone with guest services, furiously complaining since Holland America's Ship Services assured me, before booking, that CruiseCritic's report about reserved lanai chairs was ludicrous. The next day they put a few chairs in front of the C cabin windows, near the swinging entrance doors, for us to sit in.

The fabulous Holland America lower promenad deck has been ruined! Sail on Ryndam or Statendam before they too are soon ruined.

[FamilyTreasure]

I got off the Veendam yesterday so the bitter feelings are fresh! If you book a nice outside cabin on the lower promenad deck, you have no right to a lounge chair with a view. These are for lanai guests. EVERY CHAIR along the open rail said "Reserved for lanai cabins." There's only room for two chairs by each lanai door, so if you sit in them, you are an obvious intruder. There are battered, pealing chairs behind the half wall (with no view but the sky) towards the aft and bow for "low-life" guests from other cabins. It's absolutely shocking!

As we set sail, I was on the phone with guest services, furiously complaining since Holland America's Ship Services assured me, before booking, that CruiseCritic's report about reserved lanai chairs was ludicrous. The next day they put a few chairs in front of the C cabin windows, near the swinging entrance doors, for us to sit in.

The fabulous Veendam's lower promenad deck has been ruined! Sail on Ryndam or Statendam before they too are soon ruined.

[sail7seas]

I got off the Veendam yesterday so the bitter feelings are fresh!. ..............

 

 

The fabulous Holland America lower promenad deck has been ruined! Sail on Ryndam or Statendam before they too are soon ruined.

 

I hate reading that happened to you. That Lower Promenade is a treasured feature for many HAL cruisers.

 

What about walkers? Was there a problem for people who love to walk laps for exercise. Are they still able to without having to work their way through deck chairs that normally did not impede their passing by?

 

(pssst..... you forgot the beautiful Maasdam as another sister for the "S" Class ships. :) )

[innlady1]

I was thinking of making a deal with Ruth since we are on the same cruise. Chair for chocolates.

 

That sounds like a deal! :D

[herb]

If nothing else HAL can pride itself for being the first cruiseline that may have to deal with chair hogs on the promenade deck. At least it won't be the "same old - same old" thread regarding chair hogs by the pool :D

[rkacruiser]

I got off the Veendam yesterday so the bitter feelings are fresh! If you book a nice outside cabin on the lower promenad deck, you have no right to a lounge chair with a view. These are for lanai guests. EVERY CHAIR along the open rail said "Reserved for lanai cabins." There's only room for two chairs by each lanai door, so if you sit in them, you are an obvious intruder. There are battered, pealing chairs behind the half wall (with no view but the sky) towards the aft and bow for "low-life" guests from other cabins. It's absolutely shocking! As we set sail, I was on the phone with guest services, furiously complaining since Holland America's Ship Services assured me, before booking, that CruiseCritic's report about reserved lanai chairs was ludicrous. The next day they put a few chairs in front of the C cabin windows, near the swinging entrance doors, for us to sit in.

The fabulous Holland America lower promenad deck has been ruined! Sail on Ryndam or Statendam before they too are soon ruined.

 

This is exactly what I feared would happen!:( Considering the number of non-lanai staterooms as compared to the number of lanai staterooms, it seems to me to be a poor business decision to risk alienating a larger number of non-lanai guests for whatever additional income the lanai staterooms earn. I seriously hope that the plans to add these new cabin types on the other S-Class ships and on the Rotterdam are changed!

[sail7seas]

For the near future, the latest I heard was only Rotterdam is getting Lanai rooms. If the other "S" ships get them, it won't be soon.