Just off Veendam; 04/09 to 04/24/16

Hi y'all, Redneck Bob hear !

Me and the misses just got off the Veendam yesterday. I will write a full review but this what I noticed on this cruise; post drydock.

1. New furniture and carpet.

2. Same old ship; typical cruise with flooded cabins, A/C issues, etc. One day all water shutdown for 3 hours due to major pipe break

3. Lido now has large salad bowls; look like serving bowls, napkins that look like dish towels, no more made to order sandwiches (no tuna, chicken or egg salad during 15 day cruise); no more half Lido reserved for officer dining at night (both sides open to passengers)

4. Chair hogs have moved to Lower Promenade. HAL had to post signs by Day 11 to stop it; but didn't

That's all. Stay tune for full review sometime this year :eek: !

"I'm Redneck Bob and I see it like I tell it, I mean tell it like I see it"

Thought for the Day; You maybe a Redneck if you think the Muster Station is the condiment bar next to the Dive In Restaurant :D !

Appreciate the feedback.

Had the same napkins on the Westerdam. Also no more made to order sandwiches.

Found chicken and tuna salad in the Salad area where there were always staff making your salads for you.

Right -- no reserved area in the Lido at dinner for the officers.

Why is it that all those people who leave their balcony doors open and cause the AC to fail ALL seem to prefer Veendam and Maasdam to other ships, other cruise lines? Do they all cruise at the same time?

Can't these miscreants split up, cruise on other ships, and give poor Veendam, her staff, and the balance of her customers a bit of a break???

Why is it that all those people who leave their balcony doors open and cause the AC to fail ALL seem to prefer Veendam and Maasdam to other ships, other cruise lines? Do they all cruise at the same time?

 

Can't these miscreants split up, cruise on other ships, and give poor Veendam, her staff, and the balance of her customers a bit of a break???

Made me laugh. :D

Veendam was our first HAL ship, hate to hear she is having mechanical issues. Those are hard to fix short of a MAJOR dry dock.

Our toilet leaked one day on Maasdam. I wasn't there at the time- my son was. He said he had already reported it, well- I'm watching the water on the floor (the room steward threw a bunch of towels dowN) but the towels were getting wetter and wetter. I ran to the front desk and told them. I emplored them to send someone otherwise it might flood the room downstairs. It took a good 30 minutes for someone to come after that! It was a quick fix once they got there- however- their lack or urgency could have resulted in flooding. So this is probably the real issue. I'm sure there are plumbing issues on all ships- but they must be addressed promptly. It was an hour before anyone came to fix the leak.

Veendam was our first HAL ship, hate to hear she is having mechanical issues. Those are hard to fix short of a MAJOR dry dock.

I sailed on the Veendam when she was just two years old in an outside stateroom. In my stateroom, I saw workmanship quality issues that should not have been seen in such a young vessel. No surprise to me that now, as she has experienced much more sea water under her keel since then, further mechanical issues are an issue.

I sailed on the Veendam when she was just two years old in an outside stateroom. In my stateroom, I saw workmanship quality issues that should not have been seen in such a young vessel. No surprise to me that now, as she has experienced much more sea water under her keel since then, further mechanical issues are an issue.

Thank the shipbuilder and a notorious effort to save money during the mechanical buildout.

Why anyone sails Veendam is beyond me. Been there, done that.

The Veendam was the first HAL ship that I cruised on. I have to say that it met all of my expectations - and I am not that easily satisfied. Seriously, it must be that the inconsiderate passengers seem to congregate on the Maasdam and Veendam. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and before sailing, we had booked our upcoming May cruise. Since then we have actually booked two more HAL cruises!

With regards to being able to shut off the water in an individual cabin, it is not quite that simple. Every time I reported aboard a new ship in the USCG, I needed to trace all of the piping, valves, controls, etc. throughout the ship to qualify to stand watch. That was my job, to memorize all of the machinery and how it operated. That way I knew what to do in an emergency at sea. And there were. A cruise ship is a very complex moving small city.

I seem to recall reading that the builder, of course the low bidder when the "S" class were built, having issues at that time. That may be coming back to haunt HAL as the ships age.

Redneck:

Yay!! Welcome home and all that....

Let's get that full review going! Not only excellent insight, but the style is almost edible! Yum!

Our toilet leaked one day on Maasdam. I wasn't there at the time- my son was. He said he had already reported it, well- I'm watching the water on the floor (the room steward threw a bunch of towels dowN) but the towels were getting wetter and wetter. I ran to the front desk and told them. I emplored them to send someone otherwise it might flood the room downstairs. It took a good 30 minutes for someone to come after that! It was a quick fix once they got there- however- their lack or urgency could have resulted in flooding. So this is probably the real issue. I'm sure there are plumbing issues on all ships- but they must be addressed promptly. It was an hour before anyone came to fix the leak.

Was this an overflow from the toilet bowl or was the toilet actually leaking (as in, from a crack in it or something like that)?

Well... Fincantieri is not exactly the best shipbuilder, to put it mildly...nothing wrong with their designs and seaworthiness, but workmanship was often shockingly lacking, especially compared to competitors like Meyer Werft.

Things are improving though, so I've heard, and I do hope that Ms. Koningsdam's Fit and Finish will be up to Western European Standard, and not to Italian Standard...:rolleyes:

Redneck Bob,

Am looking forward to reading more about your Veendam cruise.

Well... Fincantieri is not exactly the best shipbuilder, to put it mildly...nothing wrong with their designs and seaworthiness, but workmanship was often shockingly lacking, especially compared to competitors like Meyer Werft.

Things are improving though, so I've heard, and I do hope that Ms. Koningsdam's Fit and Finish will be up to Western European Standard, and not to Italian Standard...:rolleyes:

Veendam was an early Fincantieri build and done on the cheap. You get what you pay for (but ya MW ships IMO >>>>>>> Fincantieri).

Was this an overflow from the toilet bowl or was the toilet actually leaking (as in, from a crack in it or something like that)?

It must have just been overflowing- not an actual crack because they fixed it really quickly from the outside of the cabin (access panel). The line was clogged.

The Veendam took one hell of a pounding during the hurricane it encountered off Cape Horn in December 2010. Many of the boards on the open bow deck were overlapping when we finally limped into Ushiaia (sp.), but we were alive.

The Veendam took one hell of a pounding during the hurricane it encountered off Cape Horn in December 2010. Many of the boards on the open bow deck were overlapping when we finally limped into Ushiaia (sp.), but we were alive.

I've seen the video - and I was impressed! A great combination of a sturdy build and experienced seamanship.

I've seen the video - and I was impressed! A great combination of a sturdy build and experienced seamanship.

Yes, she took a few hits on her nose. Here some of the repairs to the bows.

Thanks for posting RedneckBob.

Looking forward to reading a full review.

It must have just been overflowing- not an actual crack because they fixed it really quickly from the outside of the cabin (access panel). The line was clogged.

Sometimes you can fix an overflow by pushing the flush button. With the right problem, this will stop the water overflowing instantly.

I don't buy the explanation of a clog. The vacuum system and the piping are separate systems. That explanation fits your toilet at home, not the ship's toilets. Possibly a good way for the ship to blame "someone", but not likely what happened, especially as it was "fixed" so quickly. When there is a clog, it takes a while to locate it.

Valve sticking is the most likely answer, which can be fixed by pushing the flush button.

Hello all, my daughter and friend are taking their first Holland America cruise in July and and if they encounter flooding in the cabin, it will probably be their last. We have not cruised with HA before so was not aware of the plumbing issues on Veendam . Is there a deck or area where this is more apt to happen ?? They are booked on main deck. We have cruised on other cruise lines and know this has happened on those as well. She is well traveled, and has cruised quite a bit, but if possible to avoid it, that would be better. Thanks for any information or advice. Thank you to the OP for posting this thread. Have not seen to many posts on the Veendam.

Cori

If you could predict a flooding you would make a fortune!

Your e-mail today.... copy down this e-mail and if it happens and go straight to the Hotel Manager.

Hello all, my daughter and friend are taking their first Holland America cruise in July and and if they encounter flooding in the cabin, it will probably be their last. We have not cruised with HA before so was not aware of the plumbing issues on Veendam . Is there a deck or area where this is more apt to happen ?? They are booked on main deck. We have cruised on other cruise lines and know this has happened on those as well. She is well traveled, and has cruised quite a bit, but if possible to avoid it, that would be better. Thanks for any information or advice. Thank you to the OP for posting this thread. Have not seen to many posts on the Veendam.

Cori

All ships have problems with plumbing, A/C, elevators, you name it, at one time or another. As Topsham so wisely points out, this is not predictable.

You have cruised on other lines and are aware of how it is: the unfortunate truth is that if people are going to cruise, it is best to get out of the land-based idea that things can be fixed, right this instance!, by picking up the phone and calling the local plumber, HVAC or elevator repair company.

I am sure your daughter who has cruised quite a bit understands this and will have a super cruise!!

All ships have problems with plumbing, A/C, elevators, you name it, at one time or another. As Topsham so wisely points out, this is not predictable.

 

You have cruised on other lines and are aware of how it is: the unfortunate truth is that if people are going to cruise, it is best to get out of the land-based idea that things can be fixed, right this instance!, by picking up the phone and calling the local plumber, HVAC or elevator repair company.

 

I am sure your daughter who has cruised quite a bit understands this and will have a super cruise!!

I agree that all ships have problems but what I have found is that newer ships seem to have less problems. We have been recently sailing new ships on Oceania, Celebrity and Princess and not experienced or heard of any problems; maybe just lucky.

But just got off the Veendam and even after drydock things happened; ship just getting old.

Besides cabin flooding and water shutdown for whole ship for almost 3 hours, elevators were constantly breaking down or not working properly during the entire cruise. Heard several passengers got stuck in elevator for a period of time.

Otherwise pretty good cruise :cool: