Some thoughts on the volendam

So here are some thoughts I had on the Volendam on my Sep. 7 to 14 trip, for the room I had an outside room with portholes, for the room itself it was OK, although I alwaysbthougt it was a bit to cold for my liking, coming from the tropics. The bathroom itself was also OK, although I noticed cracked and chipped tiles on the walls, and I prefer plastic bottles to the present setup of the soap and shampoo. For the main dining room, the food was quite good, and I found service to be a bit faster compared to Celebrity, for the buffet area, the food was also OK, though I remember being able to order salmon everyday at Celebrity, while Holland America only had salmon on the last day, also I prefer having self service drinks rather than ordering it from the waiters, of note I notice a lot more Indonesian crew on Holland America, since I prefer Filipino crew to Indonesians, due to Filipinos being more friendly this was noticeable to me.

...... of note I notice a lot more Indonesian crew on Holland America, since I prefer Filipino crew to Indonesians, due to Filipinos being more friendly this was noticeable to me.

We love them both and see no distinction as to friendliness and professionalism by nationality; only by task: Filipinos at the front desk and beverages; Indonesians as dining and cabin stewards.

Do the math, there will be more "Indonesians", HAL consequently may not be a good match for you.

Thank you for sharing your insight. Did you go to any excursions in your port visits?

Thank you for sharing your insight. Did you go to any excursions in your port visits?

I did go to Juneau when they were doing a reenactment of the weather in the film The Perfect Storm. In Skagway the morning train was a no go due to a rock slide, it did go ahead in the afternoon, did remember sea conditions being better this time than last time. Departure from Canada Place was scheduled at 5pm and it left earlier than that, unlike in Celebrity they forced everybody to go to the lifeboat drill. In my opinion the buffet closed to early at 8. If I were to give the food at Celebrity an 8 I would give HAL a score of 7.5 or 7, basically quite close to each other. I did note that HAL charged me 30 USD for an extension cord.

I did go to Juneau when they were doing a reenactment of the weather in the film The Perfect Storm. In Skagway the morning train was a no go due to a rock slide, it did go ahead in the afternoon, did remember sea conditions being better this time than last time. Departure from Canada Place was scheduled at 5pm and it left earlier than that, unlike in Celebrity they forced everybody to go to the lifeboat drill. In my opinion the buffet closed to early at 8. If I were to give the food at Celebrity an 8 I would give HAL a score of 7.5 or 7, basically quite close to each other. I did note that HAL charged me 30 USD for an extension cord.

I watched the Perfect Storm. Must have been awesome to see the reenactment. Some posts have also rated X's food better than HAL. But of course, food taste is subjective.

Thanks again for the feedback. Till your next cruise review.

................though I remember being able to order salmon everyday at Celebrity, while Holland America only had salmon on the last day, ...........

I have not been on the Volendam yet, another month to go, but on all my other HAL cruises you could order Salmon, or Steak every day. It was mentioned somewhere on the daily menu as an alternative should you not find anything suitable on the set menu.

Thank you for your thoughts.

... I prefer Filipino crew to Indonesians, due to Filipinos being more friendly this was noticeable to me.

If you found the Indonesian crew members not particularly friendly, I wonder what your attitude may have been like. We have cruised four times with HAL and the stand-out for us, and for many people we have come across with experience with other cruise lines, is the warmth and friendliness of the Indonesian crew, so much so that I have been taking Indonesian lessons so as to show them a bit of respect by being able to offer a few words in their own language when we cruise with them next year. Quite puzzled by your comments, as I'm sure many here are.

I have not been on the Volendam yet, another month to go, but on all my other HAL cruises you could order Salmon, or Steak every day. It was mentioned somewhere on the daily menu as an alternative should you not find anything suitable on the set menu.

Yes, in the "Holland America Line Signatures" section of the menu. They used to be in the "Available Daily" section of the menu from a cursory look at my old HAL menus.

Just disembarking Volendam now. Salmon was most definitely available every day and all of the crew were absolutely outstanding. The ship is in beautiful condition.

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Just disembarking Volendam now. Salmon was most definitely available every day and all of the crew were absolutely outstanding. The ship is in beautiful condition.

 

 

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Been on the Volendam twice on AK cruises. Loved the ship and especially the crew. I guess everyone has their own levels of expectations.

We enjoyed our cruise on the Volendam and also thought the crew was wonderful. We enjoy the food on HAL.

I'm looking forward to sailing on her in 2018!

unlike in Celebrity they forced everybody to go to the lifeboat drill.

This one really has me scratching my head. Emergency drill is NOT mandatory on Celebrity??????

I'm sure the Coast Guard would like that!

Some form of Salmon is always available on the MDR menu; maybe not in the Lido Restaurant each day.

If crew nationality is important to you, I question whether your pre-cruise research was as thorough as it ought to have been. Since 1971, HAL has employed Indonesian crew members. (I know that for a fact because I cruised on the Rotterdam V when the transition between European/Dutch crew to Indonesian crew began.) I do not know when the good women and men of the Phillipines began to be hired by HAL. I have not seen any difference between the service offered by one nationality as compared with another.

Having sailed on Celebrity and not knowing when nor which Celebrity vessel on which you sailed, my experience on Celebrity was quite pleasant. Was everything to my satisfaction on Celebrity Eclipse? No. Does everything on HAL meet my satisfaction? No.

I am glad that there are differences in the cruise experience from one line, one ship to another.

Celebrity is probably a better fit for you. It's a fine cruise line. Enjoy.

Volendam was our first HAL ship and we're scheduled to sail on her again in April for the third time. For us the R class ships on HAL are about perfect for what we enjoy.

Each line has different arrangements. You just need to figure out where to find what you want. I have sailed Celebrity as well as many older cruise lines and for me HAL has the right balance of what I value in a cruise vacation. As they always say YMMV.

Actually I have no major complaints about the food, although it did get somewhat repetitive after 7 nights, but then my idea of good food is burger, pizza, and fries so it's not too big a problem, and the food was a bit better than on Star Cruises, the main dining room had salmon every night, but not in the buffet area, I took a look inside a balcony room and it looked newer than our outside porthole room. As the the Celebrity cruise they did have a lifeboat drill but nobody called for us to turn up, it just depended on whether you want to go or not, or maybe they skipped theblifeboat drill I can't really recall well.

Some form of Salmon is always available on the MDR menu; maybe not in the Lido Restaurant each day.

 

If crew nationality is important to you, I question whether your pre-cruise research was as thorough as it ought to have been. Since 1971, HAL has employed Indonesian crew members. (I know that for a fact because I cruised on the Rotterdam V when the transition between European/Dutch crew to Indonesian crew began.) I do not know when the good women and men of the Phillipines began to be hired by HAL. I have not seen any difference between the service offered by one nationality as compared with another.

 

Having sailed on Celebrity and not knowing when nor which Celebrity vessel on which you sailed, my experience on Celebrity was quite pleasant. Was everything to my satisfaction on Celebrity Eclipse? No. Does everything on HAL meet my satisfaction? No.

 

I am glad that there are differences in the cruise experience from one line, one ship to another.

Filipino Bar staff came in around 1983- prior it was all Indonesian. Problem I remember was that many of the Indonesian crew were Muslim and didn't touch any alcohol and as such were not the greatest bartenders. I remember many unusual mixed drinks. We were on Noordam III on the first cruise Noordam had the new bar staff. I remember a box on one of the bars with a slot on top that said "$$ for the boys". Needless to say it was gone very quickly as in those days tipping was a forbidden topic.

I notice a lot more Indonesian crew on Holland America, since I prefer Filipino crew to Indonesians, due to Filipinos being more friendly this was noticeable to me.

Awhile back, an Indonesian cabin steward actually tried to kill an ungrateful passenger. :eek:

Awhile back, an Indonesian cabin steward actually tried to kill an ungrateful passenger. :eek:

The "ungrateful" passenger was "ungrateful" because she didn't want him to rape her. He evidently thought that because it was a nude cruise anything goes.

I'm guessing if someone tried to rape me I'd be pretty ungrateful!

This one really has me scratching my head. Emergency drill is NOT mandatory on Celebrity??????

I'm sure the Coast Guard would like that!

I can assure you that after sailing with Celebrity 13 times, muster drill is most definitely mandatory. In fact, your cruise/sail card is scanned so that they know exactly who is not present and then they call the names over the loudspeaker. Not attending is reason to be put off the ship, unless you have a valid medical reason.

Actually I have no major complaints about the food, although it did get somewhat repetitive after 7 nights, but then my idea of good food is burger, pizza, and fries so it's not too big a problem, and the food was a bit better than on Star Cruises, the main dining room had salmon every night, but not in the buffet area, I took a look inside a balcony room and it looked newer than our outside porthole room. As the the Celebrity cruise they did have a lifeboat drill but nobody called for us to turn up, it just depended on whether you want to go or not, or maybe they skipped theblifeboat drill I can't really recall well.

Please tell me which Celebrity ship you were on that did not require all passengers to attend the lifeboat drill. My DH and I are Elite+ with Celebrity and have never seen what you describe. Most definitely required and they do announce who has not showed up. All sail cards are scanned!

Awhile back, an Indonesian cabin steward actually tried to kill an ungrateful passenger. :eek:

Not the full story, but the real one was certainly bad enough. It was a "religious slur" trigger incident apparently. On a nude cruise. Initiated by the passenger. However, no excuses whatsoever for the subsequent events. They were horrible. I assume HAL is adding a lot more screening in their employment process.

How do they choose the crew to staff nude or other charter specialty life-style cruises when there is a conflict with perhaps many of their traditional crew members? Is attendance part of the general employment contract or voluntary or for bonus compensation?

I did go to Juneau when they were doing a reenactment of the weather in the film The Perfect Storm. In Skagway the morning train was a no go due to a rock slide, it did go ahead in the afternoon, did remember sea conditions being better this time than last time. Departure from Canada Place was scheduled at 5pm and it left earlier than that, unlike in Celebrity they forced everybody to go to the lifeboat drill. In my opinion the buffet closed to early at 8. If I were to give the food at Celebrity an 8 I would give HAL a score of 7.5 or 7, basically quite close to each other. I did note that HAL charged me 30 USD for an extension cord.

Just a question about the extension cord.

On our recent Eurodam cruise, we borrowed a HAL extension cord for free, but would have to pay $30 if it was not returned. Was it different for you?

Just a question about the extension cord.

On our recent Eurodam cruise, we borrowed a HAL extension cord for free, but would have to pay $30 if it was not returned. Was it different for you?

They charged us 30 for the extension cord on the bill. It was the Celebrity Century, I cannot recall us being on a lifeboat drill calling for us, actually I cannot even recall there being a lifeboat drill, just someone in a lounge giving us some sort of briefing.