Veendam Live in the Caribbean Dec 2017

As is my norm, this thread will highlight 14 days on the Ms Veendam as it starts the Caribbean season, answer any questions from CC members to help in their planning, identify key crew members, report on the ship's condition, provide my subjective impressions of the food and service, and report on hurricane repairs I see on St Thomas and Puerto Rico. I will also do my best to acquire the menus for the Caribbean season.

Feel free to post questions and I will do my best to find answers.

Stay tuned.

As is my norm, this thread will highlight 14 days on the Ms Veendam as it starts the Caribbean season, answer any questions from CC members to help in their planning, identify key crew members, report on the ship's condition, provide my subjective impressions of the food and service, and report on hurricane repairs I see on St Thomas and Puerto Rico. I will also do my best to acquire the menus for the Caribbean season.

 

 

 

Feel free to post questions and I will do my best to find answers.

 

 

 

Stay tuned.

Looking forward to reading your posts

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Have a great trip!

very interested in the working order of toilets. Very!

Vicariously living the cruise with you me darlin!!!

Have a great time on the cruise. Looking forward to all the photos and videos:)

Me:)

Have a great cruise.

Looking forward to your reports.

Bon Voyage.

Keith

Have a wonderful cruise - I can't wait for your reports!

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

I will be following! DH and I are doing the Feb 28 Cuba cruise so this will help with my planning! Have not been on the Veendam, but was on the Maasdam 2 years ago to Alaska and understand they are very similar. Thank you for doing this and have a great cruise!

Have a great cruise! Looking forward to your review.

We are sailing today too

The ship is nice and the Crew Awesome.

Beautiful weather for boarding and sail away [emoji568]

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Looking forward to your reports. Bon Voyage!

Was that you in an aft balcony? I didn't have my binoculars, but there was a gentleman who was sort of in the Roger Jett sail away position. :)

Was that you in an aft balcony? I didn't have my binoculars, but there was a gentleman who was sort of in the Roger Jett sail away position. :)

Yeppers. That was he:)

He was supposed to have our New Mexico State Flag, but forgot it here at home. Oh Well...Better the flag is forgotten and not something important.

Joanie

We are sailing today too

The ship is nice and the Crew Awesome.

Beautiful weather for boarding and sail away [emoji568]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Yeppers. That was he:)

Joanie

Looking forward to reading all about it. Have a great cruise.

Looking forward to your wonderful updates! Have a great cruise. :)

Looking forward to reading all about it.

Allan

Boarding was delayed for 15 minutes for a medical emergency and reported Immigration issues. So, sail away was also 15 minutes late. None of my electrical cords/adapters were confiscated so my investment in cords with detachable cords was successful.

We are sailing with only 800 passengers I heard so the Muster Drill was not the typical canned sardine adventure. One crew member chastised all of us who arrived five minutes early and told us all to return to our staterooms to wait for the final call that was to take place in two minutes???? The elevators were a huge issue when the drill ended. Three of the four elevators were turned off for luggage delivery and the one remaining elevator returned 25 minutes after shuttling between Decks 8-10. Seven scooters and walker users were not very happy. From reading previous reports, this is not a new thing for the Veendam.

The Taco Bar at the indoor pool was not open on Embarkation Day. T.he hand washing stations where you merely insert each hand for a wash before drying with a paper towel are a nice addition to the Lido Market. Restroom were immaculately clean.

My Vista Suite still has the DVD player and the electrical plugs have an extra outlet that can be used. No USB ports by the bed. There is one electrical outlet at the desk.

The initial Meet & Greet in the Ocean Bar at 4:30 for about 15 members of our roll call went well. Hopefully, we will see more at our Sea Day Meet & Greet on our first sea day tomorrow.

During my initial tour of the Veendam, I noticed things that differ from my previous experience on Vista and Signature class ships. The display of art to be auctioned was double the size of the Vista ships. The movie theater did not have a few huge seats but rather enough seats to seat more than 300 passengers.

The “Oprah” Shop sold only Oprah-signature products.

Dinner in the MDR produced more changes. The cream-colored waiter’s jackets are replaced by black vests that make them dressed just like the wine stewards. Whipped butter replaced frozen butter chunks. Bread baskets are replaced with metal bowls. Dinner plates are now deeply recessed with sides about an inch from the bottom of the plate.

As I write this my laundry just returned and the hanging items are now contained in what looks like a travelers suit bag with the receipt tucked into a small pocket on the front of the bag. This is definitely a step up in class and I when I asked if it was for me to keep, I was told, “No.”

Internet service was down yesterday so this report is being posted while the ship is anchored at Half Moon Cay.

Lots of passengers are foregoing the tenders because of the Konigsdam also occupying Half Moon Cay.

More later.

I am guessing the reason for the response during muster when you arrived early was to emphasize the need to follow and obey instructions during a real emergency. Emergency procedures are pointless if people simply refuse to follow them.

The first cruise day opened with bright sunshine as we anchored at Half Moon Cay. All tendering for the first two hours was via a tender ticket obtained from the Ocean Bar. After years of packed stairwells where you couldn’t bend over to pick up anything you dropped, the Veendam now has it right.

With only 800 passengers, Lido Market lines for breakfast were non-existent. There are several Lido employees with extended wipes to remove water accumulating on the ceiling seams. IMHO it is a lack of insulation dividing the hot and humid exterior of the ship from the air-conditioned interior. It is not a leak. In any case, the condition is constantly being wiped to keep the forming drops from falling from the ceiling.

The Taco Bar was open for lunch and I enjoyed my traditional plate of nachos.

As a many-time visitor to Half Moon Cay, I opted to catch a late tender just to get a photo of the Veendam and Konigsdam. As I waited for passengers to disembark from an arriving tender, I saw the tender rising and falling three feet with each wave. Every departing passenger had to be helped. I had experienced a similar bobbing condition in the Cayman Islands and decided the photo opportunity was not worth being tossed about so violently.

I took the opportunity of a nearly empty ship to take photographs for my website photo review of the Veendam. I surveyed several public restrooms and found immaculately maintained. The smaller and more compact Veendam is still difficult to maneuver after my Vista and Signature class experience.

Food remains very good and well presented in both the Lido Market and MDR.

The day ended with heavy, overcast skies and a bit bumpy ride in my aft stateroom.

Showtimes are 8:00 and 10:00 PM.

Our second Meet & Greet is today, followed by lunch in the MDR. We have been promised chocolate purses but I will believe it when I see it.

Cruising and being helpful to new cruisers makes each cruise fun. Seeing eyes light up when I explain that there is no limit on any MDR meal. There are now a number of new cruisers ready to order two lobster tails on Gala Night and also order egg-white omelets for breakfast. Hopefully, I have been able to promote Cruise Critic to potential new cruisers.

More later.

Hey Roger, we waved at your ship in Half Moon Cay! Our Captain tried to shelter the Veendam as best he could after.

Have a great cruise! We are just in Ft Lauderdale using wifi while in transit. Looking forward to our 2nd half if our Collector cruise.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Just got caught up on your reports.

I hope the whipped butter being served in the dining room is not like the whipped butter served with pancakes and waffles -- way too sweet for me.

I would hate to be at HMC with the Koningsdam.

I am guessing the reason for the response during muster when you arrived early was to emphasize the need to follow and obey instructions during a real emergency. Emergency procedures are pointless if people simply refuse to follow them.

I agree. On our Veendam cruise in Oct at the Stage 1 notice I saw people in the passageway heading for their lifeboat with their life jackets on. If everyone would LISTEN and FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS the drill would go much quicker and people would actually know what to do in an emergency.