Veendam

We were interested in the Veendam - a classic smaller ship from Holland America. There's really not a lot of current notes on the ship or to my thinking, about any of the older ships sailing around lately. I suppose it's only trendy to blog out if you are on the biggest, baddest super sized ship.

But we aren't likely to crawl a wall; and there's not much in my wife and I that needs 24 different sub-districts of a ship designed to haul the population of Duluth through the Caribbean. That can be saved for another day. We wanted a nice, quiet trip through fishing villages around the Atlantic corridor and thank you very much we can do without throngs of people.

We found a lower berth opportunity available at the last minute on the aging ship - leaving Boston only six days away. $399 for a trip to Montreal ... and with a few more minutes realized we could sail all the way back and tally $1,596. For me it's like getting insurance that you will have a great day in port - every stop is seen twice. Add in the not inconsiderable port charges/taxes, we barely tilted the scales at $2,500.

Our last minute trips normally have us scrambling to use air miles to offset the increased fee at the terminal but our cupboard is barren - having sent those miles to family members.

Instead of paying almost $1,000 to fly back and forth to Boston (normally about $400), we'll drive and park our car in a garage at $280. Add in an overnight hotel ($100?) midway to Boston and we are all in around $2,900. For essentially 28 days of travel, expenses sit at $100 per day, per person.

So we are set today; we booked at the last minute a berth in the bowels of an aged vessel, complete with Jazz series and the Lincoln Center music and a trip to soothe the soul from Labor Day weekend to mid-September.

Our boarding passes printed, we've made up a bunch of luggage tags. Why not? There's no carry-on limits on the RAV-4. Next up: hotel, parking and boarding the Veendam.

Sounds great.

But don't you mean 14 days cruising?

Also remember that all carry-ons must fit through the scanner in the terminal -- same size as those at the air ports.

You picked a great itinerary and a very good small ship. We have done plenty of days on the Veendam, with no problems. Occasional gltiches, probably because all older ships can have them, but no major problems.

She seems far more traditional, than old - just a classic ocean cruiser. Simple, well laid out, nice cabins and lovely access to the sea. Plus the wonderful, gracious full libraries that used to be a signature on all HAL ships - but alas no more on the newer and larger ones.

When last on the Veendam it was her maiden voyage to Cuba and the HAL CEO and family were on board - had there been any problems with the ship, guess who would have been right on top of them.

We did another twist on our Veendam NewEngland cruise - we stayed on during her last New England run and went down to FLL and on through the Panama Canal and back to California. So we saved an airfare too to get back home. I think you have found a very good match for your cruising preferances.

Yes, 14 days!

No need for terminals - as I mentioned, we'll be parking the RAV 4 in the garage.

Sounds great.

But don't you mean 14 days cruising?

 

 

Also remember that all carry-ons must fit through the scanner in the terminal -- same size as those at the air ports.

The crew on Veendam are proud of their ship. You will discover that they are good at what they do and that carries over to the passengers. You can not and will not have a bad cruise.

Jim

Thanks Salt!

I've come to enjoy every ship for what it presents and try to make sure the ship fits the occasion. Last year's TA with Celebrity's Reflection delivered and moved us in a different way.

All that said one of the best experiences is simply communing with the water, with a book and a bit to munch on in a corner. A lasting memory for us was reading together, nestled on a massive couch as the Atlantic passed by.

Sounds like you are a long time HAL lover. We simply loved the Eurodam and members of our family still talk about the MDR/buffet quality. As I say - I live to eat not eat to live and that particular trip Sirio Maccioni presented at Pinnacle, and my particular honor was having creme brulee brought to our table by his wife. Successfully preparing that dish 30 years before was a special moment for me.

That would have been a great cruise - starting from French Canada, through the Caribbean and South American cultures to slice through the Canal and end home. I imagine, all things considered (flight times, costs etc), it turned out to be quite the value for you. What a marvelous trip on a comfortable shoe.

Montreal is a distant memory for me - 40 years now, and I am completely unfamiliar with the other stops. Getting to see each of these towns twice in a week, for this bargain price along with four days of just sailing ... I'm a little bit excited.

I'm glad to hear your report. A great library. The nooks and crannies of a classic liner. I'm looking forward to the musical options that HAL has added - it just seems like such a perfect combination in early September, along that waterway.

Cheers and great sunsets,

Alex

You picked a great itinerary and a very good small ship. We have done plenty of days on the Veendam, with no problems. Occasional gltiches, probably because all older ships can have them, but no major problems.

 

She seems far more traditional, than old - just a classic ocean cruiser. Simple, well laid out, nice cabins and lovely access to the sea. Plus the wonderful, gracious full libraries that used to be a signature on all HAL ships - but alas no more on the newer and larger ones.

 

When last on the Veendam it was her maiden voyage to Cuba and the HAL CEO and family were on board - had there been any problems with the ship, guess who would have been right on top of them.

 

We did another twist on our Veendam NewEngland cruise - we stayed on during her last New England run and went down to FLL and on through the Panama Canal and back to California. So we saved an airfare too to get back home. I think you have found a very good match for your cruising preferances.

I see you had a trip in '17 - rather long, and I would think with at least four or even five sea days.

Do you recall any special place on the ship while away from port?

The crew on Veendam are proud of their ship. You will discover that they are good at what they do and that carries over to the passengers. You can not and will not have a bad cruise.

 

Jim

Good to get your report on the Eurodam - I will be trying this ship for the first time for a family Christmas cruise. Did her sister ship the Nieuw Amsterdam a few years ago and liked the more subdued and coordinated decor. Thought she was one of the prettiest HAL ships of all. However the Eurodam photos I have seen look a little more "lively". What did you think?

Well at the end of the day, it's still a Holland American vessel so lively? :) ... well, as we all know here it's about what you are used to sailing.

I've been around Celebrity a great deal, Carnival once or twice, and the Eurodam. I just loved the ship. The quiet, the wood, the attention to detail, the staff, and especially the MDR. We had the upgraded Veranda - the only time I've done such a thing - and I can tell you I would only do it again on a HAL ship. That was a great cabin - I want to say it was like 330 feet and cost only $1100. My beloved mom would say ... such a deal!

It was like listening to a concerto versus a symphony. Great music in it's own right and wonderfully consumable.

Good to get your report on the Eurodam - I will be trying this ship for the first time for a family Christmas cruise. Did her sister ship the Nieuw Amsterdam a few years ago and liked the more subdued and coordinated decor. Thought she was one of the prettiest HAL ships of all. However the Eurodam photos I have seen look a little more "lively". What did you think?

Well at the end of the day, it's still a Holland American vessel so lively? :) ... well, as we all know here it's about what you are used to sailing.

 

I've been around Celebrity a great deal, Carnival once or twice, and the Eurodam. I just loved the ship. The quiet, the wood, the attention to detail, the staff, and especially the MDR. We had the upgraded Veranda - the only time I've done such a thing - and I can tell you I would only do it again on a HAL ship. That was a great cabin - I want to say it was like 330 feet and cost only $1100. My beloved mom would say ... such a deal!

 

It was like listening to a concerto versus a symphony. Great music in it's own right and wonderfully consumable.

Sorry, I was meaning the color combos on the Eurodam being "lively" - they looked more like bold contrast red-yellow-blues. NA felt more subtle and refined. HAL has been upgrading its decor but the photos I saw were after the last drydock. Just wondering what the decor feel was like. I have a picky relative that sails Regent, so I wanted to be prepared. For us, HAL's decor and standard fustiness is just fine. Feels like a comfortable old shoe that fits just right. I'll just keep feeding her at the Tamarind and maybe she won't even notice.

I’m presently sailing on the Veendam and was looking at CC to see whether anyone had shared our experience on the ship so far. Nothing jumped out but this string (I’m on my phone on WiFi-which is pretty good). All I can say is that It’s been interesting.

I’m new to Holland America and we chose this cruise because of the itinerary. I’m Elite on Celebrity, Diamond on RCL and have also sailed NCL and Disney.

Boarding in Montreal was smooth, our suite (Neptune) is comfortable, though a bit dated. The food at the Lido on embarkation day was great.

We were settling into our suite, waiting to muster, and suddenly there was a strange, loud humming noise. Our TV went all staticky. Ship’s whistle blew 7 times, lights dimmed (this was all before we left port). It took some time to hear from the captain that there had been a power surge. I could go into more detail but, to sum up, our 4 PM sailing became a 6 PM sailing then it was announced that we would not sail. We spent the night in Montreal. We were told we would get an update in the morning but when I woke up this morning, we were moving. We arrived in Quebec City at 4 PM today and are spending the night and all day tomorrow in QC. Charlottetown has been cancelled.

Most services are up and running but many light fixtures are still only operating at emergency level. The crew is handling it all well but I can’t say I’m thrilled (in the sense of feeling like the ship is truly seaworthy). Not a great introduction to HAL. Happy to answer questions.

We were interested in the Veendam - a classic smaller ship from Holland America. There's really not a lot of current notes on the ship or to my thinking, about any of the older ships sailing around lately. I suppose it's only trendy to blog out if you are on the biggest, baddest super sized ship.

 

But we aren't likely to crawl a wall; and there's not much in my wife and I that needs 24 different sub-districts of a ship designed to haul the population of Duluth through the Caribbean. That can be saved for another day. We wanted a nice, quiet trip through fishing villages around the Atlantic corridor and thank you very much we can do without throngs of people.

 

We found a lower berth opportunity available at the last minute on the aging ship - leaving Boston only six days away. $399 for a trip to Montreal ... and with a few more minutes realized we could sail all the way back and tally $1,596. For me it's like getting insurance that you will have a great day in port - every stop is seen twice. Add in the not inconsiderable port charges/taxes, we barely tilted the scales at $2,500.

 

Our last minute trips normally have us scrambling to use air miles to offset the increased fee at the terminal but our cupboard is barren - having sent those miles to family members.

 

Instead of paying almost $1,000 to fly back and forth to Boston (normally about $400), we'll drive and park our car in a garage at $280. Add in an overnight hotel ($100?) midway to Boston and we are all in around $2,900. For essentially 28 days of travel, expenses sit at $100 per day, per person.

 

So we are set today; we booked at the last minute a berth in the bowels of an aged vessel, complete with Jazz series and the Lincoln Center music and a trip to soothe the soul from Labor Day weekend to mid-September.

 

Our boarding passes printed, we've made up a bunch of luggage tags. Why not? There's no carry-on limits on the RAV-4. Next up: hotel, parking and boarding the Veendam.

We were on the Veendam twice . It is my favorite HAL ship.

I’m presently sailing on the Veendam and was looking at CC to see whether anyone had shared our experience on the ship so far. Nothing jumped out but this string (I’m on my phone on WiFi-which is pretty good). All I can say is that It’s been interesting.

 

I’m new to Holland America and we chose this cruise because of the itinerary. I’m Elite on Celebrity, Diamond on RCL and have also sailed NCL and Disney.

 

Boarding in Montreal was smooth, our suite (Neptune) is comfortable, though a bit dated. The food at the Lido on embarkation day was great.

 

We were settling into our suite, waiting to muster, and suddenly there was a strange, loud humming noise. Our TV went all staticky. Ship’s whistle blew 7 times, lights dimmed (this was all before we left port). It took some time to hear from the captain that there had been a power surge. I could go into more detail but, to sum up, our 4 PM sailing became a 6 PM sailing then it was announced that we would not sail. We spent the night in Montreal. We were told we would get an update in the morning but when I woke up this morning, we were moving. We arrived in Quebec City at 4 PM today and are spending the night and all day tomorrow in QC. Charlottetown has been cancelled.

 

Most services are up and running but many light fixtures are still only operating at emergency level. The crew is handling it all well but I can’t say I’m thrilled (in the sense of feeling like the ship is truly seaworthy). Not a great introduction to HAL. Happy to answer questions.

What a terrible start for all concerned. There is a resident chief engineer (chengkp) that drops by to post from time to time on technical matters. I hope he sees this post and can explain what might have happened. I wonder if you were hooked up to the dock's power system or did this happen internally.

Sorry this was your intro to HAL and her "older ships". The crew will work hard to make it as good of an experience as possible. Please keep posting and let us know how this progresses.

Veendam's layout is similar to Maasdam (and Ryndam and Statendam) in that there is a wonderful library space. Lots of books, particularly the book exchange area and several places where one can sit and read.

The Crow's Nest is comfortable, I hope that it does not get the makeover that HAL has done on Eurodam and Zuiderdam.

We really enjoy the smaller ship experiences. Holland America Line has made Veendam the perfect ship for the Montreal/Boston or Boston/Bermuda or Cuba itineraries.

Jim

Most services are up and running but many light fixtures are still only operating at emergency level. The crew is handling it all well but I can’t say I’m thrilled (in the sense of feeling like the ship is truly seaworthy). Not a great introduction to HAL. Happy to answer questions.

I would love to hear any updates. Have they fixed the problem? If not, are you hearing anything about a prognosis. We were just about to pull the trigger on a last minute Veendam cruise that sails in early October. We finally chose the Veendam over a similar cruise on another line, but this could tip the scales the other way.

I’m presently sailing on the Veendam and was looking at CC to see whether anyone had shared our experience on the ship so far. Nothing jumped out but this string (I’m on my phone on WiFi-which is pretty good). All I can say is that It’s been interesting.

 

I’m new to Holland America and we chose this cruise because of the itinerary. I’m Elite on Celebrity, Diamond on RCL and have also sailed NCL and Disney.

 

Boarding in Montreal was smooth, our suite (Neptune) is comfortable, though a bit dated. The food at the Lido on embarkation day was great.

 

We were settling into our suite, waiting to muster, and suddenly there was a strange, loud humming noise. Our TV went all staticky. Ship’s whistle blew 7 times, lights dimmed (this was all before we left port). It took some time to hear from the captain that there had been a power surge. I could go into more detail but, to sum up, our 4 PM sailing became a 6 PM sailing then it was announced that we would not sail. We spent the night in Montreal. We were told we would get an update in the morning but when I woke up this morning, we were moving. We arrived in Quebec City at 4 PM today and are spending the night and all day tomorrow in QC. Charlottetown has been cancelled.

 

Most services are up and running but many light fixtures are still only operating at emergency level. The crew is handling it all well but I can’t say I’m thrilled (in the sense of feeling like the ship is truly seaworthy). Not a great introduction to HAL. Happy to answer questions.

Veendam has a long, well documented history of mechanical problems. HVAC and plumbing in particular. We’ve experienced both.

I wouldn’t sail it even for $399.

Sorry, just being honest for the OP.

Personally, I would not sail any of the oldest ships of Holland America. We even had quite a few mechanical and broken down furnishing problems on the vaunted Prinsendam.

We just returned from the Veendam's 14 day Cuban Explorer on August 18 and enjoyed the cruise and the ship very much. After having last cruised on the Koningsdam in April, we weren't too sure that the older and smaller Veendam would still be pleasing. While a smaller ship can't offer all the entertainment of a large one, the ease of moving about the ship and the friendliness is a plus. The outdoor walk around deck complete with deck chairs was much appreciated for viewing and, yes, sea day naps. The warm Caribbean breezes were very tolerable on that deck.

We were able to enter the port for Ceinfuegos, which is a challenge with its hard right turn. The MDR was excellent, with rarely a wait around 8pm for a table. The Showroom at Sea provides up close seating for dancers and singers productions and really good entertainers. Our room on deck 5, Main Deck, mid ship, was pleasantly cool on this very warm itinerary and proved to be quiet and stable with no bathroom issues.

We will return to the Veendam if and when the itinerary and price is right.:D

Updating as I go. Today we are in QC. We ordered room service breakfast and it came as expected. I’d say things are at least 90% functioning. Here’s what I've personally observed in the last 24 hours: the lights are still at emergency level in the Neptune Lounge and the coffee maker there was impacted by the surge, as of last night still no coffee; the showroom last night was finally able to host a show because the engineers spent extra time working it; the lights in the water closet by the pool are out but the toilet works. This morning I went to the fitness center and that is totally functional. I haven’t done much more since it’s still before 9AM. And the Internet is working.

I’ll only report on what I actually observe to keep it factual. We’re going to go into the port today so I’ll report later. If I can figure out how to post a picture I'll post the letter we go from the captain regarding the surge.

Love Veendam, love her inside and outside spaces. Check out staircase Oscar (aft from LP) where there are some fabulous windows.

Love her shippy atmosphere- maritime photos and Captain Card paintings.... I much prefer that to interiors that feel like an HGTV flip or Starbucks/Pottery Barn.

Veendam has a long, well documented history of mechanical problems. HVAC and plumbing in particular. We’ve experienced both.

I wouldn’t sail it even for $399.

Sorry, just being honest for the OP.

Personally, I would not sail any of the oldest ships of Holland America. We even had quite a few mechanical and broken down furnishing problems on the vaunted Prinsendam.

Actually, there is no "long documented" history of Veendam issues. There is your version, and hundreds of others who have continued to sail on these ships who leave very satisfied.

At a minimum, there’s a very current example and that to me seems most relevant as I’m living it. I would think this would be most important to people on the next sailing.

Download speeds are extremely slow so I can’t attach the letter right now.

At a minimum, there’s a very current example and that to me seems most relevant as I’m living it. I would think this would be most important to people on the next sailing.

 

Download speeds are extremely slow so I can’t attach the letter right now.

Did the power surge come from the dock connection to the ship, or was it caused by the ship itself?

At a minimum, there’s a very current example and that to me seems most relevant as I’m living it. I would think this would be most important to people on the next sailing.

 

Download speeds are extremely slow so I can’t attach the letter right now.

It goes without saying that I will be watching your posts with anxiety. Literally we figure to be a ship passing in the day - I will be boarding in Boston as you get off! Prayers with you.

Veendam has a long, well documented history of mechanical problems. HVAC and plumbing in particular. We’ve experienced both.

I wouldn’t sail it even for $399.

Sorry, just being honest for the OP.

Personally, I would not sail any of the oldest ships of Holland America. We even had quite a few mechanical and broken down furnishing problems on the vaunted Prinsendam.

That's fine; I've been in pretty much the worst circumstances and found a way to enjoy myself. Viking, Seabourn, Regent ... name the ship line, and someone will tell you about their negative experience.

Doesn't make your point less valid, btw. All grist for the mill. Thanks for the input Sammie.

I have two wonderful cruises on the Veendam. I would rather have been on a ship that had not been tampered with. In the not too distant past Holland America added cabins to the Veendam, replaced the aft pool with smaller pools, and converted 37 promenade deck cabins to lanais, if my count is correct. Each of those lanai cabins has two reserved deck chairs, making unreserved deck chairs scarce at times, especially in the best locations.

Probably not unique to the Veendam, but we had to wait to be seated in anytime dining at our preferred dining time. On our 2015 cruise our cabin still had an old CRT TV. Superbowl scores and other text was illegible.

Again, we still have great cruises on the Veendam.