Veendam A/C problems

[ironin]

 

...It's going to be pretty unproductive if it comes down to everyone just agreeing that cruising on HAL is perfect, the sky is always blue, the sun always shines, the service is always perfect, all the passengers are friendly and upbeat and well behaved, the food is absolutely delicious every night, nothing goes wrong and if it does it's fixed before you even have time to report it, etc., etc. etc. ....... talk about ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

 

IOW, "Lake Wobegon Cruise Reviews" :D Don't forget that "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average."

[Himself]

I was on the Rotterdam last month--as every Tom, Dick and Harry knows--and I had no problem with the air conditioning and neither did I hear anyone else complain. This is relegated to one ship--the m.s. VEENDAM.

 

Sorry you are leaving us over one problem on one ship. I still think HAL is one classy line.

[Jo-Bob]

Apologizing in advance for a minor hijack.

 

Heather: I have always really liked that picture of you. There is just something about it, and I don't even know you:) (and your dog is pretty cute, too) No worries, not a stalker...just had some wine with friends and am feeling friendly. It's really lovely.

 

Nice to see you on the boards again.:)

 

I am travelling to Alaska on the Volendam in a couple of weeks. I am so relieved that there have been no negative reviews or comments about this ship! Far worse for me than lack of AC would be troubled toilets.....I don't know what I would do if there was a sewage flood in my room. Happened in my basement a few years ago and I guess I still suffer some post traumatic stress!!

[Teensy]

I took the mid-July Montreal to Boston cruise on the Maasdam. My air conditioner did not work. I informed them every day and they said they worked on it every day. Mid week, someone finally admitted that it was a long term problem and about 5 cabins in a row in my hall had inadequate cooling. They booked those rooms KNOWING that the AC didn't work properly. I was unable to go back to a cool, comfy room after a hot day of touring and slept very poorly at night. The on-board crew was sympathetic, but HAL guest relations was not. They offered $400 on my next cruise (next cruise? Uh, no.) or shipboard credit of $250. Not a single offer to reimburse part of the room. My cruise mates, who have many more cruises under their belts, were appalled that HAL didn't offer me a full refund. They should not have booked those rooms at all. IMO, they can take that old ship and dock it. What a disappointment.

[Jade13]

I took the mid-July Montreal to Boston cruise on the Maasdam. My air conditioner did not work. I informed them every day and they said they worked on it every day. Mid week, someone finally admitted that it was a long term problem and about 5 cabins in a row in my hall had inadequate cooling. They booked those rooms KNOWING that the AC didn't work properly. I was unable to go back to a cool, comfy room after a hot day of touring and slept very poorly at night. The on-board crew was sympathetic, but HAL guest relations was not. They offered $400 on my next cruise (next cruise? Uh, no.) or shipboard credit of $250. Not a single offer to reimburse part of the room. My cruise mates, who have many more cruises under their belts, were appalled that HAL didn't offer me a full refund. They should not have booked those rooms at all. IMO, they can take that old ship and dock it. What a disappointment.

 

We will be on this cruise in two weeks. Which staterooms? Or at least what deck were you on and what cabin number? Our date has been sold out for a few months and actually may be overbooked.

[HeatherInFlorida]

IOW, "Lake Wobegon Cruise Reviews" :D Don't forget that "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average."

 

:D That's it exactly, Ironin. Let's start that happy thread;)

 

Apologizing in advance for a minor hijack.

 

Heather: I have always really liked that picture of you. There is just something about it, and I don't even know you:) (and your dog is pretty cute, too) No worries, not a stalker...just had some wine with friends and am feeling friendly. It's really lovely.

 

Nice to see you on the boards again.:)........

 

Thank you, Jo-Bob!:) You made my day. My dog is really cuter than me but I do love that pic once I cropped out the ugly parts. It was taken this summer on our deck looking out over the Atlantic on Topsail Island, NC.

 

.........and now back to our originally scheduled program.

[Teensy]

Jade, I was in room K601 on the Main Deck. Five cabins in a row had the problem. If you are assigned to one, insist that they change you NOW. It's really uncomfortable. Good luck!

[Rotterdam]

I can assure you it won't be HAL.....after the last 3 cruises on HAL ships - Veendam, Prinsendam & Noordam(31 days total) the problems w/ the ships & service & basic maintainence while we were onboard are inexcuseable...we are pretty easy going...and certainly not fools.

 

 

A good friend has been after me to try Seabourn and Regents has several of our friends as regulars. I do enjoy the QM2...the only problem w/ Crystal is the dining in 2 seatings. we did Azamara for 16 days in january...loved the size of teh ship but it needed updating to cabins...so Oceana may be a good try next time...

 

We also decided to do more land based holidays w/ longer stays in Europe and South America.

 

Where are you & the trunks off to next???

 

Full moon & smooth seas to you Bepsf!!!

 

 

 

 

I can see his point - it only took 2 days aboard a Celebrity ship to make me realize that I wanted nothing to do with them ever again...

...and after spending millions to add staterooms, rip out swimming pools, reconfigure bars and rearrange the furniture in the showroom - They can't figure out basics like getting the A/C to work properly?

After witnessing first-hand the sad conditions aboard Zaandam post-drydock earlier this year - I'd be wary of booking the older HAL ships too!

Rottie -

2012: Crystal, Oceania or Cunard?

[Willem Ruys]

after years of spending months at a time on HAL ships I will say nothing. My countdown clocks may tell the story.

[GeriatricNurse]

Jade, I was in room K601 on the Main Deck. Five cabins in a row had the problem. If you are assigned to one, insist that they change you NOW. It's really uncomfortable. Good luck!

 

 

Yikes, in which direction are the "five cabins in a row"?:eek:

[karenj4546]

Does anyone know where we can see HAL's response to the OP's complaint? I'd like to read it.

 

Yes, things can happen; but an in your face or insincere response by the company you have paid for a product/service would really set me off.

 

I'm the OP from the Veedham thread about the A/C. You'll find HAL's letter (man, that was work!) in the original thread about "Say Goodbye to Holland....". That board is closed, but the letter is still on it.

Karen

[woodofpine]

Thanks for ALL the enormously valuable information imparted on this topic on this multipage thread and the other multipagers on the same topic. Truly bountiful. But I won't carry on. I'd hate to exceed the key stokes here of those aggregate facts.:D

[eroller]

I can assure you it won't be HAL.....after the last 3 cruises on HAL ships - Veendam, Prinsendam & Noordam(31 days total) the problems w/ the ships & service & basic maintainence while we were onboard are inexcuseable...we are pretty easy going...and certainly not fools.

 

 

 

 

Hey Rotterdam,

I'm actually in the reverse situation as you. After being somewhat disappointed with HAL after my last couple cruises with the line, I have steered clear for a few years. Seeing NIEUW AMSTERDAM has enticed me to return. Yes it's another "Vista", but the decor has a much more sophisticated look and I like what I see (much of it looks more Celebrity than HAL which suits me fine!). I think we will be happy with the "hardware", so lets hope the "software" is up to par.

 

We were booked on EPIC, but after a recent experience on NORWEGIAN SKY neither of us are in a rush to return to NCL.

 

We love the more upscale lines too, like Silversea, but can't afford it for every cruise. HAL, Cunard, and Celebrity will have to do the majority of the time.

 

Ernie

[SwissMyst]

When I read this thread title, I keep getting reminded of that haunting Simon and Garfunkel song "So long ....Frank Lloyd Wright"

 

It has the refrain .......... "architect come and architects go ...ever changing points of view ....... and I think the same thing ..... passengers come and passengers go, ever changing points of view ............

 

So .......so long .......... HAL cruiser ........

[kelmac]

I never, say never, but for now I'm taking a sabbatical from HAL. We had A/C issues on the Maasdam and I can't sleep in a hot cabin. Give me 55 degrees over eighty six degrees anytime!

This, coupled with the way HAL handles their open seating, is keeping me away for a while. I'm sure things will improve with time and A/C issues will be resolved, but for now I'm back to Celebrity (most of the time) and experimenting with new lines.

 

No one likes to hear that their favorite line has issues. It will be interesting to hear from those who are returning from their cruises.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[Down-Unders]

After reading HAL's reply to these boards question about the a/c problems on the Veendam - which we recently sailed on in July 2010 - it just reinforces my opinion that not only is HAL poorly managed & customer service is of absolutely no concern to them - I have no desire to return to a line that I have sailed on for over 100+ days.

 

Not only did we have problems w/our A/C as others have mentioned(tho not as bad) the condition of the ship(especially the aft pool area and soft goods in cabin) & the mediocre food and the staff being reduced to the point of unneccessary stress for all concerned.

 

Instead of a proper maintainence program for the ships HAL has new builds and ridiculous income generating programs(the spa cabins on Veendam/Rotterdam).

 

Its a shame....a wonderful line has been reduced to a product w/ a very mediocre future....there is a way to be profitable & respectable quality...HAL has chosen the low road.

 

 

We were disappointed with certain areas of our last cruise with HAL and thought it was to be our last, but will sail next April on the Westerdam Ft Lauderdale- Seattle.. We have only cruised three times and speaking to passengers who have told us how wonderful HAL has been over the years I feel that a few minor changes would bring this cruise line back to what we hear it was in the past, not a run of the mill cruise we experienced in April.

[SwissMyst]

Gotta admire his solution - pay 3-4 times as much for the same cruise on those other lines than ever take a chance on HAL again:rolleyes:. That could work.

 

I do think there might be some people here from those "other cruise lines" (3-4 times more expensive) trolling here because they are losing so much of their US business to HAL these days and need to trash it and try and steer people back to their bloated expensive hulks that offer far less value for the money than HAL does.

 

Odd the HAL bashing does not stop long after they have had their say (again and again and again) and now the insertion of all these other way more expensive cruise line names into the banter does raise reasonable suspicions there might be some other motive.

 

Or, do you suppose it is some cranky travel agents who also want to bash HAL here, because they don't get as juicy of commissions as they do on Pricey Luxury Over-Priced Cruise Lines XYZ?

 

Follow the money: reduced passenger reservations and/or reduced commissions on the "luxury" cruises, now that they have priced themselves out of the US cruising market, and are starting to flood on over to HAL ships. All those juicy over-priced rates and commissions lost to (Alors!) Holland America, their middle class, middle America nemesis.

[AirGorilla]

I think we are all of us extremely fortunate that we have the disposable income, the leisure time, and the employment and/or investments that make it possible for us to go cruising. There are a great many options out there for all preferences and budgets. I submit that if the OP (original poster) doesn't wish to continue on HAL, then that's his/her perogative, and he/she should choose elsewhere. Whether he/she is searching for a more upscale environment, or one that is more oriented to providing superior customer service, there are Regent, Crystal, Silversea, Oceania, Celebrity, Cunard, and Seabourn, etc as viable alternatives. Go for it! Don't stay around HAL if it makes you miserable. Life is too short.

 

I LOVE it that you have included Celebrity as "providing superior customer service." That should get the Kool-Aid Drinkers shorts in a knot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

AG

[SwissMyst]

I'll bite. It is late. Crystal doesn't provide superior service; just intrusive, cloying, annoying, insincere, and unwelcome efforts they call service. HAL provides superior service because it is discreet, professional, consistent and welcoming. (Except in the Pinnacle, where it more resembles Crystal service - see above.)

[dogsister]

We are booked in 587 starboard mid-ship for February South America. Does anyone have any experience with that cabin or neighboring cabins? Do you know if there have been a/c problems?

[Vic The Parrot]

I can see his point - it only took 2 days aboard a Celebrity ship to make me realize that I wanted nothing to do with them ever again...

...and after spending millions to add staterooms, rip out swimming pools, reconfigure bars and rearrange the furniture in the showroom - They can't figure out basics like getting the A/C to work properly?

After witnessing first-hand the sad conditions aboard Zaandam post-drydock earlier this year - I'd be wary of booking the older HAL ships too!

Rottie -

2012: Crystal, Oceania or Cunard?

 

 

Obviously, I don't get the point. Thanks for setting me straight.

[KAYEF]

I'll bite. It is late. Crystal doesn't provide superior service; just intrusive, cloying, annoying, insincere, and unwelcome efforts they call service. HAL provides superior service because it is discreet, professional, consistent and welcoming. (Except in the Pinnacle, where it more resembles Crystal service - see above.)

I agree; I LOVE the "silent service and smiles" onboard HAL:).

And, yes..........those servers in Pinnacle just drove us NUTS. They were CONSTANTLY at our table asking about each bite we took. Why couldn't they leave us alone?

We weren't romancing; I was with my SIL!!:D

[babygirl722]

Cabins 184 and 525 were free of air conditioning problems..in fact, they were cold!

[bermuda triangle]

Lower Promenade deck port side aft cabins were without a/c that would be 390, 392, 394,396, 398, 404, 406, 408, 410, 416.

Laura

[Teensy]

I'm obviously new here, but is the Veendam the only ship having A/C problems?

 

I just did the Maasdam Canada/New England last month and my AC didn't work. I was the middle of a series of cabins with the same problem. Others can pooh-pooh the complaint, but it was miserable. And the whole Main deck smelled bad - sour.