Long Veendam Review plus Tips on cruise and Bermuda

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My review of the Veendam Bermuda trip starting August 8 follows. Be prepared, it is really long but hopefully will present you with a balanced view of our experience. I will also post on the review section, but I always found it helpful to look here first for other’s reviews before going to that section.

 

I’ll try and point out the highs and lows of our particular trip. Some of this will be repetitious (including some of the tips) to some other recent posts so it is not meant to copy others but to let you know our experiences and things we found along the way. We have also added a number of tips for others to consider; some of them are obvious to the experienced cruisers, they are just additions I thought I would add. This is all part of the “giving back” that I try to do given how much I rely on these boards leading up to our cruises.

 

We are experience cruisers (25 plus cruises) and traveled as a family, with our two older daughters 25 and 20 yrs old. We are “early 50’s”. We are from California (I think we were close to the only ones from California). We have sailed most of the major cruise lines and so have a lot of comparison points as to service, food, activities, etc. This is our first time on Holland and first time to Bermuda.

 

We booked a Deluxe Verandah Suite, 016.

 

Embarkation

 

What a breeze this was and our first taste of the “suite life.” We stayed in Manhattan for a couple of days pre cruise and took a taxi to the dock about 11am. After completing the requisite health form, we were taken to the suite side and labeled with an “S” on our clothing. The regular line (about 11:15) was handing out the number 10 so a number of people had arrived earlier than we did, but were in line waiting to board. After check-in, we were allowed to board immediately just as they started calling the first boarding group. This was a nice treat although it probably would have been even more effective had we arrived later when there was a bigger line (and we would have been given preferential boarding times).

 

Once on board, we asked to store our carry-ons in the Neptune lounge, which was accommodated. We brought aboard 6 bottles of wine in a wine carrier that we consumed mostly in our room. Holland’s policy of allowing water, soda and wine on board is wonderful and a real treat especially given the relatively unexciting wine selection on board.

 

New York Wine Tip: we found a GREAT wine store at 46th street and 9th Avenue (I believe called Ninth Avenue Wine and Liquors). Great selection, service and good prices. This is where we loaded up with 6 bottles to take on board. I have a case that we use to carry them on safely that I brought from home.

 

It was here that we first met Abigail (known as “Abs”), the Neptune lounge concierge who turned about to be a true joy to work with throughout the cruise.

 

Embarkation Tip: drop off your carry on baggage at the Neptune lounge when you board if staying in a deluxe verandah suite so that you can explore the ship without the hassle of lugging your stuff around until your stateroom is ready.

 

I found it odd that prior to boarding the ship, that we were handed a flyer saying that there had been some concerns about the code red (essentially concerns about the virus occurring so the staff does all the handling of food on the first two days) in the previous cruise but that it was all clear at this point. Yet when we boarded, it was still in affect for the first two days (staff serve you even in the Neptune lounge).

 

Two days later, they sent us another letter exactly like the one received while boarding (with a different date) and at that point, the extra care was lifted. Clearly, the right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing as the first flyer should not have been handed out. My cynical take on the prevention measure over the first two days is this: by not letting guests handle anything, they delay the potential impact of the virus breaking out until AFTER you are off the ship; think about it, it takes 3-5 days for this virus to take affect and spread; if they cut two days off the front end of the cruise, you end up potentially not seeing it until 6-7 days into the cruise, but then you are getting off anyway so no one knows any better (like the CDC). Again, I’m being cynical…

 

After a nice lunch in the lido (partly because there was no one on board yet), we went exploring. Signed up for a few spa services and then tried to figure out when we wanted to book our dining reservations. Again, we used Abigail for this. We were under the Open Dining option, not by our choice, as the assigned seating we wanted was gone 8 months in advance when we booked the cruise, and we were concerned about standing around for dinner waiting to get in if we fully exercised our “showing up whenever you want to eat dinner” option.

 

I have never been a fan of this option for several reasons: you don’t usually get the same waiter(s) and so the ones serving you never really understand your nuances and I find just don’t seem to care enough as there is no “incentive” as to tying the end of cruise tip to the actual guest. The other reason is I don’t like to have to plan out in the beginning of the cruise when I want to eat each day as a reservation is generally required if you don’t want to stand in line (which I never cared for; hmm, so let’s see, I feel like eating dinner, so we go down to eat and find out we have to wait 30 min or more; no thanks). I know there has been plenty written about this one and the jury is still out on success. I’m sure if would work well if the ship wasn’t at capacity which this one was; oversold in fact.

 

Deluxe Verandah Suite and Amenities received

 

Our room was very nice although it had not been thoroughly cleaned when we were allowed to go to the room. There was some cleaning supplies left out, and the two sinks were very messy. Kind of gross. We found Tato, our steward, and he quickly corrected.

 

The extra space proved especially helpful with having our two girls with us and proved to work quite well. I wouldn’t consider doing this foursome in a room like this unless it was family (it would be difficult with another couple). The amenities received as part of the $8000 we paid for 4 people were wonderful and we used all of the offerings. More on this in a minute.

 

The balcony was especially nice being essentially twice the size of other balconies: full table and 4 chairs and two chaise lounges along with a side table for your drinks. And plenty of extra room around all of those places to sit so you didn’t feel at all cramped.

 

The dressing room was nice as it has a curtain for privacy while dressing. The sliding doors for the closet are a joke: they jam up on one another; it is a really bad design. The sofa is leather, however, it is very worn and not too comfortable; it is time for it to be replaced or reupholstered. The bathroom is ample size, but the tub is showing signs of wear and really needs to be re-caulked and is looking very old; it is scratched pretty heavily. There is ample room to put your suitcases under your bed. We had many and they all fit (some inside of the others).

 

There has been a ton written on these boards about air conditioning, or lack thereof on the Veendam, and this was a real concern for us as by the time that this issue had surfaced (or at least when I started paying attention several months before we left), we were not able to alter our plans. This WAS an issue for us in our room. We noticed it right after we left the New York port. Our room was very hot. I immediately went to our concierge and asked for a fan. The first one they brought was very small (roughly 5 inches in diameter). I asked to have it replaced several hours later. They brought a second fan, a floor standing fan that was on its last leg (it barely would run without falling over). Thankfully, they left the smaller fan also (which now I felt a little guilty hearing that others on the ship didn’t receive any fans!). We let it go for a day to see how this was going to work, but alas, I went back and complained again as it was just too hot. They brought in a thermometer as others have pointed out and measured the temperature coming right out of the ductwork and at the level of the bed. They insisted these were the only two places they would check. Forgive me if I decide to sit on the sofa as the temperature isn’t important there… Given the size of our suite (550 or so square feet) that was hardly the two places in the room that one would always be.

 

They said they did some “adjustment” later in the day. That night, they asked me again how it was and I said it was still too warm. The next day, they left me a voicemail saying that the temperature was within “specs” and that if they made it any colder for us, another area of the ship would be warmer. They sent us a bottle of wine for our inconvenience. For us, and given this very hot and humid time of year and itinerary, this was too warm and it especially impacted us while sleeping.

 

I’m sure there have been many others that have sailed on the Veendam with even a warmer room than we had, but again, it still was difficult to sleep and also during the day (and yes, we kept our balcony door closed at all times).

 

Other areas of the ship were either hot or too cold. The showroom was comfortable, the Pinnacle Grill was hot one day, cold the next. When I complained at the front desk, they looked at me like I was crazy; by the way, it was 68 degrees on deck 7 by the front desk!!! I met the first officer on the ship during a reception for suite guests in the Neptune lounge at the beginning of the cruise, and she said she had not heard of any passenger complaining about a/c! They are all truly in denial on this issue or maybe they just can’t do anything about it. I found it ironic that the staff member that they honored this month at one of the shows by the captain was none other than the air conditioning guy! I know, I know, it is not his fault directly, but with all the problems on board with a/c, this seemed really ironic (let alone the snickers from many in showroom who obviously saw the irony in it too.)

 

This was a deal breaker for us; the Veendam has the HUGE benefit of parking right in downtown Hamilton on this cruise which really is a true plus in terms of experiencing Bermuda, but until this A/C problem gets fixed, if it even can given the age of the ship, in my opinion, I would NOT sail her again (they should send this ship to Alaska where A/C is not an issue), despite all the positives you will read that follow. Holland, enough is enough, fix the problem or be upfront about it (I can just see the advertising on the website, “Note: this ship is not that old, but we can’t seem to get the a/c working properly. We want you to know this so you won’t react negatively while on board on your “vacation of a lifetime.” We received several apologies, one on voice mail, a bottle of chardonnay, and a small ship board credit for our “inconvenience.”

 

A/C Veendam Tip: if you don’t like possibly being warm / hot in your room (note I said “possibly” as some on these boards have said there room was fine) and you are cruising to a place that is warm and humid, I would avoid the Veendam until this problem is fixed. I know that some did not have this problem in their stateroom, but it seems to be so hit or miss, and with no one that can seem to truly fix the problem, to me it wouldn’t be worth trying it again “just to see” if we get a cold room especially when paying either $2000 that some paid or $8000 (for four people) like we did.

 

Cabin location tip: If you book a deluxe verandah suite, be aware that the sounds from the Lido deck will be heard at many times during the day. Furniture being moved around early morning (like 6am), food carts being dragged back and forth for late night buffets, people with the “elephant walks” (you know the type, the ones that walk “loudly”) all echo down to your room. We often end up on the deck below the pool deck on other cruises and the noise in the room is usually not experienced. Not sure how this ship is constructed differently, but you will hear it.

 

Dining

 

We ate at all the restaurants during the cruise. Here is a short run down of food quality (I know, I know, it is subjective, but my musings) and service.

 

Rotterdam Main Dining room – the quality of our two dinners were good to very good; the asparagus soup and French onion soup near the end of the cruise was exceptional. Service, however, was sporadic: at lunch it was very slow and non-accommodative; we asked for extra cocktail sauce on a calamari dish that had 1 tsp on it and it never showed up with no explanation why. This happened on several occasions. Water glasses were generally not automatically filled, you had to ask to get if filled. And rarely did we get asked how our meal was (especially if it was clear we didn’t like it by not eating it). ON other cruise ships, every time I clearly didn’t like something as evidence of not eating it, I was always asked for what else I might like. “We will get you something else immediately” is the typical response. What has been said on these boards was true: it appears they are either less trained than other cruise lines, or probably more likely they are so very thinly spread and overworked that the quality of service falters. What was odd was this type of service was all the time, even while on the ship when we were docked in Bermuda and most people were off the ship so the guest to service staff was much better!

 

I also found it odd that the maître d’ nor the head waiter (maybe they don’t have them?) NEVER showed up at our table asking us how our meal was. This is a common occurrence on every other cruise line I have sailed. Maybe it is reserved for those with assigned seating (ugh again!).

 

On a scale of 1-5 (5 being excellent) for this ship, I would give our experience on quality of food for the Rotterdam Dining room: 3, and service here a 2. (Note: my grading scale would be different on a ship to ship or line to line basis based on what we paid: our past Crystal and Regent cruises would have much higher expectations given the additional cost; so these ratings are intended to be based on a mid-scale cruise line like Holland, Princess, Celebrtiy, etc. all of which we have cruised).

 

Pinnacle Grill – Breakfast – as a suite guest, you can eat breakfast here which is not open to non-suite guests. After the first two days, which it was closed due to the code red status, my daughter and I ate there every day. This was a wonderful amenity: it was never crowded and very relaxing. The food was good, but the service was not. Every day, something was forgotten (juice one day, fruit another day, heck I ordered eggs benedict and they brought it out without the hollandaise!). It was a shame as the servers were the same ones at dinner and they did a much better job then. Quality: 4; Service 2.

 

Ordering Tip: if you want ketchup on say your French fries, hash browns, etc in a restaurant on the Veendam, you better ask for it when you initially order; otherwise, prepare to wait at least 10 min to get it while your food gets cold. Going back to the kitchen for anything you don’t order initially takes forever to accommodate. In the Pinnacle Grill for breakfast, there are two waiters and we saw typically 4 tables being served. EVEN THEN, it took 10 min to get something extra/different.

 

Pinnacle Grill – Lunch – as a suite guest, they held a special lunch party for us here on the last day in Bermuda. Seemed like everyone in the suites attended. The captain and several senior officers also were there. We thought it was going to be the standard PG lunch (which is different than the other restaurants, somewhat) but they ended up having a special Indonesian lunch prepared for us. They said they did this due to the number of Philippine staff on board and as a tribute to them (my first thought was I hope that they serve this to them before/after they serve it to us; a tribute doesn’t mean anything if they didn’t get to enjoy it also). The menu was all in their local language and the head of hoteling translated it for us. I thought this was very well done and very fun. The meal wouldn’t have been something we would have likely ordered (at least not all of our family) but ended up being a wonderful and delicious treat. Service was excellent. They offered us, free of charge, a selection of international beers and any other wine or soft drink you wanted. Quality: 5; Service 5. The meal was one of the true highlights of the cruise.

 

Pinnacle Grill – Dinner – we ate here on the last formal night. This was another one of the highlights of the cruise. I have read where many have been disappointed here but that wasn’t the case for us. The quality, service and portion sizes were all wonderful. We ordered an extra entrée (the lobster macaroni and cheese) for the table, and they charged us an extra $10 for this (they told us in advance). It was something we wanted to try but no one wanted it as an entire dinner. Alas, it was good, but not near as great as everything else). The lobster bisque was velvety smooth and had more lobster chunks in it than we have had in any lobster bisque outside of Maine. Yum. The shrimp cocktails were also wonderful; the size of the prawns must have been U-6 as they were HUGE. Perfectly prepared, crisp, tasty, with a ruddy cocktail sauce.

 

We also had a tableside prepared Caesar salad that also was incredible: all prepared to order just the way you would want it. Purists will be disappointed that the base of the dressing is already made (they don’t use raw eggs for obvious reasons on the boat; the dressing comes out already prepared, in which they add anchovies, garlic, etc. as requested.) So what you end up with is basically a doctored up Caesar dressing, but it still was wonderful. Our table had the rib eye steak that again, was HUGE. No near mortal could have eaten this 18+ oz beast. It was perfectly cooked as ordered and the béarnaise sauce was excellent. Our table also had a Steak Diane, which was again prepared (actually just finished) tableside. It was a very nice show with the open flame from the lit brandy being poured over the meat. Finally our table also had the chicken breast that was stuffed with cheese. Now most wouldn’t consider going to a steak house and ordering chicken (especially with the additional up charge they collect) but again, this dish was wonderful. Extremely tasty, and very well prepared. Dessert is tough to eat when you have ordered this much food in these size portions, but we struggled through and tried several; the hit was the volcano cake, which was excellent. Quality: 5; Service 5.

 

So it is amazing that the service would be so variable in the same restaurant from meal to meal, with the same wait staff!

 

PG Tip: you can have as many side dishes and “beginnings” at the PG but only one entrée; go ahead and spurge to try something else if you only plan on eating here once; it is only an additional $10 (come on, you know you want the rib-eye and the lobster tail, go for it).

 

Canaletto – dinner – Also a huge positive surprise after reading such negative comments on these boards, although we also experienced very slow service: it took 25 min for our order to be taken; but once the meal “started,” everything went smoothly. The food was again very good to excellent (similar to our experience in PG). The beef lasagna with a béchamel sauce was incredible as was the veal Milanese with this awesome pesto pasta hidden underneath the veal (order extra sauce!!!). The steamed vegetables they include on each plate or there more for just color on the plate as they were nothing special. They ended the meal with some cotton candy along with other desserts! Haven’t seen that before on a cruise ship and it was fun. Quality: 4, Service 4.

 

Canaletto Tip: if you want the antipasti to start you need to ask for it; we assumed it was served automatically like we have seen it on other cruise lines, but not Holland. Just remember to say, “we’d like to try the antipasti also”.

 

Ordering Tip in all restaurants: I love sauces and nearly anytime a sauce was included in a dish in any restaurant, I always would ask for more when placing my order; I do this on every cruise line. Often the dining room puts a small amount and asking for it after you start eating usually results in a long wait (our experience on Holland), so if you like sauce, gravy, or ketchup, just make it an extra ask each time you order.

 

In Suite Dining – dinner – we don’t really enjoy getting dressed up for formal nights and would prefer if Holland would move to what some ships have done: formal optional (not likely to happen, but one can dream). So for the first formal night, we decided to have our dinner course-by-course on our balcony (you could do this as was mentioned on these boards and while on-board). We did so in our shorts, which for us, was wonderful. This was on the first sea day so it wasn’t terribly hot outside yet and quite comfortable being at sea. That morning, we went to the Neptune lounge and were able to pick what we wanted for each course based on what was on the Rotterdam dinner menu that night and we gave this to the concierge. We also added several special requests like the addition of béarnaise sauce which wasn’t on the menu.

 

Much to our surprise and given that we asked about the ability to do the meal in this fashion (course-by-course), they ignored our request and served it all at once! I asked later and they said you can have all the courses, but we bring it all at once. I was pretty clear with them in advance and based on what I have read on the boards here, this should have been accommodated. Well that was odd; by the time you finished your appetizer and soup, your main entrée was lukewarm and our soufflé ordered had fallen. SO this was a bit of a disappointment, but given the alternative of dressing up for dinner, we accepted it. Also, as a nice addition to the lovely dinner, half way through our meal, they started to clean the Lido deck by the pool (one deck above us) and the water started coming down over the edge and right onto our deck and table and chairs. Nothing like having a shower while eating! We laughed as what else could you do!

 

Room Service Tip: if you ask for course-by-course dining, be prepared; who knows what you will get but likely it will all come at once.

 

Lido buffet – breakfast / lunch. The usual fare, in fact it was often what was served in the dining room if not exactly. They have separate lines for different types of food: Asian, Italian, sandwiches, salads. It takes a day or two before everyone figures out that these are all separate lines. You get a lot of snares and comments from pax that they think you are “cutting” in. They realize soon after that this is not the way it works. So be prepared the first couple of days for these comments from those “not in the know.” The water / ice tea glasses are ridiculously small. Plan on taking 4 to your table if you don’t want to get up repeatedly. Quality: 3; service n/a

 

We also ate at the grill on pool deck. They only have hot dogs, chicken sandwich and hamburgers although the menu showing what they have has plenty of room on it to add other items. Maybe not on this cruise. They do have a section next to it that had taco meat, chips, cheese, etc. to make tacos and / or nachos and the fixings for the grilled items as you would want. The hamburgers, by the way were very good. Much better than I have had on other cruise lines. Finally, the pizza was good, but not great. It served the purpose when you would come back from the beach and wanted something to snack on prior to dinner (and given the fact that they only other thing open was a salad / sandwich bar at the lido).

 

Shows

 

We saw the comedian acts. Joe Vannety (sp?) was talked about on these boards (he is now off the ship). He was very funny the first night, but his follow up show was terrible. He really doesn’t have an “act”, it is to pick on people in the audience and then is very improvisational in making them look funny. It works for a while, and then he throws in the typical cruise stories and quick jokes to add to the act. His second show was a late night show, yet the entire front row was full of 16 year olds; although nothing was said about this being an adult show so it wasn’t as if they weren’t invited. I’m guessing from what I have seen on Holland, they don’t typically allow adult entertainment.

 

We also saw the action comedy show which ended up being funny and entertaining. Pulling a lady out of the audience and putting her on his neck while he rode a unicycle juggling things was pretty crazy….

 

Activities on Board

 

This, like food, is probably highly personal; we cruise because there is always something to do (or nothing, your choice). Unfortunately, we did not find that this was the case this time. There seemed to be much less for us to do for at least things we enjoy doing than others. They had several wine tastings but they were very expensive (the most that I have seen recently on other cruise lines). If they were rare wines, I could see it, but many of the samplings were nothing great and at $35 for the premier tasting, I thought that was out of line. I was hoping for more cooking demonstrations but these were limited on this itinerary.

 

They do the bingo thing (and my daughter won an early on blackout for $187; paid for her expenses on board!) but here the announcer is the DJ at night and he is REALLY annoying. The casino was well kept and had a variety of machines and tables, more than I expected. There was a bank of 1 cent and 2 cent slots that I was even surprised to see (and usually packed!).

 

Other Suite Amenities

 

Holland had a private cocktail party in the Neptune lounge on the first day where a number of officers attended. I thought this was a nice gesture and great to meet people, but having 40 people in the lounge was way too crowded. Free drinks were nice, however. It was hear that I met the second officer and asked her about the problems on the ship with reference to the air conditioning issue. Unbelievably, she acted totally unaware of any problems anywhere on the ship. I told her, “You have got to be kidding”. Maybe everyone was in denial?

 

The next party they threw us was in the Crow’s Nest. It was odd, as the invite didn’t say anything about what the party was for? It just stated you are invited to a cocktail party with some of the senior officers. We noticed due to the size of the gathering and the familiar faces from the Neptune get together, that it was just for suite guests. Nice.

 

Finally, they threw us a special luncheon on Friday as we left Bermuda. It was again just for deluxe verandah suite guests and this time it was in the Pinnacle Dining room. I noted above this party. This was very special and very nice and the food was great.

 

So three nice get gatherings for suite guests, all were well received by us.

 

The Neptune lounge is like an oasis. We really enjoyed stopping by at any time it was open for a snack (the egg salad bagel bites were great), for a glass of ice water or our favorite, the coffee machine! Others have mentioned this and it was excellent; after the first two “don’t touch anything” days, you could make your own cappuccino. This was one of the really nice touches of being in a suite and we started our day with one (or two, or three) of these each morning. Highly recommended.

 

Neptune Lounge Tip: the ship deck plans online only show one entrance into the Neptune Lounge. There are in fact one on each side of the ship. Our cabin 16, was perfectly located to the Neptune lounge: not right outside the door, but just one door down.

 

Our concierge, Abigail, as I have mentioned elsewhere in this review, was wonderful. She did indeed take care of any request we through at her. On the first day alone, we had a number of requests (including all of our dining reservations) and she gleefully assisted each time. The Neptune lounge should not be underestimated as to the usefulness or convenience that it adds as a perk to the suite experience.

 

Internet

 

Internet was available via a laptop in the Neptune lounge; but to be honest, it wasn’t discounted or otherwise a deal. I see a lot written on these boards that it is offered for a nominal fee. Well the fee is the exact same anywhere else on the ship, which of course is a ton: 100 min for $55, 250 min for $100 or $0.75 per minute. It just is convenient that they have one there.

 

Internet tips: the last day on ship, Saturday, they offer a reduced rate for internet access. I think 30 minutes was $12. So in case you are getting low, don’t buy a full package on Friday; wait till Saturday.

 

Bermuda Internet tip: I went in search of the Internet cafes that are listed on the well thought out map that can be obtained from the excursion desk (or the front desk). I could only find two of them listed!!! I think this needs to be updated. The first one is left onto Front Street when you get off the ship, right at the first block and then up the hill a block and a half. It is in a computer store. Cost was 30 min for $5 and they had higher coverage plans.

 

SUPER BIG INTERNET TIP: the local library, just a couple of short blocks over has FREE internet! Bring your laptop and you can be on it for any length of time. You will see people sitting on chairs outside the library with their laptops a blazing. If you don’t have a computer, the library will let you use theirs for 30 min for free just by giving them your passport or license. Note that this place gets busy in the afternoon and download and upload speeds will be painfully slow due to the number of people inside and outside the library logged on to this free service. We went on Friday morning, before the ship sailed and the library doesn’t open until 10am in the summer. However, you could sit on the stools outside the library before hand as the Internet is ON! I downloaded/uploaded some big files and it was very fast (speed is relative, of course, but screaming fast compared to the ship of course).

 

Laundry tip: a really nice perk of the suite is free laundry and dry cleaning; but don’t try and send it out on the day before you disembark, even before 9am as they won’t accept it. They do state that they need 48 hours to clean (I have never heard this length of time requirement on any ship I have sailed) and in fact, we always got our laundry back within 6-8 hours of when we turned it in. We were told that if we wanted laundry done that day, that we would be charged the express fee to have it back. So get your laundry turned in TWO days before 9am of your disembarkation date if you want it done.

 

Pet Peeves

 

1. The crew in their normal course of business carries out safety drills on this ship and all ships. They are often done while at port. What surprised me is that they did them two consecutive days in a row while in Bermuda at 9:00-9:30am! While that shouldn’t be an issue in general, they announce that they are having the drill over the loudspeaker in your room and then blow the horn 8-9 times, outside the ship and also in your stateroom at this hour. It was almost like they were trying to get everyone up in their room as this was a HUGE wakeup call so that they could clean the rooms for those still on board. I thought this was extremely poorly timed and could have been done later in the day.

 

2. The spa on board is nice; three of us had different treatments. What kills me is that there is such a hard core pressure sales tactic to buy their products before and after your treatment. Really pissed me off! My daughter, who is 20 and attractive, had a facial, and was told that she should buy this treatment package that would be sent to her home for $1500!! Really! I know some of you are saying, “wow, she must have needed work!” No, she is good looking. They are just trying to rape everyone with the add ons. I found it very offensive and told them so; my original plan was to have three massages; I stuck with just the one due to this treatment. Holland, if you are lurking here, take note; you lost business. Also, during my massage, Patty, the cruise director, makes her announcements several times a day of activities going on around the ship. They pipe her voice into the massage room where I’m trying to have a relaxing massage! You got to be kidding me! No other cruise line I have been on does this! They have a switch on the PA on whether everyone on the ship needs to hear something, or just certain areas. Like the announcements that Patty did does not go into your stateroom, but it sure did the massage room. Again, really pissed me off. So much for a relaxing massage….

 

Bermuda

 

We knew the tender would be crazy busy in St. George at the first departure time of 9:30, but we even arrived late by 30 min so it didn’t leave on time. Thanks to these boards for letting us know this as we didn’t want to do the pushing and shoving. We slept in, had a nice breakfast (in the PG) and then got off at 11:30. This was completely orderly and pleasant. The ride is about 25-30 min to shore and we found the lower level of the tender (there are three levels) to be nicely air conditioned. We had a laugh at all the comments pax were having about how cold it was on this deck, why couldn’t their room be this cold, etc.

 

Patty, the cruise director, who we didn’t much care for, answered questions from the stage that people called out while waiting to go to the tender. I thought this was excellent use of her time. Inevitably, someone has a question and many others in the room have the same question. I would like to see this done on all cruise lines when you have to wait.

 

St. George was a bit disappointing to us, however. There were a few stores, but not much. On top of that, it was extremely hot and humid so maybe that colored our impression. We went on a Segway tour that we had planned on doing through the cruise (and paid for in advance through Holland) only to find that Holland had cancelled it. I read on these boards that apparently someone got hit by a car while riding one and so Holland cancelled all of the tours on Segways. Getting hit on a Segway is about as common as someone getting hit while crossing the road, it happens. So once I found out that it would be cancelled in advance of the cruise, we booked directly with the local vendor (and saved $24 per person for the same tour).

 

The Segway tour took us around St. George and then over the hill to Tobacco bay and Catherine’s Beach and then along some of the local roads to see the locals, their houses, habitat, etc. I really enjoyed this and it was well done, albeit a little slow. I highly recommend it.

 

St. George Tip: they all say from the boat that you can walk to Tobacco bay. You can. But having gone there via Segway, spend the $5 and take a cab. It is a long walk and up and over a hill, especially if it is hot and humid out. Take a crowbar out, open your wallet, and spring for it. Trust me on this one. Also, while Tobacco Bay has all the amenities, Catherine’s (or was it Caroline’s?) Beach is much nicer. It is a short walk between the two. Tobacco bay was crazy busy and Catherine’s beach was much more civilized and you could walk out in the water a long distance and still be in shallow water.

 

Hamilton

 

We wanted to get in the water so we went to Horseshoe beach. I read all there was to read on these boards and elsewhere and decided this was where we would go. Primarily due to it having facilities (shower, changing room, toilets, food and bar, and chairs and umbrellas to rent. And you can easily get there and back at any time. We were not disappointed. The beach is lovely, the water great and it is nice having all the facilities right at your disposal. The crowd, of course, is horrendous. Deal with it. You get to spend time on one of the most amazing beaches, and you end up spending most of your time in the water anyway. If you don’t care about the facilities, then the other beaches would be better in terms of crowds.

 

Horseshoe Beach Tip: a lot has been written here and mentioned on board that you can take the excellent local bus system to the beach. We were really set to do this but as we decided what we would likely do for our two full days in Hamilton, it started making less sense. If you plan on doing extensive touring of the island, then yes the bus is the way to go. $12 for an all day pass for one day, $20 for two days, and $28 for three days. However, if you plan on going to the beach like we did, and you have more than three people, a taxi is a way better deal. First, the bus station is about 3 blocks away (uphill) from where the ship docks. Second, and VERY important: the taxi takes you right down to the entrance of Horseshoe beach. If you take the bus, it drops you off at the road and you have to walk maybe a quarter mile or so downhill (and then uphill on the way back; imagine, all day swimming, maybe a couple of beers, maybe kids in tow, great day at the beach, and they you have to walk up the hill to get to a bus that is likely going to be extremely busy and you may stand to get back to the ship; hmm, this isn’t too tough!). They do have someone that will drive you from the entrance to the beach to the top of the hill for $2, (kids under 10 are free) and he is always full. SO again, the taxi picks you up right at the entrance where it leaves you off.

 

Here is my math: taxi for 4 of us was $17. One time it was $18. With tip, $19-20. Bus: for 2 people, it would make more sense to take the bus (other than the hill climb to the bus and to the beach); for 3 people I think it is a wash, and I would recommend the taxi. This all assumes you don’t use the bus for any other trips elsewhere, of course.

 

We enjoyed the beach the first day so much, we went back the second day later in the afternoon and it was equally enjoyable.

 

Horseshoe Beach Tip: They charge $10 cash for a chair and same for an umbrella; they have 3 types of chairs, the hard resin chairs which don’t work too well on sand, the sand chairs, and another version that reclines flat. They also charge a refundable $5 deposit per item that you get back when you return the items (no later than 5pm). You MUST keep your paper receipt, which is a challenge on the beach and wet clothes as you might imagine. I saw several people that were not given their deposit back due to not having the receipt. Note that this rental area and the bar, and the food is cash only. No credit cards taken. This is unfortunate as you would not have to carry as much cash (not good on a beach with hundreds of people). Credit cards would be far more convenient, and safe; but alas, they don’t want to pay the fee and possibly report all of their income. The cash that flies through this place is absolutely amazing. Big bucks.

 

We enjoyed the street fair on Wednesday night. There is some excellent food to be had also just off the street by local vendors. The chicken tika I had was incredible. There is a Philippine food stand that has no prices: all the locals go there and it too was good.

 

Hamilton Wine Tip: I mentioned previously how great Holland is for allowing you to bring wine and soda and water on board. If you consume the wine in a public area (read: dining room) on ship, you pay a $18 corkage fee. But you can certainly consume it in your room/balcony. And since we had a nice size balcony, this became a daily routine. This rule also applies to wine brought on board not only when you board, but during your cruise. So we sought out the best wine stores near the pier and the best one we found was down Front street (left off the ship) at the end of the street across from where the ferry comes in (and on the corner you turn up to go to the library with the free internet I mentioned earlier). It is a large store with an awesome collection. Prices I thought were very reasonable too. Amazingly, for most of the wines on the shelves, they keep only one bottle there; the rest is in a temperature controlled cellar. You right the number of the wine bottle on a piece of paper and give it to the cashier where they then go an get it. Really good stuff here and a must do if you want to have something nicer with more variety on the ship. We love a good California Pinot Noir, and they had 30 of them!

 

 

Epilogue

 

The cruise was fun; Bermuda is lovely, especially the beaches. The people are friendly; the food on the ship was generally very good, the service a little less so (in the dining rooms, our room attendant was very good). The condition of the ship leaves a lot to be desired including the a/c issue as I said before, I wouldn’t sail the Veendam again in a hot climate area again until they get this corrected. The suite life was really wonderful; for me, it would be really hard to sail Holland again with out doing this due to the great amenities that they offer. Sailing from/to New York cinched the deal for us (along with berthing in downtown Hamilton) as New York is such a great place to visit on both sides of the cruise.

 

I know some of what I have said will be controversial to some. But hey, that is what these boards are all about. I tried to present a thorough and balanced review with hopefully a few tips that you have not heard about previously to make your stay and your cruise that much more enjoyable. Please feel free to ask for clarifications or questions.

[IRL_Joanie]

Thank You for the review of your Veendam/Bermuda experience, and Welcome Home!

 

Sounds like it was overall a good vacation. I am sorry you had that dreaded A/C problem:( But were able to still enjoy the overall cruise.

 

Again, Welcome Home!!

 

Joanie

[SeaDays]

Well done.

 

Very well done!

[JeffCoud]

Wow, excellent job! Enjoyed reading it. I think you fairly presented what you liked, didn't like, and clearly some careful observations in between...this is what makes a review informative and helpful!

[mudscraper]

Thank you. Excellent review.

[TracieABD]

Interesting review...

[many cruises]

Thank you for your detailed review. We were on the Veendam on July 25 & our experience was similar to yours. We too had air conditioning problems in not one but two cabins and unfortunately it greatly impacted our cruise. The one highlight of our cruise was the entertainment...we did enjoy the shows & we were happy to leave our hot cabin to see the shows. Hal is going to lose many customers if they don't pull the Veendam out of the water & fix the air conditioning problems once and for all. If they can't fix these problems then they need to get rid of this ship. Spending thousands of dollars and being very uncomfortable in your cabin is not our idea of an enjoyable vacation. Hal is VERY aware of the these problems...don't be fooled by their responses. You can see in our signature that our next two cruises will be on another line that maintains their ships.

[fann1sh]

Hi, MacBest...thanks for the detailed review. That must have taken you quite a while - good job!

 

A couple things, FYI: The spa is run on a subcontract, so HAL isn't directly responsible for that dreadful hard sell. All the HAL spas (in fact, most cruise ship spas) are run by Steiner. IME, each Steiner manager sets the tone of just how hard a sell (quota?) is expected. HAL regulars who likes spa treatments seem to develop their individual method of dealing with this. "If you try to sell me products, not only won't I buy them, but I won't tip you either" is pretty blunt....but it also works pretty well.

 

The two days of Noro precautions at the beginning of the cruise has become the "new normal" on HAL ships, whether there's been an outbreak or not.

 

HAL eliminated a lot of the daily activities a couple years ago. I was a big fan of what was called "small venue games", but HAL corporate didn't like they were staff intensive, and created no revenue stream. There are a few fun, free things to do, but you have to know what to look for: daily quiz in the library; daily team trivia (usually a huge turn out for this); culinary presentations; Microsoft workshops. I thought the latter would be silly and pointless, until I learned how to stitch photos together into a panorama with free software - just a couple clicks. Anyway - I agree with you. I'd love more scheduled stuff, but it's just not going to happen on HAL.

 

I'm sorry you and others had a/c problems. I'd planned to book this cruise, because docking in both St. Georges and Hamilton sounded perfect. I bailed when I heard St. Georges tendering would be necessary. But add to that "no a/c or fresh air in sleeping space for 7 days, with temperatures over 77F/25C"? Some here describe that as annoying, infuriating, spoiling their vacation (or contrariwise, no big deal, and whining over nothing much.) For me, it would have been a medical issue. You'd have found me curled up for the night in that 68F/20C spot by the front desk - decorously dressed and wearing pearls, of course.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time to write a very great review!!

 

We only book the S Deluxe suites -- love that Neptune Lounge.

 

HAL has been having the Indonesian suite lunches on nearly every cruise for the last couple of years for the Suite passengers. We used to have a buffet where a few of those items were available.

 

HAL has been doing what could be called a Code Orange the first couple of days on all its ships since March.

[aliaschief]

A very good detailed review. Thanks for taking the time.

[Max2003]

Thank you for a great review.

 

We are booked on the Veendam on September 5 and find your info and comments very helpful.

 

Your appraisal of the AC problem was fair and sincere and I can't understand how HAL can just continue to deny the problem. It is probably because they are still filling the ship, perhaps with many first timers. What they haven't grasped yet is that they only have one chance to make a good first impression and are most certainly driving away future business. :confused: What amazes me even more is that many on these boards minimize the impact of the AC problem.

 

We have become very concerned with this problem and wonder if it is acceptable to just take your pillow and sleep in a lounge chair on deck. The ship is not underway and the nights are cooler than 80 degrees??? Did anyone see passengers doing this??? There are certainly places that are quiet?? Or is it too humid??

[karenj4546]

Great review, Thanks!

[portofrome]

Thank you for the review.

[zookiebird]

Thanks for such a well presented review. Your obviously unbiased insight was much appreciated.

Also, thanks for your tips. I'm definitely keeping them in mind for our cruise in September.

[NordicPrince]

What amazes me even more is that many on these boards minimize the impact of the AC problem.

 

 

DW and I are experienced cruisers. We jumped on a great bargain deal 4 weeks before departure to go on the Veendam and dock on Front Street instead of being out in the Dockyards for 1.5 days less in Bermuda at a higher price (RCI). We had no A/C problem but since we had a super great deal we may have been more inclined to minimize any A/C problem. That would be my own explanation to your statement.

 

Maybe in my next life I'll get to stay in a suite. Until then oceanview will do.

[CtheW0rld]

thanks for your review. i'm so glad i cancelled my cruise on veendam. i feel like i dodged a very expensive bullet.

[masterslack]

thought you were spot on, didnt care for patty either, that being said it was a nice time thanks

[charleysmom]

Thanks so much for your detailed review. Lots to think about and I particularly like the suite tips as we're in one for the first time as well. Did you hear details about the AC in any of the other suites? We're on the opposite side of the ship just outside the Neptune in 023. If by any chance you talked with the folks in that suite and have any info on the AC, I would sure love to have it. I go back and forth between not worrying about it, being very nervous about it, and wanting to be well prepared.

 

Thanks much!

 

Ann

[babygirl722]

Thanks so much for your detailed review. Lots to think about and I particularly like the suite tips as we're in one for the first time as well. Did you hear details about the AC in any of the other suites? We're on the opposite side of the ship just outside the Neptune in 023. If by any chance you talked with the folks in that suite and have any info on the AC, I would sure love to have it. I go back and forth between not worrying about it, being very nervous about it, and wanting to be well prepared.

 

Thanks much!

 

Ann

 

Ann,

 

I suggest you email HAL with your cabin number and specifically ask them if there are A/C issues. I did the same and received an email from them stating that my cabin had properly working A/C and was not one of those that had reported problems.

[charleysmom]

I thought about that but figured that they are in such denial mode that "of course there are no problems with your cabin" would be the standard response. Wonder if they've ever told anyone to bring a fan! :eek:

[macbest]

I asked several other suite guests that attended one of the suite only events and they said there room was warm but they didn't tell me what room they were in.

 

I agree tha I don't think they feel there is a problem. The rooms may have a/c but if your room is 78-82 degrees does it really? They would say (as they did to me) that it has a/c but that is the best they can do.

 

Why not ask for a fan a soon as you get on?

[AlexandNessa]

Well, it sounds like we were lucky to have cruised to Bermuda in May where AC was not an issue. I am concerned though as we are sending my folks on this cruise over Labor Day week. :(

As a suite guest, it is my understanding that you could've had traditional dining for the asking, even if it was sold out. We have been accommodated this way in the past. Unless something changed very recently, Abigail should've been able to switch you from open to traditional.

We had our suite party on the first night in the Mix. We very much enjoyed this. I'm sorry they stuffed you all in the Neptune. I wonder why the change?

I too avoid Spa treatments because of the hard sells. I am told that if you clearly write "NO SALES PITCH" on your form when checking in for your treatment, that they honor that. I haven't tried it yet on Holland. It does work on Disney.

Lastly, the "cocktails with the capt" is sort of like a VIP party. In fact, years ago, that is what it was called. You do not have to be a suite guest to be invited. We sat with a lovely couple who were 4* Mariners but not in a suite. We have had friends be invited who were not in suites but booked with Amex Plantinum. There are varying factors that contribute to that invite. We joke that even if we weren't in a suite, we'd be invited based on our bar bill. :)

[macbest]

Wow again, great feedback. We did mention to Abigail about not liking the open seating but she didn't offer to change us and I didn't think to ask. I had our travel agent ask prior to sailing and she was told nothing coul be done. Never hurts to ask I guess I just didn't ask the right person.

[nooligans]

Thanks for taking time to write your review!

 

It's funny, we cruised earlier in the month - loved the Bingo DJ, loved cruise director Patty, didn't care much for the Hamilton street fair, had no AC issues.

 

I guess every cruise experience is different.

[Halgirl1278]

Great review - I agree that the street fair and that liquor store are great!!!