Volendam ocean view looks disappointing

[michigan tim]

"If you can sit in that chair and I can't sit in that chair, well, well... I'm just going to refuse to cruise on that ship..."

 

I must ask, is this for real? Do people actually make purchasing decsisons based on whether or not there are a few chairs that may be off limits?

[RuthC]

I must ask, is this for real? Do people actually make purchasing decsisons based on whether or not there are a few chairs that may be off limits?

That's certainly part of it for me. I have sailed the Veendam, and do have another Veendam cruise booked, but it's the itinerary and friends that were the deciding factors. I have not been back to the Rotterdam (I had well over 100 days on her) since the change.

 

All things being equal--that is, desirable itinerary at a price I'm willing to pay---, I would take a ship without the lanai cabins instead of one with.

[Mary Ellen]

All things being equal--that is, desirable itinerary at a price I'm willing to pay---, I would take a ship without the lanai cabins instead of one with.

We go further. There has to be NO other option, and an itinerary we really want to sail, to get us on a ship with lanai cabins. Whenever I suggest a HAL cruise, DH's first question is usually 'does the ship have lanai cabins'? We vehemently object to the conversion of public space for private use.

 

We are booked on a ship with lanai cabins only due to the reasons stated above. I'm excited about the itinerary, but frankly dreading being on that particular HAL ship. I wish I could look forward to that cruise more. In my mind, I'm enduring the ship for the itinerary. :mad:

[SeaShoreX2]

We agree, we will not sail on a ship with lanai cabins - did so once and missed being able to sit on the deck and watch the scenery go by or just enjoy - staring at a steel rail just doesn't cut it.

Seems odd to reserve most of the wrap around deck for a handfull of passengers. Surely the increased revenue wouldn't be that much.

[marco]

We had a "lanai" cabin on the "Veendam" this summer on a Bermuda cruise. As stated above, thee are two deck chairs right outside that cabin door reserved for the passengers in that cabin. ALL of the other deck chairs are available to anyone at anytime and on our sailing most were pretty much always unoccupied. If one does not have a lanai cabin and wants to sit somewhere on that deck, I don't think you'll ever have a problem.

[RuthC]

If one does not have a lanai cabin and wants to sit somewhere on that deck, I don't think you'll ever have a problem.

Agreed. Getting a chair to sit on that deck is not a problem. Getting a chair with a view other than a steel bulkhead can be. :mad:

That's the complaint.

[falcon10156]

And that is discrimination, this is not their balcony, people from other rooms should be able to walk and sit anywhere around the lower prom deck, and not only be able to sit on the far sides looking at a steel railing, this is a public walk around deck..

 

 

They passengers pay for this option too. It doesnt mean that the area in front of the room is thiers or that all the chairs on that deck are reserved. Some are and some arent. If I were staying in one of those rooms and paid for it, I would like the option but also if I saw someone sitting in one of "my" chairs and didnt need or want it at the time, I would let them to continue sitting there until I did or until they moved.

 

If you want an outside room and dont want to pay for the Lanai room then be happy going to the Lido deck or a non reserved chair or pay for Lanai room (or higher). I knew about this option and still my booked my cruise on the Veendam!! - Other ships have "gold card membership" outside areas. Is that fair that maybe someone could only afford one cruise not be allowed to go to some of the out side areas, What about ships that have private cabanas taking over some of the outside deck space of the ships?

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. This is mine.

[Mary Ellen]

If you want an outside room and dont want to pay for the Lanai room then be happy going to the Lido deck or a non reserved chair or pay for Lanai room (or higher).

So, when will it bother you that HAL continues to take public space and reserve it for private use? When that happens to the aft pool? We've already lost space around the Lido pool. Maybe when the Crow's Nest becomes a 'suite only' venue?

[falcon10156]

So, when will it bother you that HAL continues to take public space and reserve it for private use? When that happens to the aft pool? We've already lost space around the Lido pool. Maybe when the Crow's Nest becomes a 'suite only' venue?

 

 

My point was that it is not only HAL that has these things. I cruise for the itinerary. I have not cruised enough yet to judge but I dont think that Crows nest would become suite only as that is what Neptune club is

 

As I said every has an opinion and can choose a cruise based on what they like and dont like.

[Aptosian]

I am shocked at the energy some have on the lanai rooms. I almost feel guilty that I stayed in one, even thought I didn't purchase it , it was a free upgrade. Maybe I should have refused because it took chairs away from someone else, even though I didn't care if anyone used those chairs.

 

Please stay off my cruise, you are wound too tight.

[barante]

We do lots of cruising and I do lots of research. For our next cruise, a 37-day voyage from Auckland to Vancouver in March on the Volendam, we booked G2713, an OV overlooking the ship's wake. The added bonus: a little-known deck just outside that is accessible through a door just steps away and thus serves as our "private" deck.

There may be minuses -- like vibration. But vibration is everywhere on ships. And past experience teaches us that we get accustomed to many things, including noise.

The point of this post is to underline that the Internet offers all kinds of pretty sophisticated research tools. If you google Kween Karen 2713, you may see pictures of "our cabin" (albeit on the Amsterdam). If you google Dam Ships and their staterooms, you will get a deck-by-deck rundown on pluses and minuses of cabins on all HAL ships.

The other point is this: G2713, with the deck, offers us a sweeping 180 degree panorama view. We initially booked a regular inside but HAL could only promise us a GUAR and I'm not going to buy a pig in a poke, particularly because the regular OV has a very limited view.

[Hobbsey]

We go further. There has to be NO other option, and an itinerary we really want to sail, to get us on a ship with lanai cabins. Whenever I suggest a HAL cruise, DH's first question is usually 'does the ship have lanai cabins'? We vehemently object to the conversion of public space for private use.

 

We are booked on a ship with lanai cabins only due to the reasons stated above. I'm excited about the itinerary, but frankly dreading being on that particular HAL ship. I wish I could look forward to that cruise more. In my mind, I'm enduring the ship for the itinerary. :mad:

 

I tend to agree. Does this also mean you won't be cruising on Nuew Amsterdam and Eurodam? The Pool and Sun deck cabanas are usurping formely open and common deck space as well.

[Assateague Island Princes]

barante - you will be VERY pleased with your cabin, I think! We had a similar one on the Amsterdam (DD7056 on the Navigation Deck) for Alaska in 2010 and LOVED it! Spent all our time on that little known aft deck, and we thought of it as "ours" as well!

 

Just this past Aug. 5th, I sailed again to Alaska on the Amsterdam, this time with neice and her boyfriend. We booked an oceanview on the Main Deck (E2707) because it slept three, and still we were only two doors away from that aft Main deck, which was a pleasure as well. We very much enjoyed it, and often even went up to the same aft on the Navigation deck and had it all to ourselves! Plenty of nearby outdoor space to take advantage of without spending big $$$ for a verandah, as much as I would have enjoyed having one.

 

Smooth sailing to you - enjoy your "secret deck!":D

[GatorV]

We are in a lanai for the first time next week on an up grade, just wondering if anyone has ever asked somone in their reserved chair to move?

 

I personally would find it difficult to do so, but think me going in and out of my cabin or standing at the door my pass on the hint...

[barante]

. . . about lanai or not to lanai. We were on the Veendam in an inside J and never had to look far to find a vacant non-Lanai lounger on the lower promenade deck. If people want to pay extra for Lanai, more power to them. I'm not interested personally. I don't see enough value in lanai. Except for two dedicated chairs, which I would be jealous about too if I did lanai.

One observation: I may get upset about chair hogs etc. but the truth is that these things seldom are problems. I seldom go to the pool in the morning. If you go in the afternoon, I have seldom encountered any shortage of vacant pool loungers.

[boards]

I agree with you, it is rare that you find hogging lounges happening. I think the biggest problem was that often times when it looked like it was being used, it wasn't, the towels just haven't been removed by the previous person who was using it. We found that to be the case on the last cruise (Oosterdam) we were on a few times.