Holland America please fix the A/C on the Veendam Or junk it.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

HAL needs to fix this problem or put a disclaimer on the ship's description saying the A/C may or may not work.

[cruisenanny]

Have to agree with kscrapper. It is fraudulent and it is immoral.

 

HAL is a much better company than this, so is their parent Carnival.

Think back to when we had similar product issues in the auto industry. Everyone went wild.

 

I cannot imagine knowingly selecting a cruise ship where one has a much higher chance of having a miserable cabin experience-notwithstanding the itinerary. Especially if it is a longer cruise.

 

There are too many great ships and great cruise lines out there to knowingly pick a 'dud'. And it only encourages the cruise line to NOT fix the issues.

 

The current state of Veendam hurts HAL and hurts the cruise industry. You know what they say..a satisfied customer tells two people, an unhappy customer tells nine people.

I have thought about it that way too, I hate to say.

 

Onur 8/26 sailing on the Veendam, our cabin was very warm & damp. They provided us with a fan, which helped some for sure,

but we still spent the week overheated & damp.

For us, it was a lot of $$:(, much more than we usually spend, because we wanted to treat ourselves to a PREMIUM cruise experience.

(Like we had 2x on the Noordam a few years ago)

 

We booked a BB gty, so it is not like we selected our cabin & randomly picked a questionable one.

HAL assigned us the cabin (185) and I have to wonder how they were not aware of the problem...

The longer I am home & think about what happened, the less forgiving I feel towards HAL.

(I'm feeling sort of "steamed' about it!! Haha!:p)

[mamaofami]

We recently sailed on the Ryndam picked mainly for it's ports and had trouble with our A/C, in fact our entire hall had the problem. I think many of the old ships while charming need to replace some of their systems. You are right we have choices but all cruise ships should have the " basics ".:)

 

Could you please tell me exactly where the A/C problems were on Ryndam? Thanks.

[Pete Jackson]

Maybe HAL are deliberately putting Veendam on the 'colder' itineraries like Canada/NE and Voyage of the Vikings precisely because they know the AC is faulty and they can't or won't fix it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

True, of course, but that's not the pax' problem. When the cruiseline knows that the basic systems are not operating properly over a long period of time then they are committing fraud on their customers by presenting a product as being something it isn't and charging them normal rates for a substandard product. Fix it, sell it, or scrap it. It's impossible for pax to have any legal recourse unfortunately.

 

I vote on selling the ships that can't be fixed easily.

And if no one wants to buy these ships -- scrap them.

[cruz chic]

You might be very surprised to find out that a lot (a lot) of people who cruise have no interest in the internet or any means of accessing it. I work in a field that deals heavily in the consumerism aspects of medicare and other senior markets and assuming that folks in that demographic have internet access or will even use it if they had it is a very, very bad assumption. Just sayin'.

 

Bottom line, HAL is happily selling a defective product to unsuspecting consumers. Its just wrong. And saying the consumer has other options and should be making better informed decisions is really dismissive in my opinion.

 

HAL needs to fix this problem or put a disclaimer on the ship's description saying the A/C may or may not work.

I'd love to live in your world where everything is perfect and honest. I wish I could get through 5 minutes of a work day without someone telling me a lie. It seems to be the way of the world. I'm a very honest person and I've come to realize that gets you nowhere. Not saying it's right but it does seem to be the usual. I've sailed on the Veendam this year and I didn't have any problems. That said, I can understand that people have.

[Wakepatrol]

We sailed Veendam two times last year and did not hear anyone onboard having problems with a/c or plumbing. Like someone said above, more unhappy people share their experience than those who were pleased. it is almost like a panic has spread over a possible problem iso

lated to a few areas. That's not helpful to those considering sailing her.

I would not hesitate to sail Veendam again and wish soooo much she was going to Bermuda next year.

 

We read on here terrible reports about vibration on Eurodam last year--many afraid to book and considering canceling. The vibration amounted to flowers in vases on tables swaying in a small midship area of the Lido. In some ways the posts on here can be a disservice rather than a help.

 

 

No worries it's the flavor of the month. A few months ago there were toilet problems on the Zuiderdam and some A/c issues. This is no fun I'm sure. Initally we had the full blown mass hysteria and cries of scrap the ship. Haven't heard much lately so iguess it was fixed. Then there's the Statendam if you multiply 52 7 day cruises that's 62,400 passengers a year.

 

If the ship was as broken as they say,there would be more complaints no?

 

We had the vibration issues on the Eurodam, so might as well sail that to the scrapyard as well.

 

Rotterdam had issues as well,3 years ago,Broken A/c poolette issues.

 

Maybe HAL will listen to the geniuses on cruise critic and just sail the entire fleet to the scrapyard.

[jaguarstyper]

Sorry, but now I do disagree to some extent. I work at a (very) small town library. I don't believe there is a library left in the US that does not have internet access, provided free of charge, to it's patron. The majority offer instructions. So it is really not an issue of access. It's a matter of not wanting to make an effort to make sure you spend your money wisely. That is not being dismissive, it's being a smart consumer.

When I'm spending thousands of dollars (on anything) I'm going to do my research. If someone else chooses not to, that is their choice.

No company should put out a substandard product. But, it is a fact of life that they do.

Knowledge is your friend! :)

Well then I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I suppose your research at a small town library is more accurate than the research that dozens of fortune 500 companies have performed. But, I digress.

 

Non working AC is not a substandard product, its a defective product. No one booking a cruise on Holland America should be expected to go out of their way to do research to determine if the ship's AC is going to be working. I'd like to think that is a safe assumption. If you bought a new car and the AC didn't work, would you just say "Damn, I guess I bought a substandard product, I should have done more research before buying it"? I kind of doubt it.

[Tika]

I have thought about it that way too, I hate to say.

 

Onur 8/26 sailing on the Veendam, our cabin was very warm & damp. They provided us with a fan, which helped some, but we still spent the week overheated & damp.

For us, it was a lot of $$:(, much more than we usually spend, because we wanted to treat ourselves to a PREMIUM cruise experience. (Like we had 2x on the Noordam a few years ago)

 

We booked a BB gty, so it is not like we chose our cabin & randomly picked a questionable one.

HAL assigned us the cabin (185) and I have to wonder how they were not aware of the problem...

The longer I am home & think about what happened, the less forgiving I feel towards HAL.

 

We're also just off this 8/26 last Veendam cruise to Bermuda. This was a special cruise for us also & $$$$$ as we were celebrating our 50th. Anniversay and returning to Bermuda where we spent our Honeymoon. We booked an S delux verandah suite which was mid ship on Deck 10 starboard Front Street side in Hamilton Harbor. We loved the ship's decor,food was very good with excellent choices, size and applaud the wonderful crew. It was extremely hot and humid while on board and especially docked in Bermuda. Our AC in the stateroom ran more freezing cold and then would dive down but to a bearable temperature so no complaints within our cabin but the hall ways, dining room, Pinnacle, Lido and other areas on the ship could be very uncomfortable. One night in the dining room DH was so uncomfortably warm we didn't stay to order dessert. This is for sure a major, major problem and perhaps through these boards HAL will wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now the ship has headed to Canada so hopefully all the future PAX will not have a need for AC and HAL can hang on to camouflaging this problem. Can you imagine what it must be like for the crew to be living day and night working in these conditions? Probalbly nothing in their contracts stating circumstances related to the ships "malfunctions"! For the passengers this is truely a misrepresentation of the product.

As a passenger on many cruise lines over the years I feel very sad for the Veendam, as she is truely a beautiful ship but I would personally not recommend a cruise on her until all the issues mentioned in this thread are directly & "permanently" resolved.

[luvtravel]

We are sailing on the 9/29 sailing Montreal to Boston. We have cruised a lot...our first cruises were on Hal and loved it. We then went on to other lines mainly because of itinerary and most recently because we like 'casual' better...so have tended towards Azamara and Oceania. But for a closer, shorter getaway this fall we thought we'd give HAL another go. I had read some of the reviews that seemed mixed prior to booking. With the cruise only being a week we thought we would go in with low expectations (not expect the excellence of the past) and enjoy the itinerary. Since we booked weeks ago...it seems many more worse criticisms have emerged..all valid I am sure. Too bad because it was one of the better lines. Our feeling has been that mainly the downhill started when Carnival bought them. Looking at reviews of other HAL ships...many have problems not being fixed. Hope Carnival doesn't run the HAL line aground! Already I 'm feeling that this will be our last HAL cruise.

[sppunk]

No worries it's the flavor of the month.

Sorry if this isn't tactful, but you are 100 percent wrong on this assertion. Nothing else to add other the giant black net that has been hanging in the dining room ceiling for a few years backs up my assertion.

[cruisenanny]

We're also just off this 8/26 last Veendam cruise to Bermuda. This was a special cruise for us also & $$$$$ as we were celebrating our 50th. Anniversay and returning to Bermuda where we spent our Honeymoon. We booked an S delux verandah suite which was mid ship on Deck 10 starboard Front Street side in Hamilton Harbor. We loved the ship's decor,food was very good with excellent choices, size and applaud the wonderful crew. It was extremely hot and humid while on board and especially docked in Bermuda. Our AC in the stateroom ran more freezing cold and then would dive down but to a bearable temperature so no complaints within our cabin but the hall ways, dining room, Pinnacle, Lido and other areas on the ship could be very uncomfortable. One night in the dining room DH was so uncomfortably warm we didn't stay to order dessert. This is for sure a major, major problem and perhaps through these boards HAL will wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now the ship has headed to Canada so hopefully all the future PAX will not have a need for AC and HAL can hang on to camouflaging this problem. Can you imagine what it must be like for the crew to be living day and night working in these conditions? Probalbly nothing in their contracts stating circumstances related to the ships "malfunctions"! For the passengers this is truely a misrepresentation of the product.

As a passenger on many cruise lines over the years I feel very sad for the Veendam, as she is truely a beautiful ship but I would personally not recommend a cruise on her until all the issues mentioned in this thread are directly & "permanently" resolved.

 

Tika, congrats on the 50th!!

We were just below you, deck 9, midship (5 cabins ahead of the aft elevators) on the starboard side also. We loved having the balcony facing front street.

We found MANY of the public areas were just too hot!! Comfortable temps were few & far between.

We were always VERY warm in the MDR. It really was not fun to be sitting there in our formal wear sweating, and waiting and waiting and waiting... Sooo not what I would call a premium experience...:rolleyes:

BUT at least the food was good. Sub par food would have just added insult to injury..

This was my 19th cruise and I can honestly say that there was only 1 other time that I was ever on a ship that was just too warm throughout. (and this was due to a complete breakdown of the a/c system while docked in Bermuda. It was fixed within hours and all was well again)

So my point is, it's not like I'm always warm/hot & this was just more of the same..

[Sea42]

Well then I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I suppose your research at a small town library is more accurate than the research that dozens of fortune 500 companies have performed. But, I digress.

 

Non working AC is not a substandard product, its a defective product. No one booking a cruise on Holland America should be expected to go out of their way to do research to determine if the ship's AC is going to be working. I'd like to think that is a safe assumption. If you bought a new car and the AC didn't work, would you just say "Damn, I guess I bought a substandard product, I should have done more research before buying it"? I kind of doubt it.

No need for the attitude. It's not "my" research it's a fact. By 2005 98 % of American libraries had free internet access available. My point is there is access available. Whether or not someone chooses to use it is their choice. But it is available.

Are you saying you wouldn't research a car before buying it?:confused:

Research will not prevent bad things from happening. But I can't believe anyone advocates not being an informed consumer.

[kazu]

Well then I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I suppose your research at a small town library is more accurate than the research that dozens of fortune 500 companies have performed. But, I digress.

 

Non working AC is not a substandard product, its a defective product. No one booking a cruise on Holland America should be expected to go out of their way to do research to determine if the ship's AC is going to be working. I'd like to think that is a safe assumption. If you bought a new car and the AC didn't work, would you just say "Damn, I guess I bought a substandard product, I should have done more research before buying it"? I kind of doubt it.

 

Tim - I have to agree - when I first started cruising - I relied on my TA for advice and recommendations. Of course internet wasn't as big back then but I only discovered cruise critic a few years ago and have been cruising for years:eek: Not everyone has the time or wants to take the time or wants to learn (whichever may apply) to research.

 

And yes, if my car is a lemon - it goes back to the dealer - maybe if cruise lines had to uphold a general standard or refund money - we wouldn't see so many issues (Note - I said cruise lines - not HAL). There is a difference between ship happens and an on going problem IMO:rolleyes:

[solocanadian]

I love the Panama Canal. It's VERY hard to find a sailing that works with my work deadlines. The only one that has seemed to work for several years for me is the Statendam. I will not set foot on that ship again so the Panama Canal is out for me right now. There is a choice.

 

To the OP - good luck with getting HAL to bite on this. I'd vote with my feet just like I have on the Statendam.

Hi there: You have far too many postings to go through to read about your problems on the Statendam. Would you please post them again. Thanks.:)

[CtheW0rld]

Again, no one is "forced" to take that cruise. If enough people don't then someone in Seattle may ask why.

 

it's not like they advertise it. duh. they don't show the net on hal's website, either. essentially they are liars. only a tiny fraction of people read CC.

[dakrewser]

So, are you suggesting that since there are scores of other ships and cruise lines to choose from, HAL has no reason to fix this problem? What about the 10s of thousands of people who book cruises on this ship and never read internet message boards to know that there is a major problem on this ship? Is it OK for HAL to provide a defective product under the excuse that they should have known better and should have selected another ship? Really?

 

If people continue to book the ship - and it sells out - where's the incentive to change anything?

[Stelladoro]

We were considering a 34 day South America cruise on the Veemdam next year, as we like the itinerary and timeframe. However, given the number of negative comments regarding heating/A/C problems, we're having second thoughts. Can't see us spending thousands of $s on a long cruise with unresolved problems.

Will have to take a look at Princess or Celebrity.

[jaguarstyper]

No need for the attitude. It's not "my" research it's a fact. By 2005 98 % of American libraries had free internet access available. My point is there is access available. Whether or not someone chooses to use it is their choice. But it is available.

Are you saying you wouldn't research a car before buying it?:confused:

Research will not prevent bad things from happening. But I can't believe anyone advocates not being an informed consumer.

I never suggested the internet was not available, in fact I clearly stated that many people will not use it even when it is available. Especially baby boomers and older, which surely represent the largest segment of the cruising demographic. I think its great that 98% of libraries have free internet, but what percentage of the population actually goes to libraries? I don't know, but working at a library, I'm sure you have some idea. I would venture a guess that it is less than 50%. Am I far off?

 

I'm all for being an informed customer, but to give HAL a pass on defective AC and just tell people to do their homework and go somewhere else is not a satisfactory solution.

 

I do not think all the research in the world would tell me the AC in my new car wasn't going to work. Its something I and everyone else should be able to take for granted, just like the AC on a cruise ship.

[jaguarstyper]

If people continue to book the ship - and it sells out - where's the incentive to change anything?

Oh, I don't know...maybe the notion that they might look elsewhere for their next cruise?

[hypercafe]

After my April trip on the Zuiderdam with AC and plumbing issues I came home, canceled my upcoming trips on HAL and rebooked on Oceania and X. I really do not think I will use them again, in fact when my new Marriner pin came in the mail I threw it away. When all the hype is put aside what does HAL offer that other lines don't besides ongoing ship problems and a guy in a 1930 bell hop uniform cleaning the lobby?

[kazu]

After my April trip on the Zuiderdam with AC and plumbing issues I came home, canceled my upcoming trips on HAL and rebooked on Oceania and X. I really do not think I will use them again, in fact when my new Marriner pin came in the mail I threw it away. When all the hype is put aside what does HAL offer that other lines don't besides ongoing ship problems and a guy in a 1930 bell hop uniform cleaning the lobby?

 

Well, I for one think HAL has something to offer (not discounting your issues on the Zuiderdam) as long as the ship is up to snuff.

 

I've been on X and thanks but no thanks - you might have a great cruise - it was absolutely the worst cruise I have ever had.

 

If you are looking at Oceania - here's a tip - take a look at the Prinsendam as well - if you don't mind an older ship - that is really a ship - we had a wonderful time last year - very attentive staff - everything 'up a level' from the other HAl ships. She is probably between mass and luxury (at least I hope she still is when we get on next year):)

 

I agree that certain things have to be brought into account - I am not a HAL cheerleader. But, there is no question that I was shocked when I got on the Prinsendam - I never expected the level of service we got. She's simple and elegant - but that's just my opinion and my experience.

 

It's a shame we now have to 'select' which HAL ships to sail on:rolleyes:

[cruz chic]

I've been on X and thanks but no thanks - you might have a great cruise - it was absolutely the worst cruise I have ever had.

 

I'll second that. I've been on Celebrity twice and I won't be in a hurry to go back.

[kcscrapper]

If people continue to book the ship - and it sells out - where's the incentive to change anything?

 

Oh, I don't know...maybe the notion that they might look elsewhere for their next cruise?

 

How about pride in the quality of the product being sold?

 

Yes - one can research each individual ship to read reviews that report a problem. What is more difficult to learn is that what may appear to be a one time "ship happens incident" is an on-going problem.

 

Passengers *should* be able to rely on simple, ordinary expectations (toilets flush, food will be often available, environment will be comfortable) of ALL cruise lines and THEN be able to differentiate and make choices based upon the established reputation of a line. That "reputation" -- blue sky, if you will -- is a factor that cannot be researched as effectively as an isolated report of a problem.

[hypercafe]

It's funny you should say that, when I got back the HAL rep called me to see about the Zuiderdam trip, after I said my piece she said "then the Prinsendam is the ship for you". Maybe I will try it however it's sad to see that even HAL reps know what ships not to sail on. The whole deal put a real sour taste in my mouth. As you can see I have spent lots of time on ships and has never had to play the guessing game of will the ship work or will the cabin be liveable expect on HAL.