Back on HAL!!!

[Robin7]

We are *this close* to booking the Veendam repositioning cruise to Quebec City from Ft. Lauderdale. WOO HOO! Everyone has said, "Yes", even my 81-year-old father-in-law who had sworn to never fly again. We have not been on HAL since 2008. So excited to be 'almost' back! (Should be booking over the weekend when we can pin my brother-in-law down about what kind of stateroom they want.)

 

We actually cruised to Alaska on the Veendam in 1999 when she was pretty new. Looking forward to being on a smaller ship again after having cruised on an RCI monster and two enormous Carnival ships!

 

Robin

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome Back

Hope you can get everyone in your family to sign up for that cruise.

Years ago we did a repositioning cruise on the Maasdam from Ft Lauderdale to Montreal and loved it.

A lot of changes on HAL since 2008 -- even with the Veendam.

[BumperII]

Welcome back!! We have cruised from FLL to Montreal on the Maasdam twice and loved it both times. This year, we will be doing the Boston - Qubec City - Boston run sailing May 31.

 

You have made an excellent choice. Bon Voyage!!:)

[Robin7]

My husband lived in Quebec City for a time in 1981 so he's excited to break out the français québécois!

 

I read something about there being changes to the aft of the Veendam? But the search function is STILL NOT WORKING! Would anyone be able to tell me what that is about??? KK?? (Good to 'see' you! Hope your health and your husband's is still good.)

 

What other changes have occurred since 2008? (I do know about no smoking in the staterooms! Huzzah!!!)

 

Robin

[Himself]

welcome back to HAL. I hope Pieter Bos is the Captain when you are on. He is a great Captain. The Veendam went through an extreme makeover a few years ago and has changed quite a bit. There is no more aft pool.

[Robin7]

welcome back to HAL. I hope Pieter Bos is the Captain when you are on. He is a great Captain. The Veendam went through an extreme makeover a few years ago and has changed quite a bit. There is no more aft pool.

 

Thank you, Father. No aft pool!!! Wow. What did they put there? More cabins? One of those adult retreat areas like they have on Carnival? (We never used them on our two cruises.)

 

We had Pieter Bos on the Volendam from New Zealand to Australia on our last HAL cruise. So funny! We called him "PA Peter" (lovingly). We had 12 of 14 days in Code Red, and he kept us very informed. Plus he would warn us of extreme weather, and then it would not happen! One day he joked that the staff was no longer believing him or that he had magic powers and after he announced it, Mother Nature decided to make a fool of him. Very funny man.

 

We also had an incident in which we were dead in the water in the middle of the Tasman Sea in "12- to 15- foot waves with an occasional larger one in the sequence", and he had everyone sit down right where they were and kept us all informed as it progressed. (It was only about seven minutes long, but we got sideways to the waves and got some really good pitching and rolling going.) Anyway, one of my very favorite captains EVER. Hope he's still on in May.

 

Robin

[RuthC]

No aft pool!!! Wow. What did they put there? More cabins?

You nailed it. Cabins were added to Navigation Deck where that lovely pool and quiet area for relaxation used to be. The open decking is now on Lido Deck, but it is not a nice area for lounging. There's a high mound (for lack of a better word) in the center, in which there are four hot tubs. Anyone sitting on the main deck area does not have that lovely expansive view that used to be part of the aft deck.

 

There's a huge movie screen, and a pizza bar out there, too.

 

Lower Promenade Deck now has a significant number of lanai cabins, and they have ownership of the two loungers outside their door. This restricts availability for those in other cabins.

 

Otherwise, the ship is still lovely. I had a grand time on her a year ago.

We also had an incident in which we were dead in the water in the middle of the Tasman Sea in "12- to 15- foot waves with an occasional larger one in the sequence", and he had everyone sit down right where they were and kept us all informed as it progressed. (It was only about seven minutes long, but we got sideways to the waves and got some really good pitching and rolling going.) Anyway, one of my very favorite captains EVER. Hope he's still on in May.

You were very fortunate. It can get dangerous for the ship to lose power like that. One good wave hitting sideways, with no way to control the ship, and everyone could be starring in the next production of Titanic.

[Robin7]

You nailed it. Cabins were added to Navigation Deck where that lovely pool and quiet area for relaxation used to be. The open decking is now on Lido Deck, but it is not a nice area for lounging. There's a high mound (for lack of a better word) in the center, in which there are four hot tubs. Anyone sitting on the main deck area does not have that lovely expansive view that used to be part of the aft deck.

 

There's a huge movie screen, and a pizza bar out there, too.

 

Lower Promenade Deck now has a significant number of lanai cabins, and they have ownership of the two loungers outside their door. This restricts availability for those in other cabins.

 

Otherwise, the ship is still lovely. I had a grand time on her a year ago.

 

You were very fortunate. It can get dangerous for the ship to lose power like that. One good wave hitting sideways, with no way to control the ship, and everyone could be starring in the next production of Titanic.

 

I am going to have to do some googling about those changes. Wow. (I sure wish search was working!)

 

My husband says we didn't get 'sideways', more like diagonal to the waves. THANK GOODNESS! It was quite a ride for a few minutes, but I never felt scared. We were in our stateroom (one of those aft 'insides' on the Volendam that had a window) thankfully. Our family joined us so we could see what was happening out the back of the ship.

 

Thanks for the info, Ruth! It's good to 'see' you again.

 

Robin