Help on Volendam cabins

[vagporto]

My first HAL cruise and first cabin dilemma. Please help :)

 

Volendam for Alaska is running short of options for the date I want (cannot use any other sailing), and I am torn between some cabins in the lower promenade deck...

 

What cabin would your recommend?

 

OV3401 (fully obstructed)

OV3400 (fully obstructed)

OV3427 (partial obstructed)

OV3428 (partial obstructed)

I 3344

 

Does anyone know what is the function of the stairs in front of cabin 3426, and what are the "cut-outs" in the MDR just above cabin 3426?

[SilvertoGold]

I would go with 3427 or 3428, both with some view.

 

They are besides the emergency exit stairs from the Dining Room down to the deck. That is what the cut-out is, the emergency exit stairs.

 

You can see quite a bit from the window to the other side from the staircase.

 

3400 and 3401 have really no view, with no advantage I can see over the other two. An inside is an inside and this is Alaska where view is a big deal.

 

All these cabins allow easy, fast access to the deck. You will appreciate that if you like being outside!

[RuthC]

I was always partial to cabin 3343 on this ship. Cabin 3344 is one cabin aft of that, and very nicely located under the Pinnacle. It's a couple of steps to the mid-ship outside doors on port side, and a couple more steps to the one on starboard.

Nice access to the mid-ship elevators/staircase, and a short hop to the forward atrium, more outside doors, and the forward elevators.

 

I didn't check the location of the outside cabin choices, but if they are between the mid-ship and aft elevators, they are under the galley (not a good place to sleep). If they are aft of the aft elevators, it is quiet above. DO NOT choose the cabin with the outside staircase directly in front of the window. It will further block the already obstructed view. All you will really get is daylight, and a glimpse of sea/sky. The partial view cabins do allow some view of sea/sky.

[SilvertoGold]

Ruth is right.

 

Unfortunately, I know from sad experience that port side between midship and aft elevators can be noisy from the galley. Noisy also from the air shaft from the engine room, which can add an amazing amount of vibration!

 

Good thing that one was a short cruise!!

[vagporto]

Many thanks for both comments. I was discussing with my TA which Lanai cabin to take, when suddenly all 10 available CA Lanais disappeared overnight!!! Last night there was a huge booking of cabins and the pool of available cabins shrinked.

My TA was able to get me I3347 and I pulled the trigger. Now I will wait and hope that a better cabin becomes free (the few available V and OV cabins are in bad locations - near elevators, over galley, etc...). I think I will be better in a quiet inside than in a less than ideal more expensive cabin.

[RuthC]

My TA was able to get me I3347 and I pulled the trigger. Now I will wait and hope that a better cabin becomes free (the few available V and OV cabins are in bad locations - near elevators, over galley, etc...). I think I will be better in a quiet inside than in a less than ideal more expensive cabin.

That's a really decent cabin location.

 

There's no cabins over the galley; that's public rooms. The cabins under the galley are to be avoided, if at all possible.

Being near the elevator is not bad, as they are located in an alcove. There's no particular extra noise from them.

 

The lanai cabins may have been closed out for some reason, and may come back into inventory. Keep watch, if that's what you really want. But do stay forward of the mid-ship elevators. Between mid-ship and the forward elevators is the best location.

[vagporto]

RuthC: You are correct (as always :)). The bad V cabins were on the Oosterdam (I was frantically looking for other options if I could not get anything on the Volendam).

[crystalspin]

We "did" Alaska on the similarly-sized Statendam in an inside (3 adults no less!) -- it was FINE! Just find your favorite view (or try several!) and get out of your cabin.

 

On the Statendam, my mom liked to sit on the floor by the floor-to-ceiling window in the buffet, with a cup of coffee and her camera, looking for marine mammals. On the same-class Zaandam, my husband preferred a cushy chair in the Explorers' Lounge even to our own balcony.

 

Spend the "left over" money on an excursion! Have a wonderful time!

[BVK]

Hi, we were just assigned cabin D3365 on the Volendam for the Nov. 3rd Panama Canal sailing.  I read above that Ruth C said " if (cabins) are between the mid-ship and aft elevators, they are under the galley (not a good place to sleep)" and  Silvertogold said "I know from sad experience that port side between midship and aft elevators can be noisy from the galley. Noisy also from the air shaft from the engine room, which can add an amazing amount of vibration!"

 

3365 is an outside cabin just aft of the midship elevators on the Starboard side.  Does anyone know if the galley noise is bad here, or maybe less so because the cabin is at the galley's edge?   Is the air shaft noise also on the starboard side, or port only?

 

Thanks in advance!

[crystalspin]

You will be so happy in that cabin! Our own Vict0riann stayed there after that room and that room only in its category got the Euro bathroom style of the Lanai cabins. Vict0riann also reported that it was QUIET. Copy the following exactly to your search engine

 

3365 – Volendam

 

and it should bring up the site with all the 'facts' (and pics) about HAL, that I used to not be able to mention by name... that may now be allowed but not risking it.