Veendam Aft Retreat area

[VTcruisenut]

Hello all!  I've been on the Veendam twice (our 1st cruise in 2005) so she holds a special place in my heart!  However, I know the aft pool area, which is my favorite, was revamped into an adult retreat area.  I have two questions:   Has anyone experienced this and what were your thoughts and is it truly ADULT?  because on the Oosterdam this past March the aft pool area was not adult only.  Thank you for your insight!

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 minute ago, VTcruisenut said:

Hello all!  I've been on the Veendam twice (our 1st cruise in 2005) so she holds a special place in my heart!  However, I know the aft pool area, which is my favorite, was revamped into an adult retreat area.  I have two questions:   Has anyone experienced this and what were your thoughts and is it truly ADULT?  because on the Oosterdam this past March the aft pool area was not adult only.  Thank you for your insight!

 

It isn't pretty. There are soaking tubs that sit on a platform, so your view across the deck is blocked by that. The last time I was on Veendam, some tubs were heated and others were not, so that you had a choice of warming or being refreshed. Or maybe they just said that to "cover" a problem of heaters not working.

 

I don't know if it's supposed to be adult, but it's likely to be. There's no pool for kids to have fun in, so I would expect kids to all be at the midship pool. 

 

[catl331]

The sign says "Children under 14 require adult supervision", so it's not strictly adult. That said, on an October cruise we saw only a few adults using the area. Maybe that was because schools were in session and there were few kids on board.

Edited October 28, 2019 by catl331

[ghstudio]

On our recently completed cruise on the Veendam, that sign should have read  "The child under 15 requires adult supervision"

[ryndam]

Here are a few photos of this area of the Veendam when we were last onboard.

 

[sevenseasnomad]

The refit, which occurred years ago, ruined this area, IMO.  We walked out, looked at it, and turned around, never to return.  That's one woman's opinion, though.  Others may disagree, and that's fine.  Each to his/her own.

 

I would not let this change affect a decision to cruise Veendam if the itinerary is one you desire.  Happy cruising.

[Shmoo here]

7 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

so your view across the deck is blocked by that

Exactly

 

This is the view from the starboard side of the ship while in port - you can see the top of of some of the buildings there above the raised center section.

 

[AncientWanderer]

We are very much "aft people" -- always enjoy a lot of time sunning, sitting, dining and enjoying the aft deck. 

We still spent time back there on the Veendam, but it is nowhere near as pleasant as a typical HAL aft deck.  As others noted, it doesn't look nice, and our experience was like others in that the pools were not reliably heated, cool, or whatever they were supposed to be.

 

Would I sail Veendam again?  Yes --if and only if itinerary and price were really attractive.  Veendam would never be a first choice ship for us.

[VTcruisenut]

Thanks for the photos, agreed, it is not at all  like the original aft area and not like photos I've seen of other ships where the loungers are right in the water.  Since this is a free casino cruise for us, (a girl's get away!)  It won't matter much I guess.  We will hit the beaches in port and relax whilst onboard.  any day on a Holland America ship beats a day at work in Vermont in February!

[3rdGenCunarder]

20 minutes ago, VTcruisenut said:

Thanks for the photos, agreed, it is not at all  like the original aft area and not like photos I've seen of other ships where the loungers are right in the water.  Since this is a free casino cruise for us, (a girl's get away!)  It won't matter much I guess.  We will hit the beaches in port and relax whilst onboard.  any day on a Holland America ship beats a day at work in Vermont in February!

 

What you describe with loungers in the water is the first version of the Retreat on Veendam. It quickly received nicknames like "poolette" and "giant footbath." There were too many problems with leaks, so HAL changed it to the incarnation they have now.