Veendam Lanai

[Snowbaby369]

Can anybody share their experience in a Lanai room? Is the room smaller?   Are there two deck chairs outside them? Do other passengers use these chairs?     

[TrolleyGirl]

I can't speak to the Veendam, but I have enjoyed Lanai rooms on the Maasdam and the Rotterdam.  They are the same size as a regular inside or oceanview room.  So if you are fine with that size room, you will enjoy the lanai even more as their is much more daylight!  There are two deck chairs reserved for your exclusive use.  We did not have anyone try to use our chairs, but your mileage may vary on that one.

[Cruise4food]

My experience in a Lanai on Maasdam is same as Trolleygirl. They are great places for departing a port.

[Snowbaby369]

Thanks...looking forward to one next week 😃

[Caribbean Chris]

We had a Lanai room on Veendam in 2018 and enjoyed it.  The size is the same, but the layout is different from the other cabins along the Lower Promenade Deck and it feels slightly more cramped to me. The bed is crosswise, rather than against the window, as you probably know. But I would book one again. I love being right on the promenade. It really feels like ocean cruising as I imagine it from days gone by. (Or "Death on the Nile," without the murders.)

 

When we boarded, the sliding door did not open, but later a man from engineering came by, activated it, and brought the card you can carry to enter from the deck into the room. You pushed a green button to exit from the cabin to the deck outside. (See photo for the cards in the cardholder, and the green exit button.)

 

We didn't have issues with anyone using our chairs, but one reason is that we had chilly, rainy weather for part of our early-season New England/Canada cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Montreal. The first two days were sunny, and we met a nice couple in the room next door and chatted. It turned out that not only do they live a few miles from our home now, but the woman & I went to the same high school in Washington, DC one year apart. Small world!

 

A lifeboat davit was right outside our room, so it was rather interesting to sit by the sliding door  and watch the process. Some work was done out there during the cruise also. My service dog found all the activity fascinating.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Caribbean Chris

[RuthC]

The Lanai cabins are the same size as the outside cabins on the same deck, but that is smaller than the outside cabins on the lower two decks. As a matter of fact, they are smaller than the inside cabins across the passageway, which may be why Caribbean Chris thought it felt cramped. 
The desk is much, much smaller than the desk in other outside cabins, as it is by the sliding door; it does not have the great drawers the outside cabins have. IIRC, there are drawers under the beds, however. 

[HAL4NOW]

Just go off the Veendam. The deck chairs are clearly marked 'Reserved' and I didn't see anyone attempt to violate that. Often the unreserved chairs were full and all or most of the 'reserved' chairs were empty. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

We had a Lanai room on Veendam in 2018 and enjoyed it.  The size is the same, but the layout is different from the other cabins along the Lower Promenade Deck and it feels slightly more cramped to me. The bed is crosswise, rather than against the window, as you probably know. But I would book one again. I love being right on the promenade. It really feels like ocean cruising as I imagine it from days gone by. (Or "Death on the Nile," without the murders.)

 

When we boarded, the sliding door did not open, but later a man from engineering came by, activated it, and brought the card you can carry to enter from the deck into the room. You pushed a green button to exit from the cabin to the deck outside. (See photo for the cards in the cardholder, and the green exit button.)

 

We didn't have issues with anyone using our chairs, but one reason is that we had chilly, rainy weather for part of our early-season New England/Canada cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Montreal. The first two days were sunny, and we met a nice couple in the room next door and chatted. It turned out that not only do they live a few miles from our home now, but the woman & I went to the same high school in Washington, DC one year apart. Small world!

 

A lifeboat davit was right outside our room, so it was rather interesting to sit by the sliding door  and watch the process. Some work was done out there during the cruise also. My service dog found all the activity fascinating.

 

What a perfect cabin for your dog. Dogs do enjoy people watching. 

 

I've seen comments that the door is difficult to slide and that if you're trying to get outside while holding your drink or a book, it tends to close on you. Did you experience anything like that?

 

 

 

[Caribbean Chris]

I recall that the door was heavier to slide. I think my husband would hold it for me when I’d leave that way with the dog. 
 

The best thing about it is the big glass view of the deck and scenery beyond, which you could enjoy while relaxing on your bed or sitting comfortably in the chair or sofa. 
 

The beds in the non-Lanai rooms on that deck face away from the view toward the cabin door. So in those, you have to either stand or get up on your knees at the head of the bed and lean toward the window to peer out at scenery. But I’ve enjoyed many a great cruise in those rooms, and always have liked the ones at the end of a group, next to an exit door for easy access to the Lower Promenade Deck. 

 

 

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

11 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

I recall that the door was heavier to slide. I think my husband would hold it for me when I’d leave that way with the dog. 
 

The best thing about it is the big glass view of the deck and scenery beyond, which you could enjoy while relaxing on your bed or sitting comfortably in the chair or sofa. 
 

The beds in the non-Lanai rooms on that deck face away from the view toward the cabin door. So in those, you have to either stand or get up on your knees at the head of the bed and lean toward the window to peer out at scenery. But I’ve enjoyed many a great cruise in those rooms, and always have liked the ones at the end of a group, next to an exit door for easy access to the Lower Promenade Deck. 

 

 

 

I like the bed position on main deck OVs because if I leave the drapes open and tilt my head back, I can see the stars at night. But I wouldn't be able to see anything if I had an OV on Promenade deck. 

 

I'm thinking about a cruise on Veendam and trying to decide between OV (practical) and verandah (expensive) and lanai (midway between in price and openness). 

 

[wandrr]

We did a world cruise in a Lanai on Amsterdam and loved it. We are generally observers of the wildlife outside, so the readily accessible deck really allowed us to see things. The mirror on the door is very effective - people just can't see in unless they press their noses right up against the glass and shade their eyes. Definitely not a concern. The door is a bit heavy so be careful. We never had a problem with others using our chairs outside, though we did invite friends to use them anytime we were not in the chairs.

 

We have booked another Lanai on an upcoming cruise - it is our favourite category now.

[TiogaCruiser]

I had a lanai on Veendam about 4 years ago. IIRC the space was cramped feeling (18” clearance at the foot of the bed and the bedside tables) but as I was solo for the cruise, it was okay. I like the layout.

 

The sliding door was really heavy for me and I had a hard time getting it started. I did have a few “visitors” on the steamer chairs one day and they did know they were reserved for my cabin. It wasn’t a big deal as I only needed 1, and there were 3 in front of my cabin. I just sat in the empty one.

 

Funny thing, my DH wants to try a lanai.