Unpleasant Odors on Volendam Verandahs

[zelker]

We are considering booking the Volendam for late 2008 in Australia/New Zealand and want a verandah. HOWEVER, I ran across some postings from last year that mention an unpleasant "toilet" odor :eek: which has me a "bit" concerned.... don't really want to spend 2 weeks dealing with something like that. Anyone been on her in the last 3-4 months that could share their experience (good or bad) with us would be most appreciated!! BTW, we're looking at something mid-ship on Deck 6.

 

Thanks! Barb

[rcl2688]

Actually, this is my first post ever but I have been on the Volendam recently and there was no odor. Most likely the ship just had plumbing problems during that particular week. Usually there isn't a problem. I hope this helps.

[dakrewser]

What many refer to as a "toilet" odor is, in fact, simply the occasional smell from the bilge when the bilge pumps have to be shut down for a short time. It happens on every ship and boat that puts out to sea.

[zelker]

What many refer to as a "toilet" odor is, in fact, simply the occasional smell from the bilge when the bilge pumps have to be shut down for a short time. It happens on every ship and boat that puts out to sea.

 

It was definitely mentioned on more than one cruise on the Volendam. But maybe you're right, maybe it is the bilge pump. We were on the second sailing of the Westerdam, about the 3rd suite down from the stairs/elevator midship and would occasionally get a pretty potent odor in the hall but thankfully never in our cabin or on the verandah. However, the folks on the Volendam said it was more "urine-like" rather than, well, you know........ :rolleyes: And I think all of them mentioned it midship. Does that seem right? (that it would be more noticeable there, for some reason)

 

Thanks.

[Sundagger]

While I have smelled the "sewage" odor on some cruises, on the April 1 ten day cruise on the Volendam, I didn't notice any. I was all over the ship - from Lower Promenade to the top.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were on the Volendam in Oct/Nov - no bad odor smells anywhere on the ship.

[zelker]

Definitely reassuring to hear that other Volendamers noticed nothing! :D Thanks for the feedback.

[Connecticutnewcruiser]

We were on Volendam May 18-25 and there were sewage smells mostly in the Atrium area (decks 3 and 4) for two days - did not notice any such smells on our Verandah.

[Palm Beacher]

We've been on the Volendam three times (2004, 2005, 2006) and have never experienced an unpleasant odor on our verandah.

[gratefulguy]

I'm fairly new at cruising, but I take a Glade "Glass Scents" unit with me. It is a flat, glass panel room deodorizer, packed in a plastic carton that withstands airline and ship/shore baggage stress! On Zuiderdam this month, there was a strong urine smell in the bathroom (from the moment I came on board), so I was glad I also had a very small spray container of Oust--a few spritzes of that lasted all day. The steward was very efficient at cleaning, but putting the seat up released the smell every time. This was in an SS on Navigation deck, under the Lido, so maybe not ship-wide.

I'll be on Volendam 6/29, with Glade and Oust, and won't let anything minor spoil my cruise!

[zelker]

I'm fairly new at cruising, but I take a Glade "Glass Scents" unit with me. It is a flat, glass panel room deodorizer, packed in a plastic carton that withstands airline and ship/shore baggage stress! On Zuiderdam this month, there was a strong urine smell in the bathroom (from the moment I came on board), so I was glad I also had a very small spray container of Oust--a few spritzes of that lasted all day. The steward was very efficient at cleaning, but putting the seat up released the smell every time. This was in an SS on Navigation deck, under the Lido, so maybe not ship-wide.

I'll be on Volendam 6/29, with Glade and Oust, and won't let anything minor spoil my cruise!

 

Now why didn't I think of that!!?? :rolleyes: That's a great suggestion.

[doowillie]

We were on Volendam's repositioning cruise (4/22--5/7) with cabin on Lower Prom. (deck 3), just aft the atrium. There was a definite sewage-like odor which was present practically every day. It was most noticeable in the atrium and on the deck near a big exhaust type blower just outside the atrium. This was usually most pronounced in the morning, and we never noticed it in our stateroom three doors away. It would certainly be possible for the odor to waft upwards to the balconies from that blower on the deck. Many of the hotel staff offices are just off the deck 3 atrium and they obviously are aware of it. We have been on Volendam before and had experienced the same thing (also on other HAL ships), so just assumed that it is "normal"--just something to put up with. It really didn't bother us that much, and the cruise was wonderful.

[Juanita462]

We have never had that sewer smell on the Volendam but certainly did on the Statendam. It was not the bilge pump but a broken valve in the sewer line which flooded the crew quarters with sewage. We got this info from a someone who was working on the ship at the time. what bothered us was that they lied from the beginning - first denying that there was a smell, then admitting that it was there and they didn't know why but were doing everything to find out. The smell was through most of the ship and people were eating on one side of the Lido to avoid the smell on the other side. We had to open the door of our cabin to air it out from time to time - we were on the deck above the crew quarters. This went on for 11 of the 17 days of the cruise.

 

As a follow up I read in the Hawaiin news that there were reports of the Statendam dumping into the waters near Hawaii and not waiting until they were far enough away. On board we noticed that one day out from Hawaii the smell disappeared so perhaps it was true - it was a great relief to the pax.

 

Our son and DIL had a strong urine smell in their bathroom on the Zaandam this spring - even cleaning didn't get rid of it. I will tell him about the Oust.