Noordam vs. Volendam - Help Please

[vickiw0318]

I have friends who fell in love with HAL when they sailed on the Noordam to Alaska in the summer of 2007. They are now considering an Australia/New Zealand cruise on the Volendam. I am doing a little research for them and the ships seem very different. They'd only previously only cruised on older Carnival Fantasy class ships. I think the Noordam was a real eye-opener for them and they don't want to go back.

 

My question is - after the Noordam, will the Volendam seem like their Carnival experience to them or are there HAL pluses even on the smaller ships? I just read all the recent member reviews and they were mixed.

 

Thanks in advance to all you HAL experts out there.

[RuthC]

Much as I really like the Noordam, I prefer the size of the Volendam. It's a lovely ship, with a deckplan that makes sense. It has the wood and brass that all HAL ships have, with the fresh flowers and beautiful artwork.

The Volendam is also one of the two HAL ships with a theme---the Volendam's theme is flowers. They are used as part of the art around the ship.

The Volendam will also have the same type of food, and (importantly) the wonderful service that many of us love. As a matter of fact, I think the service on the smaller ships is better, as the staff has the opportunity to get to know you better.

If this is a cruise your friends want to take, they should have no fear about the ship.

[vickiw0318]

Thanks, Ruth. I really appreciate your input.

[CC Help Michell]

I have friends who fell in love with HAL when they sailed on the Noordam to Alaska in the summer of 2007. They are now considering an Australia/New Zealand cruise on the Volendam. I am doing a little research for them and the ships seem very different. They'd only previously only cruised on older Carnival Fantasy class ships. I think the Noordam was a real eye-opener for them and they don't want to go back.

 

My question is - after the Noordam, will the Volendam seem like their Carnival experience to them or are there HAL pluses even on the smaller ships? I just read all the recent member reviews and they were mixed.

 

Thanks in advance to all you HAL experts out there.

 

Well, I'm no HAL expert, as the Volendam this summer was our first HAL cruise, but I can say that this ship offered NOTHING like my experiences on any size of Carnival ship, including Fantasy class. The Volendam is a smaller ship than some of today's behemoths, but we thought it was a very happy ship, with an outstanding crew. It was easy to get around and orient yourself, we loved the number of external decks with great panoramic views, and the service was simply excellent. The atmosphere was quiet but friendly, and there were lots of activities onboard that didn't involve a single hairy chest or belly flop! :)

 

By the way, I've read those "mixed" reviews you mention, and for some of them I honestly was wondering what the reviewer was thinking. One of those very negative reviews listed two things they didn't like, acknowledged that both things were immediately rectified after they complained and never happened again, yet they still came here and posted about what a bad trip they had. :rolleyes: That review was cast in stone on day one of the cruise, obviously.

 

Good luck to your friends -- I can say with the prices I'm seeing for this fall/winter's Volendam itineraries, if I weren't a teacher and could drop everything and go, I'd already be packing! Those are great itineraries at phenomenal prices at the moment.

[Cruise prn]

I won't have experience with the Noordam until next month, but I have been on two other vista ships as well as the Volendam. We spent ten glorious days on the Volandam. The cabins are larger than the vistas, the ship is beautiful and a comfortable size. The dining room is not nearly as congested and noisy as the vistas and the service was wonderful. We greatly enjoyed our cruises on the vistas, too, it's just a different experience.

[RlrCstr]

I have been on the other 3 Vista ships, but not the Noordam.

I have been on the Volendam twice, and on its twin the Zaandam

4 times. Either ship will be wonderful.

I would say to choose the Volendam based on the smaller size. It is a wonderful ship, easy to get around and amazing personal service from the crew.

[WeLoveCruising]

The Volendam will be nothing like Carnival. The food and service will be just like on the Noordam. The Noordam is a little newer, but the Volendam is beautiful and has the similar artwork, flowers, etc.

 

If they loved the Noordam, I'm certain they will love the Volendam too

[vbmom87]

It has the wood and brass that all HAL ships have, with the fresh flowers and beautiful artwork.

The Volendam is also one of the two HAL ships with a theme---the Volendam's theme is flowers. They are used as part of the art around the ship.

 

 

 

I was on the Volendam this past June on my first cruise. I have nothing to compare it to, but we did like it very much. For us, the Volendam was the perfect size. If I were to ever cruise again, I would be looking for a smaller ship like this one.

 

As far as the flower theme goes, there were not that many flowers in my mind. If I had not read this board, I would never have known the theme of the ship was flowers. We saw a few large arrangements, but nothing that made me think this ship had a theme of flowers. The tables in the dining room had little vases of flowers on them, which was a nice accent. However, as the flowers wilted, they were not replaced. One day at lunch, near the end of the trip, we put the vase with the dead flowers at the end of the table. The waiter told us there was nothing he could do about them. They had to stay for the week as they don't have replacements. I would rather have eaten lunch with no flowers than with dead flowers.

 

Flowers, or no flowers, our experience was very positive on this ship. We had five traveling and everyone enjoyed the ship, even my DS and BIL who are Celebrity fans and had never cruised on such an old ship. We met many on the cruise who were experienced cruisers and most had nothing but great things to say about the Volendam. Not sure what your friends will think, but I would not hesitate to go on the Volendam again.

[Duncarob]

Just off the Volendam and loved it! Very different from my cruise on the Carnival Ecstasy earlier this year. Beautiful ship in an understated elegant way. The cabins are much nicer than the fantasy-class cabins. Of course, much more subdued atmosphere than the Carnival cruise....but in a good way. Very relaxing. Even though this is a smaller ship, there is lots of room, and I did not feel crowded in any way.

 

As for the flowers, there were beautiful orchids on every table in the Lido dining room and around the Lido pool. A very nice touch.

 

I think I'm an HAL guy now....no more belly flop contests for me!

[vickiw0318]

Once again, thanks so much. You all have given me an idea of what their experience will be like. They were on the Ecstasy about two weeks before duncarob, so that comparison is particularly apt.

 

One thing, they love venues like piano bars and places to dance (not disco, but more like ballroom). Will they find somewhere like that onboard?

[tamsno]

I was on the Volendam Panama Canal 10 days this past April and had a wonderful time. The ship is lovely, very well run and just the right size. Having also been on 2 Vistas and Eurodam, I still prefer the comfort of the midsize ships. There is a Piano Bar and the Ocean Bar and Crow's Nest are very nice for dancing. Also, it's the itinerary you're considering that's important and that is the HAL ship going. I will be doing 33 days on the Volendam in March, Auckland to Hong Kong, for the interary but I know I will enjoy the ship as well. Have a good trip.

[RuthC]

One thing, they love venues like piano bars and places to dance (not disco, but more like ballroom). Will they find somewhere like that onboard?

As Cindy mentioned, there's dancing to live music in the Ocean Bar and the Crow's Nest. The Crow's Nest becomes the disco late at night.

There's no Piano Bar per se on the Volendam---there's a Piano Lounge (entirely different atmosphere). There is a dance floor in the Piano Lounge, too.

[vickiw0318]

That sounds perfect for them. They will dance the night away.

 

They are thinking of an Australia/New Zealand cruise.

[sharks48]

Interesting answers! I have a question, though. We sailed on the Volendam two years ago and loved it. However, I felt much more motion than I had on other cruises [this was the smallest ship we've sailed on], although others commented on how smooth the ride was.

 

We're sailing on the Noordam in November and I was just wondering if anyone has any comments on the relative "smoothness" of the trip.

 

Thanks so much.

[vbmom87]

Interesting answers! I have a question, though. We sailed on the Volendam two years ago and loved it. However, I felt much more motion than I had on other cruises [this was the smallest ship we've sailed on], although others commented on how smooth the ride was.

 

We're sailing on the Noordam in November and I was just wondering if anyone has any comments on the relative "smoothness" of the trip.

 

Thanks so much.

 

We had very smooth sailing on the VOlendam this past summer, but some weeks this past summer the waters were rough and the sailing was not smooth. A lot simply depends on the weather.

[RuthC]

We're sailing on the Noordam in November and I was just wondering if anyone has any comments on the relative "smoothness" of the trip.

I expect a great deal of it has to do with how experienced a sailor one is.

On my first Noordam cruise I felt like we were still on land, for the lack of motion I felt. I was listening (in the elevator; couldn't help but overhear) two women commenting on how "rough" it was. :rolleyes:

I think the Noordam rides smoothly.

[Himself]

I have never been on the NOORDAM, though I hear she is the nicest of the Vista Class Ships. (I have been on the Zuiderdam, OOSterdam and Westerdam) The Volendam is in the "R" Class ships and I just love those size ships. I have been on the Volendam serveral times and I really like that ship.

[WeLoveCruising]

Just off the Volendam and loved it! Very different from my cruise on the Carnival Ecstasy earlier this year. Beautiful ship in an understated elegant way. The cabins are much nicer than the fantasy-class cabins. Of course, much more subdued atmosphere than the Carnival cruise....but in a good way. Very relaxing. Even though this is a smaller ship, there is lots of room, and I did not feel crowded in any way.

 

As for the flowers, there were beautiful orchids on every table in the Lido dining room and around the Lido pool. A very nice touch.

 

I think I'm an HAL guy now....no more belly flop contests for me!

 

Glad you enjoyed the Volendam. Welcome to HAL :)