Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

VEENDAM: First cruise after refurbishment

JimVrhovac

By JimVrhovac,
in Holland America Line

Recommended Posts

JimVrhovac

JimVrhovac

Posted
Posted

Ruth and I leave on the Veendam today for the modified cruise on the Veendam

 

We will write a review and get a lot of pictures of all the new changes.

 

We will try to get at least 5 - 10 pictures of each area changed and post them on the boards when we get back.

 

It looks like we have a nice cruise critic group and we are looking forward to a great cruise.

 

Ruth & Jim

 

See what happenns when the grandad takes the kids to the mall

showme.jpg.0896e98b9b23b954f64568e55775585c.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JerseyJaguar

JerseyJaguar

Posted
Posted

We're counting on you Jim.

 

I can't remember if you said you have a Lanai room, if you do, everyone will want to know about the doors and the deck chairs. I guess you can find out about that stuff without having one of the rooms, but the potential to lock yourself out in your pjs won't be there.

 

Have a great trip!!! I'll be on a month from next week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HALFans

HALFans

Posted
Posted

If you can please, check and see if they've put up the glass wall around the Sky Deck above the Crow's Nest.

 

Thanks & have a great cruise!

 

(Oh, could you please give us a report on the smoking areas too? I'm sure that will be in your review. ;))

 

Thanks again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HALFans

HALFans

Posted
Posted
If you can please, check and see if they've put up the glass wall around the Sky Deck above the Crow's Nest.

 

Saw a picture from one of the webcams... Post #8 on this thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=978379

 

Looks like no glass wall. Hurrah! Now I know the next HAL ship we'll be trying to book on. It's such a great place to take pictures from.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Quince

Quince

Posted
Posted

On board the Veendam

The renovation is beautiful, and when you see the slide show of how this ship looked a month ago, it’s amazing that they got as much finished as they did.

 

For all you lanai cabin worry-warts, the exterior mirrored doors do slide. The deck chairs are up against the wall. There’s still plenty of room to walk 3-4 abreast around the deck. I’ve talked to several people in these renovated cabins, and they’re very happy with them and the parade of humanity outside their window every day. There are new teak lounge chairs, and new striped cushions to put on the chairs. For that matter, there’s new furniture all over the ship. The new, metal lounge chairs on the sun deck seem much better than the old plastic ones. Plus, there’s new couches in the cabins, and of course new furniture in all the bars that were re-built.

 

The theater is gorgeous. The bedrooms are nicely re-done. The first two days, several passengers had trouble with their toilets working properly. I heard of three couples who woke up with 2 feet of water in their cabin. Because the cruise was sold out, there was no where to move them except the infirmary.

 

Because the Retreat is not finished (there is no flooring around the new pool), they still have 41 construction guys on board finishing that up too. So there was no where to put them either. That’s the one thing I think Holland America could have done differently. If they’d kept some cabins vacant in case of construction emergency, they wouldn’t have so many disgruntled passengers.

 

We also had about an hour yesterday when we were dead in the water. Then one engine was fired up and we were limping along for awhile. Now we’re on our way to Cartagena, and will transit the Panama Canal a day later than planned. (Yea to Holland America for arranging the delayed transit of the canal. Otherwise, we’d have had to skip Cartagena to make our reserved time on the canal.)

 

But we’re also skipping Costa Rica, which has many passengers upset. And because Mexico is off the itinerary, we are doing Guatemala and Nicarauga instead. So on our 13 day cruise, we have 3 port days and 9 sea days. So that has more passengers upset. I’ve got to say the crew is working around all the difficulties tremendously well. The new enrichment programs have been well attended. It’s just that this hasn’t become the cruise that we originally signed up for.

 

I’m sure Jim and Ruth will sign-on soon to give you their impressions of the cruise as well. (The internet was another thing that wasn’t working for the first 3 days.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
...and of course new furniture in all the bars that were re-built.

Thank you for the info on the "new" Veendam.

 

Many of us are anxiously awaiting info on the re-built bar area you referred to. Would you please describe it in detail?

Pretty please, with a cherry on top? ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
G I Lovit

G I Lovit

Posted
Posted

We cruised on the Veendam two weeks before the retrofit. Had a great trip to Western Caribbean, Beleize, Guatamala, & Yucatan. Will be looking forward to your critiqie of the ship and cruise.

Have a great trip!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FIRELT5

FIRELT5

Posted
Posted
On board the Veendam

The renovation is beautiful, and when you see the slide show of how this ship looked a month ago, it’s amazing that they got as much finished as they did.

 

For all you lanai cabin worry-warts, the exterior mirrored doors do slide. The deck chairs are up against the wall. There’s still plenty of room to walk 3-4 abreast around the deck. I’ve talked to several people in these renovated cabins, and they’re very happy with them and the parade of humanity outside their window every day. There are new teak lounge chairs, and new striped cushions to put on the chairs. For that matter, there’s new furniture all over the ship. The new, metal lounge chairs on the sun deck seem much better than the old plastic ones. Plus, there’s new couches in the cabins, and of course new furniture in all the bars that were re-built.

 

The theater is gorgeous. The bedrooms are nicely re-done. The first two days, several passengers had trouble with their toilets working properly. I heard of three couples who woke up with 2 feet of water in their cabin. Because the cruise was sold out, there was no where to move them except the infirmary.

 

Because the Retreat is not finished (there is no flooring around the new pool), they still have 41 construction guys on board finishing that up too. So there was no where to put them either. That’s the one thing I think Holland America could have done differently. If they’d kept some cabins vacant in case of construction emergency, they wouldn’t have so many disgruntled passengers.

 

We also had about an hour yesterday when we were dead in the water. Then one engine was fired up and we were limping along for awhile. Now we’re on our way to Cartagena, and will transit the Panama Canal a day later than planned. (Yea to Holland America for arranging the delayed transit of the canal. Otherwise, we’d have had to skip Cartagena to make our reserved time on the canal.)

 

But we’re also skipping Costa Rica, which has many passengers upset. And because Mexico is off the itinerary, we are doing Guatemala and Nicarauga instead. So on our 13 day cruise, we have 3 port days and 9 sea days. So that has more passengers upset. I’ve got to say the crew is working around all the difficulties tremendously well. The new enrichment programs have been well attended. It’s just that this hasn’t become the cruise that we originally signed up for.

 

I’m sure Jim and Ruth will sign-on soon to give you their impressions of the cruise as well. (The internet was another thing that wasn’t working for the first 3 days.)

 

 

Any info on the new BQ cabins on Deck 6 Fwd would be greatly appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Himself

Himself

Posted
Posted

Ditto on that. Thank you for the report. I think a lot of your port problems are due to the fact that there is that little swine flu in Mexico. Actually, a lot of your report sounded quite postive and I thank you for that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lovebug33

lovebug33

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the update. I've never been on the Veendam (or any HAL ship for that matter) but I am quite excited about sailing on her in a month. You are just making me more excited! I'm sorry about the ports, though. That was the highlight of my parents Panama Canal Cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bepsf

bepsf

Posted
Posted
I think a lot of your port problems are due to the fact that there is that little swine flu in Mexico.

 

If the ship was dead in the water, then on reduced power and therefore unable to make a port, I don't think that's due to any flu epidemic...

 

With the severe plumbing problems, unfinished pooldeck and engine problems, it's obvious that HAL didn't schedule enough time to get the work done during the drydock - and the passengers and crew are stuck paying the price.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...