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Login Elegant and spacious, Volendam takes her décor cues from the garden. Her grand public spaces are graced with floral fabrics and tapestries, as well as huge vases of fresh floral arrangements. Enjoy regional cooking demonstrations and food and wine tastings with Port to Table programming. Relax with a spa treatment at the Greenhouse Salon & Spa. Or dine in one of our selection of fine restaurants.
Our Legendary 28-day cruise to Canadian islands, Iceland, and Greenland was truly special. It happened to coincide with the World Cup, so we got to see Scottish fans in Boston, and were able to watch games daily on a dedicated World Cup TV channel. Highlights: The elegant Volendam itself. This R-class ship is smaller than most (1400), and I think it is the prettiest of the HAL ships I've been on (Oosterdam, Zuiderdam, Zaandam, Noordam, Konigsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam). The decor seems to reflect Dutch voyages more than other ships do. The layout of each level makes sense and the ship is easy to get from one part to another. The older ships seem to have more cabin space than on the larger, newer ships, too. Visual Highlight: Captain Rens van Eerten took us right up to the glacier in Prince Christian Sound, with plenty of time for pictures. We saw many ice floes, some with seals sunning themselves. Entertainment: the three of us love classical music, and the Vivace Trio (Katerina, Irina, and Anina from Ukraine) were superb. They knew their audience, so played short classical pieces and some popular hits. The Explorers' Lounge was packed for all three of their almost daily 45-minute concerts. I would have loved some complete classical pieces, such as the trio on our Norway cruise played last year, but the concerts were a respite from noise and stress. My cousins went to an excellent pianist and a violinist, a comedian and the Breton Thunder (this was enjoyed by most of the audience, but for us it did not measure up to the group we heard in Sydney on a HAL excursion). The Ocean Bar had entertainment after 4 pm daily, so I felt it was too loud to sit and talk there. Having one acoustic guitar or piano is a good idea, but the room is so small, the amplification is unnecessary. The Dam Band later was as loud or louder, but many people loved it after dinner. I was usually in the Mix bar watching soccer with new friends, but I missed talking to Ferry, a favorite waiter in the Ocean Bar. Cabins: I had a starboard side balcony room on the 6th level, which had the added advantage of easy access to a balcony on the front of the ship for special days like Prince Christian Sound and the glacier. Noise from the World Stage and the Dam Band kept me from going to bed before 11, since I was right above them. It was better than being awakened early by moving chairs and tables in the Lido, which happened on previous cruises. I always have an eyeshade and earplugs to use if necessary. The verandah was lovely and quiet--I often sat out in my fleece jacket and cabin blanket on sea days. My cousins' room was on the Promenade level, so they could easily do mile walks daily (mostly in cold weather jackets and hats). They liked their room, as people could not see in as they walked by. The only drawback was the bed in front of the window being awkward placement. Another review suggests splitting up the beds, so you have nightstands in front of the window. Meals: Breakfast at the Lido was easier than usual, with seating almost always available (not the case on some of the larger HAL ships in my experience). Ryan at the Benedict stand learned my order and knew what I wanted as soon as I arrived daily. The omelete line is long, and one poached egg is plenty for me for breakfast. One day I was even early enough to get one of the almond croissants, but the excellent small chocolate ones were usually also available. Since I walk with a cane, a staff member nearly always helped me carry my plate and find a table. One wonderful aspect of a long cruise (28 days!!) is getting to know the staff and them getting to know you. Lunch: Usually the good salad bar in the Lido, to help balance out the pastries and desserts at other meals. Sometimes they had the good brown bread, but usally the cheeses were kind of basic rather than the wonderful Dutch ones on the European cruises. I am becoming more lactose intolerant, so had no ice cream. And the pineapple sorbet was not my favorite (at all). Sea Day lunches in the MDR were quite good, and a great chance for me to meet new people. Dinner: In the MDR, usually about 7:30 after the third classical concert. We have learned to ask for small portions of the main entree, as their size has increased quite a bit since I started cruising in 2013. We found dinners generally enjoyable, with varied choices and good quality. Nearly all desserts had milk/lactose, so I had to be careful what I chose. Service in the dining room is not rushed, and sometimes you have to remind them you want coffee with dessert. Staffing seems somewhat cut back since my early cruises. I do like it that there are many tables for 2 or 4, which probably take more time to serve. When I travel alone, sometimes I am just not in the mood to meet seven new people. We went to the Pinnacle Grill twice, and food and service were excellent. I enjoy it more since I found I can get a small filet, not the whole 8 ounces. Canaletto needs more pasta options (for my taste), but the shrimp get rave reviews. The service is excellent, and it is fun to see our favorite Lido servers in their dress-up uniforms for evening service there. Shore Excursions: In Sydney, the Fiddle Group in the Kitchen Concert was terrific. In St. Johns, we did the whole tour to Signal Hill, the lighthouse, Cape Spear, and Quibi Kivi (a very fun art village, where we needed more time). In Akureyri, the long Godafoss waterfall, turf house, and botanic garden tour did not seem to have enough time for all the stops, but the local guide was excellent. We used the local Hop on bus in Heimaey, and it was wonderful to see everything without so much walking. The bus company needs better signage, but people seemed to find it eventually. The puffin cliffs were a major stop for many people. In Reykjavik, the marathon messed up everyone's schedules, but we took a taxi to Harpa as the shuttle bus seemed a long way away. The gift shop there is excellent, and the Volcano show downstairs was a lot of fun (and educational). The second day, we had the hop on bus to see the church and other sights. Iceland has to plan for serious winter weather and volcanoes, so buildings are fairly utilitarian overall. The inland trips have terrific scenery in Iceland, of course. It was fun to get to Greenland and more Nordic-looking towns and architecture. My cousins enjoyed their home visit in Nanortalik, even though the weather caused many people to skip this excursion. Corner Brook is a pretty town, and the local shuttle gave us a good tour and restaurant recommentations. People tend to queue up for the shuttle to get back to the ship for lunch, of course. Halifax is a great city--we had a good tour to Peggy's Cove and then took the hop on bus (no a-c, and it was a hot day). That way you can see the fortress and the changing of the guard and local sights such as the Maritime Museum, within walking distance of the ship's dock. Personal Exploration: My cousins had a list of things to see in each port and always managed to also get to a grocery store (they found Icelandic yarn almost every city there). I can't walk as fast or far with my cane, so saw fewer sights but was quite happy with my trip. Spa: I had a manicure, as I needed to get my nails cut. I learned long ago to resist the endless upselling at the front desk, and got the service I wanted. Staff: friendly and well-trained. Much better at remembering names than I am! I keep a list of staff so I can recognize them in my survey after the cruise. It gives them kudos in meetings, and sometimes time off. Overall Impressions: the Ship: older but very well maintained. Tenders: very well organized. Some wait time, but very well-trained staff to get you on and off carefully. Tipping: I always take a slew of 5s, 10s, and 20s for end of journey tips as cash goes to the person you intend to have it. I also bought treats for my wonderful stewards, such as croissants from a French bakery in St. Pierre. Weather: Only two really rainy days out of 28. Some truly spectacular days (Heimaey and the Prince Christian Sound). Two fairly hot days in Halifax, but otherwise temps were 50s and 60s. DO take rain gear and waterproof pants for the waterfalls (jeans take hours to dry). FOMO: Many people on our cruise had a great tee or sweatshirt that had the voyage's map--apparently Cruise Critic sells them. I really wanted one! Less Good Over the Years: Since Effy took over all the shops, there are no more tee sales at the Lido deck (I have all kinds of Alaska and South American tees from past cruises), or fun pop-ups selling HAL ceramic vases. I guess it saves me a lot of money, but having so few interesting choices is a lost sales opportunity.
A 'bucket list' cruise to cross Iceland and Greenland off our 'must visit' countries. Adding certain Canadian Seaboard destinations to those we had previously visited was a bonus. As first-time HAL guests, we were looking for a similar vibe and level of service we had previously enjoyed as 'Cunarders' and, while each line has its own character, we were not disappointed. Embarkation and disembarkation were remarkably smooth, given the age of Boston's terminal and the surrounding construction mess. #1 was the quality of the crew. To a person, they were personable, friendly, competent and helpful. From that standpoint, we could not imagine a better experience. Volendam itself, while the oldest ship in the HAL fleet, is clearly well maintained and is an ideal size for those who want a smaller ship without the need to stretch to one of the pricier super-luxury lines. The length of the cruise and the destinations lent itself to a mature clientele which suited us perfectly. This is not a ship that lends itself to happy children over a one-month timeframe! Dinner was enjoyed primarily in the MDR and the service was generally fine. Some of the entree choices proved to be a little bland but that was the exception. Breakfast in the Lido was good and table availability was mostly not a problem. HAL could do well to look at the flow of clients in the Lido as those with special orders could be seen to slow down the process and cause some 'who is next' confusion with those who simply wanted 'eggs and bacon'! Bar service in the Ocean Bar, Lido/Pool Bar and Crows Nest Bar was exceptional. Individuals already thanked in Navigator. Did not choose the evening shows but the daytime presentations on ports-of-call and specialty topics were well received. We were blessed with overall good weather, only missing one port (out of many) because of sea conditions. Tender ports were handled efficiently and safely, particularly in view of the age of some of the guests. It goes almost without saying that some of the ports and sites visited were outstanding. In particular, the day through Prince Christian Sound in Greenland will never be forgotten. As 'Cunarders', will we cruise with HAL again? Yes, for certain.
Overall great cruise. Window 1st deck, smooth on rough water, large bed under window, sofa bed in middle of the room great for our grandchild. The walls were NOT magnetic as they had been on 2 previous cruises and no plugs near bed- had to get an extension cord, we thought the entertainment was great - Tricia Miles, also the magician and opera singer, Also liked the classical music quartet Ate at Lido deck because menu the same as in dining room and could pick & choose. Good always excellent. Overall the ship was chilly so we would grab a table by the pool to eat. I bought a hoodie in Grenada because I had no warmer clothes to wear Really enjoyed the Orange party, Christmas Ball and New Years Eve party. The captain was outstanding and helped make all these events fun. Lots of little children were on this trip so they had special activities & a Grinch day.
With refined amenities and Holland America Line signature Mariner’s Dream bed gracing each elegant stateroom, the ship offers six grades of staterooms. Most are ocean-facing, many featuring teak-lined verandas for dining alfresco or private sunbathing.
Holland America Line invites you to dine "As You Wish". To savour Italian cuisine one night and a perfectly grilled porterhouse steak the next. To take your place in the Dining Room at a specific seating time or be spontaneous, following your desires. Onboard, there are restaurants to suit every mood, along with the flexibility to choose the dining style you prefer.
Every day aboard a Holland America cruise ship brings a wealth of cruise activities and indulgences, along with the freedom to partake in as many-or as few- as you please. It's an opportunity to try something new that surprises you, every day.
Dabble, discover, daydream- do everything, or do nothing at all.
Whether you want to workout in the Fitness Centre, learn yoga, pamper yourself with a massage and spa treatment, or enjoy a game of basketball, there's a perfect onboard activity for everyone.
Holland America Line's youth activities program, Kids Club, offers an array of entertaining events for kids and teens ages 3-17, supervised by a full-time, professionally trained staff. They'll have an opportunity to join other kids their age for arts and crafts, sports, video game competitions, scavenger hunts, challenging team games and themed parties.
Note: Kids Club is not offered on cruises of 25-days or longer, including all Legendary and Grand Voyages. We will offer a selection of children’s activities throughout these longer voyages for any children who may be onboard.
Safety Comes First
Safety is our primary concern and strict policies are in place for effective supervision. Adult guests are not permitted to remain in Kids Club unless attending to a special-needs child.
Please note: During voyages with a high number of families onboard, we will make all efforts to accommodate interested parties. However, participation in our program cannot be guaranteed. Hours of operation may change to better serve our guests.
