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Holland America Line

MS Volendam

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Bob Scherago
# previous cruises: 3
Date of Trip: July 7, 2004
Itinerary: Alaska-Inside Passage

The Volendam is a beautiful ship. The staterooms are among the largest I've encountered, and the best furnished. Don't expect the food or entertainent to be great; they're so-so.

The public areas are beautiful, and never crowded. The nightclub, with its spacious balcony, is comfortable, with good sightlines from anywhere. The casino is small, but I never saw many people in there. One negative: the kitchen takes up a large portion of deck 4; you can't get from the lower dining room to anything forward without going up or down a level. Even after 5 or more days there were many people confused over this.

The main dining room food was good to very good; the portions were small, although you could ask for more. The service was good, but not exceptional. The wait staff always seemed on a hurry to get us out in time for the next seating. The Pinnacle upscale restaurant (with its $20 surcharge) had better food and service, with fancier courses, but it was more like what I expected the regular restaurant to be.

The cabins are among the best at sea. We had a veranda cabin - it was beautiful. The veranda was large, with a chair, chaise, and small table, with full walls on either side for privacy. The pillow-top mattress and high-thread-count linens made for a good sleep. The bathroom was well-appointed, with a whirlpool tub with shower - plenty of room for this 350 pounder! The large counter was convenient, along with a large medicine cabinet, and hair dryer with 110 v. outlet. The storage space in the cabin was remarkable, with drawers, closets, shelves, and a safe. The closets were large enough for all three of our suitcases; we didn't have to stow them under the bed. But there was even more storage space under the bed. A TV set and VCR, with available movies, and a mini bar and refrigerator completed the amenities.

The shows were typical cruise-fare. Young singers and dancers working hard to entertain. An excellent magician one night and a comedian/juggler another were wonderful; an Alaskan singer added to the regional entertainment.

The main activity was the inner passage, and we weren't interested in the organized bingo, contests, etc. Club Hal provided entertainment for youngsters. The pools were beautiful - 1 outdoors, 1 under a retractable roof.

The passengers were a good mix - younger, older, grandparents with their grandchildren, young parents