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A DISAPPOINTMENT

Volendam Cruise Review to Caribbean

Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 7

Overall rating:

2 out of 5
Verified Review
Volendam

10 Night Caribbean Sunfarer (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: April 12, 2007

Ship: Volendam

Cabin type: Oceanview

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 16 years ago

Review summary

THE SHIP WAS VERY NICE, AND WELL MAINTAINED. HOWEVER, THROUGHOUT THE 10 DAY CRUISE A SEWAGE ODOR WAS NOTICED FROM TIME TO TIME, ESPECIALLY ON THE LOWER PROMENADE DECK. OUR OCEANVIEW CABIN WAS COMFORTABLE. THE INDONESIAN STAFF WERE VERY FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL. DECOR WAS VERY NICE. PUBLIC AREAS WERE CLEAN. SHIP SIZE, 1466 PASSENGERS, WAS JUST RIGHT FOR US, NOT TO BIG.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
FOOD AND SERVICE WAS EXCELLANT. IF YOU WANT EARLY DINING, 5:15 PM, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE IT CONFIRMED PRIOR TO BOOKING. IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL BE EATING AT 8:15 PM. THERE WAS A LONG WAITING LIST FOR EARLY DINING, 300 PASSENGERS.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
SHOWROOM ENTERTAINMENT WAS EXCELLANT. OTHER SHIPBOARD ACTIVITIES LACKED SUBSTANCE.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
INDONESIAN STAFF WAS WONDERFUL.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
CLEAN, COMFORTABLE BED, AND NICE DECOR.

Ports of call

Oranjestad, Aruba

1 out of 5
ARRIVED ON A SUNDAY. SHOPS CLOSE AT 4:00 PM. DIDN'T GET OFF OF SHIP UNTIL 1:15 PM. TOOK THE SHORE EXCURSION "TICKET TO PARADISE", WASTE OF TIME, AND MONEY. INCLUDED BARBECUE BUFFET WAS NOT OPEN. BEACH AREA WAS VERY SMALL, WITH A SMALL ROPED OFF SWIM AREA. FACILITIES SEEMED UNCLEAN.
Thumbs Up
Don't Miss: BEING WE TOOK A SHORE EXCURSION, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SHOP. THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TIME, ON SUNDAY, TO DO BOTH.

Willemstad, Curacao

3 out of 5
SHOPPING WAS GOOD. RESIDENTS WERE NOT FRIENDLY. GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY DID NOT LIKE AMERICANS.
Thumbs Up

Colon, Panama

1 out of 5
WITH HOLLAND AMERICA, IF YOU DON'T PURCHASE AN EXPENSIVE SHORE EXCURSION, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GET OFF THE SHIP. ONLY THOSE PASSENGERS WITH SHORE EXCURSIONS ARE PERMITTED TO GO ASHORE. WASTE OF TIME!
Thumbs Up

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island)

3 out of 5
BEAUTIFUL WHITE SANDY BEACH. IN APRIL WATER WAS CHILLY FOR SWIMMING. LUNCH BUFFET ON ISLAND WAS UNSATISFACTORY.
Thumbs Up

Willemstad, Curacao

3 out of 5
SHOPPING WAS GOOD. RESIDENTS WERE NOT FRIENDLY. GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY DID NOT LIKE AMERICANS.
Thumbs Up

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

1 out of 5
SHOPPING WAS NON-EXISTANT. SHOPS WERE VERY RUN DOWN AND SEEDY. A GOOD PORT SHOULD HAVE A BALANCE BETWEEN QUALITY SHOPPING, AND QUALITY SHORE EXCURSIONS. THIS PORT DID NOT HAVE THAT BALANCE. WASTE OF TIME!
Thumbs Up

Oranjestad, Aruba

1 out of 5
ARRIVED ON A SUNDAY. SHOPS CLOSE AT 4:00 PM. DIDN'T GET OFF OF SHIP UNTIL 1:15 PM. TOOK THE SHORE EXCURSION "TICKET TO PARADISE", WASTE OF TIME, AND MONEY. INCLUDED BARBECUE BUFFET WAS NOT OPEN. BEACH AREA WAS VERY SMALL, WITH A SMALL ROPED OFF SWIM AREA. FACILITIES SEEMED UNCLEAN.
Thumbs Up
Don't Miss: BEING WE TOOK A SHORE EXCURSION, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SHOP. THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TIME, ON SUNDAY, TO DO BOTH.

Colon, Panama

1 out of 5
WITH HOLLAND AMERICA, IF YOU DON'T PURCHASE AN EXPENSIVE SHORE EXCURSION, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GET OFF THE SHIP. ONLY THOSE PASSENGERS WITH SHORE EXCURSIONS ARE PERMITTED TO GO ASHORE. WASTE OF TIME!
Thumbs Up

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

1 out of 5
SHOPPING WAS NON-EXISTANT. SHOPS WERE VERY RUN DOWN AND SEEDY. A GOOD PORT SHOULD HAVE A BALANCE BETWEEN QUALITY SHOPPING, AND QUALITY SHORE EXCURSIONS. THIS PORT DID NOT HAVE THAT BALANCE. WASTE OF TIME!
Thumbs Up

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island)

3 out of 5
BEAUTIFUL WHITE SANDY BEACH. IN APRIL WATER WAS CHILLY FOR SWIMMING. LUNCH BUFFET ON ISLAND WAS UNSATISFACTORY.
Thumbs Up

Pros: FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT, FRIENDLY STAFF

Cons: PORTS OF CALL

Recommends Volendam? No.

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1 Comment

Gwbigdog    2 years ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise.
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