Nice Cruise but had better

Volendam Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage

inahas

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Reviews: 2

Helpful Votes: 52

Overall rating:

3.2 out of 5

7 Night Alaska Inside Passage (Vancouver Roundtrip)

Sail date: August 16, 2017

Ship: Volendam

Cabin type: Oceanview

Cabin number: 2501

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 7 years ago

Review summary

It was an OK cruise. The weather was foggy/rainy most of the time so we didn't enjoy the outdoors of Alaska as much as we expected. The ship itself is old and in dire need of refurbishment. Carpet was old and smells of mold. The decoration style looks very dated. The spa and fitness room were excellent though. The good: Buffet food, spa, fitness room. The bad: Entertainment, Main dining room food, on board activities + they nickel and dime you to death.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Quick and organized. No issues.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

Main dining room food was disappointing. Towards the end of the cruise, we ditched it completely for the buffet at the Lido. In general, deserts were very good, but the rest of the menu was meh.

Onboard Activities

2 out of 5

No onboard activities to speak of. Just one covered pool was open. The other pool was outside and too cold to use.

Entertainment

2 out of 5

Stage shows were mediocre. Singers/dancers average. Dated music and performances. The movie theater consists of a low resolution projector and a curtain.

Children's Programs

1 out of 5

The Loft and Kid Club rooms were deserted/locked up overtime I tried to visit.

Service and Staff

4 out of 5

Staff was very friendly but looked exhausted/bored.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Ship is very clean but old. Several areas of the ship are in need of repair or replacement though. A 10ft section of a railing on the outside deck was replaced with nailed down 2x4s!

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

Room was clean and well serviced. However, the ship is old and shows its age. The first day we had a rattling fan that was promptly fixed. The bath tab had a loose panel with greasy edges that was never fixed. The bed was clean and comfortable.