Volendam Cruise Reviews - Reviews

The stops in Alaska were wonderful and the nature and countryside were spectacular.  I do wish they actually let us see the Tracy Arm Fjord up close.  That would have been a highlight instead of just making a servcie call to drop off people.  Skagway and Glacier Bay were teh best stops on the trip.  Skagway's Jewel Gardens was lovely and the time in the teahouse absolutely enchanting.  The Glaciers in Glacier Bay were marvelous. 

I would say, however, the Volendam needs some work.  We had a crack in the tub in our room and the curtains and other apurtenances in our room and on the ship needed updating.  The food was good to excellent, although, like many cruises these days, the food seemed to slip in quality as the cruise proceeded.  The best food and experience was, of course, in the specialty restaurant, the Pinnacle Grill.  Lunch and dinner there were wonderful, as was the night at Le Cirque. 

The production shows were truly superior and the magician was quite good, although doing tricks that everyone knows.  The comedian was ok, but not amazing. 

The cruise director and many of his staff truly seemed more stand-offish than I am used to with other lines.  I was surprised that they had no real idea how to be very friendly with people.  But, that seemed to be part of teh stuffiness on the boat in general.  The exception to this was the casino staff, who mostly went out of their way to be very friendly and accomodating.  High praise to them!

We enjoyed the cruise very much. The ports of calls were great. Glacier Bay is the best stop. However, there was not much to do on the cruise ship. I believe it has to do with the age group that prefers slow and quiet time. Volendem is a small ship (roughly 1400 guests). Therefore, it may have limit its ability to provide more activities. I was not impressed with the food selection at either the dinning room or the buffet.

If you are looking for more to do while on the cruise ship, this one might not be the right one for you.

This is the second time we've cruised with Holland, and we would return for more cruises which pass through very scenic areas, i.e. Alaska or East Coast. The professionalism of Holland marine crew gives comfort that the best piloting is being done to protect our safety and enhance our enjoyment. This is critical on the BC/Alaska West Coast as there are tricky areas with tides and ice. The Holland cuisine in the dining room is excellent and very close to or comparable to luxury cruise lines. The menu for the specialty Pinnacle dining room didn't draw us in and the premium charged seemed unreasonable for the menu. The ambience for the Italian specialty area didn't appeal or justify an extra charge. The buffet options and staff were preferrable to other mid-level cruises we have taken, and the offerings were very good. The smaller size of Holland boats and fewer guests are a plus.

A wonderful Alaskan cruise on the Volendam travelling with friends.  Perfect weather, smooth sailing!  It was delightful cruising through Tracy Arm and visiting the glaciers again!

A great itinerary with interesting ports, but very expensive excursions, which were not up to expectations.

Comfortable cabin but no fridge

Meals were excellent . Entertainment was first class.

Crew were all very helpful & friendly.

Volendam is looking tired

I just returned from a Cruise on the Volendam to Alaska. The quality of the food and service was outstanding. The Inland passage to Alaska is wonderful. Well worth the low cost.

Older ship, needs some maintenance, railings were chipped, rust on the metal railings, obvious outdated decor in the rooms.

We recently travelled on Holland America's Volendam through Alaska's Inside Passage. It was an excellent route, frequently narrated by the ship's captain, and we were able to see many animals (whales, sea otters, etc.) as well as the glaciers. On-board activities were fun, frequent, and varied. We particularly liked the tai chi classes, digital workshops, and evening musical entertainment. Of course, the food was endless and generally good.

We booked a suite stateroom and if was a fabulous experience for us. Unfortunately, now that we have experienced this level of service, we will always be looking for a suite! Having access to a concierge, the Neptune Lounge, daily laundry service, Rotterdam Dining room table reserved, breakfast table reserved...OMG, we were spoiled. Everyone on board was so very nice and service oriented!

From Check In to Disembark- Everything was Excellent

Overall, the Volendam was an excellent ship. The ship was very clean and the staff was well organized and very helpful most of the time.

We found the cruise itinerary was very good in itself though, as always, more time in ports would be good. All of the ports had something to offer in scenery or activities and the local folks were very helpful and warm. The cruise gave us the overview we wanted to decide if we wanted to take later vacations in Aust/NZ. We'd recommend the cruise and land touring.

The Voendam was refurbished less than a year ago and an excellent job was done. All areas have an exciting vibrant appearance

Bathrooms not kept clean. Food was not as good as other ships I have been on. Entertainment by the staff in the main lounge was good but the other lounges was not good at all.

We enjoyed going on the ship, and services was great! The food was the best we have had cruising, third cruise. .

We were impressed when the cabin steward called us by name when we arrived at our cabin, including our 2 daughters. The entire staff was great. A good variety of activities if interested and terrific information/narration during the day in Glacier Bay National Park. Good entertainment, good food, great cabin.

Holland America Line goes above and beyond in every facet of the journey.

An Alaskann cruise is a fabulous experience and you should go. BUT don't book it through . First, is no cheaper than booking it direct and you HAVE to book your airfare through the cruiseline leaving you at their mercy (they wanted to put us on a red-eye from Vancouver after docking at 7 am). Getting out of it cost us a bundle and was useless, so stay away from them. Anyway, the cruise itself was fabulous; we had a great time. Alaska is unbelievably beautiful. Go! Go now!

Overall, I have a favorable impression of the ship.

We sailed on the Ms Noordam about two years ago. The service on the Noordam was outstanding. The Volendam does not compare. I honestly believe that Holland America has reduced the English-speaking requirements of their staff. There were too many mistakes/misunderstandings by too many staff members for anything else to make sense.