Volendam Ship

[cruzinjudi]

I have sailed once on the ryndam which I felt alot of movement and then I sailed on mega ships-which I did not feel much of anything-
I take bonnie which is great -which I tend to get sea sick -We are looking at the volendam and I know that this ship is alittle bigger-can anyone tell me about this ship---I know it has alot to do with the weather-------

[RuthC]

The Volendam is a little larger that the Ryndam, but not nearly as large as some of the "mega" ships. If you had trouble with motion on the Ryndam then you should prepare for the same type of ride on the Volendam.

Now, the Volendam is a beautiful ship, IMO. She's one of two HAL ships with a "theme"---hers is flowers. Not only are the usual fresh flower arrangements displayed in the public areas, but there are also artificial flowers incorporated in the decor.
You will also find the HAL service and smiling stewards that some of us have gotten very used to. :)

[jtl513]

I know it has alot to do with the weather---It also has a lot to do with where you are on the ship. Down low and midships is best.

[bepsf]

Ruth and John are right.

If you're concerned about motion, you'd be better off on a Vista.
Given the same conditions, they have a much better ride than the R and S Class ships due to their additional length.

[mycruisedirector]

We recently returned from a 14 day Panama cruise on the Volendam and it was lovely. We had some rough weather and it was rocky for 1 night. We usually book aft but are not prone to seasickness. I agree with the other members, book midship and on lower decks. We always bring seasick patches, just in case, but have only used them once on the 16 cruises we have been on. By the way this was our first Holland America cruise ( we are Princess platinum members, and have sailed with RCCL. We loved Holland America! Much older crowd but we were not constantly asked to purchase something! Service was great and the casino staff were wonderful, young and a lot of fun. We are cruising on the Crown Princess in Oct. (it was already booked), but just booked on the Prisendam to the British Isles in 08.
We loved Holland America and the Volendam.

[Len3]

We recently returned from a 10 nighter. We had an aft cain on deck 3 and we did feel alot of motion most nights. The seas were pretty calm and we were fine.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have sailed 4 times on the Volendam -- yes you will feel motion just like you did on the Ryndam is she is only slightly larger.

Try to select a cabin midships and low.

[noblepa]

So far, we've been on two HAL ships, the Veendam and the Oosterdam (Zuiderdam in nine days, Yippee!). I believe that the motion is due mostly to the weather. The Veendam was a western Caribbean trip, while the Oosterdam was the Mexican Riviera.

On the Veendam, we actually missed Costa Maya because of high winds, yet I don't remember feeling much in the way of ship's motion. But, then, I'm not particularly prone to seasickness. Our cabin was on the Lower Promenade, just forward of the atrium.

In addition to bonine or ginger pills, you can help yourself a lot by trying to stay where you can see outside the ship. This can be either on deck or in large public spaces with large windows. The key is being able to see the horizon. Motion sickness is a result of your brain being confused by the different signals that your eyes and inner ear are sending. Your inner ear senses the motion, but your eyes tell you that your surroundings are not moving. If you can see the horizon, this confusion is diminished, because your eyes and ears are sending the same information.

Obviously, some people are much more susceptable to motion sickness than others. If you're one of them, the Vistas will be a little better than the R or S class ships.

[Cruisin Kay D]

Are there any balcony cabin locations on Volendam that are considered "undesirable" or "less desirable"?

[Kathyh1313]

I think many times it is dependant on the seas and the winds, regardless of the size ship. The WORST rides I have had have been on mega ships, The Crown Princess and the Grand Princess. Have sailed on both the Volendam and the Amsterdam, nice smooth sails.

Low, mid ships will give you the best ride. This past summer we were on the Crown Princess, rockin and a rollin, trying to pack for our trip home, I couldn't stand it anymore, and I usually like a rough ride. I finally convinced DH to come with me down to the Coffee Bar in the Piazza on deck 4. It took us all of 5 minutes to feel better once on deck 4. Our stateroom was on Deck 12 (actually deck 13, but they don't call it that!)

Enjoy the Volendam, she is a gorgeous ship.