Volendam Lanai

I'm about to book a Volendam Lanai cabin for next year after V. gets out of dry dock. Please tell me - which side will be better for viewing from the deck - port or starboard - on the Alaska cruise out of Vancouver by way of Tracy Arm?

It's a round-trip cruise, I believe, so which side your cabin is on doesn't make much difference.

The ship goes up Tracy Arm, then comes back down the same route; you can see both sides of the fjord.

If you are so fortunate as to get to the face of either glacier, the ship will turn so that each side of the ship has plenty of time to view it. Besides, you will want to be outdoors on each side of the ship.

Keep in mind that the lanai area of your cabin is just a portion against your cabin wall. Other passengers are free to use the promenade deck in front of that space and stand at the railing.

Keep in mind that the lanai area of your cabin is just a portion against your cabin wall. Other passengers are free to use the promenade deck in front of that space and stand at the railing.

Yes, I know exactly what a Lanai cabin means - I'm just curious about that particular itinerary and weather the views from one side or the other of the ship are better. My travel agent seems to think that on the way back to Vancouver the view of land is more stunning from the port side, but I think Ruth's experience outweighs his opinion... I'd love to hear from anyone who has done that same itinerary? I'm excited to try a Lanai cabin - I think having a door right out to the deck will encourage me to be up and out earlier in the AM for the fresh air and sunrise! I'm getting excited already even though it's still 10 months away! :)

Yes, I know exactly what a Lanai cabin means - I'm just curious about that particular itinerary and weather the views from one side or the other of the ship are better. My travel agent seems to think that on the way back to Vancouver the view of land is more stunning from the port side, but I think Ruth's experience outweighs his opinion... I'd love to hear from anyone who has done that same itinerary? I'm excited to try a Lanai cabin - I think having a door right out to the deck will encourage me to be up and out earlier in the AM for the fresh air and sunrise! I'm getting excited already even though it's still 10 months away! :)

I've cruised Alaska 4 times. Two of those have been Tracy Arm and all 4 have been roundtrip. As it is roundtrip there is no reason to pick one side over the other. The big decision is do you want/need something with an outdoor space... do you want it private or not... or will you just be out on the bow or on a public deck anyway and are you only focused on it because of the glacier day or would you get use out of it the rest of the time too.

PS- I'm a TA myself and the above is exactly how I explain it to my clients when they contemplate the same itineraries. (Hosts, I am not soliciting, I am stating my experience in the matter)

Thanks - since it sounds like it doesn't matter as far as view, I chose cabin 3333 which after Volendam dry dock will be a Lanai rather than an ocean view - it's forward on the starboard side. I've been wanting to try a lanai cabin for a long time and somehow it never works out- I always end up on the Vista ships ... at least after this I'll know if they are worth the price or if I like them better than other cabin types. My cruise last month to Alaska from Vancouver was on the Oosterdam in a Neptune Suite, and it was, in a word, amazing! The Volendam next year will be my 10th HAL cruise to Alaska and it never, ever gets old!

Thanks - since it sounds like it doesn't matter as far as view, I chose cabin 3333 which after Volendam dry dock will be a Lanai rather than an ocean view - it's forward on the starboard side. I've been wanting to try a lanai cabin for a long time and somehow it never works out- I always end up on the Vista ships ... at least after this I'll know if they are worth the price or if I like them better than other cabin types. My cruise last month to Alaska from Vancouver was on the Oosterdam in a Neptune Suite, and it was, in a word, amazing! The Volendam next year will be my 10th HAL cruise to Alaska and it never, ever gets old!

My husband and I got off the Veendam this past August and we had a lanai room. We've been in a verandah room and a Neptune Suite previously. We LOVED the lanai. We would not pay extra for the Neptune Suite again. If we had the option of the lanai on a future cruise we would definitely take it. I sent my pics of the room to HAL Facts. You can always go there to look at some pictures of the lanai rooms.

My husband and I got off the Veendam this past August and we had a lanai room. We've been in a verandah room and a Neptune Suite previously. We LOVED the lanai. We would not pay extra for the Neptune Suite again. If we had the option of the lanai on a future cruise we would definitely take it. I sent my pics of the room to HAL Facts. You can always go there to look at some pictures of the lanai rooms.

Thanks! I have a feeling I'm going to love it as much as you did! I know Lanai isn't for some people, and I understand their objections, but it sounds like it can be just the perfect thing for people who want to "be outside" a lot! I'm getting more and more excited! Volendam doesn't have its lanais yet - she will be in dry dock in December and will get them then.. from what I've read they will have upgraded bathrooms which is always nice... but for me - that door out to the deck is going to make this the best cruise ever!

We popped in and out of our room all the time. We actually found that we spent more time outside and exploring than we had previously. Our next cruise we will be in an inside room which we've never done. But we don't normally book cruises so close together and cost was the big thing for us this time. I hope you enjoy the lanai as much as we did.

Love the Lanai cabins. Made more friends on that cruise. Can speak to your neighbors. So convenient to outdoors. It is also very secure. Need a card that you put up to something that reads and releases your door when outside.

The door is pretty heavy. I had a couple of people try my door(just prior to the lifeboat drill). Of course they couldn't get in, or see me staring at them.

The door is pretty heavy. I had a couple of people try my door(just prior to the lifeboat drill). Of course they couldn't get in, or see me staring at them.

LOL! I didn't realize you needed a card - is it a different card than your regular door key?

You will have it in your room when you get there and you turn it in when cruise is over. It is passed over a card reader, the door releases and you go back inside. This is how it worked on Veendam.

Also you have two lounge chairs outside your door that is for your exclusive use. There are signs on wall above it saying reserved.

However, on occassion, people have helped themselves. Since I wasn't using at that time, didn't care.

You will have it in your room when you get there and you turn it in when cruise is over. It is passed over a card reader, the door releases and you go back inside. This is how it worked on Veendam.

Also you have two lounge chairs outside your door that is for your exclusive use. There are signs on wall above it saying reserved.

However, on occassion, people have helped themselves. Since I wasn't using at that time, didn't care.

Thank you! On Maasdam I noticed that the chairs had little signs right on them saying they were reserved. Hope that will be the case on the Volendam as well. But like you, as long as I'm not sitting on them, I would welcome others to sit there....

We have cruised Alaska many times.

We have noticed that many times the captain has the port side facing the glaciers longer.

Choosing a port side lanai cabin gives you a chance to get out quicker for viewing and slip inside to warm up whenever you need to.

We have cruised Alaska many times.

We have noticed that many times the captain has the port side facing the glaciers longer.

Choosing a port side lanai cabin gives you a chance to get out quicker for viewing and slip inside to warm up whenever you need to.

Hmmm.... now I'm rethinking my choice of 3333 which is a starboard cabin! (I admit I liked the lined up numbers so I can remember my cabin number, but more time in front of the glaciers is definitely a good thing... have you been on Volendam out of Vancouver? I've been on all the Vistas, but I don't remember noticing which side faced the glaciers (and it was always out of Seattle except once last year out of Vancouver) !! Maybe I'm overthinking this, but if others chime in with port being better, I still have time to pick another cabin...

Hmmm.... now I'm rethinking my choice of 3333 which is a starboard cabin!

Aren't you on the Volendam, though?

The Volendam doesn't go up Tracy Arm (unless the itinerary has changed for next year). It stops for a service call, and lets passengers off for a short excursion. That's a catamaran ride up Tracy Arm. I took that excursion last August, and loved it.

I think you'll also go to Glacier Bay. In that case, I would stay with the starboard cabin. The ship usually has port side to the glaciers first, then turns. You could go outside when it's port side facing, and you are still fairly warm. Then head back in when the ship turns, and you need to warm up a bit. ;)

Aren't you on the Volendam, though?

The Volendam doesn't go up Tracy Arm (unless the itinerary has changed for next year). It stops for a service call, and lets passengers off for a short excursion. That's a catamaran ride up Tracy Arm. I took that excursion last August, and loved it.

 

I think you'll also go to Glacier Bay. In that case, I would stay with the starboard cabin. The ship usually has port side to the glaciers first, then turns. You could go outside when it's port side facing, and you are still fairly warm. Then head back in when the ship turns, and you need to warm up a bit. ;)

Hmmm.. the itinerary states Tracy Arm.. I'll go look at that again to be sure I'm right. I was looking at a catamaran to Tracy Arm from Juneau to get closer to the glaciers... maybe I'm looking at this all wrong...

Here's the itinerary for our cruise:

Wednesday, August 19, 2015 Depart from Vancouver, B.c., Ca Check In Starts At 1200p

Thursday, August 20, 2015 Scenic Cruising The Inside passage Cruising Only

Friday, August 21, 2015 Tracy Arm, Alaska, Cruising Only

Saturday, August 22, 2015 Juneau, Alaska

Sunday, August 23, 2015 Skagway, Alaska

Monday, August 24, 2015 Glacier Bay Cruising Only

Tuesday, August 25, 2015 Ketchikan, Alaska

Wednesday, August 26, 2015 Scenic Cruising The Insidepassage Cruising Only

Thursday, August 27, 2015 Arrive at Vancouver, B.c., Ca

Here's the itinerary for our cruise:

...

Friday, August 21, 2015 Tracy Arm, Alaska, Cruising Only

...

Then that's a change from what I took this year. However, the thoughts I expressed about Glacier Bay would still hold true for Tracy Arm if you cruise the Arm on the Volendam: Go outside to see, while getting a chill, then come back inside to warm up while watching from your cabin.

Then that's a change from what I took this year. However, the thoughts I expressed about Glacier Bay would still hold true for Tracy Arm if you cruise the Arm on the Volendam: Go outside to see, while getting a chill, then come back inside to warm up while watching from your cabin.

Thanks Ruth! I'm so excited - hard to believe it's 10 months away. LOL. Good thing I'm going to Disney World next week to distract me from all this cruise planning! :)

Okay, this is interesting... reading an "old" post by someone who took what looked like the identical itinerary to mine, but in 2013. The person wrote:

"Tracy Arm Fjord was not really a part of the itinerary. Apparently, even though it says it's part of it, they only go there if some passengers that have excursions booked there. Our cruise did not, so we didn't even go there. Apparently, it was quickly and quietly cut from the itinerary."

I am confused. How can passengers book excursions when it says "cruising only"...?

I don't know what it says on your itinerary, other than what you posted. I do know that for the last several years, the Volendam and the Zuiderdam have been the only HAL ships that had a service call at Tracy Arm to allow passengers to take a shore excursion directly from the ship. That shore excursion is on a catamaran, and is the sole reason I took this cruise last August.

Now, there could be a change in the itinerary for next year, or there could be a mistake in the itinerary listed. It's also possible that there is one or more departures that have the scenic cruising, and the rest have the service call.

My educated guess is that your cruise has a service call, and not cruising only, at Tracy Arm. I base this on the fact that you also have Glacier Bay listed on your itinerary. It would be unusual for one 7-day cruise to have two glacier viewing days.

I don't know what it says on your itinerary, other than what you posted. I do know that for the last several years, the Volendam and the Zuiderdam have been the only HAL ships that had a service call at Tracy Arm to allow passengers to take a shore excursion directly from the ship. That shore excursion is on a catamaran, and is the sole reason I took this cruise last August.

 

Now, there could be a change in the itinerary for next year, or there could be a mistake in the itinerary listed. It's also possible that there is one or more departures that have the scenic cruising, and the rest have the service call.

 

My educated guess is that your cruise has a service call, and not cruising only, at Tracy Arm. I base this on the fact that you also have Glacier Bay listed on your itinerary. It would be unusual for one 7-day cruise to have two glacier viewing days.

Ruth, I think your educated guess is probably correct. I'm going to go with the flow and see if more information comes out as we get closer to the date. Whatever it turns out to be with respect to Tracy Arm, I"m sure it's going to be a great cruise. And if there is an opportunity for that catamaran excursion I'm going to definitely try to do it!!! Thanks so much!

It seemed to me this was still the "service call only" approach so I did the chat feature with HAL and asked them. Here is the transcript:

Chat Transcript

Welcome to Holland America Line. We offer Chat service in English only. Please wait while we contact our next available agent...

All agents are currently busy. Please stand by.

You are now speaking with Kristen!

Customer: Hi Kristen. I have a question about the August 19 2015 VODM sailing to Alaska

Customer: There's a long period of scenic cruising in Glacier Bay. Is there the same for Tracy Arm, or is it a service call only for possible and optional shore ex?

Customer: If I don't buy those excursions, will I see Tracy Arm in other words

Kristen: Tracy Arm will be a service call only from 10am-10:30am. from there we will continue on to Juneau arriving at 1pm.

Customer: okay, it is a service call unless you opt for the optional tour. Thank you. The website and brochure weren't too clear on that so I wanted to check for a friend. I appreciate your help.

Kristen: Thank you for contacting us. It was my pleasure to assist you today, and I hope that I have been able to answer all of your questions. If you have any more questions always feel free to call or chat with us again.

Thank you for using Live Help. You may now close this window.

Your session has ended. You may now close this window.

It seemed to me this was still the "service call only" approach so I did the chat feature with HAL and asked them. Here is the transcript:

 

Chat Transcript

Welcome to Holland America Line. We offer Chat service in English only. Please wait while we contact our next available agent...

All agents are currently busy. Please stand by.

You are now speaking with Kristen!

Customer: Hi Kristen. I have a question about the August 19 2015 VODM sailing to Alaska

Customer: There's a long period of scenic cruising in Glacier Bay. Is there the same for Tracy Arm, or is it a service call only for possible and optional shore ex?

Customer: If I don't buy those excursions, will I see Tracy Arm in other words

Kristen: Tracy Arm will be a service call only from 10am-10:30am. from there we will continue on to Juneau arriving at 1pm.

Customer: okay, it is a service call unless you opt for the optional tour. Thank you. The website and brochure weren't too clear on that so I wanted to check for a friend. I appreciate your help.

Kristen: Thank you for contacting us. It was my pleasure to assist you today, and I hope that I have been able to answer all of your questions. If you have any more questions always feel free to call or chat with us again.

Thank you for using Live Help. You may now close this window.

Your session has ended. You may now close this window.

Oh, my goodness!! Thank you so much! I never would have thought of doing that.. I was just going to wait a few months and see if they sent me more info. This is why I LOVE this forum and always try to "give back" when I can. Again, thank you SO MUCH. So now the question is.. how do I sign up for the excursion to Tracy Arm from the "service call". (there is also the question as to why they list it the way they do on the itinerary which definitely makes it look as if we'll be cruising Tracy Arm, but never mind about that :) I also saw a 7 hour excursion out of Juneau that takes you into Tracy Arm and lots of people were raving about it. I wonder if it would be better to do that one, or the one you can do from the "service call".... hmmm... I'm going to look and see if they have that excursion listed on the website. Again, thanks so much for doing that chat and asking the question! :)