Request for Candy

[to the sea]

I am a (soon to be) new cruiser who is having a rough go with my travel agent. Every time I read something on these boards & ask her about it she blows me off. I am less than 30 days from cruise & reluctant to rock the boat (so to speak) with her much futher. If I can just get cruise documents out of her, I guess we'll be doing well.

 

Anyway, the information you have provided in these boards has been quite helpful & I just wanted you to know that I appreciate it and to see if you'd be willing to answer a couple of specific questions I have?

 

I asked my TA to fax me a copy of the Volendam's dining room layout so I could request a specific table for dining, but she told me "specific table requests aren't allowed". There's too much info in these boards indicating otherwise, so I was hoping to get some guidance on a 2 person table to request for early upper? (a 2 person table is very important to us). I also called Holland America & was told that the table #'s on anything faxed would be just too small to read and to print out the deck plan & circle what table we'd like. Never having sailed Volendam or any other ship, I don't know what table is considered to be in a good (or bad) location & could use some help (obviously), before circling just any table for 2. Also, it doesn't look like there are very many tables for 2, so location may be similar & not an issue, but I just don't know.

 

Also, we are assigned cabin 7036, due to it's mid-ship location. Is this a good cabin/location? I notice that it is next to a handicap room & was wondering if some of the "extra" space to make that one larger to accomodate handicap came from room 7036? Is it slightly smaller than the others in it's class? I don't know how to tell or find out this info. Will Holland America tell me that if I specifically ask?

 

Many thanks!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Tables for 2 - Volendam

Upper Level

By the rail: starboard side - 71, 73, 75, 77, 79; port side - 70, 72, 74 76, 78.

Also - 45, 49, 27, 44, 48, 26 - these are behind service counters - I wouldn't want to sit there.

HAL faxed our TA copies of all the dining rooms - and she made copies for me - some are a little hard to read.

Midships for a first time cruiser is a great location.

[doone]

The Volendam is a beautiful ship and one of my favorites. We have always sat lower dining room. Not sure if you have upper or lower dining, but the lower dining room has a few very nice tables for 2 in the back, by the windows. We love sitting in this area, I just wish I had some table numbers for you. We had a large table for 10 in the back and it was table M. This past March we had a table for 7, again, in the back by the windows, I think it may have been table 63, but don't quote me on that. There was a very nice table for 2 right behind us and a couple more in that area. If you get anything from your TA with table numbers, the back by the windows is very, very nice, well we enjoy it anways. Enjoy the Volendam, she's a beautiful ship.

[PRINSENDAM]

I am a (soon to be) new cruiser who is having a rough go with my travel agent. Every time I read something on these boards & ask her about it she blows me off. I am less than 30 days from cruise & reluctant to rock the boat (so to speak) with her much futher. If I can just get cruise documents out of her, I guess we'll be doing well.

 

Anyway, the information you have provided in these boards has been quite helpful & I just wanted you to know that I appreciate it and to see if you'd be willing to answer a couple of specific questions I have?

 

I asked my TA to fax me a copy of the Volendam's dining room layout so I could request a specific table for dining, but she told me "specific table requests aren't allowed". There's too much info in these boards indicating otherwise, so I was hoping to get some guidance on a 2 person table to request for early upper? (a 2 person table is very important to us). I also called Holland America & was told that the table #'s on anything faxed would be just too small to read and to print out the deck plan & circle what table we'd like. Never having sailed Volendam or any other ship, I don't know what table is considered to be in a good (or bad) location & could use some help (obviously), before circling just any table for 2. Also, it doesn't look like there are very many tables for 2, so location may be similar & not an issue, but I just don't know.

 

Also, we are assigned cabin 7036, due to it's mid-ship location. Is this a good cabin/location? I notice that it is next to a handicap room & was wondering if some of the "extra" space to make that one larger to accomodate handicap came from room 7036? Is it slightly smaller than the others in it's class? I don't know how to tell or find out this info. Will Holland America tell me that if I specifically ask?

 

Many thanks!

 

 

You need a new travel agent! :eek:

 

Your cabin is a standard size A grade Verandah suite. No better or worse than any of the others. Location is good, just a short few steps to the middle stairs to get up to the Lido... or Pool or down to the other decks.

 

To be completely honest you take any of those A grade cabins, on Navigation Deck or Verandah Deck and they are all exactly the same. Sure, at the ends you may get a bit more motion... IF.... IF... there happens to be any. Two od the best A grades to have are the ones rightat the after end in the corners. They have much larger balconies!

 

A far as your table is concerned... just go with the flow. Put in a request for the sitting you require and forget about the rest. Let the Maitr'd worry about it. If you have a problem with teh table let him know. Even if you have a seating plan, not having seen the dining room you wouldn't know what to pick. On your first cruise you will have more plesant things to think about. Sure some tables are better than others, but that depends on personal preference. What might seems good for someone else might not be for you.

 

My best suggestion... go with the flow. Look and observe what is going on, On your next cruise you make a more informed decision, but that doesn't mean your first experience will be a disaster. Just go and enjoy. For sure you will fall in love with the VOLENDAM. The first one is always a special one. Heck, it almost sounds like I'm talking about sex!!!! :eek: ]

 

Have fun and tell us about it when you get back.

 

Stephen

[Bill S]

Your TA is either not very knowledgeable about HAL or is not wanting to earn their commission, IMO.

 

You CAN make table requests (not always granted, however). We have made specific table requests through our TA a number of times for our HAL cruises and have gotten the table we wanted most of the time. We prefer the tables for 6 along the back window on the S class and Amsterdam/Rotterdam ships. Nice scenic view back there for early seating, anyway.

[jhannah]

I agree with the posters above. Request what you can, then sort it all out as soon as you get onboard.

 

I also agree that you should choose a new TA next time. If you're 30 days out and haven't received your travel docs, I would assume you purchased your air through HAL as part of the package. If you didn't then you can normally expect your documents 5-6 weeks out.

 

Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of cruising!

[ekerr19]

Your TA is mistaken. I have a Volendam table diagram and we requested a specific table, ended up moving because the people next to us were so loud.

 

This "gentleman" sat with his back to me, but was very close. He seemed to be fond of yelling HAL inaccuracies to the entire table.

 

I had enough when I heard him proclaim (quite loudly) that "the food on HAL is now a lot better since Celebrity bought the line" - we ended up moving to a nice quiet table on the lower level.

 

I'd be happy to email you the table diagram if you'd like. :)