Zuiderdam & Volendam summer 2021 schedules have been removed! Redeployment coming?

[kazu]

3 hours ago, Sue from Canada said:

Thank you for posting this chart.  So, instead of a lanai cabin (CA) I'd get a forward balcony (VE).  Sounds good to me.

 

If you were going to be on the Volendam and are being switched to the Zuiderdam, it sure sounds like it.  I didn’t think the Volendam had lanai cabins?  

 

[Vatch]

This must be quite the mess for Holland and it will be Interesting to see where everyone winds up.  Strangely the letter I got said that the April transatlantic on zuiderdam was flat out cancelled and gave some options for compensation.  So with that offer and the other fcc from the April 2020 zuiderdam transatlantic that got cancelled due to covid I decided to upgrade my trip to the nordam  28 day Japan, Russia, North Pacific crossing on April 11 2022.  
When my travel agent called in for the pricing, she was told that the letter was in error and our zuiderdam transatlantic was moving over to volendam with no changes.  They honoured the terms of the the offer so now I’ll enjoy one of the cruises I’ve been eyeing  for years but was just out of my price range with those darn single supplements.

[calebandjess]

I noticed this morning that Zuiderdam’s summer Med season was missing from HAL’s website and came here to try to learn more. We are booked on the May 26 sailing out of Civitavecchia. I haven’t heard anything from HAL about changes, and my account still shows Zuiderdam as the ship. I’m currently on hold with our TA hoping to find out more, but please feel free to share any info you have on this sailing because our TA seemed to have no clue what I was talking about. We wouldn’t mind a change in ship but hope the itinerary is largely unchanged since it’s the whole reason we chose this sailing (originally for this past summer and rescheduled twice due to COVID). I wish that HAL was better about informing their customers of changes once they make them because clearly some people are hearing from them and others are not. Some consistency would be nice. 

[kevingastreich]

17 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

@NIkkiGR if you are booked in a standard verandah (Categories VA-VH) on Zuiderdam most likely you will be accommodated in a full oceanview without verandah.  There are no standard verandah (balcony) rooms on Volendam.  The minimum room with verandah on Volendam is a "Vista Suite" which will be used to accommodate those who booked Signature Suites on Zuiderdam (which is still a downgrade in accomodation due to size/layout).

This is all correct but the thing is HAL said in the e-mail that we would get accommodations EQUAL TO OR BETTER than what we had on Zuiderdam (which was a Signature Suite). I'm not sure how they can guarantee that? Maybe they can't and they will try to make it up some other way.  We'll see and report back when we know.

[NIkkiGR]

10 hours ago, Sue from Canada said:

You had a VE cabin and HAL moved you down to an ocean view room?  I had a lanai cabin on the Volendam - wonder what HAL will give me on the Zuiderdam.  If it crappy, I'm not going.

No we will not know our cabin assignment until Nov. 30th. I was just replying to AtlantaCruiser72 who surmised that all VA-VH balcony suites that were booked on the Zuiderdam will be placed in OV suites on the Volendam. Our email stated that our reassigned suite would be equal to or better, if they consider a OV equal to balcony then we will certainly cancel. As you are being changed from the Volendam to the Zuiderdam then you will be in a much bigger ship so what they have done to those that originally booked on the Zuiderdam would not apply to you. We are going from a ship with 4 decks of balconies to 2. 

[CruiserBruce]

25 minutes ago, NIkkiGR said:

No we will not know our cabin assignment until Nov. 30th. I was just replying to AtlantaCruiser72 who surmised that all VA-VH balcony suites that were booked on the Zuiderdam will be placed in OV suites on the Volendam. Our email stated that our reassigned suite would be equal to or better, if they consider a OV equal to balcony then we will certainly cancel. As you are being changed from the Volendam to the Zuiderdam then you will be in a much bigger ship so what they have done to those that originally booked on the Zuiderdam would not apply to you. We are going from a ship with 4 decks of balconies to 2. 

There is actually 5 decks of balcony cabins on Zuiderdam.

[ncgolferette]

33 minutes ago, NIkkiGR said:

No we will not know our cabin assignment until Nov. 30th. I was just replying to AtlantaCruiser72 who surmised that all VA-VH balcony suites that were booked on the Zuiderdam will be placed in OV suites on the Volendam. Our email stated that our reassigned suite would be equal to or better, if they consider a OV equal to balcony then we will certainly cancel. As you are being changed from the Volendam to the Zuiderdam then you will be in a much bigger ship so what they have done to those that originally booked on the Zuiderdam would not apply to you. We are going from a ship with 4 decks of balconies to 2. 

There is a very good possibility that not all folks received the same email from HAL regarding reassigned cabins being better or equal to what they have booked.  I was reading on one roll call where someone mentioned that their email did NOT contain such verbiage.  There may be many more who did not get such a guarantee. It certainly will be interesting to see what happens by November 30.

[VMax1700]

3 minutes ago, ncgolferette said:

 I was reading on one roll call where someone mentioned that their email did NOT contain such verbiage.

It seems that the notification for the Trans Atlantic in November did not specify anything about accommodations.

[FlorenceItaly]

Just now, VMax1700 said:

It seems that the notification for the Trans Atlantic in November did not specify anything about accommodations.

Mine was for the 29 day sailing that included the TA.  And, no such verbiage.  @VMax1700, I apologize for the lack of clarification in the TA Roll Call.

[kazu]

1 hour ago, kevingastreich said:

Maybe they can't and they will try to make it up some other way.  We'll see and report back when we know.

 

That would be great if you would report back as well as others going from the Zuiderdam to the Volendam.  I just can’t see how HAL can make everyone happy when they are moving from a bigger ship with more cabin categories to a smaller one with fewer categories and much fewer verandah cabins and Neptune Suites.

Our email had nothing in it about equal or upgraded accommodation.  When I called HAL with questions the rep was adamant that it would be the same category or better.

I asked her how that was possible when there were so many fewer cabins and there were no Signature Suites, no verandahs not called a “suite”, etc.  She couldn’t answer.  Just repeated what she had said the first time.

I think there will be a lot of unhappy campers when the cabins are assigned.  

[NIkkiGR]

41 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

There is actually 5 decks of balcony cabins on Zuiderdam.

Thanks for the clarification, however it actually makes the situation worse.

[lazey1]

11 hours ago, Sue from Canada said:

Thank you for posting this chart.  So, instead of a lanai cabin (CA) I'd get a forward balcony (VE).  Sounds good to me.

On the HAL website it shows Zuiderdam's VE balcony cabins on decks 4,7, and 8. Both forward and toward the back of the ship. All VE balcony's are unobstructed view.  Hey I can live with this change from the Volendam Ca to the Zuiderdam VE cabin.  My travel agent told me we won't know our cabin #'s until 11/26.

[VMax1700]

They have about 7 months of itineraries to rework, so that equates to about 18/20 Zuiderdam sailings to reconfigure.  That will take some time.  Presuming they start at the beginning, it will be well into the second half of November before we hear. 

Could I ask that  those booked on earlier cruises will post their new accommodations as they are notified of them?

[canadianbear]

We are playing the waiting game.  We were  booked on the 29 days Zuiderdam sailing / transatlantic and got the email about it switching to Volendam.  No mention of similar or upgrade cabin on the replacement cruise.  We picked & booked a VA on the Zuiderdam  mid ship so it will be interesting where they want to put us on the Volendam.  

 

 Because of this uncertainty and the changes of itinerary, days removed, etc we booked a back up Tahiti cruise I’ve wanted to do for 2022.  So...time will tell if we cancel Volendam or keep both cruises.  

[NIkkiGR]

3 hours ago, canadianbear said:

We are playing the waiting game.  We were  booked on the 29 days Zuiderdam sailing / transatlantic and got the email about it switching to Volendam.  No mention of similar or upgrade cabin on the replacement cruise.  We picked & booked a VA on the Zuiderdam  mid ship so it will be interesting where they want to put us on the Volendam.  

 

 Because of this uncertainty and the changes of itinerary, days removed, etc we booked a back up Tahiti cruise I’ve wanted to do for 2022.  So...time will tell if we cancel Volendam or keep both cruises.  

Those were my thoughts exactly as we are in the same situation with our 24 day Mediterranean cruise. Which itinerary did you choose. I like the 30 day to Sydney on Oosterdam but will wait to see Zuiderdam’s itinerary 

[canadianbear]

55 minutes ago, NIkkiGR said:

Those were my thoughts exactly as we are in the same situation with our 24 day Mediterranean cruise. Which itinerary did you choose. I like the 30 day to Sydney on Oosterdam but will wait to see Zuiderdam’s itinerary 

We chose the 35 day on the Zuiderdam San Diego return so it’s an easy flight for us on the west coast.   No long flights, some long sea days which I much prefer!  Also stops in Hawaii which we haven’t been to in many, many years. 

[NIkkiGR]

2 hours ago, canadianbear said:

We chose the 35 day on the Zuiderdam San Diego return so it’s an easy flight for us on the west coast.   No long flights, some long sea days which I much prefer!  Also stops in Hawaii which we haven’t been to in many, many years. 

How did you find the Zuiderdam itenerary, there was nothing for the Zuiderdam when I looked today 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

23 minutes ago, NIkkiGR said:

How did you find the Zuiderdam itenerary, there was nothing for the Zuiderdam when I looked today 

I think they are looking at the 2/27/2022 35 day sailing: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise.html#{!tag=destinationTag}destinationIds=H&{!tag=departTag}departDate=2022-01-01T00:00:00Z,2022-02-01T00:00:00Z&{!tag=durationTag}duration=&{!tag=embarkTag}embarkPortCode=&sort=departDate asc,price_USD_anonymous asc&group.sort=departDate asc,price_USD_anonymous asc&start=0&{!tag=shipsTag}shipId=UU&soldOut=false

 

The 45 day sailing in October 2021 that was supposed to be on Volendam and being switched to Zuiderdam is currently closed to new bookings while they work on moving everyone over. The itinerary will not be viewable on the HAL website until later in November

[canadianbear]

6 hours ago, NIkkiGR said:

How did you find the Zuiderdam itenerary, there was nothing for the Zuiderdam when I looked today 

AtlanticCruiser72 is correct-we booked for February 2022.  

[cruiseaholic78]

9 hours ago, canadianbear said:

We chose the 35 day on the Zuiderdam San Diego return so it’s an easy flight for us on the west coast.   No long flights, some long sea days which I much prefer!  Also stops in Hawaii which we haven’t been to in many, many years. 

You will have a fantastic time, we did the same itinerary in 2019 one of our most memorable cruises.

Rosalyn

[canadianbear]

21 minutes ago, cruiseaholic78 said:

You will have a fantastic time, we did the same itinerary in 2019 one of our most memorable cruises.

Rosalyn

Good to know!   I’ve had it in the back of my mind for several years and looking forward to snorkeling and relaxing.  

[NIkkiGR]

8 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

I think they are looking at the 2/27/2022 35 day sailing: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/find-a-cruise.html#{!tag=destinationTag}destinationIds=H&{!tag=departTag}departDate=2022-01-01T00:00:00Z,2022-02-01T00:00:00Z&{!tag=durationTag}duration=&{!tag=embarkTag}embarkPortCode=&sort=departDate asc,price_USD_anonymous asc&group.sort=departDate asc,price_USD_anonymous asc&start=0&{!tag=shipsTag}shipId=UU&soldOut=false

 

The 45 day sailing in October 2021 that was supposed to be on Volendam and being switched to Zuiderdam is currently closed to new bookings while they work on moving everyone over. The itinerary will not be viewable on the HAL website until later in November

Thanks. Having known that Zuiderdam’s bookings are closed I was wondering how he booked, never thinking 2022. As our September 24 day Mediterranean cruise is being switched to Volendam I was looking at an alternate for next fall if the cabin we are assigned is not to our liking.

[Hflors]

Btw,  if you have been affected by these ship changes you may want to touch base with your TA.  I just talked to my TA  who I have dealt with for years.  Asked her if any of her other customers have been affected.  She told me she has not been notified from HAL about any Volendam/ Zuiderdam changed in 2021, only the 2022 cruise I am on (which I told her about myself).

[kazu]

34 minutes ago, Hflors said:

Btw,  if you have been affected by these ship changes you may want to touch base with your TA.  I just talked to my TA  who I have dealt with for years.  Asked her if any of her other customers have been affected.  She told me she has not been notified from HAL about any Volendam/ Zuiderdam changed in 2021, only the 2022 cruise I am on (which I told her about myself).

 

Strange.  My TA was well aware and has helped several of us for the cruise we want to switch to temporarily using the ‘hold’ method.

 

[zelker]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

Strange.  My TA was well aware and has helped several of us for the cruise we want to switch to temporarily using the ‘hold’ method.

 

 Can you explain what you mean by the "hold" method, please?