Are oceanview windows one way on walking deck on Volendam

[judydoc]

Wondering how private the windows are on the 3rd floor walking deck.  Will we need to keep our curtains drawn for privacy?

[wdw1972]

I've read here that during daylight hours (sunny) people can't see in.  However, after dark, with your stateroom lights on, they definitely can.

 

I've never actually stayed in one of those and never will.  I want to look out my window and see ocean - not a promenade deck, railing, pedestrians, etc.  I also keep my curtains open 24/7 unless I'm somewhere that the sun doesn't set 😉

 

Sue/WDW1972

[judydoc]

We just booked this week and a guarantee was the only option.  If I was choosing, would not chosen it.  We are runing from smoke.  Thanks for your reply.

[Red Haired Lady]

1 hour ago, judydoc said:

Wondering how private the windows are on the 3rd floor walking deck.  Will we need to keep our curtains drawn for privacy?

My favorite cabins. Just a short walk to the best deck on the ship. I close my drapes at night anyway.

[durangoscots]

1 hour ago, Red Haired Lady said:

My favorite cabins. Just a short walk to the best deck on the ship. I close my drapes at night anyway.

Mine too.... so easy to get out on deck for viewing whatever is to be viewed. And I tend to keep my drapes drawn at night anyway.

 

 

[wandrr]

The windows are definitely one-way. No visibility inward exists during the day. At night, an observer would have to stand immediately beside the window and shield his eyes. There is so much artificial light on the promenade deck that viewing in is almost impossible, but so is sleeping with open curtains. Just draw the curtains. Your steward will anyway at the nightly turn-down.

[judydoc]

Awesome feedback.  Feeling better about the window!!  Thankyou!

[Langoustine]

CLOSE THE CURTAINS AT NIGHT or be prepared to have voyeurs laugh at you.

[Seacruise]

3 hours ago, wandrr said:

 Your steward will anyway at the nightly turn-down.

Nightly turn down? When, where? Sure didn't happen on my recent 39 day cruise. The answer from the room Steward was this, we went from 21 cabins to 31 cabins to clean.

[wandrr]

1 hour ago, Seacruise said:

Nightly turn down? When, where? Sure didn't happen on my recent 39 day cruise. The answer from the room Steward was this, we went from 21 cabins to 31 cabins to clean.

On our last cruise, we were officially offered the option of a nightly turn-down. Some kept it, some did not. We opted out, but the stewards did it anyway, and definitely closed the curtains each evening. This was on Volendam Grand South America this year.

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, Seacruise said:

Nightly turn down? When, where? Sure didn't happen on my recent 39 day cruise. The answer from the room Steward was this, we went from 21 cabins to 31 cabins to clean.

Back when it was one steward per cabin, the normal count was 16 cabins per steward. It was a full work day, but quite manageable, especially as a steward gained experience.  After 9/11 passengers bailed on their cruises, so staffing was allowed to drop. 
When cruisers started coming back, rehiring couldn't keep up for a while, so stewards were servicing 18 cabins---again at one steward per cabin. 

For many years now there have been two stewards assigned per cabin. At that level, expecting the two stewards to service double the number of cabins would be reasonable. 31 cabins, for two, is not out of line. 

[oakridger]

2 hours ago, Seacruise said:

The answer from the room Steward was this, we went from 21 cabins to 31 cabins to clean.

 

Not an acceptable answer in my book! 😮  All of my stewards have been very good to excellent!  If one ever gave that answer, I would be shocked for sure!  On my last cruises last fall they gave the disclaimer speech about choosing morning or evening service.....I told them just come sometime after I leave the cabin.  They did major cleaning after I left then came back for the evening refresh every evening as well.  That's the good service I like and expect from HAL.  They took such good care of me last fall!

 

~Nancy

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, Seacruise said:

Nightly turn down? When, where? Sure didn't happen on my recent 39 day cruise. The answer from the room Steward was this, we went from 21 cabins to 31 cabins to clean.

I know that both carnival and NCLH have increased the number of cabins each steward services. Rooms aren’t even ready until 4:30 on NCLH and the room is serviced once daily. Sadly I suspect this is part of cut backs in the industry due to COVID.
 

Did you have one steward or two? 

I had only one steward on my celebrity cruise in January. He told me they increased his work load at the start of the year but I can’t remember how many rooms he had. My Room was serviced once per day and some nights I got turn down service too. I was fine with that.
 

 

Edited June 24, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[Sherry H]

Funny story!  I had one of the 3rd deck cabins with a window.  One morning I thought a women was trying to look in my window.  I then realized she was using my window as a mirror and was combing her hair.  She didn't see me but I surely saw her.  

We did close our drape at night.

Edited June 24, 2023 by Sherry H
correct sentence

[Seacruise]

42 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

I know that both carnival and NCLH have increased the number of cabins each steward services. Rooms aren’t even ready until 4:30 on NCLH and the room is serviced once daily. Sadly I suspect this is part of cut backs in the industry due to COVID.
 

Did you have one steward or two? 

I had only one steward on my celebrity cruise in January. He told me they increased his work load at the start of the year but I can’t remember how many rooms he had. My Room was serviced once per day and some nights I got turn down service too. I was fine with that.
 

 

We had the Assistant and the Regular Steward.

[terrydtx]

Our first HAL cruise in 2007 was on the Volendam in a cabin on Deck 3. As others have said during the day people cannot see into the cabin window but at night it was a problem and we had to keep the drapes closed. We would never book a cabin on that deck again. We will be back on the Volendam next year, but it is in a Vista Suite this time.

[Sea Hag]

15 hours ago, Sherry H said:

Funny story!  I had one of the 3rd deck cabins with a window.  One morning I thought a women was trying to look in my window.  I then realized she was using my window as a mirror and was combing her hair.  She didn't see me but I surely saw her.  

We did close our drape at night.

We had that happen to us in a foreward facing cabin on the Ruby Princess. The gal was fixing her hair or whatever. The gal with her said something to her and she got an "oops" look on her face and moved along.

[Sir PMP]

Remember it's clockwise walking around the promenade, except for the Aussies.

[terrydtx]

13 minutes ago, Sir PMP said:

Remember it's clockwise walking around the promenade, except for the Aussies.

Don't the Aussies have to walk to the left anyway?

[RedIguana]

38 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Don't the Aussies have to walk to the left anyway?

I don't think the direction matters as much as long as they are walking on their hands.

[judydoc]

We just got upgraded to a straight Oceanview!  Don't have to worry about  peeping toms! 

Thanks for all your input!  Have a wonderful day!

[Dancing Shoes]

13 hours ago, terrydtx said:

 We will be back on the Volendam next year, but it is in a Vista Suite this time.

We are looking at this cruise too.  Last time we were on her was 2018 in an Oceanview.  I looked at the deck 3 rooms for next year and decided no.  They are actually less than picking my own room on the lower deck.  

[colbe]

On 6/24/2023 at 1:36 PM, Sherry H said:

Funny story!  I had one of the 3rd deck cabins with a window.  One morning I thought a women was trying to look in my window.  I then realized she was using my window as a mirror and was combing her hair.  She didn't see me but I surely saw her.  

We did close our drape at night.

We were in one of these cabins on the Prinsendam. One morning I was sitting on the 'windowsill' admiring the view. A young officer suddenly stopped outside the window just cms away from me. He checked his appearance in the 'mirror', tucked his shirt, took out a comb and did his hair, then moved on.

[BobbiSox]

I love these cabins! My only complaint is that I have to constantly ask people to get out of my deck chair, which is designated to my cabin. Most people grumble, and some don't want to move. I'm not there to fight with my fellow passengers over a deck chair, but since HAL doesn't make it clear ( like with a big metal sign that reads "Lanai Guests ONLY) I just make the best of it and go sit elsewhere. 

[mightycruisequeen]

We always pick a cabin on promenade deck on the older ships.  Like others have pointed out, the windows are not see-thru at all during the day, and at night, you would have to stand right up to the window with the hands around your face to maybe see some shadows.  In my humble opinion, the cabins on that deck are by far the best choice, unless you're gonna spring for a suite!