"A" Deck on Veendam

[LAKNARF]

We're new to HAL ships. Our TA booked us in a midship OV cabin on A deck. He suggested that we request not to be upgraded since that might get us an obstructed view or put us on the Promenade decks and we might lose our privacy to strollers. Is the A deck bad on the Veendam? I know.....it's better than not being on the ship (LOL) Did we make a mistake?

[RuthC]

It's low and mid-ship---that's the most stable place to be in rough seas. Of course, if there really are rough seas your window will look like it's on a washing machine. Can you stand looking at the water splash against it?

If your TA thinks walkers on Lower Promenade can look in, then your TA is mistaken. The windows on this deck are a one-way glass that makes it nigh-on to impossible to see in in the daytime. At night, with interior lights on, one can look in, so it is necessary then to keep the draperies drawn.

 

It's up to you to decide if you want to take your chances on an upgrade. The thing is, will you be happy in absolutely every cabin that's in a higher category? That could mean the very front of the ship.

If you wouldn't be happy everywhere they could put you then you might be better off staying put.

[Juanita462]

We did a cruise recently on the Veendam and were midship on A deck. We like to be there as you don't feel the motion of the ship as much if it is rough. We never had water wash over the windows - even with 32 foot waves - the waves came as high as the window but never touched them.

I didn't care for the distance from the cabin to either set of elevators and for our next cruise have booked closer to them - towards the back is best as you spend a lot of time going up to the Lido or the dining room.

 

I know the promenade glass is one way but you still feel that you are in a fishbowl and there are people going by constantly - also the view is over the ship's rail which doesn't give you that up close view of the sea - we have watched flying fish, dolphins, seabirds and phosphorescence from our window.

 

I don't think you made a mistake at all - we always book on the lowest deck and have never been disappointed. I always take some little thing to attach to the rail by the door so I don't have to count numbers all the time. Last time I took a little plastic boat and tied that on - lots of people threatened to steal it! It was nice to look down the hall and see the spot of colour and know exactly where to go.

[Tricia724]

If you are in an "E" cabin, on Veendam you would not gain anything in cabin size by being upgraded....unless you were upgraded to a veranda cabin....which is not likely. So an "upgrade" would merely place you on a higher deck....which is not necessarily a better location.

 

If you are concerned about motion and are looking for stability, midship on either "A" Deck or Main Deck is a good choice. If I were booking an OV cabin, I would be most likely to book one of those decks.

 

As far as Promenade Deck is concerned, many people love it for the convenience and are not at all concerned about the windows. I'm not one of them. See what you think when you are onboard.

 

You will be just fine on "A" Deck so don't worry.

[TampaMike]

If looking at the standard cabins (not the verandah or suites), I personally favor A Deck (I usually book a cat E). Along with the stability location of A Deck, there are a few other points I can make.

 

A Deck is the mid deck of the hull. If you fear being down low, near the waterline, it is not.

 

Gangways are usually on Main Deck, A Deck or Tender Platform. So you cabin is only 1 deck away at most. Ever wait for an elevator when a large tour group or tender has just returned?

 

Main deck is very similar in layout to A deck. But the OV cabins are below the promenade. Though not noisy, you may hear chairs being moved, hard heeled walkers or crew doing maintenance, including the lifeboat / tender davits in use.

 

Lower Prom deck cabins look out onto the promenade. True, daytime the reflective film on the windows prevents the peepers, but nighttime with cabin lights on require the curtains be drawn. I like to wake up with the sun, so closing the drapes to sleep defeats that purpose. Another minor note is the OV cabins on Lower Prom are a tad bit shorter (to accomodate for the promenade). The love seat in the cabin is smaller and is not lengthwise in position tho the cabin (facing the dressing desk / mirror and TV), instead faces the beds / window. It is not ideally positioned to watch the cabin TV. Last, a few cabins on Lower Prom are next to the doors onto the open decks. Who here ever closes the door quietly? But it does offer quick access to the open deck, which is a plus.

 

So all that said, A deck is a better value, and for my tastes better options!

[RevNeal]

I agree with the others who have posted that A Deck midships is an excellent place to be if one wants to minimize motion in rough seas. If you were to receive an upgrade to the lower promenade deck there are trade-offs that might make it worth considering but which, also, one should keep in mind:

 

1. You gain a somewhat easier access to the outside by means of a very short walk without having to climb stairs or ride up elevators. I like that ... it's almost like having the ship's largest verandah without having to pay a premium for it. :) It's just not private.

 

2. If you are moved up to an outside cabin on the lower promenade deck you lose a few square feet of space in these cabins over the outside cabins on Main and A Deck. I consider it a reasonable trade off to gain the advantage in point 1. You might also loose the midships location ... far forward or aft on this deck will lose you any view other than of the outside promenade. IF your upgrade is to a C, however, you'll have a view.

 

3. Ruth is right that the tinting on the windows makes it VERY difficult to see into the cabins during the daytime. At night the lights on the outside promenade deck keep it bright enough out there that it's difficult for people to see inside even at night. But ... if someone is determined and doesn't mind looking conspicuous in so-doing, it is possible to cup your hands around your eyes and peer into a cabin.

 

4. Ruth is also right: if the ship is slamming in very high seas one can look out of an A-deck cabin window and and find waves periodically splashing up against it. If the ship is slamming really hard, as the Statendam was doing when I was aboard her in route to Hawaii back in 2002, one can even look out an A-deck window and find oneself looking at fish, pacing the ship. YES ... A deck is the mid-deck of the hull, however in extremely high seas -- with the ship listing due to very strong winds -- it is possible for waves to crash onto the promenade.

 

In my PERSONAL OPINION I would stick with an A-deck outside cabin amidships. I like those cabins, even though one has to climb two decks to reach the outside. :)

[fsdj1097]

Hello All,

 

My wife and have 5 previous HAL cruises under our belts, the last 4 have been in either Category SS on Vista Class ships, or VA on the earlier class ships. Our first cruise was a large outside on main deck of the Veendam.

 

Our first 3 cruise were to the Caribbean, the last 2 were to Alaska.

 

We have decided that we could cruise twice a year instead of just once a year if we opted for an inside cabin.

 

My question is directed to those HAL cruisers who have booked Verandah cabins and then booked either inside or fully obstructed outside cabins:

 

Would you rather cruise once a year and have the verandah, larger cabin, and in the case of the SS cabins the larger bathroom, or cruise more often and settle for smaller, (and darker) accomodations?

 

Thanks in advance for your replies and experience. ;).

 

Sam