Volendam - Active Jogger & Age Concern

[choopschic]

Hello!

 

I really have 2 quick questions:

 

#1 - I enjoy my physical exercise, especially morning walks/runs...I have read a few threads that say the fitness room is sometimes crowded on this ship, but there is a deck with a walking loop on it? Can you run/jog as well, or is it strictly for walking around only?

 

#2 - my husband and I are travelling to Alaska Sept 21, 2007 on the Volendam...we are both in our early 30's, but are more private and enjoy the quiet splendor of a ship with few children and more 'maturity'! I am concerned by a few postings that expressed displeasure over the way staff treated them due to the younger age bracket - has anyone else been confronted by poor attitude or service on the Volendam because of their age?

 

Many thanks in advance for your feedback!

[x lindsay x]

1. The promenade on the Volendam is for walking ONLY as there are rooms right underneath. The constant pounding of jogging would really upset those passengers. It's tempting to do despite all the NO JOGGING signs but then think of the person trying to take a nap if you feel yourself ready to run. They say you can jog outside on the sports deck but with the volleyball/tennis net up it is pretty hard to run around the whole deck, which is much smaller than the promenade.

 

2. I'm 24 and I found that I have been treated just as well as the other passengers on HAL ships (particularly the Volendam last November).

[Atomica]

You won't be alone as far as exercise goes! Lots of people utilize the promenade deck for walking etc. I have seen people jog around as well, but I don't think you're supposed to - there's passenger cabins underneath.

 

My girlfriend and I are both in our mid-twenties and have never experienced anything but great service from the crew of the HAL ships we've been on (never been on the Volendam, but I can't imagine it being any different). They've always been tremendously helpful to us, and treat us every bit as good as the older passengers.

 

Hopefully that will help put you at ease!

[cruisinjudy]

My daughter is in her twenties and she was treated very well on Ryndam!

[Juanita462]

We had a room under the Promenade on our last cruise - yes, some people did jog above us and yes, it was annoying - it really made quite a racket in our room with the pounding - think Lido with a basketball game going on above you. It also occured at many times during the day - early morning - there goes sleeping in. After lunch - there goes naptime. Watching a movie in your room? thump thump.

 

Perhaps it was just that cruise as I have never actually seen anyone jogging on the Promenade deck, but this was the first time we had a cabin under it. We were on the Statendam last year and the crew played table tennis at the front of the Promenade deck until the wee hours of the morning. The man in the room right under that area was thinking about going up there during the day and "borrowing" the equipment so he could get a good night's sleep!

[ldog]

You can always run on the treadmills in the gym.

 

cheers

[jtl513]

you can jog outside on the sports deck but with the volleyball/tennis net up it is pretty hard to run around the whole deck, which is much smaller than the promenade.

Why not just do a u-turn each time you get to the volleyball/tennis areas? :confused:

[choopschic]

Does HAL charge for use of the Fitness Room on the Volendam or is that included in your cruise fare?p.s. thanks for all the great responses...I totally relate to the guy who was thinking of "borrowing" the equipment...how aggravating!

[x lindsay x]

Why not just do a u-turn each time you get to the volleyball/tennis areas? :confused:

The sports deck is so small that if you did that at the volleyball and basketball areas you would only be running around the sliding cover for the mid ship pool which can easily be lapped in 1 minute, so you'd be running in very small circles.

[sk8teacher]

Does HAL charge for use of the Fitness Room on the Volendam or is that included in your cruise fare?p.s. thanks for all the great responses...I totally relate to the guy who was thinking of "borrowing" the equipment...how aggravating!

 

Fitness room is free with the exception of some specialty classes. Plenty of treadmills for jogging looking out through floor to ceiling windows. If they are busy they will limit you on time (20 or 30 minutes I think) but normally you can jog to your hearts content!!

 

Cheers,

[whogo]

The basketball and tennis courts were rarely used on the Volendam holiday cruise. Passengers jog on the sports deck. Just take down any nets that are in your way and not in use.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You can jog on the sports deck - the jogging track goes around the middle Lido pool area - but the time of year you are cruising Alaska it could be very rainy, cool and windy up there. Can't jog up there until after 8 AM.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The gum opens at 6 AM - there are 7 treadmills and they do fill up quickly. DH was always there by 6 AM and within a minute all the treadmills were gone. There is a time limit of 30 minutes per person. Most people follow this rule as they know that others are waiting for their turn.

[the2ofus]

Another comment about jogging on Lower Prom. At some times of the day there are a lot of people strolling or walking their daily miles. Not all of these people have good hearing. Many of them are chatting as they walk, or are watching the scenery and not paying attention to what is going on around them. I have seen near-collisions just among walkers. If they step in front of a jogger the chance of injury to one or both parties would increase.

 

On my most recent cruise, there was one athletic young couple who jogged every day on Lower Prom, sometimes with their young children also skipping and running to keep up. After several days, I happened to be in the Lido line beside the young mother. After exchanging pleasentries, I casually remarked that I had seen them jogging and inquired if they knew there were No Jogging signs posted and that there were cabins below that deck. She said she didn't think it bothered anybody. I said that I had travelled in those cabins, and that it did. I never saw them jogging on Lower Prom again.

[LHC]

I was on the Volendam over the holidays. I too am a very fast walker. What I did was go in the opposite direction of the flow. Now I did have some funny looks and a couple of people stopped to ask me why and I explained that I walk fast for an older woman (53) at about 4.0-4.5 mph on a treadmill...so this way I did not get in there way and I had a chance to see all their faces as I walked. It is walking only.

As for using the gym. My DD bought a workout class pass for $59. and enjoyed a class each day (kickboxing, cycling, pilates, yoga). I work out in a gym at home so being outside yet covered I really enjoyed. One evening while walking and the winds had picked up it was quite a resistance workout on one side of the boat.

The Volendam staff treat everyone with grace and respect. I was not real pleased with the Front Desk staff on several issues...but with persistence and speaking to the Manager, things did get better. It just took way to long while on vacation.

Enjoy,

Please find Sedena upstairs main dining room and then look for Supona either in the Lido at breakfast handing out trays and tell them the Canada Women from Christmas (Tennessee) miss them very much.

Linda