New vessels, competing to be the biggest with the most, are making the ship
the destination rather than just a means of transport. Some of the biggest
are Princess's mega-beauties Star, Golden, and Crown; and Royal Caribbean's
huge Adventurer of the Seas, which actually has parades down a promenade
through the middle of the ship. These ships offer a wealth of activities like
rock climbing, miniature golf, even ice-skating. Meanwhile, smaller ships
like those of Seabourn and Silversea attract passengers with gourmet food and
high-end pampering.
That seems to leave Holland America, for the moment (except for the
Amsterdam), parked in a same-old-ships holding area; and except for its Grand
Voyages, stuck in the same-old-ports mode.
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On a recent Eastern Caribbean trip aboard Holland America's six-year-old
Veendam, I tried to figure out what attracted passengers to this particular
ship. At first glance, there is nothing special about the Veendam. She
carries 1,266 passengers and 560 crew, and offers 29 suites, 126 cabins with
verandas and 501 without. If you don't play bingo or Trivial Pursuit, or
drink, there's not a lot to do. Yes, there is shuffleboard, a hardly-used
basketball court, an empty paddle tennis court, and, of course, a casino.
Given the choices, most passengers opted for drinking (which may explain the
crowds at the art auction).
Our Main Deck cabin was standard in size, with basic furnishings and an
adequate, but not out of the ordinary, bathroom. There was no mini-bar, and
no TV channel from the bridge to tell us the outside temperature, but there
were some gouges in the wall, stained blankets, and detritus from former
passengers under the beds. Obviously the Veendam was not, in appearance and
condition, competitive with the newer builds of Holland America's rivals.
Then why was the ship completely sold out?
Perhaps it was the prices. On our cruise, an inside cabin was going for $699,
including port charges but not airfare, and minus a $25 promotional offer.
This was from the Internet; a good cruise travel agent might have done
better.
Then there were some special Veendam pricing packages, like unlimited
Internet access for seven days at $99. Without the package, it costs 50 cents
a minute (three hours and 20 minutes of time is the package's breakeven
point), still well below the competition's price of 75 cents a minute. The
ship's laundry offers unlimited package service for $45 per cabin,
notwithstanding the self-service launderettes on the cabin decks at $3 a
load. Unlimited pressing (dry cleaning not included) is $30 per cabin. So for
a couple of bucks, packing becomes a breeze, and gravy stains are no threat.
Maybe it's those little Holland America touches--the Java bar has cappuccino,
espresso, and regular coffees plus cookies and other goodies with no charge.
There are three film showings a day in the adjacent theater, with free
popcorn from an old-fashioned popcorn machine. Free ice cream is dispensed
throughout the day, and hot pizza is available most of the afternoon, again
at no extra charge. Holland America does not nickel-and-dime passengers to
prime its profit pump.
It could well be the food. With more menu choices for dinner than you'll see
on the typical premium cruise line, the ship's Rotterdam Dining Room offers
five appetizers, three soups, two salads, eight entrees and a bunch of
desserts. This, plus a complete vegetarian menu. And the food is, for the
most part, very good. That is probably because Veendam has the good fortune
to combine Jock Barelmann and Aaron Marie, arguably the best Executive Chef
and Pastry Chef working for Holland America.
I suspect that for many passengers, adherence to traditional cruising is also
an attraction. No "personal choice" here: You'll be served by the same waiter
every night, and on Holland America, he will remember your name and dining
whims after the first night. The wine steward will be attentive, and a dining
room captain will be very visible, making sure that all you need to worry
about is chewing and swallowing. What's more, the "no tipping required"
policy on Holland America ships can be very enticing. I did tip, but it's
nice not being ordered to tip, and then told exactly how much is acceptable.
And there were two formal nights on our cruise. For me, a formal night adds
to the cruise experience, but only when most of the men wear a tux. (There is
no more stupid feeling than being on a ship dressed in your tuxedo, and
outnumbered by guys in T-shirts.) On the Veendam, many passengers were in
their 30s and 40s -- and even some 20-somethings (not generally known for
sartorial conformity)-- but most dressed for formal night. The women were
stylish, and the 10 percent of the men not in black tie were in suits, except
for the guy in the tweed sport jacket; but he was the one outnumbered.
So as Holland America goes kicking and screaming into the mega-ship scrimmage
with the November arrival of the Zuiderdam (replete with outside elevators
and a casual round the clock cafe), the older ships in its fleet keep filling
up with people who know a Holland America cruise is like a Volvo: Safe,
solid, and no surprises.
