Veendam, Dec 6th

Anyone going on the Veendam Belize cruise? Would love to meet some new folks on this cruise. BTW---I just love this ship. Was on it last year. From what I have been reading, it sounds like the Veendam has slipped in quality. Can someone fill me in on that who has been on this ship recently? Thanks.

[Santa Fe Jim]

Unfortunately I don't know what it was like in previous years, but have been on it twice this year. Hard to imagine the service being any better. I was slightly disappointed in the quality of the food on an April Caribbean cruise, but it was improved during an Alaskan cruise in September.

Was there any specific topic you had in mind?

SFJ

Hi, we will be joining you on the Dec 6 cruise. I am afraid that we might be the only ones with kids on the cruise (13 and 8) so it probably won't be hard to spot us.

I'll see you when you get off,I'm sailing on the 13th.
Ed

[Chuck Palm]

Just be sure you don't get cabin 712. It is in need of an exhorcist. Air Conditioning, phone, water, smoke detector, drainage, and other problems in this cabin. We loved the food and service but the Shore Excursion and Customer Relations Management need help I.M.H.O.

The head cook on the Veendam is as good as they get. Mmmmmm. The best food we have had on sixteen and/or seventeen cruises respectively. Service is excellent in the cabins and in the Dining room.

Many highs and many lows on our recent 11-22-03 Veendam cruise.

Thanks for the review of the Veendam. I am going on it this Saturday and I will let you know what I think. I was on Veendam in November of last year and fell in love with that little ship. Was recently on the Golden Princess and longed for Veendam the entire trip. HOVA.....I will be looking for the only people on the cruise with kids . Last year there were only a handful of kids. You want a cruise with lots of kids, try Golden Princess. Zuiderdam has a nice kids program too. Outta here.

We were on the Veendam to Alaska in August and loved our cruise, overall. (Lighting in some public areas is too dim, however.) Delicious escargot, lamb, salmon, most soups... boring salads and vegetables.

There was an excellent photography staff and prices were OK for onboard developing, so we developed all of our pictures onboard. (We wanted to do the same in September on the Mercury, but developing prices were much higher, so we opted against what had been a great time-saver.)

We can't complain about shore excursions, since we each won the Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest excursion out of Sitka, and the day we were out on the water was the best day of the season, according to the Captain of the little ship.

The Captain of the BIG ship (the Veendam can be called a big ship compared to the otter quest boat) was James Russell-Dunford and he is our favorite captain so far. So congenial and competent. We had absolutely smooth sailing. Our cabin was near 712, but on the starboard side. The only malfunction that I recall was the toilet once. Also, they need to add chaise pads for the verandahs.

I hope you get a better Cruise Director than we had this summer. (sorry, don't remember his name). I hope also that you don't experience the same sewage odor that we noticed several times in some public areas.