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Home >> Travel >> Cruises >> Holland America >> Ten Things I Love About Holland America & ms Veendam

Ten Things I Love About Holland America & ms Veendam

Published: Aug 21, 2013 · Modified: Sep 18, 2020 by Stefanie Fauquet · This post may contain affiliate links · 21 Comments

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ms veendam

Recently my daughter and I took our first cruise with Holland America Line. Before sailing, we got the impression (from other reviews and forums) that HAL catered more to an older crowd (i.e.: seniors and retirees) – especially on the Canada/New England itinerary, which we were sailing.

Of course this didn't deter our excitement in any way, and we went into the cruise with an open mind.

Our 7-Day Canada/New England Discovery cruise ended up being one of our favorite cruises to date. Not only did I have a fabulous time, but my daughter, who is 9, had an equally positive experience, even making new friends on board that she’s kept in touch with off the ship.

Yes, the age demographic on board Holland America is a bit higher than on other lines we've sailed. But, HAL is by no means an “old people’s” cruise - actually, it's far from it. We had such a great time that we’re hoping to sail Holland America again in Alaska next year.

So what made our cruise so awesome?  It had a lot to do with HAL’s on board service and amenities. Even on an older ship – we sailed the ms Veendam from Quebec City to Boston – no detail was spared. The ship was clean, the staff was friendly and efficient, and the food was incredible.

Here are 10 things I love about Holland America and the Veendam:

Stateroom Direct Service – Nothing is worse after a long travel day than getting to your hotel before the room is ready. The same goes for a cruise ship. On all of Holland America’s ships, guests have immediate access to their stateroom upon embarkation. It was sooooo nice to be able to drop our carry-on bags in the room and grab a bite to eat before we headed back out to explore Quebec City. Plus one for HAL.

Stateroom Direct Service

48-Hour Rule – I've been fortunate enough (knock on wood) to not have experienced any type of illness while on board a cruise. However, norovirus outbreaks occasionally happen and it’s the first 48-hours that are the most critical in keeping it at bay. Holland America has a “48-Hour Rule” in which all food and drinks in the Lido are served to you by staff at the buffet, rather than serving yourself. I personally think this is a genius move for keeping germs off the ship.

Hand-Washing Machines – Keeping in with cleanliness, Holland America has installed automated hand-washing machines throughout the Lido buffet on the ms Veendam, in addition to the usual hand sanitizer dispensers. My daughter and I enjoyed using these machines before and after every meal in Lido—the warm water spray is like a mini massage for your hands 🙂

hand washing machines

Room Service Full Breakfast Menu – Complimentary room service is always a great feature, but Holland America goes above and beyond the typical continental fare by offering hot entrees for breakfast, including eggs and omelets with ham, bacon or sausage. Another perk is that you can order room service for breakfast on debarkation day (aka the morning you get off the ship).

Culinary Council – The Holland America Culinary Council is a team of top chefs from around the world who have come up with signature dishes that are offered in the dining venues on all of HAL’s ships. Each night in the dining room a new chef is featured with their entrée. I ordered off the Culinary Council menu from the very first evening and I was hooked – each dish was fresh and unique … and there was no extra charge! The food in the dining room and Lido were excellent every day and night.

culinary council

Chef Charlie Trotter's Chicken Breast with Israeli Couscous

Bath Tubs in Stateroom – Ocean-view staterooms and above include a bathtub with a shower, which is a great feature for families. The bathtub may be a little too small for an adult, but it’s the perfect size for kids. Disney is the only other line that I have sailed with this feature.

holland america bathtub

Club HAL – Holland America may not have the biggest kids’ club at sea, but they do an excellent job with the space available. I let me daughter decide if she wanted to participate in the youth programs and after one visit, she didn't want to leave. The staff was truly wonderful; planning a theme for each evening of the cruise. My daughter still talks about “spy night” and the obstacle course they built. Club Hal offers complimentary (supervised) activities throughout the day for kids 3-12 until 10:00pm. The children are separated by age groups with “Kids” 3-7 in one area and “Tweens” 8-12 in another. Teens 13-17 can enjoy The Loft and The Oasis spaces (unsupervised).

club hal kids

Club HAL ages 3-7

Pool with Retractable Roof – One of the coolest features on the Veendam is the pool with retractable roof – so no matter what the weather, anyone can use the pool and hot tubs. While I didn't have a chance to go swimming, my daughter swam nearly every day with the friends she had made at Club HAL. The main pool is large enough to accommodate both children and adults, with lots of deck chairs and a nearby pool bar. It was rainy a few days during our cruise so it was fun to see the roof in action.

veendam pool

Roof open

veendam pool

Roof closed

Pinnacle Grill & Le Cirque – All of the food on Holland America is really good, but there are two dinners that are not to be missed: Pinnacle Grill and "An Evening at Le Cirque” in the Pinnacle Grill. Yes, you need to dine at the same venue twice, and there is an additional charge, but ... IT IS SO WORTH IT! The Pinnacle Grill offers Double R Ranch Beef and fresh seafood in an elegant setting. The steaks are really the star here and they're as good, if not better, than any high-end steak house on land. The Pinnacle Grill is an extra $25 per person (worth every penny!).

pinnacle grill

Ribeye steak at The Pinnacle Grill

On almost every voyage, for at least one night, The Pinnacle Grill is transformed into "An evening at Le Cirque" -- after the famous (and super pricey) restaurant in New York City. From the linens to the plates, the whimsical eatery is re-created to replicate an authentic Le Cirque dining experience. If you're a foodie, "An evening at Le Cirque" is not to be missed! The four-course menu includes offerings and wine selections from Le Cirque's menu (don't skip Lobster Salad ‘Le Cirque’), starting with an amuse bouche on genuine Le Cirque china. I love how the experience and the food is completely different than anything else on board, plus it's chance to dine at a James Beard Award-winning restaurant. "An Evening at Le Cirque" is $39 without wine and $59 with wine pairings, per person.

le cirque plate

Dancing with the Stars at Sea - Holland America has partnered with the hit ABC show "Dancing with the Stars" and is featuring Dancing with the Stars: At Sea on select sailings. We were lucky enough to be on a DWTS at Sea cruise and even as noobies to the show, we loved all of the extra programs, including dance classes, meet and greets with the stars, and stage productions with costumes and dances from the show. The dance pros/stars on our cruise were Chelsie Hightower and Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson (Olympic gold-medal gymnast) and Joey Fatone (NSYNC).

dancing with the stars at sea

 

#halcruises

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Comments

  1. Amber K

    August 21, 2013 at 2:23 pm

    How have I not heard of this cruise line? They may be the first cruise line we book with - the photos are great!

    Reply
  2. Tammy

    August 21, 2013 at 4:21 pm

    I can see why you love all those features/services! I think the first one you mentioned is my favorite. I hate spending the afternoon dragging my carry-on around the ship when we cruise.

    Reply
  3. Donna

    August 21, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    Wow, it looks amazing! The food look delicious, and how awesome to get to meet some of the dancers for DWTS!

    Reply
  4. Jenn

    August 21, 2013 at 9:56 pm

    What an amazing trip! The germophobe in me is loving the precautions that are taken to keep guests healthy.

    Reply
  5. Courtney

    August 22, 2013 at 9:10 am

    I really wish I wasn't so scared of open water 🙁 The thought of being on a boat terrifies me but when I see all the amazing places you can go and things you can do I know I'm missing out. I just LOVE that pool!

    Reply
  6. Penelope (NYC Blogger)

    August 22, 2013 at 11:15 am

    That Club HAL may be the coolest thing of all, what a kids paradise!

    Reply
  7. Robin Gagnon {Mom Foodie}

    August 22, 2013 at 4:44 pm

    I'll have to keep this cruise in mind, as I'm in New England. It would probably be a more affordable & less stressful option for me, since travel to the ship would be minimal.

    Reply
  8. LyndaS

    August 22, 2013 at 5:30 pm

    How awesome to get to sail on HAL AND see the stars. (We love watching DWTS.)

    Reply
  9. Kristy

    August 22, 2013 at 9:55 pm

    The dishes too looks very delicious! I also want to have an automatic machine for hand washing.

    Reply
  10. Jenn- The Rebel Chick

    August 22, 2013 at 11:40 pm

    Wow, that may be one of the biggest rooms I've ever seen on a boat. Sounds like a wonderful cruise line.

    Reply
  11. Jennifer @ MySweetSanity

    August 22, 2013 at 11:45 pm

    That sounds like an absolutely, amazing trip for you and your daughter! I am envious of you two.

    Reply
  12. Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins

    August 23, 2013 at 1:59 am

    That hand washing machine looks really cool! Sounds like an amazing trip!

    Reply
  13. Anne - Mommy Has to Work

    August 23, 2013 at 8:57 am

    I think it looks like a wonderful cruise! The food looks really good!

    Reply
  14. Theresa @ Faith and Family Reviews

    August 23, 2013 at 5:54 pm

    Wow it looks and sounds like you and your daughter had a great time! The sanitizer/hand washing stations are so neat and the buffet idea was smart too, I loved the look of that pool!

    Reply
  15. Rachel @ Following In My Shoes

    August 24, 2013 at 12:54 am

    It sounds like such a cool ship! Love that they have found so many ways to take care of its "inhabitants."

    Reply
  16. Lolo

    August 25, 2013 at 1:04 am

    I love Shawn Johnson! Awesome you got to meet her!

    Reply
  17. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell

    August 26, 2013 at 10:21 pm

    I thought the demographic was a little higher, but I'm so glad you enjoyed it so much and that wasn't a factor. The food looks outstanding and it's so nice that you could drop your bags off immediately and get exploring!

    Reply
  18. Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy.com

    August 27, 2013 at 11:22 am

    Gotta love room service!

    Reply
  19. Toni

    September 07, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    Every bit of this post makes me want to hop on a cruise.

    Reply
  20. Maggie Morris

    September 14, 2013 at 8:58 am

    Wouldn't sail with anyone else. Long haul flights to the USA are tiring but Holland America are always there to meet us. Yes we are a little older perhaps, but we still want to enjoy ourselves. Staff and crew on the Veendam are the best we have had so far...very friendly and no task is too much for them. When we are too old and frail to cross the Atlantic, we will do Europe with HAL too! Can't recommend them enough.

    Reply

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