ms Volendam

Launched in 1999, ms Volendam is the 2nd Rotterdam (R-class) ship of Holland America, together with sister ship ms Zaandam, and also ms Rotterdam (now Fred Olsen Borealis) and ms Amsterdam (now Fred Olsen Bolette).

History - construction and ownership

Holland America Line (HAL) is a Seattle-based cruise company owned by Carnival Corporation (shipowner). Between 1873-1989, HAL was a Dutch cargo and passenger shipping company operating regular Transatlantic crossings between Holland and the Americas. HAL was founded in 1873 as "Dutch-American Steamship Company" headquartered in Rotterdam Netherlands. In 1989, HAL was acquired by Carnival Corporation for around EUR 530 million. Among the company's assets are the Westmark hotel chain (Alaska-Yukon), Worldwide Shore Services (warehouses-logistics) and Half Moon Cay (Caribbean private island).

When the 61,214-ton, 1,440-passenger cruise ship ms Volendam debuted in 1999, she had the highest cruiser capacity in the fleet of her owner, Holland America. In a move that seems old-fashioned now, Volendam proved her contemporaneity by being the first liner in the fleet to boast a dedicated Internet centre with 8 satellite-connected computer stations. Going back on the Colonial past of its Dutch roots, Holland America Line has made it a practice during the years to hire Indonesian crew, touting their amiability and efficiency. There had been some solicitude about visa renewals for the Indonesians, but those problems seem to have straightened themselves out. Service staff are mainly Indonesian and Filipino. Most of the officers are European, mainly from Holland. There is one notable difference aboard Volendam, and this is the manner in which the crew members welcome and accommodate cruisers with physical challenges. Careful and genuinely caring, crew members help the passengers in wheelchairs and those with predicament walking when required, and there is never a sense of impatience or rushing. There are thirty wheelchairs onboard for passenger use.

Cruise itinerary program

MS Volendam itinerary program is based on Alaska cruises from Vancouver BC and Anchorage/Seward AK during the summer months. The ship also operates in Asia and Australia (departures from Hong Kong and Singapore).

Cabins

MS Volendam has a total number of 717 cabins (of which 197 Suites, no Balcony, 136 Inside rooms) in 26 grades. Most ms Volendam staterooms are 175-255-sq.foot oceanview rooms (383). 28% of ship's accommodations have private balcony views. 23 are the wheelchair accessible rooms. The largest aboard ms Volendam are the Pinnacle Suites (935 ft2).

Implemented fleetwide in 2019, "Club Orange" program provides exclusive amenities to Suite passengers booked in categories Neptune and Pinnacle. Bonus perks by this program include:

• priority services (check-in, disembarkation, tendering, dining reservations)
• 24-hour concierge service (assistance, information, reservations)
• exclusive dining venue (serving complimentary Pinnacle Grill breakfast and Dining Room dinner, plus exclusive dishes)
• dedicated Concierge Desk (Guest Services and Tours)
• room service (a la carte breakfast menu with complimentary gourmet dishes - including smoked salmon, steak and eggs)
• sparkling wine (embarkation day), Club Orange tote bag, premium bathrobes (cabin use, available for monogramming and purchasing).
• Club Orange Restaurant is part of the Main Dining Room (designed as separate VIP dining section).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Dining options on ms Volendam are plentiful and range from early morning continental breakfast to Indonesian-themed midnight buffet. Apart from regular restaurant service, hungry guests will also find afternoon tea, 24-hour room service and a pizza/hot dog/hamburger/taco/fajita station near the Lido pool (it's self-serve, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Special diets, from diabetic to Kosher and low-carb, are easily accommodated, but advance notice is required. The 2-story Rotterdam Restaurant (ship's Main Dining Room), is located aft and surrounded with windows. It serves open-seating breakfast and lunch and features plenty of small tables for passengers who prefer to dine a deux. MS Rotterdam also provides a 22-dish, vegetarian menu for lunch and dinner, consisting of salads, soups, entrees and appetizers. Options include dishes like Vietnamese vegetable spring rolls, portobello mushroom and chipotle quesadillas, spicy lentil and garbanzo salad.

Follows the complete list of ms Volendam restaurants and food bars.

• Pinnacle Grill (84-seat reservations-only seafood/steakhouse restaurant with fine wines selection; free for passengers under 12 yo). The venue transforms into “An Evening at le Cirque” once per cruise via a partnership with NYC “Le Cirque” French restaurant.
• Rotterdam Restaurant (792-seat, aft Dining Room; features open seating Breakfast and Lunch, two Dinner options – 2 fixed seatings or “Any Time” dining between 5:15 p.m. - 9 p.m. 
• King’s Room (Rotterdam restaurant annexe, reservations-only; for private dining)
• Terrace Grill (fast food pool bar; complimentary)
• Lido Restaurant (394-seat complimentary buffet restaurant; offers self-service Breakfast 6:00 a.m. -11 a.m., Lunch 11:30 p.m. - 2 p.m., Afternoon Tea, and Dinner 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
• Canaletto Restaurant (Lido Restaurant annexe; operates as an Italian restaurant for Dinner, reservations required).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The entertainment on ms Volendam is quite diverse, with nightly shows in the 574-seat, 2-tiered Frans Hals lounge (featuring HAL's Dancing With the Stars at Sea - guests volunteer to be partnered with dancers from ship's production staff and perform during the final show on the last night of sailing). Frans Hals is also the setting for the Marriage Game and a magician show. Instead of Broadway-style production shows, Volendam's dancers and singers put together a series of country and pop song revues. A perennial favourite of Holland America Line is the crew show, featuring folkloric presentations from the countries of these hard workers. Other amenities include: complimentary 24-Hour Room-Service, Supervised Kids Program ("Club Hal"), cruise ship weddings, Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry/Self-Serve Laundromats.

Follows the complete list of ms Volendam lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Atrium (3-deck high midship open-floor area with live performances)
• Promenade Deck, Walking Track (jogging is not permitted)
• Frans Hals Lounge (574-seat theatre/main show lounge; also serves Holland America’s enrichment program (via a partnership with BBC Earth)
• Queen’s Room (34-seat meeting room; hosts digital workshops via Microsoft partnership, computer classes, social networks, blogging, photo editing)
• Photo Gallery & Shop; Art Gallery
• Wine Tasting Bar, Gourmet Shops (bottles available for purchasing, wine sampling)
• Wajang Theatre & Culinary Arts Centre (124-seat cinema; offers culinary classes and cooking shows presented in demonstration kitchens)
• Atrium Terrace with boutiques; Atrium Shops (boutiques for duty-free tobaccos and liquor, perfumes, watches, clothing, HAL logo merchandise, souvenirs); Marabella Luxury Shop
• Ocean Bar (104-seat Atrium bar and lounge, with dance floor and stage for live performances)
• Casino (served by Casino Bar)
• Piano bar (84-seat)
• Hudson Room (50-seat meeting room; used as Cards Room)
• Explorations Cafe (65-seat speciality coffee bar and patisserie; also serves as ship’s Library and Online Centre/Internet computers room)
• Explorer’s Lounge & Bar (94-seat lounge with bar; classical concert performances)
• Neptune Lounge (22-seat club venue for Deluxe Suite and Pinnacle guests only)
• Fitness Center (gym with separate Aerobics Room); 2 jacuzzis
• Greenhouse Spa & Salon; Lido Pool area, served by Lido Bar and Terrace Grill; Sea View Pool area served by Sea View Bar
• Crow’s Nest (220-seat observation lounge; bar and dance floor; becomes disco at night)
• Tennis Court; Basketball Court; Shuffleboard
• Club HAL (kids lounge, complimentary youth programming)
• The Loft (teens club lounge area, with Video Games Arcade, computers, PlayStations; teen disco)
• The Oasis (40-seat teen-only outdoor area).

Named after Volendam Holland (small town in North Holland), Volendam is Holland America's 2nd R-class liner, with sisterships Amsterdam (Fred Olsen Bolette), Rotterdam (Fred Olsen Borealis), Zaandam. Ship's Inaugural Cruise/Maiden Voyage was on November 12, 1999. Ship's Godmother was Christine Marie Evert (aka Chris Evert Lloyd ) - 1954-born pro tennis player.

Ship's interior design theme is flowers - fresh flowers and all kinds of floral motifs can be found throughout its public areas (fabrics, tapestries, huge vases) and also in staterooms. In its Atrium area, HAL cruise ship Volendam has a 3-story high multicolored glass sculpture (by L.Vistosi). This HAL ship's art collection includes pre-Columbian artifacts and also authentic Renaissance fountains from Italy.

2013 is the year when the Volendam cruise ship for the first time included in its itinerary program Kangaroo Island, Australia - country's 3rd largest island (after Tasmania and Melville).