Volendam

New England Summers, Caribbean Winters and a Voyage Round the World

From June to September Volendam sails New England and Canada, mostly from Boston. Her 14-night Boston round-trips and 7-night one-ways from Boston to Montreal run in June and July, and in September she switches to 7-night Boston round-trips. Stops change between departures, but you might see Halifax, Charlottetown and Quebec City. In May she heads north on a 14-night one-way from Fort Lauderdale to Montreal; typical calls include Norfolk, Boston and the Saguenay Fjord.

December brings 12- and 14-night Caribbean round-trips from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), and ports vary; Half Moon Cay, Barbados and Curaçao are among them. In April and August her transatlantic crossings leave Rotterdam and run 18 or 19 nights to Fort Lauderdale or Boston, with calls that can include Copenhagen, Oslo, Dover and Belfast. Then in January she leaves Fort Lauderdale on a 129-night round-the-world voyage that returns there; Cape Town, Sydney, Bali and Singapore are among the places such a voyage reaches. Voyages of this length leave room for long stretches at sea between ports.

Wherever she sails from, we book the flights out and home, including the return from Montreal or Fort Lauderdale where a voyage ends, along with the hotel either side and the transfers, as one holiday with the cruise. Volendam belongs to Holland America’s R Class, which includes Zaandam, and the rest of the fleet is on our Holland America Line page.

Sea Days on Volendam: Crow’s Nest, World Stage and Spa

Volendam’s sea days centre on three rooms: the Crow’s Nest for panoramic views, the World Stage for talks and shows, and the Spa & Salon. The Crow’s Nest is the quiet lounge with an outlook over the sea, the natural place to watch the coast slide by on a New England sailing. The World Stage, her largest theatre, hosts daytime talks from local experts and evening performances from Step One Dance Company and Cantaré, framed by two-storey LED screens, all included in the fare.

After dark the Piano Bar is the sing-along room, with live piano music, while MIX serves champagne, martinis and ales, and the Casino has table games, slots and bingo. Drinks are charged unless you hold a package, and Holland America’s Have It All Package adds a drinks package, an internet package, prepaid gratuities, shore excursion credit and specialty dining to the fare.

The Spa & Salon uses Elemis products and is free to enter, with treatments charged separately. The Fitness Center is included, as are the Library and the expert-led sessions in the Art Studio.

Lido Market, Canaletto and Poolside Burgers

Most meals on Volendam are included, starting with the Lido Market, a market-style spread of comfort food and international dishes with no fixed mealtimes. By the Lido Pool, whose glass roof opens or closes with the weather, the Dive-In grills burgers and hot dogs at no extra cost.

Canaletto is her Italian restaurant, serving hearty classics in a relaxed, elegant room, with à la carte charges. The Library Café pairs speciality coffee and pastries, which are charged, with books and work desks, and 24-hour room service is included for early starts before a day ashore.

Volendam Cabins and Deck Plans

Volendam’s cabins run from inside and ocean-view rooms to suites; the Volendam cabins and deck plans show every grade.

Cruise1st is one of the UK’s leading cruise specialists, and our team can talk you through Volendam’s voyages. Read our Volendam reviews.