This was our second cruise and would start a trip of a lifetime. We really liked the Volendam, although I constantly got lost finding the main dining room. The ship was experimenting with early embarkation and getting luggage to the cabins immediately. This was quite successful from our perspective and really appreciated, as we had to check out of our hotel in Sydney at 10:00 am. Our stewards were incredible, as my husband often slept late, and somehow they figured out when he was out of the room and cleaned it up in a snap. I took a photo of the towel art every day - it was so cute and creative! One of my favorite areas was the Ocean Bar - loved the music and wished there were a few more seats, as it often was completely full. Disembarkation was very smooth - our luggage was waiting and we got a cab immediately.

Food and Drink - We thought the food was quite good - the Lido was fine for breakfast and lunch (except for the coffee) but the dining room was far superior for dinner. In addition, we had wonderful room service breakfasts - right on time and hot food. I found that the wine steward in the dining room was very delayed in providing service.

Entertainment - Quite good, but the crew performance was poor. Loved the inside look at the performers and the backstage tour - that was one of the highlights. Also thought the line dancing classes were a lot of fun. Read more