SPECTACULAR! This word keeps coming out of my mouth every time I tell someone about this cruise. The itinerary and scenery were spectacular. This was one from the bucket list for me and I was not disappointed. We were on for the entire 35 days and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss a single minute. The cruise can be taken in two segments for those who cannot be away for so long. The cruise is a nice mix of many ports and sea days interspersed allowing for rest and regrouping and lots of great activities.

First, the ship. We had been on the Veendam in 2007 and had been less than impressed. Unlike me, however, the Veendam has grown better with age. It was in excellent condition overall. Our steward did a great job. Service in general throughout the ship was excellent. The food in the main dining room was quite good. We are not fans of formal nights, but the menus on those nights made it worthwhile to participate.

Entertainment was good. We especially enjoyed Abba Fab, Bobby Brooks Wilson, and the do-wop tribute group Alley Cats. The Veendam singers were the best we’ve ever heard on any cruise ship of any line. Dustin Cunningham is, in my opinion, a world class tenor. Piano man Barry of Boston is one of the best in the business. He and cruise director Christina presented a fantastic matinee performance on one of the final days of the cruise. Read more