We booked the 17-Day Australia and Indonesia cruise on the Volendam about 2 months out in January and was offered an upsell from a DA outside stateroom to a B verandah stateroom at an attractive price and having a large amount of sea days during this cruise.

Arriving just 1 day before the cruise began, we spent the night at the Holiday Inn Old City, which we chose due to the close proximity to the Rocks and the cruise port, it was so close to the port that we could even spot the funnel of the Volendam when she docked the next morning. Everything about the hotel was great from the service and atmosphere to its location and I highly recommend it to any one looking for a pre or post cruise hotel.

Having sailed on the Volendam once in 2009, the ship was as sharp and impeccable as it was 2 years ago. We were also delighted by the "cabin direct" initiative that allowed passengers to proceed to their staterooms immediately after boarding instead of heading to the buffet to wait. Although some of the public rooms were a little tired (especially at the Explorations Cafe), most of the public areas were still very well maintained and many of the furnishings and aesthetics were maintained when the ship dry docked in Singapore. Read more