Holland America Line ms Veendam in Port Canaveral

Holland America Line’s ms Veendam (719 feet long) docked at Port Canaveral yesterday. I, along with 50 other travel agents, had the opportunity to spend a couple hours touring the ship.

The ms Veendam weighs in at 57,092 tons and has a 1,350 passenger capacity. Though this is a small ship, it is gracefully roomy, and spacious.

Having never been on a Holland America Line ship, there were several things that impressed me.

The staterooms were larger than some of the other cruise lines.

This ship has a lot of public areas for groups to hold meetings and private functions.

All of the staff was extremely friendly, helpful, and gave service with a smile. Do you ever notice how when employees like their job and are treated respectfully, the room suddenly starts to glow?  The glow was very evident on the ms Veendam.

One of my favorite areas was the Culinary Arts Center.  This multi-purpose room that seats around 200 people, is a state-of-the-art show kitchen with plasma video screens and cooking display counters.  Here food and wine enthusiasts can increase their knowledge and learn from the onboard chefs.

Another impressive public area was the Explorations Café, powered by The New York Times.  This comfortable, coffee house environment includes games, computers, and a huge library with a variety of books. If you need a quaint spot to relax and enjoy the day, the Explorations Cafe’ is a must.

The ms Veendam has one, 2-story dining room, Roterdam. Meals include five-course menus with continental, vegetarian and low-car options.  Remember:  If you are a cruiser with a special diet, be sure to ask the cruise line if they can accommodate your diet.  Most cruise lines cater to special diets, but it is better to take care of this prior to sailing. 

I visited the spa, but I needed to spend more time in there to fully appreciate it.

It was a fantastic day aboard the ms Veendam, and as always, the ship tour wasn’t long enough. In order to fully appreciate the ship, I think I need to spend at least a week on her.

What Holland America Line cruise ships have you sailed?

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Disney Dream Tour

Disney Dream Tour

By Janelle Woodyard

“I’ve always wanted to take a Disney Cruise.”  Have you ever said that? Or have you heard someone else state that desire?  I had the opportunity to tour the Disney Dream and I have to say, if it is your dream to take a Disney cruise, take the steps to make it happen.  If you’ve ever been to a Disney theme park, you know Walt Disney World does things first class.  From the moment you drive onto the Disney property, the magic infiltrates your vehicle.  The same thing happens when you cruise with Disney, from the moment you enter the cruise terminal, magic fills the air.

Dining:

While dining on the Disney Dream, each night you rotate between 3 dining rooms (Animator’s Palate, Enchanted Garden, and the Royal Palace.)  The staff rotates with you and as a result, they are able to cater to your every need.

For adult only dining consider the Palo ($20) or Remy ($75) for a romantic and luxury experience.

Staterooms:

I toured a number of the staterooms including the Concierge’s staterooms, Oceanviews, and inside cabins.

Concierge’s staterooms:

Concierge Guests have access to a sundeck that is only available to other Concierge Guests.  Rooms also come with a queen-size bed, a full bath and a half, refrigerator, iPod docking station, and a privacy curtain.  Concierge suites (Royal Suites-approximately 1,781 sq ft or 1-bedroom suites-approximately 622 sq ft) are also available with the finest, most luxurious accommodations.  Call for additional details.

Oceanview staterooms:

Oceanview staterooms come with a queen size bed, one porthole-some have obstructed views.  The most common stateroom is the Deluxe Oceanview with the Verandah, which sleeps 3-4.

Inside Staterooms:

One of my favorite features about the inside cabins is the porthole with live video footage of what you would actually see if you had an oceanview.  These rooms also come with queen size bed, and an iPod Docking station.

Kids Area:

When I walked into the little people’s section, Oceaneer Club, I felt like I was sprinkled with Tinker Bell’s pixie dust.  This area has a plethora of hands on activities including: Andy’s Room, Monsters Academy, Pixie Hollow, and Explorer Pod.  Then this area breaks off into Disney’s Oceaneer Lab which includes themed spaces: Media Room, Animator’s Studio, The Wheelhouse, Sound Studio, and Craft Studio.  Too bad I’m not young enough to stay in the area. 

Disney makes everything fun…even washing hands.  When the children enter the Oceaneer Club there is a hand washing station that is like a dish washer for your hands. Simply put your hands in the tunnels and the warm water starts swirling around.  Yes. I actually tried it and it was incredible.  I wonder what it would take to get that into classrooms.

Pre-teens and Teens:

 Pre-teens will want to stop by the Edge.  The Edge is filled with activities and entertainment that rock!

Teens love the Vibe.  It comes complete with a SunDeck, a dance floor, and a coffee shop.  Some activities include Zombiefied and Ghost Voyagers.

Nightclubs and Lounges:

Disney Dream has several nightclubs and lounges in the District including Pink (a chic cocktail bar) The District Lounge, Evolution (a dance club), 687 (sports lounge, where they brew their own beer), and my favorite Skyline Lounge (every 20 minutes the skyline changes to another destination, along with the music and lights to accommodate the new scene.) The District reminded me of Disney’s Pleasure Island but on a cruise ship. 

Did You Know:

-When you sign in online, you receive a boarding time.  This is the time you are to board the ship and having a specific boarding time cuts down on the wait time to board.

-You can also schedule your spa appointment online prior to your cruise.

-When you board the ship, you feel more Disney magic as they announce your family’s name as if you were a princess entering the Ball.

-The Buena Vista Theatre is a movie theatre where they show first run movies.

-Disney holds a 5k at Castaway Cay, their private island.

-All non-alcoholic beverages are included in the cruise fare.

-Disney voyages include deck parties and fireworks at sea.

What’s stopping you from planning your Disney Dream Cruise?  I can help plan the Disney Dream cruise that you’ve always wanted to take.

As Walt Disney said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."


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