Holland America Volendam Review | What We Loved & Hated + LEADER Score

Thinking about sailing on Holland America Volendam? 🚢 In this complete Holland America Volendam review, we’re sharing what we loved, what we hated, and our final Calm Sea Cruise LEADER Score after sailing aboard this classic Holland America Line ship! We sailed on MS Volendam during our Canada, New England, and Newfoundland cruise, giving us plenty of time to experience the cabins, dining, bars, entertainment, service, public spaces, activities, and overall atmosphere onboard. In this review, we break everything down using our custom LEADER Score system so you can decide whether Holland America Volendam is the right cruise ship for your next vacation. ⚓ WHAT WE COVER IN THIS REVIEW: 🚢 Layout & Ship Design How easy Volendam is to navigate, the traditional ship layout, public spaces, outdoor promenade areas, and overall condition of the ship. 🎭 Entertainment & Activities Live music venues, theater shows, trivia, enrichment lectures, sea-day activities, and what evenings are really like onboard. 🍽️ Dining & Food Review Main Dining Room, Lido Market buffet, Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto, room service, specialty dining options, and some of our favorite meals. 🛏️ Accommodations & Suite Tour Our experience staying in Neptune Suite 7002, cabin comfort, storage space, bathroom amenities, and Holland America suite perks. ⭐ Experience & Crew Service Crew service, atmosphere, passenger demographics, and the little details that stood out during our Canada & New England sailing. 🍹 Relaxation & Onboard Bars Ocean Bar, Crow’s Nest, MIX, Volendam Beach Bar, lounges, and our favorite places to relax around the ship. 🏆 FINAL LEADER SCORE & VERDICT At the end, we give Holland America Volendam our overall LEADER Score and share who we think will love this classic ship—and who may want to choose a newer mega-ship instead! Volendam is one of Holland America Line’s smaller, more traditional ships, creating a cruise experience very different from today’s mega ships. We’ll share both the positives and negatives so you know exactly what to expect before booking. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Have you sailed on Holland America Volendam or another Holland America Line ship? Let us know what you loved—or didn’t love—in the comments below! ⏱️ VIDEO CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Holland America Volendam Review & LEADER Score Introduction 00:39 LEADER Score System Explained | Cruise Ship Rating 02:05 Logistics Review | Embarkation, Flow & Organization 06:14 Logistics Score & Feedback 08:13 Entertainment Review | Shows, Music & Onboard Activities 12:51 Entertainment Score & Feedback 14:40 Accommodation Review | Neptune Suite 7002 & Service Experience 17:17 Accommodation Score & Feedback 18:24 Dining & Drinks Review | Restaurants, Bars & Room Service 27:23 Dining & Drinks Score & Feedback 29:44 Excursions Review | Canada, New England & Newfoundland Ports 32:59 Excursions Score & Feedback 33:28 Excursions Score Updated 34:33 Return Score Review | Would We Cruise Volendam Again? 34:46 Return Score & Feeback 36:05 Total LEADER Score Summary | Final Cruise Rating 🎬 Holland America Volendam Full Cruise Playlist:    • Holland America Volendam New England & Can...   🌊 SUBSCRIBE TO CALM SEA CRUISE Join Pat and Kathy for real cruise experiences to help you cruise smarter 📺    / @calmseacruise   🍪 LOVE CRUISE FOOD Watch Calm Sea Cooks 👉    / @calmseacooks   🧳 CRUISE ESSENTIALS & PACKING LISTS Shop the gear we actually use for packing, filming, and living life at sea. 🛍️ Start here 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/calmseacr... 🎒 Packing & Travel Gear 👉 https://amzn.to/4p9JbCv 🪶 Cruise Essentials 👉 https://amzn.to/45QcTVA As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. 📄 FREE CRUISE PACKING CHECKLIST 👉 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_A7u... 💳✨ American Express Platinum Card We use the American Express Platinum Card for many of our travel benefits. ✈️🚢🏨 If you’re interested in an American Express Card, you can check out the current offers and Card benefits using our referral link: 👉 https://americanexpress.com/en-us/ref... 🎁 We may earn Membership Rewards points if you apply through our referral link and are approved for a Card. You may also be eligible for a referral offer. Terms apply. 💬 STAY CONNECTED 📸Instagram →   / calmseacruise   📱TikTok →   / calmseacruise   🎓 CREATOR & RETIREMENT RESOURCES Thinking about sharing your own travel experiences or planning your next chapter? These are the resources we’ve personally used: ▶️ YouTube After 40 Build Your Channel 👉 https://groundedlife.thinkific.com/co... ▶️ Retirement Travel Jumpstart 👉 https://groundedlife.thinkific.com/co... #HollandAmericaVolendam #HollandAmericaLine #VolendamReview #CruiseShipReview #CruiseReview