MS Volendam

MS Volendam is a Rotterdam-class (R-class) cruise ship belonging to Holland America Line. It was built in 1999 as the third of four Rotterdam-class vessels which she has ten decks, with passenger cabins spread across six of them. The Volendam's theming prominently features flowers, and the decor throughout the ship emphasizes floral patterns. She sails out of Australia, Asia, and conducts cruises of the Inside Passage, traversing British Columbia and Alaska.[2]

MS Volendam departing from Fremantle Harbour, Western Australia.
History
Netherlands
Name: Volendam
Owner: Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator: Holland America Line
Port of registry:  Netherlands
Builder: Fincantieri
Launched: 18 September 1998
Christened: 12 November 1999
In service: 1999
Identification:
Status: Operational
General characteristics
Class and type: Rotterdam-class (R-class) cruise ship
Tonnage: 60,906 GT
Length: 237.0 m (777.6 ft)
Beam: 32.3 m (106 ft)
Draft: 8.1 m (27 ft)
Decks: 10
Speed: 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)
Capacity: 1,432 passengers
Crew: 647

Design and description
MS Volendam in Sydney Harbour.

As a Rotterdam-class (R-class) cruise ship, the Volendam has three sister ships in the fleet, Zaandam, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. She follows the Rotterdam, the lead ship of her class, as the second ship launched in 1999. Volendam is 237 m (778 ft) long, has a 32.3 m (106 ft) beam, and an 8.1 m (27 ft) draft.[3] She has ten decks, and contains cabins for passengers (called state rooms) on six decks,[4] with a ship's capacity of 1,432 guests.[2]

The ship's theme is flowers, and she features floral designs throughout. The atrium contains a sculpture spanning three decks which was created by Luciano Vistosi.[5] Volendam was christened by former professional tennis player Chris Evert on 12 November 1999, who became the ship's godmother.[6]

She was refurbished in both 2006 and 2011, when she entered drydock for a refit in Singapore.[5][7]

Ports of call
MS Volendam Java bar at inside.

She first entered the Australian market in 2009.[3] Volendam cancelled a visit to Batemans Bay during a trip circumnavigating Australia in 2010, only giving 48 hours' notice due to "operational issues" which was interpreted by local media as a failure by the town's council to meet the requirements set out by Holland America regarding the town's wharf some twelve months prior to the expected arrival of the ship.[8] During 2011 she was chartered to visit match relevant destinations during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which was hosted in New Zealand.[9]

In 2016, Volendam sails out of Australia/New Zealand and South Pacific, and during the Northern Hemisphere summer sails out of Vancouver, Canada, conducting cruises of the Inside Passage to Alaska.[10] She hosted an Inside Passage cruise in September 2012 to celebrate a hundred years of the Vancouver Sun.[11] In 2013 when Volendam returned to Australian waters, she visited Kangaroo Island for the first time, after a new landing pontoon was installed on the island to allow for it to become a cruise ship destination.[12] After she left Australia for Asia, she visited a variety of Asian countries including Japan, China, South Korea and Vietnam.[13]

On 9 March 2016 she witnessed a total solar eclipse in the Makassar Straight while sailing through Indonesia as part of an extended tour of Asia, hosting a number of astronomy groups and eclipse followers.[14]

Incidents

On 6 December 2019, visitors on the ship was scanned at the ports of Scarborough and Charlotteville with the opening of 2019/2020 cruise season in November.[15]

Coronavirus quarantine
See also: COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships

On 20 March 2020 the ship sail trip was shorten and arrived at Port Everglades in Florida, where they docked the passengers except the crew members during the Coronavirus pandemic,[16] The ship was left stranded at the sea in weeks and is currently at the coast of the Bahamas, where their captain told them that they will be remained on a board for another month.[17]

In the 2005 film Into the Blue, Volendam makes a brief cameo when she was docked in the Prince George Wharf port of Nassau, Bahamas.

References
  1. "Advanced Masterdata for the Vessel Volendam". VesselTracker. 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  2. Knego, Peter. "Cruise ship tour: Holland America Line's Volendam". USA TODAY.
  3. "Carnival Australia Submission to the Independent Review of Enhanced Cruise Ship Access to Garden Island (the Review)" (PDF). Carnival Australia. Australian Government, Department of Defence. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  4. "MS Volendam Deck Plan" (PDF). The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  5. "MS Volendam refitting - Drydock" (PDF). HMS Service. 8 June 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  6. "Tennis Star Chris Evert to Dedicate Holland America's Newest Ship". South Florida Business Journal. 5 November 1999. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  7. "Holland America names Joe Palermo director, ship refurbishments". MarineLog. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  8. Foy, Sally (19 March 2010). "Cruise market in jeopardy". Batesman Bay Post. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  9. "Adventure World charter Volendam for Rugby World Cup 2011". eTravel Blackbird. 3 May 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  10. Saunders, Aaron (22 April 2012). "Getting up close, personal with Alaska". The Province. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  11. "The Vancouver Sun Anniversary Cruise". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 29 April 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  12. "12,500 to arrive on cruises". The Islander. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  13. "Holland America Line's ms Volendam to Sail a Series of Far East Itineraries in Early 2013". PR Newswire. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  14. "A Spectacular View of the Total Solar Eclipse". March 9, 2016.
  15. "5,000 arrive on cruise ships". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. December 30, 2019.
  16. "Cruise ships crews: Stuck at sea, paydays dwindling and searching for a way home". Stuff.
  17. "'Significant number' of US crew still stuck on cruise ships, State Dept. says". ABC News.
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