On December 22nd we boarded the ms Volendam, a 1,432 passenger cruise ship launched in 1999 as part of the Holland America Line.
The ship had just come out of a two-week-long dry dock renovation in Singapore.
One of the major visible parts of the renovation occurred on Deck 5, the ship’s Upper Promenade Deck.
The area that formerly housed the Casino Bar, the Piano Bar and the Seaview Lounge has been opened up into one new area called The Mix.
The Mix is a staple on most other Holland America Line “R” and “S” class ships including the Maasdam, Rotterdam, Ryndam, Statendam and the Veendam. The Mix has not been added to the Amsterdam or the Zaandam.
Here’s a look at the new Mix on the Volendam:
The change opens up the former sections into one larger area, with three different bars, and the piano player in an open area.
There was also a guitar player near the Spirits & Ale bar earlier in the evening. While there are two locations for entertainers in the MIX, they are not used at the same time.
The MIX has one upgrade on the Volendam compared to the other ships. Rather than a Champagne bar (which really isn’t a bar) there is a new Wine Bar with a 12-bottle Enomatic machine for that allows for wine tasting by the 1- ounce, 3-ounce or 6-ounce pour. 
We would have tasted all of the wines, and reported here, but unfortunately the system was missing the nitrogen canister to make it work during our sailing.
The seats at the Martini Bar are very comfortable.
This new area was very popular on the ship, and had a strong crowd throughout the late evening to sing along with or just enjoy the piano player.
There were four kinds of draft beer in the Spirits & Ales part of the MIX. CJ is an excellent bartender in this area.
The Explorer’s Lounge was another area on the Volendam’s Promenade Deck that was revised during the dry dock.
The Explorer’s Lounge was opened up with more movable and flexible seating arrangements.
We think the renovation was not yet complete as there was a mix of old furniture and new furniture with two completely different color schemes.
A two-person combo played classical music in this venue after dinner. It was also used for some presentations on the ship and some special functions, such as the party for Mariner’s who were receiving awards.
Have you sailed on Holland America’s Volendam? What’s your opinion of the update to the MIX? Please share your thoughts in comments below.
You may want to check out these other posts on Holland America Line ships:
- A Look at Holland America’s Updated Canaletto Restaurant Menu
- A Look at the Tamarind Restaurant Menu on Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam
- Is the Signature Beverage Program on Holland America Cruises A Good Deal?
- A Look Around Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam
- A Look Inside Spa Verandah Stateroom 10034 on Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam
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