Choosing an Inside Cabin on the Maasdam

We've never been on the Maasdam before. I'm looking for an inside cabin with the least amount of noise and vibration. My choices are forward on the main deck and aft on the main deck or the lower promenade. Your help is appreciated. Thank you.

My favorite mid-ship cabins on the Maasdam are between the forward elevator and the mid-ship doors to the promenade on Lower Promenade Deck. As handy to anything as you're likely to get on that ship, with very little back-tracking (no mid-ship stairs/elevators).

I would also recommend Main Deck anywhere from the forward to the aft elevators, but closer to the elevators is better.

I also (happily) had one of the "sideways" cabins immediately forward of the forward elevators. Those are cabins 548 and 549. Too much further forward and you will feel any rough seas.

Thank you for your reply RuthC. I think you are talking about midship inside cabins though. The cabins I have to choose from are Forward on the Main Deck and Aft on the Main Deck and Lower Promenade. Just wondering which area might be the best for less noise/vibration.

I've been aft of the aft elevator on Lower Promenade. Except from being shaken awake when the ship docked, I noticed no vibration in that area. But the shaking was severe for a few minutes!

Now, if you are already up to start the day when the ship comes in to port, then that won't be much of a problem. Main Deck should have been similar, maybe a little more shaking. There was no noise.

I would much prefer that area to the comparable area forward.

Thanks RuthC. We are early risers so maybe the aft area is best.

For the LP aft, keep in mind where the galley is. And despite what some of the deck plans say, the galley really does span the entire beam. (One time my TA and a HAL sales rep were trying to convince me to upgrade to an obstructed outside from a then J inside. The available "prize" cabin was under an area of the galley that was not marked. The port side said galley. They both kept saying starboard wasn't galley- just unmarked space. Hogwash. I had galley plans that said otherwise).

There is a website we cannot mention that does have galley plans for sister ship Veendam. (Her dishwash station is above cabin 390. I can vouch for that). You can read other reviews and Facts about cabins there also.:D

I had the absolute last cabin aft on the lower promenade deck on the Maasdam once. As RuthC mentioned, there was some vibration when docking, but otherwise it was nice. I actually liked it, because I didn't have to set an alarm to wake me up for a port day.

I prefer the lower promenade deck on the R and S class ships because it's very easy to get outside.

I prefer the lower promenade deck on the R and S class ships because it's very easy to get outside.

Very true. Going out to check the weather before I even headed up for coffee was easy.

Another plus I found being way back there, was that I was able to take that last door out going to/from muster. There were no crowds to fight at all! They should all be so easy to navigate.

We can speak very highly about #342 on Lower Promenade, Category I, after 14 days in Alaska. Very quiet. No vibration that we noticed. No plumbing/HVAC issues. Excellent stewards. Easy access to atrium/elevators and the best balcony of all, the Lower Promenade deck!:D

We had cabin 500 on the Maasdam once. It was a great cabin, larger than most insides. Great on sea days. BUT, on port days we were awakened early by a terrible mechanical motor noise that would go on for about 30 minutes or more, then the thrusters would kick in. Worst day was when we were at Half Moon Cay - the dropping of the anchor sounded like a freight train going through our cabin. :eek: We loved the Maasdam but not that cabin. So the next time we were on the Maasdam we booked 614 and it was lovely and quiet.

Oh, and just so you know, the deck plan for the lower promenade is not exactly correct. It looks like there are two aft-facing doors that you could use to exit, and that you can even "go round the bend" and exit through a port side door.

Unfortunately, the area aft of that cabin (423) is closed off for crew access only. However, that starboard door showing on the deck plan does exist and was very convenient. I just had to watch out for the power walkers coming around the bend lest I get run over when going in and out through that door.

Recently(6/6 -6/20) on the Maasdam in room 536, main deck forward. Nice room and it was quiet.

We had cabin 500 on the Maasdam once. It was a great cabin, larger than most insides. Great on sea days. BUT, on port days we were awakened early by a terrible mechanical motor noise that would go on for about 30 minutes or more, then the thrusters would kick in. Worst day was when we were at Half Moon Cay - the dropping of the anchor sounded like a freight train going through our cabin. :eek: We loved the Maasdam but not that cabin. So the next time we were on the Maasdam we booked 614 and it was lovely and quiet.

We had the same cabin and the same problem. The noise was from the thrusters used while docking. We actually got them to move us after a couple days. Never heard such a racket, it was like a lawn mower running in your room. To make matters worse, our first night in our cabin was the night we went to Carnaval in Rio and got home at 4:00 am, at 5:00 they had to move the ship to another dock, so the thrusters kicked in. We thought the ship was sinking or something :eek:.

We had the same cabin and the same problem. The noise was from the thrusters used while docking. We actually got them to move us after a couple days. Never heard such a racket, it was like a lawn mower running in your room. To make matters worse, our first night in our cabin was the night we went to Carnaval in Rio and got home at 4:00 am, at 5:00 they had to move the ship to another dock, so the thrusters kicked in. We thought the ship was sinking or something :eek:.

Lol!

Oh, and just so you know, the deck plan for the lower promenade is not exactly correct. It looks like there are two aft-facing doors that you could use to exit, and that you can even "go round the bend" and exit through a port side door.

 

Unfortunately, the area aft of that cabin (423) is closed off for crew access only. However, that starboard door showing on the deck plan does exist and was very convenient. I just had to watch out for the power walkers coming around the bend lest I get run over when going in and out through that door.

Thanks for pointing this out. I totally thought that there were four exit doors back there, from looking at the deck plan!

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We had cabin 500 on the Maasdam once. It was a great cabin, larger than most insides. Great on sea days. BUT, on port days we were awakened early by a terrible mechanical motor noise that would go on for about 30 minutes or more, then the thrusters would kick in. Worst day was when we were at Half Moon Cay - the dropping of the anchor sounded like a freight train going through our cabin. :eek: We loved the Maasdam but not that cabin. So the next time we were on the Maasdam we booked 614 and it was lovely and quiet.

I learned this lesson when in the famously huge 7002 on Millennium. Loved the cabin, but not our friends "the anchor" and "the thrusters.". I think I am still hanging onto some PTSS from that forward cabin experience.

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So how far up do you need to be to avoid thruster noise?

I found I rather like bow cabins when I go solo, because I want some motion.

I want to be aware I'm on a ship, and be rocked to sleep. I have avoided LP bow because the showroom is so close.

Thanks RuthC. We are early risers so maybe the aft area is best.

I'm an early riser, so the vibration early in the morning when the Maasdam is entering port and docking doesn't bother me. I consider it my special wake up call. I've spent almost 100 days total in cabin 400 which is under the lower Master Dining Room. It's quiet, convenient to elevators and the door right out to the outside deck. There are no cabins above you with plumbing that will overflow right into your cabin below. Happy sailing!