Maasdam - Cabin in the bow/seasickness?

Hi all,

We're first time cruisers booked on the Maasdam, leaving January 2nd from Auckland for 13 days. Our travel agent has booked us into a guaranteed inside cabin (M) - we weren't given a choice of cabin/class apart from inside or outside.

I've discovered that our guarantee has now been allocated as cabin M506, which is on the main deck almost as far forward as you can get. For background, I'm pregnant and suffering from "morning" (aka all day) sickness, dear son (age 9) is extremely susceptible to motion sickness, and dear partner has to put up with the two of us.

Questions:

1. Should I be worried about our cabin being so far forward on the ship? Is the location more likely to cause seasickness? I've been a bit slow to realise that seasickness can be a possibility with cruise ships, and knowing that the Maasdam is a bit smaller makes me think it's likely to be even more of a problem.

2. Is it likely that our allocated cabin could change again in the 36 days prior to sailing?

3. Any other useful tips/advice to help with seasickness? I'd love to hear that it's not usually a problem for people....! :)

The Tasman Sea is notorious for very rough conditions. That would be my worry.

Forward will magnify any pitch the ships experiences. You could have an ocean as smooth as glass the whole cruise or 40 foot seas.

Common wisdom is low and midship for the least movement.

You have been assigned quite a ways out. If the ship is not well booked, you could be reassigned. It happens.

Seasickness really depends on the person. I've seen a few green faces once the ship is 100 feet from the dock!

I think I would talk to my TA and explain the situation and ask for advice on what your options are.

Good luck and have a great cruise, no matter what!

Look at a cruise website and see if any other cabins in your category M are available. If so call and ask for a cabin change. Most cruise lines will change cabins within the same category if one is available. I would call the cruise line directly and see if they will work with you to get a more central cabin. The bet location for stability is mid-ship and a low deck.

Motion sickness-- I always have it and I take Bonine for it. I never never never book a forward cabin. Check with your doctor about what you can take. The wristbands work for many people, including me there are natural remedies like ginger as well.

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I doubt that any of the "M" category would be any better. Have your travel agent request/watch for an upsell. You may get a better location. These are where you pay to upgrade the cabin when it gets close to the sailing date at a reduced rate. It does look like the cruise is pretty well sold though.

Yes, you will get much more motion there...request anything that is low and midships to limit your movement...being pregnant and prone to queasiness is not a good time to ride the waves in the front! Center or aft are preferable..especially for the seas you'll be in.

In over 20 cruises the only time I have ever been seasick was on the Maasdam. We were in cabin HH 312 on deck 6, L.P. sailing off the North Carolina Outer Banks enroute to FLL. We were not in a storm, just the usual swells common to that area.

Never again will I sail in a forward cabin. My preferred location is now mid/mid aft.

Hopefully you can get this changed.

The size of the ship matters less (in terms of a rough sail) than the design of the hull and the location on the ship. Obviously, sea conditions contribute, too.

That said, considering your current dealing with nausea, and your location on the ship, you are in a precarious position here.

I don't understand why you weren't allowed to pick a cabin of your own choice, but now you can only deal with what is. I agree that you need to contact your TA, and see what your options are. If you can find a cabin that is more mid-ship (second choice more toward the aft), then take it.

Lower in the ship is better; an inside is closer to the middle of the ship than an outside, so that's a decent choice for you.

Good luck.

Assuming you are in your first trimester, may be by your sailing things will have settled in the nausea department also.

We were in cabin 500 on the Maasdam once. We never had an issue with the motion, but it was very noisy on port days. The sounds of all the machinery that is used to lower the ropes, the thrusters etc was very annoying and would go on for half an hour or more, early in the morning as we would be coming into a port. The day we tendered, the sound of the anchor being dropped was like a freight train roaring through the cabin.

The second time on the Maasdam we were in 614, much closer to midship and it was very quiet. We would stay in that area again.

We were in 504 on the Ryndam (virtually the same ship) in 2015, England / Iceland / Norway and had no trouble. It is low and central, so fairly safe as far as roll, but will get pitch from being forward. Being farther back would be better, but on the inside is better than ocean view.

Call you TA and Ask tell them you are pregnant

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There are also some MM cabins aft on A deck. That might be better than all the way forward.

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

We crossed the Atlantic is a similar room on Maasdam in December, on one deck up, Lower Promenade, I think it was 306. It's not an ideal location, as you've gathered. If you could switch with the MMs in the aft they might do this for no extra charge. Or you might have to pay extra to get to a midship cabin in a higher category. The aft I think is somewhat less motion than the bow and we're usually comfortable there, and near the elevator is quieter than you might think I agree with daisyloo aobut the anchor chains when tendering, and the bow thruster, but they don't last all day. Frankly it's a ship and there are noises, so I'd take noisy over sicky - bring ear plugs.

I recommend that you call your TA as soon as possible, and be very firm about having her/him contact HAL and work this out due to your pregnancy-- it can be worked out and that's a better excuse than most.

If you have the insurance, I'd consider canceling until you are in a better situation than possibly putting yourself though a very rough couple of days.

Our crossing of the Tasmin Sea was smooth! Your's might not be, andI'm not sure what your itinerary is. Maasdam is a good cruising vessel, been on her 67 days, in some very rough seas at times too and she takes it well but you might not.

We use Sea Band wrist bands with much success, they are good for any type of nausea including morning sickness. Try them now and see if they help you, just make sure you get them positioned according to the directions so the pressure ball is over your wrist accu-pressure point. They have no drugs to interfere with your pregnancy. Most people have positive results, but not everyone; hopefully you'll be in the majority. We use the same technique in EMS (emergency medical service) in the back of the ambulance and it's a great help to many patients. I gave them to DH once when he said we was considering not going to dinner, getting queasy.... 30 mins later I asked him how he was feeling. He said, "Fine, why?" Had forgotten all about it.

Let us know what happens please! We're all hopeful you can this changed. m--

Hi all, I just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and experience! My travel agent has been out of the office, so I haven't had much luck so far in getting anything changed.

I'm not convinced about the agent... I have a sneaking suspicion that the only reason I was booked in a guaranteed room in the first place is because she didn't want to spend the time letting me choose a room. I really wish I had found this website before I booked, so I would have had a better idea of what to expect (and known when to put my foot down)!

I'm going to keep trying... I'll update if I get any results! I'm happy to pay more if necessary, so I'm hoping I'll be able to work something out.

Hi all, I just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and experience! My travel agent has been out of the office, so I haven't had much luck so far in getting anything changed.

 

I'm not convinced about the agent... I have a sneaking suspicion that the only reason I was booked in a guaranteed room in the first place is because she didn't want to spend the time letting me choose a room. I really wish I had found this website before I booked, so I would have had a better idea of what to expect (and known when to put my foot down)!

 

I'm going to keep trying... I'll update if I get any results! I'm happy to pay more if necessary, so I'm hoping I'll be able to work something out.

Please do keep us informed. We hope you will have a fantastic intro to cruising and HAL!

If you can't get your TA to help you, you might be able to transfer the booking to someone who can, such as maybe a HAL PCC (personal cruise consultant). Your TA is getting paid to help you! I'd get on it looking for alternative and not let it slip until your TA feels like talking to you. have you been into the HAL website to see what other rooms are available (you do this by proceeding as if you are making a booking for that cruise). Wishing you better luck soon, m--

The Tasman Sea is notorious for very rough conditions. That would be my worry.

 

Forward will magnify any pitch the ships experiences. You could have an ocean as smooth as glass the whole cruise or 40 foot seas.

 

Common wisdom is low and midship for the least movement.

 

You have been assigned quite a ways out. If the ship is not well booked, you could be reassigned. It happens.

 

Seasickness really depends on the person. I've seen a few green faces once the ship is 100 feet from the dock!

 

I think I would talk to my TA and explain the situation and ask for advice on what your options are.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise, no matter what!

Call your travel agent right now! Plead for a cabin elsewhere. Low and centered is best, but that is also why mid ship cabins cost more. All you can do is ask and see your DR before you cruise for medication information. I swear by Meclazine. Good luck! Have fun!

You should try to change cabins

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Of course being mid ships would reduce effect of pitch (bow moving up,and down) but the most likely motion to be experienced would be rolling - the side to side -which is far more common and problematic for those with motion problems: and for that you have a close to ideal location on the ship - a lower deck and very near the center line of the ship - in fact, the head of your bed would be right at the center line.