mightycruisequeen

Wondering if it's still the old TV/DVD players in the cabins?

Thanks in advance.

We were in cabin 6175, right by the aft elevators a couple of years ago.  That cabin was perfectly quiet, and we had no other issues either.  

I'm so sorry.  Praying for Walt's family to find comfort in their memories of him.

We were on Maasdam last winter for 39 nights from Sydney to San Diego. We really loved the ship. Only things we didn't care for were the tiny old TVs in the cabins, and the fact that it doesn't have a Tamarind restaurant or the BB King bands.

We really loved the size of the ship, as well as the lack of crowding. The crew was just awesome, and the itinerary was pretty spectacular. :)

Celebrity.:cool:

You are missing a number. Room numbers are 4 digits with the fist one being the deck.

Not on Maasdam.

We were down the hall from 559 on Maasdam last winter. That area you asked about was indeed the gangway on our cruise. I thought it was convenient, but you might not agree.

The issue we had was that, even though jogging is not allowed on the promenade deck immediately above the outside cabins on that deck, there were people jogging early in the mornings. We were less than thrilled with that.

I've cruised Majesty of the Seas twice, and had fun on both. It's definitely a different experience than Holland America. True, the cabins are small, and the ship is lots more crowded. The food is hit or miss, but if you ask your waiter, he'll be happy to help you decide on what to order (and what not to). The entertainment is actually better than HAL ships, though. The average passenger onboard will be younger, and louder and typically more likely to drink a lot.

Really, you have to go in with the understanding that this is not going to be the kind of cruise that you're used to. It's New Years, a new experience, you're with friends. Go have fun!

Oh please. Some of these posts are so over the top. If someone is playing an acoustic guitar in the cabin next to you, it's no louder than a TV at an acceptable volume level.

My husband bought a Hofner "Shorty" to take on long cruises, so he doesn't lose the callouses on his fingertips. The guitar is electric, but he plays it without any amplification right in our cabin, and it's much quieter than an acoustic guitar would be, not to mention VERY compact. It's perfect for his needs, without bothering another soul around him. I can sit right next to him & watch TV on low while he's playing; that's how soft it sounds.

Any time you see swai on the menu (no matter how it's prepared) order it!

Oh, and Snickers Cake. It's the dessert of the angels :halo::halo:

Other than better entertainment on Royal Caribbean, I would say that every other element of Holland America is better. The ships are less crowded, the service is better, the food is lot better, and general feel of the cruise experience is much better.

Royal Caribbean can be very crowded, especially at shows and around the pool. And speaking of pools, they don't have the aft pools like HAL ships. Royal Caribbean's pool areas are not open to the sea views, and feel enclosed, and did I say VERY crowded? There are often disputes over deck chairs, and that's a drama I don't care to have going on during my vacation. On Holland America, we never have trouble finding open deck chairs even at noon on sunny sea days.

On all our cruises on Royal Caribbean, we've seen so much more heavy drinking and smoking, and for us it really negatively impacts our cruise enjoyment. My husband doesn't want me to book any more Royal Caribbean cruises, as a result.

In my opinion, Holland America is worth the expense & inconvenience of the flying to get to the ship.

I'm Canadian. We're pretty much boycotting your entire country.

Bad timing; our economy is pretty much booming right now, so Canada's boycott would likely go unnoticed.

Boy, Holland America is really running with this whole Oprah thing, aren't they?

I'd pick Melania Trump to be the godmother of the Nieuw Statendam. In my opinion, Mrs. Trump has grace & style, and she would not try to make the occasion all about her.

Wow! I just finished reading this review, and I had to recheck the date & ship. We were also on the Maasdam from January 18 to February 25 of this year, and it's hard to believe we could have possibly been on the same cruise. Although Maasdam is hardly new, we really loved the ship & the intimate & roomy feel. We also thought the food in the main dining room was excellent, except for one dish that my husband ordered & just didn't like. This was our 48th cruise, and one of the best ever. The itinerary was the top reason we picked the cruise, and we loved all of it, even the long sea days (and yes, we had some ROUGH seas). I'd do it again in a heartbeat. On that ship. Tomorrow. Happily.

I'm thinking that this might be the cruise line's way of discouraging people from having 5 or 6 bookings on deposit, and then canceling 4 of them just before final payment, when they decide which cruise they really want to take. Just a thought.

The hairdryers are okay, not great.

Another poster said you're not allowed to bring your own, but I've brought ours many times, and never had it confiscated.

I think it's a great location, and I'd be very happy with that assignment :)

We were on Maasdam's 39 night Sydney-San Diego this past Jan-Feb. I thought it was a lovely ship, and in very good condition, especially considering its age. We didn't experience any hvac issues in our cabin, and our plumbing was okay, save for a few occasions of delayed flush. No biggie.

There were issues with a few of the public toilets that seemed to be out of order again and again; the ladies room next to the upper level of the diningroom had many issues. Also, there were several times that the ladies room by the aft pool was out of order. Somehow, we managed to have a perfectly wonderful cruise despite these horrid things. ;)

People are weird. Go have fun. :cool:

I'm wondering if anyone has sailed in cabin #3398 on lower promenade deck since the refurb? Can you tell me if that specific cabin still has the tub, or did it get the "updated" glass shower with no tub?

Here's a link to the group that's on your cruise:

http://www.inspirationcruises.com/christian-cruises/mercyme-caribbean-2019

Doesn't look like a bunch of trouble-makers ;)

Thanks, CJcruzer :D

Anyone who had a recent category H on Volendam, can you tell me if the bathroom has a tub or just a shower?

Do the cabins have the new larger flat panel TVs, or still the little ones?

We're booked on Volendam next winter. I was wondering if the hairdryer is still that awful thing on the wall in the bathroom with the tube that looks like a vaccuum cleaner tube, or if they're supplying a real hand held blow dryer now?

Also, do the obstructed view cabins on lower promenade deck still have tubs, or just a shower? (I know the lanais got the shower.)

I'm sure I'll think of more burning questions ;) as the cruise gets closer.

Thank you in advance! :D

Loved the Ginger Mango Splash. :hearteyes:

We've done that itinerary twice, and luckily did not miss Bora Bora either time.

We did miss Moorea last time, due to heavy rain & wind that made it unsafe to attempt tendering. The same thing can easily happen with Bora Bora, though; you can't count on weather always cooperating with the port schedule.