Inside/OV Cabin Choice - Maasdam VOV 2012

[macky2]

Hello,

 

Thanks to information from poster Hflors, DH and I have a future booking posted for the 2012 Voyage of the Vikings. Although the cruise has not been posted online yet, my guess is that it will be on the Maasdam as it has been for several years now. My understanding is that we will be contacted to choose a stateroom when the bookings for this cruise first become available.

 

Realistically, we will probably choose either an inside or an ocean view cabin for this cruise because of the costs involved for a 35 day cruise.

 

If you could choose any inside or OV cabin on the Maasdam for a 35 day cruise which would you choose? As I look at the deck plans, cabins K548, K549, M773, and M769 look slightly bigger than other insides. Cabins D418, D419, D420 and D421 look slightly bigger than other outside cabins but I'm not sure how I would like having a cabin with a window on the promenade deck.

 

My other concern is ventilation and temperature control since there will be no external ventilation except for the door to the hallway.

 

Any information about specific inside or OV staterooms that you have cruised in on the Maasdam would be especially appreciated.

 

Kathy

[BumperII]

The problem is that we really don't know what those room numbers are going to look like after the Maasdam goes into drydock. We booked one of those great looking inside slightly larger cabins that wound up being retro fitted into two cabins, without sound insulation between them. It turned out to be an awful mess with the adjoining room complaining about the volume of our tv, and us having to listen to their "bathroom and bedroom activities" HAL gave a $250.00 rebate to each cabin.

 

The Maasdam is our favorite HAL Ship. Because of medical conditions, neither of us is allowed out in the sun so we always book inside cabins. We like the K cabins because they are close to midship. We booked a K and were upgraded to an I cabin for the upcoming three week cruise over the holidays. It is pretty much the same cabin, four decks higher. No big deal.

 

We have booked several M guarentees and been upgraded almost every time. The "Ocean View" means that they throw in a bathtub and a window or porthole. We much prefer the I, J, K, L or M cabins to the Ocean View portholes. Although there is a price difference, these inside cabins are all pretty much alike on the Maasdam.

[BumperII]

P. S. It has been our experience that even the most economical cabins on the Maasdam are very nice and very comfortable and much nicer than the cabins on competing cruise lines. After our first cruise on the Maasdam, we cruised on two other lines, and have booked strictly Holland America ever since.

[macky2]

Thanks Bumper II. Was the not-so-great room that you ended up with after the renovations on the Maasdam or on another ship? I'd like to avoid that room if possible! We had that situation once in a very nice hotel and while it started out being funny it got embarrasing over time :eek:.

 

Your info has been very helpful. Thanks for the encouraging words about the size of the inside rooms on the Maasdam. A month is a long time to be uncomfortable in a too-small or poorly laid out stateroom.

 

So far I am leaning toward booking an inside room. As I look at the stateroom pictures on HAL's website it looks as though the window on the OV rooms is over the bed. I'm not so sure we would be able to enjoy the view very much with this type of room arrangement. I guess it might be better if the beds were set up as twins rather than one bed? It seems a nice chair under the window where you could sit and look out the window while reading or enjoying a glass of wine would be a better arrangement.

 

Kathy

[Rainbow Bridge]

We also have a future booking on this trip....all the 2012 cruises for the Canada/New England itinerary are posted. There is a gap from July 14 to August 18 which probably is the VOV. My TA is going to check Monday to try to find out when that cruise will be posted....not that I am anxious to find out what ports we'll be visiting :D:D:D:D!

 

Gena

[macky2]

Hi Gena,

 

I hope you will come back and let us know if your TA learns when this cruise will be posted. July 14 to August 18 - now I know when. Hopefully soon we will know exactly where.

 

Kathy

[Jade13]

We have been in an OV "C" and it was really large for an OV. We are looking at a Lanai and it would be smaller. The biggest negative is that it is not much less than a Veranda.

 

I wonder if VOV will go to Norway in 2012 as it is being skipped in 2011, I believe in favor of Scotland.

[Jade13]

We also have a future booking on this trip....all the 2012 cruises for the Canada/New England itinerary are posted. There is a gap from July 14 to August 18 which probably is the VOV. My TA is going to check Monday to try to find out when that cruise will be posted....not that I am anxious to find out what ports we'll be visiting :D:D:D:D!

 

Gena

 

How do you have a future booking without dates or prices?

[shoppern]

We just returned from a Boston-Montreal cruise aboard the Maasdam. We booked a guaranteed obstructed OV, and got 376. We had two beds, and each of us had a view of the ocean while we were sitting on our beds--facing left and right of the obstruction. No problem. It was as quiet as any other room we've had, and our first OV--always had verandahs in the past. If we cruise on the M. again, we may go for a higher letter, but were perfectly satisfied--the service was as good as it was when we had a verandah.

[sail7seas]

How do you have a future booking without dates or prices?

 

 

HAL takes deposits for "Future Cruise Requests' and as soon as the cruise is finalized and ready for booking, those who have made a deposit get first choice.

[SeaDays]

We're recent occupants of 769 (inside).

 

The positives --

 

This is one of the few fore-and-after oriented staterooms. It's more square than the standard inside, and is definitely roomier. In fact, it felt more like a mini-suite, with a distinct living area with a sofa, table, and two side chairs. Great for entertaining.

 

The negatives --

 

When we first entered the room, there was a cooking (frying) order. Perhaps there's a vent of some sort that needed adjustment. It improved as the cruise progressed, and I do think something was sprayed daily to alleviate the situation.

 

There are crew stairs behind the cabin, as well as some machinery that produced a slight noise while underway. We got used to it.

 

All-in-all, we would book this cabin again.

 

SeaDays

[macky2]

Thanks to Jade 13, shoppern, and SeaDays. Very helpful information.

 

I have a long wait until this cruise in 2012, so I will keep watching these boards for additional information from cruisers who have been on the Maasdam and who may have positive or negative things to say about the inside or OV cabins that they have stayed in.

 

Kathy

[BumperII]

The ship that we had the problem on was the Maasdam sister ship Veendam. After the drydock, cabins K548 and K549 were each retro fitted into two cabins, K548A and K549A. As I said before, no sound insulation between them.

 

As far as I know, they haven't done this to the Maasdam yet, but it may be done at the next drydock overhaul.

 

A lot depends on your cruising style. We use the cabin for the "S" activities, Sleep, Shower, Shave, etc., etc., etc. :o Other than that, we are pretty much in the public areas involved in shipboard pastimes. We don't dine in the bedroom at home, and we don't care to dine in the cabin either.

[Linda&Vern]

. . . If you could choose any inside or OV cabin on the Maasdam for a 35 day cruise which would you choose? . . . Kathy

If a Veranda or Suite is not an option then personally I would stay in any stateroom on the Lower Promenade deck. Biggest veranda on the ship. But that's just me.