Please tell me more about the Prinsendam

[LindaM]

The cabins are different from what I am used to seeing...haven't seen portholes in quite a long while! :D

 

Don't get confused by the photos. There are VERY few cabins with portholes on Prinsendam. Most of the OV's have a nice sized window with a couch adjacent to it. I prefer that to the window above the bed on other ships. The cabins with the portholes are at the very front of the ship, and have a much less expensive price.

 

I apologize for sounding so negative about Ocean Princess. It's just that Prinsendam is SO special, that nothing compares. I've been known to compare her to a luxury line that we have sailed. People pay more for her without blinking an eye, because she is more like a luxury line than a mainstream line ship.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Thanks so much for the honest feedback! The itinerary we are considering, Amsterdam to Barcelona with many stops in between keeps calling out to me...we love port intensive cruises and she visits such unusual ports. Sounds like I might be better off choosing a specific cabin than doing a guarantee.

 

Thanks again!!

[Cruzin Terri]

I will be on the Prinsendam on a partial of the Grand South America next January.

We have book a AB Guarantee (Verancah Suite). I realize these are in the aft of the ship. While not having a walk-in closet would not bother me, what would bother me is a lot of noise and vibration.

Should I be concerned about this. Is it worth my while to step it up a notch an book a guarantee at the next level--AA.

 

Note, if you are not doing the full 68 days, you are not able to choose a specific cabin.

 

Thanks for any and all advice.

Terri

[jtl513]

The cabins with the portholes are at the very front of the ship, and have a much less expensive price.

And yet our porthole cabin (303) cost more per day than the Lower Promenade cabins we've had on each of the four S-class

ships.

 

Should I be concerned about this. Is it worth my while to step it up a notch an book a guarantee at the next level--AA

According to kazu's posts on other P'dam threads, that's a big YES. She advises everyone to avoid the AB because of vibrations. :) Edited March 16, 2014 by jtl513

[Cruzin Terri]

According to kazu's posts on other P'dam threads, that's a big YES. She advises everyone to avoid the AB because of vibrations. :)

 

Thanks, Talked to DH. We will call TA tomorrow and bump it up to AA guarantee and thus avoid those aft cabins.

Appreciate the advice.

Terri

[LindaM]

And yet our porthole cabin (303) cost more per day than the Lower Promenade cabins we've had on each of the four S-class

ships.

 

According to kazu's posts on other P'dam threads, that's a big YES. She advises everyone to avoid the AB because of vibrations. :)

 

Perhaps the cost had something to do with the itinerary. On our Kiel Canal cruise, we had friends book the porthole cabins on Dolphin at a great savings around final payment. I believe HAL has them listed as the least expensive outside category. I am too lazy to look at the book.

 

I just reread your post...the issue is that any cabin on Prinsendam is going to cost more than on any other HAL ship. People pay it...so they can charge more.

[catl331]

I just reread your post...the issue is that any cabin on Prinsendam is going to cost more than on any other HAL ship. People pay it...so they can charge more.

Right. HAL has done a great job of hyping this ship, and some people are willing to pay a premium for the "special" ship. We (DH jtl513 and I) just don't think it's significantly better than the Maasdam or Ryndam. Edited March 16, 2014 by catl331

[Storylady]

We just finished the Grand Voyage around SA on the Prinsendam. And I must tell you the Elegant Explorer is looking great.

 

I learned that the plumbing on the Prinsendam was entirely replaced in 2007. There were some plumbing issues on the Prinsendam. But when talking to the Chief Engineer-Wilco, he said that the number one thing causing plumbing problems is inappropriate items in the toilet. The item, he finds the most is the cloth towels in the public restrooms. He mentioned he also found a pair of men's pants.

 

And most of the ship that we don't see was totally replaced. All of this was expensive, so we were told that the Prinsendam is going to be around for quite a few years. Toward the end of our cruise, chairs and tables for the Veranda decks were replaced with new furniture. The ship was constantly being painted and varnished.

 

As for the entertainment. I was shocked by how fantastic the Prinsendam Singers and Dancers were. The two females dancers are now gone and a couple has replaced them. They dance with the singers and also separately. Wished we could have had them more often.

 

The Adagio duo was great. Brothers on piano and violin. Also loved the Station Band which performers in the Ocean Bar. Prinsendam Orchestra only performed as back-up to the entertainment. They did perform a half hour show and received a standing ovation from the audience.

 

We had an Oceanview room forward of the atrium and it was very quite. Love the walk in closet. All the oceanview rooms are 191 sq feet. They are slightly smaller than the oceanview rooms on the R and the S Class ships. But I like the layout better. The layout is similar to what you get in a veranda. So we had space to walk around in. We took a stateroom with a shower rather than the tub. Having been on the Prinsendam before with a tub, I thought I would enjoy the shower. The shower is tiny, but I felt safer standing on the floor rather that the tub when the ship was rolling with the swells.

 

The Prinsendam sails beautifully. It cuts through the water. From what the senior staff said, it has something to do with her lovely rear end. In fact, Captain Andre made mention of her rear end in reference to another ship with a flat rear end that was in port as we were leaving.

 

The crew is fantastic. And part of that comes from the two Captains that are in charge of the Prinsendam. We had Captain Timothy for the first part of the voyage until we reached Fortaleza, Brazil. Then we had Captain Andre for the rest of the voyage. I really liked Captain Andre and look forward to sailing with him again. We had a messed up meet & mingle at the end. For those doing meet and mingles, make sure to put your requests in writing. We had changed the M&M to a Happy Hour and the change didn't get noted. The Captain and the senior staff showed up, but we didn't. No hard feels from Captain Andre as he appeared at our Happy Hour in the Crows Nest and even talked for 15 minutes before going back to work.

Edited March 16, 2014 by Storylady
Added a word

[LindaM]

Right. HAL has done a great job of hyping this ship, and some people are willing to pay a premium for the "special" ship. We (DH jtl513 and I) just don't think it's significantly better than the Maasdam or Ryndam.

 

I get it...I'm a little slow...especially on the days when I spend time with my mother with dementia---it rubs off!

 

I understand that some people don't think Prinsendam is any better than other HAL ships. I can only compare her with HAL Amsterdam. Someday, I may try Maasdam and Ryndam because of people who sing their praises. (Although, I tend to trust Jacqui's opinion, even tho' I've never met her!)

 

I don't think HAL has hyped this ship. I think the passengers who truly love her have. I first discovered her on a Conde Nast "best" list---which picqued my interest.

 

At any rate, HAL knows there is a select group who will pay through the nose to sail her, and take advantage of her spectacular itineraries. Captain Tim shared with us at a cocktail party that the quality of the materials used to build her (like in the Crow's Nest) is far superior to most ships. I appreciate those special touches. But, to each his own! I wouldn't pay to sail her either, if I didn't think it was worth it.

[Pettifogger]

I agree with all the nice things said here about the Prinsendam; I have chosen her for six of my eleven Holland America cruises. But there is another ship in the Grand Voyage class, the Amsterdam. She may not be quite as petite or elegant as the Prinsendam, but my cruise experience aboard her was every bit as grand as those on the Prinsendam.

[kazu]

And yet our porthole cabin (303) cost more per day than the Lower Promenade cabins we've had on each of the four S-class

ships.

 

According to kazu's posts on other P'dam threads, that's a big YES. She advises everyone to avoid the AB because of vibrations. :)

 

Thanks, Talked to DH. We will call TA tomorrow and bump it up to AA guarantee and thus avoid those aft cabins.

Appreciate the advice.

Terri

 

Good move Terri IMO. I don't think you will regret that decision ;)

 

One of our table mates was happy when some got off the ship as they got a 'sleeping' cabin. they were experienced cruisers and had been on the EE before and had been excited about their 'upgrade' to the AB category. By the next night it became obvious that this was not an upgrade in their experience

[ksqueak]

Thanks so much for the honest feedback! The itinerary we are considering, Amsterdam to Barcelona with many stops in between keeps calling out to me...we love port intensive cruises and she visits such unusual ports. Sounds like I might be better off choosing a specific cabin than doing a guarantee.

 

Thanks again!!

 

 

I did that cruise last year and it's awesome! Had a ocean view with a window. I did not have a tub but did have the walk in closet. LOVE the ship and would book again.

 

I see no one has yet responded that the outside cabins, the bed do push together. However, I had only one nightstand and the bed was literally up against the door. I also think I had a room dedicated to solos as the mattresses had worn differently. I made the steward switch them and had a much better cruise.

[whogo]

Does the back end of the Prinsendam still vibrate terribly? I thought they might have eliminated the vibration in the 2012 dry dock when they replaced propellers, propeller shafts, turbines, thrusters, and other parts.

[Cruzin Terri]

Thanks for all the good advice about the aft cabins.

Just got off the phone with my TA. We switched the GTY to AA. She also checked that the two AAs (handicapped) on the 200 deck are taken for the full cruise, so no possibility of them.

For the little extra that it costs, it gives us a lot of peace of mind and probably many good nights sleep.

I wish HAL would let us choose our cabin.

Terri

[kazu]

Does the back end of the Prinsendam still vibrate terribly? I thought they might have eliminated the vibration in the 2012 dry dock when they replaced propellers, propeller shafts, turbines, thrusters, and other parts.

 

It didn't seem as bad in 2013 whogo. Now, the captain did wait to come into many ports. On the few where he had to arrive early, I did hear about vibrations but it didn't seem to be as bothersome to some as the previous cruise. Now, vibrations are subjective. Some seemed to be very bothered. Vibrations are probably like the MDR - subjective. However, vibrations are still there - at least in the AB cabins.

 

I didn't hear any comments from the other aft cabins - but I just might not have met those people:D We were on for 31 days last time:)

Edited March 17, 2014 by kazu

[kazu]

I get it...I'm a little slow...especially on the days when I spend time with my mother with dementia---it rubs off!

 

I understand that some people don't think Prinsendam is any better than other HAL ships. I can only compare her with HAL Amsterdam. Someday, I may try Maasdam and Ryndam because of people who sing their praises. (Although, I tend to trust Jacqui's opinion, even tho' I've never met her!)

 

I don't think HAL has hyped this ship. I think the passengers who truly love her have. I first discovered her on a Conde Nast "best" list---which picqued my interest.

 

At any rate, HAL knows there is a select group who will pay through the nose to sail her, and take advantage of her spectacular itineraries. Captain Tim shared with us at a cocktail party that the quality of the materials used to build her (like in the Crow's Nest) is far superior to most ships. I appreciate those special touches. But, to each his own! I wouldn't pay to sail her either, if I didn't think it was worth it.

 

Linda - the Maasdam is our 2nd favourite ship in the fleet currently (next to the P'dam). We are back on the Maasdam next Friday and internet permitting I will be reporting in - especially with the reports on a recent cruise. Fingers crossed she's as good as last time:)

 

And I agree, when the Prinsendam was built, she was built for luxury - and it still shows - For example, the woodwork in the Suite cabins (SY, SS, S, PS) is incredible and beautiful:)

[casamariposa]

I'm a 4-Star Mariner on HAL and have over 150 days on the Maasdam alone and never thought I could love another ship as much as the Maasdam. I was on the Holiday cruise on the Prinsendam this past December and fell in love with the ship. It is so easy to get to meet people because of her small size. The crew and staff are outstanding. The food and entertainment were wonderful. Now I am spoiled. I'm booked on the Amazon Explorer this coming November. I'm a "destination" cruiser and the Prinsendam visits the most interesting destinations. And, yes, we could anchor in ports the larger ships could not. One thing I loved about the P., is the walk-in closet in the cabins, at least the outside cabin I was in.

[sunsetbeachgal]

I emailed the travel agent this morning to get the ball rolling..!! And thanks to all of the inputs I think my expectations are realistic. This is a port intensive voyage and we are so excited about the itinerary!

[LindaM]

I am so glad we were able to convince you, even though a couple of people disagreed. The majority of posters (some of whom I don't know from CC) corroborated what most of us feel. Please let us know if you were pleased!! Another aspect I liked( comparing Prinsendam's appearance to Ocean Princess) are her beautiful open staircases. Very elegant! If you have an early excursion, you can order a hot breakfast from room service, as well.

 

Have a great cruise!

[kazu]

I emailed the travel agent this morning to get the ball rolling..!! And thanks to all of the inputs I think my expectations are realistic. This is a port intensive voyage and we are so excited about the itinerary!

 

 

 

Good for you. I hope you enjoy this ship as much as we have.

 

Since you have been on Ocean Princess, I think you have a good idea what to expect and I hope that your expectations are exceeded.

 

We're looking forward to being back on her in September:D and yes, ours is port intensive too. Be sure to join your roll call. P'dm cruisers are usually quite well travelled and a great bunch (JMO though).

 

Smooth seas and have fun planning:D

[jtl513]

I understand that some people don't think Prinsendam is any better than other HAL ships.

We didn't say that. We said the differences from other HAL ships of the same vintage don't justify the price differences, In Our Opinon.

I don't think HAL has hyped this ship. I think the passengers who truly love her have.

For starters, it wasn't the passengers who gave her the "Elegant Explorer" nickname, or say that she "has the feel of a classic yacht."

 

I like the ship. I like all HAL ships that we've been on ... but I was disappointed because I was expecting much more from the hype from both HAL and fans.

 

DW's favorite ship is your #2 choice, the Amsterdam. I prefer newer ships.

Edited March 17, 2014 by jtl513

[Aruba]

There's something about the Prinsendam that inspires loyalty and affection from past passengers. I haven't been on her since 2009...yet I still say Prinsendam is may favorite HAL ship.

[LindaM]

We didn't say that. We said the differences from other HAL ships of the same vintage don't justify the price differences, In Our Opinon.

For starters, it wasn't the passengers who gave her the "Elegant Explorer" nickname, or say that she "has the feel of a classic yacht."

 

I like the ship. I like all HAL ships that we've been on ... but I was disappointed because I was expecting much more from the hype from both HAL and fans.

 

DW's favorite ship is your #2 choice, the Amsterdam. I prefer newer ships.

 

I didn't know it was HAL who called her "Elegant Explorer"---I knew I just heard it here. I understand about being disappointed. We sailed Regent Navigator (luxury line) and couldn't say enough good things about it. After our second trip, we didn't think it was any better than Prinsendam---and in many cases worse and not worth the inflated price! I expected "luxury" for our second cruise as well. Didn't happen!

[jtl513]

I didn't know it was HAL who called her "Elegant Explorer"---I knew I just heard it here.

Come to think of it, I don't know for sure whether HAL or fans started using the term first, but HAL certainly likes to use it now. With lower-case e's though:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Simple.action?requestPage=Prinsendam&himage=no&WT.ac=footer_promo_msPrinsendam_US

When we were on, there wasn't a day that the CD didn't use it at least once.

[kazu]

Come to think of it, I don't know for sure whether HAL or fans started using the term first, but HAL certainly likes to use it now. With lower-case e's though:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Simple.action?requestPage=Prinsendam&himage=no&WT.ac=footer_promo_msPrinsendam_US

When we were on, there wasn't a day that the CD didn't use it at least once.

 

HAL dubbed her the Elegant Explorer a very long time ago - I believe she was nick named that when she first came into the fleet. (I'm recalling a post by DBA but I can't find it).