Need advice on Prinsendam

[Infi]

We're considering booking a cruise on the Prinsendam for later this year. We usually choose an inside cabin on other HAL ships, and have grown fond of the Cat K/J large insides on the Vistas and Signatures, and the sideways inside cabins on the S-class ships and were hoping to book something similar for this cruise.

 

For those who have sailed the Prinsendam, what categories/locations are the larger inside cabins on this ship? I checked HAL facts and there was only one photo of an inside, a Cat K on promenade deck that looked to be pretty large, but I was hoping to hear more from those who have sailed the Prinsendam before making the decision. We would also need a shower only cabin, if that has any impact. Thanks, all! :)

[kazu]

We're considering booking a cruise on the Prinsendam for later this year. We usually choose an inside cabin on other HAL ships, and have grown fond of the Cat K/J large insides on the Vistas and Signatures, and the sideways inside cabins on the S-class ships and were hoping to book something similar for this cruise.

 

For those who have sailed the Prinsendam, what categories/locations are the larger inside cabins on this ship? I checked HAL facts and there was only one photo of an inside, a Cat K on promenade deck that looked to be pretty large, but I was hoping to hear more from those who have sailed the Prinsendam before making the decision. We would also need a shower only cabin, if that has any impact. Thanks, all! :)

 

I believe there are several large insides where the aft AB verandah cabins are. If the pic you looked at was submitted by ski ww, it is one of those cabins. They were SY cabins before HAL did the refit a few years ago if memory serves. They are indeed on that deck. If you like insides, the cabin we were in was huge.

 

Hope this helps and hopefully RuthC sees this who is very knowledgeable about insides

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Are the closets big in those rooms like 232 ??

[RuthC]

I sailed in an inside on the Prinsendam only once, so am not very conversant about them. I will say that the M-category insides on Dolphin Deck are small. I was in the single inside, which is the same size but with only one bed, and it was fine for one. But I did visit in two of the doubles along the same passageway.

 

Those cabins have the beds at right angles to each other. One couple wanted their beds together, which left maybe one foot of space on three sides. It was impossible.

Even separated, there was no room for a table or chair.

 

I was told by friends on a different cruise that the insides on upper decks are much larger. That's where I would be looking if I were to do an inside on that ship again (and couldn't get the single).

[USN59-79]

RuthC is correct. We stayed in MM503 on the Dolphin deck and it was tiny. 232 on the Promenade deck as shown in Halfacts looks to be a very good size. If you go to HAL's webpage and look at the info they provide it is less than useless. For example, it shows MM503 as 128 square feet and shows a picture similar to its L shaped bed layout. But if you look at K232 on the Promenade deck, it shows it to be 128 square feet and the same layout as MM503. When we booked our second cruise on Prinsendam I wasn't aware of Halfacts, so we just paid a few bucks more and booked an outside to get the space of a normal cabin.

[Infi]

Thanks for the helpful responses, all. Looks like I'll check out the rooms on the upper decks for more spacious insides. From looking at the deck plans, it seemed like the Cat Ms on Dolphin looked smaller, but we all know deck plans can be misleading. USN59 - agree completely that HAL's deck plans and photos are unhelpful especially when you know there's a range of square footage yet all the photos are the same. It's a little frustrating, to say the least. Jacqui and Ruth - I know you two are experts on the Prinsendam and inside cabins, so I appreciate your chiming in on this one. Special thanks to Ruth - if it wasn't for you, we never would have discovered that large insides exist in the first place! As you can see, we've been enjoying them ever since :)

 

If anyone else has any input on inside cabins on the Prinsendam, I'd appreciate hearing it!

[RuthC]

Jacqui and Ruth - I know you two are experts on the Prinsendam and inside cabins, so I appreciate your chiming in on this one. Special thanks to Ruth - if it wasn't for you, we never would have discovered that large insides exist in the first place! As you can see, we've been enjoying them ever since :)

Glad to hear it! Keep enjoying those large insides as long as you can. :)

 

I love my inside cabins, but I like to be comfortable in them, with some space to spread out. I don't mind spreading the word so others can have the benefit of my experience.

I wouldn't call myself an "expert" on the Prinsendam, but the two cruises I took on her were long ones, so I did learn a little something. I would never share one of the M-cabins on that ship; I wouldn't want one alone---they are just too small. The single inside was fine for one, as having no second bed left floor space for the other furniture.

The bathroom was a good size, and the closet was fabulous.

[Mary Ellen]

As we require a shower stall, we usually go for the large insides on HAL. The Prinsendam is one where we've gone for an outside cabin as we can select a cabin with a shower stall (about half have the shower vs. the tub/shower combo). The outside cabin arrangement is also better on the Prinsendam than on the other ships in the fleet. We like having the sofa by the large window. If you keep your eye on the prices you may find a substantial drop. Our outside cabin was $300-400 less per person than what the insides originally went for.