Maasdam

[JohnSC]

We have just booked a ten day Caribbean cruise on the Maasdam. We are familiar with the ship having sailed on her before her 2011 renovations. I notice that they have changed a few things around eliminating a piano bar and adding three new cocktail bars. The review made no mention of the Ocean Bar although it is still shown on the deck plans. This has been my favorite venue on all HAL ships and I hope that it is still there. Does anyone who sailed the Maasdam since 2011 know the answer? I will be one unhappy passenger if they have eliminated it.

[PathfinderEss]

Ocean bar is still there, you can now be a happy passenger.

[POA1]

The Ocean Bar is alive and well. The new bars are really several small bars, clustered around a common area. My impression was that it's like a little food court of bars. Mix is a pretty nice little area.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Ocean Bar is still one of the nicest bars on the ship.

The Mix is made up of the Sports Bar with only 1 TV, Martini Bar, Champagne Bar and the Piano Bar. It is all open and flowing into each other. Their is a guitarist who plays from 4 - 9 PM in the sports bar and the piano players starts at 9 PM. In the sports end there are 6 tables where you can play some electronic games like chess. When we were last on the Maasdam in 2012 only 3 of the tables were working.

[Alcarondas]

All of the above; the Ocean Bar is the same as it ever was.

 

Not so for the Explorer's Lounge, however, About half of it was repurposed (along with the old King's Room private dining area) into the Pinnacle Grill. There is very little room there now.

 

Also, the old library and card/puzzle rooms were combined into the Explorations Cafe, which has a coffee/pastry bar and a number of computer stations in addition to the library. I personally found the area to be a bit too busy to be used as a reading area, but that might just be me.

 

The also carved out a section of the Lido and turned it into the Canaletto Italian restaurant.

 

Overall, the decor was toned down quite a bit; it's more class and less flash than before, which is fine by me.

[MAHICK]

Looks like the Maasdam will be the ship in 2016 for the 14 day Alaska RT from Seattle. Plan on celebrating our Silver Anniversary on one of these voyages!! Any info on the Maasdam would be greatly appreciated. What has been documented here so far concerning the new layout on the bars is fabulous!!

 

Thanks!!

[Dave in NJ]

Just off the Maasdam 2 weeks ago, it was in near-impeccable condition with no problems of any sort. Other than Prinsendam, my favorite class of HAL ship by far.

[retdon]

We have just booked a ten day Caribbean cruise on the Maasdam. We are familiar with the ship having sailed on her before her 2011 renovations. I notice that they have changed a few things around eliminating a piano bar and adding three new cocktail bars. The review made no mention of the Ocean Bar although it is still shown on the deck plans. This has been my favorite venue on all HAL ships and I hope that it is still there. Does anyone who sailed the Maasdam since 2011 know the answer? I will be one unhappy passenger if they have eliminated it.

 

Hi John,

We do have a thread for this cruise even though there are only 2 of us on there. Look it up and join in, hope we get more going before we sail.

 

We just got a great upgrade to a Veranda Suite and very happy. It pays to keep checking the rates, especially after final payment. Lnda

[KirkNC]

Glad to hear so many good things about the Massdam, we will be on her in two weeks....Rio during Carnaval. My co-workers are afraid I will never return :D.

 

Ocean Bar is always our favorite on all the HAL ships.

[Dayenu]

All of the above; the Ocean Bar is the same as it ever was.

 

Also, the old library and card/puzzle rooms were combined into the Explorations Cafe, which has a coffee/pastry bar and a number of computer stations in addition to the library. I personally found the area to be a bit too busy to be used as a reading area, but that might just be me.

 

Overall, the decor was toned down quite a bit; it's more class and less flash than before, which is fine by me.

 

Thank you for this post! I wondered why there is no library on the deck plans.

[take us away]

Thank you for this post! I wondered why there is no library on the deck plans.

 

It is usually called the Explorers Café on deck plans. Have not seen a 'library' listed on a deck plan in a long time.

[Alberta Quilter]

Slight correction to the above post (quote function doesn't seem to be working). The library is called the Explorations Cafe, not the Explorers Cafe.

 

And the Explorations Cafe should not be confused with the Explorer's Lounge which is where the Adagio duo usually perform in the evenings.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Alberta Quilter