Review of Nov 9-24 Prinsendam New World Explorer

[Cruizer Bill]

Our trip began with a 4-day visit to Vienna and then on to Civitavecchia for the cruise. Our trip to Vienna went flawlessly and we were most fortunate the weather was in the 50's with no rain and there were not lines in the museums and palaces. Some of the outdoor attractions were closed by Nov 1st - the Danube river rides, the Prater Amusement Park and the Gardens in the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. Getting to downtown Vienna was very easy - just take the train from the Airport to whichever station is closest to your hotel.

 

We stayed at the Austria Classic Hotel Wien, which was three short blocks from the subway, and the nearest subway entrance was only two stops from the middle of Vienna - St. Stephens Cathedral. We had a wonderful time visiting Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg the Art Museum and the Austria Military Museum. There were no lines during our November 4 to 8 visit.

 

On Nov 8th, we took the train back to Vienna Airport (easy) and flew to Fiumicino-Airport (FCO). Not the hard part - getting from FCO to Civitavecchia. We read here you can ride two trains - one from FCO to the Rome Trastevere Station and then another train that goes to Pisa but stops in Civitavecchia along the way, so that is what we did. The good part is this train ride costs only 11 Euros per person, so this is what we decided to do.

 

The first train was easy - it is a long walk from the baggage claim to the train station but still manageable for most people. We bought our tickets from the ticket counter and the people there know what you want, and are very friendly. Getting on the first train is not difficult, it is only a small step up from the platform to the train and since this is the first stop on the line, there was room to put your luggage in the corner, no problem.

 

The train ride to Trastevere was about half an hour but you had to listen to the announcement for them to call the stop, we had two or three minutes notice. So far, so good. We climbed off the train in Trastevere and that is where the challenge begins. Exiting the train you walk down a flight of stairs into a tunnel. Inside the tunnel was a monitor that showed some of the trains, but not the one we wanted. It never did show the train to Pisa/Civitavecchia. We had to walk to each track and finally we found the permanent sign for Civitavecchia/Pisa on one of the tracks.

 

There was an electronic sign on each track but the track we were on never did say when the train was arriving. We had no info at all. So, we stood there not knowing when our train would arrive. After half an hour we ran over to the terminal and found a schedule that said the train would be arriving in another half hour. Eventually, we became very hungry so I ran into the terminal and all I could find was a small convenience store, where I purchased perhaps the worst sandwiches we have ever eaten, that is all they had.

 

So, the train shows up ten minutes late and the crowd of commuters rush on. Here I am with our two large suitcases that weigh 45 pounds each, plus two carry-on that DW had and they weighed about 15 pounds or so each. The train was WAY higher than the platform - small stairs and that was just the beginning. Inside the train were three or four more STEEP and NARROW steps up into the train and then a NARROW passage to where the seats were and no good place to put the luggage.

 

I put the luggage in a corner that was really in the way of people. After five minutes I noticed there was a ledge way up high so I was able to muscle the bags way over my head up onto the ledge and then they were out of the way.

The train ride was way over an hour - it took 20 minutes longer than normal. Also, the announcement for Civitavecchia gave us only about 60 seconds notice so I had to haul the bags down from up high and push them down the narrow corridor and pretty much throw them off the train. Not a fun ride!

 

We wheeled our luggage down two flights of stairs to the sidewalk along the waterfront and walked to our hotel - the Hotel Miramare.

 

We spent the evening before the cruise at the Hotel Miramare in Civitavecchia and it was very good indeed. Getting to the port required taking our bags to the train station and buying a shuttle bus ticket at the small store in the train station for 2 Euros each and boarding the bus for the port. We arrived early at the check-in terminal (11:15 AM), so we knew we had to wait a while. This cruise had a large number of 4 and 5 star Mariners so we had to wait for them and for the Suite people to board. The boarding process began at 11:30 and our number was called at 12 Noon. Very smooth process.

 

Our bags were not yet in our room so we headed up to the Lido. Food in the Lido was very good the entire trip. All ships face a daunting task to provide food for so many tastes and I believe the Prinsendam crew did a very good to excellent job satisfying everyone. Lines were usually short and there was plenty of seating available on this ship every meal.

 

Our cabin - Number 454 on the Dolphin Deck was excellent. We like the walk-in closet - lots of space for storing clothes. We also like the sliding-door bathroom as the door does not take up floor space. The bathroom is excellent and the position and shape of the bathtub allow one to sit on the edge and use the mirror on the wall above the sink. We also like the layout with the sofa near the oceanview window to allow easy viewing outside. The cabin was excellent.

 

The ship is the star of the show on any cruise and this is why we chose the Prinsendam. We like smaller ships and this one is the best. The one-floor dining room and showroom add to the ambiance and friendly feeling of this wonderful ship. The Prinsendam always costs more to sail on and it delivers in the warm, friendly feelings it gives.

 

We are not fans of HAL shore excursions. They tend to cost a lot of money and are just too slow. We come here to Cruise Critic and help arrange group tours and this works for us.

 

The entertainment was very good. Again, HAL has to please a lot of people with a variety of entertainment. However, this crowd averaged 75 years of age and I think they would have preferred music and dancing from the Broadway and Pop review of the 1950's. They had a show called "Dancing" that was absolutely ideal for the crowd! They also had a fun Juggler, Piano Player and Magician that went over well.

 

Activities were very good, there was a beginning bridge class on this voyage. There were a lot of classes on Windows 10 in the computer room. There were a number of lectures in the Showroom. They were well received.

 

This cruise was a 15 night Transatlantic that left from Rome in early November. There were no children on board and the average age was probably 75. Almost all cruisers were repeat HAL and the vast majority had sailed on the Prinsendam before. This was the most loyal group of cruisers we have ever seen. Some people we met sail ONLY on the Prinsendam.

 

Disembarkation went smoothly, very slight delay. We were off early with no problems. They really did a good job.

 

Service - the service was good. This is one of the drawing points for HAL and is why we sail on them. The crew do a good job and they do it consistently. Having said that, we sailed on the Prinsendam in July 2012 and felt the service and experience level of the crew was better on that cruise than this one. In fact, the service on this cruise was perhaps a bit less than average for any HAL cruise. Cruises on the Prinsendam cost about twice what they are on other HAL cruises. For that reason we expected superior service, but that was not the case. They still do a good job though. In particular, the cabin stewards are stretched very thin nowadays but that has been happening for years.

 

In summary, we had an excellent time on this superb ship and are very glad we went! We are booked on another HAL cruise already.

[qsuzi]

Our trip began with a 4-day visit to Vienna and then on to Civitavecchia for the cruise. Our trip to Vienna went flawlessly and we were most fortunate the weather was in the 50's with no rain and there were not lines in the museums and palaces. Some of the outdoor attractions were closed by Nov 1st - the Danube river rides, the Prater Amusement Park and the Gardens in the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. Getting to downtown Vienna was very easy - just take the train from the Airport to whichever station is closest to your hotel.

 

We stayed at the Austria Classic Hotel Wien, which was three short blocks from the subway, and the nearest subway entrance was only two stops from the middle of Vienna - St. Stephens Cathedral. We had a wonderful time visiting Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg the Art Museum and the Austria Military Museum. There were no lines during our November 4 to 8 visit.

 

On Nov 8th, we took the train back to Vienna Airport (easy) and flew to Fiumicino-Airport (FCO). Not the hard part - getting from FCO to Civitavecchia. We read here you can ride two trains - one from FCO to the Rome Trastevere Station and then another train that goes to Pisa but stops in Civitavecchia along the way, so that is what we did. The good part is this train ride costs only 11 Euros per person, so this is what we decided to do.

 

The first train was easy - it is a long walk from the baggage claim to the train station but still manageable for most people. We bought our tickets from the ticket counter and the people there know what you want, and are very friendly. Getting on the first train is not difficult, it is only a small step up from the platform to the train and since this is the first stop on the line, there was room to put your luggage in the corner, no problem.

 

The train ride to Trastevere was about half an hour but you had to listen to the announcement for them to call the stop, we had two or three minutes notice. So far, so good. We climbed off the train in Trastevere and that is where the challenge begins. Exiting the train you walk down a flight of stairs into a tunnel. Inside the tunnel was a monitor that showed some of the trains, but not the one we wanted. It never did show the train to Pisa/Civitavecchia. We had to walk to each track and finally we found the permanent sign for Civitavecchia/Pisa on one of the tracks.

 

There was an electronic sign on each track but the track we were on never did say when the train was arriving. We had no info at all. So, we stood there not knowing when our train would arrive. After half an hour we ran over to the terminal and found a schedule that said the train would be arriving in another half hour. Eventually, we became very hungry so I ran into the terminal and all I could find was a small convenience store, where I purchased perhaps the worst sandwiches we have ever eaten, that is all they had.

 

So, the train shows up ten minutes late and the crowd of commuters rush on. Here I am with our two large suitcases that weigh 45 pounds each, plus two carry-on that DW had and they weighed about 15 pounds or so each. The train was WAY higher than the platform - small stairs and that was just the beginning. Inside the train were three or four more STEEP and NARROW steps up into the train and then a NARROW passage to where the seats were and no good place to put the luggage.

 

I put the luggage in a corner that was really in the way of people. After five minutes I noticed there was a ledge way up high so I was able to muscle the bags way over my head up onto the ledge and then they were out of the way.

The train ride was way over an hour - it took 20 minutes longer than normal. Also, the announcement for Civitavecchia gave us only about 60 seconds notice so I had to haul the bags down from up high and push them down the narrow corridor and pretty much throw them off the train. Not a fun ride!

 

We wheeled our luggage down two flights of stairs to the sidewalk along the waterfront and walked to our hotel - the Hotel Miramare.

 

We spent the evening before the cruise at the Hotel Miramare in Civitavecchia and it was very good indeed. Getting to the port required taking our bags to the train station and buying a shuttle bus ticket at the small store in the train station for 2 Euros each and boarding the bus for the port. We arrived early at the check-in terminal (11:15 AM), so we knew we had to wait a while. This cruise had a large number of 4 and 5 star Mariners so we had to wait for them and for the Suite people to board. The boarding process began at 11:30 and our number was called at 12 Noon. Very smooth process.

 

Our bags were not yet in our room so we headed up to the Lido. Food in the Lido was very good the entire trip. All ships face a daunting task to provide food for so many tastes and I believe the Prinsendam crew did a very good to excellent job satisfying everyone. Lines were usually short and there was plenty of seating available on this ship every meal.

 

Our cabin - Number 454 on the Dolphin Deck was excellent. We like the walk-in closet - lots of space for storing clothes. We also like the sliding-door bathroom as the door does not take up floor space. The bathroom is excellent and the position and shape of the bathtub allow one to sit on the edge and use the mirror on the wall above the sink. We also like the layout with the sofa near the oceanview window to allow easy viewing outside. The cabin was excellent.

 

The ship is the star of the show on any cruise and this is why we chose the Prinsendam. We like smaller ships and this one is the best. The one-floor dining room and showroom add to the ambiance and friendly feeling of this wonderful ship. The Prinsendam always costs more to sail on and it delivers in the warm, friendly feelings it gives.

 

We are not fans of HAL shore excursions. They tend to cost a lot of money and are just too slow. We come here to Cruise Critic and help arrange group tours and this works for us.

 

The entertainment was very good. Again, HAL has to please a lot of people with a variety of entertainment. However, this crowd averaged 75 years of age and I think they would have preferred music and dancing from the Broadway and Pop review of the 1950's. They had a show called "Dancing" that was absolutely ideal for the crowd! They also had a fun Juggler, Piano Player and Magician that went over well.

 

Activities were very good, there was a beginning bridge class on this voyage. There were a lot of classes on Windows 10 in the computer room. There were a number of lectures in the Showroom. They were well received.

 

This cruise was a 15 night Transatlantic that left from Rome in early November. There were no children on board and the average age was probably 75. Almost all cruisers were repeat HAL and the vast majority had sailed on the Prinsendam before. This was the most loyal group of cruisers we have ever seen. Some people we met sail ONLY on the Prinsendam.

 

Disembarkation went smoothly, very slight delay. We were off early with no problems. They really did a good job.

 

Service - the service was good. This is one of the drawing points for HAL and is why we sail on them. The crew do a good job and they do it consistently. Having said that, we sailed on the Prinsendam in July 2012 and felt the service and experience level of the crew was better on that cruise than this one. In fact, the service on this cruise was perhaps a bit less than average for any HAL cruise. Cruises on the Prinsendam cost about twice what they are on other HAL cruises. For that reason we expected superior service, but that was not the case. They still do a good job though. In particular, the cabin stewards are stretched very thin nowadays but that has been happening for years.

 

In summary, we had an excellent time on this superb ship and are very glad we went! We are booked on another HAL cruise already.

 

Enjoyed reading your review..thanks! One of the good things about many airports in Europe is that you can take a train to your destination. We took the train from Heathrow to Southampton. So convenient and cost effective.

Edited December 3, 2015 by qsuzi

[Vict0riann]

Thanks for the review, Cruizer Bill. We will be doing this cruise next year, so very interested in your remarks. Where did you feel the service was not as good? Just the room stewards or elsewhere as well?

[Cruizer Bill]

Thanks for the review, Cruizer Bill. We will be doing this cruise next year, so very interested in your remarks. Where did you feel the service was not as good? Just the room stewards or elsewhere as well?

 

Thanks! It was the room stewards, they were stretched too thin. Some days they did not get to our room until later afternoon. Other days they did not refill our ice and other times they did not leave a replacement bag and paperwork for our laundry. They just had to cover too many rooms. I remember our July 2012 Kiel Canal and Baltic cruise had truly excellent service from everyone.

[Keith1010]

I enjoyed reading your review.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time to write your review.

Very Good!!

[luvtwotrvl]

Thank you, Bill for the nice review of your cruise. I am looking forward to board the Prinsendam for our Holiday cruise coming up. Thank you for the treasure hunt, I am definitely sure we will truly enjoy it and make our cruise a lot more enjoyable with the treasure hunt.

 

 

David

[Despegue]

Thanks for the nice review!

 

Would love to sail the Elegant Explorer once, alas, DW likes larger ships as she is afraid of the ocean:rolleyes:...

[erewhon]

Thank you for your review.

[idiebabe]

Bill, enjoyed reading your review and also enjoyed meeting you and Diana! Mike and I had a great time playing Trivia and our daily Happy Hours with you both! :D

 

Totally agree about the Service! We did this same cruise last year and found the service overall to be so much better a year ago than it was on this sailing! Actually, the service this Cruise paled in comparison to our Eurodam sailing in October and our TA on the Nieuw Amsterdam last April.

 

We had the opposite experience than you! Our Room Attendants were our best ever but our Waitstaff was horrible! The worst we have ever experienced! We also noticed service lacking on Lido at lunchtime. It seemed there wasn't enough workers or interest in those there in getting the tables cleared. Many times we had to flag someone down to clear it and when they did they didn't wipe it!

 

We, too, also had a wonderful Cruise! There are many positives that we so enjoy about this Ship! :) However, we came away this time feeling that unless it's a unique Itinerary that the Prinsendam just isn't worth the extra money!

 

Great job on the review and hope to sail with you and Diana again soon! :)

Edited December 4, 2015 by idiebabe

[0bnxshs]

Thanks for the review, Cruizer Bill. We will be doing this cruise next year, so very interested in your remarks. Where did you feel the service was not as good? Just the room stewards or elsewhere as well?

 

Ann, I'll be getting on the Elegant Explorer as you are getting off her next year. :D Take good care of her for me and my FIL.

 

Thanks, Bill, for your thoughtful review. We also had occasions on Maasdam in October where we did not get our laundry bag and sheet replaced. We found that it depended on who delivered the completed laundry. Generally, the guys dressed as Yum-Yum men (not sure what they are really called) did deliveries of completed laundry and had the replacement bag and sheet. When the room stewards brought the completed laundry in they wouldn't have the replacements until later. Not sure why the disconnect on this but that's the pattern we found.

 

Glad you enjoyed Prinsendam. We too enjoyed her in 2013 and know we will again next year to the Amazon.

Edited December 4, 2015 by 0bnxshs

[Vict0riann]

Rich, we will do our best, but you know we are a party-hearty couple!:eek:

 

I am very interested to hear what the spring makeover will do for her - hope we hear from some who sails after the dry dock.

 

Cruiser Bill, did you hear any word of what will be done then? Or anything you think should be done?

[rkacruiser]

Many thanks for an interesting review. My traveling companion and I will be embarking the Prinsendam for the first time December 19th and looking forward to a new HAL experience.

 

Surely glad to learn that Lido seating is ample; not pleased to learn that there were issues in getting tables cleared. That is a management issue, in my opinion. I hope you made a comment about this on the end of cruise survey.

[sos1720]

Bill,

We had just left the ship in Civitavecchia when you got on. We took the train the opposite way, to FCO from the port. It was a challenge as you well describe but it is a lot more economical for a couple, $25 vs about $150 for the taxi. Of course, we were well-rested and not jet-lagged. I would still do the train for 3 reasons: economy, potential Italian traffic jams and the adventure of riding with the locals. We did love the ship and the crew was wonderful. Thanks for your excellent review.

[Cruizer Bill]

Bill,

We had just left the ship in Civitavecchia when you got on. We took the train the opposite way, to FCO from the port. It was a challenge as you well describe but it is a lot more economical for a couple, $25 vs about $150 for the taxi. Of course, we were well-rested and not jet-lagged. I would still do the train for 3 reasons: economy, potential Italian traffic jams and the adventure of riding with the locals. We did love the ship and the crew was wonderful. Thanks for your excellent review.

 

Thanks a lot! Yes, we saved a lot by taking the train from FCO to the ship. I wanted people to know that if they choose to do this 1) make sure you have lots of time since it could take 3 or even 4 hours and 2) make sure you are physically up to going up steep stairs and boarding a train with a BIG step up to small stairs and narrow passageways while handling your bags. Remember, we take luggage where our large bags are typically 40 to 50 pounds in weight and they have to be taken up flights of stairs, taken aboard the steep steps to the train and hoisted above your head to be put onto the overhead rack. Not everyone can do this.

[albingirl]

Great review. Thanks for taking the time to write this.

[kazu]

Thanks so much for the great review Cruiser Bill!

 

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the Prinsendam and it sound like you had a great cruise overall.

 

I had looked at this cruise but didn't want to fly to Rome. What a stupid mistake that turned out to be ;)

 

thanks so much for taking the time to share and welcome home :)