First time on Holland America

[debut]

We are elite on Princess, and have done Celebrity, NCL, and Royal Caribbean, but never on Holland, they seem to have some of the best itenaries that's out there, very excited,

Will be on Maasdam in Feb., Does she have a library? Any place to see recent movies, think there is DVDs in cabin, do you reserve movies? How about ice cream and pizza?, and I think I read there is no salad bar in the lido.

Thanks so much and if there is anything else you think I would like to know, I surely appreciate it!

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Yes, to ice cream and pizza. There is a salad bar in the Lido but recently has become no longer self-serve. They will put whatever you choose into a very nice large bowl.

 

The Explorations Café is the name of the library although a recent thread on this board discusses HAL's phasing out of libraries although don't know how soon that will happen.

[OlsSalt]

Maasdam was our first HAL ship and we fell in love with both cruising and what HAL offers - particularly the small ships and the unique itineraries. Welcome.

 

There is a movie show room, but maybe not first run. Some times they are topical for the area you are visiting. Free popcorn -we would drop in just to pick up a bag of afternoon popcorn.

 

DVDs are available for cabin viewing. These older HAL ships have the best libraries on the high seas - lovely, leather chair and sofa reading rooms, many different category books, specialty coffees (fee), quiet games, puzzle area, computer stations reference books and a librarian and tech person to help you out.

 

I would be very surprised if there were not a salad bar as the other HAL ships have converted to a new, large bowl salad delivery system - you point to what you want in your special combo and which dressing you want and they mix it up for you in these large, but appealing salad bowls. Yum just thinking about them.

 

I do believe this is now fleet wide. If not, there were self-serve salad bars that were very good too but this new delivery system cuts down on any possible cross-contamination that can happen on self-serve lines.

 

Always several flavors of ice cream, toppings, cones and soft serve. When we just wanted something sweet and light we found the chocolate soft serve cone was just the right thing.

 

There is a pizza station and it has improved a lot from their prior "hot covered bread" things, that were tasty but definitely not pizza. Plus there is the outdoor pool side Dive-Inn with hamburgers, fries and hot dots - all very good.

 

Plus HAL ships have complimentary room service which again has very good offerings so if you want to curl up with a movie on your cabin DVD, you can have either main dining room menu items during the regular dining times or their regular room service menu

 

This room service list includes some great sandwiches and wonderful french onion soup and best of all a very moist chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. At least once a cruise we will order the club sandwich or steak sandwich, onion soup and cake. It's a HAL ritual.

 

They also offer hot breakfasts for room service too - HAL ships have the very best small croissants - very light and crisp flaky. Plus in the regular dining room and Lido buffet -some of the best homemade bread items anywhere, with lots of sweet butter if you want.

 

The ship is small so it is easy to get oriented and it quickly feels like home. Some lovely art, antiques, flower arrangements and sculptures are scattered around the ship which is also a HAL signature. We love the feel of the main dining room on these smaller HAL ships -lots of windows and a very elegant feel, particularly during the late fixed dining time - things are quiet and genteel.

 

Be sure to pay attention to the daily program to see what they are offering at the afternoon tea, because they include an Indonesian Tea and a Royal Dutch Tea on each cruise with very special items, besides the regular Tea with scones, savories and sweets which are offered on the other days. This makes a very nice mid-afternoon break, esp if you are having late seating dinner.

 

Keep in mind HAL ships are a bit "dowdy" in their decor with some quirky design patterns in carpets and upholstery -there is not an overall sense of coordination that some higher end ships offer, but most is low-key, subtle and feel more old world than high glitz modern.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise very much - check your daily program to see when the dining hours are for each venue and what activities you might lilt to join, or just curl up in the many quiet corners with a good book or e-reader. My favorite is being in a deck chair with an audio books watching the waves go by and getting lost in what I am "reading" (hearing).

[debut]

Thank you both for your knowledge of the ship, sounds great, We also enjoy getting our e-books, grabbing a nice comfy spot and reading, looking forward to this cruise:):):)

[Krazy Kruizers]

The movie theater is called the Wajang Theater and it is also called the Culinary Arts Center where there are free cooking demonstrations and usually a sample of one of the items that were cooked.

HAL also has cooking classes in the Culinary Arts Center -- costs $29 per person and is limited to 12 people. Sign up at the front desk on the first day as it usually fills up quickly if you are interested in this.

[avian777]

Some other HAL features that may or may not be of interest to you include:

1. HAL has a Roman Catholic priest (who celebrates daily Mass) on board every one of its cruises. So if spiritual renewal is an important component of your vacation experience, HAL would be a good choice.
   
2. HAL ships have "day-of-the-week" rugs in the elevators.
   
3. HAL's specialty restaurants are top-notch and reasonably priced.
   
4. The iPod "self-guided" art tour of HAL ships is worth doing if you enjoy art and/or history.
   

Attached is a copy of the HAL "Know Before You Go" booklet - it is a good overview of HAL cruises and offers lots of invaluable advice on how to make your cruise more enjoyable and less stressful.

 

Smooth sailing ...

KBYG(3).pdf

[travelinjones]

We sailed on the Maasdam last summer for the Canada and New England cruise and really loved the ship. The food was terrific in the main dining room, and along with the Dive-in burgers and hot dogs, the ship offered themed food bars on deck to correspond with some ports. For example, there was a"poutine" bar after Quebec City, a PEI potato bar after Prince Edward Island and lobster rolls after Bar Harbor.

 

We loved all the places to view scenic ports and sailing. Here's a link to a quick photo tour around the ship http://www.travelingwiththejones.com/2015/07/14/a-look-around-holland-americas-maasdam-cruise-ship/