Maasdam Renovation?

[Strathmore]

Is there a reworking/renovation of the Maasdam planned for the near future? Any word on what it will involve? Timing?

[sail7seas]

Maasdam goes to dry dock about early April for around three weeks. I can't put my hand on the notes I took of when she goes. It's something like April 4 to April 24 (roughly).

Last I heard is she will have the new style showroom, MIX (the new style bars), Lanai Cabins installed but will keep her aft pool. :) She'll get lots of new soft goods and new decorating in cabins, carpets and paint.

I don't know what mechanical work will be done.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Ryndam just had the Mix and new showroom added in April 2010 -- but not the Lanai cabins. We were told that for now the Lanai cabins have been put on hold for the Ryndam, Statendam and Maasdam.

We loved the new carpets, furniture, curtains, bathroom in our S cabin.

[mckjimbo]

leaving on massdam dec 6th.southern cribb.any reviews on ship

[JohnQ]

Just back from 10 days on Maasdam and a short report. While the ship overall looked pretty good to us and the crew as friendly as ever, there seems to be some mechanical things going on. We were one of many on 11/2 cruise with no ac or ineffective ac. We had a cabin on A-deck which was hot from 1st day. Our friend had cabin next door and his ac appeared to be fine.

We complained and asked for assistance from the very first day. They were checking on it or working on it but would never say what problem was. They gave us large box fan which certainly helped, even though it took 1/4 of the cabin.

When it didn't get better, they offered us the only vacant cabin on ship (?) the last one in stern on Main Deck. When we checked it out, it was definitely cooler and we were coming into harbor so it wasn't too rough. We moved down there and the ride there was bumpy the whole time especially when we were really hauling. My wife was sick for two dinners and two nights, using a patch, pill and wrist bands. This was our 8th cruise and she has never been this sick.

We heard several others from top verandas to bottom complaining of air cond problems, and also a few cabins were being frozen out. We know of one cabin offered a free cruise.

We have taken 4 cruises with HAL, love the staff, the smaller ships, but this was not fun. We are not used to Caribbean, it was very humid, and maybe hotter than normal with several days in mid 80's.

We also had a small fire on A deck on 5th or 6th day that they evacuated that floor of ship in front for a few hours. There was visible smoke. Crew did a good job and we were kept informed. Our friends cabin was warm for the rest of the cruise and we gave him our fan!

Just a word of caution. Hope your cruise will be good. Hopefully, these ac problems will be fixed before or during the retrofit.

[fann1sh]

I'm repeating something mentioned from time to time here by HVAC experts: no refit can completely cure the on again/off again air conditioning problems of the S class ships. HAL engineers do a good juggling job, but I've read the problem is intrinsic to these ships' construction and age.

Speculation on my part: adding lanai cabins and aft cabins on Veendam certainly couldn't have helped the periodic a/c problems. Eliminating those changes from the "SoE" refits to the other S ships might be a way of preventing those problems from getting worse.

[bepsf]

I'm repeating something mentioned from time to time here by HVAC experts: no refit can completely cure the on again/off again air conditioning problems of the S class ships. HAL engineers do a good juggling job, but I've read the problem is intrinsic to these ships' construction and age.

Speculation on my part: adding lanai cabins and aft cabins on Veendam certainly couldn't have helped the periodic a/c problems. Eliminating those changes from the "SoE" refits to the other S ships might be a way of preventing those problems from getting worse.

Indeed.
Imagine owning a large beach home with a 20 year old HVAC system that worked sporadically, you'd be thinking of replacing/upgrading the mechanicals wouldn't you? Imagine instead adding a whole new wing of bedrooms and replacing a bunch of existing fixed windows with new French Doors but not adding to or replacing the old HVAC system and expecting it to work as well as it did when it was new - That would be the height of foolishness, wouldn't it?

That's exactly what HAL was doing with the old ships - and it's clearly not working.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Oh my, now you all have me wondering whether the lanai cabin I have booked on the Maasdam will be a no show! :eek:

We haven't been on a HAL cruise since our very first one back in 1992, and we'd love to come back and try them again. However, we're having some bad luck booking with HAL. We planned a short cruise on the Westerdam, only to have HAL cancel it to switch the itinerary.

Then we booked our Maasdam lanai cabin because it sounded so nice, and it was quite a bit less expensive than the other verandah cabins. Now if this doesn't pan out, I'm afraid we'll have to rethink our desire to return to HAL. One can only stand so much upheaval. :D

[Himself]

I think that the renovations will include the Showroom at Sea, and putting in the Mix. I am not sure if they are going put in cabins with access to the lower promenade deck. One thing I am sure is that they are not going to do to the MAASDAM that which they did to the VEENDAM. It should be all okey.

[DutchByAssociation]

The Ryndam just had the Mix and new showroom added in April 2010 -- but not the Lanai cabins. We were told that for now the Lanai cabins have been put on hold for the Ryndam, Statendam and Maasdam.

We loved the new carpets, furniture, curtains, bathroom in our S cabin.

the red part is incorrect. Not sure at the moment where they stand for Statendam and Ryndam

[DutchByAssociation]

Oh my, now you all have me wondering whether the lanai cabin I have booked on the Maasdam will be a no show! :eek:

After this April's dry dock it will be there

[DutchByAssociation]

To condense it down as basic as possible:

Maasdam will receive every upgrade that Statendam and Ryndam have received. PLUS Lanai Rooms.

[Cruise_More_Often]

To condense it down as basic as possible:

Maasdam will receive every upgrade that Statendam and Ryndam have received. PLUS Lanai Rooms.Thank you! I am so looking forward to my cruise, and it's not until 2012.