Inside cabin vs. outside cabin Maasdam

[Sandifer]

I've just booked an inside cabin on the Maasdam for a Montreal to Boston sailing. I've never sailed HAL before, always Celebrity or Royal Caribbean, everything from inside to outside to balcony. I'm trying to decide whether I should switch to an outside cabin for this trip. Can you tell me how much difference there is on HAL between inside and outside cabins? P.s. We usually don't spend that much time in our cabin.

[Druke I]

Well, of course, the main difference is the window, or lack thereof.

We much prefer outside cabins, where we can get a handle on the weather before we venture out.

Of course, insides are nice and dark - and you can always use the bridge-cam feature on the in-cabin TV to get a handle on the weather.

Montreal/Boston is a nice itinerary, particulary if the colors "change" for you.

[RuthC]

If you're talking "size" then there's little difference between a "large outside" and a "large inside". IIRC there are a few "standard insides"---AKA "cabinettes".
If you're talking about Lower Promenade Deck, the insides are roomier than the outsides.

In any case, you'll love the ship and itinerary.

[Robin7]

IIRC there are a few "standard insides"---AKA "cabinettes".

We were in an NN (4011, only TWO of them on the ship) on the Zuiderdam and in an M on the Oosterdam. Both were TEENY, TINY standard insides. (That's what we get for booking a guarantee and hoping for the upgrade fairy, but we didn't pay much, either.) No couch, just a chair and small table. They were OK. We didn't (and don't want to) spend a lot of time in our cabin.

Robin

[RuthC]

Let's be fair, though, Robin. On the Vista's all the cabins are smaller than the comparable category on an S- or R-class ship.
In a "standard inside" on those you can actually turn around without stepping on the bed. :rolleyes:

[boards]

We have cruised in both cabins and as has been said the main difference is the lack of a window. We found it not to be a problem not having one. It is to navigate in the cabin at night without the light. The cost is the big factor allows for more cruises or other things.

[Robin7]

Let's be fair, though, Robin. On the Vista's all the cabins are smaller than the comparable category on an S- or R-class ship.
In a "standard inside" on those you can actually turn around without stepping on the bed. :rolleyes:

You make me laugh. (I loved the 'cabinette' designation, too!) :D On the Oosterdam last October, I actually squished my husband when I opened the bathroom door because he was getting into the closet. :eek:

I've never been on an S- or R-class ship. Looking forward to the Zaandam at the end of July, though.

We were on the (1991) Westerdam and the (1992) Nieuw Amsterdam, but I'm not sure how those compare to the R- and S-class ships of today. (And we wanted a double bed so paid for outsides on those ships as the insides only had twins which did not push together, if my memory is correct.)

Robin

[blossom]

Sandifer;

My husband and I have sailed on the Maasdam twice and have booked both the inside and outside cabins. Both times the cabins were located on the Lower Promenade Deck. As other posters have said the only difference is the lack of a window for the inside vs the outside. The lighting in the inside cabin more than makes up for this difference. The room is only a little bit bigger than the outside cabin. We prefer the lower promenade deck for it's easy access to the outside walkway and the main lobby and shops. You can check HAL's website for the actual square footage of the cabin. Some of the inside rooms do not come with a bathtub (shower only).

Whatever you decide, enjoy your cruise.

Blossom

[user8]

Our standard fare is to select an outside cabin so we can see out. However when we took a RCCL cruise of the Norwegian fjords up to the North Cape, we purposely selected an inside cabin, not only for the cost difference but also because it did not have a window. Having lived in Norway before we were aware of the extended period of daylight they have in the summer. Our inside cabin was very comfortable and we book the same way if we went there again. We still prefer the outside cabins for most destinations, however.

[CPPADILLA]

We were on the Maasdam last September for the Boston to Montreal cruise. We've always had a balcony cabin and naturally we booked one for the Maasdam trip. As it turned out on this particular cruise we did not use the balcony all that much as it was right down cold sitting out on the balcony and some days quite windy too. Half way through the cruise I started thinking that we really could have done without the balcony cabin this trip and certainly would have saved ourselves some money.

[csg99]

we had an inside on the Maasdam, and it was identical in size to our outside on the Veendam. We have NEVER slept as deeply as we did on the Maasdam! Normally early risers (before 6am--can't seem to break the habit), we awoke the morning we were at HMC to people conversing loudly while walking by our cabin. I was so irritated that people would be so discourteous as to do that at 5:30am or so--then I looked at the clock--9am! Granted, it was the day after a long day's travel, but we haven't slept that late since our first child was born.....something to be said for the lack of light peeking in around the window!

[Scrumpy]

we had an inside on the Maasdam, and it was identical in size to our outside on the Veendam. We have NEVER slept as deeply as we did on the Maasdam! Normally early risers (before 6am--can't seem to break the habit), we awoke the morning we were at HMC to people conversing loudly while walking by our cabin. I was so irritated that people would be so discourteous as to do that at 5:30am or so--then I looked at the clock--9am! Granted, it was the day after a long day's travel, but we haven't slept that late since our first child was born.....something to be said for the lack of light peeking in around the window!

It is so funny that you say that! We slept much better on Maasdam than we did on Zuiderdam!!! We had an outside on Maasdam and an SS on Zuiderdam, so either way we could have had some light. I think that there is more motion on Maasdam and it made us sleep more deeply. However, we had to get an egg crate for the mattress on Zui a few days into the cruise because the mattress was not great, so maybe it was the bed.

My MIL had an inside on Maasdam and I think it was larger than our outside. I remember seeing her cabin and thinking it must be either larger or arranged more efficiently. I'd have been quite happy with her cabin.

Scrumpy

[Scrumpy]

I also wonder if there are large insides and standard outsides and that might explain the size difference I perceived. (I tried to edit the post above, but for whatever reason, it didn't work). I can't recall the exact cabin categories we booked. I have my info around here somewhere from Maasdam, but I don't have hers. Oh well...

BTW, good for you sleeping in. Think you'll get to do that in December? I hope you get lots of sleep and have lots of fun (and that we'll be there to share that - the fun, not the sleep, LOL!).

[csg99]

I also wonder if there are large insides and standard outsides and that might explain the size difference I perceived. (I tried to edit the post above, but for whatever reason, it didn't work). I can't recall the exact cabin categories we booked. I have my info around here somewhere from Maasdam, but I don't have hers. Oh well...

BTW, good for you sleeping in. Think you'll get to do that in December? I hope you get lots of sleep and have lots of fun (and that we'll be there to share that - the fun, not the sleep, LOL!).

I don't know--we seem to sleep later on the ships, whatever the type of room! (we also stay up a lot later, so that could be part of the reason:o ). I hope you two get to join us in December--we didn't get to see much of you on the Zuiderdam after your ill-fated shore excursion!:(