Escalators on S class?

Does anyone know which of the S class ships (Statendam, Veendam, Ryndam, Maasdam) still have the escalators? Thanks.

Statendam does, but it was only running four days out of the 15 I was onboard - no explanation.

I've not seen any escalators on the Ryndam. I am prepared to be wrong, though :)

There is still an escalator on Maasdam.

Veendam's set of escalators was removed during her APR 09 dry-dock in the Bahamas. As the remaining three "S" class ships enter dry-dock in the next couple of years for their SOE part II refits, they will also lose their "signature" escalators

Thanks, I never noticed it on the Ryndam but it is on the deck plans so I was just wondering if any of the ships had an escalator. I know I surely have too much time on my hands tonight to be asking this question - lol.

Thanks, I never noticed it on the Ryndam but it is on the deck plans so I was just wondering if any of the ships had an escalator. I know I surely have too much time on my hands tonight to be asking this question - lol.

Escalators! They are still a novelty on a cruise ship. Bet ya people here have gone up and down those escalators just for the sake of "having done it" - I have!;)

Ryndam's are gone from the most recent dry dock, Veendam's have been out since May.

Statendam and Maasdam will lose theirs at their next respective dry docks.

Ryndam's are gone from the most recent dry dock, Veendam's have been out since May.

 

Statendam and Maasdam will lose theirs at their next respective dry docks.

Dutch; re: Ryndam, are you sure? They were still in and working as of MAR/APR 07. Has Ryndam been in dry-dock since then?

DBA is right, no more on Ryndam when we sailed November 08.

Thanks, I never noticed it on the Ryndam but it is on the deck plans so I was just wondering if any of the ships had an escalator.

http://book.hollandamerica.com/fleet/deckPlan.do?ship=ry&deck=lp&year=next

http://book.hollandamerica.com/fleet/deckPlan.do?ship=ry&deck=m&year=next

I always thought the escaltors were in the wrong location.

If I had designed the ship, I would have put them down by the movie theater, where the lack of stairs/elevators is most obvious.

I always thought the escaltors were in the wrong location.

 

If I had designed the ship, I would have put them down by the movie theater, where the lack of stairs/elevators is most obvious.

I know that the Maasdam still had them last year. I loved them because my cabin was just a few steps from them and it was a quick way to get up to the next level to head outside.

I know the first time that I sailed on the Maasdam and saw the escalators, I was like "what???".

Like Druke 1 I think that in another location on the ship would had been a better choice.

If I'm correct, are they replacing this space with cabins? I think this was mentioned at the luncheon on board the ship, but not sure.

Also, when does the Maasdam go into dry dock? I'm booked on her for December 2010.

I know that the Maasdam still had them last year. I loved them because my cabin was just a few steps from them and it was a quick way to get up to the next level to head outside.

I know the first time that I sailed on the Maasdam and saw the escalators, I was like "what???".

Like Druke 1 I think that in another location on the ship would had been a better choice.

If I'm correct, are they replacing this space with cabins? I think this was mentioned at the luncheon on board the ship, but not sure.

Also, when does the Maasdam go into dry dock? I'm booked on her for December 2010.

Yes, on the cabins. Maasdam is scheduled for her first dry dock 04-26 APR 11 and for her second on in 2013.

Do the escalators go from the main deck to the lower promenade only or to/from other decks as well?

Do the escalators go from the main deck to the lower promenade only or to/from other decks as well?

Yes, main deck tofrom lower prom, in the Atrium area.

Yes, main deck tofrom lower prom, in the Atrium area.

I thought they went to the front of the ship and then back to the stern like the elevators?:cool:

Thanks for the info!!!

Thanks for posting the original question. I was going thru some of our pictures of our cruises the other day and noticed the escalators in one of them from our Panama Canal cruise in 2001 on the Veendam. I was wondering if they were still there.

Have a great next cruise.

DBA is right - No escalators on Ryndam any longer...

...and they weren't missed.

As already stated, Veendam's were removed during SOE changes earlier this year. I had been on Maasdam a few years ago and Veendam this summer (and knowing one is like knowing the other - well, until the SOE changes) - but you don't miss the escalators at all. Couldn't even tell where they were (I knew, but you couldn't really tell).

They were put in as a design gimmick - embarkation was intended to be on Deck 5 foyer by the forward elevators. I think cruise ship designers sometimes have this notion that boarding a ship is like checking into a hotel - as soon as you are "inside" you want to head to the Front Office (the escalators were designed to move people easily from the foyer up to the Atrium - albeit the lower level).

As we know how the S-class evolved operationally - embarkation may or may not be on Deck 5 (could be way down on 3 or up on 6 depending on location/port facilities). They let you on early, but rooms aren't ready, so they scoot you up to the Lido right away. The escalators took up valuable space, served no real (other than a novelty) purpose, and were probably a maintenance nightmare.

The HAL ships with two level dining rooms (and galley on lower level) do have escalators in the galley to move the waiters between upper and lower level. This innovation was actually on the Rotterdam of 1959 when the dining rooms were on B-deck (way down!) and the galley was below them on C-deck.

This innovation was actually on the Rotterdam of 1959 when the dining rooms were on B-deck (way down!) and the galley was below them on C-deck.

I believe the first ship to have this arrangement was Normandie of 1936 - The First Class Dining Salon was on C-Deck, and the galley was below.

It's not such an uncommon arrangement these days to have the galley below at least one level of the Dining Room and linked by escalators.