Beware cabin 3392 on MS Rotterdam

I tried to post this warning on the ship review section but it was rejected so I thought I would post it here in the hope it may save other cruisers from getting caught.

Your comments were:

This review is offered as a warning for passengers considering cruising on the MS Rotterdam. My wife and I have just returned from a 28 day Baltic and the midnight sun collector cruise on the MS Rotterdam. We paid full price for a guaranteed DD cabin and were assigned cabin 3392. Unaware to us this cabin is located directly below the cleaning station of the galley. The industrial noise coming from above this cabin was loud enough to make watching television uncomfortable and sleep impossible. The noise continued until at least 1am and on some nights 2am and started again at 5am. Service desk staff were well aware of the problem and were sympathetic but said an alternative cabin was unavailable for the first 2 weeks of our cruise. I have since found many warnings on the internet concerning this cabin but they would not have helped us as we were not given our cabin number until we boarded. The decision by Holland America to allocate this cabin to us as full paying return customers when other passengers that had paid half fare or less received good cabins is puzzling. All other aspects of the cruise were excellent but by their actions they have lost us as future customers.

Thank you for the warning,

Sorry that this happened to you. I have also never figured out why HAL doesn't treat loyal customers better.

I tried to post this warning on the ship review section but it was rejected so I thought I would post it here in the hope it may save other cruisers from getting caught.

Your comments were:

This review is offered as a warning for passengers considering cruising on the MS Rotterdam. My wife and I have just returned from a 28 day Baltic and the midnight sun collector cruise on the MS Rotterdam. We paid full price for a guaranteed DD cabin and were assigned cabin 3392. Unaware to us this cabin is located directly below the cleaning station of the galley. The industrial noise coming from above this cabin was loud enough to make watching television uncomfortable and sleep impossible. The noise continued until at least 1am and on some nights 2am and started again at 5am. Service desk staff were well aware of the problem and were sympathetic but said an alternative cabin was unavailable for the first 2 weeks of our cruise. I have since found many warnings on the internet concerning this cabin but they would not have helped us as we were not given our cabin number until we boarded. The decision by Holland America to allocate this cabin to us as full paying return customers when other passengers that had paid half fare or less received good cabins is puzzling. All other aspects of the cruise were excellent but by their actions they have lost us as future customers.

The best way to avoid a situation such as you describe, (and it must have been horrible) is to study the deck plan and book a specific cabin. Then you can avoid the potential problem areas over and under the dreaded white spaces.

When guarantee assignments are made you can be sure that the available cabins include the ones that no one else wanted.

Even if you pick your cabin it is sometimes in your best interest to mark it "do not upgrade", as HAL could move you to a cabin which is technically an upgrade as far as price goes, but could be over or under a noisy public area.

Hopefully your next cruise will find you in a peaceful cabin. Having just returned from a Baltic cruise myself, I know how exhausting that itinerary is and how much you need your sleep.

Sorry that you experienced this problem.

Keith

We had a similar problem being located under the galley on Celebrity on our first Alaska cruise. The noise was unbearable and got worse after we complained--metal carts being drug over grates, pans, etc. being dropped repeatedly. We were told no one else had ever complained about it before! Can't quite believe that... There were no other rooms available. We napped on deck each day-missing some of the scenery.

That was the only time the cruise line has selected our room. I always check deck plans out and specify that our room can't be under the galley. Coincidentally, we haven't sailed on Celebrity since, largely because of the denial of the problem.

Hope the rest of the cruise was more enjoyable after your room was switched.

Huge risk if you let someone else choose your cabin - as pointed out before, the guarantees are assigned after the better/best cabins are booked by those "in the know". It usually costs more to book a specific cabin but I'd bet OP would rather have paid the extra than spend time in the assigned cabin.

Many people who book guarantees are drawn in by the incentive that they may/will probably be upgraded to a higher category cabin for the lower price, which sounds good until you try to sleep under a galley area that nobody else would choose.

I wonder if this is something Joanie could include on her web site? I know she often includes what people write about the cabins when they send her pictures to post.

I tried to post this warning on the ship review section but it was rejected so I thought I would post it here in the hope it may save other cruisers from getting caught.

Your comments were:

This review is offered as a warning for passengers considering cruising on the MS Rotterdam. My wife and I have just returned from a 28 day Baltic and the midnight sun collector cruise on the MS Rotterdam. We paid full price for a guaranteed DD cabin and were assigned cabin 3392. Unaware to us this cabin is located directly below the cleaning station of the galley. The industrial noise coming from above this cabin was loud enough to make watching television uncomfortable and sleep impossible. The noise continued until at least 1am and on some nights 2am and started again at 5am. Service desk staff were well aware of the problem and were sympathetic but said an alternative cabin was unavailable for the first 2 weeks of our cruise. I have since found many warnings on the internet concerning this cabin but they would not have helped us as we were not given our cabin number until we boarded. The decision by Holland America to allocate this cabin to us as full paying return customers when other passengers that had paid half fare or less received good cabins is puzzling. All other aspects of the cruise were excellent but by their actions they have lost us as future customers.

AS bcd2010 asked, it might be quite helpful if you send Joanie a little description about that cabin including the negative aspect. She usually includes this in her cabin list even if there are no pictures included. A lot of people use her site when looking for cabins, so I'm sure someone will benefit from your information.

I had a "sister" cabin on Veendam recently. The plate trolley sounds like thunder when it rolls across the floor (ceiling). And you do hear the water spray sometimes. This assignment was due to a guarantee (through the single share program.) If one is a light or moderate sleeper this is not the cabin for you. Many of the nights the ship was rocking and a rolling so there was plenty of other shippy sounds to cover all but the trolley that went over about every 30-45 minutes.

In looking at deck plans it looks like your cabin, a D, will become an H under the new system. Note on Rotterdam, these are marked Handicapped.

One thing I have noticed is HALs deck plans (from a few years ago) show "galley" only on half of the kitchen (IIRC port side). The other side is not labeled. Several years ago, When prices dropped I called my TA to get the break and move from a K to a J on Amsterdam for a cruise we had booked. HAL rep offered an HH assignment and said it was not under the galley (baloney) and bigger than the J (baloney again). I knew it was baloney only because of CC posts for the cabins offered and a set of kitchen plans from the kitchen tour that I had in front of me.

OP: sorry you got a bad assignment. And thanks again to CC posters and Joanie for her website.

Does this galley noise problem occur on Vista-class ships?

igraf

Does this galley noise problem occur on Vista-class ships?

 

igraf

While I can't answer that I can't imagine why it wouldn't.

That plate trolley is large and heavy. If you are under the dish washing station ( and they have that type of workflow is seems like you can expec the same.

I could only hear the water running when the ship was in calm water.

Noise probably depends on what part of the galley you re under.

Posting using the cabin number was a good idea; it will help on those days 'search' is functional.

What a disappointment for anyone saddled with that cabin.

This is exactly why I no longer book guarantees. I did it once and got a decent cabin, so no personal issues, but I read stories like this and I'm much more comfortable selecting a cabin I like.

I am so sorry you ended up in such an undesirable cabin. It is beyond me why the cabins which are so noisy that they keep people from sleeping, are not all classified as the cheapest category on the ship. Actually I am surprised they even put cabins in those areas. However, if they insist on it, these cabins should come at a deep discount and there should be a symbol attached to that cabin indicating it is a high level noise cabin. JMHO

I would appreciate knowing Joanie's website that is referred to in these posts. My email is dancuboz at hotmail.com

Many thanks, Danny

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let's try this again.

I would appreciate knowing Joanie's website that is referred to in these posts. My email is dancuboz at hotmail.com

This should work for you:

http://abqreunion2008.com/

There's a "sticky" at the top of the main HAL board with lots of info Joanie has compiled.

Thanks for the word on the cabin. I was sorry to see that you indicated that the cabin would have been better given to someone who got a price break or was a first time traveler. I'm sure it was not your intent but it sure came across wrong.

If you are traveling with a group of friends in adjacent cabins, whose reservations are linked, it is important that the whole group mark their reservations as "do not upgrade". If not, you may get an unpleasant or pleasant surprise when they are upgraded and your cabin assignment is moved to be with theirs.

Thanks for the information on this cabin. Really sorry you had to go thru all the noise and sleepless nights.

I'm with KK, I don't understand why Hal doesn't treat their loyal customers better, seems to me that if your new to Hal you get better treatment then if you are a long time customer.:confused:

Thanks for all the sympathetic replies. It really was distressing watching my wife crying herself to sleep with a pillow over her head at 2am.

The customer relations officer was very sympathetic, he admitted our cabin was a problem that they had to deal with every cruise and said they had plans to try and soundproof it at the next dry dock.

Thanks for the information on this cabin. Really sorry you had to go thru all the noise and sleepless nights.

I'm with KK, I don't understand why Hal doesn't treat their loyal customers better, seems to me that if your new to Hal you get better treatment then if you are a long time customer.:confused:

You are right Melodie.

We are reading here too often about new cruises getting upgrades and etc.

Then HAL wonders why they are losing some of their old customers.

Thanks for all the sympathetic replies. It really was distressing watching my wife crying herself to sleep with a pillow over her head at 2am.

The customer relations officer was very sympathetic, he admitted our cabin was a problem that they had to deal with every cruise and said they had plans to try and soundproof it at the next dry dock.

I feel sorry for all the people who will have to put up with that cabin until the next dry dock.

And I seriously doubt if sound proofing that cabin will work.

Thank you very much Ruth for the info about Joanie. Much appreciated, Danny

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And I seriously doubt if sound proofing that cabin will work.

IF done properly, it can work.

I travel with ear plugs and use them when I have to.