HAL Maasdam boarding/disembarking decks

[Cruiser Craig]

Could anyone who knows the answer please inform me which deck(s) are used for boarding/disembarking on HAL's Maasdam? Just trying to figure out which of the few oceanview staterooms left I'd like to book. Any decks we should absolutley avoid? Thank you!

[Cruiser Craig]

And two more questions: Does anyone know if boarding/disembarking usually takes place on the port or starboard side or does it depend on the port? Any pointers in picking over the last few cabins available left to choose from? Merci!

[Cruiser Craig]

And lastly (I promise), if you book an oceanview stateroom on the Lower Promenade deck, do you risk seeing other passenges strolling or jogging around the ship outside of your window?

[CruiserBruce]

Could anyone who knows the answer please inform me which deck(s) are used for boarding/disembarking on HAL's Maasdam? Just trying to figure out which of the few oceanview staterooms left I'd like to book. Any decks we should absolutley avoid? Thank you!

 

It varies by port. It will be no higher than the Lower Promenade deck. It could be several decks below. Not sure what that would have to do with what cabin you select.

[CruiserBruce]

And two more questions: Does anyone know if boarding/disembarking usually takes place on the port or starboard side or does it depend on the port? Any pointers in picking over the last few cabins available left to choose from? Merci!

 

Again, it varies by port, the needs of the ship, and the orders of the Harbormaster.

[CruiserBruce]

And lastly (I promise), if you book an oceanview stateroom on the Lower Promenade deck, do you risk seeing other passenges strolling or jogging around the ship outside of your window?

 

Yes.

[Modern_Viking]

Could anyone who knows the answer please inform me which deck(s) are used for boarding/disembarking on HAL's Maasdam? Just trying to figure out which of the few oceanview staterooms left I'd like to book. Any decks we should absolutley avoid? Thank you!

 

At the embarkation/disembarkation port, Main deck is common, although the Lower Promenade deck is used sometimes (especially in Montreal, I believe). For intermediate ports, B deck seems to be used most often.

[hvsteve1]

And lastly (I promise), if you book an oceanview stateroom on the Lower Promenade deck, do you risk seeing other passenges strolling or jogging around the ship outside of your window?

 

The bigger question is do the strollers or joggers fear seeing nekked people who forget to draw their blinds? :eek:

[bishop84]

The bigger question is do the strollers or joggers fear seeing nekked people who forget to draw their blinds? :eek:

 

The windows have a coating so it is very hard to see into the cabins on the Lower Promenade Deck but you can see out. Apparently this doesn't work very well at night when the cabin lights are on.

[sail7seas]

And lastly (I promise), if you book an oceanview stateroom on the Lower Promenade deck, do you risk seeing other passenges strolling or jogging around the ship outside of your window?

 

 

As stated, the windows are coated so that you can see out but the walkers cannot see into your cabin during daylight. They can see in at night if you have lights on and the windows open.

 

Jogging is not permitted on Lower Promendade on Maasdam. You will see walkers but you should not expect to see/hear joggers.

 

(BTW...... four times around the deck equals one mile.)

 

 

[dr.dawg]

i have been offered 'upgrades' to lower prom many times, and to lanai on a couple of 'upsells.' my answer to my ta is always 'no, not under any circumstance.' just do boat/muster drill and see how many cabins you can see into; and lanais are worse. and, yes, there will be folks walking outside your window/door. and in a lanai, you will have to confront them and chase them away from your 'reserved' chairs. oh, not for me; give me my ov on good on dolphin deck. f cat, midship, near aft elevators. now, given that opinion, and the new smoking rules, if one is allowed to smoke on lower promenade, i might consider a lanai, but even that is a close call. a lanai is nothing more than a standard ov cabin with a door cut in it to access the lower prom deck. not like a veranda at all. imho.

[Cruiser Craig]

It varies by port. It will be no higher than the Lower Promenade deck. It could be several decks below. Not sure what that would have to do with what cabin you select.

 

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone. CruiserBruce, I'd like to avoid having a cabin outside of which in the hallway passengers line up to get on/off the ship during posts of call.

[sail7seas]

Not only can the deck change, the side of ship changes.

We have done that itiinerary b-to-b many times and from one week to the next we might dock different side of the ship to the dock. Both Montreal and Quebec City have large metal gangway structures which are set in place to allow exit from the ship. Maasdam does not use her own gangways in those ports.

[janmcn]

We still like the Main Deck on the Maasdam…if there's a lineup to get off, we are usually trying to get off too! When you return…no wait for the elevator or stairs! ;-)

[sail7seas]

Sometimes the gangway is on "B" Deck. :)

 

[Copper10-8]

In "big ports", i.e. Boston, Vancouver, San Diego, Fort Lauderdale, etc. Main Deck is used for passenger embarkation/disembarkation and an "airport-style jetway" is connected to the ship. As has been stated, Montreal is an exception, in that Lower Promenade or Boat Deck is used to connect the gangway, the only location on a "S" class ship that fits.

B-Deck, a crew deck, is used almost exclussively in the smaller ports. We had somewhat of a premiere in Key West, FL last week when, at Mallory Dock/Square, we learned that the only gangway break that fits that particular dock is from Maasdam's Marshalling Area (mid-ships). Consequently, the pax had to walk from the fwd pax elevators on B-Deck, down I-95, to the Marshalling Area where the gangway was located - That was a first!

[mamaofami]

Thanks, John, for your always valuable information. Will you still be on board 4/22 ?

[cruz chic]

<snip>you will have to confront them and chase them away from your 'reserved' chairs. .

If you've never had a lanai cabin how would you know that? I've heard people are actually quite respectful of the reserved signs and so they should be.

[muffin]

We had the very corner cabin on main deck right where people disembarked at ports where it was on "our" side. It was very handy indeed. The peoole were not lining up down our hall, rather in the stairwells and open areas. We could just join the group by taking two steps forward. Also, when we arrived back from a port all tuckered out and ready to drop our bags or shoes, we were home in seconds. A quick freshen up in the cabin and off for lunch, coffee, or something more celebratory. It was marvellous. Just FYI and IMHO....

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>

 

 

 

B-Deck, a crew deck, is used almost exclussively in the smaller ports. We had somewhat of a premiere in Key West, FL last week when, at Mallory Dock/Square, we learned that the only gangway break that fits that particular dock is from Maasdam's Marshalling Area (mid-ships). Consequently, the pax had to walk from the fwd pax elevators on B-Deck, down I-95, to the Marshalling Area where the gangway was located - That was a first!

 

 

 

DH would have loved that!!! :) ;)

[cruz chic]

<snip>

 

B-Deck, a crew deck, is used almost exclussively in the smaller ports. We had somewhat of a premiere in Key West, FL last week when, at Mallory Dock/Square, we learned that the only gangway break that fits that particular dock is from Maasdam's Marshalling Area (mid-ships). Consequently, the pax had to walk from the fwd pax elevators on B-Deck, down I-95, to the Marshalling Area where the gangway was located - That was a first!

I'm pretty sure we did that on the Statendam in 2008. I felt like I was in an area that I shouldn't be.

[Copper10-8]

I'm pretty sure we did that on the Statendam in 2008. I felt like I was in an area that I shouldn't be.

 

You were;)

[Copper10-8]

Thanks, John, for your always valuable information. Will you still be on board 4/22 ?

 

No Ma'am, I'll be home:)