For all the "Maasdamers" out there

[Keith Rita]

One of the best cruises were ever took was on the Maasdam in Jan of 2001. Kind of spur of the moment since we were heading to Florida anyway we just booked the Maasdam again for April 26, 2016. I remember from a few years ago the ship had a lot of followers so we are asking: Will we be surprised with any changes or is the ship pretty much the same now as it was 15 years ago? Also, any word from HAL if the ship is going to be sold or retired? We sure like the ships of this size and her sisters which we've also cruised. It seems ships are getting larger and these smaller ones are going by the wayside.

[sail7seas]

There are not many changes to the beautiful Maasdam that should surprise you.

The main change difference you may notice is Piano Bar and Casino bar with the large area of seating at the large screen TV is gone. It was remodeled into what is called The Mix. Casino was reconfigured a bit.

 

My late DH and I sailed Maasdam over 30+ times and love, love, love that ship. :)

 

[Cruiser Bruiser]

I sailed Maasdam for the first time last June. I thought she was in remarkably good condition. I'm going to guess that the Mix entertainment area and Explorations Cafe on Upper Promenade deck are both new since your sailing. In mix, one area has a piano; the other has a solo guitarist. Explorations Cafe is the library-adjacent coffee bar. I'm can say that Dive-In by the Lido Pool is new since your last sailing, with delicious burgers.

 

I'm sure someone can and will clarify and expand my statements, above. Have fun on the lovely Maasdam.

[sail7seas]

Crows Nest was redesigned and the beautiful bar was moved and replaced.

Java Café no longer exists.

Edited March 8, 2016 by sail7seas

[RuthC]

2001 was a long time ago. The escalators from Main Deck to Lower Promenade are long gone now. The showroom was changed, removing a good amount of the forward seating on Promenade Deck, replacing it with tables and chairs. The Delft tile trim was removed.

Some of the outside cabins on Lower Promenade were converted to Lanai cabins, with direct access to reserved deck chairs outside. This cut down on lounge chairs for non-Lanai guests.

[rkacruiser]

You will love the MIX area. In my opinion, one of the best improvements made on those ships that received it!

[Toad]

No more Java café? Any coffee station?

[InTheWASide]

No more Java café? Any coffee station?

 

Yes. Explorations Cafe will have coffee

[OlsSalt]

The decor has improved - more coordinated, since our first cruise on her in 2009. She looked like lots of odds and ends fire sale carpets back them. But her bones are good, dining room with its glass flowered ceiling remains lovely and she is the perfect size, with an always splendid crew.

[sammygoose]

My first and only cruise on the Maasdam was last July. The itinerary worked but what I was most excited about was sailing on this ship because of all of the lovely things you CC'ers said about her. I loved her, somehow she felt like such a sweet ship.

 

I did find the size kinda of funny because I kept looking for the rest of her...having sailed the Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam and the Westerdam my spatials were off. I hardly had to walk at all and there I had covered the length of the ship.

 

I loved the Mix and really liked the library/Explorers Cafe away from the Crow's Nest.

I thought she was in great shape for her age and lovingly cared for. I'd sail her again in a heartbeat.

 

Did she really have escalators at one point? Like a shopping mall escalator? Wow.

Also I do have some interior pictures if OP or anyone else is interested.

 

Edited March 9, 2016 by sammygoose
add picture

[POA1]

We have some friends on the Maasdam Panama Canal Transit right now. They've only been sailing HAL for about 5 years, but the Maasdam is their "go to ship" to quote them. They're reporting a well maintained ship and a really great staff. I hope your cruise is at least as good as the one they're having. :)

[sail7seas]

Maasdam always has wonderful crew/officers/staff. Sure some come and some go but there seems to remain a solid enough group who 'welcome' the new comers to Maasdam and the crew is always outstanding. We loved a great many days/nights on that lovely ship.

[RMLincoln]

The beautiful delft tile mural of the ships at rest in the harbor that used to be in Explorers Lounge is gone :( I was not happy to not see it there last time I was aboard.

 

There are no more trays in the Lido buffet.

Enjoy your cruise, m--

[mysticsailor]

We agree completely with POA1 friends as to the Maasdam being our 'go to' ship. Our introduction to her was this past October, the 50 Day Atlantic Adventurer, one not to be forgotten.

 

If you would like details you may read my review under the HAL Maasdam section 10/15. Last I checked it was the first one listed after the CC overview. I hope you will enjoy your cruise as much as we did.

[Keith Rita]

It is nice to hear so many good things about the Maasdam. The changes made seem for the better. The ship had personality when we sailed on her 15 years ago. It sounds like it still does!

We were on the Ryndam B2B in Dec 2011 and they had just put in the 'MIX'. We agree, it was very nice.

We thank you all for responding to my post, or should I say almost all of you!:(

 

To sail7seas: With over 30 cruises on the Maasdam and your love of the ship we are especially grateful for your comments. Also, so sorry for your loss.

[OlsSalt]

If/when the Maasdam ever has her final sailing for HAL, I hope my reservation is at the top of the list. And the cabin steward has enough Kleenex to keep me well-supplied on disembarkation day.

Edited March 9, 2016 by OlsSalt

[Skoogs]

After sailing on other cruise ships/lines. We tried HAL, 10 day Caribbean on the Noordam, what a blast! We were hooked on HAL! We've cruised on the Zuiderdam 4 times and the Noordam once. Loved every cruise, couldn't believe how gracious and friendly the crew members are and always made new friends and just had a wonderful time. I kept hearing CC members and other cruisers say "you have to cruise on the Maasdam " . Okay, we cruised on her last April, wow, what a difference the "smaller" ship makes. We had a Lanai cabin, how cool is that! I liked it almost as much as the Neptune suite! We are booked on her for two cruises this year. One in March/April and our first Alaska cruise in September.

I don't know how the Maasdam looked 15 years ago, but, for my dollar, she looks great now. Now, where did I put the suitcase...

[Djptcp]

DH and I are sailing on the Maasdam for the first time in April and can't wait. Our 38th cruise and 6th on Holland America. Love the HAL ships we have already sailed on and looking forward to the smaller Maasdam. We appreciate all the comments from past Maasdam sailors.

[ski ww]

We just got off the Maasdam from the 47 day Rio Amazon cruise. The ship had a lot of mechanical problems, mainly cabins flooding from over flowing toilets, three members of our roll call had to be moved to new cabins. From the first day we left Ft Lauderdale there were buckets catching water in the halls & stair ways & fans trying to dry out wet carpets. One day they had 5 buckets in the Lido, 3 at the coffee machines & 2 at the salad bar. The sight lines from deck 8 in the Show Room at Sea are terrible, none of the seats face the stage you have to turn your head to look at center stage. People get up & move 4-5 times every time they came into the show room trying to find a seat to see the stage.The glass partition at the front has a bar along the top which is right at eye level, so to see the stage you have to try & see over or under it. The new bar in the Crows Nest takes space away from the floor area so when we had a ships function there it was very, very crowded. We found most of the chairs in the public area uncomfortable, the top of the seats cut across your back. This is not sour grapes, we are four star mariners & have cruised on HAL ships for many years and will continue to cruise HAL. We just found that the Maasdam was the worst ship with the most problems we have seen in all our cruises.

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>

 

This is not sour grapes, we are four star mariners & have cruised on HAL ships for many years and will continue to cruise HAL. We just found that the Maasdam was the worst ship with the most problems we have seen in all our cruises.

 

Have you sailed any of the other "S" Class HAL ships?

 

[navybankerteacher]

You are talking about a lady I love - I've only sailed her twice: in 2002 and 2005 - but always look to see if her itineraries will jibe with my schedule. She is the ideal size - having pretty much everything HAL's larger ships offer, just in a more compact package. The only modification I'd question is the dedication of portions of the promenade deck to the lanai cabins -- but then, no lady (other than my wife, of course) remains perfect forever.

[imae39]

Yikes I don't like to read about overflowing toilets. We're going on Maasdam next month. What deck and area were the overflowing toilets on?

[nw gardener]

Ditto! Following... I am doing the 2 week AK cruise in June for the first time on the Maasdam and really looking forward to this vacation. Didn't the ship have a drydock in January? Hope the plumbing issues are resolved. From everything I have been reading on these boards, there is a lot of love for this ship. Thank you for this thread.

[St Pete Cruiser]

Another Maasdam fan, sad to read the negative comments on the post dry dock cruise to Brazil. The S class ships were well done and brought Holland America back to life in the 90's after their aging fleet was looking rather sad. I've made a few enemies onboard when comparing the much loved Prinsendam and the S class: no covered pool area in bad weather, showroom with low ceiling limiting sight lines and varity of productions, MDR also just one level. I do like the Prinsendam a lot, too.

In 2006, they did expand the gym and thermal suite forward, which unfortunatly hurt the sight lines from the crow's nest forward over the bow. Remember that???

As I have said elsewhere, enjoy her while you can. I suspect our Maasdam will leave the fleet when the second Pinnacle class ship arrives.

[retafcruiser]

Another Maasdam fan, sad to read the negative comments on the post dry dock cruise to Brazil.

 

This is what I feared - that they would paint the hull and little else at dry dock.