Maasdam gone by 2018

[JudithLynne]

I think that is the big difference.

 

We would not consider booking a cruise on a ship where we felt we had to pre order a fan for the cabin in anticipation/expectation that the AC might malfunction.

 

We would pass and book on another ship-HAL or otherwise.

 

And so would we! Unfortunately, we booked this cruise after final payment with no knowledge of the chronic AC problem. Had we known, we would not have booked. Hopefully with an Alaska itinerary we will not encounter an overheated cabin.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

And so would we! Unfortunately, we booked this cruise after final payment with no knowledge of the chronic AC problem. Had we known, we would not have booked. Hopefully with an Alaska itinerary we will not encounter an overheated cabin.

 

As one who lives in the Seattle area in a house with no a/c, and who has done numerous cruises to Alaska, in every month from May-August, I can assure you that a/c will not be an issue. I think you're smart to ask for a fan, anyway. I will be on Maasdam two months after you, same itinerary:)

[JudithLynne]

As one who lives in the Seattle area in a house with no a/c, and who has done numerous cruises to Alaska, in every month from May-August, I can assure you that a/c will not be an issue. I think you're smart to ask for a fan, anyway. I will be on Maasdam two months after you, same itinerary:)

 

Thank you for the reassurance. DH and I are also thinking a fan would be a good idea even with perfect AC as it will circulate the air.

[Kentchikan]

As one who lives in the Seattle area in a house with no a/c, and who has done numerous cruises to Alaska, in every month from May-August, I can assure you that a/c will not be an issue. I think you're smart to ask for a fan, anyway. I will be on Maasdam two months after you, same itinerary:)

 

I have been in Alaska when it was 80+ degrees

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I have been in Alaska when it was 80+ degrees

 

JudithLynne will be in Southeast Alaska, Kodiak, and the Kenai Peninsula in early to mid June on Maasdam's 14-day itinerary. It's not impossible, but it is unlikely, that the temps at that time will be over 80 degrees fahrenheit.

[MMDown Under]

Not so - actually the net profit per passenger would be higher on the small ships than on the larger ships. However, HAL's per cruise profit contribution to Carnival from small ship cruises is less than it is for larger ships on comparable length cruises. Don't take my word for it - ask an accountant.

 

But, if they no longer have any small ships, they are going to loose all those high worth repeat passengers.

 

From my conversations with recent first time young cruisers in Australia, they don't intend to do repeat cruises in the near future.

[sppunk]

As one who lives in the Seattle area in a house with no a/c, and who has done numerous cruises to Alaska, in every month from May-August, I can assure you that a/c will not be an issue. I think you're smart to ask for a fan, anyway. I will be on Maasdam two months after you, same itinerary:)

It was 99 degrees in Seattle in mid May 2008 when we sailed Westerdam to Alaska. It was 79 in Juneau that week. A/C was most definitely needed.

[esimon]

Well several people have mentioned chronic problems - So they WILL happen - or maybe they won't

[GotThatCruisingFeeling]

OK, you all have me worried. I'm currently booked on the Maasdam for Feb-Mar 2017 Voyage to the Incas (30-day round-trip San Diego to Callao, Peru, and back). Most of cruise will be in tropical climate. Maasdam is the only ship that does this itinerary. Should I cancel because of potential A/C and/or plumbing problems?

[Topsham]

ok, you all have me worried. I'm currently booked on the maasdam for feb-mar 2017 voyage to the incas (30-day round-trip san diego to callao, peru, and back). Most of cruise will be in tropical climate. Maasdam is the only ship that does this itinerary. Should i cancel because of potential a/c and/or plumbing problems?

 

 

 

 

no!

[sammiedawg]

there are so many choices in Alaska cruising, so man ships. There is a world beyond Holland America.

Alaska can get hot during cruising season. Regardless of the outside temperature you need AC to get any ventilation going in an inside or ocean view cabin. No ventilation can be a health hazard.

I would cancel any bookings on Maasdsm. Buyer beware.

[LDVinNC]

I relate to your concerns, GotThatCruisingFeeling. We are booked on the South Pacific cruise next March, in an SB Neptune Suite. This is a trip of a lifetime for us and while we are pretty easygoing, I'd be very upset to spend a small fortune and be uncomfortable. I am going to watch the boards very carefully until final payment time in December. We'll make a decision after considering all reports. We really want to do this trip, and on a reasonably-sized ship like the Maasdam. We loved the Ryndam.

[Topsham]

My answer was 'no'.

 

Just in case... I mean it to be 'don't cancel'!

 

Some guys, you are suggesting that HAL should scrap every ship in their fleet. Oh dear, if there is a problem with KONINGSDAM she will be scrapped and the paint is still wet!

[Kentchikan]

there are so many choices in Alaska cruising, so man ships. There is a world beyond Holland America.

Alaska can get hot during cruising season. Regardless of the outside temperature you need AC to get any ventilation going in an inside or ocean view cabin. No ventilation can be a health hazard.

I would cancel any bookings on Maasdsm. Buyer beware.

 

So true and it can get hot in Alaska in June I've spent two summers there and went swimming in June both times plus I've been on June cruises with toasty weather. Plus as you stated the A/C for ventilation is vital. I'm concerned about this cruise too bad I didn't know this before final payment I think I might have cancelled.

[JudithLynne]

there are so many choices in Alaska cruising, so man ships. There is a world beyond Holland America.

Alaska can get hot during cruising season. Regardless of the outside temperature you need AC to get any ventilation going in an inside or ocean view cabin. No ventilation can be a health hazard.

I would cancel any bookings on Maasdsm. Buyer beware.

 

The thing is that HAL offers a 14 day cruise (only on the Maasdam this year) that is not a back to back. Other than upscale lines, I am not aware of another cruise line of comparable price that offers a similar itinerary.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

It was 99 degrees in Seattle in mid May 2008 when we sailed Westerdam to Alaska. It was 79 in Juneau that week. A/C was most definitely needed.

 

Hi Sppunk - You may have misinterpreted my post. I did not say that a/c in Alaska would not be needed, I said it would not be an issue. There may be other issues, but that won't be one of them. Feel free to disagree:p

 

there are so many choices in Alaska cruising, so man ships. There is a world beyond Holland America.

Alaska can get hot during cruising season. Regardless of the outside temperature you need AC to get any ventilation going in an inside or ocean view cabin. No ventilation can be a health hazard.

I would cancel any bookings on Maasdsm. Buyer beware.

 

According to your posting history, you are currently in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Oceania's Marina, and you still have time to visit the HAL board with your opinion. and it's always the same opinion, at least for the past two years. Amazing. I'm happy for you that you have found your cruising nirvana, and you can put your history with HAL behind you.

 

Look folks; we're all grown ups here, or I assume we are. We should be capable of making our OWN decisions based on our OWN experiences and knowledge. I read all the reviews, both pros and cons, and take them into consideration in planning my trips. But the ultimate choice is mine. If you're not comfortable with the concept of traveling on older ships like Maasdam, then simply don't do it. It's not worth the anxiety, when you should be anticipating your cruise.

 

And finally, I absolutely agree with esimon - Maybe engineering/plumbing problems will occur, and maybe they won't. On any ship.

Edited April 19, 2016 by middle-aged mom

[Kentchikan]

The thing is that HAL offers a 14 day cruise (only on the Maasdam this year) that is not a back to back. Other than upscale lines, I am not aware of another cruise line of comparable price that offers a similar itinerary.

 

So true and the reason we're on this cruise many, many, moons ago I took a two week cruise out of Vancouver on the Universe which was a college at sea most of the year but cruised Alaska in Summer. It was a bare bones ship since it was used as a college/dorm most of the time but we had lecturers on board on history, anthropology, sociology, art, music, literature, etc. And they went ashore with us in ports to enrich the experience. It was far and away the best Alaska cruise I've ever been on and I've been on many, many of them. The ship was old but the feeling was great and it was a lot of fun. We stayed overnight in Skagway and went to a local pub where a folk guitarist played. We got to do rubbings on Petroglyphs, etc. etc. Not at all luxurious but amazing none the less. The captain and crew were Chinese and the captain would say things like: "At four o'clock we'll see whales." And darned if we didn't.

[Topsham]

UNIVERSE EXPLORER a former VOLENDAM for HAL... along with a dozen names! Good old ship! Solid ship and well built. Before becoming a floating universe she was quite smart thought not exactly luxuriously!

[Kentchikan]

UNIVERSE EXPLORER a former VOLENDAM for HAL... along with a dozen names! Good old ship! Solid ship and well built. Before becoming a floating universe she was quite smart thought not exactly luxuriously!

 

Thanks so much for that I forgot the last part of the name. It was a good old ship. No phones or TV so one really got away.

[sammiedawg]

Hi Sppunk - You may have misinterpreted my post. I did not say that a/c in Alaska would not be needed, I said it would not be an issue. There may be other issues, but that won't be one of them. Feel free to disagree:p

 

 

 

According to your posting history, you are currently in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Oceania's Marina, and you still have time to visit the HAL board with your opinion. and it's always the same opinion, at least for the past two years. Amazing. I'm happy for you that you have found your cruising nirvana, and you can put your history with HAL behind you.

 

Look folks; we're all grown ups here, or I assume we are. We should be capable of making our OWN decisions based on our OWN experiences and knowledge. I read all the reviews, both pros and cons, and take them into consideration in planning my trips. But the ultimate choice is mine. If you're not comfortable with the concept of traveling on older ships like Maasdam, then simply don't do it. It's not worth the anxiety, when you should be anticipating your cruise.

 

And finally, I absolutely agree with esimon - Maybe engineering/plumbing problems will occur, and maybe they won't. On any ship.

 

My opinion of the old ships of HAL is indeed negative, I've experienced the mechanical issues, AC and plumbing, and it is not fun. The same issues recur over and over again on the same ships and some posters continue to minimize the issues.

I actually read multiple cruise critic boards on a daily basis, especially if I have been a customer. Marina internet actually works and it is almost always complimentary.

[Topsham]

Sammie,

 

If I were a customer looking at Oceania Marina (the ship you are currently sailing) I wouldn't going!!!!

 

I read CC reviews also and see this and more like:

 

 

"Its the small staterooms, the unreliable airconditioning,the electric surges and .... My wife and I sailed with the 1200 passenger Oceania Marina on their 16 day ..."

 

 

ALL cruise ships CAN and MIGHT experience problems of any kind.

 

Also MARINA is a lot younger than MAASDAM!

[Toad]

Well I agree, that we have always preferred the smaller ships and loved the Maasdam, Ryndam, Veendam etc.

 

In twenty years of cruising we have been happy with them UNTIL we were one of the unfortunate passengers who experienced many days of a cabin with NO A/C. So if you are willing to take what I figure to be about a one in ten chance of spending your vacation money on that kind of a possibility, go for it. But with 54 rooms on our recent Maasdam cruise with no A/C, and two of them flooding, I figure that at lease 112 people were effected. This is only the passengers that I know of on our recent cruise. I did hear of others with plumbing issues, but did not personally speak with them, so I cannot confirm.

 

We took our chances and apparently did not gamble well. It is up to each individual, or couple to decide if they are willing to take this chance.

[Topsham]

Well I agree, that we have always preferred the smaller ships and loved the Maasdam, Ryndam, Veendam etc.

 

In twenty years of cruising we have been happy with them UNTIL we were one of the unfortunate passengers who experienced many days of a cabin with NO A/C. So if you are willing to take what I figure to be about a one in ten chance of spending your vacation money on that kind of a possibility, go for it. But with 54 rooms on our recent Maasdam cruise with no A/C, and two of them flooding, I figure that at lease 112 people were effected. This is only the passengers that I know of on our recent cruise. I did hear of others with plumbing issues, but did not personally speak with them, so I cannot confirm.

 

We took our chances and apparently did not gamble well. It is up to each individual, or couple to decide if they are willing to take this chance.

 

 

 

Of course you have already told that the AC was down for four days and that it was repaired. If you HAL carries out repairs the what they do? Sell cabins for the next cruise or do they close that block of cabins are completely out of service? A repair is a repair. A bit like taking your car into the ship for a repair and then leave it because it MIGHT develop another problem?

[Toad]

Of course you have already told that the AC was down for four days and that it was repaired. If you HAL carries out repairs the what they do? Sell cabins for the next cruise or do they close that block of cabins are completely out of service? A repair is a repair. A bit like taking your car into the ship for a repair and then leave it because it MIGHT develop another problem?

 

If you had researched this the way I have or if you had read previous reviews, I think you would find that the A/C was down for a number of the previous cruises (Just prior to the one we took) and that there were also both flooding and plumbing issues. Unfortunately for me, I did not do the research until AFTER we had completed our cruise. If I had been more vigilant or IF I had researched more thoroughly before booking and final payment I might have decided on a different ship.

 

So using your analogy of cars, a bit different I think but, if a car had been in the shop ten, twenty, thirty times for a repair and an unsatisfactory repair job was done each time, would I consider spending good money and hard earned vacation time on it? Unlikely.

 

You appear to want to minimize the discomfort of a large number of passengers, because, oh yeah, a problem that HAL knew they had before embarkation was fixed four days in to an eleven day vacation. It was fixed, so no big deal right?

 

If you were served food that was totally inedible for half of your vacation, and had to do without eating because of this, would that too be, no big deal?

[Topsham]

If you had researched this the way I have or if you had read previous reviews, I think you would find that the A/C was down for a number of the previous cruises (Just prior to the one we took) and that there were also both flooding and plumbing issues. Unfortunately for me, I did not do the research until AFTER we had completed our cruise. If I had been more vigilant or IF I had researched more thoroughly before booking and final payment I might have decided on a different ship.

 

So using your analogy of cars, a bit different I think but, if a car had been in the shop ten, twenty, thirty times for a repair and an unsatisfactory repair job was done each time, would I consider spending good money and hard earned vacation time on it? Unlikely.

 

You appear to want to minimize the discomfort of a large number of passengers, because, oh yeah, a problem that HAL knew they had before embarkation was fixed four days in to an eleven day vacation. It was fixed, so no big deal right?

 

If you were served food that was totally inedible for half of your vacation, and had to do without eating because of this, would that too be, no big deal?

 

 

I give up. DON'T CRUISE WITH HAL!!!!!!!! KRAP COMPANY. NO AC, BAD FOOD. Any more?