Question - 14 Day Norwegian Fjord Explorer cruise - 5/20/19 - Prinsedam

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I have never cruised with Holland America and I was looking at the 14 Day Fjord Explorer Cruise on 5/20/19 on the Prinsedam. What drew me to this cruise was the ability to really cruise into the fjords and I am guessing it is because the Prinsedam is a small ship.

 

I just noticed that the Prisendam will be retiring on 7/1/19 - so only a few weeks after this cruise. I am not sure logistically if I will be able to sail next May - so my question - do you think that they will offer this trip again but on a different ship - or all the remaining ships too large? I am just wondering if this might be my only opportunity to sail this cruise?

 

 

Also, with the ship retiring only a few weeks after this trip - do you think they will keep the ship "up to par" so to speak this close to retirement? Just curious of your thoughts....

 

 

Lastly, if anyone on these boards has done this cruise in the past - did you enjoy it?

 

 

I appreciate any and all help you all can offer :D

[kazu]

I have never cruised with Holland America and I was looking at the 14 Day Fjord Explorer Cruise on 5/20/19 on the Prinsedam. What drew me to this cruise was the ability to really cruise into the fjords and I am guessing it is because the Prinsedam is a small ship.

 

I just noticed that the Prisendam will be retiring on 7/1/19 - so only a few weeks after this cruise. I am not sure logistically if I will be able to sail next May - so my question - do you think that they will offer this trip again but on a different ship - or all the remaining ships too large? I am just wondering if this might be my only opportunity to sail this cruise?

 

 

Also, with the ship retiring only a few weeks after this trip - do you think they will keep the ship "up to par" so to speak this close to retirement? Just curious of your thoughts....

 

 

Lastly, if anyone on these boards has done this cruise in the past - did you enjoy it?

 

 

I appreciate any and all help you all can offer :D

 

first of all, the Prinsendam is not retiring. She has been sold and will be sailing with another line in August, 2019. She has actually been sold now and is being chartered back to HAL until July 1st, 2019.

 

We've sailed that ship a number of times and while she is certainly aging, she has been lovingly cared for and I cannot see that she wouldn't be until the day she is turned over to Reissen (sp?). She was originally a luxury ship and it shows in many places.

 

I have enough faith in my statement that I have booked another cruise before word of the sale came out in April & May next year and wouldn't think of cancelling.

 

Other ships do fjord cruising but not to the extent this one does. Just as she does the Kiel canal and several other rivers and ports that the other ships cannot do. So yes, I suspect the P'dam will give you more depth than the other ships can.

 

Hopefully those that have done your cruise will help more, but, if it were me, I'd be sailing the itinerary now if it's one that appeals ;)

[JMorris271]

I just got off of the very new Koningsdam after that cruise and we got as close to the walls as anyone needs to. The falls look better at a distance to me. The Koningsdam is not too big and not too small. Just right.

[kazu]

OP, I just took a quick peak for the itineraries..

 

Wow!! A really great itinerary.. More fjords than the other ships do for sure. (I compared).

 

Only you can decide but this itinerary is definitely a great one.

[CJcruzer]

Also just returned from Norway on the Koningsdam, our second time in Norway.

 

the itinerary was great, going up past Arctic Circle to Honnigsvag (the North Cape, most northern point of Europe). Trondheim was a gem, very walkable city - besides Nidaros Cathedral (which is stunning), the summer royal residence Stiftsgarden was especially interesting.

 

In Eidfjord if you can get a taxi to both the waterfalls, AND Kejsean (spelling?) farm - you will have a wonderful view of the ship in the fjord from very high up. Also, wonderful waterfall in Hellesylt, right in the middle of town!

 

We have now cruised Norway twice - both times in July and had very good weather.

 

I realize Prinsendam can get to smaller destinations, especially higher up above the circle - but in general, you cannot go wrong if you decide on a different ship. Our first fjord cruise was on Celebrity Constellation - probably the same size as Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam, the latter will be doing the fjord cruise in 2019.

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Thank you all for your very helpful responses!! We are going to see if we can make this cruise happen - my daughter is graduating from her Masters Program next May and the graduation date in past years was right around the same time as the cruise itself so I am currently waiting for confirmation of her graduation date for next May...

 

But it is good to know that even if this cruise/date does not work out for us - there are other Norwegian Fjord cruise options available that many of you have enjoyed as well !! Norway has been on our bucket list for many years so it Is exciting to finally be in the planning stage for this trip...

 

Thank you again and enjoy our day! :)

[sjgertz]

Just an FYI we looked at that cruise for this year but ended up on the Sapphire Princess (due to sailing with an almost 8yo) with a very similar itinerary so if you're willing, look at Princess too. In May some of the roads in certain points may not be open for the summer yet...

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Thanks sjgertz - I will check out Princess as well !!!

[djett]

I'm currently on the Prisendam and they're maintaining her on a daily basis: painting, varnish, etc. You'll enjoy sailing on her.

[StLouisCruisers]

We have done the Norway cruise before on Prinsendam, in 2016, and it was a 20 day cruise. We started in Ijmuiden then instead of Amsterdam but that was not a problem for us. From there we stopped in Copenhagen, then had 15 Norwegian ports of call. Norway is our favorite place to sail because the weather is cooler and the scenery is spectacular!! If you can go on the Prinsendam, do it because it can go where the larger ships cannot.

 

On our cruise, Captain Dag stopped at Seven Sisters and the Suitor waterfalls and slowly spun the ship around 360 degrees. I'm sure the larger ships would never be able to do that in the narrow fjord!;p It was such a wonderful cruise and I'll bet you and your daughter will love it if it all works out.