Prisendam Going into Dry Dock Oct. 14?

[C&Sun]

Has anyone heard that the Prisendam is going into dry dock in Amsterdam on Oct. 14 to fix the stabilizer problem once again and that the cruise that was supposed to have started on the 14th has now been delayed until the 20th?

 

We are on the Prisendam Oct. 28 cruise and was wondering how it could affect our cruise. Or will the cruise that was suppose to have been for 14 days on Oct.14th be shortened or cancelled?

[OlsSalt]

Has anyone heard that the Prisendam is going into dry dock in Amsterdam on Oct. 14 to fix the stabilizer problem once again and that the cruise that was supposed to have started on the 14th has now been delayed until the 20th?

 

We are on the Prisendam Oct. 28 cruise and was wondering how it could affect our cruise. Or will the cruise that was suppose to have been for 14 days on Oct.14th be shortened or cancelled?

 

Interesting news, and that does leave you up in the air right now, doesn't it. We allegedly get off the Prinsedam Oct 14 so we will have to be alert to possible changes too incase she is limping along by that time.

 

We had the same thing happen after our last Oosterdam cruise - an apparently unexpected dry dock at the end of that cruise over an azipod problem that had happened a month or so earlier, but there was nothing untoward we noticed during her "final" cruise before dry dock. But it did lead to some people getting their next cruise canceled, but with a few months notice at least.

 

Thanks for this update. Wish you well.

[C&Sun]

What will HAL do for those passengers whose flights are already booked especially from the States or Down Under and arrive on or before the 14th? Would they put them up up in hotels in Amsterdam until sailing on the 20th?

[kazu]

Has anyone heard that the Prisendam is going into dry dock in Amsterdam on Oct. 14 to fix the stabilizer problem once again and that the cruise that was supposed to have started on the 14th has now been delayed until the 20th?

 

We are on the Prisendam Oct. 28 cruise and was wondering how it could affect our cruise. Or will the cruise that was suppose to have been for 14 days on Oct.14th be shortened or cancelled?

 

Interesting - hadn't heard this but it sounds likely.

 

checking her schedule, there is a gap in cruises. Oct. 2nd she has a 12 day cruise - so ends on the 14th. The next cruise I see now on the schedule is October 28th (yours). The 14 day cruise that was scheduled for October 14th is no longer showing.

 

It certainly looks like that is the case? and it appears your cruise is fine

 

 

Apparently there is indeed an itinerary change - found this on the roll call for the cruise affected:

 

 

Revised itinerary:

Sun Oct 20 Athens (Piraeus) departing at 7 PM

Mon Oct 21 Santorini

Tue Oct 22 Mykonos

Wed Oct 23 Cruising the Dardanelles

Wed Oct 23 Arrive Istanbul at 4 PM

Thu Oct 24 Leave Istanbul at 4 PM

Fri Oct 25 Lesbos

Sat Oct 26 Ephesus

Sun Oct 27 Rhodes

Mon Oct 28 Athens 7 AM to 5 PM

Then the schedule continues as before. We will miss the ports of Dubrovnik and Corfu. You will be given some choices such as cancel and get a refund plus 25% of your fare as a future cruise credit, sail on the 20th and get a 25% refund and the 25% future credit, rebook on some alternate sailings such as the Noordam or Rotterdam.

[rafinmd]

I think if it were me I would be tempted to book the 4-night Louis Olympia cruise leaving the same day.

 

Roy

[Krazy Kruizers]

Apparently the people on the Oct 14 cruise are starting to get notices of the emergency dry dock. One person has posted the revised itinerary.

Revised itinerary:

Sun Oct 20 Athens (Piraeus) departing at 7 PM

Mon Oct 21 Santorini

Tue Oct 22 Mykonos

Wed Oct 23 Cruising the Dardanelles

Wed Oct 23 Arrive Istanbul at 4 PM

Thu Oct 24 Leave Istanbul at 4 PM

Fri Oct 25 Lesbos

Sat Oct 26 Ephesus

Sun Oct 27 Rhodes

Mon Oct 28 Athens 7 AM to 5 PM

Then the schedule continues as before. We will miss the ports of Dubrovnik and Corfu. You will be given some choices such as cancel and get a refund plus 25% of your fare as a future cruise credit, sail on the 20th and get a 25% refund and the 25% future credit, rebook on some alternate sailings such as the Noordam or Rotterdam. In our case, we plan to just stay an extra week in Athens and board on the 20th and stay aboard til Ft Lauderdale.

[jtl513]

Has anyone heard that the Prisendam is going into dry dock in Amsterdam ...

 

Would they put them up up in hotels in Amsterdam until sailing on the 20th?

I doubt the ship would leave the Med and go all the way up to Amsterdam just for a stabilizer repair. Much more likely they will do it in Venice or someplace else in the Med, like Sicily. Just the trip up and back would take more than 6 days I think!

 

That being said, what happens to the people who have booked the 26 day starting Oct 2 that now have a 6 day gap in the middle?

[KirkNC]

This was reported on our roll call by someone currently on the Prinsendam. We are on the Sept 2nd sailing. Currently the EE only has one stabilizer, the other was removed a few weeks ago.

[catl331]

Would they put them up up in hotels in Amsterdam until sailing on the 20th?

Ii think you meant to say Athens, not Amsterdam. :)

[oofroggie]

I was on the Grand Africa and Med cruise and we were minus on bow thruster and missed 2 tender ports as the weather was not good and the Captain was unable to keep her in one place and not drift around the anchor. She is certainly due for some much needed repairs but she is still one of my favorite HA ships.

[Marbella]

Has anyone heard that the Prisendam is going into dry dock in Amsterdam on Oct. 14 to fix the stabilizer problem once again and that the cruise that was supposed to have started on the 14th has now been delayed until the 20th?

 

We are on the Prisendam Oct. 28 cruise and was wondering how it could affect our cruise. Or will the cruise that was suppose to have been for 14 days on Oct.14th be shortened or cancelled?

 

Yes, it is confirmed!!! The Oct 14 cruise is delayed until Oct 20 . It is now offered as an 8 day cruise.

 

The offer of compensation posted on this thread is not quite accurate-----the original price of the cruise has been reduced by 50% which is much more in line with the amount of days in the shortened cruise.

 

Needless to say we are quite disappointed as we were really looking forward to this unique itinerary on the unique Prinsendam. But we are now busy planning an alternative and will look forward to the new-- ---as Hal wrote in the notification email----once in a lifetime cruise experience!

[CMJ33]

What do we do for six (6) days?

 

If we cancel are airfare we will be out thousands of dollars.

 

Unfortunately it might be are best option.

[Marbella]

What do we do for six (6) days?

 

If we cancel are airfare we will be out thousands of dollars.

 

Unfortunately it might be are best option.

 

You really should talk to your travel agent or if you booked directly, with a HAL rep. They will explain all the options available.

 

They will help you with charges incurred when changing your airfare.

 

Hopefully one will work out for you.

[NoWhiners]

Does anyone know what the impact of only 1 stabilizer would be on the ship? The oct 2-14 cruise is around the Black Sea--does that make it less of an issue?

 

thx

ML

[LindaM]

Does anyone know what the impact of only 1 stabilizer would be on the ship? The oct 2-14 cruise is around the Black Sea--does that make it less of an issue?

 

thx

ML

 

My friend reported no problems. Captain Roberts said the one stabilizer does 75% of the work. If there was a bad storm, then it would be noticable.

[NoWhiners]

My friend reported no problems. Captain Roberts said the one stabilizer does 75% of the work. If there was a bad storm, then it would be noticable.

 

Linda

 

Thanks for the reply!! We will be on her and I was freaking out when I read this:eek:

 

I will calm down now...

 

thx

ML

[C&Sun]

Ii think you meant to say Athens, not Amsterdam. :)

 

Yes I meant to say Athens. Guess my mind was remembering the problem with the stabilizer a few weeks ago that caused a delay in sailing from Amsterdam.

[C&Sun]

What will HAL do for those passengers whose flights are already booked especially from the States or Down Under and arrive on or before the 14th? Would they put them up up in hotels in Amsterdam until sailing on the 20th?

 

I meant Athens.

[KirkNC]

Does anyone know what the impact of only 1 stabilizer would be on the ship? The oct 2-14 cruise is around the Black Sea--does that make it less of an issue?

 

thx

ML

 

Yes Linda's friend said it has been a nonevent. Not sure what kind of seas they have encountered. We board on Sept 2nd and I am hoping there are no strong hurricanes sending swells into Spain and Portugal :eek:.

[USN59-79]

What do we do for six (6) days?

 

If we cancel are airfare we will be out thousands of dollars.

 

Unfortunately it might be are best option.

We are on the cruise and were thinking about just staying an extra week in Athens. However our TA said that HAL will reimburse up to $500 per person in airfare fees if you need to change your flight. He sent us the form. So looks like we will just do that. I think it is about $450 per person for us to change our AA flights. Hope this helps.

[CMJ33]

To clarify:

 

We were to leave on September 29 and return October 28.

 

With the cost of hotels, meals, etc. for the 6 days it would be cheaper to cancel the flight.

 

Having experienced a cruise after dry dock (Holland America) we don't want to go thru that again.

[OlsSalt]

To clarify:

 

We were to leave on September 29 and return October 28.

 

With the cost of hotels, meals, etc. for the 6 days it would be cheaper to cancel the flight.

 

Having experienced a cruise after dry dock (Holland America) we don't want to go thru that again.

 

Do you know how extensive this upcoming Prinsendam drydock will be, besides the repair of the one now non-operating stabilizer? If there are only soft-goods replacements or minor interior alterations versus a major retrofitting or new banks of cabin installations, the post dry-dock experience expectations should be quite different.

 

There was a major problem on a prior Amazon cruise a while back with the A/C I believe but have not heard of any further A/C problems on the Prinsendam since that time. So maybe this particular post-drydock won't be a problem if it is primarily limited to the stabilizer repair -- so far reports say there is still 75% efficiency even with only one in working order?

[C&Sun]

Since the Prisendam is going across the Atlantic on Nov 11 for her repositioning cruise, I would think that repairing the stabilizer would be of the upmost importance.

[CMJ33]

Do you know how extensive this upcoming Prinsendam drydock will be, besides the repair of the one now non-operating stabilizer? If there are only soft-goods replacements or minor interior alterations versus a major retrofitting or new banks of cabin installations, the post dry-dock experience expectations should be quite different.

 

There was a major problem on a prior Amazon cruise a while back with the A/C I believe but have not heard of any further A/C problems on the Prinsendam since that time. So maybe this particular post-drydock won't be a problem if it is primarily limited to the stabilizer repair -- so far reports say there is still 75% efficiency even with only one in working order?

 

 

We don't know how extensive the upcoming Prinsendam emergency dry dock will be.

 

They have attempted to repair/remove stabilizer on previous cruises which resulted in long delays.

 

It's anybodies guess as to what's going to happen.

 

Having been thru this before we are not prepared to take the chance and have cancelled our flights. :(

 

Hopefully everything goes as planned and there back on schedule Oct. 20.

[OlsSalt]

.....

They have attempted to repair/remove stabilizer on previous cruises which resulted in long delays.

.....

 

I know there was that one delay when they tried to repair this dockside just recently -have their been others since then?