A Question for Prinsendam Cruisers

[Lady Arwen]

We've booked our first cruise on Prinsendam for 2019 and we chose one of the newer aft cabins. After reading some reviews, it's been mentioned that the vibrations in these cabins are pretty severe. Has anyone here on c.c. stayed in one of these cabins? Thanks so much for your input! We're seasoned cruisers, so motion is not an issue at all, but noise that keeps one awake all night would not be enjoyable.

[navybankerteacher]

We sailed in one of those "added cabins" on a T/A in the fall of 2014 - on port side, about fourth one forward of the aft-most, just below the pool deck. There was slight vibration when the ship pitched in heavy seas, and the pitching was more noticeable than elsewhere on the ship.

 

None of this was serious enough to be a concern - but we actually like the motion. The only negative was one day with very heavy seas, a little pool water which had sloshed onto the deck above would drip onto our balcony

 

The price differential for cabins in that location on that crossing was significant,

[Lady Arwen]

Thank you for your prompt reply! Since our cruise will take us mostly in the Western Med (Embark in Lisbon and then 12 days to Civitavecchia) I'm thinking vibration will not be as severe? We sailed on Koningsdam in the Med for two weeks this past May and it felt like the ship wasn't moving, but that's a new ship. Very happy to try Prinsendam before she sails into the sunset one last time.

[navybankerteacher]

"...sails into the sunset..."? Have you heard of plans to retire her in the near future? I'd like one more sailing before that happens.

[Lady Arwen]

I was on another cruise board and a recent Princendam passenger was having a conversation with one of the officers who mentioned that HAL is looking to replace her with another small, but newer, vessel. Since she's about to turn 30 years old, her time is probably near. We're hoping that all remains status quo until after our cruise in 2019. Of course, none of that conversation is written in stone, but it seems quite plausible.

[cruisemom42]

Since our cruise will take us mostly in the Western Med (Embark in Lisbon and then 12 days to Civitavecchia) I'm thinking vibration will not be as severe? We sailed on Koningsdam in the Med for two weeks this past May and it felt like the ship wasn't moving, but that's a new ship.

 

Part of your journey (from Lisbon) will be in the Atlantic, and depending on the time of year and weather patterns you can get some weather there (and in the Med for that matter) that will create some waves. Once I was on a ship in late October that could not get into Civitavecchia due to wind and waves (they closed the port)....

 

From all I've heard though, Prinsendam rides the waves well.

[Lady Arwen]

Part of your journey (from Lisbon) will be in the Atlantic, and depending on the time of year and weather patterns you can get some weather there (and in the Med for that matter) that will create some waves. Once I was on a ship in late October that could not get into Civitavecchia due to wind and waves (they closed the port)....

 

From all I've heard though, Prinsendam rides the waves well.

We travel south from Lisbon to Cartagena then to Barcelona and the remaining ports are all in the Med. Thankfully, not much in the Atlantic. On Kdam we sailed across the Bay of Biscay, notorious for choppy seas, and it was not an issue at all for The King. The motion does not bother us all, but it's the aft vibration on Prinsendam that has been keeping folks awake at night

[kazu]

We travel south from Lisbon to Cartagena then to Barcelona and the remaining ports are all in the Med. Thankfully, not much in the Atlantic. On Kdam we sailed across the Bay of Biscay, notorious for choppy seas, and it was not an issue at all for The King. The motion does not bother us all, but it's the aft vibration on Prinsendam that has been keeping folks awake at night

 

OK, I have NOT stayed in these cabins but I have shared a table with people who were there and been on roll calls where people were there.

 

The issue some reported was not just on the TA portion but more so, coming into ports. That's when it was really noticeable IIRC.

 

On our last cruise, this was not as much of an issue. I know some things were done in drydock to try to help, but, also, we came into port at later times (when people would be having breakfast and be up anyways). So, I think that made a difference along with the SeaView Pool not be filled to the top.

 

Also, keep in mind that these are not typical Prinsendam cabins. They are standard HAL cabins as they were added.

[kazu]

Part of your journey (from Lisbon) will be in the Atlantic, and depending on the time of year and weather patterns you can get some weather there (and in the Med for that matter) that will create some waves. Once I was on a ship in late October that could not get into Civitavecchia due to wind and waves (they closed the port)....

 

From all I've heard though, Prinsendam rides the waves well.

 

She really does sail way. She literally cuts through the waves and it makes a big difference in the motion on the ship.

[wesport]

We stayed in one of those cabins for 29 days in 2015. On the port side two back from where the new ones started. No problems at all. Very large balcony. Close to dining room. I to was also concerned reading all the posts. There are pics of my cabin on halfacts dot com. I think it was 212?. Not sure, but if you go to the site, you can see the newer cabin

[wesport]

It was 202 not 212

[Lady Arwen]

Thank you everyone for your help! I think we'll just stay put for now. If it's just early morning, that won't be a problem...I was concerned that it would be all night long. Now, if were just not so far off....April 2019 is a looooong time to wait!

[feathersandnananose]

When we've had aft cabins (in several different ships), we found that you can get noise and vibrations when coming from and going to dock. It's about the engines (in some cases, the Azipods) pushing the ship in tight directions, etc. to dock or get out of port. It was only an issue when leaving or arriving in port. For us, no issue.