Second to Last or Last Cruise Before Drydock?

[TommyC]

Hello - anyone have any thoughts, comments or experience taking the second to last or last cruise prior to a drydock? If you have been on one - would you do it again? Was the ship in 'good' condition and maintained? Was there pre-drydock construction or work already underway? We're thinking about the Maasdam but are aware that she is headed to the yards for a spell. Would welcome any comments. Thanks very much.....

[Roz]

I was on the Veendam last December before she want into drydock in January for her SOE upgrades. The only way I knew she was going into drydock is because the Hotel Manager talked to us about it.

 

The ship was clean and IMO, in excellent condition. I can't imagine HAL would start any construction work with passengers onboard.

 

Roz

[Grumpy1]

This can vary, depending on the work that has to be done and the time available in dry dock. There could be some prep work going on. It's more likely that there will still be crews onboard immediately following drydock putting finishing touches on things. The Prinsendam was in drydock in January 2005. On the cruise prior to that there were crews on board replacing piping and other work that could be done. After drydock, as we left on the Grand World Voyage, there were crews working on several projects around the ship and trying to fix the plumbing and A/C problems that couldn't be identified and repaired until the ship was back under it's own power again. Dry docks are never long enough to do everything that needs to be done.

[garydm]

I think it was Statendam we were on prior to dry or wet dock and the only thing noticeable was a couple of guys wandering around the ship taking notes of things that needed attention, like glass replacement, etc. They appeared to be outside contractors.

 

Gary

[arzz]

We were on the Zaandam on its second to last voyage before SOE last December. Ship was in impeccable shape -- without knowing the drydock schedule I would never have guessed that the work was coming up.

 

We also sailed her about two months after the work was completed and she was even better than before. We really enjoyed the Explorations Cafe area. That has to be one of the best spaces on board.

[funcorn]

Has the Westerdam been in drydock or is she scheduled for drydock anytime soon? How does one find this out??

[TommyC]

Thanks very much for all you positive comments and input. I think we'll now go and book. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I wouldn't worry about going on a ship knowing that it was to be in dry soon.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I looked at the Westerdam schedule and I couldn't see any gaps in her schedule to indicate either a wet or dry dock.

[LunchCompanion]

I am going on the QM2 in June. It goes into drydock in May to have a damaged engine/propeller removed. Then back to drydock in the fall to have the situation finally fixed. I still hope to go, in spite of the ship being "in between" drydocks.

I was on The Regal Princess once for a transition cruise. I was given a low rate because I was told that all the public areas wouldnt be open all the time due to refurbishment. I am a frequent princess cruiser and the price was too good to pass up. I am glad I went. Certain passageways were closed for a few hours at a time while they installed new carpets, but otherwise there was no inconvenience. And I had a wonderful Israeli cabin stewardess.

I had other experiences with things that werent going to be fixed until the next drydock or werent fixed completely in the previous dry dock. I put up with the drydocking run around like I put up with the mechanics working on my car. Just grin and bear it. :cool: The rest of my cruising experiences were just too much fun to worry about drydocking/maintenance/ fix it while at sea.