Best ship for onboard port days

[MUD]

We have reservation with a verandah cabin on the Rotterdam for a 12 day Caribbean cruise and also a reservation on the Zaandam for a 14 Day port intensive cruise in an OV cabin at the same time. Must choose between the two.

 

I am mobility challenged. Can get around the ship but excursions, unless easy, are out. While I know not much happens onboard on port days we like to read, relax, etc and do really like the Zaandam class of ship—have over 100 days on this class. Nevertheless less we worry that with a very intense port schedule we may get bored. Have not been on the Rotterdam and it’s less port intensive sailing we wonder if there might be more to do.

 

Any advice?

[CruiserBruce]

Very little to do in port on HAL. I might lean a bit towards Rotterdam because of more eateries and the cabanas. Other than that, not too much difference to hanging around in port.

[oaktreerb]

You would enjoy your veranda while in port and watching the ship docking and at sailaway.  The Rotterdam is a newer ship and has more venues and places to eat.  You can enjoy being out and about on either ship while others are taking excursions.  While in port neither will have much to offer except for discounts on spa treatments.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Rotterdam is a fun ship to be on ..

[OlsSalt]

Zaandam 360 degree promenade deck is far superior to the one on the Pinnacle class ships. Plus everything feels like a very long hike to get anywhere on the Pinnacle ships.  

 

Comfort and access to various venues, can be as important as the variety of them, when they are scattered longer distances away. We are small HAL ship lovers too, and it was one and done for us on a Pinnacle ship. I would never want to be stuck on her during port days and having to hike around to get anywhere. 

 

My vote: stick with the Zaandam. 

[RuthC]

I assume you will be using a scooter, wheelchair, or at minimum a walker to get around on the ship? 

If so, I have found that some public areas on the older ships are difficult to get to unless you have someone with you to open doors, and in some cases to get over thresholds. The Pinnacle ship I was on (Nieuw Statendam), for the most part had eliminated most of the obstructions; I don't know if the Rotterdam did, too, though. 
It's a consideration. 

On the Nieuw Statendam, I could ride my scooter straight out from the Lido dining area to the aft area. There was no 'lip' to get the scooter hung up on. The doors were electric eye, too. 
There were controls to push to open the outside doors to the promenade. 

On the other hand, the promenade was very narrow for someone in a mobility device. There wasn't a lot of extra room to maneuver a device in the dining room, either. 
Also worth mentioning is that the passageways in cabin areas are quite narrow, especially as compared to the Zaandam. 
My accessible cabin was a generous size, but because of the small size of non-accessible cabins this was the first time I had to book an accessible one. I just need room to store a scooter, and the Pinnacle cabins, other than accessible ones, don't have room for one; the Zaandam does have some that hold a scooter easily. 

[BermudaBound2014]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

Zaandam 360 degree promenade deck is far superior to the one on the Pinnacle class ships. Plus everything feels like a very long hike to get anywhere on the Pinnacle ships.  

 

Comfort and access to various venues, can be as important as the variety of them, when they are scattered longer distances away. We are small HAL ship lovers too, and it was one and done for us on a Pinnacle ship. I would never want to be stuck on her during port days and having to hike around to get anywhere. 

 

My vote: stick with the Zaandam. 

I suppose that “hike” is different for everyone, but the pinnacle ships are considered mid-sized. By cruise ship standards, they aren’t even categorized as “large” and they are less than half the size of the “mega” class of cruise ship.
 

 

Sure they are bigger than Zaandam, but at less than 1,000 feet bow to stern, there is not much of a “hike” found walking from venue to venue.

[crystalspin]

3 hours ago, MUD said:

We have reservation with a verandah cabin on the Rotterdam for a 12 day Caribbean cruise and also a reservation on the Zaandam for a 14 Day port intensive cruise in an OV cabin at the same time. Must choose between the two.

 

I am mobility challenged. Can get around the ship but excursions, unless easy, are out. While I know not much happens onboard on port days we like to read, relax, etc and do really like the Zaandam class of ship—have over 100 days on this class. Nevertheless less we worry that with a very intense port schedule we may get bored. Have not been on the Rotterdam and it’s less port intensive sailing we wonder if there might be more to do.

 

Any advice?

Wow that is a hard one!

 

We have been on the Zaandam for two separate 14-day cruises (Cape Horn and Alaska). Have most recentily sailed sixteen days (B2B) on the Koningsdam to Mexican Riviera x2. 

 

I would normally/automatically say the longer cruise, but with your stated conditions, I have to vote for the slightly shorter cruise in a verandah, with more venues (not to eat in, but that too), but simply to relax and perhaps have a coffee or adult beverage. On the Pinnacle ship, we enjoyed Crows Nest, Dutch Cafe, and the Lincoln Center Stage (whether or not there was music). And you would have your own balcony. On the Zaandam -- no balcony and fewer places to sit/people watch/imbibe. And more potential days on a semi-deserted ship. 

 

Good luck with your choice, but surely more to do on the Rotterdam! I suggest a mid-ship cabin location, even with it not being a mega-ship.

[Cruise Suzy]

The showers on Pinnacle class ships are great for mobility challenged passengers. However, there is very little space between the foot of the bed and wall in a verandah on them. I managed with a cane but it was enough of an aggravation to DH (no cane or walker) that he refuses to book one. Just something to consider.