Prinsendam Room Question

[LILynn]

Hi all!

 

For those of you that have been on the Prinsendam, what do you think of the Cat C rooms. I am a little concerned since the Queen's loungs appears to be on top of the room.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

Lynn

[arzz]

Interesting question -- I have not seen a category C room on the Prinsendam (on other ships it is not unusual for the promenade deck cabins to be a bit smaller than the other outsides -- I do not know about Prinsendam as she is different than the other HAL ships) -- I also do not know if the shows and rehersals in the Queen's lounge are an issue.

 

We were on dolphin deck on the Prinsendam and found our cabin to be utterly quiet -- unusually so -- I do think that the recessed cabin doors that face the small private hallway and the fact that in the outsides the closet and bath are what are next to the corridor have a lot to do with how delightfully quiet our cabin was. We never even heard any noise from the corridor.

[letsgonow]

I remember when Ides of March posted about the world cruise in 2006, he said many veteran cruisers selected the C category staterooms. When I was on the Epic Explorer cruise later in 2006, I noticed that there is not only railings obstructing the view, but inflatable life boat barrels. These cabins may have a great view of the sky and distant horizon, but the seas may not be visible.

 

The show lounge stage is relatively small, and the production numbers are not as large and elaborate as some ships. I can't imagine the noise being a big issue. On the plus side, what a great location - steps from so many lounges and the great outdoors.

 

We were on dolphin deck - 444 - and thought the room was wonderful. Have a great cruise!

[ger_77]

We were in C223 on the Prinsendam and didn't experience any noise. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that we weren't in our cabin much during the day, as we were either on shore excursions or enjoying the outdoors. In the evenings we had late seating, so the shows were taking place while we were at dinner.

 

We loved, loved, loved our cabin on the Prinsendam. The doors are recessed from the hallway and they have lovely walk-in closets. The layout of the furniture makes the room seem even larger than it really is, with the bed not directly under the window. That way we could stand at the window and look out and enjoy the views. We would book the same cabin again in the future.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :)

[LILynn]

Thanks all - we had booked a lower category but my TA called this AM with a great opportunity to upgrade to a C. When I saw the location though I was concerned about the noise from the theatre above but it sounds like that will not be an issue.

 

 

Lynn

[Ides of March]

I dont think Letsgonow remembered my comments accurately as I dont recall ever saying experienced cruisers opted for Cat Cs except for C101 and 102 which are on the Upper Promenade. These are very desireable as they abut the A class balcony cabins and by going out the exit doors steps away from you door, you have essentially a private foredeck that few if any know about or use. There is a sign on the inside saying no exit but no sign on the outside and the locals ignore the advice. I never saw the door locked. Some people book these as a priority as soon as cruises are opened for sale especially on longer voyages.

 

The Cat C's on Lower Promenade are far less desireable and I wouldnt touch one. You are seperated from the ocean by a wide deck, constantly have people walking by who you can hear (running is prohibited for that reason), and have to keep your drapes closed for privacy even during the day although the reflective coating does work well when no lights are on in daylight. We walked that deck twice a day and saw some stuff we wish we hadn't.

 

Many cabins have the crew liferaft drums on the rail impeding their view. We had good friends who said they had made a mistake reserving there and would not do it again.

 

Cat E to C are essentially identical in size and layout and the price differential is based on location. Price goes up as you go higher up and down as you go to the extreme front or back. Forward is quiet but you get maximum motion in rough seas. The rear third of the ship has vibration problems IMHO and some have very annoying plexiglass over the window which deprives you of the window ledge which can store a lot of hats, literature and cocktails.

 

There are two layouts for outside cabins, shower only or bath. The latter are smaller and have only one end table at the bed. Definitely go for bath as its the same price. As you get right up in the bow cabin size decreases to allow for the curvature of the hull and on lower deck you get two small portholes and no window.

 

I believe I said that many repeat word cruisers opt for midship cabins on Dolphin deck. They have the same size cabin as higher catagories, a smoother ride and a lower price. Good bang for the buck and what really counts is getting on the boat.

 

We are doing the two week Baltic next summer and have reserved our old WV cabin 438 on Dolphin although we could have gone higher for the same cost. We love it because: it has the smoothest quietist ride on the ship, is very convenient for disembarking and boarding on port intense cruises (especially quick returns for forgotten items or dropping off booze) and its under the internet cafe so you can connect from the room.

 

With Deck 8 Aft open for hot tubbing and sailaway sunset cocktails, we love this ship and the accommodations that are tried and true.

 

I hope this helps future Prinsendamers.

 

Ides

[letsgonow]

Sorry Ides, my memory is BAD! I was on the second sailing after the world voyage, and it must have been my excitement over our paltry 35 day cruise. Thanks for setting the record straight! Glad to hear you will be on the incredible Prinsendam once again. All the best!