Best Family Accommodations?

[Two if by Sea]

Trying to figure out which Maasdam cabin configuration is best for a family (two adults and one or two children): the regular Verandah cabins, or a Deluxe Suite.

 

Although of course the Deluxe Suite has way more room, the Verandah cabin seems to have one useful feature that the Deluxe Suite lacks: a privacy curtain between the main bed and the sofabed.

 

It is hard to tell from the pictures of the cabins how useful this feature might be. So, leaving the Penthouse aside for obvious reasons: I don't mind booking the Deluxe Suite if it is better than the Verandah, but not if it is actually worse!

 

Any opinions?

[hammybee]

I do not think the Deluxe Suites on the Maasdam accommodate more than two passengers, despite their size.

 

Some of the veranda cabins do accommodate third passengers.

 

If you are sailing with four passengers and insist upon a balcony, perhaps it is better to find adjoining veranda cabins. This way you get two baths.

[peaches from georgia]

The S Deluxe Verandah Suites accomodate 4 pax- a king bed (or made into 2 twins) and a sofa bed for 2. The A and B verandahs only accomodate 3 pax as the sofa bed is a single. The number of pax each cabin will accomodate is stated in the stateroom section of each ship.

 

I wouldn't want 4 adults to an S suite because of the one bathroom, but if it is a family with 2 small children I would do it so the whole family can be together. Small children cannot be in a cabin alone, so the adults would have to split up if they booked 2 cabins. I would rather have my whole family with children in an S.

[Cruise Fanatic]

I agree with Hammybee...I have sailed on the Maasdam...there were 3 of us and (all male) and we had a Deluxe Suite (catagory S ), and while it was nice and roomy...it did get crowded at times, and 3people sharing a bathroom, can be trying to say the least.

.

I would book two adjoing cabins, with balcony, more room and at least two baths...., but however u do it, enjoy your cruise...the Maasdam is a neat ship. am sailing on her sister ship Ryndam in Dec.

[peaches from georgia]

I agree that 3 or 4 adults in an S is not ideal and I wouldn't do it either. But, Hammy's post says that 'Deluxe Suites on the Maasdam do not accomodate more than two passengers' and that is not so. Just in case someone wanted to book one for more than 2 I thought it should be clear that they can.

[hammybee]

Peaches, I'll defer to you. I have not sailed in either of these cats. on this class of ship. The HAL deck plans, on their web site, do not show suites as accommodating triple/quads. So what else is new? :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

They hold 3-4 people. 2 in the bed, 1-2 in the sofa bed. Directly from HAL's site:

 

Deluxe Verandah Suites 2 lower beds convertible to 1 king-size bed, whirlpool bath & shower, large sitting area, dressing room, private verandah, 1 sofa bed for 2 persons, mini-bar, refrigerator, floor-to-ceiling windows.

Category S

* 556 sq. ft. with verandah.

[Two if by Sea]

Sorry if I wasn't clear; I am specifically asking about two adults with one or two small children -- NOT 3 or 4 adults. Getting a second cabin is not really an option as the child/ren are too small for their own cabin and the adults would like to stay together.

 

So my question is specifically: does the privacy curtain in the Verandah cabins offer something useful that is not available in the S (Deluxe) suites. In other words, might one spend all the extra money for the S only to realize that the A or BA cabins might have actually been BETTER laid out for this size family?

 

Does the curtain really offer a feeling of two separate living spaces that one could get for $15000 in the Penthouse but not in the Deluxe Suite? Or does the extra space of the S suite far outweigh any little help the curtain provides?

[hammybee]

They hold 3-4 people. 2 in the bed, 1-2 in the sofa bed. Directly from HAL's site:

 

Deluxe Verandah Suites 2 lower beds convertible to 1 king-size bed, whirlpool bath & shower, large sitting area, dressing room, private verandah, 1 sofa bed for 2 persons, mini-bar, refrigerator, floor-to-ceiling windows.

Category S

* 556 sq. ft. with verandah.

 

 

Thanks. I just saw this too. The deck plans are however hosed.:)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Two if by Sea:

 

Here's my two cents:

 

Have you considered getting two connecting outside cabins? Officially, you would need to book one adult per cabin with a child. However, in reality the parents could be in one room, the children in the connecting room. If the children are quite small, to prevent any mishaps don't get verandah cabins. You sleep in one cabin with the door ajar between you and the children. Two bathrooms, two bedrooms. The Deluxe Suites come with all sorts of wonderful perks, but for a family of two parents and two children, privacy isn't one of them.

 

Having said all that, however, I can tell you from experience that we were two parents and one 8-year-old in a Deluxe Verandah Suite for two weeks, and we managed just fine. Eventually, children do fall asleep..........;)

 

Ultimately, it all depends on the family demograhics, and how you manage together....

 

Karin

[SeaSharp]

As one who has stayed in both types of cabins numerous times (just got my 100 day medallion), I would be happier, if I were in your situation, to be in a deluxe suite, aka Class "S". There is no privacy curtain between the two areas, but you will have double the space in the cabin, as well as the verandah, and a much larger bath, which includes a dressing area with sink. You will also have access to the Neptune Lounge, which if you have never experienced, is a real luxury. This is not to say that the regular veranda cabin won't meet your needs, but I truly think you'll be more comfortable in a deluxe suite, especially if you have TWO small children. If you only have ONE child, and the cost of the cabin is a strong consideration, then the regular verandah cabin will certainly meet your needs. Both are very comfortable cabins, way more than adequte, and neither should disaapoint, IMHO!!!!

 

NANCY

[Two if by Sea]

Thank you!

 

Not sure if it is one or two children yet. (Yes, I know how many children we have! The question is, who will be coming.)

 

I think we'll stick with the Deluxe Suite. Looks like two adjoining cabins wouldn't end up being that much less, and if we do end up with just the one child, she would NOT want to be alone in a cabin, even connecting, I'm sure.

[cathy_kearns]

When cruising with our two girls on HAL we would get the deluxe suite and they would get the sofa bed. If we were up later than them we would sit out on the verandah, or use the reading lights on the headboards.

 

Someone mentioned the Neptune lounge and with kids that is great. It's like the conceirge floor of a hotel, whenever the kids are hungry, and just want a snack, it's right down the hall, and when they were 8 or so they could head down themselves and come right back with snacks. (And I loved being able to step just down the hall to get my morning latte...)

 

But you are right, no privacy.

[Westie1]

Just off the Noordam . We had 20 in our group . Some had the deluxe suite(family of 5) the rest of us had the VC. Verandah with beds for 4.

My kids are 10 and 12. The bunk worked out great. Sofa bed too. A curtain does come out between the sofa bed and our queen bed , but only 1/2 way across cabin, the bunk and queen can't view tv when it is closed to it's half way point. My sister had her queen made up backwards so her pillows were where your feet would be so the bunk wasn't above her and her husband's head. A ladder is provided for the kids and there is a rail for upper bunk, which goes up during the day. Balconies have a key with which to lock kids out of it.

[Mjjpower]

Westie is my sister and I thought I'd post a picture of the Quad. I don't think the curtain adds much privacy to the room.

Mary Jane

[Westie1]

Excellent Photo,

Why does your room look so much tidier than mine...Tee hee

[Two if by Sea]

Thanks for the photo! This information is helping a lot in my decision-making process!