Our Second Maasdam Voyage

Item: Maasdam
Rating: 4.3
Author: BOBandSTEVE

Maasdam Cruise Review to South America

BOBandSTEVE

Contributor Level: Second Mate

6 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 28

Overall rating:

4.3 out of 5

28 Night Incan Empires (San Diego Roundtrip)

Sail date: February 25, 2018

Ship: Maasdam

Cabin type: Oceanview

Cabin number: 734

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 6 years ago

Review summary

Overall, we were very pleased with this cruise. I didn't rate the ports due to time filling this out, but highlights for us were Panama (took a tour through the locks), Antigua on a Sunday in Lent - Amazing!, and we loved Puerto Vallarta's Old town section and walking along the Malecon.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

We arrived at the San Diego Pier and although the line for security was long, it moved rather steadily. The Oosterdam was sailing the same day, which more than doubled the number of passengers arriving for boarding. After passing through security, we were able to go right up to the checkin area, and we were headed to the ship in minutes. The staterooms were already cleaned and ready, which allowed up to drop off our carry-on bags. We were late leaving San Diego due to fueling, but the Captain explained why.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

We selected Main Seating for dinner, 7:45 pm. Our table was located on the upper level of the Rotterdam Dining Room by a window. Our servers, Rama and Jodi were very attentive and friendly, and our wine steward, Janella was spot on. Over the course of 28 days, there were hits and misses on the menu, but mostly hits. Highlights included the escargot, lamb dishes and desserts. Sometimes the food was slow to arrive, but we liked the pace for the most part. We experienced the Pinnacle Grill three times, twice for dinner, once for a wine lunch. The first dinner there was on one of their "Rudi Sur la Mer" nights. Every dish was worth a picture and wonderful tastes. With a smaller venue, they can pull out all the stops! The second dinner was very good, and service was special. The wine lunch paired wines with each course, and the flavors were spectacular. So glad we went!

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5

Sunny days, and two pools to choose from. It was easy to get onto cardio equipment at the fitness center. While near Mexico, there was entertainment by the pool, but the rest of the time there was no poolside activities. This change appears to come from "Corporate." Sports activities were available, including Dutch Shuffleboard, Ping Pong, Basketball, Tennis and Pickleball.

Entertainment

4 out of 5

It's pretty hard to earn 5 stars. We enjoyed most of the guest entertainers. The ship's entertainment group for the stage show was on their first run together. We're sure they will settle in and improve. The dancers were great. It's always nice to hear live music, which flowed from 3 venues on deck 8.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

This is really where the Maasdam shines! From cabin stewards, to wait staff and Lido Cafe servers. A special shout out to the Activity Directors, Ryan and Andy. They were full of energy and interacting with passengers throughout the cruise. This was a major improvement over our last experience.

Ship Quality

4 out of 5

We cruised on the Maasdam a year ago on a 39 day voyage from Sydney to San Diego. Based on that experience, we thought the ship would look even more tired by now. To our surprise, this 25 year old ship, making it's 900th voyage, looked a lot fresher than before. The Maasdam is a great sized ship. With a little less than 1,200 passengers, you never felt crowded. The public rooms provide plenty of options to find your special place to meet with old and new friends. One side of the Lido roof did become non-functional during the cruise. They tried their best to get it back on it's track, but it looks like it will be a dry dock fix.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

The stewards kept it clean and tidy and the size was very good. We overpacked and there was plenty of storage to handle it all.