Maasdam Review
Classy cruise, great ports, super service...what more do you want?
Rating by category
Additional details
Every stage of this cruise was seamless with no complaints. The inside stateroom was roomy and tended to regularly. All areas of food was phenomenal. The shows were entertaining. We didn't go to all of them but chose the new Droom extravaganza; the comedian Eddie Capone; the Australian entertainer, Patrick McMahon was so energetic and talented; Classique, by the singers and dancers; and the show by the crew was very endearing. We checked out some of the lounge acts. Took advantage of the Happy Hour offerings.
This particular cruise has ports of call which are easily walkable - no real need to purchase excursions unless there is a particular area you'd like to explore. Only disappointment was the weather on the first day at Bar Harbor - we scheduled a private tour of Acadia Natl Park but was rained and fogged out. We walked through the town anyway, in ponchos, got thoroughly drenched but worth it. We enjoyed the restaurants Pinnacle and Canaletto - both were excellent. Our nights in the Rotterdam restaurant were also super, as was the buffet when we decided to go casual. Never an issue with the food or drink. The attendants at the Front Desk were always helpful and so cheerful. Embarkation and Disembarkation were seamless.
Cabin Review
Large Interior Stateroom
Roomy cabin with loveseat/sofa which folds out to a bed. We didn't need it as a bed but nice to have someplace else to sit, other than the bed. Ours was arranged so the bed was king-sized (2 twins together). Very comfortable bed. 3 separate closets, very ample. Bathroom standard, shower, toilet, sink with plenty of storage below sink and on wall shelves.
Port Reviews
Boston
We flew into Worcester, then took a bus to Boston. The weather was cool so we walked from the bus station to the ship...about a mile and a half. We had small luggage so no big deal to drag it with us.
Bar Harbor
Unfortunately, it was raining quite hard and lots of fog so we canceled the excursion we had previously reserved. It was privately reserved, not thru the ship. We found some ponchos and walked the streets anyway, just to get some exercise. Cute, quaint town with great views. Did not eat at any of the restaurants, just a quick jaunt thru town. Would like to go back, however, and explore with better weather.
Halifax
Loved this town. We found a free walking tour, starting at the Citadel at 10 am. It was a small group with a young guy who had just started the job. A few of us knew more than him about some things but he was very amusing and took us on a nice loop of a walk.
Sydney (Nova Scotia)
Small town with not much in it. Took a self-guided walk among old homes and churches. Found a good restaurant for lunch, The Governor's Pub. Very good food and beer.
Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island)
Another small town, a bit bigger than Sydney, with historic walks and shopping guides. Check out Cow's Ice Cream - there's one in the town and also in the welcome center. If you're into the book Anne of Green Gables, there is an excursion taking you to the house, among other things. We opted out and just did our usual self-guided walk around town. We were told (a day or two after) that they get off the ship and go to Dave's Lobster for the best lobster rolls ever. Wish we would have heard that before we got there!
Quebec City
OMG, the most beautiful city ever. Once again, we did our own thing and walked over to an arch which was part of this city's Citadel. Took the funicular up to the upper city with tons of shops and restaurants. We meandered into different neighborhoods and streets. The city is drop-dead gorgeous and wish we could have seen it at night. Ate at Pub St-Patrick and, although food was good, the service was disappointing. They do not take American Express and will not convert to US dollars (even the little ice cream shop in Charlotteton converted in her head). Paid with cash anyway but should have broken out the Visa debit card...a bit addle-brained at that moment and didn't think of it. So we overpaid in terms of US/Canada ratio.
Montreal
Even tho we only walked from the ship to the train station, we've been to Montreal before and loved it. We were on our way to the Amtrak station to pick up the Adirondack for the 10 hour ride to NYC. The weather was cool and dry so decided to walk the mile, rather than catch a cab.