Precruise stayed at Renaissance Hotel.  Good hotel, well maintained, convenient to Port Everglades, and above all I got a good price.

Day 1 - Not a good start.  Disembarkation delayed for deep cleaning and sanitization.  Previous cruise experienced fewer than eight passengers with lower GI symptoms similar to noro virus.  Boarding began soon after 1:00PM.  On board precautions included strict adherence to health rules.  They include no "self" service in Lido Buffet and only plates and silverware on tables in dining room, all services by crew only.   The restrictions were lifted after forty-eight hours with no further reported illnesses.

Maasdam is cosmetically well maintained.  There were, however, some breakdowns in the plumbing systems.  Two rather major ceiling water leaks occurred in the corridors of Navigation deck.  The first one, port side, was the most serious.  It apparently invaded a cabin and required replacing the aft section carpet in the corridor.  The second incident, starboard side, was not as noteworthy, but it required a full day to complete repairs.  The hot and cold water lines to my cabin were reversed.  That seems minor, until you flush the toilet when there's hot water in the line.  Condensation coats the underside of the lid and seat, an unpleasant surprise for the next use.  It took maintenance two visits to discover and correct the problem.  Fortunately, the previously reported A/C difficulties have been rectified.  I heard no complaints about lack of cooling. Read more