The Maasdam is an older ship but is in great condition. The cabins were very clean, though obviously dated. However, they were equipped with a flat screen TV and a DVD player! The crew was pretty fantastic - we were really impressed with how diligent, friendly and organized they were. We were traveling with our twin 3 year old boys and one set of our parents - whenever we appeared for breakfast/lunch/dinner - someone would immediately get us booster seats and help us set up. The servers got to know people quickly and would often know what you would be ordering. The food was pretty average - some dishes were excellent, others mediocre - but nothing was terrible and we didn't get sick of it. There is only one restaurant that you would have to pay extra for - the extra ranges from $20 - 75 depending on the day - can't comment on the value because we didn't eat there.

Having 3 year olds on this cruise was not that easy - there wasn't a lot for them to do and because the crowd is generally older, they could easily be perceived as getting in the way (though I have to say that everyone we met was extremely friendly and went out of their way to talk to us). We were not able to use Club HAL because we were not comfortable with the fact that kids were unsupervised when using the bathroom - while our kids are potty trained, they only just turned three and still need a bit of help or at the very least someone watching them when they are around water.

The shows were excellent - actually, they were outstanding. We were surprised at the quality and professionalism. It was clear that everyone enjoyed the shows - there were standing ovations almost every evening. Read more