For our 14-Day Celtic Explorer Cruise on Holland America’s ms Prinsendam, we booked a category G ocean-view stateroom.
When booking a cruise, we often select a stateroom “guarantee,” leaving the specific cabin assignment up to the cruise line. (This strategy can sometimes result in good upgrades.) When sailing on Holland America’s 835-guest ms Prinsendam, however, we prefer to select a specific stateroom.
The “Elegant Explorer” — as the Prinsendam is known — dates back to 1988 when she was launched as the Royal Viking Sun. As much as we love this ship –we spent 70+ days on her exploring Europe in 2007 — we also know there is significant variation between staterooms, even among those in the same category.
For this cruise we chose stateroom 421, a category G ocean-view accommodation. Take a look inside…
To reach the entrance to stateroom 421 on the Prinsendam, you first step into a small interior hallway that leads to two cabins — #421 and #419. When studying the Prinsendam deck plan closely, you can see these little hallways associated with some interior, ocean-view and vista suite staterooms.
With their entry doors separated from the main hallway, these staterooms are removed from potential noise in the main hallway.
This is the view as you first walk into stateroom 421 and look toward the windows. This cabin is located on the Dolphin deck — the lowest passenger deck — and is toward the front part of the Prinsendam where the ship begins to narrow. As noted on the deck plan, stateroom 421 has portholes rather than a full picture window.
Said to be 191 sq. ft. in size, stateroom 421 has two beds that convert into one king-size bed, plus a sofa. The desk is narrow, as is the walkway around the foot of the bed.
A refrigerator is hidden in the cabinet below the television.
As you turn around to face the other side of stateroom 421, you see two sliding doors.
Behind one sliding door, you will find a walk-in closet, with two racks for hanging clothes, and a wardrobe with a number of shelves and drawers for storage. Note that all ocean-view staterooms do not have walk-in closets. Stateroom 425, just two cabins away from #421, has a very different configuration for its closet and bathroom.
The other sliding door in stateroom 421 leads into the bathroom, which features a tub and shower combination. Next door, stateroom 419 has a shower only.
The shower features an adjustable rain head (great for people of all heights); while the tub has several grab bars.
Note the in-shower dispenser of Elemis shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. The tiled mirror over the tub helps the bathroom feel spacious and well-lit.
Across from the tub, the single sink has a shelf below for storage.
The lighting on the mirror is my favorite feature; it offers some of the best bathroom lighting at sea for makeup application.
As you exit the stateroom, here is a look at the interior “hallway” that leads to cabins #419 and #421 on the Prinsendam cruise ship.
Our bottom line on Ocean-view Stateroom 421 on Holland America’s ms Prinsendam:
- This stateroom is one of the best category G ocean-view cabins as it one of the farthest from the front of the ship, where you may feel rough seas.
- It is spacious at 191 sq. ft. — large for an ocean-view stateroom.
- We like the Prinsendam staterooms that include a tub/shower combination in the bathroom, and a walk-in closet. Some cruise guests, however, do not like stepping into the tub and prefer the shower-only staterooms.
- The interior “hallway” leading to this stateroom makes it quiet and peaceful.
- While the Prinsendam is a small ship, the elevators can be slow. Walking to the dining room requires going up to flights of stairs, while it is seven flights up to the Crow’s Nest.
Have you sailed on Holland America Line’s Prinsendam cruise ship? If so, what is your favorite stateroom?
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Take a look inside these other cruise ship cabins:
- A Look Inside a Verandah Stateroom on Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise Ship
- A Look Inside Suite 325 on the Seabourn Pride (now the Windstar Pride)
- A Look Inside Interior Cabin #10425 on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas
- A Look Inside Ocean-view Stateroom 2641 on Holland America’s Volendam
- A Look Inside a Vista Suite on Holland America’s Koningsdam Cruise Ship
- A Look Inside Interior Cabin B-625 on the Star Princess Cruise Ship