Over the top on the Maasdam ..........

So did the original poster actually see one or more topless sunbathers?

 

Did she see anyone take the sign on deck nine seriously?

 

Did she approach any one on the ship about her trepidation of possibly seeing a topless sunbather?

 

Did she discuss the feared presumed new policy with a person in the know ie the cruise director?

 

Hopefully we can get a clearer picture of her trauma from her now that Holland America has responded and presumably quelled her fears.

I think the OP was right in line with HAL’s, and I dare say with a great many passengers’ standpoints on the sign and its imaginary “deck”. To anyone (not necessarily you) feeling testy by the outcome, and posting in a way that comes across as scolding the OP, I’d suggest keeping one’s faux-cosmopolitanism in check.

:(

I think the OP was right in line with HAL’s, and I dare say with a great many passengers’ standpoints on the sign and its imaginary “deck”. To anyone (not necessarily you) feeling testy by the outcome, and posting in a way that comes across as scolding the OP, I’d suggest keeping one’s faux-cosmopolitanism in check.

:(

Agreed.

Thanks to Ols Salt for exposing the situation.

Barbara

To update this thread: The Maasdam does not and has never had a topless deck. The signs were not placed by the ship and have been removed.

Signs were taken down, activity continued the next day regardless. Maasdam continues to have an unofficial "topless sun-bathing" policy Updates to follow.

So if the OP had simply gone to the Front Desk with her concerns, instead of posting on CC, this would have been solved sooner, I guess.

A comment card was delivered to the front desk. Don't assume facts not in evidence. The sign appeared official, so we registered our own personal distaste for this public view and our own cabin impact view location for what appeared to be new HAL policy.

The activity increased and the sign did not go down after we submitted this comment card. We also suggested they choose a more private area if this was going to be a new HAL activity.

Signs eventually came down a few days later, activity continued anyway.

I'd rather have a detachment of Mounties from Regina, Sask. Understand they "always get their man (or woman)" :cool:

LMAO RCMP... I am from Edmonton.

“The sky is falling!”

Henny Penny

**********************************************************************

All this work for nothing! I’ve been studying live gps shots of the aft decks of the Maasdam with a magnifying glass all week! All for naught! ........... Is there anywhere else on the Internet where I might find toplessness?

*********************************************************************

I’ve added something new to my cruise packing list, a flyer that says:

Topless Deck

Dolts Only

I can attach it with the duct tape I’ve been packing for 20 years and never used.

So did the original poster actually see one or more topless sunbathers?

 

Did she see anyone take the sign on deck nine seriously?

 

Did she approach any one on the ship about her trepidation of possibly seeing a topless sunbather?

 

Did she discuss the feared presumed new policy with a person in the know ie the cruise director?

 

Hopefully we can get a clearer picture of her trauma from her now that Holland America has responded and presumably quelled her fears.

Work on your reading comprehension - the activity was continuing as of yesterday, even with the signs taken down.

I think the OP was right in line with HAL’s, and I dare say with a great many passengers’ standpoints on the sign and its imaginary “deck”. To anyone (not necessarily you) feeling testy by the outcome, and posting in a way that comes across as scolding the OP, I’d suggest keeping one’s faux-cosmopolitanism in check.

:(

Thank you.

To update this thread: The Maasdam does not and has never had a topless deck. The signs were not placed by the ship and have been removed.

For the record;

Boarded ship on Sept 10 - FLL - "aft wrap cabin" and expectation to use aft deck stairway to reach the Lido deck

Day One: Sept 11- returned to cabin from Lido using the aft deck stairways to Deck 9 - no warning signs on either Deck 10 aft deck stairway to Deck 9 - observed one topless sun bather, very surprised and intended to report this to front deck until we noticed the red plastic sign on the Deck 9 aft deck access door "topless deck adults only" - one sunbather only - took photo of sign.

Day Two (Sept 12)- numbers of sunbathers grew, direct view from our Deck 9 cabin "wrap deck", sent a comment card to the front desk protesting this since it was in full public view and suggested they find a less public view and non-transit area for this new "official HAL policy" (per sign)

Day Three (Sept 14) - activity continues and increases

Day Four (Sept 15) - Panama Canal transit - enjoyment of our cabin "aft deck" views compromised by not wanting to view topless sunbathers in direct aft view access, same with using the aft deck stairs, activity on Deck 9 now in full view of Deck 10 as loungers were placed by topless passengers at the edge of the Deck 9 railing to be in full view from Deck 10 above.

Day Five (Sept 16) - I post to Cruise Critic regarding what clearly appeared to be a change of official HAL policy since no response to the comment card submitted on Day Two; btimmer posts photo of sign on Day Five. Open for discussion on CC about this "new policy change" since we had no prior notice this new "topless sun bathing" - sign still up and activity continues after comment card Sept 12, four days prior.

Day Six Sept 17) - Port day - public topless activity continues - sign is down

Day Seven (Sept 18) Port day -topless activity continues

Day Eight (Sept 19) - Port day - topless activity continues - HAL PR states no change in HAL policy - not allowed

Day Nine - (Sept 20) rainy and colder - no one using the deck

Day Ten - (Sept 21) Crossing the equator - cold and rainy - no one using the deck

For the record;

 

Day Eight (Sept 19) - Port day - topless activity continues - HAL PR states no change in HAL policy - not allowed

 

Day Nine - (Sept 20) rainy and colder - no one using the deck

Day Ten - (Sept 21) Crossing the equator - cold and rainy - no one using the deck

Per your post, two observations. First HAL PR does not state that it is not allowed, merely that there is not a designated topless deck. That's not the same thing. Quoted post:

To update this thread: The Maasdam does not and has never had a topless deck. The signs were not placed by the ship and have been removed.

Second, in your earlier post you said that "activity was continuing as of yesterday" but in the post quoted above, you say no one was using the deck yesterday.... So how do you know that activity was continuing? :confused:

Personally, I think it's just terrible that they can get away with this. Does anyone have pictures?

You are so right: just watch us slide into the ocean without a ship!

Have lots of relatives in Sask. You know Gravelbourg?

 

4 seasons for BC, too, just not the extremes.

 

Enjoy your cruises! Here, we cruise to get away from the rain

Yes, near my hometown of Assiniboia, and previous to that Melaval. BC's a pretty place, we enjoy seeing the mountains once in a while, but we're prairie dogs at heart. Seriously, if it wasn't for the extreme cold, we wouldn't cruise nearly as often - we've taken advantage of some last minute HAL cruises just to escape the deep freeze.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Personally, I think it's just terrible that they can get away with this. Does anyone have pictures?

The photographer tried, but they were all overexposed.

;)

The photographer tried, but they were all overexposed.

;)

Irish humor, I love it...a fellow Irishman.

I think the OP was right in line with HAL’s, and I dare say with a great many passengers’ standpoints on the sign and its imaginary “deck”. To anyone (not necessarily you) feeling testy by the outcome, and posting in a way that comes across as scolding the OP, I’d suggest keeping one’s faux-cosmopolitanism in check.

:(

I guess the use of a forum is always subject to misinterpretation. Faux - cosmopolitanism? Actually I would be in agreement with the original poster and her position so You have it completely backward.

My questions were placed because they were never answered before my posting. I reviewed all the previous posts by the original poster prior to my post any never once does she mention that she actually saw a topless sunbather; her posts were about the change in policy. The only fact she provided was that she saw a sign on deck nine. Never did she mention that she actually saw the topless sunbathers. Never once did she mention what occurred after the sign came down. Never once did she mention whether she approached any of the onboard staff.

I believe my questions were relevant to understanding the reality situation rather than speculating.

Yes, near my hometown of Assiniboia, and previous to that Melaval. BC's a pretty place, we enjoy seeing the mountains once in a while, but we're prairie dogs at heart. Seriously, if it wasn't for the extreme cold, we wouldn't cruise nearly as often - we've taken advantage of some last minute HAL cruises just to escape the deep freeze.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)[/quote

 

Have many friends and family from Manitoba. Enjoy the tales of snow up to the eaves of houses. Friends from Hong Kong saw their first snow 2 months after they moved to Winnipeg, a scary experience!

 

Love the excuse to take last-minute cruises!!! Mine are only rain and home port!

 

Enjoy you next cruise!!!

I guess the use of a forum is always subject to misinterpretation. Faux - cosmopolitanism? Actually I would be in agreement with the original poster and her position so You have it completely backward.

 

My questions were placed because they were never answered before my posting. I reviewed all the previous posts by the original poster prior to my post any never once does she mention that she actually saw a topless sunbather; her posts were about the change in policy. The only fact she provided was that she saw a sign on deck nine. Never did she mention that she actually saw the topless sunbathers. Never once did she mention what occurred after the sign came down. Never once did she mention whether she approached any of the onboard staff.

 

I believe my questions were relevant to understanding the reality situation rather than speculating.

Excuse me for misinterpreting you. However, nothing the OP wrote suggested any (to use your words) “trepidation” or “trauma”. If that is what you would have felt, that potential is probably something else for HAL to consider, IMO.

Yes, near my hometown of Assiniboia, and previous to that Melaval. BC's a pretty place, we enjoy seeing the mountains once in a while, but we're prairie dogs at heart. Seriously, if it wasn't for the extreme cold, we wouldn't cruise nearly as often - we've taken advantage of some last minute HAL cruises just to escape the deep freeze.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Snowbirds?

Yes, near my hometown of Assiniboia, and previous to that Melaval. BC's a pretty place, we enjoy seeing the mountains once in a while, but we're prairie dogs at heart. Seriously, if it wasn't for the extreme cold, we wouldn't cruise nearly as often - we've taken advantage of some last minute HAL cruises just to escape the deep freeze.

 

 

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Hmmm? Sounds familiar, we should discuss the old cistern that became a root cellar for vegetables, on your old farm. If I guessed correctly? Signed Douglas.

.

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Per your post, two observations. First HAL PR does not state that it is not allowed, merely that there is not a designated topless deck. That's not the same thing. Quoted post:

 

 

 

Second, in your earlier post you said that "activity was continuing as of yesterday" but in the post quoted above, you say no one was using the deck yesterday.... So how do you know that activity was continuing? :confused:

Read the timeline - it is all set as to dates, reports, signage and activities. Today is sunny - Neptune Ceremony day.

Today Sept 21, 10 days after the start of the cruise and 8 days after reporting our comments, the activity is continuing is full upper deck view since the lady in the orange bikini bottoms moved her chaise to the Deck 9 aft deck edge next to the railings to be in full public view from the aft of Deck 10. Right after the Neptune Ceremony, when many people are gathered on "Sea View Pool" Deck 10.

There is no longer the red sign designating this is a "topless deck" but it remains a "topless deck" - by policy or neglect of policy. Second comment card was submitted to the front desk Sept 21. Welcome to the new Holland America Line - thank you President Orlando Ashford for taking HAL ships out of their stuffy "midwestern" sensibilities and shoving them into Oprah's New Age. .

Snowbirds?

They're excellent while flying 55-yr old aircraft ;)

What an awesome thread. Lots of interesting perceptions and views on what is and what isn't acceptable.

This is way better that the jeans in the dining room discussion. And way better that the usual "What time is second sitting?" or "How much is a bucket of beer?".

But seriously, there are way more spectacles around the pools that are harder on the eyes on any given cruise than topless on an out of the way deck.

Quite frankly, HAL can stand to lose a few more of it’s “Midwestern Sensibilities”.

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My favourite flying display team, they look great line a-breast like that.

Seriously unless you have flown, as a pilot, it is impossible to comprehend the skill required for formation flying even just straight and level never mind whilst executing aerobatics.