Review of Zaandam Alaska May 2011

[chinita415]

Hi folks,

 

I have started a travelogue of my recent Alaska cruise which included a review of Zaandam over at the Alaska forum.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1421385

[kazu]

That is a very nice review you posted with fabulous pics. I was disturbed to hear the racial slurs/insinuations. I have not encountered this on HAL and I would like to think this is the exception. Sadly, HAL can control food, service and all those things - but not some passengers.

I was really sorry to see you and your family experienced this :eek:

 

 

Other than that, it does sound like you had a great cruise. I do hope those passengers don't tarnish the memories of your cruise.

 

thanks for sharing. Fabulous review and great detail. Very nice :)

[Himself]

Your start was excellent and I enjoyed reading it very much. I am sorry a few of the PAX were rude to you. You deserved better.

[chinita415]

I was hesitant to mention the other rude passenger as I did not want to generalize HAL passengers. I too think they are the exceptions for sure. But they sure spoiled our otherwise great experience on the ship.

 

My sister and I were mistaken for crew more than once! Though these encounters were more benign. As she pulled up in Canada Place with all her technical clothing and bags, my sister was asked by the porter, "are you crew?" She was offended, but I found it amusing and told her to take it as a compliment that she was mistaken for an excursion specialist. :p On Glacier Bay day, I was riding up in the elevator to the Crow's Nest to meet the ranger in my fleece vest and had my iPad with me. A very sweet lady said, "honey, are you the ranger who is giving the presentation??" We had many more of these interactions but they were great conversation starters. :o

[ironin]

Thanks for writing your review! It reads and looks great.

 

Don't mean to over-emphasize just one aspect of it, but:

 

I was hesitant to mention the other rude passenger as I did not want to generalize HAL passengers. I too think they are the exceptions for sure. But they sure spoiled our otherwise great experience on the ship.

I'm glad you did. As you say, a few rude people don't represent the vast majority of passengers any ship or any cruise line. That said, I was sorry to read about your experience and also sorry it detracted from your "otherwise great experience on the ship."

 

Imagine your mother was too polite to say much in response to that snob, but the best reply I know of is that Southern charmer, "Bless your heart!":D

 

My sister and I were mistaken for crew more than once! Though these encounters were more benign.

This happened to us just about any time we were dressed up in the evening while aboard the Celebrity Mercury. Like you, we thought it was funny, and we didn't mind helping out whoever made the mistaken assumption, either.

 

As she pulled up in Canada Place with all her technical clothing and bags, my sister was asked by the porter, "are you crew?" She was offended, but I found it amusing and told her to take it as a compliment that she was mistaken for an excursion specialist.

We've been asked a couple of times if we were crew by shore-side operators, too. (One of us is Boricua.)

 

On Glacier Bay day, I was riding up in the elevator to the Crow's Nest to meet the ranger in my fleece vest and had my iPad with me. A very sweet lady said, "honey, are you the ranger who is giving the presentation??" We had many more of these interactions but they were great conversation starters.

Someone's apparent age compared to the average age of the vast majority of passengers often has much to do with such inaccurate assumptions. Although crew demographics definitely play a part, younger passengers, no matter what their ethnicity, are occasionally mistaken for crew. Comparative youth isn't the reason we've been mistaken for crew on occasion, but I've seen it happen more than once.

[chinita415]

Thanks for writing your review! It reads and looks great.... (One of us is Boricua.).

 

I wonder if many people even know what a Boricua is. :D Gracias... I get by in Spanglish at work here in SoCal as you can tell by my screen name.

[ironin]

I wonder if many people even know what a Boricua is. :D Gracias... I get by in Spanglish at work here in SoCal as you can tell by my screen name.

 

LOL! Hadn't thought of the first but noticed the last.;)

 

How's your Chinglish/Englese, btw?

 

signed,

 

The lao-wai/gwai-lo/ah-dok-ah/yang-gui-zi :D

[mtnmommy]

Thank you for a wonderfully written review. I'm sorry to hear about those rude passengers--I really admire your positive attitude and am glad you didn't let it impact your trip too much. We're a mixed race family, and I'm the type who stews about those things for days, but the CC board has taught me to smile and say, "Bless your heart!"

 

We've had a great experience with HAL passengers and staff. However, we had a terrible time going through immigration after our Alaskan cruise because the official would not be convinced that our Chinese-American daughter was both American and our daughter (no problem with our Caucasian son.) Uhh, it's all right there on her passport.

[Ineke]

Thank you for a great review! Well written, and great pictures!

[chinita415]

LOL! Hadn't thought of the first but noticed the last.;)

 

How's your Chinglish/Englese, btw?

 

signed,

 

The lao-wai/gwai-lo/ah-dok-ah/yang-gui-zi :D

 

You made my day!! I now understand.... you are a gwai lo married to a Boricua. :p You may enjoy this website as much as I do: http://www.engrish.com/

[chinita415]

Thank you for a wonderfully written review. I'm sorry to hear about those rude passengers--I really admire your positive attitude and am glad you didn't let it impact your trip too much. We're a mixed race family, and I'm the type who stews about those things for days, but the CC board has taught me to smile and say, "Bless your heart!"

 

We've had a great experience with HAL passengers and staff. However, we had a terrible time going through immigration after our Alaskan cruise because the official would not be convinced that our Chinese-American daughter was both American and our daughter (no problem with our Caucasian son.) Uhh, it's all right there on her passport.

 

Oh we stewed plenty. :rolleyes: Many of these negative interactions were during the first 2 days on the ship. But by no means did it ruin our wonderful vacation. Was this US immigration officers who gave your family a hard time? BTW - My psychological safety net for the longest time was to adopt a girl from China if biology fails me. But friends have been on the wait list for >5 years now and are moving on to other countries. I best start!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for taking the time to write a wonderful review.

[alliecat1961]

As a first time cruiser taking the Zaandam NB in August, I really appreciate your post! I love your pics. What type of camera did you use? Also, how far in advance did you book your floatplane in Ketchican?

[chinita415]

As a first time cruiser taking the Zaandam NB in August, I really appreciate your post! I love your pics. What type of camera did you use? Also, how far in advance did you book your floatplane in Ketchican?

 

I have a water and shock proof point and shoot that I bought at Costco last year: Canon Power Shot D10 http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-D10-Waterproof-Stabilized/dp/B001SER460 I've taken it to Mexico to snorkel and to the Sierras to ski. It did still fog up a little bit and the battery acted out in the cold. But I saw other people with the same problems too with fancier cameras. The only downside is the optical zoom is only 3X. Some of the pictures are from my sister's Canon point and shoot (forgot which model) that has 12X optical zoom. My hubby is a photo buff and has $$$ invested in digital SLR gear. I've learned some basic techniques from him. It's not the camera, but the person behind it. ;)

 

As for booking with Island Wings, I called them as soon as I booked my cruise in the fall. She is quite popular and gets booked up early.

[KirkNC]

What a delightful review! I am sorry there were some small minded people on board, that can happen anywhere but you sound like you really enjoyed the cruise.

 

Kirk