On Zaandam Oct 9-23rd

[kazu]

Thanks for taking the time to share with us again CanadianBear. Wonderful review and very enlightening. What a tremendous attitude you have:)

[NMLady]

Thank you for such a positive review with no complaints. You have the same philosophy about cruising that we do. Hope you continue to enjoy.

[dobiemom]

Wow, Ronn Lucas AND Jeff Peterson & Indy: You have some GREAT entertainment on thus cruise! :D Thanks for checking in.

[SilvertoGold]

canadianbear -- thank you so much for the great post. It is a breathe of fresh air to read your positive, mature, reasonable attitude to the problems on this cruise. If I were management on the Zaandam right now, I would really appreciate your attitude. Good to know that the Captain is in his humerous mood: he can be a lot of fun with his wry humour.

 

Lisa -- thanks for posting that part of the cruise contract. Some people really should pay attention. (I was going to say "grow up", but that might be construed as rude).

[sunviking90]

She does appear to be leaving SD now. I hope weather is good and she makes it to Vancouver on time for our cruise on the 23rd:D

Thank you Canadianbear for taking to time to give us live report. Very much appreciated.

[startwin]

Had an email from Canadianbear, they are leaving SD now. They've had a great time in spite of all the problems, and for us locals (Vancouver) any cruise that goes from and to Vancouver is always a bonus, no matter what happens onboard:D

Oh, and the captain gave everyone a $100 OBC.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Had an email from Canadianbear, they are leaving SD now. They've had a great time in spite of all the problems, and for us locals (Vancouver) any cruise that goes from and to Vancouver is always a bonus, no matter what happens onboard:D

Oh, and the captain gave everyone a $100 OBC.

Wow that is actually quite generous :)

Call me weird but any cruise I go on I almost go expecting that there could be a change in itinerary no matter what cruise line. I am going with NCL on a Western Caribbean in 3 weeks, and I know that once in a while a few of those ports they have a bit of a hard time getting into if the winds are bad. One must chock it up to what happens with cruising. Frankly it is no different than planning a Hawaii land vacation and it rains the whole week. If everything goes as planned then that is great. Maybe it is the adventure of knowing that anything can happen. But for me I am just happy to be on a ship :D

[Lulubelle45]

Canadabear, thanks for the great play by play. We will hopefully be boarding in Vancouver by the time you read these, but as my first time on HAL I am do excited!!!

 

Last year we too missed a port due to weather (Astoria) and received an OBC of about $17 So we had another sea day, like you I just took it in stride and used my $17 towards Internet to notify the family as they were anxious to hear from us due to the storm.

 

Thanks again!!!

[SilvertoGold]

Canadabear, thanks for the great play by play. We will hopefully be boarding in Vancouver by the time you read these, but as my first time on HAL I am do excited!!!

 

Last year we too missed a port due to weather (Astoria) and received an OBC of about $17 So we had another sea day, like you I just took it in stride and used my $17 towards Internet to notify the family as they were anxious to hear from us due to the storm.

 

Thanks again!!!

 

The "OBC" would have been the port fees for Astoria that you paid when booking. When you miss a port HAL always reimburses the port fees.

[rtlk]

:mad:An OBC of $100 is simply and insult for what these folks have experienced during this nightmare cruise. No one should accept this and they should all demand a more reasonable credit and/or a substantial credit on another cruise. You people are soo supportive of a product that is substandard. Personal and corporate responsibility is lacking in the world today, people we must stand up for our rights and demand that they cruise lines do the right thing...!! $100 is quite simply, withalll due respect a JOKE!!!:mad::mad::mad::(

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I wonder how long she will be in San Diego? Maybe some are disembarking or repairs will be made. Intersting to say the least.

David

I hope they will ..

[trophy_23]

:mad:An OBC of $100 is simply and insult for what these folks have experienced during this nightmare cruise. No one should accept this and they should all demand a more reasonable credit and/or a substantial credit on another cruise. You people are soo supportive of a product that is substandard. Personal and corporate responsibility is lacking in the world today, people we must stand up for our rights and demand that they cruise lines do the right thing...!! $100 is quite simply, withalll due respect a JOKE!!!:mad::mad::mad::(

 

IMO, $100 is a nice OBC gesture by HAL. Really problems can happen on all cruises and all they would usually credit is the port fee for the missed port and maybe a glass of wine with dinner? I understand people are upset, but as mentioned it is only 1 port missed. Its not like these people were stranded at sea with no food and in substandard conditions for days on end by some mechanical problem. I'm not there, so I cant say for sure, but obviously some people are just a little more easy going than others.

[goodearth]

IMO, $100 is a nice OBC gesture by HAL. Really problems can happen on all cruises and all they would usually credit is the port fee for the missed port and maybe a glass of wine with dinner? I understand people are upset, but as mentioned it is only 1 port missed. Its not like these people were stranded at sea with no food and in substandard conditions for days on end by some mechanical problem. I'm not there, so I cant say for sure, but obviously some people are just a little more easy going than others.

 

 

Have you read the thread: "Zaandam nitemares" :confused: Some 'guests' have written more specific information about this cruise.............and it is much more than one missed port.

[trophy_23]

Have you read the thread: "Zaandam nitemares" :confused: Some 'guests' have written more specific information about this cruise.............and it is much more than one missed port.

 

Yes I have. I guess its all what you choose to make of it. I would be upset, but its a situation that one cannot control so try to make the best of it I would think. Its still a vacation and still beats working. JMO, Lifes to short to get too worked up over this kind of stuff!

[goodearth]

That's where we differ. I would not throw good money after bad for a vacation experience such as this.

[rafinmd]

There is a busy thread about the problems the Zaandam has faced on this cruise. This thread is the OP taking their time to relate their experiences. Posting gratuitous second hand complaints about the cruise and essentially saying they are either stupid or not enjoying the cruise is extremely rude.

 

Roy

[rtlk]

With all due respect folks HAL/CARNIVAL shows no respect for the customer. Its time they accept responsiblity and take care of the folks on that ship for the way they have been treated.. People in the travel industry who defend the cruise lines :mad:are selling the customers out:mad:. They should be fighting for their customers and should be ashamed of themselves!!!!

[trophy_23]

With all due respect folks HAL/CARNIVAL shows no respect for the customer. Its time they accept responsiblity and take care of the folks on that ship for the way they have been treated.. People in the travel industry who defend the cruise lines :mad:are selling the customers out:mad:. They should be fighting for their customers and should be ashamed of themselves!!!!

 

Maybe your posts would be better suited to the Zaandam nightmares thread.

[sunviking90]

Maybe your posts would be better suited to the Zaandam nightmares thread.

 

Well said - and rafinmd. This a thread that the OP has kindly started to related their experiences. I have been following it with interest as we re boarding Zaandam soon. It is not the place to try to tear down OP's positive take on her cruise. I for one, am glad she is having a good time and her outlook probably serves her well in life:)

[HALFans]

Missing a single port is not an unusual occurrence, and if the $100 OBC is specifically for that it's a very generous offer.

 

In addition, the ship feeds the passenger the entire day, saving the customer even more money.

 

The city will always be there to visit another day. Kind of a bummer though, if seeing it was a primary reason you chose that cruise.

 

4 weeks from right now will be my 2nd night on the Zaandam after leaving San Diego for a voyage to Hawaii.

 

I hope what little is left of this current cruise goes without a hitch, and the next one is better all around.

 

But if not, I'm NOT canceling our Zaandam trip next month unless the ship has some major mechanical problems, and I don't think anyone's reported a major issue yet. Maybe I missed it?

 

Does anyone know, how long was this cruise on the market? I get the impression that the drydock was canceled on short notice and this cruise was possibly a quickly put together flash sale kind of deal?

[Copper10-8]

..................unless the ship has some major mechanical problems, and I don't think anyone's reported a major issue yet. Maybe I missed it?

 

..............................

 

 

You didn't miss it! There are no major mechanical issues! What some call a 'nightmare' apparently consists/consisted of:

1. the tearing out of old, and replacing with new, carpet on several decks and stairwells, resulting in temporary closure of certain areas and stairwells on those decks, as well as the temporary shutting down of one of her three elevator bays while the work in the areas surrounding those elevators is in progress;

2) the replacing of propellor shaft seals, an underwater job for divers, in L.A. and P.V., a job that took those divers more time than was expected, resulting in a 10-hr departure delay from P.V., a delayed arrival/departure in/from P.V., San Diego, and a cancelation of the San Francisco call, and;

3) a malfunctioning lifeboat davit mechanism (since repaired) resulting in a departure delay and one of her fourteen lifeboats/tenders being left behind in Cabo San Lucas, and subsequently being picked up on the ship's return northbound

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[IRL_Joanie]

Thanks Walt for what you have done. Ain't going deeper than that one statement:)

 

To all on this board ad specifically on this thread.........

 

LET the OP be the tone setter for her thread and her upbeat outlook on it and life. Please do not turn this into a thread that is forced to be closed.

 

Marion, please post more when you return. I am so looking forward to everything you say about your cruise, ship, ports and just how much you did enjoy the time away from real life issues.

 

Love ya

 

Joanie

[rsmdude]

Canadianbear thanks so much for your thoughtful and constant updates. I'm obviously eager to hear current conditions on the Zaandam as I am booked for the Dec 1st Mexico cruise from San Diego and this is my first time on a DAM ship.

 

I agree with the others here that you started this thread and everyone should appreciate and respect the tone and content but obviously people are going to say what's on their minds for whatever reason. Please don't let this prevent you from continuing your informative posts!

 

I try to focus on the positive reviews while not be blind to the negative ones especially when I can see those trending more negative and more frequent. Any 10 people on a cruise will have 10 different experiences and the odds are that at some point all 10 will have some little gripe as that's the nature of things.

 

A positive attitude really can help save the day and it sounds like some others were expecting perfection when that really doesn't exist anywhere, such is the nature of life.

 

I look forward to reading and seeing your final posts at the end of your cruise and I promise I will try my best to put together an informative review when we get back from our cruise in December. We're all in this together :)

 

THANKS!

Chris

[HALFans]

<SNIP>

Day 8-PV

 

Beautiful sunny day today. We did the free HAL excursion Two if by Sea-"Yelapa and Majahuitas. Beautiful catamaran ride and snorkel. Staff aboard were fantastic. I got some fun underwater shots with our new camera.<SNIP>

 

Wow, this is a new one on me.... Free HAL Shore Excursion?

 

Canadianbear, was an excursion offered to all PAX as more compensation? Why haven't the nay-sayers mentioned this perk?

 

The HAL website prices it between $51-$100.

 

Score one more for Canadianbear, who gets to enjoy their cruise even more on HALs dime. :D