Cruise recap - Maasdam E. Carib. 11/30-12/10/12

[boards]

For the most I totally agree and like the review. I guess though we must have found our sealegs because we did not think the cruise in any way experienced any rough water. We thoroughly enjoyed the ride. One of the smoothest we've been on.

[jd_1976]

I agree about the seas - this was my 8th cruise and I've never had such rough water. It was still a great cruise but I took a lot of sea sickness pills during it which is very unusual for me.

[shrimpboat123]

I loved your review. Thanks for posting it. Any suggestions for what to do in Antiqua besides zip lining? We'll be stopping there in January on the Ryndam.

 

Again, thanks for writing and I'm glad you had a good time on one of my favorite ships. I'll be so sorry to see the S class ships sold.

 

We did a private tour with "Lawrence of Antigua" in March 2012. It lasted about 5 hours. It was an Island Tour where we went to English Harbour, Shirley Heights, Devils Bridge and drove through the Rain Forest. We also stopped at a beautiful beach for photos.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I loved your review. Thanks for posting it. Any suggestions for what to do in Antiqua besides zip lining? We'll be stopping there in January on the Ryndam.

 

Again, thanks for writing and I'm glad you had a good time on one of my favorite ships. I'll be so sorry to see the S class ships sold.

 

Years ago we did Nelson's Dock Yard and loved it. We were on Cunard and anchored off shore and it was a short drive to the Nelson's Dock Yard via a stop at Shirley's Heights, English Harbar and had about 3 hours to roam around the dock yard.

Last spring we took the tour. But this time we were docked futher away and it was quite a drive to the dock yard and back to the ship. We barely stopped at Shirley's Heights and drove by English Harbor. We were only given 1 hour to walk around the dock yard. There was also 2 other ships there that day and they also had tours to the dock yard. It was a mob scene. We tried to use our coupon to get a drink -- the lines were terribly long so we gave up.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Simple answer: Money.

 

The smaller ships just aren't pulling their weight on the balance sheet. And it's not just HAL - according to a source that I considered to be extremely reliable, most if not all of the small-ship lines are losing money, including Oceania, Regent, and Silversea. The difference, according to my source, is that those lines are all owned by (in his words) "billionaires with big egos", who don't mind throwing millions of dollars away on a pet project. Carnival, on the other hand, is a publicly-traded corporation, whose shareholders predictably demand profitability, growth and return on their investment.

 

New, big ships operate more efficiently and profitably. Thus, they are the future.

 

 

We were told the same thing years ago -- that the small ships are losing money for HAL.

[jaguarstyper]

Well done! Thank you.

[lovetocruise2020]

Enjoyed this very much!

Id be in heaven if the HAL Cats would just turn it down a bit, ( you can not escape them) pool and hmc !

 

So glad u had a great time!

[boards]

Showtime on the Maasdam have not changed. They remain the same 8 and 10 PM.

[RuthC]

Showtime on the Maasdam have not changed. They remain the same 8 and 10 PM.

Good! Glad to hear it. Let's hope HAL keeps it that way, at least until I sail the Maasdam next year. Hopefully beyond that, and on all ships.

Sometimes it's hard enough to make the 10:00 show after dinner; 9:30 is impossible.

[cruz chic]

Loved your review! You write very well.

[boards]

The Halcats were quite good and they did tone it down on ship, but on the island they were the sound was a little higher, but remember they were performing to a bar crowd, even if it was heard outside.

We were down the beach from them and could not hear them though, so they weren't that loud. The band members, except the vocalist, were the background music for the special shows and were good. The welcome show and the Encore show were really good.

 

The Adagio Strings were in those shows also.

[SwissMyst]

One needs to go way up the beach on HMC to get away from the noise - either it is coming from the dastardly pirate ship or from the generators at the tender dock.

 

That stretch is definitely not the quiet zone, but well beyond the Pirate noise up the beach is far more serene and remote. Or if just laying on the beach is of little appeal, the hiking trails and going up to the ruins buildings through the lush vegetation is a very peaceful get away.

[SwissMyst]

Showtime on the Maasdam have not changed. They remain the same 8 and 10 PM.

 

On the very recent Oosterdam the show times changed to 7pm and 9pm.

 

At first we thought, WTH? Then understood those at the 8pm seating were encouraged to go to the 7pm show, and the early diners encouraged to go to the 9pm, or the 7pm if they got out in time.

 

tt worked wonderfully for us go to the 7pm show, which always ended promptly before 8pm and then on to our dinner. We could never stay up for the later shows, and the 10pm was impossible for us to be awake or even want to be awake.

[SwissMyst]

Antigua is where we got robbed within sight of the ship and other passengers - caution on the surrounding streets if you are on your own. The ship tours were good. I'd recommend sticking to them on Antigua. This island plays a major role in the trans-Caribbean drug traffic and money laundering. Nuff said.

 

Excellent review and wonderful writing style. Thanks for all the loving details about our first true love too. And this was our first HAL itinerary, so even with getting robbed, we too had a great time and have not looked back on our march in the next four years to four star Mariner status -- and getting ready to go out the door for another one for 50 days on the Rotterdam. Dam...good review on this dam ship.

 

BTW, we were told on the Ryndam that HAL allegedly is going to keep sailing their small ships as long as the plumbing and wiring holds up - that was the key according to the Hotel Manager who told us this. Once those go and can't be patched any longer, the ship is gone.

 

So perhaps that is why many of us can let a few of these reported plumbing and utilities glitches slide by, because we just don't want these wonderfully intimate older ships to have their last port be Davy Jones Locker.

[Alcarondas]

One needs to go way up the beach on HMC to get away from the noise - either it is coming from the dastardly pirate ship or from the generators at the tender dock.

 

That stretch is definitely not the quiet zone, but well beyond the Pirate noise up the beach is far more serene and remote. Or if just laying on the beach is of little appeal, the hiking trails and going up to the ruins buildings through the lush vegetation is a very peaceful get away.

 

I was all the way up at the stables where the swimiming horses are kept, and I could still hear the band quite clearly.

 

On the very recent Oosterdam the show times changed to 7pm and 9pm.

 

At first we thought, WTH? Then understood those at the 8pm seating were encouraged to go to the 7pm show, and the early diners encouraged to go to the 9pm, or the 7pm if they got out in time.

 

tt worked wonderfully for us go to the 7pm show, which always ended promptly before 8pm and then on to our dinner. We could never stay up for the later shows, and the 10pm was impossible for us to be awake or even want to be awake.

 

This was how it was back before Anytime Dining was invented. The two showings of the evening extravaganza happened at roughly the same time as the two fixed dinner seatings; when one group was dining, the other watched the show. It worked very well - in choosing your dining time you were effectively choosing your entertainment time as well. If you prefered the show before dinner, take the late seating; and if you wanted the show after dinner, eat early. In any event, by 10pm or so everyone had both eaten and seen the show, and the nightlife picked up from there with everyone available to participate.

[SwissMyst]

I was all the way up at the stables where the swimiming horses are kept, and I could still hear the band quite clearly.

 

 

......

 

Then .... the HalCats are just too plain loud for this setting. Hope HAL takes notes and continues to get complaints about this. Though can you picture what HMC is like when a Carnival ship pulls into harbor? :cool:

[0bnxshs]

Thank you for a most interesting read. I'm glad you were able to escape the mundane and spend a bit of time chasing paradise, taking the time to bring us along with you. :)

[VioletHorse]

Then .... the HalCats are just too plain loud for this setting. Hope HAL takes notes and continues to get complaints about this. Though can you picture what HMC is like when a Carnival ship pulls into harbor? :cool:

 

Shockingly quiet.

 

We sailed on the Carnival Miracle last year with a stop at HMC. The pirate bar had about 12 people inside, and there was a wonderful accoustic guitarist playing music ... quietly. It was actually very enjoyable. The myth of Carnival with crazy partying and drunkeness is unwarranted in my opinion. We didn't see it anywhere - not in ports or on the ship, although some of the karaoke crowd got a little crazy one evening, but that was well past midnight.

[SwissMyst]

Shockingly quiet.

 

We sailed on the Carnival Miracle last year with a stop at HMC. The pirate bar had about 12 people inside, and there was a wonderful accoustic guitarist playing music ... quietly. It was actually very enjoyable. The myth of Carnival with crazy partying and drunkeness is unwarranted in my opinion. We didn't see it anywhere - not in ports or on the ship, although some of the karaoke crowd got a little crazy one evening, but that was well past midnight.

 

Thanks for the fact-check. Yes, I admit to the prior stereotype. :o

[Alcarondas]

More good news:

 

HAL's website just updated with the info from this cruise, and I'm officially 3-Star!

 

 

Another thing I thought of after reading some other threads - when I first boarded, the Maasdam was in its "normal" state, but as the trip went on, more and more holiday decorations appeared. Most impressive was the display around the base of Totem, which consisted of several large (real) gingerbread houses (the entire atrium area smelled of gingerbread!) and a big (fake) chocolate castle, with a little train set running amongst the houses. The railings around the atrium and the dining room also had garlands and decorations. Very festive.

 

A few years ago I did an early-December cruise on the Zaandam, and the same thing happened - the ship started out "naked", but by the end it was decorated from stem to stern. The atrium organ in particular was beautifully dressed for the season.

[rucrazy]

More good news:

 

HAL's website just updated with the info from this cruise, and I'm officially 3-Star!

 

Congratulations!!

[cruisin crazy in Michigan]

I enjoyed reading your review too! The Maasdam is one of our favorite ships!

[vino100]

wow. I mean really. Wow. I love your review. The way you write....I could see, hear and feel it. That is not just a review. That is art.

 

thank you so much.

 

(Maasdam was my first as well..and also my only, as of now. I think she's wonderfull....and so sad if the smaller ships are going to disapear. why? :().

 

I too just love your style of writing. Do you write professionally? Thanks for making me feel I was there on the cruise.:D

[Alcarondas]

I too just love your style of writing. Do you write professionally? Thanks for making me feel I was there on the cruise.:D

 

 

In a manner of speaking, yes. Although not in a way or for a purpose that most would consider pleasurable or creative.

 

On that note, I'd like to offer my sincere gratitude to everyone who offered such kind comments and feedback. I'm very happy that my brief recap provided both information and entertainment to the members of the CC boards. I always enjoy reading about the adventures and experiences of others, so it's nice to know that I was able to give a little bit back to the community on this occasion.

 

Thanks again.

[cruiseapril]

Enjoyed your poetic review.

 

Interested in your description of St. John's and of other comments made by other posters. Not sure how safe it is there now.

 

As to Half Moon Cay, agree that the extra development and loud music

are not positive factors. Wish they would tone things down. There is no need for that music.