Maasdam: We Boarded on June 11, and Disembarked on June 25, 2005

[ekerr19]

Sail -

 

Thank you so much for such a great review! I really enjoyed hearing all about "your" Maasdam. :D

 

I was glad to hear Twinkle is still doing well, we got a chance to visit with her in March when she popped over to the Volendam for a visit with her brother while both ships were in Barbados. We saw some lovely photos of her darling daughter. :)

 

I wish they'd do away with the tacky gold stickers too. It sort of reminds me of kindergarten, lol! I like the fact the ID card is a different color - which eliminates the priority tender tickets in port.

 

We did not have the newspaper delivered to our Suite on the Volendam in March - DH missed it too. I can't understand why they did away with this either. :confused:

 

Splurging on a portion of Pinnacle Ribeye would be well worth the extra laps around the Promenade Deck!!!

 

I'm glad you had a nice relaxing trip - we missed you, and thanks again for a nice comprehensive review. :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Just a guess, Sail, but perhaps the baskets had a way of making their way off the ship. All too often some of these little perks we all enjoy are curtailed because of the people's inappropriate behavior. If the baskets stayed on the ship, there would really be no reason not to continue using them. But if they had to constantly replace them, it would become an economic issue. Call me cynical;) .

 

I've never been a suite passenger so was unfamiliar with the gold stickers. On our last cruise a couple got on the elevator with the stickers and I jokingly asked if they were someone "special". They were very good natured about it and laughingly told me "yes", they guessed they were. They explained they were in suites.

I said "and all you get is a lousy sticker?:D " (All of this very much in fun). We all said it would be so much nicer if they gave out a small label pin or something that would be visible and obvious, but not so tacky!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we were on the Maasdam (May 2004) we had a wine and cheese sail-away when we left Quebec City. Did you have any on your cruises?

I know that the first time you were in Quebec City it was raining and windy and it if there had been one scheduled it may have been moved from the aft pool to somewhere inside.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Photos

You were so lucky to get your photos on Mariner's day.

The only time we have gotten the photos is when we received our new medals - both copper and silver. But when other "family" photos were taken we could not find them in the photo gallery and we asked about them, they just shrugged their shoulders. And there have been times when we were the only medal holders for our category, the picture was taken - and then we also began to wonder if there was any film in the camera.

On the Volendam there were so many of us holding medals that the only ones whom their mentioned by name and took their pictures (not counting new awardee's) were the platinum holders! Not even those holding gold were called up the first segment of our cruise. The second segment they were called up.

[Aussie Gal]

Sail,

 

Coming from "down under" can you please explain what a steamer is? Is it a prawn, scallop or something completely different.

 

Jennie

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am so glad to hear that the Maasdam still has the flaming desserts. We love them.

We were very disappointed not to have any on our Zuiderdam cruise. On both the Oosterdam and Westerdam we had them at least 3 evenings in the Explorer's Lounge.

[sail7seas]

:) Happy to Jennie.

 

A 'steamer' is how we Nor'easteners refer to Steamed Clams. They are soft shell and medium size. They are harvested from the sand on the beaches and are hard work to dig for clam by clam. To properly cook them, they should first be rinsed well, then soaked in cold water to which has been added corn meal. The corn meal pulls out any sand which remains in the shell. (Only soak them a little while as one needs to be sure they are still freshly alive when they go into the pot.)

After rinsing them, put them into a pot many times larger than the space they take up, add about a cup of water depending upon how many you are steaming, cover the pot, and steam on high heat until all shells have opened. As the shells open, they fill the pot that previously looked way too big for the amount of clams. (Discard any clams that the shells do not open.....they are not good to eat.)

When you eat them, it is customary to 'squeeze the skin' at the top of the clam to remove it; some folks dip their clams in butter and savor the wonderful treat! (I personally never use the butter---why hide the taste of the delicious clam?)

I know this is far more than you asked or needed to know but I'm a Bostonian and very serious about our shellfish. :)

If you have the chance to eat them, try them at least once. They are soooo good IMO

[sail7seas]

When we were on the Maasdam (May 2004) we had a wine and cheese sail-away when we left Quebec City. Did you have any on your cruises?

 

I know that the first time you were in Quebec City it was raining and windy and it if there had been one scheduled it may have been moved from the aft pool to somewhere inside.

 

Our 'turn around day' was the next day in Montreal. It was a decent day....not glorious but fine to be out and about and we spent a good part of the day walking around Montreal. Really nice city to which we had not been for about 5 years.

For our second cruise, Quebec was day two of our cruise and was a gorgeous, perfect, blue sky sunny day.

 

[sail7seas]

I am so glad to hear that the Maasdam still has the flaming desserts. We love them.

 

We were very disappointed not to have any on our Zuiderdam cruise. On both the Oosterdam and Westerdam we had them at least 3 evenings in the Explorer's Lounge.

 

 

DH enjoys cherries jubliee and particularly crepes suzette and was happy they were offered in the dining room. They also had bananas one night, I think, and maybe a flamed pineapple something. I never eat them so I'm not sure about the others.

[sail7seas]

Heather.....GREAT IDEA.....I love the idea of them having a little pin. Just a small HAL little logo something like all the pins we see on hats.

 

I Really like that idea.....

What say we forward it to Seattle???

[Aussie Gal]

:) Happy to Jennie.

 

 

I know this is far more than you asked or needed to know but I'm a Bostonian and very serious about our shellfish. :)

 

If you have the chance to eat them, try them at least once. They are soooo good IMO

 

 

Thanks Sail for the explanation. We don't have clams as such down here. As we will be in Boston in two and a half weeks time, we may just go and try your wonderful seafood.

 

We leave next Wednesday for Singapore and then New York. We are getting very excited and best of all our cruise docs. are finally here! :)

 

Jennie

[HeatherInFlorida]

Thank you, Sail!!!:) And I just noticed I wrote "label" and of course meant "lapel". I thought it was a good idea if I do say so myself. As you say, with the HAL logo and just big enough for them to see. It could be one of those little pins that has the "thingie" on the back ... like a tietack thing.

 

Maybe you could forward the idea to someone you know at HAL? They might be interested coming from you. They may argue that some folks will keep them and wear them their next cruise (even if not in a suite), but the same could be said for the ugly gold stickies!!!:D.

 

I honestly think that for the amount people pay for suites, a small lapel pin instead of a tacky stickie isn't asking too much, especially since they don't bring your laundry in baskets anymore;) .

P.S. Re: Steamers (yum:p ) ... I love to first dunk them in clam broth to rinse off any sand that may remain and then into the butter. That sand can be very stubborn!!!

[sail7seas]

We like to drink the clam broth. I am always careful to not put too much water in the pan so that the broth will be strong....don't want to dilute it!!! :)

 

DH really enjoyed his clams last night.....as did I!!

 

[sail7seas]

Thanks Sail for the explanation. We don't have clams as such down here. As we will be in Boston in two and a half weeks time, we may just go and try your wonderful seafood.

 

We leave next Wednesday for Singapore and then New York. We are getting very excited and best of all our cruise docs. are finally here! :)

 

Jennie

 

 

Jennie....

By all means, Please try our seafood (shellfish). It is world reknowned and seems a shame to not sample a real New England lobster or some fried clams or steamers while here.

I hope you travel safely and have a wonderful trip.

Still too early for the Bon Voyages but certainly not to early for your excitement to be building. ;)

[Peggy Sue]

S7S .. I've avoided our clams this year because of the red tide .. has that been lifted?? the last I heard our clams were coming down from Canada ... I'll have to go check it out this weekend ... nothing like Lobster and Steamers for the 4th of July!!

 

Lisa .. S7S gave you a good tip for Lobster in Bar Harbor .. but if you find youself outside of the city limits .. head for a lobster pound where they cook the lobsters outside over wood fires in huge vats of salt water ... picnic tables..lots of napkins and sweet, tender lobster ... pure heaven! When in Bar Harbor .. really recommend you take the time to tour Acadia National Park .. It is so beautiful..From the top of cadillac mountian to the wonderful sand beach .. where the mountains meet the sea .. OK..I'm like Heather now .. I'm dreaming of a nice steaming hot lobster! (Hope you have a wonderful cruise! Being from the Boston area, I'm very partial to New England!)

 

Peggy

[sail7seas]

S7S .. I've avoided our clams this year because of the red tide .. has that been lifted?? the last I heard our clams were coming down from Canada ... I'll have to go check it out this weekend ... nothing like Lobster and Steamers for the 4th of July!!

 

 

Peggy

 

Yes, Peggy.....Red Tide has lifted in all sections except the last of it is on the North Shore. I waited until this week to buy the steamers for that reason. I almost never eat fried clams anymore (I avoid most fried foods) but they have been priced out of viable for most people. They imported most clams from Maine during the Red Tide business but we are just about back to normal now.....(except for the last of it on North Shore).

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Reading all this about the clams has made me hungry and I just got done having some grilled Mahi Mahi for dinner. I could certainly make a full meal of steamers. I am with you Sail on not dipping them in butter. I preferred them just steamed, them and mussels. We have this very good restaurant called Kings Fish Market that is very close to where I live in the Vegas area and they have an entree that is called New England Clam Bake. It consists of 6 clams, 6 mussels and a 1 1/4 pound whole lobster with steamed red potatos. I had itjust over a week ago and it was so good:p I am so looking forward to having these selections in every port. Speaking of, did they offer any of this type of seafood on the Maasdam since it is fresh? When we were in Alaska last year they offered lots of fresh Halibut and Salmon.

[stanford's girl]

Thanks for the wonderful review, Sail. I enjoyed it so much. I too, think that the ship is the destination. Wherever it goes is just a bonus for me. :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

I know that you are always invited to the extra cocktail party (VIP / Who's Who). When was it and was it very crowded?

[sail7seas]

It was in the Card Room both weeks and there was a very small group each week. We always enjoy those cocktail parties and these two were no exceptions. The first week the party was Monday, I think, and the second week, it may have been Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

Actually, it was at this party that I first met 'grannynurse' and that was Great! I had met her husband earlier in the day in the Neptune Lounge.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Not to be picky, but I do just want to mention for the non-New Englanders that there is a difference between "steamers" and "steamed clams".

Outside N.E. when you order a New England Clambake, they generally are giving you "steamed clams" which are delicious, but different. "Steamers" are shaped more like a mussel.

Gosh, as a kid when the tide was low on Cape Cod Bay, we used to take our pails and go clamming way out on the flats. We called those "piss clams" because you'd find them when they'd squirt above the sand's surface. Such wonderful memories. I digress:D

I've yet to find "steamers" available anywhere but in New England. Perhaps they don't ship well.

[babyher]

Heather

 

Thank you for Digressing :) :) :)

 

I have called them Piss Clams for years and everyone just thinks I am making up a sick name for them because I don't care for them.

 

Although I Loooooooooooove fried clams (whole belly only, the heck with that "clam strip" nonsense *LOL*)

 

Thank you for proving that there are others around, besides me, my dad and my uncles that called them that *LOL* :)

[OCruisers]

:)

(HAL---PLEASE get rid of those horrid gold stickers that designate pax as Suite Pax. They are tacky and embarrassing and make me very uncomfortable. It's like a neon sign on our foreheads that we are in Suites....Can't you be just a little more subtle in expediting Suite priority embarkation???).

 

s7s .... :D Need A Laugh! :D On our last HAL cruise there was a couple who wore their "gold stickers" EVERY day for 14 days ... even walking around the pool. Natually, it was quite a joke! We kept wondering how they were keeping them sticky :confused:

 

Seriously, your review was great and a pleasure to read!

 

Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)

[sail7seas]

Tom's thread about Maasdam reminded me that when we arrived at Halifax on both our cruises, there were bagpipers and drummers waiting to welcome us.

 

We hovered next to the pier waiting for 8:00 sharp to arrive as the Captain told us there was a huge surcharge if he were to throw his first line a minute before. According to my watch, it was 8:05 when the first line was thrown. :) Guess he wasn't going to take any chances their clocks didn't agree with ship's clocks.

 

As the shipped was being tied up, from the Terminal Building came the pipers and drummers dressed in their plaids and it was a wonderful greeting. Both weeks, was a senior gentleman dressed in his plaids but being pushed in a wheelchair by an older woman (one presumes to be his wife). He read a 'proclimation of welcome' and all of us on portside gave a loud cheer in response. (I'm the sort who needs to speculate about the gent. I have made up all sorts of stories as to why he is being pushed in his chair and I imagine he probably has been a proud member of this musical group for many years. As he aged, he was unable to hold and blow his bagpipes but his wants him to continue to participate and are true friends to be sure he continues to have an active role. Made me personally very much like the people of Halifax if even a small part of my made up story is true. :) )

 

After their greeting, they turned and marched back into the terminal. It was a wonderful way to arrive in port.

[babyher]

Funny you should mention that about the Gent in the wheelchair.

 

 

I love to people watch and many times I do the same thing as you. I see a particular person or couple and speculate about whats their story, what makes them tick. Sometimes I think something crazy and off the wall, but I am am always fascinated by the human condition.

 

My wife thinks I am nuts to look at a person for a minute that I don't know from Adam and run a whole "Background check" on them *LOL*

 

But its just in fun, and its part of people watching :)