Live from the Maasdam - May 1 – 16, 2015 The Atlantic Coast

[Alberta Quilter]

Loving your daily updates. We took public transportation to the Breakers and walked the cliff walk when we did this cruise in 2012. One reason I want to get back is so we can see more of these "cottages" :p

 

C-A, keep checking for 2016. The breaking news in our On Location for tomorrow says that Canada/NE 2016 cruises are now open for booking. You might want to call Our Mutual Friend at HAL to see if she has them available on her end. She should, if the FCC has them here onboard.

 

Good Luck!

[Alberta Quilter]

Jude is the current cruise director and I believe she just started her contract.

 

And she's very good, too!

[Cruising-along]

C-A, keep checking for 2016. The breaking news in our On Location for tomorrow says that Canada/NE 2016 cruises are now open for booking. You might want to call Our Mutual Friend at HAL to see if she has them available on her end. She should, if the FCC has them here onboard.

 

Good Luck!

 

ooooh! I will do that! Thanks so much.:D

[erewhon]

Thanks for your reports, including updating the toilet problem.

[cruz chic]

Thanks for the update. You are missing some snow here today:rolleyes:. Summer one day, winter the next. Thankfully I'm off today for my cruise to bermuda then Canada New England.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the update. You are missing some snow here today:rolleyes:. Summer one day, winter the next. Thankfully I'm off today for my cruise to bermuda then Canada New England.

 

 

Snow -- we had a little last week. The last few days we have been around 85 degrees.

Enjoy your cruises.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for your Bar Harbor report.

Love lobster rolls that do not have all the fillers. Just like buttered lobster on a roll -- that was a place in Bar Harbor that sold 3 types of them. Sadly they went out of business in 2008.

Must be something relatively new to have lobster rolls in the Crows Nest.

Glad you are partially out of Code Red and things seem to be getting back to normal.

Can't believe what all that couple is going through with that toilet and now another cabin was affected.

[cruz chic]

Snow -- we had a little last week. The last few days we have been around 85 degrees.

Enjoy your cruises.

 

Thx KK.

[Seabreez]

Hi!!!!!!!!

Watched the Maasdam come into the pier area. Its now 8:03AM here and Jim and I wish you and your mom a great day in Halifax. Its one of our favorite ports. Hope that sunshine on the horizon gets better as the day progresses.

Love reading your reports!!!!!!

Bye for now

Pat

[Folk Singer]

Hi!!!!!!!!

Watched the Maasdam come into the pier area. Its now 8:03AM here and Jim and I wish you and your mom a great day in Halifax. Its one of our favorite ports. Hope that sunshine on the horizon gets better as the day progresses.

Love reading your reports!!!!!!

Bye for now

Pat

 

 

Hi,

 

Welcome to Halifax. Went down to the pier to see the ship.

 

Don

[littleboy]

another great report our cruise is only about 70 days away I can't wait

[Cruising-along]

C-A, keep checking for 2016. The breaking news in our On Location for tomorrow says that Canada/NE 2016 cruises are now open for booking. You might want to call Our Mutual Friend at HAL to see if she has them available on her end. She should, if the FCC has them here onboard.

 

Good Luck!

 

Just talked with our friend, the itineraries will be up by 7pm tonight. She did give me the itinerary though, and it's quite different from yours and the one we did before. Veendam sails out of Tampa April 24. 13 days instead of 15, and no stops in Charleston or Newport :( First port is Bar Harbor. Disappointed, as Charleston and Newport were 2 of the big reasons we're interested.

[maxie99]

- :)-- yes I also watched you guys come into Halifax,, -- much better cam than Vancouver,, AQ ill be boarding in mont. if you want to stay,,, you can crash at my pad on the L.P. deck-- LOL-- im really glued to all of your reports- thks-:)--joanie---( no offence to Vancouver, as its hard to get a clear view all the way across the harbour)-- :(

Edited May 8, 2015 by maxie99

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just talked with our friend, the itineraries will be up by 7pm tonight. She did give me the itinerary though, and it's quite different from yours and the one we did before. Veendam sails out of Tampa April 24. 13 days instead of 15, and no stops in Charleston or Newport :( First port is Bar Harbor. Disappointed, as Charleston and Newport were 2 of the big reasons we're interested.

 

 

Guess they have to allow for getting around the tip of Florida.

That itinerary is a bummer.

One time when we did the repositioning cruise, we did Charleston and New London (instead of New Port).

[jbhcw]

Guess they have to allow for getting around the tip of Florida.

That itinerary is a bummer.

One time when we did the repositioning cruise, we did Charleston and New London (instead of New Port).

 

also disappointed with the itinerary :mad:

[Cruising-along]

also disappointed with the itinerary :mad:

 

 

If they had kept at least one, Newport or Charleston, would consider it. But not now.

[momatibm]

Just talked with our friend, the itineraries will be up by 7pm tonight. She did give me the itinerary though, and it's quite different from yours and the one we did before. Veendam sails out of Tampa April 24. 13 days instead of 15, and no stops in Charleston or Newport :( First port is Bar Harbor. Disappointed, as Charleston and Newport were 2 of the big reasons we're interested.

I

 

It's after 7 pm EDT. which 7 pm did your friend mean. nothing posted for 2016 yet.

[Cruising-along]

I

 

 

 

It's after 7 pm EDT. which 7 pm did your friend mean. nothing posted for 2016 yet.

 

 

Seattle time :) another few hours.

[Alberta Quilter]

May 8, 2015 Halifax

 

We had a lovely day in Halifax. The temperatures were cool. When we woke up it was 3C! Those who are not used to the cooler temperatures were bundled up; you'd have thought Halifax was the Antarctic! It did warm up later in the day and the sky cleared from an overcast sky this morning to a somewhat cloudy day this afternoon. But the Indonesian and Phillipino crew are so cold in these temperatures that they have heavier jackets, gloves and toques on. I just want to hug them to warm them up!!!

 

We docked at 9 am but it was about 9:30 when we received the announcement that we could leave the ship. Our tour guide was waiting in the terminal for us. Brian Allen of Brian's Taxi Tours took us through Halifax, and then to Peggy's Cove. We also stopped at the Swiss Air memorial (the one put up by the families of the victims). From there we could get another angle of Peggy's Cove. We had lunch at The Finer Diner based on Brian's recommendation. We spoke about going to Ryer's but one has to work for their lobster there, and one eats on picnic benches outside there. It was a little too cool for that, plus DM was adamant about her requirement to not work for her meal. It would take too long for those of us who aren't very good at picking lobster meat out of the shells, too.

 

The Finer Diner is a nice little bistro type place. We had lobster Ceasar Salad and a lobster club sandwich (lobster instead of turkey). So, we're two for two for our lobster mission.

 

After lunch, we stopped at a unique museum and gift shop based on Peggy of the Cove. We didn't do the whole thing because DM didn't feel she could climb the stairs. But it was a nice visit, with a unique character telling us his version of how Peggy's Cove got it's name.

 

We then drove back to Halifax and to the Fairfield Cemetery where we stopped to see the burial site of several Titanic victims. Then it was back to the port. Brian dropped us off outside the Seaport Farmers Market. At this time of year, though, there weren't many vendors. And, of course, one doesn't really need to purchase food while one is on a cruise. But there were some other crafty items.

 

We decided to go into the Pier 21 Immigration Museum. The cost was $10 for an adult admission, less for a senior. An AAA membership will give you a 15% discount on one ticket. Since we both have a membership, we just paid separately and got two discounts. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half to tour Pier 21. We did it in an hour; we skipped the guided tour of the museum because we would have gotten a little too close to All Aboard time by the time we were through.

 

One can walk right from the Pier 21 museum right through to the to Pier 22 terminal where the Maasdam was docked and all of the vendors have their stalls to sell their wares. We poked through the various stalls; DM made a small purchase.

 

Just before dinner, the Captain came on the PA system to announce that we have a change in itinerary. He was advised today that there is still ice in Gaspe Bay and the tender dock is not yet ready for anyone to use. Therefore, we would start for Saguenay, arriving there one day early. The good thing for some people is that we would now have an overnight in Quebec City. It's not great for us as we've spent a week touring in and around Quebec City a few years ago and we were really looking forward to Gaspe. We planned to go antiquing on the one day we were to be in Quebec City but I doubt we'll go antiquing for two days. Oh, well, c'est la vie. We'll figure something out. At least, we're using the lost day well and many people will enjoy an extra day in Quebec City.

 

We had dinner in the PG tonight so cannot report on dinner in the MDR. DM had the lobster bisque, crab cakes and halibut/shrimp. I had the shrimp cocktail, crab cakes and the filet mignon. All were very good, except the halibut was a little dry. However, DM resolved that with a little bearnaise sauce from my filet. For dessert, I had the raspberry cheesecake and DM had the souffle. DM ate all of her souffle (except the spoonful I tried) and about a quarter of my cheesecake. I simply couldn't eat any more. And then I had to go to the MDR to select my dinner for tomorrow night!

 

With respect to the Code Orange situation, I can report that we now have proper (and very nice) washcloths in the public washrooms instead of paper towels. Still no toilet seat covers, though. Is that a Code Red/Orange thing or has HAL done away with them altogether? I would have thought that they would be important at any time, but that's just supposition on my part. There were flowers on the table in the PG; I didn't notice if there were any in the MDR when I popped in. I did notice that people could serve themselves in the Lido buffet this morning; I think the only restriction is that they are still using salt and pepper packets in the Lido instead of proper shakers/mills. People are happy that they can do jigsaw puzzles; the first one that was started last night was completed just before dinner tonight.

 

The entertainment tonight was Celtic Music & Dance by Mary Beth Carry & Donald MacLennan from Nova Scotia. Unfortunately, because our PG dinner ran a little long, we did not make it to the show tonight. We will see them tomorrow morning as there is a Fiddlin' Flapjack & French Crepe Breakfast tomorrow morning which will feature the two entertainers. Should be fun! I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

 

Signing off from another fabulous day on the Maasdam!

[Alberta Quilter]

Thanks for the update. You are missing some snow here today:rolleyes:. Summer one day, winter the next. Thankfully I'm off today for my cruise to bermuda then Canada New England.

 

I knew it had to come in May! Thank goodness we're not there for that. I hope you have a wonderful trip! May all your flights be timely and smooth and may all your luggage arrive with you. Enjoy your cruise!

[Alberta Quilter]

Just talked with our friend, the itineraries will be up by 7pm tonight. She did give me the itinerary though, and it's quite different from yours and the one we did before. Veendam sails out of Tampa April 24. 13 days instead of 15, and no stops in Charleston or Newport :( First port is Bar Harbor. Disappointed, as Charleston and Newport were 2 of the big reasons we're interested.

 

Oh, that sucks. You'd think that maybe they'd stop in Key West, too, coming from Tampa. But to only go to Bar Harbor, yeah, I don't think I would bother with the cruise, either. I wish you could have come on this one!

[cruz chic]

I knew it had to come in May! Thank goodness we're not there for that. I hope you have a wonderful trip! May all your flights be timely and smooth and may all your luggage arrive with you. Enjoy your cruise!

 

My luggage made it but my flight to Boston was 1.5 hours late. I'm here now so that's all that counts.

 

With respect to the halibut in the pinnacle I found the same thing. Steaks are much better. I look forward to reading your adventures every day. Thx so much.

[ellieanne]

I'm sorry you're going to miss Gaspe, but far better to miss the port and be safe than not. There is plenty to to in Quebec for a day, even if it's just a wander along Dufferin Terrace. Or you could take it easy and not be rushed for packing.

 

Enjoy the rest of the your cruise.

[Cruising-along]

Oh, that sucks. You'd think that maybe they'd stop in Key West, too, coming from Tampa. But to only go to Bar Harbor, yeah, I don't think I would bother with the cruise, either. I wish you could have come on this one!

 

I know, we thought the same thing. Before the itinerary came out we were imagining what they would do from Tampa...maybe Key West? That would be great, we've never been there. Thanks for confirming how we feel, this itinerary is not worth a flight across country for us. :( And yes, I do wish I could have come on your cruise!! Timing....:rolleyes:

 

About the toilet seat covers --- we definitely had them on the Statendam last month. :D

[erewhon]

Thanks for your updates.

 

Have you enquired about the lack of toilet seat covers?