TheSecondSister Posted August 30, 2016 #1 Share Posted August 30, 2016 (edited) For those who might be interested, the Two Cruising Sisters are on board again, this time on the Maasdam headed for Alaska. If you want to follow along, the link is: https://twocruisingsisters.wordpress.com/ I won't be too active on this thread, occasionally checking in when we're in port and I can use my cell phone (the internet plan is nearly as glacial as the outside). But I will be blogging every night, sometimes late at night if we can't tear ourselves away from the piano bar. :) Hoping you enjoy our adventures almost as much as we are! Look for us to be waving at the Juneau webcam if I can make it out to the bow (I tore my meniscus recently and am hobbling around) but my camera as always is in my hand! Edited August 30, 2016 by TheSecondSister Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberta Quilter Posted August 30, 2016 #2 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Have a wonderful cruise! I look forward to following your blog. Thanks for taking us along! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted August 30, 2016 #3 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Have a wonderful 14 day Alaskan cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvertoGold Posted August 30, 2016 #4 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Looking forward to your blog! Thanks for letting us know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EbayCruiser Posted August 30, 2016 #5 Share Posted August 30, 2016 We just disembarked yesterday and had a wonderful time! Hope you do too!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare erewhon Posted August 31, 2016 #6 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I always enjoy your cruising blogs.Thanks for the link. Have a fabulous cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esimon Posted August 31, 2016 #7 Share Posted August 31, 2016 enjoy Alaska - would love reports on Massdam herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAOk1945 Posted August 31, 2016 #8 Share Posted August 31, 2016 We were on this itinerary Aug 1-15 and had a wonderful time. It was our first HAL cruise and we are very impressed. The Maasdam is a beautiful ship and the crew is outstanding. My wife is still going through the pictures she took and sorting them out for her website. She says Alaska is a photographers dream. I will be following along and looking for future updates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Gail & Marty sailing away Posted August 31, 2016 #9 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSecondSister Posted August 31, 2016 Author #10 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Glorious sunny day in Ketchikan. Lots of pictures will be on the blog later tonight as I'm having way too much fun to sit in the cabin at the laptop. The Maadam is fine shape, and I like the Lido Marketplace layout. The entertainment has been very good and I love the fact that the Explorations Cafe is not amywhere near the Crows Nest. Plumbing and A/C all work. And the staff is excellent, even by the already high HAL standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinknock50 Posted September 1, 2016 #11 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Really enjoying your blog! I hope you will take many pictures of the docking in Sitka. Also if you see a bus from there with a handicap chair lift bus, let me know. Would also like to know of any independents going to Fortress of the Bears. The ones with HAL are linked up with the Otter cruise which my handicapped friend cannot board. Or do you have a Fortress of the Bears tour available on your cruise? Sorry for all the questions...lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iflyrc5 Posted September 1, 2016 #12 Share Posted September 1, 2016 We will be boarding the Maasdam on Sept 26 for 66 days going to Australia and New Zealand so looking forward to your observations on the ship. Who is the Cruise Director and how do you like him/her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esimon Posted September 1, 2016 #13 Share Posted September 1, 2016 We will be boarding the Maasdam on Sept 26 for 66 days going to Australia and New Zealand so looking forward to your observations on the ship. Who is the Cruise Director and how do you like him/her? Would love to have your opinion after 66 days - Truly I keep getting mixed messages about her condition --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobo1937 Posted September 1, 2016 #14 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Love your blog and photos. We were on this sailing in May and had a great time. Bringing back some wonderful memories!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSecondSister Posted September 2, 2016 Author #15 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Really enjoying your blog! I hope you will take many pictures of the docking in Sitka. Also if you see a bus from there with a handicap chair lift bus, let me know. Would also like to know of any independents going to Fortress of the Bears. The ones with HAL are linked up with the Otter cruise which my handicapped friend cannot board. Or do you have a Fortress of the Bears tour available on your cruise? Sorry for all the questions...lol. No problem! We won't be in Sitka until Sept 9, but I'll do my best to answer your questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSecondSister Posted September 2, 2016 Author #16 Share Posted September 2, 2016 We will be boarding the Maasdam on Sept 26 for 66 days going to Australia and New Zealand so looking forward to your observations on the ship. Who is the Cruise Director and how do you like him/her? The cruise director is Carlos Mendoza, but I have no idea how long he'll be aboard. I find him to be knowlegeable and outgoing, but not quite my cup of tea. A bit too over the top, though I am in the minority. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSecondSister Posted September 2, 2016 Author #17 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Love your blog and photos. We were on this sailing in May and had a great time. Bringing back some wonderful memories!! Thank you - memories are why I blog. Because after more than half a century, I find sometimes the past all runs together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iflyrc5 Posted September 2, 2016 #18 Share Posted September 2, 2016 The cruise director is Carlos Mendoza, but I have no idea how long he'll be aboard. I find him to be knowlegeable and outgoing, but not quite my cup of tea. A bit too over the top, though I am in the minority. :-) Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinknock50 Posted September 2, 2016 #19 Share Posted September 2, 2016 The cruise director is Carlos Mendoza, but I have no idea how long he'll be aboard. I find him to be knowlegeable and outgoing, but not quite my cup of tea. A bit too over the top, though I am in the minority. :-) You sound a lot like me. The one thing that makes my skin crawl is the CD that insists you cheer louder about having a good time. But as you said, I am also in the minority and most people love that.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida_gal_50 Posted September 2, 2016 #20 Share Posted September 2, 2016 The cruise director is Carlos Mendoza, but I have no idea how long he'll be aboard. I find him to be knowlegeable and outgoing, but not quite my cup of tea. A bit too over the top, though I am in the minority. :-) I rarely remember the name of the cruise directors because it's not important to my cruise. He's not my cup of tea either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caribbean Chris Posted September 2, 2016 #21 Share Posted September 2, 2016 I was so glad to read that Karin spilled the wine at dinner, seeing as how I splashed my Cosmopolitan all over myself, Karen, and Raylene at the start of this cruise. Really enjoying the blog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oaktreerb Posted September 2, 2016 #22 Share Posted September 2, 2016 The cruise director is Carlos Mendoza, but I have no idea how long he'll be aboard. I find him to be knowlegeable and outgoing, but not quite my cup of tea. A bit too over the top, though I am in the minority. :-) We were on the August 1st sailing. Carlos joined the ship on August 1st. He was very visible but not an entertainer like some CD's are. He is an experienced CD and seems to have sailed with most members of the crew before. We had an issue with people saving rows of seats at the early show and also not respecting the need to reserve the disabled seats for those who needed them. He was very tactful about resolving the issue. We enjoyed Linda's cooking shows. She is quite the character and these shows brought in other members of the staff so that we were able to learn more about their lives. I always enjoy the "banter" during the free cooking shows but these were the best I have experienced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AV8rix Posted September 3, 2016 #23 Share Posted September 3, 2016 .....I'll be boarding right after you disembark. Some day I'd really like to meet you, my Snohomish County neighbors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSecondSister Posted September 3, 2016 Author #24 Share Posted September 3, 2016 .....I'll be boarding right after you disembark. Some day I'd really like to meet you, my Snohomish County neighbors. Well....if we can finagle a way to stay on the ship you might :) Hope you have a fantastic time. We sure are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AV8rix Posted September 3, 2016 #25 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Well....if we can finagle a way to stay on the ship you might :) Hope you have a fantastic time. We sure are! :):):) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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