What You Like & Don't Like About Maasdam

[OlsSalt]

26 minutes ago, puli said:

 Do you know if during this past dry dock the A/C and  the leaks were repaired? Have you noticed either problems during this current cruise? you have not  mentioned these issues  so I am hoping  those types of comments  found in the recent CC reviews are now just history!

 

There were no leaks that we noticed on this first post-dry dock cruise - what leaks are you talking about?  Some ceiling leaks appear primarily in the Lido buffet area on other ships from time to time, due apparently to condensation issues and run-off from the glass dome. If those exist they are temporary and situational -everyone just moves around the waiting bucket and signs. Are you thinking of something else?  

 

 At one time there were some serious leaks in lower cabins because of poor aft pool design after the addition of aft cabins on some other ships, but those were quickly corrected and that was many years ago. And we had some small dripping "leaks" in our cabin once after a fire sprinkler test that again were only temporary and situational. Nothing puddling and only short-term.

Edited November 6, 2018 by OlsSalt

[Sea girl 23]

^Lord. 🙄

 

I’ve said this before, but with the older ships, caveat emptor.

[OlsSalt]

13 minutes ago, Sea girl 23 said:

^Lord. 🙄

 

I’ve said this before, but with the older ships, caveat emptor.

 

Indeed, best you stay away. Agreed.

[Sea girl 23]

Trying to keep the unaware from making bad decisions.That’s all. 

 

Moving buckets for leaks around?Not sure how that’s OK?

 

This is as bad as the people who complain about certain decor on ships..

 

..but think a bunch of buckets sitting around is a good look? Oh-kaaay.

[OlsSalt]

21 minutes ago, Sea girl 23 said:

Trying to keep the unaware from making bad decisions.That’s all. 

 

Moving buckets for leaks around?Not sure how that’s OK?

 

This is as bad as the people who complain about certain decor on ships..

 

..but think a bunch of buckets sitting around is a good look? Oh-kaaay.

 

It's okay. But we get it, it does not work for you. Don't go. Mutual happiness expressed on both sides.  This is no more intrusive than blocking off certain areas after a beverage spill or a mal de mer accident. Happens.

 

BTW: How did one bucket for a specific and temporary situation all the sudden become ...a bunch of buckets moving around? Don't let your imagination get the best of you and leap frog past the facts on hand.

Edited November 6, 2018 by OlsSalt

[Sea girl 23]

No matter how many buckets it’s a bad look.

 

See also:Non-functioning toilets, no working a/c.. need I go on? These are not “blips” which will be fixed “quickly”....sometimes it takes a few tries.

 

The hubris here is incredible...

[puli]

OlsSalt. thank you so much for your gracious  and thoughtful replies.   I looked back through the reviews I read regarding the Maasdam and cannot find the references  to the leaks so perhaps the leaks were in this old brain of mine. I did however find many comments about the A/C, however as a long time cruiser myself I  know  A/C issues are prevalent across the cruising world so if you have not noticed any problems on the Maasdam after the dry dock   that is good enough for me.

 I think my concerns really stem from my referring the Sea of Cortez cruise to a group of dear friends and like an anxious hostess I want everything to be perfect.

[Copper10-8]

2 minutes ago, puli said:

OlsSalt. thank you so much for your gracious  and thoughtful replies.   I looked back through the reviews I read regarding the Maasdam and cannot find the references  to the leaks so perhaps the leaks were in this old brain of mine. I did however find many comments about the A/C, however as a long time cruiser myself I  know  A/C issues are prevalent across the cruising world so if you have not noticed any problems on the Maasdam after the dry dock   that is good enough for me.

 I think my concerns really stem from my referring the Sea of Cortez cruise to a group of dear friends and like an anxious hostess I want everything to be perfect.

 

Your friends will find the Sea of Cortez ports completely different from the "regular" Mexican Riviera "build up tourist ports" of Cabo, PV and Mazatlan. The Cortez ports will bring them back to more of the "old Mexico" HAL used to have regular 10-day Sea of Cortez voyages on the "S"-class Ryndam out of San Diego. Wish they would go back to doing that on a regular basis

[puli]

52 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Your friends will find the Sea of Cortez ports completely different from the "regular" Mexican Riviera "build up tourist ports" of Cabo, PV and Mazatlan. The Cortez ports will bring them back to more of the "old Mexico" HAL used to have regular 10-day Sea of Cortez voyages on the "S"-class Ryndam out of San Diego. Wish they would go back to doing that on a regular basis

Yes, we  loved our Ryndam cruise in the Sea of Cortez. One favorite memory was watching the pilot captain in Loreto, I believe, arrive in what looked like an old rowboat with a motor on the stern,   climbing onto a card table in the mid section in order to board the Ryndam. We missed seeing  him disembark..which must have been pretty  tricky as I am not sure the table was even anchored down.

[Copper10-8]

31 minutes ago, puli said:

Yes, we  loved our Ryndam cruise in the Sea of Cortez. One favorite memory was watching the pilot captain in Loreto, I believe, arrive in what looked like an old rowboat with a motor on the stern,   climbing onto a card table in the mid section in order to board the Ryndam. We missed seeing  him disembark..which must have been pretty  tricky as I am not sure the table was even anchored down.

 

Mexican pilots tend to do that  The pilot out of Santa Cruz Hualtuco is still doing something similar. My best memories of Ryndam and the Sea of Cortez was now retired Captain Frans Consen, who has a loud voice anyway, coming on the P/A system for his 'noon talk". He liked to roll his 'r's so would always end with "I hope you enjoy the rest of your day on the beautiful and elegant Rrrrrrrrrrrryndam"  

 

[OlsSalt]

Loreto was a favorite of ours too in the Sea of Cortez - very low key but welcoming. The very first mission in the west coast chain of missions. Lovely sea food, nice promenade, ex-pat community with a golf course, and a very special artisan gift shop with hand made items; not tourist stuff from China. It is definitely a port to take on your own at a very slow pace. 

 

Sorry you get the mother hen role for this cruise - that can be very stressful but hopefully with good upfront preparation anything that might come up will just be background wall paper before you move on to the next adventure on this itinerary.

 

We have found A/C issues only when we sail closer to the equator and it is very hot outside -that does stress the system on the older ships but that is a matter of only a few days - it is always cooler inside than outside but that can mean the cabin may not get below 75 degrees when one wants 68 degrees instead. Closing curtains helps alot if you are on the sunny side in the afternoon.  

 

Be sure to notify the front desk if you have A/C issues because sometimes a technical adjustment can be quickly made or they might find a pattern of compliants that can lead to someone keeping their balcony door open on the same system and that can be investigated too. But mainly, what can be the official range for cabin temsp onboard may not meet everyone's individual preference.  

 

The running joke on our last Maadam was the temperature of the Wajang theater - King Neptune dinged the Asst Hotel Manger for keeping it the same temp as the the walk in food storage lockers. Noticed people started bringing lap blankets to the movies and we alway brought a wrap for the public rooms - the hardest thing seems to be indoor temperature regulation - it is a real Goldilocks problem - too hot, too cold but just as often just right.  Be prepared. For everything. 

 

The irony on this last Kontiki Explore on the Maasdam is many of us saw with this the itinerary that we we would be in the equatorial tropic zone for a long time and packed accordingly. Only to learn the strong Humboldt Current kept things very cool this time of the year, so many had to add some newly purchased items to their wardrobes.  Only at the last minute did I add a wool sweater with a hood and a fleece, and glad that I did. So you never know - was the Maasdam too hot or too cold this last trip - all of the above and none of the above. All at the same time. 

[Copper10-8]

9 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Loreto was a favorite of ours too in the Sea of Cortez - very low key but welcoming. The very first mission in the west coast chain of missions. Lovely sea food, nice promenade, ex-pat community with a golf course, and a very special artisan gift shop with hand made items; not tourist stuff from China. It is definitely a port to take on your own at a very slow pace. .....................................................

 

 

 

Great place to have lunch in Loreto is in the roof restaurant of the Hotel Posada de las Flores. Can't miss it; it's painted pink, catty corner from the Mission 

 

 

[Sea girl 23]

Hmmm PV “touristy”. I’d rather be on a ship with everything working (most of the time)than be “I have to get to  get to(insert  the name of out of the way place) on a rust bucket ship.”

[dogo88]

18 minutes ago, Sea girl 23 said:

Hmmm PV “touristy”. I’d rather be on a ship with everything working (most of the time)than be “I have to get to  get to(insert  the name of out of the way place) on a rust bucket ship.”

 

For some the nostalgia and memories of the older ships is enough to ignore issues and not consider them a bother. To others it's unacceptable. It would have to be a very special itinerary for us to go on a "rust bucket".  Never say never, but probably not. There just are to many other selections out there. 

[Copper10-8]

Besides Loreto and Pichilinque/La Paz, the capital of the state of Baja California Sur, HAL used to stop at Topolobampo and, before that, in the old French-influenced mining town of Santa Rosalia. Guaymas has also been on the itinerary. All completely different than the touristy stops on the regular seven-day Mexican Riviera run from San Diego

 

[Sea girl 23]

Dogo:I’d rather go someplace touristy-and on a land tour *and* stay in a hotel with working plumbing/a/c than that particular crap shoot.😂

[bcummin]

6 hours ago, Sea girl 23 said:

 

I’ve said this before, but with the older ships, caveat emptor.

 

Do you speak from personal experience onboard ms Maasdam, as was requested?

 

Barbara

 

Edited November 7, 2018 by bcummin

[dogo88]

12 hours ago, Sea girl 23 said:

Dogo:I’d rather go someplace touristy-and on a land tour *and* stay in a hotel with working plumbing/a/c than that particular crap shoot.😂

Don't disagree with what you say, though land tours can have their own set of problems.

 

When we were young we went on a cruise on an older ship in the  Caribbean and most of the ship had no A/C for almost the entire week. Actually was an old HAL ship that was sold to a new cruise line. Slept on the deck at night. We did get a free cruise for that which we gave away. Never did sail on that line again. 

 

With so many other cruising options available both on HAL, and other lines, seems like a bad decision to repeat a cruise on a ship that you have experienced issues on. And only you can decide if it's worth the chance.   

[Sea girl 23]

This is true.I’ve had power go out at hotels on land trips(disconcerting but I went with it).

 

It’s a little different when you’re on the ocean,possibly in the tropics,and things start to go wrong.

[goldengirl123]

I am currently on the Maasdam

What i love about is 

1- Unique itinerary

2- Great food

3- Great staff

4 - Smaller ship so not too busy.  A very relaxed atmosphere. 

5- Not too small so it still has a good size gym, pools, showroom etc

6- No regular singers and dancers but still entertainers including some local entertainment from time to time. 

7- More interesting lectures than their other ships which i find so interesting.  

8- Has computer and camera classes like their other ships

 

I am really enjoying the cruise and will be booking more cruises on the Maasdam.  It is my favorite HAL ship at the moment, mostly because of the unique itinerary and interesting lectures. 

 

[OlsSalt]

9 hours ago, goldengirl123 said:

I am currently on the Maasdam

What i love about is 

1- Unique itinerary

2- Great food

3- Great staff

4 - Smaller ship so not too busy.  A very relaxed atmosphere. 

5- Not too small so it still has a good size gym, pools, showroom etc

6- No regular singers and dancers but still entertainers including some local entertainment from time to time. 

7- More interesting lectures than their other ships which i find so interesting.  

8- Has computer and camera classes like their other ships

 

I am really enjoying the cruise and will be booking more cruises on the Maasdam.  It is my favorite HAL ship at the moment, mostly because of the unique itinerary and interesting lectures. 

 

 

Thank you for updating us on the new Maasdam EXC InDepth programing options - we participated in this new EXC InDepth series on its maiden voyage a few months ago from FLL to Papeete - Kontiki Explorer. The enrichment offerings were intense and greatly appreciated and carried all the initial enthusiasm and birth pangs that come when presenting such a  new, and untested, cruise option for HAL - and a lot of unsuspecting passengers who had not fully understood what they were getting in for.

 

We have been wondering how this new EXC InDepth programming option was holding up over time since that great first start last Sept..  Your point made in #7 sounds like the new programing is holding its own. Please, if you have time can you add more ongoing details?

 

They were finishing up a lot of details post-drydock on that first InDepth cruise since it had rained every day during that drydock. So again I assume all of that remaining work has now been completed. We thought she had gone through a beautiful refurbishments, even with some details still left undone on that first cruise. Loved the staff and the food was very good too.  Thanks again for your report.

 

We will be back on another Maasdam InDepth voyage next year - so the ongoing passenger acceptance and viability of this new cruise option for HAL is naturally a concern of ours. Was this just a grand and noble one-time experiment ,or will now become a permanent part of the small ship Maasdam  cruise options.

 

And the biggest remaining question is how they (or if they) used the Zodiacs on your segment?

Edited November 8, 2018 by OlsSalt

[puli]

I am hoping this EXC InDepth program will extend to our Sea of Cortez Cruise in April 2020 .  We spend  an extra day going from San Diego to Cabo  allowing us to cruise the Bahia Magdalena from 10 AM until 4 PM. on the second sea day. Wouldn't it be amazing to have the Zodiacs   available so we could  get as close as allowed   to see  the  whales with their off-spring in this  "Pacific Nursery"?.  Same thing when we cruise the Sea of Cortez returning home.