Will Amsterdam be the "new" Prinsendam?

[Vict0riann]

That was the question I asked myself as we boarded in Seattle - the flagship of the fleet, the World Cruise ship, the newly-refurbished almost 20-year old...  And I was even more confused at muster drill when I saw a familiar tall figure on the deck with us.  I thought my eyes were deceiving me, but later on our CD, Bruce, mentioned the opportunity to book a cruise with our Future Cruise Consultant, Sheryll, and I knew I had seen our (multiple) Prinsendam master, Captain Jeroen Schuchmann.   (He was on board as a passenger, prior to going for training for the Amsterdam captaincy.)

 

However, I have to say, I don't think Amsterdam will be the new Prinsendam, which was confirmed by Sheryll, who announced that Veendam will be taking over all of the late, lamented Prinsendam's cruises, except for the Kiel Canal, which will no longer be on any HAL itinerary.  Amsterdam will be doing a Grand Africa, and the World Cruise, but others will be done by Veendam.  

 

Our last cruise - on Prinsendam - was part of a Grand Voyage, so it is difficult to make comparisons.  The Amsterdam is beautiful, I think she most reminds me of Zaandam, with a few differences, most of which are probably across the fleet.  No orchids in the Lido Market, new bags, no amuse bouche at dinner in the Pinnacle, Club Orange as part of the dining room.....

[foodsvcmgr]

Interesting strategy of offering your most interesting itineraries aboard your arguably "worst" ship.

Then hoping that the appeal of that itinerary is greater than the dislike of the ship.

Much the same as Princess running their World Cruise on the generally reviled ISLAND PRINCESS.

[Vict0riann]

I kind of thought that myself, but who knows, maybe things will change when she does some exceptionally interesting itineraries.

 

sorry my thread posted twice.  I got an error message the first time I tried to post it, and so I pushed the button again, without checking the forum....

[Vict0riann]

To continue, we booked our second two-week Alaska cruise just a week before the cruise was due to sail.  Last year we did the same itinerary on Zaandam, and really enjoyed it.  And I would be happy to do it again!

 

We flew in to Seattle the morning of.  Last year we took the Clipper ferry over a day ahead, but as this was so last minute we thought it would be a good idea to us HAL air and shuttle to the port.  All went well, and we boarded quickly.  One thing I noticed at the Airport was this sign, which I felt would be great to know about for people flying out of Seattle.

 

[kazu]

Hope you are having a great cruise Ann 🙂 

 

Rotterdam and Veendam are trying to do some of Prinsendam’s itineraries and I suppose Amsterdam will too.  Veendam is not attempting to do them all but no matter who does them, it’s just an “attempt” and an imitation IMO.

 

They can’t go to over 200 ports that the Prinsendam did let alone sail the Kiel Canal.  

 

I’m sorry, but no current ship in the HAL fleet can take over the Prinsendam’s itineraries.  They are too large to go down some of the rivers/canals and ports.

 

HAL would be better off to not say anything about the Prinsendam IMO.  They sold it.  They gave up the itineraries.  The other ships can’t do the same ones.

[sail7seas]

1 hour ago, Vict0riann said:

That was the question I asked myself as we boarded in Seattle - the flagship of the fleet, the World Cruise ship, the newly-refurbished almost 20-year old...  And I was even more confused at muster drill when I saw a familiar tall figure on the deck with us.  I thought my eyes were deceiving me, but later on our CD, Bruce, mentioned the opportunity to book a cruise with our Future Cruise Consultant, Sheryll, and I knew I had seen our (multiple) Prinsendam master, Captain Jeroen Schuchmann.   (He was on board as a passenger, prior to going for training for the Amsterdam captaincy.)

 

However, I have to say, I don't think Amsterdam will be the new Prinsendam, which was confirmed by Sheryll, who announced that Veendam will be taking over all of the late, lamented Prinsendam's cruises, except for the Kiel Canal, which will no longer be on any HAL itinerary.  Amsterdam will be doing a Grand Africa, and the World Cruise, but others will be done by Veendam.  

 

Our last cruise - on Prinsendam - was part of a Grand Voyage, so it is difficult to make comparisons.  The Amsterdam is beautiful, I think she most reminds me of Zaandam, with a few differences, most of which are probably across the fleet.  No orchids in the Lido Market, new bags, no amuse bouche at dinner in the Pinnacle, Club Orange as part of the dining room.....

Rotterdam and Amsterdam are the co- flagships of the fleet.   I do not think Amsterdam will  be used as a 'new'  Prinsendam  I think HAL will either buy a 'second hand ship'  (as  was Prinsendam or they will build a new ship.

 

wHo knows?  None of us have been present   at high level meetings  discussing this question

 

Veendam is a whole different ship than Amsterdam and/or Rotterdam and IMO, is not suitable as a world cruiser in warm weather climates.  She has been

destroyed through  the years and multiple dry docks,  IMO     I sailed her to Bermuda two or three years  ago  and was hugely  disappointed in her.  We had sailed that ship a number  of cruises   since her Inaugural year and the changes are dramatic,    I would question the information you shared here as passed to you recently re:  Veendam.  I don't question you were told that but do question how  true it  is.  If they 'knew about what they  were speaking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited August 26, 2019 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

 passed along to you re:  Veendam

 

 

 

 

 

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[Vict0riann]

We didn’t get an internet package on this cruise.  People I spoke to said it was not good, so I was happy we hadn’t spent the money.  The TV was intermittent too.  

 

We had big problems with the “Navigator”.  My newer phone had no problem logging on, but I couldn’t check our account,  as Pat was paying the bill for both.  When he tried, phone or iPad, he just got a blank page, as I did too on my iPad.  The Front Desk couldn’t figure it out, so sent us to the Internet Manager, Norman, who was very informative but said our older devices would not work.  Our iPads’ operating systems were 9.3, and Pat’s iPhone was 10.4  - that he was able to force to open the Navigator by doing something on his computer and putting in a special password for Pat to use.  He said the new Navigator is being updated by HAL to be more secure, etc.  He didn’t know if the older devices would be able to get the Navigator app, but we will try now that we are home.  He did recommend we get new devices.....  

 

[Vict0riann]

The new bag is plastic, much stiffer, but made of recycled materials.....

 

[sail7seas]

1 hour ago, foodsvcmgr said:

 

 

 

 

Quote

 

Then hoping that the appeal of that itinerary is greater than the dislike of the ship.

 

 

THAT  is just what they did when 'old'   Noordam V   was leaving the fleet.  Sh e had some issues about  which   many guests complained .   Hal gave her great itineraries at the end to  try temping people to  book.

 

 

I don't know if that was a successful effort. 

 

What I do remember is being quite annoyed they did that.

Quote

Much the same as Princess running their World Cruise on the generally reviled ISLAND PRINCESS.

 

Edited August 26, 2019 by sail7seas

[iflyrc5]

The Rotterdam is replacing the Prinsendam on this fall's cruises in Europe and the Med and the Volendam is replacing the Prinsendam for the Grand South America in Jan 2020.  We are on both of these cruises.

[sail7seas]

4 minutes ago, iflyrc5 said:

The Rotterdam is replacing the Prinsendam on this fall's cruises in Europe and the Med and the Volendam is replacing the Prinsendam for the Grand South America in Jan 2020.  We are on both of these cruises.

^^ Thankfully, no mention of Veendam

 

 

[sail7seas]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

Hope you are having a great cruise Ann 🙂 

 

Rotterdam and Veendam are trying to do     (  Do You mean Rotterdam and Volendam?)      some of Prinsendam’s itineraries and I suppose Amsterdam will too.  Veendam is not attempting to do them all but no matter who does them, it’s just an “attempt” and an imitation IMO.   

 

They can’t go to over 200 ports that the Prinsendam did let alone sail the Kiel Canal.  

 

I’m sorry, but no current ship in the HAL fleet can take over the Prinsendam’s itineraries.  They are too large to go down some of the rivers/canals and ports.

 

HAL would be better off to not say anything about the Prinsendam IMO.  They sold it.  They gave up the itineraries.  The other ships can’t do the same ones.

 

46 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

We didn’t get an internet package on this cruise.  People I spoke to said it was not good, so I was happy we hadn’t spent the money.  The TV was intermittent too.  

 

We had big problems with the “Navigator”.  My newer phone had no problem logging on, but I couldn’t check our account,  as Pat was paying the bill for both.  When he tried, phone or iPad, he just got a blank page, as I did too on my iPad.  The Front Desk couldn’t figure it out, so sent us to the Internet Manager, Norman, who was very informative but said our older devices would not work.  Our iPads’ operating systems were 9.3, and Pat’s iPhone was 10.4  - that he was able to force to open the Navigator by doing something on his computer and putting in a special password for Pat to use.  He said the new Navigator is being updated by HAL to be more secure, etc.  He didn’t know if the older devices would be able to get the Navigator app, but we will try now that we are home.  He did recommend we get new devices.....  

 

Nice to hear there was an  Internet manager.   thought they had become rather scarce on HAL ships.

 

 

[Vict0riann]

2 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

 

Nice to hear there was an  Internet manager.   thought they had become rather scarce on HAL ships.

 

 

Yes, he was very helpful, and had long hours helping people in his little office at the back of the library.   And there is also still a library!  

 

The ship seemed to be in good condition all over and we really enjoyed it.   There was lovely art, including lots of Captain Card’s paintings.  Not too many flowers around, but a few nice big arrangements, and some of the new type of “artistic” ones.  I did miss having orchids on the tables in the Lido, and there were no centrepieces on the dining tables, either.  There were orchids on the tables in the Pinnacle, though.

 

[iceman93]

Isn't the Maasdam taking the role of "elegant explorer"?  At least that's the impression I've gotten from the fact that it's all EXC voyages on the Maasdam, no Club HAL, etc.

[TiogaCruiser]

There were no orchids on the tables in the Lido on her last voyage either. I wonder if they were cut out fleet wide. Anybody know?

[FlorenceItaly]

Very interested in your thoughts as we will be spending 51 days on her this Fall.  I am hoping the internet and tv will not become a source of frustration for us.  

[kazu]

Darn on the new bag.  After Copper posted his on his LIVE thread, I had hoped it was fleet wide.  This is the one he got which he was told was going to all the cabins.

 

 

It’s a shame if the Navigaor only works with the newest devices.  Not everyone has the most up to date device.  Thanks for the heads up.

[RuthC]

8 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

There were no orchids on the tables in the Lido on her last voyage either. I wonder if they were cut out fleet wide. Anybody know?

It appears that's the case. There were no orchids on the Lido tables, nor in the public restrooms on the Maasdam in June/July. 
I had heard they were going away fleet-wide, but don't remember the specifics of hearing that. 

[RuthC]

8 hours ago, iceman93 said:

Isn't the Maasdam taking the role of "elegant explorer"?  At least that's the impression I've gotten from the fact that it's all EXC voyages on the Maasdam, no Club HAL, etc.

EXC voyages isn't the same as the Elegant Explorer. Different concept altogether. 

First, let's get rid of the idea that any ship currently in the fleet can take over the role of Elegant Explorer. They can't. The ships in HAL's fleet just don't have the panache to fill the Prinsendam's hulls. They are too large, and the newer ships don't have the charm. There is no way any of the ships can take over the Prinsendam's itineraries. 

The Veendam has taken over some of the former Elegant Explorer's itineraries, but she is too large to do the more unique routes on some of Europe's rivers, or the Kiel Canal.