Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 3, 2007 #1 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Hello All: We're just back from our Amsterdam Holiday cruise, and I'm up to my ears in the domestic routine!:) Sorry to be out of commission for a while; we had a big wind storm sweep through our area on December 14th, which knocked out our power (and the power to about a million other folks). It was still out when we left for our cruise on Sunday, December 17th. So my apologies for not responding to the Bon Voyage good wishes. I was suffering from acute Cruise Critic withdrawal, let me tell you. Our cruise was wonderful; we did a whole lot of NOTHING!!:) It was great!!! I managed to read 7 books!! You can tell that we're really exciting cruisers!! I'm going to post here throughout the next day or two as I'm feeling a little jet-lagged and disoriented. But I promise to respond to any questions, and I will also list the names of ship's officers and entertainment staff....:) Need to finish unpacking first...... Met some really nice folks from our roll-call. Craigster-Diver (Craig) took a LOT of photos and promises to post them here when he gets back. The people we met on the Amsterdam, passengers and crew alike, were what made the trip so enjoyable. Talk to you later..... Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNoNanette Posted January 3, 2007 #2 Share Posted January 3, 2007 I'm so happy that it was "WONDERFUL", kiddo! Can't wait to read further postings! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlohaPride Posted January 3, 2007 #3 Share Posted January 3, 2007 I'm so happy that it was "WONDERFUL", kiddo! Can't wait to read further postings! :) I love your new avatar! Its a great picture. Welcome home, MAM!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNoNanette Posted January 3, 2007 #4 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Many thanks! Was waiting for check in on Volendam.... that's why so happy!;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 3, 2007 Author #5 Share Posted January 3, 2007 OK, here's a start. Please bear with me as I get up to speed with all the stuff that needs doing here on the home front.... Amsterdam, voyage 199, Holiday Sunfarer Cruise to the Caribbean and Panama Canal: Master - Captain Dirk van den Berg Hotel Manager - Fekko Ebbens Chief Officer - Wouter van Hoogdalem Chief Engineer - Ian Taylor Environmental Officer - Michael Horn Cruise Director - Mike Connachan* Culinary Operations Mgr. - Bert van Mackelenbergh *Cruise Director Mike Connachan found out just days before the cruise that he would be needed as cruise director. He did a yeoman's job! Nightly Entertainment: Crow's Nest - musical group Take Four plays the hits, and DJ Paul takes your requests Ocean Bar - Studio Four gets the dance floor moving Rembrandt Lounge - Laree Gibson tickles the ivories Explorer's Lounge - Con Amore plays light classical favorites This was a cruise with all the trimmings and traditions, with lots of enrichment experiences and classes. There was every kind of entertainment available in the Queen's Lounge nightly, from world-class vocalists, to a circus acrobat, a juggler, comedian, banjo player, etc. etc. plus the Amsterdam singers and dancers. My favorite crew: The Club HAL staff, with three counselors under the very able and likable Club HAL director, Sarah, who has a great rapport with young people of all ages, from the little ones to the teens. The Club HAL staff provided a wonderful program on both sea days and port days. They kept my daughter happy and entertained for 8 1/2 to 11 1/2 hours a day. She actually preferred Club HAL over our shore excursions! Christine, the manager for the Explorations Cafe/Library. A very personable, friendly, and hard working young lady. Augustinus (Robin), our room steward. We never had to ask him for anything, because he apparently is able to read minds, and therefore provided everything we needed before we even realized what we needed:) Rollie, the Neptune Lounge concierge, who provided gracious, kind, and helpful service, despite long days and many responsibilities. For instance: One of my formal gowns needed some last-minute alterations, and he took care of it for me, bringing my dress down personally to the ship's tailor, and then returning it to me in less than a day. More later.... Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted January 3, 2007 #6 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Welcome home, Karin. Lately I've been missing your posts so it's nice to stumble upon this thread. :) I'm looking forward to reading more of it. When you get to it. Don't hurry. We all have plenty of time. :rolleyes: :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammybee Posted January 4, 2007 #7 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Welcome home Karin. I am delighted to read you enjoyed my favorite of all HAL ships and that your daughter loved the HAL club experience. Eager to read more, when you catch your second wind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted January 4, 2007 #8 Share Posted January 4, 2007 We'll be here waiting for your reports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LAFFNVEGAS Posted January 4, 2007 #9 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Welcome Home Karin, Yes you have been missed:) Sounds like you have a very relaxing cruise. Reading 7 books sounds exciting to me,we tend not to do a whole lot on our cruises. Of course I like something good to sip on while I am reading those books;) I bet it was good to go and get warmed up and get away from the weather you have been having up your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDHALFAN Posted January 4, 2007 #10 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Welcome home Karin, As others have said - you have been missed a lot. I'm so glad that you had a great cruise aboard my favorite ship and I'm looking forward to getting on board January 15th for a great adventure. When we were aboard the Amsterdam last Christmas (2005) Club HAL had a different director, I believe, but my 9-year old granddaughter had a blast at Club HAL and to be perfectly honest with you she had a far more active social life than did either her mother or grandmother.:D I see that two of the officers you mentioned are also going to be onboard for the GWV: Fekko Ebbens and Bert Van Macklenberg. Bruce Scudder is listed as being CD for that trip and I hope that he can make it since I've enjoyed his Trivia games before on the Ryndam. If not then I'm sure we will get along just fine with Mike Connachan. Looking to hearing a lot more about your trip. Valerie:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kryos Posted January 4, 2007 #11 Share Posted January 4, 2007 *Cruise Director Mike Connachan found out just days before the cruise that he would be needed as cruise director. He did a yeoman's job! Ummmmm, interesting. Wonder what happened to Jill? Blue skies ... --rita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted January 4, 2007 #12 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Ummmmm, interesting. Wonder what happened to Jill? Blue skies ... --rita I don't know but when we were on the Amsterdam, she was there sometimes, not always. Actually there were a couple of night (mid cruise) when we didn't see or hear a word from her, then toward the very end of the cruise, I think at the debarkation talk she appeared. To be honest, we were not terribly impressed with her, but again, that is our opinion only. NMnita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 4, 2007 Author #13 Share Posted January 4, 2007 My daughter and I are both fighting a cold virus we brought home as a souvenir from our trip, and the cold virus is winning. I'm keeping her home from school today; she is so disappointed.;) I'm really embarrassed to have to admit that we actually did very little on our cruise. We didn't participate in most of the available activities, and spent most of our time on the ship eating, lounging, reading, sleeping, and taking our daughter to and from Club HAL so that we could continue to do more of the same. I shouldn't even have started this review, because it's going to be so boring. I'm sorry, but to perfectly frank, we are boring people. The Ship It was a lot like our first HAL ship, the Zaandam. That's because both ships belong to the R-class category of HAL's fleet. Amsterdam was built by the Italian firm Fincantieri, and launched upon the seas in the year 2000. Compared to some of the mammoth ships we encountered in our ports, like Carnival's Liberty (I think it was), Norwegian's Pearl, or Celebrity's Millenium and Constellation, the Amsterdam appears to be just a modest little lady, with no pretensions or come-hither appendices such as swimming pool slides and rock-climbing walls. The layout of the Amsterdam is pretty much the same as we found on Zaandam, so it only took me a few days to orient myself, as opposed to the entire week it took me to find my way around on Zaandam. (The only area that always messed me up was trying to access the fourth floor via the aft staircase. It doesn't work, you end up at the bottom level of the main restaurant, La Fontaine, and that's it.) Quick summary, Amsterdam is a pretty ship, full of artwork that recalls the maritime history of the Netherlands, the country of registry for the HAL fleet. The Passengers Quite an international mix. We had passengers from all over Canada and the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, England, Italy, Denmark, Holland, France, Germany, Australia, and the Philippines. There were probably even more nationalities than that, but those are the ones I know of. Nontheless, the prevailing culture onboard is North American, with English as the only language of communication to the passengers. We also had a cross-section of humanity in terms of religious affiliation. The prevailing tone was one of polite friendliness. I encountered very few disgruntled souls. It was easy to strike up a conversation with a fellow passenger. Everyone was onboard to have a pleasant time. As an example: as we were transiting the locks to Lake Gatun at the Panama Canal, it started to pour. HAL had provided passengers with clear see-through umbrellas, but of course I had left mine in our cabin. A lady standing next to me immediately hoisted her umbrella so that it covered both of us. It was a spontaneous gesture of kindness and cameraderie from one stranger to another, and it was typical of the general attitude of our fellow travelers on the cruise. The Crew As others have mentioned before, HAL's crews constitute its most valuable asset. There is no job too small or large or tedious, there are no passengers too irate and demanding, that cannot be accommodated by an exceedingly attentive, patient, and hard-working staff. I have to confess that I am frequently baffled by comments from other cruisers lamenting problems and issues that were not rectified while onboard. I just can't fathom it, because I have witnessed first hand how absolutely willing the staff are to be of assistance. Yes, some crew are more able, experienced, and conscientious than others. But in the last two weeks, I didn't have a single request or question that went unanswered. The Itinerary Well, it was pretty good. Half Moon Cay, the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao), a partial Panama Canal transit, a day in Costa Rica, Grand Cayman, Roatan (Honduras), and Costa Maya (Mexico). We had pretty darn near perfect weather, with the exception of Costa Rica, which was experiencing unseasonal rain. We had four sea days, plus the Panama Canal transit. If that isn't a good mix, I don't know what is. We did ship's tours in Curacao, Bonaire, Costa Rica, Grand Cayman, and Roatan. We were satisfied with all our excursions, except the one in Roatan, and I attribute that to Roatan's relative inexperience with cruise passengers, as well as an economically fragile society. But they did the best they could. Half Moon Cay was our ultimate favorite stop, which tells you a lot about our priorities. While other intrepid travelers marvelled at the Mayan ruins near Costa Maya, or thrilled at encountering the (relatively) primitive Embara Indians in Panama, we encountered our "nirvana" at Half Moon Cay, sybarites that we are. We had both a cabana and a butler, and my remembrance of that blissful place will linger as the chief self-indulgence of my self-indulgent life.....:) (A brief word about our HMC butler, Mark. He is a kind young man from Holland, one of the Pinnacle Grill staff. He spent most of the day entertaining our 8-year-old daughter, playing on the beach and building sand castles with her. He even escorted her to the Club HAL activities, conducted near the children's playground. Our daughter held his hand all the way back from the beach to the ship, and only let go when it was time to say "good bye." If that isn't service, I don't know what is.) My next entry will be The Experience, and then, finally, my final summary, True Confessions of a Middle-Aged Mom....... till then, Karin ps to address some of the previous posts: Mike Connachan was asked to be Cruise Director just days before our cruise departure, because the originally scheduled CD had a death in the immediate family, and had to return home. The crew onboard was already making preparations for the world cruise, which is a really big deal to them, let me tell you. The world cruise is scheduled to stop in both Bali and Java, home to most of the ship's dining and room stewards. They are so eager to get there, and see family and loved ones from whom they have been separated for months. There will be a lot of disappointment if those ports are cancelled due to political unrest in Indonesia. I pray that the Amsterdam will be able to dock there. And finally, it's always nice to read that one has been missed, so thank you kindly for so many of your comments....:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 4, 2007 Author #14 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Well, my post didn't fully materialize, if you know what I mean, and as I don't want to waste the 45 minutes of my life it took to post the darn thing, I am being a shameless self-promoter, and attempting to "bump" up my own remarks...... Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlohaPride Posted January 4, 2007 #15 Share Posted January 4, 2007 That was an amazing review, Karin! Thanks! Now I want to do that itinerary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbycheeks Posted January 4, 2007 #16 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Not trying to hi-jack the thread but...Hi Karin! It's Morna. I hope you guys got home safely. Tell Joanna "Hi" for me. :) Sorry to hear you guys got sick and hope you feel better soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 4, 2007 Author #17 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Not trying to hi-jack the thread but...Hi Karin! It's Morna. I hope you guys got home safely. Tell Joanna "Hi" for me. :) Sorry to hear you guys got sick and hope you feel better soon. Hello, Morna!:) I posted a message to you over on our cruise roll call. Thanks so much for being an important part of our cruise, and helping Joanna to have a terrific time. I know you had a lot of hard, long hours; we really appreciated your efforts, and all the Club HAL staff. You must have gone to bed exhausted many a night, but you were always upbeat, friendly, and helpful. Thanks, thanks, thanks!:) Club HAL rocks! Karin ps Jo and I just have a case of the sniffles, nothing major. Hope you're in good health, and welcome home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammybee Posted January 4, 2007 #18 Share Posted January 4, 2007 [quote name=middle-aged mom The Crew As others have mentioned before, HAL's crews constitute its most valuable asset. There is no job too small or large or tedious, there are no passengers too irate and demanding, that cannot be accommodated by an exceedingly attentive, patient, and hard-working staff. I have to confess that I am frequently baffled by comments from other cruisers lamenting problems and issues that were not rectified while onboard. I just can't fathom it, because I have witnessed first hand how absolutely willing the staff are to be of assistance. Yes, some crew are more able, experienced, and conscientious than others. But in the last two weeks, I didn't have a single request or question that went unanswered. My next entry will be The Experience, and then, finally, my final summary, True Confessions of a Middle-Aged Mom....... till then, Karin I am with you Karin as it relates to the HAL crew. I often think I must sail a different HAL because I have not had any bad experiences. Our cabin has been the last to be made up and while I would prefer to return to a made up cabin, I also realized that someone has to be last and it was my turn. Heck, at least I was not making the bed and vacuming. HAL crew does not remember my name or what I drink and this is because I am invisible. :) They do however, remember DH because he is distinctive looking. This does not bother me in the least. Sometimes it is good to be invisible and well, a little boring. And I am thrilled that you got how personalized the attention is for children on HAL. Climbing the ole rock wall elsewhere, only goes so far. At the end of the day, kids seem to blossom when they get attention and validation. I look forward to the next installment and cannot help but wonder how you and your oldest DD fared being separated, over the holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomica Posted January 4, 2007 #19 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Thanks for the great review, Karin! Glad to hear you had a good time on the Amsterdam. What a nice way to spend the holidays, even if it did end with a cold :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localady Posted January 4, 2007 #20 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Karin- I waved really big from the balcony of our Volendam cabin in Ft. Lauderdale on Tuesday morning as I knew you and the family were doing the same terrible thing over there on the Amsterdam- disembarking....:rolleyes: We too had a lovely cruise and thank goodness we all stayed healthy this time, but I've not yet posted a review, suffering from the jet lag a 2:00AM arrival home on 12/3. Glad you all had a great cruise!!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbycheeks Posted January 4, 2007 #21 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Hello, Morna!:) I posted a message to you over on our cruise roll call. Thanks so much for being an important part of our cruise, and helping Joanna to have a terrific time. I know you had a lot of hard, long hours; we really appreciated your efforts, and all the Club HAL staff. You must have gone to bed exhausted many a night, but you were always upbeat, friendly, and helpful. Thanks, thanks, thanks!:) Club HAL rocks! Karin ps Jo and I just have a case of the sniffles, nothing major. Hope you're in good health, and welcome home! Thanks Karin! You are sooo welcome! I was exhausted and slept most of yesterday but it was so much fun. I really enjoyed it. Good to hear it's nothing major...there must've been something going around because I too have the sniffles. I'm just waiting now to find out what my next contract is. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubbycheeks Posted January 4, 2007 #22 Share Posted January 4, 2007 double post :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 4, 2007 Author #23 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Amsterdam review, continued...... The Experience Well, it was a holiday cruise after all, and the halls were decked with boughs of artificial holly and artificial Christmas trees. There was also a menorah or two.....So yes, the decorations were definitely kicked up a notch, with plenty of baubles, bangles, and beads. (No individual wreaths on the cabin doors, though.)There was an onboard florist, who kept the floral arrangements fresh and enticing. She also taught a flower arranging class, for a fee. This was a dressy cruise. Tuxedos and ballgowns prevailed by a wide margin on formal nights, of which there were four, with an optional informal/formal night on Christmas Eve. I attribute this high fashion level to the holiday season, as well as the fact that the Daily Program announced (daily) that no jeans, shorts or tank tops were permitted in the dining room. I only saw a few (dressy) jeans on the last evening, as passengers were packing up all their finery and getting ready for re-entry into the everyday world. The passengers looked pretty spiffy even on informal/casual nights. Casual attire, however, was de rigeur during the day. This was also a cruise for celebrating. There were Hanukkah and Sabbath Eve services, an excellent Christmas crew show, a midnight Catholic Mass, a midnight interdenominational Christian service, lots of traditional fare from turkey to plum pudding, and a Christmas morning visit from Santa that was an absolute hoot. Every kid onboard received a present from Santa and his helper elves (aka the Club HAL staff, who worked like slaves to wrap and distribute over 80 gifts, put together a family holiday craft night, plus practiced to sing in the crew show!) There was so many activities from which to choose. There really seemed to be something for every taste and energy level. You like to cook? There were free cooking demos and hands-on cooking classes. You enjoy dancing? There were several dance hosts on board, who provided many opportunities for dance lessons during the day, up in the Crow's Nest. You like to party in the New Year? No problem, there were crazy hats, horns, balloons, and champagne galore (some of it even free;) ). There seemed to be constant bridge and card games going on in the Hudson and/or King's Rooms (if I've got those names right.) There was the Walk for the Cure, to help breast cancer patients. The Explorations Cafe had puzzles, games, and crossword puzzles, in addition to a really excellent selection of books. So, boredom was assiduously kept at bay. Our Favorite Venues The Explorations Cafe/Library. This is an absolutely lovely and peaceful area. The decor is beautiful, with big, sprawling comfortable leather seating, lots of natural light from the large windows, plenty of computer terminals, individual music listening areas (my feeble brain can't recall the actual name of the musical devices right now), and an outstanding collection of reading material. The gourmet coffee/tea selections in the cafe, both hot and cold, were a welcome alternative to the rather mediocre shipboard coffee (we come from the land of Starbucks, after all:rolleyes: ). The Neptune Lounge. OK, I admit it, I'm a snob. Even a pretentious snob. I like the suite life, and I like the Neptune Lounge. In fact, I have made a point, in my very short HAL career, of booking suites as close to the Neptune Lounge as possible. This makes it easy to make several forays at a time to and from the cornucopia of food and drink which is always available whenever the Neptune Lounge is open. Also, we have discovered that the Neptune Lounge is a wireless hot spot, and the cabins closest to the Neptune are incorporated into this hot spot. So my husband enjoyed excellent wireless connectivity from the privacy of our cabin. This made him very happy, and when he's happy, I'm happy. I also like having a concierge just a hop, skip, and a jump away. I especially liked Rollie, the concierge on the Amsterdam. He is always ready for a nice, friendly chat. True Confessions of a Middle-Aged Mom This was a bittersweet cruise, in a way. Our oldest daughter had declared herself not interested in accompanying us on a cruise, but I wasn't aware of her antipathy to cruising until three months before our departure, well after all arrangements had been set in motion. We could have cancelled, but my husband and I, and our younger daughter, wanted to continue with our cruise plans. So our oldest daughter stayed home, and dealt very efficiently with the aftermath of a major area power outage. We all survived the separation. My husband and I got tired of eating dinner in the main dining room after the first week. In the warm weather, it was hard to go from a casual beach environment to the structured dining atmosphere. Dinner always lasted at least 90 minutes, frequently two hours, although one night our dining steward accommodated us very efficiently, and got us throught the first three courses in one hour (we wanted to leave early to catch the tail end of a movie). Many nights we left early, without dessert, too stupefied to continue eating. Our dining stewards, Pidi and Artha, were most gracious and patient with us. Finally, on Christmas Day, a formal night, my husband had just had enough. He was hot, his intestinal system revolted, and he was not interested in going to the main dining room for dinner for a few nights. So we ended up in the Lido for a few dinners, which was actually very pleasant and relaxing. (Our youngest daughter always ate early, before going to Club HAL, either in the Lido or picking up a plate of tidbits in the Neptune Lounge.) So, there it is, folks. I can handle dressy dining for the short term. It starts to get on my nerves for a longer duration. Just call me a bourgeois parvenue, or in other words, you can neither dress me up nor take me out.:eek: Never fear, though, we adhered to all dress codes, and never appeared in the Lido in our bathrobes......:rolleyes: And now, for the final bittersweet part. My husband has concluded that in granting me two cruises within the space of just four months, he has satisfied his husbandly duties to me, his wife. He has declared that henceforth, he has no longer any desire to cruise. What is it with my family? How could I have misunderstood them and their interests to this extent? First my oldest daughter, now my husband. Where did I go wrong? I guess that leaves me and our youngest, and also my mom, who is a die-hard world traveler......any advice is welcome..... Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LAFFNVEGAS Posted January 4, 2007 #24 Share Posted January 4, 2007 And now, for the final bittersweet part. My husband has concluded that in granting me two cruises within the space of just four months, he has satisfied his husbandly duties to me, his wife. He has declared that henceforth, he has no longer any desire to cruise. What is it with my family? How could I have misunderstood them and their interests to this extent? First my oldest daughter, now my husband. Where did I go wrong? I guess that leaves me and our youngest, and also my mom, who is a die-hard world traveler......any advice is welcome..... Karin Karin, How sad:( Do you think maybe just being a Holiday Cruise and how much more stressfull it can be made him decide he did not like it. Gosh, I feel so fortunate I can't keep Tom away from those "DAM" ships. If we had the time and the money we would take a cruise every month:D Now it is my Mom that has no desire to ever do a cruise again. As much as a tried I really wanted her to come with us for our upcoming Anniversary cruise and both her and her husband really disliked the one and only cruise they took about 7 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDHALFAN Posted January 5, 2007 #25 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Hi dear MOM: Karin: brilliant reviews and I would never, by any stretch of the imagination, consider either you or Hammybee to be boring. In fact, I hope that someday our cruising paths will meet. I am so glad that you enjoyed your cruise so much and I do have to wonder, with you, what the heck is wrong with your DH and other DD? Oh well, to each his/her own. I hope you get over your "sniffles" soon, and welcome back to the boards. As a lot of us have said before, you were sorely missed. I will be aboard the glorious ms Amsterdam in just a few days now and I will think of you fondly as I am enjoying the HAL experience. Valerie:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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