Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 5, 2007 Author #26 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Hello, dear Valerie: And I would dearly enjoy sailing with you on a dam fine ship somewhere. You know, maybe I'll just substitute my mother for my husband on the planned Volendam cruise to New Zealand/Australia. ;) My mom is a lot of fun, and she has a goodly number of relatives in Australia; I bet she'd love to go...... You will have a wonderful time on the lovely Amsterdam as she sails out on her Grand World Voyage. Her crew are already gearing up for that cruise, and I could definitely feel a sense of anticipatory excitement onboard. Most of the staff with whom I spoke were planning to be there for the entire World Cruise and even beyond. Some of my favorite people whom I believe will be on the voyage with you include the Pinnacle chef Renee, and Pinnacle waiter, Mark, both of whom are from Holland. Christine, the Explorations Cafe/library manager, is from Australia, and she is a lovely person to converse with. Kris is one of the Yum Yum men (actually little older than a boy); he stands outside the upper floor of the La Fontaine dining room to dispense his ginger, mints, and dried fruit. He is so looking forward to the ship's planned port stop of Semarang, Java. He hopes to see his mother. Just thinking about it makes me cry; he is so young, and his ears stick out so endearingly....I could go on and on, but you will meet all those special people very soon now, lucky you..... Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 5, 2007 Author #27 Share Posted January 5, 2007 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. You know, Lisa, in my family it's my mom who loves to travel, and my husband who apparently does not. My husband is a paragon of virtue, and a genuinely loving husband and father, but schlepping around the world on a ship is not for him. I tried to make the whole experience as carefree as possible. I think he finds some aspects of cruising somewhat pretentious, which they are, but he just can't get into the whole social routine. What do I do with a man who reads books on physics for fun?:eek: Love him, anyway! Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 5, 2007 Author #28 Share Posted January 5, 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 Hi Sher: There was only one major flaw about our cruise, and that's the fact that you weren't on it with us!!;) We saw the Volendam as we were heading out to the airport in our cab, and I thought to myself, Sher and her brood are all somewhere over there in the disembarkation process. I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday cruise, and an easy time readjusting to the "real world"! Welcome home:) Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 5, 2007 Author #29 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Valerie, I forgot to mention one more outstanding crew member; hope you encounter him. He is Sila, assistant dining room steward, who is from Bali. He works in the downstairs section of the La Fontaine, and also in the Lido. He is married with a 16-month-old son, both of whom he has not seen since June. His contract goes another six months until this coming June. He's another crew member who is longing for the Amsterdam to be able to make her scheduled stop in Bali in February. Sila is a true gentleman. He told us he loves Half Moon Cay because it reminds him so much of home. Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruskat Posted January 5, 2007 #30 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Dear Karin, I had hoped to wish you a Bon Voyage and Merry Christmas before your cruise but we lost our power as well. Your cruise sounded wonderful and I am glad you had a good time. It is a shame your daughter and husband are not enthusiastic about cruising again. Hopefully, you will be able to partake in the future cruises with your mother and other daughter. Thank you for sharing your holiday cruise experience. Happy New Year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruskat Posted January 7, 2007 #31 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Karin, I was hoping you or other experienced Amsterdam cruisers could comment on the noise level from above the suites both very near the Neptune Lounge and also the SB cabins near the very back of the ship. Are the Amsterdam suites the same as those on the Vista ships? I have read where the inside cabins are larger on the S and R ships. Also, it has been mentioned that the staff in the dining room is not as rushed on the smaller ships, would you find this to be the case? Your comments are sincerely appreciated. Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 7, 2007 Author #32 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Hi Kruskat: Thanks for your kind wishes. I hope you and yours had a very Merry Christmas, and all the best to you in the New Year. How long were you without power after our terrific wind storm? The Lido deck is right above the Navigation deck on the Amsterdam. Yes, there is some noise, especially in the morning when the crew is hosing off and cleaning the Lido deck. They move the furniture around a bit. However, the ship noise really doesn't bother us, it's all kind of incorporated into the general background; we don't really pay attention to it. A cruise ship is a busy place, 24 hours a day!:) I've not yet been on a Vista ship, but I've read on this board that the cabins on the S and R ships are a little bigger than on the Vistas. Our SA suite on the Amsterdam very comfortably accommodated me, my husband, and our 8-year-old daugther. We were near the middle of the ship, right across from the Neptune Lounge. I would say that although the dining room staff on the Amsterdam were not rushed, per se, they were certainly very busy. As I have mentioned, the full dinner took at least 90 minutes, frequently longer. The experience is meant to be a leisurely one. I think the kind of service you receive depends on the experience of your dining stewards, and also the efficiency of the kitchen staff. Again, as I've never been on a Vista ship, I can't adequately compare between our experiences on the Zaandam and Amsterdam (both R-class ships), and the Vista class (Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, and Noordam). However, the bottom line is that the Vista ships can carry approx 500 more passengers than the other ships do. Hope that helps.:) Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpioncrawl Posted January 7, 2007 #33 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Happy New Year Karin. Been reading all of the responses to your post. Im getting a little nervous now about the daughter/possible son....We cruise every Christmas, myself, husband, daughter (26) & son (20). We so look forward to this and our time together every year. I feel so disappointed for you as I would be if my kids were to bail out. I ask each time, "do you really want to cruise again, or just have a traditional Christmas @ home, family, friends, etc." I get the same response, son states it doesnt matter, daughter states, sure let's go for it! Would you reccomend this cruise? We have sailed only once w/HAL in our 8 yrs of cruising, and can honestly say the ship was dead!! Average age 65 & up. It was a holiday cruise, so felt it would be more of our age group, myself & husband (48). We love nitelife, shows, comedy and the ship truly rolled up @ 9 pm. We were on the Westerdam several yrs ago. Have thought about trying HAL again. Please let me know what you think, and what your ship preferences are? Thanks, Kim/Sunny South Carolina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruskat Posted January 7, 2007 #34 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Karin, Thanks for the cabin info. We lost our power for four and a half days. Our damage was limited to falling trees and many branches to pick up. We are still working on that project. I didn't get online right after we regained power because we had a bit of a mess to contend with. Unfortunately, a lady was killed on our road by a falling tree. It happened at the beginning of the storm when she swerved to miss the falling tree and hit the trunk of another. Very sad. A person never knows what might happen next do they? It is a good lesson to enjoy each day. I hope you did not sustain much damage. It must have been a challenge preparing for the cruise with no power. It sure has been quite a year with the so much rain and wind. Although you haven't been on a Vista ship have you heard if the "motion of the ocean" is significantly greater on the smaller ship like the Amsterdam? I also wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your writing expertise. Being dyslexic writing something I really have to work at. Cheers, Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 7, 2007 Author #35 Share Posted January 7, 2007 .......Would you reccomend this cruise? We have sailed only once w/HAL in our 8 yrs of cruising, and can honestly say the ship was dead!! Average age 65 & up. It was a holiday cruise, so felt it would be more of our age group, myself & husband (48). We love nitelife, shows, comedy and the ship truly rolled up @ 9 pm. We were on the Westerdam several yrs ago. Have thought about trying HAL again. Please let me know what you think, and what your ship preferences are? Thanks, Kim/Sunny South Carolina Hi Kim in Sunny South Carolina:) Our itinerary was really good. We had an excellent mix of shore days and sea days, with some unusual ports of call. Because it was a holiday cruise, there was quite a variety of ages, and many family groups, but the average age was still skewed older. If night life is a big priority for you, I would suggest you consider another cruise line. We ourselves were contributors to the quiet night life, as we were in bed by 11 pm most nights. (We are fairly introverted and bookish people). I will say that we met many very nice fellow travelers, who were quite willing to chat and be friendly. So yes, from my perspective I would say the overall ambience on HAL is quiet, but sociable. As we never frequented the Crow's Nest or bars late at night, I can't tell you firsthand what kind of activity they had going on there. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve were the exceptions, as there were a lot of options offered for folks to celebrate into the night. There was quite a bit of action on those occasions. Also, the Indonesian Crew show was offered at 11:15 pm on one night, so a few people stayed up at least that late;) Most of the shows for the main seating guests (8 pm or 8:30 pm) were offered at 10:15 pm, so again, there were at least a few folks awake past 11 pm.:) I've only sailed on two HAL ships, Zaandam and Amsterdam. I liked them both. I'd like to try the Noordam. I don't know if my response is helpful to you, but it does reflect my observation and experience. Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 7, 2007 Author #36 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Karin, .......Although you haven't been on a Vista ship have you heard if the "motion of the ocean" is significantly greater on the smaller ship like the Amsterdam?...... Kathy Hi Kathy: I can't answer this one adequately. When you're on the ocean, you do definitely feel the "motion of the ocean". I would imagine that, by virtue of their greater tonnage, one might feel less action on the Vista class ships. To ensure a calmer ride, many people recommend booking a cabin that is lower down and closer to the center of the ship. As I think you're interested in the full-suite category, here's my observation: On the S and R class ships, the suites are located on the highest level of passenger cabin decks. On the Vista class ships, most of the suites are located on slightly lower decks, so perhaps the ride is a little smoother on the Vistas. Someone with more experience than I would have to answer this one. (It's blowing and raining quite considerably in our neck of the woods today. There are still plenty of trees down from the big storm. This has been a somewhat wilder winter than we are used to!! Sorry to hear of the fatal car accident in your neighborhood). Karin ps thanks for the kind words about my writing. I have to confess that sometimes when I read what I've written, I think I come across as a pompous windbag:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Copper10-8 Posted January 7, 2007 #37 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Karin, thanks for an excellent review!! Awesome job! here's hoping that your hubby and oldest daughter change their minds in the near future. Take care, be safe and, hopefully, tot ziens on a dam ship some day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic The Parrot Posted January 7, 2007 #38 Share Posted January 7, 2007 OK, I admit it, I'm a snob. Even a pretentious snob. Would you like that stamped on your forehead ? (Along with a "kick me!" sign taped on your back?) No extra charge for the sign ..... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammybee Posted January 7, 2007 #39 Share Posted January 7, 2007 ps thanks for the kind words about my writing. I have to confess that sometimes when I read what I've written, I think I come across as a pompous windbag:rolleyes: Would it be OK if I steal this? I am thinking of changing my screen name to "Pompous Windbag". I like the 2 word/2 syllable thing. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 7, 2007 Author #40 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Would it be OK if I steal this? I am thinking of changing my screen name to "Pompous Windbag". I like the 2 word/2 syllable thing. :) OK, you can be "pompous windbag". I'll be "pretentious snob", although it doesn't quite have the same pleasant rhythm. Maybe "snooty snob". Nice Alliteration. What say you, Vic? That should cover all angles. :) Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic The Parrot Posted January 7, 2007 #41 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Love it! You have my approval. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigster-diver Posted January 7, 2007 #42 Share Posted January 7, 2007 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. Well, howdy all. We got home yesterday (Saturday) afternoon....stayed a few days post-cruise if Ft. Lauderdale before flying back to Seattle, then driving back to Victoria. Karin isn't kidding...."a LOT of photos".....seems that there's nearly 4,000 images to download to my computer :eek: . Almost 20 Gb of data. I won't post them "all" here, but will get around to doing up a slide-show in the next weeks. Have to agree with Karin, met some really nice people and had the trip of a lifetime !! More details later, once some unpacking is done. Ciao for now, Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherInFlorida Posted January 7, 2007 #43 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Karin, Welcome Home!:) I have to go back and read now, but was so upset to have missed your return and your review that I wanted to post quickly just to say "hi". And I think many would agree that "pretentious snob" belongs to me;) . I am so glad you had such a great time (I read enough to gather that!) and I'll bet you needed a getaway after all that horrendous weather you've been having out there. I hope you're in for better weather ahead. Welcome back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherInFlorida Posted January 7, 2007 #44 Share Posted January 7, 2007 I messed up ... sorry!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 7, 2007 Author #45 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Well, howdy all. We got home yesterday (Saturday) afternoon....stayed a few days post-cruise if Ft. Lauderdale before flying back to Seattle, then driving back to Victoria. Karin isn't kidding...."a LOT of photos".....seems that there's nearly 4,000 images to download to my computer :eek: . Almost 20 Gb of data. I won't post them "all" here, but will get around to doing up a slide-show in the next weeks. Have to agree with Karin, met some really nice people and had the trip of a lifetime !! More details later, once some unpacking is done. Ciao for now, Craig Hi Craig, and Christine and family! Welcome home! Glad to know you're back:) Looking forward to both your photos and your own perspective on our cruise. It was a delight to meet you, and thanks again for the bottle of wine!:) Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old As Dirt Mom Posted January 7, 2007 Author #46 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Karin, Welcome Home!:) I have to go back and read now, but was so upset to have missed your return and your review that I wanted to post quickly just to say "hi". And I think many would agree that "pretentious snob" belongs to me;) .... Welcome back! No worries, Heather, we only arrived home this past Tuesday, and I posted my first installment here on Wednesday. We're still in the final stages of unpacking, sorting, and putting away, and my husband still needs to organize our photos from the trip (not that we took very many). Thanks for the welcome:) Ok, you can be "pretentious snob"; I've decided to be "snooty snob". Hammybee is going to be "pompous windbag".;) Karin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btobey Posted September 24, 2007 #47 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Karin, thanks so much for linking me back to this thread! I've only read the first page so far, but it's making me very excited for our Amsterdam cruise next spring! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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