Live From The Maasdam

[DFD1]

This is a delightful thread. It brings back many fond memories. I love that part of the world. Thank you so much for sharing your cruise with us.

[Susie51]

Thank you for sharing your cruise with us.

[Susie51]

Thank you for sharing your cruise with us.

[LUV2CRUZalso]

Thanks for sharing your cruise through your writings! It makes our wait however, that much more painful. We sail the Maasdam on the 24 April Southern Caribbean cruise. It has been great reading of your experinces as they unfold!!!! Thanks you so much.;) :p

[DFD1]

One more thought....your mention of Las Brisis made me wish I were about 25 years younger again. That's about when we spent two weeks there in a wonderful "casita" cottage with a private pool with flower petals floating on it every morning, breakfast hanging on the door knob in a bag with hot coffee in a carafe on the pool deck and a view of Acapulco Bay that was incredible....all for about $60.00 a day.

 

Thanks again for your thread. I've really enjoyed it.

[advocado]

Thank you Suzie 51, I really am enjoying this live sailing, really gives me an idea of what it would be like, I like the yum yum man..and I wonder who Avacado's dinner companions are? Where are they from? do they change everynight?

Maasdam has not yet converted to AYWD, so our dining companions, a wonderful couple from Virginia, have been our nightly companions.

[advocado]

Yesterday was another sea day. On this 15 day voyage, they have become pleasantly routine and revitalizing. Spent the day reading, napping and eating. When I boarded the Maasdam two weeks ago, I was on my office clock: five hours of sleep a night – on a good night. Last night, I slept at least nine. This morning the sky was a dome of pale blue streaked with alabaster. Peering over our rail I could see us gliding into Cabo San Lucas. We slipped past the famous “ El Arco”, the rock formation with its base carved out by the sea to form a natural Arc de Triomphe. Cabo is at the southern tip of Baja California

which was formed by the ripping San Andreas Fault (as San Franciscans, DW and I have more than a passing acquaintance with the San Andreas). Soon we could hear the clanging of the ship’s anchor chain and before long, the tenders were taking people ashore.

Cabo San Lucas is like Palm Springs with an ocean attached. Desert, rocks and sea. There is no green. No lush rainforest. It is not as pretty as Huatulco. The port is alive with tenders (another cruise ship just pulled in), water taxis, glass bottom boats, jet skis, excursion boats and even a pirate ship (arghh!). DW said they all scurry about like bumper cars at the amusement park. As soon as you step off the tender, you are set upon by street vendors. The most common item offered appears to be an annoying whistle. The only reason I considered buying one was to destroy it. That’s probably the whole idea. The waterfront is a modern complex of hotels, restaurants and shops with a long promenade for pedestrians to stroll. One block behind the waterfront finery, things change. The upscale feel of the yacht harbor is replaced by the myriad of small shops crowded next to streets and sidewalks long suffering from neglect. Yes, there’s Cabo Wabo (the to see and be seen in bar), which is definitely high rent, but a quick walk of about an hour and you’ve seen it all. The town is in a time warp of perpetual spring break. I passed a number of bars and saw a lot of people drinking margaritas at 9:00 a.m. (they must have been from that other cruise ship).

There is nothing quite as exhilarating as seeing a whale breech. In Cabo, in February, you will see a lot of that. Dozens of whales giving away their positions with little spouting puffs of white exhale. There were so many pods of whales that the whale ballet continued long after the ship had left port.

Tonight is the last of four formal nights. Tomorrow is the suite luncheon in the Pinnacle. Then to San Diego and a short flight home. Unless we run aground or hit an iceberg, this will be my last “Live From the Maasdam” post. I hope all my CC friends have enjoyed reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them. May you all have fair winds and a following sea …

[nancyjo]

Thanks for your updates. We sail April 24th for our first Maasdam Cruise. We've been aboard the Veendam and the Zuiderdam. Can;t wait for our 10 day cruise to the southern caribbean.Continue to enjoy each day....each one is truly a 'gift'.

[PathfinderEss]

Advocado, thanks so much, I so enjoyed all your post about your cruise. Have a safe trip home.

[advocado]

Well … I thought my last post would be my last post. Tonight we were asked to dine at the Captain’s Table. Lobster tails. Not scrawny ones either, but big, luscious tails and excellent wines and conversation. Captain Smit is a wonderful host who patiently answered every question put to him. For example, I learned that the Maasdam, indeed all the S Class ships, are scheduled for a refit. 28 cabins will be added in January ‘09 to the Navigation deck, aft. The foreward officer’s cabins will be replaced with passenger cabins. The aft swimming pool will be moved up to deck 11 (the Lido deck), giving the S Class ships a similar layout to the R Class ships.

The table conversation, however, was one of those special moments that I seem to fall into while cruising. Last May, on the Noordam (Alaska), on our last night we dined with a gentleman who turned out to me my junior high school classmate in 1958. The day after I returned home, he e-mailed me a copy of my junior high school class picture from the school yearbook. Tonight, my tablemate went to UCLA when I did. She graduated the same class as I; was the same major as I; and was inspired (in a life altering way) by the same professor. At the same moment, we both wistfully uttered “Dr. Hitchcock!”. It’s a little thing, but not a day-to-day thing and it’s pure joy when this happens. Cruising seems to bring it out and I love it. Now … to bed.

[shipcafe]

Well … I thought my last post would be my last post. Tonight we were asked to dine at the Captain’s Table. Lobster tails. Not scrawny ones either, but big, luscious tails and excellent wines and conversation. Captain Smit is a wonderful host who patiently answered every question put to him. For example, I learned that the Maasdam, indeed all the S Class ships, are scheduled for a refit. 28 cabins will be added in January ‘09 to the Navigation deck, aft. The foreward officer’s cabins will be replaced with passenger cabins. The aft swimming pool will be moved up to deck 11 (the Lido deck), giving the S Class ships a similar layout to the R Class ships.

The table conversation, however, was one of those special moments that I seem to fall into while cruising. Last May, on the Noordam (Alaska), on our last night we dined with a gentleman who turned out to me my junior high school classmate in 1958. The day after I returned home, he e-mailed me a copy of my junior high school class picture from the school yearbook. Tonight, my tablemate went to UCLA when I did. She graduated the same class as I; was the same major as I; and was inspired (in a life altering way) by the same professor. At the same moment, we both wistfully uttered “Dr. Hitchcock!”. It’s a little thing, but not a day-to-day thing and it’s pure joy when this happens. Cruising seems to bring it out and I love it. Now … to bed.

 

I hate to see your cruise come to an end but am excited to see her tomorrow in San Diego!

[sail7seas]

What a wonderful thread. Thank you so much for all your posts. Totally enjoyment reading it.

 

I'm so sad to hear it is true they are going to be messing with the beautiful Maasdam. We love having aft pool on Navigation Deck.....and who needs more passenger cabins to crowd the lounges and dining room?!

 

Where will they put the Officers' cabins which are forward. Captain has to be near the bridge!

 

Maasdam is so wonderful the way she is and I foresee her being less so when they get done messing with her. :( Groan

 

The only good part about it is HAL must be planning to keep the "S" ships sailing longer or they wouldn't be putting that money into them.

 

Enjoy your last day aboard. Sounds like you have a wonderful time last evening at the Captain's Table.

 

 

 

[AECrowell]

Thank you, Advocado, for your wonderful posts! We'll be metaphorically waving at you as you disembark and we embark. Thank you for your very timely report. I'm glad you had such a wonderful time on the Maasdam.

 

(Notice the "0" days remaining on my signature!!!)

[advocado]

What a wonderful thread. Thank you so much for all your posts. Totally enjoyment reading it.

 

I'm so sad to hear it is true they are going to be messing with the beautiful Maasdam. We love having aft pool on Navigation Deck.....and who needs more passenger cabins to crowd the lounges and dining room?!

 

Where will they put the Officers' cabins which are forward. Captain has to be near the bridge!

 

Maasdam is so wonderful the way she is and I foresee her being less so when they get done messing with her. :( Groan

 

The only good part about it is HAL must be planning to keep the "S" ships sailing longer or they wouldn't be putting that money into them.

 

Enjoy your last day aboard. Sounds like you have a wonderful time last evening at the Captain's Table.

 

 

 

Thanks for your comments. I asked the Captain the same question about the officer's quarters.. As best as he could tell me, the Captain, First Officer and Navigator will remain on the Navigation deck. All others to the crew decks.

[Two if by Sea]

How can they move the pool to the Lido deck? Do they extend the deck aft to make room?

 

I'm glad I'll be onboard before the changes. Among the many reasons I liked this particular ship was its wonderful size-to-passenger ratio.

[sail7seas]

The aft pool will be moved up to an extended Lido deck the same as it is on Zaandam and Volendam etc

[R&CCruisers]

We also like the pool on the navigation deck of the "S" class ships and wish it would remain there. But it's not the end of the world. We are booked on the Maasdam next February so the change wil be completed by that time.

 

We were on the Veendam (wonderful ship and crew) in January and our biggest complaint was the seating in the Crow's Nest. We go there almost every afternoon for our pre-dinner cocktail and like to relax in the foreward facing lounge chairs. Not so on the Veendam--the dance floor takes up the entire forward area. Is this the set-up on all "S" ships now?

[sail7seas]

We also like the pool on the navigation deck of the "S" class ships and wish it would remain there. But it's not the end of the world. We are booked on the Maasdam next February so the change wil be completed by that time.

 

 

No, of course, it isn't the end of the world. But for us, it is very disappointing. We love Maasdam just the way she is and have sailed her a great many cruises. For us to lose our lovely aft pool on Navigation Deck makes me sad. I don't much care about Crows Nest in the afternoon. That is not a place we are ever found before dark! :) We have spent many an hour late in the evening at Crows Nest in past years..... not so much now.

 

I don't love the idea of more cabins = more people = more crowded in lounges and pools, Lido and dining room = a less enjoyable experience. But it = more revenue.

[advocado]

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2MZOHDNoycb

 

I hope this works ...

[Deb C.]

It worked fine. Loved your photos! Thanks!!:cool:

[waiting2retire]

Great pictures Advocado; thanks for sharing! We will be on the Maasdam for the first time six weeks from tomorrow :D , but not in that lovely suite you had :( .

 

Bonnie

[dchip]

can't wait to board on 3/15!!!!! I fell in love with that ship when we sailed her in November.

 

How did everyone get out on the bow when you sailed through the canal??

 

Cheers, Denise

[dchip]

Sorry double post. Boards are making me crazy today!!

[Cruisin Suzin]

Thanks for the lovely photos, but where in the world was the photo taken of you both sitting in the loungers, looking out over the ocean..beautiful, I want to put that place on my bucket list..my next cruise will be on this ship going to Canada and New England, but after seeing this I might change that..thanks for doing all of this really helped me..

[advocado]

can't wait to board on 3/15!!!!! I fell in love with that ship when we sailed her in November.

 

How did everyone get out on the bow when you sailed through the canal??

 

Cheers, Denise

For the Canal transit, access to the bow of the ship was permitted through the Rembrandt Lounge. I spent most of the time on the little deck on deck 11, in front of the gym. People didn't seem to discover this was even there (except those who used the gym!) until late, so it wasn't as crowded as the bow or Sky Deck.