Maasdam NEVER Disappoints Us....... And Didn't This Time!!

[norcal2]

Amazing that you do show the love you have for this ship and your ship family. As I read I did sense that you truly were home. Wonderful review Sail and very different in a good way. For me it connects the readers to a deeper appreciation of the people who make everyone's cruse so special.

 

Nice!

[sail7seas]

Norcal..... Thank you. You understand the message I try to convey.

 

These wonderful cruises we all enjoy are made that way by these crew persons who put their all into making our cruise' the trip of a lifetime' cruise after cruise.

 

Only because we have cruised so often have we been so fortunate to get to know crew more than superficially and have such respect and appreciation for how hard they try to make everyone happy. How talented and hard working.

 

These are people we would want to be friends with if they lived down the street or halfway around the world. They happen to live a good part of their lives aboard the ships.

 

We have healed on Maasdam, laughed, played, rested, partied and even had a spat or two. :D It is on Maasdam we truly relax and feel 'taken care of'. Maasdam never lets us down. Some ships have a soul; they feel alive, at least to us. Maasdam and Noordam are that way. Very special ships, for us.

 

 

I understand some folks have no interest in even noticing crew and that is fine. We think them very special people. It is just another perspective of different experiences we all have on the ships. We love chatting with the wine steward, the cabin steward, the concierge, the deck steward, the sailor in the tender and the security officers on the gangway. From the Captain to the newest housekeeping fellow polishing the handrail, we learn and enjoy with all of them. I only had to hold out my small cup at the sandwich bar and the server knew what I wanted him to put in it. :) He was at that station a year ago when I held out the same cup and asked for the same thing. ;)

 

Babyher....... Thanks for you nice message. Happy you have enjoyed the posts.

[silvercruiser]

Where else can you find that yummy blueberry ice cream except in Bar Harbor?

[sail7seas]

The blueberry ice cream is no longer so great when served with 'tude'. JMHO..... We've been going to Bar Harbor for years and see a dramatic difference. Maasdam is only 1260 approx guests and not all go ashore as it is a tender port. We were the only ship in both this year and last and the treatment was detached, argumentative, unfriendly, resentful.... IMO IF their explanation is too many ships each season, it is their greed which permitted that number to schedule. All they had to do was limit the number.

 

 

 

[martinimadam]

Sail - thanks so much for the review! I'm counting the days til Oct. 4 when I get to reboard the Maasdam for the Montreal - FLL cruise. Like you, the destination for me is the ship, as I've visited most of these ports before, a number of times, and, though I haven't been on Maasdam for a number of years, I'm really looking forward to it. Your review has heightened my anticipation! Since it's been so long, not sure if I'll recognize any of the crew; but, will definitely look forward to meeting new ones.

 

A couple of questions. I thought in one message you sent that you said they'd changed the dining hours for traditional dining. Yes? Did they also change the show times back to the way they used to be?

 

Also, were you able to find out anything about the changes during dry dock? Any truth to the rumor that they're going to remove the aft pool and fill the space with more cabins? Sure hope not!

 

I'd love to see them change the itinerary to stop in Portland instead of Bar Harbor. Other than Acadia (which I admit is a big "other") there's not that much to do there, and, if the shop folks are getting a 'tude, that pretty much does the shopping in. Though, I will admit, I do love the tendering!

 

Thanks, again...

[sail7seas]

Hi Martinimadam.

 

Thanks for your nice words

 

Yes...traditional dining times are changed from 8:00 to 7:30 and early is now 5:30 I believe but am vague about it. They are still offering AYW Dining on Maasdam as well.

 

Show times changed to 7:30 for early seating and 9:30 for later.

 

It is true that all the "S" ships will have Navigation Deck extended in order to add cabins. I think there will be something like 90 odd more guests when those cabins are added as well as cabins that are going in the area of the escalator and Hotel Manager's and other offices.

 

There will be a fountain sort of lounge chair area built on Lido Deck at the stern..... raised as it is on "R" and Vista ships. It breaks our heart to lose Maasdam's Navigation Deck Pool. We LOVE it.

 

This was to have happened in January, 2009 but now there will only be a brief drydock and the heavy work has been rescheduled until 2010. Veendam will now be first to be reconfigured.

 

We're happy it will be a delay until these changes happen on Maadsam but it's too bad she won't be getting other work done which was also scheduled. We wish she could still have the other drydock things completed but one week isn't time for it.

 

As to Baaa Haabaaa..... I agree Acadia is fabulous and we enjoyed wonderful times there but not worth it to put up with being where we clearly are not wanted. They've seen our last dollar. Maasdam serves a GREAT lunch and in the future, if we even go ashore, we shall return to the ship for lunch.

 

 

[fuzzywuzzy]

We are booked to sail on the Maasdam this winter, January for a 14 day cruise to the Southern Caribbean. So looking forward to it. I loved reading your report as we sailed on the Maasdam for the first time this past March. She is an awesome ship, well looked after by great staff. We especially loved our dinners which were served with such precision and professionalism by two young exuberant waiters who were always quick with a smile and humour. A wonderful experience.

[Susie51]

Thank you for your detailed review and your in depth responses. You seem like a very kind and friendly person. How nice that you are frequently able to cruise on Maasdam and get to know the crew.

[takemewithyou]

As to Baaa Haabaaa..... I agree Acadia is fabulous and we enjoyed wonderful times there but not worth it to put up with being where we clearly are not wanted. They've seen our last dollar. Maasdam serves a GREAT lunch and in the future, if we even go ashore, we shall return to the ship for lunch.

 

Sail: Can you give us more information on what happened in Bar Harbor to you?

 

I dearly love that place and hate to think that people have become so rude. Were shopkeepers, etc rude to you in more than one place?

[Copper10-8]

Good stuff S7S, thanks for taking the time and effort!

[sail7seas]

Sail: Can you give us more information on what happened in Bar Harbor to you?

 

I dearly love that place and hate to think that people have become so rude. Were shopkeepers, etc rude to you in more than one place?

 

I really don't want to pound away on this. There are nice folks there, I'm sure, but some we encountered did not provide the experience we enjoy when spending our vacation time and money. If they are overwhelmed with too many cruisers, then we'd do them a favor to not call there.

 

I don't want to paint a whole community with the same brush..... but it was a noticeable attitude we observed/experienced.

[takemewithyou]

I really don't want to pound away on this. There are nice folks there, I'm sure, but some we encountered did not provide the experience we enjoy when spending our vacation time and money. If they are overwhelmed with too many cruisers, then we'd do them a favor to not call there.

 

I don't want to paint a whole community with the same brush..... but it was a noticeable attitude we observed/experienced.

 

Ok, thanks. :)

Fair enough.

Here's a link to what the town has decided as far as the number of cruisers for those of you who are interested.

 

http://cruisediva.blogspot.com/2008/02/not-quite-barred-from-bar-harbor.html

[sail7seas]

Do you live in Bar Harbor, 'Take Me'?

 

:D With the Chamber of Commerce?

 

I don't mean to upset you or anyone with my comments.

Seems my opinion expressed here must be close to the mark for many others if they feel it necessary to make public announcements about handling/numbers of cruise ship passengers. Must really be more of a problem than even we were aware.

 

 

 

[takemewithyou]

I assume you are joking!

 

No, I don't live in Bar harbor. I am from Maine originally and have spent a lot of time in Bar Harbor and used to be very familiar with it - before cruise ships ever went there. Before it was ever really "discovered" by "people from away" as Mainers like to say.

 

I have been back to visit since the cruise ships started going there and the town is overwhelmed by all the visitors - especially when two 3,000 passenger ships stop there.

 

I am obviously interested since I may get to stop there soon. I do think more cruise ships could stop in Portland to alleviate some of the crowding in Bar Harbor.

[sail7seas]

:) Yes, sorry. Of course, I'm kidding. When I reread my post, I didn't like the way it sounds and apologize.

 

I can understand how 6,000 cruise pax dropped into Bar Harbor can overwhelm. It is not equipped to handle that many people.

 

Every time we have been there, it has been only Maasdam's 1,260 guests and a few times one of the small coastal ships of about 150 guests. We've never (thankfully) shared the port with a mega ship.

 

Again, sorry for the tone in my other post.

[Copper10-8]

S7S, not sure if you already spotted this one: newly promoted Captain Andre van Schoonhoven (from Eurodam's blog) Nice guy! Haven't seen that uniform much - must have taken his (winter) blue coat off

[sail7seas]

Yes, we have seen that photo and you are correct. Captain Andre removed his 'blue' jacket. We can't rave enough how much he impressed us. A Very nice man and sure to be another great HAL Captain. With him and Captain Draper sharing as Captains on Maasdam, we are very, very fortunate and look forward to lots of great cruises with both.

 

We always enjoyed Captain Arjen van der Loo but he moved west to Oosterdam.

 

 

 

[sail7seas]

I just pulled this thread forward as we get ready to return to Maasdam in little over a month. As many times as we have sailed her, I love to go back and reread comments I made about a favorite cruise so I can get even more excited to look forward to returning.

 

Curious if any of Maasdam's end of the Canada/New England season cruisers have any comments about Charlottetown, Halifax, Quebec, Baaa Haabaaa :)..... the other ports. Any comments about the wonderful Maasdam that might be new since we were there?

 

[ViolaSwamp]

Glad you had a great trip - makes me look even more forward to our trip on the Maasdam in January!!! :D

[MrJ]

We are thinking of the autumn '09 cruise either from Montreal to Boston or visa versa. We too really like Holland, this will be our third cruise with them. How are the ports of call, other than Montreal; quaint, good restaurants, etc?:) We don't do tours but love to find restaurants and spend our day eating local cuisine. Would you recommend a larger suite to allow for cold/wet days.? Steve - St. Louis

[MrJ]

How was your cruise. We are booking the same trip for '09. Steve, St. Louis