The LAFFNVEGAS LIVE From the Statendam Panama Canal Cruise

[leoandhugh]

I do not believe that the general public will be allowed to book a room on O'DAM when she is berthed in Vancouver for the Olympics. The charter, I was told was made in the name of RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and the ship will supposedly be used to house many of the security details associated with the Olympics.:)

[CaledonHockley]

would the ships operate like normal while they are in dock for the olympic charters? i mean would the dining rooms, lounges, spa, casinos, etc continue like they would for a regular sailing? or is this going to be simply a place to sleep n thats it?

[TwinFriend]

Dear Darling Lisa and Tom,

Thanks again for all your help and info on our fabulous Noordam Alaska Sept. 2007 cruise. We had a great time and wonderful weather and really enjoyed your meet and greet in your suite. Panama Canal is also on our "Bucket List" with several other cruises. We hope our sails cross again with you and others on CC.

[jsparku]

For all those who want to follow the Statendam thru the canal via webcam go to:

http://Http://www.kroooz-cams.com

When the first page comes up,look to far right and find Port cams-then find

Central & So America-click this link.It will show the Gatun and Miraflores lock web cams.Enjoy

[CaledonHockley]

Sure looks pretty gloomy, I hope their weather improves.

[CaledonHockley]

 

Could the ship off in the distance be them?

[jhannah]

Indeed that is the Statendam.

[CaledonHockley]

ok, i'm going for coffee, lol.

[English_in_Spain]

So that we do not clog up Lisa's thread, we have another thread going called 'Statendam on Gatun Webcam' if anyone is interested.

[happy cruzer]

Great live review!

 

My take on the dance hosts and on a "Dancing with the Stars" type event:

 

Currently HAL has the best social dancing on their longer cruises. They are the only line (ooops maybe Cunard still has them?) that still has a few sailings with dance hosts. This does cost them.

 

Passenger competions are a bit like reality TV. They are low cost entertainment. Usually the passenger already is a frequent dancer (like in Karaoke where many participate weekly at home). Fun for them and fun for an audience.

 

So really two different kind of things. Social type activities are what most folks are bemoaning as starting to disappear from cruising. So long live the social dancing and dance hosts. I have danced several times with a host while waiting for DH to change for dinner. It is just a social activity that anyone can do even ladies who have never danced before, the host will take care of you so you enjoy your dance.

 

Hopefully there will be room and money for both if dancing stays really popular.

 

Thanks again for the review; I wasn't even sure HAL still had the dance hosts, saw the last post on them a long time ago.

[kryos]

After dinner I saw that the Future Cruise Consultant Leslie was not busy and since it was only 7 and the VIP Party did not start till 7:30 I decided to sit down and chat with her. Leslie is extremely friendly and what I wanted to chat with her about was actually about working for Holland America as a Cruise Consultant since it has been something I have been considering for the past 3 years and more so recently since I am currently not working. Unfortunately just like every where else there is a freeze in hiring but I figured it does not hurt to at least inquire.

Just a suggestion for you, Lisa.

 

If I am not mistaken, those Future Cruise Consultants have to be highly skilled travel agents first. In fact, I heard somewhere that HAL hires their inside staff from some of the best of their high producing travel agencies. The Future Cruise Consultants, I believe, are also HAL inside personal vacation planners who sometimes take cruises in this capacity when they feel like getting onboard a ship.

 

So my advice to you would be to try and get a job with one of the big travel agencies in Vegas. There's a lot of money in travel for a good agent, and once you learn the business, the mechanics of booking cruises ... or really any sort of vacations ... are pretty simple and straightforward. Do the research, find the best deals based on your customer's needs and preferences, then make your presentation and hopefully take the order. Pretty simple, right? But ... it's great customer service that will distinguish you from the pack. Take good care of your customers ... go above and beyond for them ... offering to research tours, etc. ... even if some of those things earn you zilch in the way of commissions ... but will earn you a loyal customer who will keep coming back. Then, once you have a nice "book" of business accumulated, HAL may be very much interested in talking with you if you approach them. The only problem is that you will probably have to move to Seattle, because most of the time you'd be working out of their offices. Then, once you cut your teeth there, I'm sure it's a simple matter to put your name in to serve as a future cruise consultant on sailings as well.

 

Can you imagine doing that job on a World Cruise? Awesome! Sure, I have no doubt you work really hard, but still ... I think that sort of position onboard would be a lot of fun too. And just think of all the places you would get to see. I would imagine you'd even be able to qualify to go on a lot of tours for free as well ... since you could serve as the HAL escort, as well as the evaluator for the tour.

 

Of course, make no mistake ... working onboard wouldn't be the same as being a passenger ... you certainly wouldn't be in a suite, that's for sure. :) Plus, you'd have committments ... desk hours, etc. But, still ... I think it would be an awesome way to spend one's life ... even well into retirement years.

 

Good luck to you! With your background, I think you'd probably do quite well at travel sales and service.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

would the ships operate like normal while they are in dock for the olympic charters? i mean would the dining rooms, lounges, spa, casinos, etc continue like they would for a regular sailing? or is this going to be simply a place to sleep n thats it?

I would tend to think they would be bare-boned hotels, that's it ... similar to staying at a Day's Inn or something along that order. There will probably be food service, but I doubt it would be anything elaborate like we are used to on a ship. Maybe just buffet service even in the dining room.

 

Of course, there would be no activities or entertainment staff either. Those people staying on the ship are only there to sleep and eat. They will probably spend most of their waking time working at the Olympics venues.

 

Of course, I could be totally wrong about this, but I would tend to think that HAL gives them a good price, but part of that price includes a drastic reduction in what we could consider to be normal HAL services.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

I will say that the very first day near the bar on the port side Lido Pool area YES there were ash trays which surprised me as well we were walking from the forward stairs to the Lido Buffet. Now I have to admit I seldom spend any time near the Lido Pool so I cannot comment as to if this has continued but I will make it a point to go check it out. I know that the Starboard side of the Crow's Nest also has smoking as well as the aft pool area.

That's exactly the area where you SHOULD be allowed to smoke ... those few small tables and at the bar itself. I can well understand eliminating the smoking at the regular tables, since people are eating at them, and very possibly smoke could waft over to the non-smoking areas. But no smoking in a bar area?

 

Sometimes that aft deck is just not workable ... especially if it's very windy or cold back there. There should be a small area at the Lido pool, such as directly in the vicinity of the bar, where smokers can light up.

 

I hope this has become a regular change on the ships ... especially since I'm hearing HAL has eliminated smoking now in the Ocean Bars.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Susie51]

Lisa, I'm so glad you enjoyed your time at the VIP party.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Wednesday April 22, 2009

 

Good Morning from Gatun Lake at Panama Canal.:)

We have passed thru our first set of locks which were the Gatun Locks just behind the Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas. It is a very cloudy, humid day. We got up at 5:30 this morning about the time that the Pilots boarded the ship and watched us approach Gatun. As we got closer we headed out to the bow. Of course there we had to have a Panama Bun. We spent some time there but it was very crowded and felt that we would have better viewing from Deck 11 Lido forward in front of the Gym/Spa. So we pretty much stayed up there toward the Port side until third step of the locks and it decided to rain huge Panamanian rain drops at which time we thought we might check out the view from the Crow's Nest.

 

After staying in the Crow's Nest for about 20 minutes we decided we wanted to check out the view from the aft so we went down to Lido Deck to walk aft when we saw they were having their Sale on Panama Canal items that had not previously been in the shops. Of course we had to play the tourists and purchase a few items. We bought a couple of t-shjirts, a t-shirt and sweat shirt combo and a little painted plate with a parrot on it that says Panama to display in what we call our HAL Shrine.:D

 

You would think they were selling gold at half price, it was pretty much a free for all by the Lido Pool but luckily we got what we wanted gave them our card and cabin number and were able to escape an walk to the aft of the Lido where we then walked down to the Aft Pool. We took a few pictures but we were already into Gatun Lake so we decided to take our treasures back to our cabin. We then headed back to the Lido for a late breakfast. Afterwards I made a Pit Stop at the Explorations Cafe, No not for a Carmello Latte but this time an Iced Chai Tea Latte. Now we are relaxing in our cabin and getting a great view from our verandah. Next up in our Day Long Show is Gamboa at 11:25 so in about an hour.

 

Signing off from the Beautiful an Elegant MS Statendam.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Just a suggestion for you, Lisa.

 

If I am not mistaken, those Future Cruise Consultants have to be highly skilled travel agents first. In fact, I heard somewhere that HAL hires their inside staff from some of the best of their high producing travel agencies. The Future Cruise Consultants, I believe, are also HAL inside personal vacation planners who sometimes take cruises in this capacity when they feel like getting onboard a ship.

 

--rita

 

Rita, actually I asked about this and Leslie said that she and one other person that is a Future Cruise Consultant actually had a Travel Agency or travel related back ground. While many have come from other positions on the ship, most come from strong sales and or management back grounds. They look at your enthusiasim and sales back ground and a lot of who you know ;)

[teachergal29]

Lisa,

Thanks so much for posting all of your experiences going through the Panama Canal. This is so exciting!!! I feel we are there with you...

(I wish):rolleyes:

Pam

[jtl513]

Lisa - I captured about 30 web cam frames and sent them to richwmn, asking him to make a movie clip from them. If he doesn't, I'll send them all to you after you get home. Too bad you were in the starboard lock set. The Serenade OTS didn't block you for too long, though.

 

Right now it looks like there's rain spots on the camera lens, so you were lucky in that regard at least! The Centennial Bridge cam also has rain spots, but the Miraflores cam is clear right now. Enjoy the rest of the Canal!

[Sea King]

Rita, actually I asked about this and Leslie said that she and one other person that is a Future Cruise Consultant actually had a Travel Agency or travel related back ground. While many have come from other positions on the ship, most come from strong sales and or management back grounds. They look at your enthusiasim and sales back ground and a lot of who you know ;)

 

 

very interesting IMHO

 

especially the reference to "who you know":rolleyes:

 

why not just email Stein directly .. your cruise is just about half over .. I'm sure you have his email address;)

[richwmn]

Lisa - I captured about 30 web cam frames and sent them to richwmn, asking him to make a movie clip from them. If he doesn't, I'll send them all to you after you get home. Too bad you were in the starboard lock set. The Serenade OTS didn't block you for too long, though.

 

Right now it looks like there's rain spots on the camera lens, so you were lucky in that regard at least! The Centennial Bridge cam also has rain spots, but the Miraflores cam is clear right now. Enjoy the rest of the Canal!

 

Here is the movie clip -

www.wa70.com/hal/Statendam-Gatun.wmv

 

Rich

[zoomer1956]

Hope you're enjoying the canal transit. You boarded the ship as we were leaving. A good thing about the very late disembarkment was that I got a chance to experience the support and kindness from many people trying to help us catch our flight. My panama hat goes off to all of them. We boarded the 12:45 just in time. I'm really enjoying your posts as the trip is still very fresh in my mind. One thing about it being very humid in Panama. If I left my veranda door opened for a bit, (which I know I'm not supposed to. I like to hear the water) the fire detector would go off. I had to stand on the bed and take the battery out of the detector to stop the noise. Enjoy the rest of your transit.

[gordons4]

Thank you so much Lisa for posting this. We'll be going on a full transit cruise, but have to wait until 2011. :(

 

Couple of questions:

 

1) We loved the thermal suite on the Oosterdam in Alaska, but thought it wouldn't have the same appeal on a hot and humid canal cruise. I see that you've been using it, so I'm assuming it isn't too hot/humid to enjoy laying on the loungers? (I know it's air conditioned in the ship, and you've mentioned that it's quite cold, so maybe that outside air isn't a factor.)

 

2) Since the Oosterdam will be repositioned to Canada for the Olympics, could you find out if there are going to be respositioning cruises offered to/from San Diego? I don't see anything on HALs website.

 

Thanks,

 

Sheri

[Sea King]

 

One thing about it being very humid in Panama. If I left my veranda door opened for a bit, (which I know I'm not supposed to. I like to hear the water) the fire detector would go off. I had to stand on the bed and take the battery out of the detector to stop the noise. Enjoy the rest of your transit.

 

hopefully, we'll never sail together

 

are you serious about tampering with a smoke detector ..

 

if so, I find absolutely no humor in that at all .. you tampered not only with your safety but the safety of many on board:mad:

[sail7seas]

. One thing about it being very humid in Panama. If I left my veranda door opened for a bit, (which I know I'm not supposed to. I like to hear the water) the fire detector would go off. I had to stand on the bed and take the battery out of the detector to stop the noise. Enjoy the rest of your transit.

 

 

YOU DID WHAT?!!!!

I hope someone at HAL figures out who you are and never lets you sail again.

You bet I'm screaming!

[richwmn]

Movie clip of Statendam going under Centennial Bridge

 

http://www.wa70.com/hal/Statendam-Centennial.wmv

 

(captures by John -jt513)

 

Rich