Cinder Again

I got a very nice response from Gustavo and booked the Humanitarian excursion while visiting Santo Tomas on January 21st. I believe the price was $99 with a 50% deposit payable by check or money order and submitted to an address in Georgia. There are no discounts for having a larger group but Gustavo indicated that he provides 35% of the proceeds as a donation to the community we will be visiting. That sounds wonderful to me.[/quote

So, how was your excursion? Would you recommend Gus? thanks!

I bought emeralds from Greenfire twice on trips to Cartagena. The first time We bought my Mom a ring, the second time, years later, they took that ring back at full price ( I did bring documentation) and my Mom choose a different style. I can't say enough good things about them. they sized the ring while we waited.

Negotiate your cab price if you get a cab. I heard a driver quote a $60 price to go to the same stores I paid $10 bucks, round trip. Be ready to walk away if it seems like a crazy amount. I think Greenfire was in that Joyeia Mall mentioned earlier, and our cabbie waited for us while we shopped.

Has anyone used a private tour operator in Cartagena? Any ideas or recommendations appreciated!

Any tour ideas or tour operator recommendations for Corinto? This is a new port for me, and I confess I'm at a loss. Thanks in advance!

Any thoughts on what to do, and/or any private tour operator info for Zihuatanejo, Mexico (Ixtapa)? This is a new port for me, so I'd appreciate any info, thanks! We'll be there the first week of February, if we want to snorkel, will it be "wet suit" temp in the water? Thanks!

Any private tour ideas or recommendations for Puerto Quetzal stop on a Panama Canal cruise? Another new port for me! Thanks in advance,

Any private tour ideas or recommendations for Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica stop on our Panama Canal cruise? Thanks!

Curious if anyone has used this (luggage direct) at San Diego? I have used it many times at Ft. Lauderdale, and would love to use it again next trip!

Beef brisket must be an 'American' thing, as I've never heard of it! :confused:

Yeah, but Americans don't know what pea meal is:D:D:D

I had the hot dog on the Maasdam, and it was far superior to the " old" version. The taco bar was still there, and still in use. What was missing was Pizza...

Scan your proof of ownership documents for any items for which you are concerned and bring the files in a computer, smartphone or a pocket flash drive.

 

Scott & Karen

Scanning then sending yourself an email with the proof of purchase is almost assuredly enough. Less people are buying electronics overseas I think, since there are better, safer options at home. I also send myself a scan of my credit cards and passport and copies of my scripts in case I need to show the meds are prescribed to me. No custom officer has shown the slightest curiosity about anything I am carrying, but I am honest on my forms, too.

Maybe a post here from an inbetweener...we dance most weekends at home.

We waltz, quickstep, cha cha, rumba, jive etc. We love to dance and do move around the floor.

So on a cruise, what are we supposed to do? Sit on our hands for hours whilst the floor is empty and the band plays to no one, until the social dancers get up.

We always dance as early as possible and the band are always appreciative.

Only been on HAL once by the way. Ryndam. Small floor so when social dancers got up we danced round them or if it got full, social danced ourselves or sat down.

We consider ourselves dancers but not the sort that many posters on here are talking about. We see those sort every week and they are frowned upon as well.

Sorry but we are not feeling guilty about wanting to dance as we do at home.

Ps sounds like the dancers are the new smokers

To me, the complaints are more about HAL's inability to read the crowd and adjust. If people are up and dancing in one area, say, the ocean bar, couldn't a sign be put up that 70's music is now playing in the crows nest? I like to see the dancers using the floor, and I am just suggesting they may have "trimmed"bar and music staff and even CD STAFF to the point that everything seems too scripted. Does anyone remember ordering after dinner drinks at the evening shows? I haven't done that in years, there simply is never a staff person available to take an order, unless you arrive early ( which I never do, because of the as you wish dining times available)...Cruise Directors should have the flexibility to move staff to new venues, as crowds gather but staff is now so tight, the bartenders move but a little extra staff to float certainly would make their job easier! AND sell more product!;)

ve:

 

1> 600 Total OBC, (150pp previously from our FCC for booking on-board, and 150pp from Guest Relations from our feedback).

2> x2 Pinnacle Dinner for Two, (x1 Dinner from our FCC for booking on board, and x1 from Guest Relations from our feedback).

3> Admiral 3-Bottle Wine Package, (from our FCC as a treat for my mom since she knew I was taking her on it for her post-65th/retirement).

4> x1 Assorted Chocolates in suite, (from a previous Guest Relations feeback back in '10 on our Alaskan cruise, was still on the books, didn't even know about it, haha).

 

That, to me, is amazing. To make matters even more surreal, the member-based online/phone TA that I am thinking about transferring my booking over to is currently offering a $615 total OBC for booking with them.

 

Holy tostada!!! That's a lot of OBC!!! :eek:

 

Now if you just buy 100 shares of Carnival stock, you can build an even bigger OBC!

I applaud your post. I have heard this mentioned before by others and you are totally right about our generation and the need to dance socially.

While I am not much of a dancer, I agree with you! IF the music played IN ONE VENUE was from our Boomer generation, I think the dance floors wouldn't roll up at 10:00. Carnival's senior CD John Heard is a blogger and I read his column on FB. his humor is a bit naughty, but he has a huge following, and he's a Boomer himself. Reading his column has made me realize that in HAL's world, understated elegance equates with stodgy and predictable. I don't think they encourage creativity, by performers or staff. While I don't want "blue humor" every night, AND I AM NOT SUGGESTING HAL TURN INTO CARNIVAL, it would be nice to have some less predictable entertainment, and there are lots of folks who visit Vegas for just that type of entertainment. If you want people to buy drinks, you have to give them a reason to stay in your bars, really from breakfast thru to bedtime. I love the before dinner Happy Hour, but why not do a second one after dinner, with music or entertainment? If there was a reason to stay, people would stay. A canned music cycle can be peaceful, but not too lively and surprising. When you are on board for long cruises, it would be nice to see more impromptu entertainment, geared to us Boomers. JMHO

FWIW, I am in the process of booking Ryndam's October 2015 transatlantic, which I think will be her final HAL voyage.

 

Roy

Your comment brought to mind a question I had. I am cruising the Statendam a few mos. before they are turned over to P and O, and does anyone know will the ships remain essentially the same (same Captains and crew furniture and equipment) right up to the transfer? Are we likely to see them removing artwork, or not replacing broken equipment or anything else prior to them turning over the ship? The Statendam has an excellent "crew" reputation, I'd hate to end up with a less than stellar crew, if they are moving the regular staff to their new assignments early...

I often travel solo, and I tip for myself only, but I am generous. I tend to take longer cruises, or b to b cruises, and if that happens, I TRY to tip half in the middle, or I give them their tip before a port that I know they get some time off. I figure they may like to spend it while they are off the ship.

I use my notepaper to write the cabin stewards a thank you note for excellent service, and if I've had the same dining room servers a few times and liked them, I also tip them and anyone else that I think went above and beyond. (Mr or Ms. Ice cream scooper comes to mind :D)

As far as those removing their automatic tips, some cultures don't tip. When I cruised in Australia, there was a huge queue of Aussie's taking their tips off their accounts. I asked my room steward about it when I tipped him and he told me the Hotel Manager had met with them and told them not to worry that their service was poor, it was simply a cultural difference in Oz. I felt sorry for the staff that trip, it was a long cruise, and cruising the same route again, so they already knew they wouldn't be making as much in tips. (I was super generous that time!)

I am doing B to B cruises on the Statendam, January 29, 2015-2/13/15 Panama Canal, then Feb 13 2015- March 15, Hawaii/ South Pacific 2015.

When it's just my wife and I, we try to team up with other people. It's a nice way to make new acquaintances - especially if they can fill in our knowledge gaps. ;)

Agreed, my friends and I play for fun, but we know if we want to win, we've got to have Canadians or Europeans partners on our team to expand our knowledge base! We (U.S. folks) have knowledge gaps, especially in questions about other countries/cultures. We've made some great friends playing the daily trivia, and if someone get too competitive (for a 10 Cent pin, no less!) then you know who you want to avoid around the ship!:D

Ship is in good shape for being 20 years old. Some of the crew and staff leave the ship in Vancouver.

 

This was the best run ship ever; due in most part to the Hotel Director, Bert, who will be on the ship through August. The best way to describe it was that almost everyday we had a "jaw dropping" event as it pertained to the service on this ship.

This is so nice to hear. We are sailing the Statendam Jan-March next year, and while the Captain will most certainly change, I love hearing there's a "can do" attitude on board. Does anyone have an idea who the Officers/Hotel Manager will be in January 2015?

By day 4, I started getting a little lonely. Everyone I had met on the ship all had spouses or significant others. Everyone was delightful, but I sometimes felt a little like I was in the way. Kinda a third wheel. Still, I loved traveling alone and will do it again.

I'm looking forward to my next cruise...probably Mexico in October.

I'm glad you weren't put off by your feelings and you are willing to try again! Everything was new, next time you know more of what to expect and what to try.

I often travel alone, and I do a couple of things. One, I get involved in the meet and greet for CC. That way, I feel like there are some folks I already know, at least a little. When I later see them around the Lido or showroom, I remind them of our CC connection, and perhaps sit with them for lunch or see them at a pool. I find some like minded folks on the roll call and do some private excursions with them. Lastly, I play trivia, but any group activity you like should do. If you play cards, or go to wine tastings, Trivia or yoga, if you do the same things at or near the same time day to day, you'll discover that folks are creatures of habit, so you meet the same dinner companions over and over etc. Also if you prefer, if you go to dinner at a set time, you'll be assigned a table and that will net you an instant set of dinner friends. Lastly, just remind yourself you are alone at home, without being lonely, right?;)

Like Patsy Anne, I do a hybrid, some rolling, some flat packed and I buy 2 gal. zip locks to have on hand for packing smaller items, like underwear, bathing suits, t-shirts and shorts. Putting things in zip locks with the air out of them, makes them slippery, so they don't catch on each other and get tugged out of shape/wrinkled as the suitcase gets thrown around. (it also makes me feel better not to think of my underwear being pawed through by the TSA, but that' s just me.) I then take the zip bags straight from the suitcase to slip into drawers, so there's a neat package in each drawer, at least at the beginning of the trip. I use the empty zip locks for collecting shells, protecting my ipad from water, etc.

Coming home, EVERYTHING gets dry cleaned or washed before it enters my bedroom again, and I find a quick roll makes the stuff fit better, and I can put purchased items into the bag rolled into the center of a pair of slacks, or some similar item.

I like every part of the b to b experience except one. Since not everyone stays aboard for both cruises, you get friendly with a group of folks, only to learn they are leaving part way through the trip. Then you need to meet new folks, which isn't necessarily bad, but it's the one part I dislike more than just taking a longer, say a 30 day cruise. The ship really becomes like a small town, when you are together for the whole 30 days.

I've also found with the b to b to warmer climes that often the same folks cruise in the same season year to year, so you do make "real" friends and look forward to meeting them again on a 'dam' ship!

Just one more question :D Who were your Hotel Manager and Captain? When we were on in Jan-Feb, they just were so disengaged... I can't remember their names now, but I'd recognize them if you name them. I'm glad you had a new CD, sounds like I'd like to sail with him sometime!

I did fill out my survey when we returned, and put in all the "areas for improvement" that we'd noticed, but didn't hear a word back. I was actually surprised they didn't respond or at least acknowledge the post dry dock "growing pains"...

This was the second time I'd cruised post dry dock (the first being the infamous Rotterdam, er Waterdam) and while the issues weren't as significant this time, in both cases the Captain's seemed furious that they had to deal with complaints about the physical plant of the ship. I sort of wonder if that's why they seemed so disengaged? Maybe they get tired of hearing complaints about things they can't control?

Great report, Jacqui. Wow...either you have a different Hotel Director than we did in January or the complaints from passengers on earlier cruises did some good!

I agree, Sheila. It sounds like a different CD (WASH YOUR HANDS!) and HD then we experienced, but it doesn't sound like the internet is appreciably better in the last 3 mos. Who is your Captain, Kazu?

I know people thought I was crazy to complain about no pizza, but I'm happy to hear they listened (if they did!)...

As far as the tea goes, we had the same issue, and generally we were finished eating dessert before they got around to taking after dinner drink orders. We didn't have the little pots either, EXCEPT the one night we ate upstairs with the 8:00 seating. That night, the pots showed up automatically. The problem with as you wish dining is that you can't ever "train" your servers to know your preferences and be reactive. We got so we'd order dinner and after dinner drink orders at the very start of the meal, so they could arrive on time. No slam against staff, they were working super hard, and seemed over extended.

Some of these "reports" about the ms Maasdam are likely overblown and feeding on each other. Just because some officers are thought to be "antsy" to leave a reception at the designated end by a single couple does not mean they're doing something wrong. They're tired and ready to go to their cabins after a long day at sea! If they are not being "out and about" it probably means they have more important business to do --- such as running the ship! And about the internet --- well, I am sure it is slow and indifferent ---- but the same is the case with the ms Amsterdam on its current 2014 World Voyage!!! It's a HAL problem to solve --- and not restricted to the ms Maasdam. Some things simply don't always go the way some people who have time on their hands expect as they sit back in luxury eating grapes and yearning for a pizza.

I respectfully disagree. Ok, I WAS yearning for pizza:D But I did say they have the BEST french fries I've ever tasted, on any ship! The desserts WERE good, and I loved the meringues and pavlovas, I have to admire a chef that would attempt them in the humid Caribbbean!

The staff had just boarded after drydock, so if anything, they should have been fresh and enthusiastic. We had no challenging weather, no tender ports, other than HMC, nor high winds to keep the Officers too busy to do what I consider the other half of their job. If they just want to Captain a ship, and not schmooze, then they should work on freighters. They are in the entertainment business, and they need to be sure that it's happening, and being done well.

The room stewards and dining staff were working hard, as was the security staff, all doing their very best, and always with a smile, but I never saw anyone in authority lift a finger to help them. Instead, I saw lots of dining room managers, standing around, peering at computer screens or staring into space instead of seeing what needed to be done or leading by example. Smiles are free. I rarely saw anyone smile, greet folks, or just generally seem to be enjoying their jobs. I don't think they need to mingle in all their free time, but a smile and good morning vs. stoney silence would make me more likely to assume it's the staff at issue. I only saw the Maitre'd (or any Assistants) ONCE at our table, the entire 21 days. The wine steward either rushed by too early for us to use his services, or never. Interestingly, the one night we were escorted upstairs to eat with the 8:00 fixed seating, our service was decidedly better, less rushed, with more assistants available to help. We actually got tea and coffee served WITH our dessert, a first on this cruise!

We had 3 out of 8 elevators out of service for 21 days. Did I see folks working on them from time to time? Yep. It just didn't get them working, or if they did get them working, they didn't stay that way for long. I know for a fact that many cabins didn't have hot water, and I overheard a lady asking about the possibility of being moved, since they hadn't had hot water for the first 11 days.

Admittedly, I didn't try to internet toward the end of the trip, because I simply had not been able to access my emails off my ipad AT ALL for 6 consecutive days, and HAL told me that either I just had to live with spotty internet, with no email, or they would refund my money. I opted for the latter, and just got email any time I was in ports. I get my internet by satellite at home too, so I'm not expecting FIOS speed, just working even if it's slow. It was not. I did feel sorry for the Librarian Courtney and the Internet guy Aubrey, they were getting an earful of complaints, and they had no answers, since even the wireless repair guys on board were puzzled by why emails weren't working.

In addition to the Seaview bathrooms, the Ladies room on BOTH floors near the dining rooms weren't working, and I saw a Ladies room on the upper level of near the show lounge out of service too. We finally decided it was closer to run back to our cabins vs. continuing the search. I'll qualify this, by saying that I didn't check them every day, so they may have worked some of the time, but just not when I tried them.

All this said, good friends and good ports of call make a trip. Meeting folks at the Cruise Critic Meet and Greet is fun, and I feel has netted me lasting friends and great excursion partners over the years. I'm not too sure of my # of cruise days with HAL, but I'm approaching 400; is all this going to stop me from cruising HAL? Not at this time, but maybe after the next booked cruise, should I see the same general malaise on the Statendam next year. To put this in perspective, I am certainly not asking for anything as recompense, so that should tell you I viewed all these issues as minor inconveniences, but collectively, certainly not the Signature of Excellence they hope to portray. I actually have always loved the Maasdam and I just don't think her Officers love her.

In addition to Inn Lady now being on board the Noordam (with positive things to say) IFLYRC5 is aboard with his lovely wife, and he confirms the positive differences between the two ships. Interestingly, he was aboard the Maasdam in the Fall for 49 days (with different officers and Cruise Director, but the same cabin stewards and cabin) and they had a fine time then. I really am convinced that with a different set of Officers, (and CD) I would be singing a different tune. They CAN make the difference, just in their attitude.

I was on the cruise before Sheila, and the 1/27 Maasdam cruise with her, and mostly agree with her assessments. The Terrace Grill WAS shut down for a few days, while renovations took place, re-opening as the "Dive In" with a shorter menu. They had to have a waiter outside the grill area writing down orders because folks had a hard time (reading then adjusting) to the menu changes. That said, the hamburgers and the "Dog Paddle (sauerkraut hot dog) were all delicious, once they re-opened. The Maasdam had the BEST french fries I've had on any ship, bar none. But fries don't make a good cruise, in and of themselves. And I did miss pizza.

Shelia didn't mention it, but NOT ONE Officer showed up for our Cruise Critic Meet and Greet. That's a first for me, most of the ships recognize the Cruise Critic community as an important cruise group. They did show up for the cruise before's meet and greet, but they were disengaged, and seemed to wish they were anywhere but there. Usually I get invited to a cocktail party or two, above and beyond the "required" collector's cruise party, that didn't happen either. I've never walked by Officers before without at least a smile or pleasantry, I swear they don't like having to deal with pax!

I came away thinking the Maasdam might be the punishment ship, at least for Officers. I never saw water or lemonade offered at any port, pool, or anywhere else, nor was a coffee cart rolled around the Lido pool to top off cups at breakfast time, although they still did that inside the lido restaurant proper. I had good room stewards and mostly good wait staff, but they clearly were overworked, so who can blame them when you never get your desired drinks with dinner, without feeling like a beast?

I was not impressed with the shows I managed to see, but we rarely got out of dinner on time, unless we chose to eat in the LIDO. A lot of time, I actually felt bored, since it seemed there weren't a lot of choices of different things to do or try. The Microsoft classes were always interesting, and I appreciate that they offer them. I did see lots of folks scurrying around trying to find working public toilets, and several elevators didn't work for the entire 21 days. The only reason I pay for internet is to read my emails, and that never did get resolved, so they finally refunded my money, but not without my persistence.

Interestingly, I was sitting at the airport with a couple that had just disembarked the Noordam and it sounded like they'd had a wonderful cruise, good Officers, good food, 3 excellent shows daily, pizza, regular movies, etc...So, sadly, I can only conclude that the ship is the problem. I've been on the Maasdam many times, but never again... and I think I will begin to make more effort to find out which Officers and HM will be aboard future cruises. I booked the Statendam for Hawaii/SP for next year, but after that, if the same sort of problems surface, I'll be done with Hal. This was the very first really negative review I've ever written on a ship, and I was aboard the Rotterdam, after it's drydock, and even then, I thought the staff was trying, just overwhelmed. This time, I didn't think anyone cared.