Himself

Copper John:

Your knowledge of many ships and their histories are amazing!

John:

You are a wealth of information on ships. As I said I sailed on the Enchanted Isle out of New Orleans in April 1996 for my first Cruise. She was a nice ship. I was sorry to learn of the permanent demise of her and her sister ship. On the Enchanted Isle you had the right itinery as I recall it. Thank you for the detailed information. Your links and pictures bring back a bit of nostalgia for me.

Hope all is well with you!

John:

I was reading your interesting little blurb on the VEENDAM which you posted above. I found it very interesting. The original plan was for three S class ships: The Statendam and her two sister ships: the Maasdam and the Ryndam. They went over so well that they decided to add a fourth ship called the Veendam. The VEENDAM before that one was a ship that was later owned by COMMODORE and as either the Enchanted Isle or the Enchanted Seas. They were both once owned by HAL. One was the VEENDAM and the other was an earlier version of the VOLENDAM. (I Believe) In any event the Enchanted Seas eventually became the World Explorer and I saw her in Juneau a few years back. When Commodore went "belly up" in the early years of the decade, I heard the Enchanted Isle eventually went someplace in Europe and I don't even know if that ship is still floating.

I mention this because the ENCHANTED ISLE was the first cruise ship I was ever on!

Cooper:

Who is current Captain on the Zuiderdam?

maybe the big ones were not biting!

My favorite is still Patty Honacki

I have done anytime cruising on my last two cruises and I like it. By the way I was on the Volendam last summer and I just love that ship. I hope you have a great cruise.

I think everyone who posts on this page has been hooked. The only exception would be those who are about to take their first cruise. They will not be hooked until after their first cruise and then they will be hooked.

I think everyone who posts on this page has been hooked. The only exception would be those who are about to take their first cruise. They will not be hooked until after their first cruise and then they will be hooked.

Based on my experience on the Volandam last June I have to vote for Patty Honacki

I have been all ships currently in the fleet except: Prisendam, Noordam and Eurodam. I like them all but my current favorite is the m.s. AMSTERDAM.

In my humble opinion, HAL lost a good man when they lost Gary Walker.

If Gary Walker is still with the company, I would go with him. I have not heard of him in a long time but he was my all-time favorite and I have run into a lot of good ones.

I have not run into a bad Captain yet on HAL and I have been sailing on HAL since November of 1996.

May you have many more happy years together

My first Cruis ship was the ENCHANTED ISLE out of New Orleans in April of 1996. It did get me hooked on cruising and I have been doing it ever since. My first HAL cruise was out of New Orleans on the MS Nieuw Amsterdam out of New Orleans in November of 1996

My first Cruis ship was the ENCHANTED ISLE out of New Orleans in April of 1996. It did get me hooked on cruising and I have been doing it ever since. My first HAL cruise was out of New Orleans on the MS Nieuw Amsterdam out of New Orleans in November of 1996

This was a great sticky. Even I learned a few things by reading them. I like all the Dam ships that I have been on especially the following three:

Statendam, Rotterdam, Volendam.

FYI I have been on all the "S" class ships, in the "R" I have been on the Rotterdam and Volendam. Hopefully I will soon be on the Zaandam. I have been on two VISTA ships so far" The Zuiderdam and the OOSTERDAM. I have been on two ships no longer in service: Nieuw Amsterdam and the old Westerdam ( Originally the Homeric.)

Now with all this information out there, there are no "Hal Secrets" left. It is all public knowledge. However, if you are in Curacau, *** your ship leaves at midnight, I would advise against being up on the sky deck *** making out. You see as the ship leaves Willemstedt at midnight there is a fire-works display *** many go to the sky deck for a good view. Those who are "making out" might be more than a little embarassed.

I love to walk the wrap around teak decks. I usually try to do 3 mile sets several times a day.

Himself

Were these thousand posts all on Company Time?

I never impllied you did anything but observe

Himself

I am surprised you guys are such experts on the Sky deck at night. You are probably checking it out while I am in dreamland. Early to bed and early to rise make one healty and wise--if not wealthy.

Himself