Review - Circle Hawaii, 1/21-2/5/2010, Zaandam - VERY Long

[jbhcw]

Barbara..lots of good information here...again thanks. I also am wondering about the sea days..though I have always said I loved them..probably have only actually done 2-3 in a row. Our longest cruise previously was 11 days so this will be interesting to see how we really like a longer cruise and will probably be the deciding factor of what we book next.

 

I love the aft pool, and a good book (Kindle now:)) and can while away the hours watching the sea and people:D I know the weather was rough leaving but when it smoothed out were there a lot of folks at the aft pool?? I had thought about attending the digital workshop but will be okay if they don't have that, son is determined my next computer will be a MAC:eek: I am looking forward to the lectures..and the mixology classes.

 

Also plan to check in daily with email. Did you bring a computer? The last few HAL ships we've been on I had a hard time connecting in the cabin..so just went up to the computer area.

[bcd2010]

Did you play bingo?

Can you tell me the price

of the games?

 

You said they had lecturers on Hawaii.

Did they have any other lecturers on

different subjects besides art?

 

Thank You

 

No, I didn't play Bingo and I defer to other's on the prices.

 

They had lectures on art (history or different styles) with a freebie print after each lecture. They also had sessions on accupucture - I didn't attend because it was put on by the spa folks and those things are often a camoflaged effort to sell their services (and another passenger confirmed this about the session he attended), but again, that's something you have to determine for yourself. I can't remember if there were any other lectures.

[bcd2010]

I know the weather was rough leaving but when it smoothed out were there a lot of folks at the aft pool?

Did you bring a computer? The last few HAL ships we've been on I had a hard time connecting in the cabin..so just went up to the computer area.

I would say it was far from crowded at the aft pool, but not empty either. Plenty of lounge chairs.

 

My older son brought his computer, which has wireless. When when were circling the islands, I think he was always able to connect (via wireless, not via ship's connection) from the cabin. I had bought a 100 minute package and used the ship's computers. Both were slow.

[Down-Unders]

No digital classes is not good enough HAL, we are on board this cruise early April and this is a feature we are looking forward to.

[High Seas Texan]

I enjoyed reading the review. I will be on the March 11 sailing, and have been curious about the state of the ship after the drydock, as well as recent experiences on this specifc cruise to Hawaii. This will be my first time sailing with HAL, and my first trip to Hawaii. I am looking forward to both. As always, when traveling one needs to be open minded and prepared to adapt to situations as they develope. Thank you for taking the time to post, and thanks to all who respond with comments and questions. This forum is very helpful in terms of planning, and sharing the excitment of fantastic vacation opportunites.

Cheers to all,

George

[QQRZZA]

Every cruise is at least a good cruise; this one was really not up to par. For a ship that just came out of drydock for over 2 weeks, it was in unacceptable condition.

 

The food and dining room service was very good. Most dishes were wonderfully prepared and served elegantly. There was no variety in the bread. They must have had one bread baker who know how to make 2 kinds of rolls....that was it. As usual, the cabin stewards were outstanding.

 

As mentioned earlier 50% of the verticle transportation was out of service for the entire cruise. An older passenger cohort and 50% of the elevators out means constant delays, waiting and frustration throughout the trip. Why they were unable or unwilling to fix the multiple elevator problems, who knows. If they needed parts or a technitian, certainly they could have gotten them in Honolulu.

 

The on-board enrichment was sparse and poor. For a cruise with 10 sea days, they should have had several enrichment providers. We had one, and he was good, but not great.

 

The cruise Director and staff were new and lacked any innovation. The sea days were wonderful, but you really had to provide your own entertainment. The Crows Nest, normally a wonderful place for a before dinner beverage, was most evenings dominated by Jenny and the HAL Cats, an extremely loud overpowering band. Jenny was screaming so loud, it was impossible to carry on any conversation. The evening shows were OK, but not much.

 

No fitness instructor for the first half of the cruise! How can this happen?? I've never seen this before.

 

The passenger navigation/information system was inoperable throughout the cruise. The clocks around the ship, never told the correct time. The Captain was a recluse. Most, but not all days, he made very minimal announcements around 12:45pm. Quite a change from Captain Albert on Prinsendam, who is always out and about, and shares interesting information and stories with his passengers throughout the voyage.

 

For the most part, you can arrange your own shore excursions on shore when you get there. Expect to pay about half the price of the ship's shore excursions.

 

The smoking issue continues to be a problem for HAL. They do not have clearly designated smoking areas, and allow smoking in most areas of the ship. They have been doing a survey about passenger smoking for a long time, but have not addressed the problem at the ship level yet. This has given us more incentive to head to Oceania and Azamara for future bookings. They have defined smoking policies that are clear and enforced. For us, that's a big issue.

 

The cruise had the feeling that no one was really in-charge. This is not indicative of other cruises that we have had on HAL, but it may be an indicator of the future of Carnival Corporation's cost-cutting.

[RevNeal]

The passenger navigation/information system was inoperable throughout the cruise. The clocks around the ship, never told the correct time.

 

I'd forgotten about the non-functioning Scan Channel. Yes, it was on and partly functioning for the crossing to Hawaii. The time was always wrong on the fake-analog clock, but the digital clock and "Report from the Bridge" segments were correct. Sadly, after our day at Maui the Scan Channel was off. The "Front of the Ship Channel" also didn't function, and the "Back of the Ship" channel had nothing but static.

 

The smoking issue continues to be a problem for HAL. They do not have clearly designated smoking areas, and allow smoking in most areas of the ship.

 

Ok, on this one I'm going to have to disagree. Yes, smoke sometimes drifted into the Bar area of the Piano Lounge from the Sports bar around the corner (often due to drafts generated by foot-traffic), and Diane (the Pianist) complained about it on a couple of occasions, but otherwise there were NO ashtrays anywhere to be found in any lounges other than behind the bar in the Crows Nest and in the Casino/Sports Lounge. One could also smoke at the tables on the covered aft Lido deck, just outside the Lido Restaurant, but only on the starboard side; one could also smoke on the outdoor decks, aft, and on the promenade deck, and there are metal "ashtrays" attached to the railings to provide a place for people to put their butts.

 

The rule is a simple one: where the ashtrays were to be found is where one could also find the "Smoking" signs -- otherwise, smoking wasn't allowed. Granted, there were no "No Smoking" signs, but such are not necessary when one realizes that if one can't find ashtrays and doesn't see "Smoking" signs, one shouldn't smoke. My mother found this out last May on the Ryndam and the Amsterdam when she asked about where smoking was allowed and was told "where you see ashtrays and smoking signs, you may smoke. Otherwise, no." This was also the case aboard the Rotterdam last November, and was the case on the Zaandam this January. We know because my mother asked.

 

I never saw anyone smoking in the Explorer's Lounge or in the Piano ("Seaview") Lounge (places I frequented heavily). Neither did I see anybody smoking in the former smoking areas of the Ocean Bar, nor on the port side of the Crows Nest, nor in the show lounge, nor near/at the Dolphin Bar on the Lido Deck. I saw smoking going on in the Casino and the Sports Bar, behind the bar area in the Crows Nest, and in the eating area outdoors on the aft starboard side of the Lido deck (i.e., the only places ashtrays are to be found in public spaces), but no other indoor public spaces. In other words, smoking is NOT allowed in most areas of the ship.

 

The cruise had the feeling that no one was really in-charge. This is not indicative of other cruises that we have had on HAL, but it may be an indicator of the future of Carnival Corporation's cost-cutting.

 

Ugh! HAL has been part of the Carnival Corporation since 1989! That has nothing to do with it. I'm not sure what the problem was on this cruise, other than a disjoined and inexperienced Cruise Staff and a Captain who wasn't as "personable" as many other captains I've known and cruised with in the past. It may just be that they were not yet "in the swing of things" post Dry Dock.

[QQRZZA]

I'd forgotten about the non-functioning Scan Channel. Yes, it was on and partly functioning for the crossing to Hawaii. The time was always wrong on the fake-analog clock, but the digital clock and "Report from the Bridge" segments were correct. Sadly, after our day at Maui the Scan Channel was off. The "Front of the Ship Channel" also didn't function, and the "Back of the Ship" channel had nothing but static.

 

 

 

Ok, on this one I'm going to have to disagree. Yes, smoke sometimes drifted into the Bar area of the Piano Lounge from the Sports bar around the corner (often due to drafts generated by foot-traffic), and Diane (the Pianist) complained about it on a couple of occasions, but otherwise there were NO ashtrays anywhere to be found in any lounges other than behind the bar in the Crows Nest and in the Casino/Sports Lounge. One could also smoke at the tables on the covered aft Lido deck, just outside the Lido Restaurant, but only on the starboard side; one could also smoke on the outdoor decks, aft, and on the promenade deck, and there are metal "ashtrays" attached to the railings to provide a place for people to put their butts.

 

The rule is a simple one: where the ashtrays were to be found is where one could also find the "Smoking" signs -- otherwise, smoking wasn't allowed. Granted, there were no "No Smoking" signs, but such are not necessary when one realizes that if one can't find ashtrays and doesn't see "Smoking" signs, one shouldn't smoke. My mother found this out last May on the Ryndam and the Amsterdam when she asked about where smoking was allowed and was told "where you see ashtrays and smoking signs, you may smoke. Otherwise, no." This was also the case aboard the Rotterdam last November, and was the case on the Zaandam this January. We know because my mother asked.

 

I never saw anyone smoking in the Explorer's Lounge or in the Piano ("Seaview") Lounge (places I frequented heavily). Neither did I see anybody smoking in the former smoking areas of the Ocean Bar, nor on the port side of the Crows Nest, nor in the show lounge, nor near/at the Dolphin Bar on the Lido Deck. I saw smoking going on in the Casino and the Sports Bar, behind the bar area in the Crows Nest, and in the eating area outdoors on the aft starboard side of the Lido deck (i.e., the only places ashtrays are to be found in public spaces), but no other indoor public spaces. In other words, smoking is NOT allowed in most areas of the ship.

 

 

 

Ugh! HAL has been part of the Carnival Corporation since 1989! That has nothing to do with it. I'm not sure what the problem was on this cruise, other than a disjoined and inexperienced Cruise Staff and a Captain who wasn't as "personable" as many other captains I've known and cruised with in the past. It may just be that they were not yet "in the swing of things" post Dry Dock.

 

 

Fair enough! Some travelers don't like to be in an enclosed ship with smoking in many areas. If smoking doesn't bother you, it's a non-issue. The smoking on Zaandam was too much for my taste, or health. It's easy to say that smoking was restricted to areas of the ship with ash-trays, but IMHO there were too many areas. For example, I was sitting out on the Lower Prominade deck enjoying the fresh air, a good book, and the scerenity of life at sea. Suddenly, another traveller pulls up the next chaise, sits down and promptly lights up a cigar. That's not something that is acceptable to me. I had to move. Other days smokers would step outside on the LP to light up a butt, and the deck chair occupants got a dose of smoke. Again, it may not bother some folks. It does bother me, and it also causes issues when the hallway is full of smoke, the Crows Nest is smoky, or the area around the shops is enveloped with smoke from the Sports Bar and the Casino. Personal choice, but it's an issue with me. I mention it because a lot of people do not like second-hand smoke and want to avoid it. Obvioulsy, it is not an issue for you.

 

My remark about Carnival Corp. and cost cutting has nothing to do with the 1989 merger. Strange as it may seem, many corporations exert lots of pressure on their operating units to cut-costs, up profits, and produce more revenue for the mother ship. The lack of attention to detail MAY be a result of Carnival deferring maintenance, going with less costly service contracts, etc. A 2 week drydock that turned out a ship with half the elevators out of service looks to me like corners were cut.

[Petronillus]

DW and I enjoyed the Zaandam enormously in May 2009, 7 days to Alaska out of Seattle. I heard no mention that it was on its way to drydock, and I was impressed at how diligently and continually the ship was being maintained. (If an enterprise is driven solely or principally by short-term benefit to the bottom line, you would expect it to suspend painting, revarnishing, carpet replacements and the like in the months before drydock, but my observations were much to the contrary.

If elevators were out of order during our cruise, I have no recollection of it. What I remember is how the elevator floor mats were changed daily to remind us of the day of the week. I remember climbing stairs a lot because it was essentially all the physical exercise I committed myself to for the entire week.

Our CD (I wish I could remember his name -- Michael?) was top-notch, always enthusiastic without a trace of condescension. The trivia games and aft-pool polar bear jump went off without a hitch. As a rule, the entertainment was entertaining but not of Broadway caliber -- with the singular exception of pianist Elliot Finkel, who is a terrific showman, not to be missed!

I agree wholeheartedly about the cabin stewards. Because we floated at different tables and times with As You Wish dining, we did not have occasion to develop any rapport with our table stewards.

Again, thank you for your perceptive reflections. Your review makes me glad to have experienced life on board Zaandam before drydock!

[RevNeal]

Fair enough! Some travelers don't like to be in an enclosed ship with smoking in many areas. If smoking doesn't bother you, it's a non-issue. The smoking on Zaandam was too much for my taste, or health. It's easy to say that smoking was restricted to areas of the ship with ash-trays, but IMHO there were too many areas. For example, I was sitting out on the Lower Prominade deck enjoying the fresh air, a good book, and the scerenity of life at sea. Suddenly, another traveller pulls up the next chaise, sits down and promptly lights up a cigar. That's not something that is acceptable to me. I had to move. Other days smokers would step outside on the LP to light up a butt, and the deck chair occupants got a dose of smoke. Again, it may not bother some folks. It does bother me, and it also causes issues when the hallway is full of smoke, the Crows Nest is smoky, or the area around the shops is enveloped with smoke from the Sports Bar and the Casino. Personal choice, but it's an issue with me. I mention it because a lot of people do not like second-hand smoke and want to avoid it. Obvioulsy, it is not an issue for you.

 

I would say that it is not as much of an issue to me as it is to you and others. YES, I agree ... the Casino, Sports Bar, and therefore the shops had more smoke in the air than they should. That's the problem with placing one of the few indoor public smoking areas amidships and not having sufficient ventilation in place to isolate the smoke in specific areas.

 

As for outdoors smoking -- on the Lower Promenade Deck -- I understand and even sympathize with your experience and the problems you had. A fellow (he could have been the same one on a different occasion, I often saw this guy out on the Lower Promenade, smoking cigars) also plopped down right next to me and proceeded to light up a cigar. I politely pointed out that I had been sitting there before he sat down, and I asked him if he wouldn't mind moving downwind from me. He said sure and moved maybe three lounges down-wind from me (no one else was stretched out downwind from him, there) and everything was fine (the smoke all went the other way and out to sea). In short, I understand your frustration and even share a bit of your experience. However ... and I'm trying to be gentle about this ... outdoors IS outdoors. Given that HAL has reduced the number of indoor public areas aboard ship where smokers may go to smoke, I'm not surprised that we're now seeing more problems with smoking on the Lower Promenade, excess smoking in-cabin and smoke causing problems in the corridors outside the cabins. I suppose when you have 2 or 3 cabins in close proximity with multiple smokers in each, the end-result is worse than when you have a solo smoker (like my mother) in a cabin and no other smokers around. I would not like that, either.

 

My remark about Carnival Corp. and cost cutting has nothing to do with the 1989 merger. Strange as it may seem, many corporations exert lots of pressure on their operating units to cut-costs, up profits, and produce more revenue for the mother ship. The lack of attention to detail MAY be a result of Carnival deferring maintenance, going with less costly service contracts, etc. A 2 week drydock that turned out a ship with half the elevators out of service looks to me like corners were cut.

 

It could be that corners were cut in the dry-docking. However, I don't think it is the result of policy decisions or directives from Carnival Corp. If HAL cut some corners, they cut them because the bean counters in Seattle at fleet engineering thought they could get away with it. Carnival Corp. doesn't micro-manage the line to the degree that you suggest.

 

Relative to the Elevators, when I asked the ship's Chief Engineer about the elevator issue (specifically in regard to the forward bank) I was informed that they were waiting for parts to be flown over from Italy, where the elevators are made. Replace parts for the system controllers simply do not exist in the US because we run on a different power cycle. That seems to be perennial problem for HAL, seeing as how I've experienced it on multiple occasions on multiple cruises. I've been told many times "we waiting for parts from Europe" and when I've pressed on the issue -- "we DO make good elevators in the US, you know" -- the response has been along the lines of: "if this problem were mechanical, yes ... but in this case it's an electronic issue, and the comparable parts we could get from the US won't work with the ship's 220v power systems." Yes, it makes sense. Yes, I understand it. But, given how OFTEN this kind of problem happens, shouldn't HAL think about carrying several spares for those electronic parts on the elevators that always seem to be breaking down? 2 out of the 4 elevators in the forward bank were down the entire trip, and 1 of the others kept breaking down -- once trapping people for about 10 minutes! It was a mess.

[Himself]

Say Hawaiian Cruisers:

 

I would have given my right arm to be on your cruise, (I am lefthanded!) I did that gig a year ago last October. Did you have a Hawaiian guide with you? We had one a year ago last October who was just outstanding. I hope you people were blessed with this same guide.

[QQRZZA]

I would say that it is not as much of an issue to me as it is to you and others. YES, I agree ... the Casino, Sports Bar, and therefore the shops had more smoke in the air than they should. That's the problem with placing one of the few indoor public smoking areas amidships and not having sufficient ventilation in place to isolate the smoke in specific areas.

 

As for outdoors smoking -- on the Lower Promenade Deck -- I understand and even sympathize with your experience and the problems you had. A fellow (he could have been the same one on a different occasion, I often saw this guy out on the Lower Promenade, smoking cigars) also plopped down right next to me and proceeded to light up a cigar. I politely pointed out that I had been sitting there before he sat down, and I asked him if he wouldn't mind moving downwind from me. He said sure and moved maybe three lounges down-wind from me (no one else was stretched out downwind from him, there) and everything was fine (the smoke all went the other way and out to sea). In short, I understand your frustration and even share a bit of your experience. However ... and I'm trying to be gentle about this ... outdoors IS outdoors. Given that HAL has reduced the number of indoor public areas aboard ship where smokers may go to smoke, I'm not surprised that we're now seeing more problems with smoking on the Lower Promenade, excess smoking in-cabin and smoke causing problems in the corridors outside the cabins. I suppose when you have 2 or 3 cabins in close proximity with multiple smokers in each, the end-result is worse than when you have a solo smoker (like my mother) in a cabin and no other smokers around. I would not like that, either.

 

 

 

It could be that corners were cut in the dry-docking. However, I don't think it is the result of policy decisions or directives from Carnival Corp. If HAL cut some corners, they cut them because the bean counters in Seattle at fleet engineering thought they could get away with it. Carnival Corp. doesn't micro-manage the line to the degree that you suggest.

 

Relative to the Elevators, when I asked the ship's Chief Engineer about the elevator issue (specifically in regard to the forward bank) I was informed that they were waiting for parts to be flown over from Italy, where the elevators are made. Replace parts for the system controllers simply do not exist in the US because we run on a different power cycle. That seems to be perennial problem for HAL, seeing as how I've experienced it on multiple occasions on multiple cruises. I've been told many times "we waiting for parts from Europe" and when I've pressed on the issue -- "we DO make good elevators in the US, you know" -- the response has been along the lines of: "if this problem were mechanical, yes ... but in this case it's an electronic issue, and the comparable parts we could get from the US won't work with the ship's 220v power systems." Yes, it makes sense. Yes, I understand it. But, given how OFTEN this kind of problem happens, shouldn't HAL think about carrying several spares for those electronic parts on the elevators that always seem to be breaking down? 2 out of the 4 elevators in the forward bank were down the entire trip, and 1 of the others kept breaking down -- once trapping people for about 10 minutes! It was a mess.

 

 

The elevator issue is really interesting, but hardly new as you point out. 5 or 6 years ago the WA State Ferry System brought 3 new "super ferries" into the fleet. The power system and electronic control systems were made by Siemens in Germany. When the systems broke for the first time, we lost ferry service for 2 weeks while they figured out how to get parts from Europe (over the Easter holiday). Since then, they have stockpiled parts and learned how to maintain the ferries. We haven't had a down day for parts since. All the cruise ships are foreign made, so it would seem logical that the boys in Seattle would be able to strategically place parts for these systems in a manner to ensure that the fleet is 90+% operational no matter where the ships are. They have business relationships with the parts and component manufacturers and dustributors. It's their business...it's what they do. Elevators get lots of use, and parts wear out. That's a given. They need to spend the money to have inventory and expertise. The 220V HAL excuse is nonsense. Elevators in the US do not run on 110V current. They are 220V or 440V. I wonder if we would accept a 50% inop-rate if we were sailing on Regent, Seabourn, or Crystal??

 

The bottom line with all this is that I know HAL can do a lot better than we saw on Zaandam. The trip had some great points such as the room stewards and most of the food service, but the maintenance problems, lack of enrichment activities (not trivia, bingo, or "art" auctions), and lack of adult leadership was a true disappointment. We will give HAL another try this August, and if we see a repeat of the issues that we had on Zaandam, we'll move on to another Line.

[donaldsc]

Your's is not a long review and is a good one.

 

Long reviews are the multipage ones with pictures of the motel they stayed in, the insides of the closets on the ship, pictures of every meal they ate, and lots of pictures of the cruisers.

 

Yours is short and is actually a review instead of an over-detailed diary.

 

DON

[Himself]

I enjoyed the review but I was disappointed that the condition of the ship was found not up to snuff after coming out of drydock. The two times I have been on this ship have always been pleasant for me. Iti s hard to believe that it is ten years since she went on line. I hope to have many more cruises on the ZAANDAM.

[RevNeal]

Say Hawaiian Cruisers:

 

I would have given my right arm to be on your cruise, (I am lefthanded!) I did that gig a year ago last October. Did you have a Hawaiian guide with you? We had one a year ago last October who was just outstanding. I hope you people were blessed with this same guide.

 

Yes! We had a Hawaiian Guide and I really enjoyed his lectures and the information he conveyed was particularly of interest to my mother, who had never been to Hawaii before.

 

I always enjoy cruising to Hawaii, and will look forward to future cruises to Hawaii as my schedule will allow. Maybe in 4 or 5 more years ... that seems to be the interval at which I make such cruises.

[RevNeal]

Elevators get lots of use, and parts wear out. That's a given. They need to spend the money to have inventory and expertise. The 220V HAL excuse is nonsense. Elevators in the US do not run on 110V current. They are 220V or 440V. I wonder if we would accept a 50% inop-rate if we were sailing on Regent, Seabourn, or Crystal??

 

I'm not going to nit-pick, however it wasn't a 50% inop-rate. The ship has 12 public elevators and 3 were completely out of service and 1 only was partly/erratically functional, meaning that 1/3 of the ship's elevators were non-functional for all or much of the cruise. In my opinion, that's too high of percentage of non-functional elevators and I certainly don't "accept" it. Understand? Yes. Accept? No.

 

As for the 220V HAL excuse being nonsense ... I don't agree, although DO I agree that the Line should do a better job of having replacements available. I'm not an Electrical Engineer, but my Dad was one by training and I remember him always warning me about being very careful about plugging US-built electronics into European-cycle outlets without either a step-down converter or first making sure that the electronic item in question is built to operate on multiple cycles (i.e., like my laptop). Electronics, especially, are delicate and the wrong cycle of power can fry them quickly. My point is, the problems they were having were not with the brute-force motors used to raise and lower the elevators; rather, the problems were in the delicate electronics that run the controls that call the elevators, select the floors, precisely position the elevators at each floor, and engage the motors to open and close the doors. Those circuits almost certainly run on the European 220V power cycle that is the primary power source around the ship. Electronic parts from the USA that are designed to function being powered by 110V cycles simply won't function if supplied by 220V cycles.

[RevNeal]

Here are my photographs from my January 21 - February 5, 2010 cruise to Hawaii.

 

RevNeal's 2010 Hawaii Cruise

 

The link will take you to a single Index of Photo Galleries. Click on the Thumbnail and it will take you to a gallery with thumbnails of photographs. you can view the photos either individually or in a slide show.

 

Please feel free to ask, if you have any questions.

[RuthC]

My point is, the problems they were having were not with the brute-force motors used to raise and lower the elevators; rather, the problems were in the delicate electronics that run the controls that call the elevators, select the floors, precisely position the elevators at each floor, and engage the motors to open and close the doors.

(bolding added) And we know what happens when the elevators aren't positioned properly, don't we, Greg. :(

[RevNeal]

(bolding added) And we know what happens when the elevators aren't positioned properly, don't we, Greg. :(

 

You certainly know from personal experience ... for me, it was a matter of observation.

[chopper65]

Here are my photographs from my January 21 - February 5, 2010 cruise to Hawaii.

 

RevNeal's 2010 Hawaii Cruise

 

The link will take you to a single Index of Photo Galleries. Click on the Thumbnail and it will take you to a gallery with thumbnails of photographs. you can view the photos either individually or in a slide show.

 

Please feel free to ask, if you have any questions.

Thanks for the wonderful pics.we are on the April 6 cruise that ends up in Vancouver.I met you briefly on the Crown Princess Baltic cruise. I have fond memories of St Petersburg. We were on the Zaandam for a Panama canal cruise a few years ago and are looking forward to once again being on board this beautiful ship.

[RevNeal]

Thanks for the wonderful pics.we are on the April 6 cruise that ends up in Vancouver.I met you briefly on the Crown Princess Baltic cruise. I have fond memories of St Petersburg. We were on the Zaandam for a Panama canal cruise a few years ago and are looking forward to once again being on board this beautiful ship.

 

Thank you ... but I'm afraid you have the wrong person. I've never been aboard the Crown Princess. My only Baltic cruise was aboard the Eurodam in 2008. I did do the Panama Canal aboard the Zaandam in 2004 ... are you, perhaps, thinking of that cruise?

[chopper65]

Thank you ... but I'm afraid you have the wrong person. I've never been aboard the Crown Princess. My only Baltic cruise was aboard the Eurodam in 2008. I did do the Panama Canal aboard the Zaandam in 2004 ... are you, perhaps, thinking of that cruise?

Sorry my mistake . I was thinking I met you on the Crown Princess but it was on the Noordam last January. We did the back to back Carribean . Cruise And met on the cruise critic meet and greet

[RevNeal]

Sorry my mistake . I was thinking I met you on the Crown Princess but it was on the Noordam last January. We did the back to back Carribean . Cruise And met on the cruise critic meet and greet

 

Too many cruises to keep straight! :D

[chopper65]

Too many cruises to keep straight! :D

Not really I'm still trying to get from 3 star to 4 star on the new Mariner program. I really enjoy your reviews and pics.

[Belle]

Thank you for going to all the trouble.

Loved looking at all the public rooms,

pools ect.

 

We leave on March 2nd for the Mexico

and Hawaii cruises. 24 days. We have

a window cabin like you did. Good seeing

what our room will look like. Sometimes

they don't look like the pictures on the

ship sites.

 

We will see if the elevators are working yet!

 

Thanks again.