LIVE - Zaandam Asia Explorer February 5-19

[lagunaman]

Amazingly different to Tabitha's experience !

 

Thanks RuthC.

 

I've gotten the email back from CruiseCritic that my review has been published:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=98026

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Resurrection alert! Resurrection Alert!

 

 

I know some of you hate when an old, dormant thread is dredged up–- bit I’m going to do it anyway. This will also sound something like an old Ron Popeil TV infomercial (But wait! That’s not all. The vegamatic is a great buy at $19.95 but buy today and you’ll get the companion juicer absolutely free). Sorry, but that’s where I’m headed.

 

Back in my opening post I said:

 

I originally looked at a segment of Crystal Serenity’s world cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong. It was 16 nights and included overnights in Hong Kong and Hanoi, with different Vietnam stops but skipping Ko Samui. It was a very attractive offering but I switched to the Zaandam.

 

 

To me, 21 nights on Crystal plus 21 nights on HAL/Cunard for the price of 16 on Crystal can only be described as a win-win.

Soon the adventure begins. This post comes to you live from my residence.

 

Roy

 

While 2 weeks on the Zaandam was great, it was not the 16 nights on Crystal I was planning on and budgeted for. Disappointed? But wait–that’s not all. I am currently in New York and will board Queen Mary II tomorrow for a crossing to Southampton. Now it’s 21 nights on HAL/Cunard, Better but still not Crystal.

 

But wait – there’s more. After a night in Dover I get on the Crystal Symphony for a 2-week return transatlantic visiting Ireland, Iceland, and Canada. Looking good but still 2 nights short on Crystal.

 

But wait –- that’s not all. A week on the homedam and some travel time until I get back on the Symphony in Montreal for another week visiting Quebec, St. Pierre/Miquelon, Sept Isles, and Isle de La Madelaine, the last 3 ports new both to me and to Crystal. Three weeks on Crystal and 3 weeks on HAL/Cunard for the price of my original 16 nights on Crystal. Surely it can’t get any better than that.

 

But wait – there’s more (sort of). That Crystal transatlantic: I could describe it but will try a metaphor. Imagine being on the westbound half of Maasdam’s Voyage of the Vikings. Now imagine that there are over 50 CC members at your meet and mingle (or 70 adjusting for the size of the ship), and that among those are RuthC, kazu, Joanie, Lisa, himself, RevNeal, and many others. Might I be a bit EXCITED?

 

But wait –- that’s not all. Not covered by the savings of the Zaandam switch, but I would have had another fall Crystal voyage and still will. October 31 I reboard the Symphony in New York and head through the Panama Canal to Los Angeles. To make things even better, Crystal gives an upgrade for 10 cruises. This is actually my 14th but have chosen to use it here, and I’ll be on a verandah this time. If anybody should be watching the sailaway I’ll be on the port side just above the Promenade deck, 7th verandah forward of the work boat. While this isn’t directly related to the Zaandam, it is my 4th unforgettable cruise of the year rather than the 2nd. I could almost say 5th. A TA on QM2 just about qualifies as the 5th, but not when compared to the other 4

 

I’ll be reporting on these voyages at:

 

http://crystalautumntrio.wordpress.com/

 

and on a thread on the Cruise Critic Crystal forum:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1695405&page=99

 

A new CHAPTER is unfolding now, but the STORY begins with 2 wonderful weeks on the Zaandam.

 

Roy