Dave's Live From Maasdam 6-17 Feb 2012

[RetiredMustang]

Hi Dave,

Thanks very much for this good blog.

That was not a Thompson but a TUI cruise ship; Mein Schiff 2 , ex-Celebrity Mercury.

 

Looking forward to your daily interesting narratives.

Chees

 

I knew it didn't look like the other Thomson ships I've seen, and I did note the TUI on the hull, but it was using the same logo as the Thomson ship I saw in Barbados -- what looks to me like a stylized smile and an eye. Attached are the Thomson logo and a photo of Mein Schiff 2 which has the same logo on the stack. Is there a parent company that owns them both, kind of like Carnival Corp. owns several lines?

 

At any rate, it is an interesting ship, with the German words on her hull.

 

Dave

Edited February 17, 2012 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Thanks for checking.

 

Have a safe trip home. Rush hour traffic on I95 can be very slow. I would take the Florida Turnpike to Fort Pierce and switch over to I95 there (about a mile).

 

Thanks! We always take the jog from I-95 to the Turnpike at Fort Pierce going, and reverse coming back; we learned the hard way a few years ago about I-95 in south Florida! Today was heavy traffic even on the Turnpike, but we had never tried to leave on a weekday rush hour, so it may have been light compared to normal for all we know.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

All,

 

As Carol pointed out, we were a bit delayed coming into port this morning. And, we encountered heavy traffic on I-595 and the Florida Turnpike, and then several construction-caused congestion points. The upshot was that we made it only to Savannah today instead of our usual stop at Florence, SC. However, I did see the weather and the storm that is due to hit the Appalachians tomorrow night, so we definitely intend to make it home to northern Virginia tomorrow.

 

I;ve been taking photos of the ship spaces, but did not have time/minutes to post any. I will post some tonight, and more after I get home. Joanie, grab what you want and what I don't post, I will email. Attached are links to higher-resolution files:

 

 

B180: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23273&cat=520

B180 desk: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23274&cat=520

B180 balcony 1: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23275&cat=520

B180 bath 1: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23336&cat=520

B180 bath 2: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23337&cat=520

 

 

More later,

Dave

Edited February 18, 2012 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

I hit "submit" too soon, and had to edit the previous post, and had not attached thumbnails. Here they are. Our stateroom was B180, a verandah cabin on the 9th deck, port side. It was very comfortable, and actually pretty spacious for 2 people, with plenty of storage.

 

Dave

Edited February 18, 2012 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Trying again with the thumbnails.

[RetiredMustang]

Some photos of the Crow's Nest:

 

Crows Nest 1: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23279&cat=520

Crows Nest 2: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23280&cat=520

Crows Nest 3: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23281&cat=520

Crows Nest 4: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23282&cat=520

 

Dave

[kazu]

Dave,

 

your pictures are great - I have to learn how to do this. I also noticed you got a wonderful pic of the Prinsendam - you might be able to sell it to HAL for their brochures:D:D Really shows the gorgeous verandahs on this ship:D Looking forward to the Maasdam - thanks for letting us come along one more time:)

[RetiredMustang]

One more batch for tonight; I'll post more when I get home.

 

Explorations Café: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23284&cat=520

Explorations Café treats: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23283&cat=520

 

Maasdam Atrium: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23287&cat=520

Maasdam casino: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23288&cat=520

Maasdam Gymnasium: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23289&cat=520

 

Dave

[erewhon]

Dave,

 

Thank you for sharing your photos.

 

Is that hanging ornament in the Maasdam Atrium made of glass?

Edited February 18, 2012 by erewhon

[RetiredMustang]

Dave,

 

Thank you for sharing your photos.

 

Is that hanging ornament in the Maasdam Atrium made of glass?

 

It looked like pieces of glass mounted to a central spire/base to me -- I did not test the theory by banging on one or anything :D.

 

Dave

[erewhon]

It looked like pieces of glass mounted to a central spire/base to me -- I did not test the theory by banging on one or anything :D.

 

Dave

 

Thank you for your reply.

[c-legs]

I knew it didn't look like the other Thomson ships I've seen, and I did note the TUI on the hull, but it was using the same logo as the Thomson ship I saw in Barbados -- what looks to me like a stylized smile and an eye. Attached are the Thomson logo and a photo of Mein Schiff 2 which has the same logo on the stack. Is there a parent company that owns them both, kind of like Carnival Corp. owns several lines?

 

At any rate, it is an interesting ship, with the German words on her hull.

 

Dave

Hi,

TUI is a large size travel products operator based in Germany. Their TUI cruise subsidiary is a joint venture with RCL , thus their first two ships being ex-GALAXY ( MeinSchiff) & ex-MERCURY ( MeinSchiff II ) ,both transferred from the Celebrity Cruises fleet.

Thompson Cruise is...Thompson cruise !! I'm not aware they're partly owned by or associated with one of the ''Big Boys'', but I could be wrong.

They're a British vacation/tour operator.

Yes, the logos bear a striking resemblence...you're right on that !!

Thanks again for your great ''live from'' blog.

 

Cheers

[portofrome]

Thanks for sharing your photos.

[monina01]

thank you so much Dave, for both the live blog and for the photo's....

[English_in_Spain]

Hi,

TUI is a large size travel products operator based in Germany. Their TUI cruise subsidiary is a joint venture with RCL , thus their first two ships being ex-GALAXY ( MeinSchiff) & ex-MERCURY ( MeinSchiff II ) ,both transferred from the Celebrity Cruises fleet.

Thompson Cruise is...Thompson cruise !! I'm not aware they're partly owned by or associated with one of the ''Big Boys'', but I could be wrong.

They're a British vacation/tour operator.

Yes, the logos bear a striking resemblence...you're right on that !!

Thanks again for your great ''live from'' blog.

 

Cheers

 

TUI UK & Ireland (TUI UK) is the parent company of Thomson and First Choice Holidays. Thomson and First Choice are 2 very large travel companies in the UK.

 

[mamaofami]

Dave, thank you so much for the wonderful comments and pictures of the beautiful Maasdam. Hope your cruise was wonderful.

[sws49]

Dave, Thank you so much for sharing your cruise with everyone and for the great pictures. My sister and I will be sailing on April 16th and we are really getting excited. It was so nice of you to do this. Sheila S

[c-legs]

TUI UK & Ireland (TUI UK) is the parent company of Thomson and First Choice Holidays. Thomson and First Choice are 2 very large travel companies in the UK.

 

Hi,

Thank you so much for clarifying the relevent scenario. That explains perfectly the ''similar'' ( == identical ? ) funnel logo for both ships as witnessed by Dave.

Is the German operation of '' TUI" also an '' offspring'' of TUI UK ?

Cheers

[RetiredMustang]

Well, we made it home yesterday afternoon and are clearing up all the things that need doing after a cruise (laundry, bills, etc. that we went on cruise to get away from).

 

I've spent some time organizing my photo files, and have uploaded more to the CC photo gallery. I will do a few posts with thumbnails and links to higher-res photos in the photo gallery.

 

First, I realize that I had typed out the list of the current wine packages on Maasdam and never posted it.

 

Here are the wines in the packages:

NAVIGATOR'S CHOICE

3 bottles - $89

5 bottles - $149

7 bottles - $199

White wines

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Riesling - California

Danzante Pinot Grigio - Italy

Caliterra Chardonnay - Chile

Toasted Head Chardonnay - California

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand

Red wines

Ravenswood Zinfandel - California

Fescobaldi Remole - Tuscany

Three Blind Moose Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Alice White Shiraz - Australia

Errazuriz Merlot - Chile

Diseno Malbec - Argentina

Laboure'-Roi Pinot Noir - France

ADMIRAL'S CHOICE

3 bottles - $118

5 bottles - $199

7 bottles - $269

White wines

Clos du Bois Chardonnay - California

Hogue Gewurztraminer - Washington

Estancia Pinot Grigion - California

Simi Sauvignon Blanc - California

Franciscan Chardonnay - Napa, California

Laboure'-Roi Macon Villages - France

Red wines

Spellbound Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Blackstone Merlot - California

Mark West Pinot Noir - California

Fresdobaldi Castiglioni Chianti - Italy

Wild Horse Cabernet Sauvignon - California

Red Guitar Tempranillo Garanacha - Spain

 

 

Dave

Edited February 19, 2012 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Here are some photo thumbnails and links:

 

Maasdam Ocean Bar 1: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23340&cat=520

Maasdam Ocean Bar 2: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23341&cat=520

Maasdam Ocean bar 3: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23342&cat=520

Onboard shops: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23343&cat=520

Onboard shops 2: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23344&cat=520

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Another bunch of photos:

 

MIX beer bar area: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23345&cat=520

Mix beer bar: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23346&cat=520

Mix Champagne bar: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23347&cat=520

MIX martini bar: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23348&cat=520

MIX piano bar: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23349&cat=520

[RetiredMustang]

A third set of photos:

 

Dining Room 1: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23350&cat=520

Dining Room 2: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23351&cat=520

Pinnacle 1: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23352&cat=520

Pinnacle 2: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23353&cat=520

[RetiredMustang]

Fourth and final set of photos. These are from the Explorations Cafe. I took a lot of photos many of which I did not post -- if there is something you like to see, I'll see if I have a photo of it.

 

Books area 1: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23354&cat=520

Books area 2: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23355&cat=520

Computer area: http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showphoto.php?photo=23356&cat=520

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Well, that series of posts pretty much wraps up our cruise. We took expedited disembarkation and the process was as painless as always. The ship was a bit delayed arriving, and there were traffic issues heading north that day, but the disembarkation process worked like a charm for us.

 

We had a wonderful, relaxing time on the beautiful Maasdam, on a very interesting itinerary. Thanks for coming along.

 

Dave

[kazu]

Well, that series of posts pretty much wraps up our cruise. We took expedited disembarkation and the process was as painless as always. The ship was a bit delayed arriving, and there were traffic issues heading north that day, but the disembarkation process worked like a charm for us.

 

We had a wonderful, relaxing time on the beautiful Maasdam, on a very interesting itinerary. Thanks for coming along.

 

Dave

 

Dave I think you have it wrong:eek: It's us who should be thanking YOU for taking us along:) and such wonderful pics:):)

 

Thank you for taking us along. It's been a great thread as always:D