Just got on the Maasdam

[_Mike_]

Yesterday, I came on the Maasdam. It is an old ship but has been taken care of very well. I have the late seating which I don't like that much. But I have Shy as a waiter, who is funny, fast, and friendly. He's the best waiter I have had in the 13 cruises I have been on. The food is great and there is plenty of activities. It is an all around great cruise. I will be posting more this week. Today the ship is docked in Quebec City. Any questions about the ship, I'll be glad to answer.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Mike, It is Great that you are finding the Maasdam to be an all around great cruise. You will have to see if you can meet up with the notorious TomC. He seems to always be posting about 11:30 eastern time in the Internet Cafe.It looks like the Maasdam is being well taken care of by CC members before I board and of course I will take good care of her before RuthC and her FUN Bunch board in less than 2 weeks:)

 

Hope your week goes great, Have Fun!!

[rocks]

Hi Mike!

You are SO right...Shy IS the best waiter! He is just like you said, funny, fast & friendly. I would add that he is very sweet too! Please tell him that Pat/rocks says "HI" & to check his messages" To any future Maasdam cruisers I would say that it is DEFINITELY worth the trouble to ask to be assigned to one of Shys' tables. You won't be sorry!

All of the Crew on the Maasdam are great! If you can find Roland(who is a cook & works the Lido buffet line) please also give him my regards. I usually don't get to know those guys, but every morning he dished out my breakfast with the biggest smile.

Thanks for posting....very nice of you!

Have a GREAT cruise!

rocks

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Since Mike has late seating I take it Shy is a server in the lower level dining room. Where abouts in the dining room is his tables or do they rotate them? We have requested a table next to the aft windows. We have never been disappointed so far HAL has always come thru with our request. I believe we requested table 128. It would be so fun to have Shy as our waiter.

[rocks]

Hi Lisa!

I had Shy on the Upper 8pm diner time. I guess they do switch them around. Probably give them turns having tables closer to the kitchen. I remember one time asking for a certain Wine Steward and was told to fax the request one week prior to ship services. If I have the fax #, it would be in my address book at the office; but I won't be there till Tues. If you want it & can't get it before then, I would be happy to post it for you...just let me know. I'm guessing others would have that info.

Even if you aren't lucky enough to get Shy as your waiter, you can see his sweet smiling face handing trays out in the Lido. Make sure you tell him how famous he is on CC board.

Hope you have a GREAT cruise also!

rocks

[sail7seas]

Hi Mike!

You are SO right...Shy IS the best waiter! He is just like you said, funny, fast & friendly. I would add that he is very sweet too! Please tell him that Pat/rocks says "HI" & to check his messages" To any future Maasdam cruisers I would say that it is DEFINITELY worth the trouble to ask to be assigned to one of Shys' tables. You won't be sorry!

All of the Crew on the Maasdam are great! If you can find Roland(who is a cook & works the Lido buffet line) please also give him my regards. I usually don't get to know those guys, but every morning he dished out my breakfast with the biggest smile.

Thanks for posting....very nice of you!

Have a GREAT cruise!

rocks

 

During the two weeks we were aboard, Shy was assigned to Lido breakfast and lunch handing out trays at the start of the buffet line.

We almost never go to Lido for breakfast but we saw him a number of times at lunch. (Almost always he was on Starboard side but once he a while he moved over to port). He is anything but shy. :D He Loves having his Fan Club and got a kick out of it when I mentioned that I, too, had read about him here.

Very friendly, nice fellow.

 

[RevNeal]

I guess it's just me ... but I've never thought of a ship as being old when it's just shy of 12 years young. :) This isn't a whine or a complaint or a flame ... just an observation.

 

I'm VERY glad you're loving the cruise on the Maasdam. She's a fantastic ship with a wonderful crew.

[TedC]

Revneal,

 

I would guess that to people of a certain age, 12 seems VERY YOUNG!

 

(Everything is relative.)

[stormyc]

I guess it's just me ... but I've never thought of a ship as being old when it's just shy of 12 years young. :) This isn't a whine or a complaint or a flame ... just an observation.

 

I'm VERY glad you're loving the cruise on the Maasdam. She's a fantastic ship with a wonderful crew.

 

Hi, RevNeal -

 

Just curious... what age would be considered "old" for a cruise ship?

[_Mike_]

Hello once again, I just got back from the city and falls tour in Quebec City. It was decent and informative. I learned many new things about the city. I did meet TomC and he is a very nice man. I will say hi to the people you all asked me too and for those of you who want to get Shy, my table number was 110 and i was downstairs. I don't know if that is one of his tables all the time because I requested him. Also, Troy the Bingo Boy is very friendly. I haven't gone to bingo yet but tonight i will. I will be back tomorrow to answer anymore questions

[stormyc]

Hello, Mike -

 

Thanks for checking in with us ...have a great evening!!

[tomc]

Mike met me 'cuz I was on the computer station right behind his and his father, noticing the microphone on my shirt, guessed who I was and ratted Mike out to me.

[Candy]

I was on RCI's Majesty of the Seas (1992 - 13 years old) in November, and the outdated decor, ratty old carpet and linens, uncomfortable Lido area really show its age.

 

OTOH, HAL's Maasdam (1993 - 12 years old) was beautifully maintained and still looks great!

 

Hi, RevNeal - Just curious... what age would be considered "old" for a cruise ship?

[RuthC]

It looks like the Maasdam is being well taken care of by CC members before I board and of course I will take good care of her before RuthC and her FUN Bunch board in less than 2 weeks:)

Don't feel you have to do that, Lisa. Go ahead and do the tornado bit. :)

The crew will clean up before I get there, I'm sure. ;)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Don't feel you have to do that, Lisa. Go ahead and do the tornado bit. :)

 

The crew will clean up before I get there, I'm sure. ;)

 

Oh, Well in that case.....:D Just bring on a few more bottles of champagne and we will see what kind of trouble I can get into:p

 

Tonight we went out to dinner with friends that live in Boise that will be cruising with us on the Oosterdam in October, we went thru 2 bottles of champagne with them tonight and we had to drive so with knowing we do not have to drive not sure what kind of tornado could arise:D

[Orion1325]

Hi all,

We too are on the Maasdam, and are having a great time. Shy is our waiter as well, Mike. We're at table 134 at the late seating (unfortunately our request for early seating didn't come through...)

 

Haven't found Tom yet, but there's always tomorrow :-)

 

We took a private tour this morning that I had arranged from info I found here on Cruise Critic. We toured the city, the Island of Orleans, Montmorency Falls, and St. Anne's Basillica. Great tour, and highly recommended -- learned lots of things and enjoyed the highlights of the city.

 

More later...

[crazy4cruisn]

Thanks for the info. We do that cruise in Oct. and would appreciate any tips~

It will be 12 days on that itinerary.

Nan

[_Mike_]

Yesterday, I had bingo. Troy the bingo boy did a great job. Unlike some of my past expierences, he read out the numbers clearly at a good pace. He also added some humor. I didn't win at bingo, but I got close. And the Battle of the Sexes game show was hillarious and Troy contributed to the laughter. After that was the Romance on Broadway show. It was pretty good and I could tell that the dancers have been practicing for a long time because they knew what they were doing. The day before was Mike Robinson, the commedian/ventriliquist. He was extremely funny and talented. I will be posting later today or tomorrow. We're still traveling along the St Lawrence smoothly. You can't notice the missing engine.

[Orion1325]

So far, everything has been just fine. We're enjoying our first experience on HAL (having cruised previously w/Royal Caribbean). Glad you enjoyed the Battle of the Sexes game, Mike. I'll treasure my "dam" mug and the ladies win over the men (I was the lady in the middle!!! :-)...

 

If anyone has any questions, I'll do my best to contribute...

[mrjcharles]

Shy the waiter is the best I have seen on 13 cruises. He knows everybody by name and does a great job. The cruise director and staff do a fine job and I definitely see Bingo boy troy as a cruise director in the very near future. Any Questions just ask.

[Krazy Kruizers]

They rotate the dining room staff every 14 days if you are on 7 day cruises.

 

The staff is rotated every 20 days on 10 day cruises.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Look for Tom late in the evening in the Lido - either reading or just plain relaxing.

 

[SeaSharp]

I was on RCI's Majesty of the Seas (1992 - 13 years old) in November, and the outdated decor, ratty old carpet and linens, uncomfortable Lido area really show its age.

 

OTOH, HAL's Maasdam (1993 - 12 years old) was beautifully maintained and still looks great!

 

 

You are so right, Candy!! Most of the Lido area on Majesty of the Seas was UNAIRCONDITIONED, too. Interestingly enough, what I paid for a 3-night junior suite on MOS was about the same one would pay for a 7-night inside on HAL, which would have given me a far superior cabin. With the Signature of Excellence program, HAL just can't be beat!!

[Orion1325]

Alas, it was not meant to be...

 

At the Bingo game last night I needed one more number -- I-23. But instead, Troy called an "O" number and 4 people ended up shouting Bingo. I felt bad that I hadn't won until I found out that it was a "7-Day Cruise" that they were giving away, and not "7 Days of Booze" like I thought! Oh well, there's always next time!

 

We're in Sydney at the moment in the Welcome Center where they have 4 computers w/free internet access and free wireless as well. Took a short Historical City Tour this morning -- interesting...

 

More later...

[_Mike_]

It seems like there are a few people on the Maasdam who are posting. If you are, please make a post. I would like to see how many there are.