Prinsendam Amazon Explorer, November 26-December 22, 2013

rafinmd · December 23, 2013

Thank you all.

The Crystal Symphony is enroute to Montevedeo. The Prinsendam is in Fort Lauderdale preparing to embark on the Holiday Cruise. 44 lucky people will be remaining onboard from the Amazon Explorer.

I actually woke about 4:30 and was on deck for 6 laps on the Promenade deck around 4:50. Lights went on at the sides of the ship a few minutes later, and the pilot actually came aboard about 5:15. We were the 4th of 8 ships to arrive in port, entered the basin and pivoted slowly until our stern was facing pier 29 and backed lazily to the dock. One final breakfast on board, and disembarkation with the self assist passengers around 7:15.

I was in black 2, and the estimate was 8:30-8:45. Christina came on the PA and said there were delays unloading bags and we were starting the process a little late. I left the ship about 8:55.

Customs was not speedy but not really too bad, and I exited the terminal for the rental car shuttles about 9:30. My shuttle came quickly, but we picked up other passengers from 3 other ships, and I was at Dollar Car Rental around 10 and out the door around 10:30.

When I was in Ft. Lauderdale between the Symphony and Prinsendam I has worshiped at Mirimar United Methodist Church, where Pastor David Range grew up in my church and I have been friends with his family for about 40 years. I last saw David in June when his mother passed away. David spent the first several years of adult life as a missionary in Jamaica and Ireland with his wife CJ Walter. We helped sponsor their work and they came back regularly to report on their activities. CJ is now also a pastor at another local church, and I had told David that I would likely be late but would try to visit CJ's church on my return. He also told me that his father was going to be visiting for Christmas.

I arrived at Chapelgate Margate church's 11AM service around 11:15. In addition to an excellent Advent service I was in for a bit of a surreal shock. In her message CJ told a little story. It started “My father in law” took a walk at 3:30 this morning. She reported his description of the walk which had very precise details of what he had seen (like the number of employees and customers at the Dennys he passed), and how he had been stopped by the police who had reports of “an elderly man walking who may have been confused”, and how he had to convince them he knew what he was doing. The contrast between the police reports and the details Morris had, and hearing about it a thousand miles from home from a pastor I'd actually only met a few times was just incredible. A part of the story was that December 22 should really have been a happy day as it was his late wife's birthday, and the first birthday without her was a very stressful time. Edie, we all miss you.

I continued driving North through central Florida with a brief visit to my parents graves in Lakeland, and arrived at my nieces house outside Orlando around 7.

Today's parting shot will be somewhat related to Crystal. There is a song they play at sailaway and I've several times rewritten part or all of the song as related to the cruise I've enjoyed. The Elegant Explorer is worth the full version of the song, and the tradition actually started on the Elegant Explorer. Getting everything to fit exactly right is a challenge that I may not be up to but I came up with this:

“I see dolphins pink, and grey ones too

They swim and they play, for me and for you

And I think to myself What a wonderful world

I see waters brown, some black and some blue,

side by side down the stream, multicolored hues

And I think to myself What a wonderful world

The rainbow over old St. Barts, the moonlit starry sky

A wave of bright blue wristbands on people going by

Footsteps on the promenade, one very special day. United, with one purpose, we'll chase cancer away.

A child with a pet, on a strange tropical isle

The love of a family and a great big warm smile

And I think to myself What a wonderful world

Yes, I think to myself What a wonderful world Oh yeah”

Roy

rafinmd · December 23, 2013

Oh Roy, how sad - you are getting off and we will miss these fabulous reports. Thank you for taking us along - it is always a joy to read these :)

One question - what is a cruise critic evaluation session? Is it combined with t a farewell meet and greet or is it a serious evaluation session? How the cruise went for everyone? what was the verdict?

I hope you still have (and keep) power today. There was a bit of farewell meet and greet, and I would say some fairly serious evaluation. The leader was planning some kind of a report to officials on the ship. As usually seems to be the case the things that get reported are mostly the gripes (all the good things are readily taken in stride), and there were complaints about some cabins being too warm. I would guess that's as much a matter of guest expectations as actual conditions. I know my cabin heated up on the Amazon and I finally resorted to powering off my computers when not actually used and closing the curtain during the intense heat of the day. It was a bit of a nuisance but nowhere near a hardship. The biggest complaint that I related to was a decline in the quality of the maps and port information sheets. They were excellent on HAL as recently as my 2012 Asia cruise, but ours varied from simple shopping maps to pretty mediocre town maps. I gave out copies of my Crystal port maps for Aruba and Curacao to some of the people and there were comments that these were by far the best maps they had gotten. One good thing that actually did get mentioned was a few people got sick in the Amazon and they all raved about the quality of the care they got.

Roy

kazu · December 23, 2013

I hope you still have (and keep) power today. There was a bit of farewell meet and greet, and I would say some fairly serious evaluation. The leader was planning some kind of a report to officials on the ship. As usually seems to be the case the things that get reported are mostly the gripes (all the good things are readily taken in stride), and there were complaints about some cabins being too warm. I would guess that's as much a matter of guest expectations as actual conditions. I know my cabin heated up on the Amazon and I finally resorted to powering off my computers when not actually used and closing the curtain during the intense heat of the day. It was a bit of a nuisance but nowhere near a hardship. The biggest complaint that I related to was a decline in the quality of the maps and port information sheets. They were excellent on HAL as recently as my 2012 Asia cruise, but ours varied from simple shopping maps to pretty mediocre town maps. I gave out copies of my Crystal port maps for Aruba and Curacao to some of the people and there were comments that these were by far the best maps they had gotten. One good thing that actually did get mentioned was a few people got sick in the Amazon and they all raved about the quality of the care they got.

Roy

thanks Roy - we have been fortunate - many have lost power - so far we are ok, one more day o f storms to go through. I wish it would warm up to melt the ice on the trees but it doesn't look like it will happen - hopefully the snow doesn't make the weight too heavy on the trees.

I loved your farewell song you did. :)

We had a farewell meet and greet the last time on her - but in all honesty, there weren't many complaints so I guess no need for a report. Everyone was very happy:)

Storylady · December 23, 2013

.Today's parting shot will be somewhat related to Crystal. There is a song they play at sailaway and I've several times rewritten part or all of the song as related to the cruise I've enjoyed. The Elegant Explorer is worth the full version of the song, and the tradition actually started on the Elegant Explorer. Getting everything to fit exactly right is a challenge that I may not be up to but I came up with this:

“I see dolphins pink, and grey ones too

They swim and they play, for me and for you

And I think to myself What a wonderful world

I see waters brown, some black and some blue,

side by side down the stream, multicolored hues

And I think to myself What a wonderful world

The rainbow over old St. Barts, the moonlit starry sky

A wave of bright blue wristbands on people going by

Footsteps on the promenade, one very special day. United, with one purpose, we'll chase cancer away.

A child with a pet, on a strange tropical isle

The love of a family and a great big warm smile

And I think to myself What a wonderful world

Yes, I think to myself What a wonderful world Oh yeah”

Roy

And oh what a wonderful blog and a wonderful way to end your fantastic cruise. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it with my coffee each morning.

Vict0riann · December 24, 2013

I really agree that the maps have gone downhill. When I mentioned this to our "port specialist" on the Eurodam, I was told they were just meant as an "overview". Nonsense!

I have enjoyed your travels, Roy - just sorry they are over. Have a happy and blessed Christmas. 2014 is another year to travel!

startwin · December 24, 2013

Roy, I'm sad your cruise is over, as I so enjoyed your blog. But welcome back, and Merry Christmas!:)

rafinmd · December 24, 2013

Thank you all.

I've done a draft of my member review which I'll submit in a day or 2. If anybody sees anything I've really gotten wrong let me know and I'll have another look.

Background:My cruise line of choice is Crystal, this is my second voyage on the Prinsendam and I was very pleased to be back on her. The ship is not for everybody, does have some foibles, but offers an opportunity for a fabulous experience.

Ship info: The Prinsendam was built in 1988 as the Royal Viking Sun. When Royal Viking ceased operations she temporarily sailed for another luxury line as the Seabourn Sun. In 2002 she was rebranded for Holland America as the Prinsendam. Holland America has added some cabins and made other changes and the Prinsendam can no longer be classified as a luxury ship, but offers an experience I don't think can be matched on any other mainstream ship.

Staterooms: Most of the cabins have nearly their original configuration from the Royal Viking days. The ones that remain from the original ship (Most of the cabins added by Holland America are on deck 8 aft and may not comply with my description) are pretty spacious and almost all have walk-in closets, a generous table/desk, and love seat. Most have full bath but there are some with just a shower available. Most cabin doors are set back about 8-feet from the corridor, with the bath and closet between the entrence and the corridor and the living area on the other side of the door. The setback of the door helps minimize any noise from the door.

Dining: The LaFontaine Dining is aft on the Lower Promenade Deck with a small section on the port side just forward of the aft stairs. Part of the large dining room is allocated to open seating and the rest of the big room and the small forward section are used for the 5:30 and 8PM assigned seatings. The wait staff is friendly and helpful, but possibly a little overworked. Service is generally excellent and the menus are varied. The dining room is open daily for breakfast, and sea days and some port days for lunch.

The Lido Cafe is on deck 11. In the latest drydock the aft portion of the Lido deck was enclosed giving an aft seating area with stunning views for breakfast and lunch. While the service is buffet style most food is cooked to order slowing down service somewhat but all food is served fresh and hot and prepared taking account any preferences. An island on the port side was self service (after the first 48 hours) for things like fruit, breads, and milk.

The extra-cost Pinnacle Grill on Deck 7 specializes in steak but serves several other entrees as well for lunch and dinner. I had lunch there and greatly enjoyed it. When the Aft Lido deck was covered in the last drydock a part of the new space became the Canaletto Italian restaurant in the evening. The food, service, and location were all superb.

Activities and entertainment: Activities are geared to a mature demographic and a wide variety are offered. Enrichment activites tend to be a HAL weakness althouth this cruise was better than most with 3 speakers on Secuirty, Globilazation, and the arts. The port guide could also have been considered part of the enrichment. Lisa's port talks were always informative and interesting. She showed some bias toward HAL shore excursions but her factual information was on the spot and she maintained desk hours for personal guidance, as well as being on the pier at ports.

There were other varied activities during the day including cooking demonstrations, movies, trivia sports activities and the like. A program highlight was “On Deck for A Cause”, a walk to support cancer services, and always a lot of fun.

In the evening there are several venues featuring several varieties of musical entertainment, and a daily presentation in the Showroom at Sea. The excellent Prinsendam Singers and Dancers presented 6 shows. Our cast consisted of 5 singers and 2 dancers. The male and female dance couple on the Prinsendam interacted with each other and the rest of the cast in ways that would be impossible with the female duo on the R and S class ships. The cast was very impressive as the singers could really have been better described as singer-dancers. Other headline entertainers were brought on board for most remaining nights of the cruise. There were a couple of nights with late activities in ports where there were just movies in both the Showroom and the Wajang Theater.

Children: The Prinsendam and it's long exotic voyages attract few children. There are no childrens' facilities as such and there were no children on the voyage. We still had a youth counselor on board who got involved in other activities and expected 30 or so youth on the cruise after ours. There were a few youth on my 2011 Prinsendam cruise and they met in some of the little used meeting rooms and appeared to enjoy themselves. This year's youth counselor Whitney was very personable and enerjetic and appeared well prepared to take on her coming charges.

Disembarkation: Disembarkation was smooth and easy, although a little later than predicted. We were allowed to stay in our cabins or in the public lounges until the time to depart came.

Summary: While this ship can no longer be classified as a luxury ship, it is far from an ordinary ship as well. I look for 3 things in a cruise:

1. Itinerary: In the coming year the Prinsendam will visit an incredible 150 distinct ports of call. It can and does go to places seldom or never visited by other cruise ships and will visit pretty much the same areas most years but seldom if ever is a cruise a repeat of a previous cruise.

2. Service: Service on the Prinsendam is gracious, personable, and efficient. It is the best I've seen on any mainstream ship.

3.Facilities: the Prinsendam has well sized, well equipped and very pleasant staterooms. There are generous public spaces and ample open deck space around the ship. There are a few areas where the age of the ship may result in a bit of temporary discomfort but the benefits of the ship far outweigh any idiosyncracies of the ship. She commands a higher price than other Holland America ships but offers an amazing experience that makes her a wonderful value.

Tortola: An interesting island with a small quaint village, excellent water activities, and stunning mountain views.

St. Barts: A small island with great views and a lovely harbor.

St. Lucia: Great water activities and very interesting geology. A nice town but awkwardly placed relative to the cruise terminal.

Devils Island: No tours at the former penal colony but the island is small and easy to walk around.

Macapa: The first of our Amazon stops the highlights were the equator marker and the fortress guarding the Amazon River.

Santarem and Alter do Chao: 2 Towns close together. When we docked in Santarem I took a tour to a national forest and saw rubber trees and got a good look at a rain forest. It was less dense and has better visibility than I imagined. I toured Santarem from Alter and the University town did not find a lot of great interest there. Alter itself was a charming small resort village.

Boca da Valeria: This native village was a highlight of the cruise. We saw a small school, church, and everybody's transportation was by water. There were lots of friendly children with exotic pets and many of us took river canoe rides back into the tributaries.

Manaus: A large, busy seaport founded on the rubber industry, a rather primitive but busy city. The Opera House is amazing, and there are great forays further up the river.

Parintins: A small island community famous for it's annual Boi Bumba festival. While the festival is in June a smaller version is presented when cruise ships visit. I did not go but those who did raved about it.

Barbados: A large island with great beaches, interesting caves, and a fair sized city, but a return to the beaten path.

Port Elizabeth: One of the smaller islands of St. Vincent and Grenadines a lovely island with a very interesting turtle sanctuary.

Curacao: A little bit of Holland in the Caribbean. The caves were interesting but not terribly different from other caves.

Aruba: Our final (and on the beaten path) port, lots of choices from diving to great beaches to a picturesque lighthouse and great viewpoints.

Roy

rafinmd · December 24, 2013

Now that I'm somewhat back to reality I'd like to mention a few of the advantages I felt on the 2 ships I sailed. My definite preference is for the Symphony but other ships (and especially the Prinsendam) do many things well and some things better leaving me with a desire to experience a variety of ships while holding some favorites.

One omission might be a bit of a surprise. Holland America fans are convinced their beds are the best at sea and even many Crystal fans think their beds are poor. It may be my camping background but even after several weeks on each ship separated only by 3 nights on land I couldn't tell a difference.

Advantages of the Crystal Symphony:

1. The Lido Guys. While the restaurant may be nominally a buffet the service provided by these people is legendary. You can carry your tray to your table, but you will have to turn down an offer at least once to do this, something I never experienced on the Prinsendam. Once you are seated they will check on you regularly, remember your preferences, offer to get something that goes with what you have, and make sure your coffee cup stays full. Their ability to remember names from one cruise to another is legendary.

2. Mark Farris: For many years on the Symphony I rarely visited the Avenue Saloon. There are actually several recent changes that have been good for me, including the elimination of smoking there, but the big change has really been Mark Farris. A master singer and pianist he has an excellent repertory, works masterfully with the crowd, remembers passengers from cruise to cruise and is just a lovely personality. On the rare cruises when he is on vacation the Avenue Saloon has less than half the usual crowds. Mark also does a cabaret in the showroom when needed which is one of the highlights when it happens (often when the sea conditions cause a planned show to be canceled).

3. Crystal Visions: On every cruise (except possibly one with no sea days) Crystal provides an intensive and varied enrichment program. On the Prinsendam I had 9 sea days and 3 or 4 presenters, on the Symphony between the 2 cruises there were 8 sea days and 10 varied presenters. The sessions always allow time for interaction with the audience.

4. Trident Grill: The sandwich station on the lido deck makes superb sandwiches and makes an excellent late risers breakfast.

5. Port maps and shore excursions: At each port we get a map and description of the port with details on the highlights of various sites and information about the area, currency, and other information. They were head and shoulders above any thing we saw on the Prinsendam. All shore excursions meet in the starlite club (think P'dam Ocean Bar but bigger) and leave as a group with an escort from the ship who helps alleviate any questions and problems that arise on the tour.

Advantages of the Prinsendam:

1. Cold Soups: Rarely on the Crystal menu, I enjoyed the cold soups at least 5 times a week on the Elegant Explorer.

2. Crew shows: The Indonesian and Filipino crew members each put on a show most cruises which they work very hard at in addition to their usual duties and put on a polished and entertaining show, a token both of their appreciation of their passengers and love of their homelands.

3. Poolside dining: I had looked forward to the enclosed back deck on the Prinsendam but found I did not use it on the warm Amazon days. No worry, I found a better substitute. Just outside the Lido Cafe and a stone's throw from the grill there are tables set up with service from the deck stewards. The view is superb and there's a choice of middle tables in the sun or outer tables shaded by the sports deck. I enjoyed most of my breakfasts and lunches there.

3. Protestant chaplain on longer cruises: Longer cruises pretty much means every cruise on the Elegant Explorer. While Crystal's priests do a fine job with Sunday interdenominational services, they are no match for the chaplains who share our version of faith and have activities on sea days.

5. New shows: I sailed both the Symphony and the Prinsendam in 2011. On both of those voyages the onboard entertainers did 4 shows. When I was back this fall, the Crystal Ensemble of Singers and Dancers did 5 shows on the first cruise with 3 repeated on the second. 2 of the 5 shows were repeats from what I saw in 2011, and a third was a rework of a show I know I've seen before. The Prinsendam Singers and Dancers did 6 shows and every single one of them was something new that I had not seen before in 2011. I may have just hit a lucky period when the shows changed but 6 new shows was a big boost for the entertainment value of the cruise. The shows were a bit simpler with less in the way of sets and costumes but the quality and freshness of the shows was a real joy.

Roy

RuthC · December 25, 2013

I've done a draft of my member review which I'll submit in a day or 2. If anybody sees anything I've really gotten wrong let me know and I'll have another look.

I added some comments for consideration after the appropriate entry.

Staterooms: Most of the cabins have nearly their original configuration from the Royal Viking days. The ones that remain from the original ship (Most of the cabins added by Holland America are on deck 8 aft and may not comply with my description) are pretty spacious and almost all have walk-in closets, a generous table/desk, and love seat. Most have full bath but there are some with just a shower available.

Taking a look at the deck plans, it appears that for the most part, the cabins alternate tub, shower only.

Dining: The LaFontaine Dining is aft on the Lower Promenade Deck with a small section on the port side just forward of the aft stairs.

I'm willing to bet this wasn't changed from starboard on the recent renovations. ;)

The Lido Cafe is on deck 11. An island on the port side was self service (after the first 48 hours) for things like fruit, breads, and milk.

This was on starboard. Was it moved when that area was renovated?

Activities and entertainment: In the evening there are several venues featuring several varieties of musical entertainment, and a daily presentation in the Showroom at Sea.

Since you mention "several" venues, you might want to consider mentioning the Explorers Lounge, Ocean Bar, and Crows Nest.

Nice job. :)

Edited December 25, 2013 by RuthC

rafinmd · December 27, 2013

Thank you, RuthC. I do know the difference between port and starboard, but sometimes I get a bit careless. I have submitted the review with just a few changes. I'll post a link when it's actually published

"A mainstream ship with a luxury pedigree--Prinsendam Amazon Explorer"

Background:My cruise line of choice is Crystal, this is my second voyage on the Prinsendam and I was very pleased to be back on her. The ship is not for everybody, does have some foibles, but offers an opportunity for a fabulous experience.

Ship info: The Prinsendam was built in 1988 as the Royal Viking Sun. When Royal Viking ceased operations she temporarily sailed for another luxury line as the Seabourn Sun. In 2002 she was rebranded for Holland America as the Prinsendam. Holland America has added some cabins and made other changes and the Prinsendam can no longer be classified as a luxury ship, but offers an experience I don't think can be matched on any other mainstream ship.

Staterooms: Most of the cabins have nearly their original configuration from the Royal Viking days. The ones that remain from the original ship (Most of the cabins added by Holland America are on deck 8 aft and may not comply with my description) are pretty spacious and almost all have walk-in closets, a generous table/desk, and love seat. The cabins roughly alternate between having a full bath and just a shower. Most cabin doors are set back about 8-feet from the corridor, with the bath and closet between the entrence and the corridor and the living area on the other side of the door. The setback of the door helps minimize any noise from the door.

Dining: The LaFontaine Dining is aft on the Lower Promenade Deck with a small section on the starboard side just forward of the aft stairs. Part of the large dining room is allocated to open seating and the rest of the big room and the small forward section are used for the 5:30 and 8PM assigned seatings. The wait staff is friendly and helpful, but possibly a little overworked. Service is generally excellent and the menus are varied. The dining room is open daily for breakfast, and sea days and some port days for lunch.

The Lido Cafe is on deck 11. In the latest drydock the aft portion of the Lido deck was enclosed giving an aft seating area with stunning views for breakfast and lunch. While the service is buffet style most food is cooked to order slowing down service somewhat but all food is served fresh and hot and prepared taking account any preferences. An island on the starboard side was self service (after the first 48 hours) for things like fruit, breads, and milk.

The extra-cost Pinnacle Grill on Deck 7 specializes in steak but serves several other entrees as well for lunch and dinner. I had lunch there and greatly enjoyed it. When the Aft Lido deck was covered in the last drydock a part of the new space became the Canaletto Italian restaurant in the evening. The food, service, and location were all superb.

Activities and entertainment: Activities are geared to a mature demographic and a wide variety are offered. Enrichment activites tend to be a HAL weakness althouth this cruise was better than most with 3 speakers on Secuirty, Globilazation, and the arts. The port guide could also have been considered part of the enrichment. Lisa's port talks were always informative and interesting. She showed some bias toward HAL shore excursions but her factual information was on the spot and she maintained desk hours for personal guidance, as well as being on the pier at ports.

There were other varied activities during the day including cooking demonstrations, movies, trivia sports activities and the like. A program highlight was “On Deck for A Cause”, a walk to support cancer services, and always a lot of fun.

In the evening there are several venues featuring several varieties of musical entertainment, and a daily presentation in the Showroom at Sea. The excellent Prinsendam Singers and Dancers presented 6 shows. Our cast consisted of 5 singers and 2 dancers. The male and female dance couple on the Prinsendam interacted with each other and the rest of the cast in ways that would be impossible with the female duo on the R and S class ships. The cast was very impressive as the singers could really have been better described as singer-dancers. Other headline entertainers were brought on board for most remaining nights of the cruise. There were a couple of nights with late activities in ports where there were just movies in both the Showroom and the Wajang Theater. Other evening venues included the Crows Nest with a piano entertainer, the Explorer's Lounge with a classical piano-violin duo, and the Ocean Bar with dance music.

Children: The Prinsendam and it's long exotic voyages attract few children. There are no childrens' facilities as such and there were no children on the voyage. We still had a youth counselor on board who got involved in other activities and expected 30 or so youth on the cruise after ours. There were a few youth on my 2011 Prinsendam cruise and they met in some of the little used meeting rooms and appeared to enjoy themselves. This year's youth counselor Whitney was very personable and enerjetic and appeared well prepared to take on her coming charges.

Disembarkation: Disembarkation was smooth and easy, although a little later than predicted. We were allowed to stay in our cabins or in the public lounges until the time to depart came.

Summary: While this ship can no longer be classified as a luxury ship, it is far from an ordinary ship as well. I look for 3 things in a cruise:

1. Itinerary: In the coming year the Prinsendam will visit an incredible 150 distinct ports of call. It can and does go to places seldom or never visited by other cruise ships and will visit pretty much the same areas most years but seldom if ever is a cruise a repeat of a previous cruise.

2. Service: Service on the Prinsendam is gracious, personable, and efficient. It is the best I've seen on any mainstream ship.

3.Facilities: the Prinsendam has well sized, well equipped and very pleasant staterooms. There are generous public spaces and ample open deck space around the ship. There are a few areas where the age of the ship may result in a bit of temporary discomfort but the benefits of the ship far outweigh any idiosyncracies of the ship. She commands a higher price than other Holland America ships but offers an amazing experience that makes her a wonderful value. One thing to keep in mind for this cruise is that the Amazon is very close to the Equator and it does require a certain tolerance for hot weather.