Live from the Maasdam's ATLANTIC ADVENTURE

[amster65]

Was on the Maasdam in June, is Jamm the piano man still in the piano bar. We really enjoyed him.

[albingirl]

We took this cruise last year at this time. Wow, what a great cruise. Have fun everybody!!!! I learned so much and enjoyed it to the max.:)

[Twinkd]

Will also be on Maasdam next August heading to Alaska - looking forward to hearing all about your cruise and specifically any ship details. Thanks for posting.

[sansterre]

Day 6

Things are going well aboard the Maasdam. The seas on the way to Puerto Rico were very calm, especially on Day 1 when the sea was like glass. The weather has been nearly perfect with just a few light rain squalls on Day 2.

Yesterday, we left St. Maarten and are cruising now toward Africa at a pace of 17.7 knots on a course of 77 degrees. There was a new activity as we left St. Maarten called “Pirate Passage” and Scallyway Sail Away Ceremony. Hopefully, I can remember how to post a few photos of the seas and our departure from San Juan and St. Maarten. Click on the photo to enlarge! The pirate standing next to me is our hotel director, Robert Corcoran. Next (tomorrow hopefully), I will post names of staff and entertainment.

 

jpg.gif Day 2 - calm seas.jpg (8.8 KB)

jpg.gif AA Day 4 PR El Moro Fort.jpg (15.2 KB)

jpg.gif AA Day 5 Debarkation party.jpg (23.2 KB)

jpg.gif Day 5 Debarkation Party - Hotel Director.jpg (15.0 KB)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just saw this thread.

Looking forward to your reports.

Great pictures.

[Vict0riann]

What did you do in San Juan? Go back to the Bacardi factory?

[sansterre]

What did you do in San Juan? Go back to the Bacardi factory?

HAH - this time we just went to CVS and picked up a few supplies for the cruise (pretzels and chocolate mainly) :-) We have been to San Juan many times before and our favorite thing to do there is to take the segway tour up to El Moro.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We always take a supply of chocolate on the ship with us as well.

[sallycruiser06]

Here I thought I was the only one to do this!LOL!

[robintally]

Great photos. Looking forward to your interesting reports.

[KiwiFunCruiser]

Looking forward to your next posts.

[sansterre]

Day 12 Tuesday, arrival at Tenerife! See photo (hopefully below)

We enjoyed a lovely sail-in and arrived just before noon today. It has been a comfortable 6 day cruise with just one or two brief rain squalls and relatively calm seas throughout.

The Maasdam performed well and looks good. Captain Ane Jan Smit is heard frequently but DH and I have only seen him once, at the welcome champagne toast. I’m sure there are many of us 5 stars on board so perhaps eventually we will be invited to a cocktail party by the Captain. If nothing else, there is always the Mariner Lunch where we are sure to see him again. Hotel Director, Randall Corcoran, is often out and about the ship. We first met him as a pirate at the St. Maarten sail-away party (photo in my last post). Then he visited our table when we ate at the PInnnacle and listened to our likes and dislikes (our only dislike is the steak, but DH had Steak Diane which was tastier). He also was a fun participant in the ‘Call My Bluff” game show (where the contestants come up with crazy definitions of unusual words). Cruise Director Mark Brigone is doing a great job. He was a newby Cruise Director on this Atlantic Adventure last year. With the year’s experience, I’m happy to say Mark is doing an excellent job directing this cruise. He looks and plays the part with authority. The entertainment has been good. We enjoyed a group of 4 British singers (two men and 2 women - all young) who performed two evenings, singing “Music of the Knights” and held an entertaining coffee talk. Others have been pianist Paul Pappas. guitarist Francis Diatschenko, Celtic Livewire, comedians Bob Brizendine, a ventriloquist, and a magician. Tonight there is to be a Flamenco Show on board! The Adagio Strings are a nice touch although there are only the two of them which seems to be the norm anymore (we prefer a quartet or at least a trio). We have not heard the Piano Man David Anthony but understand he is very good. Location Guide Kelly Gray was with us on this cruise last year; her slide shows of upcoming ports are very interesting and helpful.

The Dining Room functions well with a friendly and efficient staff that aims to please.

We also ate once at the Canaletto which was a nice change-of-pace for a quieter, slower paced dinner. We have also enjoyed two Exploration Speakers Revell Carr and Beth Foggin as they tell about early explorers in the area, some history of people, islands, and spices trading.

[ger_77]

"Hotel Director, Randall Corcoran, is often out and about the ship. We first met him as a pirate at the St. Maarten sail-away party (photo in my last post). Then he visited our table when we ate at the PInnnacle and listened to our likes and dislikes (our only dislike is the steak, but DH had Steak Diane which was tastier)."

 

Are you telling us they have brought Steak Diane back to the Pinnacle? If so, yippee!!

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[elsie3939]

My friends Tom and Lynne from Nags Head NC are on this wonderful adventure. If you meet them say hello from Elsie. Have a great time...I'm envious.

[Vict0riann]

Who is your Cellar Master? I had heard somewhere that our last year's CM, Miguel Borge, had "jumped ship", in fact had left HAL.

 

PS We really enjoyed Miguel last year. He made a lot of effort to bring on interesting wines and had some great tastings.

Edited November 10, 2015 by Vict0riann

[Nanner]

Jean, please ask Mark if he will still be aboard for the Amazon sailing in January. It would be too fun to do trivia with him then, since Dorothy, George and I will be together for that cruise.

 

Speaking of trivia, do you have a team you two are playing with this time? If so, how are you faring? Say hi to Dr. Ralph from Bill and me. Enjoying your posts, which help me relive that great cruise from last year.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wonderful report.

[JimnKaren]

We did this in 2013. You might meet up with Bert and Renee from Florida. If you do, pass along our good wishes.

 

Jim (of Jim and Karen)

[ffgjo]

Wondering what (if any) changes in your itinerary are being made after the terrorists attacks in Paris last night. We know HAL will alter your route and scheduled ports if they deem there is any danger.

[sansterre]

The 3 Canary Islands ports were great and the weather was perfect. I am attaching photos of the last two islands - Grand Canary and Fuerteventura. Although many European cruise ships frequent this port, we were the first American cruise ship to visit Fuerteventura where goat farms, aloe vera, dunes and beaches are the main events. Last year we stopped at Arrecife which, in my mind, remains the more interesting with the semi-active volcano, camel rides, and unusual landscape.

 

Today we had a great time in Tangier. Since we toured Tangier last year, we took a HAL excursion to Asiliah. Beautiful blue skies all day should provide some good photos. I’ll post them tomorrow.

I will also answer some questions and greet Bert and Ernie who we remember from last year's Atlantic Adventure. We actually played pub trivia with them last night and with Nan, who Nanner will remember. So far we have only won once at night and once during the day trivia but we have a good group of 6 during the day. At night we just sit down and play with whoever else is looking for more on a team:)

[Lady Chew]

Although many European cruise ships frequent this port, we were the first American cruise ship to visit Fuerteventura where goat farms, aloe vera, dunes and beaches are the main events. )

 

Do you mean the first American ship in 2015? or this season? We visited Fuerteventura in 2011 on HAL Prinsendam ... we had a wonderful day exploring ...

Edited November 15, 2015 by Lady Chew

[sansterre]

Do you mean the first American ship in 2015? or this season? We visited Fuerteventura in 2011 on HAL Prinsendam ... we had a wonderful day exploring ...

Hmmmm, I will let the CD know. He reported that we were the first ever - at least that is the way I heard it. No doubt, we were the first American cruise ship of the season! Thanks for clarifying that fact!

[sansterre]

Steak Diane is not on the menu at the PInnacle. However, it was the special for our first two visits there. I “hear” that it may be on the menu in the near future. The cellermaster is a wonderful young man from Argentina named Andre Bogota (spelling is just a guess!). However, he will be leaving us in Rome. Also leaving us in Barcelona is Andreas in charge of all culinary activity on board (and many of us recall him as an excellent chef on past HAL cruises).

Here are some photos of Tangier and Asilah. The golf course stop was for tea and cookies and restroom - a lovely clubhouse, etc. The shopping was all in Tangier souks after our bus ride to Asilah.

Yesterday we had a quiet day in Almeria. Today we are arriving in Valencia. Still great sunny weather tho temperatures are cooler.

[Nanner]

Looks like a great trip so far! I do think our CC gang from last year was the best group we've traveled with. Please give our regards to Bert, Renee and Nan. It's probably just as well that you aren't raking up all the wins in trivia this time out:p

 

Enjoying the photos. Someday I'd love to see Madiera, and appreciated your comments about Fuenteventura, too. I do love how HAL likes to change up the itineraries a bit, so that you don't do the exact same thing, even 2 years in a row.

[tjcox9]

Do you mean the first American ship in 2015? or this season? We visited Fuerteventura in 2011 on HAL Prinsendam ... we had a wonderful day exploring ...

 

I think perhaps we were on the same crossing, May 2011.......the island we visited was Terceira, the port was Praia da Vitoria. Haven't seen this on another itinerary since.