Just Back From The Lovely Statendam

[kakalina]

Sir Stephen:

 

Thank you so much for defending the honor of my Statendam. She is our favorite ship of the line ( I guess you always have a soft spot for your first).

 

We look forward to and always have received the best in service and ambiance on board her.

 

Welcome home and good to see you on CC again.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU STEPHEN

[obriendan]

Thanks for the great review. We sail on the Statendam from Sydney to Osaka starting on March 2nd. Really looking forward to visiting Sydney again. After the recent negative review, your review is reassuring that the Statendam is still the lovely S class HAL ship that we’ve learned to love!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I too will echo Trisha's Happy Birthday:)

Happy Birthday Stephen!!!

Although your B-Day is about over down under being a day ahead.

[bepsf]

HUh???

B'day?

 

Happy Dam Birthday, Stephen!

[hammybee]

One the morning we were docking in SF Ruth and I were out on the balcony. The pax in the cabin next door came out onto their balcony chatting loudly. I guess they must have been new to the balcony because they were talking rather loudly not thinking that some other pax might be on the other side of the divider. Suddenly the husband "let one rip" (ain't going to spell it out for you). Without thinking I called out,

" NICE ONE! WANT A PIECE OF PAPER?" I swear, we never saw them or heard a peep out of them for the rest of the cruise!!!!!!

 

Stephen

Alternatively,

" Could you repeat that, please". :)

[Wini18]

I also will wish you a Happy Birthday, Stephen. We will be doing the same cruise from the US to NZ in 2007 and am so relieved that the Statendam is still wonderful. We have sailed on her twice before and love her, so we were upset to hear the negative comments, but feel better now.

 

I am intrigued by your art and would love to see some of it. Is there a link on the web that shows some of your works? :rolleyes:

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I am intrigued by your art and would love to see some of it. Is there a link on the web that shows some of your works? :rolleyes:

 

Yes, here is a site which you may enjoy.:)

[dougnewmanatsea]

And here is even more of Stephen's art, which you can buy :) !

 

And yes, Happy Birthday Stephen!!!

[Copper10-8]

And here is even more of Stephen's art, which you can buy :) !

 

And yes, Happy Birthday Stephen!!!

 

Aber lieber Doug, wo ist dan die kunst?/But dear Doug, where is the art? Maybe just me, but I got some nice pics about a ship called the Alexander von Homebuilt with a bunch of text in German. Not that that is germain to the situation ;)

[hammybee]

Yes, here is a site which you may enjoy.:)

 

Thank you Karin.

[hammybee]

And here is even more of Stephen's art, which you can buy :) !

 

And yes, Happy Birthday Stephen!!!

 

Neat link but what does it have to do with Stephen's art?

[hammybee]

Aber lieber Doug, wo ist dan die kunst?/But dear Doug, where is the art? Maybe just me, but I got some nice pics about a ship called the Alexander von Homebuilt with a bunch of text in German. Not that that is germain to the situation ;)

 

Sorry Copper10. Our paths crossed.

[Copper10-8]

Sorry Copper10. Our paths crossed.

 

No biggie!;)

 

Here is one more link with Prinsendam's (Captain Card's) art:

http://www.wocls.org/prints.htm

[Cruising Illini]

Thanks for your super interesting report. I have a copy of the 1999 HAL calendar with your paintings and still prize it.

 

We have friends taking the Statendam for the early November sailing & so pleased to hear you enjoyed the ship again. We just finished our 301 HAL sailing but have not had the energy to fly as far as you homeland yet -- maybe some day.

 

Thanks again for the wonderful "story" of your adventures. Cruising Illini

[Sunshine91]

Beautiful, beautiful paintings. Hope to own one someday. Thanks everyone for the links.

Stephen - Happy birthday!

[dougnewmanatsea]

Sorry for the ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT link! Nothing to do with Stephen's art, I'm afraid. I guess when I attempted to "copy" the URL for the page I wanted, it didn't copy, so when I pasted into my post above, what I pasted was the last thing I'd copied before then, which was the HUMBOLDT page.

 

What I meant to post was the WOCLS link that John posted above.

 

Sorry about that!

[Copper10-8]

Sorry for the ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT link! Nothing to do with Stephen's art, I'm afraid. I guess when I attempted to "copy" the URL for the page I wanted, it didn't copy, so when I pasted into my post above, what I pasted was the last thing I'd copied before then, which was the HUMBOLDT page.

 

What I meant to post was the WOCLS link that John posted above.

 

Sorry about that!

 

No prob Doug! Good thing it was the Alexander von Humboldt;) Nice ship, BTW - no side thrusters, I take it

[clogaltocruise]

Thank you so much for the in-depth review of the Statendam. We are booked for 16 days in November 2007 from Auckland to Brisbane. We haven't yet experienced this ship. It was wonderful to read your opinion.

 

Thank you.

Kathy & Bill

[roberts2005]

Keep in touch. Might see you on board...even if only for lunch. Captain Bos is flying in to join the ship.

 

Ten years eh? Well, they are not quite the same as they used to be so you will see some changes... like the SOE upgrades. Sure the ship is not as bright as a new pin but certainly as comfortable as an old pair of loafers.

 

Stephen

 

Stephen

 

Will you be on our cruise. I am really looking forward to it. We will be in Cabin A048 on Navigation deck. Hope to meet you if your on.

 

Robert

[boards]

We are about to boarding the Statendam Nov. 24, and I just read a review printed in CC Member Reviews from someone, as near I can determine based on the shown as the date of the cruise, which make the same cruise as reported here. I wonder if any comment could be made to verify if any of this person review is near correct. We will be on the main deck near where he said there sewage problems. Did you hear of any of this type of problem?

[AAAAmerican]

As with any Ships W.C. there may be prov=blems.

 

Sometimes Cruise guests pass many things through ..and clogs occur when the items are not organic...thusly thats some of the reason for them as well items which are organic but natural to us homosapiens erectus.

 

:eek:

 

 

So yes people throw away bannanas , fruit, paper towells... cardboard etc.. metal etc...

 

And those do not go through the little vacumn holes...

 

Ask your room steward for a larger trash can if you need. They do collect a few times a day the refuse as well you may always call them if it becomes to much.

 

:cool:

 

We are about to boarding the Statendam Nov. 24, and I just read a review printed in CC Member Reviews from someone, as near I can determine based on the shown as the date of the cruise, which make the same cruise as reported here. I wonder if any comment could be made to verify if any of this person review is near correct. We will be on the main deck near where he said there sewage problems. Did you hear of any of this type of problem?

[boards]

I never said I was had a problem, I do believe I have more sense than to throw of the nature you mention (AAA) and was not asking for a method in how to avoid it. I am wondering how a report of this nature be made when we have a report on this thread that explains the early dining problem and never mentioned that there were other more serious ones. I suppose human nature is report only what immediately effects you and that may be the reason. We have been on two Hal cruises and they have been great as far as we are concerned and I can truefully say we never heard of any problems, which could the same here. O well we're going and are looking forward to wonderful cruise.

[Copper10-8]

I never said I was had a problem, I do believe I have more sense than to throw of the nature you mention (AAA) and was not asking for a method in how to avoid it. I am wondering how a report of this nature be made when we have a report on this thread that explains the early dining problem and never mentioned that there were other more serious ones. I suppose human nature is report only what immediately effects you and that may be the reason. We have been on two Hal cruises and they have been great as far as we are concerned and I can truefully say we never heard of any problems, which could the same here. O well we're going and are looking forward to wonderful cruise.

 

Hi Boards, I think that can be best described as a difference in expectations versus what was experienced. I have also read the review from that poster and his/her experience on Statendam was in stark contrast to Prinsendam's review listed above. Best advise I can give you is that when/if you encounter a perceived and/or real problem, bring it to the attention of Statendam's on-board personnel and if it is not taken care of to your satisfaction, keep on them. Here's hoping that you won't encounter any "sewage problems" - Have a great cruise!

[bepsf]

Well, when you have 1200 people aboard a ship on the same cruise, you're gonna have 1200 different experiences and 1200 different opinions on how good/bad things were, etc.

 

There is no one correct answer - its all a matter of perspective.

[Copper10-8]

Well, when you have 1200 people aboard a ship on the same cruise, you're gonna have 1200 different experiences and 1200 different opinions on how good/bad things were, etc.

 

There is no one correct answer - its all a matter of perspective.

 

You won't get any argument from me on that one! Everyone's expectations as well as perspective are different!