Just Back From The Lovely Statendam

[Chivalrygirl]

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?

 

I think he was on a different ship to the one I was on, the plumbing problems were very real for some people on main deck, port side was the biggest problems even up on the verandah deck. Maybe people in deluxe veranda suites get looked after just a mite better than folk on lower decks. For some folk it was very much a day to day problem and was never fully resolved.

[boards]

I hope that the problem was resolved, not only for ourselves on the Nov. 24, the cruise before us, as well and forever. We have been very fortunate on the cruises we been on not to have had a real problem of that kind. I hope it isn't about to happen now. Most reviews we have read report their cruises have gone well on the Statendam for the most part. Its a long way to travel to end up with sewage problems.

[RevNeal]

I think he was on a different ship to the one I was on, the plumbing problems were very real for some people on main deck, port side was the biggest problems even up on the verandah deck. Maybe people in deluxe veranda suites get looked after just a mite better than folk on lower decks. For some folk it was very much a day to day problem and was never fully resolved.

 

No, Captain Stephen Card (Prinsendam) was on the Statendam for that cruise. The difference in experiences just goes to show that different people, lodged in different cabins, can have different experiences on the very same ship ... and that one person (or even some people's) problems are not always reflective of the experience of all the passengers on the entire ship.

 

Oh, and one should remember that Captain Card is exceedingly experienced when it comes to cruising in general and damships in particular. In case you're not aware, he's the nautical artist who has painted so many of the glorious damship paintings you'll find in the forward stairwells throughout the fleet.

[Chivalrygirl]

I hope that the problem was resolved, not only for ourselves on the Nov. 24, the cruise before us, as well and forever. We have been very fortunate on the cruises we been on not to have had a real problem of that kind. I hope it isn't about to happen now. Most reviews we have read report their cruises have gone well on the Statendam for the most part. Its a long way to travel to end up with sewage problems.

I think that is what the two Kiwi women I got to know thought also as they trudged nightly to public toilets, one of them also had a medical problem and should never have been put in this position. Very rough for people that had also gone a long way from home to cruise. I suggested to them that they give the Hotel Manager constant visits but not everyone has that sort of personality which to my mind makes the problem even worse.

We were all on the ship for a long time and we all had gripes of one sort or another. I think if HAL wants to cruise in the South Pacific they need to train their senior personnel the decencies of the region, the Cruise Director and the Captain both dropped a huge gaffe in Apia, Samoa, I am still waiting for an answer as to how this could happen from my formal complaint, the chocs were very nice that were delivered to the cabin but the ultimate response amounted to zilch.

However on the whole she is a lovely old lady and I am sure you will just love your 14 day cruise, the coast of NZ is really something special, just pray for good weather its been not so hot since we arrived back.

[Chivalrygirl]

I hope that the problem was resolved, not only for ourselves on the Nov. 24, the cruise before us, as well and forever. We have been very fortunate on the cruises we been on not to have had a real problem of that kind. I hope it isn't about to happen now. Most reviews we have read report their cruises have gone well on the Statendam for the most part. Its a long way to travel to end up with sewage problems.

I think that is what the two Kiwi women I got to know thought also as they trudged nightly to public toilets, one of them also had a medical problem and should never have been put in this position. Very rough for people that had also gone a long way from home to cruise. I suggested to them that they give the Hotel Manager constant visits but not everyone has that sort of personality which to my mind makes the problem even worse.

We were all on the ship for a long time and we all had gripes of one sort or another. I think if HAL wants to cruise in the South Pacific they need to train their senior personnel the decencies of the region, the Cruise Director and the Captain both dropped a huge gaffe in Apia, Samoa, I am still waiting for an answer as to how this could happen from my formal complaint, the chocs were very nice that were delivered to the cabin but the ultimate response amounted to zilch.

However on the whole she is a lovely old lady and I am sure you will just love your 14 day cruise, the coast of NZ is really something special, just pray for good weather its been not so hot since we arrived back.

[Sherry H]

I was on the Statendam from Vancouver (Sept.29) to Auckland (Oct 27). Where there sewage problems! Yes!! We had none in our room but talked to many who did have issues. Occasional sewage smells around the ship.I saw many signs they were trying hard to solve the problem.

 

I must say, this was my least favorite Holland cruise. Why??

1. Replacing those partitions on the verandas was extremely loud!! At times I felt like I lived in a construction zone! This was done on "at sea" days. I know many folks in the library complained and they then seemed to limit the number of hours per day.

2. Tender in Lahaina, Hawaii was the worst I have ever experienced. Three hours to go ashore, hour and half to get back. Don't feel the long wait was Hollands fault but, after you got your tender ticket,you were made to wait in the theater until your number was called. In the past we have been allowed to wait in a more comfortable (theater was crowded and cold) spot until your number was called over the P.A. system.

3. We had dinner at 6:15 and many nights when we went to the VanGogh theater for the show, there were very few seats left. They had activities prior to our show time (bingo, games, etc.) and people seemed to just stay and keep their seats. I know "some" of these activities could have been held in a different spot or at least scheduled a little earlier so people would have been encouraged to "move on".

4. Last but not least, I have never been anywhere with some many grouchy nasty people!!!! I think they were all gathered from the same spot and placed on our ship (ha)!

Final thoughts:

Will I use Holland again? Of course, I love Holland!!!

Think I just had "One of Those Trips". Know we've all had them.

By the way, we made some wonderful lasting friendships. Just had to avoid way too many of those "other" people.

[Chivalrygirl]

I was on the Statendam from Vancouver (Sept.29) to Auckland (Oct 27). Where there sewage problems! Yes!! We had none in our room but talked to many who did have issues. Occasional sewage smells around the ship.I saw many signs they were trying hard to solve the problem.

 

I must say, this was my least favorite Holland cruise. Why??

1. Replacing those partitions on the verandas was extremely loud!! At times I felt like I lived in a construction zone! This was done on "at sea" days. I know many folks in the library complained and they then seemed to limit the number of hours per day.

2. Tender in Lahaina, Hawaii was the worst I have ever experienced. Three hours to go ashore, hour and half to get back. Don't feel the long wait was Hollands fault but, after you got your tender ticket,you were made to wait in the theater until your number was called. In the past we have been allowed to wait in a more comfortable (theater was crowded and cold) spot until your number was called over the P.A. system.

3. We had dinner at 6:15 and many nights when we went to the VanGogh theater for the show, there were very few seats left. They had activities prior to our show time (bingo, games, etc.) and people seemed to just stay and keep their seats. I know "some" of these activities could have been held in a different spot or at least scheduled a little earlier so people would have been encouraged to "move on".

4. Last but not least, I have never been anywhere with some many grouchy nasty people!!!! I think they were all gathered from the same spot and placed on our ship (ha)!

Final thoughts:

Will I use Holland again? Of course, I love Holland!!!

Think I just had "One of Those Trips". Know we've all had them.

By the way, we made some wonderful lasting friendships. Just had to avoid way too many of those "other" people.

 

Gosh Sherry you actually were on the same cruise as us, sadly our first HAL cruise and as far as my DH is concerned probably our last. I think your well put comment on #4 says it all, that is what probably upset us the most and left a lasting nasty taste in our mouths, where the hec did they all come from? We luckily enough had a well placed cabin on the lower prom deck and ended up spending probably too much time there watching some of the nasties walk by. On reflection it was a really good spot for a long cruise.

 

Tender problems yeeks, why take a vessel into a tender port in the afternoon anyways, whoever arranged that timetable should be shot. I knew what the end result would be that day and we made sure we were on the very first tender we could get on knowing the chances of us ever getting back to Maui are very limited and we were quickly going to run out of daylight. At the next tender port I was politely told by the cruise guy handing out the tickets that I was lucky I got ashore as he did not, wow, you should have seen my blood pressure rise..............I did note that he was taken off that job at the next tender port.

 

I did enjoy the ship itself though and think the crew were just amazing and super people and I really do love being at sea. Like you we also met some really neat people and look forward hopefully to visiting with some in Toronto next year.

[PRINSENDAM]

I

We were all on the ship for a long time and we all had gripes of one sort or another.

 

 

I think if HAL wants to cruise in the South Pacific they need to train their senior personnel the decencies of the region, the Cruise Director and the Captain both dropped a huge gaffe in Apia, Samoa,

 

quote]

 

 

Chivalrygirl,

 

I'm sorry that you experience was below standard. Mine certainly wasn't. Of the people that I spoke to there were no gripes at all... unless you can say "cruise too short" is a legitimite gripe! ;)

 

 

What did captain and cruise director do in Apia?

 

Stephen

[PRINSENDAM]

I was on the Statendam from Vancouver (Sept.29) to Auckland (Oct 27). Where there sewage problems! Yes!! We had none in our room but talked to many who did have issues. Occasional sewage smells around the ship.I saw many signs they were trying hard to solve the problem.

 

 

 

Sherry..... in response to your above. The last sentence is what counts.

 

 

 

 

I must say, this was my least favorite Holland cruise. Why??

1. Replacing those partitions on the verandas was extremely loud!! At times I felt like I lived in a construction zone! This was done on "at sea" days. I know many folks in the library complained and they then seemed to limit the number of hours per day.

 

 

This a safety issue because some idiot threw a cigarette over the side on a Princess ship which resulted in a serious fire. I also had the partitions replaced on my balcony. It was no more than a very minor inconvenience and certainly far from being a 'construction zone'. There were no more than half a dozen partitions on Veranda Deck above the Library. The work didn't last that long... a couple of days at most. How long did the complainers sit in the library? All day? I doubt it. Wouldn't it have been easier to just sit somewhere else for a while if they thought the noise was so bad. This work was being done for the safety of everyone on the ship. It was no big deal.

 

 

2. Tender in Lahaina, Hawaii was the worst I have ever experienced. Three hours to go ashore, hour and half to get back. Don't feel the long wait was Hollands fault but, after you got your tender ticket,you were made to wait in the theater until your number was called. In the past we have been allowed to wait in a more comfortable (theater was crowded and cold) spot until your number was called over the P.A. system.

 

The call at Lahaina was totally inappropriate given the time allowed to get ashore. We should have gone strait to Honolulu and stayed there overnight. It would have made life easier. However.... I experienced no problem with tenders at all. I guess what might happen and so Ruth and I sensibly decided to stay on board!!!!

 

 

 

3. We had dinner at 6:15 and many nights when we went to the VanGogh theater for the show, there were very few seats left. They had activities prior to our show time (bingo, games, etc.) and people seemed to just stay and keep their seats. I know "some" of these activities could have been held in a different spot or at least scheduled a little earlier so people would have been encouraged to "move on".

 

 

 

I'm confused about this. The people in the seats were not there from earlier activities like bingo etc.... they were probably the early arrrivals from first sitting dinner. First sitting dinner gets first choice of seats in the lounge for the show. You can hardly expect people to 'move on' as you put it. If they wanted to see the show that is what they were doing.

 

 

 

 

4. Last but not least, I have never been anywhere with some many grouchy nasty people!!!! I think they were all gathered from the same spot and placed on our ship (ha)!

 

 

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!! It wasn't any of the people I was with!!!!! I swear!:o

 

 

 

 

Final thoughts:

Will I use Holland again? Of course, I love Holland!!!

Think I just had "One of Those Trips". Know we've all had them.

By the way, we made some wonderful lasting friendships. quote]

 

 

Sheri, this is what counts. Little things can and do happen on every single cruise. Sometimes things happen to 'us' sometimes they happen to 'others'.

If things were bad and the staff were making no attempt to fix anything then we have good cause for complaint. Nothing is ever perfect on any ship. Things go wrong and things get fixed. That is normal shipbord routine.

I must mention sewage smells. On a couple of occassions I was confronted by an 'odour'. Nasty! But is wasn't sewage.... it was vomit on the carpet. Wasn't there long but the smell lingered a bit.

Stephen

[boards]

Thank you Stephen for your encouraging words and advice. We are very much forward to our Nov. 24 cruise on the Statendam. We been on the Zaandam and Veendam and they were wonderful cruises. We are looking forward to the same on the Statendam.

[mariner]

Would seem to me the glut of Kobe beef would have offset some of the problems.

 

That conjured in my mind the NORMANDIE'S lobster overstock.

 

As to the groucy people, well, just don't sail with a certain maritime artist!

[PRINSENDAM]

Thank you Stephen for your encouraging words and advice. We are very much forward to our Nov. 24 cruise on the Statendam. We been on the Zaandam and Veendam and they were wonderful cruises. We are looking forward to the same on the Statendam.

 

 

I think you will have a great cruise. I've done the NZ to Sydney cruise... several times... including once on STATENDAM.... earlier this year.

 

If something goes wrong for you then I will take a verbal lashing when you get back top report about it.

 

If you happen to meet the Chief Officer.... Peter Cordfunke... please say hello from me. Peter is recently promoted and joined the ship in Auckland on 17th October.

 

 

As for the posting by Mariner..... if you drink lots of Dark 'n Stormy you don't get grouchy!

 

Gosling's Black Sea available on HAL ships... but you can't get bermuda ginger beer!!!! :(

 

Stephen

[mariner]

Goslings with a splash of lime can do the trick.

 

All the ginger beer is below my anchor on KUNGSHOLM!

[PRINSENDAM]

Goslings with a splash of lime can do the trick.

 

All the ginger beer is below my anchor on KUNGSHOLM!

 

 

 

Yeah... and I've been hanging around ships long enough to know the difference in the sound made by an anchor splash and the sound made by an ice cube splash!!!!! :rolleyes:

 

Stephen

[Chivalrygirl]

Sorry Stephen prefer not to discuss this in a public forum, I have already made a formal complaint and I assume that this was carried through by HAL, and the necessary apologies were sent. As you live in the region I am sure had you been present you would be very aware of the gaffe.

A lot of us had quite serious issues with the front office also, kept getting told different things most frustrating, the communication skills were very poor. I expected them to get back to me but this did not happen.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Sorry Stephen prefer not to discuss this in a public forum, I have already made a formal complaint and I assume that this was carried through by HAL, and the necessary apologies were sent. As you live in the region I am sure had you been present you would be very aware of the gaffe.

A lot of us had quite serious issues with the front office also, kept getting told different things most frustrating, the communication skills were very poor. I expected them to get back to me but this did not happen.

 

Chivalrygirl:

 

Captain Card asked you what Statendam's Captain and Cruise Director did or said in Apia, Samoa, to incur your displeasure and cause offense. He asked the question because you brought up the topic in the first place in this post. Now you say you "prefer not to discuss" the situation "in a public forum". If you proffer the explanation that you are awaiting Holland America's formal response regarding the issue, then why did you mention it here prior to resolution?

[mike35]

DW and I have followed this thread with considerable interest. We had booked the Statendam in early 2005 to sail its Hawaii itinerary. Our TA then convinced us to change to Princess' Island Princess, based on numerous complaints from their clients, especially regarding sewage problems! So here we are, after HA's "Signature of Excellence" program and almost two years later and what do I read? More sewage problems.

 

We are booked on the 12/22/06 New Zealand to Australia Statendam cruise, and as you can see below, this will be our first HA cruise. Our only alternative on this itinerary was the Sapphire Princess, which is way too large for our tastes. We're trying to keep an open mind, as we've never had a "never again" experience with any cruise ship. But we can certainly see where a pervasive sewage problem could make this Statendam cruise a real downer.

 

Mike

[Copper10-8]

...........IIf you happen to meet the Chief Officer.... Peter Cordfunke... please say hello from me. Peter is recently promoted and joined the ship in Auckland on 17th October...........

 

Hi Sir, any background on this gentleman (interesting last name),,,,,,,where he's from, etc.

Thank you!

When/if you start working on a painting of the Eurodam, maybe you can put the City of Rotterdam's Euromast in the background ;) :rolleyes:

[PRINSENDAM]

Hi Sir, any background on this gentleman (interesting last name),,,,,,,where he's from, etc.

 

Thank you!

 

When/if you start working on a painting of the Eurodam, maybe you can put the City of Rotterdam's Euromast in the background ;) :rolleyes:

 

 

Hi John,

 

I'm not at all certain where Peter is from. Definitely a 'Flatlander' though. I'll ask him when I see him next time STATENDAM is in Sydney.

 

He has been with HAL a long time though.... sailed with him numerous times .... mostly in the old ROTTERDAM and most recently in the AMSTERDAM.

 

 

John.... many thanks for your excellent idea of painting EURODAM coming up the Maas with Euromast.... and the Parkade. Excellent idea!!!!!

 

Hope you can see the painting one day on board and say..."that was my idea!"

 

I can see it in my mind's eye right now..... bright blue summer sky with lots of small clouds.... that nice brown/green river water... lots of green trees on the Parkade.... John riding down one of stay wires from the observation platform on Euromast...;)

 

 

Will be complete early next year!

 

 

Stephen

[obriendan]

And here's a picture for reference:D (Maasdam coming up the Maas early morning on August 2, 2006).

[roberts2005]

Anyone out there who just got off the Statendam in Sydney last week. She just finished her first two week run, Auckland to Sydney

[AAAAmerican]

Thanks. My heart always beats faster when something so beautiful is seen by me..

 

If only they had a Lek Dam too on the River Lek in Gelderland..

 

No there is no Gelderland Dam yet...**S**

 

Not even a dike there...

 

 

And here's a picture for reference:D (Maasdam coming up the Maas early morning on August 2, 2006).

[AAAAmerican]

Will the Holland American Line, Inc. through its Corporate Parent CCL:NYSE and CUK:LSE finally do what is very profitable and well ..filling up the ships from NYC/NJ to Bermuda (.BM) Again?

 

This is the most profitable run for Cruise lines..., as well tax advantages exist as well can be worked through too..

 

Why let the business go to a Asian firm mostly, STAR ?

 

Even naming a smaller less costly ship the HamiltonDam.. the St GeorgesDam, NavyDam...etc...

 

Royal Carribean RCL:NYSE is now going to go to Bermuda 12 Months a year..Why not HAL?... ((\;)/))

[PRINSENDAM]

And here's a picture for reference:D (Maasdam coming up the Maas early morning on August 2, 2006).

 

 

Well done!!!!

 

That is exactly the kind of view I am thinking about. Excellent reference picture. Many thanks!

 

Will have to include one of the Spido excursion boats, a Hotel New York water taxi.... one of the black & yellow Rotterdam port authority tugs....

Hmmmmmmmmm... will make a nice painting for sure.

 

Thanks guys.

 

Stephen

[obriendan]

It would be great to include a Spido boat, a HNY taxi, and a yellow tug, but would it be complete without the Eramusbrug and the Hoyel New York? My this will be a cluttered painting.:D