Live From The Maasdam

[advocado]

The Maasdam is nice. Really nice. It has an intimate feel. It’s kind of like comfort food. As we approach the Windward Straits between Cuba and Haiti on our way to Cartagena, you know you are on a ship. It has a slight sway and a pleasing, low rumble from the engines. I never felt that on the Noordam. Embarkation in Ft. Lauderdale on Friday took all of five minutes (12:30). We were escorted to the Neptune Lounge where the concierge greeted us by name (!). She checked to see whether the cabin was ready. It was. We left our hand carry and proceeded to the Lido for lunch. Returning to our cabin, we were greeted by our steward. As I handed him $20, I mentioned how grateful we would be if we could get all of our luggage quickly so as to be unpacked by the muster drill. He took off and returned a short while later with all the luggage. At 5:00 p.m. sharp, the ships horn let loose and we were away for 15 days of sun, fun and adventure through the Panama Canal

As many have commented, the passenger demographic is older. No children and very few under 50. Not a problem for us though my DW is far younger than most. The older passengers tell all the great stories.

At the suite passengers cocktail, we met most of the ship’s senior officers and dining and hotel managers. Captain Vincent Smit is warm and engaging and… he shook our hand! In fact, all of the staff shook hands with the passengers. While Purell abounds, norovirus is nowhere to be found. The warm, personal greeting was a nice touch.

7:00 a.m. arrival at HMC. You can set your watch by this captain’s ability to adhere to his schedule!

We got the Yellow Cabana and the Butler Package. We asked to be met at 9:30 and promptly at that time our butler, Jerry knocked on our door and escorted us to the cabana. He carried everything, hailed the bus at the landing and coddled us for the next six hours. There’s something quite sinful and delicious about sipping champagne from a crystal glass on the beach. M only complaint…too much food. Everything was delicious, but it arrived relentlessly. Lobster sandwiches, shrimp brochette, gaspachio, crudites. Alcohol is included (a couple of pina coladas in between the food train). We asked Jerry to stretch out the time between courses by about an hour, and of course, he obliged. Yes, it’s an expensive luxury but worth every dime. For the memory alone.

The food in the main dining room is good. Not great, but no real complaints either. Service is excellent. In fact, throughout the ship, the service is excellent. Friendliest crew we have ever sailed with. They all take great pride in working aboard the Maasdam and when you tell them how wonderful their ship is, they literally beam with delight.

Ok, the sun is rising and the cappuccino is calling. More to follow...

[catl331]

Thanks for your comments on the Maasdam. Looking forward to more info about your cruise. We will be doing the same route in April on Amsterdam. Catch ya on the Pancanal webcam this week. Enjoy!:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for reporting in with a Live report.

[earl_m]

Glad everything is going well.

[sail7seas]

Advocado..... You have made my day! To hear you are enjoying the beautiful Maasdam so much and appreciating her fabulous crew the way you obviously are is such a pleasure. I hope every single minute aboard is a delight for you.

 

Thanks for breaking away to share your cruise us. Continue to enjoy!

 

[cruz chic]

Thank you for your live posts. I'll be going on the Maasdam in April so this is of interest to me.

[Two if by Sea]

Thanks for the reports. I am SO looking forward to our turn this summer.

[PHYLLISR]

We just returned from 10 glorious days on Maasdam. This cruise was flawless! Our 15th cruise and by far our favorite so far.

Phyllis

[LUV2CRUZalso]

Thanks for the "live" update!!!!!:) :) I am usually sooo busy enjoying that I can't sit down at a keyboard. We will be travelling on the Maasdam in April - our third HAL cruise. We loved the size of her sister ship, the Veendam and look forward to it again after two cruises on larger vessels (Oosterdam and Celebrity Infinity). Enjoy your cruise!!!!!:cool: :cool:

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Oh My how you describe everything sounds so sinfully wonderful:D Sounds like you are enjoying every second. Thanks for reporting in.

Tom and I am are looking forward to the Maasdam's arrival in San Diego and will be up at 5 AM Thanks to my friend Copper taking pictures of your arrival into San Diego from our room at the Holiday Inn :)

[hyperplanner]

Sending you warm blessings for a healthy and happy remainder of your trip!!:)

NOW I am getting so Excited:D

I really am so appreciative of this review, DH and I will be on the Maasdam on March 25th on our first Hal cruise. I am so sincerely happy for you and yours:D

[DFD1]

Great report. Fun to read. We love the Maasdam,too!

[casavaha]

Avocado:

Have enjoyed your report. We will be on the Maasdam this coming

Christmas.

How is the music in the Ocean Bar and Crows Nest? We do not go to

shows but rather like to dance.

Also, do you have live music at sailaway?

The food is what it is, but service and attitude is important.

 

Thanks,

Greg

[AECrowell]

thank you for posting LIVE from the Maasdam! It was wonderful to read about your adventures. We board as you (sadly) disembark and, believe me, your words have us even more eager for our cruise to begin!

[margretha]

Avacado,

We are booked on the Maasdam for the Viking cruise and are wondering about rooms near the bridge. DH fears bridge will block any view. balcony. Is your room anywhere near that area? Grateful for ANY info which will calm pacing husband. Have asked on other threads but weeks later = no response. So glad to hear lack of odors and other weird things reported earlier by others. margretha

[advocado]

Long, languid days at sea are the best. Sunrise, second day of sailing toward Cartagena. I’m getting into the rhythm of the cruise, sleeping later and later each morning. The Massdam is in excellent ship shape. No a/c problems, no plumbing complaints and no “odors” (excluding, of course, the art auctioneer). I have seen no evidence of tired carpets or items of too long delayed deferred maintenance. A number of the crew is now on a first name basis with us and the yum-yum man is truly amazing. On the first night he asked our names. Every night thereafter as he hands us our mints, he greets us by name. How does he do that?!!

Last night was the Captain’s Gala. First formal night and about 60% of the men were in tuxedos. Everyone else pretty much wore appropriate dark suits. The woman all looked great. A feast for the eyes. The food was excellent. Many had the surf and turf. We opted for the medallions of veal with porcini mushrooms and asked for the lobster tail as our first course. Don’t ask about the big room entertainment. It’s not our thing and we don’t see the shows. We prefer a post dinner drink in the piano bar. Yum… there’s that cappuccino calling again. More to follow.

[advocado]

Long, languid days at sea are the best. Sunrise, second day of sailing toward Cartagena. I’m getting into the rhythm of the cruise, sleeping later and later each morning. The Massdam is in excellent ship shape. No a/c problems, no plumbing complaints and no “odors” (excluding, of course, the art auctioneer). I have seen no evidence of tired carpets or items of too long delayed deferred maintenance. A number of the crew is now on a first name basis with us and the yum-yum man is truly amazing. On the first night he asked our names. Every night thereafter as he hands us our mints, he greets us by name. How does he do that?!!

Last night was the Captain’s Gala. First formal night and about 60% of the men were in tuxedos. Everyone else pretty much wore appropriate dark suits. The woman all looked great. A feast for the eyes. The food was excellent. Many had the surf and turf. We opted for the medallions of veal with porcini mushrooms and asked for the lobster tail as our first course. Don’t ask about the big room entertainment. It’s not our thing and we don’t see the shows. We prefer a post dinner drink in the piano bar. Yum… there’s that cappuccino calling again. More to follow.

[advocado]

Avacado,

We are booked on the Maasdam for the Viking cruise and are wondering about rooms near the bridge. DH fears bridge will block any view. balcony. Is your room anywhere near that area? Grateful for ANY info which will calm pacing husband. Have asked on other threads but weeks later = no response. So glad to hear lack of odors and other weird things reported earlier by others. margretha

Well, we are on the Navigation Deck (10) midship. The bridge is also on the this deck. There are no cabins floors above us and the only thing the bridge blocks is a small bit of straight ahead view. Unless you want to see everything that is directly in front of you, the bridge doesn't block a thing.

[margretha]

Advocado,

Thank you so much. We are in the S room that, according to deck plans, is next to the bridge so all we are hoping for is being able to sit and look out straight onto the water. Thank you for the instant feedback and good descriptions of dress options. You can look and look at brochures and pore over the deck plans but until they post samples of individual cabins it will always be exciting to see what you actually get. Have a safe, calm trip and thank you again. margretha:cool:

[GmaPajama]

... and no “odors” (excluding, of course, the art auctioneer) ...

Good one! You've got me grinning. Thanks for doing this Live From - it's the next best thing to being there.

[dchip]

I am so excited every time I read your posts!! I board the Maasdam on 3/15 and I can't wait. It will be my second time on this wonderful ship in 4 months. I have never cruised so close together before!! I loved the Maasdam in November and am looking forward to cruising her again.

 

Cheers and Happy Days, Denise

[advocado]

Monday -- Awoke to gunpowder clouds that seemed swollen with rain. Not so. Just the sun low in the east. The sun was in and out of the clouds, shining one minute, hidden the next. The color of the sea changed with the sun, now gray-green, now deep blue. A lone frigate bird has been doing lazy eights off the port side since late Sunday while we were still 200 hundred miles from land. He’s clearly a type “A” personality. Hoping for that one scrap of food left behind. We were invited to cocktails and dining with the Culinary Operations Manager, Craig Oakes.He’s from London, England. He’s got a great life story and is the perfect host. We sat down at 8:30 and didn’t get up from the table until 11:30 when we noticed some of the waiters nodding off. One of the suite perks is the hot hors d’oeuvres. We have a standing order every day at 5:00. You can set your watch by the knock on the door. We enjoy these snacks with our evening cocktail as the sun sets. This cruising thing can become addictive! The food in the main dining room has improved with each passing day. I think I’m gaining a pound a day. I’m forcing myself up to the gym every morning – not that it really means a thing. But, it FEELS like I’m doing the right thing. Tuesday – When we we docked in Cartagena we were met at the gangway by Lee Miles, an American ex-patriot who offers private drivers/tours at a reasonable price. Learned of him through CC’ers. He provided us with a car, driver and wonderful guide, Martine. He loves his city and was a font of knowledge and trivia. He took us to places the group tours could not. Highly recommend booking through Lee and be certain to request Martine (destinationcartagena.com). Tonight is the Master Chef’s Dinner. DW states were going, so we’re going. Tomorrow, the Panama Canal. For me, that’s what this cruise is all about. Stay tuned.

[advocado]

How is the music in the Ocean Bar and Crows Nest? We do not go to

shows but rather like to dance.

Also, do you have live music at sailaway?

The food is what it is, but service and attitude is important.

 

Thanks,

 

The music in all the venues has been very good. Much more polished than on the Noordam last May/June. Couples dance in the Ocean Bar. The Piano Bar is fun and convivial. In the Explorer's Lounge a string quartet plays every evening (Vivaldi, etc). Good gig for aspiring classical musicians. The "HALCATS" play from 1:00 to 3:00 at the Lido Pool. Jazz band played during the Sail Away. Music, good music, abounds.

[casavaha]

Thanks avocado for the info regarding music. We will be on the Maasdam

over the Christmas and New Years Holidays.

 

 

Greg

[advocado]

Pre-dawn. Awake at 4:30. I haven’t been this excited since I was a young boy getting up before the Sun knowing I was going to Disneyland. After our morning coffee and Panama Rolls, we were on deck by 5:45. So were a lot of other passengers. We selected the small forward deck on Deck 11, in front of the gym. Fewest people were there and the view was superb. As were approached the Canal entrance, it was bounded on either side by red and green lights. In the time before the first light of the day began to creep over us, this approach reminded me of an airport runway. By 6:45, every passenger was out and space at the rail could be auctioned off for a hefty sum. Then the drama of the passage began. The pilots and speaker board, the tug pulls aside. We are assigned the left lock and watched as the lines are thrown from the ship to catchers who secure them to the little electric locomotives (“mules”). These don’t tow the ship but guide it so as not to strike the sides of the locks. A bell rings and then the lock gates open and we glide through. The gates close behind us and the chamber fills with water, lifting us 27 feet. We are on our third Panama Roll. By now, the Sun is up. The sky is clear with white puffy clouds. Low humidity and unlimited visibility. In about an hour we were lifted 85 feet through the three Gatun Locks and then we slid into Gatun Lake and past the Gatun Dam that makes this all possible. This technology, which is almost one hundred years old, is truly amazing. It WAS the Moon Shot of its day. It is said that the Canal could not be built today to work any more efficiently than the day it opened in 1914. As I’m writing this, we are slowly passing through the Lake, looking at the many islands, covered in thick jungle. People are quiet. Everyone is just taking it in.

By 12:30 we were passing Gamboa and heading into the Gaillard Cut. The Sun was high in the sky and unrelentingly hot. People were wilting. Still, DW and I couldn’t take our eyes off this engineering marvel. Contractor’s Hill. Gold Hill. The Centennial Bridge. Passing ships, including a Dole banana boat. After a while we were in Pedro Miguel Locks where we descended 31 feet in a single passage. You could see that. You could feel that (I recommend the lower decks when passing through the locks – you get more of a sense of what’s going on). Soon at Miraflores Locks. By this time we were back on our verandah to escape the direct sun. A couple of hundred or so tourists were in the Miraflores Visitor’s Center and they cheered and waved at us as we were passing by. Nice and fun. By 5:00 p.m. were we passing under the Bridge Of The Americas with the Panama City in the distance. Big, with many tall buildings hugging the water. The sun is low now and the clouds change their colors every few moments. I’m pooped. Twelve hours of high adrenalin and fantastical sights. Tonight … I’ll sleep.