jhannah
September 15th, 2010, 07:19 AM
We sailed from Boston to Montreal starting September 4th. I'm not going to write a full-blown review, but thought I'd share a few thoughts.
First, we had a great time. Love the beauty of the Canadian Maritimes. The Maasdam worked well. We heard of a plumbing issue from one fellow passenger, but everything was fine in our cabin on the navigation deck, starboard side.
We had a bit of fun after leaving Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. While approaching the entry to the St. Lawrence Seaway during the late evening, we encountered very rough seas. It was hold-onto-your-bed-so-you-don't-roll-off rough. The captain told us next morning that two weather fronts converged. (A third one would replicate "The Perfect Storm.) 30 knot winds were forecast. The Maasdam was buffeted by 60 knot winds. (That's about 69 MPH.) 10-12 meter waves were the rule for about 5 hours. I broke out the Bonine this time! All was well, though. No damage was seen or reported.
This was our first experience with anytime dining, and I must say it worked out well for us. We went in around 6:00 p.m. and never had a wait. Enjoyed meeting new people, although I was getting tired of hearing myself repeat information every night. Would not want anytime dining on a longer cruise.
We were invited to participate in a focus group meeting with the hotel manager Cees Tesselaar, cruise director Linda Minnikin (she is fabulous,) and two other staff members. Nothing significant came out of it. Cees noted that during next April's dry dock all bathrooms are going to be retiled, and staterooms are getting new soft goods. (He said "software," but most of us think of something else when that word is used. :) ) Lanai cabins will be installed on the promenade deck. Another one of the guests mentioned the condition of Maasdam's windows, and Cees said the windows will be done, too. And the escalators to nowhere are being removed.
One thing I offered was that I hoped Holland America would not continue to dumb down their product in an effort to attract discount store cruisers. I said that I personally didn't want to pay Silversea prices for their sort of experience, but neither was I looking for a $300-a-week cruise experience. I asked them to continue a high-quality product and price it as needed to maintain it.
I also gave my impression that service levels overall have deteriorated over the last 10 years or so. Cees responded by saying that HAL is offering passengers much more these days: Canaletto, Pinnacle Grill, anytime dining, etc., and that it's all being done with the same staffing levels. I said, "Yes. And it shows."
Would I sail Maasdam again? Certainly. She's an elegant ship, and her size is in the "just right" category. (I did miss the mid-ship elevators, though.)
First, we had a great time. Love the beauty of the Canadian Maritimes. The Maasdam worked well. We heard of a plumbing issue from one fellow passenger, but everything was fine in our cabin on the navigation deck, starboard side.
We had a bit of fun after leaving Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. While approaching the entry to the St. Lawrence Seaway during the late evening, we encountered very rough seas. It was hold-onto-your-bed-so-you-don't-roll-off rough. The captain told us next morning that two weather fronts converged. (A third one would replicate "The Perfect Storm.) 30 knot winds were forecast. The Maasdam was buffeted by 60 knot winds. (That's about 69 MPH.) 10-12 meter waves were the rule for about 5 hours. I broke out the Bonine this time! All was well, though. No damage was seen or reported.
This was our first experience with anytime dining, and I must say it worked out well for us. We went in around 6:00 p.m. and never had a wait. Enjoyed meeting new people, although I was getting tired of hearing myself repeat information every night. Would not want anytime dining on a longer cruise.
We were invited to participate in a focus group meeting with the hotel manager Cees Tesselaar, cruise director Linda Minnikin (she is fabulous,) and two other staff members. Nothing significant came out of it. Cees noted that during next April's dry dock all bathrooms are going to be retiled, and staterooms are getting new soft goods. (He said "software," but most of us think of something else when that word is used. :) ) Lanai cabins will be installed on the promenade deck. Another one of the guests mentioned the condition of Maasdam's windows, and Cees said the windows will be done, too. And the escalators to nowhere are being removed.
One thing I offered was that I hoped Holland America would not continue to dumb down their product in an effort to attract discount store cruisers. I said that I personally didn't want to pay Silversea prices for their sort of experience, but neither was I looking for a $300-a-week cruise experience. I asked them to continue a high-quality product and price it as needed to maintain it.
I also gave my impression that service levels overall have deteriorated over the last 10 years or so. Cees responded by saying that HAL is offering passengers much more these days: Canaletto, Pinnacle Grill, anytime dining, etc., and that it's all being done with the same staffing levels. I said, "Yes. And it shows."
Would I sail Maasdam again? Certainly. She's an elegant ship, and her size is in the "just right" category. (I did miss the mid-ship elevators, though.)