PHOTOS - Maasdam Canada/New England 5-31-2011

[the_woodman]

I have added a folder containg photos of the Maasdam - www.BWCruises.Shutterfly.com (http://www.BWCruises.Shutterfly.com). I hope you like them.

[TennesseeTeachers]

Thank you, leaving Mid June

Darrell Duncan

[SwissMyst]

Thanks, and what great attention to all the detail as we have long been waiting for. You really delivered the goods here. Many thanks.

Lots of nice more coordinated decor changes, the new Mix just like the recent Statendam changes with the same color and decorative schemes. I like the new hallway carpeting and most of the new carpeting throughout the ship looks like a great improvement overall - on our cruise in Jan 2009, it looked like they used an odd lot of sell-out seconds, as there was little coordination from piece to piece.

Only low point for me was losing the over-all lovely blue and gold look to the dining room (at least that is how I remembered it?)- so not sure why they kept the blue chairs but added the jarring orange/red carpet? Please tell me it looked just fine afte rall - you got some great dining room ceiling shots and the reminiscent sparkle of that room was well captured in your photos. That was one of our favorite rooms and experiences on our first HAL cruise that kept us coming back -- we love that room in the small ships.

But (gleep) those fake potted plants in the central fountain in the main dining room really have to go, as well as other spots they showed around the ship too. It didn't appear there were all the lovely fresh flower arrangements, but maybe I missed that detail. That was an expensive extra and I can see that being one of the first areas to suffer cost cutting, but it was such a gracious signature touch on HAL sips. I'll have to go back and check your photos again to see if I missed this.

But over all, particularly with the retained art and historic objects minus the canon, it looks like the good old Maasdam, which is good enough for me.
We are so looking forward to getting back on her for our first Transatlantic in Nov this year where we can wallow in all her subtle charms and charming service while we wile away our hours in the Explorations Cafe and Library for our extended days at sea. Thank goodness they did not touch that.

Great work, and you did it just right.:)

[IRL_Joanie]

I have added a folder containg photos of the Maasdam - www.BWCruises.Shutterfly.com (http://www.BWCruises.Shutterfly.com). I hope you like them.

WOW!!!! These are so awesome!!!!!!!!

Thank you for allowing us to share in your memories of her!!! Is there anyway that I can use some of the photos for the HAL Staterooms/Cabins Page for the Maasdam???

Joanie

[SF49erfan]

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing. Looking at them makes me homesick;)

[Loreto]

Great photos! The showroom looks a lot more comfortable.:)

Karen

[innlady1]

Thank you for the photos...you did a great job!

I particularly love the new hallway carpeting. And, the Showroom at Sea doesn't look as bad as I imagined it would...and you're right...it does look comfy! Also wondering about the colors in the dining room...I'll have to dig out some photos and see if I captured the carpeting in the MDR on mine!

The carpeting in the Atrium looks the same to me but I'm sure I'm wrong on that detail.

[Himself]

Nice pictures. Thank you for sharing them. I am glad they did not "Veendamize" the Maasdam.

Himself

[erewhon]

Thank you for sharing your great photos.

[mamaofami]

Thank you for those beautiful pictures we've been waiting for.Not sure I like the new look of the show room at sea. Here's a picture of the lower dining room before the dry dock.

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2569151720103118723lgCQuJ?vhost=travel

[SwissMyst]

Thank you for those beautiful pictures we've been waiting for.Not sure I like the new look of the show room at sea. Here's a picture of the lower dining room before the dry dock.

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2569151720103118723lgCQuJ?vhost=travel


Thanks for the photo -- my memory failed me about the former carpet color thinking it was blue, but at least that soft rust looks a bit more subdued than the new photos. And (groan) those darn plastic plants -- they should have ditched them when they had the chance.

But what was really special about your photo was the dress-up feeling of the whole place the formal evening you shot it with the white chair covers -- long live the Maasdasm and people who enjoy formal nights.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for sharing your pictures.

Very nice.

[kazu]

Thank you very much for these pictures. What a great selection and great shots. Gives a really good feeling for the ship and making my mouth water for our cruise in March:D

[Math Guy]

FANTASTIC !!! Thank you for this.

[Aruba]

Nice pictures. I liked the sculpture in the Atrium...it reminded me of the "Jacob's Ladder" sculpture in the Atrium of the Veendam. I haven't been on Maasdam yet -- but am counting down the days.

[fatcat04]

Thank you for sharing, what fantastic pictures. Just left her today ourselves... she is a lovely lady who has aged very well. Had a great time!! We hated to leave her and her crew so much, lots of hugs and smiles and plenty of new friends. :)

We will be posting pics and a review when we get home and I get the pics off the camera cards. Would have loved to have sailed on to Montreal but understand the decision. Mother Nature just had other plans. :(

The bus ride, at least for us, was very very uncomfortable and if that is the case on that cruise again in the future, we will happily forgo the free bus ride, rent a car, and spare ourselves the extreme discomfort.

[DutchByAssociation]

I have added a folder containg photos of the Maasdam - www.BWCruises.Shutterfly.com (http://www.BWCruises.Shutterfly.com). I hope you like them.

Fantastic photos! Thanks for sharing! Really loving the Showroom at Sea!

[Math Guy]

Fantastic photos! Thanks for sharing! Really loving the Showroom at Sea!

DBA..checked out your great website. You're right about the Canaletto. Tried it out on the Maasdam in May. Looking forward to comparing it with the Canaletto aboard the Zaandam, Sept. 25.

[ctsally]

Thanks for posting the pictures. It's reassuring to see that the aft pool has remained intact.

However, the garish colors in some areas have destroyed the special ambiance that the Maasdam had. The colors in the new Mix, to me, appear to be a mish-mash of yard sale leftovers. The bright yellow seats in the other theater are not anything I would have chosen.

Like some others have said on other forums, it's a shame that the delft tiles in the showroom have been eliminated. I prefer the showroom the way it was.

I know that some things must change (e.g. carpeting, linens, etc.), but to make such drastic changes in color and furniture style is not necessary (IMO).

At least, I am happy knowing that the staff and crew of the Maasdam is still great! :)

[travelbug4]

Your photos are FABULOUS! We just got off the same cruise so we were re-living the week through your photos!

I'm hooked! I was so impressed by the staff, the service, the ship...cruising on the Maasdam was such an amazing experience.

Everything was above and beyond. Now if they could just lower the water level in the St. Lawrence so we could make it all the way to Montreal it would be perfect.

[mamaofami]

I'm so happy to hear all the positive experiences on the Maasdam. Only 6 days to go.:) By the way, if HAL could lower that water, I'm sure they would. :D

[Math Guy]

I'm so happy to hear all the positive experiences on the Maasdam. Only 6 days to go.:) By the way, if HAL could lower that water, I'm sure they would. :D
The water level won't be reduced any time soon. The areas that empty into the St. Lawrence constitutes a fairly large area...which has been, and continues to experience abnormal amounts of rain. I was in Chicago for a week in late April, and it rained every day.
See the Watershed map which covers 1 049 621 sq. km.
http://earthtrends.wri.org/text/water-resources/map-400.html

[fatcat04]

Yes, they said at the port yesterday that 2000 homes had been flooded in the area of the river and many people have lost everything so this water will not be going anywhere for a very long time. With that in mind, I'll happily take the minor inconvience of stopping in Quebec City and needing to get to Montreal. The drive is not terribly long. BUT next time should this be the case I will know to make other arrangements, maybe rent a car, considering 2 of our party are very suceptible to car sickness and the possibility of getting sick to our stomachs all over a bus with 60 people came too close for our comfort.

[Lesinindy]

I enjoyed the photos very much. Cannot wait to get on her this December. Looks like a new ship.

[sevenseasnomad]

Lovely pics of a beautiful ship, one of our favorites, although we haven't had the pleasure of cruising on her since 2008.

Glad you had such a good cruise.

[portofrome]

Thanks for sharing your great photos.

[the_woodman]

WOW!!!! These are so awesome!!!!!!!!

Thank you for allowing us to share in your memories of her!!! Is there anyway that I can use some of the photos for the HAL Staterooms/Cabins Page for the Maasdam???

Joanie

OK with me.