jascruise
August 18th, 2004, 08:37 AM
Maasdam 8/7-8/14
We were on the Boston to Boston cruise.
Left home at 1030, arrived at the pier an hour later. Parked in the garage across the street from the terminal for $84.00 for the week. We were checked in and on board at about noon. Rooms were ready at 1:00. We were traveling with two others, who had arrived on their own.
The departure was on time.
We had the late (8:30) seating for dinner and were seated with two other couples traveling together. We had requested a round table and they had apparently found other people they wanted to sit with, so by Sunday, we were at different tables.
Sunday was an at sea day. We met our new table mates and the eight of us hit it off. We had a great time the entire week.
Monday we were in Martha's Vineyard, MA. There was quite a long wait for a tender into town. We got off the ship at about 10. As the ship was leaving at 2, there was too little time to do this visit justice. We walked through Oak Bluffs on our own. My wife is familiar with the island, having visited many times before, but I had never been there, although we live nearby on the mainland.
As for the return tenders to the ship, there was quite a line starting at about 1. The problem was apparently caused by the limited space at the town dock.
Tuesday we called at Portland, ME. It was hot! Portland is one of our favorite places and one that we visit regularly, so we went to some of our usual places. We walked around Old Port, went into some of the shops that we frequent and then had lunch at Gritty McDuff's, a local brew pub. I had a lobster roll...it was great.
Wednesday, St. John, NB. Walked into town and took a city bus to the Reversing Falls. It was interesting, but it had already peaked. We returned and did a walking tour of the historic area. This was a very nice place, one that we would want to return to again, because we didn't have nearly enough time there.
Thursady, Halifax, NS. Another of our favorites. We were, as usual, greeted by the town crier and pipes and drums. We went to the Pier 21 Immigration Museum and spent the moring there. It was informational, enlightening and very well presented. Walked the boardwalk to The Lower Deck where we had fish and chips for lunch. There was a festival going on in the boardwalk area. This was our third port visit to Halifax and each time, there's been some type of festival. Quite an active place.
Friday, Bar Harbor. Weather had turned nasty and it was pouring, so we didn't even bother to get off the ship. Our tablemates had excursions and they returned very, very wet.
Except for Friday, the weather was nice the entire week. The seas coming back to Boston Friday night were choppy, but were otherwise like glass throughout the cruise.
Disembarkation was quick and easy. Off the ship by 9:30, home by 11.
Some Random Notes:
There were a lot of families onboard, including families with young children. All were well behaved! I was impressed.
As noted elswhere on this Board, the people we encountered in Canada were exceptionally friendly and helpful. This included bus drivers, passersby and anyone else we met. We were all very impressed.
There did not seem to be any change to the quality of service on the ship, even given the recent change to the tipping policy. Wednesday afternoon, after returning from St. John, we were sitting by the pool and were overwhelmed by the bar servers hawking drinks. Very atypical.
Our room steward was very efficient. We hardly ever saw him, but he did his job quite well.
The dining room seemed to have had cutbacks in staffing. Our waiter, Riris, was exceptional. The assistant maitre d would come by frequently to help clear the table, which suggested that there was not a full compliment of waitstaff.
Food was good and well prepared. I had fish frequently during the week and each time it was well prepared and never dried out. Portions generally appeared to be smaller than in the past. For example, the New York steak and the prime rib were thin. There were exceptions, though. I had a parmesan-crusted chicken one night that had a gargantuan portion of chicken on the plate. One night's portion of salmon was very generous.
The HAL menu has undergone changes. A major disappointment was the absence of Dover Sole from the Dutch Night menu. The last formal night had surf and turf--a small filet and one lobster tail. I ate the lobster but abandoned the meat as it wasn't wonderful. Also that night, the menu featured gnocci, venison and duck. The last night's menu had meatloaf and fish and chips--not what I would call cruise fare. That same night, there was a shrimp and pasta dish which was very good. I also sampled the mushroom ravioli that was offered on Friday and it was very tasty.
It almost seems that the menu has some Celebrity-inspired additions/changes. For example, there was a pecan-crusted salmon served with a strawberry coulis and the parmesan chicken came with pesto risotto. I am always baffled by the concept of Coulis, but that's another story.
Several times we ordered cheese plates from room service as snacks. We are still waiting for our Wednesday evening order, however.
Tuesday night, there was a loud propeller noise. The next day the Captain speculated that the ship had hit a lobster pot coming out of Portland. Our room was at the extreme aft of the ship and the noise was quite pronounced during that episode. Otherwise, the room was quiet and calm.
The ship was well maintained and very clean. There were odors, however. There was a horrendous sewer-like smell on deck 11 starboard, between the Lido restaurant and the pool area. There was a sewerage odor from time to time in our hallway, as well. Toilets were out of order on two occasions, but service was rapidly restored.
Carpeting has been replaced, or is in the process of being replaced.
I am always puzzled why HAL has separate room keycards and charge cards. Also, having to carry yet another card as a safe key is cumbersome.
The salmon bake was delicious. (It was grilled, not baked, but who cares.)
Entertainment was OK. The production shows were good. The first night's comedian, Richie Minervini, was hilarious. I would have liked to seem him again, but it was a one shot deal.
The piano bar was good. (No Perry Grant, but then, who is.)
Champagne Strings were talented, although their pianist was taken off the ship in Portland, owing to illness and never returned.
We received an IOU for tiles.
All in all, we had a very nice time. We would sail on the Maasdam again, and would do this cruise again, although HAL has changed itineraries for next year and inserted a lengthy transatlantic voyage in the period where we'd be interested.
We were on the Boston to Boston cruise.
Left home at 1030, arrived at the pier an hour later. Parked in the garage across the street from the terminal for $84.00 for the week. We were checked in and on board at about noon. Rooms were ready at 1:00. We were traveling with two others, who had arrived on their own.
The departure was on time.
We had the late (8:30) seating for dinner and were seated with two other couples traveling together. We had requested a round table and they had apparently found other people they wanted to sit with, so by Sunday, we were at different tables.
Sunday was an at sea day. We met our new table mates and the eight of us hit it off. We had a great time the entire week.
Monday we were in Martha's Vineyard, MA. There was quite a long wait for a tender into town. We got off the ship at about 10. As the ship was leaving at 2, there was too little time to do this visit justice. We walked through Oak Bluffs on our own. My wife is familiar with the island, having visited many times before, but I had never been there, although we live nearby on the mainland.
As for the return tenders to the ship, there was quite a line starting at about 1. The problem was apparently caused by the limited space at the town dock.
Tuesday we called at Portland, ME. It was hot! Portland is one of our favorite places and one that we visit regularly, so we went to some of our usual places. We walked around Old Port, went into some of the shops that we frequent and then had lunch at Gritty McDuff's, a local brew pub. I had a lobster roll...it was great.
Wednesday, St. John, NB. Walked into town and took a city bus to the Reversing Falls. It was interesting, but it had already peaked. We returned and did a walking tour of the historic area. This was a very nice place, one that we would want to return to again, because we didn't have nearly enough time there.
Thursady, Halifax, NS. Another of our favorites. We were, as usual, greeted by the town crier and pipes and drums. We went to the Pier 21 Immigration Museum and spent the moring there. It was informational, enlightening and very well presented. Walked the boardwalk to The Lower Deck where we had fish and chips for lunch. There was a festival going on in the boardwalk area. This was our third port visit to Halifax and each time, there's been some type of festival. Quite an active place.
Friday, Bar Harbor. Weather had turned nasty and it was pouring, so we didn't even bother to get off the ship. Our tablemates had excursions and they returned very, very wet.
Except for Friday, the weather was nice the entire week. The seas coming back to Boston Friday night were choppy, but were otherwise like glass throughout the cruise.
Disembarkation was quick and easy. Off the ship by 9:30, home by 11.
Some Random Notes:
There were a lot of families onboard, including families with young children. All were well behaved! I was impressed.
As noted elswhere on this Board, the people we encountered in Canada were exceptionally friendly and helpful. This included bus drivers, passersby and anyone else we met. We were all very impressed.
There did not seem to be any change to the quality of service on the ship, even given the recent change to the tipping policy. Wednesday afternoon, after returning from St. John, we were sitting by the pool and were overwhelmed by the bar servers hawking drinks. Very atypical.
Our room steward was very efficient. We hardly ever saw him, but he did his job quite well.
The dining room seemed to have had cutbacks in staffing. Our waiter, Riris, was exceptional. The assistant maitre d would come by frequently to help clear the table, which suggested that there was not a full compliment of waitstaff.
Food was good and well prepared. I had fish frequently during the week and each time it was well prepared and never dried out. Portions generally appeared to be smaller than in the past. For example, the New York steak and the prime rib were thin. There were exceptions, though. I had a parmesan-crusted chicken one night that had a gargantuan portion of chicken on the plate. One night's portion of salmon was very generous.
The HAL menu has undergone changes. A major disappointment was the absence of Dover Sole from the Dutch Night menu. The last formal night had surf and turf--a small filet and one lobster tail. I ate the lobster but abandoned the meat as it wasn't wonderful. Also that night, the menu featured gnocci, venison and duck. The last night's menu had meatloaf and fish and chips--not what I would call cruise fare. That same night, there was a shrimp and pasta dish which was very good. I also sampled the mushroom ravioli that was offered on Friday and it was very tasty.
It almost seems that the menu has some Celebrity-inspired additions/changes. For example, there was a pecan-crusted salmon served with a strawberry coulis and the parmesan chicken came with pesto risotto. I am always baffled by the concept of Coulis, but that's another story.
Several times we ordered cheese plates from room service as snacks. We are still waiting for our Wednesday evening order, however.
Tuesday night, there was a loud propeller noise. The next day the Captain speculated that the ship had hit a lobster pot coming out of Portland. Our room was at the extreme aft of the ship and the noise was quite pronounced during that episode. Otherwise, the room was quiet and calm.
The ship was well maintained and very clean. There were odors, however. There was a horrendous sewer-like smell on deck 11 starboard, between the Lido restaurant and the pool area. There was a sewerage odor from time to time in our hallway, as well. Toilets were out of order on two occasions, but service was rapidly restored.
Carpeting has been replaced, or is in the process of being replaced.
I am always puzzled why HAL has separate room keycards and charge cards. Also, having to carry yet another card as a safe key is cumbersome.
The salmon bake was delicious. (It was grilled, not baked, but who cares.)
Entertainment was OK. The production shows were good. The first night's comedian, Richie Minervini, was hilarious. I would have liked to seem him again, but it was a one shot deal.
The piano bar was good. (No Perry Grant, but then, who is.)
Champagne Strings were talented, although their pianist was taken off the ship in Portland, owing to illness and never returned.
We received an IOU for tiles.
All in all, we had a very nice time. We would sail on the Maasdam again, and would do this cruise again, although HAL has changed itineraries for next year and inserted a lengthy transatlantic voyage in the period where we'd be interested.