Captain Albert's blog and Veendam.

Captain Albert blogs again after a two week gap. Not only has the Veendam brakedown entry been removed, in the new blog there is no mention at all about what happened. The only clue is the header which says Philadelphia.

So I can only conclude he has been muzzled by headquarters.

What are they thinking?

Guess Seattle doesn't want the world to know about the propeller problem on the Veendam.

After all, HAL is trying to sell the Veendam and Maasdam now that they have successfully sold the Ryndam and Statendam.

In his notes section he says he will not comment on company policy, etc. Unfortunately, all of this could be used as background info for potential lawsuits. I suspect HAL is protecting its backside by keeping him silent.

Personally, I would be very interested to read about what the officers and crew experience during the transit from Quebec to Philly, as well as the goings on while in dry dock. This is the usual behind the scenes experiences that drive me to read Captain Albert in the first. place.

I think HAL is ignoring an opportunity for potential positive PR as well as providing background knowledge for us computer-bound sailors

Charles

Guess Seattle doesn't want the world to know about the propeller problem on the Veendam.

After all, HAL is trying to sell the Veendam and Maasdam now that they have successfully sold the Ryndam and Statendam.

I'm not sure 'successfully sold' is the description I would use. :)

It is more like they have plans to transfer those ships to P & O which is another line within the Carnival Family of Ships.

Guess Seattle doesn't want the world to know about the propeller problem on the Veendam.

Which is strange. The world and any prospective buyers already know.

Why not describe the journey to drydock itself, leaving out any managements decisions. Like ChaCr says, it an opportunity to give it a positive swing.

It hasn't been blasted all over cable news networks yet and HAL likely would like to keep it that way. I doubt they want all the negative cruise ship reporting that usually happens when there is any incident with a cruise ship.

Which is strange. The world and any prospective buyers already know.

Why not describe the journey to drydock itself, leaving out any managements decisions. Like ChaCr says, it an opportunity to give it a positive swing.

Exactly -- I just mentioned that as a thought.

I would love to read about what the crew is doing during the dry dock.

This is a good time to spruce up the ship some more -- do some inside painting, etc.

I'm not sure 'successfully sold' is the description I would use. :)

 

It is more like they haYve plans to transfer those ships to P & O which is another line within the Carnival Family of Ships.

 

 

You can be sure that some money was involved.

My FB friend on the Veendam has posted pics of Philadelphia that the crew are getting to explore , and the ship in dry dock.

Very interesting

My FB friend on the Veendam has posted pics of Philadelphia that the crew are getting to explore , and the ship in dry dock.

Very interesting

So crew are allowed to go ashore then? Their visas cover it?

So crew are allowed to go ashore then? Their visas cover it?

You can be sure that some money was involved.

 

I'm not sure of anything about which I have no knowledge.

Could you share ? I am interested.

Yes he was censored. No it's not the first time either.

He is posting on a HAL-owned server so they can do as they wish. That doesn't make it correct, ethical or customer-friendly, but that's the least of their worries unfortunately.

Yes he was censored. No it's not the first time either.

 

He is posting on a HAL-owned server so they can do as they wish. That doesn't make it correct, ethical or customer-friendly, but that's the least of their worries unfortunately.

I believe Captain Mercer was also censored also last year on the World Cruise when he discussed his dealings with the rather strange passenger that was aboard and left in Sydney.

Captain Albert blogs again after a two week gap. Not only has the Veendam brakedown entry been removed, in the new blog there is no mention at all about what happened. The only clue is the header which says Philadelphia.

So I can only conclude he has been muzzled by headquarters.

What are they thinking?

I'm thinking your right.:D

I believe Captain Mercer was also censored also last year on the World Cruise when he discussed his dealings with the rather strange passenger that was aboard and left in Sydney.

Oh, really? I read his posts but didn't realize they were later deleted. I use a RSS-style reader so even if deleted it captures all posts.

That was an interesting ordeal with that guest!

You can be sure that some money was involved.

 

Yep. Corp. took it out of one pocket and put it in the other.

Oh, really? I read his posts but didn't realize they were later deleted. I use a RSS-style reader so even if deleted it captures all posts.

 

That was an interesting ordeal with that guest!

I don't think any posts were deleted but I think I remember he was going to tell us more about the incident and then did not which is what made me think, he thought he should not or was told not to = I guess this is pure speculation on my part.

I love to read all the technical things captain Albert blogs about. Actually I feel safer sailing when he explains the workings of the crew and ship.

As a farmer (ex) I know all the trouble that can take place with machinery and there is nothing you can do about it but to fix it. Parts wear and wear out.

Helen

As of this evening the Veendam Travel Advisory in no longer posted on the HAL website. It had been there since Oct 3. Hopefully this means good news?

Let's use this thread to post updates as you see or hear about the Veendam repairs and her next cruise beginning Oct 18 from Boston.

This is the latest I have and I did post this a few days ago on the other thread about the Veendam cancellation. As of a few hours ago AIS still showed Veendam in dry dock in Phila.

http://www.seatrade-insider.com/news/news-headlines/hals-veendam-expected-to-resume-service-oct-18.html

One clue that things are unfolding as intended: Capt.Alberts has resumed his postings. Although he mentionned nothing about Veendam,he did refer to ''after some time of internet wobbles, we're back on the blogs''.....Of course, while the ship is stuck with her ''behind'' up in the air while her ''innards'' are being worked on, seems ''internet capability'' is way way down the list of functionality that's left ''on''.

His initial post was yesterday 12th.

Cheers

You can be sure that some money was involved.

 

IMO....Money will be involved as P&O is ''buying '' the units from

HAL ( for legal and tax purposes, the old favourite, '' $1.00, as an example, ++ other considerations'' ) and will pay the extensive drydock needed to renovate the units and refit them to suit their market.

That amount will be part of the overall acquisition costs and capitalized over the maximum ## of years a corporation can do that in Australia.

Again, my opinion

Cheers

I believe Captain Mercer was also censored also last year on the World Cruise when he discussed his dealings with the rather strange passenger that was aboard and left in Sydney.

That must have been Rasputin (the name we gave him because of the beard and the robe he always wore.) We heard he had been hitting on PAX for money as "donations."

Don't know if it was true but he was one colorful character.

Scott & Karen

I also hope that she will be ready to sail on the 18th.