Maasdam-- any opinions?

[MUKTUKMARY]

What is the human body temp .... averages 98.6 or so? what temp will a thermometer maintain in your armpit.... I wonder...:D

 

jc

 

I even had to giggle at the thought of me running down to the front office with that sound soother with digital thermometer stuck in my armpit! No need for that....we had take that machine to several rooms to check temperatures so plenty of witnesses as well as the concierge "D.J" seeing the recordings.

[dakrewser]

Hey Dakrewser, what makes you think you need to educate travelers on how to handle problems. :eek: :eek: The fact is that I've personally experienced ...as have many others here a total lack of concern from the front desk staff and HAL personnel. We spoke with the officer who "manages by walking around" and offered to walk with him AT HIS CONVENIENCE to show him what we and our companions were experiencing. Needless to say, he "was too busy"!

 

I don't "need" to do anything. But I'd hate for someone new to HAL to come here and be drawn in by your shouting and go away thinking this reflects the typical HAL experience.

 

I've found that the front desk (and everyone else) responds quite well when I'm on the ship. Not only on HAL ships, but on all the other lines I've cruised. And, frankly, I don't understand how they do it given the nasty attitudes that people have when addressing them.

 

And, evidently, you could suse some education in problem solving since your problem wasn't resolved, was it?

 

-dave

"It's a thankless job, but I've got a lot of Karma to burn off."

[dbullsfn]

Ive been reading the reviews that have been poste here for awhile now (only just started posting) since im going on March 10th. However, maybe its the lawyer in me, but I think everybody is missing the point that everyone else is saying. I dont think anyone would disagree that the ship has problems. Just how many they are or their frequency/intensity is in debate. And furthermore, alot of the postrs here who are allegedly frome a "HAL Cult" as they have been referred to do often blow out of proportion some of the comments being said.

This is not to say these folks defending the ship are wrong either however. What alot of the folks who have had bad experiences seem to describe the ship like its possessed and demonic. The fact remains though that though your experience was terrible, it was YOUR EXPERIENCE. How many times have we seen posts on the same voyage where there are differing opinions. Something also has to be said about the fact that in the grand scheme of things, there are far fewer negative reviews than positive. Its just that the negatives, like anything else, stands out. Finally, one final observation that needs to be pondered. It seems that many of the complaints apply to the Norfolk cruise, not the New England one. My theory is that the problems in Norfolk, coupled with the fact that you are traveling through the graveyard in the atlantic, warps the perception of the cruise from the onset. Many times I dont think you all are able to see the possitives. All Im asking is that everyone be objective, and lets discuss these issues without name calling and the sort. Everyone is titled to their own opinion, jsut be civilized about it.

[CDRMark]

..dbullsfn, to the HAl boards!

Re: your post, wish I'd said that!

Cheers

MarkB

[TeresaJenkins]

"All Im asking is that everyone be objective, and lets discuss these issues without name calling and the sort. Everyone is titled to their own opinion, jsut be civilized about it."

 

Dang, there goes my 50 page *itch letter, and 3 day long proof slide show plan for after my upcomong cruise! LOL Just kidding ;o)

 

I like your post. Very well said BTW.

[Keith Rita]

We have received a couple emails from folks telling us we need to visit this thread, and another that has apparently disappeared, to get a good laugh. All we can say is UNBELIEVABLE! We haven't been here in a while, and now we remember why!

The name of this site is Cruise Critic! With over 300 looks, we just hope lurkers don't think you are all typical HAL cruisers. If so, well . . .

[RuthC]

"All Im asking is that everyone be objective, and lets discuss these issues without name calling and the sort. Everyone is titled to their own opinion, jsut be civilized about it."

 

Dang, there goes my 50 page *itch letter, and 3 day long proof slide show plan for after my upcomong cruise! LOL Just kidding ;o)

 

And there's my guffaw for the day! Thanks, I needed that. :D

[xpcdoojk]

We have received a couple emails from folks telling us we need to visit this thread, and another that has apparently disappeared, to get a good laugh. All we can say is UNBELIEVABLE! We haven't been here in a while, and now we remember why!

The name of this site is Cruise Critic! With over 300 looks, we just hope lurkers don't think you are all typical HAL cruisers. If so, well . . .

 

While I don't disagree with this poster completely... :D

 

I do find these kinds of posts just as derogatory as anything in any of these threads. :mad:

 

When people post things that are outside of the experiences of most posters should everyone say well they said it therefore it must be true. Guess what there is more BS posted on the internet than good information.... How do we know anything anyone posts is gospel. Answer we don't, hence people tend to view things outside of their personal experience with skepticism. I am sorry that I fail to see this as a bad thing. If people are more skeptical that means they are less likely to fall prey to many of the dangers that are present in the world and on the internet. JMHO... and thanks for disparaging ours.:rolleyes:

 

jc

[dbullsfn]

Well I must say thank you to those who replied to my post. Ill be the first to admit it, Im a huge HAL supporter. That being said, however, i haven't been on any cruise since 1988. In total ive only been on 4 (Nieuw Amsterdan, '85, Noordam '86 Noordam '88 and the old Constitution in Hawaii back in '84). My memories about those HAL are almost perfect (except Jamaica, I hate that place). Im trying HAL again. Im really looking forward to it but I realize the ship has problems. And for anyone who ever says its only the Maasdam that has problems, well lets just leave it with Id like to see that person's SAT scores. Back in '84, on the Constituion, you would think sometimes you were on a new version of the Titanic with all the problems. Its sister ship, the Independence, even broke down circling Maui I believe. A worker dropped a wrench in some machienry and the ship lost all power, including electricity. $%*$ Happens, plain and simply. Yet what I remember most about that cruise are the wonderful people I met, and the beauty and serenity of the Islands. Now for those who think the Maasdam should be towed off Norfolk and sunk as an artificial reef for fishing let me ask this one question. If I was conducting a voir dire of you to be on a jury, after swearing on a bible to tell the turth, could you look me straight in the eye and tell me there was nothing good about your trip. Thats where I have problems with some of the posts.

[JDee]

Say what you want about the Independence and Constitution. Took my first cruise on the Independence(don't ask me when), and still think it was one of the best cruises I ever had. The best part were formal nights--aloha shirts and mumus for the ladies.....

 

Happy cruising.

[dbullsfn]

When did you cruise on those ships Jdee. When I was on them they were what liek 30 years old?

[HeatherInFlorida]

Yet what I remember most about that cruise are the wonderful people I met, and the beauty and serenity of the Islands. Now for those who think the Maasdam should be towed off Norfolk and sunk as an artificial reef for fishing let me ask this one question. If I was conducting a voir dire of you to be on a jury, after swearing on a bible to tell the turth, could you look me straight in the eye and tell me there was nothing good about your trip.

 

I just love this post. I just had to pull it up and quote it here because I believe it bears saying over and over again. Over the past few days when I tried to stand up for HAL against what I believed to be overwrought and irrationale criticism, my posts were pulled. So for the most part, I'm simply not going to say anything negative or positive anymore.

So thank you, dbullsfn, for putting it so well. All I know is I come away from every cruise just a little better and much happier than when I embarked. And that's really what it's all about.

[jeffanddawn]

Ok Ok i must confess... all the negative posts and misreporting of the ships problems/engines/late arriving/missed ports/things that go boom while your dining:eek: /air conditioning problems, etc etc .... well they are all false... it was just us and cheric ( both sailing on the 27th of Feb)... you see it was our master plan to spread this misinformation so we would end up having the ship all to ourselves, but alas we can't go through with it so..... i guess the gig is up.

 

Everyone is free to come spend 11 days with us on the Maasdam and have the time of your lives!!!

 

:D :D :D

[dbullsfn]

All I can say to JeffandDawn is this. Yall better have that ship in perfect shape for me since Im boarding while your disembarking :p . Hope yall have a wonderful, stress free trip. :D

[cheric]

Thanks Jeffanddawn for relieving me of all this guilt I've been feeling. I should have confessed sooner!! Seriously, I am not letting any of this negative "stuff" get in the way of my having a good time. The time is getting closer, I'm getting more excited by the hour and I will report only good things when I return. As I said before, we;ve only had two previous cruises (the Millennium and Galaxy) and we had both mechanical and weather-related problems on both of those. I only remember the good things! See you soon!

[sweetiefeetie]

Sorry JeffandDawn, but the two of you and cheric and her DH will have to share the ship with myself and my DH. However, Cheric knows this...I am her "younger" sister and we are going together. All I can say is you are in the for time of your life with us....be prepared. We will have fun, regardless of the so-called problems!