Prinsendam Grief

[Sir PMP]

4 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Our solution to missing Prisendam is that we are really enjoying Azamara ships. Even smaller then Prisendam in a beautiful boutique setting with a wonderful crew.

Any changes since Orlando took over?

[aliaschief]

3 minutes ago, Sir PMP said:

Any changes since Orlando took over?

Like all lines there have been some start up issues, supply chain issues but basically veteran Azamara cruisers seem pretty happy. Don’t hear much about Orlando as most exec. Communication is through Azamara President Carol Cabezas. 

Taken awhile to bring new staff to Azamara standards.

We are newbies but enjoyed our first experiences so much we are booked on four cruises and one is a 155 day World Cruise.
 

[Sir PMP]

24 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Like all lines there have been some start up issues, supply chain issues but basically veteran Azamara cruisers seem pretty happy. Don’t hear much about Orlando as most exec. Communication is through Azamara President Carol Cabezas. 

Taken awhile to bring new staff to Azamara standards.

We are newbies but enjoyed our first experiences so much we are booked on four cruises and one is a 155 day World Cruise.
 

Thanks I will look at that from now on.

[lissie]

On 10/17/2022 at 6:57 AM, grayjay said:

I fully understand you - we too loved the Prinsendam and sailed on her several times even though during the last few cruises renovations/dry dock became really urgent in some spaces . One of my fondest memories is the last cruise which was really special before she was sold.

Now , being German and thus having no language problems, we sailed on her a few weeks ago - she is called Amera now.

Some of her best features are still there, of course  the space on her decks, the comfortable cabins with lots of space ( one minus is that the bathrooms have not been renovated yet and you have to choose between a clingy curtain or a bathtub to stumble in...) , a lot of the original furniture is still there, the lounges and bars, the Lido buffet partly with new furniture, the restaurants unchanged. In that Phoenixreisen, the new owner, has done a good job. Internet and TV is working fast and efficiently, but not even Sky news or another English-speaking programme on sight - sigh... And the service is still fantastic - most of them come from the Philippines and Indonesia and quite a lot have sailed on one of the HAL ship before. That was a lovely experience! But to be honest - in some other aspects we found the ship too "German" - the food was really good but not at all with an international touch, the lecturers spoke only German of course as there were only a handful of international guests, the shows - let's not talk about them... . Most of them we found really awful in regard to professionalism.

We enjoyed the experience on Amera, though, and to bekind of  re-aquainted with Prinsendam but won't go again.

We're very much looking forward to sailing HAL again in February!

I'm curious about sailing with Reizen - they do some very interesting ports in Africa and the black sea that only uber-luxury lines do - and their prices are pretty good.   

 

Do they take non-German speakers do you think? I don't mind the language barrier - I'm sure the staff all speak English - but can you do muster drill in English for example? 

[sailingdutchy]

We also have wonderful memories of the Prinsendam , " The Elegant Explorer “ and that name really suited her . She was graceful , stylish , refined , tasteful ………

 

We only had about 13 weeks on her but she spoiled us forever

 

Just a few pictures from 2016 and 2019 for old time sake 

 

 

 

The gorgeous Pinnacle Grill Restaurant , here Jean Francois telling us all about wine 

 

 

 

Captains Quarters where we were invited for pre dinner drinks by Captain Christopher Turner

 

 

 

An amazing dinner 

 

 

Yes , the real Rosenthal Versace Medusa dinner and special stem wear 

 

 

The now retired Captain Turner 

 

 

 

Our friend Rifki in the Lido and Canaletto , saw him last year as now Dining room manager on the Oosterdam 

 

 

DW getting instructions for "sabering "  the Champagne bottle with the saber , she did it perfectly.

 

 

 

Farewell dear Prinsendam 

 

Tony 

[ski ww]

We were also lucky enough to have been invited by the Captain to join him for dinner. This was on a cruise to Cape Town.

 

[Sir PMP]

17 minutes ago, ski ww said:

We were also lucky enough to have been invited by the Captain to join him for dinner. This was on a cruise to Cape Town.

 

Great pictures, we sailed with Chris Turner on the Prinsendam, Atlantic crossing, very nice captain.

[terrydtx]

We never got to sail on the Prinsendam and I wish I had after reading this thread. I am afraid the 2 remaining R Class ships will not be in the fleet much longer. When that happens smaller ship cruising with any mainstream cruise line will be a thing of the past. We have an 11-day NE/Canada cruise booked next year on the Volendam and looking forward to being on her again. Our first HAL cruise in 2007 was on the Volendam to the Panama Canal. 

[gregma60]

12 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We never got to sail on the Prinsendam and I wish I had after reading this thread. I am afraid the 2 remaining R Class ships will not be in the fleet much longer. When that happens smaller ship cruising with any mainstream cruise line will be a thing of the past. We have an 11-day NE/Canada cruise booked next year on the Volendam and looking forward to being on her again. Our first HAL cruise in 2007 was on the Volendam to the Panama Canal. 

Oh NO!  That is the reason we picked the Volendam.  Don't really want to sail on a floating massive resort.  I want a smaller more intimate ship.

 

-gregma

[RICHARD@SEA]

I sailed in Prinsendam for 16 days - a wonderful ship that more like a private club.... it was very classy & the officers & crew so gracious & accommodating.  It  was one of the last cruises that passengers & officers could mix & mingle.

The ship was built to sail the 7 seas & she did it gracefully. Royal Ving Line was the best of its time & the ships reflected that in every way.  HAL w smart to buy the ship - but Carnivore wasn't so smart in not building similar ships!!!

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, gregma60 said:

Oh NO!  That is the reason we picked the Volendam.  Don't really want to sail on a floating massive resort.  I want a smaller more intimate ship.

 

-gregma

On our Volendam cruise nest year we will be in 3 ports that none of the bigger ships can stop at, why we choose the Volendam over the Zuiderdam and a Celebrity ship.

[Bookited]

3 hours ago, terrydtx said:

On our Volendam cruise nest year we will be in 3 ports that none of the bigger ships can stop at, why we choose the Volendam over the Zuiderdam and a Celebrity ship.

What are the three ports?

[jimdee3636]

Like everyone else who has commented, I loved the Prinsendam on the spring transatlantic (FLL - AMS) we took in 2015. The one thing, though, about the ship that I thought was odd was that the bartender area in the Ocean Bar was a good two feet below the floor level of the adjoining area. Standing in the "hole," the bartenders looked like midgets! I could never quite figure out what the ship's designers had in mind.

[RuthC]

31 minutes ago, jimdee3636 said:

The one thing, though, about the ship that I thought was odd was that the bartender area in the Ocean Bar was a good two feet below the floor level of the adjoining area. Standing in the "hole," the bartenders looked like midgets! I could never quite figure out what the ship's designers had in mind.

Wasn't that originally the dining room? I think so. 
Doesn't help answer your 'why the step down' question, but there could be a reason related to that use when Royal Viking had the ship. 

[gregma60]

9 hours ago, terrydtx said:

On our Volendam cruise nest year we will be in 3 ports that none of the bigger ships can stop at, why we choose the Volendam over the Zuiderdam and a Celebrity ship.

I hope she keeps sailing as I'm sure this won't be our last cruise!

 

-gregma

[sevigny]

Oh the Prinsendam!   We first sailed on her to Alaska, the summer after 9/11.  I remember our travel agent telling me that our Europe cruise was a no go, but she could offer us this Alaskan cruise on the Prinsendam instead.  She said she wasn’t sure we would like her, she was a “quirky “ little ship.  We took a chance and were hooked on her almost immediately.  She was our perfect ship from then on.  I remember sitting with Captain Gunderson at lunch while he described how he made his own lutefisk at home in Norway.  My husband was turning green.  We last sailed on her in May of 2019, the second to the last cruise before she was turned over to the German line.   Nothing compared to her.  We’ve also thought about sailing her as the Amera, but we’re just not sure it could measure up.  We loved her just the way she was, quirks and all.  Loved reading this thread, so many wonderful memories.

 

[terrydtx]

15 hours ago, Bookited said:

What are the three ports?

The 3 ports that both HAL and Celebrity do not go to with their bigger ships on our Volendam Boston to Montreal cruise are:

St John (Bay of Fundy)

Corner Brook Newfoundland

Saguenay

 

The Volendam return from Montreal to Boston does even more small ports others don't do:

Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada

Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec, Canada

St Anthony, Newfoundland, Canada

St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada

 

Edited March 15, 2023 by terrydtx

[terrydtx]

9 hours ago, gregma60 said:

I hope she keeps sailing as I'm sure this won't be our last cruise!

 

-gregma

Are you on the same Volendam cruise next Year departing Aug 20th from Boston?

[gregma60]

7 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Are you on the same Volendam cruise next Year departing Aug 20th from Boston?

No sir.  This year August 20th Alaska inside passage.  Looking to maybe do a Panama Canal, but looking at prices, there is no way I'll be able for afford it!  Broke my heart.

 

-gregma

[St Pete Cruiser]

7 hours ago, terrydtx said:

The 3 ports that both HAL and Celebrity do not go to with their bigger ships on our Volendam Boston to Montreal cruise are:

St John (Bay of Fundy)

Corner Brook Newfoundland

Saguenay

 

The Volendam return from Montreal to Boston does even more small ports others don't do:

Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada

Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec, Canada

St Anthony, Newfoundland, Canada

St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada

 

Actually, we docked in both Saguenay and St John, NB, last October on the Nieuw Statendam.  I liked both ports as you can walk off the ship and see the communities without needing transportation, unless you want to venture further.  The Volendam can get under the bridge near Quebec, thus allowing it to dock in Montreal which the vista class and larger can not do.

[JeffElizabeth]

The Prinsendam was our favorite HA ship and about half our voyages on the line were trips aboard here. A couple highlights for us, cruising the Kiel Canal. Modern boats are too big. And also docking in the center of town in Antwerp.  You had to pay a premium to cruise on her, but so glad we we aboard on her last cruise for Holland. We were so tempted to steal "souvenirs" from her but just couldn't harm her in any way. 

[JeffElizabeth]

On 3/14/2023 at 11:45 AM, RICHARD@SEA said:

I sailed in Prinsendam for 16 days - a wonderful ship that more like a private club.... it was very classy & the officers & crew so gracious & accommodating.  It  was one of the last cruises that passengers & officers could mix & mingle.

The ship was built to sail the 7 seas & she did it gracefully. Royal Ving Line was the best of its time & the ships reflected that in every way.  HAL w smart to buy the ship - but Carnivore wasn't so smart in not building similar ships!!!

My uncle had given up on Holland America a long time ago for various reasons but when we told him we were on the last voyage of the Prinsendam,  he had to join us. It was a great trip, many of the retired HA captains were on the vessel too with their families one last time. 

[rafinmd]

I just watched her leaving New York.  I was amazed at how much clearance she had going under the Verrazzano Bridgge.  No wonder  she could go through the Kiel Canal while most ships cannot.

 

 

Roy

[sansterre]

DH and I enjoyed 3 wonderful weeks on the Prinsedam about 14 years ago.  We departed Copenhagen, went through the Kiel Canal and up the coast of Norway.  After several Norwegian ports we crossed the Arctic Circle and headed for Murmansk, Russia.

That night we were in the Crow's Nest enjoying the talents of a wonderful piano entertainer and watching the sun that never sets in June where we were.  Suddenly, the Four Tenors from Ireland came through the doorway singing Oh What a Beautiful Morning.  The tenors, along with the piano continued to entertain well into the morning while the sun skirted along the horizon.  Wow.

Thanks OP for starting this thread and reminding me of those fabulous memories. 

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by sansterre

[eroller]

Funny when I started reading this thread my mind went immediately to PRINSENDAM of 1972.  The one that burned and sank.  
 

I guess I’m getting old!   Lol.  
 

I attended an inaugural event in Miami onboard ROYAL VIKING SUN when she was brand new.  Of course she became the latest PRINSENDAM.  I can’t say I was impressed with the ship, at least not for an ultra-luxury product.  I never sailed on her under HAL but I know she had a strong following, which I found ironic since she was not purpose designed for HAL like all their other ships.