2006 Maasdam - Voyage of the Vikings A 35 day journal

[WCB]

Greetings to all,

 

Well, here we are again, heading for the Northern part of the Atlantic! There are many countries and cities in this area that will be new for us. And it is also the first longer cruise we have taken during the summer months. This particular itinerary only can be sailed during July, and the ship only does it once a year, so we sacrificed our summer weather for the cooler climate of the North Atlantic.

 

The first day of travel is always a "bear", no matter how much prior planning goes into it. Our flight from San Francisco, scheduled to leave at 1:30, was delayed an hour, due to overbooking, and other air traffic problems. One thing we totally forgot to factor into the equation, was the holiday involving the 4th of July. Everybody and their brother cram the airports to fly home, away from home, or on vacation everywhere. So therefore, flights are overbooked. The airline, in this case, American Air, did offer some pretty good perks to give up your seats......free hotelstay in SF, with all meals included, and a $500. voucher for a future flight. Not bad. There were some takers, but not until after we all boarded.

 

Flying is not always our favorite thing to do, but necessary if you want to go from point A to point B in a short amount of time. This is what we kept reminding ourselves as we were surrounded by several babies and small children, each one trying to outdo each other in the screaming department!! We have decided that we have a magnet effect when we get our seating on the plane. If there are small kids, we will be right in the middle of them.....Murphy's Law, right?? One good thing that the parents have now compared to when our kids were little, are the computer-type toys or DVD players. They are worth $1 million dollars to all of us when the parents whip them out of their bags! Treats and snacks work well too. Bring out that candy, mom and dad!

 

We arrived to Boston Logan Airport at 10 pm, EST. The airport was a mob scene, even that late. Luckily, we were met by a Holland rep, who helped us with luggage collection and getting us together for our transfers. We had an hour wait for a shuttle to the Hilton at the airport ( 10 minute ride). Check-in was swift, and we finally got to bed by midnight. We had instructions to have our luggage ready for pick-up at 8:30 the next morning, which was rudely early, but do-able. It is a bit hard to jump ahead 3 hours and not feel the time change. We decided to skip dinner, since we indulged in snacks of peanuts and crackers ( brought from home) all the way to Boston. Airlines are not what they used to be as far as the food department. We had water, soda, and juice served to us, but if you wanted a snack box or a lunch salad, the cost was about $5.00. On our last trip, they ran out of all the food, so this time we came prepared. This was probably a good thing, since we will be sailing for 35 days, and enjoying lots of haute cuisine, we hope!

 

Saturday

 

This morning, we woke up to a beautiful day in Boston. Despite the deluge of rain they have been having recently, the skies were clear and the temperature was heading upwards to 80 degrees. In hind sight, we should have come two days ahead of the cruise. That way, we would have had time to see this lovely city. We did visit here in 2004, but in one day, you can only see so much. Good excuse to do another New England cruise someday.

 

After getting our luggage ready for pick-up, we headed for a very expensive breakfast in the Hilton restaurant. Since this hotel is at the airport, we are trapped company, as far as eating choices. However, the food was good, slow service, but ample portions were given. We met after check-out with the Holland reps and the rest of our large group. It took about an hour for the buses to arrive. Our luggage was shipped by a moving van to the ship, thank goodness. Next time we see it, should be in our cabin, we hope........

 

The ride to the pier took only 15 minutes, and we arrived at 11 am. Most cruise lines only allow passengers to board in the afternoon, so it was a nice surprise to get onboard early. While we were waiting to be called upstairs to the check-in counter, four people came over that recognized us from the world cruise last year! What a nice surprise to see some familiar faces. We had pre-registered online at home, so embarkation was pretty easy and quick. The most important item besides our passports for the officials to see, was the almighty credit card!

 

We boarded by noon, but the cabins were not ready yet. So we opted to drag our carry-ons to the pool bar for a much needed cold beer. We sailed the Maasdam from Copenhagen to Norway 10 years ago, so our memory of the ship was spotty. Actually, it was much nicer than we had remembered. Recently, this ship underwent a re-do, updating to HAL's signature of excellence upgrades. And many public areas were refurbished, so the ship shines! Our cabin is located almost midship, although we did not get a balcony suite this cruise, since they were already taken by the time we booked. The square footage is 197 square feet with plenty of storage space, a very spacious desk, many drawers, and a couch with a chair and table. The bed has been fitted with a deep mattress and plush pillows......best we have slept on so far. Even the bathroom is comfortable, though not as large as Regent's, but way nicer than Princess. We even have a tub/shower! Closet space could be better, but there are four compartments, some with shelves and three with hanger poles. It may be tight for a world cruise, but there is always the space under the beds, where you can store extra clothes in your suitcases. We have a new large flat screen TV with a DVD player that we can see well from anywhere in the room. The only problem we ran into, was the fact that the previous tenant locked his safe before he disembarked. It was an easy fix though. We just went to the front desk, and the nice girl came to our room with their master key. These safes are the old fashion kind that uses a credit card to open and close it. Not liking to have to carry a credit card in our pocket everywhere, we decided to try our CSAA auto club card.....and it worked. The only bad thing that can happen if we lose that card, is someone can call for a tow truck or to fix a flat tire!! Not much chance of that happening on a ship. Ha-ha.

 

The rest of the afternoon was spent unpacking, then off for the sailaway and drinks in the Crow's Nest. That had been remodeled completely, with the addition of a neat 10 foot by 20 foot video screen of an ocean scenery, swiftly moving with whales, dolphins, and colorful reef fish. It was mesmerizing. Dinner was at 8pm on the upper level of the Rotterdam Dining Room. We had a large, round table for 10, and met 8 very well-traveled and nice people. Hurrah!! However, dinner was a bit disappointing. We could have re-soled our shoes with the NY sirloin steaks we were served. Many of us checked our knives to see if they were sharp, since it was so hard to cut. So most of them went back to the kitchen, and another entree was brought out. Now for the dessert, that was a different story. We ordered the apple strudel with vanilla ice cream, and it was super! Skipped the show after dinner, since we are looking forward to a much needed night of sleep while the ship sails onward.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Old As Dirt Mom]

..... I can cozy up to my computer screen with a good cup of coffee and really savor this wonderful review.:) Bless you, bless you, for keeping a journal, and taking us along with you. I can tell this is going to be a GREAT thread!

 

Karin

[happy cruzer]

This is great fun! Thanks for sharing! :p

[RuthC]

I am so looking forward to reading each and every entry! I'll hang on every word. :)

 

This is the first time in several years that I didn't do this cruise; friends were trying to talk me into in for next year. I think I'll know everything about the ports that you post, but I'll be "seeing" it through fresh eyes this time.

Oh, this is a treat. :)

[esther e]

We're so excited about this thread because we're going on the cruise next July. So, my coffee is ready, my computer is buzzing, and my feet are up....ready to keep reading!!!!!

 

Esther

[starysacz]

Hi WCB: Looking forward to your review. Unfortunately, we had to cancel out the cruise due to medical problems which are now under control. Your reviews will the next best thing to being on the cruise. Thank you.:)

[WCB]

Thanks for the compliments on the Maasdam reports! We are a bit late in posting this trip, but just figured that people would still enjoy reading about it.

 

We will try to post an entry every day. We will be happy to answer any questions.

 

WCB and MAB

[RuthC]

We are a bit late in posting this trip, but just figured that people would still enjoy reading about it.

Better late than never, as they say. You figured right, at least as far as I'm concerned. So few people have gone to St. Pierre/Miquelon. I will love to read what you say about it.

I'm glad that HAL is changing this itinerary ever so slightly. I did get kind of sick of some of these very tiny ports, but am sure I'll get interested again in a year or two. Just thinking about it gives me a little thrill.

[kakalina]

Thanks for us also for this wonderful journal. We too had planned this cruise but reasons beyond our control forced us to cancel. We have high hope of taking this cruise in '08. Looking forward to sitting each day with a nice cup of tea and vicariously enjoying your travels. Thanks again

[WCB]

Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 12:48 PM

Subject: St. Pierre Monday 7-03-06 Report # 2

 

 

Hi Gang,

 

We woke up this morning around 7 am to the sound of thunder and lightening and driving rain. Not a good sign. However, it did let up and the weather appeared better by the time we were to dock at 11 am. The only problem was fog.....big time fog. Have we sailed to San Francisco by accident?? Apparently, in this part of the Atlantic, the temperatures are unpredictable, cool and inclement all year.

 

Even though the ship docked at a pier, we had to use the tender boats to access the town about a mile away. We decided to go off the ship, and walk the road to the settlement. It was so foggy, we could see only 20 yards ahead of us. We began to see brightly colored houses on the roadside as we climbed over the hill. Spotting a little red and white lighthouse, we walked out the bulkhead to check it out. The little islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon belong to the French, and have been used as a supplier of cod over the years. Since the waters were depleted of cod, this area has become a tourist attraction for the simple fact that this island was a "home away from home" to Al Capone during the prohibition years.

 

Despite the fact that the Maasdam was here, all the stores still closed at their traditional lunch break, from 11:30 to 2pm. However, they had a very nice information center, complete with maps, tour brochures, snacks and a taste of their local wines. Parked outside the center, was a funny little tram, complete with music, which reminded us of the Disneyland people movers. The driver gave a short tour of the town for a few dollars.

 

We hiked up the streets, seeing the many happily painted houses. There had to be a reason for the bright colors....perhaps to see them through the fog, or maybe to lift their spirits on these gloomy, foggy,and cold days. We counted a total of 2 gas stations (no pricing), a few quaint hotels,2 restaurants, a school, a postoffice, a museum, and a church. We did have a chance to tour the Episcipal church, which must be the main gathering place for the townfolk.The most popular store was the patiserrie, where a young baker must have been prepared for the onslaught of 1200 people. By the time we made our way there, all she had left were a few sweet rolls and chocolate eclairs. We did split a

sweet roll, and it was good. That would have to do for lunch today. We did find one small boutique where we found a shotglass for the growing collection at home

 

By 2:15, we made our way back to the tender drop to meet with the small group for the tour to Ile Aux Marins, or Sailor's Island. We all boarded a tiny ferry to this little island,about 10 minutes away from town. A small community of French fishermen and their families lived here in the late 19th century. The men would go out to sea for days at a time, then bring back the catch. The girls and women would clean them, then lay them out on rock beds to dry for 5 to 7 days. Their houses were made from brick and rock, and decorated in the style of French homes of the era. Life must have been tough in those days on such a barren and desolate rock. After visiting the cemetary, you could see the short lifespans of the people. The main attraction was the church, which is still being restored from the inside out. A few houses were scattered around the hillsides and are used today for a day camp for kids. A couple of cute kids ran by us, saying "bonjour" during our brief stay.

 

Our walk continued without our guide, since she was trying to keep the group together. The terrain was steep and rocky, and not

recommended for disabled passengers. But there are always some people that ignore the warnings and go anyway. Unfortunately, they get left behind and have to wait for the group to return. Going uphill a bit more, we saw the stations of the cross, a monument to the brave sailors, and a shrine to St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes. This was a favorite place for the wives to go to pray for the safe return of their husbands.

 

We returned back to the ferry, then back to the tender for the short ride back to the Maasdam. The ship left at 6 pm, and by 6:15, we could no longer see the island due to heavy low fog. Nice place to visit, but we sure would not want to live here!

 

The clocks went back one-half hour tonight, which is strange, but happens in a few remote places in the world. Hey, an extra 1/2 hour of sleep will be most welcome.

 

Until tomorrow,

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[esther e]

More, more......

[RuthC]

Thanks for the update. It sounds like HAL had a new tour there this year; last year there was just a short bus tour around St. Pierre. I'm glad to see there are new and interesting things to do.

What was the cemetery on that smaller island like? I took a walk through the one on the main island and found it very interesting. As a matter of fact I thought it was similar to one I walked through on Nuka Hiva! The headstones listed out relatives, much as an obituary does.

[GrammyPL]

Mary Ann & Bill ---- Thanks so much for doing this journal. We are signed up for this cruise next July and I will be waiting to hear about all the different ports. Penny & Todd

[WCB]

Hi Ruth C.,

 

The cemetery on Sailor's Island was very old and in bad shape, since all the headstones were sinking. They were in the process of re-doing the headstones. There was a road leading to the top of the island that was lined with Stations of the Cross. At each station was a headstone of a sailor that had lived on the island. It was an interesting tour, but the cemetery did not look the same as on Nuka Hiva. More reports coming soon! WCB

[WCB]

Greetings all,

 

The Maasdam arrived to the port of St. John's, Newfoundland around 7:30 this morning. The day looks promising with partly cloudy skies and a cool breeze. No fog! Our tour does not start until 12:45, so we decided to walk the downtown area for a few hours. There was a welcome table onboard, right by the ship's exit, where a nice lady was handing out maps, free pins, and candies. This was a first. A Newfoundland dog named Sailor was greeting passengers as they disembarked. We even got free buttons with his picture on it. On the pier, were two large tents where vendors were selling small souveniers and dishing outpieces of a special 4th of July decorated chocolate cake Wow, that is another first! A group of two flute players and one drummer played music as we marched down the gangplank.

 

St. John's is the oldest North American city. Discovered by the English explorer, John Cabot in 1497, it is now the capital of Newfoundland. He named the area after St. John the Baptist, since it was discovered on his feast day. The main industry was cod fishing, which has been replaced by the discovery of oil now a days. Drinking rum, eating fried cod tongues?, and attending high tea are the Newfie's favorite pastimes.

 

Our first stop was their post office to mail a few postcards. It is always fun to see how long the mail takes to reach the USA. We continued on and saw many churches, stores, parks, monuments, and boutiques. The majority of the downtown area goes straight uphill from the pier. Many streets were so steep, the sidewalks turned into stairways. Quite a workout! There were also dozens of restaurants, dance clubs, and pubs in this area. Too bad it was too early for lunch, since we spotted a really nice Mexican restaurant we would have gone to. Maybe next time. We did get a chance to see the inside of the Catholic basilica. It was remarkably in good shape, even though it had been destroyed by fire twice, and rebuilt in the 1800's. We did notice that there were no candles lit anywhere, probably for safety reasons.

 

After picking up a few supplies ( they readily accepted US$), we headed back to the ship, and met with our group in the main lounge by 12:30. Our afternoon tour was to the Memorial University Botanical Gardens. Located about 6 miles from the pier, the park encompasses 110 acres of bog, forest, barrens, flower and rhododendrum gardens, peat and woodland beds, rock, veggie, and medicinal gardens, and numerous ponds. On the way, we drove past a huge college campus complex, learning that students volunteer to maintain the garden grounds. The director of the park, a naturalist college professor, escorted our group on a very interesting private tour. Since gardening is our favorite hobby, we came away with some new and valuable tips and several photos, of course. Following our hour hike, we were served scones with cream and jam, and tea or coffee. Yummy!

 

We got back to the ship by 3:30, and were whisked aboard by security people. The ship left promptly at 4 pm. As we sailed out of the narrow harbor, the hillsides were flanked with people waving goodbye to us. We will remember the people of St. John's as being most gracious and welcoming!

 

While we were watching the sailaway on the upper deck, we recognized Bettine Clemens, a flautist we had met on the Navigator last fall. She did remember us, and used the meeting to announce her upcoming show on Friday, also adding that her performance has finally made it to PBS in the United States. Will have to check that out.

 

Until later,

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[RuthC]

There's so much to see and do in St. John's---and the people are so friendly---that it's worth several visits.

It's too bad you didn't make it into the Catholic Basilica to see the glorious stained glass windows. It's the only time I've ever been late getting back to a tour bus (shame on me :o )!

You're lucky that it wasn't pouring rain as you sailed away---how'd you manage that? I swear it's the "usual and customary" departure weather.

[JLT]

Hi Mary Ann & Bill,

 

I'm so glad to be reading your report on our trip. I never quite got around to it but you are refreshing my memory. It was wonderful, wasn't it? I enjoyed every port for many different reasons but mostly just seeing the people and how and where they lived. The crew was probably the friendliest I have met, maybe seeing each other for 35 days made us feel as though we knew each other. I enjoyed meeting you both and will keep looking for your continuing saga. I did look to see who was the other great captain that we had on the SA cruise. His name was James Russell-Dunford. Also very personable and friendly. One other thing - could you tell me again the name of the group with whom you cruised? Jeanniedoodles@yahoo.com Thanks. I'm already thinking about the next one, maybe the Baltics or a river cruise or both.

Happy sailing!

[WCB]

Hi Ruth,

 

We actually did get into the Catholic Basilica, since it was the only one open. And yes, the stained glass windows were beautiful. We did take several pictures with each report, but some for reason, cannot post them on this site. We took over 1200 digital pictures on this trip!

 

We guess it was pure luck that the weather was so nice in St. John's!

 

Bill and Mary Ann

 

Hi Jean,

 

Good to hear from you! We will send you the name of the travel agent we used for this trip.

 

It sure was a nice cruise, wasn't it?? We agree with you that the staff was super, and you will see that mentioned in later reports.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[hammybee]

Thanks for making the time to share this with us and keep em coming. I am getting a big kickout of reading this through the Happy Wanderer filter.

[RuthC]

I am getting a big kickout of reading this through the Happy Wanderer filter.

I hope I'm not sounding like I'm trying to take over the thread or anything. :o It's just that I know these ports the way many posters know the Caribbean ports. I really, truly enjoy visiting them again through someone else's journal.

 

I agree that I appreciate WCB sharing with us like he is.

[WCB]

Good day to all,

 

Today has started out very cold, foggy, and drizzly. It sure made us walk the 24 laps around the promenade deck quite quickly. It was a good day to check out the theater after lunch. The show today was Fun With Dick and Jane, a bit silly, but entertaining. The best part is the popcorn!

 

There are many things to do on this ship to keep you busy. Their daily activities include exercise classes, golf tournaments, trivia, jewelry seminars, lectures, culinary arts demos, art actions, bridge games, slot tournaments, dance classes, arts and crafts sessions, mahjong, tea time, movies, and shuffleboard. And this just takes you to 4 pm!!

 

Later in the afternoon, as we sailed north towards Greenland, we spotted some big floating icebergs. The temperature had dropped, so staying outside for too long was almost painful. We are sure glad we brought our polar jackets! The icy wind can be bone-chilling. On our tour yesterday, the park's director told us that polar bears have been known to ride these huge icebergs from the Arctic. They will actually swim ashore on Newfoundland, need to be tranquilized, and helicoptered back where they came from. Wouldn't that be a hoot to see a bear surfing an iceberg?? Coyotes have also infiltrated Newfoundland the same way, however they are threatening the native wildlife, and are being thinned out today.

 

We went to the Crow's Nest around 7:15 for a drink and hors'deurves. That is another nice Holland touch....the hot snacks in the bars. We were hoping to spot some whales like last night. The nice bartenders in this lounge have the best seat on the ship. They are on a constant look-out for animal life. And when they yell "whale", you have to run fast to see them, because they're gone in a flash.

 

Dinner was good tonight and our dinner companions have bonded well. Our waiter Hadi, and his assistant, Toya, have provided excellent service. Despite our table being so large, we are getting out of the dining room well before showtime. We notice that there are several empty tables, which also speeds up service. Most passengers have opted for early seating, or are eating in the Lido or Pinnacle Grill instead. Better for us!

 

We are impressed with the entertainers that have been lined up for the first segment. Besides Ms. Clemen, Lorna Luft (Judy Garland's daughter), and Robert Shields will be performing this coming week. We did go to the first singers and dancers show, and enjoyed the music of the 60's, though the dancing was a bit "high-schoolish". Still, the shows have been better than most ships.

 

Time for bed,

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[happy cruzer]

Now that is a lovely sea day! I am so jealous here in the drought. Can't wait for more.

[WCB]

Greetings,

 

After a smooth night of sailing, we woke up to clear and sunny skies. Hurrah!

 

Breakfast has been good in the dining room. We have had tasty ham and eggs, omeletes, and eggs benedict. Their pastries are too good. Of course, this makes our walk even more important to do.

 

The promenade deck is one of the nicest features of the Holland ships. The wide teak decks are set with reclining teak chairs, with blue-striped pads and plaid wool blankets. There is enough space for three walkers to stroll. It's a great place to meet fellow passengers and chat for a while. And protected from the elements, it is a good spot to take pictures.

 

So far, we have gone to the Lido buffet for salads and sandwiches for lunch.At the entrance today, was a lobster and seafood display. Upon looking closer, we noticed the lobster was still alive and was moving! The buffet is well designed with separate stations for hot entrees, pasta, Asian fare, soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. Outside by the indoor pool, is the grill where they serve burgers, hotdogs, and sausages. Alongside the grill, is a taco bar and a pizza stand. Sure won't go hungry on this trip!

 

We stopped by the showlounge just in time to listen to Lorna Luft answer questions about her career, family, and famous mother. A few people asked her about her relationship with her sister, Liza Minelli. Her answer was,well, we're sisters, what else can I say?" She warned us not to believe anything you read in the Inquirer, since most of it is fabricated just to sell more papers. Always suspecting that to be the case.

 

Ever since we left Boston, we have noticed that the sun is setting later and later. Tonight the sunset is 11:15! It was so strange to have the sun in our eyes during dinner, and that was 8:30.

 

The show star tonight was Robert Shields, formerly Shields and Yarnell, now divorced. Shields is a mime who got his start in San Francisco in the early 70's. He still is quirky, and his show is bizarre. Besides mime, he now does impersonations and wasn't bad. Never knew he could talk!

 

Until tomorrow,

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[the2ofus]

I'm really enjoying your cruise diary. Thank you for taking the time to share. This is a voyage I'd like to experience someday. (If I ever win the lottery. Shucks, first I'd have to play the lottery.:) )

[Broon]

Thanks for sharing your diary. We were on the MAASDAM in July 05, along with RuthC, for the portion from Boston to Rotterdam, and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise. On our crossing to Greenland, the seas were quite rough, VERY rough. We didn't get to see any icebergs until we went through Prince Christian Sound where we had one of the best sea days EVER. Amazingly picturesque. We really like the Lido for breakfast and lunch and the Lower Promenade walking deck is a real plus for us. This thread is an enjoyable way to re-live a great cruise. Thanks again.

 

Harvey & Marianne