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Royal Caribbean Makes Merry at NYC Oasis Reveal |
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| Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor logo shone in Times Square today as New York City's NOKIA Theatre was transformed into an amusement park -- with jugglers, performers and carousel horses -- for the line's latest Oasis of the Seas reveal. Travel agents, members of the press and the Royal Champions (some of the cruise lines repeat customers) attended the event, which churned out more details than ever before about the hotly anticipated ship. A female acrobat sparkling in her white leotard kicked off the festivities by lifting and twirling herself in the air, suspended from the ceiling by two long pieces of fabric. (Also suspended from the ceiling? Merry-go-round horses which, at the end of the event, began moving up and down, making the whole room feel like one big carousel!) Next up: Showtime! If you haven't already seen the video at oasisoftheseas.com, take a gander. This presentation of renderings and insights from Royal Caribbean's execs premiered today in the NOKIA Theatre on a huge screen, and it was our first introduction to all of the new features planned for Oasis, including:  More neighborhoods! When Central Park was announced, Royal Caribbean promised there would be seven neighborhoods in total. Today, we learned of two more -- the Boardwalk and a two-level Royal Promenade -- leaving four more to go (other reveal events will take place as the launch date draws nears, execs tell us). The Boardwalk. We pretty much hit the nail on the head with this one. It's not called Coney Island, but the Boardwalk will feature everything from a psychic and tattoo parlor, seafood shack, and the first-ever at-sea carousel, with each horse put together in an antique style, by hand. A, gasp, zip-line will carry passengers from one end to the next! AquaTheater. Also, as we predicted, there will be a water fountain for light shows -- but the surprise was that it's actually part of a much larger venue. The AquaTheater, at the end of the Boardwalk (aft of the ship), features the largest pool at sea where cruisers can relax during the day (you can even take SCUBA lessons!). In the evening, the area is transformed into an amphitheatre-style space that will hold nightly performances. Read more. Itineraries. We knew Oasis of the Seas would be sailing from Ft. Lauderdale. Now we know that it will sail: Eastern Caribbean itineraries to start, followed by a season of alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises. Read more. Accommodations. Several new categories of cabins were unveiled today, including Loft Cabins (which feature a living space on the first floor, and a loft-style second level bedroom) and Aqua Cabins (whose balconies will overlook the AquaTheatre, offering its occupants private box seating to all of the events taking place below.Royal Caribbean Cruise Director Ken Rush emceed the event, introducing Royal Caribbean's head honchos: Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Adam Goldstein, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. Also on hand were Harri Kulovaara, Royal Caribbeans executive vice president, maritime (in laymans terms, the guy in charge of the gargantuan new-build projects) and several tourism and governmental officials from the regions this particular gargantuan will visit, including Jamaica, the Bahamas and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Though Fain and Goldstein were hesitant to share what they think will be their personal favorite features onboard, neither could hide their excitement about the Boardwalk. Fain, who has earned a reputation for being quite the surfer after challenging many of his colleagues to competitions on the Freedom-class FlowRider, has not issued a zip-line throwdown yet. "Some of the people here know that I am not in love with heights. I even found it awkward to come up on this stage [about six feet off the ground]." But after thinking better of it, he proclaimed, "I'll challenge Adam to start with." Indeed, the excitement about the Boardwalk was catching. After the press conference was wrapped up, attendees were treated to popcorn, fresh squeezed lemonade and cotton candy, as well as street performances by jugglers. A craftsman hand-carved what will be one of the actual horses on the wooden and brass carousel. And a model of the ships three decks, featuring the Royal Promenade, Boardwalk and Central park, was on display. As for parting words? Goldstein promises this: "Stay tuned for more -- theres still more coming about this ship and we look forward to more reveals. We have four neighborhoods to go." |
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MSC Poesia Review - Sneak Preview |
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| MSC Poesia | |
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First Impressions
MSC Poesia, christened in Dover on April 5, 2008, is the ninth ship in the MSC fleet and the third in the Musica class, preceded by MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra. Having just sailed a Western Mediterranean cruise onboard the latter, we were surprised to board this newest member of the family and find as many differences as similarities -- even though it was built from the same blueprint.
What stands out most is that even though public spaces are generally repeated from one ship in a class to the next, MSC Cruises has created more distinct designs with each new-build in the Musica class. Walking across MSC Poesia's Deck 7, where most of the bars and lounges are situated, the varying color schemes, themes and fabrics create a true sense of having left one area and entered another. These distinctions, strongest on this third in class, give each space more of an exclusive feel and less of a "just another shipboard bar" impression.
In addition, the ship is simply beautiful. It's elegant and stylish, even more so than its predecessors -- and its competitors. The line is oft compared to Carnival Corporation's Costa Cruises, another Italian line with wild interiors (Costa relies on wacky Joe Farcus); MSC's increasingly "refined" look is one of the biggest differences we've noted to date between the two. The extra special touches are in the details: Black marble adds class to the intimate Poker Room off the Zebra Bar, a music and dance hall, and Australian green marble dresses up the spacious atrium with its three-deck-high waterfall.
Beyond that, you'll find the usual suspects (two swimming pools, four whirlpools, duty-free shops, a double-decker theater for the line's renowned nightly production shows) and some really well executed takes on traditional spaces (a wine tasting bar where you can also sample Italian antipasti, and a private gaming rooms for Vegas-style glam). And of course, like all of the line's ships, Italian culture is prevalent onboard and serves as an important part of the entire experience. "Poesia" is the Italian word for "poetry," and each deck is named after an Italian poet. Deck 6 is Dante, named after Dante Aligheri who penned "The Divine Comedy"; Deck 9, Ungaretti, celebrates Italian hermetic poet Giuseppe Ungaretti.
Italian is spoken by many members of the staff, though an increasingly diverse passenger base also necessitates written and verbal communications in languages such as English, German, Spanish, French, and even Japanese.
Mealtime
There are four restaurants onboard MSC Poesia. The two main dining rooms -- Il Palladio Ristorante and Le Fontaine Ristorante offer traditional set-seating dinners (check your program for times; early sitting is generally at around 6:45 with the later one at 8:15 or so). Passengers can take breakfast or lunch in one designated main dining venue each day on an open-seating basis. Each evening, a pasta course is offered in addition to a main entree, and natural or sparkling water is poured free of charge. Our favorite part of dining in these venues is dessert -- MSC Poesia's chefs (and those on other ships in the fleet) concoct wonderful, authentic Italian pastries and cookies, even if the other dishes are sometimes hit or miss.
Cafeteria Villa Pompeiana is the lido buffet eatery, featuring breakfast and lunch daily. One downside here is that the set up is that of the old-school buffet line; the "action stations" being adopted throughout the industry really do make buffet dining easier and more customizable (create your own pasta rather than dig some ziti out of a lukewarm holding tray). In the evenings here, a pizzeria and a kebab eatery are set up -- but you'll have to pay. Pricing is a la carte (from about 5 euros per pizza, for example).
For a slightly more upscale experience, check out L'Obelisco, the for-fee specialty restaurant. The venue is actually area (all the way aft) of the Cafeteria Villa Pompeiana buffet that is converted into an alternative dining area at supper with tablecloths and waiter service. There is a set menu (there's an Italian bent, of course, but also Continental stalwarts like steak and lamb) supplemented by daily specials. The cover charge is 18 euros.
Kaito, the a la carte Japanese restaurant that launched to high praise onboard MSC Musica, the first ship in this class, but skipped a generation with MSC Orchestra (which boasts a Chinese eatery instead), is back. Onboard MSC Poesia, Kaito is a beautifully appointed space with Asian ambience -- modern, minimalist lines and decor. The restaurant offers sushi, sashimi, tempura and noodles, and is open for lunch and dinner daily (check the daily program for hours, which may vary); be prepared to pay a couple of euros per item.
A limited room service menu of sandwiches and salads is available at a la carte pricing.
Editor's note: If and when MSC Poesia sails in, say, the Caribbean, onboard prices will switch from euros to dollars, and certain aspects that carry a fee in Europe -- such as room service and evening pizza -- will become complimentary to fall in line with what other North American lines do (and what North American cruisers are used to).
Bed Time
There are four basic types of cabins onboard: insides (275, 12 of which are handicap accessible), outsides (173, two of which are handicap accessible), balcony (809, three of which are handicap accessible) and suites (18). What's notable about the range of accommodations onboard is that they're all very similar in size; even the few suites measure just 269 square ft. (for comparison, insides begin at 150 square ft. and balcony cabins at 164) and proffer only a few extra perks, such as fresh flowers and a daily tray of canapes. However, a good number of MSC Poesia's 1,275 staterooms have balconies -- 80 percent.
There are categorical variations within each style of cabin, based on location (some outsides on the Tasso Deck, for example, feature partially obstructed views due to lifeboat placement) and size (there are "standard" and "large" balcony cabins, a difference of about 8 square ft.).
Except for the suites, which come with bathtubs, expect a shower-only affair with the pesky curtain that tends to cause embarrassing floods if not closed properly. There is, however, a pleasantly powerful hair dryer in each cabin, and ample storage for clothes and amenities (speaking of which, MSC-branded shower gel, shampoo, soap and shower caps are replenished throughout; there's also a sewing kit in the desk drawer -- a nice thought).
Staterooms feature a black and red color scheme with darker wood finishes in upper categories (balcony and higher). All cabins have two single beds that convert into a double, except for those designated for the disabled; third and fourth bunks are available in a range of categories. All cabins also feature in-room Internet access (not wireless, though; that's only available in public lounges), a safe and a mini-bar.
One cool new addition is a remote control caddy on the bedside table that also holds the TV programming guide. No more blaming your cabin-mate for losing the clicker!
Grand Old Favorites
The wine bar, a staple on MSC Musica and Orchestra, is back and is one of our favorite spots onboard. On MSC Poesia, the space is called Grappolo d'Oro; there's a hefty list of wines from provinces across Italy along with Italian cheeses and meats. The light leather upholstery seems at first counterintuitive (wine bars are generally very dark and rich in tone), but ultimately it creates an atmosphere that's very open and chic.
New and Nifty
MSC Poesia enters the MSC fleet as its greenest ship -- and is one of the most environmentally friendly cruise vessels in the industry. It's the first ever to be coated with Intersleek 900 paint with "four release," a non-toxic substance that helps lower carbon dioxide emissions through the reduction of fuel. MSC Poesia is also outfitted with other technology to safeguard the environment and conserve energy. For example, when passengers leave their cabins, the temperature rises approximately two degrees, reducing the air conditioning output (and costs).
The ship's 1,500-square-ft. Bali-themed Aurea Spa has a few fresh innovations on offer as well. Q Frequency is a treatment that uses radio frequencies to lift the face and bust by facilitating the absorption of collagen; a "well being" bar offers revitalizing beverages such as fruit smoothies, vegetable juice "cocktails" and herbal teas; and a "sun shower," a space-age looking stall, delivers all-over body bronzing.
Kid-Friendly Factor
MSC Cruises' Mini Club program offers activities to cruisers between the ages of 3 and 13, but you won't see the same expansive breakdowns as on lines such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean. The dedicated children's facility, I Dinosauri, is geared mostly toward the younger set, with a Stone Age theme and small slide. Up on Deck 14, kids get their own wading pool and indoor/outdoor play areas with fun rope mazes and slides. As for the teenagers, there is an arcade that will certainly appeal -- but that's about it.
Editor's note: Be aware that because MSC is a European company, staff can legally serve alcohol in the bars to anyone over 18 years of age -- and pour wine for teenagers (with parental approval).
Huh?
During our short preview cruise, we happened upon some in-cabin television offerings many North Americans (or Europeans, for that matter) might not find to be kid-friendly, such as nudity. Programs that you deem unsuitable for members of your family can be blocked, however; be sure to contact Reception upon arrival if this is a concern. (Innocuous programming includes world news and pay-per-view movies.)
Bottom Line
MSC Poesia is a gorgeous new-build that showcases the continued evolution of the fast-growing Naples-based line. It is a good choice for budget-minded European cruisers, as well as North Americans who want to bring the international experience of a Mediterranean itinerary onboard as well by sailing with a mostly European crowd on a decidedly European ship.
Royal Caribbeans Newest Vessel, Genesis.
MIAMI - Royal Caribbean International on Monday ordered the world’s largest and most expensive cruise ship, a $1.24 billion vessel that will hold up to 6,400 passengers.
The ship, dubbed Project Genesis, is set to be delivered to the world’s second-largest cruise operator in fall 2009 by Oslo, Norway-based shipbuilder Aker Yards. It will be 220,000 gross registered tons and weigh in at about 100,000 tons based on displacement — a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier comes in at about 97,000 tons.
Aker said its contract price of 900 million euros — about $1 billion — would be “the most valuable ship ever ordered in the history of commercial shipbuilding.”
The $1.24 billion figure includes all expenses for the ship, “from forks and knives and sheets to artwork and everything else,” said Harri Kulovaara, the Miami-based cruise line’s executive vice president of maritime operations.
Aker said the contract is contingent on final approval of financing and the ship will be built at one of its Finnish yards. The cruise line, a unit of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., has an option for a second ship.
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The announcement also steals some of the spotlight from rival Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise operator. Carnival has studied building a ship about the same size, but its Pinnacle project is “on the back burner” because of its prohibitively high price, spokesman Tim Gallagher said.
Kulovaara said in a phone interview that the new ship will be more fuel efficient than current vessels, but he declined to give a specific figure. He said plans for the types of onboard amenities were being finalized. Royal Caribbean has been an innovator in featuring ice skating rinks, rock climbing walls and surfing pools.
Royal Caribbean’s ships are typically more upscale than the bargain Carnival Cruise Lines’ vessels, but they aren’t as traditional as those of luxury carriers such as Cunard.
Project Genesis will carry 5,400 passengers based on two people per cabin, Kulovaara said. But as most cruise cabins can accommodate more than two people using cots or other beds, that number rises to a maximum capacity of 6,400.
Ray Weiller, an owner of discount online travel agency Cruisequick.com, said many of his clients are drawn to the ever-growing size and number of amenities of ships, but others tire of waiting in long lines to get on and off the vessels. Many complain about the large ships overwhelming some ports of call with too many people trying to visit, he said.
Royal Caribbean still offers a variety of ship sizes, so customers who don’t like larger vessels will have other options, Kulovaara said. The ship will sail in the Caribbean, where many ports already handle megaships, but ports will need some infrastructure impovements to handle it, he said.
Carnival Corp.’s Cunard Line currently has the world’s largest cruise ship — the Queen Mary 2 — at 151,400 gross registered tons. But Royal Caribbean is scheduled to get an even bigger ship in June, the 160,000-ton Freedom of the Seas. It will carry 3,600 passengers double occupancy and 4,370 maximum.
Both will be eclipsed by Project Genesis, which will be 1,180 feet long, 154 feet wide at water level and 240 feet high.
Aker Yards employs about 13,000 people at 13 shipyards in Norway, Finland, Germany, Romania and Brazil.
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First Impressions |
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Holland America's Maasdam |
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| In the embarkation lounge, my eyes were searching for signs of youth. A Hello Kitty backpack, a stuffed animal, a Game Boy, a mouth full of braces, anything. I was about to begin a seven-night cruise with my husband and our five-year-old son, and even as we'd booked our tickets, the jury was still out on whether Holland America's stately Maasdam was a good choice for a family. I'd done enough research to know that there are plenty of older Holland America devotees who make no bones about the fact that the absence of kids is, for them, a good thing. There are 60-somethings who've said they felt like spring chickens on this line's ships. But I'd heard that demographics were changing, that the late summer season cruises out of Boston would have plenty of family appeal. But Maasdam is a ship whose godmother is June Allyson -- R.I.P. Frankly, I was worried. Turns out I didn't need to be. While the ship does lack the state-of-the-art facilities and programs offered by lines for whom families are a significant passenger base, Maasdam was just fine. There were enough kids onboard that a certain critical mass was achieved -- but not so many that adults looking for Holland America's brand of sedate-style cruising would be annoyed. With its mid-sized capacity and classic styling, Maasdam is a manageable and pleasant ship. After thirteen years in service, it has succeeded in retaining its youth -- with a major sweep of contemporary updates just last year -- but has resisted the impulse to act like a teenager. As such, Maasdam has retained some of the traditional sensibilities that appeal to its older audience base -- high tea, formal nights, ballroom dancing and displays of antiques -- while adding elements to appeal to younger audiences (and not just families at that), with features that include a contemporary alternative restaurant, wireless hotspots and an iPod tour of the aforementioned antiques. Indeed, there are some of us who say hats off to Maasdam for resisting some of the more radical trends of the behemoth ships (no surfing wave simulators or rock-climbing walls here), while stepping ahead on other fronts, with an extensive state-of-the-art library, for example. For my little family, it proved to be an enjoyable ship on which to spend a week meandering up the New England coast. |
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Dining  Maasdam's restaurants are the grand Rotterdam Dining Room, the bustling and bountiful Lido buffet, and the intimate and subdued Pinnacle Grill. Add a casual poolside option for burgers and dogs, a coffee bar, and round-the-clock complimentary (and prompt) room service (from hot breakfasts to dinner selections), and dining options are well covered. You won't go hungry. The Lido buffet is cheerful and efficient and has great views from floor-to-ceiling windows. Lido serves continental breakfast starting at 6:30 a.m., full breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m.; lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and dinner from 6 to 7:30 p.m. (Hours may be adjusted on port days and embarkation/debarkation, so check the daily schedule to be sure.) There are extended hours at Lido for sandwiches, ice cream or special late-night offerings, and coffee and tea are available there at all times. Even at peak times, we found the lines to be manageable, and there were plenty of available tables. Most days, friendly staff members appeared to carry my son's tray, a touch that went a long way to help avoid calamity. As with most buffets, Lido is characterized by variety, quantity and quickness -- and quality is sometimes a casualty of this emphasis. But most things were just fine. Breakfast options include made-to-order omelets and specialty pancakes, generous servings of bacon or sausage, rather good muesli, and a host of unspectacular pastries. Lunch is hot entrees (pastas, stir fry, fish or chicken), sandwiches, salads and desserts. Dinner includes many of the same choices offered in the Rotterdam Dining Room. For dinner, the Rotterdam Dining Room, the ship's elegant, two-tier restaurant, is the main event. As you enter, your eyes are drawn upward to the hundreds of Murano glass flowers covering the ceiling, and certainly outward, to the floor-to-ceiling views of the ocean. There is early seating at 5:45 and 6:15 p.m., and "main" seating at 8 and 8:30 p.m. Editor's Note: In spring 2008, Maasdam will introduce an "As You Wish" dining option, as HAL incorporates flexible approaches to dining across its fleet. The "As You Wish" program will give guests the flexibility to do same-day reservations or even walk-in seating on one level of the Rotterdam Dining Room, while the other level will continue to operate on the traditional fixed-seating plan. Tables range from a limited number of two-tops to eight-top mixed groups, and the ship will generally try to accommodate your seating preferences if you make them known in advance. Rotterdam's dinners are advertised as five-course affairs, but by my count, they are three: appetizer, main course and dessert. Menu choices include daily chef's specials, plus "Greenhouse Spa" options, vegetarian choices and sugar-free selections among the desserts. (With some advance notice, HAL will try to accommodate special dietary needs such as salt-free, gluten-free, fat-free or baby food.) The food is good but largely falls short of superb. There were some memorable moments -- a chilled avocado and salmon soup, and escargot come to mind -- but many were forgettable ones: chicken or salmon something-or-other and desserts that were somehow less satisfying than their descriptions. I was glad to see that there was a kids menu with all the usual suspects: macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, chicken nuggets, pizza, fries. With those staples, the ample bread basket, ice cream and fancy drinks (we started the week with Shirley Temples and got more creative from there, ending with a non-alcoholic something called "Miami Vice"), my young son made it through six nights of dinner in the dining room -- including two formal nights -- without getting squirmy. The crayons and coloring book I smuggled in each night did help. Maasdam is not heavy on dining room theatrics, but there are a few nods in the theme-evening direction: an Indonesian night with traditional music and dancing, a parade of sparkler-studded Baked Alaska, something called "Master Chef's" night that involved a rather silly tossing of salad vegetables, but it never veered too far from its civilized atmosphere. You'll never be asked to dine in a toga (or to look at your waiter in one), but you can don a paper chef's hat for a while or join other guests in a napkin-waving salute to the dining room staff for just a little joie de vivre. Maasdam's service really shines in the Dining Room -- from the greeter at the ready with the de rigueur squirt of Purell as you enter, to the gentleman offering a piece of candied ginger or dried fig as you exit. Servers remember drink orders, bring extra bread if you like, and graciously indulge in banter about port-day activities or the weather or the usual questions about what it's like to work on a cruise ship. In a small gesture that genuinely touched us, our wine steward made origami animals for our young son as if he were a favored nephew. Editor's Note: The Rotterdam Dining Room also serves a full-service breakfast from 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. and lunch from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. on some days (check daily schedules). A couple of times a week, there's a late-afternoon Dutch Tea, though I could never imagine, at that hour, how anybody had room for more food, even the daintiest morsels. Maasdam's progressive alternative restaurant, Pinnacle Grill, is worth the $30 per person surcharge, especially considering what you'd pay for a comparable restaurant experience off ship. Open for dinner plus lunch on some sea days, Pinnacle offers an intimate dining experience (read: limited seating so reserve early), a welcome retreat from the heavily peopled scene in Rotterdam or Lido. The decor is pleasantly understated, with the exception of the colorful glass sculptures by Dutch artist Bernard Heesen. Meals are beautifully presented on Bvlgari china and tables are covered in Frette linens. Stemware is Riedel. Pinnacle's menu nods to the Pacific Northwest and emphasizes steaks, lamb chops and fish. Service was slightly akimbo on our evening at Pinnacle, owing, we learned, to a booking glitch that had the restaurant operating beyond its capacity. I imagine service challenges are not helped by the fact that the kitchen is three flights down on an escalator. We waited longer than we should have for water and bread; some Champagne that had been arranged for us was nearly forgotten; and one dessert arrived long after the other had been eaten. But, ultimately, the food was so good, the ambience so pleasing and the glitches handled with such aplomb by the staff, that ultimately it would go down as a lovely experience. When delays caused our dinner to extend past the hours at Club HAL, where we'd deposited our son for the occasion, the staff invited him to join us for dessert and made him a special sundae -- a nice save, and another example of HAL's winning service. |
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Public Rooms  The ship's size and layout make for easy orientation. After a short walk around, my husband announced that he had "gotten it down." Basically, the ship is anchored at one end by the two-level Rotterdam Dining Room and at the other by the two-story Rembrandt Lounge, with most public facilities grouped mainly in the middle on Decks 6, 7, and 8. Lido Deck is 11, with the gym, spa, kids club and sports deck topping out on 11 and 12. There are plenty of spaces on the decks to lounge about and read or rest, both in more populated zones (near the pools) and also off the beaten path. My favorite private spot was Deck 9 aft, where it was altogether possible to be alone. Others -- readers, snoozers, and snoozers pretending to be readers -- preferred the teak lounges around the Promenade deck, all facing the sea, which can be equally quiet. Maasdam's public spaces showcase a collection art and antiques that reflect HAL's Dutch seafaring lineage -- a 19th-century wooden sculpture of a yawner (Gaaper, in Dutch), a gilded side table from 18th-century Italy, a canon barrel from the 14th century. But one of Maasdam's most notable art pieces is quite contemporary -- the towering glass sculpture by Luciano Vistosi that rises three levels from the Atrium, providing a dramatic visual axis for the public spaces. |
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| Cabins HAL has a reputation for relatively spacious cabins, and Maasdam bears this out. Our Verandah Suite (284 square ft.) was plenty roomy for our family of three, and it may not be an exaggeration to say we had more closet space per person on this cruise than we do in our New York City apartment. Closets hold extra blankets, some wood and a few satin-wrapped hangers, and a personal safe (along with life jackets). There are efficiently arranged and relatively spacious standard cabins at197 square ft (outside) and 182 square ft. (inside), and Deluxe Verandah Suites at 563 square ft. And then there's the ultra-deluxe Penthouse Suite, at 1,126 square ft. A half dozen cabins can accommodate passengers with disabilities. Stateroom decor is pleasingly understated: framed nautical maps, light wood and neutral color schemes, variable lighting. Inside cabins have a trompe l'oeil lighting effect -- a light behind a curtain where there might otherwise be a window -- a nice try. Beds in all cabins configure to two twins or one queen, and the suites have a convertible sofa bed that makes a comfortable additional single. There are DVD players and flat-screen televisions running movies, vintage sitcoms (Green Acres, Gilligan's Island), documentaries, navigational stats and endless re-runs of shows of the frightfully low-budget cruise ship videos. (How many times, I ask you, should anyone watch the same couple pose for a photo with the captain?) In-room fridges are filled with a variety of beverages -- you take it, you buy it. Alas, the complimentary in-cabin fruit basket has given way to a card on which to mark your order for the fruit you might like to have. This struck me as just a little bit parsimonious. Seems to me it's the gesture of the fruit basket -- the impression that creates when you enter the room -- that matters more than the option of requesting fruit from an order form. Verandahs have a padded chaise, a faux rattan chair, and a table just large enough for a drink or a magazine, but probably not both. Deluxe Verandah Suites on Deck 10 have double-wide verandahs (two chaise lounges plus a table with four chairs), and the rooms themselves feature modern curved sofas, glass-topped coffee tables, a bathroom with a separate vanity area, granite bars and marble floors. Guests in Deluxe Verandah Suites and the Penthouse Suite enjoy use of the exclusive Neptune Lounge, featuring a coffee/cappuccino machine and cold beverages, hors d'oeuvres and sweets throughout the day, as well as wing chairs, a substantial table for dining or game playing, a large fresh flower arrangement, and its own library of premium art books -- from Rembrandt's drawings to Annie Leibovitz's photographs to Tom Ford's fashions. It's a nice spot and appeared to be under-utilized. (A mere Verandah Deck denizen oblivious to the discreet sign at the door, I managed to help myself to a swan-shaped pastry, flipped through a few books and caught the baseball scores on television before I learned I wasn't entitled to be there. Here, too, the staff had erred on the side of grace.) Bathrooms in all cabins have tubs with showers, except inside cabins, which have showers only. Toiletries include shampoo, conditioner, two kinds of soap, shower gel and body lotion. The brand is "Elementi," the same citrusy/herbal line used in the ship's spa. There are retractable clotheslines in the bathtubs (handy for drying swimsuits) and in-bathroom hair dryer, plus a second hair dryer near the desk/vanity in the suites. Dry cleaning and laundry service are available for a fee (complimentary for guests in Deluxe Verandah Suites), and there are two onboard laundry facilities (with irons/ironing boards) if you decide you need to do a small load or two to get you through. |
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| Entertainment By day there is little by way of serious enrichment lectures -- at least on my recent seven-night cruise -- but there was Bridge, Bingo, trivia games, Sudoku, cooking demos, movies, mixology classes or Friends of Bill W. meetings. Poolside bands add a festive air on sea days and sailaways. Throughout the day and evening, The New York Times-sponsored Explorations Cafe is an active hub. It holds over 2,000 books (fiction, literature, travel, history, Harry Potter), plus a host of periodicals and a DVD library (complimentary for passengers in Deluxe Verandah Suites; modest charge for others). There are touch-screen interactive maps, write-on/wipe-off crossword puzzle tables, and a cubby of games and puzzles, though they saw relatively little use on our cruise, thanks to consistently superb weather. By the end of a seven-night cruise, the collective efforts of Maasdam's passengers had managed to put together about half of a 3,000-piece puzzle. There's an adjacent card room and several computer/Internet stations (75 cents per minute with volume pricing available). I sat for a few minutes in a reproduction Eames chair and tried out the music listening stations, poking around to test its range: Prokofiev? There. REM? Got it. Soundtrack from Chicago? Check. Barney the Purple Dinosaur? Yep. Maasdam's shore excursions covered a range of options with no big surprises. On our New England/Canada itinerary, for instance, the Historic New England/Canada coast offerings included Victorian tea, a "Haunted Halifax" tour and sea kayaking with a classic lobster bake. Excursion pricing ranged from $29 for a two-hour walking tour of Halifax to $359 for an interactive "Soldier for a Day" package, with most excursions in the $40 - $90 range. I did find that the "book early" advice was worth heeding. I didn't, and found that by mid-week, many of the most appealing excursions were fully subscribed. Evening entertainment includes the obligatory casino (where, alas, smoking is still permitted), eight different bars catering to beer-and-baseball moods in Casino Bar, after-dinner drinks and classical strings at the Ocean Bar, or a stiff one and a melancholy round of Bye Bye Miss American Pie at the Piano Bar. Then there was the scene at the Crow's Nest (Deck 12), the ship's modish disco, with loud music and louder lighting effects and even louder curvy hot pink sofas. DJ Jazzy did a fair job of trying to rally the crowd with electric slides and trivia contests, but the dance floor seemed to be mainly populated by off-duty staff members: pretty spa ladies and cast members from the musical revue. (Scene-watching of a different sort takes place in Crow's Nest during the mornings and afternoons, when it's a spectacular perch for ocean viewing.) Ah, the shows. Yes, there are the standard cruise ship musical extravaganzas, magic shows and comedians. These take place in the Rembrandt Lounge, fancily done up in Delft tiles, brass and Mahogany, metallic fabric wall covering, ship-print carpeting, and settees and sofas in lieu of standard auditorium seating. Shows occur twice nightly to accommodate both early and late diners. The theater was full most evenings, and the applause was generous. My son was enraptured by the shows, and my husband was a good sport (until he could stand no more); I'd say their responses typify the range. |
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| Spa & Fitness The fitness center is open daily from morning to night and has a range of equipment and activities -- from Pilates to weight machines and the various climbing and biking simulators -- all with views on the sea. Maasdam has two modestly sized pools: a saltwater pool on the Neptune Deck (10) and the fresh water Lido Pool with its sculptural trio of dolphins that's a magnet for kids. The Lido pool is flanked by two hot tubs and can be sheltered by a retractable cover to keep rain and/or intense sun rays out. On the "Sports Deck" (12), there's a serviceable basketball court, tennis, shuffleboard. There is a quarter-mile walking/jogging course on the Promenade Deck (6). (Note: Cabin windows on the Promenade Deck have been outfitted with a reflective film to prevent peeking in.) Time ran out before I could book a treatment at the Greenhouse Spa & Salon, but the place -- colorful and sensual -- looked inviting, and the menu of services was enticing. Just reading about the "Alpha Massage Capsule Destress Package" or "Nurturing Relaxation Ceremony" made me feel already less stressed, more nurtured and relaxed, while reading "Exotic Coconut Rub" and "Lime & Ginger Salt Glow" made me crave a Margarita. There are nine varieties of massage (plan on dropping $109 - $200 or more), as well as more proletariat salon rituals like haircuts (from $59) and polish changes ($19). There's complimentary fruit and herbal tea, as well as robes and spa sandals and access to the Thermal Suite, a quiet blue and yellow tiled oasis with saunas and whirlpools and aromatherapy showers and heated tile |
