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Tom and
Mary Milano
TomandMaryMilano@Yahoo.com
Age: 76
Occupation: Retired
Cruise Line: Holland American
Ship: Zuiderdam
Departure Date: September 13, 2003
Itinerary: 7-Night Eastern Caribbean
More than 105,000 cruisers have visited our page.
Mary and I thank you for
appreciating what we do.
Our review is quite long, we suggest it would read more
easily if you print it.
For those of you who have read our reviews and know us, hello again. For those of you, who are first time readers, let us tell you something about ourselves. We started cruising late in life. We were owners and operators of an award winning restaurant on Long Island, N. Y. and we were fortunate to be able to retire in 1973. We enjoyed land vacations in the U.S. and in Europe. We thought we had experienced the best, that is, until we took our first cruise in 1996. That's when we realized cruising encompassed everything we ever wanted for a vacation and we have been cruising ever since. Our Zuiderdam cruise is our 31st cruise. Mary & I refer to our cruises as another ‘Honeymoon,' because we can't think of a more romantic, intimate, exciting way to spend quality time with the one you love, than when on a cruise. With God's grace we hope to have many more ‘Honeymoons' in the years to come.
Many of our readers have expressed a keen interest in Holland Americans first of
their five new Vista class ships, the 82,000 ton Zuiderdam. The reviews of this
ship are very controversial. Many of the reviews we read were so negative we
wouldn't have booked, if it wasn't for the fact that the agent for the AA
reunion group we were part of, had to change from the original group booking on
RC's Navigator of the Seas to the Zuiderdam. Mary & I were not happy with the
change, but after much conversation, we decided it was a great opportunity to
see first hand if what the reviews said was true. Much of our seven days was
spent looking into each of the many negative things that was said in the reviews
we read. We are going to give you our assessment of the Zuiderdam and how it
compares to the other ships we have sailed on, particularly in the key areas of
Food, Service and Entertainment We will give you our honest, unbiased opinion of
this ship, but please remember it's from our perspective, which might be very
different from yours.
Mary & I do not profess to be cruise experts. We are just passionate about
cruising. We write reviews to share our cruise experience with our fellow
cruisers but especially for those who are new to cruising or who are thinking of
cruising for the first time. If you have any questions that you think we can
answer, we encourage you to write us. Some folks are afraid they might ask a
foolish question. We want you to know there aren't any foolish questions. We
have been there and done that. We were savvy travelers but when it came to
booking our first cruise, it was very different from anything we had experienced
and at times quite confusing. So we repeat, if you have any questions, write us
and we will do our best to answer any questions you might have.
***Our regular readers are familiar with the Wimpy character I refer to in our
reviews, but for our new readers, a quick explanation. Tom had been a Macho man
most of his early life. In his latter years he began to realize when he did
those little wimpy things that Mary loved him to do, his lovely Mary gave him a
lot more reason to smile. Although Tom was macho, he wasn't dumb. When Tom is at
sea, on another of their ‘Honeymoons,' he takes on the Wimpy persona to its
highest degree by using these occasions as an opportunity to do all sorts of
lovely little wimpy things for his Mary***
To be Seventy Years Young is Better Than Being 40 Years Old.
We're at the age where we have stopped lying about our age and are now bragging
about it. We take the liberty of writing about things you don't normally find in
cruise reviews. We will often digress to tell you something about our life, or
our thoughts or something that has made our latter years so wonderful. You can
better relate to our review if you know our likes and dislikes. We suggest you
read our short Bio on our Home Page: http://www.tomandmaryscruisereviews.com/
To Expedite Reading Our Review:
So as not to be repetitious, we have placed our "Suggestions That Could Enhance
Your Cruise," at the very end of our review for those who haven't read them.
They include:
Things to do Before, During & After Your Cruise:
A Better Way of Tipping:
The Magic of the $2 Bills:
The First Hours Aboard Ship Are Important:
Should You Buy Cruise Insurance?
All Ships of a Cruise Line Are Not the Same:
Cruise Web Sites to Help You Research Your Cruise:
You Should Write a Review:
Embarkation:
Even though our cruise itinerary was in the direct path of hurricane Isabel, we
weren't unduly concerned. We knew, having been in this situation before, that if
Isabel threatened in any way, the Captain would change course and head for
calmer waters. His two main concerns are to protect the safety of the passengers
and to protect his half billion-dollar vessel. We will tell you more about our
encounter with Isabel later in our review.
For weeks preceding our cruise, we did all our pre cruise things that help us in
heightening our cruise experience. http://www.TomandMarysCruiseReviews.com/CruiseExperience.htm
Now we invite you to join us as we leave our home in New Smyrna Beach and drive
to Ft. Lauderdale to board the Zuiderdam for our seven-day A.A. Reunion cruise.
We suggest you get comfortable in your recliner, and take a vicarious cruise
with Mary & I to the Eastern Caribbean.
We have made this trip thirty + times in the last six and some half years. We
could take our hands off the wheel and our car could find its way to port. As is
our usual routine, on the way to port we play the c.d.'s we purchased of the
combo's we danced to on previous cruises. Listening to them brings back many
wonderful memories and before we know it, we see our exit sign to Port
Everglades. Entering the port, we are asked to show our tickets and photo
identification. We then proceed to the terminal and the porters took our luggage
and I parked our car. The daily parking rate has gone from $10 to $12 per day.
We entered the terminal and the entire boarding procedure took an hour... now
that we had our picture taken, come with us as we go to our balcony cabin on the
Promenade deck
Our Cabin 4170:
It was the usual HAL cabin, spacious and well appointed. One of the negatives
was the lack of drawers. The only drawers were in the night tables beside the
bed. The other negative was, it was rather noisy when the ship was at full
speed. Mary was disappointed that we were one, of only a handful of cabins on
the Promenade deck, that didn't have a bathtub. Make sure you check the symbols
next to your cabin in the cruise brochure. They put them there for a reason. Get
you magnifying glass and read them. Gunter was our cabin attendant. He was a
very nice man and was the perfect cabin attendant. We rarely saw him but he kept
our cabin immaculate.
As soon as our luggage arrived, I began Wimpanizing our cabin. I unpacked the
short extension cord with the three outlet connection. I found the Glades
Hawaiian Breeze Plug-In ( couldn't find our favorite Gardenia Plug-Ins) and
inserted it into one outlet and plugged the night lite into the other. Then I
took the can of the new product, ‘Oust Air Sanitizer' and sprayed the cabin and
the bathroom. By the time I finished with the cabin enhancers, I began to detect
the sweet aroma of the Hawaiian Breeze and out of the corner of my eye, I could
see my Mary smiling. She knew that the transition had taken place and macho man
had been left on the pier and she was going to have seven wonderful blissful
days, now that Tom had taken on his Wimpy persona.
The balcony was one of the best we have had. Even though we were on the lowest
balcony deck, no one could look down from above. We still had complete privacy.
We had breakfast on our balcony every morning. On previous cruises, when I woke
up, I went to the breakfast area and filled two thermos with coffee and brought
them back to the room. But after I did this on the first morning, Mary didn't
want me to go through all that trouble and insisted I make it easier on myself
by ordering breakfast through room service. It didn't take Wimpy very long to
realize he could make breakfast into something special for Mary. Each night I
filled out the breakfast card and the preferred time of delivery and placed it
on the cabin door. It never failed to arrive on time. Room service was
exceptional. When it arrived, I awakened Mary and she went about doing the
things women usually do in the morning. As soon as the bathroom door closed, I
hurriedly prepared her coffee with sugar and cream and her croissants with
butter and strawberry jelly, just the way she liked them. I put them on a tray
with my Blueberry muffins and I took them out to the balcony. When I heard the
door of the bathroom open, I went in and took my lady's arm and escorted her to
the balcony. Then with music in the background and the occasional scent of
Hawaiian Breeze in the air, we enjoyed a romantic breakfast, as we watched the
sun slowly rise above the horizon. (On a number of mornings I placed a card next
to her coffee, for her to read. You know, one of those cards that speaks your
heart.) Wimpy may be a wimp, but he's no dumbbell. He knew what the great
American Philosopher Henry David Thoreau once said was true, "What you do the
first the moments you're awake, will set the tone of your entire day."
We're Going to Cut to the Chase---and Tell You Our Concluding Thoughts First:
There have been so many negative reviews of this ship, we don't want our readers
and especially those of you who are long time HAL customers, have to wait till
the end of our review to know our assessment of this first of the five new Vista
class ships.
We say this, without a shadow of a doubt, Holland American has a brand-new star
in its fleet. The Zuiderdam is a magnificent vessel that is equal to any ship of
the major cruise lines. You may have read negative reviews about some of the
problems this ship had during its initial deployment, but we can assure you,
whatever problems they may have had, have been addressed and for the most part
resolved.
As soon as we boarded, it was quite obvious that this ship has been designed to
appeal to the younger family members of the HAL loyalists. The decor and the
colors are vibrant and alive and very un- Holland American. But as we toured the
ship, we realized although the design of many areas had a new look for HAL,
there were many areas that still maintained many of the characteristics that
endeared this line to their mothers and fathers. This is definitely the dawn of
a new era for HAL. They are threading a fine line of trying to attract the
younger set, while minimizing the loss of the long-standing HAL faithful who
will find it hard to accept change. We think management will find a way to
assuage this segment of their market and will be successful in attracting a much
younger age group... we would like to invite you to join us as we take a cursory
tour of the Zuiderdam.
The Ship:
The first thing that caught our eye as we entered the ship, was the carpet with
its swirls of many shades of reds and purples. At first we thought it was a bit
much, but as the week wore on we grew to like it and thought it was a great way
of showing a dramatic change had taken place. The atrium area, although still
rather unimaginative, is much nicer than any of the HAL ships. As you can see by
the picture of the lower level, HAL is using a lot more color in their decor.
The colors of the upholstery of the sofa, chairs and bar stools are very bright
and beg your attention. The flowers and the art on the Zuiderdam are stunning.
Although all the cruise lines are tightening their belts, HAL still continues to
have beautiful, extensive floral arrangements in every area of the ship.
You can dance before and after dinner in the Ocean Bar, where Meir & Rae Ann
resides. If you would like to relax and listen to piano melodies, you can go to
the Crow's Nest, where pianist Daniel Thiverge plays nightly. If you like to
Disco, you can join DJ Lucky Luke in the Northern Lights. If you enjoy listening
to classical and contemporary music, you can go to the Explorer Lounge and
listen and be entertained by the Rosario String Trio. If you want to sing along
with Gayle Leali you can visit her at the Piano Bar. If you want to be
entertained by the HAL Cats, an English group of four talented instrumentalists
and four vocalists, playing and singing all the latest dance favorites, you will
find them at the Queens Lounge. There is a music venue for whatever your tastes
might be. .. Hors D'oeuvres are served with your drinks in some of their dance
venues... we think you will get more out of our review if we tell you about the
things that impressed us and what we liked most about the Zuiderdam, instead of
giving you a detailed description of every deck. But before we do, we would like
to digress and tell you the main reason we booked this cruise.
This Might Inspire a Troubled Loved One or Friend:
Just before Christmas in 1965, I walked into an A.A. meeting a troubled, lost
soul. Here I am 37 years later, married to my lovely Mary for 35 years and she
has never seen me take a drink. The 12-step program of AA and God's grace, have
worked a miracle in my life and made it into something beautiful. I thought you
would like to read what the author of the best seller "Joshua, Fr. Joe Girzone"
has written about this God given program. We pray it might inspire a troubled
love one or friend to seek help and renew their life.
The Church Should Function Like The A.A. Program
Fr. Joe Girzone
God's presence in the world makes itself felt in so many ways, particularly when
people care for one another. The way in which the A.A. movement operates is a
continuous manifestation of God's love weaving its way through the lives of
people deeply beset by the most horrendous problems. This program always made me
think that this is the way the Church should function. Members of the Twelve
Step program develop an attachment to God that is touching in its humility and
wonderfully childlike in its simplicity. It is big and grand enough to embrace
people of all religions and races and every variety of pain and sin. It has the
all-embracing goodness of God. Unlike churches which feel they must segregate
people according to rigid doctrinal beliefs, and which crusade publicly for high
moral righteousness in such pompous ways that sinners are frightened off, this
program welcomes sinners and embraces them warmly. The sensitivity of people in
the Twelve Step program is what genuinely religious people should be like in
their caring for one another. No hour is too late, no time too long to help one
who is on the verge of giving up or on the brink of despair. Their caring for
one another is a touching manifestation of what Jesus meant when He said, "Love
one another as I have loved you."
Every individual in this program could tell you the miracles of God's grace and
the intimate way God has worked not only in their own lives, but in the lives of
those they have sponsored or helped. And though they would not call themselves
such, they are truly religious. It is clear when you become familiar with
members of these programs how much they depend on each other, and how deeply
they have affected each others lives. It makes God's presence in humanity so
real and tangible you feel as if you can almost touch Him. When people touch
each other so deeply and so palpably, you know that God is there. "Ubi caritas
et amor, Deus ibi est." Where there is charity and love, there is God.
We printed this article for two reasons. One is to give you a better sense of
what the program is and the other is to have you read this article to see if you
might want to send it to a loved one or friend who might be having a problem. If
you think reading this article would help them, send me an e-mail and I will
format it and send it to you, so you can forward it to the person you want to
help... now we invite you to join us for dinner in the Vista dining room.
The Vista Dinning Room:
The Vista dinning room has two levels. At the entrance we were met by Raymond,
the official greeter for the dinning room. He was dressed in a snazzy red and
black Bell Cap uniform, like the ones we saw in the old time Hotels. They
couldn't have picked a better man for the job. He had a wonderful, engaging
personality and was never at a loss of words. This is Raymond when he made his
nightly visit to our table.
We were seated at a table for two on the rail of the upper level, overlooking
the lower dinning room.
Our table setting was everything you would expect in a fine restaurant,
including beautiful stemmed balloon wine glass's. Whereas most cruise ships have
a single spray of flowers, each table was adorned with a miniature mixed
bouquet. The very popular Rosario Strings provided the dinner music. We felt
very comfortable and looked forward to a fine dinning experience. We weren't
disappointed.
Our servers were Suko our waiter and his assistant David. Shortly after they
introduced themselves, I did our usual thing. I handed them the tip envelopes I
had prepared at home. They seemed quite pleased. I told Suko, "You serve this
same menu every week and you know what the Chef does best. When I order, if you
know it's not one of the chef's better dishes, just tell me, "Why don't you
order something else." Never once during the week did he have to suggest
something other than what we ordered. We found the food to be exceptional, some
of the best dinning room food we have enjoyed on any of our cruises. It was
superb and the service was equally good. Suko and David were a great team and
added immeasurably to our dinning experience. When we ordered coffee after our
first dinner, David reminded us that we could have Cappuccino or Coffee Latte if
we liked. Bingo! Coffee Latte is a favorite of Mary's and every night David made
sure we had Coffee Latte with our dessert. One night I was surprised to see
Dover sole on the menu. This is an item that can be an exceptional dish if
deboned properly and a disaster if not. I took a chance and ordered it. When it
was served, I expected the Maitre D` Johny of our station to come over and
debone it. Instead, Suko came to our table and deboned my Sole in a most
professional way. Our English Maitre D` at our restaurant didn't do it any
better. Johny, the Maitre D` of our section, has been with HAL for twelve years
and had just been promoted to his new position. He is a fine young man and did
an excellent job.
Another server who added considerably to our dinning enjoyment was our wine stewardess Elizabeth. As I usually do, I ordered a bottle of Chardonnay wine for Mary, with a glass of ice on the side. Mary likes lots of ice with her wine. I know those of you who are wine connoisseurs just cringed when you read this, but that's the way my Mary likes her glass of wine. Elizabeth treated Mary like she was the best wine customer in the dinning room. She was forever at our table to see if we needed anything and we learned a lot about this sweet young lady. She was an absolute delight and we were completely smitten with her by the end of the cruise. Elizabeth Hausen lives with her Dad in Belem, in the Philippines.
On the second night of our cruise Robertus Ramaekers, the Maitre D` hotel, came
to our table and handed Mary an envelope. It was an invitation to dine at the
Captains table on the first formal night. (We will tell you about that dinner
later in our review.) We had met Robertus the previous evening and had a
delightful conversation with him. He is a fine, handsome young man and he is
everything you would expect a maitre d` to be.
Seated one table from us was a man and his wife. Toward the end of the cruise I
noticed he seemed to be looking at me. At the finish of dinner he came over to
our table, looked at me, and pointed to me and said, "I bet your Tom & this is
Mary. I recognized you from the pictures in your cruise reviews." That is how we
met Arthur Swetland and his lovely wife. They were a charming couple.
Cruising on a number of ships of the same line, we can't help but make
comparisons. After seeing the magnificent petunia petals of Murano glass, of the
center ceiling of the Zandam, most anything would pale in comparison, but we
think the designers of the dining room could have done a much better job than
they did in this area. No one was able to figure out what the gold textured
clusters on the ceiling represented. We also think they should have figured a
way to have fewer tables of eight on the left side of the upper level. When
you're seated at a straight table of eight, it is impossible to have a
conversation with friends at the other end of the table, without heads bobbing
back and forth. This is a very uncomfortable seating arrangement. A plus for you
romantics. There are more tables for two on this ship than any we have sailed
on.
Other than the few things we mentioned, we think this is a dinning room most
everyone would enjoy... now that we have told you all about our dinning
experience, come with us and we are going to have you join us for lunch in the
Lido Restaurant, the most outstanding venue of the Zuiderdam.
The Remarkable Lido Restaurant:
Until we saw the Lido we thought the Windjammer Restaurant on the ‘Brilliance of
the Seas' was the best we have seen. We are seasoned restaurant people who have
been there done that, that can usually find something in a restaurant operation
that can be improved but we couldn't envision how this room could be improved
on. The designers of the Lido have elevated cruise lunch room design to a new
level that will be copied by many lines.
The way the Lido was arranged, made eating there a pleasure. They have a number
of stations for various food items so that you never have long lines of people.
On every ship we have been on there are long lines at the made to order egg
stations. Most ships have one station. Some have two. The Lido has... four egg
stations... that serve you eggs anyway you want, with never more than three or
four people in line. These same egg stations are converted to stations serving
specialty foods for the lunch period. One becomes a Pasta and Pizza station
which serves different Pasta's each day, with a choice of sauces. Also
Fettuccine, Roasted Vegetables, Garlic bread, and two kinds of the finest Pizza
I have had since I left New York. Absolutely outstanding. A second station
serves an assortment of Oriental Wok dishes and Sushi. We stopped there twice
for our lunch and the food was absolutely delicious. The counter chef was
continuously making a fresh batch of the different items. The third was
converted to a Deli station. You could create your own sandwich, or order one of
the many kinds of sandwiches they made on your choice of a variety of fresh
baked breads. They also had a soup of the day which was delicious. The fourth
station became a vegetarian's delight. You could have every conceivable type of
vegetarian lunch foods and salads. The amazing thing is there was never more
than four or five people waiting in any of these lines. Even the regular buffet
food was different and special. They had two or three different carving items
each day. Lamb, veal, a prime rib. They carved the rotisserie chickens as they
came of the rack and it was the BEST chicken we have ever had. They had great
vegetable and potato choices and everything and anything you could possibly want
for lunch. The desserts were to die for. There were a dozen different selections
to choose from. After the dessert counter came a section that you could get a
cone or a dish of ice cream. Next to it was a counter with all the ice cream
fix-ins. There were extended hours for afternoon snacks. The decor of the room was very bright
and cheerful and very appealing. It was a very pleasant setting.
Just outside the Lido, by the pool area, were two more food counters. One served
hamburgers and hot dogs and all the fixings and the other served a variety of
Mexican food. If anyone is not satisfied with the selection and quality of the
food in the Lido, I truly believe they can't be satisfied. The Lido is the
finest breakfast-lunch venue of any ship we have been on.
After lunch, they took a section of the Lido and set it for evening casual
dining. The tables had table clothes and a regular dining room setting. It was
ideal for those who prefer casual dinning. If anyone prefers casual dining, this
would be the way to go... now that you have experienced the wonderful food and
service of the Lido, we are going to take you to another venue that far
surpassed our expectations, the Odyssey alternative restaurant.
The Odyssey Alternative Restaurant:
The Odyssey restaurant is on the second deck, on the port side of the atrium.
It's a beautifully appointed restaurant with very unique furniture. The table
and arm chairs are made of a silver like metal that is very unusual for
restaurant furniture.
Mary & I have dined in the alternative restaurants of every ship we have sailed
on and we can honestly say, the food and the service we received in the Odyssey
was the best we have experienced.
It didn't take very long for the word to spread. Whereas many alternative
restaurants are not filling their seats, after the second night, the Odyssey was
reserved for the entire cruise. We didn't have a problem because, as we advise
our readers, we made our reservations the first day when we checked our dining
room seating. We had dinner with Dr. Thompson and his wife Eileen, who we met on
other cruises. They cruise more frequently than we do. Back to back cruises of
20-21 days six times a year and they always dine in the alternative restaurants
of the ships they sail on. They expressed the same opinion as us. The food and
the service were the best they had experienced.
The week preceding our cruise, Holland American made a dramatic change in the
personnel of the Odyssey. They replaced the Indonesian-Philippino crew with a
crew from Hungary. Maitre d` Thomas Tamiski and all the waiters and other
personnel in the Odyssey restaurant are Hungarian. What was accomplished in this
short period of time is incredible. For Maitre d` Thomas Tamiski to have an
entire restaurant staff perform at such a high level, speaks volumes of his
managerial skills. I'm sure HAL management will recognize him for what he has
accomplished. (I wonder if this change of personnel, is a glimpse of things to
come with HAL.).. before we take you to see the new HAL showroom, the Vista
Lounge, we are going to digress and have you read a meditation on marriage that
a priest friend of ours thinks so highly of its content, he makes it a must that
every couple he marries reads it...
"Love Works For Those Who Work at It"
Love does not come wrapped in wax paper, fully assembled. Love
is a do-it-yourself kit. We have to work at it, put it together day by day,
piece by piece, little by little. We have to work at love. It doesn't just
happen.
Furthermore, love is not an emotion, a feeling. It is a commitment to another
person: "I love you. I am going to be what you need me to be. I am going to do
what you need me to do. I am going to say what you need me to say. This is what
I mean when I say ‘I love you.' If you succeed I will rejoice with you in
success. I will be in the first row of your cheering section, clapping my hands
off for you. If you fail, I will be sitting there quietly at your side, holding
your hand. This is what I mean when I say I am committed to loving you."
Love is a sweet and beautiful thing. It also will challenge every ounce of
determination and courage in us. It is a gutsy commitment that invites another
to "take us for granted." Take my love as it's given. Love will lead us down
roads we could not anticipate. I know that your needs will change from day to
day. When you change, I will try to adapt to these changes. I will try to be
whatever you need me to be and I know that it will not always be the same thing.
And even if you fail, if you should fail my expectations as well as your own, be
sure of this: I will always love you. I want my love to be true, and true love
is forever. I will never take my love back.
Seasons of the Heart
John Powell, S.J.
Love is not an emotion, or a feeling.
Love is a total commitment to another person.
now that you have read our favorite marriage meditation, its time to take your
loved one's hand and come with us as we visit HAL's showroom, the Vista Lounge.
The Vista Lounge:
We had the feeling on our previous HAL cruises, not much emphasis was put on the
showroom decor or entertainment, because management probably didn't consider
entertainment was a priority with many of the HAL loyalists. As soon as we
entered the showroom, we could see things had changed dramatically. Although
there are a few things that were not to our liking, we thought the Vista Lounge
was a vast improvement over the usual HAL showrooms. If you happen to be a
little sleepy and lethargic when you enter the lounge, I assure you that feeling
will soon disappear when you see the bright, vivid red of the walls, columns and
seats. It's a little garish but quite acceptable and very comfortable. Although
some of the seats are blocked by columns, the majority offer the best sight
lines of any showroom we have seen. The designers did something very different
and very noticeable. They increased the slope of the floor of the showroom to a
degree that wherever you sit, (except behind the columns) regardless how short
you are, you are never blocked out by the person in front of you. The seating
arrangement, other than the columns, was very good.
Entertainment:
After seeing the entertainment on previous HAL cruises, we never expected we
would enjoy the shows like we did. The production shows were great, ‘On The
Boardwalk,' and especially the last one, ‘Stage and Screen.' The choreography,
the dancers and the singers would be hard to improve on. The entire cast was
superb. The group was very young and energetic and the four lead singers all had
good voices. And the costumes, by Bob Mackie, were something to behold. Mary
couldn't believe the quality of the costumes and all the costume changes. We
have never seen a set design that worked as well as the one for ‘Stage and
Screen.' It consisted of a series of steps that could be moved and rotated, that
could be raised and lowered and the steps were lighted from behind in changing
colors. At times large segments of the cast would disappear, as a section of the
stage was lowered. Then at other times, part of the cast would appear, as if by
magic, as the stage rose up in the middle of a number. For the last show a ramp
was extended into the audience so the singers could go among the audience and
perform. It was very effective. The fact that there wasn't a live orchestra,
didn't take anything away from the production. It was truly a magical night and
my Mary loved it. I hope this group of entertainers get the recognition they
deserve.
Single Acts:
Sam Simon: We almost didn't go to the second nights show. We had read, in the
ships bulletin, that Sam Simon a Comic-Comedian was going to perform and we
decided we would skip the show. After dinner and having a couple of dances in
the Ocean Bar, we changed our mind and made the show. As often happens when you
prejudge a performer, he had a terrific act and we thoroughly everything he did.
There was very little magic but a lot of comedy. Mary love's comics and she thoroughly enjoyed his entire act. If he is one of the entertainers appearing on
your cruise, be sure to make his show.
Barnaby:
We almost did the same with Barnaby, the Comic Juggler. After dinner we went to
the Ocean Bar to dance. After doing some of our hold me tight dancing, Rae Ann
played a lively Rhumba. We got up and danced and we made all the moves the dance
requires and a few we hadn't countered on. When we sat down, I told Mary my legs
were a little tired and she said, "Why don't we take in the show." I asked her
if she really wanted to see a Comic Juggler and she leaned over and looked me
straight in the eye and said very slowly, "I want to make sure Wimpy is well
rested." Wimpy kind of slumped in his chair and an impish smile spread across
his face. He stood up and took Mary's hand and with a renewed vigor in his step,
he walked his lady to the Vista Lounge, where they saw one of the best single
acts they have ever seen. This man Barnaby had a rapport with the audience that
is rare. The way some members of the audience responded to him, you would think
they were paid members of his act. I think we caught him on a very special
night, when his stars were aligned in just the right orbit, but regardless,
whatever you do, don't miss Barnaby, he's sensational... we are first going to
tell you about our dinner at the Captains table, hosted by second in command,
Chief Officer Johannes Baijens, then we will speed up things by giving you a
very brief description of some of the venues and things we think will interest
you.
Dinner at the Captains Table:
Every cruise line has there own protocol for dinning with the Captain. On HAL,
the second in command hosts the early seating dinner and the Captain hosts the
late seating. We first met our dinner companions and Chief Officer Officer
Johannes, for cocktails and Hor D`oeuvres in the Explorer lounge. Maitre d`
Robertus was the host and he looked elegant dressed in waistcoat and tails.
After the group had a chance to meet each other, he led us to the Captains table
in the center of the lower dinning room. The table was elegantly appointed and
our name tag was in front of our place setting. Mary was wearing an elegant gown
and looked absolutely beautiful. It was a mixed seating and as often happens,
she was seated next to our host. We had a lively group and as the evening
evolved we had a spirited conversation and everyone seemed to be having a good
time.
The dinner was superb. We had a Berries Medley for Appetizer, Lobster Bisque,
Senior Cardini's Caesar Salad and the entree were Sauteed Garlic Prawns, on a
bed of Fettuccine with preserved lemon sauce. We finished with the Grand finale,
a raspberry pool dessert. It was a wonderful dinning experience and one we will
not soon forget.
Executive Chef Franz Schaunig & Staff:
I think this might be the time for a few words about executive Chef Franz
Schaunig and his staff. Even though we were in the restaurant business, it's
difficult to find the words that can adequately describe the magnificent job him
and his staff are doing. It's not unusual for one of a cruise ships many
restaurant venues to be excellent, but to have all of them serve the quality of
food that is being served on the Zuiderdam is remarkable. This man is worth his
weight in gold.
Whenever you find a very successful operation, you're sure to find inspired,
talented leaders at the top. We would be remiss if we didn't mention those who
are in management positions that are responsible for making the decisions that
have made the Zuiderdam the new star of the Holland American fleet. A great deal
of the credit has to be shared by Hans Brinkman, the corporate Food & Beverage
Mgr., Hotel Mgr. Nick Burger, the Zuiderdam Food and Beverage Mgr. Firmin van
Walle and Maitre D` Robertus Ramasekers and Thomas Taminski. If all the ships of
the HAL fleet can duplicate what is taking place on the Zuiderdam, Holland
American will attract many new customers. ... now as we promised you, a short
description of some of the venues and things we did that we think will interest
you.
The Ocean Bar:
The Ocean Bar is a very popular dance venue and was our favorite on previous HAL
cruises. I hope the designers go back to the drawing board when they do the
Ocean Bar on the other Vista Class ships... because the layout... just doesn't
work. It encompasses the entire area around the atrium of the third deck. On the
port side is the bandstand and dance area and a fairly large seating section.
Then part of it meanders between the walkways and the atrium. The area by the
Starboard side has some cozy nooks but both these areas are cut off from viewing
the music and even the dance floor. We're sure something will have to done about
this apparent error in design.
Explorers Lounge–Rosario Strings
The Explorers Lounge is a wonderful change of pace from the upbeat music venues.
The furnishings remind one of old world charm. The chairs and seating areas are
composed of rich dark woods and covered with rich clothe upholstery. This is the
home of the very popular Rosario Strings. It is the perfect setting to sip an
after dinner drink with your loved one, while listening to the talented Rosario
String Trio, play classical and contemporary favorites. They played to a full
audience every night.
Chocolate Extravaganza:
This is another of the traditional things HAL is known for. I think this event
is misnamed as the Chocolate Extravaganza and should be known as the Pastry
Extravaganza. We have never seen such an assortment of gastronomical delights in
all our life. These are just a few pictures of the many cakes and pastries that
were offered. The line formed early and grew steadily as the time to enter the
dinning room neared. I have been on the Atkins diet... you know... the one that
restricts the number of carbohydrates you eat. I must confess... I went off my
diet in a big way. The temptation was too great. I couldn't resist trying one of
these... and one of those... and I think I'll try that one... and yes, please
give me one of those... We were led to a table of two and served our choice of
coffee or tea. Everything was done in an elegant fashion. Whereas Mary didn't
fully succumb to temptation, I must have consumed at least two or three thousand
carbohydrates and I savored every single one of them. When I weighed myself at
home, I was surprised that I only gained three lbs.
Pool Areas & Spa:
The pool areas were very nice with a good amount of lounges. We spent most of
our time at the aft pool. There were some tables in a shaded area, where we
would go midmorning and sit and read the ships condensed edition of the New York
Times.
The Spa:
The Spa was on the small side but was adequate. There was a Hydra Pool in a
separate room.
Hurricane Isabel:
Our itinerary was the Eastern Caribbean which was in the direct path of
Hurricane Isabel. Each morning and evening, the Captain made an announcement
from the bridge, advising us of the position and speed of Isabel. When we left
Half Moon Cay heading to St. Thomas our next port, the Captain made a decision
to reverse our ports and went to St. Martens first. By doing this, we would have
the storm behind us when we left St. Martens, heading back to St. Thomas. Being
our ship's speed of 23 knots was much faster than Isabels speed of nine knots,
this assured him we could stay well ahead of the storm. We made all our ports,
while a number of ships with the same Eastern Itinerary diverted to the Western
Caribbean. For the most part, the Caribbean waters were as calm as a lake.
Our Ports:
Half Moon Cay:
This is one of the most beautiful, pristine beaches in all of the Caribbean.
This was the fourth time we have been there and we continue to see improvements.
It would have been fine with us if we stayed there for the entire week. We had a
delicious barbecue lunch which we enjoyed very much.
St. Thomas: Most of the main stores downtown have branch stores at the Mall
beside the pier. (We've been there a dozen times and I still forget the name.)
Mary hasn't been able to find her favorite perfume Van Cleef, at any of the
department stores in our area. We decide to shop the Parfumeries in the dockside
Mall. We found it in the first Parfumery we went into. She also saw they carried
Fendi, which is another one of her favorites. She tested both of them a couple
of times but couldn't make up her mind. Wimpy, being the magnanimous soul that
he is, told the sales girl to ring up both of them. Mary after a few... you
shouldn't have done its... was obviously pleased and gave Wimpy a kiss on the
check and a hug. Wimpy in return, looked down at Mary and gave her one of
those... golly gee smiles.
Nassau:
Our daughter collects colorful wooden face masks and we wanted to find a unique
one to add to her collection. We went ashore and went directly to Nassau's
well-known straw market. We soon found what we wanted and went back to the ship.
Some Negatives:
We have mentioned many positive aspects of our cruise but I think our readers
would also like to know what we feel were the negative ones. Here is our short
list.
Charge of $20.95 for embarkation photo:
Most every cruise line photo shop charges $9.95 for the embarkation photo that
is taken when you board the ship. We always's buy a embarkation photo to use in
our review. When we found our boarding picture, we went to counter to pay for it
and we were told we couldn't buy the single picture, we would have to also buy
the accompanying picture, which was a series of photos and advertisement of the
Zuiderdam. I told him I only wanted one picture, our embarkation picture. He
said we had to buy both of them at $20.95, he couldn't sell the single photo. I
know cruise lines are looking for ways to increase the bottom line but to do it
by insisting that a passenger buy something they don't want at an additional
charge of $11 dollars above the regular price of $9.95 is absurd and should be
stopped.
Additional charge of $12.50... per person... per day, for the use of the Hydra
Pool:
My wife and I are frequent, some times daily users of the Spa pool on our
previous cruise... at no charge. On the Zuiderdam HAL is charging $12.50 per
person... per day for the use of the Spa Hydra Pool. If we had used it for the
seven days of our cruise, it would have cost us $175. We think that is a bit
much.
Charge of $3.50 to go on line on the Internet:
I don't think anyone minds paying 50 or 75 cents a minute for time on the
Internet or a first time user charge, but I do think charging $3.50 every time
you go on line is a little excessive.
HAL could make better use of their dance venues:
On HAL ships we have cruised on, we were happy to have two places we could dance
to the music that we loved, the Ocean Bar and the Crows Nest. When they
discontinued the combo in the Crows nest, we thought the Queens Lounge would be
the replacement site of the type music that was formerly played in the CN.
Instead the lounge features the HAL Cats, more of a show group than a dance
group and most everything they play is up-beat and loud. I think changes of this
sort are the type of changes that will upset the long time HAL customers.
The cabin TV's have a very poor menu:
The cabin TV selections in general are very poor and there is no printed
schedule of what's playing. With the search for additional revenues I'm
surprised HAL doesn't have any pay for view movies. On a number of our cruises,
we enjoyed viewing a pay for movie. We think HAL should update their TV program
for the cabins. ..the positive points of this ship far out weigh the few
negatives we have mentioned...
Now For Our Final Thoughts:
We had another great cruise. The reason it was great is always for the same
reason. It's because, Mary & I can't think of a more romantic, intimate,
exciting way of spending quality time with the one you love than when on a
cruise. As we have mentioned a number of times, cruising has added a new
dimension to our life. Sometime ago, toward the end of my Macho man years I read
that relationships are like a garden, they need a lot of tender, loving care and
every so often they need a jolt of fertilizer, to reach the peak of bloom. The
seeds of the present Wimpy persona came from taking that statement to heart and
he has learned that a kind word, a smile, a listening ear, an honest compliment,
even the smallest act of caring or affection, means the world to Mary and that
is something he never wants to forget. If you have never cruised, we suggest you
try it. Like a garden, it might be just the jolt of fertilizer that your
relationship needs.
[Additional comments about the Zuiderdam and our personal thoughts can be found
in the "Loose Ends and Random Thoughts" section of our review.]
May your next cruise be your best,
Our warmest regards,
Tom & Mary Milano
TomandMaryMilano@Yahoo.com
LOOSE ENDS AND RANDOM THOUGHTS
Zuiderdams's Speciality Coffee Shop:
The Windstar Cafe is a specialty coffee
shop. You can have one of many coffee specialties for a nominal charge and have
a pastry of your choosing. It was a very popular venue and was often quite busy.
I heard a great story about the young man that works there. I was told he comes
from a very poor region of his country (I was told this the last day of our
cruise and I didn't get the name. I believe it to be the Philippines or
Indonesia) He uses his salary to pay for a college education for five of his
young friends back home. What a wonderful statement of ones values?
Have You Ever Considered a River Cruise? If you ever thought of taking a river
cruise? If so, our editor Tom Ogg's mega review of his Amadeus Symphony cruise
on the Rhine and Moselle rivers, is a must read. He and his wife boarded the
Amadeus in Amsterdam, cruised through Germany, then disembarked in France. This
is one of the most interesting and comprehensive river boat reviews you will
ever read.
Tom Ogg continues to upgrade his page and it is showing a huge increase in new
visitors. If you haven't been to Cruisereviews.com for a while, make sure you
stop by and see all the changes that have taken place.
2004 A.A. Reunion Cruise: Next years A.A. reunion cruise will be on the
Celebrity line to Alaska. You can get all the information about this cruise at
http://Sobrietyatsea.com the Sobriety
@ Sea web site.
White Damask Chair Coverings Second Formal Night: Holland American does
something that is quite unusual. On their second formal night, they cover the
chairs in the main dinning rooms with full white Damask slip covers that touch
the floor. It has a striking visual effect to see the men in Tux's and dark
suits and the women in their evening gowns sitting in these white chairs.
Has Someone Hurt Your Feelings? We might be carrying hurt feelings because
someone we liked criticized us. But continuing to carry harsh and negative
feelings from the past is like picking up a pebble in your shoe while your out
walking. You can stop and remove the pebble in your shoe or you can continue to
walk and let the pebble irritate your foot and cause pain. The choice is yours.
You can release your anger and hurt feelings, just as you can remove the pebble.
When you try to continue living a normal life while carrying harsh feelings
about someone else, everything in your life is affected. The next time you feel
angry or hurt, give the situation time to settle down, then go directly to the
source of your anger and settle it. As Shakespeare said, "What is done, is
done!" Nothing you or anyone else can do will erase the events of the past. You
must forgive but you must also forget... John Marks Templeton
Shopping Mall: The Zuiderdam has a shopping mall area that is unique. We had to
walk past it most every day. For the first few days all the twists and turns
annoyed us but when we got the hang of the traffic pattern we thought it was a
great idea. It is too complicated to explain, but take our word for it, it's
different.
"A Teaspoon of Spiritual Nourishment" Mary & I have collected one page
meditations for many years. Our local paper published them as a daily column. We
now send them by e-mail, five nights a week, to our loved ones, friends, crew
members of some of the ships we have sailed on and to readers of our reviews. If
you would like to receive the ‘Teaspoon of Spiritual Nourishment,' send us an
e-mail and we will put you on our mailing list. [Mary & I send them from our
house.]
A Teaspoon of Spiritual Nourishment:
Compiled by Tom & Mary Milano
You Cannot Preset a Relationship
There's no such thing as being able to put a marriage on "automatic pilot." You
may be able to preset all the dials on your microwave oven, or preset your
coffee pot to have coffee upon your arising....but you can't preset a
relationship.
Neither is a marriage some type of rapid transit system with predictable stops
along the way. Each marriage has its own direction, and develops at its own
pace, having its own set of obstacles.
A marriage involves a commitment, not a contract
A contract can be instantly
completed, signed, sealed, and delivered. A commitment, on the other hand, is a
lifetime adventure. It may begin within a few minutes, but you can never arrive
at a full-blown, fully satisfying marriage quickly.
Keep in mind as you sail the high seas of your marriage, that storms do abate;
sometimes the safest thing to do is to lower the sails and let the wind take you
where it will.
A marriage involves a commitment, not a contract.
Daily Catholic Mass: The Zuiderdam had a daily Catholic mass which was well
attended. Our A.A. group used the same room, the Hudson room, to hold our
meetings.
Smile and The World Smiles With You, Cry and You Cry Alone: Everyone likes to be
around someone who smiles easily. Perfect strangers can pass in the street and
if one of them smiles, the other is likely to smile in return. Most everyone
appreciates the person who can generate a smile from us. A smile, not matter how
brief, can lift us up from the mundane task in front of us. A smile reaches down
inside of us an pulls up to the surface reasons for rejoicing in our lives. This
is a gift we can pass on to everyone we meet... a gift we can gave to our
selves, a gift that costs us nothing. Living life with a smile is like throwing
yeast into a bowl of flour, adding warm water and waiting for the flour to rise.
It multiplies many times over... Ted Engstrom
The Servers Loved the $2 Bills: As usual the $2 bills were a big hit. The second
night in the dining room, I called Elizabeth, our wine steward over to our table
and did the $2 thing with her. She got a big kick out of my presentation and we
had a lot of laughs. We did the same thing with all the servers in the Ocean Bar
and the other lounges we visited. I think the reason we got such good room
service, they knew they were going to get a $2 bill every time they came to our
cabin. [Read all about the $2 bills in the next section]
One of Wimpy's Favorite Authors is Leo Buscaglia: This is an excerpt, from his
book "Born For Love." Ours is one of the few societies where physical contact,
even in family and with friends, is not encouraged or celebrated. In our large
Italian family, not to hug and kiss was considered a punishable behavior.
Science has proven that a simple hug is one is one of the most convenient and
inexpensive therapies available. Yet we remain touch starved. In a study I did
in my book ‘Loving Each Other,' respondents mentioned three which they
considered essential for happy, long-lastings relationships. It was rather
surprising to find that affection (touching, holding, stroking) was named most
important by the majority of respondents, second only to communication. Sex on
the other hand, which they separated from affection, was relegated to eight
position.
Affection, nonsexual touching, is a tremendous resource of both physical and
emotional well being and essential to growth in love. It is free, you need no
special equipment and it is always available. To love we must let people know we
care. The best way is to literally reach out and show them as often as possible.
SUGGESTIONS THAT COULD ENHANCE YOUR CRUISE
We have made an average of five/six cruises each of the last six years and we
would like to share some of the pre cruise and shipboard things we do, that have
greatly enhanced our cruise experience. We have also included a few of our
articles that should be of interest to new cruisers.
Questions About Cruising--Q&A:
http://www.cruisereviews.com/FACQ.htm
Reasons Why You Might Want to Take Your first Cruise:
http://www.tomandmaryscruisereviews.com/FirstCruise.htm
This is an Article Mary & I Wrote For First Time Cruisers:
http://www.cruisereviews.com/1stTime.htm
Pre Cruise Things To Do:
For those of you who are reading our reviews for the first time, we suggest you
Read: "Before... During... After Your Cruise":
http://www.TomandMarysCruiseReviews.com/ThingsToDo.htm
Read: "How to Heighten Your Cruise Experience" http://www.TomandMarysCruiseReviews.com/CruiseExperience.htm:
How to Get the Best Possible Price When Booking a Cruise: It pleases Mary & I to
know that many of our readers have benefitted greatly from taking our advice. A
day doesn't go by that we don't receive e-mails from our readers, thanking us
for our suggestion on how to get the best possible price when booking a cruise.
Take our word for it, our suggestion is a win/win situation. If you would like
us to send you our suggestion, drop us a line.
Something to Consider Before Booking Your Cruise:
All Ships of a Cruise Line Are Not the Same: Mary & I come from large families.
Our siblings have similar characteristics but each one has their own distinct
personality. Cruise lines and their ships are like that. Not all ships of a
cruise line are the same. They differ for many reasons. The age of the ship, the
size of the ship (the tonnage), the amenities, the expertise of the Food
Manager/Executive Chef but the most important difference is how the crew comes
together under the guidance and the direction of the Hotel Manager. The
effectiveness of his training of the servers is reflected in the way the crew
caters to and pampers their guests. While it's hard to bypass bargain rates,
never pick a ship based on price alone. You must first factor in your personal
interests and lifestyle, pick the ship, and then go bargain hunting. Cruise
lines do vary in their strengths and weaknesses.
The point we're making is, if you want to increase your odds of booking the ship
that will best fulfill your expectations, we suggest you learn as much as
possible about the ships of the cruise line your considering booking. Read as
many cruise reviews as you can. Frequent the cruise message boards; there are
good ones that have many seasoned cruisers and TA's as members. If you have a
question about a specific ship or port, post your question and one of them will
answer you. You shouldn't leave every thing to your TA. Do as much research as
possible so you can give your TA the information he/she needs to help you select
the right ship and right itinerary for you. The Internet has a wealth of
information about cruising. The following are cruise web sites we recommend that
will help you in your research.
Cruise Web Sites That Will Help in Your Research:
We will be adding to this list with each new review.
360 Degree Virtual Tour of Cabins and Venues: http://www.virtualtoursusa.com/galleryships.htm
Complete Listing of New Ships: http: //www.cruisenewsdaily.com/newships.html
Deck Plans of Cruise Ships: http://www.cruise.com/pez/ship_deck/decks.asp
One of the Best for Cruise Links: http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~rklein/cruise.html
Sites for the Caribbean Islands: http://www.shipboardcruiser.com/islandcruise/cb.html
A Good Venue
Ladies & Men's Packing List: http://www.cruisereviews.com/PackingList.htm
Tip Calculator: http://members.aol.com/CruiseTip/
Cruise Reviews & Cruise Articles: http://www.cruisereviews.com
For Cruise Questions: Cruise Chat: http://www.cruise-chat.com/6/ubb.x
Another Comprehensive List of Cruise Links: http://www.cruise-links.com
A.A. Reunion Cruises: Sobriety @ Sea: http://www.sobrietyatsea.com/pages/1/index.htm
Cruise News-Updated Weekly: http://www.cybercruises.com/newsfile.htm
Cruising For Singles: http://www.cruisereviews.com/NancyNorris.htm
Royal Caribbean Discussion Group: http://www.evensens.net/rccl/rccl.html
The Best Cruise Ship Pictures on the Internet:
http://home-4.tiscali.nl/~t411310/indx.htm
A Good Way to Save These URL's and have them readily available: Swipe with your
cursor and copy. Then in your e-mail program, open new message, then paste. Then
address the message to your self and in the subject line write Cruise Sites. In
a short period of time you will receive it as new mail. Open a new folder, name
it Cruise Sites in your e-mail program and move the e-mail with the Cruise URL's
to that folder. This way you will have the URL's handy whenever you need them.
Make Your Luggage Easy to Spot:
85% of all luggage is black. It will save you a lot of time and aggravation if
you put a colorful bow or luggage strap on your belongings. It will much easier
to identify them among the thousands of pieces of luggage on the terminal
floor...Tie Something Colorful On Your Luggage
Our Tipping Suggestion--We Tip The First Night of Our Cruise:
Tipping at the end of your cruise is like locking the barn door after the horse
has run away. We give the suggested gratuity for the week, to our waiter,
assistant waiter, head waiter and our cabin attendant, the first night of our
cruise. We have never had service, on any of our cruises, that was poor enough
to warrant us tipping less than the suggested amount. By tipping the suggested
amount on the first night, you let your servers know that you appreciate them
and they can expect an additional stipend at the end of the cruise. [At the end
of the cruise we usually give an additional $20 to the waiter, $10 to the
assistant and $10 or $20 to the cabin attendant]. Giving an extra forty dollars
for the week, is a small price to pay to ensure the very best from your servers.
Take our word for it. It does make a difference.
The week before our cruise date, we write a note on attractive 3 x 5 ‘Thank You'
cards, that have matching envelopes. "The main reason we love to cruise, is
because of servers like you who go out of their way to make our cruises special.
We want you to know we appreciate what you do and would like you to have this as
a down payment on your services"... Thank you, Tom & Mary Milano... We then put
them in matching envelopes with the suggested gratuity for the week... We give
them out the first night of our cruise. If the line we're cruising with has
adopted the idea of charging the gratuities to our account, I go to the purser's
desk and tell them I prefer to hand the servers our gratuity and the Purser
makes the necessary changes. We don't like the idea of the company disbursing
our tip money. We like to see the sparkle in the servers eyes, when they see
what we have done... Prepare Envelopes for Tipping Before you Leave for Your
Cruise:
Magic of the $2 Bill:
If what we hear from our readers is trtrue, banks should start running out of $2
in the new future. We start collecting $2 bills weeks before the cruise. We take
$20--$30 in $2 bills with us. I call these $2 bills our magic potion. I take a
$2 bill and keep folding it until I have a small square, with the large imprint
of the $2 covering the surface. I use the $2 bills a lot in the beginning of the
cruise. When you give it to the server, what you say is very important,
otherwise it doesn't have much significance. When I give it to a server, I say
to them, "Give me your hand." When they give me their hand, I take it and with
my other hand I show them the folded $2 bill... then I say to them, "I want you
to know this is a magic $2 bill and I can promise you that during this coming
week something very special is going to happen to you... something that you've
been wanting to happen for a long time... something that is going to make you
very happy... I know it may sound silly to you... but believe me... it is going
to work... you must keep it on you at all times.. so make sure you don't spend
it... when that special something happens... and believe me it's going to
happen... wherever you see Tom & Mary... you come and tell us all about it.. ."
Being most of the servers are from foreign countries, they rarely if ever have
seen a $2 bill and just seeing the bill... that alone... gets their rapt
attention. Then you can see by their quizzical expression... that their
thinking.. it sounds a little crazy... but who knows... it just might work. Who
among us doesn't have some form of a lucky piece? A lucky coin, a rabbits foot,
a religious medal. All Mary and I can tell you is, we've had the most amazing,
wonderful things happen as a result of giving out these two dollar bills; not
the least is the fun and friendliness we have experienced, but also the
exceptional service we have received from our servers... [If you don't tell the
story, your just giving a $2 tip] Start Collecting $2 Bills.
The First Hours Aboard Ship Are Important:
Mary and I have found that there are certain things that we can do the first day
that will set the tone for our entire cruise. The first thing we do is check our
table assignment. We can't stress enough the importance of doing this. It's
important to see if the table assigned you is what you requested. If it isn't,
speak to the Maitre`d as soon as possible and he will have a chance to make the
change you desire. If after the first evening, you are not happy with whom
you're seated, speak to the maitre de` and ask to have your table changed. If he
can possibly change it he will, he wants to make you happy. If the ship has an
alternative restaurant, this is the time to make your reservation. Most
alternative restaurants have limited seating, so be sure to make your
reservation as soon as you can... Check Your Table Assignment and Then Make
Reservations For The Alternative Restaurant.
Our Final Suggestion is to ‘Write a Review: http://www.cruisereviews.com/submit/
After you adjust to being back home and you slowly recover from after cruise
depression, sit down and write about all the wonderful things you experienced.
You don't have to be a polished writer to write a review. All you have to do is
write as if you were having a conversation with your best friend. The important
thing is to be honest and forthright. Writing a review is a wonderful way to
relive your cruise, and at the same time help fellow cruisers by sharing your
thoughts. Tell them your opinion of the ship, the food, the crew, the
entertainment, the ports of call and any special moments you experienced. Also
write about the things that weren't so wonderful so your fellow cruisers can be
forewarned. Include your spouse and ask her/him for suggestions on what you
should include. And remember, don't be afraid of writing too much, longer is
better than shorter. People are reading your review to determine if the ship
your writing about is the one they should book. Put yourself in their place and
tell them all the things you would like to know. But whatever you do, the most
important thing is for you to have fun and enjoy what your doing. If you need
help, Mary and I would be glad to assist you.
If you have any questions write us,
Tom & Mary
Tom@TomMilano.com
The End
Ever thought of becoming a part time or home based travel agent? Follow this link to see some of the books Tom Ogg has authored.
