All Aboard!

And so, our cruise, with Holland America Line, had officially started.

Halfway through the queue to board the cruise ship, there was a gigantic city view backdrop installed in one corner for the passengers’ initial photo-op session. This was going to be one of the “official” cruise souvenir shots. Since this was our very first cruise, my husband and I posed and ordered a print-out.

I realize now how smart the cruise line was for doing this because aside from alleviating the boredom from the wait, it was very good business. Passengers are usually at their highest excitement level upon embarkation because they are minutes away from the beginning of their “voyage of a lifetime,” and are therefore, very eager to capture this moment. It was a good thing we ordered only one photo because there were more “official” photo sessions on the “formal” nights when the passengers were all dolled up for dinner.

The wait was not so bad. We were one of the last batches of people to check in that afternoon. I noticed most of the passengers had already checked in the morning because I saw them coming in and out with their badges. There were also groups of travelers that were being dropped off by tour buses, obviously coming back from a city tour of Montreal.

Our cabin, an inside cabin (the only ones left at the time of our booking), was not large, but it was a comfortable size. Holland America is known to have the best and biggest inside cabins. Ours was approximately 280 square feet, good enough for two people who intend to spend time in the stateroom only at night. Minus the window and veranda, our cabin had most of the same amenities as outside rooms: two lower beds converted into a queen bed with plush mattresses, spacious closets, small sofa, arm chair, coffee table, built in dressing table with magnifying mirrors, flat screen TV with DVD player, complimentary fresh fruits, 24-hour room service, safety deposit box, private bathroom equipped with a Egyptian cotton towels, bathrobes, bath amenities, massage shower heads and hairdryers, and a phone. I found the colour palette lively, veering away from the bland beiges and browns. The cabin had tinges of corals, mangoes, blues, and whites.

As soon as our luggage was delivered, we settled in for a few minutes then went out to explore the ship. We wanted to get our bearings, familiarize ourselves with the ship’s layout, and check out the amenities.

We were on board the ms Amsterdam (as per tradition, all Holland America vessels have names with the suffix dam, derived from the names of various dams that cross Holland’s rivers, important landmarks, or points of the compass). It is an elegant, mid-sized ship that features a three-storey atrium with a three-deck stairway graced by a stunning astrolabe clock tower - a giant sculpture that is able to track constellations, planets, ship time, and world time. This imposing structure is the very first thing that greets boarding passengers and once inside the ship, one can never miss it. It is a specially commissioned piece that took 15 years to complete.

The rest of the ship’s interior epitomizes understated elegance. Wood panels and original Art Deco pieces that highlight Dutch heritage and tradition adorn the walls. Public areas feature warmly-coloured upholstery and leathers, damask fabrics, mahogany tones, and gold accents. It made us feel like we were in an old-world hotel rather than on a ship.

Apparently, this is the third vessel to bear this name and it pays homage to its predecessors. Inside, artifacts and memorabilia from the original ms Amsterdam vessel built in 1938 are displayed, including the “Four Seasons” sculptures purchased back from a private collector.

The ship also carries a multi-million-dollar collection of Asian and European art and antiques that can be explored with the help of an audio tour. Some of the most striking pieces are the “Terra Cotta Warriors,” life-size human and equine terra cotta reproductions of the ancient statues unearthed in Xian, China, as well as the works of the noted maritime artist, Stephen Card. At the main lounge, a large circular panel that resembles stained glass and a huge mural depicting Amsterdam in the 17th century, command attention.

Next, we checked our dining options. We knew that our cruise package included free access to two dining rooms. The first one is the Lido Market, which is a laid-back, no-reservations-required buffet spread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is conveniently situated just a few steps away from the Lido Pool. The second one is The Dining Room, a two-deck restaurant where we had reserved seats for a formal sit-down dinner every night.

Our travel agent coordinated with the cruise ship’s kitchen ahead of time to notify them of my husband’s dietary restrictions. The cruise line assured us that their staff would provide the next day’s dinner menu to my husband every single night, so he could review and arrange substitutions and special instructions to the chef. They also said that The Lido Market has a wide array of food that my husband could grab on the go or have made to order – freshly baked bread from The Breadbasket, hearty salads (he could choose the veggies and forego the dressing) from Wild Harvest, comfort classics from Homestead, international cuisine from Distant Lands, desserts and ice cream from Sweet Spot, assorted hand-carved meat and fish from the Roasting Pan (a sure favourite for my carnivorous husband), sandwiches and breakfast fare from Rise, freshly-brewed coffee and tea plus chilled fruit juices from Perk, and premium wines and spirits from Quench.

So, from Day 1, we knew we would be well-taken care of in the food department. However, a friend warned me that one could easily gain at least 12 pounds on a 12-day cruise, and I must say this came true for us.

While I didn’t dare weigh myself before and after the cruise, my cheongsam was more than enough proof for the weight gain. I wore this tight-fitting gown at my wedding reception exactly a week before the cruise and it fitted comfortably with a few inches of fabric to spare. I brought it along for one of the cruise formal nights and I made the mistake of wearing it on “Captain’s Night” on the second to the last day of the cruise. By that time, I had to squeeze into the gown and ask my husband’s help to pull the back zipper up so it would close…and boy, did he sweat like crazy, trying to do just that. And the whole night, I was careful not to move too much lest my gown bursts open. Yes, it was that bad! My husband had his own challenges. All his pants had gotten tighter as well and he had to adjust his belt.

Let me tell you how we managed to pack the pounds. First, we were frequent guests at The Lido Market – morning, noon, and night. And yes, you heard me right – even at night when we supposedly had reservations at The Dining Room. You see, on account of the shore excursions that we booked at each destination, we thought it would be a good idea to choose the second seating at dinner, scheduled at 9:00 pm. The excursions ended at around 5:00 or 6:00 pm, so we wanted to give ourselves time to freshen up before dinner. We thought the 6:30 pm first seating was too early and we would feel rushed.

Well, it turned out that my always-hungry husband could not wait for dinner at 9:00 pm after a tiring day. The moment we returned from the excursions, off we went to eat our “pre-dinner meal” at The Lido Market. And we all know what happens when you go to a buffet! Then we would go for the six-course Continental meal at 9:00 pm at The Dining Room. I couldn’t recall how I managed to eat that much! I guess all the socializing with our dinner mates gave us the extra appetite.

We were assigned to a dining table for six (due to our late booking, there were no more tables for two left), so we joined two lovely, elderly Australian couples every night for dinner. They were really nice fellows and we enjoyed exchanging travel stories with them. They are all retired and they travel at least twice a year, including a cruise. They said they were glad that two young people could join their dinner circle. They also appreciated the fact that our table always got a preview of the following night’s dinner menu, courtesy of my husband.

Second, aside from the two restaurants, there were a few more dining options on the ship, one of which was the Pinnacle Grill, a reservation-only, alternative restaurant in an elegantly-appointed room with intimate tables perfect for romantic dinner dates and special celebrations.

We booked it for one night. For a fee of $35 (note that this was many years ago, so the current rate must be significantly higher), diners are served a cuisine inspired by the bounty of America’s Pacific Northwest. Think of fresh seafood, such as wild-caught king salmon from Alaska and Dungeness crab cakes, as well premium cuts of sustainably raised beef from Washington State’s Double R Ranch! The restaurant’s chef also offers daily signature recipes and all the wonderful food could be paired with boutique wines from celebrated vineyards around the world.

I recall having the lobster bisque for my starter, while my husband ordered a plain arugula salad. We both ordered the chef’s version of Surf N’Turf, a plate of filet mignon with jumbo prawns sitting on a bed of whipped potatoes with garlic, rosemary and white butter. For dessert, my husband ordered a Grand Marnier chocolate volcano cake, while I had a creamy, raspberry cheesecake.

The food was superb and the service, extraordinary. Our server was Filipino (most of the crew and staff members were Filipinos and Indonesians) and aside from his attentiveness, we were treated to his inspiring story of building a house for his family, sending all his five kids to university, and establishing a small business back home from all his savings for working in the cruise ship for more than 15 years. This was a pretty common theme for all the staff members I encountered on the ship. I salute my countrymen for their hard work and sacrifice for their families back home.

Third, there was the 24-hour room service that we frequently availed of – either closer to midnight, when my husband got hungry again, or very early in the morning when my husband was not quite ready to have breakfast at The Lido Market, but needed to munch on something (like a bowl of cereal) before his morning shower. It was so convenient and so bad for us!

Fourth, since there were many Filipino crew members on the ship and I was pretty sure I was the only Filipino passenger (I spotted a few middle-aged Asians, but most were retiree-aged Caucasians), I got premium service from my compatriots. I would usually talk to my comrades in our own language and share a few stories with them whenever time allowed. Upon learning about my husband’s tremendous appetite and dietary restrictions, they would always volunteer to bring generous chunks of the best meat cuts from the carving station and the freshest bread from the bakery to our cabin for his take-along sandwiches for our excursions. Even the Indonesian crew did the same for us. Some of them thought I was Indonesian and when I told them that I’m Filipino, they would simply say, “It’s close enough, we’re neighbours!” Talk about special treatment on board! (“You’re welcome, honey!”)

Fifth, for the duration of the cruise, there were some late afternoon and nighttime special food offerings – sushi night, hotdog and burgers by the poolside, barbecue night, and dessert and chocolate night. On the second to the last night, we met the head chef who happened to be Filipino. Right after our meet-and-greet, he sent a huge tray of specialty desserts to our cabin. Oh man!

And to think we didn’t even go to the other fine-dining restaurants – an Italian and a French one – as well as the other casual dining places – a burger place, a pizza place, a gelato place, a Dutch cafe, and a tea room, which undoubtedly, also served all sorts of sweets with their tea offerings!

Oh…let’s not forget the chocolates we got every afternoon beside the whimsical animal towels left on our bed by the housekeeping staff. They were Lindt bars…so how could you ignore them?

Had we stayed another week on board the ship, my in-laws would not have recognized us when we disembarked.

Aside from the abundance of food, there was an overflow of alcohol as well. I had wine at dinner and I got free cocktails…from guess who? The Filipino bartenders, of course! There were five bars and lounges in total inside the ship, including the piano bar…and most of them were almost always empty.

It seemed the elderly guests were more interested in spending time at the casino or staying in their cabins after dinner. My husband and I, on the other hand, would bar hop after dinner, listen to live music, also by Filipino singers and musicians (for those who do not know, Filipinos are very musical; we have song and music embedded in our genes), and chat with the bar staff. And as we sat at the bars, my compatriot bartenders would offer us drinks on the house with free refills! They must have been dying of boredom and longing for people to talk to…because the grandpa and grandma guests were all asleep by 10:00 pm! In a way, it’s good for them because they had an easier job at night…and it was good for us, too (or not, depending on how you see it), because we got free drinks!

There were other forms of entertainment on the ship, aside from the casino. There were stage shows, which were more in the style of Broadway productions and the Lawrence Welk programs compared to the typical Las Vegas-themed cabaret shows featured in party cruises. And one night, the staff and crew hosted a cultural show, where the Filipino and Indonesian crew members presented songs and dances from both countries. The Filipinos even performed a tinikling dance (a Filipino folk dance inspired by the movements of a local hopping bird and involves dancers stepping over and in-between constantly moving bamboo poles in a combination of intricate steps) and invited audience members to join. I made sure the performers did not spot me. I would have made a total fool of myself onstage. Dancing is not exactly my forte, and this particular dance is not easy, even for professional dancers.

Other ship attractions included a movie theater that provided free popcorn; music rooms for one’s listening pleasure; cooking demos; digital photography workshops; an Oprah Magazine program; a BBC “earth experiences” program, where one could experience the world’s natural wonders through films and concerts; wine tasting and blending sessions; art gallery walks; art auctions; and various fitness programs at the gym. There were the usual amenities – pools, sports courts, gym and fitness centre, salon and spa, library, lounge, cabanas, meeting rooms, and an internet café. Of course, there is duty-free shopping! Even if one didn’t go on shore excursions, there was plenty to do inside the ship and there was something for everybody.

One particular facility that we discovered, and much to our amusement, found totally empty, was the clubhouse for kids and teens. It is called, “Club HAL,” where staff-supervised activities are normally held daily from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on port days and where free lunch is provided to the kid and teen participants. For kids aged 3-6, they offer painting sessions, sing-along story time, and pirate and dinosaur themed parties. For the tweens aged 7-12, they hold ice cream eating contests, gaming tournaments, scavenger hunts, and themed parties. For the teenagers, they host mocktail parties, karaoke, video game contests, jewelry-making, volleyball tournaments, and themed events. The teens even have their own cool section adjacent to the kids’ room called, “The Loft and the Oasis.”

Both areas looked like stage sets for a kiddie television show. The younger kids’ side featured giant paint-brush pillars, giant pencil sculptures, and paint bucket benches. The tweens’ corner had a life-sized taxi cab, a hotdog stand, a net hammock hanging from colourful fake coconut trees, and other funky accessories, while the teens’ area had a trendier vibe.

We joked that this facility was all ours for the duration of the cruise. Since we were the youngest passengers, we were technically, the “kids.” We took our time hanging out there and taking photos. We didn’t want this space on this cruise to be ignored (but we were sure the “Club HAL” spaces on other cruises were be a lot busier).

As you can tell, we enjoyed our extensive tour of the ship on our first day (which helped us navigate it easily in the succeeding days and enabled us to make the most out of our cruise experience).

By the time we left the Montreal port (after a rather interesting safety drill), we had pretty much seen everything the ship had to offer, so we sat on a cozy sofa with a sea view at the Explorations Café. Assorted pastries, drip coffee, espresso, tea, and hot chocolate were available for the taking, so we helped ourselves and enjoyed our late afternoon snack as we sailed away from Montreal and drifted along the Saint Lawrence River heading to Quebec City. We stayed there until sunset, admiring the changing colours of the sky as daylight turned into twilight, amidst the sound of the waves and the keowing of the seagulls.

As darkness took over, we retired to our cabin and freshened up for our first dinner aboard the ship.

The next day launched a jumble of daily cruise activities for us, as we embarked on shore excursions at each port of call during the day, enjoyed a leisurely dinner afterwards, and toasted our marriage over cocktails before turning in for the night.