Tour & Lunch onboard Holland America Maasdam

This week I got to take a look at Holland America's Maasdam while it was docked in Dover. Luckily for me it was just before the rain came, the sun was high in the sky and not a cloud to be seen so I got to see the ship in all her glory.
This was my first time on a HAL ship so I was intrigued to see how it would match up to the company ethos. Now I know I chose one of the older ships in the fleet but that didnt matter to me - if anything it made more sense, this way I get to see the service and atmosphere onboard for what it is. All without being seduced by new furniture and sparkly decor.

The ships staff were very attentive which ever part of the ship I happened to be, but of course I noticed the service most at lunch. My waiter was gracious and ready to answer any of my queries or requests. He brought more bread without asking, topped the wine before I'd noticed the level going down and brought out the food in a timely and effortless manner. I was more than impressed.

The lunch itself was just delicious - i'm not really a beef lover but i (rather wisely) chose the filet mignon which turned out to be cooked to perfection, medium but with no blood, simply full of melt-in-the-mouth flavour. As HAL has a good reputation for food, the quality of my lunch only served to reinforce that.

The ship was pretty easy to navigate my way around due to the size and layout. Most of the facilities were grouped towards the center of the ship on levels 6,7 & 8 then other facilities either side of the Lido pool. There was notabley plenty of space on the deck areas which were filled with comfortable loungers.
I got to have a sneaky peak into one of the few empty outside twin staterooms while I mooched around the lower decks. The spaciousness of the cabin was such a breath of fresh air to me - having been stuck in pokey cabins on other cruise lines. The decor wasn't necessarily to my taste but I am one of those aweful creatures that prefers minimal, modern, beiges and curves.

The kind staff in the spa took me for a mini tour of their facilities including the Thermal room - I particularly liked the idea of relaxing on heated stone loungers in a steamy room whilst staring out through the large windows to sea. Dipping into the whirlpools every 10 minutes to reveive my senses.
The fitness area was suprisingly large and found it to contain all the equipment the avid gym-goer would need.

The most modern and the most recent additions to the ship were the culinary arts center, wine tasting and Explorations library/cafe. The culinary centre was set up like a small theatre with a purpose built kitchen taking the centre stage. Any demonstrations there would, im sure, be easy to view and feel like you are part of the process rather than just a spectator.
The library was larger than expected, a very comfortable area that exuded a scerenity that masde me want to drop my backs and put my feet up with a coffee and the latest hardback!

All in all, my tour showed me that even the older ships on the Holland America fleet have an undefined charm that cannot be overtaken by the lures of any new ship. Long may Maasdam sail the seas and fly the flag of excellence.

Tips to Stay Slim on a Cruise

Staying slim on a cruise holiday could be a nightmare, think 24 hour buffets and endless choices to tempt you. Or maybe you have just started dieting and exercising and your cruise is just around the corner. Will you dread stepping back on the scales when you return?

Cruising has changed over the last few years; it’s not just bigger ships offering more destinations, now many have encompassed a healthier option for those who wish to stay slim on their cruise holiday.

Think of it like a 5 star Health Resort, with your every need catered for. It is a lot easier to start eating healthily or remain on your healthy eating plan if someone else is doing the cooking, planning your daily meals, and counting all the calories for you. The options to take up a new form of exercise are bountiful, maybe you’ve always wanted to try Yoga, Tai-chi, or aerobics. Or just discover what all those machines in the gym can actually help you achieve. On a cruise ship you have the luxury of trying them all to see which suits you, a tiresome and potentially expensive option once back on dry land.

One of the key elements to staying slim on a cruise is to set yourself a routine, choose certain times to eat and try to stick to them, which is much easier if you have pre-booked an exercise class. Of course being on holiday means time to unwind and crack open a bottle or two of wine, which can be the downfall of any healthy eating plan. If like myself you are a lover of the vino do not despair, try mixing it with a slim line tonic to make a refreshing spritzer, or save that special bottle that you really like for a pre planned meal where you have taken the calories into consideration. Also remember you don’t have to drink the whole bottle in one sitting, ask the waiter to seal it for you and enjoy with your next meal.

Avoid, avoid, avoid the buffet restaurant unless you have nerves of steel. I challenge only the robots of our species to not pile the plate with those extra tempting calorie laden titbits, or indeed go back for seconds and thirds. At the more traditional type of restaurant you can choose your meal without having the temptation of looking at what you know you shouldn’t have. One tip that has over the years helped me enormously, ask the waiter to remove/don’t put there in the first place, is the bread basket, it is oh so easy to spread with butter and nibble away till your actual meal arrives

If like me you are a natural grazier, a lit bit of something and often suits the way you eat, and then seek out the many options on board of fresh fruit which will be in abundance, or raw vegetable, even try if you haven’t already great freshly made smoothes that are a great way to fill yourself up. Obviously go for the options that don’t contain coconut, which unfornately for a coconut lover is laden with calories.

Cruise holidays also offer the chance to join in with on deck sports and activities. Walking around the deck certainly beats walking back at home on a rainy day. Views of the ocean are inspiring and creative, and indeed reflective. Take this time to be selfish, and relish in the wonders of what you have achieved or would like to achieve.

Then there are the swimming pools. Maybe there is nothing more luxurious then swimming in an open air pool aboard a cruise liner as you gently glide across the ocean, and of course a great opportunity to tone up. An option that I particularly like is jogging in water, not only are you supporting all the major muscle groups, but you will find you can keep going a lot longer than if you were to jog around the deck. If you haven’t seen anyone jogging in the pool before, be the first, you will soon find you have quite a following.

One of the UK’s favourite cruise brands, P&O Cruises, Sports & Spa offers a wealth of options to regenerate mind, body and spirit. Their ocean view gymnasium with its up to date equipment and personal trainers can be combined to build a comprehensive well-being programme. P&O Cruises have literally taken the cruise holiday to another dimension with their ‘CruiseTone’ option, which incorporates a balance of healthy eating menus, personal trainers, and classes ranging from Pilates, Yoga, to the more energetic aerobic classes. Of course all of these activities need to come with some much deserved relaxation, and here again P&O Cruises do not disappoint with their excellent Holistic Spa. Here you can wile away the hours being pampered with the latest treatments in facials, aromatherapy, reflexology to name but a few of the vast list of beauty and relaxation treatments available.

Staying slim on a Cruise holiday is two-fold; it is how you exercise and what you consume. But the fantastic facilities and healthy food options have now pushed Cruise holidays to the fore. You can now look forward to coming home to a healthier, slimmer, more revitalised you, and of course a cruise holiday to remember.

Original article written by Amanda Barnes for Ideal Cruising

Dates for your diary - Celebrity Chef Cruises

The trend of getting celebrity chefs to create signature menus on board cruise ships continues. P&O Cruises have no less than 3 celebrity chefs on their payroll, Gary Rhodes, Marco Pierre White and Atul Kochhar. There are many rumours that the aforementioned chefs have put their names to signature restaurants but never make an appearance on board. I can confirm now that this is completely untrue, having met both James Martin onboard Ocean Village and Marco Pierre White onboard P&O Ventura. I can also now provide a list of dates that you may catch these chaps in action next year. The three Michelin starred chefs Gary Rhodes, Marco Pierre White and Atul Kochhar are lined up to visit their restaurants on the following departures next year. They will lead cooking demonstrations, sign copies of their books as well as spending time with their chefs in the kitchens and amongst guest in their restaurants.

Gary Rhodes will be on board during the following itineraries:
*Arcadia 15-night cruise departing 19 June 2010, J008. Ports of call include Zeebrugge, Amsterdam, Oslo, Stavanger, Flaam, cruise in Sognefjord, Olden, cruise in Nordfjord, Trondheim, Akureyri and Reykjavik.
*Arcadia 13-night cruise departing 2 November 2010, J019. Ports of call include Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Alicante and Gibraltar.
*Oriana 12-night cruise departing 11 July 2010, X011. Ports of call include Copenhagen, Nynashamn, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Zeebrugge.
*Oriana 7-night cruise departing 27 August 2010, X015. Ports of call include Corunna, Bilbao, Le Verdon, Brest and St. Peter Port.

Marco Pierre White will be on board during the following itineraries:

*Aurora 12-night cruise departing 19 April 2010, R002X. Ports of call include Madeira, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Cadiz, Lisbon and Vigo.

*Oceana 14-night cruise departing 15 May 2010, E011. Ports of call include Gibraltar, Cartagena, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Cadiz.

*Ventura 7-night cruise departing 5 June 2010, N014. Ports of call include Corunna, Bilbao, La Pallice, Brest and St. Peter Port.

*Ventura 14-night cruise departing 3 July 2010, N017. Ports of call include Barcelona, Cannes, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Palma, Valencia and Gibraltar.

*Oceana 14-night cruise departing 2 October 2010, E021. Ports of call include Gibraltar, Cartagena, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Cadiz.

*Ventura 14-night cruise departing 22 October 2010, N027. Ports of call include Tenerife, Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Barbados.

Atul Kochhar will be on board during the following itineraries:

*Azura 16-night cruise departing 12 April 2010, A004. Ports of call include Malaga, Katakolon, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Venice, Korcula and Gibraltar.

*Azura 16-night cruise departing 23 July 2010, A010. Ports of call include Malaga, Katakolon, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Venice, Korcula and Gibraltar.

*Azura 12-night cruise departing 8 August 2010, A011. Ports of call include Madeira, La Palma, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lisbon and Vigo.

*Azura 7-night cruise departing 21 September 2010, A014. Ports of call include Dublin, Cobh, Bilbao and Brest.

Be sure to book up early as these sailings will sell out fast! For more information view our P&O Cruises section of the website and search your chosen itinerary from there.