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Monday Just Cruisin'

Monday we cruised farther up the St. Lawrence heading for an early Tuesday morning docking at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

We spent the day relaxing and exploring more of the ship. The weather during the entire cruise was sometimes clear, sometimes cloudy, but cold for the end of May. We had packed for warmer weather, but fixed our temperature dilemma with the purchase of a couple of nice sweatshirts. Several times during the seven days of the cruise the upper outside decks were closed because the weather was cold and windy. They didn't want anybody swept overboard (although we did have a man overboard in Bar Harbor, more about which on the Bar Harbor page). We had a small open verandah off our room, but it was often too chilly and windy for us to sit out there.

There was still snow on the mountains next to the water.

Left-click on image to see larger view. For videos, use controls at bottom right to enlarge to full screen.

Snow on mnountains

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There were two dining areas that were part of our cruise package. The fancy two-level dining room, The Rotterdam, was where we ate each evening. There was also the Lido Restaurant, which was a cafeteria-style dining area with plenty of options including having a selection cooked for you as you waited. We usually went there for breakfast and, when we weren't on an all-day tour, lunch. We sat with two other couples at dinner in the Rotterdam the first night of the cruise and enjoyed each other's company so much we dined together all but one other night.

Dinner companions

Our sextet of cruisers at a table with a view in the Rotterdam Dining Room.

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Dinner companions

Ron, Flo, Tom, Pat, Marilyn, Jim.

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Here are some pictures from around the ship. Although the Maasdam is over twenty years old, we thought it was very nicely appointed and maintained.

Long hallway

Our hallway on Deck 9, looking from the front of the ship. Our room is about eleven miles down on the left.

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Elevator rug

Every morning, in all the elevators, just like magic there was a new rug indicating what day it was.

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Laundry room

Yes, we did laundry several times. (Maybe I should have brought more than two pair of underwear.)

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Casino

The casino, usually very busy in the evenings. Didn't really interest us.

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Exploration Cafe

The Exploration Cafe: reading room, computers, library, chess and checker boards, and drinks. We consulted the Atlas several times to see where we were on the trip, but otherwise didn't spend any time here.

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Ship atrium

Dazzling two-level sculpture in the ship's atrium where the onboard shops and front office were located.

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Lido bar and pool

The Lido bar and pool deck next to the Lido Restaurant. The roof was usually open, but Monday was very windy so they kept it almost closed. Drinks and snacks were always available.

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Lido bar and pool

Our feet relaxing by a window on the Lido bar and pool deck.

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Lido Restaurant

Patty relaxing in the Lido Restaurant, which was open for drinks and light snacks during off hours.

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Sports Deck

The Sports Deck, one level up from the Lido deck. No one about Monday as it was windy and quite cool.

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Every night when we returned from dinner in the Rotterdam Dining Room, we found our bed turned down with a couple of chocolates on our pillows. But in addition to that, we found on or hanging above our bed each evening a different animal fashioned from a towel. Here are a couple of the very clever pieces of "towel art" our room attendant left for us.

Towel Art

Mr. Lobster.

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Towel Art

Mr. Orangutan.

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