Here are some pictures from Assistant Bosun Frans Sinanu’s retirement get-together. Frans worked with Holland America Line for almost 30 years and was a very popular and appreciated presence on board. The Veendam crew will miss having “Om Frans” (Uncle Frans) onboard and wish him all the best for his retirement years.

Veendam deck team celebrates Assistant Bosun Frans Sinanu’s retirement.

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On Oct. 5, the Statendam made a call at Corinto, Nicaragua, where our adopted school, Ruben Dario, is located. During past port calls here we have invited groups of children and teachers from the school over for lunch a few times before. This past May, we also handed over a large number of donations such as curtains, folding chairs, books and sports equipment from the ship. Captain Albert Schonderbeek and Hotel Director Bert Van Mackelenbergh visited the school at that time and discovered that the school was in a state of disrepair.

They decided to see if we could do something more to improve the school facilities for the students and teachers. Since our last call in May we have been busy collecting cash donations, school supplies and clothes donations from both guests and crew members. As stated in the previous blog post, funds were collected from guests, Statendam crew and Holland America Line, to purchase more school supplies, new basketball hoops for the school yard (as the old basketball hoop was falling to pieces), basketballs and footballs, paint, fans and new white boards just to mention a few things.

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Topics: Good Deeds, ms Statendam, Panama Canal, Staff & Crew | | 1 Comment

Here is a great photo of a group of recent HAL University graduates on the Statendam with beautiful and rainy Ketchikan in the background.

Hanna Eklof is Statendam’s human resources manager.

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Controller Yono Sudarto was lucky enough to catch the glacier in Glacier Bay calving today, not once but three times! The guest were really excited to witness this majestic display of nature, a highlight of their cruise for sure! (scroll down to see all of the photos in sequence.)

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Topics: Alaska, ms Statendam, Postcards from... | | 2 Comments

Here is a photo of the Volendam soccer team lining up before playing a game in Lautoka, Fiji, last month. The extreme heat and humidity did not hamper their love of the “beautiful game.”

Our culinary team headed by Culinary Operations Manager Marc Spijkerboer and Assistant Culinary Operations Manager Joko Prasetiyo sourced new soccer uniforms for our soccer team (paid for by the crew fund) from Indonesia. We have an enthusiastic mix of housekeeping and galley staff and dining room stewards who jump at the chance of playing every time an opportunity arises.

Volendam's soccer team in Lautoka, Fiji.

Hanna Eklof is Volendam’s human resources manager.

Topics: ms Volendam, South Pacific, Staff & Crew | | No Comments

Volendam off-loaded donations in Port Vila, Vanuatu, during our last call there in January. Seven boxes of clothes donated by crew and books from the crew library went to a local school and a number of cambros used for storing food and drinks were donated to the local Red Cross with the hope that they may be able to use it in eventual times of need.

Hanna Eklof is Volendam’s human resources manager.

Topics: Good Deeds, ms Volendam, South Pacific, Staff & Crew | | 1 Comment

Here is a HAL University graduation photo of the officer’s of Volendam’s studious and hard-working engine department who went through the five modules of the Leadership Academy during our Pacific crossing in September 2011. The photo was taken in the engine room on one of the ship’s engines. Congrats to the new graduates!

Starting at the top, from left: Cadet Engineer Alisdair Newton-Wade and 3rd Engineer Wido Ruben De Jongh. Second row from left: Assistant Facilities Manager Redentor Julian, Chief Electrician Wilhelmus J.M. Kappert, 3rd Engineer Roelof Jan Soeteman, 4th Engineer Jamil Abdul Majid Harnaikar, Chief Engineer Hendricus A.C. De Bruijn and 4th Engineer Enrico Manuguid Padilla. Bottom line, from left: Assistant Facilities Manager Alexander A.J. Clercx, 4th Engineer Anthony Alto Soriano, Cadet Engineer Troy Colebrook, 2nd Electrician Glen Charles Roycroft, 2nd Electrician Chad Peter Mitchell, me and 2nd Engineer Mark Patrick Crowe.

Hanna Eklof is Volendam’s human resources manager.

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Best wishes to our newlyweds on board the Volendam: Culinary Operations Manager Csaba Desvari and Guest Relations Supervisor Anita “Ching” Elevado who met on board seven-and-a-half years ago and finally decided to tie the knot in the Ketchikan City Hall on September 5. Csaba and Ching went ashore and thought that they could get married in secret, but Hotel Manager Simon De Boer found out and arranged a surprise dinner reception for them complete with the bride throwing her bouquet, speeches and cake cutting. A great time was had by all!

Hanna Eklof is Volendam’s Human Resources Manager.

Topics: ms Volendam, Staff & Crew | | 2 Comments