The Journey Begins: New York to Rome on the ms Prinsendam

[travelinjones]

After a hectic week wrapping up our jobs, packing our earthly belongings for the summer and delivering our cat to our (reluctant) parents, we traveled to New York to embark the Prinsendam for a 25 day cruise to Rome. Part of the stress was trying to pack our lives for several months into four 50lb suitcases, which didn’t seem like much to us until our driver at the Newark Airport started mumbling about how gargantuan our bags were (“ you didn’t say your bags would be THAT big!”) After some imaginative arranging we managed to get all the bags into the trunk and we were off to the city. We had cashed in some Holiday Inn points and got a room at the Holiday Inn Wall Street District. The room was small (read put the Murphy Bed back into the wall to sit down in the couch) but the staff was great. We had a quick pint at the corner Irish Pub (doesn’t every corner in New York seem to have an Irish Pub?) and then to dinner at a newly opened restaurant called “Gold Street”, which was good albeit eclectic. (one entrée off pasta and another of Sushi). The next morning we had a three hour walk around Manhattan and discovered Battery Park which was an amazing oasis of green and quiet amidst the frantic pace of the city. Once back at the hotel, we then shoehorned our bags out of the room and onto a car to Pier 90 for embarkation. The boarding process was a complete breeze, though this was helped by the small number of folks (about 65) boarding in New York.

We have been lucky enough to have sailed on most of Holland America’s ships, but this was the first time on the Prinsendam. We were looking forward to her small size and encouraged by all the positive posts here on Cruise Critic. Even though we have only been on for a few days I can say that we are have not been disappointed. The ship is a perfect size and has the feel of a “real” ship. The crew is stellar and the passengers have been great.

To answer a few of the recent threads; The bag of laundry is still $12, the Java Cafe is going strong with free coffee drinks all day, the Wine Card does not include sparkling wine and at least until FLL the ship is still on the old dress standard (informal, formal, casual, etc.)

On boarding in New York we are catching the last few days of the 56 day Mediterranean and North Africa Grand Voyage, which started and ends in Ft. Lauderdale. Then we continue on the 22-Day Spring Discoveries cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Rome.

[u4ea]

Thanks for the report. I'm living your user name ;) Jonesin' bad.
Have a great cruise and keep the reports comming. How are the seas?
Mark..

[May4]

Lucky You! No kidding, this sounds like a grand adventure. I hope to read more of your posts in the coming weeks.

Treat yourself to an extra dessert tonight just for getting those suitcases packed and transported:)

[serendipity1499]

Travelinjones..First of all Welcome to Cruise Critic..:)

You are on our favorite HAL ship..She's Grand Little Ship..Don't know what type of Cabin you have but we were in 320 on Main Deck & loved the walk in closets..:)

You will be amazed at what you can put into those laundry bags..My DH helped me roll & stuff each corner..Our bag was so heavy that we were afraid to hang it on the hook outside our door for fear it would break it..If your Steward forgets to give you a bag ask for another one..The $12.00 per bag is good more than once..

Thanks for posting & looking forward to following you as you make your way to Rome..

Enjoy your Cruise, hope you have good weather & a great time..:)

Betty

[RuthC]

I've never sailed the Prinsendam, but intend to rectify that mistake this July. I'm looking forward to it.

I'm thrilled to read a post from onboard! Will you be continuing your "live from ..." thread throughout the cruise? :) Oh, please do! And tell all about the goings on while aboard. It's getting me eager.

[ger_77]

We spent 14 days aboard the Prinsendam for our first Mediterranean cruise - it was fabulous. We hope your time on her will be equally wonderful. Thanks for starting this thread - hope to hear more from you about staff, service, etc.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[TravelinGrandma]

WOW! What a dream cruise! New York City, A relaxing Transatlantic, and then one of my favorite cities in all the world - Roma! I would be jealous, but I am spending my time anticipating another dream cruise - a long awaited Alaskan cruisetour in September.

Bon Voyage!

Doris M.

[Grumpy1]

Mind if I pull up a chair and listen to your stories of life aboard my favorite ship? We were supposed to be on board for the 66 day around South America and had to cancel. There hasn't been anyone posting from onboard since Arzz left the ship in Rio. We're really looking forward to hearing about the current happenings on the Slinkiedam.:)

[Copper10-8]

Have a great time on the elegant Prinsendam and enjoy the crossing!!!! Say hi to Captain Gunderson (unless, of course, Captain Turner's got the helm)

[arzz]

I have noted this thread and I am ready to travel with you. Have a great trip! We really miss that ship.

Question: Has the canvas cover over the outdoor eating area on the Lido been repaired? That area with the protected cover is such a great place to eat.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Bon Voyage!

Have a great cruise.

[scopewest]

Looking forward to your posts from the ship.

[travelinjones]

Day 8–at sea–about 700 nautical miles south east of the Azores.

When we first looked at this cruise we noticed the itinerary was one of extremes. The first segment from NYC to Lisbon being 10 sea days and two ports, followed by the second segment Lisbon to Civitavecchia being the opposite 10 ports and one day at sea. While we enjoy days at sea, we were a little worried that seven straight sea days might be monotonous. We were thankfully wrong, as the days have flown by filled with activities and relaxation.

Being obviously new on the last 3 days of the Grand Med voyage, some guest drew us into the DAM dollars games. These seem to be more “inventive” than your typical cruise games, with quoits, Five Pin bowling, and moose tossing. For example, the five bowling “pins” were filled water bottles and the “bowling ball” alternated between a foam dice and a soccer ball.

There are also three lecturers on board: Mike Millwood gives talks on European history. Geoffrey Marks, with his encyclopedic knowledge of Hollywood celebrities, gives presentations on television stars such as Lucille Ball which include clips from various shows. Port lecturer Frank provides in-depth port briefings in the Queens Lounge and on the television.

The food to date is excellent, and the kitchen tour gave us an even greater appreciation of the kitchen staff’s skills given the small size of the facilities. The Sommelier Ferdinand had a fun and entertaining wine tasting and is hosting a 6 course pairing dinner at the Pinnacle tonight.

Leaving Port Everglades the weather was rough, but today was the best weather so far, the sea was a deep royal blue, flat calm without a stitch of wind, clear skies and the temperature in the high 70’s. We saw several schools of flying fish, which seemed to bring out the kid in me as I’d never seen them before. In short it was a picture perfect day to unwind and how realize how lucky we are to be where we are.

At Ft. Lauderdale (the end of the 56-Day Grand Voyage) there was a major crew change with Captain Turner, Hotel Manager Francois Birarda (recently off the Windsurf) and Cruise Director Steve Gayda (who just completed the GWV on the Amsterdam) joining the ship. Most of the cruise staff was new, as was the guest relations manager.
The crew has been extraordinary. One last observation (before we head off to our first Pinnacle dinner!) is that with the small passenger count of the ship (less than 800) we not only have met many great folks but see them nearly every day in the common areas of the ship giving you the feeling that you are getting to know nearly everyone on board!

[WillieF]

travelinjones - we're tagging along too and looking forward to hearing about the ports. We're under deposit for the Prinsendam's November 3 return to Ft.Lauderdale.

Who is the Hotel Manager on your voyage? Wonder if he will still be around in November?

Smooth sailing!

[Copper10-8]

travelinjones - we're tagging along too and looking forward to hearing about the ports. We're under deposit for the Prinsendam's November 3 return to Ft.Lauderdale.

Who is the Hotel Manager on your voyage? Wonder if he will still be around in November?

Smooth sailing!

Here you go Mr. Willie:

At Ft. Lauderdale (the end of the 56-Day Grand Voyage) there was a major crew change with Captain Turner, Hotel Manager Francois Birarda (recently off the Windsurf) and Cruise Director Steve Gayda (who just completed the GWV on the Amsterdam) joining the ship. Most of the cruise staff was new, as was the guest relations manager.

[RuthC]

Port lecturer Frank provides in-depth port briefings in the Queens Lounge and on the television.
Frank, as in Frank Buckingham? If so, how fortunate you are to have him aboard. :)
Would you please find out how long he'll be aboard this time? :confused: I'm hoping he'll still be there when I board the end of July.
Thank you ever so much.

[Iris5383]

What kind of game is moose tossing?

[WillieF]

Here you go Mr. Willie:



Thanks Copper - guess there may be changes again before November.

We've cruised Prinsendam before and never had anything to complain about - we love that ship!

[LILynn]

Thanks so much for posting. It sounds like you are having a great trip on the Prinsendam. I can't wait to hear more about your trip as we are going on the Prinsendam in September.

Please keep uup the great posts!

Lynn

[travelinjones]

Day 12–at sea–between Funchal, Madeira and Lisbon, Portugal

Today we are experiencing gale force winds so there is some rocking on board. It is a day of “resting up” as we will visit 12 ports over the next 13 days.

Yesterday we were in Funchal, in the Madeira Islands. We headed off the ship as soon as it was cleared, ready to walk. Partly sunny with fog at the higher elevations, it was perfect weather for exploring. We walked along the waterfront promenade about 1.5 miles to the cable car station. Opened in 2000, the cable car takes you two miles up to Monte in about 10 minutes. The view of the Funchal harbor is stunning for the 10 Euro one-way fare. (several shore excursions include the cable car with a bus delivering guests directly to the station.)

At Monte – about 2000 feet above sea level – we visited the Nossa Senhora do Monte, a hilltop church where Austrian Emperor Carlos I is buried. This area is also home to a botanical garden, and bright flowers and lush fauna are everywhere. Near the base of the church is the starting point of the wooden toboggans. Originally these wicker sleds were a necessary form of transportation to move goods on the steep slopes. Today (and for the past 100 years) they are a tourist attraction. You pay about 15 euros for 1 person or 25 euros for 2 or 37 euros for 3 to ride in the padded wicker chair on the wooden sled. Two men push and then guide you down the steep blacktop street, for 2 kilometers. The ride is quite exhilarating, especially when you see cars passing in front of you on cross streets! The guides are quite good at steering, however. On our trip, they waxed the runners, probably making our ride a little faster than some. Great fun! Or course, we had to buy the photo at the bottom.

Taxis are available but we wanted to walk. It is all downhill back into the main city, but a very steep descent. We got quite warm on this hike, so we stopped several times at little “snack” stands – which sold cold Coral beers for 1 to 2 Euros each.

Back into the main section of Funchal, we visited a Madeira wine history museum which had no entrance fee and included a low-key Madeira wine tasting. We were surprised to learn there are 4 types of Madeira – from sweet to medium dry to dry. Even the dry Madeira was somewhat sweet to us, plus strong at 11:15 am.

Next we had lunch at Restaurant A Pipa on the Rua da Queimada de Cima. We had chicken and steak entrees – both with Madeira wine and mushroom sauce.

After lunch, we explored to find the post office, and the central market. Walking in Funchal is quite pleasant, especially on the wide pedestrian-only boulevards.

Back on board, the weather was perfect for a glorious sail away. Since we figured that we walked about 10 miles, we sat in the 8th deck hot tub and soaked our sore muscles as the Prinsendam sailed by the islands of Madeira and then Porto Santo (where Columbus married a local girl and lived).

Since it was our wedding anniversary, we celebrated with a late dinner at the Pinnacle Grill. All in all, a great day!

[earl_m]

Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your cruise.sound like it a great cruise!

[serendipity1499]

Day 12–at sea–between Funchal, Madeira and Lisbon, Portugal

Since it was our wedding anniversary, we celebrated with a late dinner at the Pinnacle Grill. All in all, a great day!

Happy Anniversary travelinjones...Thanks so much for letting us tag along..Your wooden toboggan ride sounds like fun..

Looking forward to continuing on the rest of your trip..

Have fun & thanks again..:) Betty

[Love Cruises]

Travelinjones ... HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to you both. Can't think of a better way to celebrate a wedding anniversary than on a cruise. Looking forward to reading more about your journey.

[travelinjones]

Day 13–Lisbon, Portugal

Thursday was a glorious sun-filled day in Lisbon. I had stayed up late the prior night visiting with new friends who were departing the cruise in Lisbon. About 200 guests departed with another 200 new joining the ship.

As soon as the ship cleared, we were off – walking about a mile and a half to the Praça Do Comercio, the main square on the waterfront, with the beautiful Augusta Triumph Arch leading to the Baixa neighborhood. Here we located the tourist information office on the west side of the square, and while waiting in line, picked up a brochure for Lisbon Inside Walking Tours (www.insidelisbon.com) (http://www.insidelisbon.com)). We’ve enjoyed walking tours in other cities and at €14, decided why not? We located the meeting place at the Praça D. Pedro, and at 10 am were started the three hour Original Lisbon Walk. Nauda, our tour guide, was friendly and knowledgeable and our group included just one other couple from Australia.

Nauda showed us many of the sites in the downtown Baixa district, including a climb to the top of the St. Justa Elevator, which provided excellent views in all directions. She showed us the site of the 1974 Carnation Revolution. She then guided us onto the old-fashioned Tram #25 which took the twisting route up hill through Old Lisbon’s cobblestone maze, the Alfama neighborhood. These Trams are similar to San Francisco’s cable cars. Besides seeing all of the cathedrals and historical sites, our favorite part was climbing through the narrow streets of the Alfama. The locals were building platforms for a festival around June 12, which Nauda described as eating grilled sardines and drinking red wine all night long. This area has many of the taverns where the Fado music is performed.

It was unusually warm in Lisbon, over 90 degrees, and after the walk we were ready for some cold drinks and lunch. Since we had many things still on our “to see” list, we ate at Sudies, which was a sandwich and salad chain similar to Subway and a deal at €10 for the both of us. After our quick lunch we boarded the new tram #15, taking us west to the Belém district (this tram can also take you from where the ship docks to the Praca Do Comercio, the fare is €1.30 which can be paid onboard). Here we visited (and climbed) the landmark Tower of Belem, built between 1515 and 1521, which looks like an elegantly-carved chess piece. We also visited the Monument to the Discoveries. We also enjoyed strolling through the expansive parks in this area before catching the #15 back to the port.

Back on board, the weather was perfect for a glorious sail away. Frank Buckingham, the port lecturer, provided expert commentary as we sailed out along the Tagus River, past the 752 ft Christ the Redeemer statue, commemorating the kinship with sister city Rio de Janeiro, and under the Salazar suspension bridge (a copy of San Francisco’s Golden Gate).

We didn’t make it to the Gulbenkian Museum, housing the collections from the tycoon Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian, but our well-traveled tablemates did and thought it was one of the best museums in Europe.

Well, there’s always next time….

[anchorage1977]

Glad to hear that you're enjoying the Prinsendam Ms. Jones. Mom and I look forward to being guest writers on your CC blog later in the summer.

Can't wait to hear of Gibraltar and how your Spanish lessons turned out for this week's other ports.

Bon Voyage,
Anchorage1977

[Arlenedow]

Can you tell us what category of cabin you have and where it is situated? What is your opinion of the cabin?

We will sail on the Prinsendam for 23 days in Oct. '08 from Athens to Fort Lauderdale. We'll be celebrating our 50th anniversary and my birthday.

I'm really enjoying your commentary. The onboard lecturers sound as though they are very knowledgeable.

Arlenedow

[travelinjones]

Just as the dessert was served during the late seating of Sunday night’s formal dinner, the fire alarm sounded. The captain quickly made an announcement on the public address system from the bridge. A fire in the incinerator had somehow allowed smoke to escape, triggering the fire alarm.

The fire teams were quickly deployed and the affected area on the deck four was sealed. We noticed a slight smoke smell on our deck (5). The captain kept everyone informed with several announcements, including a final one that all was okay and the fire teams were released.

Everyone returned to their evening – the end of a terrific day in Gibraltar. Tomorrow’s port is Cartagena, Spain; we hope to catch up on our reports on Cadiz, Spain, Casablanca, Morocco and Gibraltar.

[travelinjones]

Day 14–Friday --Cadiz, Spain

For this port, we booked our first Holland America shore excursion to Jerez de la Frontera. We traveled by bus from Cadiz inland to nearby Jerez, the center of the sherry industry. This area of Andalusia is also known for its horses and flamenco.

The Prinsendam was docked directly in the Old Town of Cadiz, along with a Costa ship. Cadiz is a peninsula with beaches on most sides and a major ship-building yard. Our tour guide, Maria Carmen (Mika) enthusiastically explained the city highlights as we drove toward Jerez. She mentioned the one beach is still nicknamed “the women’s beach” because 40 years ago it was the only beach where bikinis were allowed.

On the way to Jerez, we saw several large black billboards, in the shape of a black bull, with no writing. They are the famous advertisements for Osborn, a major producer of port, sherry and brandy with the black bull on its label. Osborn is headquartered in nearby Puerto de Santa Maria.

In Jerez de la Frontera, we walked a short distance admiring the sites, and then headed to the Gonzalez Byass bodega – the maker of Tio Pepe. We learned about the unique sherry production process which is aged in America oak barrels. Then we tasted both the fino (dry) and the Croft original (sweet but good). There was a fun gift shop with sherry to buy as well as various forms of the famous Tio Pepe character.

Back to Cadiz, our guide provided as overview of Cadiz as our bus drove around the old town. She pointed out where Halle Berry was filmed in the James Bond movie (which was supposed to be in Cuba).

After dropping our purchases at the ship, we headed out to explore Cadiz. A great Old Town was easy to walk with an interesting Mercado (market) nearby. Besides excellent beaches, Cadiz has beautiful parks. Many of the stores closed in the afternoon for siesta, but cold Cervesas were only .80 to 2 euros. The Carrefour store (similar to Wal-Mart) is beside the Mercado and was a great place to stock up on Diet Pepsi and fortificante (hair conditioner in Spanish).

Once the full day tour guests arrived back from Seville, the Prinsendam sailed out of the harbor. Port lecturer Frank provided in-depth commentary as we sailed over the spot of the famous naval battle of Trafalgar. Lord Nelson was killed in this battle; his body was shipped back to England preserved in Rum. Rum and its watered-down version (grog) became the official drink of England’s Navy.

Cadiz is a great port and somewhere we’d like to visit again!

[travelinjones]

Frank, as in Frank Buckingham? If so, how fortunate you are to have him aboard. :)
Would you please find out how long he'll be aboard this time? :confused: I'm hoping he'll still be there when I board the end of July.
Thank you ever so much.


Frank Buckingham is departing in Rome on May 29. He will be back on a HAL ship in Europe after a break, but he doesn´t know the details yet.

We agree he is a fantastic resource!

By the way, Ruth you will be pleased to know that our room steward likes to give us multiple chocolates!

[judithbiggs]

You did n't mention the tiny mice that drank the sherry at Tio Pepe. Everyone on our tour were fascinated with them and didn't want to leave. Unfortunately, they don't show up too well on photos.

I was on the ship for the 56 day grand voyage and am really enjoying your writings on your trip as many of the ports are the same. Boy how I miss that ship and the awesome cruise.

Enjoy!
Judy

[LILynn]

Thanks again for all your great posts. When we are on the Prinsendam in Sept we are alos stopping in Lisbon and we have not planned anything yet - I was hoping that we would get people on our roll call that would want to share a private tour - but so far there are very few people that have responded. The walking tour that you did sounds great so I have saved your post and plan to use it when we are there later this year. Thanks again!

Lynn

[RuthC]

Frank Buckingham is departing in Rome on May 29. He will be back on a HAL ship in Europe after a break, but he doesn´t know the details yet.

We agree he is a fantastic resource!
I'm disappointed that he'll most likely not be there, then, when I board, but I appreciate the information. Thank you.

By the way, Ruth you will be pleased to know that our room steward likes to give us multiple chocolates!
Maybe I'll get lucky and have the same steward? :confused: Or, maybe they all do that on the Prinsendam! :D

[Martita B.]

Travelinjones,
I just disembarked the Prinsendam May 17th-Lisbon. I was aboard on the TA Crossing. Had a marvelous time!
If you go up to the Crow's Nest, please give Buddy, Edward (the bartender) and my sweet favorite waiters a special, warm "Howdy,
from the Princess!!" (they all called me that :confused: ) Along with Dave Dunn (Env. Officer) and some seasoned fun Sailor's we made grrreat fun and fabulous memories! 'Even formed an "'Ole Crow's Club"~~~~everyone wanted to be a Charter Member~~I was elected President--Dave was Chairman of the Board! Final count as to the Club members, 72 Sailor's~~~~such fun and phooey!
Thanking you in advance for delivering my message to my good Buddies!

Please continue to enjoy your voyage!
Smooth seas and blue skies above~~always.:p

[travelinjones]

When doing my internet research on this port we were surprised by the dearth of available information. Most brief summaries of the city ended with a comment on their attempt to revitalize tourism. Usually this results in the port being disappointing. We are happy to report that Cartagena was a pleasant surprise.

The Prinsendam docked right in front of the city walls, an easy three block walk to the city. As we disembarked there was an information kiosk (www.cartagena.es (http://www.cartagena.es/)) staffed by two very knowledgeable locals armed with maps. There was also a booth where they were giving complementary samples of the local liquor called “42”, this was a bit much for 9:00am, but we of course stashed one (ok two) for later sampling. We didn’t take advantage of it, but were thrilled to see that the tourist office provided free new bicycles to explore the city. They looked like nice new ones and before long we saw many of the crew greatly enjoying this service. They were like kids with a new toy; it was great to see them enjoying themselves on a break from their hard work onboard.

We headed through the city gates to the main street Carmen Mayor which was nice, wide, level and pedestrian only. This was not planned as sightseeing day, more a mission to find an internet café and stock up on supplies (meaning Lays potato chips for me and Diet Pepsi for Janis). So we walked though the old town to the new wide and tree lined boulevard Alameda de San Antón on a bee-line course to the El Corte Inglés department store (www.elcorteingles.es). We really enjoy popping into a Corte Ingles as in addition to reasonable prices for our supplies, we can get a taste of the local life. In the case today we wandered around the grocery section to get an idea of the food cost. Beef was very expensive about $12 per lb for sirloin, vegetables were about the same as the US and Spanish wine very inexpensive. We had to laugh as in addition to the standard box table wine, they also have wine in small six pack “sippy” boxes (similar to what we have juices in for kids). We then went to the café section and had a café con leche paired with the requisite pastry. It was five minutes of heaven, excellent coffee and pastries at a reasonable price (€5).

As we still hadn’t found an internet café so we decide explore a bit off the beaten track. We discovered that in this area of Spain it is the grandfathers who take the children out in the strollers for the morning walk. It was fun to watch these older gentlemen act gruff in front of their friends and at the same time “cooing” their grandchildren. While in the neighborhood school had let out so we were flooded by a sea of kids in school uniforms. It seems that they take siesta seriously as school was out by 1:00pm. We also dropped into to a local pub to cool off and sample the local beer. (it was great beer and a deal at one Euro!)

We eventually found out internet café caught up with our email and reluctantly started our walk back to the ship. In all we found this Cartagena to be small and very pleasant. There were no massive must see sights (though there were some nice Roman sites and the Castillo), but it was a nice slow paced seaside city which we would return without hesitation.

[travelinjones]

Please note – this post is out of order; we are trying to catch up on prior ports.

We were looking forward to Gibraltar, as it was one of our favorite ports on our honeymoon cruise on the Rotterdam in 1999. While most European cities appear to change fairly slowly, we were surprised to see how much “the Rock” had changed in 8 years.

On our prior visit, we recalled walking between the port area where the ship docked and the downtown area on a single lane road with not much around but port facilities. Now, there is a new cruise terminal, and the area is filled with high rise condos and apartments, a 4-lane road, a Safeway store, hospital and McDonalds, and much more building in progress. Of course, we can understand why people would want to buy a condo in this beautiful destination.

The other big change was the high value of the British pound to the US dollar (about $2 to £1. Looking into the Burger King, a Whopper was a whopping £4.59 A $9.63 fast food hamburger quickly reminded us of the value of our cruise in US dollars. Plus, we gained greater appreciation for the cheeseburgers at the Terrace Grill back on the ship, thank you very much!

Since it was Sunday morning, the downtown was fairly quiet. Later, it got busier as Cunard’s QE 2 arrived in port and stores opened.

We` headed to the cable car (after a rest break for a cold pint) and rode up to the top of the Rock. (1 way tickets are £8.) What a view in all directions at the top! The facilities at the Top of the Rock are much improved in 8 years – with clean, new bathrooms, a café, gift shop and pub.

We found it quite interesting to watch a British Airways flights take off from the runway (located directly next to Spain’s border) and then bank hard left to stay out of Spanish airspace. The airport runway also bisects the major road between Gibraltar and Spain.

Despite many warnings about the monkeys at the Top of the Rock (often referred to as apes but actually tailless monkeys) many visitors still can’t resist their charms. The mothers have had babies in the spring – who are now extremely playful and cute! But, set your soda down for a second to take a photo, and the mother monkey has it, pours it on the ground and drinks it, and if you try to get it back she will hiss and bite. We also watched another monkey steal a bag of Doritos out of a woman’s bag.

After taking photos we started our walk down, choosing the path heading down to the right (toward the Moorish Castle). The hike down is long, but the views are terrific the entire way. We peaked into the Great Siege tunnels (which were closed), and worked our way back downtown.
To use up our pounds we stopped at Safeway, purchasing a 6-pack of Diet Pepsi and checking out the local prices. Liquor appeared to be a deal while wine, milk and frozen food was quite expensive.

Later at sail away, we went on deck 12 for Port Lecturer Frank’s commentary. As the Prinsendam sailed around THE ROCK, the sun came out and we were treated to a glorious view.

It was a formal evening with the 2nd seating show at 6:45. We missed it (soaking in the hot tub to relieve sore muscles) but learned from our table mates that Selima Wazir, a young woman who played the oboe and the English horn, was excellent.

There was some excitement during dessert when the fire alarm sounded (see other post) but all was handled by 11pm. Another great day!

[LILynn]

Thanks again for all the great information.

I was suprised when I read about your post from Gibralter. We are also stopping there on a Sunday and everything I read said the cable car did not run on Sunday - what a great suprise that it does.

Sounds like you are having a fantastic trip and I am so glad that you are bringing the rest of us along with you.

Lynn

[Grumpy1]

Travelinjones,
I just disembarked the Prinsendam May 17th-Lisbon. I was aboard on the TA Crossing. Had a marvelous time!
If you go up to the Crow's Nest, please give Buddy, Edward (the bartender) and my sweet favorite waiters a special, warm "Howdy,
from the Princess!!" (they all called me that :confused: ) Along with Dave Dunn (Env. Officer) and some seasoned fun Sailor's we made grrreat fun and fabulous memories! 'Even formed an "'Ole Crow's Club"~~~~everyone wanted to be a Charter Member~~I was elected President--Dave was Chairman of the Board! Final count as to the Club members, 72 Sailor's~~~~such fun and phooey!
Thanking you in advance for delivering my message to my good Buddies!

Please continue to enjoy your voyage!
Smooth seas and blue skies above~~always.:p
So glad to hear that you really enjoyed Prinsendam, Martita... but I have a feeling you're one of those people that have fun wherever they go. Ole Crow's Club... I like that! lol

[arzz]

Salima Wazir, the oboeist, played for us on the Prinsendam in February and she was most incredible! She did two concerts, one in the evening and she then did a special afternoon concert where she played completely different selections. We really enjoyed her music. I do not know how far behind real time your posts are, but I sincerely hope that if you have the chance again to hear her play you will do so.

Keep having a great trip -- I enjoy the armchair traveling almost as much as the real thing!

[Grumpy1]

I enjoy the armchair traveling almost as much as the real thing!and the armchair is not likely to slide across the floor and dump you... unless you live in California:D

[arzz]

"and the armchair is not likely to slide across the floor and dump you... unless you live in California"

Hear hear! Though I would gladly risk it again to repeat that incredible voyage!

Grumpy do have a great time on the Maasdam -- I am so happy you are well and able to travel!

[Nancyquilts]

arzz - after your description of your trip around South America, I would think any of our earthquakes would seem hardly worth mentioning. Nancy

[travelinjones]

Today we are enjoying a much-needed day at sea after seven port days in a row! For the guests who joined the cruise in Lisbon, this is their only sea day during the 12-Day cruise from Lisbon to Rome.

With all of the activities going on, it’s not possible to be bored. We attended a port lecture with Frank on Rome (and areas to visit outside of Rome). This morning was also the On Deck for the Cure™ walk to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Each participate makes a $15 donation (through a charge to your shipboard account) and receives a t-shirt and pink wristband. At 9:45 am, the 3.5K (or 14 laps) walk was kicked off by the captain and hotel manager. Water stations were set up several places around the promenade deck. It appeared that at least 80 people participated, followed by a pink lemonade party.

Pinnacle Grill Chef Ani gave another cooking demonstration in the Culinary Arts Center, this time showcasing rustic French cooking. He made Alsatian Ham and Gruyere salad and Chicken Provencal, with samples of the salad for all attendees. Ani gives great cooking tips such as how to cut onions without the tears and the best way to chop fresh parsley.

We enjoyed lunch in the dining room today. The ship has served lunch in the formal dining room on most port days, but we are too busy exploring the ports to enjoy it.

Today 5 pin bowling had yet another twist – “bowling” a small “whiffle” golf ball toward five domino “pins”. Since turning in the first DAM dollars for a nice DAM sweatshirt, we haven’t participated in that many of these events but when we do they add up quickly. (some guests had nearly 200 after the first 10 days).

This afternoon, we are catching up on port posts, and enjoying watching the movie Dreamgirls in our stateroom.

Tonight is the 5th of 6 formal nights in the 22 day cruise (no formal nights in the 3 days between New York and Ft. Lauderdale.) It is also the Black & White Officers’ Ball in the Queen’s Lounge, after Sally Jones performs.

Marita, we will deliver your hellos to Buddy and everyone in the Crow’s Nest tonight (it hasn’t been quite the same since the “christening”), but we won’t stay up too late. Tomorrow we arrive in Palermo, Sicily at 8 am, followed by three more port days (Valetta, Messina and Naples) before arriving in Civitavecchia (Rome) at the end of this cruise.

We will be posting separate posts on three prior ports – Casablanca, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona. Stay tuned!

[Love Cruises]

TRAVELINJONES ...

Thanks for your updates on your cruise. I really look forward to reading them.

On your cruise are there organized games like scattergories, taboo, outburst, etc. for prizes?

We were on the NOORDAM in March and many of the cruise staff activities were cut (no organized board games for prizes) and very few sport activities to earn those DAM dollars. Then, when you could redeem whatever dollars you had earned, the prices of the "HAL" stuff were quite overpriced compared to other ships we have been on. It seems this was not the case on the PRISENDAM if many guests had earned 200 dollars in 10 days.

[serendipity1499]

Travelinjones...Loved your story about Gibraltar...

The first time we were there, was an unscheduled fuel stop..
They had closed the Azores due to a storm at sea, so we had to do a non-stop TransAtlantic..Only had a few hours in the late afternoon & hired a private Cab to take us to the top of the rock just at dusk..We were the only ones there...

Our Cab driver brought some monkey chow along & one of the Monkeys jumped on the head & shoulders of my friend...Boy was she surprised!:eek: ..My DH told her to stand still for a picture while he was on her head & shoulders:) :) ..We still laugh at that..

After he jumped on her shoulders, he then jumped on my DH's shoulders.. I immediately put my hood up in case he decided to jump on me..LOL

This was our first time in Gibraltar & did not realize that no one should feed the Monkey's!..Now we all know better & the second time we were there we were very careful!;)

Our Cab driver was wonderful & gave us a fascinating tour of the city along with it's history.. Looking down on the city & our ship as the lights of the city came on was such an incredible sight that we all will never forget..

Have loved going along with you on our favorite ship & many of our favorite Ports..:)

Thanks again ..Betty

[AWED23]

I am enjoying your posts. Can you tell me who the dining room manager is on your cruise?.....Rob:cool:

[travelinjones]

We had visited Casablanca eight years ago on our honeymoon – so wanted to get out of the city. Casablanca was a 15 hour port call, to allow time from tours to Marrakech and Fez. The Marrakech tour involved 8 hours on a bus, ruling it out for us. We booked Holland America’s “The Imperial City of Rabat”, a 5.5 hour tour with 1 hour of driving each way.

The tour left at 7 am ship’s time, and it was 6 am Casablanca time, so the city was very quite. Security was highly visible at the port and throughout the city.

On the drive to Rabat, Morocco’s capital, we gained a first-hand glimpse of the dire poverty some in the country face. Housing were shanty structures appearing to be made of scraps of tin and wood – like squatter’s camps. Interestingly, almost all to had satellite dishes for TV.

In Rabat, we walked the Oudalia Kasbah in the old town. At the first stop, a young women approached our group and started drawing henna tattoos on women’s arms and hands. Then she would demand 5 euros. “No, Merci!” seemed to keep her and other hawkers at bay. Next we visited the outer courtyard of the Royal Palace. No one gets into the inter courtyard except the Palace workers and guards. We were surprised to learn that there were more than 2000 members of the extended Royal family living in the Royal Palaces. The workers and guards live outside the palace, but still inside the huge walled compound.

Another stop was ruins outside of Rabat where the Roman town of Sala stood. This area was a stork nesting area, and was swarming with storks and their young, just about old enough to be pushed out of the nest.

The last stop was the Mausoleum of King Muhammad the 5th, who died in the late 1990s. His son -- now in his mid-thirties, is now the king.

On the drive back to Casablanca, many of us slept since the departure was early. In Casablanca, the guide made a shopping stop. We were amazed that it was the exact same store that our tour guide took us two eight years ago. Across the street is the Hyatt Hotel which has “Rick’s Café”, based on the café in the movie Casablanca. (as you probably know, none of the movie was actually filmed in Casablanca. )

One positive change – we were told 8 years ago that women were not allowed outside at the coffee houses. This visit, we both had espressos outside on the street café. However, it appeared that the only women at the cafes were tourists.

Back at the ship, it was a great afternoon for catching up on sleep!

[travelinjones]

On a previous cruise port call to Palermo, we toured the city via the hop-on, hop-off bus, and walked through the street markets. For today’s visit, we wanted to get out of the city. We took Holland America’s “Cefalù -- A Seaside Town” 4.5 hour tour. First, our guide pointed out the highlights of Palermo as we drove through the city. Our bus then headed out of the city on an hour drive through the Sicilian countryside, to Cefalù, pronounced (CHEF A LOO) by our guide. Enroute, she gave us the history of Palermo and Sicily, which has been ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Vikings, Spaniards, and many others over the years, resulting in a great mix of architecture and diversity of residents.

Cefalù is a beautiful resort town hugging the sea, tucked beside an overlooking mountain with ancient ruins. Streets are narrow and buses cannot enter the town. Our tour including the cathedral, the ancient public wash area and the narrow streets. Then we had about an hour of free time to explore and shop.

We walked down to the rocks on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea and stuck on feet in the clear turquoise water. It was quite cool, but with a hot day, many where swimming and sunning on the nearby beached. Wondering around Cefalù, we had our first Italian gelato of this trip (tiramisu and hazelnut). Yum! We also bought a bottle of Sicilian white wine, and based on the prices, friendlessness, and beauty of the town, noted that this might be a place to stop back later in the summer.

This was a very enjoyable 3-man tour!

Back in Palermo, we came back to the ship for a late lunch and for catching up on various posts. On shore, we bought a Herald Tribune, and learned that Naples in two weeks into a massive garbage strike, that is supposed to get worse as the only dump in the area is closed for the weekend. We’ve never been to Naples and were planning to spend our Monday call there trying out various famous pizza and gelato places – but are now considering the ferry or hydrofoil to Capri.

Off now to here Frank’s commentary as we sail out of Palermo and toward Valletta, Malta. We are looking forward to another special Wine pairing dinner in the Pinnacle Grill this evening.

One ship note. Where was some discussion on the board whether hot appetizers were on the way out. At least in the Prinsendam they are offered every evening during dinner hour. The bar waiters will also circulate a tray of cold snacks late in the evening. Both a very nice touch.

[Palms2Pines2Sea]

Rob,

Sander Vogtlander is the current DR manager aboard Prinsendam.

[AWED23]

Rob,

Sander Vogtlander is the current DR manager aboard Prinsendam....Sander is a super person and last year on two seperate cruises made certain that we were always comfortably seen to. He told us last July/August that he would be leaving the line with a new Bride at the end of his contract. I am pleased to hear he is still aboard!...Hopefully he will be aboard next March when we take the Grand Voyage from Fort Lauderdale around Africa....Thank You P2P2S....you must be from So Cal..????:).Just saw your profile...oops on the So Cal..

[Martita B.]

Travelinjones,
Many thanks for your most interesting and well written posts! I look forward each day to reading of your latest adventure report!
I so enjoyed my Prinsendam TA Crossing~~~this was my 1st sailing aboard the 'ole Seabourn Sun and I was very impressed with the 6*service, the food and wines~~~plus making so many new Sailor friends! Each night, after dinner, in the Crow's Nest we all gathered for more "fun and phooey!" Buddy and Dave D. added so much spice to our group~~~we all know "laughing is good for our souls!" Dave and I have been e-mailing as I was so curious about "The Crow's Club" and whether we had added more names to the membership list.
Thank you so much for delivering my "Howdy's" to Buddy, Edward and my sweet "Crow' Nest Boy's~~~what an impresssive group!
Please continue to have a great voyage with smooth seas and blue skies~~
'La Dolce Vita!

[travelinjones]

Yes -- there are organized games all day long plus team trivia -- which guests seem to take very seriously.

The Prinsendam seems to have more activities than we recall on other HAL ships -- and a great cruise staff!


TRAVELINJONES ...

Thanks for your updates on your cruise. I really look forward to reading them.

On your cruise are there organized games like scattergories, taboo, outburst, etc. for prizes?

We were on the NOORDAM in March and many of the cruise staff activities were cut (no organized board games for prizes) and very few sport activities to earn those DAM dollars. Then, when you could redeem whatever dollars you had earned, the prices of the "HAL" stuff were quite overpriced compared to other ships we have been on. It seems this was not the case on the PRISENDAM if many guests had earned 200 dollars in 10 days.

[travelinjones]

Mallorca is the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands. Mallorca, Minorca and Ibiza are three of the five major islands making up this archipelago south of Spain’s southern coast, and are playgrounds for sun-loving Europeans. Palma is the largest city and the capital of the Balearic Islands.

During our previous visit to Mallorca on the Costa Magica in November of 2005, we took the Caves of Drach & the Mallorca Pearl Factory shore excursion to the northeastern side of the island. Since it was a short port visit, we missed seeing the Palma.

For this visit, we focused on Palma, first walking about 3 miles from the port to the cathedral that dominates the city and waterfront. The flat terrain follows the large harbor, with marinas packed with yachts. For those who didn’t want to walk, a shuttle was offered for $6 US each way, charged to your shipboard account.

The Cathedral de Mallorca cost €4 to visit. The interior features artwork by Antonio Gaudi. Next we wondered through the narrow streets of the Old Quarter near the cathedral. They were packed with shops and cafes, as well as many tourists.

We located the El Corte Inglés store by following the trail of shopping bags, and the signs to McDonald’s (which mentioned it was near Corte Inglés). Next, we walked the nearby residential streets, in search of a good lunch spot. We noticed a restaurant with beautiful hardwood doors and a menu of the day in Spanish. We went it and although our Spanish is limited, we noticed what the other guests were eating, and it looked good. The menu of the day included wine, water or beer, a garbanzo bean and tuna salad, followed by a meatball stew, then choice of dessert such as ice cream, tiramisu, or fresh watermelon or Catalan cream for dessert and coffee con leche. All for €7.5. We entered the restaurant at 1:45 and there were just a few tables of people; at 2 pm it was packed with the lunch crowd. The people-watching was great: business workers, families, girlfriends gossiping …; how wonderful to have a slow-paced 1.5 – 2 lunch during the work week.

Back to Corte Inglés, we stocked up on Torres wine and sparkling water, and then took bus #1 to the port. (cost €1.20).

Back on the ship, we decided to skip our scheduled dinner and opt for the Lido dinner. While late seating dinner is at 8:15, the Lido is only open from 6 – 7:30 pm. We went up at 7:10 pm and where surprised at how many people were there. While most of the food is the same as the dining room, we found the service a somewhat confusing mix between self-serve and waiter service. If this is a true alternative, why not leave some type of food service available at least until 8:15?

The evening show, “From Broadway to Queens” was one that we enjoyed on the segment between New York and Ft. Lauderdale. Rather than we repeating, we visited with our shipboard friends Richard and Brigitte in the Explorers’ Lounge. Richard & Brigitte were thrilled with the Valldemosa & Chopin tour they took to the village of Valldemosa and the 14th Century Monastery where novelist George Sand and composer Frederic Chopin spend the winter of 1838.

Tonight is our last formal night and we've been invited to the captain's table... will post how it goes!!

[AWED23]

Dinner with Chris Turner is always a treat!....Rob

[travelinjones]

We arrived into Valletta around 7 am – nearly 2 hours earlier than the scheduled 9 am arrival. The timing was good as the port was about to get really crowded. The Costa Victoria was already docked, and just after we docked, Oceanania’s Insignia arrived – docking at a slot at the very back of the port. Next, in sails the Royal Princess, which has to parallel park between the Victoria and the Prinsendam. It was quite a maneuvering feat. Later in the day, the P & O Arcadia arrived and was docked across the bay. Valletta is such a beautiful port, and one that is quite interesting to watch ships sail in and out of the fortifications in the Mediterranean.
We have visited this port before on a prior cruise in November 2005. During that visit, Queen Elizabeth was in Valletta for a Commonwealth Summit and security was quite tight (including the British aircraft carrier Arc Royal beside our ship) Regardless, we had a terrific visit walking and climbing of the city walls, exploring the Old Town. On this prior visit, we also went to the Tourist Information office and asked for a recommendation for a driver. The woman called someone at Wembley Motors (2137 4141). For about 50 Euros, we were given a fantastic tour, driving out to the fishing village of Marsalokk, where the brightly colored blue and yellow fishing boats bob in the harbor. Our driver was an older gentleman and a very proud Maltese who shared a great deal of history with us. He was excited that the Queen was visiting again, recalling that she lived there when her husband Phillip was stationed in Malta during his military service.
So for today’s visit, we wanted to try a different experience – and did we succeed! We decided to explore Malta outside of the city of Valletta by public bus. (the buses are bright yellow icons all of the city.) The main terminal is just up the hill from the cruise ship terminal; there is now a bus stop right at the cruise terminal. From the driver, you can purchase an all-day bus ticket for 1.5 Maltese Lira or 3.5 euros. The drivers don’t have change -- even for Maltese lira. One Maltese Lira equals about 3 US dollars. Beginning in 2008, Valletta will be converting to the Euro.
Back to the bus adventure. We wanted to visit Mdina, the Maltese capital until 1566. The bus “terminal” is a big circle of buses around a beautiful foundation. There is no master map, and it is quite chaotic. Finally we got on bus # 64 to Mdina and Rabat. It was a very old bus with torn curtains blocking the view, no air conditioning and a surly driver. We bounced along through the city, with no idea where to get off. We finally figure out to watch for blue directional signs on the street (lifting up the curtains). Finally we see Rabat and Mdina and get off. It was about 10 am and the area was very quite. The area has been recently restored – almost too perfectly. There are several “experiences” that you can pay to see – one was a movie, one was a “walk-through” and one was a dungeon and prison experience (with a warning that it wasn’t for impressionable children). Not my cup of tea. By the time we walked around, the cathedral, museums and other key sites were mobbed with tours from the 4 ships in port. Mdina is supposedly still home to some of the Maltese nobility, but besides the oblivious tour areas the locals weren’t very friendly to tourists. If we went again, we’d take a tour.

Now we needed to figure out how to get back to Valletta on the bus. We spent quite a bit of time wandering around small streets. In a small local grocery, we bought a bottle of water and asked for directions to the bus back to Valletta. Suddenly, three different people appeared, all giving us different directions. We wandered some more, and finally studied the posted maps, and found our way back to the bus area where we got off. For the ride back, we had a nice modern bus with great air conditioning. It seems it is just the luck of the draw as to which one is coming next.
Back in Valletta, the crowds were still intense. We decided to give the bus another try and asked the tourist information office the best beaches to see by bus. She recommended St. John’s bay – which was supposed to be about a ½ hour ride. We really wanted to go to Golden Turtle Bay, on the northwest part of Malta, but we gave up that idea when we heard that it was an hour ride each. There was a huge line for bus 61 so we got on bus 66. This route took us through Valletta along the waterline to Selina (ferry terminals) and then to the Bay where many nice hotels complexes are located (Hilton, Westin, Radisson SAS and many more). This bus takes much longer than ½ hour, but it gives a picturesque tour of the various mariners and beaches, and restaurants and shops in this upscale area. On the return route, we stopped at Selina for lunch. The restaurant was featuring rabbit (as were many) but we stuck to fish & chips. It was easy to pick up the bus again and return to the Valletta terminal, where we transferred to the bus #198 which delivered us to the port. By the way, if you only want to ride the bus a couple of short trips, better to buy individually at .20 ML for each ride. However, you must have Maltese currency and in small change.

All of that jarring bus riding much have wore us out; back on board the ship we slept for about 3.5 hours. Dinner onboard was a “Knights of Malta “ dinner. All of the waiters wore Knight costumes(which looked great but really hot. The dinner featured some Maltese dishes, such as Bagolini, a beef dish.

[travelinjones]

On a prior visit to Messina, we enjoyed the tour to Taormina and its Greco Roman Theater with views of Mt. Etna. For this visit we stayed in Messina which was quite on a Sunday morning. With the ship is docked right downtown, it was easy to get off & on.

While Janis slept in, Jeff set off to explore at 8:30 am. He noticed a crowd at an intersection with several traffic police. Getting closer, the “policemen” directing traffic were actually local kids in an event sponsored by the local traffic police. Each kid directed traffic for about five minutes while the families applauded. Dealing with traffic in Italy obviously takes early training. The kids were also dressed up for Mass which soon followed.

Around noon, we both ventured off the ship, and found the city was almost completely shut down (families must have been enjoying Sunday dinner).

Jeff headed out one last time around 4:30 pm. The nearby Piazza del Duomo was now filled with vendor stands and all the cafes were doing a brisk business. Plenty of time to for Jeff to enjoy his “Italian Trifeca” of coffee, gelato and beer.

That evening we were invited to dine with Captain Chris Turner and Forth Officer Emily Stores. It was a memorable evening with great food and interesting conversation.

[travelinjones]

After all of the publicity about the trash strike in Naples, we are happy to report that we didn’t see any signs of it during our visit on Monday. We found Naples fairly clean, friendly and fun to visit. Our only difficultly was crossing the busy traffic & scooter-filled streets to get from the port to the Royal Palace and Piazza Plebiscito (built to celebrate the 1861 vote when Naples choose to join Italy). Based on several guidebooks, this was the starting place for our planned trek in search of gelato, ancient artifacts and pizza.

From the port we walked left to the Piazza Plebiscito, and then headed north on Toledo, Naples major shopping street. (We quickly learned to navigate busy intersections by following a local when they crossed.) In a tobacco shop we purchased a 3 Euro giornaliero (day pass good for all buses, funiculars, subway, and trams). Just off Toledo, we boarded the Centrale Funicular up to the Vomero neighborhood.

This area is a relaxing neighborhood, filled with trendy shops, cafes and gelaterias. With area’s higher elevation, it was less humid, and less hectic. We were in search of Gelateria Mario Daniele, which was mentioned in a great Italian food site www.arthurschwartz.com (http://www.arthurschwartz.com/). Our search was interrupted by the gelato displays at Fantasia Gelati. A scoop of their lemon was a refreshing tonic for a hot day! Still in Vomero, strolling down Via Scarletti, we were sidetracked again at the Grand Café, the perfect spot for latte, chocolate croissants and people-watching. We never found Mario Daniele, but now having experienced Naples gelato we agree it’s hard to beat anywhere in the world!

Fueled with sugar and caffeine, we caught the metro at the Piazza Vanvitelli station. The metro was clean and a breeze to navigate with our day passes. We took it directly to Museo station, which connected to the Archeological Museum. This museum houses many of the artifacts recovered from both Pompeii and Hercureanalm. There is so much it can overwhelm. The black head carvings with white eyes were particularly intriguing.

From the museum, we walked south on Toledo to Dante’s Plaza, heading east along the Via S. Bagio del Librai. Mopeds and cars compete with the dense stream of students and tourists walking these narrow streets, packed with stores also spilling their goods into the streets. We were on a mission: to find Pizzeria La Michelle, deemed by many sources to be the best pizza in Naples, and in the world.

Just when we were about to give up, there it was on a narrow side street – with a crowd waiting to get in that was at least 30 people. We decided to explore the area more, and come back after the lunch rush. Back another hour later, the street was packed even more densely, mostly by people with guidebooks.

Not really hungry, we weren’t willing to wait out this crowd. We took a photo and headed back to the ship, arriving inside just as the skies opened and the heavy rainfall began. Next time, we will go to La Michelle for pizza first.

Back on board, Hotel Manager Francois Birarda, selected officers and senior staff hosted a champagne party in the Wajang Theater for the 44 guests staying onboard for the next Prinsendam sailing to the Black Sea. They shared insights for the next cruise, answered questions, and gave us some special offers including advance booking of shore excursions, spa and Pinnacle Grill reservations for the next cruise. This was a great touch, and allowed us to meet some of the other guests staying onboard! We also received a special note from the captain with chocolates in our stateroom, as well as a customized daily program, different from departing or arriving guests.

At dinner, it was time to say our goodbyes to our tablemates – a fantastic and diverse group of experienced travelers.

A with a storm raging outside, the last night of the cruise between Naples and Civitavecchia cruise was similar to the first night out of Ft. Lauderdale, with rough seas throughout the night.

[travelinjones]

While we have previously sailed most of Holland America Line ships, this was our first cruise on the ms Prinsendam. After 25 days on board, we have now joined the crowd who love the “Elegant Explorer”. Some of our favorite things about the ship:


Intimate Size. It’s a breeze to get around the ship, lines are short and it is easy to get to know your fellow passengers and crew.
Itineraries. We enjoyed unique ports such as Cartagena, Spain that you don’t hear much about but turn out to be terrific places to visit. Plus, the ship always changes itineraries so you can stay on or keep returning while experience new places.
The Captain and Hotel Manager. Captain Christopher Turner and Hotel Manager Francois Birarda are professional, pleasant and approachable. They are well-liked by both the guests and the crew, which makes for a highly enjoyable cruise.
The Java Café. Headed by lead bartender Mydel (who rates five stars!), this is the social center of the ship. It is a great place to enjoy a complimentary espresso or cappuccino while catching up on CNN or reading a newspaper from the library next door.
Cruise Staff. During the sea days, the staff fills the days with a wide variety of imaginative activities from trivia to moose tossing. Sparky and Melissa were always around the ship with a smile and friendly hello.
Onboard Elegance. Bingo and other annoying promotional announcements over the public address system were practically non-existent while the captain and cruise director provided informative announcements as needed. The floral arrangements made by on-board Dutch florist Linda were always stunning. The crew is always gracious and helpful when you needed something, and unobtrusive when you didn’t.
Sommelier Ferdinand. In addition to supervising the wine staff (and the duties of the assistant bar manager) Ferdinand put on several informative wine tastings where he demonstrated the art of opening a Champaign bottle with a saber (Sabrage) . He also co-hosted with the Pinnacle Grill chef Ani a special dinner at the Pinnacle Grill which had 5 courses paired with perfect wines.
Pinnacle Grill. The ms Prinsendam has the most elegant Pinnacle we’ve experienced in Holland America’s fleet. Gorgeous wood-paneled décor and exceptional service staff managed by Iona. Two special wine and food pairing sommelier’s dinners were incredible. Chef Ani also gave insightful and entertainment cooking demonstrations.
Room Steward. Always a strong area for Holland America, our steward Dedi is a notch above all stewards we’ve had before. He would mysteriously appear when ever we left the room, and was nearby to open our door when we returned. He is always working and always cheerful, and efficient in handling requests.
The Food. Executive chef Pedro Lontoc’s food is always good and a step above other ships. Varied, even throughout 25 days.
The Library. Small but filled with a wide selection of top books, and section of shared books from other guests. Well-staffed by the cruise staff and the source of daily Sudoku, USA Today and crossword puzzles.
Guest Relations Manager Gary Mangahas. Under Gary’s direction, the front desk staff was friendly and helpful. If they didn’t know the answer, they got back to you quickly. Gary set this tone, and was always pleasant, even when dealing with difficult customers.
Dining Room Manager. Sander Vogtlander is always on hand to greet guests as you enter the dining room. He organized an endless array of dinner themes throughout the cruise complete with elaborate decorations and costumes. His professionalism was apparent by the high caliber of the dining staff.
Port Lecturer. Frank Buckingham was both entertaining and encyclopedic in his knowledge of the ports. His sail away commentary made scenic cruising informative and interesting. Plus, he offered guests detailed advice on ports (and even unrelated topics like how to tie a men’s bow tie.)
Other guests. We met many well-traveled fellow guests with diverse interests that made the cruise all the more memorable.
The Prinsendam is not the ship for everyone, particularly if you are looking for:

Active nightlife.
Children (very few although there is CLUB HAL staff)
Heated thermal chairs in the spa

As our journey continues, we will post from the Prinsendam during our Black Sea cruise from Rome to Athens under a new thread.

[mountainmare]

I'm so happy to find someone else who likes Naples!!! For your next visit, Da Michele always has a line--we were there off season, still stand in line and get a number. The line goes quickly and the pizza is wonderful. Just a set menue--pizza marguarita or marinara--coke, fanta, beer or mineral water. Total for two pizza and two drinks--10 euro.
Thank you for your wonderful reports, I especially enjoy the reports on your DIY adventures.

[tjcox9]

Just wanted to thank you for the travelogue. I'll be on the Prinsendam in November for my 3rd voyage and my Sweetie for his 2nd. As a matter of fact, we met on this lovely vessel.....glad to hear the service is still great and enjoyed your coverage of ports we'll visit that have not visited in the past.

Just curious if you've run into head waiter Andy Bali. He's been my head waiter in my dining section on the last two cruises and am just wondering if he's still on board and will possibly be there for the November crossing. Andy was great.

We do have a few concerns about condition as she's going into drydock upon return to the states. As far as I can tell from your postings, that shouldn't be a concern I hope.

Do you know if there's any chance Frank Buckingham will be on the fall crossing? I was fortunate to have experienced his "wisdom" on a Med cruise on another line several years ago. He's a fountain of knowledge.

I've been enjoying your posts and just had to thank you for the accurate decsription of the Prinsendam as I remember her.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[travelinjones]

To preface this post we have been to Barcelona previously and have always enjoyed this city. Today the ship docked at the Muelle de Adosado, which on first appeared to be an easy walking distance to the Renblas, but required a port shuttle bus (€2 one-way or €3 round trip) due to the port traffic.

The bus dropped us off by the Christopher Columbus statute, from which we leisurely walked the distance of Las Ramblas, which was full of tourists and Buskers, but enjoyable none the less. With 16 hours in port we decided to spend the day in the country. We headed to the train station at the Plaça de Catalunya and bought two tickets from the automated kiosks to Vilafranca, the heart of the Penedés wine region (tickets cost €3.10 person each way). The train station has both Metro and regional trains which can be confusing. If you want to go to Vilafranca look a red “C” symbol (Ceranias) and follow the signs. There are train employees walking about to help at the ticket kiosks, who are very helpful despite their limited English.

The trip to Vilafranca takes about one hour. From the train station, we walked a few blocks to the center of town to the tourist information office. They had volumes of information on the various wineries. We earlier had called the Torres Winery (34 93 817 75 68 www.torreswines.com (http://www.torreswines.com/)) and scheduled a tour for 3:00pm. With more than an hour to kill, we decided to have lunch. In typical Spanish fashion Vilafranca completely shuts down for siesta, so we wandered the quiet streets and found a small local restaurant (Cal Bruna), which was full of the local work crowd and offered a fixed menu of the day. For the main course we just pointed to what others were having and ended up with some of the best meatballs we’ve ever had. We finished with the standard crema de catalan and coffee. (the 3-course lunch also included a bottle of wine and cost €8.90 per person). It was getting close to our tour time so we dashed back to the train station, and luckily found a cab as the winery is about a 10 minute cab ride from town. We were lucky as the cabbie joked that there are normally 25 cabs in Vilafranca but he is the only one during siesta.

We had a one hour tour of the winery by Lars Thomas, our knowledgeable guide, including a ride through the vineyards. We ended with a sampling of wines and a walk though the gift shop. We took a cab back to the train station and ended back in Barcelona by 7:00pm. Even though it was early for dinner (at least by Barcelona standards) we headed up the Rambla Catalunya took a left at Carrer de Mallorca to our favorite Tapas restaurant Cerveceria Catalana . The food was every bit as good as we remembered. Reluctantly, we headed back to the ship.

Note: We drank Torres wines on board the Prinsendam on the transatlantic cruise, and collected the plastic bulls on the bottles. At the winery, we learned the bulls are added to the bottles destined for the US only. Normally, Holland America offers a shore excursion to Torres – but it was canceled on our cruise.

[travelinjones]

We are catching up on posts today -- and found the Barcelona review that we had failed to post.

Travelinjones