Live from the Volendam

[akeka]

Friday, October 1


I can’t believe the day of our long-awaited trip is finally here! We booked a Holland American Panama Canal trip in early July 2003 for the October 2, 2004 sailing of the Volendam from San Francisco. This is a fifteen night sailing with the following port stops:



Cabo San Lucas

Acapulco

Huatulco

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Cartagena, Colombia

Half Moon Cay



Our group consists of nine family members spread among five cabins. My husband and I are joined by my two sisters, brother, mother, stepfather, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law. Our ages range from 35 to 71. Five of us traveled on the Ryndam last Thanksgiving and all of us have taken many cruises on Carnival and Celebrity.



We booked our own air for less than half the cost of HAL airfare ten months prior to the cruise. Eight of us flew from Wichita, KS and one sister flew in from Seattle. We all decided to fly in a day early as is our usual cruise custom. We opted to fly in the evening so we could work Friday and only take two full weeks of vacation.



We all booked our pre-cruise hotel on Priceline. The Wichita travelers were at the airport Doubletree Hotel. Our bid for four rooms at $32 each was accepted and booked ten months in advance. The Seattle sister booked a Priceline room at the airport Marriott for the same bid amount. The hotels were nice and we had an enjoyable breakfast buffet the next morning before departing for the cruise terminal.



‘Saturday, October 2



It’s boarding day! We chartered shuttles from the hotel to the cruise pier with Supershuttle. They sent two vans to transport the nine of us because of all the luggage. We needed it! Our pickup time was 10:30 and they were there 15 minutes early. We were on our way by 10:25.



Being a Saturday, there was little traffic into the city and we arrived at the cruise pier in about twenty minutes. The Volendam was berthed at Pier 32 which had a tent set up for embarkation processing. Porters whisked away our luggage and we were given a color card and asked to wait for check-in to begin. Within ten minutes check-in started. We had a brand new staff member who had to have help every step of the way, but otherwise it went smoothly. Completing the immigration form online was helpful. After a few minutes wait, boarding commenced and we were onboard before 11:30 am.



We checked in our carry-ons at a area at the Lido pool and visited the buffet.

We started to tour the ship and then the cabins were cleared shortly before 1 pm.



We have four inside cabins on the Dolphin Deck. My sister traveling alone reserved a share cabin in F category. She was fortunate enough to be upgraded to an E category without a roommate! The SOE changes are all in place in the cabins. I think the bathroom has better storage space than the Ryndam.



Our shore excursion tickets were all in the cabins along with my husband’s rental tuxedo. Mom did not get confirmation of our reservations at the Pinnacle Grill for tonight. She booked it with ship’s services about 3 months in advance. The restaurant did not show our reservation so she had to visit guest services which did have the record.



Luggage arrived quickly and I had it all unpacked prior to the lifeboat drill.



We were disappointed with our dinner at the Pinnacle Grill. The service was not as good as last November and our waiter seemed overwhelmed. The bottled water has been replaced with tap water.



The pace of the meal was excruciatingly slow and we weren’t finished until 9 pm. We were eating our starter courses before the wine steward arrived to take our order. The portions seemed smaller than last November. That's fine, but since we didn't know that my husband and I ordered one potato for both of us. It ended up being only the size of a tennis ball. All in all, the food tasted good, but we don't plan to return this cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for reporting in. Keep us posted.

Sorry you were disappointed in the Pinnacle Grill. Hope that it was just an isolated incident about poor service.

[marybeach]

Thanks for the updates. We're on Volendam next month and I'd be interested in finding out more about the comments from others you may see re: their experience with Pinnacle.

Are the mattresses and sheets as wonderful as they claim? Do you have the complimentary robes in the cabin? Fruit basket? New hairdryer?

They still have the Java Cafe, I hope!

I went to a HAL presentation the other night at a local agency and the HAL rep said all were done.

Have a wonderful trip! I'm jealous!

[Sage]

Thank you for posting aboard the Volendam. We will be on her for the first time in December. I hope that you have a wonderful time.

[stanjj111]

Emjoyed the diary. We are on the Volendam Dec 26th and would like to follow your trip.

[Peggy Sue]

thank you for taking the time to post your report during your cruise! Hope you have a fantastic time..calm seas and sunny skies!

Will be following your cruise with much interest, as we board the Volendam on 11/6 for a 10 day cruise. Can't wait..but I'll be patient so you will have time to enjoy your 14 day adventure!!

So..how is the overall condition of the ship? We've only been on the Oosterdam by HAl..this will be our first HAL experience on the smaller ships..looking forward to checking out the differences.

Sorry you didn't enjoy the Pinnacle .. We tried dining her on the Oosterdam May 03, and we were disappointed with the food and service. We had planned to dine there a couple of nights, but canceled our other reservations after our first night experience. We also found the waitstaff appeared to be over whelmed! It was also interesting that they were telling people the place was booked, when every night half the tables were empty?? We assumed it was a staffing issue at the time. We thought we'd give it another try...we're always game to try things more than once, so I think we will give it another shot...

Peggy Sue

[KSCnCA]

Just found this news report of 3 passengers needing evacuation from the Volendam:

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/3779786/detail.html

TV news teaser say something about a cruise ship off the coast of San Diego so I went looking for more info.

I hope the people involved are okay!

[dakrewser]

Just found this news report of 3 passengers needing evacuation from the Volendam:

There's more detail in the story here (http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=2380820) . Evidently one has a viral infection, one has chest pains and one with "minor injuries". Apparently they're not related.

[akeka]

Sunday, October 3, 2004



Our first sea day and it was a little unusual. We had two helicopter visits for medical evacuations and had to stay off the San Diego coast most of the afternoon. I understand one patient was a crewmember and the other two were passengers.



Because of the evacuations all the activities scheduled in the forward areas of the ship were cancelled from 2 – 5 pm including the explorations lecture and bingo. I hope all the evacuees recover soon.



I was able to get my internet account set up for my laptop and receive emails. I don’t think I’ll ever cruise without my laptop again. It is so convenient to download emails right into Outlook and then go offline for reading and responding.



We had requested early dining when our cruise reservations were made last year and were assigned the lower dining level. Unfortunately, the early seating for this cruise is 5:30 pm for the lower level and 6 pm for the upper level. We visited the maitre’d this morning and requested a change to the 7:45 lower dining seating and received cards by noon with our new table assignment.



Our waiter and assistant waiter did a great job. I agree with Revneal that the service is prompter and the portions are smaller. My husband and I both agreed the food is much better than our last HAL sailing. I would now rate it as good as Celebrity.



I did see cutbacks in the quantity of food offered at both the formal tea in the dining room and at the Captain’s reception this evening. It seems to be in direct conflict with having the SOE program and then only offering bitterbollen and dumplings as appetizers with no plate or napkin to put more than one item per person. It was fine as we were going to dinner, but not the atmosphere I’ve experienced previously.



The show tonight was excellent. The performers were a group named “Tribute” and they covered Temptations music. It was one of the best shows I’ve seen at sea. Afterwards, we visited the Crow’s Nest for dancing through the decades and my brother-in-law and I won a bottle of champagne for our “twisting” during the 1960’s segment. After finishing the bottle, most of the group retired for the evening.

[DFD1]

Thanks, akeka for the great running account of your cruise. It is really interesting. You do it beautifully. Also thanks to Karen and Dave for the links to the new articles.

We're on the Volendam on 11/26 for l0 days so I'm especially interested in your impressions of the ship. Thanks again.

[gizmo]

Thanks for the update. I enjoyed reading it.

[Peggy Sue]

Love finding your posts and reading about your trip! We'll be boarding on 11/6..can't wait!!

I found you comment about dining times interesting... You mentioned that you changed to second seating at 7:45 in the lower dining room. We received confirmation with our docs that we will be in the lower dining room at 8:30 PM. the upper dining room starts second seating at 8 PM. We had hoped for the 8:00 start..but if they are now starting at 7:45 in the lower instead of 8:30...we may like that better. What are the 4 dining times for your cruise?

Glad you're having a good time. I too hope all that were taken off the ship for medical reasons are doing well. Did it delay your arrival in your next port due to having to stay near CA?

Have a great cruise..will be looking forward to your next installment!!

Peggy Sue

[akeka]

Monday, October 04, 2004



Another relaxing day at sea! I called the beauty salon for a pedicure appointment and was able to get an appointment at 9 a.m. Joyce did a great job on my deluxe pedicure. It was 55 dollars and took about 70 minutes. A basic pedicure is priced at $40.



Today was the first lecture in a five part series. It was the first part of the history of the Panama Canal and was held in the show lounge. It was standing room only and was very interesting.



The ship has been warm since we boarded in most public areas, but it became pretty uncomfortable this evening. I called the front desk when we returned to our room and they said there was a ship wide problem and the engineering staff was working on it.



NOTES FROM SISTER



One of my sisters asked me to add her observations as follows:



Art auction – Nobody there to buy and it was very brief and overpriced.



Sunning on the sports deck – So quiet, had to work at staying awake (A+)



Team trivia – Very fun.



Explorer’s Lounge – Okay (B+)



Dinner – Leg of lamb (A+)



Service – A+







Tuesday, October 5, 2004



We’re at Cabo San Lucas today. It is a beautiful sunny day. I was surprised how close we anchored. The only other ship at the port today, Legend of the Seas, anchored further out.



We negotiated a tour of the arch and other sights and then a visit to Playa Medano for $10 per person. The tour was beautiful. We passed Pelican Rock which lived up to its name. We then fed tropical fish in a rock area and saw many beautiful fish.



We passed by Lover’s Beach before coming to the Window to the Pacific. It was a gorgeous view and I hope the pictures come close to showing it! After passing sea lions sunning on rocks, we went by the Arch. On the other side, we were in the Pacific Ocean and saw Divorce Beach. The last sight was land’s end on our way back into the harbor.



We had the captain drop us at Playa Medano and walked over to Billigan’s. They had free chairs and umbrellas for customers. Margaritas were 50 pesos and were tasty. We also ordered guacamole and chips which was freshly made and delicious. We enjoyed the warm, calm water.



Two in the group went parasailing for $30 per person and an observer was free. The vendor was cabo expeditions. It was cheaper to negotiate on the beach than arrange ahead of time.



Francisco (boat captain) was there promptly at 1 pm and we had fun getting back on the boat after several margaritas (ha, ha).



The seas were rougher once we left port and later on, we saw a thunderstorm off in the distance. It stayed rocky all night.



I had a message from the front desk asking me if the cabin temperature was better. I called back and let her know it was still warmer than I like and when we got back from dinner, we could tell someone had done something as it was quite comfortable.



After dinner, we visited the shops and I found another end of season bargain. I bought maple-covered roasted peanuts at 75% off.



The show was physical comedy by Yakov Noy. It was not my type of humor, but a lot of people seemed to be enjoying it!



After that, we retired for the evening and looked forward to a relaxing sea day.

[jcike1980]

thanks for keeping us informed akeka. when you get off in lauderdale we will be getting on. thanks again. jcike

[akeka]

Sorry for the delay in responding to your questions. Unfortunately, the ship's internet service was down for two days this week. Here answers to the questions so far.

Marybeach – Yes, the mattresses and sheets are as nice as they say. We have a joke that you better not lay down to watch TV or read or you’ll be asleep! We are in the cheap seats and still have nice robes, fruit basket and a nice hairdryer. I didn’t even unpack mine. The good news is that the Java Café is still complimentary and quite good!



Peggy Sue – The ship is in great condition and the crew is constantly cleaning and doing upkeep. They’ve been painting the outside of deck 3 this week. We’ll take care of her for your trip! The medical evacuations did not delay our arrival in Cabo San Lucas at all. The four dining time are as follows:



Early lower – 5:30 pm

Early upper – 6:00 pm

Main lower – 7:45 pm

Main upper – 8:15 pm



We find the 7:45 time to be perfect for us, but hate to miss some of the activities. For example, tonight the Newlywed/Not so Newlywed show is at 7:45; same as our seating.

[akeka]

Wednesday, October 6, 2004 – Informal (Day 5)



I love these sea days. I purposefully avoided many activities. I did attend the Pinnacle Grill cooking demonstration. The crab cakes were just as delicious as Saturday night and the recipe looks easy enough for me to try at home.



Our group really enjoys team trivia and we played again today. Didn’t win, but it was fun! My husband watched “Troy” in the Wajang Theatre in the afternoon while I spent some time lounging on the lower promenade deck.



The internet is unavailable all day today due to the satellite positioning or something. Apparently, it was expected as it is in the daily program.



We changed our meeting place from the Explorer’s Lounge to the Piano Bar as the temperature is too warm in the Explorer’s lounge.



After dinner, we participated in Melanie “Name that Tune” in the Piano Bar. Unfortunately, most of the music was old so we did not know the songs. Later in the evening, we played 70’s trivia in the Crow’s Nest. Since we were teens during that timeframe, it was more enjoyable for our age group.



Thursday, October 7, 2004 – (Casual/tropical dress) Day 6



Today, we’re in Acapulco. We are meeting our tour guide (arranged by Roberto who works at the port) at 8:30.



Roberto introduced us to Oscar who we were with until about 2 pm. He had a nice large van which was quite comfortable. We paid $50 per hour plus a nice tip for a tour of Acapulco. We stopped at a couple of viewpoints, the Princess hotel, a chapel and of course at La Quebrada. The highlights of the trip for me was the chapel high on a hill (I can’t remember the name) and the cliff divers. Some of the group sat in the restaurant during the show, while the rest was on the outside viewing decks. I was quite impressed and really enjoyed it.



Oscar returned us to the cruise pier after the show and we were all too hungry and hot for any shopping or more sightseeing.



The internet was down again today which did not make any of us in our group very happy. I paid for a large block of minutes and was not able to use them for two days! This time the problem was due to the system crashing and a technician is due to come aboard tomorrow in Huatulco.



The Lido deck BBQ is tonight and it’s not Dutch night! Two of the group attended the BBQ, but the rest ate in the dining room. The evening’s entertainment tonight is a movie in the show lounge that is scheduled for 9 p.m. I don’t think its right to schedule the main entertainment during dining room times.



A group of us did play Name that Tune again, but this time the Crow’s Nest band, Rain, was playing the music and it was geared to a younger crowd (which on this sailing is means my age group).



Friday, October 8, 2004 – (Formal dress) Day 7



We woke to the beautiful arrival of Huatulco, Mexico. The scenery is astounding. We looked around the shops at the marina and then took taxis into La Crucesita. It is a charming little town with a lovely central plaza. As we were sitting there, an anti-drug parade of all the local elementary school children went by. They were so cute. Each school had a different uniform.



We found a grocery store and purchased pure natural vanilla inexpensively. We also bought small hand painted ceramic boxes at the flea market.



We cabbed it back to the marina ($2 per cab) and walked to the beach. Chairs and umbrellas were free if you ordered food and/or drinks.



My husband and brother-in-law rented a jet ski. They paid $30 for 25 minutes and rode tandem. They said it was a blast. The water was warm, calm and felt great. Too soon, it was time to return to the ship. We bid farewell to Abileno, our beach waiter, and returned for our 1 pm sailing.



The show tonight was pre-dinner for the main seating. The performer for tonight’s show was Michael Menes who was billed as having “ambidextrous comedy”. My husband and I did not enjoy it, but some in the audience did.



The black and white ball was tonight, but we did not attend. We were advised to set our clocks back one hour tonight as Costa Rica does not observe daylight savings time.

[dogsdogs]

Akeka,

Be careful about buying Mexican vanilla extract. I have read reports that say it may contain lead and is unsafe.

[marybeach]

Thanks, Akeka, for the info. Those little creature comforts in the cabin mean so much. And, of course, the Java Cafe is my favorite daily indulgence. Sometimes twice a day!!

[ekerr19]

Akeka-

Thanks so much for keeping us posted! We are on the Volendam for the first time next Spring and can't wait!

Please continue to post if you can - we are enjoying every moment of your cruise... just WISH we were there with you!

[HeatherInFlorida]

This is so wonderful to read because we'll be stopping at many of these ports next October!!! Thanks for keeping us up to date:)

[Himself]

Hope you have a great day sailing the Golf Duce tomorrow and have a great trip through the Panama Canal Tuesday. Don't stay out on Deck too long as it will be very hot and humid.

Himself

[doone]

I am interested in the cooking demonstration you attended. What else did they demonstrate? How many classes do they have, is it just one or are there others with different foods being demonstrated??? Thanks for any information.

Dogsdogs, where did you hear there may be lead in Mexican vanilla? I always buy it and have never heard of this.

[Oxo]

What dining time is Main Lower on the Volendam? See various times for the different ships. Very Confusing. Thank you!

[akeka]

Doone,

The only cooking demonstration has been for the crab cakes. They did have a vegetable/fruit carving demonstration one day, but I did not get to it.

We're having a great time. As I type this in the library, I'm looking out at the beautiful scenery of Golfo Dulce.

[doone]

Akeka, thanks so much, I would love to learn to make those crab cakes, they are delicious. Thanks for posting from the Volendam, I love that ship and can't wait to sail her in March. Take good care of her.

[jcike1980]

Akeka thanks for the update. Glad you are having a great time. Keep us posted. We sail on the volendam the 17th. Heres to fair skies and calm seas. jcike

[lka1012]

I along with Sage and some others will be on the Volendam on the 10-day Dec 6 sailing. I do have a few questions?

How does using you laptop work? I travel with mine, but have not set it up with the internet access in the past because I did not want to have to travel back down to the bowels of the ship just so I could check e-mails and CC. I like to be able to pop in the Internet Cafe anytime.

Is Colin working in the Salon on the Volendam?

So the "cheap seats" or as I call it, bowels of the ship also have robes now? I shouldn't have to pack one?

Have a great cruise!

[Peggy Sue]

Akeka,

Thanks for the information on the dining times. Very interesting that they moved late main to 7:45 from what was posted as 8:30..I like 7:45 much better, and certainly hope they retain these dining times when we're on board next month!

Have the fixed the AC problems you noted? We like to be cool...so I certainly hope they have!!

Sounds like you all are having a great time!! Enjoy your cruise and again, thank you so much for taking us along!! I enjoy reading your review!

Peggy Sue

[doone]

On the Rotterdam last March, I had the "cheap seats", category K, inside cabin, Main Deck, yes we had robes.

[ekerr19]

akeka-

Thanks for keeping us up to date. We are on next March (with doone!) and can hardly wait.

I am really curious about the dining times.... did HAL do away with the 8:30 seating? I hope so - this is too late for just about anyone, I would think. If they have changed it to 7:45pm, that sounds so much more appealing. Also, is the upper Main still 8:00pm?

Thanks!

[dogsdogs]

Doone,

In reference to Mexican vanilla extract, I have read it in more than one culinary magazine, but I also heard it from Martha Stewart on her TV show (before she went to the Big House).

[doone]

Interesting, some bakers I watch on various tv shows refer to the Mexican vanilla as pure gold, some of the best you can find. I have some at home, I'll have to check the labels. Thanks.

[akeka]

Saturday, October 9, 2004 – (Informal dress) Day 8



We have another relaxing sea day. We ordered morning room service for the first time this trip. It was delivered right on time at 6 a.m.



I attended the port talk today to learn more about Costa Rica and Colombia. Since there are not any recommended stores in Costa Rica, we actually got to learn about the countries and cities we’re visiting. I am glad we decided to do tours through the ship for these stops.



We received disembarkation forms which are due today. It seems a little early. I guess they would like to prepare at leisure for a change. Since we have late flights out of Ft. Lauderdale, I ordered tickets to the Everglades tour.



Sunday, October 10, 2004 – (Casual dress) Day 9



Today, we dock in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. We had to meet in the Frans Hals lounge at 7:50 a.m. for the Corobici River float excursion which is 7 ½ hours long and includes lunch. We are called promptly at 8 a.m. and board a coach right outside the ship. There are only 27 people from the ship on this excursion which is a nicely sized group.



We have a 90 minute drive to the put-in point and enjoy an informative talk by one of the guides, Andres, on the way. The scenery on the way to the float is astounding and I’m really looking forward to the excursion.



When we arrive, we have 15-20 minutes to use the facilities, put on sunscreen, insect repellant and lifejackets. Our group is ready first and we board the front raft with another couple for a total of eight passengers and one guide. Luis is our guide and he reviews the commands with us.



Right away, we see howler monkeys lying in the trees. The next two hours were wonderful as we float/paddle 8 miles of river and see iguanas, lizards, herons, and monkeys galore. There were all kinds of birds, dragonflies and butterflies. The vegetation was also beautiful.



When we exited the river, it was a short walk to our bus. We drove for about 20 minutes to the La Pacifica restaurant where we enjoyed a buffet lunch of salad, mashed black beans and white rice, grilled chicken, tortilla chips, salsa, and fresh fruit. The tables had pitchers of fresh Cas juice which was very refreshing. We walked around after eating and saw a few animals in cages before reboarding the bus. It took about 2 hours to return to the ship.



Puntarenas itself is not attractive. It was not as busy as usual, because it is Sunday. We saw three soccer games in progress with adult men players. We walked out to the flea market outside the pier, but did not buy anything other than coffee. The ship left promptly at 7 p.m.


Tonight is Dutch night. Due to the menu and the long day, some of our family decide o eat in their rooms via room service tonight. Five of us dine in the dining room and have enjoyable meals. Can you believe we all ordered different entrees and were all happy with our selection? We had dover sole, bami goreng, pot roast, brisket and duck. We were disappointed that the dutch hats weren’t given to the passengers as on our last voyage. The only indication (besides the menu) that it was dutch night was the dress of the bar waitresses and there were flags and streamers on the tables in the dining room.


Clocks were moved one hour forward tonight to put us back on Central Daylight Savings Time.



Monday, October 11, 2004 – (Casual dress) Day 10



We arrived at Golfo Dulce by eight a.m. for scenic cruising. Unfortunately, we had to stop in the middle of the morning and hold a lifeboat drill. Seven people were missing from our lifeboat. I’m sure they received an invitation to a private drill!



It was lovely scenery, but we expected to be closer to shore. It was not possible to see any detail without binoculars. In the afternoon, we ran into a rainstorm and the boat was rocking quite a bit.



Late morning, we received notice that the cabanas were cancelled for the Half Moon Cay stop. Fortunately, we were able to get tickets for clamshells, but they were nearly sold out. We are disappointed not to experience the cabanas, but very thankful we can make the stop.



The show was pre-dinner tonight. Marty Brill, well-known comedy writer, was the performer and our group enjoyed his show very much.



Today is Canadian Thanksgiving and the menu in the dining room reflected the holiday of our northern neighbors. There was turkey, ham, pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake among other choices.



We are due to arrive at the Miraflores locks at 6:30 am tomorrow and retire early so we’ll be ready.

[Himself]

I just saw your ship go through the Gatun Locks. Hope being in the Canal was the highlight of your cruise.

HIMSELF

[joepam]

Thank you so much for your Reviews>>>Enjoying it so much as we had some concerns when people said ship had an odor was thinking of backing out!!! We sail the Volendam the 27 of Oct. and time is not going fast enough since I have been reading your reviews!!!Thanks so much and enjoy the rest of your cruise!!! Pam from Missouri!!

[DFD1]

Thanks so much for your continuing cruise diary. It's great reading. We are sailing on the Volendam 11/26 and really looking forward to it. Thanks again.

[Peggy Sue]

Really enjoying your cruise report..sounds like you're having a fantastic time!

Thanks!

Peggy Sue

[luvseadays]

Thank you so much for your Reviews>>>Enjoying it so much as we had some concerns when people said ship had an odor was thinking of backing out!!! We sail the Volendam the 27 of Oct. and time is not going fast enough since I have been reading your reviews!!!Thanks so much and enjoy the rest of your cruise!!! Pam from Missouri!!


We too are sailing on the 27th, just booked it yesterday. We have an HH cabin assignment, no one informed us that it was fully obstructed until after we booked of course, but maybe we can change, but A cruise is always better than NO cruise!

This is our first time on a HAL ship, what should we know everyone?

[akeka]

Tuesday, October 12, 2004 – (Casual dress) Day 11



We rose shortly before 6:30 a.m. and went straight to the Lido deck. We had already gone under the bridge of the Americas but I was able to get a picture from the aft end of the ship. Commentary had already begun in the outside areas. We went through the locks with a Panamax cargo ship all day. The Legend of the Seas was an hour or so behind us. As we were waiting to go into the Miraflores lock, we saw a crocodile floating in the River which was exciting to all of us. I had forgotten to mention that our group spotted sea turtles, a few whales and lots of dolphins during our trip in the Pacific Ocean.




We had received maps of the canal along with information on the highlights yesterday in our cabins. It was a helpful resource throughout the day. The ship had coffee and Panama rolls in the outside areas for early risers during the first couple of hours. It was very much appreciated. We stayed in public areas for most of the day and listened to the informative commentary and enjoyed the scenery.


The scenery throughout the canal was more impressive than I expected. It would be nice to be able to spend time seeing more sights in the Canal Zone.



My entire family did attend the swim in the canal event in the aft pool at 3 p.m. The ship was transiting the Gatun locks at that time. There were probably 50 people there. We gave our names to the cruise staff so we could receive a certificate later.



Wednesday, October 13, 2004 – (Casual dress) Day 12



We docked in Cartagena at 8 a.m. The bay and harbor area is quite large and very scenic. We passed by four old Spanish forts which were impressive as well as a statue of their patron saint in the water.



Our group split into three smaller groups for excursions. Two took the historical walking tour, four took the city tour and three went to the Rosario Islands. Everyone enjoyed their respective tour and would be very happy to visit Cartagena again. There were over 20 buses for the city tour so it was the favorite for our ship’s demographics. However, the steps were high on the bus and the tour did involve walking in the heat.



I’ll tell you more about the Rosario Islands excursion since that is the one I took with my husband. We departed the Frans Hals Lounge at 8:40 a.m. and were loaded onto a minibus right outside the ship. Only 17 passengers were on the excursion.



The bus went about two blocks and we were loaded onto a small motor boat (aprox. 25 foot). First, the boat went to the dock near downtown to pick up paperwork from their office and then we headed out to the Rosario Islands. We stopped in the harbor for some information on the forts and history of Cartagena. It was very interesting and good to have it then when the forts were in sight. We were stopped by the Colombian Coast Guard right about as we were exiting the bay. They pulled right up to the boat and took out their machine guns. The exchange between the excursion staff and the Coast Guard was in Spanish, so I’m not certain what it was about. After 5 minutes, we were allowed to continue.



We headed to the aquarium which is on one of the many Rosario Islands. The aquarium was most impressive. It is outdoors and built in the shallow ocean waters. We saw sea turtles, two types of sharks, dolphins and many other fish. My expectations were exceeded at this stop.



We left and headed to Isla del Sol. It looked like it had been a resort at one time. There was a small beach with lots of loungers and chairs. The only problem was the ocean floor was rough due to broken coral type bottom. There was a seawater swimming pool by a covered bar area. Two other covered open-air buildings were the dining room and a hammock area. Fresh fruit was served by the bar which only stocked one brand of Colombian beer and various types of Colombian sodas (fruit flavored). Beer was $2 and soda was $1.



Five of our group elected to take an optional snorkeling tour including my husband. The fee was $10 and they were gone for about 45 minutes. Steve enjoyed it thoroughly and said it was great to be in such a small group. The guide showed them all the various fish and plant life.



After the snorkelers returned, lunch was served in the dining pavilion. We had grilled fish (mackerel), rice made with coconut milk, fried plantains, fried yucca, salad and seafood soup. It was all tasty. One soda was included and we had coffee and coconut candy for dessert.



We had another hour plus after lunch to relax and enjoy the facilities before returning to the ship.



The trip back was uneventful and my sister and I shopped at the cruise terminal shops before returning to the ship. The tour operator did offer an optional 90 minute city tour for those that wanted to see the city.



My husband and I elected to use room service for dinner tonight as we wanted to nod off early. We enjoyed the steak sandwiches, ceasar salad and French onion soup very much. The clocks were set one hour forward tonight.

[akeka]

Thursday, October 14, 2004 – (Informal dress) Day 13



I attended a coffee chat with Marty Brill in the Explorer’s lounge. He was funny and I enjoyed the time. The kitchen tour was scheduled for the same time which was disappointing.



My sister had participated in the scavenger hunt and when she went to the turn-in session, she was the only person that showed up. So, she won all the prizes! Since she had borrowed items from our entire group, she shared the prizes with everyone. The prize cache included a mini-flashlight, two mugs, two key chains, a luggage belt, a document holder, and a picture frame.



While there, she was talked into joining up for the Great Pretender’s show later this afternoon. She rounded up all of us (except my parents) to be Marvin Gaye and the California Raisins. We practiced along with the rest of the acts. We arranged for my stepfather to tell our mother we would meet her at the show and to sit up front with the video camera. We could see steam coming from Mom’s ears when we were no shows. The look on her face when we all came onstage for our “act” was priceless. She laughed so hard, she cried.



Tonight was the Mariner’s reception and the five of us that sailed HAL previously received tiles before attending. I enjoyed seeing the cruisers with so many days. The champagne flowed freely and the appetizers were tasty. Captain Draper has a dry sense of humor which we enjoyed. We headed off to the Rotterdam dining room where the food was tasty, but unfortunately was beset again with the air-conditioning problems and was too warm.



After dinner, we all headed to the crow’s nest for dancing. The group dwindled down until the last ones left at 12:30. I was dismayed to find the bar very empty. Although I enjoy the band, I wish they played less 80’s music and longer sets. They took a break every four songs this evening.



Friday, October 15, 2004 – (Formal dress) Day 14



We received our luggage tags and custom forms today which were an unwelcome reminder that our vacation was coming to a close. However, today was very productive. Jim, my stepfather, won the bingo session for the free 7-day Caribbean cruise. He and my mom are over the moon and already planning their next HAL trip.



In the afternoon, our team, the survivors, finally won team trivia. We each received a dam umbrella which was nice. Some of the group started packing since our last day is a port day.



Tonight was the last formal dinner and the dining room looked beautiful. Unfortunately, the temperature problem continued. Most of our group left before dessert due to the long delay between the entrée and the dessert being served. We were lucky as our neighboring tables received their entrees 45 minutes after we did.



Saturday, October 16, 2004 – (Casual dress) Day 15



Today is our long-awaited visit to Half moon cay and it’s raining! Fortunately, it cleared up right before we tendered over to the island at 9 a.m. Not many passengers were on the island yet and we’re sharing it with the Oosterdam. We had our five clamshells set up in a row and rented floating mats. Half of our group had purchased the all you can drink cards on the ship and started using them. For $20, they had unlimited rum punch, soda, water and domestic beer.



Words cannot tell you how beautiful the water is at HMC. I would love a cruise that stayed here for more than a day. I am fair-skinned and have to limit my sun exposure, but I spent as much time in the water as I could safely. It is so wonderful! We saw fish swimming by. My husband snorkeled and he did not see any more over by the rocks than we did in the general swimming area.



The BBQ was quite tasty and we enjoyed chicken, steak, ribs, corn on the cob, melons, pasta salad, potato chips, brownies and cookies.



We left the beach at 3 pm and it was already fairly deserted. The worse part of the day was waiting in the hot tender to return to the ship. Although there are plenty of tenders, they load as many as they can in each one and we sat there a good 20 minutes.



The shipbuilder’s contest was held immediately prior to sail away and our team had the only entry. Although we won by default, the cruise staff did make sure it floated and could carry cargo (coffee mugs). My brother and stepfather designed it and it was very impressive! Our prize was a bottle of champagne and dam coffee mugs.



Tonight’s show was pre-dinner and only my parents made it. I spent time burning my remaining internet minutes and packing.



With sadness, we went to our last dinner onboard. Afterwards, we watched baseball playoffs and put our bags out before retiring.



Sunday, October 17, 2004 – (Debarkation) Day 16



Our group was called off (numbers 4 and 5) about 8:50 a.m. We breezed through immigration and customs and found our luggage quickly. My husband and I booked the Everglades tour while the rest of my family elected to take the City tour. We were directed to the bus for the Everglades tour and boarded. We only had 33 passengers from the Volendam on this excursion ending at the Fort Lauderdale airport. We picked up 12 more passengers at the Oosterdam and headed to the everglades.



Our tour guide, Heli, was informative and the half hour drive passed quickly. Upon arrival, we were able to get right onto the airboats. My husband was in heaven as we were lucky enough to have the front row. The ride was fun and we got to see five different alligators in the wild in addition to birds and the various grasses. One alligator charged our boat and we had an excellent photo opportunity.



After the airboat, we were given time to purchase beverages and visit the facilities before heading to the Indian “village” where we were shown a film discussing the history of the Seminole Indians. I found it very interesting. The next presentation was in an area with captive alligators, turtles, lizards, etc. On the way into this area, we passed a pond with a mama alligator and her babies that were quite small. One was sitting on her head and was so cute. I hope the pictures turn out.



Lastly, there is an animal rescue group that has an area with a baby tiger among other animals that were fun to see. We had free time to spend among the various exhibits before boarding the bus at 12:15 for the trip to the Fort Lauderdale airport.



We were dropped outside our terminal about 1 pm and were able to check in our bags for our 5:05 pm departure. This airport is not allowing anyone admittance to the gate area more than two hours in advance of the departure. Unfortunately, the Delta terminal does not have eating establishments with seating outside of security so we headed over to the next terminal where they had a Chili’s. The rest of our group had eaten during their city tour. At 3 p.m. we headed to the security line (which was minimal at this point) and waited to board our flight. The flights were both uneventful, full and on time. We arrived in Wichita a few minutes early, grabbed our luggage and headed home.



It was a great trip and I can't wait to see our pictures. After resting up, I’ll be ready to start planning the details for my next cruise to Hawaii in April.

[dakrewser]

Sounds like you had a wonderful time, even if the rest of the PAX were fuddy-duddies (that meant more prizes for your group!).


Thanks so much for letting us be part of your cruise...

-dave

[RevNeal]

Thank you so much for the travel-diary. It was very interesting to compare your experience on the Volendam with mine on the Zaandam. Your time in Columbia serves to remind me that conditions can often DRASTICALLY change one's experience. :)

Again, thank you for your report! I enjoyed reading it.

[Peggy Sue]

Excellent Report! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your cruise with all of us. Sounds like you traveled with a fun group who were willing to step up to the plate and participate in the daily events..and sounds like your group was very productive and lucky... I can only imagine how your mom must have laughed seeing you all singing on stage..that's terrific!

Welcome home..have fun sorting through your pictures!!

Peggy Sue

[akeka]

Thanks all for the kind words.

Revneal, we were all reading your travelogue before leaving and continued to pop online and keep up with it during our trip.

I was surprised to read how bad Cartagena was for you. We lucked out and did not have rain during any of the port stops.

[CynBen]

Kay-

Thank you for taking the time to post about your cruise. I especially was interested in how your group handled everything. For my parents 50th anniversary, my entire extended family of 12 cruising on the Rotterdam for 14 days over the holidays. It was so good to hear your family's stories.

Thanks again.

Cynthia

[joepam]

Akeka..Thanks so much for posting your cruise, sounds like you had a great time.Sure hope Hal gets the air fixed as next week at least four red hat aged women (myself included) will be boarding her, and the hotflashes keep on rolling reguardless of where we are!! I was glad to here they have all these activities, as my group just loves doing these.Did they play SeaQuest? They played that on the Maasdam last year when we were on it and it was so much fun....Thanks again Pam from Southwest Missouri

[big richard]

Just got back from the same 15 day Panama cruise that has been reported on. This was our 6th HA cruise and our first on the Volendam. I'm pretty pickey but can't complain about the Volemdam. Its a great ship and I would recomend it to all. We had a late seating at 8;15 and got finished in time for the show. I agree that the portions were smaller than in the past however I never went away hungry. About air conditioning -- it seems I don't agree with the previous comments on that subject. The cabin controls worked in our cabin and we were able either make it warmer or cooler to our satisfaction --however we noticed that in public rooms including the dinning room it was very cold -- as a matter of fact on nites that a jacket for men were not required one was not comfortable without a sweater. This wasn't just me -- our tablemates were from Hawaii and they felt the same way, I heard many people complain about how cold it was in the public rooms. I'm not a frail old man 6'5, 225lbs and am in great shape so I don't go aroung with a shawl over my shoulders. A suggestion -- take a sweater if you don't need it fine- if you feel cool you have a sweater. Better safe than sorry!
A GREAT SHIP!

[peaches from georgia]

On the Oosterdam last December people, myself included, went to the casino wrapped in a blanket from their stateroom. That whole portion of the ship was freezing, and I mean that literally. :eek:

[Majickman]

I was on this same cruise, and the air conditioning was non-functional in our area of the ship. They did get it straightened out after a few days and three calls to the pursor's desk, but it was very uncomfortable for those of us staying on the Dolphin Deck. It was a great itenerary, the weather was beautiful and HAL made it right in the end. Overall, I have no real complaints.