Live! The Grouch on the Prinsendam October 20, 2016 for 30 days.

You kids get off my lawn!

I am not that old or grouchy, but anyone who has followed my previous live reports knows that I do not hesitate to point out any minor irritations. Holland America's marketing department has no part in its creation. If you want nothing but praise for the hard working crew and the splendors of the ship and ports you should stop reading here. You also won't hear anything about our dealings with the captain (never exchanged a word with one); the Neptune Lounge, or priority boarding (as if!); shopping (we have too much stuff already), or the casino. We have always had great cruises, but the snags make for a more interesting tale. Omens are not good for this cruise. Email quit working last week for unknown reasons. Mrs. Whogo's credit card was compromised the day before departure. My watch band broke as we boarded our first flight.

Anyone still reading? I will try another live cruise blog with the standard warning that continuance depends on my mood, how my internet minutes hold up, and how much free time I have. My traveling companion, Mrs. Whogo, is now my Primary Care Giver or PCG. I am not addle brained (Don't argue!) or infirm, but her job is to do difficult things like read clocks and keep me from doing stupid things. Again. Her new title allows me to shift the blame for my inevitable errors to her.

We spent two nights in Athens pre cruise, visiting the Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, Ancient Agora, and National Archaeology Museum, all top notch, could not have had a better time. Seeing the old relics got us prepared for more old relics, our fellow cruisers. We are on the younger side. Took the Metro from Athens to the port, €1.40 each, plus a €4 taxi ride, including tip. MSC Orchestra, Costa Deliziosa, and Swan Hellenic Minerva are in port with us along with many ferries.

Check in opened at 11:30, we were aboard just before noon. Check in personnel refused to give me one of the kiddie wristbands to help staff get me to my lifeboat, so it is all up to my Primary Care Giver. Good luck, Dearest.

DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART

Thu Oct 20 Athens (Piraeus), Greece 7:00pm

Fri Oct 21 At Sea

Sat Oct 22 Larnaca, Cyprus 8:00am 4:00pm

Sun Oct 23 Jerusalem / Tel Aviv (Ashdod), Israel 7:00am 9:00pm

Mon Oct 24 Haifa, Israel 8:00am 8:00pm

Tue Oct 25 At Sea

Wed Oct 26 Rhodes, Greece (original port Marmaris, Turkey) 8:00am 6:00pm

Thu Oct 27 Santorini, Greece (original port Ephesus / Kusadasi, Turkey) 8:00am 6:00pm

Fri Oct 28 Crete (Heraklion), Greece 10:00am 6:00pm

Sat Oct 29 At Sea

Sun Oct 30 Valletta, Malta 8:00am

Mon Oct 31 Valletta, Malta 8:00am

Mon Oct 31 Mgarr (Victoria), Malta 10:00am 6:00pm

Tue Nov 1 Messina, Sicily, Italy 8:00am 5:00pm

Wed Nov 2 Naples (Capri), Italy 8:00am 6:00pm

Thu Nov 3 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 7:00am 4:00pm

Fri Nov 4 At Sea

Sat Nov 5 Barcelona, Spain 7:00am 5:00pm

Sun Nov 6 Cartagena, Spain Noon 6:00pm

Mon Nov 7 Malaga, Spain 8:00am 6:00pm

Tue Nov 8 Seville, Spain 7:00am 5:00pm

Wed Nov 9 Lisbon, Portugal 10:00am 8:00pm

Thu Nov 10 At Sea

Fri Nov 11 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 7:00am 4:00pm

Sat Nov 12 At Sea

Sun Nov 13 At Sea

Mon Nov 14 At Sea

Tue Nov 15 At Sea

Wed Nov 16 At Sea

Thu Nov 17 At Sea

Fri Nov 18 At Sea

Sat Nov 19 Fort Lauderdale, FL 7:00am

I have read the discussion about tipping in advance and the cash vs gift arguments. I always went with the traditional cash tipping after service, but I thought I would test both the gift and in advance methods and declare it an utter failure on our part. Our steward did not know what to make of our gift - an 8 by 10 color glossy portrait of us in a plexiglass frame with magnets. I figured that the magnets would let him stick our portrait on the wall next to his bunk and would not take up any room. Maybe I should have gone with the sterling silver frame, he looks like he may have expensive tastes.

With the gift firmly in his possesion, Chester (I've changed our steward's name to keep him from getting in trouble) refused to show me how to open the window in our ocean view cabin. I will have to keep looking for buttons, switches and cranks. Asked him how to turn on the heat to the towel bar, he pretended he did not understand the question. This cabin has all the switches in the world, but none turn on the towel bar or open the window. With the towel bar not working I will see if Mrs. Whogo will warm me up a post shower towel in the dryer, the laundry room is only a couple of floors and half the ship away.

Had a lovely Mariner lunch, as it was called, in the main dining room with a nice group of well travelled fellow cruisers. Aagh! There are new plates! What happened to the nice Holland America plates of old? The new ones are big and odd shaped. How am I supposed to eat off a triangular bread plate? A rectangular dinner plate? And how are we to get these huge plates to fit on the table? This is the work of the devil. Doesn't bother my wife at all. Which side of the good/evil battle is she on?

Excellent dinner tonight in spite of the tableware. DW and the rest of the table were confused by the plaice with salmon bacon dish. Those who ordered it thought the salmon bacon was more like salmon jerky. Great first day.

Keep on griping! Great and funny read.

Thanks for taking us along.

Oh Boy, i"ll be following the trial and tribulations of the Transataltic journey.

Looks like I will have some good reading. :D

Oh poor you - on the oldest ship in the fleet.:p

Pretty sure you will find interesting stories to share on this ship ;)

You go ahead and grouch and we'll happily follow along. The next best thing to being on the ship is following someone else who is ;)

I have read the discussion about tipping in advance and the cash vs gift arguments. I always went with the traditional cash tipping after service, but I thought I would test both the gift and in advance methods and declare it an utter failure on our part. Our steward did not know what to make of our gift - an 8 by 10 color glossy portrait of us in a plexiglass frame with magnets. I figured that the magnets would let him stick our portrait on the wall next to his bunk and would not take up any room. Maybe I should have gone with the sterling silver frame, he looks like he may have expensive tastes.

 

What a thoughtful gift!! :p

Looking forward to reading future updates.

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Enjoy yourself in spite of any irritations you find.

Roy

Brilliant looking forward to following along on your journey

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Please be sure to post where you find the button to open the ocean view windows. We have looked before but not found them.

It looks like we'll be racing across the ocean; we leave Barcelona 1 day ahead of you, yet we both arrive in FLL at the same time. I wonder if we'll have a battle of the horns in the middle of the Atlantic?

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

This will be an interesting thread!

Loved your write up. Will follow along & see how you make out with the rest of the cruise. Bon Voyage, fair winds & smooth seas.

Allan

Glad you're back!!

David

What a marvelous idea... a gift in advance. And a portrait, at that. I must get my picture taken now and then look for a nicer frame. I am sure my steward would love to see me just before he drifts off to sleep and then wakes to my happy face. LOL ;)

Eagerly waiting for more live from reports. Have an awesome time.

Absolutely hilarious! Please keep 'em coming.

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This is awesome!!!! A great itinerary and such entertaining reports. Thank you for taking the time to let us cruise with you, Cherie

"I have read the discussion about tipping in advance and the cash vs gift arguments. I always went with the traditional cash tipping after service, but I thought I would test both the gift and in advance methods and declare it an utter failure on our part. Our steward did not know what to make of our gift - an 8 by 10 color glossy portrait of us in a plexiglass frame with magnets. I figured that the magnets would let him stick our portrait on the wall next to his bunk and would not take up any room. Maybe I should have gone with the sterling silver frame, he looks like he may have expensive tastes."

Quick question about the "gift" for the steward. Did it come with it's own set of darts or would you have to purchase those separately? Such a thoughtful gesture on your part.

Following all your info closely as my first TA is next year.

What a thoughtful gift!! :p

 

Looking forward to reading future updates.

 

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I wonder if you could use the photo from when you board? I have always wanted to do something with those photographers ;).

What a marvelous idea... a gift in advance. And a portrait, at that. I must get my picture taken now and then look for a nicer frame. I am sure my steward would love to see me just before he drifts off to sleep and then wakes to my happy face. LOL ;)

Eagerly waiting for more live from reports. Have an awesome time.

I'll be considering that as well - but perhaps it should be a portrait of me from 50 years ago :D - don't want to give that poor steward a nightmare - getting up in the night or mornings and just have wrinkles to look at....

Damn! Double damn! Now I have to figure out a whole new gift for my steward! :eek:

Great read; my FIL and I (yes, I wrote father-in-law.... but I am not the designated PCG, she's not coming on this one thank goodness..... :rolleyes:) will be reporting the day they release you in FLL. Please don't agitate the crew too much as I don't want to find my full sized tub filled with piranha while on the Amazon River! ;):D

October 21, 2016

At 6:15 this morning my GPS said we were at N 35° 36' 51.5" E 026º 04' 38.0" traveling southeast at 20 mph. I believe we are in the Aegean Sea, passing to the east of Crete.

Weather? Dark.

Seas? Couldn't be seen.

Nice red glow when the sun finally rose. It is a day at sea on our way to Cyprus. I slept well with only the slightest motion of the sea.

I have to admit to being disappointed in last night's welcome aboard "Showtime". I expected the entertainers to each take a brief turn to show us what the piano man, the Ocean Bar trio, and the singers and dancers had to offer. No entertainers, cruise director Bruce introduced his staff - the culinary arts director, the librarian, the Microsoft guy, the showroom host, the port expert (shore excursion salesman?), and the Club Hal staffer. Should have read the small print. "Cruise Director Bruce tells you about our onboard entertainment…" I'd have walked out if I had been seated farther back.

I have seen half the children onboard and expect to see the other one soon.

Mention of the librarian reminds me that the Prinsendam is still old school Holland America. There is still a well stocked library with a librarian. There is still self service in the Lido, although I have not eaten there to get the details. A quick pass through last night showed a self-service salad bar. There were packaged sandwiches, although it looked like there was still a custom sandwich station. Tables are set with larger glasses and flatware. For the first time ever a waiter offered to get me a coffee. Drink dispensers look new.

Prinsendam still has the old room service breakfast menus. Perhaps they are just using up the fleet's old printed stock. Personally, I don't dine in my bedroom at home or at sea. I can see the attraction of dining on the balcony, but the weather has never cooperated for us. Breakfast table mates mentioned that the menu had changed for this leg. Not sure of all the changes, but there were only a couple of egg Benedict type dishes. Eggs Florentine has been dropped. So far there are no changes I can't live with.

The Crow's Nest was a packed madhouse for our Meet and Greet. Vict0rian arranged things beautifully. Thanks again.

Niail Tryopolis' presentation "CSI Greek Mythology: Sex, Crime, Deception and worse!" was amusing. Found out what was glossed over in high school classes.

Entertainers on board:

Giacomo at the piano

Vivian Clement Trio in the Ocean Bar

Adagio in the the Explorer's Lounge

Jamm the Piano Man in the Crow's Nest

The Band in the showroom

Very smooth ride this afternoon. I watched the horizon over the aft railing and could see no roll or pitch.

Enjoyed a couple of trivia games and ate lamb for lunch and dinner. Laundry was back in sixteen hours with the gold sticker on the tissue paper. This will be a dull blog if nothing goes wrong. Life is good.

OMG, as my daughter usually texts me when big news happens, I might get to see the Grouch! My own PCG and myself will be joining the P'Dam in Rome for the trip back to Ft.Lauderdale. I've been on 2 TA's and after each one have vowed never, never, ever to do another one. And here I go, once more into the abyss. We both caught colds on a westbound TA on the Noordam, and that was a grouchy cruise, despite the HAL folks taking great care of us. We were on a eastbound TA on the New Amsterdam and it seemed like it took forever. Didn't even see another ship or a plane for days. I wonder if I'll be able to identify the "Grouch". I've seen some grouchy-looking people on past TA's, especially in the Lido for breakfast. Jabbing elbows, personal space violations, the whole gamut. So looking forward to the trip.

OMG, as my daughter usually texts me when big news happens, I might get to see the Grouch! My own PCG and myself will be joining the P'Dam in Rome for the trip back to Ft.Lauderdale. I've been on 2 TA's and after each one have vowed never, never, ever to do another one. And here I go, once more into the abyss. We both caught colds on a westbound TA on the Noordam, and that was a grouchy cruise, despite the HAL folks taking great care of us. We were on a eastbound TA on the New Amsterdam and it seemed like it took forever. Didn't even see another ship or a plane for days. I wonder if I'll be able to identify the "Grouch". I've seen some grouchy-looking people on past TA's, especially in the Lido for breakfast. Jabbing elbows, personal space violations, the whole gamut. So looking forward to the trip.

If you go to the Meet and Greet for your leg, you might very well get to meet the "Grouch". Rumour has it that the bark is worse than the bite :D:p

I believe Vict0riann has organized three meet and greets - one for each segment of the cruise she is on.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

At 7:00 we were crawling into Larnaca, Cyprus at 3.9 knots as the sun rose, our position was 34°55.73'N, 033°39.04'E

Ordered eggs over easy in the Lido for breakfast, wondered if they would make an omelet from eggs in the shell, too. Trouble free cruise for us, a dining companion said his balcony was unusable because of a gang of cigar smokers next door. Another mentioned the fans and dehumidifiers in his soaked cabin, if you will accept hearsay evidence.

In better news, others commented on free upgrades including one from an inside to a balcony.

We were off early for our day long Cyprus tour as organized by fellow CC member Paula. Flawless tour, thanks Paula. Fifteen or so of us on each of two small buses. Our guide, Irene, was excellent. First stop was at St. Lazarus Church, the permanent home of the relics of the actual St. Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead. Irene described the paintings in St. John's Cathedral while barring entry to other tour groups. Interesting to hear about orthodox Christianity.

We also toured in Turkish occupied Cyprus, visiting Selimiye Mosque and Bükük Han, a sort of caravanserai. I took great pleasure in drinking a beer in a Muslim area.

Sandwiched a great prime rib dinner between losses at afternoon and evening trivia. Nearby diners had slabs of beef an inch thick. Mine was thinner, but plenty generous. Biggest problem of the day was the tiny smear of hot fudge on my brownie sundae, so you know things are going well.

Comedian Kevin Devane had us in stitches with an act that wasn't quite good clean comedy.

We have more early mornings and long tours the next two days in Ashdod and Haifa. I am going to make like a Holland America cruiser and go to bed early.

Love your posts, thanks for taking the time to do this!