MS Veendam, Bermuda, May 14-21, 2016

My bags are packed and I leave Thursday for my Veendam Bermuda cruise. The origins of this trip begin with my Crystal Serennity transatlantic almost exactly a year ago. We stopped in Bermuda but anchored in the Harbor and made our way into town using the Bermudian as a tender. As we were dropped off in Hamilton we sailed right past the Veendam peacefully docked in the center of things. I knew I wanted to return and I wanted to dock this time. My transatlantic was taking me to Europe and a month on the Prinsendam. SsssssssAlmost as soon as we headed out to sea I visited the cruise desk and booked this cruise. The time is finally here.

It gets a bit more complicated, I’ve wanted to try NCL’s and RCI’s studio cabins and have 2 more cruises coming right up. After leaving the Veendam I go back only to New York and board the Breakaway on Sunday. That’s another week to Bermuda, this time Kings Wharf. Finally, I go home for just a couple of days and then Board Anthem of the Seas. I booked a studio on the Anthem but have been upgraded to a regular cabin there. That cruise visits Bermuda and some Caribbean ports. I’m done just temporarily with solo cabins as I have solo cabin 2017 bookings on both the Koningsdam and Prinsendam.

As well as this, I’ll do a thread for the entire series on the Maryland Cruisers forum and will post a link to that here. As the Veendam cruise ends I’ll also post links to the NCL and RCI threads.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2355059

My companion blog with pictures will be http://solocabinchallenge.wordpress.com . I know it doesn’t fit for the Veendam but it will for most of the cruises described there.

Roy

All your cruises sound wonderful.

Have a great time. Looking forward to your reviews.

Bon Voyage!!

Bon Voyage. You will have different experiences on all those vessels. It will be interesting to hear about them.

Bon Voyage Roy!

Hi Roy, have a great time.

I hadn't realized you were cruising again.

Keith

I'll be looking forward to your reports.

Thanks for sharing.

You put together such wonderful adventures! It is something to envy.

Have a great time, and get your fill of Bermuda (is that possible???).

Have fun Roy!! See you on June 2nd

Looking forward to your latest adventure! Really appreciate it that your post your blog websites here.

Enjoy!

Have fun on the Veendam. And if you like piano bars check out Jeff from Toronto. Really good piano player/singer. If you go ask him about the cruise Santa was at the piano bar! Kendra (I was on April 9th 15 night Caribbean cruise on the Veendam).

Have a wonderful time on your cruises.

Wishing you safe travelling.

Thanks for the links.

Thanks, everybody. Peeker28, I'll do my best to check any questions on Bermuda but may wait on some questions until next week when I'll be at the Dockyard.

I left home about 12:30 for a short walk to my local bus stop. It was about a 10 minute ride to Columbia’s Mall, and then about 50 minutes to BWI Airport. A Light Rail line connects the airport with central Baltimore and after about a 100-yard walk from the bus stop I was on board. The ride to my stop at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony hall was about a half hour, not quite my destination. It was only 2 blocks to the Hotel Brexton, a boutique hotel in an old building with 2 towers, one with an elegant spiral staircase while the other includes my bathroom. There was also a tiny elevator, a welcome addition with about 65 pounds on my back.

The streets near the hotel were a bit disjointed and after settling in my room I took a little walk to survey my route to Penn Station in the morning. The hotel is about a mile north of downtown Baltimore and I took the light rail back into the center of the city for dinner at Panera and returned to the hotel and then the Meyerhoff with Baltimore’s free Charm City Circulator.

My seats for Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and one other piece were higher than my normal seats giving me a slightly different perspective. After the concert I found my way back to the hotel very easily; it would have been nice if I’d made it that directly when walking fully loaded.

After a little TV including the news I called it an evening about 11:30.

My first parting shot is a local one. When I first moved to Baltimore I followed the Orioles for a number of years with ticket plans, including 2 world championships. I fell away from that when I began seriously studying Actuarial exams and just never returned. The Orioles have had several frustrating seasons recently. I thought they were on a road trip right now but saw several fans on the light rail and found that they had a very successful evening and are off to a superb start. Best wishes Orioles.

Roy

I'm settling in my Boston hotel after an on time and uneventful train journey. I'll have a report later.

Roy

I am enjoying reading all your pre-cruise reports.

Tomorrow is the big day.

I'm settling in my Boston hotel after an on time and uneventful train journey. I'll have a report later.

Welcome to New England. I'm looking forward to your continuing reports.

(sailaway should be somewhat better weather. ;))

I'm settling in my Boston hotel after an on time and uneventful train journey. I'll have a report later.

 

 

 

Roy

Welcome to Boston. With the rain just starting it's a good evening to stay in and order room service.

Safe travels and bon voyage. [emoji924]

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Bermuda weather for next week... should be quite good. High 70s. Most of this last week had what quite perfect. Perhaps some light showers on Tuesday evening.

I have to come into Hamilton in the morning to do a few 'jobs'. Will try to get a few photos from Albuoy's Point.

Good news for cruising. Oceania/Regent are going to bring two of their ships for twelve NY/Bermuda cruises every year from 2017 to 2022 calling at St George's. Even better, VEENDAM is due back in Hamilton in 2017. I think 3 cruises. This will be during the America's Cup period. If it is during the actual race time it will be a great time to be on board.

Stephen

VEENDAM Boston/Bermuda 17th June 2017

Monday 19th - J Class Regatta

Tuesday 20 - No races

Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22nd America's Cup Red Bull Youth Races.

If anything like it was last year with Louis Vuitton races Hamilton was a fantastic time. The AC base will be up at the Dockyard at the new port being built.

Thank you KK, RuthC, Mr Boston, and especially Topsham

When my IPAD woke me at 5 it was dark but the news indicated it was not a nice day. I walked over about 6 to the nearby Rite Aid for some forgotten supplies; the sun was officially up but nowhere to be seen in a mist that was almost a fog. At least it was not raining.

A breakfast was held in the hotel basement, something I had forgotten was a part of the deal. I left the hotel about 8:30 and walked about 4 blocks to Charles Street where the Charm City Circulator whisked me to Amtrak’s Penn Station, where I arrived about 8:50 for my 9:23 train. My train, which originated in Richmond, was shown 5 minutes late when I arrived, updated to on time and then to 1 minute late. We left Baltimore precisely at 9:23.

I am traveling Business Class on a regular train. It takes a little longer than Acela Express but is very comfortable and significantly less expensive. A bit of a surprise came I found the car’s luggage rack completely empty. I lifted my bit bag to the rack’s top shelf. At 46 pounds, the bag took several tires to heft, but is poised for easy unloading in Boston. I will use Acela Express for my return journey, primarily to take advantage of the lounges in Boston and New York.

I had a short getaway to Philadelphia last weekend and had found the wifi on the train horrible. It was much better today, roughly shipboard quality (but free).

We stayed pretty close to schedule, arriving in New York a few minutes late but close enough to schedule to allow stepping off the train briefly while leaving on time. The weather stayed pretty dreary and by Rhode Island a few droplets were visible on the windows.

We were on time in Boston. I had originally planned on walking to my hotel, the Residence Inn just east of South Station. I discovered near the last minute that the hotel is close to the first stop on the Silver line, the transit line which starts as a bus in a subway tunnel but emerges and becomes a regular bus near the port. When I left the station it was a construction zone and nothing looked right. I asked a passerby for directions to Congress Street and found the hotel was only 1/10 mile away.

I headed out to dinner and some shopping about 6. I knew of a Panera near Fanuel Hall but stumbled on another one closer. I continued with the intent of doing some shopping but had trouble finding useful stores, and what had been an inconsequential sprinkle soon became a nasty shower. I ended up getting not exactly what I wanted but a passable load of supplies from the CVS in South Station. When I got home my jacket was soaked but it kept most everything else passably dry.

Once back at the hotel I pretty much holed up in my room, and hope for better weather tomorrow.

My parting shot today is pretty weak. I noted that it is Friday the 13th. With the exception of a minor damper from the weather there has been nothing unlucky about this Friday the 13th.

Roy

Hi Roy,

Hope you have a great time in Bermuda on your first of three consecutive sailings. We will be joining you on your second leg....sailing on the Breakaway May 22. I'll be following your HAL thread and blog.

Looking forward to meeting you. I was especially surprised when you mentioned in your earlier post that you were in the actuarial field. I worked as an actuary for 22 years at an employee benefits consulting firm in NYC (Mercer and Buck Consultants). Where did you work?

Have a great trip and I am looking forward to meeting you on the Breakaway.

Harry

I slept a bit late this morning and got up just after 6. Overnight things had brightened and the skies were clear. I had planned to walk to Black Falcon for a quick look at the ship but found that I had the wrong cable for my scanner and that plan was shelved. I knew CVS had some electronic stuff and tried there but first found that the store didn’t open until 8 and when I did find an open CVS they didn’t have what I needed. There was a Staples down the street but they didn’t open until 9. I returned to the hotel and started on packing and headed for Staples at a bit before 9. It was about a 3/4 mile walk each way to Staples so my walking was probably a total of about 4 miles.

When I returned I got breakfast at the hotel (pancakes) and closed up my luggage for good a bit after 11. It was a short walk to the MTA and a bit of a wait for the SL2 bus but I was soon on my way. I was surprised that the bus was not at all crowded although there were a few other cruisers among the passengers. I dropped my big bag with the porter and as I entered the terminal at 11:45

http://solocabinchallenge.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/sl2b.jpg

Checkin was quick but with a few surprises. I have used a NEXUS card or Passport Card for a number of cruises but I was held up today to sign a waiver that I knew I could not fly home with the card. When I boarded I was stopped by security at the gangway; the photo that came up when they scanned my card was not me. They asked me to stop by guest services to have a new photo taken. I did so right after muster but when they looked they swore the photo was ok. I guess we’ll have to see what happens in Bermuda.

I was on board just about noon. It was not advertised but lunch was served in the dining room; I opted for the fruit cup, salad with grilled chicken and ice cream.

When I returned from lunch my bag was waiting for me. I have not completely unpacked but the bag is empty with a lot of packing cubes in the closet. My steward Yendri came by and introduced himself, he will be working with Mahfud. The bed was set up as a queen, I requested it be reconfigured as a twin so I can access the window.

While not advertised, the dining room lunch is now for everyone rather than just for Mariners. There was a Mariner reception in the Crows Nest; there did not seem to be any program, just a happy hour.

We had the standard 3-stage muster drill. The first stage (key personnel to duty stations) was called at 2:55, stage 2 (PAX return to cabins and prepare) at 3:02, and the final stage (report to muster stations) at 3:15. No life jackets, boat commander took many names as people arrived and final roll call for those not checked in. Only newly embarking passengers needed to attend. The drill ended at 3:30. I was up on decl 11 about 3:45 and we were already starting to back away from the pier.

http://solocabinchallenge.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/leaving.jpg

I am at table 68, an 8-top and all were present. The others are all New Englanders, 2 from Maine and the rest Massachusetts. One owns property in Bermuda. Our waiter is Syaetal.. I had the gazpacho, prime rib, and key lime pie. It looks like a good group. When I returned from dinner my room was configured with twin beds.

http://solocabinchallenge.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/entree14.jpg

http://solocabinchallenge.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/desert14.jpg

Location Guide Jeremy presented his talk on Bermuda in the Showroom at 7:30 with the opening show “Listen to the Music” at 9:30. I tried to get to bed fairly early as we lose an hour tonight moving to Bermuda time.

http://solocabinchallenge.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/locationteam.jpg

My parting shot today will be a touch of irony. I typically will post daily programs, invitations, and other things on the walls of my room with magnetic clips. Holland America sells some very nice alligator clip magnets which are perfect for the purpose. On this trip I have magnets from my favorite HAL ship the Prinsendam and from the Veendam. Unfortunately, while on nearly all cruise ships the walls are steel and hold the magnets well, that is untrue for most Holland America ships. Therefore, my Prinsendam and Veendam magnets will proudly hold the daily programs and other stuff on the NCL Breakaway and the Anthem of the Seas, but not on the Veendam. Kind of sad and strange.

Roy

Roy,

Please note that I left the Veendam in great shape for your cruise to Bermuda.

I hope to post a brief review in the coming days but I had a wonderful time.

Barbara

Roy, Bon Voyage.

You are off to a great start.

Keith

Roy, I am enjoying your journaling of your trip. We will board the Veendam on the 28th and be onboard for 3 weeks. While we have done the Montreal - Boston route several times, this will be our first trip to Bermuda. I hope to pick up many tips along the way.

Is there any place in the stateroom that the magnets work? Do they work on the stateroom door or the wall at the stateroom entry? We usually carry a magnetic decoration that helps in identifying our stateroom when coming down the hall. It looks like I may be omitting the magnets when I pack. I really like having the ability to post notices and schedules on walls and will miss the ability to do so.

There may be steel studs in the walls, placed at intervals. If the right kind of steel, magnets would work.

Great post, Roy! Love the photos, too. Thanks!