mking8288

Belgium Chocolate Store - checked 😋

Here is your virtual ship images of MSC as we returned to the ship around 1:45 PM - she's huge

We are rolling down the highway, once we exited the industrial port & now heading into the city. LTE signal is now 5G 👍

Free port shuttle to the small terminal building, quick 50 steps across the street to the shuttle bus office to exchange our tickets. @dexddd You are on MSC this morning "stalking" us and providing security 😁😁😁

@Ellis1138 I think your hubby's walking boots should be fine as flat ones, they don't want heels, sandals or flip-flop shoes for the race cars. @Sugar Magnolia suspecting someone is at NCL is spying on our live reporting & trying to downplay the shortage or cutback. Are the cookies freshly baked ? Nice illustrated pix in Amsterdam for the friend of friend asking 😁 Gangways on Deck 6 AFT and FWD, passports needed - clear now at 8:25 to exit ship & take required port shuttle buses to leave the port area, walking around here not permitted.

Full stop just a short while, minutes ago ...

Welcome to Belgium, my Google Pixel is out of airplane mode, we are next to the MSC ship, sun is coming out of the fog and as Sharon @Fogfog said, docking now. Data use is up from MiFi tethering and 1 international call made at only 28 cents. Room service breakfast is here, Susan doesn't have to get ready to go downstairs to eat first, etc Today's plan, free shuttle inside industrial port to outside, and private shuttle bus to town, explore & roam, waffles & chocolate ... maybe shopping - once we come to a full stop, gangway is ready & clear to go outside (not yet, at 0.2 kts) No cigars ... I mean, no hash browns or cookies on any of the plated items. Buffet has a small ice cream station, maybe 😉😉😉

This is possible only with all the named and nameless heros on CC contributing and writing, leaving insider's jokes along with comments and their mini reports as live reporters in the field ... give meanings to team spirits and speak for the tiny influence we being with CC as members carried, if any. @The P Susan still has 3 days to shop for shoes including the side trip between Southampton & London Gatwick Airport, not to mention ... duty-free shops. We are definitely dumping 2 pairs of shoes as they're reached EOL in service.

Ditto, we got 2 more bags of free laundries done free ( Diamond tier ) for our 2 cabins - sent out yesterday afternoon & they're in our cabins when we came back onboard this afternoon - no charge. We didn't put any "coupon" in our stuffed bags, write Diamond on the slip and the paper bag. That's all - mission accomplished 😁 Next time, with 2 more reaching Platinum status, we can do more on the next 15+ days 🤗 Local cellular service as we roam, continued to prove high speed & very good signal. NCL's StarLink as advertised #cough #cough 👎 My station gears or hardwares being a factor, of course.

It's about 9:45 PM and past sunset, the lock has reopened toward the North Sea and we are heading out to go south toward Bruges, ETA by 8 AM local time.

@dexddd Noticed anything unusual about the photo here - Look closely - allow me to zoom in 🤫 That is not my Station Zebra outpost, but it looks like an active radar system ... it's above my clearance level 😆 at CC to explain Meanwhile, Mrs M asked if this is the next cruise that I booked and sailing next. Answer, what do you think - it's mostly Oceanviews & insides 😁😁😁

A beautiful sunset forthcoming as we leave Amsterdam behind while the ducks swim away from us, going the other way ...

LoL, several of them with the same last name as in Iceland Not to worry according to our van guide - next port is only about 4 hours of driving, they don't have to fly. Uber it 😆😆😆

The "long" march returning to the Prima ... a long line to get into this waterfront floating Chinese restaurant, a la "Jumbo" in Aberdeen, Hong Kong ... bankrupt & gone out of business, the floating barges sank while being towed. Perhaps, the owners gone abroad and set up this one instead ... looks quite new. Maybe next time when we come back for another visit. River cruising It's a hotel directly above the cruise ship terminal ... reminds me of Vancouver, BC Missed the all abroad, maybe one of these can help, if the captain is willing to toss down those rope ladder to climb up 😁

Today is a religious, public holiday and there are people and bicycles everywhere - and - lines for some of the restaurants. We decided to diet, exercise and slowly made our way back to the ship after being dropped off near the middle of the city, near the train station - a 20 minutes slow walk to the cruise terminal

Returning to the city, the heart & soul of Amsterdam

Windmills in Amsterdam - Bicycles everywhere - even out here, mind the bike lanes as they don't yield 🫢

Next is a drive-by to see some of the unique homes, houses, places in the countryside along the canals & small rivers

Flower loving, more on this post ... otherwise, go to next one ?

Ready, more flowers w this post - skip ahead

It's all about flowers - colorful and too many varieties to go into, not that I know what's what 😆 feel free to skip ahead

Earlier this morning, we had a 1 hour early start leaving the pier vs NCL group tours didn't move up their time. Our driver knew we're early and contacted us via Nancy/ Bill's better half and we're ready to go by 10 AM. Plenty of parking - good walking exercise 😆 We used the side entrance & driver-guide took a short cut to avoid traffic heading to the flower show.

Finished dinner early, 4 hungry adults left plenty of food for others, held in the gallery ... including the 7 near-pier runners being paged around 7:40 PM. Apparently, they made it as it's just 7:05 and we are on the move already, heading straight out toward the lock. Tonight's MDR menu isn't seen or used often, Chinese themed options and tomorrow night, Thai themed as the niece placed her pre-order.

What a day in Amsterdam and we are safely onboard mothership Prima by 4 PM. Private tour was excellent, thank you, Bill & Nancy. OMG, I have only about 130 new photos to add or upload to share w CC'ers but going to early bird dinner shortly so we can come back up to our balcony to enjoy sailaway & watch the 3 hours scenic river transit to the lock again. First, this batch is all about the gangway, reminders & terminal facilities, etc. and, it has good & fast, free WiFi 👍