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75 F, sun is shining and we have a table down by the riverside That's the lower terrace, extreme right view to our left We ordered refreshments. When mine came I heard Angels sing. I kid you not! As we sat soaking up the sun-we had our heads thrown back, Wayfarers on, baby, we perused the menu of bar foods-salads, burgers, smoothies and Illy espressos (the best!). I found a Dutch ham and cheese croissant and some fries. For Carol a baked egg and cheese dish. I do exaggerate, that I'll readily admit and have fessed-up at least a million times, but when I say these are the best fries I have eaten in a long life of addiction you must believe me. As hot as the sun, as crunchy as all-get-out. Carol I hope can confirm my findings as she helped me eat them when I stupidly offered to share. These might have been the fries that pleased the gods of Mt Olympus-by the fiery Beard of Zeus! Carol's copious notes say she also had some pistachio gelato and an Illy latte and I sure had another beer. We spent 3 wonderful "welcome to Amsterdam" hours there. Some pics on the way out-the interior and bar Norris

Cafe de Jaren on the Amstel river One of the excellent videos I watched showed the walker pass by the Radisson Blu, turn the corner, walk along the pretty canal and by gum he walked past Cafe de Jaren which I recognized as the bar on the river that we were both drooling over. It took him 4 minutes on foot. I could have walked there blindfolded... Open from 10 a.m to 10 p.m but kitchen closes at 9. Always busy. It has two terraces but we wanted to sit down by the River Amstel so we waited 10 minutes then pounced on a table. Amazing view and ambiance but I forgot to take pictures. Or did I? Norris

RADISSON BLU HOTEL (Off to a shaky start...) We had originally booked a Marriott in a less desirable location (too far from the canals we love) so Carol found this hotel from a shortlist I had given her. The hotel had sent her an email offering early check-in (11 a.m vs 3 p.m) for 39 Euro (@ $43). We'll take it was the response. Their response was "this offer not available". We brought our bags into the large reception area where there was one receptionist at the time. She reminded me of a Brit pop singer and when she spoke I realized it must be Bitchy Spice . "We'd like to check in" Passport! (no welcome or how was your flight from Chicago ?) You have to pay now! (Huh?) That was unexpected. Oh well. "Can we check in now (11 a.m) and pay the fee?" No. "Can we leave our luggage?" Yes. "Could you text us when a room is ready?" No, we don't do that. You can come back around 2.30 and see if your room is ready then. (Oh gee, thanks!) Here are a few pics of the hotel.... It's the one to the left of the bridge. The tree covers our eventual room. Next to the tiny red car are 2 coffeeshops. The hotel is unique in that the reception, bar, restaurant and most rooms are on the opposite side of the street and the two buildings are linked by a carpeted tunnel. That's not the same as carpal tunnel syndrome. Later that evening the reception area on the other side of the street from our Canal View Room 24 hour drinks center we didn't use The 4 windows above the black door (which doesn't open except in emergencies) would be ours Now the view from our room So we have 4 hours to kill before we get our room keys and 5 minutes walk away is a cafe I saw on one of the many Amsterdam walking videos. Carol was gung-ho when she saw the video and with good reason. We'll go there next for some lunch.... Hungry? Norris

Bob Dylan-accept no substitute! Norris

Schiphol Airport is big and modern and bustling and full of shops and eateries. We were being picked up on the upper floor by a driver with a company called Welcome Pickups which Carol found on line. I had requested a Mercedes E Class as they are very comfy and have a big truck. After baggage pickup following a painless breeze through Customs we found a unique (for us) escalator ramp to the upper level. We wheeled our luggage cart on to his flat, steeply inclined ramp and applied the brake. It was like a nice slow fairground ride and I would have gone around for another trip but our car was waiting. Soufjen our driver loaded up the car for the 30 minute trip to our hotel which is in the Centrum district, surrounded by canals and perfect for walking to many of the sights. He spoke perfect English as would every Amsterdamian we met. We had learned some Dutch phrases at home but it's not so easy as the pronunciations can sometimes sound like you are choking on a caramel or coughing up a hairball. We did get smiles when we said some Dutch phrases and we'll be better next time. The drive was mainly by highway on very smooth roads and passed a lot of amazing modern architecture with angled and quirky "how does it stand up?" towers. Attentive drivers and no one driving a beater held together by "car tape". Now we are in narrow streets with bicycles and cars sharing the roads and bridges. There are cobblestones and canals and tourist boats sailing quietly bay. The sun is shining, mid 70s F. Birds are singing. The air is rich with the smell of cannabis as there are 4 Coffeeshops within a one minute walk of our hotel. The coffeeshops sell weed or hashish with your morning espresso. There are no guys hanging out on the corners offering dime bags. That's illegal. Next will be a look at the hotel we have been dropped off at... Norris

FLYING TO AMSTERDAM We had booked our flight to AMS over 3 months ago and Business Class was booked so we got waitlisted. Arlines currently charge and arm and a leg for a seat for people who have legs that con't fit in the overhead compartment and for food that comes with a knife to saw through it. Plastic knives literally don't cut it. We flew on a Saturday after the Memorial Day craziness crowds, not enough baggage handlers and ATC operators. Our Lyft driver picked us up at the reserved time for the 18 mile drive to O'Hare. We had Easy Bag check-in and TSA Pre and were sitting relaxed in a United Lounge eating free food and complimentary beverages while the flight crew were walking the Captain around the tarmac trying to sober him up. The airport was not a madhouse. We walked the tunnel of death from Terminal B to C whistling along with Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin as the neon lighting display delighted us like a Christmas tree. We didn't get upgraded but we sucked it up. Dinner Breakfast I love a country that is investing in wind power! First sighting of the Netherlands Nice approach to Schiphol airport. Although I offered my help the Pilot said "I"ve got this Norris" and landed the plane with panache and elan. We were on the ground, a tad sleepless due mainly to seats that had been designed by a man with no buttocks and into the massive modern bowels of Schiphol, which is a stunner! Norris (all pics iPhone 11)

I have a new GSJ. Started today. Hope you can pop over and take a look! Norris

There's a new GSJ, started today....hope you can join me! Norris

THE BACK STORY This cruise didn't happen overnight without any thought. There's a history to the planning... The early Mesopotamians, circa 10,000 BC needed land to graze their sheep-sorry! sorry! That's way too far back and nothing to do with cruising-I don't think they even had cruise ships back then, unless some of the older Carnival ones? Let me start again... The original plan for 2023 was a Princess 10 day and tour/cruise to Alaska in May. That would have been our 4th Alaska cruise in 12 years. Then we thought "bucket list" and Iceland was at the top. As we love sailing Azamara I found an 11 day beginning in Reykjavik and ending in Dublin and mulled that over for a while. Meantime Celebrity were bombarding my mailbox with offers and one caught Carol's eye-12 nights Iceland including Belfast ! (I'm from Northern Ireland but haven't been there in 20 years) Liverpool (The Beatles!!) and Dover -a round trip from Amsterdam which United Airlines flies direct to. The deal was 75% off 2nd passenger with no perks. Cost $8200 for two, undercutting Azamara. There was a Sunset Verandah and we snapped it up. The ship was the APEX and by golly I was drooling at the chance to sail that beauty! As time passed it was announced that the ship would not sail from Amsterdam but instead from Rotterdam. No biggie-we are both cargo ship and docks with cranes nerds and Rotterdam is Europe's biggest port. Hooray!! Norris

How this thing works... It's not a live review. It's over and done and we're home. I write everyday until the end. I welcome comments and questions. They help keep the thing on Page 1 where it's easier to find. Feel free to follow to get updated. If you like a photo right click on it and you see the Flickr original. Another right click can magnify it so you can see the detail. I write in blue so it's easier to find my place when scrolling. This has caused at least one host to fall upon the fainting couch with an attack of "the vapors". I yield no quarter. I look forward to friends old and new saying "hi." If it's followed by "can I get you a Guinness?" then we are friends for life. Welcome all! Norris

GSJ is underway.... Norris

Come gather 'round people wherever you roam... It's jet-lagged Norris here, not awash in cheap grog from the rum barrel but awash in memories from our 4th Celebrity cruise. If ye'd sit a spell I'll tell ye a tale! As usual in my Gentleman's Seafaring Journals there will be some "pirate speak" born from my love of the sea and my late dad, a ship's captain. There will be a lot of APEX and the ports she sailed to. There will be a lot of FOOD PORN and I'm not talking bole weevils in the ship's biscuits. There will be PHOTOS (in color!) galore and videos too. There will be hidden SONG LYRICS. Guess the song and you could win FABULOUS PRIZES- like this Broyhill 5 piece dinette set! (not pictured) There will be MUSINGS on the Celebrity product and life in general. There will, as always, be a CYBER BAR where you can drink anything you want but most of the top shelf stuff is gone (Mea Culpa) There will be a lot of pics from AMSTERDAM (love at first sight) Here, shipmates, is our Itinerary... Day 1, June 3 Fly to Amsterdam from Chicago O'Hare airport Bless me barnacles-that's a lot of places! We flew home yesterday ..... Norris

Thanks MJ for the clarification and hello to those wondering and looking forward to a new review. We arrived back from Amsterdam 10 minutes ago and on the 8 hour plane ride I worked on some of my photos from our 12 night Iceland, N Ireland and England cruise aboard the stunning Celebrity Apex. You should see a review/GSJ/massive ramble begin tomorrow on the X Board.We also enjoyed 4 glorious days in Amsterdam (love at first sight). We boarded the Apex in Rotterdam. I had 4 cameras working so lots of excursion photos, ship and every meal. One was a video camera so photos and video. I can't wait! Norris

Lisa, thanks so much for posting! I will be in Amsterdam on Sunday for 2 days before going to Rotterdam to join Celebrity Apex for Iceland/UK. I'll write a review on the Celebrity Board beginning June 21. Hope to see you there! I expect it to be my longest review with a lot of Amsterdam pics as I love what I have seen - I watch the 4K Amsterdam Walks. We are dining at 5 Flies on our first evening-ever eaten there? Also Cafe de Jaren has my name all over it- 5 minutes walk from our hotel Radisson Blu-ever eaten there? We have two more days in Amsterdam after the cruise-yippee! Good to hear from you! Norris

Hi, I'll be writing a photo/vieo review of our trip but it won't be starting until I get back on June 21. Are you sailing on the 18th when Apex returns to Rotterdam? Norris

Next cruise is Apex from Rotterdam to Iceland, N Ireland, England, June 6, staying in Amsterdam before and after. Then Princess Panama canal (partial) Christmas cruise December 20, 10 days from FLL. I echo recommendations for Alaska and the Norwegian Fjords! Norris

Thanks for a fun read! Glad you got home safely. Norris

Maris, great shots of one of my favorite rooms on this fine ship. A lovely spot to relax and read as long as there isn't a band playing Led Zeppelin in the atrium below. We wait for disembarkation here when on the S Class. Norris

Jim_Iain , I don't know what kind of sunrise/sunset pics I'll get on our next cruise-Apex to Iceland and UK in June as sunset in Iceland then is around midnight and sunrise at 3.30 a.m! You'll see them on this board when I get back late June. I'll set an alarm for the sunrises.... Glad you liked the shot! Regards to you both. Norris

Maris, there are sometimes surprising sunrises in port too. This is from our return to San Diego in late December. I wasn't expecting much and yet.... Norris

Great shots of that wonderful harbor Maris. It's a lovely sail in and sail out, especially while there's still enough light to appreciate it. A favorite port. Norris

Maris, we snagged a Sunset (Aft) Verandah on the Apex for our June 6 Iceland cruise. We would not have sailed if only "Infinite Verandahs" were available. We passed on the pricy upgrade to suites offer as the Retreat isn't likely to be a good place in cold weather. We do love Luminae and Blu but want to try the new restaurants and have a booking for dinner in Eden which was charged to us 5 months before we sit down to eat it as were all our excursions. The X money grab. Loving your review so keep it coming! Norris

Absolutely- should be around June 21/22, a couple of days after we get home and I sort my photos out. I foresee a lot of waterfall pics in Iceland, pics from County Down in N Ireland, Beatles stuff from Liverpool and scenic steam train shots from our Dover stop plus Amsterdam/Rotterdam and a ridiculous number of photos from Celebrity Apex!! See you then! Norris

Trip, I'm glad that you found the review and read it to the end. Thanks for the compliments! I will hope to find a better prepared ship, staffing and training-wise on the Apex in June. The Diamond was on her third sailing I believe, with a lot of new crew. I have a reviewer friend - Marvy Mare from Canada who is on the Silhouette now for a Caribbean Cruise and hope she writes a review when she gets home. I'll have another opportunity to try Princess in December in the Panama Canal. Cruising is still the best value for money way to spend a vacation for us so like you we hope it can improve over time as the ships get better staffed and complaints of cutbacks in food and service get rectified. Norris

Trip, I am glad you found it eventually! Thanks for reading along. It's been ten weeks since we came home and are 90 days away from our Iceland cruise on Celebrity-final payment tomorrow! We just have to get over the Covid after-effects. Review on the X board to follow around June 21 when we get home. Hope to see you then! Norris