Alcarondas

Checking in for my first sailaway of the season. Looks like I picked a good one... my last 2 cruises were on Zuiderdam and Veendam, so 2 out of 3 isn't bad!

We're back. Great trip despite missing Grand Cayman due to the same weather front that made things difficult all over the place.

 

Lots of travel still to do, and much snow to clean up when I get home, so a full report will have to wait a little bit. Suffice to say that it was a good one. Bon voyage to all those embarking on Big Zed today!

And we're off! See you in 10 (happy, fun-filled) days.

Modified lifeboat drill was a mess. Everyone had to go out to the boat stations, get their cards scanned, and go back inside. Human traffic on the boat deck was congested, to say the least.

 

The Captain is now giving the safety speech on the loudspeaker.

Lifeboat drill postponed due to pouring rain.

I'm onboard and unpacked; Mariner lunch was yummy as usual. Lifeboat drill coming up at 3pm. Warm, cloudy, muggy with intermittent rain, sometimes heavy. Hoping for some clearing for sailaway.

Thank you all very much. Hard to believe it's upon us already. Maybe I should start thinking about what to pack... :eek:

 

Looking forward to seeing the Panama Canal and tasting one of those rumored Panama rolls!

[quote name='Copper10-8'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=Navy]Connie can only do 4 knots at the moment per her pilot. See what she does once outside[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

Nothing wrong with her horn. That was some fairly lusty tooting for any ship not named Westerdam. ;)

FL SW cam has a nice wide shot of both ships, while SE cam is zoomed in on Zuidy.

In the absence of PE radio chatter, I'm enjoying the live music coming through on the St. Maarten cam feed. :)

I'll be embarking on Big Z just 5 weeks from today. Watched her on the way in this morning, and I should be around for the departure this afternoon.

Colonel Mustard, in the billiard room, with the candlestick.

 

:confused:

 

Wait, that's not it...

 

Let's try:

 

Alcarondas, on the Zuiderdam, to the Panama Canal, on January 15, 2016.

 

That's the ticket. ;)

This is the last image I will post on this sub-ject:

 

Great sub captures, Alcarondas

 

 

Rumors that I am addicted to the sailaway cam are wholly un-sub-stantiated.

I sub-mit another image for your sub-jective perusal.

 

Here's something you don't see every day...

 

Speaking of P&O and former HAL ships, here are the Brittania and Thomson Celebration (nee Noordam) in St. Maarten today.

 

...and one Emeritus member of the fleet.

 

Thomson Celebration, formerly known and loved as the previous Noordam (in service with HAL from 1984-2005) is in St. Maarten today, and prominently displayed against the impressive background of P&O's Britannia.

 

For your viewing pleasure, www.portstmaartenwebcam.com

Equinox wins the Best Passenger Banner award.

 

A jolly roger-esque flag with the motto:

 

"Time flies when having RUM"

 

;)

Sounds like the radio chatter just confirmed Veendam for 5pm departure.

I've enjoyed 3 trips on Veendam, most recently this last July on an unseasonably chilly and damp Can/NE voyage. Nice to see her basking in the Florida sun, instead of lurking in the Canadian mist.

I personally don't put much stock in the "official" reviews on the main CC site. I take them a lot more seriously coming from the posters on this board, whose attitudes, preferences and style are known to me (or can be found out by searching prior posts).

 

Another benefit of going by the reviews posted here is that they are open to a bit of "cross examination" where the rest of us can ask questions, pin things down, compare our own experiences, etc. The ones out front are inscrutable.

Thanks for posting. As a colleague of mine used to say, "short story made long." NOT a criticism, I loved hearing the details.

 

I'm sorry the weather was so bad. Do go back to Quebec city someday, it's lovely.

 

Bar Harbor was your first port, yes? So how did Immigration inspection work? I think I've been through it there on Maasdam, but I can't remember what happened.

 

 

No, Bar Harbor was next to last, before disembarkation in Boston. It was the first US port we entered though, if that's what you meant.

 

On the morning we arrived in BH, everyone aboard had to be seen in the Explorations library by someone from US Customs. They took passengers with early shore excursions first, so they could leave the ship, but no one was allowed back on until everyone on board was accounted for. They then called passengers by deck, starting with the balcony decks and working their way down. Being in "the basement" on A-deck, I was in the last group.

 

This was a source of some consternation, actually. We had previously received information on the procedure, with a list of times at which they expected to call each deck. Mine was in the 9.15-9.30 range. So I (and a lot of other people) went to breakfast figuring we'd have plenty of time to order, be served and eat before we'd have to appear. As it turned out, the process went very quickly and they finished about half an hour early. I had just gotten my meal when they called my deck so I scarfed it down rather hurriedly. The folks next to me left their table before their order arrived and got back in time to eat it.

 

The process itself was simple; just a fast-moving line from the casino into the library, where ship security checked our ID/key cards and a customs agent checked our passports (for US citizens; not sure about others) and said "welcome home". That was it.

 

Plus, upon arrival in Boston, since we had alread "cleared customs" in Bar Harbor, all we had to do was hand our declaration forms to an agent at the end of the jetway. No line, no fuss. I had my own travel arrangements and carried my own luggage, so it took me maybe 3 minutes to get from the gangway to the street. Easiest disembarkation ever.

Great review! Do you remember how much the pressing service costs? Also, can anyone go to the Mariner lunch in the MDR on the first day or is that for repeat cruisers? Thanks :)

 

One more question, how quick is the turn around on the pressing service? Thanks

 

Unlimited pressing is $4 per day, so $28 for a 7-day cruise (you have to buy it for the entire cruise.)

 

They SAY that items left with your steward before 9am will be returned within 48 hours, but in my experience over the years anything dropped off at any time will be returned by the evening of the next day (and often sooner - usually in time to be worn for dinner). They will happily charge you extra for "expedited" service, but I find that the normal service comes back in plenty of time.

 

Yes, the Mariner lunch on Embarkation day is for repeat cruisers, and they check your ship ID card at the podium when you arrive.

Yep, same story. Just off Veendam last week and they had both the custom deli tation (complete with panini press) and a basket of pre-made grab&go sandwiches.

 

I found the redi-made ones to be both convenient and tasty.