Prinsendam 2005 World Tour... it has begun

[Ziggy7]

ok silly question time! How long is this world cruise and how long are you going to be on it ???? :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Ziggy, not to butt in (you know would never do that:o ) but if I have it right Grumpy and Slinkie do not return until MAY 6!!!!!!

[Margie_Lady]

The world cruise ends May 9 in New York

[Morebilge]

Dear Grumpy & Slinkie:

 

Our first post, thanks to you. Hear there might be a party in the offing and we never say no. Have read the HAL board for over a year and on the whole enjoy the comments. We also are joining the WC in LA for 96 days. Friends on the 2004 WC hated it so much, we did not hear anything but negatives. It took all our fortitude to continue with our plans. Thanks to your observations so far, we feel vindicated. Keep up the good work - perhaps a supporting fund should be set up to help defray your internet costs! :D

[Ziggy7]

Ziggy, not to butt in (you know would never do that:o ) but if I have it right Grumpy and Slinkie do not return until MAY 6!!!!!!

 

Wow !!!!

[jhannah]

Maybe they're trying out the "Retirement Home at Sea" concept! :D

[travelingmcmahans]

This is fun! You're living one of my dreams... thank you for sharing it with us. :)

[JaniceB]

Thank you for sharing your world cruise with us. If I never get to experience one myself, I will have enjoyed reading about yours.

Have a wonderful journey!

[Grumpy1]

Prinsendam 2005 Jan 17.

 

Well, Slinkie and Grumpy's floating home finally found land today. Cartagena was bathed in sunshine when the Prinsendam docked at about 7:30am. We had made plans with a couple that we met through another online board which shall remain nameless.... that we would just go into the Old City area for a couple of hours and do a little sightseeing. Well, anyway, Ol' grumpy thought he had everything all figured out... all those emerald stores that were on the shopping map were in the mall a few miles away from old town, so as long as we stay in Old Town Grumpy's wallet is pretty safe... we'll find a few small trinkets... well, let me tell you, that Slinkie Girl must have gotten up pretty early, 'cause she was way ahead of Ol' Grumpy this time... we get off the shuttle bus down by the Naval Museum and along comes this guide and he says follow him and he'll show us the Old Town and take us to the local emerald factory store... well, Slinkie Girl's beautiful green eyes were sparkling brighter than any emerald ever did... and off we went. Saw the cathedral and government buildings and that place where they used to barbecue the heretics... and then the emerald shop. Well, we walked through... some nice loose stones... prices seemed a little high... the mounted stones didn't seem to have as nice settings as they should... Slinkie didn't see anything she liked and we walked out. Now before Grumpy could get to feeling too smug we turn the corner and here's a whole street full of shops... all of them selling emeralds. Well our guide herds us into the first one, and Grumpy starts looking at some of the mounted stones in 18K gold... and he looks over at Slinkie and he knows she's likin' what she sees... Well seeing as how today is their 29 month wedding anniversary.... Slinkie now has an Emerald ring, matching earrings, matching pendant on a nice gold chain, all Marquis cut set in 18K gold... Grumpy finally figured out just how well Slinkie had snookered him when she said "But I really don't have any clothes that properly show off emeralds..." Me thinks there's another shopping trip in grumpy's future to rectify that little problem...

 

We were berthed next to another ship in Carnival family, the Aida Aura. Shes a little smaller than Prinsendam. The Aura was there when we docked. The passengers were mostly German it seemed. A large group of them have their bicycles on the ship with them and set off to see the sights by bike. I hope they all made it back alive... the way the natives drive around there... STOP signs say PARE, which I think translates to something like "if there's a vehicle in the intersection that's bigger than you, you should consider stopping. Otherwise keep right on going..." We left just a few minutes ahead of Aura, but a few minutes outside of the shipping channel she passed us up. Well, I guess Captain Gunderson didn't take to kindly to that, cause next thing we know, Prinsendam is back in the lead and last we checked, Aura is eatin' our disel fumes for dinner. Slinkie likes the paint job on Aura's hull. Big red lips that wrap around the bow.. a big eye with a wavy eyebrow trailing back. BTW, when we left there was a large pile of old comforters stacked on the dock. They've been picking them up and replacing them with the new duvet's and coverlets and disposed of the unwanted stuff there in Cartagena.

 

There were some fairly good swells during the night that did a nice job of rocking us to sleep.

 

Prinsendam 2005 Jan 18.

 

This morning our intrepid adventurers were awakened at about 6am to the sound of a small but powerful boat alongside and right below our cabin. Propping open the eyelids, and wandering out on the verandah, they got to watch the transfer of the panama canal pilots and the staff that sets up tables with Panamanian souvenirs on the Lido Deck. After a quick breakfast, Grumpy gathered up the camera, memory cards and spare batteries and found a nice spot on the bow of deck 10, just below the bridge. This being the first time through the locks for Slinkie and Grumpy, they didn't want to miss anything. Slinkie enjoyed the beauty of the area, the pelicans and frigate birds, and kept looking for Tarpon to jump. Grumpy was more fascinated with the mechanical workings of the locks and the feat of engineering that accomplished the construction.

 

We're sitting at anchor for a short while in Gatun Lake, so I'll try to get a post written and answer a few questions before we head for the next set of locks. I've worked out a method where I log on, open a page on cruise critic, select all 25 messages and paste them into Word, and do the same for another page if needed. After posting the current log, which is cut and paste from wordpad, I can log off and read at my liesure. Really conserves the minutes that way. Slinkie does the same when checking and sending email, so we've only consumed about an hour of our 18.3 hours so far. But thanks to Morebilge for the suggestion that everyone chip in buy us more time... I know this group is generous enough that we'll soon have enough minutes to stay on 24/7....

 

First thing, Slinkie and Grumpy want to say that we're so pleased at the response to our attempts at describing our voyage. Your comments and questions are very much appreciated. They also want to say Hi to all of those that are joining us on the other segments. I think Slinkie had arranged for a 4p gathering in the Crow's Nest on the 31st for those boarding in LA. I think I've counted 6 or 7 couples that are joining the cruise there, one in Hawaii and 2 or 3 in Capetown. I haven't even looked at the roll call to see if there are others. The more the merrier.

 

Kiwilan, we'll be in Tauranga on Feb 16. We don't have plans made yet, so we're open to suggestions on the best things to see and do from 8a to 7:30p

 

Now to the loooong list of questions...

 

First formal night... there seemed to be a few more men in suits than in tux or white dinner jacket, but we didn't see any shorts, jeans or tank tops... Of course Grumpy was decked out in his black tux to meet the captain and get his picture taken with the Dazzling Slinkie in her sparkly blue outfit... Dayum!... that girl looks fine!...

 

Ruffin, yes, the culinary arts is held in the Wajang

 

RuthC, Randall Powell, from Dallas is tickling the ivories in the Crow's Nest. Pretty good... not fantastic...

 

Jennie, Stephan is still the Maitre D and Sheri is still the social hostess

 

Lenora, the band in the Ocean Bar is "The Station Band"... haven't checked them out yet, so can't comment on them...

 

Marc, Ol' Grumpy, being the type that avoids anything resembling work, hasn't done more than a quick glance at the gym but will try to updat you later. Deck 12 still has green astroturf, but it looks pretty new. Probably no teak scheduled in the near future.

 

Jean, by now you know that the captain is Halle Gundersen. The Hotel Manager is Fekko Ebens. I can't find the name of the Beverage Manager right now, but as long as they don't run out of beverages Grumpy isn't too concerned about the name that goes with that title... we'll try to find out, though...

 

CruiseOften, We really can't say which dining room is better as we have only been in the aft dining room. We're at table 112, Port Side and pleased with the location.

 

Steve, I haven't crossed paths with JohnnyI or Jennifer yet, but will keep you in mind and say Hi when we do..

 

Shemabbies, I don't think you have anything to worry about in cabin 193 as far as smoke or noise is concerned. The cabins on the Prinsendam, unlike those on many cruise ships, are very quiet with little sound coming in from the hallway (or next door). There is a speaker in the hallway outside our cabin and we do not hear any of the announcements unless we open the cabin door. The music in the Explorer lounge is very mellow, piano and strings music played by "Rosario Strings". They are located well inside the lounge with the stairwell and public restrooms at their back. There are only a couple of tables aft of them toward the door that opens into the foyer closest to your cabin. Although there is a slight oder of smoke inside the lounge, I did not smell anything in the foyer or in the hallway outside cabin 193.

 

Well, Grumpy and his beautiful and sexy sidekick did go wandering through the aft area on the Promenade Deck late last evening and didn't get arrested... Oh the things we do just to keep this group informed... They keep the lights on in that area, at least they were at 10p, and the back walls of 196 and 197 had absolutely no light showing through from inside the cabin. I wonder if those glass walls may have been paneled over on the inside... I thought there would be a little light, but absolutely nothing. 198 and 199, which face aft, had their curtains closed, but there was some light showing through. About four feet of the glass on those cabins is outside of the smoked glass enclosed verandah and very visable to anyone one that deck... so anyone in those cabins, keep in mind the old adage about "People who live in glass houses... shouldn't.... "

 

We're underway and cruising through the Gatun Lake, so time to post this and get back to relaxing on the verandah with Slinkie.

 

[dakrewser]

You're going to have to change your boardname to "Mellow1", I think!

 

 

Looks like we'll both be in Puerta Villarta next Wednesday - keep your eye out for me (we'll probably cross paths in a jewelry shop!)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Note to Slinkie, You Done Good Girl;) Those Emeralds were just waiting for you:D

Grumpy, Thanks so much for the tip about copying the pages on CC to read off line. I plan to take my lap top on our March 13th cruise and figured I would buy the $100.00 package but maybe doing it that way I could get away with less minutes:) I also plan to report daily but heavens my report won't be near as exciting since it is only the Western Caribbean. I have the locks web cam up and will keep checking to see whne you are going thru.

 

Are you docking in San Diego, if so what day?

 

Thanks again for your posting and letting us do a Virtual Cruise with you.:p

[localady]

Thanks for your continued sleuthing!!!!

 

What a luck girl Slinkie is with those lovely emeralds and a man who obviously adores her!!!!

Safe seas and have a margarita for us! As they say, when in Rome.......:cool:

[dakrewser]

Are you docking in San Diego, if so what day?

 

They'll be in LA on the 29th, the same day we're in SD on the O'dam. Actually, we're both in PV on the 26th, then both sail north over the next two days - maybe we could get a tennis match going from sports deck to sports deck!

 

-dave

[Cruising Jake]

Wow, emeralds for your 29th month anniversary. My 35 year anniversary is this May. I need to have DH read this thread. Slinkie, you go girl. Grumpy, well done!

[RuthC]

Posting pictures of the Panama Canal would be good. :)

 

Posting pictures of the emeralds would be better! ;)

Posting pictures of Slinkie wearing her new outfits with the new emeralds would be best!! :D

Thanks for the info about the piano player. Have never run into him on a cruise.

And please remember me to Jennifer whenyou run into her, too.

[Margie_Lady]

The Prinsendam can be seen on the Pama,a Canal webcams now

 

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html

[FlorenceItaly]

How exciting. Thanks so much for posting the link :).

 

Marie

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Margie, You beat me to it, she is in the Miraflores locks right now..

 

 

Hi Grumpy, Hi Slinkie,

[jhannah]

Grumpy1 -- Emeralds? Gold? Multiple pieces? Methinks thou hast set the bar very high for the rest of us!:eek:

Sounds like a great trip so far. Thanks for keeping us updated.

[Margie_Lady]

I try to follow my daughter (ACD Jennifer) by watching for webcams in various ports. Slinky and Grumpy, thanks so much for your journal. Add a Hi to Jen from Mum and Dad as well as those from Shipcafe and RuthC.

[obriendan]

Wonderful reports! Oh! how I wish I could take such a cruise (DW thinks 21 day cruises are long enough!).

[DFD1]

Bravo, Grumpy1! Great fun reading your reports. Very generous of you to share this incredible adventure with us.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Grumpy, all I can say is you're going to have to change your name when you get back in town!!! Grumpy is just not fitting you these days. Emeralds and compliments and wow!!

 

I am so enjoying your diary. Written so beautifully, it almost takes me away like a Calgon bath.

I've not a question in the world. I'm just looking forward to more. Keep enjoying and savoring every moment of this idyllic adventure. And thank you for caring enough to share it with us. Best to Slinkie!!!:)

[Cuttle]

I just wrote a message and then lost it somewhere. I hope this doesn't appear as a duplicate.

I have been following the Prinsendam world cruise log and find it fascinating. Thank you Grumpy and Skimpie.

I was watching the Panama Canal web cam as the Prinsendam approached the Miraflores Locks and was very disappointed that they didn't show her in the locks.

The same thing happened to us on the Panamerica cruise on the Statendam in October. I had taken a shore excursion from Amador the day before we were to transit the canal and visited the Miraflores Visitor Center. I talked to the people there and asked them about the web cam and how they changed the angle etc. I told them we were transiting the next day and coming back the day after and they said they would try to adjust the web cam accordingly. Friends and family were logged on the the web cam and they didn't even show us in the locks at all, the same as today on the Prinsendam. It was very disappointing. Sometimes they show ships going through with close ups and lots of detail. Oh well, best laid plans.. :mad:

It would be nice if Holland America would get web cams on their ships.

I look forward to the next episode of the log. It is so interesting. Keep up the good work for we poor souls here on dry land. Thanks again Grumpy and Slinkie

Cuttle

[Sail With Me]

Hi Grumpy and Slinkie,

 

Enjoy those emeralds...sounds fabulous!!! What a great guy you caught, not only a world cruise but jewels as well.

 

Can you check out the S Suites for us and let us know if S018 is a good location and what the Neptune Lounge is like. We are sailing the Windmnills and Waterford voyage in August.

 

Also, on January 29th., our friend Chef James Boyce comes on board as the guest chef in the Culinary Arts program. He is a terrific young chef and would you please tell him hi from Karen and Bob.

 

Enjoy every minute of your voyage.