Prinsendam 2005 World Tour... it has begun

[Grumpy1]

I would be walking around the ship and ppl would call me by name that I had sat with one night at dinner.:rolleyes:

 

My problem was people calling me by another guy's name. "Hi, Bill" It happened a couple of times and then one of our tablemates told me that I had a twin on board... OK... yeah... probably a faint resemblence, I'm thinking... Then on our tour in Santarem I looked over at the next boat and there I was... No, wait a minute, I'm right here... besides, I've got the better looking woman with me, so I don't want to be the other me... We would have never passed for identical twins right next to each other, but there was a really strong resemblence. I never did get to meet Bill, though.

 

Grumpy

[Grumpy1]

Are you totally unpacked yet??? I really miss reading your reviews on here. Hurry and go on another vacation or cruise soon!!

 

Unpacked?? we did that mostly the same day we got home... now we have to pack again to head to Ohio for the next 4 months.

 

Grumpy

[mconthehighseas]

Hello! I am another CC'er enthralled with this thread! I have an entertainment question for you, Grumpy and Slinkie. Did you get to see John Davidson while he was on your ship? I mean performing, not hanging about the pool. ;)

 

I just found out that he will be performing on our cruise this fall, and was wondering whether I should make sure we see him. According to his website, he got on your ship at Barbados, and left with you at FLL. I know that you didn't make many of the shows because of late seating; that happens to us too.

 

Slinkie, I missed seeing your posts on many of the Floataway Lounge threads while you were gone. I'm glad you are back!

MC

[Grumpy1]

Yes, we saw John Davidson's show... It was OK if an old goat trying to recapture his youth is your idea of good entertainment... We also saw him around the ship... his long hair pulled back in a pony tail.

 

Remember how Pat Boone turned Hippie in his later years?... Didn't work for him and it doesn't work for John.... but that's just my humble opinion...

 

Grumpy

[ILuvCruisin']

My problem was people calling me by another guy's name. "Hi, Bill" It happened a couple of times and then one of our tablemates told me that I had a twin on board... OK... yeah... probably a faint resemblence, I'm thinking... Then on our tour in Santarem I looked over at the next boat and there I was... No, wait a minute, I'm right here... besides, I've got the better looking woman with me, so I don't want to be the other me... We would have never passed for identical twins right next to each other, but there was a really strong resemblence. I never did get to meet Bill, though.

 

Grumpy

You have got to get some stuff published so the world can have some of the laughs we have had on this board. Perhaps it would become a better world. You are a wonderful writer. Welcome home. And thank you for sharing your life with us.

 

BTW: I am the one who first suggested Oprah and I still think it's a good idea.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I guess I'm just an "old girl", but I would love to see both John Davidson and Pat Boone just for old time's sake ... for the momentary joy of remembering songs like "Love Letters In The Sand" from a time that I perceive as so much better than this. But I'm just a little over the top sentimental about those days.

[Grumpy1]

That's fine, Heather... but when they try to look like Elton john.... well, I guess you could close your eyes and just listen...

 

Grumpy

[ILuvCruisin']

See what I mean...

 

You make me smile...sometimes laugh out loud...that's a good thing...

 

May I ask what city are you visiting in Ohio...I am from Youngstown

[Slinkiecat]

I guess I'm just an "old girl", but I would love to see both John Davidson and Pat Boone just for old time's sake ... for the momentary joy of remembering songs like "Love Letters In The Sand" from a time that I perceive as so much better than this. But I'm just a little over the top sentimental about those days.

 

Hi, Heather! I guess I enjoyed John Davidson more than Grumpy did. Some of that was sympathy, perhaps. I know he had a lot of fans in the audience from his "better days" and I appreciated his efforts to entertain that group. In my opinion he was better than the young oboe and flute duo "Rhythm and Smooch" who would not have done well in a high school band contest.

 

I loved Pat Boone when I was in high school too. Elvis was too scary for me. haha. Now I'd just change his clothes, his haircut, tame down his gyrating hips and -- oh, well. Bring back Pat Boone.

 

Slinkie

[Slinkiecat]

...

Slinkie, I missed seeing your posts on many of the Floataway Lounge threads while you were gone. I'm glad you are back!

MC

 

Thank you, MC. I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things. I have some discussion groups to move back into as well, and one just doesn't cut four months out of one's life and pick up everything where it left off. I check into the Floataway Lounge Welcome for a drink now and then, and of course my shopping buddies on the SLAMO thread know I'm way ahead of them there with all the wonderful shopping ports around the world, and I still check in there. hehehe. I even tell them if all I did was go to the market to stock up on vegetables. They are nice people and I enjoy reading their posts.

 

Slinkie

[mrssbi]

Slinkie and Grumpy - hug delivered to Johnny - he's about 2 weeks shy of returning to your home ship - the Prinsendam. Enjoy Ohio.

[lipoppop]

Grumpie, sorry for the delay in responding but it has been very busy since we returned on the 26th. We are very involved as volunteers for a non-profit educational organization so we had a lot to catch up on even before we unpacked. In fact the DW was in Albany the past two days fighting against some anti-consumer legislation that is being pushed through before the session ends.

 

 

We so much more enjoyed the Princendam than any of the other HAL vessels we have cruised on. Maybe it was the smaller size, fewer passemgers, ability to interact with the staff. I especially enjoyed the five sea days when we left New York.

 

Dining room staffing and service were especially better as was the food preparation and presentation. Since the ingredients are essentially the same from ship to ship and cruise to cruise it must have to do with the staff and especially the head chef.

 

Peter Daems the CD was one of my favorites although I swear I saw him put the number 3 ball in his mouth that I needed so I couldn't get bingo during the final jackpot game- over three thousand dollars.

 

Don't know when we will cruise again - seven cruises in the past three years but the rest of this year and 2006 are booked with other activities. The DW would never do the world cruise and in fact backed out on the Singapore to San Diego 32 day cruise this November that I had booked- too long away for her.

 

Thanks again for your postings.

 

Lipoppop

[Member]

Looking forward to compare the foods on our Prinsendam 06/16/2005 sailing against Westerdam and Celebrity.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Hi, Heather! I guess I enjoyed John Davidson more than Grumpy did. Some of that was sympathy, perhaps. I know he had a lot of fans in the audience from his "better days" and I appreciated his efforts to entertain that group. In my opinion he was better than the young oboe and flute duo "Rhythm and Smooch" who would not have done well in a high school band contest.

 

I loved Pat Boone when I was in high school too. Elvis was too scary for me. haha. Now I'd just change his clothes, his haircut, tame down his gyrating hips and -- oh, well. Bring back Pat Boone.

 

Slinkie

 

Hi Slinkie! LOL!!!:D Elvis scared me, too, way back then;) ! Sure makes me laugh now because I love listening to him now. But good 'ole Pat was my style ... he had my heart. Tab Hunter was a close second.

Sad about John Davidson, but I would have taken him over the oboe and flute duo, too! As I say, if for no other reason then old times.

[GrannyLorr]

Well Grumpy, it seems ages ago that I was reading your "on sea journal" and told you, that now I would not be satisfied with anything less than a World Cruise! Well the bank account tells me I have to cut back a wee bit.....so have booked a 55 day cruise (with another line, so wont mention it) My husband was worried about being on a ship for 14 days...but has given in now!

 

This will be our first EVER cruise and I cant wait! Well I have to wait cos the ship doesnt sail till next March......thanks for feeding my travel addiction!:D

[Grumpy1]

Lipopop... glad you made it back OK and it's really good to hear that the transatlantic crossing was up to your expectations... I wonder if the head chef was the same one we had... Ed Sayomac... Most of the dishes were very good, but often different from what you would expect.. New England Clam Chowder comes to mind, and Chicken Quesidillas, too. The quesidillas were nothing like any that I've ever been served. Very bland salsa, none of the toppings you would expect... But then maybe it was like one of our tablemates said she was told, when she commented about a Philly Cheess steak at lunch... "No, no, that's Phillipine cheese steak"

 

Too bad about missing the jackpot... On the world tour, the jackpot ran to the end of each segment... I don't think it ever got over $2000.

 

GrannyLorr... 55 days gets you half way there... and we certainly hope it is as memorable as our world tour... of course, if it isn't on HAL, we can't offer our usual satisfaction guaranteed sailing policy....

 

Grumpy

[Cruiseoften]

I hope we haven't missed the pictures - been off the board for weeks - computer and health problems.

 

Would appreciate any directions as to where to find them.

 

Slinkie and Grumpy - you did a wonderful job of sharing your experiences.

The Prinsendam is the size of ship we enjoy but afraid a Round the World is but a dream for us - we're thinking a trans-atlantic maybe next year. :)

[Williebill]

Grumpy and Slinky, have a great trip back to Ohio. I hope your family is doing well.

[lipoppop]

Lipopop... glad you made it back OK and it's really good to hear that the transatlantic crossing was up to your expectations... I wonder if the head chef was the same one we had... Ed Sayomac... Most of the dishes were very good, but often different from what you would expect.. New England Clam Chowder comes to mind, and Chicken Quesidillas, too. The quesidillas were nothing like any that I've ever been served. Very bland salsa, none of the toppings you would expect... But then maybe it was like one of our tablemates said she was told, when she commented about a Philly Cheess steak at lunch... "No, no, that's Phillipine cheese steak"

 

 

Grumpy

 

Yes, I also believe the chef makes the difference. I doubt if Ed, or Eduardo, Sayomac will leave the Princendam. Anything else would be a step down.

 

One of the real plusses on the Princendam is that in the Lido the bread pudding is very close to the ice cream. No long walks for us old folks. Also there were two flavors of bread pudding.

[Brandis]

What flavours of bread pudding where there? On the transatlantic crossing, they only had breadpudding with raisins, which I hate... :-) Would love if they had White Chocolate Bread Pudding!

 

Marc

[cruznon]

Grumpy,

Along with the multitude of others on this board, I truly enjoyed reading all your World Cruise postings. Thank you so much for sharing with all of us. It wasn't just the information given, but your writing style that made it come alive for all of us.

I do have a question about your GPS unit. (My DH loves electronic gadgets and I'm thinking about his birthday gift.) Did you need special software for this cruise or any cruising ?

[lipoppop]

What flavours of bread pudding where there? On the transatlantic crossing, they only had breadpudding with raisins, which I hate... :-) Would love if they had White Chocolate Bread Pudding!

 

Marc

 

Can't describe the contents specifically but there was the usual kind- whitish bread with cinnamen, don't know about the raisens. The second kind was dark, like chocalate. didn't try it as I leave chocolate to RuthC.

[blackbird71]

The quesidillas were nothing like any that I've ever been served. Very bland salsa, none of the toppings you would expect... But then maybe it was like one of our tablemates said she was told, when she commented about a Philly Cheess steak at lunch... "No, no, that's Phillipine cheese steak"

 

Grumpy

 

I do not know of one cruiseline that does Mexican right. :p While I loved the "lido" for breakfast on RSSC Mariner, they always had a pan of Campbell's Baked Beans on it. I heard it was an "English" thing. And I did love their nut and things sidebar with Macadamia Nuts on it. :)

 

But one morning they had a special of Huevos Rancheros. So I thought that sounded good.... It's just I have never had that dish made with Campbell's Baked Beans.. :eek::eek:

[KathieKata]

Blackbird: Nice picture.........you're making me hungry!! :p

[RuthC]

Can't describe the contents specifically but there was the usual kind- whitish bread with cinnamen, don't know about the raisens. The second kind was dark, like chocalate. didn't try it as I leave chocolate to RuthC.

And she appreciates it, too. :D

I had never had bread pudding until one day on the (I think) Ryndam. I was eating lunch when someone joined the table. On her tray was some brown item I didn't recognize, but it looked good so I asked about it. Chocolate bread pudding! Well, I was over there like a shot getting my fair share. :eek:

Delicious.