Westerdam Panama Canal April 15, 2011

[NoWhiners]

Pat and Bob

 

If you want to book now, hotwire is still offering a 3.5 star hotel for $59 US ($72 total) for that night. Suite, free airport shuttle, free breakfast, free internet. We booked a coupkle of rooms already. Not a bad rate for this time of yeasr. It is the Hyall Summerfiied Suites, not far from cruiseport. For $8 each you can get a shuttle to cruiseport (but can pay the same for a cab and go when you want). or you can wait and try priceline or hotwire when it gets closer. Go to hotwire.com, enter fll and 4/15/11, it should be the first listing. Will also say they are still gathering reviews.

 

Allan and Marlane

 

We have just about resolved not to dress up on formal nights and eat at Lido, Canaletto, or in our room. Then we can reduce packing a lot. I agree that Tshirts and shorts will be required!!

 

At my 35th college reunion in Oswego, NY (about 40 miles north of syracuse). cold and wet--I love it!! It was 100 degrees last weekend in albuquerque.

 

ML

[rajkr74]

:)Hi ths is Pat&Bob from Moose Jaw thank you so much for adding our name to the roll call. Guess by now you realize how much we are looking forward to this exciting cruise. There is one thing we are not sure of and that is, we made arrangements for our airfare along with the cruise, also arranged for pickup at the airport to the hotel, but do we have to book the hotel. Flying to Fort L. on the 14th, any help would be so gratefully appreciated.

 

Did you book this thru HAL? If so then check with them and see if the hotel is included. Sorry we have not booked this way and am not real sure of the answer.

[High Seas Texan]

Saturday Greeitngs to everyone from DFW Texas, where is it hot and windy. We are longing for the cruise....feeing the sea air as we stroll the decks and sip beverages on the veranda. So looking forward to going through the canal. Thinking about a little "open house" that day in the suite to view from the verandah.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

George and Rand

[ski ww]

I'm usally a T-shirt, blue jeans type of guy, but I do enjoy getting dressed up for the formal nights. We always book late seating at a large table and that way we can enjoy an evening with our dinner table mates and then take in the late show. On our last cruise we did have dinner in the Canaletto a couple with times with friends we met on board through the CC web site.

 

Allan & Marlane :D:D

[High Seas Texan]

Howdy Allan. Rand and I too enjoy dressing up on formals nights. We also book late seating and ask for a large table. We want to meet people. Considering the climate we are headed to, T shirts and shorts will prpbably be the desired comfort clothing option most days. We also enjoy dining in the Pinnacle Grill often and try to book that several nights. We were not impressed with the Lido offerings on the last cruise, and since Canaletto is part of that fear being disappointed.

[ski ww]

Hi George. On our cruise a year ago one of the CC members made arrangements with the ship to have all the CC bunch sit together at dinner for either early or late dinning. We ended up at a table for 13, had a really great time getting to know each other. If people are interested for those who want to sit together, not sure how you go about arranging this.

 

Allan & Marlane :D:D

[NoWhiners]

We were moving kind of far down the list, so I decided to post!

 

Just back from college reunion--we had a blast!! had to get up at 3:15 EDT to make flight, so we are tired!!

[bcirish]

Morning all - busy weekend and now getting some things done and thought I would pop in to see all are. Had a Photography Show on Saturday - got all set up - things all prepped and the then the wind and rain played havoc- I guess the weather gods are quite crazy this year what with the flooding and continually strange weather. We have been lucky - it rains but nothing major and the heat comes and goes.

 

Have they added the Caneletto to the Westerdam? - sorry - I have not been paying attention to any of that. If I remember correctly she went into dry dock after we were on her this winter- could be wrong - too many ships to keep track of at this point.

 

I guess I should be thinking of hotel - have one on hold but not sure that I will stay with that one. Right now am more focused on our two weeks in St Martin which will be here before I know it. I love it there in the summer- one of those great secrets. It is always hot here in July and it is hot in St Martin but they have the continual breeze and there is nothing to do but lie at the beach in Swimsuits in the shade of a palm tree and watch the world go by. On the busy days we do a day sail but I have to admit I love the laid back life of being on island.

 

We will stop by there on our cruise next winter but it is just not the same. We have our favorite little French restaurants, bakeries and ah yes isolated beaches as well as fish shacks, low lows and delectable Belgian Chocolate shop- funny thing - those chocolates never make it home!

ML - hope the shaking stops - have not seen anything in our news to date - must be very unnerving.

[NoWhiners]

Canaletto was supposed to be added at drydock! Good luck on getting better hotel and soak up some sun for us in St Martin!!

 

ML

[rajkr74]

We just got a newer brochure from HAL and the deck plan for the Westerdam does show the Canaletto in the Lido, so I assume it is open.

BC, what type of photo show were you setting up for? Are they your photos you were showing?

We have been to St. Maarten once a few years ago and really enjoyed that island. We do want to go back there since one of our times shares has a unit there, Flamingo Beach. We are doing the week in the Caribbean on HAL first before the Panama cruise and will go to St. Maarten also. Not sure we have a lot time to do much there while in port. Not sure I want to spend the whole time shopping in port either. We will have to pick your brain for ideas on things to see and do on St. Maarten.

[ski ww]

On Jun 10, 2009 Carnival Corp., which owns HAL cancelled the fuel supplement unless it went over the $70.00 a barrel, which it now is. They did say because of the state of the economy that they would not reinstate the fuel tax at this time. But they could at any time if things get worse. Something to keep an eye on. HAL policy on this is on their web site.

 

Allan & Marlane:confused::(

[bcirish]

We just got a newer brochure from HAL and the deck plan for the Westerdam does show the Canaletto in the Lido, so I assume it is

 

 

open.

BC, what type of photo show were you setting up for? Are they your photos you were showing?

We do want to go back there since one of our times shares has a unit there, Flamingo Beach. We are doing the week in the Caribbean on HAL first before the Panama cruise and will go to St. Maarten also.

 

 

The Canaletto - Ahh - that is where it was located on the Eurodam. It is a nice alternative so will look forward to that.

 

 

OMG - we own at Flamingo also and that's where we will be for 2 weeks- love the resort not so impressed with the maint fees but that is a whole other story. Will be glad to give you any help about SXM. When we go in on a ship- we rent a car for the day it can be done ahead of time - think I still have the contact for that one. Last time it was $50 for the day and we drove around the island- hit some of favorite spots - went in the opposite direction of all of the excursion buses and were back on the ship around 4 after some shopping in Phillipsburg. If you happen to be there on Wednesday or Saturday - the market in Marigot is fun -they have it every day but on the mentioned days- the locals bring in their produce meat and seafood- great photo op.

 

Speaking of which - after I retired from the education field I actively pursued my photography passion by opening a company which specializes in family onsite photography which has extended into the pet world photo sessions as well. This was a combination event. The local community was having a pet show and I am their exclusive photographer. For this show I set up products that may be of interest, show my personal collection and set up appointments for interested clients ( which is anything from a pet photo shoot to a restoration of a beloved pet who has passed- to me it is a whole new world- I have always had pets but I have discovered how passionate some are about their pets). I do about 4 additional shows a year. The others are concentrated on architecture, landscape and travel photography. I have found it fascinating how the business has evolved. I now am doing personalized photo restoration which I love. It is very rewarding to restore personal memories. There are some funny ones like the lady whose mother wants to remove her ex husbands from her photos ( she is in her 80's and has gone through 5 husbands ) - that one is still pending. I have to admit - I am a huge Photoshop geek;).

 

Our friends all call me techie because if they ask a question I have my iphone or computer out and finding the answer ASAP. And yes I am an Apple:D

[NoWhiners]

bc

 

Wow--sounds like a fun retirement!! I have always wanted to learn how to add/remove people or items from photos using photoshop. Maybe you can share some tips over a glass of wine on the cruise?? (I'll even provide the wine)!!

 

ML

[rajkr74]

BC,

We bought into the Sunterra time share company in Sedona AZ which is now Diamond Resorts and they have units in Flamingo Beach. Really liked it when we went for 10+ days in 2004. But it's tough to get there from the west coast, long flights. So...we do Hawaii every other year. We go from Eugene OR to San Fran and are in the Big Island by 1:00pm Hawaiian time.

Joyce is the better photographer in our family. She has a better eye than I do with her Nikon cameras. We are more into scenics but on the upper "hobby" level. We grow Rhododendrons here in Oregon and she shots a lot photos of the flower trusses. We have Photoshop also but don't use it very well. You don't have a website of your photos do you?

Rick

[bcirish]

We are Sunterra transfers too. If i think of it will ask if you can hang out while there since you are an owner. Know what you mean about getting there - actually why we do not go to Hawaii anymore - that same time element

 

Do not have a site right now - am in transition from one company to another for my web work. Let you know when it gets back up.

BTW found the site for the chocolate shop in St Martin- good stuff - a bit pricey but very rich and cheaper than flying to Belgium!!

 

best-stmartin.com/detail.asp…

 

If it disappears or won't open let me know and I will email it to you

[rajkr74]

We are Sunterra transfers too. If i think of it will ask if you can hang out while there since you are an owner. Know what you mean about getting there - actually why we do not go to Hawaii anymore - that same time element

 

Do not have a site right now - am in transition from one company to another for my web work. Let you know when it gets back up.

BTW found the site for the chocolate shop in St Martin- good stuff - a bit pricey but very rich and cheaper than flying to Belgium!!

 

best-stmartin.com/detail.asp…

 

If it disappears or won't open let me know and I will email it to you

 

Wow, Sunterra for you also. Hope your experiance with them was better than ours? We will have to relate our experiance that we had with them while we are on the ship. It's a long messy story. We would have dumped them but the maintenance fees for The Ridge in Sodona AZ are real low and it's a real nice place.

[bcirish]

For us they are real high but ours is out of country and had a direct hit from a hurricane about 2 years ago - we were there several months later- ocean surge came right into the lower unit right on the point - folks were in there and when it pushed in the sliding glass door they were almost pulled to sea- kind of scary. They were told to go elsewhere but thought they were safe.

Think we have stayed in Sedona but not sure if it was Sunridge. I found the vibrations very strong in the pool - very strange.

 

All in all we have not had much trouble with any of the time shares we have- I figure that it forces us to travel and cruise and I like that- think we would stay put much more without them. Had to laugh - one of them called and asked if I wanted to visit and she names 7 resorts and my reply was I have been to all but one in the last 6 months - do you have any others? She said she would call back when they had something else special.

[bcirish]

Happy Father's Day - hope it was a good one!

[rajkr74]

BC

That must have been the Royal Plams Beach Resorts? We remember it since we drove by it going the to Flamingo.

We do have aonther time share that is great. It has units right here in Oregon that are 2 hrs away and easy to get to. They also have units in Mexico and Hawaii. We will go to Hawaii in Nov. and spend 2 weeks there in our good time share.

[mjtigger]

Thank you so much for the info, will check with the cruise line about the hotel. I did pay for transportation. Pick up when we land, to hotel and pick up the next morning to go to the ship. So will let you know when I find out. Have a good one Pat

[NoWhiners]

It's almost July and summer has officially started, so i thought I would post! Today was our one year anniversary (married last year on Zuiderdam in Juneau)!

 

Another month closer to retirement...

ML

[ski ww]

This year is our 21 anniversary, we got engaged during a Carribbean cruise on the Amsterdam and we got the engagement ring in St. Thomas VI.:D:D

 

Had a bit of exictment up here yesterday, a small earthquake at noon, we didn't get much shaking here and then last night a Tornado. Did a lot of damage in Midland about 10 min. drive from where we live. No deaths some minor injuries. We consider our selfs lucky, it could of been worse.

Allan & Marlane

[ski ww]

We drove into town this morning and we could see some of the damage done by the tornado. A lot of the town was still blocked off so crews could clear away the downed trees and other debri. To see up close and personal what kind of damage was done was unbelieveable. I've never seen the the results of a tornado, other then on the news. Houses, stores and the huge trees that where torn down was awsome. Goes to show what Mother Nature can do, which we some times forget unless you exprience some thing like this. All I can say is we where very lucky it could of been so much worse.

 

Allan & Marlane :(:(

[bcirish]

That weather just kind of ripped it's way across the continent not taking any rest. We had nasty storms on Wed - funnels and driving rain - flash floods and wind up to 80 MPH - that is the strange part -we have had that several times in the past several weeks- bit like hurricane weather. We have had tornadoes hit near where we live several times - so far we have been very lucky- it is not one of those things you want to repeat- the damage is overwhelming - We saw your shaking quake on the news - that must have been quite a surprise.

 

Now that the storms are past - it looks like an ugly weekend and then next week is to be clear for the entire time- might get some golf in - more worried about the horrific lightning we have been having. They actually closed the interstate overnight for almost 12 hours because of high water- overload on the sewers - I guess cause it is not near a river or Lake Michigan - go figure

[lost4sure]

I am travelling with my mom and dad on the Veendam to South America and Antartica and will be disembark in Ft. Lauderdale on April 15. We might jump ship onto Westerdam and head to Vancouver (we lived in Victoria, BC). I am hoping the price might go down after final payment.

I just paid the full payment on an another upcoming cruise; the price went down $800.00 per person online and ACCORDING to my TA; those cabins are for double not triple and also does not applies to both segments of our btb cruises and other excuses. Therefore, I am waiting for last minute deals on this cruise.

 

No-whiners- I will sent you an email regarding your TA.

 

I am hoping to join your group in April 15 if the price is RIGHT! I will keep lurking on the roll call. I always find these roll calls meet/greet very informational.

 

Grace