*LIVE* from Aboard the Zuiderdam! 4/22-5/19

[dmwnc1959]

An AIS grab taken just after 4:30am EST of Zuiderdam wisking along towards LA at 21+ knots:

 

[dmwnc1959]

Zuiderdam pulling in behind Queen Mary at Long Beach just before 8am PST:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ironin]

Today was full of unique experiences: a few hundred passengers were disembarking for good and those that weren’t still had to get off the ship and go through U.S. immigration & customs. The ship docked at 8AM. As we had scheduled a tour, our group was scheduled to be called at 9AM for a 9:15 departure. Those without scheduled tours were scheduled for 10AM or later.

 

We were actually called @ 9:15AM. There were six lines set up by immigration and customs, 3 for U.S. citizens and 3 for others. As more than half of the passengers were non-citizens (over 900 from Canada alone), our lines were shorter and quicker. We were aboard our bus @ 9:30AM. We were still aboard our bus, waiting for other passengers @ 10:30AM. Once one of us noticed at 11:30AM that the palm tree outside our window looked exactly the one we saw in the parking lot of the port, we realized that we hadn’t moved and were still waiting for about 20 more passengers.

 

They weren’t dawdling. As 1 or 2 arrived every 5 minutes or so, they’d report having stood in line at immigration for at least 1.5 hours. No one thought the officers were dawdling, either. There just weren’t enough of them.

 

Not long after the two-hours-sitting-in-the-bus-waiting mark, we calculated the time needed to fill the bus before departure, get to our first destination (the Getty Museum, an hour away on a good day) and then back from our second stop (Rodeo Drive, also an hour away from the port) and figured we’d all have just enough time to use the toilet at the Getty before getting back on the bus.

 

We got off the bus, caught the free shuttle to Long Beach’s Shoreline Village, had a delicious lunch at a place with 250 beers on tap, and wandered around the area a bit before returning to the ship.

 

When we got back, there were hundreds boarding for the first time, about half of them either eating or gawking in the Lido, and a large enough number in the Neptune Lounge as to raise the question, “What is the capacity of this room, anyway?” for the first time. The rest were crammed into the elevators, riding up and down looking for their floor, their room, the wife, their husband, or perhaps the Love Boat captain.

 

While it is true that continuing on to Vancouver only cost an additional $6 each, we’re beginning to wonder if t was such a bargain after all, and that perhaps those who disembarked for home were right.

 

(Note: Most of this is only semi-serious. ;))

[aliaschief]

Before we head off for our Transatlantic cruise out of Fort Lauderdale to Rotterdam next week I just wanted to let you know how much we have appreciated your wonderful blog. We will be sailing on the MS Zuiderdam next November and your information and reporting have been outstanding.

 

A tremedous high-tech and very labor intensive report has you in our Hall Of Fame Live Reporting Blogs. I do hope you have have enjoyed your cruise as much as we have enjoyed sailing with you.

 

Great stuff! Thanks.

[holomuku]

ironin,

 

I'll be curious to see how your evening goes tonight- if you get the chance please share!

 

We're on the Statendam this Friday going to Victoria/Vancouver. We don't usually do such short cruises but it's our 25 year wedding anniversary on Sunday and we couldn't take much time from work (we both worked in different industries 25 years ago!).

 

I'm hoping it will be okay- we did the Deluxe Verandah Suite. Of course the weather is not looking too good- but then we live in the Pacific Northwest and we've had a VERY wet spring so no surprise. Should have thought about that 25 years ago!

 

I hope your next few days go well and that $6 was well spent!

[ironin]

As 600 passengers departed for home yesterday, 760 were waiting ashore for the last to disembark before they could come aboard. As mentioned above, disembarkation was unusually slow. A few people we know were not processed until 1:30PM, so those who’d arrived at 11:30AM expecting a relaxing lunch in the Lido found themselves instead counting the bubble comprising the dome that once housed the Spruce Goose built by Howard Hughes.

 

Although Holland America was in no way responsible for the slow immigration & customs processing, a gracious note of apology was delivered to each stateroom and all of the adults aboard served a complimentary flute of champagne at dinner.

 

Among those boarding yesterday were 200 travel agents, a large number who booked a combined 4 days in Las Vegas and 3-day cruise, and another equally large number who spent 4 days at Disneyland beforehand. As the ship sailed full from Fort Lauderdale, almost all of the solo travelers abandoned ship in Long Beach to be replaced by families of 3 and 4 to a cabin.

 

We enjoyed a delightful meal in Canaletto last night. Everyone seems to have settled in and having a good time. We really were only kidding about wondering if the extra $6 fare for proceeding to Vancouver was such a bargain after all. All the new arrivals do change the rhythm, but that can be part of the fun, too.

 

Despite all of the new passengers, self-service continued to be the order-of-the-day. After meeting one newly-embarked passenger obviously suffering severe cramps early this morning, a couple of us strongly suggested he see the ship’s doctor. He showed no inclination to take our advice.

[ironin]

Those following the post about the couple sailing sans a working toilet for the first 11 days in #7129 might be interested in the compensation offer they received from the Seattle main office Guest Relations department this morning: $100 total (not per person).

[2tsquared]

Those following the post about the couple sailing sans a working toilet for the first 11 days in #7129 might be interested in the compensation offer they received from the Seattle main office Guest Relations department this morning: $100 total (not per person).

 

Shame, shame, shame on HAL!!

[kazu]

Those following the post about the couple sailing sans a working toilet for the first 11 days in #7129 might be interested in the compensation offer they received from the Seattle main office Guest Relations department this morning: $100 total (not per person).

 

YOU can't be serious (yes, unfortunately, I know you are). No working toilet for 11 days and they get this? ho boy - they're lucky it wasn't me - or my dh - I think that is part of what goes with a room/cabin/suite/whatever on the ship.

 

For what would be to me, a very standard amenity and the lack thereof, this in no way makes up for the inconvenience in any way shape or form.

 

In fact, they would have been better off to offer nothing than this. JMO though - sorry, I find this ridiculous. :eek:

[cruz chic]

Those following the post about the couple sailing sans a working toilet for the first 11 days in #7129 might be interested in the compensation offer they received from the Seattle main office Guest Relations department this morning: $100 total (not per person).

I can tell you I got more then that when I had a cabin with barely functioning a/c. Hal should be ashamed!

[RuthC]

Those following the post about the couple sailing sans a working toilet for the first 11 days in #7129 might be interested in the compensation offer they received from the Seattle main office Guest Relations department this morning: $100 total (not per person).

That's just HAL's attempt at humor. Right? Must be, 'cause I'd be laughing real hard if they made me that offer.

 

Thanks for the update.

[DAllenTCY]

Let me just say that I'm sorry for your problem with the toilet. But the blame rests on those guests who occupied that room before you.

I understand that many of the Zuiderdam shore tours were cancelled as a result of US Customs decision to fingerprint all non-US citizens. I haven't heard of that policy before, especially for Canadians.

David

[ironin]

We're passing under Lion's Gate bridge in Vancouver at the moment. Almost feel like we can reach out and touch the shore.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Am enjoying your review

 

sounds like a big change over in long beach -- we had the same thing in san diego in 2009 when we sailed on the westerdam

[sail7seas]

Your Blog is one of the best EVER.......

Wonderful.

Hope you enjoy your last bit aboard to the max. You seem to have had an amazing time. :)

Thank you for all the reporting you have done for us.

 

 

[IRL_Joanie]

I am so so so envious of you!!!!!!!

 

I've just finsihed re-reading the thread in its entirety and am going on over in a second to re-read the blog.

 

I wanna be on the ship now not 118 days:)

 

Joanie

[ironin]

Just finished an entertaining breakfast with the couple from #7129 and another couple we got to know on the cruise. As usual, lots of funny stories and good laughs. Their final bill had an extra $100 credit. They said, "That's fair enough." (exact words)

 

Our number/color has yet to be called but we should be ashore soon.

 

Thanks to all who have followed, and commented about, our progress aboard the Canadian Club Coffee & Canal Cruise!!!

 

We'll have more in the next few days or so. (As we're staying in Vancouver for a couple of days and then taking the train to Seattle and spending a few more days there before returning home, it may be some time next week before we say a lot ;-).

 

Oops! Color & Number called and we're off to explore Vancouver.

[RuthC]

Land ho! Welcome back to dry land, and lots of it. Thanks for taking us along for the ride. Will be looking forward to the next chapter.

 

Just finished an entertaining breakfast with the couple from #7129 and another couple we got to know on the cruise. As usual, lots of funny stories and good laughs. Their final bill had an extra $100 credit. They said, "That's fair enough." (exact words).

If that's good enough for them, who are we to argue. :confused:

[Gasmeter]

Happy to see the Zuiderdam arriving in Vancouver. Sailing on her on the 11th June inside passage cruise, so looking forward to it. Have really enjoyed your blog thank you for all the time you must have spent on this.:)

[Cruisin_Greg]

Ironin! Thank you again for the live thread. We've really enjoyed reading your regular updates. This has reall heightened our anticipation for our upcoming repositioning cruise in late September on the Zuiderdam.. We appreciate your time and efforts putting the blog together. Thanks again.

 

Greg

[kazu]

Thank you so much for your tremendous blog and the time you took to report. This has been an absolute marvelous thread and a pleasure to read and view :)

[ironin]

Those interested in the menus and daily Explorer may have noticed that we stopped uploading them about half-way through. The post-by-email plug-in we were using had some quirks that made uploading .pdf files a bit difficult and time-consuming. All of the daily Explorer issues are now posted to the blog, as are MDR Dinner Menus for every day except Day 20, which was the first day of the three-day cruise to Vancouver. As a general rule, for some reason first day menus are not published. (As we did the ship's tour, we were provided a copy of the first day menu for our voyage signed by Executive Chef Tony.)

 

Yesterday, we walked and walked (and walked) all around Vancouver. The small hotel we're staying at, L'Hermitage, deserves the TripAdvisor.com accolade, "Best of 2011." The concierge is definitely one-of-a-kind. (Go on, click on the link! ;))

[sapper1]

Thank you for your excellent reports. We have the same cruise booked for next April and while it is too soon to get excited, it was nice to get a taste of what it will be like on the Zuiderdam through the canal.

[RedmondCruiser]

Randy -- Was good to have met you. Have a good time in Vancouver (great city). For Ingrid and I its time to get back to normality and Neptune Lounge withdrawal.

Ron

[boccismom]

We were on the partial Panama Canal Cruise just before yours. I so wish we could have stayed onboard and come into Vancouver. Not only is it so close to home, it is a beautiful city. Thank you for making me feel miserable back on land :-):D