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Hopefully, Live From the MS Amsterdam May 17 - June 1, 2014

Alberta Quilter
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carri cruiser

carri cruiser

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We are onboard! Things must have changed as there were several immigration agents checking passports. Must not be many new passengers today because the Lido was functioning normally. No Code Orange.

 

We change rooms tomorrow. Unfortunately, we will have to stay onboard until we get our new room cards. I hope that doesn't delay us for our tour of Pike Place Market!

 

Be at the office on ship, first thing in am, they should be able to get you off quickly!, and don't they do the moving for you from cabin to cabin??? hope so!

I saw 3 ships leaving for Alaska today, while I was in Port Angeles!! one was a HAL ship, but not sure which one... the other princess, and ?

Hope all goes well for your PPM tour, be sure to see the flying fish, and get some of those beautiful flowers for your cabin!

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rajkr74

rajkr74

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Thank you!!! I just spent the last hour with my 3 girls looking at ALL the pictures. We had a lot of fun and are even more excited for August!

I have my fingers crossed and hope all the cruises have as good of weather as we had in 2011. :D

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Alberta Quilter

Alberta Quilter

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May 17/14

 

Got up this morning at 5 am to ensure I wouldn't miss the sail in which didn't start until 6 am. I could of slept another hour! Trying to get the most of this magnificent view of the harbour. We actually slept with the curtains open; it's not like any one could see us! If one of us got up in the middle of the night, we could look at the view! The Grand Princess was first (she went to Ballantyne), followed by the Coral Princess. Zuiderdam was third. Finally, the Amsterdam came. Unfortunately for us, the Zuiderdam is right below us and the Amsterdam is farther back. Oh well, at least we're overlooking a HAL ship!

 

At the Pan Pacific, I booked the Alaska cruise package. Yes, it was pricey but I wanted the whole embarkation morning to be easy (plus there was the added bonus of double Aeroplan points!). I also signed up for the hotel's loyalty program which gets us free wifi, and allows a late check out at 2 pm.

 

The cruise package includes a full buffet breakfast which we ordinarily wouldn't have because we don't usually get our money's worth. I guess there are different levels of the buffet offered. We were specifically told the we could order fried eggs or omelettes from our server as part of the package. Well, our server, Habib, recommended the salmon, goat cheese and asparagus omelet. Oh my God, it was so tasty! If you get the opportunity to have an omelet here, try that one. I can make a ham and cheese omelet myself but I would not ordinarily have salmon in an omelet. I'm also very much a "when in Rome" person in that I like to try local specialties, like salmon in this case. DM and I shared the omelet. And the strawberries! They were incredible. They were huge and tasted like strawberries. I'm sure some of you are saying, what is she talking about?! You should know that the so called strawberries that we purchase in Alberta, out of season, are picked underripe and are somehow forced to turn red on their way up from wherever they are grown. They are usually tasteless. Some are decent but it's a bit of a crapshoot at the grocery stores. Locally grown strawberries are fabulous, in June. These ones that we had today were wonderful. DM isn't supposed to eat fruit right now but these were worthy of breaking her diet. She only had one (but the stem end was larger than the diameter of a kiwi fruit!).

 

After breakfast, we went for another walk around Canada Place, to see the provisioning of the ships. The Zuiderdam and the Coral Princess were loading up tons of food! The Amsterdam not at all. They were cleaning the hull of the ship. I guess they will load the provisions in Seattle tomorrow. Will we get leftovers tonight?!

 

I've had some issues with the hotel wifi. It worked fine this morning but not since just before breakfast. But it's not worth complaining about, particularly if it's due to user error! I'll upload this once I'm on the ship, unless the cruise terminal has free wifi.

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Alberta Quilter

Alberta Quilter

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May 17/14 cont'd

 

The bellman, at the hotel, suggested we delay embarking as long as possible because there was only one immigration agent processing the pax for three ships. That was at noon. We left the room around 1:30. Because it was the first busy day here this season, they started people in the convention centre first. We went there and because DM was using her cane, we had a very easy and quick process. DM sat in a wheelchair and a HAL rep took us back to the hotel to take us down in the elevator to the cruiseship level. From there, we were whisked through immigration and security and taken directly to our cabin, shortly after 2 pm. Our luggage had made it to the cabin before we did!! We heard later that some in transit pax were kept waiting to re board with the newly embarking pax for as long as two hours! I don't understand the delay; when we went through, there were several immigration agents.

 

We were pleasantly surprised to see that we were assigned early fixed dining at 5:45 pm. We were only allowed to book open dining because of it being a one day cruise. Mom had a BBQ chicken salad and I had turkey - yes, it was real turkey, not processed. It was very tasty. So was the apple strudel, even though there were raisins (I call them dead grapes) in it.

 

This is the first cruise for which I have completed the gluten free request form, second cruise since trying to minimize the gluten that I consume. I only have a sensitivity to gluten so I am able to cheat a little. I had to send in the form twice, one for each segment. I was impressed when in the MDR for dinner, that the steward brought me two slices of gluten free bread shortly after we sat down. I hadn't even requested bread on my form! I thought that was impressive considering this was the one day segment. Now that I think about it, maybe that's why we were assigned early fixed dining.

 

The casino is open on this one day cruise. The question came up here on CC recently so wanted to report on that, too.

 

I inquired about the internet packages. The old pricing remains in effect. I asked about the recent pricing change on the Zuiderdam and she told me they were testing the pricing on that ship only. She also said that there were no embarkation specials being offered anymore. If we have access to the coupon booklets from travel agencies, we can use them after purchasing our package. Because we expect to receive the coupon booklets on the first day of our second segment, I will hold off on purchasing the package until then (tomorrow).

 

There were two Happy Hours (two for one plus $1) today; from 4-5 and from 10-11 in both the Ocean Bar and the Crowsnest. We had a mojito, after the muster drill, during Happy Hour. We have to ease into using the SBP that we will get, starting tomorrow, with the Explore4 promotion. Frankly, as I can go for some time without drinking any alcohol, DM is more of a drinker than I am. However, when I am on a cruise, I do enjoy a daily mojito or two; I don't have to drive! For the 14 day segment, it's all free with the promo! DM is looking forward to having a beer at lunch. I've also told her about the Bloody Mary cart, aka the breakfast salad! We haven't seen it yet but will keep looking. Mom's hoping they will make her a Ceasar! Good thing for HAL that we are light drinkers!

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AlohaPride

AlohaPride

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I have my fingers crossed and hope all the cruises have as good of weather as we had in 2011. :D

 

Thank you! We don't get much rain on our part of our island, so even if it rains we'll enjoy it! We are buying our girls rain coats and hiking boots ;)

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

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vbmom87

vbmom87

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Thank you, AQ, for the posts!! I was so excited to read about the gluten free options!!

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

If you need/want gluten free options on the cruise, I suggest you fill out the proper forms well before your cruise.

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AlohaPride

AlohaPride

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If you need/want gluten free options on the cruise, I suggest you fill out the proper forms well before your cruise.

 

I did all the online check in and didn't see forms. Do I need to ask my TA for them?

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

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vbmom87

vbmom87

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I did all the online check in and didn't see forms. Do I need to ask my TA for them?

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

If you booked with a TA s/he should be able to start the process for you.

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Alberta Quilter

Alberta Quilter

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I did all the online check in and didn't see forms. Do I need to ask my TA for them?

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

Yes, there is a form. Your TA can get the form for you. It's supposed to be sent in at least 30 days in advance. I sent a copy to the half acts website but I don't know if it's been posted yet.

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Alberta Quilter

Alberta Quilter

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I know everyone wants to know when the formal days are!

 

They are:

 

First sea day

ISP day

Kodiak day

Last sea day

 

Will submit today's report later, once I've written it! Suffice it to say I have the utmost respect for POA1 and his team of research assistants. I got hammered this afternoon after three, count 'em, three mojitos!!!! And then we had to try the Wang Wang just because we had read about it here. Luckily, we had to leave for dinner so I could sober up! I can't imagine how POA did it!

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AlohaPride

AlohaPride

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I know everyone wants to know when the formal days are!

 

They are:

 

First sea day

ISP day

Kodiak day

Last sea day

 

Will submit today's report later, once I've written it! Suffice it to say I have the utmost respect for POA1 and his team of research assistants. I got hammered this afternoon after three, count 'em, three mojitos!!!! And then we had to try the Wang Wang just because we had read about it here. Luckily, we had to leave for dinner so I could sober up! I can't imagine how POA did it!

 

I can't WAIT to read it!! I LOVE the Wang Wang!!

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Alberta Quilter

Alberta Quilter

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A one day cruise is definitely a different cruise. There were many young people, multi generational families, stagettes, and the like. Some people were definitely here to party. Some little things I noticed is that our stateroom did not have the fruit basket or the book with the regular room service menu. No complaining here, it's just an observation. I suspect that they don't want to give the one day cruisers any ideas about running the room service attendants ragged.

 

I think most people had come through the Canal and up the coast. I had read on another thread that there were 100 people who boarded in Vancouver. Surprisingly, to me, is that the Lido was self serve yesterday. I guess the influx of new pax wasn't significant to go into Code Orange.

 

We had to change rooms today, to the cabin next door. We didn't really unpack yesterday; we packed most of what we required in our carry on. We had to pack everything up today and Housekeeping did the transfer. We did have to keep our valuables with us. We had locked our luggage. Everything was intact upon our arrival in the new room, as expected.

 

Today, we had only a few hours in Seattle. We chose to take a food and history tour of Pike Place Market. There were seven people on the tour. We wandered through PPM, stopping at various spots to taste their specialties. I think we went to eight or nine places. If you do this type of tour, you will want to be hungry when you start! The tour took almost three hours. In between stops, the guide gave us the history of the market. It was quite interesting. Our feet were hurting, and the tour was a little too hard on DM because there was a lot of standing. We hadn't thought to bring the little collapsible stool, that my sister gave DM, on this trip.

 

The tour started at one end of the market and went to the other end. We had hoped to purchase flowers for the cabin but the tour ended some distance past the flower vendors so we didn't backtrack. Mom simply was too tired, and my feet hurt! The guide assisted us by calling a taxi to take us back to the ship.

 

We stopped at the front desk to get our new room cards. Our new room was glowing from those bright, shiny gold cards for the SBP!!! They were just begging to be used! Well, as we were both suffering from dehydration, off we went to the Ocean Bar. We no longer have to wait for Happy Hour. Every hour is happy for those who have an SBP, especially if it's a free, Explore4 SBP!

 

Mom had a beer and I had two glasses of ice water and a mojito. I really was dehydrated, and I do tend to drink my mojitos very quickly. After muster drill, I met some of the roll call members for sail away. Well, one thing led to another, we ended up using our SBP cards again. And again, when DM joined us. Then one person asked if anyone had tried a Wang Wang that we had read so much about here on CC; none of us had. So, in the name of research, another member of the group ordered two Wang Wangs and several straws! Some liked it; I wasn't fond of it. BTW, Wang Wangs are under $7 so they are within the SBP card restrictions.

 

Well, by this time, I could barely see straight! Three mojitos and an inch of a Wang Wang in three hours and I was about to slide under the table! I looked at my watch and gasped. It was time for dinner. (Oh, early fixed dining is at 5:45 on this cruise.). How will I ever get even close to fifteen drinks in one day!

 

Off we went to dinner. We have Table 37 (thank you, halfacts.com!). I had requested that table, or the one next to it, after reading some posts about requesting specific tables. We are sitting with another CC member and her husband, and a couple from London, England. We had a most enjoyable dinner. Three had trout, two had the pork bucco, and one had a dinner salad. Dinner helped me to sober up! Mom used her SBP to order her after dinner cappuccino in the MDR. She missed having those after they started charging for them. Now she can have them for free with the SBP. I'm sure HAL likes that she uses her SBP for a $1.75 item than a $7 item!

 

Since there is interest in the gluten free info, there was no GF bread offered tonight as there was last night. But the maître d' came by to confirm the info. I did advise that I do not require, or want, GF bread every night. It's just too much to eat with all the other food. The GF food, requested on the applicable form, is only available in the MDR. The one thing I requested was GF English muffins for my eggs Benedict. I was so looking forward to that this morning, and I ended up disappointed. The eggs Benny came on GF bread, not English muffins. It was okay but eggs Benny really requires the muffin to sop up all the yolk and hollandaise sauce! I'll give it another try tomorrow, since the ship got more provisions today. I'm hoping that the GF English muffins were in today's shipment.

 

I will report more tomorrow as we cruise on up to Ketchikan.

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utahtea

utahtea

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I know everyone wants to know when the formal days are!

 

They are:

 

First sea day

ISP day

Kodiak day

Last sea day

 

Will submit today's report later, once I've written it! Suffice it to say I have the utmost respect for POA1 and his team of research assistants. I got hammered this afternoon after three, count 'em, three mojitos!!!! And then we had to try the Wang Wang just because we had read about it here. Luckily, we had to leave for dinner so I could sober up! I can't imagine how POA did it!

 

Our last sea day on the 14 day June 22 Alaska cruise is the Fourth of July. I'll have to think red, white and blue.

 

Utahtea

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