Prinsendam 2006 Circle of the Sun, About to begin...

[raadsel]

Ides,

 

Thank you so much for letting us share in your travels. Your writing style and humor reminded me, at times, to Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat, it seemed all you were missing was the dog. I don't think I've ever been so disappointed to have a cruise end (at least the cruise of someone other than myself).

[Ides of March]

Gruxy managed to sort out her login problems and was up past midnight last nite choosing and reducing pics for her blog. I think she is up to Malta and intends to go the distance. Enjoy.

 

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Gruxy/

 

Ides

[freddie]

Ides & Grux - Humor, pathos, beautiful photos, and utterly charming story-telling. For what more could we envious groupies of your journals ask? Perhaps a few great off-color jokes? Oh, yes, we got those, too!! Ides, your writing style is remarkably more coherent, while enormously entertaining, than that of the majority of members of our disreputable profession. Are you sure that you're a patent geek? (As a corporate geek - recently retired - I worked with many IP lawyers but never with one who could write a laugh-out-loud sentence.) And now that you're determined to give a cruise line other than HAL (which is indeed in danger of being Carnivore-ized), you should consider trying our favorite, RSSC (previously Radisson, renamed Regent). We would certainly enjoy cruising with you (provided that you didn't drive the rental van, of course). Cheers, Fred

[Ides of March]

Well I guess I owe dear old HAL an apology for at least one of my comments. In my last post I disparaged Special Services for denying us the platinum coverage on trip cancellation when other canuck's had purchased it and so I brought it to the attention of my TA. Turns out I booked back in January 2005 when their carrier didn't extend such coverage to Northern Heathens but HAL changed their insurance carrier in May who did and my friends must have booked after that time. An apology is due and extended.

In my defence the lady booking future cruises on the PDam who knew of the new set up indicated she "thought" the change had been about a year ago thus lighting my fuse.

 

I must admit that the irritations that I felt and expressed about HAL are now dimming as the whole experience begins to fade into one glorious memory. This is not to say they are anywhere near perfect but to one approaching such standard, it can be vexing.

 

Grux and I went with a majority of our kids to a IMAX double feature today and saw films on Greece and Kilimanjaro/ East Africa. Wow, what a difference it makes when you have recently been there (or have flown very closley by as with the mountain).

 

On our return I wondered if it was worth dumping a whole lot of cash into travel when you are still working and have infrastructure yet to build (a garage and woodworking shop at the cottage), children yet to educate, and the need for a bigger pontoon boat than the one you already own better to entertain the new friends you made on the World Voyage. I would have spent all necessary resourses in a heartbeat but as I told you Grux is a tightwas and won't let me. Now I beleive the answer is yes it was worth it as the tool shed will eventually get built, the kids will graduate and self support (I pray) , but we never would have met such close and dear friends as they are at all had we not travelled in such a context. Would I do it again, You Bet. Will I? Grux says she will but I think never that long again. Baltic 2007? We`will see.

 

Anyway what was meant as a short apology turned into a diatribe. As the comics say "I digest"

 

Nice to post again.

 

Ides

[Grumpy1]

We're a little further along the road as far as making decisions about allocating the resources, but we have gotten comments from friends/family about how could we spend that much money on one vacation. Obviously, they haven't done it or they would know that it was absolutely worth it. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat!

 

Toward the end of your cruise, I sensed that you were ready for it to come to an end, and that is quite understandable, considering that you do have all of those other parts of life that need tending to. Being retired and more flexible, the cruising life is perfect for us. We're really looking forward to the Rotterdam in a few more weeks... along with the other cruises we have booked.

 

Like you, we also had a few things happen that irritated us a bit, but as you have found, those items tend to settle to the bottom and the wonderful memories rise to the top. Thanks for coming back to let us know your thoughts in retrospect... and enjoy shopping for Pontoondam.:D

[HeatherInFlorida]

Ides, somehow I missed this as your journey progressed but I was so thrilled to read it today. You write with an amazing style and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading it in total.

 

I'm a little concerned about the noise and vibration because we're going to be in cabin #197 (Aft, Promenade Deck) when we sail Prinsendam for 10 days in December. I don't mind a bit of vibration, but I just hope it's not too loud.

 

Still, I'm so looking forward to cruising on this ship having a fondness for the old Royal Viking Line and smaller ships in general.

 

Thank you so much for this amazing review.

[waunabcruizin]

Ides and Grux - I just found these entries today. All I can say is WOW! I was completely engrossed and utterly blown away. Thank you so very much for painting the world in such vivid colors for those of us who likely will never get to see it. Your writing is absolutely wonderful. I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to read it. Thank you again.

 

Carol (and Linda)

[Ides of March]

Greetings all:

 

I thought I would announce to those who remember this thread (or care) that I have once again followed Grumpy's lead and am in the process of posting some trip pics at:

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/IdesOfMarch15

 

Grux did the heavy lifting on shot selection so some are posted already on her blog.

 

Enjoy

 

Ides

[zaandam_2]

ides and grux - i remember this thread well. it was very enjoyable. i haven't made it through all your wonderful pictures, yet, but THANKS!

[wandb]

Ides and Grux:

 

Oh, say it is so---have you decided to do the Baltic in 2007? We are booked on the May 30th sailing on the Rotterdam's "Best of the Baltic". It would be great to meet you!!! B.

[boatlover]

Wow! I have gotten very little done today. Can't stop looking at your photos. I keep saying to myself, OK, ONE MORE PORT...

If you remember - what is hanging above the goat heads in Mombassa? Amazing! Thanks!!

[hammybee]

I too finally made the time to savor your voyage. I appreciate the color and had no idea how politically charged such a sailing could become. You can supersize my camel burger too. Thanks for a most enjoyable ride.

[Ides of March]

Wandb

 

We have indeed signed up for the Baltic next summer but we are sailing out of Amsterdam on the Prinsendam on July 10th so it appears we won't be with you. We even have the same cabin as we enjoyed on the Circle cruise right under the Internet Cafe.

 

We were tempted to go for a verandah but with 10 or 11 ports in 14 days we wouldn't have much time to enjoy it so we went with the tried and true.

 

We decided to go on this cruise as many of our great friends from the World Voyage are on it so it will be a great reunion plus the fabulous itinerary. When we finished the big cruise I had had enough and wondered if we would sail again but now I'm counting the days.

 

We actually have another Circle reunion in a few days as our Aussie friends , Bruce and Vicky have just started a cruise from NYC to Quebec City and back on the QE2 and will fly up to spend a week with us after they dock. Leon and Ella from NYC will join us as will Don and Celine from Kingston Ontario and Ross from Toronto who recently entertained us on his yacht in Georgian Bay. Should be a full house at the cottage and I hope there will still be a few colourful leaves remaining. Lots of experiences together to be savoured. Our cruise experience seems to keep on giving>

 

Boatlover

 

Gonads dangle above the goat heads in Mombassa. They are quite soft yet resilient. I'm kidding of course cause I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.I presume they are from some form of large bovine but that is pure supposition. If these markets didn't convert me to vegitarianism, I don't suppose anything will.

 

Glad you're enjoying the pics altho there are probably too many of them.

 

Ides