BTimmer's Almost Live - Zuiderdam 1/2-30/22 -San Diego to Florida RT

[leerathje]

On 1/16/2022 at 2:20 PM, cruzingnut said:

 

They didn't go over to the Eurodam?  From a source I cannot name, supposedly, the N.A. is only taking on new crew to quarantine prior to them going to their assigned ships.

 

I watched the entire sailaway on the webcams, and listened to the marine chatter on the radio.  There were 14 staff from Rotterdam and 11 staff from Zuiderdam transferred to the Nieuw Amsterdam.  There also may have been some Princess staff involved as well, but I cannot confirm it. I did hear Princess' tender was down.

 

From left to right:  Eurodam in the rear, Nieuw Amsterdam with the tender right beside her, a tender at the end of the pier between the Nieuw Amsterdam and Zuiderdam, the Zuiderdam, and then lastly Rotterdam with a tender just launched as well.

[Btimmer]

On 1/16/2022 at 6:58 PM, 0106 said:

Looked at your blog,  most recent update was day 14, Almost Half Moon Cay.  Have you updated?  Interested in learning about your “interruption”

 

I’ve been looking at the dinner menus on the app.  Seems like many repeats.  Are you getting tired of the same food?  We will be on the 2/13 cruise.

 

Thanks for all the info you have provided.

 

Below is a post that didn't timely post.

 

We're still experiencing day 15.

 

Re: food, we generally eat in the Lido and variety hasn't been an issue.  But I'm probably a boring eater.  For breakfast it's  2 eggs over broken, 2 raw salmon, tomatoes, a potato patty, a sausage patty , and a piece of bacon.  It's all washed down by a glass of cranberry juice and green tea.  Lunch have been sushi rolls but I'm changing course for the second half of our voyage.

[Btimmer]

@leerathje, thanks for the intel.  The Zuiderdam had lifeboat 16 in the water until just before departure according to my Marine traffic app.

 

Tim

[0106]

Thanks so much for responding to my question about the variety of food.  I have never been a fan of buffets but they make me even more nervous because of COVID.  Seems I read that most (all?) food is served to you at the buffet which is something of a comfort.  I was more concerned about the choices in the main dining room at dinner.  I have enjoyed your pictures of the food in the specialty restaurants.  

[zelker]

Is HAL still supplying face masks and if so, how many and what kind (i.e., surgical, cloth, KN95 ...)?  Trying to figure out what we need to bring when we board Zuiderdam on February 27th.  Thx.

[Btimmer]

33 minutes ago, zelker said:

Is HAL still supplying face masks and if so, how many and what kind (i.e., surgical, cloth, KN95 ...)?  Trying to figure out what we need to bring when we board Zuiderdam on February 27th.  Thx.

Initially in San Diego, we were provided a supply of simple surgical masks.  Guests boarding in Florida were provided with N95 masks.  Two days ago I requested an N95 and it was delivered to the stateroom.

 

That being said, we brought along a number of cloth masks and a few N95 masks.  When wearing cloth masks we double up with a surgical mask inside the cloth mask.

 

I hope this helps.

[Btimmer]

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

Thanks so much for responding to my question about the variety of food.  I have never been a fan of buffets but they make me even more nervous because of COVID.  Seems I read that most (all?) food is served to you at the buffet which is something of a comfort.  I was more concerned about the choices in the main dining room at dinner.  I have enjoyed your pictures of the food in the specialty restaurants.  

I have no fear of the food or delivery system in the LIDO.  One can't self serve food there.  I'll try to post pictures of MDR menus.

 

Thanks for following along.  It's a sunny day today (Tuesday) sailing in the Caribbean towards Cartagena.

[mocruzer]

11 hours ago, leerathje said:

I watched the entire sailaway on the webcams, and listened to the marine chatter on the radio.  There were 14 staff from Rotterdam and 11 staff from Zuiderdam transferred to the Nieuw Amsterdam.  There also may have been some Princess staff involved as well, but I cannot confirm it. I did hear Princess' tender was down.

I couldn't hear the marine chatter, so thanks for the intel.   

 

 

[zelker]

14 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

Initially in San Diego, we were provided a supply of simple surgical masks.  Guests boarding in Florida were provided with N95 masks.  Two days ago I requested an N95 and it was delivered to the stateroom.

 

That being said, we brought along a number of cloth masks and a few N95 masks.  When wearing cloth masks we double up with a surgical mask inside the cloth mask.

 

I hope this helps.

"It" being they only gave you one N95??  Would they give you more if you asked for them?  Are they the ones that have ear straps or the straps that go behind your head?

 

We plan to bring a couple cloth masks to wear over surgical masks as well since they fit closer to our face than surgical masks do on their own.  

 

Thanks!

[mocruzer]

12 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

I'll try to post pictures of MDR menus.

That would be great.  Wishing you a continued safe journey.  Will you have to be tested again before the panama canal?

[jlnprt]

We boarded in Ft. Lauderdale and we're provided with a package of 6 N95 masks.

[jeh10641]

Hello, 0106, 

My wife and I were on Rotterdam 12/01/21. The food in the Lido buffet was delicious, served to us (in quantity) and with a wide variety. We ate every breakfast and 8 of 11 lunches there. Drinks were brought to our table. We sat in the same area each time and the servers got to know us and brought our drinks without having to tell them (Cranberry juice, ice tea, etc.). I gave a couple cash at the end of the trip because they were so attentive.

 

In the Main Dining Room (MDR), where ate dinner every night but four (specialty), the menu changed enough so that it was not boring. My cousin, who is gluten free, had no problems with the menus. At times, the staff was even able to make nongluten items, gluten free.

 

Have fun on your cruise.

 

Jim

[zelker]

37 minutes ago, jlnprt said:

We boarded in Ft. Lauderdale and we're provided with a package of 6 N95 masks.

Are they the ones with ear loops or the bands that go behind your head? 

 

And was that 6 for each person or 6 for the stateroom?

 

Thanks!

 

Edited January 18, 2022 by zelker

[Playin Pickleball]

3 hours ago, 0106 said:

Thanks so much for responding to my question about the variety of food.  I have never been a fan of buffets but they make me even more nervous because of COVID.  Seems I read that most (all?) food is served to you at the buffet which is something of a comfort.  I was more concerned about the choices in the main dining room at dinner.  I have enjoyed your pictures of the food in the specialty restaurants.  

I second the notion that the serving at the buffet feels safe and the variety of food is terrific. In the MDR, the breakfast and lunch menus are the same everyday. There is an incredible variety of delicious breakfast choices. There aren't as many choices at lunch time, but they are all quite good.  The MDR dinner menus seem to rotate, so there have been some repeats. But there are always good choices on them for meat and non-meat eaters. The chefs have a particularly deft hand with all the fish they have been serving and the variety of fish has been impressive.

[Btimmer]

2 hours ago, zelker said:

"It" being they only gave you one N95??  Would they give you more if you asked for them?  Are they the ones that have ear straps or the straps that go behind your head?

 

We plan to bring a couple cloth masks to wear over surgical masks as well since they fit closer to our face than surgical masks do on their own.  

 

Thanks!

I'm sure I can request more masks.  I was surprised they only provided one. They are the ones that go behind the ears but I added a string to make a strap around my head.

[Btimmer]

1 hour ago, jeh10641 said:

Hello, 0106, 

My wife and I were on Rotterdam 12/01/21. The food in the Lido buffet was delicious, served to us (in quantity) and with a wide variety. We ate every breakfast and 8 of 11 lunches there. Drinks were brought to our table. We sat in the same area each time and the servers got to know us and brought our drinks without having to tell them (Cranberry juice, ice tea, etc.). I gave a couple cash at the end of the trip because they were so attentive.

 

In the Main Dining Room (MDR), where ate dinner every night but four (specialty), the menu changed enough so that it was not boring. My cousin, who is gluten free, had no problems with the menus. At times, the staff was even able to make nongluten items, gluten free.

 

Have fun on your cruise.

 

Jim

We were on that same cruise.

[Btimmer]

2 hours ago, mocruzer said:

That would be great.  Wishing you a continued safe journey.  Will you have to be tested again before the panama canal?

It appears not as we have received no notices, but we are 2 days away from entering.

[zelker]

Just now, Btimmer said:

It appears not as we have received no notices, but we are 2 days away from entering.

Since you won't have disembarked anywhere between embarking in FLL and going through the Canal, I wonder if they won't require one. 

 

When we went sailed on Viking Orion from FLL to LA at Thanksgiving, we were tested every morning (and we did have two port stops prior to entering the Canal), so if it was a requirement, it was never mentioned specifically, and we'd have been covered anyway by virtue of our daily tests.

[Navybikermom]

Are they doing the photos in the atrium on gala nights? If so, do you have to wear a mask for it?

[Btimmer]

3 minutes ago, Navybikermom said:

Are they doing the photos in the atrium on gala nights? If so, do you have to wear a mask for it?

Masks are not required for photos, and they are taking them in the atrium and throughout the ship.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

5 hours ago, zelker said:

Is HAL still supplying face masks and if so, how many and what kind (i.e., surgical, cloth, KN95 ...)?  Trying to figure out what we need to bring when we board Zuiderdam on February 27th.  Thx.

Always bring your own.

[Btimmer]

We have another Covid-19 test scheduled for tomorrow (1/19) the day before we transit the Panama Canal.  See the copy of the letter below.

 

[zelker]

They were tested again today on the Koningsdam on the way to Hawaii.

 

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by zelker

[Btimmer]

I also noted that the Catholic service is being 'led by the congregation' which is not normal.  My wife said that Ian told the coffee chat crowd that the priest tested positive and couldn't board the ship in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

For the Humanity dance show tonight, one male dancer was missing, and the show went off without a hitch including the difficult painting sketch.

[Btimmer]

We're in a category L inside aft on deck 7.  Room 7109.  We like the room for sleeping.  Otherwise we're never there.