HAL offering longer cruises from US

[rkacruiser]

9 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

We were on the Amsterdam in 2018 and docked downtown.  The Westerdam docked about a half an hour away.  But what made the downtown docking so spectacular was being entertained by the light shows displayed on the commercial buildings partially surrounding the port.  That was a sight!  I doubt that this will be accessible to the Zuiderdam in '24.  More 's the pity.  

 

Surely are advantages to be docked where you were as compared to where I was.  My visit to the Shanghai Museum was cut slightly short so that we could return to the Volendam docked--as you said--30 minutes away.  

[Tampa Girl]

17 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Surely are advantages to be docked where you were as compared to where I was.  My visit to the Shanghai Museum was cut slightly short so that we could return to the Volendam docked--as you said--30 minutes away.  

 

That was bad luck, considering had there been space in the downtown basin, the Volendam's size would have permitted docking.  It is the same size as the Amsterdam, I believe.

[Btimmer]

7 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

That was bad luck, considering had there been space in the downtown basin, the Volendam's size would have permitted docking.  It is the same size as the Amsterdam, I believe.

A few years ago we were in the Volendam docked in downtown.  Fog delayed our departure for a day plus, and if allowed for more sightseeing.

[echoshipmate]

On 8/26/2022 at 9:17 PM, DAllenTCY said:

Zuiderdam round trip from San Diego October 3, 2022....45 nights

 

Koningsdam round trip from San Diego February 18, 2023...35 nights

 

Volendam round trip from San Diego October 2, 2023....51 nights

 

David

 

 

 

Volendam round trip from San Diego Jan 4, 2024 ......94 nights sail around Australia

 

Doug

[Tampa Girl]

1 hour ago, echoshipmate said:

Volendam round trip from San Diego Jan 4, 2024 ......94 nights sail around Australia

 

Doug

  That is a new Grand Australia voyage, isn't it?

[rafinmd]

3 hours ago, Btimmer said:

A few years ago we were in the Volendam docked in downtown.  Fog delayed our departure for a day plus, and if allowed for more sightseeing.

 

3 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

That was bad luck, considering had there been space in the downtown basin, the Volendam's size would have permitted docking.  It is the same size as the Amsterdam, I believe.

At least as of 2017 downtown basis could accommodate 2 R-Class ships in the downtown basin.  I was on the Amsterdam with the Volendam immediately in front of us:

 

 

If the Volendam was in the outer terminal it was probably because of other ships being there.  I think the Vistas and later may have bridge clearance issues.

 

Roy

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

That was bad luck, considering had there been space in the downtown basin, the Volendam's size would have permitted docking.  It is the same size as the Amsterdam, I believe.

 

The problem was a very late departure from our previous port--whatever it's name was--for Bejing.  Immigration claimed that there was a problem with what the ship provided and what they had related to the crew onboard.  The ship missed its "sailing window" and had to wait until the next one.  Then, because of the late arrival at Shanghai, we missed the tide that was required for us to dock downtown.  

 

When we finally dropped our last Chinese pilot from our last Chinese port, Captain Harris came on the PA and we could hear the release of his frustrations with these Chinese  functionaries.  

[echoshipmate]

21 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

  That is a new Grand Australia voyage, isn't it?

Yes, I believe so. Have flirted with it, but Volendam is not my fav.

Doug

[gwenmarie]

I enjoyed the South American cruises from the west coast, now they begin or end in Florida. I would like to see a Panama Canal cruise with embark or disembark in Boston or NYC