Live from Nieuw Amsterdam 14-Day Alaska Explorer

[Crew News]

7 minutes ago, POA1 said:

It's not a Drydock. Some charters won't show up on Hal's site, particularly if they're not for public booking.

Since I am booked from the 6th - 21st, I will be more than angry if I am booted for a charter.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

2 minutes ago, Crew News said:

Since I am booked from the 6th - 21st, I will be more than angry if I am booted for a charter.

 

 

Hopefully no surprise charter called "Nieuwde Amsterdam" 🤣

[Crew News]

The Nieuw Amsterdam has turned and is now sheltered a bit by Elizabeth Island.  The seas have calmed but a minor list still is present. Food Service will begin in ten minutes with no guidance on how.

 

My Room Stewards are doing damage assessment and noted that my bathroom drain has overflowed.  My cleaning nearly completed,  Five of their staterooms lost all of their glassware so lots of vacuuming to be done.

 

The Captain kept everyone informed during the last hours and we have weathered the storm (mighty close to a typhoon as far as I am concerned). 

[Zagqwest]

29 minutes ago, Crew News said:

The Nieuw Amsterdam has turned and is now sheltered a bit by Elizabeth Island.  The seas have calmed but a minor list still is present. Food Service will begin in ten minutes with no guidance on how.

 

My Room Stewards are doing damage assessment and noted that my bathroom drain has overflowed.  My cleaning nearly completed,  Five of their staterooms lost all of their glassware so lots of vacuuming to be done.

 

The Captain kept everyone informed during the last hours and we have weathered the storm (mighty close to a typhoon as far as I am concerned). 

Watched the action unfold from Tamarind Bar. Lots of panels from the main pool cover and pieces of the cabanas behind crows nest flew off the side of the ship. Amazing to watch.

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, Zagqwest said:

Watched the action unfold from Tamarind Bar. Lots of panels from the main pool cover and pieces of the cabanas behind crows nest flew off the side of the ship. Amazing to watch.

We'll definitely have something to talk about when those back home ask about our cruises.

[Crew News]

23 hours ago, Crew News said:

Miscellaneous Items:

• Guest Services says large Mariner luncheon this cruise.

 

There was a miscommunication from the head of Guest Services.  What she meant to say was that there would be a Mariner Recognition ceremony.  Not a luncheon.

[Crew News]

23 hours ago, Crew News said:

 

Duplicate post.

Edited May 11, 2023 by Crew News

[Stateroom_Sailor]

The food: 

 

So far all our meals in the MDR have been excellent, including after the chaos with the weather today.  There may be an extra pasta dish as an option, and all salads and appetizers are lumped together (which of course you could choose 2), but I see no significant decline in the food offered.  One passenger paid $20 for a lobster tail, and claimed it was so big she couldn't eat it all.  Maybe it is because we're in Alaska, but this deviates from other reports of small and tough lobster experienced elsewhere.

 

The buffet is as good as we remember it being.  Pinnacle Grill was excellent, a bit too much food though.  We ended up cancelling Mother's Day Brunch because I would rather have a lighter meal before dinner.  We had hotdogs for lunch today, The Dive-In being the only junk food we've ever enjoyed at sea.  HAL's pizza, maybe it is better fresh, but I thought it was too greasy and tasted like Little Caesars.

 

Tamarind is scheduled for later this cruise, and I can never get enough Thai food!

 

 

 

[POA1]

12 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

December 2nd - December 16th ?

Can you find out what is happening between October 1st and October 21st as nothing is listed on the HAL site and I cannot find any charters being offered.

Thanks.

Can you check the voyage # on your booking docs? There should be a way to look it up from that. You can email it to to me using my email in my signature.

[VMax1700]

2 hours ago, POA1 said:

Can you check the voyage # on your booking docs? There should be a way to look it up from that. You can email it to to me using my email in my signature.

I think you have misquoted me........😂 Always wanted to say that!

Actually think you intended to quote a different post perhaps?

 

[VMax1700]

6 hours ago, Crew News said:

Since I am booked from the 6th - 21st, I will be more than angry if I am booted for a charter.

I must hold my hand up here and say that it seems like I messed up possible dry dock dates as I could not find any cruise listed for 6 - 21st.  Then tonight they appeared on my pc.  I believe I must have had too many filters selected when I was checking the various ships deployments.  There are so many 'tours' offered in Alaska, that finding the core cruises to check for charters is a slow process and I may have left some filter in place which did not show the 6th - 21st cruises.  I suspect I left the 'Embarkation Port' filter in place with Vancouver selected.

Knuckles suitably rapped.

Hope the weather settles soon.

[POA1]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

I think you have misquoted me........😂 Always wanted to say that!

Actually think you intended to quote a different post perhaps?

 

Sorry. I thought you were looking for the status of a cruise that was no longer showing on the HAL site.

[aliaschief]

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience. Always good information.

[SightCRR]

NA approaching downtown ANC.  

[SightCRR]

One more. 

[redbanshee]

On 5/8/2023 at 4:01 PM, lij1972 said:

On the same cruise too.  About 3.5 hrs to get in.  

Experiences seem varied as it took us 1hour 20 minutes to board. So far en enjoyable cruise ; especially appreciated how Captain and crew handled our adventure at sea yesterday….that was some weather we experienced 

[lij1972]

1 minute ago, redbanshee said:

Experiences seem varied as it took us 1hour 20 minutes to board. So far en enjoyable cruise ; especially appreciated how Captain and crew handled our adventure at sea yesterday….that was some weather we experienced 

Yesterday was definitely an adventure. I had drawers opening and nightstands going for walks in my room. My parents had black water come out of their bathroom, drain and had the balcony partition gotten loose and banging against the balcony door. My phone was reading a constant list of 8° peeking at 10° from when I had my phone on.

[redbanshee]

Morning in Anchorage …..Will be a nice day for sure !

[Copper10-8]

3 hours ago, redbanshee said:

Morning in Anchorage …..Will be a nice day for sure !

 

 

 

 

 

Gotta love that C-17 Globemaster II from Elmendorf, thanks!

[Hlitner]

21 hours ago, Crew News said:

As long as the cello player does not start playing, all should be fine in a few hours according to the map.

 

Captain did report some bars are still open.

That is not acceptable.  When the ship is rocking, the bars should also be rocking :).  But glad to hear they had some bars open.  😁

 

Hank

[Zagqwest]

Thanks to yesterdays festivities, I have a new roommate drying up the flooding.

[SightCRR]

NA leaving downtown ANC. Mt Susitna in the background. 

[Crew News]

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

That is not acceptable.  When the ship is rocking, the bars should also be rocking :).  But glad to hear they had some bars open.  😁

 

Hank

Unfortunately, the ship was not rocking, just leaned waaaay to the port side for several hours. 

[Crew News]

When I opened my curtains this morning, I was greeted with partly cloudy and after the previous turmoil, all was right in the world.

My third in the past three purchased excursions was cancelled because the vendor decided to not return for the season until tomorrow.  Another sea day equivalent for me and a chance to catch up on my photo review of Volendam, seek more answers to questions, and scan menus/programs.

While eating lunch in the Lido Market, a server with a "Seafood Boil" sign was seeking diners for a special meal in the LIdo Market tomorrow evening.  With the slow MDR service my first night aboard the ship still in my memory, I jumped at the chance to experience something new for $35.  I will report back tomorrow if it was a worthwhile decision.

I posed the question of a drydock date to Guest Services and was told that they were not permitted to give out that information.  Two bartenders confirmed the first week of December.

 

I learned that HAL lost a lot of beverage servers to Royal Caribbean post-COVID because they were offered hiring bonuses and promotion to bartenders (after training).  Lots of first-contract crew on this ship.

Overhearing an elevator conversation, I learned that Northern Lights are expected around midnight.  With camera in hand and tomorrow a sea day for sleeping late, I will be on my aft balcony.

A special thanks to those onboard for contributing to this thread, especially the photos.

Miscellaneous Musings:

• After much deep thought, considering the coefficients of friction and mass,  factoring in Newton's laws of gravity, and respecting human factors engineering principles, yesterdays listing/leaning of the ship was equivalent to raising one end of a Thanksgiving food-laden table approximately 12 inches.
• Tamarind workers reported that when they looked out the port-side windows, they saw only the ocean...no sky.
• In my last seven Specialty Restaurant meals, attendance appeared to be less than two thirds of capacity.
• All of bar menus have been uploaded ,as were MDR table maps for Volendam and NIeuw Amsterdam.
• "Let us know" kudos take 48 hours to reach recipients on this ship.
• The large shrimp crisp sin the Tamarind have changed to pre-shaped and  bagged with a quick fry before serving.
• With only one of the three authorized Sommeliers present, the Cellar Master covers the the two levels of the MDR.
• I have a bowl of potato chips now awaiting me at each Late Snack.
• No crackers could be found in the Lido Market.
• Although a Mariner free drink card was received on Volendam last week, no cards were provided by the Nieuw Amsterdam.
• The internet continues to be at reasonable speed when my phone acts as a host for a hotspot USB link to my laptop.
• Chocolate chip cookies are quite good.
• Highlights of tomorrow's sea day are "How to use binoculars" followed by a dash to poolside for "Simon Says - Seriously."

 

More tomorrow.

 

[Stateroom_Sailor]

A couple complaints:

 

1.  Cuts or temporary vacuum in the Lincoln Center Stage.  As of about a week ago, it was still featured on the website.  We only enjoyed this more in passing, so not a huge deal, but it was a nice option to sit down to.

 

2.  We may have been a bit naive with the footprint analysis, but the spa area put on a good pitch for the Good Feet arch supports.  Looking at company ratings and podiatrist reviews, I don't believe they should be selling these on the ship.  Instead, customers would be better served with custom orthotic inserts with padding, with the intention of temporary correction and/or during athletics, not a permanent piece of (pseudo medical) plastic in your shoe.

 

We were scheduled for a checkup 3 days later, which had not even a follow-up question about the inserts, but rather a pitch to sell us other things.  At least we only blew OBC...

 

3.  The internet is atrocious.  I can refresh a time or two to upload a website, but anything that requires several steps with consistent connection, forget it.  In the middle of a storm in the Pacific, or docked in Anchorage, makes no difference.  We sell on an online platform, that is requesting a credit card update, and I've got quite a challenge trying to make it happen.  I've been at it for an hour, and am paused for another hour from too many attempts.  I may have to wait for Valdez to take care of this over my phone.

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2023 by Stateroom_Sailor