Bimmer 09 sails APEX to Iceland June 2023

[SeaHunt]

Yoo Hoo life is always better when there's a new Norris GSJ on tap 😁

 

[Silkroad]

33 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

The balcony didn't get a lot of use in Iceland but fab in the UK and for the sunny sailaway from Rotterdam.

We had 8314 for a b2b in the Caribbean this past December. We enjoyed our wake view very much, but not at midday. We had bar soap but I didn’t pack enough shampoo and conditioner. I won’t make that mistake in July!

Edited June 23, 2023 by Silkroad

[kwokpot]

34 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

No bar soap (bring from home) just pumps with bath gel, shampoo and conditioner of unknown origin.

Just an FYI bar soap is indeed provided, all you have to do is ask for them, and you can get as many bars as you like. 

[Bimmer09]

First order of business- hit the buffet for a bite to eat. Le Grande Bistro was open for a fee but we'll get to that later in the cruise. All we need is a plate of food and a drink and we'll eat it outside in the shade.

(Carol's notes tell me I had; Butter chicken, papadum, vegetable paella, lamb curry, Indian cauliflower, fried fish and grilled zucchini . Yikes! She had the paella, goulash, spicy oriental chicken, fried fish, cauliflower gratin, fruit and a pistachio financier. What a variety!!)

 

The typical buffet plate, a mix of this and that from various stations, hot and tasty, slopped onto a plate while trying to avoid other people moving this way and that- it's an unscripted choreography.

                                  NOW WE ARE CRUISING!

 

THE SUNSET BAR is just one flight of steps above and that's where I usually hang out once aboard  for liquid refreshment and an ashtray (starboard side only smoking)

Lots of low furniture with under-knee tables, familiar to me from Azamara. Impractical.

It's pretty packed out here as it's sunny and not windy but I see a couple of spaces around one table featuring 2 cigar smokers. I need those seats and decided an on an ice-breaker...

I walked in among them and shook my finger-"My name is Karen and you need to put out those nasty cigars or I'm going to the Captain! (waving away smoke and coughing theatrically). A moment of silence and amazement then big laughter! Mission accomplished and two new friends made. "take a seat!" LOL.

They then told us that one of the smokers -Andy- his wife was on the way up and her name was ....Karen. Who knew!! She got the joke when she arrived.

 

I spent a couple of hours merrily chatting with Andy who was a camera geek too. Carol had retired to the room to nap.

 

The sun beat down and I got a tan as there is no shade away from the bar-not ideal for sunny climes. 

 

After Andy left I ordered another CAN of Guinness and the waiter  brought me a bottle (ugh)

I ordered  a can of Guinness! We're out of the cans, sir. I checked my watch- 4.30 on the first day of the cruise- you're out and we haven't set sail yet on a 12 days cruise??!! He said they'd get more up to the bar tomorrow....we'll see (they didn't) 

 

Norris, wondering if this is the "Modern Luxury" they sold me.

 

[Silkroad]

13 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

After Andy left I ordered another CAN of Guinness and the waiter  brought me a bottle (ugh)

I ordered  a can of Guinness! We're out of the cans, sir. I checked my watch- 4.30 on the first day of the cruise- you're out and we haven't set sail yet on a 12 days cruise??!! He said they'd get more up to the bar tomorrow....we'll see (they didn't) 

 

Norris, wondering if this is the "Modern Luxury" they sold me.

I’m liking most of your first day thus far. I always head straight for the Indian dishes too😋 Your “Karen” ice breaker was brilliant! I’ve already shared it with my sister who is a smoker. We’ll owe you a Guinness for that one. Oops. No Guinness in cans on the first day. Alan says he’s had trouble getting anything but bottles of Guinness in OVC. He did find cans in Eden bar on Apex. I hope you found some!

 

 

[HBE4]

18 hours ago, singinalot said:

I am now adding Amsterdam to my must visit list

 

I'm adding your Amsterdam trip report to my reading list. 🙂

[HBE4]

Question: What is GSJ? I've seen in referenced several times by several different posters

 

Grand Suite Journal?

Garden State Journey? 

Great Scott, Jerry?

[RichYak]

3 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

Question: What is GSJ? I've seen in referenced several times by several different posters

OP mentions Gentleman's Seafaring Journal in post #1.

[HBE4]

10 minutes ago, RichYak said:

OP mentions Gentleman's Seafaring Journal in post #1.

 

🤦‍♂️

Thank you. Not sure why I didn't make the connection. 🤷‍♂️

[ecslady]

2 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

                                   APEX

We checked in at 12.30 and were onboard by 1 p.m. Cabins were ready by 1.30 and we found our way to 8310 all the way back at the stern a couple floors above Eden. We booked an SV (Sunset Verandah) which has a door to a short corridor shared with 8308 a Sunset Sky Suite. Quiet but you can hear people in the cabin next door (8312) talking when in the 8310 bathroom.

Designed by British designer Kelly Hoppen whose favorite color is beige/blah and who has a fetish regarding toss pillows in profusion. I tossed most of them.

 

 

Having stayed in one of the aft cabins on APEX,  I love your description including all the humor!

[Oceansaway17]

3 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

This is our 4th X cruise since our first on the Silly back in 2016 and all 4 embarkations have been smooth and efficient and that makes such a good first impression. Carol's notes say that 30 minutes after Sharif left we were walking onto the ship. 

 

So far it's sunshine and lollipops but back in the USA I saw a darker side of X....

 

Just yesterday I was looking at Beyond, Italy Turkey Greece for Oct 2024 and did a trial booking to see what SVs were available. At one of the stages there was the option to book a "Fully Refundable Fare @ $2,000 extra for two" Huh?? Is it an airline?

Norris-demanding to "speak to the manager"!

 

following along.  I have always been interested in Amsterdam, but I gotta say I think I will stick with Copenhagen as I think that city it nicer looking.

 

I am going on the Edge out of Barcelona for 7 days in August. The itinerary was better than RCI and will get to see Monaco and Cinque Terre from La Spezia.  No dealing with Naples either. We get Corscia. 

Check out the 7 day Greek cruise on Infinity from Athens in 2024 that avoids Rome.  toodles

 

[Jim_Iain]

On 6/22/2023 at 9:54 AM, Bimmer09 said:

Jim and Iain I followed your several trips on Apex and week in Amsterdam to whet my appetite! Thank you both!

Norris

 

Norris -   Now I'm sitting home surviving shore time by reading live posts.

 

Amsterdam has to be one of my favorite Cities -   Your photos really capture the many sides of the City. 

[macsford]

Norris, I am following and looking forward to your pictures and commentary on both Iceland and Apex. 

No doubt they will be informative and entertaining as always.

Sandra

[Bimmer09]

2 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Norris -   Now I'm sitting home surviving shore time by reading live posts.

 

Amsterdam has to be one of my favorite Cities -   Your photos really capture the many sides of the City. 

Jim, we could have used a week there, minimum, as we had a list of things to do and didn't get around to half of them in the end as it was so nice to just spend pleasant hours eating and drinking by the water just watching the boats go by. We loved the quiet of the canals, the easy relaxed pace and the "no worries" attitude of the people we met-usually service people of course and they are expected to be friendly and obliging. I'd say we'll revisit without a cruise involved-maybe at the start of a driving tour through Germany and a revisit to Munich , our favorite relaxed city.

Like Munich, Amsterdam was very green, walkable and safe and you could hear the birds sing and English was readily spoken.

I'll devote more time to it when we are done with the cruise and return there.

 

Thanks for the comment!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

6 minutes ago, macsford said:

Norris, I am following and looking forward to your pictures and commentary on both Iceland and Apex. 

No doubt they will be informative and entertaining as always.

Sandra

Welcome Sandra!

I'll have a lot to say on both topics. We just watched one of my Iceland videos.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

                It's 5 o'clock somewhere-Rotterdam for instance...

That can only mean one thing- time to sail away and start this cruise! 

 

 

iPhone pics

 

Lines get tossed into the Maas river (clumsy/disrespectful dock crew) and the side thrusters push us away from the dock. We're going to reverse for about a mile before there's a safe basin to turn around in. We are on our balcony. I have a camcorder and two DSLR cameras at the ready, one with a long zoom (320mm) and one for wide angles (24-70mm) to save time changing lenses.

 

Cruise ship Rotterdam, now a floating hotel 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Rotterdam

 

going backwards with ship smoke

 

 

 

We love industrial ports and this is the biggest port in Europe

 

 

More...

[Bimmer09]

Some of our favorite sail aways..

Venice

New York

Civitavecchia

Miami

Bergen

Stavanger

Havana

now add Rotterdam

 

 

 

We are turning a 180...

 

 

 

 

 

 

More...

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More...

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next some of the zoom shots from camera 2

[Bimmer09]

Hi, we're the zoom shots Norris told you about. Hope you like us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entering the North Sea and the wind picks up

 

 

Looking back

 

 

Video coming soon

[Bimmer09]

1 hour ago, Oceansaway17 said:

 

following along.  I have always been interested in Amsterdam, but I gotta say I think I will stick with Copenhagen as I think that city it nicer looking.

 

I am going on the Edge out of Barcelona for 7 days in August. The itinerary was better than RCI and will get to see Monaco and Cinque Terre from La Spezia.  No dealing with Naples either. We get Corscia. 

Check out the 7 day Greek cruise on Infinity from Athens in 2024 that avoids Rome.  toodles

 

Hi I worked (as a musician) in Copenhagen for a month in winter (March 1978). Nice city. Dour people in general back then. Heavy drinkers and quick to quarrel. Great food but pricey.

A 7 day Greek cruise is not my ideal but I'd do it if a longer trip and the ship sailed from Rome which is a favorite city. After 3 visits I'm still wanting more.

I haven't been on an M Class -only S and E and now since Apex would find it hard to step away and sail an old M which hasn't had the upgrades. Rumor has it Infinity not long for the fleet.

We put down a deposit on a Future Cruise before leaving Apex and are more likely to sail Beyond or Ascent for our next X.

Thanks for the comment!

Norris

[Oceansaway17]

1 minute ago, Bimmer09 said:

Hi I worked (as a musician) in Copenhagen for a month in winter (March 1978). Nice city. Dour people in general back then. Heavy drinkers and quick to quarrel. Great food but pricey.

A 7 day Greek cruise is not my ideal but I'd do it if a longer trip and the ship sailed from Rome which is a favorite city. After 3 visits I'm still wanting more.

I haven't been on an M Class -only S and E and now since Apex would find it hard to step away and sail an old M which hasn't had the upgrades. Rumor has it Infinity not long for the fleet.

We put down a deposit on a Future Cruise before leaving Apex and are more likely to sail Beyond or Ascent for our next X.

Thanks for the comment!

Norris

I am going for the itinerary as well as in and out of Athens. Airport is closer than Rome.  I will do 2 days in Athens.  I have other cruises next year so 7 day fit my plans.  

 

So, in Copenhagen in 2018 I had a conversation with the concierge, and he told me that bars and smoking are their culture for socializing.  He agreed that perhaps people overindulge.

Funny I was on another ship a couple of years later and this man from Netherlands at a nearby table with his family, got up and as he walked pass me, he growled that I needed to smile more.  I was so taken aback by this.  

As for class of ship, I only really care when it is RCI.  Love my Oasis or Quantum.

 

I am booked on Ascent for Nov 2024. Hope to get Capt Kate again as I had her on the Summit.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said:

Jim, we could have used a week there, minimum, as we had a list of things to do and didn't get around to half of them in the end as it was so nice to just spend pleasant hours eating and drinking by the water just watching the boats go by. We loved the quiet of the canals, the easy relaxed pace and the "no worries" attitude of the people we met-usually service people of course and they are expected to be friendly and obliging. I'd say we'll revisit without a cruise involved-maybe at the start of a driving tour through Germany and a revisit to Munich , our favorite relaxed city.

Like Munich, Amsterdam was very green, walkable and safe and you could hear the birds sing and English was readily spoken.

I'll devote more time to it when we are done with the cruise and return there.

 

Thanks for the comment!

Norris

 

Agree --- Iain and I both worked there and feel very comfortable and safe there regardless the time of day.  

 

If you are a foodie you will have to try the restaurant SENSES that we dined at.   Truly one of the best dinners I have ever had.

[scrapcreator]

It's 5 o'clock Somewhere

 

Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett

 

I cannot wait for our sail away! 

[expattraveler]

29 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More...

Picture of The Bollard, Mammoet Headquarters building, in the fifth picture above brings back memories of spending many days & nights there reviewing heavy lift and shipping plans. Of course Mammoet being a heavy lift company, they had to fabricate their headquarters at a different site and then ship it and slide it into place where it currently sits.

 

They did the same with tier US headquarters in the link below. They just can’t help themselves 😂😂.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cjafqoHnh8
 

Hope you enjoyed the additional time once back in Amsterdam. As you and Carol discovered, Amsterdam is a fantastic city for walking and people watching from a cafe seat on a canal.

My wife and I had the good fortune of a work assignment in Amsterdam 2015 thru 2016. We lived in the Oud-Zuid (Old South) about 1KM south of the Rijksmuseum. A truly wonderful assignment.

 

Norris, as always great review.