Memo from the British Isles - 14 days Almost Live from Nieuw Statendam

[VMax1700]

At the Captain's noon update he told us that our route had changed and instead of heading southwards along the east coast of England and through the English Channel, along the south coast and then northwards between UK and Ireland on the Irish Sea, we would be heading across the north coast of Scotland and then southward along the west coast of Scotland on the Irish Sea to Liverpool.

Edited August 10, 2023 by VMax1700

[madera1]

Thank you for taking the time to share this cruise. We are booked on a similar British Isles cruise in May on the Rotterdam. It will stop at many of the same ports.

[madera1]

I will be following your posts!

[quiet cruiser]

I also hope to do this itinerary (from Rotterdam) in May 2024 so am looking forward to reading your posts.

[whogo]

I'm enjoying your live thread, VMax1700. Did the captain say why he changed the route to Liverpool?

[cbr663]

Thank-you for this live thread.  We are thinking of doing this cruise next year and with your live thread we get to be arm chair passengers.  Looking forward to your posts.

[SUESEABE]

Happy Sailing! Enjoy yourself! Thanks for the live thread. Following.

[Lido deck main]

Thank you for posting.  Great information.  Will be on her next month.

[VMax1700]

Day 2 Bread Pudding,,,

 

[VMax1700]

9 hours ago, whogo said:

I'm enjoying your live thread, VMax1700. Did the captain say why he changed the route to Liverpool?

He addressed it today at 'Ask the Captain'.  Basically, he said that the route shown on the pretty picture did not make a lot of sense as sailing around England clockwise to Liverpool was about one third longer than going across the 'top of Scotland' and down the Irish Sea to Liverpool.

[kazu]

18 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

He addressed it today at 'Ask the Captain'.  Basically, he said that the route shown on the pretty picture did not make a lot of sense as sailing around England clockwise to Liverpool was about one third longer than going across the 'top of Scotland' and down the Irish Sea to Liverpool.

 

It sounds like subsequently, that your whole itinerary has been changed order wise.

[Alberta Quilter]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

It sounds like subsequently, that your whole itinerary has been changed order wise.

I don't think so.  Liverpool is the first port on the itinerary posted in the first post.  They're just going there via the north rather than the south.  

 

I've had route changes like that before; that Captain also said that one cannot rely too much on the pretty picture of the route.

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said:

I don't think so.  Liverpool is the first port on the itinerary posted in the first post.  They're just going there via the north rather than the south.  

 

I've had route changes like that before; that Captain also said that one cannot rely too much on the pretty picture of the route.

 

Ahh - I see that now.  Thanks 🙂 

[VMax1700]

2 hours ago, kazu said:

 

It sounds like subsequently, that your whole itinerary has been changed order wise.

 

45 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said:

I don't think so.  Liverpool is the first port on the itinerary posted in the first post.  They're just going there via the north rather than the south.  

 

I've had route changes like that before; that Captain also said that one cannot rely too much on the pretty picture of the route.

Yes, Alberta Quilter is correct.  So far there is no change to the itinerary or the order that we will visit them.  Just approaching from a different direction.

[VMax1700]

Just shows how Disinformation is spread.  A questioner to the Captain at 'Ask the Captain' this morming.............."Captain, I have been reading on Internet how (the City of) Rotterdam is banning cruise ships. How will this affect Holland America?" 

🙄

[VMax1700]

Day 3 Daily Program

 

 

 

[POA1]

3 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Day 2 Bread Pudding,,,

 

Your dedication to the bread pudding inspires. Give the bread pudding person (team?) a shout out in the Navigator app.

[VMax1700]

Some images of the Isle of Lewis around the Stornaway area as we passed this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[VMax1700]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION for those planning a similar cruise.

Read these information sheets and then the comments afterwards!

 

 

[VMax1700]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION continuation....

 

Note the timings!  There were complaints that pax had arranged private shore excursions to depart at 11 am etc and that they only had an Immigration Inspection at 11.30am.

The Cruise Director advised that Immigration is Immigration.  The ship had expected that the Immigration Inspection would be carried out today during the sea day, but UK Immigration had stated that they would not carry out the inspection until arrival in Liverpool.  CD said that the ship has no control over the inspection and it is entirely up to the UK Immigration authorities as to where and when the inspection is carried out.  One of the unexplained benefits of Brexit (and she (CD) is from UK!)

 

Although we depart Liverpool UK and sail to Dun Laoghaire (Ireland/EU) and then back to UK there will not be another inspection on re-entry because of the UK/Ireland Common Travel Area Agreement.

 

So if doing a similar itinerary in the future do be aware of the immigration situation for UK

Edited August 11, 2023 by VMax1700

[VMax1700]

Day 4 Menus

 

Lido Lunch

 

 

Lido Dinner

 

 

MDR Dinner Culinary Council

 

 

 

m4-day4-_lido_lunch_north_europe_2023 (1).pdf

 

m4-day4-_lido_dinner_north_europe_voyage (1).pdf

 

culinary_council_menu_winter_2023_en_-_v1_1_ (1).pdf

 

Note that although it is only Day 3 the menus are titled Day 4. 

[albingirl]

Thank you for this thread. Appreciate your effort and gives us new information.

[kazu]

2 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION continuation....

 

Note the timings!  There were complaints that pax had arranged private shore excursions to depart at 11 am etc and that they only had an Immigration Inspection at 11.30am.

The Cruise Director advised that Immigration is Immigration.  The ship had expected that the Immigration Inspection would be carried out today during the sea day, but UK Immigration had stated that they would not carry out the inspection until arrival in Liverpool.  CD said that the ship has no control over the inspection and it is entirely up to the UK Immigration authorities as to where and when the inspection is carried out.  One of the unexplained benefits of Brexit (and she (CD) is from UK!)

 

Although we depart Liverpool UK and sail to Dun Laoghaire (Ireland/EU) and then back to UK there will not be another inspection on re-entry because of the UK/Ireland Common Travel Area Agreement.

 

So if doing a similar itinerary in the future do be aware of the immigration situation for UK

 

Thank you for the heads up, Colin.  I had completely forgotten about Brexit and what it would mean so I have alerted my roll call with your information linked (I hope you don’t mind) as we are coming from the EU to the UK and back to the EU.

 

Much appreciated.

[VMax1700]

2 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Thank you for the heads up, Colin.  I had completely forgotten about Brexit and what it would mean so I have alerted my roll call with your information linked (I hope you don’t mind) as we are coming from the EU to the UK and back to the EU.

 

Much appreciated.

I don't know how that will work into the EU but the UK is, and always will be, the UK.  The CD implied that the inspection should have been today, but that would have entailed the Immigration Officers being onboard since Copenhagen.  Why would the UK send Immigration Officers to Denmark to board a ship for two sea days to do an inspection that can be done within UK port area?  Just does not make sense.  I looked back to last years cruise to Iceland and then Scotland.  The Immigration was supposed to take place prior to Shetland but because Shetland was missed because of weather the inspection took place the following day in Invergordon.  So again shore based Immigration officers.  If you are planning on shore ex in the UK I would be inclined to allow a bit of leeway for timings.   

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

I don't know how that will work into the EU but the UK is, and always will be, the UK.  The CD implied that the inspection should have been today, but that would have entailed the Immigration Officers being onboard since Copenhagen.  Why would the UK send Immigration Officers to Denmark to board a ship for two sea days to do an inspection that can be done within UK port area?  Just does not make sense.  I looked back to last years cruise to Iceland and then Scotland.  The Immigration was supposed to take place prior to Shetland but because Shetland was missed because of weather the inspection took place the following day in Invergordon.  So again shore based Immigration officers.  If you are planning on shore ex in the UK I would be inclined to allow a bit of leeway for timings.   

 

Thanks a bunch.  I’m good, thanks,  but some of our roll call members have a private tour with an early morning start so I wanted to give them a heads up.  Forewarned is forearmed 😉 

Hopefully they will find out on board and can reach out to the operator if need be.

I had thought of it long ago and then Brexit slipped my mind and I forgot all about it so very grateful for your post.  Hope you and Ellen are having a fabulous time 🙂