The Fleet Report and Daily for Sunday September 10th, 2023

[richwmn]

 

Today is National Grandparents Day, Sewing Machine Day, and Swap Ideas Day
 

Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before. - Mae West

Meal Suggestion for today - Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad
Drink of the Day - Whisky Smash
Wine of the Day - 2019 A to Z Pinot Gris
Destination of the Day - Amsterdam, Netherlands North Holland

Today in History:
1846 Elias Howe takes out a US patent for a lockstitch sewing machine

Ship Locations
 

Eurodam

At Sea Destination Juneau, Alaska eta 09-11
 

Koningsdam

At Sea Destination Juneau, Alaska eta 09-11
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

Vancouver, Canada 0700-1600
 

Nieuw Statendam

At Sea Destination Porto, Portugal eta 09-11
 

Noordam

Whittier, Alaska 0100-2000
 

Oosterdam

Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy 0800-2000
 

Rotterdam

At Sea Destination Eidfjord, Norway eta 09-11
 

Volendam

Glacier Bay, Alaska 0700-1600
 

Westerdam

Seattle, Washington 0700-1500
 

Zaandam

At Sea Destination Halifax, Nova Scotia eta 09-11
 

Zuiderdam

Bar Harbor, Maine 0700-1500
 

 

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[grapau27]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=o9CIC0FTK6I&si=NpJTnpmlhIa0bIfZ

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Report.

It's still dark, I don't like it when the days get shorter.  Fortunately, it's a nice temperature so Bertie and I will go for a walk when the sun comes up.

I miss my grandparents, I don't have a sewing machine and I don't have any ideas, maybe later.

Amusing quote.

The meal sounds good, looking forward to seeing recipes.  I hope the drink and wine are tasty too.

We've been to Amsterdam a few times, a great place to visit.  I wonder if I can find pictures?

Prayers for everyone.  Cheers for lots of celebrations.

Have a great day.  Stay safe.

 

[grapau27]

Good morning where it is a hot and sunny 70°F.

Thank you for today's daily reports.

Interesting days.

We have been to Amsterdam many times on cruises.

I hope everyone is safe and well.

 

[StLouisCruisers]

 

Good morning friends!  Up early this Sunday morning and it is 65 and clear outside.  High of 84 with a sunny morning and a partly cloudy afternoon.  Thank you Rich @richwmn for the Daily and Fleet Report for today.

 

I had wonderful grandparents and miss them a lot.  Appropriate that we commemorate sewing machines on the day it was patented in 1846.  Even if you don't use one they are an important invention.  Swapping ideas help us to understand different viewpoints.  That Mae West is sure a sly one!  The orzo pasta salad sounds unique.   I'll pass on the whisky smash and pinot gris.  Many thanks to our F&B team Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and  Ann @cat shepard.

 

Prayers today for our Care list, and especially for Lou and Terry @smitty34877,  Tana, Chuck and Annie @catmando and @marshhawk, DB and friend's DB Mark, Roy @rafinmd, the people of Morocco after the devastating losses in the earthquake, the Lahaina, Maui community, and those in the Ukraine.   Congrats to all on the Celebration list visiting family, enjoying birthdays and anniversaries and cruising.  Thank you Vanessa @JazzyVfor the list keeping each day!

 

Amsterdam is the port today and it's a lovely port indeed.  Too bad the cruise ships are being denied access there nowadays.  We had that port once before on the Daily on April 23, 2022 and I will post the link for you to retrieve photos.
 

 

 

Here are my photos from the last time.

 

Our visits to Amsterdam were in 2015 on Royal Princess and 5 more times on the Prinsendam from 2016 to 2019.  Amsterdam was the beginning or ending port of most of our times spent there.  One time we flew there from a cruise which ended in Montreal.  So we got a flight from Montreal to Reykjavik and then on to Amsterdam to pick up our next cruise on the Prinsendam.  This was the view as our Icelandair flight landed in Schiphol airport in Amsterdam that trip.

 

A few weeks later on turnaround day in Amsterdam.  Busy day!

 

The Prinsendam docked next to the Koningsdam that day.

 

On deck at sailaway time we heard two ladies talking and wondering which direction we would be headed.  Uh, do you see that low bridge ahead of us?  I don't think there's any chance we're going to go that way.

 

But the trip we spent the most time in Amsterdam was in the middle of B2B cruises on Prinsendam in 2017.  Another turnaround day.  It was a misty day but we went out anyway.  The date was June 3, 2017.  A short walk from the ship was the very busy Centraal Station.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This building worried me.  I wouldn't want to sit outside in front of it to enjoy a beverage, with those walls leaning like that.

 

Madame Tussaud's

 

 

 

 

 

 

This stop was just a walk around day for us, with no plans made ahead of time.  We do that a lot.  Once we took a canal boat ride.  Only Amsterdam wasn't our port that day, Rotterdam was.  This was on Royal Princess in spring of 2015 and we were with our friends who insist on ship tours if we take one at all.  So we all four got a tour to Amsterdam, and on the way to our stop at the canal boat ride starting point, our bus was hit by an electric tram.  We had to get off and walk a few blocks to get on the canal boat.  It was our driver's fault really because we were stopped at a red light, the road was curved and he didn't pull the bus forward enough.  The left rear bumper of the bus was overhanging the electric tram tracks.  

 

The blue and white vehicle outside the window is the electric tram.

 

We filed off...

 

You should have heard the irate motorists stuck behind our bus!  honk, honk, honk!

 

The scene from our walk to the canal boat.  Now the sirens were wailing!

 

The canal boat rides in Amsterdam are outstanding and I recommend them to you.  We've taken canal boat rides in Suzhou China, St. Petersburg Russia, Amersterdam, Brugge Belgium and Copenhagen and probably others.  Love them.

 

Hoping everyone has a super Sunday.  Stay safe and well.

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by StLouisCruisers
change in day of celebration

[summer slope]

Whiskey Smash cocktail:

 

Ingredients

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) whiskey
1/4 lemon, sliced into 2 wedges
5 large mint leaves
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) simple syrup or maple syrup
Soda water, for serving
Crushed ice, for serving
Instructions
Place the mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Muddle 4 to 5 times to extract flavor. Add the lemon wedges and muddle again.
Add the whiskey and simple syrup and fill the shaker with ice. Shake until cold and strain into a glass. If desired, add a splash of soda water. Serve with crushed ice.

 

[rafinmd]

Thank you Rich, Vanessa, Dixie, Ann, Debbie, and Graham.  I think I understand why today is Sewing Machine Day.  All my grandparents died before I was born.  We swap quite a few ideas here.  Interesting quote bu West.

 

I'll pass on the meal.  My alternative is Steal and Egg Skillet and Triple Berry Alsskan Tart.as served at MS Westerdam's  brunch yesterday morning.

 

My symptoms keep changing but I had my best overnight yesterday since I caught the virus.

 

Roy

[cat shepard]

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! The Universe was displaying its splendor this morning during Bindi & my pre-dawn walk. Venus is just so bright in the Eastern sky!

 

Vanessa thank you for keeping up with us. Gym, Aldi, Bindi walks, chores & pool time - if I am lucky. 
 

 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. @smitty34877 Terry, keeping Lou, you, Tana and your entire family in my prayers. 

 

Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone!
 

 

**********

2019 A to Z Pinot Gris

A lovely, sippable wine for a hot summer day. A decent body and the critic is right about pear being the predominant flavor - really enjoyable. Widely available, with prices starting at $17.69. Note: the 2020 vintage shares similar excellent reviews, but the 2021 & 2022 do not. Perhaps they need to age a bit more. 

Winemaker Notes

The A to Z Oregon Pinot Gris is refreshing and lithe on the palate. Aromas of Meyer lemon, lemon verbena, tangerine, apricot, peach, apple, pear, quince, melon and honeysuckle add a hint of sweetness to the air around it. The weight is impeccable with perfect balance and integration hitting all points of the palate. Incredibly versatile at the dinner table with flavors of golden apple, roasted coconut, citrus and pineapple appealing to the last splash in the glass.

WE90 Wine Enthusiast

This fruitpowered, gulpable wine is loaded with a pear flavor. The midpalate fills out further with yellow apple fruit, and the lightly creamy finish satisfies. It’s a fine everyday white wine. Editors’ Choice.

[JazzyV]

Today’s Care list:

Cruising sister’s great niece Baby Murphy post-surgery, on vent, unstable

Smitty34877’s DH Lou hospitalized

Catmando’s brother Scott suffering from a stroke 9/4

Rafinmd (Roy) testing positive for Covid

All Dailyites going through worries and stress, whether mentioned or not

 

Wildfires in Maui/Lahaina; Earthquake in Morocco with many deaths

Canadian/US wildfires; those in the path of Hurricane Lee 

Shooting victim(s) 

Citizens of Ukraine

 

From the rotation:

Crazy For Cats’ DM with a fall, pacemaker inserted, now in rehab facility

Tana’s pulmonary issues

Kazu’s dear friend’s DH with leukemia

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts:

Welcome back Luvteaching and LAFFNVEGAS!

Ottahand 7 safe trip home from the lake cabin

Heartgrove safe travels flying to Hamburg

Lady Hudson celebrating the birth of a great-grandson, Jalen Alexander!

Mr. Boston in Europe prior to cruising

Live4Cruises’ DH Nicholas doing well and getting the ok to cruise!

DeeniEncinitas safe on Maui

 

The Daily Gardening Club posting wonderful flower pictures

All the contributors to the Fleet Report/Daily

 

Upcoming Cruises or At Sea:

4 days for Heartgrove (MSC Preziosa Sept 14 to Sept 24) British Isles

4 days for Lady Hudson (Jewel of the Seas Sept 14 to Sept 28) Canada and Greenland

4 days for Mr. Boston (Oosterdam Sept 14 to Oct 8 ) Med Tapestry, Greece & Adriatic Antiquities

5 days for Cruising-along (Celebrity Solstice Sept 15 to Sept 22) Alaska

6 days for Haljo1935 (Carnival Venezia Sept 16 to Sept 29, B2B) NY/Canada/NE

7 days for SusieKIslandGirl (Noordam Sept 17 to Oct 1) Great Alaskan Explorer

 

HAL4NOW (Zaandam to Sept 13, B2B), Crazy for Cats (Zaandam to Sept 13) and RMLincoln (Norwegian Joy to Sept 20, B2B)

[grapau27]

21 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Good morning friends!  Up early this Sunday morning and it is 65 and clear outside.  High of 84 with a sunny morning and a partly cloudy afternoon.  Thank you Rich @richwmn for the Daily and Fleet Report for today.

 

I had wonderful grandparents and miss them a lot.  Appropriate that we commemorate sewing machines on the day it was patented in 1846.  Even if you don't use one they are an important invention.  Swapping ideas help us to understand different viewpoints.  That Mae West is sure a sly one!  The orzo pasta salad sounds unique.   I'll pass on the whisky smash and pinot gris.  Many thanks to our F&B team Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and  Ann @cat shepard.

 

Prayers today for our Care list, and especially for Lou and Terry @smitty34877,  Tana, Chuck and Annie @catmando and @marshhawk, DB and friend's DB Mark, Roy @rafinmd, the people of Morocco after the devastating losses in the earthquake, the Lahaina, Maui community, and those in the Ukraine.   Congrats to all on the Celebration list visiting family, enjoying birthdays and anniversaries and cruising.  Thank you Vanessa @JazzyVfor the list keeping each day!

 

Amsterdam is the port today and it's a lovely port indeed.  Too bad the cruise ships are being denied access there nowadays.  We had that port once before on the Daily on April 23, 2022 and I will post the link for you to retrieve photos.
 

 

 

Here are my photos from the last time.

 

Our visits to Amsterdam were in 2015 on Royal Princess and 5 more times on the Prinsendam from 2016 to 2019.  Amsterdam was the beginning or ending port of most of our times spent there.  One time we flew there from a cruise which ended in Montreal.  So we got a flight from Montreal to Reykjavik and then on to Amsterdam to pick up our next cruise on the Prinsendam.  This was the view as our Icelandair flight landed in Schiphol airport in Amsterdam that trip.

 

A few weeks later on turnaround day in Amsterdam.  Busy day!

 

The Prinsendam docked next to the Koningsdam that day.

 

On deck at sailaway time we heard two ladies talking and wondering which direction we would be headed.  Uh, do you see that low bridge ahead of us?  I don't think there's any chance we're going to go that way.

 

But the trip we spent the most time in Amsterdam was in the middle of B2B cruises on Prinsendam in 2017.  Another turnaround day.  It was a misty day but we went out anyway.  The date was June 3, 2017.  A short walk from the ship was the very busy Centraal Station.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This building worried me.  I wouldn't want to sit outside in front of it to enjoy a beverage, with those walls leaning like that.

 

Madame Tussaud's

 

 

 

 

 

 

This stop was just a walk around day for us, with no plans made ahead of time.  We do that a lot.  Once we took a canal boat ride.  Only Amsterdam wasn't our port that day, Rotterdam was.  This was on Royal Princess in spring of 2015 and we were with our friends who insist on ship tours if we take one at all.  So we all four got a tour to Amsterdam, and on the way to our stop at the canal boat ride starting point, our bus was hit by an electric tram.  We had to get off and walk a few blocks to get on the canal boat.  It was our driver's fault really because we were stopped at a red light, the road was curved and he didn't pull the bus forward enough.  The left rear bumper of the bus was overhanging the electric tram tracks.  

 

The blue and white vehicle outside the window is the electric tram.

 

We filed off...

 

You should have heard the irate motorists stuck behind our bus!  honk, honk, honk!

 

The scene from our walk to the canal boat.  Now the sirens were wailing!

 

The canal boat rides in Amsterdam are outstanding and I recommend them to you.  We've taken canal boat rides in Suzhou China, St. Petersburg Russia, Amersterdam, Brugge Belgium and Copenhagen and probably others.  Love them.

 

Hoping everyone has a super Sunday.  Stay safe and well.

 

 

 

Great photos Sandi.

[MisterMatthew]

Thank you for the report.

 

It is 431 AM, here in Las Vegas.  Shortly, i will go to work.

 

Is everyone going to have a relaxing Sunday?

 

---Matthew

[StLouisCruisers]

4 minutes ago, MisterMatthew said:

Thank you for the report.

 

It is 431 AM, here in Las Vegas.  Shortly, i will go to work.

 

Is everyone going to have a relaxing Sunday?

 

---Matthew

 

Good early morning to you Matthew.  I will do my best to relax even though I have some laundry to attend to.  In addition I started a new photo book yesterday for my latest cruise adventure.  Picked the style, made the cover page and 4 additonal pages yesterday.  But at least I'm sitting while doing that so we can count that as relaxing.😎

[MisterMatthew]

7 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Good early morning to you Matthew.  I will do my best to relax even though I have some laundry to attend to.  In addition I started a new photo book yesterday for my latest cruise adventure.  Picked the style, made the cover page and 4 additonal pages yesterday.  But at least I'm sitting while doing that so we can count that as relaxing.😎

S L C

 

Hi there ma'am (or sir, or both) ..  

 

It sounds like you have a productive day ahead of you!

 

I am a Uber driver.  So, i have no schedule.  I am almost overdue for laundry.  Oh, and groceries as well!

 

---Matthew

[puppycanducruise]

24 minutes ago, MisterMatthew said:

Thank you for the report.

 

It is 431 AM, here in Las Vegas.  Shortly, i will go to work.

 

Is everyone going to have a relaxing Sunday?

 

---Matthew

I hope it is.

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning. We gained 30 minutes of sleep overnight as we head to Halifax.   It's a foggy morning on the Zaandam. The ships horn is regularly sounding.  Breakfast was in the Pinnacle Grill and that is the plan for lunch.   There is a Mariner recognition event at 11:30.  That is the limit of today's plan so today is all about relaxing. 

I hope everyone has a good Sunday. 

[Denise T]

Happy Sunday everyone. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet reports. 

A very rainy and stormy day today. I will have to do a few inside chores until the Eagles game this afternoon. Fancy needs a bath so that is on my list. I will stay inside and drink coffee all day. 

Thinking of all on the care list. 

Celebrating with all who are celebrating. 

Have a safe and healthy day. 

[GTVCRUISER]

Have a good Sunday 🙂 

[1ANGELCAT]

Good cloudy and 99% humidity morning. We had a thunderstorm last night for over an hour and more storms are expected today.

  The hunt goes on for the escaped prisoner. He had somehow managed to get out of the area and was seen on a surveillance camera near Phoenixville last night. He had shaved and gotten ahold of a car, he has family there and also his victim’s family there. 
I grew up in my grandparents house and still live there today. 
Blessings and prayers to all on our lists.

[Nickelpenny]

Good early morning to all!!  Thanks for the daily and fleet reports.  I only knew 2 of my grandparents (mom's mom and dad's dad) as the other 2 had already passed away before I was born.  Grandpa was a hoot!  Grandma - well she was something else.  My mom sewed all of our clothes; I goal for my first job was to actually buy school clothes from the Sears catalog instead of homemade ones!  Love swapping ideas and I love the quote.

 

Almost all the ships I have been on have had an orzo pasta salad.  It is absolutely delicious.  I look for it every time I board.  I have some orzo in the cupboard so........  Kind of iffy on the drink, pass on the wine and I have been to Amsterdam a couple of times with the last time in 2021 but just for 2 days (not on a cruise as I had not started cruising yet).

 

Slept very well but woke up about an hour earlier than usual so got up.  I normally don't try to go back to sleep if it is within an hour of getting up.  I was never a morning person as I worked nights for years but I do enjoy the morning before the sun comes up.  

 

Took my car in for her 30000 mile checkup at the dealer.  They keep telling me it is time for an alignment.  Ok since it isn't part of the extended warranty (in other words, free to me), I will get it done at my fav car place.  Decided I would go do that yesterday also.  Dropped the car off and since it was going to take 1-2 hours, went over to Olive Garden to have dinner (I shouldn't have as I am not a fan of their food; got lasagna - how can anyone ruin lasagna?  It was so bland.  The the salad and breadsticks - wonderful.  And 2 glasses of wine!!).  Came back and my car is too new they can't align it!!  Hmmm, so I made an appointment with the dealer for next weekend.  That's too bad because I really trust these guys.  Oh, well.

 

Chill day today.  Thoughts for everyone on the care list and cheers to those celebrating.

 

Have a great day everyone!!

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning from central Texas.  It is 72F and feels like 72F with 71% humidity and a dew point of 62F.  Our predicted high is 98F, which will be great if it stops there.  Yesterday afternoon we reached 100F.  We're still about two minutes away from sun rise, but since today will be devoted to house cleaning, there will be no walk.  I'll get plenty of exercise in other ways.

 

I had wonderful grandparents and was lucky enough to know three of them.  I have a sewing machine that is rarely used.  It's always good to swap ideas.

 

Another amusing quote from Mae West, and not a bad idea since it would be something new.

 

We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine today.

 

I've lost track of how many times we've been to Amsterdam, including four days before our first Prinsendam cruise in 2008.  Most of the days were either beginning or ending a cruise or were turnaround days.  I just checked for the pictures I thought I'd posted last year.  That was about the time we got to Texas from Quartzsite, and I guess I was too busy to look for my pictures.  I probably hadn't gotten my computer set up by then.  I'll look for some different pictures this afternoon after I finish the house work.  

 

The invention of the sewing machine was a boon to seamstresses and others who attempted to sew.

 

@luvteaching  Welcome home, Karen.  I hope your cruise was everything you wanted it to be.

@rafinmd  Roy, I'm glad last night was a good night, and that you can put Covid behind you soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lenda

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by Quartzsite Cruiser

[Cruzin Terri]

Good morning to all.

Just a quick note to check in.

We are going to Jacksonville this afternoon because I have my appointment at the Mayo Clinic tomorrow morning bright and early.  The one that was cancelled last week.  

So I need to get breakfast done and then pack a few things and get on our way.

Will try to post after we are in JAX.

God Bless,

Terri

[cruising sister]

Good morning,

it will be another beautiful day today. It is only 63 degrees with a high of 84. I would go for a walk but DGS is still sleeping. We will celebrate grandparents day when he gets up. 
 

@smitty34877 you are truly amazing caring for your DH  and DS. Prayers for you and your loved ones. Roy I hope you continue to have a mild case of COVID. Prayers for all others on our list. 
 

I was in Amsterdam for the first time on my Norway cruise. I went on a 2 hour canal tour with Captain Dave. I walked around and actually thought the streets were pretty dirty. If I get there again I will broaden my tour to see other parts. I missed gettin Anne Frank house tickets so I will for sure try to get them again. I tried the fries as the shops were everywhere. 

[summer slope]

Well it hasn't been a relaxing Sunday morning.  It proves to me that we need to cruise out of Fort Lauderdale from now on.  Making reservations for car to airport, stay at hotel the night before, plane tickets to San Diego, hotel stay there 2 nights before cruise, and transportation to ship.  Gracious!!

[StLouisCruisers]

14 minutes ago, summer slope said:

Well it hasn't been a relaxing Sunday morning.  It proves to me that we need to cruise out of Fort Lauderdale from now on.  Making reservations for car to airport, stay at hotel the night before, plane tickets to San Diego, hotel stay there 2 nights before cruise, and transportation to ship.  Gracious!!

 

It IS a lot of work to plan all these things!  Meanwhile our travel partner is usually oblivious and expects these plans to miraculously happen - voila!