Going LIVE on Nieuw Statendam roundtrip Rome ⛲🛵Oct 26-Nov 9: Planes Trains Vespas & Ships w/GOT!!

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, BetsyS. said:

Thanks for the brunch menu. I'll have a Bloody Mary (or 2), ham and cheese Monte Cristo sandwich with French fries, wild berry crisp with ice cream and coffee.😊

      Thanks for taking the time on your vacation to post reports and pictures of 

beautiful scenery, food and crew members. I'm glad your weather is nice.

       

        

I toyed with the idea of having a Monte Cristo, but decided instead to go with something I had not ever tried. Except for the berry crisp - it's so good I can't pass on it. 🫣

Notice the mimosas have an unlimited option, but the Mary's do not? 🤔

 

Edited November 6, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

Continuing to enjoy your reviews.  Two questions about this latest post.  

 

1. Is there a cost for the drinks, during the brunch, if you have the beverage package?

2. Always wondered if tipping is needed when a repairman fixes something that you have requested to be fixed in the stateroom.  We had the closet light batteries replaced on our last cruise.  I thought about giving a tip of thanks, but the repairman left in a hurry.

Hey @Iamthesea I believe you only pay any difference +18% for drinks over the amount allowed in your drink package.

No tip expected by repairmen on service requests. As you said, they leave quickly once they're done.

[Iamthesea]

Thanks. 😉 We will be fine because we have the 'top tier' package as that was a special when we booked with HIA.

[Haljo1935]

5 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

Thanks. 😉 We will be fine because we have the 'top tier' package as that was a special when we booked with HIA.

Congrats - enjoy!!

[Haljo1935]

Sunrise over Messina Sicily as we come into port

We're already seeing some lovely old buildings with the mountains as a backdrop 

Bow cam 2 hours apart 

4:45am

6:45am

We are doing a Godfather tour today - should have nice weather for it

Breakfast was in room since we have an early start. Enjoying hot oatmeal - not on the menu but they will serve it if you just right it in.

Other pictures coming into port 

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Sunrise over Messina Sicily as we come into port

We're already seeing some lovely old buildings with the mountains as a backdrop 

Bow cam 2 hours apart 

4:45am

6:45am

We are doing a Godfather tour today - should have nice weather for it

Breakfast was in room since we have an early start. Enjoying hot oatmeal - not on the menu but they will serve it if you just right it in.

Other pictures coming into port 

Lovely photos of a lovely port.

I hope you have a very enjoyable tour and stay in Messina today.

Excellent Live From review and photos.

[BetsyS.]

Haljo1935 - I agree with you - it's strange that mimosas are unlimited, but 

Bloody Marys are not.  Enjoy your Godfather tour! 😊

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, BetsyS. said:

Haljo1935 - I agree with you - it's strange that mimosas are unlimited, but 

Bloody Marys are not.  Enjoy your Godfather tour! 😊

Quite enjoyed our day today - the weather was fabulous! We had the BEST bruschetta ever - made fresh in front of us and cooked in a woodfire oven. I will post pictures of both the bruschetta and oven from my phone in a bit. Very nice day, indeed, in Sicily.☺️

And we left early - guess everyone paid attention to the All Aboard - no Pier Runners today. 😵

[Haljo1935]

7 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Lovely photos of a lovely port.

I hope you have a very enjoyable tour and stay in Messina today.

Excellent Live From review and photos.

It was a fabulous day, thanks! I will post pictures in a bit when my phone is charged.

Thanks for the encouraging words.😊

[BetsyS.]

Haljo1935 - I'm glad you had great weather and bruschetta.

        Videos of Pier Runners  are funny. Some people walk slowly

and take their time! One video showed crew members carrying 

passengers piggyback to get them back to the ship! I hope the

crew got a tip for going above and beyond! A tip would be cheaper 

than paying to get to the next port!

[Haljo1935]

We have been notified of a very last minute port change for tomorrow. Apparently, the pier at Salerno has collapsed into the sea because of a storm. So, we will now go to Sorrento, a tender port.

Here's when it bites it to have a non-ship excursion - we have not been able to get a response from the tour company for our tour in Pompeii - ugh!

[Rcriley34]

Thanks for the great reviews and enjoying the commentary from a fellow metroplex dweller and Ranger fan.  We are right behind you on the NS for the Atlantic crossing leaving on 11/26.    Couple of questions:

1.  Who did you use for the transport to the pier from Rome?  Apologize if you post it, I just am not seeing it and we are still trying to book someone and we want to go with a reliable stagecoach. (Texan talk). 

 

2.  You seeing any evidence of them getting ready for drydock?  Any talk of maybe installing a halfmoon bar maybe?  Can only hope!

 

Thanks in advance for the info and keep the great post coming.  You are making the anticipation greater for our whole group!

 

PS The parade was great for the Rangers on Friday, 700K of our closest friends!!!  

[tupper10]

3 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

We have been notified of a very last minute port change for tomorrow. Apparently, the pier at Salerno has collapsed into the sea because of a storm. So, we will now go to Sorrento, a tender port.

Here's when it bites it to have a non-ship excursion - we have not been able to get a response from the tour company for our tour in Pompeii - ugh!

In Sorrento there is a train that takes you right to Pompeii - it takes about 1/2 hour and is an easy walk from the station to the entrance.   Wow the weather is really impacting cruises this year. I do hope you reach your excursion provider.  

[Mary229]

3 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

We have been notified of a very last minute port change for tomorrow. Apparently, the pier at Salerno has collapsed into the sea because of a storm. So, we will now go to Sorrento, a tender port.

Here's when it bites it to have a non-ship excursion - we have not been able to get a response from the tour company for our tour in Pompeii - ugh!

I am sorry you will be missing Pompeii.  Just to tempt you with a bit of home we just ate a chili cheese burger at Blue Sky in Amarillo.  There is nothing that good on the ship😅

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I am sorry you will be missing Pompeii.  Just to tempt you with a bit of home we just ate a chili cheese burger at Blue Sky in Amarillo.  There is nothing that good on the ship😅

😪 my PG burger was really good, though. 🥴

[Haljo1935]

I am not able to find any details about the Salerno pier damage - curious for details if anyone learns anything. Thanks!

[Haljo1935]

Good morning, Sorrento - our new tender port for today. No real sunrise for me to share; it was cloudy & 🌧.

Looks & sounds like we're here now.

Tender tickets 🎟 will be available starting at 8 in BB Kings. Since we are not on a ship excursion, we have to go there before we get off.

Tour guide has acknowledged port change, so fingers crossed.

Likely will be schlosshing through Pompeii in rain 🌧️

but at least we'll be there 🌂 ☔ in hand.

And looks like port hours have been extended - All Aboard has gone from 3:30pm to 5:30pm.

[Haljo1935]

Weather update - weather.com shows rain may be clearing, so we may have better weather after 10. I can like that 😉

[Haljo1935]

Tender tickets secured.

Test run was a success -

Rainy Soggy Pompeii here we come!!

[Bxc53]

Very much enjoying your experiences.   The NS goes into drydock after your cruise. Any info or rumors on changes?

[Haljo1935]

A couple tenders coming in

Sun beginning to set over Sorrento as seen from our balcony

Captain says he expects us to be in Rome about 5am. Shuttle is meeting us at 9:30 to take us to Hotel Intorno al Fico where we'll stay 1 night 🌙 😴 before returning home.

 

Tonight's agenda consists of very light dinner, packing, attending 2nd chance scratch off drawing and cashing out our onboard account.

 

Will post our pictures from Pompeii later, but this should examine why dinner will be light.

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, Bxc53 said:

Very much enjoying your experiences.   The NS goes into drydock after your cruise. Any info or rumors on changes?

Thank you - it's been fun and I owe you all a lot of pics.

All I've been able to learn: in addition to some "mechanics" is installation of library and Starlink and removing the staircase by the casino.

Will compare Nov 29 when I'm back.🫣

Edited November 8, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Iamthesea]

Looking on the bright side.  With a little rain, Pompeii surely was not as dusty!   

Hope you enjoyed your day.  We enjoyed Pompeii, as well as Herculaneum.

[Haljo1935]

18 hours ago, Rcriley34 said:

Thanks for the great reviews and enjoying the commentary from a fellow metroplex dweller and Ranger fan.  We are right behind you on the NS for the Atlantic crossing leaving on 11/26.    Couple of questions:

1.  Who did you use for the transport to the pier from Rome?  Apologize if you post it, I just am not seeing it and we are still trying to book someone and we want to go with a reliable stagecoach. (Texan talk). 

 

2.  You seeing any evidence of them getting ready for drydock?  Any talk of maybe installing a halfmoon bar maybe?  Can only hope!

 

Thanks in advance for the info and keep the great post coming.  You are making the anticipation greater for our whole group!

 

PS The parade was great for the Rangers on Friday, 700K of our closest friends!!!  

I'm sure the Rangers parade was quite the sight - thanks for the update.⚾

 

2. I thought I saw some preliminary work once near the "fancy" coke machine and tap beer dispenser, but the fencing was gone as quickly as it went up. Nothing appeared different when the area was cleared. The only things I've been told are "mechanics," installation of library & Starlink and removal of staircase by the casino. Hope GS will tell me more when I visit them tonight. 

 

1. We used CabRoma.com for the hotel->pier shuttle. It was not our 1st (or even 2nd) choice, but others were already booked even 6-8 weeks out that we went w/a company that got good reviews and had good communication. They were great!!

We're using SharedShuttle.com for the end of the cruise (they are 1 of the companies that was booked for the front side).

I am back also for the Nov 26 TA!!

[Haljo1935]

7 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

Looking on the bright side.  With a little rain, Pompeii surely was not as dusty!   

Hope you enjoyed your day.  We enjoyed Pompeii, as well as Herculaneum.

Correct - it was only a light rain and probably contributed to the great day. Skies cleared up to a beautiful day!!

We did not get to Herculaneum but would like to.