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

[Hogladyrider]

20 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I know what you mean.  I always ask myself why we can't have organic San Marzano tomatoes as good as the ones in Italy, not even at Wholepaycheck Foods.  Someone in Italy said it's the volcanic soil.

The ONLY tomatoes I will use when making homemade sauce from scratch....HUGE taste difference!

[TAW1963]

1 minute ago, Haljo1935 said:

Here we are letting go of our lines - we're so close to saying "Adios, Rome." Oh, wait - wrong country, wrong language, lol.

The pictures are awesome.   Thanks so much. It doesn’t get any better than that!

[Hogladyrider]

@Haljo1935...so excited for you......have a GREAT sail away!

 

Looking forward to following this journey, BIG HAL fans here, also with HIA booked early at the discount.

[Cruisercl]

@Haljo1935 Bon voyage.....🥂

Safe travels, enjoy your wonderful trip.

I'll be following along to live vicariously through you...lol. ⛴🕶

Great review from Rome!

[SUESEABE]

[Haljo1935]

5 hours ago, Cruisercl said:

@Haljo1935 Bon voyage.....🥂

Safe travels, enjoy your wonderful trip.

I'll be following along to live vicariously through you...lol. ⛴🕶

Great review from Rome!

Thank you - glad you're here. 

[Haljo1935]

Best, fastest, easiest check-in and boarding EVER!! OMG Vancouver sure could learn from Civitavecchia; polar opposite experiences.🙄🫣

I wish I'd gotten some port pictures to share, but our driver zipped through so quickly...then we zipped through so quickly 🤭

 

Process:

*Boarding pass checked to determine group/which line you will be assigned to - this was a visual check only, no scanning. We're 4* so Priority line here we come (too quickly for me to get a pic).

*Boarding group cards handed out (we got 13)

*Passport scanned & picture taken (same location/1 step)

*Wait in seated in group location

*Boarding groups called

*🚶‍♂️ 🚶‍♀️ onto gangway

*Ship Security scans boarding pass

*Collect cabin card from cabin mailbox

 

Timeline:

10:14am - driver loads luggage in shuttle

11:17am - turn off at sign to port (it's one of the blurry signs on the left - we were flying)

11:26am - passed "kissers" in the park

11:31 am - pass by police station

11:32 am - 1st glimpse of her stack (zoom in)

11:33am - 2nd glimpse of her stack

11:35am - porter takes luggage (he checked to be sure every piece had a tag - thank you!)

11:36am - welcome to port/entered terminal

11:36am - looking up at port sign

11:38 - pit stop (no photo, lol) and get boarding group card (#13)

11:45am - waiting while DH scans his passport (already did mine)

11:46am - our group called to board

11:47am - Starboard view 

11:47am - bow says we're boarding the correct ship

11:49am - approaching gangway

11:55am - DH places wine on bed

12:20 pm - DH is showing off his burger in MDR

12:54 pm - passing Lido Bar

12:56 pm - passing Lido pool

12:58 pm - in line waiting for Shore Exc Desk to open

1:14 pm - Vivian has moved my excursions from CC to OBC

1:30 pm - No upgrades available 

 

*2 points of scanning - 1 each of passport & boardingpass*

 

**20 min exactly from 🧳 porter handoff to standing inside cabin!!**

[Haljo1935]

@ninjacat123 pretty sure you put it in your LIVE, but honestly at 2:22 am I don't have it in me to go look, lol 🫣 so hoping you can tell me - how long did it take you to get through boarding in Rome?

[Haljo1935]

Good morning! Doesn't the first morning you wake up on a ship feel special? It just feels different and full of anticipation, like waking up to look under your pillow to see what the tooth fairy 🧚‍♀️ left.

I didn't catch Sunrise, but this ain't shabby 😉 

I love a good wake view. 

[oakridger]

Have a wonderful day!  

 

~Nancy

[Haljo1935]

Today is a sea day, headed to our first port Dubrovnik. When I first looked at the map, I thought ports had been rearranged and we were heading for Messina. I had thought we were going around Sicily; never read that, just assumed. This is why we don't make assumptions.

Then I zoomed in and realized we're going between Messina and Villa San Giovanni. I hope I get to see that, looks like it would be a pretty passage. 

Last time I checked the weather, there was no rain in the forecast; temps mid 60s to mid 70s. Exactly what we experienced in Rome the past 3 days.

Well, HAL forecast shows sunny 72° today then rain every day until our last port of Salerno, where we will once again have clear skies. 

It is what is is, but if this is correct, we will have some very soggy tours as everything that's planned (Corfu 4x4, GOT walking tour, Godfather walking tour, Pompeii walking tour...everything) is outside.

Time to rethink the shoes - and I did not bring my waterproof hiking boots.

Agenda today is very light: breakfast, M&M at 11 in Crow's Nest and Wine Tasting 🍷(1st invite) at 1:45 which will cause me to miss the Art of 🌼 🌻 Arranging at 1:30. I really admire the florist work on HAL ships and like to see them "in action" when I can. But DH wouldn't go there if his life depended on it, but he will go taste wine, so that's what we'll do. That leaves the rest of the day to figure out the shoe situation.

Off to find DH for breakfast.

Edited October 30, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, oakridger said:

Have a wonderful day!  

 

~Nancy

Thanks, Nancy - it's starting out pretty well - greeted with a volcano as I got off the elevator on the Lido,

said volcano 🌋 was nice enough to send out smoke signals as I waited for DH to finish smoking (zoom in top right),

breakfast table had a nice view of the volcano,

greeted w/clean laundry when I returned from breakfast,

and discovered my aft balcony provides a great view of the volcano 🌋 😊

I think maybe I should buy a lottery 🎟 🎫 🤭

[Haljo1935]

As I mentioned to @oakridger we have a lovely view of a volcano 🌋 during breakfast. Ship talk, aka rumors, say it is Stromboli https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stromboli

As we head between Messina Sicily and Via San Giovanni, the location seems correct. Way more likely than Istanbul where the location tracker on my phone tagged it. 🫣 So, Stromboli it is!! 

Istanbul? Really?🤔 Maybe Mr Samsung needs geography lessons or maybe I've entered the WPP with my true whereabouts unknown.🥴🙄

[Haljo1935]

When I left you, I was off to find DH for breakfast. As you probably know, what I found was Stromboli (99% positive that's correct) blowing her stack and clean laundry on my bed. Oh happy day!! 🥳This is why I love HAL - take me to beautiful locations to see stunning sites while ensuring I do it in clean clothes 🤭

[Haljo1935]

Well the attachments didn't load, so I will redo post 164 when I return

[TAW1963]

2 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Thanks, Nancy - it's starting out pretty well - greeted with a volcano as I got off the elevator on the Lido,

said volcano 🌋 was nice enough to send out smoke signals as I waited for DH to finish smoking (zoom in top right),

breakfast table had a nice view of the volcano,

greeted w/clean laundry when I returned from breakfast,

and discovered my aft balcony provides a great view of the volcano 🌋 😊

I think maybe I should buy a lottery 🎟 🎫 🤭

That is an awesome picture of the volcano and ship wake from you aft balcony.  That, to me, is the best view from the ship.  My DW and I have the 2025 transatlantic cruise on the NS booked (in an aft-facing cabin) and today I am now going to book the B2B on the 2025, 14-day, Mediterranean Adriatic Antiquities cruise that is just prior to the transatlantic.  Your pictures are inspiring!  You are definitively lucky enough for a lottery ticket!

Edited October 30, 2023 by TAW1963

[*Miss G*]

11 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

Best, fastest, easiest check-in and boarding EVER!! OMG Vancouver sure could learn from Civitavecchia; polar opposite experiences

 

Sadly, the US CBP pre-clearance is a huge factor (read: mess) in the Vancouver embarkation.  I wish CBP would do it like Canada does when you’re entering her waters.  Much more civilized that way.

 

Sounds like you are having a wonderful cruise and some really great ports!

[BetsyS.]

Thanks for your great reports and beautiful pictures!  I agree that HAL laundry does a fantastic job! Do you think the ship will have decorations and activities planned for Halloween? 

[Hogladyrider]

@Haljo1935...I must have missed something along the way.  Can you please explain what moving excursions from CC to OBC is.  If my mind is working property CC ='s cruise critic and OBC='s on board credit.....but then maybe CC='s credit card.

 

Wondering how you got excursions on cruise critic.

[Haljo1935]

29 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

@Haljo1935...I must have missed something along the way.  Can you please explain what moving excursions from CC to OBC is.  If my mind is working property CC ='s cruise critic and OBC='s on board credit.....but then maybe CC='s credit card.

 

Wondering how you got excursions on cruise critic.

In our Community life here, CC = Cruise Critic.

In onboard ship, CC = Credit Card.

I should have been more clear. Sorry for the confusion. 🙄

[Hogladyrider]

1 minute ago, Haljo1935 said:

In our Community life here, CC = Cruise Critic.

In onboard ship, CC = Credit Card.

I should have been more clear. Sorry for the confusion. 🙄

Thank you so much!  Cleared it up perfectly!

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, BetsyS. said:

Thanks for your great reports and beautiful pictures!  I agree that HAL laundry does a fantastic job! Do you think the ship will have decorations and activities planned for Halloween? 

I have not seen any ship Halloween decorations, but I honestly haven't walked the whole ship yet. Main areas like Guest Services, for example, aren't decorated. I've seen some pax cabins w/decorations. 

Today's Daily listed a pumpkin carving contest at 2pm. That would have been fun, but I was busy drinking free 🍷 🥂 at the wine tasting, lol.

I have seen HALs Christmas decorations and think they do a nice job with them. Curious they don't do something for Halloween - it will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow. 

[Haljo1935]

Geez - the Universe does not want me communicating with anyone. 🙄

I have struggled since noon to use the internet and the Navigator. I've finally figured out a workaround, but it's klunky. So, if you don't hear from me or get pictures, that's why.

Captain said sunset would be 5:11pm, I think that's what I heard, and it times pretty well with what we experienced. 

I thought The Daily listed sunrise/sunset times, but I'm not seeing them, so maybe it's just wishful thinking. 🫣Anyway, the sunset was nice.

We will not be participating in dressy night tonight, so Lido it is. Then a little more wine on the balcony before a hopefully early night. We have Dubrovnik tomorrow - let the GOT tours begin!

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Dismomx5]

5 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

I thought The Daily listed sunrise/sunset times, but I'm not seeing them, so maybe it's just wishful thinking. 🫣Anyway, the sunset was nice.

I think that sunrise/sunset might be on the weather page of the TV?

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, Dismomx5 said:

I think that sunrise/sunset might be on the weather page of the TV?

Ooh, thanks, I will check. We can all check together - here's today's. 

Nope - Arrival and All Aboard on the left with temp, etc on the right.

Rain and 89% humidity (my asthma will not like that) with a decent wind.🌧️🌬️

The journey continues to locate sunrise/sunset times.