Two Midwesterners escape winter on the Eurodam.

[0106]

I was on the Zuiderdam for Super Bowl 2022 and watch from Billboard.  It was fun with passed snacks and an enthusiastic crowd.  I am hoping for the same on the Oosterdam this year.

 

23 hours ago, ottahand7 said:

Back on board after lengthy in transit process. 389 counting contractors.  Nothing like being in a closely seated auditorium with a bunch of phlegmy coughers

I’m not looking forward to this experience when I turn around on the NS in March.  Any advice for how to make it a better experience?  I have no desire for a tour or need to get off the ship to shop.  Thanks for taking us along on your cruise’

[ottahand7]

3 hours ago, kb4683 said:

 

Did they happen to offer any shore excursions for in transit passengers?  Not looking forward to your experience if we can avoid it in March.

When they were announcing guest leaving the ship several shore excursions were announced, probably for people with late flights but doing one during in transit day may be possible. Check your shore excursions in Fort Lauderdale. 

[ottahand7]

 @0106 not much I could help with, we were barely back on board before the new passengers were coming aboard.  I brought my Scrabble like game that helped in the sick ward group in the World Stage.  If you have health issues I would ask to be allowed to sit away from the crowd. 

[ottahand7]

This thread will be quiet for a day or two.  I am stuck in bed with no energy, typing this is tiring.  I already did a COVID test and I am negative.  Bone pain, cough, mild headache points to flu.  No sneezing or sniffles.  Even with the vaccine I would get it every year until COVID started and I was so careful.   Going to medical for a test and hopefully Tamiflu.  

[canadarocks]

Sending healing vibes. 👍

[0106]

26 minutes ago, ottahand7 said:

If you have health issues I would ask to be allowed to sit away from the crowd.

Good advice.  I hope you feel better soon.

[cat shepard]

23 minutes ago, ottahand7 said:

This thread will be quiet for a day or two.  I am stuck in bed with no energy, typing this is tiring.  I already did a COVID test and I am negative.  Bone pain, cough, mild headache points to flu.  No sneezing or sniffles.  Even with the vaccine I would get it every year until COVID started and I was so careful.   Going to medical for a test and hopefully Tamiflu.  

 

Nancy, I am so sorry to ready this. Hope this is a quick one. 

[kb4683]

@ottahand7 Sorry to hear you are ill, hope they fix you up quickly so you can enjoy the rest of your cruise(s).  
 

Also, thanks for the answer — will check with shore ex once onboard.  We will have our car in the parking garage so that’s an option, too.  Just don’t really want to get in the mess with 6 ships in port that day 😱 (and 3 are HAL so will probably be in the same general vicinity/parking garage).

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

2 hours ago, ottahand7 said:

This thread will be quiet for a day or two.  I am stuck in bed with no energy, typing this is tiring.  I already did a COVID test and I am negative.  Bone pain, cough, mild headache points to flu.  No sneezing or sniffles.  Even with the vaccine I would get it every year until COVID started and I was so careful.   Going to medical for a test and hopefully Tamiflu.  

 

I'm sorry you are not feeling well.  I hope medical can help, and you feel better soon.

[StLouisCruisers]

2 hours ago, ottahand7 said:

This thread will be quiet for a day or two.  I am stuck in bed with no energy, typing this is tiring.  I already did a COVID test and I am negative.  Bone pain, cough, mild headache points to flu.  No sneezing or sniffles.  Even with the vaccine I would get it every year until COVID started and I was so careful.   Going to medical for a test and hopefully Tamiflu.  

 

I hope you're back to your old self soon, Nancy. 🤞

[dfish]

So sorry that you are not feeling well.  That is not what you want on a cruise.  I hope you recover quickly!

 

[jlawrence01]

8 hours ago, ClippyJoe said:

We were on the Konigsdam last year and the Super Bowl was shown on the large screen at the pool.

 

I was on Princess in November and they could not show any NFL games while in the US port claiming they were "blacked out" while in port.

[Papaeagle]

That would be an ouch. We leave St. Thomas at 4:00, so hopefully, being at sea, that won't be a factor.

[ottahand7]

I am somewhat among the living.  In medical I got a flu test negative so they ran the more accurate PCR test again negative.  Temperature 101 when my normal is 97.4.  I was given Tylenol to take every 4-6 hours.  Last check was 98.2.  I am more awake but we cancelled our shore excursion in St. Johns two days from now.  I can't guess how I will recover, sometimes it takes a week.  

 

We did get all the football games so far.  I will get the Daily activities later today.  

[RMLincoln]

Thanks for checking back in and happy for you that you are a bit improved. With the fever coming down you will feel more human. although not necessarily well.  Hopefully rest will have you back to normal soon, rest and some warm sunshine!  At least you are headed for warmth!  Not many will have that for quite a while!  
Maureen

[dfish]

Glad you are feeling a bit better.  I'm also glad it isn't the flu or Covid.  Hopefully, this will be short lived.

[bandect]

ottahand7 Thanks so much for all the info. We have been away for a few pages and nice to get caught up! Boarding day of 1/24 is getting closer. Not crazy about the 'in transit' or 'turn around' day info. Sitting around  with a bunch of hackers doesn't sound like fun. We will bring our N95's, just for a little added protection. The dinners at the specialty restaurants don't look to appealing. We have scheduled all of ours that we get with the all in. As foodies and lover's of good wine we have realized you don't take a cruise for 'fine dining', ...at least not anymore! But we will still enjoy! Or we wouldn't be cruising! Keep up the nice writing and hope you are well soon!

[ottahand7]

I am up sitting in a chair for the first time except to eat so I can begin to get caught up. My fever is staying in the 98 degrees range and I started Prednisone for my paroxysmal cough. It has begun to help after only 2 doses. As promised here is yesterday's daily activities. Note the happy hour info. 

[ottahand7]

Today's Daily Activities 

[canadarocks]

Glad you’re starting to feel better. Have you had a chance to listen to the Third Avenue West group playing at the Ocean Bar? Are they any good? How about Rolling Stone Rock & the Billboard pianists? I realize it’s totally subjective, but I’d love to know what you think. 

[jlawrence01]

5 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

Glad you’re starting to feel better. Have you had a chance to listen to the Third Avenue West group playing at the Ocean Bar? Are they any good? How about Rolling Stone Rock & the Billboard pianists? I realize it’s totally subjective, but I’d love to know what you think. 

Third Avenue West was pretty good, fairly similar to what you would find in a Las Vegas casino lounge.

They play 3-4 sets pretty much every night.

 

As for the groups, I have to say that all I have to compare them to in my November 2022 cruise on the HAL Konigsdam.

 

I thought that the Billboard pianists were pretty similar to others that I have seen as long as they stick to songs that are in their genre.  However, when one of the singers, a high tenor, tries to sing Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire, it is rather bad.

 

IMO, the Rolling Stone band on the Eurodam were NOT in the same class as the one on Konigsdam which was excellent.

 

Overall, I thought that the entertainment in the  Konigsdam was best I have ever experienced on a cruise; on the Eurodam, it was disappointing.

 

[Petronillus]

On 1/14/2024 at 9:16 AM, ClippyJoe said:

We were on the Konigsdam last year and the Super Bowl was shown on the large screen at the pool.

If you're referring to the 2023 Super Bowl, we were on the same 18-day Hawaii cruise. I never like the acoustics in the Lido pool area but the Jumbotron did the job well. People should be warned that NONE of the regular Super Bowl ads were run; it apparently has something to do with the licensing. Instead, they filled the commercial break time with the same three crappy ads that ran over and over. One was for some women's wrestling championship that was going to be televised in Australia & New Zealand only! A lady sitting behind us said, "These are the worst Super Bowl ads ever!"

[canadarocks]

Thanks so much for the reviews @jlawrence01!

[ottahand7]

Good morning from near St. Maarten.  I am back on my game after starting Prednisone yesterday, it helps quell my cough but there is little sleep with it.  I think it was our upstairs neighbors that walk around swiftly all hours of the night started playing music.  Not loud enough to know the tune but loud enough to be bothersome.  It was 3:38. I just got up and put on my vintage Sony noise cancelling headphones. In about a half hour the noise of the pilot boat became noticeable.  We are four aft.  Lots of engine noise and then the Azipods started up about 20 minutes later so I took my headphones off, ship noise expected.  Once things got quieter with the engines I couldn't hear the  music and I hope neighbors on deck 6 or nextdoor complain. 

Many photos of room service from the last several days.

Edited January 16 by ottahand7

[oakridger]

Glad the prednisone is working!  It stopped my horrible cough a couple of years ago.  

 

Thanks for all the room service pictures.  The food looks good!

 

~Nancy