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The Happy Wanderer---Swingin' On A Star!

RuthC

By RuthC,
in Holland America Line

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Aussie Gal

Aussie Gal

Posted
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Ruth,

 

Thanks so much for taking us on this interesting cruise with you. I don't know if it would suit us but I have loved reading your reports.

 

I wish you a safe trip home and look forward to reading your post cruise notes.

 

Jennie

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Sunshine91

Sunshine91

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But this cruise on this ship was not the best for the solo traveller. So, I have been to some great new places, revisited some old haunts, checked a few things off my lifetime "to do" list, and am ready to look forward to the next adventure. :)

 

Ruthless - This SO surprised me. I thought you were loving your little single cabin on the Elegant Explorer. :confused: Has everyone not been treating you "above & beyond," as we've come to love & expect from HAL staff & crew?

 

I've loved reading about your adventures to the top of the world & look forward to January when you sail to the nether regions of this planet. You write the best stories - I feel like I'm sitting in Ocean Bar or Crow's Nest, or where ever onboard next to you. :)

 

Then next summer we'll sail together again. Have a safe journey home.

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BCEagle78

BCEagle78

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Debbi and I made it a priority to keep up with what Ruth's been doing... It has been great to get your opinions of what you have experienced.

 

Hopefully we will sail together again someday. Wish we could make the Antartctic cruise... just can't do it at that time...

 

Anyway, keep posting... we enjoy it thoroughly...

 

Paul & Debbi

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RuthC

RuthC

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I'm back. Back home, back to the Boards, back to reality.

And back to Eastern Daylight time, too! :rolleyes: I got up at 6:00 AM Saturday in Amsterdam (after a whole 5 1/2 hours sleep; hey, someone has to close the bar :rolleyes: ) and realized that it was Midnight Friday at home. I opened my door more than 19 hours later, saw a stack of mail, the answering machine winkin' and blinkin', and my very happy kitty. I collapsed into bed about an hour later and got up this morning at 7:00. Whew!

 

I've opened and sorted the snail-mail, deleted most of the 147 messages in the e-mail :eek: , and will deal with it all later. Three loads of laundry are done.

Like I said---reality. Back.

 

I'll have some final thoughts after I can schedule in "thinking". Give me a day or two.

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RuthC

RuthC

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er, where's my pillow chocolate? :confused:

 

I did suggest you grab some for your pillow this week.:D

Yeah, you did. And I did bring them home, too. It's just that now there's no new ones adding to the collection. Saturday night I had one before I went to bed. See, it was 8:30, I hadn't had supper, there was no food in the house, and I was exhaused. If the others hadn't still been locked in my checked suitcase they would be memories now, too. ;)

All the laundry is put away and the suitcases are back where they belong. The bills haven't been paid, but I feel like I have a handle on things now. I'll get a final report done soon.

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Copper10-8 "Live from...." Rare

Copper10-8

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Yeah, you did. And I did bring them home, too. It's just that now there's no new ones adding to the collection. Saturday night I had one before I went to bed. See, it was 8:30, I hadn't had supper, there was no food in the house, and I was exhaused. If the others hadn't still been locked in my checked suitcase they would be memories now, too. ;)

 

All the laundry is put away and the suitcases are back where they belong. The bills haven't been paid, but I feel like I have a handle on things now. I'll get a final report done soon.

 

I know they're not chocolate but buy any 'stroopwafels' at Amsterdam-Schiphol airport?

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serendipity1499

serendipity1499

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Welcome Home Ruth...I've enjoyed reading your posts & thank you for taking us along with you...

 

Capt. Turner was the Master on our Prinsendam cruise also & he seemed to be so well liked by the crew..The Asst CD Christine was a lovely gal, & she interviewed several of the entertainers every few days..It was fun getting to know them..Our CD was Peter Daems & he too had such a fun sense of humor... He also did an interview with Capt. Turner..

 

It's a shame, you did not seem to get to interact with others on your cruise..We only had one meet & greet with our CC group...No lunches or other get-togethers...Don't know why though..

 

Thanks again for taking us along with you..Looking forward your next cruise..:) Betty

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RuthC

RuthC

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Well, as promised, I've done a more formal (you know how much I like "formal" ;) ) review. I broke it down into the topics I thought of; probably left something you care about out. If so, just ask. I'll be here.

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RuthC

RuthC

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The Ship

Without a doubt the Prinsendam is a beautiful ship. She’s not glitzy---even by HAL standards---but she looks and feels like the ships of old. There is an attention to detail that whispers “well done”. The look of rich, polished wood, shiny brass, moldings and carvings in the woodwork, creates an ambiance that’s just my style. Now, don’t get me wrong---she needs the scheduled drydock to make necessary repairs, but doesn’t your home need a “spiffing up” every once in a while, too?

If there were anything major I would change it would be to have a dome over the mid-ship Lido pool area. In cold/inclement weather it’s not a nice place to be. Getting from the forward area to the Lido Restaurant through here can be uncomfortable (or worse!). Waiting for a hamburger can be downright frigid!

When the Lido pool area, and/or the aft outdoor area, isn’t comfortable it cuts way down on available seating for breakfast/lunch. Those times I found it next to impossible to find a place to sit, and I was looking only for a single seat. More in the party would have been awful. Covering the mid-ship pool area would give that much more seating.

Considering the exotic itineraries this ship travels it would be nice to find a way to add a “dome-over”.

The aft area has some wind-breaks on the side, and a nice canvas cover that gives some protection from the elements. I loved it out there---even when it was cold or rainy. Most of the time the music playing there was pleasant, too.

 

I have to wonder how it’s going to work when the ship goes to AYW dining. As I reported in a previous entry the smaller, mid-ship dining room is beautiful, but is a cut-through to the larger, aft room. I wouldn’t like to have passengers passing through all the time as I tried to enjoy my dinner.

 

In any case I don’t know that I’m ready to declare this my new “favorite ship”, but I would sail her again any time, any place and be happy about it.

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