Hello from Volendam!

[maxout]

Thanks Brian, you've made another day at work a lot better. I feel like i'm sitting there with you watching it all go by and just soaking it in.

[terrydtx]

If you missed it this morning here is the Volendam leaving Gatun Lake and the Canal. At least this time no other ship is blocking our Dam ship!!!:D :D

[richwmn]

If you missed it this morning here is the Volendam leaving Gatun Lake and the Canal. At least this time no other ship is blocking our Dam ship!!!:D :D

I have the entire sequence in 30 second intervals if anyone wants it

 

Rich

[Copper10-8]

Great descriptive post Brian! Enjoy your cruise!

[longtimecruiser]

Greg and Brian, thank you for your wonderful posts.

I am really enjoying keeping up to date with my buddies!

As for my mother, I hope she's behaving herself.

Take care of her on that zipline in Costa Rica! I will be there in spirit!

Tell everyone hello and I miss them!!:D EURODAM 2008 baby!!! :D

[earl_m]

Great review of the canal ! !! thanks

[RuthC]

Oh, Brian, thank you for that wonderful description of your visit to the Panama Canal---you make me want to go back and see it with fresh eyes. :)

That's so too bad about the Black & White Ball not coming off as you all had hoped. I suppose the officers had early committments this morning---but then it should have been scheduled for a different night. Or perhaps, since so many people weren't prepared to attend the Ball but didn't know enough to stay away, they decided what's the use. :( Whatever, it's too bad.

Now, not only do we (ok, I) want pictures of Adele zip-lining, we (ok, I) want an audio recording of her screams. Think any of you can provide that? :D

[jhannah]

 

Sounds like great fun. They did look good going back through Gatun Locks this morning.

 

The zip-lining should be stuff of which classics are made. Let's hope we have audio and video!

[longtimecruiser]

Ruth Curley I second that motion for those pictures of Adele ziplining

I would pay money to see it in person though:D:D

[RuthC]

I would pay money to see it in person though:D:D

Me, too, Emily! Maybe Greg will get it on video? He could raise some $$$ for his next cruise selling it on DVD. ;)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Brian, amazing description of your transit. I felt I was there again. You really do have to do ocean to ocean one day. I've done both the half and full transit and the full is just that much more awsome particularly when you think about exactly what you are doing!

 

I can't tell you and Greg how I appreciate all these wonderful descriptions of your cruise. Thank goodness we have one soon or my envy would turn the screen green!!!:D

[Love Cruises]

Brian and Greg ... thank you so much for your running commentary on your VOLENDAM cruise. Can you tell me who the Cruise Director is and who are some of the entertainers on board. THANKS!!

[Copper10-8]

Brian and Greg ... thank you so much for your running commentary on your VOLENDAM cruise. Can you tell me who the Cruise Director is and who are some of the entertainers on board. THANKS!!

 

I'm not Brian:eek: and/or the Rev:eek: ;) but the C/D should be Mike Connachan (until 11/22/07 when Jay Gosselin takes over) which also means his future wife Leah Shlyakhov should be the onboard cruise consultant

[advocado]

Brian and Greg -- Thank you sooo much for the moment to moment review of your cruise. I will be doing a Canal transit in January (Maasdam). I am curious as when you actually began the Canal transit. The HAL brochure states "5:00 a.m." I understand that is probably a standard statement. When did you actually commence the cruise thru the Gatun Locks? Greg -- I understand (from a little old lady standing next to you) that you were front and center for your photo opportunity. When did you get out there? Was it really as messy as Brian described with people all over the ships bow? Any suggestions where to plant yourself for the Lock portion? Thanks again for your extraordinary commitment to this forum

[advocado]

Brian and Greg -- Thank you sooo much for the moment to moment review of your cruise. I will be doing a Canal transit in January (Maasdam). I am curious as when you actually began the Canal transit. The HAL brochure states "5:00 a.m." I understand that is probably a standard statement. When did you actually commence the cruise thru the Gatun Locks? Greg -- I understand (from a little old lady standing next to you) that you were front and center for your photo opportunity. When did you get out there? Was it really as messy as Brian described with people all over the ships bow? Any suggestions where to plant yourself for the Lock portion? Thanks again for your extraordinary commitment to this forum

[cruz chic]

Brian, amazing description of your transit. I felt I was there again. You really do have to do ocean to ocean one day. I've done both the half and full transit and the full is just that much more awsome particularly when you think about exactly what you are doing!

 

I can't tell you and Greg how I appreciate all these wonderful descriptions of your cruise. Thank goodness we have one soon or my envy would turn the screen green!!!:D

 

I've done both as well and ocean to ocean is truly amazing.

 

Thanks for the great posts of your adventures!

[terrydtx]

Brian and Greg -- Thank you sooo much for the moment to moment review of your cruise. I will be doing a Canal transit in January (Maasdam). I am curious as when you actually began the Canal transit. The HAL brochure states "5:00 a.m." I understand that is probably a standard statement. When did you actually commence the cruise thru the Gatun Locks?

 

Advocada,

 

I watched the transit west through Gatun locks on the Panama Canal webcam at real time and it began about 6:55 local time (there is a timer on the webcam)which is eastern time zone and I think same as ships time. The transit back east through the locks was finished about 1pm ET. The webcam only give the view of the first lock on the west transit and the last lock on the east transit

[ekerr19]

Oh Brian! thanks so much. I just love reading your updates. :)

 

I fell like I'm there with you - and believe me, I wish we were. The full transit cruise we did on Amsterdam is still one of Sonny's all time favorites.

 

I'm really sorry to hear about the B&W Ball, especially after we had such a superb affair on Noordam's Inaugural. They really should have scheduled it for a different night - not one officer showed? That's a pity.

 

Please say "Hi" to the gang for us! Give a big hug & kiss to Scotty for me - and one last thing... did you put highlights in your hair? It looks a bit different.

 

Oh, and Greg, thanks for all those fantstic photos! It makes it even more spectacular when we get "see" and hear all about it. :)

 

Continue having fun!!!! :D

[advocado]

Advocada,

 

I watched the transit west through Gatun locks on the Panama Canal webcam at real time and it began about 6:55 local time (there is a timer on the webcam)which is eastern time zone and I think same as ships time. The transit back east through the locks was finished about 1pm ET. The webcam only give the view of the first lock on the west transit and the last lock on the east transit

Thanks. I suspected as much. I checked the almanac for the date of my cruise through the canal and it's still dark @ 6:00 a.m.

[bepsf]

Thanks to everyone for their kind words as this thread has continued along – I have not made a practice of reading the thread before posting in order to save minutes as I’m playing “Let’s See How Long We Can Stretch the 100 Minute Plan”, and I’m doing pretty darned well as I have just over 34 minutes left for the next three days, so I thought I’d burn 90 seconds reading some of the questions:

 

Yes, Laura, I did get my hair done on the first day at sea – It’s become something of a tradition for me, and I thought the young lady did a rather good job, expecially considering it was her 2nd day aboard Volendam for her first contract…

 

The ship blocking us in the webcam pix (thanks for posting those!!!) was not a tanker, but a car carrier – there were two in the canal yesterday am, and I forget the first one’s name…

 

No, Yes, Yes, I’d rather not say, No, Mike and I don’t know because I was still in bed – There, that about answers all the questions in no particular order. ;) Now on to our regularly scheduled post…

 

 

 

Thank You For Your Inquiry – We Are Now Closed

 

Last night at the Ocean Bar, Greg came in with some distressing news: He had overheard that our Costa Rican shore excursions had been cancelled due to weather ☹ This was very upsetting – even Adele was disappointed enough to march down to the Shore Ex desk and ask about our options – although there were a fair number of folks at the desk to do just the same, the Shore Ex desk was closed to “do their reports” – Ugh. It wasn’t until we returned to our staterooms after dinner that we saw letters stating that our excursion was cancelled and that they were very sorry, we could request another excursion by placing a slip in the overnight box, blah, blah, blah. I will say that Rebecca at the Shore Ex desk had been very helpful up until then, and I absolutely understand that this is something that is out of their control, but IMHO it could have been handled better. HAL could also really stand to install those automated Shore Ex machines here like they have aboard the Vistas if they don’t have the staff to handle inquiries on a timely basis - particularly for unusual circumstances such as these – after all, HAL are charging a hefty markup on Shore Ex’s…

 

 

So yes, it’s a cold, drizzly day here in Costa Rica – a day that only a Duck could love – so I decided to stay aboard ship and get some laundry done. Of course I’m using the “By-the-Bag” Service just so I can report to the folks at home. Here’s a rough inventory of what I shoved into that little bag and what I expect to get cleaned for my $12-15 or whatever it is they’re charging me:

 

11 undershorts

3 undershirts

3 pair of socks

1 pair of walking shorts

4 pullover shirts

2 casual short sleeved shirts (flower/camp shirts)

2 dress shirts

1 pair of light cotton slacks

1 pair of jeans

 

I also have 2 tuxedo shirts that didn’t fit into the bag, and I expect to pay extra. I actually expected to pay extra for the jeans too, but our Wonderfully Patient Cabin Steward, Mr Widi rolled them up and shoved them into the top – I may be getting them included, who knows? Earlier in the week, I sent out my ironing and dry cleaning – probably a dozen shirts and a couple blazers needing dry cleaning that I didn’t get done at home. All the shirts came back with all their buttons attached and in their heavily starched glory, and the blazers were good as new. Don’t ask what it cost – I never pay attention to these things when I’m on vacation. Scotty did go down to the laundry room to press his own tuxedo shirt for the last formal night – I guess the washers and dryers aren’t free anymore (were they ever?) but again, the costs went in one ear and out the other, as I had more engaging things on my mind, such as the next subject…

 

 

 

Duck-Napped!

 

Did you hear that there has been a terrible crime spree taking place aboard Volendam this week? Yes, we have Duck-Nappers aboard! People are taking Ducks for ransom, and most aren’t making it back home - Ducks are just not safe here anymore! I see them face down in the swimming pools, in the mouths of animals, in the hands of children – the staff and crew are finding the carcasses of expired Duckies everywhere – Oh, the Horror! We see photographs of their sweet little faces on the cabin doors of their distraught owners, but I fear they aren’t going to see their loved ones again. I even saw some on the dinner menu the other night! (and it was quite tasty, Thank You Very Much) Is it a Shakespearean Plot? Is it a Mac Attack? Time will tell…

 

 

 

Here Are Your Keys Sir - That will be $135,000 and Sorry about the Paint…

 

Many of you know that the Panama Canal is the only place on our seas where the Captain of the ship gives over complete navigational control of his vessel to the Port Pilot – everywhere else on our planet, the Captain is in absolute charge and can take or completely disregard the suggestions of the Pilot.

 

You may also recall yesterday’s narrative where I mentioned a sudden strange lateral judder that went throughout the ship as we were moving between locks during our exit from the Canal. Well, when we disembarked in Colon and walked along the pier,, we saw exactly the result of what happened: there are two great patches of blue paint missing from Volendam’s hull, probably 18” in diameter each – all the way down to the red steel primer! Yep, we smacked the side. Fortunately, it appears that there is no major damage to the hull, but as we were embarking later that afternoon the ships carpenters were hauling several 4x8 sheets of the most beautiful Luaan Mahogany Veneered plywood up the gangway…

 

I couldn’t help but think about those sheets of plywood last night as the ship tossed and turned (between dreaming of roller-coasters) last night – and the image of the cracked glass window panel in the Explorer’s Lounge…

 

 

 

After 560 days, you get Brunch

 

News Flash: Adele is our Mariner with the most days on HAL this cruise! We hope to see Captain Fred at the Mariner’s Brunch tomorrow am – and that Adele doesn’t have to pay for her own commemorative photograph…

 

 

 

Where’s Simon Cowell when you need him?

 

Last Night in the Crow’s Nest, we had Volendam Idol – where folks would sing a song to Karaoke and get judged for prizes. Your intrepid reporter volunteered for the experience in order to get you the “Inside Scoop” of what it’s like to be on Volendam Idol. We flipped through several pages of song-names to find that perfect choice - something that was upbeat, something the audience could easily remember from their collective pasts and possibly even sing along with. Your reporter thought he had the perfect choice: Roly Poly, the song from “Pillow Talk” where Doris Day and Rock Hudson sang in a NYC piano bar – easy to remember, funny lyrics – we thought we had a winner!

 

We were the 5th contestant – we had suffered through Sentimental Journey and Mack the Knife – Our time in the spotlight had come – Fame and Fortune were clearly within our grasp...

 

We began by dedicating the song to our friends from the Lido restaurant when the music began and suddenly: This was the Wrong Song! This was no Doris Day tune, this was some schlocky Country Western piece of %(@& by the same name! All there was to do was to get through this as quickly as possible – follow the words that we’ve never sung to a twangy tune we’ve never heard, and try to ham it up with a “Hee-Haw”-ness we haven’t seen the likes of since Mom’s living room had multi-colored shag back in the 70’s…

 

Then it happened – the screen went blank except for a message that says “Sing the chorus for 36 seconds” Holy Shiite, where are the Flocking Words??? I can’t even remember what the heck had just come of my mouth in the past minute! Where was Ruthless with her magic purse of lyrics when I needed her? Tar Nation and Hoover Dam! Just try to ham it up and repeat some Gawdawful lyric about some fat boy’s belly. Finally, the music stops and the laughter takes over – The Shame of it all! Then we have to stand there and face the judgement: Where have all the kind words gone? Where were the Rose-Colored comments? Oh, the Laughter – the Agony: No HAL Luggage tags! No Dam Dark Flashlight! No 3-year contract with Sony!! Then we suddenly realized - we could never show our face on this ship again – we’ll be asked to turn in our Mariner’s Pin, pack the Tumi and be sent home right now.

It’s time to move on to Cunard…

 

 

Well, it’s time to check the plumbing, take a dip in the Jacuzzi, count our socks, do some Duck Hunting and drown our sorrows in some smuggled Chocolate Curacao and Disaronno.

 

TTFN!

[DrTee]

Okay, I did a spit take with my coffee.

 

My mother (from Arkansas) used to sing that song--it was by Bob Wills--and it was sooo obnoxious.

 

No one, not even the most talented Mariners, could make that song anything but revolting.

 

Sorry, guys, it's so hard when you see stardom so close, yet so far away.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Brian, PLEASE, quit your day job now and become a travel writer. I'll buy every word you write.:)

 

Karin

[jhannah]

That's hilarious! I'd have loved to be there. Almost felt as if I was with your skillful wordsmithing.

 

Do you have a "PRESS" card tucked in your hatband?

[Crazy]

Brian and/or Rev - what about the "anytime dinning" -- have you tried it.

 

Emily

[NanaApa]

Terrydtx – Just have to ask about your pic’s – You must have a long arm and big mirror to get pic’s of your ship going through lock while you sit on deck???

The Apa