RevNeal Reporting from the Zaandam

[cruznon]

How wonderful of you to share your trip with all of us!!

I really look forward to your posts.

Have fun in San Diego tomorrow! (I fly out tomorrow morning and I'll look for the Zaandam as we turn back over the bay!)

[Ziggy7]

Say cheese RevNeal, and look right at the webcam and wave! :) We'll all be looking for you ! Dont forget to wear your green shirt :)

[Himself]

Sounds like the matre de on the Zaandam knows how to run a tight ship.

Three cheers for this man. Hip, Hip huray! Hip, him, huray! Hip, hip Horay!

 

Himself

[RevNeal]

Sorry I wasn't able to get online yesterday ... was busy. :) I don't think I need to explain HOW I was busy!!!!!

 

Answers to some questions:

 

Ruth, the Pianist in the Pianio Lounge on the Zaandam is Sonia Marie. She’s pretty good, but we’ve not yet spent a lot of time there.

 

Dave: “ Were those tents in the parking lot where the natives set up a tourist market? Were there lot's of "real Oregonian" trinkets?”

 

Yes and Yes ... “real Oregonian” trinkets from Hong Kong. :D

 

Margie_Lady: “I am enjoying the pictures and the cruise (vicariously). However, the first picture, departing Victoria, is actually taken while departing Vancouver, sailing under the Lions Gate Bridge beside Stanley Park. I happened to be driving over the bridge that afternoon, looking at the Zaandam in port and wishing I was on her. If I had been half an hour later, I would have waved at you!”

 

Yes, I know ... that was a Typo ... I had Victoria on my mind. :) I got several good photos of passing under that Vancouver bridge looking back at the people watching us from the shore. I’ll be posting them on my website after the cruise is over.

 

lka1012: “Okay, our dear Rev Neal visits Mt St Helens and it begins to errupt. He then sails past (or is about ot sail past) California and an earthquake happens. Is there a trend here?”

 

I sure hope so. It’s kinda weird noting that the mountain is threatening to explode after having just visited there. Yikes!!!

 

:)

 

[RevNeal]

Day Five: At Sea

 

What a relaxing day it was! We spent much of it just roaming around the ship, enjoying the various lounges, gazing at the sea, relaxing in a hot tub, and getting a massage. It’s the kind of day at sea I enjoy the most!

 

Lunch on the Lido was excellent! I had a plate of penne Alfredo from the Pasta bar and a few vegetables from the main line. I also had a wonderful piece of cheese cake for dessert. The Lido doesn’t disappoint. Neither does the wait staff there -- they were very attentive to cleaning off dirty dishes, even while we were still eating, and making sure that tables were available just as soon as people were finished. Given that we had reservations for the Pinnacle Grill, we attended the “Cooking Demonstration” and saw how they made the Dungeness Crab Cakes. They also had samples for everyone who attended ... YUM.

 

Speaking of dinner in the Pinnacle Grill, Chris and I both agree that this was one of the better dining experiences we’ve had in the there -- except that I ate too much. Yikes!!

 

I ordered the Porterhouse steak, cooked medium, with scalloped potatoes and creamed spinach. The steak was as near to perfect as I’ve had it in many land restaurants -- not quite Ruth Cris, but very close. I should have had the Filet Mingon ... my eyes were too big for my appetite!!! :D The creamed spinach was just ok, but the potatoes were to die for. The salad looked like something that the staff had weed-eaten right out of Mr. Lantermans’ backyard, but it sure tasted good. I suppose the best aspect was the restaurant's atmosphere and style of presentation -- which is to say, refined and precise. Sometimes I think the Europeans who work there need to learn how to smile, but I that’s not as much a part of their culture as it is ours.

 

After dinner in the Pinnacle we attended the evening show, a musician named Dr. Justin Miller. He was an excellent guitarist and presented an interesting and entertaining musical program detailing the history and variety of guitar music. It was standing room only in the show lounge.

 

The rest of the evening was spent in conversation with some of our new friends over drinks in the Explorer’s Lounge, where we also enjoying the Atlantic Strings until after midnight (they played longer than their posted time ... I suppose because the lounge was full and people were making requests).

 

 

Day Six: San Diego

 

San Diego was disembarkation day for nearly 800 passengers! Wow, talk about an interesting sight ... half the ship literally got off, leaving the rest of us to enjoy a ship with just unreal amounts of empty space. We had a lite continental breakfast this morning, and spent our time watching people leave. Then, about 11 am, the embarkation of about 700 people began. After lunch (in the main dining room ... fair; should have gone to the Lido) we went ashore to walk up broad street to find a Drug Store ... Christopher has been fighting a cold, and it’s been threatening me too. We must have walked more than three miles, because by the time we got back to the ship my right leg was beginning to hurt me (I’ve been walking about 2 miles while aboard ship). Upon returning to the ship we rested for a while, then went up to the Sports deck during the lifeboat drill for the newly embarked passengers to photograph the Statendam as she pulled out of port San Diego; we soon followed her out to sea in a pleasant, sun-shining, yet slightly chilly early evening cruise-out.

 

Dinner this evening was in the main dining room, and it was quite good. Christopher had the Tuna Steak, which he says was cooked just a hair too much (it was a tiny bit more done than rare, but not enough for him to send it back). I ordered sliced fruit for an appetizer (refreshing!), the cream of cauliflower and blue cheese soup (WOW!), salad greens (oh-hum ... not much one can do about a plate of greens!), and the Prime Rib. Now, I know that the beef dishes in HAL’s Main Dining Room are often harshly criticized -- and I’ve done my share of criticizing it as being “shoe leather,” etc. -- however this time the Prime Rib was yummy. Cooked perfectly, it was outstanding both in terms of texture and in taste. I was happy and well-fed! For dessert we had the Flambé of the Day -- Cherries Foster. Thus far they’ve had a Flambé at dessert every day, and the cart is within view off to one side.

 

The show was a second performance of Black Tie -- they are four excellent musicians. I enjoyed the show as much the second time as I did the first. They did a sequence of Broadway songs and several humorous routines. Following the show we were both so tired from our long day that we turned in. Besides, we were told to set our clocks forward 1 hour before going to sleep! OUCH!

 

All-in-all, things ar going very well here on the glorious Zaandam. I’ll prepare some photos at some point and upload them later today.

 

[RuthC]

Justin Miller is aboard to entertain! WOW! If he's still there, and if you like his storytelling, beg the CD (on your knees if necessary!) to let Justin do his "Canaries, Crooners, and Kumquats" lecture. It's worth going to again, and again, and again, and.... You'll learn more about music than you ever thought possible. He's an old friend from several cruises, and entertained on the Rotterdam this summer.

 

I'm following your tales with baited breath. Please---keep 'em coming!

 

(You are saving your pillow chocolates for me, aren't you?)

[TylerRose]

Thanks for the updates, We continue to bask in the Texas heat, as politics attempts to overtake the networks as premieres continue,and the State Fair welcomes us back like children. Tonights weather for the Friday Night Football frenzy is ofcourse 30% chance of rain, hot, & Muggy... so now you are all up to date TEXAS STYLE!

 

Wish we were there!

[RevNeal]

Ok ... here are links to all the photos I've processed and uploaded thus far. Some of these y'all have seen before, some are new Enjoy!

 

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/pcc3.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/pcc1.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/mtsthelens1.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/formal1s.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/chrisgregmtsthel1.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/astoria1.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/lifeboatdrill2.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/statendam1.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/statendam2.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/formal1s.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/zaandamsd1.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/statendam3.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/zaandamsd2.jpg

[localady]

Hope the seas are better and the fog has cleared ( the fog on the sea I mean.)!!!!:D Have a raisin roll for me please.:cool:

[DocJohnB]

lka1012: “Okay, our dear Rev Neal visits Mt St Helens and it begins to errupt. He then sails past (or is about ot sail past) California and an earthquake happens. Is there a trend here?”

 

I sure hope so. It’s kinda weird noting that the mountain is threatening to explode after having just visited there. Yikes!!!

 

OK RevNeal,

 

If that is the case, then we Floridians are going to have to respectfully request that you depart the ship and fly back home, before you enter the Gulf of Mexico. We cannot take another hurricane this year. :eek:

[Himself]

Rev. Greg Neal:

 

I am glad you and Christopher were at Mt. St. Helen's earlier this week, rather than today. She erupted about an hour ago.

Himself

[Djokolot]

Greg:

 

You captured several beautiful shots. What type of camera do you use? I am a bit of an amateur photographer myself...so I am naturally, curious. Where was the photo "pcc3.jpeg" taken?

 

BTW, who is master & commander of Zaandam this time around? Glad to hear Jerry Spies is still doing a sensational job! We met him on our April '04 cruise.

 

And finally---what has been the highlight on the Pacific Side so far?

 

Dee

[Himself]

Greg:

 

I have enjoyed your pictures very much. Please keep them coming.

 

Himself

[iluvcruzin]

The pictures are great. Looks like you are having a fabulous time. Enjoy your trip!:)

[Minybear]

Rev Greg Neal. Love your photos. It brings back great memories of our Alaska Zaandam cruise on 8/28-9/4/04.

 

Could you do me a favor Rev. I have purchased auction art (Fantasica Mickey) while on our Zaandam cruise. I have somehow misplaced or lost our confirmation sheet with phone number to guest services (or where ever) so I can get intouch with someone due to we haven't recieved our auctioned art yet. Could you please go to the auction art desk and get the phone number of the person I can get intouch with? I think she said it would take 6-10 weeks to get in (its been 4 weeks) but I may have mistaken her. Could you please check for me:).

 

My email address if mminybear@aol.com. If you don't have time to do this for me that is ok. Enjoy your wonderful vacation.:)

 

Minybear

[Slinkiecat]

RevNeal, is it true that you ordered the eruption of Mt. St. Helens just to make your cruise truly memorable? If so, please take that as your only memento of the cruise and return home on schedule, very gently. :) Hope you are enjoying it all.

 

Slinkie

[Aloha_Jackie]

“Then, sir, you will not be served in the Rotterdam Dining Room.”

 

--I particularly enjoyed that line as well.

 

REV (Greg) - loving your reports - keep up the great work! I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for more! Thanks for the pics!

[saltydog28]

revneal-you look very suave and dapper in the photos. Now that I buttered you up I have a favor to ask. Could you find out what is in a wang wang? I really thought someone would have posted that by now. Or maybe I missed it. This next question is for Christopher.- What is the thread count in the sheets. Are they 100% cotton or a blend? And is there anything else we should know (or not know) about the bedding.

Thanks,

Pat.

[Quendryth]

Revneal

 

My DH & I are curious as to the age of the man who dressed "down" on formal night. It sure seems he was just trying to buck the system & see if he could get away with it! Kudos to the maitre 'de for his very appropriate tongue lashing!

 

You will love the Canal. I have transited it 3 times now - once the full trip on the Noordam, & twice on the Rotterdam. It never ceases to amaze me.

 

Can't wait to meet you on the Veendam in 2005! It is ONLY a little more than one year away!

 

Have a wonderful vacation!

 

Q

[RevNeal]

My friends, we're at sea today. I'm in the process of uploading pictures from Cabo ... once they're done, I'll post my report for the last two days. I've noticed that there are some questions for me ... I'm downloaded the page and will answer them off-line and then get on later today (or tomorrow, if I get too busy playing!!!!! :) ) with some answers.

 

My report and the links to the photos should follow soon.

[RevNeal]

Day Seven: At Sea

 

This was a nice, quiet day spent cruising down the Baha Peninsula toward Cabo San Lucas from San Diego. The seas were nice and calm, and as the weather warmed the fog cleared up leaving us with a bright, sunny afternoon. We spent most of the day roaming around the ship, enjoying the various lounges, watching a movie at the Wajang Theater, playing in the Casino, and accessing the internet. I also spent a while reading a book and chatting with one of my new fellow passengers over afternoon tea.

 

This evening was our second Formal Evening -- the first for those who joined us in San Diego. For the most part the new bunch of passengers are as predisposed to dressing according to the code as the old bunch. As a rough estimate, it appeared to me that about 60% or more of the men were in Tuxedoes, while most of the rest were in very nice suits and ties. I only saw a smattering of men around the ship who were not in at least a jacket and a tie, and I don’t remember seeing any in the Dining room that were not appropriately dressed.

 

Service continues to be good, but I noticed that it was a little bit slower than normal due -- I suspect -- the a full captain's table. The dinner selections were excellent, but among our observations is that the portions are smaller than they used to be; the good news is that this makes it possible for us to try several different selections without getting overstuffed. The desserts have been especially good, and the quality of the presentations have been quite nice as well; It seems that, on every plate, they trying for verticality.

 

Following dinner we sat in the Explorer’s Lounge for a while, listening to some lovely chamber music and enjoying a cup of coffee. We then went forward to the show lounge and enjoyed a second performance by Black Tie ... they’re an excellent group; if you ever have a chance to enjoy them while on a cruise, do so!

 

Day Eight: Cabo San Lucas

 

What a HOT day it was. We must have been spoiled by the lovely, cool weather the previous week, but Cabo today was flooded with bright sunshine and 90+ degree temperatures. There was, however, a nice breeze blowing in off the water, so it wasn’t too bad.

 

We had lunch in the Lido before going ashore. I’ve not written much about the Lido, but suffice it to say that the food selections have been fantastic, and the quality of, especially, the pastas have been very pleasing. Lunch in the main dining room, however, has been somewhat restricted. They don’t offer lunch there on port days, and during sea days the menus have been limited. Hence, we’ve mostly just eaten our lunches in the Lido.

 

In Cabo we took the Deluxe Coastal Cruise on the Caboray, a 3-decker catamaran. It was a very nice scenic cruise, well worth the price thanks to the great views and the open-bar. :D I got some lovely photos of Cabo, the surrounding resorts, and of the Zaandam anchored in the bay.

 

After the cruise we returned to the ship to relax and enjoy the afternoon and the sun. I actually got a little sun, so I’m not quite the “paleface” I was before. :D After leaving port we enjoyed a late afternoon in the Casino, then a lovely dinner ... crab legs!!!!!!!!!! All at our table must have had 2 or 3 plates full!! Afterwards we went to the show lounge to hear a program by a pianist with the unlikely name of “Hyperion Knight.” He was excellent, with his rendition of Gershwin tunes being out of this world.

 

Clocks went forward, again, this evening so I made an early night of it.

 

And that’s all for now. We’re at sea again, today, on Day 9, with the weather outside being very warm and the seas nice and calm. One serious problem with the ship to report ... there seems to be a major malfunction with the air conditioning in the shopping kiosks next to the casino. It’s HOT in there. Tonight is the Filipino crew show. Yeah!

 

Below are links to some of the photos I took in Cabo. Enjoy!

 

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/cabo1.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/cabo2.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/cabo3.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/cabo4.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/cabo5.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/cabo6.jpg

http://www.revneal.org/Resources/pccphotos/cabo7.jpg

 

 

[KBC]

Dear Greg

 

Your reports are simply wonderful. I have just finished telling some dear friends (over lunch) all about you and your marvellous updates. We are planning the same trip in 2005 and as they haven't done the 'canal' before, they are truly fascinated...

 

Thanks again, and do continue to have a fabulous cruise.

 

Katie xx

[HeatherInFlorida]

Greg, thanks again for the wonderful report and pictures. So fun to keep up with you on your journey.

 

I can't help but wonder what sad fate awaits Cabo as you leave there! After what you left behind at Mt. St. Helen's and California (eruptions and earthquakes), I shudder to think. Have mercy on the Panama Canal when you go through!

Keep enjoying, keep posting. We love it;)

[RuthC]

I appreciate that you are naming the entertainers you are enjoying.

Too often in a review it's mentioned that "the juggler" or "the magician" or "the singer" was good---but the poster doesn't name names!

I want to know who they are so that if I have the opportunity to see them on my cruise I know they've already had an honorable mention.

Keep up the good work!

[localady]

Pull out the sunscreen and margaritas, seems like you're ready for this phase of the trip!;) :cool: