sppunk

No joke! Thought the exact same with the QM2. The P&O ships looked a bit fresher, but could be a mixture of lighting and just how long it's been since they were touched up pre-shutdown.

I follow a boat reviewer Aquaholic on YouTube and he is out for a ride in Tor Bay and circles around several ships - notably Westerdam, Volendam and Zaandam (QM2 and two P&O ships earlier). One thing's for sure - these blue-hull beauties need paint stat. The Volendam's white around the 3/4 aft name area is badly oxidized! YouTube link starting at the Westerdam ...

Bar Harbor Ale House. Her husband Alfred runs a fishing charter business out of Ketchikan. Diane did the Grand World bVoyage in Amsterdam this year, fwiw. She was only in through Sydney - lucky her! She was on the Masadam some last summer/this past fall. Shes by far our favorite cruise entertainer we have ever come across.

Diane and her man (at that time) was Bob. She is remarried and living in Ketchikan and does a piano bar at a brewery there.

As others have said, sailing Rotterdam out of Rotterdam is an incredible experience.

I don’t think any US-based ship sails until at least March 2021. My only question is if NCL survives.

Sad but not unexpected. Maasdam and Veendam were on borrowed time pre-pandemic. Amsterdam and Rotterdam are the long-haul ships and long-haul cruising is DOA for at least a year and a half, likely much longer. Be happy HAL still exists. I still believe a few lines will be consolidated before ships with US-bases companies sail again (maybe in spring 2021, it’s not happening before then). The travel landscape will change substantially, I’m still alarmed some don’t recognize it. (Not anyone here, I mean in general)

Whichever ones goes to Geirangerfjord, go there. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been on this planet.

HAL ships do not fit Seabourn’s business profile whatsoever. They’re too on-board revenue-driven and a capacity too large to handle Seabourn policies. Staff can go back and forth, as they’ve been doing, but those can’t be folded together. HAL passengers on average can’t afford Seabourn as is, either. I think Princess is the odd one out UNLESS they pick up NCL ships for cheap. I dint see that happening and it’d compete too much with Carnival itself anyway. Princess is - while a good, solid line - a little rutterless.

For the crew still on ships, are they moved to guest accommodations to help space them out? I hope that’s an option for the ones working hard without the joy of seeing guests.

I essentially witnessed a mutiny on her, thats’s all I got. That cruise to Bermuda was the worst vacation we’ve ever had. You won’t see me on her ever - though I question if she ever sails for HAL again now.

Cruising will definitely not be “back” fully in a year. Economic devastation reigns so people won’t have discretionary money and cruising will be far down the list next to theme parks, resorts, weekend getaways. I seriously question if Veendam and Zaandam ever sail again with passengers. Hell, I question if the full R-class remains.

Permits were issued months ago. It’s a scheduling conflict, 100%.

So glad common sense and decency reigned here and these ships can dock. Safe travels to those going home and best wishes for speedy recovery for those who are ill! And thank you to all the HAL crew on board.

CCL, I think yes. I’m much more concerned about NCL. I think they’re much more susceptible to a hostile takeover or extreme liquidation. I do think we see CCL with fewer lines - I won’t be surprised if Princess is roled into HAL entirely.