MISTER 67

Old Noordam or old Nieuw Amsterdam.

Thanks, there was a article today in the local paper that eating in restaurants is a good way to catch Covid. I do know quite a few people who eat out and have not caught the virus so I'm not sure what to believe. I did have a good friend who died from the virus about 6 weeks ago, his wife had no idea where he caught it, she was asymptomatic. We will continue to play it safe.

At this point all I'd like is any kind of vacation. We haven't been anywhere except a few day trips in Florida no more than 100 miles from home. We did have 3 cruises booked for 2020 including one that was booked for March 28, 2 weeks after the lockdown started. We haven't eaten in a restaurant since March 14th, still afraid to stay in a hotel. We pack sandwiches and water on our day trips. We miss cruising but if it's not 100% safe from Covid we aren't going. What's keeping me going is playing golf 3-4 times a week but I always broke up my golf with a cruise 3 times a year, right now I need a break from golf as I've played every week since our last cruise in November of 2019.

We were sailing on a cruise out of Tampa on the Rhapsody in 2017 and booked another cruise while on board which put you in a lottery. Last night of the cruise we were informed that we had won $350.00, not bad.

No problem with that.

We are in different waters now and I'm sure that the laws could be amended for awhile after the country has gone through hell with this stinking Covid crud.

Why would there be port charges if you're not visiting any ports?

We love sea days and have taken many many cruises in the Caribbean and have been to places like St.Thomas over 30 times so taking a cruise without any ports is something we would have no problem with but not until its safe.

As far a the OP's question, I wish I had an answer but no one on these boards has a clue when we will cruise again. Of course it can't be until it's safe and who is going to determine that it's safe. We can't have what we had in the spring when a lot of ships had many passengers with covid with some deaths not to mention passengers being confined in their cabins and the ships not being able to find a port that would let them dock. My wife and I have decided we will cruise probably at least 3-6 months after the lines are given the OK. We are in our mid 70s and in very good health but are not taking chances, we have not eaten or had take out food since March 14th so that tells where we're coming from and why we are playing it safe as when to cruise again, certainly don't want to be a guinea pig and be the first to hop on a ship. That behing said, we miss cruising so much it's driving us crazy but we are going to play it safe.

We sailed on the Oosterdam last year and thought it was in great shape, new carpeting everywhere, new furniture here and there and clean as a whistle. We haven't sailed on the Zuiderdam since it's inaugural year so don't know what kind of shape she's in. Don't know who would buy the Zaandsm, someone wrote last year that she's rusting out on the floor between the crew deck and the engine room.

Why the Zuiderdam and Oosterdam, I can see the Volendam, Zaandam, Rotterdam and Amsterdam being sold but not the other 2 which are newer and larger with more amenities.

We sailed on all the Statendam class ships except the Statendam. They were classic ships and if you asked me which of the Veendam, Ryndam and Maasdam was the best and favorite of mine, it was a 3 way tie. Right now I'd have to say that the Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam are our favorites.

.......pinch myself to make sure that I'm not dreaming and am really on a cruise ship.

And when might that be?

We were finishing a cruise to Bermuda on the Horizon and docked at the pier on the west side of Manhattan the Saturday before the attack. Took some great photos of the towers as we sailed down the Hudson and out into NY Bay, hard to believe that 3 days later they were rubble. Some events you just don't forget and where you were at the time of the event, for me it was the assassination of JFK on 11.22.63 and the cowardly terrorist attack on 9.11.01. Somehow this year is in the mix of bad things but no exact date, just one crappy year.