richwmn

And the (lengthy) Wine List

Tonight's dinner in the Main Dining Room

December 22, 2023 – Aboard ms Volendam I checked out of the hotel right at 11:00am. A cab came within 5 minutes and we were on the way to the port. We didn’t have any traffic problems, and got to the port quickly. When we arrived the porters took my bag, and I headed inside. From that point I basically didn’t stop walking for more than a minute until just before boarding the ship. There was quite a backup. But even that didn’t take long. I dropped my carry on bag in the cabin and headed to the Lido, after being reminded that on this ship it is on Deck 8. My Dive In burger came and I noticed that it had been just 45 minutes since I left the hotel. I also did a quick walk around the Promenade Deck. As usual, the deck hands were out washing everything. To me, everything looked great. My baggage has arrived in my cabin, and I met one of my stewards. I watched the video, and now need to head out to have my card scanned at the muster station.

Comfort Inn North Harbor, sorry should have mentioned it before

Fully obstructed outside (HH3300). I have this cabin by choice.

December 22nd, 2023 Good morning from San Diego! Today, in about 5 hours or so, I will board Volendam for the holiday cruise, the first of 4 back to back. So far this morning it has been overcast and rainy. Hopefully it will clear up a bit by the time I move toward the dock. Yesterday I took care of a couple of last minute items. I also had a meal at a nice little Mexican restaurant near the hotel. It was very good and convenient to the hotel, easy walking distance. There is also a Denny’s and a Ralph’s Supermarket within about a block of this hotel. I have had a feeling since I checked in that I have stayed here before but I can’t pin point when. Maybe it will come to me. The hotel has the normal, complimentary breakfast bar and it has been good yesterday and today. It is clean and the staff is nice. Everything is in order, now I just need to pass the time until 11am, checkout time and the time I can start the boarding process on the ship. My assigned time is 12:40. I will arrive about noon and see what happens. I’ll just have to see what 5* Priority Boarding means in San Diego.

@kazu you may as well add the FLL => Montreal leg for future postings

It is almost 6am in San Diego. In about 5 hours I will leave for the port to board Volendam. I hope everyone has a great weekend and holiday season.

Since no one has posted the cruises involved, I believe OP is talking about Volendam sailing from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale (Apr 6 - 21), Fort Lauderdale to Montreal (April 21 - May 4) then Montreal to Boston starting May 4. This itinerary stops in Carteghena, Columbia which qualifies as a Distant Foreign port for the PVSA.

Refer to post #12. In order for a foreign flagged cruise ship (all but 1 currently) a ship must stop in a DISTANT foreign port before she can transport a passenger from one US port to another US Port. SD -> FLL, or SD -> FLL -> Montreal -> Boston. Carteghena, Columbia satisfies the requirement for both. No other port visited satisfies the requirement. His itinerary is legal and should have been allowed. edit: posting at same time as @Shmoo here

Sorry you had to cancel as the itinerary IS legal under the PVSA. If you want to do the cruise as you booked it, get in touch with someone during the day tomorrow.

Same cabin until I reach Fort Lauderdale. I just booked the final cruise this week and Guarantee was the only thing available. I have been told that it is possible that I will get the same cabin for that cruise as well.

In general terms, about the same. However, you have to realize that a large part of it is a 'Grand Voyage' so that is part of the deal.

Looking forward to seeing you in a couple of months

That is correct, but according to the terms of the PVSA in order to go from one US port to another you must stop at a DISTANT foreign port which is defined as one basically outside North America and the Caribbean. The port that qualifies is Cartagena, Colombia which is South America. The ABC islands also qualify as they are considered to be part of South America.

I realized after my first post that my spacing was off, just like the beginning of last year where I copied the style. I moved down in my posts from last year to get the spacing that worked best. My travel this year actually started on Tuesday. A friend volunteered to take the 90ish mile trip to take me to a hotel near the Atlanta Airport. I have no interest in getting up at 3am in order to get to the airport two hours early. I stayed at a hotel I have used before that is nice and only about 10 minutes from the terminal. Not much can go wrong in 10 minutes, but there is still a chance. When I checked into the hotel, I asked for a 7:30am shuttle, and they suggested that 7:00am might be better so I took that. From the time I left the hotel to arrival at the gate took me about an hour and a half. I was surprised at how close some people were pushing their arrival. In the shuttle I talked to two ladies who were flying to Los Angles a day late after missing their flight the day before due to problems with TSA. When I left the hotel the Delta App said my gate would be A29. When I checked in, it had been changed to B37, no problem. I got to the gate plenty early and was checking Cruise Critic when I realized that it was about time to board and they were still boarding another flight at B37. I checked the App again and the gate had been changed – I never heard a notice. Luckily the new gate was B31, very close. I was one of the last to board. After we boarded there was an announcement that our flight time would be about 4 hours rather than the scheduled time of over 5. That put us into San Diego about noon. Since I was in no hurry, I didn’t arrive at my hotel until about 1, and they did have a room available for immediate check in. I recognized the hotel as one I had stayed in before. So far I have had a good nights sleep and have made up 2 hours of the time difference. I woke up at 4am. Hopefully a little better tomorrow. The included breakfast was good and the San Diego weather is messy today and expected to stay the same.

The difference is that you are flying FLL -> BOS on a US FLAGGED Vessel. There are laws similar to the PVSA that control airlines. KLM can not transport passengers between US cities either. Holland America, like all cruise ships, are flagged in countries other than the US. Holland's ships are all flagged in the Netherlands. Most Cruise ships are flagged in Panama and the Bahamas.

It is time for another long cruise and I am going to attempt to post something each day chronicling my journey. I don’t consider this to be mine alone, so if anyone wishes to add their views please do. This cruise consists of four bookings all on Volendam. I start with the holiday cruise to Mexico. FRI 22DEC23 Sail from San Diego, California, US 5:00pm SAT 23DEC23 Sea Day SUN 24DEC23 Cruising Bahia Magdalena MON 25DEC23 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico TUE 26DEC23 Pichilingue (La Paz), Mexico 8:00am 5:00pm WED 27DEC23 Loreto, Mexico THU 28DEC23 Mazatlan, Mexico 11:00am 5:00pm FRI 29DEC23 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 7:00am 3:00pm SAT 30DEC23 Zihuatanejo (Ixtapa), Guerrero, Mex SUN 31DEC23 Manzanillo, Mexico 8:00am 4:00pm MON 01JAN24 Sea Day TUE 02JAN24 Sea Day WED 03JAN24 Debark Ship San Diego, California, US 7:00am Followed by the Grand Australia and New Zealand. WED 03JAN24 Sail from San Diego, California, US 4:00pm THU 04JAN24 Sea Day FRI 05JAN24 Sea Day SAT 06JAN24 Sea Day SUN 07JAN24 Sea Day MON 08JAN24 Sea Day TUE 09JAN24 Honolulu, Hawaii, US WED 10JAN24 Honolulu, Hawaii, US 6:00pm THU 11JAN24 Hilo, Hawaii, US 8:00am 5:00pm FRI 12JAN24 Cross International Dateline SUN 14JAN24 Sea Day MON 15JAN24 Tabuaeran (Fanning Island), Kiribat 8:00am 5:00pm MON 15JAN24 Crossing the Equator MON 15JAN24 Cross International Dateline MON 15JAN24 Sea Day TUE 16JAN24 Sea Day WED 17JAN24 Sea Day THU 18JAN24 Pago Pago, Tutuila, American Samoa 8:00am 5:00pm THU 18JAN24 Cross International Dateline SAT 20JAN24 Apia, Upolo, Samoa 8:00am 5:00pm SUN 21JAN24 Sea Day MON 22JAN24 Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji Islands 8:00am 5:00pm TUE 23JAN24 Lautoka, Fiji 8:00am 5:00pm WED 24JAN24 Sea Day THU 25JAN24 Mystery Island, Vanuatu FRI 26JAN24 Easo, Lifou, New Caledonia SAT 27JAN24 Noumea, New Caledonia 8:00am 5:00pm SUN 28JAN24 Sea Day MON 29JAN24 Sea Day TUE 30JAN24 Brisbane, Australia WED 31JAN24 Sea Day THU 01FEB24 Townsville, Australia FRI 02FEB24 Cairns, Australia SAT 03FEB24 At Sea (Great Barrier Reef) SAT 03FEB24 The Ribbon Reef Region SUN 04FEB24 At Sea (Great Barrier Reef) SUN 04FEB24 The Far North Region MON 05FEB24 Scenic Cruising Torres Strait TUE 06FEB24 Sea Day WED 07FEB24 Komodo Island, Indonesia THU 08FEB24 Sea Day FRI 09FEB24 Sea Day SAT 10FEB24 Darwin, Australia SUN 11FEB24 Sea Day MON 12FEB24 Broome, Western Australia, Australi TUE 13FEB24 Sea Day WED 14FEB24 Exmouth, Australia THU 15FEB24 Sea Day FRI 16FEB24 Fremantle (Perth), Australia SAT 17FEB24 Fremantle (Perth), Australia SUN 18FEB24 Sea Day MON 19FEB24 Albany, Western Australia, Australi TUE 20FEB24 Sea Day WED 21FEB24 Sea Day THU 22FEB24 Port Lincoln, Australia FRI 23FEB24 Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island, Austral SAT 24FEB24 Adelaide, South Australia, Australi SUN 25FEB24 Sea Day MON 26FEB24 Melbourne, Australia TUE 27FEB24 Sea Day WED 28FEB24 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia THU 29FEB24 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia THU 29FEB24 Port Arthur, Australia FRI 01MAR24 Sea Day SAT 02MAR24 Sydney, Australia SUN 03MAR24 Sydney, Australia MON 04MAR24 Sea Day TUE 05MAR24 Sea Day WED 06MAR24 Milford Sound, New Zealand WED 06MAR24 Cruising Fiordland Natl Park THU 07MAR24 Port Chalmers (Dunedin), New Zealan FRI 08MAR24 Timaru, New Zealand SAT 09MAR24 Akaroa (Christchurch), New Zealand SUN 10MAR24 Wellington, New Zealand MON 11MAR24 Napier, New Zealand TUE 12MAR24 Tauranga (Rotorua), New Zealand WED 13MAR24 8:00am THU 14MAR24 Auckland, New Zealand FRI 15MAR24 Waitangi (Bay of Islands), New Zeal SAT 16MAR24 Sea Day SUN 17MAR24 Sea Day MON 18MAR24 Nuku alofa, Tonga 8:00am 5:00pm TUE 19MAR24 Cross International Dateline TUE 19MAR24 Sea Day WED 20MAR24 Aitutaki, Cook Islands 8:00am 5:00pm THU 21MAR24 Rarotonga, Cook Islands FRI 22MAR24 Sea Day SAT 23MAR24 Bahia d Opunoha, Moorea, French Pol SUN 24MAR24 Bahia d Opunoha, Moorea, French Pol MON 25MAR24 Huahine, French Polynesia TUE 26MAR24 Papeete, French Polynesia WED 27MAR24 Papeete, French Polynesia 5:00pm THU 28MAR24 Fakarava, Tuamotu, French Polynesia FRI 29MAR24 Sea Day SAT 30MAR24 Taiohae, Nuku Hiva, French Polynesi SUN 31MAR24 Sea Day MON 01APR24 Crossing the Equator TUE 02APR24 Sea Day WED 03APR24 Sea Day THU 04APR24 Sea Day FRI 05APR24 Sea Day SAT 06APR24 Debark Ship San Diego, California, US 7:00am Next we have a transit of the Panama Canal from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale. SAT 06APR24 Sail from San Diego, California, US 3:00pm SUN 07APR24 Sea Day MON 08APR24 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico TUE 09APR24 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 8:00am 3:00pm WED 10APR24 Sea Day THU 11APR24 Huatulco, Mexico 8:00am 2:00pm FRI 12APR24 Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala 10:00am 6:00pm SAT 13APR24 Sea Day SUN 14APR24 Puntarenas (Puerto Caldera), Costa 8:00am 6:00pm MON 15APR24 Sea Day TUE 16APR24 Enter Panama Canal Balboa TUE 16APR24 Cruising Panama Canal TUE 16APR24 Exit Panama Canal Cristobal WED 17APR24 Cartagena, Colombia 11:00am 5:00pm THU 18APR24 Sea Day FRI 19APR24 Sea Day SAT 20APR24 Half Moon Cay, Bahamas SUN 21APR24 Debark Ship Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US 7:00am And finally, moving from Fort Lauderdale to Montreal. SUN 21APR24 Sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US 3:00pm MON 22APR24 Sea Day TUE 23APR24 Sea Day WED 24APR24 Newport, Rhode Island, US THU 25APR24 Boston, Massachusetts, US 10:00am 7:00pm FRI 26APR24 Portland, Maine, US 7:00am 1:00pm SAT 27APR24 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 10:00am 6:00pm SUN 28APR24 Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada 10:00am 6:00pm MON 29APR24 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island 8:00am 5:00pm TUE 30APR24 Cap-aux-Meules, Iles de la Madelein WED 01MAY24 Sea Day THU 02MAY24 Quebec City, Quebec, Canada FRI 03MAY24 Quebec City, Quebec, Canada SAT 04MAY24 Debark Ship Montreal, Quebec, Canada Quite a bit of this will not be new to me, but I expect to have a very nice cruise.

booking numbers don't matter to as far as the PVSA is concerned. What matters is where a particular passenger boards and disembarks. Each guest is considered separately.

A couple of notes. I am with you on everything except the Montreal to Boston on various booking numbers. The cruise, for you, does not violate the PVSA. In an abundance of caution (I am beginning to hate that phrase) HAL sends everyone on the FLL -> Montreal Cruise an email that they can't add Montreal -> Boston due to the PVSA. The act applies per person, so your being on the San Diego -> FLL Cruise makes it compliant. Push to talk to the correct person at HAL and you will be able to complete the cruises you booked.

Thanks to everyone for keeping this thread alive. I am in San Diego, where it is 4:30 in the morning, and I am awake. Of course it is 8:30 on the east coast where I was yesterday so I am making progress toward acclimating to the current time zone. Everything is well here, getting prepared for my short trip to the port where I will board Volendam. There have been a couple of small hiccups, but everything has worked out ok. Yesterday I was sitting at the assigned gate for my flight when I realized that another flight was boarding and it was time for mine. I checked the Delta app and found the gate had changed. Luckily, the new gate was close and I made it as one of the final people boarding. When the cabin door closed, an announcement was made that the flight would be a bit over 4 hours rather than the 5+ hours scheduled. A very nice change. Even though I was early, the hotel had a room ready and I was checked in. I had a nice evening and I'm ready to face today.

I am safely in San Diego, and settled in until Friday noon. I'm not sure what I will do tomorrow, but I'm glad I got here now.

Greetings from the Atlanta Airport. I made it thru security again so now I have a bit over an hour before boarding the flight to San Diego. Arrival time there is around noon I think. The quote today is from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and the automatic process left some out. The full quote is: Every heart has its secret sorrows, which the world knows not, and often times we call a man cold, when he is only sad.

I made it to Atlanta, airport tomorrow and on to San Diego

I had the 22nd on my mind since that was the day I was going to fly home. But at that point I will have already been on the ship for quite some time. If the ships internet co-operates I can do it from the ship as well since we will be in the eastern time zone for most of that cruise. I can resume from May 5th in Ottawa if necessary.