Iris5383

"You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone." Intro to the The Twilight Zone, 1959-1965, Rod Serling.

On 2/9/2020 at 10:44 AM, Iris5383 said:

Pre-Boarding medical evaluations, including temperature checks, for persons whom, for any reason, appear or identify as symptomatic (respiratory or fever symptoms); 

@Mary229 If you appear to be ill, your temp will be checked.

The huge difference in the flu and coronavirus is the flu shot. I don't worry about getting the flu because with the shot, I'm either immune or would have a much lighter illness. I would guess most deaths from the flu are people who didn't get the shot. 

@HappyInVan good answer, good research. Thank you.

Hey, @zelker! Good to see you here! We're headed out March 22 for a 2-week Caribbean on the Volendam. The last one spoiled us, though. Probably will be planning a longer cruise for the next one. Enjoy your trip!

In Fort Lauderdale after the cruise and before your flight, you might like the Everglades tour. We did that once, and even though the water was high (just after Hurricane Wilma in 2005) and we only saw one alligator, it was fun to go zipping along through the water. After that excursion, the bus took us and our luggage to the airport. We booked it through the ship when we were onboard.

On 2/3/2020 at 6:13 PM, MaisonRose said:

The corkage charge if you take your own wine to the dining room still is cost effective considering the charge per bottle in the DR. If you do get or buy a bottle the waiters will cork undrunk contents and deliver it next day at dinner (you have to request that it be brought over). I think it’s a fair system.

 

If you only drink one glass of wine with dinner, just fill your glass in your cabin and bring it with you to dinner. There are wine glasses in your cabin, if you don't have any or need more, just ask the room stewards. Nobody will question you walking around with a wine glass anywhere onboard. The cabin also has an ice bucket. Stewards usually keep it filled with ice if they see you have a wine bottle in it. 

Holland America said they have implemented these safety measures:

• Guests who have traveled from or through mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau, or had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) or a person who is under monitoring for coronavirus in the last 14 days prior to sailing will not be permitted to board the ship.

• Pre-Boarding medical evaluations, including temperature checks, for persons whom, for any reason, appear or identify as symptomatic (respiratory or fever symptoms); and

• For all guests, our standard pre-boarding health reporting advising of their reporting obligations for any illness or symptoms of an illness.

• Medical screening for Coronavirus on all guests who visit our onboard Medical Center with symptoms of any respiratory illness.

• Reporting to local and national health authorities of all cases of fever and respiratory illness, and any patients with suspected Coronavirus infection.

• Crew members from mainland China will be delayed from joining any ship until further notice. Crew members from other regions of the world who may have been scheduled to connect on flights through China have been rerouted.

• Additional environmental disinfection onboard will be performed in addition to our regular stringent cleaning and sanitation protocols.

Holland America noted that their implemented measures could change at any time based on “the interests of health and safety of our guests and crew as well as any other requirements that may be imposed by local authorities.”

24 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

We will be boarding the Niew Standendam in 3 weeks. I know you can have no fever or symptoms and still be incubating and contagious. And anyone can lie on their health questionnaire.

 

Thanks, 

 

Paul

Here's what I found online. https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/holland-america-cruise-line-takes-coronavirus-precautions-ahead-of-ships-san-diego-arrival-and-departure

Just off a 26-day Noordam cruise and sent laundry out about every 4 days. I specifically noticed there was no scent at all on our clean clothes.

11 hours ago, BarbarianPaul said:

That’s not completely true. As I clarified in an earlier post, we just returned from a 33 night cruise on the Noordam from Honolulu to Auckland. They had multiple production shows featuring “the Noordam singers and dancers.” I was surprised as well to see these shows on the schedule. They were pretty good too!

I was also on that repo cruise, from Vancouver to Sydney, and absolutely agree with your comments on the Noordam Singers & Dancers! They were the best I've seen on any HAL ship and very entertaining.

9 hours ago, bobpell said:

The pre dinner downing drinks in the crowded Crow's Nest while watching the sun dappled waves and steamy sunsets seemed so serene. We miss those momentous moments!!

Bob

No doubt! We miss it too! (Just returned from a Noordam trans-Pacific.) Have met lot's of great people sitting around those big round bars.

On 11/11/2019 at 6:26 AM, bobpell said:

Miss the riotous times at the Crows Nest 4pm Happy Hour. It is like a morgue now

 

 

Our favorite part of shipboard life! Why no Crow's Nest Happy Hour?

Seems to me you are cutting it close. If the ship is docking at Port Everglades, it's a short drive to FLL. If you get a ride immediately and there isn't a traffic backup, you're still less than 2 hours to flight time. Considering there could be long lines at the airport, restroom breaks, and a long walk to your gate, for me, I'd be stressed and rushed. Why end your vacation that way? I would take a later flight.

It sounds like you were on the same cruise I was, the Noordam repositioning from Vancouver to Sydney that began Oct. 13. It's so nice to hear the rest of the story and that you got such great care from HAL and the doctors in Noumea. All the best to you and your wife!

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like I'm going to love the refurbished Volendam. 🙂

The Volendam was scheduled for a dry dock at the end of October. Has anyone been aboard since and can tell what was done? We'll be on in March so I'm curious. 

There was an Orange Party on our Oct/Nov transpacific on Noordam. Started about 9:30 pm. Guests were encouraged to wear orange (we brought Denver Bronco shirts). At BB King's the cruise director talked a few minutes, crew wearing orange took drink orders and offered snacks. Then the BB King band played and people danced just like every night. It seemed to me just another opportunity to sell drinks. After the first song, we left, so can't speak for the rest of the evening.

17 hours ago, Barney10 said:

I’m  also a first time cruiser so can’t help you with an arrival time. With regards to a hotel, I am staying at the Rodeway Suites in Fort Lauderdale. They offer free shuttle service from the airport and to the cruise port.

We have stayed at that Rodeway Inn before. We liked it for the shuttle service and the restaurant/bar and gift shop on premises. I think, but can't remember for sure, the gift shop sells wine. There is a nice garden area.

It depends on the port whether beach chairs are available to rent. In the Caribbean, mostly yes. We just returned from a South Pacific cruise. There were no beach chairs available at all in Fiji, New Caledonia or Sydney, Australia, just your Holland America towel on the sand.

I usually get that message using Chrome on my laptop. If I change to Foxfire and use an incognito tab, then the HAL site works fine. Today, though, it worked on Chrome no problem.

Beautiful photos, Rich. Thanks!

45 minutes ago, tyrannosaur said:

I know I should ask Holland America as well, but it's already closed.  Are we allowed to leave the ship in the middle of the trip (instead of ending at the last port)?  I am considering a European cruise next year which ends in Copenhagen, but I'd like to disembark in Amsterdam (which is the port before Copenhagen) instead of Copenhagen because I was just in Copenhagen a few months ago but never been to Amsterdam.  Anyone has experience doing this?  Thanks in advance!

I know of two instances on my cruise on the Noordam this month. One couple had to leave early due to the husband's health. He has Alzheimer's. One couple got prior permission to leave at a different port to visit their son. They are frequent cruisers, probably in the 1000+ days-on-board group. 

On 11/8/2019 at 10:04 PM, kazu said:

 

Opening of the bow and the reception was very nice indeed.  Was that for those staying on board?

We were invited to a similar reception the day before. It was called a Farewell Reception with the Ship's Officers, so we thought it was for passengers leaving the ship. . .  It was too windy and cold on the bow; ours was changed to the Crow's Nest. It included unlimited mimoses and pastries plus good conversations with fellow passengers and officers. Fun!

I'm one of the 900 that departed at Sydney today. It was a fantastic journey and didn't seem we were at sea as long as the calendar shows. Days faded into the next like no time  passed at all. We met so many new friends (especially at trivia and Happy Hour in the Crow's Nest) plus my DH & I were fortunate to reconnect with a couple we met on a previous cruise. Attached are a few photos coming into White Bay Cruise Port this morning about 5:30. I'm impressed with Sydney! The people are nice, town is pedestrian-friendly, prices are reasonable, it's clean and architecture is interesting. We're staying a few more days to explore. Bon voyage to all continuing the journey!