whogo

I would have been happy with a ribeye steak replacement, think that adding the mushroom and pastry coating is gilding the lily. I would have been disappointed to miss the oysters, though. What were you eventually served, Hank? Did they provide oysters another night?

shipgeeks nailed it. The only thing I can add is that no-copywrite background music makes any video worse.

All else being equal, choose the clockwise option. What kind of nut would deliberately go anti-clockwise? (I'm looking at you, NASCAR and horse racing.)

I did not realize until after final payment that I had stupidly booked transfers in Fort Lauderdale. Holland America would refund nothing for a cancellation. Let's say it was an outrageous $78 each for what was a $20 taxi fare for two. I told HAL that I might just take the taxi anyway. Shortly before the cruise, HAL wanted to know if I would use the transfers. I told them I would tell them for $78 each. They did not go for it. We did take the taxi.

Businesses have their hands tied, but I know of nothing that stops fellow cruisers from questioning or criticizing "service" dog owners. I witnessed a good old boy's interaction with a yipping, leash tugging little monster of a "service" dog. "What an ill-mannered beast," said the good old boy. "She's a service animal," huffed the owner. "Yeah, I was talking to the dog about its inconsiderate, uncaring owner that hasn't properly trained the poor beast." (I have bowdlerized the quote. You can imagine what he said instead of "beast" in describing the female dog.)

Great photos, thanks. Phoenix Reisen celebrates its 50 anniversary soon, they seem to be successful with smaller, older ships. As I remember they spent €20,000,000 redoing the Prinsendam with new engines and all. The German TV series Verrückt nach Meer followed guests and crew on Phoenix Reisen cruises, I watched every episode, including some filmed on the former Prinsendam. Amera and the other Phoenix Reisen ships sail some great itineraries. Would love to try one, Mrs. whogo is not interested in the least. Amera leaves for a round the world in 143 days cruise, eastbound, on December 21: https://www.phoenixreisen.com/einmal-um-die-ganze-welt-mit-ms-amera-in-143-tagen-36-3077337-1.html?source=overview&searchIdCruiseDate=3077338 Artania does a westbound circumnavigation in 143 days starting December 23: https://www.phoenixreisen.com/die-grosse-weltumrundung-mit-ms-artania-in-143-tagen-36-3077312-1.html?source=overview&searchIdCruiseDate=3077313 Amadea circumnavigates South America and Africa from Europe. With wrap around decks on all their ships, and visiting smaller, less touristy ports, they are the kind of ships Holland America old timers miss, not that the Holland America old timers would sail on another line, much less a German one.

Thanks, Heidi13 and chengkp75 for the fascinating stroll down Memory Lane.

You sure surprised me with that answer, Heidi13. Was the burial at sea requested by survivors? Was burial at sea the only option?

Cruise Critic has posted a world cruise review. 1 Star, Defiantly a cruise I'll remember: https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=702167

I am supposed to say I liked Prinsendam best and we did have a couple of great cruises on her including a 30 day Mediterranean/transatlantic, but was pleasantly surprised how much I liked the Noordam 38 day San Diego to Aukland via Hawaii, Fiji, New Caledonia and Australia cruise in October, 2018. There was more and better entertainment and the larger size was no problem.

That is creepy.

For a real treat, book the cruise before the transatlantic, too. The only thing better than a 14 day transatlantic cruise is a 14 day Mediterranean cruise followed by a transatlantic cruise.

Today's bank tellers have probably never seen a travelers check. Phone your bank, arzz, and find out how they intend to honor the checks they sold you. You may have to talk to the customer service rep's boss's boss. Travelers checks have the same magnetic routing codes as any other check and should be handled about like any other check.

I have cruised between San Antonio Chile and Buenos Aires on Quest and on Holland America's Veendam. We viewed the glaciers and had port stops in Punta Arenas and Ushuaia. Great scenery, great cruises. The cruise from Ushuaia to San Antonio on Pursuit would be something different, no idea what happens in Yendegaia or Garibaldi Fjord, for instance. Sunday, March 10 Buenos Aires, Argentine Monday, March 11 Flight to Ushuaia. Monday, March 11 Cruise begins in Ushuaia, Argentina 5:00pm Monday, March 11 Port Williams, Chile 6:30pm 7:30pm Tuesday, March 12 Yendegaia, Chile 6:00am 3:00pm Wednesday, March 13 Garibaldi Fjord, Chile 6:00am 2:30pm Thursday, March 14 Tierra del Fuego, Chile (Karukinka Park, Chile) 11:00am 4:00pm Thursday, March 14 Punta Arenas, Chile 9:30pm Friday, March 15 Punta Arenas, Chile 8:00pm Saturday, March 16 Strait of Magellan (Cruising) Sunday, March 17 Chilean Fjords (Cruising) Monday, March 18 PIO X Glacier, Chile (Cruising) Tuesday, March 19 Chilean Fjords (Cruising) Tuesday, March 19 Caleta Tortel, Chile 3:30pm 10:30pm Wednesday, March 20 At Sea Thursday, March 21 At Sea Friday, March 22 Castro, Chile 7:00am 9:00pm Saturday, March 23 Puerto Montt, Chile 7:00am 2:30pm Sunday, March 24 At Sea Monday, March 25 San Antonio, Chile 8:00am

I searched the Cruise Critic boards, found that at least some Corinto stops were cancelled in January and April, 2023. Oceania Insignia will have a day at sea instead of visiting Corinto on July 21, 2023. Corinto is still a schedued stop on a number of Panama Canal cruises. I will expect to have the port cancellation announced after final payment is due.

Yes, as long as I am in the neighborhood. Corinto is on an itinerary I am considering.

I think Nicaraguan ports were being avoided because of civil strife or something. Nicaragua is still on cruise itineraries. What's the situation today, please? The US Department of State website is not encouraging: " "Nicaragua, Republic of Nicaragua, Travel Advisory, December 5, 2022, Nicaragua - Level 3: Reconsider Travel "Reconsider travel to Nicaragua due to limited healthcare availability and arbitrary enforcement of laws. Exercise increased caution in Nicaragua due to crime, and wrongful detentions." https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

My invitation had a misprint. I was invited to a James Suckling wine. Figured it was a wine tasting, not an opportunity to hear Suckling whine about something or other. I reported the following on my 2022 Zaandam live thread: I am not a wine drinker. I like beer, would rather drink a mediocre American lager than a fine wine, don't have the patience for another winery tour and only attended my first wine tasting so I could report here. There was a bit of thrill, though. I checked in at the Club Orange location, my loyalty status qualified me for the 'free' tasting, walked in as if I had paid more for my cabin, although those in the know greeted the cellar master by name. My name was on page two without the orange highlight. Tables were all set up with four glasses of wine already poured plus a cheese and fruit plate, no crackers. Holland America does not do crackers. I thought everything would move right along. Nope. The cellar master dinged his glass with his fork twenty times more than he needed to, spent fifteen minutes telling about his home country of the Philippines, spoke about wine growing areas [Philippines is not one], found out where everyone was from (Argentina, 1; Canada, 3; USA 25), introduced three assistants and asked for applause for each. I thought of leaving, discretely but rudely checked my phone instead, yeah, I was that guy. We took our first sniff and sip of wine at 2:15, a Riesling with “crisp apple aromas and flavors with subtle mineral notes.” Table mates nodded in agreement with this assessment. I thought of the cartoon where the patron complains, “Waiter, this wine has an oaky, smoky flavor with hints of cherries and chocolate. Bring me a bottle that tastes like wine.” Sipped the same wine again after a taste of Edam cheese and again table mates nodded with the cellar master's description. So it went with three more wines. The final presenter regretted that he could not offer the bleu cheese that the Cabernet Sauvignon called for and had us taste it with cheddar. The cellar master paraded through the tables with a chunk of cheddar on his fork to show us which cheese to taste with this wine, perhaps he did the same with the other three cheeses, if so, this reporter missed it. Two sips of each of the four wines and I sneeked out. I remain a beer drinker.

Weigh yourself while the ship is nearly motionless while docked.

My travel agent lists Seabourn at about $70,000 ocean view, $87,200 for a balcony. I could never justify sailing in a Neptune cabin. Note that a Neptune is bigger than a Seabourn veranda cabin. Seabourn has a penthouse and owners suites. The Seabourn website lists prices as: Ocean view: $79,399 (Book direct! Pay $9,400 more!) Veranda: $96,399 (Book direct! Pay $9,200 more!) Penthouse: $179,399 Owners: Sold out

I compared the price of Africa circumnavigations. I'd love to take either of these, am unlikely to. I do not know how the prices have changed or will change. The base price as currently listed on company websites: Zuiderdam Neptune cabin, October 2023, 73 day r/t Fort Lauderdale: $45,999. Seabourn Sojourn veranda cabin, November 2024, 90 days, r/t Barcelona: $46,999. I think this backs up Hank's HAL vs luxury cost argument. Per day cost with $17.50 crew appreciation added to the HAL cruise: Zuiderdam Neptune cabin: $648. Seabourn Sojourn veranda cabin: $523. Me? I'd book an oceanview on Zuiderdam, $13,699 on their website, $8,199 from a travel agent ($129/day), maybe splurge on a balcony, $17,999 on their website, $13,999 from a travel agent ($208/day). Hmm, book directly or through a travel agent? Who in the world would pay $4,000 so they could speak directly with a cruise line customer service rep?

The comparison is more striking on my favorite website. Zuiderdam balcony or suite is listed at about $28,000, Quest at about $13,000. (I think that neither price includes some port fees or something.) There are plenty of nits to pick in your comparison of a round trip from a US port to a transatlantic, and we will probably hear them, e.g. there is a cheaper 35 night Iceland/Greenland back to back on Nieuw Statendam on July 20, 2024 round trip Amsterdam for $5,500 to $10,000. I am in your camp on this one, Hank. I think it is silly to book a Neptune suite without considering a luxury line.

This Holland America cruiser recently reported about his tour from Reykjavik: https://amazingvoyages2.blogspot.com/2023/06/reykjavik-iceland-part-1-of-2.html

Does your partner suffer from motion sickness, WVU_Neal? If so, it may not matter if seas are smooth. Some unfortunates get sea sick while the ship is in port. Once the ship leaves North America, there is no getting off until Europe.

Welcome to the forum, newgirlhelpme. Do not rely on your pre-cruise itinerary, arrival and departure times can change and should be clearly communicated in onboard announcements and your ship's daily schedule. All aboard time will probably be posted at the gangway, some people photograph the sign as documentation and as a reminder of where the next photos were taken. For example, "Ephesus - All aboard crew: 4:30. All aboard guests: 5:00." Make sure that the time on your phone and watch agrees with the ship's time.