St Pete Cruiser

The bigger ships do get the dock, but one would think the Zuiderdam with an overnight should be an exception. I did the V of the V on the Maasdam in 2009 and we rarely had another ship in port with us. Is the ship full?

The fresh fish entree's impress me. I remember Firmin, hotel manager, buying fresh Norwegian salmon and Atlantic Cod on the Prinsendam and it was very special. Hope they are still able to that.

Monday, Monday. Not as bad as when I worked for every dollar. Hope your day is good! The ships are full again and the cruise business is strong. Unfortunately, the fares are higher as well. I keep scanning for an upcoming itinerary with a good price, but my cruise calendar is bare.

I was not aware that Princess had any new builds coming. The Holland America staff always say LNG is too limited in locations they cruise to.

Good morning everyone. Our friends aboard Nieuw Statendam, which I prefer to call the Stat, report enjoying Bernard Walz, who was recently the concert pianist in the World Stage. Also Rudy Solumin was on and did several cooking demonstrations as well. Bernie is a very talented pianist from Sydney, Australia. He has performed on Holland America for years as well as Crystal and Cunard. Any of our ancient Mariners besides myself remember him? Enjoy your Saturday!

You are correct. Thanks. Two seasons after this year.

We were advised onboard the Noordam back in April that Norway will restrict cruise ships from entering their "best" Unisco fjords beginning in 2025, unless they are zero emissions powered. Read electric as LNG still have emissions. Hurtigruten has a diesel powered ship that can run on battery as do some Scandinavian ferries. A friend forwarded a pic of the Viking Jupiter in Eidfjord along with the Statendam showing the blue emissions from the Jupiter despite Vikings claim of being a clean hybrid ship. I can understand Norway's reluctance to have their pristine fjords polluted.

One of our favorite cruises! Weren't we lucky?

Happy Saturday everyone. Two Holland America ships in Isafjordur? That seems strange as that is a very small port. Iceland is a favorite summertime cruise destination for many of us. I'm a day late, and a dollar short, but some pics from Akureyri and Gudafoss Falls.

We had 1001. Excellent room choice and no noise from world Stage.

Good morning everyone. I'm posting early today as there is a lot on the schedule today. We live about 3 miles from the Gulf beaches and last night took the beach chairs over to enjoy the sunset. I can't go in the water because of my leg wound, but the water is 85 as was the air. A good breeze kept it comfortable. There were a lot if clouds to make the colors exceptionally beautiful. Enjoy your day however and wherever you can.

I think most of us here always appreciate your pics from the location/port of the day. On our Noordam cruise from Auckland back to Vancouver, or Hawaii for me, we begged the cruise director to reinstate the port location talks, which she did. With your treasure trove of pics, you could probably do a great job of presenting such talks. Barbara Haney had that position for many years on Holland America and did such a great job with it.

Welcome back from your cruise. Maybe I missed it, but did you post your thoughts about your adventures? You picked a good time to be away from southern Ontario with the smoke issues. We lost a friend who was from near London, Ontario, recently who had severely reduced lung capacity, when he had traveled from Florida back to see family and friends. Even though he traveled by car with back up oxygen, the poor air conditions caused by the wildfires were too much for him. He seemed rather well the end of May when he was here at our monthly potluck.

Thanks. Interesting that he did not update his status as retired.

Happy Monday Everyone. Sunny St Petersburg has gone from late spring to summer. May was so pleasant with lower humidity and cooler mornings, but it has now transitioned to humid and very warm. All that is missing is our afternoon thunderstorms. Our neighbor summers near Traverse City, Michigan, and it was 45 this morning with a high only in the 50's expected. She only has a space heater as it is not a "winterized cottage", so maybe not comfortable. She did have a mother bear with two cubs to look at, which she said beats our alligator and water bird sightings. I wish I had followed my own thinking a couple of months ago as to investments. I said Carnival stock was either the deal of the century or would go bankrupt. It was $8 a share. This morning it was $15, just about double! Even with all the debt they took on, looks like the cruise industry has survived and is flourishing once again. My leg is still healing from the cellulitis from the poisonous Australian red back spider bite two months ago today. It has been really a tough road to travel, but I'm slowly getting back to normal. Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes. Would like to be out west to see the waterfalls with the heavy snowmelt runoff. Would settle for being onboard a BHB sailing away, too.

The PCC quoted $1399 for a vista suite.

I've never seen an offer like this. If it is not for casino rated cruisers, then I am surprised and disappointed not to get one as well. This week, I did get a private sale offer by mail. One sailing caught my eye: Zaandam 14 day Caribbean next February. Fare shown is $599 for lanai/verandah. A great deal to me, but Zaandam doesn't have lanai or regular verandah rooms! I called and was told unavailable.

A lot of Holland America's captains are now onboard Seabourne ships. Those of us who liked the Prinsendam as well the S class ships would like to cruise on Seabourne but can't or won't pay the premium.

Ok, maybe I'm confused. The Atlantic Adventurer, Nov 9, 2024, is a 42 day cruise RT from Ft Lauderdale. Very similar to the cruises Holland America has done pre covid. Is there also a "Legendary Mediterranean" in the works for 2025? Maybe similar to what the Prinsindam did as the Grand Mediterranean?

I thought you might have been confused, but at least the hull of this ship has been around for a long time, in one form or another. Truly unbelievable.

Later became Oceanbreeze operated by Premier. Distinctive profile with funnel at rear.

It was a special treat for me to return to the Noordam in March with its Crow's Nest still intact. I had only been on the Noordam once before, May, 2012, and spent many happy hours there where we met in the Oak Room, a room just off the Crow's Nest with leather chairs and even a fireplace. Yes, 2023 and it is still there. Scenic cruising in New Zealand provided room all across the forward area and it was very well used. Our Cruise Director gave his commentary from there and was available for questions. When I located a beverage manager who was a long time Holland America employee, he told me that all of the Vista class ships were to be rebuilt, but the Noordam was spared only because its dry dock was delayed and now has been put off, hopefully for good. There is a coffee bar with the regular bar.

Lenda, my Gibralter port visits also started with the Noordam III in 2003. Thanks for sharing your pics. I returned in 2014 on the Rotterdam VI and then again on a ship still in the fleet (which is making me feel old as so many of my days were on ones that are not) just last year at this time on the Nieuw Statendam. The Bolette, our former Amsterdam, pulled up next to us as were there.

Oh how I loved those old Rosenthal plates with the ship at the top.

Good Day Everyone, I just read a report that a harbor pilot at Nagasaki, Japan, was killed when he fell from the rope ladder as he attempted to board the Diamond Princess. He had a life jacket on, but it did not say what actually was the cause of death. How very sad. We have often watched the transfer from just behind the Crow's nest deck area. Often times, the Captain will slow considerably for the transfer and then toot the horn as they turn and leave to return to their station. I am "mending" from my last cruise now that I am home, trying to keep my injured leg up. There is so much that needs attention after being gone 6 weeks, it adds to the stress of not being able to do it right away. The weather is perfect to be using the pool here at our condo, but I have to wait for the wound to heal completely. Yes, where the spider bit me has yet to completely heal. The bike and the gym are also on hold. A BHB, Nieuw Amsterdam I think. I was looking for my pic with the Koningsdam in Malaga with the old N class Noordam in Malaga, which was then Thompson's Marella Celebration.