St Pete Cruiser

Newcastle was a pleasant call today despite the clouds and cool. After Edinburgh, our expectations were not high, however historic Newcastle was impressive.

Yes, it was quite an effort!

Wow, that is quite an excursion. Thankfully it wasn't much worse. We were in Berlin 4 days before boarding the Statendam in Copenhagen.

Good morning from Newcastle, England. Well, mad dogs and Englishmen come out in the noon day, but there is no sun today in Newcastle. Yes, Nieuw Statendam is here today until 6pm, 18:00. Our first time in Newcastle. Susan Wood, a favorite cruise director from years past, was from Newcastle. Her "tootoloo" was her sign off. We took the free shuttle to Tynemouth and the Metro to the city centre. Visited Grainger Market and the Newcastle Cathedral so far and next is the Tyne High Bridge. Our last port, sea day tomorrow and then flying home Saturday.

Thanks for sharing. The ships you have sailed on previously are all ones I've been on as well. The Pinnacle class will never exceed the personal service standards that the smaller ships provided. We were lucky to have experienced them at the Holland America Line fares of the past as now one must move to the much higher priced lines to receive equal service. We did find some of the "old" Holland America onboard the Zaandam recently.

Billboard on Board is now one piano and much like the piano bar of old with frequent requests. I like it, especially the musical theater selections. Tomono was the guest pianist for 2 shows. She is excellent. BB Kings also enjoyable as usual.

Greetings from Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland. Nieuw Statendam is here today, not Lerwick where we were yesterday. It is sunny, shocking, and cool ofcourse, and quite pleasant. The new Queen Anne is in port with us. She looks beautiful and much like us! Check her out. What is the small funnel like between her forecastle and funnel?

Memorial Day service at 7am aboard the Nieuw Statendam, Lido Poolside, with Clare, CD, and the onboard Priest. He had good words to mark the occasion. Always be grateful and give thanks.

John, I miss your frequent posts and your updates on the officers and their ship assignments. We saw the old Maasdam in LaHarve recently looking quite good. She was your first assignment, right?

Holland America Lines Nieuw Statendam docked in Harstad, Norway, on its Maiden call. With more and more of the long fjords unavailable to ships with objectionable funnel emissions, ports like Harstad will gain more cruise ship calls. We found it to be a very pleasant entrance from the sea with numerous turns and beautiful scenery. The city, about 20k population, features a dock adjacent to the city. A local and regional bus terminal is right there as well. A trail along the water to a historic church and a former *** prison camp for Soviet captured in WWII are among the features.

Yes, Into is a favorite of ours, too. Ask him to pronounce "Rotterdam". He can really roll those R's!

Belated Happy Mothers Day everyone. My Mom loved flowers growing in the garden as do I. We walked through the Volksgarten in Vienna enjoyed their immense rose garden. Exactly 10 years ago, Gaspe' was a port call on the Maasdam, May, 2014, as we sailed from Ft Lauderdale to Montreal.

Welcome home World Cruise travelers. I can only imagine what it is like to leave after 4 months onboard. would have liked to leave on the TA now, mid May, rather than early April, when it is too cool to enjoy.

It was great to see our Rotterdam VI, now Fred Olson's Borealis, along with the present Rotterdam VII, at the port of Rotterdam yesterday. The Borealis looks good. Hope she is serving her new owners well. Checking fares, they are getting about $200 per diem for many itineraries. Maybe that includes port fees and gratuities?

I got an email from Stockperks that my standby cruise is Not eligible. Maybe you were just lucky?

Wow, guess the 150th anniversary is officially over. One of my regrets is we didn't do the special Rotterdam 150th crossing.

Good morning everyone. Just wanted to add one ship to today's fleet report: The Maasdam is in LaHarve along with the Nieuw Statendam today. Friends forwarded this to me. Long live the Maasdam, now the Renaissance of a new French line.

Happy Saturday Sailaway! It is a picture perfect day here in St Petersburg, 75F, sunny with a gentle breeze. Our morning group walk along the waterfront was outstanding. Sadly, life doesn't stand still....another month or two, it will be hot and humid. Also sad for me to see the fleet leaving for the season, as it is so nice in Florida in April. Just checked, Juneau is 42F and cloudy with rain expected. Cork, Ireland is 48F. Too early to leave IMHO. Europe and Alaska are awaiting, so here they go.

Nieuw Amsterdam, the only true "Nieuw " in the fleet, is headed to Cabo Rojo, DR, for what I think is a maiden first call for Holland America. Should be some good farewell toots.

We have friends on the Nieuw Amsterdam tomorrow. Is Cabo Rojo, DR, a new port for Holland America? I have never noticed it before.

Thanks for the pic of the Ryndam in Bergen in 2013. I was there on her in June 2013 on my 14 day cruise to Norway which began in Dover and went to many of the fjords and all the way to Honningsvag. Bergen is a very nice port as is the route in and out to Bergen.

I like the brunch menu. Early risers can have a little something at the Lido and do brunch instead of lunch if they choose.

Hi Roy. Looks like Carnival (and Royal?) will use Norfolk to replace Baltimore until the channel is cleared from the bridge collapse. I had a port call at Norfolk on the Maasdam in 2006. It was the reposition from Ft Lauderdale to Montreal. We enjoyed touring the USS Wisconsin battleship while there.

Thanks for the nice pic of the Maasdam. The S class are my favorite all time Holland America ships for their exterior design appearance. To their credit, they are still in use with other cruise lines. Her current name is Renaissance. Seeing the bow thrusters at work in your pic, I'm guessing this may have been leaving Half Moon Cay taken from another Holland America ship?

Yes, and a great shower it is! Glass door and nice size.