St Pete Cruiser

We are off.

We are off.

Captain says we are going around the Equinox.

Glad to be back onboard Zaandam on a beautiful sunny 72F day here in Ft Lauderdale. Some pics of the "little" Zaandam.

I'm not sure, but Captain has made his initial welcome comments.

Welcome aboard Mariners Lunch. Big yachts passing one after another. More later.

Good morning everyone. I'll try to wave from the upper deck behind the Crow's Nest, port side. Since the Zaandam has been on a long itinerary, the Grand South America, it may take longer than normal to "turn around" today.

We should be onboard the Zaandam Tuesday. I'm not expecting to leave until after the Equinox leaves, so after 4 and probably later. Hoping for a really nice sailaway!

I was late to the sailaway, but was surprised to see a Disney ship leaving from Ft Lauderdale.

Thanks for sharing the Zaandams Grand South America cruise with us. We are anxious to check in tomorrow for our holiday cruise aboard.

Good Morning everyone. We survived yesterdays rain and wind quite well, even attending the Holiday Pops last night at Mahaffey Theater. St Petersburg needed the rain and we received about 2 inches. We are renting a car to drive to Ft Lauderdale early Tuesday morning to embark the good ship Zaandam for our first ever Christmas/New Years cruise. It is 16 days with a different itinerary than normal. The Prinsendam usually did a similar holiday itinerary, for those oldies among us! While the Zaandam is no Prinsendam, she is Holland America's 1 of 2 smallest ships. I won't have the ships wifi on this cruise, I will occasionally post an update for those interested. Zaandam is completing its Grand South America and some of those aboard will stay for this holiday cruise. Ft Lauderdale weather forecast for Tuesday is sunny and 70F. Our best to those who are not well today, especially some of our long time posters. May the spirit of the season lift you up.

Thanks for the pics of the Oosterdam. I haven't been on her since 2016 when I did a 14 day cruise out of Tampa. It was the only year there was a vista class ship in Tampa. There is more storage in your verandah than there was in ours on the N Statendam. However, I do prefer the shower on the Pinnacle class. We know at least 5 people onboard with you and I expect all good reports!

Plus most of us like getting a refund as opposed to a charge for more!

The Wind Surf's tv was terrible last year. It really does need updating.

Welcome back to Florida Nieuw Statendam. Have a good winter here.

Great job of reporting and photography! I didn't know it had actually struck something hard rather than just being aground on a sand/mud bank.

We had the same menu in October on the Rotterdam TA. We thought it was really good and a nice improvement from the pre covid menu.

My source says Rudi's will stay on Pinnacle class at least until 2025. Morimoto to share Tamarind area, probably bumping the bar area on the starboard side.

Great port pics as always. Thanks for your daily postings! The car is a !968 Pontiac Catalina. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Yes, interesting for sure. I did a waitlist cruise out of Tampa about 7 years ago, knowing it was a close drive for me. You need to be ready to go and yet have no assurance of doing so. It turned out, there was no room available and was a big disappointment for us. I kept thinking, surely someone would cancel and thereby allow us to go. Remember, the cruise line can't resell a room that is paid for if there is a chance that guest will still show up right up to sailing. Anyway, if is 7x$49=$343, plus taxes &fees, and of course $16 crew appreciation, it may be closer to $100 per day for a room you don't like. You would have to assume in will be an inside, correct? If you can book a room for maybe $499 plus the extras, which is $71 a day, the $20 per day difference would be worth it for me.

I am enjoying November here in St Petersburg. Today is sunny and 75F. Nice tributes To Rosalyn Carter, so well deserved. Transgendered people are very misunderstood and abused. We met a sweet Thai trans person working on the Nieuw Statendam last year in the Lido. We asked if life aboard the ship was good to which the reply was uncertain as it was her first contract. We are looking forward to our Holiday/Christmas cruise on the Zaandam Dec 19th, 16 days to the Southern Caribbean. Our first return to an R class ship since the Volendam in 2018. Zaandam has new stage shows, not Step One, and many of the smaller ship amenities. I'll be sure to keep you posted. Enjoy your day however and wherever you can. Rolf, our waiter and his assistant on the Rotterdam at our ipper level assigned table. How could you not enjoy a well prepared meal with them catering to you? Thanks boys. You were the best.

Eurodam with the setting sun was beautiful! Nice sailaway except for being delayed. Happy Thanksgiving week!

If and when Holland America gets a new ship, it may have that ugly bow too, but I still don't like it compared to the raked bow. Here comes Eurodam.

Apex approaching! Toots?

Pleanty of people on deck for sailaway. My pic froze shortly after the toots. I see a smaller cargo ship is passing next to Apex.