bcummin

Have you tried earplugs?

Barbara

Hopefully John is feeling better and recovering well.

I so wish that things had turned out better for his 80th birthday.

Know that you are both loved and cherished.

Barbara

Nice to know that I am not the only one who sinks in water.

Barbara

Thank you again, Tim, for bringing us along on this cruise and for your most impressive photographs.

Thankful that you and Angela have managed to stay well.

Safe home.

Barbara

I would think that when you, Diana, recover from this you will have immunity to make you safe to cruise on Feb 27???  And also protected from this terrible virus for a while????  Hopefully the virus will be a little less prolific then.

I hope that you have a nice view from your window.  Enjoy the balcony's fresh air, if not the challenging railing.

Sorry that this has also upended your roommate's plans.

Best wishes to both of you.

Barbara

Diana, so sorry that you are sick.  Maybe you should start a thread about this new adventure?  Thank goodness HAL has taken good care of you - so far.

May God comfort you and make you well soon.

Barbara

Delighted to read on your blog that Diane is now enjoying this cruise with you.  Virtual hugs to all.  Personally, I also prefer the good Riesling,

Barbara

Life is not fair.  But you are learning to cope with this disaster commendably.

Surely your husband could take things to the front desk to be delivered to you?

Keep your chin up.

Barbara

You should ask for a bathrobe and for other things that could bring you a bit of joy.

Best Wishes,

Barbara

Thanks for sharing your Eurodam cruise with us.

Hope all continues to go well.  Enjoy!

Barbara

Thank you for bringing us along with such good details.

Have the musicians been wearing masks when they perform?  Our school band students wear masks with mouth holes, so that they can still play their instruments.

Barbara

3 hours ago, rafinmd said:

There's no comparison, Suez is really boring by comparison.  Pretty much just a ditch with sand on both sides.

Roy

I remember so much more:  reeds along the water's edge with fishing boats, ferry boats, the Japanese bridge, military outposts, green farmland on the west with roads and animals, dove cotes, monuments, mosques, Christian churches, cities.

NMcruiser123, I hope that someday you get to see this and much more.  Thank you for sharing so much.

May God bless you and all of the others affected by this pandemic.

Barbara

On 1/6/2022 at 6:40 AM, Essiesmom said:

The two ships were granted passage and had to take the new locks, as they require many fewer contact personnel.  They also went through at night in near blackout conditions, noone allowed on deck or balconies.  I was following them on AIS and on the canal cams, and you could barely see them.  Also, they were in a hurry to get them through, as they went through at near cruising speed, double the usual speed allowed.  EM

 

Zaandam 3/29/20

 

 

Passing Pedro Miguel

 

 

Rotterdam at Cocoli Locks

 

 

Passing Pedro Miguel

 

 

Zaandam in Agua Clara Locks

 

Captain Albert documented in his blog the speedy passage of the Rotterdam and Zaandam through the Panama Canal as plague ships in April of 2020.

https://www.captainalbert.com/24-march-10-april-2020-panama-to-fort-lauderdale/#more-150189

Barbara

Might there be a way for those quarantined with positive test results to socialize in person?  What is there to lose??

Barbara

1 hour ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

Secondly, if you’re interested in ship trivia, here’s something you will know some of, but maybe not all:

When I was training to work on a ship, we were given a pointer for port and starboard identification. Everyone knows that facing forward, starboard is on your right, and port is on your left. Starboard navigation lights are green, port are red. Our trainer gave us this tip - 

The words related to port are short: port, red, left, even numbered. Starboard is longer: starboard, green, right, uneven numbered.

Years ago my Navy husband taught me that port has four letters, just like left.

Barbara

I would guess that Captain Albert posted the details about testing to enter the Panama Canal.

Barbara

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  And Happy New Year!

Good people here and lots of free advice. 

Young people will learn lots about Alaska on a Holland America ship.

Barbara

Keep emailing everyone possible at Holland America and pray for a miracle.  Four Star Mariners deserve better treatment.  We had a miserable problem once that eventually resulted in a reply with good news to be used by our TA.  That cruise turned out to be magnificent.

Good luck!

Barbara

Tim, thank you for the reports and photos.

Some families from our church will be taking a mission trip to Puerto Rico in July.  Any suggestions are welcome.

Meanwhile, Happy Thanksgiving to you, Angela, and everyone else aboard.

Barbara in the rainy Pacific Northwest

Grandchildren can be amazing.  Today our five-year-old grandson managed to download a new game onto the iPad that his dad had left here for entertainment.  Big brother noticed mid-process, but it was too late.  Dad had limits on the older children's devices, but now he knows to pay more attention to his "baby."

Barbara 

6 hours ago, Alphen said:

Did some further research, deeper than Wikipedia, although still not with any certainty, Statendam maybe related to the neighborhood Statendam, which had a history in the sugar industry in the end of the 19th century. 

Captain Albert would be able to settle this.

Barbara

I am still wondering if the Terra Cotta Soldiers are on this Rotterdam?

Thank  you for sharing so much as you welcome us along.

Barbara

 Thank you, GeorgiaPeach51, for trying another Holland America cruise.  Please remember all of the good people who tried to please you.  I hope that you enjoy your future cruises.

Barbara

10 hours ago, sansterre said:

I have taken at least 10 photos of sculpture and framed art on board.  This morning I found this in my email which explains much of the art on board.  I will eventually post my art photos, but many of them appear, with wonderful explanation, here in this:

https://www.captainalbert.com/2021-oct-28-latest-press-release-art-on-board-the-ms-rotterdam-vii/

I am thrilled that some of the art from ms Rotterdam VI is now on ms Rotterdam VII.  It sounds like this includes the Stephen Card paintings.  I wonder if the Terra Cotta Warriors were saved?

Thank you for sharing so much with us.

Barbara

23 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

That was an understatement.  The 10 year old granddaughter texted us before we got there indicating she was looking forward to seeing us. . .

My experience is that granddaughters do love to text.

Glad that you enjoyed your cruise and are back with loving grandchildren.

Looking forward to your blog updates.

Barbara