rafinmd

NA Schedule 10AM and Discovery 12:30 so there should be plenty of time before the blocking. I'm at the fire house and need to stop for groceries so I may not be in time for the arrival. Roy

Today's sunrise is from Queen Mary 2 a year ago. July 5 was a sea day from Boston to Halifax. Roy

Today's sunrise is from Queen Mary 2 a year ago. July 5 was a sea day from Boston to Halifax. Roy

Happy Hump Day. It sounds like everyone had a safe July 4. Thank you Rich, Vanessa, Debbie, Dixie, and Ann. I'll pass on the Bikini, was never a work-a=holic and will look for a turnover today, likely apple but if not cherry. I like the Wilde quote and thankful for all of Newton's contributions to science. Special hugs today for @summer slope. I'll pass on the meal. My alternative is Guiso, Wattleseed Roast Duck with Apricots and NSA Vanilla Ice Cream which might have been my choices on MS Zaandam July 5, 2002. I've been lethargic today but did get in a 20-minute walk so far. Roy

Who took that photo, Keith. Did Crystal have a drone out? Roy

I still don't think I understand this. Where does your HAL cruise embark? Roy

Well, the webcam just timed out and there's not enough left to restart it. Thanks Leanne, Lou & Dave, and fellow addicts. Roy

The end is near. Roy

Looks like Grand Princess Bridge wing is about to crash into Westie. Roy

Now that's a ZOOM! Roy

At least one line out. Roy

Sadly, Ovation is just outside the basin. Roy

I have been on a ship only once on July 4, and it was a BHB. In 2002 I was on a tour with a Canadian tour company that involved flying to Inuvik (way North of the Arctic Circle in the Yukon) and traveling down the Yellowhead Highway to Dawson City, Whitehorse, and Skagway, and then onto the Zaandam to Vancouver. On July 1 I enjoyed the Canada Day Celebrations with my 25 new friends, boarded the Zaandam July 2, and became the defacto host when we visited Ketchikan on July 4. We had a private tour organized for the group and when we boarded I welcomed them to the USA celebration and had some bookmarks to pass out to my fellow travelers. Roy

A lot smaller than the Bliss but you can just see a tender heading for Queen Elizabeth. Roy

Next to the pole. Roy

About to enter the Gastineau. Roy

Was that January? If so, it may have been the start of the World Cruise. I was not on then but joined later for the segment from Papeete to Auckland, Roy

After yesterday's discussion I thought I'd try something different on the fleet report. I think most of us have had some great times on S-class ships, so here's my S-class fleet report: Statendam-In service as Vasco da Gamma for German Nicko cruises. At sea from Akureyri Iceland to Bergen Norway Maasdam- Sailing as MS Renaissance for French Compagnie Française de Croisières. Supposed to have been in service June 29 but the timing doesn’t match that. She is cruising and in Lerwick Scotland today. Ryndam- Being prepared for service as Celestyal Journey bu Celestyal cruises. Currently in Elefsis, Greece. First cruise scheduled for September 2, Veendam- Berthed in Aigio, Greece since about 10/18/20 since being acquired by Seajets. Due to enter service as a residential ship, Victoria Majestic with inaugural sailing from Fort Lauderdale December 1. Roy

Today's sunrise is from 1 year ago on Queen Mary 2. I think the ship visits Boston on July 4 every year. Roy

Sad that ships apparently never visit Philadelphia any more. Today's sunrise is from 1 year ago on Queen Mary 2. I think the ship visits Boston on July 4 every year. Roy

While most Los Angeles cruises use San Pedro (the cruise I featured a couple of posts ago was from the iconic terminal featured in the Love Boat) others (mostly Carnival) use Long Beach. With a few day break in 2017 in between disembarking Zaandam in San Diego and boarding Crystal Symphony (supposed to be San Pedro but diverted to San Diego) I took a short cruise on Carnival Inspiration to get a view of Santa Catalina. The terminal in Long Beach may look a little odd but it's an icon.It started life as he hanger for Howard Hughes Spruce Goose which he flew just once and then abandoned it. To the right of the photo you can see the stern of the iconic Queen Mary. You get a better view from the ship's open decks: I had one more night in Long Beach after the cruise and took in a performance at the Performing Arts Center. Photography was prohibited after the performance started but here's a view of the hall ahead of time: Queen Mary really does dominate the Long Beach waterfront, even though it's on an island a couple miles away. This is the view of the hall's back window: .. Roy

@cruising sister so sorry to hear about your aunt and the dilemma facing her sister. My visits to Los Angeles are spread among many cruises and they have been mostly either embarkations or disembarkations but it was a port of call on Crystal Serenity in 2018. We passed the Battleship Iowa on the way in and most of the remaining photos will be from my tour of the Iowa. The turret mounted guns were quite impressive up close: The Exec's room: The cabin used by FDR when he was involved in negotiations for ending WW2: The bridge: The view from the bridge: The helmsroom: Enlisted men had much more modest quarters and I think they were used in shifts: Crystal has a generous visitor policy and I had 2 visitors, one a long time friend from Crystal and one from Holland America: After a quick tour of the ship we had lunch in Crystal's equivalent of Dive In: Roy

Happy Independence to our US Dailyites. Thank you Rich, Vanessa, Debbie, Dixie, and Ann. Not a big country music but enjoy it in moderation. I think it may get almost hot enough here to fry an egg on the sidewalk but I won't try. I enjoy barbeque but won't be doing it. A little confused by the Rike quote but think I like it. I've sailed to or from Los Angeles several times but always on Crystal except for once on Carnival Inspiration from Long Beach. I'll pass on the meal. My alternative is Mixed Gourmet Greens, Oven Roasted Chicken, and NSA Strawberry Ice Cream which might have been my choices on MS Zaandam July 4, 2002. It will be a quiet Fourth for me. Roy

For now it's only the Veendam (Ryndam is now Celestial Journey) and Veendam has not moved at all from the berth where Seajets put her (Aigio Greece) in 2020. There may be work going on there but I don't think they have a drydock there so more will need to be done. There's still time as web site shows departure date of December 1 from Fort Lauderdale. Roy

That was January 2020. I hear there is work on stabilizing Queen Mary. Roy