VMax1700

Thanks and I will respect you in the morning!😂

Nieuw Statendam She says she will check the machines in shops if she can find a sponsor 🫣 Can i write you in for a $50 towards important research? 🤣

lunch_menu_02.pdf m2-day2-_lido_lunch_north_europe.pdf silver_gala_menu_2024_v.2_14_x12.pdf m2-day2-_lido_dinner_north_europe.pdf day_2_lido_late_snack.pdf

Tonight is first of three dressy nights. Here are today's menus. Silver Gala Menu MDR lunch Lido Lunch MDR Lido Late Snack

Definitely shows up in bars. Used DW's card last night for an extra drink and there she was on the POS screen glaring at me! 😇

I am feeling ignored.....no love note. Nobody cares about me 😂 We did get a knock on stateroom door just after 9am, but it was a techie to fix the tv. (Tv stopped working last night and GS said they would reboot. That didn't work, but i realised that the red standby light wasn't showing, so got my hand into back of tv and jiggled plug in a bit further......success! Only mistake was not informing GS that it was working again.)

Since the restart it has been keys in the mail slot. I prefer it that way as too often I can't remember which pocket i stored them in after receiving them at checkin.🤔

Image and branding is a successful business 'Staple'. Such a missed opportunity in the name of cutbacks.

Day 2 Monday 22nd April at sea in the English Channel. Today's activities from The Daily

Good morning from Nieuw Statendam in the English Channel.

I will investigate 😉

Currently streaming our local radio news station. Will try spotify later. Netflix does not work for live streaming.

Our cruise ends on 5th May, so in theory we have ship's wifi until midnight after we disembark.

The BBKing Band, Sittin on the dock of the bay! I think they just joined the ship today, will find out later for definite, but if they were new they were very good.

Ha! Did you think you were getting away without a bread pudding post? Not a chance........

Quoting my own post! Just an update is that the two of us are currently in a 4 berth cabin on the sold out Nieuw Statendam. I know it is shoulder season, but there were families with kids at boarding.

Wifi connected quickly. We have Premium wifi included in HIA Early Booking, and it includes wifi calling. Cost to upgrade to Stream is $230 for 14 days. No thanks!

It was demoralising for those who were staying in the Nhow hotel, just next door to the terminal. Their faces as they exited the hotel and looked at the line. Really felt for them.

Current Internet Speed

north_europe_dr_menu_01_reformat.pdf m1-day1-_lido_steak_dinner_north_europe.pdf day_1_lido_late_snack.pdf

No it was one line, which stretched from the bridge to past the terminal and then doubled back to the terminal door. It was painfully slow.

Next situation was to go to our Muster Station. No staff member present at 2.40 pm, so I went to the adjacent stations and was told that someone should be there and to wait. Next there was an announcement on the PA for all muster station crew to stand down. What? So we took a selfie with the station number behind us and left. We fully expected a telephone call or a knock on the door, but nothing. So we did not officially complete the muster drill, but we are well out to sea, having eventually departed at 5.10pm.

That was our worst embarkation ever! It does seem that there was a protest at the terminal building this morning, that caused delays to the disembarkation process and those who were taking tours. We were in no rush away from the hotel as check in was listed as starting at 12 noon, even though we were told to check in at least 90 minutes before scheduled departure time of 3pm. So 12 noon to 1.30 to check in everyone........good luck with that! Our taxi took us over the Erasmus Bridge and the line of traffic trying to get down Wilhelmenakade was all they way back on to the bridge. So he drove straight on, did a U turn and pushed his way across the junction and down to the terminal. However the line of passengers waiting to hand over their suitcases stretched from the end of the terminal building down to the bridge. There was very little signage and no one was offering any guidance. Also there was a cold wind blowing. I left Ellen opposite the terminal main door and headed down to join the end of the line. It was long and it was 11.50 am. Eventually they called 5 star mariners and they were guided into the building. Then 4 and 5 stars were called. It started speeding up then, and once inside the terminal building the process moved quickly. Eventually we were onboard by 1.10pm.

I did not notice any taxis, but I was not looking for them. I think the taxi point was located in a slightly different area.