VMax1700

What's in a name? Well, it was known at the Queen's Lounge previously, and then BB Kings Blues club and now Rolling Stone Lounge. I was on Oosterdam last year when the rebranding started. The band playing was much more rock oriented than previous BBK. The male singer was seriously into Jim Morrison music. There was no horn section, which sets BBK apart. To me it was disappointing that BBK was no longer on the ship as I nearly always enjoyed their music. You are right in that there was little if any B.B.King Music, but the soul, RnB, funk was an eclectic mix.

That is correct. BB King was replaced with Rolling Stone Lounge on Noordam, Oosterdam, Westerdam and Zuiderdam.

I would like to see a Madeira + Canary Islands and Cape Verde itinerary. Probably achievable sailing from Lisbon or Cadiz.

So much for the 'rumour' about 'Starlink' being the answer 🙄

It's your crappy wifi 🤫

and English and Dutch!

This is from last year, but it was June 2022.

Butlers Buses are well recommended for tours from Cobh: https://www.butlers-buses.com/cobh-shore-excursion.php Alternatively the train station is just adjacent to the quayside and a 30 minute train ride to Cork City. Another option is to stay in Cobh, which is a lovely visit on a sunny day! Visit the Titanic Experience, which is located on the building site of the White Star Line's ticket office. https://www.titanicexperiencecobh.ie/ Or take a trip to Spike Island from Cobh https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/

Fishy, Fishy. Probably need to pre book if during high season. Dino's chipper (as mentioned by @phabric) has good hot food: fish, chips, etc. Try their 'potato pie', DW recommends it! Many of the smaller restaurants have been forced to close because of the huge increase in costs and the shortage of both skilled and unskilled labour. The Trident hotel, (short walk along quay side) has excellent seafood chowder and sandwiches, or a lunch special (roast beef etc).

Both Iceland and Ireland have multiple ports which welcome cruise ships. Perhaps you would get a more focused response if you mentioned the particular ports you will be visiting.

Not.

I believe they use 'Lavazza Blue' pods.

This is what the website says: Japan Protocols This specific booking and/or voyage follows our COVID-19 Japan Protocols for vaccination and testing requirements. Vaccination All guests 12 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated. Guests 18 years of age and older must have received a booster dose. Only one booster dose is needed to be considered boosted. Children under 12 years of age do not need to be vaccinated. If the vaccination certificate is in a language other than Japanese or English, it may be considered valid if it is accompanied by a Japanese or English translation and the content can be confirmed. Testing All guests ages 5 and older are required to take a COVID-19 test prior to embarkation. Medically observed PCR COVID-19 taken within 3 days before embarkation. Medically observed or self-administered at-home COVID-19 antigen test within 3 days before embarkation. Please upload all required documentation to the VeriFLY app for a quick and seamless embarkation process. Global COVID-19 regulations and protocols are continuously changing and we may revise or modify these requirements (effective immediately) to evolve in line with the latest practices at any time. Please check back regularly for any updates. These protocols only apply to the specific booking number or voyage entered. As of December 2, 2022

Just ask the hotel to call you an Accessible Taxi. Probably cost about €30 from hotel to terminal.

We have returned from MIA to both Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic and Dublin on Aer Lingus, but they have been later departing flights (9pm). On these occasions we used Larry's Limos to collect us at the cruise port and take us to Dolphin Mall for some retail therapy, then a cab to the airport. We did have an earlier flight with American Airlines (around 5pm) and we signed up for the cruiseline's transfer to MIA which included a tour of Miami. We got the tour, time for a coffee in a 'diner' and a walk on the beach before being dropped to the airport. Depending on departure time we would do these options again. What I would not do is rent a car and drive to Miami (on the 'wrong' side of the road). I do not need that stress after a cruise!

April 21, 2024 Nieuw Statendam, 14 day Canary Island Allure VMax1700 & DW p.s. Hope you are starting to mend (again) and the pain is easing for you. ❤️

Remember that in August it will be scorchio hot! Also the ports will be very busy as it is the main vacation time for all of Europe. On the soap....we were in a Signature Suite on Oosterdam lasty summer and there was Elemis liquid soap dispenser between the wash basins and in the shower cubicle.

"People working on the Holland America website now report to an IT leader who answers to HAL's Antorcha". 🤣

No, I was commenting on the end of the Microsoft classes and the introduction of the Navigator App to use onboard, bearing in mind discussions about cut backs etc. I was trying to be light hearted and obviously failing! Sorry if my 'joke' was misconstrued.

The classes are no longer offered. They were available during HAL's tie in with Microsoft, but that contract ended (during Covid, I think) and was not renewed. They introduced the Navigator App instead 🤣🤣🤣 (p.s. the comment about the app is facetious!)

Duplicate, sorry!

If you wish to download the file, here it is: HAL (ship-date) dry docks February 2023.docx

I am a couple of days early but here his the latest update, which I have called the February update 😉 This update is long overdue and I did try several times to work on it, but various circumstances meant that there was no opportunity until this weekend. As usual, if you have any information on Charters, Groups or Dry Docks then post to this thread and I will update the information in the next file. So, here it is...... New information since last update is shown in RED. PLANNED DRY DOCKS Eurodam 18 February 2023 – 04 March 2023 Koningsdam 25 March 2023 – 13 April 2023 Nieuw Amsterdam 19 March 2023 – 09 April 2023 Nieuw Statendam 05 November 2023 – 26 November 2023 Oosterdam 08 October 2023 – 20 October 2023 LAST COMPLETED DRY DOCK Eurodam 15 March 2021 – 24 March 2021 Brest, FR. (08 April 2018 - 17 April 2018) Koningsdam 02 December 2018 - 09 December 2018 Nieuw Amsterdam 07 December 2017 - 19 December 2017 Nieuw Statendam Noordam 08 February 2022 – 02 March 2022 (29 September 2019 – 13 October 2019) Oosterdam 22 March 2021 – 08 April 2021 Brest, FR. (21 March 2018 - 02 April 2018) Rotterdam VII Volendam 08 February 2022 – 11 March 2022 Cadiz, ES. (18 – 31 October 2019) Westerdam 19 January 2023 – 03 February 2023 (04 – 15 January 2020) Zaandam 08 February 2022 – 01 April 2022 (21 - 30 September 2020) Zuiderdam 01 – 15 December 2022 (01 – 09 December 2019) CHARTERS (i.e. full ship charters) Eurodam: 04 April 2023 – 09 April 2023 : Caribbean : Love & Harmony Cruise. Koningsdam: 28 October 2023 – 04 November 2023 : Mexican Riviera : Legendary R & B Cruise Nieuw Amsterdam: 29 January 2023 – 05 February 2023 : Caribbean : Soul Train Cruise 19 February 2023 – 26 February 2023 : E. Caribbean : Olivia Cruise 26 February 2023 – 05 March 2023 : E Caribbean : Olivia Cruise 05 March 2023 – 12 March 2023 : Caribbean : JoCo Cruise 02 April 2023 – 09 April 2023 : Caribbean : $150k Ultimate Slots (?) 28 October 2023 – 04 November 2023 : S. Caribbean : Malt Shop Cruise 04 November 2023 – 11 November 2023 : Gulf Coast : The Big Easy Cruise 11 November 2023 – 18 November 2023 : W. Caribbean : Gaither Homecoming Cruise 13 January 2024 – 20 January 2024 : Caribbean : Sandy Beaches Cruise 20 January 2024 – 27 January 2024 : W. Caribbean : Country Music Cruise 27 January 2024 – 03 February 2024 : Caribbean : Soul Train Cruise 17 February 2024 – 24 February 2024 : Caribbean : Possible Charter? TBC 09 March 2024 – 16 March 2024 : Caribbean : JoCo Cruise Nieuw Statendam: 28 January 2023 – 04 February 2023 : E. Caribbean : Legendary R & B Cruise 14 January 2024 – 21 January 2024 : E. Caribbean : Possible Charter? TBC 28 January 2024 – 04 February 2024 : W. Caribbean : Legendary R & B Cruise Noordam: Oosterdam: 01 May 2023 – 08 May 2023 : Iberian Peninsula : Dave Koz Group Charter #1 08 May 2023 – 15 May 2023 : Iberian Peninsula : Dave Koz Group Charter #2 15 May 2023 – 22 May 2023 : Iberian Peninsula : Dave Koz Group Charter #3 30 April 2024 – 07 May 2024 : Egypt & Holy Land : Dave Koz Group Charter 07 May 2024 – 14 May 2024 : Egypt & Holy Land : Dave Koz Group Charter 14 May 2024 – 21 May 2024 : ???? : Possible Charter? : TBC Rotterdam VII : Volendam: Westerdam: 28 May 2023 – 04 June 2023 : Alaska : All Star Irish Cruise Zuiderdam: Zaandam : 24 February 2024 – 16 March 2021 : : Possible Charter ? TBC 13 October 2024 – 20 October 2024 : Mexican Riviera : Olivia Cruise Charter GROUPS ONBOARD Eurodam: 05 February 2023 - 15 February 2023 : Panama Sunfarer : Quilting Group 01 July 2023 – 08 July 2023 : Alaska : Insight for Living Ministries Group 08 July 2023 – 15 July 2023 : Alaska : World Help Global Impact Group 15 July 2023 – 22 July 2023 : Alaska : Turning Point Ministries Group 02 September 2023 – 09 September 2023 : Alaska : Continuing Education Group 09 September 2023 – 16 September 2023 : Alaska : Quilt Group 23 September 2023 – 30 September 2023 : Alaska : Quilt Group Koningsdam: 08 July 2023 – 15 July 2023 : Alaska : Continuing Education Group 15 July 2023 – 22 July 2023 : Alaska : Continuing Education Group Nieuw Amsterdam: 02 April 2023 – 09 April 2023 : W. Caribbean : $150k Ultimate Slots Tournament 07 May 2023 – 21 May 2023 : Great Alaskan Explorer : Knitting Group 13 August 2023 – 20 August 2023 : Alaska : Continuing Education Group Nieuw Statendam: 04 February 2023 – 11 February 2023 : Caribbean : Zach Williams Group 06 May 2023 – 14 May 2023 : European Splendour : Continuing Education Group 02 July 2023 – 09 July 2023 : Baltics : Continuing Education Group 12 July 2023 – 26 July 2023 : Midnight Sun : Knitting Group 09 August 2023 – 23 August 2023 : British Isles : Knitting Group 07 January 2024 – 14 January 2024 : E. Caribbean : Zach Williams Group 21 January 2024 – 28 January 2024 : W. Caribbean : Mercy Me at Sea Group Noordam: 11 February 2023 – 25 February 2023 : Australia & N. Zealand : Road Scholar Group 11 March 2023 – 25 March 2023 : Australia & New Zealand : Road Scholar Group 14 May 2023 – 21 May 2023 : Alaska : Continuing Education Group 12 November 2023 – 26 November 2023 : Australia & New Zealand : Road Scholar Group 13 January 2024 – 27 January 2024 : Australia & New Zealand : Road Scholar Group 09 March 2024 – 23 March 2024 : Australia & New Zealand : Road Scholar Group Oosterdam: 02 February 2023 – 24 February 2023 : South America & Antarctica : Knitting Group 11 June 2023 – 23 June 2023 : Holy Land & Ancient Kingdoms : Continuing Education Group 07 July 2023 – 14 July 2023 : Adriatic Dreams: Mark Steyn Group Rotterdam VII: 25 January 2023 – 04 February 2023 : S. Caribbean : $25k Slots Tournament 29 July 2023 – 12 August 2023 : Northern Isles : Quilt Group Westerdam: 14 February 2023 – 27 February 2023 : Indonesian Discovery : Quilt Group 10 April 2023 – 24 April 2023 : Japan & Russia : Knitting Group 24 April 2023 – 07 May 2023 : North Pacific Crossing : Knitting Group 04 June 2023 – 11 June 2023 : Alaska : Continuing Education Group 18 June 2023 – 25 June 2023 : Alaska : Quilting Group 16 July 2023 – 23 July 2023 : Alaska : Behold Israel Inspiration Cruise 30 July 2023 – 06 August 2023 : Alaska : Kosherica Kosher cruise. 13 August 2023 – 20 August 2023 : Alaska : The Nation Group Volendam: Zaandam: 30 March 2024 – 13 April 2024 : Solar Eclipse & Mexican Riviera : Sky & Telescope Group. Zuiderdam: 11 June 2023 – 02 July 2023 : Spitzbergen : Knitting Group 02 September 2023 – 09 September 2023 : Canada & New England : Road Scholar Group 16 September 2023 – 23 September 2023 : Canada & New England : Road Scholar Group 03 January 2024 – 11 May 2024 : 2024 GWC : Road Scholar Group If anyone has any further information, please post it here and I will include it in the next update. Thanks! E & O.E. 29 January 2023

Where are you sailing from? If it is Port Everglades then I would just show up around 11.30 and join the melee outside and in the terminal.

Zaandam has been newly equipped with new TV's and they are also LG brand (images of new TV posted on a thread).