Prinsendam 2005 World Tour... it has begun

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Prinsendam 2005, March 27, Day 73

 

Easter Sunday...

 

Kiwi Kruzer, has your question about Easter activities been answered?...

 

 

Yes Grumpy,

Many thanks.

 

I have been on many cruises ,but only the one on HAL.That was a segment of the World Cruise on Amsterdam from Valparaiso to Sydney.The Theme Nights on that 30 day voyage were magic,so I can only imagine and drool over the time and effort the staff have put into the Easter celebrations.

 

The leg of your present cruise is of great interest to me ,as in Aug will be boarding Pacific Princess for a 30 day cruise from Bangkok to Capetown calling at many of the ports you have yet to experience.

 

Once again many thanks for your graphic postings......

 

Wishing you smooth seas and a great time in India.

 

ps Are they offering any 2/3 days excursions into the Indian interior?

[Ziggy7]

For those of us stuck on land ... Grumpy & Slinkie's posts take us to new places which we enjoy vicariously. Grumpy's younger son and family are visiting this week (Spring Break from school for the kids.) They didn't start planning far enough in advance and were unable to get a decent airfare for four from Cleveland to Fort Myers ... so they drove. Get out your maps. A grueling 2-day drive with an 11 year old (going on 16) and an 8 year old to entertain. Borrowed lots of DVDs from the library. Books. Magazines. etc., etc. Anyway, as a parody on Slinkie & Grumpy's posts, he wrote one about their trip to Florida. Thought you all would enjoy that ...

------------

"Left home friday morning before 5 am, drove to just outside of Cincinnati before we stopped for breakfast at a little village restaurant called "Bob Evans" had some eggs, sausage and biscuits with jelly, tasted pretty much the same as in cleveland. They sold a variety of trinkets there so we invested in the local economy and bought some silly putty for the kids.

 

After reboarding the suburban we set sail for Atlanta, we were cruising along fine and making good time until we hit Tennesee. Talk about rough waters, it took nearly six hours to go about 175 miles.

 

Finally made it to my cousin's house about seven o'clock and had a nice barbecue dinner with them and spent the night there. They did not try to sell us anything but we did leave a few bucks in a large jug of spare change that was in our room (probably the kids college fund).

 

Saturday morning we pulled anchor and set out for Naples, did not run into too many major sandbars and finally got into port a little after six pm where we met one of the native people named "Lynnaldo". She gave us the keys to a little hovel in a place called "Falling Waters", then showed us around inside and out. We then took the girls to the local swimming hole and let them go for a dip. I guess this will do for a place to stay (the Howard Johnson was booked up solid) so we will just have to make due.

 

Found the keys to a garage so we stole an old Buick and drove to the local market place (it had a sign that said Wal-Mart or something like that) found lots of appetizing looking local fare so we bought enough to stock the cupboards. Tomorrow is Easter so we are taking this "Lynnaldo" person to get a traditional Easter dinner at a place called "Carrabas", well that is all for now

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Seems that Grumpy's writing style has carried to the next generation!

 

Hope you all had a Happy Easter. That "traditional" Italian Easter dinner at Carrabba's was great!

 

Grumpy's still very jealous big sis!

 

Thanks for sharing that with us lynnaldo! What a wonderfully kind and funny family you have (meant in the nicest way). They sound just like my brother and nephew!

[blackbird71]

Glad you're safe and out of Thailand now Grumpy and all aboard the WC.

 

ublished on TaipeiTimes

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2005/03/28/2003248083

Fifteen people injured in bomb attacks, shootings

 

FRESH VIOLENCE: Thai authorities say insurgents were to blame for the latest bomb attack on a railway station in the nation's Muslim south

 

AFP , BANGKOK

Monday, Mar 28, 2005,Page 5 At least 15 railway workers, soldiers and police were injured in two bomb blasts and an hour-long gun battle in Thailand's restive south early yesterday, in an attack which police blamed on Islamic insurgents.

 

Two bombs exploded around 6:15am, 30m from the Sungai Padi railway station in Narathiwat province, as a maintenance train car was travelling from Sungai Kolok to Tanyong, police and railway officials said.

 

 

... more at article.......

[RuthC]

My best right back to Jen, and also to Dolly. That picture of her on Speakeasy Night was exactly as I remember her. Knowing how Dolly likes to stay out and play I'll believe you if you say that picture was taken at 2:00 A.M.!

 

Slinky didn't partake of the chocolate???:eek: Not my kinda woman. :rolleyes:

[DFD1]

8.2 earthquake off the coast of northern Sumatra. I believe Prinsendam is west of that area in mid-ocean on her way to India. Hopefully she is in deep water and will be relatively unaffected.

 

Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer, not only for Prinsendam, but for all others in that area.

[emerald777]

I was just coming over to check their itinerary. They were in Madras (Chennai) India today, should have just left about an hour ago. Hope the ship is moving fast!! Grumpy and Slinkie CHECK IN!!!!!!

[DFD1]

Thanks, emerald777, for the update. I did not realize they had reached Chennia. I hope they are at sea now.

[louiskam]

If the HAL official world cruise itinerary is accurate, Prinsemdam, the ship should be off the quake zone which struck there at 11:00pm, Monday. Cross the finger.

[BCHappyGal]

Dear Slinkie & Grumpy

 

Thank you for the ongoing saga! I liked the photos too!

 

You are bringing back many happy memories from our visit to Asia & to Australia & New Zealand. Slinkie I loved shopping in the night markets. In Stanley Market - I wanted to go back for a 2nd time but by DH said the credit card couldn't take it!!!

 

My dream is to take a World Cruise one day when we retire and have the time. For now the best I can do is B2B'es or long itineraries.

 

Take care & keep up the good work.

[cruise freak]

Slinkie and Grumpy,

 

Where are you at now? The lastest earthquake I think is in your area. Is everything alright?

[tropicalsunset]

Enjoying the saga as it continues.... holding my breath for the next segment and news that the world travelers are safe at sea!!!

[ILuvCruisin']

This is my first post. Just caught up on the reading yesterday. Hopefully they are Ok just lost thier connection.

[Margie_Lady]

I have received emails from ACD Jen and Admin ACD Craig. When the earthquake struck they were about 30 minutes out of Chenai. Jen said that the captain headed for deep ocean in case there was a tsunami, but there was not even a ripple. They will be in Sri Lanka as scheduled today.

[LizB1]

Thanks for the update, Margie. Glad to know everything is okay.

[Rotterdam]

Its all G&S's fault - I booked the 9 May 2005 New York City to Barcelona on the G&S Prinsendam...........THANK YOU G&S!!!!!!

 

Seems that your wonderful voyage...is still wonderful!

 

Question - Did they bury the dead Easter Eggs at sea & what was the service like??????

[Aussie Gal]

Slinkie and Grumpy,

 

I have just returned from our Easter Break and have been away from the Computer for four days.

 

Love the photos of you both. They bring back to me the happy memory of meeting you both so long ago here in Melbourne.

 

I could picture you both in Phuket. I don't know what it is like now since the Tsunami but we had a wonderful holiday there back in 1989. It was only a small place then but of course it has just grown as the beaches are so lovely.

 

I am looking forward to your next instalment.

 

Jennie

[Grumpy1]

Prinsendam 2005, March 29, Day 75

 

Hello to all from the Indian Ocean. The Prinsendam is sailing through smooth seas along the East coast of Sri Lanka, getting ready to swing around the southern end of the island. Fortunately, there was no Tsunami associated with the earthquke... well, there was a small wave, but nothing of consequence. The Prinsendam left Chennai at a few minutes past ten, local time, which would have been just past 11:30p in most of Indonesia. The Prinsendam had maneuvered away from her berth, swung about and was just about out of the channel when Slinkie and Grumpy returned to their cabin and saw "breaking news" on CNNI. Captain Gundersen had also gotten word of the earthquke and immediately headed for deep water and kept the bow toward the epicenter of the quake. Since the seas were so smooth, the small wave that went out could be seen according to the captain's report, but Slinkie and Grumpy slept through the passing of the wave. After the danger of Tsunami had passed, the Prinsendam turned to the south and headed toward Sri Lanka. The route will take the Prinsendam about 3/4 of the way around Sri Lanka before docking in Colombo. With the extra manuvers last night, it will be tight making port on time... there is also a pretty good current to deal with... But the captain thinks he'll dock pretty close to schedule.

 

Since CNNI has had nonstop coverage of the quake, and passengers were calling the desk for information, the captain came on the squawk box at 9a for an update and to let everyone know that all is well.

 

Chennai was interesting... very hot... dirty... noisy... but Slinkie and Grumpy enjoyed the day there. The shuttle buses into town were labled "hotel transfers"... probably to get around some bureaucracies... and the shuttle did go directly to the Taj Coromandel Hotel... Of course there were shops just off of the lobby, and a "department store" across the street, but it was not a convenient spot for exploring on foot. After checking out the shops in the hotel (pretty expensive)and making a mad dash across the street to the department store... OK, they have a carvings department, a carpet department, a silk fabrics department and a jewellry department... that makes it a department store... but there wasn't anything there that really needed to be acquired... so Slinkie and Grumpy set off down the street to see the sights.

 

Chennai has about 7 million people. They also have about 2 million "taxicabs" or more properly, autorickshaws. Half of them descended on the area where the shuttle bus unloaded. Now they must have known that the Prinsendamers were coming and went out the night before to tear up all of the sidewalks. Three steps... no more sidewalk... walk in the street... easier for the cabbies to come right up beside to offer their services... but Slinkie and Grumpy wanted to explore on their own for a while first. After stopping in a couple more department stores that were carbon copies of the first place... you know who their target customers are when all of the items are priced in $USD instead of Rupiah... they saw some shops down a cross street tht looked interesting... After managing to cross the street without getting run over... it took some artful dodging... they found that it was mostly internet shops, cell phone shops and little "hole in the wall" places selling beverages and basic snacks... nothing memorable there... so they started back on the other side of the road toward the hotel. Tucked in behind a filling station was a small group of shops and among them was a dress shop. 50% off sale! Now you know the Slinkie girl had to check that out... Found an outfit that should work OK for "Farewell to Taj" theme night Friday... and then stopped back at the hotel for a bite of lunch. A couple of seafood springrolls each, and a couple of beers cost about the same as Slinkie's new outfit...

 

After lunch, they decided to get really brave and hire an autorickshaw. As soon as it became apparent that they wanted one, about 20 drivers surrounded them. After settling on a price with VJ and his driver, $7.50USD for the afternoon... off they went for some sightseeing. Autorickshaws are a 3 wheeled motorcycle with a very basic body. Not much engine, but a loud horn... and, in Chennai, they love their horns! Getting through traffic is a game of chicken.. it's amazing that they don't splatter themselves all over... roads two lanes wide occupied by five lanes of traffic... change lanes as long as your six inches ahead of the guy beside you... screech of brakes, lot's of horn blowing... everyone continues on their way. Warning! Do not let any part of your anatomy extend beyond the frame of the vehicle... those drivers seem to have an uncanny sense of just how wide the vehicle is and can judge a space that is one half inch wider. It's quite a ride!

 

The "tour" took Slinkie and Grumpy to the beach... the second longest in the world... they said Ft. Lauderdale is the longest... then to San Thome Cathedral... Now Grumpy knows that there was a Thome that was revered as a saint while he played for the Cleveland Indians.. but then he became a free agent and signed with the Phillys... that sure tarnished his halo...so that cathedral must be named for a different Thome... Oh, that's right... it was The Apostle Thomas "Doubting Thomas" and he is interred there. There has been a lot of renovation of the Cathedral in the last few years and is now pretty nice.

 

From there, Slinkie wanted to do more shopping... yes, he knows just the place... turned out to be another of those department stores... ran into several other Prinsendamers there... Nothing there, told VJ to go where the local people shop... yeah, right... another department store... this time one of the Prinsendam tours "The Many Faces of Madras" was just pulling up for their shopping opportunity. Sales people in all of the department stores were a little pushy... love to haggle, though... Grumpy did get his Slinkie girl a diamond and sapphire pendant before deciding that the heat and exhaust fumes were getting to be too much and told VJ to take them back to the hotel. VJ wanted to take them to more places, even said he would take them back to the ship, but Grumpy insisted that they were going to return on the air conditioned bus. Good thing, as Grumpy heard from another couple that they had to pay a fee to the guard at the port entrance for their cab to take them to the ship. Otherwise... long walk...

 

Slinkie and Grumpy had been told that the vendors in Chennai would be worse than the mess they encountered in Bali, but that wasn't the case at all. They would push to a point, but if told to back off, they did.

 

Back aboard the Prinsendam, there was a note delivered to the cabin that said because of the heavy concentrations of coal dust in Chennai, all verandahs will be washed wile in port in Colombo. The sunset was blood red from all of the dust in the air... It's pretty bad when you can look directly at the sun without sunglasses...

 

Kiwi Kruzer, there was a 3 day tour that flew from Chennai to Agra, visits to the Taj Mahal at sunset and sunrise, visit the Amber Fort, fly back to Chennai and then the next day fly to Colombo to rejoin the ship. $3600 p/p...There was also a 6 day that departed from Singapore, flew to Bangkok, then to Kathmandu, continue on to Delhi, fly to Jaipur and then to Chennai.

 

We2Cruise... welcome aboard... Cabin door to the verandah on the Prinsendam is a slider ... there is a toe bolt to hold to hold it open. Some people have the same tablemates for the entire cruise... others request to change tables every segment... a few get asked to leave... Slinkie and Grumpy have one couple that have been with them from Ft. Lauderdale and one couple that got on in LA. The fourth couple has rotated from a couple that went from LA to Sydney, then a couple that dined with them from Sydney to Hong Kong (they had boarded in LA, but that table didn't work out too well.) and now have another couple that boarded in Hong Kong. Slinkie and Grumpy just stay put and the world revolves around them... The shipboard account is billed at the end of each segment. you can choose to pay it off then or let it ride. Yesterday was settlement day for the fifth segment, Hong Kong to Chennai.... How do bills get paid? Quite a few are either automatic payments or can be paid online. The rest keep Grumpy's sister busy figuring out which ones got screwed up and what to do with them. The cabin stewards would normally be your steward for the entire voyage. Exceptions would be if a crew member's contract ends during the cruise and leaves the ship, but most are on for the full cruise.

 

There were a few more questions and comments but Grumpy will get to them later.

 

Grumpy and Slinkie

 

The internet wasn't available last night so had to wait until this morning. The Prinsendam is now docked in Sri Lanka. wasn't working this morning either, finally got in when we came back to the ship for lunch.

 

[Sail With Me]

Hi Grumpy and Slinkie,

 

Thanks for another great episode of Life on the Prinsendam. Slinkie wear that new pendant in good health. Loved the pictures but would love to see one of all of Slinkie's new jewelry and clothing. Think you could lay it out on the bed and snap away?

 

Since we are sailing on next years WC we are wondering how you keep from gaining a bezillion pounds. Can you give us some clues? Can you also give us some hints for preparing for a WC. Seems you have done alot of preparation and we would love it if you could share with us. Perhaps that is something to do off line at another time if you would not mind.

 

Which has been your most favorite part of the world and port so far? Probably hard to choose just one but give it a try. Sounds like you are meeting wonderful people and making new lifelong friends. That is the best part of cruising we think.

 

Enjoy the rest of your voyage and keep those wonderful letters coming. Thanks again for all of the time you are taking to keep us all informed.

[venicecruiser]

Glad to know the earthquake didn't affect you! Continue to enjoy your wonderful trip!

 

Claudia

[JaniceB]

I just returned from my first HAL cruise on the Zaandam. I spent this morning catching up on your posts. I am glad the earthquake did not affect your trip and that you have been able to buy your Slinkie a few new trinkets since I last read your posts. I had been wondering about the restrooms. Years ago many places just had holes in the ground. I am glad to hear you can pay for a little more comfort. I guess another item needs to be added to a world cruise packing list, small rolls of TP. I enjoyed your pictures.

Thanks for sharing.

[Margie_Lady]

A tip for preparing for a WC from ACD Jen. Knowing that there were a lot of ports, and that she was taking her laptop aboard, she did a lot of research on each port on websites like The Lonely Planet. She downloaded this information to her computer and reads up on each port just prior to visiting it. She uses this information to plan her personal city tour.

[blackbird71]

I just returned from my first HAL cruise on the Zaandam. I spent this morning catching up on your posts. I am glad the earthquake did not affect your trip and that you have been able to buy your Slinkie a few new trinkets since I last read your posts. I had been wondering about the restrooms. Years ago many places just had holes in the ground. I am glad to hear you can pay for a little more comfort. I guess another item needs to be added to a world cruise packing list, small rolls of TP. I enjoyed your pictures.

Thanks for sharing.

 

Did somebody say

 

 

I order this over at http://www.magellans.com/store/catalog?Args= for my Amazon cruise. They are packed 4 to a order and are bigger than I thought.

[Classynfun1]

Thanks for keeping us posted! I *really* hope I have cruisers like both of ya'll on the Rotterdam! ;)

[dakrewser]

I order this over at http://www.magellans.com/store/catalog?Args= for my Amazon cruise. They are packed 4 to a order and are bigger than I thought.

 

Um, have you checked to see if this is allowed on the ship? Bringing in "outside" TP is the major cause of plumbing problems, I'm told.

[smoosh21]

I love reading all about this trip. Now if I can just hold out the 25-30 years until I retire and can go on a round the world trip I will be OK :)