"LIVE" From The Maasdam (by tomc)

[tomc]

This is your wake-up call.

YBYA it is. My cabin is near a stern thruster. (Ok, get your mind out of the gutter. You know what I mean.) When we docked in Quebec this morning, the stern was thrusting more than an after-hours performance at the Ritzi-Ditzi Gentleman's Club. Way before I intended to wake up. We finally pulled into the dock and I went back to sleep.

 

Wait! We're not close enough! Hit those thrusters again; tomc just fell asleep.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. ok, he's awake; thrusters off.

zzzzzzzz. BRRRRRRRRRR. ha; gotcha.

ring-ring. "Huh?" "This is your wake-up call." "Too late; I've had at least four already."

 

The ship is dominated by people of color.

What a rainbow!

We've got people who are really white like Norweigians, some who are just a little off-white like from Connecticut, some wlho are just a slight bit tan, others who are a little darker tan, some who are definitely brownish, some are dark brown, others are closer to black and a few who are quite black.

 

Yep, there sure are a rainbow of people on this ship. God's good people come in all colors, shapes, sizes and stories. Some of the best people I've met on cruises are ... people.

 

This post came to you from a French language keyboard on a Dutch ship populated by Americans on a computer made in Japan or China, last used by a crew member from the Philippines.

[tomc]

retiring soon

 

No big deal when we landed there; I think it may have been the previous trip. There was some sort of sign about the ship's special arrival.

[tomc]

TO: HAL EXECS IN SEATTLE

RE: SAFETY ISSUE

 

I mentioned earlier about the candle on my table that took off like a rocket, failed to achieve orbit and crashed on my plate. I started going up the chain of command, beginning with my waiter and, finally this evening, with the GRM after asking unsucessfully for the HM. My request for the HM was answered with, "That's a dining room issue." I replied, "This is really a safety issue and it's been bounced around, essentially going nowhere. That's why I want to see the HM and I'm still getting nowhere."

 

That candle is spring-loaded and the spring let go, thus launching it. Had I been bending over, it would have hit me (or anyone else at the table) on the head. If this can happen with my candle, it can happen anywhere else, as the spring that let go is the same age as the others.

 

It may not be that big a deal until someone with an attitude and greed in their heart decides to go for the big green. Pain, suffering, embarassment, loss of enjoyment of cruise, inability to enjoy consortium, etc.

 

I haven't heard anything back yet and the tables haven't been set for the first formal night on this, my initial formal of the second week of the cruise (coming up tomorrow night).

 

Tom Carten

Live from the St Lawrence River

[Himself]

Tom:

you are a very intesting communicator. Keep up the good work. We never know what is coming next but we keep coming back for more.

Himself

[Two@Sea]

Tom:

you are a very intesting communicator. Keep up the good work. We never know what is coming next but we keep coming back for more.

Himself

 

Perhaps you might also enjoy... northfranklin.blogspot.com

 

I know I do... :)

[Tamaracboy]

Tom with a C,

I don't often read "live from" threads. Then today I noticed the "TomC" as the OP on this one.

Well, now I am all caught up and subscribed :cool:

I like to think of myself as witty, but I could not compete on your level. :( BRAVO ! !

There are many times when I bet the Front Desk wishes it could make those "Mr & Mrs Jones" announcements :rolleyes:

Welcome back, it has been a long draught without you.

r.

PS: And, just what is your plan (plot?) RuthC alluded to ? ?

[RuthC]

PS: And, just what is your plan (plot?) RuthC alluded to ? ?

Nothing illegal, Reuel. Not a bit illegal. I promise. :rolleyes:

[tomc]

It's not?

[RuthC]

It's not?

Not in Canada, eh?

[Tamaracboy]

It's not?

 

Not in Canada, eh?

 

Alright, Let's see :rolleyes:, Canada, Hmmmmmmmm, Well . . . . . just take videos :cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

Best thread here!!

[Himself]

Every time TOMC goes on a cruise and corresponds it is always a treat to read his lively posts. They are always unique and enjoyable.

[tomc]

Free 'puters in the Quebec cruise terminal.

Let's see ... wait until the crew is finished. Have breakfast, maybe lunch. Ah, they're done. Ok, get online. Tap your fingers while waiting for your site to open. Go for coffee. Go to the restroom. Here it is, Hotmail. User name, password, enter. Tap your fingers, get a coffee refill, restroom looks good at this point.

 

You console yourself: it's slow, but it's free.

 

Finally, Hotmail opens. Ok, so it's been five minutes, but it's free. You check out your mail, another five minutes. It hangs when you hit "reply" to your brother's message. Maybe you can go for another coffee. You return, it's still hanging. Finally, you're in. Type a few letters, get a row of ||| because, at one word per minute typing speed, you're going faster than the machine can handle.

 

Finally, it catches up to your dazzling speed. And hangs when you hit "send." Restroom break.

 

It's slow, you say to yourself, but it's free. "All aboard" is still half an hour away, so you figure you still have time to post a quick note to CC. But do you? A half-hour is not a whole lot of time anymore. You sign out of Hotmail and sign in to CC. You enter your user name and get |||| again until it catches up to "tomc" fifteen seconds later. Then your pw. Go for coffee. Then you scan your thread, have just enough time for a one-liner, enter it and go back to the ship where it's worth paying .40/minute on a slow system.

 

I'd never believe I would have written this.

[sail7seas]

Tom.....

 

You'll soon be in Sydney for more free internet. :D :D I think it might be just about as slow as Quebec.

 

Great thread..... thanks.

 

[Himself]

TOM:

How do you rate Crew Internet--Even the Chaplain doesn't have that perk? Speaking of Chaplains, is there a Priest on board this week and serving as Chaplain. I don't mean a passenger but on who has been brought on for that purpose.

[RuthC]

With apologies to the songwriter (I'm sure Jan will forgive me, too ;)).

So, what kind of activities are there on this one and only "sea" day on this itinerary? Please don't tell me the disembarkation talk was given already. But, if not, when is it given southbound???

[tomc]

Himself

I have no idea how the crew internet works; I do know there is a button indicating it. There is a priest on board, same one as last week.

 

RuthC

There was a Halifax '17 talk. More about that later. Also a Susan B. Komen walk (or maybe that's later); some cute young chick had a "Save Second Base" t-shirt; oh, to be 13 and flirty again.

 

Department of Redundancy Department.

The Mariners' Repeaters' brunch was held today in the MDR. 746 people are Mariners of one sort or another, but I suspect only the higher ratings were invited to the "do." No pictures were taken, as in the past, and no medals were given out; perhaps that is in keeping with the new awards program. I think I was the only person attending with my medallion around my neck.

 

Kindling along the St Lawrence.

Fellow at our table had a Kindle thing, where he could read books for cheap. his long-suffering wife said he had all sorts of electronic gadgets in their house. I think she goes her way (she had a hard-cover book at the table) and he goes his (he had that Kindle device in his hands). Well, opposites attract, even in the literary world.

 

I asked her about his Kindling. "What do you think of all those electronic gadgets he's got?" She replied, "Well, honey, let me put it this way: If he gets one more of those things, I'm going to use that Kindle as kindling."

 

Are you ... ??

Once last week, once this week, it happened. This time it was the above- and afore-mentioned woman who asked, "Are you tomc?" I said, "Yes, I am; would you prefer I leave the table?" The last-week guy was on my right, still talking to me (amazing) after he discovered who I was at that time. So I was kinda surrounded and escape was hopeless. She does not post here, but merely lurks in the shadows, behind trees and bushes, peeking at the graffiti that appeareth under the imprint of this scribe.

 

Instant Urban Renewal, 1917 Style.

Once upon a time, there was this ship loaded to the gunwales (pronounced "gunnels" by us seafolk) with high explosives. Those two words indicate just about the altitude the Mt. Blanc reached when it kissed the Imo.

 

Anyway, one ship going through Halifax harbor going in the wrong lane, by arrangement with the first two ships when the other came along in the proper lane. I think the Mt. Blanc was wrong-waying and the Imo was tooling along quite properly. The Imo went into the center lane to avoid a collision just wen the Mt. Blanc decided it, too, would take its part of the channel out of the middle.

 

Among other things, Halifax weren't no more and that about says it for the Mt. Blanc and everyone along the shore who was watching the ship burn just before the ammo caught fire.

[kazu]

thanks for this. Maybe I can get some tips and try to do it for my October cruise.

[bob brown]

Tom.....

 

You'll soon be in Sydney for more free internet. :D :D I think it might be just about as slow as Quebec.

 

Great thread..... thanks.

 

When I was in Charlottetown, the terminal was full of crewmembers and others taking advantage of the free wifi, and power outlets.

 

The Sydney terminal besides wifi, also offers computer sets for a very reasonable 'donation' for those without their own laptop.

[Himself]

Tom: He must be doing a two week assignment. I know it is not John Thomas McGeean as that priest tells me he has never done that cruise. Should I tell him to go apply for it?

[tomc]

The old lady isn't feeling well.

This is my own opinion; I welcome those who don't agree.

 

>The Maasdam seems ill. I don't mean terminally; a good drydocking and upgrading will take care of that and it comes next year. But there are things that bother me, little things that are not part of upgrades and drydocks.

 

>The socks have holes in them. The aft "dress lights," that string which comes down from the stacks to the very stern, have empty spots. There are perhaps two dozen on each of the two strings; half of them are burned out, sometimes four in a row. It makes the ship look ratty, as if it were some third-tier cruise line at the end of its time on the water and replacing bulbs was just not on the list of priorities.

 

>The tide's coming in and not going out. My shower takes a long time to drain, after it's gone up to the top of the metal barrier that is supposed to keep it from flooding the bathroom. I timed the "shower off" to "dry floor" at five minutes. Next year, I'm going to bring some fish and have it stocked. Might as well see if I can catch anything while I'm waiting.

 

>Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me. And don't order the apple juice (or whatever) if you really want to see it. It's been two or three days I've asked for it when the waiter took my order and I didn't ask again because I wanted to see just what would happen. Nothing, that's what.

 

>The Java Jive. Nice record by, I think, the Ink Spots or the Mills Brothers. "I love coffee, I love tea, I love the Java Jive and it loves me." Well, when the machines are working. The heated "thermos" containers seem to be out fairly regularly on one side, the "cleaning in progress" signs also seem to be in place a lot of the time, as well as an auxiliary hot water heater separate from the regular machine. I've never seen this before and it puzzles me; are these ready for the scrap heap and being kept going with bailing wire and duct tape?

 

>Open, Sesame. Can you close, Sesame?

One of the rear Lido automatic doors is usually open, except when it decides it really can close. Again, one of those little things that makes a place look, or seem, decidedly second-class.

 

Here I am dealing with little things that make the ship seem tired and old. The cruise itself is wonderful and I can't wait to see the upgrade. But some of the above is attitude: light bulbs outside that are not changed, food orders that don't arrive. The Signature of Excellence has become more of a scribble. When I return in June of 2011, I hope to see a grand new lady.

[tomc]

Himself --

No, it's not JT but some Doherty guy from Boston. If you know of anyone who wants to be a chaplain on a 14 day Boston-Mtl-Boston (or Mtl-Boston-Mtl), I'd say it's a good gig. As my pastor used to say when I was an altar boy, and wanted me to think of being a priest (when I had eyes to be in radio), "Three meals a day and no heavy lifting."

[bob brown]

The old lady isn't feeling well.

This is my own opinion; I welcome those who don't agree.

 

>The Maasdam seems ill. I don't mean terminally; a good drydocking and upgrading will take care of that and it comes next year. But there are things that bother me, little things that are not part of upgrades and drydocks.

 

>The socks have holes in them. The aft "dress lights," that string which comes down from the stacks to the very stern, have empty spots. There are perhaps two dozen on each of the two strings; half of them are burned out, sometimes four in a row. It makes the ship look ratty, as if it were some third-tier cruise line at the end of its time on the water and replacing bulbs was just not on the list of priorities.

I am sorry to hear about these deficiencies. While none of them are major items of concern, I do see where the sum of them can leave a negative impression of this great ship. Lets hope the next drydocking does address them all.

I've noticed that on the last NCL ships I have sailed, those light bulbs have been a double string of bright white l.e.d.'s that don't burn out, and use less energy.

[ANSalberg]

TomC -if you have a "Shower only" stern room; contact your room steward and have them clean out the floor drain, Our room on the Amsterdam seems to need that EVERY cruise so we just ask immediately and it makes a huge difference [ usually hair and GUNK- but causes the water back-up] Our guys did as asked efficiently/happily. You do NOT need to ask as you are departing the shower naked [ at least I didn't] Good thing, too! ;)

[tomc]

PEI is no longer blocking CC

Glory, halleluljah and praise the Lord of the Internet. Maybe when I mentioned this on the up trip, someone talked to someone. I can access CC on the PEI computers now.

 

Too bad I have nothing to say.