Dave's Live from Eurodam Transatlantic 24 Aug - 10 Sep 2011

[Flyingfish]

It's been a real treat traveling with you guys! I'll miss you every a.m. I think I've gained a few pounds reading the menus!

[RetiredMustang]

Links to higher-resolution photos (the rest of them)

Here are the links to the rest of the higher-res photos, keyed to the post number where I had them as attachments. I did not duplicate below the ones I had already uploaded and posted links.

Post #86

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Granite_hills.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Mountains_ahead.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Greendland_ice_cap_meets_the_sea_and_calves.JPG

Post #89

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Mountains_line_the_way.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Coffee_chocolate_or_split-pea_soup.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Reflections1.JPG

Post #94

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Enjoying_the_views_from_the_aft_pool_area.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/More_mountains.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Approaching_the_narrows.JPG

Post #95

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Another_ice_cap_and_calf.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/What_we_passed_already.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Swimming_through_the_Sound_-_there_s_someone_in_the_pool.JPG

Post #96

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Scenic_cruising.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/More_scenic_cruising.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/weather_becoming_cloudy.JPG

Post #97

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/514/ugly_fish.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/514/seriously_ugly_fish.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/514/Filleting_fish.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/514/serving_seafood_chowder.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/514/seafood_chowder.JPG

Post #98

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Aappilattoq.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Aappilattoq_and_mountains.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Jon_s_pizza_delivery_boat.JPG

Post #104

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Nanortalik_blue_house.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Nanortalik_red_house.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Nanortalik_neighborhood.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Nanortalik_boat_and_iceberg.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Nanortalik_church_altar.JPG

Post #105

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Children_s_party_1.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Children_s_party_2.JPG

Post #107

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/western_Nanortalik.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/central_Nanortalik.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/eastern_Nanortalik.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/eastern_outskirts.JPG

Post #114

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/520/Eurodam_casino.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/520/Eurodam_Crow_s_Nest.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/520/Eurodam_Explorations_Cafe.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/520/Eurodam_Explorer_s_Lounge.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/520/Eurodam_Lido_restaurant.JPG

Post #117

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/the_stream_from_above.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/viewing_the_stream_below_ground.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/what_they_are_watching.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Geo_center_explains_rocks.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Eurodam_in_St_John_s_harbor.JPG

Post #125

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Changing_the_guard.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Halifax_Citadel_inner_yard.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Halifax_Seaport_from_Citadel.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/Halifax_harbor_from_Citadel.JPG

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/510/The_little_cottage_I_will_buy_some_day.JPG

Post #130

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/data/512/dawn3.JPG

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

All,

 

Having finished the posting of the high-res links, I will now close out this live blog, unless anyone has any questions that I can try to answer.

 

It was a blast doing the blog on the wonderful trans-atlantic on the fabulous Eurodam. Thanks to all of you for coming along, and for encouraging me.

 

See you around the boards,

Dave

[LSEA]

Thanks Dave for taking the time this blog required. Your photos are delightful and the day by day reports were a pleasure to follow.

[kazu]

Thanks so much Dave, It was truly a joy. welcome home:D

 

Try not to suffer too much from cruise withdrawal:)

[Himself]

Thanks for sharing and welcome home.

[callmedeb]

Thanks for taking all of us along with you.

 

I, for one, have never imaginary eaten better.

 

Cheers,

 

Deb

[Bengoshi]

Thank you for your first rate blog.

Fair winds and following seas!

[gosoonrz]

Thank you so much for an excellent narrative... we lived in the DC area for many years before coming home to Oklahoma. We are looking forward to our first trip on the Eurodam on 22 Oct.

 

thanks again!

Edited September 13, 2011 by gosoonrz

[Divi]

Dave,

Thank you for your wonderful blog.

We will be doing some of the same ports next year on our VOV and we really enjoyed your descriptions and pictures.

We had a great cruise on the Eurodam this past May and have nothing but good things to say about all of the crew from Capt.Bowland on down.

I loved checking out the daily menues you posted. Can you gain weight just from reading them??:p

Deen

[Bodger]

All,

 

We cleared customs and immigration simultaneously, and it took more than the usual three seconds or so that we see in Ft. Lauderdale -- but, they were no doubt being careful so close to the 9/11 anniversary.

 

Dave

 

Dave:

 

You did very well by getting off the ship early. We had a 1:30PM flight out of LaGuardia and figured we had lots of time with the 9:00-9:15 debark time we were assigned.

 

US Immigration got really bogged down, at 9:15 they were calling colours from 7:30. We started to get concerned after 10:30 that we would miss our flight so we went down to the gangway. Debarkation announcements had fallen off, they were at one point only allowing US Citizens to get off. We were chatting with one of the security officers and at 11:15 he told us to just go regardless. We then spent close to an hour in the taxi lineup across the street.

 

We finally arrived at the Air Canada counter at LaGuardia at 12:40, and I asked the agent if we were too late (less than an hour for our 1:30 flight). He said that the flight was delayed due to a late arrival and we would be okay, just barely.

 

We thought the extra three hours we had built into our schedule were generous, but they saved us in the end.

 

Thanks for the write up, you did a great job of representing the cruise. (I even saw myself in a couple of the photos!)

 

Bodger

Edited September 13, 2011 by Bodger

[debsjc]

Bodger, we had similar problems to use getting off the ship. Although luckily we were not in danger of missing our flight.

We were in the 'red' group which was meant to disembark at 0830-0845 and we were actually called at 1045, then had a 45 min wait for a taxi.

[RetiredMustang]

Bodger, debsjc,

 

Wow, sorry to hear about the delays in getting off the ship! Seems we were very lucky to get off early, and snag a cab so quickly.

 

Debsjc,

 

I also read your review, and have to admit that I had a cold (as many on board sounded like they did too) from about Dublin to St. John's or the next day. Probably a good percentage of us swapped it about during the cruise. DW got it the day after Halifax ... and thanked me appropriately. :D (ouch!). Hope you are feeling better.

 

I'm also sorry you had some issues. I too noticed that there were quite a few "barnacles" in the Lido on the Prince Christian Sound day, but we were lucky enough to get a table for lunch; not next to the window, of course, but at least a place to put down a plate and have a seat.

 

Cheers,

Dave

[cccole]

What a fun cruise. I did not read it day-by-day but really enjoyed all of your posts. Did the Belgian chocolates that were purchased for gifts make it home to their intended recipients? Thank you so much for such a detailed daily review!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cherie

[debsjc]

I'm still sniffling unfortunately, and I'm back at work today as well. As you rightly say I think these things do pass around a ship quickly. Also, I went in the sea view pool for a swim in the cool rain the day before I got mine, so it might have been partly my own fault for getting so cold.

I hope your DW is feeling better now.

[RetiredMustang]

... Did the Belgian chocolates that were purchased for gifts make it home to their intended recipients? ...Cherie

 

Cherie,

 

Yes they did, barely -- through sheer willpower to stay out of them! They were a big hit with the recipients.

 

Dave

[kazu]

Cherie,

 

Yes they did, barely -- through sheer willpower to stay out of them! They were a big hit with the recipients.

 

Dave

 

it's a good thing Ruth C wasn't with you :D:D

[weimar]

Dave, we enjoyed your narrative so much also. My wife and I from Florida will be cooling off on the Aug. 29, 2012 version of your cruise and really learned a lot from you. I am hopeful that the hurricanes don't cause as much disruption, but they could come here to Fl. too., so we want to see more of the world. I noticed Davi from Canada and others seem motivated to take your trip this year, you should get a great gift sometime from Holland America. You deserve it. We appreciate your time, efforts and expertise.

[NMLady]

weimar, thank you for refreshing this thread by posting which bumped it up. I evidently missed it when Dave was posting it last summer.

 

Dave, THANK YOU for such an awesome daily report. We've been on five ta's and have been to a few of the ports you visited but haven't been to the ones after Iceland so your thoroughness and especially your photos have been a treat.

 

Now I'll have to read your old reports as well. You write so well.

[RetiredMustang]

Wow, I did not expect to see this particular thread on the first page of the HAL board!

 

Thanks very much for your comments. I have done several "Live From" blogs on HAL cruises, and have enjoyed doing so a lot. I try to put down information I would want to know if I were researching that cruise itinerary, so I am glad I happened to fulfill at least a bit of what you were seeking.

 

Weimar, enjoy the cruise, and the wonderful Eurodam!

 

Dave

 

P.S., we like that Eurodam sailing so much, we are thinking of doing it for a third time in 2014! (Capt Hurrricane, stand by!)

 

Dave

[celle]

Wow, I did not expect to see this particular thread on the first page of the HAL board!

 

Thanks very much for your comments. I have done several "Live From" blogs on HAL cruises, and have enjoyed doing so a lot. I try to put down information I would want to know if I were researching that cruise itinerary, so I am glad I happened to fulfill at least a bit of what you were seeking.

 

Weimar, enjoy the cruise, and the wonderful Eurodam!

 

Dave

 

P.S., we like that Eurodam sailing so much, we are thinking of doing it for a third time in 2014! (Capt Hurrricane, stand by!)

 

Dave

 

And here's a thank you from us, too! We were on that cruise and reading your narrative today brought back so many happy memories. It was a wonderful cruise!

 

We stayed with the "Mighty E" for the following cruise, which went back up the Atlantic coast and finished in Quebec City.

 

Even back-to-back passengers had a problem with immigration in New York. We were delayed for quite a while getting off Eurodam, due to the congestion at immigration, and then had difficulty getting our particular immigration officer to understand that we were not staying in the US (we're from NZ), but were departing again that evening on the same ship.

 

We had been given a credit card sized document to show, that stated we were continuing on the next sailing of Eurodam, but nobody seemd to understand what that meant.

 

Similarly, to get back on the ship we had to explain many times that we did not need to check in, that we had already done that, and that our possessions were already on board. We literally had to dodge past one woman with her arms outspread, who insisted that we go to the check-in counters. All this, even though we had our seapass cards in our hands and kept showing them!

[cruiseclues]

Dave, the amazing review with even more effort than the last one. You are a blessing to the HAL Forum. :):):):)

[catl331]

Dave, the amazing review with even more effort than the last one. You are a blessing to the HAL Forum. :):):):)

Please STOP posting on these old threads and bringing them to the top of the forum. :mad: :mad: (Just read them.) Edited July 17, 2014 by catl331

[whogo]

Please STOP posting on these old threads and bringing them to the top of the forum. :mad: :mad: (Just read them.)

I will help you keep this from dropping down the page, catl331. I want to compliment RetiredMustang for putting the date, including year, on his live from thread. No confusion, anyone can tell it's an old thread without opening the thread. "Today" and "now" do not belong on thread titles.