A live view from Nieuw Amsterdam on her New Years cruise

[seadrifter]

John, thanks again - and Happy New Year!

[trixiee]

Oliebollen and croquettes here tonight!

Happy New Years, Copper! Enjoying your posts!

[65 Gator]

pics are on FB

 

Can you point me to the place on FB where the pictures are posted? Would love to see them...

[innlady1]

HD is Stan Kuppens, who took both EUDM and NADM out from the Fincantieru yard; Nice guy!

 

Rachel was librarian on MADM before getting her promotion to EM

 

Thanks, John. I think Stan Kuppens was on one of our first HAL cruises on Noordam. Marco Van Belleghem was our HD...he mentioned his next assignment will be on the Eurodam. Know him? He's an awesome photographer and was looking forward to returning to the Baltic to shoot more photos. Apparently he does a lot of HAL's photography.

Edited December 31, 2013 by innlady1

[Dr. Cocktail]

Reading your review is like sticking my fingers in an electrical outlet ... I know I shouldn't but I keep doing it anyway! I booked this sailing and the Retreat Family Cabana in June of 2012. Just before we started packing this past Thursday, my partner slipped on the ice and dislocated his shoulder. While our flight was taking off, he was having his consult with the orthopaedic surgeon - luckily, no surgery for now.

 

Instead of a cruise, I am now shovelling, beating the ice out of our hedge post ice storm, doing laundry, driving to doctor's appointments, making and cleaning up after three squares a day. When the phone rings, my usual answer this week is: "Worst Cruise EVER!!!"

 

Thanks for your great review!

[frankc98376]

I'm a wreck the week or so before we leave- no ladders, stay off the tractor, blah, blah.

Last May was not just a cruise, was our wedding on the ship before we sailed so we were pretty much doing the elbow bump with everyone trying not to catch anything and eating to maintain so our tuxes would fit. I'm confident that by our trip next May the tuxes will need significant "adjustments".

 

Have a GREAT cruise John, too bad all your trips couldn't be in a NS :)

Edited December 31, 2013 by frankc98376

[OVgirl]

HD is Stan Kuppens, who took both EUDM and NADM out from the Fincantieru yard; Nice guy!

 

Rachel was librarian on MADM before getting her promotion to EM

 

We've sailed with Mr Kuppens and found that he has a great sense of humour and seems to enjoy talking to the passengers. Would love to sail on a ship with him again.

 

 

Oliebollen and croquettes here tonight!

Happy New Years, Copper! Enjoying your posts!

 

 

We're having them too. The only difference being in Canada instead of Holland, is that we have to make our own.

 

Such a nice tradition to welcome in the New Year!

[Copper10-8]

I am about to buy oliebollen and appelflappen etc., Ton and I want to wish you and Maria gelukkig nieuwjaar!

Keep writing those reports, we love them.

 

Iets minder dan zeven uurtjes voor jullie! Gelukking Nieuwjaar toegewenst aan Ton en jou! :) / Little less than seven hours to go for you guys! wishing you and Ton a happy new year!

Edited December 31, 2013 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

Reading your review is like sticking my fingers in an electrical outlet ... I know I shouldn't but I keep doing it anyway! I booked this sailing and the Retreat Family Cabana in June of 2012. Just before we started packing this past Thursday, my partner slipped on the ice and dislocated his shoulder. While our flight was taking off, he was having his consult with the orthopaedic surgeon - luckily, no surgery for now.

 

Instead of a cruise, I am now shovelling, beating the ice out of our hedge post ice storm, doing laundry, driving to doctor's appointments, making and cleaning up after three squares a day. When the phone rings, my usual answer this week is: "Worst Cruise EVER!!!"

 

Thanks for your great review!

 

Sorry you couldn't be here to enjoy NADM; very impressed with her so far! Best wishes to your partner and Happy New Year!

[Copper10-8]

I'm a wreck the week or so before we leave- no ladders, stay off the tractor, blah, blah.

Last May was not just a cruise, was our wedding on the ship before we sailed so we were pretty much doing the elbow bump with everyone trying not to catch anything and eating to maintain so our tuxes would fit. I'm confident that by our trip next May the tuxes will need significant "adjustments".

 

Have a GREAT cruise John, too bad all your trips couldn't be in a NS :)

 

Thanks and Happy New Year to you both!

[Copper10-8]

We've sailed with Mr Kuppens and found that he has a great sense of humour and seems to enjoy talking to the passengers. Would love to sail on a ship with him again.

 

 

 

 

 

We're having them too. The only difference being in Canada instead of Holland, is that we have to make our own.

 

Such a nice tradition to welcome in the New Year!

 

 

 

He runs a tight ship! Nice guy! Happy New Year!

[Skorpora]

We've sailed with Mr Kuppens and found that he has a great sense of humour and seems to enjoy talking to the passengers. Would love to sail on a ship with him again.

 

 

 

 

 

We're having them too. The only difference being in Canada instead of Holland, is that we have to make our own.

 

Such a nice tradition to welcome in the New Year!

 

We are lucky enough to have a Dutch Shop about 5 minutes away. We order our olliebollen and appelflappen before Christmas, and then pick it up today. DH has been into them already!!! Happy New Year!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Chelly]

Love this report Copper!

Thank you for doing it for us.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Chelly

[Thebes]

Thanks again for reporting back- copper. I enjoyed your description of the tenders and the details attached. Happy new year.

[luvtwotrvl]

Copper,

Thanks for taking the time for a live thread on the Amsterdam. I really miss that DAM ship.

 

David

[Dr. Cocktail]

Sorry you couldn't be here to enjoy NADM; very impressed with her so far! Best wishes to your partner and Happy New Year!

 

Thanks for taking the time and $ to respond!

 

Wishing you a great New Year - always enjoy your posts.

 

If you have time, throw some dirty looks at both of the Family Cabanas - can't be sure which one was ours!:rolleyes:

[PirateShark]

Happy New Year Copper to you and your bride. Enjoy the well deserved time off and thanks for taking us along :)

[travelinjones]

Thanks for the live day-by-day report. It's fun to read about your experiences on the same ship we just sailed last week (and wished that we were staying on board for the New Years cruise, like so many of the other guests.)

[Copper10-8]

Day 3 – 12/31/13; Sea Day/Sailing towards Montego Bay, Jamaica; Today is the first of only two sea days on this particular voyage and, as a passenger, as opposed to a crew member, that means (for us, at least) doing pretty much nothing at a leisurely pace and doing it with extreme prejudice and malice aforethought! We woke up around eight and at 9:45 walked into the Pinnacle Grill for breakfast. One of the perks of staying on Deck 7 is being able to partake in petit-dejeuner in the PG. We have never taken that opportunity until this morning. First of all, the Pinnacle Grill on NADM is one of the most wide open layouts we’ve seen on thirteen dam ships. It is really nice! On the Vista’s you will encounter the head shots of a bunch of Dutch Masters looking down on you to see what you are eating, if you are using the proper silver wear, and if you are holding your pinkie up in the air while picking up your Bvlgari teacup. Those same silly Dutchmen are acting as divider for the different sections inside those PG’s. NADM does not have that layout and we like it a lot!

 

Secondly, something on the very extensive breakfast menu immediately caught my eye and that was an item called “Dutch Breakfast”. It is also known by the Dutch word “Uitsmijter” which basically consists of a thick slice of white bread, upon which is placed a slice of thin ham, a slice of good ol’ Dutch Gouda cheese, topped off with a couple of eggs, sunny side up! In Holland, a large dude working in bars, clubs for the sole intent of showing, literally, unruly customers the front door, as well as the exterior sidewalk of such an establishment, an “uitsmijter”, in English, a bouncer because he “smijt ze er uit” (throws them out”). I’m not 100% sure why the breakfast is known under that same name, but I am here to tell you that the “Uitsmijter” in the PG this morning was pretty dam tasty! Maria had herself Fritata Italiana (an egg dish with Ricotta cheese and sun dried tomatoes) and also liked it. I’ve gotta tell ya, the atmosphere in the PG for breakfast is so much more relaxed and enjoyable than the what one encounters in the Lido restaurant, and we’re both Lido fans; we have no complaints eating in there. This first experience in the PG however……………we’re just gonna have to do it again to ensure it wasn’t a fluke. Oh yeah, there were no girl stewards in the PG, probably because on the NADM with her Tamarind, they’re all up there providing gracious service. The mngr was Robert, pretty sure, from Hungary.

 

After that really nice breakfast, I did some wandering around to take pics of Christmas decorations, portraits and such. While down on Deck 1, I once again ran into NADM’s S/O, Alex and he invited me into his office where we did some major league rehashing of things that had happened in both our lives since we last saw each other in February of this year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Good times! Alex is getting his formal uniform from the tailor later on today and will, no doubt, be looking good tonight for the New Years Eve festivities! Looking forward to same!

 

Speaking of those festivities, they will commence at 11:00 pm in/at four separate public lounges; the mother of them all will be in the Showroom at Sea with the 2014 Countdown party. The Queens Lounge will have Ring in 2014 with music and dancing to the vocals and tunes of Danny & the HALCats. The Northern Lights disco will have the Absolutely Fabuloso New Year’s Eve party and, last but not least, the Piano Bar and Greg will have New Year’s Eve musical trivia, followed by the Ring and Sing in the New Year. Party favors for everyone will be handed out starting at dinner and Deck 2 will have a variety of light snacks and finger foods including a Dutch New Year’s Eve fav; “Olliebollen”. We also ran in to NAM’s event Manager Rachel who told us that all fifteen entertainers were busy until 0015 hrs this morning blowing up 600 balloons, now suspended in a very large net positioned at the overhead/ceiling of the Showroom at Sea. Party time tonite!

 

We had a light Indonesian lunch in the Lido around 1:45 pm, did some shopping in the Shops at Sea and finished it up with addition jelling. The entertainment tonite, a pre-dinner show, is by Mark Angelo & Marlo, supposedly comedian jugglers, so that could be dangerous! Dinner, for us, is at 8:00 pm and it will of course be a formal night! Pic is a look at the view from our breakfast table this morning

 

More tomorrow but can’t guarantee at what time! Sure, you’ll comprendo!

 

Happy New Year to all!

[CoronaCRZR]

John, what a great live from. Love it!

 

Enjoy them Oliebollen and I wish you 'een goed & gezond 2014':)

[RetiredMustang]

Day 3 – 12/31/13; Sea Day/Sailing towards Montego Bay, Jamaica; ....It is also known by the Dutch word “Uitsmijter” which basically consists of a thick slice of white bread, upon which is placed a slice of thin ham, a slice of good ol’ Dutch Gouda cheese, topped off with a couple of eggs, sunny side up! In Holland, a large dude working in bars, clubs for the sole intent of showing, literally, unruly customers the front door, as well as the exterior sidewalk of such an establishment, an “uitsmijter”, in English, a bouncer because he “smijt ze er uit” (throws them out”). I’m not 100% sure why the breakfast is known under that same name, but I am here to tell you that the “Uitsmijter” in the PG this morning was pretty dam tasty! ....

 

John,

 

I actually researched the term "uitsmijter" (pronounced something like "outs MIGHT er", apologies to you and Ine if I got it wrong) some time back when we were planning a trip that included Amsterdam. What I found was an account that said it was from the practice of hosting friends until the wee hours, and then preparing them a snack ... before chucking them out! I don't know (or really care) if it is true, but I loved the story! And I like the dish as well -- it is, indeed, dam tasty!

 

Dave

[seadrifter]

Everything sounds amazing. Wish we could experience New Year's on a dam ship. DH is working late tonight and all day tomorrow. Oh well, our time will come:).

[quanta88]

Ah, uitsmijter is my favourite breakfast item on HAL!

[CoronaCRZR]

Got this from Wikipedia regarding the Uitsmijter:

 

An uitsmijter is a dish consisting of two or three fried eggs, sunny-side up. One version is fried together with ham and cheese (uitsmijter ham en kaas) or bacon and cheese (uitsmijter spek en kaas). Another version is placed on buttered bread over a generous slice of cold meat, e.g., cooked beef or ham, and usually garnished with a dill pickle. It is a common lunch dish served in many cafés, lunch rooms and canteens in the Netherlands. Uitsmijter literally means "thrower-out", and it is also the Dutch word for a "bouncer". The Dutch name of this fried egg dish probably refers more to the fact that it is quickly made ("thrown out of the kitchen" so to speak) than to the similarly named doorman

[Himself]

John: Thank you for the update. David said in an earlier post he really "missed that dam ship." I have served as Chaplain on that ship for 35 days over the past four Caribbean seasons and I too miss the ship. Your posting is making me homesick and I am only off of her a month. With the Cold and snow of Northern Illinois, keep the posts coming and Happy New Year.

 

Himself