Prinsendam Holiday Cruise

[richwmn]

We just left Port Everglades after a very easy embarcation.

 

I have sent tonight's menu to the Hal Facts site, and they should appear shortly.

 

The Prinsendam is lovely and looks like we will have a wonderful cruse.

 

Rich

[kazu]

We just left Port Everglades after a very easy embarcation.

 

I have sent tonight's menu to the Hal Facts site, and they should appear shortly.

 

The Prinsendam is lovely and looks like we will have a wonderful cruse.

 

Rich

 

Sounds great Rich. I hope you have a fabulous cruise on her :).

 

Hoping you enjoy cruising on her as much as we have :)

 

Have a fabulous holiday cruise on board.

[rkacruiser]

Enjoy all of the festivities aboard! Sailing on last year's Prinsendam' Christmas/New Years Cruise provided memories I will never forget! I had more fun on New Year's Eve than I have had in years! The Prinsendam's Staff did it up right!!!!

[Cruising-along]

Bon Voyage, Rich!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Have a great cruise Rich.

Enjoy all the holiday festivities.

[richwmn]

thanks for the good wishes.

To answer the obvious question “Is this going to be a ‘live from’?” Maybe yes and maybe no. But I did want to post some observations about “The Elegant Explorer”.

 

 

First I want to say that the ship is very pretty and looks like it is lovingly maintained. The crew so far has been outstanding.

 

 

To start with embarcation. We were at terminal 4, which seems to be an overflow terminal. It is drab and isn’t associated with and cruise line. In addition, it is a very long walk from where luggage is dropped off to the terminal passenger entrance.

 

 

I arrived around 10:30 the entrance was open, and they were allowing people to check in. Both the priority and regular lines were rather short and check in went quickly. We then waited until boarding began promptly at 11:30. I walked in and like always, the cabin was ready. Before I messed it up, I took pictures and sent them to the website that can not be named.

 

 

On check in I was handed an invitation to a Mariner Reception for 4 and 5 star Mariners. I did go and there was a nice sized crowd. I found out that the Captain is Christopher Turner, usually at the helm of the Zuiderdam. There was no receiving line on entry, and the only ships officer I saw was the Beverage Manager.

 

 

After the reception, I decided to email the pictures. I got out my laptop and connected to the wireless signal. I was a bit surprised that I didn’t get the old page which allowed you to purchase internet minutes. Instead there was a nice page listing available services which included menus, account information, daily activities, shore excursions and more. It even appeared that you could reserve specialty restaurants and shore excursions from your laptop. I checked and the site was even correctly formatted for my Samsung 3 mini and my Verizon 7” tablet. I bought the package and emailed the pictures. Speed seemed similar to past usage on other ships.

 

 

Next was the Muster Drill, on the deck as usual. Our Cabin Keys were scanned for attendance and for lifeboat 1, only 9 people had to be called out. Within a couple of minutes, all were present. About 10 minutes later, the Drill was finished.

 

 

For those that want to know, my outside cabin still has the older TV/DVD player combination, and the Ship Flicks booklet is on the desk to list movies to borrow. The TV is visibly bolted into the cabinet so the only possibility for hooking up your own equipment is thru the composite/audio cables that are currently hooked up to the DVD player.

 

 

I had a very nice dinner in the Main Dining Room with some old and new friends. Then came back to the cabin to send this. Several things going on this evening, may just relax.

Edited December 19, 2016 by richwmn

[aliaschief]

Rich, We will be looking forward to your reports and of course finally meeting you on the MS Veendam-Atlantic Coast in October.

 

Have a very Merry Christmas, smooth seas and a Healthy New Year.

 

Bruce & Sue

[65 Gator]

Looking forward to hearing about your adventure. It was great to see you on deck at the sailaway...

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you...

 

Leon

[Scrapnana]

The Prinsendam lived up to her name and looked very elegant as she sailed out of Port Everglades. She also gave us (the sail-away addicts) some very fine tooting. Hope you enjoy your holiday cruise!

[DeepWaterMariner]

Enjoy all of the festivities aboard! Sailing on last year's Prinsendam' Christmas/New Years Cruise provided memories I will never forget! I had more fun on New Year's Eve than I have had in years! The Prinsendam's Staff did it up right!!!!

 

Me too! I was also on that holiday sailing and had a great time New Years eve. The staff of the Prinsendam know how to celebrate special nights.

[DeepWaterMariner]

Take good care of the Prinsendam richwmn, I board for the Grand South America when you get off.

[kazu]

Sounds like your cruise is off to a great start Rich :)

 

Interesting that the different services are available on line. Sounds good :)

 

Glad you are enjoying the ship and cruise so far and hope you have a fabulous Christmas and New Year's on board:D

[ski ww]

Bon Voyage Rich. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. We'll be on the Eurodam for New Years. We had Capt Turner on our Africa cruise, he invited our table of six to join him for dinner one night. Very nice gentleman.

Allan

[richwmn]

Beautiful day at HMC today.

ms Prinsendam and ms Veendam just off the Cay

 

[bUU]

You could convince me that that was a commercial photo from a Holland America brochure. Beautiful.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Great picture!!

[rafinmd]

I want to be sure I understand the internet. Were the account viewing and other things in addition to the options for buying a plan. I'm guessing internet is not free. Correct?

 

Also, is this your first time on the Elegant Explorer?

 

Roy

[richwmn]

19 December 2016 – Half Moon Cay

First, to answer Roy’s questions.

 

 

Access to your account information, daily schedule, menus and so on are separate from any internet plan you might have. When you connect to the ship’s wifi, you are presented with a page that lists your options, including connecting to paid internet. NYT, Holland America, Holland America Blog and a couple others are still free.

 

 

To your second question, yes this is my first cruise on “The Elegant Explorer” and I am really enjoying it.

 

 

I am doing this offline, but I want to thank the poster that complimented my picture from HMC. I really appreciate it.

 

 

Additional comments on the Prinsendam.

 

 

First breakfast this morning was in the Lido. I went up around 7:15 and found that while everything was ready there was no line. Fresh eggs fixed quickly and great service by the Lido Staff. The restaurant seemed to me to be very well laid out.

 

 

Tendering began around 8:30 to the island. All passengers were requested to go to the show lounge to pick up tender tickets. Four and five star mariners were to get priority tickets there. I was ready to go to the island around 9:30 and while waiting for the elevator to the show lounge the announcement came for open tendering, so I walked down one flight of stairs and was first in line for the next tender.

 

 

After a quick tender ride I was at Half Moon Cay. It is very nice and seems to be well maintained. A nice stroll down the road showed me the Chapel, volleyball court, a couple of bars and the Lobster Shack (pictures may be posted by now).

 

 

Lunch in the Lido again, and it still seemed with the change in focus from breakfast to lunch that it still seemed to flow easily with no lines. I was very pleased with the attentiveness of the staff.

 

 

Trivia was held twice today, 4pm in the Ocean Bar by the Cruise Director and 7pm in the Crows Nest by the Show Host. The early one was well attended, the late one not so much. Questions were about the same as other cruises.

 

 

Dinner in the Lido was again well set up, easy and no lines.

 

 

Tomorrow is a day at sea and the CC M&G.