Live from the Prinsendam - 28 day Azores and Celtic Explorer - May 5th, 2018

3rdGenCunarder · May 8, 2018

I just got a HAL email that in the second leg which we are on, the call at Bristol has been replaced with a call in Cobh. Does anyone on board know why?

This is for May 23? Please say it isn't! I wanted to go to Bristol and our roll call has lots of tours arranged for that port.

Cobh is between Waterford and Bantry. If they're going to do this, I'd prefer something in an area we aren't visiting.

Krazy Kruizers · May 8, 2018

Great reports.

We loved it when on our 2 Bermuda cruises the port side of the ship faced outwards and we could sit out on our veranda and watch the boat races, etc. Neither of our Bermuda cruises were on HAL.

rafinmd · May 8, 2018

I've been watching the Bermuda webcam and you were never there. It looks like you took a different route hugging the north shore, something I expect is only available to smaller ships (don't remember doing it on the Veendam).

Roy

rkacruiser · May 8, 2018

According to the Bermuda web cam, the Prinsendam has sailed from Hamilton and is in the Great Sound. But, the web cam has not changed its position since the Norwegian Dawn sailed.

rkacruiser · May 8, 2018

I now see I missed her! Darn it!

rafinmd · May 8, 2018

For what it's worth, I did spot you:

Roy

Goonhilly · May 8, 2018

My HAL cruise consultant told me that the Bristol/Cobh substitution was decided on by the captain, and could not find anyone on shore who knew the reason.

I was really looking forward to Bristol as I grew up in the area. Also, last month we were on a Royal Caribbean cruise where, to keep us safe, Dublin, Cobh and Waterford were replaced with two windy days in port in Cobh plus a day at sea to miss a storm. We did not expect to see Cobh again so soon.

jgw321 · May 8, 2018

He's having an Irish beer

As Bernard Miles used to say in the Guinness advert, "It looks good, and by golly, it does yer good."

jgw321 · May 8, 2018

the call at Bristol has been replaced with a call in Cobh.

That puts the kybosh on a lot of plans.

kazu · May 8, 2018

I just got a HAL email that in the second leg, the call at Bristol has been replaced with a call in Cobh. Does anyone on board know why?
We are joining you for the Dover Amsterdam leg.

George

WHAT???? WTH???

I've had no email and we have a private tour planned there. Grrr. I am off to check it out.

Thanks for the heads up.

kazu · May 8, 2018

I've been watching the Bermuda webcam and you were never there. It looks like you took a different route hugging the north shore, something I expect is only available to smaller ships (don't remember doing it on the Veendam).

Roy

I promise we were in Bermuda. Captain took us on what he said was one of the prettiest sail aways. Tricky getting out. He didn't have a lot of room. It was beautiful.

Off to see what the heck is going on.

jgw321 · May 8, 2018

I've been watching the Bermuda webcam and you were never there. It looks like you took a different route hugging the north shore

I think that's normal Roy for east bound ships, they follow the channel. The problem was that after the departure of the Norwegian Dawn they swung the webcam back to the flagpole and left it parked there, which I estimate is pointing north east. Perhaps the camera man wanted to get home to watch Bay Watch or something.

I got a couple of shots, two from the web cam in the bay (St George?) and one from the Naval Base with the Prinsendam a tiny dot in the distance.

kazu · May 8, 2018

My HAL cruise consultant told me that the Bristol/Cobh substitution was decided on by the captain, and could not find anyone on shore who knew the reason.
I was really looking forward to Bristol as I grew up in the area. Also, last month we were on a Royal Caribbean cruise where, to keep us safe, Dublin, Cobh and Waterford were replaced with two windy days in port in Cobh plus a day at sea to miss a storm. We did not expect to see Cobh again so soon.

WHAT???? WTH???

I've had no email and we have a private tour planned there. Grrr. I am off to check it out.

Thanks for the heads up.

Update - if we are not going to Bristol, no one on the ship knows about it yet. There was an officer in the Neptune Lounge when I went to ask Precious and he was as dumfounded as she was.

He said that there may be a problem with congestion, but as far as he knows we are going to Bristol.

they both said there will be an announcement if we aren't going but to the best of their knowledge that's where we are heading.

I am hoping your PCC is wrong. We'll soon find out. If I see Captain Dag, I'm going to ask him.

3rdGenCunarder · May 8, 2018

Update - if we are not going to Bristol, no one on the ship knows about it yet. There was an officer in the Neptune Lounge when I went to ask Precious and he was as dumfounded as she was.

He said that there may be a problem with congestion, but as far as he knows we are going to Bristol.

they both said there will be an announcement if we aren't going but to the best of their knowledge that's where we are heading.

I am hoping your PCC is wrong. We'll soon find out. If I see Captain Dag, I'm going to ask him.

I still haven't received any notification from HAL and there has been no activity on the roll call. I can see that congestion could make us late or have to leave earlier than 11 PM because ships have to lock in and out of the port due to the tidal changes.

NC_Traveller · May 9, 2018

Kazu - THANK YOU so much for all the updates and the photos. I am getting excited to sail on the Prinsendam in July to Spitsbergen and Iceland. It is great getting the live scoop from this thread. I think some of the folks on your current trip will still be on board then --- if you or anyone can find out who the Captain and Cruise Director are for the 20 day Arctic Circle Cruise that would be WONDERFUL information. I hope you and everyone have a FANTASTIC trip!

kazu · May 9, 2018

Kazu - THANK YOU so much for all the updates and the photos. I am getting excited to sail on the Prinsendam in July to Spitsbergen and Iceland. It is great getting the live scoop from this thread. I think some of the folks on your current trip will still be on board then --- if you or anyone can find out who the Captain and Cruise Director are for the 20 day Arctic Circle Cruise that would be WONDERFUL information. I hope you and everyone have a FANTASTIC trip!

I believe Captain Albert comes on when we get off (June 2nd). I'll do some nosing around and asking as promised for another poster and if I can get accurate info, I will certainly post.

The ship and crew are great. You will have a good time, I am sure :)

bobalink · May 9, 2018

I still haven't received any notification from HAL and there has been no activity on the roll call. I can see that congestion could make us late or have to leave earlier than 11 PM because ships have to lock in and out of the port due to the tidal changes.

I have not received anything from HAL, either.

However, on our Roll Call, post # 2084 - edgeman61 reported that he received an email from HAL with the change from Bristol to Cobh.

jgw321 · May 9, 2018

I believe Captain Albert comes on when we get off (June 2nd).:)

NC_Traveller:

If you do get Captain Albert you may stand a chance of going up to the ice sheet. We did this in 2010 on the Prinsendam from Ny Alesund. It was a tradition to nose into the ice sheet and for the crew to get off and be photographed on it. We were unable to do this and had to stand off because the ice sheet was breaking up. He did say that due to global warming they might not be able to do this in future as the distance to get there and back is becoming a problem both in time and fuel costs. When we did it we were within 10 degrees of the North pole (from memory) which is the furthest north we have ever been. Makes the arctic circle seem like childs play. Mind you Svalbard (Spitzburgen) is a long way up already.

Edited May 9, 2018 by jgw321

kazu · May 9, 2018

I have not received anything from HAL, either.

However, on our Roll Call, post # 2084 - edgeman61 reported that he received an email from HAL with the change from Bristol to Cobh.

the inside scoop on the schedule change. The decision has NOT been made yet.

The issue with Bristol is the tides and timing.

I’ll report back once the decision is made and we know.

kazu · May 9, 2018

Here is last night's dinner menu: