NOT QUITE LIVE! — MS Zuiderdam — NYC to QC

[erewhon]

Thanks for sharing your lovely photos.

[puppycanducruise]

Today we went to Happy Hour at the Sea View Bar. Here is a pic of two mojitos and two lemon drop martinis:

 

Didn't your husband want a drink?;p

ha ha

 

Thanks for all the great pictures.

[kazu]

Great pics, Miss G.

 

Good taste on the lemon drop ;)

[*Miss G*]

Didn't your husband want a drink?;p

ha ha

 

.

That literally made me LOL. :')

 

Sorry for the extended delay everyone! It seems reality was waiting for me at home/work so I hit the ground running. I have maybe 5 minutes for a few more posts. I need a vacation!

[*Miss G*]

SAGUENAY FJORD - Continued

 

Having heard what a fabulous show La Fabuleuse Cultural Show is, I bought tickets for the afternoon. The morning gets earmarked for a town walk. But what is happening? It seems that the tail end of Florence has caught up with us and we now have howling winds and driving rain! We forgo our morning walk. Thankfully we are docked, but Insignia and Viking do not have it so lucky. They are tendering:

 

[*Miss G*]

I should have taken the weather as an omen. It is such a miserable day outside I seriously consider not attending the show. But I had heard such great things that I talk myself back into it. We run for the bus.

 

Enjoy your bus ride because it will be the last time you will sit in a comfortable seat. You are on the road to heii and you are not getting off. The wind and rain howls outside your window. All that is missing is 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall and some pitchforks.

 

This is what Saguenay looks like on the road to heii. (I can tell by the flames.)

 

[*Miss G*]

[*Miss G*]

[*Miss G*]

La Fabuleuse Cultural Show is La Fabuless. Let me tell you all about it here so you don’t have to go. There was dancing. There were waterfalls and fire. There was dancing. There were horses, pigs, and cows. There was dancing. There were cannons and firecrackers and balloons and a colorful laser light show. Then there was dancing. Then, at the very end, there was dancing. Although it was hard to tell if that was the end because we expected more dancing. If you like dancing you will love it.

 

Here is one of the tugs preparing to pull us from the pier and push us back to where we can turn around:

 

[*Miss G*]

Here we are turned around getting ready to sail back up the Saguenay Fjord:

 

[puppycanducruise]

Nice to see you posting again.

Hope you like dancing.

Thanks for the pictures and comments.

And the dancing.

[johnnyswitzerland]

Thanks for catching us up, Miss G!

[kazu]

Oh my on your weather!

 

Nice to see you back and fabulous pictures.

 

thanks MissG

[Copper10-8]

Thanks for continuing! So the Viking Ocean Cruises ship was tendering; must have been fun :eek:

[Dismomx5]

Those are definitely not calm waters!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just got caught up with your latest report.

Wow -- what weather you are having.

Thanks for the warning about the show -- we definitely wouldn't be interested in it.

[*Miss G*]

I debated whether to report this because... you know... personal details. But I think this needs to be out there so there is fair warning to those with susceptibilities:

 

Tonight is Sel de Mer night. We have been looking forward to it. Unfortunately, the Holland America EXC description did not come with a health warning so all the firecrackers and fire and dry ice have combined into a deadly cocktail of particles which have triggered an asthma attack. We are forced to cancel Sel de Mer. The beautiful sailaway I was envisioning through the Saguenay Fjord is viewed through very sad and closed eyes because I am lying in bed trying to live.

 

Some other time then.

 

I have a few days of posts left to enter when I find the time. In the meantime, here is a pic of us sailing back up the fjord:

 

[Hhagatha]

So sorry to hear this! I, too, have severe asthma attacks and can understand what you are going through. Were the fireworks and dry ice prior to Sel de Mer? We have been to Sel de Mer on Koningsdam and Nieuw Amsterdam and I never saw them in the restaurant. Thanks for the warning.

[*Miss G*]

To let you know how things were handled, my husband went to the Neptune Lounge to report the turn of events and to have them cancel our dinner reservations. He reports that Joy was lovely and had a club sandwich to the room. (She wanted to send two but he knew I wouldn’t be eating it.) She also called the EXC desk to report the problem.

 

When he got back to the room the phone rang and it was the EXC person. I couldn’t speak so he did his best to relay what had happened. I don’t think she understood the gravity of the situation because she was very dismissive.

 

The club sandwich arrived with potato chips... as well as another huge plate of potato chips! I think that Joy may have noticed that my husband likes his potato chips. :')

 

I wasn’t really ready to have something solid so... a little later... he ordered me some chicken soup from room service, and himself the roast chicken that’s always on the menu. The chicken soup was pretty good but the crackers were stale stale stale! As for my husband’s chicken... his comment after tasting it and then setting it down was “They should be ashamed of themselves.” I agree. It was a sorry sight. If I’d had any brains left I would have taken a picture.

 

By 10:30 pm I was mostly recovered and we went to the late night buffet at the Lido. Let’s just say we had some fruit and leave it at that. What a day.

[*Miss G*]

So sorry to hear this! I, too, have severe asthma attacks and can understand what you are going through. Were the fireworks and dry ice prior to Sel de Mer? We have been to Sel de Mer on Koningsdam and Nieuw Amsterdam and I never saw them in the restaurant. Thanks for the warning.

Thanks Hhagatha. Yes, the fireworks and dry ice were at the EXC excursion La Fabuleuse Cultural Show, which was in the afternoon. It took me out for the rest of the day. As you know, the side effects of the emergency puffer are almost as bad as the attack. But at least it allows you to catch your breath so you can start to recuperate. I think HAL has been quite negligent in not warning people about the risk. It puts some in quite a dangerous position.

[joand452]

I’m so sorry this happened, but glad you had your inhaler with you.

 

I never travel without mine. I usually just want to sleep after.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[TiogaCruiser]

Hope you feel better real soon.

[Copper10-8]

All the best to you Miss G :)

[kazu]

Thanks Hhagatha. Yes, the fireworks and dry ice were at the EXC excursion La Fabuleuse Cultural Show, which was in the afternoon. It took me out for the rest of the day. As you know, the side effects of the emergency puffer are almost as bad as the attack. But at least it allows you to catch your breath so you can start to recuperate. I think HAL has been quite negligent in not warning people about the risk. It puts some in quite a dangerous position.

 

So sorry to hear about your attack, Miss G and the poor evening that you had.

 

I agree - HAL needs to improve their description of this tour to increase the awareness of the risks to those with asthma & other breathing issues.

[puppycanducruise]

Sorry to hear about the asthma attack.

Hope you feel better soon.