NOT QUITE LIVE! — MS Zuiderdam — NYC to QC

[Turtles06]

It's Vaartjes and I don't quite get the "spin" part. Decisions like moving ships around because of a "b.o." pier are not made by the shipping lines, in this case cruise companies! They are made by the local port authority and you either accept them or skip the port call. Inconvenience for some pax? Yes, no doubt but what's a mother to do?

 

 

Thanks for catching my typo in the Captain's name; I just got home yesterday from a nearly month-long trip and I'm still pretty exhausted. (And the change in disembarkation terminals from Manhattan to Brooklyn made yesterday more complicated for us.)

 

By "spin," I clearly meant that the Captain was trying to make pax feel better about being in Brooklyn and missing the sail-in to Manhattan. (Did you miss the emoji in my post? ;p) The Zuiderdam was returning to the U.S. after a summer in Europe, sailing from Copenhagen on August 24; we had been scheduled to disembark at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, not Brooklyn (this was *not* a port call and certainly not optional). Not surprisingly, passengers with whom I spoke over the course of our 20-day voyage, who had never been to New York before (including many Australians and Brits on board, not to mention other Americans), were quite excited about getting to sail past the Statue of Liberty and then experience a full sail-in to Manhattan. I've done this before, I was not among those pax, but I understood their excitement; that experience never gets dull.

 

So for that reason alone many people were quite disappointed when we received notice a week before arrival that we were getting bumped to Brooklyn. In fact, at the "Ask the Captain" event at the end of the cruise, someone implored Captain Vaartjes to please sail past the Statue of Liberty and then up Manhattan before heading for the dock in Brooklyn; the Captain of course explained why he could not do that.

 

The view of lower Manhattan from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is lovely, but it does not compare to a Manhattan sail-in.

[Love the beach]

It's Vaartjes and I don't quite get the "spin" part. Decisions like moving ships around because of a "b.o." pier are not made by the shipping lines, in this case cruise companies! They are made by the local port authority and you either accept them or skip the port call. Inconvenience for some pax? Yes, no doubt but what's a mother to do?

 

I'm guessing the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal might not have been able to handle the 4600 passenger load of the Horizon anyway. The Queen Mary 2 and the Princess ships that usually dock there are much smaller!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Onboard we were informed several days ahead of time that due to damage at the Manhattan dock, we would be using the Brooklyn dock. The view was actually quite good, in fact, the Captain said that it was the best view he had ever had in many trips to NY.

 

 

Not sure why you quoted for something I wrote 7 days ago -- before many of us were reminded about the Carnival Horizon having hit the pier. We also did not know then that passengers had gotten a letter a week before they arrived in New York.

[Copper10-8]

I'm guessing the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal might not have been able to handle the 4600 passenger load of the Horizon anyway. The Queen Mary 2 and the Princess ships that usually dock there are much smaller!

 

Very possible however, the main reason Carnival Horizon can still be found in Manhattan, rather than having been reassigned to, and reclassified as, a "Brooklyn Bum," ;)after having broken Pier 90 has to do with the fact that NYC/MCT has been her seasonal home port since 23 May 2018. Zuiderdam was "just visiting" yesterday. Frequencyof calling takes the cake over a ship like Zuidy in this case

[mamaofami]

I was booked on this itinerary next September on Zuiderdam, but HAL has cancelled that cruise. Now I will take the cruise starting in Quebec and coming back to New York.

[*Miss G*]

Good morning everyone, and thanks for your comments! We have just arrived into foggy Boston. The Veendam is here with us.

 

 

MsRigby, I did notice that the car had EZ-Pass so they would have a reduction on the tolls. I don’t begrudge them a few extra dollars. NYC is not a nice place to drive around in.

[*Miss G*]

DAY ONE: EMBARKATION

 

Well I had no idea. The Ed Sullivan Theatre — where they do The Late Show with Steven Colbert — is steps from our hotel. Will have to stay at this hotel again.

 

The Valet puts us in a car to Pier 11/Wall St in Lower Manhattan. It took about 2 minutes to get to Manhattan Cruise Terminal on our way to Brooklyn. Yeah, I’m looking at you Carnival Horizon.

 

Traffic was heavy but I would say we did the 6 miles to the NY Ferry in about 35 minutes. They should put a ferry terminal at the Manhattan Cruise Port. Flat rate fee was $55. Taxi could have been more; could have been less. But they are metered so I go with what I know. I have been in some pretty cruddy NY taxi cabs so black car service it is.

 

The ferry was easy-peasy! I had already purchased our tickets through the app, so all we had to do was get in the South Brooklyn (SB) line at the pier. We met a delightful couple who had been on board the Zuiderdam since Copenhagen. They were coming back from their tour of the city and the Staten Island ferry.

 

I can see our ship from here!

 

 

Our ferry arrives and we jump on board. One, two, three stops and we are at our ship! I didn’t time it but I would say 15 minutes tops. We get off the ferry and the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is right in front of us.

 

We drop off our luggage and go through the scanner. There are no health forms to fill out

[*Miss G*]

About to board the NY Ferry. This is the SB (South Brooklyn) route.

 

[*Miss G*]

The River Cafe under the Brooklyn Bridge. David Burke says it’s the best in New York. This was our first stop.

 

[*Miss G*]

Arriving at Red Hook.

 

[rafinmd]

That's awesome. Have a great day in Boston.

 

Roy

[kazu]

Great pics! And great reporting!

 

Glad the ferry worked out well for you too.

 

I'm surprised on the no health forms. That's unusual.

[rafinmd]

Jacqui, I don't think I've seen health forms my last few cruises, either HAL or Crystal.

 

Roy

[puppycanducruise]

Great pics!

Love your reports.

Thanks.

[*Miss G*]

Thanks everyone! Here is Day 1 continued...

 

Our cabin is on the hump. I chose this one specifically for the balcony. First impressions are mixed. I do not like that the hallway door opens directly into the room but I do like the balcony. I notice that the balcony is not as deep as the SA’s in mid-ship but we have a wide-angle view and I like that. The bad news is that sound carries from the hallway to our bed because it is not tucked around the wall. As well, the couch is a small pull-out in the corner. It is very uncomfortable. There aren’t as many drawers and shelves as the Neptune Suites on the Nieuw Amsterdam. The color scheme is different too. I am not much into purples and browns, so the Nieuw Amsterdam wins the decor category for me. I withhold final judgement on this room until the end of our cruise.

 

The view from our room:

 

 

It seems that someone named Nancy has given our room # to her friends. We get visitors knocking on the door and calls from Joe. I think everyone knows where they are now. The naughty side of me wishes I had pretended to be Nancy.

 

It has been a long time since breakfast so we head to the lounge. It is packed! One of the crew promoting a David Burke meal recognizes us from another ship. He tries to sell us $120/pp dinner tickets. I probably would have bought them if they were $120 for the two of us. We have a quick snack and head back to our room to unpack.

 

The phone rings and it is the Pinnacle Grill Manager. We had pre-booked all our meals and now we have a conflict. We tell him we were just on our down so we finish unpacking and head to Deck 2. David Burke’s dinner is during our seating so we take a later one. We can change or cancel if we decide not to come.

 

We ask if we can choose a regular table and the Grill Manager kindly shows us what’s available. We are pretty ambivalent about the selection so I ask what he would choose. He takes us to his favorite section and we agree with his choice. The bells sound and it is time for muster.

[*Miss G*]

DAY 1 - THE END

 

We do not attend the Mariners or the Suite Receptions. Instead we have dinner in the Grill. Iyus (Ee-yous) is our server and we like him very much. The beverage server is sent over and she hands us an iPad. Apparently we have to do our own investigation as to which wine choices we would like. We miss the Sommeliers and their advice.

 

It turns out that these two secluded banquettes really are the best seats in the house. We are in one and David Burke and two VIP’s are in the other. When the bigwigs stop by their table to greet them, they stop by ours first. Now that is class.

 

Pinnacle Grill Night 1 Summary: I will not order the bone-in ribeye again. It is tough, grisly, and underdone. The raspberry cheesecake wins the night.

 

View looking the other way:

 

[*Miss G*]

DAY TWO - AT SEA

 

I awake at 5:30 am. Darn. Too early for the Explorations Cafe. I get dressed and take pictures of the sunrise.

 

 

By 7:30 I am hungry and urging my husband to come for breakfast. He is feeling the sea but makes the effort. Yay! Iyus is our server again. My husband picks at his food. He is not well. He heads back to the room and I head to the casino. I find a machine that pays enough to keep me happy. At 10:00 am I head to the EXC talk, but lose interest while they tell us what they are going to tell us. I go back to the cabin to change into closed flat shoes to do the kitchen galley tour.

 

Shoes and socks on... I change my mind. I am told it is my prerogative. I have decided to attend David Burke’s cooking demonstration instead. I take off my shoes and socks and head to the ATK lounge.

 

WOW. If you ever have an opportunity to attend one of David Burke’s demonstrations... GO. He had us in stitches, he is so funny. I even learned a few things; and I thought I knew everything. ;’) Apparently he does a daily radio show with Joe Piscopo. I am going to have to tune in because it’s got to be a hoot.

 

I find my husband in the Neptune Lounge. He is starting to feel better. We head to the Photo Gallery to locate our boarding pic and not buy it. We end up at the shops. Did you know that Clinique and L’Occitane products are cheaper onboard than they are on shore? I didn’t. I buy the products I was telling my husband, just yesterday, that I wish I had bought before we left. Sure wasted that wish. I wish I’d wished for money.

 

Tonight is Gala Night.

[*Miss G*]

Carnival leaving NYC:

 

[puppycanducruise]

Loving your remarks Miss G.

Who would have thought L'Occitane was cheaper on board? Not me. Glad you could get a bargain.

Rest well. Can't wait for the next installment.

[AV8rix]

Can't wait for the next installment.

 

Same goes for me! Terrific commentary!

[*Miss G*]

Thanks Puppy and Av8rix!

 

David Burke - fun with cooking. I think I’ve been busted.

 

[*Miss G*]

I’m going with he may have recognized me from last night. He’s probably thinking stalker.

 

DAY TWO (cont’d)

 

Having been turned off steak from last night’s experience I opt for halibut with scampi. Delicious. The beverage server tries to hand me the iPad. No thanks. I am on vacation and that is too much like work. Why am I doing your job? I order Cellar Package #2. Six bottles should do the trick. If they hadn’t tried to make me work for my wine they would have had more revenue.

 

After dinner we head to the elevator. There are people complaining that they can’t get into the Mainstage show because others are saving numerous seats at a time. They haven’t seen anything like it. Nor have I, but I have read about it on some other forums. I make a note to go to the encore presentations if I go.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[*Miss G*]

DAY THREE - BOSTON

 

Here I am up at dawn again. What’s up with that? I head to the Lido deck for pictures.

 

[*Miss G*]

[*Miss G*]

The fog rolls in.