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**Near-Live Blog of Zaandam Inca and South America Cruise 24 Sep - 3 Nov 2018**


0bnxshs
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Thanks, Jacqui, for the heads-up about the upgrade to CC. Might be a few days before I post after they start as we will be in Machu Picchu next weekend, but I shall return

 

Glad you are enjoying the blog and photos. :D

 

I erred Rich, it's actually Tuesday where it goes off line, I believe.

 

In any case you will be having too much fun at Macchu Picchu. I envy you. Hope you have a fabulous time there :D

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I have enjoyed your posts and would like to ask a few questions about the ship because I will be on it early next year for a 3 week cruise.

1. Can you post the daily activities sheet for a sea day to determine how many activities there are. On Celebrity and Princess they have games you can play and get small prizes - not bingo or gambling. Also maybe you can comment on tnis.

2. Can you post a few pictures of the gym and give the hours. I like to eat and thus need to workout to help burn calories. On other shops sometimes the gym is open past the posted hours.

3. Do they have many movies in the theater and are they recent releases?

4. Is the main pool heated or is it cool and is it fresh or salt water?

5. Does the Lido buffet stay open late - say 12 midnight and is it ever closed throughout the day between meals?

6. Is there a free pizza and ice cream station?

7. When they have production shows are they Las Vegas/Broadway style with 10 or more dancers and singers or just a few of these? Princess and Celebrity have big shows.

Thanks, Rick

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  • 2 weeks later...
4 minutes ago, onewin said:

I've missed hearing of your adventures!  Look forward to hearing more :)

Thanks for hanging in there.  I will be posting again most likely tomorrow morning although I may not be able to stand it and get started tonight.  I'll have to figure out the new methods of posting photos and movies and such.

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On 10/7/2018 at 1:03 PM, BarbarianPaul said:

Day 12 (10/4)



Huatulco, Mexico is a very pretty little resort along the southern coast of Mexico that seems almost out of place along the remote looking shores. It's a very small cove that hosts a few hotels and a resort, some condos and a marina which is surrounded by bars, restaurants and shops. There is a beautiful sandy beach that is only a few steps off the pier and lots of taxi drivers and shop keepers who are sure they have just the right ride for you or the most lovely jewelry. One of the shop keepers even called out that he had all the things you didn't need to take home.

It was very warm and very sunny in the morning and it just kept getting warmer and sunnier as we decided to step out and explore and look for a place to buy a beer. Unlike the last time I was here there was not a large military/security presence, only 2 marines at the gate armed to the teeth who seemed to ignore everyone and 2 'policia municipal' who checked cabin cards. Oh, and a very friendly retriever working dog who was trying hard to stay cool in the shade of her master's chair.

We stopped and had a beer at one of the bars and made friends with the young man who was tending bar. He was an artist from Mexico City whose English was only nominally better than our Spanish. Nevertheless, the three of us had a warm conversation about life which ended in hand shakes and fist bumps all around. It is so easy to make friends with nearly anyone anywhere so long as you have a genuine smile on your face, a warm song in your voice and act with humble kindness.

Upon reboarding Zaandam, we watched as a little event unfolded at the gangway. Obviously, the tide coming in had changed the angle the gangway drooped to the dock to the point that it had to be propped up now. It was interesting to watch as first one attempt then another attempt to use the "Buenos Aires Ramp" seemed to fall just short enough of perfect to need to be re-done. It was finally decided that it was good enough when the Captain refused the request to move the ship a little away from the dock and aft some. I guess Mexican docks and Argentine ramps don't quite mesh exactly.

We had to leave this little paradise behind early, at 1 PM, in order to make our next port tomorrow on time. Not long after we did the winds picked up to gale force off land which made getting to everything on the port side of the ship an uphill climb. It was blowing hard and the Captain said it was to last until midnight or so. It was a bit strange to look out the port side and see only the sky while looking out the starboard side one could only see water. Again, the promenade deck remained open and everyone not paying attention while on the port side of the ship got a soaking from the spray off the whitecaps.

Tonight was Mexican Dinner night at the Lido Market as we'd already spent an enjoyable 2 days there and were now leaving for Guatamala. We both had only salads tonight as we'd each eaten at the Dive In for lunch; me a hot dog with fries and Roger a hamburger with fries. That dog was still barking at me so I decided I'd feed it as lightly as possible. Later, I walked up to the Crows Nest only to find it closed. Not just roped off for something like a private party; no, the fire doors were closed and sported very serious looking signs about it being closed until further notice. I plan to investigate further in the morning to see if I can find out what's going on.

We've received forms tonight to be filled out for both Peru and Chile. I think that the Peruvian forms are because we are doing the overland tour to Machu Picchu for 2 nights as we the last time we were here we didn't and they're called "Baggage Declaration" forms. The form for Chile is a little less forthcoming as to its purpose but in filling it out it appears to be for customs declarations. We are to keep the Chilean form on our persons but must turn in the Peruvian form to Guest Relations.

Met friends on the secret balcony at the stern on the Navigation deck to watch the sunset again. We've already begun to talk about how we've seen nicer ones on the cruise, so I guess we have been on board long enough to notice. Tonight's sunset was still beautiful though.


Sunrise in Huatulco:
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Short walk into town to the beach:
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The "Buenos Aires Ramp":
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Leaving Huatulco:
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Closed Crows Nest!:
Uaaubng153IFn4vsMhQvufo27F2sPlAlGAOaZvCS





What software do you use to tweak the photos? Have you tried Luminar?


Sent from my iPad using Forums

All of my photos so far have been processed through Google Photos and are from both my phone (easily done) and my GoPro (a bit more difficult).  Tell me of Luminar!

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Day 15 (10/7)

What was to be a single sea day between our canceled stop in Corinto and Fuerte Amador in Panama was now just another day at sea between two port calls.  Should have been a great day to sleep late, go the the nice Sunday brunch being offered in the MDR from 11:30 AM til 1 PM (Bananas Foster pancakes, mimosas, etc.) and then go to the EXC Guide Kevin's talk at 2 PM on our next 2 ports followed by the "Ask The Captain" session at 3 PM. But we had again lost the hour we had recently recovered heading into Puerto Quetzal which had further confused our tummies as to the feeding schedule so were awakened at our normal times to start the day.

By this time, the sea and sky had finished battling one another, leaving us alone in the process, to slowly make our way to Panama.  And slow it seemed because we now had a second day to cover the same distance we were to have covered in one day.  The day dawned as variably cloudy but there was plenty of sun throughout the day and you'd never have known we'd been near a gyre to begin with.

So we frittered the morning away with small things like sorting the many medications we take on various schedules, shaving (again), reading (code word for napping) and watching the terns skitter just above the surface of the ocean and then loft upward to land on the top of the jack staff (or is it a mast?... I am an AF guy after all) at the bow of the ship, or try to.  One tern in particular seemed to think of it as her personal standard and perch and refused to give it up without a fight, but finally did when more than a few ganged up and overcame her opposition to the rude coup d'etat, or el golpe de estatal, that had been brewing.

One thing I wanted to try from our cabin while out at sea, since I'd bought the high-end internet plan, was WiFi calling.  The plan description said that it supports video and audio streaming so I wanted to try the newest smart phone in our possession for this, Roger's Samsung Galaxy S9.  This way I could report on whether and how it worked and, if I really messed up, it would cost him on his plan rather than me on mine.  I made sure that the Tripmate device I described earlier was not sharing an internet connection as I didn't want the extra lag that might exist because of it impacting the test.  Setting up the S9 was easy to do for the test as all I had to do was connect to the ship's free wireless network (Zaandam-Guest) and then, using a browser, sign in to my free ship's account on navigator.hollandamerica.com and, finally, connect to the internet using the paid internet.  To make sure I was on the internet, I checked our position on Google Maps, forcing the phone to download map data and such.  I had a decent connection based on how quickly Maps loaded up details.

Then, on to setup on the phone, where I killed some unnecessary tasks that run which use bandwidth.  They'll get automatically restarted later (most of them) but I was looking to free all the bandwidth I could.  You may need to turn off airplane mode for this on your phone but Roger's T-Mobile provider S9 will work without doing this.  Some phones and/or providers will require you to turn 'airplane mode' off and the phone will decide to jump to a cell signal if one is available (does may cost you?  I don't know.)  You simply select the mode under WiFi calling that forces the phone to use the WiFi connection as the primary connection.  Once all this is done and you answer a few questions the phone asks, you're done.  Go to phone and make your calls.

We called Roger's DW (my MIL) but she didn't answer.  It just rang and rang.  So, we tried my DW who answered with an incredulous "Daddy????".  We.... well, talked (if you want to call it that) for a few minutes but the lag was just so great that it seemed like we were always answering questions over the next question (which was usually "hello??????").  Once we figured that out, it wasn't too bad and we could manage.  Then the phone suddenly hung itself up with a message on the screen that said something about losing registration.  Apparently it uses some complicated server processes to authenticate the user and whether there is sufficient bandwidth to keep a signal active and ours failed one or more of these during the call.  Overall, I wasn't too impressed and even less surprised by the experience.  YMMV

We went to the EXC guide's talk on Fuerte Amador and Manta and learned about these ports.  Kevin does a decent job of NOT selling tours by talking about the places to see, how much a taxi should cost for different places, time it takes to get to places, HOHO opportunities, etc.  The Mainstage was packed!  I was surprised as I was hoping to gain some seating advantage for the "Ask The Captain" session by being there so early.  Oddly, Roger and I were still able to do so when Kevin finished as most passengers left.  There was quite a smaller group interested in what the Captain would say and answer.

Captain Friso is filling in for the usual Master on this voyage and will turn the ship over to the other Master when he leaves in San Antonio (Santiago), Chile.  This port would have been the scheduled turn-over port anyhow.  Not sure if Captain Smit or Captain Norman is coming aboard then, but one of them is.  Among other things we also learned that Zaandam has no azipods but uses the older system of 2 constant velocity shafts and variable pitch propeller blades in front of standard rudders to propel the ship, uses both bow and stern thrusters (2 each) for precise movement in tight quarters, has 5 V12 diesel engines that power the ship indirectly by using generators to make electricity that makes everything else work, is steered in various ways but mostly by an AB quartermaster at a small steering wheel who must repeat all commands to change present headings for a positive control feedback loop, there are no paper charts any longer, the ship can make 500 tons of water a day (exceeding its typical usage) and that Captain Friso's most challenging work is when tendering at Easter Island and at any ship's balls where he has to dance.  All-in-all, a fun and informative time.  No one complained about anything!

We had way too much fun at Happy Hour afterwards.  Way too much.  But, we solved all the problems of the world that we could think of.  Trouble is, we can't remember the solutions now.  We managed to find the Lido deck and dinner and even managed to find Jim and sit in her section.  We both had pasta.  My first pasta dinner of the cruise but probably not my last.  The Chef there does a nice job and I already knew how to order from Roger's experiences.  Roger decided that he had to have some chocolate cake for desert, much to his later remorse.  He loves chocolate cake.  His tummy doesn't.  I heard it protesting his decision late into the night.

Cruise Director Bruce with Captain Friso:

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The lovely Svetlana and Julian, our Adagio players:

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My, you are doing well with the new CC!  I can see your text and pictures!  I think they had to fix the text issue since it was so thin, small and light.

I am waiting in anticipation for your adventures to come.  Machu Picchu was always on my bucket list...until I got sick.  So now I will be happy to read your stories and see your pictures.

Snow here on Wednesday, October 17.  It is that cold.

 I am trying out adding 4 pictures I took on Saturday just a few km from home.

 

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42F7C1BD-1F2D-4BAC-9E2D-533EBEBFCA1B.jpeg

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7 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Great pictures, 1of4, how do you post them on the new CC?  I'm very frustrated...

 

I was lucky Ann!  I clicked/pushed the paper clip icon that appears on the bottom left of the posting screen that says “Click to choose files”.  That opens up another screen with 3 options: to take a photo/video, library or browse.  I chose library and my photo library on my iPad opened up and I just selected 4 photos.  I first selected 2.  Then did it again and selected 2 more.  It worked!  Easy!  No more third party hosting site!  Phew.

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9 hours ago, erewhon said:

Thanks for continuing with your reports.

 

6 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

So glad that you are posting again.

 

Love the reports and great pictures.

 

Unlike others, I am having lots of problems with this site.

 

I was beginning to wonder if the site would be back before I was! :classic_unsure:

I'll start working on getting caught up now.  Thanks for your patience.

I promise, answers to questions asked earlier are coming, with photos.

Edited by 0bnxshs
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Day 16 (10/8)

Panama

There is no dock to be had in Panama apparently.  So we tender to Fuerte Amador.  Actually, it's the islands that made up the former Fort Grant that we will tender to, but the resort on the island is named for Fort Amador.  Just seems rather odd that in a place of a 1000 ships of all different sizes, makes and registry that there is no dock to be used for cruise ships.

We have a tour today, booked through HAL, to go to Colon and see the new locks and former canal zone.  As we weren't to use the canal, there were only a few ways to see the locks, old or new, and as I'd been through the canal a couple of times before I thought this might be a good way to see the new locks.  Roger was in Panama way back in the 1970s during his time as a Seabee in the Navy Reserve so we thought this would be a good way for him to try and recognize some old stomping grounds.

As usual, things are running late although well.  The weather is cooperating with nearly clear skies and just light breezes.  But, as always, the tenders are running about 1/2 hour late, if you go by the times printed on the tour vouchers.  The tenders depart from the A deck forward and are accessed via the forward stairwells (or elevators), the last of which is a relatively narrow single staircase as opposed to the wide double stairways above.  This always results in a long line that must stand and wait, some of the line down on the A deck, some of it on the single staircase and then the rest is strung along deck 1 winding up the staircase to deck 2.  Roger and I made up part of a portion of the line here, waiting and shifting and killing time just off the steps between decks 1 and 2.  One of the passengers just in front of us (who turned out not to be on our tour) asked anyone who was listening "What if this is the line for the bathroom?" to which the gentleman in front of him responded in German-accented English: "Then the people will be leaking!"

Whether or not they heard the answer or the laughter that followed, the tender crews seemed to be satisfied that we'd waited sufficiently long enough and we began to conga-line our way onto the tender.  These seem to be recently acquired as one can actually see out of the plastic windows and, more importantly, the windowshield that surrounds the driver is clear and scratch-free, presumably allowing him/her to see everything that should be avoided, but in reality just providing a better shot at hitting everything along the way.

Actually, I enjoy the rides offered on the tenders but I often wonder how in the world as many as 150 people will fit in one when it seems like the 90 or so (usually a bit fewer) on it during tendering feels like sardines in a can?  I don't even want to think of all the things people will want and try to bring with them should we ever find ourselves using it for a real emergency.

We boarded a nice motor coach for our 90 minute ride to the Gatun locks, new and old.  At least it seemed nice.  It was air conditioned and was nicely decorated, the seats were velour covered and offered belts and reclining positions.  But they were just a couple of inches short for my legs and my knees again found themselves with no place to go.  Oh well.  The roads in Panama are not in the best shape as we found on our ride.  Roger found that the areas of the former canal zone were so changed that little of it was familiar even though the buildings were the same ones he would have seen.  But they'd been modified in color and condition, use and neglect for so long that only small sections or single buildings stood out and reminded him of 40+ years ago.

We learn that the old locks can accomodate container ships with up to 5000 containers and the new locks, being 60% wider and 40% longer, can accomodate container ships with up to 14000 containers.  The cruise ship Caribbean Princess pays $530,000 to sit in Gatun Lake for a time and then exit the same locks she used to enter.  Cruise and passenger ships pay by the count of beds.  Cargo ships pay by volume.  Or something like that.

There are no 'mules' at the new locks.  Only a tug or 2 to guide the ships through the new locks.  When there are ships.  We just missed a large looking container ship passing through and there was no more ships to use them while we were there.  It was rather ho-hum.  The new locks do recycle up to 60% of the water used so as not to drain the lake and work on the same principle of gravity that the old locks do.  No pumps.  The new locks slide open and closed instead of swinging like the old ones.  You can just barely see a small length of the old locks from Aguas Clara, the name of the visitors center if not the name of the new locks too.  The old locks were putting on a show that one could imagine was interesting.

Roger bought us a Balboa Beer each to commemorate his time here long ago.  Back then they were $0.50 a bottle; today they are $3.50 a can.  He warned me it might taste like formaldehyde but I thought it tasted like it the 500+ year old Spaniard it's named after, which is pretty much the same thing.

The ride back seemed longer probably because it was.  We took the scenic drive back along the canal itself.  Even rougher roads but this time a stop was included for those who might have been leaking since standing in line on the ship.  The guy in front of me seemed to need to stretch from time to time and made my knees protest while my hands prevented him from reclining.  There just wasn't room for that.  We did appreciate the air conditioning though.

Back on board we found that Adagio was again performing as Svetlana had finally joined the ship today.  She was waiting in Corinto for us but.... well, you know that story.   She is also from Odessa and the same school as Yegor.  It's nice (to me) to have their music back again.  She is very good.

I must have messed up my order and posted her and Julian's photo for the day before she arrived.   How's that for foretelling?

Sunrise in Panama:

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Lake Gatun from the Agua Clara Observation Center:

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A panoramic photo of the new locks in Colon:

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The new locks open and close by sliding rather than swinging:

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In the distance is the uncompleted new bridge to Colon:

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Busy old locks can just been seen:

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Our refreshments weren't the most refreshing:

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With Panama City in the background, a tender meanders in the bay:

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Sunset in Panama:

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Edited by 0bnxshs
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Great report Rich and lovely pictures.

LOL on the beer as old as the Spaniard it is named for and the "leaking".

Photos are really clear and I see that you got more than 6 in a post!

Well done.

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7 minutes ago, kazu said:

Great report Rich and lovely pictures.

LOL on the beer as old as the Spaniard it is named for and the "leaking".

Photos are really clear and I see that you got more than 6 in a post!

Well done.

 

Yes, I was pleased that we can now get more than 6 emojis, photos, etc. on a post now.  I'm sure there's a limit and I'll see if I can get near it later on..... :classic_dry:

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18 hours ago, 0bnxshs said:

Day 15 (10/7)

......................................................

Captain Friso is filling in for the usual Master on this voyage and will turn the ship over to the other Master when he leaves in San Antonio (Santiago), Chile.  This port would have been the scheduled turn-over port anyhow.  Not sure if Captain Smit or Captain Norman is coming aboard then, but one of them is.  ..................................

 

You'll be getting Capt. Vincent Smit tomorrow 

Is Zaanie's pipe organ in the atrium still playing?

 

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11 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

You'll be getting Capt. Vincent Smit tomorrow 

Is Zaanie's pipe organ in the atrium still playing?

 

 

Hey John!  Nice of you to drop in.  Thanks for the update on which Captain is joining us tomorrow!  Still trying to get caught up here from the week long outage.

Yes, the pipe organ is still playing (not just now, but at sea days at noonish, after the Captain's report).  Actually, thanks for posting the video of it playing.... I have been trying to capture it but haven't been so successful.  Thanks!

 

Edited by 0bnxshs
didnt need video twice :)
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4 minutes ago, 0bnxshs said:

 

Hey John!  Nice of you to drop in.  Thanks for the update on which Captain is joining us tomorrow!  Still trying to get caught up here from the week long outage.

Yes, the pipe organ is still playing (not just now, but at sea days at noonish, after the Captain's report).  Actually, thanks for posting the video of it playing.... I have been trying to capture it but haven't been so successful.  Thanks!

 

 

Have a great voyage and enjoy the many sights, Rich!

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Loving your reports and pictures.  You paint a good picture.  Snow started today so your reports of sunshine and heat are a nice diversion from reality.  Looking out the window right now it is coming down hard.  Sigh.🌨️

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17 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

Loving your reports and pictures.  You paint a good picture.  Snow started today so your reports of sunshine and heat are a nice diversion from reality.  Looking out the window right now it is coming down hard.  Sigh.🌨️

 

Sorry that winter is already starting for you.  On the other hand, I'm looking forward to visiting it there in a month or so.  I know, I'm a 🐀.  I'm still in shorts and shirt sleeves here while most everyone else is bundled up like Nanook of the North. 

Glad you're enjoying 1of4!  I may seem to grouse a lot but it's all in fun and we are very much having a great time.

Edited by 0bnxshs
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Obnxshs!

Finally I am able to read your whole blog thank GOD! I almost packed it up yesterday to say goodbye to all of the mess with the new format! 

Have a fantastic time, I sure wish I was on this journey! I thank you for taking the time to write about your vacation that is much appreciated 

Denise😊

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