Live and life from the Eurodam and her New Year's cruise

[Copper10-8]

Day 1 - Sunday 30 DEC 18

 

We pulled out of the driveway and left the homestead at 1029 hours (1:00 PM) exactly after saying goodbye to Stiv, our cat who was already fast asleep in his basket in front of the window. Maria’s mum Carmen will be “cat-sitting” for the week. We soon, after a stop at a local Starbucks, entered the south-bound 405 Freeway, aka the San Diego Freeway to our destination, the City of the Padres. Took the 74-toll road which makes the drive a tad shorter by-passing Santa Ana, John Wayne Airport, and Costa Mesa and thankfully discovered that traffic was pretty light which put big smiles on our faces. We dealt with the usual congestion back on the (now) Interstate 5 Freeway going through Alisa Viejo and, after passing Camp Pendleton, oorah!, in the Oceanside/Carlsbad area. Decided to grab some lunch by pulling off in Del Mar Heights (just past the San Diego County Fairgrounds in Del Mar) and pulled into the parking lot of a Pollo Loco (Spanish for “Crazy Chicken” which is not to be confused with “Lunatic Chicken.” Those of you outside California, you’re missing out big time if you don’t have any Pollo Loco franchises in your area, good stuff!

 

Once in San Diego itself around 1:30 pm, our usual plan is to pull into the cruise terminal lot and off-load our luggage, handing it to a porter. Got that done no problems, took a bit to get out of the lot because traffic was backed up on Harbor Drive for unk reasons. We then drove to the long-term parking lot of Lindbergh Field (San Diego Int’l. Airport) where we got a nasty surprise in that the lot was closed off with a big sign stating “Lot Full”. Awwwrighty then, what is a mother to do? We drove back to the port and inquired with the valet dude at the Wyndham who told us “sure, that’ll be $40 at night.” Thanks, but no thanks, bud.“ Plan C was to check out the Park and Fly lots along Pacific Hwy and sho’ nough, we found Lot 3 who would take us for eighteen bucks a night. Their shuttle took us back to the B-Street Pier and we were good to go.

 

Check in at, now 2:45 was a breeze, going through security screening and getting checked in. Took the obligatory “welcome onboard” pic and walked the plank to Deck 2 where ship security scanned us on. Our cabin is on Rotterdam deck, port side, smack catty corner from the Neptune Lounge where concierges Maggie and Darlene “reside” and do one heck of a job keeping their guests happy. The cabin obviously has been one of the recently upgraded ones in Freeport dry-dock, incl. darker wood, a large, wall-mounted interactive TV, new furniture, modern fixtures incl. bathroom night lighting, and new carpeting

 

 

[Copper10-8]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

 

 

 

 

 

[Himself]

Thanks for the info.  is John Scott still the Capain or has the other Captain come on board?

[canadianbear]

Have a great cruise and happy new year!!! 

[Copper10-8]

41 minutes ago, Himself said:

Thanks for the info.  is John Scott still the Capain or has the other Captain come on board?

 

Evening Father and a Happy New Year! Captain Eric Barhorst is in command of Eurodam

[Copper10-8]

17 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

Have a great cruise and happy new year!!! 

 

Thank you Ma'am, and the same to you, your husband and family

[Stratheden]

Have a great cruise Copper.  Enjoy. 

[57redbird]

Can I ask a favor if you're stopping at Mazatlan?   Could you find out the name of the gift/souvenir shop that, as you pass the 'restaurant' in the center of the outdoor plaza at the pier, is to the left of the restaurant, please & if they have a website?  It looks like it's a permanent building with upscale merchandise as opposed to the typical t-shirt/hat place.

There was a pitcher/glasses set that I should have purchased when we were there but I didn't.

TIA...

[richwmn]

Have a fabulous New Year Cruise! Eurodam is a good ship, and it is a nice itinerary.

 

[twodjs]

We just got off Eurodam a couple of weeks ago. Loved the ship!  M & D do an amazing job in the Neptune Lounge. We raise our glasses to you, wishing you a fabulous cruise and more good times in 2019!

[BruhnSisters]

Have an amazing cruise!  My Sister and I will be boarding next week.  

 

A few requests if you can make the time:

1.  Do you know who the lead singers are for the B.B. Kings?  I've seen two groups in the past and they were both extremely talented.

2. Can you post dinner menus?  Will they be different next week?

3. I'm in an inside cabin this trip.  Are there lounge chairs on the promenade desk?  Any suggestions on quiet spots to sit outside, or inside, and read?

 

Happy New Year!

 

Edited January 1, 2019 by BruhnSisters
typo

[Copper10-8]

Oh yeah, before I forget; no more medical questionnaires to fill out at check in. Not sure how long that's been the case. Crew was still filling them out this year

 

4:15 was the mandatory passenger muster drill. This one lasted about 30 minutes. Eurodam is one of the dam ships using electronic scanning of ship I.D./room cards when you show up at your muster station, for us #8, and it really speeds up the process compared to the “old way” of the boat commander yelling out room numbers. Having said that, the occupants of three (later two) cabins failed to show for whatever reason which obviously caused the drill to take longer. A direct result of this was the increased “flapping of lips” by the waiting passengers as well as crying of infants, assigned to boat #8.

 

San Diego is not an easy location to hold this drill due to the abundance of ambient noise from arriving and departing aircraft on the single runway of nearby Lindbergh Field, train traffic arriving or departing the nearby railway station, adjoining vehicle traffic on Harbor Drive, etc. Capt. Eric was thus forced to come on the P/A system at least once “insisting on absolute silence on deck.” That silence lasted about a minute and a half before the lip flapping started up again. The AWOL occupants of those two cabins never did show up. Never ceases to amaze me that some folks don't realize that this is not a social event but a drill for their safety. I'm thoroughly convinced that in case of the real thing, a lot of those same fine folks will be running around with their heads cut off.

 

During the mustard drill, two staff members from Club HAL came by, physically checking on the minors at our boat station and giving those same kids that did not already have them, colored wristbands. As stated, the drill was completed by about 4:45 and the boat deck subsequently pretty much emptied. Back at our cabin, we unpacked our bags - lots of nice closet space in our cabin, a walk-in closet space, plus a large bathroom with a double sink and both a shower as well as a tub enclosure (apparently required for the shaving of legs; I need a lawnmower for that purpose) with shower.

 

Eurodam let go of her lines and shoved off her berth at 5:02 PM in darkness (outside, not the ship) with Capt. Eric backing his big ship up, turning her around in the Bay, following the perimeter of Naval Air Station North Island, and heading towards Point Loma and the Pacific Ocean where the pilot was dropped off on his fast boat. We had already decided to have our dinner in the Lido tonite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2019 by Copper10-8

[Love the beach]

Have a great time!

[Copper10-8]

25 minutes ago, 57redbird said:

Can I ask a favor if you're stopping at Mazatlan?   Could you find out the name of the gift/souvenir shop that, as you pass the 'restaurant' in the center of the outdoor plaza at the pier, is to the left of the restaurant, please & if they have a website?  It looks like it's a permanent building with upscale merchandise as opposed to the typical t-shirt/hat place.

There was a pitcher/glasses set that I should have purchased when we were there but I didn't.

TIA...

 

Will take a look for ya! 

[Copper10-8]

14 minutes ago, BruhnSisters said:

Have an amazing cruise!  My Sister and I will be boarding next week.  

 

A few requests if you can make the time:

1.  Do you know who the lead singers are for the B.B. Kings?  I've seen two groups in the past and they were both extremely talented.

2. Can you post dinner menus?  Will they be different next week?

3. I'm in an inside cabin this trip.  Are there lounge chairs on the promenade desk?  Any suggestions on quiet spots to sit outside, or inside, and read?

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

Listened to the BB's last night and they sound really good! I will get you their (the leads) names (I worked with their trumpet player on Oosterdam last year). There are most definitely lounge chairs on P-deck. Crow's Nest/EXC looks good for reading, as does Lincoln Center Stage/Explorers Lounge. Not sure about getting you dinner menus since, unlike POE who is always prepared, I do not have a scanner with me

[DeeniEncinitas]

HAPPY NEW YEAR John!!!!! ( and also your wonderful DW). We were at Island Prine watching Sailaway!! Love Eurodam. Have a wonderful cruise and bring in 2019 with soooo much fun and dance the night away! 

Your photos of your stateroom are great. Balcony with all new furniture 👍. She is one of our favorites! Light rain here in Leucadia right now! Having a few friends over for our New Years Eve party!

looking forward to your blog.

Denise😊

[Copper10-8]

28 minutes ago, twodjs said:

We just got off Eurodam a couple of weeks ago. Loved the ship!  M & D do an amazing job in the Neptune Lounge. We raise our glasses to you, wishing you a fabulous cruise and more good times in 2019!

 

Looks like I already misspelled their names; they are Darlynne and Magie and they are really good! 

[Copper10-8]

Just now, DeeniEncinitas said:

HAPPY NEW YEAR John!!!!! ( and also your wonderful DW). We were at Island Prine watching Sailaway!! Love Eurodam. Have a wonderful cruise and bring in 2019 with soooo much fun and dance the night away! 

Your photos of your stateroom are great. Balcony with all new furniture 👍. She is one of our favorites! Light rain here in Leucadia right now! Having a few friends over for our New Years Eve party!

looking forward to your blog.

Denise😊

 

Happy New Year to you and yours, Denise! 

[BruhnSisters]

1. Thanks for the quick reply and reading spot ideas!  

2. No worries about the menus.  I'm sure the food will be yummy, especially since I don't have to cook it or clean the dishes!

3.  I think ALL the BB musicians are important, but the lead names will help me know if it is a group I've seen in the past.

 

Blessings - Lori 🙂

[kazu]

Have a wonderful New Year's on board.  It will be a blast I'm sure.

 

Hope you both have a wonderful cruise 🙂 

[POA1]

Sweet! A @Copper10-8LIVE thread! May the Bubble of Awesome follow you into the New Year. Have a great trip! 

[Mtn2Sea]

Looking forward to your review.  Have a great time!

[gigianne]

Have a wonderful cruise - looking forward to reading your reviews as we board the E in March.

[rafinmd]

Have a great time.  I'll be following along until the Elegant Explorer on the 4th.

 

Roy