Koningsdam in the Caribbean

[luvtwotrvl]

Thank you for sharing your pictures of the lovely K-Dam ship, Copper10-8.

I hope you are having a wonderful time on the Koningdam.

 

 

David

[rkacruiser]

Thanks for sharing your report/photos, John.  Being a guest and not a worker bee on a HAL ship must be an interesting experience for you just by itself.

[aliaschief]

John thanks for taking us along. It’s time you enjoyed the other side of cruising. 

K provides so many new discoveries, tastings and discoveries.

 

Try a movie night at Lido Pool with a delicious gelato as a starter.

 

B.

 

 

[Copper10-8]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

Thanks for sharing your report/photos, John.  Being a guest and not a worker bee on a HAL ship must be an interesting experience for you just by itself.

 

It definitely works when an alarm goes off and you don't have to respond!  

[Copper10-8]

Half Moon Cay, the Bahamas; Little San Salvador Island, also known as Half Moon Cay, is one of about 700 islands that make up the archipelago of the Bahamas. Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private resort, has been voted the Best Private Island in the Caribbean by Porthole Magazine for 10 years in a row. It is located less than 100 miles southeast of Nassau, between Cat Island and Eleuthera Island. The island is regarded by many Bahamians as the most beautiful in the Bahamas.

 

Holland America Line purchased the island in December 1996 for a price of U.S. $6 million. In keeping with the company’s desire to conserve the environment, since that date, it has only developed 50 acres out of the 2,400-acre island, with the stated goal of maintaining as much habitat as possible for wildlife. Half Moon Cay does not have deep water docking facilities, requiring the use of tenders, both ship and island, for cruise ship passengers to visit the island and return to the ship

 

We were joined by Volendam, the 2nd of the four "R"-class sisters. Since we were the bigger ship, we got the big island tenders, Henry Hudson and Anne Bonny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

From the old to the new! Only two weeks old, so still smelling brand new inside, is the new Half Moon Clipper II. HAL had the vessel built for service at the island; she transports all the equipment, food and drinks needed for the BBQ lunch from the ship(s) to the island (and back) plus makes the twice daily trip from HMC to Eleuthera Island, a one hour trip each way, transporting the island staff who do not overnight on HMC, home

 

 

The old Half Moon Clipper; no longer in the fleet

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the brand new Clipper! Nice! Check out her big crane on her port side aft deck

[Copper10-8]

With us at Half Moon Cay today was Volendam, the second of the four "R"-class sisters. 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

Having breakfast in the Lido in the (exterior) company of a K-dam "Boatman" (officially lifesaving attendant) and/or sailor AB with obviously no fear of heights

 

 

[Copper10-8]

So this is how Half Moon Cay gets its regularly scheduled supplies; from Port Everglades/Ft. Lauderdale via m/v Emerald Express, a 2001-built landing ship with a bow ramp that can be lowered. She does not fit inside the HMC marina when cruise ship(s) are tendering there so, just like a Navy LSU, she lands on the beach in between the entrance canal and the private oasis cabana and starts offloading mostly trailers with liquid gas containers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2019 by Copper10-8

[doone]

14 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

After dinner, we really enjoyed the B.B. King All-Star Band, K-dam's eight-piece music ensemble that includes two vocalists backed by a six-person rhythm and horn section who were "rocking out the joint" in the expanded Queen's Lounge. Had a tough time finding two seats for their first set at 8:45 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

[*Miss G*]

Loving your report and pictures, Copper!  I love this ship.  Thank you.  HAL should consider hiring you for an educational series!  I like learning all these things.

 

Does that door beside your bed lead into the bathroom?  It seems rather odd.  Is there no dressing room?

[doone]

Just got off the K'dam on Sunday, had a great cruise, loved the ship and crew.  Glad to see the 2nd singer is back with the group, he was out sick since last Tuesday.  He was missed, but the female singer did a great job while he was recuperating.....

 

Enjoy the Koningsdam, Copper.

[Copper10-8]

2 hours ago, doone said:

Just got off the K'dam on Sunday, had a great cruise, loved the ship and crew.  Glad to see the 2nd singer is back with the group, he was out sick since last Tuesday.  He was missed, but the female singer did a great job while he was recuperating.....

 

Enjoy the Koningsdam, Copper.

 

Morning Doone; Yes, that is one of two bathroom doors which leads to the tub, shower and sink area. The second door, off the entrance hallway, leads to the toilet which is separated from that same tub, shower and sink area  by an interior door

 

 

[*Miss G*]

20 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Morning Doone; Yes, that is one of two bathroom doors which leads to the tub, shower and sink area. The second door, off the entrance hallway, leads to the toilet which is separated from that same tub, shower and sink area  by an interior door

 

Ohhh.  That makes sense now.  Nifty!

[Copper10-8]

Having pretty much spent my time over the years on HMC at the traffic control tower, on the beach, at the BBQ, by the marina, and/or walking the various paths in the back, we decided to finally see a bit of the rest of the island. We did it on a shorex called "Calypso Island Tram, basically a Japanese-built Mitsubishi Hino 6x6 with bench seats in the back. In about 45 minutes, driver Tim and guide Yvette showed us HMC's "back of the house" with stops at the horse stables and stingray cove, and "drive by's" of the emergency medevac heli-pad, the Half Moon Lagoon Aqua Park, water sports center and staff housing (roughly 45 staff reside/remain on the island during the season)

 

 

 

One of the Japanese-built Mitsubishi Hino 6x6 trucks who do the Calypso Island tram tour

 

 

 

The horse stables located on the north-west part of the island

 

 

 

The sole donkey among the 26 horses

 

 

Volendam and Koningsdam off HMC; gotta love that water color and white sand beach. This is on the north-west side of the island

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2019 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

 

 

No comment required; just a place to relax near the stables on the north-west side of the island

 

 

 

 

The Half Moon Lagoon locate on the east side of the island, the lagoon is the designated landing area of a sea plane in case of emergencies

 

 

 

The "Stingray adventure" shore excursion at Stingray Cove also located off the lagoon

 

 

 

The participants, besides stingrays, got an up lose and personal of starfish and conch

 

 

 

One of the six all-female stingrays

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

 

 

 

Some of the housing units for the 46 HMC staff who reside on the island. Everyone else gets transported home daily to Eleuthera Island via the Half Moon Clipper

 

 

 

The generator structure supplying power to the island

 

 

 

The housing unit for the island manager, Mr. Black, supervisors and island secretary

 

 

 

Gotta have a satellite dish 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

Back on K-dam for a Dutch lunch of a "Broodje Kroket" and a bowl of "Erwten soep" (Green Pea soup) at the Grand Dutch Cafe 🙂 My sister Ellen loves erwten soep 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

See ya Half Moon Cay, always a pleasure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

See ya Half Moon Cay, always a pleasure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

This is very cool; a combo violin/sailing ship outside the Crow's Nest on Deck 12 fwd

 

 

 

[57redbird]

Thanks for all the great pictures!

[trub]

thanks very much for the great photos - kongingsdam looks great , will have the pleasure of sailing on her in May and November - have a great time on your cruise

[ottahand7]

Many happy memories of Half Moon Cay.  Absolutely love your photos and updates.  I turned my friend into a palmier cookie addict.  One day she was feeling unwell so I fetched her some of those lovely heart shaped puff pastry treats from GDCafe.  She had them every day after.   I love the concept and the vibe of the place. 

[Copper10-8]

Monday evening dinner at Club Orange on K-dam; Braised short ribs for the child bride and Rigatoni pour moi