Jump to content

Dave’s Live from Zuiderdam Voyage of the Vikings, July 30 – Sept. 3, 2019


Recommended Posts

Hi Dave..   Much thanks for taking us along on your cruise!!  I appreciate all the time and effort.  Very enjoyable!!  Are the EXC lectures also broadcasted in your stateroom?? Thank you again for your time spent.  Very much enjoying!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

Thanks Dave. 🙂 

 

I too was wondering how you were downloading from the Navigator.  Screen shots were horrible so I used the menus but yours are very clear and easy to read.

 

I was sure I tried it when Navigator came out but perhaps it’s improved?  I’ll try your method next cruise.  Much appreciate you taking the time to answer 🙂 

 

Enjoying your LIVE thread (as I always do) very much 🙂 

 

Thank you for taking us along 😄 

 

Jacqui,

 

Thanks for the kind words!  

 

A little more detail on the meal menus thing:  Open the meal menu in Navigator.  Right-click on the meal menu.  A dialog box will pop up.  One of the options is "save image as".  Click on that, and a standard save-file box opens.  Select to save it on desktop and give it a name, then click the "save" box. 

 

I find it easier to crop, rotate and scale in Paint rather than in a photo editor.  To edit in Paint, right-click on the image on your desktop.  A dialog box will pop up; one of the options is "Edit".  Select that and the image will open in Paint.  Edit your image and save it (hint: save it as a different name instead of writing over the file -- if you make a mistake, you still have the original image.)

 

Dave

Edited by RetiredMustang
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, bluesplayer said:

Hi Dave..   Much thanks for taking us along on your cruise!!  I appreciate all the time and effort.  Very enjoyable!!  Are the EXC lectures also broadcasted in your stateroom?? Thank you again for your time spent.  Very much enjoying!!

 

Thanks!  

 

I just checked, and I can't find anywhere on the interactive stateroom TV where shipboard lectures/presentations are being broadcast.  

 

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, RetiredMustang said:

 

Thanks!  

 

I just checked, and I can't find anywhere on the interactive stateroom TV where shipboard lectures/presentations are being broadcast.  

 

Dave

 

Enjoying your report.  I’d love to do a VOV one day !  

 

RE: the lectures and presentations.  On our Alaska Maasdam EXC in-depth we had some excellent lectures and they also were not shown on TV the next day.  I asked the CD why they were not recorded and shown on TV and he led me to believe it was a corporate decision.   Not a good decision in my opinion!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Dave,

 

Really enjoy reading your blog!  We'll be joining you in Rotterdam on the 16th, so we're also quite disappointed to miss Nanortalik.  Hopefully HAL will offer an interesting hike in Qaqortoq to replace the one my DH signed up for in Nanortalik.  I was also looking forward to the open air museum there, so hopefully the one in Qaqortoq is just as good!

 

Amy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Dave,

We debarked Zuiderdam as you good people arrived.  Thanks for sharing as, of course, part of us would still like to be there with you!

Hopefully, everyone will be back on ship.  The captain has to fear leaving people in a remote place like Red Bay.

We did Nanortalik and found it interesting.  It was an easy tender, but with 1900 guests plus crew, we overwhelmed the small community.  Navigation officers said we had one of the best Prins Christian Sund days, sunny and little wind and just enough icebergs for effect.

Keep us posted, thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, RetiredMustang said:

 

Thanks!  

 

I just checked, and I can't find anywhere on the interactive stateroom TV where shipboard lectures/presentations are being broadcast.  

 

Dave

Thank you for the information.  They were broadcast on the Zaandam South America cruise around Cape Horn and we much preferred watching them in the stateroom.  Sorry to hear that has been changed.  Seems your cruise is going very well!!!  Enjoy!!

A big hello from Seattle!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, shudie said:

Loving your updates. We are on the Zuiderdam 29 Day Baltic/Viking Passage next year! 

 

Have you noticed if there is a separate Indian menu in the MDR? We were discussing in an a vegetarian thread elsewhere and on some of the ships they have a separate Indian menu which includes many vegetarian options. 

 

 

 

Good news!  We spoke with the DRM (or possibly assistant DRM – one of the suits) who stopped by our table at dinner tonight.  The answer is yes, indeed, they have an Indian menu, on a 7-day rotation.   He said they had had so many requests from vegans and vegetarians that they created the menu.  He said all you have to do is ask your waiter. 

 

So, we asked our waiter, who said all the waiters would be happy to bring you the menu, but that they ask that you order a day in advance, much like the salt-free or gluten-free menu – they bring you a menu, and you choose what you want for the next night, since it takes time to prepare the dishes especially, apart from the regular menu.  If you want the menu the first night, when you embark, they recommend you let your travel agent or cruise consultant know.  But, if you are OK with luck of the draw the first night, just tell your waiter you would like to see the Indian menu to order for the next night, and so on through the rest of your cruise.

 

I was surprised to learn about this, but I am glad to know,

 

Dave

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, RetiredMustang said:

 

Good news!  We spoke with the DRM (or possibly assistant DRM – one of the suits) who stopped by our table at dinner tonight.  The answer is yes, indeed, they have an Indian menu, on a 7-day rotation.   He said they had had so many requests from vegans and vegetarians that they created the menu.  He said all you have to do is ask your waiter. 

 

So, we asked our waiter, who said all the waiters would be happy to bring you the menu, but that they ask that you order a day in advance, much like the salt-free or gluten-free menu – they bring you a menu, and you choose what you want for the next night, since it takes time to prepare the dishes especially, apart from the regular menu.  If you want the menu the first night, when you embark, they recommend you let your travel agent or cruise consultant know.  But, if you are OK with luck of the draw the first night, just tell your waiter you would like to see the Indian menu to order for the next night, and so on through the rest of your cruise.

 

I was surprised to learn about this, but I am glad to know,

 

Dave

 

 

This is the first time I've read such good, concise info about the Indian menu. Much appreciated!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aug. 4, Red Bay (Cont.)

 

The weather continued mostly sucky the rest of the day, although there were some hardy souls who did go ashore – I salute them.  I will show you the results of my labor sometime later in the cruise, when I post the Ocean Bar menu 😉 .

 

During early happy hour, the captain announced that we would be leaving after all the passengers returned and the ship had brought up the tenders, and that he would maneuver to approach closely (but not too closely) to the large glacier nearby.  This is the one we could spot off our starboard balcony all day and which I failed miserably to get a photo of despite many tries.  Everyone rushed to take photos, but probably by the end of the cruise, it will be "ho hum, another glacier." 

 

Well, we did get a lot closer, and here is a shot I took.  The captain said the glacier was at least 50 feet (16 meters) above the water, and nearly 1,000 feet (300 or so meters) long:

 

228662678_glaciertostarboard.jpg.34531c0e957b346dbe8ff7c2e4c0280b.jpg

 

 

After taking the glacier photo, we went in to dinner.  Here are the dinner and dessert menus.  DW had caesar salad and I had the clam chowder for starter.  We both had the fettuccine for main.

 

967747033_dinner4Aug_1.thumb.jpg.4422a5aced09db4e345b1ec5fc5573a7.jpg1018211878_dinner4Aug_2.thumb.jpg.a2653fdb68db613a1377455bc46b2ffb.jpg

 

1979253279_desserts4Aug.jpg.dcc8f586762ad986bc4925f77f2bbbda.jpg

 

 

And, here is the Lido dinner menu:

 

2112795637_dinnerlido4Aug.thumb.jpg.906cacd7b1cc9787ff84ab189a6c3edf.jpg

 

 

More later,

Dave

 

Edited by RetiredMustang
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, RetiredMustang said:

 

Thanks!  

 

I just checked, and I can't find anywhere on the interactive stateroom TV where shipboard lectures/presentations are being broadcast.  

 

Dave

Hi Dave,

 

They are there.  Go to exc ports & excursions, then select live presentations.  The thing is, once we've left the ports covered, they are gone.  So the first two are no longer available, but they were earlier.  One of the early lectures appears to be there from the travel host, but none from the guest lecturers.

 

Sue

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into your reviews. We will  be on our first HAL cruise in September and this really does give a flavour of what to expect, although I appreciate that Nieuw Statendam will be a wee bit different.
  • Looking forward to the next instalment.
  •  
  • Cheers
  • Scotslizzy 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, newbie53 said:

Hi Dave,

 

They are there.  Go to exc ports & excursions, then select live presentations.  The thing is, once we've left the ports covered, they are gone.  So the first two are no longer available, but they were earlier.  One of the early lectures appears to be there from the travel host, but none from the guest lecturers.

 

Sue

 

 

Thanks.  I must have missed that. Good info to know.  I know that on the earlier TVs, there was a specific channel, but I'm still learning about the new interactive TVs.

 

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Thanks Dave. 🙂 

 

I too was wondering how you were downloading from the Navigator.  Screen shots were horrible so I used the menus but yours are very clear and easy to read.

 

I was sure I tried it when Navigator came out but perhaps it’s improved?  I’ll try your method next cruise.  Much appreciate you taking the time to answer 🙂 

 

Enjoying your LIVE thread (as I always do) very much 🙂 

 

Thank you for taking us along 😄 

 

If you are using a regular computer to access Navigator, there is an option to actually download the menu in DOC format and hence not have to take a screen short or right click as Dave mentions. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, shrimpboat123 said:

 

If you are using a regular computer to access Navigator, there is an option to actually download the menu in DOC format and hence not have to take a screen short or right click as Dave mentions. 

 

Thanks Glen 🙂

I’ll be taking my IPad, as usual.  Laptops stay at home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have the flowers returned for the Voyage of the Vikings?  The previous cruise, there were no orchids on the Lido tables and no flowers in the MDR either.  When asked, staff told us it wasn't a cutback, but in response to complaints about allergies.  

Also, do you know how many guests are aboard?  The HAL site showed availability, but we were told it was sold out.

Thanks again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great "Live From" thread, Dave, thanks for putting in all the time and effort.

 

I have been impressed by the Lido dinner menus you have posted, they are more appealing than the dining room menus. The steamed mussels caught my eye on the latest menu. We will have to consider more Lido dinners. The food might even be served hotter there. I am surprised at the people who claim to grow tired of cruise line food, wonder how they manage a more varied diet at home.

 

Could someone point out where happy hours are listed on the When and Wheres, please? (My vision is fine, it is a mental problem.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, shrimpboat123 said:

 

If you are using a regular computer to access Navigator, there is an option to actually download the menu in DOC format and hence not have to take a screen short or right click as Dave mentions. 

 

True, but not everyone has Word to be able to read it.  Whenever I need to attach such a file, I convert it to a rich text file (.rtf) since all Microsoft platforms come with Wordpad.

 

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

Have the flowers returned for the Voyage of the Vikings?  The previous cruise, there were no orchids on the Lido tables and no flowers in the MDR either.  When asked, staff told us it wasn't a cutback, but in response to complaints about allergies.  

Also, do you know how many guests are aboard?  The HAL site showed availability, but we were told it was sold out.

Thanks again.

 

Sorry, no flowers on the tables in the MDR, just large vases of roses here and there.  Also, no orchids in the Lido, or many flowers at all anywhere around the ship.  The only flowers I saw in the Lido were one of those white bamboo things:

 

484110979_flowersinLido.jpg.a42f92cb0eb65e0e92a7b16dbb6ac2dc.jpg

 

 

I'm not sure I completely buy into the allergy thing.  It may be true ... but having fewer flowers is certainly cheaper for HAL.

 

Also, I don't know how may passengers are aboard, but we got the feeling that the ship was not completely full.

 

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...