Captain Albert

[JeffElizabeth]

We got to hear him speak on the history of the cruise industry and the history of Holland America both on the Prinsendam and recently the Rotterdam.  Loved his lectures and talks. The man really knows his history. If you get the chance, check him out when this Coronavirus epidemic ends.

[Himself]

I heard him when he was on the old Statendam and you are quite right.  He is very knowledgeable..

[Daisyloo]

We have had the pleasure of hearing his talks on 2 of our cruises.  He is a wonderfully interesting speaker.  There was standing room only at all his talks.  

[rjbean4]

Captain Albert is currently on the Rotterdam and just as a heads up it looks like they have had their cruise halted in Puerto Vallarta. I'm now wondering about the Veendam and Zuiderdam. Maybe its time for them to just head for Port Everglades.

[JeffElizabeth]

He has a website www.captainalbert.com that is great to follow to keep up progress during the shutdown.  He is running life boat drills for the Rotterdam.  It looks like they plan to dock there for a long time. Puerto Vallarta appears to be friendly and other Carnival ships might wait out the Coronavirus there. 

[Ine]

57 minutes ago, JeffElizabeth said:

He has a website www.captainalbert.com that is great to follow to keep up progress during the shutdown.  He is running life boat drills for the Rotterdam.  It looks like they plan to dock there for a long time. Puerto Vallarta appears to be friendly and other Carnival ships might wait out the Coronavirus there. 

It is announced Westerdam will be docking in  Puerto Vallarta one of these days after a 2 day stay and check in Honolulu.

[Copper10-8]

2 hours ago, Ine said:

It is announced Westerdam will be docking in  Puerto Vallarta one of these days after a 2 day stay and check in Honolulu.

 

 

Ine, FYI - Westie has already left Hawaii (she was in HNL on Monday, 16 Mar and left on Tue) and is on her way to Puerto Vallarta, as is Eurodam. E-dam will get there first; she is currently southbound along the coast of Baja (Norte)

[rkacruiser]

I knew Captain Albert was on the ship during one of my cruises and sent a message to him via the Front Office asking him to meet me briefly.  He did.  We had a short and very pleasant meeting in the foyer in front of the Front Office one afternoon.  A very gracious and very guest friendly gentleman; we share a friend who co-authored a publication with him.  

 

On another cruise, I opened my stateroom door to find Captain Albert walking by.  I did not know he was aboard.  We recognized each other and we were both surprised.  A brief,  but again, very friendly greeting by him.

 

I have learned so much from his Blogs.  He's a HAL gem, I think.    

[Ine]

23 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

 

Ine, FYI - Westie has already left Hawaii (she was in HNL on Monday, 16 Mar and left on Tue) and is on her way to Puerto Vallarta, as is Eurodam. E-dam will get there first; she is currently southbound along the coast of Baja (Norte)

It is confusing as Captain Albert states that Norwegian Joy and Europa (Hapag Lloyd) will come to Vallarta. The port can - as you know - dock 3 ships, so I wonder if indeed more ships will come some of them will need to anchor.

 

[Copper10-8]

10 minutes ago, Ine said:

It is confusing as Captain Albert states that Norwegian Joy and Europa (Hapag Lloyd) will come to Vallarta. The port can - as you know - dock 3 ships, so I wonder if indeed more ships will come some of them will need to anchor.

 

 

I have a feeling PV and/or Cabo will become the west coast anchorage (similar to what's going on in the Bahamas) for those ships on the left coast

[Himself]

23 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

I have a feeling PV and/or Cabo will become the west coast anchorage (similar to what's going on in the Bahamas) for those ships on the left coast

I

 

 

thought West Coast was the "Left Coast."

[Copper10-8]

Just now, Himself said:

I

 

 

thought West Coast was the "Left Coast."

 

It is, Father 😉 meaning those ships in the Pacific Ocean

[Ine]

14 hours ago, Ine said:

It is confusing as Captain Albert states that Norwegian Joy and Europa (Hapag Lloyd) will come to Vallarta. The port can - as you know - dock 3 ships, so I wonder if indeed more ships will come some of them will need to anchor.

 

I was just informed that indeed Europa is docked in Puerto Vallarta.

[DeeniEncinitas]

Good morning!

Captain Albert is awesome! We were on The Rotterdam 3/11-3-15! We had to disembark and head back home from PV.

Never could finish our Panama Cruise !

He always kept us informed and so sincere. He is down to earth, tried to keep us up lifted and always said HAL will take care of us! I know first hand and I am well taken care of with my Risa who is our PCC!! Our 100% monies going through 

on refunds and getting our 100% FCC.

Captain Albert was a straight shooter and a very calming person!

❤️THANK YOU CAPTAIN ALBERT!

Denise😊

[bcummin]

Captain Albert had mentioned the possibility of a rotation system for ships between anchorage and the dock.

Barbara

[tommui987]

for the longest whil, I coud not figure why the Westie was going to Vallarta from Hawaii rather than a (cmparative) straight line to LAX< SFO, or SEA

 

Then the lighrt dawned - the Jones Act - a foreign registered ship cannot carry passengers from a US port to s US port.

[Ine]

4 hours ago, Ine said:

I was just informed that indeed Europa is docked in Puerto Vallarta.

On the webcam of ms Europa you get a nice view of ms Rottterdam. https://www.hl-*****/ships/ms-europa/explore-ship/ships-position-webcam

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, tommui987 said:

for the longest whil, I coud not figure why the Westie was going to Vallarta from Hawaii rather than a (cmparative) straight line to LAX< SFO, or SEA

 

Then the lighrt dawned - the Jones Act - a foreign registered ship cannot carry passengers from a US port to s US port.

 

The Jones Act is for goods; the PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act) is for people 😉 

[TiogaCruiser]

So probably a dumb question, but that has never stopped me.🤪

 

Can cruise ships “raft” at a dock?

[Copper10-8]

16 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

So probably a dumb question, but that has never stopped me.🤪

 

Can cruise ships “raft” at a dock?

 

Can you explain that one a little better so that my small brain can comprehend?

[Ine]

More news about ms Europa. It was carrying passengers who were transported to the airport for their flights home: 

P.v. Mirror Puerto Vallarta is receiving the Europe cruise, with more than 600 passengers and 130 crew members on board and accumulating 25 days at sea.
According to the sanitary requirements, the 14 days of incubation have passed and there are two quarantine periods, since, it is assured, no person infected with coronavirus comes on board.
In Puerto Vallarta they will undergo the process of migration and health review and check that they are indeed healthy.
They will move in controlled means by area to their country of origin, the ship will be for hours and no one will go down to the port.
As previously reported in CPS Noticias and in Tribuna de la Bahía, it is expected that in the next few days at least 3 more ships will arrive, which, together with Rotterdam and now Europa, will be in Vallarta.
The ship came without a visible flag, but it is known that it will carry a "yellow flag" that indicates that, although docked in a Mexican port, its crew will not be able to stay in the city.
Europe is a cruise ship owned and operated by the German company Hapag-Lloyd

[arielmatey]

2 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Can you explain that one a little better so that my small brain can comprehend?

Rafting is the practice of docking ships side by side, which forces passengers to walk through -- or in some cases, up and over --other ships to embark and disembark.  This is a photo I took on the Main River in Wurzburg, Germany last fall.

[TiogaCruiser]

That. Except with a cruise ship it would be a bit difficult to walk from one to another.

[rafinmd]

26 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

That. Except with a cruise ship it would be a bit difficult to walk from one to another.

I think in addition most cruise ships are more oval than rectangular making tying up together quite difficult.

 

Roy

[bcummin]

I see possibly spreading any possible infection.

Barbara