Captain Jonathan

[MMDown Under]

Welcome to Fremantle, WA, a safe harbour for your WC passengers.  

I want to thank you for sharing your experiences in your blog, Captain Who's Driving.  

I enjoy a number of WC blogs, but I really love your blog, which gives us a unique behind the scenes glimpse in the working life of a Cruise Ship Captain.  It gives passengers an understanding that it is not as simple as it looks and that a lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes in making a cruise safe and enjoyable for passengers.  

May you enjoy your well earned retirement

[3rdGenCunarder]

Yes, happy retirement, and well deserved. What a way to end a career!

 

[Copper10-8]

Awesome Captain and really nice man! His crew loves him!

 

[MMDown Under]

Maybe, once Captain Jonathan has recovered from the ordeal of this WC,  HAL Management will invite him back to be an extra special guest speaker on Segments of WCs.  He would certainly boost their cruise bookings, as passengers tentatively renew their trust in world cruising.

[Vict0riann]

Captain Mercer must be considered the hero of this saga.   Happy Retirement to him!

[bcummin]

God knew that Captain Jonathan Mercer would be the best Master to bring the good ship Amsterdam to safe harbor.

We wish everyone involved peace, patience, contentment, and thankfulness.

May you all feel God's support through this tragedy.

We wish the Good Captain a happy retirement.  Joy and happy memories to Captain Mercer and his family.

Safe home.

Barbara   

[Krazy Kruizers]

Enjoy your retirement Captain Jonathan Mercer.

[Mickb]

I am sure that you wouldn’t have it end like this but all congratulations to you for bringIng Amsterdam safely into port. Thank you also for your posts which were always fascinating as well as being instructive.

May you enjoy your well earned retirement - when you finally get there!

[Himself]

I wish Captain Jonathan Mercer a very Happy retirement.  I feel bad your final voyage had to be interrupted by the current  virus.  All the Best, Captain.

[Copper10-8]

Latest info on Capt. Mercer and Amsterdam has them departing Freemantle/Perth and sailing (crew only) on a westerly course in the Indian Ocean to Durban (east coast of South Africa) for bunkering (taking on fuel) and provisioning. Then around the tip of South Africa (Cape Good Hope) into the Atlantic Ocean for a course towards Ft. Lauderdale. Interestingly enough, he spent a good amount of his younger years sailing there (South Africa) on Union-Castle mail ships

 

 

 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

Latest info on Capt. Mercer and Amsterdam has them departing Freemantle/Perth and sailing (crew only) on a westerly course in the Indian Ocean to Durban (east coast of South Africa) for bunkering (taking on fuel) and provisioning. Then around the tip of South Africa (Cape Good Hope) into the Atlantic Ocean for a course towards Ft. Lauderdale. Interestingly enough, he spent a good amount of his younger years sailing there (South Africa) on Union-Castle mail ships

 

Thanks for the information Copper.  The good ship Amsterdam with Captain Mercer at her helm completes "her" and "his final world cruise".  That is not what I was expecting to happen.  But, it does seem "right" during a time when so much seems so "not right".

[RuthC]

I can't think of a more capable man to captain the Amsterdam through this crisis. Congratulations to him on a job above and beyond the call of duty. 
Enjoy your retirement, Captain Mercer. You deserve a change of pace after this cruise. 

[ski ww]

All the best and enjoy your retirement.

[Scrapnana]

He deserves all the best!  What a shame his last World Voyage had to end like this.

[Cruising Is Bliss]

12 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Latest info on Capt. Mercer and Amsterdam has them departing Freemantle/Perth and sailing (crew only) on a westerly course in the Indian Ocean to Durban (east coast of South Africa) for bunkering (taking on fuel) and provisioning. Then around the tip of South Africa (Cape Good Hope) into the Atlantic Ocean for a course towards Ft. Lauderdale. Interestingly enough, he spent a good amount of his younger years sailing there (South Africa) on Union-Castle mail ships

 

 

Wow, that's the long way around. Maybe it's their best chance for bunkering and provisions. Remote was no exaggeration. No wonder they refused to take passengers. Any idea how long it will take?

[ellie1145]

What a fascinating thread. We’ve never been on a Holland America ship but it was on our bucket list.

 

He sounds like an amazing captain and a wonderful man.

 

How do you access his blog? Never had time before to read blogs but now I have time on my hands....

 

 

[SedNabokos]

20 minutes ago, ellie1145 said:

How do you access his blog?

 

 

It's at http://captainjonathan.com/

[ellie1145]

1 hour ago, SedNabokos said:

 

 

It's at http://captainjonathan.com/

Thank you very much! Happy reading! 

[Harry1954]

He and his lovely wife Karen have truly endeared themselves to everyone who have sailed with them.  My DW and I have had the pleasure of four world cruises with them and can attest to this fact directly.

 

A simple example of his dedication to not only his work, but also to those with whom he is entrusted is the picture enclosed.  It was taken from one of Bruce's famous Mystery Dinners in the WC 2013.  Here is the master of the ship dressed up as a silly sailor guy in order to both support and participate in the antics surrounding this hilarious and, IMHO, greatly missed special event. 

 

His calm and self effacing personality makes him loved by all ... we will miss him on future cruises.

 

harry/DW

 

[Copper10-8]

3 hours ago, Cruising Is Bliss said:

 

Wow, that's the long way around. Maybe it's their best chance for bunkering and provisions. Remote was no exaggeration. No wonder they refused to take passengers. Any idea how long it will take?

 

About four weeks if there are no delays

Edited March 22, 2020 by Copper10-8

[bcummin]

Yes, Captain Jonathan Mercer is our Hero.

He and his staff were faced with a tragic situation that multiplied into countless frustrations.  We will never know what went on behind the scenes.  But the end result was the best possible.

Although we have loved the Amsterdam, we never had the honor of sailing with Captain Mercer -- except through his blog.  His wonderful blog.

Thank you.

Fair winds and following seas through a long and healthy retirement.

Barbara

[MMDown Under]

18 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Latest info on Capt. Mercer and Amsterdam has them departing Freemantle/Perth and sailing (crew only) on a westerly course in the Indian Ocean to Durban (east coast of South Africa) for bunkering (taking on fuel) and provisioning. Then around the tip of South Africa (Cape Good Hope) into the Atlantic Ocean for a course towards Ft. Lauderdale. Interestingly enough, he spent a good amount of his younger years sailing there (South Africa) on Union-Castle mail ships

 

 

 

 

 

That is an interesting route home - a rather nice finish to the WC, just without passengers.  Thanks for the maps.  I love maps.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

6 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

That is an interesting route home - a rather nice finish to the WC, just without passengers.  Thanks for the maps.  I love maps.

 

I too love maps. When I run out of books to read during this isolation, I may start reading the Atlas.

[MMDown Under]

Just now, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

 

I too love maps. When I run out of books to read during this isolation, I may start reading the Atlas.

ha ha.  Enjoy!  When I cruise, the first thing I do is visit the library and read the huge heavy World Atlas.  Then I grab some books, usually on my destination, to take away with me. 

[ozcruizer]

We never had the pleasure of sailing with Captain Mercer but I wish him all the best for his retirement.  I have followed his blog for as long as he's done the world cruise and will miss it.