To the Masters of the Zaandam and the Rotterdam on April 2, 2020

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Yes, all the captains deserve a round of applause for getting their passengers, crew and ships back to port safely and in as timely manner as possible.

 

We’ve sailed with Captain Mercer several times and wish him the best in his retirement.  Also wishing him and the crew a quick refueling and provisioning in Durban.  And wishing them smooth seas and following winds to their final port.

 

The latest post on Captain Mercer’s blog is dated March 29, but just showed up on his blog day before yesterday.  He posted a 10 minute video of a walk he did through the public areas to show how the ship looks without her passengers.  Very sad and very interesting.

 

Lenda 

[Copper10-8]

Captain Mercer's "walk around" video can be found towards the bottom of his post. You'll never see the Amsterdam like this, not even in dry-dock 

 

http://captainjonathan.com/

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

Captain Mercer's "walk around" video can be found towards the bottom of his post. You'll never see the Amsterdam like this, not even in dry-dock 

 

http://captainjonathan.com/

 

Fantastic but eerie. I love that some crew members were using the pool. They've earned a break!

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

Captain Mercer's "walk around" video can be found towards the bottom of his post. You'll never see the Amsterdam like this, not even in dry-dock 

 

http://captainjonathan.com/

 

Eerie, but the Amsterdam is still a beautiful ship.  I think there has been some decor changes since I was last aboard.  

[Copper10-8]

27 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Eerie, but the Amsterdam is still a beautiful ship.  I think there has been some decor changes since I was last aboard.  

 

 

Not sure when you were last on but she had a drydock in May 2018 😉

 

Btw, she is scheduled for another drydock next month (May 2020) but that one is on hold right now until we beat this %#@&# low crawling virus. Zaandam is scheduled for her drydock in three days! Same story 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

56 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Fantastic but eerie. I love that some crew members were using the pool. They've earned a break!

 

 

Yeah for sure! When do you ever see that one? Hard working Indonesian crew guys enjoying the Lido pool and hot tubs! 😃 Awesome!

[rafinmd]

Amsterdam making pretty nice progress.  Appears to have about 200 miles to go.

 

Roy

[rkacruiser]

13 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Not sure when you were last on but she had a drydock in May 2018 😉

 

It was before May, 2018.  A 14 day Alaska cruise:  2017, I think.

[Copper10-8]

4 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Amsterdam making pretty nice progress.  Appears to have about 200 miles to go.

 

Roy

 

Which site Roy? thanks! The two I'm using show her out of date positions

[rafinmd]

 

I'm using Marine Traffic.  AIS position is out of date but the ship identified by satellite has to be her.  Not many cruise ships moving to cloud up the picture.  I started by looking at Durban and then expanding first until I saw the ship and then expanded more to get Madagascar into the picture as a point of reference.

 

Roy

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

2 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Captain Mercer's "walk around" video can be found towards the bottom of his post. You'll never see the Amsterdam like this, not even in dry-dock 

 

http://captainjonathan.com/

I hope we never have cause to see the Amsterdam or any ship, no matter which cruise line, like that ever again.  
 

Lenda

[Petunia1950]

2 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Captain Mercer's "walk around" video can be found towards the bottom of his post. You'll never see the Amsterdam like this, not even in dry-dock 

 

http://captainjonathan.com/

That was fascinating.  Thanks for sharing!

[Copper10-8]

17 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

 

I'm using Marine Traffic.  AIS position is out of date but the ship identified by satellite has to be her.  Not many cruise ships moving to cloud up the picture.  I started by looking at Durban and then expanding first until I saw the ship and then expanded more to get Madagascar into the picture as a point of reference.

 

Roy

 

Gotta be her, Roy! Be safe!

[StLouisCruisers]

cruisemapper.com is showing Amsterdam closing in on Durban, too.

 

Thanks for the video of the Amsterdam.  Like a ghost town (except for the pool).😊

[Copper10-8]

2 hours ago, rafinmd said:

 

I'm using Marine Traffic.  AIS position is out of date but the ship identified by satellite has to be her.  Not many cruise ships moving to cloud up the picture.  I started by looking at Durban and then expanding first until I saw the ship and then expanded more to get Madagascar into the picture as a point of reference.

 

Roy

 

 

Just checked AIS and noted that MSC Orchestra is "loitering" just northeast of Durban at 0.5 knots. Wonder if she's waiting for permission to get in for the same purpose as Amsterdam

 

[rafinmd]

6 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Just checked AIS and noted that MSC Orchestra is "loitering" just northeast of Durban at 0.5 knots. Wonder if she's waiting for permission to get in for the same purpose as Amsterdam

 

Not sure and I did not see much on the MSC boards.  Her last cruise was supposed to be Durban to Venice, leaving Cape Town April 14.  She has been sitting there since before QM2 showed up.  I suspect she's just waiting for MSC to make a decision.

 

Roy

[Cruising Is Bliss]

18 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Queen Mary 2 with 264 non-flying passengers had to wait 3 days at anchor to get clearance to refuel in Durban.  Wishing Captain Jonathan much better luck.  He still has himself and his crew he needs to get back home.  I almost wonder with the current situation in Fort Lauderdale he might be better off going to the Netherlands.

 

Roy

 

Good luck and continued safe travels to Captain Mercer and all her crew onboard the Amsterdam!

 

Roy -

Maybe not. The Netherlands has opted for trying to get to controlled herd immunity among those least at risk of dying, instead of locking down everyone.  As of April 5h, 16,627 tested positive, 1,651 dead.

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by Cruising Is Bliss

[bob brown]

I wonder how many other cruise ships in total, are still trying to disembark their passenger's, around the world?

[Scrapnana]

20 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Fantastic but eerie. I love that some crew members were using the pool. They've earned a break!

They surely have.  In one of Captain Mercer's earlier posts he mentioned that they were organizing games and activities and even teaching some of the crew how to swim.

 

BTW - there is a new post from Captain Mercer.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, Scrapnana said:

They surely have.  In one of Captain Mercer's earlier posts he mentioned that they were organizing games and activities and even teaching some of the crew how to swim.

 

BTW - there is a new post from Captain Mercer.

 

Thanks for letting us know. I love how they sanitized everything the visiting doctor touched!

[sail7seas]

22 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Thanks for letting us know. I love how they sanitized everything the visiting doctor touched!

 

Thus the reason  we  call HAL  "the Clean Fleet

[SandraH]

Thanks for this thread.  Kudos to the captains and the staff of those two ships.