Is the Koningsdam heading back to the Caribbean

[catl331]

14 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

There is limited, but not enough, space to accomplish that 

So maybe they could do a combination ... carry some and tow or drive some.

[Himself]

We will see what happens. 

[catl331]

cruisemapper now shows speed down to 9 kn

[sailingdutchy]

Just checking position of the Koningsdam on Marine Traffic it shows that she is just North of Venezuela doing 19.6 Kn and her destination as Cristobal , Panama ?

 

Does anybody know if she going through the Panama Canal maybe through the New locks ?  It was starnge that she went half way down Brazil was at anchor for a few days and than turned around .

 

@Copper10-8 do you have any idea or info on that ?

Edited April 7, 2020 by sailingdutchy

[Belgian fry]

We disembarked this ship on 15 March. We were told the ship would basically be doing the planned voyage of the Americas (40+days), going round the tip of South America, so that they could be in the right place for when cruising resumed. No passengers on board, just crew. 

 

The Koningsdam, although it officially fits through the Panama Canal, has lifeboats that overhang, which is why it doesn’t transit.

 

The ship set off as planned for the long trip round.

 

The ship has now made some arrangement to transit through the canal (no details but the CD has confirmed this on her FaceBook page). This explains why it has turned back.

 

From what I can see, morale onboard is high.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Alice

[VMax1700]

18 minutes ago, Belgian fry said:

CD has confirmed this on her FaceBook page

Is the CD Karlijn?

[Belgian fry]

The CD is Christine Lavonna

[catl331]

7 hours ago, sailingdutchy said:

maybe through the New locks ?

Yes, she's too wide for the old locks.

[Ine]

On the dutch fb site vrienden van Holland America it was announced Koningsdam will sail through the Panamacanal through the new locks. Planned for tomorrow morning at 5am local time.

https://multimedia.panama-canal.com/Webcams/aguaclara.html?fbclid=IwAR0eY0dC3D_jbswCgbSJeq1nEMGYsucfq29YHIeKLdiVZKbcyv5Uz6FcMvY

[catl331]

51 minutes ago, Ine said:

Planned for tomorrow morning at 5am local time.

marinetraffic.com and cruisemapper.com have her just west of Aruba currently, or about 600 nm from Cristobal and cruising at 18 or 19 knots. That means she's about 31 to 33 hours away, not 12. Are you sure it said tomorrow and not the 10th?

Edited April 8, 2020 by catl331

[Ine]

28 minutes ago, catl331 said:

marinetraffic.com and cruisemapper.com have her just west of Aruba currently, or about 610 nm from Cristobal and cruising at 18 or 19 knots. That means she's about 33 hours away, not 12. Are you sure it's not the 10th?

Indeed my mistake it will be the 10th.

Edited April 8, 2020 by Ine

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, Ine said:

On the dutch fb site vrienden van Holland America it was announced Koningsdam will sail through the Panamacanal through the new locks. Planned for tomorrow morning at 5am local time.

https://multimedia.panama-canal.com/Webcams/aguaclara.html?fbclid=IwAR0eY0dC3D_jbswCgbSJeq1nEMGYsucfq29YHIeKLdiVZKbcyv5Uz6FcMvY

 

Going through the new locks makes good sense to me.  It'll cost HAL more money to use the new locks, I expect.  But, there will be a saving from having to re-bunker and re-provision at South American ports that may or may not be cooperative for them to do so.

[Seacruise]

I suspect that it will be a night transit not a day transit.

Night transits are cheaper and that is likely we saw 3 Night transits of cruise ships last week setting a record for cruise ships transiting the canal.

[rjbean4]

I was the one that started this thread when I noticed the change in direction for Koningsdam. Glad more have found it in case it wasn't known regarding the change of plans. Hopefully can see this on the webcams as long as its not too early. I was up till 3am watching the record setting transits of Zaandam & Rotterdam when they also used the new locks.

[catl331]

She has about 325 nm to go. At current speed, that's about 18 hours, so ETA Colon is 01:00 local (EST) tomorrow.  I doubt I'll be up to watch, so rjbean4 if you do, please try to get a screen shot of what they do with the tenders/lifeboats!  😁

 

Edited April 9, 2020 by catl331

[rjbean4]

Koningsdam continues to get closer to the Atlantic side entrance for the canal. Copper, any more updates regarding the transit? Time to get ready for another transit watch party.

Edited April 9, 2020 by rjbean4

[catl331]

cruisemapper has her about 170 nm out, but slowed to 10 knots. At that speed she won't arrive until about 12:00 (EST) tomorrow.

[rjbean4]

Hope she goes through at a time that's not too early and if she has slowed down then maybe we could be in luck for just that. Unless someone has been able to find a transit schedule that's accurate. I have tried to do some looking but have not found anything. What I have found still shows a lot of ship transits but not updated with the current shutdown in mind.

 

Today I found a article about what Carnival is planning to do with controlling capacity till the end of June. 

 

I just finished showing mom one of the videos I have converted from VHS  of our 90-91 Holiday cruise on the old Nieuw Amsterdam. Brought back so many memories as it was our 3rd holiday at sea. Since then we are now at 32. Hopefully 33 in December.  I also decided to show her where so many of the ships are, especially off the east coast of FL and out in the Gulf west of us. I found another destination as nowhere again for the Carnival Legend and we now have one of the Oceania ships that has joined those that have been here at Port Tampa Bay rotating back and forth from being docked or out at the anchorage west of the Skyway Bridge.

Edited April 10, 2020 by rjbean4

[SedNabokos]

16 hours ago, catl331 said:

  I doubt I'll be up to watch, so rjbean4 if you do, please try to get a screen shot of what they do with the tenders/lifeboats! 

 

I'm saving regular snapshots of the Agua Clara webcam, assuming they don't block me I will turn it into a timelapse video like I did for the Zaandam and Rotterdam

 

I'm in a timezone 13 hours ahead of Panama, so if it's a night transit I'll be able to watch it live.

 

 

[catl331]

cruisemapper says it is now about 75 nm away and doing 15 knots, so 5 hrs to go ... if their info is correct!

[catl331]

marinetraffic says ETA in about 1/2 hour

[VMax1700]

KDM approaching the breakwater!

[VMax1700]

Through the breakwater.  Is she going straight to the locks?

[maxsales]

On 4/5/2020 at 1:40 PM, catl331 said:

It has been suggested on another thread that she could possibly remove the lifeboats for the transit and then restore them on the Pacific end.  They could follow the ship through the locks like ducklings behind their mother! Or the lifeboats could go through the old locks.

I would think that would be expensive as they would probably be charged canal transit fees for every lifeboat. It might be cheaper to send them by train. 

[Belgian fry]

Can someone suggest where to watch this one-off crossing please?