LAFFNVEGAS "LIVE" from the Nieuw Amsterdam, First HAL Ship to Sail!!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

6 hours ago, dutchie50 said:

Lisa, please let me also add my thanks for taking us all along on your pioneering cruise on the N/A. I have LOVED reading your journal with all the good, the bad and the ugly on this ‘maiden’ trip after the great pause. It was especially enlightening for me since we will also be doing a ‘maiden’ trip in Europe on board the N/A’s sister ship, the Eurodam over 2 weeks when we sail out of Piraeus on August 15th. I actually write a ‘blog’ about our travels which has of course been down since we haven’t been anywhere for a long time now.

For now I wish you and Tom safe travels tomorrow and who knows, we may very well meet up on a ‘Dam’ ship somewhere in the world, I hope so.

(I hope you don’t mind, but I have sent you a friend request over on fb - Avril …… - avatar is the Scottish flag.)

 

I am not sure I got it, maybe try sending it again. Thanks 😃

[kazu]

Adding my thanks, Lisa for your fabulous LIVE from and letting us all cruise vicariously through you 👍 

 

Thanks as well for answering so many questions and taking time from your cruise enjoyment to do it.

 

Your disembarkation is coming up….Hope it is a smooth one and your flight home smooth and crossing my fingers they can give you back the seats you lost by some miracle 🤞. Safe travels 

[dobiemom]

Safe travels home! 🙂

[panamashark]

Thanks Lisa and Tom for taking us with you.  Safe travels home!

[CruiseMGM]

Thank you, thank you, and safe travels home! Definitely enjoyed reading about your cruise.

 

When you sign up for Port Valet, did you also sign up for the ship's transfer, or did you have that already set up? We'd like to be on the 7:45am transfer to the airport for an early-ish flight and wonder how that is accomplished. We have a private transfer set up for 8am, but that was done with the presumption that we could walk off on our own. Now I'm thinking maybe that's not going to happen. Looking forward to reading your wrap up posts about disembarkation, chaos (or not), etc.! Glad you have another cruise to look forward to so soon.

[dobiemom]

One thing I think HAL needs to add to the disembarkation letter is to have a mask 😕 ready to wear off the ship. 
 

Edited July 31, 2021 by dobiemom

[AncientWanderer]

A million thanks, Lisa, for the wonderful "live from."  You certainly did scratch an itch for a whole lot of us!

Have a safe journey home, and begin the countdown to reboard soon!

Very best wishes 😊

[NCTribeFan]

I'd like to add my thanks for all the great information and for taking so much of your time to post and respond to questions.  I really am, for the first time, seriously considering booking a cruise to Alaska, maybe for next summer.

 

Safe travels home.  I look forward to reading about your future adventures.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Good Morning from Seattle. One last breakfast in the MDR . While I am sad to leave we will be a lot sadder 6 weeks from today.

As I am thinking of things I will try to point them out. 
HAL no longer has sugar or substitute sugar in packets but rather all in containers for things like Equal it was this tiny shaker smaller than a salt shaker but the sugar container is larger . It looks modern but really is not very functional. There is a spout that the sugar it to flow onto but once the sugar container is half empty the sugar cannot flow into it. Plus because spout is wide it allows moisture in and the sugar gets lumpy.

[Ichiban Nekko]

Lisa -- Another thank you from someone who has read every word of this thread! We all appreciate the time it took (especially with iffy wifi). Your patience in answering every question put to you is breathtaking. And throughout your voyage, you gave all your readers a real feel for how it felt to be on board this special voyage.

 

When you return in six weeks, I hope you have the fortitude to do this again. Many of your readers will be interested to see what, if any changes, are made in the interim (menus & wine stewards are just two items that come to mind).

 

Wishing you and your DH a drama-free return home. Perhaps the airline gods will return the seating you paid for!

 

Thanks so very much.

-Cat

[LAFFNVEGAS]

At 7:15 they announced the Nieuw Amsterdam has cleared customs and if you are self embarking you can proceed to the midship gangway. So there is early disembarkation. 👍🏻
Breakfast has been served 😃

[woodworker&knitter]

4 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Good Morning from Seattle. One last breakfast in the MDR . While I am sad to leave we will be a lot sadder 6 weeks from today.

As I am thinking of things I will try to point them out. 
HAL no longer has sugar or substitute sugar in packets but rather all in containers for things like Equal it was this tiny shaker smaller than a salt shaker but the sugar container is larger . It looks modern but really is not very functional. There is a spout that the sugar it to flow onto but once the sugar container is half empty the sugar cannot flow into it. Plus because spout is wide it allows moisture in and the sugar gets lumpy.

Those sugar dispensers were on our 2019 cruise . I’m really surprised they haven’t been replaced yet. They really are useless 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

5 minutes ago, Ichiban Nekko said:

Lisa -- Another thank you from someone who has read every word of this thread! We all appreciate the time it took (especially with iffy wifi). Your patience in answering every question put to you is breathtaking. And throughout your voyage, you gave all your readers a real feel for how it felt to be on board this special voyage.

 

When you return in six weeks, I hope you have the fortitude to do this again. Many of your readers will be interested to see what, if any changes, are made in the interim (menus & wine stewards are just two items that come to mind).

 

Wishing you and your DH a drama-free return home. Perhaps the airline gods will return the seating you paid for!

 

Thanks so very much.

-Cat

I am actually considering doing another Live from, our next cruise the promotion we are booked under included the Premium WiFi so maybe it’s better lol but doubt it.

It will definitely be interesting to compare any differences.

[ger_77]

Safe travels today Lisa and Tom; thanks a bunch for taking us with you!

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

[Himself]

Have a safe trip home and thank you for taking us with you on the first cruise since the so called pause.

[canadianbear]

6 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I am actually considering doing another Live from, our next cruise the promotion we are booked under included the Premium WiFi so maybe it’s better lol but doubt it.

It will definitely be interesting to compare any differences.

Oh please do (if you’re up to it).   Have always loved your Live from….and I’m definitely having withdrawals from not cruising so reading your reports helps me!  

[madera1]

I loved all your reports and appreciate you taking the time away from your cruise to enlighten the rest of us who could not be onboard. You answered so many questions fo us. I look forward to hearing more on our 9/4 roll call!

[dmcfad2]

Thanks for your informative posts!

[durangoscots]

Thank you, Lisa. Your reporting has eased some of my concerns about a future cruise. Think Alaska, again, is in my future. I truly appreciate you taking the time to keep us posted.

 

Susan

[kazu]

23 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I am actually considering doing another Live from, our next cruise the promotion we are booked under included the Premium WiFi so maybe it’s better lol but doubt it.

It will definitely be interesting to compare any differences.

 

I hope you do 🤞 

[zelker]

So according to what I’ve read here, I’m now going to have to add bar soap and Splenda packets to my packing list.  What’s next? 😏

[zounds]

Thank you very much !!  What a treat to see and read your comprehensive account.  We'll be on the NA in Dec.  and are very much looking forward to it after 2 booked cruises were cancelled.

[atexsix]

43 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I am actually considering doing another Live from, our next cruise the promotion we are booked under included the Premium WiFi so maybe it’s better lol but doubt it.

It will definitely be interesting to compare any differences.

At least that time I will be experiencing it with you rather than just reading about it 😃

[atexsix]

54 minutes ago, woodworker&knitter said:

Those sugar dispensers were on our 2019 cruise . I’m really surprised they haven’t been replaced yet. They really are useless 

LoL. We must have just missed it because our fall 2018 cruise had the little packets.

 

And I won't put up with dispensers with 3 little holes in em, I'm not shy about unscrewing the lid and dealing with it that way, done it many times with salt

 

 

Edited July 31, 2021 by atexsix

[Florida_gal_50]

49 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I am actually considering doing another Live from, our next cruise the promotion we are booked under included the Premium WiFi so maybe it’s better lol but doubt it.

It will definitely be interesting to compare any differences.

That would be wonderful if you did do a live from but totally understand not wanting to.  I hope you have an uneventful trip home.  Thank you again.