LAFFNVEGAS "LIVE" from the Nieuw Amsterdam/The Return.... Part Two

[silversneakers]

1 hour ago, DoggyDaddy said:

If all ports are in the USA, why are Passports required?

 

DD

When we sailed a couple of weeks ago, the question was asked why we had to go through customs and the response was "because we sail in international water"......not sure about that answer but nevertheless that was it.

[twodjs]

2 hours ago, DoggyDaddy said:

If all ports are in the USA, why are Passports required?

 

DD

In case there is a medical emergency, and the closest help is Canada, you'd need that passport.

[NCTribeFan]

57 minutes ago, twodjs said:

In case there is a medical emergency, and the closest help is Canada, you'd need that passport.

 

But you can sail to the Caribbean using just a birth certificate and a drivers license.  If you have an emergency there, you'd also have a problem getting home yet people do it all the time.  Not me. 

 

If I'm not on US soil, I have my passport on my person.  IMO, it's why I have a passport.

 

No idea why it's required on the Alaska sailings.  I haven't done one so didn't realize it was required.

[bcummin]

I do not think that a passport used to be required for Alaska sailings.

Barbara

[Florida_gal_50]

I can’t imagine why people don’t want to get a passport.  Years ago it was a royal pain when you needed a professional to sign your passport papers.  Now it’s really quite easy.  It’s more of a pain and a much longer process to get a nexus card which expires after 5 years.  I’ve almost burnt 2 of those years in captivity at home.

[Trawler_Joy]

Lisa is having problems posting on CC and is unable to provide reporting at the time. She led us (Tom, Bruno, Marsha (dobiemom), Eileen, myself) to the secret forward access to deck 7 where we waved at the harbor cams.  We're hopeful Lisa will be back online soon as I know we all enjoy her observations. Off to explore Juneau now!

[Himself]

1 hour ago, NCTribeFan said:

 

But you can sail to the Caribbean using just a birth certificate and a drivers license.  If you have an emergency there, you'd also have a problem getting home yet people do it all the time.  Not me. 

 

If I'm not on US soil, I have my passport on my person.  IMO, it's why I have a passport.

 

No idea why it's required on the Alaska sailings.  I haven't done one so didn't realize it was required.

 

 

 

I ALWAYS carry a passport when going out of the country, including the Caribbean..

[silversneakers]

3 hours ago, twodjs said:

In case there is a medical emergency, and the closest help is Canada, you'd need that passport.

That is a good and understandable answer. Thank you.

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, erewhon said:

Do you mean Rene Tuinman?

 

Yes.  That is whom I mean.  Thank you.  I have sailed with Mr. Tuinman on a few cruises and I have great respect for him.

 

20 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

Agree!  Senior management can make or break a cruise.   

 

One's cruise experience flows "from the top down" and I mean as the "top" being the Master of the vessel.  I sailed on a 21 day Caribbean cruise when neither the Master nor the Hotel Director had a guest friendly attitude.  That attitude was exhibited by too many of the hotel staff.  Other Mariners on that cruise whom I met also felt the same way.  So, I was not just "out in left field" in my observations.  

 

18 hours ago, USN59-79 said:

We have taken many long cruises on the Amsterdam and Henk Mensink as Hotel Manager and his wife Christel as Guest Relations Manager were always a great team.  

 

I have sailed with the Mensinks and agree with your experience.  I first sailed with Mr. Mensink when he was the Hotel Director on the Noordam when she sailed from New York.  That was a good cruise and I was pleased to learn that he had been promoted soon after that to the HD position on the Amsterdam when that long serving gentleman retired.  

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Good Afternoon from Juneau. I have finally gotten into CC. I have cleared cookies twice and keeping my fingers crossed this is working. Although I am also on my own data through Verizon.

We had a fun little webcam wave this afternoon, then Dobiemom and myself headed off to Tracy’s Crab shack where we enjoyed some crab. We were originally suppose to do through Hal but the excursion canceled. That ok we still got our crab. Tom headed over to The Hanger for Halibut Fish and Chips. 
Then there was an ad for a piece of jewelry from Effy in a flyer for Juneau. 
Unfortunately Dobiemom was not strong enough to pull me out of the store, that’s our story and we are sticking to it 😉😂 The Car Salesman in me did do some negotiating after they did their spiel , even starting walking out of the store 😁 but in the end they charged my card and I walked out with a necklace and two free items a crab bracelet and and silver whale tail me necklace. The pricey one was with sapphires .

Then we headed up Franklin Street and of course left with several slabs of Fudge from the Alaska Fudge company. Outside of the Fudge store Tom found us . 
@Himself we did mention you at Alaska Fudge but the two very your teens working there said they were just there the last couple of years. 
 

Dobiemom, had a 4pm Dog Sled Excursion and Tom and I have Pinnacle reservations this evening so we left Marcia aka Dobiemom at the pier but brought back her fudge 😊

Luckily it was only raining as we got off the ship. It’s cloudy but dry now.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Here are photos including the necklace 😊

[Florida_gal_50]

Love the bling 🙂.  Looks like a good day.

[Cruizer Bill]

The streets and docks are all wet.  Hope it did not put a "damper" on your day!  

[Himself]

Lisa:  The ones who would know me are Phil, Blue, Deb or Scott.

[aliaschief]

41 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Good Afternoon from Juneau. I have finally gotten into CC. I have cleared cookies twice and keeping my fingers crossed this is working. Although I am also on my own data through Verizon.

We had a fun little webcam wave this afternoon, then Dobiemom and myself headed off to Tracy’s Crab shack where we enjoyed some crab. We were originally suppose to do through Hal but the excursion canceled. That ok we still got our crab. Tom headed over to The Hanger for Halibut Fish and Chips. 
Then there was an ad for a piece of jewelry from Effy in a flyer for Juneau. 
Unfortunately Dobiemom was not strong enough to pull me out of the store, that’s our story and we are sticking to it 😉😂 The Car Salesman in me did do some negotiating after they did their spiel , even starting walking out of the store 😁 but in the end they charged my card and I walked out with a necklace and two free items a crab bracelet and and silver whale tail me necklace. The pricey one was with sapphires .

Then we headed up Franklin Street and of course left with several slabs of Fudge from the Alaska Fudge company. Outside of the Fudge store Tom found us . 
@Himself we did mention you at Alaska Fudge but the two very your teens working there said they were just there the last couple of years. 
 

Dobiemom, had a 4pm Dog Sled Excursion and Tom and I have Pinnacle reservations this evening so we left Marcia aka Dobiemom at the pier but brought back her fudge 😊

Luckily it was only raining as we got off the ship. It’s cloudy but dry now.

So good but a workout with the tools they give you!😁

[Cruise Suzy]

58 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

 

 

 

 

Gotta remember to try that! 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

5 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Gotta remember to try that! 

It was actually delicious 👍🏻

[ger_77]

Sweet whale tail!!!

 

Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂

Gerry

[kazu]

2 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Here are photos including the necklace

 

 

Can’t blame you one bit for snatching that one up 😉  Pretty 😄 

[erewhon]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Yes.  That is whom I mean.  Thank you.  I have sailed with Mr. Tuinman on a few cruises and I have great respect for him.

 

 

Yes, we certainly have great respect for him.  We met him on the Volendam, in 2010 we did the last Alaska cruise of the season, then stayed on board for the Trans Pacific. On turn around day he seemed to be everywhere, encouraging the staff getting the rooms ready for the new arrivals at 1130,  he said it was the first time they were doing this.  So I guess that we should all be grateful to him and the crew for their success to have rooms ready when boarding the ships

We had several talks with Rene during the cruise, also with Captain Pieter Visser.   If we were in the Neptune Lounge when they came in to make coffee, they would always speak to us.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Good Evening from the MS Nieuw Amsterdam in Juneau Alaska, to say I am stuffed is an understatement. Three big meals for me in one day is unheard of. 
Tonight we dined in the Pinnacle. As I mentioned last time we were on board I am impressed with the new meat supplier, definitely an improvement for Pinnacle.

It is not raining and actually a beautiful view from our balcony when we returned to our stateroom.

Tomorrow is Glacier Bay., then early evening is Icey Strait Point.

 

 

[StLouisCruisers]

15 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

 

 

 

That's a beautiful whale tail!  Congrats on your new necklace.

[Cruizer Bill]

You should be in Glacier Bay right now.  Last week it was dry but overcast.  We actually went through a dense cloud bank of almost zero visibility until 8:50 AM, and then we emerged from the cloud and could see quite well.  It was not a sunny day for us.  Let's hope your weather is better and you see some wildlife and calving glaciers.  

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Good Morning from Glacier Bay, we actually have beautiful weather. It was cloudy in July when we were here.

we are getting close to Margerie Glacier and have already been past Lamplaugh and John Hopkins. I will post those pics below.

 

 

[NavArch64]

Hope you enjoyed the pea soup ... on Aug 3 it was delicious!