Life and Live from Koningsdam on her New Year's cruise 26 Dec 21 - 02 Jan 22

[Copper10-8]

26 minutes ago, cccole said:

Does the ship pass close to Magdalena Bay in either direction for whale viewing?  I haven't read any cruise reviews mentioning it.  Really enjoying your "Live From."  Cherie

 

Nope, the dam ships stay outside Mexican national waters when sailing north/southbound along the coast of Baja. That is not to say that wales are not invisible to the naked eye. They / their spouts are, at times. You just have to be lucky.

 

The OOW on the bridge will, also at times, make a P/A announcement when wildlife is spotted and that's when a whole bunch of pax get up from their chairs, in say, the Lido Market, run to the side of the vessels that wildlife is on, and thereby cause the chief engineer down in the ECR a severe headache because now he has to redistribute his ballast calculations preventing his big ship from tipping over..............j/k on the last part 😉 

 

[AmazedByCruising]

Veel plezier/have fun, Copper! 

[GTVCRUISER]

Years ago on the Oosterdam we did a few Magdalena Bay`s , but they stopped it , never saw much when they did it 

[cccole]

It sounds amazing but I can understand why they no longer do it.  Thank you Copper 10-8 for the explanation.  Cherie

[Sherry H]

Once again, would some of you on this cruise please look at post #205.  I would really like to know if the ship is openly sharing information regarding those who are quarantined and if the numbers have increased as the cruise moves along. 

[12cruise2]

Thank you so much for doing this thread.  Your posts are always interesting and the photos, well, several in the last group from PV were priceless!

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, Sherry H said:

Once again, would some of you on this cruise please look at post #205.  I would really like to know if the ship is openly sharing information regarding those who are quarantined and if the numbers have increased as the cruise moves along. 

Why in the world would they share that?

[Sea42]

9 hours ago, Sherry H said:

Once again, would some of you on this cruise please look at post #205.  I would really like to know if the ship is openly sharing information regarding those who are quarantined and if the numbers have increased as the cruise moves along. 

JCP3, who is currently onboard and in quarantine is posting about his experience on this thread

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2821111-anyone-knows-what-quarantine-is-like-on-board/

[Copper10-8]

10 hours ago, Sherry H said:

Once again, would some of you on this cruise please look at post #205.  I would really like to know if the ship is openly sharing information regarding those who are quarantined and if the numbers have increased as the cruise moves along. 

 

Sure, I'll take a stab at that one;

 

#1 - We are not in isolation / quarantine, so I don't quite understand how you and/or the original poster of #205 would like anyone not in that situation to relate what life in quarantine is like onboard?

 

#2 K-dam's upper management is under no obligation to share "quarantine / Covid numbers" with their pax until that time where there exists such an increase that additional meassures / restrictions have to be added!

 

There are cabins set aside for quarantined individuals (both pax and crew) on Deck 4, the portion of which is secured by shutting the fire screen doors that mark the different fire zones in those corridors. In other words, if you have no business in those corridors, stay out of them! Pretty cut and dry

 

I have no doubt that K-dam's upper management, and more than likely, her Department heads, receive daily "quarantine numbers" from the Medical Dept. via email of those crew and pax who find themselves in those Deck 4 cabins. When I was working on the ships, I received those same emails on the number of Norovirus cases onboard. I also have no doubt that those numbers are shared with Seattle and with the local authorities of the four ports K-dam calls on during this run, but they are not shared with us pax and I don't know why they should unless they get out of control

 

Don't forget also that K-dam gets new crew members on a semi-regular basis and that, under the current Covid rules before they can start working, those crew members have to undergo a quarantine period the location of which is, wait for it, in those same Deck 3 cabins. 

 

Life for us as pax, now on Day 5 is exactly the same as it was when we boarded K-dam last Sunday; no extra restrictions whatsoever. If Covid numbers would have increased to "Danger, Danger Will Robinson" levels since leaving San Diego, we would have no doubt seen those regulations tightened and we all would have received a letter in our cabins and/or a P/A announcement 'splainin why

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2021 by Copper10-8

[Sherry H]

I certainly did not mean to offend anyone with my question.  We are going to be on the Koningsdam in two weeks, so I am anxious for any news from the ship.  I realize management is under no obligation to give out numbers of people in quarantine.  Your comment that if there had been many additional covid cases, management would no doubt tighten regulations is comforting.

What happens in quarantine was of interest to me as it is always a possibility.  The gentlemen in quarantine have a great attitude and wonderful humor in their posts.

Happy New Year all!!!  Let's hope for a good 2022!  

[LawDog61]

The good news for positive passengers seems to be that they are not being medically debarked in Mexico.  I have “been there, done that” and it’s not a good situation to be in.

[Oceansaway17]

19 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

 

 

The OOW on the bridge will, also at times, make a P/A announcement when wildlife is spotted and that's when a whole bunch of pax get up from their chairs, in say, the Lido Market, run to the side of the vessels that wildlife is on, and thereby cause the chief engineer down in the ECR a severe headache because now he has to redistribute his ballast calculations preventing his big ship from tipping over..............j/k on the last part 😉 

 

 

do not laugh but I have wondered what does happen when say 200 people decide to go to the same side of ship at the same time.  Guess not much but I have wondered even say 300 people.

thanks for the chuckle.

 

[Copper10-8]

Maria's "kissing fishes" from Mazatlan! "Just had to have them" for the backyard fountain 😉 

 

[Copper10-8]

K-dam's departure from the port of Mazatlan, followed by a full stop before reaching the harbor's breakwater, and the journey aft with the stern leading (without rear view mirrors), for the medical disembarkation that was subsequently cancelled because the patient's condition had thankfully improved / stabilized oh, and a happy bunch of bomberos in their lazy boys who did not have to respond 😜

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

Day 4 - Wednesday 29 DEC 21 – Mazatlan, Sinaloa (con't)

 

Dinner for us was back inside Club Orange where we walked in around 7:30 PM. Service tonight was good and fast and we once again had “Sweet and Low” as our main steward. The place was most definitely not as busy / occupied as it had been on Sunday and Monday evening. Maria chose the Coconut Crusted Shrimp, the Lambchop and the Hazelnut Mousse Cake while I had the Roasted Zucchini Bisque, the New York Striploin and a Sundae on Wednesday. We each had a glass of Moscato for an adult beverage.

 

Post dinner, we chose to go to the Main Stage for the 9:30 PM presentation there of BBC Earth Planet Earth II in concert. The “concert” part consisted of the ship’s Lincoln Center Stage classical musicians accompanying the footage. This movie, just like the initial one, contains some amazingly stunning footage of different animals inside their natural habitats throughout the world. The funny parts is that the audience starts picking sides on which animal to root for as it fights for its life as in the lone marine iguana hatchling being feverishly hunted on the beach of Fernandina Island (part of the Galapagos Islands) by a den of racer snakes that seem to be everywhere on, or a field mouse being stalked by an owl. You find yourself cheering for the underdog as they escape their seemingly doomed fate. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it (if you have small kids, there are no scenes of animals eating other animals).

 

We finished up the night inside the BB Kings Blues Club for some fine music by its performers in there. We also lose an hour tonight to bring us to PV time, but will get it back on Thursday night

 

Tomorrow (Thursday) is our third and last port of call on this seven-dayer, that being Puerto Vallarta, in the Mexican state of Jalisco. See ya then!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Himself]

John, I always love your reports.

 

[Copper10-8]

7 hours ago, Himself said:

John, I always love your reports.

 

 

Thank you Father! A Happy and Healthy 2022 to you! 

[puppycanducruise]

Loving all your photos.  Thanks for taking us along.

[Copper10-8]

GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR / SELAMAT TAHUN BARU / HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE KONINGSDAM!!  😁

 

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

John, Is that one of Maria's creations? It's lovely.

[StLouisCruisers]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR / SELAMAT TAHUN BARU / HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE KONINGSDAM!!  😁

 

 

Love it!

[Copper10-8]

12 minutes ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

John, Is that one of Maria's creations? It's lovely.

 

Yes, from the balcony 😉 She's pretty good at it, eh? 

[12cruise2]

Yes, Maria is really good at it!  Lovely.  Happy New Year!

[XBGuy]

@Copper10-8, I assume this is a picture of your strip steak entree.  Is that fried polenta on top?

 

[Copper10-8]

22 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

@Copper10-8, I assume this is a picture of your strip steak entree.  Is that fried polenta on top?

 

 

Yes Sir, good eye! 10 oz. New York Strip Loin, Polenta Fries & Portabella Mushroom