Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #201 Share Posted January 15, 2022 54 minutes ago, cccole said: Btimmer, sorry, sorry, sorry, but...does the pilot stay with your captain on the bridge until your ship leaves the canal? No hurry in answering. Cherie Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cccole Posted January 15, 2022 #202 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Thank you, Cherie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksmaxey Posted January 15, 2022 #203 Share Posted January 15, 2022 13 hours ago, Btimmer said: Whether the Canal asks or not or what threshold wasn't disclosed to us. They may not request it for the return voyage. We'll see. Re: snorkeling, we've been there three times in the last few months and have found an undocumented snorkeling spot that's pretty good. The HAL trip should expose us to a new area. Here's hoping. We will be at HMC Monday - where do you suggest snorkeling? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 0106 Posted January 15, 2022 #204 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Brimmed- Thanks for taking us along on the first leg of your cruise. Looking forward to hearing about your westward journey. On another thread you said the cruise has been “challenging”. What did you mean by that comment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #205 Share Posted January 15, 2022 14 minutes ago, 0106 said: Brimmed- Thanks for taking us along on the first leg of your cruise. Looking forward to hearing about your westward journey. On another thread you said the cruise has been “challenging”. What did you mean by that comment? By challenging, I had in mind several things: the challenge of getting a flight to San Diego, cancellations of ports and the need to rebook shore excursions, the cloud of 'will one or both of us get the virus', keeping vigilant in our anti-virus practices when ashore, and how do we spend a significant amount of shipboard credit on experiences and not things. With all that being said, we are thankful to be onboard. We'd still repeat the cruise. We love cruising and we're doing our small part in providing jobs for the crew, many of whom lost 18 months of income and very real challenging times getting back to their home countries at the start of the pandemic. Thank you for following along. 7 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #206 Share Posted January 15, 2022 2 hours ago, ksmaxey said: We will be at HMC Monday - where do you suggest snorkeling? Besides the HAL excursion, there is a snorkeling area at the beach by the tender dock. If you don't mind a 45 minute walk, walk 30 minutes to the horse corrals, turn left down to the beach and turn right and walk another 15 minutes to the sign indicating to not walk any further. Looking out at the water you'll see a dark spot. Head for there and over by the rocky point. Please keep in mind, there are no lifeguards and few other people there. A snorkeling vest is recommended. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forwardho Posted January 15, 2022 #207 Share Posted January 15, 2022 I so have enjoyed cruising the Panama Canal virtually with you on your trip. Your pictures and information have been wonderful. I do have a question since we have a upcoming trip on the Zuiderdam, will the bathroom or closet doors allow for a over the door shoe hanging organizer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Gail & Marty sailing away Posted January 15, 2022 #208 Share Posted January 15, 2022 See you on the ship tomorrow. Gail and Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPB4IGO Posted January 15, 2022 #209 Share Posted January 15, 2022 31 minutes ago, forwardho said: I do have a question since we have a upcoming trip on the Zuiderdam, will the bathroom or closet doors allow for a over the door shoe hanging organizer? We are onboard now and use one of those organizers. We have used them on four dam ships now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelker Posted January 15, 2022 #210 Share Posted January 15, 2022 2 hours ago, Btimmer said: By challenging, I had in mind several things ,,, the cloud of 'will one or both of us get the virus', keeping vigilant in our anti-virus practices when ashore ... Did you find yourselves not doing things onboard that you normally would and if so, what kinds of things did you avoid? Thx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #211 Share Posted January 15, 2022 (edited) Almost again. . . The Captain just announced while circling Half Moon Cay that the Bahamian authorities declined clearance this morning for the Zuiderdam to make a stop here today. They changed the rules lowering the threshold. He sounded very surprised at this turn of events. So we'll have a slow day at sea. Edited January 15, 2022 by Btimmer 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #212 Share Posted January 15, 2022 7 minutes ago, zelker said: Did you find yourselves not doing things onboard that you normally would and if so, what kinds of things did you avoid? Thx! On board the only things different are the constant mask wearing and we have not eaten with others. In the Main Stage everyone tends to socially distance but not absolutely. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianbear Posted January 15, 2022 #213 Share Posted January 15, 2022 6 minutes ago, Btimmer said: Almost again. . . The Captain just announced while circling Half Moon Cay that the Bahamian authorities declined clearance this morning for the Zuiderdam to make a stop here today. They changed the rules lowering the threshold. He sounded very surprised at this turn of events. So we'll have a slow day at sea. Oh goodness. That’s a disappointment for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #214 Share Posted January 15, 2022 What might have been. That's the Rotterdam positioned at Half Moon Cay. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #215 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Time to return to: 2 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianbear Posted January 15, 2022 #216 Share Posted January 15, 2022 I wonder if you were denied because the Rotterdam is already there and they figured too many people? Such a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #217 Share Posted January 15, 2022 33 minutes ago, canadianbear said: I wonder if you were denied because the Rotterdam is already there and they figured too many people? Such a shame. We have wondered the same. Ian just announced complementary Bingo at 3pm. Yesterday there was a free open bar after lunch. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianbear Posted January 15, 2022 #218 Share Posted January 15, 2022 4 minutes ago, Btimmer said: We have wondered the same. Ian just announced complementary Bingo at 3pm. Yesterday there was a free open bar after lunch. I am sure the Captain and crew are also very disappointed but it’s out of their control. Nice the Captain is giving extras to all on board. We experienced this once where Captain gave open bar for 3 hours-it was a gong show. Entertaining for us watching it but people can be crazy when they hear “free liquor”. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #219 Share Posted January 15, 2022 (edited) We're cruising by Eleuthera Island at 13 knots. This turning into a live thread. . . Edited January 15, 2022 by Btimmer 4 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanni-shanni Posted January 15, 2022 #220 Share Posted January 15, 2022 19 hours ago, Btimmer said: We celebrated with a Pinnacle Grill dinner! Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail Iceberg Wedge Salad Alaskan King Crab Legs Butter Pecan Ice Cream That looks like the true King Crab, not the Snow Crab they used to serve. Was there a surcharge? Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #221 Share Posted January 15, 2022 46 minutes ago, shanni-shanni said: That looks like the true King Crab, not the Snow Crab they used to serve. Was there a surcharge? Tom Yes us was true King Crab and advertised as such. And, yes, there is a $20 surcharge. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Btimmer Posted January 15, 2022 Author #222 Share Posted January 15, 2022 My source has confirmed that for the return voyage around 60 guests are staying onboard (roughly what I guessed from the number of Covid tests) plus around 900 will join us tomorrow. These are similar numbers to what we currently have on board. FYI, the Pinnacle Grill has been closed for lunch the entire cruise and faces a similar fate for next cruise. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted January 15, 2022 #223 Share Posted January 15, 2022 4 hours ago, canadianbear said: Entertaining for us watching it but people can be crazy when they hear “free liquor”. 😆 There is no phrase on a HAL ship that the guests like more than "free booze"! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelker Posted January 15, 2022 #224 Share Posted January 15, 2022 59 minutes ago, Btimmer said: FYI, the Pinnacle Grill has been closed for lunch the entire cruise and faces a similar fate for next cruise. Assume due to staffing issues? We really enjoy PG lunches plus I've got a Roll Call group lunch planned there on our 35 day SoPac cruise so hoping this will not be an issue by the second week of March. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianbear Posted January 15, 2022 #225 Share Posted January 15, 2022 18 minutes ago, rkacruiser said: 😆 There is no phrase on a HAL ship that the guests like more than "free booze"! So true!! They went wild which is something we’ve never seen before. People watching was quite funny but the next morning, wow, never seen the ship so quiet 😂😂 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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