Zuiderdam Quarantine

[Iris5383]

It's awesome you had a great day going through the canal. Keep on smiling; you are an inspiration! 😊

[REOVA]

7 hours ago, NMCruiser123 said:

Also..should HAL consider changing their glassware supplier?  I’ve had enough “Rona” in my life this week.

can you take a photo of the outlet situation if there is any by the bed/nightstand? Thank you and continue to stay positive (no pun) and strong, as this will be a life memory for everyone here you've yet to meet and will enrich us all. 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

@NMCruiser123 It seems ironic: On the one hand, being positive is what got you into this situation. On the other hand, being positive is keeping you sane while you go through it.🤔

[Btimmer]

13 hours ago, travellovers2 said:

Is it possible to do that ? Do they have seats blocked in the theater?
 

What about in the MDR and bars? Are all tables/chairs used or are they keeping a distance between them ?
 

That is a concern. We only to go to the MDR or specialty restaurants because of my food allergies. 
 

We just want to be prepared and know what to expect. Thank you 😊
 

 

Since @NM Cruiserisn't able to currently experience that part of ship life, I'll respond.  There have been no seating restrictions anywhere on the ship, although sailing at reduced passenger counts tends to help.

 

However, for the James Bond movie in the Main Stage it was totally packed.

[islander47]

17 hours ago, OceanPatter said:

Wow, your thread has hit more than 28K views! Impressive, as it even exceeds ‘Bill and Mary Ann’s’ world cruise thread. You’ve become a big celebrity! Can’t wait for your final sign-off when your ordeal ends.

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your sharing your ordeal with us. We're hoping to board your ship on Sunday to begin our year of 50th wedding anniversary celebrations, and are, of course, nervous about everything but are determined to try to live a fun-filled life this year. Thanks to your posts, we are making some packing adjustments in case of quarantine. And the news about wine availability addressed my last concern about being quarantined. We are so glad you are not feeling terrible physically and are sending lots of virtual hugs and positive vibes your way. Please let us know when you are released from quarantine jail. Everyone here is cheering for you!

[NMCruiser123]

Hello all, coming to you live from the shores of Cartagena where the captain decided to make a technical stop to avoid the fine for not stopping at a foriegn, non-Central American or Mexican port.  I’m sure the politics or history behind this must be an interesting read…anyone know a summary off the tops of their heads?  Anyway, this stop has resulted in yet another itinerary change…we will not be doing our second stop in CR and instead will stop at Half Moon Cay on Saturday, our final full day before we arrive in Fort Lauderdale.  

 

T minus 3 days until I get to step foot on land as a free man.  If I didn’t have to go back to work the next day, I’d be a little happier, but such is life.

 

Still no symptoms. HAL continues to treat me well.  Everyone received a $50 OBC for all the itinerary changes yesterday.  I have pretty limited options to spend it, so I decided to splurge on a lobster eggs Benedict this morning, and may go for a lobster roll lunch, and add a lobster tail onto my dinner!  I don’t even love lobster as much as some do, but I don’t like seeing $50 go to waste!

 

16 hours ago, Lizofwisconsin said:

NMCruiser

 

Have you seen this story?

 

https://news.yahoo.com/shame-fish-filets-diary-comedian-193905601.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHgGAm2JkyizP3tyd3IYmZFFysfmp414_l_Q56QbsKmWUjsrzUQAzn10J9ZNYZqjKJYCLKF5yCtc4NE0yX6S0eAKjNgnF0LaAYrzLn6X-f7DdEGlzvn881NU0zhYZclQwyRmabOVUgcrHCg7AiNXRtBFcQODA1ku9c5zQEDcJKwQ

 

Hope the link works.  Comedian talking about her quarantine experience.  I think you'd find it interesting.

 

Thanks for the article…that’s a funny read.  I’m glad she was able to produce something to further her career out of the situation.

16 hours ago, OceanPatter said:

NMCruiser123

 

Another wow … you wait until now to disclose that you have another cruise booked for February??

The big question that looms will be: Will he or won’t he? Ha, think of all the sequels you could pen after this one. And if you embark again, we would love to learn what you pack in your ‘potential quarantine’ bag.

 

Despite your misfortune, you have entertained/educated us immensely. To which we are ever so grateful.

Yes yes…of course this was booked long ago when we were nestled in a comfy trough between Covid waves and the calculus was so much different.  I think I will end up going though.  And if this happens a second time, I’ll have to find a new hobby!

15 hours ago, bcummin said:

I remember so much more:  reeds along the water's edge with fishing boats, ferry boats, the Japanese bridge, military outposts, green farmland on the west with roads and animals, dove cotes, monuments, mosques, Christian churches, cities.

NMcruiser123, I hope that someday you get to see this and much more.  Thank you for sharing so much.

May God bless you and all of the others affected by this pandemic.

Barbara

Thanks for all of the comments about the Suez.  I’d heard it was boring once in passing as well, but I think the “foreign land” aspect must be worth something.  I’ll keep it on my bucket list.

15 hours ago, canadianbear said:

I wish I could even handle an ocean view but it’s the “escape” phenomenon I guess where I need to get outside to breath.  I can’t do IKEA as I feel trapped in their store unless I’m with someone who can get me out quickly if I need it.  
 

I am envious of those that can travel in an inside or ocean view-we could do a lot more cruising plus we have to book close to mid ship of hubby gets sick.  What a pair we are, lol.  

 

Oddly enough, this situation has led me to rethink my approach to cabins.  I’ve always gotten a verandah (and always lamented how little time I spent on it by the end of the cruise).  Well let me tell you, I now have a lifetime of verandah-sitting under my belt, and the next cruise I go on I can’t imagine spending more time in the cabin than necessary.  I think I may decide to do an inside stateroom and stretch my money further on a future cruise.  

15 hours ago, dchip said:

@NMCruiser123 You have learned your life lesson in my opinion. How to stay positive while dealing with a very stressful situation.  

 

You have helped so many of us, me for one, make our decision whether or not to cruise! DH and I are more than ready to board the Zuiderdam on 2/27/22 for 35 days to “who knows where” in the South Pacific!

 

Keep on cruising!!!

 

Cheers, Denise 

 

That sounds amazing.  If you have free run of the ship, there may be something exciting to the moving target itinerary changes in route!

14 hours ago, regnig said:

Not only should you go but HAL should comp the cruise for you.  And I think you have earned a Pinnacle Suite.  Not once have you complained and many many times you have given praise to HAL for all they have done to meet your wants and needs.  Most of us could never have remained as positive as you have been.

OK I know I said inside cabins would be good enough for me in the future, but I wouldn’t turn this down.

10 hours ago, REOVA said:

can you take a photo of the outlet situation if there is any by the bed/nightstand? Thank you and continue to stay positive (no pun) and strong, as this will be a life memory for everyone here you've yet to meet and will enrich us all. 

you’ve got one USB outlet on either side of the bed.  No standard AC outlets that I see, those are at the desk, and there are 2 US AC outlets and 2 European outlets and 2 USB outlets there

 

 

 

Thank you all for your comments.  I’m surprised to hear that I’ve come across as having maintained a good attitude through the experience.  It hasn’t felt like that at all times and I worried that some of my posts may have been a bit whiny. I suppose I only decide to log on and write a post when I’m in a more positive mood (after a couple of glasses of wine maybe)!

Edited January 13, 2022 by NMCruiser123

[canadianbear]

Pretty hard to spend money when in lock down.  You could try that huge steak from the Pinnacle!  But I like that you’re going the lobster route to spend that $50, that would be my choice too.  

[TiogaCruiser]

4 minutes ago, NMCruiser123 said:

Hello all, coming to you live from the shores of Cartagena where the captain decided to make a technical stop to avoid the fine for not stopping at a foriegn, non-Central American or Mexican port.  I’m sure the politics or history behind this must be an interesting read…anyone know a summary off the tops of their heads?  Anyway, this stop has resulted in yet another itinerary change…we will not be doing our second stop in CR and instead will stop at Half Moon Cay on Saturday, our final full day before we arrive in Fort Lauderdale.  

 

To give a brief answer, the stop to prevent (a potential ) fine is a legal requirement, and political in a different way than I think you might suspect.

It has to do with cabotage laws, namely PVSA.
 

Foriegned flagged carriers (I.e.HAL) cannot transport people from one US port to another (as in final destination - embarking in one port then disembarking in another) without visiting a country designated as a far foreign port. And they cannot take pax on a round trip without stopping in a country designated as a Near Foreign Port. (In the latter, ships can do a round trip from Seattle if the ship calls in Victoria, San Diego if stops in Ensenada, Etc.)

 

so your “service call” meets that criteria. And it’s not just an American thing. Lots of other countries have similar cabotage laws. And we have similar ones for air and cargo.

[TiogaCruiser]

Here’s a current thread discussing some of it. It might become another “primer on the PVSA” thread like many have. One poster, Cheng, is a licensed maritime professional now working in cargo shipping. He did work for a cruise line in the past. He’s a wealth of knowledge and kindly and patiently shares.
( If you are technically interested, you can find some interesting reads if you check his profile. You still have a couple days to fill….😉.) 

 

 

 

 

[Btimmer]

@NMCruiser123, here's a submarine picture from the other side of the ship at 10am sitting in the bay at Cartagena.

 

[NMCruiser123]

48 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

@NMCruiser123, here's a submarine picture from the other side of the ship at 10am sitting in the bay at Cartagena.

 

Oh cool!  You get a lot of the interesting craft on that side of the ship!

[NMCruiser123]

And so it came to pass that on day 7 of NMCruiser123’s isolation, dining services tired of filling 5 separate glasses of wine and bequeathed him a bottle!

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, TiogaCruiser said:

One poster, Cheng, is a licensed maritime professional now working in cargo shipping. He did work for a cruise line in the past. He’s a wealth of knowledge and kindly and patiently shares.

He is now retired and hopefully writing his memoire! 

[NMCruiser123]

1 hour ago, TiogaCruiser said:

To give a brief answer, the stop to prevent (a potential ) fine is a legal requirement, and political in a different way than I think you might suspect.

It has to do with cabotage laws, namely PVSA.
 

Foriegned flagged carriers (I.e.HAL) cannot transport people from one US port to another (as in final destination - embarking in one port then disembarking in another) without visiting a country designated as a far foreign port. And they cannot take pax on a round trip without stopping in a country designated as a Near Foreign Port. (In the latter, ships can do a round trip from Seattle if the ship calls in Victoria, San Diego if stops in Ensenada, Etc.)

 

so your “service call” meets that criteria. And it’s not just an American thing. Lots of other countries have similar cabotage laws. And we have similar ones for air and cargo.

 

1 hour ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Here’s a current thread discussing some of it. It might become another “primer on the PVSA” thread like many have. One poster, Cheng, is a licensed maritime professional now working in cargo shipping. He did work for a cruise line in the past. He’s a wealth of knowledge and kindly and patiently shares.
( If you are technically interested, you can find some interesting reads if you check his profile. You still have a couple days to fill….😉.) 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the summary!  I know it was lazy of me to ask.  If the Wi-Fi wasn’t acting up the past day or 2 I would be more motivated to do my own investigations!

[ksmaxey]

1 hour ago, NMCruiser123 said:

And so it came to pass that on day 7 of NMCruiser123’s isolation, dining services tired of filling 5 separate glasses of wine and bequeathed him a bottle!

 

Are you getting your meals with dishes or in disposable containers?  I see a real wine glass

[NMCruiser123]

7 minutes ago, ksmaxey said:

 

Are you getting your meals with dishes or in disposable containers?  I see a real wine glass

Totally random.  Sometimes cardboard containers with highly ineffective disposable cutlery, other times full service glass and metal.  

[JacquiKay]

4 hours ago, islander47 said:

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your sharing your ordeal with us. We're hoping to board your ship on Sunday to begin our year of 50th wedding anniversary celebrations, and are, of course, nervous about everything but are determined to try to live a fun-filled life this year. Thanks to your posts, we are making some packing adjustments in case of quarantine. And the news about wine availability addressed my last concern about being quarantined. We are so glad you are not feeling terrible physically and are sending lots of virtual hugs and positive vibes your way. Please let us know when you are released from quarantine jail. Everyone here is cheering for you!

 

4 hours ago, islander47 said:

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your sharing your ordeal with us. We're hoping to board your ship on Sunday to begin our year of 50th wedding anniversary celebrations, and are, of course, nervous about everything but are determined to try to live a fun-filled life this year. Thanks to your posts, we are making some packing adjustments in case of quarantine. And the news about wine availability addressed my last concern about being quarantined. We are so glad you are not feeling terrible physically and are sending lots of virtual hugs and positive vibes your way. Please let us know when you are released from quarantine jail. Everyone here is cheering for you!

Let us know where you are so we can drink a champagne toast to you 🍾🍾!

We sailed on the Rotterdam in November. The biggest disappointment was that we couldn’t identify anyone as we were all masked. 😷

[seaoma]

4 hours ago, NMCruiser123 said:

Thank you all for your comments.  I’m surprised to hear that I’ve come across as having maintained a good attitude through the experience.  It hasn’t felt like that at all times and I worried that some of my posts may have been a bit whiny. I suppose I only decide to log on and write a post when I’m in a more positive mood (after a couple of glasses of wine maybe)!

 

You have been just the right amount of whiny, in my opinion. 😆

 

Since I'm starting to fall into the crotchety old lady range of life, I admire the way you've handled this situation. I appreciated hearing about the ups and downs because you've helped me to assess whether I should continue with my upcoming cruise and also, some ways I could better prepare myself If I do go. 

 

I hope the posts from CC have helped you as much as I think you've helped the people reading this thread. 

[TiogaCruiser]

2 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

He is now retired and hopefully writing his memoire! 

I did not realize that. I guess we’re all getting older.🤨

[OceanPatter]

Haha, NMCruiser123, you’re ‘young’ enough to be adopted by many of the folks on this thread! Perhaps that’s why we’ve all taken a liking to you …

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

How many guests on the Zuiderdam are in Quarantine???

[Btimmer]

1 minute ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

How many guests on the Zuiderdam are in Quarantine???

No numbers have been disclosed that I know of, but it has been reported that about 225 rooms have been set aside in Decks 4 & 6 forward. We get our antigen tests tomorrow for the turnaround voyage.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

2 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

No numbers have been disclosed that I know of, but it has been reported that about 225 rooms have been set aside in Decks 4 & 6 forward. We get our antigen tests tomorrow for the turnaround voyage.

Thanks for sharing we transfer from the Eurodam on 1/16 Sunday. And the Eurodam will test us tomorrow.  

[KirkNC]

39 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

No numbers have been disclosed that I know of, but it has been reported that about 225 rooms have been set aside in Decks 4 & 6 forward. We get our antigen tests tomorrow for the turnaround voyage.

Yikes, hopefully that is way too many.

[islander47]

1 hour ago, JacquiKay said:

 

Let us know where you are so we can drink a champagne toast to you 🍾🍾!

We sailed on the Rotterdam in November. The biggest disappointment was that we couldn’t identify anyone as we were all masked. 😷

You'll find me, as I have a loud Southern accent. My NJ born husband tries to keep me in check, however. He will be the one with the Georgia Bulldog walking cane.

Edited January 13, 2022 by islander47
correction