Land & Sea - LIVE (nearly) from Amsterdam and ms Rotterdam 15 day Atlantic Sojourn - October 7th, 2023

[YXU AC*SE]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 The helicopter will have to lower the basket for him.

Fortunately the ship was able to position itself crosswind and create a lee for the affected person to be removed by a Polícia Marítima RIB.   We're back underway at 17.1 knots and a heading of 217.4 degrees (or roughly WSW).  Next stop Little San Salvador Island in a week.      Scott. 

[kazu]

47 minutes ago, mawvkysc said:

Have you talked with any fellow travelers who attended the watercolor classes? I’ve seen a few on the schedules. What was their opinion? 
 

Sorry about missing the port. 

 

 

I haven’t so far.  Hopefully if someone is going they will answer you.

[kazu]

So, as Scott said, it seemed to be too foggy and windy for the helicopter and a boat was launched.

you can see a tip of it in this pic.

 

 

 

It was here a while and finally loaded and off it went.

 

 

 

It would have  been a rough ride for the poor crew member.

 

 

It was really bobbing in the water.

 

 

 

 

 

This is where it was when I took the close up for the video.

 

 

 

Not sure that the video uploaded.  It did to. My images but not here?  Sorry.  Will try later.

 

 

[kazu]

Here is yesterday’s Daily programme:

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

Yesterday’s bread pudding for the bread pudding aficionados:

 

 

[VMax1700]

Thankyou for the bread pudding.

I am having withdrawal symptoms.

Do you think that chewing regular bread and snorting custard powder is a viable substitute? 😃

[BetsyS.]

Sorry you missed the port.  I'm glad the crew member was able to get off. Prayers for him. I hope the ship's store has seabands for people who need them. 

[kazu]

Here is today’s programme - before we couldn’t dock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There has been a bunch of stuff added to the programme & they are offering complimentary drinks in a number of spots on board for an hour.

[kazu]

7 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Thankyou for the bread pudding.

I am having withdrawal symptoms.

Do you think that chewing regular bread and snorting custard powder is a viable substitute? 😃

 

Does this other day’s bread pudding help at all 😂 

 

 

[VMax1700]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

Does this other day’s bread pudding help at all

As Gloria said "I will survive.....", but thankyou! 😉

[js1357]

18 hours ago, Sea42 said:

On our last trip to the Netherlands we stayed pre-cruise in Haarlem. It was wonderful. So much more laid back than Amsterdam with plenty to do for a few days.

We have stayed in Rotterdam and Amsterdam previously on land trips and have enjoyed them too.

Where did you stay and do you recommend it?

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Last November there was a big tropical storm brewing while we were heading to the Azores and on to Fort Lauderdale. The captain decided to skip Casablanca (our 3rd attempt to stop there) and head to the Canary Islands instead. We hadn't been there before so that helped "ease the pain" of missing the other 2 ports. We had been to the Azores once before when our stop in Bermuda was cancelled due to weather. Always interesting!

[0106]

For those interested in the fish, my dinner tonight.

 

Perfectly cooked and delicious!

[Iamthesea]

7 hours ago, kazu said:

 

 

We used Martin’s taxi.  We’ve used them before and they are very reliable.  We just tell them what time we want to be picked up and they are always there early.

 

They also have cabs at the port.  We just have a tendency to reserve and have it ready for us.

 

Lou, the owner (a female) is excellent.  In fact she was at Bruges to check on us and drove our cab home.

They are comfy and hold a number of people.  I highly recommend them.

Thank you so much!

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Iamthesea said:

Thank you so much!

 

Anytime - happy to help.

 

In Club Orange and in the interest of research, I ordered the special lobster with the $25 surcharge.  (It’s a tough life).  The sacrifices I make in the name of CC research 😂 

 

I haven’t forgotten the menus AND we were at Pinnacle last night.  Full review and food porn coming.  

 

Internet has been a tad spotty on and off today.  Hopefully this isn’t a sign of what’s to come 🤞 

For any Bingo Buddies out there - I thought I would eat up some of my non refundable OBC playing but it posts as CASINO bookings so you know what that means….yup off my refundable credit. 😡 

 

I never considered Bingo gambling but it is what it is.

 

So I took some money out of my casino bank to fund a few games and will figure out a way to whittle down that non refundable OBC - like with the lobster tonight 😉. I’ve done a pretty good job of whittling down 1/2 of it so far.  I had a LOT after they kindly gave me back Jose’s OBC they took away.

 

I will be up to date and there will be some kudos and gripes.

 

I call them as I see them 🙂 

[SusieKIslandGirl]

7 minutes ago, kazu said:

For any Bingo Buddies out there - I thought I would eat up some of my non refundable OBC playing but it posts as CASINO bookings so you know what that means….yup off my refundable credit. 😡 

Interesting-on our last cruise, I charged $10 to the room for the casino. I had a lot of refundable credit but instead, it was put on my CC at the end of the cruise.

[VMax1700]

8 minutes ago, kazu said:

to whittle down that non refundable OBC

I used some of my non refundable to 'tip' beverage servers in the bars.  They promised me that if their name was on the docket that I signed then they would receive the tip. 

[VMax1700]

10 minutes ago, kazu said:

I never considered Bingo gambling

It is run by the casino, so whether it is 'gambling' or not it is probably just classified as 'Casino Spend'.

[kazu]

4 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

I used some of my non refundable to 'tip' beverage servers in the bars.  They promised me that if their name was on the docket that I signed then they would receive the tip. 

 

I plan to do the same.  Sadly it only works for the beverage servers and not the others. I will certainly be tipping crew - there are some special ones here.  Now I will have to ask for a slip since I have them used to the fact I don’t want one 😂 

 

Gotta save the trees. 😉 

[BetsyS.]

Jacqui - I hope that you will receive some good news about the crew member who got off.

[dfish]

2 hours ago, 0106 said:

For those interested in the fish, my dinner tonight.

 

Perfectly cooked and delicious!

Kind of stingy on the broccoli.

[oakridger]

7 hours ago, dfish said:

Kind of stingy on the broccoli.

 

Ha ha!  That seems to be the case most of the time now.  Cuts waste I suppose.  I do love my veggies so as some on CC have suggested, on my next Zuiderdam cruise I will ask for an extra side of vegetables in the MDR.  

 

~Nancy

[Sea42]

18 hours ago, js1357 said:

Where did you stay and do you recommend it?

We stayed at Hotel ML. Great location! I would definitely stay there again.

https://www.mlinhaarlem.nl/en/

Edited October 15, 2023 by Sea42

[dfish]

8 hours ago, oakridger said:

 

Ha ha!  That seems to be the case most of the time now.  Cuts waste I suppose.  I do love my veggies so as some on CC have suggested, on my next Zuiderdam cruise I will ask for an extra side of vegetables in the MDR.  

 

~Nancy

 

We did that last summer on the Zaandam.  Our waiter learned quickly and after I gave my order he always responded, "And a plate of vegetables."  

[kazu]

 

Here is today’s programme: