'Twas Two Weeks Before Christmas - Live from the Nieuw Statendam, Dec. 10 - 17, 2023

[Gsel]

Love the "bubble of awesome" ! More folks should think about that. Have a wonderful cruise! 

[superoma]

Really looking forward to this!

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

When we first cruised on the old Noordam in 1994, we brought a couple of prepaid calling cards along so we could keep in touch. We each carried a book in case we needed extra entertainment.

 

Today we have a laptop, two tablets, a Kindle Paperwhite, two smartphones and my trusty travel router.

 

Progress is wonderful!

 

 

Enjoy! We kept her warm for you.

 

Maybe you’ll get to benefit from the elusive library as well.

[POA1]

56 minutes ago, Gsel said:

Love the "bubble of awesome" ! More folks should think about that. Have a wonderful cruise! 

 

Thanks. We find that a positive attitude can do wonders.  Also, when something goes wrong, I've always realized that I can mine it for comedy gold.

 

And, speaking of the Bubble of Awesome.... It's the holidays, so we've gone up to the attic and fetched the Christmas version, "The Snow Globe of Awesome."

 

 

[*Miss G*]

It’s embarkation day!  Have a fantastic time and I look forward to reading your first-time impressions of the pinnacle-class!  Bon Voyage!

[POA1]

I've ordered an UberXL for later this morning.  When you are so close to the port, you don't have to make any hard decisions about what to take and what to leave behind.  I'm pretty sure that people in the grand age of ocean travel, with their steamer trunks and wardrobe cabinets had nothin' on us.

 

Also, the Snow Globe of Awesome, unlike the Bubble of Awesome, can't be deflated.

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Hi, not sure you have plans for Sail Away but you are more than Welcome to come to 5223. The webcam should catch the aft at the end. 😃

[skatelady]

I think you will love the ship.  We sailed on her the beginning of November and it is now my favorite ship.  It was our first Pinnacle class.

[Haljo1935]

11 hours ago, POA1 said:

 

To rub salt in the wound, they added Grand Turk in as a substitute for Curacao.  We'll just float off the coast for a day and it'll be like, "Neener, neener! You can't come ashore."

Turks is beautiful - the long time locals look quite at home.

[Haljo1935]

53 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Enjoy! We kept her warm for you.

 

Maybe you’ll get to benefit from the elusive library as well.

Very interested in library pictures as it was locked our entire cruise. @POA1 hoping you're able to access.

[Haljo1935]

Bon Voyage 

[Huskerchick]

10 hours ago, oakridger said:

Maybe you could use her idea but change it to a "What am I having to drink for a pre-dinner cocktail?" 

 

😉

 

~Nancy

Nancy I like your idea 😏

[Huskerchick]

19 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Hi, not sure you have plans for Sail Away but you are more than Welcome to come to 5223. The webcam should catch the aft at the end. 😃

Thank you Lisa. We made plans to do sail away from the Retreat area bur certainly hope we meet up at some point

[*Miss G*]

32 minutes ago, POA1 said:

I'm pretty sure that people in the grand age of ocean travel, with their steamer trunks and wardrobe cabinets had nothin' on us.

 

On a Cunard voyage, one of the ladies at our table brought 17 suitcases!  17!!!  😲 She said it was because the many theme nights required different outfits for both she and her husband.  She had made them all!  I asked where she put them all and she said the ship stored them for her and she would switch out and have the stewards bring specific cases, as specified.  I must say, they looked great every evening!

Edited December 10, 2023 by *Miss G*
Too many words

[POA1]

4 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Very interested in library pictures as it was locked our entire cruise. @POA1 hoping you're able to access.

 

I will check in the name of exploration. We are loaded up with books on our Kindles.  We get them from the Broward Public Library - best use of our tax dollars, by far.  It will be interesting to see what the Library looks like. Too bad the Pier 77 webcam isn't up. Maybe we'd see a Bookmobile pulled up alongside the white trucks.

[POA1]

It's so close, yet so far.  Here's the Nieuw Statendam from the balcony here at the Institute.

 

 

 

 

[Huskerchick]

7 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

On a Cunard voyage, one of the ladies at our table brought 17 suitcases!  17!!!  😲 She said it was because the many theme nights required different outfits for both she and her husband.  She had made them all!  I asked where she put them all and she said the ship stored them for her and she would switch out and have the stewards bring specific cases, as specified.  I must say, they looked great every evening!

Now I don't feel so bad about our 3 suitcases for a 7 day sailing but a girl needs options 😉

[Haljo1935]

1 minute ago, POA1 said:

 

I will check in the name of exploration. We are loaded up with books on our Kindles.  We get them from the Broward Public Library - best use of our tax dollars, by far.  It will be interesting to see what the Library looks like. Too bad the Pier 77 webcam isn't up. Maybe we'd see a Bookmobile pulled up alongside the white trucks.

Here's the "special" vehicle I saw this morning. 

Puppy doing his part to keep the port clean.

[Haljo1935]

9 minutes ago, POA1 said:

It's so close, yet so far.  Here's the Nieuw Statendam from the balcony here at the Institute.

 

 

 

 

Ooh - I see my former home deck 5 aft😊

[VMax1700]

I have checked various official websites and it does appear that we Europeans can view this wonderful "Bubble of Awesome"  in which you travel, without the necessitity to apply for any additional visas, either real or virtual.

Really looking forward to the results of your research, specially if it is in 12 point! 😉(Elite and not pica!).

Have a great cruise! 

[POA1]

A note on our booking: We opted not to get Have It All.  We're going a la carte with the Elite Beverage Package and booking all our specialty dining on our Mariner discount.  I also bought the Premium WiFi package for a single user. Being a geek, a have a router that can serve as a hotspot for us and all our many devices.

 

I guess we'll call it either, "You'll get nothing and like it," or "Have It Your Way."

 

Shout out to Burger King, circa 1974.

 

 

[POA1]

I ordered the EBP instead of trying to upgrade HIA because it's our first cruise an half a decade and we would like to jump right into our research without having to worry about upgrading the SBP.

[FLCruiser97]

Hello @POA1. I have not followed your reviews before but was following the review from @Haljo1935and enjoyed it. I have not sailed HAL since 2006 so wanted to follow live reviews as we will be sailing in April on a TA on the Oosterdam. I look forward to reading your comments. I bid you "Fair Winds and Following Seas" on your voyage. 

[POA1]

5 minutes ago, FLCruiser97 said:

Hello @POA1. I have not followed your reviews before

Well, then let me apologize in advance.

 

However, feel free to ask any questions you may have.

[Cruising-along]

I look forward to following along, have a GREAT cruise!  The NS is my favorite ship, hope you love it!