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Live From the pre cruise Oosterdam

cruisinjudy

By cruisinjudy,
in Holland America Line

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Navy_Chief

Navy_Chief

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Glad your having nice weather out there in SD, wish I was back out there :( , this morning its a balmy 4 degrees here in CT with a wind chill kicking it down to -10 :eek: . Just a note, when I did my "Live From" Noordam thread, I wrote the piece I was posting the night before and posted first thing in the morning using my laptop. Its nice and quiet in the atrium first thing and with a cup of joe, I would just log on, upload the report, note questions from the previous post and log off. I hate dealing with slow connections too :D . Generally, it took about 15 minutes tops to do all that. Have a great cruise, sounds like a good start and I know everyone will be looking forward to reading the reports from "O"

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cruisinjudy

cruisinjudy

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Cruznon,

I know, my friends told me it was cold down here. I specifically ordered the warm weather for our visit! I do see a layer of clouds out there this morning.

 

Navy Chief,

Thanks for the tips, I will give it a try!

 

I woke up to the Carnival Spirit staring in our window!!! We are that close!

 

Last night we had dinner with East County friends at Black Angus. Salmon is better in the northwest but it will do. We had a great time.

 

Today is errand day. Taking care of those things that have to be done in San Diego when we visit. This afternoon I head out to Santee for Happy Hour with my teaching friends. Get those margaritas ready!

 

When my husband went to breakfast with his buddies on Wednesday, one of his buddies gave him a message for the CD. It was from his dad Don McLellan to his son Dan the CD to introduce us. Does anyone know this CD? My husband didn't ask questions, but apparently he is on a trial basis so he is new.

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nana50

nana50

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Hi Judy, I'll be cruising with you on the 3rd. Keep the ship in good shape for my husband, me and my sister and brother-in-law. I'm jealous you get to go tomorrow. If you can email once and awhile and arrange a meeting for the small group of CC'ers on the second half of your trip I would be eternally grateful.

Sue

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seniormiss

seniormiss

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Cruznon,

I know, my friends told me it was cold down here. I specifically ordered the warm weather for our visit! I do see a layer of clouds out there this morning.

 

Navy Chief,

Thanks for the tips, I will give it a try!

 

I woke up to the Carnival Spirit staring in our window!!! We are that close!

 

Last night we had dinner with East County friends at Black Angus. Salmon is better in the northwest but it will do. We had a great time.

 

Today is errand day. Taking care of those things that have to be done in San Diego when we visit. This afternoon I head out to Santee for Happy Hour with my teaching friends. Get those margaritas ready!

 

When my husband went to breakfast with his buddies on Wednesday, one of his buddies gave him a message for the CD. It was from his dad Don McLellan to his son Dan the CD to introduce us. Does anyone know this CD? My husband didn't ask questions, but apparently he is on a trial basis so he is new.

 

Cruzinjudy..when you board tomorrow if you see a handsome couple with the cutest little 3 year old girl you've ever seen getting off the ship its my daughter, son in law and 3 year old granddaughter, tell them to hurry home, I miss them.

My daughter called last night and said they are having an absolutely wonderful time, they love the ship, loved the food and really enjoyed the Pinacle restaurant. They were getting their second massage today.

 

I do believe you will have better weather, she said it was overcased quite a bit.

Have a great time. I am doing the same cruise March 17.

 

Jill

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Kreuser

Kreuser

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Cruznon said

Today was a beautiful day in our fair city. LAST week you would have been a bit cold!!!
I told Judy she was bringing the warmer weather. Buttering her up ya know. I'm just hoping she doesn't toss me overboard!! :eek:

 

Vada

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cruisinjudy

cruisinjudy

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Our ship has come in! Too bad I forgot the camera connector to my computer! She looks beautiful! The sky has some clouds. I think forecast is for partly cloudy and in the sixties today.

 

Sue,

I'll see you soon!

 

Jill,

I'll be watching for that cute little three year old girl and her parents!

 

Vada,

I don' t need you to give me ideas! Note to self. Watch Vada!

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cruisinjudy

cruisinjudy

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I had the breakfast burrito at Elelephant and Castle for breakfast. I would recommend it! Yesterday I had the South of the border omelet, or some name like that, and it was very good too!!

 

Now I need to pack! That is one problem with a precruise stay, we have been messing up our suitcases since Wednesday. At least we were only operating out of our carry ons on the train so the damage isn't complete!

 

The taxis are pouring into the port and horns are a honking, must be time to disembark. Here we come, well, right after I pack and Jim buys gas for the rental car and Jim goes to Horton Plaza to replace the jacket he lost there some place yesterday and then returns the rental car to Enterprise.

 

Oh you use the downtown location for Enterprise to be picked up at the pier or at Holiday Inn by the Bay.

 

By the way, Jim walked to Horton Plaza yesterday while I had the car for errands. He said it took him about ten minutes at a fast clip.

 

I had a great time at happy hour with my teaching friends last night. They want to know when I will be back for another one!

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cruisinjudy

cruisinjudy

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We are anchored in Cabo right now and I seem to have a free internet connection! Must be from one of the hotels on shore! I certainly didn't sign in to anything!

 

We boarded the ship around noon I think. Very easy and quick!

 

The SY suite is very nice. We are now officially spoiled and can not go back to a standard verandah!

 

While walking around the ship Panamaguy discovered that we were not at the same dinner table! So off to the maitre d' to remedy that! We are now seated on lower level amongst the as you wish diners, but we have an assigned table and waiter.

 

During the first night I awoke with stomach cramps and it went downhill from there. Jim and I were then confined to the cabin for noro virus. We got a letter saying we would be credited $100 each for each day we were confined to quarters for the virus. On longer cruises the rate is $150 each. The nurse visited the cabin with Immodium and Gatorade and Purell. Guest Services and the infirmary checked up on us regularly and made sure we got meals off the menu delivered to the cabin and DVDs.

 

Once I was without symptoms for 24 hours we were freed from our prison. Gee, glad we are in the SY with gorgeous ocean views and a large balcony!

 

We chose not to go into Cabo this afternoon as Jim still has a cold and we will be back next week! So we are resting.

 

Tonight we are invited to the VIP gathering in the Crow's Nest with Captain Mercer and the hotel manager, Mr. Simon DeBoer. We have yet to meet the CD who is the son of Jim's friend.

 

Hi Rat,

It just occured to me, I don't think the train came through your town as I think we were on the bus by then! Anyway I will tell Missylou hello and Jim says hello!

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cruisinjudy

cruisinjudy

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Oh a few m ore things.

 

It is sunny but not too warm here in Cabo.We saw whales off the side of the ship.

 

We didn't get to go to dinner last night due to confinement in the cabin, but Panamaguy reports that once our waiter, Made, understood that we were steady customers, the service improved tremendously! They know they are not likely to get extra tips from one time visitors to a table, but quite likely from a regular group!

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LAFFNVEGAS "Live from...." Rare

LAFFNVEGAS

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Hi Judy, that is too bad you both got sick. You are lucky you still have yet another week. Sounds like you are making the most of it and now you are on the mends. Say "hi" to Vada for me. I just know the rest of your cruise will be perfect.:)

Take Care!!

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nana50

nana50

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Judy, I've been making my husband and in-laws take "airborne" this week hoping we won't get sick. I'm not too worried about me as I work in an elementary school as a librarian and have a terrific immune system but better safe than sorry. Just a few more daysthen whee!!!

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Rat

Rat

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Judy, sorry to hear that you both came down with the virus. That's no way to start a cruise. But I'm glad you're feeling better now. Enjoy your vip gathering tonight with the captain and hotel director.

 

Amtrak - We're around 10 miles east from the Martinez train stop and 15 miles north from Emeryville stop. I believe that the train runs along our city waterfront passing all those new homes.

 

Ray

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cruisinjudy

cruisinjudy

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Rat,

I forgot that you live that far north.Oops!

 

This was written on Tuesday:

it was nice to be back in the dining room for dinner last night. Most of those at our table had prime rib, done to perfection.

 

After dinner we went to the VIP party where drinks and appetizers flowed freely. We had just eaten so were not interested in the apps, but partook of the drinks. All types were available. We finally met the captain Jonathan Mercer, the hotel director Simon de Boer and the CD, Dan McLellan, who was expecting us, having been warned by his dad that we were coming. We had a nice talk with the three of them then went with our table mates, fellow CCers Panamaguy and Steve (his screen name escapes me at the moment), and Sue and husband Michael (who never even signed into the thread this time so I can’t remember their screen name either) to find someplace to sit down. Vada ended up moving the party markers to increase the party area!

 

We awoke at 7:30 this morning and we were already docked in Mazatlan. It was another beautiful day! After breakfast Susan and Michael sat out by the pool and the rest of us took the tram into the port shopping area to visit the shops. We had all been here a number of times before so figured tis would do for today. We returned to the ship for lunch. The afternoon was just relaxing.

 

This evening catvango is hosting a sail away party in their aft suite before dinner.

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cruisinjudy

cruisinjudy

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Great party in Catvango's aft suite!!!

 

Wednesday, it must be Puerto Vallarta!

 

We went into town with Susan and Michael, then back to the ship for lunch. $3 per person each way for the cab. The weather was perfect. We are anchored here. The harbor is still not deep enough by the new pier. They were dredging it.

 

Catvango is in the finals for the Oosterdam Superstar. they will hold that Friday affternoon in the Vista lounge. This ship no longer has the Great Pretenders. I wonder if any of the ships still do that show.

 

Thursday at sea.

 

 

 

A few notes:

 

The cookies are still bad! Too much flour, not enough butter and sugar! I coud give them a recipe!

 

The fresh squeezed OJ is great! Even better than last cruise!

 

The ice cream is still wonderful.

 

No flowers in our cabin.

 

I still don’ t like baked Alaska. The people at the table next to us were on their appetizer when the baked Alaska parade began!

 

They are not taking the crumbs off our table before dessert. I wonder if that will change when Oosterdam returns to regular seating next cruise.

 

Some of the bed pillow are really soft, just the way I like them!

 

This has been an extremely smooth cruise ocean wise!

 

I am sure I had more comments, I will add them as I think of them.

 

 

To the February 3 cruisers. I didn’t manage to set anything up for a meet and greet since I missed ours due to noro, but I was thinking let’s meet in the Oak room deck ten by the Crow’s nest at 4:45 after the life boat drill. Deck ten is a great place to observe sail away if the weather is nice and the view from the Crow’s nest is great if the weather is not good. If the Oak Room is busy we will meet in the Crow’s nest port side.

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