Noordam’s Inaugural Transit Through Panama Canal

[CruiserBruce]

RustaRoo:

 

We used the cruise you did to plan our W'Dam repo cruise in Apr 2008. W'Dam doesn't sail from New York, but it does do 19 days from FLL to Sea, stopping at a lot of the same ports. The first US port on the West Coast is San Diego, a port I have been to a couple of times, but the DW hasn't been to in about 25 or more years. We plan on serious exploring on our own.

 

Were you required to stick around during the whole LA Customs ordeal? Or could you gone off on an excursion, and just reboarded when you returned? San Diego is extremely user friendly from the port area, so we plan on getting off pretty early, and touring all day. Does the Custom's situation affect our plans?

 

Thanks

Bruce

[RustaRoo]

Were you required to stick around during the whole LA Customs ordeal? Or could you gone off on an excursion, and just reboarded when you returned?

No, you can definitely go on excursions. Those folks who had excursions in LA were off the ship early (and through Customs). Those of us who had to hang around had not planned to get off the ship at all.

[CruiserBruce]

It wasn't a total packing and disembarkation, was it? Or was it just a passport check and related customs. I get the idea that everyone had to get off, and be cleared to return. Is that correct?

 

Thanks! Only 352 days, but who is counting???

 

Bruce

[RustaRoo]

Or was it just a passport check and related customs. I get the idea that everyone had to get off, and be cleared to return. Is that correct?Bruce

Yes, that's correct.

 

BTW, my pictures have been posted for this cruise.

http://community.webshots.com/user/rustaroo

[Mary Ellen]

Welcome home Richard! Glad to hear the ankle is doing better. Was Heather able to take advantage of her newly honed Latin dance skills while you were out of commission??

[RustaRoo]

Was Heather able to take advantage of her newly honed Latin dance skills while you were out of commission??

Hi Mary Ellen! Thanks for your note. Well, there were no dance hosts on this trip so the only dancing she got done was when an officer asked her during the Black & White Ball, and one of the cute, young crew guys on our catamaran spun her around the deck a few times:D I'm not saying she had several Corona by this time or anything;)

[SakeDad]

I arranged our Cruise Critic get-together and 35 of 45 people showed up. Personalized invitations were extended to Captain John Scott, Hotel Manager Henk Mensink, Cruise Director Drew Murdock and they all attended. In addition, Roy (environmental officer) and Susan (future cruise consultant) also attended. It was wonderful to have these fine folks take time to attend and to speak to our group and then visit and mingle with our members over coffee.

Richard, did you type these up before you left or handwrite them onboard once you knew who was there? I would love to personally invite those folks to our meet-n-greet. We're in the piano bar at 10:30am the first sea day.

[RustaRoo]

Richard, did you type these up before you left or handwrite them onboard once you knew who was there?

I prepared them all in advance at home; I've e-mailed you a sample. Since I didn't know the exact names ahead of time, I simply put Captain, Hotel Manager, Cruise Director etc. on the outside envelopes. Henk Mensink, HotMan, said he'd never received such a nice invitation previously!

[SakeDad]

YOU ROCK!!!! I will give FULL credit to you for the invites! Thanks:D

[bombshell]

Hi all,

Well I must say this cruise rocked and the reviews are pretty accurate. Never enough praise for our mate Kory (who as you mentioned is off for a break but you can catch him again on the Westerdam in Europe in a month or so I believe). We were some of the PBG that Richard menitoned as it was where the entertainment was guaranteed for us throughout the cruise! Thanks Kory!

I would thoroughly recommend the walking tour of Cartagena, it really suprised me how lovely the old town was, and we were very impressed with the street vendors taking notice of you saying 'not interested, no thank you' and not hassling you twice. Puntarenas we did the Mangrove Glide and Tropical Train Ride and found it to be good in the fact that you get a quick overview of the area and the wildlife. In Huatulco we did the 5 bays by Catamaran and it was lovely. Hilarious commentary and drink flowing freely in the sunshine.

All in all a great cruise and even though it was 22 days we could've easily stayed on for more....! This coming from some of the youngest guests on board (early 30's and often mistaken for staff!!), its what you make it and we enjoyed every minute.

Enjoy the Noordam should you be lucky enough to get on her!

Rebecca

[hammybee]

Yes, that's correct.

 

BTW, my pictures have been posted for this cruise.

http://community.webshots.com/user/rustaroo

 

I hope you don't mind, but I poked around some of your other pix, especially your 1993 cruise on the Niew Amsterdam. My, my how cruising has evolved.

 

Thank you, as always for sharing with all of us.

[e-CJ]

So Richard,

 

Did you get around to the BBQ with our piano man? If you did, please post details.

 

My experience with the street vendors in Cartagena was quite different than yours, Rebecca. The old town was lovely, but those street vendors were swarming and persistent. Of course they added to the charm of the old town even if it was in an annoying sort of way. I gave the fruit woman the requested "one dolla" after I took her picture. It was my bargain of the day.

 

The after cruise memories just keep getting better. I find myself missing all of the people we met. Especially since I am still trying to get the last of the pictures posted. Sorting through them brings back lots of nice memories.

 

There is a nice pic of you and Heather, Richard, as well as the group pics I took at the Cruise Critic meeting and the sail away from New York where a lot of CCer's that knew about Gary's secret deck were caught having fun. I still have a few more to sort through and post, but the albums are substantially complete now if you want to check them out. Here are the links: http://cjmorganportraits.fotki.com/hal/ for a direct link to the albums and http://e-cj.home.comcast.net/C.htm for the Google Earth tour that also includes individual links to the albums by location.

 

Smiles, CJ

[RustaRoo]

CJ,

We've had an e-mail from Kory and we're still setting up a get-together; it's been crazy busy ever since we've been home.

 

Thank you so much for posting the Cruise Critic photos from our trip - you got some very good ones!

 

I just looked at your other photos too and they're amazing. I appreciate you sharing them with us all.

 

Cheers!

[RustaRoo]

I hope you don't mind, but I poked around some of your other pix, especially your 1993 cruise on the Niew Amsterdam. My, my how cruising has evolved.

Haha, you're right! I haven't looked at those pictures for quite a while so I went back to review them. The public areas on the ship are quite plain that's for sure:)

[e-CJ]

CJ,

We've had an e-mail from Kory and we're still setting up a get-together; it's been crazy busy ever since we've been home.

 

Thank you so much for posting the Cruise Critic photos from our trip - you got some very good ones!

 

I just looked at your other photos too and they're amazing. I appreciate you sharing them with us all.

 

Cheers!

 

Hi Richard,

 

Thanks for the nice compliment about my website. I am glad you enjoyed the cruise photos, and the others too. I also went back to yours and looked at the 1993 cruise photos. It REALLY has changed!!! The decor looked downright spartan as compared with the Noordam. It is nice to have something like that as a contrast comparison.

 

I am looking forward to hearing about your little reunion BBQ with Kory. Have fun.

 

Smiles, CJ

[e-CJ]

[quote name='SakeDad']NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO:eek: :eek: :eek: !!!!!!!!!!
Well, I guess all I can do is PRAY:rolleyes: that his replacement is just as fabulous....or you WILL be hearing about it!:cool:[/quote]

Sake Dad,

We haven't heard about it yet, so how was the piano bar without Kory? No photos of his replacement?

I just got a chance to see your Alaska photos. They are absolutely breathtaking!!! The calving & the whales tail. The food styling. What a great collection. I hope you have more that aren't posted yet. I can't wait.

This said from one who is still stuck on the Noordam in Cabo pics... Which is what I should be doing right now.

Smiles, CJ