"LIVE" from the Westerdam / 3-09-08

[Radio]

We have been delayed for a 6PM departure, due to some late arriving Airline passengers. . . would should be leaving soon !

 

Millennium, Radiance, and CCL Liberty have already left. . . .

 

Half Moon Cay is calling for us ! Only 275nm away :D :D

 

Radio

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[redroses27]

can you find out about the verandah qauds sizes verses what your room is or do you think 4 people would be comfortable in the roo you are in we are in 5009 on 5-18

[Radio]

radio if its not too much trouble i will be i a quad verandah and have asked many times on info about it and have gotten no responses, if the room 4 of us are sharing is that size hmmmm looks real tight we are supposed to be in 5009, but whatever you do enjoy :) :) :)

 

 

I will try to get some pics of the quad for you ! (and check on the sizes)

 

Radio

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Radio]

Hi Mark! I can't believe how fortunate we are that you are doing a "Live" report from a HAL ship. You know how much I love your reports!

I suppose it is too late, but would have loved for you to get a photo of a VF (verandah cabin) with the steel verandah today. >SNIP<

 

 

I will try to get a pic for you. . . Thanks for the nice comments !

 

Radio

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[redroses27]

thank you radio will be greatly appreciated i still have time to upgrade if ned be and like i said enjoy im jealous:) :) :cool:

[Sea Island Lady]

I will try to get a pic for you. . . Thanks for the nice comments !

 

Radio

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Thank you Mark. We are in 4022.

 

redroses27 - I think the cabin looks too crowded for 2 persons (I am sharing with my sister :eek: ).

 

I strongly recommend that you upgrade to an SY or SS. ;) Those have more room, and two sinks.

[Crazy Flying Fish]

Radio, thanks - Your pics are as awsome as ever.

Thanks for taking time to get and post pics of the Orioles in spring training! Have a Great Cruise. My wife (Basketsuze) and I will be following along with you on your cruise.

You are probably enjoying your dinner right now!:cool:

[betonic]

Radio - Thanks for the live posts... I just got off of the Westerdam and had a wonderful time. I hope that you enjoy the cruise as much or more.

 

Lisa - I was talking to Hans last night and he got off the ship this morning. He says he will be on vacation for a couple of months and then he doesn't know where he will end up next.

[ILoveScotland]

Radio, thanks for your live reports and all the photos.

 

DH and I were on the Westerdam in late January for our first HAL cruise and really loved it. You will be bringing back good memories.

 

What is your itinerary? We were on the Southern Caribbean cruise so had 3 wonderful sea days.

 

Enjoy HMC tomorrow. It was a favorite stop for us.

[liv2cruise4ever]

Radio,

 

If you get chance, stop by and see Julie Barrs show. She is funny. Especially when she's teamed up with Joel Mason.:D

[jerseygirl3]

Radio, one of your photos has made me very happy. The only thing I hated about the Westerdam last year was that darn T.V. It was a very cumbersome, old fashioned, deep T.V. that sat on the vanity desk and took up half the desk. The fact that they have traded up to a flat screen that sits off the desk has made me very happy! It was so annoying having the T.V. take up half the desk area.

 

As for the late sailing I'm guessing it has to do with the terrible weather in the mid-West. People who were scheduled to fly in yesterday probably got bumped to today due to many airports (especially Ohio area) being closed yesterday.

 

I hope the change in hotel manager doesn't mean a slip in service. We'll be boarding the Westerdam with my sister and BIL and their kids on April 6.

 

Have a great cruise and keep the updates coming!

 

Jo-Ann

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Lisa - I was talking to Hans last night and he got off the ship this morning. He says he will be on vacation for a couple of months and then he doesn't know where he will end up next.

Thanks for the info, I knew he was on till March but not sure if it was end of March or beginning. Darn I was so hoping my friend Nurse George would get to meet him when he reports to work on the Westerdam on the 23rd. Well I hope Hans has a great vacation, he is such a great Beverage Manager:)

[docksider21]

Radio

 

Your photos are awesome. Unbelievable.

What camera do you use?

[Radio]

Hello everyone !

 

We sailed away a little after 6PM, just before Caribbean Princess and MSC Lirica. I found an area that I love more than anything so far on Westerdam! It is the Explorations Café. This is the best thing I have seen in a while on a Cruise Ship. This was added during the retrofit last April. It is up on deck10 (Starboard), next to the Crow’s Nest.

 

It is a great place to relax, and read the paper (NY Times), and have a cup of great coffee. They have a special deal onboard that lets you buy a Coffee Card ($27.) that includes 10 cups of coffee (any style). There are NY Times video archives, and the Internet Café is there as well. I signed up for the Internet PKG while there ($100/ 250 min. If you sign up on the first day, you get an extra 20 min of time (.37/min).

 

I will be spending a lot of time up there. The FREE websites on the Internet include Holland America, and the New York Times.

 

Just as I left the Explorations Café`, I found the Hydrospa. . .Uh oh. . .This might ALSO be the best thing on Westerdam. It looks like that I have a lot of areas to explore on this ship.

 

Maybe I can recap everything at the end of the cruise ! I just returned from the show in the Vista Lounge, and I can tell you that it was packed with passengers (standing room only) The Comic (Julie Barr) was hilarious !

 

It is time for me to hit the rack. . . Here are some pics from our sail away. More pics will follow tomorrow. Thanks for tuning in !

 

 

Radio

 

 

 

The sun came out right before we left. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrity Millennium getting ready to leave port.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regal Empress / Imperial Majesty being pulled out by tug.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fort Lauderdale Condo's were ready to greet us with horns and lights !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So long to Fort Lauderdale, for a few days !

 

 

 

 

 

Time for bed. . .

[gkm]

Sweet dreams Mark, and yes! I still do owe you a martini. When are you going to collect it?:D :D :D

 

Garry

[bucsfan100]

We will be on the Westerdam June 1 for our 1st HAL cruise. I love reading all this and will be checking back regularly! Is there any way to find out if Joel and Julie will still be on the Westerdam in June? I keep hearing how wonderful they are!!!

 

Thanks!

[bobmagg]

 

I went ot my cabin to drop off my electronics, and then went up to the Lido deck for a lunch buffet.

 

Radio

 

Were you able to get in your cabin? Normally, cabins are not available until around 1:30 p.m.

 

Toting carry-ons to the Lido for lunch was always a burden. Great if we could drop them off in the cabin.

 

Bob

[Stock Cop]

Have a GREAT cruise. I will be following your posts.

I have not seen any of your posts since we met on the Century awhile ago. That was a great cruise. (Remember us watching the commercial being filmed on the aft deck below the LIDO??)

 

I have two upcoming NOORDAM cruises, I will try to let you know how the ship is after I get back from the first trip.

 

Again, have a great cruise on the WESTY.

 

Rich :cool: :cool:

 

Good to see you "live" again.

Enjoy your cruise. Did you bring your GPS?

 

Rich :cool: :cool:

[betonic]

Julie Barr told me last week that she would be on for 3 weeks this time but that might mean that she would be back in June.

 

Radio - I'm so jealous, I would have done anything to stay on board another week. I especially feel that way since I'm getting ready to go back to work....

[innlady1]

Radio,

I'm enjoying your "Live From...." You'll have quite a readership...with your following from Royal Caribbean, and with all of the HAL folks.

I agree....the Explorations Cafe is our favorite spot on the ship. Well, one of our most favorites! ;) On the Noordam, it is on Deck 3. From what I recall on the Westerdam, during a recent dry dock, they relocated it to part of the Crow's Nest.

Love your photos...keep 'em coming!

Have a great cruise! And if you run into CaribbeanGirl, say hi to her from me...she was on our Noordam cruise in '07.

[Desdemona01]

Radio,

Love your live posts. We were on board two weeks ago and it was our best cruise ever.

 

If you get the chance, please stop in the piano bar and ask Jimmy to play Margaritaville or Hang on Sloopy for his *fan club*:D He's the best piano bar entertainer we've ever had

[Radio]

Good to see you "live" again.

Enjoy your cruise. Did you bring your GPS?

 

Rich

 

Yes, I purchased a new Garmin (GPSmap 76CSx)

 

Thanks,

 

Radio

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Radio]

Hello everyone ! We arrived at Half Moon Cay this morning at about 8AM. They are tendering over supplies now for the day ahead. I should be going ashore at about 10AM.

 

The weather is a little cloudy with chance of rain all day, but let’s hope for the best. We should have warm water, nice music and good food today. There are many excursions and things to do at Half Moon Cay. My plans are to do a little snorkeling, swimming and relaxing.

 

I will be heading up to breakfast, and tendering ashore soon after. I will post more pics later.

 

Thanks for tuning in. . .

 

Radio

 

 

First glimpse of Half Moon Cay

 

 

 

 

A little cloudy, but HMC is waiting for us. . .

 

 

 

 

HAL Prisendam joins us at HMC

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freiendly Quartermaster waves !

 

 

 

 

Our position. . .

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Fruitcake]

This is absolutely a wonderful adventure! Thank you for sharing it with us, Radio!

I appreciate this all the more because I was aboard the Westerdam Feb. 24-March 2 and had the time of my life. My best HAL cruise ever! :)

Seeing all your wonderful pictures and reading the details of your cruise enable me to relive my cruise experience.

I appreciate your fresh perspective on things and your straightforward comments.

I second Desdemona about the piano bar. Please go in there when you get the chance and say hi to Jimmy. If you can, take a picture so his many fans can see this wonderful piano man. :) Say hi to Arjen and Carlito, the servers in there. Great guys who enjoy what they do, and they sometimes dance to the music.

 

I am glad to hear you enjoyed Julie. She is incredibly funny and talented. You can't miss Joel Mason's show either. I was thrilled to finally see him after hearing so many raves about his performances. Julie and Joel are judges in the Westerdam Superstar show, and their antics are so over the top, you can't stop laughing. :D

[bobmagg]

Great photography Radio, and thanks also for your descriptive narration!

 

We were on a trans-atlantic aboard the Westerdam last October. Those wanting to see more photos of this beautiful ship may visit my gallery website at:

 

http://gallery.mac.com/bobmagg1#100138&bgcolor=black&view=mosaic&sel=0

 

Bob