RevNeal Reporting from the Zaandam

[Peggy Sue]

RevNeal,

 

Oh My!! What a horrible day you had! I would have flipped out...you have the patience of Job to tolerate being treated so badly. I hate being pestered by street vendors..and that woman and her son..shudder...

 

Did anyone attempt to get a refund from HAL for this tour? Did anyone from the ship staff accompany you all? Perhaps a photographer?

 

Glad you are enjoying the remainder of your cruise. I cannot believe it's almost come to an end! Just seems like yesterday I was reading about your adventures at the beginning of your cruise! From your posts, it sounds like you've had a fantastic voyage, sans the last tour!

 

Thank you again for taking us along. I've enjoyed each and every post, along with your great pictures!

 

Enjoy the remainder of your cruise!!

 

Peggy Sue

[Himself]

Three times in my young life, I have been on ships that stopped in Cartegena.

I did an interesting tour my first time there. The city and the country are quite anti-American and I don't care to get off there. The last time I was there I didn't even put my foot on the dock. I just stayed on the ship and read.

 

Himself

[Himself]

Rev. Greg Neal:

 

Your cruise is coming to an end. Thanks for all the posts. It seems like only yesterday I was watching yourship back into the Broward Inlet to get ready to go under the "Lion's Gate" and begin your journey. Now it is coming to an end. May this be a memborable voyage for you. Get ready to shout "Land Ho"

Himself

[cruznon]

Whoa....what a day! I think you handled it with more grace than I would have.

Gee... Cartagena...such a musical sound....not the nightmare you went through.

(I bet the dinner conversation was quite spirited and interesting that night.)

This sounds like a port that should be seen from the deck of the ship--only.

[RevNeal]

Well, my friends, I'm home ... exhausted and fulfilled. What an OUTSTANDING cruise it was. Give me a few days to collect my thoughts and re-read my reports and I'll draft my full review and post it here as well as submit it to several sites. I'll pay attention to the great, the good, the not-so-good, the bad, and the truly ugly. :) Yes, there were elements of each. Overall, HAL did a great job ... even despite the occasional problems and failures, they tried VERY hard and made my cruise one of the very best I've ever taken.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Greg, Welcome Home!!!!:) I know I speak for all of us ... and they'll all speak for themselves as well;) ... when I tell you how much we've enjoyed your 'diary'. We can't wait to hear more. So rest, unpack, and we'll look forward to your review. Again, thanks for taking the time to share this amazing journey.

[Roadwork]

Reverand Neal,

I am sure Cartagena will be unforgettable. What a saga.

[cruznon]

RevNeal,

Thanks again for your generous sharing. We all feel as if we were on your cruise--of course without the pampering. Your photos were wonderful and your commentary made it all come alive.

Glad you're home safely.

[Aloha_Jackie]

I couldnt agree more!

 

 

Welcome Home Rev - thanks again for all of the photos, information, and inspiration! Now isnt it time for another load of laundry!?:)

[bridge&golf]

We just got home. Sorry we didn't meet. We had a very good and smart guide in Cartegena. Our driver took us to the fort. Our guide, Alfred, told him

to go on. We stopped at the fort just before the monastary. No rain, then. Our tablemates got very wet, also.

 

All in all, it was a great cruise. We enjoyed Mickey Finn's show, also.

[jima53]

We went down yesterday and saw the ship at the dock. We leave next week for our trip on her. Sounds like your tour from hell is making us feel good about staying on the ship during our upcoming cruise. We have both been overseas before but this time only want to relax and rest.

 

Thanks for all the info and great pictures.

 

Jim

[Himself]

Rev Greg Neal:

 

THe above means: A hundred thosand welcomes. Glad you are home safe and sound. Thanks for all the nice reports. Get some rest!!!!!

 

Himself

[Terri Lee]

Thankyou Revneal for your terrific daily logs.They brought back many happy memories for me of my 3 trips through the Canal.

 

Your shore trip in Cartagena was incredible to say the least.How you kept your sense of humour beats me!!

 

Your unfortunate experience in the dining room re.the cannelloni reminded me of the time I was on the World Cruise back in 1998.It was the final dinner of the cruise and one of my table companions and I ordered a Waldorf Salad.When they arrived,our 2 dishes bore no resemblance to what we had ordered.There they sat,a very pretty pile of pasta topped with some mysterious concoction.My friend and I then asked the steward what happened to the Waldorf Salad,he said that the dish he had brought us was Waldorf Salad!We then pointed out that it was pasta and it was then he said that unfortunately they had run out of the salad and had hoped we wouldn't notice the difference!!!LOL!We almost fell off our chairs laughing!!

Did we eat our new "Waldorf Salad"? No! Especially as we couldn't make out what it was that was sitting on top of the pasta!!(we had some soup instead)

So you see,they even run out of dishes on the World Cruises! LOL!:eek:

 

Once again,Greg,thanks for a great diary and welcome home.

 

Terri:)

[RevNeal]

Even on the world cruise!!!!! :eek: YIKES!!!!!!!

 

:)

 

We had a good laugh about it later. I wasn't angry ... I just thought it strange that they would swap dishes like that without telling me and expecting me to not realize that what they offered wasn't what I ordered. :) Not even close! Though, I must admit, what they put in front of me was closer than what they put in front of you! Pasta instead of a Waldorf Salad! YIKES! :eek:

 

Reminds me of the time I found a worm inching its way across a leaf in my salad ... boy, they whisked that plate away from me so fast I couldn't snap a picture!!!!!! :) And they were WORRIED that I was upset when, in point of fact, I was laughing so hard I could hardly breath.

[DFD1]

Thanks, RevNeal. I know you put a lot ot time into your posts for us to enjoy. It was a pleasure reading them. Your work is much appreciated.

[Bill S]

Greg: Welcome Home and thanks for your excellent travelogue and photos! Your experience in Cartagena mirrors ours, except we did not encounter a rainstorm like you did. At least it was a memorable experience, but not for the best of reasons.

[Lovebirds]

Even on the world cruise!!!!! :eek: YIKES!!!!!!!

 

:)

 

 

Reminds me of the time I found a worm inching its way across a leaf in my salad ... boy, they whisked that plate away from me so fast I couldn't snap a picture!!!!!! :) And they were WORRIED that I was upset when, in point of fact, I was laughing so hard I could hardly breath.

Now if you had found HALF a worm on your salad would you have been laughing?:D

[Livestotravel]

Reading through your posts and viewing your pictures makes our upcoming trip through the Canal Jan. 9 on the Oosterdam just that much harder to wait for! Your picture of the Oosterdam coming through the locks took my breath away (can12.jpg). We are booked for the city tour in Cartegena, and really wonder what to do. It would be a shame to be there and not get off the ship. My questions are: how did you handle small purchases at the Ports - did you exchange money for the local currency? Are the currencies interchangeable in Categena, Punteanas and Mexico? Also, did you get any of the recommended shots (Booster vaccinations, Typhoid, etc)? I know they are not required, but just wondered if it would be a good idea. What have the rest of you done about shots when traveling to the Caribbean and South America?

[RevNeal]

We are booked for the city tour in Cartegena, and really wonder what to do. It would be a shame to be there and not get off the ship.

 

Upon much reflection I would have to say that I WOULD do the tour again ... but I would go BETTER PREPARED. I would bring with me a good rain-pancho, a towel, and a change of clothing. I would also bring a water-tight case or bag in which to put my video and digital camera so that I wouldn't worry about them being damaged by rain.

 

My questions are: how did you handle small purchases at the Ports - did you exchange money for the local currency? Are the currencies interchangeable in Categena, Punteanas and Mexico?

 

In Mexico, Costa Rica, Columbia, and the Caribbean, the almighty dollar was fine.

 

Also, did you get any of the recommended shots (Booster vaccinations, Typhoid, etc)? I know they are not required, but just wondered if it would be a good idea. What have the rest of you done about shots when traveling to the Caribbean and South America?

 

CDC recommends the following vaccines (as appropriate for age):

 

• Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG).
  
• Hepatitis B, if you might be exposed to blood (for example, health-care workers), have sex with the local population, stay longer than 6 months, or be exposed through medical treatment.
  
• Rabies, if you might be exposed to wild or domestic animals.
  
• Typhoid, particularly if you are visiting developing countries in this region.
  
• Yellow fever for travelers to Panama who will be going outside urban areas.
  
• As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not receive the series as infants.
  

 

Since none of these applied for our travels on this cruise, and I didn't need any new boosters for tetanus-diphtheria or measles, I didn't bother.

[Livestotravel]

Thanks for the quick and very thorough answer. I made a note of where you were on deck for the Canal transit, and where to find shade!