Wednesday January 16, 2013
Hola! Well it has been 4 days and very busy. While at sea there are Spanish lessons which are fun and Annette is doing a wonderful job teaching all of the attendees (about 50 of us) very basic language so we can ask and get information. Three days ago we were in Ecuador and I did a driving trip around Manta and up to Monticristi. Panama hats are not made in Panama but in Ecuador and the history of how they became known as Panama hats stems from the building of the Panama Canal. Teddy Roosevelt got a hat when visiting the canal during its building and when asked where he got his hat he said "Panama" thus the Panama Hat. The region we saw was both modern and old. Interesting was that Ecuador uses US dollars. They have no currency of their own. So it is quite easy to shop. I took no money so shopping was out but today in Callao I plan to head for the free complimentary bus to the big modern mall if I can not find what I would like from a vendor on the pier. Taking this cruise has certainly opened my eyes to the South American continent.
Holland America has all these amazing venues both on and off the ship. Last night we attended a special dinner, Le Cirque, held twice or three times during our cruise. This dinner is based on the New York restaurant and it's tastey features. Special wines and delicasies made the dinner exceptional. Along with the food came the view. We sat next to a window and watched the small dolphins play and jump along the side of the ship.
The ship has a wonderful library where internet, books and puzzles can be gotten. We have seen passengers spend time putting together a 2500 piece jigsaw puzzle, and the next day it is fully completed.
Arnie and Elly are building their list of birds as they cruise. With their scope they have spotted all kinds of birds and taking wildlfe tours allows them to see new and different birds than what might be seen on land in North America. They have kept me apprised of the additions to their list. On January 13 they wrote about a strenuous walk in the Ecuadorian jungle where they found Esmeralda`s Woodstar, a colorful hummingbird endemic to the area. Their life list increased by nine birds with thanks to the knowledgeable guide. On January 15 they wrote about the Humbolt Current which brings much edible items for birds from the south. In fact the ship sailed south over the continental plate which all these pelagic birds dive to get food. Arnie wrote that Albatrosses, Shearwaters, Pelicans and Petrels, joined the whales and dolphins. It certainly shows the effect that the Humbolt Current has on the sea creatures and those that rely on them.
One night I attempted to participate in the Kareoke evening but due to the rocking ship and my balance problem it was not one of my most successful evenings, but it was fun and that is what is important. Evenings onboard abound with various activities: dance to a group combo, see a show at the Showroom at Sea, or head to the front desk and get a DVD and have a quiet time in your stateroom, or take in a movie at the Wang Jang Theater. Pools and hot tubs stay open into the evening weather permitting. I certainly have found many things to do as we sail the coast.
We arrived in Callao, Peru this morning and so I will add some more about the city when I return.
JANUARY 17
Now here we are in Peru and yes I definitely did some shopping. Alpaca wool is wonderful and very soft so a warm shawl is needed as we head south. I saw a lady who had aquired an alpaca teddy and it was so soft and hugable.
On Wednesday, last night, I took in the night life of Lima and Callao. A bus took us through the two towns which are joined together similar to many cities in North America. Callao has a population of about 1,000,000 whereas Lima has 9,000,000. Commute traffic starts about 7 pm and finishes around nine and I am assuming it is because many store close in the heat of the day from noon to three about so stores are open later into the evening. The squares of Lima are huge round abouts where 5 to 7 streets all converge with 5 to 7 stop lights. Walking across the square is much faster than driving around it. Many of these squares have a park like center but around the outer edge sits some old buildings, government offices and churches. I was impressed at how much French archetecture has affected Lima but I suppose that the era of Napolean traveled world wide. Many buildings have intricate balconies and Lima is a world UNESCO site as the buildings are so old yet are still used. Our tour took us to the Magic Fountains of Lima which is a huge park with water that goes high and low and moves around. One section you can walk through, the water making a tunnel. We saw a digital light display playing off a sheet of water and it was put to music. It was quite popular as families and many visitors enjoyed the performance.
Today was an early rise day as I looked forward to a wildlfe adventure. There were about 25 of us that wanted to see sealions and penguins and no one was left disappointed. Unlike seals sealions can climb up rocks. They sit up there and make a whole bunch of noise. A number of the passengers actually adorned themselves with wet suits and swam with the sealions. I added a few birds to my life list and one was a Peruvian Boobie which looks similar to a seagull but is smaller. I saw a Red-footed Boobie and a number of different types of Pelicans. The wind and the sea blowing in my face and hair was also part of the Pacific adventure as we went to San Lorenzo island and a couple of others. Having an exposure to Callao and Lima is certainly an eye-opening experience. I just want to add that the tour guides and all of the locals that I met were very solicitous to our needs.
We leave this beautiful city this evening at 5 p.m. and we head to General San Martin which is an island under the government of Peru..................Just a note to NOLA...... everyone is fine though they were under the weather for awhile last week.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Last Few Days
Wednesday January 9, 2013
Well, the end of a wonderful day is drawing to a close. Costa Rica is full of natural beauty. While riding a boat along the Tortuguero Canal Howler Monkeys were spotted as they jumped from tree to tree, and we saw a sloth as it decended slowly from a tree. Costa Rica has legislation regarding the natural habitat such as it is illegal to shoot animals at least on the north side of the country. There are 623 variety of birds that make Costa Rica their home. While touring the canal egrets, herons, kingfishers, tanagers, and some cute small sparrows were sighted. Arnie and Elly saw 35 species as they toured the rain forest. When they returned to the gate of the port they met a guide who is also into bird watching. This guide took them to a local park where they saw an owl and a Black-headed Tody-flycatcher. Insects abound and all kinds of flowers.
The bus driver was so funny as the first time he stopped he grabbed a machete and went cutting down plants and bringing them for us to see. We saw cacao, small bananas and a number of other locally grown plants. We went to a banana plantation where everything is still done the old fashioned way as it keeps people employed. The plantation grows the bananas, then they get hung on a wire and are moved to the sorting and washing area and are boxed for Del Monte. The harvesting of bananas and the packing is dependant on where they are shipped. Costa Rica's main export is bananas, followed by pineapple, then coffee. The special coffee is for North America and Europe wheras the lower grade is sold to the local populace.
There are many things that one does not pay for when doing a Grand Voyage. The self serve Laundry is free with soap provided. There are also small gifts such as journals and a very nice over the shoulder bag like a big purse with zippers and pockets. Most of the people on this cruise are retired but there are a few that aren't but they are only going part way around South America and will be disembarking in Buenos Aires.
The seas have been a bit choppy and the wind is picking up, but I have to admit that once out on the sea it becomes much cooler. We are heading to the San Blas Islands and are expected to arrive at noon tomorrow. These islands are under Panama's governmental control and there are about 365 in the archipelago. Only about 50 of the islands have permanent communities. So when we arrive it will be interesting to see how these islanders live.
Friday January 11, 2013 Transiting the Panama Canal
Yesterday was an interesting day as the Prinsendam anchored off the San Blas Islands and tendered passengers to one of the islands. The residents live in the past with cell phones, TV's and internet bringing them into the present. Electricity is handy but there are no lavatories. People pee wherever and the women nurse their children in public exposing their bodies. Just a cultural difference between these people and our European standards. Bobbie and Dick passed along what they saw and experienced on the island: children running around in the water and dirt paths and unsmiling women trying to sell their molas. The houses are made of tin walls and thatched roofs. Their dugout boats were powered by strong young men that moved with speed through the waves.
Today we travelled through the Panama Canal. It was very hot and humid but the ship's staff had a lot of cold water and iced tea to keep us all hydrated. Arnie and Elly write that the Panama Canal transit was a wonderful way to see many species of birds with a scope or binoculars. They found 20 species and 2 of them were most interesting: a White Hawk and a Yellow-headed Caracara. They are looking forward to the Pacific pelagic birds which will be very interesting off the coast of Ecuador.
There is a pile of history around the Panama Canal from political to the difficulty in building it. Many people died from Malaria and Yellow Fever. The French funded it's building in the 1880's and brought workers from some of the Carribean Islands.The French engineer who built the Suez Canal designed the Panama Canal but he had not taken into consideration the difficulty with the mountains (continental divide), the disease and thedifferent height of the two oceans. Many died and the French abandoned the project. In the early 1900's the US became involved and completed the project for the opening in 1914. There were some medical break throughs which helped but still there were many deaths by disease. Building the Suez had been much easier as it went through flat terrain and sand with relatively dry weather. The canal has three different sets of locks and there are roads that run under the channel. We had an emergency disembarking a sick passenger at one of these locks as an ambulance met the ship on route.
Our ship is currently without internet connection so I have no idea when this will be sent. One never knows what could happen next so when I cruise it is an adventure.
Saturday January 12,2013
Today has been a day at sea and it has been a day with information overload with three different lectures. The information has flown like a huge tsunami, which was what happened in 2010 when the Robinson Crusoe Island was inundated with water after the chilian earthquake. The history of Equador from it's name to it's people was discussed. Equador was the location where the equator was first measured. Some towns had been in existance since long before the Spanish arrived and they weredestroyed by the Spanish as they fought the indigenous people. There were items used by these people that are still used today like the tagua seeds which are known to us and used in sewing: buttons. In fact other than plastic tagua buttons are very popular in North America and Europe. For those interested in a more in depth development of Latin and Southern America one can access www.visualaids-latinamerica.com for Tommie Sue Montgommery's discussion and pictorial lecture.
Tim Runyan gave a lecture on Shipwrecks of the Caribbean and the Atlantic. He chose four of them that he found quite fasinating. A Spanish Galleon in 1772 had gone off course and sunk off the coast of Anguilla, a small island in the Caribbean. He and a group were the historians/ divers who went down and found the burial sight for the ship and he explained all about the government laws and how they knew where it went down. There had been about 1,000 men who were rescued but the island is so small that at the time supporting an extra population was impossible so they ended up being moved to Puerto Rico. Since this ship, El Buen Consejo, had been on a missionary voyage all the medallions that the missionaries had went down with the ship. Interesting! Then there was the wreck of the Ten Sail in 1794. A convoy of 10 British ships with the lead ship MS Convert were shipwrecked off the Cayman Islands. All of them were interesting historical stories.
Our travel guide, Lisa, talked about Callao and Pisco, Peru. She spoke a bit about the history of the area but mostly about the modern day city of Lima and the surrounding area. Lima is the 5th largest city in South America and they have traffic congestion. It is the second largest desert city in the world - Cairo is the largest. She discussed how the port works and the complementary bus service that will be provided by the company to get us around town. Of course, our safety is very important so she gave us places to go and what not to wear. Peru is a multicultural country with cusine from all over so Peru is a great place to try different foods. Pisco sour is the country's national drink but she said not to try it as the white on the top is egg white and it is not cooked.
Then there was a dreamy lecture on future voyages to whet your appitite and all the upcoming trips that one might want to try.
Well, the end of a wonderful day is drawing to a close. Costa Rica is full of natural beauty. While riding a boat along the Tortuguero Canal Howler Monkeys were spotted as they jumped from tree to tree, and we saw a sloth as it decended slowly from a tree. Costa Rica has legislation regarding the natural habitat such as it is illegal to shoot animals at least on the north side of the country. There are 623 variety of birds that make Costa Rica their home. While touring the canal egrets, herons, kingfishers, tanagers, and some cute small sparrows were sighted. Arnie and Elly saw 35 species as they toured the rain forest. When they returned to the gate of the port they met a guide who is also into bird watching. This guide took them to a local park where they saw an owl and a Black-headed Tody-flycatcher. Insects abound and all kinds of flowers.
The bus driver was so funny as the first time he stopped he grabbed a machete and went cutting down plants and bringing them for us to see. We saw cacao, small bananas and a number of other locally grown plants. We went to a banana plantation where everything is still done the old fashioned way as it keeps people employed. The plantation grows the bananas, then they get hung on a wire and are moved to the sorting and washing area and are boxed for Del Monte. The harvesting of bananas and the packing is dependant on where they are shipped. Costa Rica's main export is bananas, followed by pineapple, then coffee. The special coffee is for North America and Europe wheras the lower grade is sold to the local populace.
There are many things that one does not pay for when doing a Grand Voyage. The self serve Laundry is free with soap provided. There are also small gifts such as journals and a very nice over the shoulder bag like a big purse with zippers and pockets. Most of the people on this cruise are retired but there are a few that aren't but they are only going part way around South America and will be disembarking in Buenos Aires.
The seas have been a bit choppy and the wind is picking up, but I have to admit that once out on the sea it becomes much cooler. We are heading to the San Blas Islands and are expected to arrive at noon tomorrow. These islands are under Panama's governmental control and there are about 365 in the archipelago. Only about 50 of the islands have permanent communities. So when we arrive it will be interesting to see how these islanders live.
Friday January 11, 2013 Transiting the Panama Canal
Yesterday was an interesting day as the Prinsendam anchored off the San Blas Islands and tendered passengers to one of the islands. The residents live in the past with cell phones, TV's and internet bringing them into the present. Electricity is handy but there are no lavatories. People pee wherever and the women nurse their children in public exposing their bodies. Just a cultural difference between these people and our European standards. Bobbie and Dick passed along what they saw and experienced on the island: children running around in the water and dirt paths and unsmiling women trying to sell their molas. The houses are made of tin walls and thatched roofs. Their dugout boats were powered by strong young men that moved with speed through the waves.
Today we travelled through the Panama Canal. It was very hot and humid but the ship's staff had a lot of cold water and iced tea to keep us all hydrated. Arnie and Elly write that the Panama Canal transit was a wonderful way to see many species of birds with a scope or binoculars. They found 20 species and 2 of them were most interesting: a White Hawk and a Yellow-headed Caracara. They are looking forward to the Pacific pelagic birds which will be very interesting off the coast of Ecuador.
There is a pile of history around the Panama Canal from political to the difficulty in building it. Many people died from Malaria and Yellow Fever. The French funded it's building in the 1880's and brought workers from some of the Carribean Islands.The French engineer who built the Suez Canal designed the Panama Canal but he had not taken into consideration the difficulty with the mountains (continental divide), the disease and thedifferent height of the two oceans. Many died and the French abandoned the project. In the early 1900's the US became involved and completed the project for the opening in 1914. There were some medical break throughs which helped but still there were many deaths by disease. Building the Suez had been much easier as it went through flat terrain and sand with relatively dry weather. The canal has three different sets of locks and there are roads that run under the channel. We had an emergency disembarking a sick passenger at one of these locks as an ambulance met the ship on route.
Our ship is currently without internet connection so I have no idea when this will be sent. One never knows what could happen next so when I cruise it is an adventure.
Saturday January 12,2013
Today has been a day at sea and it has been a day with information overload with three different lectures. The information has flown like a huge tsunami, which was what happened in 2010 when the Robinson Crusoe Island was inundated with water after the chilian earthquake. The history of Equador from it's name to it's people was discussed. Equador was the location where the equator was first measured. Some towns had been in existance since long before the Spanish arrived and they weredestroyed by the Spanish as they fought the indigenous people. There were items used by these people that are still used today like the tagua seeds which are known to us and used in sewing: buttons. In fact other than plastic tagua buttons are very popular in North America and Europe. For those interested in a more in depth development of Latin and Southern America one can access www.visualaids-latinamerica.com for Tommie Sue Montgommery's discussion and pictorial lecture.
Tim Runyan gave a lecture on Shipwrecks of the Caribbean and the Atlantic. He chose four of them that he found quite fasinating. A Spanish Galleon in 1772 had gone off course and sunk off the coast of Anguilla, a small island in the Caribbean. He and a group were the historians/ divers who went down and found the burial sight for the ship and he explained all about the government laws and how they knew where it went down. There had been about 1,000 men who were rescued but the island is so small that at the time supporting an extra population was impossible so they ended up being moved to Puerto Rico. Since this ship, El Buen Consejo, had been on a missionary voyage all the medallions that the missionaries had went down with the ship. Interesting! Then there was the wreck of the Ten Sail in 1794. A convoy of 10 British ships with the lead ship MS Convert were shipwrecked off the Cayman Islands. All of them were interesting historical stories.
Our travel guide, Lisa, talked about Callao and Pisco, Peru. She spoke a bit about the history of the area but mostly about the modern day city of Lima and the surrounding area. Lima is the 5th largest city in South America and they have traffic congestion. It is the second largest desert city in the world - Cairo is the largest. She discussed how the port works and the complementary bus service that will be provided by the company to get us around town. Of course, our safety is very important so she gave us places to go and what not to wear. Peru is a multicultural country with cusine from all over so Peru is a great place to try different foods. Pisco sour is the country's national drink but she said not to try it as the white on the top is egg white and it is not cooked.
Then there was a dreamy lecture on future voyages to whet your appitite and all the upcoming trips that one might want to try.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Update
Tonight is a formal dinner where the Captain will be present. Today was a sea day with a lot to keep one busy. There were dance classes, lectures about where we are going. There was a discussion about the history of the Panama Canal and the indiginous people who lived here long before the European explorers arrived. There was interesting information imparted to us about the politics of this southern central American area. Panama hats are not made in Panama and we shall elaborate on that later.
Just to let you all know that if you want to watch the Prinsendam transit the Panama Canal it can be done. Go to www.pancanal.com./eng/photo/cam. The Prinsendam will go through on Jan. 11 starting at about 7 am and should be finishing the canal about 5 pm. There are three cameras: one at the Gatun Lock, one at the Miraflores Lock and one on a bridge somewhere. The cam takes still pics about every 15 to 20 seconds. Remember to account for the time difference. You may find your friends or relatives on deck watching the operation of the locks.
Just to let you all know that if you want to watch the Prinsendam transit the Panama Canal it can be done. Go to www.pancanal.com./eng/photo/cam. The Prinsendam will go through on Jan. 11 starting at about 7 am and should be finishing the canal about 5 pm. There are three cameras: one at the Gatun Lock, one at the Miraflores Lock and one on a bridge somewhere. The cam takes still pics about every 15 to 20 seconds. Remember to account for the time difference. You may find your friends or relatives on deck watching the operation of the locks.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Leaving Grand Cayman
Monday Evening January 7, 2013
The Prinsendam has just pulled up her anchor and we are away from Grand Cayman after a wonderful, warm day on a tour. As more of the passengers hear about the blog I am hoping to include many experiences from them. Arnie and Elly are avid bird watchers so they have spent some time on their verandah watching nature. Off the coast of Cuba they saw several Red-footed Boobies circling well out to sea not far from a couple of Minka whales. They had a scope so to see them you needed a scope or high powered binoculars. Today they had hoped to do some hiking but ended up staying in downtown George Town. They saw magnificent Frigates and a female Peregrine Falcon that played in the wind off the side of the ship.
The Cayman Islands are under British rule and every four years the British send someone to be governor of the islands. There are no taxes and about 52,000 residents inhabit the island of Grand Cayman. The island has lovely flowers, and many animals but it has a mixture of old buildings and more modern ones. A popular attraction is HELL. It is limestone and other organic material which over many years created a jagged collection of stalagtites which look like lava created them. They are not particularly beautiful but very interesting. There is even a post office at Hell so if you get a letter from Hell you will know it is from Grand Cayman. The tour guide who was also the bus driver was so informative that keeping up with his knowledge was impossible.
Coming from North America this was the first time I experienced riding on the wrong side of the road. I kept seeing vehicles and they looked like they would run into us but I was at the back of the bus. The islands are known for the many banks, but it is that they are registered in the Caymans as they may have buildings on other islands. At the time I thought it might be similar to boats that are registered in certain countries due to legal and taxation restrictions.
We are on a coarse to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica now and we will be arriving there on Wednesday. We are hitting the water fairly hard as I hear it as the ship slaps against the waves. As I mentioned previously I may not post as frequently as I would like due to the internet connections from the ship.
The Prinsendam has just pulled up her anchor and we are away from Grand Cayman after a wonderful, warm day on a tour. As more of the passengers hear about the blog I am hoping to include many experiences from them. Arnie and Elly are avid bird watchers so they have spent some time on their verandah watching nature. Off the coast of Cuba they saw several Red-footed Boobies circling well out to sea not far from a couple of Minka whales. They had a scope so to see them you needed a scope or high powered binoculars. Today they had hoped to do some hiking but ended up staying in downtown George Town. They saw magnificent Frigates and a female Peregrine Falcon that played in the wind off the side of the ship.
The Cayman Islands are under British rule and every four years the British send someone to be governor of the islands. There are no taxes and about 52,000 residents inhabit the island of Grand Cayman. The island has lovely flowers, and many animals but it has a mixture of old buildings and more modern ones. A popular attraction is HELL. It is limestone and other organic material which over many years created a jagged collection of stalagtites which look like lava created them. They are not particularly beautiful but very interesting. There is even a post office at Hell so if you get a letter from Hell you will know it is from Grand Cayman. The tour guide who was also the bus driver was so informative that keeping up with his knowledge was impossible.
Coming from North America this was the first time I experienced riding on the wrong side of the road. I kept seeing vehicles and they looked like they would run into us but I was at the back of the bus. The islands are known for the many banks, but it is that they are registered in the Caymans as they may have buildings on other islands. At the time I thought it might be similar to boats that are registered in certain countries due to legal and taxation restrictions.
We are on a coarse to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica now and we will be arriving there on Wednesday. We are hitting the water fairly hard as I hear it as the ship slaps against the waves. As I mentioned previously I may not post as frequently as I would like due to the internet connections from the ship.
First Day at Sea
Sunday Evening - January 6, 2013
The Prinsendam left Fort Lauderdale at just before 10 pm last night. It was scheduled to leave at 11 pm but I suppose that if everything is loaded and passengers are loaded then they can leave. We had watched as the Oasis of the Seas left and it was very large handling over 5,000 passengers. Fort Lauderdale can handle up to 14 cruise ships but from what I saw 6 seemed to be adequate with all the people and their luggage. Prinsendam is a small ship and has currently just over 650 passengers. It will be boarding other passengers in Manta, Equador and Valparasio, Chile. Then there will be people disembarking in Buenos Aires so it will be wonderful to practice our emergency drill a number of times.
This morning was the Meet and Greet and for me it was my first experience. There were many experienced cruisers there as well as some ship's crew. This is part of Cruise Critic which is found on the web. It is so nice to get to know some of your fellow passengers even before you board. It is interesting to chat about ships, cruising and all things relating to ship travel.
Today I want to talk a bit about ship life for those who have never cruised. Quite often I hear that ship travel is boring or is cramped or some say they get seasick or other excuses not to try a cruise. My first thought is to try a short or repositioning cruise and for those who may get a quizzy stomach try gravol and the infirmary gives some away free. One very important and necessary action that all cruisers need to aspire to is the hand cleaning. There is Purcell disinfectant hand sanitizer all over the ship. No one needs to get sick. So use it! Mainly before entering eating areas.
Another handy and easy way to enjoy your cruise is by using your door key card as a credit card. Registering your real credit card ahead of time or when you board allows you to enjoy all purchases on board the ship by using your stateroom access card for drinks, items from various shops, wine and beer, soft drinks, water and then at the end of your cruise it is all billed to your real credit card. Just be careful and don`t overspend.
Cruising will just introduce you to a variety of places - places that you may wish to explore more thoroughly. Enjoy shore excursions that take you away from the ship so you can get you land feet back mainly if the seas have been rough. The ship's crew is around to help you so if there is a concern do not be afraid to ask for help. Until you know who to ask crew will direct you to the proper department.
What can one do when out on the open ocean? Well, depending on the type of person you are you might just want to sit in the sun and read. Or you may be a person who wants to learn about something. Not all ships provide the same activities but here are some ideas: go see a movie, take a cooking class, go observe an art auction, go to the gym, spend your money at a shop or maybe waste your money in the casino ( mentioned with humor in mind), Holland America has some arrangement with Microsoft so learn some Windows information, then there is the spa, learn bridge, go to a Broadway Show put on by the dancers and singers on the ship, spend some time on the internet, and enjoy the food served. Activities for the next day are published and distributed the night before so you can plan your day. Even religious services can be observed. There are lectures about upcoming locations and also where to shop so there is a lot to keep you busy.
Tomorrow we land in George Town, Grand Cayman around noon and there is where our first stop and shore excursions start.
For those interested both locks on the Panama Canal have webcams and can be accessed at www.pancanal.com. You will be able to see the Prinsendam as it goes through the Mira Flores lock or the Gatun lock. As Prinsendam gets closer to the canal this blog will let you know when to watch the ship in the locks.
Due to internet access while on ship due to weather, etc. postings may not be as frequent.
The Prinsendam left Fort Lauderdale at just before 10 pm last night. It was scheduled to leave at 11 pm but I suppose that if everything is loaded and passengers are loaded then they can leave. We had watched as the Oasis of the Seas left and it was very large handling over 5,000 passengers. Fort Lauderdale can handle up to 14 cruise ships but from what I saw 6 seemed to be adequate with all the people and their luggage. Prinsendam is a small ship and has currently just over 650 passengers. It will be boarding other passengers in Manta, Equador and Valparasio, Chile. Then there will be people disembarking in Buenos Aires so it will be wonderful to practice our emergency drill a number of times.
This morning was the Meet and Greet and for me it was my first experience. There were many experienced cruisers there as well as some ship's crew. This is part of Cruise Critic which is found on the web. It is so nice to get to know some of your fellow passengers even before you board. It is interesting to chat about ships, cruising and all things relating to ship travel.
Today I want to talk a bit about ship life for those who have never cruised. Quite often I hear that ship travel is boring or is cramped or some say they get seasick or other excuses not to try a cruise. My first thought is to try a short or repositioning cruise and for those who may get a quizzy stomach try gravol and the infirmary gives some away free. One very important and necessary action that all cruisers need to aspire to is the hand cleaning. There is Purcell disinfectant hand sanitizer all over the ship. No one needs to get sick. So use it! Mainly before entering eating areas.
Another handy and easy way to enjoy your cruise is by using your door key card as a credit card. Registering your real credit card ahead of time or when you board allows you to enjoy all purchases on board the ship by using your stateroom access card for drinks, items from various shops, wine and beer, soft drinks, water and then at the end of your cruise it is all billed to your real credit card. Just be careful and don`t overspend.
Cruising will just introduce you to a variety of places - places that you may wish to explore more thoroughly. Enjoy shore excursions that take you away from the ship so you can get you land feet back mainly if the seas have been rough. The ship's crew is around to help you so if there is a concern do not be afraid to ask for help. Until you know who to ask crew will direct you to the proper department.
What can one do when out on the open ocean? Well, depending on the type of person you are you might just want to sit in the sun and read. Or you may be a person who wants to learn about something. Not all ships provide the same activities but here are some ideas: go see a movie, take a cooking class, go observe an art auction, go to the gym, spend your money at a shop or maybe waste your money in the casino ( mentioned with humor in mind), Holland America has some arrangement with Microsoft so learn some Windows information, then there is the spa, learn bridge, go to a Broadway Show put on by the dancers and singers on the ship, spend some time on the internet, and enjoy the food served. Activities for the next day are published and distributed the night before so you can plan your day. Even religious services can be observed. There are lectures about upcoming locations and also where to shop so there is a lot to keep you busy.
Tomorrow we land in George Town, Grand Cayman around noon and there is where our first stop and shore excursions start.
For those interested both locks on the Panama Canal have webcams and can be accessed at www.pancanal.com. You will be able to see the Prinsendam as it goes through the Mira Flores lock or the Gatun lock. As Prinsendam gets closer to the canal this blog will let you know when to watch the ship in the locks.
Due to internet access while on ship due to weather, etc. postings may not be as frequent.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Leaving Tomorrow
Well folks, with a car rental time was spent exploring the area around Fort Lauderdale. We missed a few exits not knowing exactly what lane we should be occupying mainly as we approached the Miami area. A visit to the Sawgrass Recreational Park was an experience. Being rather warm we boarded an airboat that held 25 or so people and flew over the swampy grassy water which was about three feet deep. After checking a number of locations we finally spotted an alligator sunning himself on a dry piece of land. As we sat there keeping an eye on the alligator up swam a softshell turtle. They can bite and no one wanted to loose a finger as they are carnivorous. Everyone got up to move over to one side of the boat and the boat started to lean to one side. Captain John tells us to quickly move back so the boat is balanced. An alligator on one side and a meat eating turtle on the other can conjure up images in ones mind if a boat tips over. The park also houses Pythons, Crocs, lizards and other reptiles and beautiful black leopards.
We left there and headed back into town where we boarded a catamaran on a Riverfront cruise. Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of North America having many canals that run all over. The ride and the setting sun was most pleasant after a hot airboat ride. A nice drink and a long description of homes, boats and famous business men who lived in these mansions filled my mind. Stephen Spielberg's yacht the "7 Seas" rents out for 1 million dollars and I think that is daily. We saw famous houses of people long gone and those sold. Lee Majors had a house along the canal and what was amazing was that really the only people who enjoy them are the caretakers and the dog. These mansions are vacation homes and every home has a boat moored at the front door. The lights from the yards and the city grew bright as the sun sank into the western sky leaving a pink hue in the sky. I thought what a way to end the day.
Today we took a ride south, and yes we missed a turnoff or two not knowing exactly where to turn. We drove north along the coast stopping for lunch. Crossing the bridges and the causeways are great vantage points to take pictures and to see West Miami. I was co-piloting so I could not take any pictures and stopping on the causeway was illegal.Driving north on A1A was beautiful. The hotels went on and on and I think the land was only 4 or 5 blocks wide: Atlantic Ocean on one side and an inside waterway on the other. The Floridian sun has taken away my pale skin but I am not burned. We stopped and got some items to take on the ship and then returned the car to the airport.
Tomorrow we board the Prinsendam and it will leave at 11pm. Two days ago I checked Holland America to see if we had a stateroom number yet. We started out in the bowels of the ship with an inside stateroom. We were upgraded to an inside cabin on a higher deck but now it looks like we have an outside room with a big window, but I'll beleive it when I see it. Our journey begins tomorrow as we settle into life at sea.
We left there and headed back into town where we boarded a catamaran on a Riverfront cruise. Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of North America having many canals that run all over. The ride and the setting sun was most pleasant after a hot airboat ride. A nice drink and a long description of homes, boats and famous business men who lived in these mansions filled my mind. Stephen Spielberg's yacht the "7 Seas" rents out for 1 million dollars and I think that is daily. We saw famous houses of people long gone and those sold. Lee Majors had a house along the canal and what was amazing was that really the only people who enjoy them are the caretakers and the dog. These mansions are vacation homes and every home has a boat moored at the front door. The lights from the yards and the city grew bright as the sun sank into the western sky leaving a pink hue in the sky. I thought what a way to end the day.
Today we took a ride south, and yes we missed a turnoff or two not knowing exactly where to turn. We drove north along the coast stopping for lunch. Crossing the bridges and the causeways are great vantage points to take pictures and to see West Miami. I was co-piloting so I could not take any pictures and stopping on the causeway was illegal.Driving north on A1A was beautiful. The hotels went on and on and I think the land was only 4 or 5 blocks wide: Atlantic Ocean on one side and an inside waterway on the other. The Floridian sun has taken away my pale skin but I am not burned. We stopped and got some items to take on the ship and then returned the car to the airport.
Tomorrow we board the Prinsendam and it will leave at 11pm. Two days ago I checked Holland America to see if we had a stateroom number yet. We started out in the bowels of the ship with an inside stateroom. We were upgraded to an inside cabin on a higher deck but now it looks like we have an outside room with a big window, but I'll beleive it when I see it. Our journey begins tomorrow as we settle into life at sea.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Arrival in Fort Lauderdale
Our trip from Vancouver to Seattle was done in the Quick Shuttle which we have used many times. We arrived at SeaTac around 5 pm and tagged our luggage, did the check-in and boarding pass and headed for dinner after going through security. Everyone was at the gate by 9 pm and so they loaded and we were on our way early. The flight was above the clouds so looking down was a white and grey cotton coating and one looked up there were stars very clear. Families were traveling and so there were small children stretched out over seats. One gets to know the young lad whose feet rests in your lap very quickly. I felt quite packed into my seat by the window and looked out of it most of the flight. I think I will remember to book isle seat next time unless I can jump on an upgrade to the front of the plane.
Landing safely in Fort Lauderdale on New Years Day and arriving at our motel we both needed sleep. The fight down was very full with young children stretched out so I had feet in my lap. I needed to purchase a number of things at the Publix store or Walgreens which were both on the bus route passing the motel. So today after a meal at IHOP we boarded the Broward County transit bus on Federal Hwy and took a ride. We opted for day passes: 3$ for seniors and 4$ for adults. A day pass is cheaper than paying for a return. I found the buses ran pretty frequently, but I think we will rent a car for tomorrow and go take an airboat ride through the everglades.
Landing safely in Fort Lauderdale on New Years Day and arriving at our motel we both needed sleep. The fight down was very full with young children stretched out so I had feet in my lap. I needed to purchase a number of things at the Publix store or Walgreens which were both on the bus route passing the motel. So today after a meal at IHOP we boarded the Broward County transit bus on Federal Hwy and took a ride. We opted for day passes: 3$ for seniors and 4$ for adults. A day pass is cheaper than paying for a return. I found the buses ran pretty frequently, but I think we will rent a car for tomorrow and go take an airboat ride through the everglades.
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