HeinBloed-Blog: KONINGSDAM from Amsterdam to Civitavecchia Sep 2016

My KONINGSDAM-Blog starts. But still without KONINGSDAM.

Classical Day 0 the journey to the ship.

And meeting again Sigi, Iona and Ine.

Let us go to Ijmuiden aan Zee. The entry to the locks of the North Sea Canal.

Who need ship need to wait to the next day.

http://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/09/tagday-0-vor-derbefore-koningsdam-in.html

The blog Day 1 - finally with the main actress KONINGSDAM 03.30 hrs in IJmuiden.

Supporting actresses: AMADEA, MIDNATSOL and MSC OPERA.

The first impression MY EURODAM, MY WESTERDAM, MY ZAANDAM and MY RYNDAM... but MY KONINGSDAM is not easy to say so far. The shock at the first day was too big.

Nice it was to see again onboard: Citra and Harry.

http://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/09/tagday-1-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

Sorry - sorry - sorry...

https://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.de/2016/09/seetagday-at-sea-2-auf-deron-koningsdam.html

I had few problems with my pc and with Google.

For my pc you could not get anymore support for Windows 10 from one moment to the next. Was removed post-poned from list of supported devices.

So I need to return back to Windows 8.1. But here again new problems so I had for many days no access to my files.

Same moment Google changed the slide-shows from http to https so I made a mistake by copying the changes.

So Day 1 is currently without text. With older blogs you might not see all slide shows.

I completed now the Day 2: the first day at sea.

Many items have changed between EURODAM 2008 ("Love at the first sight") and today on KONINGSDAM.

Sometimes a question of taste if you like it or dislike it.

But we had luck that the crew did not change. So we experience the familiar great service but somehow at the wrong place:

Hotel Manager Don, House Keeping Manager Sonia, Michael, Jules und Isobel from the front desk, our fantastic Cabana-Stewards Joseph and John Larry, our cabin stewards Wajan and Aji, Anita from the Exploiration Café and last not least Iwan, Resi, Kirasis and Jobelle did their best, that it became again a fantastic cruise.

It was "complaining on a very high level" because we experienced on our voyages on EURODAM, WESTERDAM, ZAANDAM and RYNDAM something different.

Day 3 will come when I have Day 1 ready to show again. Sorry.

Day 1 in Amsterdam is back:

https://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.de/2016/09/tagday-1-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

I am back with Day 3 from Portland, England.

Regards

HeinBloed

Day 1 in Amsterdam is back:

 

https://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.de/2016/09/tagday-1-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

 

I am back with Day 3 from Portland, England.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

Hello HeinBloed, our paths cross yet again. We were on a ship visit on Koningsdam on 20th September. :)

Koningsdam Ship Visit 20 September 2016

So that's one meeting out of four after being on the same ship at the same time four times now. The first time being on Equinox in January 2010. This was then followed by Norwegian Epic also in 2010 where I spotted you coming out of the Blue Man show after which you then disappeared completely from view. I finally managed to meet you after our paths crossed briefly while on Norwegian Breakaway in 2013. :)

We loved the look and feel of Koningsdam and HAL is firmly on our radar for the future.

Have you seen the Maritime Hotel in Rotterdam is no more? :(

Hello HeinBloed, our paths cross yet again. We were on a ship visit on Koningsdam on 20th September. :)

 

Koningsdam Ship Visit 20 September 2016

 

So that's one meeting out of four after being on the same ship at the same time four times now. The first time being on Equinox in January 2010. This was then followed by Norwegian Epic also in 2010 where I spotted you coming out of the Blue Man show after which you then disappeared completely from view. I finally managed to meet you after our paths crossed briefly while on Norwegian Breakaway in 2013. :)

 

We loved the look and feel of Koningsdam and HAL is firmly on our radar for the future.

 

Have you seen the Maritime Hotel in Rotterdam is no more? :(

Well - world is small. But for cruise enthusiasts like us: quite normal.

In Rotterdam there are also a brand new hotel next to the cruise terminal. So there are more options for shipspotters like us.

Our next QUEEN MARY 2, COSTA FAVOLOSA, NORWEGIAN JADE, NORWEGIAN GETAWAY, MSC MERAVIGLIA, GRAND PRINCESS, NORWEGIAN SUN... so far our actual plannings.

After NORWEGIAN ESCAPE I have no need to see NORWEGIAN JOY or NORWEGIAN BLISS...

So far may on another ship soon again.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!

Regards

HeinBloed

Well - world is small. But for cruise enthusiasts like us: quite normal.

 

In Rotterdam there are also a brand new hotel next to the cruise terminal. So there are more options for shipspotters like us.

 

Our next QUEEN MARY 2, COSTA FAVOLOSA, NORWEGIAN JADE, NORWEGIAN GETAWAY, MSC MERAVIGLIA, GRAND PRINCESS, NORWEGIAN SUN... so far our actual plannings.

 

After NORWEGIAN ESCAPE I have no need to see NORWEGIAN JOY or NORWEGIAN BLISS...

 

So far may on another ship soon again.

 

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!

 

Regards

HeinBloed

Nice to hear from you again. [emoji1]

Looks like you have plenty of cruises in the pipeline. I will be very curious to see what you think of Costa.

We are just counting down the days until our next trip which is 3 cruises B2B on Celebrity Solstice. 36 nights around New Zealand, Fiji and Eastern Australia. Can't wait.

I will just finish off by wishing you a happy holiday season and peaceful and prosperous new year. Keep Calm and carry on cruising. [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G920F using Forums mobile app

Nice to hear from you again. [emoji1]

Looks like you have plenty of cruises in the pipeline. I will be very curious to see what you think of Costa.

We are just counting down the days until our next trip which is 3 cruises B2B on Celebrity Solstice. 36 nights around New Zealand, Fiji and Eastern Australia. Can't wait.

I will just finish off by wishing you a happy holiday season and peaceful and prosperous new year. Keep Calm and carry on cruising. [emoji106]

Wishing you a great time down under. Have some great holidays and happy new year.

We did once Costa for two nights. It was the only cruise we could join in Marseille by train over Easter Holidays. The only reason.

Regards

HeinBloed

https://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.de/2016/09/tagday-3-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

Finally Day 3 of my KONINGSDAM-Blog - 1st day ashore in Portland - better Weymouth, Devon, England.

No idea why we stopped here. We only had one additional problem because we had an additional immigration inspection.

Tea Time in England is a must.

But apart from this a very special experience onboard: Sel de Mer with Mitchel, Glenn, Ariel, Lars, Manon and Nicole.

Again a very nice reunion with Reggie and Ash and Panca.

Meeting Captain Emile.

And very charming Housekeeping Manager: Sonia and Restaurant Hostess: Lisa.

No Japanese farewell but not less cordial: Weymouth Concert Brass.

Another day at sea to follow. I will notify when it is ready.

Thanks for posting & sharing. Merry Christmas & happy New Year.

Allan

Day 4 in the blog continues as day at sea.

Pure nice bord life: eating, chilling, being well entertained

Great crew members in the Royal Dutch Café and Restaurants like Lisanne, Mandy, Ming, Pancar, Harry, Dewa, Widi and Indra.

The internet-manager is back: Amith offered a great service.

Housekeeping was running very well due to Shankar.

Another from our Odenwald-Highland-Region in Germany on board of KONINGSDAM: guest entertainer Andy Bünger.

Day 5 will take us to A Coruna and Santiago de Compostela. I am back when I am ready.

https://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/09/seetagday-at-sea-4-auf-deron-koningsdam.html

https://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.de/2016/09/tagday-5-auf-deron-koningsdam-in-coruna.html

It continues. We were recently again on a crusie but now we will heading on KONINGSDAM.

Day 5 of the blog took us to A Coruna and Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain - the end of St. James Pilgrams Way.

With two cruisecritic.com-members Claire and Sri we went to Santiago de Compostela.

There we were guided very well by David. A city which impressed me a lot.

Galicia I want to go again and see more.

Back on board we are looking forward for the lovely care of Eka in the Main Dining Room who always kept an eye on that it ran very good.

https://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.de/2016/09/tagday-6-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

Day 6 of the KONINGSDAM-Blog took us to Leixoes and Porto. So far we only new Madeira. So it was our first meeting with the Portuguese mainland.

We had again a great tour guide Francisca, who took us closere to a great city. Together with Joyce, June, Sherry and Andy from cruisecritic.com we were around by metro and by walk through Porto.

Many things reminded us to Harry Potter. A great city which invited us to come back.

Also on board: again a great breakfast service with Suta. Finally the man with the "green thumb": Anton - great flower arrangements. And for dinner in Tamarind: the best lobster on board and a great service with Ming and Anita.

We are heading on to Lisbon.

http://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/09/tagday-7-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

A dream became true: Lisbon, Portugal - Day 7 of KONINGSDAM-Blog took us to a beautiful city where I always wanted to go.

With Luis we had the right tour guide who could convince us why Lisbon was worth again for another tour.

Tram 28, Ginja (Cherry Liquor) in the Alfama (Old Port Quarter); Pastéis de Belém (Warm dumplings with vanilla cream filling) were part of our highlights of our tour.

Reunion with MY OCEAN PRINCESS.

And in the evening finally with a delay of 21 month: De Librije in Pinnacle Grill - meeting again Martijn.

Heading to Huelva - Sevilla

http://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/09/tagday-8-auf-deron-koningsdam-in-huelva.html

Day 8 of the KONINGSDAM-Blog: my feet did not want anymore: a highlight after the other: Santiago de Compostela, Porto, Lissabon and now Sevilla.

1.5 hours by bus apart from Huelva.

Again a great walking tour through the city center with Pilar from Sevilla4Real who showed us why should come to Seville again.

Not only the cathedrale but also the stories of Carmen - from the same named opera.

Back on board: tasty food, a nice sun set, a great show and a fantastic crew and we count Widi, Dewa and Putu Eka to them: what else do you need?

To be continued in Gibraltar.

Day 9 of KONINGSDAM-Blog took us to Gibraltar: Saving taxes. Not only ashore but also onboard. Without this port we need to pay EU-tax on our onboard-revenue.

The Monkey Rock was not my world. Except it was wonderful observation point to take pictures of the ships.

It was not like that the ship might be extinct and no more ship's life once a ship docks in the port.

I always feel sorry for crew-members who cannot look around because they take care that the ship is anytime at a great condition.

And the crew who prepared well everything during the day like the grill party on the pool deck. And we had a real great crew like Anita, Gita, Nilawati, Kariasa. Everytime they saw us they asked as to eat... we could not anymore.

Or every meal in our "Post office": Putri and Malik who always welcome us friendly and bid farewell.

You might have a different opinion on the ship (as hardware). But the crew is without alternative! With them I would sail to the end of the world.

https://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.ch/2016/09/tagday-9-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

https://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.de/2016/09/tagday-10-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

Day 10 of the Blog on KONINGSDAM took us to Málaga and further to Córdoba.

High and low were so close together. The low: a taxidriver who coerced us.

The high later in Córdoba. I should not wright anymore: the Cathedrale of Córdoba made me speachless. An absolute beauty.

Thanks to Magdalena, Pepe and Miguel for the great hours in Córdoba.

Back in Málaga we had Málaga-Ice Cream and Churros with hot chocolate: because still on my to-do-list of Rosa I was still working on and she was still traveling with us.

Back on board we still had a great crew in the NY Deli & Pizza Reggie, Pandji, Ryan, Sarah and from the Main Dining Room Putu and Komang.

In the night we were taken back to the 80s by the former lead-singer of ELO and The Alan Parsons Project and two fellow-cruisers (Joyce and June) whom I really liked to observe how they enjoyed the show with us.

Next stop Cartegana.

The last port of call in the before the nice voyage on KONINGSDAM comes to the ed: Day 11 in Cartagena, Spain. But without me. Seven consecutive ports were too much for me. Nevertheless few impressions thanks to Bruno and Sigi.

Onboard in the tradition of Jonathan, Michael and Jayson from other "dam ships": a little personal souvenir by John Larry who also took care that I was feeling much more better soon.

Becoming happy even with small bites: a hot dog in Dive-in with Widi, Carlo and Niel.

New culinary experiences onboard: not just beeing served passively but watching and learning and enjoying: Culinary Art Center with the cooking team Thomas, Richard, Jonnel and Joye and the service-team Glenn, Nanik, Tika, Ary, Alih, Hadi, Ramsdent and Lex. And even she was on NIEUW AMSTERDAM: Somehow Lilis was always with us onboard as he is always taking care of us between our voyages on HAL.

At the end another great show: "On The Charts" - a true time voyage to the last 60 years.

We might have all missed this: I wanted an early debarkation because we were awaited in Barcelona in two days. But that would be very sad. So one more day at sea.

http://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/09/tagday-11-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

"Time to say good-bye" - Day 12 - last day at sea - I was sad. Not only we had to leave the ship because we were remembering our friends with the "On Deck for the Cause"-charity walk who cannot come anymore with us: Mrs Pannen, Barbara, Jenny, Jeannette and Günther.

The last day meant also farewell from Captain Emile, Hotel Director Don, Cruise Director Jonathan, Joseph, Wayan, Aji, Shankar, Nurin, Chandra, Reggie, Agus, Bond, Lise, Kiliana and another 1,011 further crew-members who I cannot mention by their names.

1,025 crew-members did a brain-wash with me: I love the crew. I love the voyage. Only I do not like KONINGSDAM (yet). She is no EURODAM, WESTERDAM, ZAANDAM, RYNDAM. But maybe she could become a love at the second sight.

The last full day in the blog of KONINGSDAM

http://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/09/seetagday-at-sea-12-auf-deron-koningsdam.html

Day of debarkation on KONINGSDAM - 12 nights passed like in flight.

No matter what happened. We all were sad when we left the ship. We left many lovely crew-members behind us whom we really like to see again.

Thanks for everything they delivered to us.

For me as shipspotter the paradise starts: CELEBRITY REFLECTION, JEWEL OF THE SEAS, AZAMARA JOURNEY, HORIZON, MSC ARMONIA, SILVER WIND in Citivitavecchia.

In Barcelona it continued with THOMSON DISCOVERY, AIDAblu, MEIN SCHIFF 5, NORWEGIAN SPIRIT, MSC POESIA, CRYSTAL SYMPHONY. In the blog with many recommendations for further cruises out of Barcelona.

The blog on KONINGSDAM ends with this chapter. The blog of the voyage will have another chapter (later) with sightseeing in Barcelona.

http://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/09/tagday-13-auf-deron-koningsdam-in.html

Anyhow we are looking for another voyage with Holland America and a great crew. Deposit is made. Now we are waiting for the new itineraries.

The voyage on KONINGSDAM was already over. But Barcelona is one of the cruise capitals of the world. That means: Shipspotting. One more time MEIN SCHIFF 5 and CRYSTAL SYMPHONY. Then we had SOVEREIGN and the brand-new CARNIVAL VISTA. A view to one we will have on one of our next voyages: COSTA FAVOLOSA 2017.

On cruises you do not make only acquaintance with new countries, people and cultures but also many cruisers who think like us. And with them we love to meet off our routes. Especially when they are first time in Europe. Welcom Sandy, Josée, Scott and Steven.

Barcelona means for us to be safe around with a taxi: Eva and Lourdes. With them we went also for lunch - authentical Catalan.

Finally to one of the most beautiful places in Barcelona with the most beautiful view over the city with the most beautiful weather: Tibidabo and La Pradrera.

http://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/10/tagday-14-nach-derafter-koningsdam-in.html

Farewell in Barcelona.

In the morning welcoming NORWEGIAN EPIC and HARMONY OF THE SEAS... and nobody was greeting back: Mahmut, Mustafa, Richard... everybody was sleeping...

Time to say good-bye from Sigi. For few weeks only. With her travelling was fun.

On the way back we made again a small detour to meet other cruise-friends for lunch: Carmen and Richard whom we know from our voyage on CELEBRITY EQUINOX 2010 and whom we meet in Vienna, Austria.

With our touch-down in Frankfurt and the arrival of my pocket-knife a wonderful voyage came to the end.

After a small break I am back with the Cunard Blog from New York City.

http://heinbloed-hal.blogspot.com/2016/10/tagday-15-nach-derafter-koningsdam-in.html