Heartgrove

We were on the MSC Preziosa last week from Hamburg to Scotland and Ireland. The Solarium Pool on Deck 14 area under the Magradome was quite busy with passengers swimming and using the hot tubs. The MSC Euribia has a similar layout on Deck 15 so temperature should not be a problem.

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

The design for space of a cruise ship is not infinite. There won't be a reference regarding the size or design of a Promenade Deck per say. Marine engineers have needed to reduce the walkable size of the Promenade Deck on the Pinnacle-class to accomodate the improved design davits that will function in an emergency. Previously lifeboats were stowed above the Promeande Decks as the related mechanical equipment for lowering them was a different design. Only three lifeboats were able to be deployed in the Costa Concordia disaster. That is out of 69 lifeboats and inflatable life rafts. Evacuation took six hours with the loss of 32 lives. Regarding the narrowing of the Pinnacle-class Promenade Deck at the stern, it is do to the increased size of the Galley to feed the greater number of passengers carried.

A popular misconception is that the cruise line "bean counters" have eliminated or curtailed the size of the Promenade Decks. It is actually adherence to The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea" (SOLAS) changes after the Costa Concordia disaster. Lifeboats need to be able to function in an emergency.

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! We have been to Bergen as a side trip when we were on our Baltic cruise in 2017. Our hotel was along the Bryggen in a former Hanseatic warehouse. Very interesting as one of the original wooden hoists was still in the middle of the bathroom! Bergen is the rainiest city in Norway so we had rain two of three days. Thankfully on the semi-dry day we did our version of Norway in a Nutshell beginning with the Fast Boat to Flam, ferry to Gudvangen, local bus to Voss, and train back to Bergen. Stopped for dinner in Voss at the genteel Fleischer's Hotel. Whenever we make a trip to Ikea, I always have the Swedish meatballs in the restaurant! The Beatles' "Hey Jude" was popular when I was a Senior in high school. One of our "pranks" was played at our HS hangout. On Friday and Saturday it would close at 11 pm. Someone would always put a quarter in the jukebox to play "Hey Jude" (7 minutes 11 seconds) about two minutes before the owner closed for the night. Many times they would need to pull the plug! Lights out - and out the door for us. Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

The late bags were DSIL and mine. I had purchased new cruise luggage tag holder with the cable loop to go on the suitcase handle. Previously for seven years we have used the ones with the plastic loop. I thought that these might be better. Sue's bag came to the stateroom with just the tag - no cable! We had gone to dinner, by this time sailing down the Elbe, and came back to find they had arrived. Phew!!! The Hamburg Steinwerder cruise terminal is one of the nicest, and very well organized. MSC's disembarkation (at least on this cruise) was one of the easiest. Less than ten minutes and we were from the ship and in the cab.

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Arrived back home last night after a long day of travel. Sam was happy to see us although he really enjoys the lady that sits with him. She loves him as well! We tried to get back on schedule by staying up in the evening. I finally crasjhed at 9:30 pm (3:30 am in Copenhagen) but then suffered jet lag in the opposite direction! I have been awake since 2:00 am, then finally got up at 3:00 am! It will take a day or two to get back on track. Never had this before. Things to do today are: return the one-way rental car this morning; get gas for the tractor and mow the grass; and get my phone checked out regarding the Sim card problem. We might just get ne phones as well. Considering an I-Phone this time so that we can get Airtags. Never mentioned it before but 2 of 3 suitcases were late arriving to our staterooms on embarkation day. Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. - Jack

Greetings from Copenhagen, and late tomorrow will be Virginia. We have been trying since April 2022 to sail on the Rotterdam. Actually it has been three cancellations as I forgot about the 150th anniversary Transatlantic.

We were on a day trip of Copenhagen after returning from our MSC cruise from Hamburg. While on the canal boat tour I saw a cruise ship docked at Oceankaj. From it's silhouette I could tell it was a HAL Pinnacle-class in the distance. Now back with the hotel-provided WiFi I see that it was the Rotterdam. It is our elusive HAL ship as we have cancelled bookings twice - but trying again for April!

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Our last day at sea and tomorrow the chaos of disimbarkation. The ten days have gone fast, and our room steward from India ends his contract tomorrow. He is very happy as he is then flying home to be married! Last night they had a sale on logo items. The captain, Captain Francesco Iacono, was autographing the model ships as well. He is very personable, similar to HAL's Captains Kevin Beirnhart and Noel O'Driscoll. I purchased two with my remaining OBC - and then some. Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need. -Jack

The tender ports on our current cruise to Scotland and Ireland had the excursions disembarking first before other passengers. Due to the anchorages being some distance away, it was up to three hours wait for those not on excursions. Edinburgh, Stornoway, and Dublin.

Some resemble Air New Zealand liveries.

Bon voyage! Seas are rather calm today. We are currently NB off of Haarlem bound for Hamburg.

Closer to the sailing date, excursions will become available. HAL probably doesn't have contracts for 2024 with all of the tour operators. Just be vigilant and check occasionally.

Yes, I have been following and thanks for pointing it out. We are doing an 11 night to the Eastern Caribbean, so probably more a party cruise. Not that we do.

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Quiet night at sea and we are in the English Channel off of Guernsey, 550 nm to go until Hamburg. After six mornings of early excursion departures, it felt good to ease into the day with breakfast in the MDR. Met a very nice couple from Denmark. I also spent some OBC in the Candy Store this morning. 😁 We booked another MSC cruise while onboard, this one to Istanbul next year from Trieste. I hate to contrast the two cruise lines but compared to HAL, their Future Cruise Onboard benefits are better. A beautiful sailaway last evening which made it worthwhile to have dinner in the Buffet! I still cannot transfer my camera photos to my phone! Being an Italian cruise line, everytime we depart a port they broadcast Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's " Can te partiro" ("Time to Say Goodbye") which I can never grow tired of hearing. Stay Safe and prayers for all in need. -Jack

@0106 We cruised on the Legend in January to see what it was like as we had booked this past August's Greenland cruise. Cancelled it and switched the booking to the Venezia this November. Not sure about this one as well? - Jack

Pretty standard across most cruise lines. If you hear an announcement in your staterooms, it will be an important one to listen and comply with.

Yes, that is correct. Next year we have two YC cruises.

Yes, your ship's cruise card will have a gold banner and the back will be gold.

If you are looking at MSC European cruises that embark passengers at more than one port, each port is allocated different groupings of category staterooms on a deck.

Pump soap on MSC Preziosa Fantastica staterooms. I find very convenient.

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! Back from our last excursion of this cruise and then lunch in the Buffet. Tonight we set sail back to Hamburg with two sea days. Then two days in Copenhagen before flying home on Tuesday. One of my first tasks when home will be to get my phone fixed as the SIM card failed. I can still use WiFi though. It also seems that I can't transfer photos to my phone either We have had good weather in Ireland. Yesterday we took the bus from Dun Laoghaire into Dublin and walked around the area of Merrion Square. Today we docked at Ringaskiddy (across from Cobh) and had an excellent excursion to Kinsale and Charles Fort. Tonight is the "White Night" celebration. Our MDR time is 6:00 pm which is the same time as the sailaway so need to decide which one we will do. It has been a nice cruise and sad to see it ending Sunday. Some photos have blue cast for some reason. Sorry. Stay Safe and prayers for those in need. - Jack Cobh Cobh with the Regal Princess docked. Kinsale in the distance Three of six different types of pizza! Grilled Blackened Salmon Crunchy Crusted Pork Chop Gateau Opera cake

FYI, the MSC shuttle is 10€ per person and runs every hour. The cab stand line is right at the station, and we stayed at Hotel Furst Bismark which is just across the street. They seem to hold to the allotted time on your paperwork for Check In.

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here! "If it's Tuesday, this must be Greenock." I decided to stay onboard today while Sue went off to the excursion. My legs have been tired with doing about 12K steps each day. Yesterday I stood in the tender line to return to the ship for well over an hour. It seems the tender mechanical problems took until late yesterday to be finally fixed. No real complaint as I can understand the difficulties as a former Engineman. Seas were a bit unsettled while in the Atlantic last night until we turned to the East. The ship does ride nice though and the beds are very comfortable. The pool area under the Magradome is getting a lot of use compared to the one outside. Stay Safe, and prayers for all in need. - Jack Looking aft from Deck 16 Greenock cruise terminal