Rockers2

We are booked on the Diamond as 2 B2B for the 34-day LA to BA leaving on Dec. 1.  Even though we will become 'Elite' during the first segment (if the cruise goes at all), we have never been on a medallion cruise.  We're old farts and I've had a 'smart' phone for 2 years...DH is getting one for the 1st time this week.    If Princess cancels this cruise, we are NEVER going to take a Princess cruise again.  We do not like this electronic connection to everything--the old way worked for over 30 years.  We really don't want to change now.  I'm almost sorry that we signed up for this cruise, except that the itinerary is great--again...if it goes!

Thanks for the reminder to check this thread--we fly to FLL tomorrow to join the P'dam on Friday.  Please add us to:  Eurodam - 09-Mar-19 - 28 day Hawaii, Tahiti & Marquesas (R/T S.D.).

We will also be on Carnival for 30 days in Jan.-  Feb. B2B2B  just to get out of winter--no need for a bon voyage on those--not a destination cruise--just a cheap get out of dodge for a while.

On 9/12/2018 at 12:10 PM, kazu said:

 

Nice, she will do that well. We did the Black Sea on her a few years ago (3?) fabulous cruise and wonderful ports.

 

I hope all who have the pleasure to sail on her in the future enjoy her. In the meantime, we'll do our swan song on her in April & May next year with a lot of mixed feelings.

Hi Jacqui,  We sail on her again this Friday--28-day Amazon Explorer!  We enjoyed our time woth you last May!  Say "Hi" to you DH as well.

I'm currently on 5 roll calls.  All of the old posts (those made before CC shut down for the so called update) contain format coding throughout the message.  It's impossible to read!  Many of the other posts to this thread have addressed the other issues, spacing, signatures, etc.  Also, now I get an email that someone has posted EVERY time someone posts.  This morning I had 25 new messages for just 2 roll calls.  

We’re also on board the Maasdam and enjoying it thoroughly. About to leave Peru for Easter Island.

We cancelled that Maasdam cruise because of the flight (cost and length) home from Tahiti. We will be on the Prinsendam to the Amazon in November this year and the Eurodam RT San Diego to Hawaii and Tahiti in Mar. '19. I envy your trip to Easter Is. as that was the main reason we originally booked your cruise.

November will be our 3rd cruise on the P'dam and HAL is missing the boat by not replacing it with a 'like' ship. I wish that HAL would take the initiative to maybe do a survey of past, returning passengers on their small ships, I think that there is a significant number of us "older" cruisers who prefer the smaller size ships that go to smaller ports--maybe they're afraid that the next few generations coming up behind us have not saved as much for their retirement...We also love the idea of RT cruises to interesting places that originate and end in the US--those long flights are no longer of interest to us.

Here, here! We were on that one as well-- Fond memories of the HAL employees on shore for our sailaway as well as the fire boats on a spectacular afternoon.

We were upset that staff was removing the "first sailed to" plaques from the walls on day 2 until we found out that they would be auctioned off for charity. I'm looking at the "Madang Papua New Guinea -- February 14, 1994" framed plaque in our dining room as I write this. We got into a bidding war with a man over the Alaska gold pan.

Another memory was all of the decorations--EVERY night in the MDR. It was a great trip!!!!

OK. After reading all 10 pages of this thread, I took a couple of asprin for the headache and thought about it overnight.

We recently returned from the 28-day Azores and Celtic Adventure (Hi, to all who have posted). Yes, the ship has many physical plant issues. We woke up on day 2 to a wet closet floor and once again (2016 Spitzbergen) experienced thermostat control issues in our cabin. HOWEVER, there is no denying that the P'dam is beautiful to look at...classic ocean liner shape. The interior public rooms are beautiful and the food and service is a notch above the rest of the fleet. I know there are those of you who disagree, but on this past cruise, pate or fois gras was offered 4 times--the last time I saw it offered at all was 6 or seven years ago on Celebrity.

We have sailed to many beautiful ports throughout the years, but I would challenge any of the disbelievers to go to google earth and go to Fowey, UK. As the P'dam made her approach and mooring, I walked all of deck 7 as well as the bow of deck 8 and 9 watching the process. We were within a couple of hundred feet of cruising sail boats at anchor and about as far from the town of Fowey. We were sooooo close that I wished that I was a Jesus Lizard that I could have walked to shore without help from a tender.

I don't think that the Maasdam or the Veendam could have made it. We have sailed on both several times and niether ship has the charm of the P'dam. We experienced water and cooling issues on both of them--and that was several years ago. I am so glad that we get to sail on the P'dam one more time this November--RT FLL to the Amazon.

All good things must come to an end, but I wish it wasn't so soon. I have always said that if we were all alike or liked to do the same thing, this world would be boring, please don't try to convince us that there is a substitute for the P'dam experience...

Jacqui, I know you have a lot to do, but here is our list...

May 5, 2018 Prinsendam --28-Day Azores & Celtic Explorer. Celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary on board.

September 29, 2018 Veendam -- 7-Day Canada & New England Discovery

November 9, 2018 Prinsendam --28-Day Amazon Explorer

My husband and I were on thisTA with you and it was our first time on Prinsendam. We enjoyed it so much that we booked the Fort Lauderdale round trip to the Amazon for 2018. Thank you for such a good record of the trip. We took totally different shore excursions and were equally pleased with them. We met so many nice people and had so many enjoyable conversations. Just the kind of relaxing trip we like.

We will join you on the Amazon next Nov. That will be our 3rd time on the P'dam and 2nd time on the Amazon. We look forward to meeting you then. See you on the Amazon roll call...

Happy Holidays to all!

Our first cruise was on the maiden voyage of the Noordam before the current Noordam in 1986... where does the Noordam III fit in the history of Noordam's? Do you know

Wonderful job--it brings back memories of our first sailing on the old lady. We currently booked on two more, May 2018 (Azores and Celtic Explorer) and November 18 (Amazon RT from FLL).

We were on the Veendam, in the main dining room, deck 7 at about 6:45PM when we heard a loud thump, followed by a slow deceleration to a stop. We had a late flight back home scheduled on Friday, so we didn't have to worry as much as others. We were able to make our flight home OK. We spent the last couple of hours getting to Ft. Lauderdale watching 'Deepwater Horizon' in the theater.

I'm sure others had more pressing issues. All in all it was a good trip, but I really do not like the new "When and Where"--it doesn't tell you much!