mking8288

Seagulls & birds are here, meal time signals as the ship's thrusters are spinning as if we are ready to set aside - no pier runners today since the PA system hasn't call out for guests to contact them  ....

Happenings around the ship and outdoors - Ocean Walk ... not a soul out there, can't tell if the Infinity Pool is open

Vibe Beach Club - looks quiet today 

Noodles soup in the buffet - 

The quieter section toward the back, hotdogs, burgers & things are served here.

Harbor cruise ??? 

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Ah-Hah!  There are cookies on board.  Just have to know where to look ...

Nevermind, look what we got earlier and it's safely onboard ... had to be careful as the buffet crew were all asking questions & looking for a way to clear our table 😅 

Very scenic and great for photography loving cruisers ... over 7,000 steps today for us.  Leave those high heels on the ship and get out those walking boots.

No life vests - all swimmers onboard ... 

Watch out for them and the bicyclists that appeared out of nowhere 😳 

The check is in the mail - it's a functioning mail drop.

Zeebrugge and Brugge isn't exactly a friendly port for anyone with mobility challenges or access issues in getting around. 

Must be like 6,000 cruise ship passengers from NCL and MSC combined today, lead by 288 different tour guides speaking into multilingual audio feeds to explain as everyone was going to and passing on the same narrow cobblestone streets. 

How far is too far to walk ... Uber is available but if you are late - better use them to rush you back. 

This is the park area where the 30 minutes one-way private shuttle and NCL shuttle (they are a little shorter walk) drop everyone off & pick up for the return to the ship, then thru port security - followed by quick 3 to 4 minutes free, double decker port shuttle bus to the ship - follow by another security screening to board the ship.

Just like NYC, watch out for those stealthy & silent bicyclists, some do the horn while others just zip thru - and like other EU cities, no safety helmets ... must be fearless.

W.C. or bathroom use - 1 Euro 😯

Coffee break time - ideal with waffles, hotdog and Flemish beef stew over fries and cappuccino - yummy 😋 

Belgium Chocolate Store - checked 😋

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

We were booked on MSC Virtuosa June 2021 for a long Northern Europe trip to some very nice ports.  Ship was brand new.  Celebrate two graduations.  Even brother was going. No go.

Here is your virtual ship images of MSC as we returned to the ship around 1:45 PM - she's huge 

We are rolling down the highway, once we exited the industrial port & now heading into the city.  LTE signal is now 5G 👍 

Free port shuttle to the small terminal building, quick 50 steps across the street to the shuttle bus office to exchange our tickets.

@dexddd You are on MSC this morning "stalking" us and providing security 😁😁😁

@Ellis1138 I think your hubby's walking boots should be fine as flat ones, they don't want heels, sandals or flip-flop shoes for the race cars. 

@Sugar Magnolia  suspecting someone is at NCL is spying on our live reporting & trying to downplay the shortage or cutback. Are the cookies freshly baked ?  

Nice illustrated pix in Amsterdam for the friend of friend asking 😁

Gangways on Deck 6 AFT and FWD, passports needed - clear now at 8:25 to exit ship & take required port shuttle buses to leave the port area, walking around here not permitted.

Full stop just a short while, minutes ago ... 

Welcome to Belgium, my Google Pixel is out of airplane mode, we are next to the MSC ship, sun is coming out of the fog and as Sharon @Fogfog said, docking now.

Data use is up from MiFi tethering and 1 international call made at only 28 cents. 

Room service breakfast is here, Susan doesn't have to get ready to go downstairs to eat first, etc 

Today's plan, free shuttle inside industrial port to outside, and private shuttle bus to town, explore & roam, waffles & chocolate ... maybe shopping - once we come to a full stop, gangway is ready & clear to go outside (not yet, at 0.2 kts)

No cigars ... I mean, no hash browns or cookies on any of the plated items. 

Buffet has a small ice cream station, maybe 😉😉😉

6 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

To paraphrase Yogi Berra…no one comes to this thread anymore…it’s become too hot

This is possible only with all the named and nameless heros on CC contributing and writing, leaving insider's jokes along with comments and their mini reports as live reporters in the field ... give meanings to  team spirits and speak for the tiny influence we being with CC as members carried, if any. 

@The P  Susan still has 3 days to shop for shoes including the side trip between Southampton & London Gatwick Airport, not to mention ... duty-free shops. 

We are definitely dumping 2 pairs of shoes as they're reached EOL in service.

14 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

We always put in laundry once a week (so 3 times each on a 21 day cruise) ...  did the Star solo for 23 days last summer I had 3 bags of laundry for free. 

Ditto, we got 2 more bags of free laundries done free ( Diamond tier ) for our 2 cabins - sent out yesterday afternoon & they're in our cabins when we came back onboard this afternoon - no charge.  We didn't put any "coupon" in our stuffed bags, write Diamond on the slip and the paper bag. That's all - mission accomplished 😁

Next time, with 2 more reaching Platinum status, we can do more on the next 15+ days 🤗

Local cellular service as we roam, continued to prove high speed & very good signal.  NCL's StarLink as advertised #cough #cough 👎  My station gears or hardwares being a factor, of course.

It's about 9:45 PM and past sunset, the lock has reopened toward the North Sea and we are heading out to go south toward Bruges, ETA by 8 AM local time. 

@dexddd  Noticed anything unusual about the photo here - 

Look closely - allow me to zoom in 🤫 That is not my Station Zebra outpost, but it looks like an active radar system ... it's above my clearance level 😆 at CC to explain 

Meanwhile, Mrs M asked if this is the next cruise that I booked and sailing next.  Answer, what do you think  - it's mostly Oceanviews & insides 😁😁😁

A beautiful sunset forthcoming as we leave Amsterdam behind while the ducks swim away from us, going the other way ... 

2 hours ago, Fogfog said:

Some debate during sail away if any of those paged here in Amsterdam were among the ones paged..ie former pier runners in Iceland.   ”they should have not been allowed off the ship at the next port” ha

LoL, several of them with the same last name as in Iceland

Not to worry according to our van guide - next port is only about 4 hours of driving, they don't have to fly.  Uber it 😆😆😆

The "long" march returning to the Prima ... a long line to get into this waterfront floating Chinese restaurant, a la "Jumbo" in Aberdeen, Hong Kong ... bankrupt & gone out of business, the floating barges sank while being towed.  Perhaps, the owners gone abroad and set up this one instead ... looks quite new.  Maybe next time when we come back for another visit. 

River cruising 

It's a hotel directly above the cruise ship terminal ... reminds me of Vancouver, BC

Missed the all abroad, maybe one of these can help, if the captain is willing to toss down those rope ladder to climb up 😁 

Today is a religious, public holiday and there are people and bicycles everywhere - and - lines for some of the restaurants.  We decided to diet, exercise and slowly made our way back to the ship after being dropped off near the middle of the city, near the train station - a 20 minutes slow walk to the cruise terminal

Returning to the city, the heart & soul of Amsterdam