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You should post on your Roll Call. There is also another very active Roll Call for the 31 day cruise. I am currently on the ship and arranged a private small group tour 10 months ago with AlmaCalma Expediciones. You can follow my LIVE thread for a review after the tour on the 12th

No, no, no…not again. Happy to report no dogs on the Oosterdam. (Although I would welcome a fully trained service dog.) I guess it is difficult to bring your “emotional support animal” to South America.

I am so happy we made it to Stanley and I would highly recommend going to Volunteer Point. I have hundreds of pictures but here are the King penguins and a juvenile. Here is a gentoo juvenile and an adult who followed me around. All photos cites were taken with my iPhone and unedited.

Yes I have never seen karaoke on a HAL ship.

Up early and excited. Seas are calmer. Outside decks are open. Hopeful we are able to go ashore for our private tour with Adventure Falklands (formerly Patrick Watts). Going down to line up for tender tickets about an hour prior to arrival time in the hopes of getting on one of the first tenders.

After hearing many stories from people on board about being over charged by cab drivers, I recommend Uber or a similar app. As I stated earlier, our Uber for a 15 minute ride from Palmero to the port cost $2.86. I have met people onboard who paid anywhere between $40 and $120 for a similar ride. I like Uber because I see the cost prior to getting in the vehicle and it cannot be changed by the driver. @NorbertsNiece I appreciate the maps. I learned in today’s lecture that there was a zone created to regulate foreign fishing vessels which extends approximately 150 nautical miles from the Falkland Islands. The large group of fishing vessels, outside of that zone are probably Chinese boats fishing for squid according to the lecture. Winds appear to be decreasing. Hope we can tender to Stanley at 8 as scheduled. Currently debating what time to get up to try to get tender tickets.

What is the name of the book and who is the author? Thank you

I am glad you found the email I sent on 12/10 with the updated itinerary for the Oosterdam1/29 cruise and the email I sent on 12/13 for the Nieuw Statendam 3/3 cruise.

Rich requested my revised itinerary after I posted about the change in December. I emailed him the new itinerary at that time.

Second lecture today. Frozen Expressions: Unveiling the Artistic History of Antarctica There was some beautiful art projected but she appeared to be reading from her computer most of the time.

IMG_9217.mov Relaxing by the Lido pool🤣

Sea day, very rough and windy. All outside decks are closed including the Seaview pool area. Attended the 11am lecture by Mr Sanson titled Falkland Islands: a pristine land of epic landscapes. I felt like I was sitting in a college lecture hall. I thought it would be about geography, flora and fauna. There was as some of that but also a large portion was about the politics of the island, particularly the war, very “historical” talk. I smile every time I see coloring as a featured activity on the front of The Daily. I walked by the Art Studio earlier in the cruise and it was full. Origami is popular too.

Did you stay overnight on the ship in Buenos Aires? Yes If so, was there a tango show for entertainment? No. They showed The Origin Story the first night in Buenos Aires. On the next night, we sailed away from Buenos Aires. The show was the Pampas Devil’s Gauchos, a traditional South American gaucho show, including the Argentinian tango, bolas and tap dancing as well as a little comedy. I did not see the show. Did you need cash in BA or just used credit card. I used a credit card for everything. Have not exchanged any money. Can you walk from the ship to Recoleta? No idea. We stayed in Palmero

Good Morning Daily Friends from a rocking and rolling sea day on the Oosterdam. Puerto Madryn was yesterday. About a month ago, I commented that our itinerary had changed and I need to reschedule all of our private tours. Basically, Punta del Estes was dropped and Isla de Chiloe was added. Here is the correct itinerary. All outside decks are closed and the captain recommends we have a relaxing Saturday watching movies in our cabins. I believe the Antarctica lectures at 11 and 1 will be streamed into our cabins. Check out my live thread if you are interested in my impressions of the cruise. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

It was available to purchase onboard the current Oosterdam cruise. There were many signs offering HIA when we boarded. Six days into the cruise, I no longer see the signs.

The pier was long but the walk to see the penguins was lovely nger but worth it! I thought I was being fancy and ordered vino rosso which in retrospect I realized was Italian. (It’s vino tinto in Spanish.) When she brought it I ask for a taste. It was perfect for the hot day, chilled, not at all sweet. All the wines served were from the same vineyard.

Today we got off the ship in Puerto Madryn at 10 and went on a tour to El Pedral; we traveled 70 km of patagonian steppe, until we reached the south extreme entrance of the Golfo Nuevo where the Punta Ninfas lighthouse is located.From the top of Punta Ninfas we saw some sea lions. Next we headed for the Magellanic penguin's colony. BE AWARE, it is a 3 kilometer walk to the beach . Today it was 90F. A guided tour among its nests enabled us to learn more about the penguins. El Pedral keeps a control and cleaning program along its coasts, together with collaborating with the foundation GPS, Global Penguin Society, which monitors the Magellanic penguins’ colony of Punta Ninfas. At midday a typical Patagonian lamb roasted on a spit with a variety of salads, desert was served for lunch. The lunch included local wine and beer. For my friends on the Daily, my vegetarian entree, stuffed butternut squash. We return to the ship about 5:30. All aboard was 6:30.

When embarking, go to Costa Salguero to drop your luggage. You will then board a bus to the terminal for the rest of the embarkation process. You will then board a bus to your ship because it is a commercial port. We were luck we were the only ship boarding. I can’t imagine what it would be like with more than one ship

I thought I posted this earlier but just realized it did not post. I am enjoying the featured South American entrees in the Lido. Here’s today’s lunch items. The ceviche was a excellent.

Currently in a verandah. By the desk On both sides of the bed

@SilvertoGold

My book recommendation is Madhouse at the End of the Earth. The story of the Belgica which visited Antartica in 1897, 20 years before Shakleton. The first mate was the legendary explorer Roald Amundsen. The book is based on the crews diaries & journals and the ship’s log book.

So happy to have “cooking”demonstrations on sea days. Chef Thomas Schumann is personable, funny and a great presenter. He is German and made a Black Forest Cake. The recipe was provided and the cake will be on the menu this evening. Ed displaying the final product.

I just left the first lecture on the earliest explorers of the Antarctic.He recommended a book called The Worst Journey in the World as best book describing the actual experiences of the early explorers.

Thanks to everyone who attended the Meet & Greet. I thought it was wonderful we got to “mingle” while we waited for additional chairs and a working microphone. I hope everyone was able to find people to participate in onboard activities and the people you were privately touring with in port.