The P

6 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Despite the inconvenience of having to break in my new pair of shoes today, I had a great day in Amsterdam. Some people have commented that the city is a bit gritty but I have always loved Amsterdam and the Netherlands in general.  
 

I will try to share more photos from my day at a later date once I go through them. However, I did want to share some highlights while they are fresh in my head.  
 

 

 

 

I really wanted to see what a sexy loo looks like but I did not have 2 euros on me. 

 

2 Euros is a little over $2. That's an expensive Sexy Loo to use!...Your feet may hurt now but you looked good as you walked.

6 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Sure you have a canal...the Erie Canal ! 😉

I think the closest to us we have to go to Fonda, NY to see it. I do have a bookmark with the Erie Canal Song on it though. 

3 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

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.

She will succeed as she eyes the goods! I'm keeping the faith....Henry, I'm originally from Amsterdam, NY. Upstate near Schenectady and Albany. We don't have a canal but we have the Mohawk River(!!). No red light district either, LOL.....I visited the A'dam you just left when I was a teen; it looks much nicer now.

3 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

It was very difficult to walk around in these new shoes. Don’t know how I will dance in them tonight. 
 

 

 

I assume Susan did not buy these shoes. There's just so much space luggage can handle....

Henry, I emailed you.....Sharon

36 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

@The P  We had to make another trip to walk to Guest Services as they flagged Susan's onboard account as paying cash and is restricted as a result, another corporate I.T. or server error. 

 

Heading over, walked past the gift shops and guess what, she didn't spotted shoes but taking an interest in Gucci ... triple points using NCL credit card. 

 

 

 

I see a Gucci Girl in your future, Henry. Susan, grab the bag and the points and shine it on!  And I nominate Henry to pay for the points, LOL!!

Henry, the moose you took a pic of a few items back is the Mascot of the Day. Too cute.

Give the ladies time; you just started and by the time you're home some shopping will have occurred. Just be glad if no $$$$ handbags were bought on the ship. 5 days at sea could lead to impulse shopping. Does the ship still sell a lot of tech stuff? Oh oh!!!!

LOL    Sharon

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

 

Got my checked bag down to 45 lbs including 2 pairs of shoes, wearing the Timberland walk boots as that's the heavy one. Air tagged & double strapped. 

 

Was going to use a 22" rollerboard, 10 lbs empty, as carry-on ... ditched the idea, back to the convertible carry-on/backpack, 18 lbs to 19 lbs together, plus 3 lbs with notebook PC bundled w charger. 

 

 

The extra trick set-up is the personal bag for flying home, if needed.  The black tote bag is well within allowable limit, take the medium packing tube with the bulkiest parka + fleece vest to make extra room in the check bag.  Will use it only when we must, stowaway for now.  Travel vests not needed, for now. 

 

Toss the loose items onto 2 small Eagle Creek pouches, liquid toiletries in the checked bag.  This will work fine - look at the weather again overnight or morning. An older pair of shoes will not come home, did slippers will stay ... 2 lbs lighter, buy a new pair later.  

 

DW can buy 2 to 3 pairs of new shoes or clothes, room to fit w/o hitting 50 lbs max. Happy Happy

The last sentence is very important.  👡👠🥿👗👚👒

Henry, too much tech stuff is taking up too much room in your suitcase. Have pity on Susan's purchases. Don't think there will be no shopping on this cruise. Things will be bought and they must have space to return to Queens!       Sharon

1 hour ago, UKstages said:

as somebody who lives - literally - blocks away from the MCT (yes, as many of you know, i walk to the terminal), i have very mixed feelings about NCL having a significantly reduced schedule out of manhattan on smaller, older ships.

 

on the one hand, i'm going to miss waking up at 9 am and being onboard the breakaway or the joy or the prima at 11:20. (OK, that's not entirely true... i won't miss being on the prima at all ever.)

 

on the other hand, NCL is a major contributor to air pollution and traffic congestion in this neighborhood. and by that i mean not just the smoke coming from the ship itself, but the exhaust from the fifteen to twenty trucks that line up overnight, for as long as 24 hours, idling their engines illegally and causing traffic disruption as they wait along the west side highway to unload their cargo. sometime the trucks go as far back as W 57 street.

 

every day that a ship docks at the MCT and  is not connected to shore power, it puts the equivalent of the emissions of 34,000 tractor-trailers into my neighborhood. the west side of manhattan has some of the worst air quality in manhattan and that is not coincidental.

 

back to the reduced schedule... manhattan is the USA's fourth busiest cruise port... it doesn't make sense to me that they would reduce the schedule... you gotta go where the people are and where it's easiest for your customers to get to. the new york area has remarkable air lift, with direct flights to most major cities. and many people enjoy pre or post vacations within the city, which is a tourist favorite all by itself.

 

 

indeed.

 

with regard to one point I made above, about the ship's power and smoke coming from the ship... all cruise lines have agreed to be connected to shore power while in port in NYC by 2028, both brooklyn and Manhattan. while the cruise lines have agreed to this, it's likely because it's backed by legislation... so they have to do it. they can't possibly be happy about it, despite every line touting their "sustainability" and eco-friendly efforts.

 

MCT currently has no access to on shore power.

 

brooklyn does, but it's only being used about half the time. in many cases, that is because the ships lack the capacity to connect to onshore power. all the newer ships have that capbility.

 

ships are in port in manhattan 227 days this year, while there are 43 days during which ships will dock in brooklyn.

 

as part of this shore power initiative, expect a $1 per passenger levy, which will go into a community fund. sorry. (not sorry.)

I live on 43rd and 9th and will happily pay the buck....

Henry, if you haven't already, check out the theater post show to see what the space looks like with the seats pushed back.

4 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Onboard bargain shopping - $10 specials, buy 4 and 5th is free 🤓 

 

 

 

@The P  Sharon ... FYI, Susan said, shopping Sunday 😁 

 

 

Happy holidays to you, BTW 

Henry, I see Susan doing more Christmas shopping. She's got a thinking and deciding face on and her arms full.  As NYers say, "Such a deal"!!    Sharon

On 11/12/2023 at 9:58 AM, mking8288 said:

Good Sunday morning ... Susan beat me to luggage packing last night - everything fits, loosely with plenty of space in her 24" spinners (Airtagged) at just 37 lbs now ... goal is to not exceed 40 lbs - that's a generous allowance for 10 lbs worth of shopping, one of our CC friends, Sharon #1 @The P from the 2022 Getaway roll call will be very proud ... too bad, not stopping in Palma this time for shoes, but I'm sure plentiful in Barcelona (and, will have time to try them out first without rushing)   The 21" rollerboard (eBags. heavy but sturdy, lifetime warranty) is just as light, definitely be under 22 lbs should we run into boarding bag police w the digital scale. 

 

Travel vest (lightweight - plenty of pockets to stuff & carry, walk-thru boarding gate and secured against casual pickpocketing in EU & elsewhere) instead of ScottVest (way overpriced these days) - useful & practical for our days in Barcelona.  

Memo/reminder ahead: for those sailing the Prima & Viva, with bedside USB charging ports - bring at least a 10' and a 6' USB extension cord, a must-have to sit out on the balcony to watch the ocean and while catching up.  This time, bringing two (2) slim 10,000 mAH battery bank (Anker & Mophie) - one for each to us to use while ashore and/or for just being out & about around the ship.  Going to pair up with Anker QC 3.0 USB chargers with a GE triple outlet power tap, and an unique 220V outlet adapter (with on/off switch) for 110V device.  Should make life easier at sea for tech geeks like me and also handy in our BCN hotel.  

 

Footnote - that's a "lot" of tech toys in this recent collection of ours, probably going to take some out for simplicity, but I'm known to be in a "continuous readiness" mode for nearly anything, not just with a Plan B but Plan C when SHTF ... not just US Dept of State worldwide travel advisories.  

 

I expect a shopping report when you return. Susan knows what she's doing! Have a GREAT time!!

Sharon

Yes. You set it on the phone in your cabin.

Henry, you can't beat living here when you cruise NCL out of NYC! Welcome home to you and the Mrs. Don't blame yourself for the $14 NR OBC; I think NCL has terrible tech and consequently can have screwed up bookkeeping. I watch 'em like a hawk onboard. You're not my first friend who got a surprise the morning they were leaving and unable to spend what remained.

Susan retains her black belt in shopping. The P has spoken. 🗽  😎

Henry, tell Susan I hope she has a lot of fun spending that OBC!!

15 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Additional update: new scheduled for arrival into Saint John is 10 AM tomorrow for an extended stay until  9 PM, before setting sail back direct to NY to seek safe harbor against Lee, arriving in area sometime on Friday ... cruise terminal not expected to be available until later or next day.

 

Shorex booked thru NCL are being cancelled & refunded automatically for the 3 original port's scheduled ones.

 

Further details to follow. 

Safe travels to all of you on your return. The news here is warning us of bad coastal onslaught from LI to Canada. I hope the waves won't be too high and you can enjoy your sea days. Mother Nature always wins.

Hi, Henry! Is this cruise sold out? Everything, starting with boarding, looks like there's lots of room and few people. As ever, loving your pix and info. Hello to Susan.    Sharon

You're explaining it better than I did. You have to have a rezzie and show up and get scanned. When I asked I was told they choose but never got the random word. However it works, as I waited in line, there were people by me who said they took the cruise just to play the game. Random must be right. A kid got selected when I was there and his father had to join him on stage.

When you reserve your ticket on board, you tell them you'd like to be a contestant. The players are picked from that group.

The word Starbucks is on one side of the handle.

I look forward to seeing how "profitability" and "innovative and cutting-edge shows" work together on NCL. I more than enjoyed the musical productions I've seen so far.

 "Exceptional products"?  Bring 'em on! I'll be the judge....

23 hours ago, The P said:

The passport agency got my renewal on April 12 and I received my not expedited new passport on June 8.

And my old passport arrived in today's mail....June 12.

The passport agency got my renewal on April 12 and I received my not expedited new passport on June 8.

Beautiful weather now in NYC welcomes you and Susan home, Henry! I'll guess Breakaway to Bermuda.......