Prinsendam Amazon Explorer, November 26-December 22, 2013

[rafinmd]

My apologies for starting a thread which will likely go dormant for nearly a month, but I wanted to have everything in place while I am still here. This Amazon cruise has been on my bucket list for at least a couple of years and the time is finally approaching. I will leave home Friday and have 3 weeks on the Crystal Symphony out of New York, finally depositing me in South Florida 3 days before the Prinsendam completes her Transatlantic and takes me off to the Amazon.

 

In addition to this thread for the Prinsendam segment of my journey, I'll be posting in 3 other places.

 

The Crystal portion of my journey will be covered here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1936970&page=99

 

The entire journey from stepping outside my door to returning to Fort Lauderdale on the Elegant Explorer will have a thread on the Friends of the Prinsendam forum:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1932362&page=99

 

The companion blog with pictures and other extras will be here:

 

http://amazonextended.wordpress.com/

 

I won't be posting much here but will be busy the next 3 1/2 weeks.

 

Roy

[cruz chic]

I'm jealous. I really want to do that amazon cruise but it's not likely to happen while I'm working. I'm looking forward to reading about it.

[Vict0riann]

We had booked the Amazon Explorer a few years ago, but changed over to a Prinsendam European cruise as DD wanted Europe and we always do what DD wants! So, we will travel with you vicariously, and hope you have a great time!

[PathfinderEss]

I'm so jealous, I would love to do this cruise. Doesn't the Maasdam do it to? :D

[kakalina]

We did this cruise on the Veendam when she sailed it for the first time. It was an amazing adventure.

Be on the lookout for the pink dolphins in Boca de Valeria!

[SilvertoGold]

We did this cruise on the Veendam when she sailed it for the first time. It was an amazing adventure.

Be on the lookout for the pink dolphins in Boca de Valeria!

 

I'll second that: the boto are amazing to watch, especially in Boca de Valeria, where they are so close to the ship. There are also some grey river dolphins that breach, unlike the boto. Both are a treat and you will want to be on the look-out for them.

Thanks for posting about your threads.

Have a truly super time!

[KirkNC]

I'm so jealous, I would love to do this cruise. Doesn't the Maasdam do it to? :D

 

Yes and we are taking it in early 2015 which is why I look forward to this thread.

[rafinmd]

Thanks all. To the Best of my knowledge HAL goes up the Amazon about 3 times a year. In the spring the Prinsendam does about a 68-day circumnavigation of South America, going down the west coast and back up the east. A bit later the Maasdam does about a 50 day round trip to Rio at Carnaval. Both ships go up the Amazon on their trips up the West Coast of South America back to Ft. Lauderdale. When I was on the Prinsendam 2 years ago my current cruise was not yet on the schedule and I booked the second half of last spring's trip to be sure I got a Prinsendam Amazon cruise. When the current trip came on the schedule I immediately changed to it.

 

Roy

[kazu]

Roy, you always come up with the most fantastic itineraries!

 

I'm looking forward to following your adventures. So glad you are putting the whole thing on the Friends of Prinsendam thread - it will be so easy to follow:D

 

Enjoy your fabulous adventure and thank you for taking the time to let us follow along:)

[sapper1]

I'll follow with interest. The Amazon is at the top of my bucket list but at the very bottom of my husband's. Actually I don't think it even made his list. :eek:

My chances of ever getting there are slim to none.

[1of4]

I have bookmarked your blog that included pictures....I want to "see" it and read about it!:) I have always wanted to do this but not so sure, like Sapper1, DH does. Maybe I will be able to convince him with your adventure!

[debshomespun]

I will be sure to follow along as we are contemplating taking the Maasdam 49 night to Rio for Carnaval, then back for the Amazon. I am not yet sold on the 2nd leg for the Amazon, so I will be reading with interest to see what all there is to see and do along the Amazon.

[startwin]

All bookmarked and ready. I can live vicariously through you.:D

[retafcruiser]

I'm so jealous, I would love to do this cruise. Doesn't the Maasdam do it to? :D

 

It is one I would love to do - but it is hard to justify Celebrity's prices when one can book an Oceana Penthouse Suite for less! I am comparing to an S fare.

[retafcruiser]

I meant to say HALs prices. Celebrity came to mind because I believe they also offer this itinerary.

[hpf]

Have a great cruise and we will see you in about 3 weeks. In the meantime I'll be following along with you.

Helen

[serendipity1499]

We've done the Amazon three times.. The first time in April 2006 on the Prinsendam, 2nd time was on Oceania in Nov. 2007..Our last one was the end of Feb/March this year, on the Prinsendam cruise around SA & Antarctica..

 

Our favorite little village was Boca da Valeria..

After reading some Cruise Critic threads, my Friend & I went to our local dollar store & bought pads, pencils, coloring books, easy English readers, stickers, crayons, combs, brushes, hair clips, little toys etc & gave them out to the kids..

Fortunately our DH's didn't object & helped us carry the large flight bags over to the small village..We had a ball..

You can get an idea of what it's like on a thread I downloaded in 2006, but keep in mind the Amazon has changed quite a bit since we went in 2006 & 2007..

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=304598

On poster, who lives in Brazil recommended giving them money, but we did not agree with that..

Betty

[rafinmd]

Thank you all. Helen, I look forward to meeting you 24 days from now.

 

The Prinsendam is in Hafia, Israel. The Symphony was scheduled in Newport, RI, but the call was cancelled due to adverse tendering conditions and the Symphony arrived in New York 16 hours early.

 

I woke at 5AM to a warm drizzle. It was pitch dark at 7:15AM when the Airport shuttle arrived for my 45-minute ride to Amtrak's BWI station. While the boarding process for a train is quick and simple, I was still in the station about 100 minutes early. The departures board showed "On Time" all the way down.

 

Train 184 actually arrived about 10 minutes late, following a commuter train, but that was the closest I ever saw it to schedule. When the train pulled up, there were 2 locomotives attached. Whether that was good or bad is a 50-50 guess. Just outside the Baltimore station, only 15 minutes into the ride, we had a long stop. The conductor announced "mechanical issues" with one of the locomotives, and we sat for about an hour while the problem was diagnosed and the defective locomotive was removed. When we passed Wilmington we were 72 minutes late, and only made up about 5 minutes of the time. The coaches were crowded, but the Business Class car was very roomy and comfortable. I got a late lunch at Panera, about 3 blocks South of Penn Station, and set off for the Jane Hotel. At about 3/4 mile from Panera, I would have walked without question if empty, but it was a tossup carrying my 50 pounds of junk. I walked and arrived at the hotel about 3.

 

I've stayed at the Jane once before, about 2 years ago. My room then was so small I opted to have the bell staff keep my big bag overnight. This time I booked a "bunk bed cabin", hoping to at least have space for the bag in the upper bunk. The room I got was a surprise, twin beds and still small but quite sufficient space to get along for the night. Better yet, my 4th floor window had a very nice view of the Hudson.

 

On settling in I checked on the progress of the Symphony, On my first look it was still south of the Verizzano Bridge but it passed under soon enough and continued northward.

 

I walked across the street to Pier 45 to watch the arrival. What had started out as a drizzly cloudy day was now bright sunshine with a glare looking towards the west and south. The Carnival Splendor was first to pass me headed for sea and appeared to meet the Symphony somewhere near Ground Zero. Soon the Symphony passed me and continued up to the berth the Splendor had vacated.

 

I walked back to Panera for dinner and returned to the Jane about 8:30. If this had been an ordinary time and place my parting shot would certainly concerned the events which happened today in Los Angeles Airport. It's becoming much too much a national habit. It is not an ordinary time or place. I was in this place almost exactly one year ago, sleeping in a hotel that had no electricity and no communications, waiting on a ship that would not be able to get here. As I walked around the west side of Manhattan a year ago I saw stores that were flooded out, many trees down, and parts of buildings on the ground. When I was here 7 months ago there was still a lot of detestation, even though things were starting to improve. What I saw today was a city on a great come back with a pretty normal flow of life, although there still seems to be more construction activity than usual. May the come back continue, and may the city be spared a repeat performance.

 

Oops, I wasn't planning on posting all this here.

 

Roy

Edited November 2, 2013 by rafinmd

[RuthC]

Aw, but it was a nice read, Roy. Thanks for the contribution.

The passengers on the Symphony were lucky to skip Newport. It would have been a lousy time in that weather. Now today---that's a different story! :) Timing is everything.

[startwin]

Keep on posting here, Roy:D

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for your writing, We are going in 2014 and need to do plenty of home work. The Prisendam is fine ship we spent 35 days on her.

[rafinmd]

Aw, but it was a nice read, Roy. Thanks for the contribution.

The passengers on the Symphony were lucky to skip Newport. It would have been a lousy time in that weather. Now today---that's a different story! :) Timing is everything.

 

Keep on posting here, Roy:D

 

While Crystal is "All Inclusive" that doesn't really mean everything is included, and internet is one of the exceptions. Once I start paying for internet by the minute I don't plan to be posting here much. The best place to look is the "Friends of the Prinsendam" forum, on this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1932362

 

I may add my posts here occasionally when I get to a port with good wifi, but not regularly. RuthC, the weather really does move east slowly. Our morning was pretty much like your day, but the afternoon was beautiful. Newport is a great stop, but I suspect many of the people who missed it enjoyed an evening in New York.

 

Roy

[take us away]

I'll follow with interest. The Amazon is at the top of my bucket list but at the very bottom of my husband's. Actually I don't think it even made his list. :eek:

My chances of ever getting there are slim to none.

 

That is too bad as the Amazon is a great adventure and wholly unique. The scenery alone was worth our 2 trips as we have seen it at both low and high water levels.

 

Maybe you can convince the DH to just 'come along' or you can find a friend to go with you

[rafinmd]

While Crystal is "All Inclusive" that doesn't really mean everything is included, and internet is one of the exceptions. Once I start paying for internet by the minute I don't plan to be posting here much. The best place to look is the "Friends of the Prinsendam" forum, on this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1932362

 

I may add my posts here occasionally when I get to a port with good wifi, but not regularly. RuthC, the weather really does move east slowly. Our morning was pretty much like your day, but the afternoon was beautiful. Newport is a great stop, but I suspect many of the people who missed it enjoyed an evening in New York.

 

Roy

 

Ok, I won't be doing this regularly, but the Symphony just happens to be in Baltimore and I'm sitting at home with free wifi, so here goes.

 

The Prinsendam is At Sea from Haifa/Tel Aviv, Israel to Alanya, Turkey

 

I was somewhere between invoking a technicality and cheating on today's walk. Our departure time was midnight and I wanted to be up for the sail down the Hudson, but that is out of character with my normal schedule. I decided to do some walking on the sailaway, and included my 6 laps between Pier 88 and Bayonne in my daily total. That borders on cheating since we actually pushed off about 11:55 and I claim my first lap based on the planned time. We also gained an hour due to the end of daylight savings time. I set my alarm for 6 but was actually up about 5:30, and completed my remaining 13 laps around 7. I saw the first sunrise of the trip, as the sun had been blocked by rain in Baltimore and by clouds and buildings in New York. At the conclusion of my walk we were about 27 miles Southwest of Atlantic City.

 

Crystal always carries a Catholic Chaplain. On Sundays he also conducts an interdenominational service, usually at 9 on sea days. In his homily my tablemate, "Father Fitz" brought the character of Zachias to life comparing him to Danny Devito, a bit of a scoundrel who was vertically challenged.

 

There were 4 Crystal Visions Enrichment Presentations today. Ken Rees opened things with Washington, DC-the Capitol City without a State. Jeremy Arnold gave an in depth report on Marilyn Monroe, Jim Brochu presented "Broadway Sings-A History of Musical Theater", and Matt Walker presented "The Business of Show". I watched Rees and Brochu in person, and looked in on Arnold and Walker on the television. The Film and Theater Theme continued with Trivia, presented by The Troubles. I was totally out of things on the questions they posed and contributed nothing to my teams score of 2 out of 15. I think I'll pass on trivia for the rest of the cruise..After Jim Brochu’s talk I went up to the Trident for Late Riser’s Breakfast and my favorite Apricot French Toast. The old sanitizer dispensers are gone, replaced by new contraptions where you put your hands in a chamber and get a fine spray of material. I really like HAL’s new hand washers, which use soap and water, better, but I believe the new machines do a better job of distributing the sanitizer than the old ones.

 

The Captain's update was at noon and this seems to be a new normal for Crystal. Trivia was pushed back to 12:05, I would guess to allow for the update.

 

It was the first Black Tie Optional night of the Cruise and we had the Captain's welcome. Unfortunately, Captain Symonds was involved in delicate operations entering the mouth of the Chesapeake bay and he will have to meet us another time.

 

Two of our number seem to have left us at table 85 and we have one newcomer. It was a very pleasant dinner. The evening entertainment was Maestro by the Crystal Ensemble of Singers and Dancers.

 

On Voyage 3209 (Kobe-Vancouver, April 2013) I saw the inaugural performance of Maestro and used it in my parting shot. I think it is fitting to do so again. The show is a rework of "I Write the Songs", a tribute to Marvin Hamlish. With Hamlish's untimely death many of the references to him were removed but I would still call him the inspiration for the show. It opens with a stage with just a piano, and the pianist comes out and starts playing "I write the Songs". Marvin Hamlish spent several years as pop's conductor for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and I watched him playing and leading the orchestra many times. It just seemed fitting to have this show as we make our way up the Bay into Baltimore for tomorrow's port call. Marvin Hamlish, rest in peace and thank you for the wealth of musical treasures you left behind.

 

Roy

[Loreto]

I'll follow with interest. The Amazon is at the top of my bucket list but at the very bottom of my husband's. Actually I don't think it even made his list. :eek:

My chances of ever getting there are slim to none.

 

Hi Sapper1! The Amazon was not of interest to me....DH watched too many episodes of "River Monsters" and declared he would like to see for himself. I, however, was the one who became intrigued, and was so excited the night before the Prinsendam entered the River, I could hardly sleep!

 

Your DH should go, it was amazing!

 

Karen