Come Sail a Way with us LIVE as the Westerdam meets the Sail a Way Gang

[1of4]

Just amazing. Canada on the port side and USA on the starboard. The pea soup was the best I have ever had...and coming from Quebec that says something! :)

 

I haven't booked a ship tour as I would be paying in US dollars and that doesn't make sense to a Canadian in Canada.

 

We are all packed except for dinner clothes tonight and last minute items.

 

Hopefully there will be tours off the dock or a taxi into town where we can walk about. May even find a quilt store...we are back in Canada so no declaration required. ;)

 

sun just came out. Life is good.

[Mumsysailor]

Gail (1of4),

glad you're feeling better.

 

Hearing your reports about how the ship has changed it sounds like we may have got off the ship at the right time. I don't like loud or antisocial behaviour and would have been 'wound up' by experiencing it. I'm sure the children recognised this behaviour as inappropriate as they are impeccably behaved themselves.

 

We're safely at home (just) after22 hours of travelling [emoji15]. Missing all our CC friends and wishing everyone safe journeys home too. It's been a great privilege to have travelled with you and to have spent so many happy days together. I do hope we'll sail again together soon. Thanks for all the fun and laughter - a very memorable trip. [emoji2] [emoji2]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rafinmd]

Does anybody know when the next drydock is? I think the last one was mid April of 2012 when I watched her sail away from the deck of the Celebrity Solstice. I would think there would be one relatively soon.

 

Roy

[Lizzie68]

Creeping along through the strait and into sunny skies. Feels bitter-sweet, at the end of our adventure with so many new friends as well as old friends. It has been the best cruise ever.

 

Glad to hear you got home OK Mumsy. We sure made some great memories and the piano man is not likely to forget us anytime soon, LOL.

Edited April 30, 2015 by Lizzie68

[cruz chic]

Does anybody know when the next drydock is? I think the last one was mid April of 2012 when I watched her sail away from the deck of the Celebrity Solstice. I would think there would be one relatively soon.

 

Roy

 

The last dry dock for the Westerdam was april 2014. I was on the cruise immediately after the dry dock.

[PathfinderEss]

1 of 4 glad your feeling better today.

 

Mumsysailor glad you had a safe trip home. Are you watching the Amsterdam today in PE getting ready to go into dry dock after the world cruise.

[kazu]

Glad to hear you are feeling better 1of4.

 

Ok, it's now quite nice out, someone better tell our waiter that it's not Alaska LOL

 

 

 

Such a pretty sail in

 

 

 

[kazu]

Gail (1of4),

glad you're feeling better.

 

Hearing your reports about how the ship has changed it sounds like we may have got off the ship at the right time. I don't like loud or antisocial behaviour and would have been 'wound up' by experiencing it. I'm sure the children recognised this behaviour as inappropriate as they are impeccably behaved themselves.

 

We're safely at home (just) after22 hours of travelling [emoji15]. Missing all our CC friends and wishing everyone safe journeys home too. It's been a great privilege to have travelled with you and to have spent so many happy days together. I do hope we'll sail again together soon. Thanks for all the fun and laughter - a very memorable trip. [emoji2] [emoji2]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

Glad to hear you are safely back. That's a long trip.

 

Have been missing you since you got off.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Feeling fine this morning.

 

we received our ** Mariner pins in our mail holder this morning!!! Woo hoo

 

I had to stop packing yesterday as I couldn't put my head down. Not much to do anyway.

 

I asked at the front desk last night and was told there is no procedure for Canadian Customs and immigration. Our declaration form will be reviewed by authorities and if they have a question then they will call us.

 

we are supposed to debark between 8:15 and 8:30 tomorrow. Our flight is at 1:15.

 

We have no plans for Victoria so I guess we will just walk about a bit. The weather will dictate how long we are off for as I didn't pack clothes for these temperatures. Live and learn. It is warmer at home today than it is here. With the non-winter the west coast had I didn't think things through properly.

 

Glad you are feeling better.

Too bad you aren't staying over in Victoria.

Butchart Gardens are beautiful. We toured it again in 2013 when we had a day in Victoria.

[kazu]

Glad you are feeling better.

Too bad you aren't staying over in Victoria.

Butchart Gardens are beautiful. We toured it again in 2013 when we had a day in Victoria.

 

 

They are on until Vancouver KK.

 

So, they have until 10:30 tonight if they so choose.

 

Since tomorrow is an early day and we want to see our waiters, we will be back on board for dinner

[summer slope]

Mumsy, why such a long trip home? 22 hours....yikes.

[kazu]

In Victoria and The new system Worked great. We were cleared in less than 15 minutes and no need to go through customs!!

 

Love it. Hope it I is the same next year.

 

Sadly, an ambulance has pulled up and went into the ship with a stretcher

 

Person appears to be sitting up so hopefully not too serious.

 

Oops I forgot to say that the ship does not have to be brought to a 0 count so those that don't want to get off don't have too

Edited April 30, 2015 by kazu

[dfish]

I'm so sad your trip is coming to an end. During sail aways I caught the anticipation and excitement bug for your cruise even though I was staying behind to wave goodbye. This thread has been a great one for living vicariously and thinking I was along for the ride.

 

Deb

[sail7seas]

It's been a wonderfully fun thread.

Safe home to everyone who will be traveling.

Edited April 30, 2015 by sail7seas

[Mumsysailor]

Mumsy, why such a long trip home? 22 hours....yikes.

 

 

We left the ship at San Diego and visited friends. We then had to drive to Los Angeles for our flight home. Once at Heathrow it was another 3 hours bus and train to our door - our choice , we took the slow but cheaper, route.

 

Now trying to adjust to UK time so stayed up to bring us back in line. [emoji27]

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[PathfinderEss]

Here's the Noordam in Huatulco following in your foot steps.

 

Hope all of you have safe trips home tomorrow or a nice stay over in Vancouver. This has been one of the best 'Live Threads', thank you all for making it that way.

[regnig]

To all of you still on the Westerdam and those that have already disembarked so many thanks for this wonderful thread, I know it took time out of you holiday to make all these posts. For those of us currently land locked having so many of you contribute really really gave us a much better sense of what has been going on. We have so enjoyed being able to sail along with you.

 

Mumsy, glad you reached home safe. The rest of you travel safely too!

[summer slope]

We left the ship at San Diego and visited friends. We then had to drive to Los Angeles for our flight home. Once at Heathrow it was another 3 hours bus and train to our door - our choice , we took the slow but cheaper, route.

 

Now trying to adjust to UK time so stayed up to bring us back in line. [emoji27]

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Long ending to a fantastic cruise. Thank you for taking us along and sharing the experience.

[qsuzi]

Safe and smooth travels home everyone.

[CowPrincess]

Thank you all for taking us along on your cruise! It was almost like being onboard. Except no pillow chocolates or wine tastings or shore excursions..... :D

 

Safe travels, everyone.

[Scrapnana]

Mumsysailor,

 

Glad you are home safely even though those 22 hours must have felt like 22 days!

 

 

Loved Victoria. Such a beautiful city! The sun came out for awhile but now (5:20 local time) it is very overcast. I hope to come this way again soon. Since I now have had an overview of the city, I would like to do more exploring.

[Lizzie68]

For anyone coming to Victoria in the future (and this will be a regular stop for the Westerdam during Alaska season) I can recommend taking a water taxi from the inner harbour for a tour ($22 each). We hopped off at Fishermans Wharf for fish and chips . A really nice afternoon. It is now overcast so we are back at the ship to finish packing. So sad:(

[Debz62]

For anyone coming to Victoria in the future (and this will be a regular stop for the Westerdam during Alaska season) I can recommend taking a water taxi from the inner harbour for a tour ($22 each). We hopped off at Fishermans Wharf for fish and chips . A really nice afternoon. It is now overcast so we are back at the ship to finish packing. So sad:(

 

Thanks for the information Lizzie68. We were planning on a walking tour of Victoria, but I think the water taxi would be more of an adventure.

 

Not to bring up a bad subject, but some of us who are boarding Westerdam on Saturday and the following week would sure like to know which cabin or cabins had problems with hot water. Just so we're aware. I understand completely about wanting to wait until after the cruise before giving us this information. Thank you.

[cruz chic]

Usually the alaska cruises just come in for the evening. Not much chance to do anything when you get in at 6pm.

Edited May 1, 2015 by cruz chic

[1of4]

Final meal in the dining room. DD and DS joined in the birthday song with DS on the bongo drums! Everyone thought we were staying another night.

 

they are now at Club Hal and I am doing the final packing.

 

To my fellow roll call members, and all the CC members who posted, thank you all so very much. It has been our pleasure to sail with you and share our experience here. Thank you to kazu for starting this thread. It is no secret that I am nnervous of people's reaction when they see there are children on "their" cruise. I will never be able to thank my roll call members enough for being so open and kind to DD and DS. They will remember this experience for the rest of their lives. They loved having a new family around.

 

Tomorrow this time we will be a complete family again. Bon Voyage and safe travels everyone.