Join Pete and Judy on their FIRST World Cruise on the Amsterdam

[The-Inside-Cabin]

? your wife ? knitting in front of "I visited the Dead Sea" Sign.

 

 

 

It is a very narrow scarf in garter stitch called "Yowza Weigh It"Shawl

 

Jury's projects are on her Ravelry page under Judyzz

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Welcome to Civitavecchia, Italy!

 

Here is a pano photo of the pier

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2016 by The-Inside-Cabin

[MMDown Under]

It is a very narrow scarf in garter stitch called "Yowza Weigh It"Shawl

 

Jury's projects are on her Ravelry page under Judyzz

 

Thanks, the colour of the scarf is eye catching.

 

Will have fun browsing her Ravelry page.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

On the pier waiting to board the Koningsdam for our tour

 

Pano shot

 

 

 

 

 

We are moored stern to stern

 

 

 

 

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[The-Inside-Cabin]

Just wrapped up tour. Wow! More later

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[twin123185]

Saw you guys sail into Civitavecchia from the Celebrity Constellation this morning!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Day 98, Piraeus (Athens,) Greece

 

Today would be our first time to Greece and we were looking forward to seeing the Acropolis that we have heard so much about. We arrived in Piraeus right on time and the weather was near perfect with beautiful blue skies, a few puffy clouds and temperatures forecast to stay in the 70’s .

 

 

We were booked on the HAL tour “The Best of Athens” with the details below from HALs website.

 

The Best of Athens

 

 

“If you are visiting Athens for the first time, this outing provides an excellent introduction to one of the great cities of the ancient world. Visit the Acropolis, a symbol of the glory of ancient Greece. History opens before you as you reach the Propylaea, one of the masterpieces of classical architecture, serving as the entrance to the complex of buildings. You’ll see the Temple of Athena Nike (Wingless Victory), and the Erechtheum with its classical Porch of Maidens, the Caryatids. Stand in awe as you visit what is considered the most perfect example of classical architecture in the world—the Parthenon—designed as a shrine to Athena and at one time housing a massive gold and ivory statue of the warrior goddess. Re-board your coach and head towards your lunch venue. You will enjoy a Greek lunch and have some time to relax. Then, you’ll head to the National Archaeological Museum, which boasts the world’s finest collection of Greek antiquities. The highlights here include the golden mask of Agamemnon, Minoan frescoes unearthed at Akrotiri, and the superb bronze Poseidon. Complete your introduction to Athens with a scenic drive through the city, passing some of the most important landmarks of the city. Watch for the marble Olympic Stadium, where the Olympic Games were revived in 1896, Hadrian’s Arch and the former Royal Palace. Your coach will park close to the plaka (Old Town) area, and you’ll disembark for a guided walking tour of the historical center of Athens. Free time will be allocated for shopping and watching everyday life in Greece before you return to the port.”

 

The tour met in the Queens Lounge at 9:15 with a scheduled departure of 9:30. A few minutes before 9:30 they called our tour and we were on our way. There were two buses on the tour and we were on bus number 6. We wouldn’t be spending that much time on the bus today, so getting seats wasn’t as important as it may be on longer tour, but it is still nicer to sit closer to the front.

 

We were close to the table where they passed out the tour dots so once they called the tour we were one of the first people down to the gangplank and off the ship. The Cruise Terminal was a couple hundred yards away, and after we passed through the terminal, (there wasn’t any security or immigration) we walked to the waiting busses which were another 100 yards or so out to the parking lot.

 

A helpful guide spotted our number 6 on our shirts and directed us to the correct bus. Plenty of good seats up front were still available and as it turned out there would be 28 people on this 40 passenger bus so everyone had plenty of room.

 

As we were pulling out, we noticed what appeared to be a local TV station getting ready to interview Henk and video some of the busses as we left the parking lot. With as many cruise ships that visit Piraeus – we learned later that they usually get at least one a day and sometimes up to six – we wondered what made our visit remarkable enough to have local reporters appear on the scene.

 

Acropolis would be our first stop in 45 minutes away and we were able to get a windshield tour of Piraeus and Athens along the way. Piraeus is adjacent to Athens and there wasn’t any way to tell when you crossed from one city into the other.

 

At 10:30 we pulled into the parking lot for Acropolis and started to hike up the hill toward Propylaea and the other ancient structures in the complex. I estimate it requires about 100 feet of climbing using steps and sloped trails to reach the summit. We moved slowly and stayed together, stopping to regroup every so often. There were numerous other tour groups all following the same path and our group was absorbed into others as we all marched forward. Our guide carried a Holland America Tour Sign with our bus number so it was fairly easy to keep her in sight.

 

In about 30 minutes we reached Propylaea, which is the western entrance to the complex. The entrance here is fairly narrow and you can wait for a bit here during busier times. Today, the crowds were relatively light so we didn’t have any delays entering Acropolis.

 

After we passed thru Propylaea, the walking path turned into a mixture of smooth rocks and marble, which can be slippery so be careful walking around.

 

We were now inside the Acropolis complex and the Parthenon was on full display against the blue sky. The Parthenon would be a visually stunning building in any age, but when you consider how long ago it was built and what technology was available, the building is even more impressive. After our guide explained some of the history of various buildings we were on our own to explore the grounds for about 30 minutes until it was time to head back down to meet our group in the parking lot where our bus would be waiting.

 

 

After we were back on the bus, we drove about 20 minutes until we reached the National Archaeological Museum. We spent about 1 hour going thru the museum which had an incredible display of ancient Greek sculptures and art. Most people, including us, chose to go to the gift shop for our last 20 minutes in the museum rather than browse more exhibits. The pieces of art are very impressive, but they are not particularly interesting to us.

 

Lunch was our next event and was being served buffet style, in the lobby of the nearby Radisson Hotel. We had a choice of the following items and they were all very good.

 

• Yogurt
  
• Potato Salad
  
• Herb Pie
  
• Greek Salad
  
• (Pastitsio) Macaroni Pie with minced meat
  
• Meatballs
  
• Rice with Vegetables
  
• Baked Potatoes
  
• Roast Chicken
  
• Baklava
  

After Lunch we drove about ½ hour to the old town area where we only had 30 minutes to shop and look around. Given the choice, I would have spent less time at the museum and ate a box lunch in order to get more time exploring old town.

In the time we had, we couldn’t really explore more than a half block of one street. This part of town didn’t seem all that old, but there was probably more to see if we had more time.

 

We left Old Town at 4pm and were back on the pier at 4:15.

 

While walking back to the terminal from our bus, we encountered people selling Iphone 6’s – no telling where they came from or whether they would actually work. We were back on the ship at 4:30 and only had a few minutes to freshen up before our we were required to attend the muster drill which is a monthly requirement on longer cruises.

 

During the sail away we were able to see some of the tents that were being used by Syrian refugees. These tents were set up near the old cruise terminal and could be seen pretty easily from the open decks.

 

For Dinner I had the Yellowfin Sole filet with Lobster Dumplings while Judy enjoyed the Herb rolled pork loins. Both of these items were very good.

 

Rita Rudner, was on the main stage tonight. She has the longest running comedy show in Las Vegas selling over 15 million tickets over her 15 year run (and counting).

 

[jig]

I was in the Apple Store in NYC and someone was there to get his iPhone fixed. He had a fake. He had no idea.

When you say the old town are you meaning the plaka? The tours don't give you the time you should have. I guess you will need to go back.

 

 

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[Jeep61]

Please try to return to Athens! It is a city that deserves much more time than a few hours. Two years ago we spent a week in the city and it was worth every moment. The same holds for Rome - I hope you have more time there but I doubt it considering the distance from the port. Enjoy the rest of your journeys; I bet you will appreciate the days at sea as you cross the Atlantic after the pace of the rest of the cruise.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I was in the Apple Store in NYC and someone was there to get his iPhone fixed. He had a fake. He had no idea.

When you say the old town are you meaning the plaka? The tours don't give you the time you should have. I guess you will need to go back.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

It was the Plaka. Greece is on my must return list. Wonderful port.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Please try to return to Athens! It is a city that deserves much more time than a few hours. Two years ago we spent a week in the city and it was worth every moment. The same holds for Rome - I hope you have more time there but I doubt it considering the distance from the port. Enjoy the rest of your journeys; I bet you will appreciate the days at sea as you cross the Atlantic after the pace of the rest of the cruise.

 

 

 

Will definitely come back to Greece. I have been in Italy frequently over the years so we will be staying close to the ship and taking it easy.

 

I wanted to jump on those Greek Ferry boats and explore. Will probably need to do a 2 week land trip soon in Greece.

Edited April 16, 2016 by The-Inside-Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Day 99, Katakolon, Greece

 

Our day in Piraeus/Athens was amazing and we were looking forward to visiting Katakolon. The main reason for this port is to provide a jumping off point for tours to Olympia, about 20 miles to the east.

 

We enjoyed our later than normal arrival time, 10 am, giving us a chance to sleep in a bit and still get off the ship as soon as they cleared the ship. Our plan for today was to visit Olympia on our own with our tablemates, Kelvin and Linda.

 

A little after 10 am we were off the ship, heading down the pier toward the waiting scrum of taxi drivers. Taking a cab was our original plan, but after the driver quoted us 25 Euros Each ONE WAY – we took a pass. He gave us a weak counter of 20 Euros Per Person as we were walking away, but realized that it was still too early and the drivers were all still waiting for the “Golden Ticket” passenger who would pay their initial asking price.

 

Once on the main street, we encountered 3 or 4 people waving signs for buses to Olympia – 8 Euros each ROUND TRIP and they give you 2 hours to explore Olympia before they return. We were tempted by this, but there is also a train option for 10 euros (round trip) that would be leaving at 11 am. We decided to check out the train option and walked down to the “station” which was nothing more than a small ticket booth next to the train parked on open track. The train is about ¼ to ½ mile down the street – all level – if you don’t want to walk that far, the bus is your best choice.

 

 

NOTE: We learned later that the bus and the train both take about 45 minutes to get to Olympia. The train gives you more space to spread out and takes you thru something other than the roads but cost 10 Euros (RT) instead of 8 Euros (RT).

 

The train is a dedicated tourist train totally driven by cruise ship schedules. Today’s schedule was written on a white board with a erasable marker. The trains leave 1 hour after the ships arrival and return 2 ½ hours later. With our arrival being 10 AM, the white board showed the departure being 11 am (arriving Olympia at 11:45) with the return train leaving Olympia at 2:15pm getting us back to the port at 3pm. If there are more cruise ships they run more trains – so check the schedule as they are totally timed to support cruise ship schedules.

 

As we were getting ready to leave, Linda (who speaks Greek fluently) started to chat up the operator who invited her to ride in the jump seat next to him up in the Cab. Once we were moving, the driver would tell Linda some interesting facts about Greece or the train and then Linda would come into the main car and translate for the rest of the passengers. Pretty neat.

 

We learned that this part of Greece was impacted by a trash collectors strike and the train had a gauge of 1 meter with standard trains having a gauge of 1.5 meters.

 

There was one stop on the way to Olympia at a town called Pyrgos, where one person got on. We traveled thru some small family farms but most of the land we passed was overgrown with weeds and not obviously under cultivation.

 

The train operator advised us to visit the museum first and then go to the historic site. As you leave the train or the bus parking lots, look for a path heading off to the Archaeological Museum of Olympia. As an alternative you could go to the Museum of the Olympic Games which is off in a different direction. You could go to either museum first, see the ruins, and then return to the bus or train via the other museum. We went straight to the Archaeological Museum, and I am not sure if you would have time to see both. I suggest you research them both before your trip and choose the one of most interest.

 

The Archaeological Museum was a 10 minute walk over level ground. Admission to the museum is 12 euros which also includes admission to the Olympia site. The ticket has two small tear off tabs, one for the museum and the other for the site. We spent about ½ hour speed walking thru the museum. You could easily spend an hour here, but you need to budget your time according to your interests. I enjoyed the sculpture - Hermes of Praxiteles, the messenger of the gods, found in 1877, that was impressive and on display in its own room.

 

 

The Olympia site is about 1/3 of a mile away over level, but uneven terrain – a hard gravely type road/path. Once inside the site, we discovered that most of the ruins are little more than foundations. There are a few structures left, but they are not that interesting to look at as compared to the Parthenon in Athens. The interest here is more in the terrain and the history of what took place here centuries ago. I am sure aficionados of ancient Greek architecture will enjoy every inch, but we found the Acropolis far more interesting.

 

NOTE: If I were to do it over again, I would probably go to the Olympic museum first, spend less time on the site and see the Archaeological museum on the way out. Spend a little time online first and you will learn more and be better able to plan your visit.

 

The Summer Olympics are this year and on April 21st they will start the Olympic Torch relay here in Olympia. While we were walking around the ruins we came across a group of dancers rehearsing for this ceremony. We will probably be unable to watch this since we will be Portugal that day, but we may be able to find a rerun of the ceremony online.

 

We spent about 1 hour walking around the various ruins and again, they aren’t that impressive by themselves as compared to Acropolis or Petra. It is still worth the trip, but set your expectations accordingly and if you find this type of ruins interesting, then you are probably already fully informed about what to see and will find it fascinating.

 

After a 15 minute walk, we were back in the town of Olympia which looked like a nice place that would merit further exploration on its own, but we were getting pressed for time. We chose a nice looking restaurant and ordered a quick bite to eat.

 

The train was scheduled to leave at 2:15 pm and we got there exactly on time. I was surprised to learn that the train company counted the number of guests riding up to Olympia and we were missing 2 guests so they waited 5 minutes before leaving the station. We certainly didn’t expect them to wait at all for anyone, and I suspect the missing guests decided to take taxis back to Katakolon and that they didn’t expect anyone to wait for them either.

 

The train arrived back in Katakolon around 3 pm. We had time to browse the shops as we walked back toward the ship. The town is totally dedicated to cruise ship passengers, the shops along the only main street are those that you would expect – art galleries, souvenir shops, clothing shops and the like. There are also a few grocery stores if you want to pick up any snacks unavailable on the ship.

 

We came across a couple we know from the ship sitting in a “Beer Bike” which is a large contraption where people sit around a picnic table on a wagon that is powered by the guests pedaling normal looking bicycle pedals connected to gears connected to the wheels. We didn’t spend much time looking at how it worked, but for only 5 Euros (which included 2 beers) it looked like could be a lot of fun. As we passed by they were trying to entice people to join them as they couldn’t leave with less than 6 guests. We learned later that they finally did get enough guests and had a wonderful time and their trip included a drive to the beach with an informal Tai Chi lesson thrown into the mix.

 

Before we headed back to the ship we walked down to the “beach” which was more gravel than sand. As we were making our way back I heard the distinctive roar of jet engines fairly close and was surprised to see a flight of 6 Greek Airforce F-4E Phantoms (not flown in the US for years) heading off toward Olympia at about 3000 feet in a loose formation. I suspect that they will be part of the torch lighting ceremony on April 21st and perform a flyby during the ceremony.

 

Way back in January our entire table of 7 people signed up for one of the Murder Mystery Dinners in the Pinnacle Grill. These events sell out quickly, so if you are interested I suggest you sign up for one early on in your cruise. Tonight was our night for the Murder Mystery which started at 6:30 pm. The menu is fixed and posted on the blog. Price $79 pp includes wine.

 

The dinner starts with various characters introducing themselves (near the entrance to the Pinnacle Grill) and discussing their lot in life and their relationship to one another. Along the way they are establishing their hatred for the ultimate murder victim played by Cruise Director Gene Young. The other characters were played by the HAL singers and the Manager of the Microsoft computer classes.

 

After the opening speeches they served the initial course and while you are enjoying the food, the characters stop by or sit at your table and offer “inside” information about past and future events. You are encouraged to banter with all the characters and shout at them while they speak and participate in all the fun. Gene made one appearance establishing in a rambling speech why everyone hates his character and everyone would have a motive for murder.

 

During the next course, Mark the event manager, playing the detective, announces the discovery of the body and the basic facts of the case. For the remainder of the evening, the characters engage with the audience and each other as they elaborate on motive, methods and opportunity for the murder.

 

As the evening comes to a close, we are asked to answer a questionnaire about who we think did it any why. We learned later that Mark sorts thru these and reads them aloud along with appropriate commentary – so if you participate in this, be sure to complete your form with your best humor and wit.

 

It turned out that half the guests correctly identified the murderer and cheered as the Head of Amsterdam Security led her off in handcuffs. The dinner was wonderful and the event exceeded our expectations – don’t miss it!

 

After the show, we all met in the Neptune suite of one of our tablemates to enjoy some fresh Baklava purchased in town. It was fun to see the inside of such a luxurious cabin and would certainly be a nice upgrade if your budget allows.

 

Tonight’s entertainment was provided by Aaron and Guy Lomax aka the Lomax Brothers, and was billed as “Four hands, two brothers and one piano”. They both sat at the same piano and one played the melody while the other played the chords. We enjoyed their high energy show of a variety of great hits. Their rendition of “Piano Man” by Billy Joel was especially good.

 

 

As always - more on the blog at http://www.theinsidecabin.com

Edited April 16, 2016 by The-Inside-Cabin

[MMDown Under]

 

I wanted to jump on those Greek Ferry boats and explore.

 

My dream also. When we caught one of the big ferries to Crete once, it remained tied up at the wharf for 24 hours because of rough seas.

 

Entertainment sounds wonderful - Murder Mystery Dinner and Pianists. Would you say entertainment on a HAL world cruise is much better than on a regular HAL cruise?

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the info on the mystery dinner. We have talked about doing one on the 2017 WC. Sounds like you had fun!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

My dream also. When we caught one of the big ferries to Crete once, it remained tied up at the wharf for 24 hours because of rough seas.

 

 

 

Entertainment sounds wonderful - Murder Mystery Dinner and Pianists. Would you say entertainment on a HAL world cruise is much better than on a regular HAL cruise?

 

 

Entertainment is better on any Grand Voyage especially world cruise. So is the food and everything else. HAL steps up its already good game big time for the Grand Voyages

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Thanks for the info on the mystery dinner. We have talked about doing one on the 2017 WC. Sounds like you had fun!

 

 

 

I would do the murder mystery and a radio show. Minimum.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Day 100, Sailing toward Civitavecchia, Italy

 

Today was a day for some scenic cruising, although it wasn’t really advertised as such. We would be cruising thru the Strait of Messina which separates Sicily from the rest of Italy.

 

Good Morning Amsterdam didn’t have a guest due to some miscommunication so Gene and Donna discussed our recent ports and their activities during the Greek ports and what they have planned for Italy.

 

We didn’t do much today and barely left the cabin, using our verandah to check on our progress through the Strait of Messina. It was quite windy on deck and the Captain noted during his noon update that the Amsterdam was experiencing winds in excess of 50 knots for parts of the day.

 

As we passed the northern tip of Sicily I noticed this interesting tower that turned out to be an old Electric Pylon that was in service from 1955 and supported a 220 Kilovolt Electrical Line until it was replaced by a submarine cable in 1994. It’s now been designated an historical monument and can’t be torn down. I bet that when they constructed it back in the 50’s people hated it, but now they have to keep it. Go Figure. It is possible to climb to the top as long as you are up for the 1250 steps.

 

No luck for me at the Hold-em table, but Judy was a winner at crafts and made a bulletin board by gluing wine corks to a wooden ruler.

 

There was another Grand Dollar Redemption today. There will be one more before the cruise ends. We each received 200 Grand Dollars for attending the Murder Mystery show and I received some donations from others who aren’t collecting them so I now have close to 1,400 Grand Dollars.

 

The big highlight of the day was the completion of Judy’s “Solitary Confinement Shawl”. The pattern is called Lotus Shawl and is one of the more complex shawls she has knit. She supersized it has well and it ended up being 80” wide by 42” deep with over 500 stiches in the final row. She called it the “Solitary Confinement Shawl” because she stayed in our room to concentrate on the stitch pattern which was charted in an unusual way and she couldn’t talk to anyone when she was knitting it.

 

 

She is glad she is finished and has moved on to two scarves. One is a rayon/linen blend that is straight stockinette and the other is a superwash merino wool that is garter stitch.

 

The completed shawl is shown as the featured photo on the blog

 

We got our passports back today – The trip used 7 pages and we don’t expect to get any more stamps this cruise.

 

I went thru my passport and here are the countries who stamped our passports along with how much space they used.

 

• Australia entry stamp squeezed onto page already full
  
• Cambodia – Entry and Exit Stamp – ½ page
  
• Indonesia – ½ page used by sticker visa with entry and exit stamps around the sticker
  
• Thailand – 1/3 page used by entry and exit stamp
  
• Sri Lanka – 1/3 page used by entry and exit stamp
  
• Nuka Hiva – 1/6 page used by stamp
  
• UAE - ½ page with 4 stamps
  
• Singapore - 1/6 page for one stamp
  
• India - 1/3 page for 2 stamps in addition to full page for sticker visa obtained in advance
  
• Vietnam – 1 page and ½ for sticker visa and 2 big stamps
  
• Greece - 1 stamp but used a third of a page by stamping it in the center of a page
  
• Oman - ½ page for Muscat and 1/3 page for Salalah
  
• Jordan - ½ page for 2 stamps
  

On the menu this evening was a delicious Mediterranean Seafood Stew by guest chef Paulette Mitchell along with Chicken Pho and a Seafood Tower for a starter. Another amazing dinner in a long list of amazing dinners.

 

Tonight’s show was Ruben Vilagrand, who performed a fantastic show combining mime, magic and comedy. He was very entertaining and we enjoyed his show very much. He did a trick where he pretended to swallow 9 fish hooks – very realistic and a little gross, but it was pretty amazing and he executed the trick very well.

 

 

We will be in Civitavecchia, Italy tomorrow and have a chance to visit the newest ship in the HAL fleet, the Koningsdam.

 

More on the blog at http://www.theinsidecabin.com

[jkadventures]

Quick question--since most world cruises occur during US tax season, how do most passengers handle their returns? File electronically using available internet during the voyage, file an extension before departing, have a tax pro handle it from afar? These all seem difficult as many statements are coming later in February and into March. Thanks for any insight.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Quick question--since most world cruises occur during US tax season, how do most passengers handle their returns? File electronically using available internet during the voyage, file an extension before departing, have a tax pro handle it from afar? These all seem difficult as many statements are coming later in February and into March. Thanks for any insight.

 

 

 

File for an extension and pay your estimated tax before you leave. Filing taxes over ships Internet or even ashore would be too frustrating.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Our Monaco location

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Monaco panoramic

 

 

The Casino

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jig]

Entertainment is better on any Grand Voyage especially world cruise. So is the food and everything else. HAL steps up its already good game big time for the Grand Voyages

 

 

Your staying on to the west coast so you will see the difference. I think they raise the drink prices as well.

Are you continuing the log on that part as well?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Your staying on to the west coast so you will see the difference. I think they raise the drink prices as well.

Are you continuing the log on that part as well?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

Yes....I will continue thru May 16

[jig]

We are doing the same in the other direction. Will be interested in your review of Cartagena and Corinth for Leon. Hope your going to Antigua in Guatemala.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[kiberkid]

Yes....I will continue thru May 16

 

And we board in San Diego the day you get off. Love your blog. Very well written & entertaining.

 

Thank you for taking the time to allow us to enjoy the World Cruise through you.