MS Koningsdam February 19-March 1 AND MS Zaandam March 21 to April 22

[easyboy]

Enjoying your review!

[dailaway]

Thank you Roy really enjoyed your review and pictures

[rafinmd]

Thank you Cruisergal1208, perfect match, jimbri, easyboy, and dialaway.

 

I'm presently sitting on the Crystal Serenity in Rio, disembarking in about an hour and flying to Buenos Aires this evening. I'll resume posting here tomorrow.

 

I did finally get my cabin assignment a few days ago. I'm in an inside on the Lower Promenade Deck near one of the doors and the atrium. I'd have enjoyed an upgrade but am happy. My flight to BA left Dubai 10 minutes late but should be on time this evening.

 

Time to shut down my computer and finish packing my carryon.

 

Roy

[RuthC]

I did finally get my cabin assignment a few days ago. I'm in an inside on the Lower Promenade Deck near one of the doors and the atrium. I'd have enjoyed an upgrade but am happy.

Nice assignment. I've lived in that area on 8 ships, many, many times. Love it there.

I do so enjoy following along in your adventures. I know I could never do a lot of what you do, so this is my best way to have the time of my life.

Thanks.

[StartrainDD]

I did finally get my cabin assignment a few days ago. I'm in an inside on the Lower Promenade Deck near one of the doors and the atrium. I'd have enjoyed an upgrade but am happy.

Roy

 

Hi Roy! I think that is a great location as you can quickly get outdoors. So much scenic cruising ahead so you will enjoy the ease of access! Enjoy Zaandam, we love that ship and expect to be onboard again in 2018.

 

Arie

[rafinmd]

Day T&S 11, Tuesday, March 14, Disembark Crystal Serenity, Fly to Buenos Aires

 

Thank you RuthC and Arie.

 

The Crystal Symphony is in Ho Chi Minh City. The Koningsdam is in Grand Turk and the Zaandam is in Ushuaia.

 

I had quite a bit I wanted to do before leaving the ship so I cut my morning walk to 5 laps. It was quite a cloudy day with even some showers but I caught a glimpse of the sun coming up on my final lap.

 

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My final breakfast was primarily an omelet. I continued working and packing my final items until about 9 and headed down to the Galaxy lounge. My group, Orange 1, was called pretty close to the predicted time of 9:30. Being the only ship in town was certainly beneficial. I have awful memories of leaving the Maasdam in 2015, walking past several ships to collect my luggage and then past a couple of warehouses fully loaded to get to the transfer bus.

 

As we left we walked past one warehouse to the departure terminal. We were told our checked bags were taken by truck directly to the airport and we wouldn’t see them again until then. There were 5 groups with late flights and several were mixed as we traveled to our first stop, the Cococabana Palace hotel where we could wait until it was time to leave for the airport. On the way we passed along the stadium where the final events of Carnival were staged.

 

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At the Copa we had my first little hitch. At the hospitality desk there was a list of flights and transfer times but my flight wasn’t on it. There was a line at the desk but when I got to the front I explained the situation and showed the lady Crystal’s list of flights. She saw the list of ship departure times and decided I was on a late flight. I told her “no, the flight is at 4:15 and I need to be on the first transfer. Done with a little bit of extra stress. I finished the formalities about 11 and had about an hour until my transfer. There was a buffet at the room and I got a light, early lunch and had a bit of time to check email and so on with my IPAD.

 

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Just before noon 3 of us boarded a van with the same guide we had on the transfer to the hotel. We were at the airport about 12:45. The guide took us to a place where a group of porters were waiting with trolleys, each trolley was ready with the luggage of one party. Emirates checkin didn’t open until 1:15 and the porter showed me the right place and then ushered me to a waiting area. I told him I would be ok now but he was insistent. At 1:15 he returned and we went to the Emirates checkin. He took me to the priority line which I didn’t think I was eligible for. It turned out that Emirates considers seniors priority so that worked well, and I was checked in pretty quickly. Unfortunately, I was still stuck with about a 30 pound carryon.

 

Security was fairly quick but annoying. I’ve become accustomed to not having to remove my laptops at security and was not prepared. One was easy to dig out but the larger one I had packed as a stiffener for my back pack and was a significant dig. I did not really get the bag restored to it’s original setup until I was at the gate.

 

Passport control was the other little hitch. The lady took me to an office where I had to wait outside with no explanation. After about 5 minutes she returned and gave back my passport. The only thing I know is that the document Crystal prepared showed my departure as Devil’s Island where the ship left Argentina. That may or may not have been the issue. In any case I found the Argentine formalities a pain with that and 2 long delayed ship clearances. It was close to a half mile from security to gate C61 where I had about an hour and a half until it was time to begin boarding the 777, arriving any moment from Dubai.

 

Boarding was listed as starting at 3:15 and closing at 3:55 but was delayed. I was one of the first aboard at 3:52. Once started boarding went quickly. Emirates baggage policy allows one carryon but says nothing about a personal item and I took that at face value. Overhead space was at a premium and I had to store my bag a couple rows ahead of my seat. The bin was high and I needed crew help to close the bin each time I closed the bin. I kind of created my own personal item when I took out my meds and also took out my little folding pack. I did not want to either fumble with the meds at departure, risk forgetting them or open the bin a third time. While boarding continued we were given menus to peruse.

 

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Somehow we were able to complete boarding in the remaining 20 minutes and rolled back on time. Dinner came about 5:30. I went for the chicken. Over the rest of the flight I worked a few sudokus and finished my book. One Emirates weakness is the voyage progress screen is has very little information.

 

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A welcome surprise was we landed well ahead of our 7:45 arrival time. There were minimal lines at passport control and I was in the baggage claim area at 7:45. That was quite chaotic and there were many passengers with several HUGE packages. I didn’t realize it but the listed carousel was not the only one; a fellow Serenity passenger tipped me off that much of the baggage was the adjacent carousel where I found my bags.

 

One thing a bit strange about BA Airport is there are several car services but several of the kiosks come before leaving baggage claim. One had what I thought was a fair price (USD49). The lady said “this is your driver; he’ll meet you at the exit. He took over the trolley and we went out to his car. I got a bit concerned at first as he couldn’t seem to understand “Novotel”. Finally I showed him my itinerary with the address printed and we were soon on our way. The trip was relatively quick; he pulled up in front of the hotel with no hitches and carried my bags inside.

 

I’m not quite sure what to call my room, both “eclectic” and “post-modern” come to mind. A disadvantage is there are no drawers. I think the strangest feature is a shower with 2 clear glass sides; standing by the window you can see through the shower to the sink. There is a hot pot with tea but not coffee. After unwinding a bit I went out for ice cream but fell asleep prematurely about 10:30.

 

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My parting shot is kind of a repeat. Maryland cruisers have told me that they did not get much snow but ice instead. A nasty event, mostly short term as it can either melt or be treated pretty quickly. The greatest lasting damage would be power lines down. Wishing all who lost power a speedy recovery.

 

Roy

Edited March 15, 2017 by rafinmd
wrong photo link

[rafinmd]

Day T&S+1, Wednesday, March 15, Buenos Aires

 

The Crystal Serenity is ending it’s call in Rio. The Crystal Symphony is ending it’s call in Ho Chi Minh City. The Koningsdam is in Samana, Dominican Republic and the Zaandam is cruising Cape Horn.

 

It’s been a lazy day. I fell asleep unintentionally about 10:30 Tuesday and did not get up until almost 7. The hotel breakfast buffet, while not perfect, was pretty decent. I stayed in the hotel most of the morning, going out only to exchange some money at a Cambio recommended by the hotel.

 

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When I went out for lunch it was drizzling a bit not seriously but enough to keep my walk relatively short.

 

The afternoon went quickly although I can’t really remember doing much. I am working on getting things set up for Iguazu and hoping to travel really light on that trip. I’ll have a better feel for that in the morning.

 

I leave for Iguazu Thursday in the early evening. I had planned to take the subway from the hotel to the station and gave the idea a dry run this evening. I am more than rethinking this plan. There is a metro station close to the hotel, and the first stop connects to the line that serves Retiro. The first train was crowded but relatively painless. The problem came with the connection to the second train. There were a number of stairs but that wasn’t the worst of it. A long section of the connecting passage was along the platform of a third line. That passage was JAMMED. In starts and stops the best I could do was a baby step shuffle, never having sufficient room for a regular step. When I finally got to the second train it was not too bad, but I think even walking the mile and a half to the station would be better than that mess

 

My tour instructions have me arriving at the bus station an hour before departure. It actually appears that nothing happens until about 10 minutes before departure but I have no reason to wait. My return trip was .easier but I was moving against the rush, and got off by the obelisk rather than connect to the second train.

 

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By this time I was pretty wet from the showers and rather than have a long dinner I just went into McDonalds for a burger. I was back at the hotel about 8:30. On the walk back I did look at some menus and have a few thoughts for my final dinner in Buenos Aires. The obelisk was lovely at night.

 

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I did a little computer work back at the hotel and may to try to get to bed early. My parting shot I is some times it pays to test things before you commit.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Day Iguazu1, Thursday-Friday, March 16-17, Buenos Aires to Iguazu

 

The Crystal Serenity is at sea from Rio to Salvador de Bahia, arriving Friday. The Crystal Symphony is at sea from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, also arriving Friday The Koningsdam is at sea from Samana to Bonaire arriving Friday and the Zaandam was at Port Stanley Thursday, setting sail for Montevideo.

 

A more (but not quite) normal morning; up at 5 and out for a walk about 7. Aside from laptop related stuff I’m pretty well packed for Iguazu; 3 heavy bags staying at the Novotel and a smallish one to go under the bus and a small carryon, As lightly as I’m loaded I don’t think it would be too hard to walk the 1 1/4 miles to the bus station but the city bus is my most likely choice.

 

I checked out of the hotel just before noon with 7 hours before my bus left. I spent most of my time on a bench outside the Opera house working Sudoku and getting up periodically for snacks.

 

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I did see a hop-on hop-off bus passing periodically which might have been a better choice. I returned to the hotel about for my larger travel bag and headed for the bus station. After my Wednesday disaster on the Subte I noticed a Number 70 bus marked Retiro That turned out to be a good option; although I had to walk 1/3 mile to the Opera House where it stopped, it dropped me off within 100 meters of the part of the bus station where I would leave. I found the bus a bit strange; from the front to the back the seating kept getting higher; my best option was the back seat which was almost as high as the heads of people in the front seats. I had chosen a seat that was wide open, there were several others I could have chosen that were a little more of a squeeze for me and my bags.

 

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Once at the station it was a combination of sudokus and watching the actual boarding process. Boarding itself moves pretty quickly; it’s only 10-20 minutes from the time a bus pulls up and it’s bay number is posted on the video screens until the bus pulls away.

 

My bus was scheduled for 7:40. Around 7:10 I got up and stood at the first of the possible bays and started watching arrivals. My bus pulled up about 7:20 and by the time it reached the bay there were several people waiting.

 

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I was directed to the upper level of the bus which was a little nicer than the lower level. There were 2 seats on the drivers side of the aisle and 1 seat on the doorway side. I took one of the single seats; they were very similar to some of the nicer aircraft Business Class seats I have had. They were not quite flat at night but pretty close with the feet sticking a few inches under the next passengers head. The bus had very nice amenities but surprisingly no wifi. The steward was very nice but spoke no English making thinks a bit difficult at times.

 

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The 17-hour journey did not go quite as planned. At a toll booth only about 15 miles out of town the brakes locked up and it was about 2 hours until a replacement bus arrived. It was a little after 10 when dinner finally came. My first look was pretty negative. There was a muffin, a roll, and a cold dish that looked like some kind of a rice salad with a bit of nondescript lunch meat, as well as a packet of crackers. I was about to declare the meal a disaster when the entree arrived, a dish of meat loaf and mashed potatoes. It would probably be about medium class aircraft food. I had just opened the crackers when the entree arrived and decided to save them for Friday, anticipating a late Iguazu arrival with only breakfast served.

 

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I did not get a lot of sleep but much better than nothing. I woke and stirred about 6. The sun rose just before 7 on my side of the bus but was a bit blurred as the windows were quite steamed.

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It was close to 9 when breakfast came, a snack box of cold items (cereal, cookie, and yogurt). This actually fit my style pretty well as I normally snack my way through breakfast and could open the items as needed. “Coffee” was served, a cup of hot water and a coffee bag, also an envelope of creamer and a Splenda I had brought from Serenity.

 

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Progress was fairly slow; we stopped at a number of towns I could not identify on my GPS. We pretty much followed the River Parana which forms the border with Paraguay. At one point we got close enough for a quick photo.

 

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When we stopped about noon at Posadas we were told we would have to change buses again. I thought it was a planned connection but a couple of Australians on the same tour and also going on to the Zaandam understood it was another mechanical issue. In any case it was about an hour before the new bus arrived. At Posadas there was an international bridge to Paraguay with several shuttle buses arriving and leaving as we waited.

 

We were due to arrive in Iguazu at 1PM. The actual arrival was a little after 4 (and I was very glad to have those crackers). We were expecting a tour representative to be waiting for us with a sign but there was nobody there. The bus company called the tour operator and soon our driver arrived bearing a sign with both our names. We were taken to our separate hotels.

 

I am at La Aldea de la Selva Lodge, a rustic inn about a 10-minute drive from town. It’s a secluded compound with a central Lodge where meals are served and about 7 buildings mostly holding each. I’m in the nearest building to the lodge, a unit called Isipo. There’s a large room along with a porch with a hammock and a minibar. A central unit has an internet terminal but there’s also wifi throughout the complex. It’s quite comfortable. The walk from my room to the main lodge is probably about 100 meters.

 

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Dinner was served in the lodge starting at 7. Most of the staff spoke little or no English so again the process was a bit difficult. I went for the steak along with a grilled peach for desert. The steak started out way too rare and was still just about medium after I sent it back but it was good.

 

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It’s been a long day (I have to be ready tomorrow at 7:45), so I plan to wrap up this post and head to bed.

 

For my parting shot It’s easy to forget things when they are not readily apparent. I hope every one had a great Saint Patricks Day.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Day Iguazu3, Saturday, March 18, Iguazu

 

The Crystal Serenity is at Salvador de Bahia. The Crystal Symphony is at Sanya, China. The Koningsdam is in Curacao and the Zaandam is at sea from Port Stanley to Montevideo.

 

I had far more photos today than I could link to Cruise Critic. For the full set of photos you will need to go to the blog post:

 

https://aroundamericabitbybit.wordpress.com/2017/03/19/day-iguazu3-saturday-march-18-iguazu

 

I was up at 5, pretty well rested, and checked email and other computer activities, arriving at the lodge at 7, just as it opened for breakfast. For my tour of the Argentine side of the falls, my car came to the hotel at 7:45 with the two Australians and another couple already on board. It was about a 15 minute drive to the National Park Visitor Center where we bought our tickets.

 

One of the primary trails in the park, the lower circuit is closed. Our guide said there were several puma roaming the area and that section will remain closed until they are found and relocated. We were given the park map which is somewhat useful but seemed more interested in selling optional tours. (I’ll try to post it once reunited with my scanner).

 

The most common access to the park is via a narrow gauge railway which travels about 2 miles and stops at 2 stations in the park interior, Cataratas and Garganta. I personally found the train helpful but nothing special, although we die get some nice early view of the upper rapids from the train.

 

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We walked 2 park trails on our visit. In Iguazu, a trail may not be quite what is normally expected. They are mostly steel catwalks often going long distances above the raging upper rapids.

 

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Our first trail was the Garganta del Diablo trail which went out to the top of Garganta del Diablo, the largest falls in the park. The day was a mix of clouds and sun and we stayed pretty dry but this is where we needed our “rain” protection. We were probably about 200 meters from the viewpoint when our guide told us it was time to put on our rain gear, although we could hear see the clouds of spray well before that. I was a bit surprised that the spray pattern was very specific, and what was a steady fall in one place could be barely a mist as little as a car length away. We paused about 15 minutes here getting an awesome and ever changing view. This trail was a single path out and back returning as we went out.

 

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On return to the station we reboarded the train and went back to the Cataratas where we started our second walk. The Upper Circuit is mostly a loop trail with one extension. The trail is set up as a one way loop. I assume that is necessary on severely crowded days but there was ample room on the trail today. While Garganta del Diablo is the most spectacular of the falls, the variety and extent of the falls is truly amazing, and most can be viewed from the Upper Circuit. Our first 2 falls were Don Hermanas and Chico falls. Near Chico falls there was a lovely rainbow and a Cormorant perched on a rock along the trail.

 

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For the next section of the trail we walked along a ridge where several fall lined up in a nice row, Bossetti, Adan y Eva, Mendez, Mbigua, and San Martin falls, with Diablo still visible in the distance.

 

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Along the way there were informational posters like one explaining the role of the Rain Forest as a sponge, regulating the river with a relatively constant flow of water. The display told of massive floods in recent years (I find it hard to imagine the river carrying 20 times as much water as it did today) and also a photo of a very nearly dry falls.

 

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Continuing along there were lovely viewpoints for the falls and places we could look down and see the closed Lower Circuit and tour boats plying the rapids.

 

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As we continued on we got close to some of the falls starting with Bossetti where we also got a good look at the gorge at the base of the falls.

 

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On our way to Mbigua falls we got walked a section of trail that came very close to the precipice.

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From Mbigua we headed back towards the shore for a while and then walked a brand new section of trail which took us to the face of San Martin falls. It was not quite as spectacular as Diablo but still awesome.

 

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On the way back we passed a reminder of the power of the floods, a section of former trail abutment that had been thrown up on rocks.

 

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We returned to the Cataratas area about noon. Two of the group had booked the “Great Adventure”, a combination of a ride on a jungle truck and speedboat tour of the lower falls. While they were on that tour the rest of us had free time. The first order of business was lunch. There were a couple of fast food type places with sandwiches and the likes. Ham and Cheese was one of the offerings, and since the Zaandam has neither a Dutch Café nor Trident Grill I thought I would have that one last time. It was nowhere near as good as either of the shipboard versions but based on the comments of others who chose the burger I think it was a good choice.

 

I took another little walk around the area actually hoping to walk one more trail but it was closed. While walking I noticed a nice tower that looks like a lighthouse; I really have no idea what the story is but I don’t think it is still used. It may have been an observation tower.

 

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At the end of that walk I went back to finish my lunch off with an ice cream. We returned to the hotel about 2:30 for a quiet afternoon. I thought a bath would be appealing as I don’t think I’ll see a tub again for about 5 weeks.

 

Dinner was at the restaurant again, pretty much the same as yesterday except I went for the grilled chicken instead of the steak. Once again I hope to wrap up this post and get to bed relatively early; after leaving the hotel at 8 Sunday I do not expect internet coverage until I get back to the Novotel late Monday morning.

 

Another quick parting shot. Even with high expectations, the reality of Iguazu just blew them out of the water. A once in a lifetime treat.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Day Iguazu4, Sunday, March 19, Leave Iguazu

 

The Crystal Serenity is cruising up the Amazon. The Crystal Symphony is beginning a 3-day call in Hong Kong. The Koningsdam is in Aruba and the Zaandam is in Montevideo.

 

I am now in my hotel after an uneventful return trip on the bus. I arrived at the Novotel at 10 and after checking in with the Holland America desk checked in at the hotel and found my room ready (and almost identical to the one last week).

 

Once again, there are far too many photos to link on Cruise Critic, the blog post with all the photos is at:

 

https://aroundamericabitbybit.wordpress.com/2017/03/20/day-iguazu4-sunday-march-19-leave-iguazu/

 

My final morning in Iguazu started normally, doing some internet checks and packing for departure. I put almost everything in my larger carryon, leaving only a few things I would need at the falls in the small smaller one and things I would need on the bus segregated into my HAL tote bag. On the way to breakfast I realized I had never taken any pictures of the Aldea grounds.

 

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Breakfast was at 7 and I checked out of the hotel about 7:45. My car showed up about 8, with the 2 Australians and 3 Europeans as well as the guide already aboard.

 

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Our first stop was the tour company office where the guide and driver stored our luggage for the day. Next up was a pair of border crossings. On the Argentine side of the border we remained in the van while our guide went to a booth and processed our departure. The bridge across the Iguazu River is relatively short, and once on the other side the Australians (with British Passports) and I had to go into the office to meet with the Immigration officer while the Europeans were handled by the guide. It was then about a 20-minute drive to the park where we found long ticket lines but could go right up to a machine to pay by credit card. A few were paying cash while the rest of us relaxed at the lunch counter.

 

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Entry into the Brazilian park is mostly by shuttle bus although some motor coaches are allowed to use the road. We were assigned the 9:30 shuttle which is a very similar bus to the typical Hop-on-Hop-off sightseeing bus. The route makes 4 stops; our guide directed us to get off at the 3rd stop.

 

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There is really only one main trail on the Brazil side; it rises and falls quite a bit and has many stunning viewpoints, really beginning with the first moments we left the road.

 

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The upper trail was mostly vistas on the most prominent face of the falls along with some spots where we could see a lot of rock in the gorge that the falls had eroded away.

 

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The middle part of the trail still had wonderful vistas of the primary face but more of the details became filled in. There were layers of very hard rock that resisted erosion allowing the upper part of the falls to descend onto a shelf which a few hundred meters later led to an equally impressive lower falls.

 

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Water will take the path of least resistance and many times small cascades would be spread out across gaps in the huge deluges, creating a tapestry of little columns of water. As we started our descent into the lower part of the view we got a sweeping overview of the magnitude of the falls. Rainbows were out in abundance.

 

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About midway down we got our first good view of the walkway at the base of Garganta del Diablo

 

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When we actually reached the base we went out on a catwalk similar to the one on the Argentine side. An elevator went up to the road as well as a trail. This was the area where a rain jacket would be needed.

 

Walking part way onto the catwalk we could see into the gorge and a myriad of streams feeding into it.

 

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From the catwalk we also saw from a different angle the tapestry of little cascades joining the big ones.

 

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At the far end of the catwalk we could really feel the power of Diablo, including a wind it created.

 

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Leaving the catwalk and going to the exit we approached very close to the base of the falls.

 

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There was an elevator from the base to the top but our guide indicated the lines would be long, They didn’t look long but I had pretty much already decided on the trail.

 

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One thing that has been a bit of a scourge on both sides of the falls has been Quatis, small animals that beg for food and will steal it if possible. They are normally docile but have nasty claws and may attack and bite. Unfortunately, there are people who feed them despite many warning signs.

 

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The views from the top were also stunning as we gathered for the ride back to the park entrance.

 

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The return border crossing was very similar to the way over. The 3 of us had to again enter the office with our passports while the guide handled everything on the Argentine side. The bridge jersey walls are painted in the colors of each country making it easy to spot the exact border location. As we look down the Iguazu River we can look across into Paraguay on the other side of the River Parana.

 

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After picking up our bags we were back at the bus station about 1 for our 3:10 departure. The lady at the bus company desk recommended a bakery across the street where I got some lovely Danishes as lunch along with Ice Cream.

 

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The bus showed up about 3:05 for our 3:10 departure. There were a lot of people in the waiting room but they must have been waiting for other buses as only 4 of us boarded (at least on the upper level) and we left on time. We have the same crew as on the trip up.

 

I will close this post about 7:30, around sunset, if there’s anything else relevant I’ll put it in the next day’s post.

 

My parting shot will be about the falls. Most people consider the Brazil side the better side. It wasn’t for me but that may be a matter of timing, as I found the Brazil side more crowded. In any case each side has it’s own advantages.

 

Roy

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just got caught up with your review.

Wonderful reports and great pictures.

[kazu]

What a fabulous adventure you are having Roy.

 

Such wonderful recounts and pictures. Thanks so much for taking the time to share with us.

 

You are making memories to last a life time visiting the Falls.

[Vict0riann]

We have made it to BA, too, Roy. We met our Catholic chaplain on our flight, and told him we hoped he would be doing ecumenical services too, if there was no Protestant reverend. He said he had been doing that for 40 years. We also saw someone who looked like a rabbi on the flight, but I don't know if he is on the cruise. HAL had signs in the airport for transfers, but we came into town by taxi. It is quite warm!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Oahucruiser]

Absolutely stunning photos of the falls and I appreciated that there were so many on your blog. Will be following you to San Diego and enjoying this multi voyage adventure that you are taking!

[rafinmd]

Thank you Krazy Kurizers, Oahucruiser, kazu and Ann (and welcome to BA).

 

I have posted the park maps for both the Argentine and Brazil sides of Iguazu to the Extras tabs of my blog; since I'm in transition between the 2 ships I've posted them to both the Serenity and Zaandam pages.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Day Iguazu5, Monday, March 20, Arrive Buenos Aires

 

The Crystal Serenity is in Recife. The Crystal Symphony is on a 3-day call in Hong Kong. The Koningsdam is at sea from Aruba to Ft. Lauderdale and the Zaandam will arrive in Buenos Aires a few hours earlier than me.

 

Things were MOSTLY uneventful on the bus back from Iguazu. We were promised dinner and I was a bit surprised when the steward came around about 6PM with a snack box like the one we had gotten at breakfast on the way to Iguazu. I was expecting more than that. I wasn’t hungry yet and stashed the items in it away for later.

 

It was about 8 when we stopped near the town where we had made the second bus swap on the way up. The crew was all beside the bus, some talking on their cell phones. My thought was “oh no, not another breakdown”. After about 15 minutes someone came up with a package and we continued on. I suspect it was the hot entrees for dinner which was served about 9. It was essentially the same as the first dinner with a few minor differences. I had the bed down about 10, and slept fairly fitfully.

 

Soon after I got up around 6 we had another stop for mechanical reasons. This time it was not us but to check on 2 other buses that were stopped on the shoulder. The crews conferred a bit and we moved on. I was on the wrong side of the bus around 7 when the sun came up but there were a couple of vacant seats on the other side so I could get a look. Breakfast came about 7:30.

 

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While were still some distance from Buenos Aires we crossed over the Rio Plata. It is navigable for some distance upstream, although I’m sure not to cruise ships.

 

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It looked like we might arrive early but had not counted on Buenos Aires traffic. I still thought we might be a couple minutes early until the end when we had to queue up for a bay assignment in the station. We were at the platform 1 minute after our 9:10 schedule.

 

It was a short walk to the Bus 70 stop and about 10 minutes until it came. I was back at the Novetel at 10, checked in with the Holland America representative (my transfer is at 11), and the front desk had a room ready for me, essentially identical to my first room here. I retrieved my stored bags and headed out about 12:30 for lunch and a walk.

 

I finally found an H Stern shopping map that was useful. It was at the hospitality desk and I noticed that the Cathedral was within walking distance. I had visited it when I sailed the Symphony last year but did not really have a feel for the location after arriving by bus. It is on a large square with the seat of government and a Colonial government house. I realized I had forgotten my camera but then remembered I had my IPAD. I hate the way you push the button once and get about 8 pictures.

 

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/cathedral.jpg

 

I spent most of the afternoon at the hotel. Dinner turned out to be at a restaurant next door. The pork chops were good but the portions just too much. The Australians were there also but I just noticed them as they were heading out the door.

 

Fatigue started to get to me around 8 and by 9 I was starting to nap unintentionally. I finally woke up and went to bed about 11 and slept very lightly through the night.

 

My parting shot comes from my roll call. One of the ports on the second leg is Lima, now having very serious flooding. Wishing the people of Lima a speedy recovery from the damage.

 

Roy

[Krazy Kruizers]

Your trips/cruises are fantastic.

Love your pictures.

[rafinmd]

Day Z0, Tuesday, March 21, 2017, Board MS Zaandam

 

Thank you Krazy Kruizers.

 

The Koningsdam is at sea from Aruba to Ft. Lauderdale, The Crystal Serenity is sailing from Recife to Fortaleza, Brazil. The Crystal Symphony is concluding a 3-day call in Hong Kong.

 

After napping prematurely Monday evening I didn’t really sleep a lot in the traditional way and decided I might as well get up about 4:30.

 

I rearranged my packing to include just the laptops and evening meds in my carryon; it was still a bit heavier than what I carried to Iguazu. I went out for about a 40 minute walk about 6:30, walking much of the area between my 2 BA hotels, Novotel and Sofitel, and noticed a few things that were new to me but nothing special.

 

When the bags went down to the lobby about 8, I still had about 3 hours before my transfer to the ship, including some internet work and breakfast at the Novotel buffet. I shut down my computers about 10:15 and headed down to the lobby in anticipation of my 11AM transfer to the ship.

 

The bus actually pulled up about 11:10 and when we finished loading had to wait about 20 minutes as there have been teacher protests in our area and they decided to march across our street just about the time we were ready to leave. It was not a long drive to the terminal and we arrived around 11:45.

 

Embarkation in Buenos Aires involves several steps. After we showed our documents we went through security and then the usual checkin procedure. While as a 4-star Mariner I have priority I did not see signs of lines for anyone checking in. Our final step in the terminal was meeting with Argentina border officials, having our passports stamped. We passed through a holding area which looked like it had just recently been emptied of early arrivals assigned numbers for boarding stages. We walked right through the holding area and surrendered our passports to the ship staff as we left the terminal building.

 

We have “sort of” left Argentina as we have finished border formalities but may still go into the city without meeting officials again. Buenos Aires is a working cargo port and we cannot walk to the ship. Leaving the terminal we must board a shuttle bus to get to the ship, winding our way through stacks of containers. We were dropped near the stern of the ship; entry was midship on deck 1 (one deck above the tender landing).

 

This is my 3rd time on the Zaandam (successively longer trips) after a 4-day sail at the end of a 3rd party Yukon land tour in 2002 and a 2-week Asia cruise in 2012. I think this 32 days will be the longest I’ve been without a bath tub in many years.

 

I’m in an inside cabin on deck 3 (with the wraparound promenade) just a few feet from the midship doors. It looks like a great location. When I arrived the room was configured with a Queen bed and the aisles on each side of the bed were very narrow.

 

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/3356queen.jpg

 

In past years Holland America had a “Mariners Embarkation Lunch” where past cruisers could have a quiet lunch in the dining room while others serve themselves in the buffet. In theory the luncheon is now open to everybody although I have never seen it listed in the program so it may be a kind of “de-facto” Mariner lunch since newcomers probably won’t know to go there. The menu was pretty much the same as on the Koningsdam and I again went for the Veal Parmigiana.

 

When I returned from lunch all my bags were in the room and unpacking started.

 

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The official event that has replaced the Mariner Luncheon is an afternoon cocktail reception in the Crows Nest. I checked it out briefly but it isn’t really my thing.

 

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/mariner1.jpg

 

I’m in early seating which is 5:45. By the time I needed to go to dinner everything was out of the and mostly stowed but there was still a huge mess on the couch.

 

I am at table 42, an 8-top near the dining room entrance. As of tonight there were 7 of us (4 Canadians from Ontario, a couple and 2 widows they travel with frequently, and a couple from Rhode Island). Our waiter is Tedi. On the first night I went with the Gazpacho, roasted chicken, and finished with Cherry Garcia Ice Cream.

 

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/dishes21.jpg

 

My room stewards are Hanif and Jono. When I left for dinner I requested the beds be separated leaving a wider space between them. It was done when I returned.

 

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There was a single welcome show at 9:30. There are a couple of familiar faces on the ship. Cruise Director Mark Brignone was on my 2015 Prinsendam Baltic and Ireland cruise, and Location Guide Ryan was just on the Koningsdam. What I saw of Mix pianist Lee Strubeck looked good, and the onboard troupe is a group of 10, 4 singers and 6 dancers. I called it a night quite soon after the show ended.

 

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My parting shot is a wish for a quick and fair settlement of the teachers action in Buenos Aires.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Day Z1, Wednesday, March 22, 2017, Leave Buenos Aires

 

The Koningsdam in Ft. Lauderdale. The Crystal Serenity is in Fortaleza, and the Crystal Symphony is in Xiamien, China

 

I decided not to set an alarm this morning and woke about 5:30. The sun officially rose about 7 but it was quite a cloudy day and there was not a lot to see.

 

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I had no real agenda for the day but did want to walk in town and also with a number of files just scanned wanted to find some wifi, preferably a McDonalds or Burger King. When I went up to the lido at 8 for an omelet one of the container cranes was parked near the Zaandam’s stern, giving a real closeup view of the crane. A little behind us there were several more cranes, including some possibly designed for post-Panamax ships; what a contrast in size.

 

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The map showed a shopping area not too far from the port. I got to the area and found nothing suitable for wifi and probably walked almost another mile with no success. I was finally back at one of the McDonalds near the Novotel and got some significant work done while sipping coffee and enjoying a croissant. I had not really thought of totem poles in South America but found out on my walk they exist.

 

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/totem.jpg

 

I thought I had enough money loaded on my transit pass for one or 2 more trips. It turns out I did not and the card came up “insufficient funds”. The driver stopped at the next intersection. I wlked back to the ship, arriving about noon.

 

It was a pretty lazy afternoon, finally getting that mound of stuff left on the sofa put away.

 

I don’t think there were many passengers continuing from the prior cruise but if there were they were required to attend today’s muster drill any. Stage 1 came at 4:45 the stage 2 crew alert at 4:50 where we were directed to return to our staterooms (I don’t think we have any kids on this cruise but if there are parents are to pick them up at Club HAL at this point). For the final stage of the drill I had a very short walk to boat 8. This is the first time I have seen attendance recorded by scanning cards on a traditional HAL ship.

 

There was a bit of a surprise during the muster. Captain Chris Turner was originally scheduled for our ship and we were looking forward to sailing with him. A few weeks ago we got word that he was being held over on his prior ship. We were wondering who it would be and heard about 2 weeks ago that Captain PJ van Maurik was filling in for Captain Turner. I thought Cruise Director Mark Brignone was reading from the wrong script when he said “And now a word from Captain Chris Turner” but then he came on the PA, having just boarded. Welcome Aboard, Captain Turner.

 

After the drill there was a Cruise Critic sailaway get-together at the aft lido pool. I stopped by just briefly before my 5:45 dinner seating.

 

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It was just me and the couple from Rhode Island this time. I went for the strip steak and blueberry soup, as well as the blueberry crisp.

 

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The featured entertainment was Pampas Devils Gauchos, a local Buenos Aires act which was mostly Tango and some Gaucho skills, primarily involving the use of weighted ropes. After the show I dropped in a bit for Lee Strubeck on a tribute to the Rat Pack.

 

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My sad parting shot tonight will be a wish for healing for the people of London and a quick apprehension of any accomplices in the attack.

 

Roy

[easyboy]

Enjoying your review.

[rafinmd]

Day Z2, Thursday, March 23, 2017, Montevideo, Uruguay

 

Thanks, easyboy.

 

The Koningsdam is in at sea from Ft. Lauderdale to St. Marten. The Crystal Serenity at sea from Fortaleza to Alter Do Chao and the Crystal Symphony is on a 3-day call in Shanghai.

 

With a scheduled arrival time of 8:00 I was a bit surprised when the alarm went off at 5 to see us swiveling into position at the dock on the TV bow camera. The sunrise this morning was very pretty as it came up over the city somewhat on our port side.

 

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This is my 3rd visit to Montevideo (with about half of Uruguay’s 3 million total population). The first time (last year) I took a walking tour of the central city and 18 days ago I walked on my own. I had booked an excursion on a steam train but it was cancelled due to “operational reasons” and reverted to my original plan of just taking a walk in the city.

 

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Being something of a train buff, a look at the train station was a high priority, especially after being briefly booked on the steam train. It was about a mile from the ship, along the edge of the harbor which was not very interesting. The original Estacion Central was a huge sealed up hulk of a derelict building, and no evidence of any activity. I turned left and followed the edge of the building for a long way, finally finding a little “to the trains” sign. An archway through the old warehouse structure led to a small, modern building, about the size of a “cottage” in Newport or Bar Harbor with about a quarter mile of abandoned rail yard between it and the original station front. It may be active in commuter service but in the late morning there was nobody there. There were 2 trains at platforms but as I continued walking found that at least one of them was nowhere ready for service. I continued walking to the first through street to and circled the station a circle of about 1 1/4 miles.

 

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I was now past the heart of town where I had been previously. Walking to the main district brought me first to Fabini Square with a huge sculpture, and then along the main shopping street 18 de Julio to Independence Plaza.

 

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I stopped at McDonalds where the coffee was good and the internet fast and headed to the opposite side of the peninsula, a nice promenade along the Rio de la Plata.

 

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Re-entering the port I noticed something I had missed in both my previous visits, an interesting welcome sign fashioned from a huge gear wheel. I was back on the Zaandam a little after 12:30.

 

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On most of my Holland America cruises afternoon tea has been served in the dining room, while on both Crystal and Cunard it is in large public rooms. Today it was served in the Ocean Bar which feels more like an occasion rather than just another chance to get something to eat. One more step up would have been live music, but it was still a very enjoyable setting.

 

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All aboard was 5:30. Captain Turners sailaway message came about 5:40; we will need about 17 knots to be at the Falkland Islands Sunday morning. When I went into the dining room at 5:45, all but 2 or 3 of our lines had been taken in, and we started to back away from the pier soon after sitting down to dinner. The group of 4 has moved to anytime dining. My understanding is that the dining room manager is assigning one newcomer to our party and moving us to a 4-top. I do not know if Tedi will still be our waiter. This evening I went for the peach soup and lasagna. I was planning on the Peach Crisp for desert but a little hitch came when the waiters came with a cake and did some singing. In addition to a slice of cake I opted for a somewhat lighter desert, the cherries jubilee.

 

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The featured entertainment was comedian Jeff Burghart. He was good but I didn’t think up to the hype he got. After the show I stopped briefly at the Mix where Lee Strubeck was doing a Name that Tune with 50's and 60's music. I hadn’t planned to stay to the end and did not participate but Lee moved pretty quickly and I was able to identify most of the songs.

 

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My parting shot will be a real quickie; Happy Birthday, Maribeth. I hope it was a good one; it did sound like she had a good day.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Day Z3, Friday, March 24, 2017, At sea, MS Zaandam

 

The Koningsdam is at sea from Ft. Lauderdale to St. Marten. The Crystal Serenity is at sea from Fortaleza to Alter do Chao and the Crystal Symphony is on a 3-day call in Shanghai.

 

After a smooth night of sailing I started the morning with a 5-mile (20 lap) walk on the Lower Promenade Deck. The moon is waxing but a little sliver was shining brightly in the early morning despite significant cloud cover. The sun was obstructed by clouds but started to appear above them about 20 minutes after sunrise. By the end of my walk fog started rolling in and for most of the day the fog horn was quite a regular companion.

 

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The main feature of the morning was the Cruise Critic Meet and Greet at 11AM in the Crows Nest. There must have been at least 50 people and a lot of names got connected to faces. Unfortunately, as has been the case on Holland America recently no personnel from the ship were in attendance.

 

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In his noon update Captain Turner commented on the fog. The air is still fairly warm and moist; as it collides with cool currents flowing north, the air becomes saturated and the result was a dense fog. The water is having a definite effect on the air and the predicted high for Saturday is 57F, quite a drastic change from Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Predicted conditions for the Falklands and Cape Horn look good. I took the easy way out for lunch getting fries at Dive In.

 

Location Guide Ryan had his talk on the Falklands at 1. I have a tour booked but a couple of ideas for possibly extending my visit. After the talk I went up to the lido deck for a bit of time in the hot tub and then the Classic Tea in the Dining room. In this tea we were given a little stand of trays with nice treats.

 

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For our first Gala night we were moved to a smaller table, number 84 along the edge of the upper level of the dining room. Our new waiters are Tonto and Faisal and there is another person assigned to the table but she did not show. I went for the Honey Pineapple, Rack of Lamb, and Black Forest Cake.

 

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The Captain’s Welcome Toast was held at 7:45 in the Mondriaan Lounge, with Captain Chris introducing the senior officers and the employee of the month. The show was Classique, a fusion of what they call Classical (I would call it standards) and current pop music. There was just a pianist in the Explorers Lounge as the Adagio Violinist was part of the show.

 

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After the show I stopped at the Mix where Lee Strubeck was doing a Broadway Name that Tune. For each of the 15 songs we needed to name the song and the show it came from. I did pretty well with the songs but not at all well with the shows. I got a 19 out of 30; I think the winner had about 28.

 

Today’s parting shot comes from the little news summary we get daily. Holland America has a partnership with the New York Times so I’m not sure how much coverage the story got nationally or world but I find the story of the southerner who came to New York to harm black people and stabbed a man to death at random. As Rodney King said, “Can’t we all just get along".

 

Roy

[Copper10-8]

Always looking forward to your interesting reviews Roy! Glad ZADM's "who is the Captain" situation got straightened out. Here's hoping y'all can get into the Falklands no problem!

[rafinmd]

Always looking forward to your interesting reviews Roy! Glad ZADM's "who is the Captain" situation got straightened out. Here's hoping y'all can get into the Falklands no problem!

Thank you. It's foggy but I think conditions for tendering will be ok.

 

Day Z4, Saturday, March 25, 2017, At sea, MS Zaandam

 

The Koningsdam is in St. Marteen. The Crystal Serenity is in Alter do Chao and the Crystal Symphony is on a 3-day call in Shanghai.

 

I think the weather in this part of the world is somewhat iffy which makes us extremely fortunate. It is getting cooler as we move further south and I found my gortex rain jacket just right for my 5-mile walk on a clear morning. As I headed up the exterior stairs to the lido deck for coffee, the remains of a waning moon were right ahead of me as I ascended the final flight. Sunrise was about 6:50 and by about 6:15 the brightening sky was showing some signs of color. There was not much actual sunrise as there was just a tiny window for it at the horizon but things had changed drastically on the next lap.

 

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There hasn’t really been a lot going on for me but the days are anything but boring. We had the typical sidewalk sail by the pool in the morning but the morning highlight was the Future Cruise Consultant’s talk at 11. There wasn’t really a lot I could use but it’s always nice to know what’s available, and I thought the Prinsendam’s 2018 Grand Med looked very interesting.

 

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In his noon update Captain Turner indicated continued favorable weather and a 7AM arrival at Stanley with tendering to begin at 8. The weather will be moderately chilly with expected temperatures of 8C/46F. The afternoon remained very pleasant if a bit on the chilly side. The pool decks seemed more popular than the Lower Promenade deck but they were both pretty well used. There was some motion of the ship but I barely noticed it until others mentioned it.

 

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Location Guide Ryan had an afternoon talk on “Panama Canal vs Cape Horn”. It wasn’t really the theme of the talk but I was struck by the extent of danger and loss of life in both building the various Isthmus crossings (French and modern canals and the railroad) and also the lives lost sailing either the Strait of Magellan or rounding Cape Horn on sail powered ships.

 

We have a new member at Table 84. Dianne is from Montreal and speaks limited English; she is making her way back home after visiting Antarctica on an expedition ship. This evening I went for the roast turkey and pineapple crisp.

 

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The featured entertainment was singer Portia Emare. She barely kept me awake. After the show I stopped by the mix for a while where Lee Strubeck was focusing on songs of Nat King Cole.

 

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I’ll take my parting shot from Ryan’s talk. He contrasted 2 ways of getting between the East and West Coast of the Americas, and until recently those have been the only options. He did not mention a 3rd way which is becoming much more viable. I have had the good fortune of using all 3 of these options in a period of about 9 months. Definitely a year to remember.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

Day Z5, Sunday, March 26, 2017, Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

 

The Koningsdam is in St. Lucia. The Crystal Serenity is in Parintins and the Crystal Symphony is on a 3-day call in Shanghai.

 

I have added maps of the Falklands and Port Stanley to the extras page of my blog:

https://aroundamericabitbybit.wordpress.com/extras/zaandamex/

 

Weather was cool and calm with a touch of mist as we arrived in Port Stanley. The anchor dropped and tender preparation started about 7, with the first tenders ready to go ashore about 8.

 

 

This is my second visit to the Falklands, after the Crystal Symphony about 14 months ago. On that visit I took a walking tour of the town (which some of my tablemates did today); this time I opted for “74 days to Victory”, focusing on the 1982 war. It’s a fairly long tender ride as the Zaandam will not fit into Stanley Harbor and we needed to anchor at Port William, about a 30-minute ride on the tenders. On the way in I thought I spotted a ship very dear to my heart.

 

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I believe there were about 40 of us on the tour and we actually spent most of our time on the bus with the guide talking generally about the war as we traveled to Fitzroy, about 20 miles west of Stanley. We paused briefly at “Boot Hill”, an impromptu collection of boots along side the road. The Falklands tend to not have enough of their own professionals such as Physicians, and many come to the Islands on contracts for a few years. Many of those find the climate and isolation a bit of a challenge and only serve one contract. The tradition is that people who do not intend to return leave their boots on boot hill as they leave the islands for the final time.

 

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Our primary tour stop was a cove at Fitzroy, one of the sadder places of the war. Originally primarily a farming hamlet, Fitzroy has a small cove where British troops landed in early June. Two of the transport ships RFA Sir Tristram and Sir Galahad were attacked, resulting in the loss of 56 troops. There are several memorials on the site.

 

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When we left Fitzroy Cove we drove about a mile and stopped at Fitzroy’s social hall where we were greeted with tea and a beautiful spread of fresh baked goods. The war clearly left a big impression on Fitzroy as one wall was almost completely covered with photos and tributes to the war.

 

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On the way back to Stanley we stopped at a memorial to a soldier who was also a dedicated motor biker and who liberated a bike and was killed by morter while engaging in courier duties. Our guide also talked of the extensive mining of the Falklands and the slow, meticulous process of clearing the mines.

 

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We had a stop about 1:30 at the Liberation memorial where we could either stay on the bus and continue back to the tender pier. I chose to walk back, passing both the Catholic and Anglican churches on the way, as well as the remains of a mast of a ship that sat for many years in Stanley and has recently returned to it’s home country for preservation.

 

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Once back at the tender pier I took a walk to the eastern end of town to get a look at the ship I spotted on the tender. I had no luck but got a nice view of the Zaandam in the distance and a jetty that had been part of the effort to get troops into Stanley on Liberation and now serves kayaks and other recreational uses. Tension with Argentina still runs high and there is a lot of UK pride, right up to the painting on some of the dumpsters.

 

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I will not get to the UK this year. By the time I finished my walk it was mid-afternoon and I had not yet gotten lunch. I stopped at the supermarket and the thing that attracted my attention was “Walkers Crisps”, a UK favorite. I don’t really consider them a favorite but they are a bit different and a nice little change of pace. The store didn’t have the small bag I was looking for but did have a 6-pack of small bags. I ate two and will use the rest for snacks on future excursions.

 

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On the tender ride I positioned myself next to the correct window for a look at the ship I thought I saw. It looked pretty clear that it was in fact the RSS Ernest Shackleton, primarily a resupply ship for British Antarctic stations and actually registered in Port Stanley. On my Northwest Passage cruise the Shackleton served as our escort vessel. While it’s ice breaking capabilities were not needed on our voyage Shackleton carried the Zodiacs and other small boats we needed to get ashore as well as having a small landing craft which brought us fresh fruits and vegetable from a plane load of supplies sent to meet us in Cambridge Bay in Nunuvut. Shackleton has to be my favorite ship that I’ve never actually been on. The only penguin I saw was on the bed in my cabin.

 

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The Sunday religious program turned out to be disappointing. The Daily Navigator had nothing about an Interdenominational service and I pointed that out to the front desk in the morning. When I returned to the ship there was a message on my phone that it had accidentally been omitted from the printed program but was listed in the online version. Count me a bit skeptical; I suspect it may have been forgotten until I reminded them; it had not been in the online Sunday listing on Saturday. While our current Priest has said he is willing to conduct the service it was the same time as Mass and was “Congregation led”. Jesus has said “When 2 or more are gathered in my name I am with you” but we didn’t even have that. I decided to go down to the Wajang theater and sit in on the Mass.

 

We were just getting to the sacrament when Captain Turner came on with his sailaway message. He served in the UK Navy for 8 months in the Falklands in 1982 and commented on the lovely weather we had compared to then. I took the announcement as my cue that it was a good time to leave the Mass before the part where I’m not eligible.

 

All 4 of us were again at table 84. The Jim and Maribeth enjoyed their walk in Stanley; Dianne inquired about the penguins in Gypsy Cove and decided not to go after learning there were only 10 currently there. I enjoyed the Cherry Soup, Spaghetti, and Rhubarb Crisp.

 

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The evening show was Frozen Planet, a BBC film accompanied by live music by The Band and Adagio. I had seen the show on the Koningsdam and watched only a little bit of it to see the differences in the treatment between the Koningsdam’s World Stage. I was getting sleepy and retired for the night after returning to my room.

 

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Today’s parting shot stems from my visit to the Fitzroy Community Center, and one of the poems on the wall. Those of us who sit on the sidelines (including many politicians) have a tendency to romanticize war, but never need to deal with the realities. Among the poems on the wall was one from a veteran, Gus Hales with a very different view. One thing in his introductory paragraph really grabbed my attention. The British suffered 255 military and 3 civilian deaths in the war. In the quarter century after the war he noted there were 308 suicides attributed to the lingering effects of the war on the soldiers. Ouch!

 

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Roy