Noordam - A Passage to New Zealand

[richwmn]

Menu Selections for this Evening

 

 

[PSR]

13 hours ago, kazu said:

 

If you expand the menu the item is listed underneath the Exec port to table.

 

The appetizer on the menu just posted is a chicken & date kebab and the main is veal tenderloin.  

 

7 hours ago, zelker said:

 

There is an Exc port to table appetizer and an entree and they change daily.  And yes, it is different from the CO entree.

........

Completely unrelated but just noticed this is my 7,000th post. 🥳

 

Thank you both for responding to my question about the special menu items; I guess I didn't express myself properly. I wanted to know the "point" of having the items on the menu and what exactly the "exc.port to table" term meant. Are they saying these are examples of local items you might want to try? Or just trying to add the "exc" idea in another way as a special item for this "exc" cruise? 🤔

 

P.S. Just saw the menu above and the items appear to be using "local" type ingredients, so that must be the connection...

Edited October 18, 2019 by PSR

[kazu]

5 minutes ago, PSR said:

Or just trying to add the "exc" idea in another way as a special item for this "exc" cruise? 🤔

 

I suspect it’s exactly that.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I have had local food on some cruises.  But IMO and having been on a cruise with it,  it’s just the ‘exec’ idea.  Consider it simply another choice on the menu.  JMHO

[momilani]

I hope that the passenger with the med emergency is going to be okay. That’s worrisome, but they will get great medical care here. We had to make an unscheduled stop off Cabo a couple of years ago on the Veendam for a similar situation.

 

For the rest of the passengers - are they letting you off the ship here today, then?  I suppose there are worse things than an extra day on Oahu!  E komo mai!  

[kazu]

2 hours ago, richwmn said:

The Captain announced that due to the nature of the medical emergency helo transport was not an option, but the passenger was stable and the ship was making best time to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible.

 

 

Thanks Rich.  I’m glad they are stable and hopefully they recover quickly.

Hope the seas aren’t rough for you as they make speed to get there.

[erewhon]

Thank you for the updates  and photos.

Hope the ill passenger makes good progress.

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, zelker said:

They announced late morning that they increased our speed last night to 22 knots which they are now maintaining in order to get the passenger to the hospital as quickly as possible so we’re now going to arrive in Honolulu tomorrow late morning instead of Sunday morning.  The Captain said the person couldn’t be airlifted but we’re still way too far out for a helicopter.  He said they also looked at having a C130 transport fly out to meet us, where they would have dropped, via parachute, equipment and personnel but instead we’re going with this new plan.  Thankfully Honolulu’s Queen Emma Hospital is the best in the Islands and is really close to the port.

 

Yes, it’s noticeably faster than daytime speed.  Yes, much warmer now but no sunsets of note yet due to cloud cover and weather on much of the crossing.  And yes, water calmed way down compared to a few days ago but there are some small white caps currently and more side to side motion sitting here on Deck 7 midship.

 

Certainly hope that the passenger will get to Hawaii "in time", and end up just about as good as new.  Being "in the middle of the ocean" with a medical emergency is a vague worry about that type of cruise...

 

But please explain a bit more about how the process with that parachute would have worked...

 

GC

[mike003]

I am enjoying your posts.  Have the cabins and cabin furniture been upgraded? 

[zelker]

13 hours ago, momilani said:

I hope that the passenger with the med emergency is going to be okay. That’s worrisome, but they will get great medical care here. We had to make an unscheduled stop off Cabo a couple of years ago on the Veendam for a similar situation.

 

For the rest of the passengers - are they letting you off the ship here today, then?  I suppose there are worse things than an extra day on Oahu!  E komo mai!  

 

Mahalo ... and Yes, we get to enjoy extra time in Honolulu which, at least for us, is a nice bonus.  🤙

[canadianbear]

i heard they were asking for blood donations for the seriously ill passenger.  Hoping for a good outcome.  

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for all the reports.

 

Hope the passenger is improving knowing that the ship is doing everything in their power to help him/her.  Prayers for this passenger.

[richwmn]

As far as I know the ill passenger is stable awaiting further treatment in Honolulu. As we all know, the ship will not issue any other information - all else would be speculation unless someone related chooses to post.

 

Today's Activities

 

[westerndh]

On 10/14/2019 at 4:39 PM, zelker said:

 

Apparently depends on cabin category but am pretty sure all got the new flat panel interactive tv on the wall, new toilets, beds but not new sofa or chair.  The suites pretty much got everything new.

Would love to see some pics of your Neptune suite and new furnishings, we're sailing in December. thank you!

[richwmn]

We must have made very good time overnight. Navigator App now shows arrival at Aloha Tower to be 10:00am

 

 

[kazu]

8 minutes ago, richwmn said:

We must have made very good time overnight. Navigator App now shows arrival at Aloha Tower to be 10:00am

 

 

 

YAY 🙂   Have a great time 😄 

[cccole]

Zelker, thank you so much for the answers to my questions.   You and richwmn are taking us along on a great adventure.  Cherie

[momilani]

Had to go downtown for a meeting this morning.  Can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen one of HAL’s wonderful “dam” ships here in port and just wished I was sailing away with her on another adventure.. This time, as I drove ‘round the curve and the Noordam came into view, I was grinning as I know that tomorrow  that wish is coming true!  Back to packing...😀

[richwmn]

I don't think I mentioned the World Stage entertainment last night.

The Alley Cats appeared for a second full show and were again excellent. They are good singers and put on a very good show. They sang a completely different set of songs.

I didn't check out other venues last night.

 

[DeeniEncinitas]

Thanks for your continuous reviews Rich!

Very much appreciated! Hope your enjoying the cruise!

Denise😊

[richwmn]

for some reason Cruise Critics doesn't like my images today. Will try again later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 20, 2019 by richwmn
bad images

[richwmn]

reset my connection and images uploaded.

Here are tonight's menus

 

First we have Canaletto

 

Next the Main Dining Room

 

 

 

Finally Lido

 

Edited October 20, 2019 by richwmn

[zelker]

10 hours ago, westerndh said:

Would love to see some pics of your Neptune suite and new furnishings, we're sailing in December. thank you!

 

Looks identical to this except the two pictures on the wall near the bed are different and the two Lounge chairs on the verandah are different and have ottomans:

 

http://halfacts.com/vista-class/7060-zuiderdam/

 

 

[richwmn]

Walked thru the Lido tonight, they were busy changing the lampshades from a brown pattern to a smaller white shade. A bit of a different look.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Enjoying your reports and menus.

 

I imagine the white lamp shades make things brighter.

[whogo]

Looks like new passengers boarded in Honolulu. We had a great time on this cruise last year, nearly the same itinerary, had a scheduled overnight in Honolulu instead of a visit to Lahaina. We sailed to Mare, New Caledonia instead of Ile des Pins. We left a couple of weeks earlier than you. Here is your itinerary:

 

Sunday, October 20     Honolulu, Oahu, HI         11:00pm
Monday, October 21     Lahaina, Maui, HI     8:00am     11:00pm
Tuesday, October 22     Kona, Hawaii, HI     8:00am     6:00pm
Wednesday, October 23     At Sea         
Thursday, October 24     At Sea         
Friday, October 25     At Sea         
Saturday, October 26     At Sea         
Sunday, October 27     At Sea         
Monday, October 28     Pago Pago, American Samoa     8:00am     6:00pm
Tuesday, October 29     Cross International Dateline (Cruising)         
Thursday, October 31     Savusavu, Fiji     8:00am     5:00pm
Friday, November 1     Dravuni Island, Fiji     7:00am     5:00pm
Saturday, November 2     Lautoka, Fiji     8:00am     5:00pm
Sunday, November 3     At Sea         
Monday, November 4     Lifou, New Caledonia     8:00am     5:00pm
Tuesday, November 5     Ile des Pins, New Caledonia     8:00am     4:00pm
Wednesday, November 6     Noumea, New Caledonia     8:00am     4:00pm
Thursday, November 7     At Sea         
Friday, November 8     At Sea         
Saturday, November 9     Sydney, Australia     7:00am     5:00pm
Sunday, November 10     At Sea         
Monday, November 11     Melbourne, Australia     8:00am     6:30pm
Tuesday, November 12     At Sea         
Wednesday, November 13     Hobart, Tasmania, Australia     8:00am     11:00pm
Thursday, November 14     At Sea         
Friday, November 15     At Sea         
Saturday, November 16     Milford Sound, New Zealand (Cruising)         
Sunday, November 17     Dunedin (Port Chalmers), New Zealand     9:00am     6:00pm
Monday, November 18     Akaroa, New Zealand     7:00am     6:00pm
Tuesday, November 19     Picton, New Zealand     10:00am     8:00pm
Wednesday, November 20     Wellington, New Zealand     8:00am     5:00pm
Thursday, November 21     Napier, New Zealand     7:00am     2:00pm
Friday, November 22     Tauranga, New Zealand     8:00am     7:00pm
Saturday, November 23     Auckland, New Zealand     7:00am