Westerdam July 17-25. Semi-live?

[rubytue]

I can’t promise this will be a live follow along. But as it is. I’m still on east coast time, my husband is on “sabbatical/retired time”. So, it’s morning and I’m entertaining myself. The internet seems to be passing. So…

 

We left our house near Baltimore at 8:45. I had heard so much about travel woes, I planned 2 hours early. My husband was shocked because, I tend to show up at BWI about 3 minutes before they close checked bags. And I haven’t missed a flight (knock wood). BWI was not crowded. It reminded me of a typical Saturday. Not the crush of people and problems I’ve heard about. Flights were within 15 minutes of schedule. Bags made it, even with a transfer. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Southcenter. If you are at a Courtyard near the airport, be aware that there are 3 or 4. Our shuttle driver kept getting flagged down, only to tell the people she was a different courtyard. I would highly recommend this for an airport hotel. There is a Target, Starbucks, and Total Wine within 2 blocks for all your last minute sundries. And an airport shuttle. Lyft was $48 to the port in the morning. 

 

Boarding was super smooth yesterday. We did VeriFLY before hand and the only paper anything they asked to see was the  passports. 20 minutes from the Lyft dropping us off until we hit the line to get boarding photos. I tried to skip it, but my husband insisted. Why? Not sure. We boarded at about 12:05 (dropped off at 11:37) and went straight to dining room for a low key lunch away from crowds in the lido. 
 

After lunch, we went to the room and met our steward. He was super nice. We chatted a bit. I asked about the azipod issues, and he confirmed and said he had not been told there was any information they were not supposed to tell us. So he said he was assuming things were good. Also, later, he mentioned the ship was at 70% capacity. 
 

And, FTR, I finished treatment for lymphoma (immune system cancer) in Dec 2019, so right before Covid hit. I am very Covid cautious. But, I’m here. We are both 4x vaccinated, the 4th within the past 10 days. We mask everywhere, with N95, KN95, or KF94. So keep that in mind, I will be discussion Covid-related things I see. Which so far:

* ~25-30% of guests masking. Most with aforementioned masks. A few with cloth. 
* all staff in masks

* 4 KN95 masks provided in stateroom upon arrival 

* buffet is only 10% self-serve (bakes goods mostly). Reminds me of norovirus precautions. 
* dining room menu room service was easy last night. It arrived about an hour after we called, which was about 4:45pm. 

[rubytue]

A few pictures. One from yesterday I included in the azipod thread. Sunrise this morning. And me under blankets on the aft balcony. I am cold by nature. 
 

Oh, we are on deck 8. I’ll share the cabin number after the cruise (privacy, please. Please don’t try to guess my identity on the cruse 😂). 

[Cruise Suzy]

I'm also on this cruise. Hope @rubytue doesn't mind my chiming in.

 

Friday was a LONG day getting from Tampa to Seattle. Alarm went off at 5:30 am Eastern, finally "hit the hay" at midnight Pacific. That's 21.5 hours, but who's counting?

 

Took our COVID tests Saturday morning - both negative. YEA!!! Had a visit from GDG in the afternoon. Because the dinner hours weren't listed for the DoubleTree's restaurant, we were the only ones dining there.  Others may have come in after 7 though.

 

Yesterday, Seattle Express was right on time. All the other passengers were going on Princess Discovery. When we got to Pier 91 around 12:30, there was an ENORMOUS line for Princess outside (and inside) the terminal. No line for HAL outside and only about 9 people ahead of us inside. Lady was directing those with VeriFly to the special line, but we don't have smartphone. Not very long at all. We had our documents ready to display. Slight delay for wanding DH's knee replacement and matching passport to us. (I think the fellow was new as it took 3 tries for DH and 2 for me). Then onto ship.

 

Met stewards and on to muster check-in. No one had a working scanner there. In a few minutes one arrived. Divi-In burger with a side of frizzled onions.

 

As usual, dining reservations didn't transfer from Website to ship accurately. Got is straightened out - mostly. Canaletto is only open Wed & Thurs due to galley problems - whatever that means. For some reason my Wed Canaletto reservation was moved to Thurs. Have MDR reservation with DD, DS and their spouses on Thurs. Canaletto manager agreed we couldn't be in 2 places at once, but all he had for Wed was 9:30 which "was too late for you." Guess he knew Seniors don't like dining that late.  Explaining I had made the reservation on the first day possible because liver id the special entree on Wednesday, he did some magic and made room at 5 PM on Wednesday for us. Hope my shore excursion to Hubbard Glacier is back by then - scheduled for 2-4 PM. Our Saturday Canaletto reservation is a lost cause, but not complaining. We had 2 complimentary dines for both Pinnacle and Canaletto.

 

Had dinner with DD, DS and spouses. Verified on the Westerdam only the difference between the beverage package limit and the drink's menu price is charged - plus gratuity. Asked to sign a slip for the charged amount. Seems that HAL is trying it out on this ship.

 

Had breakfast in Lido Market today. Very good - including sticky buns. But there is NO Afternoon Tea listed on program. BOO! HISS! Will need to verify that.

 

Very foggy - fog horn usually going. Still any day on a BHB is a GREAT day!

[rubytue]

Please join me @Cruise Suzy. The more the merrier! I just started it this morning bc I was bored staring out at the fog. 😂

[rubytue]

Lazy afternoon. I tried tai chi this morning then went to the talk on whales. Afternoon lazing in the room watching for whales and reading.   
 

I gotta say, this is cooler than I imagined. When you are checking the weather at home, and it’s 95*F, 50s and 60s sounds blissful. But, I’m wearing almost everything I packed at once, and still cold. Long Johns, jeans, two wool blankets, T-shirt, hoodie, down jacket, and a hat.  This is mostly a me problem. My H is in jeans and a T-shirt. With the fleece on when he leaves the room. 

[jhubba]

We will be leaving on the Westerdam in 27 days to visit our glacier (Hubbard glacier).  It was 110 degrees here in Dallas today and I am looking forward to some of that cool Alaska weather.  Hoping the Covid testing requirement is removed by then.  Have a great cruise and looking forward to your report.

[catmink]

Hi there. We are sailing on the 24th. 

I love your pics!

I have read in other posts that not everything is open. Meaning cafes. Etc. Are you finding that? 

What sort of activities are going on during the day? Are there any arts and crafts? I searched online and couldn't find the daily activities. Any insight is appreciated!

Thank you!

[rubytue]

36 minutes ago, catmink said:

Hi there. We are sailing on the 24th. 

I love your pics!

I have read in other posts that not everything is open. Meaning cafes. Etc. Are you finding that? 

What sort of activities are going on during the day? Are there any arts and crafts? I searched online and couldn't find the daily activities. Any insight is appreciated!

Thank you!

There are some arts and crafts. A painting class ($25 I think) and a couple other things (drawing on deck). Also, something titled something like “what would and artist do in Alaska”.  There are also some “artist in residence” events. And, probably unique to this cruise, there was a private event where everyone had seeing machines out. Looked like a quilting group is on this cruise. 
 

as for what we find to do during thx day. We don’t like to do much. Read ok he balcony. Watch movies. Walk laps. But, that’s the way we like it. Plenty of talks, trivia, etc. just not what we do. 
 

Have not noticed things closed. Just the typical HAL “nothing to eat between 8pm and 10:30.”  Which the H likes a snack around 9. 

Edited July 19, 2022 by rubytue

[rubytue]

5:45am. Waiting for explorers lounge coffee. Sailing into Juneau. First sky I’ve seen in a couple days. 
 

My excursion today is the best kind. Friend I haven’t seen in 20 years is picking us up at the port. And doing “local things”. Or something. I told him I wanted to see the glacier, berries, bears, salmon, and food. Pick what is available. I have no idea what we are doing. 

Edited July 19, 2022 by rubytue

[rubytue]

Lack of whale sightings is currently being chalked up to supply chain issues. 😂 

 

caught one humpback rolling around this morning. That’s all I got with my early morning crows nest sit. 7am came and eggs Florentine called. Bonus points, the guy poaching the eggs asked if I liked them soft or firm. I prefer them firm, which is a rarity in poached eggs. 

[rubytue]

Apparently, this is more live than I was expecting. 😂 

 

Whales off starboard. 

[rubytue]

We got into Juneau right on time. Ship was cleared at 12:59. My friend was waiting on the pier for us! He took way off the beaten path. I think the name was Eagle Beach. And then to a trail by an arboretum and we did some berry foraging. A quick stop by the glacier and the the salmon hatchery, where we saw a seal feasting on salmon. 

[Cruise Suzy]

The whale watching excursion went VERY well, Saw a pod bubble net feeding once for several minutes and after about five minutes then a second time! Seeing one such event is rare, let alone twice on the same tour.

 

It was overcast the entire afternoon., but no rain.

 

Dinner in Pinnacle - tried the beef tenderloin with lobster dumpling rather than my usual petite filet mignon. Talk about tender - and the dumplings were VERY good.

[rubytue]

Last night, I got back to the ship at 6pm. Grabbed a plate from the lido (an okra curry-type thing. I love okra!). I crawled into bed at 7pm. And I didn’t leave it again until 7 this morning. My Apple Watch says we did 7 miles yesterday. And my body feels it today. When I got up, my first thought was “wow, I don’t have to wait for coffee and food!”  While I’m on the subject, the iced coffee caramel cream is superb. And HAL does such a good job with my usual cruise breakfast- eggs Florentine and chocolate croissants.  Today, I grabbed a little smoked salmon to top the eggs. Mmmmmmm

 

Yesterday, we didn’t Dive In just before we docked. We ordered on the app right when it opened. Food took about 20 minutes to come up, but was still plenty of time to get done before docking. Needless to say, everyone was crowded in the Lido 11:30-12:30 for a 1pm port. Which brings me to about the only thing I don’t like about HAL - the food operating times not taking port times into account, and the windows where nothing is available (8-10:30pm, before 7am). We once had a late night return from an excursions in San Juan, and I think the pizza place (Eurodam) was the only thing open. The wait was, unsurprisingly, and hour. It seems that could shift things a bit on the Lido for late ports. I had been concerned last night, but then friend ended up having an evening thing, so I’m glad he dropped us when he did. Both for food and for exhaustion. 

 

Today is rainy. Full on, can’t really be on outside decks rain. But we are offshore right now, hopefully we will sail out of it when we turn inside land. Visibility is far enough that we aren’t running the fog horn. But low enough that I wonder about those reports of being 2 miles off Hubbard. I think @Cruise Suzy is doing the small boat thing. So she should get a good view. 

[db505520]

Thanks for your live review.  Can and is the Pool area covered/enclosed?

[Cruise Suzy]

2 hours ago, rubytue said:

Visibility is far enough that we aren’t running the fog horn. But low enough that I wonder about those reports of being 2 miles off Hubbard. I think @Cruise Suzy is doing the small boat thing. So she should get a good view. 

 

Yes, I'm scheduled for the small boat excursion this afternoon. Hope the fog is left behind and everyone has a clear view. I know DD, DS and their spouses are glad the foghorn isn't going today. They are in one of the family cabanas and it is really loud up there. Most of the time they are the only ones up there. DD LOVES it because there aren't others around - she is super cautious about mask wearing.

[rubytue]

43 minutes ago, db505520 said:

Can and is the Pool area covered/enclosed?

Lido pool cover has been closed since we left Seattle. It was open during boarding. Definitely closed now, but it’s still brisk in the pool area. 

[rubytue]

13 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

Yes, I'm scheduled for the small boat excursion this afternoon. Hope the fog is left behind and everyone has a clear view. I know DD, DS and their spouses are glad the foghorn isn't going today. They are in one of the family cabanas and it is really loud up there. Most of the time they are the only ones up there. DD LOVES it because there aren't others around - she is super cautious about mask wearing.

I talked to the naturalist (Russ - he is great!). He pulled out his crystal ball, based on spending every Wednesday there this summer, and he says that it almost always clears up once we enter the bay. 
 

And a 😘 to your DD. I’ve noticed masking going down as the trip goes on. Today, I would put is around 10%. Logically, the longer we are since we tested, the more likely to have airport germs incubating and becoming transmissible. Anyway, tell you DD there are a couple others still masking. We are also texting daily in our rooms. Still negative! But other than the MDR, we haven’t eaten in public. We do have pinnacle grill reservations on Friday. Which is my birthday!  
 

For those following along, we have snorkeling in Sitka and kayaking in Ketchikan coming up. I am excited and nervous for snorkeling. I have temp control issues and have had warm water hypothermia in the dry tortugas. But, my Juneau buddy (who is a marine biologist and is cold water scuba certified) assured me that the dry suit will be ok. 
 

Closing this morning with a photo of our very wet balcony. 

[Cruise Suzy]

Thanks for the crystal ball weather forecast. Our balcony looks about the same as yours.

 

Won't ask for your deck number per your request. But if you happen to see someone going into 6162 that's DS/DDIL  or if 7145 that's DD/DSIL.

 

One thing I have discovered on this cruise is that the Navigator Chat feature now works on a laptop as well as a smartphone. Didn't have someone to chat with in February, but it has been somewhat useful in messaging DD or DS on this cruise. Of course we must have the Navigator browser tab open while in our room, but it's better than trying to figure out where in the heck they are or for them to let us know something when they aren't in their room.

[rubytue]

My issue with the navigator chat on my phone is a) the Lock Screen notification is just “you have a new message” and b) it given my 4 vibrations for every notification. We have been using FB messenger instead. I can read the message without unlocking the phone. Oh, 3) chatting doesn’t work. I have to reload/refresh to see the new message. So, I’m looking at the chat screen, 4 notification pop up that my H sent me a message. And I have to close and reopen the app to see the new message  🙄 

 

It’s good for basic messages. But for a conversation, we prefer FB messenger. And since H an I split up a lot, it’s good. 

[rubytue]

Checking in from Hubbard glacier. I spent about 2 hours with H on the bow. My feet gave out and I was cold. So I came back to the room to lay down while he is still out there. I am a very old 48. 😂

 

We were thinking the captain was a bit gun shy after the azipod issue and all the other ships hitting ice. But he is inching close in. I’m going to have to wait for the circle to see how close we made it. It seemed like we were sitting way out, but that was just to let the excursion boat board. Then we started moving again. I wish there was a TV channel where I could hear the naturalist narration. But, alas. Laying down is more important than that. This first picture was taken 2 minutes ago by my H. The burry gray thing in the middle is the excursion boat. They look like they are at the face! 
 

We traded places with a Celebrity boat who was coming out as we went in. But, otherwise it’s just us and the excursion boat. 

[rubytue]

4:25 and we just finished the 360. I think that started about 3:45, for anyone making plans from this. A couple pics from when the aft got our view. 

[rubytue]

Seems I’m talking mostly to myself, and @Cruise Suzy, but I’m seeing the hearts, so I know someone is reading. 
 

While I’m thinking about it, I wanted to report on the room service. I was a bit concerned because when we were on the eurodam, we could not get MDR dinner. It’s been no problem here. We call at 4:45 most nights. Sometimes the person taking the order has to fumble for the menu. But then they tell us it’ll be 6:15 or so. Which would be fine. And it shows up at 5:30. Then they call at about 6:30 to make sure we got it and it was good. We love this! And the tray they bring fits perfectly on the oval coffee table (which, if you don’t know, lifts up to table height). When we are done, we put the tray outside (at the request of our room steward, we specific asked him what to do when we are done. And discussed trays in the hall and scooters. But this was what he wanted).  Then we move the table over next to the couch. It fits perfectly there and frees up floor space. 

[Dunmore2]

I am appreciative of your posts. Thank you.

[catmink]

Thank you for your and Suzy's posts! 

I have more questions:

1. any feedback  on the Neptune Lounge/Suites? 

2. How many formal levenings are there?

3. Is there an "orange party"?

4. Are the seas pretty calm?

 

Thank you!!!

anna

 

Hi there. We are sailing on the 24th. 

I love your pics!

I have read in other posts that not everything is open. Meaning cafes. Etc. Are you finding that? 

What sort of activities are going on during the day? Are there any arts and crafts? I searched online and couldn't find the daily activities. Any insight is appreciated!

Thank you!