Not Quite Live from the Not-so Inaugural Prima with Freestyle Dailies

[ngrund]

On 9/6/2022 at 5:51 PM, uneamie said:

Thank you for pics of your meal. I have to say that French Onion Soup looks dismal...no cheese on top, unless you ate it before the pic. LOL  The other meals do not look very appetizing either. Maybe you just picked things I would not have so I won't judge it. Awesome pics for the Freestyle Daily..I will be saving it. Our cruise on Prima is in May to Bermuda. Looking forward to it. I hope you enjoyed yours. 

Are you on the  5/7-5/14?

[KeithJenner]

5 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

Rumour not an official NCL announcement- something to do with water levels or gates at Ijmuiden.

 

I was thinking it was to buy more time for passengers in case of flight issues. There were about 10 people waiting to embark in Kiel- they all said their flight got botched

There have been ongoing issues at Ijmuiden due to low rainfall which means that water and salinity levels are low. As a result they are only opening the lock gates at set times (they usually open them as required).

 

we are on the Dawn next week and our departure date has been moved back to 3am, as was the case on the previous cruise (meaning we barely get to Zebrugge next day). Some ships have moved embarkation to Ijmuiden. Looks like there is no end in sight to this situation.

[ColdCruise]

10 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

There have been ongoing issues at Ijmuiden due to low rainfall which means that water and salinity levels are low. As a result they are only opening the lock gates at set times (they usually open them as required).

 

we are on the Dawn next week and our departure date has been moved back to 3am, as was the case on the previous cruise (meaning we barely get to Zebrugge next day). Some ships have moved embarkation to Ijmuiden. Looks like there is no end in sight to this situation.

Thanks @KeithJenner

we did see one of the Viking ship’s departure while relaxing on our balcony after dinner, I guess they requested the opening.

[ColdCruise]

Day 4 - Warnemunde & Long Port Day

 

 

 

 

 

and the sales and special deals sheets

 

[ColdCruise]

The big shore excursions were a FULL day trip to Berlin or nearby sites (incl Sachsenhausen concentration camp), these were 12 hours with a 3 hour train ride in each direction & about 6 hours in town. The train was chartered and only had NCL passengers. Participants told me it was a regular Deutsche Bahn train, 2nd class cars. 

Having spent considerable time in Berlin we decided to do something else.

 

We rented a car, so took the DB train from the station near the pier - about a 5-10 minute walk depending on your pace.

 

The train station is easy to find - walk towards the ferris wheel then turn left at the edge of the carnival area, the station is straight ahead.

German train tickets for a city or metropolitan area
 In case any readers haven’t been to Germany, they have different ticket options, from one way tix good for usually 1-1.5 hour travel or  day passes (Tages tickets). Normally you buy your ticket from a machine but some stations also gave a cashier. The one way ticket was 3,20 with a Kutzticket for 1,90 (short trip) and a Tages ticket was 8-something. 

Tickets are good throughout Rostock metropolitan area, including Warnemunde. (One way and day tickets). There’s a map at the station showing the covered area, also in some train cars.

Before you board your first train validate or check in by putting your ticket into one if the small orange stamp boxes, they’re about the size if a shoe box. Failure to do so could get you a 60€ fine (i think it can be higher in some cities)

[ColdCruise]

Photo from our balcony showing ferris wheel and train station to the left

[ColdCruise]

We had a couple destinations planned for the ling day - visit the city & castle of Schwerin and an archaeological museum with a recreated village. 
 

Schwerin

We were parking by the castle after an easy hour drive from the rental office on highways with light traffic, then along beautiful tree lines roads.

 

 

A few castle photos 

 

beautiful parquet floors, mostly restored

 

ancestral portraits

throne room

 

salons

 

grounds

 

 

[ColdCruise]

A nice stroll through town

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ColdCruise]

20 hours ago, ngrund said:

Are you on the  5/7-5/14?

@ngrund

who are you asking, me or @uneamie? If @uneamie can you PM her or otherwise start a separate thread as its not Prima related? Gets confusing to follow otherwise. Thanks 😍

also check the roll calls

[ColdCruise]

And a late lunch in town at the Altstadt Brauhaus „zum Stadtkrug“ 

 

 

 

a refreshing Radler

 

The house version of Jägerschnitzel

 

and a variation on Schnitzel „Cordon Bleu“, with local bacon instead of ham

[LATTELOVE]

2 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

And a late lunch in town at the Altstadt Brauhaus „zum Stadtkrug“ 

 

 

 

a refreshing Radler

 

The house version of Jägerschnitzel

 

and a variation on Schnitzel „Cordon Bleu“, with local bacon instead of ham

Amazed at all those beautiful Architechtures. 

Food looks so good too.  🙂 

[ColdCruise]

16 hours ago, LATTELOVE said:

Amazed at all those beautiful Architechtures. 

Food looks so good too.  🙂 

 Yes, @LATTELOVE it’s amazing to see how different countries and eras constructed buildings, and i have to marvel at what they accomplished without out modern tools and machinery.

the history & the food are the best parts of travel (unless its a nature adventure- then that triumps all)

[ColdCruise]

After turning in our car & training back to the Warnemunde train station, we turned left from the platforms rather than head right to Prima. There’s a quaint area with restaurants and shops a few steps away - cute

 

We went into the Czech bier hall to sample some beer. The upstairs deck had great views over the nearby waterfront.

 

 

(most files loading upside down … repeatedly - sorry) 

[ColdCruise]

Day 5 - Sea Day

 

Therefore more Prima-focused photos coming up

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ColdCruise]

Our first breakfast onboard (as we’d  been taking morning’s lazily as we’re on vacation time)

 

french toast

 

 

corned beef hash

  
 

neither anything to get excited about. Ate at The Local… better of sticking to their lunch/diner menu 🤨

[The Traveling Man]

On 9/8/2022 at 9:02 PM, ColdCruise said:

Now I’m jumping back to earlier in Day 3.

 

Since we were not arriving in Kiel till evening and no longer picking up a rental car for a day of exploration , we decided to participate in the 2 wine tasting events ($22 per person per event) scheduled in Palomar.

The late morning tasting was a wine and cheese pairing 

 

 

Little known fact, that the Pinot Noir you pictured was actually a favorite wine of John Steinbeck.  He even wrote a book about it, “The Grapes of Erath.”

[ColdCruise]

18 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

Little known fact, that the Pinot Noir you pictured was actually a favorite wine of John Steinbeck.  He even wrote a book about it, “The Grapes of Erath.”

Good one @The Traveling Man! 😜🤪🙃

[mbruck]

Hope you catch the "Rumors" show at Syd Norman's (if you are a Fleetwood Mac fan).  Saw that show on the Breakaway last year and they were fantastic.

[ColdCruise]

Our breakfast we segued into the Cruise Critic Meet & Greet with several of the Prima’s officers . Held in Los Lobos, next to The Local and coordinated by @darlak8.

Some more breakfast pastries coffee and juice to loosen our tongues 

(That pesky Foto flippin bug)

 

and I’ll mention we even had some of the delicious almond pastries generally only served in Haven

 

Introducing the majority of Prima’s senior officers and management :

Edited September 11, 2022 by ColdCruise

[ColdCruise]

6 minutes ago, mbruck said:

Hope you catch the "Rumors" show at Syd Norman's (if you are a Fleetwood Mac fan).  Saw that show on the Breakaway last year and they were fantastic.

I think we missed it & I am a Fleetwood fan, heard on board it was good  … hope there’s an encore tonight or tomorrow!

[sid_9169]

25 minutes ago, ColdCruise said:

Our breakfast we segued into the Cruise Critic Meet & Greet with several of the Prima’s officers . Held in Los Lobos, next to The Local and coordinated by @darlak8.

Some more breakfast pastries coffee and juice to loosen our tongues 

(That pesky Foto flippin bug)

 

and I’ll mention we even had some of the delicious almond pastries generally only served in Haven

 

Introducing the majority of Prima’s senior officers and management :

Did they give out cards with the names of the current officers?... I would definitely be interested in a photo of that... 

[ColeThornton]

1 hour ago, The Traveling Man said:

Little known fact, that the Pinot Noir you pictured was actually a favorite wine of John Steinbeck.  He even wrote a book about it, “The Grapes of Erath.”

 

 

[RocketMan275]

On 9/8/2022 at 1:47 PM, ColdCruise said:

My wife was born German before she naturalized. We have a Prima cruise scheduled.  I showed her these pictures and she's intrigued.  If it's not too much trouble, could you post some more pictures of the Brauerei and a menu? TIA.

[PATRLR]

6 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

Little known fact, that the Pinot Noir you pictured was actually a favorite wine of John Steinbeck.  He even wrote a book about it, “The Grapes of Erath.”

I remember you, you performed one night in an NCL comedy club, right?  🙂

 

6 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

Good one @The Traveling Man! 😜🤪🙃

I wonder if it's a good idea to encourage him? 😉

 

[The Traveling Man]

9 hours ago, PATRLR said:

I remember you, you performed one night in an NCL comedy club, right?  🙂

 

I wonder if it's a good idea to encourage him? 😉

 

I’ll be here all week.  Be sure to tip your bartenders and servers.  See you around the ship.