Eurodam, more or less live, November 9 to 20, 2022

[travelnap]

Roy, it looks like your cruise will be delayed a day or two.  Stay safe and I hope the weather doesn't get too severe down there.  

[rafinmd]

53 minutes ago, travelnap said:

Roy, it looks like your cruise will be delayed a day or two.  Stay safe and I hope the weather doesn't get too severe down there.  

Thanks.  I just extended my hotel stay another day.  Strangely, they claim I need to move to another room because my category is fully booked.  I find it hard to imagine a lot of people actually arriving tomorrow.  Wondering if I should have made it 2 more nights.

 

Roy

 

 

[1ANGELCAT]

Roy, have you had any official notification from HAL yet ? 

[rafinmd]

7 minutes ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

Roy, have you had any official notification from HAL yet ? 

Not a word.  I'm thinking there may not be any until there;s a real plan.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

We have now been officially informed of a change but not surprisingly without a lot of details.  The earliest we could POSSBLY be able to board is 2PM Thursday, about 26 hours late.  I think that's optimistic, but it is what it is.

 

Roy

[Ellencruise]

Sorry for the delay. Weather has its own authority. Be safe and eventually enjoy your cruise.

[rafinmd]

Tuesday, November 8, 2022, Fort Lauderdale

 

Today was supposed to be a relaxing day with a bit of exploration and perhaps shopping.  Famous last words.  I had heard rumblings about a little lady called Nicole and pretty much dismissed her as something to watch but not really worry.  Unfortunately, the weather report last night and this morning was not promising.  It did look like a decent morning with worsening conditions in the afternoon.

 

I had planned on scouting out the locations of 2 churches I have considered visiting November 20 after disembarking on November 20.  Miramar UMC is a little off the beaten path.  I have been there before but never from the cruise terminal.  From there I proceeded to St. John’s on the Lake in Miami Beach.  I have a church in Miami I usually visit but they are rebuilding and St. John’s on the Lake is their temporary space.  It looks nice but it was starting to rain as I arrived.  I had planned on visiting the Miami location but decided not to due to the rain.  I filled up with gas and stopped at Panera for takeout (both lunch and dinner), and then parked my car for what will likely be about my last time before the Eurodam.  

 

The weather for the day was not really bad in the afternoon and I did get out for about a 20 minute walk; it was sunny although quite breezy.  I had parked in one of the higher spaces in the lot so I was not about to move the car.  

 

Dinner was mostly Mac&Cheese from Panera heated up in the room’s microwave.  I took the huge wheeled bag that will not be used until I am back on the ship.  I did open it briefly to restock some of the meds I will use before boarding the ship.

 

In the evening I touched base with my local Scout leaders meeting and did a bit of organization for Wednesday but was a bit drowsy and did not accomplish a great deal.

 

My parting shot: You can’t really beat Mother Nature, flexibility is a necessity.

 

Note: as of the latest update from Holland America they were more confident that boarding will begin at 2PM Thursday.  They say next update will be noon today (Wednesday).

 

Roy

 

[AKJonesy]

You can see Rotterdam and Eurodam cruising out there just north of Cuba on the cruise mapper site.  I know people will feel put out with flights and all, but I'd be elated to have a couple of extra days cruising.  I guess the next cruisers to get on board though will have a shorter cruise.  I guess we'll find out.  

 

[Dave1111]

Hopefully the next cruisers [wife & I] scheduled for the 20th do not suffer losing another day. Original cruise at time of booking was 11 days, changed to 10 days and lost a port call.

[rafinmd]

Not so sure I would be thrilled.  I would be pretty much packed up and I expect there is not a lot to do outdoors as I expect the weather is not the greatest, and definitely an inconvenience for changing flights.  Some who were going to be a day short of 4-star may be thrilled.

 

I am officially ok for an extra night at the hotel.  I did try for a single lap around the Comfort Inn but ducked inside at the first opportunity when the rain started.

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

1 minute ago, Dave1111 said:

Hopefully the next cruisers [wife & I] scheduled for the 20th do not suffer losing another day. Original cruise at time of booking was 11 days, changed to 10 days and lost a port call.

I'm quite sure you will board as planned.  At least hope so as I have plans for Sunday and Auto Train Monday.  It would be tight to get to the train, especially if we are back late.  My cruise was originally 10 days and then moved to 11 days at your expense.

 

Roy

[TickledBlue]

9 minutes ago, Dave1111 said:

Hopefully the next cruisers [wife & I] scheduled for the 20th do not suffer losing another day. Original cruise at time of booking was 11 days, changed to 10 days and lost a port call.

 

5 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

I'm quite sure you will board as planned.  At least hope so as I have plans for Sunday and Auto Train Monday.  It would be tight to get to the train, especially if we are back late.  My cruise was originally 10 days and then moved to 11 days at your expense.

 

Roy

 

I'm quite sure as well (barring any additional weather issues on the 20th).  HAL won't let these delays propagate through subsequent sailings.  

[St Pete Cruiser]

Sorry for you about your storm delay.  I have friends aboard the Eurodam who have been enjoying their cruise, at least up to now.  Looks like she is doing 8 knots off the north coast of Cuba.  

[rafinmd]

Wednesday, November 9, 2022, Delayed by Nicole, Fort Lauderdale

 

It was a very quiet day; I haven’t been so sedentary for almost a year.  I was up about 4:45 and it was already raining heavily.  

I had solidly decided against using my car today so dining was a bit of a pot pourri.  Breakfast was the most conventional meal of the day with the best stocked breakfast bar so far in the trip.  I started wit a bowl of raisin bran, and came back a bit later for sausage, although I kind of forgot about the camera well into the sausage.  A little after 7 it was not all that bad but quite dreary.

https://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/0720.jpg

 

After breakfast I finally got things right on my stay extension.  I officially got permission to stay in my initial room.  Lunch was a combination of a muffin from breakfast, a small pack of pringles, and a carton of UHT milk.

At 1PM it was especially threatening but not actually doing much in the way of weather.

https://morethangetaways.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/1300.jpg

 

I had found that there was a sandwich shop about a block from the hotel, and it looked like there might be a lull in the rain around 5.  Things really did not look too bad at 5 and I started out.  I was within sight of the shop when it started to drizzle.  I decided that the sandwich was not worth the risk and started back.  I got to the hotel in time but stopped to check something in the big bag in the car and as I was closing things up the sky opened up.  It took about 30 seconds to lock the car and get back under cover but in that short time I was pretty well soaked.

 

There was one thing at the hotel shop that did look reasonable; a frozen Stouffers Mac & Cheese dinner and it did the trick for me.  Not nearly as bad a day for eating as I had feared.

In the evening I had a zoom meeting with the leaders of our fire departments scout troop for girls.  I had planned on missing it since I would be at sea.

 

The day’s final update from Holland America is that boarding will be Thursday afternoon.  If we leave at all Thursday afternoon we can salvage most of the cruise, losing the day at Half Moon Cay, and possibly our first port in the ABC Islands but then be back on track.

Still no word on when the port will re-open but the Eurodam is making her way along the Florida Keys so it looks like they are optimistic as well.

 

My parting shot is a wish for minimal effects for those affected by Nicole as she storms across Florida this week.

 

Roy

Edited November 10, 2022 by rafinmd

[rafinmd]

Eurodam and Rotterdam are circling outside Port Everglades.  No official word on opening but "Scheduled" arrival times have been moved to 0940 which is more realistic than 0600.  My revised itinerary shows us leaving at 9PM and missing HMC and Curacao, then picking up our original itinerary.

 

Roy

[wdw1972]

Missing HMC wouldn't bother me (I stay in the Retreat) but I'd be sad at missing Curacao.  We missed it last cruise (for the first time ever) because we were slated to dock in town and the wind/currents wouldn't let us safely enter the waterway.  Looking forward to getting back there on the Nov 30 sailing.

 

I imagine the passengers onboard are chomping at the bit to get docked so they can hopefully make it to their flights.  That's assuming the airport is open, of course.

 

Sue/WDW1972

[StLouisCruisers]

3 minutes ago, wdw1972 said:

Missing HMC wouldn't bother me (I stay in the Retreat) but I'd be sad at missing Curacao.  We missed it last cruise (for the first time ever) because we were slated to dock in town and the wind/currents wouldn't let us safely enter the waterway.  Looking forward to getting back there on the Nov 30 sailing.

 

I imagine the passengers onboard are chomping at the bit to get docked so they can hopefully make it to their flights.  That's assuming the airport is open, of course.

 

Sue/WDW1972

 

Ironically I just looked at the Port Everglades Webcam since I'm waiting to see the ships come in.  AND, I saw an airplane landing at the airport.

[msolberg]

32 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Eurodam and Rotterdam are circling outside Port Everglades.  No official word on opening but "Scheduled" arrival times have been moved to 0940 which is more realistic than 0600.  My revised itinerary shows us leaving at 9PM and missing HMC and Curacao, then picking up our original itinerary.

 

Roy

We are waiting patiently for the ships arrival for debark. 

 

[Rowsby]

This is the FLL Beach Cam (Hilton).....looks like at least one ship is out there waiting...

 

https://www.fllbeachcam.com/

 

 

 

 

[kplady]

Roy, hoping you can board and enjoy your cruise.  I will be following along - thanks for taking us with you!

Laura

[St Pete Cruiser]

Rotterdam headed in first followed by Eurodam now.

[kenphy]

Both the Rotterdam and Eurodam are docked at Port Everglades.

[VMax1700]

I would much prefer to miss Aruba and HMC as I really like Curacao.

Still have 🤞but prospects starting to look positive for the waiting pax.

[rafinmd]

Greetings from the Eurodam.  Watched the safety video and will check in at my muster station before 5:30 dinner.  Embarkation was actually quite easy, aside from poor signage on the route from the parking garage to the terminal.  Boarding was supposed to start at 4 but there were many already embarked when I got on at 3:45.

 

Unpacked my carryons but neither of the checked bags yet.

 

Roy

[VMax1700]

That is great.  Now it must seem real, at last!