LIVE from the Koningsdam Holiday Sailing - Dec. 17th - Jan 7th - exploring my first Pinnacle Class ship 🤞

[Vic The Parrot]

On 12/15/2022 at 10:19 PM, AV8rix said:

Ann, remember the one last year when 9 people refused to disembark Kdam in San Diego?  So they couldn't zero-out the ship and we were stuck in "in-transit jail" in the terminal for 2 hours?

You're kidding.

I'd love to hear more to this scenario.

[kazu]

5 hours ago, boze9999 said:

We join the ship on the 29th @kazu. I know the Pinnacle has a special dinner on New Years Eve, however can you find out if they will be having a New Years Eve party celebration in the Lido Pool and if so, any details: is it first come first serve or can we make reservations and is there a charge? 

 

Copper 10 answered the question for both of us 😊 

 

4 hours ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

Jacquie, sorry tohave missed you. Just got off Konigsdam and it is a fine ship. You will have a grand time. Diamond Princess being here today make security more lengthy since ships traditionally in San Diego use same security. 

 

Best restaurant aboard is Rudy's sel de mer in my opinion. Ask for Melvin as server. Tamarind also excellent.  If in Neptune Suite breakfast in Club Orange is a perk. I hope more dining staff board today as the MDR was a problem service wise I heard.

 

Smooth waters and good weather should come your way. 500 children expected on Christmas cruise.

 

Happy Holidays and Bon Voyage. Barbara. 

 

I heard about the children, Barbara thanks.  If they are well behaved, it’s ok. It’s the unruly ones that cause the problems 😞 

I don’t have a Neptune Suite - those days are long gone travelling solo but I do have club orange - I did mainly to upgrade my cabin (have one of the aft ones with the larger balcony.  I think I will like the separate dining room with the issues I’ve heard on the MDR.

 

Very happy holidays to you too 🙂 

 

2 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Forgot to add; K-dam's ship's bell will be removed from it's normal position on the bow, transported to the Lido pool, placed on a specially made stand, and rung at midnight, thereby also ringing in the new year

 

 

 

That’s cool, John.  Thanks 🙂 

 

1 hour ago, SFO PETER said:

Jacqui so glad you are getting back to cruising.   We like the GasLamp Fish house restaurant near your hotel.  There is a small outside patio if you get there earlier enough.   We share the Fish and Chips and Crab Cakes.  These are the best Crab Cakes in my opinion.

 

Peter

 

A day late short Peter - I think I saw the place you were talking about but didn’t go.  The hotel’s food was so amazing that I ate there.  Absolutely amazing and the price was not outrageous.

It made life easy for my foot and my jet lag 😉 

[kazu]

Boarding in San Diego

 

It was a lot of walking for my foot….But the taxi pulled up and the stevedore was there so I got rid of the luggage.  Much better than last time when we were stuck standing for hours.

 

Boarding pass at entrance.

The line was a cattle crawl and boarding pass checked.  Then passport and boarding pass were checked.  then you walked and went through security and then you had to have your passport scanned, pic taken and start the walk to the ship.  I forgot about the blasted escalator here and then walk on the connection thing until you got to the ship.  Boarding pass scanned (mine didn’t work - he manually input me) and make your way to the Lido. (Rooms weren’t ready and they were sending us all to the Lido to eat.) And yes the MDR is open.

 

My room was ready around 12:15.  

Unfortunately the aft elevator is closed (I think a lot of the luggage is coming up through it) except for deck 11 so I had to walk to the mid ship elevator and then back to aft.

 

 

 

[kazu]

I think I lucked into a good steward.  I saw some suitcases outside doors as I made my way to the cabin and there was mine - on the bed.  God bless him.  

When he came to introduce himself, I gave him profuse thanks.  Kazu doesn’t forget these little things when it comes to tipping 😉  Luggage is all unpacked.

Muster was a bit of a disaster IMO.  Much smoother on the Oosterdam - all we did was get our key card scanned and then leave.  Here we had to go in the dining room and it was way to crowded for me.  But, it’s done.

Aft elevators are an issue (my cabin is aft and the foot doesn’t want to walk miles yet or people will see me barefoot 😂 as that is much easier).  One is out of order, 2 are being used for luggage and the last one is so slow and packed that only a fool would get on it. JMO.

I did the tortuous stairs up to the 9th floor and Sea View Pool.  

 

There are still a lot of people that have not checked in for muster (they are probably waiting for an elevator 😝)
 

Crew seems great so far 👍 

 

It’s definitely cooling down in San Diego (not cold, cooling) but it’s not stopping people from coming to the Sea View Pool.

There are a LOT of people on this ship - many more than I am used to.

 

Also, I see a number of passengers masked.  I certainly was in my taxi and in the elevators.

 

I’ve heard 2 medical emergencies since I boarded?  Not sure what happened.

[aliaschief]

Glad you’ve made it onboard. Have a fantastic so well deserved cruise! The Salsa excursion in Cabo is a hoot!

[kazu]

@Vict0riannI’ve got a card in my cabin confirming priority tendering (Club Orange) in both my ports including Cabo so we should be good for when you join me.

[Rowsby]

Ah...sorry about the elevators....:(

 

Just took a peek...looks like a great view.....:)

 

Have fun...!!

[Copper10-8]

17 minutes ago, kazu said:

................................

Unfortunately the aft elevator is closed (I think a lot of the luggage is coming up through it) except for deck 11 so I had to walk to the mid ship elevator and then back to aft.

 

 

 

 

Nailed it!

[Vict0riann]

4 minutes ago, kazu said:

@Vict0riannI’ve got a card in my cabin confirming priority tendering (Club Orange) in both my ports including Cabo so we should be good for when you join me.

Excellent!  We got those, too , on the K - it seems that some don’t understand about stars and/or Club Orange.  We used the card if that happened.  

[Copper10-8]

7 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Glad you’ve made it onboard. Have a fantastic so well deserved cruise! The Salsa excursion in Cabo is a hoot!

 

Salsa y Salsa! Lots of fun! Learning how to make salsa and dance salsa like you belong on Dancing with the Stars 😉 

[Rowsby]

Couldn't help myself......they zoomed in....had to get this one...:)

 

[kazu]

6 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

Excellent!  We got those, too , on the K - it seems that some don’t understand about stars and/or Club Orange.  We used the card if that happened.  

 

I’m not 100% sure - but from what I have read on the boards  it sounds like  Club Orange gets higher priority than 5* Mariners.

But of course, sometimes there are so many 5*’s there is no priority. 😉 

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, Rowsby said:

Couldn't help myself......they zoomed in....had to get this one...:)

 

 

Good shot.  It really hit me how big this ship was compared to what I was used to when we pulled up.

And then when I started to walk it.  It’s huge (to me). But l lots of stuff.  The Lido is really long (for me) but Canaletto looks nicely done from what I saw.

[Rowsby]

I was on the Koningsdam on a TA to Rome....great ship....and lots of walking....sorta compensated for all the good food....:)

[aliaschief]

16 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Salsa y Salsa! Lots of fun! Learning how to make salsa and dance salsa like you belong on Dancing with the Stars 😉 

Si! We are booked again on our April Eurodam from Fla to Vancouver. May you and child bride have a great cruise and joyous Christmas!🎄

 

PS: I flunked my dance lesson.

[kazu]

There are 2960 people on board the ship.

 

there are only 795 crew - a huge difference from my past cruises.  ship to passenger ratio was much bigger but a lot of entertainment people.

 

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

There are 2960 people on board the ship.

 

there are only 795 crew - a huge difference from my past cruises.  ship to passenger ratio was much bigger but a lot of entertainment people.

 

Yikes, that is a lot!  When we sailed the K it was at capacity but not every single berth, just every single room.  I hope you have fixed dining, if not go down and sign up.   We used anytime dining and we waited every single night unless we showed up for the late seating. 
 

I imagine the holiday cruise will have lots of entertainment 

 

have fun!

[Cruise NH]

@kazudid they have a verifly line in San Diego?  I know it's not required but others report it can speed processing...if there's a separate line of course.

 

Thanks

[kazu]

16 minutes ago, Cruise NH said:

@kazudid they have a verifly line in San Diego?  I know it's not required but others report it can speed processing...if there's a separate line of course.

 

Thanks

 

No - it made no difference -  heard a few people say it  - and they were told to get in the same line.  Several that I met  that are  on this B2B said it made no difference for them either.

[kazu]

24 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Yikes, that is a lot!  When we sailed the K it was at capacity but not every single berth, just every single room.  I hope you have fixed dining, if not go down and sign up.   We used anytime dining and we waited every single night unless we showed up for the late seating. 
 

I imagine the holiday cruise will have lots of entertainment 

 

have fun!

 

 I am open dining as I have Club Orange -we’ll see how that goes

[BetsyS.]

Bon Voyage!   Jose will be right there with you.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 🥂

So glad you have a great steward! 😊  Very important.

 

 

[Rowsby]

 

A couple of last shots....:)

 

 

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, aliaschief said:

Si! We are booked again on our April Eurodam from Fla to Vancouver. May you and child bride have a great cruise and joyous Christmas!🎄

 

PS: I flunked my dance lesson.

 

Thanks Chief and likewise to you and Mrs. Chief/the Colonel! And when you're married to a child bride born in Cuba, who learned to salsa dance as a 4-yr old standing on her papa's shoes/feet to get the steps down, you, as the husband, better learn the rhythm of the island, as Gloria Estafan sings about, and learn to salsa yourself 😉 

[Sharon in AZ]

Jacqui @kazu — We have had Club Orange on our last four cruises, all Pinnacle ships, and highly recommend it. It really helps if you go at the same time each day for breakfast and dinner and request the same server. The hosts also get to know your server preferences. We only had one long wait and it was for breakfast on the Nieuw Statendam and we ended up going to the MDR instead because we had an excursion. 
 

Enjoy!

[oaktreerb]

@kazuWith 2960 passengers you are about 310 passengers over the listed 2650 capacity.  We were onboard in November and it seemed crowded even though  the Covid Quarantine corridor was closed off starting at 4154 along the obstructed balcony staterooms.  I’m assuming those rooms have been opened for passengers if there are that many people onboard.  

 

We prefer Deck 4 aft since it is near Club Orange and the Grand Dutch Cafe.  It has never seemed crowded except for the early diners that gather outside the MDR in the evening.   Deck 4 aft has always been a mess when the luggage is being delivered.  It sounds like you’ve got great room stewards!  

 

Have a great cruise.  The Club Orange hostess and manager have always been wonderful!