Transatlantic Cruise of 9 May 2006

[NorthernNeighbour]

This is the start of a message board to report on passenger experiences on board the cruise of the AMSTERDAM that will depart New York on 9 May for COPENHAGEN with intermediate stops in Saint John's, Cobh, Dublin, Dover, Amsterdam and Oslo.

 

While on the cruise, I will post my general impressions every day. Unfortunately, I will be leaving the ship in Amsterdam (for business reasons) but others onboard are welcome to post their impressions, particularly for the final days onboard when I will not be able to.

 

Meanwhile, any pre-cruise comments or concerns are welcome. My wife and I will fly to New York on 7 May and stay pre-cruise at the HILTON that was booked as part of our HAL package.

[Grumpy1]

Here's to a pleasant and relaxing cruise! There is a pretty active rollcall for that cruise, but I haven't seen you post there, yet. I'm sure the other CC'ers there would like to get acquainted with you. The roll call link is http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=295422

 

We'll be looking for your reports from onboard

 

BON VOYAGE!!

[Ine]

Too bad you leave the ship in Amsterdam.

I will certainly be near the northseacanal watching (and maybe waving) the Amsterdam on his way from Amsterdam to IJmuiden.

[NorthernNeighbour]

We took a pre-cruise package from HAL to say at the HILTON New York Hotel and Towers (6th Ave. and 53rd St.).

 

Since we had taken a frequent flyer award for the air from YUL, we arranged our own limousine transfer from LGA through Peter Limousine. Through no fault of the driver, the police were requiring the limo drivers NOT to wait outside the LGA Main Termainal for passengers but to circle around. Luckily, I had asked the limousine company for the cell phone number of the driver and called him to rendez-vous at the head of the pick-up line once I had collected the luggage.

 

The transfer to the hotel was very smooth. The chauffeur (MARTIN) was professional, courteous and a very good driver. For anyone with lots of luggage for a cruise, a limousine is essential to transfer, since NY taxis sometimes cannot accomodate lots of luggage.

 

Check-in was fast and courteous also. The front desk kindly gave us a high floor with a walk-in shower (which we prefer) and the bellman escorted us to the room and fill the ice bucket before departing.

 

We are dining this evening at ALBA Trattoria (don't let the name fool you, the place is more of a "restaurante" than a "trattoria").

 

So far, the first day has been smooth and pleasant. The room is (as I mentioned above) on a high-floor, has a flat-screen television, a safe for that valuable jewelry my wife is taking for the formal evenings on-board and air-conditioning that is easily regulated and not too strong.

 

I probably will not post anything for tomorrow (our free day in New York) unless something unusual or exciting to do is uncovered. At this stage, we just plan to have a relaxing day (not go to the theatre, since Monday is the primarily the day-off for Broadway shows) and get (of course) exciting about the departure on Tuesday.

 

The same limousine driver who picked us up at the airport re-confirmed our details while enroute to the hotel today and will most likely be able to pick us up for the transfer to the ship's pier. That way, he will know us and we do not expect any transfer problems.

 

I know, HAL gave us a complementary transfer as part of the hotel package. We are NOT using it prefering to make our own limousine arrangements and not be part of any mass-transfer from hotel to ship by bus or mini-van.

 

On a final note, we are hoping to read the ROLL CALL for this cruise to see if there is any news of passengers already on-board from the FLL departure since we know the ship is well underway to New York from Florida.

[NorthernNeighbour]

Tuesday, 9 May 2006: We had a very smooth experience in embarking on the cruise.

 

After breakfast in the hotel, Peter Limousine phoned us approximately one hour before our scheduled pick-up of 11h00 to say the driver was in Manhattan and would be on-time at the hotel. We phoned the bell captain to collect our luggage (they were in our room in less than 5 minutes) and we proceeded to the limo exactly at 11h00.

 

HILTON NY is at 6th Ave and 53rd St and the pier for HAL (Pier 90) was not far away -- just south of West 55th St. and 12th Avenue. So the limo ride was short, uneventful and the driver professional and courteous. For the HAL passengers taking the bus transfer, HILTON collects the luggage from the room after 10h00 (no need to stay there waiting) and you just have to show up for the bus at 11h30 and make sure your luggage is on the bus. (We had chosen to use a limo so as to arrive a bit earlier at the ship.)

 

For the boarding, we had to wait in three lines but each wait was less than 5 minutes (not too bad considering on a previous cruise out of Miami we had waited for hours). Since we had pre-registered on the Internet, this tended to speed up the process. Seats were available and shortly after 11h30 they started calling passengers to board, directing them to the Lido Buffet for lunch.

 

Since we were not hungry (had just finished breakfast less than 2 hours before), I took a chance and ventured down to our stateroom to see if it was ready. Indeed it was, as I had suspected. Therefore, we just camped out in our stateroom until the luggage arrived and we were hungry. Had a light lunch of pasta (very good) back in the Lido and met a bachelor passenger from the West Coast.

 

Then off to the Internet cafe so I could sign up for a shipboard account. I like HAL's wireless connections that are available on 3 decks. No need to wait around for a desktop to use (since I had brought my portable). Took a package for 240 minutes while at sea.

 

After that, of course, we had to attend the ship's drill. HAL organises this with typical Dutch efficiency. Almost everyone showed up early or on time and their cabin numbers were prompting ticked off. Of course (as always), one lady showed up 15 minutes late, combing her hair as she tried to put on her life vest (why bother?).

 

Next, DW (Dear Wife for those reading this who do not know CC jargon) headed to the stateroom to nap and I headed to the treadmill for a 18h00 jog -- nice time to do so. The early birders are already queuing for dinner, so the gym was deserted. I watched the evening news on CNN while on the tread and also while looking out over the Atlantic Ocean (gym is on an upper deck forward with un obstructed view).

 

Got back to the stateroom, dresssed for dinner (casual) and then heading off for the main seating at 20h00. I recall years ago this was the most popular seating and often wait-listed. Now it is not. The early seating at 17h45 and 18h30 are now wait-listed since the majority want to dine early. Not us, we wait and go to dinner with the "night owls".

 

Dinner on HAL was nice, not five-star cuisine but all-in-all, OK. Was able to pre-purchase our wine (10% discount) and we found (unlike some others who have sailed HAL) the wine list to have selections we liked and very drinkable wines.

 

After dinner, to the show which was OK but not exceptional. Then we set our watches forward at the witching hour (midnight) and headed off to dreamland.

[FlorenceItaly]

I appreciate the opportunity to journey alongside you :). Keep it coming!

Thank you.

 

 

 

Marie

[NorthernNeighbour]

Wednesday, 10 May 2006

 

Well, are we a pair of geriatric teenagers or not? We slept until almost 10h00 today and had ordered room service for breakfast which arrived promptly. However, the room service steward scolded us slightly for having ordered separate breakfast trays. He thought we should just share one. I guess less work for him but then his comment will be taken into account when we consider any extra gratuity for extra service! Perhaps he’ll redeem himself in the coming days for having taken us to task.

 

After breakfast and lots of coffee, finally got out and about to take a brisk walk on the promenade deck with DW. We were off the coast of Cape Cod, in a dense fog and a very strong wind in our face for our stroll. Captain had to keep blowing the fog horn in case there were any smaller boats (without radar) in the area. By mid-day it had lifted somewhat but only to return later in the day.

 

I wanted to go to the Picasso lecture after lunch -- but DW hates Picasso, so we decided to put in an appearance for the Changing Europe lecture by Col. Vargas who is the father of Elizabeth VARGAS, the ABC newscaster. He’ll be giving four lectures onboard the cruise -- the first one was mostly interesting, but since we have lived in Europe, I do disagree with some of his American perspectives on world affairs. But in his defense, the majority of the passengers are American, although there are a significant number of Canadian and Dutch nationals also on board.

 

Normally, we don’t do the Captain’s cocktail but the Dutch officers are pleasant -- everybody likes the Dutch especially we Canadians -- so we are considering making an exception and putting in an appearance just before out late dining. Must say again that we much like the fact that the early dining is now so popular that those of us who prefer late dining get excellent service since the LaFontaine Dining Room is not full then. We plan to spend over two hours dining almost every night -- from 20h00 until the 22h15 show start time.

 

There are lots of other activities onboard -- and some passengers seem to always be running to this and that, I guess not wanting to miss anything. For us, since it’s still early in the cruise, we are just taking our time to unwind, get to know the ship by wandering about and catching up on our reading. DW and her DH (this write) are both avid readers so are quite compatible with doing this.

 

However, all this sea air keeps putting us to sleep, so we dozed off a couple of times today. But the sea air is also clearing my head quite nicely so it’s great.

 

A word about the AMSTERDAM for those readers who are not familiar with the ship. The ship was built in the year 2000 in an Italian shipyard but, apart from its fancy electronic equipment which is great, the ship has a “retro” feel to it, décor and layout. It’s like being on one of the classic ships that did crossings in the late 1940s and 1950s. Think ANDREA DORIA but a lot safer (I remember well the day the ANDREA DORIA collided with the STOCKHOLM and we were glued to our television awaiting news of her fate) and with lots of electronics on-board. The Queen’s Lounge is a particular good venue for the shows with balcony seats that are excellent. Ship’s library is classy looking with an espresso coffee bar nearby. Cabin layouts are nice with full size bathrooms (including a tub). Lighting can be controlled from the bed. So you have a nice ship with efficient Dutch service and Italian design -- a good combination.

 

By mid-afternoon, the fog was still around with the forlorn sound of the fog horn every few minutes. We’re now close to the international boundary between the US and Canada (but well out to sea) and will be passing east of Halifax sometime this evening. Still have another day of sailing before we get to Newfoundland.

 

Lest I gain a lot of weight -- time to stop writing at my desk and head for the treadmill with its built-in television where I can watch the news from CNN. Am hoping later in the cruise, they will switch to BBC WORLD so I can get a European perspective. (Too much to ask that they would broadcast the CBC NEWSWORLD channel while we are near Canada, but hey you never know. We Canadians and the Dutch have a great affinity for one another so anything is possible.)

 

Back from the treadmill in time to dress for cocktails and dinner. DW has been the beauty salon for a quick hair-do. We dress and head for the Captain’s reception.

 

Change of plans -- we will, after all, skip the reception. The line is much too long just a get a free drink and some banal chit-chat. Been there, done that! So we head for the piano bar instead, have a nice cocktail and listen to some old standards while awaiting our 20h00 seating.

 

Well -- we arrive in the restaurant to find our table mates of last evening have deserted us. Either they got an earlier seating or we managed to bore them stiff and they fled. In any event, we are pleased since two Canadians (mother and daughter) join us and they are excellent conversationalists. Cuisine was better tonight than last night -- note for future cruisers: the rack of lamb on HAL is very good.

 

After dinner, we went to glance at the position map of where we are located on the crossing. Looks like we were maybe 100 to 150 nautical miles out from Halifax -- reminding us that this the area of the North Atlantic where SwissAir 111 crashed some years ago. (I had been working for the UN then and used to take this flight quite regularly but luckily was not on the fateful one.)

 

The floor show was the last event on our calendar for the evening. Show was better tonight than the first night -- they did Broadway’s greatest hits which we liked. Seven young people singing and dancing (four beautiful ladies and three guys). Very energetic (they’re young unlike the audience) and well rehearsed.

 

In summary, quiet a good second day. Passengers are getting their sea legs and the officers and crew are hospitable and really make an effort to provide a pleasant ambiance for this classic crossing reminiscent of years gone by.

[NorthernNeighbour]

Thursday, 11 May 2006

 

Today, we decided to concentrate on the classic shipboard activities that have been around for years -- except for shuffleboard (too cold today on the North Atlantic).

 

So, not much need to explain in detail what this involve, just a list will be sufficient:

 

a) Breakfast in bed

b) Trivial pursuit (did not win)

c) Bingo (did win)

d) Afternoon tea

e) Movie in the cinema

 

The only exception to the “classics” of course if this web site posting -- on the ship of yore, most people did not even use the ship-to-shore telephone, let alone e-mail and such.

 

And some classics tonight at dinner on-board -- Oysters Rockefeller for the first course. Followed by Lamb Shank (a l'anglaise) and Crepes Suzette for dessert.

 

We’ll be docking in Saint John’s Newfoundland tomorrow so hope to post news of our impressions after the sailing.

 

Anyone reading this have questions about the ship, just ask -- I'll be happy to investigate or ask the Front Office on the ship for an answer if I cannot easily find out.

[Betsy's Mom]

We will be on the Amsterdam in October for 13 days and this is just what I need! Enjoy every word and thank you for taking the time to do this review.

B.

[Frogs]

Thanks for sharing! It's fun to follow a trip especially when it is a longer cruise. Seem's to have a different perspective than the 7 day cruises.

 

Blessings!

[Bucky3]

Wonderful posts. Thanks so much. We're enjoying reading every word!

[grannynurse]

Dear NorthernNeighbor,

Thanks for posting. We have friends on your cruise with whom we usually sail. They are CC'ers, her screen name is Mickey. They are now living in NY. He is a retired Delta pilot. I know chances are slim that you will run into them, but if you do, please say "HI" from Grannynurse amd Chuck.

Your initial postings remind me of our 2004 Rotterdam transatlantic in June. We had the same foggy problem with the constantly blowing foghorn.

We did the "Scademia" trip in St. Johns twice and loved it. Have a wonderful crossing and please keep posting, I am wishing we were with you on the Amsterdam.

GN

[boomerSexyK]

This is a great series of postings. Enjoying them very much. DW and I were just talking last nite about the proverbial "where to next,,,?" quandry for our cruise next year. (We are already booked for the Zuidy this Nov) Tossing up Panama and as of last night a Transatlantic crossing. As a matter of fact the one that appealed most to us was this very itinerary albeit a year from. Keep up the good work and we'll keep leaning your way.

[NorthernNeighbour]

Friday, 12 May 2006

 

On a chilly and foggy morning we arrived in Saint John’s (Newfoundland), Canada. Of course, for the American passengers (especially those from the South) it was cold, but for us Canadians it was just chilly.

 

The trees were just starting to bud. Although chilly, the reception was warm and friendly from the Canadian customs officers and the dock staff. The AMSTERDAM is the first large cruise ship to arrive for the 2006 season. There will be 12 or so more dockings this year by various lines. HAL will stop here when one their ships does a return trip (round trip to Americans) from Boston to Scandinavia this summer. For any cruise passengers coming later in the season, it should be delightful when the weather is a bit warmer.

 

Seafood lovers note: not yet lobster season but will be soon!!!

 

For the adventurous, it is possible to walk to the centre of the city from the ship’s pier. Saint John’s is not a large city and has a “colonial” atmosphere, architecture-wise. Reminds Americans of some small cities on the coast of Maine or of Portsmouth in New Hampshire (also a very nice city to visit, we have been there). Reminds us Canadians who have not been here before of some places in Nova Scotia along the coast.

 

We opted (being Canadians) not to take the organized tours. I know some people take tours in cities they are visiting in their own homeland, but we do not. Instead, we hired a taxi by the hour which turned out to be a good deal. The tour organized by the ship cost C$39 for 2 hours by bus. The taxi we took charged C$35 per hour -- and it turned out that we left perhaps 15 minutes after the bus left, spent just over an hour touring by taxi and got back to the ship to find the bus arriving perhaps 20 minutes later. The taxi driver took us to most of the same places the bus tour visited (but of course we could take as long or as short as we wanted) plus he took us to the post office (where we mailed our postcards) and to the bank to visit the ATM. Since the Canadian dollar is rising against the US dollar we are fortunate that the exchange rate is going in our favour while on holiday. We withdrew more Canadian dollars at the ATM and will not exchange them yet unless the rate starts going not in our favour.

 

So, I would recommend to consider hiring a taxi instead of taking the bus tour. However, just to be sure not to get a super shy driver who says nothing, have a brief chat with the taxi driver about where you want to go and what he or she can show you. Most Newfoundlanders have the “gift of the gab” so you’ll soon know if the taxi driver who is first in line is for you. If not, just mention to the taxi dispatcher that you would like a taxi driver that is talkative (unless of course you do want a silent type). The dispatchers know all the local taxi drivers and can direct you to one who is the silent-type or the gabby-type depending on your preference.

 

Our taxi driver was so knowledgeable and gave such value for money (he charged us only for one hour but we spent almost 1.5 hours with him) that we gave him a generous tip of C$10 making a total of C$45 for what was a very personalized tour. (At the time of this writing, the Canadian dollar is worth approximately 90 cents to the US dollar.) The taxi drivers will take Canadian dollars, United States dollars or British pounds sterling (but any change is only given in Canadian dollars as is normal practice in the tourist industry).

 

Newfoundland and Labrador was (until after World War II) still British territory and only became a Canadian province during the last century. The official name of the province (trivia buffs take note, they could ask this question on a cruise some time) is “Province of Newfoundland and Labrador”, not as some people believe just Newfoundland. Having visited here now, my wife and I have now managed to visit (between us) all of the Canadian provinces.

 

We got back to the ship, had a light lunch and then took a rest before the ship sailed out of Saint John’s harbour (a bit earlier than expected since local fog was in the forecast). However, the Captain did make sure all the passengers were on-board before departure.

 

Spent the rest of the afternoon going to trivial pursuit (which on-board Holland America seems to be more difficult that on other cruises line) and preparing for dinner by exercising on the treadmill!!!

 

For dinner, we had made booked at the Pinnacle Grill, the reservations-only dining experience that was a gift from our travel agent at American Express. The Grill is excellent with beef dishes to die for (we had the filet mignon which was very tender) and starters that included breast of duck that was not too shabby either. We had an excellent wine from the Château Ste-Michelle winery in Washington state. Note to myself: use this travel agent again, since the gift of the dining experience was AOK.

 

After dinner, we had intended to go to the late-evening show but instead retired to our stateroom for a quite evening at our temporary sea-home!

 

All in all, a nice day at sea as we head east on our classic transatlantic crossing. Stop the presses: DW sends her best regards to those reading this posting.

[PrincessYoga]

Thank you for posting I am really enjoying your thread.

[starysacz]

Thank you so much for the excellent review and reports. Very informative. We will be sailing on the Amsterdam this summer. Did one cruise on it several years ago.:)

 

Have an excellent cruise.

[Aussie Gal]

NorthernNeighbour,

 

I am enjoying reading your posts. We were on the Maasdam last year in July and went to Europe from Boston via Scandinavia. We did enjoy our day in St. John's. It was a lovely town and so easy to get around.

 

Jennie

[NorthernNeighbour]

Saturday, 13 May 2006

 

We woke up after what had been a bumpy night. Seas with 12 feet waves, not as bad as possible on the North Atlantic, but still enough to create a bit of drama for a cloudy and rainy day.

 

Of course, some passengers made the mistake of not eating breakfast, thinking they could avoid being seasick. Big mistake. As any sailor can tell you, the best way to get seasick on a stormy ocean is to skip breakfast. So both DW and I ate our breakfast and avoided any queasy feelings during the day. Almost all the other passengers onboard had good “sea legs” and were fine. A few passengers headed off to see the ship’s Doctor to get a patch to cure their ill feelings. Some of the crew members who had been working Pacific Ocean cruises for months were a bit queasy.

 

We chose to visit the Crow’s Nest lounge on the 9th deck forward and spent the whole morning there reading our books and being tossed about slightly -- since the forward top deck is the choppiest place on board! We quite enjoyed the feeling of being on a somewhat storm-tossed ocean.

 

The rest of the day until dinner was spent in classic ship-board activities, so I am not going to repeat here what we did, lest I bore everyone.

 

At dinner, one of our dining companions (who is a great Canadian lady and also a great Mother and Grandmother) asked me if I could post a message for Mr. or Mrs. Amsterdam onboard the cruise to please come out of their cabin. She has been looking for them the whole cruise without any luck. (Note for those not familiar with HAL -- the company chooses a Mr. Amsterdam and a Mrs. Amsterdam at the start of the cruise in secret and then they challenge all the other passengers onboard to find out who Mr. Amsterdam is and who Mrs. Amsterdam is to win a prize. Not my cup of tea for a cruise activity but many passengers enjoy trying to find out -- gives a good excuse to meet other passengers.)

 

Tip of the day -- not to be missed on HAL!! The Indonesian crew put on a floorshow for us at 23h15 and they got a well-deserved, warm audience reception. One of the cabin stewards who sang was good enough to be a winner on American Idol or Canadian Idol. Do they have Indonesian Idol? If so, he should enter. Our waiter (a guy) was one of the gals in the show, all dressed in traditional Indonesian finery to dance in drag. He is a very good dancer and a good female impersonator. The show was most impressive -- considering the only chance the crew has to rehearse is between 24h00 and 03h00 while they are off-duty.

[NorthernNeighbour]

Sunday, 14 May 2006

 

Today, I am not posting extensive posting details of the cruise -- but not because it was not pleasant or interesting.

 

Quite the opposite, we had the classic day at sea for a transatlantic crossing -- traditional shipboard activities plus reading and excellent dining: it was Mother’s Day so the special menu included (among other items) some of our favourites -- escargots, tomato and garlic soup, Alaskan king crab, beef Wellington and a French cassoulet.

 

Due to the busy phone lines, was not able to phone my Mum but was able to relay e-mail greetings. Got the Sunday Telegraph cruise line edition delivered to our stateroom. It was good to read the news from a British perspective.

 

We skipped the Black and White Ball (with the ship’s officers) -- been there, done that.

 

Will report more from the Irish and English ports upcoming, unless Internet access problems prevail. We are 800 nautical miles away from Cobh (pronounced Cove) on the south coast of Ireland.

[NorthernNeighbour]

A glorious day at sea -- for those of us (like myself) who like long voyages with several days at sea between ports.

 

Check back tomorrow for news of our Irish landing at Cobh, the harbour for Cork.

[boomerSexyK]

Noerthern ... keep up the good reviews. You're starting to whet my appetite for a Transatlantic. Looking forward to hearing about your port calls.

[NorthernNeighbour]

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

 

We had a very calm night at sea! The captain had made very good time across the North Atlantic so he slowed the ship to a crawl as we approached the Irish coast, so as not to be too early. Even so, we docked at 06h30 approximately 30 minutes early at the Cork Cruise Terminal at Cobh, Ireland (pronounced Cove).

 

Wouldn’t you know it? Just when we intended to go ashore fairly early in the day, we found we were sleeping so well -- just could NOT get out of that bed too early. Still geriatric teenagers at heart -- at least when we are on holiday.

 

A lot of passengers on the ship did head off for their pre-booked tours. Some to kiss the Blarney stone, others to visit Waterford, still others going into Cork for a city tour. We took our time, had a nice breakfast in the Lido buffet and -- being the independent types we are -- headed out walking into the small town of Cobh (the port of Cork) for a walk-about. The centre of town is less than two city blocks from where the ship docks. Very convenient.

 

Lots of stuff for people interested in the sea to see here. Final port from which the Titanic sailed on her maiden and last voyages, so there is a small museum and a memorial dedicated to that. The Irish office of the Cunard Line can be visited along the quayside -- and one can see where the survivors of the Lusitania were brought ashore.

 

For the shopaholics, there are some modest shops on the streets of Cobh (nothing too exclusive). The church towers over the town on a hill that is not too steep to climb. Worth a visit.

 

Lots of passengers went off to pub lunches. Murphy’s pub seemed to be quite popular. Most of the crew members had not visited Ireland before, so those who had shore leave seemed to be taking a lot of pictures of each other to keep as souvenirs. Some headed to the Western Union office to send money home.

 

Weather wise, the day (unfortunately) was not too great in Cobh. We had rain early on but then in the afternoon it started clearing -- towards the time it was to go back onboard of course.

 

HAL (like many cruise lines) had arranged for a local entertainment troop to come aboard for a show before sailing. This time it was an Irish dance group (Cork Irish Dance Group) which was well attended. In addition, a local Irish band showed up to give us a send-off from pier-side.

 

A nice photo-op -- the site of the large MS-AMSTERDAM at the pier from the streets of Cobh. Many local residents who live in the hills above the harbour stood outside their homes to watch the ship depart.

 

I should mention that the post office is right in the centre of town (near the quays) so easy to mail stuff from there. The staff are most helpful. Visited also the ATM of the Bank of Ireland. Since the crew is spending the summer in Europe and the US dollar is sinking lately -- we decided we would give our extra gratuities in Euros.

 

Cruise tip -- one of my fellow passengers complained today that she had been unlucky with the menu selections in the LaFontaine dining room. Some of the dishes she ordered were not up to par. We had found out early on in the cruise that sometimes the offerings were less than spectacular (cuisine wise). Other were excellent. Our waiter is able to help us out as he does all his assigned guests. Every night he samples all the main selections and notes which ones are particularly good. So, we always consult with him to find out what is good, what is ordinary and what should be avoided. I mentioned this to my fellow passenger -- she should just ask her waiter for his advice. She agreed she would try this and I hope it solves her problem.

 

Slow sailing this evening (which is very pleasant) since we are headed for Dublin tomorrow morning and it is not far away at all. We are just gliding along ever so nicely through the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland.

 

DW came back from the ship's spa where she had a combination stone massage and Swedish massage. She reports feeling like a new woman.

[Grumpy1]

Cruise tip -- one of my fellow passengers complained today that she had been unlucky with the menu selections in the LaFontaine dining room. Some of the dishes she ordered were not up to par. We had found out early on in the cruise that sometimes the offerings were less than spectacular (cuisine wise). Other were excellent. Our waiter is able to help us out as he does all his assigned guests. Every night he samples all the main selections and notes which ones are particularly good. So, we always consult with him to find out what is good, what is ordinary and what should be avoided. I mentioned this to my fellow passenger -- she should just ask her waiter for his advice. She agreed she would try this and I hope it solves her problem.

Brings back memories of a cruise a few years ago. Our waiter, Maurice, would present the menu and on a few nights said something like, "the chef recommends..... .... tonight. I have sampled it. I think you would probably prefer the ..... It is much better." Gotta love a waiter like that.:) Glad to hear that your crossing was swift and smooth and thank you for taking us along with you.

[NorthernNeighbour]

Wednesday, 17 May 2006

 

We had a glorious day in Dublin!

 

The ship sailed up the River Liffey early in the morning and docked at Berth 33 in the Port of Dublin. HAL had kindly arranged for shuttle buses to take passengers to the centre of Dublin for US$5 per passenger. So we bought two tickets at the Front Office and proceeding to the gangway.

 

Unfortunately, it was a rainy day in Dublin (often is) and the busses were running late due to the traffic so we faced a long queue to board. However, I happened to notice a couple of taxis cabs to drop someone off visiting the ship (probably Irish travel agents who had been invited). So, instead of taking the bus, I opted to hire a cab -- for which we paid EUR 15 -- much better than waiting in the queue. The HAL officer told us we could turn in the bus tickets later (for a credit) since the bus was late.

 

We told the driver to take us to O’Connell Street (heart of Dublin) and we strolled down a shopping street (closed to motor traffic except for delivery vans) which was pleasant. After awhile (since he was raining) we ducked into an enclosed mall and proceeded to have coffee and tea just prior to noon.

 

Since Dublin has a city tour bus (similar to London) where one can hop on , hop off then hop back on at any one of 21 stops in the heart of Dublin. Absolutely the best option for older cruise passengers who may care to walk for kilometre after kilometre. Especially on a rainy day. And -- as a bonus -- no recorded tour explanations -- the bus drivers all have the “gift of the gab” and are adept at explaining local sites and offering a rendition of Mollie Maguire on request.

 

We got off at one stop to have what was for us an obligatory stop -- an Irish pub lunch of fish and chips and a glass of Guinness!

 

Next we visited the chocolatier. Not many people associate Ireland with fine chocolates -- but by all means do NOT miss going to Butler’s Chocolate Café where one can have an fine coffee and either buy or eat some very good chocolates.

 

By that time, we needed to hail a cab to return to the ship (due to the Dublin traffic). Nice pleasant ride back to Berth 33 where we headed for the Crow’s Nest on the 9th deck of the MS-Amsterdam to have a cocktail and bird’s eye view of the ship backing out and turning to head downstream to the Irish Sea for the passage to our next Port, Dover in the UK.

 

Spotted a Russian cruise ship registered in Nassau -- the Maxim Gorky -- in the port as we were leaving. Fellow passenger mentioned that she was built in 1959, has no stabilisers, so you need good "sea legs" to travel abroad that ship.

[Marbella]

Thank you for your ongoing report. I, too, have always wondered what it would be like to experience a trans-Atlantic crossing.