Live From the pre cruise Oosterdam

[Kreuser]

Jerry and I opted for the express disembarkation for the first time, and it worked perfectly for us! In fact we were on the road and leaving SD by 9AM, home by 11 and unpacked by noon! A real record setter! And soooo nice not to have to fly home. ;)

 

I hope Judy and Jim's dining arrangements are better for this second half of their cruise. Since we had to take what we could get due to botched dining links, we were seated right in the path of the waiters and the lighting was bad too. We were so far from the windows we hardly knew there were windows in the dining room!!

 

I sure missed the warm bread pudding on this cruise. You could still get a bowl of it, but you had to request it from the guy that serves icecream, and that usually involved waiting in line. :(

 

We were treated like royalty by Hotel Mgr., Simon, and besides the VIP party invitations, we had two CruiseCritic gatherings, one with cookies, champagne, bloody Mary's, coffee, etc. etc., and the other they just saved us the room at the Crow's Nest (no treats). So, including the sail away party at catvango's, we had 4 parties in 7 nights! Of course this does not include the Captain's party and the Mariner's party. Whew!

 

Judy- Thanks for sending me home with the books you had finished. I have practically done nothing but read since I've gotten home!! Back to work tomorrow though. I'll be thinking of you while I slave away at the salt mines!! :D

 

Vada

[Tinknock50]

Jerry and I opted for the express disembarkation for the first time, and it worked perfectly for us! In fact we were on the road and leaving SD by 9AM, home by 11 and unpacked by noon! A real record setter! And soooo nice not to have to fly home. ;)

 

I hope Judy and Jim's dining arrangements are better for this second half of their cruise. Since we had to take what we could get due to botched dining links, we were seated right in the path of the waiters and the lighting was bad too. We were so far from the windows we hardly knew there were windows in the dining room!!

 

I sure missed the warm bread pudding on this cruise. You could still get a bowl of it, but you had to request it from the guy that serves icecream, and that usually involved waiting in line. :(

 

We were treated like royalty by Hotel Mgr., Simon, and besides the VIP party invitations, we had two CruiseCritic gatherings, one with cookies, champagne, bloody Mary's, coffee, etc. etc., and the other they just saved us the room at the Crow's Nest (no treats). So, including the sail away party at catvango's, we had 4 parties in 7 nights! Of course this does not include the Captain's party and the Mariner's party. Whew!

 

Judy- Thanks for sending me home with the books you had finished. I have practically done nothing but read since I've gotten home!! Back to work tomorrow though. I'll be thinking of you while I slave away at the salt mines!! :D

 

Vada

 

Welcome back Vada....party girl!

[cruisinjudy]

Saturday

 

Turn around day went quite smoothly. Our new cards were delivered later in the evening along with an in transit pass. In the morning we needed to be at immigration at 7 AM! OK that wasn’t so cool, but there was nothing to do about it. We had to be there.

 

We got up fairly early and had breakfast before our appointment. Immigration was very fast and we just showed our passports and went on our way. We just relaxed for a while and walked around and said good bye to our friends who were getting off. Poor souls.

 

About ten we took off on our own and walked to Horton Plaza. it was about eight blocks I suppose, not a bad walk. Jim needed to buy another book to read so we went to the book store. We wandered around and then went back to the ship for lunch. We had to go through security, but then we just skipped all of the lines and walked back on board where they checked our new key cards and let us board.

 

The only problem is our friends are gone.

 

Dining has now reverted to the leisure dining concept that means early seating is started between 5:30 and 6:00. Late dining is between 8:00 and 9:00. We have the table next to the one we had last cruise but it is a different waiter, Sy, and he does clean up the crumbs and show the dessert tray!

 

Sunday

 

I went to Pictionary and the kitchen tour today. On the kitchen tour I mentioned that they really need to work on those cookies. The maitre d’ seemed to suggest that they had told the pastry chef, but things didn’t change. I guess that is the way the pastry chef likes them!

 

I also picked up another book in the library.

 

So far the shows are the samethis cruise, but we did miss this first song and dance show on the last cruise so we will attend tonight. Last night we watched a video instead of going to the first show.

 

For dinner Jim and I both had the miso King Salmon.

 

Monday

Thar she blows! Lots of whales off our verandah this morning. We ordered our breakfast in today. It arrived promptly and accurately!

 

We arrive in Cabo around noon, but Captain Mercer says it may well be around ten. Dan the CD says it is because the captain has a lead foot.

 

Someone asked for tips on riding the train. I don’t have the internet open right now so I can’t see who it was, but here are my tips.

 

1. Be sure to go to the wine tasting. Lots of wine is poured and you meet fellow guests and have a god time.

2. Order food that reheats well.

3. Don’t expect to be on time! Don’t worry. Be happy. Relax and pl;an extra time in your schedule.

4. I don’t know if the schedule still offers this, but if so, it might be a good idea to detrain in Santa Barbara or another of those towns and spend the night, then catch the train that goes directly to San Diego. I don’t think it changes in LA and the arrival time was better the last time I checked on it. I didn’t even think of it this time. We could have visited Santa Barbara friends!

We saw Oceanfantasy but noit Nana50.

[Tinknock50]

Thanks for the ongoing reports!

 

Sorry to hear the cookie problem is not solved.:(

I was really disappointed in them on the December 9th cruise.

It may seem silly to do, but I would mention it on your comment card.

[localady]

Judy-

Great to hear that you and DH are enjoying your B2B!! :D

I am envious, as you all were so much fun on the Veendam.

So excited to hear that you had whales visiting this morning, I hope to be able to catch a glance of them in March!

Have a great day in Cabo! :cool:

[Kreuser]

JooDee said

The only problem is our friends are gone.

Awww, you miss us! Isn't that sweet!

 

Gosh, you would think they could find you a better table than there in the dark! Hopefully you have better lighting at your new one. How about your dining companions? Please don't tell me you like them better than last week's!! :p

 

I forgot your shows are the exact same. I think I would see the fantastic juggler again just because he put on an awesome show!

 

You do still have Bambang as your cabin steward, right? What a great guy. I made a manequin sort of person out of my clothing, hat and sunglasses and put it on the sofa so he would think someone was in our room when he came to turn down the bed the night before our last. He got a big kick out of that. I told him it was a thank you for all the towel animals he made for us. :D

 

Wish we were there! Work is a bummer, but it does pay for cruises!!

 

Vada

[wizard-of-roz]

Loved reading about your "O" B2B....We'll be on her in April and it's so much fun reading about what to look forward to....

We've done the train to San Diego before. But hated "shlepping" the bags. We live in L.A. so the drive to SD is not too bad! We plan on driving down a day before, stay at the Holdiay Inn...relax and then board the following morning. This way we get to extend our vacation a bit.

When it comes to cookies; we bring our own. I have never found really good chocholate chip cookies, except on NCL and it's not worth re-booking just for the cookies! I don't know why some cruselines can't get this right? :rolleyes:

Question: On the B2B (we'll be doing one in November), can you stay on the ship? Do you have to disembark? I would appreciate details on how this works?

Thanks,

Roz

[cruznon]

The cookie issue is interesting. How difficult is it to make yummy cookies???

 

(Must say that Celebrity cookies are great!!!!)

 

Maybe the pastry chef on the Oosterdam hasn't eaten the cookies he makes.

[cruisinjudy]

HI everyone,

I don't seem to be having much luck with email. I can't send, but I can read.

 

We got off the ship on the turn around, but I don't believe it was necessary. I think you can just go and chek out your old card at the gangway and check in your new. Or maybe you could do it at the front desk. I will see if it tells on our paper.

 

We are in Puerto Vallarta, docked! Something about the Carnival Ship had to miss the port or something. I have no details!

 

The weather has been beautiful and the seas have been calm.

 

We have had lots of fun with our tablemates. The table itself is very similar to last time. Don't know why we couldn't have had a better table, but our waiter is great.

 

We had a bottle of champagne delivered to our room from Captain \mercer and Hotel manager Simon deBoer. We had it sent to our table.

 

Time to go shop!

[cruisinjudy]

Thursday

 

I tried to get on CC today but with no luck. I tried to send email today but no luck. All I managed to do was download email. i will save this until I can send it.

 

We ordered room service again so we could have breakfast on our balcony. Before it arrived I did go up to the lido for my fresh squeezed OJ!

 

When we checked our mailbox this morning, we had three invitations. One was the standard Mariner’s reception that will be held this morning. One was from hotel Manager Simon deBoer inviting us to lunch. The last one was also from Simon inviting us to a cocktail party at 7PM in the oak room. We had scheduled lunch in The Pinnacle for today, a gift from our TA, so we went down to see if we could change that. Yes, we can go to the Pinnacle tomorrow.

 

After arranging the change in our lunch schedule I went to the future cruise consultant and put down the hundred dollar deposit on an unspecified cruise for the future. Then it was on to Pictionary. Our team won, but no prizes for these games. Trivia wins prizes and you can trade Dam dollars for prizes. You win Dam Dollars for participating and or winning the more active activities such as ping pong and quoits.

 

It was now time to get ready for lunch. At lunch we discovered that the champagne, cocktail party and lunch are all because we are back to back passengers! There were seven B2B passengers this cruise. We were also joined by the culinary operations manager Stephan Schuetz.

 

Our lunch was delightful! it was a special menu just for lunches like this. And two kinds of wine were poured. Jim and I both chose the fillet mignon which was perfect. For dessert I chose the three flavor creme brulee that they serve in the Pinnacle Grill. Guess what! I had no room for dinner!

 

The dining schedule of upstairs being traditional and downstairs being as you wish dining is scheduled to go to all ships eventually. The new tiles were mentioned briefly but we never got back to that, just that they are bigger. They are working to do more for the repeat passengers.

 

Lunch lasted for almost two hours with a lot of discussion. I did talk to Stephan, the cuinary operations manaer. We discussed the cookies! I think he said he will try to improve the recipe. I offered to give him a recipe but I guess someone already did that several cruises ago and got many chocolate chip cookies delivered to her cabin! Stephan says he will speak to his mother about a cookie recipe! He also lamented that all this food he was responsible for and we were all concerned with COOKIES! He just doesn’t understand!

 

Dinner was the usual goodbye dinner with the white covered chairs, surf and turf, and baked Alaska. I ate a little but wasn’t too interested after lunch. After dinner there was just enough time to show up at the cocktail party in the Oak Room. This one was again for back to back passengers and another group, probably suites. I talked to the other B2Bs and some people from Rochester, where my sister lives.

[localady]

Judy-

Great to hear you had such a lovely cruise!!:D It sounds like the B2B'ers were treated very nicely!! We've done B2B's and received invites to the cocktail party, but wow, the lunch sounded awesome!:D

Counting the days till we step onboard!;)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Judy, sound like this week was a much healthier week:) Your reports are making me wish that the 5 weeks we have to wait would fly by much quicker. I could almost hear Stephen being amazed that we are so concerned about cookies:D He is such a nice person, kinda of a big teddy bear with a big smile.

I am sure you hate to see this last day on board end. It was sure great talking to you those 2 Saturdays and thankfully the SD Web Cam problem looks to be fixed. Have a good trip back to the Northern part of Cali.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Lost In space posts again:eek:

[Kreuser]

Judy-

This is me, green with envy of that wonderful lunch! :D

 

Enjoy the last of the warm weather. Our weatherman predicts rain for Saturday evening into Sunday.

As for Portland, Mon & Tues are predicted to have rain and a high of 50 degrees. That's as far in advance as WeatherUnderground posts.

 

Liz and I will be glad to have you back at home, able to email us and give us a bad time like always. No one to pick on with you gone. :p

 

Vada

[cruisinjudy]

They finally forced us to get off the ship so we are sitting in the Holiday Inn. Room won't be ready until 3:00-standard response! Jim took off for Horton Plaza again! I was not interested, think I will go to Coronado.

 

Everything went smoothly last night and this morning. We sat with table mates Marge and Bob at breakfast and said last good byes.

 

We have an early train to catch tomorrow morning. I will give train reports after we return home on Monday afternoon.

[localady]

Judy-

Have a safe trip home!! We are getting pretty soggy here in the Sacramento Valley right now, but hopefully it will clear by the time you make it this far. I will wave to you if you are coming through Roseville via Amtrak!! Have a great train trip home!:D

Kinda sad for you to watch the 'O' depart tonight, it always kinda tugs at my heart strings when I watch 'our' ship leave the Harbour after our cruise without me.:cool:

[cruisinjudy]

Thanks, baglady!

We just watched our Oosterdam sail into the sunset and we did indeed shed a tear!

 

We went to Coronado on the ferry today and ate lunch at Peohe's. Then we sailed back and waited another hour or so for our room. At 3:00 it was finaly ready.

 

We are not hungry yet but will eventually go out and get some dinner. Then up about 4:30 tomorrow to get to the train. Hope the TV check out works tomorrow morning. It didn't before the cruise.

 

I will look for Roseville on our way home on the train. i don't remember if we went through there, but if we do I will wave.

 

Vada,

You will soon be picking on me via email again. Home soon!

 

Lisa,

Great talking to you both times! I am sure you will love your anniversary cruise and boarding your Oosterdam again.

[nana50]

Judy sorry again I missed you on the cruise. We ate lunch at the Pinnacle Friday also. I loved the food but was unipressed with the service. I noticed other people getting better service so it may have been our waiter. Or Suma and Freddy in the Vista Lounge spoiled for anyone else.

[cruisinjudy]

Nana,

We were by the window at 12:00 in Pinnacle on Friday!

[cruisinjudy]

We are home, and there is no fresh squeezed OJ here! And a lot of other things missing too!

 

On Saturday we took the ferry over to Coronado and ate lunch at Peohe's. We had a great lunch. Then back to get into our room at 3PM. The room seems smaller this time. We were not hungry for dinner so we went to Hazelwoods Cafe for a light snack before they closed at 7PM. And early to bed as we have to get up and to the train station by 5:30 or so.

 

The bed was hard and so were the pillows. Let us back on the ship!

 

In the morning we checked out by using the TV and loaded up all of our luggage and toted it to the train station. Good thing the rain held off for a while! It is about three blocks to the station.

 

The train going back to Portland was on time for a while, but then started losing time to the freight trains, who have priority on the tracks since they own them! However this time we went through the scenic areas in the daylight. Much nicer traveling. We went along the coast of California and through the Cascades. All very pretty!

 

Food was pretty much the same. We talked with one couple who had been traveling around the US by train for a month. I would really get tired of the food!

 

We ended up in Portland about three hours late. Don't take the train if you need to be somewhere on time!

 

Hi to Cheryl and Lorraine and Marge if you find this!

[nana50]

Judy we were by the window at 12:30 on Friday, hmmmn. There was 4 of us. Two ships passing in the night. An apt expression in this case.

Sue

[cruisinjudy]

Sue,

There was just the two of us and we were on the right side when facing the windows.

[cruisinjudy]

Sue,

There were just the two of us and we were on the right side when facing the windows.

[nana50]

I'm not sure. They're was a couple across the aisle, but to the left of us were a couple and to the right of us also. Oh well, next time for sure. This will not be our last cruise.