Once again, we have been “fjorded” with no satellite or internet service.

Wednesday, June 26

As we continue south [practically the only direction one can go from Honningsvag], the night sky is still bright.  The continuing overcast dims the glare somewhat, but it is still light all night.  The glow through the curtains makes it look like it is perpetually 6am, too late to sleep and too early to wake up.

We exited the fjords before breakfast this morning, watching the land subside from not-quite-mountainous to coastal plain from our cabin.  We spent the day navigating the Sea of Norway where Capt. Albert oversaw us as we “buried” D’s great-aunt and –uncle in 2010.  Again, it is a story he won’t remember and we will not forget.

Today was a busy day for us since we actually partook of activities, sort of.  Breakfast in the MDR was followed by the NYT crossword puzzle.  With the time difference, the paper is not usually available in the morning, but the Dining Room Manager danced around the MDR distributing copies; newspapers from the rest of the world are usually ready although the Australian one might actually be from the previous day.

We finished checking the puzzle in time to go to the Mariner reception in the Showroom.  The room was full of old people [like us] who were there either [1] to receive medallions for spending lots of time and money with HAL or [2] to get free drinks and snacks.  We fell into the latter group as we already have our 500 “bed day” awards and will not live long enough to reach 700 days on board.  Medallions were given to passengers who had reached 100, 300 and 500 days, and one couple was recognized for having over 1600 days on HAL ships.

As we exited the MDR after breakfast, the staff was setting tables for the Mariner Luncheon.  In addition to plates and glasses, they were placing the ubiquitous HAL tiles of which we have approximately one bazillion. We skipped the brunch which followed the awards ceremony and decided to collect our tiles tomorrow if at all.  After all, what will we do with them?  No matter the ship, the menu at these affairs is always the same and quiche was not in our future at 11am.  We went for soup and whatever in the Lido later. 

Albert presented the fourth lecture in the series today.  He spent the first two, as you may remember, discussing the history of the Prinsendam and the third talking about the history of cruising as an end unto itself [as compared to using ships simply to get from Point A to Point B].  Today, he delved into the history of Holland America Line [or Amerika Lijn] from emigration transportation to pleasure cruising.  And there will be one more lecture before we disembark on Monday.

Tonight was the last formal night, thank God.  There are fewer and fewer men in tuxedos every year and D is just about the only man who wears a jacket and tie to dinner every night.  It seems that the designation “smart casual” is seen by many as a choice between “smart” and “casual,” and many choose casual as their preferred option.  These are the same people who feel that “gala” means “wear socks.”

Since “gala night” equals “presents,” we were not surprised to find something extra on the turned-down beds after supper.  Following the HAL tile tradition, the pillow gifts were larger tiles commemorating the Prinsendam’s 17 years in the HAL fleet.  It is unlike anything else we have seen both in size and specificity, a true collector’s item which will be on E-Bay next week.

Today’s movie was Bohemian Rhapsody but show times conflicted with Albert at 3, dinner at 7 and exhaustion at 9:30.  Ah, well, there’s always Netflix.

Tomorrow we will be in Geiringer and then sail through yet another fjord when we leave.  Really, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a fjord.

Thursday, June 27

We arrived in Geiringer at 7:30 this morning to the Cruise Director’s announcements about tender service and priority boarding.  The 4 and 5 Star got to assemble – and wait – in the Ocean Bar while everyone else waited in the Showroom.  The high rollers even got coffee and pastries.  We are not sure where they were going at such an ungodly hour unless they were on HAL excursions, but we were not really concerned since we were going nowhere.  Instead, we ate in the MDR as usual and asked the hostess about the tiles from yesterday.  She smiled at us and handed us two of them as if we were normal people.

Transferring to a tender is often tricky, especially for MA.  It requires a degree of balance to move from the ship to the tender even with help from the crew and mandates traversing a flight of steps on the outside of the ship.  Luckily, today’s tender transfers were easy because the ship and surrounding water were absolutely motionless.  From our cabin, it looked like we were moored on a calm lake; we were so close to the shore that we could watch people in campers watching us.  Across the road, there was a wall of green as pine trees rose on the hill.  It looked like Juneau, Alaska, without the cable car.

MA’s cold has returned.  Just once, we would like to take a cruise without one or the other of us getting sick or falling.  D has looked for nasal spray and cold remedies from Japan to Germany.  Because of the tender situation, the nasal situation and the overcast skies, we turned today into yet another sea day.  With no internet [a mixed blessing], we spent the day reading and doing crossword puzzles and napping.  And napping some more.  The movie was The Green Book which we saw earlier this year, so even that was not a viable activity.  We are hoping that our luck and the weather will change tomorrow in Flam.

The last tender was due back at 3:30.  Once it was lifted back in place, we set off down the Geiringer Fjord.  We arrived at Geiringer via the fjord as well, but that was during what passed as nighttime.  Traveling outbound, we were surrounded by dramatic tree-covered rock walls dropping straight into the water.  As we approached the Sea of Norway again, the scenery changed once again to coastal plains.

Next stop: Flam

Friday, June 28

The weather gods smiled on us today.  Despite some high clouds [and some low ones which obscured some of the hilltops], the day was bright and relatively warm; temperatures rose to the mid-60s by afternoon.  We were docked in the middle of everything which doesn’t say much in Flam.  As a result, we had no excuse not to leave the ship.  Finally.

After breakfast and puzzle time, D ventured forth to see how far the walk was to anywhere and discovered we were that close to everything and there were benches all over the place in case MA needed to sit.  And so it came to pass that we left for retail therapy and may lunch.

Flam is a picturesque but minuscule village at the head of the Sognefjord.  When we visited in 2010, we took the train from Bergen to Myrdal [elevation 2800 feet] and then down to Flam through a series of twists, turns and tunnels  that would have been right at home in an amusement park.

 

Prior to our leaving, D had purchased 1700 Norwegian kroner [crowns] and we had had no opportunity to spend them until now.  Better to use them than convert them back to dollars in an airport.  Up to this point, all of our shipboard shopping had been on shipboard credit, in other words, free.   We managed, somehow, to spend 1300 of the 1700 kroner in no time flat.

Lunch was a different matter.  We found no place that appealed and, even if we had, our remaining 400 kroner would not have been enough for lunch.  We were not surprised; Albert had mentioned earlier that he and Lesley were amazed that a hamburger ashore was $24.  Needless to say, we had lunch in the Lido again, the MDR being closed on port days.

What followed, then, was our typical afternoon, a nap until it was time to dress for dinner.  What a dinner it was!  HAL may not be serving cold berry soups here in the arctic and near-arctic temps, but we finally got meatloaf!  We are simple creatures in so many ways.

We pulled away from the dock at 6:30 and started the long trip down the Sognefjord, the longest in Norway.  We made this trip in a bateau mouche in 2010 when our friend Marvin spent the entire trip standing on the front of the boat in the wind.  The Prinsendam will make the journey at a more sedate pace since we are not due in Bergen for another 12-plus hours.

A quick stop in the casino and then early to bed because we have an actual shore excursion in Bergen.

 

Tuesday June 25

We are not sure what Narvik has to recommend it.  It is not the Top of the World nor associated with Edvard Grieg or Henrik Ibsen.  What it does have is a shuttle to the center of town although we did not take it. [In his blog entry, Capt. Albert gave the impression that the shopping mall near the shuttle stop was the highlight of Narvik; its intricate escalators were the subject of his only photo.]

MA was a bit “off her feed,” as Grandma Jane would have said, and felt more secure staying on board.  D ventured as far as the pier for what we call Walmart on the Wharf, local vendors trying to sell local goods to the tourists.  There were only three lonely card tables set up.  One had knitted creations like hats and doilies; one had very modern jewelry; and the third had magnets made from painted rocks.

D spoke for a bit with the rock and jewelry sellers and discovered that there are more cruise ships in Narvik in the winter than in the summer.  Apparently, tourists want to experience “the real” arctic and see polar bears.  And freeze.  Narvik depends on iron to drive its economy, not tourism.

We spent most of the day in the cabin again.  Soup in the Lido sufficed for lunch and MA was still not 100 per cent, so we ate a room-service dinner on our balcony.  Of course, it was 45 degrees outside, the wind was blowing at Force 5 and we have no balcony.  As you may remember, we don’t even have a window sill.  We did eat in the room, though, after telling the cabin stewards not to bother cleaning this evening.  They were concerned for our health but pleased to have less work.

Tomorrow is a sea-day at sea, but we will actually do things for a change.

Apparently, the fjords interfere with satellite reception, so the blog has not been posted for several days.

Sunday, June 23

Since yesterday was a sea day, there was really nothing to report.  It was, however, the second formal night.  Following the pattern of Grand Cruises, we found another “pillow gift” in the room after dinner.  HAL produced a photo album with commentary memorializing the Prinsendam.  The unusual pictures were combined with comments from Captain Dag, with whom we don’t think we have sailed, rather than Captain Gundersen, the original master and partial designer of the ship.

Once again, we did not leave the ship today.  We are docked in Honningsvag on Norway’s North Cape.  Honningsvag is pretty much the Northernmost city in Scandinavia.

As we approached our destination, we passed massive barren cliffs dropping straight into the Sea of Norway.  At the top of one, we discovered later, is a globe and tourist area indicating that this is “the North Cape.”  As Albert wrote in his blog, there isn’t much to do there except peer over the edge and look at the water if you can stand up to the wind which blows constantly.  As we approached this point, the captain made a 360 degree turn so everybody could see the rock formation.  D may have a picture of it, emphasis on may.

Because there was no place within walking distance which looked interesting, we “stayed home” and relaxed.

Monday, June 24

Today we are in Tromso, a rather modern-looking city.  Although there were several tours offered, none interested us and the overcast skies and light intermittent rain persuaded us to stay on board.  

Although we have yet to leave the ship – or even venture onto the deck – we are enjoying the cruise.  A bit more “ocean motion” would be appreciated so we would know we were on a moving vessel, but smooth seas are not to be ridiculed; they make up for some of the bouncy ones we have had in the past.

When people ask us if we have been on tours or in town, we emphasize that we booked this final cruise of the Prinsendam only because it is the final cruise.  Normally, we select cruises for their destinations, but this time the ship is the destination.  For many others, the itinerary drove their choice and they were unaware that this was the final voyage until they boarded.

We have been surprised at the downtown architecture in all of the ports.  Where most of the residences appear to have steep, pitched roofs to keep snow from accumulating, the commercial buildings have flat roofs like business districts everywhere.  Other modern touches include frequent public buses and street sweepers.  These ports are commercial ones and the locals may tolerate tourists but do not depend on them.  This may change a bit when we get to Bergen and Flam but even these towns would survive without tourist money.

Tomorrow we will invade Narvik.

Friday, June 21

Summer is officially here in the Land of the Midnight Sun.  On this, the longest day of the year, the sun will barely set before it rises again.  Even at 3am, it will be light outside.  Luckily, the curtains in the cabin will be closed.

From our vantage point, Trondheim looked like the other ports so far.  Nothing “quaint” was visible from our window, just a commercial-looking downtown area.  We know there are museums and “highlights” somewhere because we saw Albert and Lesley walk into town today.  For us, the distance and slope were formidable especially when combined with the overcast skies and occasional showers.  As a result, we  continued our streak of sea-days-in-port.

When we left Trondheim, we traveled down the Trondheimsfjord.  We debated where to observe this and ended up in the Crow’s Nest where we were, surprisingly, able to get chairs by a window.  The fjord itself was disappointing because it was not nearly as steep and dramatic as the Sognefjord we traversed in 2010.  On the other hand, we were able to see several dolphins [or whales] cavorting around the ship.  Whatever they were, they had dorsal fins.  We returned to the room to continue watching on the closed-circuit television broadcast, but it was still more flat and less fjord-like than we expected.

 We did finally book a tour, so we will leave the ship at least once.  As much as we hate The Big Bus, we signed up for a two-hour bus tour of Bergen.  The tour will return to the ship around 11am leaving us time to go back to town if it is within walking distance and the weather isn’t too bad.

We have had such smooth seas so far that it is hard to believe that we are on a ship.  The captain warned us that our luck will finally run out tonight and tomorrow.  There will be some rocking and rolling but too much.  We are looking forward to it.

Tomorrow is a sea day at sea which means more of the same.

Wednesday, June 19

The Good Ship Prinsendam appeared to be docked in a commercial port this morning, so we were in no hurry to go anywhere.  While Stavanger may be a nice town, there was nothing in sight/walking distance to entice us off the ship.  Thus, we had our first sea day in port.  There will undoubtedly be others.

Having a sea day in port means that we have a leisurely breakfast in the MDR and read and relax until lunch time.  Then we relax some more before having our daily SCAN before supper.  A SCAN is a Senior Citizen Afternoon Nap.  We followed that routine today.  Breakfast was in the MDR; lunch was in the Lido and dinner in the MDR at our new table.  The afternoon featured Albert’s second lecture on the history of the Prinsendam followed by the purchase of hats for our mail carrier [who loves baseball caps] and the neighbor who whisked us to the airport last week.  After dinner, we returned to the cabin rather than subject ourselves to the comedian.

Tomorrow, the ship will be in Alesund.  Will we?

 

Thursday, June 20

In a word, “no.”  From the MDR and Lido windows, we could see the Alesund City Hall; at least, we think the “radhuis” is the city hall since it is similar to the Rathuis in Vienna.  If it isn’t, we will never know.  We could also see a big German cruise ship just behind us.  We have seen the Mein Schiff in other ports on other cruises.  It is an apartment block on water, like most of the newer ships, with no style or elegance to her.  It is ships like this that make us miss the Prinsendam even more.

There were no presentations by Albert today, so we spent the afternoon watching Stan and Ollie in the little movie theater.  It was surprisingly empty – perhaps 20 people in attendance.  We enjoyed the story of Laurel and Hardy’s attempt to make a comeback in 1953, 16 years after their final movie.

We had neighbors at dinner tonight, a couple from Texas.  He was an insurance broker for Northwest Mutual [“our” insurance company] and she was a ditz.  Before leaving the MDR, we had a long conversation with Moko, our dining room steward.  After dinner, D “cashed in” his $25 HAL casino chip at the blackjack table by which he means “lost.”  We played slots for a few minutes but did not really like the choice of machines.  There is no doubt, however, that we will be back in the casino.

Tomorrow will find the ship in Trondheim as well as sailing through the fjords.

Tuesday, June 18

Happy 47^th birthday to Jon.

Since today was a sea day, we were forced to do very little.  On port days, we will do the same voluntarily.  As usual, we had breakfast in the main dining room [MDR] at the “honeymoon table,” a table for two.  There is always the option to eat at a larger table and meet new people, but we tend to eat by ourselves although we often chat with folks at adjacent tables.  Today’s neighbors were from Arizona and we talked about the weather there, in Florida and in Norway; at lunch yesterday, there were two women from Wisconsin who were really jet-lagged.

We read and did puzzles after breakfast before MA took a nap.  By the time she was conscious, the MDR was closed, forcing us to eat lunch in the Lido.  It was a bit brisk by the pool, so we ate inside.  When we were finished, we headed to the showroom in order to get seats for Capt. Albert’s 3pm lecture.

Capt. Albert is Albert Schoonderbeek.  The comedians often call him Captain Scooby-Doo.  We have sailed with him on the Prinsendam twice, in 2010 and 2011, and were fortunate to have had dinner with him at “the big table” several times.  He often sails with his wife Lesley who is as delightful as Albert.  He calls her “She Who Must Be Obeyed,” “My Lord and Master” and “The Mystery Shopper.”  In 2011, MA spent the day with Lesley watching the royal wedding [William and Kate] and D once modeled a jacket in the ship’s shop so Lesley could decide if it would fit/look good on Albert.  They may not remember us, but we will never forget them.  We even sent them a note asking them to join us for dinner in the Pinnacle later in the cruise; as of this writing, we have had no answer but are not optimistic.

Albert no longer commands a ship.  Rather, he travels throughout the HAL and Seabourn fleets training new officers and conducting safety training exercises.  For many years, he has maintained a blog focused on seamanship in which he explains the machinations of tides, winds, weather and harbors for wherever he happens to be.  More important is his lifelong interest in anything HAL.  He has become an expert on the history of Holland America and, especially, the captains.  He is on the Prinsendam’s final voyage as a guest speaker, not as an officer [and even attended the safety drill Monday prior to departure].

Today’s lecture was part one on the history of the Prinsendam.  The use of the name for a HAL ship predates this particular vessel and he explained the derivation of the name in relation to the names of the other ships past and present.  He also spoke at length [and illustrated] the history of the current ship since its inception as the Royal Viking Sun in 1988.  Since then, it has also sailed as a Seabourn and Cunard ship joining HAL in 2002.

After Albert’s presentation, we returned to the cabin, relaxed and prepared for tonight’s formal night, the first of three.  We at in the Pinnacle Grill, the oh-so-fancy alternate dining venue which features high end beef and seafood with a Northwest emphasis.  The food was excellent [shrimp cocktails and scallops] and the setting calm. 

It should be noted in retrospect that dinner Monday was not calm.  While we had a lovely table for two by a window, we were disturbed by a loud group at a nearby table.  The diners were not rude but were very enthusiastic [read: loud] and made it difficult for us to hold a conversation.  D spent some time during dinner working with the dining room manager to find us a different, and we hope better, table for the rest of the cruise.

Speaking of disappointments, we were not able to get “our” cabin, number 451.  We have had this cabin on four of the previous five Prinsendam cruises [and should have had it every time expect for a mistake by HAL].  We are in 463 this time.  While it is similar [same hallway, shower only], it is smaller.  There is not enough room for two nights stands, just one.  This makes a big difference since there are now fewer drawers for storage and less “elbow room” next to the bed.  The biggest difference/inconvenience is that, for unknown reasons, there is a plexiglass panel over the window well.  We often have used this space for storage, especially as a hiding place for Christmas presents this past year.  And D keeps hitting his head on it when he tries to look out the window.

 We don’t know how special this cruise will be in terms of “extras” or surprises.  Albert hinted in his blog the other day that things are planned but he would not commit or comment on what they are in case things go wrong.  Nonetheless, when we returned from dinner tonight, we found a box of dessert plates on the bed along with the regular chocolates.  We already have a set courtesy of friends Alan and Annie who brought them back from a World Cruise in 2017; we now have service for 16.  We are curious to see if these goodies continue and wonder how to get this all home.

There have been rumors that some items peculiar to the Prinsendam may be auctioned off.  MA would like to get a life preserver even though we have no way to get it home and nowhere to put it.  More practical, but no more likely, would be an elevator rug; these change every day so that passengers will know what day of the week it is.  We would like to get Saturday or Sunday since every day at home is like a weekend.  For the most part, though, everything on board will go with the ship to its new German owners.

Tomorrow, the ship is in Stavanger, Norway.  If there is a town worth seeing within walking distance, we will venture forth in search of a local lunch.  If not, we will have a “sea day in port.”

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

The latest incarnation of The Longest Day began innocently enough.  We were up at 7:30 and were at the Spa for manicures at 9:00.  Home by 9:30, we had an hour to kill before our driver was due.  The suitcases were packed; the house had been straightened for the cleaning lady; and we were at loose ends.

The Super Shuttle people had sent a text with a link to the driver’s GPS, so D started to monitor his progress.  He seemed to be taking a circuitous route and D started to worry.  Finally, he used the “contact the driver” link and asked him to call us.  He responded quickly and we discovered that [1] he was given the wrong time to pick us up and [2] he was in Lake Worth at the wrong development and wondered why the guards would not let him in.  By now, it was past 11 and we needed to be at the airport by noon so we had enough time to check our bags.  D called the next door neighbor who did not hesitate to agree to drive us.

Speed Racer had us at PBI in record time.  We checked our Vanderbilt-like luggage at the curb and went through TSA Pre-Check in a flash.  We had time to wolf down Whopper Jrs before being called to board our Southwest flight to Baltimore.  Whew!

We are on our way to Amsterdam to board the Prinsendam, our favorite Holland America ship.  The Elegant Explorer, as she is known, has been sold to a German cruise line and this will be her last voyage for HAL.  For two weeks, we will sail up [and down] the coast of Norway before returning to Amsterdam.  We are Crossing the Pond a few days early to visit museums [weather permitting] and to visit Dutch friends.

Our plane from Florida actually landed early which meant that we had even more time to kill at BWI.  We were off the plane and had our luggage by 3:30 or so.  We were lucky enough to meet a “wheelie,” one of the support staff who pushes who passengers who need wheelchairs; she volunteered to assist MA since she was going to the international terminal herself.  She steered MA whilst D pushed a trolley with three suitcases and two carry-ons while dragging the fourth suitcase.  The Vanderbilts indeed.

Once we schlepped to Terminal E and British Airways, we realized that check-in would not begin until 6:00.  It was 4pm at that point.  We found comfortable seating and D went in search of lunch [remember, breakfast had been Burger King].  It took 45 minutes for the round trip; the food options before the security areas were slim.  We ended up with chicken tenders which were surprisingly good.

By 5:45, we were in line with all the other anal retentives and by 6:15 we were on the way to and through security.  Again, we were stamped with Pre-Check on our boarding passes so barely slowed down. 

Our first flight is scheduled to take off at 9:30, so we had 3 hours to kill.  Since we always fly in the front of the plane on long trips, we were able to use the Chesapeake Lounge, BA’s Business Class holding area, rather than having to sit in the departure area.  Comfy chairs, snacks and drinks, and peace and quiet. 

The lounge closed down at 8:45 as all of the British Airways passengers were told to report to the gate for boarding.  We took flight at 9:30, as scheduled, and opted not to have dinner.  Like most of the rest of the passengers in our area, we tuned off the lights [well, the cabin crew did] and MA went to sleep and D tried mightily.  MA slept uninterrupted until we were approaching London 6 hours later but D slept only a little.

 

Wednesday, June 12

There was a 2-hour layover at London Heathrow before we continue on to Amsterdam Schipol.  While that sounded like a lot of time, especially since our bags were checked through, we had to go through security screening again.  More long lines and confusion.

Once through, we made our way to the BA lounge which seemed to be in Scotland it was so far from the security checkpoint.  Lots of walking and elevators.  We asked about a wheelchair for MA and were told a chair was available but a wheelie wasn’t.  D said he would push the chair if they gave him directions to the gate. 

We were in the lounge about a half hour – long enough to get a light breakfast – before it was time to go.  MA balked at the chair but relented when there was a wheelie ready and able to take her.  D had a hard time keeping up but we all made it to the gate at the same time.  As luck would have it, we were the first people to board the plane.

Inclement weather had forced a “hold” on planes heading to Amsterdam, so we sat on the tarmac at Heathrow for 45 minutes.  As a result, we did not arrive at Schipol until almost 3pm.   However, there was a wheelchair and a wheelie waiting for us.  Once MA was pushed up the long and steep jetway, we transferred to a motorized people carrier and were whisked through the airport to an elevator leading to baggage claim and customs The wheelie, Josephine, steered us through Customs, bypassing the long line, and then onward to collect our luggage.  She even insisted on taking the bags off the belt although D stacked them on a trolley.

We followed her as she pushed a chair-bound passenger through the madness of the airport.  Once outside, we discovered a cold and rainy day.  Naturally, our sweaters and rain jackets were packed safely away where we could not get to them.  Josepheine deposited her other passenger at the taxi stand and then led us through the rain to the shuttle stop for our hotel.  We had to wait for more than 20 minutes but were mostly under cover.  Still, it was cold and raw and we were decidedly under-dressed.

The shuttle showed up exactly when expected, we stowed the luggage and got out of the cold.  After checking in, we collapsed on the beds and slept for hours before going to the café and getting  for supper at 10:15.

Tomorrow, if the weather is better, we will go to the Rijksmuseum and gawk.

Thursday, June 13

We are in Amsterdam, but it could just as well be a sea day in port.  We were so lazy – and jet-lagged – that we left the room only to get a late dinner.  There was no breakfast since we stayed so late in bed and lunch, such as it was, was burgers and McFlurries from the Mickey D’s next door. [D had to charge lunch because his 50 euro would not register.  It turned out that he had presented a Norwegian 50 kroner bill by mistake]   Dinner at the hotel was beef bourginon for MA and ribs for D.  Overall, we spent the day in the Twilight Zone.

Friday, June 14

Our plans for Amsterdam included two reunions with old friends.  Today, we were to meet Edwin van den Hooven for lunch downtown.  We were up and presentable in enough time to catch the 10am shuttle from the hotel to Schiphol airport.  We wandered around like the Israelites in the desert looking for information about trains to Centraal Station.  We ended up in a line at a ticket kiosk.

When it was our turn to purchase tickets, D punched all the right buttons, but the machine would not recognize our credit card. We eventually found the ticket booth and purchased round-trip tickets to Amsterdam.  We followed the yellow brick road and found track 2 where train was waiting.  We arrived at the station well before our meeting time, so we searched for and found a Starbucks where we had Frappucinos and split a lemon muffin.  Breakfast of the gods.

Edwin had decided to take the train rather than drive so he could avoid Friday afternoon traffic on the way home.  We were all coming to Centraal Station which made meeting easy.  We met Edwin as planned at 11:45 and dithered about walking or getting a taxi.  Since we could not find a taxi stand, we started to walk to the restaurant Edwin had picked.  The day was warmer and the skies clearer than we had anticipated; we had dressed for overcast, rain and temperatures in the 60s, so the walk was warm to say the least.  Maybe it was the heat; maybe it was the late Starbucks breakfast; maybe it was the cobblestones.  Whatever the cause, MA was quite suddenly collapsing on the sidewalk.  Her legs had turned to jelly and she just dropped.  Edwin and D got her up and half-carried her to a nearby department store where there was some place to sit down.  Edwin went to call a taxi to come for us.  Once MA was sufficiently recovered, we crossed the street to meet the taxi.  Once again, we found a seat for MA.  When the taxi failed to appear, Edwin engaged a pedal-cab to take us the restaurant.  The three of us, including 6 foot-plus Edwin, squeezed into a seat meant for 2 and off we went.  Essentially, we were in a bicycle tuk-tuk whizzing over the cobblestones of Amsterdam.

Lunch itself was anti-climactic.  The restaurant was quite busy, the atmosphere was pleasant and we enjoyed the food and fellowship.  All good things have to end, and so Edwin had the staff call a cab and we all returned to Centraal Station to find our way home.  We reversed our morning schlep and went from the train to the airport to the hotel shuttle to the hotel with no problems – and no rain.  Today we were dressed for the rain we met on Wednesday whereas on Wednesday we were dressed for the weather we had today.  On average, then, we were okay.             

Saturday, June 15

We both spent restless nights, D’s made all the worse by intestinal distress reminiscent of his experience in Jakarta years ago.  Then, he may have had a touch of food poisoning after eating a crab; today’s may have been induced by crab and shrimp at lunch.

We were able to get to the hotel’s breakfast buffet before it closed.  It was disappointing and made us yearn for breakfast on shipboard.  We returned to the room to await the housekeeping staff because D had somehow locked our cash in the room safe but could not open it later.  Eventually, he returned to the front desk and reminded them to open the safe and someone came immediately.  The lone housekeeper for the floor did not arrive to clean the room [clean being used loosely] until after 4pm.

Otherwise, it was another sea day in port.  Between MA’s aching body and D’s discomfort, staying home was the best option.  We were disappointed to miss the museums on our mental schedule, but we had seen them before.  We spent most of the day in comfortable chairs in the lobby.  D chatted with our cruise-friend Linda/Ginger via FB Messenger and we went outside long enough to walk next door for McD’s chicken strips and real, high-test Cokes.  Before returning to the room, we bought another Coke [no free refills here] and 3 macarons from the McCafe display.  This may become our new breakfast place.

We were in bed early again.  It’s like the jet-lag will never end.

Sunday, June 16

Somehow, in handling the travel alarm clock, we activated the alarm which went off at 6am this morning.  MA slept right through it but D did not and filled the hours [yes, hours] before MA finally woke up by reading the news, browsing FB and pretending to do the Sunday NYT crossword puzzle.

We skipped the breakfast buffet which was disappointing and probably over-priced. [When we checked out Monday, we discovered that we had not been charged for the buffet, but it was still over-priced.]  Once everyone was dressed, we hopped on the shuttle and went to Schiphol to find lunch/brunch.  We selected an egg place since we were looking for brunch and had spinach/Portobello quiches and cappuccinos.  After wandering a bit – including looking in a grocery store for stroopwaffels – we reversed course, took the shuttle and went “home.”

This was not the day we had expected.  Our original plan had us taking the train to Kampen to visit our friends Marcel and Jeanet whom we had met years ago on a holiday cruise with Emily.  We have seen them in Florida several times when they were cruising out of Miami and we visited them in Delft in 2014 when we spent several days in the Netherlands following a river cruise.  That was also the last time we saw Edwin.

Instead of talking of travels and families [ours since they have no children], we spent most of the day in the hotel lobby reading, blogging and doing crossword puzzles.  We ate dinner at the hotel; MA had pork satay and D had a gigantic pork schnitzel which was so big he ate only half of it.  After dinner, we finished packing for tomorrow’s departure on the Prinsendam.

Monday, June 17

D claims he did not sleep Saturday night, but that seems unlikely.  Ma slept like the proverbial rock and got up at 7, an hour before D was going to wake her.  There was the usual last minute checking, rearranging and securing of the suitcases and by 10:15 we were pushing and dragging a dolly filled with 4 suitcases and 2 carry-ons down the hall and into the elevator.  It was slow going and a tight fir in the tiny elevator, but no one died or was even maimed.  We hauled our belongings outside to wait for our ride from near the airport to downtown Amsterdam, site of the cruise terminal.

D had contracted with a car service in January and we were hoping for better luck than we had in West Palm last week.  We were both a little anxious as 11 o’clock came and went, but a taxi – our taxi – pulled in just a few minutes late.  D thought he had reserved a car which would hold 4 people with 3 medium suitcases and carry-ons.  Of course, we ended up with 4 suitcases none of which was really “medium.”  To top it off, the car was a 6-month old Tesla which the driver was babying.  He would allow no luggage in the car, not even on our laps, and got upset if we used the front seat backs to get out of the car.  He was masterful at stowing all of our bags although he did castigate us a bit about ordering the wrong size car.  Nonetheless, we sped silently along the roads and were at the dock before noon.  He unloaded the bags, we tipped handsomely, and he was off.

A young man schlepped our stuff into the terminal where it was fed onto a conveyor belt [we tipped him, too].  Next, we signed in and got our room key-cards and headed to security.  Getting on a cruise ship may not be as strenuous as boarding an airplane, but the screening is just as thorough.  We breezed on through, boarded the ship and went to our cabin.

We were unable to book our regular cabin, but we are an identical one further down the hall.  When we entered, there was a bottle of maybe-not-so-bad champagne waiting for us with a note that it was from Ferdinand Basa and the Beverage Department.  We did not expect Ferdie to be on this cruise and we were right.  D found the Beverage Manager, Alphonse, who said that Alphonse was to take good care of us.  We don’t know what that means but we suspect the champagne is all there is to it.

Lunch in the MDR was served from noon until 1 pm, so at 12:30 time we, went to lunch.  By the time we returned, the bags started to arrive, so we spent the afternoon unpacking and stowing and also assembling 2 bags of laundry. 

The steward who was delivering luggage [and who took our laundry] looks like one of the stewards from our Christmas cruise.  He called us by name which is not significant in itself and had no name tag.  We will keep looking.

At 4pm, there was the mandatory boat drill which went on forever because people did not show up.  Hoping to rest her back while standing, MA did an Episcopal slump on a window sill rather than sit down on a towel chest.  She landed on a grease glob and ruined not only her while pants but also he underwear.  When things go wrong…

One of the shore excursion sheets we got today said that the transfer to Schiphol at the end of the cruise is only for passengers whose plans leave after 10:30.  Ours is scheduled for 10:40 which we feel is a wee bit too close for comfort.  We are trying to cancel that so we can arrange for a minivan to get us early.  Not only would we get to the airport in plenty of time but we would also not have to deal with the steps on the bus [or all of those old people].  Time will tell whether we can cancel the shuttle.

We left Amsterdam at about 10 feet per hour, killing time because the outer lock connecting the city to the North Sea was broken.  We had to go slowly to keep our place in line and are hopeful that this delay will only cost us an hour or two.  The time will be made up easily before our first port.

Tomorrow is a sea day and the first formal night.