And thus today reality kicked in and I arrived on the Nieuw Amsterdam after having been on vacation since December last year. Officially I was not supposed to be here as the Maasdam was on the schedule but another “school class” popped up and then things can change. I could have conducted the Nautical Excellence Class on the Maasdam as well as there might have been cabins but another challenge loomed at the horizon and one which was hard to overcome. Brazilian Visa Requirements. Brazil has a reciprocal Visa system. I call it a tit for tat system. If a country requires Visa’s for a Brazilian then the Brazilian Government requires Visa’s for people from that Country. The USA and recently also Europe requires working Seamen coming into the country to have a Visa. Thus Brazil has instituted something similar to the C1/D1 of the USA. That would have required all six new officers to go to the Brazilian Embassy for an interview and then get the stamp. A lot of work for little use as HAL seldom has crew joining in Brazilian ports. Most cruises to Brazil start from the USA and we normally join and leave in the American home port. To avoid the whole hassle we shifted the class to the Nieuw Amsterdam.
And that is the reason why I am here. One week by myself and then on the 14th of Feb. the class arrives for two weeks. I could not get them any earlier on board as this week’s cruise is a charter for RSVP and there is/was a waiting list with 600 who also wanted the go. So the ship is filled to capacity, no empty cabins. Because it is a charter the ship is making a slightly different cruise than her normal 7 day Caribbean HAL season. We are now calling at Half Moon Cay, then Gustavia on St.Bartholome, followed by St. Thomas. The great thing with a charter cruise is that the charterer quite often does something different than what the regular company schedule calls for. Sometimes there are overnights, sometimes new ports and sometimes a port is cancelled because you want more sea time. They pay, so they get what is possible and achievable within operational constraints. They crew does not mind at all as they all get the chance to see a new port or have some extra time ashore in the evening.
I am looking forward to Gustavia on St.Bartholome. This is a more obscure port in the Caribbean as it is hard to get there for the main stream cruise ships. There is a tender distance / time of nearly 20 minutes as larger ships have to anchor quite far out. Hence the place is mostly called at by the smaller cruise ships which have less draft. In a similar way as Marigot on the French side of St.Maarten.
The Nieuw Amsterdam is the newest ship in the fleet, it entered service in 2010 and is also the largest ship in the fleet until the arrival of the Koningsdam in April. The ship is under the command of Captain Edward van Zaane who has been her principal commander since 2010.
It was a busy Cruise ship day today in Port Everglades with two large RCI, two Large HAL, a large Celebrity and a large Princess ship in port. If there were smaller ones in port as well then they were well hidden behind the big boys, as I did not see them. When I came in this morning with the crew bus there was a meandering line of at least a 100 Taxi’s snaking towards piers 20 to 26. Nothing to be amazed about as a rough count indicates that today about 17,000 cruise guests left and joined the ships. Not counting the crew. I wonder how many taxi company owners must have become millionaire’s since this Cruise ship boom started in Florida.
Tomorrow we are in Half Moon Cay for the day which is a regular call the ship normally makes. Temperatures are expected to be in the high sixties. Around 20oC with partly cloudy skies and with a moderate breeze blowing.
February 8, 2016 at 6:54 am
Hi Capt. Albert,
Welcome back. I trust you had an enjoyable vacation. I will now once again enjoy reading your blogs as it keeps me up to date with all this nautical. Presently on Rotterdam after joining in Dubai and we are today sailing to Myanmar where we arrive in two days time. The voyage has been excellent so far with great passengers and crew not forgetting the culinary delights and entertainment. I am onboard until Singapore 17 February before flying home to cape town.
Best regards
Ted Dixon
February 8, 2016 at 12:47 pm
Welcome back Captain A. We have missed you and your stories since December.
Roger T
February 8, 2016 at 5:24 pm
Welcome back to work Captain Albert I have been checking your blog since Feb 1st.
February 8, 2016 at 5:47 pm
Welcome back Captain Albert, lovely to read all about your new assignment, I have really
Missed my bedtime reading. Also belated Happy New Year to you
From Robina Herrington
February 8, 2016 at 6:26 pm
As always, welcome back Captain Albert. I have missed your posts…..Ruud
February 9, 2016 at 1:13 am
I also welcome you back as I miss reading your blogs. We will be on the Nieuw Amsterdam on 12 Mar for the cruise through the canal to Seattle. You will probably be long gone toanother ship by that time which is too bad as we have not seen you for several years.
February 9, 2016 at 4:56 pm
Hello Robbie,
thank you for reading my blog. That is really a blast from the past. I hope all is well and have a great cruise on the N.A. It is a really nice ship although much bigger than the old NA which you will remember.
Best regards
Capt. Albert
February 9, 2016 at 6:29 pm
And another one eager to climb up your gangway again to join you on your travels. I was secretly hoping you would find cabins on a ship doing South America for at least another three weeks. Welcome back in English; otherwise, please rescue me out of the gutter one more time.
February 9, 2016 at 8:41 pm
Captain Albert,
We are joining the New Amsterdam on Feb 14. We hope you will have time for one of your HAL history talks that week.
Loyal reader,
Rob Marshall