31 October 2007, Belize

Sometimes the weather forecasters do live up to their reputation by getting it really wrong. The forecast for Belize was 16 knots from the NE and when we arrived it was blowing 30 knots from the North West. It did not matter that much for our call at Belize as the anchorage is safe even if it blows a lot harder. However it makes the tender ride a bit bumpier. Later during the day,the wind fell away completely, only to return just before departure and that meant that the guests coming back had a smooth ride. The wind blew also the clouds away and the sun shone all day long with a very pleasant temperature.

We were the only ship in port today but it will be the last time. In three weeks, when we are back again, there will be two other ships each time at the anchorage at the same time. But today the guests had Belize City all to themselves. No cruise ships but there were cargo ships for a change. Apart from being a cruise port, Belize City is also the main cargo port for Belize. Containerships, tankers and general cargo ships call here at a regular basis. This morning we had a cargo ship going for the pilot at the same time. As a cruise ship is running on a tight schedule, we asked this cargo ship to slow down a little bit while we sped up so we could take the pilot 5 minutes before them. I always wonder what the officers on those ships think when once again there is a cruise ship racing by to slip into port just before them. When I was a cadet on a containership, I already dreamed about joining Holland America after getting my license and each time I saw a cruise ship the urge got stronger. I wonder whether they think the same when they see a cruise ship all lit up coming by……………..

Ralph Grizzle the editor from the Avid Cruiser magazine, who makes this blog possible, has upgraded my blogsite to a normal domain name of www.Captainalbert.com and that means that during my coming leave period (starting 9 Dec.) I will start expanding the blog with more items. I am thinking about a Hal history section and more photos of us on board, so if you decide to make a cruise on the Veendam you will already know who is who on board.

In regards to who is who; it means for the ships staff basically two groups of people. The Captain’s, Chief Officers, Chief Engineers and Environmental officers are all on a cycle of three months on and three months off. Only the Hotel managers are still on four on, two off. The 3 month period fluctuates a little bit as we move the days around make it work for Christmas and New Year. I have a cycle with my British Colleague James Russell-Dunford of having two holidays on and two off. That means I will be off for this Christmas again and then two years in a row on board. As I can set the dates for this 3 on 3 off cycle far in advance, it makes it possible to plan my vacations far into the future. In the past when we did four month periods and hopped from ship to ship, you could never plan and thus could never take advantage from cheap holiday deals that are out there. Deals only available if you can book way ahead of time.

As my wife and I like to make cruises with the competition to see what they are all about; we can now get those good deals by booking early. We are doing a booze cruise on new P&O Ventura next year (three day channel hop) and my wife is looking into a cruise with Fred Olsen because we do not know anything about that product. As their clientele demographics are similar to Holland America, with British guests instead of American, it would be interesting to see how those ships operate. Fred Olsen is expanding so they must be doing something good.

As we were alone today, there were no delays in the tours coming back, so we could leave the anchorage exactly on time and aim for an early arrival in Santo Tomas de Castillo. Here the weather forecast calls for light winds but experience has learned that if it blows 30 knots North West in Belize it does something similar in the approaches to Santo Tomas.