Holland America ships all end in “dam” so, of course, they are referred to as the Dam ships. The Rotterdam was outside the window when we woke up this morning. It is right across the street so it’s hard to miss. We have a room on the 5th floor overlooking the harbor. Turning to right, there is a sailing ship about a block away.
Three blocks down to the left is the famous WWII ship, the USS Midway. We toured the Midway in 2010. Bill has many memories of San Diego because he went through Navy boot camp here in 1960. He likes to tell the story of the time he missed dinner because he chosen for a handling party for the Midway. He was in a group of sailors who handled the ropes when it tied up to the dock. They were not happy.
One of the sailors on board the Midway got his foot fouled in the rope and was hauled over the side. They talked about dumping him in the water but took mercy on him and let his mates haul him back on board.
Last night, we met many fellow cruisers. I thought they might want to talk politics but no. All of these people are frequent cruisers and many spend most of their time on board. One couple is on their 43rd cruise. They are in their 80’s. They just got off this ship two weeks ago, went home for Christmas and now they are back. They said they used to cruise with a group but they have all died or no longer able to cruise.
The surf is up big here today which may or may not mean a rough passage. I just put the Transderm patch behind my ear which will help with seasickness. Bill is going with meclizine this time. I think he’s nuts but he says he wants to try going without the patch.
The problem with the patch is that you have to be careful not to touch it. Last time, I touched the patch then touched my eye and my pupil wouldn’t close. I thought I’d had a stroke. The main ingredient is the same one that the eye doctor uses to dilate your eyes. You have to stop using the patch if your pupils blow.
Anyway, the topic last night was Cruise Horror Stories:
- Everyone on their last cruise was terribly sick from Norovirus and they were almost quarantined in Rio.
- The waves were so high that they washed over the deck on the ninth level.
- They got food poisoning from the salads on the Lido deck or maybe from the Indonesian rice dish.
- The ship was late because a crew member jumped off and they had to rescue him.
- The weather kept everyone on board and they missed the best ports.
The ship’s crew hail from all over the world, but the officers are mostly from Holland. The stewards who clean the rooms are usually Indonesian. Many of the cook staff are Filipinos. Each large contingent puts on a special meal and show highlighting their culture. We have seen some very talented people cleaning around the ship in the daytime and performing at night. It’s way cool.
Each of the crew has a family at home that they are supporting. Many of them are the heroes of their families and it is a real pleasure to get acquainted with them. It’s also enchanting to hear a man in the kitchen singing like Frank Sinatra.
Each of the crew has a family at home that they are supporting. Many of them are the heroes of their families and it is a real pleasure to get acquainted with them. It’s also enchanting to hear a man in the kitchen singing like Frank Sinatra.
