August 7, 2023 Sea Day #8

   The sun was shining this morning. It was warmer at 15° C and a northwest wind of 35 km/hr pushing Zuiderdam through the North Sea to Rotterdam, Netherlands. Zuiderdam was just a little northeast of Edinburgh, Scotland this morning. After the sixth time change of the past two and half weeks, we felt a bit drowsy this morning. But on the return westerly route, starting the evening that we leave Rotterdam, there will be six times that the clocks will be turned back an hour. There will probably be the 30 minute time adjustment when we head to Newfoundland waters and then leave Newfoundland.

   Tomorrow is the turn around day when some passengers will be leaving after the first 17 days of the voyage. Those embarking tomorrow will enjoy 18 days back to Boston, visiting the many of the same countries but not the same places as the previous journey. There are over 100 of the 1800 passengers leaving tomorrow and a similar number embarking. This is the first cruise we have been on where over 90% of the passengers are staying onboard for the next cruise. Our waiter, Supri informed us that he is leaving tomorrow to return home to Jakarta, Indonesia flying from Amsterdam to Istanbul then on to Jakarta. He also told us that a little 100 crew are leaving and new crew are boarding. There is about 825 or so crew at a full compliment. The next few days could be a steep learning curve for the new crew.

   We met Ellen and David for breakfast for the last time. They have been a fun couple with whom to enjoy breakfasts. They are flying home tomorrow.

   The Sea Day program today scheduled the Cruise Director, Tjalling, in the World Stage presenting “Cycle of Life” about the history of cycling in the Netherlands. Then he had 15 minutes to be at the Rolling Stone Lounge for question and answers about Rotterdam. All passengers who are going off the ship in Rotterdam must take their passport with them, so that Dutch authorities can view them. The Hotel New York next to the terminal building is the old headquarters of Holland America Line. Also nearby is the SS Rotterdam V, which is now a floating hotel that gives tours including the bridge and engine room.

   The comedian Stevie Jo gave a presentation after lunch about his previous career on the London Metropolitan Police force. He was member of the murder squad team in the 1980s and 1990s. The London police force was set up by Sir Robert Peel in 1826 or so. They were known as “Peelers” and then later “Bobbies” both nicknames derived from the founders name.

   It was a lovely day to walk on deck 3 and deck 10 in the morning and the afternoon. North Sea oil rigs became visible during the afternoon. At dinner, with Cee Kaye and Brad, we saw a large wind turbine area with easily five dozen turbines on the starboard side which would mean that they were English. We could not see any land, so the sea in that area must have been quite shallow.

     The dinner attire tonight was dressy. There were very few tuxedos, suits or gowns. The dinner service was fast this evening. The four of us were in and out within one hour. We had time to sit in for the end of 6 p.m. classical duo performance of German music. We noticed that the sky was getting overcast. There is a slight possibility of late afternoon rain tomorrow.

   This evening’s show was Ákos Laki playing his saxophone and clarinet. He also leaves the ship tomorrow. Rotterdam is his home town.

   In our mail rack was a letter notifying us that, after Zuiderdam leaves Rotterdam, all passengers must surrender their passports to Guest Services for Ireland Immigration requirements, however they will not be returned until we are at sea on the way to Iceland on August 13th. We normally do not take our passports off of the ship, just our driver’s licences for photo ID, but tomorrow is an exception.  The Dutch authorities require us to have our passports with us ashore.  For Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, we will only have our driver’s licence as government issued photo ID. That is all the ID we used in Iceland, Greenland, Canada and USA on the first half of the voyage. Most of the time the port officials did not even ask to see the ID.

  Today’s steps 12,775

Ellen and David for breakfast for the last time

North Sea oil rig