Donna Sherf
writerworks@webtv.net
Itinerary:
Inca Empires Cruise
Sailing Date: February 6th, 2010
Age: 70+
Occupation: Retired travel agent
Number of Cruises: 40+
It was a dark and rainy day in San Diego on February 6th.
Shuttles from the airport and hotels were delayed as the
baggage handlers could not tag and load your luggage.
Passengers toted their belongings into the terminal looking
like drowned rats. Not the look you want when boarding HAL's
Rotterdam VI on a 30-day cruise to the lands of the Incas;
Mexico, Central America, Peru and Ecuador. The highlight of
this cruise would be Machu-Picchu in Peru.
The ship who's maiden voyage was in 1997, has been
completely refurbished to the tune of $60,000,000. Gone are
the old boilers, wiring and pipes. The cabins have been
refitted with new cabinets and colors. Taupes, beiges and
chocolate brown. You wonder where the yellow went! On the
lower promenade deck were 39 lanai cabins. The ocean view
windows were converted to two-way glass doors giving instant
entree from the cabin to the deck. One of the amenities for
the lanai cabins are reserved deck chairs with thicker
lounge cushions. In the showroom is a stage that can move
every which way. A larger dance floor and three rows of
small round tables flanked by velvet covered parlor chairs.
On formal and theme nights the tables were skirted with
appropiate colored fabric and sported small lamps. Very
impressive! The lounges have been transformed. The Martini
Bar is captivating. Deep purple and silver. This same color
scheme has been carried into the passageway between the
shops and the Explorer's Lounge. In front of each narrow,
long window is a small round table between two high backed,
armless, upholstered chairs. A perfect design for an area
that was not used! Now for a less than perfect redo. The
outdoor pool on the aft of the ship has been converted to a
glorified wading pool. It holds sufficient water for keeping
ones feet cool but isn't meant for wading as there is a
multitude of half-moon objects that convert into lounge
chairs, on which your body is exposed to the damaging rays
of the sun! The Retreat, as it's called, also has a bar and
a large elevated TV screen. The jury's still out on this
make over!
The tour to Machu-Picchu wasn't to be, due to flooding and
mudslides in the area. It was closed to all traffic by the
government of Peru. Passengers who bought this tour through
the cruise line were notified shortly before departure.
Others that bought through private tour operators did not
know until the ship left the pier in San Diego.
Holland-America caters to the mature, well-seasoned crowd.
If there were any disgruntled passengers, they didn't show
their anger. For three days the Rotterdam was docked in
Callao, Peru; the port for Lima. Several alternate
excursions were offered to fill this time slot, but we kept
seeing the same people again and again milling around a
large flea market set-up on the pier. Also offered, was a
shuttle bus to Miraflores, the tourist district of Lima.
This area with a modern infrastructure has hotels, condos,
casinos, shopping malls and H. Sterns. The green area
overlooking Waikaki Beach has a spectacular view of the
Pacific Ocean. It is a very tidy and safe area of new Lima,
in difference to Callao, in which the cab drivers; closed
the windows, locked the doors and ran the red lights as they
drove back and forth to old Lima.
A day after unmooring from Callao, we received a letter from
Captain Rik Krombeen, stating there had been an increase in
the number of gastrointestinal illness (GIS) amongst the
passengers and crew members. As a result, immediate steps
would be taken to address the situation. In the Lido
Restaurant, full service would be provided, which meant you
couldn't pour your coffee or tea; couldn't make a salad;
couldn't get rolls, bread or a breakfast muffin by yourself.
Salt and pepper shakers along with the orchid plants were
removed from the tables. When vacated the table and chairs
were washed with a disinfectant. In the library, books were
secured behind locked mesh screens. If you found a book to
read, the librarian had to unlock the screen and hand the
book to you with gloved hands. Casino chips were sanitized
and decks of cards were replaced several times. The
hand-sanitizing machines were everywhere. The ship was in
Code Red, until we docked in San Diego; thirteen days later,
but never had more than 21 cases of GIS.
But, I digress. Three days after the outbreak of the virus,
someone jumped overboard. I was in the Culinary Arts Center,
watching the cruise director, Joseph Pokorski and his
assistant, Amanda, making qesadillos and guacamole. They
were interrupted by an announcement from the captain saying
someone saw someone jump overboard. At 10 minutes of twelve
we heard, over the intercom asking if Mr. Walter ______from
cabin _____ would report to the front desk. My ears wouldn't
let me hear the last name or cabin number. I left class and
scurried to our cabin, open the door and there was my
husband, Walter, sitting on the sofa watching a classic
movie. I went back to the class and picked up my heart off
the floor! The captain again with another announcement, told
us we were turning around to look for the person. He asked
for us to be on the lookout. People stood at the railings
for five hours until a airline pilot stationed in Columbia
spotted something in the water. The captain turned the ship
again going back to almost where the person had jumped. A
tender was lowered while the ship drifted. When we heard
the engine, of the tender, we knew someone had spotted the
body. Before they came aboard, everyone on the promenade
deck was asked to leave. There were no rubber neckers to be
seen! A funeral was held the next morning in the Showroom
of the Seas.
After $60,000,000 of refurbishment, someone asked the
captain why this ship was not salvaged rather than building
a new one? The captain's answer was priceless. He said a
cruise ship can sail for 20-25 years. After that she still
has another 10-15 years of sailing, under a new owner.
Someone asked if she was new blood in an old container? The
money spent is much less than a new-build, he assured us!
Where can one go and have first-class entertainment;
prepared meals with never a dish repeated on a voyage;
bathrooms cleaned; beds made?
I forgot to mention the undivided attention from the crew.
The ice cream server, called my husband, Sir Walter. How
cool is that!
