No photographs on this post, there isn’t a great deal to see from an anchorage except fishing boats and cargo ships. 🙄
We are still here, waiting for permission to disembark our Indonesian crew, approximately 170 of them The wheels grind slowly here, officialdom to the fore and added to the mix is that it is, of course, Ramadan, which affects the speed of that officialdom. Thank you all so much for your birthday wishes, they brightened my days in this complicated world I live in.
Yesterday, we briefly left our anchorage and steamed north, 20 miles north of Jakarta and conducted some ‘Marine Operations’ which were necessary because of extended stay in Jakarta. All being well, we will receive permission to enter Port limits tomorrow and begin our disembarkation the next day, (Tuesday). I write with my fingers crossed, as this is by no means certain.
Should we be successful, we will then move on towards Manila, 5-days steaming away and join the 15 or so cruise ships, (more coming), which are disembarking their Filipino crew. This involves a quarantine period on board, in isolation, (14-days at the moment), 2 covid-19 tests, conducted by the Philippine Red Cross and Coast Guard and, if all is well, they can disembark. More about that at a later date.
The HAL fleet is heading everywhere; The Zaandam is on her way to Rotterdam for lay-up, The Zuiderdam heading for Cape Town, thence Asia, Westerdam to Asia, Volendam to Cape Town, (fuel), thence to Asia, Veendam towards Gibraltar where she will take crew from 2 Seabourn ships and ferry them to Asia, Rotterdam heading towards Cape Town, thence to Asia, Noordam is heading towards Manila, Nieuw Statendam towards Rotterdam with Europeans , Maasdam heading towards Midway (fuel), thence Asia, Koningsdam is off the West coast, a hotel ship for non-Asian crew, Nieuw Amsterdam towards Cape town, thence to Asia, the Volendam is heading for Cape Town and thence Asia. A veritable convoy…….
As well as these, Princess, has 11 vessels either at Manila or on their way and Carnival vessels, (unknown number) heading this way too, you can only imagine the complications of such an enterprise; more akin to a game of chess. Some ships will be used later to take other nationalities to their respective countries, India for example.
Some of the the vessels will return to the U.S., others will lay-up in Malaysia, Port Dickson or Labuan Bay until circumstances improve. As for Karen and I, we take each day as it comes, the priority being our Crew first, complete these operations and we will see what the future brings.
I hope I may be able to send some photos of our crew embarking tenders to take them ashore soon, for we are not allowed dock.
Later then and stay well!
Thanks for the update. We haven’t reached May 12th yet but I wonder when you are finally relived if it will be the longest cruise you’ve ever had on Holland America. I see that the Maasdam is stopping at Midway. I’ve always wanted to stop there but could never work out an itinerary. Maybe now it will become a more frequent port-of-call.
Continued safe passage and friendly, cooperative shore agents and bureaucrats.
Dear Captain Mercer,
Many thanks for keeping us posted on your progress, and for the info on where some other ships of the fleet are; I had been wondering about that! Had things been “normal”, the Alaska season would have been starting here in Vancouver; May 2 would have seen the maiden arrival of the Koningsdam. Instead, the cruse ship terminal stands empty and forlorn, as does all of Canada Place [for those who know it] as the convention facilities and hotel are closed as well. At night, the landmark fabric roof, with its distinctive “sails”, is lit-up in blue light as a salute to health-care workers.
I wish you continued good luck in getting your crew safely home, so, too, all the HAL fleet; our thoughts and hearts are with you.
P.S. — A belated happy Birthday!