After breakfast, we went up to the Crow's Nest to face forward as we entered Europe's biggest port. The channel we sailed up is the mouth of the Rhein River and is packed with all sorts of marine businesses. We passed and were passed by a number of smaller long and skinny river boats we are used to seeing far up the river highways in Central Europe. We could also see the old Rotterdam cruise ship which is now a hotel and restaurant. About two kilometers before our berthing location, we reached a fork in the canal where it was wide enough for the ship to do a 180° clockwise turn under the close supervision of a number of police boats who stopped other traffic. We then backed into our berthing location at the Rotterdam Cruise terminal amid the watchful eyes of hundreds of onlookers on shore. Later on I was disembarking the ship next to Captain Devries and I asked him if that was the farthest the ship had been moved in reverse. He paused for a moment and then said 'Yes, but I was ready for it.' And, yes, when the Captain leaves the ship he scans his ship ID card just like us.
Before disembarking the ship for a quick hour walk around the area, we ate a quick lunch. Once off the ship, we walked toward the New York Hotel which was formerly the headquarters of Holland America Line. There is even the original wording for HAL on the outside of the building and there is HAL promotional material inside the New York Hotel lobby and gift shop locations. The whole area was very photogenic and I even stood on Utah (stenciled on the sidewalk). We then reboarded the ship (with help from Jonathan our CD and passing by Orlando Ashford and other GAL dignitaries to meet our afternoon HAL Journey Ashore excursion to Gouda.
This excursion turned out to be a bust with a very inexperienced tour guide who was overwhelmed by 40 people. She walked off leaving people still deboarding the tour bus, was unable to audibly communicate with the group, read from a tourist guide, lost two members of the group in St. Jan's Church (later they rejoined us), and much more. Near the end of the tour I ran into Juan Carlos, HAL's Journey Ashore manager on the Koningsdam who was accompanying another group. He couldn't hardly believe what I described was happening but another member of our group cooberated my account. We then walked back to the bus and were driven back to the ship.
We arrived back around 8pm and Angela saved a seat for me in the World Stage venue while I left items in the room. The group tonight wax Opera Familia composed of a Dutch husband, his wife, and adult daughter. The performance was great and in one love song the wife came off the stage and zeroed in on me to sing to and then she was accompanied by her daughter. So here I am sitting in my seat next to my wife while two gorgeous women are holding my hands and singing to me. They both had great eyes and that's my story and I'm sticking to it! JA Tem! Fortunately Angela and another gentleman got pictures of this, or else you'd never believe me!
After the show we went into the cruise terminal rouse the free WIFI before going up to the Lido for the 10:30pm feeding as we had missed dinner. We then retired to our room where I finished up my blog entry for this day.
Tomorrow is going to be special with Queen Maxima coming onboard to christen the ship and bless the ship's bell. She and King Wikhelm are adored by their Dutch subjects.
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