From Phoenix to Fort Lauderdale and Boarding Holland America's Volendam

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Preparing for my departure on Holland America’s 75-day Grand South America and Antarctica Voyage, I was just having a lot of trouble getting excited about my upcoming adventure. On the surface, I thought that my lack of excitement might be because of the short (10-week) interval between my return from the five-month trip to Europe and the 2-1/2-month cruise. I, however, rarely have said, “It was good to be gone, but it’s good to be home.” I would have been more likely to have said, “It was good to be gone. Too bad I couldn’t have stayed longer.” The only time I can think of being glad that my stay hadn’t been longer was upon my return from Vietnam.“We gotta get outta this place, If it’s the last thing we ever do…” Yet again, there was simply something that was nagging in the back of my mind since I returned from Europe that said embarking on this cruise was not a good idea, but who am I to toss $10,000-plus to a premonition.

Yes, I was ready to head to Central and South America, to cruise the waterways of Antarctica and the Amazon River and to visit a few not-yet-visited Caribbean Islands. Before I departed for Europe, both in 2020 and in 2022, my excitement swelled until I was proverbially bursting at the seams. I finally realized that I had invested a ton of myself in both European trips but had no significant personal stake in the 2023 cruise. I had not researched the various tour options. I had not made the transportation reservation to get from City A to City B, and I had not made the hotel reservations for those days I was “on my own” between tours. I had merely paid the money to get on a boat and would then go where the captain took me and participate in the shore excursions that were available from the cruise company’s menu. There would be no realization of the “fruits of my labors.” I guess much of the excitement in 2020 and in 2022 was in learning if “European Travel Agent Larry” had been up to the task or not. What would the jury say when the verdict was rendered?

With the cruise departing on January 3, 2023, I purposely planned a Saturday, December 29, 2022 flight from Phoenix AZ to Fort Lauderdale FL to give myself a couple of days to accommodate delays, cancellations, etc. and, mostly, to avoid the insanity of travelling on New Year’s Day or the Monday following the end-of-the-year holiday. After all, watching football from a hotel in Florida would be almost as comfortable as watching at home. Well, the best laid plans of mice and men don’t always pan out. After arrival at Sky Harbor in Phoenix, I checked the departure board only to learn that my flight had been cancelled. I made my way to the ticket counter to be assigned another flight. My next available LOGICAL option was to wait 48 hours and catch the same flight on Monday. A phone call to my buddy, Gary, brought him back to the airport. Returning to Sky Harbor on Monday, I was patiently awaiting boarding (about thirty minutes away) when it was announced the flight would be delayed a little over two hours due to an air traffic radar outage in South Florida. Better to be waiting in the terminal than aboard the aircraft. By the time I reached the hotel, it was about 1:00 AM on Tuesday, January 3 – the day the cruise departed.

I had been assigned a boarding time of 4:40 PM, but the last shuttle from the hotel to the cruise port left at 11:30 AM. When I arrived at the cruise terminal, I just followed the masses like a good little ant. Somehow, I had missed the recent (not sure of the time frame) COVID testing requirement, but I was not the only one. I was pulled out of the queue and administered the nasal swab variety which produce the results in about 15 minutes. Shortly after rejoining the queue, I found myself on the gangplank to the ship and was in my stateroom by about 2 PM. So much for the 4:40 boarding time! This is only my fourth cruise but this stateroom is the best by far. I have a king-size bed, a small but adequate desk, a loveseat with coffee table and plenty of storage space. I went to my assigned muster station (a requirement for every cruise ship I have used), had my room key scanned (to prove I had successfully found the muster station), returned to my room to watch the mandatory safety video (the TV automatically plays it before other TV options are made available) and headed for the buffet lunch. The rest of the day was spent exploring the ship.

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Photos

Holland America's MS Volendam
More Room than I Have at Home in My Queen Bed

Holland America's MS Volendam
The desk is totally adequate.

Holland America's MS Volendam
It Ain't No Recliner, but a Loveseat Is Good Enough for Time Away from the Desk and the Bed

Holland America's MS Volendam
More Spacious than Some of the European Hotels

Comments

[Nevio (Venice)]

Looks great.
Looks great. I almost watch you in every single chapter. Please go ahead, you're doing very well. Netflix series could be a future option. Talk soon. Bye for now.

[retiredfflarry]

Thanks Nevio.
It's nice to know somebody is enjoying the blogs. Thanks again for showing me Venice by night, and give my best to Delia.

[John Burton]

On the way again.
Great you are on your way. Me and my girlfriend are going to the Philippines in April. Have fun.

[retiredfflarry]

Have fun.
If you wait until 2024, I'll go with you. Let me know when you're back. We can do breakfast.