Debarkation was quick and easy. We had a 7am departure and baggage tags number 10. The Lido bufftlet was open at 5:30 and Taste Bar at 6:30.. Blue Iguana was opening at 7am so no chance for one last Heuvos Rancheros. :-(. So after packing up our carryons we headed to Lido about 6:15. Wasn't crowded at all. It was the first time we were having breakfast in Lido this cruise. They had the usual - even the omelet station was in operation. I elected for eggs Benedict, some hash browns and sausage. And of course black coffee. My wife had a waffle.
About 6:55 they were. Calling for baggage tags up to number 12 so off we went to deck 3. It was easy to find the Carnival transfers and we were loaded into a bus by 7:30. Arrived at the airport by 8:00. We flew Vueling and had purchased upgrades to their equivalent of Business Class. That also gave us access to the Fast Lane which is the equivalent of TSA Pre-Check. One change on our next cruise. So worth it as it also gave us access to the VIP lounge.
Flight to Amsterdam was uneventful. Amsterdam airport was easy to navigate. We took a taxi to our hotel: The Hoxton. The taxi ride was a little intense with all the bikes everywhere. We checked in our tiny room. Definitely chose the worst room in a fantastic hotel. We headed out to a cheese tasting at Reypeneur. It was great. We tried the same cheese aged for different lengths of time.
We headed toward the museum district. We found a little cafe on the canal offering pancakes and Dutch beer. Then we visited House of Bols. That could be skipped if you are planning your trip. We were struck by how helpful everyone was.
We went to Central Station to find our canal boat. The ride down the canal was a great. It was a two hour ride that explores the city.
Sunday morning we went our walking tour guide. She led us on a 2.5 hour walking tour through the city. We liked how she focused on how the culture in Amsterdam developed. It was a great overview.
We received notice that our cruise ship would be departing from Rotterdam instead of Amsterdam. We headed to the train station to try to figure out a way there. After a little trouble buying tickets and missing one train, we figured it out and were on our way.
Boarding was easy. We were relieved to be on board. We confirmed our schedule for the week, bought spa passes and I scheduled some massages and a manicure/pedicure.
We had lunch in the buffet. We were impressed with the amount of food that was made to order. I had an Asian salad and Glenn had an Asian noodle bowl. We headed back to the cabin to relax and unpack. The muster drill was different. We started in our cabin watching a video and then headed to our muster station.
After the drill, the Captain opened the bow of the ship. Our location guide Ian narrated our passage out of Rotterdam. We passed Holland America's old headquarters and the original S.S. Rotterdam. I headed to my manicure/pedicure and Glenn wandered the ship.
For dinner, we had reservations at the Culinary Arts Center. The chefs prepare the dishes right in front of you. Instead of a regular presentation, they invite you up to ask questions. The food was terrific. We really enjoyed having such close access to the chefs. One chef even helped us figure out the problems we've been having with a molecular gastronomy dish. After dinner, we headed straight to bed.
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