11 January 2010; Dry – dock, Freeport Bahamas.

The weather is holding. Not too cold and nice and dry, which is good for dry – dock work. The locals are shivering as the temperature is around 55oF, which is rather cold for this area but you cannot make everybody happy. This is the last full day of dry dock, sometime tomorrow we are going wet again and then eventually sail away from Freeport and so work continues at a frantic pace. Most items that had to be fabricated “as per sample” have been finished and are coming back to be installed. Same for a lot of cosmetic work, such as carpets and paint jobs, are now in full swing or being completed. You cannot lay carpet when there is still welding going on and thus that all comes during the last two days. Walking through the ship is now an obstacle course with lounges being closed off and staircases blocked because of carpet being laid. We are keeping a close eye on these activities as we have to ensure that the escape routes remain open in case there would be an emergency.

Another signal that dry dock is coming to an end is the return of some of the staff such as the entertainment department. These folks are all sent home when a dry dock starts as they are only in the way. Also the very attractive cast members tend to distract the workmen from their duties and we cannot have that either. Now today they returned and started rehearsing straight away. At the same time our Fire permit/ceiling panel office (see previous blogs) has been moved to the show lounge, because of carpeting, and so those who came for a permit were treated to a free show. There was a lot of interest in fire permits this morning………………

Another thing that only gets done in dry – dock is the inspection of the anchors and chains. The Prinsendam has two bow anchors and one stern anchor and especially the two bow anchors that are in very frequent use. In dry – dock the anchor chains are paid out to the dock floor in its full length. Which is roughly a 1000 feet of chain for each anchor. The shackles are measured for thickness (wear and tear) and the ships sailors paint the connecting sections so we know, when anchoring, how many lengths we have dropped into the water. The chain lockers are inspected and then cleaned and painted. During a year a lot of sand accumulates in the bottom of the chain locker, sand brought in by the incoming chain. Although we hose the chain down when retrieving it and pump the bottom of the chain locker dry on a regular basis, there is always some debris that accumulates there.

The top of the chain locker where the chain enters the chain locker.

The bottom of the chain locker. The grating is there so that sand and other debris can fall in a collecting area and then flushed out.

Sailors marking the anchor chain. Each link painted represents a length of chain.

With our new section aft, the outfitting continues. As said before, the plan is to have everything squared away in the back for when the cruise starts and then only the outfitting (paneling, carpet and furniture has to be done). So the containers are emptied and now all this material is brought to this section and will be stored there while we sail. Also the contractors who are sailing with us will live in the cabins that are directly connected to the new section and so they will be out of the way of the guests when sailing.

The wall paneling for the new cabins, waiting to be stored in the new section.

Today also our new outdoor bar arrived and is being installed on the portside behind the Ocean Spa. The Prinsendam was the only HAL ship left who did not have this feature but now we do. Guests who use the aft pool now have a bar available in the same way as the guests around the Lido pool in the centre of the ship.

The installing of the new outside bar near the aft pool.