14 September 2014; Bar Harbor, Maine, USA.

With nice sunny weather and a fresh breeze we sailed into Bar Harbor. As expected the “Apartment of the Seas” was already in and being the bigger ship had been allocated the South anchorage. A bit smaller and closer to the lobster pots but also more sheltered and closer to the port. The weather forecast indicated that the wind was to abate during the day. But when the anchor had been dropped and the tender service commenced, it went the other way. The wind picked up to wind force 6 gusting 7 and that made a safe tender operation not so safe anymore.  As mentioned in my previous Bar Harbor blog, the north anchorage is wider, more room to swing but because there is more room it is also less sheltered and the wind has more free water surface to whip up the waves, and it did so. The captain suspended tender service, hoping for better weather e.g. less wind, but it was not to be.  Then the only decision was made, that could be made and that was canceling   and sail away.  Apart from disappointed Guests there was also instant panic in the kitchen as the Exe. Chef had ordered Fresh Lobster. Luckily the lobsters were delivered and brought on board by a few brave sailors who stood on the tender platform with the waves crashing around their feet.

Going to another port was really not possible within in the available time frame here and thus the only solution was to spend the day at sea and arrive at the scheduled time in Halifax tomorrow morning.

With such an abrupt end to the Bar Harbor call this would be a short blog if I had not something exciting to announce. After a long waiting period the name of the new Pinnacle Class ship has been finally announced. The ship will be called Koningsdam which translates into English as Kings Dam. We have never had a ship with that name in our history and there also is no town in the Netherlands with that name. No doubt there will be a small dam in Holland somewhere with the name Koningsdam but that is normal. Give me a name and I will find you in Holland a piece of Dam or Dyke that combines it.

So now we have the name Koningsdam. I had hoped for Leerdam (III) and that was my entry in the name contest which the company ran a few months ago. But I suppose that I am too traditional and they wanted something new.  The name was chosen to reflect that the Netherlands has since 100 years a King – Koning – again and at the same time to illustrate that this ship, the biggest ever built for the company will bring out a fresh approach and new look to Holland America Cruising.

The keel section being lowered into the dock

The ship is already under construction as on August 20, the first section of steel, the keel plate, was lowered into the Dock at Marghera which is the Fincantieri shipyard close to Venice.  Delivery date is in February 2016 and it is not yet known where the ship will sail first.  The ship is an evolution again from the Vista and Signature class and will incorporate the latest “needs” in the industry. Do not expect an ice-skating rink or a rock climbing wall, but the number of specialty restaurants will be boosted up to five. On the Nieuw Amsterdam, there are currently three; Pinnacle (Pacific Northwest cuisine), the Canaletto (Italian) and the Tamarind (Asian fusion). Now there will be two more. What they will serve is still a well-guarded secret.

Talking about food, the company recently redesigned our Hamburger Bar onboard (Terrace Grill) and renamed it the Dive In. Hamburgers and Hot dogs are now cooked fresh, a sort of designer approach, which means that you have to wait for them. Guests receive a pager so they do not have to hang around while waiting. I must say, it is VERY VERY good and the sauce that goes with the various options that you have is even better. My only problem is that it the large portions are very large and if I am going to have a hamburger for lunch I need to reduce dinner in the evening to a very small snack. But for the Burger-Aficionado, this could be Walhalla.

Tomorrow we are in Halifax. Again we are not alone. This time the Norwegian Gem is in port with us, and due to the Gangway layout, we have to dock nose in, otherwise both ships do not fit in properly.

The weather forecast is going to be partly cloudy with a chilly breeze from the North. It looks like autumn is approaching.