The Itinerary

What is a "Sail-Away Gang"?

About three years ago I discovered PTZtv's webcams.  At the time I think there were only two - Port Canaveral and Port Everglades.  These webcams showed the various ships in port at any given time and followed them as they set sail.  I watched frequently.  Then about two years ago, I found a group of people on the Holland America forum of Cruise Critic that also watched the webcams.  We got to know each other as we watched the ships sail away.  

In December of 2013, some of my fellow "sail-away addicts" started talking about a cruise in 2015.  I had wanted to try Holland America, so I checked out the itinerary and prices.  The cruise goes to Victoria and Vancouver, Canada and ends in Seattle - all places I have wanted to visit. It also visits three countries I have not been to - Colombia, Nicaragua, and Guatemala - and it transits the Panama Canal (can't do that too often).  Called Patty, my travel agent, and booked an oceanview cabin. HAL charges 200% for solo passengers in balcony and above cabins but only 160% for oceanview so I did without a balcony.  I will miss being able to go out on the balcony (especially in the evenings) but the $2000+ difference will pay for excursions, onboard charges, hotels and flights.  

I chose a front facing oceanview cabin.  Most of the oceanviews on Holland America have the bed directly under the window.  This makes it difficult to see out the window unless you are kneeling on the bed - not possible with my bad knees.  The front facing cabins (I think there are only two on the Westerdam) have space between the side of the bed and the window so I can see out.

We now have a very active roll call and a number of shore excursions, meet and greets, wine tasting, and a cabin crawl/poker run set up.  We will be having a cocktail party at the hotel where many of us are staying the night before and then an even larger group will be going out to dinner in Fort Lauderdale.  It will be great to meet many of the sail-away gang in person on this cruise.