Today is the first day of the conference and it’s been very busy! I ate breakfast at Hotel des Arts and then requested an Uber to take me to an extra training session that I purchased. It took less than five minutes for a driver to be at the hotel and then it was a moderately short drive to the Movenpick. Here, I stored my luggage and attended a marketing workshop.
The event ends and then it’s time to meet some friends for pancakes. I have a little time so I check-in to the conference and check-in to my cabin on msJoy. It’s not enough time to retrieve my luggage so I leave it. I hop in another Uber to go back to where my hotel was which is also where the pancake restaurant is located.
Upstairs Pancakes is a reservation-only place and the 18 of us pretty much fill the restaurant in Amsterdam. The restaurant is upstairs and has traditional very steep Dutch stairs. I have small feet and I needed to tip-toe up the stairs. It’s a very intimate space and three of us crowd around a table for two. I decide for the special which is a pancake with fresh berries and cream. The pancake was the best one I’ve ever had. It was so much better than the one I had the other day. Also, I had a bite of a savory one which was equally delicious. The pancake was huge, but I ate every last bite. It was sooo good.
I walk, talk, and shop with a couple friends near the restaurant. We then decide to see the red light district. I was very close to it yesterday, but I didn’t actually see any red lights. I lead the way and we find it. The street is pretty empty and we see red neon lights around windows. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. I was expecting a red lightbulb in an outside lamp that acted like a code. I was expecting something discreet. What we find is bright red fluorescent bulbs completely line the windows and frame working women. It’s not discreet at all.
I walk back to the Movenpick to retrieve my luggage and take a different route. This route takes me near the science center and I take a few footbridges to get where I need to go. I used my phone’s GPS because the pedestrian route is less obvious than the road route. At some point, it takes me down a deserted alley that looks like it’s a dead end. Not exactly the place I want to walk alone, but I’m committed to the route. It does in fact lead to stairs that allow me to climb out of the alley. Another travel agent approaches me and says, “I’m so glad to see you here too.” I didn’t know her, but it was a shared feeling that this area wasn’t ideal for walking alone.
I collect my bags from the hotel and wheel them to my ship which is nearby. When I get to the ship, Tauck takes them from me and quickly transfers them to my cabin. I start to unpack and realize that I have a ship to see! I spent three nights on Icon of the Seas and didn’t see everything even though I really tried. It does not take long for me to see all of this ship. River cruise ships are so much smaller. As I explore, the loudspeaker comes on and Tauck invites us for a welcome reception. I enter the lounge and I’m offered champagne. A few Tauck employees talk to us about the Tauck Difference. I’ve been super impressed with Tauck already. They’ve been excellent at communicating and provided us with a detailed packing list and schedule. My pickup at the airport was easy and luxurious. Check-in has been great. I found little gifts in our room including a small wallet, leather luggage tag, and water bottle. They go above and beyond everywhere. I have friends staying on other lines and I’m not hearing about these extra touches from them. I hit the jackpot with choosing Tauck. I don’t want to ruin any fun surprises for you, but Tauck knows how to treat guests. They will be celebrating 100 years of business next year and they’re starting the kick-off of the celebrations this week. I received a golden ticket to the kick-off party which will be 1920s themed to go with the year they started as a company. 100 years is a long time to perfect their business.
ASTA has the welcome cocktail party for the event back in the cruise terminal so I quickly change into fancier clothes. The party is big with free flowing wine and a DJ. It’s all really nice, but I miss the intimacy of the small ship. The DJ plays closing time and we take the hint.
The schedule says we are on our own for dinner meaning head to the city and find your food. Tauck offers us a full dinner which is not the norm for the conference. Many of my friends staying on other ships venture into the city for food. I don’t know anyone on my ship, but opt for the free dinner on Tauck. It doesn’t bother me to sit alone. I go into the dining room and the hostess seats me at a table with three woman who have already begun their salads. It turns out we’re all solo and we became fast friends. The food was absolutely amazing. I had a salad, beef tenderloin with veggies, and a lava chocolate cake. This was fine dining and I’m super happy with my decision to eat on the ship.
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