# Anyone on BELLONA?



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

I dropped my car off at CDG/Paris on September 16 and the only information I've been able to obtain is that the car is scheduled to ship on October 7 (  that's a long wait, no?) on a vessel named BELLONA. I've tried the links on the redelivery sticky but can't find any mention of this ship? Any ideas? Help? Thanks in advance  .


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

*8 - 10 weeks !! Ouch!!!!*

Lots of views but no helpful hints ... I've found more information (from Harms in Paris) - the Bellona leaves out of Zeebrugge (Belgium) on October 7 and the anticipated time to California is 8 to 10 weeks. But I still can't locate any independent information on this vessel anywhere on the web.

Has anyone done a correlation of time to ship and drop-off & redelivery location? I've read some posts that suggest the fastest shipping time if the car is dropped off back in Munich. Could be quite a useful service for future EDers in planning their itineraries (as well as possibly the purchase location) if someone compiled these data and correllated shipping time with dropoff and redelivery location.


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

Last heard communicating weather conditions to the US Coast Guard off Santa Barbara ...


----------



## KickinA (Oct 4, 2004)

fitch said:


> Last heard communicating weather conditions to the US Coast Guard off Santa Barbara ...


I dropped off in Paris on Sept 15, so I assume its also on Bellona as your car is. Did you see a black 530i sport while you where dropping off at Paris? I'm thinking my car might still have been at the Paris TT drop off the next day.

The wait is killing me. Also, I have not heard anything from BMWNA on what ship my car is on!


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

My baby is on the Bellona too.. I just got word from BMW today that the Bellona will arrive on PH on 11/6 and it can take up to 20 days from then for it to det to the dealer... the horror :bawling:


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

KickinA said:


> I dropped off in Paris on Sept 15, so I assume its also on Bellona as your car is. Did you see a black 530i sport while you where dropping off at Paris? I'm thinking my car might still have been at the Paris TT drop off the next day.
> 
> The wait is killing me. Also, I have not heard anything from BMWNA on what ship my car is on!


Is that your 530i in the foreground two cars away from my 6? If so it must be on Bellona too. I got the "20 day" letter too ...


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

*It's late!!*

Bellona 11/08 unkn 11/08 unkn TBN 24-05 Disc Automobile, Local PASHA PSH VWT PA

The San Diego Marine Information System puts the Bellona's ETA as November 8


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :bawling:


----------



## KickinA (Oct 4, 2004)

Fitch, your da man!

Yes, the black 530i sport is my car! I can make out the plate on the back, and its mine. So BMWNA is saying you car is on BELLONA? I emailed TT, and they tell me my car is on Cassiopea Leader and left Sept 26. Is it possible that our cars can be on different boats? My dealer is in BELLEVUE, WA, but I believe it still goes to California first.

thanks!


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

KickinA said:


> Fitch, your da man!
> 
> Yes, the black 530i sport is my car! I can make out the plate on the back, and its mine. So BMWNA is saying you car is on BELLONA? I emailed TT, and they tell me my car is on Cassiopea Leader and left Sept 26. Is it possible that our cars can be on different boats? My dealer is in BELLEVUE, WA, but I believe it still goes to California first.
> 
> thanks!


Sounds like they queue the cars based on when they arrive at TT and then send them out based on space on the truck - you got there a day early but got out a lot sooner than I did! Good for you :thumbup: - sounds like you and your 5sport will be reunited sonner than me and my 6  Bellona's trip schedule was really bogus - went back and forth between Belgium, England and Germany before heading out acorss the Atlantic for the States


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

daoushy said:


> NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :bawling:


Just spoke to someone at NYK and they tell me the latest ETA for BELLONA is Nov 7 at Port Hueneme...


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

fitch said:


> Just spoke to someone at NYK and they tell me the latest ETA for BELLONA is Nov 7 at Port Hueneme...


That is still one extra day than the original :bawling: but still 11/6 was a Sunday any way, I will convinvr myself that comming on a Monday is more or less like a Sunday and that I should be glad that its not arriving on Friday... Please DON'T correct me if I'm wrong :rofl:


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

daoushy said:


> That is still one extra day than the original :bawling: but still 11/6 was a Sunday any way, I will convinvr myself that comming on a Monday is more or less like a Sunday and that I should be glad that its not arriving on Friday... Please DON'T correct me if I'm wrong :rofl:


I like your thinking


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

*how long from Atlantic approach to the locks?*

Bellona's on its way into the Panama Canal. Anyone know how long it might take from the Atlantic approach into the Miraflores and Gatun Locks so I can watch it go throough on the web cams?


----------



## westwest888 (Jun 12, 2005)

The Bellona crowd will have an awesome wave of relief come over them when they read this about their cars: 
Status Port Time(dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm)

DISCHARGED NEW YORK, NY 29/10/2005 13:21
LOADED ON VESSEL BREMERHAVEN 14/10/2005 08:12


It's from my voyage on the Madame Butterfly. Arrival is actually two days later than the "guarunteed date" Harms told me.


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

This is a repost from another thread.. I think it fets better here though...

I'm on F'en Bellona too... in my language Bellona is what we call a balloon.. I guess that is a good name for a ship that is floating through the Atlantic... I can't stand 2 more weeks  I dropped my baby off on 9/26

At least the dealer claims that it takes all his cars about 3 days from the time the ship docks to get to them.. its Valencia BMW (30 mins away from PH, if I'm driving)


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

*It's in the Pacific!!*

The Bellona's made it through the Panama Canal :thumbup: and is now in the Pacific. I "think" I also saw it in the distance on the live web-cam beyond the Miraflores Locks. This was based on the shape of the boat and presuming the colors on the funnel (red stripes and black top) haven't changed from the picture that's out there on the web.


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

*November 9 now, according to SDMIS!!!!!*

 That must have been Bellona that I saw sitting at anchorage outside the locks rather than sailing towards California  - "baloon" is clearly the right word ....

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 bgColor=#ffffff border=3>*******>[TR][TD]Bellona[/TD][TD]11/09 unkn[/TD][TD]11/09 unkn[/TD][TD]Port Hueneme, CA[/TD][/TR]********>[/TABLE]


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

:bawling:


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

Called and spoke to the folks at NYK and they say that it's still due on the 7th and expected to discharge on the 8th ...  

No wonder they say patience is a virtue :tsk:


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

fitch said:


> Called and spoke to the folks at NYK and they say that it's still due on the 7th and expected to discharge on the 8th ...
> 
> No wonder they say patience is a virtue :tsk:


To SD or PH :dunno:

I'm sure you were asking about PH but I would like to confirm


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

daoushy said:


> To SD or PH :dunno:
> 
> I'm sure you were asking about PH but I would like to confirm


yup - to PH. But as you no doubt will have guessed I'll call again in a couple of days and reconfirm


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

fitch said:


> yup - to PH. But as you no doubt will have guessed I'll call again in a couple of days and reconfirm


You keep at it and keep me informed :thumbup: saves me few phone calls 

Once they start hating you let me know so I will start bugging them myself :rofl:


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

The baloon now has a time of arrival and departure on SD

Bellona 11/09 00:01 11/09 16:00 Port Hueneme, CA 

Fitch, any news from NYK? If it really hits SD before PH.. Leaves SD at 4PM on the 9th.. Then I would say unloading will be on the 10th  

This is too close to the weekend.. My understanding is that the VPC is closed on the weekend... So even if my car clears customs on the 11th (realistic ??) They won't even start at it in the VPC before Monday at the very earliest.... 

COME ON 

Fitch, please tell me that the ballon will float to PH before SD :bawling:


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

:irate: 
was out friday till now and interet inaccessible - will check with NYK first thing tomorrow ...
This is intolerable


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

My CA just told me that the ship will arrive in PH on the 9th  

He expects that I can get it Saturday though, which I think is too aggressive, so I'm going to San Diego for the weekend and I wish I can get my car on Monday :dunno:


----------



## e90fanatic (Jul 25, 2005)

daoushy said:


> My CA just told me that the ship will arrive in PH on the 9th
> 
> He expects that I can get it Saturday though, which I think is too aggressive, so I'm going to San Diego for the weekend and I wish I can get my car on Monday :dunno:


i doubt u can take delivery on saturday. Not to make you hopeless but VPC and customs alone take 5-10 days if your car has no damage. I am also waiting for my car to go through VPC and customs so best luck for all of us that are patiently waiting....    :bawling:


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

OK - here's the scoop from NYK:

BELLONA arrives in PH on the 7th at 1830 and will be discharged on the day shift the next day :thumbup: 

It THEN goes to San Diego for arrival on the 9th.

It's still not the 6th (or even better, were it to have arrived in October were it not a BALOON) but at least not as bad as it could be ...:dunno:


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

fitch said:


> OK - here's the scoop from NYK:
> 
> BELLONA arrives in PH on the 7th at 1830 and will be discharged on the day shift the next day :thumbup:
> 
> ...


If it does arrive today then this is great news... But how come the CA told me that his tracking system shows the 9th :dunno:

It would be GREAT if I have my car for the San Diego trip on the week end... Yes I will show it off :rofl:


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

daoushy said:


> ... But how come the CA told me that his tracking system shows the 9th :dunno:


Odd - I'm going to call my sales guy and ask him to follow up on his end too just to be sure. Let's hope for the world's fastest customs and VPC clearance to make up for the world's slowest boat  .


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

*Craziness*

:irate: :irate: :irate: :irate: :irate:

This is crazy: Here's the message I just got from the folks at Port Hueneme:

"The Bellona is scheduled in tomorrow November 8."

?????????

We're living in the age of soothsayers and clairvoyants at best when it comes to the shipping industry it would appear.


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

COME ONNNNNNNNN... I can't take it anymore... 6, 7, 8, 9... What the [email protected]#... I can track a $1 order from Amazon and know where exactly it is and have an exact ETA... but a $40K+ car is "some-f'ing-where" and will arrive whenever


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

*Wtf*

Now I'm totally confused...

Look at the attached screen from AIS .. the Balloon finally showed up on the Pacific cost :clap:

I'm assuming that the port at the farthest point south is SD and the one right north to it is PH... look at my blue kiddish art 

If that is true then the Balloon is past SD and on its way to PH... I'm going :loco:


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

Oh.. and there is at least an hour delay in the AIS site.. so it is even closer than that


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

daoushy said:


> If that is true then the Balloon is past SD and on its way to PH... I'm going :crazy:


That's correct - according to NYK it's supposed to go to PH first and then to SD. Since PH is the "final" destination according to SDMIS, I'm guessing by "final" they mean furthest away from Europe and that it begins it's journey back to Europe after PH and San Diego is the first stop on teh return journey.

I feel a greater degree of trust for what the folks at NYK are telling me because there'e more detail involved and they're polite and helpful.

I just called the folks at PH and the guy I was transferred to claimed he couldn't hear me (landline connection and I could her him perfectly well and the operator who transferred me could hera me without any problem).

Maybe you can call PH and investigate further: 805.488.3677


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

fitch said:


> Maybe you can call PH and investigate further: 805.488.3677


Got voice mail of Andrew Ortiz the manager of operations :dunno: I'll call back in a while and update.. Can't take my eyes of that green triangle.. and my hand off F5 :loco:

The Ballon is no amongst all the other ships IN PH


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

daoushy said:


> Got voice mail of Andrew Ortiz the manager of operations :dunno: I'll call back in a while and update.. Can't take my eyes of that green triangle.. and my hand off F5 :loco:
> 
> The Ballon is no amongst all the other ships IN PH


Thanks Man!

The AIS live snapshot's got to make me believe that the ships going to be in PH later this evening like NYK says. Here are my recent AIS live and Google Earth screen shots.


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

Now you can see the little green triangle really clearly - I can convince myself it's turning into port - I'm convinced I have gone :loco:


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

Now if only Google Earth would show you LIVE satalite pics  This would be much better than AIS... 

Maybe by the time for my next ED :rofl: 

She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....She almost here....


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

Just called PH and was told that they don't give this kind of information to any one and that I should check with NYK


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

*What the hell ....*

I think I broke the AIS website :rofl:

PH and SD just went off the map  ... This freak'en ship is Jinxed


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

daoushy said:


> I think I broke the AIS website :rofl:
> 
> PH and SD just went off the map  ... This freak'en ship is Jinxed


:lmao: I just saw that too. I'm guessing they're conducting a "live" update of ship locations around SD and PH and that they'll all be back up in a bit and BELLONA will be pointed inwards towards PH


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

Hah!! There it is :thumbup: 

And I just confirmed with NYK that it's on schedule to dock this evening. Hooray  :banana: :clap:


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

:fruit: :fruit: :fruit:


----------



## calverbmw (Jun 2, 2005)

so now what? do i need to expect another month for delivery from PH to Long Beach?  

Man this is taking a lifetime of wait. Welcome to the SUCK!


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

Tha Balloon made it to SD LATE :rofl: and then its heading to Japan.. So the LAST PORT in the SD marine site actually means the previous port.. now it makes more sense since the Balloon will not bounce back to PH...

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 bgColor=#ffffff border=3>*******>[TR][TD]Bellona[/TD][TD]11/09 03:50[/TD][TD]11/09 17:00[/TD][TD]Japan[/TD][/TR]********>[/TABLE]

I left 3 voice messages to my CA with no answer yet and I know he is off on Thursdays 

Any one heared from their CA if the cars made it to VPC or still in customs? :dunno:


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

daoushy said:


> Any one heared from their CA if the cars made it to VPC or still in customs? :dunno:


:irate: :irate: :irate: :irate: :irate:    

My car hasn't even made it to VPC yet. Over 2,000 cars on the baloon!! It'll supposedly "be a few days yet" before the car gets to VPC!!!

Man - i need some good meds


----------



## e90fanatic (Jul 25, 2005)

fitch said:


> :irate: :irate: :irate: :irate: :irate:
> 
> My car hasn't even made it to VPC yet. Over 2,000 cars on the baloon!! It'll supposedly "be a few days yet" before the car gets to VPC!!!
> 
> Man - i need some good meds


When did your ship dock? Mine docked on Nov 3, and i don't think my car is in the VPC yet....it's in "transit to VPC" or something...the sales manager of the dealership had problem communicating so i think this is what he means...


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

e90fanatic said:


> When did your ship dock? Mine docked on Nov 3, and i don't think my car is in the VPC yet....it's ..


Mine docked on Monday (Nov 7) in the late evening and was discharged (which I take to mean that the cars were unloaded from the ship) the next day. I called the folks at "Distribution" today to see if they had received it and they thought it was outrageously funny :flipoff: that I should think the car would even be off the dock yet let alone at the VPC ...

Shocking that you car's not at the VPC yet. What's up with that?


----------



## e90fanatic (Jul 25, 2005)

fitch said:


> Mine docked on Monday (Nov 7) in the late evening and was discharged (which I take to mean that the cars were unloaded from the ship) the next day. I called the folks at "Distribution" today to see if they had received it and they thought it was outrageously funny :flipoff: that I should think the car would even be off the dock yet let alone at the VPC ...
> 
> Shocking that you car's not at the VPC yet. What's up with that?


yea man....i've been really patient since June (when i first placed order)....now im getting really impatient because i was expecting it this weekend! It turns out that customs kept the car until wednesday. And I think my dealer's sales manager said something "transit to VPC" or something when he read the computer screen but the phone reception was horrible and he wasn't even answering my simple question "is my car at VPC yet?" Hopefully it gets shiped off tmr so it'll arrive at the dealership for saturday delivery ....otherwise i gotta arrange a trip by greyhound to get the car next week cuz my friends are only able to drive me this weekend....


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

e90fanatic said:


> Hopefully it gets shiped off tmr so it'll arrive at the dealership for saturday delivery ....otherwise i gotta arrange a trip by greyhound to get the car next week cuz my friends are only able to drive me this weekend....


Good luck and keep us posted.


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

*Wtf.......*

Just got a call from my CA.. and my car has not made it to VPC yet 

He couldn't even give me an ETA  He told me he would be able to track its status once it hits the VPC but not befor that...

Fitch, any update on your side ???


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

daoushy said:


> Just got a call from my CA.. and my car has not made it to VPC yet
> 
> He couldn't even give me an ETA  He told me he would be able to track its status once it hits the VPC but not befor that...
> 
> Fitch, any update on your side ???


At least your dealer's keeping you posted - more than I can say for mine - he's gone into the BMW witness portection program :tsk: .

The scoop I have is that the hold-up is the US Department of Agriculture! Yes - I know you may experience cognitive dissonance coming to terms with the fact that a fine tuned piece of automotive equipment needs to inspected by the USDA but there you have it :dunno: .

19 Tourist (as opposed to dealer registered vehicles) vehicles on board the Bellona (17 others in the same boat as us - literally) and each of these needs to be inspected by the USDA - hence the wait - it's the government in action. I was assured by someone at Distribution that we should have our cars within a week... - I'm not holding my breath (don't look good when I turn blue!)


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

Fitch.. your post managed to put a smile on my blue face :rofl: 

I will post once I get any news... My CA probably hates me already


----------



## e90fanatic (Jul 25, 2005)

daoushy said:


> Fitch.. your post managed to put a smile on my blue face :rofl:
> 
> I will post once I get any news... My CA probably hates me already


My car still haven't arrived yet 

BTW, does anybody know if VPC will upgrade the software in the software campaign? The dealership said it won't get updated for ED cars...only new cars?


----------



## fitch (Aug 10, 2005)

e90fanatic said:


> My car still haven't arrived yet
> 
> BTW, does anybody know if VPC will upgrade the software in the software campaign? The dealership said it won't get updated for ED cars...only new cars?


Don't know, but I'd bet they don't. It's coming in as a "tourist" car and so they likely treat it differently from dealer registered cars. I suspect you'll need to have the dealer do this for you.

Given all the software issues I've read about on the E63 forum I'm not going to upgrade mine based on the philosophy that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Let us know what you find out ...


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

My CA told me otherwise... He stated that the VPC WILL update my S/W but also said if I ended up with the "not most recent" version that he will gladly update my software... This is a question for those who already got their cars.. I don't think any one other than the three of us is reading this thread any more


----------



## calverbmw (Jun 2, 2005)

make that 4. i'm still reading. this wait's killing me. time went by quickly since getting back from europe then it hit a brick wall when the boat arrived at port.  now i know what brando meant when he said in anguished voice, "the horror...the horror"


----------



## sicks (Sep 16, 2005)

make that 5. I'm watching you guys get screwed so I know how hard I'm going to get screwed next week. I'm on the "Kassel".


----------



## daoushy (Jul 31, 2005)

Oh we have a bigger audiance :hi: .. I also didn't notice the view count on the thread ..

*I MISS MY CAAAAAARRRR...  *


So it wasn't ennough that the Balloon came around the world in 42 days now the freak'en USDA has my baby for a whole week ..

Any one knows if the USDA is before, after or along the customs? 

Any one has updates from there CAs... my CA probably hate me by now


----------



## lbernielu (Jul 13, 2005)

*Thanksgiving Delivery*

I have my beautiful car, and thanks to Fitch for the thought.

330i actually came in late Monday to the dealership. It spent all day Tuesday and most of Wednesday under a tent plugged in for the software updates. Wednesday afternoon I was told they were completed and car was fully prepped, except they had to order that new part in the roof light with the cut-out for the ultrasonic sensor in the alarm I had installed. Dealer put on the windshield temporary operating copy, but I did not have time to get my expidited California plates - had to drive down to Bay Area with Euro plate still on the back. :thumbup:

Will probably finish with 400 + miles on the long weekend. Car had 1,400 European miles so I am past break-in and can start working the motor. So far, biggest problem is finding enough clear road to get past six grand on the tach!


----------

