chees

Very glad to see this final summary appear in my mailbox, as I have been following your trips for years. Can't wait until 2022 for your next voyage. In the meantime, stay safe and have a lovely, socially-distanced holiday season.

For those of you familiar with her or her travel agency, I was very shocked to get an email from Lori's husband today about her passing. She was only 52 and I have cruised with her and worked with her for many years. So very sad. She will be missed.

Tina

From NZ Herald:

Meanwhile the cruise company had sent members of its care team to Christchurch to offer immediate support and assistance to the injured passengers.

"All other guests have returned to the ship. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved and we hope for their speedy recovery," said the company.

Here is the link to the article: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11805857

Tina

I don't like to do laundry at home, so I certainly do not want to waste my time when I travel doing laundry. Just me...

Tina

When we arrived it was not too windy. We went to see the penguins on Magdalena Island, which was so windy we could not walk up to the lighthouse. When we returned to the ship, not only was she well tied up, but there was a tug pushing on her center ship side to keep her from ripping away from the dock since she was broadside to the wind. The tug cost $5K/hour and was there for several hours. Definitely a windy port. :)

Tina

Cruiser Bill kindly posted this link of 107 more photographs of the Kdam from an article in USA Today's web site:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2016/05/04/holland-america-koningsdam-cruise/83913010/

And on one of the slides it says:

Although the Koningsdam does not have a dedicated library, reference books and games are available for guests' use in the Explorations Cafe.

I've read the threads about the narrower Promenade with no loungers and complaints about other changes, but THIS hits me where it hurts. HAL has the BEST libraries on the seas and I'm so sad it appears they will not be on this larger ship. My best day at sea is with a good PAPER (non-electronic) book on a shady lounge chair overlooking the sea. Sad...

Tina

Dear Sail:

I am another one who has never met you, but nonetheless feels close to you and deeply saddened by your beloved Robert's passing. I was shocked to see this posting, and am now tearful because of the great outpouring of love from those who knew you (whether fortunately in person on a cruise or just from your postings over the years). Please know that so many people that you and Robert have touched are sending you loving thoughts of support.

Tina

Even on our last cruise, when our windows on the Volendam faced over the bow and we had to close our curtains in the evening so the light did not disturb the bridge, we still opened the curtains as soon as we turned out the lights. At home we do not even have blinds on our bedroom sliding door, plus we have a skylight. :-)

Tina

Our cruise leaves in March so we are flying round trip Sydney-Ayers Rock Airport. We land in Uluru at 11:45am and our airport transfer is included. We are staying at the cheapest budget hotel with bathroom ($240AU/night!!!!!) and are taking the 'Evening Under the Stars' for $164AU/pp. The next morning we are taking the 'Desert Awakenings 4WD tour' for $153AU/pp before flying out of Ayers Rock airport at 12:30pm.

http://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/

It will be a very pricey kamikaze trip but we don't plan on returning so we are up for it. Then we have night in Sydney before boarding our ship. We are staying in a B&B in the Rocks area so can walk to most sites.

Tina

March 13, 2012 Sydney-Auckland

Can't wait!!!!!!

Tina (and Randy)

March 13 Sydney-Auckland, with a quick trip to Uluru first.

Tina

We sailed the Sunward II in 1988 for three days Miami-Bahamas with a 2-year-old and a six-month-old and STILL got hooked. It was a family reunion cruise. We followed that in 1991 with another family reunion cruise on the Britanis. Our stateroom was huge with a separate closet for each of the four of us because she was used for ocean voyages.

What was so cool was that my husband's grandparents had sailed the Britanis to Hawaii when she was the Matsonia/Lurline. My husband had gone down to the dock to watch the sailaway.

Tina

We sailed the Sunward II in 1988 for three days Miami-Bahamas with a 2-year-old and a six-month-old and STILL got hooked. It was a family reunion cruise. We followed that in 1991 with another family reunion cruise on the Britanis. Our stateroom was huge with a separate closet for each of the four of us because she was used for ocean voyages.

What was so cool was that my husband's grandparents had sailed the Britanis to Hawaii when she was the Matsonia/Lurline. My husband had gone down to the dock to watch the sailaway.

Tina