richwmn

April 8^th, 2024 – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

It’s deja vu all over again! Today’s stop is Cabo San Lucas and I was last here on Dec 25^th, yes Christmas Day, on the cruise prior to the Grand Australia. Cabo is a tender port and tendering has already started. It is a pretty day here, and we are in the path of about 95% of the solar eclipse.

Yesterday was a busy day. The ship had two Mariner receptions, one at 11am and the other at 1pm. I had an invitation to the 1pm one and went up to the Crows Nest a couple of minutes early. The doors were already open and I was greeted by the Captain and other officers present. There was a good crowd and conversation and wine flowed freely.

Then at 2pm I had a ‘complementary’ wine tasting. I quoted complementary because at this time I have been charged for it. Not that it is much, but it is supposed to be a 5* benefit. I did notify Guest Relations and a ticket was started. We will have to see how quickly it is taken care of. The wine tasting itself was very nice, and again good conversation with the others at the table. We had two red and two white wines and all were good.

Due to the Mariner’s reception I missed the early trivia at 1pm, but Tom said his group did well. The 7pm trivia was again music snips, but this time it was the ‘70’s. Cliff, the trivia host, had a good mix of songs. Tom and I got 21 out of 24 again and won for the second night. If the schedule is followed tonight would be the ‘80’s and that might be the end of the run.

After trivia I went directly to the World Stage where ‘Latin Devos’ was the selection for the evening. This act consists of three gentlemen, each with a good voice. One of the three played the violin and a horn, and was very good at each. They sang a nice variety of songs and the time went quickly. Overall a good experience on the World Stage.

Today at about 11am this area will experience the solar eclipse. Tom provided me a pair of glasses to use, and most likely I will be on the ship to view it.

Today’s activities and menus –

Cabo this morning

31 minutes ago, Sharon in AZ said:

I find it amazing that we can see it so well almost 700 miles away. The trajectory was toward Cabo San Lucas. I wonder if those on the Volendam saw it. 

Didn't know to look

April 7^th, sea day destination Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Today is our first sea day heading toward Fort Lauderdale. We have covered a good portion of our journey to Cabo overnight and are headed Southeast at 21 knots. The temperature is 57°F / 14°C under a few clouds. The humidity is 21% with winds at 20 mph.

Yesterday I elected to stay on the ship for turnaround. I expected everything to be delayed a bit, and was not surprised when we were. For those remaining on board, we were to get to the Wajang Theater at 9:30 for our presentation to immigration. Between waiting for the straggling Guests to leave the ship, and for the ship to be ready for us to return, the process took a bit over 90 minute. Within a few minutes after we got back on the ship, the Lido was open for lunch. It was really nice to be the only one there, and to walk around a ship that was basically empty.

After lunch I took care of a couple of things, then headed to the aft Lido pool for the scheduled sail away party. Again, I had expected a delay in leaving and was not surprised when the ship didn’t pull away at 4:00pm. After chatting with a few fellow Guests, I headed into the restaurant for dinner.

The next activity after dinner was the 7pm trivia in the Mix. Since Dani left in San Diego we had a new trivia master. The topic was music, and he used clips from the ‘60’s that we had to identify song and artist. My partner was Tom, who some may know as ‘Scooter Tom’, who was also on the Christmas cruise. We managed to score 21 of 24 points, and shouldn’t have missed the ones we did. We just didn’t think enough about it.

After trivia I stayed in the Mix to hear the new piano player. Entertainment, like food, is subjective. Eli, who left, had a nice crowd each evening but I didn’t really care for his style. I really enjoyed the new pianist. I listened to three songs and enjoyed them. I wanted to go to the Ocean Bar and hear the new band there, and they were also good. The band composition was basically the same as the one that left, a female lead with four backup instruments. This group was also good. They played two songs before taking a break and the Cocktail Pianist took over. She is another talented pianist with a good style. I didn’t get to the string trio, but it has been reported that the group from the Grand is still aboard and is very good.

Very little of the crew changed, so that continuity is very nice. We had 72 people stay on the ship and had 1392 new passengers board. Someone had told me we were going to have a lot of kids, but it ends up being only about 25. Despite the full ship, it should be a nice cruise.

Today’s activities and menus –

April 6^th – San Diego, California turn around day

Back on board and now officially on the San Diego to Fort Lauderdale leg of the cruise. I had the honor of meeting David ( @DAllenTCY ) who works at the terminal and posts regularly about boarding from the standpoint of the shore side workers.

The day is very nice, and we should have beautiful weather for the sail away. The party is scheduled for 3pm, but rumor has it that we will actually leave San Diego later than that.

April 6^th – San Diego, California turn around day

It is a beautiful day in San Diego. We arrived on time and disembarkation has started. I originally didn’t plan to leave the ship, but things might have changed.

Lots of things going on yesterday. The normal good byes and safe travels. Everyone realizing what a nice experience this has been, and getting ready to leave.

Last night on the World Stage we had a very good performance by Mike Robinson and Lisa Harmon. Mike and Terrance did a few things I had not seen from them before, and Lisa was in good voice. It was a nice show for the end of the cruise.

Most of the house entertainment that was so wonderful for the Grand Cruise is leaving today, and I will miss them. It remains to be seen what will replace them.

Today’s activities and menus

12 hours ago, DAllenTCY said:

Thanks for all of your posts....and future ones on the way to New England.

 

If you are going ashore for a while, I'd like to than you in person.

David

I sent you an email

11 hours ago, Guinness1000 said:

We are doing 27 days on Zaandam in 2025, and I think they are sister ships, so similar in size and such.

Yes Volendam and Zaandam are sister ship and about the same size, however the entertainment options will not be the same as on a grand cruise.

I am on Volendam currently just finishing the Grand Australia & New Zealand.

For the duration of this cruise, we have had

1 - Ocean Bar Pianist during afternoon happy hour and fill in

2 - Ocean Bar Band - generally 3 sets a night, but also sail aways and back up band for entertainers on World Stage

3 - Dance Band - generally in the Crows Nest for 2 - 3 sets a night, but in the Ocean Bar when that band is elsewhere

4 - Pianist in the Mix 2 - 3 sets a night

5 - String trio in the Explorations Lounge 2 - 3 sets a night

These acts generally have had 1 night off per week.

Grand Voyage Rep Co. has done at least 12, maybe as many as 15 stage shows on the World Stage that have been very good.

Very few nights on the World Stage have been dark or a movie. We have had many different singers, magicians, and other acts. Many of these acts I have seen before on other HAL ships and are some of the best they have had.

The entertainment staff has been larger than shorter cruises, having a Cruise Director, trivia host, and sports director among others.

During the day we have had many good lectures, as well as arts & crafts, and organized games.

The quality of the 'House' entertainers has been very good.

Just to add, the Ocean Bar Band, Dance Band, Cocktail Pianist, and Mix Pianist are are leaving tomorrow at the end of the Grand Cruise. The entertainment options will change and we will have to see who boards.

April 5^th – at sea, destination San Diego, California

Today is the final day of the Grand Australia and New Zealand Cruise on Volendam. Tomorrow in San Diego almost all the Guests will leave the ship, with 72 remaining. Shortly after, almost 1,400 Guests will board the ship. The lower berth capacity of Volendam is 1,432, with the maximum being 1,718, so the ship will be very full.

Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 62F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

We are currently headed Northeast, at precisely the same heading we have had for the past few days. Our speed is 20 knots, a little more than the past few days. The temperature is 59°F / 15°C under overcast skies. The humidity is 57% with winds at almost 19 mph. For tomorrow in San Diego - Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 62F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

A couple of things went on yesterday. The first was that a luncheon was arranged by a Guest for those passengers continuing on. Although this was not set up by the ship, the Captain, along with the love of his life, and the Cruise Director stopped by to say something. About 40 of the 72 people who are continuing showed up and seemed to have a good time.

Last night was the final performance by the Grand Voyage Repertory Company, a production named ‘Classique’. As with all of their performances it was a high energy, very good performance highlighting the talents of the singers and dancers. They are continuing on so it will be nice to see several of the shows again.

Today’s activities and menus –

April 4^th – at sea, destination San Diego, California

Volendam continues our Northeasterly path toward San Diego. We are still running about 18 knots, which the Captain has announced should have us arrive on time. The sky is overcast and the temperature is 66°F/ 19°C with a humidity of 64% and winds of about 17 mph.

The highlights yesterday were the third Mariner presentation and luncheon, along with the Black and White Ball, which took place in the World Stage

Today’s activities and menus –

April 3^rd – at sea, destination San Diego, California

We are continuing on our journey back to San Diego. Volendam has continued to steam at a speed of around 18 knots in a Northeasterly direction. We still have just under three full days at sea until we arrive. Today we have overcast skies and a temperature of 75°F / 24°C. The humidity is at 76% with winds at a little over 24 mph. The sea state is choppy and Volendam has some movement, but not as much as when we left San Diego in January.

Yesterday I had a very lazy day, as I expect today thru Friday to be as well. We have the typical lineup of presentations during the day, as well as a few sports activities. Trivia continues and does fine.

Last night the World Stage started with Daniel speaking for a little bit as usual. He had fun with a couple of people in the audience, and showed his comedic skill. Daniel has been a big reason that this cruise has been fun.

The headliner last night was again Patrick McMahon, a talented singer from Australia. He called the night Americana, and sang mostly traditional songs. He ended with a good explanation of the terms in ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and then sang it. While he might talk a bit too much considering his singing talent, what he talked about is interesting. Another good evening on the World Stage.

Now I present to you today’s activities and menus –

Volendam's Captain Rens Van Eerten just announced that we are currently over 1,100 miles to the nearest land in any direction. We are, he told us, in the middle of nowhere!

April 2^nd – at sea, destination San Diego, California

We continue our trek toward the end of this segment. Volendam is proceeding Northeast at 19 knots, which is a little bit faster than needed. Today we are under scattered clouds with a temperature of 81°F / 27°C. The humidity is at 84% and the winds are a little over 18 mph. The ship has had a bit of motion all morning.

Yesterday was a very full day aboard Volendam. In the morning at 11:15am we had the first (of three) Mariner Receptions. This is where the Medallions for actual days sailed were awarded. Wine was provided and the ceremony started about 11:30. Those receiving bronze Medallions were recognized but not awarded. Since this cruise is 94 days, one only had to do 1 cruise prior to be eligible for the Bronze Medallion. Each Guest awarded Silver, Gold, and Platinum Medallions was called to the front to receive it and have a picture taken with the Captain and Hotel Manager. Captain Rens Van Eerten was in a good mood and the ceremony was very light hearted.

Last night we had a show on the World Stage, and a party on the Lido Deck. The show was an Irish Comedian named George Casey. He started out with some Irish jokes and some words about Irish comedy. His act was non stop for the next 35 – 40 minutes and was very funny. He even made a joke about having to compete with the Lido deck party and said if we enjoyed his show we should mention it so he would have an audience for the late show.

On the Lido Deck we had the County Fair with the Ocean Bar Band playing. Around the mid ship pool area games were set up like a county fair might be. Different stations had tic-tac-toe bean bags, corn hole, and other games. Participation gave you a ticket toward winning a prize. Everyone appeared to be having a good time.

After a while at the Fair, I ventured down to the Ocean Bar where the Dance Band was playing to a small audience. The Dance Band also consists of very talented musicians and it was nice to listen to them. At about 9pm I checked the World Stage to find that George Casey had a reasonable audience, maybe a bit smaller than a normal late audience, but not by much.

This morning we awoke to the towel animal zoo around the mid ship pool. They were very creative and ranged in size from the typical ones we might get in our cabin, to a couple the size of a small horse or alligator. It was a very nice display and showed a lot of talent in the housekeeping department.

Today’s activities and menus –

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

For our most recent medallion we did not get it on the current cruise, NOR even the next one.  Had to ask for it and was of course given both conflicting answers.

We all know that things slip thru HAL's cracks. I can't find it right now, but the description of Medallions on the HAL site indicates that they are given on the cruise on which you attain the level. I have received each of mine on the proper cruise.

3 hours ago, Euby said:

I'll hit the 100-day mark during my next cruise.  Will they provide it at that point or on my next cruise (like they do the Mariner levels)?

Medallions are received on the cruise that you hit the number of days. Star benefits are received on the next cruise. But HAL is not consistant

April 1^st – at sea, destination San Diego, California

April Fools Day on Volendam!

Volendam is now in the North Pacific. Sometime in the last couple of hours we crossed the equator again. We are currently headed Northeast at 18knots. This is about the speed that was announced yesterday as our target to reach San Diego on time. The screen is again showing light rain with a temperature of 82°F / 28°C. The wind is almost 7mph and the humidity is 79%.

We have settled back into a sea day routine. The ship has activities all morning for those who chose to attend. Yesterday I had a bridge tour. I had received an invitation to tour the bridge and I showed up at the appointed time. We were escorted in a group of 20 thru the gym to the bridge. My group was taken to the starboard wing and a cadet gave a very nice explanation of the function of each piece of equipment. There was another group of 20 on the port wing getting the same information. We then exited thru the office area back to the guest area of the ship.

The evening’s entertainment was comedian Mike Robinson. Along with his helper, Lester, Mike has been a staple of Holland America entertainment for many years. While a good part of his show is the same each time, he does introduce new routines and the whole show is generally funny. The wisecracking Lester goes to the edge, but not too far in insulting a designated member of the audience. I have always enjoyed this show and will attend any time they are the headliners.

Today’s activities and menus

March 31^st – at sea, destination San Diego, California

Happy Easter from Volendam

Today is the first sea day heading back to San Diego. No more ports on the schedule. We are currently headed Northeast at 18knots. Our schedule is to cross the equator again sometime tomorrow. The weather display on the TV shows a light rain, but it was clear for the Easter Sunrise Service this morning. Several people mentioned that it was a magnificent sunrise to accompany the service. The temperature is currently 82°F / 28°C with a humidity of 78% and winds a 9mph.

Yesterday was a very nice day in Nuku Hiva. The tender ride wasn’t too long but it was a little difficult exiting the tender. Those who were at Daniels talk the previous night knew what to expect. As usual, there were vendors set up right where we got off the tender and a few locals performing. Back on the ship it was another nice lazy day.

At 4:30pm the Captain announced that we were about ready to leave and the sailaway party was beginning. I headed to the aft pool deck to find that it was already crowded. The beverage department was handing out wine, but other drinks cost. The Ocean Bar Band was again playing and sounding very good. A good number of the Officers and Staff were present and seemed to be having a good time. After the last tender was secured, we headed off in a very nice sailaway around 5:30pm.

The show last night was the second installment of Lisa Harman. She put on another good show, playing a very good version of ‘The Entertainer’, along with singing a couple of Julie Andrews songs. Overall the show was good as she is a talented pianist and good singer.

Last night we moved our clocks forward by another half hour to bring us closer to the time in San Diego. We still have two hours to make up over the next week. Tonight is our last formal night.

Here are the activities and menus for today –

22 hours ago, POA1 said:

I have Tha on our server. I'll need to FTP in to grab the file URL for you.

5 hours ago, Cruise4food said:

Nostalgia for the 90s.

bet it is blocked by HAL's firewall

March 30^th, -- Taiohae, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia

Good Morning from Nuku Hiva, our last stop on this wonderful Grand Australia and New Zealand Cruise. It is another beautiful day here.

Yesterday was a typical day at sea, the ship provided a lot of activities for those who chose to participate. Many chose to use the loungers and relax by the pool or the promenade deck. I would say that a majority of the people around the ship had their eyes on their devices, either reading or playing games. I saw fewer people out and about playing cards or mah jong than last year on the World.

I have not talked about food too much, nor have I provided pictures. As of tomorrow I will have been on Volendam 100 days and I have yet to use the Main Dining Room. Most meals have been in the Lido, where there is no attempt at presentation. The food has uniformly been, to me, very good and the service has been excellent. Since I generally sit in the same section, I don’t have to ask for drinks they show up shortly after I sit down.

The World Stage show last night was the Grand Voyage Repertory Company in “Country Crossroads”. This group of eight singers and dancers, all of whom are very good. Of the eight, only four (two male and two female) sing lead and each seems to get about the same amount of time in the spotlight. The songs seem to be well suited to the person doing the lead. While the title of the show mentioned country, I would say that it was more country rock. As always, the show was high energy and well performed.

This morning we are anchored in a nice cove, and I expect that open tendering will start shortly. The tender ride was announced to be 1km, so it will be one of the longer ones. There is a small town to walk around, and of course lots of trinkets to purchase.

Today’s activities and menus –

55 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

 

Would that make it an atoll?

It was not referred to as an atoll in the talks.

"An atoll is a type of island consisting of a ribbon reef that nearly or entirely surrounds a lagoon and supports, in most cases, one to many islets on the reef platform. Atolls have a unique geology, so not all islands with a reef and a lagoon are atolls." (from Wikidiffs)

March 29^th, 2024 – at sea, destination Taiohae, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia

Good morning and I hope everyone has a great day on this Good Friday. Volendam is currently heading Northeast at 14 knots toward our final stop on this Grand Voyage. After we leave Taiohae we will have all sea days until we reach San Diego on Saturday, April 6^th. The TV weather shows that we are currently having light rain, although I didn’t see it a few minutes ago when I captured our position. The temperature is 82°F / 28°C with a humidity of 77% and winds at a little over 8mph.

So a little about yesterday. We were at Fakarava on the island of Tuamotu in French Polynesia. It is a very small island which from the ship looks like a long, curved, narrow strip of land in the middle of the ocean. It is almost a circle so the inside cove is well protected. The main features are some very nice beaches and, of course, shopping. Since it is a small island, it is a tender port.

I didn’t attend either trivia session yesterday, other things got in the way. We had a pretty nice sailaway at 5pm with a small crowd. The band didn’t play, but the ship provided extra speakers for the piped in music. Whoever selected the music did a good job and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

On the World Stage last night we had Patrick McMahon, a country and western singer from Australia. He put on a very good show, with a minimum of talk and a good selection of songs. He is a talented guitar player and singer. I did enjoy the show and will attend again.

Today’s activities and menus –

Greetings from French Polynesia, hope y'all have a great cruise!

March 28^th, 2024 – Fakarava, French Polynesian

I know it sounds repetitious, but it really is another beautiful day today – just maybe a little bit warmer than most would want. For the most part, the weather has been really nice the entire time I have been aboard Volendam.

Yesterday was day two in Pape’ete, and I got off the ship and walked around a little bit. Since I was just here a year ago, nothing has changed. When you get off the ship there is quite a bit of shopping and a Burger King. It is an easy port to walk around.

Back on the ship, it was a nice relaxed day. Like every day when the ship is in port, the on board experience is very nice. The meals were good, and the service was great. The 4pm trivia went well, and again we tied, but could have won outright. After trivia, there was a nice sailaway party featuring the Ocean Bar band. The special for the party was a pineapple shaped container with unlimited Piña Colada for $18. I passed on that.

The World Stage featured Lisa Harman, a very talented pianist and singer. She did a couple of songs by Elton John, and a very good rendition of Barbra Streisand. She had a good mix of talk and singing and presented a very good show. She will have two more shows on this cruise, and will remain on the ship at least the first part of the canal transit.

This morning was are tendering into Fakarava, another small island. The main feature here seems to be beaches and snorkling.

Today’s activities and menus

March 27^th, 2024 – Papeʻete, Tahiti, French Polynesia (day 2)

Good morning! We have the rest of the day here and one more stop in French Polynesia and then we are heading back toward San Diego. It is another pretty day here, and it is expected to remain the same.

Yesterday was a lazy day. Plenty of things going on around the ship. Most of the venues had something going on and the Casino seemed to be open for the evening.

So I always talk about trivia, and we did have two sessions yesterday. My group did very good at both sessions. The late session theme was ‘Mythical Creatures’. Our host showed pictures of various Creatures of fantasy and legend and had us identify them. The creatures included Pegasus, Phoenix, Minatour, Unicorn, Wearwolf, and twelve more.

After the evening trivia session ended I headed to the World Stage for the show which was provided by a group from Pape’ete. They showcased local music and dancing. The show lasted the normal 45 minutes and was high energy and very good.

As I mentioned on the Daily Thread, the internet is currently out for Guests so I’m not sure when this will be posted.

Today’s activities and menus

Volendam is starting our second day in Pape'ete. It seems that an update was done to Navigator last night and the ship's internet is down for Guests. No idea of when it will return.

One couple had only purchased a day pass, and another complained that they had to work today.