WCB

Greetings, Thank you for the compliments....it does mean a lot knowing you are following along with us. In regards to our comments about the 2023 GWV, we did receive a positive response from the CEO, Gus Antorcha. He promised to improve areas that needed fixing, and we are seeing some of that on this cruise. Yes, we are booked on the 2024 GWV as well. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #12 September 16, 2023 Haines, Alaska At Anchor 7am-8pm Tender Port Light Rain All Day With Heavy Overcast Skies 52 Degrees And Cool.......Part #1 Of 2........78 Pictures Of 156 Well, here we are in Haines, the substitute port for Skagway. We’re not exactly sure why we did not go there, but it wasn’t due to the weather conditions. We believe we were bumped so the Sapphire Princess, the Carnival Miracle, and the Seven Seas Regent Explorer had room to dock. We may be wrong, but probably not. Anyway, it has been a long time since we visited Haines, and we had a fine time there despite the constant rain. Located at the upper end of America’s longest and deepest fjord, the Lynn Canal, we were here in 2011. It is also known as the home to 30,000 bald eagles, the highest concentration in all of North America. Haines is 80 miles north of Juneau, and 14 miles south of Skagway. Haines is also home to Fort William H Seward, named after the man who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia. This impressive fort was built on 4000 acres, which has been converted to businesses and bed and breakfast hotels these days. Breakfast was first, and we did learn from the hotel director that the former art corner next to the wine bar outside the Pinnacle Grill is being converted to another shop that will feature the HAL Captain’s logo items and clothing. Interesting. It will take another week before the project is completed. There was some noise from the hammering, drilling, and sawing. And the adjacent wine bar will eventually be turned into something involving the photo department. It does not appear that this wine bar is being used for sip and savor anymore. Armed with a map (oops…forgot the umbrellas), we headed off the ship about 9:45am. Rounding the corner at the elevator lobby, we ran right into the “moose” or the mascot of the ship’s photographers. Yesterday it was a wolf, and the day before a bear. No, thanks, but we still don’t need the photo. Been there, done that. Going down to deck A, we just showed our room key to the security gal. No tender ticket needed. One of the tours was going off, so the boat filled quickly. Actually, it was the excursion that took the 45 – minute ferry ride to Skagway with the train ride. There were nine tours in total, some easy sight-seeing rides, or kayak or floating down the river in the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. We took this tour and found it quite enjoyable. In today’s rain? Probably not so much. There were several museums to visit, a wilderness safari, or a visit to a wildlife refuge to see a wolf, a Kodiak bear, porcupine, lynx, and a reindeer up close and personal. Unsuited to release back into the wild, they are cared for by a man named Steve Kroschel, who has a 60 acre park. Once we walked up the steep gangway to the top, there was a convenient tourist info shop. We picked up more brochures and a better map, then hopped on a waiting free shuttle to downtown. The friendly driver made four stops along the way, and we got off at the Bald Eagle Raptor Center. We have seen a similar bird display and live show in Sitka, and this looked much the same. So we continued to walk up the Haines Highway past the police and firehouse stations and uphill to the center of town. Everything was here in a tight 3 or 4 block section. Many restaurants were closed until 11am, some not until 5pm. We had heard there was an excellent wood-fired pizza parlor, and we did locate it. They opened after 11am. We would come back of course. We happened to pass the Haines Library where a 20 – foot totem pole was erected. The figures on this pole told the story of the library’s beginning. But the most interesting part was the fact this pole was carved from an 800 year old cedar tree. This town has a total of fifteen such totems located all throughout the town and its outskirts. Making our way to Main Street, we ducked in and out of some shops and stores. One was the main supermarket, which had just about anything you might need. Not only a food store, but also cosmetics, clothing, and some hardware items. Like a mini -Walmart. Following the map, we strolled past more historic buildings, and also past one neat souvenir shop called Gold Spot. A rack of locally crafted copper earrings caught our eye, so we went in to check it out. Made in the designs of totems and more, one of us found a pair of earrings to buy, and the store owner happened to locate a matching bracelet. They will be a nice keepsake to remember our unscheduled stop in Haines. It was close to noon, so we headed right for the Alpenglow Pizzeria. We could already smell the smoke drifting out of their traditional pizza oven. What we found was a very casual order-at-the-counter café with the menu printed in chalk on the side wall board. All of the pizzas were 12 inches with the usual varieties. We choose a simple pepperoni pizza, which was delivered to our table. It was as good as it looked, and today our beverages were Coke Zero. No beer sold here. We stayed in town walking every street, taking photos, then made our way to the town’s other information center. It was also a convenient restroom stop which was located next to the center. Once inside, we realized this was the “candy store” of info centers. They had walls full of pamphlets, maps, and brochures. Loaded up with many of them, we signed their guest book and thanked the info ladies for having such a wonderful shop. Instead of taking the shuttle back, we decided to walk back, even in the rain. It wasn’t as far as it looked on the map, and soon we were directly across from the fort. It would have been quite a wet walk up the hillside to access the property, so we just took photos and kept going. Some of the crew members were also walking back from the market. We could see their bags were loaded with small snack packages. There were still some tour groups coming off the tenders for the second round for the day. Too bad we did not have a better day for touring. Have we mentioned the use of the facial recognition screens they use for boarding the ship? We have had this in most every port, and it seems to work well. We still have to use our room key to get back onboard, but it seems the line moves quicker using the computer screen. The ride back took only 15 minutes. Then we dried off for the rest of the afternoon working on photos and reading all of the brochures. The rain never stopped. The last tender was at 7:30pm and we think the ship left the bay by 8pm or earlier. Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill with the usual starters and the filet mignons for our mains. They were more tender than ever and were wonderfully delicious. One tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of chocolate sauce finished our meal. Sitting by the “window” we watched the stream of guests coming from the show lounge. The Step One Dance Company performed Humanity once again. It appeared to be well-attended. Last night after dinner, we passed by the Ocean Bar and caught the end of a piano concert played by the cruise director, Glenn Michael. He had played music from Phantom of the Opera, and got a huge round of applause as he exited the room. A very talented fellow. Tomorrow we will be entering Glacier Bay once again. Bill & Mary Ann

Greetings, We have never been to the Capilano Suspension Bridge due to lack of time in Vancouver. Perhaps staying an extra day after the cruise would work. We shall search for Melinda in the Crow's Nest. There are no wine pairing dinners in the Pinnacle Grill on the 7 day voyages. No pop-up menus as well. Alpenglow Pizza is on the must-do list for today. Thanks. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #11 September 15, 2023 Juneau, Alaska 1pm-9:30pm Docked Starboard Side To Dock Mostly Cloudy With Sun And A Few Rain Showers 52 Degrees Part #1 Of 2.......75 Pictures Of 151 Our port of call for today is Juneau, with a brief stop at Tracy Arm to let a tour off. About 100 guests took the boat ride up to see the Twin Sawyer Glaciers, then will re-join the ship in Juneau later in the afternoon. We watched the guests board the high speed boat bundled up in jackets and hats, and over-loaded backpacks. We wonder what they put in these bags for a six hour excursion? Once we had a tablemate who packed his bed pillow in his bag for a long ride on a tour bus in China. Clever. The weather was rainy, windy, and darn cold. Fog hugged every mountainside in the passage, and got dense enough for the Captain to sound the foghorn every two minutes. We had gone to deck six forward to watch the tour boat load up and leave, then stayed until we sailed in the Gastineau Channel. We were rewarded for our efforts by spotting several whales as we got closer to Juneau. They were diving near the shoreline, and only surfaced a few times. As we sailed into Juneau, we spotted the Disney Wonder docked in her spot, the furthest from downtown. The RCI Quantum of the Seas was in her normal spot, while the Carnival Miracle was docked near the Disney vessel. We squeezed in between Carnival and RCI. With this many ships in port, there will be thousands of folks out and about. And that includes a large number of crew as well. Arriving this late in the day at 1pm, we might have trouble finding room in any restaurant for lunch. Our only hope is that most passengers booked tours and would be out of town. Before we left the ship, we had some mail. One was a new form with Haines tours for tomorrow. One of the excursions was a ferry ride from Haines to Skagway, our cancelled port. This tour would involve a train ride for $330 for an all day tour. Wonder if this will still happen after we had to skip this port? Then we got the second customs form for Canada that we will turn in at the front desk before this 7 day cruise is over. In transit again, we will follow the same procedure we did in Vancouver on Wednesday. Lastly, there is a scheduled maintenance for the air conditioning system on the Dolphin deck. Our air will be shut down from 1pm to 6 pm, which is when we planned to be off of the ship for the most part. So we bundled up and went off the ship by 1:30pm. The downtown was crowded as we expected. And it was bone-chilling cold. The main streets were so full of shoppers, we stayed off of them, and walked the waterfront. We decided to go right to the Hangar on the Wharf to see if they had room for lunch. It was mostly filled with guests, but they did have a table for us without waiting. Larger groups came in after us, and were handed a buzzer to wait for a free table. We shared a burger with fries, Alaskan Amber beers, and also one order of the mud pie. Our waitress said that the computer showed they were sold out, but she would go in the back and check it out. She came back with the very last pie slice of the day……lucky for us. From there, we slowly walked back towards the ship, going even further to see if we could spot some bald eagles in the trees. We did see at least two of them as they perched on the branches of the fir trees. They seem to be in the same spot as previous years. Bet there are some nests up high. Passing by some of the newer shops, we strolled through one to check out the new editions of the Lazy One t’s. In this shop, the sleep t’s were $8 more than what we found in Ketchikan. Now we wonder if next week, the end of the season, the prices will drop even more? This is when the crew members shop for their families at home, we have been told. By the time we passed through the Taku Shop, it began to rain around 4:30pm. Perfect timing, we did not get too wet. Back in our room, we relaxed and worked online until dinnertime. By the way, we heard from Endrian at breakfast that technicians have installed a better internet service called Starlink. He said there was an immediate improvement, especially for the crew members who like to go to Facebook and do streaming and Netflix. That was good news. And we noticed that the area that used to be the art gallery on deck 4 was closed in and is in the process of being remodeled into something else. We shall have to investigate and find out exactly what they plan to build there. Dinnertime revealed some different items on the menu, or what we missed by going to the Pinnacle Grill last week. Arancini Pomodoro was a good starter, and the French onion soup was finally hot-hot-hot. We both ordered the parmesan-coated veal and it was OK, but rather bland. We shared a main of lasagna, but found that lacking in flavor. This was the first dinner that failed the excellent test. Now we know that Friday will be a good evening to go to the Pinnacle Grill as the menu repeats itself every 7 days on these Alaskan cruises. Tomorrow we will be in Haines. Hope the rain stays away. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #10 September 14, 2023 Cruising The Inside Passage Enroute To Tracy Arm Sunny And Partly Cloudy 57 Degrees Part #1 Of 1..........43 Pictures Guess what? We had a special announcement from the Captain that we will not be calling on Skagway Saturday due to extreme inclement weather, and the fact we would have to use tender boats to get ashore. Well, that’s a first. That is one port we have never skipped. However……..they have substituted Haines, a town we have visited only once in past years. So we will miss our walk to the Soapy Smith Cemetery and the great pizza, but we will have a chance to explore Haines. We will also have to use the tenders to get into that port, so it may be limited for folks in wheelchairs. Yesterday we received more things in our room such as Coke Zero, 2 bottles of Wyclif sparkling wine, and more shipboard credit. All perks of booking this cruise with separate booking numbers. We had a brochure outlining the buying of shore excursions, making reservations in the specialty restaurants, and purchasing a drink package. This is the 15 beverages per day priced under $11 or less. Non-alcoholic drinks are included in this package. This was $60 per person per day and both of us would have to purchase the package. We never buy it, and when we had it as a perk, we never came close to the 15 drink limit. The internet packages were also promoted. Finally, we had a flyer to begin collecting exclusive travelers tags (pendants) from the Shops, but you have to attend their talks. The time, place, and day were listed, which is helpful if you like free things. This morning we had another canvas Mariner bag and an invite for wine tasting in the afternoon left on our bed. We missed it again. On the morning promenade walk, one of saw two more sun fish. Later we saw some sightings of porpoise skimming the surface, but they never breached the water. Every now and again, there were whales spouting in the far distance. The cloudiness increased as the day advanced. And that was a good reason for the guests to attend the many sales that were held around the ship. A special clearance sale of up to 75% happened in the Lido Pool area. Many passengers were buying the Alaskan t- shirts and the reversible jackets, as well as knit hats and gloves. Later in the afternoon, we collected some Dive In food – a burger and a hot dog and fries and brought it to our room to enjoy. We could have ordered it from room service and paid the $5 price for each item, but having done that on past cruises, we know they come cold. There were three talks in the World Stage – what to do and see ashore, The Iditarod, and Pacific Giants. The Call of the Wild was shown in the Wajang Theater three different times during the day and evening. The new ships do not have a real movie theater, so this one is nice as an alternate activity. Around 3:45pm, we went out to deck six forward and whale-watched. One of the officers on watch on the navigation deck knocked on the window and pointed to the starboard side. They had spotted some feeding whales. We must have been at least 20 miles off shore, so seeing them was difficult. The only positive thing was that there was a following wind, and we did not have problems holding the camera steady. There were many whales breaching, but not diving. There were several blows as they continued their feeding. Coming back to the room to warm up, was when the Captain announced the itinerary change. Now that we think about it, the hotel director mentioned that conditions up north were not going to be ideal. They probably already knew we were aborting Skagway. Dinner was “dressy” this evening with all of the photographers taking pictures everywhere. Although our waiters had mentioned they would be moved to a different section, they were both back where we dine. We both ordered salads, one shrimp cocktail, and a bowl of tomato soup…..very good, especially on a cold day. Our mains were rack of lamb, a bit overdone, but better than half raw. The chops were quite tasty and seasoned nicely. We added desserts of a flourless chocolate cake and a slice of apple tart. Our waiter decided we needed ice cream and brought a glasses of coffee and vanilla ice cream. Then we learned it was his birthday today, so we wished him a good one upon leaving the dining room. Maybe some of his buddies sang the birthday song for him. On the way back to our room, we passed through the casino and noticed it was very busy with gamblers. Unlike the grand voyage, these folks make it a point to do everything since there are only 7 days to do it all. Tomorrow we will be stopping briefly at Tracy Arm for a tour group, then we will be going to Juneau…..again. Lastly, the clocks went back one hour tonight. We like that. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #9 September 13, 2023 Vancouver, Canada Intransit Day Docked - Port Side To Pier 7am-4pm Partly Cloudy With Sun 68 Degrees Part #1 Of 5........77 Pictures Of 249 Our Alaskan adventure begins again……By the time we woke up, we were already docked in Vancouver. The forecast was for broken clouds and 59 degrees. No rain. Breakfast was early this morning – 6am in the Lido, 6:30am in both the dining room and Pinnacle Grill. Since today was debarkation day for all but 20 of us, many folks probably ate in the Lido. Today is a “zero clearance” day where everyone has to be off of the ship by 10am or so. Also, the Canadian version of the CDC will come onboard today for inspection in all departments. Endrian said they always pass with flying colors. Last night, we did not see any luggage sitting in the hallway after dinner. So today, we noticed the largest group debarking were the expedited guests who lugged their stuff off by themselves. Guess you can do that if your cruise is only seven days. Shore excursions was selling transfers to the airport for $29. If you had a later flight, you could book a Ho-Ho bus tour with an airport transfer for $120. We left the ship about 8:45am without joining the in transit group. Sometimes going in a group is more time-consuming, and with an all aboard time of 3:30pm, we did not want to waste any time waiting to be released. All we needed were our passports, room keys, and the in transit card. We showed this card all the way out, but were asked to show our passports to some officials. We believe they were making sure we had them, or we would not be allowed back on the ship. We lucked out today, since the Volendam was the only ship in port today. Sure made a difference in the terminal. We took our usual walk down past the convention center, following the waterfront past the Seaplane Terminal and Coal Harbour. The trees in the park that line the walkway were beginning to take on some fall color. In a few weeks, we bet we see a big difference. We went past the yacht area, noting some nice yachts for sale. One was priced over $900,000 Canadian $. Following Stanley Park Drive, we walked past the Rowing Club, then onto the horse-drawn carriages. The horses used today were the Percheron Draft Horses the ones with the huge hooves. Gentle as can be, they are quite impressive and well- tended by the staff here. Further up, we gathered all of the brochures we needed for local information. We lucked out again with the weather. By now the sun had peeked out and clouds lifted. Sure was nice to get clear and bright photos. We do hope the weather improves and the rain stays away. This park is 1001 acres with an 8.8 kilometer seawall surrounding it. Our hike took us through the woods and over the hill to the Aquarium and the Lumberman’s Arch, which is fenced off now to the public. We went far enough to be able to see the Lions Gate Bridge, then it was time to turn back. We did see many black squirrels in the park, busy with the abundance of acorns. The trees are majestic here, with several of them cut down due to bad weather and storms in the recent past. There are Douglas fir, western red cedar, and Sitka spruce to name a few of the giants. Maples, sycamore, redbuds, and catalpa trees are a few of the smaller varieties. The roses are done blooming, and the rhododendrons and azaleas are setting their blossoms for next spring. Some large pink crocus were already blooming here and there. The clock was ticking, so we went directly back to Canada Place where the ship was docked, then continued on towards Gastown. A block or two up from the Pan Pacific Hotel was our lunch destination – the Steamworks Brewing Company. They have the best beer and pizza, which we ordered, along with a shared dessert of an apple galette. It was wonderful relaxing for over an hour before we had to head back to the ship. All aboard was at 3:30pm, but the US customs officials were supposedly only there until 2pm, cutting our afternoon short. Before we went back, we made a swoop through the Pan Pacific Hotel, where we stayed before an Asia/Pacific cruise in 2002. It was just as nice as we remembered it. Going back was simple, showing our in transit cards. All of the taxis and buses were gone by now, and there was no line at the xray stop. We scanned our passports in the kiosk, waited for the printed slip, then handed it over to an agent. From there, we re-boarded and had some time to work on photos. We had an invitation to another gathering of the 3,4, and 5 star and President’s Club Mariners in the Crow’s Nest at 3pm. We enjoyed a glass or two of the sparking wine, then went off to watch the sailing out of the harbor. We have never seen such a crowd of passengers from deck 10 forward to deck 9, and a very over-crowded Seaview Pool. The festivities were already in full swing on that deck and we had a heck of a time wiggling our way to the back railing. Of course, there was not a single space to stand there, so we headed down the back stairs to deck six aft. We were about the only ones there, and appreciated the quiet. Judging by scanning the crowd, this appears to be a younger group of guests. By 5pm, it got chilly and we headed back home. Dinner tonight was in the Pinnacle Grill with starters of the wedge salad and clothes line bacon. Mains were halibut and the rib eye steak, which was huge. Dessert was out of the question this evening. We made reservations for two more evenings in here for the coming week. The ship sailed in the Inside Passage, but it was too dark to appreciate the scenery. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #8 September 12, 2023 Sea Day- Cruising The Inside Passage Enroute To Vancouver Canada Rain And Wind All Day 55 Degrees Part #1 Of 1........18 Pictures We are currently sailing south outside the Inside Passage, but did enter between the island of Vancouver and the mainland of Canada in the late afternoon. It did not matter a lot, because the weather wasn’t the best. It remained windy, rainy, and quite cold for most of the day. Our morning began as usual with a nice breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill. Today we had a visit from the Pinnacle chef, a nice young lady from Mexico. We thanked her for such excellent meals, and promised we would be back. There were only a handful of diners this morning, and we figured it was due to the fact that there was a dining room brunch from 10 to 12:30pm. Since we did not participate, we will have to ask if it was a tasting menu, like they do on a grand voyage. Back to our room, we found two Delft tiles with the 150 year logo on them to add to our collection. We did have a few jobs this morning such as getting a printout of our shipboard account at the Front Desk. To our surprise, we had a $79 credit due to refunded port charges. As we understand it, port charges are paid when the balance is due. Then if the price goes down at the time of sailing, they refund the difference. So far, we have not seen the opposite, if the charges increased. We have never been charged more. And since the port charges were paid by credit card months ago it is refunded to that same card. Or you can take it in cash. It was time to stretch our legs and resume walking the promenade deck. There were about three other folks doing the same thing. The rest of the guests must have been taking advantage of the super sales, gambling in the casino, or heaven forbid….packing. Glad we don’t have to do that for awhile. At 2:30pm there was a special classical concert by Elliot Finkel in the Main Stage. His performance was stellar, filling the room on both decks. We have seen him, along with his late father and brother on many cruises years ago. He has only gotten better with age. He has had quite a career with performances at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, and Broadway to name a few. Around 4pm, there was wildlife spotting on the aft deck, but with the driving rain we did not even bother to go. During our walk this morning, we happened to spot another sun fish as it floated by the ship. Normally we see whales and dolphins, but not today. We did spot one bird. Dinner was in the dining room with the Culinary menu. We had one zucchini soup and a crab cake with salmon. Salads followed, then we both ordered prime rib. They were large servings, but a bit over done. It is very hard to order the meat just right, because many times it is served almost raw in the center. It was tasty despite being more well done. The maitre’d, Komang, came by and we asked how many folks were sailing onward like us. He said the number was 20, and we may know some of them. Another wonderful waiter also came to see us…Prio, who we know from many grand voyages. We chatted until most everyone was gone from the dining room. Our waiters said they would be rotating tomorrow, as they do every 3 weeks or so. If we are lucky, maybe Prio will be our new waiter. The show this evening was Musicology performed by the Step One Dance Company. We have seen this show while on the N. Statendam, where it was really done well in their special round stage. Maybe next week, we will attend more of the shows. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #7 September 11, 2023 Ketchikan, Alaska Docked Port Side To Pier 12:00 Noon-7pm Rain And 30 Knot Wind Most Of The Day 50 Degrees Part #1 Of 3.......77 Pictures Of 187 It was so windy and rainy this morning, that after breakfast we could not get out on the promenade deck for a walk. All of the doors were roped off. We figured the only good reason for the closure has to be an over-cautious move to prevent accidents. The winds were reported to be from 25 to 30 knots, and combined with very wet deck, it may be an accident waiting to happen. Oh well, it was a good time to make a visit to the Lido and check out the breakfast items there. Just as we expected, the Lido was full of hungry guests. We noticed that most of the stations have gone back to full self- service. Yesterday we had received vouchers for complimentary cocktails in any bar in lieu of the Mariner’s event. Jennifer had called and said there were no Mariners receiving medals this cruise, so she sent the drink vouchers as well as spa and Shop money. The spa credit of $70 was only good for a service, not products. They had to be used on a port day, which is today. We passed on this perk. The $200 credit was for something “Effy”, the high end jewelry. However, it is our experience that most of their items are already discounted and the $200 would not apply. Oh well, we appreciate the thought. Since our arrival time to Ketchikan was not until 11am, we decided to take the time to give our thanks to helpful crew members on the Navigator app online. That’s when the Captain came on with an announcement that we may not be able to dock in Ketchikan. He said a big white ship (?) was just turned away due to 35 knot winds. He said they would try their best, but it may not be possible. He brought the Volendam close to the dock, and slowly pulled alongside. We had made it safely despite the winds and rain and we were only 45 minutes late. Many of the tours had been cancelled by the operators such as the jeep and canoe safari, the bear encounter, the trip on the Aleutian Ballad crab fishing vessel, sea kayaking, and a boat ride in Misty Fjords. There was a shore excursion team member ready onshore to substitute another tour for the cancelled ones. Or refund their money later. We left the ship around 12:20pm, where we were invited by one of the security gals to go ahead of the line. She knew we were President’s Club, and knew we had the option of having priority disembarking. We seldom use this perk, since we usually wait until the crowd thins out. No one objected, so that was good. It looked like the wind and rain will be with us all day, so we just relied on our waterproof jackets and boots to keep dry. Too windy for umbrellas. We headed towards Creek Street and the hike uphill. This is the very first time the entire place was “people-free”. Without three or more ships here, the town was empty. Most of the guests must have taken tours, or stayed onboard today. The creek was full and running fast. The further up we went, the more fish we saw. Many were already dead on the banks, while the survivors fought their way up the fish ladder. Last time we were here, they were working on tree trimming. Now we noticed that the short stretch of muddy and graveled pathway has been replaced with wooden stairs and railings. So much better especially on wet days like this one. From the top, we followed the road and the creek, which fanned out at this point. The salmon numbered in the hundreds if not more. Stopping on a side street, there is a spot where you can access the banks of the creek. While we were taking pictures of the fish, a local man came along walking his little dog. He told us that the rain had swollen the creek in just one day, and they were happy because it washed the dead salmon back out to sea. Not sure the type of salmon that were on this run, he confirmed that they were the pink or humpies as the locals call them. Then he added that there was an 11 year old bear that comes down to the creek every night to feed, and a younger one was way up the creek. Pretty exciting. From here, we made our way to the Deer Mountain Hatchery, which is no longer a fish hatchery, but has gone into hydro-gardening. It is not open to the public. The garden is always nice to wander around. Then we continued across the wooden bridge and over to the Totem Heritage Center. Not much was happening here, so we headed back towards downtown. We noticed that the road was closed, then we saw why. The American League building had burned down recently and there was no traffic allowed on this street. We could still smell smoke. Bet this was an historical building. Time for lunch, we headed to the Alaska King Crab Company, which is located on the top floor of a store right across the street from the ship. It wasn’t busy, and we were seated by the window. It was a bit shocking to see the prices of the crab items, and we were glad we were not ordering it. Instead, we had a shared plate of chicken tenders with a pile of thin French fries. This time we had enough room for a slice of cheesecake. And we also had two Alaskan Amber beers. By the time we left, our jackets had dried, only to get soaked once again. A store up the street apiece had just what one of us was looking for……a Lazy One sleep T in red with a bear on it. And on sale too. We also wanted to check out Tongass Trading Co. and found some more bags of popcorn to buy. One last stop was at the tourist info center to collect some brochures, then we went back to the ship. The gangway wasn’t as steep as the tide must have gone out. The rest of the afternoon, we worked online until it was time for dinner. The ship left the dock promptly at 6:30pm, since all must have been onboard. It was raining even harder by then. Dinner was back in the Main Dining Room with starters of crispy egg rolls, Caesar salads (hold the anchovies), and mains of sweet and sour breaded shrimp. All good, although the food could have been hotter. That was our fault for not asking it to be served hotter. This evening was the Orange Party in the Ocean Bar at 9pm. Some folks dressed for the occasion, including us, but we have never actually attended one. It’s really a promotion to sell drinks we believe. The entertainer tonight was Elliot Finkel, a famous concert pianist who we have seen many times on different HAL ships. His show is guaranteed to wow all ages. And finally, the clocks moved ahead one hour tonight. One more day at sea, and we will be back in Vancouver. This week has gone by in a flash…… Bill & Mary Ann

Report #6 September 10, 2023 Glacier Bay 6:30am-4pm Light Rain And Strong Wind On The Deck 50 Degrees Felt Like 35 Degrees Outside Decks Closed Part #1 Of 2........64 Pictures The port of call for today wasn’t exactly a port, but a destination. It was a national park with 3.2 million acres of forest, inlet and shore mountain peaks, some of them towering over 15,000 feet. And the name is Glacier Bay National Park & Reserve. A small team of rangers joined the ship from the park’s headquarters at Bartlett Cove, the entrance to the bay. We had gotten up early and decided to skip breakfast in order to experience the cruise into the bay. We did notice that there was no TV reception, which was just as well, since we planned on staying outside most of the day. We went up to deck six forward and found that the weather was acting up. Besides some driving rain, the winds were incredibly strong. So much so, that walking across the upper outside deck was dicey. The wind literally lifted our feet from under us. No wonder no one else was out here yet. We knew that by 8am, the ship would pass by Gloomy Knob, a 1331 foot high granite rock, and if we were lucky, we might see some mountain goats. With the powerful wind, it was difficult holding the camera steady, so we went down to the promenade deck instead. Oddly enough, a rope was drawn across the automatic doors, which we figured may be broken. There were no signs saying the deck was closed. There was a handful of folks doing the same thing we were, cameras ready for the passing of the rock. Just then, a crew member came and told us we all had to go inside due to inclement weather. Orders from the Captain. Most of us headed for the elevator to go elsewhere. We went back to deck six, and got there just in time to see some mountain goats grazing, most of them hidden in the brush. Happy to have the chance to take some photos, we headed back inside and went to breakfast. The hot coffee never tasted so good. So did the blueberry muffins and the Belgium waffles with a side of bacon. In fact, it was such a hearty breakfast, we never did eat lunch. The park rangers that joined the ship did give intermittent narration as we sailed deeper into the inlet. However, the sound was turned up so high, their words echoed to the point of total distortion. We think we better inform the technicians and hope they can fix it before next week. The weather remained foggy, windy, and wet as we approached Margerie Glacier, reportedly the most famous glacier here. This glacier is about one mile wide with a face that is 200 feet above the waterline. Chances of seeing and hearing the calving is good. The Captain stayed across from this glacier for one hour, spinning so everyone could see it. And we did hear the thunderous roar as some calving took place. We were disappointed that we did not go see Johns Hopkins Glacier, but it must be off-limits to cruise ships right now. We did go there last year, and saw some spectacular calving. A smaller boat by the name of Chichagof Dream did sail further into the inlet, but turned around. By then, Dutch pea soup was served on all outside decks at 10:30am. It was good and hot, but small portions. Just as the Volendam was turning into the main outlet, we did spot a humpback whale skimming the surface before diving deep, revealing that whale tale. Once it dove, it never did re-appear. This had to be the first time we ever saw a whale here. Passing Lamplugh Glacier, we did see a group of sea otters pass by floating on their backs as they like to do. We also saw one lone harbor seal on an ice floe, jumping on and off it. Usually we see many of these, but not today. The few birds we saw were gulls and cormorants. Chilled to the bone, even wearing our heavy jackets, we went inside to warm up. Later we went back to deck six, and watched as we sailed past Gloomy Knob once more. Spotting more goats, we got better photos due to the fact that the sun had decided to peek out. What a difference that made with the landscape. The colors just popped. At 2pm, we sailed by two small islets, one which housed birds and the other having Stellar sea lions. Black cormorants were sunning themselves on the larger islet, while lots of Stellar sea lions were stretched out on the rocks, also taking in the heat of the sun. They did not budge an inch when the ship sailed by them. The ranger said these were all males. They get along without females nearby, since the presence of girls make them fight. The rangers left the ship by 3pm, then we headed towards the open sea on the way to Ketchikan. We did look for more otters and possibly whales, but saw none. Downloading all of the photos took up the rest of the afternoon in the comfort of our room. Dinner was in the Pinnacle again, and we ordered our usual favorite salad with the clothesline bacon. Mains were lamb chops and a sirloin strip steak. This evening the restaurant was completely full. But then, there are only two more days left, and the cruise will end. Gosh, this week went by quickly. Tomorrow’s port – Ketchikan, and it sounds like we are in for some more rain. Bill & Mary Ann

The chicken cordon bleu was prepared with the ham and cheese rolled on the inside. It was very good, although we suspect it might be a frozen product because both of ours were identical. We may be wrong, but maybe will will inquire about it. The French onion soup was not greasy, and the melted cheese was not stringy. Up until now, there seemed to be more bread than soup, and if you were not careful, the cheese stuck to your chin...ha-ha. The new prices in the Pinnacle Grill are $19 for lunch and $46 for dinner. The Canaletto is $25 for dinner. Then add 18% gratuity. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #5 Saturday 9, 2023 Skagway, Alaska 7am-8pm Docked, Starboard To Dock Overcast With Clouds Light Rain All Day 51 Degrees Part #1 Of 3.......77 Pictures……..209 Pictures Total In Parts 1,2 &3 Before we left home, we had done some research on the weather forecast in the ports we were going to visit in Alaska. Sad to say, rain was in the reports each and every day. And the worst day was going to be Skagway, which had predicted flash flood warnings. In all of our visits to that town, we seldom had experienced much rain, let alone flooding. However, we are happy to report that the floods never came and the rain was light. No big deal especially with the right rain gear and umbrellas for walking. And it wasn’t that cold with a high of 59 degrees. The population of Skagway today is about 1240 residents, although only 800 remain in the winter months, and more arrive for the tourist season where the numbers climb to 2500. Their schools have a number of 130 students K – 12. Their test scores measured highest of any district in Alaska. Three hydroelectric facilities provide all the power they need. During the summer solstice, there are 19 hours of daylight. Skagway gets up to 26 inches of rain a year and 39 inches of snow in town. Compare that to Ketchikan where they get 14 feet of rain, it is much drier up here. And for that reason, the trees are smaller in this part of Alaska. They expect cruising to continue to grow with 1.1 million cruise ship guests arriving this year. The median household income is $71,875. The largest employers are the visitor and transportation industries and government. A copper mine currently uses the port for shipping. Basic prices of unleaded gas was about $5.50 a gallon, while milk sold for $8. a gallon. Houses were listed at about $500,000. And thanks to the visitor center for providing many useful brochures and maps to find this information. We made a stop there on our way back after lunch and are now armed with lots of helpful hints for our next two visits here. We began our morning with another lovely breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill. The one thing we miss here has to be the windows. To make up for that, the manager Endrian has been most friendly. We were sad to hear that three of the top dining room managers will be heading for home in Indonesia before the start of the Tales of the South Pacific. They are Komang, Pande, and Endrian. All of our buddies. They have been at sea for over 6 months, and are looking forward to seeing their families on Bali. They have admitted that their wives have long “honey-do” lists waiting for them. We left the ship around 9:30am, feeling that we were forgetting something. Once out on the pier, one of us realized they left their wallet onboard. That is not the first time we have done that, so one waited and the other went back. Only took a few minutes, and since we were on our own hiking trek, we were not holding anyone up. Different story if we had been on a ship’s tour. Right off of the dock, we saw the fish ladders with salmon struggling to get upstream. Many were floating dead as well. A harbor seal was working the waters too. This has to be the first time we have seen the salmon run in Skagway. According to the information on the signage along Pullen Creek, these are the pink or humpback salmon. So we decided to take the Pullen Creek walk, checking out the shallow waters and the banks along the narrow trail. It was full of salmon, both alive and dead. Some were in the process of spawning. Most were beaten up, and would die soon. That is when they become fertilizer for the cedar, alder, birch, Douglas fir, cottonwood, and mountain ash trees. Despite the decaying fish, there was not a bad odor. If there was, we would have to watch out for bears. This is also the area where the White Pass & Yukon Route trains run from the dock to deep into the Yukon Territory. We have done a trip on one of those trains years ago, and it was really nice. Of course, we were lucky enough to have had a sunny day. Today was sort of dismal for photos, but we are sure the folks will enjoy the ride. By the way, we were not the only ship in town as the NCL’s Sun was docked when we arrived. There were plenty of excursions offered today – most of them involving the train. There were several options of how far into Canada you preferred to go. And those who entered Canada had to bring along their passports. As of last evening, the prices had not been posted on the interactive TV, so I failed to get them. Still do not have a cell phone for their Navigator app, and we don’t intend to get one anytime soon. We did see the city tour coach filled with folks paying $50 to see the town and the famous cemetery with a stop at the Red Onion Saloon. It’s a nice and easy way to get around. We made our way up Broadway after leaving Pullen Creek, and wandered past their small park, restrooms, and the museum, which appeared to be closed. We continued past many homes, the hospital, fire and police department, and RV parks to the Klondike Highway, which crosses the Skagway River. A road to the right near the river and the train yard leads to Gold Rush Cemetery and lower Reid Falls. Since it is almost a 1/2 mile more to reach it, we decided to save that for next time. The river was rushing pretty good with a milky-like blue color to the water. It must be from glacial melt. We could not see any sign of salmon in this river. Down off the road, we walked to a newly-built covered staging area where concerts must take place. There were fields for baseball and soccer and a food shack complete with restrooms. There was only one fellow walking his Basset hound there today. If you continued on the Klondike Highway, you would reach Carcross and Whitehorse, 110 miles away, which was the route the buses took today as well as the train. It was getting close to noontime, and we were hoping to find the best pizza in town at the Station Bar and Grill back in town. We had researched their opening time and despite being closed for lunch last year, we were delighted to find the café opened for business when we arrived at 1pm. We were lucky to find an empty table and order two Alaskan Amber draft beers. Our choice today was a 14 inch Hawaiian pizza topped with pineapple, Canadian bacon, and plenty of cheese. It had to be the best pizza in all of Alaska, just liked we remembered it. We will definitely be back next week and the following week. On the way back, we stopped at the Klondike Doughboy, where we had watched a gal deep fry a special treat last year. They are called Alaskan fry bread, coated with cinnamon sugar, and served warm. Since we had a big lunch back then, we didn’t try it, but today we did. The bread was a plate-size thin donut-like sweet dough, crispy with the sugar topping. Boy, was that good. A couple of ravens landed at our feet to beg, but we had read not to feed the animals so we didn’t except for a few crumbs. This shop also sold jams, jellies, and reindeer sausage. Across the street, we went into another store that was selling among other things…popcorn in many different flavors. We chose a bag of caramel popcorn for a room snack. Our final stop was going through a few shops to look for Lazy One sleep t’s. They had none this year. So we do know where to find them in Ketchikan. It was still raining lightly when we got back to the ship by 4pm, and we worked on photo downloading until it was time for dinner. With all of the fresh air and walking, I have to admit I was exhausted. Good time to read all of the brochures we had collected along our hike today. We really were not all that hungry for dinner (gee I don’t know why), so we ordered a salad, soup, and chicken cordon bleu for our mains. The French onion soup was a new recipe and served in a regular soup bowl, not like the old lidded urn. It was much better than I recall on the other ships. Passing on dessert always disappoints our waiter. He did offer to do a trick, but we assured him we had seen the toothpick and the wine glass trick. Truthfully, we think he was relieved as it doesn’t always work that easily. Looking forward to Glacier Bay tomorrow. Hope it doesn’t rain too much. Bill & Mary Ann

Greetings all.... Regarding plug strips, we did bring our own, however, the ship will loan you one or two. They cannot have surge protectors. Free free to ask all the questions you like. We have walked to the whale statue in Juneau on past cruises....it is a pleasant hike. Thanks for reminding us. Hello coco39, glad you can join us online. Please tell Barb we hope to see her on the 24 GWV. How is she doing? Bill & Mary Ann

Report #4 September 8, 2023 Tracy Arm To Juneau, Alaska Arrive At Juneau 12 Noon To 9:30 pm Cloudy And Overcast...No Rain Very Cold Coming Into Juneau Part #1 Of 1..........142 Pictures Juneau is our port of call today. It has been the capital of Alaska even before it became the 49th state in 1959. The only way to access this city is by air and sea. But before we arrived to Juneau, we made a quick stop near Tracy Arm where a catamaran picked up a group from the ship for a 6 hour excursion to Twin Sawyer Glaciers. So for $290, they took a scenic boat ride and possibly a hike, then were brought back to Juneau where the ship would be docked. Last night, we all got a detailed map of Juneau with the recommended shops and a few restaurants. It was so nice to see them go back to using some paper again. We also had a customs declaration card for Canada to fill out and leave at the front desk. Since we will be intransit, they will send us those slips before the cruise ends on the 13th. After another excellent breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, we headed to deck six forward to watch the scenery as we were sailing in narrow passages. Close enough to shore, we watched for any signs of wildlife…hopefully whales, porpoise, or eagles. There are bears in this area, but they are shy. We did see some eagles and a pair of mountain goats with the help of powerful binoculars. The skies were heavily overcast, but we did not have any rain. However, it was wicked cold on the bow, and we were sure glad we packed the arctic jackets with the gloves. While we were watching the tour boat leave, the captain announced that there was a patient that was in need of a blood transfusion. Only those who had the proper certificates to donate, and of course, the right blood type could apply. In the meantime, he wasted no time in getting to Juneau. Our scheduled time was 1pm, but we arrived at noontime. The US customs and border agents came onboard, but no one was allowed to leave until the crew was cleared, and the patient was taken off to the hospital. Other ships in port were the Disney Wonder, who was already docked in the boonies. Later on, RCI Quantum of the Seas parked in front of us. We suspect many of the guests went on tours, and the town might not be too over-crowded. We left the ship after 1pm, and walked the downtown area. Our destination was lunch at the Hangar at the Wharf. We were lucky to get a table, since this place was about full. We ordered two Alaskan Amber draft beers and a shared cheeseburger with bacon and Jack Daniels BBQ sauce. With a pile of fries, it was plenty for both of us. But what we really looked forward to was their mud pie, which we also shared. Honestly, it was the first dessert we have had for a long time, so it tasty especially good. Speaking of excursions, there were plenty of them offered here. Among them were whale watching for 5 ½ hours for $220. Shorter tours were priced less. Mendenhall Glacier is one of the highlights, so there were various ways to see it, such as a drive to it, a walk on it, a helicopter ride over it, or even dog sledding on it. They started at $60 and went up to $500. We watched the float planes leave for the Taku Lodge salmon bake for 3 ½ hours for $460. We have done the whale watching tour many times, and really enjoyed it. And an easy self-guided tour is by taking the Mt. Robert’s tram up to the top, which was $50, which we have also done many times. We walked the town on the way back, stopping at the Alaskan Fudge Company, buying a ½ pound each of peanut brittle and walnut laden fudge. By now, there was a line out the door to buy the sweet treats. The shops were over-flowing with customers, so we wisely stayed clear of the crowds. We will be back two more times, so we can explore the souvenirs next time. Although it looked like rain, and a few drops fell, it stayed dry. Lucky for us, we were told it rained yesterday. So the forecast we saw last week for this area was incorrect. Now tomorrow, who knows? We got back to the ship by 4:30pm, and worked online until it was time for a dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. Just as he promised, Endrian had saved our table by the window for us. We ordered the wedge salads with a shared side of clothesline bacon. Now there is no charge for an extra appetizer, but we do think the price of the meal here has gone up since our last cruise. Will have to inquire about that. Our mains were halibut and a small filet mignon. A baked potato for one of us and French fries for the other. It was more than ample, and since we indulged with dessert at lunch time, we said no thanks to dessert. Taking a short walk on the promenade deck, we saw that the gangway was being lifted after 9pm. Looks like everyone was back onboard and we might leave early. And we did…..the ship was turned around and we were heading out of the channel by 9:30pm heading towards tomorrow’s port of Skagway. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #3 Thursday September 7, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Tracy Arm Overcast Skies With Some Sun 75 Degrees With A 15 mph Wind .......Part #1 Of 1.........51 Pictures We woke up to heavily overcast skies and cooler temps. At least it was not raining. The seas have been rather smooth as well as we head towards our first port of Juneau tomorrow. Breakfast for us was in the Pinnacle Grill, but instead of 8am, breakfast was served at 7:30am in both dining rooms. Another wonderful surprise occurred when we entered the restaurant. We discovered that Endrian, a former head waiter on the Amsterdam, was the manager here. We have known him for many years, although it has been a while since we saw him last. Of course, he recognized us and greeted us with handshakes and hugs. We had expected there to be a line of folks waiting to enter the room, but there were only two guests so far. Unlike the Zuiderdam, the Pinnacle Grill is located on deck four with no outside windows. We figured the Neptune folks might prefer the windows in the Main Dining Room or room service. We did get our favorite “window” table, with a view of the hallway. And fresh-squeezed orange juice, mimosas, and Capuchinos are complimentary. We ordered the All-American breakfast, and they came perfectly cooked. The best was the Greek yogurt with large fresh berries. Endrian kept us company keeping us up-to-date on cruise news, and we did the same with guest news. Before we left, we decided it was a good time to make reservations for two dinners here before the week ends. Back in our room, we had a gift of one canvas HAL tote with the 150 years of cruising printed on it. In addition, we had an invitation to a complimentary James Suckling’s Great Wines of the Andes tasting. It started at 1:50pm, and we would have attended if we drank wines. Always nice to be invited however. One of us took a long walk on the promenade deck, while the other got caught up with yesterday’s blog. Some work was in progress on this deck with the removal of the old fluorescent light fixtures. They were being replaced with LED fixtures….much brighter and more efficient we suspect. Looking for signs of wildlife, Bill and some others spotted a huge rare sunfish. It was close to the ship, right below the surface. Looking it up on Google, it said they can wonder up this far north due to slightly warmer sea temperatures. Of course, we looked all throughout the day, but never saw another one. After finishing the blog, the job of stashing our stuff continued. In case anyone is curious, the magnetic hooks will work well on the ceiling, and both doors. Could not find any steel in the walls other than around the ocean view window. Another tidbit is about the remodeling of the bathrooms, at least on this Dolphin deck. The tubs are gone, and new glass-doored showers were installed. The counter and sink are new, as is the flooring. There is a motion light under the hallway cabinet at night, but there is no night light in the bathroom. We brought a small night light that plugs into the shaver outlet. Perfect. The has been rather warm in our outside cabin with the temperature staying at 75 degrees. At least we have a tower fan to keep the air circulating. We really miss that veranda where we could pop outside for fresh air. However, we will be able to do that when the Tales of the South Pacific begins, because we will be moving to a room on deck six. In the meantime, we will be spending more time on the public outside decks. When Bill came back, he finished the job of rearranging the desk area and adding the plug strip. We have a small refrigerator that was placed under the desk, leaving us a small space to sit at the desk. Moving it on top of the deck against the cabinet wall worked perfectly. While we are on the subject of changes, the safe here is operated with a card, such as an old hotel card, or anything with a strip on it. We were asked not to use the room key, as it might not work or may be erased. Today we opted for a room service lunch of chicken Caesar salads and a shared club sandwich with fries. As much as we like them, we stayed away from the chocolate chip cookies, and ordered some red apples instead. Time for a walk outside, we found our way to deck nine aft and enjoyed some relaxing time on the lounges. The sun had peeked out and it was so nice. Looking down on the Seaview pool, we found that many more people were doing the same as us. Too cool for a swim, but perfect weather to use a blanket and relax. We followed that up with cups of hot chocolate with coffee in the Lido. Today was full of activities – a mix of tai chi, pickleball, trivia, and lectures. The other half was promotions, which is great for the revenue. The one activity that interested us most was wildlife sightings at 4pm. We should have worn the arctic coats, but we did see several whale sightings with breaching, diving, and blowing. The best spot for us was forward on deck six, even better since we were the only ones there. Several types of seabirds were in the area, which can indicate the presence of humpback whales actively feeding. We were not disappointed, but when the chill sunk in, we left after 5pm. Dinner this evening was ‘dressy”. And we are happy to say the majority of folks complied. There were no tuxes to be seen, but there were fellows in suits and sports coats and ladies in the sparkles. We only saw one couple that appeared at the entrance dressed in shorts, sweatshirts, and a baseball hat. After speaking to the head waiter, they turned around and left the room. We have no way of knowing if they were trying to get a table or just asking a question. But it is possible they were turned away. We have seen that happen in the past, but not so much recently. Once again, the meal was excellent. We ordered a shrimp cocktail, mixed green salad, one tomato bisque soup, and mains of beef tenderloin (one with grilled shrimp). Conservative serving portions, but more than enough. We said no thanks to desserts of flourless chocolate cake, blueberry cheesecake, and apple pie a la mode. Humanity was the featured show on the World Stage, but since we have seen it more than once, we turned in early. The best news was that the clocks went back one hour….more time to write and get to sleep before midnight. Tomorrow’s port will be Juneau, with a brief stop in Tracy Arm for a tour. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #2 Wednesday September 6, 2023 Embarkation Day Vancouver, Canada On The Volendam Mostly Cloudy But No Rain 70-75 Degrees Part #1 Of 1........63 Pictures Well, we were up super early at 1:30am to be prepared for a 3am home pick up with our driver. He was right on time, and we were ready. There was virtually little to no traffic, even on the Bay Bridge. A few hours later, it would be bumper to bumper, so we did not object to getting out early. We arrived to the San Francisco airport by 4am, expecting little activity. We were wrong as Air Alaska was buzzing with activity with many travelers like us. Our attempt at logging the info into the kiosk failed. No problem….the agent did it all at the desk. It was nice that each piece of luggage weighed under 50 pounds, because many people were removing articles to get it under the 50 pound limit. It does help to own one of those hand-held scales. We got our boarding passes and headed towards the security checkpoint. In the past, we sometimes lucked out and got the TSA free symbol on the passes, but no more. These days you can pay for that perk. If we flew more often, we think it would be worth the price. At the security line, there were no signs dictating the rules such as take shoes and jackets off, show small liquids in a baggie, or take computer devices out of their case. One warning sign we did see was not to pack your gun going through security. We were OK there. We have been told that those who are 75 and older do not have to remove their shoes. That applied to us more or less, so we left them on. No one questioned that. Of course, the new knee did set off the alarms, and one of us had to go through the super xray. Piece of cake….no wanding or pat-down. We stopped at Lark Creek for some breakfast and hot coffee. They actually opened up at 4:30am, and the food was good. There was no pressure to leave after eating, so we lingered over several cups of coffee. Our flight to Vancouver was on time at 6:45am. It was totally full. It took both of us 20 minutes to figure out how the TV screen worked, but then, one of them had no sound. We landed before the movie “65” ended at 8:36am. There were no snacks…only juice, water, or coffee unless you paid for some food items. We had a long hike to the customs kiosks, where we scanned our passports, answered some questions, and had our photos taken. Leaving this area, we showed an agent the slip of paper we got, then we went to collect our four bags. We loaded them on the free carts near the carousel. Before leaving this area, we handed the slips to another agent, then proceeded to the desk area where another agent was holding a sign for HAL, Princess, and Regent. Taking our names, they took all of the luggage, and promised we would see it in our room later. Fine with us. The last set of doors brought us outside where we sat or stood with a group of Princess and HAL guests. Regent guests had their own line. We had all purchased the ship’s transfers instead of taking a taxi or Uber. The bus left the airport by 10am for a pleasant 40 minute ride to the pier at Canada Place. We were among the first coach to arrive for this sailing. With our boarding passes and passports in hand, we went up an escalator to HAL’s check-in counter. We had expected to fill out a health form, since we never did get the request to fill out one online 3 days prior to sailing. There were signs on the countertop saying that if you felt ill, please let them know. In addition, we were never asked to show our Covid booster cards like we did last year and also on the 2023 world cruise. By the way, we saw very few people wearing masks. Back down the escalator, we proceeded to the security checkpoint, which was getting pretty busy now. Our bus driver had mentioned that with three ships in port, there were between 8 to 9 thousand guests going and new ones coming. Besides the Volendam, the other vessels were the Sapphire Princess and Regent’s Explorer. Even though it was crowded, the line moved quickly. We had been handed a different color slip to show the reps along the way to the next stop. They identified us a President’s Club members. From there on, we were given the royal treatment. Seeing us coming, one of the agents took two chairs and set them aside and away from the other guests. We felt like we were in the “naughty” chairs. Shortly after, the assistant guest relations manager came to greet us, and escorted us onboard. Using our boarding passes with the code printed on them, the security gal scanned it and we were on our way to another set of greeters at the entrance on deck two. The Hotel General Manager, Francois Birarda, welcomed us back. We had met him on the N. Statendam in 2022 and he did remember us. One of the guest relations gals, Jennifer, led us to our room, leaving her direct phone number if we needed anything. We remembered her from the 2020 world cruise, and were glad to see her back on another “Dam “ ship. Gifts of flowers, sodas, champagne on ice and more shipboard credit greeted us, as well as a pile of mail and a daily newsletter called The Daily. One of our room stewards came and introduced himself. He is Imam and Subri is his assistant. One of the nicest housekeeping staff officers came to see us, and actually assisted us in logging onto the internet, using our credit. We think it will be a combined package for the entire 77 days. Since there was no luggage yet , and it was already noontime, we headed for the dining room. Even though it was labeled a Mariner lunch, everyone was invited to attend. Much to our surprise, Komang, a favorite head waiter we have known from past cruises greeted us. He is now the maitre’d of the dining room…well deserved. We last saw him on a world voyage in 2011. My gosh, the time has gone by fast. Enjoying the view from a window-side table, we ordered spring rolls and a club sandwich. All of it was delicious. A nice couple from Canada sat near us and kept us deep in conversation for an hour. Then it was time to get our cards scanned for the muster drill, which doesn’t happen as a group event outside anymore. By luck, we were the first ones there. Later in the afternoon, the Captain was begging for folks to attend this mandatory drill. Without 100% compliance, we would not be allowed to leave. Back to the room, we played the drill on the TV to the end, and then regular programming was restored. That is, until we lost power at least three times. We were “plugged” in with the shoreside power source, and testing was taking place according to Captain Ryan Whitaker. The interruptions were short-lived, and provided a good reason to head for the Crow’s Nest for an exclusive reception for 3, 4, and 5 star and President’s Club members. Jennifer from guest relations greeted us, then we took seats at the bar. Sparkling and red wines were offered and became bottomless. A jar of honey roasted peanuts were given. There were no more than 40 people present. Sail away was at 4pm, and being that we do not have a veranda room on these Alaska cruises, we went to the Seaview Pool to watch the activity. It was well-attended with both young and older folks who liked the piped-in music and line dancing led by the explorations staffers. Wildlife expert, Kainoa, was present, although he is half the size he used to be. He will become the South Pacific expert once the Tales cruise begins out of San Diego in three weeks. One by one, our luggage began arriving. We had most all of it stashed well before dinnertime. There were wooden hangers in the closet, but we switched many of those for wire hangers. There are no felt hangers, at least on this deck. It is worth mentioning that this class of ships offers much more closet space, compared to the Zuiderdam for instance. They were built with longer cruises in mind. And our empty suitcases fit easily under the bed. Dinnertime has been moved up to 7:30pm, which is fine with us. Greeting us on deck five, was Pande, another familiar face from numerous grand voyages. Our requested table # 81 was ready for us. Our waiter will be Mario and Risman as his assistant. The first thing we noticed had to be the rolls in the basket. They were fresh and tender, unlike what we were served on the Zuiderdam. Obviously, they have a baker who knows his job well. Our meal did not disappoint us with Caesar salads, and mains of roasted chicken and pork tenderloin. The portion size was conservative, but that is really a good thing. The desserts were tempting, but we have decided not to indulge. The best surprise was seeing both Komang and Pande, who checked on us frequently. The head sommelier also invited us to a wine tasting tomorrow, even though he recalled we did not drink wine. Sure made us feel at home. The one and only show at 8:30pm in the World Stage was Origin Story, a look at HAL’s 150 years of sailing. We have seen it, but since today was such a whirlwind day, we called it a day. There were two pillow chocolates waiting for us on the bed, even though Imam said that they only hand them out on dressy nights. He promised them daily. Slept like babies. Bill & Mary Ann Blog Site For Pictures "Treasures of Cruising the World" with Bill & Mary Ann

Thanks for the encouraging words! We are so happy to be able to cover the details, although today's details were full of them. Had to keep notes. Rich and Peg.....we will miss seeing you guys, but promise to keep this vessel in ship shape. Hi Linda and Dave. We also love this itinerary, although there is no "Ganville" here. Denise and Howie.....looking forward to seeing you soon. Will email you a bit later with news. There are no USB ports in the outside cabins on deck one. There is one 110 outlet on the desk. Thanks for tagging along.... Bill & Mary Ann

Report #1 September 5, 2023 Tuesday Getting ready to go again Home temperature: 89 degrees Part#1 Of 1…….0 Pictures It seems like just yesterday that we came back from the 2023 Grand World Voyage. That was mid- May, and the days of summer have flown by faster than we could have imagined. It is our busiest time of year with the cleaning up of the winter’s weeds, and fixing things. The biggest job we had was taking down several old pine trees that decided to die after 40 plus years. We got halfway through the job, but have several stacks of split firewood for many winters to come. The rest can wait until we get back. And besides, the weather should be a lot cooler in November than it was working in the hottest part of the summer. So, we are heading to Alaska on the Volendam beginning tomorrow. We booked three back-to-back 7 day cruises, followed by the 56 day Tales of the South Pacific. Packing for this combination has been challenging. Alaska will be chilly and wet, which is most welcomed after such a hot July and August we experience here. Well maybe not the wet part, but cooler no doubt. Then we will head south with a stop in San Francisco, then San Diego where we sail round trip to the South Pacific. It is a voyage we have done often, but never tire of the beauty and exploring. Looking forward to boarding the Volendam after our first cruise on her in 2002. Since it is a sister ship to the Amsterdam, it will be like being back home, but with different decorations. We tried to squeeze everything in three suitcases, but there was no way, especially with the arctic jackets, sweatshirts, and waterproof boots. Four bags worked out nicely. It will be an early wake-up call for us at 1:30am with a 3am ride to the SF airport and a 2 hour flight to Vancouver. Time for another adventure with some long time friends and meeting new people as well. Stay tuned…… Bill & Mary Ann

Oops.......As always, we will let you all know when we sail Alaska and the South Pacific. Bill & Mary Ann

Much of our letter to the President of HAL was of a personal nature, and referred to numerous President's Club particulars. So we do not feel comfortable sharing all of the letter. Just about every issue, however, had been mentioned during the trip in the blog as we sailed the 128 days. We will be sailing on the Volendam in September, and will hope some of these promised changes will take place then. As Bill & Mary Ann

Greetings to all! Yes, we have been quite busy getting our place back to normal, so we do apologize for the delay. We did send the long list to the President of Holland America, and we received a personal letter promising that they are going to address the issues and hope to do better next year. It did surprise us that their response was not a typical form letter. We are booked for the 2024 GWV as well. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #134 Saturday May 13, 2023 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Homeward Bound And Final Thoughts Sunny And Warm Part #1 Of 1.........0 Pictures The day of flying home started for us at 3am when the alarm went off. We were picked up in a nice limo at the hotel at 4:15am with one other guest who was flying on the same flight we were. The good thing was that today was Saturday and there was virtually no traffic on the freeways. The weather was going to be good with no rain and clear skies, as least on the Florida end. Even at this time of day, there were more people at the check-in area of United than we expected. Of course, it is the weekend of Mother’s Day, and more activity was to be expected. The nice aspect of not having to lug bags to the counter, was the ease of checking in at the kiosk and getting our boarding passes. No credit card to register because we had no luggage – only our hand carrys. The TSA Free does not seem to be given at random anymore since it is something that can be bought we understand. However, at 75 years old, you are not asked to remove your shoes. Only one of us is over that age, but the other is close to it. One of the security guards asked if I was 75, and I said no, but close. He laughed and said for today, you are 75. OK, I did not have to remove my shoes, which is difficult wearing a back brace anyway. I did set off the xray with the new knee, got patted down, wand once over, then set free. That job done, we had 2 ½ hours left before our flight at 8am. It appeared it was on time, which is always a good thing to see. Not much in the way of restaurants are opened before 6am, with the exception of Burger King, McDonalds, and Starbucks. The lines of people waiting at these popular fast food cafes were long. We can say the coffee sure smelled good. We sat across from one restaurant/bar that looked like it might open, but it never did. It was most amusing watching several couples sneak into the restaurant booths to enjoy their fast food. Within minutes, the employees of that restaurant came and asked them to leave. Maybe they know sometimes they can get away with it and not have to use their laps in the regular airport waiting sections. By 6:30am, we noticed a little corner café was opened, and we enjoyed a light breakfast with lots of very hot coffee. We ordered one scrambled egg sandwich and bacon and eggs, both of which came with cubed deep-fried potatoes on the side. Wow, they were crispy and hot as could be. Reminded us of the almost warm food we had been getting on the ship. You don’t realize it until you get a piping hot meal. We lingered for as long as we could, then asked for the bill. The waitress said to scan the QR code on the table and pay that way. You should have seen her face when we told her we did not own a cell phone. No, really? That was her first reply. Honestly, no, we do not have one. Then she said you’re too lazy to do it, or we came from another planet. Nope, not lazy, but we may have come from Mars. Laughing at that, she gladly ran the credit card, and we were on our merry way. She congratulated us for holding out for so long in getting a cell phone. We boarded the plane by 7:20am, which happened to be full. The flight was uneventful, and we were served a choice of a cookie or a bag of pretzels (maybe 10 of the tiniest ones ever) with a beverage. The offer of another drink came mid flight we think. There were no screens in the seats in front of us, but we did have a way of hooking up to their free wifi to use on our devices. Supposedly TV series and movies were available for free. We didn’t bother, and neither did the folks around us. The only bumpy parts of the flight were while going over Texas where they had been having some severe weather and storms recently. We must have had some tail winds, because we landed almost an hour ahead of time at 10:30am Pacific time. We figured our driver in San Francisco would keep up with the changes if possible. And of not, we would be waiting for a bit. We waited outside door 8 near Starbucks at the baggage carousel for the driver. He did arrive about one hour later, but on time for the original landing. We all walked to the parking garage and were on the freeway heading for home by noontime. Getting out of the downtown area in San Francisco is always a challenge. And today was no exception. There did not appear to be any games happening at the ball park, but traffic backed up anyway. Once we made that final approach to the Bay Bridge, we were back to normal conditions. We watched as the car’s thermometer went up to 92 degrees outside, which we had heard from everyone that the weather had taken a turn to a nice warm spring day and week ahead. That suited us just fine. We were home by 1:30pm, and so happy to have completed this journey safe and sound. We have our work cut out for us with fallen trees and weeds well over six feet tall in the back. But the exercise will do us good. Our final thoughts about this cruise was that it was not a stellar or grand one. Way too many cutbacks had been implemented without prior notice to the guests, especially at the time the final payment was due. Will we book more cruises in the future? Yes, of course, we will, in hopes that the President of HAL will take into consideration all of the comments he heard while on the ship in Zuiderdam. As members approaching the 3000 days at sea mark, we feel that our input and experience counts for something. We sent a list to the President of HAL of 49 cutbacks that we had compiled over the 128 days of this voyage. If we get a response other than a typical form letter, we shall let you all know. Until next time, thanks for following the blog and for your constructive comments along the way. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #133 Friday May 12, 2023 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Disembarkation Day Port Side To Pier 26 Mostly Sunny And Warm 85 Degrees High Humidity With Some Wind Part #1 Of 1.......83 Pictures The Zuiderdam slipped into Port Everglades quite early this morning, turned, then docked port side at Pier 26, where the Amsterdam usually docked. It seemed like we just left here, but that was 128 days ago. Time sure has a way of flying on by, doesn’t it? Despite it still being dark outside, it felt like it was going to be a nice day. At least it wasn’t raining as had been predicted. Of course we had been up early, even though we had a later departure time. Around 6am, we went outside on the veranda to see what was happening down below, and were surprised to see an ambulance, lights flashing, and a fire truck at the lower gangway. The EMT’s had a stretcher ready at the bottom of the stairs, and three more fellows were helping a man down those stairs. He was loaded quickly, then his companion or wife climbed in the front seat of the ambulance and away they went to the hospital we assume. Asking friends later, no one seemed to know about this pick up, so it may have been something recent that occurred. There was a lot more activity happening, but we would watch that later. We did not want to miss our last breakfast in our special spot, but what made it even better was seeing Barb come into the room to join us. Last night, we had suggested she meet us, but getting up early is not in her routine. It was a good time for her to enjoy doubles on the fresh-squeezed orange juice. Her luggage tag number had been called a half hour later, so she rocket-dogged out of the dining room, but not before Danu and Andri could give her a proper hug. She really does not like sad goodbyes, so we all said we would see her later, God-willing, and the creek don’t rise. It’s something we say every night when we head back to our rooms. You would think we all live in Little House on the Prairie, and so far, the creek has not risen….. The best place for us to wait our turn to go off, was in our room and the veranda. It was a zoo down on the dock with all of the luggage being taken off with forklifts. The majority of it was being loaded into trucks with the Luggage Forward tags on them. It was great knowing that these suitcases did not need to be claimed and hauled through customs. Bet the porters did not like that. For those guests who did not get the free shipping or chose to take their stuff on the plane or by car, they did have to claim their bags. Along with the luggage, there were big deliveries of food and supplies for the trans-Atlantic sailing. It looked about the same amount of products that we loaded back in January, indicating the ship is probably full. So with our hand carry bags over-loaded, we went off the ship when our tags were called. That was about 10am, fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. A double line of officers said goodbye to us, including the Captain, Henk, and Maja among others. Although we did see a lot of Maja, we did not run into Henk that often. He had his hands full with this cruise and that is an understatement. Maybe that was why he had a look of relief on his face. Christel had told us that he will be flying to Montreal for a big HAL pow-wow today, coming back in Europe for a short time, then it would be vacation time. Most of the luggage in the terminal had been picked up already, since we were the last group to be called. We went directly to the Customs’ desk with virtually no line. The friendly official greeted us and asked for the passports, which he scanned. Then he took a facial recognition photo with a very small camera mounted above his window. Easy-peasy, we were free to go. Once outside the HAL reps guided us to an area to wait for our bus ride to the hotel. There were only seven of us going to the Renaissance West, and the bus left at 10:25am. Just as we were backing out, we spotted some people we knew that had to leave the ship in Mauritius for a family emergency. We are guessing they were here to collect more of their luggage since they live close by. We also saw some folks we know getting ready to board the ship for the trans-Atlantic voyage and beyond. We arrived to the hotel by 10:40am, but found it was too early to access our room. By the way, the lobby was filled with new passengers on their way to the Zuiderdam. Once their entire group was present, the rooms would be ready. We had been told it might be shortly after 11am to get our room, but it really was closer to noontime before they became available. It was worth the wait, since we were given a nice remodeled room on the 9th floor with a great view. Unloading what little we had brought with us, we were off for a much- needed walk, which led to our lunch destination. It felt like a long haul to Chili’s on University Avenue, but we think that was due to the 80 degree weather and high humidity. We are not used to that yet. We ordered salads which were refreshing, also downed two large Coke Zeros with lemon. We headed back to the hotel taking some photos of course along the way. Back at the hotel we caught up on emailing and downloading computer stuff, also relaxing while watching some TV. Knowing we have to be up before the chickens tomorrow, we decided to walk to Bokampers for a light dinner at 6pm and turn in early. We will need to meet our driver in the lobby at 4:15am for the transfer to the Ft. Lauderdale airport, which is fairly close by. On a Saturday morning , there should be little traffic. So sweet dreams…… Bill & Mary Ann

Report #132 Thursday May 11, 2023 Day #6 Of 6 Enroute To Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sunny And Warmer 70+ Degrees Calm Seas And Little Wind Part #1 Of 1........0 Pictures Well, here we are on the last day of the cruise, writing the last report of the voyage. It seems that no matter when the time change occurs, we are still up with the chickens. Today we woke up to balmy weather…..mostly blue skies with white fluffy clouds on the horizon and really humid. Sure feels like Florida. Breakfast saw deck three in the dining room about full of our Breakfast Club. We are going to miss this the most. We will have one more breakfast in here, but at 6:30am. One more day of being spoiled. Back at our room, we had the last set of itinerary stickers for the Journeys booklet. Adding up the five major segments, we came up with a total of 33,798.1 nautical miles sailed. However, converting that to statute miles, the number rose to 38,867.82 miles. We think that is way more than just circling the globe, since we did a lot of south to north traveling this time as well. What a journey. The morning highlight was the Grand Crew Farewell. Ian announced that the World Stage would be opened at 9am with showtime to begin at 10am. Once again, the Rolling Stone Lounge was open for live-streaming of the event. We could not locate the show on the room TV, although it was shown later in the afternoon. It was quite similar to the crew farewell we attended for the Tales of the South Pacific last fall, except there were more ports obviously. As each port was flashed on the big screen, there was some applause. However, we did hear some boo’s when they showed both The Gambia and Senegal. Also Mozambique gathered some negative vibes. Guess the folks were not thrilled with these stops. Actually, Dakar, Senegal never happened because we were kept on the ship. The show ended with the crew and staff coming on the stage, and the crowd clapped for what seemed like forever. They are the best crew on the high seas in our opinion. Final activities took place during the day like jackpot bingo, poker tournaments, team trivia, arts and crafts, coloring classes, and most exercise sessions. We have never noticed if there was a yoga class on this cruise, by the way. If you haven’t learned to dance with the Zuiderdam dancers, then you had your last chance today. A final movie was shown in the Rolling Stone Lounge called Seriously Red. It looks like these movies will be included in the movies on demand on the room TV from now on. We finished the last of the packing, which was only one bag. It might have weighed a tad over 50 pounds, but it is what it is. We will lock it up and put it out in the hall after dinner. In anticipation of a lot of luggage movement, three of the elevators were shut down in the aft area. Did us good to go down three flights to the upper dining room. Dinnertime was bitter-sweet, of course, with the good-byes. But first, the menu was a little strange as it was titled “Chef’s Surprise”. The surprise was, according to Barb, was there was nothing to eat. We chose the Dutch pea soup and one appetizer that had real potato salad. It came with herring, so that was donated to Greg, who loves herring. For main entrees there were lobster and crab pie, haggis, venison, and a vegetarian stuffed cabbage roll, as well as the usual everyday items. We both had the meatloaf and it was very good. Oscar was sweet enough to bring a plate of piping hot French fries for all of us to snack on. Barb had the lemon shrimp fettucine but ate mostly the shrimp like she always does. No wonder she manages to stay slim, even though she did enjoy the little carrot cupcake. It was frozen chocolate yogurt for us. Usually when it comes to the end of this final dinner, Barb becomes “rocket dog”, as she was aptly named by retired purser and friend Peter. She hates to say good-bye. Anyway, people began to stop by asking if we were on next year, and they would see us then. One by one, more friends came and we all had a group hug and that was that. So long until the next voyage. There was no entertainment in the World Stage, but the music walk would keep folks happy. We rather doubt that many will stay up late, because tomorrow will be a busy day beginning early. We heard there were only 20 guests staying on for the next voyage which goes to Europe. Everyone else will be newbies. And for the last time, we had one hour back on the clocks, eventually giving us back the day we lost while crossing the International Dateline months ago. We will be up early as we usually are but will not be debarking until after 10am we are told. Fine and dandy with us. Thanking you for tagging along with us on another Grand World Voyage! Stay tuned…we will be back for the final report and a follow-up. Bill & Mary Ann

Many thanks for the nice comments regarding the blog and photos for this 2023 Grand World Voyage. It was different in many ways....some good, some not so good, but we are most happy to be able to have done it once again. You are correct about the time involved in doing a blog, but it is something we have enjoyed documenting for many years now. It did take a total of four hours or more of each day to accomplish. Thanks for joining along with us! Bill & Mary Ann

Report #131 Wednesday May 10, 2023 Day #5 Of 6 Enroute To Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sunny And Warmer 70+ Degrees Calm Seas And Little Wind Part #1 Of 1........0 Pictures We enjoyed another special breakfast with friends this morning, realizing our days are numbered now. One of the best decisions made by re-locating our group to this area was brilliant. Waiters Andri and Danu along with Sugi have been the best ever. Hope we are lucky enough to have them back on future cruises. Another positive thing was being able to put our luggage outside in the hallway after 8am this morning. We asked our room steward who was hauling the bags to the elevator lobby, and he said they were. We saw the hand trucks filled with luggage as we left the elevator, but they were gone quickly afterwards. Last night at dinner, Rene told us that deck A was going to be filled from end to end with the luggage baskets that will be taken off with forklifts in Ft. Lauderdale. And now that we have all day tomorrow until 11pm to put out the last bag, there should be no parade of suitcases being hauled down the hallway during the late evening. Our drawers and closets are about empty now as we saved only what we needed for a few days. The weather has warmed up a bit and the sun was mostly out today. There were scattered clouds on the horizon, but the seas had flattened out. No more “white horses” or deep swells like we have been experiencing the last four days. Always good for walking, we did just that with a few elderly gentlemen whose wives must have kicked them out of their room so they can pack, we assume. After being here for over four months, you come to know the usual walkers, and these fellows were not among the ones we know. We did spot some more flying fish, but no birds yet. Guess we are not close to any land. The Crew Talent Show in the World Stage at 2pm was packed to the gills. The overflow went to the Rolling Stone Lounge to watch the show on the TV. There were some pretty talented crew members having a fine time on the stage. We expect they get a lot of practice in the crew quarters especially with the karaoke equipment. While dropping off some library books, we ran into Christel and had a long conversation regarding the cruise and the direction it took due to cutbacks. The bottom line was that with over 500 passengers sailing with their future cruise credit from the 2020 GWV cancellation, it was impossible for this cruise to make any profit. We suspected that from the beginning. She has truly enjoyed her stay on the ship ever since she boarded in Freemantle, Australia. It was so much different than being the Guest Relations Manager, and she admitted it was so nice to be free to come and go, especially in the ports. On the day we crossed paths while in Eidfjord, Christel had hiked the same trail we did, and was on her second trip. As it turned out, she did it three times….making that 15 kilometers. And she did admit to sleeping quite well that evening. Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle Grill seated at a nice table for two at the window. It was surprising to see how many people were dining in there, but we did notice that many were President’s Club members and were probably using up their freebies. Even though they had run out of the buttermilk dressing for the wedge salads, we had their substitute ranch along with some balsamic vinaigrette. It didn’t look pretty, but it was tasty. We ordered one filet mignon and one ribeye steak. Both were delicious……tender and tasty. We saved a little room for desserts of sorbet and a chocolate souffle. By then, most of the restaurant had emptied out. Unknown to us, friends Mike and Pauline must have been sitting on the other side, and stopped to say goodbye, just in case we do not see them tomorrow. Since they live in Florida, they will be driving home. We gave them a hug and said our goodbyes, promising to talk on the phone during the summertime. They will be doing the New England and Iceland cruise, then will be back on the 2024 Grand World Voyage….good news. There was a performance tonight by Lisa Harman playing the piano and belting out some songs. Then there was the music walk with farewell songs, rock classics, and Beethoven Spring Sonata. Never a lack of things to see and do. Heo had mentioned there was a new movie being shown on TV called Wild Mountain Thyme, so we might just watch it. One more day at sea, and we will be in Florida. Bill & Mary Ann