Discover 7 Continents with Bill & Mary Ann as we sail on the 2012 World Cruise

[lizziebargain]

Bill and Mary Ann, I was just at Easo and Ile de Pins in Nov-I far preferred Ile de Pins if you are stopping there. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Report # 37 February 5, 2012 Sunday Punta Arenas, Chile Day Two

 

Well, here we are, on day two of an unexpected bonus day in Punta Arenas. The weather remained much the same as yesterday's with intermittent rain showers, also mixed with hail. Since the rain is fleeting, you don't get that wet, especially dressed in waterproof gear.

 

During the night, the tendering service continued until midnight. Since the debarking platform is located fairly close to our stateroom on A deck, we could hear the boats coming and going until then. Not a problem as long as we were still watching TV. OK, one of us was watching with the eyes opened. Around 12:30am, the platform was pulled in and the large door closed. That took at least 1/2 hour and was very noisy. It sounded as if they were using large wrenches to close the hatch, then tossing them on the metal flooring. It is a miracle how one of us can sleep like a babe with that racket. It can be a gift.

 

It was great to sleep in a little later than usual, then enjoy a hearty breakfast in the dining room. Around 9:30am, Captain Mercer announced that he would inform us all about the upcoming changes in our itinerary due to that storm that has delayed our sailing. He promised that he would do this at 2pm, and we are sure that many passengers will be on pins and needles waiting for this news.

 

We planned on leaving the ship around 11am, which was a good thing, because with today being Sunday, we were not sure how much would be open in town. Bundled up like snow bunnies, we joined the waiting boat, which turned out to be waiting until it was full of guests.

 

The streets of the town were just about deserted of locals. The shops were closed up tight, most of them covered with steel gates over the storefronts. Perhaps more would open up by noontime. We had no way of knowing, since the shopkeepers do not post their times or days open. Those that live here know these times already.

 

We worked our way uphill, until we came upon the central square called Plaza de Armas. Not much was going on there yet. We did hear the church bells chime, and assumed that the locals were in church for Sunday services. Little by little, the souvenier wagons in the square came to life when the vendors showed up. Several large dogs filled this square. They must have owners, because they were fat, just running loose. We guess they could be called the junkyard dogs, since they seemed to behave in a pack. They lavished attention from the tourists, especially the little kids who insisted on petting them or pulling their legs. A few of the big ones hung around us for a time, because it was possible they smelled the emergency candy we had in our bag. Well, not quite emergency, but just in case we need a sugar boost. You know, in this severe weather, one can't be too careful.

 

Wandering around the streets surrounding the square, we saw the impressive Braun Hotel, built by a 19th century baron who made vast fortunes in the sheep industry. In fact, our friends Martha and Bob decided to spend the night in this hotel, and eat a late dinner there. They were celebrating their 40th anniversary, and what a neat way to do it. They reported that they had a great time and a delicious dinner of lamb and Chilean bass. Two years ago, we dined in this hotel with our travel group at the end of a good tour. The dining room itself was actually a huge glass-enclosed hothouse, complete with old grape vines climbing up the walls and over the roof. The food was excellent as were the wines we recall.

 

The time went by quickly as we sat in the sun when it was out of the clouds. Musicians were playing Spanish guitar or singing familiar songs with a Chilean accent. Of course, they were selling CD's and collecting tips from the increasing numbers of tourists arriving here. At one point, we saw a group of bundled up cruisers walk into the square. One of the gals began dancing to the music, and to our surprise, it turned out to be our buddy Ellen. She loves to dance on the ship in the evenings, and obviously loved the music here. She is just a very delightful person to have as our friend and hostess. She was here with Barb, who happens to have a birthday today. Perhaps they were going to lunch, or looking for the internet cafe. Many folks take their computers to shore in search of fast and cheap internet service. Sometimes they get lucky, and accomplish a lot of stuff for a couple of bucks. And sometimes not. Today, Barbara Haenni told us that some of the internet cafes were down for the previous night and possibly today. However, there was one other provider, and if they were opened, perhaps they would get some business today.

 

We picked up a couple of souveniers with the purchase of a t-shirt, an alpaca scarf, and 2 pairs of colorful earrings at the craft stands in the square. Hot chocolate was being served in the cruise ship terminal, so we took advantage of that while we waited for the next boat to arrive. A rain shower drifted over us, pelting the ceiling with hail pellets. Our timing happened to be right for a change, getting to shelter. There is the upside of the beautiful rainbows that followed the rain.

 

The ride back to the ship was rough, and even dangerous when we reached the ship's platform. We heard later on at dinnertime, that a lady fell on the tenderboat and broke her hip and or leg. She was taken to the hospital, and may have been admitted we understand. Gosh, you just never know when something like that can happen. Hope she will be OK and be able to re-join the cruise.

 

The first thing we did when we got back was to search for our buddies to find out what the news was about our future ports. The suspense was over......we would be going to Easter Island, but a day later on February 11th. Missing also is the scenic cruising of the Chilean fjords, which was supposed to be tomorrow. We will skip the stop in Pitcairn, which was just that, a stop at anchor for a few hours, where the natives come onboard to sell their wares. We'll arrive in Papeete, Tahiti, a day later, February 16th, and stay from 7am to 10pm. It will take all day for the Amsterdam to take on fuel, thus giving us all extra time in paradise. However, Tahiti is the end of a segment where many people will fly home. That includes Martha's husband, Bob, who now needs to re-book his flight, since we are there a day later. Good thing they have travel insurance, because booking a flight at the last minute can be very costly. The call in Pago Pago, America Samoa will be shortened. Most everyone agreed that missing that port was no big loss, but don't forget, that is where the Kruse's, HAL's CEO and wife, board the ship for the "Big Party". Unfortunately, we will have to miss the maiden stop of Easo, New Caledonia. If that island is anything like Isle de Pins, we will miss out on that one. With all these changes, we will be arriving a few hours earlier in Sydney, putting us back on schedule for the rest of the trip, barring any more surprises.

 

Now our take on this situation is this: the port with the most expensive tours, Easter Island, will be a go, perhaps. Perhaps, because tendering there is always dicey, a 50/50 chance of success on a good day. Tours there are running from $159. to $259. for 3 to 4 hour excursions through the shore ex department on the ship. Lots of people have formed independant groups that are going for much less.

 

Easo, New Caledonia, was the only port that had no tours at all. We suspect that this island offered scenic beauty and wonderful beaches. Guess we will never know. There is no loss of revenue for HAL, only the return of a meager port charge which should be credited to our shipboard accounts.

 

On Wednesday, the 15th, complimentary wine or soft drinks will be served with our dinner as a gesture of goodwill from Captain Mercer. We do understand that this decision was not made lightly, but done with safety in mind as the number one priority. You have to learn to roll with these unexpected events, and see this as an adventure.

 

Today was Super Bowl Sunday too. At 8:30pm, a tailgate festivity was held in the Queens Lounge for those who chose to watch the pre-game show and the game on the big screen. They plan on serving special buckets of beer and Super Bowl type food. Some planned on making it their dinner. As for us, we had a special evening planned for Barbie, who was celebrating her birthday tonight. There were 11 of us having a great time as we joined in singing Barb the special birthday song with the waiters leading the salute. Then we shared a decadent chocolate cake, covered with whipped cream and black cherry filling. Martha and Ellen took one hundred pictures. Since the game was still in progress, all went to the showlounge to catch the score. We caught it in the comfort of our stateroom.

 

We have several lazy days at sea now, and are keeping our fingers crossed that the worst of the storm has blown north of us. Time will tell.......

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[romancing_the_sea]

Report # 34 February 2, 2012 Thursday Day at Sea and Cape Horn

 

Dick Hardwick, our constant dinner companion, did his schtick, most Disney-like, since that was where he was from. It was almost a relief to be "Dick-free" tonight. Not that we didn't like him, we just saw him in a different light than most of our tablemates. To borrow a phrase recently read in a book, he had a knack for arming a joke with that "rock-in-the-snowball" touch of hurt. In other words, he may befriend the innocent of us, then turn the humor on you when you least expected it. Our wise older friend Terry understood that, and totally agreed with us.

 

Thought this was very interesting!

[JaneS3]

Hi Mary Ann & Bill,

 

It is a joy to read your blog each morning and we're enjoying our virtual stow-a-way on your adventure. Thank you for sharing!

 

Jane

[Kween Karen]

I am still enjoying "adventuring" along with you. Reading of your schedule changes prepares me for possible disappointments on our world cruise next year.....I can always HOPE to see it ALL!!

[JaneS3]

Karen, I finally got a chance to discover your blog from your Prinsendam voyage last January. We took the same journey to Volunteer Point with Patrick Watts and also had difficulty scoring a tender ride before all the ship excursions departed. I'm also enjoying your blog and photos! Thanks, Jane

[Kween Karen]

Karen, I finally got a chance to discover your blog from your Prinsendam voyage last January. We took the same journey to Volunteer Point with Patrick Watts and also had difficulty scoring a tender ride before all the ship excursions departed. I'm also enjoying your blog and photos! Thanks, Jane

 

Thanks......hope you continue to enjoy! I leave in 5 weeks to really continue the next blog. Very excited....never been in Europe!!

[Bakincakes]

Enjoying this report so much.

 

I've also been following another blog..and while those photos are stunning the author seems to be a bit "whiney"? Lucky enough to travel the World...numerous times and then whine about it? How depressing.

 

This account is uplifting and wonderful!!

[momatibm]

Enjoying this report so much.

 

I've also been following another blog..and while those photos are stunning the author seems to be a bit "whiney"? Lucky enough to travel the World...numerous times and then whine about it? How depressing.

 

This account is uplifting and wonderful!!

 

I know the 'whiney' blog you refer to -- try one of these -

 

http://biggsworld2012.wordpress.com -- wonderful narrative

 

http://www.cruisedownunder.blogspot.com/ -- great pictures

[WCB]

Report # 38 February 6, 2012 Monday Day at Sea # 1

 

Today began the first of five days that we will be at sea, needing to travel over 2300 miles to reach Easter Island off the coast of Chile. And boy, what a day it was! At 4am, we woke up with the drawers of our nightstands opening and closing on their own. We believe we have hit the edges of that storm the Captain had warned us about. Spray from the waves was flying by our window, when suddenly we heard a loud bang, as if something big had fallen. Our first thought was of an accident with perhaps another vessel. But there was no alarm set off, and no announcement, thank goodness. Your imagination can run wild, considering the strange things that have happened to cruise ships recently. We did learn later on that something very large had fallen over on the A deck, so we were not dreaming.

 

During our dining room breakfast, we noticed that all of the tableware and serving pieces were placed on the floor. The waiter's service counters had the cabinet drawers shut down to prevent the silverware from sliding back and forth violently. You would think their counters would have a raised edge on them to prevent accidents, but they do not.

 

The outside doors to the promenade deck were roped off once again. Perhaps the gale force winds of 67 MPH had something to do with that. The winds registered 9 on the Beaufort scale.......11 being hurricane force. At his 12:45pm, Captain Jonathon promised us that this storm should subside somewhere in the neighborhood of late tonight or tomorrow morning. We'll hold him to that promise.

 

There were a few talks happening in the showlounge this morning. The first was concerning the shore excursions in the upcoming ports of Easter Island all the way to Lembar, Indonesia. A new explorations speaker, Revell Carr, spoke about Columbus and his discoveries in the Americas. He continued on with Magellan and La Maire's discoveries in the bottom of the world.

 

It appeared to us that many passengers were laying low due to the high seas. Most of the public areas of the ship were virtually empty. We think many of the wise people were being safe while staying in their staterooms. Navigating the decks by the stairs was really dicey, and the elevator weights were banging in the inner walls so much, you did not feel safe using them. We also assumed many folks were feeling the motion of the ship in a negative way.......yep, seasick. Good time for that meclizine, just in case.

 

We had a few moments to visit Char, the future cruise consultant, to ask her how she liked the Antarctic trip out of Punta Arenas. The last time we saw her, she was on her way with her gear to be sterilized before flying to one of the research stations in Antarctica. However, that exact trip did not happen this time. The group of 50 were told that due to extreme winds, they could not fly there. Instead, they flew to some glaciers in Argentina, which was the alternate and less expensive plan if the trip was scrapped. It was obvious that they were very disappointed, but made the best of it. Char did say that the winds were unbelievably ferocious at the glaciers too. It was a long day, since they left early and got back to the ship by 10pm. Good thing the Amsterdam had stayed overnight.

 

The entertainment group, Grace Trio, was cancelled due to the rocking and rolling of the ship. A movie would be shown instead at 8 and 10pm. With the ship being so unstable, we thought the best bet was to turn in early. And tonight the clocks go back one hour, giving us an extra hour of sleep. That is something that will benefit everyone, since the "virus" is still amongst us. Full service is still happening in the restaurant and the Lido, and will continue until we are given the word that all is well. Can't come soon enough.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[DFD1]

Thanks, Bill and Mary Ann, for the update. I think life on the Amsterdam right now must be a bit of a challenge.

 

Hang in there and make the best of it....and thanks so much for your blog postings.

[Aussie Gal]

Mary Ann and Bill,

 

I know what you are going through as when we were unable to visit the Falkland Islands we left for the Antarctic and we had to go through an 11 Force Gale for 24 hours. It was scary as there weren't any ships in the area if anything had happened. Most passengers spent the day inside their cabins as it was too hard to move around the ship. It is something I never want to go through again if possible though both Peter and myself weren't sick at all.

 

Jennie

[WCB]

Report # 39 February 7, 2012 Tuesday Day at Sea # 2

 

The seas had not improved very much since yesterday by the time we woke up this morning. However, the sun was out and that made a huge diference in the mood of the passengers today. Despite the fact that the outside decks were still roped off, we still had the Lido pool area where the temperature was comfortable. Yesterday, both of the pools and the spas had been drained. Most of the water had washed over on the decks anyway, creating a hazardous situation.

 

So, it was a good time to sit and chat with friends and discuss the problems of the world, like we do everyday. Not all of our crowd has been to Easter Island, so we all shared our experiences on previous trips. A good place to start is booking an organized tour, and seeing the main attractions. Since we have done that once, and also did our own thing last year, we plan on doing the same thing this year. The island is a great place to walk. That is something we really need to do and soon. We did sneak out on deck 9, and walked around the glass roof enclosure later in the afternoon. Sure it was windy, but we needed that fresh air.

 

Another subject came up regarding the questionnaires that were handed out to all of us a few days ago. These will be questions that will be asked of Stein Kruse when he has his big talk before Sydney. So far, the most asked question deals with the future pricing of the world cruise, and the obvious cutbacks we have seen on this one. Why pay more, and get less, we asked? The other big question is about the lousy internet service on the ship. It needs updating desperately.

 

The highlight of the day was a "surprise" cocktail party, hosted by tablemates Martha and Bob in the Explorers Lounge at 7pm. The surprise part of it was that after booking the date, the beverage manager changed it twice. With the itinerary deviations, it was necessary to re-arrange other parties and gatherings. Good thing that Bob and Martha can roll with the confusion, and we were glad they did. There must have been about 100 passengers and staff, most of whom we knew. Cocktails of our choice and hors d'oeuvres were passed by the friendly waiters for an hour. It was a success as everyone had a great time.

 

The fun continued as we joined our table with three guests tonight. Tom M, our host, is not really a guest, but our once a week mate. Mutual buddies Ray and Rose had been invited along with Grace, Ray's wife. It was Grace's birthday, but she stay in her stateroom due to a bad sinus cold she recently contracted. At the end of a delicious meal, we introduced our friends to cork-forking. Rose had a ball with that one, as she tried over and over to land that darn cork in the flowerbowl. She has vowed to practice this fun game, and wants to be invited back again soon. Ray was pleased that he mastered the game after his second try. Ah, beginner's luck.

 

We are finally heading more west than north. So as we advance in the "right" direction, we put the clocks back one more hour tonight. That works for us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Pete Jackson]

"Today began the first of five days that we will be at sea, needing to travel over 2300 miles to reach Easter Island off the coast of Chile."

 

Just shows the enormous magnitude of the Pacific Ocean. Five sea days will get you from Newfoundland to Ireland across the Atlantic, but barely makes a dent in a crossing of the Pacific! After all, Easter Island is still a part of Chile.

[WCB]

Report # 40 February 8, 2012 Wednesday Day at Sea # 3

 

Today we should be halfway to our destination of Easter Island. The sun came out after 10am, and the seas have flatten out. Well, almost. The waves were still measured at 10 feet, causing the ship to roll a bit. But nowhere near as bad as it was. We could feel some humidity in the air as the temperatures of the air and sea have climbed to a warmer 68 degrees.

 

We got a lot of walking in both in the morning and afternoon, since the ropes were removed from the deck 3 doors. It would not have stopped us anyway, because we needed to get outside in that fresh air. They tend to keep the inside of the ship too warm, which we feel leads to people getting ill. Speaking of sickness, it appeared that we are still in the orange code, as all of the condiments were still being handed out to us at breakfast.

 

At some point, late this afternoon, we noticed that the sea depths were registering from 36 to 49 feet. That was peculiar, since we are in the middle of the massive Pacific Ocean. What we all surmised was that there must be an underwater mountain range beneath us. Or, something has gone wrong with the ship's equipment. That will be something to ask about tomorrow. By 11pm, we checked the depth, and it was back to 9700 feet. At least we won't scrape bottom.

 

Have we mentioned that the laundry service has been speedy? It has only taken one day to get it back, which is nice. In the past, the turnaround was as much as 4 days. And we are certain that most of the folks sailing on this cruise have achieved the 4 star Mariner status, which gives us free laundry. We did send out a pair of cotton pants that can back with the zipper broken. It was quite a surprise, when these pants were delivered the following day, zipper replaced. Like we said, excellent service from that department.

 

Dinnertime was formal, with the theme being "Captain Bligh" from the Mutiny on the Bounty fame. Some of our friends dressed for this occassion by wearing pirate hats and eye patches. Sky, who is a very funny guy, actually wore a parrot hat he had won playing trivia a few years ago. It's amusing to see how some of us have gone backwards in time, and can have fun like we did in grammar school. No one judges here, and if they do, well, we don't particularly care. Our waiters and dining room managers were all dressed in pirate outfits, with the ruffled sleeves, velvet coats, and tricorn hats. They were more colorful than the passengers, decked out in red, green, and gold, some wth side arms.

 

For our guests this evening, we had Eddie and Calista, the ship's young florists. They have been the most creative and artistic florists we have ever sailed with. Some of their creations are put together with driftwood, or straw, cork, and wooden sticks. The flowers, which we believe are shipped from Holland, become the ornaments on their sculptures. You cannot help but do a double-take as you walk by. What a great opportunity for this married couple to work their way around the world several times.

 

And of course, we ended the meal with a game of cork-forking, which they have played on past cruises. Eddie landed the cork in the bowl on the second try. Our waiters have begun leaving us all a clean fork for this game. They seem to get a kick out of watching us play.

 

After dinner, we went for a brisk walk outside on deck 3. The moon was almost full and shone on the water brightly. Then for about 10 minutes, we did check out the Belinda King Singers and Dancers in the showlounge. They were performing a show called Bravo, singing tunes from movie musicals, Broadway, and London's West End stages. As we had been told by our friends on Seabourn, they were good.

 

Two more sea days, and hopefully, we will reach land.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[chasinraynbowz]

Bill and Mary Ann,

 

I get up every morning with you. After I grab my coffee, I log into CC and read your daily installment. I am thoroughly enjoying your World Cruise!! Can't wait for more!

 

Pam

[WCB]

Report # 41 February 9, 2012 Thursday Day at Sea # 4

 

This fourth day at sea brought clouds and wind, even though we continue to head northwest. Strong ocean swells kept the ship rolling throughout the night and early morning. Unfortunately, the motion of the ship proved to be too much for an elderly lady, who happens to be part of our large travel group. Sometime during the night, she fell over her walker, and broke a bone in her foot. We heard that she is in her 90's, and was just barely able to take care of herself on this cruise so far. Now with a broken foot, she needs 24 hour help, which is not something the ship's personel can provide. Ellen, our host, has taken charge of her care until she is sent home. That will be happening in Easter Island, where she is due to fly home. Tom, our other host, spent the day packing her belongings. These things seem to be happening more and more it seems.

 

There is yet another story about an injury involving an accident that happened while we were coming back on a tenderboat in Punta Arenas, Chile. Another elderly lady, fragile, we heard, slipped off of the tenderboat seat, fell hard on the slippery floor, and broke her leg and hip. Tom told us at dinner last night that when this lady was brought to shore, the ambulance driver wanted $250. (US) cash to take her to the hospital. Once there, she was diagnosed and informed that in order to operate on her hip, it would cost an additional $40,000. She opted to be air evacuated to somewhere else (not sure where), which cost another $90,000. This is why travel insurance is so necessary. We never would have guessed that the Chilean medical costs were so prohibitive. We sure hope she found the best medical care available.

 

Speaker Revell Carr spoke about Captain James Cook who explored the Pacific and Antarctic regions for England many, many years ago. We heard that Revell's talks have pulled a full house. But then, not too much else has been happening onboard. The biggest draw was the Mongolian Cookout held again in the Lido pool area. We always walk through there to check out the activity and the food. Today, the place was mobbed, and the lines long. Of course, that is a good sign that people are feeling better, between the seasickness and virus bug, that is. By the way, we are still in code orange.

 

Even though it was still windy, the sun came out by the afternoon. After our walk, we spent some time at the back pool. It was still too cool for swimming, although two men were in the pool...one of them tied off with bungie cords and exercising, we guess. We grossly under-estimated the strength of the sun today. We know better, but it was comfortable, and we may have fallen asleep for a short while. Well, by dinnertime, the burn began to appear. Sure hope it goes away by tomorrow.

 

We had company this evening, since Bob and Martha went to the second Le Cirque dinner in the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant. Julia and her daughter Fran joined us, as well as Tom B. We sat near Terry, who speaks very quietly, so it was like we had a table for three. Actually, it was nice because Terry is really a neat lady, and has much to share about living in Manhattan.

 

The show tonight was a comedian by the name of Jeff Nease. We figured an "iced washcloth" would be a better idea, since the sunburn was heating up our faces by then. Walking on the promenade deck after dinner also helped. The moon was almost full, and was qjuite beautiful shining on the water once again. It sure gives you a lonely feeling seeing so much ocean around us, and absolutely no other ships in sight. This has got to be off the beaten path, so to speak, in the way of ship traffic.

 

One more sea day, and we should reach land.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[windsor26]

Bill and Mary You keep both myself and my DH enthralled with you blog. It is one of the only two blogs DH follows (the other one from, Johnnie on your cruise) Thank you for the entertainment

[erewhon]

Thank you for your reports.

[cruiseman111111]

My insurance with Travelx only covers $50,000 for emergency evac, is it really $90,000 from Easter Island?

 

Jim

 

Report # 41 February 9, 2012 Thursday Day at Sea # 4

 

This fourth day at sea brought clouds and wind, even though we continue to head northwest. Strong ocean swells kept the ship rolling throughout the night and early morning. Unfortunately, the motion of the ship proved to be too much for an elderly lady, who happens to be part of our large travel group. Sometime during the night, she fell over her walker, and broke a bone in her foot. We heard that she is in her 90's, and was just barely able to take care of herself on this cruise so far. Now with a broken foot, she needs 24 hour help, which is not something the ship's personel can provide. Ellen, our host, has taken charge of her care until she is sent home. That will be happening in Easter Island, where she is due to fly home. Tom, our other host, spent the day packing her belongings. These things seem to be happening more and more it seems.

 

There is yet another story about an injury involving an accident that happened while we were coming back on a tenderboat in Punta Arenas, Chile. Another elderly lady, fragile, we heard, slipped off of the tenderboat seat, fell hard on the slippery floor, and broke her leg and hip. Tom told us at dinner last night that when this lady was brought to shore, the ambulance driver wanted $250. (US) cash to take her to the hospital. Once there, she was diagnosed and informed that in order to operate on her hip, it would cost an additional $40,000. She opted to be air evacuated to somewhere else (not sure where), which cost another $90,000. This is why travel insurance is so necessary. We never would have guessed that the Chilean medical costs were so prohibitive. We sure hope she found the best medical care available.

 

Speaker Revell Carr spoke about Captain James Cook who explored the Pacific and Antarctic regions for England many, many years ago. We heard that Revell's talks have pulled a full house. But then, not too much else has been happening onboard. The biggest draw was the Mongolian Cookout held again in the Lido pool area. We always walk through there to check out the activity and the food. Today, the place was mobbed, and the lines long. Of course, that is a good sign that people are feeling better, between the seasickness and virus bug, that is. By the way, we are still in code orange.

 

Even though it was still windy, the sun came out by the afternoon. After our walk, we spent some time at the back pool. It was still too cool for swimming, although two men were in the pool...one of them tied off with bungie cords and exercising, we guess. We grossly under-estimated the strength of the sun today. We know better, but it was comfortable, and we may have fallen asleep for a short while. Well, by dinnertime, the burn began to appear. Sure hope it goes away by tomorrow.

 

We had company this evening, since Bob and Martha went to the second Le Cirque dinner in the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant. Julia and her daughter Fran joined us, as well as Tom B. We sat near Terry, who speaks very quietly, so it was like we had a table for three. Actually, it was nice because Terry is really a neat lady, and has much to share about living in Manhattan.

 

The show tonight was a comedian by the name of Jeff Nease. We figured an "iced washcloth" would be a better idea, since the sunburn was heating up our faces by then. Walking on the promenade deck after dinner also helped. The moon was almost full, and was qjuite beautiful shining on the water once again. It sure gives you a lonely feeling seeing so much ocean around us, and absolutely no other ships in sight. This has got to be off the beaten path, so to speak, in the way of ship traffic.

 

One more sea day, and we should reach land.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[maxout]

My insurance with Travelx only covers $50,000 for emergency evac, is it really $90,000 from Easter Island?

 

Jim

 

The evac was actually from Punta Arenas, Chile.

[WCB]

Report # 42 February 10, 2012 Friday Day at Sea # 5

 

Day number five at sea looked most promising as we had smoother waters and more sun. The humidity has increased gradually as well. That is rather nice, because we notice that our skin has not been so dry. We have been soaking up the lotion like sponges since we left the Falklands.

 

We learned in the daily newsletter, the Explorer, that the bow anchor of the ship weighs 8000 kg. It is usually the only one used, although there are two in the bow, and one in the stern. It can be "let go" by remote from the bridge, and hauled up by a powerful electirc motor. Just a little ship trivia that you never know you may need in the future, like at trivia perhaps.

 

Many interesting activities were happening today such as learning about Easter Island from speaker Revell Carr. Or learning how to make Dutch pea soup with Chef Bernie. Afternoon tea is always held at 3pm, however, we have yet to make it to one. The HAL Chorale met for another practice session at 4pm. We look forward to their concert, since many of our friends are participating this year.

 

Mardi Gras is approaching soon, and the last chance to request to be King or Queen is today. All you have to do is fill out a ballot, and hope to be one of 10 kings and 10 queens to be randomly chosen. Out of those 20, 2 will be selected. Wonder who they will be??? We can assure you that it will NOT be us!

 

We were just "family" at dinner tonight, with the exception of Bob and Martha who attended a special dinner with Chef Bernie and a small group of other passengers. Ellen did invite Steve, who has a table for one right behind us every evening. He usually visits with folks at the nearby table for two, but they were absent tonight. The first time we invited him to sit with us, we felt a bit of hesitancy. But he obviously enjoyed our company, because he jumped up and took a seat promptly. He is from Holland, and has a very pronounced Dutch accent, but speaks English well. Before dessert time, Ellen excused herself to join a private party in the Crows Nest. It was a 70th birthday party for Ann Marie, a very special client, who books a suite on deck seven for herself and usually one for her friends that arrive in batches during the cruise. We believe that most of her friends are from the staff and crew, because that was who was invited.........officers and crew members. So with Ellen gone, a reluctant Barbie took over the entertaining of our guest until 10pm. By then, it was time to go to the show with a singer by the name of Douglas McRae. We could hear his strong operatic voice bellowing down the stairwell as we headed for our walk and later to our room.

 

At his 12:45pm talk today, Captain Mercer remarked that our anchoring at Easter Island would depend on the wind the current, and the waves. We have two options if the going looks good. The easy option will be tendering the boats to Hanga Roa, the largest settlement, or bring us to shore at Anakena Bay, where we went last year. Either place will be fine with us, as opposed to no stop at all. And that is an option that may start a mutiny onboard.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[DFD1]

Good Luck, Tomorrow! We'll be watching and hoping.

[WCB]

Report # 43 February 11, 2012 Saturday Easter Island, Chile

 

Well, we made it to Easter Island, but not at the place we were supposed to. That was no surprise to us when we looked outside our window after 6am to see the tenderboats in the darkness bobbing in the water like corks. It would be impossible to transfer passengers in these dangerous swells.

 

So Captain Mercer said we would head for Anakena Bay, and hope to attempt our landings there. So, here we go again....just like last year. By the time they had the ship's pontoon and one tenderboat tied up to the rocks, we had lost one hour. But that would not be a problem, because the Captain said the tours would not be shortened and we would leave later.

 

This method of transferring to shore was tricky. So much so, that Bruce, our cruise director, cautioned folks to consider one's state of fitness before going to shore. We were required to go from one tenderboat, through the tied up boat, and then jump down on a floating pontoon, then off on the concrete boat launch on shore. Piece of cake if the timing is right. Will explain later.

 

Here are a couple of facts about this isolated island. Because the island was discovered on Easter Sunday in 1722 by the Dutch, the name was appropriately given. Polynesians populated the island centuries earlier. Enormous statues exist here, carved from the solid volcanic basalt. There are over 600 moai, as they are called. The reason for these moais remain a mystery, although some were used to mark burial sites. Some of these moai are over 18 feet tall and weigh several tons. How they were transported from the quarry to different points on the island also remains a mystery.

 

Today this Chilean-owned 45 square mile gem houses about 3000 residents. Many of them work in government or military service. Tourism has to be the next most popular occupation, as every available van and taxi was in use today. Many tours had been booked here, which took people to the several important moai sites, as well as the quarry. Since the park fee to enter the quarry and volcano areas cost $60. per person, the price of the tours was high, we thought. And since we have been here, and done that, we opted to go off on our own today.

 

We had plenty of time to eat a proper breakfast in the dining room before going ashore. Hopefully the service will be better today than it was yesterday. Our waiter yesterday was having a bad day, and he seemed to be in a fog. It was not just us that did not get any coffee or food items in a timely manner. People sitting all around us were grumbling. We are still in the orange stage of the service, due to the BUG. It would not be a surprise that some of the crew members have been ill too. That is the reason we said nothing about our waiter's mistakes. And we do know that the waiters in the raised section of the dining room are good, so we asked to sit there today. All went well.

 

By 10am, all of the morning tours had debarked, so it was a good time for us to leave the ship. The ride over was rough, but fairly quick. The transfer through the boats was not as easy. Tying off one boat to another is hard, especially with a lot of wave action. It caused the boats to slide back and forth, creating a scissor-like effect in the middle doorways. Your timing had to be right on, then you would go through the doorways with the assistance of the sailors. One of us made it through easily, while the other got caught in the scissors. Luckily adreneline kicked in, and moving fast got me through just in time.

 

We spent the rest of our time there climbing the hillsides and taking photos of the moai that are near the beach. With few exceptions, all of these peculiar statues face inland, like they are the protectors of the natives. Wish these statues could talk.....what stories would they tell? We were careful not to step on or near the fences that surround these monolithes. The "moai police" were present near the sets of platforms where the graveyards exist under the statues. We watched while sitting high on the hill under the palms while these designated caretakers shooed the people away with yelling or blowing their whistles when the folks failed to adhere to the warning signs.

 

Perched high above the beautiful beach, were a few shacks that housed a small outdoor cafe and a makeshift bar of sorts. Later on, they would be selling beer, sodas, and grilled meats and pineapple chunks on a stick. Behind these food vendors, were tables of souveniers, where a keepsake necklace and earring set caught our eye. It was locally made of small seashells and macrame, definitely not an import from elsewhere. A new t shirt was found outside the mens and womens restrooms. Odd place for a stall, but one most frequented by the guests.

 

The rest of the time was spent on the sandy beach and in the sandy surf. We had brought beach towels and plenty of sunscreen. The weather was perfect....not too hot, with some wandering clouds overhead. Staying in the cool water kept us from burning. That was not the case with the very long line of passengers who had just gotten back from their tours. We could see them backed up the hillside near the boats, and they had not moved for an hour. Apparently, the pontoon that had been used as the landing had broken apart, and they were hauling another one out from the bow of the ship. We heard later on that the Captain had suspended any more passengers from leaving the ship to come ashore. That was around 1pm. Anybody that had waited to come over to the island after lunch would be out of luck. We also discovered later on that some of the folks waiting in that line had fainted from the heat. The staff were serving ice tea and water, but it came a bit late for some. We cannot believe that leaving the line and finding some shade under trees wasn't a priority for these guests.

 

We waited until 4pm to catch the tender. By then, all of the morning tour people had gotten back on the ship. We headed for the aft pool to swim and listen to the band playing at the sailaway party. Only, we did not sail at 5 or 6pm as expected. Getting the rest of the late tour people back and loading the tenderboats proved to be a problem. The waves had increased and the going was slow. We were not underway until after 7pm. The Captain said that in order to make it on time to Tahiti, he will have to maintain a speed of almost 22 knots. That should be interesting.

 

Our guests for dinner this evening were Dr. Pal and her husband Fritz. She confirmed that 3 passengers had been taken off of the ship to be flown home. One person had a fall on the volcanic rocks, and had to be wheel-chaired back to the tenderboat. He or she would be fine, although Dr. Pal could not say anything more. We all enjoyed their company and hope they return soon.

 

We will have four days at sea ahead of us on our way to Papeete, Tahiti, another piece of paradise. Guess we'll have to fly by Pitcairn Island this time. No stopping. Darn.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[bcnvcanada]

Wow, we are enjoying your travels. So much happens on a WC. Thanks for taking us along. We flew to Easter Island two years ago. Had to spend three days before a flight comes back, interesting place. So glad that people on the WC got into to visit this island.

[Aussie Gal]

Mary Ann and Bill,

 

I am so glad you got ashore unlike us last year when we were at Easter Island. Our Captain just wouldn't go around to the other side of the island even though quite a few of us knew that the Captain of the Amsterdam did that on the World Cruise last year.

 

We were so disappointed and I am sure we had a much younger group of passengers on board as it wasn't a World Cruise just a farewell cruise to the Royal Princess. I am sure we all could have managed going ashore using the a pontoon and the two boats but our English Captain wasn't prepared to put himself out.

 

Anyhow, that wasn't to be and all we have are the photos taken from the ship and some souvenir photos that we bought on board. Though we did have the Pitcairn Islanders come on board and sell their handicrafts and honey which was great when we anchored at Pitcairn Island.

 

Jennie