Venture with Bill & Mary Ann on the 2013 GW Voyage "Postcards from Paradise" 115 days

[JamesEM]

Thanks for keeping us up to date on your travel adventure.

[WCB]

Report # 76 Singapore, Republic of Singapore March 17, 2013 Sunday Day One

 

We never did figure out why we had to arrive late to Singapore. Usually we are here and docked before we wake up. However, today our arrival time was 2pm, cutting our first day here in half. Good thing we are spending the night and will have a full day tomorrow to enjoy the sites until 9pm. Sailaway is planned for 11pm.

 

It was quite apparent that we would not escape the equatorial weather this afternoon, because upon sailing into the busy harbor, the skies turned black, followed with lightening and thunder. It rained big time. Singapore is known for hot and humid weather, with little variation throughout the year. From November onwards, monsoon rains can be a daily occurence. It wouldn't be Singapore without it.

 

Here are a few facts about Singapore. It is an island country, the smallest in Southeast Asia., and is located on the tip of the Malay Peninsula. Once a Malay fishing village, Singapore was colonized by the British in the 19th century. It was occupied during WW2 by the Japanese Empire, a stressful period in their history. Today, Singapore has the highest standard of living in Asia, and boasts being the 22nd wealthiest country in the world. Strict is the name of the game here. Prohibited items include chewing tobacco, chewing gum, cigarette lighters that resemble guns, endangered species of wildlife and their by-products, firecrackers, and obscene articles, publications, video tapes, discs and software. Smoking is extremely limited and littering is forbidden, as is spitting. And there is no question that drug traffikers under the Singapore Law get DEATH. Period.

 

With all that in mind, we set off to spend the afternoon as soon as the ship was cleared. For a change, the exit went rather quickly. It is not easy getting off the ship here. Everyone has to go through the security check with the customs and immigration officials before entering the city, or in this case, into the Harbourfront Mall, connected to the pier facilities. Our passports were logged into their system once it was determined that we were who we said we were. Next comes the xray machine, the same as the ones used in all airports. Once through this screening, we were free to go. Coming back onboard, the same procedure was used in reverse.

 

Our destination was the MRT, the local metro system, which is the best and quickest way to get to everywhere in this fun city. Armed with the metro map and a two day pass card (Singapore dollar $16. plus a $10 deposit (refundable) for each of us), we charted our plan for the best use of about 5 hours. We did want to be back onboard for dinner, even if there was possibly only the two of us. Harbourfront is the end of the line, so it was easy not to get lost. Following the signage through the mall, we located the entrance to the MRT easily. It does help that we have done this before, although the ticket office was moved to another area.

 

Little India is an interesting place to see, and being that today was a Sunday, we knew it would be busy with many people. What we had forgotton upon leaving the station, was that there is more than one way to go out of the MRT at every stop. Important to follow signs, we did not recognize the surroundings as we seemed to be headed towards a race track. Back-tracking, we found the right exit and walked through the major market with cafes for the local Indians. You really are in a "little" India with the many spice and fabric shops that line the narrow streets. One of us was in "fabric" heaven when we found the same shops we went to last year. What is different here is that the shop keepers only sell sari-sized fabric lengths, or 5 meters. It is priced for that measure, instead of by the yard. Where else can you find a silky fabric suitable to make a formal dress for the whopping price of $20 Singapore dollars ($16. US).

 

It was probably a good thing that the rain started, because we may have purchased more than we needed. Back to the MRT, we continued our journey to the Bayfront Station to go to the Marina Bay Sands Shoppes and Hotel. We happened to go a little too far on the metro by accident, but found our way back without wasting too much time. This shopping complex is a place that one can be amazed by the architecture as well as window shop the many highend stores. It can be described as the largest collection of the world's most coveted designer boutiques and celebrity chef restaurants.....an ultimate destination for dining, shopping, and entertainment.

 

Across from this massive mall is the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel, a trio of hotel towers that are crowned with a Skypark that includes a restaurant and a celebrated 150 meter-long infinity swimming pool, 200 meters up in the air on the 55th floor. From there, you have a dizzy 360 degree view of the Marina Bay and gardens and the entire city of Singapore.

 

Needing to relax for a bit, we located the Mozza Pizzeria, located on level B of the mall. It was pretty busy even though it was late in the afternoon. We enjoyed the same shared pizza and sodas like we did last year, remembering how much more expensive everything is here compared to our last port in Vietnam. Goes with the territory we guess.

 

We headed back to the Harbourfront Station with one transfer point on the way. This time we got it right, because we followed the signs perfectly. Most of the travelers seemed to be going in the opposite direction, as they must have been going home. Tomorrow we shall choose another direction, and depending on the weather, we will visit more of our favorite places.

 

We were not alone for dinner tonight. Everyone showed up except Joan, who we think had a date to go to the Night Zoo and dinner. Martha's husband, Bob, arrived today and was rested enough to join us for his first dinner onboard. Was nice to welcome him to our fun group. Carol and Van had gone overland to see Angkor Wat, the ancient temple complex in Cambodia. Despite having three very long and busy days of sight-seeing and flying in planes, they showed up for dinner tonight with many great stories to share with us. You know you have a great table when everyone can "let down their hair" and be themselves, never fearing of being judged harshly or whatever. We are all "quirkey" in our own way, and when things work, they work. So if we sound a little exclusive at times, please don't misunderstand, since we love meeting new folks, but are really careful about permanent residents at our table.

 

Hope the rain stays away tomorrow. And by the way, Happy St. Patrick's Day. It was a little celebrated one this time, because we are in a port where many folks left the ship at dinnertime. So therefore.....no decorations.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[bcnvcanada]

Thanks so much to sharing your world cruise with us. We look forward to your daily adventures and await our daily reading. It is wonderful for us who are stuck in the cold weather. Again, thanks for your time, efforts and all.

[brownblonde]

I have read all last years post and now going on this cruise with you.

When you do your final posting would you please explain why is pizza such a big thing when you are in the different cities of the world??

[iduck]

I was wondering about the pizza also!

Thank you for your posting. It is all such good information and hopefully someday when we make it to the other side of the world, we will be able to use it.

 

I really am wanting to pack the suitcases and hop on a plane to catch the ship on the next segment. lol! We would never make it past the flight! lol! So I will keep my eye on HAL's 72 day with no flying. lol!

[WCB]

Report # 77 Singapore, Republic of Singapore March 18, 2013 Monday Day Two

 

Our second day in Singapore started out great. Mostly blue skies greeted us when we looked out our window early this morning. It would turn out to be a day free of rain, however, not free from the oppressive heat and humidity. Guess that would be expecting too much.

 

After breakfast, we took care of the emailing and set off on another adventurous day of exploring the city. We planned on using our MRT cards to the max, or as much time as we could manage to squeeze into one full day. It was very easy to ride to the Botanic Garden stop on the MRT. For the major part of the morning and afternoon, we toured the many features of the Botanic Gardens. Way back in 1859, the present site of this park was founded by an agricultural society, which was later handed over to the government. It was here that the rubber tree was promoted and experimented with, which later became a major prosperous crop for the South East Asian region. Later in the 1920's, orchid breeding flourished with the start of the hybridization of the plant. Considered a tropical Eden, this 74 hectare garden contains a huge diversity of plants and trees, surrounded with ponds, lakes, streams, and park grounds for everyone to enjoy.

 

One of those special features in the gardens is the National Orchid Garden, began in 1928 with the orchid breeding program. Over 1000 species and 2000 hybrids can be seen in this hillside wonder. It did cost us to gain entrance to this part of the park.......$1.00 Singapore, the senior fee. We took our time walking through here, mainly because it was so darn hot and sticky. We stopped at every bench in the shade that was not occupied. Out of the nine displays here, one of the most interesting was the Cool House. It is an enclosed tropical forest, mimicking a mountainside in the cooler misty air where different types of foliage grows. Not only have they created a realistic high elevation of forest growth, but they made a haven for us tourists to gain some new insight into rain forests as we cooled off for a short time. Oh yes, we could have stayed in there for an hour if we could have. There was even a stream of rushing water cascading down one side of the enclosure, so real, that you forgot you were in a manmade setting.

 

We walked every manicured pathway from the top to the bottom, before we exited by way of the garden's shop. Naturally, as one would expect, they sell souveniers here. One of those nicer keepsakes is the Risis orchid jewelry. The pendants and earrings are made with real live orchids that have been dipped and preserved in nickel and gold plate, among other alloys. About 15 years ago, we bought a set, which was not cheap, but also affordable. Now the prices have gone up quite a bit, making us appreciate the pieces we have even more.

 

By now, it was 2pm, and we figured we had better make our way back to the MRT, the entrance being right outside the northeastern gate of the park. We needed to make our way to Orchard Road and the Hard Rock Cafe where we always have lunch. In order to get there, we had to go north on one line, then transfer to another line to go south again. Sounds confusing, but really it was simple. The difficult part was finding our way out of the station, since you get dumped into a shopping mall. And you are not always on the right level of the mall to find the street we were looking for. A friendly Aussie tourist was also looking for the way to get out and across the road. She linked up with us, chatting all the way, but then veered off in the wrong direction, exited up an escalator. We never saw her again. One nice thing is that while we were looking at the MRT map, a fellow came over and asked if we needed help. He pointed us in the right direction, and we eventually found our way out.

 

A couple of blocks away from the Wheelock Place was the Hard Rock Cafe, tucked behind a small side street (Cuscaden) near the Black Angus restaurant and the Hilton Hotel. The best way to find this next time is to remember we exited at the glass-domed pyramid structure at Wheelock Place. It was wonderful to sip, no guzzle ice cold sodas while cooling off in the cafe. Since it was around 4pm, it was not crowded, and we did not feel the need to rush out of here. We both ordered the haystack chicken salads, which were perfect for such a hot afternoon.

 

It would not be the perfect visit to Singapore without a stop at the famous Raffles Hotel. So we got off at the City Hall stop, and found our way out of Raffles City, another huge mall complex, to find the hotel directly across the road. This hotel is a blast from the past with their stately columns and British architecture. Even a formal High Tea was taking place in one of the fancier dining rooms. At this hotel, one must be dressed properly to go inside at certain venues. And no one, except paying guests, is allowed into the main lobby where the Indian doorman stands at guard. The outdoor bar was full of tourists either sipping on beers or the Singapore Slings, a pricey beverage made famous by this establishment.

 

Wanting to squeeze in a little more site-seeing time, we navigated our way to Clarke Quay, situated on the Singapore River. Always a busy place on the weekends with souvenier stalls every two feet, it was a very quiet Monday today. Small tourist riverboats can be taken from the dock here, and it was nice for us to photograph the folks taking the ride under the many footbridges. If we had not been so full from lunch, this would have been a good place to sit and relax with cold beers. The numerous bars and cafes were gearing up for the evening crowd as we strolled on by.

 

All too soon, it was time to go home. We cashed out our MRT cards, getting back our $20. deposit. We used up the rest of our change at the local supermarket and drug store on the way back to the ship. There is always a sad feeling leaving the terminal at Singapore for the final time. We enjoy coming to this city more and more each time we visit. In our opinion, we could have spent another day easily.

 

All of us were back to the table tonight, sharing the stories from the past two days. We all had done something different, either on organized tours or on our own. All agreed that having a sea day tomorrow will be wonderful.

 

A funny thing happened during dinner. At 9pm, an announcement was made throughout the ship that everyone had to turn in their passports immediately, as previously requested. Five minutes later, they were calling names. Five minutes after that, a staff member came into the dining room to locate a passenger who failed to follow instructions. They will hunt you down, we found out. Embarrassing.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 78 Day at Sea March 19, 2013 Tuesday

 

As the Amsterdam sailed in a northwesterly direction, the weather became increasingly humid and hot, if that was possible after leaving Singapore late last night. And here we thought the temperatures were barely tolerable there. Anyway, we are traveling in an extrememly busy shipping lane in the Malacca Straits, a narrow stretch of water between Sumatra and mainland Malaysia. At one point during the afternoon, 22 ships could be counted, and that was only on one side of the Amsterdam. They all seem to be cargo, tanker, and container vessels. No sightings of any cruise ships, except for the brief stop of the Seabourn Pride, which was docked across from us in the Singapore Cruise Terminal yesterday.

 

A diverse speaker had joined the ship by the name of Joe Daley. A retired Commander in the US Navy, Joe is here to share his experiences concerning technology, maritime lore, and insider info of countries and ports of call. He is also involved with a corporation that makes and sells low carb, vegan, and fruit and veggie-based wraps for sushi and specialty food rolls. His series of lectures begins today with Malaysia's sultans and semi-conductors.

 

Robert Schrire spoke about our changing world...demographic and polical. The rabbi, minister, and priest onboard hosted a clergy talk, while Char, our future cruise consultant, answered the most asked questions about cruising.

 

We spent some time at the aft pool with a handful of sunbathers. Most everyone went into the pool and stayed there. With barely a breeze, it was hot outside today. Glasses of ice water were being handed out by the bar staff every hour. At least the water in the pool was refreshingly cooler than usual. Finally, the crew has put cold water in there, probably by popular demand.

 

There was another Murder Mystery Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill this evening. We have never been to one, but we understand they can be fun. Sometimes the guests attend in costume, depending on what the theme of the murder is about. We also understand that these special dinners were completely booked before the cruise even began back in January.

 

A question has come up regarding the fact that we love pizza. One of our first dates back in 1965 was going to an excellent pizzeria that we both liked. So we guess we have had a lifetime of searching for pizza that can compare to Toto's in Daly City, California, which by the way, is no longer there. And also, when traveling to many countries where you may not be sure about the local cuisine, pizza seems like a safe choice to make. Add a couple of sodas or beers, and we are happy campers.

 

Tomorrow's port in Malaysia will be a new one for us, so we have booked a short tour that will take us to see caves, bats, eagles, and a fish farm. Right up our alley, so to speak.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[brownblonde]

Thanks for explaining the pizza thing so soon.

Keep enjoying and searching for the old remembrance.

[WCB]

Report # 79 Porto Malai, Langkawi, Malaysia March 20, 2013 Wednesday

 

Hurray.......a new port for most of us....Porto Malai, Langkawi, Malaysia. Today we discovered this island of Langkawi, is one of many of the islands that belong to mainland Malaysia. It has many good things going for it with beautiful sandy beaches, affordable resorts, waterfalls, hot springs, fishing and caving. The landscape is lush with tropical growth, palms, coconuts, rice fields, and rubber plantations. It could be the perfect paradise with one exception.....the overwhelming heat and humidity. To be fair, perhaps we are visiting here on one of the hottest days of the season where a little rain may have helped cool things off. We know one thing.....you could have definitely cooked an egg on the sidewalk today.

 

We booked a 4 hour tour with the HAL group, and we were sure glad we did. Our destination was the mangrove with its caves, bats, fish farms, and wild eagle sightings. Our bus was the first to load, and all seemed to be going as planned. That is, until the bus could not make it up the hill right outside the port gate. Try as he could, our driver could not put the bus into low gear to get over the top. But there was a silver lining in this story. As we slowly rolled downhill for the third time, we spotted a group of monkeys eating fruit or something in a culvert across from the bus. They were almost buried in the green grass which kept them cool and out of the sun. Within 10 minutes, a replacement bus arrived, and we switched quickly. For a change, this group of passengers were good sports about the delay.

 

We soon passed through villages with the traditional houses, called kampung. Mixed in with the homes were newer buildings and resorts, a sign that tourism has taken hold in this part of the world. In fact our young guide said that the infrastructure for tourism did not begin until 1987. He further stated that in the future most of the existing abandoned rubber tree plantations will be sold, cleared of the trees, and turned into golf courses, condos, and resorts. They believe that the future for the younger generation of locals will benefit with this growth. English is being taught so the next working group of citizens will have more opportunities than their parents or grandparents who were mostly farmers. Education, as in most countries, is the key to success.

 

Arriving at the mangrove site, we lined up for the important pit stop before boarding the small boats. Eight of us at a time were guided, carefully, into these motorboats manned by one young fellow per boat. The warning in the shore excursion booklet must have scared away those with canes and walkers. It stated that this is an adventure tour, requiring us to climb many stairs along uneven paths. Hmmm, almost scared us, well one of us that is. Lucky there are always some nice fellows among the groups with available hands to help the ladies climb onboard these unstable vessels.

 

Our first stop was very close, and that was a really good thing, because we got fumigated with the smoky exhaust from all the other boats. Well, at least we would not have to worry about mosquitos....they would never survive the fumes. Anyway, we pulled alongside a wooden platform that brought us up to the opening of the limestone caves. Warned not to touch the railings (bat guano), we slowly gained entrance to the caves full of stalagmites and stalactites. Using our small flashlites, we saw hundreds of small bats clinging to the rough ceilings. Even a few of them were flying from side to side, leaving us praying that we did not get bombed by any of them. We did not linger in there too long, because the smell of ammonia from the droppings was powerful. One of the caves was difficult to access without bending down low. Yes, we can still do it, as did the rest. This is one time being on the shorter side would have helped. Exiting the final cave, we came out in the middle of the mangrove trees, where our guide explained how they filter salt from the brackish water. When he mentioned there are poisonous snakes in these spooky mangroves, like black mambos, we all left in a hurry.

 

Back on the boats, we sped off to a sample of a fish farm built in the water. It's called aquaculture, where fish are kept in cement enclosures and fed until full size. Wooden platforms made with planks of lumber were the only thing we had to walk on to see the varieties of fish they had on display. They had Moorish idols, moray eels, groupers, some kind of spitting fish, small tuna, and sting rays. An elderly Malay man was so proud showing off his collection of sea creatures. At the end of the visit, he passed around a horseshoe crab for all to hold and examine.

 

The final stop was in the middle of a calm spot in the mangrove, where we saw the best display of eagles that are indigenous to this region. In fact, the name of this island, Langkawi, means auburn eagle, a symbol that can be found on many souveniers sold here. Strong and stately, these birds lived up to their reputation as they took turns scooping up pieces of chicken skin and fat that the guides threw in the water for them. Happy to have had a nifty sports setting on our camera, we got hundreds of photos, as the 50 or more eagles soared and dipped their sharp talons into the water. As they climbed towards the tree branches, they bent over to devour their prize bits of chicken. Our guide said they deliberately do not overfeed these birds, because they do not want them to be dependant on this food source. Frequently, the locals will feed them discarded fish entrails, a more suitable diet for these fish-eating fowl.

 

To cool us off a bit, the driver took us on a high-speed ride out of the mangrove and into the ocean, where we saw many huge monolithes and cliffs of limestone, similar to the ocean terrain around Phuket, Thailand, where we happen to be going to tomorrow. Pointing to the horizon, our guide said we were looking at the mainland of Thailand, a short distance from here in Malaysia. He told us that the location of this large island has always been a problem in centuries past, because Thailand wanted it as part of their country. Despite many wars, it never happened.

 

We had a choice put to us on our drive back to the pier. A free shuttle was running from the Zone Duty Free Shopping Complex to the pier, with about a 20 minute ride one way. We could opt to stay in town and ride the shuttle back, or go directly back to the ship. Keeping in mind that the ship was due to leave after 4:30pm, we decided on a whim to stay behind to see what was there. It was only 12:30pm, and we had some time to spare to check out the nearby beach and souvenier stands.

 

Well, it turned out that there were no typical souvenier stands, but a decent grocery store and several small boutique shops. Also located here was Underwater World, where you can see over 500 local marine species. Not having time to go inside, we just wanted to know where it was located in case we ever come back here. What we did find, was s stretch of gorgeous white sand beach where many of our passengers were enjoying the warm waters of the calm surf. Other tourists were there with little kids, obviously not from the Amsterdam. Some of the sunbathers looked a whole lot better than most of the cruiseship passengers, but that's what being young is all about. Youthful moms and dads can look good while chasing the little ones around keeping them out of harm's way. Been there, done that. Friends Bill and Leta were also walking the beach, but wisely kept to the shady treeline. It was apparent to everyone that the heat was taking a toll on us, and it was time to consider heading back.

 

Our guide had said that three or four things were a good buy here. They were cigarettes, alcohol (strange, because this is mainly Muslim), cars, and chocolate. Since we do not smoke, and did not need any more booze, we knew the car was out. So we opted to buy three large bars of Cadbury Dark Chocolate with almonds. The store vendor did take US dollars, but gave back coins in ringgit, the local money. Today the US $1.00 was equal to 3.10 riggit. We did check out the t-shirts, but kept in mind our guide's comment on the fact that they are really not a good quality. He said when they are washed around four times, the logo of the eagle soon looks like a chicken instead. Hey, at least he told us the truth. We never did see any souveniers, but suspect they would be the same that we saw in the last port in Vietnam.

 

OK, we were ready to catch the shuttle, but where was it? No where apparently, because we all waited almost an hour for it. Must have just missed it, and had to wait for the return back, since they were only running one. What was considerate were the large number of crew members who stepped back, and let the passengers board the bus first. Good thing we had plenty of water that we had been given from the tour. It got us through while waiting in the heat. Even in the shade, we were melting.

 

You can imagine how wonderful that air-conditioning felt once we reached the kiosk where our room cards are scanned. Relief, finally. Missing the Lido lunch, we went directly to the Grill and ordered cheeseburgers and crispy fries. Sailaway was early at 4:30pm, and we left shortly thereafter. It was still boiling outside, because it felt like our flip flops were gluing themselves to the fake teak decking on the aft deck. We stayed until the ship was out of the bay and clear of the outcroppings of tiny islands. Our guide had told us that there are 99 islands in this area, with a total of 104 islands at low tide. In fact the Captain mentioned in his talk that we may run into some problems navigating around some of the more shallow seas on our way to Phuket. At least we are close to Thailand.....a total of about 24 nautical miles. For that reason, the Captain has slowed the ship to a crawl and will be actually stopping sometime during the evening.

 

Dinner was fun tonight, because it was Martha and Bob's 33rd anniversary. They had invited one nice couple from Adelaide and Joan's friend, Pete. Eleven of us, along with the waiters, sang them a song and shared a very dark chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream with the group. We hung in there until 10pm, and were pleasantly surprised to find a reminder card that we could put the clocks back one hour before retiring. That was truly a gift.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[DFD1]

Great account of what must have been a remarkable day. Great fun to read. Thanks so much.

[JamesEM]

Sounds like a interesting tour, thanks for sharing.

[WCB]

Report # 80 Phuket, Thailand March 21, 2013 Thursday

 

The Amsterdam arrived very early to the port of Phuket, Thailand, their largest and most visited island. With a forecast of 94 degrees, no rain, and 90% humidity, we knew we were in for a killer visit. This fact came to mind when during our tour, we recalled that we have always done a "water" excursion when here, meaning boating and swimming on the water somewhere. Like in Phang Nga Bay, Khai Island, and Phi Phi Island, where we navigated the shoreline or went into the mangroves. Today, we never left the city on the Best of Phuket tour we chose with our travel group.

 

We met very early at 7:15am in the Ocean Bar to find that at least 100 of our fellow passengers had booked this trip. This excursion was also an HAL tour, and due to recent changes in their policy, some of the travel groups, such as ours, are subject to combining the same tours together. In other words, HAL has dictated that our agency has to buy the tour through them. In the past, most of the places visited were the same, but we always broke off and dined in a different, sometimes better, restaurant. Not so today.

 

When we finally were called to go down to the buses, we found that the HAL group going on the same tour was huge. About 10 buses were being filled, mainly because it took you to the major city sites, and also included lunch for under $100. per person. A bargain so far on this trip.

 

Passing a nice stretch of white sandy beach, we first headed towards Promthep Cape, a hill with a view of the of the date palm covered hillsides and the sea below. Also up here, is a shrine dedicated to the King of Thailand. A small outdoor temple was surrounded with hundreds of wooden, stone, or carved elephants all dressed with brightly colored flower wreaths. Even at this elevation and time of day (9am), there was barely a breeze stirring. Even the local dogs were laying low on the marble steps of the shrine.

 

As expected, there were bathroom facilities at the bus parking lot, as well as souvenier stands. Scanning the items quickly, we realized the items were almost identical of those in Vietnam, and we think we have seen enough of that for a long time. Some of the things being sold, for instance, the wire molded motorcycles, were not made by grandpa in his little shop as we have been led to believe. Strange how they all look like the ones we saw in Malaysia, Vietnam, and China.

 

Time for the next stop, the island's most famous temple, Wat Chalong. This is a complex of many richly decorated temples with gold-leaf covered statues. The ones that were opened to the public had rules for entering. One must remove the shoes, eyeglasses, unless you cannot see well, and have your shoulders and knees covered. For that reason, we did not go inside, but decided the best photo ops were from the outside anyway. Besides, we believe we have been here before, when we did enter some temples. We were given about 1/2 hour to explore on our own or follow our cute Thai guide. Our group has the extra attraction of using the Vox system, which is an ear piece and monitor for hearing our guide talk. It has always worked well, but today with three buses, someone else was on our channel, and we were getting dueling dictation. Best to take it off, and wander around aimlessly. Unfortunately, none of the signage was in English. We did notice that the surrounding gardens were not lush and green. Our guide informed us that this part of the country has been in a drought recently and water is scantily used for landscaping. Wasn't it just a year ago when Bangkok was mercilessly flooded for days? Believe us, some rain would have been more than welcomed today for sure.

 

Driving through Phuket Town, the main shopping center, the driver took us through narrow streets of buildings built by the Portuguese, a legacy from the tin barons that inhabited here centuries ago. All the small houses have been converted to cafes, bars, shops, and boutiques. What detracted from the ambience, was the mess of wiring from phone lines and electric cables that hung in clumps like crazy bird nests. What a nightmare if something went wrong....they'd never find the source of the problem. They probably would abandon the old, and add new wiring. The whole city looks the same with the old wiring.

 

The following stop was at Phuket Orchid Garden and Thai Village. When we booked this tour, we specifically noticed the orchid garden feature, and thought it was worth doing just to see that. Well, the garden was a tiny plot of shaded orchids in pots, like a nursery, without one bloom among them. We were told that due to the dry conditions, they were lucky to have saved the plants, and could not worry about the blooms not happening. However, we did have a royal welcome by the Thai dancers, who pinned tiny orchids on each of our lapels.

 

We noticed that there were almost a dozen buses in the parking lot. Yep, these were the HAL people, who arrived to enjoy the cultural show about to happen. We were escorted into seating that was tiered up steep cement stairs, with no hand railing, we might add. They must have squeezed at least 400 of us in here. At least there were some fans running to help cool everyone off. We sat with Bill, Leta, and Mel, who was alone this morning because Helen was not feeling well. The high temps had done her in yesterday. In our opinion, today's heat was even worse. The show lasted for about 30 minutes, and was done well. The costuming and dance performances were marvelous. There was one moment that was priceless. That was when one clueless man from the HAL group, kept walking in front of the ground-level stage, taking photos. One pass by was tolerable...maybe his wife was sitting at the other end. No, he went for a second pass by, when one gentleman in the front row jumped up and told him to leave. When he did, everyone clapped. Did he appear to care? We think no.

 

At the end of the performance, all the actors and dancers stood outside the curtains and bowed to each of us as we left. They definitely made up for the disappointment of the orchid garden that really wasn't there. We all thanked them and gladly re-boarded the cool buses.

 

We had a long ride, heading back in the direction we came. Mostly because there was a lot of cars and trucks on the road, and there were many traffic signals along the way. Lunch was the next stop at a place called Srivichat Thainnan Restaurant. In order to feed a group this large, a buffet was the only option. Now, on previous tours that we have shared with the HAL group, we have veered off and gone to a smaller venue, and perhaps a served lunch. It's one of the reasons we like to book these tours, because our group is always smaller and can move quicker, and be fed swiftly. Not so today. This restaurant had two strikes against it for intimate dining. First of all, all the seating was under a roofed patio with open-sided balconies. By the time we got inside, most all of the tables were occupied, since the HAL groups had gotten there first. That left seating in a lower dining room where no place settings were ready, nor would they ever be attended. With no overhead fans, but just a small fixed fan, we almost melted into our seats.

 

Martha, Bob, Judi, and the two of us placed some items on the seats to save them while we went on the hunt for the food. We found the four stations of buffet-style food being scooped up rapidly by the "starving" passengers. These types of situations brings out the worst in folks sometimes. And what are the chances that out of dozens of dishes offered, the ones we preferred were empty? OK, enough complaining. We easily found substitutes when a new batch of chicken wings arrived. They even had spaghetti with tomato sauce. That works when uncertain of the many spicy, hot Thai dishes. We had the choice of soda or beer along with a bottle of water. We needed every drop of it. By the time we got back to our table, we were lucky to have seats. One of our fellow passengers had kindly turned away some folks who were going to remove our belongings in our absence. Not nice. In 20 minutes or so, lunch was over and most of the HAL crowd had departed. At least we had full run of the dessert table, which had an assortment of Thai sweets, fresh fruit, and ice cream. We would find out later on, that a portion of the HAL tours, specifically the elephant ride tour, also dined here, but were escorted to an air-conditioned room, where they ate in comfort. Too bad the timing did not allow us to follow behind them, and also utilize this nice room.

 

Back to the pier, we stopped at every souvenier stand, finding a couple of small decorated purses to buy. With all the visits we have made to Thailand, we already have the t-shirts, lovely elephants, carvings, and decorative umbrellas in our collection at home.

 

All aboard time was 3:30pm, and we left shortly thereafter. Not too many people braved the heat to attend the sailaway. Promptly at 4:30pm the band exited back into the cool ship. Soon after, we followed.

 

We had all done something different today when we checked with our tablemates. Barb had spent the day nearby on a beach with Ellen and Aart and his friend. Carol and Van had gone to Phang Nga Bay and really had a great time, although they were not thrilled with their lunch. Compared to our fiasco, they had the better venue as we remember. Joan decided that it was going to be way too hot to go anywhere, and chose to stay inside the ship all day. She was the only one that was fresh and lively at dinner with enough energy to spend the rest of the evening in the Crows Nest dancing. Good for her.

 

The next two days will be spent at sea as we are sailing west towards Colombo, Sri Lanka.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[YlangYlangF9PB3E]

Wow !!! :rolleyes:

 

Maybe no one else will comment on this, but this highlights why some of us would be fearful to consider a world cruise. It's truly a shame that you had to embarass this poor woman further by publishing it in a blog on CC. :rolleyes:

 

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the time you take to post your blog here. That said, all I can do is shake my head at the snarkiness of what you just posted......:eek:

 

 

This post was in no way, shape of form "snarky" in MY opinion. I am truly relieved that the "snarkiness" coming from this board hasn't discouraged Bill and Mary Ann from continuing their journal.

[bcnvcanada]

You were right about the floods in Thailand. In November of 2011 there were great floods in the North of Thailand, and flooding in Bangkok, the government as people to leave the city. The water did flood some areas, during high tide. Most of the city was okay. So sorry to hear that this are is having a drought.

[wander]

Bill and Mary Ann,

First, I am so very much enjoying your WONDERFUL posts, as I have for your previous cruises. We have been on several together, although without seeing me that means nothing.

 

Having been on several Asia/South Pacific cruises (whole one and half ones) and major sections of WCs, I clearly understand what you are saying about aspects of the experience that some do not understand. I am with you!

 

Anyhow, my point for writing here is to express my deep disappointment about the changes imposed on your travel agency (mine as well) about their shore excursions. They have always been a highlight and HAL seems to have taken the specialness away. So disappointing to me.

[WCB]

Report # 81 Day at Sea March 22, 2013 Friday

 

Well, there's not a whole lot to report today except that the weather remains the same......hot and sticky. The good thing about sailing at a speed of about 19 knots is that it creates a breeze that really helped while we were relaxing at the poolside this afternoon. We counted about 10 other sunbathers at the aft pool. Everyone else stayed under the umbrellas or inside the ship.

 

Keeping occupied was easy since there were many things to do. Explorations speakers continued their series of lectures. Robert Schrire discussed humankind with the threat of terorism, the rise of China, and climate change. All loaded subjects for sure. Joe Daley spoke about travel in the middle ages and how far and why they traveled where they did.

 

The movie in the Wajang Theater was Hitchcock, a 2012 flic about the famous filmmaker that we all knew and loved as kids. Tomorrow, this same movie will appear on TV and run all day. Also, this evening, the movie Lincoln was shown at 7:30 and 10pm in the Queens Lounge. There was no show scheduled, because there was a "Prom Night" evening planned for 9:30pm in the Crows Nest. Actually, the formal dinner was branded Prom Night, a new theme for most of us. Our waiters were dressed in turquoise or pink vests with matching bow ties. The napkins on the tables also matched their attire, while shocking pink streamers hung from the ceilings. Coursages and boutonnieres were sold for $25. for the matching set. Renee, the spa manager, joined us for the evening. Barb, who was visiting another table upstairs, will be sorry she missed her. We had the better deal........fine company with free wine and sodas.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[CruisinTexans]

You know people pay big bucks to go on these cruises, and they don't want to be stuck with someone they don't enjoy. On the 2011 world we were given a person who had been removed from several other tables. After about 5 days we went to the dining room manager and asked that she be sent somewhere else, and didn't feel the least bit bad about it. Her behavior was not appropriate, and we didn't feel we should be subjected to it. We cruise for a good time and it wasn't a bit of fun to have a person like that at our table.

 

On a previous shorter cruise (Grand Med/Black Sea) we sat at a table for 8 with just one boring couple two nights. I wanted to request a change, but my husband was reluctant. We were cruising the dining room to see where we might be moved and ran into friends from a previous cruise who asked us to join their table. My husband agreed because, we could just tell the couple at our original table that we were joining friends at another table.

 

I don't feel I should have to suffer though dinner with people I don't enjoy, and I don't think Holland does either. That's why they offer the option of changing tables. We've always found the dining room manager (especially Tom G. and Komang) very understanding and willing to work with us.

 

leslie

[WCB]

Report # 82 Day at Sea March 23, 2013 Saturday

 

Surprise, surprise, we actually witnessed a fabulous display of a huge pod of dolphins this morning during our daily walk on the promenade deck after breakfast. These medium-sized dolphins were jumping high enough to clear the water, then come down with a big splash. When we spotted the first ones flipping out, we thought they may have been small whales since they were way on the horizon. Shortly thereafter, they headed towards the ship, diving under us haphazardly and alongside for quite a way. What a pleasure to see this wildlife this far out at sea. We watch for any signs of activity every day while at sea, but seldom see more than a few flying fish. So this was a treat, and not the last one for the day.

 

The morning started out rather sunny, hot, and of course, muggy. As the day progressed, it turned cloudy, looking good for a possibility of rain later on. This weather kept most of the folks inside where it remained cooler, so much so, that many had to wear sweaters or jackets. We do remember that the Queens Lounge was always chilly during the day, so attending the talks was popular today. One of the series continued with a discussion on the Arabian Sea Lion, although we are not sure the story was about an animal or a person. Guess you can tell, we did not attend. Things to do and see while in Victoria, Seychelles, was the subject for our port guide, Barbara. Lastly, Robert Schrire spoke about the future of global workers and wages involving Chinese, Indian, and the American work force.

 

A new guest celebrity chef has joined us by the name of George Geary. He has worked in TV and film, among other venues, and is very popular with the world cruise guests that have come to know him well over the recent years. He gave a cooking demo all about cheesecake, in particular, a goat cheese walnut cheesecake. He has told us that eating that cheesecake was like dying and going to heaven. Gotta take his word for that. He and his friend have been invited to our table one night by Martha and Bob, if they are not already completely booked.

 

Today was a double feature movie day for us. When rain was forecasted by the Captain with a phone message to the Sea View Bar staff at the aft pool, Manny came and told us we had about 10 minutes to gather our stuff from our lounges and take cover. With the thunder and lightening, we knew it was coming. So we packed up, and went to our room to watch an older movie, Delores Claiborne. It was still good, even though we have seen it before. Then after another walk in the PM, we watched Hitchcock, which was also good. At least. some of the newer movies are being shown on a regular basis.

 

After emailing at 6pm, we rode up to deck 8 to check out the entrees. Our buddy Pauline came over, grabbed our arms, and said look at this sunset. It was spectacular, with the low black clouds in the right position, they reflected orange and red upon the ocean waves. The second treat of the day. Going down to the room, we grabbed the camera to get a shot of this before it disappeared. Hope to see more of these as we sail towards Africa in a few days.

 

Dinner was really great tonight. We both ordered the veal chop, and not only was it cooked to perfection, they were hot. As we have said previously, serving a large table is not always easy for the waiters. More times than not, the meals arrive warm, not hot. Tonight was the exception. Come to think of it, when we switched to a table for two on the Panama Canal segment going home last year, our meals were hot every night. We plan on doing that again this year also. Since it would be impossible to replace all of our fun tablemates with new people, we won't even try.

 

Tomorrow's port is Colombo, Sri Lanka, and we have an early tour.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 83 Colombo, Sri Lanka March 24, 2013 Sunday

 

The Amsterdam arrived to the largest city of Sri Lanka, Colombo, very early this warm Sunday morning. We were docked right in the middle of the commercial port, surrounded by ships and scores of containers. Also right outside our window, were a number of welcoming dancers, dressed in native costuming. Next to them was a red-draped full grown Asian elephant posing for photos with disembarking passengers. We always seem to miss this activity, since our tour began shortly after 8am.

 

Because of its location at the tip of India, Sri Lanka, or Ceylon, as it was known until 1948, was an important sea route for trade with the Greeks, Persians, Romans, Arabs, and the Chinese. Muslims settled this area in the 8th century, followed by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and lastly the British. This area was famous for its cinnamon crop back then, whereas Ceylon tea has taken this spot today. We would see evidence of all of these cultures within the confines of our short 5 hour tour today.

 

Four buses filled with members of our travel group took off on a convoy first driving towards the Pettah Bazaar area of the city. Being that it was a Sunday, many businesses were closed. However, as in most cities, the local fruit and veggie market was bustling with early morning shoppers already. It's really a maze of streets with their own specialities including clothing, shoes, and an assortment of daily household items. We were never let "loose" in this market, since there was no time we assume. And we are not sure we would have been welcomed. We have never seen so many local buses parked here. Can't imagine what kind of bargains we may have ended up with.

 

Independence Square was the first stop, where we wandered around the open-air complex. Many HAL buses were parked there also doing the same popular tour as us. As a matter of fact, we did this very same tour last year. This is one port where you do not want to go off on your own. It's not walkable with the ship being docked over a mile from the pier gate. You need to take a taxi to the gate, then get out and negotiate another form of transportation to wherever you wish to go. No, a tour is far better we think.

 

Our next stop was at the National Museum, with a huge collection of coins, weaponry, and interesting artifacts from the cave ages to recent history. Last year, we were only allowed on the first floor, because the museum had been looted a few days prior to our visit. Today, all of the floors were opened. The only thing we remember well was that the museum was dark, poorly lit, and it was hot with no air circulation. For that reason, and the fact that hundreds of other tourists were there, we chose to stay outside. Another thing we objected to was that we were not allowed to take photos without buying a special permit. We had 45 minutes to walk the grounds. Last year, there had been several feral dogs with cute puppies. We had brought some graham crackers from the Lido with us in case we saw these little dogs. However, they must have been removed since our visit, so we ended up eating the crackers ourselves. What can we say......we missed breakfast this morning. More interesting were the many paintings outside the museum gates for sale by local artists. They were way too big to buy, and so were the wood carved setees one person was pushing. They did make for great photos.

 

We were more than ready for the next visit to the Galle Face Hotel, built in 1864. It is a landmark of Colombo and is situated on a premium location in the heart of the city facing the Indian Ocean. Greeted by the friendly staff, we entered the lobby of the hotel, which was nicely air-conditioned. We were led straight to a huge beautiful dining room with set tables for us. In an adjacent room, a long table was complete with plates of sandwiches, cookies, and fruitcake for each of us to take. Delicious Ceylon tea or coffee was served with the snack. While we sat with friends Mel and Helen, one of the staff fellows came to us and asked if we had visited the hotel last year. Yes, we told him, it was exactly a year ago, and we recalled speaking with this man at that time. But what are the chances that he would remember us? It did indeed make us feel most welcomed here and we thanked him once again for the wonderful reception they put on today.

 

With about 10 minutes to spare, we toured the back of the hotel which had a very nice Verandah Restaurant facing the beach of the Indian Ocean. There were many beach combers, but no swimmers. Why, we are not sure, except for the fact that most people here are Hindu or Muslim, and do not believe in "beachwear" clothing. It's OK for tourists, but not for them.

 

There were three fellows out front with two baskets of cobras and one reticulated python. When they opened the lid of the baskets, the snakes rose up and flared their hoods, striking at the handlers. We can only hope that these poisonous snakes were de-fanged, but who knows for sure. Keeping our distance, we watched several of our buddies snap photos of the snakes. The handlers immediately demanded money from each of them, actually chasing down one man who thought he was sneaky, getting away with the photo. No, he paid too.

 

There was one more stop at the Gangarama Temple, the most famous of the Buddhist temples in this area. We chose not to go inside, mainly because we were not too happy about taking our shoes off and leaving them outside the door. Last year, our friend Sky had worn his multi-colored Nikes on this tour and was going to go in the temple, but carry his shoes. They would not let him do that, so he also did not go inside. Really, the better photos were from the outside. From the side wall on the street, we saw the young bull elephant that we had seen last time. He was chained with two of his legs secured to tree trunks. But at his feet, were piles of palms with succulent leaves for him to chew. We were told he was about 5 years old, and from what we remembered, he had grown quite a lot in one year. The temple was full of young school children who come here on Sundays for religious instruction. They were entralled with the elephant as much as we were. To use up some of the extra time we had, we walked across the road to see the small lake that has recently been remodeled and renovated for local recreation. There were boats in the shape of swans for people to rent. And a decorative shrine with buddhas sat partly in the lake. Our guide told us that this shrine was a favorite place for newlyweds to have their photos taken.

 

On the way back to the ship, we passed the oldest part of town with the British built colonial buildings and the 100 year old clock tower. Back at the pier, we checked out the souvenier stands, but found nothing of interest. What we did see was not really a surprise to us, but was for other passengers. In our absence this morning, the crew had added razor wire to the lower promenade deck, just like we had added last year before leaving the port of Mumbai. A letter had been delivered to our room explaining the need for the wire, which of course, is pirate deterrance. According to Captain Mercer, the likelyhood of attack is extremely low.....we are able to maintain a high speed of 25 knots if necessary, and the promenade deck is too high to breech easily. We will go into more details as we sail further into the Indian Ocean on our way to the Seychelles.

 

We attended the sailaway at 2:30pm, early today, since we were leaving at 3pm. It sure looked like rain, but it never did. At least the breeze had picked up, cooling things off finally. We never made it to dinner tonight........one of us has come down with a mild cold, so room service sounded much better for a change. Three days at sea should be sufficient to cure the cold we think. As hard as you try to keep sanitized, too many people have this cold and cough.....it just keeps going and going..........

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Report # 84 Day at Sea March 25, 2013 Monday

 

Forgot to mention that we got back 1/2 hour on the clock last night, which is odd, but we are on the even side now. It is a funny thing, but most people we talk to do not like the 1/2 hour change, because it is more difficult to adjust digital clocks. Boy, do we have it hard or what?

 

The most excitement today was the special "pirate" drill that took place at 9:30am. The entire crew was required to participate in one way or another.....either outside or behind the scenes. Usually, during a regular drill, only a select number of crew are involved in a particular area of the ship. Of course, Captain Jonathon announced prior to this exercise that it was a practice drill only, so not to be alarmed. We heard one long ring of the ship's alarm, then an announcement came saying "testing, testing, testing". This is confusing to us, since how are we to know for sure, if this was a test or not? The choice of words is contradictory. Anyway, with that, all of us on the promenade deck had to go inside the ship to take cover. Everyone on outside decks had to go inside. We were asked to stay in corridors or interior spaces, and sit down. Sitting was required in case the Captain had to maneuver quickly, like take a sudden sharp turn, which could cause injuries if standing. Now the only problem we could see was that dozens of folks used the stairs to sit down. That blocked the way for the rest of those who wished to sit in the hallways outside their rooms.

 

While we were cooling our heels inside, security teams were manning the decks and testing the firehoses. This time we did not see how effective it was. Perhaps we don't want to know. We did notice that right before the drill, helmets and large axes were being distributed to these fellows.

 

Other precautions described to us were reassuring news. The UKMTO in Dubai (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization) is an agency that the Amsterdam reports regularly to. They are responsible for the coalition of warships in the area assigned to anti-piracy operations. We are being tracked for our entire transit. Good news. We may not see them, but they are there.

 

Extra security guards are on a rotating 24 hour watch, as well as radar watch on the bridge. Four LRADS (Long Range Acoustical Devices) are rigged, manned, and ready to use. On past cruises, we have seen these devices stationed on the promenade deck. Problem with that was they were touched and examined by the passengers. And what tipped us off to this in the beginning is the razor wire that was added yesterday. The final word from the Captain was that these precautions are in the unlikely event of a boarding attempt. He does not want to alarm us, only clarify the subject. Yes, we are clear. We promise to go inside and stay away from windows and doors. The Captain added that we were to take no video and post it on Facebook, please.

 

There were no exploration lectures this morning, except Barbara H, who talked about Madagascar. This will be a new port for us. We almost made it there in 2009, but had to pass on by, because the area we intended to visit was in a civil war of sorts. So this time, we are looking forward to seeing the lemur sanctuary on one of the islands near the port of Nosy-be.

 

Cooking classes have continued, and today's was given by George Geary. We did sign up for his classes, but he is booked with a long wait-list. Anyway, we got a report today from Ellen W., who was disappointed that the only thing they made was salad and dressings. Last year, we were told that all the students worked hands on with the preparation, followed by dining on the same food prepared by everyone. And naturally, the highlite for most was the glass of wine included with this paid class. Now Ellen told us that they are not allowed to eat the food they handled. While the students are preparing the dishes, the real cooks are making their lunch in the kitchen under "sterile" conditions. That way, no one can contaminate the food by accident, perhaps getting everyone sick. And the one glass of wine was excellent of course, according to Ellen.

 

We relaxed at the aft pool until 3pm under very cloudy skies. It was still warm and humid, especially now that we are heading south towards the Equator once again. We still take precautions against sunburn, because the conditions can be deceiving for sure. The skies began to get darker when we heard the cover closing over the mid pool area. That usually means rain is coming. We picked up our stuff, and went to have a bite to eat.

 

By late afternoon, the rains came and never let up for the rest of the day. It turned out to be another movie day in our room. The side effects of the cold has really kept one of us down, and it turned out to be another evening of room service for us. We do like sharing dinnertime with our tablemates, but we are certain they do not want to share the cold.

 

More good news........the clocks went back for a whole hour tonight.....an extra hour of sleep won't hurt either of us.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[localady]

Fighting a cold in warm, humid conditions is even harder. :(

I do hope that during these next couple of days at sea that the cold sufferer gets lots of rest, feels much improved, and ready for the next port days!!

Continued safe travels! :D

[JamesEM]

Get well soon so you can enjoy your cruise.

[kazu]

I do hope you beat that cold quickly - what a downer.

 

enjoying your live thread as always - thank you so much for doing this:D

[WCB]

Report # 85 Day at Sea March 26, 2013 Tuesday

 

The Amsterdam crossed the Equator once again shortly after high noon today. Since we already had the official crossing the Equator celebration the last time we sailed this invisible line, there was little notice of the event this time. Only those passengers who joined the cruise in Hong Kong received certificates.

 

At least the worst of the rain of yesterday was gone, and the sun was out for most of the day. We did have a passing shower while at the aft deck, but we refused to move, wishing it would go away. And it did just that....it stopped. The good thing about showers is that they cool things off.

 

A talk was given about upcoming ports from Maputo, Mozambique to Castries, St.Lucia. Gosh that about sums up the rest of this grand voyage. It has gone by way too fast. With all the stops in Africa, we still have a lot to look forward to for sure.

 

Joe Daley lectured on the most famous explorer we never heard of....Zheng He. He was a Ming Dynasty Admiral who supposedly made Columbus look like an amateur.

 

The theme for tonight's formal was White.....everything white, such as the dining room decorations and our clothing. White is fun, but it is one night of dining that we were all very careful eating or drinking. Char, the future cruise consultant joined us for a fun evening of casual and robust conversations. The waiters and their assistants looked really cool in their white and pale pink vests and bow ties. The head waiters were in white tuxes with tails no less. It was obvious they enjoyed this affair as much as we all did.

 

The entertainer tonight was Dale Kristien, the star of Phantom of the Opera. Her name is familiar, and we believe we have been to her performances before. Still feeling the effects of the annoying head cold, we turned in early.

 

We did have nice surprises upon entering our room after dinner. There were two gifts setting on the bed that appeared to be pillows at first. They were two super plush throw blankets made of soft faux lamb's wool on one side, and velour on the opposite side. The matching zippered bag will even allow us to take the throws as a travel pillow if we so wish. It came with a message to unwind, relax, and enjoy. With today being day # 80 of this cruise, we have become masters at that task. Gifts.....well done.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[dad son team]

WCB,

 

Just out of curiosity, how do you get all the free gifts home? Sounds like it will take a suitcase just for them

 

Thank you for a wonderful virtual cruise.