Hawaii and Tahiti.....Welcome to Paradise with Bill & Mary Ann on the Statendam

[Skipper's Mom]

When we were on the Maasdam in 2008 on our first HAL cruise, we stayed up in our PJ's for the night cruise past the volcano. Well, to us it looked like the burning embers of a charcoal fire, nothing to write home about. A little disappointing but, after all, it was Hawaii!! :D

Edited October 15, 2013 by Skipper's Mom

[castellina]

Several years ago, on the Statendam, the ship sailed by Kilauea and rotated so everyone could see the lava flow. We thought it was fantastic! How many times can you see something so spectacular. The last few cruises they have not done that--and we miss it. Sorry that some people are so blase to be bored by nature's spectacle.

[rajkr74]

When we were on the Maasdam in 2008 on our first HAL cruise' date=' we stayed up in our PJ's for the night cruise past the volcano. Well, to us it looked like the burning embers of a charcoal fire, nothing to write home about. A little disappointing but, after all, it was Hawaii!! :D[/quote']

 

There is no lava flowing into the ocean right now from the volcano. Here is the web site link for the USGS with current updates on any activity. Also there are a number of webcams if you click the tab at the top of this page. (Strange, this site is not under the government shutdown????)

 

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php

 

If you click the other tab on the top right of his webpage (Photos and video) you can look at some remarkable photos of activity at the volcano. Also there are Archive photos of prior years activity under this tab. The archive photos provide better photos of prior year activity than has been happening over the last year. The volcano has been pretty quiet lately.

 

Living on the west coast affords us the ability to fly to the Big Island a number of times. This is one of my favorite webcam sites and the Big Island our favorite Hawaiian island.

 

Sorry, there was no activity for the cruisers as they left Hilo on their way to Kona.

[mountainmare]

Since the volcano is in a National Park I guess they had to shut down the lava flow.(Sorry couldn't resist) :)

[cccole]

Since the volcano is in a National Park I guess they had to shut down the lava flow.(Sorry couldn't resist) :)

 

Perfect!!!!! Mahalo for the smile!!!! Cherie

[WCB]

Report # 12 October 14, 2013 Monday Hawaii & Tahiti...Welcome to Paradise with Bill & Mary Ann on the Statendam

 

Our port of call for today was Kona on the dry side of the island of Hawaii. The skies were hazy, which is the standard condition due to the sulphuric gassy smoke from the volcano that drifts with the tradewinds. They have dubbed the overcast with the name "vog".

 

This is also a town that requires the use of the tenderboats. We saw a special set-up for getting wheelchair-bound guests into the tenderboats in one of the ship's exits not being used for the rest of us. This is a nice option for these folks, since it is not always available on all of the ships. Years ago, while on the Maasdam, one of our tablemates, wheelchair-bound, had booked very expensive private vehicles for tours, with the understanding that they had this convenient process in place. Once onboard, they found they did not. Needless to say, this couple were very unhappy campers, since they had invested thousands of dollars for limos in each port. We do remember that the HAL staff worked things out for them, since the limos were booked through their shore excursion department.

 

Our plan for today was to go ashore and play it by ear......walking, browsing, and taking in the local atmosphere. It has been several years since we were here, but it pretty much looked the same once we began walking. Our first visit, we had taken a snorkeling excursion which found us swimming at Captain James Cook Memorial, literally the spot where he had met his untimely fate. The neatest thing happened........we had been surrounded with a pod of huge spinner dolphins. How exciting was that? Our guide instantly ordered all of us to come back to the boat. Turned out it is against the law to be in the water with these creatures. They can be dangerous, we understand, having the ability to ram and kill sharks. We asked no questions, just got out quickly.

 

A shuttle bus was running up the hill to Hilo Hatties, but we needed the exercise and walked there instead. We now have a growing collection of seashell necklaces, given complimentary from the store. They are celebrating their 50 year anniversary of the store's opening, and a few items are on sale for $19.63, the year they opened for business. There were some small shopping centers near here, but the main drag along the oceanfront is chock-full of the tourist shops and cafes. That's where we headed.

 

Our first stop was at Hulihe'e Palace, the former vacation home of Hawaiian royalty. Today it has been restored and turned into a museum. Two things turned most people away as we sat on the seawall in the garden area. One was the fact that it cost $8. to enter (not really a bad price), and the next was that shoes had to be removed. With no benches available, we saw nobody attempt to go inside.

 

The better place to be was where we were sitting, watching the surf roll over the volcanic rocks. Much to our delight, several large green turtles were floating by us munching on the green algae growing on the rocks. From what we have read, they are on the endangered species list, so it was cool to see them thriving here.

 

Continuing up Alii Drive, we wandered in and out of boutiques and cafes, checking out the menus. Wood-fired pizza was our choice for today, but we could only find one restaurant that served it. Turned out, that place had gone out of business. One store caught our attention...it goes by the name of Donkey Balls Factory and Store. Now that is truly funny, and we had to find out more. Humor is their name, goumet chocolates are their fame. Basically, they are chocolate-covered macadamia nuts in many different flavors with quirkey names. For instance, a chocolate-coated, powder sugar-covered mac nut is called Dirt Balls. Cayenne-infused balls are called something like Balls of Fire...so on and so forth. Now to promote sales, the qualities of the macadamia nuts are reported to have the highest amount of monounsaturated fat of any known seed. That promotes insulin resistance, helping the body use fats as energy. Besides vitamins and minerals, they are said to be high in calcuim, potassium, iron, riboflavin, and niacin. Crazy? No, it's nuts! Too bad that the chocolate-covered ones are 200 calories for 1/4 cup. Ouch!

 

After perusing many menus along the way, we ended up at Poncho and Lefty's Mexican Cantina. We had eaten there the last time, and remembered the food was excellent. It was even better today, since the chicken on the taco salad had been marinated in pineapple juice, then grilled until crisp. Very tasty. Our waitress, perhaps owner, was delighted that we were happy with our entrees. She explained that the change from pulled chicken to grilled was recent and it appeared that most everyone liked it much better.

 

The last tenderboat was leaving at 4:30pm, so we had to continue our walk. We did make a brief visit to the oldest church in all of the Hawaiian Islands......Moku'aikaua Church. It is constructed of white coral and lava stone with a ceiling made from koa wood. Another stop was at a small craft and veggie market. We purchased a bag of lemons for $1.00. We like our room sodas with slices of lemons.

 

Another new discovery for us was finally tasting their famous shave ice. Assuming these were strictly snow cones that we remember from visits to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk in California, we were pleasantly surprised to find they were much different. Actually, it was worth the price just to watch how they were made. We ordered one to share that included ice cream in the center. Taking the suggestion of the vendor, we had volcano flow ice cream with the Monkey Business ice. That was shaved ice drizzled with root beer and banana syrup. It was so good and refreshing, we certainly will have one of these the next time we come.

 

There was a big backup of passengers waiting for the next tenderboat. So we went back to the seawall to wait it out. The locals were swimming and paddling on boards. Some had their dogs, who were having fun retrieving frisbees and bottles. One was even chasing small crabs on the volcanic rocks. By the way, we discovered that the famous Ironman Triathalon had taken place here on Saturday, two days ago. Seems that this little beach was the swimming venue that the atheletes use for the 2 mile swimcontest. No wonder that there was a big sale on all the Triathalon t-shirts and souveniers being sold nearby.

 

Right before we boarded the tenderboat, the head security officer stopped us and asked if I was WCB, introducing himself to us as "Copper10-8". It was a nice surprise to meet him, because we have been following many of his posts on Cruise Critic. He is a great source of correct information regarding all of the HAL ships.

 

We got back to the ship by 4pm, downloading photos, and cooling off until sailaway time. There was no party on the aft deck, but we did go to deck 12 and watch the sun set after 6pm. It was gorgeous, as they almost always are in this part of the world. Hope to see more of these as we head south towards French Polynesia.

 

Have a few days at sea now as we head for Fanning Island,a first for us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[DaveOKC]

I wonder if Cooper 10 8 was the security officer we ran into on our recent cruise?

My luggage was pulled by security in

Vancouver due to having a

Ulu knife in it. Funny thing is, we bought the knife the previous week while on board the

Westerdam and it had the Holland tag on it.

 

He was quite good about the. situation.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wonderful review.

We were fortunate that the volcano was active when we were -- got to see the lava flow into the ocean.

[rajkr74]

Since the volcano is in a National Park I guess they had to shut down the lava flow.(Sorry couldn't resist) :)

 

That's funny, I had not thought of that! :rolleyes::p:p

[WCB]

Report # 13 October 15, 2013 Tuesday Hawaii & Tahiti...Welcome to Paradise with Bill & Mary Ann on the Statendam

 

A relaxing day at sea was in store for us. The ship was bustling with activities to keep the guests as busy as they wished. This will be even more appropriate since there was a message in the daily newsletter stating that we will soon be losing the TV signal from october 17th to November 1st. We sure do not remember such a long blackout on previous cruises. Perhaps this ship does not have the ability to receive signals from a different satellite feed. They are suggesting for all of us to reserve movies, TV series, and documentaries from the front desk to view on our DVD units in our rooms. At least they have that option.

 

In the meantime, we can continue to learn how to string pearls, play the ukulele, or take a tour of the kitchen. Two speakers have joined us. The morning lecturer, Charlie Urbanowicz, spoke about how the islanders arrived to these islands. Frank Buzzard spoke about the wonders of the universe and the Hubble Space Telescope. The movie, "Quartet" was shown in the Wajang Theater all day.

 

The afternoon found us finally at the Seaview Pool for only the second time this cruise. By going there after noontime, you can find a couple of empty lounges that are not being saved by the dedicated sunbathers. Apparently, the problem of the under-filled pool has been resolved. Water flowed about an inch over the entire tiled portion of the pool. Funny thing was that the complaining lady never sat in that part of the pool today. Being fair-skinned, she spent the afternoon under the overhang, covered with a towel.

 

This evening was formal, and by popular request by our tablemates, we had an officer seated at our table. He was the head housekeeping officer, Albert from Holland. He was very friendly young man, although, he stated right from the start that he was here to enjoy dinner, and not take complaints about the housekeeping department. Adding to that, he said that many times he has left a table if complaints began in earnest. OK with us......we will just listen and enjoy our meal as well. And why would he assume we all had complaints anyway? None of us did., or if they did, they kept it to themselves.

 

Now tomorrow, October 16th, will not exist for us, as we will be crossing the International Dateline. The date will be October 17th. Yes, we will be losing a day, but will gain it back by having two days the same date on Thursday and Friday, as we sail back into the previous zone. The actual line jogs over to include the islands of Kiribati, because they choose to be ahead in time by one day.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I often wonder why people feel they have to complain all the time. (comment by guest at WCB's table). I wouldn;t even think about it if a ship's officer was seated at my table. There is so much else to discuss.

[WCB]

Report # 14 October 17, 2013 Thursday Hawaii & Tahiti...Welcome to Paradise with Bill & Mary Ann on the Statendam

 

The weather has remained pleasant.........very warm and mildly humid, which is just fine with most of us. It made for a perfect afternoon spent at the aft pool. We have been surrounded with mostly German sunbathers, which really makes us feel like we are on a trip in the Mediterranean instead of the South Pacific. A rather unusual incident happened at the pool today. An older man slipped into the water, fully dressed complete with tennis shoes on. For almost an hour, we noticed him bouncing up and down in one corner. Really....one hour. Unknown to him, a small group of guests had gathered behind him, and were obviously planning to make a complaint about his presence in the pool. Finally, a member of the bar staff approached the man and ordered him out of the water. Initially, he objected, but when told he could not wear his shoes in there, he finally got out. Boy, that sure got everyone's attention, even though it was done fairly quietly. Shortly after this man left the area, the Captain showed up. This was the first time we have seen him around the ship. Some of the guests ran to talk to him, and there was a lot of arm-waving going on. We can only assume he was there to diffuse the problem, but since the older man left, it was not necessary. Just out of curiosity, we passed by the signage at the end of the pool, looking to see if anything was mentioned about wearing regular clothes or shoes in the pool. There was no mention of that at all. Come to think of it, we have seen some ladies wear those Crocs in the pool on the Amsterdam, and no one complained. Sometimes those wooden stairs can be slippery. Oh well, you see something new every day.

 

While emailing this morning, we heard the entertainer, Annie Frances, practicing in the showlounge. We snuck in the side door and listened for awhile. Glad we did, because she was pretty good. We had been invited to a dinner in the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant with a small group of fellow travelers and our travel agency's hosts. It began at 7:30pm, so we expected to be done well before showtime. With a five course dinner, we did not leave until well after 10pm, missing the start of the show. Oh well, best to get to bed early, because tomorrow's port arrival is scheduled for 7am.

 

Here's the thing about the port, Fanning Island. The Captain announced today that the port is "iffy".....depending on many things. The waves, the tide, the winds....you name it, this port could be cancelled. If we are able to be tendered ashore, only able-bodied people will be able to do it. We must add here that our good friend has warned us about this port. For one thing, there are no services there, and that includes no electricity or indoor plumbing. Other than the water that the crew brings over, there are no local vendors selling bottled water or snacks. It sounds even more primitive than nearby Christmas Island, where we have made two successful stops, and two misses. Of course, we are curious now. Might make for some interesting pictures.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[PathfinderEss]

Hope you do get to go into Fanning Island, it really is a interesting port. The people who reside there are wonderful and their hand crafted works are beautiful. I would love to go back there again.:)

[Copper10-8]

Hope you do get to go into Fanning Island, it really is a interesting port. The people who reside there are wonderful and their hand crafted works are beautiful. I would love to go back there again.:)

 

We made it in (yesterday) :) Conditions were perfect! Interesting stop, reminded me a lot of Boca da Valeria, a native village off the Amazon river in Brazil

[SilvertoGold]

We made it in (yesterday) :) Conditions were perfect! Interesting stop, reminded me a lot of Boca da Valeria, a native village off the Amazon river in Brazil

 

Copper10-8: Absolutely, but better trinkets to buy! This was our favourite port on the Tahiti cruise, becasue it was so different and a treat to be able to visit.

 

Thanks, Bill and Mary Ann, for the fabulous thread.

[WCB]

Report # 15 October 18, 2013 Friday Hawaii & Tahiti...Welcome to Paradise with Bill & Mary Ann on the Statendam

 

Well, we made it. Despite the warnings from the Captain that our stop here was doubtful, it turned out that the conditions were about perfect to haul all of us over to the island today. And to make it even better, dozens of dolphins surrounded the ship as we entered the waters outside the coral atoll. These gentle-looking creatures appeared to be feeding as they slowly dove for fish. Or perhaps, they were checking us out as they sometimes do. Whatever the reason, it sure was a treat to watch as the Statendam was positioning itself for the best tendering location. According to the Captain, the anchors would not be dropped because the waters are extremely deep here.

 

Fanning Island is very similar to Christmas Island, both part of the 32 coral atolls belonging to the Republic of Kiribati. This island is a 13 square mile coral-based ring that surrounds a salt water lagoon of 426 square miles. From an airplane, this island would resemble a string of pearls with a few openings to the ocean that surrounds it. Most of the greenery comes from coconut palm and native bush, which can reach a height of 60 to 90 feet. That's the reason that the island was first spotted by Captain Edmund Fanning back in 1798. Uninhabited at that time, the island has since been populated with 2000 residents, most having been transferred from other islands of Kiribati. Now, what do they do there to earn a living? We would soon see....

 

We were among the first to take the tenderboat to shore. The dolphins were all around us, almost like a welcoming committee. The rickety pier was to the right of the opening to the lagoon. It was still in the process of being re-enforced with plywood and 2 x 4's by our crew members right before we debarked. It worked OK as long as we were careful where we walked. Many boards were loose, but secure enough to get us to land.

 

A large group of native singers were chanting as we passed by. Onshore, about four fellows were decked out in grass skirts decorated with an assortment of seashells. Five gallon buckets were stratigically placed in front of these guys. Tips, please. The passengers must have brought a lot of dollar bills over just for that purpose. Groups of very young children were similarly dressed, all doing a dance to the chanting of their moms or grandmoms. Table after table of souveniers were set up along the roadside. Some treasures included shark tooth knives, wooden carvings, and lots of seashell necklaces and bracelets. Straw-woven seashell bowls of various sizes were offered for a good price. We purchased two of these over 20 years ago, but the straw eventually disintegrated, leaving a pile of shells behind. Oh well, it really is a donation, and we know the money we leave behind will go a long way for them. With that in mind, we bought a neat necklace and matching bracelet and a medium size lethally sharp shark knife. The handle is made with shark cartilage, while the shaft is wooden and engraved with the place and date of our visit. Most folks agreed that the shark teeth are as close as they ever wish to get to a real shark. We agree

 

Close to primitive, these islanders live in simply made huts with no regular electricity or indoor plumbing. We did see signs of propane tanks, and our tablemates did see a few solar-powered panels in some villages. If there is internet service, then computers would have to be battery-powered. Their main industry is coconut harvesting and seaweed processing. Fish is an essential necessity. Several young fellows were offshore in small canoe-like boats all day netting fish. Along the shoreline, we also saw gill nets where a local was plucking the small fish, killing them with his teeth, then filling a woven basket held by a young girl. Ewwwww. .

 

We walked and walked the sand-base narrow raod, which was surrounded by thick groves of palms and breadfruit trees. It was so dense in spots, that you could not see the ocean on one side or the lagoon on the other. Villages consisted of huts buried in these trees. At one point, we saw the primary school area, where we peeked our noses inside the low doors. The kids were shoulder-to-shoulder, listening to their teacher while they sat on the dirt floor. They all were smiling and seemed so happy. In fact, every one of the natives we passed by seemed happy, almost carefree. They do not have the trappings of modern society. Life is basic, unassuming, and simple. The mode of transportation was a mix of bicycles, motor bikes, and a few "le trucks". These were being used today to transport the guests for a 30 minute, $10. ride to see the main sites of the atoll. That consisted of the open-air Catholic Church, the primary school, villages, and the seaweed company. If they were able to get into the back of the truck, then it was a great way for those who could not walk to see the place and get a little insight through an islander tour guide.

 

Walking was better, since we saw the moms working in the villages, the little kids watching, and the pigs, chickens, dogs, and cats roaming around. The most interesting was the group harvesting the fish from the shoreline nets. The only downside we could see, was there were no services for the passengers once they went ashore. Namely, public bathrooms. Water from the ship was there, but it had been advised that we bring our own. Obviously, you had to keep hydrated, but not so much that you needed to use a restroom. For that reason, most of us had a brief visit. That is, except for those who chose to swim in the lagoon. Sometimes, the swim is used for a dual purpose, and for that reason, we never join the crowd. In fact, a local school teacher told our tablemates not to go in that part of the lagoon.....she said even the locals don't go there. Some of the braver guests walked to the ocean side, but took a chance with the extremely dangerous undertow and tidal flows. We heard that one person had to be pulled back to shore, having been taken away with the riptide.

 

We came back to the ship before noon, and finally made it to the dining room for a very nice light lunch. The best part was the ice water and ice tea......we drank about a gallon of it. Hoping the aft pool would be empty, we spent the afternoon cooling off in the pool. Access to this pool is a bit difficult because the ladder is vertical, not graduated like on the Amsterdam. Although the ladder steps were rubber-coated, it still was difficult for those of us with long legs to get out. The temperature outside today was only 80 degrees, but it was painfully hot at the back pool deck. The only relief was to hang over the railing to catch a nice island breeze. The Statendam has a more closed in railing, compared to the Amsterdam's Seaview Pool deck. The lower portion is solid steel, so the breeze is blocked. We lasted there until we were close to sailing away at 4pm. Once we pulled away from the island, we enjoyed the view from deck 12, where the wind cooled us off instantly. Unfortunately, all of the dolphins were absent, but were replaced with some birds and tiny flying fish. It was truly an interesting day in this most isolated part of the world.

 

The conversation at dinner was lively tonight, since everyone had stories to share about our visit today. Two of us wore our island jewelry, while one of our group filled us in with some of the donations made to the islanders from the ship's crew and our CC group. From what we observed, the little kids could use new t-shirts and shorts, as what they were wearing were full of holes from hand-me-downs, or repeated washings. Shoes were not a priority, because no one wore any.

 

All-in-all, a great day, supported with the announcement from the Captain who was surprised we even got the chance to go to Fanning Island.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[JamesEM]

Glad to read that you were able to visit the island, sounds like an interesting place to visit for a few hours.

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is wonderful that the dolphins welcomed you to Fanning Island.

Great report.

[Ine]

Thank you for all those wonderful reports. Looking forward to more of them.

We are thinking of doing this cruise in April, so we are very interested in all your information.

It might have helped to throw the belongings of the chairhoggers overboard instead of the Leis......

[WCB]

Report # 16 October 18, 2013 Friday Hawaii & Tahiti...Welcome to Paradise with Bill & Mary Ann on the Statendam

 

Yes, today was another Friday, the 18th, for us, as we crossed over the International Dateline again after leaving Kiribati. Since we "lost" the 16th, we had to gain it back by having two days with the same date. On the world cruise, we would have gained it back one hour at a time as we eventually sailed west back to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Seems that there has been a reported problem with the deck chairs. Think we mentioned the obvious situation with the lounges at the Seaview Pool. That is numerous lounges being saved with left behind bags, towels, or books. In the time that we spend back there, sometimes none of these guests return. That could be well over two hours. We understand from talking to our tablemates, that the same situation has been happening on the lower promenade deck. The certain group has been claiming chairs all day on that deck, going to lectures, or lunch, then returning. As far as we know, those lounges are not assigned to each promenade room, such as on the Maasdam and a few other ships. Anyway, the rule was written in the daily newsletter saying we kindly request that deck chairs are not reserved for more than 30 minutes. Unattended belongings shall be returned to the front desk after this time period. Wonder if they really mean it? Our nice tablemate surely hopes so, since she was literally kicked out of her lounge this morning by a not-so-nice lady. If she had not been going to a lecture, she would have dug in and sat there.

 

There seemed to be a mix-up with our next port of Bora Bora. Originally, we had expected to arrive at 4pm on Sunday. However, the Captain announced yesterday that we would arrive on Monday. We do know of some passengers that have booked an overnight stay at one of the highend resorts with the bungalows that are built over the water. Those expensive reservations would have had to have been reserved and paid for well in advance, so missing the arrival time would not be a good thing. Today, the Captain clarified this by saying that it appeared that the winds looked like they were going to delay our next port, but things were looking better today, and we are back on schedule. That is something that can change on any given cruise.

 

Here's a catch-up with the nightly entertainment. Yesterday, a guitarist by the name of George Sakellariou played Spanish masterpieces to popular melodies. He got thumbs up from our tablemates, especially one of them who knows him personally. Tonight there is a man by the name of Brad Upton with a show that suggests he may be a comedian who will appeal to guests from 19 to 90.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[PathfinderEss]

I know you probably don't have time to read all our coments but I was wondering who's the Captain?

Sorry about the chair hogs, don't you just hate having arguments with passengers that do abide by the rules. I usually sit in those uncomfortable bar stools at the Lido so I don't have to fight for them.:D

Glad your schedule has changed back to what it was, hate to hear those passenger that rent out those bungalows would have to forfeit their monies.:(

Edited October 20, 2013 by PathfinderEss

[slabeaume]

I had an altercation with someone in the spa once who left her towel on one of the heater loungers and went into the spa pool.

[PathfinderEss]

I had an altercation with someone in the spa once who left her towel on one of the heater loungers and went into the spa pool.

 

You know, I hate doing that but sometimes they just drive us to it. Don't blame you.

[Copper10-8]

I know you probably don't have time to read all our coments but I was wondering who's the Captain?

 

Sorry about the chair hogs, don't you just hate having arguments with passengers that do abide by the rules. I usually sit in those uncomfortable bar stools at the Lido so I don't have to fight for them.:D

 

Glad your schedule has changed back to what it was, hate to hear those passenger that rent out those bungalows would have to forfeit their monies.:(

 

Captain is Eric van der Wal, his 1st command. He'll still be there when you join

[Krazy Kruizers]

Report # 16 October 18, 2013 Friday Hawaii & Tahiti...Welcome to Paradise with Bill & Mary Ann on the Statendam

 

Yes, today was another Friday, the 18th, for us, as we crossed over the International Dateline again after leaving Kiribati. Since we "lost" the 16th, we had to gain it back by having two days with the same date. On the world cruise, we would have gained it back one hour at a time as we eventually sailed west back to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Seems that there has been a reported problem with the deck chairs. Think we mentioned the obvious situation with the lounges at the Seaview Pool. That is numerous lounges being saved with left behind bags, towels, or books. In the time that we spend back there, sometimes none of these guests return. That could be well over two hours. We understand from talking to our tablemates, that the same situation has been happening on the lower promenade deck. The certain group has been claiming chairs all day on that deck, going to lectures, or lunch, then returning. As far as we know, those lounges are not assigned to each promenade room, such as on the Maasdam and a few other ships. Anyway, the rule was written in the daily newsletter saying we kindly request that deck chairs are not reserved for more than 30 minutes. Unattended belongings shall be returned to the front desk after this time period. Wonder if they really mean it? Our nice tablemate surely hopes so, since she was literally kicked out of her lounge this morning by a not-so-nice lady. If she had not been going to a lecture, she would have dug in and sat there.

 

There seemed to be a mix-up with our next port of Bora Bora. Originally, we had expected to arrive at 4pm on Sunday. However, the Captain announced yesterday that we would arrive on Monday. We do know of some passengers that have booked an overnight stay at one of the highend resorts with the bungalows that are built over the water. Those expensive reservations would have had to have been reserved and paid for well in advance, so missing the arrival time would not be a good thing. Today, the Captain clarified this by saying that it appeared that the winds looked like they were going to delay our next port, but things were looking better today, and we are back on schedule. That is something that can change on any given cruise.

 

Here's a catch-up with the nightly entertainment. Yesterday, a guitarist by the name of George Sakellariou played Spanish masterpieces to popular melodies. He got thumbs up from our tablemates, especially one of them who knows him personally. Tonight there is a man by the name of Brad Upton with a show that suggests he may be a comedian who will appeal to guests from 19 to 90.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

Sorry to hear that chair hogs have been taking over. Hope the situation is soon resolved.

Love your review.