From Glaciers to Palm Trees - Spend 71 days with Bill & Mary Ann on the Zuiderdam - 9-7-22 to 11-17-22

[CurlerRob]

8 hours ago, WCB said:

Sitting at the end of the bar top, was a silly rubber chicken, which had been dressed in fancy clothes last night.  This morning, she was wearing a white napkin, resembling a nightgown.  Now we remember this chicken that was a mascot of the Crow’s Nest on the Amsterdam.  We asked the bartender, Ray, who said, yes it was from the Amsterdam.  And he is responsible for the change of clothing and jewelry on the bird.   There has to be a story to this chicken, and for sure, we know she has a name.

 

Several stories, none of which are likely appropriate here 😈 ... 🍺🥌

 

 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. We have found aft vibration noticeable on the Zuiderdam and on several Celebrity ships. Never on the QM2 or Crystal.  Question for you…what do your children think about you being away from them for months on end. When we travel for more than a month or so or when we spend more than a month or two in Hawaii we miss each other tremendously.  We may fly to New York for a week or so to see them then fly back.  Smooth sailing.

[WCB]

Report #44    Thursday  October 20, 2022     Apia, Upolu, Samoa  9am-5:30   Sunny And Hot 82 Degrees   Part #1 Of 5......Text Only.....Pictures In Parts 2,3,4,&5

 

Even though land was in sight early this morning, it would not be until close to 9am before the ship was docked.  Then it wasn’t until well after 9am before the ship was cleared for our port today of Apia, Upolu, Samoa.  Remember when we were in Alaska complaining about the cold weather?  Wish we had some of that now, as it is going to be a most hot and humid day here.  In giving his instructions for this port, Ian mentioned that it would be sunny, and if it rained, it would not be until late afternoon.  OK, with that we left the umbrellas home.  One thing for sure, we had to wear our masks off of the ship as well as in town or on the tour buses, etc.  Now the strange thing we noticed was that not a single local had a mask on today.  No one.  Oh well, they must assume we are bringing the virus onshore, and they have to be protected.  And maybe, some of us are, who knows.

 

We left the ship around 10am, and can say we never saw so many taxis and vans outside the Apia Wharf & Cruise Ship Terminal.  We had to say “no thanks” at least 100 times as we made our way towards town.   Once we reached the seawall, we were free to walk without any problems.   There was a breeze blowing, but at our backs.

 

Looking across the road after we crossed the bridge over the Vaisigano River, we noticed that the Aggie Grey’s Hotel (run by Sheraton) appeared to be closed.  We would find out later that it was.  Oh well, so much for enjoying their great pizza and beers for lunch.  As we rounded the end of the harbor, we saw the imposing Immaculate Conception  Cathedral.  Kainoa must have really talked it up, because that was where everyone was headed.  We decided to go inside the church on our way back when the crowd thinned.

 

Right across from the church was a very nice information hut complete with some maps and tour info.  Just as we arrived, there was a “free” show about to begin in the backyard.   Free doesn’t always mean free, as we found out the first time we visited Apia.  Our first destination was the fish market, a few blocks further up the road.  The fishing fleet is moored there, and the vendors display their catch on stainless steel or tile counters.  One can meet some of the nicest people here, and that occurred today.  The vendors were fanning their catch with large palms trying to keep the flies away.  No one objected to having their pictures taken with their catch for sale.  One fellow was wearing a baseball cap with the American flag on it.  He asked where we were from and we said San Francisco.  With that, he told us he was from Utah, but recently returned here as he was Samoan.  Among other things, we asked him what happened with Aggie Grey’s Hotel, and he said it had closed this last summer. Covid, then bankruptcy he said.  Then he added that there have only been two ships here recently…the Westerdam a few days ago, and now today, the Zuiderdam.   Now that explains the long line of taxis we saw. 

 

Continuing on, we walked back to the Town Clock, then up the street passing McDonald’s.  Yes, they have one, and it appears to be the busiest eatery in town.  Looking for the Fugalei Market, we had missed the street and were heading up the wrong one.  Knowing our mistake, we could not find a side street to cut over, so we ended up going a lot further than we expected.  However, we did find a nicer small fruit and veggie market and an open-air hall where the local fellows were playing billiards. 

 

Going into the Fugalei Market, we found that several tour buses had stopped here, letting their guests flood the marketplace.  They sell produce here, but they also have row after row of souvenirs like wood carvings, clothing, and jewelry.  We did not stay long, since it was hot and crowded, and really, there was nothing we needed. 

 

Heading back, we made a stop at McDonald’s but found that you had to have their money to buy it, or credit cards.  No pizza or beer here, so no lunch.   By the way, we had received the exchange rate for the Samoan Tala which was 1 tala to the USD $.35.  We do recall that the vendors at the Fugalei Market were happy to take the US dollars. 

 

The final stop was at the cathedral where the noontime mass was in session.  Taking a few photos from the entrance of the church, we headed back towards the ship.  By now, it was unbearably hot and sticky, and without the lunch stop at the hotel, we were in dire need of something wet.  On the plus side, we did have the breeze in our faces on the walk back. 

 

Once back on the ship, we headed for the Ocean Bar, and enjoyed two Heineken’s in bottles, followed by 2 Coronas also in bottles.  Even though we had brought water with us in town, it was barely enough.   Back in our room, we ordered room service lunch and worked on the computer and enjoyed somewhat of a breeze on the veranda.

 

 The ropes were dropped by 5:45pm, and we were on our way for two days at sea, then the Fijian Islands.

 

Dinner would be somewhat of a test, as we returned to the  Pinnacle Grill.   If you recall, the our last meal was lukewarm and disappointing.  Would they remember we liked hot food?  Well, we both ordered the filet mignon with French fries, and guess what?  All of it was served on a very hot plate, and the food was as hot as could be.  It tasted so much better, and we let them know it was most appreciated.   

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

[Nymich]

We must have been there right when you were ....THANK GOODNESS we chose to go in!  The free show actually was free and included several other demonstrations like tree climbing and how they use the Umu.  On the last song right after the Fire performer they had baskets on the stage that many of us walked up to and placed WELL DESERVED tips into. I will agree that it's probably not really "free" when you tip but anyone who watched all those demonstrations and that wonderful show and didn't tip wow that's just mean.  Jmo

 

Your reports are fun to read as we are here also freezing sometimes with bad wifi!  Lol.

I just want anyone who goes to Samoa to go to the Samoa Tourism Authority!

 

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by Nymich

[WCB]

Perhaps this comment about the "free" show was misunderstood.  We have also seen the show (more than once), and did leave a tip.  It was meant as a heads up, so the guests are prepared ahead of time, and are not embarrassed.  It appeared that he start of the show depended on the amount of people they could gather for it.  There was no set showtime.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Nymich]

Maybe they changed the tip strategy.  Yesterday and for only one song three baskets were placed on the stage. Those who wanted to tip walked up and gave to the baskets. Those who didn't want to were able to just sit in place.   No pressure at all imo.

[boulders]

On 10/14/2022 at 1:19 PM, WCB said:

 

Getting out of the pier was like going through a maze.  Once out of the terminal building, we entered a narrow walkway that had cyclone fencing on both sides.  It seemed to go on forever, and oddly enough, we saw many empty cans of cat food on both sides of the fencing.  We can only assume that there are a lot of rodents here, and the cats serve a purpose

Actually, it's the cats that are the pest. They eat the eggs and birds of ground-nesting birds. The cat food is there for 2 purposes: to feed them so that they don't eat the native birds and to attract them so that they can be neutered/spayed. 

[WCB]

Report # 45   Friday   October 21, 2022   Day at Sea   Very warm and humid 90 plus degrees   Part # 1 of 1.........15 Pictures

 

Last night, we all received another letter stating that the Covid cases are on the rise on the ship.  However, the masks are not required inside the ship, only recommended.  Now we are concerned about the upcoming ports in Fiji and Tonga, as the letter indicated that each destination may require additional health protocols.  One sentence buried in this healthy advisory said any one of us may be required to undergo testing for Covid at any time during this voyage.  In our opinion, if one is tested, then we all should be tested.  At 11am, Captain Frank came on the speakers stressing the importance of this entire warning. 

 

It was really warm during our promenade deck walk this morning.  Checking the veranda thermometer at 7:30am, it read 92 degrees.  By 11 am, it was 94 degrees.  The ship is doing a steady 10 knots with little winds.  If anything, the winds are following us, making it uncomfortable.  It has been nice stopping in the Ocean Bar for cokes to cool off.  We are learning mixology tricks by watching bartender Ray mixing some complicated beverages.  Especially the blended ones. 

 

For a change, we attempted to order burgers from the dining room lunch menu.  Since it was only 12:40pm, we understood that we could do this during the serving time.  Well, it was a good idea, but when we phoned, we were put on hold……for 15 minutes.  By the time we placed an order (if they ever answered the phone), the serving time would be over.  So we gave up.  If there is a trick to placing this kind of order, we sure do not know what it is.  We ended up with our room service lunch at 2:30pm. 

 

Captain Frank came on the general speakers once again after 5pm.  But this time, it was an announcement that there is a medical emergency requiring a debark in Suva, Fiji.  We had noticed that the ship had sped up, and we were doing 19 knots now.  If we heard this correctly, we will be arriving to Suva tomorrow by 3pm, but anchoring.  There is another ship docked there right now.  Then at some point, the ship will be docked around 8pm. We are not sure if the Zuiderdam will be cleared for other guests to go off, but that late at night, we know that we would not go off. 

 

In addition, we had been invited to a special President’s Club cocktail party on Saturday in the Explorers Lounge at 5pm.  Then by the afternoon, the time and location had changed.  It will now be on deck 11 at the Retreat, but at 6pm.  With all of the changes arriving early to the Suva port, we wonder if this party will still happen, since it involves many of the top officers. 

 

Taking a late afternoon walk, we stayed on the promenade deck until the sun went down.  It wasn’t spectacular, but still nice.  And it was still warm outside.  As we were about to go back inside, a younger couple recognized us from the blog.  They asked if we were the ones that have been doing that blog, and we said yes.  Sure is nice to meet people this way, especially when they got some good hints for stashing stuff in their the room.

 

Dinner was a hard choice tonight.  We had one marlin dish, which was good, and one lamb entrée that was so-so.  The best part were the scalloped potatoes.  Dessert was nice with an almond cake and a side of vanilla ice cream.  No, the better part was finding out the clocks went back one hour tonight.  This might be the last time we “go back”.

 

So tomorrow will be mostly a sea day, with an overnight in Suva.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[The Other Tom]

5 hours ago, WCB said:

In our opinion, if one is tested, then we all should be tested

Agreed.  Even if 90% are tested, the remaining 10% could infect everybody.

Could it be that they are testing capacity limited?

[CruisingGrandmaW]

Hi Bill & Mary:

Love following you - both of you very positive people, well-traveled, who can go with the flow.

 

Think there are many HAL cruisers following your "Live" - expressing their unhappiness with HAL

 

I've included above, a link to passengers currently on Seabourn.  (Hope link works for all)

Funny they have alot of same complaings - warm not hot food...plus some new ones I've not heard before.

Hearing the same things with Celebrity, RCL, etc etc.

 

Sharing to us HAL loyalists can step back and realize service/food/etc is no longer what it used to be pre-pandemic Irregardless of cheaper HAL vs more expensive Seabourn.

[WCB]

Report #46  Saturday October 22, 2022  Sea Day   Enroute To Suva, Viti Levu , Fiji     Arrival 5pm-Overnite    Cloudy With Rain 80 Degrees   Part #1 Of 3.......Text Only.....Pictures In Parts 2&3

 

 

The Zuiderdam maintained the higher speed throughout the evening in order to reach Suva, Fiji earlier than expected.  Even Trusty, a new Pinnacle Grill waitress, admitted she liked the rolling of the ship since it rocked her to sleep like a baby in a cradle.  We agree.

 

One of us was up with the chickens again, and did get some sunrise photos.  The clouds were thick and dark, and the rain began early.  It was still close to 90 degrees on our deck.  Mid-morning, we took a promenade deck walk in the drizzle with wet decks.  Eventually the rain was left behind and it looked like a promising day.

 

We were given more forms to fill out for our visit in Tonga.  The health declaration cards were already filled out with most all of the information .  All we had to do was answer a few questions, and sign the forms.  Once again, we were able to turn them in to the staff that was located on each passenger deck between 9 and 10am.  That was a great idea, and kept the line at the front desk at a minimum. 

 

At his noontime talk, Captain Frank gave today’s game plan as far as our early arrival to Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji.  The ship would be close to the island around 3pm, but we could not dock.  What we thought it was the Crown Princess docked in Suva, was actually  the Grand Princess.  So we stayed in the harbor for a while, expecting a tender boat to debark the patient.  We do not think this happened exactly that way, but we did see the pilot boat as well as another boat, which we guessed to be a local medical boat. 

 

The Grand Princess left the berth around 4:30pm, then we took her place shortly after that.  This is when the patient eventually left the ship for the hospital.  Guess there is a lot of red tape with this procedure, and it took time to get it right, we were told later.  The ship was not cleared for the rest of the guests until much later.  It was nice watching all of this activity from our veranda.  And we were not alone.  Our neighbors are usually outside like us, and then we could hear talking on most all of the verandas.  One couple below us, looked up at all of the decks back here, and said it looked like tenements.  We were thinking more like Laugh In.

 

We had to get dressed for the President’s Club Social Party at 6pm in the Retreat.   We are not even sure we know how to get there, since it is located on deck 11.  This evening was slated for a “dressy” dinner, so even though we really did not feel like putting on the fancy clothes, we did it anyway.  It’s not often we get these nice invites, so it is a way to show respect for everyone involved.  And being that this event was held outside, a jacket might be a good idea. 

 

We walked to the very front set of elevators, which only went up to deck 10.  That’s when we ran into Michelle, guest relations manager, and a few dining room staff, who were also on their way up. We saw the small elevator that went up one floor.  There was only room for two of us.  It was probably 2 minutes after 6pm, and we figured we would be the first there.  Well, everyone was there, most all seated in deep armchairs in the center section of the surrounding tents.  Each table of four had a host, so we walked over to the opposite side, and were soon joined by Shiv and the purser.  Besides Howard, we really did not know the other President’s Club members well enough to join them. 

 

Twinkle, the assistant beverage manager, offered us drinks, then a couple of trays of fancy appetizers were passed around.  Not sure what they were, we passed.  One of us has a severe allergy to shellfish, so if anything was close to having those ingredients, it is better to say no thanks.   We did not expect to see Captain Frank, with all of the things going on, but he and his wife did appear.  The Captain joined our group, while his wife stayed on the other end.  We discovered he is quite easy to talk to, and seemed to enjoy going down memory lane with us.  That’s when the subject of the medical debark came up in the conversation.  Apparently, the woman who needed to be hospitalized had not gotten on a boat, but was able to go off on her own, along with her husband.  However, within minutes, the two of them were coming back up the gangway demanding to have their passports stamped.  In the confusion, it was wondered why the need for such a fast speed, burning up all of that fuel to get here in a hurry, and now they are delaying the exit?  Anyway, they did leave and we all hope it will turn out well.

 

The Sommelier also came over, and shared some pertinent info on wine, which we do not drink.  Ian entered the scene, and joined us as well.  The ship had been cleared, and he said he was required to announce to all onboard that it was advised not to wear jewelry or bring a lot of cash onshore this evening.  He will have to repeat this message several times tomorrow as well he said.  Guess that can be said about any city in the world.  You can’t be too safe.  We also took the time to thank Ian for getting his and Kainoa’s port talks on TV.  He agreed it was a great idea for those who did not wish to go into the Mainstage. 

 

And that’s when the rain started….lightly at first, then it came over in a shower.  All of us retreated to the cabanas, which are separated of course.  Maya and the Captain’s wife came with us, and we had a very good conversation with questions and answers.  Henk arrived, and sent the Captain’s wife to another tent, being politically correct, she had to spend at least two minutes with one of the guests.  Reluctantly, she left.  We stayed until 7:40pm, thinking most all of the other guests had left.  But they had not…..they stayed in the protection of the tents.

 

Dinner for us was in the dining room with entrees of the Orange Club special……short ribs with smashed potatoes, and green beans.  Simple and delicious.  Flourless chocolate cake was the dessert.  We could have gone to the Cantere Presents: Timeless, but we have seen it.  It seems that this group has performed perhaps once a week at most. 

 

We will spend a full day in Suva tomorrow, but being tht it is a Sunday, not much will be opened.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

[regnig]

Bill & Mary Ann the next time you see Howard would you please tell him Barbara, Nieuw Statendam this spring, sends her best to him. I've enjoyed relating stories of getting goodies to our friends locked up in "Covid Prison".

Thank you both for always allowing those of us land locked to travel along with you. 

Barb

[Fred321]

Saw that you mentioned Twinkle was on board. Hope that means she will also be there for the world cruise?

[WCB]

Report #47  Sunday    October 23, 2022 Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji    All Aboard 10:30pm  Cloudy With Rain Part Of The Day   80 Degrees........Part #1 Of 5....Text Only....Pictures In Parts 2,3,4,&5

 

We learned a few things about Fiji we did not know.  First, Fiji has 332 islands, but they also have 522 islets.  The volcanic island of Viti Levu is the largest with a population of 94,000 people.   The capital is Suva, where we are docked, and has about 75% of the total population living here.  There are three official languages.  You will see the Union Jack on the Fijian flag.  There are lush parks, British colonial buildings, a huge municipal market, a museum, and a beautiful garden all in Suva.  The biggest sport is rugby, and the favorite foods are rice, sweet potatoes, taro, coconuts, cassava, breadfruit, and fish.  The major hotels include Westin, Hilton, Intercontinental, Sofitel, Sheraton, Radisson, and Shangri-La.   

 

Kava is the traditional drink….try it at your own risk.  Fiji is home to the monkey-faced bat, and the collared lory, a very colorful parrot, is the national animal.  Cannibalism was indeed practiced here, but no more. 

 

We began the day with a leisurely breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, while watching the action below on the dock area.  The shore excursion folks were making a beeline to the waiting buses.  Perhaps they have the right idea, since many things will be closed today…..it’s Sunday remember?  Some of the ship’s tours included a longboat ride to waterfalls and a kava ceremony for $180.  A day pass at the Pearl Resort was $150 and included lunch.  An eco tour walk was $90 and a simple beach day was $40.

 

The internet remained shut down, and we all had a letter explaining why.  It was interfering with the local wifi, so we were shut down.  The same thing happened to us while we were in Barbados last spring.  Our system on the N.Statendam was interfering with the local wifi, and messing up the banks we were told.  We were instantly refunded some of the fee we paid for the internet.  The same will happen here after we have left the area.

 

We stayed onboard until 10:30am, then decided it was a good idea to take the umbrellas.   Glad we did, since the rain started within two blocks of leaving the ship.   Passing by the Municipal Market, we saw that 90% of it was closed.  Only a few vendors were there to sell flowers, and we did promise to come back later. 

 

Downtown was about shut down.  We did not see a restaurant or shop opened, except McDonald’s.  They had customers from the ship that were trying to go online there.  This is the only McDonald’s that has a police guard by the door.  There used to be a nice small park across the way, but we found it totally boarded up with a plywood wall.  Last time we were here, this area looked seedy.  There were many street signs saying “Happy Diwali” for an upcoming Hindu holiday we heard. 

 

About every Fijian man passing us said “Bula”, directing the greeting more to Bill than me.  It must be a guy thing.  We passed by the Holiday Inn, so reminiscent of the 1950’s.  Right next to that was the Grand Pacific Hotel, a very impressive hotel, and most proper in the British vein.  Just as we walked by, a bus full of tourists filed into the hotel lobby, just as we did many years ago while on a tour here.   One of the things they head for is a restroom, which is outside near the pool.  Our plan was to stop here for lunch on our way back.

 

Across the road, we entered the Thurston Garden dating back to the early 1900’s.  Although the museum is being re-done, the garden was still open.  Many specimens of over 100 year old trees are here.  Two of these mature trees happened to be full of large black fruit bats.  If you did not see them right away, you could listen for their noises they make.   We have never seen them in these garden trees, but in the roadside trees.  There was a stray dog, who had fun following us.  We think it was the bag of umbrellas we packed.  The dog associated the bag with possible food.  He did not leave us until a police van passed by, and went after it barking.

 

From there, we walked past the palace with a Fijian guard outside the gate.  Right across from the palace is a helicopter pad near the oceanside.  We continued up the seawall road, which really reminded us of the coast of Nuku’alofa.  There are many destroyed pipes (sewer or drainage we assume) along this body of water.  No one would even think of swimming here.  Eventually, the road was closed due to construction, so we turned back. 

 

We stopped at the Grand Pacific Hotel and were seated at a nice table for two under the patio covering.  We ordered two Fiji Gold drafts, ice cold.  When we saw they had pizza on the menu, we chose a Margherita.  It was a bit of a wait, but was well worth it.  The pizza was delicious.  The pace here is laid back and very relaxed.  The wait staff were about the friendliest we have encountered.  Our waitress told us about the effects of the Covid pandemic.  Since the country shut down at that time, the city dwellers had no choice but to move back with family in villages.  It was their only means of survival.  Now that things are opening up, they are pleased to see the tourists coming back. And most of the locals have gotten their jobs back.  Finally ,we ended the meal with one slice of pumpkin pie with a side of vanilla ice cream.  Then it was time to move on.

 

We walked back through town, passing many of our crew members.  It was close to 3pm now and we still wanted to stop at the flower market.  We bought two bunches of cut  tropical flowers for a total of $10 US dollars.  Since we had already checked out the policy of bringing back fresh flowers, we had no problems bringing them onboard.  We may have a few stray ants, but for the most part, the vendors spray the bouquets before selling them.  

 

Doing offline photo work, and report writing, we relaxed until it was time for dinner.  That would be in the Pinnacle Grill.  We ordered our usual wedge salads, and one filet mignon, and a plate of grilled lamb chops.  Both of us had small baked potatoes with the toppings.  We saved a little room for one crème Brulé and a strawberry sorbet plate with blueberries.  It seems that most of the blackberries and strawberries are gone now. 

 

The all aboard time was 10:30pm, then we will be headed for Dravuni, a very small island with a nice beach.  Yesterday, we understand that the Westerdam was unable to tender guests there, due to high winds and rough seas.  Hope we do not have the same problem.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[oaktreerb]

Good for you.  I hope Ian will forward to Corporate your request for recording and showing the EXC talks on the TV’s in the staterooms.  You are so fortunate to have both Kainoa and Ian on your journey!

[WCB]

Hi Peg and Rich,

Yes Twinkle will be on the 23 GWV as far as she knows.  

 

Hi Barbara, we will send your message to Howard.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Fred321]

2 hours ago, WCB said:

Hi Peg and Rich,

Yes Twinkle will be on the 23 GWV as far as she knows.  

 

Hi Barbara, we will send your message to Howard.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Thanks guys. That is good news. As usual we are enjoying your reports and look forward to seeing you soon.

 

Rich

[WCB]

Report #48     Monday October 24, 2022   Dravuni, Island, Fiji   8am - 10am Could Not Tender    Cloudy With Rain 78 Degrees. .....Part #1 Of 3.....Text Only.....Pictures  In Parts 2&3

 

Well, one of the things we will not be doing is writing about our day on Dravuni Island.  It was cancelled, due to 35 -40 MPH winds, a 7 on the Beaufort scale.  In addition, the currents were such that holding the ship’s position was not possible.  And it definitely was not safe for the guests to board the boats.  One of the tenderboats had its rope snapped earlier on, according to Captain Frank, who carefully explained the entire scenario.  We know a lot of folks would be disappointed not being able to spend the day there, but considering the dismal weather conditions, it might not have been the best day for the beach, let alone sunbathing. 

 

Waking up at 4am, one of us was able to get internet, sending and receiving was working well.  Then later, we watched as five tenderboats were milling around the aft of the ship.  A few locals were also following the ship in their small motor boats.  They were being tossed around like toy boats.  We already guessed that this island would be impossible to access.  It happened to the folks on the Westerdam yesterday we read.  Oh well, better safe than sorry.

 

We had an early delivery of President’s Club sodas delivered by Evelyn from the beverage department.  She had been knocking on our door, but we were outside, and never heard it.  Then we did hear the phone ring.  It was Evelyn calling from outside in the hallway.  When we answered the phone, we could hear her talking outside the door.  Funny…..now if they had doorbells that rang on the veranda, that might be a good idea.  Other ships do have them.  A new bouquet of flowers arrived shortly after that.  Now we have a real garden. 

 

We stayed on our veranda, watching the boats hanging out, then one by one, they were loaded back up where they belong, and we were on our way before 10am.  We believe the plan is to circle the big island of Viti Levu slowly (9 knots) until we reach Lautoka on the northwest coast tomorrow.  Captain Frank mentioned that we could experience some rougher seas and rolling as the afternoon advanced.  He was totally correct. 

 

A revised itinerary was delivered for the remainder of the day.  Some activities were created, and the shops were open for business.  Then a few lectures were added, and some game-type shows were offered. 

 

At least with the heavy cloud cover, the temperature dropped to about 77 degrees.  It sure made it pleasant walking the 2 miles on the promenade deck.  We had lost our end stools at the Ocean Bar at noontime, so we ended up in the middle.  There is not a whole lot of knee room, so we prefer the end seats.  Actually,  most of the chairs were occupied with people drinking cocktails.  Guess enjoying cocktails is a good pastime as it is 5 o’clock somewhere, right?  It was Coke Zeros for us.

 

The one good thing about the port cancellation was the fact that we all had internet access all day.  That makes a lot of people happy, since a lot of emails can back up in a few days.  And besides just doing internet for fun or research, a lot of guests do bank work and conduct a business.  It will be interesting to see if we are shut down when we arrive to Lautoka tomorrow.  

 

We always seem to have weird things happen in our room.  Once again, we were without cold water.  No matter where you turn the faucet, it came out boiling hot.  Had we not reported it, there would be no showering tonight.  The plumber did show up, and admitted working on the system close to us….maybe on a different floor.  He re-adjusted something, and bingo….we had cold water as well as hot.  We are back in business, but for how long?

 

It was a good afternoon for chicken noodle soup and sandwiches.  We still prefer dining in our room and have not visited the Lido at all.  Too many possible hands in the food we are afraid.  Captain Frank did say in his noon talk that we seem to be doing well with mask-wearing and washing hands a lot.  Perhaps reading between the lines, that means the cases of Covid are down….we hope.

 

Anyway, we had some time to do some research on the Diwali Festival that is occurring right now in Fiji.  It is known as the Feast of Lights and the start of the Hindu New Year.  It is celebrated over 5 or 6 days with the actually holiday on October 24^th this year.  In a few words, it is the triumph of good over evil, and good thoughts and wealth for the new year.  The tradition is a holiday where they dress up, eat good food and sweets, and celebrate with lights or candles.  Now we understand why we were seeing fireworks in the Suva skies a few nights ago.  We do expect to see the continuation of this holiday when we visit Lautoka tomorrow, since a large portion of their population is Hindu.  So Happy Diwali to all.

 

Dinner was back in the dining room, where the menu has many different items.  The best appetizer had to be the BBQ chicken and veggie spring rolls.  Could have made a meal with the appetizers alone.  We both ordered the spinach mushroom salad, followed by a rockfish (no bones) entrée and one vegetarian Asian noodle dish.  It was even better with a dash of soy sauce, although it was a bit on the salty side.  Sometimes you just have to do it.  Mint chip and vanilla ice cream with one toffee date pudding was the perfect ending. 

 

One last day in Fiji, and we hope it will not rain.  We have not seen the sun for a few days now, and it can be depressing at times. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[mdeegooden]

On 9/29/2022 at 12:31 PM, canadianbear said:

@WCB

We watched the Zuiderdam leave last night in the drizzle from Ambleside park.   I told my husband we had to watch it sail away, in person, since we had to cancel the 50 day cruise.  
 

We went to our favourite spot to watch the ships sail under the Lions Gate bridge & past Stanley Park.  I’ll attach a couple of photos I took.  
 

Have a wonderful trip to the South Pacific!  

Your favorite spot to watch the ships sail in and out is absolutely beautiful!  You captured this one perfectly!

[WCB]

Report #49      Tuesday October 25, 2022     Lautoka, Viti Levu, Fiji     Rain & Clouds All Day 80 Degrees    8am-5:30pm   Part #1 Of 5.....Text Only......Pictures In Parts 2,3,4,&5

 

We are afraid it will be a dreary day in Lautoka, since the skies are heavily overcast, and it rained for a lot of the day.  During breakfast, we heard Ian announce the warning about taking food and beverages, etc. off of the ship (water excepted) or there could be stiff fines.  Then he said the ship had been cleared after 8am, and rain was expected by noontime.  We had to laugh since looking out the window from the Pinnacle Grill, we could see the rain falling.  Some of the staff was outside directing the tour folks to their buses, and even they were using umbrellas.  Actually, as it turned out, the rain fell lightly until noon, then it let up somewhat.  We never did see the sun.

 

There were some excursions here today which included an eco park and wildlife tour with a stop at an aquarium and included a light lunch for $120.   The caves and zipline was $165, but was more for the adventurous younger crowd, such as Remco, the Pinnacle Grill manager who did go there and loved it.  Homestead and history tour was $130, while traditions and beauty with a kava ceremony with shopping was $145.  A ride to nearby Nadi for shopping was $70, but with so many shops and cafes closed, why go there?   A mud pool experience with a kava ceremony was $150.  Did we ever explain the kava ceremony?  If we did, it is worth repeating briefly.  Kava is made from the roots of the peppermint tree or bush.  These roots are soaked and squeezed into what appears to be a muddy water.  It is placed into a large bowl, and shared with the group, all drinking from that same bowl.  To refuse is rude we understand.  And to be totally truthful, the first ceremony we attended, we pretended to drink the concoction, which numbed our lips.  It is like drinking alcohol we think.  The stronger it is, the most intoxicating it can be.

 

After most of the tours groups went off, we left the ship after 10am.  There was a complimentary shuttle service to downtown Lautoka, and it ran every 60 minutes.  When we were here three years ago, we did not take the shuttle, but walked to town.   That’s what we did today using the umbrellas to stay dry.  The rain was more like a steady drizzle, but it was still close to 80 degrees and humid.  We had been told that the town would be closed down for the last day of Diwali, but we found that to be only partially true.  We knew that Jack’s, the local department store, would be opened, because they are the ones that provide the shuttle.  The bus stop is right on the same corner of the store. 

 

We walked deeper into town and came across the marketplace, that was basically shut down.  At least the meat and fish areas were closed up, but the outdoor produce market was in full swing.  All of the fruit and veggies were laid out on tarps on the sidewalk.   They were even selling the roots of the taro plants, as well as peppers, onions, ginger, tomatoes, corn, okra, and long beans.  Most of the fruit included very large pineapples, bananas, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and other varieties we did not recognize. 

 

The largest and most popular place for the folks and families to go is the City Sugar Mall.  But that was totally closed today.  Walking the side streets revealed that most all of the Indian shops were opened.  We made a pass through Jack’s, but it was so crowded with cruise ship passengers we went right back outside.  Many of them were not wearing masks.  It was not required in town, but why take chances?  The line for the shuttle was very long, and we never intended to use it anyway.  We ran into friends Sandy and Jack, who usually do the same thing we do as far as hiking goes.  We have operated on such a different schedule, this is the first time we have seen them since they boarded in Vancouver.  Where has the time gone???

 

We saw a few young Hindu ladies drawing intricate designs on the sidewalk with colored chalk.  They did this in front of the shops and even the barbershop.  One lady even had the small candles called diyas lit in the middle of the designs.  It was all tied to the Festival of Lights.  

 

Passing by one Indian shop by the name of Jaipur , one of us spotted a nice pareo with favorite colors.  The friendly vendor invited us inside to show us her variety of patterns and colors.  I ended up buying two for a mere $10.  Best buy of the day, and we were not even shopping.  There was no chance for lunch, since the only restaurant that came close to recognizable was McDonald’s.  They have a fairly modern one here.  And besides, the eateries were closed.  As we were walking through town, kids were lighting fireworks in the park across the main street.  They really sounded loud, and were unnerving.  Sounds too much like gun shots.  The local pigeons sure did not like it.

 

Making or way down to the water, we walked the seawall path which is lined with a strip of park with benches. Normally, this is full of locals enjoying the sun during lunchtime.  Today it was practically empty.  Better for us since it gave us the chance to use some of the benches.  This was a shortcut to the ship, which was only a few blocks away.  We got back after 1pm and spent a lazy afternoon working on the photos and watching the bay. 

 

Lunch was room service, and dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill.   Sometimes mistakes are made with our shipboard credit.  Checking to see what the refunded port charges were for missing Dravuni, we found that $18.79 had been credited for each of us.  However, we spotted charges for the Pinnacle Grill dinner two nights ago.  These meals were complimentary.  So we called the front desk and reported it and were told it would be taken care of.  So at dinner tonight, our waiter said they had taken the charges off of our account, and apologized for the mistake.  It happens sometimes, so it is important to check the account often.  Our meals were excellent tonight.  Our mains were hot as could be making the halibut and filet mignon taste even better, if that is possible.  We thanked them for going the extra mile tonight.

 

The clocks went forward tonight, losing one hour of sleep more than likely.  But with tomorrow being a sea day, it won’t matter a whole lot. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[WCB]

Report #50     Wednesday  October 26, 2022    Sea Day Enroute Nuku' Alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga   Rain And Clouds All Day 75 Degrees   Part#1 Of 1.........25 Pictures

 

Today was one for relaxing, but it would not be in the sun.  From the minute the daylight began, it was raining and overcast.  Even the temperature had cooled off, as it was only about 75 degrees.  The seas had become rough last night, and continued that way most of the day.  Our morning consisted of breakfast in a booth, since all of the window tables were occupied by 8:05am.  Seems that the folks are getting earlier for the line-up.  We figured some people might sleep later due to the time change, but no, even some new folks were here early. 

 

We did our morning walk, and very few people were outside.  It had turned cool, but the decks were mostly dry.  But by the time Ian and Kainoa’s talk on Tonga and the Cook Islands was over, the people poured out the doors to walk at least one lap.  Then they head for the line in the dining room since it was lunchtime.   That’s when we go to the Ocean Bar for refreshments.  But it did not happen today, because the entire place was full of drinking customers.  Still too crowded for our comfort, we went back to the room for cold sodas. 

 

There was a movie in the Rolling Stones Lounge at 3pm called “Picture Bride”.  Not sure we saw this, but it sounds intriguing. We still have a ton of movies we have not watched on our interactive TV.  The nice thing about that is if we want to watch it in sections, we can.  Then resume it later. 

 

One good thing is that the internet is working OK now.  We are sure that everyone that uses it is much happier.  Hope the service continues.  We do know that when we hit the final port of Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, the connection might be iffy at that. 

 

Dinner was back in the dining room.  There have been some interesting appetizers and even main courses on this cruise.  Tonight we both tried the empanadas which had a masala seasoning.  Not sure we would like it, you never know if you never try it.  They were great.  The fish entrees have been good…..tonight’s fish was cobia – no bones.  One of us had the penne pasta with prosciutto and parmesan cheese.  It was light and not filling.  Desserts were a chocolate torte with fudge tracks ice cream.

 

We forgot to mention something that happened last night in the Pinnacle Grill that was funny.  It was very cool, as it has been in all of the dining venues.  A lady eating  few tables away from us asked for a small tablecloth to wrap around her shoulders….and they gave it to her, laughing all the way.   There must have been some wine involved here.

 

Tomorrow’s port will be Nuku’alofa, Tonga, and we will be staying overnight until 5pm Friday.  We understand there will be a special ceremony with a plaque exchange honoring the maiden visit for the Zuiderdam.   Will have to be on the promenade deck at 10:30am to see it. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

[cccole]

Can't wait to hear about Nuku'alofa.  Have you been here before?  A fun overnight I think.  Thank you so much for your daily reports, I look forward to them.  Cherie

[Sir PMP]

On 10/23/2022 at 7:03 AM, regnig said:

Bill & Mary Ann the next time you see Howard would you please tell him Barbara, Nieuw Statendam this spring, sends her best to him. I've enjoyed relating stories of getting goodies to our friends locked up in "Covid Prison".

Thank you both for always allowing those of us land locked to travel along with you. 

Barb

Is the suspect, you're looking for in this picture:

[regnig]

8 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

Is the suspect, you're looking for in this picture:

I do believe that is "Sir Howard". He ended up on the Statendam after having the misfortune to being on the Crystal Ship that dumped it's passengers rather than paying it's fuel bill.  He helped keep me entertained when my traveling friend ended up in Covid Prison for 5 days. We also got to experience being deposited, including being taken to the wrong hotel, in FLL for 2 days while HAL had the Azipod repaired. Howard was generous with his time and I now know far more about world geography than I did before that adventure.   

[Sir PMP]

1 hour ago, regnig said:

I do believe that is "Sir Howard". He ended up on the Statendam after having the misfortune to being on the Crystal Ship that dumped it's passengers rather than paying it's fuel bill.  He helped keep me entertained when my traveling friend ended up in Covid Prison for 5 days. We also got to experience being deposited, including being taken to the wrong hotel, in FLL for 2 days while HAL had the Azipod repaired. Howard was generous with his time and I now know far more about world geography than I did before that adventure.   

Yes, he and Gill were on the world cruise with Crystal, that quickly ended and had to switch, he's a great guy.