Join Bill & Mary Ann On A Journey Like No Other-2024 GWV On The Zuiderdam For 128 Days

[WCB]

Report #26  Wednesday  January 24, 2024    Transit The Panama Canal 6am-5pm    Sunny And Hot With Some Clouds 89 Degrees  Slight Breeze  Part #1 Of 4.....63 Pictures---Casual Dress  Happy Birthday Mary Ann

 

Today was awesome in more ways than one.  Transiting the Panama Canal was one reason, but another was the fact that today was a birthday for one of us.  Keeping quiet about it was not in the cards.  Upon leaving our room this morning, there were two balloons and a Happy Birthday note taped to our door.  Then on to breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, we were there 5 minutes when a decorated plate arrived with a special birthday cupcake. Tina and the waiters came and sang Happy Birthday then had me “blow” out the candles, which were the battery-operated luminaries.   To make the meal perfect, we took advantage of the Panama Canal rolls we love.  Some fellows sitting close to us mentioned they had ordered one dozen rolls for room service.  Then they asked for some more to go from here and the waiter brought them wrapped in a foil basket.  Yes, they really are that good.

 

By the time we got back to our room, we discovered two vases of flowers and cards from a favorite officer Shiv and Michelle and the front desk team.  So sweet of them to remember.  And there were cards from our agent, hosts, and other friends onboard.  Long time friends had mailed cards before we left home for each of us to open on the right day.   Later in the afternoon and evening, there were more surprises.

 

So back to Panama, it is a country of 3.7 million people that speak mostly Spanish.  Although we will not have a port stop here this time, we will transit through the Panama Canal.  Cutting through the Continental Divide, the Panama Canal is the world’s greatest short cut.  It links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, shortening a ship’s voyage by 7800 miles.  The construction of this canal began well over 100 years ago, and it came at a huge cost not only money-wise, but at a loss of life.  Between malaria, yellow fever, and accidents, the canal claimed many worker’s lives.  Finally after 10 years, the canal began operating in 1914 and continued with the same technology until new locks were added starting in 2016.  Over the years, we have witnessed the progress made on both ends of the canal with the new style of locks.  Finally opened a few years ago,  we have never been on a ship that actually went through the new locks.  But we have been told that with the new system, it is not as fun to watch as the old locks with the workers and the “mules” that keep the ships centered. 

 

We ended up watching the entire sailing from the comfort of our room and veranda.  Most all of the best things to see were on the portside, and that’s where we were.  No doubt, the water level of the canal and especially Lake Gatun is lower than we have ever seen.  Many of the islands in Gatun Lake had exposed shorelines, and the entire route was well marked with buoys.  We did have a 26 member team of Panamanians join the ship (several were pilots).  We trust they knew all of the shallow spots and kept us in the deepest waters.   And we figured that to keep the ship light in the water, we did not have full fuel tanks.  For the first time ever, the ship had to stop outside the canal beyond the Bridge of the Americas to bunker fuel. 

 

Entering the first locks at Gatun, we saw the Ruby Princess entering the new Agua Clara Locks.  Then a Carnival ship was behind us as we left Gatun Locks.    It appeared that neither ship was headed for the complete transit.  We assume they turned around in the lake, and went back to the Caribbean.   That may have saved them some money, since our transit was $366,000 and probably paid in cash.  By the way, the entire narration through the Canal was delivered by our cruise and travel Director, Kimberly.  She did a fantastic job, talking most all of the day from the navigation deck until well after 6:30pm.  It would have been better if she had been able to broadcast from every speaker, but it came through only on the outside decks, not near the rooms.  The room TV’s worked but the sound was only ½ of what it could be.  And in order to hear it, you had to stay inside the room. 

 

Usually, the ship enters the locks on the Caribbean side so early, it is dark.  Today we did the transit with the early morning sun rising behind the newest Atlantic Bridge which opened in 2019.  The Gatun Locks took us up about 100 feet in three consecutive sections.  There are also double locks here for two way traffic.   The nearby Agua Clara Locks that opened in 2016 can accommodate  much larger ships such as the Neopanamax and some of the newest cruise line behemoths.    The Zuiderdam is small in comparison, so we went the traditional route.   

 

The manmade Gatun Lake sits between 82 and 87 feet above sea level, and became our passage for much of the morning.  Kimberly continued her narration almost non-stop as we passed by Barro Colorado Island, home of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.   More than 100 species  of mammals and reptiles can be found here, but are seldom seen.  There are also 500 different bird species, but the majority we saw today were vultures and frigatebirds.  The busy settlement of Gamboa is located here as well as the Chagres River.

 

A famous section of the canal has to be the Culebra Cut, which gave the builders the most difficult challenge in the old days.  It is an 8 mile transit crossing the Continental Divide.  The rocks and soil excavated from here is said to be equal to that of 63 Egyptian pyramids.   The Centennial Bridge, built in 2004, has helped lessen traffic on the older Bridge of the Americas.   We have been lucky to have driven over this bridge while on a tour when it first opened.

 

By 1:30pm, we entered the Pedro Miguel Locks, where our ship was lowered 30 ½ feet to Miraflores Lake.  We did have some onlookers that came to cheer us on as we exited the lock.  From here we slowly made our way to the Miraflores Locks, where hundreds of locals came out to greet us.  The two chambers dropped the ship 54 feet, bringing us to the level of the Pacific Ocean.   The newest and larger locks, Cocoli Locks, are visible from here and opened in 2016.  Once again, we did not use the modern locks. 

 

As we were on our way towards the final bridge, we knew the area on the port side to watch for capybaras that sometimes graze in a field near a wooded mangrove.  We did spot six of them, one of which was a “porker”.  They are the world’s largest rodent and are on some menus in this part of the country.  We scanned the banks for other wildlife, but only saw many types of birds.  No crocs. 

 

The final exit from the canal was the Bridge of the Americas completed in 1962. The cost to the USA was 20 million dollars, a small amount these days, it was impressive back then.  This bridge is part of the Pan-American highway.

 

At 6pm, we were scheduled to bunker fuel at a Balboa anchorage.  However, due to a comedy of errors, we ended up bunkering the fuel for 12 hours instead of six hours. Some of these errors were due to mishandling of the ropes of the barge as well as the ropes getting sucked into the pumps.  This was the team of locals that had the problems.   And we are certain that Captain Frank found no humor in this situation at all.  The Zuiderdam left the area after 8am this morning and needed to do 19 knots to make up for the lost time. 

 

During the afternoon, we had a series of birthday deliveries.  First was another decorated cupcake on a plate from the Captain.  Then Maja,  the Guest Relations manager, and Michelle, our concierge paid us a visit carrying gifts.  One was a woven black & white bracelet from the Nautical team and a small commemorative wooden plaque,  compliments of the Technical Team with Happy B Day and my name on it.  Both came with really nice cards.

 

We chose to have dinner in the Pinnacle Grill, as we always do on our birthdays.  It was also another way to avoid the display of the waiters singing in the dining room.  As it turned out, we were instantly greeted by Jacques, the Cellar Master, who escorted us into the restaurant and proceeded to present us with a chilled bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne.  The real deal.  It was a gift from him, Tina, and Henk, our hotel director.  Our meal was excellent with warm rolls, wedge salads with a side of candied bacon, and two small filets with fries and a baked potato.  We had a surprise visit from Henk and head chef Neil wishing a wonderful birthday to me.  Then a three layer cake arrived and of course, all of the wait staff singing Happy Birthday.  They all had the “candles” to blow out.  We opted for a small serving of sorbet and asked for the cake to be delivered tomorrow after our dining room dinner.  Once again, it was the best birthday ever, and most unexpected.   And we did get two certificates for today’s successful crossing of the Panama Canal.  But there was one more nice surprise…..our room stewards Putu and Dedi had made a two-tiered towel “cake” tied with a ribbon and dotted with pillow chocolates and Kleenex candles.  A very nice gesture, we really appreciated adding it to the collection.

 

Really looking forward to a day at sea tomorrow, although we were still bunkering fuel when we called it a night by 11pm.

 

Bill & Mary Ann   

 

 

[LouChamp]

Aloha.  The happiest of birthdays!

[cunnorl]

 What a great day for your Birthday!  A very Happy Birthday and may you have many more!

[Toad]

Happy Birthday, and thank you for gifting all of us your wonderful travel log. 

[oakridger]

That's fantastic that you had your birthday on the Panama Canal!!  Really special. 

Have a wonderful year ahead Mary Ann!  🎂

 

~Nancy

Edited January 26 by oakridger

[WCB]

Report #27  Thursday  January 25, 2024  Sea Day Enroute To Quepos, Costa Rica  Sunny And Warm 82 Degrees  Seas Are Flat No Breeze Part #1 Of 1.....No Pictures---Casual Dress

 

Another day at sea was appreciated by everyone we know.  It took us most of the afternoon catching up yesterday’s events.  Like we described yesterday, one thing after another went wrong with the fuel bunkering process, and we had to leave later than expected.  Good thing the Captain said we still had leeway to make up that lost sailing time.  

 

Usually when we exit the Panama Canal, the Pacific Ocean side is a bit cooler and less humid.  We sure did not feel that when walking the deck this morning.  There must have been a following wind that made the temperature seem much higher then the 80 or so degrees that it was.  And we had the company of a flock of brown boobies flying around the ship.  We did not see flying fish, but these birds were diving for something.   There may be small squid or similar size fish they were scooping up.  Later in the afternoon, the waters smoothed out, and we kept watch for possible dolphin sightings.  Never saw any though.

 

Hoping for more of a breeze on the Sea View Pool deck, we discovered it was just as warm and sticky back there.  The funny thing was that when we first boarded the ship, there were more deck attendants back here who offered you beverages, whether they be ice water or beers for instance.  The last two weeks, we have not seen that happen with any of us back here between 10 and 12 pm.  Perhaps these servers have been re-assigned to busier venues.  There is a self-service drink station in the Lido, so it is not a problem getting our own drinks.  If we were traveling on a different ship and a different cruise line, we are sure we would be bombarded with drink offers like every 5 minutes.  We will never see that happen here.

 

Between reports, photos, and posting the blog, the afternoon evaporated.  While having a light lunch, we listened to the port talk about Quepos, Costa Rica.   This will be a new port for us, as we always stop at Puntarenas going in this direction.  From what we have gathered, this town is a nice change from Puntarenas, and is a place for beaches and national park tours.  The photos of the marina look really nice.  This will be a tender port because there is no dock. 

 

This evening we were invited to a cocktail party with our travel hosts in the Crow’s Nest.    The early diners would go at 4:30pm, while the second and late seating group would go at 6:30pm.  Since this trip began, we have only been to the Crow’s Nest once to book a free tour.  So tonight, we were pleased to find a nice bar with high top stools….so much better than the very low chairs they have in the rest of the lounge.  This party was well-attended and had many key officers such as the Captain, his wife, Henk, Christel, Shiv, Maja, Michelle, and many other staff members we have met.  Twinkle, the assistant beverage manager always takes care of us with our drinks.  Some canapies were passed around, and a few short and sweet speeches were delivered. Talking to Captain Frank, he discussed the problems we had yesterday with the fuel delivery.   The main question of the day seems to be….where are we going on this cruise?  And when will we be told the itinerary changes?  The answer we seem to hear was an announcement was coming soon…like within a week.  We are betting that that itinerary will include Africa.

 

Dinner was good with appetizers of spring rolls, a spinach and mushroom salad, and mains of prime rib.  The meat was cooked perfectly and was tender as well.  Good thing we saved some room for dessert, since the birthday cake from last night was here for us.  We each had a slice of the cheesecake part, and we do hope our waiters will enjoy the rest of it.  To top off the evening, the clocks went back one hour.  We are on central time now.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Report #28  Friday  January 26, 2024  Quepos, Costa Rica Anchored  Tender Port  7am-4pm  Cloudy And Hot 90 Degrees  Wind Star Also Here   Part #1 Of 5.......55 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

The Costa Rican port of Quepos today is a new one for us.  But first of all, here is a snippet of info on this Central American country.   Costa Rica has a population of 4.8 million Spanish-speaking people.  The capital is San Jose where the coffee plantations are situated as well as the volcanoes and rainforests.  This country has a little of everything such as waterfalls, crater lakes, jungles, and beaches.  The locals are friendly and enjoy the “pura vida” or good life.  Compared to neighboring countries, there is very little poverty here as the standard of living is high.  Their secret lies in the fact that education is a top priority.  Another interesting fact is that Costa Rica has survived without an army for over 60 years, relying on their police and national guard.

 

The shore excursions were different here compared to the usual ones out of Puntarenas.   We were anchored off of the town of Quepos, located near the Parque National Manuel Antonio, the smallest park, but the most popular area.   This park has howler monkeys, white-face capuchins, tropical birds,  sloths, and iguanas.  A tour to this park (the only place you will see these critters) was $140 for 4 ½ hours.   A tropical forest aerial tram was $160 for 7 hours and included a lunch.  Savegre River floating adventure for 5 hours was $170, while a dolphin and whale watching tour with lunch was 7 hours and $200.   And a most interesting fact to remember, is that there are 8 species of poison-dart frogs that may be beautiful, but they have skin secretions that can cause paralysis and death if they get into your bloodstream.  Don’t touch!  Ever!

 

Today’s temperature must have been the hottest yet, around 88 – 90 degrees with a very high humidity.  In other words, it was extremely uncomfortable.  The breeze was almost non-existent, which did not help.  There was a sun haze that enveloped the entire harbor and hillsides all day….almost like a thin veil of fog.  Not the best friend of the cameras.

 

This was a tender port as well.    During breakfast, one of our waitresses told us that the line to get tender tickets was stretched from the Rolling Stones Lounge to the back end of the ship.   We had arrived at 7am, so many folks wanted to get off early in hopes of booking independent tours ashore we assume.  And there was another ship in the harbor……Windstar.  Although smaller than us by a lot, there were still many guests looking to do the same tours. 

 

We stayed onboard until the thundering herd got off, which was about 10am.  The tender boat ride to the marina was only about 10 minutes.  It became quite apparent what this town is all about when we saw the number of deep sea fishing boats in the Marina Pez Vela.  It is renowned for world-class sports fishing for blue marlin and sailfish.  This complex is very modern and filled with restaurants, bars, stores, and boat- related facilities. And from the signs we saw, there are competitions here.  The actual town of Quepos was about a ¼ mile walk to the left.  The park was about 5 miles away and the closest beach was about the same distance to the south.  Due to a powerful undertow, there were no usable beaches in town. 

 

As soon as we left the marina complex, there was a wide promenade walkway along the beach and water below.  The rocks holding up this embankment were full of iguanas of all sizes.  They were just starting to appear on the heated rocks to warm up.  This walkway was really the highlight of the town, which was basically essential shopping for locals.  The only thing touristy about it had to be the bars and restaurants.   We walked the whole area, passing the supermarket, a few fruit stands on the corners, and plenty of shoe shops.  The biggest attraction was the firehouse, where some folks were admiring the fire engines.  There was a church nearby, but asking some locals where it was did not work as they did not speak English.  And the only monkeys, toucans, and sloths we saw were the stuffed animals for sale in the toy store.  

 

Back to the promenade walk, we did spot every bird that lives here such as the pelicans, shore birds, herons, grackles, pigeons, doves, and a vulture.  We got back to the marina by noontime, and boarded a waiting tenderboat.  And yes, it was great to get back to the coolness of our room.  All aboard was 3:30pm, and the ship eventually left the harbor by 4:30pm.   We watched for dolphins and whales, but had no luck.  All we saw were the brown boobies that re-appeared once we got out to sea.

 

Dinner was good with curried chicken empanadas for starters.  One of us had chicken “spaghetti” soup and the other a Caesar salad, which arrived without the dressing.  Our waiter quickly brought one of those tiny square containers of dressing.  Mains were the everyday herb roasted chicken and a chicken scaloppini with mashed potatoes and a savory gravy.   One of the head chefs, Hari, stopped by and asked how we liked the chicken.  Very good for the scaloppini, which was a new entree for one of us.  The chef described the process of  the mushroom gravy making with added cognac and heavy cream.   He knew it would be a hit tonight.   Desserts were opera cake and sliced pineapple.  

 

There was a show tonight with the return of Chris Pendleton, a comedian who promised to be hilarious.  We are not sure how many people would attend the late show, since it was such a long, hot day, most of the diners had left the dining room by 9pm. 

 

Now we have a few days at sea before arriving to Mexico.  Hope it cools down a bit by then.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #29  Saturday  January 27, 2024   Sea Day Enroute To Manzanillo, Mexico  Sunny With A Slight Breeze A Few Clouds 85 Degrees 6' Swell  Part #1 Of 2.......44  Pictures---Casual Dress

 

Our day at sea was most relaxing even though the day began early with the 7:30am breakfast.   We have been used to an 8am start on sea days and the half hour early is a bit hard to get used to.  Of course, we like the table we are given every day, and the minute we arrive 5 minutes late, someone else will claim it.  Almost like a game with some folks.  By the way, our entree plates have been hot every morning, and as long as we are very specific with our order, all has come exactly correct. 

 

Hoping that the temperatures would have cooled down a little that did not happen.  It was just as warm and muggy today as yesterday.  The seas have smoothed out nicely and that would prove to be a very good thing later in the afternoon.

 

The masked and brown boobies have followed us from Costa Rica, diving after flying fish, and perching on the bow.  According to Captain Frank, they are amusing to watch however they are leaving quite a mess out there.  Now we wonder how far they will go before flying back south? 

 

There is a new lecturer onboard by the name of Frederick Grant.  His topic was about Mexico’s parks, reserves, and marine areas.  It’s always nice to learn as much as you can about an upcoming part of the world that we are about to visit.  Also Kimberly gave a talk on Manzanillo, the first of two ports we will be visiting in Mexico.  We caught it later when it appeared on the TV. 

 

Have any of you heard of an ice cream social?  And one that includes a banana-split eating contest?  Yes….the top three fastest eaters will be prized with a treat.  That happened from 3 to 4pm, but we missed it as we were on watch for any type of sea life we might see.  Just by pure luck, we were sitting on our veranda, and heard a splash near the ship right below us.  Low and behold, it was a jumping dolphin.  It popped out twice then dove.   If there was one, there must be more right?  Being patient, we waited and watched and finally we saw more splashing in the distance.  Yep, more dolphins playing in the ship’s wake.  It was far off in the distance, but the camera caught the action.  We stayed outside until after the sun went down hoping for more sightings, but saw none.  But there’s always tomorrow…..

 

Last night we had a reminder notice that our credit cards will be charged on January 30^th.  If we owed a balance, then the credit card on file will be charged.  If we had a credit, then it will roll over for the next period.  They do give you the choice of changing your card on file if there is a problem with the billing.  This was never done on a world cruise, but it seems to be the rule now on all of the ships, especially those with longer itineraries. 

 

Dinnertime had some new items with a bay shrimp appetizer, a Caesar salad, and the old stand-by of French onion soup.  Our entrees were the same…..pork tenderloin with applesauce.  Could have used a lot more applesauce, but we always forget to ask.   Desserts were one caramel flan and a fruit plate.  And one cup of hot coffee. 

 

A new entertainer joined the ship and her name is Michelle Montuori, a stage and recording artist.  She was billed as a cabaret singer with her own brand of humor.  We agree…she was good.

 

Another day at sea with hopes of seeing more of those dolphins.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[Toad]

Look for your entry every morning, thank you.

[WCB]

Report #30  Sunday  January 28, 2024  Sea Day Enroute To Manzanillo, Mexico  Sunny And Warm 85 Degrees  Sea State Flat Very Little Breeze After A Very Rough Night 45mph Winds  Part #1 Of 1.......26 Pictures--Dressy Night

 

It has taken us this long to remember we dubbed “Sunday” as mimosa day in the Pinnacle Grill at breakfast.  As a matter of fact, fresh-squeezed orange juice, mimosas, cappuccinos and espresso coffees are complimentary every day.   They are not necessarily promoted like they were when we traveled on the Nieuw Statendam two years ago, but these items are on the menu for those who wish to order them.  Actually, one of us had the poinsettia version which is cranberry juice and champagne.  

 

And that leads us to Sunday Brunch, which used to be a venue every couple of weeks while on last year’s world cruise.   So far, we have not seen that happen on this trip.  But close to it, we discovered there was a Spot of Brunch in the Lido Market from 11am to 2pm where waffles, pancakes, and eggs Benedict were being served along with many other items.  The regular dining room breakfast was still an option, as was the regular lunch menu in the Lido.  This probably works better for everyone.

 

The biggest subject of the day had to be weather we encountered last night.  Captain Frank had predicted a very windy and possibly rough evening as we entered an area of a system along the coastline.  By midnight, it became apparent that his prediction was obviously right on.  The winds reached 45mph and combined with deep sea swells, it made for one really rough evening….extreme at times to wake one of us up all night long.   Thank goodness, by the morning, the conditions improved leaving only wet decks outside.  During his noon update today, the Captain said last night’s episode was a phenomenon which we hope would not be repeated.  The system that caused the ship to roll and pitch was far behind us now. 

 

But there would be something to brighten our day…….the sightings of dolphins and whales.  Taking a walk on the promenade deck around 9:30am, we saw some spouting whales in the distance.  Not quite the same as humpback whale blows, but definitely something big.  Then we saw the giant splash from one of the breaching whales.  Some friends who were also on the deck, said they may be fin whales.  They had brought up a picture of one on their phone and it sure looked the same to us.  At that point, we did not have our camera, so we headed back to the room to whale-spot from our veranda.  And we did get some shots of them as well as some dolphins.  Naturally we kept watch for an hour, and may have seen some more whales but far in the distance. 

 

We went to the Sea View Pool and had to pull chairs over to the poolside.  The tables had been pulled under the overhang while going through that bad weather, but not put back.   We have been finding that the wait staff back at this pool is about non-existent.  If there are a few waiters, they seem to bus tables more than anything else.  We find this most unusual as on other world cruises, these fellows or gals have been very attentive.  While we were sitting there, the Captain announced dolphins were seen on both sides of the ship.  Going to the side railing, we did see at least three of them swimming under the surface, but never jumping. 

 

Most of our afternoon was spent watching both football games.  The first game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens went about as expected.  The second game between the SF 49ers and the Detroit Lions was not going well, and we had to leave for dinner right after half time.  What a surprise to learn that the 49ers won that game as they were down by a lot from the very beginning.  Looking forward to Super Bowl Sunday next month.  It should be a good game.

 

Dressy was the code for tonight’s dinner.  We have only had one of those in the entire month.  Anyway the menu was really leaning to the formal cuisine with escargots, ½ Dover sole, with the most requested entrée being liver and onions.  Really.  We opted for shrimp cocktails, salads, and mains of lasagna and everyday chicken.   A small slice of lemon torte finished our meal. 

 

A vocalist by the name of DJ Bucciarelli did the Neil Sedaka Songbook.  We are sure he was good but we really wanted to get back to see who won the football game.

 

We do not arrive to the port of Manzanillo until noontime tomorrow.   It will be a good place to stretch our legs and take a long walk through town.   Hope it will not be too hot.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Report #31  Monday  January 29, 2024  Manzanillo, Mexico  Docked Port Side To Pier 12:30pm-9pm  Heavy Clouds And Overcast 80 Degrees Slight Breeze   Part #1 Of 3......69 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

Another day, another country.  This time it is Mexico and the port of Manzanillo, the sailfish capital of the country.   It is far from the largest city, but it does have 159,000 people that keep this port city going.  Manzanillo is the major seaport that transports cargo for Mexico City, the nation’s capital.  We happened to stop here two years ago while on the Nieuw Amsterdam, but never realized the size of the container and commercial area of this massive harbor.  No wonder it was a pirate’s haven back in the old days. 

 

When we woke up this morning, it was still dark.  Even at 7am, the daylight was just beginning.  Sure feels like a time change is necessary soon.  Perhaps after we stop in Puerto Vallarta.  Our arrival time was set at 12pm, so there was no rush to get up early for most folks this morning.   The tours would not leave until after noon time, and two of those would go first.  One was a drive to Comala with a lunch for 6 ¾ hours for $115.   The second  one was magical pueblos in Comala for $110 and 7 hours.  Manzanillo beach and shopping was 6 ½ hours for $50, while Salt,  Fruit and clay brick-making was 5 ¼ hours for $70.  Another beach trip was 4 ½ hours for $50, and fruit, folklore, and orchids was $70 for 5 hours.  Last was a city drive and shopping for $50 and 4 ½ hours. 

 

During her port talk, Kimberly also suggested taking a taxi to another beach where you can buy a day pass.  This would include use of the hotel’s beachfront, all beverages, and a buffet lunch for $70 per person.  Considering that included all soft and alcoholic drinks, it is not a bad price.  She did advise everyone that it is common for shops and restaurants to close down during siesta time.  That would be from 2pm to 4:30pm.  Considering the weather was warm and sticky, the overcast skies might not have been the best for a beach day. 

 

Once we were docked, everyone was waiting to get off, but there was a problem.  The local officials had not shown up yet, and we were not officially cleared.  That did happen before 12:30pm, and we watched as all of the tour groups went off and headed for their buses.  And it was one l-o-n-g walk on the pier to get to the shoreside.  We waited until 1pm before we left.  One nice thing we noticed was that the dining room offered an express lunch from 11am to 12pm.  That way the Lido would not be crowded. 

 

Once outside the port gate, we turned left and followed the main road to see all of the fishing boats in the harbor.  No fancy yachts or sail boats here, but strictly deep sea vessels or small fishing boats.  There is a reason there is a gigantic blue sailfish marking the malecon, as this is considered one of the best places in Mexico for deep sea fishing.   We did not go too far this way, because the wide pedestrian street ended.  Turning back, we headed for the wide avenue of the malecon where the sailfish stands proud..  Along this stretch of harborfront, there is a Zodiac walk with artist’s editions of each month’s signs.  There was a nice parklike setting where benches were placed under shade trees.  We took full advantage of the benches, at least for a few minutes. 

 

At this far end, we turned left and headed up one of the main shopping streets of the old town.  There was everything that you would need right in about three blocks.  The most common shops had to be the shoe stores, followed by some clothes shops.  There was one fairly nice hotel that was just opening for lunch.   It was full of locals more than tourists.  The side streets provided more photo ops with the steepest steps we have seen to go uphill.  Most of the homes on the hillsides were painted bright colors.  They also painted the stairs the same colors.   When the street ran out of shops, we turned around.  It was really crowded for a Monday, and from what saw, very few businesses were shutting down for the siesta.  

 

We made our way back to the ship arriving by 3pm, never finding a suitable place for lunch.  Chicken Caesar salads sounded good to us and a shared club sandwich.  We had the best view of town all afternoon.  Two years ago, we had the treat of seeing a whale in the harbor, which came quite close to the ship all day long.   We did search for it, but only saw pelicans, frigates, terns, and sea gulls.  Later in the afternoon, we spotted a sting ray in the harbor waters below our room. 

 

At one point, we believe we bunkered fuel on the starboard side, as we could smell it.  During dinner, we did see a barge was alongside the starboard side of the ship until we left close to 9pm.   Dinner had a few good choices starting with breaded chicken tenders and split pea soup.  One of us ordered the pork tenderloin and the other had the alternate steak.  The best part of the steak dinner were the French fries, which were served piping hot.  Desserts were a lemon meringue cheesecake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and pineapple slices. 

 

Knowing most folks would be tired after a long day in port, there was a movie in the World Stage instead of a live show.  It was Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and was also shown at 3pm today.  Both showings offered popcorn.

 

Tomorrow we will be visiting Puerto Vallarta, another place where we walk until we drop.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Report #32  Tuesday  Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico  Docked Port Side To Pier 8am-5pm  Cloudy With Overcast Skies 75 Degrees 1mph Breeze  Part #1 Of 5........55 Pictures--Casual Dress

 

The Zuiderdam arrived to the port of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico around 7am…..in the dark again.  The ship was cleared shortly after 8am, but there was a problem with the keycard check at the gangway.  It wasn’t working, so everyone debarking had to give their room number which was written down.  The tours that were offered today all went off at 8am, so there must have been a long line for folks to get off.  All those who were not on the HAL excursions were asked to wait a while for the guests to get off to their buses. 

 

Today the ship was docked in a different spot than we used to be.  Portside, or our side, was facing Walmart and Sam’s Club.  There would eventually be another ship here, the Carnival Panorama, but she was docked sort of behind us. Much bigger than us, she has 133,500 gross tons and holds up to 3954  guests and 1450 crew.  They are just beginning their 7 day Mexico runs.  The slip across from the new terminal shopping mall remained empty, except for the pirate boat and some catamarans.  Leaving the ship, we were channeled between two rows of souvenir tents, then through a very small building with armed guards and xray to be used on our way back.  The crew were most happy since we were close to Walmart where every one of them was planning on snack-shopping. 

 

There were several tours today, but here are a few of the most popular.  A boat ride to see whales and dolphins at Marietas Islands with a lunch was $90 for 6 hours.   Another speedboat took folks to a beach for horseback riding.  It included a lunch and was $145 for 7 hours.  Rare spirits of Puerto Vallarta with lunch was $65 for 5 ½ hours. 

 

We left the ship before 10am, and headed towards the Malecon, which was a walk of 3.4 miles.  Lucky for us, the weather was mild, with temperatures in the mid-70’s, and a little humidity.  We have been here so many times in May when the sun is blazing and the highs are in the 90’s.  With a nice breeze, it did help make our walk a little more pleasant.  The seaside walkway that lines the Pacific Ocean is one of the most celebrated spots in the city.  It was full of people shopping, drinking, getting seats in the dozens of restaurants along the street, and watching the pole-climbers that put on a free show for the tourists.  The sand artists were there as well as some young local fellows dressed in traditional feather headgear and costumes.  Not sure what they did, other than pose for photos with people. 

 

Towards the center of the Malecon was the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  The church looms over the city and has become an iconic symbol of the town.  This was at the 4-mile mark for us….from the pier to the church.  Continuing on, we walked through old downtown and across the Rio Cuale, where one of our favorite restaurants is located.  It was exactly noon when we arrived, and they were opened for lunch.  Cannot tell you how good it was to sit down and relax with ice cold Pacifico beers.  Seated at a table with the view of the river, we ordered their Mexican combination of cheese nachos and quesadillas.  Complimentary tortilla chips and salsa started our meal.  Then we added one order of chicken fajitas with corn and flour tortillas.  They were delicious with guacamole and a bean dip.  Our kind waiter turned on some fans and added the misters which cooled off the balcony nicely.  Back round music was added by a harpist, and later a troubadour came through the restaurant playing his guitar.   These days, that is something you might see in a movie.  This is authentic Mexico at its best.  We did take note that this café attracts more locals than tourists.

 

We had to watch our time, since it was a long hike back, and all aboard was at 4:30pm.  On the way out of the restaurant, we saw friends who were there with their friends who happen to live in this city.  They all agreed this restaurant was the best in town.   We chatted for a bit, then continued on our way passing by numerous riverside souvenir tents.  Making our way back up a flight of stairs to the oceanside, we ran into Heo and Greg as well as Ginni and Rich.  The guys were so excited to be the first to tell us that our itinerary for the world cruise had been announced and very much changed due to the evolving situation in the Red Sea and Suez Canal.  As we expected, both were cancelled along with India, The Emirates, Oman, and Jordan.  The Mediterranean was totally out of the question now. 

 

So after we stop at Sri Lanka, the ship will head to the Maldives, Seychelles, and Tanzania….all two day stays.  Then we will hit Mozambique, Durban, and a 3 day stay in Cape Town.   There will be two stops in Namibia, Ghana, The Gambia, and Cape Verde.  Then it will be Transatlantic to Puerto Rico and finally back to Ft. Lauderdale  on May 11^th.  A future cruise credit of 15% of the base price of this cruise will be applied to a new booking to be sailed by the end of 2025.  In addition, each of us will receive $500 shipboard credit to be used to offset the new visas we will need. The ship will be able to obtain these visas onboard, and we will not have to apply on our own.  People will get credit for tours that they booked, and we are certain excursions will be added in the new ports.   So, the “mystery” cruise is no longer a mystery!  Not everyone is thrilled with all of the changes, but better safe than sorry we say.

 

We highly recommended the restaurant to our buddies to get the best lunch, so we hope they took us up on the tip.  But we think the walk there may have been too much for the group.   Taking our time, we walked back to the ship with many short stops along the way.  We had intended to make a visit to Fiestamerica , but when we passed by the driveway guard, he asked to see our bracelets. What bracelets?  Apparently you need to be a member of their hotel complex in order to use their facilities.  That included getting sodas at their outdoor pool bar.  Oh well, at this point we were close to the pier, and continued along our way. 

 

That’s when we spotted the Carnival ship’s famous whale tail stacks.  And that had to be the groups of folks that were headed past us and into downtown.  They were staying later than us, and still had time to make it to the Old Town.   We got back by 4pm, and really relaxed with cold sodas for the rest of the afternoon.  We were surprised to see how many passengers arrived with one minute to spare before the all aboard time.  One man was using that time to negotiate a jewelry purchase at one of the tents, and we hoped it worked as he had to run to get back to the gangway.   When you see some of the officers gathering at the gangway, you had better hustle and forget the shopping.

 

Leaving the harbor, a very nice pilot boat followed along.  When the pilot was dropped off, Captain Frank tooted his horn several times, as did the pilot captain in response.  We will not see another pilot boat until we reach Kona Hawaii several days from now.  On the way out of the gigantic bay, Captain Frank had mentioned to keep a watch for whales.  Then shortly after 5pm, he came on the speakers and said they spotted some on the port side.  Lucky for those of us on the port side, we did see some whales blowing and skimming the water.   We are not certain the type of whales we saw, but they did not behave the same way humpbacks do.  Once again they may have been fin whales.

 

Around 7pm, we were waiting for the sun to go down, but did not expect to see the display that developed suddenly.  Beginning with a sliver of orange light on the horizon, eventually lit up every whipped-cream like cloud that had scattered through the sky.  Very similar to the Hawaiian sunsets we have been lucky to see.  If the ship maintains the mostly west/southwest direction, we should be able to see both sunrise and sunset for the following week. 

 

We could have easily skipped dinner, but there were a few items on the menu that were good.  One such item was a tomato soup, different salads, and flat iron steak.  We would call the steak London broil, sliced thinly and served with crispy fingerling potatoes.  A small slice of carrot cake and much-needed sliced bananas were our desserts.  And good news….the clocks went back one hour this evening.  We sure need the extra time after such a vigorous day in Puerto Vallarta. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[oakridger]

I do like Puerto Vallarta and can see myself spending some time there on a land trip!  @WCB, Mary Ann, what is the name of the restaurant you went to?  I'll seek it out next time I'm there!

 

Thanks,

~Nancy

[WCB]

Report #33  Wednesday  January 31, 2024   Sea Day Enroute To Kona, Hawaii, USA  Sunny And Cooler 73 Degrees 6mph Wind And A 6' Swell  Part #1 Of 1........8 Pictures---Casual Dress On Backwards Day

 

We have now begun a trek at sea on our way towards Kona, Hawaii.  It was very quiet in the Pinnacle Grill this morning , more than likely due to the fact we rolled the clocks back one hour, and the fact that yesterday was a busy one in a fun port.  We did notice that many guests on our deck had their “do not disturb” sign in their key slots. 

 

The skies remained partly cloudy most of the day, keeping the temperatures down.  In fact, we noticed a change in the breeze, which did not have the humidity with it.  We do hope that the fairly calm seas will stay with us for the rest of the sailing.  Sometimes this route we are taking can get plenty rough.

 

Todays newsletter was nicknamed “Backwards Day”.  Why….we have absolutely no idea.  The itinerary was printed flip-flopped inside, perhaps to see if the folks are really reading it.  The new Hawaiian cultural ambassadors have arrived, led by Kainoa.  He has been on every South Pacific cruise we have done in the past several years as well as on the Alaska runs.  He does his job quite well and we look forward to his talks.  Today he will discuss the humpback whales.

 

We spent an hour at the Sea View Pool and actually found it comfortable back there.  Up until now, it has been very hot and humid.   We do know that after we leave the Hawaiian Islands and head north towards Japan, the weather will be quite different.  In a word……it will be cold.  So we will soak up the sun as much as we can until then.

 

There was a mandatory drill today that meant we all had to attend our muster station and have our room keys scanned.  It began at 1pm and the odd number staterooms went first.  Those on decks one, four, and five went first.  Then at 1:30pm, the even number cabin numbers went from decks six, seven, eight, and ten.  It seemed to work well because no one was called after the fact like what usually happens when we are in a port.  After getting scanned, we all had to go back to the room and run the safety video.  Once completed, the room TVs went back to normal programming.  Sure beats the days when we had to trip up or down the stairs with our life vests in tow.  Then stand at attention in the hot sun by our tender boats.

 

At 6:30pm, we had an invite to a cocktail party for the President’s Club members and the key officers and staff.  It was dubbed Mexican Style and included some nice Mexican canapies, like nacho chips with bean and guacamole dip, coconut crusted shrimp, a cheese puff, and a beef treat.   Drinks flowed by the attentive bar staff as we were greeted by Captain Frank and Henk.  We would guess that the number of staff and officers exceeded the number of guests, as there are only about 26 of us.  It was a perfect opportunity to discuss the itinerary changes that were made yesterday.  It does sound as if the change in direction will be final.  A lot goes into re-routing, according to Henk, and we learned that the deliveries and fuel bunkering are the first things to be mapped out.  Then the ports are added depending on their availability as well.  More details regarding these changes will be coming in the following days according to Shiv, who filled us in on some of the details. 

 

Following the party, we had dinner in the Pinnacle Grill tonight.  Usually we always order the wedge salad, but tonight, there was no iceberg lettuce, so we had to switch to Caesar salads.   They still went well with the clothesline bacon, although the thick slab bacon has not been available since day one.  They have substituted regular bacon which is OK, but not quite the same.  Our entrees were the lamb chops, but on a “naked “ plate.  In other words, no smear of bean puree or other unidentifiable vegetables.  We each added a half of a baked potato, and our plates were full.  Our waiter had suggested we ask for three chops instead of two, but that would have been too much.  We are happy with the slightly smaller portions.  And as it was, we skipped dessert.  No room.

 

While talking to Captain Frank, he sort of said that the seas will remain calm at least for a few days.  Now we are wondering what we have in store for us? 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[WCB]

Report #34  Thursday  February 1, 2024  Sea Day Enroute To Kona, Hawaii  Sunny With Clouds Cooler 72 Degrees 4mph Breeze  8' Swell  Part #1 Of 1.......33 Pictures----Casual Dress

 

Well, here we start the month of February with a whole new outlook for the second half of this world cruise.  Many people we know have already begun searches on independent tours in the new ports.  We are more than certain that the shore excursion team will come up with many choices as they always do.  The interesting ones will be in Africa especially if overland safaris will be included in the choices.  Normally, most of the big camps fill up more than a year in advance.  So far, we have no plans to do any overland trips since we are looking to do that in 2025.  That is if HAL decides to repeat the African portion of that future cruise.  Perhaps more guests will opt for the Pole-To-Pole grand voyage.  Only time will tell.

 

We did receive another letter from Henk, our hotel manager, who went into further detail about the Future Cruise Credit.  Originally, the first letter stated that only new bookings could receive that credit.  Now they are saying that if we have existing reservations and they are not paid in full, then the FCC will apply.  Last evening at the cocktail party, we also heard that the FCC may be applied to the 2026 Grand Voyage.  But that has not been put into writing yet.  In addition, it may take until February 29^th for everyone’s FCC to be calculated and applied to our Mariner accounts.  Of course, we are all welcomed to make a visit to the cruise consultant onboard and have them explain the details even further. 

 

It appears that the most asked question about the itinerary changes has been regarding the cancellation of India.  No matter how they tried, HAL could not fit in that 2 day stop without impacting the rest of the journey.  For us, we did not have any plans for over lands in India this time, so the change did not matter all that much.  One of us will miss the shoe shopping however.

 

Now we are curious if any guests have decided to leave this cruise from Singapore for instance.  The way we read the first communication, if you choose to leave the trip, you will not get the 15% future cruise credit.  So far that particular option has not be clarified.  Nor will it be encouraged. 

 

Our day was a relaxing one.  We were pretty much set on an overcast cloudy day, but eventually, the clouds departed and we had mostly blue skies and mild temperatures.  There was a nip in the breeze in the afternoon, which was nice.  At one point, we think the Captain mentioned seeing whale spouts, but we cannot be sure, since at 4pm, no announcements will come into the rooms.  Might disturb those who are taking naps perhaps?  We were outside, and the announcement was coming from deck three, so it was impossible to decipher what was being said. 

 

We did spend some time at the Sea View Pool and found that many guests were lined up for the Lido lunch.  Yesterday the theme was “soul food”, and we are not sure what that might be?  Today the special was donuts and eclairs and the line was even longer.  So far we have been successful in staying clear of those temptations.   Lunch for us was room service around 2:30pm with salads and a shared sandwich.  That way we have exactly what we ordered and are not tempted with all the other good stuff.

 

A few boobies have stayed with us, and today we did see a couple of flying fish.  The birds appear sporadically, so we figured they are taking breaks on the bow of the ship.  We never did see any whales spouting, but then they may have been on the starboard side. 

 

The dinner menu had few good choices this evening.  Luckily we were not that hungry.  Caesar salad is always a good option, since it appears the only lettuce is romaine.  One of us opted for the room service chicken noodle soup, and a tomato/mozzarella salad without the lettuce.  Our mains were one grilled pork chop and a roast beef dinner we used to get at the Mariner brunch.  One of us had some fresh pineapple for dessert, which was really ripe and sweet. 

 

Hoping for a time change with the clocks set back one hour.  But it did not happen tonight….darn.  Maybe tomorrow, as we are heading southwest at a high speed.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[WCB]

Report #35  Friday  February 2, 2024  Day At Sea Enroute To Kona, Hawaii  Sunny With Clouds And A Rain Shower  72 Degrees 12' Swell 14mph Wind  Part #1 Of 1........No Pictures-----Casual Dress

 

Strangely enough, we think today was even cooler than yesterday.  Normally when we head southwest like this, it gets warmer and much more humid.  What has changed are the seas.  We are experiencing deeper swells and lots of pitching and yawing.  According to Captain Frank, he mentioned that the next few days may bring more swells and possibly showers.  We sure do hope we are able to get into the three Hawaiian ports, because it has become apparent that we are running out of some staples like fresh veggies and yogurt.  The dinner menus seem to be spotty with the dinner entrees we always expect. 

 

It seemed odd to be going to breakfast and it was still dark.  There has to be a time change tonight, which would put us on Pacific time.  Then we think we still have two hours to add before we arrive to the Hawaiian Islands.  That would work out well for all of us.  One of our buddies admitted he is going to sleep 12 hours tonight.

 

Of course, it was another day to relax and spend some time chatting with friends.  Quite often we see Greg when we go to the Seaview Pool.  When we arrived by 11am, the ship had sailed under the blackest cloud in the sky, and it began to sprinkle.  Not enough to get us wet, but enough to send us under cover.   People in the one jacuzzi spa never got out of it.  We don’t know why, but it seems that only one of the two spas are open to use every day.  Very few people swim in the pool back here, so we suspect the water is cool now.   Anyway, we spent some time talking with Greg and catching up on all of the news.  Obviously, the biggest subject is the change of our itinerary and what the guests will do with the total switch of ports.  There is some talk that some people may choose to call it quits, and go home.  We will probably never know the number of folks that may leave, unless they are people we know.   Not everyone is thrilled with all of the Africa stops, especially those in West Africa. 

 

Life onboard with all of the talks and activities have gone on as scheduled.  Today it was everything “Hawaiian” with craft-making, a lecture on Hawaii by Kimberly, and dance lessons with the ambassadors.  Kainoa gave two talks about Hawaii- kingdom to state, and later he lectured on Captain James Cook, a fascinating character in the South Pacific area.   

 

It was a good day to enjoy watching two boobys diving for fish while reading on our veranda.  Before we knew it, dinnertime had arrived.  Like we said, there were not a lot of good choices for entrees, so we settled on the chicken cordon bleu.  Sometimes we suspect that these entrees are frozen, but tonight’s chicken was cooked on the spot.  Each serving was twice as large as we usually get.  The ham and cheese was lost in a giant chicken breast and a bit on the dry and chewy side.  We don’t know for a fact, but we think our meals are microwaved to make them hotter.  Perhaps 30 seconds would be sufficient, but any more than that will toughen up the dish, which was the case tonight.  It tasted fine, so we did not mention it to our waiter.  Next time, we might think twice before ordering it.   Slices of pineapple and a cup of hot coffee finished our meal. 

 

High Notes was the title for the entertainment this evening.  DJ Bucciarelli was the singer who celebrated music of Neil Sedaka and he was back with an all- new show.    We have gotten many reports that the World Stage is freezing during the shows.  For some reason, they seem to be having problems regulating the air-conditioning and heating.  For the most part, it has been too cold for most people.  It is not uncommon to see sweaters and jackets in the dining room at night.  Then in the middle of the night, it warms up and you wake up in a sweat.  Go figure…..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #36  Saturday  February 3, 2024  Sea Day Enroute To Kona, Hawaii  Sunny With Broken Clouds Deep Swell 20' A Lot Of Rolling 75 Degrees  Part #1 Of 1........38 Pictures------Formal Dress

 

This morning we all had a notice that tomorrow we will need to pick up our passports between 9 and 9:30am.  They have figured out a way that really makes it easy.  Desks will be set up in each center elevator landing on all room decks, except those who are on deck 10.  They will go to deck 8.  Starting at 9am, even number rooms will be called, then at 9:30am, the odd numbers will go. We’ll have to dig up those passport receipts we got on day one, although most times they are not required.   The actual face to passport inspection will take place when we arrive to Kona. 

 

The highlight of today was the Great Gatsby Soiree, a Roaring 20’s celebration, which really was well before our time.  Everyone would be invited to cut a rug or put on the Ritz wearing flapper dresses and dapper suits.  And yes, we did see a few folks dressed for the occasion.  This would take place in the Lido Poolside, but not until 8:30pm and last until 10:30pm.  A speakeasy party would follow in the Crow’s Nest, although we are not sure how many guests would make it up that late. 

 

It was another easy day for us, doing our regular routine.  We always make it a point to get out twice a day and walk a couple of miles no matter the weather or the rolling seas.  Today the swells were significant, but then subsided later in the afternoon. 

 

It was a better time for most folks to go to lectures, one of which was with Captain Frank….a question/answer session.  All things Hawaii have continued all throughout the day including tour participation.   Shop sales were offered, but we are sure these are the every day specials.  And it was no surprise that the 3pm movie in the World Stage was The Great Gatsby.  We keep forgetting that popcorn is available ½ hour before showtime.  Today the movie was repeated at 7 and 9:30pm, since there was no entertainment tonight.

 

Maybe it’s just us, but we found the menu for tonight’s Formal dinner to be lack-luster.  Normally there are set items such as pate, escargots, or even caviar.  Remember the days when caviar was always offered?   And as much as you wished?  As good as it gets has to be the nice jumbo shrimp (4) with cocktail sauce, which is now an everyday item.   The entrees were mostly a mystery.  Not the normal surf and turf, there was a lamb cutlet, which was a mystery since we have never seen that on any menu.  Turned out to be lamb chops (rare as can be) with a different sauce and a beet puree on top.  Our other entrée was a vegetarian choice with sliced polenta rectangles, more suitable for an appetizer.  For a change we ordered desserts of lemon custard in a filo dough shell.  A nice lady sitting across from us had a birthday, and she shared small pieces of her birthday mousse cake with us and another couple.  It was far better than the lemon dessert.  With the usual suspects missing on the menu tonight, we have a feeling that the cooks are running out of food.  Our head waiter, Hazel, confirmed it.  Perhaps after Hawaii, we will begin to see more of the normal offerings come back.

 

Once again, the clocks went back one hour tonight.  A good thing for those who made it to the Soiree this evening.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

[WCB]

Report #37  Sunday  February 4, 2024  Sea Day Enroute To Kona, Hawaii  Mostly Cloudy With Some Sun  72 Degrees 30mph Winds 15' Swell--Rough  Part #1 Of 1........No Pictures----Casual Dress

 

No doubt about it, when we woke up, it was still rough and getting worse as the day advanced.  The seas turned choppy with “white horses” as Captain Friso would say, and the winds took the sea spray all the way past our deck.   By 6pm, there was a coating of salt on deck three portside, as well as our veranda.  The mist had turned the veranda glass opaque.  And speaking of verandas, when we were on the Volendam last fall, every veranda on each deck got hosed down at once a week, or every two weeks.  The partitions were unlocked and the fellows went from one end to the other.  Then a follow-up team came and wiped down the windows, chairs, and tables.   On this ship, the room attendants do it all.  The glass on the veranda gets wiped off almost daily, and the floor gets vacuumed, but seldom washed.  Never hosed.  The one difference we see is that when the hoses are used, the lower decks get soaked.  If you happen to be at the railing when cleaning is happening, you might get a surprise shower. 

 

The first Sunday Brunch Sampler took place this morning at 11am to 1pm in the lower dining room.  What was different was that regular breakfast time still happened 7:30am to 9am.  For some reason, the Pinnacle Grill filled up with some new guests who chose today to try it.  What they did not expect was the number of us who visit among the tables as we have since day one.  It will be interesting to see if they return again.

 

On the way back to our room, we noticed the tables for the passport collection had been set up.  Spotting Rene, the spa manager, we went directly to her and got our passports returned for inspections the morning we arrive to Kona.  We expect the process to go smoothly since several agents come onboard to handle many guests and crew as well. 

 

We did take a morning walk, but we were among only a few that did it.  The temperature was cool at 69 degrees or so, not counting the wind chill.  If we did not know better, we would say there was a chance of a storm arriving.  Despite the high dark clouds, it never did rain.

 

Wanting to be able to hear the Captain talk after the noon whistle, we stayed in the room.  The speaker in the room works better than the TV, but the volume is still too low to catch it all.  We had to laugh yesterday when Captain Frank began his talk by saying we were in the middle of nowhere.  That’s reassuring.  The Pacific is huge and we are sure we were not anywhere near land or islands.  Even the few birds we had following us were gone.  Or blew away.  Captain Frank did admit that the swells were going to increase and the winds were going to be worse.  And he was right.

 

It was another good day for reading and watching news.  We even took in a movie to pass the time.  A Dive-In lunch with burgers was plenty, followed by a difficult walk on the promenade deck.  There were three or four of us on that deck, so one mile was enough.   While on the Volendam in Alaska, the decks were roped off for half of the wind we had today. 

 

Dinner had a few favorites with Thai beef tataki, arancini, Caesar salads, and mains of honey-mustard parmesan-crusted chicken and meatballs and spaghetti.   A favorite for one of us.  During the course of the meal, we hit some very deep swells, causing covered entrees, plates, and glassware to drop all over the floors of the serving stations.  There must have been a big mess, since we saw waiters running with brooms and dustpans.  We finished our ice cream and a tres leche caramel flan, then called it a night, carefully making our way back to deck six bouncing off of the walls all the way down the hallway. 

 

There was a show with a comedian, Jose Sarduy, but we are not sure how many folks would attend when the seas got so much rougher.  We do know one thing…..a Zuiderdam bar hop for $25 gathered a good-size crowd in the Ocean Bar.  It must have originated in the Crow’s Nest at 8pm and by 9:30pm, the group was hooting and hollering just fine.

 

Good time for another hour back on the clocks.  Now we will be set for Hawaii time.  Sure hope the seas level out tomorrow or sooner.  Might be time for meclizine.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

[sansterre]

I noticed that the Zuiderdam has been sailing a course of 269, just about true West since leaving Puerto Vallarta.

[WCB]

Report #38  Monday  February 5, 2024  Sea Day Enroute To Kona, Hawaii  Cloudy And Cooler With Rain Showers 72 Degrees 30mph Winds 12' Swell Still Rough  Part #1 Of 1........No Pictures---Casual Dress

 

Well we have finally arrived to our last full sea day on the way to the Hawaiian Islands.  The weather has not improved at all, we would even say it got worse with deeper swells and very overcast skies with rain on the horizon.  It was probably not the best conditions for the 5K On Deck for a Cause walk, although it is not required to take the walk even if you donate.  The cause for this cruise was for Maui, specifically for Lahaina and the devasting fire that destroyed the area.  Our fondest memory of visiting Lahaina had to be in 2001 when the ship was at anchor in the harbor and was surrounded with humpback whales and their newborn babies.  The ship was the Star Princess and the cruise was her inaugural voyage.  It is sad to realize that we will never be able to see that sight again….at least not in that part of Maui.  

 

We caught up with Kimberly’s talk on Kona, which gave us hints of what to do and see while in Kona.  It is a small town, so we will take our usual hike from one end to the other.  We see that the produce and souvenir market will be closed.  It is not a huge market, but there are a lot of trinkets sold there at much better prices than in the shops.  Not that we need any more bowls or carvings, but they are fun to look at. 

 

If we are lucky, we may find a good place for pizza, which we have not enjoyed since leaving home back in December.  Since tomorrow we have to clear immigrations, we will not get to shore until well after 10am.  We still find it odd that we are not stopping in Hilo first.  Our best guess on that one is that other ships may be in port that day, or the shore excursions are more numerous in Hilo on Wednesdays. 

 

Today’s theme in the Lido lunch was “shawarma”.  Does anyone know what that means?  Since we never dine in there, we did not remember to check it out.

 

After our 4:30pm walk, we wandered into the World Stage where a rehearsal was happening.  We took in a few songs by Michelle Montuori who belted out some Frank Sinatra favorites.  What a voice she has.  DJ Bucciarelli was also sharing the stage with her, but we did not hear him at the rehearsal.   

 

Something odd happened before our dinner time.  Around 7:45pm, we had just sat down when Kimberly came into the upper dining room and addressed us all.  Then she announced the entire culinary team and their workers were on the way with a parade like we may have at the very end of the long voyage.  Within seconds the parade began with everyone clapping as the group passed by, followed by all of the wait staff and head waiters.  We felt like the cruise was over, but we were told it was for the end of the first segment.  Really?  It’s only been 5 weeks since the trip began.  So how many people are actually leaving in Honolulu?   Originally we had been told the number of guests leaving was 250.  About half that amount would be boarding.  Now we asked and the number was over 100 leaving.  We shall clarify that number tomorrow with someone who knows for sure.  That would be Henk.  Even though the parade happened tonight, it was explained that with two days in port, not everyone would be present to watch it. 

 

Anyway, dinner was almost formal cuisine with escargots as appetizers, and surf and turf…..what they should have offered on formal night.   Most people around us did order the sliced tenderloin and lobster, but we went for the Hawaiian chicken with grilled pineapple.  It had a spicy gravy, but it was good.  Then we shared a small slice of Nutella cheesecake just because it was different.   Tasted like regular chocolate to us.    

 

It will be great to be on firm land tomorrow after we get off of the tender boat that is.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

[sagavista]

Hi Bill & Mary Ann,

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that originated in the Arab world consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in an inverted cone, and roasted on a slowly turning vertical rotisserie or spit.  Have enjoyed your posts to date.  Smooth seas.

Best,

Ed 

 

[Skorpora]

2 hours ago, sagavista said:

Hi Bill & Mary Ann,

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish that originated in the Arab world consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in an inverted cone, and roasted on a slowly turning vertical rotisserie or spit.  Have enjoyed your posts to date.  Smooth seas.

Best,

Ed 

 

Shawarma is delicious!

[cubfan63]

I first tried I during my travels.  It agree it is delicious.  
 

Trying different types of food I’ve never had before is a great part of travel for me.  😀

[LouChamp]

Aloha.  Shawarma is fantastic! 

[WCB]

Report #39  Tuesday  February 6, 2024  Kona, Hawaii 8am-8pm  Anchored  With Tender Platforms On Starboard Side Which Faces Town  Morning Sun Turning To Clouds In The Afternoon 79 Degrees  Part #1 Of 6......55 Pictures--Casual Dress

 

It was a fine morning to be arriving to the bay of Kona, Hawaii.  The skies were mostly blue and the temperature was in the mid 70’s.  No humidity to speak of, which was nice.  We went to breakfast as usual, then waited until we were called by decks to go to the US Customs and Border Protection Inspection.  All we needed were our passports and room keys, which were scanned upon entering the upper dining room.  Then we opened the passports to our picture page, and simply passed by the officials who did not even scan them.   On the way out of the dining room, we had a green sticker placed on our room key cards.  We would not have been able to get on a tender boat without that green sticker showing we had been cleared.  Of course, we were able to bypass getting tender tickets, showing just our room keys to access deck A. 

 

We left the ship around 10am, and we do think most of the tour groups had already gone to shore.  There were a lot of excursions offered today and some of them were quite expensive.  A coffee farm and bay snorkel must have included a lunch for 7 ¼ hours for $340.  Senses of Kona for 4 hours had tastings for $320, while an Atlantis submarine dive for 1 hour was $240.  Kona coffee and a cloud forest visit for 4 hours was $210, but the most reasonable tour was a 1 hour glass-bottom boat ride for $90.  

 

The ride to shore was quick since it was less than a mile to the landing pier.    There must have been leis given out because the remnants of the flower petals were scattered all over the ground.  We really did not have anything in mind except getting a good walk in today after so many days at sea.  Turning right, we followed Ali’I Drive, the main street, where all of the shops and eateries are located.  Going this direction took us past the Hulihe’e Palace, a vacation home for Hawaiian royalty and the oldest church in all of Hawaii, Moku’aikaua Church, built in 1837.  Both were closed today, but that did not stop the folks from walking around the outsides. 

 

Kona’s farmers Market has always been a very busy spot not to be missed when here.  However, it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.   It is the first time we noticed that this extensive market with produce as well as a wide array of souvenirs was all set up in tents.  There was not one tent on the property this morning.  Just an empty parking lot. 

 

Further up the road, we were able to access the water’s edge where we always remember a stretch of sandy beach.  There must have been a storm here that removed the sand, because all that was left were rocks of volcanic origin.  And lots of black sand crabs.  Further up the road was the Kona Inn Shopping Village where there are art galleries,  eateries, and numerous souvenirs shops.  One of the more amusing shops is the Donkey Balls Store where they sell a variety of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts.  And although we did not see it, we know there is a Hilo Hattie’s there.  They are famous for their matching Hawaiian-style clothing for men, women, and kids.  

 

We kept walking until we passed by the old Bubba Gumps’, now another restaurant.  Making our way to the Royal Kona Resort, we spent some time walking the property and sitting near their outdoor pool area.  There seemed to be a good size crowd staying here, although we did hear someone mention that two days ago, the waves were washing over the wall here.  Guess we got lucky with the weather today.    This was a good place to turn around and head back.

 

Crossing the street, we walked through the Coconut Grove Marketplace where there is a nice Outback Steakhouse.  It did not appear to be opened until later.  We had planned on locating pizza for lunch, but when we checked the menu at the Kona Canoe Club, we saw that pizza was not longer on their menu.   But a back-up plan  was to try the newly-relocated Pancho and Lefty’s Mexican Restaurant.  Glad we did.

 

Climbing up a flight of stairs, we entered their patio dining on the second floor facing the ocean.  This location was exactly across the way from the old place, but was much larger and nicer.   We ordered two draft beers – Longboard, and they were wonderful….ice cold.  Then we shared a platter of cheese nachos with carnitas (pulled pork) with chips and salsa on the side.  Sure was good.  We thought we might add a taco salad, but glad we didn’t.  We had saved room for a huge slice of mud pie, which came just like Hula Pie, covered with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce.  The ice cream was solid hard mocha….so good.  Anyway we left happy campers.

 

We had planned on a walk uphill to a CVS, and also perhaps sharing a shaved ice at Scandinavian Shaved Ice, but there was not any room for it.   Maybe next time.  And we ended up skipping the CVS hike.  We did have a nice visit with Tom M. our former host from years ago.   It seems he is always surrounded with his clients and we seldom have a chance to talk.   Today we did.

 

From there, we headed back to the tender pier and got on the boat back home.  The remainder of the afternoon was spent on photo and report work.  Whenever there is an opportunity to collect local information on a port we are visiting, one of us is a pack rat and picks up everything available.  Today that opportunity happened along the entire Ali’i Drive.  Two great sources of info were the This Week and Big Island brochure as well as the 101 Things To Do on the big island booklet both dated 2024.  Scanning through the things to do, I came across some good statistics concerning the humpback whale migration through this area.  These behemoths will swim 3000 miles from their feeding grounds in Alaska to mate and deliver their calves.  The estimated numbers of humpbacks from 7000 to 10000 are expected to be seen this season in all of the Hawaiian waters.  With that news, we began to scan the huge bay we were in and guess what?  We saw whale blows in the far distance.  Many of them.  There appeared to be some adults and several young ones as they came closer to the ship.  The young ones seemed to be doing the most breaching and jumping.  They were rolling and throwing a pectoral fin as they spun in place.  Then we hoped there was nothing below them causing this behavior.   Like killer whales or sharks perhaps.  The mothers would protect them from that we suspect.  We were glued to our veranda taking photos and enjoying the show through binoculars for at least one hour.   Eventually the Captain came on the speakers and announced the sightings.  Nine hundred pictures later, the sun began to go down on the horizon, and their activity subsided.   We were lucky to see a few of the adults diving and showing their tails, although they were not diving deep.  And we did not have to take a tour to see the whales as they came to all of us.   Another plus was watching the sun go down quickly on the horizon. 

 

This evening they were having a “Glamp Out” activity in the Lido Pool area at 8:30pm.  It was advertised as a camping experience with a movie, drink specials, sliders, and s’mores.  We chose to go to dinner as usual, and ordered some of the items they were serving there.  We both ordered the chicken tenders with a mustard sauce, learning we need to ask for extra sauce next time.  One of us had an artichoke heart and risotto salad and the other a Caesar salad.    Mains were a Chef Neil burger with fries and the other a sliced pork plate with macaroni salad and rice.   Dessert was one upside down pear cake with vanilla ice cream.  Good way to end a very busy day in Kona.

 

Tomorrow we will be in Hilo.  Seems like we were just here.   We were last fall.

 

Bill & Mary Ann