Live from the Majestic Japan Cruise on Westerdam Sept 1 - Oct 24, 2024

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

14 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

 

Amazing day!

 

This is the largest aquarium in Japan.  (It claims "in the world" but pretty sure Atlanta still holds that honor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for sharing your pictures of the Osaka Aquarium.  We thoroughly enjoyed it in 2002.

[Seasick Sailor]

16 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

 

Thank you for sharing your pictures of the Osaka Aquarium.  We thoroughly enjoyed it in 2002.

 

Wow Lenda! They must have been minnows back then!

😉

[richwmn]

Some views from the Osaka Ferris Wheel, it was only $6.26 each for a nice ride

 

 

 

 

[erewhon]

@richwmn  Rich, 

Enjoying   all your reports and photos.  Thank you.

 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 07:02 AM by erewhon

[POA1]

8 hours ago, richwmn said:

 

 

I walked by the Pinnacle Grill yesterday and asked. I was told that the lunch price was still $19 plus the 18% Gratuity add on. That doesn't include, of course, any upcharged items on the menu.

 

Thanks, Rich! If it stays that way until we sail in March, it's quite the deal.

[DeeniEncinitas]

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Joy ❤️

Thank you for your pictures! Stunning especially one that is very special ❤️

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Have a wonderful cruise

Denise 😌

[richwmn]

09/25/2024 Kochi, Japan 0800-1700

 

Today Westerdam visits Kochi. We were scheduled to arrive at 8:00am, but it is now 7:20 and we appear to be tied up to the dock. We will see if guests are allowed to leave early.

 

The temperature is again 73°F /23°C, with a humidity of 78%. The skies are overcast and the winds are about 7 mph. It looks to be a very pretty day.

 

Last night the show on the main stage was ‘The Sounds of Summer’ with the World Stage Reparatory Company. It was a good, action filled show featuring songs of the Beach Boys, ABBA, and others. The singers are good and the dancing enjoyable.

 

I didn’t mention the show the night before. It was a drum show from a local group. They seemed very talented and put on a nice show. I enjoy the fact that HAL tries to use local talent when they can so show other cultures.

 

Here are today’s activities and menus –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Seasick Sailor]

Oh lovely!! We are docked in beautiful Kochi next to a....

 

Gravel pit!

 

[bennybear]

Hope you enjoy Kochi as much as we did,  a wonderful castle and town with amazing food!  Plus some great deals on silk kimonos.   Loved those drums! 

[richwmn]

09/26/2024 Hiroshima, Japan 0800-2359

 

Today we have a very long day in Hiroshima. We are still a little way out (it is 7:17), so it will be about a half hour until we dock. Then the normal rush of people trying to get off first. Our plan is to leave about 9:30 and take the shuttle into town.

 

We are currently under sunny skies, with a temperature of 74°F /23°C. The expected high today is 89°F a little after 2pm. Local weather shows that a Dry Air Advisory is in effect.

 

Yesterday we had a nice walk around Kochi. The cruise terminal is a little bit away from the city, so we had a shuttle. It is a nice terminal other than the gravel pit that is next to it. There is also a brewery with a brew pub a very short distance, although up about 83 steps, from the terminal building.

 

The shuttle dropped us off at the Kochi Bus Station, in the middle of the city. We had a nice walk, and saw some interesting shops. Our big attraction was the Harimaya-bashi bridge, a memorial to the forbidden love of a Buddhist priest. This is within the business district and, along with the park behind it, provides a peaceful area to offset everything that is going on around it.

 

Trivia on board had an ABBA flavor it it, the early session was questions about the band while the music trivia in the evening was all their songs. We didn’t win, but did come closer than I expected.

 

We had a local group provide entertainment at sail away again. This was a group of drummers along with a flag bearer. It is a nice way to leave.

 

Here we have today’s activities and menus –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a few pictures of Kochi –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jettaleea]

Great shot of my husband and me...I am on the scooter. And a photo of the shop where I bought a hand-painted obi for 1000 yen! Nice day.

 

Lee Ann 

jettaleea

[sailingdutchy]

On 9/22/2024 at 8:12 PM, mchell810 said:

 

Thanks; one more question if you don't mind:  Would the cab have accepted a credit card (if you know).  I, too, prefer to get local cash from my bank if I need it and ofc try to minimize the need. 😉

 

We have been a couple of times in Japan on a cruise and the best bet to get cash  ( yen ) was from very good ATM's  inside the many 7- 11 stores in Japan throughout the country at the best rates . Easy to use ATM's and cash withdrawals are fee free .

We found at the time that cash is still the most popular payment method.

For Currency exchange you would be better off to exchange your dollars in the US and in Canada rather than exchanging in a Japanese Bank it should save you about 5 %.

[Seasick Sailor]

17 hours ago, sailingdutchy said:

 

We have been a couple of times in Japan on a cruise and the best bet to get cash  ( yen ) was from very good ATM's  inside the many 7- 11 stores in Japan throughout the country at the best rates . Easy to use ATM's and cash withdrawals are fee free .

We found at the time that cash is still the most popular payment method.

For Currency exchange you would be better off to exchange your dollars in the US and in Canada rather than exchanging in a Japanese Bank it should save you about 5 %.

 

I noted a few posts ago you can get yen at the front desk. I googled the exchange rate and it was dead on. Also in many ports so far there is an exchange in the terminal. I didn't use it, so don't know if there's a charge. 

 

The 7-11 is just like our ATM at home. No worries!

 

Oh! Speaking of! Gotta head down and get more yen!

[richwmn]

Here are some pictures of Hiroshima today. The first few are from the Atomic Dome and the Peace Park. Then a few of the city and finally some from the stern of the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 17 hours ago by richwmn

[richwmn]

Hiroshima Castle today

[Seasick Sailor]

Great pictures Rich. Allen and I had an emotional morning there today.

 

Also, our cab driver had a beautiful cab with lace seats and tried so hard to speak English with us. He actually thanked us for talking with him.

 

 

[richwmn]

Hiroshima Today

 

We arrived on time and everything was in place. We had decided to leave the ship around 9:30, and actually left a few minutes before that. A shuttle quickly took us to Hiroshima Station.

 

Hiroshima Station is a large complex that services train and bus traffic. It consists of a building that is two stories high and contains many restaurants and shops. It is also the starting point of the Hiroshima HoHo bus, which came highly recommended by the greeter HAL had waiting for us. We went to the designated area and found a small office in which to purchase a ticket. The sign indicated 200 yen for a single trip, and 600 yen for a day pass. The price equated to a little under $5 per person for the day pass and we realized a bit later how much of a bargain that was. One trip is not a full loop, it is getting on the bus once and off. If you got off to see a particular sight, when you returned to the bus it was 200 yen more.

 

All of the buses stopped at the Atomic Dome and Peace Garden. We got on the first available bus and went there. Both were very interesting, pictures are in a previous post. The Peace Garden had many groups of students having their class pictures taken. It is a wonderful park in the middle of a very modern city.

 

After leaving the Peace Garden, we got on the Lemon route and finished it back to the station. We looked around the station for a bit, then boarded the shuttle back to the ship. After playing trivia and having a bite to eat, we boarded the shuttle again and went back into the city. When we arrived we had to wait about 20 minutes for the Lemon route bus to arrive. We chose that route because it was the only one to mention directly the Hiroshima Castle. That stop is between the station and the Peace Garden, so we missed it in the morning. We rode to the Castle, and got off. We spent 30 minutes around the castle, then returned and the next bus arrived. We then saw the rest of the sights of that route, but didn’t get off again until the station.

When we arrived at the station we found that we had just missed the shuttle and had to wait a half hour for the next one. The time passed rather quickly and we were on our way back to the ship. It was a very full day in Hiroshima, and a very good one.

 

HoHo Bus route map

 

Edited 11 hours ago by richwmn

[bennybear]

Enjoying your posts and photos!  Hiroshima is a beautiful, vibrant and yet very poignant stop.  We didn’t see the castle there, so glad to see that.   We did however visit a lovely one in Kochi just a little further walk from the shopping areas.  
 

We too found the taxi drivers very pleasant, glad you had a similar experience.  Also used the little bus! 

[richwmn]

09/27/2024 At Sea Destination Sakaiminato, Japan eta 09-28

 

Today will be a day of leisure on Westerdam. The temperature outside the ship is 77°F / 25°C under broken clouds. The humidity is 77% and the winds are at 11 mph. The ship is currently headed West at 9 knots.

 

We have a normal sea day schedule today with commentary starting around 1:30 this afternoon. The bow will be open for viewing between 1:00 and 2:00 pm. We will be cruising thru Kanmon Straight.

 

Here are today’s activities and menus –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think I have posted the Room Service hang tag yet, so here it is --

 

 

 

 

[Seasick Sailor]

Last night's party/band at the Lido pool and Captain Mark already returned from Seattle and back at the helm.

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight we are having dinner in the Pinnacle Grill for Morimoto by the Sea. Chef is onboard with us for a few days, and I'm sure he will drop by for a visit tonight.