Cruising Grand on the Amsterdam Asia/Pacific

[candbgirl]

I have enjoyed reading this blog and the Stansfield's blog. But something you just stated is so true. When we were on a cruise last Spring in Scandinavia and Russia I was amazed at the number of times we were asked about our elections. It seemed at times that the questioners knew and understood far more than I did about what our elections mean to the world. I thought at the time it was because of the part of the world we were in but after seeing that you havebeen asked the same sorts of questions I know it is a global concern. Thanks again for taking us all along on your fabulous trip.

[Kween Karen]

Thanks again for your insight on the "Grand" Voyage! It excites me to hear you are having such a great time. I am sure I will be able to ignore grumblings on my voyage next year....if there are any. People and ports and ship life.........I can find the best in all of it!!

[Foxpaw]

Hello Everyone!

I am currently sailing aboard the ms Amsterdam on the Grand Asia Australia Voyage 2008, along with arzz [my friend Mary Ann] (in fact, she just leaned over my shoulder here in the internet cafe!) and many other fine people that I met both here on Cruise Critic and elsewhere. I just wanted to address the issue of what "Grand" means.

 

To me, just the fact that I am, at 54 years old, spending all these weeks and thousands of miles aboard one of the finest ships afloat, with, in my humble opinion, the finest crew afloat....and, heck, what on earth do I have to complain about?

 

Yes, everything isn't perfect ALL the time! But, show me a household where everything is always perfect.

 

"Grand" is in one's own heart and mind and soul. "Grand" is in the magnificent sunrises over tropical islands.....glowing sunsets while dining in the Main Dining Room.....glorious days gently rocking as the ship crosses vast seas......watching a sea bird land on our decks for a brief respite from fishing far out at sea......hearing the ship's whistle blast as we sail from another exotic port (my Mom heard it by phone the other night as we sailed from Sydney!).....coming back to your cabin after each evening and finding your crisp sheets turned down perfectly with a chocolate awaiting; and fresh towels hung carefully in the bathroom....being greeted cheerfully each and every morning by a cabin steward whose only wish is your comfort and enjoyment.

 

"Grand" is in the spirit of adventure....sailing to far off places that the vast majority of the world can only dream about -- pure fantasy. We here are living that fantasy.

 

So, that's my take -- in fairly brief manner -- on what "Grand" means to me. Holland America Line does make some extra special efforts on "Grand Voyages" that sets them apart from other "regular" sailings. And I commend them for their efforts. It is not easy trying to please nearly 1400 passengers everyday, all the time. That is simply not possible.

 

As for the "cranks" onboard....I have taken to just gently tossing their crankiness right back in their faces. And, you know, the vast majority of the time, they are so taken aback at their own crankiness that they end up apologizing profusely. Maybe they just need an occasional "attitude adjustment" by a fellow passenger to remind them who they really are and just how lucky they are!

 

Best Regards,

 

Nick

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Great insights Foxpaw from one who still wishes she could have been on the Grand Voyage with you. But our time will come.

 

Barbara

[Kween Karen]

GREAT Foxpaw! I think I have the same definition......so I guess that works!!! Still 11 months away for me......but we all know how fast time goes by!

[arzz]

For those who have asked who our private tour operators were -- Bra1nchild, a cruise critic member whom I met on our roll call board, and with whom we shared many delightful moments between Seattle and Singapore, made the arrangements for our private tours. Bra1nchild posted the names of the tour operators several days ago on this blog (post #140, I believe).

 

Today the ship parked in downtown Noumea, New Caledonia across the street from the Casino Supermarket (or Super Marche as they would say here). Odd, Caledonia usually refers to the Scottish Highlands*** but this is a very French South Pacific Island where they use the same “XPF” or pacific francs for money as they do in Tahiti and the rest of French Polynesia. It is, of course, the only island that uses this currency on our itinerary so I was forced to convert that last 1500 XPF that we were unable to spend at the front desk’s usurious return conversion rates (the 1500 XPF converted to $14.70 at the ship’s return rate today).

 

***Actually, this island was named New Caledonia by Captain Cook because it reminded him of the Scottish Highlands

 

Today we shunned the organized, and even the usual, and decided to feed Ed’s rabid desire for a beach. We taxied to the Plage Anse Vata and spent the morning on the sand (or should I say rocky sand -- though the ocean was stunning the beach itself is Bondi Beach NOT) and in the water and watching the local families and children having a great Saturday morning at the beach. Once we were cooked to crispy (or possibly since we were heavily sun screened it might better be referred to as steamed/soggy) we crossed the road to seek out cool beverages and a snack. The real estate across the road was lined with cafes of all sorts from Italian Restaurante’s and French bistros to coffee shops, ice cream shops and bakeries. The smell of fresh baked bread and pastry was everywhere. It was like being in France.

 

Also like being in France we could have just waited to eat and grabbed a Big Mac in town. Glad we didn’t. Lots of good people watching and much better food than a Big Mac. From the beach we walked across the peninsula to the Plage de Citrons (another local beach) and found that we had not missed much as this beach could have been a twin for the beach that we enjoyed -- complete with the services across the road.

 

We took the local bus back to the port -- spent a few XPF at the local craft market and then “went home” for the night.

 

We were all clean again in time to watch the ship leave the harbor from the vantage point of the 9th floor Crow’s Nest. The entrance to the harbor is very narrow and it was with amazement that I watched our ship snake through the twisty inlet and squeeze herself between the channel markers. Looking directly out front it appeared that after we left the harbor we would be out to sea -- but lo! we made a quick turn north and there was the island of New Caledonia, all 250 miles of her coastline -- complete with harbors, inlets, small islands, huge mountains that disappeared in the clouds, and narrow white beaches on her shore. We followed the coastline with the sunset at our rear. Yes, this is one of the reasons we cruise.

 

At this point in time we are definitely on our way home. We are heading northeast back towards the equator and will soon also cross the dateline -- I do not know what I will do in a couple of weeks when I will no longer have to ocean to help me sleep at night and to stare at during the day.

[Kween Karen]

Ahhhh HEAVEN!! My need for a beach was ALMOST satisfied by reading!!

[arzz]

Another 23 hour day here. It is Sunday, November 9, it is about 6:40 pm here -- and at home it is now also Sunday, November 9 but it is 1:40 am. So we are now 17 hours ahead of you -- until we turn that upside down when we cross the date line. We have now traveled 15,708 nautical miles since we left Seattle and have 235 nautical miles yet to cruise before tomorrow.

 

We are at sea, approaching Suva on the island of Viti Levu in Fiji where we get to spend our day tomorrow. Our weather today was superb -- delightful seas, sunshine and barely 80 degrees. I was outside walking and reading a couple of hours ago -- there were some clouds that came up and covered the sun as we approached a small rainstorm -- the breezes dropped in temperature to cool and comfortable and we were treated to two rainbows ... the secondary rainbow stopped at the horizon as if cut off by the water, but the dominant rainbow from where I was watching stretched across the ocean and touched the railings on the ship. I felt like if I reached my hand out I could touch it -- and you folks wonder why I cruise.

 

Fujairah, Sharjah, and Ras Al-Kaimah are all states of the United Arab Republic. Paneer, Romadur, Manouri and Parrano are all cheeses. Willard Scott used to play Bozo the clown for a local TV station (that would be WGN in Chicago) but also played Ronald McDonald for TV commercials. Actress Nell Gwynn was the lover of British monarch Charles II. Crayola introduced the first child friendly crayon in 1903. And, in case anyone is interested an otter den is known as a “holt”.

[GarySuzy]

ARZZ,

 

Once again thank you for your insightful posts. We have come to look forward to them, it has been as if we have been along for the ride. Have fun in Fiji.

[SHERGIB]

Nick, One thing to add to your wonderful list of GRANDS, the memories which I relive every day from our Grand Asia Pacific in 2002. It's amazing how often the trip comes up in conversation. Sherrie

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Everyone!

I am currently sailing aboard the ms Amsterdam on the Grand Asia Australia Voyage 2008, along with arzz [my friend Mary Ann] (in fact, she just leaned over my shoulder here in the internet cafe!) and many other fine people that I met both here on Cruise Critic and elsewhere. I just wanted to address the issue of what "Grand" means.

 

To me, just the fact that I am, at 54 years old, spending all these weeks and thousands of miles aboard one of the finest ships afloat, with, in my humble opinion, the finest crew afloat....and, heck, what on earth do I have to complain about?

 

Yes, everything isn't perfect ALL the time! But, show me a household where everything is always perfect.

 

"Grand" is in one's own heart and mind and soul. "Grand" is in the magnificent sunrises over tropical islands.....glowing sunsets while dining in the Main Dining Room.....glorious days gently rocking as the ship crosses vast seas......watching a sea bird land on our decks for a brief respite from fishing far out at sea......hearing the ship's whistle blast as we sail from another exotic port (my Mom heard it by phone the other night as we sailed from Sydney!).....coming back to your cabin after each evening and finding your crisp sheets turned down perfectly with a chocolate awaiting; and fresh towels hung carefully in the bathroom....being greeted cheerfully each and every morning by a cabin steward whose only wish is your comfort and enjoyment.

 

"Grand" is in the spirit of adventure....sailing to far off places that the vast majority of the world can only dream about -- pure fantasy. We here are living that fantasy.

 

So, that's my take -- in fairly brief manner -- on what "Grand" means to me. Holland America Line does make some extra special efforts on "Grand Voyages" that sets them apart from other "regular" sailings. And I commend them for their efforts. It is not easy trying to please nearly 1400 passengers everyday, all the time. That is simply not possible.

 

As for the "cranks" onboard....I have taken to just gently tossing their crankiness right back in their faces. And, you know, the vast majority of the time, they are so taken aback at their own crankiness that they end up apologizing profusely. Maybe they just need an occasional "attitude adjustment" by a fellow passenger to remind them who they really are and just how lucky they are!

 

Best Regards,

 

Nick

[Foxpaw]

Nick, One thing to add to your wonderful list of GRANDS, the memories which I relive every day from our Grand Asia Pacific in 2002. It's amazing how often the trip comes up in conversation. Sherrie

 

Sherrie,

 

Right on! Ahhhh...the sweet, precious memories! They alone are worth their weight in gold. And they remain with you forever! :)

 

Nick

[arzz]

Ahhhhhh .... Fiji!

 

As we approached Fiji we were uncertain as to whether or not we would even get off the ship today. None of the offered shore excursions appealed and the large notice in the Daily Program about a recent outbreak of dengue fever on the island (HAL provided all shore excursion folks with insect repellent wipes and the rest of us were provided with repellent spray which was available to use at the gangway -- they told us to wear long pants and long sleeves) ... well, we just were not sure. After all, anyone who knows me knows that taking me along is the best mosquito repellant available. In Asia, where no one else on board even knew mosquitos existed, I returned from at least two different ports with a few bites.

 

As we pulled into the dock at 7 this morning I raised my very sleepy head to look for the source of the marching band music -- and there it was -- right outside my window. Men and women dressed in formal dress navy and red band uniforms (at least from the waist up) and white skirts from the waist down. The women were in white skirts with straight hems, black oxford shoes, white sox and flat topped white hats. The men’s skirts (and I am sure the word skirt is NOT what they are called -- I have no intention to offend here) had pointed scallops along the bottom hem, they wore open sandals and no hats. There was singing and much ado and then the ship was cleared -- show over.

 

So ... we waited to decide on a course of action until we were actually awake, dressed, and breakfasted. After breakfast we experienced a surge of interest so we greased up with our deep woods off, put on the long sleeves and long pants and left the ship to venture out into the wilds of Fiji. We got as far as the pier where we purchased a four hour independent van tour that would be ready as soon as they had four people. Soon we had six and they then called the van. Thirty minutes later when the van arrived it turned out we were now a group of eight. We had all paid the same price -- some of us were led to believe that we had purchased the city and village tour, others the cultural tour and the last couple’s ticket was clearly marked “wilderness tour” -- they thought that they were going to hike in the rainforest. Turns out they were all the same generic Fiji tour.

 

We were first driven around the city of Suva where we were shown the President’s home, the Parliament building (which is currently not in use since the coup a few years ago) and the American Embassy as well as other foreign embassies. We made a brief stop at a botanical garden, we drove through the neighborhoods of the wealthy who live in lovely homes surrounded by the most glorious of tropical gardens and we drove through the neighborhoods where the much less well to do live -- some areas full of old wooden shacks and rows of small public housing buildings.

 

We made a short stop at a large produce market that had row after row of stalls filled with all manner of fruits and vegetables from the familiar (apples and bananas) to the more sublime (unusually colored and shaped eggplants) to the exotic (breadfruit displayed cut in half). We saw stacks of small, almost perfectly round pineapples whose fragrance was so strong and delightful you did not even have to pick them up to smell them.

 

Then it was on into the lush tropical rainforest of the countryside. We drove over bridges and inland against a backdrop of incredible lush green craggy mountains wrapped in thick white wisps of clouds. We viewed many brightly colored flowering plants and trees. And we finally arrived at the bank of a river where there was no bridge. Instead there were two small open wooden boats with outboard motors. We followed our guide out of the van and into the boats.

 

The boats took us down river a short piece and then across the river and we stopped at a steep embankment where a pathway up had been created for us from stacks of sand bags. We had arrived at a small village of about 150 folks -- about thirty of them had gathered at the edge of the river and were singing a welcome song to us as we made our way up the river bank. Honestly, it was just like in the movies where the small boat arrives at a South Sea Island shore. The women put long necklaces made of local flowers and leaves over our heads and greeted us with the local greeting that we have heard everywhere today “bula” (pronounced boola). When the singing was over the eight of us were led into the village.

 

There we were taken to a covered but open building where the concrete floor was covered with grass mats. We took our shoes off as we entered. We sat cross-legged on the grass mats and participated in a kava ceremony. During the ceremony each one of us in turn was presented with a small bowl full of “kava” -- a beverage made from the root of the kava plant which is a narcotic sedative. Before partaking each person was to first clap once, say “bula”, down the whole bowl of liquid, and then everyone present claps twice. The kava looks rather like gray muddy water -- it is prepared by filling a cloth sack with ground dried kava root which is then soaked in a bowl of water (sort of like making tea) -- the bag is then removed from the water and wrung out into the bowl -- and then the small bowls are dipped into the liquid and passed around.

 

After sharing kava we were entertained with songs and dancing. We were repeatedly selected and pulled out onto the floor to join the locals. I had difficulty dancing with one of the men because I kept stepping on his grass skirt. After the entertainment we had a question/answer session with the guide and the locals. We were then taken outside to watch demonstrations of local crafts (the weaving of grass to make mats, baskets, the making of small clay pots, etc.). Just as the demonstrations began, so did the rain (remember -- we were in the rainforest during the rainy season where they get some hundreds of inches of rain a year). The village residents passed umbrellas around so that we could continue to watch. After we had all purchased some local crafts -- and as the rain began to seriously escalate, we were walked through the village and back to the river. They let us keep the umbrellas for the open boat ride but nevertheless we were soaked to the skin by the time we reached the van for the drive back to the city of Suva. On the way we passed the Fiji Beer brewery, the Fiji water bottling plant, the ever important coca cola bottling plant and the McDonalds. The sign with the arrow that always sits by the street directing you in with the word “welcome” -- here today in Fiji it said “bula”.

 

A great time was had by all and to the best of my knowledge I was not bitten by a mosquito.

 

Tomorrow is a day at sea as we have about 630 miles to go before our next port -- Apia, Samoa.

[arzz]

Today is Tuesday, November 11, 2008 -- it is currently 6:30 pm here in the South Pacific Oceans, and it is currently 30 minutes past midnight on November 11, just beginning the day, at home in the Chicago area.

 

For us midnight will come tonight and we will briefly glimpse November 12 -- but at about 3 am we will once again cross the international dateline and we will receive back what we gave away in September. The September 24 that we never saw will now be forgiven by the receipt of a second Tuesday, November 11. We have two Tuesdays this week. If you are confused, imagine how we are feeling. Some of our on board calendar listings indicated that there would be two November 10th s .... others that there would be two November 11th s. The date mystery is now solved -- but the workings of the date line continue to confuse and elude me. And, oh, by the way, we are having another 23 hour day.

 

We are at sea, making our way to Apia, Samoa which will be our last South Pacific port. For the past few days we have been entirely without satellite TV (though so far, thankfully, the internet has functioned) so we know that we are really out in the middle of nowhere too populated or economically important even though we have seen islands on the horizon on and off much of the day. We hope to regain the known world somewhere on our four day approach to Honolulu after leaving Samoa. This detachment just adds to the increasing lack of reality that this adventure has imparted upon us.

 

Oh, how will we ever adapt to the known universe and everyday reality? Is it true that normal people have to cook, wash dishes, do their own laundry, pull out their own chair at dinner and have to put their napkin upon their laps by themselves? That there is no one to make the beds or scrub the bathrooms? And worst of all will there be no noon trivia every day?

 

Did you know that the name given to the Statue of Liberty by its creator was “Liberty Enlightening the World”? The 1739-1748 War of Jenkin’s Ear conflict was fought between Great Britain and Spain and the mineral that is the chief source of mercury is cinnabar.

 

From the delightful seas of November 11 on the South Pacific until tomorrow’s November 11, I bid adieu.

[Copper10-8]

Thanks for taking the time and effort to write this and take us along on this great itinerary, Arzz

[Kween Karen]

Just letting you know I am still really enjoying your trip. Only 10 1/2 months now until mine!

 

I am making a list of how I can eat all those wonderful foods for 67 days and not gain a ton of weight. So far my list is:

Never take the elevator (and I am on deck ONE!)

Do at least a mile a day on the promenade

That is all I have on my list so far.....I need more.......any hints????

[arzz]

It’s Tuesday Again and Are Those Pirates Out There?

 

It’s Tuesday, November 11 again and “Alacazam” we are now only 5 hours different than Chicago .... it is currently 2:30 am on Wed, Nov 12 in Chicago and it is (drum roll....) 9:30 pm on Tuesday, November 11 here. Instead of something just less than a day ahead of you we are now, magically -- thanks to the wizardry of King Neptune and the International Date Line, just 5 hours behind you at home -- and (this is the best part) we only have to do three more 23 hour days! We have just begun our four day sail to Honolulu where we are expected to arrive on Sunday the 16th. We have now sailed 16,673 nautical miles since leaving Seattle. There are 2253 nautical miles between Apia, Samoa and Honolulu. That means we have to average about 20 knots per hour if my calculations are correct.

 

Wait a minute .... drat .... Ed just pointed out that the day we fly from San Diego to Chicago will, for us, be a 22 hour day....

 

We spent the day on the island of Samoa -- it is so lush and filled with tropical vegetation there is no question in my mind as to why Robert Louis Stevenson made this island his final home and wished to die and be buried here. Ed and I had separate days. Ed did a beach excursion -- he and a busload of others were driven out to spend several hours on a remote beach covered with soft white sand and beach fales. There they were fed island foods and coconut milk (straight from the coconut) for lunch. His tour also did a brief stop at Aggie Grey’s Hotel.

 

I, on the other hand, wished to avoid seven hours in the direct sun while located about 15 degrees south of the equator. So I accompanied the large majority of the ship’s passengers on a tour of the city of Apia (which took all of about 10 minutes) and then on to see Robert Louis Stevenson’s home and a folkloric show. We were warned in advance that Apia does not have a large tourist industry so that we would be riding in island style. Small 24 passenger buses with wooden seats and no windows -- natural air conditioning. As we were boarding our island transit the vehicle next to us had already filled and was taking off for the morning -- by being pushed out of the parking lot by four other bus drivers. At our first stop of the day (as well as subsequent stops) it was easy to recognize that particular vehicle. It was the one with its engine on and the driver on the ground underneath the bus tinkering.

 

The island itself is one of the most stunning that we have encountered on this trip. Not only is it filled with lush vegetation but it is populated by extremely friendly people. Everywhere we went, and every one we passed on the road waved as soon as they saw us driving by. The lack of tourist facilities is bested by the friendliness of its folk. It was also evident everywhere that we went that the local people are very proud of their island. It was clean and beautifully manicured .... even out in the countryside in the villages. This is still a sleepy place with a slow island pace.

 

I was on deck to watch what is almost our last sail away. After two days in Honolulu we have one day in Maui and then we sail to San Diego. We left behind us a small island paradise.

 

About an hour after sail away the Captain announced that he was slowing the ship and would be executing a turn as we had just passed a small fishing boat that was flying a red flag which usually means distress. Our ship was unable to contact them by radio so we were going back to see if they needed assistance.

 

It is amazing how quickly 1300 passengers and half again that many of the crew are able to get on deck to watch what might be a drama unfold. It was a few minutes before we were close enough to see the “fishing boat”. It was a catamaran style design (metal -- possibly home made) with a house-like structure built between the pontoons. We could see that they were now flying two black flags (no red ones in sight) and we could see a couple of fellows out on the deck who were also dressed in black or some other dark color.

 

Meanwhile our venerable crew had lowered life boat number 11 into the water and ventured out to check on the small boat. We are not sure what words were exchanged but in extremely short order lifeboat #11 returned and was raised back into place. The folks on board the small boat waved at us, then motored a full circle around our ship and went off on their merry way ... The Captain returned to the intercom to share that the boat was not in need of assistance. None of us are sure what was really going on, but I wonder if I really did make out the words “Pirates R-US” painted on the bow ;) .

[arzz]

Ed Strips on Stage and Poseidon Takes Revenge

 

Today is day two of our four day sail from Samoa to Hawaii. We are averaging speeds of 21 knots -- our skies are fair and our seas are fairly good.

 

Just before noon today we crossed the equator for the second time this trip. Last time we failed to honor King Neptune so that according to the Daily Program we were placed in the path of Poseidon’s revenge. So ... it was time to have a ceremony to honor King Neptune. The Lido pool was decorated then chairs, towels and many large tubs of creamy frosting were set out. Finally three large fish, each one progressively larger than the last were laid out on platforms of ice. The largest fish was in the over three feet long category.

 

The ship’s horn bellowed from the bridge, followed by a warning from the Captain that King Neptune had been sighted (replace “Santa” from the traditional Christmas day at sea announcement with “King Neptune” and you have the correct script).

 

The band started to play a funeral dirge and then the elaborately costumed King Neptune (Assistant Cruise Director Steve) and his wife (played by Social Hostess Jackie who later confessed that she was happy not to have to get wet) marched in followed by the Captain and several senior officers. Then came a large group of “pollywogs” (crew who have not yet crossed the equator before this trip) who were tied together by a long rope. The crew were led to a cage where they awaited their fate.

 

Then, in groups by categories, the captives were called up for judgment. Their crimes against the sea were read for all to hear -- e.g. the room stewards were accused, in great detail, of cleaning too much, -- the bridge cadets in their tan uniforms were accused of erasing the wax markings on the navigational charts -- the spa staff were accused of adjusting the scale in the gym upwards by one pound each day -- the Pinnacle Grill chef was accused of messing with the food -- the cruise staff were accused of cheating on the sports of call and a couple of the female dancers were not accused of anything -- King Neptune just wanted to see them wet.

 

One group at a time their crimes were read, they were forced to “kiss the fish” (literally, thus the role of the three large raw fish perched on their ice pedestals), they were smeared with the cream from head to foot and then there was a call for judgment -- whether or not they were to be thrown into the water. As you might guess, all groups except the waiters were thrown into the water. I suspect, however, that given the heat of the day the waiters might have preferred the water but they were “set out to bake in the sun” instead.

 

It is interesting to note that two out of three of the bridge cadets were in full tan uniform, including belts as they were creamed and dumped into the water. The third cadet was, apparently, well mentored as at the last moment before being creamed, he whipped off his tan slacks revealing his swim trunks. I dare say that the female cruise staff particularly enjoyed frosting his legs. When it came time to cream the last victims, the dancers, they were not only slathered but they also were recipients of ALL the left over frosting.

 

I should mention that yesterday we had another of our cruise critic lunches in the dining room. It is a lot of fun to gather with our on line friends and this time I had the pleasure of meeting “croozer” and “land and water” who both joined us on board in Sydney. I really do owe cruise critic and their roll call a debt of gratitude for helping to make this cruise special.

 

Now on to last night’s entertainment ... Ed. Well, really it was Devlin and his assistant Bronwyn who did an evening of magic for us. Their show was fast paced and fun. Devlin used several folks from the audience during the course of this show -- near the end of the show he tied up Bronwyn (his wife and attractive magician’s assistant). He then asked Ed to come on stage and stand in front of her. He pulled a circular screen over the two of them for a few seconds, pulled the screen down and “poof” -- there was Ed ... standing there without his sport jacket -- and his sport jacket was now being warn by Bronwyn UNDER her tied ropes! Good trick and one that has provided Ed with five minutes of celebrity status. Everywhere he has gone on the ship today folks want to know what happened under the screen during the show. Others accused him of being prepped by Devlin before the show. Well, Ed says that what happened under the screen stays under the screen. And for the record he was not coached in any way.

[RuthC]

How well I remember the King Neptune ceremony and Kiss the Fish! (It was salty.) The memories you are bringing back have brought a smile to my face. :)

It's sad to think of your cruise winding down. It's been a joy to sail along with you. Thank you, again, for all your posts.

Enjoy your lovely days at sea as you savor the thoughts of your journey.

[arzz]

The cheer was heard throughout the ship -- CNN returned to us a little while ago -- it has been gone over a week now -- I think we lost it between Noumea and Fiji. Of course this also means that we are once again approaching the civilized world and the voyage is winding down. We clear US immigration tomorrow in Honolulu and we now keep our passports. We have received the packet with FedEx labels for shipping bags home ... :(

 

But today we are at sea, we have three glorious days to enjoy Hawaii and a four day sail home -- I realize that for most this length of time would be a cruise -- for us, at this moment, it is the beginning of the end. But in between (and for the next 7 days) a good time will be had by all.

 

Our skies are sunny, our “moderate” seas are blue -- we are experiencing some movement (possibly due to our speed of 21.6 knots and the fact that we are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean) but we are fine. We have now traveled 18,515 nautical miles since we left Seattle and we have 314 nautical miles left to reach Honolulu.

 

Did you know that the most watched event on day time TV was the marriage of Luke and Laura on General Hospital? The sibling characters from Peanuts, Lucy and Linus share the last name of Van Pelt. The drug originally made from the bark of the chincona tree was quinine. The oldest city in the US is St. Augustine and the highest point in the world with cell phone service is the top of Mt. Everest. The name of Peter Pan’s Captain Hook’s ship was the Jolly Roger. Tay is the name of the longest river in Scotland. Lawrence Welk’s license plate was “A1ANA2”. The spice featured on the flag of Grenada is nutmeg.

 

And ... the TV puppet Howdy Doody has 72 freckles on his face.

 

Today was the beginning of the culmination of our 65 days of trivia. Each team, during the first week, appointed one member as the team “Brain”. Each day after the regular 15 trivia questions, there was a “Brain” question that could be answered only by the team’s designated “Brain” -- with no help from the rest of their team. That answer was written down and turned in and the cruise staff has kept track of the scores for each team. Today we had the “Brain” semifinals -- set up like jeopardy, and played like Jeopardy (except that one of the rules did change between the first and second groups that competed today) -- and all but four “Brain”s were eliminated. The four finalists will play at 7:30 pm in the Queen’s Lounge a couple of days from now.

 

Our trivia team decided the first day that we had no brains and that this part of the competition might be more divisive than inclusive -- so we have not participated. After watching today’s rather public humiliations we are extremely comfortable with our decision. But we will probably go to the Queen’s Lounge to watch the finals on the 18th.

[Two@Sea]

You have taken me along on a truly Grand Cruise! Thank you! Please send a bill... it has been worth every penny!

[MightyQuinn]

Our trivia team decided the first day that we had no brains and that this part of the competition might be more divisive than inclusive -- so we have not participated. After watching today’s rather public humiliations we are extremely comfortable with our decision. But we will probably go to the Queen’s Lounge to watch the finals on the 18th.

And I hope you'll take us along to the Queen's Lounge for that final trivia bash!

 

Arzz, it's been a real treat to travel this Grand Cruise with you & I look forward to the rest of your stories. You've still got a wonderful cruise in Hawaii to enjoy before you call it a day! ;);)

[arzz]

Here we are in Honolulu -- it is Sunday, November 16. It has been 31 years since we have been here. On our previous trips, even in congested Waikiki, there was a pervasive odor of tropical flowers in the air. I remember how impressed I was by that. Today, I am sad to say that the only pervasive odor we encountered were the persistent exhaust fumes from the vehicles that were in heavy traffic with us. In fact, after dark Ed and I sat in the Crow’s nest looking out at the city and the port. If the Aloha Tower, the subject of so many romantic allusions in books and film were not there we would not have known in any way, manner, shape or form that we were in Hawaii. Honolulu at night from the port is just a big city full of high rises.

 

This morning after lining up at the unholy hour of 7:15 to clear U.S. immigration (the line stretched from the Queen’s Lounge -- which is all the way forward -- aft to the mid-ships stairwell, it then made a 180 degree turn and went back into the Atrium -- that was when we joined the queue ... before the line got long) we breakfasted and left the ship. Several months ago we had reserved a basic, economy, (i.e. cheap) rental car at a major rental car office near the pier. As we waited for the rental agent we could hear him tell someone on the phone that they had no more economy cars available. He then proceeded to check us in -- he offered us a Ford Mustang convertible -- we said no, we are happy with the economy car that we reserved -- he then said he would give us a Ford Mustang convertible for the cost of the economy car. What could we say at that point except “yes”. When we got out to the lot there were only two rental cars there, both Ford Mustang convertibles. Good thing that we arrived at the rental office one hour early.

 

Ed was in deja vous heaven. In his mind he was 23 years old again, driving down King Kamehameha Highway, with his hair blowing in the wind and his “hot chick” next to him. In reality we were two oldies pretending to be young chuffing diesel fumes in the heavy Waikiki traffic. Oh, well.

 

We had no map of the streets of Honolulu and Waikiki. The rental agent -- for reasons known only to the mysteries of the large national rental car chain -- had no map at all to give us. Getting out of town was easy -- more or less -- we drove in the general direction of the Pali Highway through heavy traffic because one of the main drags for some reason unknown to us was closed for the day -- and we eventually found it. We once again got to view one of my favorite spots on earth, the Pali Lookout ... sigh ... I will never tire of those yellow and green mountains with the deep vertical valleys and sharp peaks juxtaposed on the turquoise ocean ... sigh again.

 

We then picked up King Kamehameha highway and headed north. We drove through Kaneohe Bay -- we had stayed here with a friend who was studying oceanography on Coconut Island on our first trip to Hawaii in the early ‘70’s. We passed suburban communities and followed the road out along the more rural beach front. We stopped along the way for pictures and to get our feet wet in the pounding, rocky surf of Oahu’s north shore. We had lunch (fish and chips) at a small wooden food stand and shared our lunch time with two couples from Texas who were here for a high energy laser physics conference. Who would think that we would meet such like souls (we taught chemistry and physics in our previous lives before retirement) on the north shore of Oahu.

 

We traveled north past the Polynesian Cultural Center -- which was closed as today is Sunday. Make that three for three -- all three times in our lives that we have driven this way were on days that the cultural center was closed for some reason or other. Clearly we are not destined to visit. We also stopped and purchased a map. As lovely as this area is, we knew that eventually we would need to return to the ship and if the trip out was any indication there was certainly no way we could get back without a map. And eventually we did return to the ship -- but we have another day here tomorrow.

[GarySuzy]

ARZZ,

 

We have enjoyed your journal over the last 2 months, and once again wish to say thank you.

 

I hope you have fun visiting the other Islands. We have a timeshare on Kauai and after 20 trips have not seen everything. Everytime we go there is something new for us to see.

[cccole]

Arzz - I have enjoyed following your cruise and am sad to see it come to a close. I know that you have wonderful memories of Honolulu and it is one of my favorite places. If you have time for evening drinks on the beach you might try taking a taxi to the Moana Surfrider, now a Westin hotel, and enjoy drinks in the Banyan court, while listening to live hawaiian music. This hotel is one of the grand old hotels of Waikiki and spending time there is a step back in history. You don't know the rest of Honolulu/Waikiki exists!

 

I will look forward to the rest of your posts. Aloha, Cherie

[arzz]

Rainbows and Gifts to Poseidon

 

Today began with a rainbow that stretched over the sky and across the harbor. It touched the water in front of Oahu’s bright green mountains which were visible through its transparent display of color. Yes ... this is what I cruise for.

 

After breakfast we collected our things and went to see if our little red convertible was still parked where we left it. Though we had parked the car where instructed by the rental company the street was so empty and the neighborhood so ... uh, industrial ... and then there was that “violators will be towed” sign on the fence ... we were not sure that it would survive the night -- but yes! Some things work out. The car was still there this morning.

 

Our plan was clear -- we drove toward Diamond Head -- the roads were not closed today and traffic was actually moving. After circling the crater with many photo stops we continued up around the southeastern tip of the island and then north towards Kaneohe Bay looking for the definitive beach. I had picked one out on the map that was a ways off the regular highways -- with only some difficulty and just a few wrong turns we arrived and it was all that we had both hoped for.

 

The small beach park was nestled amongst several high end homes -- past the small park there was this beautiful soft sand beach that stretched way up and down the coast with a nice amount of surf (but not quite the serious red flag surf found at Sunset Beach or Sandy Beach) and no rocks. Best of all there were clean bathroom facilities, fresh water showers and very few people out on the beach. Ed was in beach heaven.

 

After a quick change we both hit the surf. It was at that point that Ed donated his eyeglasses to Poseidon. Possibly Poseidon took this action because we did not honor King Neptune the first time we crossed the equator this trip, or because social hostess Jackie got through the King Neptune ceremony without getting wet ... or possibly it was because Ed was just plain stupid -- the jury on this one is still out. Ed remembered to put his cheap over the counter sunglasses on a strap but forgot to do likewise with his expensive prescription lenses. Ed has a sixteen diopter correction for nearsightedness -- without his glasses he is functionally blind. His spare glasses were on the ship (an hour’s drive away). He was not only done at the beach but he was, unfortunately, done driving the snappy red car -- it was a sacrifice but I had to drive it all the way back to the port.

 

Tomorrow we are in Maui. It is a tender port and according to the Daily Program the “all aboard” is at 1:30 pm -- hardly any time in port at all. We will decide in the morning whether or not it is worthwhile to go in -- I suspect that since Maui is followed by four days at sea we will visit the island for at least a short period of time.