ottahand7

Sunrise as we weave our way into our Belize anchorage. We are heading ashore after the excursion people leave for an over water lunch.

More on the bar closures in Grand Cayman. After we had gone ashore authorities came aboard and told our Captain that we cannot have any more than one bar open. This is the first time it has happened on a HA ship. I asked my friend where he enjoyed his happy hour and he said he remained in his cabin. He said the Lido pool was an absolute zoo with extra passengers and crew who needed to try to meet the passenger's needs. We had a Mariner Regional Wines event yesterday at 1:45 and unlike most it was elbow to elbow. Our cellar master Rodel did an excellent tasting event where we were not given the wine name or varietal, just distinguishing features and country. Much more interesting. For those boarding the Eurodam Rodel, and his assistants Charm (Tamarind) and Josephine ( PG) are very approachable and wonderful to talk with before or during a meal.

Bon voyage @USN59-79. Doubly so. CC acting up. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet reports and the maps. We are weaving our way into our anchorage in Belize. Rather cool this morning. We are here with a Princess ship. Thanks for our Cares and Celebrations list Vanessa. Prayers for everyone in our group that are going through trials and illnesses. Prayers for the people of Ukraine. We are heading ashore after the crush clears and have lunch at an over water restaurant. Our dinner last night in the Pinnacle Grill was lovely. I had been afraid to order pork chops because of the petrified ones I had to return on the Volendam. This chef pleasantly knows how to cook meat to the correct temperature. This time it was one pork chop almost like a mini tomahawk. It was perfect and John enjoyed his lamb chops. Never room for dessert. Have a lovely day! Nancy

Bon voyage @USN59-79! 🛳️🍾

That works. We always schedule a dinner in Tamarind restaurant and then select add ons from Nami. My partner loves sushi and adds it on to his meal. If one person in your group just wanted Nami Sushi and not the Tamarind meal I don't know why they would object. There are many more tables in Tamarind than Nami Sushi.

I am currently on the Eurodam. Our concierge is CJ. She goes home in early March. Perhaps her backup Parker will take over. Both have been wonderful. On this very full cruise we have relied on the Lounge more than any other cruise even though it is a hike from our aft on deck 4. If the Lido is packed we head down to the 7th floor for cappuccino and a great selection of breakfast breads, fruits and toppings. We don't really enjoy the PG breakfast, just our preference. If a bar isn't open or crowded we head to the lounge for pre dinner cocktails, all easy with HIA. My fridge is always full of HIA diet coke.

Yesterday in Grand Cayman only one bar was allowed to be open on the ship, the Lido pool bar. It is due to Cayman regulations. It was supposedly announced but probably after we had gone ashore. We got all cleaned up for Tamarind dinner and had hoped for a pre dinner cocktail but it was closed. I wish it had been shared in Daily Activities with bar time listing. On previous trip to GC there was a small liquor store to the left of the tender pier. It had a terrific selection and great prices. Now there is a duty free new building with clothing, snacks and a much smaller and higher priced selection of liquor and wine. Not far from the port is a nice wine store that we passed returning from our tour but it was closed on Sunday. There are lots of businesses near the port in walking distance, especially restaurants and a Dairy Queen.

Today's Daily Activities.

Some photos of our shore excursion in Grand Cayman yesterday. It was called an "Intimate" tour with an 18 passenger bus but I think HA must have found the excursion popular because there were three buses ending up at the same stops together. I had tried to sign up originally but only one seat was available and wait listed. About three months before two seats became available. When we stopped at a rest stop we found one of the drivers did not narrate the tour at all, just a bus ride with the passengers not knowing where they were going. It was probably a needed HIA excursion so they just hired anyone. Our driver was knowledgeable but had never done an east side tour so we stopped at the wrong restaurant. The restaurant was pleasant and had a lovely sea view, good drinks(extra) and a nice fried grouper lunch. If it wasn't for HIA we never would have booked this tour. Itinerary was a stop at a 1700s shipwreck still visible but too far for photos, a blow hole area, lunch in the restaurant and a rum cake factory. I enjoyed the chickens hanging around the best at that stop. I hope they send an email to review the shore excursion.

Good morning, on our way to Belize. I was absent yesterday, we had an early shore excursion in Grand Cayman and we had a beer and margarita at lunch. We came back and took a nap. One hour fall back last night now on Central time. Thanks for the daily reports and maps Jacqui and Roy. Prayers for everyone on our care list and the people of Ukraine. We had a pretty drive around the east end of Grand Cayman yesterday. It wasn't one I would have chosen but since we are not water sports people there isn't a lot to choose from. Wine tasting event today and Pinnacle Grill this evening. Our wonderful voyage is beginning to come to an end. The winter has been mild back home and I hope it continues as we get home to Michigan in early March. Have a lovely Monday! Nancy

A Last night's MDR dinner photos. John had tempura udon and sushi. I had chicken and gnocchi. The gnocchi were hard but the chicken perfect. Look at the soup in John's bowl. The ship was turning into a high wind and caused it to flow to one side.

Good afternoon from Grand Cayman. We had an early shore excursion. Today's Daily Activities and port map.

We shopped in Falmouth today. I bought a sweater looking sweatshirt because I am sick of my zip front sweater I need almost daily for cold areas in the ship. All the stores have basically the same merchandise but I found a store near the closed Margaritaville that had some different clothing. Then we went to the coffee store and tried Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee which was excellent. I bought a couple of bags for my neighbors who gather our mail and for my sister who watches our house. There is a pharmacy in the port shopping complex which can be a good place to get OTC meds, toiletries and sunscreen.

@Euby you will have to disembark with all the guests who are staying on for leg 2. Everyone meets in the World Stage usually at 9 and everyone proceeds off the ship in an orderly fashion. We go into the port facility and have facial recognition. Then you line up in an orderly fashion and as soon as everyone has been scanned you are allowed to board and return to the ship. If you want to get off and go to Fort Lauderdale or do a tour you will be given an in transit card and you will show that when reboarding. It will all be outlined in a letter you will get several days before the process. We had 517 passengers that went through the process last Saturday. If people disembark in a timely manner and everyone going through in transit it will be about an hour or so.

We are looking forward to meeting you too and perhaps share shore excursions. Yes we board January 11, so a 17 day, then an 18 day then the 35 day Hawaii South Pacific. Until they offer a Grand Voyage other than a world in January back to back is how we can accomplish our get away at sea.

Another reason to wait to purchase onboard is that your waiter or wine steward get credit for the sale, not money but some type of recognition. Often a favorite wine may be out of stock or off the list altogether.

Last night's dinner in the MDR and the "yum yum" snacks waiting when we left the MDR. Shrimp cocktail and artichoke dip for starters. I had the PG rib eye, huge and chewy, John had the filet special which I had forgotten to photograph.

A photo of the library on deck 3 and the toiletries section in the ship's store. The library is a sparse, virtually no travel books or non-fiction.

We are on the Konigsdam, 7 aft cabin.

Today's Daily Activities, port map and a photo of the port.

Sorry I couldn't clear a quote from my editor. Sunrise off Falmouth, Jamaica.

Good morning from off Falmouth, Jamaica. Thanks for the daily reports and maps. Prayers for everyone on our care list and the people of Ukraine. Have a lovely day! Nancy

Bon voyage @Nickelpenny and @cat shepard! 🍾🛳️

In my work life I spent a lot of time in the Eastern Shore of Maryland and my favorite day was when we visited Chrisfield not only to have lunch at the restaurant where the boats came in but to visit the street with the "peeler sheds". One wholesaler also allowed locals to come in and buy fresh softies. They came in 4 sizes, Hotels, Primes, Jumbos and Whales. We had a second home in Rehoboth at the time so I could bring them home for dinner. Late husband had a deft hand with MD seafood and he would fry them up for dinner. I preferred the Primes as I didn't care for the green stuff inside, he had Jumbos. Happy memories.