WCB

Report #47 Wednesday February 15, 2023 Adelaide, Australia Arrival At 2pm Overnight-Docked Sunny And Hot 95 Degrees Part #1 Of 2.........59 Pictures Our day began as a sea day but became a port day when we arrived to Adelaide, Australia at 2pm. It was hard to believe how much the temperature had gone up the closer we got to land. The Captain had said to expect high temperatures, but we did not believe that might be over 90 degrees. One good thing was that the humidity was low, much like what we have at home in California, so the 90’s did not scare us. When we were about an hour away from the pier, we began seeing more and more birds, as well as some very lazy dolphins. They were quite far away, so filming was impossible. This entire area is known for its dolphin and whale sightings. Close to the harbor is a bird sanctuary for mostly migratory birds, so we would be in for a treat when we finally docked. On sand bars, we did spot flocks of Australian pelicans, small gulls, oystercatchers, guillemots, and the always present ibis. Entering the basin, the ship was turned around and we pulled alongside the dock and the Adelaide Cruise Terminal. This gave the port side passengers a great view of the city and the Outer Harbor Railway Station right across the road. This connects the port area with downtown Adelaide, a 40- minute ride, with tickets sold from vending machines in the station. For those who booked tours, there was only one sold today…. Adelaide Highlights for $70. Among the excursions offered tomorrow are a wildlife tour for $250, best of Adelaide for $170, wine tasting in the Barossa Valley for $200 and a drive to Hahndorf for $90 or Cleland Wildlife Park for $100. We have done several of these tours, and recommend most all of them, especially Hahndorf, the German settlement that reminded us of Carmel, California. Because we had a bird’s eye view of the gangway from our veranda, we stayed onboard and watched the tour groups go off. Also, much of the crowd was headed to the train for the ride to town. The ship is overnighting here so there was no need to be back early. All aboard will be 10:30pm tomorrow. There was also a local group of greeters, which included a kangaroo mascot. That costume must have been stifling today. A local band played Aussie music which included Waltzing Matilda of course. They entertained the disembarking guests until 3:30pm, and all of us that watched from our verandas. Going off at 4pm, we found a ton of information in the form of maps, brochures, and even local docents who gave excellent directions. We cannot say enough about the hospitality of the Australian people….everywhere we have gone so far. One of the agents even pointed out a brochure we might like that was all about Kangaroo Island. Seems they knew we were headed there in a few days. This afternoon we decided to take a slow hike to the sand dunes along the coastline directly across from the dock. There are park grounds with benches and signage all about dolphins in the area. Huge jagged-cut rocks line the water’s edge and benches are set to watch the basin directly in front of us. One bad thing is that there is no shade. The metal benches would not be usable this afternoon. This area is the beginning of a stretch of beaches for 8 ½ km. We only got to the first beach where some locals were swimming. This area is known as Gulf St. Vincent. It was so warm we decided to turn back, since we will explore further tomorrow. Doubt we will take the train into town because we have explored there extensively on past world cruises. We shall stay local and probably end up at North Haven, a quaint marina with some shops and restaurants. Greg and Heo had gone to town, and must have decided to stay there for dinner. So there were only five of us, with many surrounding tables empty. We love it that way, because it is not noisy to the point where we cannot hear each other talking. We all have come to the conclusion that the food so far on this trip has not been living up to our expectations. Perhaps it is due to the fact that many entrees are repeated far too often, and the quality of some of these mains are not up to par. It has been a challenge to mix and match an entrée to make it customized. Lucky for us, we have a very co-operative waiter. Then we keep our fingers crossed that not too much salt had been used, or some meals are under-seasoned. We have never had this problem before, but there may be new cooks onboard. One thing remains a constant, and that is dessert….something most all of us look forward to. The entertainment this evening was a documentary film in the World Stage, which our tablemates feel is the same as a black-out night. Wonder if tomorrow will be as hot as today? We shall find out soon…… Bill & Mary Ann

Report #46 Tuesday February 14, 2023 Valentines Day , Sea Day Enroute To Adelaide, South Australia, Australi Cloudy And Cool 62 Degrees A Large Rolling Swell Part #1 Of 1..........6 Pictures HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO ALL! We woke up to overcast skies, rolling seas, and wind as we sailed around the south end of Tasmania. This seems to be the norm in this part of Australia. The weather slowly improved as the day advanced. Our breakfast waiters Andri and Danu greeted us with “Happy Valentine’s Day” as we walked into the restaurant. This holiday has arrived so quickly, it is hard to believe that we have been on the ship since January 3rd. When we went back to our room, we were given a single red rose bud and a box of Jacques Torres Chocolates or bon-bons made with real champagne. It was a nice gift, but we seem to recall we always got two of them. One for each of us. We sort of expected this would follow suit since we only got one holiday gift for President’s Club before we left home…..not two. We will enjoy the bon-bons and follow the instructions on the card that came with them….Life is short. Eat dessert first. We also had a cute Valentine’s Day card from our Signature hosts Luisa and Gene. We had a brisk walk on the promenade deck at noontime. It was still cloudy and windy but did make us walk faster. Very few people were outside, not even on the lounges. Looking for any sign of birds seemed futile. We may have spotted one or two shearwaters, but they are difficult to follow. It has been a disappointment not seeing many gannets or albatross on this trip. The rest of the day we worked on the computer until the sun finally appeared on our side of the ship. We are now heading northwest, and did get some warm rays of the sun by 5pm. Lining up the lounge chairs on the veranda, we relaxed outside until it was time for another walk. This time our hike included getting wet from the deck fellows hosing the lifeboats and rafts. They did stop long enough for the few of us that were outside, even for the man who was dressed in his suit for dinner. Since it was a special day, the dress code was actually formal for dinner. All of us showed up dressed with something red or pink for the occasion. Barb was really disappointed that we did not get an officer as a guest for our table, although we really don’t care one way or another. When Presty, our dining room maitre’d came by, Barb asked for wine for our table, since we were not hosted. Without questioning anything, he said yes, and white and red wines appeared within minutes, served by Oscar. Three of us could have had sodas we guess, but all of us passed with a “thanks” anyway. Leave it to Barb….she is not shy. We all ordered starters of either crab rolls or tomato soup and salad. Greg and Heo both added the lobster dip, but when it arrived, there were no chips. Our waiter was nowhere to be seen, so the guys ate the dip with their forks because it was served hot. About 10 minutes later, a bowl of tortilla chips arrived without an apology. Oh well, they snacked on the chips until their entrees came. Filet mignon and lobster was one of the mains. If you ordered more than one, there was a $7.50 charge added to your account. Never thought we would see that day come when extra charges were applied to a dining room meal. Many other middle of the pack cruise lines started this years ago, so it was only a matter of time when things would change here. The kingfish plate was excellent as was the fusilli pasta with sliced chicken breast. Desserts were two types of chocolate cakes, everyday fruit crisp, and pear strudel. Oh yeah, and the fruit plate….always available. A romantic evening of music and joy was promised in the Crow’s Nest and Love Lounge? deck 2. It would also have a chocolate surprise, as if we needed more sweets. The clocks went back ½ hour tonight to put us on the correct time for Adelaide tomorrow. It is one of those few places in the world that has that ½ hour difference. This will be our second time doing that with the first one in the Marquesas. Gosh that seems like forever ago….. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #45 Monday February 13, 2023 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 2-12-23 -7pm Over night Till 2-13-23 -4pm Docked Mostly Cloudy With Some Rain Showers Part #1 Of 6........71 Pictures One nice thing about today was the fact we were already docked in Hobart since we arrived last evening by 8pm. Those folks that were on tours were about the first to get off without having to wait to be cleared by the local officials. The only requirement by Ian was to announce the biosecurity alert regarding products that are not allowed off of the ship. We know it by heart now. Anyway, some of the excursions offered today included a historic walk in Hobart for $50, or a ride to Mt. Wellington and the Botanical Gardens for $70. Out of town tours went to the Huon Valley and Terhune Forest walk for $170, or Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary to see some of Australia’s famous animals for $90. In the past, we have visited the sanctuary finding it a lot of fun. How about abalone, oyster, and whiskey tasting? That went for $180. Something to do on your own was a trek to MONA, or the Museum of Old and New Art, which is reportedly controversial, according to our dinner mates. A “unique” experience but leave the young kids home. A great way to see the sights is a ride on the local ho-ho bus, which can be done on your own. We had so much to do after breakfast, we stayed onboard until noontime. It just so happened that today was the final day of Hobart’s Wooden Boat Festival, which was declared a holiday here. Everyone and their brother was at the marina, including us and the passengers on the Ponant Le Soleal (2013) which holds 264 passengers. A small ship at 10,944 gross tons, it is contemporary chic for young-minded couples and singles. It is about all inclusive with 12 zodiacs for offshore exploring. The only complaint we read was there is no walking or jogging deck. Chances are their cruises are much shorter in duration than what we are doing. And port intensive…so who needs to jog? We have to mention that today was Superbowl LV11 with the Kansas City Chiefs VS the Philadelphia Eagles. The kickoff was at 10:30am here, so many guests stayed onboard to watch the game in the World Stage. It was not announced, but food was available, and the beverages were charged like always. There was no big hype with a fast food buffet and drink deals like we had in the past. But usually this would not be happening on a port day. So things changed with the festivities. We walked from Macquarie Wharf at Sullivan’s Cove where we were docked and ran into Ian, who was coming back to the ship already. We have been here before, but it has been a long time. We asked him which way to turn up the street, and he said we couldn’t miss the crowd when we turned left. Boy, was he right. Throngs of locals were crowded at Victoria and Constitution Docks. There were several ancient steam locomotives set up with engines running, attracting folks that knew what they were looking at….mostly the guys. Further up, the marina was full of boats of all kinds, but more so, the tall wooden vessels from the past. Some were opened for people to go onboard and have a look. The deeper we got into the crowd, we realize we were passing by dozens of portable eateries. People were lined up at each venue to buy all types of food. Tables, chairs, and even picnic benches were available to eat the meals. No social distancing here, and absolutely no mask-wearing that we could see. Kids were out of school today, and they were running amuck in the melee. Passing two piers, we ended up at Parliament Square and the greens that were in front of the Parliament House (also closed today). There were local families sitting on the greens enjoying lunch and watching a three- person acting team put on a show for the younger kids. We happened to pass by a hop on hop off bus stop where we found one of their brochures. Somehow we missed that info center in the cruise terminal when we left the building. Anyway, we got our bearings and followed the map up the street to get away from the crowd. We found St. David’s Park which housed many trees, two of which were gigantic coast redwoods from California. Going further up the street we located St. David’s Cathedral, Anglican Church we assume. They were hosting the 55th annual floral festival, so we went inside to check it out. Inside the foyer were two docents that handed out brochures and also a slip of paper to vote for the best floral display. The theme of this festival was really recognizing the importance of water in relation to growing flowers. It was tied to the bible from what we read. After circling the inside of the church and seeing all of the displays, we agreed that one with yellow, orange, and white flowers was the best. They were all nice, so we really think the reason for the voting was to obtain your email address and get you on their mailing list forever. We wrote down that we were from the MS Zuiderdam…. period. Continuing on, we passed by numerous period buildings/turned businesses. They were all in the Central Business District, although we did not have enough time to explore that area. On the way back, we went through another park called Franklin Square. A huge fountain was here as well as lots of seating surrounding the fountain. A group from the ship was on their walking tour here, but no one we knew. Walking downhill, we located the information center which was loaded with brochures. Can never get enough printed info. Just so we remember for the next time we may be here, there were big restrooms across from the travel center. Locals were still dining at the food stalls while we checked out those wooden sailing boats from the old days. Some were taking reservations for a harbor ride. We could hear some kind of competition going on at the marina. Turned out to be a derby race with kids that had created a boat from scratch. Unfortunately, most of the craft sunk, leaving the kids swimming in the water. The one that was made from an old bathtub won first place, but it had also sunk to the bottom of the marina. Pretty funny, but it was a big deal for those who competed. There were some real restaurants near the marina that were opened, but were jammed pack with customers. No lunch or beer for us today, since all aboard was 3:30pm. Back at the ship, we ended up with a room service lunch which was also perfect. Had to include a bowl of their chicken spaghetti soup since it was so cold out today. It looked like it could rain all day, but it never did. Of course, we had the umbrellas just in case. The ship left the pier by 4pm, and we watched as all of the boats came out of the marinas. We felt as if they were out there to watch us leave the harbor, or it was the official end of the four day festival. Hobart is actually located on the River Derwent, so when we got out into the open waters, it was windy and rough. And cold. By dinnertime we had come out into Storm Bay, and the going got even rougher. But before we got to the open waters, a cool rainbow appeared on the port side of the ship. It came and went, but eventually appeared in full colors. Ian came on the speakers and said to check it out. We always consider a rainbow a good luck sign. Speaking of dinner, we had company tonight. Heo and Greg were off to a special anniversary dinner for friends, so Susie had invited mutual friends Ginni and Rich to join us. We had a really nice visit with them, and even though we have known them for several years, this ship is so much bigger than the Amsterdam, that we seldom cross paths. We all had three years of catching up to do. Dinner starters were fried calamari and chicken noodle soup again. Salads were eaten, then one of us had the barramundi and the other a pot roast meal….both good. Desserts were one very decadent chocolate cake, which was more like a hunk of chocolate fudge with ice cream. The fruit plate was great as always. We have one day at sea to relax, then we will be two days in Adelaide, another fabulous city down under. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #44 Sunday February 12, 2023 Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia At Anchor 8am-3:30 Cloudy And Windy With Some Sun 70 Degrees Part #5 Of 6..........69 Pictures Today’s port of call was Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia. Luckily, one of us was up early as usual to get some photos when entering through the headlands, as it was quite scenic. The sun had come up by then, and it was the perfect exposure to see all of the colors of the windblown cliffs as we sailed into the bay. This happened to be the better part of the day weatherwise, as things deteriorated later in the morning. We went to breakfast at 7:30am, and when we saw the view of where the ship anchored, we thought we were back in Alaska’s Inside Passage. The tree-studded hillsides at this end of the scenic bay were quite similar. Since we had some catching up to do with yesterday’s exploits, we stayed onboard until closer to 10 am. One of us had been reading while sitting in the sun on the veranda, when we looked up and saw an ominous black system heading our way. The Captain had mentioned that things can turn on a dime in this part of Australia, and he was right. By the time we reached the tender boat, the skies had darkened, and the rain started. Of course, we had umbrellas, but with the wind, they may not have worked well. Most of the tour groups had left the ship already. Here are a few of what was offered: A tour of Port Arthur and geological panoramas for $80, Tasman Island Eco Cruise for $160, Port Arthur behind the bars a walking tour for $80, the same walking tour with food & wine for $180, a lavender farm with wine for $130, or a trip to Tasmanian Devil Unzoo for $100. We have done a couple of these tours years ago, so knew we could cover a lot of ground on our own today. The ride over went smoothly, although the Captain had warned that the ride back may be difficult if the winds picked up. This may have scared off some guests from going ashore. This stop today did not take you near any town or village, but only the prison grounds. The Port Arthur penal station was created in 1830 as a timber working camp, with prisoners as laborers that produced sawn logs for the government projects. Eventually by 1840, more than 2000 convicts, soldiers, and civil staff lived here. They produced everything from worked stone and bricks to furniture, clothing, and even boats and ships. For the prisoners, it was a punishment station for repeat offenders from all of the Australian colonies. Discipline, punishment, religious and moral instruction were extremely imposed on the convicts, men and women alike. There was even a boys’ prison for ages 9 to 17, keeping them separate from the adults. They were taught a trade as well as learning to read and write. On the other hand, the community of military and free people lived in stark contrast to the convicted ones. They enjoyed parties, regattas, and literary events in their beautiful gardens situated far enough out of sight of the prison buildings. Eventually the penal system closed in 1877, and many of the structures were dismantled or burned in wildfires. By 1920, many of the existing old buildings had become museums, hotels, and shops. In time, the state government acquired portions of the property and a major conservation project began in 1980. Then in 2010, Port Arthur and 10 other similar sites were inscribed on the World Heritage List as the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property. We had to laugh at the length of the line of people waiting to take our tender boat back to the ship. There were over 100 folks ready to board the tender. They had not been prepared for the sudden change of weather, and had no place to stay out of the rain. Oh well, more room for the rest of us. One of us was happy to see some young greeters handing out maps and brochures of the property. Everything we needed to know. With those in hand, we headed straight for the penitentiary, the largest building on the property. It was originally a flour mill and granary in 1845, but was converted into cells for the worst of the convicts. The two lower floors contained tiny cells for the repeat offenders, with the top floor for the better behaved convicts. They got to sleep in bunks. A library, mess hall, and a chapel were in the same building. Devastated by fire in 1897, all that remains of it are the masonry walls and barred windows. It was very full of tourists, so we headed off on a seaside trail, which led us for a few miles around Mason Cove to Carnarvon Bay, leaving the property by climbing up steps that went up and over existing fencing. We came across a town which turned out to be Port Arthur. Since it was raining heavier here, and we had lost the protection of the ancient trees, we decided to head back the way we came. Then we saw the strangest thing. There were some people snorkeling along the rocky shoreline, as if searching for something. Very odd, since that water had to be ice cold, and the area was not really accessible from the trail we walked. We did not stick around to ask questions. Most of the trees here were eucalyptus and older than dirt. One had the diameter of 6 feet, and probably measured over 25 feet in circumference. If only these trees could talk. The trail sides were covered with mossy rocks and ferns. We even saw what appeared to be blueberries, but darker blue growing like a bulbing plant. When nothing appeared to be eating them, they were more than likely poisonous. We finally got back to the prison property and continued our extensive tour of the entire place. Heading straight up the side trail, we visited every building reading the signage at each display. There were quite a few restrooms throughout the property as well. The only part we missed was the Dockyard where the convicts built as many as 150 small boats and 16 large vessels. There was a lime kiln here which was used in the brick and stone laying in the old days. We also did not take the ferry that went to the Isle of the Dead, where between 1833 and 1877, 1100 people were buried in this cemetery. It was the final resting place for not only the criminals, but also civilian and military officers, their wives and children. The Point Puer Boys’ Prison was also accessed by a ferry. The ages of the boys were from 9 to 17, but their young age did not protect them from the stern discipline and punishment. However, they did receive an education before they were released into the general population. The nicest part of the property had to be where the civilian houses were built along with the remains of the Church overlooking the government gardens. From here, we made our way to the Visitor’s Center and museum. There was a restaurant on one side of the center where they served coffee, cakes, snacks, and light desserts as well as light meals with wine and drinks. Greg and Heo dined there with Rich and Ginni and raved about the meat pies that they all ordered. That got us thinking about lunch, and decided we had walked our legs off, and a room service lunch was in order. The ride back was windy and cold, but getting on the tender boat was easy with lots of crew helping. Back on the ship by 2pm, we ordered salads and sandwiches which arrived by 2:30pm. About 3:45pm, Captain Friso announced that we would be leaving shortly. The clouds were breaking up, but he said the Tasman Sea was vicious once we left the headlands. He said the winds were gale force and we could expect motion on the vessel. He did promise some scenic cruising on the way to Hobart, especially around Cape Raoul where there are some impressive pinnacle-shaped spires all standing at attention. We braved the biting winds and went down to the promenade deck to get some pictures. Not exactly dressed for the gale force winds, one of us went back to the room to warm up. By 7pm, we began seeing civilization on the coastline as we got closer to Hobart, where the ship would dock by 8pm. Ian had announced that there was a holiday there and a regatta festival was in progress. Fireworks over the harbor were promised at 9:30pm. We were off to dinner by 7:30pm, and all were present. Thank goodness that hot split pea soup was served. Nothing better on such a cold day. Mains for us were one fried pork chop with sides I like, and one salmon dinner. Desserts were not-so-warm sticky date pudding with ice cream and a fruit plate with the sweetest pineapple and watermelon. Heo and Greg were going to bundle up and head to town this evening, while the rest of us headed back to our rooms to hopefully watch the fireworks. We heard the noise, but never saw the fireworks. Oh well, it would take 2 hours to write the day’s report, not counting doing the photos. Keeps us busy for sure. We will spend the night here and leave tomorrow around 4pm. Got to rest up for another day of exploring. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #43 Saturday February 11, 2023 Day At Sea Enroute To Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia Cooler And Sunny 68 Degrees Part #1 Of 1..........7 Pictures We are appreciating these days at sea more and more, especially after a 2 day stay in a big city like Sydney. It allowed us the time to complete the activities and photos of our second day we spent there. One thing that was missing were the ubiquitous brochures we used to pick up at the info centers all around town. They were jammed with all the maps and details we would need to know about every district and site in town. Perhaps they are not being printed anymore, which is sad. Not all of us travelers use a cell phone on these cruises, and have always relied on local brochures and booklets. In fact, the ship used to provide a map and suggested restaurants, major tourist sites, or shopping areas to see and visit. On this cruise, we have gotten maybe one or two flyers with local info. Guess those days are gone. Since tomorrow’s stop is in Port Arthur, we will have to listen to Ian’s lecture on what to see and do. We have been to this port a few times on past cruises, but it has been many years ago. The first time here, we took a tour from Hobart, which is very close by. At that time, we toured the old prison grounds, but also saw other things on the way. We sure cannot recall anything in the way of cafes or restaurants, or even shops in Port Arthur. During his noon address, Captain Friso brought up a problem with the water system on the ship early this morning. Something occurred that shut down the pumps for a short duration. There was no water. By the time Bill got up, he noticed the water from the faucet coming out rust color. That was not a good sign, although eventually it did clear up. He also mentioned that today’s nice weather may not hold up during our stop tomorrow. He is expecting high winds, cloudy, partly sunny, and some rain. Well, that covers everything, but snow. We might have some scenic cruising on the way there, but it will be early in the morning. On the way out after 4pm, we will be cruising Cape Raoul with sandstone rocks and wind cut cliffs. This will be a tender port, and if the winds pick up, it may be dicey. Captain Friso’s new slogan is: prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We second that. His final bit of news had to do with a cyclone currently heading up through the Tasman Sea. Boy did we dodge that bullet or what? The biggest event today was the delivery of 32 Coke Zeros for our every other week President’s Club amenity. We have a nice stash now since it has not been that hot outside. We do enjoy sipping the sodas with our room service lunch, which was excellent today. A cobb salad, one club sandwich with extra potato chips, a bowl of Grandma’s chicken noodle soup, and some apples and cookies were shared. Certainly tides us over to dinner at 7:30pm. During our dinner time, we have enjoyed the input about everything Australian from both Heo and Greg. They have been a big help filling in the gaps with missing information. We have learned more about the culture, cuisine, history from them than any speaker onboard. Tonight’s menu was created by the culinary council with specialized appetizers and entrees. Most everyone ordered the crab cakes, salads with shrimp, or the soup. Mains were barramundi, prime rib, chicken something, and top ramen with tempura vegetables. However, the veggies were sauteed, not tempura, but tasted good anyway. An added chicken breast rounded out the meal. Our waiter is quite helpful in putting together possibilities beyond what is printed on the menu. And our plates are arriving hot every night without asking. Desserts were a tart and a fruit plate, a refreshing way to end a meal. Once again we watched as the sun went down, presenting a pretty neat sky – similar to this morning’s sunrise. Bill & Mary Ann

Greetings Patrick, Go to this link and click on pictures here at the bottom of the report. Happy to have you tag along..... Bill & Mary Ann "Treasures of Cruising the World" with Bill & Mary Ann

Report #42 Friday February 10, 2023 Sydney, Australia Day #2 A Very Sunny And Warm Day 85 Degrees Sailaway 6pm Part #1 Of 5........72 Pictures Our second day in Sydney could not have been nicer as far as the weather was concerned. Yesterday it was cloudy, windy, and raining with lightning and thunder. Today we had mostly sunny blue skies, with a few scattered clouds and temperatures in the 80’s. Couldn’t ask for a better day. We stayed onboard after breakfast to finish yesterday’s report and photos. One of us decided not to wear the tens unit for my back, since coming back through shoreside security was not as easy as everywhere else. I failed the xray screening, and had to be scanned on the side. Finding the tens unit in my pocket, the security girl asked to see it. Not sure she was understanding it was for back pain, but finally she let me go. I decided it was best to leave it on the ship today and avoid a repeat performance, although I may regret it. We left the ship at 11am going off of the gangway that had been attached shoreside. It was located on deck three sort of mid-ship. Boarding the waiting shuttle bus, it took off the minute we sat down. Once again the ride was quick to Cockle Bay despite the ongoing construction on this side of the harbor. Greg mentioned that an underground transit system was being created, and will immensely help with the traffic problem. Once off the bus at the Aquarium, we turned right this time, and headed towards the restaurants and shops along the harbor. Most of the ferry landings and wharves are here as well as Captain Cook Cruises and private yachts for dinner cruises. We ended up at Barangaroo, a new development that has risen from the old dock we used to use here. Our first destination was a visit to the new Crown Resort building, with 75 floors and measuring 890 feet high. From a distance it resembles a rocket, or more like something you would see in Dubai. The construction began in 2016 and finished in 2020. Currently it is the tallest building in Sydney, and the 4th tallest in all of Australia. It consists of a hotel, restaurants, high-end shopping, apartments, and a casino. Doing some basic research, we learned that the powers to be built this elaborate casino/hotel to attract Chinese high-rollers that normally went to Macau to gamble. Over the years Macau has lost its luster, so here was an opportunity to attract this group. There were many hiccups before the final construction was completed, and in record time. Quite impressive. Continuing on, we walked the waterfront path enjoying the views of the Darling Harbour and the surrounding bays and inlets. We could even see the two ships in White Bay. Yesterday we thought the Amera had left, but it stayed overnight like us but did leave by 5pm. More construction was ongoing in the Barangaroo area, and Greg said that more towers of apartments are being created. The Barangaroo Reserve was further up, mostly parkland with rock beaches. One of those rocky coves was a place to swim with restrooms nearby. Many swimmers were in the water, but it sure looked cold to us. Leaving the reserve, we began the stretch on Hickson Road where the old wharves from 1901 still stand. Due to shortages of cement during WWI, these wharves were built with timber. Eventually they were obsolete with new shipping technology, but these wharves were refurbished and repurposed into residential, restaurant, and cultural hub. Wrapping around Dawes Point, we ended up at the base of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We have never been walking in this part of town, so it was a nice discovery when the Opera House appeared as well as Circular Quay. What a photo op. And there was a wedding couple having professional shots taken with the same back round. Sweet. Speaking of weddings…..we watched as we were walking the reserve to see a plane writing letters in the sky. By the time we saw it, he had printed “Will you marry me, Wudi”. We waited to see if there was more. He printed an R with a heart in the center for O, ending with a D. Yes, it was Rod proposing to Wudi. Wonder if she said yes? Now we were searching for the way to the Rocks to go back to Caminettos for lunch. Cutting up a side street from the Overseas Cruise Terminal, we ended up right across from the area of the Italian restaurant. There were only a few tables left, and we took one of them. The owner welcomed us back, laughing that we had a much better day today. We liked our lunch yesterday so much, we did it again. We could have relaxed there longer, but all aboard was 5:30pm with the last bus at 5pm. It was already after 3pm, so we headed off to walk up to Woolworths and stroll through the Queen Victoria Building. It was a long hike uphill, but we made it. We did not find what we needed, but did enjoy the walk through the famous QVB. Back at the shuttle stop, we boarded the bus and were off to the ship without any delays this time. When we entered the terminal we ran into Greg and friends visiting at one of the few tables there. He introduced us and we chatted for some time as we all have mutual friends. By the way, we learned from Greg that the flag displayed on the bridge along with the Australian flag was the Aboriginal flag. One of us was not looking forward to the xray check. And for good reason. The buzzer went off like I knew it would, but there was a line of folks to check. They just kept lining people up to wait for the wanding. Finally, it was my turn, and nothing was found. Duh…. Took them 10 minutes to figure that out. Sail away came about 6pm, and we watched from our veranda. We have never seen so many sailboats, so there must have been some kind of regatta taking place. Many boaters flanked the ship all the way out to the headlands. Gosh, the wind took hold of those sails and some boats were sailing at an angle that was unbelievable. Takes some special skills to man these vessels and obviously they know what they’re doing. Glad it’s them and not us. We finally left the harbor and sailed out into the choppy seas, heading for Port Arthur in two days from now. We all agreed at dinner that our stay here was beyond fabulous. Exhausting, but well worth it. Our dinners were a bit underwhelming. The hot soup was reportedly salty, as were some of the entrees. We all wondered if anyone ever tests the food before it is served. Two bones were found in the snapper, which was otherwise very good. Those slivers of bone are what has kept one of us almost a non-fish eater. Shiver me timbers….those bones are off-putting. Anyway, some of our tablemates reported this to our new head waiter, who went off to inquire about the over salting and the fish bones. We never saw him for the rest of the evening. What we did see was a fantastic setting of the sun, without many horizon clouds. People jumped up and took photos with their cell phones, waiting for that green flash. Don’t think we saw it. Happy to have a sea day tomorrow to rest up for another Australian port. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #41 Thursday February 9, 2023 Sydney, Australia Day #1 Cloudy With Rain Showers And Afternoon Thunder Showers 75 Degrees Part #1 Of 5.........73 Pictures The Zuiderdam sailed into the Sydney Harbour under cover of darkness too early this morning for all of us to get a scenic sail-in. Back in the old days, the ship would have arrived at daylight, and there would have been a running commentary on all of the outside decks, as well as inside the lounges. That does not happen anymore, due to local regulations forbidding noise coming from the cruise ships. And another good reason for the early docking is the fact that ships our size must use the White Bay terminal, simply because we can fit under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. According to Captain Friso, we had just enough room to clear the bridge legally because of the higher tides. Now there would be two other choices of where we could dock. The first option was at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, located at Circular Quay. That had always been our spot, until the mega-ships began visiting here. The other option could be anchoring across from the Opera House and tendering to shore. That would be our last choice, so having to take a shuttle bus to Darling Harbour from White Bay wasn’t such a bad idea. By the way, we will be here for two full days. Also in port at White Bay today was the old Prinsendam, now called Amera and owned by Phoenix Reisen. Considering it was launched in 1988 as Royal Viking Sun, it still looks great. We went on her last world cruise in 2001 when the ship was the Seabourn Sun, and again in 2005 and 2010 for grand voyages after it was sold to HAL. The other ship in port was docked at Circular Quay, and that was the Carnival Splendor, launched in 2008 with 2974 passengers who are described as young couple with families. Sydney has been described as a glamourous city with all of the beaches, boutiques, high-end shopping, and bars. They are big on shellfish, bugs (shovel-nosed lobsters), snapper, trevally, and whiting. Oysters and prawns are common entrées. Tours offered today included a walk on your own in the Rocks -$50, or a stroll in Manly and North Sydney - $50. A city tour and Bondi beach was $90, while for the thrill-seeking folks, a climb up the Sydney Harbour Bridge was $500. Sydney sites and Opera House tour was $130, and a visit to the Taranga Zoo was $140. A drive to the Blue Mountains was $200, and an evening performance at the Opera House was $400 for A seats or $300 for B seats. That did not even include cocktails or a dinner. Yesterday we had been given instructions about the Australian Immigrations procedures. Our time slot was 9am with group 7, but we inquired about getting off later, and were told that was fine, as our group has that option. So we went to breakfast at 7:30am, and finally left the ship around 9:30am. By then, most of the ship’s tours should have been off and cleared immigrations. By the way, we were asked to wear masks in the terminal, although, the note that came with the complimentary masks stated we “may” be asked to wear a mask. It’s a fine point, but tomorrow we will have to look for the mandatory mask sign, since today we don’t recall seeing it. The line to present ourselves to the officials was like being in Disneyland. Zig-zagging for about six lanes, it took way longer than most people expected. Of course, we were mixed with the tour groups, and not all of the agents were proficient at their job. The fellow we got ended up asking his lady colleague for help. Once we cleared, we were handed our passports and off we went to the waiting coaches. The ride took only 20 minutes across the Anzac Bridge to the backside of the Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour. The last shuttle was at midnight. One thing we missed were the offerings of maps with lots of information. In fact, they only had a few street maps left, and some brochures. Then they ran out according to Barb who followed behind us. We have to mention that the weather was really looking like rain….very cloudy and humid. Greg and Heo had mentioned that if it rained, it would be light and passing. Boy did that turn out differently, but not until later in the day. We did have some sprinkles along the hike, but for the most part, our umbrellas kept us dry. But more about that later. Locating Market Street by going up the escalator, we followed it to the Queen Victoria Building, then on to Pitt Street. It is a pedestrian only street lined with every high-end store that exists. Even at this early hour, there were street artists playing music for some tips. Judging by the store window displays, the clothing is geared towards the younger group and quite colorful and up-to-date fashionable. The famous Uggs are sold here, but we figured it is way easier to go online at home and buy them that way. We are restricted by weight for our luggage, so we have to be careful. Window-shopping was as good as it gets here. Going downhill, we found we were close to Circular Quay and the many ferries that leave from here. That’s where we saw the Carnival Splendor docked with lots of folks coming and going with luggage in tow. We are not sure, but it appeared the ship may be having a turn-over today. Most of the passengers we saw were very young with kids. The cafes and restaurants were in full swing by now since it was close to lunchtime. We made our way to the Opera House, and that’s when the sprinkles began. Just enough to wet the umbrellas, but then stopped. The drizzle was off and on for the next hour or two. After circling around the back of the Opera House, we got many more pictures to add to the collection. The entrance to the Royal Botanic Garden was right there, so we hiked through the entire park, checking out each display and testing several nice park benches. It was the least crowded we have even seen, but that had to be due to the weather. Despite the drizzle and occasional winds, it was still warm. One spot we had not seen before was the Calyx, which turned out to be a nice garden with a snack corner and restrooms. And a shop of course. If there was a display there, it was closed. We made our way to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, situated on the point opposite the Opera House. One of us climbed down the rock steps to reach the actual “chair” created from natural rocks. This is where Mrs. Macquaire sat while watching for ships from England. On the way back, we passed by the staging area of an entertainment venue with the Opera House and Sydney Bridge in the backround. Following the path along Farm Cove, we made our way back to the park’s entrance once again. Our destination was The Rocks, the area where convicts lived in barracks in the 1800’s. It is thought that these prisoners worked for the government during the day, and the rest of the time, built the houses, shops, and pubs creating a new life for themselves. The Rocks is a living museum these days and every place has a story to tell. After passing by the busy ferry area of Circular Quay, we began the climb up George Street. We noticed that many of the pubs and eateries had expanded their seating areas into part of the street, closing it to traffic to all but one lane. This practice has popped up where we live as well in downtown Walnut Creek. Some of the side streets have closed totally with tables and chairs with many umbrellas for shade. This really took off during the Covid period and has remained popular with the diners. Near the top of the street is a plaza where you can find the best pizza ( in our humble opinion ). It is called Caminetto’s , and despite it being after 2pm, we were lucky to find a table outside mostly under the overhang. We ordered two draft beers and one Hawaiian pizza to share. So far, this was the best pizza we have had, since it was covered generously with ham, pineapple, and tons of bubbling hot cheese. By the time we were finished, thunder and lightning exploded right overhead. Numerous times, we saw the flash followed by cracking thunder. Naturally, the rain began and soon became super-heavy. We scooted under the overhang as much as possible, then one of us pulled out the umbrella to keep the spray from getting us too wet. The patio was full of locals, who did not seem to skip a beat during the passing storm. We ordered a different dessert of ice cream rolled with nuts and chocolate in the center, enjoying every bite until the rain let up. By now it was after 3pm, and time to find our way back to the shuttle. We noticed that all of the street dining venues had emptied out totally all the way back down George Street. It was a long hike back to Market Street, then back over to Darling Harbour and Cockle Bay where the bus was waiting. By now the rain had begun to fall again, so our timing happened to be perfect by accident. A few more passengers were waiting at a different spot, and the nice driver stopped to let them in the bus. The ride back this time was slower due to a previous accident that caused a back up on the roads. Since we were so close to White Bay terminal, we exited the freeway and were back to the ship by 4:30pm. We had completed a 7 hour hike and appreciated relaxing until dinnertime. Watching from our veranda, we began seeing groups of mostly well-dressed guests heading off for that performance at the Opera House. Rather amusing to see some of the tux-wearing gents sporting white tennis shoes. Actually Greg and Heo said these days, the locals are nowhere near as formal as they used to be. Casual is the common dress code for most venues, including the Opera House. Susie and Woody mentioned that they had gotten a notice to bring Woody’s wheelchair to an inspection session prior to leaving the ship. One of the staff members had to check the tires and make sure they were soil-free. Interesting, as we have never heard of that before. Must be heightened biosecurity measures. By the way, they passed. Although the dinner menu seems to be repeating itself quite often, a few appetizers appeared that we like. One was the Thai beef salad and the other the deep fried rice and cheese treats – arancini. Mains were everyday salmon again , since there was no other fish option, and one plate of meatballs and spaghetti. Made one of us very happy. Greg and Heo had made a run back to their home, taking care of business and checking on family. Greg also went shopping, and brought back some tasty Tim Tams, a favorite treat for all of us, including our waiters. And because the cranberry sauce that is made on the ship is so unappetizing, Greg brought two jars of Ocean Spray cranberry sauce in jars, no less for Susie. Speaking of waiters, we had a nice surprise when a new head waiter appeared at our table. It was Oscar, who we have known from many a world cruise. He had boarded today and made it a point to search out the folks he knew. And he hasn’t changed one bit….always friendly with a smile and a laugh we all remembered. Tomorrow will be another day to explore, but we hope the sun will be shining. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #40 Wednesday February 8, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Sydney, Australia Sea State 9' Swells Partly Cloudy 75 Degrees Part #1 Of 1.........0 Pictures Well, it appears we have almost completed another segment of the Grand World Voyage. This segment began in Papeete, Tahiti and will end in Sydney, Australia tomorrow morning. The distance traveled will be 4,463 nautical miles or 5,133 statute miles. We also had 17 fewer crew members than the first segment out of Ft. Lauderdale. Our third day of crossing the Tasman Sea has found less wind and 9 foot swells. The skies were mostly sunny and the temperature remained a steady 75 degrees. Sure doesn’t look like rain, but that’s what we have found in the forecast for tomorrow. Hope it’s wrong. So here is some info on Australia. The population is 23.7 million mostly English-speaking citizens who for the most part (89%), live on the coastlines and in big cities. The country consists of 7.7 million square miles and is as diverse in terrain as can possibly be. Their capital is Canberra. The animal life is also diverse beginning with the furry and cuddly ones such as the koala, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, or platypuses. The wombats are furry, but not necessarily cuddly. We have seen one almost bite a lady who did not listen to directions on how to pet a wombat. The ferocious ones are crocodiles, sharks, poisonous snakes, spiders, and Tasmanian devils. The oceans and sea sides are full of whales, fur seals, sea turtles, and ***** penguins. Birds found here are emus, ostrich, and cassowaries and many more. The smaller ones are parrots, parakeets, and pretty cockatiels and cockatoos. Must see places are Kakadu National Park, Ulura or Ayres Rock, or the Great Barrier Reef. Since we will be sailing down under Southern Australia, we will not be visiting these areas. But the Blue Mountains and the many vineyards in the Barossa Valley are a possibility. And an interesting fact, according to the University of Sydney, reports that there are 10,685 beaches in all of Australia. Today was a lazy one for us, with the exception of taking several walks. We had the promenade deck almost to ourselves during the second Seaday Brunch in the dining room at 11am. It’s not our cup of tea, and it may have been not as crowded at the first one. We heard there were over 600 guests the first brunch, but today’s was 300. There was a Q&A session about the upcoming ports with Ian and Nyron in the newly-named “World Stage”, no longer the Mainstage. Now all of the ships will have a common name for their show lounge, although the ones on the newer ships like the Koningsdam have a round-walled stage, and allows for a whole different entertainment experience. Sign ups for the upcoming On Deck for a Cause were held in the Ocean Bar for a $25 donation. These days the charity is the Ukraine instead of breast cancer. Recently we read that guests had contributed $450K between all of the HAL ships. We suspect this will be repeated during the rest of this long trip. In addition to this event, another Charitable Cause & Silent Auction Announcement arrived in or mail slots. As well as a money donation, guests are invited to donate goods for the silent auction. The proceeds will go to the Bernard Nordkamp Centre in Namibia and will take place March 18th in Walvis Bay. Then there will be the donations from Project Linus, making this the most charities we have ever seen on one cruise. All for good causes. The biggest job of the day was filling out the Australian incoming passenger cards we need to hand over at tomorrow’s inspection. We were given detailed directions on how to fill it out correctly. We were also given Group # 7, which debarks by 9am. However, that is too early for us, and we plan to go off by 10am. We have that option being members of President’s Club. This is a zero count port, so no one will be allowed back on the ship until everyone has attended the inspection. They estimate that will be about 10:30am, but that depends on how things go. It could be later. The Australian currency was available at the front desk, so we got some, even though it may be easier to use our credit card. Always good to have both options. All were present for dinner where most of us ordered the Australian chicken parmigiana. We asked Greg and Heo who are from Sydney, what was different about that entrée. They described the breaded chicken as having a slice of cheese on the top, then broiled. That would be placed on a bed of spaghetti covered with a tomato sauce. When the plates arrived, they looked the same as always…..nothing Aussie about it, but very tasty. The everyday salmon was really good again. They do a varied version of the alternate every evening. The chocolate stacked brownie dessert was the most popular. Since we will have two days in Sydney, we expect the dining room to be rather empty tomorrow. Looking forward to a quieter dinner where we can all hear each other talk. Bill & Mary Ann

Oceansaway17 : So happy to hear you are enjoying the photos as well now that you found the link. Stay tuned....there will be more. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #39 Tuesday February 7, 2023 Day At Sea Enroute To Sydney, Australia Cloudy And Windy With Some Sun 68 Degrees Calming Seas 3' Swell Part #1 Of 1.......0 Pictures Sixty-eight degrees is about as warm as it got today. Add the wind to that, and it was even cooler. However, we are not complaining since it wasn’t long ago that we were sweltering in Tonga. No, this is much better for walking the promenade deck, which we did several times today. One thing for sure….very few folks were out and about on that deck, even on the lounges. Those that were relaxing out there were dressed like mummies, covered with several towels. We also know for a fact that some folks get sea sick, and will spend time sleeping it off on the promenade deck, as the fresh air can help. The seas were much better today and the swells have decreased. We have kept a watch for more albatross, but only saw a pair of what may have been petrels. Come to think of it, we have seen the fewest birds on this trip than ever. Perhaps the best sightings were on the Pacific coast after leaving the Panama Canal. We had hoped to see a lot more gannets near Auckland, but we saw only one. They are the most fun to watch as they dive from very high to catch fish. We still have a lot of time ahead of us, so there is hope for more sightings. The only wildlife we saw today were two large flying fish. Only two. This morning after breakfast we had to pick up our passports for a face-to-face inspection in Sydney on Thursday. Expecting a long line down the hallway like the last time we did this, it was a surprise to be the only one there. This time there was no paperwork, so it was as easy as handing over the receipts. The paperwork will come later we suspect. The sun had come out and it was actually warm on the aft pool deck, where we sat in the lounges for a while. The wind eventually sent us packing. There were only two other people on the other end of the deck. What a difference from the last cruise we did on this ship, where an empty lounge could not be found. With a few exceptions, we feel that this is an older crowd, which is normal for such a long trip. At our President’s Club gathering a few days ago, we discussed the average age of the guests on this grand voyage. We were told by the officers that the average age was in the high 70’s, and that takes into account that there are four or five kids under eighteen. The usual seaday activities took place with one of the highlights being a trivia session with the officers vs the guests. Bet that was fun and it must have run overtime, since most of our tablemates were late for dinner. Speaking of dinner, we have been noticing that the service has been slow starting with getting menus, taking orders, and finally getting served the courses. We have the same waiters, but they seem to be stretched. This is an area that will show stress if there is not enough wait staff on duty. Recently we heard that several of the crew members had problems getting visas renewed. Those that did not come through on time had to pack up their belongings and leave the ship. One of them was a spa worker who had already boarded a plane for home, when they found out their visa had come through. They left the plane, got their luggage, and came back to the ship. Not all of the others were so lucky. Anyway, at dinnertime we mentioned to Stephen, the food and beverage head honcho, that the menu was really repeating itself quite often. And it appears we have run low on many popular items in the fruit department. He had no explanation but did promise we would be getting re-provisioned in Sydney. Then he was off and running as he always does. Finally, we all had menus and our orders were taken. One of us had the mahi mahi, which was quite good, and the other prime rib, which we have not seen recently on the menu. Desserts were fruit and one flourless chocolate cake with ice cream. Even though only a few of us order the ice cream, it just appears for most all of us anyway…just in case. Goods news – the clocks went back one hour tonight. That is always appreciated. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #38 Monday February 6, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Sydney, Australia Cool And Windy With Rain Showers 66 Degrees 12' Seas And Rough Part #1 Of 1.........28 Pictures The clocks went back one hour last night, but despite the fact we get an extra hour of sleeping, one of us wakes up at 5am no matter what. Actually that turns out to be a good thing since the internet works great that early. The rocking and rolling kept up through the evening, letting us know that we are crossing the Tasman Sea. We will have three days to make the trip to Sydney. During breakfast, we were watching the white caps in the distance when one of our buddies noticed something different about the waves. Guess what we all saw? Whales spouting…at least three of them. The ship was going rather fast, so by the time they were pointed out, we were well past them. Of course, we looked for more sightings for the rest of the day, but never saw any more. Now we wonder if these whales are humpbacks or southern right whales? Most of our day was spent working on yesterday’s photos. We did take a couple of breaks to take a walk outside, but the temperatures have dropped, and the wind just about cut through the warmest jacket or sweatshirt we have. The Tasman Sea is notorious for being treacherous, rough, and extremely windy. On the other hand, we have done this crossing many times when the weather was perfect. Captain Friso came on the speakers and announced for everyone to be careful walking inside and outside the ship. To keep the guests busy, there was a lecture on shore excursions for the upcoming Australian ports. A much more fun activity was “Let Them Eat Cake”, which was a dessert extravaganza held in the Lido at 3pm. Sounded as if they did this and replaced the usual everyday dining room tea time. The ship’s Classic Duo performed live for the dessert hour. We had forgotten to go, but we did see photos from Greg and Heo at dinner tonight. One thing that was missing this evening was a show in the Mainstage. It was dark tonight, as it is twice a week now. Another rare sighting for us was seeing an albatross flying at a distance alongside the ship. These birds are commonly seen in the Southern Hemisphere. To be exact, the bird we spotted was a young wandering albatross. The reason we know it was young was because the upper colors were mottled brown. It takes seven years to develop adult plumage. These giants can live up to 42 years, and spend most of their time at sea. The female will lay one egg every two years, and both parents rear the chick. They make mud and vegetation nests on bare ground on hillsides. The chick will stay in that nest for 10 months until the bird launches itself off of the cliff. Eventually they can reach 25 pounds and measure 4 ½ feet from beak to tail. Their wingspan is an impressive 11 feet. Their style of flying is called dynamic soaring and allows them to fly immense distances. They can rise and fall with ease and little effort. And it is considered good luck to have them follow the ship. We searched for more birds, but only saw one. Perhaps the next two days will produce more sightings. Lunch was part dining room menu and part room service menu. We shared a gouda burger, a wedge salad, chicken soup (great on a cool day), and a few macadamia nut cookies. We asked for some red apples, but were lucky to get one green apple and three very green pears. Apparently, they have run out of fresh apples. It is the same story with the fresh berries. They are about all gone. We figure they ordered a smaller quantity in Auckland, but will re-supply in Sydney where the costs may be less. Just a guess. Dinner had some strange-named entrees, some of which we needed further explanation from our waiter. Katzu described a breaded pork steak, served with a sticky rice. More Asian than the usual schnitzel. Fish and chips was a recognizable entrée, while one of us had the everyday salmon, which looked way better. What is missing is the every day available lasagna. It does appear every now and then, but not every night. The fresh fruit plate continues to be tasty, but the sweet desserts of cake and ice cream are good too. The ship had so much movement, we all watched out the aft windows as the full moon went up and down like a yoyo. Of course, it wasn’t the moon moving, but the ship. Guess we are all good sailors and none of us ever gets seasick. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #37 Sunday February 5, 2023 Wellington, New Zealand 8am-6:30pm Overcast And Cloudy With Rain Showers 72 Degrees Port Side To Dock Part #1 Of 6...........69 Pictures Our last port in New Zealand was a big one….Wellington, the capital of the country, and a cool one at that. This city is commonly known as the windiest city in the world, and it is said that the erratic weather adds zest. That would definitely apply today, as we entered the Wellington Harbour under very overcast and cloudy skies and then docked close to 7am. This happens to be a working port with no cruise terminal building, so it was mandatory to take a shuttle bus to town. There would be no walking off of the ship in the dock area. We watched the guests going off on tours, and realized there were three shuttle buses as well. We stayed onboard until 10:30am, working on yesterday’s reports and pics. We are determined not to let the day go by without completing what we did and saw. When we went down the rather steep gangway, local info people were there handing out city maps. This is such a big help for those of us on walking treks. The two bus stops were well-marked, and we did sort of recall where they dropped us off at Lambton Quay and Brandon Street. Our plan began with finding the Cable Car Lane where the famous cars went up the mountain. There was a short line to purchase the tickets, which were $6 NZ each. The ride was quick, even with four stops along the way. The first was Clifton Terrace, then Talavera, and Salamanca University, and Kelburn at the top, which was the end of the ride. There is restaurant there, restrooms, and a Cable Car Museum. By accident, one of us picked up some Cable Car brochures, but soon discovered they were in Spanish and German. Duh…. From what we could figure, the funicular was inaugurated in 1902 and carried over 4,000 people at one point. One of the main reasons for the ride up here was to stroll through Wellington Botanic Garden, a protected forest with a deliberately-planted garden to test what would do well in this part of the world. Many of the various species of trees and plants were imported from Europe and even from California. One of the successful trees to grow happened to be the Monterey pine from California. Some of these trees are towering and quite old. Due to drought and the pine borer, many of the California trees are dying. We know first hand since many of our 40 year old trees have died or fallen with the excess rain recently. Nowadays, the pines are grown for their lumber and have become a major industry. Anyway, this park is tiered off of the hillsides with steep trails lined with many trees, shrubs, and ground cover plants. It is built on 25 hectares and has many of the same flora that we have back home. The largest and oldest has to be the kauri, eucalyptus, and pines. We even saw one bunya-bunya tree that was smaller than the one we have planted in our garden. Last summer, that tree produced 135 cones weighing over 5 pounds each. We made it a point not to sit under that tree. Other plantings were used for construction, food, fiber, and medicine by the local Maori people. We covered every trail taking photos along the way. We have to admit the steepness of the walkways messed with our knees. We sure don’t remember those trails being so steep in parts. We located the Treehouse Visitor Center along with the botanic garden shop. We did not have the time to go inside, but did walk around the surrounding veranda. The Discovery House is close to the treehouse. It is designed to teach the younger crowd the importance of plants and how to take care of them. Continuing downhill, we came upon a display garden with bedding plants. Surrounding these plants were clumps of curley parsley, which looked good enough to eat. As a matter of fact, there was a man there picking some of the stems and stashing them in his bag. We assume he was a local who was collecting fresh herbs. We know from experience that the more you pick parsley, the better it grows. From here we had to go back up the trail to reach the rose and herb garden. Up and over the hill, we made our way down the zigzag trail to Lady Norwood Rose Garden. This garden opened in 1953 and designed in a British way with formal rose beds and 300 varieties of roses. We don’t think they were in the peak of their bloom period, but they were still pretty. The Begonia House is located in the rose garden area. Two buildings contain tropical and temperate displays with numerous begonias, anthuriums, palms, bananas, and every tropical blooming plant we know. There are two ponds with water lilies as well. They add to the humidity in these hothouses. Between the rose garden and the begonia house, we must have captured hundreds of pictures. Even on such a dreary day, close-up shots of the flowers should come out just fine. Attached to one side of the Begonia House is a Picnic Café, offering excellent food and coffee. Greg and Heo had also come to this garden and had lunch there today. Lamb pies are what they ordered and said they were as good as they can get at home in Sydney. The Bolton Street Cemetery was the next stop on our way downhill. This cemetery served the Church of England and the Jewish community. All others were buried in the public cemetery. A new urban motorway had to be built through the middle of this old cemetery, so in 1968, 3700 coffins were exhumed and moved to a large vault beneath the Early Settlers Memorial Lawn. It took worker three years to complete the move. At the bottom of the hill, we crossed over a bridge that connected the cemetery to the town streets. Crossing a few streets, we found ourselves at the famous Beehive and Parliament Buildings – all government owned. One off us relaxed on the benches of the Beehive, while the other went up to photograph the Sacred Heart Cathedral. Directly across the street from here was the Victoria University of Wellington, a stately old colonial building. Following Lambton Quay, we passed by The Supreme Court and many other downtown businesses. Within a few minutes, we found the entrance to the Cable Car and figured we had gone full circle. Using our map, we found the street that led us past the Intercontinental Hotel and the shoreline at Waterloo Quay. We knew we were close to the restaurants along this harbor, and found Portofino, where we have eaten lunch on past trips. They were still serving lunch at 2pm. And it was good timing because it had begun to sprinkle and we did not have umbrellas with us. Lucky for us, it stopped. We found a table for two at a window, and ordered two Stella draft beers. Then we shared a Hawaiian pizza with ham and “rocket” – salad greens on the top. All was delicious although a bit pricey. But it was like eating at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco where the food is higher than everywhere else. Just part of the territory. The walk to the bus stop was short, but we still had some New Zealand money to spend. A Countdown market was right next to the Cable Car Lane, so we went inside and bought some room snacks. Part of our purchases included some packages of Tim Tams, which we love. The bus was waiting on the corner, and we were off for the ride back to the ship. It was around 3:30pm by now, and most of the riders were crew members who had gotten some time off. They love to go shopping for clothes and snacks. This downtown area had all of the popular stores for clothes and shoes. At stop # 2, the driver picked up more crew members and filled the bus. All aboard was 6:30pm, so we had time to spare. We knew the rain was coming again, and did not want to get drowned. The winds had picked up significantly by now and it was getting chilly. Glad to be back on the ship, we hung out working on the computer and taking notes on where we went and what we saw. It was another marathon day. We watched from our veranda as the gangways were removed. That’s when the drizzle began, which eventually turned into driving rain. The Zuiderdam left the pier by 7pm and headed out into the Cook Straits. Captain Friso warned that the sailing would get rough with some deep swells and very high winds. He was so right. By dinnertime, we looked out the windows of the dining room to see whitecaps and driving rain. At one point the ship began to list and was not correcting. That’s when Captain Friso came on the speakers and warned us about what was happening advising us to be careful when walking. He even had to slow down to wait out the winds in hopes our sailing would improve. These are dangerous waters in between the North and South Islands and it takes skill to get us through it safely. We may have a rocky ride this evening and into tomorrow as well. It was Barb’s birthday today, so we toasted her to another year and wished her many more. After dinner, the waiters came to sing the birthday song, and present her with the cute little cake everyone gets. Since we had already eaten our desserts, she donated the cake back to our waiters Nik and Gofar. That made them quite happy. We now have three sea days to rest up for another fabulous city…..Sydney, Australia. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #36 Saturday February 4, 2023 Gisborne, New Zealand 8am-3pm Sunny 75 Degrees Tender Port Part #1 Of 5...........66 Pictures We sure did not expect to see such a beautiful view of Gisborne as the Zuiderdam entered Taranganui-a-kiwa or Poverty Bay early this morning. What was unusual to us was the color of the water in this bay because it resembled the tropical waters of French Polynesia. This is what Captain Cook saw when he made landfall in Gisborne in 1769, along with Young Nick, the surgeon’s assistant who was first to spot land. They even named the entrance Young Nick’s Head in his honor. Unlike the last two ports, this one was a tender port with the ship at anchor instead of docked. It was also a short day here with all aboard at 2:30pm. Too bad, because this was our first visit here, and we sure could have spent more time in town. It turned out to be a gorgeous day weatherwise. Despite the shorter time, there were several tours here. A visit to a winery was $100, a ride on their steam train was $150, or a tour of a 2100 acre homestead ran $160. More reasonable excursions included a bike ride for $130, or a tour of their arboretum for $100. A popular tour was a walking excursion through town with three different stops for tastings. That ran $120. Later on, we heard that the tastings included some of the local wines and beers. One of our friends said the walk got harder and harder, so the tour operator called for a minivan to drive the guests from pub to pub. Only a few of the ladies took advantage of that. We stayed on the ship until close to 11am, then proceeded down to the tender platform. It surprised us to see the boat bobbing up and down so much since it looked so calm from our room. Many helping hands got us onboard safely. The ride took at least 15 minutes or more, and ended up in a channel to the dock. That’s where we found two nice information gals that were handing out excellent area and street maps. We asked where the main walking street was, and also inquired if there was a special pizza place they could recommend. One of the girls whipped out her cell phone, and called to check a favorite restaurant they liked, but found out they only opened at 4pm. They said there was a Domino’s or a Pizza Hut……or we could stop at a place called The Rivers, which they said was good food and beer. We promised to look for it. On our way towards the main street, we passed Greg and Heo already heading back to the ship. Having been here before, they covered the territory quickly. So we hiked up Gladstone Road taking photos of all of the historic buildings that lined both sides of the street. They have mostly been converted to small shops and boutiques and cafes. In the center of the shopping and business district stood the tall art deco clock that was built in 1934. It was right on time as the chimes went off at high noon. Since we were not shopping for anything today, we went down a side street where we saw a river. Turns out there are three rivers that converge in town. The Taruheru, Waimata, and Turanganui rivers meet at Marine Park. We came upon one of these rivers after passing a nice McDonalds on the way. They were in full swing because it was lunch time. We made our way to the river trail where many bikers passed us. We are so used to hearing “on your left” that it is hard to remember everything is opposite here. The bikers pass on your right instead. We located the area where the Farmers Market was in progress. It was a small one, but the produce was really nice. In addition, they sold honey and local wines. There were a few food vans and places where the locals could eat. Across the road, we also found the rose gardens and a craft market. Heo had said to stop and see it, even though it was “girly” stuff. He was correct, as most of the handmade items appealed to the ladies. Something that appealed to the fellows had to be the Mexican food truck serving spicy food. Sure smelled good. It was a good time to head back and find that restaurant on the corner. It was called The Rivers, an appropriate name. We went inside and found it resembled an Irish pub. Checking a menu we saw they had some nice appetizers and draft beer. They must have had a shortage of wait staff, so we needed to go to the bar and order drinks. Eventually a waiter came and took our order of nachos to share. A plate arrived full of beans, cheese, hamburger, avocado, tomatoes and chopped onions which was piled on top of nacho chips. It has been ages since we shared this treat. Went well with Stella beers. We did add a slice of decadent chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Our time was limited, so we had to leave to catch one of the last tender boats. This time the boat was full but left the pier right after we boarded. Getting back on board was interesting as the swells were still strong. Once again, many helping hands got us off safely. Back in our room, we watched as the last of the tenders were loaded back onboard. The anchor was pulled up, and we left the bay around 3:30pm. We had an invitation to a private President’s Club Get-Together to “catch the officers, release our queries, and shoot the breeze” from 4:30 to 5:30pm in the Gallery Bar. By the time we arrived, the room was full of guests, drinks in hand, and firing away those questions of the officers that attended. Within seconds, Twinkle brought our drinks and a round of canapies were passed around. We joined Maja, the guest relations manager, as well as the staff captain, Folkert, and the purser. We had a very nice visit with them, and did get many answers to our questions. Henk stopped by quickly and made sure we were fine since he has not seen us out and about too much. That is due to the fact we are enjoying the comfort and convenience of our room. We also thanked him for seeing that the traffic mirrors were installed on the promenade deck as we suggested last fall. He agreed that for safety reasons, it was an easy fix. Even though the officers left by 5:30pm, many of us stayed visiting for a while. It is seldom we see all of our group in one place. We did hear through the grapevine that another similar party was happening in the Crow’s Nest at 6:30pm for the Neptune suite folks. All of our tablemates were back tonight sharing stories of the day. The menu had even more different items such as sliced tenderloin, cobia fish, another type of duck, pot roast, and the always available chicken or salmon. Everyone seemed pleased with their choices, except for Barb who ordered only appetizers. She was feeling a bit under the weather tonight, and we sure hope she is not getting a cold or something else. Tomorrow is her birthday…..80 something, and she needs to be OK for the birthday cake. Wellington will be our stop for Sunday, and it looks like it may be a windy one, according to Captain Friso. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #35 Friday February 3, 2023 Tauranga, New Zealand 7am-5pm Mostly Cloudy With Some Sun And Showers 78 Degrees& Muggy Part #1 Of 4.........70 Pictures Our port of call today was Tauranga, a short distance from Auckland, it is a vacation area for many. One of us was up early to watch the sailing into the harbor, even though at 5:30am it was still rather dark. The lights of the town and surrounding commercial docks and marinas lit up the bay. There was rain in the forecast, and despite the heavy overcast, it never did rain except for a few scattered drops. Guess we got lucky once again. The Zuiderdam pulled alongside the dock area starboard side, so when the crew drill was announced, we got to watch the activity with manning the tender boats and the dropping of them into the water below. These practice emergency drills happen quite often and it is re-assuring to us that everyone knows their job well. Shore excursion offered some tours here today, but by the time we remembered to check them, they were erased from the TV. The only one we saw was a trip to the Hobbit movie set for 5 hours at $200. We left the ship before 11am, and remembered there was no cruise terminal here…only a tent with brochures. Many of the same tours the ship were selling were available onshore. Except for the for the ho-ho bus or a bike or trike trip up Mount Maunganui, most of these trips were out of town. You could take a ride to the Bay of Plenty and see many kiwi and avocado orchards, or where honey is made. The Rotorua geothermal area is a big attraction with steaming lakes and bubbling mud pools and geysers. Been there, done that. Anyway, the tour operators promised you will get back to the ship on time. That is very important. This part of Tauranga is flat, except for the mountain, which is full of sheep grazing. We figured the trails would be muddy today, but we did see many folks headed that way for the hike up. We had enough of the hills yesterday to last us for a long time, so sticking to town was a better idea. Leaving the checkpoint, we walked the wooden boardwalk along the thin stretch of beach on the bay side of the peninsula. The waters are protected and the sandy beach is an excellent place for families with young kids. Swimming is very safe here with no fear of undertow or waves. We have visited on weekends and the grassy knolls and sandy beach were full of picnickers for the afternoon. Today it was fairly quiet. Walking around the base of Mount Maunganui, we passed by the Hot Pools and a string of cafes all the way to the beach on the open ocean side. This is where the majority of vacationers were located. There are many condos and hotels at this end – all with views of the rolling waves of the ocean. Most folks were beachcombing, while some of the younger set were surf boarding. Little kids played in the sand with their moms watching close by. A large group of what appeared to be lifeguards in training were doing some routine practicing. There is a small rocky island where you can access from the beach at low tide. One of us went out there, but the other stayed back while watching the activity in the water and the beach. Yesterday’s walk had awakened new muscles and they were a bit sore today. Nothing that time and rest could not heal. Making our way back up from the beach, we headed towards town after visiting with fellow walkers Gyl and Howard. Being avid dancers, they have organized a friendly dance class on their own time with folks they know. What a fun idea for those guests that do not have the option of having dance teachers onboard the ship like they used to have. If there is a will, there is a way. And they also had a surprise yesterday while shopping in one of the grocery stores. They ran into Bruce Scudder, our former cruise director for many years. He was the new cruise director on the Viking Neptune and doing well. We all agreed when he left HAL, it was a big loss for them. Back in the downtown area, we located a very intimate Italian café that had just what we liked for lunch. That would be pizza of course. We ordered two Peroni beers and a parma ham pizza to share. Gosh it was good, and the prices were much better than in Auckland. The waitress asked where we were from, and we said San Francisco. She was curious how we got our tans, so we told her we have spent many days sailing in French Polynesia. Then she added that the weather in Tauranga had been very wet with 2 months of constant raining and one month of sun. It affected the amount of visitors to this vacation area as well. She was so happy we had come on a dry day. Then the best part of the day had to be stopping at the ice cream shop and finding they did have the famous hokey pokey ice cream. Made our day having one waffle cone and a cup of the best ice cream ever. We strolled back to the ship going through the security booth where both our room keys and driver’s licenses were checked. They are very strict in New Zealand especially with the agricultural warning, which we heard at least four times earlier this morning. Back in our room, we downloaded photos and worked on reports while relaxing on the veranda as well. It was still about 78 degrees outside and muggy. We thought it could rain any moment, but it never did. All aboard was 5pm, with an advertised sail away in the Hudson Room also at 5pm. Really, the Hudson Room? Does anyone ever read the activities at a glance? Ian did come on the speakers and announce a change there with a laugh. Dinnertime found only 6 of us, as Susie had decided to stay home. She was feeling a bit under the weather, and Woody had admitted they had lunch onboard, then went out and had fish and chips in town. Woody came alone because Susie had checked the dinner selections and saw meatballs as one of the entrees. He likes meatballs as much as I do, but when we read the menu, it said “neatballs”. What the heck is that??? We figured it was another typing error, so Woody had it. No, it wasn’t a mistake, it was neatballs made with black rice and was the vegetarian entrée. Sort of missed seeing that tiny leaf alongside the wording. Two bites, and he was done. And even though another entrée was offered, he said no, he would just wait for dessert. That was a fruit crumble and double scoops of vanilla ice cream. It appears that the fruit crumbles will be an everyday item on the dinner menu. One of us had the sole plate, and the other the pasta noodles with chicken slices. Both good. The entertainment this evening was a singer by the name of Debora Krizak. Greg and Heo were happy to go see her, since the show lounge was dark last night…no show and no movie. They have figured out the scheduling of weekly entertainment and said four nights will be entertainers such as singers, dancers, or instrumentalist or comedians. One evening a movie is shown, and two nights are dark or venue closed. Tomorrow we will be in a new port by the name of Gisborne. The only ones that have been there are our Aussie buddies, and they said not to expect a whole lot. It is a tender port with short hours of 8am to 2:30pm. It will be a walkabout for us. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #34 Thursday February 2, 2023 Groundhog Day Auckland, New Zealand 6:30am-5:30pm Cloudy With Chance Of Rain 75 Degrees Docked In Front Of Hilton- Port Side Part #1 Of 5..........68 Pictures Well here we are in another country, and one we truly like…..New Zealand. Kia’ora from the island of the long white cloud. The population of this country is 4.5 million folks that speak English and Maori. Their capital is Wellington, which we will visit in a few days. The two islands that comprise New Zealand are considered the ultimate escape, and described as green, peaceful, and accepting. A South Pacific gem, it is full of snow-capped mountains, fjords, beaches, rainforests, and volcanoes that are still active. Wineries and micro-breweries bound these days. When you think of this country you see sheep, kiwi birds, Maoris, the All Blacks rugby team, sailboats, and the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. Since the two islands of New Zealand are long and thin, you are never more than 120 kilometers from the sea. Now on to Auckland. This fabulous city is built on extinct volcanoes and spans two harbors. It wasn’t long ago that this city was named as one of the world’s most livable cities. It also has the largest Pacific Islander population in the world. Tours offered today included a city drive and museum - $80, Waitekere Wilderness - $150, Wine tasting - $110, and the Hop On Hop Off bus - $40. among others. Yesterday, a few of the tours had to be cancelled due to the recent flooding. We have been on most of these tours over the years, but now we are quite content to explore on our own. The Zuiderdam sailed into the Waitemata Harbour in the darkness of the morning, where the ship was turned around, then backed into Princes Wharf. Our room faced the Hilton Hotel, which is built like a ship. The residents must love looking our their windows and seeing all of us so close by. There were two other cruise ships here……the Viking Neptune and the Ponant Le Laperouse. It is so nice to see that so many more cruise lines are back in business these days. A message was broadcasted several times concerning the removal of certain items from this ship. No fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, sandwiches, dairy, eggs or honey were allowed off. No flowers, seeds, or plants could be brought off. Only commercially bottled drinking water was allowed off. Anyone who tried to do this would face steep fines. We even saw posters taped inside every elevator this morning. So we went off of the ship by 10am to mostly cloudy skies, but still warm and slightly humid weather. We pretty much followed a path we always take. Going up Queen Street, we passed by the high end shopping area of downtown. We began going uphill and soon noticed the Sky Tower to our right. It is an icon of the city that measures 328 meters high, the highest in the country. We were on our way to Albert Park, when something really dramatic occurred. Two cars stopped at a red light, when all of a sudden, a police car sped up the street, blocking the second car. Then two officers jumped out and pulled the driver out of that vehicle without even asking that person to get out of the car. Not sure if the driver was a man or woman. The car began rolling backwards, when one of the officers put it in park and set the brake. Within seconds, that person was hand-cuffed and put in the back of the police car. Another police car arrived and helped to clear the car out of the way. It was like watching a cop show on TV. We did not stick around to watch any more of the action, since we did not want to get in the way. From here, we slowly hiked up the trail to access Albert Park. It was very steep getting to the top, but worth the views and the breeze. There is a well laid out garden with a fountain in the center facing a statue of Queen Victoria. Nice benches are all around to relax while taking in the numerous flower beds. Some of the oldest trees have to be planted in this park. From here we crossed the bridge over Welleslay Street which brought is to Symonds Street and the old cemetery. This entire area seems to be full of universities and housing for the students. Then it was on to the Grafton Bridge, which crosses over a series of freeways to the Grafton area and the hospital. That led to the entrance to the Domain, a large park that houses the Wintergardens and the Auckland War Memorial Museum. We noticed that the stadium area was a lake from the recent flooding. It was full of birds enjoying the new pond. We made our way to the Wintergardens and found that a big part of it was under reconstruction. The flower hothouse was still opened, as was the fern garden. There are even more benches that surround the center pond with fountains. We happened to run into Mike and Pauline who had arranged a small tour for their friends. They do this often in many ports. We did not take the time to explore the museum as we have been there several times in the past. And for the first time we can recall, we are only in this port for one day. So much to see, but so little time. After taking a load of photos, we made our way down the now mushy field of grass and the street that would take us to the Parnell Village district. This area is described as full of boutiques, eateries, and charming historic buildings. One of those happens to be the Holy Trinity Cathedral, a beautiful gothic Anglican Cathedral. Walking slowly down the steep street, we checked out the cafes along the way. One of us spotted a sign that had pizza in the title. One of the busiest ones happened to be Non Solo pizza, an Italian café. Checking their menu, we saw they had pizza and beer, so we took two seats at a high top table and ordered two Peroni drafts. It was heaven sitting there with ice cold beers after that hike. We had a margherita pizza, which was rather pricey, but good. Seems that inflation has hit here as well. We made our way back down to Quay Street and Countdown, the local supermarket. We needed to pick up a few things, as well as some extra treats for our room. On our way back to the ship, we ran into Bob who was on his way back from an all day tour. As the three of us were heading towards the ship, a group of mostly French-speaking people asked us if we were on the Zuiderdam. Yes, we were. Then they asked where we came from and where we were headed. When we said it was a world cruise, they were absolutely giddy with amazement. They had just debarked from the Majestic Princess and stayed a few days in Auckland. They admitted they could not imagine being on a ship for 128 days. None of us mentioned that we had been on more than a few of these cruises. Then they went on their merry way. We did check out the Gelato shop near the ferry landing, but they did not have Hokey Pokey ice cream. We shall search for it tomorrow. Back on the ship, we relaxed in our room until it was time for sailing away which did not happen until 6:30pm. By then, the clouds had come over and it did begin to rain a bit, but we did have perfect weather all day. We have seen better sailings out of this harbor, but the dark clouds made everything looked rather grey. Too bad we did not have an extra day here. We were all back to the table tonight, exchanging stories of the day. Most all of us had the fried brie cheese appetizer, cabbage and bacon soup (a bit salty), and salads. Mains were pork piccata with spaghetti and tomato sauce, and one fish plate – cobia with farfalle pasta. Everyone else ordered the Club Orange shrimp jambalaya, and liked it. A different crisp was on the menu tonight – a pear crisp. Looks like this might be an everyday alternate. By the way, the ship got major provisions today. Hope to see some fresh berries at breakfast tomorrow. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #33 Wednesday February 1, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Auckland, New Zealand Cooler With Showers 78 Degrees Rough Seas 13' Part #1 Of 1........25 Pictures Another day at sea brought us further south, and graced us with cooler temperatures. The worst of the humidity seemed to be gone as well. It sure made for a much better walk after breakfast, although we were sailing through a series of passing showers early on. Eventually, we left the rain clouds behind us and we began seeing more blue skies. Even better than that, we began spotting birds. They were either shearwaters or small petrels. They are the fast-flying seabirds that sweep over the tops of the waves. Sooty brown or gray on the top, they have white underbellies which can been seen when they fly high. When they skim over the water, they are difficult to see as they blend perfectly. The further south we sailed, the more birds flanked the ship. Unlike the boobies, they stay far away from the ship. And because they are much smaller than the boobies, they do not seem to feed on the flying fish……they are too big for them. Usually after our promenade deck walk, we take a ride up to deck 10 to walk up there. It is totally open to the wind, and always feels so good to cool down. This morning we happened to catch the last of the cornhole game being played between the Rolling Stone Lounge Band and some guests. Once they all left, we tried our hand at it. It looks easy, but guess what? It isn’t. The best strategy is to wind up, close your eyes, and give the bean bag a throw. One of us actually landed one right in the hole that way. Total accident really. Shuffleboard is also on this side of deck 10, but we have only seen it used a few times. Opened to the sun, this wide deck can get extremely hot. There were three lectures today beginning with a Q & A with Ian and Nyron . Then at 11am, Dr. Nocita lectured on sand, while Dr. Woodman spoke about both the New Zealand and Aussie languages. We sure wish these talks could be televised, but we know that will not happen. Only the first talk with Ian may be on TV since it probably dealt with port and tour info. While we are on the subject of tours, Captain Friso announced later in the day that some of the Auckland tours had been cancelled due to the recent flooding. No need to visit the front desk, as all of the excursions would be refunded to everyone’s shipboard account. For lunch we ordered excellent burgers from the dining room. They were hot with crispy French fries even when they were brought to us at 2pm. Dinner for the two of us was in the Pinnacle Grill this evening. It would be the first of ten complimentary dinners we get in there. These days our “freebies” only can be used for a regular meal….not a pop-up. That would exclude any Tamarind, Sel de Mer, cellar master, chef’s table, and sommelier dinners. We both enjoyed their wedge salad with the candied bacon on the side. Now there is a charge of $7 if you order an extra appetizer. The bacon is a special treat, and goes very well with that particular salad. For entrees, one of us had the halibut, and the other the 8 ounce filet mignon. Sharing a small baked potato was plenty. For dessert we ordered one crème brulee and the smallest Almost Baked Alaska they could find. There is no such thing as small with that dessert, but we managed to finish it off. Looking forward to landing in Auckland tomorrow….no matter what the weather brings. It is a wonderful city to visit. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #32 Tuesday January 31, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Auckland, New Zealand Cloudy With Showers 78 Degrees 6' Seas Part #1 Of 1.........34 Pictures The seas became increasingly rougher as we head south now towards New Zealand. This fact became apparent this morning when Captain Friso made his sweep through the upper dining room, as he does on occasion. He surprised us my mentioning that he sometimes feels the “motion of the ocean”, which we thought strictly applied to the guests. We also discussed yesterday’s heat and humidity while in Tonga. He and Chantal had gone off bike riding perhaps a bit too far, when they realized the heat had become oppressive. Instead of biking back, he waved down a fellow with a truck, who loaded their bikes and them into the back of the pickup. Then he whipped out his cell phone to show us the photo, which he thought was pretty amusing. So did we….. It was another sea day of relaxing, eating, and checking out the sales in the Shops. Nothing was really for sale there, but it’s always fun to look. Then the New Zealand money was available at the front desk beginning this morning. We usually do the exchange on the ship and don’t worry much about the rate, as it is always fair. But something strange occurred after we did the exchange. The front desk girl counted out the exact New Zealand money carefully, and we watched just as carefully. It was 100% correct. No more, no less. Then about 10 minutes later, we had a call from the front desk. The same girl called to say there may have been a mistake with the exchange. We had put the money folded within the statement of the transaction in the safe, so we said we will double-check it, and call back. Counting it three times, it came out perfectly each time. Calling back, we reported that news and their answer was a cool OK, not even a “sorry about that”. The feeling was that we were not being honest, and believe this, we would have returned an overage immediately. And if the mistake was a shortage on our end, we would have followed up with that as well. Maybe we should consider doing the money exchanges in the bigger cities and not on the ship. Or use credit cards, as the exchange is probably better in the long run. One of us made a trip to the brand new library to find the corner of the room cordoned off. Apparently there had been a leak in there, flooding the carpets and walls. Then at breakfast this morning, our buddy told us another story about flooding on deck one where even the walls were over-flowing. Some of this widespread flooding happened while we were on the Tales of the South Pacific last fall, but we figured that would be addressed during the dry docking. Hate to think that this ship is getting older, but nothing holds up forever. While taking our evening walk, we noticed that all of the teak lounges were being tied down on the promenade deck. Either the deck workers were getting ready to scrub down the teak decking, or we are headed into some rough waters and winds. Time will tell. And as for the ship being able to dock in Auckland on the 2nd, the Captain announced he was still waiting for that confirmation. On our way back to the room, we ran into Greg and Heo, and they asked if we were going to listen to the singer, Stephen Barry as they had suggested a few days ago. We thought, well why not? It was close to 7pm, so we snuck into the back of the Mainstage and listened to a couple of his songs. He indeed had a powerful voice with a wide range, and perfect voice control. The speakers up on the third level were very loud, so we did not stay long. Besides it was dinnertime and we don’t like being late. There was a total of five of us tonight as the fellows were invited elsewhere. We closed the chairs closer, but still had a hard time hearing due to a very noisy group in the center of the aft dining room. Usually our backs are to these tables, but we soon learned where the noise was coming from. We had to laugh because we know for a fact that our group had also been noisy back in the day. But we were smart enough to keep it down until most of the diners left the room. At one point, we heard a crash, as if one of the noisy guests dropped something big. Finally they were quieter. Anyway, we have noticed that different items are still popping up on the menu. We all get the Orange Club menu which offers a special entrée every night. We ordered one tuna entrée and one pork chop without the bone with extra apple sauce. Very good. One of us likes chocolate and there was nothing close to that tonight. But our waiter found a chocolate tart with strawberry compote. He added mint chip ice cream on the side, which I like way more than Bill does. I was forced to help him out and eat the ice cream after having the modified fruit plate. They are running out of fresh fruit and berries now, so we hope we make it to Auckland for provisioning. Rocking and rolling may help us all sleep good tonight. Bill & Mary Ann

Greetings Coco39, We relayed your message to Barb, but she needs your first name as she is not familiar with Cruise Critic handles. Are you Lois??? Bill & Mary Ann

Report #31 Monday January 30, 2023 Nuku Alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga 7am-5pm Mostly Sunny With Clouds 85 Degrees Part #1 Of 4.........31 Pictures If we happen to hear “Malo e lelei” today, we will know we are being welcomed to the Kingdom of Tonga. It simply means hello or welcome, but nothing can compare to the live music of the Police Brass Band and dance of Tonganese men and ladies we witnessed after the Zuiderdam docked in Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga. The total population of all of the Tongan islands is 106,500 in an area of 747 square kilometers. Much smaller in comparison to where we just came from. By the way, the money is Tonga pa’anga with 2.25 equal to $1 USD. The US dollars are gladly accepted. Their favorite foods are all types of fish and sea creatures, as well as pork and chicken. Small pigs are roasted on a spit over an open fire, while a very large pig would be cooked in an oven in the ground. The most common veggies are taro, sweet potatoes, and yams all of which are commonly grown on these islands. Most of the green veggies we have at home cannot be grown here easily. Many fruits compliment their diet such as coconuts, bananas, papaya, mangoes, guava, pineapple, and passionfruit. Kava, a pepper root drink is widely consumed and used in ceremonies. While on past tours, we have witnessed these ceremonies, and even participated in the drinking of the kava liquid. Well….almost. After seeing how this drink is made, we simply pretended to drink it, as did most everyone else. Since there was a football game on TV at 9am, we stayed onboard and watched the first half of the 49ers and Eagles game. We left at halftime since it was not the 49ers best game ever. And we had the cleaning crew on the veranda hosing everything down. Good time to leave. Even at 11am, the local music was still playing when we left the gangway. One thing we noticed that was different was the fact the wharf area had dozens of containers on one side of the road. Even some souvenir tents were set up in front of them. We noticed that these containers had Chinese markings on them, and we guess they may be related to some ongoing reconstruction here in town. We never found anyone to ask. One thing about today that stood out the most…. was the heat and humidity. It sure was different last fall when it was raining and way cooler. We took our usual path to the produce market, dodging cars and trucks all the way there. Not sure why, but the traffic was the worst we have ever seen it. We had to be most careful crossing the street or walking up the narrow side streets with no sidewalks. This particular market is quite dark on the inside. There were several tables of locally-made purses and fans. Most of the jewelry was made with seashells or carved bone. Half of the market was dedicated to produce which included root veggies and tomatoes, cucumbers, long beans, cabbage and some lettuce. We ran into Greg and Heo touring this market like us. They had already decided it was time for beers, if they could find a place that sold it. Way too hot and humid, we hope they found it. From there we wandered up the ramp to the second level. There are usually many tables of jewelry and carvings, but today only half of the place was occupied. Clothing and shoes were also sold up there, but they appeared to be more for the locals. Making our way up the side road, we located the Catholic Cathedral by the name of St. Anthony of Padua. This church is more modern and new compared to the very old church up the road. Two tall spires are about all that is left of the roof these days. The church itself was made of basalt rocks, but sustained much damage during the last storm that hit here causing a tsunami. Many years ago, we had toured the interior of this church, but these days, it is off-limits to all. Rumor has it that the king is unwilling to spend the money needed to restore it. Across the street from the church is the Royal Tombs and surrounding grounds. Many kings are buried here along with their families, so it is considered sacred. Walking towards the water, we came across the Methodist Church, the one that the king and his family attend. We have seen their entourage leaving the church a few years ago. The king actually rolled his window down, and waved as did the rest of his family. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time. This is also the area that fruit bats can normally be seen hanging from the branches of the large mango trees. However, some of these trees have been cut down, and the remaining mangoes have no fruit yet. So therefore, there were no bats. On this same corner is the Royal Palace, which is closed to the public. Photos can be taken from the fencing that surrounds the property. Turning left from here, we walked the water’s edge until we reached the Seaview Lodge, a nice place to find ice cold beers and a good lunch. However, it was closed today, just like their website said. Never hurts to try. It was so uncomfortably hot and sticky, we decided to head back to town and the ship. For the first time we can recall, there was absolutely no other cruise ship guests walking here today. We did pass some local families enjoying the shade, and they were most friendly. Back in town, the traffic was almost at a standstill. We had passed by two school buses, which doubled for tour buses today. They were open-air ones filled with many people we knew from the ship. Being on foot today, we ended up back to the gangway before the bus folks made it back. Reaching the opening of the gangway, it was like walking into Alaska with the air-conditioning. We did not leave the room after that. Missing the end of the game, we discovered our home team lost big time. The following game had begun, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Bengals. So we ended up watching some of that while having a wonderful room service lunch. As the day advanced, many more clouds appeared and it did begin to rain before we left. The sail away party was moved to the promenade deck, but we did not attend. Watching the sail away from our veranda was so much nicer. Captain Friso came on the speakers and mentioned that we are still awaiting the final word on whether or not we will go to Auckland in a few days. He said we will continue as planned, doing 20 knots, to arrive there on February 2nd. We left the port a bit later due to strong winds, and eventually passed a pod of lazy dolphins. Nice way to say goodbye to Tonga once again. Dinner was fun as we all had stories to share. Barb and Woody held down the fort, while Heo and Greg ended up back to the ship never stopping for lunch. Susie had wandered off, but soon came back after a run through the marketplace. Entrees were different again tonight. Never heard of breaded lamb chops, but some of our tablemates tried it. Barramundi was the fish dish, as well as sauteed salmon, which I ordered. Chicken scallopini rounded out the choices. The chefs are getting quite creative we think. As on many port days, the Mainstage featured a movie called Joyride. None of our group planned to attend because we were all beat from the heat. We will have two lazy sea days as we head south towards New Zealand. The Captain promised more comfortable temperatures, except we might be hitting some rain. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #30 Sunday January 29, 2023 Day At Sea Enroute To Nuku Alofa, Tonga Cloudy With Rain Showers 85 Degrees Sea State- Rolling Swell Part #1 Of 1.........16 Pictures Sometime this afternoon, the Zuiderdam crossed the International Date Line. And we can prove it because we all received a certificate saying as much. At dinner this evening, we all agreed that we own enough of these documents to wallpaper a room in our homes. How lucky is that? The day began rather bleak with overcast skies and rain at 7am. At breakfast, Captain Friso made a sweep through the upper dining room, chatting with the guests. We brought up the fact that the weather was so warm and muggy, that rain might be a good thing. He added that the extra high humidity was testing the air-conditioning system on the ship. Then we inquired about the recent flooding in Auckland, where we will be headed on February 2nd. We heard through the grapevine that the Noordam had ropes snapped from the extreme winds. He did admit that one of the ropes broke, but the ship was OK. Hope the weather improves as we would hate to miss that port. During our morning stroll about the ship, we did spot one tropic bird. It must have been lost, because it disappeared within minutes. We kept watch for another sighting, but it never happened. Normally our veranda is cooler, but today with the following winds, we about melted out there. The day was saved when the rains began around 1pm, cooling the temperature about 10 degrees or more. Eventually the skies cleared the rest of the day was dry. Eventually, a few more birds appeared but they looked like shearwaters. They were so high and far away it was difficult to identify them. The usual activities took place, especially promotional ones. Besides the Shops, there were deals to be found in the Fitness Center, Explorers Lounge, and the photo department. Did we mention that the Photo Gallery has gone back to the old way of displaying the pictures? Most of the desks that had the touch screen computers were removed during the dry dock in December. For the first time ever, we had one of the photographers taking shots of guests walking the promenade deck. He may have had a few takers, but that is not the place we consider ourselves looking the best. Especially today when we were sweating bullets. Room service lunch included items from the noontime dining room lunch menu, as well as some from their regular menu. Their chicken noodle soup remains the best. Instead of a tablespoon of ingredients in the bottom of the bowl, their soup is loaded with diced veggies and plenty of spaghetti or vermicelli. And served hot as can be. One of us ordered the chicken cordon bleu and one ordered the trout plate at dinner time. We’ll have to remember to have the pork chop next time because even Barb ate the whole thing, unusual for her. Of course we teased her that unless she cleaned her plate, there would be no dessert. Boy, do we remember that from our childhood days or what? That must have been when the “clean your plate” syndrome was cemented in our heads. We should be arriving to Tonga early tomorrow. Perhaps we will run into our fellow President’s Club friend, Roselle again. We heard that she was on this cruise, but did not see her until we were in Papeete. She loves to walk in the port cities like we do, and credits her good tennis shoes that give her the ability to do it…even at 90 plus years old. The cute thing about the shoes is that they have to match the outfit of the day. And they sure do. Bill & Mary Ann

Yes, we have heard the news about the flooding in Auckland recently. We are scheduled to stop there on February 2nd. So far Captain Friso has not indicated any changes concerning that port, but that could change. Bill & Mary Ann

So far the dining room menu for lunch has been changing daily on this voyage. In particular, the hamburgers vary from day to day. Their salads and soups change as well. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #29 Friday January 27, 2023 Day At Sea Enroute To Nuku Alofa, Tonga Sunny And Warm 88 Degrees Flat Seas Part #1 Of 1...........42 Pictures The days seem to be slipping by quickly as we sail towards Tonga. One day in particular, Saturday, will not exist because we will be crossing the International Dateline, where one day ends, and the next day begins. This lost day will be given back to us one hour at a time as we continue to head west. Now the message in the Daily Program mentioned that the ship’s clocks will be advanced 24 hours, however, we need not do that. The date will change from Friday the 27th to Sunday the 29th. So some of our watches and clocks will have to be adjusted to change the date and day. It was a lazy day for us and also a warm and humid one. We noticed that during our walks that the waves indicated we have a following wind. That usually limits the breeze on the promenade deck making it uncomfortable. And the ship is going a measly 13 knots, compared to 18 or 19 knots. It seems to cause more listing and pitching. Usually we have a stop between Raiatea and Tonga, such as in the Cook Islands, Niue, or Samoa, but we do not on this trip. That explains the slower speed we think. There are two new speakers onboard. Dr. Bruce Nocita is a geologist with lectures about plate tectonics, early history, and geological hazards. Sounds like his talks may include tsunamis and possibly earthquakes. That would be appropriate to the area we are now sailing since it is in the Ring of Fire. Dr. Karen Woodman is an expert on world languages, culture, and history. A very unusual subject, she was also a speaker on the Tales of the South Pacific last fall. Today we tried something we did not know we could do for lunch. We placed an order for room service lunch during the serving time of the dining room lunch (12 to 1pm). They had a cheeseburger with fries on the menu. So we ordered two of those around 12:30pm, adding a salad and a few cookies, but to be delivered to our room by 2:30pm. Guess what? Our order arrived 10 minutes early, which was fine, and the burgers were hot and the fries crispy. Now we’re talking. The burgers were absolutely delicious, way better than Dive-In. Ordering food this way has been the best we have seen, and we have told them so. Later in the afternoon, we got a letter titled Health Reminder. It was a general reminder to continue with precautions we have been taking for Covid. The wearing of masks has been down-graded to recommended now and not mandatory. So fewer guests are wearing them. We are still uncomfortable in a crowded elevator, so have decided to keep the masks in or pockets just in case we need to use them. We are all being asked to report any Covid symptoms to the medical staff who will provide testing at no cost to us. We may be reading more into this message, but we feel that the Covid numbers are on the rise. People on either side of us have had it, as we can hear the coughing and sneezing. And with New Zealand and Australia coming up soon, we bet there will be testing before our arrival. Some new items popped up on the dinner menu. They included coconut-crusted shrimp, kalbi ribs, and two types of soups. The cold soups are back once again, although we prefer the hot ones. For dessert there was a blackberry crisp with ice cream, a decadent chocolate cake, and the always available fruit plate. There seems to be something to make each of us happy. The entertainment this evening was another performance by the Biddy’s, a trio of Irish ladies doing a comedy act. Greg and Heo always attend the shows, and tell us about them the following day. Most times they give a thumbs up. Be back on Sunday…… Bill & Mary Ann

Report #28 Thursday January 26, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Nuku Alofa, Tonga Cloudy And Sunny 88 Degrees Part #1 Of 1........36 Pictures Yesterday we filled out an arrival health declaration form for entry in Tonga coming up this Monday. All of the information was already filled out for both of us, so all we had to do was answer simple basic questions regarding our current health condition. Then we were asked if we had been in contact with anyone who tested positive for Covid, or visited any healthcare facility in the last 14 days. To be perfectly honest, we do not know for sure if we have been in contact with positive Covid guests. At least not knowingly. We have learned through the grapevine that some more guests have tested positive recently, but the actual number of those infected has not been released. Nor will they be. Anyway, we were supposed to bring the filled out forms to the mid-ship elevator landing this morning by 9:30am. However, we were still eating breakfast and missed the time. Not a problem, we took the forms to the front desk in the afternoon and they gladly took them. That was our biggest job of the day. Today there was a “Derby” Night with the ladies invited to show off their fascinator hats for the occasion. This began at 6pm at the Lido pool, followed by the actual horse race at 7pm. This is an activity we have not seen for many years, and we do think it will draw a big crowd once again. Around the same time, we were invited to a cocktail party with our travel group in the Billboard Onboard at 6:30pm. Half our group met at 4pm, since they were the early diners. Our little group of friends was tucked into one of the tall booths and they made room for us. Drinks of our choice were served and some canapies were passed around. Our hosts came by and welcomed us all once again. It has been almost a month since we had our welcome dinner in Ft. Lauderdale. Time sures flies when you are having fun………… An added treat was having a special guest join us for dinner tonight. It was Renee, the spa manager, who we have known like forever. It sure was interesting hearing about the chain of events she went through after all of us had left the ship in March 2020. Getting home to South Africa was not easy for her and a few other employees that debarked in Durban. They all had a mandatory quarantine time, which was longer than what exists now. And at that time, the airports had grounded most all flights. Eventually, she did make it back home, but her belongings did not. Expecting to be re-assigned to the Amsterdam when they started cruising again, she had left most all of her things onboard. Long story short….she never saw her possessions again. And even worse, the ship ended up being sold and gone from the fleet along with three other sister ships. None of us saw that coming…. Tonight was “dressy” again, and the menu was also notched up to match it. The chefs have come up with some very different salads, as well as a cold soup every night. For our entrees, we had one swordfish and beef wellington….both equally delicious and hot. A praline cheesecake was served and the every day fruit plate did the job. All in all, we had a super nice evening. There was no entertainment in the Mainstage, but we did hear that the instrumentalist, Barry Seacroft, was fantastic last night. And the clocks went back one hour again. That’s always a plus. Bill & Mary Ann