WCB

Yes, Cherie, pickleball is being played. Bill & Mary Ann

Hi Kathy, We can only tell you what happened with us, as we had no feedback to anyone else's experience with Covid testing positive. Since we technically began this 50 day cruise in Vancouver, we were not tested until the day before we reached San Diego. Previously, we did ask Henk if one of us tested positive, would we be put off of the ship. His answer was "no"....we would be quarantined together in our own room for 5 days, and tested again. We assume it will be the same with the GWV, but nothing is in writing as of yet. When we see him, we shall ask him again. He is not as visible as he was on the Amsterdam, because their offices are on deck one. Stay tuned...... Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 42 Tuesday October 18, 2022 Crossing the Date Line Partly cloudy & 80 degrees Part #1 Of 1……0 Pictures No, we have not made a mistake. We went from Sunday to Tuesday, losing Monday October 17th, because we crossed the International Dateline. An imaginary line, the dateline is where one day ends and the next day begins. Technically, the ship’s clocks were advanced 24 hours, however we did not have to change our clocks or watches. We will be one day ahead until we leave Nuku’alofa, Tonga, then we will experience two days with the same date, thus getting that lost day back. This morning we got some forms to fill out….specifically arrival health declaration forms for our Covid vaccine history. This will be for the country of Fiji. Much of the forms were filled out already, but we had to fill in the type of vaccines we received and the dates. Then sign and date them. Tomorrow between 9 and 10am, a team will be on each floor midship to collect them. So far, we have not received anything regarding proof of travel insurance, such as what happened recently to others on their way to Fiji, Tonga, and New Caledonia. Then to add to the excitement, the ship crossed the Equator at approximately 10:45am. We all got a “love letter” in our mail slots explaining that we have entered the Southern Hemisphere, but we will not be back to the Northern Hemisphere until later this cruise when we head to San Diego. So King Neptune has pardoned one and all, but he will be back to visit in person for the King Neptune Ceremony, along with his Queen and Neptune Court Entourage. Enjoy It while we can, arrrrr! Signed from the Briny Kingdom of Neptunus Rex. R. Today was much the same as yesterday, with the exception that we had no rain showers. Considering we are so close to the Equator, the temperature was a comfortable 80 degrees with a nice breeze blowing. Taking a morning walk, we searched for those elusive flying fish, but saw none. What we did see were a whole lot of people coming outside after a talk in the Mainstage by Kainoa. His subject was the amazing Captain Cook. Kainoa is quite the story teller, and has been on the ship telling his stories ever since Alaska. It seemed that the internet was a bit more cooperative today. Perhaps some folks that were streaming or sending huge files ceased doing that, who knows? No doubt, it is still slow, but not shutting down. We do expect it to be spotty, because there is such a low density of people that live here. Perhaps instead of streaming movies, the streamers went to the Rolling Stones Lounge to watch a matinee movie, Ambulance. The best part of the movie……popcorn! Walking later in the afternoon, we got rewarded with sightings of hundreds of flying fish…some very large. Oddly enough, there was only one masked booby present, and not close enough to catch even one of them. When we get nearer to some islands, we bet we see more of the birds. Dinner was good tonight with some new appetizers of pot stickers. When they arrived, they were green, with spinach in the dough maybe. Sure were good. Then one of us had the swordfish, and the other veal cordon blu. Both entrees were tasty and served hot like we prefer. Desserts were one apple crumble tart and one chocolate-drizzled vanilla ice cream. We wondered if the outside lights had been turned back on the promenade deck in the evening. So we ducked outside after dinner to see that they were turned on. We guess there is not worry about the birds landing on this deck now. The good news of the evening came with a little note saying to turn our clocks back one hour. Love to, thanks. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #41 Sunday October 16, 2022 Sea Day Mostly Cloudy With Rain 82 Degrees Part #1 Of 2......Text Only......21 Pictures In Part #2 The skies were mostly cloudy this morning, but that sure did not keep the temperature down. It was already 82 degrees on our veranda, and that was at 8am. Of course, we are getting much closer to the Equator, and can expect some extreme temps. We know one thing for sure – it can be most dangerous being in the sun too long as burning is easily done. We find it necessary to arrive at least 15 minutes early for breakfast these days. The usual guests are now milling around the Pinnacle Bar waiting for that door to open. Then it is a race to see who can get in first. As far as we know, it is first come, first served. However it appears that there are a few couples that have the same table every day. On the other hand, some folks come at 8:45am, and by then the first round of diners are done. That frees up some of the window tables. There are major problems with the internet, like we said yesterday. It took all day to email reports and photos. We suspect too many people are using it, and the bandwidth cannot handle it. Later in the evening, we received a note regarding the slow speed and bad connectivity. We took our morning walk on the promenade deck only to be fumigated with paint fumes. Up to now, the outdoor work has been to a minimum, especially while in Alaska. The best thing about this deck is that it’s wide and we can give the painters a lot of space, unlike the Amsterdam, where it was tight. Going to the Ocean Bar, we had refreshing Cokes with lemon, as well as ordering some cans of water for our room. Looking out the windows, it appeared to be getting darker outside. That’s when we realized it was raining, and heavily. Guess that is typical of this area, and we can expect more rain showers all throughout the South Pacific. On our way back, we ducked into the Mainstage and heard Ian giving a talk all about the whales. Much to our surprise, the lounge was pretty full. We only wish that these informative talks were repeated on the TV later in the day. On the Amsterdam, they always were. We miss that. Tonight was “dressy”, and we were on the fence as to where to dine. We had previously made reservations in the Pinnacle Grill, but the dining room menu looked good too. Both were serving lamb chops, but normally, the Pinnacle Grill’s are superior. Some nights you just do not feel like getting really dressed up, so we went more casual to the Pinnacle Grill. Well, our wedge salads were great, but our entrees came slightly warm, not hot. One was the halibut, which is always tasty, but not so much when it is cold. Even the French fries were not hot. Lamb chops? Warm, at best. This was the first time this happened here, and no one came by to check to see how our food was. They could have fixed it. Anyway, it was not that big of a deal, since the food still tasted great. We did mention it to Alejandra when she came by our table. By then, all of the other guests had left, and we felt free to mention this to her. She apologized profusely, then must have told the manager, Remco. He also came by to say sorry. Bet we will not have to ask for hot food ever again here…… Then we shared a Baked Alaska, which was divided at our table. One half came out OK, but the other slipped off the plate sideways. Geez, it just wasn’t our day. Again, it tasted fine just a bit damaged. It will be fun teasing our waitresses tomorrow at breakfast. A new entertainer joined the ship by the name of Hyperion Knight. He took to the Mainstage this evening performing his piano tunes for all. Since the ship has been rocking and rolling quite a bit, we figured the dancers and singers will come on later in the cruise. Too dangerous to perform safely we suspect. Then we had a little surprise letter waiting for us after dinner in our room. It was from the hotel manager, Henk, in regards to the internet. Attempting to explain the limited deliverability of the satellite connectivity and a reduction of bandwidth ,we will be having problems until we are out of this region. In addition, it was requested of all of us to reduce our use of video streaming and large downloads as much as possible. To help with this matter, it was mentioned that their team will evaluate appropriate compensation for the loss of use. This tells us that everybody and their brother has been to the front desk complaining. We know it will get better once we get closer to civilization. Tomorrow, Monday October 27th will not exist for us, as we will be crossing the International Dateline. Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 40 Saturday October 15, 2022 Mostly sunny, partly cloudy Warm & humid 82 degrees Part #1 0f 2..........Text Only........52 Pictures In Part #2 Not every day in paradise goes as expected. Late last night, one of us discovered that there was no cold water in the shower. And the hot water was dangerously scalding. No in between, and no way to possibly shower or shampoo hair. Too late to call the front desk, we decided to wait until morning to report it. When these things happen, it usually affects more than one room. And besides, the plumber has already replaced the mixing valves in our bathroom. One of us missed a fabulous sunrise this morning. Good thing the cameraman is an early riser. It has been the better time to catch the sunrise than sunset, because the clouds are different at that time of the day. And really, I never miss it if there are pictures….. We informed our room steward of the problem before we set off to breakfast. He already knew about the two rooms to the right of us, and now he knew we were impacted. Even though he had reported it earlier, there was no sign of a plumber on our floor. By the time we returned, over an hour later, nothing had changed. Putu called again, but we also decided to report it to the front desk folks. Within minutes, we had a knock on the door, and someone came to check it out. We took our mile walk around the promenade deck, and came back to see what happened. Well, we had cold water now, but no hot water at all. Later on we found out that the plumber forgot to turn the hot water valve back on. We should be good to go…….until the next time. The other problem was the internet, or should we say, the lack of internet. It took all day for some things to be sent and received. When we finally got tired of watching that annoying circle go round and round on the screen, we brought the computer down to the lobby. Thinking we might get a better signal did not work. It was no better there than in our room. We finally asked the fellows at the front desk if there was a problem, and they all laughed, and said yes….big time. The excuse was there was limited space or bandwidth, we assume. It could be where we are sailing or the direction we are sailing. You name it, we have heard it. At least we know the problem is not our computer. We suspect this might be the case with little or no internet until we arrive in a more densely populated area of the South Pacific. We kept an eye out for possible bird sightings, and finally spotted one. But just one. That is one downside to the aft room, since the birds always seem to follow on either the starboard or port sides, looking for those elusive flying fish. And we do not know why, but the better viewing seems to be on the port side. We suspect it depends on the angle of the sun as well. Other than that, it was a lazy day for us. The ship’s promotions were in full swing in every department, and will continue for the next three days, taking advantage of these sea days. It seems that one of the most popular activities is trivia, which happens three times a day. Bridge games are also held three times a day with beginner, intermediate, and duplicate. At 3pm there was a movie matinee showing The Duke. And there was a craft project making kukui bracelets (no charge). Lunch for us was room service around 2:30pm with salads, sandwiches, apples and a couple of cookies. The choices are better for us than what is served at the Lido. By the way, we have read recently that the mask mandate for some of the crews on the HAL ships has been dropped. Guess that does not apply to the Zuiderdam, because there have been no changes here. The sun set quickly but did not produce the same colors as this morning. Too many clouds on the horizon, and too difficult to get the western angle from the back of the ship. A dinner surprise put a smile on one of our faces. We always order from the Orange Club menu, which offers a special every evening. Tonight’s special was a veal cutlet with risotto and veggies. Expecting a small slice of veal, it turned out to be a grilled veal chop. And it was one of the big ones. The other entrée was a mustard-glazed tuna steak, which was good, but not as tasty as the veal. It was shared as it was too much for one. Had to pass on dessert. The entertainer in the Mainstage was comedian Sid Davis. However, one of us had a date with the shower…..hope it works. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #39 Friday October 14, 2022 Kona, Hawaii 7am-3:30pm Sunny In The Morning- Cloudy In The Afternoon 85 Degrees...Part #1 Of 5......Text Only....Pictures In Parts 2,3,4, &5 The word, Kona, means leeward side of an island with the wind blowing southwest. And that was our port of call today….Kona, Hawaii. The skies were quite blue early this morning, and the temperature on our veranda was already 90 degrees by 9am. The Zuiderdam had arrived around 7am, but would not dock. The ship did not drop anchor to our knowledge, but appeared to be held in place with the side thrusters. This would also be our first- time tendering to shore, but certainly, not our last on this cruise. There must be a lot of tours going off early, because the Pinnacle Grill was almost full this morning. Once again, checking the tours in Kona slipped our minds, and they were already gone from the TV grid. We do know that Volcanoes National Park is accessible from here, as well as a drive to Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, both just under 14,000 feet high. Water sports are big in Kona, such as parasailing, snorkeling, boating and fishing. The Kona coast is home to dolphins, green turtles, manta rays, and whales, which are seasonal. The migration of the humpbacks from Alaska and Russia can begin in October and last until April. Anyway, the port times today were from 7am to 3:30pm. That meant we needed to leave earlier than we usually do. Tender tickets were needed for most folks. The exceptions were the President’s Club, Neptune suites, and Club Orange guests who only needed to show their cards at the gangway without waiting. Those who were one to three star Mariners had to collect tickets in the Billboard Onboard Lounge, while the four and five star guests needed to go to the Rolling Stone Lounge. All of the details were also described by Ian on the room TV, as well as partially printed in the Daily Program. The entire process was well organized, and there were plenty of tender boats in service leaving from two gangways. The crew members were well-trained in assisting the guests onboard the small bouncing boats. They offered helping hands when needed. Being the first to board one of the tenders, we headed to the very back seats. Most people want the first seats by the entry door so they can be first off. As for us, we wait until the last guests are off, then leave. The ride was smooth and quick, then we were dropped off at the Kailua Pier in Kailua Bay. Swimmers were already in the water by the seawall, and the tide was as high as we have ever seen it. We began the walk behind the seawall, noticing that the sidewalks and street were soaking wet with puddles. Then we could see why. The waves were getting very high, then suddenly, the spray was over the wall with a driving force. OK….with that we sped up our walk and escaped getting drenched. Not everyone was so lucky. We passed by Hulihe’e Palace, where we used to see the green turtles from the garden wall. Now it is off limits to anyone unless you are on a pre-arranged tour. We used to go there for free. No more. Continuing up the seawall, we arrived at the Kona Inn Shopping Village, a series of small shops and eateries with a wooden boardwalk. There is a nice seaside open-air restaurant here, and we figured it might be a good place for lunch. Heaven knows……we were in search of the “perfect cheeseburger” right? Walking further up Ali’i Drive, we discovered that Bubba Gump’s is no longer here. Another chain has taken it over, which is no surprise. Remember we found the one in Honolulu was gone as well. We made it up to the Royal Kona Resort, which is a very nice place to stay from what we saw. It is built right on the water, and although there is no sandy beach here, the breeze makes up for it. Walking out by the swimming pool, we noticed that it was full of guests, which is great. Hawaii is on the way back with tourism. Not always….. Heading back, we crossed the street and made our way to the Coconut Grove Marketplace where the Outback is located. We usually go for Mexican cuisine at Pancho and Lefty’s, but it appeared they were gone too. Actually, they had moved to another building and still had a restaurant on the upper level. It would not open until 3pm for happy hour and dinner. So that was out for us. So where to go? The search for the perfect burger changed to a “pu-pu” of a chicken quesadilla appetizer and two Big Wave draft beers at the Kona Canoe Club, and outdoor eatery in the Kona Inn Shopping Village. We took seats at the railing with a wonderful view of the tender port while enjoying a cooling breeze. The quesadilla was delicious, as was our shared dessert of mud pie. It was our last chance to order it, so we just had to do it. The clock was ticking away, and we had to resume our hike. Near the old church, Makuaikaua, is an open air produce and souvenir marketplace. Strolling past the many booths of island fruit and veggies, we checked out the stalls of souvenirs. If one is looking for carved wooden bowls and tikis, this is the place to find them. Their prices are very reasonable, and they will bargain. On past trips, we have purchased more than a few of the treasures sold here. Today we have to be careful with buying anything, or we will be over-loaded for flying home. Smart people we know keep their luggage on the lighter side for just that reason. We came across our good buddies enjoying their shaved ice cones at the Scandinavian Shave Ice Co. Sure looked good, but we had no room left for the treat. From here, we headed uphill to find the Longs Drug Store we knew was there. We still had some things to get, and were happy to find them here. But….checking out was ridiculous as one lady was using every coupon and script to buy her stuff. One mistake after another was made by both customer and checker, creating a long line down the aisle. Finally, another checker came and opened up a register. Switching lines, the transaction went through quickly and we were done. The other lady with the coupons? Still there after we left. Back at the pier, the tender ride was weird in that we were the first ones to board, and there were plenty of seats behind us. Well, two people came on, stopped, and squeezed right across from us, stepping on our toes as they sat down. When the Kleenex came out, we both got up and moved to the back. We had masks on…they did not, but should have. Despite that, the ride was quick and we were back by 2:30pm. After several cold sodas, we relaxed until sail away around 4pm. By now, the sky had totally clouded up, and it felt like rain. Looking at the surrounding hillsides, we could see showers falling already. It should have cooled things down, but the temp still remained 90 degrees. Hoping for a sunset, we found it was brief due to the cloud cover. Dinnertime arrived, and the choices were nice for us this evening. Marlin and meatballs and spaghetti were both on the menu, as well as prime rib. Sometimes the prime rib can be the size of a small roast, so it was the Italian dish for one of us. The marlin was excellent and from what we read today, the official world record of a blue marlin weighing in at 1,376 pounds was caught here in Kona. That is a whole lot of marlin steaks! We have four days at sea now, which will be most appreciated by all, we are sure. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #38 Thursday October 13, 2022 Kahului, Maui, Hawaii 7am-6:30pm Clouds With Sun 85 Degrees Part #1 Of 2.....Text Only... Pictures In Parts #2 & 3 Although the Zuiderdam arrived to the port of Kahului, Maui, at 7am, the ship was not cleared until after 8am. According to Captain Frank, the entire shoreside security team had not arrived yet. By the time they got their act together, the ship was cleared around 8:30am. The Captain said that we would stay an extra hour to make up for the late start. That was directed more to the shore excursion guests we assume. Speaking of tours, there were a few here like Haleakala biking for $190. or the pineapple plantation and Ocean Center for $160. A beach break was $130, while the transfer to Lahaina was $90 per person. If you wanted to add the Atlantis submarine with the transfer, it cost $290. When we first heard that the stop in Lahaina was cancelled, we thought we read our substitute port was Kaanapali, a short distance north of Lahaina. Well, after looking closer at the itinerary, we discovered that Kahului was located far away from Lahaina, and the drive would be one hour each way, if the traffic was light. Now we understand why the transfer was so expensive. With all of the times we have visited Maui , we never stopped in this port. Doing a little internet homework last night, we learned that the ship was docked and we would not have to use the tender boats. Guess that is a plus. It looked like the town was near to the port area, but how far was the walk there? One of our gripes here is that the port talks are not repeated on the TV. And since we have chosen to avoid large crowds in lounges, we have missed every informative lecture. No maps are handed out, like we always got on world cruises. Maybe those will be discontinued as well. It’s the “green” thing once again. Getting out of the pier was like going through a maze. Once out of the terminal building, we entered a narrow walkway that had cyclone fencing on both sides. It seemed to go on forever, and oddly enough, we saw many empty cans of cat food on both sides of the fencing. We can only assume that there are a lot of rodents here, and the cats serve a purpose. Finally, we reached freedom at the main street. Directly across the street was a decent shopping mall called Maui Mall Village. Probably not exactly what most people want to do, but we know the crew will be happy with this stop. This outdoor mall had Whole Foods, Longs Drugs, TJ Maxx, Ross, and numerous boutique-type shops. In addition, there were many fast- food eateries like Jack-in-the-Box, Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Wendy’s to name a few. While passing through the mall, we ran into Howard, who we have not seen for weeks now. We must be on a different wave length. Then we saw two more world cruise folks we know, Margaret and Donald. They had boarded in Vancouver, and had not crossed paths with us either until today. The bigger the ship, the less likely you see folks you know. We asked a Whole Foods checker if she knew where Marco’s Deli & Grill was located. She pointed to the main drive, and said follow it to Dairy Road. It was well over a mile, where we did find it on the corner. Our main reason for going there was that we knew they had a five star rating and good pizza. We were a little early. To eat up some time, we ducked into a fabric store, one of my favorite things to do. Ninety percent of the materials were cotton, more suitable for quilt-making. The more interesting items were the new sewing machines that have really gone high tech. Some were priced over $7000, and were very large compared to my Husqvarna I use at home. So we entered Marco’s Deli & Grill restaurant, noticing that it was almost full. Many folks were eating breakfast. Once we were seated and checked the menu, we did not see pizza anywhere on it. Asking the waitress about it, she said they have not served pizza for several years. They just never changed their advertisement on the internet. For the first time we can recall, we thanked them, but were really set on pizza today. We left the restaurant, making space for waiting customers. We had passed the Ale House in the mall area, which had pizza, so we headed back there. A good sign was that the parking lot was full and it was only noontime. Their extensive menu was on the wall outside the door. Once seated, we noticed the only menu available was by scanning the QR code with your cell phone. Well, we do not have one, so the waitress, (who was new we think), showed us the menu she had printed for herself. When we asked what Hawaiian pizza had on the top, she went outside to check the wall menu. She came back giggling that it had shredded pork, mozzarella and goat cheese, and a BBQ sauce with diced pineapples. Sounded good to us. We ordered a 14 inch pie along with two draft beers. It was so hot outside, the beers went down easy. So did the thin crust tasty pizza. Glad we took a chance and came back here. This place is more like a sport’s bar, so by the time we left, most of the seating was filled….mostly with the local younger working crowd. One more stop to make was at Longs Drugs for a few items we did not get at Walmart the other day. Made it back through the maze before 3pm, and chilled out the rest of the afternoon. The internet has been acting strange again, and some of the reports are missing the photos. We are trying to figure out a better way of sending or a better time to do it. Some days it works, the other days, it doesn’t. The ship left close to 7pm, and by then, it was dark. But we did get a brief sighting of some stingrays directly below our veranda. Even got some pictures. It was also nice watching the fading lights of the city get smaller and smaller as we sailed towards Kona, Hawaii, tomorrow’s port and the final one in the Hawaiian Islands. It will be the first tender port of this trip. And there will be many more to come. Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill for us. Starting with cocktails, we had our usual wedge salads, 7 ounce filet mignon, a baked potato, and sauteed mushrooms. All cooked perfectly. This venue was not crowded this evening, but we think with so many port days in a row, the guests are getting tired. Our meal ended with a scoop of ice cream and a couple of the cute chocolates they serve there. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #37 Wednesday October 12, 2022 Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii Sun With Periods Of Rain 80 Degrees Part #1 Of 5......Text Only...Pictures In Parts 2,3,4,& 5 Our port of call for today was Nawiliwili, Kauai. We were docked before 8am, but not cleared immediately. It was mostly cloudy and overcast with a 40% chance of rain. Honestly, don’t believe the percentage….trust your instincts. Kauai is the garden island of Hawaii, and what keeps the gardens green? Plenty of water, like the most rainfall world-wide, we have read. Sitting at our Pinnacle Grill window table, we had the best seats to watch the activity happening on the dock. Several tour groups were heading off to their coaches, all trying to outrun each other for the best seats. Oh, we don’t miss that. However, if you have never been here before, the tours are a good way to see it all. We had given Raj our order, which always begins with yogurt and fresh fruit. We were so intent on watching the people down below, we forgot we had not gotten our entrees. Maybe 20 minutes had passed, so we asked Raj where they were. Since another waiter delivers the entrees, Raj had assumed we were already done. He was shocked when we said no, we never got the food. Within seven minutes we had our all American and skillet breakfasts. Oh well, it did not matter since we were in no big hurry to get off of the ship. Our plan today was to take the shuttle to nearby Lihue, 2 miles away, and make a sweep through Costco or Kmart for a few missing items. However, since we were here three years ago, Kmart has closed, and the shuttle was no longer running. The only shuttle going anywhere was to Anchor Cove, a short distance from the pier. Among other shops, there is an ABC store there, although it is quite small. So we left the ship around 10:30am to find another long line of folks waiting for the little free shuttle. Truthfully, it is so close we always walk. A mistake one of us made today was forgetting to bring the umbrellas, trusting that 40% prediction of rain would happen later in the day. Within minutes, we were at the Marriott complex built above the Kalapaki Beach. They have it all in a comfortable setting. The stretch of white sand beach has a gentle surf and lots of grassy area to use as well. There are restaurants, bars, a massive swimming pool, and hotel rooms with a view. It is not a new hotel, but it is well-kept and landscaped beautifully. Most people do not know that if they followed the pathway up towards the hotel, they would discover the hotel’s central garden and impressive lobby. Just about the time we walked into the garden, it began to sprinkle lightly. A little water wouldn’t hurt anything, and it was so warm and humid, the rain felt good. The ginger plants, banana trees, blooming hibiscus, and various palms surrounded the many ponds here. Every body of water held numerous koi carp. There is one area in front of the main lobby where these fish are fed during the day. There were hundreds of them waiting for a handout, many of them very large. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the Hilton at Waikiki, this place is much less crowded, but still offers similar amenities. An extended stay here could be very relaxing. After taking many photos, we headed towards the sandy white beach. That’s when the sprinkle turned into heavy rain. Time to make our way to Duke’s for lunch, as this was no passing shower. Even with a 20 minute wait, we were undercover enough not to get wet. The folks that run Duke’s Canoe Club love the rain. They directed the guests to wait at the bar, where inevitably, they would buy drinks. Works for everyone. We split a delicious cheeseburger, once again, coming with extra fries. But the best had to be the mountain of Kimo’s Hula Pie. This decadent dessert of ice cream comes with a frozen Oreo crust, drizzled with hot fudge, sprinkle with chopped macadamia nuts, and covered on one side with strips of whipped cream, resembling a hula skirt. Thus the name – Hula Pie. Our nice waiter said we were welcomed to lick the plate. It doesn’t take a fancy restaurant to make us happy. During the entire meal, the rain pounded down in passing waves, flooding the floors actually. By the time we left, the storm was breaking up. The restaurant greeters said try to stay dry and mahalo as we left. We replied by telling them that this rain would be most welcomed where we live in California, and we didn’t mind getting a little wet. We made our way back to the shops at Anchor Cove, but the shuttle had just left. Rounding the corner, we spotted the line for the little shuttle, and it had about 15 people in it. The worst of the downfall was over, so we just walked back, and barely got wet. Just lucky. There was a sail away party at the Seaview Deck, but as always, we chose to enjoy the sunset right from our veranda. It did not disappoint. Now we are headed towards Maui, but not the town of Lahaina. We have no idea why that port was switched, but now we are going to Kahului, a different port we have never been to. Guess it will be a new adventure, or not, depending on how close we are to town. Dinner was good with a salmon entrée and a chicken parmigiana with spaghetti. The portion sizes are smaller, but then it leaves enough room for a small dessert, not that we needed it after that Hula Pie. Thank goodness we only had one, and not two servings this afternoon. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #36 October 11, 2022 Day #2 In Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii Overnite-11pm Cloudy And Warm 85 Degrees Part #1 Of 3.....Text Only.....Pictures In Parts 2,&3 Waking up this morning, we saw that the ship directly behind us was a very large car carrier, and they began off-loading and loading cars and trucks all through the night and it appears, all day as well. The cargo ship in front of the car carrier also worked a 24- hour shift. And we never heard a sound from either of them. We came to the conclusion that since Honolulu is the capital, and the dock areas have the space, all of the vehicles arrive here, then are distributed to the other islands. Just a wild guess. Today was even more humid than yesterday, perhaps due to the clouds holding in the heat. At some point today, we expect rain, but more than likely, it will be later. The big event of the morning was veranda cleaning on deck five between 9am and 11:30am. Although we need not be present, we can remain in our room. Or….if we wish them to come at another time, we were free to call guest services before 11pm the night before. The fellows simply go from room to room by opening up all of the veranda partitions, and clean all at once. It is most welcomed, and never a problem for us. We had a new waitress in the Pinnacle Grill by the name of Aurora. She must be replacing Lois, who flew home yesterday. She is very sweet and is from Indonesia. The more we thought about our new waiter, Raj, from India, we seemed to remember him from the N. Statendam. Although he was only in the Pinnacle for a month before going home, we recall him telling us he was the only PG waiter from India, and proud of it. So we asked if he was one in the same, and he said yes, that was him. We did not expect him to remember us, but he seemed happy we recalled him. It appears that an effort is being made to keep this venue a bit more on the international side. Catching up with report, photos, and emails, we left the ship by 10:30am. But right before leaving the room, we had our 2- week delivery of Cokes. We assume the flowers would arrive later. Always nice to get gifts. Refreshed by a good night’s sleep, the walk did not seem as far today as it did yesterday. We headed back to the Ala Moana Center. Along the way, we ran across a nice couple from Canada, Larry and Jacquie, that recognized us. They explained they had been following our blog for a long time, and had met us briefly before this. We all agreed how nice it was to be back on a ship, and more so, on this itinerary. Some of the previous fears of the pandemic have dissipated somewhat as time goes forward. Making our way through the covered parking lot, we located the escalator up to the first level. Starting from Macy’s, we happened to come across their sportswear sales, and accidently found a couple of pair of denim shorts I had been trying to find at Walmart. That will save some time at home trying to find clothing out of season. Here in Hawaii, it is summer all year round. It was time for lunch, and we had intended on going to Bubba Gump’s, but discovered it was no longer there. But even a better alternative was California Pizza Kitchen, which was still there on the upper level 4 at Ho’okipa Terrace. An Olive Garden had replaced Bubbas, but the longer line was for CPK. One of our favorite lunch spots at home is CPK where they serve a salad/pizza combo. However, we did not see it on their menu, so we split a CPK BBQ chicken chopped salad, and also shared a regular-size Margherita pizza. Needless to say, we were in pizza heaven. So glad we waited with the buzzer outside for a table. Even though the restaurant was not crowded, there must be a shortage of wait staff. The service and food were both excellent. We strolled each level of the mall, taking some photos of the fountains, ponds, and koi carp. Making our way to the opposite end where Nordstrom’s is located, we tried finding our way out. It was a little tricky, since we had to go down to the street level. One stop we needed to make was at Longs Drugs (not CVS here). One of us forgot the extra tube of toothpaste, and we knew we could find it there. Wouldn’t you know it, someone blocked the entire section, staring at every single box that was there. We waited, expecting the fellow to leave, but he did not. So we left. With three more stops to make in Hawaii, it will give us something to search for. Exiting at Pikoi Street, we took a right turn, and walked down the Ward Centre area, which is undergoing a transformation. Only part of the old Ward Centre is there now. If memory serves us right, the Ward Centre was the first “mall” type shopping area in Honolulu. Now half of the street has been torn up, and a wall photo of the new area will include more shops and eateries, as well as a nice park. This is close to the new high rises going up. Turning left, we re-joined the main drag, and made it back to the ship by 3pm. That first blast of air-conditioning once you enter the ship, has to be the best. Then finding a vase with a dozen yellow roses waiting for us in or room, was even better. Sitting on the veranda with a big fan and an ice cold soda topped that. One of us was industrious and worked on the computer, while the other one sat outside watching the car carrier load more vehicles. Watching for another sunset was futile, since the dark clouds had covered the horizon, and the rain did begin to fall lightly after 5pm. Dinner was casual, which was fine, and the mains we ordered were supposed to be snapper and lamb chops. The snapper had turned into mahi-mahi, and according to Franz, the maitre’d, the snapper did not arrive with today’s delivery. Many things did not arrive today he said. So they do their best to substitute items. All ended well with vanilla ice cream and banana frozen yogurt, and also one cappuccino – decaf with almond milk. Sure tasted good. There was a movie in the Mainstage, South Pacific, 2001. Fitting for the area we are visiting. Exactly at 11pm, the car carrier pushed away from the dock, turned around in the basin, and headed out to sea, just as Captain Frank described. All aboard here was 11pm, and we will leave before midnight, and we did manage to get a few sailaway photos. There is a mere 93 nautical miles to reach Kauai tomorrow, so we bet the ship will sail slowly. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #35 October 10, 2022 Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii 8am-Overnite Till 11:30pm 10-11-22 Sunny And Hot 85 Degrees Part #1 Of 4.......Text Only.....Pictures In Parts 2,3,&4 The Zuiderdam arrived to Honolulu close to 8am, docking at Pier 2. But we were not cleared by the local authorities until well after 8am. Ian begged the anxious tour people to please not crowd the gangway. They seldom listen, do they? And because of the early shore excursions, the Pinnacle Grill was not crowded this morning. A few new waiters have appeared, since a couple, like Lois, have gone home. Today, we had Raj from India. Also, looking out the window, we could see a Princess ship docked at Aloha Tower. We worked online until close to 10:30am, then gathered our stuff and headed out into the warm and humid weather. There was a 10% chance of rain, but we suspect that may be in the center of the island, and maybe late afternoon. Our destination was lunch at the Hard Rock Café, but with many stops along the way. It appears that during the three years since we were here, downtown has been in the process of expanding. Starting around the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, construction projects are in full swing building more high rises, condos, and apartments, we assume. Walking the length of the Ala Moana Beach Park, we noticed that there were fewer homeless people there. We used to pass a field that was loaded with pup tents, like a village of homeless families. All of that has been removed, and these days the field has been taken over by the pigeons, doves, egrets, and even chickens. The yacht harbor was in full swing with tour groups ready to go off either snorkeling or fishing. Nice to see that the tourists have come back after the pandemic. Walking through the park, we saw the massive banyans and baobabs that give the area a lot of shade. Many of them are quite old, and are now being protected with orange plastic fencing around them. Supposedly to protect the root systems. Across the street from here is the Ala Moana Shopping Mall. It is a destination in itself, and we will come back here tomorrow. For the locals and tourists alike, it is a respite from the humidity and heat. We began to reach the start of the hotels. Along the way, we always pass by the Outback Restaurant. It is no longer here…..closed down. The hotel we pass through is the Hilton Hawaiian Village, where we stayed before one of our first cruises in this area. This led us right to Waikiki Beach, where we watched the sunbathers and swimmers enjoying the sand and warm water. Passing by the Hale Koa Hotel, we walked by the US Army Museum, but noticed there was no activity here. Not sure it was opened to the public. Continuing through Fort Debussy Beach Park, we found our way to the Hard Rock Café. Glad to see it was still opened. Now there is a greeter by the door, and she asked for our name and how many in our party. Normally, we just went to the elevator and took it up one floor. She said we had a five minute wait, then she would page us. No she won’t as we do not have a cell phone. We simply stuck around checking out their city t-shirts. We did find one the right size, and proceeded to go buy it. The salesman suggested we wait until after lunch, because they were having a special scratcher game, and we may win. OK with that he put the shirt aside, and asked if we would like to have him take our photo in front of their store sign. Sure, we had time, but we are not sure the photo will turn out good. Nice of him to take it anyway. Once we were upstairs, we were seated a nice table in the breeze. For a change, we had nachos with grilled chicken….shared of course. The plate was huge. We had no problem consuming two large Coke Zeros during our meal. We had forgotten to look at the salad menu today, since that was always what we ordered in any Hard Rock Café. After lunch, our waitress brought us the scratcher card, and said we could only pick one square. So we went with door # 1, and it was a winner. Maybe they all were, but we could buy one t-shirt and get one free. That worked for us. Two for one. On our way out, we asked the nice greeter lady why they did not serve the haystack salads anymore. She agreed, as they were her favorite as well, especially with the Tupelo fried chicken on top. We all hope it may come back someday…… Time to hit the road, we headed back to the ship. One of us needed to hit every bench along the way, even if it was just for a minute or two. Sure made the walk more enjoyable. There are so many different varieties of birds here, they are fun to photograph. We got back to the ship by 4pm, and cooled off with several cold sodas. Our veranda was plenty warm, facing the west and the setting sun. Ship traffic kept it interesting. When it started to get dark, a container ship was pulled and pushed over to the dock area behind us. It appeared that the off-loading would be done at night. Looking out our drapes after dinner, we saw that another container ship was very close to our ship, also getting off-loaded. Who knew the work would be done all night? It will be a test to see how good our windows and door are insulated. Dinner was dressy, which we thought was odd for a port day. Then we saw that it was Happy Thanksgiving for the Canadians. That might mean a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings. So we both ordered the crispy shrimp starter, following by a Caesar salad, and of course, turkey. Well, the plate came with cranberry sauce, which we had asked for doubles. But when we tasted it, what a surprise to find it was sour and not at all sweet. We mean really sour and bitter. Telling our waiter, he brought Johnny over, who went to get one of the chefs. This chef confirmed the fact they used fresh cranberries, but someone forgot the sugar. He offered to make a new batch, but we declined. We mainly wanted to warn them so they did not serve it to anyone else. Truthfully, the dining room was about empty tonight, at least at the second seating. As always, when there is a local performance, such as tonight and the Drums of Polynesia, most folks eat elsewhere and earlier. The show was at 8pm, but for us, it was our dinnertime. We seldom see those performances. In the past, they would repeat this show on the room TV. Not anymore. Anyway, we ended the meal with slices of pumpkin pie and a side of vanilla ice cream. Took away the bitterness of the cranberries, thank goodness. Another day in Honolulu, and another hike tomorrow for us. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #34 October 9, 2022 Hilo, Hawaii 8am-5:30pm Overcast With Some Sun & Rain 85 Degrees Part #1 Of 4......Text Only..Pictures In Parts 2,3,&4 The Zuiderdam was docked by 8am, about the same time we headed for breakfast. We said goodbye to Lois, one of our favorite servers in the Pinnacle Grill. This was her last day, and she will be heading home, which is in Curacao. We never guessed her for being Dutch, since her accent is not strong. We wished her a safe trip home, and hope to see her again on another ship. We planned to make a quick trip to Walmart on their free shuttle. Well, guess what? That’s what a whole lot of people decided to do as well. Usually, they are on the tours, and do the shuttle in the afternoon. Not today. When we reached the terminal, the line was HUGE. Every time we have been here, they always used full size buses for the short transfer. But now they have down-sized to using smaller shuttles that hold maybe 35 people. From what we could tell, only two were running. Of course today was a Sunday, so that might have had something to do with fewer drivers. Therefore, our wait was for one full hour. A few impatient folks jumped in Ubers, but we were in no big hurry. By the way, except for us few passengers, we saw no one wearing masks in Hilo. The amusing thing was being surrounded by a few ladies that were watching for folks cutting the line. They made sure no one would sneak into our huge line, and were vocal if they suspected someone was saving places. In addition to this shuttle, was a free ride to old downtown Hilo. People had to get tickets to take that one. We did that once, and it was also on a Sunday. We found out that not too much was opened, except the veggie and craft market. Many attractions and restaurants were closed for the day. And once the veggie market closed at noon, the buses stopped going there. There was a table set up with maps and info, which we figured we would pick up some on our way back to the ship. However, the info folks were gone and so were the maps when we returned. So there is no info on Hilo, other than what we did here today. We can tell everyone that this part of the island of Hawaii is all about volcanoes and Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, some of the tallest mountains in the world. We have toured the area thoroughly in the past, and really enjoy just doing our own thing here. Well, we found most of what we needed at Walmart, and the rest we can find in Honolulu or Lihue. With the locals shopping as well as the bus loads of cruise ship passengers and crew, the store was very crowded. This place is really popular with the crew members, because they sell their favorite snack items. Once back outside, we located the line of folks waiting for the shuttle. And once again, the line-cutters were under surveillance. We found it quite amusing. Security in the cruise terminal was not like we remembered. It was always very strict here. Today, we only showed our ID and keycard. There was no x-ray done on shore. It was done on the ship. Once back at the ship, we dropped our stuff off and headed back out. Now we were ready to take our hike to Ponds Hilo, where we knew we could find ice cold draft beer and one of the best burgers in Hilo. Since it looked like it was clouding up, we took umbrellas just in case. We forgot to mention that it was very hot and humid today. And very little breeze. This will take some getting used to, especially after coming from Alaska and Canada. The parking lot of the restaurant was full of vehicles, and the first thing we thought was that they were too busy for more customers. Oh well, if that’s the case, we will skip lunch here. But if you don’t go inside and check it out, perhaps not all of the cars were for here. On the weekends, we notice that the local families pack up the BBQ and spend the day at the beaches and parks. Turned out there was room in the restaurant and we got seats at the windows. Ponds is not a fancy place, but their food is really good. We shared a mushroom swiss cheese burger, and asked for the sandwich to be cut in half. Our waiter brought two plates with each half, surrounded by a mound of crispy French fries on each plate. Did not expect that. We really liked the Big Wave Golden Ale… it was ice cold and so good. Then we shared a decadent hot chocolate brownie with mud pie ice cream on top. The name “Ponds” is appropriate since this restaurant is perched over the spot where very cold river water enters the saltwater cove. It becomes brackish and is ideal for koi carp. Directly under the seating area of the building, is a caged pond full of colorful koi carp….some very large ones perhaps 10 pounds. Swimming among them are some turtles. On the outside of the cage were more turtles and even some Nene geese, native to Hawaii. Of course, we had the best seats to take numerous photos of the wildlife, which included the kids antics at dive-bombing folks. The most entertaining aspect of dining here has to be the gang of local teens that jump off of the railing and into the shallow pond, creating an explosion of water. Of course, they usually wait just until some unsuspecting tourists are walking by them before they do the cannonball jump. These kids are nuts, since the water is only 4 foot deep. Of course, we were victims several years back, so we know to walk across the road these days. After lunch, we walked past all the picnickers to the Liliuokalani Park where among other things, we saw a few mongoose darting in and out of the volcanic rocks. These curious little creatures were brought here to kill the rats, but it turned out, they are not nocturnal, and did not rid the area of the rodents. Making a circle through the gardens, we strolled across the walking bridge to the point where more kids were jumping off the old remnants of the bridge. By now, the skies were getting darker, and we made our way back. It did start to sprinkle and would have felt good if it rained. It eventually did, but not until after 5:30pm. Sure was nice to get back to the ship, where we sipped cold lemonade before boarding. One of the gangways was being pulled inside, and Shiv was there to have his crew pull in the last one after the all aboard time of 5:30pm. The photos needed downloading, while one of us relaxed on the veranda. Still muggy as heck, it did begin to rain briefly. It was dark by the time we cleared the breakwater, as we headed towards the next port of Honolulu. Dinner was back in the dining room with appetizers of Thai beef salads, hake fish, and prime rib. All was good, except I have to remember to order the prime rib medium next time. It came really rare, but I did not want to wait to send it back. Saved some room for dessert by only eating half of the entrée. On the Mainstage was comedian Chris Strait, and the Music Walk was in full operation. Not sure how busy these venues are on nights before a series of ports. Hard to burn the candle at both ends…… Bill & Mary Ann

Hello Wayne! Nice hearing from you, since it has been a while since we shared that fun table with you guys. Do you keep touch with Pat D? We have not heard from him for quite a while. Perhaps we may meet on another HAL ship in the future. As President's Club members, we get 10 complimentary dinners in the specialty restaurants (except Sel de Mer & other pop-ups). Does not matter if the cruise is 7 days or 128 days, the number is the same. The extra dinner comes with the Have-It-All package on this 50 day voyage. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #33 Saturday October 8, 2022 Sea Day Enroute To Hilo, Hawaii Sunny With Some Clouds 80 Degrees Part #1 Of 2.......Text Only...... Pictures In Part #2 Waking up to blue skies, a slight breeze, and a noticeable sea swell, we knew it was going to be a great day….and our last full day at sea before arriving to the islands. At breakfast this morning, we gave Alejandra a list of 11 dinners we would like to reserve for the remainder of the trip in the Pinnacle Grill. She told us there were 11 specialty pop-up dinners, so we needed to secure what we could now. That will begin this evening if she has space. On our way out of the restaurant, she had OK’d a table for tonight at 8pm. The rest, she will let us know later. Guess what we saw while walking this afternoon? Yep, flying fish. Funny we had just thought about that yesterday, and here they are today. There were not huge numbers of them, but we know there will be more. Now all we need are the birds….. Once again, we went to the Ocean Bar for cold Cokes, and who should appear, but Denise and Howie. Boy, did they have a story to tell. One underlying fear we all might have is getting stuck in an elevator. Well that’s exactly what happened to them in the glass elevator midship around noontime. Eventually help came, but we bet it seemed like ages. After that, they had drinks in the bar. We said it should have been doubles! And that is one elevator we shall avoid in the future. During his noon talk, Captain Frank mentioned that once the ship reaches the Hawaiian Islands, it will be necessary to turn off most of the fluorescent lights on the promenade deck during the evening hours. Apparently these lights attract some birds to land on the ship. We have seen this many times over the years. And the end result for the birds is never a good one. So we can expect a “romantic setting” on the outside decks, but warned to be careful if taking an evening stroll. Today while reading the blogsites for another HAL ship, we stumbled across some interesting developments regarding new requirements from the countries of Fiji and New Caledonia. We saw that they are requiring every passenger on the Westerdam to have medical insurance for travel. Or have private insurance that would cover you out of the USA, or even credit card coverage. Wow, we have never heard of that being required before this. There was even a suggestion of where this type of insurance can be found to buy online. Since this came out well after people boarded the ship, we wonder how that will impact their trip? As for us, we never leave home without coverage, but know many folks that never purchase the expensive travel insurance. Anyway, since we are heading to Fiji, now we expect to get a similar letter. It was room service lunch again, but a fairly light one. Dinner will be in the Pinnacle Grill, so we need to be good and hungry for that meal. Sitting out on our veranda, guess what else we saw? Yep, a booby……a masked booby to be precise. The masked boobys are the largest of the gannet family of tropical seabirds, measuring up to 33 inches in body length, with almost a 6 foot wingspan. Since most of the sightings are in the distance, one has no clue they can be that big. The one disadvantage of being in the aft cabin is that most all of the birds will fly on either side of the ship. If they dive, and regain flight, they will wander to the back of the ship. That’s how the photos were taken today. There were only a few of them flying, but we did spot some flying over what may have been a school of tuna feeding. Dinner was great tonight. Wedge salads with a strip of candied bacon, fresh rolls, and entrees of filet mignon and halibut were all delicious. Sides were ½ baked potato, French fries (the skinny ones), and sauteed mushrooms. Barely enough room for a small dessert, we had some pistachio ice cream and one chocolate souffle. While we were on our way out, some other guests noticed we had put on our masks. They told us that a letter had been delivered to everyone, releasing us from the mandatory mask-wearing. Now it is optional. After the last covid test we all took, the numbers of infected were very low. They are still warning about congested places on the inside of the ship like the show and music lounges and casino for instance. We think we shall leave them on for a while, if not, for the rest of the cruise. Think we are all really ready for Hilo tomorrow. Bill & Mary Ann

Yes, we agree about the reserved Lanai room lounges. But it sure working for selling those rooms for HAL. The movies shown in the Rolling Stones Lounge were listed as "matinee". We will investigate about using the Mainstage for GWV movies, as there is no World Stage on this class of ship. Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 32 Day at Sea Friday October 7, 2022 Mostly sunny in the am, then mostly cloudy in the pm 82 degrees.......0 Pictures Today marks exactly one month that we have been traveling on the Zuiderdam. The “glacier” part went by so fast, and here we are, ready to start the “palm tree” segment. It was mostly sunny when we got up this morning, and it was pleasantly warm. The seas have tuned into a deep shade of blue as we continued to sail southwest. The swells have been slight, however, that may change. According to Captain Frank, the wave action will increase during the day. He said the stabilizers are out, keeping us as comfortable as possible. Later in the afternoon, the skies became cloudy with scattered showers here and there. And as promised, the swells deepened. During our morning hike, we noticed that all of the teak lounges were laid out on both sides of the ship. The pads on them are really nice and thick, compared to those on the Amsterdam. We began to wonder when we will start to see some flying fish. They are fun to watch, especially when they pop up by the hundreds. Of course, when the boobies are present, then it becomes a hunting game for them, and a spectacular show for us that love to watch the birds in action. After our walk, we cooled down in the Ocean Bar with ice cold coke Zeros. This bar has been the most convenient place to stock up on the Have-It-All beverages. Originally, we were told we could get two at a time, but here, the bartender has gotten to know us, and allows us to get more. We think their rule to restrict the number given is to prevent sharing. That is not allowed. We always carry a folded bag, then take the cans to our room. When we start to dock in the ports, we will be taking some of the water off with us, but poured in the new thermos bottle we bought. We forgot to mention that yesterday, while passing by the Lincoln Center Stage after our meeting with friends, we found the room to be full of guests. Since it was after lunchtime for most, at least half of the folks were sound asleep in their seats. Or perhaps they were listening with their eyes closed. The music was very relaxing. There was also a real movie being show in the Rolling Stone Lounge today “Dog” (2022). We also spotted a cart full of bags of popcorn heading that way. Glad to see they are doing this here. We are still deliberately staying away from crowded places such as the casino, the Mainstage activities, and the Shops. Until we are sure there is not a huge outbreak of the virus, we are much more comfortable staying close to “home” and away from crowds. We should add here that just about every guest we have seen has honored the mandatory mask requirement. All of the crew members wear them all of the time, except many of them need to change them more often. We can tell when the elastic straps become stretched, and the masks refuse to stay up and over the noses. But it is up to their supervisors to remind them to wear fresh ones. A funny thing happened when we ordered room service lunch today. It appears that different waiters answer the phone to take the orders. If a request does not fit the correct button to push, it is hard to customize something. Take today for instance. Asking for Caesar salads, no anchovies, but add a slice chicken breast to each salad, sounded simple to us. When the food arrived , we had the Caesar salads all right, but we also had two hot dinner plates of grilled chicken breast with vegetables and gravy. OK, this was more than we needed, but we began to cut up the chicken breast, and found it SO good, we ate everything….except the broccoli. Hands down, this chicken entrée had to be the most moist and tasty chicken we have had so far. The slices of breast never made it on the salads, as we finished those second. Guess we will not need a huge dinner tonight, even though that will not arrive until 8pm. Our laundry from yesterday was delivered this afternoon. Their service has been great, but I failed to check the items returned, and realized later on that a fleece vest was missing. And it is not just an everyday sleeveless vest, but one I received 11 years ago on a Grand World Voyage. It is one of my favorite vests, that has been worn frequently at home. It is not replaceable as it has the logo from 2011 on it. Long story short, we asked Putu our room steward if he knew how to find it. Lo and behold, before we went to dinner, he arrived with it, and that sure made one of us happy. This evening was the first Cellar Master Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. We do think that is a wine pairing fixed menu which began at 6:30pm to 9pm. Since there seemed to be fewer guests in the dining room, we assume some of them were attending this pop-up venue. There will be more of these held during this cruise, and will include Rudi’s Sel de Mer, Tamarind, and two other specialty dinners. If we wish to get in our 11 complimentary dinners on regular nights, we will need to make those reservations tomorrow morning. So, it was a bowl of chicken “spaghetti” soup, an appetizer, a Caesar salad, and mains of flounder with substituted French fries (hot and crispy), and one Club Orange special, tender slices of beef ribs and mashed potatoes. Saving a little room, we enjoyed the small slice of pear strudel with sides of vanilla ice cream….one scoop only. Another new entertainer appeared in the Mainstage. Her name is Rachel Tyler, and her performance was called Straight Up…With A Twist. We assume she is a comedian or a singer. The clocks went back one hour again this evening. That will put us on Hawaii time now. Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 31 Day at Sea Thursday October 6, 2022 Mostly cloudy 82 degrees Part # 1 of 1..........0 Pictures The day began with mostly blue skies and pretty calm seas. We still are experiencing a bit of rolling, but it has become tolerable. Like it or not, we are getting our sea legs. Some days are made to be lazy, and today was one of them. We did get some walking in this morning, then made plans to meet our buddies in the Gallery Bar. Yesterday we discovered that this is the only place we would be able to find draft beer. And better yet, they had Belgium Aflegem beer. Denise and Howie also like the German and Belgium beers, so that’s what we all ordered. It was so nice to visit finally, sharing news and just having a good time. Two hours flew by. During our stay there, we introduced them to our previous hosts, as well as Shiv, who walked through the lounge. As he is the Head of Housekeeping, he really makes the rounds all over the ship. We were just lucky he ducked in the Gallery Bar. He visited for a few minutes, then said goodbye, but before he left, he ordered another round of beers for us all to enjoy. He is truly a very nice person, and we are happy to call him friend. Back in the room, we ordered a late lunch of quesadillas and salads. The afternoon evaporated, but then, so did the sun. Passing some interesting dark clouds today, we did notice that it felt a little cooler. That’s always what happens when there are rain clouds here and there. When we sat down in the dining room at dinnertime, we had a visit from Denise who told us that she heard that there might be an itinerary change coming up. She went back to her room and found a letter from the Captain. It was a long letter of apology for the last minute changes that took place so close to the start of this voyage. So….. long story short, Bora Bora is back. They flipped flopped some ports and reversed some calls. We assume this will make some folks really happy, since many of them have never been to Bora Bora. It will not be an overnight, so if their plans included staying in one of the over-the-water bungalows, that will not be possible. However, they will save a lot of money. We will arrive to Papeete on a Friday evening, and staying until Sunday. Now with that change, the guests might be able to stay overnight in Moorea, and take a ferry back to Papeete the next day or on Sunday. Naturally, all of the ship’s excursions will be re-done. And there is still time for the independent guests to make other plans. Hope this is the end of the changes, or the passengers will be pulling their hair out. Dinner choices are getting more tropical-sounding as we near the Hawaiian Islands. One of us ordered the mahi-mahi wrapped in a banana leaf. Could have used some mango salsa, as said by the non-fish lover among us. Lasagna was the main course for me, but remains far different from what I make at home. Dessert was an apple streusel with a side of vanilla ice cream for each of us. Very nice. Two more days at sea, and we will be in Hilo. Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 30 Day at Sea Wednesday October 5, 2022 Partly cloudy, but warmer and slightly humid 82 degrees Part # 1 of 1 ........0 Pictures What a difference a day makes, especially in the weather department. By noon, the thermometer on our veranda registered 82 degrees. The humidity was up as well. The feeling of Hawaii is in the air now. Even more folks were lined up for the Pinnacle Grill breakfast today, and we would soon learn the reason why. Surprise, surprise. At 9:15am, Captain Frank made a public announcement that every guest that boarded in San Diego was required to perform a self test for Covid 19 in their rooms by 9:30am. The reason stated was due to an abundance of caution, and the remote location of the upcoming ports, it was necessary to test again. Very interesting, since all of these passengers just tested as recently as Friday, September 30th….a mere 5 days ago. We sure hope this is not an indication that Covid has been spreading. That could be a deal-breaker entering some of the South Pacific Islands. Or, maybe we are reading way too much into this suddenly sprung test. The internet has really given us headaches. And because we have just begun the 50 day cruise, we wondered if we still had the premium plan in place. The guest relations manager, Michelle, phoned to confirm that she checked into the details, and we did have the best plan. Later on, we had a phone call from Henk M. thanking us for pointing out the fact that the dinner menu for the dining room was not working on our stateroom TV. Digging deeper, he discovered that this problem was happening fleetwide as if there was a virus in the system. As far as the menu being on the Navigator app for the cell phones, we are not sure if that was working. When this gets resolved, we have no idea. Remember when you could go to the dining room entrance, and read the menu for the evening which was posted on the walls? We never passed by there without checking in case we found nothing we liked, we had the time to make reservations for the Pinnacle Grill. In fact, the assistant maitre’d agreed with us at dinner tonight, that some of the old ways were much better and simpler. By the way, he was not aware of the problem with the menu being missing. We took a long walk on the promenade deck during lunchtime. It is always less crowded then. We sure noticed the difference in the temperature, especially on the sunny side of the ship. Many more lounges and deck pads were out, but more guests chose the shady side over the sunny one. After our warm walk, we went to the Ocean Bar and rewarded ourselves with two cold beers. One of us had Heineken, and the other the last can of Alaskan Amber. It tasted better because of that. We inquired about draft beer, and learned that it was served in the Galley Bar, near the casino. And of all things, they had Aflegem Belgium draft beer. We shall check that out tomorrow before they run out. It’s no surprise that we like the room service salads among other items. Hands down, they make the nicest Cobb salads, and will customize it with different cheeses. We do not care for blu cheese, so they substitute either swiss, cheddar, or even parmesan. Their sandwiches are always made with fresh breads and fillings. The best thing is that the wait is never too long. We could go to the Lido, but after 2pm, the choices are limited. And we still are apprehensive with the style of serving up there. Under the circumstances, we were happier with everything being served by the wait staff. We would love to pretend that Covid is not here, but that’s probably not the case. We are happy to report that most every guest has been wearing their masks indoors. Everything Hawaiian was the subject of many activities today. Beginning with a talk on the geology and geography of Hawaii, it was followed by hula lessons at 11am. Catching the Waves was all about surfing, and the shore ex team were promoting tours. There were 14 “promotion” activities as well. No need to be bored…..that’s for sure. We took a sunset walk before dinnertime. There was a cloud bank on the horizon, so the sun slipped behinds those clouds and disappeared without a spectacular show. The sunsets will get better….we are sure of it. This evening was the first “dressy” dinner of the cruise, and most everyone we saw around us were looking pretty nice. There was one exception, as there always seems to be. A young gal walked by dressed in white jeans, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap. Really? These days, as long as the guests are not dressed in swimwear, nothing is said. Whatever floats her boat…… Anyway, we noticed that the surf and turf entree included lobster. This is the first time in about 5 weeks that we saw lobster on the menu. We ordered one plate of stuffed ricotta shells with a small filet, and one yellow fin sole plate. Both were good, but would have been better if the fish did not have a few bones. Up to now, this was the first bone found in any fish. Both of us had the flourless chocolate cake for dessert. We are happy the portion sizes are conservative, so we do not feel over-loaded at the end of our meal. The clocks went back an hour this evening. There will be one more hour to go before we arrive to the Hawaiian Islands on Sunday. Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 29 Tuesday October 4, 2022 Day at Sea Mostly cloudy, windy, 7 foot seas 69 degrees Part #1 of 1............0 Pictures Our first day at sea found the skies very gloomy. It was heavily overcast, windy, with seven-foot seas. The ship was listing, making walking a bit challenging at times. It increased during the evening hours, where you don’t notice the rolling as much if you stayed tucked in bed. We’ve sailed in much worse conditions, so this is a piece of cake. At breakfast this morning, we found the venue quite busy with new guests. In fact, some were lined up at the closed doors of the Pinnacle Grill well before 8am. This was the first time we noticed that more tables were used in the center of this dining room. Of course, the ship is fairly full now, and the restaurants can be expected to be busy. Working on the computer was more than frustrating today. It was acting squirrely, as it always seems to do when traveling in this area. But this appeared to be more so than previously, with reports and photos not going through together, or at all for that matter. Nothing could be sent or received, and we got tired of watching that circle go round and round. Best to take a walk and get some fresh air. We took that break around noon, when we knew fewer folks would be walking. Due to the higher winds and the wave action, the ship continued to list. The spray from the waves made the teak decking very wet on the windward side of the ship. Could be a problem with slipping and falling. The Captain came on the speakers with his noon talk, and warned the guests about the conditions outside. He gave the usual stats about our position, weather, wave heights, and an explanation of the “rhumb line”. Basically, it is too complicated to explain, however we do know that the navigators used this to get from point A to point B in a shorter distance, which helps to save fuel and time. Many activities were happening on the ship. The shore excursions were being promoted, as well as jackpot bingo, origami folding, and even a $25 two hour painting class. We knew the time would come when a charge would be applied to some activities. Now we are not sure if this will apply to the grand voyages, as those arts and crafts classes have been complimentary. Once again, we missed the free ($25) wine tasting. We did order a light room service lunch, because at 5pm, we would be attending a President’s Club Reception in the Explorers Lounge. It read: On behalf of Gus Antorcha, President of HAL, Captain Frank van der Hoeven, Henk Mensink, the HGM, and our key hotel officers and staff invite you to a private event. It was dubbed to celebrate our health and well-being on board. Whatever the reason, it was a nice gesture. Actually, it was a good opportunity to meet the Captain and his wife, Mrs. Captain as Michelle, guest relations manager, said. Some of the key officers were Shiv, Maya, Chantal, Ian, and other key officers. There was a total of 12 President’s Club members present, some we recognized, and some we did not. Elegantly prepared canapes were offered, as were beverages of our choice. Henk introduced us to Captain Frank and his wife. Our paths have not crossed on past cruises, so this was a new meeting for all. We entered the room, and took seats by a window. Soon Chantal, the future cruise consultant, joined us, and Shiv stopped briefly for a moment. When the group was all there, the staff sat with all of us. We had the Captain and Mrs.Captain sit with us, along with Howard, as he was the only one we really knew. The conversation got interesting when it was asked of the Captain about this ship going into the Amazon River in 2024 on the Grand World Voyage. He surprised us by saying he was also concerned about taking a ship of this size and draft into that river with shifting sand bars and strong currents. Of course, there will be a local river pilot, but that is no guarantee of beaching the darned ship. It has happened in the past with smaller vessels, so it will be seen if in fact, they do go that route. The gathering began to break up around 6pm, and that is when Henk joined us, as Chantal moved to talk to other guests. A rousing conversation ensued until 6:30pm. We did have a series of questions for Henk, who took out his cell phone to take notes. One of our questions had to do with the Navigator app, and the lack of the posted menu for the dining room tonight. Henk had no idea it was not working. As a matter of fact, the internet had quit working in the afternoon. Henk agreed there was a problem, and it needed to be fixed. Then we also brought up the fact that a motorized wheelchair has been parked outside our door at various times during the day and evening. Obviously, there were no handicapped rooms available for this guest, but leaving it in a narrow hallway can be a hazardous situation in case of an emergency or fire, God forbid. Coming to and from our room, we almost tripped over this vehicle. It appears that it should fit it the room (we saw it there initially), and there is plenty of space to keep it inside. Speaking to our room steward, he has parked it in the elevator lobby, where it is not blocking any exit points. Promising to look into the matter, we hope Henk will follow through. Now, the most interesting side show of this event, was watching the ever-growing line forming for the dining room, which on deck two, it is anytime dining with open seating. The line of folks was already beginning when we arrived to our event before 5pm. Funny, considering dinnertime was 5:30pm. Being that we are on deck three at 8pm, we never see what happens on deck two. Perhaps by the end of this week, everything will fall into place. By the time we got back to our room after the party, the dinner menu was still not posted. However, by the time we looked again, it was there. Henk did follow up on his promise. Now we shall see how long this lasts. During dinner, Denise made a stop, in her neat flashing face mask, no less, asking if our internet was messed up. Yes, like all day it had been acting up. We clued her in on the help we got from Henk, but in the meantime, we bet there will be a whole lot of people at the front desk complaining about an expensive service that is broken. Then another couple, Wendy and Steve, also popular travel hosts, paid us a visit. The last time we saw them was on a bus to the Perth airport in Australia, as we were on our way home after leaving the cancelled 2020 world cruise. Honestly, we thought we may never see them again. And here we all are, on another dam ship. Lucky for all. So they had chosen a table for two downstairs, and admitted it was a zoo down there. Then they requested fixed seating up here, and got a nice table. Anyway, we ordered the mahi mahi and a sukiyaki with steak strips. Very different, I made sure there was no oyster or clam juice in it. If so, I would have gone with the spaghetti. It’s fun to try something different for a change…..and I liked it. Desserts were a fig pudding and a scoop of chocolate coffee ice cream. One sea day gone, and four more to go to Hawaii. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #28 Monday October 3, 2022 San Diego, California 7AM-4:30PM Partly Cloudy And Warmer 75 Degrees Part #1 Of 4.........Text Only ....Pictures In Parts 2,3,&4 Our port of call for today was San Diego, California. It was the end of a 5 day cruise for some, a continuing sailing for about 600 of us, and the beginning of a 45 day cruise for 1100 or so who boarded today. It was heavily overcast, but not really cold with a temperature of 69 degrees. Southern California is typically warmer and drier than the north part of the state. So we were surprised not to see the sun appear later in the morning. And as always on debarkation day, the restaurants were opened at an uncivilized 6:30am to 8:30am (the Lido was even earlier at 6am). However, since we have the option of getting off the ship anytime, one of us slept until 7am. Breakfast was at the normal time of 8am for us, and several other guests.. Although we were not the last to arrive to the Pinnacle Grill, we almost felt rushed. Even our empty coffee cups were not refilled. That was most unusual. Perhaps the staff here was anxious to get off for their free time. Our meal was fine, just different. Tomorrow will be totally different since we will be getting new passengers once again. Disembarkation began at 7:30 and ended about 9:40am. With only about 400 folks leaving, it was speedy. Taking a walk on the promenade deck, we watched as the shore crew did their jobs. All of the luggage had been taken off, and they were awaiting the new arrivals of baggage. This would probably be a good time to leave, before the thundering herd started boarding. For us, that was 10:30am, and a little too late. A river of new guests were already on the move, like salmon swimming upstream. Actually ran into some folks we knew, except for Denise and Howie, our friends who would also be joining the ship today. Bet they were already onboard. Finally outside, we took notice of the parking lot area, which was under construction. It was not as bad as we had expected, and when the work is completed, it will be a lot nicer. The taxis were still arriving as they always do in a shorter version of the lot. We turned right, like we always do, and headed down Harbor Drive passing the Sapphire Princess, the USS Midway Naval Aircraft Carrier, and the Seaport Village. There are more than 60 shops here, as well as 19 eateries, and a hand-carved carousel. Continuing on, we made our way past the marina, where dozens of high-end sailboats and pleasure craft are moored. The San Diego Convention Center is located here, then a series of nice hotels begin. Next to the Hilton, was a large group involved with a special event on the greens. It turned out to be hundreds of real estate investors. We always make a pass through the Hilton to access the pedestrian walkway over the highway and trains below. We ended up on the street that flanks Petco Park – the home of the San Diego Padres. Usually, we cut across the back side of this ball stadium, but it has been fenced off. So we continued walking up 10th Street towards the Gaslamp Quarter. There was a corner restaurant/sports bar where we always went to lunch when we stayed here. But do you think we could find it? Forgetting the name and street it was on, there is a possibility that it had closed during the pandemic. And just like what happened where we live, the restaurants expanded their outside dining by taking over part of the street with fenced tables and chairs. Actually, 5th Street had been closed to traffic at one point. We never did find that sport’s bar, so we headed back down to the pier area. On the way we passed by what used to be Horton’s Plaza, part of Westfields. It looked like it had been totally leveled since the last time we were here. Bet the next time we visit here, there will be another new high rise in its place. It seemed like we had walked for hours, and it was time to find lunch somewhere. We ended up going to the Claim Jumper, which was a favorite lunch venue where we live. That is, until it closed forever. By now it was close to 2:45pm, and we thought since they were not busy with many customers, lunch service would be OK. Well…..that’s not exactly how it went. We waited to be seated, as there did not appear to be any greeter. Eventually, someone came, seated us, handed us the menus, then disappeared. For twenty minutes. If it wasn’t for their excellent house salads, we should have left. And that’s what we did order, but waited another ½ hour for them to arrive. The good news was that the ample salads were very good, served with cheesy toast. Knowing that our waiter might disappear again, we asked for the bill as well. The charge for our cokes had been complimentary missing from the bill, because of the delay, which was nice. Back to the ship by 3:45pm, it was easy to get back onboard. We relaxed on our veranda for the rest of the afternoon, and were soon happy to spot our buddies, Denise and Howie, doing the same thing on deck 4 below us. They had attended the Mariner Welcome Sparkling Wine Event in the Crow’s Nest. Oddly, we did not receive an invitation to this, because the official start of our South Pacific cruise began in Vancouver. However, much to our surprise, we did have a special invite to a President’s Club Reception tomorrow evening at 5pm to meet the Captain and key hotel officers and staff. Now that was nice to get, and will be a pleasure to attend. Dinnertime in the dining room found a lot more tables filled with the newbies. Makes a difference with approximately 1700 guests now. There did not seem to be a shortage of wait staff, which was a good thing. Henk M, the Hotel Manager, stopped for a quick chat, which he often does. He is really busy these days. Anyway, starters were Caesar salad and a bowl of pork noodle soup. Something new, one of us found the broth to be a bit too spicy with something hot added like jalapeno sauce. Mains were macadamia-crusted rockfish and huli huli chicken. With a name like that, it had to be good….and it was. The best news of the day was the fact we turned the clocks back one hour. Always most welcomed. Now we will have a total of five sea days to reach Hilo, Hawaii on October 9th, and the rocking and rolling has slowly begun. Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 27 Day at Sea Sunday October 2, 2022 Overcast early, then sun later 65 degrees Part 1 of 1..........21 Pictures Our last day at sea looked promising as we sailed towards San Diego. Although the skies were overcast, the temperature was not cold. As it usually does, the clouds broke up and eventually the sun appeared. This is typical fall weather off the coast of California. Those of us that are continuing onward from San Diego, were required to perform a mandatory antigen Covid 19 test today from 9 to 9:30am according to a notice delivered yesterday. As we were enjoying watching some dolphins from the Pinnacle Grill at breakfast, Captain Friso came on the speakers, asking us to go to our rooms. We would receive the “complimentary” test kits, with a complete set of instructions on how to “self-test”. The printing was so small, even we had a difficult time reading it. Having done this test numerous times while on the N.Statendam, we knew the drill. The only difference was that it was not done by a medical team, nor was it proctored. Our room steward kept the door unlocked, and once we completed the test and waited 10 minutes for the results, he came into the room and verified them. The results revealed a negative finding for both of us. Now when we will do this test again is not exactly known. We expect it may be before our arrival to Hawaii. Then it will be determined by the countries we visit. If there are a lot of guests and or crew with Covid, no one is saying, and we have not asked. Since we are not allowed to have plastic water bottles anymore, we opted to buy a metal drink bottle from the Photo Shop. We do have one at home, but forgot to bring it. At the time we bought it, we did not have it customized, but this time we requested a photo that was taken at the Mariner’s Recognition Event. The manager said they would locate it, put it into the system, and we could order from there. So this morning after our mile walk, we went to figure out their computers. Not sure how they operate, one of the photographers offered to help us. Once our room key was scanned, the photo came up. With his help, he cropped it, leaving just the two of us in the picture. For the backside of the thermos, we chose a whale tail, which will remind us of Alaska. It should be ready by dinnertime, and will make a useful item for under $20. Once we get to the warmer climate, we will pack water with us in the ports. Having canned water would not work as there is no way to seal it. So maybe, there is a method to their madness? The day had begun with overcast skies, but slightly warmer as we headed south. By the early afternoon, the skies cleared and we had sun. We think the days of wearing long jeans are behind us. It will be shorts from here on out. Relaxing on our veranda, we spotted a few whales in the distance. There were at least two humpbacks, perhaps a mother and baby. The blows are the give-away, and there were plenty of them. Since they were not diving deeply, we only saw one tail submerging. During the following hour, we saw another half dozen, but really far out. Even though our speed was about 11 knots, once these whales are spotted, they are gone pretty quickly. What helped was the fact that the seas were fairly smooth and calm. Sometimes on this coastline, it can be much rougher. We had pizza for lunch for a change, which was fun. Compared to the pizza we had on the N. Statendam, we prefer this style better. It has a thicker crust, and is never soggy. Those of us that are continuing on the next 45 day voyage, got a letter describing the disembarkation process tomorrow. This was much different than what we had to do in Canada. It does not appear that there will be a zero count, since there is a large number of us staying onward……like 600 passengers. The letter stated that we are free to go ashore between 7:45 to 9:30am. We would not be allowed to re-board until after 10am. For those who had no plans to go ashore, we they would be allowed to remain on the ship. If this was Ft. Lauderdale, if we chose to remain on the ship, we would be required to go as a group to see the customs and immigration officials. Furthermore, we would not be allowed to leave the ship again. That was not necessary in San Diego. To make sure we were reading this correctly, we paid a visit to the front desk to verify this. Obviously, no one else had asked this question, because the receptionist had to make a few phone calls to give us the correct instructions. All we would need were our room keys and a government photo ID. This is good because we did not want to have to get up too early, and leave the ship at 9:30am. Dinner had some new entrees we have not seen for a while. One was cheese enchiladas, and the other was blackened tuna, which turned out to be ahi tuna. These days, the tuna is so expensive, and hard to come by. Maybe that’s what made it taste even better. The dos frijoles soup went well with the Mexican dish too. Dessert was a slice of almond fruit cake, served with vanilla ice cream, and shared of course. The Billboard Onboard, the Rolling Stones Lounge, and the Lincoln Center Stage were in full swing tonight. The Mainstage show was Daniel Bouchet, the Latin crooner once again. No dance performances on this 5 day trip. Our friends board tomorrow, and it will be nice to see them. Bet we will see some more of the regulars that always take this particular cruise. Our previous travel host used to call these folks his “palm tree gang”. Hmmmm, that sounds familiar…. Bill & Mary Ann PS Thanks to everyone that did the research on the mystery movie. We shall follow up with finding those books that were written.

ECF - Mandatory masks were required ever since we left Vancouver last Wednesday. We will continue wearing them inside the ship until at least Honolulu. Those of us sailing onward from San Diego had to self test for Covid 19 this morning . The test kits were provided by the ship. More testing may be required as the trip ensues. We have no idea of the current Covid cases that are onboard. Mum is the word with the staff. Hope this answers your questions. Bill & Mary Ann

Report #26 Saturday October 1, 2022 San Francisco, California 6:30am-4:30pm Cloudy Foggy 63 Degrees Part#1 Of 3......Text Only.........Pictures In Parts 2&3 A good way to spend the start of a new month is a stop in San Francisco. The feel of Halloween was in the air. We were already docked by the time we woke up, and that was at the old Pier 35. The Ruby Princess had taken over the new cruise terminal Pier 27, and the Seven Seas Mariner was sharing the other side of Pier 35 with us. We have never seen so many pelicans flying quietly in loose v-formations over the murky green waters of the SF bay. A great blue heron was perched on a pole beneath our veranda, not scared off by some curious seals six feet away. We were so close to Pier 39 that we could hear the sea lions barking up a storm. And that was one plus of docking in the old pier was that we were much closer to the famous icons of the city. San Francisco is a city that we are quite familiar with, since both of us were born and raised here. Alcatraz, Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, the cable cars, and the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges are places we have traveled and seen many times over. We have since moved to the East Bay, a mere 35 miles from downtown, but with a whole different weather pattern. Colder winters and hotter summers come with the territory. And sun……lots of it, and far less fog. Unfortunately, the entire TV was shut down today, and we suspect it is due to a big problem that has not been resolved. That’s the only way they can work on restoring it we guess. So without access to the shore excursions, there is no info on available tours and their prices. One of the best ways to get around has to be the Hop-On Hop-Off bus. Thought we were early to arrive at the Pinnacle Grill at 7:25am, but all the window tables were already occupied. However, most of the early birds were finished in 45 minutes, and the staff seated the second round of guests. Perhaps that is a better time to arrive. We hung around after the crew drill at 10:30am. Passing through the same old cruise terminal/parking garage for buses, we went outside to find a gospel group blasting music promoting religion, we think. They sang the best version of “Amazing Grace” that we have heard in a long time. Being that today was a Saturday, the streets were full of tourists and locals, and getting more crowded by the minute. It has been a long time that we stopped here on a weekend while visiting on a cruise. We made our way to Pier 39 where every shop, café, restaurant, and even the merry-go-round was opened. Lots of kids of all ages were here too. The biggest attraction for us, not counting lunch, had to be a walk to see the sea lions. Close up, they are humongous and quite vocal….especially the biggest males. With the multi-level seating available, quite a group of onlookers had gathered to watch the seals activities. Actually, the pontoons were not as full of seals as there normally are. Perhaps they were out feeding, and left the lazy ones behind. A river of tourists was flooding the area, so we left to make a run to a CVS pharmacy. It is located almost across the street, and had some of the supplies we needed that we did not bring with us. The only disappointment was that they did not have the Ghirardelli Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Squares we discovered a few years ago. Now we have a shorter list for Walmart in Hilo, and may even find those special candies. One could not help but see some homeless men here and there, rooting through the garbage cans in search of recyclables. Cannot imagine the plethora of germs encountered doing this, but these folks seem to be immune, and those cans and bottles are worth even more these days. Another thing we noticed while in CVS, were the number of items that were under lock and key. We can understand the pain and cold meds, but the toothbrushes? Cosmetics were always locked up, but now many everyday items were as well. It has been reported that the fine for shop-lifting cannot be enforced unless the loss totals $900. That’s California for you. The Hard Rock Café would have been our choice of lunch venues, but it was so crowded, we would have to wait for a table. Not worth it, we sat on the benches outside, people watching, deciding what to do. Much to our surprise, who should we see but Howard R., our President’s Club buddy we have known since 2005. He and his friend Gyl were on the Nieuw Statendam this last winter/spring for almost 4 months. At that time, he spoke of cruises that would take him to Europe during the summer, then eventually, Transatlantic back to Florida in the fall. However, the N. Statendam was taken out for a dry docking, so he eventually landed on this ship after doing several Alaska runs. He boarded in Vancouver, and expected to see us at the Mariner Cocktail Reception in the Crow’s Nest. We told him we never received an invite, and he said that never should stop us. We assumed it did not happen. Anyway, our little family group grows…… Getting back onboard was easy with no customs to pass by. Only x-rays, which got me with my new knee. The officials were the nicest folks as I got wanded, then set free. We both heard the officials yell, “enjoy your trip” as we continued onward. Relaxing on the veranda, we finally left the pier after 5pm. The Ruby Princess had left first, however, the Seven SeasMariner never did leave from what we could tell. To warm us up a bit, we ordered hot chocolate and coffee, mixing the two in our new insulated mugs. They stayed really hot for an hour……making that mug purchase from Alaska a good one. Even though the skies remained gray, the Golden Gate Bridge was in plain view as we sailed under her and out to sea. At dinnertime, we were regaled with a story from the Assistant Maitre’d about an attempt to walk across the famous bridge in the afternoon. We know from experience that a lot of time is needed to accomplish this hike…time that the crew does not have. Even if they taxi there in a group, walk across then taxi back, they never would have made the all aboard time of 4:30pm. And of course, they never factored in the traffic situation at that time of day. Commute traffic can stop that traffic flow in a heartbeat. So the decision was made to take all of their pictures from the info booth at the bridge, then try to figure out how to get another taxi back. With the help of a local lady who offered to summon a ride for them, they made it back by the skin of their teeth. Lucky crew. Dinner was a repeat of the Culinary Council from last Tuesday. But we ordered different items of a crab cake and crispy shrimp salad. Mains were rigatoni with unexpected Bolognese sauce, and one halibut dinner. Both were quite good. One tiny scoop of orange sorbet was just right for dessert. The only thing we need to remember is to ask for the ice cream or sorbet to be frozen, not half melted. Obviously, they are pre-scooped, but we do know they can find the frozen tubs somewhere. One lazy day at sea, and we will be in San Diego, the official beginning of the 45 day Tales of the South Pacific. Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 25 Friday September 30, 2022 Day at Sea Overcast turning to sunny 55 - 65 degrees Part 1 of 1.........8 Pictures We woke up to overcast skies, low fog, and chilly temps as we continue sailing south. The ship is still taking on those 8 to 10 foot seas, making walking a little more challenging. Especially when going higher up, like on the Lido deck. After breakfast, we did take a mile walk on the promenade deck, and there were a few folks doing the same, but not many. The dog must be gone because his or her doggie rest area was removed. Did we ever mention the time when we were on a special cruise many years ago with over 30 service dogs? Now that was something else…. Due to the fact that this entire 5 day trip is casual, there was no Captain’s Welcome event in the Mainstage last night. The name of the game is promoting the promotions, especially the gambling features. The spa is opened for various treatments, and the shops are continuing their sales. Now that we are out of Canada, we can make purchases onboard without having to declare them in Canada. We ordered room service for lunch, which has been done nicely and delivered on time. Of course, we dine later in the afternoon, since our dinner time is 8pm. It works for us here, as opposed to eating much earlier at home. While enjoying our meal, we got caught up with an excellent movie that we never saw before. It had already started, so we missed the title. The main actor was Russell Crowe playing a British Captain on a masted sailing ship. Starting in England, this crew must have sailed around Cape Horn, then up to the Galapagos Islands, discovering the unique wildlife there. The story around it was riveting. Does anyone know the title of this movie which came out in 2003? Good trivia question… Needing some exercise, we headed back outside for another walkabout. It was early dining time already. Hard to believe how the day evaporates so quickly. Before we knew it, our dinner hour had arrived. Starting with lumpia appetizers (really tasty) and Caesar salads, we had mains of chow mien (vegetarian) and rockfish. Both different meals for us. Tres leches flan and a scoop of chocolate chip ice cream was just enough to satisfy the sweet tooth. Our assistant waiter asked us how long it would take to walk the Golden Gate Bridge. You know what? We did that walk over 55 years ago, but don’t remember it being that long of a hike. But then, we were a bit younger, and living in the area, time was no problem. We advised him to be prepared for a few hours at the minimum, and to bundle up. The winds on that span can be freezing. Captain Friso mentioned that we will be sailing under the bridge in complete fog early in the morning, but he hoped for it to clear by the time we leave around 5pm. We shall see……. Another new entertainer popped up in the Mainstage, a comedian by the name of Cisco Duran. Looks like the singers and dancers have gotten a few days off. Good for them. Looking forward to a stop in our home city, San Francisco, the city by the bay. Bill & Mary Ann

Canadian bear - Thanks for the neat pictures from the viewpoint in Vancouver - beautiful. Cruising Grandma - We were fairly certain we heard Captain Friso say he was leaving the ship in San Diego, and the alternate captain would be taking over. Guess he will be off the hook. Most times the reason for port changes has more to do with the countries we visit and their restrictions. Can't blame HAL for that in our humble opinion. Yes, we are disappointed with the cancellation of Bora Bora, but that is their rule to restrict the number of guests allowed. Yep, a couple of stiff drinks might be an option! Denise and Howie - Only a few days now..... Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 24 Thursday September 29, 2022 Day at Sea Overcast, but clearing later 60 to 70 degrees Part 1 of 1............0 Pictures After the Zuiderdam left Vancouver yesterday, we passed Victoria, another wonderful place to stop (not on this trip, sadly). The Captain said that the Canadian pilot got off at midnight, then we sailed the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the way to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. It was there, that we started to feel the motion of the ocean, as the ship began to rock and roll…..not bad, just noticeable. It stayed that way all day. But the temperature eventually improved when the clouds broke up, revealing the sun and partly blue skies. We are going to miss viewing the scenery of the Inside Passage, since all we see now is water everywhere we look. At the Pinnacle Grill this morning, we had a window table waiting for us, but by 8:06 am, all of the window seats and tables for two were occupied. This is mostly a new group of guests who know it is first come, first served here. Since we turned in early last night, we worked on the blog this morning. Before noon, we took our mile walk on the promenade deck, where we heard people calling…..hey you two. Turned out to be fellow world cruise friends Sandy and Jack. So nice to see them, we all agreed it was like finding family onboard. We shall have to catch up with ship and people news, as they were on their way to the very first team trivia event at noon. They were meeting two friends, and creating their team for the game. We used to play on the longer voyages, but in time it became a blood sport, and we quit. We are sure to recognize more familiar faces when the ship takes on the passengers in San Diego. Among them will be Denise and Howie, great friends from home and other cruises. You may know them from Cruise Critic as dchip. And they are as much fun as you might have expected. We ended up with room service lunch at 2pm. Soups, salad, and a shared sandwich. And don’t forget the apples and cookies. Their salads from room service are made quite nicely, and our orders have been complete. They have a good team working that venue, and we have not had a wait beyond 30 minutes. Did we mention the mandatory signs are up for mask wearing? For some reason. We did not receive a printed notice about this, but everyone we have seen so far, is wearing them. We assume that both public decks 2 and 3 require masking, as well as the Mainstage and casino. We bet this will last until we reach Hawaii….a sign that this virus is not over yet, darn. The When and Where pamphlet has changed to The Daily Program. No longer a tri-fold paper, it is a single fold brochure with a little more detail. There are now symbols indicating if an event is hosted and also the duration of that event. These symbols are faces of a clock with 30, 45, and 60 minute time slots. Every activity that has a charge attached is labeled “Promotion”. The special presentations, performances, and the Music Walk are listed largely on one page…..easy to locate. The Dining options are listed on the back page as well as Drinks and Services. We find it much better than the old format. Dinner was in the dining room, which we found not crowded once again. These days the majority of folks dine early, many of those in the Lido. Of course, for these five days, we are down to 1000 guests. When we get to San Diego, and the real start of the Tales of the South Pacific, we will lose 400 passengers, and gain 1050 more or less. We were happy campers to see spring rolls on the menu as appetizers. One of us could make a complete meal of these. We added Caesar salads, and one cod entrée and a rigatoni dish. Desserts were a very dark chocolatey torte (way too sweet) with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, and one blueberry frozen yogurt. And another new addition is having a Latin crooner, Daniel Bouchet, entertain in the Mainstage this evening. We did not have that option on the 7 day cruises. Another nice day at sea is expected tomorrow, and according to Captain Friso, the swells should be subsiding. Bill & Mary Ann