Cruise with Bill & Mary Ann on the Prinsendam's Grand So. America & Antarctica Voyage

[mariannpal@aol.com]

I have enjoyed your adventure. We took an abbreviated cruise from Buenos Aires to Antarctica. We visited the Falkland Islands, Tierra Del Fuego, Puerto Madrym, Paradise Bay, and Montevideo. Our trip was just too short..... I am traveling with you vicariously.

I have one question. How did you file your income taxes?

Mariann

Ardmore, PA

[WCB]

Report # 66 March 15, 2010 Monday Cruising the Amazon River

 

Well, we finally found out that the number of guests sailing on the ship now is 604. More and more, we are seeing new passengers that must be boarding along the way. Many look Brazilian, and may have booked this segment at the last minute for a very good local price. Despite the breaking even or loss to the company with lowering the price, the cruise line can make that up plus more with shipboard sales, such as in the stores, bars, art auctions, and casino.

 

Did we mention that our stateroom carpets on deck nine were shampooed yesterday, while we went ashore? When we got back from our shore exploration, we could smell the strange dampness coming from the wet carpet. Sort of reminded us of a wet dog! So we turned on our fan, and opened all of the doors to flush out the odor.

 

Now to complicate matters, we realized that the bag the large piranha was in stunk of mothballs. In 10 minutes, every corner of the room smelled like that. Geeez, we hate that smell! We use mothballs at home to repel moles in the garden and lawns, and it really works well.

 

We wrapped that culprit bag in another plastic store bag, but it still smelled. We needed to get rid of it, so we dumped it in one of the ship's trash cans. Most of the bad smell was gone from our room, but not until 10pm! The carpet was dry too, and looked a whole lot better than it did when we arrived last January!

 

Today was a lazy one for us, more or less. It was a gray and overcast day for sailing down the river on a Monday? afternoon. Couldn't resist that line!

 

After a nice breakfast, we walked the outside deck for an hour. There was a strong breeze blowing up the river. So much so, that the wind created white caps going the opposite way of the river's flow. It appeared that the river was actually flowing away from the ocean, which we knew it was not. With a few passing showers, the temperature gradually cooled down. The humidity has noticably changed for the better as we near the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Our biggest job for the day was to check with the shore excursion staff to get some general information about the port of Ponce, Puerto Rico. We have never been there before....nobody we know has been there before. Melanie told us that the downtown area was located 3 miles from the pier, all uphill. Margaret, Gerry and we thought taking a taxi would be way cheaper than paying HAL $24, per person for a transfer by bus. In fact, if the weather permits, we could walk the 3 miles with no problem.

 

We figured the best person to ask was Frank Buckingham, who just happened to be at his desk in the Oak Room. Surely he has been to Ponce. He has been everywhere!! Of course he has, when we asked. He also added that the Prinsendam was there last year, and a free shuttle was provided for the passengers to get to the downtown area. So we may possibly expect this service on this cruise too. However, the answer for this would not be announced until we get to Barbados.

 

New guest speakers and a chef have joined us. The chef is Nikki Cascone, who operates 24 Prince, a restaurant, as a chef and co-owner. One guest, Pat Pearson is a motivational speaker. While David Saunders lectured on the exotic wildlife in the Amazon.

 

Since we were crossing the Equator again later this afternoon, a special "Piranha Swim" took place in the lido pool. Actually, the ship has crossed the Equator so many times going up this river, we have lost count! Just as we crossed the line, Captain Albert blew his horn with one long blast.

 

The Captain dropped the two river pilots off at the city of Macapa, where we continued on our way towards the mouth of this mighty river. Something strange happened about then. A helicopter, unmarked, dipped out of the sky, and flew around the ship. Bill had his camera out taking pictures of birds, and snapped a few close-ups of the chopper. A man, perhaps a soldier, sat in the helicopter with a rifle in his hands. Thankfully, they disappeared as fast as they had arrived. Come to think of it, we saw much more of a presence of armed soldiers onshore and in the water in the Amazon region five years ago. We are sure they are still there, but not as obvious.

 

At dinner tonight, we were handed the flyer for the Filipino Show this evening at 11pm. Singers and dancers of the Filipino crew gave a performance of a sample of their culture. These shows are always fun, but we wish they could do it earlier in the day.

 

Tomorrow is a day at sea, but has been dedicated for the Mariner Day activities. We also have the last Cruise Critic meeting for this trip. Wish we had known that some of the special events were beginning at 11am, or else we could have moved it to another day. As it stands, our meeting will have to be shorter, which is fine. It will be interesting to see how many dedicated Cruise Critic members show up!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[Hflors]

Mary Ann & Bill

 

Just wanted to again thank you for letting us "come along for the ride" I have enjoyed every minute of "your" adventure. By the time you return I will be leaving for my own adventure. Reading your reports has really helped get thru the terrible this area has had. Thanks, I hope one day to meet you both it will be an honor for me.

 

Helen

[WCB]

Report # 67 March 16, 2010 Tuesday Day at Sea

 

We woke up around 3am to find our room had gotten really warm.....like 80 degrees. Since the air conditioning has been inconsistant all around the ship, but figured it was our turn to have the cool air re-directed to other areas. Hopefully it will be fixed later on.

 

Sometime during the night, the Prinsendam left the Amazon River Delta. We had turned left, sailing north towards the Salvation Islands of French Guyana. When we looked outside, we noticed that the water had changed from muddy brown to a greenish color. This color indicates that we are in shallow seas, as we sail along the coastline.

 

After breakfast, we took an hour walk around the promenade deck. It was sure hot and humid. We had hoped for a bit cooler weather once we were out of the steamy jungle, but we are still near the Equator for several more days now.

 

Our last Cruise Critic meeting was held this morning at 11am. We came early, hoping others would come early too. There were about 20 of us, which was nice, because today was the Grand Voyage "Mariner Day". Had we known in advance what activities were going on, we would have moved this meeting to another sea day. Of course, the sea days are dwindling as we get closer to the end of the cruise next week. It's quite possible that there were no slots to accommodate our group at this late date anyway.

 

Since there was a brunch at 11am for all passengers who had under 200 days, several CC members attended that, of course. So we had a short meeting discussing the last of the ports we have coming up. Most of our group had never been to Ponce, Puerto Rico, so we were happy to hear from our one member who had visited there a few years ago. Tomorrow's port of Devils Island is a self-guided walk, and Barbados offers a variety of things to do.

 

At 11:25am, we had a lunch sign-up and bidded our group good-bye. From there, we headed to the showlounge for the Four Star Mariner Awards Ceremony. Captain Albert said there were 210 of us at this special event. We were greeted with our choice of champagne, mimosas, Bloody Marys, or orange juice. We are in such a habit of sitting in the back of the lounge, we found a comfortable place to sit. However, one of the bar girls came over and said we needed to sit near the front, since we are platinum medal holders (700 plus days). The first two rows were reserved for new awardees, but since we received our medals last year, we took the seats right behind the reserved seats.

 

We found it a bit strange that the Captain and hotel manager were dressed casually in short sleeve shirts. Every new awardee had their photo taken with them, and since we were required to dress up a bit, we felt they should at least have jackets on. The only one we saw properly dressed was Roger, the bar manager.

 

Three crew members were given special pins and a ring for their long time service with the cruise line. One fellow had 30 years, and was so proud to get this award.

 

Certain guests were recognized for having the most days with the HAL line. One of them was our friend Rose, and another lady we have not seen so far on this trip. They were presented with a dozen roses by the Captain, and had their photo taken with him and Francois, the hotel manager.

 

The next group was the 700 plus day people. That included us. We were called up to the stage, where we posed with our medals with the Captain and Francois. There may have been around 10 of us.

 

Then the new awardees for the 300, 500, and 700 days received their medals. That took until 12:30 before they were done. Now this was the first time we have seen these award ceremonies done this way. The new format must be for the newly released Mariners perks. In a way, this practice seems a bit like the old days when cruising was treated like a class society. You know, like Cunard has dining rooms that correspond to your room category. We really thought that was a thing of the past.

 

At 1pm, we had been invited to the dining room for the 4 star Mariner Lunch. Last night before dinner, we had been handed slips of paper with the hotel manager's name on it. That meant that we had been invited to his table for the lunch. There were two other couples with us, and the 30 year awardee from the HAL wait staff. That was a nice surprise for us and him too. Francois joined us, limping all the way into the room. Apparently, he had tripped in Manaus, and sprained his ankle. It was obvious that he was in pain, but was happy to sit down after the hour-long awards ceremony. He said that his ankle had to be xrayed further when we get to Barbados, because he may have broken a bone. All he had on the ankle was a splint and ace bandages. Ouch!

 

The menu for this lunch was more varied than we have ever had before at one of these affairs. There were three appetizers. We ordered the chicken caesar salad. Then there were four entrees, one fish, 2 vegetarian, and one beef. We chose the tenderloin of beef with potatoes and veggies. It was delicious! Dessert had two options, a fruit cobbler, or a chocolate raspberry mousse, which we chose. Red and white wine or champagne was served during the lunch as well. It was a busy, but nice afternoon!

 

When we returned to our room, the temperature had climbed higher, and now the air vent was dripping from condensation. Something was wrong, because the hallway was fine. So we called and reported the problem. Within a few short minutes, a girl from the front desk came to our room with a hand held thermometer. She apologized profusely, and promised to send a technician to fix the problem. Apparently, our room was the only one with the warm and moist air. Good thing we called.

 

Since it was so uncomfortable staying in our room, we took a walk. It had cooled off by late afternoon, with a nice breeze blowing outside. Upon returning, a technician knocked on our door, and came in to check the vent. He removed it, and adjusted something behind it. That took all of 10 minutes. The temperature dropped 1 degree in an hour, but that was a good start. By the time we got back from dinner at 10pm, it was a much cooler 73 degrees. We can live with that!

 

Speaking of dinner, we had a good laugh when we walk into the dining room. The waiters and head waiters were dressed in black and white striped prison suits! Guess that is to get us in the mood for tomorrow's port of Devil's Island. We know you are thinking why did they do this today and not tomorrow? Well tomorrow is March 17th and is also St. Patricks Day. It will be formal, go figure...on another port day! The last of the balls, a green and white affair, will follow dinner at 10pm. Sure hope that the heat does not zap everyone, or there will be no green-clad guests at the ball!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Storylady]

Thanks for taking the time to write your wonderful blog. I have been following you since the beginning. Your writing is definitely picturesque. I can almost see the locations you are visiting.

 

I just discover that one of my favorite HAL performers is going to be on the Prinsendam on March 24th in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He is Dr. Justin Miller. If you have never heard him perform, you might want to make sure to attend his concert. He is an absolutely fabulous muscian and storyteller.

[WCB]

Report # 68 March 17, 2010 Wednesday Devils Island, French Guyana

 

During the night, the temperature in our room dropped to a cool 68 degrees. Guess we should have reported this problem sooner. It was a five minute fix for the technician!

 

We were reminded that today was St. Patrick's Day, when we got a nice greeting card from our agent in Seattle in our mail slot. That is one considerate thing that the agents do.......they remember every holiday, birthday, or anniversery with a card. Nice!

 

Another reminder that it was St. Paddys Day, was when we went to breakfast in the dining room and found it had been decorated with green banners, balloons, and shiny green shamrocks hanging from the ceiling. Bet the waiters will be leprechauns this evening at dinnertime. It is always a fun night.

 

The Prinsendam arrived very early to Devils Island this morning. We heard the tenderboat outside our verandah at the crack of dawn. We calculated that this will be our fifth visit to this eerie, but beautiful 70 acre island. We were happy to let the throngs of passengers get in the first tenders to ride to the shore. Knowing how hot it can get over there, we bet most of them will be coming back when we are going!

 

By 10am, we collected the required tender tickets in the showlounge, then proceeded down to deck 4 to board the boat. Of course, when we lined up, an announcement was made that tender tickets were no longer necessary. We were correct about the guests coming back to the ship.. They all said it was TOO HOT over there! As soon as we got in the bouncing boat, it started to rain. That can happen more often than not in this part of the world. But thankfully, it did not last long and the rain never returned for the rest of the day.

 

Devils Island is actually one of three of the Salvation Islands or Iles Du Salut in French. They belong to French Guyana, a short distance away. We could actually see the shoreline of the city of Kourou, with Cayennne, the larger city a bit south of there. From 1852 to 1946, these islands were used as a French penal settlement. The rules were simple:

 

1. Habitual criminals had to work.

2. Political criminals were permitted some liberties.

3. Felons received hard labor.

4. A term of less than 8 years, had to be followed with equal time served in French Guyana.

5. A sentence of over 8 years, the prisoner had to remain for life.

6. The worst of the prisoners were sent to Devils Island.

7. Out of the 80,000 criminals sent to this penal colony, only 30,000 survived.

 

Only a few escaped. The extreme currents and hungry sharks put fear in the inmates never to try escaping. The distance between these islands is only 650 feet. The only way to get rations out to the worst of the political criminals on the smaller Devils Island, was by a bucket that hung on a cable between the islands. Most of the people condemned to this island, never made it out alive.

 

Two names that might be recognized in association with Devils Island are Henri Charriere, nicknamed Papillon for the tatooed butterfly on his chest. The other name is Dreyfuss, a political prisoner falsely accused of espionage. Eventually, he was pardoned and restored to the army, where he was decorated with the Legion of Honor in France. The old movie, "Papillon" tells the story of both men. We all agreed that it would have been great if they had shown this movie before we arrived here on TV or in the Wajang Theater. Even though it may not be totally correct, it gave the unsettling account of the torture these people endured. The guards also were condemned by working here, since many of them lost their families to yellow fever.

 

Who would ever think this green jungle of paradise could hide such a hideous past? However, the remains of the ruins would bring the history back to those of us that are lucky enough to see it today.

 

We began our walk on the right hand side of the island. This long stroll through the coconut trees brought us to the Insane Asylum, or what was left of it. We walked carefully, because Frank B. had stated that some visitors had been killed by falling coconuts in the past. Well, today was our lucky day, since we survived the the walk with no falling coconuts.

 

This was one of those rare times that we decided to leave more than our "footprints in the sand". This was the perfect place to transplant our amaryllis bulbs, with the hope that they may survive. If left on the ship, they would be ground up and jettisoned with the other "green" refuse. So at least they will have a chance to grow here. Who knows? If we ever return, we shall look for the plants.

 

It seemed like we were just here, taking these same photos of the palm trees, outlying islands, and colorful blossoms of the hibiscus and bouganvillas. Actually, it was just about 10 months ago that we were indeed here, while on the 2009 world cruise. This time, we decided to make our way past the pylon for Devils Island cable transport, the seaside swimming pool, then up by many stairs to the main buildings on the top of the island. It was the perfect time to stop and cool off at the hotel, which today houses a restaurant, bar, and a small souvenier shop. Cooling off meant it was BEER time! They were ice cold and tasted really good, even though it was only 11am in the morning! They gladly took US dollars as well as Euros. Many friends of ours enjoyed this stop immensely. They are mostly the animal and scenery lovers, who are not afraid of a little dirt and mud.

 

From there, we wandered over to the main prisoner quarters, the former convent and maternity hospital, and the lighthouse built in 1928. The most interesting modern-looking dome was here next to the helicopter pad. It was a tracking station of the European Space Agency, where scientists moniter the Ariane rocket launches from Kourou on the mainland.

 

We found the lower path just below the Children's Cemetery. We remembered that this trail led us to two different groups of monkeys. We were prepared this time with some soda crackers from our room, which we used to feed the monkeys. It's very simple food, so it should be appealing to the small primates. It was an attractant when we spotted the peculiar-looking larger monkeys that live here. These animals are not native, but brought to this island from elsewhere. They are perfect for here, since they resembled little devils with the tufts of head hair that looked like devil horns. No kidding! They were very happy with the pieces of crackers. Other passengers had the same idea.....feeding them the same thing. It was amazing to watch their dextrous fingers as they picked up every tidbit and stuffed it into their mouths. Some had crackers in both hands, and appeared like they were waiting for dip!! No wonder scientists study these animals for a liftime. They are so human-like!

 

A bit further down the path, we heard rustling in the trees and shrubs. Looking down, we spotted a family of pigs, probably domestic. In all of the times we have been here, this is the first we have seen these animals. There are chickens, pheasants, macaws, and peacocks roaming all around. And maybe a few dogs and one large cat. The only other creatures we saw were the reddish-brown agoutis. We would not be surprised if these critters are on the restaurant's menu, under a fancy French name!

 

We knew there were squirrel monkeys close by on this trail. We ran into them, also begging food from some passengers. We got some good photos of these much cuter little monkeys as they jumped from the trees and onto the rocks three feet away from us and our cameras. These little guys have no fear of people. Probably, their only enemy is the bigger tribe of devil monkeys.

 

Since it was getting warmer, and we had drunk all of our water, we headed back slowly towards the tenderpier. The fellows there always have cold water and lemonade. We had our fill of the lemonade while we waited for a boat to arrive. While we were resting there on this man-made pier, a seaturtle popped up right below us, got a breath of air, and dove deep. That was another first sighting for us.

 

We got back to the nice and cool ship, and ordered cheeseburgers for lunch in our room. It has gotten almost funny ordering room service.......we have yet to get an order completely right. You never know what you are going to get! There is always something missing or substituted. We know the order has been taken correctly, but something happens to it while it gets passed to the cook. Perhaps there is a language problem in the kitchen. We shall survive though.

 

Our room was like a three-ring circus this afternoon. Or we should say, several times while we were out on the verandah, someone had entered our room and left things. First, the laundry was delivered. Not unusual. But then, a front desk girl stopped by to check the air temperature in our room. They sure have been good about fixing this problem. A bit later, we found two Grand Voyage duffel bags left on our bed. They are nice, but now we have to figure out how we are going to pack them in our duffels. It will be a challenge.

 

We then went back outside to watch the sailaway around 6pm. For some reason, they were having trouble lifting the tenderboats back onto the ship. The strong currents must have been causing trouble. In fact, at dinner tonight, we heard that one of the crew fell off of the roof of one of the boats. They always put three guys on the roof to attach the huge hooks to the lifts. We often wondered if there were accidents like that. Now we know. The sailor was OK, but probably embarressed with many of us looking at the incident.

 

Well, we came inside, to find a bottle of red wine on our coffee table. There was a card with it expressing sincere apologies for the air-conditioning problem we had. It had come from the front desk staff. How nice was that? And honestly, we really did not complain that much or demand instant help. They just fixed it and fast.

 

The St. Patricks Dinner was fun. The menu must have had ten or more entrees to chose from. Of course, it included many Irish dishes typically eaten on this day. We chose the parmesan crusted chicken, which was excellent. After we ate desert, a magician who recently entertained in the showlounge, made a visit to our table. He performed a series of card tricks that was amazing. He even rolled up his sleeves, so we knew he had nothing hidden up there. He stayed until past 10pm, when he finally moved on. Our guest for this formal evening was Andrea, the human resource person on the ship. This was her second meal with us, and she rarely stopped talking, even to eat, for two hours. It was nice to have a younger person at our table for a change!

 

She excused herself at 10pm, because she was due to be at the Green and White Ball being held in the showlounge. She was already 15 minutes late, so we all excused ourselves too and left with her. We will have to find out about the ball tomorrow, since we were done for the night. The hiking and fresh air was great, but tiring at the same time. Time for bed.

 

We have a busy sea day tomorrow, as we head towards the Caribbean and the island of Barbados!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Report # 69 March 18, 2010 Thursday Day at Sea

 

Today was going to be packed with things to do and see. Did we say packed? Yep, that means some luggage packed too!

 

In the morning, only the guests that had signed up for the kitchen tour went in groups to see the culinary operations behind the scenes. We heard it was a very good tour, which included a walk through the crew quarters.

 

Later on, Frank B. gave an informative lecture on things to do in Barbados. We cannot remember how many times we have visited Bridgetown Barbados, but it has been several. Our travel group always has a farewell lunch and tour of the island. We signed up months ago, and are looking forward to it.

 

Team Trivia was held at the same time as Frank's talk. We hear that these teams are very competitive and dedicated to their game. If you are able to store all of that trivia material from cruise to cruise, you would be very popular indeed!

 

We had our final luncheon for about 32 Cruise Critic members in the dining room at 12:15pm. It has been nice to see new friendships develop bewteen members. But that is not a surprise, since Cruise Critic guests are usually the most well-informed passengers onboard. We do our homework before we leave home on cruisecritic.com!!

 

Exploration speaker, Pat Pearson, gave a talk on inspirational thoughts on relationships, communication, and celebration. Hmmm, that sounds just like our Cruise Critic meetings!

 

At 3:30pm, the pastry chefs presented the Grand Dessert Buffet in the aft dining room during tea time. The wait staff had partially set up the display during breakfast, and continued during lunchtime. We wandered through the tables and loved seeing the whimsical chocolate figurines and fancy marzipan cake designs. We think we gained a pound just smelling all of that concentrated sugar and chocolate!

 

We had intended to come back to take pictures before the buffet got "destroyed" at tea time, but we got occupied with another project......packing!

 

This is something we do NOT like to tackle. So the sooner we get a start with it, we should know where we stand with all the extra gifts and souveniers we bought. The best case scenario would be to ship the four duffels we sent, and take home just carry ons. We did get three quarters of the job done this afternoon, and it is looking pretty good that all of the rest of the STUFF will fit, which would be a miracle.

 

It was a nice day outside, so we took advantage of the late afternoon sun to relax on the new lounges at the aft pool. Recently, we heard a strange story in regards to the spas back here. A friend of ours frequented the spa every day, until she began to get an unusual rash from the strong chemicals in the water. We suspected that extra chemicals may have been added to the public spas, especially during the time before and after the code red period. For that reason, we never used them and probably never will. This is the first cruise ever that we never went into the swimming pool too. Why? Because the water is salt water, which we really do not mind. But only if there was a shower nearby to wash the salt water off. There is no shower back here anymore...it has been eliminated, darn.

 

Cocktail hour was the next affair at 7pm. Our travel agency's hosts, Henk and Lucia, had invited all of us special members to the Crows Nest for a farewell party. The majority of us will be going home next Wednesday, but several guests will join our hosts for the next Grand Voyage which heads to the Mediterranean for about 56 days. We sure hope their cruise goes much smoother than this one did! It should since the worst of the mess and noise was done on our trip. What is happening now is general maintenance, such as painting and sprucing up. From the rust we have spotted on the outside decks, they have tons of painting to do.

 

We got the gift of one hour back on the clocks tonight. We are now on Eastern time. The next time change we will do, is when we fly home to California!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[snookymom]

I'm sorry your cruise will be ending. I have learned so much & just like I did last year I have printed certain sections to have for future reference.

[ScottishMaid]

Thank you for taking the time to write such detailed posts. Some of us have been following with special interest as we will be aboard the Veendam Rio to Florida including the Amazon starting next week. The port calls are nearly the same. I've been saving your descriptions and will know what to expect.

[RedmondCruiser]

Sorry that you cruise has to come to an end soon. I want you to know that I enjoyed your daily posts. You have a gift for writing and I'd classify it as the best daily commentary that I have ever seen on this board. Hope that you do this again in the future and have a good trip home.

Ron

[Fairport]

Thanks for taking us along with you once again. We have enjoyed your posts so much we are looking into a SA cruise. Now we have to pack too, ever try to pack a weeks worth of ski clothes into two suitcases?

[ChaCr]

I too have been following your daily diary. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

 

Charles

[WCB]

Report # 70 March 19, 2010 Friday Bridgetown, Barbados

 

We were not the only ones to be visiting Barbados today. When the Prinsendam sailed into the port of Bridgetown, four other ships were already there! Starting from the smallest, the Braemar from Fred Olsen was in front of us. Next was a ship named Freewinds, which we are not familiar with. The P&O Oceana was doing a turn-over today for another 14 day cruise. And last, but not at all least, was the massive Grand Princess! This island is sure going to be busy today!

 

Well, here is a bit of information about Barbados. Even though this island was pushed out of the sea by volcanic activity, it is considered a coral island. It is 21 miles long and 14 miles at its widest point. There are 11 parishes, like counties, in Barbados. The west coast faces the aqua-blue waters Caribbean Sea, while the east coast faces the powerful Atlantic Ocean.

 

Bridgetown is the capital of this formerly British-ruled island. The Barbadians gained their independance from Britain in 1966. However, the flow of traffic is decidedly British, the opposite of the US. The population is 93% African descent (their ancestry due to the slavery days), 3% European, and 4% all others.

 

Tourism is obviously their biggest industry, with sugar and rum production coming in way down on the scale now.

 

And tourism is the reason for our visit today, along with 24 or so other guests from our travel agency. We chose a 6 hour tour, the last for this trip, that will include a scenic drive and a lunch at one of the nicest plantations on the island.

 

Our "special" group met in the Ocean Bar, then walked down to take the necessary shuttle to the terminal building. Gosh, it seems like we were just here! Actually, it was just last May, while finishing the '09 world cruise. We remembered it well, when all of us squeezed into the local bus made for kids! Shall we say it was cozy???

 

We began the scenic tour, driving the island in a clockwise direction. So therefore, we should have remembered to take a seat on the left-hand side of the bus for the best photos. But who thinks that far ahead! We left the town of Bridgetown, passing the local beach and newly-built cricket stadium, on our way to the Platinum Coast, or the west side of the island. Since this coast faces the beautiful, calm waters of the Caribbean Sea, all of the fancy and not so fancy resorts line the shore. There are so many of these hotels, condos, and apartments, that almost all of the seaside views are blocked from the road. Many older houses lie in between the highrises, as well as on the non-view right side of the road. These properties are worth a fortune, but most of the locals that live in them do not want to sell. Our guide said these people had spent their lives here, and what would they do with all of that money now? Hmmm, we could think of a few things...........

 

We passed through Speightstown with high-end shopping stores and nice restaurants on the water. We had also passed by some large golf courses, although the greens were not green, but a very dry brown. The lack of rain here has caused much of the vegetation to dieback, and has created a high fire danger on the island. We did see more than two fires in the wooded hills burning out of control. They have precious little water to put them out.

 

Up at the northwest point of the island, we saw a beautiful complex with a yacht harbor woven among the newer homes. More development was also in the works, creating even more luxurious hillside homes for millions of dollars. Since there are so many properties for sale, now is probably a good time to buy, if you were in the market for that.

 

The road turned right, and headed uphill towards Cherry Hill, where we had a photo stop. Once up on the crest, the wind was blowing almost a gale. Up here, we had a view of the entire east coastline, where the Atlantic Ocean pounded on the rocky beaches. No swimming signs were posted on the entire strip of beaches. The undertow is extremely dangerous here.

 

Of course, there were a few tables of souveniers up here, with vendors who did not accept bargaining. But, remember all of the cruise ships in port today? These sellers knew many more people would be coming up this way, and they had many chances to get their full asking prices. So, most of us smart travelers passed on their wares.

 

It was a good thing that our bus had good brakes, because the windy road going downhill was a hair-raising ride! Our skilled driver pretty much laid on his horn at every intersection and hairpin turn. In this Scotland District, part of the St. Andrew's parish, we saw a dairy farm and sheep and goat ranches. We also saw the remains of the Morgan Lewis Sugar Mill, that had been the oldest working windmill in the Western Hemisphere. We noticed that most of the hillsides had been burned recently by wildfires or fires deliberately set by arsonists. Yes, this paradise also has their problems with crime unfortunately.

 

Then we had an unscheduled stop at a nice beach at Bathsheba. We had 15 proper minutes, as our driver put it, to make a pit stop, buy trinkets, and take photos. We did all three! I had admired a glass charm bracelet up at Cherry Hill, but they wanted too much. The gal said that she made these herself and they took a lot of time. Oh, really?? Anyway, the same bracelets were here on the beach, but at half the price, duh! So of course, I got one. And the photos here were the best.

 

We continued on to St. John's Church, where we strolled through the old cemetery there. The scenery was great up here, showing the entire east coast. Last year when we were here, it was an overcast day, and the pictures did not come out that good. At least the sun was out, even though it was much hotter, it was better for pictures. And surprise, there was more shopping here!

 

The best part of the tour was next, with a visit to the Sunbury Plantation, a 300 year old greathouse situated on one of the largest sugarcane plantations on the island. The production of the sugarcane no longer sustains the plantation, but the tourist dollars do an even better job of that. We had toured this same property in 2003, but enjoyed it more today, since we took ourselves on a self-guided tour before the crowds hit all of the rooms. Many buses were here already with guests from the other ships. Luckily, these passenegers were only on a tour, not lunch. The most interesting part of the house were the cooler cellars that held all of the old farm and animal equipment.

 

Leaving the cellars brought us into the courtyard with many areas set up for entertaining. Our group had a spot in the breezy section near the gardens. The first stop was at the bar to collect a cold rumpunch. It sure tasted good, since it was so warm and humid outside. Those drinks are pleasantly sweet, but that rum has a way of sneaking up on you! Luckily, our table was called first to got through the buffet line. The food was excellent! We had salad, made with fresh vegetables and pickled beets. There were servings offered of rice and a really tasty baked cheese and macaroni. We need to find out the ingredients in this dish, because it was the best we have eaten. The entrees were breaded and fried flying fish and chicken simmered in a gravy. Mixed vegetables filled our plates, along with garlic bread. Everything was a treat, but the dessert was even better. We were served vanilla and coconut ice cream that was so creamy and smooth, we had to ask where it came from. The waitress surprised us by saying it came from Canada, but was made with their own recipe. The local ice cream manufacturer had burned down a few years ago, so outsourcing the ice cream was necessary.

 

We left here around 1:30pm, thinking we were headed back to the ship. However, since we still had more time left on our 6 hour tour, it was decided to make a stop at the Pelican Bay shops near the pier. We had walked to this complex in the past, but found that it was usually half-opened. And today, despite the glut of tourists here, this place was still mostly empty. Most of us wandered from store to store, lingering in those that had air conditioning or fans! There were two passengers that did buy some treasures, but we found their prices to be very high. When you see signs that advertise arts and crafts, you know that the prices will be inflated.

 

Back at the terminal building, we made a brief stop at the small grocery shop to purchase some room snacks and sodas. It was nice to get back to the cooler ship, after our "cozy" ride in the hot bus. By the way, the air conditioning on the bus broke down shortly after we did half of the tour. The best we could do was open the windows for the "free" air!

 

The ship was due to leave here at 11pm, but we saw no reason to go back to town. And besides, there is really no more room left to pack any more STUFF!

 

We had our choice of a deck BBQ, or dinner as usual at 8pm. Six of us showed up for a nice and quickly served meal. We were done by 9:30pm, when some of our tablemates went to the local show that was shown in the Queens Lounge. We shall catch it as usual, on TV tomorrow!

 

On our mail slot on our door before dinner, was the packet of four FedEx labels we will need to attach to our bags for delivery home. Included was a detailed list of instructions, and unless we had more bags to ship (at extra cost), we should not have to make an appointment to do anything more.

 

After dinner, we had a flyer that explained the flags on our earthenware coffee mugs we received a while back. That should have been included with the delivery of cups. But thanks to our smart Cruise Critic readers, we already had that information a long time ago!!

 

One more day at sea, then we will be at our last port in Puerto Rico!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Report # 71 March 20, 2010 Saturday Day at Sea

 

We welcomed one of our last days at sea today, which happened to be the first day of Spring. There is little difference between the seasons in this part of the world. It is either hot and wet, or hotter and wetter!

 

As for the weather this morning, it started off with mostly blue skies, but turned cloudy later on. We could see rain on both sides of the ship, so we must be sailing right in the middle of the showers. Of course, it is still very warm, but not as humid. That makes it all so much more tolerable, especially for walking the deck.

 

Two days ago, we purchased some more minutes of internet at the highest rate of 60 cents a minute. We had used the original 1100 minutes with no problem! Wouldn't you know it.....today a better offer at 40 cents a minute was posted in the daily newsletter. We have to say that the internet manager onboard has been very helpful as well as fair in our dealings with him. When we inquired about this new offer, he promised to figure something out in our favor. Hope he can, even if it is just a few dollars returned. We will not lose any sleep over it either way it goes.

 

While sending emails this morning, we heard some people complaining about the extra cost of sending excess luggage home via Fed Ex. Here are the current charges for bags over and above the complimentary allowance:

 

1. Garment bag - $55.

2. Small suicase/duffel bag - $65

3. Medium suitcase/cardboard box - $90.

4. Large suitcase/Rubbermaid container - $135.

 

In the past, extra luggage was charged by the pound, which was hard to prove. We guess that charging by the piece comes out the same in the long run. The problem for most people is the two duffels we were gifted along with the HAL presents. Most folks either have to pay the high fee to ship them home, or take them back on the plane, if they are flying. The charge for the extra bags on the airplane would be far cheaper than the Fed Ex shipping fees. It's just a little more hassle when you arrive at your destination. So for these reasons, a lot of guests donate their gifts and duffels to their cabin or dining room stewards! Truthfully, the duffels are nice, but not worth the $65 each to ship them home. Sometimes, you need the extra space, depending on how much STUFF was bought along the way. So, it is hard to please everybody!

 

Some of the activities of the day included a "Passion for Life" lecture given by Pat Pearson. A tanzanite jewelry collection was presented by a rep from Alberto Jewelry. We happened to ride the same shuttle bus to the ship with this man. We figured he might have been an entertainer, or a salesman. He must have been carrying a small fortune of jewelry in one of his extra large suitcases!

 

We had a room service lunch this afternoon, while being entertained by watching diving boobys that have joined the ship again. Their target were the numerous flying fish that we are seeing more and more of. These birds have good taste, judging from the delicious flying fish we enjoyed yesterday at lunchtime.

 

Later this afternoon, Captain Albert gave a talk about the history of the Holland America Line. It was well-attended, since the Captain's knowledge of ships is never-ending. We listened to part of his talk while waiting to see the future cruise consultant. Even though the itinerary is not out yet, we wanted to deposit the 2012 world cruise. This is one deposit that is fully refundable, if we change our minds for any reason before the balance is due. We are reasonably assured that the 2012 is going in the "right" or westbound direction, but you never know, that could change tomorrow!

 

For some reason, our spring allergies have begun. We also remember this same malady when we reached the islands in the Caribbean, as well as Devils island on last year's world cruise. Yesterday, we had been traveling through the sugarcane fields that were in the process of being harvested. No doubt, that kicked up a lot of pollen and dust in the air. Opening the windows of the bus surely did not help. Anyway, we did bring allergy meds, so that should get us through until we get home. Unfortunately, when we get home, the pollen count will be high too.

 

At 7:30pm, Frank B. gave a short lecture on the last port of Ponce, Puerto Rico. A short talk means that there is probably not much to do or see there. And to make things worse, tomorrow is Sunday, with many attractions closed for the day. So far, there is no word out if there is going to be a complimentary shuttle to the downtown area tomorrow. Many people have asked why didn't we stop in the more popular port of San Juan. Our bet is that too many ships are booked in that busy city, and there was no room for the Prinsendam. The Caribbean cruises are very convenient for the snow birds to get away from their freezing cold winters for a while this time of year. So most of the islands are inundated with tourists. For instance, the island of St. Thomas can have as many as 7 ships in port in one day! And every place you may visit is crowded to the gills. We have been there and done that! So tomorrow's port may be a nice change. We shall see.......

 

We all helped Gerry celebrate her "39th birthday once again" this evening at dinner. She was presented with a nice mocha-mousse dessert with three candles on the top. Vanilla ice cream was also served, which I, for one, had planned to order anyway. I brought some of the chocolate cachaca for the ice cream in order to finish the bottle before we leave in a few days. It was really, really good, so I was happy to share some with a few of our friends.

 

The entertainer this evening was Penny Mathisen, an accomplished singer in musical theater, opera, and cabaret. We did miss last night's local performance, but Margaret said she enjoyed it. She has reported that the shows have been hit and miss, depending on the kind of entertainment one likes.

 

One more port to go...........................

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[clueless2]

Glad to see you're putting down a deposit on next year's world cruise. I can live vicariously through you again.

 

Thanks for all the work (and money_ that you put into your posts.

[jotabecu]

I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed your reports, and appreciate all the time and effort placed on them.

Definitively a great orientation for my planned trip on the Veendam next year.

Thanks.

[catl331]

Captain Albert's blog stated that the ship "Freewinds" belongs to the Church of Scientology. Here is his info:"The most unusual of all was the Freewinds. She belongs nowadays to the scientology church and can spend up to seven days either in Barbados or in Curacao. Every time I see this ship, I see history in front of my eyes. This ship was built in 1968 as the Boheme and as such can lay claim to being the first regular, purpose built cruise ship for the Miami Nassau run. That little ship was at the start of this enormous cruise boom that we are now all part of. If she had not been bought by scientology then she would have been scrapped already I think but she is still out there and still providing services".

[luvcruisn']

Mary Ann and Bill:

Thank you so much for all of your reports. I will miss reading all of your informative posts - I always look for them when I come home from work each day.

[WCB]

Report # 72 March 21, 2010 Sunday Ponce, Puerto Rico

 

The Prinsendam arrived very early to the port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, like around 7am. Accoring to the Captain, there could be a delay, however, because 125 passengers that embarked the ship after Key West, Florida, were required to present themselves to the US Customs and Border Protection officials about 7:30am. All of the crew members also had to be cleared, but that should not hold up any of us. There really was no hurry to go off early anyway, because it is Sunday, and not everything would be opened early or at all today.

 

Even before the ship was tied up, we could hear the sound of drums coming from the pierside. This is the first port that we had such a huge reception from the locals. There were two marching bands and dancing majorettes to entertain us, all high school kids, we assume. Included in the welcome group were three fellows on stilts, and two characters dressed with bull horns on their heads. It was no surprise to us, when we read that Ponce's citizens are famous for their pre-Lenten Carnival. The colorful costumes and the hideous bull masks (vejigante or mischief-maker) are known worldwide. This show went on from the time we arrived until 10:30am! We all admired their endurance, because it was terribly hot and humid outside. The only saviour were the strong winds that swept the coastline.

 

The city of Ponce, the second largest city, is located on the southern end of Puerto Rico. Tobacco, coffee, and rum making were the legitimate products from here in the 1700's. However, the smuggling culture between the Caribbean islands also existed here. About 200,00 people live here now, and have preserved the 19th century buildings in the old downtown area.

 

There were 3 tours offered today through the shore excursion staff. However, none of them appealed to us, especially the $24.00 transfer to the downtown area about 3 miles away. Most everyone agreed that taking a taxi ($20, for two) was a much better option. So we skipped the colonial town, and decided to stay near the ship, and explore that area.

 

That turned out to be the best choice of all. A free cablecar shuttle drove us from the pier to the gate of the La Gauncha Recreational and Cultural Complex. This complex had several outdoor restaurants and pubs that faced a wooden boardwalk right on the waterfront. It was a pretty setting with the boats and yachts docked in the small harbor. At the end of this boardwalk was a 50 foot observation tower that overlooked the Caribbean Sea.

 

But the best part of this boardwalk, were the schools of huge tarpon that lingered below in the shallow water. Most of these fish were between 3 and 4 feet long. What kept them there, were the people that bought bags of little fish to feed them. Actually, many of the local kids were feeding the terns, frigates, and pelicans that swooped over their heads to grasp their meal. If the birds dropped the fish, the monsters below got it. They looked like sharks as they dove for the food. Sure made some good photo ops

 

As we continued walking past the souvenier stands, we came across the beach at Paseo Tablado La Guancha. This stretch of beach was just starting to get busy with the locals and their families. Since it was Sunday, many kids were cooling off in the tidal pools and digging holes in the sand. Many coolers were being packed to the shoreside for picnics. There were danger signs posted on the beach, we think for the undertow and rocky outcroppings. The tide was gentle, so getting wet in the shallows was OK.

 

It was nice to stroll the beach, sinking in the sand as we hiked. When we rounded a corner, we could see palm trees and the gates of a nice hotel complex. It was over a mile to walk to get there, but that was something we had a lot of, and that was time. The closer we got, the bigger the hotel grounds looked. We realized that we had stumbled on the Hilton Ponce Golf and Casino Resort. We easily walked through the gate, and followed the path around the tennis courts, mini golf couse, and swimming pool.

 

Just as we were entering the pool area, a lady approached us and said, "No Holland guests are allowed here!" Oh really.........?? As it turned out, she had recognized us, as she was also a guest from the ship. She laughed and said, "Just kidding, of course!!" We all had a good chuckle over that one!

 

The nicest spot was available for us at the outdoor Bohio Pool Bar. So we took the two comfortable seats at the bar, and immediately ordered two large Cokes. It was noontime, so we decided to order a cheese and pepperoni pizza for lunch. Gosh, it was the best pizza we have eaten in two months!!

 

The staff was nice too. Our waiter asked if we were from the cruise ship, and wondered where we had come from. He was really shocked when we said we were on a 70 day cruise. Something tells us that very few cruise ships stop at this port. In our opinion, more ships should come here, instead of San Juan. We found the people to be very friendly, and the pace of this part of town very low-key and casual. Not touristy yet!

 

It was hard to pull overselves away from this beautiful spot, but we had to make our way back. Before we did, we explored the hotel. There was an open-air lobby with a huge casino right across from the desk. As we passed the windows of the casino, we could see that most of the slot machines had customers playing them. Bet this place is busy at nightime!

 

Among the eating places, were many fountains, ponds, and caged parrots. One level had several halls and meeting places. A few stores were scattered among them. We did notice that most of the guests we saw there were Puerto Rican, especially ones with young families. There was an area with game machines just for the younger set. That way the kids could be amused, while one of the parents gambled. Smart.

 

We made our way back along the beach and towards the boardwalk for another look at those fish. They were still milling around, even though most of the crowd had left to attend the attached amphitheater for a cultural show that had just begun. These people sure know how to have a good time.

 

We boarded the little cablecar back to the pier. Right near the dropoff point, a stand was set up with people serving free pina coladas. What a nice touch! A mini-bar had been set up on the pier too. Some very nice-looking young ladies were selling mixed drinks and beers. They had many customers, since these cocktails were probably far less than buying them on the ship.

 

We could still hear the local show from our verandah while we were waiting to leave. As it turned out, we left sometime after 6pm. A small crowd was waving goodbye to us, as the Captain tooted his horn several times. We have to say that Ponce was one of the nicest surprises as far as new ports go. Even though we did not see the city, we would be happy to come back here again someday.

 

We sat on our verandah, watching the pilot boat follow us, while waiting to pick up the pilot when his job was completed. It was a relief to get that nice seabreeze as we sailed westbound. The Prinsendam would sail around the southern end of the Dominic Republic and Haiti, before heading north around Cuba towards Florida.

 

Before we knew it, the time had come for dinner. Tonight we had reservations in the Pinnacle Grill at 8pm, the one and only meal there on this trip. Since there are only a few evenings left, the small restaurant was almost full of guests. We had hoped that we could eat, and leave there early. But that was not the case. There were only three waiters, one wine steward, and the manager to take care off all of the tables. These fellows were on the run last night.

 

Our meal was delicious. We ordered caesar salads and the bone-in ribeye steaks. The side orders for each of us were creamed spinach, sauted mushrooms, and smaller-than-usual (thank goodness) baked potatoes with all of the toppings. We left a bit of space for the chocolate and vanilla bread pudding for dessert. The food was perfect, but the best part was the price. It was now only $10 per person, since the new Mariner perks kicked in. In the past, we had to pay $30. per person, so this perk is a good one for being 4 star Mariners.

 

Well, tomorrow will be a good day to resume the packing!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Report # 73 March 22, 2010 Monday Day at Sea

 

The weather was good this morning as the Prinsendam sailed west in fairly calm seas with a pleasant following wind. It was perfect for walking the promenade deck after breakfast. That is, until several different crew drills started to happen on the deck. This may be something required before we arrive back in the good ol' USA.

 

Oh well, it was a good time to resume packing. Duffel number 3 was easily filled to the gills before it was time for lunch. Only one bag left to pack! Gosh, it seems like we were just unpacking these bags, wondering where in the world we were going to put all that stuff. Can't believe that was 69 days ago!

 

The dining room seemed pretty full with guests at lunchtime. This really is the place to be spoiled by the nice waiters. It just took some time before the rest of the passengers figured this out. We both ordered the tortilla soup with a corned beef sandwich on rye bread. Both were very good.

 

We had gotten a notice yesterday to pick up our passports between 12 and 1pm. The distribution started at the front desk at 9am with the folks on deck 5 going first. Each deck had their time slot, ending with deck 10 going by 2pm.

 

Since we had also received our preliminary statement, we asked if we could get our cash back now, and not have to wait in line tomorrow. It was not a problem. For a change, we had a sizable credit, due to cancelled tours, and rebates on a few not so great tours. And we had booked and paid for all of our tours with HAL well before the cruise. Now if we need to use our shipboard account today or tomorrow, the charges will just go on our bill to be charged to our credit card. Sounded like a good deal to us.

 

It was easy to see that this trip was coming to an end with today's newsletter. The Dam Dollar redemption took place in the Stuyvesant Lounge on deck five this afternoon. By the way, these dollars are not transferrable to any following HAL cruise. Here are the prizes:

 

1. 20 Dam $ - Water Bottle

2. 30 Dam $ - Baseball cap

3. 35 Dam $ - T-Shirt

4. 45 Dam $ - Beach Towel

5. 60 Dam $ - Sweatshirt

 

All books, DVD's, audio books, and games had to be turned in tomorrow, or you would be charged for them. There still is an exchange corner for all the books you could possibly read. Many passengers bring paperback books from home, and once read, they donate them to the library.

 

Here is an interesting message.....it was called the "amaryllis round-up". After all of the care we all showered on these bulbs, they are destined to be incinerated. How awful is that? At least ours got a second chance! Wonder how they are doing???

 

The Fed Ex luggage gals were available for last minute questions. We never had to see them, because they issued four preprinted tags to attach to our luggage. All we need now are the color-coded labels to debark the ship according to their time schedule. That is always figured out according to one's flight plan. Since we need to be driven to Miami, we are sure we will be invited off early.

 

Tonight's dinner was the final formal evening. Frank, our port lecturer, joined us for the third time this cruise. We had been expecting the young lady from shore excursions, so a space was left between two fellows, Bruce and Gary. We laughed when Frank showed up instead. He went with the joke, and asked if he should put on some lipstick to make the guys happy! What a sense of British humor he has! Again, he kept the conversation going all evening.

 

We had been expecting the last formal night's Baked Alaska Parade in the dining room. Guess what? It never happened. This trip has been the most strange one in regards to tradition. There is no tradition on this cruise!

 

We did have a surprise set of gifts in our room tonight........two Royal Goedewaagen blue and white plates with the 2010 Grand Voyage South America/Antarctica Cruise on them. We will have to make some more space for these boxes, and hope the plates make it home in one piece!

 

One more day at sea.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[ger_77]

I can't believe you're almost all packed up and ready to go - it seems we just boarded with you a couple of weeks ago! I want to say thank you for all the time and energy you've put into your posts so that we could enjoy travelling with you. You've helped make my winter go so much faster with your writing. Have a safe trip home, and thank you once again!

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[candbgirl]

I want to add my thanks to everyone elses. I have so enjoyed reading of your adventures each day. Thank you for taking the time and expense to do this for all of us. Any plans for future cruises? Have a safe trip home.

[Sissas]

I also would like to add my thanks. Your writing is wonderful. You truly make your trip come alive for all of us. Thanks S.

[Cruzin Terri]

I am so sorry your adventure is nearing the end. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your daily reports. I will miss them. Since you signed up for the world cruise I can look forward to your upcoming adventures.

Terri

[Aussie Gal]

Mary Ann and Bill,

 

Thanks so much for spending the time and money to take us on this wonderful cruise. I have enjoyed reading your post each day and am disappointed when it isn't there. I hope you have a safe trip back to San Francisco. When you next cruise I will be eagerly reading your posts again as your wrting is excellent and one can imagine being in that place with you both.

 

Jennie