Come Along with Bill & Mary Ann Going Full Circle on the 2015 World Cruise -114 days+

[WCB]

Report # 98 Haifa, Israel April 6, 2015 Monday Partly cloudy & 73 degrees

 

Today was a wonderful day, spent on our own and as we wished. Since the last time we were in Haifa, we had taken a tour that took us to Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, stopping at the Mount of the Beatitudes, Cana, and the Jordan River. Today we had the chance to see Haifa, Israel’s 3rd largest city that dates back over 3000 years. And we could do it at our own pace without a tour, thank you.

 

The pier at Haifa is being rebuilt, so we were detoured past it. Our passports were checked along with the stamped landing cards going out of the port, as well as coming back. One duty free store in the cruise terminal had a lot of things for the passengers as well as crew members to purchase. On our way out of the terminal building, we picked up a city map at a desk manned by a young lady. We asked her if there was a good place for pizza, and she said Pizza Hut. Not exactly what we had in mind, but at least she was honest.

 

From here, we had to cross over a bridge that took us over the local train. This train had six stations in Haifa, three of which were operating 24 hours a day. We could have reached many areas of the city this way, instead of using a bus or a more expensive taxi. This same train was operating in Tel Aviv yesterday, and if we wanted, we could have taken it back there today.

 

We walked towards the German Colony, founded in the 19th century by Germans who wanted to establish a Christian community in Israel. Filled with charming small cafes and restaurants along the upper part of the street, the village has many historical buildings, preserved over the years. We will definitely come back here for lunch, after checking out at least a ½ dozen café menus on the way up the street. Another plus, they accept US dollars, as well as credit cards. Since we did not bother getting any Israeli New Shekels (3.90 to one US $1), using US cash was OK with us.

 

The most important site in Haifa is the Baha’i Gardens, home to the World Center of the Baha’i Faith. Built on the steep slopes of Mount Caramel, the impressive gold-domed Shrine of Bab is situated in the center of this garden. The shrine is the resting place of the prophet Herald. This site is the holiest place for the believers to make a pilgrimage. The exquisite gardens contained landscaped “hanging gardens” which run along the Louis Promenade. Right down the center, runs a fountain which ends at the lotus-shaped pond below.

 

We entered the gate at the bottom of this garden, but not before we were scanned by a guard. Once inside, you can climb a few sets of stairs to a landing in the center. That is as far as anyone is allowed to go. In our opinion, the best photos are taken from this vantage point, and there is no need to walk the gardens any further. Lucky for us, the perfect exposure was in the morning, because later, the sun was in our eyes, and the entire site was hazy in the late afternoon clouds.

 

After visiting the Information center near the gardens, the guide told us that the only way to see the Shrine is by entering at the top. Then you had to wait for a group tour to do this. Yes, it was free, but then it would take too much time to get up there. We also understood that during major religious holidays, the gardens are closed to the public. Today may have been one of those days.

 

Also, we had been given the information that we could have taken the Carmelit Funicular to reach the top of the gardens. But after checking with the info lady, she informed us that the funicular was closed due to extensive maintenance, and it had been for weeks. So much for current updates on the ship.

 

Walking back down the main street, we briefly went inside the local mall of outlet stores. Before you enter any large building, there is a security check. This guard wanded Bill’s pockets, but did not notice his small camera. He asked me to open my bag, and he looked inside. Then he said I was OK, and I could go inside. Can you imagine this happening at malls at home? Perhaps if the threats from terrorists keep coming, we will have checkpoints such as this.

 

Now we wanted to figure out where to go from here. The info lady circled a spot at Stella Maris, another major tourist attraction. From looking at the map, we saw there was a beach and a sea promenade, probably with restaurants. All of the other sites were on top of the Kokhav Hayam Range of mountains. Getting up there by a cable car, you can see the Stella Maris Church, the founding place of the Carmelite Order, and Elijah’s Cave, a sacred cave where the prophet lived.

 

We had walked so far at this point that we were concerned about making the walk back. Well, mostly one of us was concerned. And besides, we wanted to go to one of the neat places for lunch. At least we have this scoped out for next year, when the ship will come back once again.

 

It was a long ways back, making our way up the side streets. Finally, some things began to look familiar, and we found ourselves back at the bottom of the Baha’I Gardens. The intended restaurant was just down the hill. It was called Shtroudl, good times since 2007. At least that’s what the waiter’s t-shirt said. We ordered two hamburgers, which were freshly ground beef with added lamb. Make them especially moist and tender. They came with a little basket of French fries. Together with a Corona and Tuborg beer, it was perfect. They don’t rush you in these cafes. Once you are seated and get the menu, the waiter does not come back until summoned. Some other folks had come into the patio, but left after not getting served anything, not even a menu. That’s when we noticed the drill, which is different from where we come from. Once we were finished with the ample meal, we had to motion the waiter for the bill. This worked just fine. After an hour of relaxation, we pushed ourselves to continue on back to the ship.

 

We were back onboard by 4pm, and spent some time working on photos and reports, of course. We had to surrender our passports and turn in the stamped landing cards. Don’t think we will need these again for the rest of the trip. That is, until we go off in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Dinnertime came quickly, and again it was just four of us. Barb did not get back yet from her overland. Our entrees were excellent, since we had ordered the sweet and sour chicken. This is the first time it was offered since we boarded back in Florida in January. Needless to say, we cleaned our plates.

 

Tomorrow will be a very good day at sea for sure. Hope the nice weather holds up.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS By the way, the Mariner Appreciation Days will be beginning tomorrow and last until we get to Greece. Mr. Stein Kruse, his wife Linda, Mr. Orlando Ashford, Gerald Bernhoft, and Pamela Baade have all boarded the ship, and will be ready to start the fun tomorrow evening at cocktail time.

[WCB]

Report # 99 Sailing Towards Kusadasi, Turkey April 7, 2015 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 79 degrees

 

Today was one spent at sea, as we sailed in a northerly direction towards the country of Turkey. It would have been perfect if it wasn’t so cool. Funny, thinking back on how many days we experienced totally hot and sticky weather, almost unbearable as we sailed the South Pacific to the Indian Ocean. Now it has shifted to cold and windy. But that is the Med, and it will probably remain like this most of the way back to the USA. Sometimes we get rain, so since that has not happened yet, we consider ourselves lucky.

 

For a change, we happily slept later than usual, but not late enough to miss breakfast in the dining room. We took our usual walk, but noticed that very few folks were outside. Guess they did not want to brave the cold. Those that were there covered up with lounge towels to keep warm. Even with us walking fast, we were still cold, so we did not stay very long.

 

Instead, after finishing up some work in our room, we went to the aft deck to see how the weather was back there. It was still cool, but nice enough to lay in what sun there was. Now this is deceiving. Even though it was comfortable in the sun, not very warm, one of us did not estimate the power of the sun until later on. Think it had something to do with accidently falling asleep with no sun screen on. Not a good idea. By 6pm, one of us was looking like a raccoon, because the sunglasses had stayed on while outside. Should have known better…………

 

It was a pretty quiet day with only a couple of talks happening. First, Barbara H presented things to do and see in Messina and Naples. Both are really nice cities to visit. Later in the morning, Kate Ross spoke about Ephesus, an ancient site in Turkey that has Greek, Christian, and Roman history.

 

Speaking of Ephesus, tomorrow a special Mariner Event Evening is planned for us. We will be taken by bus to the site for heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails , followed by a performance at the Great Theater. The Folkloric Dancers and the Aegean Chamber orchestra will entertain us for an hour. This will be an event after the sun goes down, and will be very cold. Recommended clothing is warm jackets and sturdy shoes. Stadium cushions and blankets will be provided, although in a limited amount. And hopefully, umbrellas will not be needed. We are looking forward to this new type of experience, since all of the special events have been held on the ship since 2010. The best event ever held, was the one they had in Istanbul in the cisterns underground back in 2008. That was a celebration and party over the top. Hope this one is equally as good.

 

The first event of the Mariner Appreciation Days have begun today. Boarding the ship during the last two days were Mr. Stein Kruse, the CEO of the newly formed Holland America Group. He is joined by his wife, Linda. A new employee, Mr. Orlando Ashford is now the President of Holland America Line. He oversees sales, marketing, revenue management, deployment, itinerary planning, public relations, hotel operations, and strategy. That’s a whole lot of work to tackle. Also joining them, is Gerald Bernhoft, the Director of the Mariner Society, and Pamela Baade the Manager of Public Relations. We have all met before on previous cruises, but Gerald is the man we know the best.

 

This evening before dinner, we attended a cocktail party in the Queens Lounge that honored some of the crew members who have been working for the company for many years. The President’s Club members had been invited at 6:30pm, 15 minutes ahead of the crowd. We entered the lounge, were greeted by Mr. Kruse, his wife, Gerald, and Pamela, had a photo taken, then proceed to the “corral” where all of us sat together. Our friend Ellen W, said we were the “Best in Show”, referring to the Westminster Dog Show. She was right, we felt like we were on display sitting in the roped-off section. We were served Don Perignon Champagne, and cocktails of our choice. Fancy tower of canapes sat on each small table along with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Fellow President’s Club member Don M, sat with us and kept us laughing all evening. Gerald and Captain Jonathon made the rounds with each of us as we sat enjoying the drinks and food.

 

Mr. Kruse gave a nice talk, then introduced Orlando Ashford. He took the stage and had the audience in the palm of his hand in two minutes. Perhaps there is hope that he will be able to handle his new job description, and actually make a difference. Both men honored several of the staff members which included our friend Shiv, the head of housekeeping, Peter, the purser, and Willie, the beverage manager. At the end of the evening party, Mr. Kruse came to chat with Barb, Ellen W, and us. Got to admit, he was the most relaxed we have ever seen him, perhaps, due to the fact that he will be turning the reigns over to Orlando to run HAL.

 

Dinner followed, a formal Gala Dinner. To further celebrate the Mariner Appreciation Days, we were served wine or sodas during the meal this evening. Compliments of Stein and Orlando. We ordered the veal chop, which was excellent. The “formal” menu was presented in a different way, with a flyer folded in four. We had far fewer choices for starters and entrees. And only three desserts, although one of us ordered the jello with diced fruit, as usual, mostly………

 

Back at the room, we found gifts from Tiffany’s. They are velvet-lined silver jewelry containers, we think. During the afternoon, we also got a new President’s Club pin with a magnetic backing, instead of the sharp needle backing that puts holes in your clothing. Not sure they will work well on all types of clothing.

 

Tomorrow……………..Turkey.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 100 Kusadasi, Turkey April 8 2015 Wednesday Slight chance of rain & 50 degrees

 

Well, here we are in Turkey, a country of great diversity…….much like a Turkish meal, long and full of different flavors. The population of the country is 76,805,524 people, living in an area of 302,455 square miles. The capital of Turkey is Ankara, a city where we enjoyed a two night stay back in 2008, when we took a tour to see Cappadocia, a truly mystical place, then a drive on to Istanbul to join the Amsterdam on her world cruise.

 

Blessed with a lot of sun and sea, the landscapes offer rivers, forested mountains, quiet villages, fig and olive trees, and a rugged interior. Mt. Ararat at the top of a mountain range is the biblical center. There are clifftop castles, palaces, and caravans of camels. It’s very likely to find watermelons being sold by vendors peddling their fruit in traffic jams, and mobile phones ringing in vaulted bazaars. A mix of the ancient with the modern.

 

When is the best time to visit? Spring (April to June), and autumn (September to October). The weather is still comfortable then, and the crowds are not as over-whelming.

 

Things to see: Istanbul’s Blue Mosque (we completely agree, it was a moving visit), the glassy blue waters of the Oludeniz lagoon, and the Butterfly Valley. Hands down, Ephesus, is the best preserved Roman City in the eastern Mediterranean….a must-see. Cemeteries can be interesting, as well as the beach of Anzac Cove.

 

Things to do: See the fairy chimneys and rocky outcrops of Cappadocia, then float over them in a hot-air balloon. That was one of the sites we will never forget seeing from our hotel room back in 2008. Too chicken to go up in a balloon basket, we watched as the sun peeked up, and the balloons rose one after the other into the morning sky. Surreal. The funny thing was that once we had left the door of our room, we had trouble finding it, as all of the entrances looked the same. Trying the one with the unlocked sliding glass door got us back to the right one. If wrong, that could have been embarrassing.

 

A visit to a Turkish bath where one gets pummeled, soaped, and scrubbed might be interesting. Or haggling for carpets either locked in a shop with drinks of apple tea or bought in a bazaar. Speaking of bazaars, the biggest and best is the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. You can easily get lost in that one, and come out loaded to the gills with neat stuff.

 

What kind of food do they like? The “ubiquitous” kebabs, towers of meat to be sliced and devoured. Or hegendi, pureed eggplant with lamb in béchamel sauce.

 

Their favorite drink: Tea served in tulip-shaped glasses, raki, a grape brandy with anise seed flavoring, and ayran, a yoghurt drink.

 

Trademarks: Domes and minarets, kebobs, high-pressure carpet salesmen, Turkish Delights, a sugar-coated candy, and last, but not least……Baklava. You see the glass blue eye amulets everywhere and prayer beads for the men.

 

Random fact: Van Cats, native to southeastern Turkey, have one blue eye and one green eye, and love to swim. Every cat we saw in town and at Ephesus were fat and friendly…..obviously well-fed.

 

So, the port of call for today was Kusadasi, located on the western coast. Ancient ruins are at every turn, because this area was settled over 3000BC. Kusadasi is a nice resort town, that offers hot summers and mild winters. The surrounding waters are crisp and blue with sandy beaches for locals and visitors to enjoy and relax while sunning, swimming, and shopping. There would be little or no sunning or swimming today, since the temperatures were a mere 50 degrees with a stiff wind blowing. Chilling. But there sure would be lots and lots of shopping here.

 

To see the sites out of town, you can make your way to Ephesus, once the home to the Temple of Artemis. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Virgin’s Mary’s House is on the way to Ephesus, and is believed to have been where Mary lived after Jesus’ death.

 

Another really great place to visit is the Othodox village of Sirence, built on a steep hillside. The name Sirence means “pretty”, although it was once considered ugly by the locals. It is made up of typical old Greek houses, built closely together with narrow streets in between them. The main street was lined with village ladies selling crafts at small stalls. They also sell wines and olive oils. We went there a few years ago, and loved it. The streets were so steep, you had to be ½ billy goat to walk them. During the tour, we were served a type of pancake with strawberries and cream with good, strong Turkish coffee. Still remember how good that tasted in the cold weather back then.

 

Our day began with breakfast right before closing time at 9am. The crew would be going in groups to tour Ephesus, thanks to someone on the ship donating $5000 to the ship’s crew fund. Mr. Kruse announced that HAL was matching that amount to reward the entire crew for their over-the-top cleaning efforts during the “plague period” that had lasted for over three weeks. They were all so happy to have the chance to visit this historical site, since most all of them have never seen it before.

 

We took a walk to town after changing into long jeans, sweatshirts, and over coats. Once through the terminal, we wound our way through the maze of 100 small shops, constantly being summoned into the stores by persistent, aggressive shop hawkers. Whether we are the first cruise ship here this season, as we were told later, we rather doubt it. It would explain the pressure tactics. One lady owner said please come in and look at my jackets….we do not “eat” tourists. We silently thought….yes, you do. Not her, but everyone else. We did go in one knick-knack shop where we found the colorful cotton lanterns we hang in the trees around our pool at home. One fellow wanted $30US for a large one. Really? So we went to the one shop up the street, and negotiated a price of $23 for a set of five of them. Happy with our purchase, we continued on.

 

We found ourselves at the edge of the bazaar, and next to an old local cemetery. It was planted with a forest of cedar trees, with well-marked graves filling the place completely. Reading these stones, we found most of the residents were born in the late 1800’2 to early 1900’s. And they were not very old when they passed away……..like in their late 50’s and 60’s.

 

Continuing back into the bazaar area, we came upon many carpet stores. If you have never been to a Turkish carpet shop, you have not lived. We’ve been to more than we can remember, but never did buy one. One of the problems is that there are so many gorgeous carpets to choose from, you cannot make up your mind. The prices can be fairly reasonable (wool), and extremely heart-stopping expensive (silk). For most folks buying one, it is a once-in-a- lifetime purchase, since we are talking thousands of dollars. Barbara H told an amusing story about one of the staff buying a nice carpet for the first time. Now when you purchase one, say an 8 foot X 10 foot rug, the sellers get it folded by beating it with a mallet in the creases. Once in the bag, you should not take it out, or you will never be able to put it back the same way. It simply won’t fit. Barbara’s friend found this out the hard way, after she opened up her new purchase for her friends to see, touch, and sit on. As hard as they tried, they could not get the rug back in the nifty suitcase. In order to ship it home, she bought a tupperware-type container to put it in. It worked, but was not as easy to send it that way. Funny.

 

A mission for one of us was finding another leather-leaf jacket in a pastel shade of aqua….easier said, than done. Sizing is not close to accurate in Turkey. But the shop owners will try anything on you to make a sale. If it is snug, they will offer to add on strips of leather on the front zipper and the sides. But of course, you have to pay $15 more. We had decided that if it doesn’t fit, we’re not buying it. There are at least 50 leather shops in the bazaar area, and eventually we did find one with the right color and perfect fit. Strangely enough, the owner where we bought the jacket, was abrupt, almost bordering insulting. But he did have what I was looking for. And by this point, we were tired of the bargaining game. So we made a one time offer pitch, and after some grumbling, he said OK. But he asked us not to tell anyone what we paid. OK, fine with us. As it turned out, we ended up paying $10 less than what we paid for the white jacket, 4 or 5 years ago. Some fancy shops were selling the very same, identical jackets for as much as $120 each. So buyers…..beware. Do your homework before shopping here.

 

We slowly walked back down different streets and back to the ship. It was not easy dodging the vendors, begging for us to come inside and look at their ceramics and carpets, none of which we needed or wanted. Politely saying, no thanks, worked most of the time. It did for our friend Don, who was being pressured to buy a leather jacket. Since he lives in Southern California, he said leather was too hot for him. The vendors said he could sell him a jacket that had air-conditioning. What? Yes, he said he could wave the lapels back and forth, creating cool air. See how persistent they can be? One vendor said to Don, you promised to come back later, and so did his wife. Don asked him what did my wife look like? He said gray hair and short. Don said no, she is blonde and tall. Funny thing….Don is single, always has been. Joke’s on the vendor this time.

 

Back on the ship, we had a Lido lunch, then worked on photos and reports for a while. By then, the blue skies had disappeared, and it sure started to feel like rain may be coming. That would be awful for tonight’s special party. The movies on TV were all reruns (most of them are on a three week cycle), so we headed outside again for a walk on the waterfront. Bundling up, we navigated the torn-up streets under construction. Following the sea wall, we made our way towards what we think is Pigeon Island, and the location of a Genoese Castle and many tea houses. A causeway connecting the island to the mainland looked fairly empty of walkers. We noticed that many folks were only strolling around the perimeter, and figured that the castle was closed. So we sat on the wooden benches to watch the harbor traffic and the surf and fish down below us. On our way back, an elderly street vendor was selling carpet purses. So we bargained for three of them in bright colors and Turkish designs. Love the local handicrafts here.

 

In the terminal, we finally had the chance to chat with our current guest chef, George G. He has been surrounded with so many groups and cliques since he and his buddy boarded, that we have not had a chance to say hi. Anyway, he had us laughing hysterically sharing stories about his many dinner invites since he came onboard. He described the dinners as being politely trapped for two hours of torture. Guess with his job, it is part of the deal, mixing with the guests. Unlike some of the professional chefs, who have been here and gone, George is by far the friendliest and most accessible. Needless to say, he has a wicked sense of humor in a good way.

 

To be continued……………………

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 100 Kusadasi, Turkey April 8, 2015 Wednesday Evening Event at Ephesus Part Two 67 Pictures

 

Well, the time for our bus transfer had arrived. By 5:30pm, we joined coach # 1, reserved for the President’s Club Members and a group of junior navigation officers and their escorts to go to the site. The ride only took about 40 minutes up and over the forested mountains out of town. Our guide gave us a little tourist info, but failed to mention the sequence of events for this venue. Although we did take our lists of times for the evening, the dessert feature was missing. So here is how it went down.

 

It was going to be quite cold, so we were handed blankets and umbrellas in case of rain. It did sprinkle right before we left the ship. We brought our smaller umbrellas, and even added two plastic ponchos just in case. Thankfully, we did not have to use them.

 

Our bus parked at the bottom at the exit gate, the closest and easiest access to the Great Theater and the Celsus Library. Since we were the first of our group to begin the rugged walk, we realized we were right behind two costumed ancient people of Ephesus. If we didn’t know better, it was Caesar Augustus and Cleopatra in person. The cobbled street was eventually flanked with soldiers of the same period, dressed in brightly-colored military uniforms. Felt like we were transported to the past…..centuries ago.

 

We reached the Great Theater, dating back to the Hellenistic period. In the 1st century AD, this theater was expanded by the Romans to seat 25,000 people. We could certainly imagine St. Paul preaching to the Ephesians at this very site. We would be coming back here later for the finger food dinner.

 

So our group continued up the Marble Road, a sacred street which runs between the theater and the Celsus Library. This library is actually a façade, restored and reconstructed in the 1970’s. Nearby, we could see the fairly new Terrace Houses, where the wealthy people of Ephesus lived. Unfortunately, this was off limits this evening.

 

Many white linen-covered tables and chairs had been set up for just our group of President’s Club members and officers in front of the lighted library for us to enjoy wine, beer, or sodas. The only alcoholic drinks available were scotch, which was the only downfall of the night. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks were served at this venue. We were able to stroll around the library and entire nearby surrounding complex. What amused us the most were the number of fat cats that live here in the ruins. There must be a whole lots of vermin residing here for the cats to be so healthy. But we soon realized why the cats are so fat. They begged bits and pieces of our tasty canapes while we ate them. Peter, the purser, joked by saying the skewered chicken was actually cat. Of course, he was totally kidding, but oh so funny.

 

The head honchos were also present to welcome us here. They mixed with the small crowd of us, while photographers snapped away taking group pictures. From 7pm to 8:45pm, more cocktail and dinner stations were set up in front of the Great Theater. Our group eventually joined the rest of the crowd, where we relaxed at our own little table with Barb, Don, and Peter. We helped ourselves to plates of snacks and huge breadsticks, while having even more drinks.

 

Shortly before 9pm, we began to make our way into the Great Theater, climbing impossibly steep stairs on the left. In hindsite, we should have asked if there was a better way up there. Yes, we could have walked to the other side where there was a ramp. Once inside the upper section of the theater, getting to our seats with the red cushions, was not easy. Having front row seats in the center reserved for the President’s Club members only, we had to navigate a narrow strip of a concrete walk with a drop of ten feet down to the center arena. The stairs and uneven steps were barely lit with battery-powered candles, but even with the help of flashlights held by our crew guys, it was hard to see. Once we got our seats, we sat and did not move until the concert was over.

 

Stein Kruse and Orlando Ashford gave a brief welcome and introduction to the evening. They promised this would be an event to be remembered always. We were off to a good start already. Following them, a local group of folkloric dancers entertained us with Turkish dancing, including acrobatics by the young menfolk. After the stirring rendition of the art of dance, the concert began. This concert was presented by The Aegean Chamber Orchestra playing pieces from Vivaldi, Boccherini, Mozart, Bach, Dvorak, Faure, Brahms, Gardel, and finally Piazzola. It ran for over an hour, but it seemed like minutes to us. It was quite moving, and the crowd cheered as they took their final bow.

 

What we did not expect, were the numbers of folks who began leaving about 10 minutes after the show began. Most of them were the ones with walkers, wheelchairs, or canes. It was very cold, and we suspect the folks did not anticipate how cold. And besides, at 9:30pm, we bet this was way past their bedtime. It is possible that these guests were taken back to the ship early. The biggest concern was how many people might take a fall in the dark, while walking on the uneven cobblestones and marble slabs. We had to be very careful ourselves, without the help of canes or walkers. At least we brought small flashlights and they did help us find our way back.

 

The major exodus from the theater began the minute the concert ended. When we reached the buses, we loaded back on ours, but were missing some folks. Guess they had gone back without informing anyone, since we waited for some time before leaving the parking lot. The two buses next to us, had filled with passengers. But after a few minutes went by, they were escorted off of those buses, because they were meant for the crew members who had come here to help everyone.

 

We did notice there was an ambulance in front of our bus. Heard that someone had fallen and cut up their face pretty badly. Cannot believe that was the only accident. Guess our shipboard doctor was not concerned, because he and his wife were on the same bus as us.

 

By the time we left, it was 11:20pm. Thank goodness the ride back was only 30 minutes, because most of us did not make a pit stop before leaving the ruins.

 

We came back to the Amsterdam to a rip-roaring reception from the entire staff, cheering us as we entered the ship. What a way to end the day. Actually, the best end of the day was a long, hot soak in the tub before going to bed.

 

Sure looking forward to a day at sea tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for keeping us update. Sounds like you are having some wonderful party's.

[alsas]

Great review you will love dinner this evening for the Presidents.

[Skittlescat]

I so enjoy reading your daily reports from your cruises. Thank you for all your time to record your adventures so that I can easily follow along. I wish that I could also see your pictures. Your evening at Ephesus was a once in a lifetime experience. I can only imagine as "fabulous" multiplied by a thousand. As to the cats in Ephesus. We met a man (dressed in a dark suit) in the pictures attached who said his job was to feed the dogs and the cats at Ephesus. He feeds them every day by the exit at the WC for men and women. We took these pictures May 1, 2014.

Looking forward to reading about your travels for years to come!

Bon Voyage!

Edited April 10, 2015 by Skittlescat

[WCB]

Report # 101 Sailing Towards Piraeus, Greece April 9, 2015 Thursday Partly cloudy & 52 degrees

 

It was a far cry from yesterday when we woke up this morning. For one thing, we were sailing in between islands most all day, and the seas were rough. There was a gale force 7 wind blowing across the decks, and the Captain said it would last until tomorrow. For the very first time, one of us felt the motion, and was feeling a bit under the weather. Even took a seasick pill to stop the queasies, and it worked.

 

Taking a walk on the promenade deck proved to be futile. Not only was the door almost impossible to open, once outside, the winds almost blew you over. Spray from the waves was blasting the windows on this deck, so we went back inside to stay dry and warm. We would have to find something else to do inside today.

 

Barbara H gave a talk on things to see and do in Rome, while guest speaker Kate Ross lectured on Athens and their scholars. In case most people missed it, there is still a chance to learn belly dancing in the Crow’s Nest.

 

But the highlight of the afternoon, was a special presentation and Questions and Answers with Stein Kruse, Orlando Ashford and Gerald Bernhoft in the Queens Lounge at 3pm. Joining them were Henk M, the Hotel Manager and Captain Mercer for the Q & A later on.

 

Mr. Kruse began his talk with a discussion on the success of the Ephesus Party last night, at which, he got a round of applause. It certainly was an affair to remember.

 

Then he went into an explanation of relinquishing his role as CEO of HAL and giving the reigns over to Mr. Ashford four months ago at the beginning of the year. Stein explained his new position as head of several cruise lines in a short video. The Holland America Group which he is the head of consists of Princess, with a total of 18 vessels and 25,000 employees. A third ship will be added to their fleet, similar to the Regal and the Royal. P&O Australia is 100% Australian with one million cruisers a year.

 

Of course, we know that the Statendam and the Ryndam have been sold to P&O Australia, and the new ship, the Koningsdam will replace them in April 2016. A sister ship to this new vessel will come into the fleet in November of 2018.

 

Seabourn already has the most luxurious ships, but will be adding two more ships in 2016 and 2018, giving them a total of five vessels.

 

Then, lastly, Stein described the Alaskan land tour division, of which he also oversees, showing a brief video of that.

 

Then it was Orlando’s turn. He said he was basically a human resources man, and thanked the staff, officers, the event planners and Captain Mercer for the success of last night’s event. He also noted that with the precarious steps in the Great Theater, he was glad when it was over, and everyone (mostly) got back to the waiting buses without injury. He also showed a video sharing the HAL product and his vision of the future of the company. He spoke a bit about bigger ships, which is never received well by these passengers on a world cruise. He added that even though the new ships coming into the fleet are big, they are considered medium-sized at just under 100 thousand gross tons. He said that’s as big as they will get. Then he ran a video featuring the new ship. The Canaletto will have their own dedicated space, not a section roped off in the Lido. There is a 360 degree stage in the Queens Lounge, and a Piano Bar that will seat twice as many guests as the Amsterdam. Up-to-date music will be introduced with the likes of a BB King Blues Club.

 

Then he addressed the 2017 World Cruise. After receiving input from over 5000 seasoned cruisers, they decided to re-evaluate the itineraries that had been presented for voting. A blend of the three choices was the final tally. People voted differently with C being the most popular with the folks on this ship, but B won overall. The C itinerary would go to Asia in the spring, and that is the basic plan for the 2017 now. The itinerary will be westbound for 110 days with 11 overnights in the major cities. It will go through the Panama Canal, to Hawaii, and the South Pacific, then onto Japan, Korea, Malaysia, India, into Europe through the Suez Canal. Stops in Europe will include Istanbul, Rhodes, Malta, Barcelona, and Morocco, and finally transatlantic. The people in the audience seemed pleased with the plan.

 

The same team of Captain Mercer, Henk Mensink, and Gene Young will lead the cruise.

 

Then it was Gerald’s turn. He talked all about the Mariner Society, but more so, promoted future cruises. He added that the Grand Asia/Pacific sailing will be back in 2017. He also added that the hyped-up Great Barrier Reef experience planned for next year’s world cruise is being re-evaluated, because it really is not that big of a deal as promoted. We said that the first time they put it in the itinerary.

 

Finally it was time for questions and answers with Gerald, Captain Mercer, Stein Kruse, Orlando Ashford, and Henk Mensink. They would be on the “hot seat”. Here is a list of the most asked questions:

 

1. Why do we go to the same ports, for the most part, on every world voyage? The answer was they have to please a majority, not just us. Majority wins. Captain Jonathon admitted that some of the departure times had been cut short, and they are working on that. (We would hear a lot of that statement.)

2. Does HAL plan on upgrading the internet? And will new benefits include more free wifi? The answer was, we are working on testing a newer version on a few ships in Alaska, but what we have now, which is fairly new, is the best they can provide. Like it, or leave it.

3. The GI illness came up. Why did they choose to close some venues and not others such as the Casino and ship’s shops? The answer came from Henk, who admitted they did not have enough man power to sanitize all of those areas outside of the Casino and shops.

4. Will there be a new Mariner level added soon? According to Gerald, who heads the Mariner Society program, a consulting group has been hired to re-vamp all Carnival Corporation ships. Since the 5 star program was added as recently as 1 ½ years ago, a new level will eventually be added. He did not commit on a date or provide any details on the added perks. There will be a 6 star level, but there was not a mention of the days sailed to be six stars. And since on this particular world cruise, five new members were added to the President’s Club, eventually more of us will qualify in the near future. Sounded like we broke the bank.

5. Will the veranda suites ever go “non-smoking”? As is stands, there is NO smoking in the cabins, but you are allowed to smoke outside on the balcony. This will not change for now. However, they are looking into other measures to insure the smoke from cigarettes and cigars is less offensive to those who do not smoke.

6. Will the new ship (Koningsdam) ever be used for a world cruise? In a word…..NO. These new size ships will stay in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean for now.

Then we were free to ask individual questions. That’s when things got interesting.

 

Open questions:

 

1. Princess World Cruises offer 1000 minutes of free internet and weekly bar service complimentary, according to one guest. When asked why they do not do that here, Mr. Kruse answered, ”Why are you here???” There was silence in the crowd with that comment. Also a Carnival product, Princess can have any deals to get folks to book it, and it is our choice to take it or leave it. He was blunt with his reply, but truthful. Now would anyone be brave enough to ask questions? Yes, they did.

2. If the HAL ships get larger, they will not fit into some of the smaller ports. Yes, this is true, but smaller ships mean bigger fares. That is why the smallest ship in the HAL fleet is the Prinsendam, and she is staying in the fleet for a while.

3. What about the Chinese cruise market? Stein admitted there is a huge opportunity there and currently their figures amount in the 100 million dollar area for Asian cruising now.

4. Will we ever have choices of awards in the Star Program? Although it is done with other lines, like Seabourn, there is no plan to pick your perks with HAL.

5. What about the single supplement on a world cruise fare? Those who have to pay double, do not get double the cruise day credits. This is something they are working on.

6. Who makes the decisions when we are forced to change course? The Captain replied that he and the head honchos in Seattle make those decisions. When we had the Egyptian ports cancelled, Seattle instantly pulled three ports off of the itinerary due to security scares. Captain Jonathon decided to spent an extra night in Dubai. He added that we have naval and military intelligence ties, the CIA and FBI reports, and inside access to all the info regarding the risk levels. We are never out there “alone”.

7. We are mostly a lot of repeat passengers….those who go on this cruise almost every year. Does HAL listen to us more than others? If we think there is too much of the Med every year, does anyone listen? Orlando said they have to make it a balance between serving us and everyone else. So maybe they listen to half of what we say.

8. Some people are disappointed with some of the ports on this year’s cruise. When we get home, a survey online will arrive, and that will tell the final story. Ports that were unpopular, may be eliminated from future cruises. There are only two ways to go……around Africa or through the Suez Canal into the Med. Unless people want a boomerang cruise, these are the only choices.

9. There is only one stop in India next year, Mangalore. Why do we need to go there, and make the folks get an Indian visa for that? Henk stuck his neck out by informing us that it is more than likely that Mangalore will be taken off of the itinerary, thus….no visas needed.

10. Shore excursions? Some are hits, others are misses. Still are problems with mobility issues. Will there ever be tours designed only for those in wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers? They are working on it.

11. As for the day-to-day living, someone paid the staff a compliment for controlling the GI illness, even if it lasted for one month. Why did they wait so long to offer a free visit to the doctor? There was no good answer to that question, since we will never know what finally ended the plague.

12. Second part of the question concerned the DVD’s that have been stolen or damaged that we get for free from the front desk. We have not gotten a movie yet, so that came as a surprise. We also want to know why they repeat the TV movies over and over? Guess what….they are working on that.

13. What about the food? We have been happy with it, but someone brought up those who have allergies. Can they make areas for people that have celiac disease? The answer…..no. But they are working on it.

14. Have we begun going at a slower speed? Well, yes we have. Since 2008, the itineraries have been designed to save fuel. So they have slowed down the sailing ever since then to save fuel, and money. Good observation.

15. What about the quality of the products on the ship? Where did our nice jam and jelly jars go? They are serving cheap tea in the Lido, and inferior bagels. The Dive-In Grill has eliminated the good sausages they had last year, although the secret sauce is still there. Stein said he was NOT aware of these changes. Really? We have written a lot on the subject. He promised to send that info to Seattle where it can be re-evaluated, since they do not want to see the product cheapened. Neither do we……..

16. Why did HAL decide to send the Zaandam, the only connection we had to sail back to San Diego in May this year? People other than us, are taking the Disney cruise back to California. When asked how many of us would sail back to the west coast, dozens raised their hands. Stein laughed, and said yeah, sure.

17. Will the public bathrooms as well as the stateroom bathrooms be updated during the drydock in May? The answer was yes, and Stein would ask Henk to put the suggested upgrades in the daily newsletter. Will watch for that news.

18. Expensive phone calls from the front desk? Someone commented on the excessive charges to use the phone to shore. That’s the way it is. Calls from the ship cannot compare to land phone calls…different technology. As for the WIFI, Stein is still defending the service, claiming it is much better than it used to be. We agree.

 

And that was the end of the “song and dance”. Orlando, the new guy said he is getting used to being “wrong” on many things….part of the learning curve. Good way to end the 2 hour session.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Thanks for the detailed narrative of the meeting with the HAL officials. It is much appreciated as it is only through your comments, that those of us not sailing on the World Cruise find out what's going on with HAL. As an aside, that new tea they are using is really BAD - no taste at all.

[MMDown Under]

I bet the Captain and passengers are relieved that the Amsterdam is not near the Gulf of Aden now, as the war in Yemen escalates. Iran has sent military ships to the region.

[aussieoz]

MaryAnn & Bill ...

Been enjoying your posts!!

Am looking forward to being on next years world cruise ... sad that they are considering not going to Mangalore ... those of us that have 10 yr. visas for India planned ahead :( Jean

[InTheWASide]

Always enjoy seeing the recap of when the President(s) is/are onboard. Makes for an interesting read.

[durangoscots]

Agreed on the tea..... we had it at the end of the Princendam SA cruise.... awful stuff!!! I was really glad I was carrying some of my own.

 

Susan

[Martezz]

Really have enjoyed following your travels on this world cruise. We hope to take a world cruise in the near future. A ways back, you went on a safari in India. As we used your TA for our African safari, I was wondering if you used the same one for arranging the safari in India.

Marty

[ozcruizer]

Agreed on the tea..... we had it at the end of the Princendam SA cruise.... awful stuff!!! I was really glad I was carrying some of my own.

 

Susan

 

Thanks for your reports, Bill and Mary Ann - I really enjoy reading them. Very interesting to read HAL's answers to some of the questions. They seem to be "working on" a lot of issues! Have to agree about the tea in the Lido - one might as well drink hot water. I think we might bring our own, next cruise if it's possible.

 

Ozcruizer

Edited April 11, 2015 by ozcruizer
Punctuation

[WCB]

Report # 102 Piraeus, Greece April 10, 2015 Friday Partly cloudy & 60 degrees 57 Pictures

 

Greece is the country we have arrived to today. The capital is Athens, and the country has a total area of 50,935 square miles. The population is 10,737,428 people that speak primarily Greek.

 

When we think of Greece, we remember blue seascapes and white-washed villages, specifically in Santorini, but also following the scenic coastline out of Athens. Many islands dot across three seas, all diverse in their own way. Olive groves line the hillsides, even in sprawling Athens. Our favorite scent of orange blossoms fill the air this time of year as well. Deep red poppies bloom every April, and you can see old men (probably not as old as we think) sitting for hours over a cup of coffee. It is not hard to be smitten over the hospitality of the Greek people.

 

When is the best time to visit: Easter until June, when the weather is cool, and the crowds are small.

 

Things to see: Imposing white columns of the Parthenon on a hill overlooking Athens. Spectacular sunsets from Oia village of Santorini. Oh, how we wish we were visiting there. The monasteries of Meteora on rocky pillars. Our tablemate Ruud is on his way there as we write. He will be spending three days on an overland trip to see the sights of Greece. He promised Barb and us that he would say a prayer for all of us while at the monastery. Think he was kidding, but perhaps not. Can’t hurt. Greek Easter with priests in glorious vestments, and midnight services in candlelit churches warm the heart. The Knight’s Quarter and Turkish relics of Rhodes are a must to see in the old walled city.

 

Things to do: Hop a ferry in Piraeus to visit countless Greek islands. A friend of ours was going to do just that three years ago, but changed his mind when he found out that the ferry workers were on strike, and blocking passengers from boarding. He was fearful that even if he got to an island for the day, he may not be able to get back to the ship. So much for those plans. A visit to a harborside café or finding a great pizzeria is up our alley. Trekking up Mt. Olympus, looking for centaurs, satyrs, or mythical Greek gods is always fun.

 

What’s there to eat? Saganaki, which is fried cheese. Gosh, that sounds delicious. Gemistes, stuffed peppers. Spanokopita, spinach pastry made with feta cheese. Soutzoukakia, meatballs, grilled octopus, and roast lamb.

 

Favorite drinks: Ouzo, a grape brandy with anise flavor, retsina, a red wine with resin, and Greek coffee, served everywhere all day and night.

 

Trademarks: The Acropolis, kalamata olives, old women in black, white-washed villages, Homer, Greek myths and fables.

 

Random fact: Around 500BC, Thepsis is said to have improvised during a religious choral performance, becoming the first “impromptu” theater performer.

 

The Amsterdam slipped into the port quite early in the dark, in order to get in before the ferry traffic began. By 5am, we were docked in the busy harbor, across from several local cruise ships and many high speed ferries. As the many guests left on their shore excursions, we happily went to the dining room for breakfast.

 

What a view we had out the back windows. The sun was out, with a few white clouds floating overhead. Beyond the ships in the windy harbor, and the buildings of Piraeus, we could see mountains. Mountains with snow on them. No wonder the breeze outside had a chill factor in it. Our nice morning waiter did not believe that was snow, until we pointed it out to him. In fact, with the severe spray we had from the sea yesterday and last night, the windows were streaked with salt residue. Once the windows are cleaned this morning, he will see that we were not making it up.

 

Walking the promenade deck after breakfast, besides freezing, we watched as the crew loaded crate after crate of fresh veggies and fruit. Great….now we may have strawberries back on the morning menu. Love them with Greek yogurt. Heaven.

 

Some luggage was being xrayed and loaded into carts. Thinking it was coming here, we realized it was going to the ship alongside us, which was a ferry of some kind.

 

By 11am, we put on the jackets and scarf and went out for a long walk. Making our way through the terminal, we followed the street until it began to look familiar. We came upon the old Greek Orthodox Church, which was starting their Good Friday services shortly. We knew the church bells would start to ring all over the city to announce the time for The Stations of the Cross. This Good Friday service should last for three hours, similar to the Catholic ceremony, we believe.

 

Crossing the waterfront street and hiking up a side street, we found our way over the hill to the marina and another area of nice cafes and restaurants. Once we summited the hill, the wind abated, and it was actually warm in the sun. Walking this entire harbor takes a few hours if done slowly. There wasn’t too much activity in the harbor today, since it is Good Friday and many businesses were closed for the day. Things would pick up after 3pm for sure.

 

We checked our several cafes and their menus, but most of it was in Greek, of course. Fish is big on the menu here, but we were more interested in finding pizza. Since it was still fairly early, we headed uphill and into the outdoor shopping mall first. Most of the shops were opened, some were not. You can find many clothing and shoe stores here. Some are high end, others are discount type shops. Not really needing anything, we simply window shopped. They do not sell the fun crafty things we saw in Turkey. The only “knock-offs” were being peddled by street people, and there were few of them. Mostly they sell watches, sunglasses, and perfumes.

 

By 1pm, we headed back to the Marina, checking out some more cafes along the way. Most of them have a small restaurant with glassed-in eateries across the sidewalk. You can order food inside, then wait in the glassed area, and they serve you when it is ready. Passing by some of these restaurants, we discovered that the locals were smoking inside the restaurants. At least if you sit outside, you can escape the worst of the smoke.

 

Still looking for pizza that was not to go, we ended back at Pizza Hut. They had a fairly large restaurant with a waiter. And even better, it was nice and warm inside, with no smokers. We ordered a margherita pizza with extra tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms. Our drinks were coke zero, and the bill totaled what we would have paid at home in the states. Since the Euro is somewhere around 1.08 euro to the dollar, we are almost equal in value. For a change, that is nice. The pizza was excellent, proving you don’t need to go to a pricey fancy pizzeria all of the time.

 

We headed back towards the ship, but did stop at a corner stand to buy two drumstick ice creams to eat on the walk back. Great way to spend a lazy afternoon in Piraeus.

 

By the way, we forgot to mention that around noon yesterday, while we were sailing through rough seas and ice cold force 7 winds, we received a packet of photos, complimentary from the Evening at Ephesus. Photographers had been snapping photos of our group, and they chose the best and gifted us with over a dozen of them. Nice touch.

 

Tonight we were invited to a most special dinner in the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant with friends Barb, Don, Jan and Ed, Fran, Don, and another new couple…….most all of us President’s Club members. Our hosts were Stein and Linda Kruse, Orlando Ashford, Gerald Bernhoft, Captain and Karen Mercer, and Henk Mensink. Christel was unable to attend. This was the second of the special dinners, but we guessed they saved the best for last. After the formal greeting by each of our hosts (hand shaking and hugs this time), we were led into the back room to find the table decorated with wine glasses as centerpieces. Each glass had one flower in it, and were surrounded by a series of small candles, like a river of them. Bet we can give florists Eddy and Callista credit for this creative idea.

 

The plates used for this dinner were Bulgari, nothing but the best. They came in different sizes and shapes, but the one we liked best was the square bread plate. I thought about placing this in my purse, as a joke, of course, but at this point I did not know how well it would be received. As it turned out, Mr. Ashford had a very good sense of humor, as his deep laugh filled the room all through the evening.

 

As we got ready at 6:00pm for this formal evening, we were worried of how the seating arrangements would be. Sometimes the couples are split up. And frankly, we do not like that. As it turned out, the couples were kept together, and those of us who are close friends were kept in the same end of the long table. We lucked out by sitting with Captain Jonathon and Karen on one side, and Orlando Ashford on the other side of me. Perfect opportunity to get in some good questions.

 

When we were all properly seated, the waiters came and handed each of us an envelope, which they invited us to open. It contained a copy of the original flyer that had been given to the guests who sailed on the very first world cruise back in 1910. It had black and white images of the ship, their Captain, and some scenes of the passengers sailing out of the harbor. Gerald, being an expert on Holland America Line memorabilia, passed around a set of small tulip-shaped salt and pepper shakers, an original set that had been gifted to the passengers from that special sailing. They were more than likely silver-plated, and a decision had been made not to polish them. What a piece of history we were holding in our hands………

 

We had noticed that there was a fancy pouch sitting in front of each of our place settings. Sure looked like a pair of chocolate Easter bunnies to one of us. Wishful thinking. However, upon opening them, they were silver salt and pepper shakers with the HAL logo embossed on them. They were given to us as copies of the gifts from the first world cruise HAL had done over 105 years ago.

 

Before the delicious meal commenced, several group photos were taken of us sitting around the huge table. Bet these show up in our room tomorrow.

 

Orlando was very easy to have a conversation with, as were Karen and Jonathon. When removed from the everyday positions of authority, they are far more relaxed and not on guard with every word or gesture. Orlando, the new guy on the block, spoke about his upbringing and education, which brought him to Purdue. Being from that same area of the country, Barb asked him how he ended up there. Long story short, he applied for a scholarship, and got it. He said he worked hard and studied, because going to school in the middle of a corn field, he had nothing else to do. Stein had also told a similar story about going to Purdue as well. A scholarship brought him to that school too.

 

The Captain mentioned that yesterday and last night, the waves and wind were unexpected and severe for this part of the world. The winds actually got up to 77 knots, almost hurricane status. Deciding not to announce it, he figured it would abate soon enough, and the guests would not panic. So far, this was the worst seas we have had on the entire trip. No wonder some of us felt seasick. It was not in our minds. Considering the challenge of sailing through that, Jonathon felt the ship handled it well enough. And he did say the stabilizers were out the entire time. Sure can read through the lines that he really likes this particular ship. So do we. On a side note, the Captain informed us and Mr. Ashford that he had to go 90 miles out of the way to get around the worst of the swells.

 

We had many laughs through the dinner, especially when the subject of the Ephesus Event came up. Stein turned a little red, when he said he could not help but tell the loud lady that if she would be quiet, maybe she could hear him. Karen added that this same lady does this all of the time. They have come to expect her to make the comment, I can’t hear you. Then the meeting that was held yesterday came up. Once again, Stein had to take credit for telling the man to more or less go to Princess to get those benefits if that suits him. Orlando and Gerald both said it was a good thing they did not say that, or they may have been in trouble. Everyone laughed with those comments too.

 

Then Captain Mercer topped that by saying he gets, on the average, up to 10 letters of complaints every week. Some are signed, which he replies to personally, but some come anonymously. He added that it never ceases to amaze him how many folks feel they “own” the ship, and can call the shots by “telling” him where we should dock, and where we should avoid. Some of the comments, he said, are beyond comprehension, but get answered anyway. As annoying as it gets, it is part of the job we guess.

 

A toast was given in honor of Julia, who passed away in the beginning of this cruise. Don and her daughter, Fran, were present, and thanked Stein for his kind thoughts on her mom. Then our meal was started with a serving of lobster on coconut panna cotta. I was served mozzarella cheese balls and tiny, sweet grape tomatoes with a vinaigrette dressing. Tina had asked me yesterday about my preference for fish and especially shellfish. I indicated that fish was not my choice normally, and shellfish is lethal. She promised me a suitable substitute, and she kindly followed through. A seared piece of foie gras and duck confit was served with a dollop of caviar with marmalade. If we had a way to send the caviar across the table to Barb, we would have done it. We know she loves it.

 

The next course was smoked lobster with red pimento, roasted cauliflower puree, compressed celery with curry oil. I had a substitute of halibut.

 

The entrée was a combination of beef tenderloin, and we mean tender, salted crusted celeriac topped the steak, and it was accompanied with mushrooms and crispy onions.

 

All of this was served with Dom Perignon champagne, a white wine from France, and a red wine from New Zealand. It flowed all evening.

 

Dessert was the entertainment as several of the chefs came to the room to hand whip the basil ice cream with liquid nitrogen. We have seen this done on TV travel shows, but never in person. Pretty impressive demonstration. But the proof was in the pudding. When the plates were served, there was silence as all of us indulged in the chocolate pot au crème with the tasty, rich basil ice cream, and a grilled marshmallow. Kudos to the chefs. Coffee or tea finished the meal quite nicely. The special Pinnacle chocolates were passed around by the waiters as well.

 

Since there was a one-time show this evening at 9:30pm, we all excused ourselves, thanking our hosts on the way out. It had been a fine evening, and a pleasure to get to know the bosses and their wives even better. And the Captain and Karen were expecting some of the family, including grandkids to come onboard tonight. He was as excited as they must be.

 

We will spend the night here, and have another short day in Piraeus or Athens tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[MMDown Under]

"The Captain mentioned that yesterday and last night, the waves and wind were unexpected and severe for this part of the world. The winds actually got up to 77 knots, almost hurricane status. Deciding not to announce it, he figured it would abate soon enough, and the guests would not panic. So far, this was the worst seas we have had on the entire trip. No wonder some of us felt seasick. It was not in our minds. Considering the challenge of sailing through that, Jonathon felt the ship handled it well enough. And he did say the stabilizers were out the entire time. Sure can read through the lines that he really likes this particular ship. So do we. On a side note, the Captain informed us and Mr. Ashford that he had to go 90 miles out of the way to get around the worst of the swells."

 

I was surprised just how rough the seas can be in that region. We were booked on a ferry from Piraeus to Crete. However, the seas were so rough, all the big ferries remained tied up to the wharf in Piraeus for 24 hours. There was a near riot on our ferry, as no-one was allowed off the ship, in the meantime. Fortunately, we had a cabin.

 

Your evening at Ephesus and special dinners sound absolutely wonderful.

[St Pete Cruiser]

I certainly enjoyed the last several posts on the executive staff comments and the super special Pinnacle dinner. The nasty comments I myself have heard over the years often about the most innane things, makes me realize how much Stein Kruse has had to turn a deaf ear to!

Thank you for sharing.

 

PS: If you don't want your salt and pepper set, I know a wonderful guy in Florida who would. LOL

[mountainmare]

Thank you for the detailed reports, the evening event sounded amazing, we have been to an evening event in Ephasis and it is special.

I am probably the only person who thinks that Stein Kruse's remarks to a client on a high dollar cruise was at best rude, perhaps unprofessional and cocky. To then laugh about it with the special few tosses it into really unprofessional. He is in charge of both cruise lines and it was a legit question, was the implication that Princess (one under his watch) is much lower than HAL?

[bcd2010]

I am probably the only person who thinks that Stein Kruse's remarks to a client on a high dollar cruise was at best rude, perhaps unprofessional and cocky. To then laugh about it with the special few tosses it into really unprofessional. He is in charge of both cruise lines and it was a legit question, was the implication that Princess (one under his watch) is much lower than HAL?

 

No, you're not the only one, I got a negative vibe, too - hope you/we don't get flamed.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

There was definitely a way to answer the question with the same result but not in the same way..."every line caters to their premium passengers differently ...we feel our current offering meets the needs of most of our passengers and represents a outstanding value. We appreciate your comment and will take it into consideration as we look for areas to improve."

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited April 12, 2015 by Pete and Judy

[WCB]

Report # 103 Piraeus, Greece April 11, 2015 Saturday Mostly sunny & 67 degrees

 

We slept so good last night, that the morning was here in a flash. We had overnighted in Piraeus, giving folks the extra day to spend in Athens. Since we had no tour today, breakfast was the first thing on the itinerary for us.

 

Our morning waiter had our juice and Greek yogurt with blueberries all ready to go the second we sat down. He and a group of the crew had gone off of the ship late last night, and stayed out until 5:30am. How he managed to look as fresh as he always does, was a mystery. His only problem was trying to keep warm while outside during the night, since most of the crew are from Indonesia, where the temperatures rarely dip below the 80’s or 90’s. Anyway, we are certain that as soon as the breakfast service is over at 9am, he will be on his break and will be able to catch up with his sleep.

 

Going out on the promenade deck, we realized that it was promising to be a much warmer day compared to yesterday. The skies were as blue as the waters surrounding us. We did notice that the snow on the distant mountains had begun to melt. There was only a dusting left today.

 

We had gained a new ship in the pier across from us…….the Europa, a ship from the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Compared to the Amsterdam, she is small, only 28,890 gross tons. It has a rating of 5 plus stars in the cruise line book, which is reserved for very few vessels. Obviously a luxury class ship, it holds 408 passengers with a crew of 280. There are 204 cabins, 168 of them have balconies.

 

Described as a truly sophisticated ship for formal longer cruises, it is mostly for the German speaking crowd, although the crew also speaks English. The food is superb, with a wide range of creature comforts. Europa also carries 14 Zodiac landing craft used for close-up shore excursions. They also offer 20 bicycles for the folks to use while on shore. There is a walk around teak promenade deck, and one very long swimming pool, where movies are shown on select evenings. There is an atrium seven decks high and two glass-walled elevators.

The library is open 24 hours with books checked out on an honor system. All suites have a TV system with 24 hour video and audio CD’s on demand. There are over 100 movies to watch when you want, and 1000 CD’s. There is also a 24 hour internet connection via a wireless keyboard. There is no charge for sending or receiving emails. And the refrigerators in every suite contain unlimited beer and soft drinks – free. Sounds like a winner to us, except for the German language part. And we are certain that the fares match the cruise experience………high.

 

Also in port was the NCL Jade, a very large resort ship that carries from 2466 to 2890 passengers. She is 93,558 gross tons, and has 1233 cabins, 763 of them with balconies. The lifestyle is casual for the entire family. The fares are reasonable, but the extra charges add up quickly. The dress code is very casual – no jackets and ties are needed. A non-negotiable per person service charge is automatically added to your shipboard credit. There are lines for everything, such as free-style dining. Since there are no assigned tables, you must make reservations every night via a kiosk in the public areas. There are lines to do that, according to the book. There are 10 restaurants….some are free, while other charge a fee. This ship only rated 3 plus stars, although it sure looked full of passengers to us as we sailed out the harbor later in the afternoon.

 

Before we left the ship this morning, we wanted to check out a theory we had about a lot of equipment that we saw being loaded on the ship yesterday. In fact, we inquired about this delivery at dinner last night. Captain Jonathon said that some of the work that will be done on this ship during the dry dock next month will involve replacing water lines on decks 2, 3 and 4. That should fix the many leaks where we have seen buckets catching the drips ever since January. There is one spot on the promenade deck (3), where it has been “raining” constantly, despite the attempts to correct it. Heaven knows where that water is coming from. They have not been able to stop the flow.

 

A special crane lifted huge wheels of cable to deck 9, that will be used for the installation of the new generator. They placed these wire wheels on the roof near the temporarily dismantled communications equipment, thus the interruption of some of the TV stations and the internet for the last two days. Cable trays and other related items were also brought onboard. The captain said that all of the ships in the Carnival Group will be getting these new generators. That number is well over 100 ships. Now we are wondering if some of this work will be done as we sail towards Ft. Lauderdale?

 

We also had a notice that the air-conditioning system would be undergoing unexpected maintenance between 10:30am and noon. We should be off of the ship by then, so it will not affect us.

 

Well, we were finally ready to take another walk today, but we headed in a slightly different direction. We wanted to stroll around the ferry terminals and check out the activity around the port area. It was a busy day, this Holy Saturday before Easter Sunday. People were out and about getting ready for Sunday’s celebration. Pretty much by accident, we found the meat and fish market on a street right off of the waterfront road. Vendors were selling the fresh catches of the day, which were small tuna, octopus, shrimp, squid, some kind of bottom fish like flounder, salmon, sardines, and many schooling fish we did not recognize. The main part of the market was selling lambs…..whole lambs with their heads still attached. Every part of the butchered lamb was available. Most were whole, but some were cut in half. Many elderly ladies were buying the halves, putting it under their arms, and heading home. Nothing was wrapped, except for the fish. Bet there will be a lot of spit-roasted lamb for dinner tomorrow night.

 

We continued to walk towards the end of this semi-outdoor market and found some fellows selling week-old baby chicks. Must be an Easter thing here. One large section of the market had rows of produce for sale. Fresh veggies and fruit looked so good, and it was selling fast. One block past this market, several small shops sold kitchen-related items. After that, we saw some flower stores. Next came the bakeries where we saw some really tempting breads and pastries. They must like chocolate here, because we saw many versions of chocolate eclairs. Cream puffs, cookies, chocolate candies, cakes, and petitfours filled the shelves in the shops. Bet by the end of the day, these bakeries will be sold out, because we suspect everything will be closed tomorrow due to the holiday.

 

One thing we also noticed was that there must be a church on every block or two in Piraeus. No wonder we heard so many church bells tolling all day yesterday, Good Friday. Almost all of these churches are Greek Orthodox and will be celebrating the feast of Easter tomorrow. Many of them were setting up their altars with flowers and candles to signify the start of the new church year. At least that is how it works with the Catholic religion. We peeked inside one of the huge door of a church, and one of the workers said please join them and come inside. A nice offer, but we were not dressed properly to go inside. We just said thanks, and continued on our journey.

 

We walked past several clothing shops. A repeated store we saw on every block were the underwear shops. Eventually, we ran into a familiar street, and knew we were close to the marina we walked yesterday. It was still too early for lunch, so we made it to the harbor, and turned left, to walk the opposite end of where we went yesterday. It was absolutely beautiful there today, since the sun was out fully, and the wind had stopped.

 

Following the lower level of the marina, we took our time walking around the small boats to the huge mega-yachts. There were some big buck vessels in this harbor by the name of Zea Marina. Getting to the end, we found that the shallow waters of the harbor had many fish of all sizes swimming in schools everywhere. It was not long before we spotted several elderly men with fishing poles to catch some of them. That’s fresh.

 

The end of this marina starts uphill at this point. On the opposite side of the street are restaurants of all kinds. Across the street, every restaurant has a section of tables and umbrellas where you and sit and enjoy the view of the marina below. One of these places was an Italian restaurant serving all Italian food and pizza too. Sure sounded good to us, and it happened to be high noon by the time we got there.

 

So we pulled out the chairs for a table for two, and the young waiter brought us a menu. We lucked out because he spoke good English, and the menu was in both Greek and English. We ordered a romano pizza, and one order of Bolognese spaghetti with two sodas. Our food order was run from the restaurant across the street to our table. Once we took the first bite of pizza and a forkful of spaghetti, we were in heaven. Maybe because we were sitting outside in the fresh air, or something else, we never tasted anything so good. Almost better than Naples, we think. This place will be on our list like forever. Parmigiano Restaurante Italiano is one we won’t forget. The good news is that we were served rather quickly, and the waiter brought the bill immediately. More good news was that this lunch did not cost any more than what we would pay at home. Could be due to the fact that the Euro is really close in value to the US dollar right now.

 

While we were served our drinks, friends Alan and Sandra came strolling by, and asked if this café had menus. We said absolutely there were menus, and everything looked tempting. With that, they sat down and soon had their order taken and wine on the way. Perfect. A few minutes later, here came Joe and Roxanne on their bikes. They had been out exploring this scenic area as well. We all had a nice chat in the warm sun, while watching the marina activity.

 

The bad news was we could not linger forever, since the all aboard time on the ship was 3pm. That gave us 1 ½ hours to get back over the hill. At least we still had time to pick up two drumstick ice creams on the way to the ship. These were vanilla with chocolate chips in a chocolate-lined waffle cone. Dinner will more than likely be soup and salad tonight, at least for one of us. Sugar-free jello too……..

 

There was a mandatory passenger safety briefing, or as you know it, a muster drill at 3:15pm. It was conducted according to the new way, that is, we all stay in or room until the correct signal is announced, then go to our muster stations. We noticed a definite grumpy mood with some of the passengers who must have had a bad day. Or perhaps the end of this voyage is arriving soon, and people are getting testy with each other and the staff. We hate to see this, but there are a few disgruntled passengers.

 

Our roll call commenced as soon as most of us were present. One of the staff members calling names in our section, asked for the folks to speak up, she could not hear them reply. They quickly yelled to her, “We can’t hear you…. YOU speak louder.” How rude…….. Then these same people kept making comments during the Captain’s talk, when a man next to us told them to PLEASE shut up. Oh boy……can’t wait until this drill is over. Since we have already been close to that near altercation on the bus in Jaffa, Israel, we sure did not need a repeat performance today. The drill finally ended, and the unruly guests departed to finish their naps….we hoped.

 

The sail away party was held in the Lido pool area, but we always go to the aft deck to watch. What a view we got of the cities of Piraeus and Athens in the distance. Once the ship got out of the harbor, we could see the Acropolis and the rest of the ruins surrounding it. The winds were brisk, but the skies were blue and clean…..no pollution. We really did have a nice two day stay here doing the town on our own.

 

Dinnertime found four of us at the table, with Ruud still gone on his overland to the many ancient sites of Greece. He will return tomorrow in Katakolon. We do have such fun at our table, since all of us are not part of the grumpy folks, thank goodness.

 

Dinner selections included prime rib, an indication that this was a mini-segment for some folks. We did hear that a special offer for family and friends of families could book a segment while the ship is in the Mediterranean, in an effort to fill some of the vacant cabins during this sailing. We do know for a fact, that many of the European passengers will be leaving the ship somewhere in Spain, instead of sailing transatlantic, then flying back to Europe. Don’t blame them. So we will be sailing back rather light with guests.

 

We missed the showtime with the Premier ABBA Experience or the singers and dancers performing the tunes from the group ABBA. The movie, Mama Mia, brought back the music of that era (1979), and now the songs like Dancing Queen, Fernando, and Waterloo have come back into popularity.

 

Tomorrow’s port will be Katakolon, and also the major holiday of the Greek Orthodox Easter. We wonder what will be opened???

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thank you for all the info ...

[Oahucruiser]

Love following your daily, detailed and wonderful posts; we enjoy your positive attitude and enjoyment of new ports and ones that you have been to before. Fun reading about the eternal search for a great pizza. Thank you.

[cruz chic]

Thx for the update.