Follow Bill & Mary Ann on The Tales of the South Pacific - 47days - Fall 2015

[josumello]

Love your blogs. Have followed them forever. Thanks for taking us along.

[WCB]

Report # 16 Sailing Towards Fanning Island October 14, 2015 Wednesday Partly cloudy & 84 degrees

 

Well, finally two days at sea to catch our breath, so to speak. It was nice to sleep in a little later, despite the fact that the sun was shining brightly in our eastern-facing window at 6:19am. And even though there were some clouds on the horizon, it appeared that we were in for another hot day.

 

Many activities were happening onboard. They included more lectures from the shore excursion department, our guest lecturer, and a pasta cooking demo by our guest chef, George.

 

Team trivia is as popular as ever, except on this trip, the folks are playing for ship pins, instead of keeping score for prizes. Much better idea we think. There is nothing worse than making the fun game a “blood” sport.

 

We spent a few hours at the aft pool today, and noticed we seemed to be in the middle of international travelers back there. We learned that there is a large group of Germans onboard, lots of Canadians, and a handful of Dutch folks. Most of them seem to enjoy being outdoors like us. The crowd did thin out when it began to drizzle. Usually, that means it will rain heavily, but not today. It felt so good, because when the sun was out full bore, it was quite hot.

 

Since we missed the dining room lunchtime, we decided on room service instead. Two Caesar salads and half a club sandwich was just right. The delivery of our order, by the way, has been excellent. Only waiting for about 20 minutes or so. Each time we have ordered in our room, every item has arrived as requested. And each time we have had room service, someone from that department phones to check on how our meal was. No complaints here.

 

Another art auction was held in the Ocean Bar this afternoon. Free champagne and raffle tickets for prizes enticed some folks to attend. The auction continued until the early cocktail hour, when many couples arrived to ballroom dance. There sure was not room for both. The band started to play, the artwork was removed, and the dancers won out.

 

There was a special Polynesian Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill tonight. It included ahi tartare, shrimp, seafood soup, coconut sorbet, suckling pig, and special desserts. Fine wines or unlimited beer complimented the meal…….all for $79 per person. Bet the place was full. We do have several complimentary dinners in the Pinnacle Grill, but have yet to book an evening. So far, there has been many good choices in La Fontaine for dinner, so we have only missed one evening.

 

Sunset was at 6:11pm, so we went up to deck nine where the same group of folks congregate to watch the sun go down. It was not as spectacular as the last few evenings, but still nice.

 

Back to our room, we had a call from our host, Tom, who asked if he could join us for dinner. Certainly, there is always one extra chair at our table for seven. Then, an hour later, Henk M., the Hotel Director, called and announced he was also coming to dinner. We informed him that would make nine, and he said he would let the dining room manager know, and we will squeeze the chairs together.

 

Our tablemates were happy, because we had double company, and excellent wines. We ordered the wiener schnitzel and Austrian potato salad, which were both good. Just as we got served, Tom G. brought the head chef to our table to ask how we were enjoying our meal. All of us were quite pleased. Our hotel manager was grilled about the many aspects of cruising, and he spent much of the evening explaining the details. Doubt he had a chance to finish every course. But then, we are certain he is used to inquiring minds, or else he would never join a table.

 

We have heard so many people rave about the singers and dancers, we decided to take in some of the show. They were good, because there were dedicated singers, and dancers that only danced. We understand that this group is new, and perform more up-to-date dances as well as songs. Henk M. mentioned that the first show has been full of guests, so that speaks for itself.

 

At some time tomorrow, we will cross the International Dateline. Therefore, we shall go from Wednesday to Friday, skipping one whole day. There is no impact, and we will not have to change our clocks and watches. In a few days, we shall cross back over to Hawaiian time, thus having two days with the same date. Can be confusing, but as long as our mealtimes are the same, no one will know the difference, or care.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruz chic]

Thx for the update.

[Copper10-8]

....................We have heard so many people rave about the singers and dancers, we decided to take in some of the show. They were good, because there were dedicated singers, and dancers that only danced. We understand that this group is new, and perform more up-to-date dances as well as songs. Henk M. mentioned that the first show has been full of guests, so that speaks for itself.

 

............................Bill & Mary Ann

 

The cast you have joined on 27 SEP in Seattle, WA after the cast before them went home on a well-deserved vac after having been onboard since late May. The new cast is mostly European (British & Ukrainian, one U.S female singer) and trained/rehearsed in London; the ones they replaced were mostly U.S., having trained/rehearsed in L.A. (Stiletto) IMHO, there were/are both excellent but the current one you have is the better of the two. Enjoy Fanning Is/Tabuaran tomorrow!

[alibabacruisers]

I am loving following your blog once again and look forward to hearing more. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences!

[WCB]

Report # 17 Sailing Towards Fanning Island October 16,2015 Friday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees

 

Just as promised, we skipped a day after crossing that imaginary line called the International Dateline last night. There’s got to be a place for one day to end and the new day begin, so this line marks the spot. Although it is not a straight line, it juts in and out and around different island countries, depending on what day they choose to be included in. When we are on the world cruise, we lose one day, but gain it back one hour at a time as we sail west. If it is a round trip from Florida, then we get the 24 hours back by the end of the trip. Not so on this voyage. Since we will be staying in the South Pacific, we will gain the lost day back when we sail east. We will have two days in a row with the same date, October 20th. Makes sense, right?

 

We didn’t think it could get much hotter, but it did. We found out right after breakfast in the dining room, which, by the way, has been an experience about every day. The couple sitting behind us cannot be pleased whatsoever with their food. Nothing is ever right. Today, their omelets were sent back three times, because the cheese was not what they ordered. We feel sorry for the waiters, because they do try hard, but we think they are afraid of these folks. We may have to move, even though we like our morning waiters, we hate starting the day having to hear the abusive comments to the staff.

 

It was sweltering today. With a slight breeze and the humidity at 86 %, we were soaked by the time we made one mile around the lower promenade deck. It was a much better idea to spend the day at the pool.

 

Many other people had the same idea, because the lounges were full at the aft pool. And the towels were gone. This has been the case every time we go back there. Guess we’ll have to grab some in the Lido pool area before we come back here. At least the deck staff pass glasses of ice water to anyone who wants it. Most everyone appreciates it. Some days they also serve lemonade or iced tea. In order not to sunburn, we did not stay out too long.

 

We sure miss the sandwich-maker in the Lido. By 2:30pm, all that is available are pre-made sandwiches with unknown contents, some lunchmeats, bread, and salad fixings. Oh yeah, three types of pizza, which we have not tried yet. Our tablemates have mixed feelings about the new sandwiches. Bob tried one in the beginning of the trip, and found a hot dog in the middle….cold. We have noticed that there are no descriptions of each sandwich, so you don’t know what’s inside. They are displayed, cut in half, and we still have no clue.

 

So we ended up with a room service lunch, which was nice. Both of us enjoyed the chef salad and split hamburger. Their serving sizes have definitely gotten smaller, but that is better for us. After lunch, we took our afternoon walk, and found we were entering some pretty ominous black clouds. Sure looked and felt like rain. We had intended to watch the sunset, but it was much later at 6:50pm. If the clouds were still this heavy, there would be no sunset. So we missed it.

 

Last night’s dinnertime was very warm in the upper dining room. Seems the air-conditioning was not running correctly. It figures when everyone, at least at our table, was dressed for Gala Night, it would be hot. Tonight was much better. We tried a new entrée with roasted chicken and Asian noodles, well at least new for us. The discussion at our table was about Fanning Island tomorrow. Four us of have been there, but three have not. It is sure hard to describe this stop, because it really is rather primitive, and not touristy at all. Then there is always the possibility of not being able to tender to shore, due to low tides and dangerous currents.

 

After dinner, we decided not to go to the show, a comedian, write, actor, and musician, Don McEnery. Dave, Holly and Jim were going, so they will report to us tomorrow. We never made it outside, because it was raining heavily, just as we guessed it would. Of course, that is to be expected, because late this afternoon, we were only 7 degrees north of the equator, where it rains a lot.

 

If we do get to the atoll tomorrow, we plan to go ashore early, because all aboard is 2pm…….a very short stop.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Lizzie68]

We had gotten reports that you could still get custom-made sandwiches in addition to the ready-mades. Very disappointed to hear that is not the case, on your ship at least. I would be disgusted to find a cold hotdog in a sandwich.:eek:

[momatibm]

We had gotten reports that you could still get custom-made sandwiches in addition to the ready-mades. Very disappointed to hear that is not the case, on your ship at least. I would be disgusted to find a cold hotdog in a sandwich.:eek:

 

I wonder if the timing is what the problem is -- WCB mentioned after 2:30 there wasn't a made to order deli?

[durangoscots]

I wonder if the timing is what the problem is -- WCB mentioned after 2:30 there wasn't a made to order deli?

 

I think it may vary by ship. They mentioned before no made to order. Too bad since that is my usual lunch. Oh wellllll........

 

Susan

[PathfinderEss]

Enjoying your updates. Love Fanning Island, have a nice time there.

[qsuzi]

Thank you so much Bill and MaryAnn for taking us along of your adventure. Just a superb review that painted the picture of all your destinations and experiences.

[WCB]

Report # 18 Tabuaeran, Fanning Island, Kiribati October 17, 2015 Saturday Part # 1 75 Pictures

 

The country of Kiribati consists of 33 low lying islands and coral atolls. The total population is about 112,850 people (2012 census). The capital of the islands is Tarawa, and the official language is English and Gilbertese. These atolls are under the Phoenix Island Protected Area – the largest marine-protected area on the planet. Scattered in these waters are many World War 2 warcraft.

 

This is one part of the world we were warned not to expect schedules or luxury. That was evident when we noticed absolutely no native wore a watch. Luxury? Far from it. We’re talking primitive here.

 

What do the people eat and drink here? Try the famous bonefish, breadfruit, and rice. Coconut and the by-products are the major sources of income, as well as seaweed production. A local drink, called kaokiok, is made from the fermented coconut palm sap. They call it a sour toddy.

 

A random fact: Kiribati is spread over 3.55 million square kilometers of ocean, the largest ocean-to-land ratio in the world.

 

Fanning Island was our destination today, but only from 7:30am to about 2pm. It’s not really an island, but a narrow ring of coral circling a turquoise lagoon of 426 square miles. The land part is a mere 13 square miles. Also, there is no electricity or indoor plumbing as we know it. These folks do have some trucks, motorbikes, and lots of bikes. So obviously, they have gasoline, some generators, and a few solar panels, enough to have a light at night. There are somewhere around two thousand people living here, and we would estimate half of that number consists of small children.

 

When this island was discovered in 1798, it was uninhabited, having no native population. Eventually, people were brought here from the other nearby islands to thin out their populations. Drinking water comes from wells and also from rainfall.

 

This island does not have an airstrip, so all of their supplies have to be brought by ship. We saw little evidence of fresh fruit, coconuts are the exception, or veggies being grown anywhere. We did see some marshes with taro plants. All the rest of their food is canned or packaged, since there is no refrigeration. Oh yes, we did see several pigs tied outside some of the huts. One passenger thought they were pets, but we know better. They were tomorrow’s hams and bacon.

 

And it is worth mentioning that we saw no evidence of internet or satellite TV anywhere. What we did find were very outgoing, friendly people who seemed genuinely happy to see us outsiders. Yes, the ladies and men were selling basic souveniers, but they were priced right, and not aggressive about selling anything.

 

Knowing that today’s port times were short, we decided to forgo breakfast, and head over on the first tenderboat. A fairly short line had formed before 7:30am, and we were summoned to the front once again. The good thing was that everyone that was waiting early got on the first boat.

 

The 20 minute ride to shore was bumpy and hot already. It was going to be another humid, hot day once again. Of course, we are right on the Equator, so it is to be expected. The rickety pier was just like we remembered it the last two times we were here. Well, almost, because part of the thatched roofing had blown away from the floating pier. We would see much more storm damage later on.

 

There was a group of young ladies sitting on the end of the pier, singing a spiritual melody as we passed by. Another group of men dressed in coconut-based costumes danced on the shore. Each group had a five gallon bucket with a sign asking for donations.

 

More locals had tables set up with various souveniers from shell jewelry, to baskets, and shark tooth knives. It was nice to see most everyone buying something, including us.

 

At this point, some men were offering a ride in the back of their trucks to see the island nearby for the price of $10. Many folks did that, because due to the rainstorm last night, most of the coral-based road was underwater.

 

We walked and walked the one road, mixing with the natives, especially the little kids, who loved their pictures taken. Chickens, puppies, and pigs were all around the tin-roofed huts. It was so hot, we had to drink some of our soda we brought sparingly. There were no restrooms, portable or outhouse, that we could see anywhere. That was one thing we could not find printed in any of the ship’s info.

 

Passing by the school buildings was a shock, because half of the old huts had blown down. The huge meeting hall had also been destroyed about two weeks ago, when a hurricane came through this area. Some local men were beginning to pry the wreckage apart with crowbars.

 

We forgot to mention that the school and many of the buildings near the pier had been built by the cruise line NCL, as they used this island for a stop many years ago. Using it like a private island for their guests for one day, they had a picnic area complete with a kitchen to serve folks lunch. It has been abandoned for years now, and NCL does not stop here anymore, as far as we know.

 

Eventually, after fording some rather deep puddles, we found the Protestant Church and a massive tin-roofed meeting place. There was a small group of us that made it that far on foot, and a few of us continued off the beaten path to find the outside coastline and the Pacific Ocean. We gave up when the walking got difficult on the sword weeds and coconut-littered grounds. Another fellow with us, continued on, but later told us, he came across a taro field planted in a mangrove. He found it suddenly when he fell waist-high into the field of flooded plants. Wisely, he gave up, and came back to the pier, a little wet and muddy, but not injured.

 

Time to head back, we took our time getting back to the pier to check out the treasures once again. Besides a shell necklace and matching bracelet, we got a nicely made shell basket for our room chocolates.

 

One last place to walk to was the mini-beach, where a handful of passengers were swimming and snorkeling. As appealing the water was, just knowing what could be lurking in it, kept us from going swimming. We continued to the tip of the island to see the monument to the King of Fanning Island and the mounds of coral rock that lined the passage to the lagoon. The current was running like a fast moving river. Very dangerous, we heard, as it can take a swimmer out to sea in seconds. We’ve heard that many hammerhead sharks are out there near this island. That’s why you see no people in that water whatsoever.

 

By 11am, we easily got on a tenderboat back to the ship. What we did not expect was a half hour wait to off load at the ship’s landing. There were some good swells that prevented a quick exit, but there were three boats waiting to offload. We thought it would have been better to keep us onshore waiting, and not in a sweltering boat. That intense heat is a killer. Got to admit, the folks on our tenderboat were troopers, and did not complain too loudly. We had an officer onboard that directed us quite well for disembarking. Not that we are sissies, but that air-conditioning sure felt good getting back onboard.

 

The good thing was that we were able to make it to the dining room today for lunch. But first, we downed at least two glasses of ice water, two more of ice tea, and even coffee. Pulled pork BBQ sandwiches were the best choice on the menu, and tasted so good after missing breakfast. Since many people were still waiting in line with tender tickets to go onshore, few folks were dining in here today. However, the grumpy people came in right before we were done. Again, nothing was right…….the veal was tough, the asparagus was over-cooked, etc. Perhaps if this couple spent a year on Fanning Island, dining on canned food and snack packages, they might appreciate what elegance we have here. It’s just a guess, but we bet these two never touched foot on the primitive island today. Not their thing.

 

The ship was scheduled to leave around 2:30pm, but we were delayed due to two people not responding to a request to contact the front desk people. They probably were not missing, but sometimes, the room keys don’t scan correctly. This is one place you don’t want to miss the ship. We watched the remaining tenderboats being lifted and stored. We finally sailed away before 3pm. A passing shower cooled us all off, and really felt good.

 

It was a perfect time to cool down, download photos, and watch a movie in our room. We went to deck nine to watch the sunset, but it wasn’t worthy of photos, due to heavy clouds on the horizon. Dinnertime came soon enough, and everyone agreed that it was a wonderful day in this port. Everyone but Bob and Margaret, who chose to stay onboard. They admitted it was way too hot for them. At least they know their limitations. Not everyone has that common sense, because we saw so many disabled passengers getting on and off the tenders today, that it was a miracle that no one got hurt. The crew members are incredibly helpful with everyone, more so with not-so-able.

 

The comments on last night’s entertainment, a comedian/musician, were mixed. One of our tablemates liked him, while the others said thumbs down. Tonight’s duo are called Livewire, with no good description of their act. All that was written was whirlwind, music, and Celtic spirit. We know they have been on the world cruise, but think we missed the show then.

 

Two days at sea will be most welcome.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Copper10-8]

To illustrate Bill & Mary Ann's awesome travel log, some pics from SADM's visit to Tabuaeran two years ago

 

 

 

 

 

[ger_77]

To illustrate Bill & Mary Ann's awesome travel log, some pics from SADM's visit to Tabuaeran two years ago

 

 

 

Sigh.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :)

[SilvertoGold]

Copper

 

Just as I remember from our stops there!

 

Never saw the dolphins, but now I have!!! Thanks!

[WCB]

Report # 19 Sailing Towards Pago Pago, American Samoa October 17, 2015 Saturday Partly cloudy & 88 degrees

 

First of all, we were wrong about the day we were getting back we lost a few days ago while crossing the International Dateline. That’s what we get when we believe our travel agency’s calendar showing the two days back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 20th. Today is our second Saturday, October 17th. We will have three full days at sea now as we head towards Pago Pago.

 

We heard some good stories at dinner last night from tablemate, Dave. He had gone over to Fanning Island around the time we were leaving to go back to the ship. He said we missed the passenger that brought a drone to shore. When he flew it, every kid (and adult) within the pier area came running over to see it. Dave was not sure there was a camera attached, but the natives were thrilled to see it. He also said that it only flew for about 5 minutes, before the owner stopped it. He may have been told to bring it down for safety reasons. He wasn’t sure, but it was fun while it lasted.

 

Another incident involved the ice that was brought over for the iced lemonade and water station. These native folks do not have ice. So when the servers dumped the water, the kids grabbed the cubes and either played with it, or chewed it. Seemed to be a big deal for them. Such a simple thing we all take for granted, don’t we?

 

Also at dinner last night, we heard a rumor that Captain Fred, and Henk and Christel Mensink would be taking a leave from the ship from October 22nd to November 4th. Our tablemates had read a notice in tomorrow’s newsletter stating that due to a pending legal matter, we would be getting Captain Arjen van der Loo as a replacement captain for that period. If this is the same matter, it has something to do with a court date where all three were asked to testify in Seattle regarding an accident that happened onboard the Amsterdam a while back. Wanting to read the change in command notice ourselves, we found that our newsletter had been pilfered, and we had none. Figures. A replacement was sent up to our room, making us wonder what else has disappeared.

 

We also had a surprise invitation for tonight, starting with a cocktail party around the atrium on deck five with Captain Fred and Brooke, and a small group of passengers. Then we will join them for a dinner at the Captain’s Table in the Pinnacle Grill. We assume the group will be in the back room with about 10 other folks.

 

Around 9am, the ship crossed the Equator. Now we are sailing in the Southern Hemisphere. And it is hot and humid…..probably the hottest we can recall. Today, while at the aft pool, we watched as a lady went into the pool fully clothed….shoes and all. Why she didn’t use the convenient shower back there, we don’t know. It’s not the first time we have seen people going in the pool with waterproof sandals, but shorts and t-shirts? We’ve got to read that sign by the pool stating the rules. On the Statendam, a man was asked to get out of the pool, because he was wearing shoes and clothing. He resisted, and the security fellows were called to get him out.

 

Some other highlites of the day included the guest lecturer telling tales about women pirates – hellions of the sea. The arts and crafts class seemed to have a good crowd. The dining room was decorated for an Indonesian tea time. And guest chef, George, made a pre-dinner appetizer of Thai chicken with chopped peanuts. Hmmm, wonder what we will be getting for dinner? It’s always a surprise.

 

Well, yes it was a surprise. We got cleaned up, and went to deck five for cocktails. Guess what? No one was there. Oh no, we had the wrong night. Going back to the room to check the invite, we realized it said Sunday, which is what today would have been if we did not cross over the dateline.

 

So we thought for a moment that we would try to see if the Pinnacle Grill had room for two. But they were not answering their phone. We went down to see how crowded the place was, and discovered it was half full. We also discovered that our breakfast complainers were dining there. What would the odds be that we would be seated next to them? No way would we take that chance, even though we have 11 complimentary dinners we can book in there. Doubt we will use them all.

 

Lucky for us, our tablemates did not invite anyone to the table in our places. That could have been awkward if we had to move elsewhere. We’re getting brave in trying new items on the menu. The veggie lasagna was delicious. In fact, Dave, who orders vegetarian many nights, was shown a vegetarian menu with many choices, besides what is on the menu. He was able to choose his appetizer, soup, and entrée tonight for tomorrow’s dinner, the same as ordering from a low salt menu.

 

We found out tonight that next year’s world cruise will offer open and fixed seating for the first time ever. Wonder how that will work?

 

There were mixed reactions to the show last night. Most said it was so-so. This evening’s entertainer is Heather Sullivan, a singer, who was also on the world cruise. We recall that she was quite good, having performed in Carnegie Hall, Jazz at the Lincoln Center, and the House of Blues in LA. Not a bad review.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[silvercruiser]

Mary Ann, in case Jeff doesn't see the comment I left just now on his post about Fanning Island, I have a favor to ask of you. If the blond and her husband in one of his pictures today is who I think it is, namely, an old friend of mine I haven't seen in ages, Shelley Kornman and her husband Hesh, if you happen to know them, could you please tell her that her friend Priscilla, from Florida, says hi to her. And tell her that she looks great!

[KirkNC]

Interesting to hear about open seating on the WC. We are booked on the 2017 and so far it is fixed. We actually prefer open, new people to talk with.

[TENNCruisers]

We are enjoying all of your posts as usual. Thanks for letting us follow along. Orlin and Barbara

[WCB]

Report # 20 Sailing Towards Pago Pago October 18, 2015 Sunday Partly cloudy & 88 degrees

 

Putting the clocks back an hour last night was nice. Always grateful for a little extra sleep.

 

At breakfast in La Fontaine, we found it was being set up for a traditional Sunday Brunch at 11am to 1pm. The description included combining classic food specials with all-time favorites in a relaxed and refined ambience while listening to live music. What they served, we do not know, since we had an ample breakfast at 8am. We did hear plenty of folks commenting on how much they enjoyed the selections. This was introduced to the world cruise this year, and went over well. Doubt they host another one, because the rest of the Sundays are in ports.

 

It could have been a tad bit cooler today, with more of a breeze blowing across the decks. As far as wildlife goes, we saw a few birds, but little else. We are so far away from any land, that we are not surprised. Just about every teak lounge was occupied on the lower promenade deck most all day. It sure is a good place to read and relax out of the hot rays of the sun. To help make it more enjoyable, a bartender has been bringing out a cart full of beverages for sale…….even as early as 10am. Hey, it’s 5pm somewhere, right?

 

The usual activities continued today, and the question arose concerning the Dancing With the Stars at Sea program. So far, it has not happened here, like it did on the Statendam last year. We had read that the contest may have been discontinued, but we’re not sure. Maybe someone out there knows the story.

 

Another detail we were hoping to clear up came up during dinner last night. It’s about the watches that are sold onboard in the shop. In particular, the higher quality varieties. One of our tablemates suggested that these watches are made specifically for cruise ships, and cannot be found in the retail stores where we live. We have never followed up with comparing what we have bought onboard to what is available in these stores. Maybe someone knows the answer to this question, too.

 

Spent a pleasant afternoon outside in the fresh air, and ordered another room service lunch. We are still disappointed that the sandwich maker is gone in the Lido. We have yet to talk to any one that seems to like the new pre-made sandwiches. If this has gone fleetwide, then it will difficult to change. We can only write it in our comments at the end of the trip.

 

Well, this time, we got it right for the special dinner invite. Meeting across from the Ocean Bar, we joined three other couples, one that we already knew, and Captain Fred and Brooke. Tina from the Pinnacle Grill hosted the cocktails and tasty canapes for about ½ hour. Then it was time to proceed to the restaurant, where we were escorted to the back room. As we suspected, we had pre-assigned seats, but not next to each other. We were at opposite ends of the large table, but did get to sit next to our hosts.

 

A fancy menu had been created with the starter of foie gras, smoked scallop (one of us had smoked halibut), cream of asparagus soup, lemon sorbet, short rib terrine, tenderloin, and lobster tail. Dessert was the best…..a chocolate bar with a crispy wafer, fresh berries, and vanilla. Wines from new Zealand and California complimented the meal. The conversation flowed as much as the wine.

 

After the meal, the chefs and all of our servers were introduced by the Captain and Tina. Thanking them all, we ended dinner around 9:30pm. As we left the room, a signed menu was given to each of us as a gift. Nice evening.

 

Another day at sea, and we will be in Pago Pago, American Samoa.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 21 Sailing Towards Pago Pago October 19, 2015 Monday Partly cloudy & 89 degrees

 

Another day at sea brought warm, humid temperatures and slightly rolling seas. The little bit more wave action also brought more of a breeze with it, so we’re not complaining. The cloud cover was heavy this morning, but seemed to break up this afternoon, letting the hot searing rays of the sun through to the sunbathers among us.

 

The subject of hot weather came up at dinner last night. Captain Fred is a firm believer in El Nino, and mentioned that the Pacific Ocean has heated up one degree recently. That does not seem like much to us, however, it is. It’s a big deal for the crew that work in the engine room, for instance. Also, all of the facilities that are down below the passenger decks, the temperatures increase even more than usual. Several years ago, we had the opportunity to go on an engine room tour. The heat and noise levels were incredible at the time, giving us much respect for the folks that work down below. It’s not like they can open a window. Yes, there are fans, but they were not helping a whole lot. So the one degree temperature change adds to the heat, according to the Captain. It has made the control of the air-conditioning a bit of a problem onboard. If you walk from deck to deck, you can feel the difference. The higher up, the hotter it is. The La Fontaine Dining Room has been warm, but the showlounge has been cold. It’s just the nature of the area that we are sailing in.

 

The Polynesian Location Team have been teaching guests to play the ukulele. Today they were instructing the folks on Samoan Siva Sasa dance. There was a fun event at the Lido Pool with the battle of the sexes……always a hoot. Gene warned folks that they would get wet, and wet they got. Good day for it, because it was darned hot outside today.

 

In the entertainment field, our tablemates all said last night’s singers and dancers did a great job with the show, Nations. This new group have kids that come from Australia and Ukraine, we understand. Last night they performed songs and dances from some major European cities. We missed it because we got out too late from the special dinner.

 

Tonight, the show is performed by a group of fellows called the Alley Cats. A few years ago, they joined us and our tablemates for dinner one evening. We learned a whole lot about the music industry from them in regards to paying for the right to use songs and lyrics from other artists. Much more complicated behind the scenes. By the way, their show was great.

 

Tomorrow we will be in Pago Pago, American Samoa. Perhaps we will go in search of pizza.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruiselife4me]

Bill and Mary Ann,

 

This is the second review I've read and it just takes me right there with you. You do such a great job. Thanks very much,

 

Mary

 

PS: I was bummed when they shut down the Bubba Gump in Jupiter Fla. My in-laws have a place there and I always loved their grilled shrimp on a skewer with jasmine rice. My loss!

[WCB]

Report # 22 Pago Pago, Tutuila, American Samoa October 20, 2015 Tuesday Partly cloudy, drizzle & 83 degrees

 

The Amsterdam arrived to the island of Tutuila, one of the seven islands of American Samoa, at 7am or so. The waters of the bay looked choppy, indicating that it was windy. The skies were mostly blue, with scattered clouds, so it looked like a promising day in this sultry Polynesian country.

 

There are several Samoan Islands, but they are divided into Western Samoa and American Samoa, and are actually separated by the International Dateline. For instance, Pago Pago is located on the right side of the line, whereas Apia, our port tomorrow is 25 hours ahead of the American Samoa islands. And only 81 nautical miles separating the two.

 

American Samoa is a United States territory, although none of it is federally-owned. The lands, parklands, and even the water are leased from the villagers and the Samoa government. These three islands, Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta’u house a unique 13,500 acre park that spans all three islands. Largely undeveloped, this rainforest park has the distinction of being the only American national park south of the Equator. It is a favorite spot for backpackers and hikers, although there is no overnight camping allowed. Besides the spectacular views, one can find an array of birds such as collared kingfishers, cardinal and wattled honeyeaters, blue-crowned lories, starlings, fruit doves, pigeons, and banded rails. Seabirds include red-footed boobies, frigates, white terns, tropicbirds, and brown noddies.

 

What would you guess is the island’s only “native” animal? We probably would not have said bats, but that’s the answer. There are two types here, all harmless to humans, and they are the fruit and insect-eating bats. The Samoan flying fox and the white-collared flying fox have wingspans of 3 feet, and help pollinate the plants and spread the seeds. We saw and heard dozens of them in the trees high off the road in town today. Seeing them flying was so perfect for Halloween, which is coming up soon. We get a kick out of the decorations on the doors in the hallways of the ship. We have seen spooky ghosts, witches, bats, and spiders proving we are still kids at heart.

 

We were docked and cleared by the locals by 8am. Looking outside at the steep, jungle-covered hillsides, we realized that this harbor had been created by a sunken volcano. The seaside town is built on the bottom of the collapsed caldera, making this harbor one of the largest natural harbors in the South Pacific. It is believed that Samoans are the last of the true Polynesians, who spread from here to the other outlying archipelagos centuries ago.

 

Having gone on most of the organized tours here (all three hours in duration), we opted to go for a walk around the harbor. To our surprise, the dock outside the gangway was void of vendors. On past trips, this place was full of tents, that offered an array of island clothing, rather nice jewelry, and woven products. We were informed by the security guards that all of it had to be moved to a nearby grassy field up the road for safety reasons. Decided we would catch that on the way back.

 

Two things made walking pleasant this morning………lower temperatures and the wind. Honestly, the heat and humidity have really zapped our energy the last couple of days, so this was most welcomed. Of course, we should have realized that the cool wind meant that rain was on the way. The officials at the tourist desk had told us that two weeks ago, they had a terrible rain storm pass through here, dropping massive amounts of rain. We could see some storm damage as we followed the road. We do know that this entire area of the Pacific is wet, but the real wet season begins in November. Sure do hope it holds off for a few weeks.

 

The fruit and veggie market is a place we always make a stop. The healthy produce is sold outside, while some nice handmade souveniers are sold inside. We ended up with some floral cotton fabric and 2 sets of coconut earrings for a very good price. Everything is priced well below what we pay at home, and there is no tax. Also US dollars is the currency here. Easy.

 

We made it to the opposite side of the harbor, passing several churches, food markets, clothing stores, sewing shops, cafes, and a series of outdoor huts or palapas. These must be used for village meetings, ceremonies, or even concerts. We stopped short of the tuna packing plant, which was too bad, because we heard they were giving tours of the facility. If we could tolerate the fishy aroma, it may have been interesting.

 

We did pass a pizza parlor, but it was too early for lunch. Time to hike back. At the tented park, we looked over the dozens of tables of t-shirts, pareos, jewelry and woven trivets and baskets. Discovering a table with nice baskets, we spoke with the 82 year old lady that made them. She described the process of drying and dying the natural materials to weave these designs. Of course, we purchased one that will match one we bought in Papua New Guinea. And added a pareo to the collection.

 

That’s when it seriously started to drizzle, and naturally, we left the umbrellas in the cabin. It did feel good, and it did not last long. Dropping off our purchases at the ship, we took off once again, turning left at the main road this time. We recalled a café called Goat Island Café at Sadie’s at the Beach. Since it happened to be one of the recommended restaurants in the Explorer booklet in our room, many cruise folks were there. Even two of our tablemates, Holly and Jim. The internet was $2.00 for ½ hour, so many people were working on their computers. Usually, people go to McDonalds in town, but we heard they shut down their free wifi today.

 

So we sat on the outside patio, and ordered a chicken quesadilla, a BBQ pulled pork sandwich, and some local draft beer. All were good. This café also has a swimming pool, and a tiny beach, where you can pay $5.00 to spend a day there and use their facilities. Because of the weather, there were few swimmers. Along with tsunami warnings, there were signs up warning folks about dangerous swimming spots. Besides the undertow, we believe some areas are polluted with sewage coming from the island. For that reason alone, we would not go in the water anywhere here.

 

We finished lunch just about the same time as the high school kids were getting out for the day. Interesting observation…… the boys were dressed in a lavalava, or a blue sarong, knee-length with shorts underneath, They wore white short-sleeve shirts. The young ladies wore a long sarong with white t-shirts. All looked very nice in their traditional uniforms. Margaret, our tablemate, said they saw elementary students in red uniforms, the same as the high schoolers. These kids were all polite, asking our names or simply saying “hi”. In fact, many locals welcomed us all day long. Sure is refreshing to be among such welcoming people. By the way, there are about 70,000 locals in American Samoa, most of them living on this larger island.

 

The natives are a hardy people, and grow a number of fruit and vegetables on these islands. The main crops are taro (used in a hundred ways), coconuts, bananas, papaya, mangoes, and breadfruit. We do have our suspicions that snack foods such as chips, sweets, and salty foods have added to the calories that keep them hefty. It is hard to find skinny Samoans. However, exercise has crept into their culture, as we viewed a group exercising in a huge parking lot to the tunes of rap music. They were doing a kick-boxing type of dance in place, drawing a crowd of onlookers. The fruit bats across the road seemed to like it, as they soared overhead. What a sight.

 

Time to go home. All aboard was 5:30pm, with a sail away party on the aft deck until 6:30pm. Sure looked like rain, but it held off, and we left the port sometime after 6pm. The sun went down behind the clouds, as we snacked on swordfish skewers in a mango sauce. George G, the guest chef, joined us and shared stories of the day. He sure is a fun-loving guy, who has made a success with his cooking shows and books. He leaves in Fiji in two days, but will be back on next year’s world cruise. By popular demand, for sure.

 

Got some good photos of flying foxes, the Flower Pot Rock, and the volcanic mountains of Matafao Peak at 2142 feet high. We have a short distance to go to Apia, Western Samoa tomorrow. Crossing the dateline, we spring into Thursday, thus losing Wednesday. And to complicate things, we lose an hour tonight, as we had to put the clocks ahead. Don’t like that. The projection clock just changed to 1am, so it’s time to say good night.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for sharing your trip..

[carliegirl]

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your Amazing trip with us. It sounds so inviting. We just wanted to let you know we appreciate your journey.

We wish you continued safe and happy travels.