LIVE from the 2018 HAL Grand World Voyage!

[Scrapnana]

Hi Kathi! Been reading your blog and so appreciative that you take the time to do it and post pictures! I also love that HAL does the arts and crafts and the items are so cute; is it free or is there a fee? Any word on the WC 2020? Will you be doing that as well?

Hi, Barbara!

There is no additional cost for arts and crafts. Definitely one area where HAL has it over Cunard.

 

No news yet on 2020. Orlando Ashford is on now and is having a Q&A session in a few days. Don't know if he will make the announcement or if it will come later. I wish I could do the 2020 but since I am doing the Grand South America and Antarctica in 2019, I don't think my next big cruise will be until 2021.

[Scrapnana]

Kathi, sorry to see that the craft classes are still causing some problems for those who want to attend. However, I feel that the fact that so many want to attend them is proof of what a great job Nancy Grace and Mary have done both in developing the types of projects they did and in the quality of the projects. I sure hope HAL appreciates that fact.

We really miss our trivia teammates but see that you guys are continuing to fight the good fight to come in first more than a couple of times (lol).

How is the guy doing who was interviewing trivia team members prior to boarding the cruise?

Have not met him.

[Scrapnana]

At Sea – March 26, 2018

 

We are feeling the “motion of the ocean” and the water was really sloshing around in the pool during water aerobics. We had 16 today. Picked up my juice and roll and headed to Sit and Stitch. People kept coming and going so I think there was maybe 10 people total.

 

Morning trivia saw us coming in second place (as usual) with 12 and the winning team having 13.

1)The famed Appleton Estate Rum is from what island?

2)Which Teletubby has a triangle on its head?

3)In 1960 Madagascar got its independence from what country?

4)How many stomachs does a bee have?

5)What is John Cena’s famous catch phrase?

 

In arts and crafts we made the bracelet to match yesterday’s necklace.

 

Sat by the pool and continued the book I started yesterday. By the time I got to page 40 I decided I didn’t really care for the book so I will be putting it in the book exchange tomorrow afternoon. I switched to knitting when I gave up on the book.

 

Afternoon trivia was again in the Crow’s Nest although nothing was going on in the Piano Bar. Just like this morning we had 12 and the winning team had 13.

1)Disney modeled Tinkerbell after whom?

2)For which kind of fried food did Elvis do his only commercial?

3)Which US state capital has the oldest city park?

4)In what year did JVC introduce the VCR?

5)How many players are on a cricket team?

 

Bev, Rob, Cynthia, Rodney, Marilyn (all Australian), and I discussed some of the issues in Australia and the big scandal – the captain of the Australian cricket team tampering with the ball (shades of “Deflategate).

 

Tonight was a Gala Night and I had my usual Surf And Turf. I started with a shrimp salad (which came with a delicious orange-coriander aioli instead of cocktail sauce), and chose vanilla ice cream for dessert (none of the four choices sounded good).

 

Skipped the show although listening to her sing as I type.

 

Reunion Island (French possession) tomorrow. For once I don’t have an all day tour.

 

Morning trivia…

1)Jamaica

2)Tinky Winky

3)France

4)2

5)”You can’t see me.”

 

Evening trivia…

1)Marilyn Monroe

2)donuts

3)Boston

4)1976

5)11

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sounds like you had another great and busy sea day.

Going to do trivia now.

[Scrapnana]

Reunion Island – March 27, 2018

 

Where? Not a very commonly known island. I had never heard of it until a piece of flight 370 washed up on the shore a year or so ago. We were not scheduled to come here originally but when a form of plague hit Madagascar, HAL cancelled our stop there and added Reunion. Reunion is French and English is not widely understood (unlike almost every other place we have been).

 

I chose a 4.5 hour excursion called “West Coast and St. Gilles”. St. Gilles is a seaside (mostly resort) town. We started with a trip to the Sailor’s Cemetery. The two most famous people buried there are a French poet (Leconte de Lisle) and a pirate (Olivier Levasseur) - neither of whom I had ever heard of.

 

We continued on to St. Gilles and the aquarium. We were there with dozens of kids under 5. After looking through the aquarium (it was not big) we had some free time and I sat with some friends and had a cold Coke.

 

Our final stop was supposed to go to an exposed reef called Roches Noire for a swim but the beach had been closed due to numerous shark sightings. Instead we went to a lagoon area that was shark free. Being a French beach there were some people in skimpy bathing suits (or less). The water felt wonderful and was crystal clear – you could see the bottom clearly even when it was four or five feet deep. There was lots of coral so I was glad I had brought my water shoes (first time I have used them on this cruise). We had about 45 minutes and I spent it all in the water. Luckily, the weather stayed sunny although there were black clouds approaching (our weather forecast had been for a 90% chance of rain and only 72F [it was at least 15 degrees warmer, however]).

 

My plan had been to return to the ship and sit by the pool and swim some but the black clouds settled over us and we even got at least one rain shower. So instead, I had lunch, started a new book and went to 3:30 trivia. Since I was the only one from “The Bridesmaids”, I played with Dorothy’s team and met two of my blog readers. There were only a handful of teams and we tied for first place with 13 out of 17.

1)In what country would you find 8 of the 10 tallest mountains in the world?

2)What species of fish is also known as kippers?

3)In what year did the Tour de France begin?

4)What was the first hormone to be identified?

5)Which poet’s love “was like a red, red rose”?

 

After trivia I headed to the Lido pool area where they had set up for tonight’s sail-away in order to get a seat. There are a number of special events going on since the head of Holland America (Orlando Ashford) is onboard for a few days. This sail-away offered free drinks along with appetizers. The Station Band (that usually plays in the Crow’s Nest) played the music. The place was packed.

 

Bev and Mary joined me and we tried various appetizers. Many of you know I seldom have anything stronger than a Coke but I had not one, not two, not three, but four margaritas over the course of the hour and a half. Good I didn’t have to drive!

 

Only five of us at dinner. I had fruit, orange-ginger pork, and more fruit with a scoop of sorbet for dessert.

 

The show was four singers from South Africa called “Cul’Afrika”.

 

We gain an hour tonight and there is no water aerobics tomorrow so I am sleeping late!

 

Trivia…

1)Nepal

2)herring

3)1903

4)adrenalin

5)Burns

[Krazy Kruizers]

Your tour sounded like a nice one to introduce you to a new place.

Guess there will be all kinds of parties for the Special guests.

[Scrapnana]

At Sea – March 28, 2018

 

There was no water aerobics today so I slept until 9:15. Picked up my juice and went to Sit and Stitch. Only about 8 of us present. One of our stitchers, Mary Ann, who makes glass fusion jewelry gave us each a pendant that she had made. They were all beautiful and I went through them three times before I decided on the one that I liked the best. It, of course, includes some of my favorite blues.

 

We tied with four other teams for first place in trivia with 13 out of 15.

1)How long was Tony Blair Prime Minister of Great Britain?

2)How many days were in the ancient Egyptian calendar?

3)What was the administrative and political center of the Incas?

4)Which drink comes from the leaves of camellia sinensis?

5)In which decade did Nigeria gain its independence?

 

After trivia I normally go to my cabin and work on my knitting or something else until the captain makes his daily report. Today I kept waiting and there never was an announcement. Evidently there was some special event for some members of the Mariner’s Society (HAL’s loyalty program).

 

Dropped off my vaccination certificate showing I had the yellow fever immunization on my way to lunch.

 

In crafts we made an amethyst stone necklace. Tomorrow we will make either a bracelet or earrings to match.

 

I read and then worked on my second sock until time for afternoon trivia. We came in second with 15 out of 17. The winners had 16.

1)Which king allegedly wrote “Greensleeves”?

2)What decade saw the launch of Play Station?

3)What does a baby elver hope to grow up to be?

4)Which two late 19th century writers lived next door to each other in Hartford, Connecticut?

5)What do weather watchers use to measure relative humidity?

 

Listened to Jamm before dinner who was highlighting songs of the sea.

 

For dinner there were four entrees that sounded good (tomorrow probably I won’t like any of them). One of the entrees was scallops and I ordered a few as an appetizer. Something that hasn’t been on the menu before was a 24 ounce Porter House Steak. Four of us at the table ordered it. It was very tasty although the knives were not up to the task of cutting parts of it.

 

I was going to go to the Crow’s Nest after dinner but was too sleepy.

 

Another sea day tomorrow.

 

Morning trivia…

1)10 years

2)365

3)Cusco

4)tea

5)1960s

 

Afternoon trivia…

1)Henry VIII

2)1990s

3)eel

4)Mark Twain and Harriett Beecher Stowe

5)hydrometer

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wonderful report.

Nice that one of your craft makers made gifts for some of you.

Love the trivia questions.

[0bnxshs]

Actually, a hygrometer measures humidity by measuring water vapor in the atmosphere. A hydrometer measures the specific gravity of liquids. Winemakers use hydrometers to measure sugar content in wine.

[Scrapnana]

At Sea – March 29, 2018

 

No water aerobics again so I slept late. Left my cabin at 9:30 to get a roll and orange juice. We had about 10 present for Sit and Stitch.

 

Not a great showing at morning trivia with only 10 correct. The winning team had 14 (out of 15). Our Aussie teammates did not get the number of stars on the Australian flag answer right!!!

1)What type of gun was used to kill Abraham Lincoln?

2)What is the meaning of “Imam”?

3)Which tube connects the larynx to the lungs?

4)Who conquered Afghanistan in 330 B.C.?

5)What is gymnophobia?

 

We received a notice yesterday that Archbishop Desmond Tutu will be coming on board on April 4th to accept an award. Here is an excerpt from the letter we received.

 

Holland America Line president Orlando Ashford will present Archbishop Tutu with our first Shared Humanity Award in recognition of a lifetime championing equality and peace. As a company, we firmly believe that travel has the power to change the world by building connections between people, and we are extremely proud to play a role in helping our guests experience different cultures around the world.

 

In Arts and Crafts we made either earrings or a bracelet to match the amethyst necklace from yesterday. I chose the earrings. Nancy had a few kits left over and for a donation to the crew fund you could get another kit. I got a bracelet kit which I strung together while sitting outside in the sun. I will finish the clasp when we next do jewelry.

 

Evening trivia was again in the Crow’s Nest and once again did not have our best showing with only 11 out of 17. The winners had 15.

1)Which spy series starred a character known as “#6”?

2)What is IBM’s motto?

3)What did Frank Henry Fleer invent in 1907?

4)What does VHS stand for?

5)What is the spicy sauce named for a Mexican state and river?

 

In getting ready for dinner I needed to fix a shoe and managed to get super glue all over my fingers. Luckily, I did not get it on anything else.

 

Instead of going to the Piano Bar before dinner, I joined Cyndi and Ed in the Crow’s Nest and listened to The Station Band that were so good at the sail-away party the other day.

 

As I predicted yesterday, I did not care much for any of the choices at dinner. I ended up with the Weiner Schnitzel which was dry and fairly tasteless. The chocolate sundae, however, was very good.

 

Skipped the show and stopped by Cyndi’s cabin for some polish remover to get off some of the super glue.

 

One more day at sea before we get to Mozambique. We gain an hour again tonight.

 

Morning trivia…

1)derringer

2)leader

3)trachea

4)Alexander the Great

5)fear of nudity

 

Afternoon trivia…

1)The Prisoner

2)Think

3)bubble gum

4)Video Home System

5)Tabasco

[Krazy Kruizers]

What are you going to do with all the jewelry you are making?

Glad you were able to get your shoe fixed. I carry all kinds of glue as well not knowing what will break or fall apart.

[0bnxshs]

Kathi, are you going to have a chance to go to the award ceremony for Bishop Tutu? I'd love to meet him myself. I did get an opportunity to briefly say hi and shake hands with Nelson Mandela when I was working in South Africa in 2001. I treasure that memory.

[alibabacruisers]

Hi, Barbara!

There is no additional cost for arts and crafts. Definitely one area where HAL has it over Cunard.

 

No news yet on 2020. Orlando Ashford is on now and is having a Q&A session in a few days. Don't know if he will make the announcement or if it will come later. I wish I could do the 2020 but since I am doing the Grand South America and Antarctica in 2019, I don't think my next big cruise will be until 2021.

 

Great to hear from you Kathi! Yes, I like the idea of arts and crafts and another reason I would like to try a longer cruise/world cruise on HAL over Cunard now.

 

Your cruise in 2019 sounds great too! South America is still on our list. 2019 is Cunard and Alaska for us at the moment.

[Scrapnana]

Kathi, are you going to have a chance to go to the award ceremony for Bishop Tutu? I'd love to meet him myself. I did get an opportunity to briefly say hi and shake hands with Nelson Mandela when I was working in South Africa in 2001. I treasure that memory.

Unfortunately, no. I am on an all day (8.5 hour) tour to the Aquila Game Reserve. I am disappointed that is the day he will be on board.

[Scrapnana]

What are you going to do with all the jewelry you are making?

I will share with my daughter and granddaughter.

[Scrapnana]

At Sea – March 30, 2018

 

Water aerobics was back on the schedule today so I was up at 8:30 and in the pool by 8:50. Picked up juice and a roll and then changed for Sit and Stitch. Not many present today because it was the big presentation of the 90 or so Project Linus blankets made by the knitters and crocheters that meet in the Explorer’s Lounge. Some of our stitchers had made blankets and went to have their picture taken with Orlando Ashford. I finished my second pair of socks.

 

It was another off-day for “The Bridesmaids” with only getting 10 in morning trivia. Two teams tied with 14 out of 15.

1)What is the regulation height for a basketball hoop (in feet)?

2)Goat Island, Luna Island, and Three Sisters Island can be found near what tourist attraction?

3)Which alcoholic beverage is known as “Dutch Courage” or “Mother Ruin”?

4)How many different combinations of raised dots is used for Braille – 49, 63, or 75?

5)Since 1975 which sport can only be played right-handed?

 

Had a burger and fries from the Dive-In for lunch and ate by the pool.

 

The big event of the day was a “Special Presentation and Q&A with Orlando Ashford (President of HAL) and Gerald Bernhoft (head of the Mariner’s Society)”. It was at 2:30 in the Queen’s Lounge and I figured it would be standing room only so I arrived at 1:45. By a few minutes after 2 all the seats were gone – people were sitting on the floor, on the stairs, or standing.

Mr. Ashford opened by welcoming us to “beat up the President for an hour”. He comes off as very personable and told a few funny stories. There were a few announcements and/or confirmations of items.

• In 2021 the third Pinnacle Class ship will be launched and will be in the same passenger range as Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam

• Zodiacs are being added to the Maasdam and Amsterdam may be next

• HAL is partnering with Fujifilm and putting in stores on board where you can take your pictures and make mugs, create art work, etc.

• Stores on board will feature more products relative to the itinerary such as Cuban sourced products on ships that visit there

• He showed a slide of some of the enhancements for Amsterdam during the upcoming dry dock (see photo)

• The proposed 2020 World Cruise is scheduled to be 128 days (see photo) but warned the proposed itinerary will not be finalized until the end of April

 

The Gerald Bernhoft spoke for awhile but mainly talked about some unusual upcoming itineraries.

Then it was time for the Q&A. Hamish announced that you could only have one question and to keep the personal ones for some one-on-one time afterwards. Still someone wanted to know how to get the mariner days for a crossing she took in 1956 and someone else threatened to cancel his world cruise booking for 2019 if the TV sets were not replaced.

 

Here is the gist of some of the answers from the panel of Mr. Bernhoft, Captain Mercer, Mr. Ashford, and Henk Mensink

• New builds will be under 3000 passengers but economics prohibits any new smaller ship

• Loyalty cross over among Carnival Corp. lines has been discussed and they are looking at ways to equalize the differences

• HAL is working with the technology developers to provide faster internet (especially on the newer ships)

• They are hoping to add B.B. King and other “assets” to ships that do longer itineraries

• HAL is not doing away with libraries on the ships

• No immediate plans for OBC for veterans

• They are going to be working on the plumbing problems on decks 1, 2, and 3

• Single supplement is a “tension” (he used that word a few times) but will not change

• Eliminating smoking in the casino is another “tension” with no immediate plans to do anything

• Self service laundries are not being removed from ships with longer itineraries

The Q&A went on for 70 minutes and finally was stopped at 4:30.

 

It was a quick ride up to the Crow’s Nest for afternoon trivia. Again, we did terribly with only 9 out of 17 – the winners had 14.

1)What “p” word means the visible portion of the Sun?

2)Which capital city was once known as Byzantium?

3)What is the most popular beach in Rio?

4)What name is given to male rhinos?

5)What Dickens’ character asked for more?

 

Changed for dinner and went to Name That Tune with Jamm. Tonight’s theme was “The Piano Men” such as Billy Joel and Elton John. Usually I do not put up any of the questions because we do so poorly I can’t remember them. Tonight, Helen and I won with 15 out of 25! We won 5 vouchers! So, in honor of that I will put a few questions.

1)When did Stevie Wonder go blind?

2)What name was Elton John born with?

Fill in the blank music lyrics

3)”dreamin’ of my ___ and my old blue jeans”

4)”If you said ___ to me tonight, there would still be ___ left to write”

5)On June 17, 2018 Barry Manilow will turn – 72, 75, or 78? (5 point bonus question)

 

Only five of us at dinner – Stephanie and Herb went to the first of two Seder dinners. I had fruit, flatiron steak, and a butterscotch sundae for dessert.

 

Skipped the show so I could work on the blog.

 

Maputo, Mozambique tomorrow.

 

Morning trivia…

1)10 feet

2)Niagra Falls

3)gin

4)63

5)polo

 

Afternoon trivia…

1)photosphere

2)Istanbul

3)Copacabana (sp?)

4)bull

5)Oliver Twist

 

Name That Tune trivia…

1)at birth

2)Reginald Dwight

3)Chevy (from Crocodile Rock)

4)goodbye, music (from The Longest Time)

5)75

 

 

(Note - you can see the pictures on my blog) https://2018halgwv.blogspot.com/

[Krazy Kruizers]

I will share with my daughter and granddaughter.

 

 

Great idea!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Great report.

Sounds like an interesting Q&A session.

Wonder how they are going to get the libraries back on the ships where they removed them?

You did a great job on those socks.

[Wehwalt]

I was at Orlando's presentation as well, and I felt he wasn't fully responsive to a number of the key questions. He stated that HAL is committed to libraries, but he didn't define library (he may consider the travel books that are the reading material on some ships a fully adequate library). He said that when the ship has been put in the less convenient berth, such as in Hong Kong and Singapore, "it isn't always because of money" but said nothing about how often it is money. The captain was more forthcoming there, stating that the next three times the Amsterdam docks in Singapore, it will be by the shopping mall. He also ducked the question about how many of the deck chairs on Deck 3 will be reserved for the Lanai cabins, saying everything about the refit hasn't been decided. But I bet that has been. You have to expect that people are going to want to and expect to sit outside their cabins, as on, for example, the Maasdam.

Edited March 31, 2018 by Wehwalt

[JamesEM]

I was at Orlando's presentation as well, and I felt he wasn't fully responsive to a number of the key questions. He stated that HAL is committed to libraries, but he didn't define library (he may consider the travel books that are the reading material on some ships a fully adequate library). He said that when the ship has been put in the less convenient berth, such as in Hong Kong and Singapore, "it isn't always because of money" but said nothing about how often it is money. The captain was more forthcoming there, stating that the next three times the Amsterdam docks in Singapore, it will be by the shopping mall. He also ducked the question about how many of the deck chairs on Deck 3 will be reserved for the Lanai cabins, saying everything about the refit hasn't been decided. But I bet that has been. You have to expect that people are going to want to and expect to sit outside their cabins, as on, for example, the Maasdam.

 

Thanks for your input.

[kazu]

Great reports Kathi.

 

Sorry you will miss Bishop Tutu. That is disappointing indeed.

 

Appreciate you sharing the highlights from the Q & A.

[0bnxshs]

I was at Orlando's presentation as well, and I felt he wasn't fully responsive to a number of the key questions. He stated that HAL is committed to libraries, but he didn't define library (he may consider the travel books that are the reading material on some ships a fully adequate library). He said that when the ship has been put in the less convenient berth, such as in Hong Kong and Singapore, "it isn't always because of money" but said nothing about how often it is money. The captain was more forthcoming there, stating that the next three times the Amsterdam docks in Singapore, it will be by the shopping mall. He also ducked the question about how many of the deck chairs on Deck 3 will be reserved for the Lanai cabins, saying everything about the refit hasn't been decided. But I bet that has been. You have to expect that people are going to want to and expect to sit outside their cabins, as on, for example, the Maasdam.

 

(Bolding above mine....) This was my thought too as I read Kathi's post, thinking that it's not so much about HAL being committed to preserving the well-known and much missed libraries and more about re-defining what a (HAL) library is.

[0bnxshs]

Unfortunately, no. I am on an all day (8.5 hour) tour to the Aquila Game Reserve. I am disappointed that is the day he will be on board.

 

Sorry that the two conflict as meeting Bishop Tutu would be unforgettable (IMO) but I suspect you will enjoy your day at the game reserve. When I was working in South Africa we went to a game reserve where you could drive your own vehicle through the reserve. We happened across a car full of people that was covered in lions (above, beside and underneath). They had stopped to look at the pride and the pride decided the car was theirs. They had been "stuck" there for nearly 2 hours waiting for the pride to move along. As we were leaving that area reserve workers showed up to "encourage" the lions to release their "hostages" by offering large slabs of raw meat several yards from the car. :p

 

Be careful of the ostriches! They will stalk and chase you around if they take a mind to. :o:D They actually use them to guard buildings and property in some areas.

[Scrapnana]

Maputo, Mozambique – March 31, 2018

 

I chose the “Discover Maputo” 5-hour tour to see the city. We saw just about every one of the important sights of Maputo and everyone agreed it was a good tour.

 

Maputo is the capital of Mozambique which was a Portuguese colony for hundreds of years and Portuguese is still the official language. Mozambique became independent in 1975 but suffered through a devastating civil war from 1977-1992. Our guide, Abdul, told us that the unemployment rate in Maputo is about 50%. He also talked about the corruption in government that has plagued the country. Life expectancy is not very high because of disease – AIDS is still a major concern in Mozambique. Grades 1-7 of school are free but are not compulsory.

 

Our tour started a little late because the port guards decided to search each bus coming in for bombs. They were also only allowing four buses at a time into the port. We finally started off about a half an hour late.

 

The first stop was only steps from the dock area and that was to see the restored railroad station that is over a hundred years old. Across the street is a monument to the fallen in WWI.

 

Next was a visit to the Municipal Market housed in another old building. Virtually everything is for sale here – fruits, vegetables, fish, crafts, cosmetics, etc.

 

We then continued on and saw the statue of the first president, Samora Machel, the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the City Council building, and walked to the Iron House. This place was built about a hundred years ago completely of iron – not a good idea in such a climate. Across the street from the house is the botanical gardens and we saw a few wedding parties going in to have photographs made.

 

Although it was not written in our itinerary, we stopped at the Natural History Museum which showed numerous stuffed animals. It also has the only collection of elephant fetuses in the world.

 

Also not mentioned in the itinerary was a stop at a second market, this one of arts and crafts. They had some beautiful items that would never fit into my suitcases!

 

Our lunch was at the 5-star Hotel Polana which was built in 1922. It has a beautiful view over the water and a gorgeous swimming pool. Our lunch was a very tasty buffet.

 

Last stop was at the fort which has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times. In one of the rooms they have carved wood dioramas showing the history of Maputo.

 

Back on board before 3:30 and I worked on my photos until trivia time. It was only Diana, Bev, Bonnie, and me but we were able to get 15 out of 17 and tied for first place!

1)Where in the US has the maximum wind speed been recorded?

2)What is the national tree of England, France, Germany, and the US?

3)In what country were Stonehenge’s blue stones quarried?

4)In what city is da Vinci’s “The Last Supper”?

5)What is an “albatross” in golf scoring?

 

Headed up to sail-away after trivia and stayed until it got dark and I needed to get ready for dinner. I had a shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, lamb kebab, and vanilla ice cream for dessert.

 

Did not go to the show again.

 

Sea day tomorrow.

 

 

Trivia…

1)Mt. Washington

2)oak

3)Wales

4)Milan

5)3 under par

[Krazy Kruizers]

Great report.

This tour is winner.

Love the pictures. The one of car/taxi (?) is cute.