From Glaciers to Palm Trees - Spend 71 days with Bill & Mary Ann on the Zuiderdam - 9-7-22 to 11-17-22

[WCB]

Report #38    Thursday  October 13, 2022   Kahului, Maui, Hawaii  7am-6:30pm    Clouds With Sun   85 Degrees   Part #1 Of 2.....Text Only... Pictures In Parts #2 & 3

 

Although the Zuiderdam arrived to the port of Kahului, Maui, at 7am, the ship was not cleared until after 8am.  According to Captain Frank, the entire shoreside security team had not arrived yet.  By the time they got their act together, the ship was cleared around 8:30am.  The Captain said that we would stay an extra hour to make up for the late start.  That was directed more to the shore excursion guests we assume.  Speaking of tours, there were a few here like Haleakala biking for $190. or the pineapple plantation and Ocean Center for $160.  A beach break was $130, while the transfer to Lahaina was $90 per person.  If you wanted to add the Atlantis submarine with the transfer, it cost $290.  When we first heard that the stop in Lahaina was cancelled, we thought we read our substitute port was Kaanapali, a short distance north of Lahaina.  Well, after looking closer at the itinerary, we discovered that Kahului was located far away from Lahaina, and the drive would be one hour each way, if the traffic was light.  Now we understand why the transfer was so expensive. 

 

With all of the times we have visited Maui  , we never stopped in this port.  Doing a little internet homework last night, we learned that the ship was docked and we would not have to use the tender boats.  Guess that is a plus.  It looked like the town was near to the port area, but how far was the walk there?  One of our gripes here is that the port talks are not repeated on the TV.  And since we have chosen to avoid large crowds in lounges, we have missed every informative lecture.  No maps are handed out, like we always got on world cruises.  Maybe those will be discontinued as well.  It’s the “green” thing once again. 

 

Getting out of the pier was like going through a maze.  Once out of the terminal building, we entered a narrow walkway that had cyclone fencing on both sides.  It seemed to go on forever, and oddly enough, we saw many empty cans of cat food on both sides of the fencing.  We can only assume that there are a lot of rodents here, and the cats serve a purpose.  Finally, we reached freedom at the main street.  Directly across the street was a decent shopping mall called Maui Mall Village.  Probably not exactly what most people want to do, but we know the crew will be happy with this stop.  This outdoor mall had Whole Foods, Longs Drugs, TJ Maxx, Ross, and numerous boutique-type shops.  In addition, there were many fast- food eateries like Jack-in-the-Box, Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut,  and Wendy’s to name a few. 

 

While passing through the mall, we ran into Howard, who we have not seen for weeks now.  We must be on a different wave length.  Then we saw two more world cruise folks we know, Margaret and Donald.  They had boarded in Vancouver, and had not crossed paths with us either until today.  The bigger the ship, the less likely you see folks you know.

 

We asked a Whole Foods checker if she knew where Marco’s Deli & Grill was located.  She pointed to the main drive, and said follow it to Dairy Road.  It was well over a mile, where we did find it on the corner.  Our main reason for going there was that we knew they had a five star rating and good pizza.  We were a little early.   To eat up some time, we ducked into a fabric store, one of my favorite things to do.  Ninety percent of the materials were cotton, more suitable for quilt-making.  The more interesting items were the new sewing machines that have really gone high tech.  Some were priced over $7000, and were very large compared to my Husqvarna I use at home. 

 

So we entered Marco’s Deli & Grill restaurant, noticing that it was almost full.  Many folks were eating breakfast.  Once we were seated and checked the menu, we did not see pizza anywhere on it.  Asking the waitress about it, she said they have not served pizza for several years.  They just never changed their advertisement on the internet.  For the first time we can recall, we thanked them, but were really set on pizza today.  We left the restaurant, making space for waiting customers. 

 

We had passed the Ale House in the mall area, which had pizza, so we headed back there.  A good sign was that the parking lot was full and it was only noontime.  Their extensive menu was on the wall outside the door.  Once seated, we noticed the only menu  available was by scanning the QR code with your cell phone.  Well, we do not have one, so the waitress, (who was new we think), showed us the menu she had printed for herself.  When we asked what Hawaiian pizza had on the top, she went outside to check the wall menu.   She came back giggling that it had shredded pork, mozzarella and goat cheese, and a BBQ sauce with diced pineapples.  Sounded good to us.  We ordered a 14 inch pie along with two draft beers.  It was so hot outside, the beers went down easy.  So did the thin crust tasty pizza.  Glad we took a chance and came back here.  This place is more like a sport’s bar, so by the time we left, most of the seating was filled….mostly with the local younger working crowd.

 

One more stop to make was at Longs Drugs for a few items we did not get at Walmart the other day.  Made it back through the maze before 3pm, and chilled out the rest of the afternoon. The internet has been acting strange again, and some of the reports are missing the photos.  We are trying to figure out a better way of sending or a better time to do it.  Some days it works, the other days, it doesn’t. 

 

The ship left close to 7pm, and by then, it was dark.  But we did get a brief sighting of some stingrays directly below our veranda. Even got some pictures.  It was also nice watching the fading lights of the city get smaller and smaller as we sailed towards Kona, Hawaii, tomorrow’s port and the final one in the Hawaiian Islands.  It will be the first tender port of this trip.  And there will be many more to come.

 

Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill for us.  Starting with cocktails, we had our usual wedge salads, 7 ounce filet mignon, a baked potato, and sauteed mushrooms.  All cooked perfectly.  This venue was not crowded this evening, but we think with so many port days in a row, the guests are getting tired.  Our meal ended with a scoop of ice cream and a couple of the cute chocolates they serve there. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[XBGuy]

4 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

Yes, but if you look at the passengers, they just go to Walmart and look for a cheese burger, that gets old pretty fast.

 

Doesn't that say more about the travelers than the port?

[sunviking90]

11 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

 

Doesn't that say more about the travelers than the port?

It’s a great port to easily rent a car and do your own thing too. The rental car company picked us up at the pier and took us to the airport (5minutes) where we got our car. We drove up the coast, between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes and over to Waikoloa. Beautiful drive. The flip side is that it is a good place for those who may need to pick up some essentials and we all get to that point on a longer cruise.

Edited October 14, 2022 by sunviking90

[LouChamp]

Aloha. When we fly for a weekend to Maui we fly into Kahalui and rent a car  for the drive to Lahaina. We generally stay in Wailea as Kanapaali is the older resort area.  If you have the opportunity please try in a local restaurant a Loco Moco.  You can have it for breakfast lunch or dinner.  Its rice with a hamburger patty and  fried egg with brown gravy. Absolutely delicious. I make it at home.  enjoy! 

[The Other Tom]

I know you don't like/want a cell phone, but you might consider an iPod touch.  It's similar to an iPhone but without the phone part.  So you can connect to the internet, use it as a GPS device, text, etc, all for free since there's no "phone bill" or contract. Apple discontinued the iPod touch but you can still get them at WalMart and Amazon and probably other places.

[oaktreerb]

Is Hilo Hattie’s still around?  I expected she might have transportation from the port to her store so cruisers could buy muumuu’s and Aloha shirts.   

[weacat]

23 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

Yes, but if you look at the passengers, they just go to Walmart and look for a cheese burger, that gets old pretty fast.

Or pizza

[Sir PMP]

12 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

Is Hilo Hattie’s still around?  I expected she might have transportation from the port to her store so cruisers could buy muumuu’s and Aloha shirts.   

They're still around although I believe the changed ownership.

[highscar]

I still have the Mu Mu I bought at Hilo Hattie’s 35 yrs ago during a two week vacation on Kauai.   You got a gift every time you went into the store. I have two coffee mugs and two shot glasses each with a map of the islands painted on them. Also many shell necklaces.   

[LouChamp]

Aloha! Hilo Hattie filed for bankruptcy a few years ago but I do not know who owns them now.  Tourists flock to ABC stores as the go to. I personally don’t understand why people go to Walmart on the islands but they do a big business with tourists. Additionally Longs Drugs which is owned by CVS has a great gift selection which I find their prices are competitive. 

[WCB]

Report #39    Friday October 14, 2022  Kona, Hawaii   7am-3:30pm  Sunny In The Morning- Cloudy In The Afternoon   85 Degrees...Part #1 Of 5......Text Only....Pictures In Parts 2,3,4, &5

 

The word, Kona, means leeward side of an island with the wind blowing southwest.  And that was our port of call today….Kona, Hawaii.  The skies were quite blue early this morning, and the temperature on our veranda was already 90 degrees by 9am.  The Zuiderdam had arrived around 7am,  but would not dock.  The ship did not drop anchor to our knowledge, but appeared to be held in place with the side thrusters.  This would also be our first- time tendering to shore, but certainly, not our last on this cruise.

 

There must be a lot of tours going off early, because the Pinnacle Grill was almost full this morning.  Once again, checking the tours in Kona slipped our minds, and they were already gone from the TV grid.  We do know that Volcanoes National Park is accessible from here, as well as a drive to Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, both just under 14,000 feet high.  Water sports are big in Kona, such as parasailing, snorkeling, boating and fishing.  The Kona coast is home to dolphins, green turtles, manta rays, and whales, which are seasonal.  The migration of the humpbacks from Alaska and Russia can begin in October and last until April. 

 

Anyway, the port times today were from 7am to 3:30pm.  That meant we needed to leave earlier than we usually do.  Tender tickets were needed for most folks.  The exceptions were the President’s Club, Neptune suites, and Club Orange guests who only needed to show their cards at the gangway without waiting.  Those who were one to three star Mariners had to collect tickets in the Billboard Onboard Lounge, while the four and five star guests needed to go to the Rolling Stone Lounge.  All of the details were also described by Ian on the room TV, as well as partially printed in the Daily Program. 

 

The entire process was well organized, and there were plenty of tender boats in service leaving from two gangways.  The crew members were well-trained in assisting the guests onboard the small bouncing boats.  They offered helping hands when needed.  Being the first to board one of the tenders, we headed to the very back seats.  Most people want the first seats by the entry door so they can be first off.  As for us, we wait until the last guests are off, then leave.

 

The ride was smooth and quick, then we were dropped off at the Kailua Pier in Kailua Bay.  Swimmers were already in the water by the seawall, and the tide was as high as we have ever seen it.  We began the walk behind the seawall, noticing that the sidewalks and street were soaking wet with puddles.  Then we could see why.   The waves were getting very high, then suddenly, the spray was over the wall with a driving force.   OK….with that we sped up our walk and escaped getting drenched.  Not everyone was so lucky. 

 

We passed by Hulihe’e Palace, where we used to see the green turtles from the garden wall.  Now it is off limits to anyone unless you are on a pre-arranged tour.  We used to go there for free.  No more.  Continuing up the seawall, we arrived at the Kona Inn Shopping Village, a series of small shops and eateries with a wooden boardwalk.  There is a nice seaside open-air restaurant here, and we figured it might be a good place for lunch.  Heaven knows……we were in search of the “perfect cheeseburger” right?

 

Walking further up Ali’i Drive, we discovered that Bubba Gump’s is no longer here.  Another chain has taken it over, which is no surprise.  Remember we found the one in Honolulu was gone as well.   We made it up to the Royal Kona Resort, which is a very nice place to stay from what we saw.  It is built right on the water, and although there is no sandy beach here, the breeze makes up for it.  Walking out by the swimming pool, we noticed that it was full of guests, which is great.  Hawaii is on the way back with tourism.  Not always…..

 

Heading back, we crossed the street and made our way to the Coconut Grove Marketplace where the Outback is located.  We usually go for Mexican cuisine at Pancho and Lefty’s, but it appeared they were gone too.  Actually, they had moved to another building and still had a restaurant on the upper level.  It would not open until 3pm for happy hour and dinner.  So that was out for us.  So where to go?  The search for the perfect burger changed to a “pu-pu” of a chicken quesadilla appetizer and two Big Wave draft beers at the Kona Canoe Club, and outdoor eatery in the Kona Inn Shopping Village.  We took seats at the railing with a wonderful view of the tender port while enjoying a cooling breeze.  The quesadilla was delicious, as was our  shared dessert of mud pie.  It was our last chance to order it, so we just had to do it.  The clock was ticking away, and we had to resume our hike.

 

Near the old church, Makuaikaua, is an open air produce and souvenir marketplace.  Strolling past the many booths of island fruit and veggies, we checked out the stalls of souvenirs.  If one is looking for carved wooden bowls and tikis, this is the place to find them.  Their prices are very reasonable, and they will bargain.  On past trips, we have purchased  more than a few of the treasures sold here.  Today we have to be careful with buying anything, or we will be over-loaded for flying home.  Smart people we know keep their luggage on the lighter side for just that reason.

 

We came across our good buddies enjoying their shaved ice cones at the Scandinavian Shave Ice Co.  Sure looked good, but we had no room left for the treat.   From here, we headed uphill to find the Longs Drug Store we knew was there.  We still had some things to get, and were happy to find them here.  But….checking out was ridiculous as one lady was using every coupon and script to buy her stuff.  One mistake after another was made by both customer and checker, creating a long line down the aisle.  Finally, another checker came and opened up a register.  Switching lines, the transaction went through quickly and we were done.  The other lady with the coupons?  Still there after we left.

 

Back at the pier, the tender ride was weird in that we were the first ones to board, and there were plenty of seats behind us.  Well, two people came on, stopped, and squeezed right across from us, stepping on our toes as they sat down.  When the Kleenex came out, we both got up and moved to the back.  We had masks on…they did not,  but should have.  Despite that, the ride was quick and we were back by 2:30pm. 

 

After several cold sodas, we relaxed until sail away around 4pm.  By now, the sky had totally clouded up, and it felt like rain.  Looking at the surrounding hillsides, we could see showers falling already.   It should have cooled things down, but the temp still remained 90 degrees.  Hoping for a sunset, we found it was brief due to the cloud cover. 

 

Dinnertime arrived, and the choices were nice for us this evening.  Marlin and meatballs and spaghetti were both on the menu, as well as prime rib.  Sometimes the prime rib can be the size of a small roast, so it was the Italian dish for one of us.  The marlin was excellent and from what we read today, the official world record of a blue marlin weighing in at 1,376 pounds was caught here in Kona.  That is a whole lot of marlin steaks!

 

We have four days at sea now, which will be most appreciated by all, we are sure.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

[bennybear]

30 minutes ago, WCB said:

Report #39    Friday October 14, 2022  Kona, Hawaii   7am-3:30pm  Sunny In The Morning- Cloudy In The Afternoon   85 Degrees...Part #1 Of 5......Text Only....Pictures In Parts 2,3,4, &5

 

The word, Kona, means leeward side of an island with the wind blowing southwest.  And that was our port of call today….Kona, Hawaii.  The skies were quite blue early this morning, and the temperature on our veranda was already 90 degrees by 9am.  The Zuiderdam had arrived around 7am,  but would not dock.  The ship did not drop anchor to our knowledge, but appeared to be held in place with the side thrusters.  This would also be our first- time tendering to shore, but certainly, not our last on this cruise.

 

There must be a lot of tours going off early, because the Pinnacle Grill was almost full this morning.  Once again, checking the tours in Kona slipped our minds, and they were already gone from the TV grid.  We do know that Volcanoes National Park is accessible from here, as well as a drive to Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, both just under 14,000 feet high.  Water sports are big in Kona, such as parasailing, snorkeling, boating and fishing.  The Kona coast is home to dolphins, green turtles, manta rays, and whales, which are seasonal.  The migration of the humpbacks from Alaska and Russia can begin in October and last until April. 

 

Anyway, the port times today were from 7am to 3:30pm.  That meant we needed to leave earlier than we usually do.  Tender tickets were needed for most folks.  The exceptions were the President’s Club, Neptune suites, and Club Orange guests who only needed to show their cards at the gangway without waiting.  Those who were one to three star Mariners had to collect tickets in the Billboard Onboard Lounge, while the four and five star guests needed to go to the Rolling Stone Lounge.  All of the details were also described by Ian on the room TV, as well as partially printed in the Daily Program. 

 

The entire process was well organized, and there were plenty of tender boats in service leaving from two gangways.  The crew members were well-trained in assisting the guests onboard the small bouncing boats.  They offered helping hands when needed.  Being the first to board one of the tenders, we headed to the very back seats.  Most people want the first seats by the entry door so they can be first off.  As for us, we wait until the last guests are off, then leave.

 

The ride was smooth and quick, then we were dropped off at the Kailua Pier in Kailua Bay.  Swimmers were already in the water by the seawall, and the tide was as high as we have ever seen it.  We began the walk behind the seawall, noticing that the sidewalks and street were soaking wet with puddles.  Then we could see why.   The waves were getting very high, then suddenly, the spray was over the wall with a driving force.   OK….with that we sped up our walk and escaped getting drenched.  Not everyone was so lucky. 

 

We passed by Hulihe’e Palace, where we used to see the green turtles from the garden wall.  Now it is off limits to anyone unless you are on a pre-arranged tour.  We used to go there for free.  No more.  Continuing up the seawall, we arrived at the Kona Inn Shopping Village, a series of small shops and eateries with a wooden boardwalk.  There is a nice seaside open-air restaurant here, and we figured it might be a good place for lunch.  Heaven knows……we were in search of the “perfect cheeseburger” right?

 

Walking further up Ali’i Drive, we discovered that Bubba Gump’s is no longer here.  Another chain has taken it over, which is no surprise.  Remember we found the one in Honolulu was gone as well.   We made it up to the Royal Kona Resort, which is a very nice place to stay from what we saw.  It is built right on the water, and although there is no sandy beach here, the breeze makes up for it.  Walking out by the swimming pool, we noticed that it was full of guests, which is great.  Hawaii is on the way back with tourism.  Not always…..

 

Heading back, we crossed the street and made our way to the Coconut Grove Marketplace where the Outback is located.  We usually go for Mexican cuisine at Pancho and Lefty’s, but it appeared they were gone too.  Actually, they had moved to another building and still had a restaurant on the upper level.  It would not open until 3pm for happy hour and dinner.  So that was out for us.  So where to go?  The search for the perfect burger changed to a “pu-pu” of a chicken quesadilla appetizer and two Big Wave draft beers at the Kona Canoe Club, and outdoor eatery in the Kona Inn Shopping Village.  We took seats at the railing with a wonderful view of the tender port while enjoying a cooling breeze.  The quesadilla was delicious, as was our  shared dessert of mud pie.  It was our last chance to order it, so we just had to do it.  The clock was ticking away, and we had to resume our hike.

 

Near the old church, Makuaikaua, is an open air produce and souvenir marketplace.  Strolling past the many booths of island fruit and veggies, we checked out the stalls of souvenirs.  If one is looking for carved wooden bowls and tikis, this is the place to find them.  Their prices are very reasonable, and they will bargain.  On past trips, we have purchased  more than a few of the treasures sold here.  Today we have to be careful with buying anything, or we will be over-loaded for flying home.  Smart people we know keep their luggage on the lighter side for just that reason.

 

We came across our good buddies enjoying their shaved ice cones at the Scandinavian Shave Ice Co.  Sure looked good, but we had no room left for the treat.   From here, we headed uphill to find the Longs Drug Store we knew was there.  We still had some things to get, and were happy to find them here.  But….checking out was ridiculous as one lady was using every coupon and script to buy her stuff.  One mistake after another was made by both customer and checker, creating a long line down the aisle.  Finally, another checker came and opened up a register.  Switching lines, the transaction went through quickly and we were done.  The other lady with the coupons?  Still there after we left.

 

Back at the pier, the tender ride was weird in that we were the first ones to board, and there were plenty of seats behind us.  Well, two people came on, stopped, and squeezed right across from us, stepping on our toes as they sat down.  When the Kleenex came out, we both got up and moved to the back.  We had masks on…they did not,  but should have.  Despite that, the ride was quick and we were back by 2:30pm. 

 

After several cold sodas, we relaxed until sail away around 4pm.  By now, the sky had totally clouded up, and it felt like rain.  Looking at the surrounding hillsides, we could see showers falling already.   It should have cooled things down, but the temp still remained 90 degrees.  Hoping for a sunset, we found it was brief due to the cloud cover. 

 

Dinnertime arrived, and the choices were nice for us this evening.  Marlin and meatballs and spaghetti were both on the menu, as well as prime rib.  Sometimes the prime rib can be the size of a small roast, so it was the Italian dish for one of us.  The marlin was excellent and from what we read today, the official world record of a blue marlin weighing in at 1,376 pounds was caught here in Kona.  That is a whole lot of marlin steaks!

 

We have four days at sea now, which will be most appreciated by all, we are sure.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

I am hoping you can stay safe!  So sorry that others are so inconsiderate and I’m being kind!  Love Kona and that market. 

[zelker]

1 hour ago, WCB said:

We came across our good buddies enjoying their shaved ice cones at the Scandinavian Shave Ice Co.  

@dchip  Denise and Howie, if I bet a million bucks that that was you, would I be a winner??!!??  😋

[WCB]

Report # 40   Saturday   October 15, 2022   Mostly sunny, partly cloudy  Warm & humid    82 degrees     Part #1 0f 2..........Text Only........52 Pictures In Part #2

 

 

Not every day in paradise goes as expected.  Late last night, one of us discovered that there was no cold water in the shower.  And the hot water was dangerously scalding.  No in between, and no way to possibly shower or shampoo hair.  Too late to call the front desk, we decided to wait until morning to report it.   When these things happen, it usually affects more than one room.  And besides, the plumber has already replaced the mixing valves in our bathroom.

 

One of us missed a fabulous sunrise this morning.  Good thing the cameraman is an early riser.  It has been the better time to catch the sunrise than sunset, because the clouds are different at that time of the day.  And really, I never miss it if there are pictures…..

 

We informed our room steward of the problem before we set off to breakfast.  He already knew about the two rooms to the right of us, and now he knew we were impacted.  Even though he had reported it earlier, there was no sign of a plumber on our floor.  By the time we returned, over an hour later, nothing had changed.  Putu called again, but we also decided to report it to the front desk folks.  Within minutes, we had a knock on the door, and someone came to check it out. 

 

We took our mile walk around the promenade deck, and came back to see what happened.  Well, we had cold water now, but no hot water at all.  Later on we found out that the plumber forgot to turn the hot water valve back on.  We should be good to go…….until the next time.

 

The other problem was the internet, or should we say, the lack of internet.  It took all day for some things to be sent and received.  When we finally got tired of watching that annoying circle go round and round on the screen, we brought the computer down to the lobby.  Thinking we might get a better signal did not work.  It was no better there than in our room.  We finally asked the fellows at the front desk if there was a problem, and they all laughed, and said yes….big time.  The excuse was there was limited space or bandwidth, we assume.  It could be where we are sailing or the direction we are sailing.  You name it, we have heard it.  At least we know the problem is not our computer.  We suspect this might be the case with little or no internet until we arrive in a more densely populated area of the South Pacific.

 

We kept an eye out for possible bird sightings, and finally spotted one.  But just one.  That is one downside to the aft room, since the birds always seem to follow on either the starboard or port sides, looking for those elusive flying fish.   And we do not know why, but the better viewing seems to be on the port side.  We suspect it depends on the angle of the sun as well.

 

Other than that, it was a lazy day for us.  The ship’s promotions were in full swing in every department, and will continue for the next three days, taking advantage of these sea days.  It seems that one of the most popular activities is trivia, which happens three times a day.  Bridge games are also held three times a day with beginner, intermediate, and duplicate.  At 3pm there was a movie matinee showing The Duke.  And there was a craft project making kukui bracelets (no charge). 

 

Lunch for us was room service around 2:30pm with salads, sandwiches, apples and a couple of cookies.   The choices are better for us than what is served at the Lido.  By the way, we have read recently that the mask mandate for some of the crews on the HAL ships has been dropped.  Guess that does not apply to the Zuiderdam, because there have been no changes here. 

 

The sun set quickly but did not produce the same colors as this morning.  Too many clouds on the horizon, and too difficult to get the western angle from the back of the ship.

 

A dinner surprise put a smile on one of our faces.  We always order from the Orange Club menu, which offers a special every evening.  Tonight’s special was a veal cutlet with risotto and veggies.  Expecting a small slice of veal, it turned out to be a grilled veal chop.  And it was one of the big ones.  The other entrée was a mustard-glazed tuna steak, which was good, but not as  tasty as the veal.  It was shared as it was too much for one.  Had to pass on dessert.

 

The entertainer in the Mainstage was comedian Sid Davis.  However, one of us had a date with the shower…..hope it works.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[LouChamp]

Aloha.  Thank you for posting. glad you took me up on my suggestion to visit Longs Drugs for souvenirs and general shopping.  I have a question. We took a princess cruise from our home in Honolulu to the South Pacific and stopped along the way on Kiribati. Are you also doing so or just going straight to French Polynesia?  Kiribati is really like a Gilligans Island and the people were lovely.  Hawaiian flies to Papeete from Honolulu and we have in the past availed ourselves of the convenience for a few days.
Smooth sailing! 

[WCB]

Report #41  Sunday  October 16, 2022  Sea Day   Mostly Cloudy With Rain  82 Degrees  Part #1 Of 2......Text Only......21 Pictures In Part #2

 

The skies were mostly cloudy this morning, but that sure did not keep the temperature down.  It was already 82 degrees on our veranda, and that was at 8am.   Of course, we are getting much closer to the Equator, and can expect some extreme temps.  We know one thing  for sure – it can be most dangerous being in the sun too long as burning is easily done. 

 

We find it necessary to arrive at least 15 minutes early for breakfast these days.  The usual guests are now milling around the Pinnacle Bar waiting for that door to open.  Then it is a race to see who can get in first.  As far as we know, it is first come, first served.  However it appears that there are a few couples that have the same table every day.  On the other hand, some folks come at 8:45am, and by then the first round of diners are done.  That frees up some of the window tables. 

 

There are major problems with the internet, like we said yesterday.  It took all day to email reports and photos.  We suspect too many people are using it, and the bandwidth cannot handle it.  Later in the evening, we received a note regarding the slow speed and bad connectivity.

 

We took our morning walk on the promenade deck only to be fumigated with paint fumes.  Up to now, the outdoor work has been to a minimum, especially while in Alaska.  The best thing about this deck is that it’s wide and we can give the painters a lot of space, unlike the Amsterdam, where it was tight. 

 

Going to the Ocean Bar, we had refreshing Cokes with lemon, as well as ordering some cans of water for our room.  Looking out the windows, it appeared to be getting darker outside.  That’s when we realized it was raining, and heavily.   Guess that is typical of this area, and we can expect more rain showers all throughout the South Pacific. 

 

On our way back, we ducked into the Mainstage and heard Ian giving a talk all about the whales.  Much to our surprise, the lounge was pretty full.  We only wish that these informative talks were repeated on the TV later in the day.  On the Amsterdam, they always were.  We miss that. 

 

Tonight was “dressy”, and we were on the fence as to where to dine.  We had previously made reservations in the Pinnacle Grill, but the dining room menu looked good too.  Both were serving lamb chops, but normally, the Pinnacle Grill’s are superior.  Some nights you just do not feel like getting really dressed up, so we went more casual to the Pinnacle Grill.   Well, our wedge salads were great, but our entrees came slightly warm, not hot.  One was the halibut, which is always tasty, but not so much when it is cold.  Even the French fries were not hot.  Lamb chops?  Warm, at best.  This was the first time this happened here, and no one came by to check to see how our food was.  They could have fixed it.  Anyway, it was not that big of a deal, since the food still tasted great.  We did mention it to Alejandra when she came by our table.  By then, all of the other guests had left, and we felt free to mention this to her.  She apologized profusely, then must have told the manager, Remco.  He also came by to say sorry.  Bet we will not have to ask for hot food ever again here……  Then we shared a Baked Alaska, which was divided at our table.  One half came out OK, but the other slipped off the plate sideways.  Geez, it just wasn’t our day.  Again, it tasted fine just a bit damaged.  It will be fun teasing our waitresses tomorrow at breakfast.

 

A new entertainer joined the ship by the name of Hyperion Knight.  He took to the Mainstage this evening performing his piano tunes for all.  Since the ship has been rocking and rolling quite a bit, we figured the dancers and singers will come on later in the cruise.  Too dangerous to perform safely we suspect.

 

Then we had a little surprise letter waiting for us after dinner in our room.  It was from the hotel manager, Henk, in regards to the internet.  Attempting to explain the limited deliverability of the satellite connectivity and a reduction of bandwidth ,we will be having problems until we are out of this region.  In addition, it was requested of all of us to reduce our use of video streaming and large downloads as much as possible.  To help with this matter, it was mentioned that their team will evaluate appropriate compensation for the loss of use.  This tells us that everybody and their brother has been to the front desk complaining.  We know it will get better once we get closer to civilization.

 

Tomorrow, Monday October 27^th will not exist for us, as we will be crossing the International Dateline. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[LuvsACruise]

Hi Mary Ann!

 This question is a bit off-topic from your blog... but maybe you both have some insight or current information. When you came down from Vancouver, and had to test before followup boarding for your 'Tales' cruise... do you know if anyone tested positive from that cruise and were required to debark and cancel the Tales cruise? Or could they quarantine on board for 10 days, and continue on the new cruise?

Maybe Henk might know? It is of concern for those of us taking the Zuiderdam 12 day or 5 day cruises in the Caribbean, with a followup onto the 2023 GWV... possibly testing positive, then having to cancel the 128 day cruise. Obviously we would all like to stay onboard and quarantine then continue with the GWV!

Thanks so much for your attention to my question... looking forward to seeing you both again In Jan! Kathy

[WCB]

Report # 42   Tuesday   October 18, 2022   Crossing the Date Line   Partly cloudy & 80 degrees Part #1 Of 1……0 Pictures

 

No, we have not made a mistake.  We went from Sunday to Tuesday, losing Monday October 17^th, because we crossed the International Dateline.  An imaginary line, the dateline is where one day ends and the next day begins.  Technically, the ship’s clocks were advanced 24 hours, however we did not have to change our clocks or watches.   We will be one day ahead until we leave Nuku’alofa, Tonga, then we will experience two days with the same date, thus getting that lost day back. 

 

This morning we got some forms to fill out….specifically arrival health declaration forms for our Covid vaccine history.  This will be for the country of Fiji.  Much of the forms were filled out already, but we had to fill in the type of vaccines we received and the dates.  Then sign and date them.  Tomorrow between 9 and 10am, a team will be on each floor midship to collect them.  So far, we have not received anything regarding proof of travel insurance, such as what happened recently to others on their way to Fiji, Tonga, and New Caledonia. 

 

Then to add to the excitement, the ship crossed the Equator at approximately 10:45am.  We all got a “love letter” in our mail slots explaining that we have entered the Southern Hemisphere, but we will not be back to the Northern Hemisphere until later this cruise when we head to San Diego.   So King Neptune has pardoned one and all, but he will be back to visit in person for the King Neptune Ceremony, along with his Queen and Neptune Court Entourage.  Enjoy It while we can, arrrrr!   Signed from the Briny Kingdom of Neptunus Rex.   R.  

 

Today was much the same as yesterday, with the exception that we had no rain showers.  Considering we are so close to the Equator, the temperature was a comfortable 80 degrees with a nice breeze blowing.  Taking a morning walk, we searched for those elusive flying fish, but saw none.  What we did see were a whole lot of people coming outside after a talk in the Mainstage by Kainoa.  His subject was the amazing Captain Cook.  Kainoa is quite the story teller, and has been on the ship telling his stories ever since Alaska. 

 

It seemed that the internet was a bit more cooperative today.  Perhaps some folks that were streaming or sending huge files ceased doing that, who knows?  No doubt, it is still slow, but not shutting down.  We do expect it to be spotty, because there is such a low density of people that live here.  Perhaps instead of streaming movies, the streamers went to the Rolling Stones Lounge to watch a matinee movie, Ambulance.  The best part of the movie……popcorn!

 

Walking later in the afternoon, we got rewarded with sightings of hundreds of flying fish…some very large.  Oddly enough, there was only one masked booby present, and not close enough to catch even  one of them.  When we get nearer to some islands, we bet we see more of the birds. 

 

Dinner was good tonight with some new appetizers of pot stickers.  When they arrived, they were green, with spinach in the dough maybe.  Sure were good.  Then one of us had the swordfish, and the other veal cordon blu.  Both entrees were tasty and served hot like we prefer.  Desserts were one apple crumble tart and one chocolate-drizzled vanilla ice cream.

 

We wondered if the outside lights had been turned back on the promenade deck in the evening.  So we ducked outside after dinner to see that they were turned on.  We guess there is not worry about the birds landing on this deck now.

 

The good news of the evening came with a little note saying to turn our clocks back one hour.  Love to, thanks.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Hi Kathy,

 

We can only tell you what happened with us, as we had no feedback to anyone else's experience with Covid testing positive.  Since we technically began this 50 day cruise in Vancouver, we were not tested until the day before we reached San Diego.  Previously, we did ask Henk if one of us tested positive, would we be put off of the ship.  His answer was "no"....we would be quarantined together in our own room for 5 days, and tested again.  

We assume it will be the same with the GWV, but nothing is in writing as of yet.  When we see him, we shall ask him again.  He is not as visible as he was on the Amsterdam, because their offices are on deck one.

Stay tuned......

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[LuvsACruise]

Many Thanks for the quick response!  Living vicariously in the South Seas with you all until next January! Kathy

[cccole]

I may have missed this but is there pickleball being played?

 

Thank you for letting us cruise with you.  You're visiting one of the most beautiful areas in the world, IMO.  Cherie

[WCB]

Yes, Cherie, pickleball is being played.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report #43  Wednesday October 19, 2022   Sea Day Enroute To Apia, Samoa   Cloudy With Some Rain And Sun   80 Degrees   Part #1 Of 1........33 Pictures

 

We woke up to perfectly blue skies, but by 9am, it was raining.  This too shall pass, we hope.  And it did.  The temperature has been remaining a steady 80 to 82 degrees, and drops little by nighttime. 

 

A strange thing happened at breakfast this morning.  Our plates were so hot, you could not touch them. Hmmm, last night during dinner in the dining room, Johnny, the maitre’d stopped by and asked how our dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill the previous night.  Well, since he asked, we told him our experience with the not-so-warm entrees.  We asked him not to say anything, since we had registered our complaint right then and there with the PG manager.  He agreed, but now we are not so sure, since breakfast was so good and hot.  Coincidentally, we happened to read some comments on Cruise Critic regarding other folks having problems getting hot food, especially the soups.  Always nice to know we are not alone.   Also, we read that there have been complaints about the air-conditioning, which tends to be on the chilly side in the larger venues.  It is possible that this will be addressed when the ship goes into dry dock in December. 

 

The decks were still wet from the morning rain, but we took our walk outside anyway.  We are still seeing some flying fish, but not the amount we spotted yesterday.  The one bird was gone.  We did pass an atoll belonging to Kiribati we believe.  But with such a tiny population, the internet service was no better here.   In fact, there was another message in the daily program warning about the connectivity to the satellite.  It is spotty at best, and can be lost without warning.  We hope it gets better soon, as a lot of guests are quite unhappy about paying for a service that does not deliver.   Having been in this area numerous times over the years, it has not changed, and we are not surprised with the lack of service.

 

Once again, we stopped at the Ocean Bar for ice cold sodas, and also to gather some more cans of water using our Have-It-All perk.  So far, we have not come close to the max of 15 beverages per person.  Sitting at the end of the bar top, was a silly rubber chicken, which had been dressed in fancy clothes last night.  This morning, she was wearing a white napkin, resembling a nightgown.  Now we remember this chicken that was a mascot of the Crow’s Nest on the Amsterdam.  We asked the bartender, Ray, who said, yes it was from the Amsterdam.  And he is responsible for the change of clothing and jewelry on the bird.   There has to be a story to this chicken, and for sure, we know she has a name.

 

The speed of the ship has been around 19 or 20 knots ever since we left Maui.  Keeping that pace, it has caused more vibration and noise at the aft end of the ship.  Earlier in the cruise, we were asked if we noticed a difference from being on the port or starboard side of the ship.  We really had not been bothered by the noise, but then, we did spend a week in an aft cabin on the N. Amsterdam last fall.  The only difference we notice now is that it is hard hearing each other talk outside on the veranda.  And during the night, sometimes it sounds as if the ship is dragging its bottom over rocks.  Simple earplugs work miracles for me.

 

Checking the dinner menu in the dining room, we could not find anything exciting to order.  However, there is always the one choice for Orange Club members on the special menu.  We do get that menu every evening, and their special has been very good.  Tonight’s offering was a butter roasted chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and green beans.  So we both ordered it, and happy we did.  Close to our table, is an oval table for six guests.  It has been empty for most of the cruise, and we did not realize it until tonight, how quiet it has been with that table empty.  A group of ten singers and dancers filled two such tables, and really livened up the area.   Kind of nice to be surrounded by a group in their very early 20’s we would guess.  They were all good eaters too.

 

Tonight was the Cantere Presents: All In.  We did see this more than once while on the N. Statendam, and we think the show is the same.  One of these days, we will check it out.  We are still leary of big crowds, and this crew has not removed their masks.  Perhaps that will come in time. 

 

Tomorrow we will be in Apia, Samoa, and be glad to be on land for a while.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[dchip]

On 10/16/2022 at 10:20 AM, zelker said:

@dchip  Denise and Howie, if I bet a million bucks that that was you, would I be a winner??!!??  😋

🤣🤣🤣 Yup!!!!!!

[Florida_gal_50]

Thats one of my biggest pet peeves in lukewarm food.  I especially hate it when it's at a specialty restaurant.