Navigate the World with Bill & Mary Ann on the Zuiderdam's 128 Day 2023 Grand World Voyage

[WCB]

Report #52   Monday February 20, 2023   Day At Sea Enroute To Fremantle,Western Australia   Windy And Mostly Cloudy 70 Degrees    Part #1 Of 1..........31 Pictures

 

Our third day at sea found the seas less active and the temperature rising.  Later in the day, we even spotted land, we assume near Albany.  This was always a place we stopped on our way to Fremantle, but we guess there was no time for that port this time. 

 

It was another lazy day for us with an earlier lunch.  We had the invitation to the 2020 Get-Together at 2pm in the World Stage, and had to check it out. Sparkling wine was offered, but we declined.  They did offer to substitute sodas or water, but again, we said thanks, but we had just eaten lunch. Nice they asked.

 

Sitting on the deck three balcony, we watched as the show lounge filled with the rest of the 480 or so guests that had actually been on the Amsterdam in 2020 when we were all sent home.  On the screen were some photos of the officers and crew during their longer stay on the ship, having no place to go, and no easy way to get home. 

 

Captain Friso gave a short talk about what had happened, then introduced Henk, the Hotel Manager, who was on the ship during that fiasco.  Ian joined him in a Q and A, amusing at times, regarding what it was like surviving such an unprecedented incident.  After the initial shock, the officers and crew took on the task of getting all of the guests off of the ship in a two- day period.  Talk about stress on both ends.  

 

Then with the help of several select officers and crew members, each one told a personal story about their experience and their feelings of sadness watching passengers leave into the unknown.  By the time they all got to their homes around the world, they were out of jobs for who knew how long.  Deeper sadness.  In time, the sailings began to resume, and those that received calls to come back to work were happy again.  Sadly, in the interim, many of the highly-skilled crew members had left the company for jobs on other cruise lines.  It was a matter of survival for them.

 

The presenters came on the stage, had flutes of sparkling wine handed to them for a toast to everyone’s well-being and sailing together again.    Henk mentioned that the entire event would be televised and shown on our TV’s later on for everyone to watch. We noticed that there was no mention of the man responsible for the entire successful operation onboard, and that was Captain Jonathan Mercer.  In our humble opinion, he deserved more than a mention, and more than a short clip of the line of officers waving goodbye to all of us.  But once again, what do we know?

 

The very overcast and cloudy day eventually turned into a sunny afternoon with sun on our deck, once the ship rounded the corner, so to speak, and headed north.  The Captain announced that the next two days in Fremantle/Perth will be nice and warm with temperatures in the 80’s. 

 

Dinner found us all present where we discussed the special event today.  Greg mentioned that some folks sitting around him were moved to tears listening to the crew members share their stories.  One of Barb’s and Susie’s favorite entrees was on the menu this evening……..liver and onions.  It was promised to be cooked medium to medium rare, but when it arrived, it was very over-cooked and dry.  Oscar, our head waiter (or assistant maitre’d) agreed the liver looked bad, and insisted on bringing some freshly-cooked slices.  Glad he offered it, because when it arrived, it was perfect, according to Barb and Susie who ate every single bite.  We ordered one entrée of beef ribs (no bones), and a salmon dinner.  Both tasty and just enough.  Tomorrow the ship should be getting major deliveries, so we hope to see our favorite items come back.

 

In the World Stage tonight, was a combo magician and comedian by the name of Adam Dean.  Half of our tablemates were going to see him for a change.

 

Looking forward to exploring Fremantle for the next few days.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

It’s hard to think back to 2020 and what all the world cruisers and crew went through.  It’s good to see the world cruise progressing again.

[WCB]

Report #53    Tuesday  February 21, 2023   Fremantle, Western Australia Day #2   Mardi Gras    Arrive 8am  Overnite Leave 2-22-23 At 5pm  Docked   Sunny And Hot 85 Degrees  Part #1 Of 2.......73 Pictures

 

Fremantle is our port of call for the next two days.  It is Western Australia’s major port, and is located 22 km south of Perth.  It is also known locally as “Funky Fremantle”  with all of the artsy students that fill this harbor town.   There are craft breweries, live music venues, hipster bars, and dozens of coffee joints.  And it is also the place where all of us passengers disembarked the Amsterdam in 2020 when Covid hit the cruise industry.  Oh yes, we remember it well.  It would be the last time we ever saw that ship again, since it was sold soon afterwards, along with three HAL other ships.   On the positive side, here we are once again, enjoying the last two days of Australia in a fun city as well as having access to Perth.

 

By the time we remembered to check out the tours for the day, they had been removed, with the exception of the Dinner Cruise this evening for $200.  Tablemates Susie and Woody chose this tour for their complimentary excursion.  By the time we got home last fall to book this tour, it had been filled with no wait list.  We may use our free tour when we get to northern Europe later in the trip. 

 

To begin, the day was promising to be a very warm one.  Also humid.  There was early morning fog, but eventually it burned off….similar to downtown San Francisco. The ship was docked portside by 8am.  This was nice because we had full view of the gangways and the cruise terminal.  There was a local band there playing for an hour or more. We stayed onboard until 10am.  By then all of the tour groups were off and running.  In the terminal, we picked up some good maps of Fremantle and outlying areas as well.

 

Once we left the building, we walked to the main street, Peter Hughes Drive, and followed it to the walking bridge that went over it.  Well, the bridge was roped off with a sign saying it was closed due to safety reasons.  We did notice that there was a free bus outside the terminal, but did not pay much attention to it.   There had been no announcement that there would be a ride to downtown, unless we happened to miss something in Ian’s talk.  It certainly was not printed in the Daily Program.  All that was there was the train to Perth, a 20 minute walk from the dock, or a 10 minute walk to the city center.   To be honest, it is longer than that for most folks.

 

We had heard that the supermarket Coles and Woolworths was not there anymore.  Gosh, in three years a lot can change.  This would have been a convenient stop for the crew members who stock up on snacks.  Don’t know where they can be found now?  Continuing past the train station, we turned and crossed the tracks and took a short side street to downtown.  It wasn’t long before we were in the area of 250 buildings that were built in the 1800’s.  These days they house small bars, restaurants, a gin distillery, and coffee shops.  Hundreds of small businesses line the streets as well.  Universities are also in these buildings with the young folk patronizing the businesses, especially the cafes and coffee shops. 

 

We made our way to the Esplanade Reserve, a spacious park where the Tourist Wheel is located.   Built the same a ferris wheel, it goes very slowly so as to get the best overall views of the town and Indian Ocean.   It was so warm, it would have been nice to find an empty bench to relax in the shade, but there were none.  There is a kiddie park here where young parents were out and about with their families…all filling the benches.  When one of the moms left, we grabbed the bench quickly. 

 

Crossing the railroad tracks again, we headed for the Fishing Boat Harbor and a row of restaurants that face the marina.  One of the nicest one there was the Little Creatures Village, home to the Little Creatures Brewery, a place we had dined several years ago.  The restaurant is in a warehouse with the brewery inside the building.  We walked to the back patio that overlooked the harbor, and happened run into the ships’ sommelier, Jacques, whom we have known for many years.  A wine expert, he must be in the best place for wines and beers.  We found a menu and a hightop table on the patio, and ordered Freo draft beers and a pepperoni pizza with artichokes and olives.  It was not crowded yet, so we sat on the patio for a long time taking in the views.  This place has a real wood-fired oven, so the pizza crust was cooked perfectly.  It may be a long time before we find another pizza this good as the cruise continues.  But we will try….

 

Getting back to High Street, one of the main drives, we walked to Fremantle Townhall and the surrounding area.  It would have been nice to tour the Fremantle Markets, but they are only opened Fridays and weekends.  We did locate the central information building with scores of maps and brochures of Western Australian.  Great reading material even if we were not going there this time.  There was a brochure on the gold mining fields inland from here.  We watch a TV show at home about gold mining in the deserts, and this is where it was filmed.  Interesting show with some of the toughest Aussies on the planet. 

 

Located in the library next door, were very nice restrooms….always nice to know their location.  Sharing the square was the bus stop for the ride back to the ship. After doing a little shopping in a chemist shop (pharmacy), we joined the bus, and were back to the ship by 2:30pm.  Tomorrow we may retrace our steps, but take in what we missed today.  Hopefully it will be a bit cooler.

 

Back in our room, we relaxed on the veranda, where it actually became cool enough for a light jacket.  A breeze had popped up in the late afternoon, cooling everything off.  Later on, the high fog began to roll in.  Yep, just like SF.    It was a good time to do computer work and dive into the informative magazines and brochures we picked up. 

 

Today happened to be Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday.  Last night we noticed our waiters folding gold, green, and orange napkins for the dining room.  It struck a memory of when the waiters also dressed for the occasion with checkerboard vests and jester hats.  Sadly, that frivolity is long gone, as are the decorations we once enjoyed.  Upon entering the upper dining room, there were six colored lights on the floor lighting up the wall.  That’s as good as it got.  And there were Mardi Gras beads handed out in the bars, but no where else.  It’s too bad that this holiday fell on a port day, as the dining room was only half full at the most.  Lots of folks went to town or were on that dinner tour.

 

Anyway, we had only three of us there, but the best service and great food.   Salad and soups were good, and our mains were even better.  Barb had the spicy shrimp, one of us ordered the catfish, and one of us had the biggest veal chop ever.  And the best veal chop ever.  It was written as a veal loin, but turned out to look like a tomahawk  steak with the large bone.  Too much for one, it was shared.  It was under the Club Orange offering, so it wasn’t available to everyone.   Desserts were special, so we each had one.  A fried begniere? was like fried donuts , while the King cake was a green-tinted cinnamon roll.   The best part of the evening was having a dinner for three (including Barb) without a lot of noise around us as the tables were about empty.

 

Mardi Gras activities continued from 8pm to 10:30pm…all in the Rolling Stones Lounge.  They involved a scavenger hunt for gold coins, a bead toss game, a party, a costume contest, pass the beads, and after party.  Maybe our tablemates Greg and Heo will return from Perth early enough to participate in these activities.  Or not……

 

We are looking forward to another day in Fremantle, because after this port, we will face seven days at sea on the way to Mauritius.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

I’ve had that veal chop.  I was in club orange and they said the special was veal.  I was thinking veal cutlet so when I saw it I thought they brought the wrong thing.  It did look like a tomahawk steak and you are right it’s too big for one person.

[WCB]

Report #54      Wednesday  February 22, 2023   "National Margarita Day"   Fremantle, Western Australia  Day #2     Sunny And Windy 82 Degrees   Part #1 Of 3........60 Pictures

 

Our second day in Fremantle began a bit more comfortable than yesterday.  It was warm, but there was a fresh breeze that kept the temperatures down.  A great day for a walk, of course.

 

Most everyone at breakfast had slept late, since we were the first ones there near 8am.  Slowly but surely, the rest of our group wandered in before 9am, and closing time. 

 

Today would be the final day for the Australian Biosecurity Alert concerning taking food off of the ship.  We may be searched for any food, plant and animal products, shoes or clothing or equipment used near animals in rural areas.   If you break these laws, you could face penalties up to $5,500 and your visa could be canceled.   We wonder if this has ever happened to any guest?  You would have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to be aware of these rules. 

 

For those folks that had spent a lot of money in Australia, they were able to get their passports to get their tax refund.  An area of the terminal had been set up for a line of folks applying for this refund from 1 to 3:30pm.   Then the passports would be returned to the front desk once again. 

 

We stayed onboard until 9:30am, then went off of the ship for a more detailed walk from yesterday.  We had missed a lot due to the closure of the pedestrian overpass.  Just as we were exiting the gate of the terminal building, we ran right into Christel, Henk’s sweet wife, and our former Guest Relations Manager from many past world cruises.  Henk had mentioned she would join the ship yesterday, flying from their home in the Netherlands.  It was so nice to see her, since the last time we said goodbye, was from here as we were leaving the ship.  There was a fear in all of us that we may never see each other again.  None of us knew what laid ahead with the Covid virus taking over the world.  And it was uncharted territory for everyone…passengers and crew alike.  But here we are, once again, three years later, and back on yet another world voyage.  Christel hopes to be on at least until Amsterdam, but if all goes well, she could sail until the end in Ft. Lauderdale.   Good news either way…especially for Henk.

 

So we headed towards the rest of Victoria Quay and the Ferry Terminal for both Rottnest Island and the boat to Perth up the Swan River.  It was located at Shed B where tickets could be purchased.   We walked past the old masted sailing vessel, Leeuwin II, as well as the Western Australia Maritime Museum.  Its home to the America’s Cup winning yacht, the Australia II.

 

Following the harbor path, we located Bather’s Beach, which is rather small, but convenient for locals.  Some sunbathers were out and about with small kids, and a few fellows were in the water.  This is one of the beaches that has a restaurant licensed to serve alcohol to the beach-goers.  The famous Round House is located here too.  It is the oldest public building and was used to house the earlier prisoners sent here. 

 

Continuing on, we came across a boardwalk that led to the working harbor where many fresh seafood restaurants are overlooking the marina.  It is also the part of town we went to yesterday for lunch, Little Creatures Brewery.  Since it was only 11am, we kept walking until noon time.  From Esplanade Park where we sat in the sun for a spell, we headed into central Fremantle for a walkabout.  We recalled several restaurants where we had dined on past trips, and found that many of them were closed.  Some were being renovated, other were just plain shut down.   Guess Covid hit this part of Australia hard. 

 

At noon, we headed back to Little Creatures for a repeat lunch like yesterday.  Except this time, we took advantage of a beer special, which was a pint of Spezial beer for $10.  Then we ordered a pizza topped with parma ham, which was quite a generous portion.   Sitting in the back patio, we found it was actually cool today.  By the time we finished, the entire patio was full of hungry guests.   Obviously a popular place for tourists and locals too.

 

The next job was to locate an ice cream shop for dessert.  We found a gelateria on Market Street and had one cup and one cone full of vanilla with cut-up Twix bars.  Really good.  Our former host Tom M came along and gave us directions to a money changer and a possible grocery store.   On the way we passed by the square where the port bus stopped.  To our surprise, there was a fight in progress with some local homeless women.  A rolling on the ground fight, where not one person intervened.  This morning, Lynn had told us about a group of men exploding into a brawl near Target.  The police came and broke it up, but she advised us to stay away from that area.    However, it was up this street where the money changer was, which took a few minutes to cash in some New Zealand dollars we had left over.   There were a few more things we needed at the pharmacy, so with all of our collection of coins and paper money, we managed to spend all but 60 cents. 

 

We played with the idea of taking the shuttle back to the ship, but just as we began walking up the street, the door closed and the bus took off.   That was a sign we needed to walk and honestly, it wasn’t that far.  Crossing the LRV and railroad tracks once again, we got back to the terminal just as the bus was arriving. 

 

We were back onboard by 2:30pm and relaxing on the veranda and dealing with photo downloading.  The sun was gone on the portside, so it got chilly.  Between 3 and 5pm, we were required to check in at our emergency muster station.  Since it has not been 30 days since or last muster check, or it does not appear to be another segment, we wonder the reason for this drill.  It must be required by the local port authority.  We expected our room TV to be shut off, but it was not until during our dinnertime.   We had to run the video to completion, or our TV would not work. 

 

There was a sail away party on the promenade deck, right below our veranda at 4:30pm.  Usually they are on the Seaview Deck, but it may have been too windy today.   A drink station had been set up for those who wished to imbibe.  And it sounded like many did just that.  It was interesting watching the gangways being removed from deck 3 by the local dock crew.  We missed this three years ago, because we had all been sent home.  The ship left after 5pm, and sailed out of the harbor and into the Indian Ocean.  We will have seven sea days to reach Mauritius.  We also hope that the sailing will be smooth, since it isn’t always that way.  

 

All seven of us were back to our table with stories to share.  The fellows had been gone for 2 days and told us all about their day in Perth yesterday and Fremantle today.  Susie and Woody said they liked the dinner cruise, although getting in and out of buses was difficult for Woody.  A very nice passenger helped him, but not the Explorations team. 

 

For appetizers, three of us had the chicken noodle soup, and chicken tenders.  Mains were stuffed cannellinis with a small chicken breast and one barramundi entrée.  We told the four missing from last night’s dinner that they lost their chance for the excellent veal chop one of us ordered.  Perhaps it will hit the Club Orange menu again in 10 days.

 

Ellen and Aart celebrated his birthday (2 days later) with a specially-made banana cake…..ice cream on the side was optional.   They shared it with all of us. 

 

We cannot say enough about visiting  Australia….it is a fabulous country and we hope to be back again someday.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[ozcruizer]

3 hours ago, WCB said:

So pleased you enjoyed our beautiful country and were able to do it pretty much without the fear of Covid sending you home prematurely.  I hope the rest of your voyage goes smoothly.

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report # 55   Friday  February 24, 2023  Day #1 Of 7 Sea Days Enroute To Port Louis, Mauritius  Cool And Windy 65 Degrees  Sea State Rocking And Rolling 10-12 Foot Swells  Part #1 Of 1.........0 Pictures

 

Today begins the start of a seven day crossing of the Indian Ocean to Mauritius.  And it was not exactly like we thought it would be.   The Indian Ocean conjures up thoughts of hot and steamy weather.  But today, we found that our veranda thermometer was not even at 70 degrees.  The winds and waves had picked up over night, and we were greeted with rocking and rolling along with gale force winds.  Yesterday we could tell there may be some rough seas when Captain Friso gave his pm talk before leaving Fremantle.   Now that we are sailing in open waters, we expect things to get even rougher.  And this is just day one…..

 

It appears that we have lost the Culinary operations Manager, Stephen.  The story has it that he received a yellow fever vaccination, and had an allergic reaction to it.  So far, he has not been replaced, but a decision has to be done soon.  He left the ship in Fremantle and headed home from what we understand.  For some unknown reason, we have been running low on several popular items such as assorted fresh berries and even Greek yogurt.  Fresh produce seems to be stretched in some instances, and we are sure there is a list of things missing.  Could be shortages when it is delivered, or the ordering has been cutting it too close. 

 

Our day was another lazy one with a couple of exciting walks on the promenade deck.  In the afternoon around 5pm, we crossed the bow of the promenade deck and actually levitated off of the deck.  The pitch was that extreme, and the listing just as bad.  No wonder there were no walkers at all, but us.  The mist was picking up off of the waves and washing across the starboard deck.  It was soaked, as well as our clothes and hair.  By the time we finished our hike, we felt salty.  Even the teak decks showed piles of salt.  Bet there will a lot of hosing if this keeps up for several days.  So far, things have not gotten bad enough to close the deck to walkers, but that could change at anytime. 

 

We noticed a new activity that popped up on the Daily Program.  Ww saw this on the Tales of the South Pacific last fall.  It is a painting class for $25 where the class is taught to use acrylic art on canvas.  The class time is only 90 minutes…barely enough time to learn to clean brushes properly.   This session was held in what is the Library now, so it had to be moved to the Art Studio deck 10.  

 

We took the time to give our personal crew members a thank you by going on the Navigator site on the computer.  We are referring to our room attendants, dining room waiters, and room service staff.  Our comments go a long way for these fellows, and they instantly thanked us after they were informed. 

 

Dinnertime found that we had company.  A mutual friend, Rich, joined us , since his wife is still in quarantine due to Covid.  He recently got released, actually today, after an 8 day lock-up.  Since she is confined to their suite, he will continue to stay in his lock-up room, even though he is free to go about the ship.  For the first time on this trip Bill and Heo ordered a cod dish that was horrible….full of bones and scales and tough.  Yuck.  They did let our waiter know, as well as the assistant dining room manager.  Not sure what it means, but the head waiter took both room numbers.  And that’s why I love spaghetti entrees.  No bones, no smell, no scales, etc.

Oh well, desserts were OK, although the fruit plates had no watermelon or pineapple.  Even after our large delivery yesterday.  Shorted again?

 

During the conversation at dinnertime, it came to our attention that on Mardi Gras night, only the first dinner seating guests got the assorted beads.  When we arrived at 7:30pm, there were no necklaces to be seen, at least on deck three.  We had promised to save some for Susie’s projects, but came up empty. First time ever to run out of those fun things.  Also…….no eye masks or silly hats.

 

The entertainment in the World Stage was the Dance Band’s jazzed up Beatles.

 

And as we are sailing in a westerly direction, the clocks went back another hour last night.  We expect there will be a few more before we get to our next port.  And although nothing has been said yet, but we think there may be internet problems.  If you do not hear from us, you will know why.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Ellencruise]

Safe travels

 

[cccole]

It's too bad that you cannot bring fresh fruits and berries on board when you are in a port.  Even though you would expect these to be on-board it seems like fresh fruits and berries often become unavailable.  Did you attend the 2020/2023 Fremantle reunion?  Sounded like fun.

 

How wonderful to spend such great days/evenings with long time friends.  Cherie    

[dchip]

24 minutes ago, cccole said:

It's too bad that you cannot bring fresh fruits and berries on board when you are in a port.

We were able to bring mangoes, papayas and chili peppers back on Zuiderdam this fall on Tales of the South Pacific. We did so in several ports. 

Denise
 

 

[cccole]

dchip, so happy to hear this.  I know that snacks are often brought back, but the local fruit would be so amazing.  It's interesting how different countries handle food/produce items brought on/off the ship.  Thank you,  Cherie

[WCB]

Sorry for the confusion on the produce that is not allowed to be taken off of the ship in the Australian ports.  We CAN bring on local fruit or any food we have purchased without a problem.   

 

We did attend the ship's reunion, but not the one in the Crow's Nest.  Too crowded for us. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

[cccole]

Bill & Mary Ann, so happy to hear that you can bring local produce back on board.  That would be a huge treat for me.  As you are saying, it seems that taking something off of the ship is more of a problem than bringing something back on board.  So many countries and rules to get to know.  Thank you. 

 

Also happy to hear that you were able to celebrate one of the 2020 WC reunions.  I did see that on your February 20 post.  So many of us were following along as everyone made their way home.  This WC seems fabulous.  Cherie  

[WCB]

Report # 56    Friday  February 24, 2023   Day #2 At Sea Enroute To Port Louis, Mauritius  Cloudy And Windy  A Lot Less Rocking And Rolling 70 Degrees Part #1 Of 1.........0 Pictures

 

Today began much the same as yesterday, except the rolling seas had calmed down somewhat.  It was a little bit warmer today…perhaps 70 degrees and a tad more humid.   Heading primarily west, we have not begun heading north as we must do to reach Mauritius and Reunion.   Sometimes the Captain will take a course to take advantage of currents and wind directions.  Right now, we are seeing a following wind, which helps with fuel saving, something we have learned in the past.  Other than many white caps, we also saw a few sea birds, perhaps shearwaters,  and a couple of flying fish.  And we don’t believe we saw any sun today at all.  The skies remained cloudy and rainy on the horizon.

 

The usual sea day activities took place, and at 1pm, a movie by the name of “The Menu” was shown in the Rolling Stone Lounge.  Greg and Heo went to check it out, and they both agreed it was a bizarre film where everyone was murdered.  Boy that’s uplifting.  The only positive note was that popcorn was served.  And some of the guests grabbed a bag on their way out of the movie shortly after it began.  We won’t have to worry about watching for this film to be shown on the room TV’s, because newer ones never are. 

 

A new guest speaker is onboard by the name of Leah Dann.  She is an expert in biology and everything in nature.  Today she gave a lecture on amazing coral reefs.  We really wish they could record these talks and rerun them on our room TV’s, but there is a reason we do not know why that cannot be done. 

 

Lunch for us was room service soup, a cheeseburger with extra French fries, and a salad.  We have backed off of the cookies, since they are addictive.  And besides, we have Tim Tams to munch on.  A 5 o’clock  snack for us is an apple, which tides us over nicely until dinnertime.

 

We were pretty much alone walking on the promenade deck at 5:30pm, since the majority of guests are eating dinner.  Many others are in the lounges and bars, perhaps enjoying the 50% off of the beverages between 4-5pm and 6:30- 7:30pm.  It happens again at 10-11pm.  We also heard that Rey, the bartender from the last world cruise (an several others) has joined the ship.  He brought his hilarious rubber “chicken” with him too.  We have missed her…….

 

Dinner was much improved this evening with better choices and nicer entrees.  For the first time, they offered lamb shank, the usual red snapper, and prime rib.  All very good.  Every serving was “huge” as Barb would say.  Watermelon turned up on the fruit plate for dessert, and this morning, our waiters found Greek yogurt.  Guess they located the container a few days late.  Better late than never, we say. 

 

Initially, the entertainer tonight was supposed to be a pianist/singer, Elijah Rock, but another multi-instrumentalist, Trevor Knight, took his place.  Elijah will be on the stage February 27^th.  Sometimes that means someone is under the weather, and unable to perform, but that’s just us thinking out loud. 

 

By the way, Oscar, our favorite head waiter is not feeling well.  Seems he caught the nasty cold bug that is passing through the ship.  Some guests have even lost their voices.  And tomorrow’s Daily Program had a warning printed on the front page:  Please cough or sneeze in a tissue or your sleeve.  That speaks volumes to us. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[CurlerRob]

3 hours ago, WCB said:

We also heard that Rey, the bartender from the last world cruise (an several others) has joined the ship.  He brought his hilarious rubber “chicken” with him too.  We have missed her…….

 

Rey may enjoy this - from 2019, after the MIA chicken was recovered ... 🍺🥌

 

[WCB]

Report # 57   Saturday  February 25, 2023   Sea Day #3 Of 7 Enroute To Port Louis, Mauritius    Cloudy With Some Sun  75 Degrees  5' Swell  Part #1 Of 1........0 Pictures

 

Day three at sea began as usual…….overcast skies with rain on the horizon no matter where we looked.  The seas had calmed down even more than yesterday, and we have begun to see more and more flying fish.   Bet the waters are warming up as well the further northwest we travel.  Guess we can say we are halfway to Mauritius now.  By the time we went to breakfast, the skies were clearing up and we actually saw some sun.  It would not last long.

 

Our friend Rene, the Spa Manager, was on the hot seat with Ian this morning at his Coffee Chat in the Rolling Stone Lounge. At 9am.  Greg, who is a very close friend of Rene’s, said he would attend this talk in person to give Rene some support if she gets nervous.  Later on in the afternoon, Greg said she did just fine with the inquiry and he invited her to dinner.  We discovered this when we called him because we forgot to tell our tablemates we were going to the Pinnacle Grill this evening.  Now they will have room for one or two more if they choose to.

 

For the first time since we boarded back in January, we took a walk to deck 10, pulled up two end lounges, and sat in the “almost” sun.  There was one other person doing the same thing.   It is very quiet here, with the exception of the basketball and tennis courts up another level.  And it was nice until…….two deck fellows arrived and began hosing the decking around the remaining lounges.  The one other guest got up and left, but we stayed.    We were so far on the end, we thought they might go away.  They never did.  They had a job to do with hosing the residue from the stacks, and that was that.  Tired of getting spray drift over us, we picked up the towels and headed back to our room.  Is that Murphy’s Law or what?

 

We had a request to turn in un-used wooden hangers and laundry baskets so their operation can put them to good use.  In the beginning, we turned 99% of those wooden hangers, and got the felt ones instead.   The last time there was a shortage of laundry baskets, they had to use paper bags.  We shall see if this occurs.  The other note we got tonight was a reminder to turn the clocks back another hour.   We believe there is one more to go to be on Mauritius time.  This is hard doing these time changes so close together.  It leaves one feeling tired most all day.

 

Like we said, dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill tonight.  When we entered the room, we saw the last of the President’s Club dinners in progress.  We recognized most all of the folks there, especially Pauline and Mike.   Their dinner seemed to end earlier than ours had, because the Captain and Chantal had left before it was over.  When the rest of the group left the room, Mike and Pauline came over to our table and joined us for a while.  Since we have not seen them very much so far, it was nice to catch up on news and such.  They seemed to have some info concerning missing food.  It appears we have not received all of the containers on time, and the deliveries had to be forwarded to upcoming ports.  Makes sense.  They told us all about the dinners in the Lido, and said it has not be the usual fare we have all seen on other world cruises.  The menu choices seem to be dialed down, compared to the choices in the main dining room.  We called it a night by 9:30pm, and said we could pick up the conversation at tomorrow’s special President’s Club event in the Cabana Area at 6:30pm. 

 

So our meals were delicious with wedge salads and lamb chops, cooked to our liking….medium.  We had asked for just the chops on the plate, no mushy beans swiped on the bottom.  We added a small baked potato and a shared bowl of mushrooms.  Desserts were not the same as one of us had the crème Brule, and the other orange sorbet.  The service was excellent.

 

The entertainment tonight was a performance by the singers and dancers doing “Classique Reprised”.  Lucky for them, the seas have subsided enough for them to do their act safely.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Not sure if you know or eat at higher end restaurants but the movie is a spoof food wise and presentation wise of a San Francisco restaurant and also The French Laundry and Le Bernardin. We have dined at them and the artful presentations along with the costs provide for an interesting dining experience. Jean Georges as well. Fortunately in Hawaii it is much more laid back even though there are higher end establishments.  In Manhattan it has always been interesting to say the least as I remember countless restaurants since the 1960s growing up.  Of course, we survived dinner lol. 

[WCB]

Report # 58 Sunday  February 26, 2023  Day #4 Of 7 Enroute To  Port Louis, Mauritius  Cloudy With Some Sun 75 Degrees  Slight Seas Three Foot Swell   Part #1 Of 1 ...........0 Pictures

 

So far, so good….were the words of Captain Friso during his afternoon talk today.  He was referring to the weather and sea conditions, which is all good news.  Now that we are into the fourth day at sea, the temperatures are getting warmer, although the sun has been having problems appearing.  Many clouds and passing showers have filled the skies.

 

Sunday Brunch happened again at 11am.  Everyone said it was a full house, but it is a different twist on starting the day.  We stuck to our 8am breakfast upstairs.  Another guest had come into the room during the service time, and upon being turned away nicely, she said – oh I see this is for the fancy people.   Now we have a new name….fancy people.  Our waiters liked that.

 

We kept busy as usual,  catching up on news of the day and reading books, etc.  We even had a chance to try out those lounges again on deck 10.  This time we were not bothered by workers hosing.  The aft pool area was still sparsely used, and no one was in the pool.  The two jacuzzis seem to get the biggest workout. 

 

This afternoon, we got a package of visa papers and an important immigration advisory.  Tomorrow we will be required to turn in the signed Mauritius Immigration card, the Mozambique shore leave and visa questionnaire, and the Covid 19 vaccine and booster questionnaire.  It appears there is no charge for Mauritius, but there are options for Mozambique.  The visa costs $85 USD per person, but if you choose to remain onboard, you will not be charged.  In addition, we were given two copies of our passport pages, which we will have to show the local authorities upon leaving the ship in many African ports.   

 

Lastly, our passports will be handed back to all of us before we reach Durban South Africa.  The original yellow fever vaccination cards have to be included or a medical exemption letter.  All guests will be requested to present themselves for a face-to-face inspection upon arrival in Durban.   Hopefully those of us who are on overland tours will be able to go first, so we can get to the airport for our flights.

 

On our last day in Cape Town, we will have to do a departure face-to-face with immigrations.   More info on that will be sent at the proper time.  It can be complicated, but in the past all has gone well as long as the ship arrives super early to Durban. 

 

This evening ,we were invited to a special gathering for a private Cabana Bash at 6:30pm in the Retreat area of the ship.  We found that the invitation was described in a way that left us all with questions as to who was invited.  The President's Club group and other travel friends were included.  It was obvious to us that the Neptune guests had been included at this party, because when we arrived to deck 11, there must have been well over 150 people there.  Many guests we knew from our group, but there were even more we did not recognize.   Compared to the group we had at this event last fall where there were a dozen PC guests, this was way different.  A bar had been set up with about every choice of alcohol, wine, or beer you wanted.  Many hot canapies were being passed around by “dancing” waiters.  There was a DJ doing the music, which for this group, was a bit loud.  We have to say, many of the elderly guests were dancing in place, because they could not talk over the music, we suspect.  Guest Relations Manager, Maja, was having the most fun as always.   Several officers we have never seen, appeared at this gathering, mixing with the group. 

 

The party was supposed to be over by 7:30pm, but if the bar closed down, we never noticed.  Our dinnermates had already left, and we followed behind them by 10 minutes.  The staff was most grateful that it did not rain, which it did briefly at 5:30pm.  In case it did rain, they had an alternate plan of going to the Lido Deck midship.  The last time we had the small gathering up here, it not only rained, but it flooded with a deluge.   We all got lucky tonight.

 

Dinner had some hard choices.  Salads were easy, but entrees were different.  One of us had swordfish, which was a bit on the tough side.  We think this is due to possibly microwaving the meal to keep it hot.  The other entrée was thin slices of tri-tip beef with a baked potato.  For some unknown reason, our waiter lost Barb’s order, and she could not remember what she had ordered.  Even though she told Nik not to bring anything, he did bring a chicken dinner, which she did eat.  Next time, he better not throw the order away too soon.  The same could happen with any of us.

 

The clocks went back another hour tonight.  We do hope this will be OK for several days now. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 59     Monday  February 27, 2023     Day #5 Of 7 Enroute To Port Louis, Mauritius    Sunny With Clouds And Warmer 75 Degrees   Sea State Calm Low Swell   Part #1 Of 1.........16 Pictures 

 

We are beginning to hear some grumblings at breakfast time with our “fancy” group.  Seems the natives are getting anxious to reach land, and the general question is:  Are we there yet???  Day five at sea began a bit differently because we had blue skies and sun.  Now it really feels like we are in the Indian Ocean, with balmy winds and warmer temps.  It appears that the showers are staying away for a while.  Flying fish sightings were numerous.

 

Today’s job was filling out paperwork for the upcoming ports in Mauritius and Reunion.  We always like the fact that the front desk had already filled out the immigration papers for Mauritius.  All we had to do was verify the info and sign them.  No visas required in both of these ports.  There was a visa required for Mozambique, which was $85 per person.  But this time, we had the choice of staying onboard the ship while docked there, or pay the money and go off.    We have never done this in any port, but we have seen Maputo so many times, we feel we will not miss anything this time.  Many of our buddies did the same thing. 

Another form to fill out concerned our Covid 19 vaccinations.  They wanted the type of vaccine and the dates of the initial shot and following boosters.  These papers were then turned into the front desk people on each passenger deck during 9 to10 am.  No line, and no waiting.

 

We are still not 100% sure we will be going to Tolanaro,  Madagascar.  There are some obstacles in the way, and things we do not know that are ongoing behind the scenes.  The weather may be a factor as well.  Time will tell…….

 

The port of Durban is of particular interest to us, since we will be leaving the ship for a six day safari to Kruger National Park.  We were requested to bring a copy of our complete itinerary and our letter of deviation from HAL to the front desk at least 4 days prior to leaving the ship.   Why wait?…..today was a good time to do this.  They made copies of each, then confirmed the fact that the ship should be docked at 7am.  As long as they take all of the overland groups off ahead of everyone else, we should have no problem getting to the Durban airport on time.  There was a message that all of us will be getting our passports back the day before we arrive in Durban.  Then there will be  face-to-face inspection with the local authorities…..overlands first we suspect.  This is almost two weeks away, so it will give us time to pack wisely and lightly.

 

Ian gave the port talk on both Port Louis, Mauritius and La Possession, Reunion.  Most everyone must have attended the lecture because the deck was empty of walkers.  We like it better that way without people running around us and at us.  The mirrors that Henk had installed in the forward and aft sections of the promenade deck, have worked well.  No head-on accidents…..

 

Then we went up to deck 10 and found two lounges to relax in the sun.  Real sun today, and very warm.  And nobody hosing.  Depending on the direction the wind is blowing, these upper decks get a dusting of ash from the stacks.  We have learned the hard way that this black soot can stain clothing, so it is necessary to use towels on the chairs.  Today there was one towel left.  Within the hour, an attendant did arrive with clean ones.  Staying only an hour, we decided any longer….we may be sunburned.  Not worth it.

 

There was yet another Block Party, where you can meet up with your neighbors and meet the officers and crew for complimentary wine and cheers.  This happened at 4pm, however, we did not participate because the folks on each side of us are sick.  Hard not to miss the coughing and sneezing.  It seems that a virus is traveling rapidly among the guests and crew.  Not Covid, but a serious cold.  Honestly, it is almost unavoidable no matter how many times you wash your hands, sanitize, or wear masks.  It will run its course.

 

Our potted narcissus are growing rapidly now, sending out some flower stalks.  The marigolds are small, but will probably never do much.  Still, it is fun to watch.  Also fun to watch was another sunset, although they have not met the “spectacular” description, they have been a touch of color on the horizon most nights. 

 

We had a surprise guest at dinner this evening.  Don McD, a long time friend of all of us, joined our table.  He usually has a table for one at the railing, but will occasionally join other guests.  For some reason, the noise level in the upper dining room was especially high.  One table had some guests that were having a jolly fine time, due to Have-It -All we suspect.  Once again, they had it all and more……  The appetizers were good with Grandma’s chicken noodle soup, shrimp (always a shrimp starter, sometime two) and salads.  A cold soup as well as two hot soups were on the menu too.  Mains were questionable.  We all asked what lobzter a la vodka was, and found it was the vegetarian entrée.  One of us had the trout (no bones), and the other a pasta with pork ragout.  Never having tried this before, I found it tasty and the pork was sauteed sausage.   Despite the extra noise, we all had a fine time.

 

No time change tonight…..thank goodness.  That does tend to catch up with you after three days of changes.  This is something strange.  A few evenings ago, we got “foot towels” alongside the bed for the first time this trip.  Asking our room stewards provided no clues as to why these showed up.  We did not see them tonight, and figured they were something else for the folks to trip over.  The following morning, two pairs of cloth slippers were left for us.  Why now?  Maybe they were just found in the storage area?  We’ll have to ask……

 

We asked Greg and Heo about last night’s entertainer, which was a comedian yo-yo man.  He did not give the performance a high mark.  But the fellows did go to the show tonight to listen to Elijah Rock, a singer, hoping he will be better.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report # 60     Tuesday  February 28, 2023    Day #6 Of 7 Enroute To Port Louius, Mauritius   Windy With Sun 75 Degrees     Sea State Deep Swell In The Afternoon   Part #1 Of 2........0 Pictures

 

It’s hard to believe that today is the last one in February.  Seems as if we just left for Florida, but it has been about 2 months already.  The days are literally flying by, even these sea days have gone fast. 

 

The morning began with mostly blue skies and warm temps.  During the course of the day, the seas became rougher with deep swells and high winds, making our walk on the promenade a bit difficult.  Only the sure-footed were out and about.  The teak decks were wet on one side, where the spray from the waves blew over. 

 

However, going up to deck 10, we found the lounges on the starboard side were protected enough to relax for a bit.  As we are heading northwest, the rays of the sun have been more intense.  Could be we got a little more sun than we had planned, but not quite a sunburn.  We do use a sunscreen just in case.

 

We spent some time making a travel list for the upcoming safari, and going over every detail in our documents.  If anything needs to be questioned, now is the time to do it. 

 

Lunch was room service again.  We are enjoying going lighter with soup and a shared sandwich.  The cookies have gotten better, so we did have a few of those.  The service has continued being near-perfect and with a smile. 

 

Around 7pm,the Staff Captain came on the speakers asking for certified blood donors for a seriously ill patient.  He mentioned the blood types that would be suitable.  Barb heard that announcement, and knowing her blood type was one of the ones requested, she went to the front desk and offered to donate.  Their first question was “Are you under 70 years old?”  Not exactly she said, as they turned her away.  That’s the first time we have ever heard that said.  Greg happened to be near the front desk, when at least 10 people came forward to donate.   It must have worked, because we did not hear any more requests after that.  It may be our imagination, but we all agreed it seems that the speed of the ship has picked up.  Perhaps we will be arriving to Mauritius sooner than we expected?

 

Today there was a different twist for an activity to keep the folks amused.   It was called Hollywood Theme Night, where you were invited to look glamorous for that red carpet look.  Beginning at 7pm on deck 2, the wanna-be stars were invited to roam the walk of music area with hopes of being “discovered” and awarded a prize for best dressed actor and actress on the ship.  So because of the timing, it appeared that the contenders ate dinner earlier, leaving the upper dining room ½ full.  Not that we’re complaining, it was quiet.  Not like the noise we had last night.  Even the menu was written with movies in mind, as each course was tied to a different film…..current and also past ones.  The meatball and spaghetti entrée was tied to Lady and the Tramp, while the snapper dish was linked to Finding Nemo.  Cute names for mostly the same dishes.  Most of us ordered the pot stickers, which were really good.  One of us said they were so tasty, we could eat 10 more of them.  Well…..guess what?  A plateful of them appeared within minutes.  We had no problem polishing them off between the six of us.  Our waiters had the time to do this, and it proves they do listen to everything we say.  

 

Besides the movie, Tar, being shown in the World Stage at 9:30pm,  there was a chance at star gazing at 10pm in the Crow’s Nest.  Weather permitting of course. 

 

And finally, we had another time change on the clock….one hour back.  Gosh, this has been too much too quick, we all say.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 61   Wednesday  March 1, 2023    Sea Day #7 Of 7 Enroute To Port Louis, Mauritius   Sunny And Warmer 80 Degrees   Sea State 6' Swell   Part #1 Of 1..........13 Pictures

 

We were informed that the Navigator App underwent some routine maintenance last night.  However, it was not operating until late morning.  While buying some Euro at the front desk, there was a line of folks having problems with their cell phones and other devices.  All they could say was that the internet would be working very soon…they hoped.  Once it was working, everyone had to log in again to resume service.  This has happened more than twice that we recall.  Guess it’s better than not working at all, like on the Tales of the South Pacific last fall when the whole system went down permanently. 

 

During the Q&A session on the upcoming ports with Ian and Nyron, questions came up regarding the visit to Madagascar.   The latest info is that a tender landing is being constructed for us.  True or not, will it really be ready in just a few days?  Captain Friso added later that if we do have to tender, the ship will have to anchor quite a ways away from Tolanaro, and the tender boat ride might take up to 45 minutes.  This does not sound promising to us.  And would that limit the transferring of the guests in wheelchairs? 

 

The movie, Tar, was shown in the Rolling Stone Lounge at 2:30pm.  Greg and Heo went to see it and did like it, despite the 2 hour and 38 minute run.  

 

Today is our seventh and final full day at sea  as we will be in Mauritius tomorrow.  Be nice to walk on firm ground.  It does appear there will be shuttles to take us to the Caudan Waterfront, which we recall was really a civilized area of Port Louis.   The seas had calmed down during the evening, and the sun was shining brightly at breakfast time.  Best way to start the day, we all have agreed.  We still have mixed fresh berries, Greek yogurt, and plenty of fresh-squeezed orange juice.  The question is, how long will it last before the good stuff runs out?   So far, we do not think there has been a replacement for Stephen, the culinary operations manager.  There may have to be promotions from the ranks onboard. Our favorite assistant maitre’d, Oscar, is still out sick.  Hope he gets better soon.  His buddies say it is not Covid, a good thing.

 

Our day went as usual, with several walks and a session of sun on deck 10.   We left just as the noon time horn was blown, which would have blown us away on that deck.  Lunch was at 2:30pm with soup, salad, and a shared pulled BBQ pork torpedo sandwich.  Sliced apples with cinnamon sugar tide us over until 7:30pm.  Tomorrow, we hope to find the best pizza in Port Loius.

 

Dinnertime had the Culinary Council menu for a change.  Each item was a recommended dish by the members of the group.  Favorites were the crab cake appetizer, a panko-crusted shrimp salad, and hot or cold soups.  Entrees for us were one halibut dinner and the vegetarian noodles with tempura vegetables.  A soy-based broth was added to the noodles, which came with a requested chicken breast.  Nice to be as creative as we can be, and our waiter comes through every time.  Desserts were tortes, ice cream, fruit crumbles, and a chocolate filled donut-like dessert.  Something we have not seen before.  One of us still orders the fresh fruit plate most evenings.  There has not been any pineapple slices, but they make up for it with generous servings of sliced watermelon.  Sweet.

 

Showtime was a singer, Trevor Knight, performing John Denver tunes.

 

So the question is:  Are we there yet?   Yep, pretty darn close now.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #62     Thursday  March 2, 20232   Port Louis, Mauritius    Docked Starboard Side    Hot With A Warm Breeze 90 Degrees   Part #1 Of 4.......72 Pictures

 

We finally have a port of call today and it is the volcanic island of Mauritius.  It is a country of 1.35 million people, with a mix of cultures.  There are British, French, African, Asian, Hindu and European people, as well as Creole, along with a mix of languages.  English and French are the primaries.  Sapphire blue waters surround this tropical island with powder sand beaches and luxury resorts.  Water sports rule here such as diving and snorkeling in the coral reefs.  The nearby mountains offer hiking and golf courses.

 

The cuisine includes a special beef from cattle that are raised here.  Creole sausages, prawns, and octopus are on many restaurant menus, along with Indian lentils and Chinese dumplings.  As for us, we would have no problem finding the best pizza in town. 

 

One thing we will not see are dodo birds, with the exception of being printed on most every souvenir item sold in town.  The story has it that these plump flightless birds, related to the pigeons, were easy prey for hungry sailors that stopped here.  Having no known predators, these birds had no fear of the men, who eventually made them extinct.  Curious creatures, the sailors named them “dodo” birds, which means stupid.  The last one sighted was in 1660.

 

Another interesting fact is a large portion of the country’s electricity is produced from sugar cane with the condensing extraction from the steam turbines running the sugar mills.  

 

One thing we recall about being in Mauritius has to be the steamy heat, which rang true today.  By 9am, it was already 84 degrees and humid as ever.  The Zuiderdam sailed into the harbor at Port Louis, the capital of the country after 7am.  There was a new cruise terminal, Christian Decotter Terminal), across the harbor, but we did not dock there.  We were in the commercial port area, where we usually are docked.   Shortly after we were alongside (starboard), a tanker pulled into the newer terminal, but there was no apparent activity at all. 

 

We noticed several old vessels with Chinese writing on them lined up side-by-side in the harbor.  There were several groups of these ships, which we learned later on that they were fishing boats from Taiwan.  They had created their own “city” in the harbor, and we are sure there is more of a story behind it.

 

Tour buses were lined up to take the guests to historic Pamplemousses and the botanic garden for $170 or the tea route tour for $170.  A combo Port Louis and    Pamplemousses was $100, while the colors of Mauritius was $100.  Shorter excursions were multicultural for $80 and Curepipe shopping for $60.  We have taken a few of these tours, and remembered seeing the orchards of grapefruit (pamplemousses) and the extra large lily pads in the park grounds.  

 

We went off of the ship by 10am and had a 15 minute wait for a free shuttle bus.  They only held about 20 people, however, there were four of these shuttles.  We could have walked out of this terminal like Howard and Gyl did, but besides being so hot, the way there did not have real sidewalks and the area was void of people.  And it has been so long since we were here last, we could not remember the route the bus took.  We did get a very nice map of the island and the city, but the streets of the port area were not on it.  Best to stick to the bus. 

 

Miles-wise, the ride was only about 2 kilometers, but due to traffic jams, it took up to 20 minutes to arrive at the Caudan Waterfront complex.  We were dropped off near the Museum, where we walked around the complex, remembering the area from our last visit, which may have been almost 10 years ago.  Several nice high-end shops were here, as well as a bunch of cafes and restaurants.  We scoped out L’Artista Italian Cuisine Restaurant upstairs near Pizza Hut.  They would open for lunch at noontime, and we knew we would be back.

 

Walking the Port Louis Waterfront, we located Place D’Armes lined with the tall palm trees.  There are two pedestrian underpasses to downtown, and we found one after passing the plaza.  Trunk Road is a major thoroughfare which you cannot cross.  You go down under.  One of us hates stairs, but had no choice but to go that way.  Handrails helped.  We knew the Market Bazar was nearby.  All we had to do was look for millions of parked cars and motorcycles, and we would find it. 

 

A block away, we entered the produce building where we saw the freshest fruit and veggies ever.  It was also crowded with local shoppers, although, today was only Thursday.  By the weekend, we bet it is crazy crowded.  Getting plenty of pictures, we made our way to the souvenir and clothing markets.  Mostly run by the Indian community, we were just looking.  That can be dangerous, since looking usually ends with purchases.  Today was no exception.  Some vendors were selling the silky tops one of us loves to pack on these trips.  Now dealing with the vendors is a trip in itself.  You know the drill.   One top caught my eye, so we inquired how much?   Oh don’t worry about prices, we will make a deal.  How many do you want?  Saying “one” was not accepted.  Instead of blocking the aisle in the crowded spaces, we can go into the next stall, where the vendor leads you to the back.  There is a fan there, and he offered seats to relax.  Of course, his bottom line is to sell you a lot of stuff.  He brought out three different sequenced tops, then said some outrageous price, like $100USD.  By the way, we had priced these out near the bus drop off, and they were 700 rupee or $15 USD.  We should have known when he asked if we were from the USA and also on the cruise ship.  That’s when his prices went up.  He went down to $95.  We gave him our price of $40 USD, then walked out of his lair.  Within minutes, he was on our heels and said yes, he would accept our offer of about $13 each.   We were all happy with that.

 

Not to miss were the fish, meat, and poultry buildings. It was off-putting to see the fish covered with huge flies, with no attempt to fan them away.   The butchers were busy finishing up the last of the daily catch, and cutting up the huge pieces of beef.  The chickens we saw were giant-size, much like ones we raised years ago.  They were Cornish game chickens, and we let them mature until they were full size.  Best chicken ever, even though they ate a ton of chicken feed to get to that point.

 

Time to head to lunch, we gave up any more notions of shopping for anything.  It was just too exhausting.  So lunch was upstairs at L’Artista where we ordered two Phoenix beers in bottles….ice cold.  An Italian restaurant, we found several types of pizza on the menu, and ordered a BBQ chicken and mushroom pizza.  Plenty large enough to share.  We had asked if it had red sauce, and the waiter said yes.  However, we figured he did not understand our question, because the pizza had no sauce….just cheese, chicken, and mushrooms.  It was very good.  We added two desserts of vanilla ice cream and one zabaglione.  We shared both, deciding the ice cream must have been gelato.

 

Time to go back to the shuttle stop, we had been told there was a break between 12:30 and 1:30pm for their lunch.  There was a line already, so we got in the shade and waited.  One shuttle filled, and the next one was on the way.  But one of the bus girls escorted another group to this shuttle without telling the rest of us to join in.  By the time we figured out what happened, that shuttle was filled.  Complaining that we all had waited for ½ hour for that bus, she stopped a regular tour bus that was headed back to the pier with only half of it full.   The rest of us gladly went in the larger air-conditioned bus for the quick ride back. 

 

We literally chilled out in our room from 2pm onward.  Working on photos and reports kept us well-occupied.  It never really cooled down today, despite some cloud cover which we thought might produce rain.  It never did, but the black clouds hung over the mountain tops all day.

 

All aboard was 6:30pm, and the ship left at 7pm, right after a nice sunset that was blocked by pier buildings.   With the help of the pilot and two tugboats, we were on our way towards tomorrow’s port of Reunion. 

 

We all had stories to tell at dinner.  Everyone had done something different, which is always fun to share.  Dinner choices were better this evening.  There was a repeat of the veal cutlet, which really the veal chop like a tomahawk steak, only smaller.  Totally delicious and sharable.  Fish and chips were much better as well.  The skinny French fries were hotter, but Nik came along with freshly-fried ones that were SO much better, thanks to Oscar, who has returned after being ill for 4 days.  Ate them all.  Dessert for one of us was something chocolate, while one of us had the fruit plate….always refreshing and not too heavy. 

 

A film was shown in the show lounge called The Banshees of Inisherin.  Sounds heavy also……

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Report # 63   Friday  March 3, 2023    La Possession, Reunion    Docked Starboard Side  8am-6pm   Sunny And Hot 92 Degrees  Part #1 Of 5.........72 Pictures

 

It seems there is always a job to do.  This morning we were requested to pick up our passports once again, because Reunion said we had to have them.  Even though our time was supposed to be at 8am, we decided to see if the girls were in the mid elevator area before that.  Yes, they were, and we had a short line at 7:45am to retrieve them.  We really do not like having to pack them with us onshore, but if the locals dictate it, we have to do it.   Then we were off to breakfast with our “fancy” friends.

 

We learned this morning that a couple we know had to leave the cruise yesterday due to a family illness at home.  Sometimes things work out that way, and there are no choices but to cancel the rest of the trip.  It happens more often than we know, because life continues despite being on a long vacation. 

 

Anyway, our port of call for today was La Possession, Reunion.  Actually, on previous trips, we have never seen La Possession, but usually go to St. Denis, the capital.  Reunion is an Overseas Department of France with a population of 782,000 French-speaking folks.  The island itself is sheer and lush.  It is the tip of a massive submerged prehistoric volcano.  Like Mauritius, Reunion is a tropical destination for many Europeans.  Locals are a mix of French, Indian, African, and Chinese.  And in our opinion, this city reminds us of Nice or Cannes, built on the hillsides with views of the ocean below.  Small shops, cafes and bakeries line the streets.

 

There were some tours offered here today which included the wild south for $180, Salazie waterfalls for $170, the west coast and St. Giles for $110, or Piton Maido for $100.  We have been to Salazie years ago, but never saw the falls during the wet season.  The views from up high were spectacular though.

 

Today there were two free shuttles to take us to St. Denis, the capital city of Reunion. This is a weird set-up they have here.  You board one bus to take you 100 yards to the terminal area with a few souvenir tents.  Then you leave that bus, and join another one for the ride to town.  While we were eating our breakfast, Ian announced that we could take just one bus, the white one, straight to downtown.  Of course, that was what we did for the 20 minute ride to town.  Coming back was handled differently.

 

Leaving the ship by 10:30am was about the time our veranda cleaning was happening.  This seems to be happening on a weekly basis, which is good.  The fellows enter from the partitions, hose and clean, then lock the partitions as they are done. 

 

We had recalled we needed to sit on the left side of the bus to get the best views of the cliffs and the Indian Ocean on the other side.  A project has been happening here to stabilize the sheer cliffs of the mountain side, and build the highway on piers further out in the ocean.  Much progress has been made in the last five years, but the work is still ongoing. 

 

The drop-off point was at the bottom of the hill, where we found the main street to downtown called Avenue de la Victoire, then turns into Rue de Paris.  A few blocks up the historic area is the Cathedral of St. Denis.  It was undergoing some face-lifting, but we still made our way inside.  A fountain was outside surrounded by gardens with nice benches placed under very mature shade trees.  Passing many old homes, we found the tourist info building, and were handed a convenient map of the city.  One of the info gals pointed out the main sites for us to see, as well as recommendations for lunch.  We did hit just about every icon she had circled.

 

Forgot to mention that it was blistering hot today with high humidity.  Not quite as bad as Port Louis in Mauritius yesterday, but pretty close.  The further up the street we got, there was a breeze, which really helped.  We passed by many old colonial homes, a church, and some private schools on our way to Jardin de L’Etat.  It is a wonderful spot for the locals to eat lunch or walk around the fountains and ponds under the massive trees.  There is a museum of history there, as well as restrooms and an aviary full of  large parakeets from Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh.  Beautiful birds, but noisy. 

 

While chatting with some familiar passengers from the ship, we saw some tropic birds fly overhead.  They are so white and graceful, and identifiable with their two twisted tail feathers streaming behind them as they fly.   We hoped to see more of them, but time was ticking by, and we needed to head back.  We did see a very large snail outside the park, but it was nowhere as pretty as the tropic birds. 

 

Going back downhill, we turned left on a side street to find the Grand Marche, which we thought was a produce market.  However, we had forgotten it was an arts and crafts building.  From the looks of the items, we think they are imported here from Madagascar.  The items included straw baskets, purses, wooden trays, unique tablecloths, and lots of kitchen articles.  Brilliant colors were everywhere, although we did not buy anything, we did get some nice photos.

 

Then we strolled back to the pedestrian street which was full of cafes, shops, boutiques, and a very imposing mosque.  We had heard the call to prayers, and noticed many men and a few women on their way to join in.  Friday is their holy day.  We had asked the info girl if there was a pizza restaurant.  Looking a bit puzzled, she did circle one behind the mosque.  Finding it, we realized it was a take-away place, not a real restaurant.  So we continued walking downhill all the way to the water and beach area. 

 

We knew there was a good, but not fancy, restaurant along the waterfront, and we found it.  The name was L’Arbradelis, and happened to be one that the info girl recommended.  Actually, five years ago we dined there and remembered the food and beers were good.  We were seated in the covered patio area, which is surrounded by iron fencing and vines.  Thankfully there was a breeze blowing.  We ordered beers called Leffe Blond, which was on draft.  Not small ones either…..the 50cl or pints.  Needless to say, they were life-saving and good.  Then we ordered a black angus burger.  It came with a salad and topped with tomatoes and sauteed onions.  Fries were served on the side.  Perfect for sharing. Then for dessert, we ordered on profiterole plate, which was so good.   Relaxing for over an hour was even nicer.  We were able to pick up free wifi to update the Kindle.  It was slow, but it did download some updates to keep the games and puzzles going for a while.   We could have paid our bill with Euro, but chose to use the credit card instead.  You get the best rate that way also.

 

Time to leave as it was close to 3pm already.  The bus stop was very close by, and we boarded the coach which left within 10 minutes.  Back at the pier, we had to get off of the bus, and go through screening at the little terminal.  No one asked to see the passports, but they did check our room key cards.  Only one couple were pulled aside to get wanded….we do not know why.  Then we had to wait for the bus to come through the gate to reboard it for the 15 second ride to the ship.  Some of us thought we could walk down the street to the ship, but were stopped by a guard.  Oh well, we tried.

 

We were happy to get back to our air-conditioned room by 3:30pm and drink some ice cold sodas.  Working online, we relaxed until it was time for dinner.  Around 6pm, before the ship left the harbor, Captain Friso came on the speakers to announce the cancellation of Madagascar.  We were not surprised, as this has happened many times in past years.  Besides the problem with possible tendering, the weather has taken a turn for the worse.  He will have to skirt a brewing cyclone in order to arrive to Maputo, Mozambique in a few days from now.  He warned us to expect up to 18 foot sea swells, which may begin during the course of the night.  We feel bad for the folks that have never been to Madagascar, or the guests that had independent tours there.   Another good reason to be covered by travel insurance.  

 

Most all of us had stories to share about our day in Reunion.  We all agreed it had been hot, but still a nice stop.  Starters included salads and fried calamari.  Entrees for us were a salmon plate, and another fish dish.  Both good…..no bones.  Desserts were tempting, but we stayed with fruit and jello, mostly because we had indulged at lunch.

 

So now we will have some interesting days at sea, as we try to avoid the worst of a cyclone.  Captain Friso is making a wide sweep to keep us from such rough seas.  Hope it works.

 

Entertainment this evening was the singer, Elijah Rock.  We heard he has real talent with the tunes from the old time singers.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS   The clocks went back one more hour tonight.  

 

[alibabacruisers]

Thank you so much for your informative posts!

 

I do have a question regarding your kindle. " It was slow, but it did download some updates to keep the games and puzzles going for a while."  Can I ask what kind of kindle you have and how do you play games/puzzles?  My kindle is an older one and I have never even knew I could do anything else.

 

Another question I have is..I am amazed at how you are able to "share" your meals, like fries and burgers, etc., and eat less and smarter.  Fruit plate for dinner dessert, share fries, etc.  How did you get to the point of being able to do that?  My DH and I struggle with eating too much on cruises and would love to know how you do it?  

 

Thank you!

[WCB]

Report # 64    Saturday  March 4, 2023      Sea Day Enroute To Maputo, Mozambique    Rain And Clouds Warm And Muggy  85 Degrees   Deep Rolling Swell 8-12 Feet   Part #1 Of 1.........0 Pictures

 

With setting the clocks back another hour last night, it seems like we are waking up way too early in the morning.  We are now 13 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.  What did not help, was the unreal noise created by something in the walls and ceilings of the ship during the entire night.  Apparently something had broken in the interior elevators that the crew uses.  It sounded like giant pendulums swinging with 1000 pound bowling balls.  With the 8 to 12 foot swells hitting the ship all evening, the noise never subsided.  Talking to Greg, he said everyone on their side of the ship (opposite our side) went to the Captain and Henk today to see what in the world caused that, and more important….will it be fixed?  The explanation was given about the elevator shafts, but no answer to when it would be repaired.  The noise continued through most of the day. 

 

Looking out the dining room window this morning, all we saw were heavily overcast skies, and eventually rain.  The storm system in this part of the Indian Ocean is massive, so we will be getting some of the fringe rain showers and deep swells.  We have sailed in worse conditions, but we do hope it doesn’t get any worse.  During our wet and rainy walk this morning, we did see some folks stretched out on the teak lounges looking a bit green around the gills.  We are so lucky not to be bothered with seasickness. 

 

We had another job to do after breakfast.  Once again, we had to return our passports for storage between 9 and 10am on each passenger deck.  They are really paying attention to our yellow fever certificates or letters of exemption for those who cannot receive that vaccination.  Each time we surrender these documents, we get a passport receipt which we keep to redeem them again.  

 

The rest of the day was a lazy one, except for tedious photo downloading.  One of us finished another book, and enjoyed continued games on the Kindle.  It was partially updated while in Reunion, but still too slow to complete the job.  When free wifi is offered, everyone and their brother uses it.  That goes for the guests on the ship, as well as the crew members.  Many of our crew were able to get shore leave.   There are two things they go for, and that is snacks and free wifi.  Pretty much the same thing we do as well.

 

Ian gave his port talk on Maputo and Durban, while a new speaker, Daniel Silke spoke about the origins of isolation in South Africa.  The movie, I Dreamed of Africa, was shown in the World Stage at 1pm.  All good activities for a rainy day.  Actually, by noontime, the rain let up, and the winds dried the decks.  It was still warm and humid, so if we got a little wet, it didn’t matter.   There were even a few commercial ships passing by today, as well as a couple of flying fish.  No birds.

 

We had been invited to our travel group cocktail party in the Rolling Stone Lounge at 6:30pm.   One of us still has a recurring cough due to a recent cold.  We chose not to attend and subject those around us with that cough.  In our opinion, that lounge is not conductive to mixing within the crowd.  No place to stand, we are seated in booths, which are cut off from each other.    The Gallery Bar would have been nicer, but another group may have booked that one.  For all we know, our group is too large.

 

It was a Pinnacle dinner for us at 7:30pm.  We both ordered the wedge salad, which appears to be coming smaller in size.  We could be running low on salad fixings too.   It was still plenty and we enjoyed every bite with their buttermilk dressing.  One of us had the small filet mignon with a baked potato and sauteed mushrooms.  The other entrée was a plate of lamb chops with a baked potato.  Everything was cooked perfectly.  Crème brulee ended our meal nicely.  The restaurant was not crowded this evening, and we did like the unrushed meal service with very nice waiters. 

 

We have three more sea days now until we reach Maputo.  Should be interesting if we escape the worst of Cyclone Freddy.

 

Bill & Mary Ann