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

[WCB]

Report #46    Tuesday February 14, 2023    Valentines Day , Sea Day Enroute To Adelaide, South Australia, Australi   Cloudy And Cool 62 Degrees A Large Rolling Swell     Part #1 Of 1..........6 Pictures

 

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO ALL!

 

We woke up to overcast skies, rolling seas, and wind as we sailed around the south end of Tasmania.  This seems to be the norm in this part of Australia.  The weather slowly improved as the day advanced.

 

Our breakfast waiters Andri and Danu greeted us with “Happy Valentine’s Day”  as we walked into the restaurant.  This holiday has arrived so quickly, it is hard to believe that we have been on the ship since January 3^rd.  When we went back to our room, we were given a single red rose bud and a box of Jacques Torres Chocolates or bon-bons made with real champagne.  It was a nice gift, but we seem to recall we always got two of them.  One for each of us.  We sort of expected this would follow suit since we only got one holiday gift for President’s Club before we left home…..not two.  We will enjoy the bon-bons and follow the instructions on the card that came with them….Life is short. Eat dessert first.  We also had a cute Valentine’s Day card from our Signature hosts Luisa and Gene.  

 

We had a brisk walk on the promenade deck at noontime.  It was still cloudy and windy but did make us walk faster.  Very few people were outside, not even on the lounges.  Looking for any sign of birds seemed futile.  We may have spotted one or two shearwaters, but they are difficult to follow.  It has been a disappointment not seeing many gannets or albatross on this trip. 

 

The rest of the day we worked on the computer until the sun finally appeared on our side of the ship.  We are now heading northwest, and did get some warm rays of the sun by 5pm.  Lining up the lounge chairs on the veranda, we relaxed outside until it was time for another walk.  This time our hike included getting wet from the deck fellows hosing the lifeboats and rafts. 

They did stop long enough for the few of us that were outside, even for the man who was dressed in his suit for dinner. 

 

Since it was a special day, the dress code was actually formal for dinner.  All of us showed up dressed with something red or pink for the occasion.  Barb was really disappointed that we did not get an officer as a guest for our table, although we really don’t care one way or another.  When Presty, our dining room maitre’d came by, Barb asked for wine for our table, since we were not hosted.  Without questioning anything, he said yes, and white and red wines appeared within minutes, served by Oscar.  Three of us could have had sodas we guess, but all of us passed with a “thanks” anyway.   Leave it to Barb….she is not shy.

 

We all ordered starters of either crab rolls or tomato soup and salad.  Greg and Heo both added the lobster dip, but when it arrived, there were no chips.  Our waiter was nowhere to be seen, so the guys ate the dip with their forks because it was served hot.  About 10 minutes later, a bowl of tortilla chips arrived without an apology.  Oh well, they snacked on the chips until their entrees came.   Filet mignon and lobster was one of the mains.  If you ordered more than one, there was a $7.50 charge added to your account.  Never thought we would see that day come when extra charges were applied to a dining room meal.  Many other middle of the pack cruise lines started this years ago, so it was only a matter of time when things would change here.  The kingfish plate was excellent as was the fusilli pasta with sliced chicken breast.  Desserts were two types of chocolate cakes, everyday fruit crisp, and pear strudel.  Oh yeah, and the fruit plate….always available. 

 

A romantic evening of music and joy was promised in the Crow’s Nest and Love Lounge? deck 2.  It would also have a chocolate surprise, as if we needed more sweets.

 

The clocks went back ½ hour tonight to put us on the correct time for Adelaide tomorrow.  It is one of those few places in the world that has that ½ hour difference.  This will be our second time doing that with the first one in the Marquesas.  Gosh that seems like forever ago…..

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

 

[Bookited]

We enjoy following your blog, as well as those of the others onboard the world cruise. Just a bit curious as to what perks President Club members get above and beyond 5 star perks.  

[TiogaCruiser]

On 2/11/2023 at 11:57 AM, alibabacruisers said:

I do not see any pictures on your blog either, no matter what I have tried.  Just a little thumbprint photo of the map with a tiny picture of the town/city.

 

Thanks for your blog, though, I truly love hearing things from your prospective!

 

 

Did you by chance click on the text at the bottom that says pictures?

[alibabacruisers]

Thank you!  I had not tried that.  I can now go back and see the pictures!

Edited February 15, 2023 by alibabacruisers

[WCB]

Report #47      Wednesday  February 15, 2023     Adelaide, Australia Arrival At 2pm   Overnight-Docked   Sunny And Hot 95 Degrees   Part #1 Of 2.........59 Pictures

 

Our day began as a sea day but became a port day when we arrived to Adelaide, Australia at 2pm.  It was hard to believe how much the temperature had gone up the closer we got to land.  The Captain had said to expect high temperatures, but we did not believe that might be over 90 degrees.  One good thing was that the humidity was low, much like what we have at home in California, so the 90’s did not scare us.

 

When we were about an hour away from the pier, we began seeing more and more birds, as well as some very lazy dolphins.  They were quite far away, so filming was impossible.  This entire area is known for its dolphin and whale sightings.  Close to the harbor is a bird sanctuary for mostly migratory birds, so we would be in for a treat when we finally docked.  On sand bars, we did spot flocks of Australian pelicans, small gulls, oystercatchers, guillemots, and the always present ibis.

 

Entering the basin, the ship was turned around and we pulled alongside the dock and the Adelaide Cruise Terminal.  This gave the port side passengers a great view of the city and the Outer Harbor Railway Station right across the road.  This connects the port area with downtown Adelaide, a 40- minute ride, with tickets sold from vending machines in the station.  For those who booked tours, there was only one sold today…. Adelaide Highlights for $70.  Among the excursions offered tomorrow are a wildlife tour for $250, best of Adelaide for $170, wine tasting in the Barossa Valley for $200 and a drive to Hahndorf for $90 or Cleland Wildlife Park for $100.  We have done several of these tours, and recommend most all of them, especially Hahndorf, the German settlement that reminded us of Carmel, California.

 

Because we had a bird’s eye view of the gangway from our veranda, we stayed onboard and watched the tour groups go off.  Also, much of the crowd was headed to the train for the ride to town.  The ship is overnighting here so there was no need to be back early.  All aboard will be 10:30pm tomorrow.  There was also a local group of greeters, which included a kangaroo mascot.  That costume must have been stifling today.  A local band played Aussie music which included Waltzing Matilda of course.  They entertained the disembarking guests until 3:30pm, and all of us that watched from our verandas.  

 

Going off at 4pm, we found a ton of information in the form of maps, brochures, and even local docents who gave excellent directions.  We cannot say enough about the hospitality of the Australian people….everywhere we have gone so far.  One of the agents even pointed out a brochure we might like that was all about Kangaroo Island.  Seems they knew we were headed there in a few days. 

 

This afternoon we decided to take a slow hike to the sand dunes along the coastline directly across from the dock.  There are park grounds with benches and signage all about dolphins in the area.  Huge jagged-cut rocks line the water’s edge and benches are set to watch the basin directly in front of us.  One bad thing is that there is no shade.  The metal benches would not be usable this afternoon.  This area is the beginning of a stretch of beaches for 8 ½ km.  We only got to the first beach where some locals were swimming.  This area is known as Gulf St. Vincent. It was so warm we decided to turn back, since we will explore further tomorrow.  Doubt we will take the train into town because we have explored there extensively on past world cruises.  We shall stay local and probably end up at North Haven, a quaint marina with some shops and restaurants.

 

Greg and Heo had gone to town, and must have decided to stay there for dinner.  So there were only five of us, with many surrounding tables empty.  We love it that way, because it is not noisy to the point where we cannot hear each other talking.  We all have come to the conclusion that the food so far on this trip has not been living up to our expectations.  Perhaps it is due to the fact that many entrees are repeated far too often, and the quality of some of these mains are not up to par.  It has been a challenge to mix and match an entrée to make it customized.  Lucky for us, we have a very co-operative waiter.  Then we keep our fingers crossed that not too much salt had been used, or some meals are under-seasoned.  We have never had this problem before, but there may be new cooks onboard.  One thing remains a constant, and that is dessert….something most all of us look forward to. 

 

The entertainment this evening was a documentary film in the World Stage, which our tablemates feel is the same as a black-out night. 

 

Wonder if tomorrow will be as hot as today?  We shall find out soon……

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

Seems to me there has been a number of complaints on this board regarding the zuiderdam  food so it’s not super surprising.  That said, it being a world cruise it should be better.

[goldsmip115]

Bill and Mary Ann,

I have followed your cruises and wonderful postings for many, many years.  I so look forward to your daily postings when you are cruising.  I am an avid cruiser but am not yet retired and cannot imagine a world cruise yet because of our four-legged kids.  We have over 30 cruises under our belt, most on HAL.  We started sailing on Celebrity and never looked back.  Except we are sailing for two weeks starting on Sunday in the Pinnacle Suite on Nieuw Amsterdam.  This is because of a charter sailing.

My question is this.  Each sailing that you take laments all of the changes and diminishment in service, amenities, food, etc.  It seems that each cruise has more and more “disappointments.” While you always highlight the positive, what keeps you sailing on and loyal to HAL?  I understand that you are top level cruisers and that entitles you to amenities but they too seem to be diminished.  I’m curious about your loyalty and why given all of the cuts.  Thanks.

[WCB]

goldsmip115,

 

You have a very legitimate question regarding our loyalty to the HAL product.  Guess we can say we are "vested"  after so many years and so many dollars to arrive to this point.  We doubt we would have the time at this point of our lives to begin again with another line.  Although, we do have Seabourn days.....

The main perks we have accrued are still there.  It is the little things that we miss that seem to go the way of suite folks.  We have to keep reminding ourselves that these guests pay plenty for the extras, and good for them.  Good for HAL.

This is the first "grand" cruise that we have done since Covid hit.  We can only compare the food to what we enjoyed on previous trips in 2021 and 2022.  So far,  many of us seasoned guests have noticed the quality has slipped a bit.  There seems to be a problem with lack of crew, but not the service the existing crew provides.  They are the best ever and are trying their darndest for the most part.

By the way, we do not recall ever seeing so many segments on a grand voyage like this one has turned out to be.  At times, it seems like a 10 day cruise with many repeated dinner entrees.

Please enjoy your trip on the Nieuw Amsterdam.  We liked that ship very much.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

Please don’t ever stop mentioning the good and bad.  I personally want to hear it.  If I want something sugar coated I could get that from hal.  I look forward to your posts every day.

[Cruisergal1208]

Bill and Mart Ann, 

i just heard sad news that Gene Young, Cruise Director on many world cruises with HAL passed away yesterday.   I’ve had many sailings with him and he was like family to us.  I know you have too.  I didn’t see anything posted on the HAK threads and wanted to let you know 

 

I’ve followed many of your journeys 

[WCB]

Report #48      Thursday February 16, 2023   Adelaide, South Australia Day #2  Docked Till 10:30pm  Hot And Partly Cloudy 100 Degrees   Part #1 Of 2.......66 Pictures

 

We did not think it could be hotter outside, but today it was 100 degrees at 11am on our veranda.  What a day to pick a surprise drill for the crew members, because even at 9:15am, the thermometer was already well on the way to the century mark. 

 

After breakfast, we had a message in our mail slot that today’s mandatory muster station drill had been cancelled.  It was to take place between 3 and 5pm, although many of the guests would be on tours or in town.  It was written on the notice that this drill had to be done every 30 days, but we just did this in Sydney.  So why again, we don’t know.  As far as we know, only a handful of guests boarded today, and it stands to reason only those few should have a private muster drill.  The next mandatory drill will be in Fremantle on February 22^nd.   That’s soon enough for us.

 

We learned last night that one of our mutual friends has come down with Covid.  His wife has tested negative although.  He has been isolated in another veranda room, while his wife was allowed to stay in their suite.  Just from listening to people coughing, we believe there are more positive people than they know. Mandatory testing for the guests has stopped for the time being, unless you are feeling unwell and want to be tested.  According to Presty, the crew has passed all tests.  Great news.  Presty added that there will be a total of four guests disembarked for other medical conditions between here and Fremantle.  Much goes on behind the scenes that we don’t always know about.

 

We stayed onboard the ship until 11am, when most all of the tour groups went off.  We had no inclination to go to downtown Adelaide, especially with today’s heat.  Shopping is not on our itinerary unless it is grocery shopping.   And we are stocked up in that department.  So we took a walk under the shade of the mature pines and eucalyptus trees on Lady Gowrie Drive which led us to North Haven.  There is a small but nice community of seaside condos and houses that face the gulf in this part of the suburbs.  On the way, we passed by the golf course cross from the cruise ship terminal.  We had spotted some golfers early in the morning, but now, the groundskeepers were watering the greens and it appeared closed for the day.

 

There are some special birds here called spinifex pigeons.  They are quite unique with a crested spiral of feathers on their heads, resembling our California quail, but bigger.  They stay on the ground in sandy, grassy areas, and are named after the grasses they prefer – spinifex grass.  This is where they will lay eggs.  The birds we saw today were fearless, and posed for some photos as they dug for seeds.  We looked for some rosellas, the pretty little parrots, but saw none.  The eucalyptus are beginning to bloom, and we know that attracts the parrots.  Perhaps the heat of the day kept most birds grounded and in the deep shade.  Smart birds.

 

After passing a few streets that went to the homes, we came across Gulf Point Centre and North Haven, which is located 20 km from downtown Adelaide.  There is a beautiful marina here, with some nice eateries along the waterside.  It has grown since the last time we were here, which may have been 5 years ago.  At that time we went to an Italian restaurant called Abracci, but it was not here despite the fact that the website was showing it was.  We walked the harbor which compared to a small version of Cabo San Lucas.   Only better with no vendors or big bars like Senor Frog’s.  No this is a laid- back casual marina where the locals go for good food and conversation. 

 

The restaurant had changed names and was now Palermo Ristorante. It is still serving Italian cuisine by the same owners, and still had many varieties of pizza.  Perfect.  We went inside and sat at a table for two.  Within minutes we had Peroni beers in chilled glasses.  We ordered the 15 inch Hawaiian pizza , and was bigger than we thought it would be.  Of course, family-size was the clue.  Guess what?  We cleaned our plates it was so good.  Needing some more hydration, we had another beer.  One for the road right?  Oh yeah, we had brought the Kindle for updating.  We did make an attempt to log onto the free WIFI while on the ship, but could not get it to work.  Our waiter said he could hook us up on their internet, so with his quick and magic thumbs, the young fellow logged us onto their website, and we were able to download everything needed to continue. 

 

We took our time walking back, taking some time to look for the birds.   Only a few were out and about.  One thing for sure, there were no other people walking out here today. On the way back, we wanted to see how the tickets were purchased at this railway station.  But we found the building closed.  Once back in the terminal, we asked the info lady how that worked.  She said unless we were on a huge ship, there is no agent at this station.  You board the train, and pay for a ticket on the other end.  Greg had mentioned that an all- day pass was $10.  That would get you to the central business area where the buses and trams are free.   Similar to what we found in Melbourne.   Good deal.

 

It was heaven relaxing in the air-conditioning of our room until dinnertime.  It was also a good time to read up on tomorrow’s port of Kangaroo Island.  One good thing will be a change in the temperature…. Cooler, we hope.

 

Dinner time found one less tablemate present….Heo.  After two days in Adelaide, he was feeling a bit under the weather, so decided to skip dinner.  Best safe than sorry, and hopefully he will be fine tomorrow.  Greg caught us up on two days worth of their explorations.  Being Australian, they know these cities quite well.   Barb had gone off with friends Ellen and Aart to the Botanic Garden and lunch, which was really nice for all of them, especially Barb.   She seldom leaves the ship.

 

There was shrimp on the barbie for appetizers at dinner.  And Barb took credit for cooking them, of course.  One of us had the tortellini entrée, keeping it light after that huge pizza.  The other good meal was the fish….barramundi again.  No bones.  Scallops were served in a much different form, and the beef bourgeon was another huge portion.  Desserts were chocolate cake and fruit crisps. 

 

The entertainment tonight was provided by a local Aussie group with folk music and poetry.  Greg had peeked into the World Stage after 7pm,  and said it was packed.  These venues are always popular.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

 

[WCB]

Yes, we did hear about Gene Young's untimely death yesterday.  Everyone that knew him is in shock.  So sad for such a talented and personable fellow.  Even though he was not with HAL anymore, we are sure he will be missed.

 

You can count on the fact that we will never "sugar-coat" anything, and will continue to share the good with the bad.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 49   Friday  February 17, 2023    Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island, Australia   At Anchor 8am-6pm   Sunny And Warm 85 Degrees  Part #1 Of 6.........72 Pictures

 

Today’s port of call found us in a unique location of Australia…….Kangaroo Island.  Located 13 km off  the coast of South Australia, Kangaroo Island is 155 km long and 55km wide.  It consists of 8 regions connected by a sealed highway.  At least 4000 square km are dedicated to National Parklands, with the remainder agricultural hubs, wine makers, wool growers,  and a eucalyptus oil distillery.  Some of the rarest honey is created here with special Ligurian bees, seen nowhere else in the world.  Sadly, there was a devastating fire in 2020, where many of the eucalyptus trees were destroyed.  It was these trees that the bees fed on the blossoms.  They expect it to take 7 years for the forests to re-generate.  On our first visit here many years ago, we took a tour to see each of these industries.  It also included a dairy stop at the time. 

 

Each region has something to offer such as beaches, sea lions, giant rock formations, rivers, and even snorkeling the cool waters.   Hiking is king here as well.  Fishing can be done through local tour guides.  Speaking of tours, some of them offered today were an island tour in a day for $210,  koalas, birds, and nature for $240, seal bay for $130, an ocean safari for $210, or the one we did….tempting taste of honey, eucalyptus oil distillery, and a stop at a lavender and dairy farm for $200.  

 

Ferries come here from Cape Jarvis, south of Adelaide and the ride takes about 45 minutes.  They drop locals off at the town Penneshaw, located on the north tip of Penneshaw and Dudley Peninsula,  where our tender boats took the guests today.  We waited until the tours were off and the tickets were no longer required. That was 9:10am.  By 9:30am, the boats were not crowded, and that’s the way we prefer it.  The ride was smooth as we entered Hog Bay and the ferry terminal.  We were greeted by local information girls, who handed us a map of this region.  Even though we have been here before, we were not sure where the trail began for the hike up to Baudin Conservation Park.  She pointed to the road, said to turn left, and follow the signs.  She also added that the hike would be 90 minutes one way.  We sort of remembered that.  It is worth mentioning that the day had begun rather gray and cool, but later on, the clouds left and the sun came out.  Lucky for everyone.

 

We passed by Penneshaw Beach walking on Frenchman’s Terrace, one of main roads.  The sculpture trail was across the road,  a 1.5 km walking trail with scenic lookouts, old vegetation, and ravine walls.  It is possible there were a few roaming kangaroos there too.  We had done this short hike several years ago, but did not need to repeat it.   Our destination was Ironstone Hill where we could see spectacular coastal views as well as freeing-ranging kangaroos.  These kangaroos are unique to the island and are smaller and darker than the Western Greys.  There is another type of wallaby here named Tammar which are about extinct everywhere else but here.  We knew if we were quiet and looked deeply into the trees and brush, we may have a chance to see some.

 

Not many guests from the ship attempted this hike, as it is steep and seems to go on forever.  As we began to gain altitude, we had terrific views of the shoreline below the cliffs.  The water was several shades of green to turquoise – blue.  It was here that we first spotted some pods of dolphins, lazily making their way along the sunken boulders.  We could hear them blowing and making noises even as high up as we were.  Considering the sighting, we felt we may be as lucky to see some of the roos and wallabies.  As we got deeper into the wildlands, we did spot some wallabies and got many pictures of them as they were grazing under the trees.  Keeping in the brush and branches, they did not seem alarmed, as they are used to hikers up here.  The better time to see many of them would be at dawn and dusk, when the day is cooler.  

 

Other animals on this island are echidnas, platypus, goannas, snakes, and glossy black cockatoos.  The only birds we spotted here were some large gulls, and some Australian magpies.   The koalas are found in the eucalyptus trees, but there are none on this part of the island.  We heard that many of them perished in the fire as they were too slow to escape the flames and smoke.  The Australian sea lions and long-nose fur seals are on the opposite end of the island, so we did not see any of these.

 

We walked up steep slopes and down to rocky ravines until we thought our legs may fall off…. Well maybe one of us.  No benches up here.  Eventually we reached the summit where a man named Bates had a family farm back in the 1800’s.  It must have been a tough life to survive the elements and farm the slopes of the mountain top.   We believe he raised sheep, and the remains of his cabin are still here, along with a well and farm equipment left to rust over time.   It is all part of the park these days.   Sitting on some rocks, we talked to some other folks that had made their way here.  One younger couple told us this was their first world cruise, and found that some of the passengers were “cliquey”, sticking to their own groups.   That’s funny, as we told them that’s how we felt several years ago.  But in time, we got to know some of these repeat guests and have been friends like forever.  They were feeling intimidated if they dined with anyone that was a 4 star Mariner.   Anyway, it was interesting to listen to their take on this cruise so far.  It seems that they had the same concerns we have as far as changes over the years, since they had gone on many short trips.  They confessed they have not been overly-impressed with the food so far.  Many of us have said the same thing.  Other than that, they are happy campers and consider themselves lucky to be on a long cruise after the Covid virus hit.  So are we…..

 

We began the descent downhill, and ran into Chantall and a group of crew from the ship.  They had also taken this hike.  On the way back, Chantall offered to take our photos together, and we said yes, thanks.  She snapped a good one with the ship in the backround.  Needless to say, they continued back ahead of us, and made much better time.  That’s youth for you.  One of us was being most careful coming down the steep dirt trail.  One slip, and the cruise could be over.  While we are on the subject, last night we were due to leave the port by 10:30pm.  However, we were still tied up after 11pm.  It seems that two guests had to be taken off in ambulances.  Why that late, we do not know.  Eventually we may hear the story through the grapevine.

 

Back to the town, we ran across Greg who sat with us for a bit at a picnic table.  Heo is still not feeling 100%, so he went back to the ship after their private tour.  Greg pointed out the restaurant and pub area, and that’s where we headed next.  The nicest venue we saw was the Penneshaw Hotel with a restaurant and pub.  Since it was after 2pm by now, we had to place our lunch order before the kitchen closed at 2:30pm.  We took seats on the outside patio with views that overlooked the ocean.  Beers were the first thing we needed, and they had a draft called Bounty Bay.  We had to get our drinks and pay for them at the bar, then order our food, and it would be delivered to our table.  The best sandwich to split was their burger with fries.  Very good, we may add, with the addition of a beetroot jam.  Greg says that is typical Australian.  After two more beers, we went back to the tender landing, and got the next boat back to the ship.  Exhausted after a 6 hour day, we relaxed gladly in our room and veranda.  The ship left after 6pm.

 

Dinner time found Heo missing once again.  He has developed a nagging cough…not bad, but it would make him uncomfortable at be at dinner.  Dinner choices were odd, but seemed OK until we found the salmon under-cooked, and the buttermilk fried chicken over-cooked and warm…not hot.  Barb usually loves the KFC chicken, but left most of it on her plate.  Good thing they had a dessert she liked.  Oscar, the new assistant maitre’d, came by to check on us all.  We had a nice conversation with him, since he remembers much of who and what we all know over the years.  He is one of the good guys.

 

Jim Short was the comedian on the stage tonight, and Greg said he was truly funny.  It is possible he was on our N. Statendam cruise last year, as well as the Tales in the fall.  The better news was the clocks were set back ½ hour to make the full hour now.  We will take it no matter what the increment.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Enjoy your posts as always and thank you for your graciousness. i feel for the couple you met who feel intimidated with the cliques and stars of repeats. We do not wear our stars nor status on our sleeves. Having sailed on long voyages with HAL, Cunard and other high end lines in suites and grills, we say nothing.  If someone finds out our status so be it or if asked I will sometimes mention.  Perhaps having been born and raised in Manhattan and now dividing our time between NY and Hawaii, the need to impress is actually beneath me. It is only if provoked and I say that in a respectful way then I may divulge what cars I have lol.  Enjoy and thank you again!

[JJBhouston]

As a lurker on your world cruises for many years just wanted to say thank you for all of your effort. It is appreciated and enjoyed.

[WCB]

Report #50  Saturday  February 18, 2023     Day At Sea Enroute To Fremantle, Australia     Sunny And Cool 72 Degrees  Deep Swell   Part #1 Of 1...........19 Pictures

 

A day at sea is what we all needed.  May have been a good time to sleep in later, but with the time change last night, one of us seems to wake up earlier.   Up with the chickens is an appropriate description.  On sea days, breakfast service in the dining room is 8 to 9:30am, so that works for us. 

 

The seas began to rock and roll as the day progressed, and we had expected this.  After leaving Kangaroo Island, we headed into the Great Australian Bight, a body of water that is open to the Southern Ocean.  Currents here come from Antarctica, and mix with the warmer waters, creating some pretty interesting sailing for many ships.  We would guess the swells have reached 10 to 12 feet or more.  The winds had picked up dropping the temperature to 70 degrees more or less.  Now that the ship is heading almost due west, the sun does not shine on either port or starboard side.  This will change when we reach Fremantle which is on the southwest coast of Western Australia.  It will take two more sea days to arrive there.

 

During his noon talk, Captain Friso planted a seed of doubt regarding the upcoming port of Talanaro, Madagascar scheduled on March 5^th.  He explained that despite the fact that this has been on the itinerary for quite some time, things can change, especially in this part of the world.  The local officials of Madagascar are saying the port area is not designed to take a ship of our size, and would be dangerous to do so.  This is not the first time a country such as this one, has switched their minds about the ship docking.  Most times, it is weather-related, which we all understand.  Even more so, if a disease prevents us from landing there.  Then we are grateful.  Since it is still faraway, things could change and we may stop there.  Several years ago, we made a stop in Nosy Be on the north tip of the island.  Once was enough for us, as the conditions were third world.  The only way for us to see a lemur or a chameleon was to take their tour to an island where these creatures are pets of the locals.   Definitely not what we all expected.  The way we see it, is that we will save the port charges, which have not even been applied to our accounts yet.  Guess corporate HAL knew something already.  There may be a problem with folks that booked independent tours here.   Many of the seasoned travelers book these tours a year ahead, like we have in South Africa.  We feel secure with a tour there, as South Africa is a much more civilized part of Africa.

 

We took several hikes around the promenade deck with the fewest walkers ever.  Too cold and rocky.  Then we are seeing a pattern with the deck crew, who seem to come out with their hoses to wash down something.  This starts about 6pm, so we need to plan our hikes earlier.  On the Amsterdam, the crew used to cordon off the doors to the outside decks so they could power-hose everything…including us if we got in the way.

 

Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle Grill this evening.  It will be the second of ten complimentary meals in there.  Even though we ate a light lunch around 2:30pm, we were not all that hungry by 7:30pm.  As we walked into the restaurant, we spotted that another President’s Club dinner was in progress.  We recognized all eight of the guests sitting with the Captain and Chantal.  By the amount of chatter we heard coming from the 10 seater table in the side room, it appeared all were having a fine time.   Tina, the manager, said there will be one more dinner for eight.  Then towards the end of the cruise, there will be one big dinner including all of us and the newly-inducted members we suspect.  Rumor has it there will be 11 more people given the honors of the President’s Club Group.

 

We had our usual starters of the wedge salads without the bacon on the side.  Then one of us had an 8 ounce filet mignon steak with the onion rings.  One side of a baked potato was shared between us.  The other entrée was the halibut, which is always very good.  But tonight, it was actually fishy and strong. Lemon did not help.  We have heard comments from friends that the quality has not been up to par, even in this restaurant.  At least there were no bones.

 

Desserts were one crème brulee and two scoops of a pineapple sorbet.  Perfect ending we think.

 

The clocks were set back one hour tonight, which is always fine and dandy with us. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[ON cruiser]

Hi Bill & Mary Ann; having read your great threads for years, I also much appreciate your descriptions of shipboard life and the experiences you have in ports on your various cruises. Regarding this World Cruise, I am sorry that some things (in particular, the food) are not up to snuff.

 

As you know the hotel manager Henk M quite well, perhaps he should be made aware of these issues, as after all, its not only you who feels this way. If you talk with him, he may be able to address and improve the issues so to make the remainder of your cruise better. I hope so, anyway!

 

All best, 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. As the previous poster has indicated and as you regularly advise us you are a presidents club member, I would definitely express your displeasure and disappointment.  You pay enough and deserve the extra accolades. How come they did not advise you of the dinner? As you know I do not wear my personal memberships on my sleeve but I really am upset that you seemed to be left out. That is not appropriate. Please keep us posted. All the best!

[RBB]

53 minutes ago, WCB said:

 Several years ago, we made a stop in Nosy Be on the north tip of the island.  Once was enough for us, as the conditions were third world.  The only way for us to see a lemur or a chameleon was to take their tour to an island where these creatures are pets of the locals.   Definitely not what we all expected.

 

 

     Hi Bill & Mary Ann, enjoying your trip blog, as always.  I was surprised to read the statements above about your visit to Nosy Be.  We were just there in November on the Grand Africa and we were able to see lemurs in the wild at Lokobe National Park on the island of Nosy Be.  This was a HAL excursion (and they did still have another trip to the island of lemurs), so I guess that is an improvement.  I think it would have been fairly easy to schedule a private trip there as well, especially since we were there overnight.  I hope you make it to Madagascar (you may recall that the 2018 World Cruise cancelled Nosy Be because of an outbreak of plague): definitely third world with a lot of poverty, but that was true of much of sub-sahara Africa, at least on our trip.

 

Rick

Edited February 18, 2023 by RBB

[WCB]

ON cruiser:

 

After many discussions with fellow travelers,  we have come to the conclusion that the food issues are due to the quality and quantity of what is being delivered.  The hotel director is well aware of this situation, however, his hands are tied.  A very respected head chef once told us that you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.  He was so right.

 

LouChamp:

 

Aloha.....just a note to clarify any misconceptions about inclusions for the PC events.  We have not been left out, since our Captain's Dinner happened at the beginning of this cruise.  

 

So far there is no more news about Madagascar.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[LouChamp]

10 hours ago, WCB said:

ON cruiser:

 

After many discussions with fellow travelers,  we have come to the conclusion that the food issues are due to the quality and quantity of what is being delivered.  The hotel director is well aware of this situation, however, his hands are tied.  A very respected head chef once told us that you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.  He was so right.

 

LouChamp:

 

Aloha.....just a note to clarify any misconceptions about inclusions for the PC events.  We have not been left out, since our Captain's Dinner happened at the beginning of this cruise.  

 

So far there is no more news about Madagascar.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Aloha.  Thank you for taking the time to clarify. As for the food issues, I am reading on other boards that cutbacks, quality, choices, etc are everywhere. I guess this is no longer the cruises of yesteryear. I know things change but some of the changes are sad. I love Prime Rib, the Yum Yum Man was our daughters favorite growing up and pillow chocolates lol. Enjoy!

[Coco39]

I am following this discussion of food quality with interest. We have booked HAL for a transatlantic in April.  My friends picked HAL after being less than thrilled with the food on their October cruise on Celebrity.

 

Bill and Mary Ann.  Enjoying cruising with you two.  Hugs to Barb from the OFH.

[WCB]

Report #51    Sunday  February 19, 2023    Day At Sea Enroute To Fremantle, Australia   Sunny And Windy 72 Degrees   12 Foot Deep Swell   Part #1 Of 1..........15 Pictures

 

Another day at sea began much the same as yesterday.  The seas have calmed a bit, but the rolling and pitching continue.  We have become so used to the motion, we barely notice it unless we are walking the promenade deck and see the bow of the ship dip deeply where we lose sight of the horizon.  It does bother some folks, so that might be the reason there have been so few people using the lounges on this deck.  The drop in temperature may be a factor as well.  No doubt, it is warmer in the Lido pool area, but we rarely go there.  When the retractable roof is mostly closed, it seems claustrophobic to us.  We have to have the fresh sea breeze blowing in our faces.

 

We forgot to mention that yesterday we were asked to turn in our passports that had been given to us before arriving to Sydney.  We had received a letter explaining that the Australian Border Force will clear us without a face-to-face drill.  That was a tedious process in Sydney, which we are most happy to avoid in Fremantle.  The desks for collection were set up on each passenger deck, and there was no waiting at all to collect the receipt we will need for the next time.  One thing they are taking a closer accounting of is our yellow fever vaccination cards or a letter of exemption from a certified doctor.   These will come more into play when we reach the upcoming ports in West Africa. 

 

Another invitation arrived last evening from the Captain, Henk ,the hotel manager, and Ian, the travel director.   It is a “private” Amsterdam 2020 Grand World Voyage Reflection Get-Together at 2pm in the World Stage tomorrow, February 20^th.  It was worded:  Join us for a reminiscing slide show, complimentary sparkling wine, and an address from Captain Friso.  There will be heartfelt words of reflections by the crew and a toast to your well-being and sailing together again.  Well put.......but, we have a problem with the “private” part.  It is too bad that everyone on this trip isn’t included, as it separates the guests even more.  But what do we know?

 

Well today was Sunday, a day at sea, and another reason for Sunday Brunch in the dining room from 11am to 1pm.  It was reservations only, but we heard that the room was not as full as the previous two brunches.   We are surprised that Barb does go with our tablemates, because one of the items they served used to be caviar.  The key words are “used to”.  We have yet to see a trace of caviar anywhere on the menu, unless you would like to pay a high price for it.  The one time we attended a brunch back when it began several years ago, we donated the caviar to Barb, who was pleased as punch.   As for us, we were quite content to stick to our tradition breakfast at 8am. 

 

Ian gave a port talk on Fremantle/Perth this morning, which we will watch on TV.  Of course, we have been there several times, and have taken numerous tours of both towns.  And the last time we even had a two night stay in a hotel in Perth, waiting for our plane ride back to the USA.  Of course, that’s when everyone headed home…like it, or not.  The day after we flew out of Perth to Sydney, the international flights had been grounded due to Covid.   One of our friends had not made it out on time, and had to go to the American Embassy for help.  He got lucky, and did leave, but could have been stuck in Australia for who knows how long?

 

The arts and crafts group were making masks and hair pieces for Mardi Gras, which is coming up soon.  The regular arts and crafts in the Lido was making seashell cards.  Since we have avoided that area of the ship 100%, we do not know how well that group is attended.  It must be a good and popular activity because the group is divided into two different sessions for one craft. 

 

And now we are starting to see dance lessons with the Zuiderdam dancers.  Could it be that the ladies that were used to dance hosts and teachers rallied for this activity, since there are none on this trip?  Would love to know. 

 

We had a lazy day, which was nice.  Finally found some time to read a few books from the library and do some needed computer work. Sitting on the veranda, we needed sweatshirts and blankets.  Going east to west, we have no sun at all during the day.   Dinnertime came around quickly, and all of us were present.  The coconut-breaded shrimps were the most ordered appetizer, and the fish and chips were also number one.  Tonight the fries were crispy and hot, although we did not figure out what the dip ws on the plate.  Barb said tomato sauce,  Susie said marinara, and we said….who knows?  It was not catsup.  We discovered they have jello here, which Barb says is sugar-free.  It did come with one coveted blueberry on top of the whipped cream. 

 

There was a new showman on the stage tonight by the name of John Thiering from Australia.  He creates drawings in sand with his hands, and it appears on the screens.  We have seen this show before and found it mesmerizing.  We are sure Greg and Heo will go to check it out and report back tomorrow.

 

Almost forgot….. the clocks were put back one more hour tonight, and that will put us on Perth time.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

[Coco39]

26 minutes ago, Coco39 said:

I am following this discussion of food quality with interest. We have booked HAL for a transatlantic in April.  My friends picked HAL after being less than thrilled with the food on their October cruise on Celebrity.

 

Bill and Mary Ann.  Enjoying cruising with you two.  Hugs to Barb from the OFH. Please tell her I sent a long email with some requested news. Thanks

 

[WCB]

Just a quick message to let you all know that the link to the photos in Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island is working now.

 

Coco:  We shall pass along your message to Barb from the OFH. Ha-ha!

 

Louchamp:  Yes, we loved the more frequently-served prime rib and the YumYum man or girl.  Long gone......

 

Bill & Mary Ann