The Fleet Report and Daily for Sunday December 31st, 2023

[kazu]

Today is National Champagne Day, New Year's Eve, and World Peace Meditation Day
 

Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.--George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

Meal Suggestion for today - Buffalo Chicken & Rice Casserole
Drink of the Day - Apple Daiquiri
Wine of the Day - 2019 The Stumo Jump Australian white blend 
Destination of the Day - Fanning Island (Tabuaeran), Kiribati Line Islands

Today in History:
1775 Battle of Quebec: American Continental Army led by Richard Montgomery is defeated trying to take the British stronghold of Quebec City in the American Revolutionary War, General Montgomery is killed and Benedict Arnold is injured

Ship Locations
 

Eurodam

Grand Cayman Island, George Town Harbour 08:00 - 17:00 
 

Koningsdam

At Sea Destination Ensenada, Baja California Mexico 00:00 - 23:00 
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

00:00 - 23:59 At Sea Destination Grand Turk Island, Co
 

Nieuw Statendam

St Johns Antigua, RCI Royal Beach Club 08:00 - 16:00 
 

Oosterdam

Ushuaia, Argentina 09:00 - 15:30 
 

Rotterdam

 

Volendam

Manzanillo, Mexico Riviera 08:00 - 16:00 
 

Zaandam

At Sea Destination Ocho Rios, Jamaica 00:00 - 23:59 
 

Zuiderdam

At Sea Destination Bimini Islands, Resorts World Bimini Bahamas, Bailey Town 00:00 - 23:59 

Eastern Hemisphere
 

Noordam

At Sea Destinatin Sydney, NSW Australia 00:00 - 23:59 
 

Westerdam

At Sea destination Da Nang, Hue, Vietnam 00:00 - 23:59

[Cruise Suzy]

[grapau27]

Some thoughts about the Virgin Mary, and what she pondered in her heart. Wishing you a Happy New Year. God bless, David 😀

 

https://youtu.be/kHswZ9s3Qhw?si=PYDuOM9qo4KHy0qY

[RedneckBob]

1 minute ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Is this already some kind of sobriety test! 😀

[JazzyV]

Today’s Care List:

Cruising sister’s great niece Murphy post-surgery, on CPAP, gtube

Dfish (Debbie) recovering from hernia repair surgery 

Seagarsmoker recovering from the flu

Nickelpenny having pain with walking

JazzyV with right leg pain, tingling and numbness; trouble walking

 

Citizens of Ukraine, Israel and Gaza

All Dailyites going through worries and stress, whether mentioned or not

 

From the Rotation:

kochleffel with positive skin biopsy

HAL Sailer’s DH with medical issues

StLouisCruiser’s DB with pulmonary fibrosis

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts:

Happy Birthday to Mr. Boston’s sister Patricia

New Year’s Eve

Kazu stepping up to keep the FR/Daily going while Rich is cruising

Cruising sister’s g-niece Murphy extubated, on CPAP 

RMLincoln selling the MD condo

Ottahand7 driving toward FLL

Cruising sister and Cruisercl flying to SD today

 

The Daily Gardening Club posting wonderful flower pictures

All the contributors to the Fleet Report/Daily

 

Upcoming Cruises or At Sea:

 

3 days for Cat in my lap (Zuiderdam Jan 3 to May 11) 128d Grand World Voyage

3 days for Ottahand7 (Eurodam Jan 3 to Feb 24) B2B2B2B2B Caribbean

3 days for Cruising-along (Volendam Jan 3 to April 6) 94d Grand AUS & NZ voyage

3 days for Durangoscots (Volendam Jan 3 to April 6) 94d Grand AUS & NZ voyage

3 days for cruising sister (Volendam Jan 3 to April 6) 94d Grand AUS & NZ voyage

3 days for Cruisercl (Volendam Jan 3 to April 6) 94d Grand AUS & NZ voyage

5 days for Aliaschief (Azamara Onward WC Jan 5 to June 9) 156d World Voyage

6 days for Suslor (Westerdam Jan 6 to Feb 3) 28d Philippines, Malaysia & Far East Collector + (Westerdam Feb 3 to Feb 17) 14d China & Japan

7 days for Kochleffel (Anthem of the Seas Jan 7 to Jan 18) 11d Southern Caribbean

 

Nickelpenny (Zuiderdam to Jan 3, Panama Canal Sunfarer Holiday), St Pete Cruiser(Zaandam to Jan 4, Southern Caribbean Holiday), Ichiban Nekko (Rotterdam to Jan 5, B2B, Western/Tropical Caribbean), Av8rix (Koningsdam to Jan 6, Circle Hawaii Holiday), Haljo1935(Koningsdam to Jan 6, Circle Hawaii Holiday), GTVCRUISER (Koningsdam to Jan 6, Circle Hawaii Holiday), Seasick Sailor (Rotterdam to Jan 14, Tropical/Southern Caribbean Seafarer))and Richwmn (Volendam to May 4, 12d Mexico & Sea of Cortez Holiday + Jan 3 94d Grand Australia & NZ Voyage + Apr 6 15d PC Cruise + Apr 21 The Atlantic Cruise)

[kazu]

Sorry - the map wouldn’t load on CC this morning.

 

Is anyone else getting this “prove you are human” before trying to post?

[grapau27]

Good afternoon.

We had a lovely church service this morning.

It is 43°F and cloudy now.

I hope everyone is safe and well and looking forward to New year's eve today.

 

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends and Happy New Year's Eve here in the Eastern Hemisphere. They've already moved on to 2024 in places like New Zealand.  Thanks Jacqui @kazu for posting the Fleet Report and Daily for 12/31/2023!🎉  It was 28 this morning, will be 56 and sunny all day, a great way to end the year!

 

Besides New Year's Eve, fittingly it is National Champagne Day.  Here's a toast to that! 🥂 And during these trying times we should celebrate World Peace Meditation Day.  I just wish peace could take hold and stay here on Earth!  Interesting quote from the Game of Thrones (something I've never gotten into).  I'm interested in hearing the reports on the casserole, cocktail and white New Zealand wine.  Thanks to our reporters Debbie @dfish, Tina @0106, Dixie @summer slope and Ann @cat shepard for helping out with that.

 

Prayers for our "people" here in need of them for pain relief, healing and help with other medical conditions.  Prayers for Israel and Ukraine and strength to get through the wars there, hopes for the return of the hostages held, safety for the troops being fired upon on ships and our bases overseas, and for my DB and friends with major health issues.  A double toast to those with happy events to celebrate and all of you sailing the oceans of the world. 🥂🥂  We hope you come back to visit regularly while away or it will get very quiet here!  Thank you Vanessa @JazzyVfor taking such good care of the lists each day while searching for your own health answers! Praying that comes soon.❤️

 

Port for the last day of the year is Fanning Island (Line Islands), Kiribati.  This was our port two times already on Sept. 15, 2021 and April 12, 2022.  We went there on our S. Pacific cruise on Maasdam in 2017 and enjoyed this port so I'll share my photos next.  Here are the links to the prior dates for your convenience in retrieving your own photos.

 

 

 

 

Rotterdam is at sea destination Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos eta 1/1/24

 

My New Year's resolution is to finish a Christmas stocking for my DGD's future husband Chris.  hey will wed on Sept. 14, 2024.  I am going to start it today!  Wish me luck!

 

Hope everyone here has a safe and happy NYE. 🎉 Safe travels, too!

[summer slope]

Apple Daiquiri cocktail:

 

Ingredients
1/2 part DeKuyper® Pucker® Sour Apple Schnapps
1 part Cruzan® Aged Dark Rum
1 part Apple Juice
1 scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
Pineapple Wedge

Instructions
In a blender, add 1 scoop of ice cream and all other ingredients. Blend, then pour into a tall glass. Garnish with a pineapple.

 

It won't let me upload the photo.  I had to prove I'm  human.  Glad I had my coffee.

Edited December 31, 2023 by summer slope

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning Everyone, thanks for today’s daily fleet report.  Today’s meal suggestion sounds good and we’ll be close, chicken with rice and beans as a one pot meal.  DH saw a Lego in the Target ad so that could be something we do, otherwise nothing much is planned.  Wishing everyone a safe and fun New Year’s Eve.

 

Amsterdam 2017, the party continued into the Crows Nest.

 

[StLouisCruisers]

3 minutes ago, kazu said:

Sorry - the map wouldn’t load on CC this morning.

 

Is anyone else getting this “prove you are human” before trying to post?

 

Yes I did.  I don't like having to click on something to prove who I am.  Could we get a virus that way??

[StLouisCruisers]

We were blessed with decent weather for our stop at Fanning Island on the Maasdam on April 6, 2017.  A large number of passengers had collected items to donate to the citizens of the little island.  I personally brought about 3 dozen ziploc bags with small toothpaste tubes, a toothbrush and dental floss, which we turned over to a classroom of students at the school.  Others collected school supplies to give to the kids.

 

Upon arrival at the dock, we were met with many locals singing for us.  

 

 

 

Some people were dressed in native costumes so that we could have our photos taken with them.  Donations always accepted with a smile.

 

Locally made goods were laid out on tables and offered to us at a good price.

 

Here we are at the school

 

 

I think the kids enjoyed visitors once in a while to break up their lessons.

 

This roomful began singing a song for us.  It was great!

 

I'll post this now and come back with more photos of the locality and people we saw along the way.

 

 

[rafinmd]

Thank you  Rich, Jacqui,  Vanessa, Debbie/Tina, Ann, and Dixie.  Happy New Year @erewhon,

 

I'll pass on the Champagne and will probably be asleep at midnight.  We need World Peace now more than ever.  Wow, that battle came even before the Declaration of Independence.

 

I love the quote. but have not been to Fanning Island.

 

Not a fan of casseroles.  My alternative is Chilled Mango Gazpacho, Basil Crusted Veal Rack, and Fresh Strrawberries a la mode, my final 2014 dinner as served on MS Ryndam.

 

May I add a couple of maps?

 

 

 

 

 

Roy

 

[StLouisCruisers]

Here is someone's home on Fanning Island.  Up off the ground and hopefully the roof didn't let rain in.

 

 

 

 

I don't know if you can tell but by this point it was showering so we stepped under an overhang at a building along the road.  Five or ten minutes later the rain stopped.  

 

How do you like the fence they made?  Pretty neat!

 

 

This is the sign pointing the direction to the school we visited and that I posted about before.  It was named after the cruise line that helped fund it years before.

 

This is what the road looks like.  Already dried up from the rain.

 

Some passengers paid for a ride around the island to view it instead of walking.  

 

A boat left near the shore.

 

If someone here knows what this area is for I'd like to know.  No one was there to ask. 

 

We ended up seeing a group of small children ready to sing and dance for passersby.  Donation bucket there for you to help out.

 

Love the grass skirts!

 

 

A stop to look at the handmade items.  Bring lots of dollar bills when you stop at Fanning Island!

 

 

 

Getting ready to leave, this is the view next to the dock.

 

And this is a cool place to wait near the dock.  That looks like Kainoa sitting there.

 

Goodbye Ladies!

 

Please excuse the dirty windows on the tender which made my pictures turn out less than stellar.  This is the view as our tender headed back to the Maasdam.

 

That was the Maasdam above right waiting for our arrival back.

 

 

It was a very nice visit to this remote island and well worth the long tender ride.  I hope many of you can stop there sometime on your South Pacific cruise.

[rafinmd]

8 minutes ago, kazu said:

Sorry - the map wouldn’t load on CC this morning.

 

Is anyone else getting this “prove you are human” before trying to post?

I just got it. Very annoying.

 

Roy

[0106]

Happy New Year’s Eve!

 

Buffalo Chicken Casserole (Chicken and Rice Recipe) A Spicy Perspective  Think of an old school chicken and rice recipe, then add buffalo sauce, and blue cheese and you have a new family favorite.  Try it with brown rice, or alternative cheeses as well!  

 

Buffalo Chicken Rice Casserole · Easy Family Recipes  This super creamy Buffalo Chicken Rice Casserole is the perfect meal for a busy night. It goes from the fridge to the oven in minutes, and is loaded with the flavor of creamy buffalo sauce, tender chicken and rice, and buttery crushed crackers.   Cream of chicken soup creates the creamy base for the casserole. 

 

This casserole is the perfect healthy, comfort food meal; it’s loaded with a yummy flavor, but also packed with healthy fats, fiber, and protein to make you feel full and satisfied.  Buffalo Chicken Casserole with Cauliflower Rice - Wholesomelicious  Be aware, you will need to make a batch dairy-free, buffalo “queso”. It would be suitable for those who are lactose intolerant or for those who don’t mix meat and dairy. 

[kazu]

4 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Yes I did.  I don't like having to click on something to prove who I am.  Could we get a virus that way??

 

Thanks.  No, we won’t get a virus but it’s a real PITA.  I’m thinking of shutting down and coming back on and see if it goes away.

[grapau27]

4 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Yes I did.  I don't like having to click on something to prove who I am.  Could we get a virus that way??

No not here on the UK site.

I never log out of cc on my phone.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info.

[Denise T]

Happy Sunday and last day of 2023. Thank you for the Daily and Fleet reports. 

My plan is to stay up and ring in the New Year. That doesn't always happen. 

Cold and chilly day today. Maybe some sun. Today I am relaxing as my vacation winds down. I found myself yesterday dreaming of retirement and began the process of figuring out what I need to retire on. Perhaps in the next couple of years. 

Thinking of all on the care list. 

Celebrating with all who celebrate. 

Tomorrow begins my countdown to my cruise in October 2024. Will be on the Norwegian Sky from October 9th to the 19th from Quebec to Baltimore. Cannot wait to get out to sea again. 

Have a safe and healthy New Years Eve. 

[RedneckBob]

10 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Good afternoon.

We had a lovely church service this morning.

It is 43°F and cloudy now.

I hope everyone is safe and well and looking forward to New year's eve today.

 

Is that a British champagne glass? 😀

 

Mine says “Gulp Gulp Fall Down”.

[0106]

9 minutes ago, kazu said:

Is anyone else getting this “prove you are human” before trying to post?

Yes and I couldn’t load any photos to my post. Prove you are human really made me nervous.😬 Checked it out as best I could, seemed legit so I clicked.  Failed the first time I played.🤣 When I returned to CC I thought my entire post was gone.🥺 When I clicked the reply box, thankfully it was there And I was able to add the photos.😊

[grapau27]

7 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

No not here on the UK site.

I never log out of cc on my phone.

Strangely as soon as I posted this reply that prove you are a human message came on my screen but I just deleted it.

[aliaschief]

Good morning. A brisk 37 degrees F. this morning.. Today’s meal just doesn’t seem appropriate for a New Year’s Eve dinner. We’ll be picking up our live cold water lobsters this afternoon. Can pretty much bet the house none of us will stay up to midnight. So we may celebrate with Greenlanders this year.

All our church services today are online. Caring for the neighbors cat ends today as they will return this afternoon.

We are pretty much in standby mode with very few things left to do. Our flight is six AM Wed. morning so hopefully the mad rush and delays are over.

@kazu Jacqui thanks for getting us started and to all who make the Daily possible.

Wishes to all for a very Happy and Healthy New Year! Bruce