The Fleet Report and Daily for Monday April 8th, 2024

[kazu]

 

Today is D.A.R.E. Day, Draw A Bird Day, and International Roma Day
 

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.--C.S. Lewis

Meal Suggestion for today - Spinach & Artichoke Chicken
Drink of the Day - Cotton Candy
Wine of the Day - Liberty Lake Wine Cellars 2020 Heart of the Hill Vineyard Carmenere
Destination of the Day - Darwin, Australia 

Today in History:
1974 Hammerin' Hank Aaron hits 715th HR, off of L.A. Dodger Al Downing, breaking Babe Ruth's record in Atlanta

Ship Locations
 

Eurodam

Grand Turk Island, Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos 07:00 - 15:00 
 

Koningsdam

At Sea Destination Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico Riviera eta 04-09
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

Grand Turk Island, Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos 07:00 - 17:00 
 

Nieuw Statendam

At Sea Destination Kings Wharf, Bermuda eta 04-10
 

Oosterdam

At Sea Destination Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel Island Azores Portugal eta 04-12
 

Rotterdam

At Sea Destination Belize City eta 04-09
 

Volendam

At Sea Destination Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico Riviera eta 04-09
 

Zaandam

At Sea Destination San Diego, California eta 04-13

Eastern Hemisphere
 

Noordam

Noumea, Grande Terre Island New Caledonia 10:00 - 18:00 
 

Westerdam

At Sea Destination Sapporo-Otaru, Japan Shiribeshi eta 04-10
 

Zuiderdam

Zanzibar, Tanzia - 17:00

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[rafinmd]

Monday's maps:

 

 

 

 

Roy

[rafinmd]

I see I still have a nasty habit of hitting , instead of m after an a.  I may not post again today as I have a big schedule, Cardiologist, Church finance team, and Fire Department Board and full membership meetings and will try to sneak outdoors for a view of the eclipse.

 

Roy

[JazzyV]

Today’s Care List:

RMLincoln’s DSIL back in the hospital, slight improvement

Tana with chronic pulmonary issues, on maximal oxygen

Dfish’s eye infection, improving

Rafinmd seeing Cardiologist today

JazzyV with R leg pain, numbness

 

Taiwan 7.4 magnitude earthquake

Baltimore Key Bridge collapse, 6 people presumed dead

Citizens of Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, hostages; Haiti unrest

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

 

From the Rotation:

Kazu having pain, not feeling well

AncientWanderer’s DH with heart aneurysm

RMLincoln’s DH with glaucoma issues, medication allergy

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts:

Happy Birthday to StLouisCruisers and her twin Linda!

Happy Anniversary Overhead Fred (& Mitzi)!

Happy Anniversary Erewhon!

Eclipse Day!

NextOne’s DS got a new job!

USN59-79 in Taipei

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

 

The Daily Gardening Club posting wonderful flower pictures

All the contributors to the Fleet Report/Daily

 

Upcoming Cruises or At Sea:

 

6 days for LAFFNVEGAS (Norwegian Joy Apr 14 to Apr 21) 7d Bermuda from NY

 

Ocean sounds (Zaandam to Apr 13) 14d Solar Eclipse & Mexican Riviera, SusieKIslandGirl (Discovery Princess to Apr 13) 10d Mexican Riviera with Total Solar Eclipse, Heartgrove’s DW Sue and DSIL (Rotterdam to Apr 13) 6d W. Caribbean, Vict0riann (Nieuw Statendam to Apr 21) 14d Bermuda, Brittany & The English Channel Expedition, Lobsternight (Koningsdam to April 27) 22d Solar Eclipse & Circle Hawaii, Richwmn (Volendam to May 4, Apr 6 15d PC Cruise + Apr 21 The Atlantic Coast), Sailingdutchy (Nieuw Statendam Apr 7 to May 5) 28d Bermuda, Brittany & Canary Island Allure, for Overhead Fred (Nieuw Statendam to May 5) 28d Bermuda, Brittany & Canary Island Allure, Cat in my lap (Zuiderdam to May 11, 128d Grand World Voyage), Gail & Marty sailing away (Zuiderdam to May 11, 128d Grand World Voyage) and Aliaschief (Azamara Onward WC to June 9, 156d World Voyage)

Edited April 8 by JazzyV

[aliaschief]

Good morning/Evening. Pretty much a needed lazy day at sea. We have been sailing in the Straight of Malacca one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world on the Adaman Sea. We have had many ship sailings today including some super tankers. The sea has been very smooth and like glass at times. We did have some excitement  around noon when we passed under a pretty heavy thunderstorm with some impressive chain lightning. We also were treated by a water spout on our starboard side. Due to weather our scheduled dinner under the stars tonight has been postponed.

Last night we enjoyed the folk singing of a lady from Australia. She had a beautiful voice and sang many 60 era folk songs from Dylan, Baez, Seeger and so on.

Tonight we have a guest violinist who plays several string instruments. We’ll see.

Tomorrow we visit Sabang, Indonesia and our excursion will take us to local markets and then to a chef’s residence for hands on cooking class followed by lunch.

Thanks for the Reports and post. Enjoy your day. It was a pretty good Monday here. Bruce

[seagarsmoker]

Good morning Dailyites and thank you for the Daily Report.

 

Big shout out to the lady gamecocks of South Carolina for winning the NCAA Championship yesterday in an undefeated season!  Suzi and I watched almost every game this season and couldn't be happier for team that lost 5 starting players to the WNBA last year. 

 

I hope everyone here has a wonderful day!  

[rafinmd]

Happy Birthday @StLouisCruisers and twin DS.  Happy Anniversary @Overhead Fred and @erewhon.

 

Roy

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Report.

It's Eclipse Day!  A total solar eclipse can be seen in parts of Ontario.  It's cloudy now, but we hope it will clear up by this afternoon.  🤞

Good quote.

I'll pass on the meal suggestion.  The drink sounds too sweet for me.  Hope the wine is tasty and not expensive.

Prayers for everyone on the Care List.  Cheers for all the celebrations.

Enjoy your day. 

[puppycanducruise]

Happy Birthday! 🎂🎂 @StLouisCruisers Sandi and her twin Linda

[puppycanducruise]

@Overhead Fred  Happy Anniversary Fred and Mitzi 🥂

[cat shepard]

Happy Birthday, Sandy! May your new year be filled with love, laughter, great health and a cruise or two!

 

 

@StLouisCruisers

[puppycanducruise]

@erewhon Happy Anniversary! 🥂

[MISTER 67]

Greetings from beautiful Port Charlotte.

60 right now with another sunny day with a high of 81.

I’m all for DARE, our young people must be made aware of the evil of illegal drugs and the harm they cause which can lead to death.

As a Greek Orthodox Christian, I love the quote.

I’m not a fan of artichokes so I’ll pass on the meal even though I love just about any kind of chicken.

People are really excited about todays eclipse, at 78 I don’t get too excited about anything anymore.

My head cold is a tad better this morning but I’m not going to play golf. 
I am a little excited as it’s Masters week and from Thursday through Sunday I will be glued to the TV watching my favorite Golf Tournament, I was lucky to be able to see the Masters live and in person back in 2001, hard to believe it’s been 23 years.
A couple of years after we were married we moved from Chicago to the suburbs a mile away from Medinah Country Club where I saw 3 US Opens, one of them was the Senior Open in 1988 which was won by Gary Player. Believe it or not I caddied for Player in 1960 at Edgewater Golf Club in Chicago in a Pro-Am which our club always hosted right before the Western Open, I was14 years old and there was a drawing in the Caddy shack and I drew Player who had just won the British Open 2 weeks earlier. 
Have a great day and stay well.
 

Edited April 8 by MISTER 67

[cunnorl]

Happy Birthday Sandi @StLouisCruisers and your twin

 

@Overhead Fred and @erewhon a very happy anniversary . May you all have many more

[dfish]

@StLouisCruisers and twin

 

 

@Overhead Fred and @erewhon

 

 

 

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends!  This morning it's 50F so not too bad.  Today it will be 77 for a high with a sunny morning and a partly cloudy afternoon.  I think I'll sit on my porch during the eclipse and watch the darkness appear.  I don't have a pair of special glasses so won't be looking at the sun.  I'll record the news reporting of the eclipse and watch it afterward to see as much of it as I can.  I do think my twin and her DH are going to go to a good spot 2 hours south of her home in Missouri to take part in it.  They will be in the 100% totality area, we are around 80% totality here.🌞

 

Thank you Jacqui @kazu and Roy @rafinmd for posting the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the fleet location maps for us.  Isn't it cool that HAL has 3 ships in the area of Mexico where the solar eclipse will be? 🚢 Koningsdam, Volendam and Zaandam!  Anyway today we can celebrate D.A.R.E. Day, artists who draw birds, and Roma.  From Wikipedia this is what the D.A.R.E. program is all about.  "Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., is an education program that tries to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior."  So you can see how important that is to our schools.  I think the quote is a good one, will skip the meal today for something else, pass on the Cotton Candy drink and the wine.  Hurray for Hank Aaron's batting abilities.  Thanks to our F&B Dept. ladies Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope and Ann @cat shepard for your reports!

 

Prayers said for everyone here on the Daily in need of them.  Special mentions made for many of you.  Also for my DB, great nephew Alex's twin boys, friends Scott, Susan and Sandy, the people in Israel and Ukraine still fighting for their countries, hostages held 6 months later, and our military members in the region.  🙏

 

Congrats to all celebrating happy special events and to our cruisers!  🎂🚢  I wish my twin Linda a very happy birthday. 🎉 She is 6 minutes younger than me.  Also happy birthday to Kathy @Norseh2o!  Happy anniversary to @erewhon.  🥂 And happy anniversary to Fred @Overhead Fred and Mitzi!  🥂Thank you Vanessa @JazzyV for your excellent list keeping and the mention of me and my twin.  Prayers for you daily!!

 

The port today is Darwin, Australia, an interesting and hot spot Down Under.  We had that port before on July 3, 2021, Oct. 24, 2022 and Dec. 24, 2023.  I've enjoyed Darwin twice before and have some photos to share again.  Here are the links for you.

 

 

 

 

 

Have a great day!  I think we'll go out for lunch today.  I prefer to be home for dinner.  And of course time spent outside during the eclipse!  Stay safe and keep well everyone!

[MISTER 67]

1 minute ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Good morning friends!  This morning it's 50F so not too bad.  Today it will be 77 for a high with a sunny morning and a partly cloudy afternoon.  I think I'll sit on my porch during the eclipse and watch the darkness appear.  I don't have a pair of special glasses so won't be looking at the sun.  I'll record the news reporting of the eclipse and watch it afterward to see as much of it as I can.  I do think my twin and her DH are going to go to a good spot 2 hours south of her home in Missouri to take part in it.  They will be in the 100% totality area, we are around 80% totality here.🌞

 

Thank you Jacqui @kazu and Roy @rafinmd for posting the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the fleet location maps for us.  Isn't it cool that HAL has 3 ships in the area of Mexico where the solar eclipse will be? 🚢 Koningsdam, Volendam and Zaandam!  Anyway today we can celebrate D.A.R.E. Day, artists who draw birds, and Roma.  From Wikipedia this is what the D.A.R.E. program is all about.  "Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E., is an education program that tries to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior."  So you can see how important that is to our schools.  I think the quote is a good one, will skip the meal today for something else, pass on the Cotton Candy drink and the wine.  Hurray for Hank Aaron's batting abilities.  Thanks to our F&B Dept. ladies Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope and Ann @cat shepard for your reports!

 

Prayers said for everyone here on the Daily in need of them.  Special mentions made for many of you.  Also for my DB, great nephew Alex's twin boys, friends Scott, Susan and Sandy, the people in Israel and Ukraine still fighting for their countries, hostages held 6 months later, and our military members in the region.  🙏

 

Congrats to all celebrating happy special events and to our cruisers!  🎂🚢  I wish my twin Linda a very happy birthday. 🎉 She is 6 minutes younger than me.  Also happy birthday to Kathy @Norseh2o!  Happy anniversary to @erewhon.  🥂 And happy anniversary to Fred @Overhead Fred and Mitzi!  🥂Thank you Vanessa @JazzyV for your excellent list keeping and the mention of me and my twin.  Prayers for you daily!!

 

The port today is Darwin, Australia, an interesting and hot spot Down Under.  We had that port before on July 3, 2021, Oct. 24, 2022 and Dec. 24, 2023.  I've enjoyed Darwin twice before and have some photos to share again.  Here are the links for you.

 

 

 

 

 

Have a great day!  I think we'll go out for lunch today.  I prefer to be home for dinner.  And of course time spent outside during the eclipse!  Stay safe and keep well everyone!

@StLouisCruisers Have a great birthday!

[StLouisCruisers]

If you don't like heat and humidity, be glad that you haven't been to Darwin! 🥵 I was there twice, in Nov. of 2013 on Diamond Princess and in October of 2017 on Sun Princess.  And even though I hate heat and humidity I'm not sorry I was there because I love seeing Australia.

 

When you arrive in Darwin, you walk off the ship and head through a park-like area towards an ELEVATOR so that you can head into the downtown area.  Yes, an elevator.  It's a very unique place.

 

 

  

Walking through the park

 

 

Approaching the glass elevator area

 

Leaving the elevator looking back towards the park and water.

 

 

Christmas decorations seen along our walkways, since this picture was taken in late November.

 

Heading towards the shopping areas of town we passed by statues and town hall ruins.

 

 

 

We also walked near the Parliament building

 

Wanna go for a boat ride?

 

When we reached the downtown area, we noticed the overhead sun protection and misting stations to keep people comfortable while they shopped.  Something I haven't seen too often in my travels.

 

 

I don't suppose they'd mind if you slipped off your shoes and cooled your feet in this spot.

 

 

You could even learn a little history if you took the time to read this bronze plaque.

 

 

By this time we were ready to retrace our steps and enter the cool air conditioned interior of our cruise ship.  Even with their tropical climate, I am willing to visit the capital of the Northern Territory anytime!!

 

[Heartgrove]

Thank you Jacqui, thank you Roy, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work.  And thank you everyone for being here!

 

@StLouisCruisers Happy Birthday Sandi and your sister!

 

@Overhead Fred and @erewhon Happy Anniversay!

 

Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need.

 

- Jack

Edited April 8 by Heartgrove

[Haljo1935]

57 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

I see I still have a nasty habit of hitting , instead of m after an a.  I may not post again today as I have a big schedule, Cardiologist, Church finance team, and Fire Department Board and full membership meetings and will try to sneak outdoors for a view of the eclipse.

 

Roy

Hope all goes well at cardiologist's and that your peek at the eclipse is a good one. Rain has been taken out of our forecast, but still calls for clouds here.

[Haljo1935]

Happy Birthday  @StLouisCruisers and your twin Linda

 

Edited April 8 by Haljo1935
Additional comment

[Haljo1935]

Happy Birthday @Norseh2o

[dfish]

Good morning, everyone!

 

We have a balmy start to the day and looking forward to mostly sunny skies and a high of 75.  That forecast is always welcome!   It is looking good for the eclipse so we are making the trek to Toledo where we'll watch the eclipse from a friend's front yard.  

 

The eye seems a little better this morning.  It looks like it has drained a bit as it isn't as swollen or sore.  We'll see as the day wears on how it does.  It is generally better in the morning.  

 

Today's meal sounds like one I would like to try.  I better hurry and do it though as grilling season is fast approaching.  https://www.budgetbytes.com/creamy-spinach-artichoke-chicken/

 

 

That looks really good to me!  This next one doesn't have as much sauce and that can be a good thing if you're watching calories.  https://downshiftology.com/recipes/spinach-artichoke-chicken-bake/

 

 

Here's spinach and artichoke dip on your chicken.  https://www.saltandlavender.com/spinach-artichoke-chicken/

 

 

Hoping this finds you all well and wishing you a wonderful day!  Be careful looking at the eclipse.

[dfish]

@Norseh2o