Journey with Bill & Mary Ann on the Amsterdam's 2016 Grand World Voyage - 114 days +

Report # 119 Sailing Towards Ft. Lauderdale, Florida April 28, 2016 Thursday Partly cloudy & 75 degrees

The Amsterdam has resumed its original course that was charted for us. By sailing south of the direct line towards Florida, Captain Mercer was able to avoid the worst of the storm that was brewing there. We did have deep swells, making conditions uncomfortable at times, but it only lasted a few days. A little bit of rain did not hurt us along the way, as it could have been much worse. Fifty-five foot seas near Dutch Harbor while on the Volendam’s Asia/Pacific Voyage back in 2002 was the upmost worst we have ever experienced. Anything less than that, is a piece of cake now.

This morning we woke up to grey skies, but the seas were much smoother, and eventually, the sun did come out. One thing we have noticed is that we are seeing many more flying fish. Bet the sea water has warmed up considerably. Sure starting to feel like the Caribbean……warm and more humid. In fact, during his PM talk, Captain Mercer mentioned that we are now close to the Turks and Caico Islands. Speaking of the Captain, it is his 65th birthday today. (He shares it with my brother as well. Happy Birthday, Richard.) Jonathon mentioned that he hopes to be the master of the ship for the next two world cruises. Then he might consider retiring.

Today was the final day to arrange the luggage shipment service for the guests, and also some of the crew members. For those who need to know, the front office sells bubble wrap, boxes, tape, and a box package with a little of everything. Many folks purchased so much in the way of souvenirs, they needed a way to ship it all home. Some smart people bought extra luggage along the way, such as in Hong Kong or Viet Nam. We did get fewer ship gifts this year, so we will not be overloaded.

There was a reminder for all of the library books to be turned in today. Or else you could be charged for them. The loaned Ship Flicks also needed to be brought back to the front desk. Most of those complimentary movies are old, so we never did borrow any of them this entire trip. Even better would be the interactive TV that has 200 movies at your request. Bet the new Koningsdam has it.

The guest speakers gave their talks today, following up with their subjects of art and the history of computers. The Grand Finale Art Auction took place in the Explorers Lounge. We are not sure what the size of the crowd that is interested in this activity, but there has to be some people buying the art.

We had a lunch date in the Pinnacle Grill, the first one of this trip. We met Leslie and Handler at 12:30pm, and lingered over mostly hamburgers and skinny fries. Dessert was a warm brownie with caramel popcorn on top with a tiny scoop of coffee ice cream. Great combination, who would have guessed sweet chocolate with salty caramel? We were the last to leave around 2:30pm.

After the ample lunch, we needed a walk outside. Still uncrowded, it was perfect weather ………warm, but with a slight breeze. Looks like the rain was still on the horizon, but we actually had sun by now.

There was a Champagne Farewell Reception and Presentation in the Queens Lounge at 4:30pm. Even though it was intended for the early diners, we went to see it, going up to deck five. We were not alone, as many of the late diners were there. The Amsterdam Orchestra played for 15 minutes, then Gene introduced Captain Mercer, who gave a short and sweet farewell talk.

Following him was Barbara H, who gave a brief recap of all of the ports we visited on this cruise. The photos sure brought back memories, especially the Cook Islands, where the tender boat got hung up on the reef. Finally, Gene showed a very humorous video of the staff, crew, and officers as they went about their daily jobs. The funniest were Henk and Christel riding their bike for two past the front desk, and down the hallways, waving as they passed by. Or Presty fixing his sleek hair in the dining room. Whoever filmed this video had a wicked sense of humor. The crowd loved it. This show will be repeated again at 7pm.

The Grand Dollar redemption took place this afternoon. For the first time we remember, Gene announced that the dollars could be saved for next year’s world cruise. Usually, that does not happen, and people were forced to get stuff they did not really want. Use them, or lose them. We never earned any, so we did not have to worry about prizes or the lack of.

There was a Royal Dutch High Tea at 3pm in the dining room. One of these days, we intend to go to one of these teas.

Dinner was good tonight, since there were several excellent choices on the menu. It was the Chef’s Farewell Dinner. Sometimes it is all or nothing. We ordered the spaghetti Bolognese with a filet mignon on the side. The fish and chips entrée was tasty. Weinerschintzel was also a good choice or the lobster pie. For one of us, jello with fruit was the just right dessert, although the carrot cake looked awfully good.

Showtime was Terry Davies, a piano man. The stars of Abba Fab also returned to the stage with music from Billy Joel and Elton John.

One more day at sea, and we will be in Florida.

Bill & Mary Ann

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It's been great following your adventure these past couple of months!!

I have really enjoyed following along with you this year (as always). Sometime I hope to do the full world and am making note of some the "to sees" at various ports. I know things will be very different on the FLL to San Diego portion of your trip, but I would do the same thing.... stay with the ship as long as possible.

Susan

I will also post my thanks for such a wonderful review of your world cruise...you brighten our lives:):):)

Thanks so much for your wonderful blog and fabulous photos. I truly enjoyed following your travels. I especially loved your safari time with the leopards.

Sincerely hope we will meet up on the Tales of the South Pacific in the Fall.

Cheers, Denise

Thank you for taking us along...I have enjoyed it immensely! Look forward to more in the future!

Marge

Thank you Mary Ann and Bill for taking us along with you. I have looked forward to reading your daily post for four months now. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into these posts.

Charles

Report # 120 Sailing Towards Ft. Lauderdale, Florida April 29, 2016 Friday Partly cloudy & 78 degrees

The last full day at sea found the day beginning on a positive note……………..blue skies, smooth seas, and warm temperatures. Almost like it had been scripted that way. Ending everything on a happy note.

At breakfast, our head waiter Pande came by, almost dancing. Can’t blame him as he will be on his way home to Bali tomorrow evening, his 10 month contract ending. He will join the Volendam later this summer, and he will be sorely missed here.

Last minute sales are being advertised, because once the ship is docked in Ft. Lauderdale, everything closes. So if you need those last minute photos, or a fabulous and expensive diamond necklace or watch, or perhaps some art that you cannot live without. The Signature Shops are selling some items up to 75% off (key words “up to”). What we know from experience, is that some of the 2016 World Cruise logo items will be sold for 75% off after we leave Florida. The Casino will be closing tonight, so there is a Texas Hold’em tournament at 2:30pm for those who would like to try to make up for any loses while onboard. Our suggestion: give up while you are ahead. Should be interesting to see how full this casino is on the next voyage. We remember it busting-from-the-seams full. Lots of smokers too, which is still allowed if you are actively gambling.

A good idea that is available is a 15 or 30 minute internet package for $8.25 or $12 for last minute communications with transfers and flight updates and the chance to print your boarding passes using their kiosks. Great idea for those who have run out of internet minutes. On past cruises, leaving the ship from Ft. Lauderdale with the majority of folks debarking, it has been a nightmare. The amount of luggage that has to be claimed and lugged through customs and immigrations is massive. We remember the days when we had booked a veranda and had free shipping. We brought 22 bags with us, not all huge sizes, but still way too much stuff. We ended up going back with 24 with all the gifts we had received back then.

After breakfast this morning, we joined the crowd that was On Deck for a Cause, the non-competitive 5k fundraising walk. Or whatever you are capable of walking, even if it is once around the deck. In fact, one can contribute the $20, receive a t-shirt and wristband (valued at $4), and not walk at all. This walk is no longer directed towards one cancer organization, but to several worldwide. We cannot remember for sure, but this event may be a one-time event on this 115 day cruise.

The hallways continued to fill up with luggage as the day commenced. And it was being cleared as it was being put out. It had not been announced that you could put out the baggage early, but the latest time for it to be put out was 1am. It was nice to see that the luggage is now loaded on special hand trucks to take down the elevators. And for those who might like to know, a digital scale was made available outside the Housekeeping office to weigh luggage to be flown. As long as the ship was not moving a lot, the scale would be fairly close to correct. As we are not leaving yet, we did not receive the debarking info, but did find a video on channel 26 with the complete instructions. And for the first time we can remember, there was no farewell disembarkation talk in the Queens Lounge. Things are changing, that’s for sure.

Even at lunch, we found changes. We joined with Aart and Ellen, Barb and Maureen at a table for six in the dining room. Lunches in here have been a pleasure. The changes, however, were with the tableware. The plates with our entrees and soups were different. Plain white dishes with no design or color, and no HAL logo…..you know, the familiar old ship within a ship. We hate to see this tradition of the Dutch identity to be gone, but that seems to be the intent. Wonder if this is happening fleetwide? Now the problem we found with the larger soup bowls, was that our cheddar cheese soup was not hot. Not even close. The bowl had drained the heat right out of it. Barb and I sent them back, and they came back steaming hot, probably microwaved. Since the dinner plates are larger, our mini-sized hamburgers were lost in the middle of the plate. Gosh, we hate change.

Not too much was happening this afternoon as the ship prepares to end this voyage, and begin a new one starting tomorrow. Most of the daily activities ended yesterday, so we watched a room movie until 4pm. That’s when we went for a promenade walk to get some fresh air and sun. The timing was just right, because while we were at the railing, a lone dolphin swam by, did an about face, and jumped out of the water to look at us. It was one of those rare moments when we were not sure we really saw that, because it happened so fast. Except for a handful of flying fish, that was the first wildlife we have seen since leaving Funchal.

At 5pm, we had an invite to the Wajang Theater with 38 of our fellow cruisers. We will all be sailing on to either San Diego, Vancouver, or Seattle. As we entered the room, we were offered a beverage of our choice. We had an exclusive presentation of the upcoming turn around call in Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow. We all got the info concerning the mandatory US immigration inspection procedures. We will all need to take our passports, a filled out customs form, our room cards and ID when we debark the ship. Everyone needs to clear the ship, which should happen by 11am, more or less.

Barbara H gave a quick over-view of the upcoming Panama Canal re-positioning ports, and Nyron, the shore ex manager, told us a little about the tours that will be available. He promised that the new tour booklet would be delivered to our rooms this evening. In fact, they arrived before we left the theater. Many questions were asked, but the one we were interested in hearing was about the survey that we get online for this world cruise. We have always been expected to fill it out on our own time. Now Gene promise that each of us would be given 30 minutes of internet time to complete the surveys. That’s a first. Anyway, we are now ready for tomorrow’s procedures. As for us, we booked a tour which will leave the ship by 8:30am. All aboard will be 3pm, with a mandatory muster drill at 3:15pm. Sail away should be sometime after 4pm. That should be quite a turn-over in one day, and we’ll be surprised if the ship leaves on time.

The one and only show this evening was at 7:15pm in the Queens Lounge. It was a farewell show featuring the Amsterdam bands. We heard from our tablemates that it was awesome. In fact it ran over-time, because three of our tablemates were late coming to dinner. With extra guests, our table turned into two tables with 13 people. Unfortunately, the company was excellent, but most all of the food was near cold. Yep, the plates seemed to be the culprit. Even our waiters could not figure that out. The entrees had come straight from the kitchen.

We all exchanged emails with Paul and Bonnie, who we hope return someday. We sure enjoyed them as tablemates. As most of us will be back on next year’s world cruise, it was not too sad saying goodbye. It’s just a matter of months before we will be back. The menu was titled International Dinner, with an assortment of entrees from different parts of the world. There were few really outstanding dinners. Also missing was the performance of the waiters singing a farewell on the staircase. Guess it does not work with open seating anymore. No more baked Alaska Parade, or the parade of the kitchen staff and waiters. Dinner did end on a good note with the serving of the cappucchino bomb, our favorite ice cream treat. Yep, doesn’t take much to make us all happy.

For the rest of the cruise, 16 days, we will be moving upstairs to a table for two on the railing. Two couples we know well are there now, so we will not be alone. Will keep an eye out for differences we notice from a grand voyage to a regular cruise. We honestly don’t remember a whole lot of differences, but who knows, this year may be different.

Bill & Mary Ann

Welcome back!

Welcome back!

Thanks for the great reports! Now I want to book a WC, thanks.

Sent from my KFTHWI using Forums mobile app

Thank for the great reports. Have enjoyed the World Cruise with you and look forward to hearing a report on the disembarkation in San Diego. We are planning a Hawaii cruise leaving and returning from San Diego. Will be deciding whether to fly home the day we would arrive or the next day. Flight time to fly to DTW is 11:20 am. I have been reading that disembarkation is not going well in San Diego.

Thanks for sharing another trip with us!

Report #121 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida April 30, 2016 Saturday Partly cloudy & 83 degrees 78 Pictures Part #1 of 2

Today ended one long voyage, but began another short one. We are not quite done yet.

Breakfast was in the dining room from 7 to 9am, so the passengers who were leaving still had time to dine in style one more time. We noticed that more of the new plate ware had been introduced. We had new triangular bread plates and new coffee cups and saucers. Those were plain white. At least our food is the same.

We had booked a tour for this morning, which met in the Wajang Theater at 8am. The tour was the Everglades airboat ride for about four hours. We have done this excursion at least twice in the past, but since it was fun, we figured this would be a good way to escape the ship and all of the disembarkation mess. Most all of the 750 guests and 130 or more of the crew were leaving today, however, we did not have to get off with all of them.

Although we were scheduled to leave around 8:30am, circumstances deemed that we would be held up for about an hour. At one point, the line of guests leaving was held up by the customs and immigration officials, we heard. No one has any control over that. What most people did not know was that our little group was being combined with passengers from some of the other ships in port. There were only ten of us from the Amsterdam that were either going to an airport after the tour, or like us, going back to the ship. Turned out, we were the only ones going back to the Amsterdam.

That meant that the other guests with us had to collect their luggage in the terminal, and take it through customs. Many of them had to lug their bags to the bus, storing them underneath. So we waited on the bus for at least another ½ hour for this process. Finally, all had arrived and the bus was full, and we were on our way by 9:30am.

We headed north to the Everglades, a massive swampland, unique to this part of the world. Took almost an hour to arrive to the Sawgrass Park complex where we were escorted five at a time to fill the seats on an airboat. Even though we have done this ride more than a few times, it was really fun. With earplugs installed, we felt the roar of the twin Corvette engines as we skimmed over the top of the shallow waters. On the way to this park, our guide had explained the science behind the everglades as well as the wildlife that exists here.

Birds, fish, various reptiles, and alligators call this home. We instantly saw cormorants, a buzzard, and osprey flying overhead. In a short time, we saw an alligator slithering across the sawgrass-covered water. The ride lasted about ½ hour, where we were escorted into the animal exhibit. There we were led as a group to see an assortment of creatures that live in the Everglades. The most impressive had to be the 12 foot long male alligator who was well over 50 years old. He was housed with a female, half his size. A naturalist gave an excellent talk about these ancient-looking animals. A display of snakes sent shivers down everyone’s backs, especially the huge pythons. Most all of these reptiles were active this morning as they need the sun to warm up.

Further into this park were some smaller gators, tortoise, assorted birds, and even some cats. The most impressive were the full-grown panthers, the male pacing continuously, and the female laying on her side, obliviously unaware of our presence. We saw a caracal, a smaller cat with huge ears, a small fox, a skunk, all of whom were former pets that were donated when they became too difficult to keep.

Also on the property were a food trailer and a souvenir stand, of course. People with little kids were the only serious buyers. Although the snacks of gator bites sounded interesting……….maybe another time.

From here, we headed back towards Ft. Lauderdale with a stop at the International Airport on the way. The majority of guests and their luggage were dropped off at their appropriate airlines, while the next stop was for the two of us….back at Pier 26 and the Amsterdam. The bus continued with about five others who were headed for the Miami airport.

We were back onboard by 1pm, ending around the new folks who were lined up to check-in. Our “in transit” cards gave us the opportunity to go directly to the escalator, straight through the photography set-up, and right on the ship. Always wonderful to hear “welcome back” from the security guards. Also looks like the new group are going to be a lot of fun folks.

There was no Mariner lunch or lunch of any kind in La Fontaine Dining Room. Our favorite sandwich bar in the Lido was gone. We knew they would go back to those pre-made wrapped sandwiches with mystery ingredients. The sandwich bar was converted to the pasta station, although headed up with our sandwich maker. He seemed happy to see us, but could only offer us noodles and sauces. He indicated that the pizza was in the middle section now. We did find three trays of pizza, but someone had left them in the oven too long. Sure did not stop one man from getting his fingers under the glass to pull out a few pieces. Guess pizza is out, unless we see it coming directly from the oven. The problem we see here is that the Lido appeared to be under-manned today.

Our only other lunch solution besides room service, was to grab a burger from the Dive In Grill. Wish it were that easy. No matter when we have gone here to order something, we have had to wait for 20 to 30 minutes. Even if there was not a line, you still waited. So that’s one reason we only had two burgers from there in four months. Today was no better. Knowing the drill, one of us stayed and quietly waited it out for one plain burger and one hotdog, no fries. While chatting with the waiter, two passengers took turns loudly complaining about the wait. Guess they had a terribly bad day or two getting here. Anyway, didn’t want to say that it probably won’t get any faster here. It’s not “fast food”…….good burgers and hot dogs, but not speedy.

Did we mention there were a few humongous ships in port today? The smallest was us. The next largest was the Carnival Conquest (2202) at 110,239 gross tons with 3700 passengers and 1160 crew. The Navigator of the Seas (2002) was 137,276 gross tons with 3835 guests and 1185 crew. But the biggest was one of the largest in the world……….the Oasis of the Seas (2009) with 222,900 gross tons holding a maximum for 6360 passengers with a crew of 2164. She has 2704 staterooms, and 1956 of those have balconies. Wow….a monster vessel.

We instantly noticed a few differences from the grand world voyage to this re-positioning cruise, which is not a “grand”. The alcoholic beverage policy is different, since only one bottle of wine or champagne (no larger than 750 ml) can be brought onboard at the beginning of the cruise. Anything over that number will be charged an $18 corkage fee, and any wine or champagne bottles purchased in port will be subject to that corkage fee. Or they will take it from you, and return it at the end of the cruise. We have seen this enforced.

A few noticeable changes in staff were Barbara H, who went home, and replaced with Location Guide Wallis. Guitarist Brian and Carly and the HALCats will be entertaining in the Crows Nest at night. A new piano man, Don, has replaced Debby Bacon in the Piano Bar.

“Wash your hands and use Purell” is the only message regarding sanitary safety. No more 48 hour full service dining. Hope people read this notice.

The mandatory muster drill took place at 3:15pm. Most all of the faces were new to us, except one couple, Peg and Rich, surprised us after the drill. They have sailed on many of the world cruises we have done, and will be on the 2017 world voyage as well. Nice folks.

We headed up to deck nine, and eventually deck eight for the sail away after 4pm. Running about ½ hour late, Captain Fred Eversen left the port around 4:30pm…..not bad to have such a complete turn-around with a mountain of luggage to off-load in a few hours. Our hats are off to them.

Following in our tracks was the Oasis, who took a long time simply turning that vessel around to sail out of their assigned dock. She is truly a floating hotel. Looks like things are good for our stop tomorrow in Half Moon Cay, HAL’s private island.

Dinner for us was on deck five, table 83, on the railing…..a twosy-foursy, we call it. Table for four, but set for two. We are surrounded by friends Aart, Ellen, and Sandra and Allen, who will all be sailing to Seattle. The entrees tonight were excellent……….the best prime rib so far this entire voyage. Glad we tried it for the fourth time to see if it would be better. Even our tomato Florentine soups were served piping hot. Looks like we will have fine dining for the next two weeks. In fact, there was no changes in the dinner menu that we could see.

The only show tonight was at 9:30pm with cruise director Gene showcasing the entertainers of the Amsterdam…a peek at what will be coming soon. It had been a long day for us, so we did not attend.

Bill & Mary Ann

I see you noted that the wine policy was different. What was it for the WC? Can you bring more than one bottle per person?

Thanks!

I agree about the service in the Grill, those guys are so slow could time them with a sun dial.

Report #121 ...................... Most all of the 750 guests and 130 or more of the crew were leaving today, however, we did not have to get off with all of them.

 

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Bill & Mary Ann

Hi Bill; 154 of us (crew) went home (or to other Dam ships) on SAT. Enjoy the next part of your voyage! :)

I watched you depart FLL on the webcam and posted some screen captures in the sailaway thread. We took that same repositioning cruise back in 2014 and loved the Amsterdam.

Thank you for taking us along with you on an incredible journey. It was been so enjoyable reading about your travels and the daily activities aboard.

Thank you again for all your time and effort. Safe travels home.

Report #122 Half Moon Cay, Bahamas May 1, 2016 Sunday Partly cloudy & 83 degrees Part #1 of 2 86 Pictures

The first port of call for this voyage was a place we have often thought about and hoped to go again….Half Moon Cay, a coral island owned by HAL and located in the Bahamas. Seldom stop on a grand world voyage, we were happy to see this port on the Panama re-positioning cruise. So here is some information on the country of the Bahamas. The capital is Nassau, and the population is 309,156 people. The total area of all of the islands is 5,381 square miles, and their official language is English.

It would take over eight years to visit every island of the Bahamas, because there are 3100 of them. These islands are described as a ransom of diamonds spread across a velvet cloth. More words to describe this part of the world are long, linear playgrounds for sun -seekers seduced by an eternally balmy climate. A fitting image.

When is the best the to visit? Year-round, but December to February to escape the northern cold. If you like heat and humidity, try coming in June through August.

Things to see: Nassau’s pirate museums and endless shopping strips. Inagua National Park to see the roosting spots for pink flamingos. Harbour Island where the sands are pink, or Cat Island where modern society has not touched. Or Long Island with 75 miles of beaches and pastel-colored villages.

Top things to do: Kayak among all the cays and camping along the way. Island hop by mailboat, the traditional link. Explore a shipwreck – there are at least two per island.

What is there to eat? Conch – a mollusk served pounded, minced, frittered, marinated, grilled, or even raw in cerviche. Not me, as I am allergic.

What is there to drink? Kalik, a light sweet lager or goombay smash, a dangerously good rum punch.

Trademarks: Casinos, luxury yachts, golf courses, rum, sun, sand, and sin, and deserted islands.

Random fact: Many Bahamians practice obeah, a ritualistic form of magic with deep African roots.

Where we visited today was one of those almost deserted islands, a paradise of powdery sands, and clear seas. And lots of tropical sun.

This small island or cay is 1700 acres. HAL began using it for a one day stop for their ships in the area back in 1997. It happens to rate 8.7 points out of a possible 10 in the Berlitz book. That is the highest rating of all of the other private islands owned by other cruise lines. And in our opinion, well-deserved.

We did not have a really long time to spend here, so we left the ship by 10am after breakfast. Instead of having to use our tender boats, the transfer of guests was done by local boats equipped to take hundreds over each time. We were able to load directly from Deck A, without using the stairway. With a gangplank, it was a straight across walk. When the boat filled, we left for the short ride. Sure would be great if all transfers to shore were this easy.

Here is a sample of the tours offered here starting with a Nature Walk for 1 ½ hours for $20, or aa Lagoon Cruise for 1 ¼ hours for $35. A Glass Bottom Boat ride was 1 hour for $40, and the Calypso Island Tram ride was $25 for 45 minutes. (We walked the entire tour for nothing.)

Swimming tours included Snorkel Treasure Chest Island for 2 hours for $60, or snorkel by boat for 1 ½ hours for $60. The Stingray Adventure was 1 hour for $30. We watched the group as they went in an enclosure with several tame rays, and fed them calamari. If you were interested in horseback riding for 1 1/4 hours, you could do it for $100. A Lagoon Kayak or a bike and hike ride ran $40 for a little over an hour. We did see a convoy of jet ski folks zoom by as, then saw another group getting ready to do the same thing. For one hour, they paid $90.

Cabanas could be rented on the beach. A little one for a group of 4 ran $300, but if you wanted a butler, it would be $270 more. A Beach Villa for 8 guests cost $550, or the Oasis, a private house for up to 12 guests would set you back $1400. There was also a list of smaller things for rent such as a float mattress for $11, a clamshell shade for two for $20, or different boat rentals from $20 to $60. This sure has been a massive change from the first time we came here in 2005. Back then, very little was available as far as tours or activities. It was simply a day in the sun and swim in the warm waters. For us, that is what it was……..a long walk with sun and swimming.

We took our time walking towards the far end of the island passing the dining pavilion, the Stingray Adventure, and the Aqua Trax Adventures in the Bonefish Lagoon. Nice to see a lot of guests were doing these activities. Since we were too early for lunch, we continued on towards the Pegasus Horse Ranch. Many docile horses were kept here in corrals kept spotless. We did not even see flies. There were about 6 folks waiting for a ride back to the welcome center, having done their hour or so horse ride. As long we stayed in this vicinity, we never saw any more people riding the horses.

Since this was the end of the road, we found our way to the long stretch of sandy beach, and proceeded to walk slowly to the end of the cay. A sign was posted near the end warning folks about an undertow from this point onward. Looked like a fine place to stop and get some sun and possible a swim. By now, 1pm, it was getting pretty hot and the cool water of the bay looked inviting. Locating a chaise lounge we shared it for a few hours. Despite using lots of sunscreen, we probably did get a little bit too much sun today. Nothing bad, however.

All aboard time was 3:30pm, so around 2:30pm, we began the long hike back to the tender boat. It was printed in the daily newsletter that the last tenderboat was also 3:30pm, so we ended up on that one. There were only about 12 of us going back to the ship. The majority of passengers must have left a lot earlier. By the time we got back to the welcome center, everything was closed. We knew we would miss lunch which ran from 11 am to 1pm. But we did not expect to see the local staff stacking up lounges and shutting everything down so early. Guess when their work is done, they can also leave. We have been told that most all of the island’s crew are ferried here from nearby islands. Only a small staff stays here to take care of the horses. It sure had been a marvelous day.

The Amsterdam left shortly after we were dropped off, since all that had to be done was close the hatch. The best photos of the disappearing island were from deck nine as the anchor was lifted and the ship was turned. We did not see a whole lot of hot appetizers being passed around. If they were offered, the food was snapped up immediately. We did not linger too long back there, since we had not eaten lunch, and decided to enjoy some room snacks. The Lido did not appeal to us, especially the pre-made dried-out sandwiches, and we definitely did not want to wait ½ hour for the Dive In burger.

Dinnertime came as soon as all of our photos were downloaded and sorted. Although we miss our tablemates, the quiet and quick dining at the railing is a nice way to wind up a day. It was not as crowded tonight, so we figured the sun and swimming had worn the folks out. We were……..

Our meals of Asian rotisserie chicken with noodles were excellent, although could have been hotter. We are realizing that each and every course has to be ordered with the request of- bring it hot please. If not, it cools lukewarm. Allan and Sandra have said the same thing. Also, we need to add that so far, we have seen no difference in the food offerings or the quality of the meat or fish entrees as compared to the “grand” voyage. The only difference that we noticed was that the room service breakfast menu has been replaced with a different order form. We never ordered room service once during the entire world cruise, so we cannot comment on it.

Showtime was the Premiere Abba Experience, which was good the first time around. Gotta love that music………….

Will be interesting to see what a day at sea will be like tomorrow with the new crowd.

Bill & Mary Ann

PS Got our first of three time changes last night, as the clocks were rolled back one hour. Also, a nice surprise. A letter awaited us in our room to advise us that due to the cancellation of Cabo San Lucas, we would be receiving a $50 per person shipboard credit. Usually only the port charges are given back, but this larger amount is a nice gesture.

After all this time you were finally able to revisit Half Moon Cay - good for you! We have enjoyed the island several times, and really love walking the paths and exploring the island. We love running into the "cooling stations" placed along the way; the fine mist really helps take down one's temperature on sunny, hot days.

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

Report # 123 Sailing Towards Cartagena, Colombia May 2, 2016 Monday Partly cloudy & 84 degrees 23 Pictures

Our first day at sea of this re-positioning voyage was a busy one. Only a few things were different from the previous grand voyage, such as no arts and crafts, watercolor classes, or dance lessons. What still is available are bridge lessons (regular or duplicate), casino lessons, the digital workshop, and many free fitness classes. Cruise Director Gene’s fun games are still happening. And trivia has two sessions….one at 1pm, and the second, a genius level follows at 1:30pm. We KNOW Maureen, our buddy, will be at every genius game, since she really is one, most of the time.

One other thing we happened to notice was that Happy Hour was added yesterday at 4 to 5pm and 6 to 7pm in the Ocean Bar and Crows Nest. In addition, the Crows Nest had the 9 to 10pm Happy Hour also. Today, Happy Hour happened at 4 to 5pm in the Ocean Bar and Crows Nest, better than nowhere, right?

Our day began with a delightful breakfast, but with different waiters. We have been able to stay at our usual breakfast and lunch table (179), although it was never assigned as such. Truthfully, there are always many tables empty in the dining room for these meals, it has been no problem for us to stay in one place. The plus side of this is that the waiters have taken the time to get to know us and what we order. If possible, they will save some berries and Greek yogurt for us every day. Yitno, our favorite “muffin man”, sees to it we have at least one blueberry muffin with some berries in it. He no longer plays his special song….maybe someone complained? Who knows?

The lower promenade deck was full of new guests, staking out their favorite teak lounges, no doubt. We sure miss our friends Shirley and Jack, who set up their lounges in the same spot every sea day, regardless of the weather. We think that most everyone has come from a place in the world where the cold weather is still hanging in there, such as in Canada. Even the aft deck was full of people that will be feeling the burn tonight. Today the weather was warm, humid, and getting hotter the further south we drop. By the way, this afternoon, found the Amsterdam sailing past the southern side of Cuba……very much in the news today, as a cruise ship in the Carnival family is on their way there today for the first time in many years. We happened to turn on the TV news channel to see Arnold Donald, the CEO, who was recently on this ship back in Australia. Also fun to say that we dined with him and his wife Hazel, along with 20 other guests and CEO’s in the Kings Room during that time. Small world………..

One of us had an appointment for a trim with the cute Japanese hairdresser in the Spa this morning. She seemed delighted to get her hands into long hair, although she had to almost sit on the floor to trim it. She did an excellent job and only charged $15 plus gratuity. In addition, she conditioned it with a kerotine oil, then proceeded to braid and twist it for a formal look, adding pins to keep it together in a bun. Yes, all that for a small fee…….how often does that happen on a cruise ship? Like, never.

Other interesting activities today were talks in the Queens Lounge with Nyron, the shore ex manager, a new guest speaker, Valerie Mock, and Location Guide, Wallis Hutton. Nyron gave valuable tour info, while Valerie spoke about the Spanish explorers of the Americas. Wallis talked about things to do and see in Cartagena, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Sure hope our stop in Costa Rica is at Puntarenas and not Puerto Caldera. We do know from past trips, that if Captain Fred can get into Puntarenas, he will do it.

While we enjoyed an excellent lunch of a cheeseburger and pork piccata with spaghetti in the dining room, a live champagne art auction took place in the Ocean Bar. The sales continued, making us realize that we only had one week of this promotion during the entire world cruise. That was plenty for most all of us. We think the better activity of the day was learning how to make those addictive Panama Canal rolls that we will be getting soon, a very special treat no matter what they call them.

Now that the world cruise is over, we received the online surveys to fill out. While inquiring about some other things at the front desk, we learned that 30 minutes had been added to our account. That would barely be enough for one questionnaire. Since two surveys needed to be completed, an additional 30 minutes was added. We did add several responses to direct questions, so the first survey took 40 minutes. This is the first time that we were given extra minutes to complete the surveys, so we cannot complain.

Tonight is the first Gala evening, so we set off to check out what people were wearing. Sitting at one of our favorite spots on deck five across from the Ocean Bar, we noticed there was very little difference with the formal wear the folks had on tonight as compared to the grand voyage. In fact, these passengers have dressed even better. Many more were stopping at the photographer’s lair to have portraits taken. Some of the camera people are new, which is a good thing. Sometimes they can be intrusive, especially during dinnertime.

Passing through the Casino, we noticed that it was busier than normal. People can smoke in here, so most of the slot machines were being played by smokers. That confirms our suspicions that on shorter cruises, people participate in everything. That includes shopping in the stores, taking advantage of spa treatments, and buying shore excursions. All good for the company.

Checking out the entertainers in the lounges, we found the Neptunes were in the Ocean Bar, but the group was different from the previous cruise. The Crows Nest has a fellow guitarist named Brian, who drew a good-sized crowd, while the new Piano Bar entertainer, Don, packed the room with a tribute to Neil Diamond.

The sunset was at 6:20pm, and we made it to deck nine minutes before that time. This was the nicest sunset we have seen in a month. On the horizon, we could see the blackest rain clouds ever. We did not hang around long enough to find out. Don’t think the Captain mentioned the forecast in his talk today.

Dinner was good with a Gala menu, which was limited to three choices per course. We had a salad, a soup, appetizers of shrimp, and rack of lamb with a baked potato. Since the lamb was very small in size, the headwaiter brought over another helping for one of us. One plate had the lamb, but no gravy. Our headwaiter quickly remedied that with a gravy boat full. Dessert was a chocolate soufflé, and a meringue-cake combination with a scoop of ice cream….all no sugar added (whatever that means). We suspect there is sugar in all of the dessert, but maybe not as much.

The show in the Queens Lounge was Jazz Blues and Rock and Roll, performed by the Amsterdam’s singers and dancers. Their show was a mix of classic dances, modern and ballet, along with great music from rock and roll heroes. The jazz and blues showcased the talents of this group.

Looking forward to another day at sea tomorrow as we head towards Cartagena, Colombia. By the way, thanks for all of your kind comments on the blog. Means a lot knowing they are being read. Elaine – cannot imagine being on the mega RCI ships…what an experience. All the packages for the grand voyages will be online or sent to you in the Know Before You Go booklet. Barbara and Orlin – we shall see you both on next year’s world cruise. Be here before you know it.

Bill & Mary Ann

A sunset to enjoy………………

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One of us had an appointment for a trim with the cute Japanese hairdresser in the Spa this morning. She seemed delighted to get her hands into long hair, although she had to almost sit on the floor to trim it. She did an excellent job and only charged $15 plus gratuity. In addition, she conditioned it with a kerotine oil, then proceeded to braid and twist it for a formal look, adding pins to keep it together in a bun. Yes, all that for a small fee…….how often does that happen on a cruise ship? Like, never.

 

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Chiaki from Okinawa, Japan; one of the best, and friendliest, hairdressers on the seven seas :)

Bill and Mary Ann, I tried posting directly on your blog, but it would not go through.

I so much want to thank you for all of the time and effort and glorious descriptions of your cruise. I have enjoyed my days since January, waiting for your blog to post. Your time is so appreciated doing this.

AND... I must agree, your photos of the sunset after passing Cuba were the best ever.

I am not quite ready for a world cruise. However... you have inspired me and I have booked the Voyage of the Vikings in 2017 to see if a longer cruise will be something I want to do.

Thanks again.

"new guest speaker, Valerie Mock"

My husband and I were on a cruise with Valerie and her sister a couple of years ago. She wasn't a guest speaker but we did several private excursions with her.

Also...I have loved your blog as well as that of Peter and Judy. It has been fun to see the different perspective you have with numerous world cruises under your belt as compared to Pete and Judy on their first world cruise.