whogo

Check out this itinerary on a small German language cruise ship: https://www.phoenixreisen.com/die-grosse-weltumrundung-mit-ms-amadea-westwaerts-in-146-tagen.html?source=searchform&searchIdCruiseDate=3084276

Naturalists on our Seabourn Antarctica cruise had Swarovski available. I was impressed at how clear the image was compared to my Canon binoculars. Swarovski were for sale on the ship, I never checked the price.

Resolution is a key factor in binocular quality. 8 X 42 binoculars from different manufacturers can have vastly different image quality, like the difference between hi-def and lo-def TV. Now back to TravelBluebird's regularly scheduled programming.

Oh? What did the lab tests show?

Much more likely you got norovirus

This is a wonderful cruise blog, At7Seas, I hope you will continue these daily reports until your return home in May. Have you heard anything about itinerary changes due to troubles in the Red Sea?

Good, you have returned to the living. Thanks for the photos, shark b8. We never saw the sun in Antarctica or Patagonia, gives the place a whole different look.

Looks like pemican - bison meat dried and ground into a powder and mixed with fat and chokecherries. Tastes as good as it sounds. Ought to be served with cattail root instead of rice and bell peppers.

I noticed, did not comment on Vincent. I thought that Vincent was part of your gripe, HAL could only get two of the team and one of them was... Vincent.

We were delayed 20 minutes by a tourist who then showed off the t-shirt that wanted buying. Absolutely clueless. If my math is correct, Haljo1935 waited three times for late passengers for a total of 1.25 hours. I'd have been livid even I had made it to the attractions. I have also been understandably delayed by injury and unexpectedly long lines at toilets.

Leave a few late tourists behind and cruisers will get the message that they have to be on time. Haljo1935's experience missing the Arizona Memorial is the latest horror story: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2979772-hawaiian-holiday-🎄🍾-live-from-koningsdam-dec-21-jan-6-join-me-for-my-1st-solo-cruise-1st-inside-cabin/?do=findComment&comment=66712936 With 45 minutes of delays for tardiness (and a bad guide), she missed visiting the USS Arizona Memorial. Everyone knows that cruise ship excursions wait for late arrivals, there is no incentive to be on time. Sociopaths take full advantage. I assume that Rick Steves' tours still leave at the announced times, cruise lines could do the same. I propose that Holland America change their policy. Make the policy part of the cruise contract. "Tours will leave at the announced time. If you are not aboard at the assigned time you will have to find your own way back to the ship." You have a watch or cell phone, use it. Leave a few late tourists behind and cruisers will get the message that they have to be on time.

You will be tendering at Castro. Yes, she managed a photo.

The ship would have provided a multi-outlet power strip.

Your photo is of Magellanic penguins.

Photos are on their blog: https://cruisingwithbillandmaryann.blogspot.com/ (Click on the Pictures link near the bottom of the page.)

Welcome to the forum, Steve & Rose. I am looking forward to your blog from the first leg of world cruise. Have you visited your Roll Call for the cruise? Roll calls are a great way to connect with your fellow passengers: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2866437-jan-11-2024-world-cruise-extraordinary-horizons/?do=getNewComment

Marvelous blog, thanks for posting, NorbertsNiece. The above are just a couple of favorite comments, I love your style.

Think that's bad? On our 2006 Volendam Christmas cruise, there was no video and no reindeer. Somehow the kids and adults had a great time and a little girl stole the show jumping up and down at the thrill of being given a HAL backpack by Santa himself.

I never saw "Add-on Veggie Bowl" before. Holland America will see lots of people ordering this, I think. (Until they add a price tag.)

Thanks for doing another blog, you are a font of information. Here is a link to the Royal Caribbean world cruise blog by island lady on Cruise Critic: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2977306-thoughts-impressions-and-observations-for-the-world-cruise/ She is on for the first 62 day leg to Los Angeles and the last 62 day leg from Barcelona to Miami. Forty-nine pages long as of now, the cruise stared December 10, her first post from the ship is #244 on page 10. I have only read to page 36, not much about the ship or ports, lots of chat about laundry and loyalty/suite benefits that I did not understand.

I thought there was some quacky doctor in charge of Seabourn's spa.

I wish you both a speedy recovery.

I think I liked Bluff Cove better than Volunteer Point, the penguins were more active. In 2011 the road to Bluff Cove was non-existant and there was only one pair of king penguins with a chick. The ladies serving tea at Bluff Cove were a delight, must be even better with more king penguins and a road.

Lucky you. We never saw the sun in Antarctica.

You are lucky, I have not seen Valparaiso on a cruise itinerary for a few years, it is a much more interesting port than San Antonio. I am looking forward to hearing about your ship, your fellow passengers, your crew, your dining, your ports, the weather... Everything.