LIVE from the Sapphire - 33 days from Seattle to Sydney

[julia]

Pia:

 

By chance, have you noticed if any NFL games were being shown on the ship at all (perhaps in the sports bar?)

 

Thanks for checking! :)

[PescadoAmarillo]

Pia, I loved your posts about your days in Samoa. American Samoa and Samoa are some of my favorite places I've ever been. Really different than French Polynesia and Hawaii. I hope you continue to have a wonderful cruise.

[regnig]

Pia to be perfectly honest as long as you are taking me along on your cruise I don't really care what time or day it is. ;) I'm just having a grand time staying fat, dumb and happy!! :D:D

 

Barb

[Pia1913]

Pia:

 

By chance, have you noticed if any NFL games were being shown on the ship at all (perhaps in the sports bar?)

 

Thanks for checking! :)

 

I doubt it. We don't get any channels except Fox News and BBC.

[Woobstr112G]

I doubt it. We don't get any channels except Fox News and BBC.

 

Pia;

 

Sounds like two very good channels to me.....:):):)

 

Bob

[aaerobear]

Very well said Kenexx

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Looks like they are sailing into Suva now....

 

[Pia1913]

Good Morning. It’s Tuesday, a beautiful sunny day in Fiji. We are just arriving into Suva, but I’m afraid our personal tour plans are about to go awry. Mike has been fighting a cold for two days, but it has won and his head his like a balloon; accompanied by a cough too. He’s in no shape to canoe/raft and go “jungling” for a full day, so the only thing we will do today is stay on board and rest this thing out. I’m starting to sniffle a bit too, so now we can both take Tylenol cold capsules.

　

We had a wonderful turnout at our cruise critic M & G yesterday, which was arranged by our outstanding CD, Richard Joseph. He provided food and drink for us; sandwiches, pastries, cookies, coffee, tea and juice. Not only was Richard present, but he also “provided” a plethora of dignitaries - I.e. the Captain, Staff Captain, Hotel Manager, Maitre d’, Deputy CD, Executive chef, Human Resources manager and two members of crew management.

 

As for the vodka tasting……….yes, I did go. And sampled three different brands. I’m not a vodka devotee’, but decided that Stoli is better than Absolut. There was a raffle, I didn’t win, that’s it. :)

We also went to last night’s show. String Fever is a very talented Australian couple; he with a violin and she with a small bass. Short performance; very enjoyable. Tony Tillman was better a few days ago, and he too had a short performance.

Gotta go. Need to meet our touring companions and advise our situation.

[Druke I]

Hope Mike gets and feels better.

 

We do get a vicarious high from your postings.

[Toto2Kansas]

Thanks again for checking in Pia. You two take care of yourselves and I hope your colds go away quickly. Makes you wonder why the darn things can't hit on all the sea days instead of waiting until you get to port, doesn't it? Rest up and hit the fruit juice and vitamin C. ;)

[mississauga]

Pia, get lots of rest so you can enjoy the rest of your wonderful cruise.

 

Wow, what a CD! That's what all the CD's should do, especially on a long cruise. Good for Richard Joseph!:)

 

Have you been to Fiji? Will you be back on the return itinerary?

[Bucky3]

Sorry you had to miss touring Fiji especially since it was a sunny day. When we were there last fall, it rained both to and from the cruises to Sydney. Hope you take care, so you can enjoy NZ and probably the big change in weather - stay warm there! Thanks again for taking us all along.

[Off2China]

Hi, Pia. Have been to Fiji a few times--mainly Castaway Island. Celebrated my 30th birthday there too but, of course, that was like a hundred years ago :D:D

 

Hope you're both feeling better soon.

[margord]

Pia,

 

Hope this finds you both feeling better.

[rdsqrl]

Hope you guys both feel better quickly.

Chicken soup!

[Pia1913]

I didn’t mention this earlier, but there was a full marching band greeting us as we pulled into port. Afterwards there were several singers accompanied by the band; quite good.

　

It’s late afternoon and our day got a bit better, since we both feel better. We did go out later in the morning and went into town. Town is a 10 minute walk, or a no minute walk if you take one of the two free shuttles. One goes to a new mall, the other to a store called Jack’s of Fiji. We took one and came back on the other; stops are only two blocks apart. U.S. dollars are accepted by everyone, including the street vendors. We bought a small wooden souvenir for which we paid $6.00 (their Fijian price was $10). You can compute at approx. $1.75 FJD to our dollar. The supermarket wouldn’t take my credit card for a purchase under $10, so for our $5 we got back $3.06 of theirs. Good for a souvenir.

And then the rains came; torrential ones. We were already back when this occurred at about 2:00 PM, but saw folks coming from tours totally soaked through and through. That probably would have either cured us or killed us.

Tonight on board the entertainment is FABBA in the theater. This is being listed as “The Ultimate ABBA Tribute.” Explorer’s is showing Iron Man 2 at 7:00, followed by Killers at 9:45. We’ve seen Killers and have no desire to see Iron Man, so our choice for tonight is “Valentines Day” on our cabin TV. Actually, it’s best for us to stay away from the public as much as possible, since there’s a whole lot of coughing and sneezing going on.

Good that we'll be back here again early November. See you tomorrow.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Just pulling away from Suva...

Welcome to our little corner of the world Pia..:)

 

 

[Bucky3]

Pia - We well remember that band from our two stops in Suva last fall. On the way to Sydney we were at the back of the ship when we heard the band and someone with a very good voice was singing Sinatra's "My Way." It struck me so funny to hear that coming from a voice on the dock in Fiji!!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

They are the Fiji Police Band..

Here is a google image pic of them.

They welcome all cruise ships that call...

 

 

[fairstars]

Good Morning. It’s Tuesday, a beautiful sunny day in Fiji. We are just arriving into Suva, but I’m afraid our personal tour plans are about to go awry. Mike has been fighting a cold for two days, but it has won and his head his like a balloon; accompanied by a cough too. He’s in no shape to canoe/raft and go “jungling” for a full day, so the only thing we will do today is stay on board and rest this thing out. I’m starting to sniffle a bit too, so now we can both take Tylenol cold capsules.

　

Pia, definately can sympathise, Marianne ended up in the medical centre, (Morphine, drip and antibiotics etc), this morning with a severe migraine brought about by bronchitis as a result of a cold caught on board. It must be fate that all problems always come about on shore days :(

 

Happy cruising,

Chris

[Cruisiesusie05]

Good Morning. It’s Tuesday, a beautiful sunny day in Fiji. We are just arriving into Suva, but I’m afraid our personal tour plans are about to go awry. Mike has been fighting a cold for two days, but it has won and his head his like a balloon; accompanied by a cough too. He’s in no shape to canoe/raft and go “jungling” for a full day, so the only thing we will do today is stay on board and rest this thing out. I’m starting to sniffle a bit too, so now we can both take Tylenol cold capsules.

　

We had a wonderful turnout at our cruise critic M & G yesterday, which was arranged by our outstanding CD, Richard Joseph. He provided food and drink for us; sandwiches, pastries, cookies, coffee, tea and juice. Not only was Richard present, but he also “provided” a plethora of dignitaries - I.e. the Captain, Staff Captain, Hotel Manager, Maitre d’, Deputy CD, Executive chef, Human Resources manager and two members of crew management.

 

As for the vodka tasting……….yes, I did go. And sampled three different brands. I’m not a vodka devotee’, but decided that Stoli is better than Absolut. There was a raffle, I didn’t win, that’s it. :)

 

 

We also went to last night’s show. String Fever is a very talented Australian couple; he with a violin and she with a small bass. Short performance; very enjoyable. Tony Tillman was better a few days ago, and he too had a short performance.

 

 

Gotta go. Need to meet our touring companions and advise our situation.

 

I really am sorry to hear that you have been, how shall I put it? :o Not at full steam, Hopefully though Pia you could enlighten us regarding the missed Awesome Foursome adventure as I am sure your many tour mates will tell you all about it? :(

[margord]

Glad to hear you are feeling a bet better.

[BayCalif-Ariz R Us]

Oh my gosh Pia and Marianne - so sorry to hear about all the illness onboard. We are going to pack plenty of meds just in case. Wow CD Richard sounds like a wonderful guy - hope he still has the energy to greet our group as royally!

 

I'm hearing from a friend who is currently on her way to Sydney and will be on our cruise that temps have been in the 70s, which is way cool for us Arizonans so rethinking the packing to include lightweight rain coats and umbrellas. Didi

[mississauga]

Glad you and Mike are feeling better and Fiji was not a complete washout for you personally. Sounds like you got to enjoy a bit of Fiji anyways.:)

[Woobstr112G]

Good Morning. It’s Tuesday, a beautiful sunny day in Fiji. We are just arriving into Suva, but I’m afraid our personal tour plans are about to go awry. Mike has been fighting a cold for two days, but it has won and his head his like a balloon; accompanied by a cough too. He’s in no shape to canoe/raft and go “jungling” for a full day, so the only thing we will do today is stay on board and rest this thing out. I’m starting to sniffle a bit too, so now we can both take Tylenol cold capsules.

　

Pia, definately can sympathise, Marianne ended up in the medical centre, (Morphine, drip and antibiotics etc), this morning with a severe migraine brought about by bronchitis as a result of a cold caught on board. It must be fate that all problems always come about on shore days :(

 

Happy cruising,

Chris

 

Hope you two feel better soon.....:):):)

 

Bob