2013 WC Part 1.

[duct tape]

Here we are, @ sea on day 3 of 6 until Nuka Hiva, the Marquesas. We left a chilly LA and the weather followed us for a few days, very chilly, damp and overcast. The sun is peeking out now and it will definitely get much warmer. I hear that today in Sydney it is 45C!! The Whisper is well stocked and Ann Marie, the Chef, has returned from holiday. There are 316 folks aboard, there were 41 in-transit, 131 on the whole WC, 233 Venetians, 34 on the 1st 1/2 to Singapore and 57 1st timers. Lots of reunions and familiar faces. The lecturers are terrific, always a full theatre, with rapt attention. There is Jon, the destination lecturer, and I just went blank but I will post the others when I remember their names! Oh, Thomson Smilie (opera). Michael Buerk (?), BBC, who is a man on a mission! The Pearl guy and... More later.

[WesW]

Thank you Duct Tape for a very nice Whisper WC update. Pls continue to enjoy you Voyage. Believe Angelo Corsaro is y'alls Captain--pls, if u have time, pass our warm regards along. r/wes

[57 varieties]

Glad the weather is perking up and love to you and Firtrees.

[Mayflower1]

Hi Ducttape & Partner - a very happy New Year - so glad to hear you are enjoying the first days of your adventure. Please say Hi to Steve & Janet if you catch up with them ( I believe they are doing the Full Cruise). Look forward to your continued commentary to help us combat the typical UK weather !!!! - hope the Pool is well warm ?? Michael Buerk is a good Journalist and had some interesting things to say when we were last onboard with him - he and his wife are good Trivia companions if you can persuade them . Have fun.

[threeforthree]

Thanks for the updates, keep them coming!

[fdnycruiser]

Thanks for the update Duct Tape. I look forward to reading more. I'll be joining you in Capetown,and have been counting the days.

[duct tape]

day 5 @sea, warmer (82) but STILL no sun!!! Thank goodness the lecturers are so good. Jon's last name is Fleming. From the pictures, I can't wait to get to Nuku Hiva and Rangiroa.

[fdnycruiser]

Duct tape, as much as I enjoy a fine wine or spirit,I also enjoy a good beer. Could you please let me know what beers they are serving on the Whisper ? I hope they have a good ale or IPA. Was on Seabourn & Oceania last year,and no ales at all. What a problem to have. LOL !

[Stumblefoot]

Could you please let me know what beers they are serving on the Whisper?

In November they had the following:

1. Newcastle Brown Ale
   
2. Alaskan Winter
   
3. Fat Tire
   

Hard to say if they are still available.

[tedbear]

We are enjoying your diary of the world cruise. We will be joining you later in the journey so are you able to tell us which make of Breakfast tea is being offered at Breakfast (not afternoon tea). Also do they have Peroni and Lieffe beer at the bars.

You were good enough to mention the numbers on board at present...any children?

Who is the main dining room Maitre'D and cruise director. Do you know if the same Captain is on for the whole of the World cruise. We note that Whisper is fully booked and wait listed for all categories for next cruise Ft. Lauderdale to Southampton. Are you able to find out if this is a charter, an incentive group or just many Venetian members etc. heading to Europe

 

Hope the weather improves for you and please keep the diary updated

[Stumblefoot]

Also do they have Peroni and Lieffe beer at the bars.

Yes to Peroni. But, I'm not familiar with the Lieffe beer you mentioned. Did you mean Leffe Blond instead? If so, it wasn't on-board in November.

[fdnycruiser]

Thanks for the info !

[duct tape]

day 6 @sea. FINALLY sunny and warm! tedbear, don't know about tea and ales but I will ask the F&B Mgr. I do know the beer is cold and the tea is hot. Crossed the equator and had an amusing ceremony as usual.

[duct tape]

NukuHiva, Marquesa Islands. It is a wonderful approach to come upon an island after 6 days @ sea. The approach to this one was eye-catching with it's volcanic peaks, chisled hillsides and still no other commercial ships in sight. The Bay was surrounded by a flat road, gravely and partially paved. It curved around the bay thru a settlement, very small, friendly people, bouganvilla bushes, Flambuoyant trees is full bloom, up to a lane to the very modern, open-air church that was well worth the walk. Nearby was the ceremonial marae and carved statues along the road. It was very hot and sunny but shade trees were in easy reach. Rangiroa tomorrow. Superb snorkeling awaits.

[Tothesunset]

Duct Tape,

 

We will be following in your wake in 3 weeks on the Spirit. Keep those reports coming - it makes a snowy morning in the English countryside so much easier to wake up to!

[Tothesunset]

...Michael Buerk (?), BBC, who is a man on a mission..

Michael Buerk is a very highly respected BBC journalist. He is best remembered in UK for reporting on the famine in Ethiopia that ultimately led to the Live Aid enterprise. He is generally regarded as having unimpeachable integrity along with an easy but incisive journalistic style. We are quite envious.

[tedbear]

Thank you Duct Tape.. will look forward to your answers.

The islands do indeed sound beautiful. Starting to feel jealous. Roll on March

[duct tape]

Today it is Rangiroa, Tuamotu Islands, Fr Polynesia. I imagine it is quite beautiful but it is difficult to tell through the mist, fog and pouring rain. I think we are not going snorkeling! Interesting sail thru the cut early this AM.

[jpalbny]

Today it is Rangiroa, Tuamotu Islands, Fr Polynesia. I imagine it is quite beautiful but it is difficult to tell through the mist, fog and pouring rain. I think we are not going snorkeling! Interesting sail thru the cut early this AM.

 

Sorry to hear the weather is bad - we had a great time there; snorkeled in the lagoon with sharks, then visited a few more "sharks" at the pearl shop. Sailing through the cut is neat - we had a aft suite for that trip and hosted a deck party on our balcony for sail-away... Hope it clears up for you; enjoy!

[duct tape]

An absolutely beautiful, sunny day in Moorea, one of the most perfect islands on the face of the earth. I forgot how much I loved it. Got to Papette tonight in the rain. Hope it clears tomorrow again!

[MCCooch]

Sounds like a wonderful trip so far regardless of the weather. Thanks for taking the time to keep us informed, really enjoy reading your posts. Wishing you clear skies for the rest of your voyage.

[57 varieties]

Blog.jonfleming.co.uk

Here is the link to the blog of the on board destination advisor.

[duct tape]

In Papette, Tahiti, we went on the all day snorkeling and motu lunch adventure. It surely was! I have never been so wet in my whole life, it was wetter than being in the water, but worth it. Went snorkeling in a beautiful spot, no sun but enough light to see thousands of colorful fish. I was given a small fish and created my own feeding frenzy, quite a show. Visability not very good, but what the heck. Next stop was feeding the sharks, black tipped reef sharks, and the rays. WOW. I decided to observe and enjoyed the good time had by those who decided to get in the water with them. The motu arrival coincided with another monsoonal downpour. There was a guest fomenting mutiny and she was successful to persuade the majority to return to the ship without snorkeling in the aquarium. We have done the aquarium before and it was the reason we did this excursion again. It is a huge caged area of the bay with very large fish, sharks and rays, etc. A once in a lifetime deal but we had to climb back onboard the snorkel boat with the wimps and return to the ship. Not a happy camper. We were all so wet anyway, so what?

[duct tape]

Papette was also a turnover port. 31 got off and about 50 got on. It was due to the WC that the number of in-transit is 279! There are now about 317 plus all the lecturers, spouses, entertainers, etc. Lecturers Buerk, Fleming, Waite and Smilie remain. They have all been very enjoyable and informative. Lots more coming along on outr way to Auckland.

[duct tape]

Bora Bora, bumma bumma. Still pouring but beautiful. Oh, mixed up, that was the day from monsoon heaven. It was so wet I couldn't even make it to best black pearl sotres in the south Pacific!

Raratonga, Cook islands, today...almost. SUNNY! Hugh swells, about 15-20 ft, made it impossible to safely use the tenders, so we back @ sea for 4 or so more days on our way to Bay of Islands. We will skip Jan 22 as we cross the International Dateline.