Come Along with Bill & Mary Ann Going Full Circle on the 2015 World Cruise -114 days+

[Folk Singer]

Thank you so very much for taking us along with you both.:):)

[p0240]

I must also say a huge thank you for your fantastic review, I am an avid reader each day! Your expressive writing style has me with you on your journey. I have booked on a cruise from Amsterdam to Rome September 2016 on the new ship Koningsdam visiting a lot of the ports that you have been to on your cruise so you have given me heaps of ideas. Thank you so much. Safe travels on the rest of your cruise and home.

Pat

[DeepWaterMariner]

Our one chance to dock at Porta Delgata on a transatlantic sailing was canceled due to rough seas. Go figure. Seems to happen a lot in the Azores.

 

Your posts are all terrific. I'll be continuing to follow your posts all the way back to the west coast. We did Disney once and it will be interesting to see your impressions.

[WCB]

Report # 115 Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal April 23, 2015 Thursday Day Two Chance of rain & 61 degrees

 

Well, today’s port should have been Horta, located on the “blue” island of Faial in the central islands of the Azores. A small busy seaport, it holds much history. Whaling was their main industry up to as recently as the 1980’s. But with their numbers dwindling, it has been wisely outlawed. Agriculture and tourism have taken over. There is an old seawall there that is covered with paintings and messages left by thousands of sea-goers since 1896. Old time graffiti so to speak.

 

So what did we miss there? Caldeira and the Volcano of Capelinhos at 3000 feet at the top. The caldera is 1 mile wide and 1200 feet deep, and covered in dense vegetation. Capelinhos rose from the sea and exploded in 1957, although now it is extinct. The views are spectacular from there. Whale and dolphin sightings by boat can be fun. By museums, the Fort of Santa Cruz, the Church of San Salvador, the Fort of Sao Sebastiao, and the Prince of Monaco Observatory may interest many folks. Deep sea fishing during the months from April to November may find you catching swordfish, wahoo, yellowmouth barracuda, bigeye, skipjack, and yellowfin tuna, shark, and white and blue marlin are often caught and released. But like we said, we missed it, so we had another fun day in Ponta Delgada today.

 

So today, instead of turning right, we turned left after leaving the terminal building, and followed the shoreline sea wall. Many touring boats were in this harbor for seeing the whales and dolphins. Not sure how many folks would be doing this activity with such rough seas.

 

We walked all the way to Fort Sao Bras, where the military museum was. Many cannons and heavy artillery are still outside the fort walls. A memorial monument is outside , dedicated to the Portuguese sailors of the past.

 

Across from the fort is Campo Sao Francisco, a huge plaza, where you can catch the touristic train. St. Joseph Parish Church is also on this square. Lining the other end of this plaza is the Convent and Church of Our Lady of Hope, and the Santo Cristo Sanctuary. It appeared that many workers were setting up this square for a celebration of some kind. The surrounding pollarded sycamore trees were being outfitted with outdoor lights. The convent was set up with scaffolding for lights to be added to it as well. One huge decoration on the convent was being lit up too. Whatever is coming, it will be quite a sight at night time.

 

It was getting to be around noontime, so we slowly headed up the narrow winding streets to check out menus. Fish is the main item you will find on most menus, with pork a second favorite item. Don’t know why, but pizza sounded better today. Well, we guess that pizza always sounds good to us.

 

Nothing on any menu resembled a pizza, so we headed to where we knew we could find it……Pizza Hut at the Park Atlantico Mall. There was a real restaurant there with waitresses, so it was the same as going to a café. Up here, a very good hike from the ship, we figured that only locals would be here, and we were right. The waitress was nice in helping us order. And the final product, a thin crust cheese, mushroom, and chicken pizza was excellent. This time we split one with two sodas.

 

The food court was beginning to get really busy, although it was not a weekend. We figured out why. The high schools were out, and the kids all headed up here to hang out. On a side note, we have never seen so many young kids, as well as adults, smoking cigarettes. Guess they have not gotten the message that smoking kills. By 2pm, we decided we better walk back to the ship. The streets were far less crowded today, because the huge ship was gone with their 3500 passengers plus crew. This time all of the shops and cafes were half full of customers.

 

An ice cream sure sounded good, and also a good way to spend some of the change that has been accumulating. Stopping at a small convenience store, we bought two drumsticks and ate them on the way back, sitting in the squares and on the sea wall.

 

The blue skies had begun to change to clouds, and we could see a black one coming our way. Since the forecast had called for rain today, we packed the umbrellas. By the time we got back to the terminal, the rain began quickly. If you get a few drops, you must pull that umbrella out right away, or get drowned. Guess our timing was just right today, because we made it back and stayed dry.

 

It was the perfect time to work on photos and actually begin a list for the following cruise we will be doing in a week from now. Time to get two weeks-worth of clothing and toiletries aside to pack in the suitcases. All the rest will be shipped home from Ft. Lauderdale. By the way, we got our shipping packet yesterday, with the instructions on how to attach the pre-printed shipping labels. Now will be the time to buy additional insurance, and add extra pieces of luggage to be shipped. That will have to be figured out tomorrow through the weekend. Hard to believe this trip is coming to an end.

 

But all good things must eventually end, while another adventure begins.

 

Sail away was held in the Crow’s Nest, because it was darned cold and windy outside. Must have been a dozen or so of us at the aft deck to watch us leave the harbor. After all, it was the final port we were going to sail out of, so we did not want to miss it. Yes, we froze, but it was a great sail away anyway.

 

Captain Jonathon gave his PM talk right before we left. He said we were going to be in for a very rough time as we leave the Azores. Between the winds and the rough seas, he warned us to batten down the hatches, and stash anything breakable on the couch or the floor. He added that he suspected this would last until noon tomorrow. Sure hope he is right, because it got much worse once we left the shelter of the harbor.

 

Surprisingly, dinner found the dining room fuller than most nights. Guess most folks are “old salts” or good sailors after all. And due to the rough seas, the Dancing With the Stars at Sea Finale was cancelled. Instead, a movie, Walking in the Woods, was shown in the Queens Lounge.

 

The clocks went back one hour tonight…….nice.

 

We now have 3286 miles to navigate to get to Ft. Lauderdale. There will be many events happening, so the time will pass quickly for sure.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[regnig]

It's sad that your adventure is coming to an end. :( Hopefully you post from Disney on this same thread ..... please. :D

[goodroe]

Thank you so much for taking us along. Your posts are so descriptive I can almost imagine myself there, too.

 

Safe travels across the Atlantic.

[tonto524]

Please let me add my very sincere thanks for your wonderful, entertaining and informative posts. The time and effort you have spent are really appreciated and I look forward to your latest "installment" each day. THANK YOU ! May the seas smooth out and give you an easy trip home. Cheers !!!!

[ChaCr]

Hi Mary and Bill

 

I am another regular reader of your daily postings. I want to thank you for taking the time to post these.

 

Thank you.

 

Charles

[Mbett1]

Bill and Mary Ann

Thank you so much for taking us with you on your odyssey. Your posts are both entertaining and informative. You have brightened up a long winter!

Enjoy your final days aboard Amsterdam and I look toward to your posts from the Disney ship.

[RMLincoln]

All I can say is that you are an inspiration! Many thanks for your sharing and wishing you continued safe travels. Can't wait to hear your impressions of the Disney cruise. m--

[WCB]

Report # 116 Sailing Towards Ft. Lauderdale, Florida April 24, 2015 Friday Partly cloudy & 63 degrees

 

Well, we are now on a southwesterly course as the Amsterdam heads towards Florida. The seas remained rough throughout the night, but not as bad as we expected. We took a chance and left both of our tall vases of flowers on the coffee table and the chest. And besides, where would we put them? It was suggested to stash them in the bathtub, but you had to prop them up with every towel we had. As it turned out, none of them fell over. Nothing did in our room. That is the advantage of being low and center in the ship. We get far less motion compared to those decks up higher.

 

There was an informal gathering of the guests who have booked the 2016 Grand South America Cruise. Several years back, we helped organize a meeting of the 2002 Asia/Pacific Cruise, where we share memories about the 55 foot seas we encountered on the way towards Russia. Never ran into that situation again, nor would we wish to.

 

The guest speaker continued a talk about a final journey to the moon. We remember this as if it were yesterday.

 

The details with the luggage shipment were handled by Sarah C and one lady from the front desk. Going to their desk on deck 5 at about 3:05pm, I walked right in, waited 3 minutes, and took care of the insured labels and added one piece of luggage. So easy, and the extra charges went to our shipboard account.

 

The reason there was no line was because it was happening at the same time as the Indonesian Crew Show at 3pm. It was standing room only in the back of the upper counter in the Queens Lounge. It was obvious that the crew put a lot of time into the practice and the costuming this year. .Always a pleasure to watch

 

Another good thing to know was that the laundry services will end after April 26, because they cannot get your things back in a timely manner after that. This free perk has been a godsend, and will be missed once we leave here and go back home. Actually, we will not get this complimentary service on the Disney ship, so we intend to send as much out as we can.

 

For the most part of the day, we began packing. A bit more difficult this time, we had to separate what we will need on a two week cruise. The rest will be sent home…..all but one, free delivery. Never realized how much stuff we brought as well as how much the few things we bought added up. And there are the gifts. They did take up quite a bit of space, but then, we do not have to worry about the weight of these duffels.

 

We took several walking breaks, and discovered that the sun was peeking out and the worst of the swells were gone. Looking at the map on deck five, it appears that Captain Mercer has dropped south rather quickly. That explains the temps in the 60’s. Thank goodness. We can only hope it will get even better.

 

Perhaps because we put the clocks back last night, the second time in as many days, we were very tired at dinner. With another time change tonight, pretty soon we will be eating at what was midnight a few days ago.

 

The entertainers this evening were a duo……John Joseph & Johnny B, a comedian and a singer. At least that is what we got from the description of the performance tonight. We understand that the Dancing competition has been postponed until the last day.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[DeeniEncinitas]

Thank you so much for all of your adventures which I so enjoyed reading everyday!

Denise

[jlf1]

I have followed along for several years now but never said thank you for all your efforts. Much appreciated.

[Harley57]

Thank you for taking the time to share your trip. I have followed your WC for several years and each day look forward to reading about your wonderful experiences, sights, smells and sounds. I enjoy reading your accounts of hot & sticky weather as I experience the cold and snow of Chicago where I live.

 

May you have smooth seas for the balance of your trip.

[jaxonboy]

Thanks for the detailed information on the ports. We will be visiting some in the future, and your experiences are valuable.

 

As far as the fedex luggage shipping. What will be done with your five pieces until you return home?

 

I know the feeling at the end of the Grand Voyages, sad that it is over, but it is time to be looking forward to other things. Being fed and taken care of allows a carefree existence. Thanks again.

[ger_77]

As far as the fedex luggage shipping. What will be done with your five pieces until you return home?

 

I was wondering the same thing - perhaps you are having your luggage shipped to a relative's home and they will bring it to you on your return?

 

It's always nice having the temperatures warm up after a few chilly days - enjoy the rest of your cruise.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[sppunk]

Bill and Mary Ann, as always thank you for taking us along. I've been a dedicated reader over the yeas and always get excited in the deep of winter knowing your blog will soon begin!

 

Will you be continuing this post wile on Disney? Would love to read your daily thoughts about that experience.

[WCB]

Report # 117 Sailing Towards Ft. Lauderdale, Florida April 25, 2015 Saturday Cloudy, rainy & 63 degrees

 

It looks like a hurricane has hit our room. Nothing is in its place, because we are in the process of packing. All of those wall hooks, calendars, maps, shoe and jewelry bags, have come down and bagged. The majority of everything we have brought with us and accumulated will go home, compliments of free shipping. Lucky for all of us, it is not weighed. We have kept the bare minimum out for the following cruise and the few days we have left here.

 

The day was not entirely full of drudgery, however. There was a meeting of the folks who intend to travel on next year’s Grand Med cruise on the Prinsendam. We did walk through the atrium at 10am to find a handful of people there, along with Tina, the future cruise consultant as host.

 

The luggage shipping services was open for business again today. They were selling bubble wrap ($3. per meter), boxes ($8), tape ($5), and a box package ($15). You could save some money if you thought to purchase these things along the way, or bring it with you.

 

The guest talent show needed talented guests. So there was a sign-up today, with the acts limited to three minutes. That will take place before the HAL Chorale debut on April 27th. We have heard the group singing and they sounded pretty good.

 

The highlight of the day was the Mariner Society Brunch, the first of three, which was held at 11am in the lower dining room. The guests invited today included the President’s Club members and those who have achieved the 5 star level in the Mariner Program. We were seated at table 168 with Fran, Don, the other two new members, and Thom F as our host.

 

The menu was not the usual fare. First, we were given a flute of champagne, then served a large shrimp cocktail, a Caesar salad, and a choice of surf and turf, black cod with a crab cake, and a cheese and broccoli quiche. A delicious slice of lemon meringue pie finished the meal nicely. We were gifted with a tile, and the meal was over by 1pm. We had a nice visit, and a much needed break from packing.

 

At 3pm, there was the Filipino Show in the Queens Lounge. It is always a pleasure to watch the talented crew as they sang and danced to traditional music from their homeland. And if you had more room to pack souvenirs, you could purchase the crew show drink called Luningning Marikit in a special light up glass for $9.75.

 

At 4pm, we met with friends Connie, Joe, and Michelle in the Crow’s Nest. We had been hoping to connect ever since Michelle, their daughter, came onboard in Dubai. Way back in 2008, we met Michelle while on a pre-cruise trip in Turkey. It turned out to be a most memorable adventure, which we still talk about today. Especially the hot air balloons we watched going up over the strange landscape of Capadoccia. Magical.

 

We had a great visit, comparing tiger safaris. They had gone on a shorter version of a safari combined with a land tour in India. So they were most interested in where we went and what we saw. Since their trip only had an afternoon and one morning drive, they had just one brief sighting of a tiger…..too far to make out well. Then on the way back, their guide stopped and they were subject to spending a lot of time in a jewelry store and a rug factory. These shops are often the place for a pit stop, so they have you trapped. Joe said that one fellow did buy a carpet, and he was certain that everyone involved got a percentage of the price. All part of the tour, unless, you go independently like we did.

 

Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle Grill tonight. Seems like we have been dragging ourselves by this time of night, but we think it is due to the numerous time changes. In fact, we go back one more hour this evening. The trick is to be able to sleep in until 7 or 8am. But you don’t. Your body clock wakes you up at 4 or 5am instead. We still have a few more to go back before we arrive to Florida.

 

The Amsterdam singers and dancers had a show featuring the songs of Billy Joel, Elton John, and Barry Manilow. No one at our table, except perhaps Maureen, goes to the shows anymore. Seems we are all getting ready to go home.

 

Sure hope the weather improves tomorrow. We have hit a series of storms and had rain all afternoon. It’s still a bit rough and extremely windy, but then that is expected in this part of the world. Anyway, we may have four more days of this.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Oahucruiser]

Bill and Mary Ann, as always thank you for taking us along. I've been a dedicated reader over the yeas and always get excited in the deep of winter knowing your blog will soon begin!

 

Will you be continuing this post wile on Disney? Would love to read your daily thoughts about that experience.

 

I asked this question a couple of days ago and the reply was that they will continue to post on here from the Disney cruise.

[brownblonde]

I have not been able to read all your postings this winter like before as I had computer connection problems.

I did not read or hear why you are going Disney back to the West coast. Is the Amsterdam not going that way?

 

The other thing on such a long cruise why do you choose to not go to the shows and only look at stuff on the TV?

 

Other then that I know we all do what we like to do, that is why we have a choice. Missed your sons input with pictures,for the blogs I was able to read.

 

Have fun in the next 2 weeks and let us know how things were when you get back to your roots.

[sppunk]

I asked this question a couple of days ago and the reply was that they will continue to post on here from the Disney cruise.

 

I somehow missed that exchange, my apologies!

[WCB]

Report # 118 Sailing Towards Ft. Lauderdale, Florida April 26, 2015 Sunday Partly cloudy & 63 degrees

 

Many sea days are laid back, with not a whole lot going on. Well today was not one of those. On the contrary, it was a marathon day for many of us.

 

It started at breakfast, when we were escorted to the back of the lower dining room, close to where we eat dinner. The entire center of the dining room had been taken over for the Grand Show Buffet, which would open for photos at 11am to 12pm. We would love to be flies on the wall in the kitchen to see how much effort goes into putting this massive affair together. Talking from experience, this does not happen overnight. Bet it has been a work in progress for a week.

 

We never partake in buffets, and this one is no exception. But we love to take photos of each and every item. We have never seen so much talent that had gone into the veggie and fruit carvings. With each culinary theme, different carvings were done to match the foods served. Such as the turkey made with cucumber peel feathers, carrot beak, radish wattles, and a bell pepper body. He was the centerpiece for the tray of rolled turkey breast. Then there was the duck, similarly made, and on a tray of duck pate. A huge fish was the backdrop for the salmon chunks. There were lobster and prawn trees with the delicacies served below them. A gigantic tin of caviar overflowed on a pedestal near the pile of King crab legs. For the meat lovers, there were hundreds of lamb chops available. Later on, several carafes were filled with beef tenderloin, that was reportedly quite delicious.

 

The most appealing of the food was the desserts, of course. The entire back end of the display was dedicated to tons of chocolate yummies in many shapes and forms. Cakes, petit fours, fruit, and a white chocolate fountain were set up for consumption later on. We bet that everything was gone by 1pm. Anyway, this special event was late in coming but well worth the wait.

 

Sure would have been nice to go to the aft pool to get some sun and swim time, but the weather was not cooperating. In fact, if anything, the conditions got worse, as the swells and winds pick up later in the day. The best we could do was take several walks for fresh air and exercise. The temperatures did warm up as the Captain has headed in a southerly direction. Trouble is, we have also headed right into a series of storms. Some crossings are better than others…….this one has been disappointing for getting last minute tans. Not to worry for us, however, because we will have two more weeks to work on that on our way back through the Panama Canal back to San Diego.

 

There were few folks out and about today, since we suspect they are in the process of serious packing. There were the usual activities happening, with trivia being one of them. Gene, the Cruise Director, must have made an incorrect statement about how many players there are on a basketball court, because he literally apologized to everyone for insisting that his number was correct. It was not, and short of lynching him (his words), he promised to pay all players an extra $10 each for his mistake. Guess that was fair. Speaking of ship dollars, we have heard that they have been given out for simply showing up to certain events. For instance, the Good Morning Show at 9am in the Wajang Theater. People get money to go there. Does that mean they have to be to paid to attend? Guess it doesn’t hurt the participation……. We have heard of the “money” being thrown on the Queens Lounge stage, where many folks risked life and limb to gather them quickly off of the floor.

 

The guest speaker, George Fisher, talked about the historic trading between Bristol and North America. Three hundred years of history. And Joanne G continued her series on current space law.

 

The winners of the final photo contest were announced. We have seen some of the entries, and definitely have noticed a lot of them were photo-shopped or doctored up. Of course, the winners are subject to votes by the general population, so if we noticed things out of place, so will they.

 

Tonight was the very last formal evening, and everyone was invited to the Mariner Society Pre-Dinner Cocktail Reception in the Queens Lounge. The time for us was 6:45pm, as it was for all of the members who have late seating. Something we noticed was that there were way more people attending this party than go to dinner in the dining room at 8pm. We know for a fact that there are under 200 of us eating at that time. Give or take a few that attend the Canaletto or the Pinnacle Grill restaurants. Looking at the lounge on deck four, every seat was taken. That tells us that some of the first seaters attend this party, or…….go to both. There is no way of anyone knowing if you choose to do both. Call it “double-dipping”, but it is a way to get a few extra drinks.

 

Our small group of President’s Club members, had reserved seating, so it did not matter when we arrived. We joined the line and said our hellos to Captain Mercer, Gene, and Henk M…..all who may be recovering from colds. Perhaps not Gene, he has one of those voices that sounds like he had a cold, but not. Despite the health advisory note: handshaking suspended, one of us got hugs instead, and handshakes for the other.

 

Many people received their awards of the medallions for days sailed. Starting with our group, we were called to the lower stage to have a group photo taken with Captain Jonathon and Henk M. They sure have been generous with these special photos. It took the rest of the party time to award all of the medals beginning with the platinum for 700 days, gold for 500 days, silver for 300 days, and finally copper for 100 days.

 

Following the awards ceremony, we had an invite to the final Captain’s Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. It was “do-over” for the seven of us, including Peter the purser, who was our host. The seven of us were Barb, Don McD, Ed and Jan, and us. Due to the fact that our first experience was not the best, Henk M promised that he would make it right. And that he did. We were back, and were pleasantly surprised to be served an exceptional dinner. Some of the cuisine was the same, such as the appetizer of foie gras with blueberry gel, and the soup of wild mushroom cream with truffle foam. This was accompanied with white wine from New Zealand, and later a red wine from California.

 

Everyone but me had a lobster dish with linguine and asparagus. Because some seafood is toxic to me, Tina saw to it I had sliced chicken over a parmesan linguine base. Mine was way better. To clear the palate, we were served a lime and avocado granite (sorbet) with green tea. Good, but very unusual.

 

The entrée was a duo of beef…..a small delicious filet and an even better serving of braised shortribs with au jus. Tiny balls of potatoes, beets, and celery root dotted the plate artistically.

 

Finishing the meal, we were served a plate of assorted treats that included a white chocolate panna cotta, a square of marshmallow coated with hard chocolate, a praline, rum ball, and a fudge candy. We were happy campers, and thanked everyone involved for the second chance. Not expected it, Tina, the manager, brought each of us another gift of the drink mug. Not everyone wanted a second one (no space to pack it), and donated them to Tina.

 

There was more to the evening, however. At 9:30pm, there was a Masked Ball in the Queens Lounge. As everyone left the room, Tina handed out a fancy mask for the folks to wear at this ball. What was different about this one was the fact it was sponsored by Johnnie Walker, a speaker representing the fine scotch, and part of the Merabella Luxury Boutique onboard. We have never noticed this before. Guess there were gifts and prizes given out at this ball, along with the opportunity for them to market their products. Peter, the purser, said it was a win-win for the HAL company, because the party would be paid for by the outside vendors. As it turned out, our dinner was not over until well after 10pm, and we stayed to visit with Aart and Ellen and Barb until their wine was consumed. A much better way to end the evening.

 

But wait….it was not quite over yet. Usually, the final gift given on this grand voyage is tonight. Low and behold, there were the two commemorative plates waiting for us on the bed. But the bigger surprise came when we opened those boxes to find that the map was right, but the actual ports were from last year’s itinerary……..the 2014 cruise that went around Africa. How in the world did that happen? We had to chuckle last year, when the firing on the plates was defective, but now the 2015 cruise itinerary was incorrect. Bet we hear some good comments tomorrow……….

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS Thanks are in order for all of your wonderful comments on CC. It is great knowing that there is a thirst for travel, and we can help satisfy that with some laughs along the way as well as some useful information. It has been quite an odyssey.

 

Thanks for the heads-up on the upcoming Disney trip. We plan to continue the blog once we get signed up there.

 

As for the luggage shipment that goes home, it will be delayed until we get home. Not a problem.

[albi]

We enjoyed every moment of your journey! For some of us it's the only chance we have to "visit" the countries of the world! We are very grateful for the time and effort you spent in producing this wonderful travel log. It will be fun hearing your comments while on the Disney cruise.

We sailed on one of the Disney ships many years ago. Continued safe travels.

[jbhcw]

Thanks you so much for this years blog...love following your travels! We have sailed Disney...LOL...back when it was the Big Red Boat....very small older ship...

 

Cannot wait to read all about your Disney cruise thru the Panama Canal:)

[WCB]

Report # 119 Sailing Towards Ft. Lauderdale, Florida April 27, 2015 Monday Partly cloudy & 63 degrees

 

It sure was nice to have the extra hour last night back on the clock, but it has created a problem by waking up way too early in the morning. Body clocks are a funny thing. They are not meant to adjust to a four or five hour change in almost as many days. But that’s what happens when you travel west without any stops along the way. For that reason, we really prefer sailing from Cape Town, Africa, for instance. At least you have two possible stops in the South Atlantic at Ascension Island and St. Helena. Last year, we even had a substitute 2 day stop in Cape Verde, because we missed Senegal and Gambia, thank goodness. On some other cruises where we went to South Africa, we even made a few ports in Brazil and Devils Island, as well as some welcomed stops in the Caribbean. So speaking only for ourselves, going around Africa is our preference. However, it appears that for the next two years, the Amsterdam will be headed for the Mediterranean again. If anyone is reading this that has a say in the stops, one in Bermuda would be greatly appreciated. Wishful thinking…..

 

And with that said, we can report that the weather has remained much the same, with high seas and strong winds blowing across the decks. It is not cold, so that is good. But it is not hot either, at least not hot enough for sunbathing. The best we can do is to continue to walk intermittently during the day, just to get some fresh air. On the promenade deck, the crew has been doing some welding and sanding, it seems on the same doors as they fixed last year. Behind the scenes, we were informed last night that about two dozen workers are already onboard, getting a jump on the work to be done during the dry docking. Once the ship is cleared of her current world cruise passengers on Thursday, another 500 contractors will board the ship to continue the work as she sails towards the Bahamas for the retrofitting.

 

It was a good thing that we had all of our duffel bags and suitcases under the bed during this trip, and did not have to give them to our room steward to be stored. That gave us plenty of time to do the job slowly, instead of the last minute. We are finally down to the last few days now, and are able to leave just the things out we really need. This morning, we received the colored luggage tags (pink # one) for debarking the ship. This is the very first time our directions said President’s Club disembarkation. They are still vague about the time, however, since it was printed from 8:30 to 11am. Don’t think anyone knows for sure how this will work, since there is a shortage of custom’s officials. Wonder if there is another world cruise vessel coming into Ft. Lauderdale the same morning we are? Sometimes smaller ships take priority. Time will tell………….

 

The guest speakers continued on their series of talks…….one on who owns the North Pole and the other about the stone age man and caves and gorges. A more entertaining venue featured the guest talent show and the guest choir presentation at 3pm. Don’t know why, but the Royal Dutch High Tea was held at the same time in the dining room. This special tea is most appropriate for today, because we are celebrating Dutch Day with a special dinner tonight in the dining room. Even a sale on handmade Dutch vases was held during tea time as well.

 

And there is a last minute slew of contests, jewelry sales, silent art auctions, casino tournaments, and deck sales to separate the folks from their money before this cruise comes to an end. We did get a good deal on a water resistant jacket for 50% off and an additional 15% off of that at the Lido pool sale.

 

The best part of the day for us was meeting Leslie and Handler for a Pinnacle Grill lunch at 12:30pm. The Pinnacle hamburgers and French fries are the best in there, and the conversation could not be beat. We lingered after dessert and finally left around 2pm. Since Leslie and Handler do not have current plans to return on next year’s world cruise, we needed to get in this quality time. Yes, we do keep in touch during the year, but meeting in person is so much more fun.

 

Dinnertime brought us two guests to the table………Tom M and Sarah, the representative of the luggage shipping service. All of us have known Sarah for quite some time now, as she always flies to our last port before crossing the ocean towards Ft. Lauderdale. She is responsible for all of the labels we use to ship our stuff home, as well as many other details involved with this shipping. Tonight she described the nightmare job of getting the international shipping done for the folks on the Prinsendam’s Med Grand Voyage. The rules change when the luggage has to be shipped from a foreign port. Sarah described how the laws have changed how people send their things back to the Americas. It has come about due to illegal shipping of goods through innocent avenues, such as a cruise. She added that everyone has to keep a log of each and every suitcase and its contents, and the bags cannot be locked. As well as exraying the luggage, it can be searched too. No toiletries are allowed, only clothing. The folks are able to put those things in their checked luggage for their plane flights. At least we do not have to worry about what we pack….anything goes, except weapons and things like that.

 

Even though it was Dutch Night as the dinner theme, we did not get nice Dutch caps and lacy hats this year. Several items on the menu were Dutch, but the best was the Dutch pea soup….thick, creamy, and full of ham and sausages in small bits. Could have made a meal of just that alone, or with some bread sticks. One of us had the tenderloin entrée, which was beyond excellent. The other had Amsterdam Dutch cheese-stuffed chicken breast. That was almost equally as good. Maureen had pre-ordered all of us the chocolate-coated bombs, coffee ice cream dipped in melted chocolate. This bomb is then served with a squiggle of cherry or strawberry puree on the bottom of the plate. They were very good, but small. So we ordered one Dutch chocolate-covered cream puff pastry to share. That was also very good and full of calories, for sure. We were so engrossed in conversation, that we did not leave until 10pm.

 

The entertainers this evening had a show at 8pm. They are a group of singers, The Flyboys, who joined us from the United Kingdom. Their music is songs from the 20’s and 30’s, a little before our time, but music we recognize. Will let you all know what we hear about the show tomorrow. By the way, we heard that there was a lot of complaining about the mistaken plates we were gifted last night. Bet the Cruise Director’s office was jammed this morning, and by now, he is suffering from a major headache. Wonder if any attempt will be made to make it right?

 

A couple of more days at sea, and we will be full-circle.

 

Bill & Mary Ann