Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

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

WCB

By WCB,
in Holland America Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

WCB "Live from...." Rare

WCB

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Report # 32 Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand February 1, 2016 Monday Partly cloudy & 77 degrees Part # 1

 

Our port of call for today was Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand. It is located on the northeast coast of the North Island. The Maoris settled here, as well as other places, after they began their migration from the Marquesan Islands centuries ago. They found an area that could be planted and sheltered bays full of fish. The first European to arrive here was Captain Cook in 1769. He sure got around back in those days. He was followed by missionaries and whalers.

 

Waitangi was the meeting place when in 1840, reps from the British Crown met with 500 Maori chiefs. They signed the Treaty of Waitangi, giving rights to their land to the British. Very near our tender landing is the Treaty Grounds and the house where it was actually signed. There is a Maori war canoe with a visitor center, gallery, and mangrove forest walk.

 

Most all the tours today were out of town. Kerikeri, a short drive from Waitangi, has the first house built by missionaries. It is called the Kemp House and was constructed in the 1800’s. This town is where you can find citrus groves.

 

Russell is an island very near Paihia, and is accessed by a ferry. It was the first permanent settlement in New Zealand full of historic houses, churches, and stores.

 

Puteki Forest is sub-tropical and houses some of the oldest and largest trees in the world. They are called kauri trees, and can be up to 2000 years old.

 

Kawiti Glow Worm Caverns are limestone caves where the insects really do glow in the dark. Many years ago we took a tour to the Waitomo Caverns out of Auckland to see these bioluminescent worms. When we descended deep into the darkened caverns and entered the grotto where they lived, it looked like stars suspended over our heads and all around us. Could have sworn they were tiny blinking light bulbs that you would see on a Christmas tree. Once the big spot lights were turned on, they looked like a typical worm. Very interesting.

 

Then there is a whaling museum at Butler Point with exhibits of the highlights of the whaling industry. It took 40 years to collect all of the authentic items to fill this museum.

 

Activities include fishing with an abundance of marlin, sharks, and kingfish. A fun tour was called the Maori waka (canoe) experience where for 3 hours and $125. you can take a seat in a double canoe with several other guests paddling in unison. They went from the bay up the Waitangi River with a crew of four tattooed Maori men and women. If the tide is right, it is possible for them to paddle to Haruru Falls. If you wanted to hike the designated trail to these falls, it would take a 2 ½ hour walk to go 4 kilometers, according to the map.

 

Well, we were not alone in the bay today, as the Azamara Quest was anchored there upon our arrival. She is a 4 star ship with a gross tonnage of 30,277 tons. Once belonging to the now defunct Renaissance Cruise Company, this ship, R7, became the Quest in 2007 under the Azamara Club Cruise Line. She holds 716 passengers and is described as having the ambience of old-world country club. It had a re-do for 20 million dollars in 2007. The cabins are reportedly compact, not suitable for longer cruises. Their dining is open seating with wine included at dinner. Their tender boats were dropping their guests directly at Paihia, where we tendered last year.

 

Captain Jonathon did get us into the bay by 6:30am, we think, as we did not get up that early. The Maori Location Team performed a traditional welcome dance on the bow as the ship sailed deeper into the bay. We did watch the action on our room TV.

 

We could have gotten off of the boat ahead of everyone, but nothing would have been open on shore that time of the morning. Instead, we went to the dining room for a light breakfast with hot coffee. By 9:30am, we joined the line on deck one, and got on the tender boat with a tour group.

 

The ride was about 20 minutes, and the boat was most crowded. Sure looked like rain today, so we packed the umbrellas. In fact, it did start to sprinkle as we tendered to the floating dock in Waitangi. Later in the afternoon, we got some more spritzing, and that was it. Lucky.

 

Once off of the boat, we were channeled to an xray machine to check our bags and purses before we got ashore. There had been strict warnings before we got here about taking over any type of food or drinks. Even though they said only commercially bottled water was allowed to take, they were selling a variety of sodas and flavored water on the ship on deck one. To be on the safe side, we took our sodas out of the bag just in case.

 

There were shuttles buses waiting to take us to the village of Paihia, a couple of miles away. It was such a pleasant day, we decided to walk instead, like we did last year….only in the opposite direction. Crossing the bridge over the Waitangi River, we made our way to the sandy beach. The tide was out, and the sand was full of shells, mostly oyster. The banks were covered in small shells, left over from the many birds that dine on these mollusks. We saw silver gulls and oyster catchers in abundance here. Eventually, the beach turned to manicured sand, and the roadside had civilized restrooms along the way. Sunbathers and swimmers were coming out from the local hotels and motels, as well as three story condos and apartments. This place is obviously a playground for New Zealand vacationers. With the variety of water sports like canoes, kayaks, parasailing, and jet skis, it attracts the young backpackers. In Paihia, there are a dozen or more backpacker hostels, with at least that many cafes and restaurants to accommodate the crowds.

 

Our walk took us all the way to the end of the seaside road, where a coastal hiking trail began. Our time was limited, since all aboard was 4:30pm. So we would have to stop the walk, and look for a place for lunch. We did go to the restaurant where we found pizza last year, but it was closed until 5:30pm. Strolling the entire village, we found that many promising places that had a pizzeria were closed until dinner. The big attraction of course, is seafood. Specifically, fish and chips, chowders, and oysters. One of us cannot eat any shellfish (allergy), so that is why we stick to simple pizzas or anything not fish.

 

We ended up at a very nice outdoor café that was built over the water. Expensive, but worth it. We ordered two draft beers with the man-burger special. That turned out to be a huge beef burger with lettuce, tomatoes, smoked bacon, a fried egg, and bleu cheese. We had them hold the cheese….not fans of the bleu cheese. It came with a pile of French fries and served on a large wooden cutting board. Sure was nice to sit at the rail’s edge, enjoying the breeze and the cuisine. Actually, after walking all morning, it was nice to sit. Period.

 

We had spotted a couple of ice cream shops, so we had to go back and search out their hokey pokey flavor. Found it with no problem, but it was titled “wicked” hokey pokey. We were happy as clams, splitting a cup full of the creamy treat.

 

We took our time walking back to the tender pier. In fact, we made it up to the Treaty House at the Waitangi National Reserve. Since we have toured the property twice in the past, we walked back to the pier. There was a wait for the next boat, but they were coming frequently. Right now, we only have three boats, with number 9 still hanging in the 10 spot, waiting to be fixed. Hope that happens in Auckland tomorrow.

 

From 4:30 to 5:30pm, there was a sail away party on the aft pool deck. The bar staff were selling Waitangi Mint Coolers, and passing snacks of what they called a trout ball in coconut sauce. That was different. Wonder what happened to our favorite chicken tenders? Or the breaded poppers and mozzarella cheese sticks? Miss the simply things.

 

We did have a treat we did not expect……another sighting of jumping dolphins in the bay as we left. This time we had the big camera with us, and did get some good shots even though they were pretty far away.

 

Another treat was the sunset, which happened at 8:30pm while we were in the dining room. It was a déjà vu moment, since we remembered the same sunset one year ago while leaving this same port. Of course, none of us had our cameras.

 

Three of us had ordered the rack of pork for our entrée. Was the best we have ever tasted. We all agree that the food has been good. Even better now that it is consistently arriving to our table very hot.

 

There was a trio of entertainers tonight with the group, La Musica, performing at 7:30pm. Bayne Bacon and the Strings Alive were back with new shows. Bet a whole new group of entertainers get onboard tomorrow in Auckland.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Posted
Posted

"Well, we were not alone in the bay today, as the Azamara Quest was anchored there upon our arrival. She is a 4 star ship with a gross tonnage of 30,277 tons. Once belonging to the now defunct Renaissance Cruise Company, this ship, R7, became the Quest in 2007 under the Azamara Club Cruise Line. She holds 716 passengers and is described as having the ambience of old-world country club. It had a re-do for 20 million dollars in 2007. The cabins are reportedly compact, not suitable for longer cruises. Their dining is open seating with wine included at dinner. Their tender boats were dropping their guests directly at Paihia, where we tendered last year."

 

A few years ago my partner & I did a Panama Canal cruise( San Diego to Miami) on the sister ship to the Quest..Azamara Journey - it really was a great trip. There were plenty of staff, the food & service was great and the ship well kept. We had a mid ship outside stateroom & it was very comfortable, well designed and size wise just as comfortable as those on HAL ship. The open seating dining was great - we eat late, There were no crowds anywhere and again the service & entertainment top knotch. Try Azamara you won't regret it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WCB "Live from...." Rare

WCB

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Report # 33 Auckland, New Zealand February 2, 2016 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 82 degrees Part # 1 84 Pictures

 

The Amsterdam sailed into the scenic harbor of Auckland, New Zealand, very early this morning. Known as the “City of Sails” because of the two large harbors that are home to many, many boats, Auckland is the largest city in the country. The population is over one million people, ¼ of which are Polynesian, the largest concentration in the world. There is a big influence of Asians living here too, as the country is close to that continent.

 

Like all cosmopolitan cities, you will find fashion, food, art, beaches, parks, wineries, and cafes. There is so much to see and do here, we really need at least two full days. Usually, we do have more time here, but our stay will be only one day…….8am to 5pm.

 

Here are the highlights as we have seen them over the years. The imposing structure of Auckland has to be the Sky Tower, a needle-like tower that is 1072 feet high. It is the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere. Sydney also has a similar tower, but we understand that when this one was built, they added an antenna to exceed the height of the Sydney Tower. Major competition between the two countries down under. The Sky Tower has many features. There is the hotel portion, a casino, and a platform where you can walk around the perimeter at the top. You can also “jump”, a controlled descent from the tower, called appropriately, the Skyjump. Fun to watch, but maybe not to do, unless you are young and nuts.

 

The Auckland Domain is the city’s oldest park with 200 acres of parkland. There are ponds, statuary, glass houses, old trees, and the Wintergarden and fernery. The focal point in the Domain is the Auckland Museum, an impressive structure that houses Maori and Pacific Island artifacts.

 

A unique place to visit is Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium with 2000 creatures. They include King and Gentoo penguins, as well as an acrylic tunnel where you are surrounded with sharks, sting rays, and schooling fish. All of this is located under the water in the bay. You would never know it was there.

 

Another walk that is close to the cruise terminal is to the America’s Cup Village, where you can see the luxurious boats and yachts in the marina. The Viaduct takes you to the Wynyard Quarter, the old waterfront made new with dozens of restaurants, cafes, a fish market, and entertainment.

 

Across town, you can see the gannet colony at Muirwai Beach. High above the cliffs, 1200 pairs of nesting gannets lay their eggs, and hatch their babies this time of year. It’s a steep drive to the top of the cliff, but when you look down, it is hard to believe these seabirds come here every year to hatch their eggs.

 

Then there are the sheep ranches. This has always been one of our favorite tours to see the working dogs, sheep shearing, and even the tanneries where the hides are cured and made into many products, such as slippers.

 

Wineries are numerous in the nearby region. More than once, we have taken the wine-tasting tours to some of the most famous wineries in the area. One time while on an extended stay here, we took a ferry to an island where we had olive oil tasting. Now that was different.

 

Crossing the Auckland Bridge is cool too. Devonport, a suburb of Auckland, can be reached by bus or ferry. You can find boutiques, shops, galleries, and cafes galore there.

 

Tablemates Bonnie and Paul went to the Auckland Zoo today. It has been years ago, but we have also been to the zoo here. We remember the habitats that housed the native wildlife such as the kiwi bird, parrots, the tui, and many more animals. They even had a collection of Australian creatures as well.

 

You can cover these highlights by taking the local Ho-Ho bus (Hop on Hop off) too. Or walk to some of these places. That is exactly what we did today…..walk a whole lot.

 

We left the ship by 10am, just about the time dozens of travel agents were boarding for a ship’s tour and more than likely, a special lunch. It was very important that we had a valid ID and our room card to show local authorities as we exited. And we had to make sure our shoes were clean of soil….first time we ever heard that requirement. When we got off of the gangway, a cute little beagle jumped up and sniffed our bag with the command of his handler. Good thing nothing in the way of food was in that bag, or we could have faced a fine.

 

Then we were free to go into the city. We headed uphill towards the Sky Tower, where we turned left to Albert Park, a steep climb up steps and pathways. Once on the top, a beautiful landscaped garden appears with mature trees, flower beds, fountains, and statues. Constructed in 1882, this park contains trees from long ago. They truly command respect as they created much needed shade for the many visitors here.

 

Finding the elevated walkway across the highway, we located the Grafton Bridge. On the way, we passed by a very old cemetery dating back to the late 1800’s.

 

We walked past Auckland City Hospital, where directly across the street is the Auckland Domain, the oldest park in New Zealand. Following the map, we made our way down to the ponds and gardens, which happen to be full of blooming hibiscus in a variety of colors we have never seen before. Due to the longer daylight hours down here, the flowers have a chance to super-size. They are beyond beautiful.

 

Sitting by the ponds, we shared a soda, a much needed rest, even if it was five minutes. Across the road is the Wintergarden, which in the summertime is in full bloom. The central garden has a pond, surrounded with blooming vines such as the wisteria, which just finished blooming. At one end, there is a glass house that serves as a nursery for all of their bedding plants. Seems that the same type of flowers that we have in California, are here too. One side of the complex is dedicated to a fernery, completely shaded and misted to create a subtropical climate. The courtyard also had potted sunflowers and a type of hibiscus that is deciduous. The flowers on these plants are the size of a dinnerplate, and have a name to match.

 

Moving along, we strolled up to the Auckland Museum, but not to visit. There just was not enough time. Photos were all we took of the beautiful stately building on the hilltop.

 

Located on the downhill side of The Domain is a district called Parnell. We found it quite by accident last year, and came across a very good place for wood-fired pizza. The name of the pub was Windsor Castle, obviously a night spot. Today, it was not crowded, so we ordered our usual margherita pizza with Stella beers. Gosh it was nice to sit and watch the world go by as we enjoyed every bite of the pizza. As always, the time flew by all too quickly, and had to head back.

 

We needed to make an important stop at the local Countdown, the major supermarket in Auckland. Our most sought after item was a quart of hokey pokey ice cream. And an insulated zippered kid’s lunch bag to transport it back to the ship. The best part was that a quart cost the same as a cup with two scoops. We hustled back and transferred the creamy treat into small plastic containers that we had previously bought for this purpose last year. The containers fit perfectly in our refrigerator’s little freezer compartment.

 

Since we had over an hour before the all aboard time of 4:30pm, we went off and headed towards the America’s Cup Village and the yacht harbor. On the way, we did stop at Valentino’s Gelato shop for the cups of hokey pokey ice cream. Yes, we love it that much. We could not get as far on the walk as we would have liked, but we did walk our legs off today.

 

Sail away was fun since Barb, Bill, and Leta joined us for a change. The sail out of this city is always a scenic one. Keeping a lookout for dolphins, we never saw any. While we were talking at the back rail, the guest chef, George Geary surprised us with a visit. He is a whole lot of fun, and we told him that we had signed up for his cooking class. That should be a hoot, and actually a first time for us taking the class. It is a nice 5 star Mariner perk, where you get a lunch and a quality apron to take home.

 

Once again, we watched the sun go down at dinnertime while sharing stories of our day with each other. Good thing tomorrow is a day at sea to rest up for the final port in New Zealand…..Picton.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MrsKNZ

MrsKNZ

Posted
Posted

I live in Devonport, work in Grafton (just back before the hospital on your walk), and sketched a wave to your ship as we drove past on the way home at around 4.30pm yesterday! Glad the weather held for you (it's been threatening storms for the past week or so), although today is nicer and less muggy. Glad you enjoyed our little burg [emoji4]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WCB "Live from...." Rare

WCB

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Report # 34 Sailing Towards Picton, New Zealand February 3, 2016 Wednesday Partly cloudy & 71 degrees 14 Pictures

 

Today was a welcome day at sea. And it could not have been a more perfect one with blue skies and comfortable temperatures. We have dropped south to the point where we have left the heat and humidity behind us for a while. The seas have become rougher, or we should say the swells are deeper. During his PM talk, Captain Mercer said that we are experiencing the residual effects of a system in the Antarctic region. It is tolerable so far, as we have been in a whole lot worse seas.

 

During our AM walk, we found that two technicians from New Zealand have come onboard to fix the tender boat that was damaged. Their job appears to be repairing the tears and gashes on the fiberglass bottom. At least their task was made easier with the boat still suspended in the # 10 slot, exactly where they placed it after it was damaged. Suited up with plastic jackets and hooded masks, they used power tools to sand the rough edges torn by the razor sharp coral beds in Rarotonga. In our opinion, the entire deck should have been roped off, because the dust from the sanding created a cloud that extended all the way to the aft of the ship. We stayed primarily on the sunny side avoiding the cloud. Seems that they had to make the cuts uniform and actually larger in order to apply the final coats of fiberglass. Hopefully that work will be done tomorrow while we are in port. The fumes from the fiberglass can be powerful, so the more folks that are off of the ship, the better.

 

The two guests speakers continued their series today. Mr. Wright spoke about the possibility of a catastrophic collision of an asteroid with the earth, and the consequences. Perish the thought, but it does get one to thinking. Our tablemates had a lucky encounter with the speaker last night, when they went to deck 10 to check out the constellations. They got a one-on-one star and constellation description and identification by the speaker. How lucky he happened to have his laser to point out the stars of the Southern skies.

 

Joseph Kess spoke about the effect of living in the South Pacific on people such as Gauguin, Melville, and even Marlon Brando. Instead of a blissful existence, things did not always turn out that way for everyone.

 

Barbara H and Culinary Arts Center Host Donna gave a cooking demo using honey. We are coming into a part of New Zealand where honey making is an art. The last time we were here in Picton, we stopped at a honey stand on the roadside. We learned that honey bees will stick to one type of plant only when collecting the nectar. So if you have a field of a type of clover for instance, the honey produced will take on that particular flavor. By tasting each type, we had a chance to purchase them. We also learned that even if a jar of honey crystalizes, it can still be used, since it never goes bad. It simply needs to be heated to dissolve the sugar crystals.

 

Anyone that always wanted to know how to make towel animals would learn that skill in the Wajang Theater today. We do think they are clever, but we told our room stewards long ago not to make them for us. Secretly, we think they were glad, because they have a lot to do without the extra work. One thing we can say is that they are getting our laundry back most days, the same day service. This sure is a nice perk, not to have to worry about washing our own stuff in the laundry room.

 

Since the weather had cooled off, we did not change to swimsuits. But we did go back to the aft pool and found it was warm enough to relax for a while on the lounges. We were joined by friends and ended up spending the usual two hours back there solving the troubles of the world, so to speak. Think we may have gotten more sun than we thought, and must remember to use sunscreen before going out. Easy to be lured by cool temps, and get toasted by accident.

 

The Captain announced that he had the first sighting of a wandering albatross today. One lone bird has joined us for the day, coasting back and forth in the ship’s wake. This bird had a wingspan of over 9 feet, and probably weighed up to 25 pounds. They skim squid, small fish, and octopus off of the waves tops with their pointed sharp beaks. Legend has it that every albatross has the soul of a sailor that was lost at sea. They are considered good luck to see, but a curse to kill one. Many do get tangled in fishing lines, so they are on the protected list these days. Hope to see more as we sail the coast of New Zealand and onward towards Australia in the days ahead.

 

Bonnie and Paul had a very interesting story to report at dinnertime. Remember we mentioned the extremely strict agricultural restrictions when coming into this country? Well, one passenger was targeted when the officials singled her out to have her large bag searched in Auckland. Perhaps the cute little beagle indicated a problem, which is usually the case. Anyway, the officials dumped the entire contents of her bag, finding bits and pieces of old crumbs, sand from the beach, lint, a dried up flower petal, and a stem from a grape. It was collected and bagged, while she watched in horror. No fine was imposed, but she was not a happy camper, feeling that she was violated. The longer you travel, the more likely these incidents will occur. We have had similar experiences at airports, resulting in just inconveniences. No sense getting upset, because it makes it worse. We figure they are just doing their job, some more aggressive than others.

 

We have savored every day of sailing in the South Pacific and hate to see this segment coming to an end. Really looking forward to our second visit to Picton tomorrow, our last stop in beautiful and friendly New Zealand.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Windy56

Windy56

Posted
Posted
FYI, Hokey Pokey Ice Cream is plain vanilla ice cream with small solid lumps of honeycomb toffee.

 

Could the honeycomb toffee be sponge toffee - a crumbly candy that used to be sold in square bars. It would dissolve in your mouth and leave a slight baking soda flavour. It was kind of a yellow resin colour. My mother actually made it once - an edible science experiment!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MMDown Under Holiday Sharing Rare

MMDown Under

Posted
Posted
Could the honeycomb toffee be sponge toffee - a crumbly candy that used to be sold in square bars. It would dissolve in your mouth and leave a slight baking soda flavour. It was kind of a yellow resin colour. My mother actually made it once - an edible science experiment!

 

Yes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail Beyond the Ordinary with Oceania Cruises
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: The Widest View in the Whole Wide World
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...