Journey with Bill & Mary Ann on the 2016 fall Tales of the South Pacific - 53 days

[themerle]

I'm enjoying the read.

[WCB]

Report # 10 Sailing Towards Honolulu, Hawaii October 3, 2016 Monday Partly sunny & 73 degrees 14 Pictures

 

Can’t believe we have been on the ship for over a week now. Time flies when you are having fun, right? The good news is that the weather has improved daily the further southwest we travel. Today was actually warm with just a hint of a breeze. From the looks of it, we have a following wind, making 73 degrees seem at least 10 degrees hotter, especially on the aft pool deck.

 

That’s where we spent most of the afternoon, reading and relaxing. The pool must be cool, since not very many folks were using it.

 

Things happening today were two lectures…..one at 11am with Greg Redfern, all about new horizons to Pluto. The second one took place at 4pm, not the usual time we are accustomed to. That talk was given by Kainoa about things to do in Kona and Hilo. Much to our surprise, it was well-attended.

 

Ukulele lessons continued, and a pareo-tying class was added. The always popular team trivia was held at 11:45am. We know that is packed with folks who probably do know it all.

 

Another venue that keeps the people coming is the spa, with many beauty treatments available for a healthy fee. And the shops are in full swing. Pearls of the South Pacific have arrived, watches are for sale, and the art is abundant. Of course, booking a future cruise seems to be keeping cruise consultant Luciana quite busy. Finally, last night’s photos were displayed from the first gala evening. Henk, our hotel director, did pose with each of us last night, so we must check those photos out.

 

We did have one job today……..surrendering our passports at the front desk. Everyone that boarded in San Diego already had theirs confiscated for future checking in French Polynesia. They were very thorough with a signed passport receipt given in return. We should be able to pick them up any time after our last stop in Nuku Hiva.

 

Wanting to catch the sunset, we were confused as to the real time it was going to actually go down. The daily newsletter stated it was 5:36pm, but the map on the TV said 6:05pm. Leaning towards the TV listing, we were correct, as it was 6:05pm. Someone is not doing their homework. We found this same mistake made on the world cruise this year. And it happened quite often after we had a time change. To take this one step further, we found out that the app for the daily itinerary that can accessed on your computer or cell phone, does not always say the same thing. Guess it will take time to work the kinks out. And by the way, the sunset began rather dull, but ended up pretty hot. We did not know it, but Captain Fred had spotted us on deck six forward, right below the navigation window. He said he was glad to see we waited long enough to catch that afterglow. Most folks leave too early and miss the best part.

 

We had an invitation to a cocktail reception in the Explorers Lounge at 7pm. It was hosted by Captain Fred, Henk M, and cruise director, Gene. Many of the staff as well as officers were in attendance. Delicious food was served along with any beverage of our choice. Just guessing, but we believe this party included suite guests and possibly 5 star and higher Mariner folks.

 

Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle Grill restaurant, the first of 10 dinners that we were gifted. We ordered Caesar salad (no anchovy), and one entrée of lamb chops, and one of filet mignon. Sides of baked potatoes and mushrooms made the meal. Of course, a little dessert was in order. One of us had the raspberry cheesecake, and the other a chocolate sundae. A stroll around the promenade deck was in order after our meal.

 

Two more sea days, and we will be in Honolulu.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Another south seas sunset to enjoy…………….

[WCB]

Report # 11 Sailing Towards Honolulu, Hawaii October 4, 2016 Tuesday Chance of clouds & 71 degrees

 

Oktoberfest was the theme of the Lido Poolside buffet today. A traditional German celebration, the food offered today included Brathaendl, Leberkaes, and Bratwurst. Not exactly sure what all of that is, but the European guests onboard sure do. Specials with buckets of beer were offered, served by the friendly “German-dressed” bar staff.

 

As for us, we enjoyed room service chef salads in the late afternoon. It was the best spot to cool off after spending time at the back pool.

 

Queens Lounge talks included info on Lahaina and Nawiliwili and a presentation of the coral reef, quite suitable to the area we are heading. Recently noticed that we also have a guest chef onboard, Kevin Templeton. We’re not sure if he is actually cooking, because he has not been scheduled for any special demonstrations. The one person dealing with cooking is Verity, the Culinary Arts Center Host. She also hosts the Good Morning Amsterdam show with Gene, the cruise director.

 

There is a star-gazing session this evening at 9pm. Not sure if this will happen, due to tons of clouds. This activity was offered on the world cruise, and when it did take place, the folks loved it.

 

Before dinnertime, we went to deck six forward to watch another sunset. Once again, the timing of the sunset was most accurate on the TV channel. It really looked like it was going to be nothing, but eventually, the sky took the color of deep orange. Got some better photos with the good camera this time.

 

We joined our tablemates once again for dinner. They were curious as to what we ordered in the Pinnacle Grill last night. We got the distinct feeling that they all feel it is too pricey, although all of them would like to try it once this trip. Our meals were good……..one spaghetti and meatball appetizer, one crostini, Asian chicken and soy noodles, and short ribs with creamy mashed potatoes and gravy. The hardest choice was for dessert, since there were many good ones to choose from.

 

The show this evening was a harmonica virtuoso, Bernie Fields, a musician we recently saw on the world cruise.

 

The clocks went back one more hour tonight. That sure seems to make the crew happy. Us too.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[esimon]

I missed what ship you are on??

[colonialinnkeeper]

Bill and Mary Ann are on the Amsterdam, I believe.

[madjohn]

Just wanted to throw in that I am enjoying following your travels.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[Florida_gal_50]

Thank you for this thread. It's very enjoyable.

[WCB]

Report # 12 Sailing Towards Honolulu, Hawaii October 5, 2016 Wednesday Partly sunny & 75 degrees 19 Pictures

 

Well, here we are, with one more sea day left on our way to Honolulu. The seas are as smooth as can be, and the temperatures are in the high 70’s. We have been very lucky to have mostly sunny and partly cloudy skies this whole trip. Makes us feel guilty when we watch the news about the hurricane in the Caribbean that is heading for Florida and the east coast. We’re all keeping our fingers crossed that all of our friends who live there will keep safe.

 

Since we will have two full days in Honolulu, Kainoa gave a talk about what to do and see there. He was born in Oahu, so he knows it well. We feel we know it well too, since we have taken every tour that is currently offered on the island.

 

The guest speaker dealt with the moon and the recent missions by NASA. We believe these talks have been repeated on the TV on this trip. That was one gripe many of us had on the world cruise……the fact that the guest’s lectures were never shown later in the day on TV. It is difficult to attend everything all of the time, so having this option works well for us.

 

While the last of the hula and ukulele lessons continued, we spent the time at the aft pool. The “regulars” have established their spots on the deck, including us. We have taken note that the new deck kids are keeping the lounges straight and clean of towels that are left behind for a long time. The crew has been extra busy with the soot deposited over the outside decks due to the exhaust gas cleaning systems. The requirement is for the stacks to be blown out 200 nautical miles from Hawaii. There has been a warning printed in the daily newsletter before this is done, so guests know when not to go to these outside decks. That nasty soot can stain clothes.

 

The Shops onboard had a Hawaii deck sale at the Lido pool this morning. You could save up to 70% on some items, especially those things that were left over from the Alaska season. On past trips, we have purchased nice jackets at a huge discount. Also, depending on your Mariner status, you can also get the extra percentage off of the sale price. Not a bad deal.

 

About a week ago, we noticed a few folks smoking on the lower promenade deck. A few years ago, that was OK, as there were metal ashtrays hanging on the railings. Then, the ashtrays disappeared, but there were no signs printed anywhere to say smoking was not allowed. So, we guess you can give the benefit of the doubt that the guests did not know they should not smoke here. Funny thing, there are cameras all over the lower promenade deck, so we are certain they were spotted. The danger of fire on a ship is a serious thing. Anyway, we were pleased to see that “no smoking” signage was painted on the railings at every door exit, as well as over the trash bins forward and aft. Now if only the lone jogger will read the “no jogging” signs, all will be well.

 

We went out for another nice sunset after 6pm. Only four other people came out to look at it. Other than the Crows Nest on deck nine, the only place to see the full scope of the sunset is on deck six forward.

 

There were only four of us at dinner this evening. Perhaps the liver and onions scared some of them away. Actually it was nice to visit with Bill and Sylvia, who are from England. When seven of us are there, they don’t get a chance to talk too much. Comparing where we live, we found they are in an agricultural area like us. So there was a lot of discussion involving animals and landscaping…..right up our alley.

 

As for entrees, we had the beef stew in the little black pot. It was steaming hot too. We were not going to order dessert, but who can turn down pineapple upside down cake?

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Another great sunset to see…………….

[happicruzer]

I love my Alaskan stuff purchased on the first Caribbean cruise.

 

Will miss your next couple of posts due to power outages from Matthew but will catch up. You are visiting many ports of call from our Grand Australia, New Zealand cruise. Best memories ever😊😊😊.

 

Love your posts and thank you for taking the time to make your experiences real. I well rember reading of a drive through India and I could smell your experience (our son traveled to India with his in-laws, he agreed with your post).

Judy

[WCB]

Report # 13 Honolulu, Hawaii October 6, 2016 Thursday Partly sunny & 84 degrees Part # 1 of 2 85 Pictures

 

The port of call today and tomorrow is Honolulu, on the island of Oahu. Honolulu has a population of almost a million people, and happens to be the capital of the state. Oahu residents own 600,000 vehicles, but only have 1500 miles of roads to travel. A popular destination for tourists, Waikiki Beach boasts 175 highrises with 33,000 guest rooms.

 

At 7am, the bow filled with guests who joined the staff for a welcome celebration for sailing into the Honolulu Harbor. The Hawaiian Troupe that has sailed with us since San Diego performed a chant and a traditional dance, while “Hawaiian” rolls (secretly Panama Rolls) orange juice , and coffee were served to all who got up that early. Have to admit, we watched the sail in on the TV instead, knowing we could ask for a few rolls in the dining room at breakfast.

 

The ship was docked by 8am at the Aloha Tower this time. HAL’s Noordam was docked at the alternate pier, a little closer to town. This would work out well for us, because we had a dinner date tonight at the Aloha Tower.

 

Breakfast in the dining room began at 7:30am, as it always does on port days. There were not too many folks there, as many were on tours, we suspect. And just like we figured, they were able to round up a couple of delicious Hawaii rolls for us. We have cut back on the pastry consumption, but we do make an exception for these special rolls.

 

This morning was a good time to get some emailing done, because the speed was pretty good. We did not leave the ship until 10am.

 

Although we were here a year ago, it seems like it was yesterday. Not much has changed, with the exception of major construction happening along the way towards Waikiki. A series of highrise condos are going up near the Ward Center. That sure will increase the traffic in this already busy area of Honolulu. One good thing is that there are numerous local buses and trolleys transporting the folks to town and back.

 

Walking slowly, we estimate that it took 1 ½ hours to reach the Hawaiian Hilton Complex at Waikiki Beach. The lobby area was busy as usual, mostly with guests from Asia. The Japanese, for instance, think nothing of flying here simply to play golf for a long weekend. Or spend a leisurely day on the white sands of Waikiki Beach. It was not too crowded yet, since today was Thursday. By the weekend, we are certain all the lounges and beach toys will be in full swing.

 

It is always a pleasure taking in the landscaping at the Hilton as it is filled with meandering streams that are full of large koi carp. The staff works endlessly keeping the grounds free of leaf litter. We stayed here before a cruise many years ago, and really did enjoy our visit. The best part was that it is so centrally-located, we did not need a car to go anywhere.

 

Passing through Fort DeRussy Park and US Army Museum, we made our way to the Hard Rock Café. We were in need of ice cold sodas, even though the temperatures were not extremely high, it was warm and humid.

 

At the HRC, we shared a chicken salad and a tasty Margherita pizza. Sitting for an hour was priceless. Right next door to the HRC, is the new Tommy Bahama store and rooftop restaurant. We had hoped to see their menu, but it was not posted at the lower level. Too much trouble to find the way upstairs.

 

Usually we take a walk through the International Marketplace, but it is gone. Everything in this part of Honolulu is high-end, so the touristy market is gone. Not that we needed any souvenirs, it was always fun to look.

 

Passing through the Ala Moana Beach Park, we noticed that there still is a large population of homeless people. It’s not uncommon to see them sleeping all day, leaving us to feel that they are up all night. If you did not know better, you might think they were campers. On the plus side, we did enjoy seeing the old baobab and banyan trees, as well as the numerous native birds such as the night heron, egrets, cardinals, doves, and pigeons. The canals are filled with hundreds of fish that swim up from the harbor during high tides. The night herons dine on those.

 

Working on photos kept us busy from 4 to 6pm. We had a special dinner date this evening with friends, Bill & Leta, whom we have known since 2002. We met on another Dam ship, the Volendam, on her Asia/Pacific Explorer Cruise. Since then, we have sailed on numerous grand voyages and have stayed in touch. We met at Gordon Biersch, and stayed until the place closed. Such nice people, we will reunite on the 2017 world cruise, a few months away now.

 

The good thing was that we were very close to the ship, with a short walk back. It had been a long day, and tomorrow will be another one for sure.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 14 Honolulu, Hawaii Part #1 Of 2 October 7, 2016 Friday Partly cloudy & 84 degrees 62 Pictures Part # 1 of 2

 

Our second day in Honolulu turned out to be as nice as the first. Despite a few sprinkles we had last night, the weather today was partly cloudy, but mostly sunny with temps around 84 degrees. A strong breeze kept us comfortable.

 

Leaving the ship around 10:30am, we were surprised to find our exit out of the terminal had its challenges. The sidewalk outside the doors was flooded. We never did figure out what happened to cause the flood, but it was not from a damaged fire hydrant. The water was a murky gray, so we didn’t really want to know. We were led to the door on the extreme left, past the xray check. The entire street had to be cordoned off.

 

Our destination was the Ala Moana Shopping Center. We read somewhere that this complex is the largest open air mall in this part of the world. It is possible that there is a free shuttle from the Aloha Tower to Hilo Hattie’s at Ala Moana, but we have always walked. We followed the same path we took yesterday, just not as far as Waikiki Beach.

 

By the way, when we passed that historical building, a worker was in the process of doing some landscape work. We asked him what this building was in the past. His reply was that it was an old power plant, which is being converted into a senior citizen center. Great idea and nice to see that this building will not be destroyed for yet another highrise.

 

When we reached the canal, we stopped to watch the thousands of fish swimming upstream from a bridge. That when a local jogger appeared with a plastic bag of stale bread. He began to feed the fish, all of which swarmed the food like ravenous piranhas. That behavior attracted three large night herons, who fought over the chance of catching a fish. They are seriously territorial, so much so, that they all missed the mark when it came to catching lunch. Anyway, we did get some great photos up close and personal with these unusual birds. Too bad the jogger ran out of bread.

 

Entering the parking garage at Ala Moana, we located the escalator that would take us up to the top level. That is where the major restaurants are located. We went to Bubba Gump’s for a shared Caesar salad and hamburger. The waitress was really cute and attentive, telling us she was from Canada. Having considered Florida as a place to relocate, she was glad she had chosen Hawaii instead. Of course, hurricanes can hit these beautiful islands too.

 

Strolling through Macy’s, we found Christmas decorations already up. Even the ornaments were discounted 30% already. Gosh, what happened to Halloween and Thanksgiving? Suppose they are not the big money-makers.

 

Another thing we thought was funny, were the window displays of fall and winter gear, such as heavy jackets and wool clothing. Do the locals ever need the warm-weather coats and sweaters? A high-end shop by the name of Moncler, had the image of a polar bear over a winter-clad mannequin. Polar bears in Hawaii? Maybe in the zoo…….. It did get our attention, so that was probably the idea.

 

We needed a few supplies at Long’s, so we went inside, and right up to the coupon kiosk. Since we have the new CVS stores in our area at home, we were not sure our card would work here. Nice surprise, it did, and the machine spit out 10 coupons, one which was for $3.00. Like winning a jackpot. Finding everything we needed, we found our way back outside. The next destination was the Ward Center.

 

We understand that this complex was here well before the modern mall at Ala Moana. The oldest part of the stores is towards the end. There is a small clothing shop that always carries unique items. So we always make a stop at this store just to take a look. Yeah, sure, taking a look usually results in a sale. Today was no exception. Having only brought two outfits for formal evenings, two silk tops were added for the other formal nights. When we promised to come back in January, the owner said the shop will be opened then. However, all of this complex will be destroyed, and replaced with new buildings. Nothing stays the same forever, does it?

 

The flood outside the terminal seemed to be stopped, however, the street and sidewalk remained closed. We entered at the far end, then proceeded to the xray check. Getting back on the ship, the new room card worked. Have to remember to keep the card out of the purses that have magnetic snaps.

 

There was a deck BBQ, specifically a luau BBQ with Kahlua pig, mahi-mahi fish, chicken, and steaks. Watching from deck nine, we figured the dining room will be about empty for the second seating at 8pm. The lines for the buffet were 20 deep. With two full days in Honolulu, most folks were probably tired tonight, and decided to eat early. Have to admit, it did smell really good. The Hawaiian music and drink specials were designed to keep the aloha spirit alive all night long. Of course, with four more ports in Hawaii, that spirit will live on for days.

 

We had a romantic dinner for two tonight, as our tablemates had all eaten earlier, more than likely, at the BBQ. The crispy fish spring roll sure looked good, but only one of us could chance eating it. Allergies. We both had the pea soup…..really thick, hot, and tasty. Our entrée was crispy coated turkey breast with mashed potatoes, a new meal for both of us. We were done by 9:20pm, then followed up with a walk on the lower promenade deck. The ship was scheduled to leave by 11pm.

 

There was no live show this evening, but there was a movie, Amelia, in the Queens Lounge. With Maui on the itinerary for tomorrow, we turned in early.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[ON cruiser]

Hi Bill & Mary Ann, as always, I enjoy your live threads...one day it would be nice to travel as do you two.

 

On another thread there is much discussion of HAL changing the room service menu for breakfast. Apparently the new menu card has ala carte items at extra charge, plus only a limited number of things can be ordered. While your regular readers know you go to the dining room for breakfast, can you let us know if the new, limited menu card for room service breakfast is delivered to your cabin or if you are still getting the "old" menu. Also, if you are speaking with Henk and/or Crystal, perhaps they can share what the plans are fleet-wide for this innovation.

 

With thanks, and wishes for your smooth sailing,

 

ON Cruiser

[WCB]

Report # 15 Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii October 8, 2016 Saturday Sunny & 88 degrees Part # 1 of 2 86 Pictures

 

Lahaina, Maui, was our port of call for today. It is so much different from the big city feel of Honolulu. We learned that the name “Lahaina” means unforgiving sun. And it lived up to their name today…..it was going to be hot. Even though Maui is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands, it only has 1/10th of the population of the state. About 144,000 lucky people live here. That amount increases significantly when the tourist season is at its height, mostly because this is the most visited island of all. It has everything such as pineapple and sugar cane plantations, cattle ranches, and rain forests. They even have goat and dairy farms.

 

The highest point on the island is Haleakala, the largest dormant volcano in the world. Measuring the volcano from the seabed to the summit, it soars to 30,000 feet.

 

Another interesting fact is that the waters around this island are part-time home to 50% of the humpback whales in the world. They migrate here to have their calves and breed from mid-November to April. We have had the luck of being here in March, and we can say that the entire bay was swarming with humpbacks.

 

The town of Lahaina was once a missionary and whaling village, and also home to Hawaiian kings and queens. Right near the tender boat landing, is the largest banyan tree in the USA. It was planted in 1873, and covers a whole square block. It offers shade to the many artisans that display their crafts there. The old courthouse now doubles as a visitor’s center. Following the signs, you can do a self-tour of the old landmarks of Lahaina. Among them is the Baldwin Home Museum, built out of rock and coral in the 19th century.

 

This port is also a tender port, requiring a ride for about 20 minutes. It is not always possible to land here, due to deep swells that are common to this area. There have been trips where we had to bypass the island, or another occasion where the tendering had to be suspended midday. That was a worry, because we were not sure we would make it back onboard. All it takes is a 4 foot swell, and you cannot transfer from the boat to the ship’s platform landing. So we were lucky today.

 

We waited until the majority of folks had gone over for the shore excursions or independently. Since we have done most of the tours in the past, we chose to do the town on our own. And, of course, lunch was on the itinerary. By 11am, there were only about 2 dozen of us on the boat.

 

The waterfront at the small boat harbor is under construction. We think it has been “remodeling” since we first came here many years ago. We took a right turn on Front Street, making our way past the elementary school. It was closed up tight, since today was Saturday. Under the massive banyan tree, many artists had set up tables full of their souvenirs. One fellow was displaying items made from deer antlers, something we know is not native here. He had some unusual things, promising potential buyers that everything was one-of-a-kind.

 

Walking the roadside, we went to the strip of beach that eventually take you to an old hotel. The tide was coming in, so we did not venture too far this time. The surf had a lot of leaf debris, so not too many people were swimming there. Locals do give surfing lessons on the beach, and organize beach volleyball games.

 

Back in town, we wandered in and out of shops, mostly to take advantage of the air-conditioning. It is a shopper’s paradise here with the typical island t-shirts, Hawaiian jewelry, resort wear, and most-desired…….macadamia nuts covered in chocolate. We were able to resist buying anything here, but we made up for it later.

 

The many restaurants were beginning to get busy, so we thought it was best to head for the Hard Rock Café. This particular HRC still serves the haystack chicken salad, where most of their other cafes have dropped it. We learned that this location will be closing down soon. The staff was not a bit happy about it either. They have been given the opportunity to re-locate to any other HRC, but that would mean leaving the island. Most stated they would not leave here….it is their home. Before we left, we did pick up a city t-shirt. It should become a collector item someday.

 

After a very good lunch, we headed further up the road to check out a small area of beachfront we could see from town. Up the street from the HRC is a pizza restaurant that we will try the next time we visit here. There is another pizza restaurant in town, but they serve the deep dish variety. This place served wood-fired and thin-crust pizzas.

 

Following the street signs, we found our way to Baby Beach. The lane that took us to this beach was hidden in between some pretty nice homes. One was for sale, a 4 bedroom, 3 ½ bath house with a pool for a cool $2,220,000. Sounds like the pricing in California….nothing is cheap. If we had continued further up the road, we would have come to the fancy hotel complexes and golf course. From what we were told, none of the high-end hotels and resorts offer a day pass for cruise passengers. No sense even going there.

 

This strip of sand and surf was clean, and full of families with little ones. The calm water was shallow, perfect for toddlers to play. Several of the little ones had been busy digging large holes in the firm sand, then sitting in it. Don’t know why, but it must have kept them busy all day. When we come back here, this would be a good place to spend some time swimming and sunning. Although there were no visible facilities such as restrooms or changing rooms, a stay here would work for a morning or afternoon excursion.

 

Speaking of excursions, the ship offered many. Some of the highlights were a helicopter ride over Haleakala for 3 ½ hours for $280. Or take a bus ride up there for 7 or 8 hours for $160. with a lunch. The Atlantis Submarine took folks on a 125 foot deep dive for 1 ¾ hours at $130, or you could take a relaxing catamaran ride for 2 hours at $110.

 

On the way back, we stopped at the Outlets of Maui. Many nice shops have outlet shops here, and many bargains can be found here. Hilo Hattie’s is still in this complex, although last year, they had cut down their space by ½. We got lucky, and found a very nice shirt, actually made in Hawaii, for 75% off. Hard to beat that.

 

The only other necessary stop was at an ice cream shop, of course. One scoop of heavenly hana (chocolate with nuts and marshmallow) was enough for us to share. Not wanting to wait until the last tender boat, we boarded around 3pm. By the time we waited for the boat to load, with the ride back, it took about 40 minutes. Sure was nice to get back onboard the cool ship.

 

The sail away party was held as usual on the aft pool deck. We watched the sunset around 6pm, as it disappeared behind the neighboring island. Roger, the beverage manager, had his young bar staff dancing on the pool seating to the tune of YMCA. Many guests joined in the fun, the cutest one, being around 3 years old. Earlier in the morning, Roger had summoned us into his office, where he showed us a video of last night’s BBQ. He had two of his bartenders/jugglers, entertaining the folks with empty booze bottles. We have to admit, it put the folks into a party mood. We like the changes so far.

 

You can tell when most people begin to get tired after three long days in port. The dining room was not full at 8pm. Our British couple joined us, but we were missing three. It was nice once again to spend some time getting to know them better. While we were eating, Philip, the dining room manager, brought Petr, the executive chef, around to the tables for everyone to meet. We think he got many compliments on the food. Tonight they served marlin from local markets. Sylvia said it was wonderful. We ordered the chicken cordon bleu, and were not disappointed. Dessert was one decadent chocolate cake and one “no sugar added” lemon tart. That does not mean sugar-free, but should contain a lot less than other desserts. Whatever…..it was really good.

 

Tomorrow’s port will be Nawiliwili in Kauai.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruise_tyme_2016]

I look forward to reading your thread every day.

[WCB]

Report # 16 Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii October 9, 2016 Sunday Sunny & 84 degrees Part # 1 of 2 84 Pictures

 

The island we sailed to this morning was Kauai. It is the northernmost island of Hawaii, and the 4th largest of the 8 main islands. Kauai has 522 square miles of mountains, canyons, rivers, plantations, and beaches. It is also one of the wettest spots on earth with up to 485 inches of rain a year. The population is close to 64,000. The first sign of human settlement was around 500AD. Captain Cook arrived in 1778, the first outsider to find it.

 

There are many activities here, but the first and foremost is Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It is over 10 miles long, 1 mile wide, and 3600 feet deep. This mammoth chasm is 4 million years old with lava rock in shades of red, purple, green, and blue. Today would have been a perfect time to see the canyon, since the sun was out, and there was no fog. Those folks who chose to do the 2 hour helicopter flight over it would cost about $290. A bus ride for 8 hours included a lunch for $140. But you could see it on a shorter 5 hour excursion for $60. The first time we toured the canyon, the weather was perfect. However, on the second visit, by the time we reached the top, the fog covered the entire scene below.

 

A fun excursion was Hollywood Kauai, a tour to see where movies were made many years ago. The Wailua River Cruise and Fern Grotto visit was really cool, since it was all about Elvis. That 3 ½ hour trip ran about $80.

 

Since the all aboard time was 4:30pm, we stayed close to the ship, taking advantage of the complimentary shuttle to Kmart and the Kukui Grove Shopping Center, actually in the town of Lihue. This outdoor-type mall has 50 stores including Kmart, Macy’s, Ross, and many restaurants. Across the street is Home Depot and Costco. We found things we needed in both Costco and Kmart. The big deal of the day was getting a free large tote bag at Kmart with a $10 purchase. It was so funny watching the bus load of people lining up to get that bag. Got to admit that with so many stores charging for bags, this tote will come in handy on the cruise and at home too.

 

The shuttle ran every 15 minutes, and was waiting when we left the store. This is especially convenient for the crew members, that have limited time ashore.

 

Back at the ship, we put our stash away, and headed back out to go to Anchor Cove and Kalapaki Beach. There was also a free shuttle ride, although it did us good to walk there. It’s only a mile or so. The beach was beautiful today, and not over-crowded.

 

First we walked through the Kauai Marriott Resort Beach Club. The grounds are very nicely landscaped with fountains, ponds, and a garden stream full of koi carp. Some of them are huge, always begging for food. Other interesting residents of the ponds are black neck swans from South America, and the Ne Ne geese, native to Hawaii. Back in 1949, there were only 33 Ne Ne geese left. Almost extinct, the numbers were brought back to over 1000 now.

 

There have been several times we have been here when a wedding was taking place. This hotel is certainly the perfect spot for such as occasion. Last year, we witnessed a wedding ceremony taking place right on the beach.

 

Running into friends here, we chatted for awhile. They had never been here before, and we quite surprised to find beaches and shopping so accessible. Someone had told them not to even bother getting off of the ship…..there’s nothing here. How wrong is that?

 

Lunch was next on the agenda. Duke’s, right on the beach, was a perfect spot for us. In the past, we have noticed it was always busy, so we wanted to find out for ourselves. We shared a Caesar salad and a cheeseburger with waffle fries. Never had those before, and found them tasty.

 

We got back to the ship after 3pm, and worked on photo downloading and report research. Sail away was well after 5pm. It was a surprise to us that a strong breeze had come up, almost chilly, as we watched the sun go down around 6:15pm. A car-carrying barge was towed out of the harbor right before we left. We raced with it, until we passed it like it was barely moving. We had hoped to see some dolphins, but there were none. All we saw were a few flocks of sea birds flying over the waves.

 

Dinner for us tonight was in the Pinnacle Grill. Tina, the manager, had promised us veal chops, as she knows we love them. And they were every bit as good as we remembered them. We saved a very little bit of space for dessert…….one soufflé, and one lemon tart. Both delicious.

 

The show this evening was The Bornsteins, a married team of a mind reader, and a Hollywood stuntman. Afraid we missed this one. Tomorrow’s port is Hilo, so staying up really late was not in the cards.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 17 Hilo, Hawaii October 10, 2016 Monday Sunny & 82 degrees Part # 1 of 2 85 Pictures

 

We were told by the Customs and Border Control agent at the port gate that we had brought the sun with us today. Guess up until today, it has been raining here in Hilo. It is a fact that Hilo gets up to 120 inches of rain a year. But we were happy that it held off for much of the day.

 

The island of Hawaii is the largest, about 4000 square miles, with 173,057 residents. The city of Hilo is the second largest city in Hawaii, and has a population of 38,000 people. It is believed that Polynesians from the Marquesas arrived to this island around 700AD.

 

The highlight of this particular island is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, where the Kilauea volcano has erupted daily since 1983.

 

The volcanic peak of Mauna Kea is 13,796 feet high. But if it is measured from the ocean floor, the actual height is 31,796 feet, 2700 feet higher than Mt. Everest.

 

Mauna Loa is the largest active volcano at 13, 679 feet. It is not uncommon to see the summits on both peaks covered with snow in the winter time. On one of our first visits here, the road to this volcano was closed to traffic due to snow and ice. Unfortunately, the guide did not tell us that until we were halfway up there.

 

A sample of some of the tours offered were a helicopter ride for 2 ¼ hours to see Kilauea for $300. A drive to Volcanoes National Park with a lunch for 6 hours ran $200. We have done that tour twice, where we got to see the lava fields up close. We remember the warning about not taking any lava for souvenirs, or bad luck could follow us all the way home. Of course you could buy some lava, just don’t take it. It’s a no-no.

 

We did see in the tour booklet that you could “upgrade” your tour by paying more for a small van with under 20 guests. These tours are restricted to folks without wheelchairs or scooters. From past experience, we would recommend taking a shorter duration excursion without a lunch, which most of them are just a bag lunch at picnic tables along the way. They ran from $60 to $80.

 

For the braver souls, you could take a zipline tour for 4 hours for $200, or a Kilauea bike adventure for 6 ½ hours for $140.

 

We chose to take the complimentary bus to Walmart first. Usually, one of us will purchase tropical fabrics for blouses, but the stash has grown at home, with little time to catch up on the sewing. We were also looking for a projection alarm clock, the same as we found here a couple of years ago. Too bad, they are all gone.

 

If we had more time, we could have walked across the street to the Kuhio Plaza, where there is a Macy’s and a Sears. There used to be a Hilo Hattie’s on the corner, but it has been leveled. A new restaurant has been planned to replace the old store.

 

The bus was running every ½ hour, so we jumped on it, and rode back to the ship. From here, we walked the road towards town. It was a very warm and humid morning, but there was an occasional breeze. This is an area with the older-style hotels. Perhaps from the 50’s or 60’s. Several hotels here include Reeds Bay Resort, the Bayview Banyan, Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel, and the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

 

Following Banyan Drive and the old-growth banyan trees, we spotted a nice golf course across the road. Coconut Island Park is a good place to visit, as is Liliuokaliani Gardens.

 

But before we would explore all of these areas, we headed for lunch. Right by Reed’s Bay Beach Park, is a place called Pond’s. It is a small restaurant that sits out over the water’s edge. They have killer hamburgers. We had a nice lunch there, while watching local kids jumping and diving off of a roadside railing into the shallow water below. We think there was no school today, because it was Columbus Day. On past visits here, we did see kids deliberately diving cannonballs to get folks wet as they passed by them. Kids being kids……….

 

After lunch, we continued our walk to Banyan Drive and the hotel area. Massive banyan trees lined the road, and had signs from the donors dated by to the 1950’s. Once we reached the park grounds at Reeds Bay, we spotted some critters running under the trees. Expecting them to be squirrels, we soon discovered they were actually mongoose. These animals had been imported to keep the rat population under control. However, mongoose are day animals, while the rodents are active at night.

 

We strolled through the Japanese-style Liliuokalani Gardens full of ponds and streams and landscaped beautifully. Benches and restrooms make this park a great place for families.

 

Coconut Island is located across from this park. More kids were jumping off of a monument and the bridge to the island. Showing off mostly for the girls we think. Since today was a holiday, many local families were out enjoying the warm day near and in the water. We probably could have hiked to the old downtown area of Hilo, where the tsunami of 1946 leveled the town. The Pacific Tsunami Museum there has an excellent display of the cataclysmic natural event that struck here twice. From past experience, we knew that a shuttle ran to downtown from the pier, but they stopped service earlier in the day. Nothing was advertised in our daily newsletter, so there was no guarantee that the bus was still in operation.

 

All aboard time was 6:30pm, but we headed back way before that. The skies began to cloud over, so we did want to be back in case there was a good sunset. Turned out, the sunset fizzled, and it simply became dark. We did get to see flocks of egrets in flight and a large green turtle swimming around the aft of the ship. Rumors were circulating that the Amsterdam might go south, and there was a chance we could see the lava flow to the sea. That was wrong, since the ship headed around the north end of the island towards Kona.

 

Dinnertime found only four of us to enjoy the Canadian Thanksgiving. Three of us had the turkey dinner, complete with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy with cranberry sauce. For a change, the dining room was decorated with Canadian flags and red and white streamers. It was most festive, like we used to see it more often in the past. Another traditional to bite the dust. The meal ended with a slice of pumpkin pie….really tasty.

 

A local singer was the entertainer this evening. He is Elika Santos, and was joined by hula dancer, Celeste Akeo. We did see them the last couple of years, and they were every bit as good as last year.

 

One more port in Hawaii, Kona, and we will leave Hawaii. Time to say Aloha.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS So far, we have not noticed a change in the breakfast room service menu. And only the far end of the Ward Center is being remodeled. We were told that the existing stores and restaurants in that older section will close only temporarily, until the new building is completed.

[Fred321]

Made my day today with your picture of the ceiling repair on the stern of deck 3. It was looking so bad in May on our cruise to San Diego that I actually pointed it out in my online survey. Know it is purely cosmetic but it would bum me out every day during my morning walk. I enjoy the Amsterdam so much that I was starting to feel embarassed for my favorite ship. Thanks for making me smile today. See you in January.

 

Rich

[WCB]

Report # 18 Kona, Hawaii October 11, 2016 Tuesday Partly sunny & 88 degrees Part #1 of 3 84 Pictures

 

Our last port of call in the state of Hawaii was Kona, situated on the southwest coast of the big island. The population is around 12,000. Actually for the size of the state, only 150,000 people live here. The mountain range in the backdrop of the city is Hualalai with the elevation of 8275 feet. It is the 3rd most historically active volcano on the island. It is on these slopes that the famous Kona coffee plantations exist. Also grown here macadamia nuts, avocados, and assorted citrus.

 

The Amsterdam dropped anchor right outside the town, then we used the tender boats to go ashore. Usually, it is very dry and comfortable on this side of the island. But today was different, because it was humid and very warm.

 

We waited to go ashore, since getting there too early, you find little opened. So leaving by 11am, the boat was not crowded for 15 minute ride to the pier. The drop off is right on Alii Drive, the main shopping and dining avenue.

 

This was the last chance for a Walmart stop, as there was a free shuttle ride there. Our tablemates from England made a point to go there today, and take advantage of the terrific prices. As for us, we have not been to this particular store in Kona, but if we needed anything, we would have gone.

 

We heard that we just missed the annual Ironman World Championship Triathlon, which took place in Kona just last weekend. The locals told us that it was a crazy week for all that work here. Business was booming. But so was the traffic, which slowed to a crawl. There were a lot of souvenir t-shirts still being sold in the shops.

 

The first landmark we came across was the Hulihee Palace, the former vacation home for Hawaiian royalty. These days, the house has been transformed into a museum. It is the backyard that is interesting, because there is a seawall below the grass where you can watch for green turtles. We were not disappointed, because the turtles were there, trying to eat algae on the rocks. At high tide, the waves roll right against the volcanic rocks, and they are filled with tropical fish. No need to snorkel, because they are right off shore in the clear, clean water. You have to watch, however, because at any given time, a wave will send spray to soak you.

 

Directly across the road from this house is the oldest Hawaiian Christian church Mokuaikaua. It is built with rock and coral.

 

Continuing on, we passed by several souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants, and eventually hotels. One place we never miss is the fruit and veggie market. There are tents set up with island treasures like jewelry, shell art, as well as every exotic fruit that you can find in Hawaii. Everything is reasonably-priced here.

 

Further up the road, we came across Bubba Gumps and decided it was a good time to have lunch. Ice cold soda sure sounded good at this point. Not too crowded yet, we got a table right on the patio over the surf. The breeze was priceless. And the food was good.

 

We continued our walk to the largest hotel, the Royal Kona Resort. This looked like a nice place to spend a week or so. It had everything such as a huge restaurant and bar, shops, even a place for a small wedding, and a nice swimming pool. We did not see any beachfront, because there are no big long stretches of beach here.

 

On the way back, we took a look into the Catholic church, St. Michael, the Archangel. It looked fairly new to us. Besides Protestant, the other popular religion here is Mormon.

 

We had to stop at Scandi’s, the shave ice shop. This was our last chance to indulge. Ordering a medium one, we ended up with a huge one to share. It’s fun just watching them make it. A scoop of ice cream is in the middle, then surrounded by fine ice shavings, and packed tightly. The syrups (three flavors) were added over the top. We tried root beer, orange, and pina colada. It looked like a really good Halloween treat with the fall colors.

 

Time to go back, we found that some folks were coming back from the tours. They may have taken the progressive brunch tour for 4 hours at $160. Or perhaps the Atlantis submarine dive for 1 ¼ hours for $130. The glass bottom boat might have been a better deal for $40 for one hour.

 

If you missed seeing Volcanoes National Park yesterday, you could have done it from this side of the island. A 7 hour tour ran about $110 with a lunch. A different type of excursion was the progressive brunch, where you go to three different locations for a three-course meal.

 

Many years ago, we snorkeled at the Captain Cook monument a bit down the coast from Kona. That is the spot where he landed in 1778, and unfortunately, later died there. Something we will never forget, was being joined by several spinner dolphins, a protected species. We were summoned out of the water and back into the boat. Thinking that it was dangerous to be in the water with them, we now know that there is a law that we have to keep a specific distance from them. Of course, they are capable of ramming and injuring sharks, so who knows?

 

It was most uncomfortable sitting in the tender boat, waiting to leave. It would be a far better idea to keep the group on shore, under the tent, until the correct number of passengers were there to fill the boat. But what do we know? Most all of us were happy to get back to the air-conditioning.

 

Sail away was at 5:30pm. Although it was not advertised, location guide, Kainoa, gave a farewell send-off ceremony for all of us. A new location team from Polynesia joined us, and even passed around shell necklaces and bracelets to all who attended. The traditional tiare and plumeria flowers were handed to all as well.

 

The sun went down rapidly right after 6pm. The horizon was fairly clear, but there were just enough clouds to prevent that green flash. By the time we got a few kilometers out to sea, the winds picked up, and the folks scattered. Time to get ready for dinner. We wondered if we might be sailing near the lava flow, but that was not going to happen. Apparently, some passengers began a rumor yesterday that we were going to see the lava flow on our way to Kona last night. However, we sailed around the top of the island. Guess there were a lot of grumpy disappointed folks today. We have been lucky enough to have seen this lava flow at night on another cruise line years ago. It was unannounced, and done spur-of-the-moment. Never expected to do that on the Amsterdam, since we are now headed directly south towards Fanning Island.

 

There were five of us at dinner tonight. We understand that the other couple have not been feeling well, so have eaten in the Lido every day. Bet they all show up tomorrow, the next Gala night. Once again, the food was good with a shrimp Caesar salad, and beef tenderloin. One of us had the Asian noodle entrée, which was light for a change. Having had a taste of the beef, that may have been a better choice. Oh well, maybe next time.

 

The entertainment tonight was Pete Neighbour, a clarinet player. He played swing era jazz for the crowd.

 

We must have hit some strong winds and currents, because the ship began to rock and roll around 10pm.

 

Looking forward to two days at sea………

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[ON cruiser]

Thanks folks for responding regarding the room service menu, a hot topic on another thread. Wishing you smooth seas on your continuing voyage. Your daily updates are a pleasure to read!

[dlouise]

Thank you for taking the time to write this great travelog. Where can we find your pictures? Keep enjoying and I'll keep reading this with my morning coffee.

[Cruisergal1208]

Your shirts are beautiful. Did you make them? Thank you for your reports.

[WCB]

Report # 19 Sailing Towards Fanning Island October 12, 2016 Wednesday Partly cloudy & 86 degrees 7 Pictures

 

The seas remained slightly rough, and the winds picked up during the night. It brought some rain with it too. Captain Fred mentioned that we are sailing with the help of the trade winds now.

 

The day at sea was most welcomed today. Six days of ports was a lot of work. There was a lot packed into today’s schedule, starting with three lectures in the Queens Lounge. The shore excursion manager and Kainoa shared highlights of the upcoming ports. Bottom line, they were promoting ship’s tours.

 

At 11am, a new set of guest speakers, Charlie & Sadie Urbanowicz, lectured on anthropology. He also outlined his future topics that he will discuss. We believe that these talks will be televised on channel 39 later.

 

It seems that we have picked up a new Culinary Arts Center Host, Melodye. She joined Tournant Chef Andrew when they worked on creating Hoison pork chops with cabbage, pineapple, and macadamia slaw.

 

Also, a new guest chef joined us by the name of Natacha Gomez. She would be cooking a Kokiyaj Caribbean Trifle and roasted pork with tamarind sauce.

 

We noticed that there was a class to learn the waltz this afternoon. It may be possible they have dance instructors onboard now. We shall investigate.

 

At 4pm, Kainoa gave a talk on the upcoming stops in Pago Pago and Fanning Island. Hope we are able to tender into Fanning Island, as sometimes it is not possible due to the tides and winds.

 

We spent a short time at the aft pool, simply sitting in the clouds and misty rain. One thing we can you for sure, is that you can get sunburnt rather quickly in this part of the world. Sort of forgot to use sunscreen or use a visor. Tonight, the results are warm faces and pink cheeks. We really do know better.

 

Most every chair pad had been stored away on the lower promenade deck. The wind was that strong. It was fun watching the incoming waves collide with the ship’s hull as we cut through the water. We did see one bird and a few flying fish. A whole lot of ocean surrounding us.

 

Around 6pm, we went to deck nine to catch the sunset. It was no near as nice as last night’s.

 

This evening was the second “gala” night of the cruise. Dressy attire is recommended for the ladies, while the fellows can get by with a collared shirt and slacks. No mention of suits or tuxes anymore. What is not allowed are shorts and jeans in the dining room or any other fine restaurant. So far, people are dressing nicely, much the same we have seen on past cruises.

 

We had company for dinner……the security officer, Norm, and his lovely wife, Moira. Since all of us showed up tonight, there were nine seats around the table. Arriving last, we squeezed in to sit down. That’s when a very embarrassing thing happened to one of us. My purse clipped the breadplate, which flipped under the table and broke. Like we said before, the new plateware is thin. Our waiter was so quick to pick up the pieces, we’re not sure everyone saw that. At least, we hope not. The rest of the evening went well, especially when the wine began to flow. We ordered the tenderloin with jumbo shrimp, which was tasty and tender. The rack of lamb did look appealing as well. Our tablemates said it was great.

 

Back in our room, we discovered that a small part of the carpet near the wall was wet. It wasn’t spreading, so we took a chance and reported the next morning. Hope it is nothing really bad………..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Here is another sunset in the lower part of the North Pacific…………….

[mollyanne]

Does anyone have a link to the blog? :)

[SandySetsSail]

Does anyone have a link to the blog? :)

 

 

 

This should be it:

http://cruisingwithbillandmaryann.blogspot.com

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[WCB]

Report # 20 Sailing Towards Fanning Island October 13, 2016 Thursday Partly sunny & 84 degrees

 

Well, the partly sunny forecast really turned out to be half right. Closer to correct was mostly cloudy and rain showers. According to Captain Fred, we are now traveling in the area of the Pacific Ocean known as the doldrums. It was the ancient name given to the spot where the trade winds meet, and sometimes create turbulent seas and thunder storms. Never knew that before today. So if we encounter some passing rain squalls, we can consider ourselves lucky. It could be worse.

 

The other thing we discovered today was the cause of the mini-flood in our room. Having discovered a wet carpet along the wall last night, we had hoped the leak had been stopped. Nope, it was still quite damp, so we let our room stewards know first thing. On our way to breakfast, we found a dehumidifier outside our door in the hall. It appeared that ours was not the only cabin involved with a leak.

 

Mid-morning, we set off for the pool to take advantage of the partly sunny skies. That lasted until noon, when it began to get darker and darker. When the drizzle began, we figured we would outwait it. However, in this part of the world, a drizzle will soon turn into a downpour, which it did.

 

We retreated to the Lido Pool where a line of hungry people were waiting for something special. Turned out to be fruit buffet, advertised as get it while it lasts. A smart move on the ship’s end, was adding tables of $10 items for sale. Of course, we all know that these are the “always” on sale items, but today they made it a clearance by selling four items and get one free. This qwas a great idea……if people don’t visit the shops, bring the shops to the people. It was working.

 

We could see that the rain was not letting up, so we changed and headed for lunch in the dining room. We split a chicken sandwich and a mozzarella burger with pesto. Ending with one scoop of ice cream, we were good for the rest of the day.

 

One good thing we found out was that all the guest speaker talks are on channel 39, at least on this trip. A lecture took place on Apia and Savusavu, then one all about Pearl Harbor by Joe Kess. Then sign-ups took place for ship building, which will happen later on.

 

We paid a visit to Shiv, head of housekeeping. He fully explained the source of the water leaks on our deck. Apparently, it had something to do with the rain, and a gutter system that runs in between sets of cabins. The pipe near our rooms must have developed holes, causing the rain water to drain between the rooms, then out to the hallway. Three cabins down from us got hit the worst, and the residents had to move to different cabins. The wall under the windows had to be opened up, so the pipes can be changed. Since we are located at the furthest end, we had minimal seepage. Good to know it is only rain water. Christel did call and offer to move us for the evening, but we declined. One of the maintenance staff did say they were going to sop up the water, then turn up the heat to dry it out while we were out to dinner. That was fine with us.

 

Before dinner, we headed up to check out the sunset. Despite the cloud cover, there was a colorful sunset, although brief, it was better than last night.

 

A crispy crab roll, a bowl of chicken soup, and chef salads made our dinner good tonight. Nice to keep it lighter every now and then. “Queen of pudding” was a new dessert, so we had to try it. It was more like lemon pudding with a marshmallow topping, served in a very small soufflé cup. The serving sizes are just right on this trip…….the smaller, the better for us.

 

We and our tablemates were intrigued with the entertainment tonight, which featured a fellow who was born into a circus family, then became a professional boxer. After an eight year career of getting his head hit, he became a comedian. Go figure…... We may have to ask about this show tomorrow, since we were both pretty tired, and headed to bed early.

 

Good news, our room was extremely warm when we got back, but the carpet seemed much dryer. Hope the rain stays away for our port stop tomorrow. We intend to go over to the island early, since all aboard will be 1:30pm, a very short stay.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS Here is the link to our blog that includes photos, in case anyone may be interested.

 

Also, I do purchase fabric in many ports, and do my own sewing when home.

 

 

http://cruisingwithbillandmaryann.blogspot.com