Seek Timeless Treasures with Bill & Mary Ann - 2019 World Cruise -131 days

WCB · April 4, 2019

Report # 74 Day at Sea April 2, 2019 Tuesday Partly sunny & 82 degrees

If ever there was a better time for a few days at sea, this would be it. Everyone we know was totally exhausted after the activities and heat from the past two days in Mumbai, as well as the groups that went overland to the Taj Mahal. All of our buddies had great stories to share about their excursions, whether with HAL or independent tours.

While we were busy in port the last two days, some measures had been taken to make our next week or more sailing in dangerous waters safer. On the lower promenade deck four “bubble” mirrors had been installed so oncoming foot traffic could be seen before rounding the corners. Great idea. The fire hoses were installed permanently, stretched out, and filled with water. Yes, this was for the anti-piracy precautions.

Last night, we all received a letter from Captain Mercer explaining that we would be in a high risk area of the Indian Ocean. There has been a decrease of incidents in past years, but it would be inconsiderate not to take precautions. What we should expect to see were the long range acoustic devices rigged and manned…ready for immediate use. Extra security guards will be stationed on a 24 hour rotating watch, especially on the lower promenade deck 3. And the Amsterdam is coordinating with warships in the area assigned to anti-piracy operations. We are being tracked during our transit, and although we will not see them, warships are not far away. Works for us.

At 10:30am, there was an anti-piracy drill conducted by the crew. It was not mandatory to take part in the drill, but all were cautioned against watching from the promenade deck. You better believe us, if there was a real threat of a take-over, we would be the first to follow directions, go inside, and stay in the corridors. When we first began to take cruises many years ago, we never imagined that incidents like this would ever happen to cruise ships. Obviously, they have.

While we are talking about the outside decks, there was in issue with continuing work ongoing such as painting. It is not so much the inconvenience and smell (horrible) of the painting, but the closing of the deck and the lounges being folded up all day. Many times these areas remain unusable with no work happening. That includes the new lanai rooms with private lounges that cannot be used which makes for some unhappy customers. There is a group of folks that set up lounges for the entire day…reading and relaxing in the shade and fresh sea air. When they are denied this, they are upset. Perhaps they have inside cabins, which many do. We suspect many “Let Us Know” cards will be turned in to the front desk today.

We got our bi-monthly Mariner’s gifts of flowers and a beverage card today. Every arrangement has been different, but equally beautiful. The one today came with some peacock feathers….something we have hundreds of at home.

As the ship has begun sailing a bit northwest, the temperature has become more tolerable. It was a nearly perfect day to spend some time sunning at the Seaview Pool. We calculated that there are only a few more weeks or less left for summer-like weather. We seldom end a world cruise in very cool weather, so this year will be a first. Not sure how much we will like that.

A very tall fellow with a cigar was sitting at the smoking section near the Seaview Bar. A new face, we recognized him as Elliot Finkel, one of the most talented pianist entertainers we have ever seen. Turns out, he is the performer this evening along with the Mainstage Band. Don’t want to miss this one.

All of us were present at dinner tonight, although we did hear some grumblings about dry ginger chicken entrees that were served last night. Guess we chose a good time to go to the Pinnacle Grill. One of us ordered the Jack Daniels ribs, and they were great…..seasoned just right and tender as ever. A Greek salad without feta cheese was also a good choice. None of the desserts appealed to us, so Slam brought us freshly-baked cookies, an assortment of peanut butter, raisin, and chocolate chip. Yes, we are so spoiled.

The show was wonderful, and Elliot was as good as he ever was. By the way, the last time he performed on a world cruise, he brought his dad, Fyvish, who also joined him on the stage, singing If I Were A Rich Man (standing ovation too). Since then, his dad has sadly passed away, but the show goes on.

The ship’s clocks went back one full hour tonight. Perfect…..

Bill & Mary Ann

WCB · April 4, 2019

Report # 75 Day at Sea April 3, 2019 Wednesday Partly sunny & 82 degrees Part #1 Of 1 19 Pictures

Our second day sailing across the Arabian Sea was even nicer than yesterday. Much of the heavy humidity has abated somewhat, and there was a strong breeze blowing across the decks. If it wasn’t for the toxic smell of the white paint on the promenade deck, our walk would have been perfect. The guys will be painting the dark blue of the gutter next, so this paint job should last for quite a while we hope.

Making the most of our visit to Oman was the subject for EXC guide Ian’s talk this morning. After he described the history and the layout of this country, he gave a talk all about the city of Muscat, our one and only stop in Oman. We learned that there has been an impromptu holiday declared for a few days in the country, which means some of the regular sights will either be closed or opened for a short time. This has happened when we arrived on a Friday, a day of prayer of the Muslim community. Holidays are much the same, where the best places to see will have a short window to be opened. The main one people like to see is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. The other place is the Muttrah Souk, well known for their good deals on silver, perfumes, and all types of souvenirs. Even if you are not going to buy anything, walking through this maze of seemingly never-ending shops is a learning experience. If they are only opened until 12pm, we will need to be first off of the ship.

The morning speaker, Barry Dreyer, continued to educate us with modern day Oman, while the afternoon lecturer, Vivianne Rowan, dealt with Egyptian treasures. Sadly, we have not had a stop in Egypt for several years now, since it has become a more dangerous place in the world to visit. We are so glad we toured the major sights several years ago, or we may have never seen the Pyramids of Giza, or Luxor, not to mention Sharm El Sheik or Alexandria.

We had our usual pool day, but there were many more people taking advantage of the nice weather. Lunch in the Lido was around 3pm, and after some computer work in our room, we headed to have a walk until the sun set at 6pm. The sunset was actually better than the ones of this last week. Then we headed for the Ocean Bar to listen to the music of the Ocean Band and the singer, Carrie.

The theme for tonight’s gala evening was the White Dinner. The all-white clothing theme symbolized purity and elegance. Maybe this theme should have been saved for when we visit Oslo, Norway. We heard that there was snow there today and the temperatures were in the low 30’s. What a difference from where we are now. Anyway, we had company, actually two hosts…..Caspar, the third officer, and Claudia, who is the Microsoft guru in the Digital Workshop. She is one busy girl with five computer sessions on any given sea day. It is quite possible that she is the significant other of Caspar, who joined us already in the beginning of this world voyage. Really nice Dutch fellow who may be captain one day.

Barb was a happy camper this evening, since caviar was on the appetizer list. She had triples. If that was all she ate for dinner, she would be happy. Caviar was once served at most every formal dinner, but not so much anymore. As for us, we love the shrimp with the red cocktail sauce. Entrees included duck a la orange, veal chop (the best), lobster pie, and a beef dish. There is always a vegetarian plate, which was a ravioli, and a vegan dish with quinoa mixed with veggies. A dessert we shared was a lemon almost cheesecake with meringue on top. The conversation flowed nicely with the help of white and red wines, compliments of our hosts.

It was time to adjourn, because showtime was about to begin with a duo by the name of Dukebox. They rocked and rolled with tines from artists like Elvis, the Beatles, Sinatra, and Simon and Garfinkel among others.

Tomorrow, we will be in another culture, far different from where we have just been.

Bill & Mary Ann

Krazy Kruizers · April 4, 2019

Your 2 sea days sounded very nice -- love lectures.

I can remember many years ago when we visited Egypt -- guards on our buses. We were sailing on Cunard back then. We have pictures hanging in the living room of us riding our camels up to the Pyramids.

Hope you don't have the rough seas when you finally get to the North Sea like the Viking Sun had.

WCB · April 5, 2019

Report #76 Muscat, Oman April 4, 2019 Thursday Mostly sunny & 90 degrees Part #1 Of 4 80 Pictures

Located on the Arabian Peninsula, Oman is the most accessible country, safer than Yemen, and more traditional than the Gulf Emirates. With a population of 3.5 million Arabic-speaking people, Oman has a history of Bedouin tradition, extraordinary forts, and the most unique architecture. In past centuries, the capital of Muscat was a trading post and a military point. Persians, and the Portuguese invaded the inland tribes until the Al Bu Said took control in the 18^th century.

Modern Muscat, with a population of 1.4 million people, has an economy based on petroleum and porting. The sultan’s son, Qaboos bin Said disposed his father in 1970, sending him into exile to London. This move brought Oman into the 20^th century, and out of the dark ages as far as their citizens were concerned. The result of the booming tourist trade and the discovery of oil was a success story. This capital city offers tours of forts, palaces, grand mosques, as well as upscale shopping and luxury hotels and resorts that feature diving, windsailing, and snorkeling.

What do they like to eat here? Their specialty is called “hares” which is steamed wheat, boiled meat, preferably chicken, fish, beef, and mutton. Even camel meat. Lime chilies and onions can be served with dried shark. Their favorite drink is camel’s milk.

Tours here included city excursions, the Hop on Hop off bus ($75), tea at the Bustan Palace Hotel ($140), or out of town tours to see forts and fresh water springs. These ran from $70 to $200, the most expensive ones included lunch. They ranged in time from 3 to 8 ½ hours. They also came with a warning: modest, loose-fitting clothing, knees, shoulders, and midriffs covered, ladies heads covered in a mosque with shoes off. Also going into a mosque there shoud be no legs or arms exposed, and men must wear long trousers (no shorts). One overland left from here which was the Best of Jordan for 7days, 6 nights for $4300 (double) and $5500 (single).

There had been a mixed message regarding the holiday rules here today. Much of which we were told did not happen. The grand mosque was opened in the morning, but closed to the public during the prayer time. The main museum was opened all day, and from what we saw, the Mutrah Souq was still operating after 2pm, although we were advised it would close at noon. This did cause many folks to amend their plans, when they probably did not have to. As hard as they try, sometimes they get it wrong. We do know that all pharmacies were closed, and a few shops in the souq never opened. Alcohol definitely was not sold anywhere today.

We have been here more times than we can count, and of course, have taken about all of the tours. The Amsterdam arrived to the harbor and was docked by 8am. We had company…..the MSC Splendida, almost 138,000 gross ton vessel. This ship was built in France and launched in 2009. It holds from 3274 to 3900 passengers, who are mostly European. Their currency is the Euro. It is advertised as a family-friendly ship with tasteful and elegant décor. Although we are not certain, we were told that all of their announcements are made in several languages. So there would be a whole lot of tourists in town today.

We left the ship around 9:30am, and upon leaving the gangway, we were handed a landing card. This would need to be turned in when we returned to the ship. Climbing into the small port shuttle, we expected to stop about 100 feet away to go through an xray check in the small terminal. Since there were already four large buses waiting to send their passengers through the checkpoint, our bus keep going. We did remember we did the same thing two years ago. What the point was of a check for some and not for all was a mystery. As far as security was concerned, they may have well done nothing.

The 15 minute ride dropped us off in front of the Mutrah Souq in the center of downtown. We figured that the majority of the guests on both ships would be on tours, and this was the best time to explore this massive market. The Mutrah Souq can best be described as a fantasy of an Arabian bazaar come-to-life, glittering with silver, gold, and copper mixed with clouds of incense. And that is just what we found today….and much, much more.

Some of the items sold here are silver jewelry, daggers called khanjars, perfumes, fabrics, camel bone and jeweled boxes, Omani clothing for everyone, and frankincense wine the burners to let it smoke. Trinkets were sold here by the thousands, as were pashminas and Omani hats for the guys. Every accessory known to man was a bargain here. And by the way, they readily accepted US dollars. The rate of .38 Omani rials to $1.00 USD, is not a bargain for us, especially if you are interested in real gold and authentic gemstone jewelry. The only savior is the fact the vendors will try to make a deal, even though they say their prices are fixed.

Visiting the nicest fabric shop in this maze of shops, we bought a 2 meter length of an Italian silk print. The seamstress among us will be cursing when sewing it, but with the correct needles and thread, it should work. Then we located the narrow small shop where we bought one of the black shawls with rhinestone designs on it two years ago. We ended up making a deal with buying two of them, one made with a black lace. These weigh almost nothing and pack well…no wrinkles.

Job complete, we continued going uphill, taking scores of photos, until we reached the far end and the exit to the street. This is where the locals do business like barber shops, the butchers, and their daily clothing shops. Kitchen stalls offered a variety of spices from opened gunny sacks. At this end of the souq, the ladies are dropped off by taxi, then picked up once again to go back home. It seemed like every short block had a mosque.

We back-tracked and elbowed our way back down from the now really crowded souq to the main street where the Mutrah Corniche is located. It is a waterside promenade around the old part of the city, with the sidewalks covered in tiled designs, and the walls made from granite. It went on for a few miles. At the very least, strolling the waterside of the harbor had a breeze which helped to keep us cool…..for a short time.

The tide was up so keeping an eye out for stingrays or sea turtles did not pan out. But we did see schools of tropical fish like triggers, damsels, and an assortment of transluscent tiny fish. Out of the blue, something bigger was out there……it was a 4 to 5 foot shark. We watched as it came into the shallows, working the pylons along the edge. Never expected to see that, but the locals have a habit of throwing old bread into the waters here, attracting the smaller fish. The shark was visible for a couple of seconds, then it disappeared as fast as it had surfaced.

Continuing on our hike, we enjoyed the backdrop of the dramatic jagged mountains that almost hid the historic forts that are scattered throughout this city. Beyond this desert oasis, is what they call the Empty Quarter, an expanse of desert that includes a major portion of Oman and Saudi Arabia. Never knew that the average temperatures in that desert can get to 124 degrees F. Hard to imagine.

We always walk the Corniche, this stretch of the seawall, but since it was level and not too hot, we continued until we were way past the big Incense Burner that greets travelers arriving from the sea. Passing by parks with fountains and shade, we ended up at a dead end where a few condos were perched on a small beachfront. At the very end, a private gated park offered umbrella-shaded picnic tables and green lawns. Hoping that there was a hotel or shops nearby where we could purchase water or sodas proved fruitless. It was going to be a long walk back.

Good thing there were several spots along the way to get some shade. The decorative fountains appeared to be on timers, going off on the hour. At least they give the impression of coolness, an oasis in the desert, so to speak. The local birds, mostly large crows, seem to know this is the place to get fresh water. And since it was sort of a holiday, many families were out and about having picnics in the parks. There is also an amusement park with rides for the kids at this end. And somewhere in or out of the city, there is a golf course, because we saw a group of folks we know heading off earlier in the day with their golf bags.

We kept an eye out for another sighting of that shark, but it never came back. Reading the port guide, we read that there is an offshore island called Fahal, two miles of the coast. It is known as shark island for the residents of its waters. We wonder if the two fellows snorkeling at those condos knew there was a shark nearby?

Arriving back at the Mutrah Souq, we boarded a waiting shuttle for the ride back to the ship. However, there were still a few seats left, and we were not leaving until they were filled. No fair, the large buses for the Splendida guests were only half full, and they left. The good thing was that the driver, who had left the coach, kept the engine running for the air-conditioning.

We were back to the pier by 2:30pm, in time to go to the Lido for lunch. Bet we consumed a gallon of ice tea there and more sodas and water in our room later. Seriously, we will never leave home without taking at least two bottles of water. We had a little time to cool down while downloading photos and catching up on Oman’s facts and history. Before we knew it, sail away was about to begin. Once again, the Muscat sail away was held in the Crow’s Nest with drink specials.

Thinking the Seaview Pool would be empty, we were wrong. By 6pm, the deck filled with passengers who figured out it had gotten much cooler outside, and a wonderful breeze had popped up. The ropes were dropped, and we were off about 6:22pm, just when the sun was setting behind those jagged peaks. It was nice watching the city lighting up as we sailed out of the harbor. By the way, when we came outside, we noticed the MSC ship had already left the port. Asking our friends, they said it quietly left after 4pm or so.

With police-escorted vessels, several local fishermen and a few of the wooden Arabian dhow boats on dinner cruises glided by us. Taking photos of the path we walked surprised both of us at how far we had actually walked today. Now our friends that had taken the hop-on hop-off bus (same local price as the HAL tour of $75) said they saw so much, and did not have to walk at all in the heat. Perhaps they were the smart ones, but they missed the shark.

There were only three of us at dinner, and once again, we were stumped for choices to order off of the creative menu. Sometimes Slam, our waiter, has a hard time describing food items that are foreign to him. Barb had the fish entrée, sauce on the side, and we had one pasta and one entrée salad. All was good, and some of the fancy names turned out to be the regular stuff anyway. Wanting a little something sweet for dessert, Slam brought us a plate full of warm, freshly baked biscotti. We had asked for two cookies, but he brought a dozen. It’s really hard to keep the calories low, but have been pretty successful on this cruise.

A few extra notes are worth writing about. One has to do with anti-piracy prevention. Starting tonight, all of the drapes in the public rooms and curtains in the cabins have to be drawn and closed. The center section of lights on the lower promenade deck were turned off, with only the bow and aft sections lit. Even though there was supposed to be a 24 hour watch on the outside deck, we did not see the guards there at 10pm. Or maybe we just couldn’t see them. Sure gives one an uneasy feeling when walking outside.

The other message we got dealt with supply loading in Muscat that never happened. Multiple 40 foot containers with general food and beverage supplies never arrived. Local supplies were purchased, but not everything was met. In the next ports in Jordan and Italy, the rest should arrive. The funniest statement was that we still have enough toilet paper! Hmm, good to know….

Bill & Mary Ann

Krazy Kruizers · April 5, 2019

Interesting walk and seeing the shark. Hope the person sewing the silk has done it before. Years ago I worked with a piece of silk fabric -- I think that is what caused by hair to turn grey early.

One of the things I liked when we sailed on Cunard, at each hot port, like Egypt, each person was given a liter of water as they left the ship -- no charge. Oh, those were the days.

Glad you have lots of toilet paper. Hope you get other supplies.

I bet those guards were around somewhere on the deck.

Krazy Kruizers · April 5, 2019

Love the sunset pictures -- flowers are lovely.

WCB · April 6, 2019

Report # 77 Day at Sea April 5, 2019 Friday Partly sunny & 82 degrees

We have a few days at sea, five to be exact, as we sail south down the coast of Oman. We will pass by several countries without stopping on our way to Jordan. To say it is a most sensitive place in the world is probably putting it lightly. The security measures taken so far have been sobering, although, this year, we do not have the razor wire installed below the lower promenade deck. One factor we did not mention is the fact that this ship is capable of maintaining a fast speed. Currently we are fairly close to the coast of Oman and doing a speed of about 20 knots. If needed, that can be cranked up to 25 knots according to Captain Mercer.

Spending a most relaxing day at the aft pool, we were joined by buddies Leta and Bill. The temperature was not too high and we had some cloud cover, so they felt it safe to venture outside for a while. Always concerned about burning, they tend to stay out of the direct sun for a long time. There has been more than once that both of them got sunburnt while talking to us. The new lotion we bought in Australia has worked really well for both of us. We never go out without using it.

Captain Jonathon delivered his PM talk as usual, but he added something that we had forgotten about. To begin, last night after dinner, we strolled the outside deck in the dark. But we did notice that looking towards the land side of the ship, there was a glow of lights, much like you would see if we were passing a coastal city. However, there was no city here. So what were we seeing? Turned out it was a phenomenon that occurs in a few places in the world in tropical seas. It was a glowing illumination coming from the water from a type of plankton, tiny animals and plants floating in the water. It actually created a glow that mimicked a nearby city on the horizon. Now we remembered seeing this several years ago and probably in the same area we are now sailing. Pretty cool experience.

We heard from a reliable source that the morning pastries that have traditionally been passed to everyone in the dining room at breakfast has stopped on the Rotterdam. Wonder if this is the same on the other HAL ships? Now we are curious if the afternoon tea time will continue, as we also were told the participation has been low. Time will tell on both counts.

It took the rest of the afternoon to catch up on Muscat’s reports and photos. But it is always nice to have the time to do it, now that we have sea days and more time. Before we knew it, the time for our Tamarind dinner in the Pinnacle Grill had arrived. This venue has caught on with the restaurant being almost fully booked. Our appetizers were shrimp tempura, a Thai salad, and hot and crispy spring rolls. So good. While we snacked on shrimp crackers with three sauces, our mains were brought. Both of us ordered the wasabi-crusted filets with asparagus and breaded onion rings. Cooked perfectly, we added a bowl of Hainan rice and sauteed mushrooms. There was a tad bit of room left for dessert of a bowl of fresh berries, and one chocolate-dipped fortune cookie.

Speaking of dessert reminds us of a very funny mistake printed in the daily newsletter today. Here is the message: Dessert sand fine and soft as silk will be blowing on board regularly until we have gone through the Suez Canal. We will best attempt to wash this off the ship regularly, but please know that it blows on board incessantly and continuously. Now can you spot the misspelled word???

A vivacious singer, Helen Wilding, was the entertainer this evening. She is credited with a career spanning 20 years which included theater, opera, film and TV.

Bill & Mary Ann

Krazy Kruizers · April 6, 2019

It should be "desert" sand -- don;t want to eat dessert sand.

Interesting about the plankton and looking like a city of lights out on the water.

I burn very easily as well and have to watch how long I am out in the sun.

cat shepard · April 6, 2019

Is one able to order dessert sand? How many calories, I wonder?

wander · April 6, 2019

I understand it to be very low calorie but very expensive for dental care if you chew the sand.

WCB · April 7, 2019

Report # 78 Day at Sea April 6, 2019 Saturday Partly sunny & 82 degrees Part #1 Of 1

The calm seas and the pleasant weather has remained with us as we sail in a southwesterly direction down the coast of Yemen. Even though we will not be making any stops along the way to Jordan, we feel it appropriate to include some info with the countries that are in this area. Perhaps most everyone will recognize the names of these Middle Eastern countries, since they have been in the news for many years as most dangerous. And that is putting it lightly.

The country we are passing by now is Yemen with a population of over 24 million people. Their capital, San’a, is 2500 years old and happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yemen has been dubbed the Arabian Peninsula’s poor cousin since it has none of the oil wealth of its nearest neighbors. Unless something has changed since 2012, their most precious commodity was frankincense. The history here is biblical because Noah reportedly launched his ark from here, and the Queen of Sheba once ruled the land. Today, you can find fortified villages made with stone walls or mud villages. Or visit Aden, Yemen’s most modern city with some of the finest beach resorts.

Their favorite food is a meat stew with lentils, beans, and coriander. Tea scented with cardamom or coffee with ginger are their traditional beverages.

In recent years, modern Yemen has had much internal conflict when the country was divided into two countries – South and North Yemen until 1990. Conflicts continue, even when we passed this area a few years ago. For safety reasons, we have stayed clear of these shores.

During our morning walk, we did see some tiny flying fish. Sightings of these little creatures have been few and far between this trip. Although, like we always say, if you don’t stop long enough and watch, you can miss a lot of things. This is always the best excuse one of us uses to stop at the railing and take a break while on the lower promenade deck. Maybe we will see more later in the day. Yesterday, there were several boobys flying alongside the ship, even right at the Seaview pool railings. They stayed all day, then were gone by the morning.

Around 2pm, Barb paid us a visit at the aft pool, and she brought some good luck with her. While we were chatting, a school of fish began jumping in the wake several yards behind us. They were not quite big enough to be dolphins, but could have been tuna. Once again, we have seen few sightings of these performers on this cruise as well. Barb needs to visit more often since she brings the luck with her.

We had a note on our mail slot with the announcement of a special event for the Grand Voyage Mariners (everyone onboard) for an evening at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Holland on April 26^th. It will be an opportunity for a private tour of the highlights in the museum which will include all of the works of Rembrandt. We will see as many as 22 paintings, 60 drawings, and 300 engravings, as well as his most celebrated masterpiece – the Night Watch.

As President’s Club members, we will be transferred ahead of the crowd at 6:30pm, with exclusive early access in the Gallery of Honour. The main event will be from 7 to 10pm with complimentary drinks and dessert. Of course, shuttles will be provided for all. And we suppose dinner for the late seating guests will have to be much earlier than 6:30pm that night. No RSVP needed unless we decline. If this affair is anything like the cistern gathering in Istanbul in 2008, or the Ephesus party in Turkey in 2015, we think, it should really be special.

Lunch in the Lido found a change, and a good one we hope will continue. Instead of the “noisy” side of the Lido being opened for sandwiches and salads, the opposite side (starboard), was opened instead. This way, we avoided the increasingly noisy Arts and Crafts class in progress. The loud speakers and the “artists” in there have been so loud that the servers cannot even hear the orders for sandwiches or salads. On the opposite side, we cannot hear any of the class instructions or the chatter of 100 or more people who participate. Much better.

Tonight’s theme for the evening was Speakeasy in both the dining room and the Crow’s Nest later. All would be invited to let the good times roll from the depths of the Prohibition Era. Not that we remember these times in America’s history, but we sure recall the clothing of that time. So we went to the Ocean Bar around 6pm just to see how the folks were dressed. A few of the ladies wore flapper-type dresses and feathers in their hair, while the fellows wore what they always do. The staff were the ones that dressed for the occasion. When we began to see some of the early diners coming to the show lounge, we did notice that some of the ladies were wearing black felt hats with a felt flower, and the men wore a typical black-striped hat from that era. Also, the women had strings of pearls around their necks and white long gloves. Obviously, these had been handed out during the dinner service.

Although this was not a gala evening, the waiters were dressed nicely with dark gray vests and white top hats at dinner in the dining room. They seem to like the changes of the outfits, except for the hats, which tend to be quite warm. The menu was not too exciting, but the spring rolls were very good. One of us pre-ordered the room service chicken “noodle” soup except without the spaghetti in it. Recently, we found out that all of the pasta is made onsite with a real pasta-making machine. So all it took was asking Slam if the chef can substitute linguine, and the answer was a definite yes. And it was so good. Both of us had turkey salads with a tasting of the Korean kalbi ribs. Barb had the fish entrée, but also tried the ribs and liked them much better. A small dessert of one scoop of rocky road ice cream with a small plate of cookies finished our meal.

The Crow’s Nest Speakeasy Soiree Party had begun at 8:45pm, not convenient to our late seating time of 8pm. Guess the majority rules when it comes to these evening events. The roaring 20’s music would go on for quite a while, but the $2 drinks would cease by 9:45pm.

Taking a walk outside was once again eerie, as it was dark with all of the curtains drawn tight in the cabins. But that gave us an opportunity to gaze at the bright stars in the night sky….a real treat indeed. Barb mentioned that her group went to the Seaview Pool late last night, and sat talking back there also taking in the star show.

Bill & Mary Ann

WCB · April 8, 2019

Report #79 Day at Sea April 7, 2019 Sunday Partly sunny & 82 degrees Part #1 Of 1 75 Pictures

Today we would be leaving the Arabian Sea, and venturing into the Gulf of Aden…. making an entrance into a very sensitive part of the world….namely sailing around the tip of Yemen on the starboard and part of the coast of Djibouti on the port. There is a narrow sea passage where both countries come very close. It is named Bah el Mandeb, or Gate of Tears for the tragic history here. And it happens to be a place where ships can be in trouble in relation to pirate activity, for instance. Although we have not heard of any recent take-overs, it does not mean these things are still not happening. For that reason, the Captain kept the speed of the ship at the max of 24 knots, we suspect.

The timing on this passage was originally happening around 11:30am, but Captain Mercer seems to get a jump on the distance if he can, then slow it up. So by 10am, we went up to deck nine and began snapping photos of the islands we were approaching on both sides of the ship. Yesterday, we described Yemen, so today we can give some info on Djibouti, the country on our port side. With a population of 516,000, Djibouti is located at a point of three diverging tectonic plates. They have fumaroles that spew steam from the center of the earth. The lava flows resemble a lunar scene in the desert. It is a place to see whale sharks and manta rays. The local tribesmen and nomads eat roasted goat and fish suppers. It is served in newspaper. Djibouti has salt lakes, $5.00 cucumbers, as well as French and American military presence.

Here is an unusual fact: There is a national obsession with a substance called “qat”, a mild narcotic herb, where up to 40% of a family’s income is spent. It’s estimated that two months of productivity is lost yearly due to the side effects.

The only one we know on this ship that has actually stopped in the capital of Djibouti City is our former host, Tom. He said many years ago, a ship called on this port and there was one paid tour to a modern shopping mall. Then we were tablemates with the minister and his wife on a cruise 20 years ago. They also went to the capital city, and wished they had not at the time. Lots of poverty. These days we have not seen this country on the safe travel list, at least not from a cruise ship.

Many ships either passed us going the opposite way or we passed them doing 25 knots. Of course, they are probably on their way to and from the Suez Canal or Jordan, where we are headed. We spent much of the morning and early afternoon taking photos as we entered the Red Sea. We sure do not remember the weather being as hot and even humid as it was today. But then, we have to remind ourselves that we are three weeks later than usual.

While we were occupied outside, Ian, the port lecturer, had a fun time with travel trivia. He put on a slide show of places he has been, and turned it into a guessing game….like where in the world is Ian now? Great idea.

Today was Sunday, and the brunch sampler day in the dining room at 11am. Advertised as all your grand favorites served as a 3-course set menu, sampler-style, and sparkling wine specials until 1pm. It has been such a hit, that the dining room was full to capacity, we were told.

As far as the jewelry sales go, we were invited to a private showing of the newest collection in one of the suites on deck seven with sparkling wine as an enticement. They must have invited a select group, since the suites are not that large. However, this type of event was not up our alley, so we declined.

Lunch service in the Lido was back on the noisy side, darn. But we switched to the opposite side to eat. Much quieter and cooler. On the port side of the Lido, where the doors go out to the Seaview Pool, we have noticed that one of the glass doors has been removed. That leaves the hot air to enter from the outside. The only reason we see for this has to be for the walker and wheelchair access to the back deck. That is one thing these older ships do not have is easy wheelchair access to the lower promenade deck and the aft pool. Newer vessels have automatic doors, making access much easier.

The live entertainment with the bands and the lounges take turns with a day off each week. So tonight, the Ocean Quartet was taking their break. We took our seats there anyway, enjoying the silence for a change. Our form of entertainment is working the daily crossword puzzle, but verbally. Before we knew it, the time for dinner had arrived.

All five of us were present, and we were happy with our meal choices of potstickers, sweet and sour shrimp, and a shredded beef salad, most likely prime rib. Profiteroles, all two of them, were shared by us, while everyone but Barb (she never eats dessert) was happy with plates of fresh fruit, and one small slice of Dutch apple pie.

There was a curious note left with our nightly turn-down mail. It was regarding the new internet system on the ship, which apparently has caused some grumblings among the guests. Depending on the type of plan purchased, you are allowed a specific amount of megabytes. And since there is no way to track the usage on our end, people have been exceeding their time. The best suggestion that was advised was to log off, and don’t keep the wifi on. Our experience has shown that when the time reaches the limit for your plan, it cranks down to extremely slow, and ceases to send or receive anything. And perhaps the guests have been debited for overtime, but we are not sure of this. Since these plans are pricey, no one wants to have added charges to their shipboard accounts.

There was a duel variety show in the Mainstage….Elliot Finkel and Helen Wilding…piano playing and singing. Both did it quite well. By the way, now that we are in safer waters, the outside lighting on deck three has been turned back on. The 24 round the clock security guards were not present on the promenade deck this evening also.

Bill & Mary Ann

Krazy Kruizers · April 8, 2019

Just got caught up with the latest 2 reports.

They are wonderful and informative. Smart that the captain is keeping a good speed to get the ship safely through the troubled waters.

You have a lot to look forward to.

WCB · April 9, 2019

Report # 80 Day at Sea April 8, 2019 Monday Partly sunny & 82 degrees

The days seem to be racing by as we continue our voyage towards Jordan. So far, the weather has remained quite nice, even still warm and humid. Knowing these balmy days and evenings are numbered, many more folks are coming out of the overly air-conditioned ship to relax on the outside decks, and take advantage of the swimming pools and spas.

Here are a few more countries that we are passing along the route. One that we got close to, but stayed well clear of, was the north coast of Somalia. Perched on the tip of the Horn of Africa, Somalia is an unstable war-torn country with the capital of Mogadishu and a population of 10 million. Seriously, it is a no-go area despite the fact that there are huge archaeological treasures and world class beaches here. First thing that comes to mind is the incident of October 1993 and the Black Hawk Down disastrous combat mission. And more recently, pirate attacks that occurred with the Maersk Alabama and Captain Philips in 2009. So if you travel here, according to some sources, you may be the only tourist in the entire country.

Eritrea is another country we are passing on the port side. With the capital at Asmara and a population of 5,600,000, it is a country like no other. It has a wealth of culture and history with beautiful volcanic deserts and coral reefs of the Red Sea. Their fight for sovereignty and clashes with Ethiopia have brought on hard times. But it still remains a diver’s paradise, as well as a place of monasteries, mosques, and temples. Best known for macchiato and a snack of deep-fried dough balls sold in newspaper cones. And another country we have never visited.

Sudan is also on our port side as we head north in the Red Sea. Khartoum is their capital and the population is around 45 million. This country stretches over part of the Sahara Desert to the shores of the Red Sea. Again, there are relics of ancient civilizations from pre-Pharaohic Egypt. It is also torn from civil war, now divided by the north and south. They are known for the hammerhead sharks in the Red Sea reefs, and the confluence of the two Nile Rivers – the Blue and the White where they meet in the capital. It is a place of pyramids more numerous and older than Egypt’s. The locals eat “fuul”, a stewed brown bean dish eaten with flatbread, eggs and cheese. The favorite drink is sweet tea or coffee with cardamom and cinnamon. And again, a place we will not stop.

Happenings of the day included three lectures. What to see and do in Italy, Spain, and Portugal was discussed by Ian, and Barry Dreyer deal, an appropriate subject dealing with the exploits of Lawrence of Arabia, perfect for our upcoming visit to Jordan. But of course, you would have to visit Petra and Wadi Rum to see the setting for this true saga. Then Miss Rowan spoke about the pyramids and how they were built. Too bad we will not have the opportunity to see them on this trip.

The HAL Chorale group has been meeting on some sea days since the onset of this cruise. One of our friends sure enjoys this easy group activity and we look forward to hearing their performance later in the voyage.

For a change, there was a gala night port wine tasting held in the Crystal Terrace at 7:30pm. However, instead of the usual $5 wine charge, it was $14.95. We had been relaxing in our chairs close by, but we left shortly before it commenced.

As we indicated, this was another “dress up” gala night with the theme of 1001 Arabian Nights Dinner. The majority of guests dressed much the same as any other formal evening, but some did dress the part of exotic Arabia. But none could match the exotic headdress of our tablemate, Greg, who came to the table with a royal blue and gold lame Tutankamun hat. He even added a very bushy black mustache over his real one. Good thing our host for the evening happened to be the hotel director, Henk, who knows all of us very well. Good thing. When our laughter died down, we got through the evening just fine. Greg did catch the attention of Philip, who is the head of all culinary operations now. He insisted on taking a cell phone photo, as did another buddy Jane, who ventured down to take a tablet photo to capture the moment. All in good fun.

And to answer a recent question regarding theme nights, we did receive a Know Before You Go booklet well before the cruise began. Every special event and theme dinner was included in the list, as well as the specialty wine pairing, Tamarind, and Sel de Mer evenings in the Pinnacle Grill. That way, we can come prepared with the assorted costumes. Or these items can be purchased along the way, which many guests do.

The entire lower level of the dining room emptied out, leaving us the last to leave. But that is normal. We all like it when it gets quiet. It did give us the opportunity to go directly to the show, which was a dance and song performance by the singers and dancers of the Amsterdam. For a change, they played the music we like….country western, folk, and country rock. This group has got the moves and the voices to go with them.

And once again, the clocks went back one hour, which was fine for all.

Bill & Mary Ann

PS Love the comments about the “dessert” sands, as we still chuckle about that. And yes, there are no calories in those desserts.