Noordam - A Passage to New Zealand

[richwmn]

We arrived at the appointed place off Kona a while ago. It is about 7:30am and we are scheduled to start tendering at 8.

From the ship the area looks gorgeous. Here are today's activities:

 

[zelker]

I don’t normally mention food because taste is so subjective but, IMHO, the Exc Port to Table entree last night was among the top 3 meals we’ve ever experienced on a ship (caveat - we’re also partial to eating fresh caught fish when in Hawaii).  It was Fresh Hawaiian Macadamia Crusted Ono (Wahoo) Fillets, cooked to perfection.  Kudos to the Executive Chef and his team for this unexpected treat ... the Ono was definitely ‘ono (Hawaiian for delicious)!! 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Beautiful pictures of Lahaina.  We love that area.  One time when we were there, so many of the buildings were boarded up as they were modeling many of them.

[bennybear]

Love Kona!  Enjoy one of our favourite places! 

[cccole]

I am so enjoying all of the photos and posts.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking us along!!  The "educational tour" in Honolulu was great.  UH Manoa has some dorms with killer views and I doubt that the students there appreciate them either.  Cherie

[richwmn]

After a visit to Kona, I am back on the ship. Thoughts in a few minutes, but for now I present tonight's menus

 

[GeezerCouple]

Prime Rib and Yorkshire Pudding?! Yum!

 

That is getting more and more difficult to find... and even when there is Prime Rib, there frequently is not any Yorkshire Pudding  

 

Is this offered on all/most cruises? If so, more than once?

 

[Dare I ask if it is really "prime" beef, or are they using "prime rib" only to refer to the cut?]

 

Thanks!

 

GC

[sppunk]

Rich thanks for letting us tag along. This is a bucket list itinerary for me!

[BarbarianPaul]

There’s an amazing double rainbow on the port side right now. 

[oakridger]

7 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

Is this offered on all/most cruises? If so, more than once?

 

[Dare I ask if it is really "prime" beef, or are they using "prime rib" only to refer to the cut?]

 

Thanks!

 

GC

 

My last couple of HAL cruises served prime rib several times on each segment and I thought that it was one of the best beef meals offered.  It looked and tasted like real "prime rib" to me!  I ask for it without the "gravy" though because the meat is tasty by itself.

 

~Nancy

[richwmn]

A very good day in Kona today. Sky and Sea were both brilliantly blue and the temperature was a bit cooler than Lahaina yesterday. As usual, a bit of a built up area around the tender port. The tender I rode in ran into a small problem, a swimmer got outside the roped area and was swimming right where the tender needed to go. For a bit he didn't seem to realize that he was in the way, but finally swam toward, then under the rope to safety.

[erewhon]

Great photos, thank you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Prime rib and Yorkshire pudding -- one of my favorites.

 

Great pictures.

[kazu]

8 hours ago, richwmn said:

A very good day in Kona today. Sky and Sea were both brilliantly blue and the temperature was a bit cooler than Lahaina yesterday. As usual, a bit of a built up area around the tender port. The tender I rode in ran into a small problem, a swimmer got outside the roped area and was swimming right where the tender needed to go. For a bit he didn't seem to realize that he was in the way, but finally swam toward, then under the rope to safety.

 

Beautiful pictures Rich.  It was a good day, indeed.

 

OMG on the swimmer in the tender boat’s spot. 😮😱

[RuthC]

17 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

[Dare I ask if it is really "prime" beef, or are they using "prime rib" only to refer to the cut?]

The term 'prime rib' refers to the cut of beef, and not the grade. All grades of beef have a 'prime rib'. 

[richwmn]

Greetings from Noordam - At Sea.

We again settle into the sea day routing, with the next 4 days also being at sea. Plenty of activities as show on the schedules.

The Cruise Critic Meet & Greet for this segment is today at 11:00am

 

[richwmn]

On to entertainment. I have not been listing the movies, so here they are from the start

10/22 - Captain Marvel
10/21 - The Sapphires
10/20 - The Art of Racing in the Rain
10/19 - Free Solo
10/18 - Amelia
10/17 - The Old Man and the Gun
10/16 - Just Go With It

Last night on the World Stage we had David Crowe, a standup comic from Seattle. He had a good act and was well received by the audience. The routine included standard cruise jokes, along with a few about Seattle. All in all, a nice show.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the reports.  Movies aren't my liking.

[richwmn]

On previous cruises the menus were not available until after noon. I checked and then new menus are already available, so here they are.

 

[FlorenceItaly]

I am really enjoying your live posting.  Thank you so much.  It is wonderful to see the fresh fish through EXC port to table.  I hope to see it on the Amsterdam when we are in the islands on the Amsterdam at the end of this month.

[BarbarianPaul]

Though Kona certainly isn’t known for its beaches, my wife and I took a dip yesterday on a small hotel beach right by the pier used by our tenders. The water was wonderfully warm and we had a blast.

 

We also walked down the Main Street and not only discovered a brand new cafe with smoothies made from every fresh berry known to man, but also a shop run by an artist’s family, selling these amazing, totally lifelike orchid replicas made from flexible clay...made by both the mother and the mother-in-law. Have never seen anything like them.

 

Also, for future travelers, there’s a Long’s Drug store within easy walking distance, with very reasonably priced macadamia nuts!

[bennybear]

One of our favourite snorkelling spots is about 15 minutes south of town and there are stunning beaches about half an hour plus north.   Just the island is so big people don’t realize they are there. 

[elainemast]

Just beautiful!! Is anyone on this cruise vlogging? I would love to see YouTube videos ❤

[richwmn]

Pictures from today's Meet and Greet, over 60 people showed up along with Hotel Director Mark Pells and Cruise Director Ross McTaggart

 

[Himself]

/thanks for all the menus and pictures.