Venture to the Caribbean with Bill & Mary Ann on the Nieuw Statendam & Nieuw Amsterdam 12-18-21 to 4-26-22

[RICHARD@SEA]

I would imagine  with the cost of fuel going up through the roof CARNIVORE CORP   will be cutting costs across all their lines...from chocolates & fruit to..........

 

With current "pandemic pricing' for cruises now there isn't much wiggle room for the execs Bonus program!!!

[TXCruiser78660]

4 hours ago, kb4683 said:

Thanks for the answer.  Went back to my purchase and see that the unlimited non-alcoholic drinks statement has gone by the wayside 😔.  However, the following sentence is also there:

"Only on the ms Koningsdam & ms Nieuw Statendam, the package includes Freestyle Coca-Cola which provides 100+ refreshing Coca-Cola flavors to choose from."

Someone forgot to tell the Koningsdam about giving out the soda cup.  Hope you have better luck on the NS.

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, RICHARD@SEA said:

be cutting costs across all their lines...from chocolates

 

I have a stash of those night time chocolates.  Maybe time to stop nibbling on them?  Are they going to become ocean liner memorabilia that a few years from now will command a sum of money?

 

Ridiculous thought?  No.  A dealer in ocean liner memorabilia recently posted on his web site, a small collection of soap bars from a variety of cruise lines, including a bar from HAL.  $9.50 was the price in 2022.  In a few more years.....?  

[WCB]

Report #73 Bridgetown, Barbados  Monday-February 28, 2022   Mostly Cloudy With Sun And Hot  82 Degrees  Part #1 Of 3.........80 Pictures

 

If it is Monday, then today’s port will be Bridgetown, Barbados (every two weeks).  This island is a single mound of coral and limestone , but suitable for growing sugarcane. Lots of it. About 280,000 people live here, and are fondly called Bajan, short for Barbadian.  For the most part, they are friendly and welcoming people who work mainly in the tourist industry, government, and still in the sugar business.

 

Besides our ship, there were three cruise ships docked already when we arrived.  The Azamara Quest was first, then the Costa Deliziosa was behind her.  In the middle was the Ponant ship, Le Dumont D’Urville, but it left at 9:30am. 

 

It had been announced that no one should wear camoflauge clothing or have articles with the same pattern.  How very odd is that, although we do remember that being a restriction several years ago.  Masks were required also.

 

So, until we called the front desk, we did not know whether or not we would be allowed to leave the port on our own without a tour or a taxi. We were told that as of 10am, we would be free to walk out of the gates.  This was never announced shipwide.  Of course, by then, shore excursions would have sold many tours, and lots of folks would hire taxi or van drivers.  Is there a method to their madness?  We have been told that the restrictions are made by the local authorities, but threatening that, it puts pressure on folks to buy something, or stay on the ship.  So far, the only denial of walking freely, is on the island of Grenada.  Wonder if that will change?

 

We left the ship by 10:30am, walked through the terminal, and made one stop at Diamonds International for the free charm.  It was a flying fish today.  Did you know that the flying fish is a national symbol for Barbados?   Stopping at the fish market, we saw the ladies cleaning these smaller fish.  Hundreds of them.  One of the nice ladies held up the fish and spread the wing-like fins.  Yep, that is exactly what we have been seeing the boobies eating.  These little dudes are served in a hundred different ways, and are actually pretty tasty.  If they are fileted correctly, there are no bones. 

 

Continuing up the road, we arrived at the Boardwalk at Careenage Marina.  Many boats of all sizes and types were in this small marina.  Benches were available along the Boardwalk, so we sat for a bit watching the marina activity.  We walked over the pedestrian bridge and over to Independence Square. This looks like a place for a small concert at night.  We noticed many locals lined up outside either a supermarket, or an ATM.  By the way, most all of the locals are still masked.  And so were we.

 

We strolled over the Chamberlain Bridge, past the bus terminal, and a mall across the street.  For a Monday, this area was really busy.  On the other side of the inner basin, we came across the Fountain and War Memorial at National Heroes Square.  Heading into the crowd, we went back to the first fabric shop we had found a few weeks ago.  Buying one more length of fabric, we went back a different way.  That’s when we passed by Sewing World, which was the store we had searched for originally.  Bought another piece of crepe-like fabric, which I will curse when sewing.  Very tricky unless you have the correct needles and thread.  Then across the street, we saw Abed’s, which one of us thought was a home fabric store (curtains, drapes, etc).  Turned out to be the biggest store in town for clothing fabrics.  Good thing it was too busy with customers in there, or we might have bought more. Have to admit, the prices were really reasonable compared to where we shop at home.

 

Did we mention it had become really warm and muggy?  Early on, there was a wonderful breeze, which eventually stopped.  At least, it did not rain like yesterday.  Passing some local cafes, we noticed some of their Bajan dishes.  A local specialty is called buljol, a cold salad with pickled codfish, tomatoes, onions, and sweet peppers.  Conkies are a cornmeal mixed with coconut, pumpkin, raisins, sweet potatoes, and spices.  It is wrapped in a banana leaf, steamed, and served hot. 

 

We slowly made our way back, strolling through Pelican Centre, which had few shops opened.  At the port gate, we had to sanitize our hands, have our temperatures taken, and put our stuff through xray.  As long as we did not have weapons, we were free to enter the port.

 

Perfect time to go to the Dutch Café for ham and cheese sandwiches, a shared plate of fries, and three ice cold beers. And also one éclair. We heard the funniest story about the beer glasses that Affligem is served in.  Andre and Julia mentioned that they were getting short on the glasses.  Assuming that some had broken, we were wrong.  We  learned that people were taking the glasses….like stealing them.  Hard to believe, but the staff had to order more glasses last time we were in Florida.  These glasses are large and heavy.  How in the world do you hide something like that? 

 

From our steaming hot veranda, we watched the ship leave around 5pm.  Eventually we got a breeze, and the sailing was nice. We are now headed towards Grenada…hoping we will be set free there tomorrow.  Rather doubt it.

 

Dinner was a table for two, since our buddies had gone to the Tamarind.  If it wasn’t for meatballs and spaghetti and prime rib, we would have gone as well.  These are two entrees we love, and they cooked both of them perfectly tonight. 

 

There is one thing we do not like at dinnertime in the dining room, and that is the interruption of the ship’s photographers.  Tolerable on gala evenings, we do not need this on regular nights.  Since they are set up everywhere on decks two and three, it is far better for those who seek the photos, to go to them.  Suggesting that to the photographers only produces laughs from them.  Yes, we understand that this is a business here, but it becomes an imposition for many of us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[CruiseMGM]

Enjoying your adventure! I may have missed this in my reading, but what do you do with all the free charms you're collecting at the various ports?

[StartrainDD]

2 hours ago, WCB said:

Perfect time to go to the Dutch Café for ham and cheese sandwiches, a shared plate of fries, and three ice cold beers. And also one éclair. We heard the funniest story about the beer glasses that Affligem is served in.  Andre and Julia mentioned that they were getting short on the glasses.  Assuming that some had broken, we were wrong.  We  learned that people were taking the glasses….like stealing them.  Hard to believe, but the staff had to order more glasses last time we were in Florida.  These glasses are large and heavy.  How in the world do you hide something like that? 

Seems like a great revenue opportunity for HAL.  Offer to sell the glasses!

 

Our son likes to collect glasses from various brews.  I would certainly buy one for him!

[The Other Tom]

3 hours ago, WCB said:

By the way, most all of the locals are still masked.  And so were we.

Thank you.

[WCB]

Report #74  Saint George's, Grenada  Tuesday-March 4, 2022    Partly Cloudy With Rain   82 Degrees    Part #1 Of 3.........80 Pictures

 

Well, this morning we got the announcement we had hoped for……local officials had granted “free flow”, meaning that we were allowed off of the ship and out the terminal doors without a taxi ride or a babysitter guide.  So the third time here was a charm as the saying goes.

Grenada is a small island with 90,000 people.  The island is 21 miles long and 12 miles wide with a healthy rain forest in the central mountains.  Often called the Spice Island, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves are grown commercially.  And up high in the mountains, there are monkeys we are told.  It was hot and steamy today, and understandable, since Grenada sits 12 degrees above the Equator.  And it was wise to have brought our umbrellas, as showers passed over and over during the morning hours.

 

Other crops grown here are lettuce, tomatoes, citrus, mangoes, papaya, callaloo (like spinach), dasheen (a root veggie), squash, and breadfruit.  Ice cream flavors include soursop (a type of apple), guava, rum raisin, coconut, and nutmeg. 

 

St. George’s is the capital, and that is where we docked today. We were not alone, as the Silver Moon  (Silverseas) was docked across from us.  She is one nice ship, as was the Silver Shadow that we took to Alaska one early fall.  Good thing we had saved the island map, because none were handed out today that we could see.  Turning left out of the Esplanade Mall, we made our way to the Fish Market.  This facility was way smaller than the one in Barbados.  Only a few nice ladies were cleaning the catch.  The most offerings were tuna….yellow fin, commonly caught here. 

 

Continuing up the road, we were in the outskirts of town and near the two sports stadiums.  The National Stadium had been heavily damaged during Hurricane Ivan back in 2004.  China came along and helped restore the stadium before the 2007 cricket world cup.  Having gone far enough, we back-tracked to downtown and located the best way to access the Carenage (harbor) on the other side of the hilltops. It was by going through the Sendall Tunnel built in 1895, measuring 340 feet long and 7 feet high.  Talk about raising your blood pressure.  This tunnel is narrow with no sidewalks, and barely enough room for a compact car to go through.  No lights either.  The cars did not slow down as we squeezed along the wall.  Obviously, when this tunnel was built, there were no cars. 

 

Once through the tunnel, we found our way to the Carenage where we saw many fishing and tour boats.  There was a monument at the far end of this harbor.  It is called Christ of the Deep Statue, dedicated to the Costa Bianca cruise ship that caught fire, and sunk a little way off of this coast back in 1961.  This 600 foot ship is now home to the corals and fish, and has become a popular dive site.   Costa Cruise Lines gifted this statue to the good people of Grenada that helped the survivors.

 

Had we kept walking, we would have made it to the Lagoon, and the boat marina area.  All aboard was 3:30pm, so we did want to make it back well before that time.  There were a few restaurants in this area and some of the specialties included roti, curried chicken or beef with veggies, that is wrapped in a pastry and baked.  These are more popular than sandwiches.  Conch ( the shellfish) is called lambi….go figure.  And oildown is salted meat, breadfruit, onions and carrots with celery and dumplings.  It is all boiled in coconut milk until the mixture becomes “”oily”. Thus, the name.  In between these cafes, we saw a Pizza Hut.  Funny, huh?  Up at the fish market, we saw a KFC.  It is not uncommon to see both of these together in many ports.

 

The humidity had gotten to us, and we headed back to the room for ice cold sodas.  Never tasted so good.  Not really hungry, we snacked on dips and crackers for a light meal.  More important,  was re-hydrating.  Sail away was around 4pm, and we were happy to be on the move again.   Facing the setting sun, our veranda was hot as a pistol.  The breeze was most welcomed.

 

Dinner had the five of us back.  The menu wasn’t really exciting, but we all found something we liked.  Chicken, lamb shanks, lasagna, and sliced beef were the choices.  Their tomato bisque soup is the best.  So are the desserts.

 

We did get a pretty nice sunset, despite the clouds that brought driving winds and rain during the evening hours.  We must have gone through several squalls that left our veranda door very wet.

 

Tomorrow will be St. Kitts, but not until 11 am.  Maybe we can sleep in a little later…………

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[RedIguana]

On 2/28/2022 at 8:39 AM, TXCruiser78660 said:

Elite package is now limited to 15 total drinks per day including alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.  In other words no longer unlimited non-alcoholic drinks.  No chipped cup given.

The FAQ's still have the Elite package as 15 alcoholic and unlimited non-alcoholic, The signature is listed as 15 total. I can't find a description on the website other than the FAQ's. I've seen mixed responses whether you can upgrade on board from Sig to Elite from the have it all pricing.

[tright]

Can someone tell me how I can access the pictures please.  I was always on past world cruises to see pictures but I haven't been able to see any of pictures this time😔.

I still am enjoying reading and I thank you for taking the time to post 💝💖

[Calgary3]

3 hours ago, tright said:

Can someone tell me how I can access the pictures please.  I was always on past world cruises to see pictures but I haven't been able to see any of pictures this time😔.

I still am enjoying reading and I thank you for taking the time to post 💝💖

"Treasures of Cruising the World" with Bill & Mary Ann: February 2022 (cruisingwithbillandmaryann.blogspot.com)  The pictures are on their blog.  When you reach the bottom of a post it will tell you how many pictures there are to view.  Click on that sentence.  Enjoy.

[WCB]

Report #75  Basseterre, Saint Kitts  Wednesday-March 2, 2022   Partly Cloudy With Sun  80 Degrees.....Part #1 Of 3........81 Pictures

 

Arriving later than usual to Basseterre, St. Kitts, we found there were already two ships docked.  One was the Tui Marella Discovery, and the other was the Carnival Freedom.  The Captain backed the ship into the pier next to this larger ship, so we had the view of their starboard side all day.  Actually it was amusing as we got to watch their guests leaving and arriving through three gangways.  For the most part, they were much younger than our crowd.  And louder, as we learned later.

 

St. Kitts is an island consisting of 65 square miles, and the nearest island of Nevis (2 miles away) is 40 square miles.  If you are looking for beaches and bars, then St. Kitts is the place to stay.  However if you choose quiet, we read that Nevis is much more reserved with luxury resorts.  To be very truthful, the downtown area of Basseterre is not a tourist’s destination, as it is quaint, but slightly dilapidated.  The most famous claim to fame is the Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Built in the late 1600’s, it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1834, but was rebuilt to what you see today. 

 

What is there to do here?  Try visits to beaches, diving, horseback riding, hiking, golf, or boat rides.  If you are lucky, you might see the green vervet monkeys that live in the mountains.  If not, you can see some little baby monkeys (in diapers) at Port Zante, where their handlers let you take a photo holding one.  By the way, not for free.

 

Speaking of Port Zante, this is where we docked, and this is where the vendors expect folks to stay and spend money.  There are at least 25 shops here, with upscale stores like Effy, DI, Milano, and Gems and Jewels to name a few.  In addition, The Pelican Mall is the original shopping arcade , also with 26 stores.  In the center of Port Zante, there is an area where feathered and ribboned dancers may appear and put on a show.  It happened on our way back from our walk.

 

As for us, one of us made a quick visit to DI for the complimentary charm, which happened to be a monkey.  Each island has their own symbol, so it has been fun adding them to the free bracelets.  Girls can never have enough trinkets.

 

We took a left turn out of the complex, and walked to downtown, past the ferry terminal, which is always busy, then along the narrow beach front.  This is one area no one should be swimming, as several drains run under the road, and into the bay.  And the water looks and smells nasty.  We left our masks on while walking here just in case. We happened to run into one of our nice breakfast waiters in this area.  Warning him not to swim in these waters, he agreed, and seemed to be headed back to the terminal.  He admitted later that he felt uncomfortable walking alone where we had gone.

 

Going further up the road, there is a college in this area, with fields and stands for sports.  There is also a War Memorial obelisk dedicated to WWI we believe.  It seems to double as a good place for locals to park a car or taxi, and eat lunch.  Today we continued up to the top of the street, passing some really nice homes with a view of the town and sea below.  Then there was a point that the housing changed to very old and damaged properties.  That’s when we decided to head back. 

 

There was a restaurant that we wanted to check out called Fisherman’s Wharf, of all names.  No, not the one in San Francisco, but spelled the same.  It can be accessed by a side road, then down a steep driveway or stairs to the water’s edge.  Although the sign said it was opened at 6:30pm, we are not sure it was still operating.  Something to Google.  On this hillside, were some very nice-looking bed and breakfast inns.  One building even had a set of three cannons on the roof.  Pretty cool reminder of what the old days may have looked like.

 

This time, we skipped going into the center of town, as it has been rather crowded with the local shoppers. One job for the day was to try and download jigsaw puzzles and other updates on the Kindle.  No matter where we tried, every possible wifi  site was poor or not working.  Never did have any success.  Furthermore, back on the ship, we found out that the internet had been down all morning until the late afternoon.  Perhaps with so many ships in port, the internet crashed.

 

We ran into a group of the local dancers near the center bar in Port Zante.  As well as many onlookers, there were some younger cruise passengers dancing with the locals.  Always good for some funny videos on Facebook we suppose.

 

Back at the ship, we caught up on photos while enjoying several ice cold sodas.  Never made it to lunch again.  We did want to save our appetites for a  special dinner this evening.  We had been invited to a private reception for two President’s Club eligible members to be inducted. And this is the time for a funny story.  Getting ready early, putting on the ritz, so to speak, one of us went out on the veranda to get some air.  Remember we said that the Carnival ship faced us very closely?  Well, when Bill appeared in his tux, several Carnival guests relaxing on their verandas complimented him on his formal wear.  He gave them a thumbs up and came right back inside.  Somehow, I knew that was going to happen when I heard the veranda door open.  Wisely, I stayed inside and pulled the drapes. We had been watching one of the most harrowing jobs the ship painters have….that was sprucing up the red stack of the “whale tail” stacks on the Freedom.  You never realize how huge that stack is until people are up there.  On the ground level, were who we assume were shore ex staff waving signs saying “MAKE NOISE” as the guests returned to the gangways.  Make noise they did!  At one point, one of the dancing girls rolled on the ground with her legs over her head, still holding the sign.  No, we are not making this up.  Carnival folks are really fun-loving.

 

The Captain and Hotel Director met the nine of us in the Ocean Bar at 6pm for cocktails. It was requested that we dress for a gala evening.  The fact that the pillow chocolates have disappeared as well as the popcorn onboard, was a subject of conversation with Rene, the Hotel Director.  He had no good reason for why these items were being taken away, except for gala nights, and claimed it was a recent memo to discontinue this tradition.  By pulling these items, is HAL going to save a ton of money?  We doubt it.  It was suggested to him that he read Cruise Critic and see what is being said about these changes fleet wide.  According to him, only one other guest had commented on the loss, but then, it just happened.  Towel animals are only left on gala nights.  A little loss here and there, eventually ends up with everything gone in time.  Hard to even Savor the Journey, let alone have the old Signature of Excellence.  Enough for now, we all agreed.

 

By accident, one of the glasses of wine spilled while being served, and the two of us got the brunt of the splash.  Better it be white wine than red.  The officers joked that we can have our gala wear dry cleaned for free. Yeah, we do know that and, yes, we might have to do that, or we might smell like a winery.  After 45 minutes of cocktails, the new inductees received their almost gold pins, then we all joined them for a group photo. The Captain gave a short speech, read from cue cards, but it was a nice jester. With that, they left the room.

 

From there, we were seated in the Pinnacle Grill restaurant for a very long dinner.  Not sure why serving nine people should take so long, as the rest of the  restaurant was not really busy.  It was a casual dress evening for everyone else, so this venue was not crowded.  The best part of the dinner was being able to get to know Gyl and Howard better, as they sat across from us.  Too full for dessert, the four of us were the first to leave.  We have to say, the wines flowed and we are sure the rest of the group lingered well after dessert to enjoy it all….as they should.  Also, we should add that the Captain and Hotel Director were not allowed to join us for dinner.  Deep down, we believe they prefer it that way. 

 

The ship must have left by 8pm, although where we were seated, we could not see outside.  Now we are on our way to St. Thomas, another nice place to take a long walk.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[Fred321]

Bill and Mary Ann,

 

We were in St Kitts in December on our first Celebrity cruise. As we were walking past the ferry terminal a local came up to us and advised that it would not be safe to continue in that direction. We thanked him and spent the rest of the walk in or around the center of town and the park. Never had any problems but only other time that has happened to us was in Durban SA, Nice that the gentleman gave us the information but sad that he had to. Just seemed to us that the town had really gone downhill since the last time we were there. Stay safe and well.

 

Rich and Peg

[Florida_gal_50]

They started taking away chocolates on my cruise on the koningsdam back in November 2021.  I just happened to be at a q and a and several people were complaining about the chocolates.  There was maybe 30 people there.  Whoever was talking at the q and a said all you have to do is ask for them because people were throwing them away 🙄.  It really did no good to ask for them.

[ottahand7]

3 hours ago, Fred321 said:

Bill and Mary Ann,

 

We were in St Kitts in December on our first Celebrity cruise. As we were walking past the ferry terminal a local came up to us and advised that it would not be safe to continue in that direction. We thanked him and spent the rest of the walk in or around the center of town and the park. Never had any problems but only other time that has happened to us was in Durban SA, Nice that the gentleman gave us the information but sad that he had to. Just seemed to us that the town had really gone downhill since the last time we were there. Stay safe and well.

 

Rich and Peg

I had the same thing happen on Royal Street New Orleans decades ago. I was in an antique store and it was getting dark. The owner said it was unsafe and go back to my hotel. I walked out and stuck very close to a group of couples till I got near my hotel. We were rather uncomfortable walking back streets near the harbor in Grenada a few stops ago. 

 

[Btimmer]

4 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

They started taking away chocolates on my cruise on the koningsdam back in November 2021.  I just happened to be at a q and a and several people were complaining about the chocolates.  There was maybe 30 people there.  Whoever was talking at the q and a said all you have to do is ask for them because people were throwing them away 🙄.  It really did no good to ask for them.

In January on the Zuiderdam, we were told they were going away, but I requested them and they re-appeared for most of the rest of the cruise.  

[WCB]

Report #76  Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands  Thursday-March 3, 2022   Lots Of Rain With Some Sun  82 Degrees  Part #1 Of 3.........80 Pictures

 

It wasn’t the best day in St. Thomas, weather wise.  When we arrived around 8am, the skies were cloudy, like always.  Then the light showers came over the hillsides, and dropped some rain.  Not bad, until we left the ship around 10:30am.  Part way into town, the skies opened up, and it really rained hard.  Umbrellas helped, and also standing under a wide tree gave us some cover.  Now that we think about it, most of this 11 day cruise has had rainy days.  Guess we have been lucky up to this point. 

 

Other than that, we had company.  Docked in front of us was the Rotterdam, HAL’s newest ship, and a sister to the N. Statendam.  Behind us was the Enchanted Princess, another large cruise ship.  Over on the other side of the small islands were two ships…..one a RCI and the other unidentifiable. Good thing that St. Thomas (the size of Manhattan) and nearby St. John have lots of things to do.  Located just 1000 miles from Florida, the Virgin Islands are considered “America’s Paradise”.  And a paradise for fishermen offers the chance to catch bonefish, snapper, barracuda, and tarpon near the shore.  Sport fishing offshore you can catch wahoo, tuna, mahi-mahi for starters. 

 

For those that own the small craft to the mega yachts have created what the locals call “world cruise gypsies”.  Guess you could call some of us that too, except our yacht is the largest.

 

For some, due to the rain, there was always shopping.  The nearby Havensight Mall offered up to 60 shops, although many of them were closed for business the last time we were here.  The Port of Sale is another strip mall selling discount goods, while Yacht Haven Grande has upscale shops and fewer crowds.  That was the way we headed. 

 

Passing through Yacht Haven Grande, we saw the tarpon that live under the concrete bridge near the yachts.  It figures that a sushi bar is located right there, and we believe people feed these huge fish.

 

Following Veteran’s Drive, we encountered the heavy rain, like we said.  We took some shelter at the Coast Guard complex, watching the activity at the Vendor’s Plaza across the street.  Not only were they pulling down plastic curtains, the local transport open-air buses were also dropping plastic covers over the squeezed-in passengers.  Oh my gosh, that would feel like being put in a ziplock bag and closed up tight….no air.  And the government has kept the mask mandate here?   By the way, we saw few ship guests wearing the masks, which were required even outdoors.  Guess they are tired of it.  We are also weary of the masks, but we still wear them.  

 

The Vendor’s Plaza was a tented souvenir area with the usual island stuff.  It was raining too hard to even cross the street.  Believe this…..if you cross a street here, even with a green light, you can expect someone to beep at you if you are not quick.  We swear one driver almost hit a man who ran across fast. The driver laid on his horn, cursing him through an opened car window.  Anyway, things to buy here are date palm brooms, frangipani-scented perfume, hot sauces, mango candles, and historically-clad fabric dolls.  Years ago we bought a couple of the dolls that when you turn them upside down, they have on different dresses.  Very clever. 

 

The rain had let up so we walked all the way to the Water Island Ferry, where boats went to nearby Water Island and Hassel Island.  Not many takers today due to the inclement weather.  Time to head back, we slowly walked the same way, avoiding the row of stores and restaurants across the street.  There were too many folks that were unmasked, and with a Covid test due tomorrow, we did not want to take any unnecessary chances. 

 

Got back to the busy pier by 1:30pm, having had a 3 hour walk.  Once again, we enjoyed ice cold sodas and snacks in our room.  All aboard was 4:30pm, and by 5pm, we were pulling away from the dock.  The Rotterdam and Enchanted Princess stayed behind.  While we were working online, three crew members were working on our veranda.  We had gotten a notice yesterday that balcony maintenance was due on our side of the ship.  The projected time was from 8:30am to 5pm.  The painters must have started after we left, and were ready to paint the varnish around 2pm.  In between showers, they put on one coat, then locked up the side panels.  The rest of the cleaning will take place on boarding day, Sunday, in Ft. Lauderdale like always.

 

Dinner for the five of us was a mixed bag.  The best was the crispy chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce.  The alternate chicken was served almost cold, while the ribs were under cooked.  These take hours to be tender, so they must have run out and cooked some later.  Dessert was good.  Can’t win them all. 

 

A welcomed day at sea tomorrow is always nice.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS  We are beginning to experience computer problems with a couple of black screens.  We shall continue with reports unless something unforeseen occurs.

 

[cruzingnut]

@WCB, we didn’t realize you would be in St. Thomas with us too!  Could have hollered at each other from ship to ship and taken pictures!  We actually went on a ship tour, mainly because it would get us over to Coki  Beach.  See you tomorrow at HMC.  We’re planning on being at the pirate bar about 1PM. 
 

Linda R.

[WCB]

Report #77   Sea Day En- Route To Half Moon Cay      Friday -March 4,2022      Sunny With Clouds And Showers    Part #1 Of 1.......20 Pictures

 

Sometimes we think a day at sea means there is going to be very little to write about.  On the contrary, these few days of leisure are filled with activities that will not take place on port days.  The first job of the day began after breakfast with a 9am appointment with the Covid testing team.  Once again, we went to the upper dining room for the Antigen test.  We understand that this is the only test that can be given that will not come out positive for me.  This will be the case for at least three months we were informed.  No news is good news.  Back in our room, we awaited that dreaded phone call, and it never came.  Good to go for another 10 days beginning Sunday.  Asking Club Orange manager Wayan at breakfast, he said that this ship is 100% free of the virus at this point.  Hope it stays that way.

 

Two more Delft tiles were left in our room.  We will have enough to tile a lot of things at home….like a whole room.  We also received another in transit letter with the small in transit cards to show the folks in Ft. Lauderdale.  This will allow us to go around the new passengers checking in to board the ship.  By the way, we understand that over 200 of us are in transit, while over 800 will be boarding.  For that reason, the upper dining room will re-open for dinner service.  Even though we had a table for two at the railing up there, we have chosen to stay at our table for five (set for two) on deck two.  Our waiters will probably change, but we like the location.

 

The next invitation was for the Mariner’s Appreciation Event for those folks who were due to receive medallions.  Our group of seven President’s Club members took our usual seats.  That’s when Howard brought out a couple of small bags of already-cooked popcorn and filled two bowls of the snack.  Really, it was to get the attention of the hotel director concerning the lack of the product for this entire cruise.  Good thing Rene has a good sense of humor, as he watched us clean the bowls.  Like us digging into the loss of the pillow candies, Howard has followed up with the no popcorn situation.  The general answer is always the same……we’re looking into it.  But then, he did add be careful of what you ask for.  Wonder what he meant?

 

As always, it was a nice affair lasting about 45 minutes while we sipped mimosas, wine, soda, or orange juice.  After the room cleared, the new inductees joined our group, Robert and Judith, joined us for a trip down memory lane, and the many things that have occurred on several world cruises.  On a sad note, our buddies Barb, Susie & Woody will be leaving us on Sunday.  We forgot to mention that last night Barb and Susie stopped at the jewelry shop before dinner, because they were having a drawing.  What the heck, they said, as they were handed a ticket.  Guess what?  Barb won an Effy bag of goodies that included some jewelry, a cosmetic bag, and a small rum cake (which she gave to Susie).  How lucky is that? We’re sure going to miss them………..

 

We had a nice lunch in the Grand Dutch Café with a shared ham and cheese sandwich, hot fries, and Heineken beers.  They ran out of the Affligem draft a few days ago….record sales, Andre said.  Only three of the special glasses were left, as some had broken, he said with a smile on his face.

 

The Captain announced that we might hit some rough seas and high winds this evening as we get closer to Half Moon Cay.  Hopefully we will be able to tender ashore tomorrow.  The Rotterdam will also be anchored there, and as far as we can remember, this will be the first time we are in that port with another ship.  The Captain mentioned that we needed to be extra careful to get on the correct tender and back to the right ship, as they are identical.

 

Around 4:30pm, the skies turned dark and some rain began to fall.  More like squalls that really dropped the temperature.  Good time for a walk around the promenade deck.  Passing the shops, we noticed that the sales are in full force.  Perhaps the most popular items are tobacco, perfumes, cosmetics, and liquor at up to 30% off. The final gala evening will bring out the photographers as well.  Speaking of photos, we did receive a free copy of the gala gathering of the President’s Club members the evening of the pinning of the new members.  There should also be another free photo of us with the Captain and Hotel Director this morning.  Usually, it appears in our mail slot by dinner time. 

 

Woody and Susie had gone to Club Orange for dinner tonight, so we had a fun table for three.  Our entrees were gala……steak and lobster.  Only Barb ordered the lobster, which was on the very salty side.  The tenderloin steaks were very good, but would have been better had they kept them hot before serving.  Most nights, all of the hot food has been served piping hot, unlike the last few evenings, they have been almost cold.  Makes no sense to us as the dining room is not at all crowded by 8pm.  Not like the old days, when you were wait-listed to get this later spot.  By the time our waiters remember this request, they will be re-assigned to another table.  Once again, we listened to many birthday celebrations as the waiters gathered to sing their special song.  Someday, we expect to see this tradition fall by the wayside. 

 

Lo and behold, upon entering our room tonight, there were two small boxes of Jacques Torres chocolates containing two truffles.  We bet these are what the suite folks get on gala nights.  Nice to know someone listened to our request…..at least on this voyage.  The other good news was that the clocks went back one hour.  Always welcomed by all.

 

Tomorrow we look forward to a long walk on Half Moon Cay and perhaps seeing some folks from the Rotterdam.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[jcbc522]

Bill and MaryAnn - I am enjoying living vicariously through your adventures.  My husband and I were on the NS the 10 days that you were off the ship in Ft. Lauderdale.  I was hoping to get to meet you in person - maybe some day our paths will cross.  We were with the Sail with Seth group on that cruise and had a great time!

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, WCB said:

Good thing Rene has a good sense of humor, as he watched us clean the bowls.  Like us digging into the loss of the pillow candies, Howard has followed up with the no popcorn situation.  The general answer is always the same……we’re looking into it.  But then, he did add be careful of what you ask for.  Wonder what he meant?

 

That is an odd comment for Rene to make.  As you have learned, Rene does have a good sense of humor and is an excellent Hotel Manager or whatever the title du jour may be.  The loss of the popcorn and the pillow chocolates is another sign of the micro-managing that I have heard exists from senior officers for several years.  

[felma531]

Bill and Mary Ann,

Hooray for the negative covid test. So glad to hear the ship is covid free. Hard to dispute the evidence that masks and vaccines work in preventing spread but I firmly believe the NS and other cruise ships are proof that they do!

As one who has to control blood sugar, the lack of chocolates will probably be a good thing for me. Never have been a fan of towel animals. Thought the one time per day service in room was coming sooner than later. I know that's the standard on Carnival Ships and assumed it would be company wide. 

We cannot believe you two walked through the tunnel in Grenada! We just looked through in passing and couldn't believe how narrow it was. Glad you guys didn't get squished!

Since we disembarked Monty has had one cataract removed. Will go for the next one Monday. I am the Queen of the eye drops!

Keep enjoying and posting. Love traveling with you and getting the news on cruising first hand.

Smooth sailing,

Margaret and Monty

[WCB]

Report #78     Half Moon Cay, Bahamas    Saturday-March 5,2022    Sunny With Clouds   78 Degrees   Part #1 Of 2........80 Pictures

 

The N. Statendam arrived to the island of Half Moon Cay shortly before 8am.  The Rotterdam beat us there.  Dropping anchors here is tricky, so we assume both ships stayed in place by using their side thrusters all day. Or not.  No doubt about it, the winds were going to be a factor today.  The Captain announced that we had been cleared, but also added that if he sounded the horn, we were to gather our belongings and get back to the ship.  This has happened in some ports we have visited in the past.  Conditions can turn on a dime, and at times, the need to leave immediately is important.  In extreme cases, some folks can be left behind.  His other warning was to make sure we got on the correct tender back to the ship, as they look identical.

 

Hoping that the majority of the guests had gone ashore, we got off at 10am, only to find a line forming at the gangway.  Waiting for the next tender, we discovered that some of the food and supplies were being transported on this tender.  A large number of kitchen and bar staff joined us too.  Among them was Presty, who orchestrated the group.  Even though the crew were going over to the island to work, they seemed happy to be getting off of the ship.  We learned later on that only our crew was being allowed to take care of all of the guests today.  None of the crew from the Rotterdam were allowed over, due to the fact there are some Covid cases among them.  In fact, Club Orange manager, Wayan, suggested we wear our masks today just in case.  Don’t have to tell us twice.

 

Checking out the mask situation on the local tenders, we can say most folks went without.  Of course, most of them will be leaving the ship tomorrow.  Now how were they going to keep the tender boats separated from each other?  Easy.  The Rotterdam folks went off at the usual drop-off, while we exited on the side where the glass-bottom boat is normally docked.  From here, we mixed as we entered the island.  The courtyard was filled with lots of folks enjoying the music and shopping of course.  Last chance to buy Half Moon Cay souvenirs. 

 

We headed for the food court, which was not ready for business yet.  The aroma of grilled burgers was sure tempting, even though we just ate breakfast earlier.  One of these days, we might make it to the food fest.  Wayan and his “boys” sure put a lot of effort into making it nice for everyone.

 

As always, we slowly hiked to the volcanic rocks at the very end of the sandy beach.  It did look like most of the cabanas were rented today.  However, it had been announced that some of the tours had been cancelled.  Specifically, they were the kayak adventure, sting rays, and horseback riding, among others.  Within minutes, the horseback riding cancellation was reversed.  That was still on.  Now we wondered if the Rotterdam guests had bought up all of those tours, and they ran out of space for our crowd?  If we had more time, we would have walked the other side of the island to see if these tours were happening.  Oh yeah, we will be back here on Monday, so we can ask some questions then.

 

The tide seemed to be up, but we were still able to rest on the rocks at the end of the beach.  Very few people make it up this end, except perhaps a few snorkelers, and those who like a bit more privacy.  Oddly enough, there was one guy who trespassed over the dangerous rocks beyond the danger sign.  One never knows when a wave could wash up over these rocks and cut you to ribbons. His companion stayed behind where we were.  That left us wondering if there is any surveillance for such things happening in these more remote areas of the island?  When he finally returned, she asked what he saw.  The answer was more rocks……now that was worth it. 

 

We could see from where we were walking that the horses were coming out into the surf with their riders.  So fun to watch, except for when one of the fellows broke the line and his horse went the opposite way.  There are always two wranglers who head the parade and follow up the rear.  We would suspect that riding in the water presents some challenging things, and these guys know what they are doing. We bet these riders have to sign their lives away before climbing onto those saddles.  One thing for sure, the camera people were there to catch the moment. 

 

Our fun for the day was bringing two red apples for our buddy, Ted, the donkey.  He was perfectly groomed today…..soft, clean, and free of stickers.  He gladly munched the apples with little bites. And he seems to know how to do this without dropping much.  More people came over to pet him, so we snuck away before he began chewing on the Club Orange bag, which still smelled like apples.

 

While we were taking a break at a picnic table there, a lady approached us who looked familiar.  She was a regular on the world cruise, and recognized us right away.  She shared some Rotterdam ship news, then she had to catch her ride back to the food pavilion.  Small world.

 

We also had made a time for meeting up with another world cruise couple, Linda and Dave, who we used to sit across from at breakfast in the dining room on the Amsterdam.  “Ganville” Linda dubbed our little area with a very popular waiter.  Linda has been reading our blog and knew we would be at the Captain Morgan ship by 1pm.  It was so nice to visit with them, since the last time we saw them, was when we all got orders to fly home from halfway around the world on the cancelled world cruise. Hard to believe that was over two years ago.  By the time we finished our drinks, it was time for us to head back.  But not before Linda hunted down Presty, who came over to say hello to Dave.  It was nice that he took the time to visit with us all, even though his team was already packing up to go back.  Too bad it has to be such a short stay here, but better than nothing we say.  We bid our goodbyes until we meet again…which should be the 2023 Grand World Voyage. 

 

Going back, we had two lanes designated to access the different tender boats.  Our cards were checked three times before we boarded.  Our things were xrayed there, so we did not have to do it again on the ship.  Funny thing, this boat was the one taking back the working crew and a lot of the supplies.  It filled quickly, and we were back home by 2:30pm. 

 

Time for sodas and snacks in the room, we watched the sail away (we left first) from the island.  The Captain mentioned in his farewell message, that we might hit some gale force winds on the way back to Florida.  He was correct, as we headed northwest, into the winds, the spray from the bow created rain that splashed our veranda window.  No sitting out there we guess.  At least tomorrow’s weather report in Ft. Lauderdale is good with no rain in the forecast.

 

Today, we received the photo from yesterday’s mariner event, and another Passport Booklet with a sticker for this 11 day cruise.  

 

Dinnertime was rather sad, knowing that from here on out, we will be a table for two.  Everyone will be going home tomorrow.  Except us.  The menu this evening was created by the Culinary Council, but had not been posted on their site on TV.  Not even by dinnertime.  Guess someone forgot, or there was a glitch in the system.  If memory served us right,  a good salad with coconut-crusted shrimp was a good starter.  Then the best entrée had to be the prime rib.  Adding a small baked potato made it better.  Our favorite desserts seem to be vanilla ice cream, any flavor of frozen yogurt, a chocolate sundae, crème brulee, and butter pecan ice cream.  A fitting way to end our meals. 

 

Seemed like the dining room emptied out earlier than usual, due to the fact people’s luggage had to be out in the hall tonight.  We said our goodbyes, hoping we meet again on the world cruise in 2023.  Or not, as the Circle South America might be an option for Susie, Woody, and Barb next year.  Convinced the world cruise will be cancelled, they wanted to keep other options on the table.  We believe the world voyage will happen, but might have many changed ports, which is not a game-breaker for us. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[cruzingnut]

@WCB, it was great to see you guys yesterday on HMC!  I'm glad I asked about Presty so I could run over to the BBQ area and find him!  That was very nice of him to come back over to the Pirate ship bar to see Dave too, and then he had to get back to work.  We really, really hope he'll be on the WC next year.  You'll have to let me know what your itinerary is for the week of March 27th....I ended up booking that week (birthday cruise, Rotterdam again!) so we'll be back on HMC and also Jamaica and Cayman.  Would be fun to meet up again.

 

Linda R.

[WCB]

Report #79     Fort Lauderdale, Florida     Sunday -March 6, 2022     Partly Sunny With Clouds 80 Degrees     Part #1 Of 2.......81 Pictures

 

Back to home base once again……Ft. Lauderdale.   The ship docked at pier 21 sometime before 8am, but we were not cleared until after 8am.   The last time we docked at this particular pier, it was raining cats and dogs, but today looked promising with partly sunny skies and some clouds.  No rain in sight. 

 

Other ships in port were the Rotterdam at pier 26, Celebrity Edge at pier 25, Odyssey of the Seas –RCI at pier 18, the Caribbean Princess at pier 2, and finally, the Balearia Caribbean, a ferry.  She was in between the two big ships at 18 and 21. 

 

Of course, we had to get off by 9:15am at the latest.  Bringing our passports, photo ID, Covid vaccination cards and the in transit  cards, we left the ship by 9am.  Once again, we had the facial recognition screens, saving having to show an agent our passports.  It went fairly quickly as long as the screens read your face right.  Bill still had a little hesitation with the photo, but it did come up as successful finally. 

 

We took our usual path that brought us to the middle of the bridge going over the waterway.  The views are super up here, as was the breeze.  In fact, it was on the windy side today, which we appreciated.  And the bridge did open up, stopping all the traffic for a while.  Watching the boat traffic down below, a couple of tall-masted catamarans came under, clearing the bridge by a lot. 

 

Walking back down, we went into the Renaissance Hotel to try and download the Kindle.  It failed terribly in St. Kitts, leaving the time off by ½ hour, oddly enough.  This time the puzzles came up, and now I know, I have to download them to play later.  If not, they will not come up again.  With two hundred sixty four tiny pieces, it takes a few days to complete one. 

 

Continuing up the road a piece, we went into the Harbor Shops complex and straight to Publix, where we needed a few things. The checkers were all wearing masks, and so did we.  Most customers went without.  Pretzels was one item we wanted, and they were almost cleaned out.  Go figure.  Finding almost everything we needed,  we headed back with a last stop at Walgreens for a razor.   That done, we hiked back to the ship.  No lunch out for us yet.

 

Showing the in transit cards allowed us to bypass the line at the cruise terminal.  Plenty of anxious folks were at the desk getting their final things, then we were off to board once again.  In the room, we found sparkling wine on ice, 17 Coke Zeros, a dish with 2 bruchettas  and a tray of tarts with chocolate, meringue,  and caramel fillings.  Always nice to come home to.  We added a few sodas and chips to the mix, and ended up not going to lunch.  We had also been invited to a gathering at 3pm for the 4- 5 stars Mariners and PC guests for a drink in the Billboard Onboard.  Since our buddies are mostly gone, we decided not to attend. 

 

We worked in the room until the Captain announced that we would be leaving after 4pm.  And we could expect some rough sailing during the night.  As we passed the many houses on the way out of the harbor, we found it odd that the Captain did not blow his horn like he usually does.  Perhaps there is a ban on it?  Normally, he lays on the horn with many toots.  But not today.  We felt sad since so many of the locals were waving to us as we sailed by.  It got chilly as we stood outside on the veranda, and eventually went inside.  By the way, we did read that both the Caribbean Princess and the Rotterdam blew their horns a lot.  So there was no ban.

 

We expect to see the Rotterdam sailing near us tonight, since it appears we are headed back to Half Moon Cay once again, and so are they.  Even more reason to wear our masks, as there will be at least 2000 passengers that are new to both ships today.  That is a lot of exposure.

 

Dinner was in the Tamarind this evening.  Usually, the restaurant does not fill up on the first night, so we took advantage of that.  We were seated at a twosy-foursy table by the window, and enjoyed every bite of our food.  We had ordered spring rolls, a Thai salad, pot stickers, and a bowl of  ramen soup.  All was very tasty.  Mains were the wasabi-crusted steak with asparagus, brown rice, and mushrooms to share. Not wanting a big dessert, we opted for the butter pecan ice cream.  It was just enough.  However, back in our room,  we found that the chocolate fairy had left two dark squares of chocolate.  How about that?

 

Tomorrow we should be sinking our toes into that white sand on Half Moon Cay.  And it looks like the Rotterdam will be there as well.

 

Bill & Mary Ann