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

[phinu]

6 hours ago, WCB said:

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 

 

Will be on the March 16th Sailing with  you folks.  Just booked our upgrade to a Verandah, doing a gamblers cruise.  I have enjoyed your postings.

[WCB]

Report #80    Half Moon Cay, Bahamas    Monday-March 7, 2022    Sunny With Clouds And Windy  80 Degrees     Part #1 Of 2.........79  Pictures

 

It seems like we were just here.  That’s because we were….like last Saturday.  Weather conditions were much the same today, with some deep swells and winds that we thought may have cancelled the visit.  We knew that the Rotterdam was going to be here as well today, but when we arrived this morning, it was nowhere to be seen.   Strangely enough, a Carnival ship followed us here from Ft. Lauderdale, and we figured that was our companion for the day.  We found out within an hour after we arrived at 8am, that the Rotterdam was our visitor, but she arrived an hour later after 9am. 

 

At Club Orange breakfast this morning, we found that only three couples, including ourselves, were back to enjoy it.  Everyone else was new.  Missing was the manager, Wayan, who has brightened up our day just by being here.  He has moved to the dining room for this cruise, since he will be going home.  A new manager took over today, and will undoubtedly do a fine job as well.  We also remembered to get two apples for our buddy, Ted.  We are certain they are on to us, as we did this two days ago. 

 

We left the ship after the thundering herd got off….somewhere around 10am.  A group of us had gathered on deck A to wait for the next tender.  It turned out to be one of the island’s smallest ones.  Boarding on the top deck, we were instructed to go down the steep stairs to the lower enclosed deck.  Not wanting to be confined to such a tight space with no air, we stayed on the back of the deck where there was one bench. The fumes choked us as we waited for the boat to leave.

 

The ride was quick, which was good, as it was rocky at times.  Hope we get back, as the swells and wind could make things dicey.  By now, the Rotterdam had re-positioned to have the bow into the wind.  That was the only way they could safely board their guests.  Now it was a race to get the folks ashore.  We exited on the left of the channel, while the larger tender took the regular spot. 

 

Walking towards the beach trail, we found that most of the cabanas had been rented.  No surprise, because there were double the people here today.  Just a reminder, the smaller cabanas rented for $450 per person (wonder if this quote is a mistake?), but do they come with fresh fruit and veggies, floating mats, and snorkel gear.  There was no price listed for the larger ones, but we recall they were expensive and included a butler.  Obviously, they had all been taken.  Horseback riding was $100, while renting a clamshell with two lounges ran $40 per person.  The least expensive ride was $25 per person for the Calypso island tram.  It took folks to the inner lagoon, the sting ray adventure and the kayak/jet ski area.  Those excursions were extra.

 

As for us, we simply enjoyed our vigorous walk in the soft sand and cool surf.  Reaching the end where the volcanic rocks begin, we took the time to relax and get some sun.  Despite the clouds, the heat from the sun was intense at times.  The only savior was the breeze, which was strong at times.  Of course, we made a stop at the Pegasus Ranch, where the early horse excursion had just finished.  All of the horses were in their corral, along with Ted, the donkey.  The horses seem to tolerate him, but it became obvious to us that he is on the low end of the pecking order.   Showing him our Club Orange bag, he trotted over, knowing we had something for him.  Two horses spotted this, and came right over, nipping at poor Ted.  Being smaller, he moved away.  But not too far.  So one apple went to the two horses, while we saved one for Ted, who munched it quickly.  Just by his amusing actions, we guessed he wanted more, which we did not have.  Next time Ted.  Now a funny thing happened, when we saw a sign on the corral railing stating - do not feed the horses.  Oops….did not see that.  At least, it did not say - do not feed the donkey.  It was OK because one of the wranglers was there watching us and said nothing.  Probably, he remembered seeing us before.  And besides, another couple we know from the ship also brought apples after reading this blog.  So Ted is well fed.

 

Time to head on to the next stop at Captain Morgan’s on the Rocks.  We had a date with a beer and a strawberry daiquiri, naturally.  It was busier with the extra customers, but they still closed down by 1:10pm, and loaded up the left over cans and bottles.  If we understood the bartender correctly, these were our staff, and once they cleaned up, another crew would appear from the Rotterdam.  Whether or not this happened, we will never know, as we do not know anyone on that ship that would know.

 

We got back to the tender loading area,  and waited for the next boat to arrive.  Our group was large, since it included many of our crew members.  Assuming we would take the larger boat back, we were led to the small one again. This time we waited for the majority of folks to board, then went on when the inside cabin filled up.  No choice but to go upstairs and sit in the breeze.  Lucky it was a short ride.  We have to mention that very few people wore masks even on the tender boats.  They are not mandatory now, but we still keep ours on when you expect close quarters like today.  Social distancing goes out the window on these transfers to shore.

 

Spending the rest of the afternoon in our room, we watched as the ship left her sister behind.  We are now headed to the Grand Turks and Caicos, tomorrow’s port of call.  We should have had a time change…an hour ahead, but it was not written in tomorrow’s When and Where.

 

Going to the first gala dinner, we noticed that the casino was loaded with gamblers.  The most we have seen yet.  However, the Rock & Roll group had the smallest crowd.  The comedian in Lincoln Center had filled the room.  This is a much different crowd than ones on past cruises.  And there are more of them, as we have over 1000 passengers now.  FYI – few guests dressed nicely for this gala occasion. 

 

Dinner was great with starters of a shrimp cocktail, Caesar salads, and rack of lamb.  Cooked perfectly, the lamb with an added potato, was served hot as could be.  The tables surrounding us had two guests at each table, so it remained quiet for most of the evening.  There was  birthday celebration for one couple, where the waiters gathered and had their fun singing the special song. 

By the time we finished our meal, most of the guests had left the room.  By the way, the upper dining room had been opened for the first seating, but only on one side.  Then it was closed for the  second time slot.

 

We had the special little boxes of chocolates waiting for us in our room.  And earlier in the day, we were gifted with more spa coupons for $70 worth of spa treatments or services.  These are the third set we have received, but have yet to take advantage of the offer.  Time for a haircut………

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[lupaglupa]

22 hours ago, WCB said:

It was busier with the extra customers, but they still closed down by 1:10pm, and loaded up the left over cans and bottles.  If we understood the bartender correctly, these were our staff, and once they cleaned up, another crew would appear from the Rotterdam.  Whether or not this happened, we will never know, as we do not know anyone on that ship that would know.

When we were on NA recently we found the bar staff on the promenade deck the evening after leaving Half Moon Cay. They had bins of liquor and beverages lined up for counting. It seems they take all the drinks over, serve them on the island, and bring what's left back. Then they inventory it. So if there are two ships there they must have to have different hours for them. Seems an odd system to me!

[WCB]

Report #81   Grand Turk, Turks And Caicos   Tuesday - March 8, 2022   Sunny And Windy 80 Degrees    Part #1 Of 3........77 Pictures

 

Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos was our destination today.  Actually, we have never seen the Caicos, but reading about them, it would be a nice stop for us someday. Not sure if large cruise ships ever go there. 

 

But before we arrived, we figured it would be a great time for one of us to get a haircut in the spa.  Recently, we received another coupon for a $70 service, which could be used for a man’s haircut, among other treatments.  The haircut came first.  Calling after breakfast, Bill got an appointment at 9:45am with a hairdresser named Ruth, which was perfect timing.  These coupons come with restrictions….one of which was it was good for only one service.  That was fine, so adding anything else that was suggested was extra, which was also fine.  We had been told that the gratuity was included in the $70 coupon, but it was not.  Just for our accounting, the haircut was $45 with a scalp treatment for another $19.  The final total owed was over $35, even using the coupon.  Confusing, right?  Anyway the haircut came out good, except for the extra goop they put in the hair. Good thing it washes out.  I will be next to use my coupon, but $70 will not take me very far. 

 

We were docked by 10am, followed by the Carnival Freedom, who showed up closer to 10:30am.  Grand Turk is going to be one jumping place today.   Believe this……the Carnival crowd spends money touring, eating, and drinking, in general, making the most of every port on their 7 day trip.   

 

By 11am, we were off and running.  What a difference having so many people onshore today.  It was nice to see so many of the lounges filled, as well as the pool, shops, and restaurants.  Turning right, as we usually do, we found a couple of lounges that were perfect for watching the beach-combing.  We heard somewhere along the grapevine, that it is well known that you can find sea glass here.  Specifically, that is broken glass from bottles that has been tossed in the sand and water until it becomes clouded and sort of smooth.  In other ports, we have seen art and jewelry made with this glass .  In fact, we purchased a set of sea glass jewelry in Kauai a few years back, and it has become among one of my favorites.  Well, today, we saw several gals searched among the rocks close to the pier bridge.  Wearing aqua shoes is a must, since there is a lot of coral to negotiate.   Later on in the day, we saw a couple with sifters, digging the sand under the surf.  They were coming up with many green stones, which we assumed was the glass.  There must be a hobby where folks can make their own creations with this glass.  Something to Google………..

 

Our morning began with a visit to the Harley Davidson shop, where we had seen the perfect man’s sweatshirt a few weeks ago.  Failing to buy it then, we were determined to do it first thing.  Luckily, they had a wide choice of sizes, and we got one right then and there.  Job done, we went exploring the complex, ending up at the pool at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville.  Today, this place was jammed with diners, swimmers, sunbathers, and dancers.  There was a DJ with music that could be heard all the way to Ft. Lauderdale, ha-ha.  The folks were digging it, dancing to the Caribbean music and rhythms.

 

Next to the pool, was the Flowrider, a free chance to look like a kid in a candy store.  One lady was doing it, while many others watched. She went head-over-teakettle from the bottom to the top.  Not exactly gracefully either.  Why, because she could….and for free no less.  

 

From there, we walked the length of the sandy beach, where once you leave the property, you are presented with many opportunities to get your hair braided, or take an offer for lounges with umbrellas….free wifi included.  No thanks was the right answer to both as we headed to the end of the road.  Many younger families like this end, where there is a café called Jack’s Shack.   The big draw has to be the cheap beer. 

 

Reaching the smaller pier, we watched as a container ship was being off-loaded.  Most everything has to be shipped here, since not much can be grown here.   We understand that everything can be pretty pricey here, especially the food.

 

Making our way back, we rinsed off the sand, and made one last stop at Diamonds International for the complimentary charm.  It was a conch shell, which they actually have here.  It is a conch farm, where the meat is sold as well as the shells.  These hard shells are ground up and used with the special salt to make a beauty pumice.  Who knew?

 

Back by 2pm, we relaxed in our room and veranda, about what felt like two feet away from the Carnival Freedom.  Their all aboard time was 4:30pm, like us, but it became apparent that a tour group must have been late returning.  A group was running to board about 15 minutes late.  They were applauded once they got back on, then the ship was underway.  We would follow a few minutes later.  Then the complex went silent, cleaned up for the next group to come.  We have to say the property was spotless with bathrooms clean as could be.

 

As far as masks go, we saw few.  They are recommended on the ship now, but in the shops onshore, they are still required.  So was sanitizer and hand washing.

 

The N. Statendam sailed into the sunset briefly before heading southeast towards our next port in the Dominican Republic.

 

Dinner was in the dining room with salads and entrees of weinerschnizel and a vegetarian bean taco.  We shared, enjoying both.  Rocky road ice cream was a perfect ending.  And the clocks finally went ahead that one hour….something we do not care for.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[AFNavigator]

14 hours ago, WCB said:

We have to say the property was spotless with bathrooms clean as could be.

We were at Grand Turk in Dec, 4 days after the port reopened.  Their bathrooms were absolutely the cleanest public bathrooms we have ever seen...anywhere.  They were spotless. 

[WCB]

Report #82  Amber Cove, Dominican Republic  Wednesday-March 9, 2022    Cloudy With Sun And Rain   75 Degrees    Part #1 Of 2.........80 Pictures

 

Our port of call for today was Amber Cove, Dominican Republic.  Arriving around 8am, we were soon flanked by another ship – the Regal Princess.  She is a big one, built in 2013, with 3560 passengers.  Gross tonnage is 142,714.  Quite a bit larger than the N. Statendam at under 100,000 gross ton. 

 

Before going over the terminal complex, we had some business to take care of.  We have been prompted to fill out the information for our return cruise on the N. Amsterdam on April 7^th.  Specifically, the boarding passes and luggage tags that need to be completed could be done now.  Before joining this ship back in December, we only had to print the boarding passes and luggage tags for the first cruise.  After that, since we were already on board, the front desk folks had all the info they needed.  Our room cards were good from December 19^th to April 6^th.  Easy.  But now we will need to have those passes and tags for the last sailing, as if we were boarding for the first time.  We will spend one night in Ft. Lauderdale, and hopefully will have the Covid testing coordinated for boarding.  The Covid testing requirements may have changed since last December, and may work in our favor with an extra day given before boarding the N. Amsterdam.  Jonah, bless her, is working on the transition and the actual printing of the documents.

 

So with that job done, we were off to Amber Cove, which is a Carnival-built enclosed complex with stuff to do and places to eat and drink.  Considering that we were in port with a lot of Princess folks, this place seemed to absorb the crowd well.  Of course, there were some tours out of here, and certainly, some people did them.  The walk to get to the terminal is not really that long, but they do offer a tuk-tuk bike service from the ships to the buildings.  This is the first time we saw a sign near the doors that said the service is complimentary, but tips are appreciated.  You never saw such quick service as the locals peddled the guests back and forth.  The faster they went, the more possible tips they could earn..  A win-win for all, we guess. 

 

We took our usual stroll around the pool area, under the zipline, passing the dozens of lounges and rentable cabanas over the water.  One may have been rented for the day.  It was only 11:30am, but some of the younger guests were lining up for the Nathan’s hotdogs.  By the way, some of the Dominican specialties are queso frito, or a fried cheese.  Sancocho is a thick stew using five meats and served with rice and avocado slices.  Arroz con pollo is rice and beans with chicken parts.  Finally, pescado al coco is fish in a coconut sauce.  And you find none of these dishes served here, although we are not sure as we never dined at their restaurant.

 

The next trip was up the small mountain lined with misters to the top.  Up there is a big tented café with a round bar.  The best part of going up there is the breeze and the view.  Not sure where the water comes from with those misters, but we felt it best to leave the masks on.  In fact we did the whole time we were there, as it was required by local law.  Very few people did the same.

 

For a change, there were some young kids in the crowd.  They took the steep walk and a series of stairs to access the curley tube ride with ease.  Ever heard that youth is wasted on the young???  We agree. Don’t think they were old enough for the zipline.

 

Darting in and out of the stores, we ended up at the far end where there are benches in the shade.  This side of the complex faces a private resort which is off-limits to everyone here.  And visa-versa.  It was about then, that the skies turned dark, and it began to sprinkle.  Not bad, actually it felt good.  By the time we reached the craft market tents, the sky literally opened up, and it down-poured like we were in the Amazon.  Pounding the tent and blowing sideways, the vendors admitted that this happens every day, and it would be over soon.  People scrambled into stores and under cover….even those who had been swimming.  That  makes us laugh, when they rush to get out of the water, only to get wet in the rain.  Why not just stay in the pool?  As long as there is no lightning, then it is OK.  Not sure if they cleared the pool just in case?

 

Now was a good time to go for the free charm at DI.  However the marble floors had gotten wet, and was dangerous.  Instead of being led to the very back of the store (a ploy to get you to check out their merchandise), I wisely waited at the door.  Easiest sand dollar charm and bracelet yet. 

 

Our two hour tour was up, so we headed back to the ship.  The rain had stopped and the sun was coming back out.  Now we can see why the mountains and hillsides are so green.  And that explains the murky color of the water, with all of the river runoff. 

 

After checking the not-so-exciting dinner menu, we decided it was time to pay a visit to the Pinnacle Grill tonight.  As long as one of us was not missing the spaghetti and meatballs, it was fine.   We snacked a bit for lunch and drank lots of soda to cool off.  Then did our usual computer work while watching the activity with the Royal Princess, again, just yards away from us.  Their veranda guests were doing the same as us….relaxing, reading, or snoozing.  The Princess folks were much more reserved than yesterday’s Carnival folks.  The only noise we kept hearing was the breeze that was created between the two ships, like a cool wind tunnel in fact.  Then the sound coming from the Regal’s movie on their Lido pool deck was really loud.  And the rain never returned, just like the locals predicted.

 

As we left the pier, the Regal Princess blew their horn, the beginning tune of the Love Boat theme rang through the air.  Strangely enough, our Captain, once again, chose not to respond.  Why, we wondered, as he did give three toots for the departing pilot. In the beginning, Captain Eric was the hornblower.  But not so much now.

 

Our meal in the Pinnacle Grill was perfect.  So was the service.  Not at all crowded, we had a nice table for two at the window.  Our wedge salads came first with some clothes hanger bacon on the plate already.  Warm bread was added with the two types of  spreads….one a garlic butter, and the other we suspect to be a cream cheese with pimento.  Both were tasty.

 

Entrees were the 7 ounce tenderloin with two huge tempura onions rings.  The plates were steaming hot, and remained so through the meal. Sides were a shared baked potato and a bowl of sauted mushrooms. Desserts were vanilla and chocolate ice cream, a little lighter than the lime cheesecake or almost baked Alaska.  Ending by 9:15pm was perfect.

 

Tomorrow we will have a wonderful day at sea as we are on our way to the ABC islands down south.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[julia]

Hi Bill & MaryAnn:  So glad that you're staying healthy and having a great time exploring the Caribbean. After ten years of sailing HAL and Celebrity, we are booked on Princess again (easier to get to SF for us), but not looking forward to that loud movie screen on the pool deck!  

[Hogladyrider]

It has been two years since we have cruised.  Hopefully next winter we can get on a HAL ship in San Diego.

 

In the meantime I enjoy following Bill & MaryAnn's travels.

[WCB]

Report #83      Sea Day En- Route To Bonaire     Thursday-March 10, 2022    Sunny And Windy  75 Degrees     Part #1 Of 1............52 Pictures

 

Sometimes during our Club Orange breakfast, Jonah, the Event Coordinator, makes a sweep through the restaurant, visiting with the suite folks and us.  This morning she arrived with papers in hand for our final cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam beginning April 7^th.  It sure is a reminder of how quickly these cruises have gone by.  Now we have boarding passes and luggage tags for the re-positioning cruise through the Panama Canal.  Details of the Covid testing will follow.  Somewhere along the line, we seem to recall that I needed a letter stating I would be exempt from having the PCR test, as it would come up positive.  Don’t want that.  Jonah said she would look into that, as she did look into the missing shipboard credit.  Printing the entire statement, it was finally credited.  Thank you Jonah. 

 

The rest of the day was truly relaxing.  The weather had warmed up, although the sea swells were up to six feet with some strong winds. A few boobies had joined the ship, along with a couple of mean frigates.  Watching the action for a while, we noticed there were very few flying fish.  If they were there, they were not flying.  When one of the boobies made a hit, the frigate would come down and steal that fish right from the bird’s beak.  You will never see a frigate land on the water, as their feathers are not water-proof.  If they get soaked, they will eventually drown.  So their attacks are usually high in the air, thus they are called the pirates of the sky. 

 

Now that we are on the way to Bonaire, Curacao, and Aruba, many talks were given regarding the visits there.  Number one is selling tours, followed by the numerous shopping shows.  To make sure that no one misses the high end jewelry stores while in port, shopping maps are still delivered to the rooms, as well as handed out in the Main Stage.

 

We had another invite to the wine tasting at 1:45pm, but we still have not been converted to being wine drinkers.  It’s probably due to the fact that red wines gives one of us a massive headache that doesn’t quit.  At least, they still keeping inviting us.  Have we mentioned there is beer, whiskey, cosmos & manhattans, and Japanese whiskey tasting events starting from $15 to $75?  Bet they have a lot of takers among the crowd.  And there is always happy hour at 4pm, where you buy one and get one ½ off, we think. 

 

Dinner had some favorites tonight.  Prime rib and meatballs and spaghetti.  Even had Baked Alaska for dessert.   Glad we only had small salads for lunch. 

 

Tomorrow we will be back in Bonaire, one of the best islands for being unspoiled.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[The Other Tom]

6 hours ago, WCB said:

Jonah said she would look into ................. the missing shipboard credit.

I've been following your vlog for several years, and it seems like you *always* have missing shipboard credit.  Seems like HAL would've gotten their systems fixed by now. 

[WCB]

Report #84   Kralendijk, Bonaire   Friday-March 11, 2022      Rainy  And Cloudy All Day  78 Degrees    Part #1 Of 3..........80 Pictures

 

Waking up this morning, we were greeted with a laser beam from the sun, blinding us.  Looks like it was going to be a very hot and humid day in Bonaire.  But this was not to be.  Heavy dark clouds were covering the highest peak of 784 feet, and it appeared to be headed our way.  Sure enough, a light mist began to fall, which was not bad.  Enough of a sign for us to pack the umbrellas just in case.  Checking the forecast on the TV, it showed cloudy skies with temps in the mid 70’s.  Guess no one took the time to look out the window.

 

We left the ship at 10:30am, right after the routine safety drill was over.  This seems to happen in most every port, where the crew are required to participate in an hour long drill.  When that is completed, a smaller group has to attend a Solas class in the Main Stage.  We know the drill almost by heart now.

 

Going out required us to show our Covid vaccine cards to the local officials.  Without it, we would have been denied entry.   There was no sign for a mandatory mask mandate, although, we still wore them.  Most of the guests did not.  We are noticing that more and more folks are going without. 

 

Local tour operators were waiting under a line of tents, selling tours to the north and south ends of the island.   The north end takes you to 1000 Steps, a famous dive site which requires a hike down actually 67 steps to the water.  You also get to see the flamingoes in a saltwater lagoon, as well as visit Rincon, one of the oldest villages on the island.  It is also rumored that voo-doo still exists here, remnants of the slavery days.  Finally, you will stop at Seru Largu, a high point for the views. The south end tour also gets to see the flamingoes and the salt pans.  Did you know that the number of flamingoes outnumbers the people that live here?  It is estimated that there are 15,000 of the pink birds here, the largest flock in the Western Hemisphere.   A visit to the slave huts and lighthouse are included, and a stop at Sorobon, is another nice beach where wind sailing takes place.  Each of these tours costs $25 per person for a 2 hour excursion.  Pretty good deal, we think. 

 

The tourist info booth was manned today, so we picked up two maps, one of which we followed for the walking tour.  Maybe because the damp weather, there were not many people out and about from the ship.  We had the whole walkway almost to ourselves as we hiked all the way to the end again.  On the way,  we stopped to watch a fisherman clean and slice barracuda.  Not one bit of it was wasted, as he fileted the meaty sides, then cut the spine into chunks, and finally split the head.  These parts went into a bowl for what we assume could be for fish soup.  The filets were bagged up to sell, more than likely to local restaurants.  Can’t get any fresher than that.  Any scraps were then fed to the scavenging fish and birds.  Speaking of birds, we never saw so many as we did today.  There were red knots, a shore bird, gulls, terns, and pelicans.  Way high in the sky were some frigates.

 

There was far less traffic on the road, and we wondered what they are paying for gas or diesel these days.  Perhaps that’s why many residents ride bikes here.  Walking along the water, we saw lots of tropical fish.  This was nice since we did not have to get wet to see them.  Further up the end of the walking trail, we did see some iguanas sunning themselves.  They always attract a crowd of on-lookers as they slowly get away from everyone. 

 

Heading back, we took a side street to Kaya Grandi and the row of shops and stores that sell everything from high-end to souvenir.  One of us did go into Milano for their free charm.  I now own a pair of flamingoes that can be turned into earrings.  Checking out the stores, many of which were closed, we made our way to Wilhelmina Park and the craft market.  This time we saw a display of jewelry we have only seen in New Zealand.  It was a resin/glue used to make pendants and earrings, but is really a substance out of this world.  It is used to glue tiles on space shuttles, and turns a fluorescent shade of blues and greens.  With one hundred choices of pendants, it will be best to wear the earrings next time to find a match.

 

And that was when the rain began.  As we left the park, it began to pour, so out came the umbrellas not a moment too soon.  Funny thing, some people coming out of the ship, asked where we bought the umbrellas.  We said we brought them from home, and they looked surprised.  We thought everyone would pack umbrellas, especially in this part of the world.  It is tropical.  Then we thought about trips in the past, when the ships had complimentary umbrellas as you exited the gangway on rainy days.  Guess this is long gone.  They weren’t the best, but better than getting soaked. 

 

Lunch was a shared sandwich and fries in the Dutch Café.  We have not been there for a week, so the food was really good.  Heineken beers were good too, as they have run out of Affligem.  A substitute for that was a hard cider, which we have never tried before.  Michelle gave us samplers, and  we found it refreshing, like a sparkling wine, but a bit sweet, like apple juice. 

 

It was fun watching the action on the pier as folks came running back in the rain. We  bet that few people get off tonight, as we are here until 10:30pm.  There is such a short distance to tomorrow’s port of Curacao, we will be going slowly. 

 

Dinner was good in the dining room.  One of our favorite appetizers was served….veggie spring rolls on a bed of glass noodles.  Truthfully, we could make a meal of these alone.  We did add salads, then one lasagna, and one weinerschnitzel.  We shared once again.  Presty visited and we took care of some business, like moving to the upper level next cruise.  There will be 1550 guests on that cruise, and we will move to the second level, back to our original table we had in December.  Right now, Presty said we have 1100, and the dining room is pretty full on deck two.  If we decide we do not like it, he will move us back. 

 

Tomorrow we will be in Curacao.  Wonder if the rain will follow us?

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[highscar]

Always pack an umbrella not just for rain but also I use it for shade around the pool.  Thank you for your advice on tours on the islands.  

[Stakeout]

nice in Bonaire .. our favorite and the quietest these days of the ABC islands--although we did honeymoon in Curacao back in 1972...  as an avid fisherman over many years-- boat..surf..pier -- you know never to eat Barracuda or for that matter any reef dwelling fish.. the locals in the Caribbean do(mainly the smaller ones)  but not advised.. Barracuda are reef-feeders and eat the fish along the reefs.. highly toxic-- Ciguatera Poisoning-- you don't want to get it.. enjoy the remainder of your loooong cruise

Edited March 12, 2022 by Stakeout

[Bucketlist22]

16 hours ago, WCB said:

Report #84   Kralendijk, Bonaire   Friday-March 11, 2022      Rainy  And Cloudy All Day  78 Degrees    Part #1 Of 3..........80 Pictures

 

Waking up this morning, we were greeted with a laser beam from the sun, blinding us.  Looks like it was going to be a very hot and humid day in Bonaire.  But this was not to be.  Heavy dark clouds were covering the highest peak of 784 feet, and it appeared to be headed our way.  Sure enough, a light mist began to fall, which was not bad.  Enough of a sign for us to pack the umbrellas just in case.  Checking the forecast on the TV, it showed cloudy skies with temps in the mid 70’s.  Guess no one took the time to look out the window.

 

We left the ship at 10:30am, right after the routine safety drill was over.  This seems to happen in most every port, where the crew are required to participate in an hour long drill.  When that is completed, a smaller group has to attend a Solas class in the Main Stage.  We know the drill almost by heart now.

 

Going out required us to show our Covid vaccine cards to the local officials.  Without it, we would have been denied entry.   There was no sign for a mandatory mask mandate, although, we still wore them.  Most of the guests did not.  We are noticing that more and more folks are going without. 

 

Local tour operators were waiting under a line of tents, selling tours to the north and south ends of the island.   The north end takes you to 1000 Steps, a famous dive site which requires a hike down actually 67 steps to the water.  You also get to see the flamingoes in a saltwater lagoon, as well as visit Rincon, one of the oldest villages on the island.  It is also rumored that voo-doo still exists here, remnants of the slavery days.  Finally, you will stop at Seru Largu, a high point for the views. The south end tour also gets to see the flamingoes and the salt pans.  Did you know that the number of flamingoes outnumbers the people that live here?  It is estimated that there are 15,000 of the pink birds here, the largest flock in the Western Hemisphere.   A visit to the slave huts and lighthouse are included, and a stop at Sorobon, is another nice beach where wind sailing takes place.  Each of these tours costs $25 per person for a 2 hour excursion.  Pretty good deal, we think. 

 

The tourist info booth was manned today, so we picked up two maps, one of which we followed for the walking tour.  Maybe because the damp weather, there were not many people out and about from the ship.  We had the whole walkway almost to ourselves as we hiked all the way to the end again.  On the way,  we stopped to watch a fisherman clean and slice barracuda.  Not one bit of it was wasted, as he fileted the meaty sides, then cut the spine into chunks, and finally split the head.  These parts went into a bowl for what we assume could be for fish soup.  The filets were bagged up to sell, more than likely to local restaurants.  Can’t get any fresher than that.  Any scraps were then fed to the scavenging fish and birds.  Speaking of birds, we never saw so many as we did today.  There were red knots, a shore bird, gulls, terns, and pelicans.  Way high in the sky were some frigates.

 

There was far less traffic on the road, and we wondered what they are paying for gas or diesel these days.  Perhaps that’s why many residents ride bikes here.  Walking along the water, we saw lots of tropical fish.  This was nice since we did not have to get wet to see them.  Further up the end of the walking trail, we did see some iguanas sunning themselves.  They always attract a crowd of on-lookers as they slowly get away from everyone. 

 

Heading back, we took a side street to Kaya Grandi and the row of shops and stores that sell everything from high-end to souvenir.  One of us did go into Milano for their free charm.  I now own a pair of flamingoes that can be turned into earrings.  Checking out the stores, many of which were closed, we made our way to Wilhelmina Park and the craft market.  This time we saw a display of jewelry we have only seen in New Zealand.  It was a resin/glue used to make pendants and earrings, but is really a substance out of this world.  It is used to glue tiles on space shuttles, and turns a fluorescent shade of blues and greens.  With one hundred choices of pendants, it will be best to wear the earrings next time to find a match.

 

And that was when the rain began.  As we left the park, it began to pour, so out came the umbrellas not a moment too soon.  Funny thing, some people coming out of the ship, asked where we bought the umbrellas.  We said we brought them from home, and they looked surprised.  We thought everyone would pack umbrellas, especially in this part of the world.  It is tropical.  Then we thought about trips in the past, when the ships had complimentary umbrellas as you exited the gangway on rainy days.  Guess this is long gone.  They weren’t the best, but better than getting soaked. 

 

Lunch was a shared sandwich and fries in the Dutch Café.  We have not been there for a week, so the food was really good.  Heineken beers were good too, as they have run out of Affligem.  A substitute for that was a hard cider, which we have never tried before.  Michelle gave us samplers, and  we found it refreshing, like a sparkling wine, but a bit sweet, like apple juice. 

 

It was fun watching the action on the pier as folks came running back in the rain. We  bet that few people get off tonight, as we are here until 10:30pm.  There is such a short distance to tomorrow’s port of Curacao, we will be going slowly. 

 

Dinner was good in the dining room.  One of our favorite appetizers was served….veggie spring rolls on a bed of glass noodles.  Truthfully, we could make a meal of these alone.  We did add salads, then one lasagna, and one weinerschnitzel.  We shared once again.  Presty visited and we took care of some business, like moving to the upper level next cruise.  There will be 1550 guests on that cruise, and we will move to the second level, back to our original table we had in December.  Right now, Presty said we have 1100, and the dining room is pretty full on deck two.  If we decide we do not like it, he will move us back. 

 

Tomorrow we will be in Curacao.  Wonder if the rain will follow us?

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

I’ve been reading your posts and am curious about the charms. What kind of quality are they? I mean are they something we really want to wear or are they more for kids? I have a Pandora bracelet and wondered about adding to it. Panama cruise soon but we haven’t cruised for many years. Thank you. 

[WCB]

Report #85      Willemstad, Curacao        Saturday-March 12, 2022       Sunny And Windy 78 Degrees     Part #1 Of 3..........80 Pictures

 

Well, we are back at Willemstad, Curacao, and we have sun.  Puddles in the parking lot left us to believe the storm from yesterday may have passed by here as well.  At least it was not raining like in Bonaire.  Curacao is the largest of three Dutch islands here, and is located only 35 miles from Venezuela.  Willemstad is the capital and also proud to say it is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Also famous here is a street by the name of Handelskade.  It is home to the infamous painted houses with gabled roofs…all painted many shades of pastel. 

 

Another icon has to be the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge, which swings open to allow boats and ships in and out of St. Anna’s Bay.  It is nicknamed the “Swinging Old Lady” as it was built in 1888.  It has gone through a complete restoration not too long ago. 

 

We were off and running by 10:30am, and took our regular walk to the Renaissance Mall.  A Diamonds International was there, so  we popped in for their “crab” charms.   From there, we continued through Rif Fort to the pontoon bridge, and timed it just right.  It was going to open for two tug boats.  We happened to notice that there was no other cruise ship in the bay today.  That left room for the rest of us.

 

Going straight, we walked the main street, Breedestraat, and found Milano, the other jewelry shop with charms.  Theirs was a turtle.  At Wilhelmina Park, we came across a group of teenage girls practicing for a dance routine.  Their teachers were warming them up, but not quite ready to begin.  They all seemed to have the moves of a Carnival procession, which might happen here before Easter.  It seems that every island celebrates Carnival at different times of the year. 

 

The side streets are as interesting as the main street.  We passed several small cafes and shops on the way to the Central Market area.  By accident, we did discover a fabric store, but most all of their bolts were cotton material.  There was a big selection of tablecloth fabric too.  Outside this store, we ran into walkers, Howard and Gyl.  They said to walk further up the street to see some monuments.  So we did and took several photos, before turning around and heading back. 

 

An interesting place to visit is the Floating Market, where boats from Venezuela come to sell their produce and fish.  Very little in the way of veggies can be grown locally, so this is a good place to trade their products.  Today we watched as one vendor prepared to chop up a small dorado.  We were searching for koozies for our soda cans on the ship.   Between all of the shops and local vendors, we saw none, except for koozies for beer bottles.  Normally, you can find these anywhere.

 

We even went into the huge Central Market that sold everything.  No koozies there at all.  Making our way back to the painted houses of Handel- skade, we took our time walking back.   The bridge was getting ready to open we thought, so we walked faster to get across.  Usually the ferry was there to help folks cross when the bridge is swung.  But today, it was gone. 

 

Walking through some stores in the Rif Fort area, we struck out again.  The last job of the day was to download the Kindle.  Gyl suggested doing this at the Renaissance Hotel and Casino area.  We did, and it worked.  It was fast speed as well.  Back to the ship by 1:30p, we had completed or three hour tour. 

 

The afternoon evaporated as we relaxed and had a light lunch in our room.  At least, the ship was docked port side, and we had the view of the dock area in front of us all day.  We could also watch the infinity pool at the Renaissance Hotel, where many people were swimming and laying on the beach.  All of this sand has to be imported, since there seems to be no natural sandy beaches in this area.  Some of the crew members we know told us they get to go to this pool, as long as they buy a drink.  And with the all aboard time at 10:30pm again, we suspect some of our crew were allowed off today. 

 

We were willing to try room service for dinner, but decided to go to the dining room instead.  Actually, it wasn’t crowded and the service was quick.  We had visits from head waiters Fredy and Wayan, who will be leaving for home in a few days.  We will miss him.  Presty stopped by, and chatted for a while.  We asked if guests were allowed to come on the ship for a short visit, and the answer was no.  Besides being a security issue, the Covid requirements would not permit it.    Oh well, these sure are not the old days, are they?

 

Our dinner consisted of tomato bisque, salted fish cakes, two salads, and one lamb shank, and a brisket meal.  All was very tasty. We saved a bit of room for butter pecan ice cream and one frozen peach yogurt.  Good thing we are in Aruba tomorrow where we can walk it off….hopefully.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[Bucketlist22]

2 hours ago, WCB said:

Report #85      Willemstad, Curacao        Saturday-March 12, 2022       Sunny And Windy 78 Degrees     Part #1 Of 3..........80 Pictures

 

Well, we are back at Willemstad, Curacao, and we have sun.  Puddles in the parking lot left us to believe the storm from yesterday may have passed by here as well.  At least it was not raining like in Bonaire.  Curacao is the largest of three Dutch islands here, and is located only 35 miles from Venezuela.  Willemstad is the capital and also proud to say it is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Also famous here is a street by the name of Handelskade.  It is home to the infamous painted houses with gabled roofs…all painted many shades of pastel. 

 

Another icon has to be the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge, which swings open to allow boats and ships in and out of St. Anna’s Bay.  It is nicknamed the “Swinging Old Lady” as it was built in 1888.  It has gone through a complete restoration not too long ago. 

 

We were off and running by 10:30am, and took our regular walk to the Renaissance Mall.  A Diamonds International was there, so  we popped in for their “crab” charms.   From there, we continued through Rif Fort to the pontoon bridge, and timed it just right.  It was going to open for two tug boats.  We happened to notice that there was no other cruise ship in the bay today.  That left room for the rest of us.

 

Going straight, we walked the main street, Breedestraat, and found Milano, the other jewelry shop with charms.  Theirs was a turtle.  At Wilhelmina Park, we came across a group of teenage girls practicing for a dance routine.  Their teachers were warming them up, but not quite ready to begin.  They all seemed to have the moves of a Carnival procession, which might happen here before Easter.  It seems that every island celebrates Carnival at different times of the year. 

 

The side streets are as interesting as the main street.  We passed several small cafes and shops on the way to the Central Market area.  By accident, we did discover a fabric store, but most all of their bolts were cotton material.  There was a big selection of tablecloth fabric too.  Outside this store, we ran into walkers, Howard and Gyl.  They said to walk further up the street to see some monuments.  So we did and took several photos, before turning around and heading back. 

 

An interesting place to visit is the Floating Market, where boats from Venezuela come to sell their produce and fish.  Very little in the way of veggies can be grown locally, so this is a good place to trade their products.  Today we watched as one vendor prepared to chop up a small dorado.  We were searching for koozies for our soda cans on the ship.   Between all of the shops and local vendors, we saw none, except for koozies for beer bottles.  Normally, you can find these anywhere.

 

We even went into the huge Central Market that sold everything.  No koozies there at all.  Making our way back to the painted houses of Handel- skade, we took our time walking back.   The bridge was getting ready to open we thought, so we walked faster to get across.  Usually the ferry was there to help folks cross when the bridge is swung.  But today, it was gone. 

 

Walking through some stores in the Rif Fort area, we struck out again.  The last job of the day was to download the Kindle.  Gyl suggested doing this at the Renaissance Hotel and Casino area.  We did, and it worked.  It was fast speed as well.  Back to the ship by 1:30p, we had completed or three hour tour. 

 

The afternoon evaporated as we relaxed and had a light lunch in our room.  At least, the ship was docked port side, and we had the view of the dock area in front of us all day.  We could also watch the infinity pool at the Renaissance Hotel, where many people were swimming and laying on the beach.  All of this sand has to be imported, since there seems to be no natural sandy beaches in this area.  Some of the crew members we know told us they get to go to this pool, as long as they buy a drink.  And with the all aboard time at 10:30pm again, we suspect some of our crew were allowed off today. 

 

We were willing to try room service for dinner, but decided to go to the dining room instead.  Actually, it wasn’t crowded and the service was quick.  We had visits from head waiters Fredy and Wayan, who will be leaving for home in a few days.  We will miss him.  Presty stopped by, and chatted for a while.  We asked if guests were allowed to come on the ship for a short visit, and the answer was no.  Besides being a security issue, the Covid requirements would not permit it.    Oh well, these sure are not the old days, are they?

 

Our dinner consisted of tomato bisque, salted fish cakes, two salads, and one lamb shank, and a brisket meal.  All was very tasty. We saved a bit of room for butter pecan ice cream and one frozen peach yogurt.  Good thing we are in Aruba tomorrow where we can walk it off….hopefully.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

We’ll be visiting Curaçao on a Sunday. Do you know if the different shops are open? We want to visit a couple of jewelry stores after our excursion. Thx. 
im really enjoying reading your adventures. They are not only interesting but very informative. 

 

[regnig]

4 minutes ago, Bucketlist22 said:

We’ll be visiting Curaçao on a Sunday. Do you know if the different shops are open? We want to visit a couple of jewelry stores after our excursion. Thx. 
im really enjoying reading your adventures. They are not only interesting but very informative. 

 

Your high end jewelry stores will probably be open but some of the smaller locally owned shops will not be.

Mary/Bill would you please see if you can find out how many people will be on board the sailing out of Ft Lauderdale on this Wednesday the 16th. Thanks 

[sailingdutchy]

42 minutes ago, regnig said:

Your high end jewelry stores will probably be open but some of the smaller locally owned shops will not be.

Mary/Bill would you please see if you can find out how many people will be on board the sailing out of Ft Lauderdale on this Wednesday the 16th. Thanks 

 

We hope to be there also on Wednesday  @regnic.  They posted a couple of days ago that occupancy was expected at about 1550 ( out of a possible 2650 )  Post #486 .

 

[regnig]

Thanks Tony, I forgot they had already posted that number.  I won't miss those 1100 folks at all. 😷

[WCB]

Report #86    Oranjestad, Aruba   Sunday-March 13, 2022   Rain  And  Windy With Periods  Of Sun   78 Degrees  Part #1 Of 3.........80  Pictures

 

Of the three Dutch islands, Aruba is small with 120 square miles.  It is 19 ½ miles long and 6 miles wide with a population of 72,000 residents (2009).  The official language is Dutch, with English, Spanish and a mix called Papiamento that includes French and Portuguese.   The winds here can be described as savage, and the terrain is like a rocky desert with cacti and aloe vera plants. And always present are the divi-divi trees that grow the way the winds dictate.  Sideways…..

 

This island was basically ignored until gold was discovered in the 1800’s.  Oil refining took the stage until the 1990’s, when tourism became the number one income.  At that time, the number of tourists was ½ million.  That was also the time when time-shares became popular here.  The largest number of hotels and casinos are located at the Eagle and Palm Beach areas.  And that is where the fun happens every night of the year.  In fact, there is a colorful bus called the Kukoo Konuku that picks up guests at their hotels and deposits them later in the evening.  Today, we noticed these buses were being used to transport guests from the other cruise ship in port.

 

Speaking of cruise ships, the Celebrity Silhouette was docked before we arrived at 7:30am.  And as we expected, the Freewinds was also in the very same spot as the last two times we were here.  So we Googled it to discover it belongs to the Church of Scientology.  They conduct a religious retreat for the highest level of followers, giving classes and conferences onboard.  We also read that jazz concerts and movie performances happen on this ship.  They are free, but donations are gladly accepted we believe. 

 

Anyway, the forecast for today was scattered clouds with temps in the low 80’s.  While we were doing some internet work at 10am, the sky turned dark, and there was a sudden rain storm that left huge puddles everywhere.  It did pass over, but without umbrellas, people would  be soaked.  Needless to say, we packed them today, even when the sun came back out.

 

Taking some photos of the driving rain, we spotted what looked like a huge hawk.  When the rain let up, we got some shots of it before it flew off.  Hooping to see it later, maybe we will be able  to ID it.  

 

We had brought the required room card, ID, and Covid vaccination cards, although no one asked to see them.  We did not even see a sign requesting we wear masks.  Yes, we still did, especially knowing we were mixing with folks from another large ship.  We headed for the marina, passing the Renaissance Resort.  The streets seemed quieter today, mostly because it was Sunday.   Several shops and restaurants were closed.  Even most all of the boats in the marina were unmanned. Normally we get some good photos of fish being cleaned and pelicans begging.  But not today.

 

We walked through the Renaissance Marketplace and around the end restaurant where the good pizza could be found.  Any other time, we would have had lunch here, but we are still being cautious.  Maybe next time, as we are “pizza-starved” on this trip.

 

We took the same path around the Renaissance Ocean complex, and had fun feeding the tropical fish on the small bridge of the lagoon.  Thinking ahead this time, we brought a piece of sourdough toast from breakfast.  Breaking it into small pieces, the fish went nuts eating it.  Hope some of the photos came out good this time.  Also saw some smaller iguanas, but they were not very active today as it was cooler than usual.

 

Every ten minutes, we noticed that a plane was landing at the nearby Reina Beatrix International Airport.  Guess the tourism is re-bounding nicely.

 

Heading back, we had some shopping to do.  Still on the lookout for those koozies, we looked in every stall on the roadside, with no luck.  They had everything but….like one million magnets, just as many t-shirts, and purses, toys, and trinkets.  Eventually, we came across a real souvenir store, and finally found what we needed.  Now our soda cans will not sweat and the soda will stay colder. 

 

Milano and Diamonds International were also on the way back.  Yes, we got more charms, and even though they are not worth much, it is fun to collect them.  Today we got a whale tail and one set of dolphins. 

 

Back at the ship, we snacked again in our room, not hungry enough for a Lido lunch.  Does us good to cut back every now and then.  And there was a reward to that.  The hawk had come back, and upon closer inspection, we were able to identify the bird as an osprey.  Doing some research, we learned that these birds fly here to hatch their young, and raise them until they fledge.  They look like one powerful bird of prey with a hooked beak and curved lethal talons.  They have a two foot long body with a wingspan of 71 inches.  We were lucky to see this bird. 

 

Another plus was finally getting a few shots of the sun setting before 7pm.  Not a really striking one, it was as good as it gets here.  Another thing of interest – since it is daylight savings time at home in the US, we will not have to put our clocks back one hour.  None of the islands here honor the time change, so now we are all the same time as EST.

 

Dinner was good in the dining room with entrees of Rudi’s chicken and beef wellington.  We were done by 9:15pm, and by then, most of the dining room had cleared out.  With three days of touring, swimming, and fun, we believe most folks were tired. Asking Presty about tomorrow’s Covid testing, he said the number of in transit guests was over 260 people.   Originally it was about 200, but that many more signed on for another cruise.  Thinking we had a smaller group, we had been asked to go to the Half Moon Room on deck one at 9:30am.  Guess we were wrong. 

 

Two days at sea now, and we will be back in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[felma531]

Bill and Mary Ann,

Enjoyed the reports on the ABC's. We've only visited Aruba 25 years ago- we're sure it must be different today! Loved the pelican and osprey photos. You always get great shots! Glad the cokes will stay cold! Haircut looks great and as always we are thinking negative for y'all! Margaret and Monty

[The Other Tom]

Nice pic of the osprey.  Thanks

[WCB]

Report # 87    At Sea Enroute to Ft .Lauderdale, Florida     Monday - March 14, 2022    Light rain With Periods Of Sun Shine   79 degrees    Part #1 Of 1..........29 Pictures

 

It sure came as a surprise to us that sometime during the evening, the ship had to turn around and head back to Aruba.  Apparently, one seriously ill passenger was disembarked.  This was announced during breakfast in Club Orange, where we had trouble hearing it.  Why is it that when an announcement comes on, people decide to talk or push their chairs out making a huge racket?  Anyway, the Captain repeated the message, because their PA system had failed. The story was that due to the detour, our arrival to Ft. Lauderdale would be delayed by several hours.   Not a problem for us, but definitely one for those with early flights and other related plans.  We would learn more details later this morning.

 

The next job of the day was to show up for another Covid test in the Half Moon Room on deck one at 9:30am.  The line snaked around the atrium sculpture, whatever that may be.  For the size of this ship, the conservative atrium piece of art cannot compare to the Astrolabe we enjoyed on the Amsterdam.  We had two favorite armchairs across from that Astrolabe, and spent hours while listening to the Ocean Bar band, trying to figure out how it worked.  Truthfully, we never did, since it was so complicated.

 

Anyway, the test today was the least intrusive with the swabbing, and there was no follow up phone call in our room later on.  All good news.  Did we mention that there are over 260 in transit guests?  The largest number yet.

 

We were good to go to the next invite – the Mariner’s Recognition Event at 11am at the Billboard Onboard.  In the receiving line, we saw a familiar face (despite her mask).  It was Michelle from the front desk crew (guest relations), who has sailed on many of our cruises over the years. So nice she remembered us.  She told us this is her first assignment since 2020, and was quite happy to be back to work.  The next greeter was Rene, the hotel director, who told us that sadly, the new President’s Club inductees had been sent home yesterday while we were in the port of Aruba, but it was not related to Covid.  

 

After the medals were awarded and photos were taken, Rene joined our smaller PC group, along with a nice trivia friend of Howard and Gyl’s.  Howard had brought his bags of popcorn once again, since none was brought onto the ship again. We all sure got  a big laugh out of that one. We did thank Rene for returning the pillow chocolates to us nightly.  Anyway, Rene was most forth-coming with the details of yesterday’s detour.  The decision to turn around was made at 10pm, and by then, the ship had sailed for  5 hours towards Ft. Lauderdale.  By the time the transfer was made in Aruba with the ill guest, it was 4:30am or so.  Now we need to make up that time that was lost, which really is not totally possible.  Our arrival was estimated at 11am on Sunday, but only if we can pull in the stabilizers and maintain a speed of 22 knots.  Having the current in our favor wouldn’t hurt.  No doubt, we are feeling the motion of the ocean as we head back.

 

And the details of a later arrival will be complicated with the loading of provisions,  as well as the bunkering of fuel.  That takes time, and will be a factor as to how late we will leave the port on Sunday.  We do have two sea days to get to St. Maarten, so that is a plus.

 

Rene had some funny stories, one of which took the cake.  While working on a smaller cruise ship, a favorite captain we both know was sailing in a remote but hot part of the world.  He came upon a lone sailboat, and someone made a decision to surprise the people with a bottle of champagne.  So getting into a skiff, they dressed up and took the bottle with a napkin to serve the beverage.  Little did they know when they approached the sailboat, two people popped up totally naked.  The surprise was on them!  Not sure how the story ended, but it sure got a roaring laugh from all of us. 

 

Back in or room, we had two more Delft tiles, more keepsakes of sailing on the N. Statendam. 

 

Spending most of the day inside, we were not able to use our veranda or walk on the promenade deck.  Going so fast, the spray from the waves along with the wind and passing showers, kept everything dripping wet.  Checking out the shops onboard, we found nothing new had been added since we boarded in December.  The guests have begun shopping now since there is only today and tomorrow to do so. 

 

The casino looked busy, especially the gaming tables, which are located off of the beaten path.  These are the high rollers that have booked as a group on special fares according to what we heard.  It is possible that they are having good luck, and signed up for the following cruise.

 

This evening was the final gala night with the special menu. Every evening, we have a standing order of crudites, which includes sliced carrots, celery, and cucumbers.  On the side are artichoke hearts, green olives, and hearts of palm.  Those are ALL mine, as Bill does not care for them.  So our veggie requirements are taken care of for the day. Shrimp cocktails with the red sauce, and salad and soup were our appetizers.  Both of us ordered the prawns and tenderloin, all quite tasty.  Desserts were chocolate chip and vanilla ice cream.

 

One more sea day, and we will be back in Florida…..just later than originally planned.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Overhead Fred]

@WCB - Mitzi and I are boarding tomorrow; we will keep an eye out for you! Maybe we will stake out the Dutch Cafe 😁

[tommy]

Isn’t tomorrow Wednesday?