From Glaciers to Palm Trees - Spend 71 days with Bill & Mary Ann on the Zuiderdam - 9-7-22 to 11-17-22

[LouChamp]

Bill and Mary Ann… haven’t heard from you since Saturday and just hoping that all is well.

[superoma]

Hoping that internet issues are what is keeping you from posting. 

[Littlebeachlover]

• •  55
•  

This was posted on the Zuiderdam Roll Call 

 

Posted Monday at 04:09 PM

Ship's Internet went down evening of 11/5 while in Papeete. According to captain, it seems that ship's transmitter back to satellite is toast - so sounds very unlikely to me that we will get replacement for rest of cruise as our last two stops are small islands. Posted via my cell phone mobile connection.

[lindaler]

22 minutes ago, Littlebeachlover said:

• •  55
•  

This was posted on the Zuiderdam Roll Call 

 

Posted Monday at 04:09 PM

Ship's Internet went down evening of 11/5 while in Papeete. According to captain, it seems that ship's transmitter back to satellite is toast - so sounds very unlikely to me that we will get replacement for rest of cruise as our last two stops are small islands. Posted via my cell phone mobile connection.

 

Thank you for letting us know.  I have been worried too. Nice to know it's just an internet issue and all are well. 

[LouChamp]

Thank you for letting us know.  I was worried about them as it was unusual for them not to post.  All the best!

[WCB]

Greetings everyone!

 

The internet died here three days ago.  So a hotspot was set up temporary in Nuku Hiva today.  They flew in specialists to try to fix the problem on the ship.  Hope it works.

 

One way or another, the reports will return...stay tuned.....

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report #61    Saturday November 5, 2022   Pape'ete, Tahiti   7:30pm 11-4-22  Till  4:30pm 11-6-22  Cloudy With Heavy Rain 78 Degrees Part #1 Of 5......Text...Only  Pictures In Parts 2,3,4,&5

 

 

After leaving the island of Moorea at 6pm yesterday, we arrived to the harbor of Papeete by 7:30pm.  The city of Papeete is the capital of all of the French Polynesia Islands.  At least 75% of the population is concentrated between Tahiti and Moorea.  Tere are two parts to this island….Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Iti, the smaller part has most of the resorts. 

 

The city was lit up in all of her glory last night, despite the constant falling rain.  Even the airport was a pretty sight.  As we mentioned, the ship was cleared after 8pm, and we shall stay docked here until late Sunday afternoon.

 

Walking the drippy promenade deck after breakfast, we noticed that a large area across from the ship had been torn up and under major construction.  This is where the tourist office was located and the big tents that housed some nice souvenirs.   It is all gone now, but we bet it will be replaced with a nice new tourist center.

 

In the meantime, the bunkering of fuel and re-provisioning was in progress as this is our final stop to re-stock.  While we were outside, we decided to check out tender boat #12, the one that was stranded on the reef yesterday.  It did have some minimal damage, and was already being repaired. It was nothing compared to tender boat #9 on the Grand World Voyage in 2016 when it hung up on a coral shelf in Rarotonga, Cook islands.  There was considerable damage to that vessel.

 

Just as we were getting ready to leave the ship, there were problems with the internet, like that is new?  We placed a call to the front desk to report the problem, and very soon after that, an IT officer was knocking on our door.  Finally we were able to point out that we were constantly being asked to upgrade to premium, when we already had that plan from day one.  Ever since we boarded on September 7^th, we have been pulling our hair out over this mystery.  Explaining how we arrived at a plan that would work for 71 days, the IT fellow verified this info with a phone call to someone.  It appeared that too many packages had been applied to our account, even though we only have one device, as well as one email address.  The IT tech said he would cancel the incorrect packages, and come back around 4 to 5pm to check it out.  We thanked him for coming to the room, even though we did not request it.  Hope this finally works.

 

We did leave the ship before 11am when the rain began to sprinkle.  Of course.  We had a much longer walk to get out of the pier because one whole side was closed off with the corrugated metal fencing.  We did find that Vaiete Square was still there but about flooded with all of the rainfall.  We crossed the main boulevard at the stop light, where we found a lot of traffic.  Our first stop happened to be at the Maghawai Fabric Store just to look.  Yeah sure….Turned out that two new fabrics were just what one of us was looking for.  The Chinese shop owner recognized the blouse I wore was made from a bolt from her store.  She asked if we had been in her shop in 2020, and we said yes.  She seemed to remember us, since at that time I wore another blouse made from her fabric.  Now I just need the time to make them.  Still working on the pieces that were bought in the Caribbean last spring.

 

The Marche de Papeete (or the marketplace) was our next stop.  It is a 2 story building with 7000 square meters.  It is chock-full of everything Polynesian.  Today the market was really crowded with locals as well as guests from two cruise ships.  We may have forgotten to mention it, but the Paul Gauguin was here as well.  We took some photos, especially of the produce and fish tables.  The upper level is mostly clothing and jewelry, so we skipped going up there.   

 

From here, we walked the traffic-laden side streets to the Notre Dame Cathedral, built in 1875.  We also think a lot of the traffic was headed for McDonald’s drive through window, as it is a most busy place in downtown.  The Territorial Assembly is located here surrounded by parklike grounds.  Place Tarahoi was where a craft fair was happening.  There were tables set up with products from the Austral Archipelago.  Their shell jewelry seemed to be quite similar to what we saw yesterday in Moorea, but twice as expensive.  We had begun walking to the Queen’s Gardens and ponds in the back, but were stopped by a guard.  He said the gardens were only open during the weekdays, and closed on the weekends. 

 

Carefully crossing the street, we strolled through Bougainville Park which was really flooded by now.  We went straight to the statue of Bougainville surrounded by two canons from the Zelee war ship of 1914.  We were the only ones in the park.  It was already noontime, and we had to decide whether to go to lunch early or go back, dry off, and come back in an hour.  Not hungry yet, we chose to walk back to the ship.  We were soaked even with umbrellas. 

 

What we won’t do for a pizza?  Facing the ongoing rainstorm, we headed back down the steep gangway at 1pm for lunch at L’Apizzeria.  It took us about ½ hour, but this time we stayed and walked the marina and Paofai Park instead.  Once we reached the Paofai Church, we knew there was a stop light to cross Boulevard Pomare.  Thank goodness the restaurant was opened.  Seated by the high window opening , we ordered two Hinano beers and a Hawaiian pizza with ham, peppers, cheese, and pineapple chunks.  They have a real wood-fired brick or stone oven and that makes all the difference with the taste and texture of the crust.  That is why their pizzas are the best.  We added one banana split to share for dessert, which was actually fun.  Too bad we cannot come back here tomorrow, because they are closed Sundays. 

 

We got back to the ship by 3pm and dried out for the second time.  It had been a three soaked t-shirt day due to the inclement rain.  There were still problems with the internet with it working some of the time and some not.  Eventually it must have crashed , because nothing worked.  It had been shut down probably for the rest of the evening we were told. 

 

There was a special performance of The Spirit of Tahiti, a local group, in the Mainstage this evening at 8pm.  However, we missed it because we had reservations in the Pinnacle Grill for their pop-up Tamarind Dinner.  Oh well, we have seen the show more than once. The wait staff were dressed casually in Asian clothing for a change.  We think they liked it. Dinner was good, although not exactly like the Tamarind on the N. Statendam.  The choices on the menu were different, which could mean all of the menus have changed.  Missing were the excellent crispy egg rolls we always order.  And there was no Thai beef salad on the list of appetizers.  Usually we could order two appetizers if we wished.  But now, there is a charge of $7 for additional orders beyond one.  We ordered one soup and one assorted plate of assorted meats - steak, chicken, ribs, and a shrimp. While waiting, we were given the warm washcloth, followed by tiny cups of green tea.  Our mains were the wasabi-crusted steak with onion rings,  grilled asparagus, and a teriyaki dip.  The steaks were delicious and served on a very hot plate.   We have been told they are marinated and taste different from the regular filet mignon served here.  For dessert, we both enjoyed their lemon cheesecake, except it resembled nothing close to cheesecake.  Filled to the brim, we thanked them all and went home.  It had been a busy day for sure.

 

And tomorrow will be another day, we suspect quite the same as today…..rainy. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report #62     Sunday November 6, 2022  Day #2  Pape'ete, Tahiti, French Polynesia   Sailaway  @ 5pm   Cloudy With Afternoon Heavy Rain 80 Degrees   Part #1 Of 4 ....Text Only....Pictures In Parts 2,3,&4

 

 

During breakfast this morning, we heard some chatter among the Pinnacle Grill waiters concerning phone cards they had bought onshore last night.  Attempting to use them, they found that their cell phones had gone haywire with incorrect data.  Some of the fellows were late to work, because the time had changed to another zone and their wake-up alarms did not go off.  Whatever happened to good old fashioned watches and alarm clocks.  Maybe they are going extinct, but they are still dependable. 

 

And guess what?  It wasn’t raining.  Would be a great time for a walk in town.   On our way out, we stopped to see Shiv in his Housekeeping Office.  Always nice visiting with him, although on this ship, the meetings have been too far in between due to his location on deck one.  We are all experiencing the internet failure, as Shiv and all of the staff had no computer success either since 1pm yesterday.  It is crippling and there is no promise of when it will be fixed.  We are not even sure they know what caused the failure yet.  Another problem we saw were the several buckets in the hallway catching dripping water leaks.  That sure reminded us of the problems they had with leaks on the Amsterdam.  Later on, we heard that the Casino had the worst of the leaks and it was traveling down to the lower decks.

 

Today would have been the better one for the ship’s tours that we forgot to mention yesterday.  Briefly, they are a west or east coast drive around the island or a tour to see the islands treasures.  The most rigorous was the 4x4 drive up into the mountains, and a lagoon swim.  The best bet would be a ride around the island with a stop for lunch.  The excursions ranged from $100 to $210 per person.   More than likely we suspect some of these tours had been cancelled due to the heavy downpour. 

 

Leaving the ship at 9am, we were not allowed to turn right out of the gate to access the Paofai Park walkway.  Why, we all asked, since we had gone this way yesterday?  Even one fellow with us had gone off the ship earlier, and did in fact walk out this way, and now the guards are saying no.  It did not take us long to figure out why.  There was a handful of local hawkers selling tours to the folks from the ship.  We had no choice but to pass by them, taking this longer way out of the dock area.  Some people challenged the guards but the answer was still NO.  In a way, it worked out better for us since we crossed the boulevard and headed up a different main street.  There was no use going to the marketplace because our good buddy had just come from there having bought a handful of tropical flowers.  The market was closed when she left. 

 

Boy, what a difference a day makes.  It was like a ghost town this morning.  Everything was closed with a few exceptions because it was Sunday.  The churches would be opened as well as a few cafes and the pharmacies.  This walk did give us the chance to see a part of the downtown area to photograph many of the local murals that had been painted on the walls of big buildings.  We could call it the “walk of the graffiti”.  

 

We could hear singing coming from a small church nearby.  It was Protestant and the people were sitting all the way to the front doors.  Further down the street, we heard more music coming from Notre Dame Cathedral, where we discovered that a baptism was in progress.  That group was singing also.  Passing McDonalds, we saw that they were opened for business, although no where near as crowded as yesterday.  Further down this street we crossed the boulevard and entered Paofai Park to walk the gardens and waterfront. 

 

Turning left, we made it all the way to the end where the Maison de la Culture and the big theater is located.  This has to be the place that can seat up to 6000 people.  From reading the flyers, it looks like a Tahitian performance is expected to take place here December 3^rd.  Turning around, we headed back to the ship and made a visit to the Ocean Bar for beers.  We will miss the have-it-all perk on the world cruise, even though we have barely used it to the full advantage. 

 

For a change, we had some sun on the veranda until about 2pm.  Then the dark clouds came over, and the rain came back with a vengeance.  Our newly-cleaned veranda was flooded haflway to the door.  So much for the better day, even though the sun had lasted longer today.   Good time for lunch, we ordered room service salads and one sandwich.  And a few cookies.  By 4:30pm, Captain Frank came on the speakers to give his usual talk.  He apologized for the inclement weather, (as if he could change it), and apologized for having some of yesterday’s tours cancelled.  After sailing the night in fairly rough seas, we will be in Fakarava tomorrow with much of the same weather.  Then he addressed the internet shut down, and made an attempt to explain what happened.  Bottom line, it failed to work, but he assured us it was being worked on.  When it will be up and running….who knows?  Finally, he mentioned the current Covid situation.  Our numbers had been down, but since arriving to Tahiti, they have gone up slightly.  He never mentions numbers, so we do not have a clue how many folks are involved.  Few, we are hoping.

 

The ship was on her way out of the harbor, when we spotted the Norwegian Spirit arriving to take our spot, we assume.  The sun was just going down behind a mass of clouds, but we did capture a brief sunset.  Now we are headed towards a different archipelago – The Tuamotus, which are all coral atolls.  Much different from the islands we have been visiting, these are coral rings with huge lagoons in the center.

 

Anyway, dinner time came about quick, and we headed back to the dining room for one shrimp appetizer with a Caesar salad,  and a bowl of udon soup.  Mains were one moonfish plate and one of veal meatballs with spaghetti, a favorite for one of us.  Both were quite tasty, and we cleaned our plates, leaving no room for dessert. 

 

The entertainer of the evening was Tom Crosbie, an international man of memory.  That is different for a change.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[WCB]

Greetings all readers,

 

We are getting intermittent  service at the moment, so we do want to thank all of you that were concerned about the missing reports.  When we finally got the 15 minutes of email time yesterday, we had no time to read any posts here.

So again, many thanks....we do care.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[LouChamp]

Aloha Bill and Mary Ann… Thank you for your post. Glad you are doing well and looking forward to your continuing posts.  Enjoy the rest of your voyage.

[WCB]

Report #63   Monday  November 7, 2022  Fakarava, Tuamotu  8am-4:30pm  Heavy Rain ALL Day  80 Degrees   Part #1 Of 6......Text  Only....Pictures In Parts 2,3,4,5,&6

 

Very early this morning, one of us watched from the veranda as the Zuiderdam sailed into the massive lagoon of Fakarava.  Mostly cloudy and blue skies were on one side, but on the other side were the most ominous clouds ever seen in these parts.  Eventually the rain arrived, sometimes light, then with a vengeance.  Yep, it is going to be another wet day, and we will just have to make the best of it.  Little did we know how bad it would get…..

 

Here is some info about this very different port of call.  Fakarava is the second largest atoll and ex capital of the Tuamotus Archipelago.  There are two main villages and the total population is about 845 people.  Their main industry is tourism with some resorts, restaurants (seldom open), but no big hotels.  Their next industry is pearl farming where 98% of the black pearls of French Polynesia are produced here. 

 

Along with the six nearby atolls, this atoll has been named a National Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.   And that is due to the deep dives that can reveal colorful corals, groupers, dolphins, moray eels, leopard, manta, and eagle sting rays, and barracudas.  The sharks found here are grey, nurse, lemon, tiger, hammerhead, and reef sharks, as well as a million of the smaller tropical fish. 

 

The circle of dry land surrounding this lagoon measures only 16 square km.  The lagoon is 1121 square km.  The old name of this atoll was Havaiki, and is still commonly used for businesses.  There are two passes into this lagoon, the north one being the largest opening in French Polynesia.  The southern one is smaller.  We assumed we entered in the north or Garuae passage and passed by the airport on the way into the main village of Rotoava.  This is where we would tender later. 

 

With the rain falling, we decided to wait until after 10am to go ashore.  We had been informed by our good buddy that very few guests had shown up to get tender tickets.   One of the reasons for that was that there were no ship tours here today.  Instead, people opted to go to the dining room for breakfast because the line went down the hallway before 8am.  We found that to be the case when  we went to deck one  to walk down to deck A and board the tenderboat.  There was only a handful of us waiting to go down after some guests were already coming back.  Guess it was open tenders already.  It wasn’t hard getting into the boat, and soon the entire quota was met, and we were on our way. 

 

It seemed that mostly the dedicated snorkelers, the hikers, and the beach-seekers were on the single coral-based road in the village.  In the area of the tender landing are several small shops selling souvenirs from t-shirts to pearls.  As soon as we left the tender, it began to rain, so we skipped the shops.  They were already crowded with folks trying to escape the rain.  Also in this area was a small grocery store, a gas station, and a snack shack, where we dined on French fries and ice cream one of the last times we were here.  Going up the road, we soon found where some of the snorkelers had gone into the water.  There are no real beaches here, but strips of sand mixed with coral.  The roadside has somewhat of a grass, but that is loaded with coral too.  Once in the water, you really just stay in it.  Even in the rain. 

 

Did we mention sharks?  We had just begun walking up the road, watching the water, and there it was – a six foot nurse shark, moving along in the shallow water.  The dorsal fin was the first clue, then you could see the rest of the body and the elongated tail.  A few years back, we did see some locals feeding about five of these sharks, actually stroking them as they came close.  Treating them like pets is not a great idea, but the locals will do it for the photos people like to take.  The one we saw was probably trolling for a handout.  Luckily one of us followed the shark taking photos, until a hut or something was blocking the water’s edge.   As much as we tried, we never did see another one today.

 

We came across the first Catholic Church that had been built out of coral rocks back in 1874.  But first, we went around the back to pay a visit to their local cemetery.  Every grave had bouquets of silk flowers decorating them.  Great idea, as they last far longer than any other flowers.  Then we entered the small church which has a baby blue ceiling giving the impression that you are in the cool clouds.  This church has been maintained beautifully.  Despite the darkness in there, the photos came put surprisingly bright. 

 

The waves of rain continued to wash over the atoll, actually stopping at times.  It did not hinder the snorkelers that were in the water offshore.  Wonder if they knew many nurse sharks were circling those same waters?  A few other beach-goers were along the slender stretch of coral-laden beach.  Dodging major puddles on the road was challenging, but it would get worse.

 

Most of the road walkers had turned back at this point, but we continued up the narrow, but flooded dirt road to the Havaiki Pearl Lodge and the Snack Le Requin Dormeur.   The last few times we were here in Fakarava, this resort was closed for the season.  What a nice surprise to find it opened, which had been confirmed by Diane and John who were just coming from lunch.  By now the rain was more than showers and we were glad to get a table in the center under their thatched-roof palapa.  Every possible chair was taken.  Some were on the outside under umbrellas, but that did not last long when there was lightning followed by major thunder.  Like right over our heads.  Thrilling to say the least.  Now getting food here is like going to a fast food place.  You order and pay for it at a counter, bring your beverages to your table, and wait for the buzzer to go off for your food.  Then one of you goes to the window and brings it back.  Easy peasy….  We split a huge cheeseburger on a homemade bun with a pile of French fries and a small portion of coleslaw in the center.  The beers were Hinano, of course, but the 50cl. size. 

 

More thunder and lightning occurred, then the deluge began in earnest and did not stop.  We did stay protected from the driving winds under the protected hut, which was a miracle.  But at some point, we knew we had to head back.  To say we got drowned in cyclone-like rain with 44 knot winds is an understatement.  Sure the umbrellas helped, but the water was blowing under them as well as over them.  The dirt road had flooded, so we skirted the side of the road as much as we could.  Taking refuge at a little bus shelter along the road, we decided we knew why this was happening.  It was the fact we missed doing the King Neptune ceremony the first time we crossed the Equator.  He was getting his revenge on us now….

 

The deluge was so encompassing, we could not see the ship from the shore.  The driving rain hit the metal roofs so hard, it sounded like dump trucks coming.  Ducking behind the biggest casuarina trees helped to block the blasting winds…no kidding.   The longer we stalled, the more flooded the road got.  Puddles were ponds now, especially around the houses.  Everything was flooded.  We did pop over to the church again, but even they were under water in the front.  Very near the tender area, the entire road was under water, and we had no choice but to slog in water over our ankles to access the waiting tenders.  Guess our shoes were getting washed, like it or not. 

 

By now, there was a brief stall in the rain, of course.  But it didn’t matter, we were as wet as could be right down to the bone.  What an exhilarating adventure we had on Fakarava today.   Unlike our previous visits, we will remember this one the most.  The tender boat was bobbing quite a bit with the swells, so once we had about a dozen people in it, the driver left.  It was good to get back to the ship. 

 

And here’s another story of the day.  Ever since last night, we had no cold water in our bathroom again.  The bad news is that the hot and cold both ran scalding hot, with no chance of taking a shower.  We called the front desk, where they offered to provide an empty room we could use until it was repaired.   Getting a key for the room up the hall from us, we never did have to use it, since the temperature was fixed before our dinner time at 8pm.  Just in case it went wrong again, we kept the key overnight. 

 

We hung all of our wet clothing on the veranda, until it could be bagged up for the laundry.  By now, it was already time for the ship to leave, and Captain Frank came on with his talk.  His speech was filled with apologies beginning with the unfortunate bad weather conditions today.  We will have to tell him our theory of missing the King Neptune Ceremony, and that might take the blame off of his shoulders…. as if he has control over that anyway.  Then he addressed the failure of the internet onboard informing us that HAL was sending a technician to Nuku Hiva to help solve our problem.  They are suggesting giving the ship a hotspot that is on the island already.  How they will manage that remains to be seen.  In the meantime, all of us will have loads of emails to answer, emails to send, and people to contact as far as airlines and rides are concerned.  Thank goodness we thought to secure our ride home in October, knowing that we always have internet problems sailing from Nuku Hiva to San Diego.  Captain Frank made everyone laugh when he said if he tried to make light of the bad weather and internet problems, we would think he was on drugs.  He did, however, promise us better seas and weather ahead as we sail north-easterly towards the Marquesas.

 

Leaving the lagoon through the north passage,  the Zuiderdam sailed through the turbulence of the warmer lagoon meeting the cooler waters of the Pacific Ocean.  The currents create a turbulent churning of the water which can be treacherous, especially for smaller vessels.  A small boat followed from a distance to pick up the pilot once we were through the pass.  It was most impressive as we all watched from our aft verandas.  With the backdrop of the sun setting, it was surreal.

 

Dinner in the dining room revealed a nice menu, which had a few repeats, but many new items too.  Both of us had the arancini appetizers with salsa,  one salad, one bowl of soup, and mains of wahoo and small veggie tacos.  A vanilla pudding resembling a flan and one scoop of orange sorbet finished the meal nicely.  The clocks went forward ½ hour this evening, and we will do the next ½ hour after leaving the Marquesas.  Dance Fever was the show tonight, but we were more than ready to call it a day….and what a day it had been.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[PageTurner]

Bill and Mary Ann --

I read with true enjoyment the daily posting of your travels.  I have attempted to email you on your blog but without success.  And then I find you here on Cruise Critic -- I should have known you would be here too.  Occasionally you will mention the on board movie playing in the theater.  Promptly I check our local library and frequently find that the movie is here too.  And I go get it and while watching it I dream of cruising with you two.  Please continue to have fun.

Page

[WCB]

Report #64    Tuesday November 8, 2022   Day At Sea Enroute To Taiohae, Nuka Hiva   Partly Cloudy With Sun 85 Degrees  Part #1 Of 1........26 Pictures

 

The best thing we saw first thing this morning was the sun peeking through our drapes.  Why couldn’t this have been yesterday?  Whatever, it sure helped to improve the mood of the guests and crew alike.  Also good news was the fact that the water temps in our bathroom remained normal throughout the evening.  Now we will keep our fingers crossed it will last until November 17^th. 

 

After breakfast, we stopped by the front desk to drop off the extra room key for the use of the bathroom that worked.  We never did use it, but we thanked them for the offer.  They were just in the process of phoning our room to offer us a complimentary lunch for two in the Pinnacle Grill in apology for our recent debacle.  We said thanks, but passed on the lunch, because it is too early for us at noontime.  We always eat lunch around 2:30pm even with our breakfast at 8am.   It was a very nice gesture.

 

Needing to secure a spot for a complimentary tour on the 2023 world cruise, we took a ride to the Crow’s Nest to visit the Shore Excursion folks there.  They did try to do something, but without internet service, it was impossible.  We will have to wait until the internet is working again if that will ever happen. 

 

Spending the majority of the day doing computer work offline, we took a break for a walk on the promenade deck.  For the first time in a long time, the decks were dry.  And many people were taking advantage of the lounges once again.   Then we went to the Ocean Bar for our noontime sodas.  Bartender Ray had just made what he called the return of the chocolate volcano drink.  He used the blender, then poured the rum flavored drink into a large, tall glass, drizzling it with Hershey’s chocolate sauce.  He saved the last of the concoction that did not fit in the glass and poured it in another glass.  He added more chocolate sauce, then handed it to us.  Now this should be a dessert it was so good.  Wonder if we can order these at dinnertime?

 

Back in our room, there was a knock on the door, and our room steward handed us a vase of flowers with a note.  It was from Guest Services with a message of apology once again for the water problem.  We did not expect that at all, but it was a nice substitute for the lunch. Now we have three arrangements to enjoy for our last week here. 

 

During the afternoon, a note was slipped under our door regarding the internet or the lack of internet service on this ship.  Tomorrow, an attempt will be made to set up limited complimentary WI-FI hotspots onboard the ship, while we are in Nuku Hiva.  There will be three locations on the ship where this will occur.  They are the Crow’s Nest, Ocean Bar, and Lido poolside magrodome.   The times will be from 9am to noon, and 1 to 4pm.  Each guest will sign in, and be allowed up to 10 minutes of time, then disconnected.   They asked for us to prepare all emails prior to logging on, and refrain from video calls, sending photos, downloading newspapers, updates, or large data files.  Keeping in mind that tomorrow is a port day, our last one at that, we are not sure how many folks will be willing to wait in a line to do some emailing?  There should be local Wi-Fi available onshore like always as well.

 

The letter continued by saying it was possible that service techs might be flown in a private airplane to fix the problem.  The key word is “might”.  The final word was that all of this will be incorporated into the measure of compensation that had previously been promised.  We shall see……

 

Dinner was “dressy” this evening with the fancy menu.  We started with shrimp appetizers, a Caesar salad, a prosciutto ham starter, and mains of yellow fin sole and one Orange Club chicken dinner.  Both were good although there were a lot of rib bones in the chicken.  The fish had no bones.  Dessert was flourless chocolate cake.  Sweet.

 

The entertainers this evening was a group by the name of Jukebox Rogues, who sang Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons tunes.  We had no idea there were so any of these groups performing the same type of shows.  Bet they were good as most folks here grew up with that music.

 

Waiting for us on the bed was a form for the San Diego disembarkation options.  The time clock is ticking down now……… 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[Florida_gal_50]

Might be flown in.  What a commitment 😛.

[WCB]

Report #65    Wednesday November 9, 2022  Taiohae, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands  8am-5pm  Sunny And Warm 85 Degrees  Part #1 Of 7.......Text Only.....Pictures In Parts 2,3,4,5,6,&7

 

Internet or no internet – will their attempts at creating hot spots onboard work?  We were not going to spend any time waiting in line to hook up to a hot spot for a 10 minute session this morning.  This is our final port of call and we do not want to waste a minute of it.  And besides, the sun was out and it wasn’t raining.

 

We left the ship at 9am joining the line on deck one to go downstairs to deck A and the tender boats.  Boarding was easy because there were several fellows assisting everyone  not only with walkers or wheelchairs, but  everyone.  The ride over was short, but as there is only one spot for the tenders, we did have to wait while bobbing up and down for a bit. There were concrete steps to negotiate, but there were helping hands here as well.  Native drummer and singers greeted every tender boat full of guests.

 

Coming over earlier, we had hoped to see large fish cleaning and shark feeding.  But the stainless-steel tables were clean and very dry.  That was a sign there were no fishing boats here today, thus no sharks.   Darn.  This pier area has a few snack shacks and a souvenir shop, as well as picnic tables, where the passengers can go online.  There were many people attempting to get internet, but we don’t know how successful they were. 

 

A short walk from here was the open-air shed that houses their veggie and fruit market.  The produce displayed was the healthiest we have seen so far.  The cabbage and lettuce was deep green, and the tomatoes and peppers a vibrant red.  The fruit looked delicious.  There were far fewer souvenir stands, although we did see some black pearls being sold.  This would be the last chance for the ladies to buy them.  We decided to check out the tables on our way back.  Way too crowded, and few of the cruise passengers were wearing masks.  They were not required, but suggested. 

 

For starters, we have never seen the grassy areas so dry.  Even the shoreline trees seemed to be stressed with fewer leaves.  Perhaps there is a drought here.  And just think, two days ago we were having rain showers like none other, and today, it is dry and arid.  Go figure?  We did not feel that there were a lot of guests here yet, and guessed that many might have stayed back for the free internet time.  Or perhaps they decided not to come at all.  It’s not exactly the port where there are many things to do.  There was a tour today, where locals took their own vehicles for a trip around the island with a few stops along the way.  By the time we arrived, all of those vehicles were gone.  We do know some savvy folks that pre-booked an independent tour online, and probably paid a lot less. 

 

Walking the seawall, we spotted a hose pulled the length of the tree-lined grassy area. Obviously they are hand-watering this area.   Normally these trees are full of white terns, but not today.  We saw only a handful of those terns today.  Our first stop was to go uphill and see the Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame, also named Our Lady of the Marquesas Tahia.  It was built many years ago using various hardwoods from the island.  It is quite beautiful with heavy wooden doors, a unique carved pulpit, altar and baptistry.  The vaulted wood-planked ceiling has cupola letting in light at the very center of the church.  The exterior rockwork must have been recently restored since it looks like new.  Sitting in the shade outside the church, we took in the serenity of the peaceful setting.

 

Back to the road, we slowly walked the shoreline noting that it was high tide.  The population of the Marquesas is about 9350 people that are spread over six of the 12 islands here.  They are located so far apart, that the locals have limited exchange with each other.  That left the islands to keep their individual personalities, customs, and dialect. 

 

Our final destination was hopefully lunch at the Nuku Hiva Pearl Resort, accessed by a steep hike up the road.  A few years back, this property was closed and was in the process of being restored.  It is now opened and it looks great.  Although we were too early for lunch, we were welcomed to relax in the pool patio and enjoy much needed Hinano beers.  About 40 minutes later, the dining area opened up for lunch where we took a table near the edge of their dining patio.  Not knowing what to expect as far as a possible crowd up here, we were very happy to see only a few ship folks here.  We overheard someone ask about wifi, but they were told it was for the resort guests only.  That’s a first. 

 

We ordered a cheeseburger with fries, two cold Cokes, and eventually a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream to share.  We had it all  - a nice table under the trees, an umbrella for shade, and a nice cool breeze.  All this and a spectacular view of the bay below.  We ended up staying for two wonderful hours. 

 

The time came to leave by 2:30pm. Making our way back downhill, we continued our hike along the sandy beach this time.  This is where the locals spend the weekends picnicking and swimming, or even riding their Marquesan horses.  We did see two of them today. 

 

The high schoolers were getting out of school by now, and it was nice to see some of them go down to the water, and go swimming.  Back near the pier, we found all of the maps were gone, but the souvenirs were plentiful.  We did buy one seed bracelet, paying $5 for it….a nice little memento. 

 

There was a long line of guests waiting for the next tender boat.  It was nice that the crew had regular, orange and lemon-flavored ice water to drink while we waited.  One can easily get dehydrated in this tropical climate.  We had consumed beers, sodas, and water, but were still thirsty.  Bet we drank four more cups of water before boarding the boat.  The line began moving quickly when the tender pulled alongside.  These new boats are nice, but once those side doors are closed, it is like being in a claustrophobic steam room.  It was made worse by mask-wearing, half of which were not. 

 

Back onboard at 3:15pm, we went to the room and grabbed our devices to try for the wifi session at the Ocean Bar.  It was still set up with hardly anyone there but the wifi guy.  We were given a 15 minute session, which worked well, but slow.  It was not enough time for emails to download, so we asked for another session and was given an additional 15 minutes.  We had quickly typed a few messages to family and friends before we were cut off.  At least our readers learned that we had not fallen off of the face of the earth.  Although we did not have any time to read messages, we do want to thank those who cared enough to question what happened to us.  Who knew the internet system would suffer a catastrophic failure?  The Kindle could not be updated because it had been blocked.  Disappointing.  In time, we will be able to send more reports, but we doubt the photos will go through.  They will be coming in due time, so please stay tuned.

 

A letter had been sent to everyone again explaining the current situation with a promise of some sort of refund.  We are not expecting much, nor are we demanding it.

 

We watched the sail away from our veranda around 5:30pm, spotting some young natives rowing their racing canoes effortlessly.  Nice to be young and so energetic.  Guess it is a great past time for the older kids here.  The mountainous island disappeared in the sea haze as the ship turned in a northeasterly direction.   We shall have a total of 7 sea days to get back to San Diego on November 17^th.   Bet they are filled with activities about every day. 

 

Now the fun part of the evening began at 6:30pm, when we were invited to a President’s Club Inauguration Reception beginning in the Explorers Lounge.  Naturally, the event was “dressy”, the second one in two days.  Most everyone looked great, even the staff and officers that hosted this event.  Drinks of our choice were offered as well as fancy appetizers.  Captain Frank gave a nice welcome speech, then “pinned” the new inductees.   We visited with Chantal, the future cruise consultant, and the staff Captain, who we had never met, but he remembered us from previous world cruises. 

 

Around 7:15pm, we all entered the Pinnacle Grill for a group dinner.  The Captain and Chantal hosted the table for the four recent inductees, and the surrounding booths had two guests and an officer.  We were seated with Henk, the hotel director, and Howard, who usually sits with us.  The menu was set with starters of pan roasted scallops.  I had a substitute Caesar salad, since I am allergic to shellfish.  A seared halibut filet topped with caviar was next.  A very tasty tenderloin of beef was next, then dessert followed with a creamsicle of orange sorbet with an egg white topping along with a trimmed marshmallow and two pinwheel cookies.  The wines flowed of course, except for those like us that do not drink it.  We were invited to order whatever we wished, but ice water was our choice.  Seated across from the crowd in the side room, we had the best table.  It was pretty noisy in there, and at one point, Henk placed a call to Maya, who was having such a good time.  Her laughter was contagious and Henk was joking of course.  The call sent her into fits of laughter, so we all joined her as well.  The party ended by 10pm, where we thanked everyone for such a memorable evening.  And so ends our final port day… it was doozy!  And the events are not over yet……

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[WCB]

Report #66   Thursday November 10, 2022    Sea Day Enroute To San Diego   Sunny And Warm 85 Degrees  Part #1 Of 1........23 Pictures

 

Day one at sea found the sun shining and the temperatures in the low 80’s.  Eventually that rose to a sticky 90 degrees on our veranda.  How long this will last, who knows?

 

Pinnacle Grill breakfast will be at 8am every day now until we leave.  Except sometimes the staff will open the doors early, and those who arrive on time will not get their usual table.  Not that we have assigned seating, but it seems that some folks do.   The only tables we do not prefer are the tables for two.  There is barely room for the plates and cups, let alone all of the extras. 

 

There was a Mariner Event for a medium-sized number of guests who received their gold (500 days) medallions and also the platinum (700 days) medallions.  As expected, there are several more folks on this longer trip that have more days sailed compared to a 7 day cruise in Alaska.  The gathering was held in the Rolling Stones Lounge (formerly BB King’s) at 10:30am.  Greeted by Captain Frank, Henk M. and Ian, the President’s Club people were seated in the booths on the upper level.  Howard joined us as he usually does.  Fancy canapes and beverages arrived instantly.

 

Starting with gold medal awardees (sounds like the bag of flour), each person or couple were draped with the medallions, but not by the Captain or Henk.  Michelle and Melissa from guest relations did the honors, but remained masked.  The white-ribboned platinum people were next, and there were more than we usually see. Ian kind of accidently called some folks out of order, due to his notes being stapled incorrectly.   Anyway the platinum medallion was a big level, since now they are halfway there to the highest level.  Then all fourteen of the President’s Club members were introduced according to their number of pure sea days, beginning with 1400 days.  We were last with the most days sailed.  But who’s counting?  At this point, it really doesn’t matter.  The perks are the same and well worth the long wait to get them.  Everyone had their photos taken as they always do.

 

We heard there were two more sessions….one at 1pm and the final one at 6:30pm.  That is a lot of folks earning those medallions and pins as well.

 

Here is an amusing story regarding our session with the medallions.  Knowing that it was a fancier affair, we changed to suitable clothing, like what we wear for casual dinner.  After all, we would get another photo, and this time we didn’t want to be in shorts.  Well, one single very elderly man came dressed in black and white polka dot boxer shorts or perhaps a swimsuit.  Polka dots?  Isn’t that something a woman would wear?  He was also wearing a baseball cap, as we have seen him going to dinner in the dining room that way at night.  We watched Henk’s face to see if he reacted with this fellow standing between him and the Captain, actually draping his arms over their shoulders no less.  Lucky for him, Henk could keep from laughing.  Just last night at the special dinner, we had brought up the subject with Henk concerning the dress code, or the lack of.  Henk agreed there are some folks that don’t get it, but that might change.  At least for the upcoming grand world voyage.  There will be formal, dressy, and casual evenings in an attempt to get back to the tradition that used to make cruising special.  We do hope that happens, and for the most part, the long-time cruisers tend to go that way.

 

We worked on downloading photos and catching up on reports like all morning.  Then we took a needed break for a walk outside.   The regulars were back on the promenade lounges enjoying the nice breeze.  Some were trying the wi-fi, but we are not sure it was working well yet.  It has been spotty and slow, but better than nothing.

 

Time for drinks in the Ocean Bar, we visited with a nice young couple from Canada.  We got into a conversation regarding the dress code, and they agreed about the lack of respect with some folks.  They also like the dressy nights, since most of us do not do this at home. 

 

Yesterday, we were given paper Mache orange poppies to wear for Veteran’s Day tomorrow.  In the past, the poppies were in a pin form, but these are nice too.  In addition, in today’s program, there was a Happy Birthday message to the Marine Corp. 

 

We had failed to read the program this morning, so we missed picking up our passports on our floor at 10am.  Later in the day, one of us went with the passport receipts to the front desk and picked them up.  Many others had done the same thing, so there was a line. 

 

A few days ago, we had changed a Pinnacle dinner date with tonight, since it was a Tamarind pop-up.  The change of date was verbal, but somehow it did not get recorded.  When we appeared at 8pm, we could tell by the look on the manager’s face, that something had fallen through the cracks.  However, they had a nice booth in the corner, and seated us immediately apologizing all the way.  Not a problem, we like the booth for a change.

 

Our meal was excellent and hot.  Warm breads were served along with our favorite wedge salads.  One of us ordered the halibut, and the other had the lamb chops.  The fish was flaky and moist, and the chops were the best ever.  Ordering one dessert, our waitress Trusty brought a plate with 2 scoops just in case we want to share.  She was right, we shared. 

 

Around 9pm, we saw a parade of waiters going down the hallway with trays of chocolate goodies.  It was the Chocolate Surprise that lasted for ½ hour.  We were surprised to see how many people lined the hallway to grab the chocolate treats as the waiters passed by.  The chocolate disappeared in an instant.  We both like chocolate, but one of us has a problem sleeping at night if consuming too much of the dark chocolate…the best kind.  

 

Another ending of a nice day at sea.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report #67   Friday November 11, 2022    Sea Day, Enroute To San Diego, California    Cloudy With Sun 85 Degrees  Part #1 Of 1........24 Pictures

 

Wishing everyone a very Happy Veteran’s Day.  In remembrance, we were given a poppy to wear as a lapel decoration to commemorate the Armed Forces Community. 

 

Last night at 11:30pm, we heard a ship wide emergency call for the medical team that was needed for a passenger in the room next to us.  Strange how people living around us can come and go, and we seldom if ever, see them.  What impressed us was the speed and quietness of the medical team to arrive.  It took maybe five minutes, and they were so quiet, if we had not heard the public address, we never would have known there was a problem. Of course, one of us peeked out the door hole, and did see an number of people in the hallway.  But nothing more.  They were all gone within 20 minutes.  We sure hope all will be well with the guests.

 

The weather changed somewhat as we had cloudy skies this morning, cooling things off.  The most noticeable difference was a welcomed drop in the thermometer by 10 degrees.  It was 80 degrees on the veranda most of the day.  Comfortable.

 

And during his noon talk, the Captain said the Zuiderdam had crossed the Equator before 9am this morning, and we are now sailing in the Northern Hemisphere.  As we have primarily been sailing in a northerly direction , the clocks have not changed yet.  We are currently 1 ½ hours ahead of Pacific Time.

 

And at 2pm, there was a King Neptune Ceremony held in the Lido pool area.  Most everyone knows this is an old custom of turning Landlubbers into the order of Shellbacks.  Many years ago, the passengers would volunteer to participate in the madness, but these days, only crew members can do this.  We have seen dozens of these extravaganzas, but with Covid still a factor on the ship, we do not want to take any chances of catching it and going home sick.  Not even to get a few photos from deck 10, where you have to jockey to get a spot at the railing.  The serious folks get up there an hour earlier……but what else is new?  Later in the evening, we all got signed certificates of the event.  However, their choice of script was not the best for the majority of us that have problems reading the printing.  It’s the thought that counts….

 

The usual ship activities filled the afternoon, but the advertising was heavy on sales in the Shops.  We will need to do this soon, since we have shipboard credit to spend.

 

Dinner was back in the dining room, where both maitre’d’s asked where we have been.  It’s nice to know someone missed us, since we were gone for two days.  Many various items have popped up on the menu.  One of us tried the bean soup , which was similar to dos frijoles.  Good and hot too.  Sesame chicken strips were tasty with the sweet and sour sauce on them.  Barramundi on a bed of hot risotto was nice, and the crispy fried chicken or KFC with mashed potatoes was equally good.  Comfort food we call it.  We were going to skip the carrot cake for dessert, but when we heard lemon sorbet, we each had one scoop.  Several of the surrounding tables were empty, due to the Tamarind pop-up in the Pinnacle Grill we suspect.  For that reason, we were done with our meals by 9pm, which was fine with us.

 

The entertainment tonight was a performance of the Jukebox Rogues, the Frankie Valle type of music.  These fellows dined near us in the Pinnacle Grill a couple of nights ago, and we had to chuckle at how young they look, which they are.  Or maybe we are getting older?  Nah…..

 

The clocks went forward a full hour tonight, and now we only have the ½ hour to go.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Report # 68      Saturday  November 12, 2022     Day at Sea  Enroute To San Diego, California     Heavy overcast and rain   80 degrees    Part #1 Of 1 ........ 0 Pictures

 

The third day at sea found the skies partly sunny, which turned to mostly cloudy, then ended up raining.  The showers continued for the most part of the day, just as Captain Frank had predicted yesterday.  If we had a choice, it would be nice to see the sun as we wind up this trip.  But obviously, we do not have that choice.  We are still happy that we can sit outside on the veranda, getting some fresh air, and not get wet. 

 

Today there was the first of three Mariner Society brunches starting at 11am in the main dining room.  Since it was not hosted, and there was a fixed menu, we decided not to attend.  Truthfully, we had forgotten about the invitation and had gone to breakfast like we always do.  No way could we eat again at 11am, but it is always nice to be invited.  Guest relations manager Michelle did give us a phone call to see if we were coming.  It was possible they had some tables reserved for our PC group, but we really do not know the other members except for Howard, who had said he was not going a few days ago.  The menu was basically the same as always with starters of a Caesar salad or a potato and sausage chowder.  Mains were a choice of braised beef pot roast, butter basted fish fillet, or a broccoli and cheddar quiche.  Dessert was a slice of key lime pie.  We also heard there was complimentary champagne, and according to assistant maitre’d Johnny, there were about 300 guests.  The second brunch will be tomorrow, followed by the third one on Monday.  By the way, when they have these brunches, the dining room is not open to the regular diners, nor do they serve the regular lunch.  

 

We did some packing of the small stuff this morning. It was mostly the drug store and jewelry things that fill the shoe bag and earring pouch.  It is tedious work, but someone has to do it.  We did take a break to walk the promenade deck, but the rain got heavy , and we were getting too wet.  The squalls the ship passed through are usually windy, and blow the rain sideways making walking dangerous.  So we did one lap, then gave up.  We can always come back later.

 

We kept busy by filling one suitcase.  There are four days left to pack the other three.  This is the time of truth when we find out that we may have bought a few too many things along the way, although it has only been a few t-shirts, pareos, and fabric.  The extra toiletries we picked up along the way are gone, as is most all of the stuff we brought with us 71 days ago.  That should give us the extra room in the suitcases.    The smart folks we know keep their luggage weights well under 50 pounds and do not worry about it. 

 

We ordered our “day at sea” room service lunch which consisted of a bowl of chicken noodle soup (spaghetti, not noodle actually), a Caesar salad, club sandwiches, apples and a couple of cookies.  By staying out of the Lido, we have successfully kept our lunch at a minimum, because we do not go back for seconds.

 

The rain continued and with that came choppy seas, high winds, and deeper swells.  It became difficult to walk a straight line, and it appears that we are going at a fast clip.  The internet has not improved much, but at least we are getting some connectivity sporadically.  Strangely, we have not received any emails since yesterday, but may have been able to send a few.  We still have a long time to go before Tuesday, when it is supposed to get better.  In addition, the Kindle is not working at all.  Even though I never attempted to go online, it is trying to download updates, but unsuccessfully.  In the meantime,  the games that are played on it (off line) will not come up.  It is an older model, but it is obvious this has been blocked.  Darn….I miss playing those silly games, as they are relaxing and take your mind off of everything even if it is briefly.

 

Dinner was in the dining room, with different starters once again.  One of us ordered the cold lettuce wrap lumpia, and the other had deep fried portobello mushrooms.  One salad and one bowl of soup was followed by the corvina fish entrée, and linguine with short rib Bolognese sauce.  It is not quite like the sauce I make at home, since I use home-made and canned tomatoes.  They tend to be much sweeter.  Still, the meal was just fine.  We skipped dessert, preparing us to get ready for the real world when we go home….no dessert for us!

 

The clocks went ahead the final ½ hour tonight, which is nice since it will give us a few extra days to adjust.  We did feel tired all day, and we think it is due to the time change going forward.  For one of us, it seems to take longer to go to sleep, then you are waking up earlier, making last night’s sleep time a total of about 4 hours.  Time to go to bed now as it is already 11:30pm.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[ottahand7]

That must be confounding about your Kindle.  I use mine offline for books and for their ersatz Scrabble game.  We are heading to South America so I guess I had better throw in a couple of actual books.  My Kindle is a 10 year old model....   Thanks for the heads up!  Enjoy the rest of your journey! 

[durangoscots]

My Kindle, which was about 12 years old, died a few weeks ago when I was flying home after visiting family. After consultation with Amazon,  has now been officially declared deceased.... and I purchased a new one .... but I really miss my old friend. All my books transferred.

 

Susan

[ottahand7]

1 hour ago, durangoscots said:

My Kindle, which was about 12 years old, died a few weeks ago when I was flying home after visiting family. After consultation with Amazon,  has now been officially declared deceased.... and I purchased a new one .... but I really miss my old friend. All my books transferred.

 

Susan

DF and I had a discussion and about this and a new Kindle is on my Christmas wish list for sure.   You made me make up my mind for sure.  

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, durangoscots said:

My Kindle, which was about 12 years old, died a few weeks ago when I was flying home after visiting family. After consultation with Amazon,  has now been officially declared deceased.... and I purchased a new one .... but I really miss my old friend. All my books transferred.

 

Susan

Wow you did great with that.  Mine seem to last 3 to 4 years and I hardly use it except for holidays.

[durangoscots]

Mine had gotten heavy use. It traveled the world with me... from Greenland to Antarctica. I have many books on it, some of which I have not read. The transfer was seamless.

 

Susan

[WCB]

Report #69     Sunday November 13, 2022     Sea Day Enroute To San Diego, California   Sunny And Warm 85 Degrees  Part #1 Of 1.........51 Pictures

 

The seas remained rough throughout the night, but by sunrise, we had mostly blue skies, some fluffy white clouds, and warm humid temperatures.  The rain has been left behind, at least for now.

 

Being that the Zuiderdam is traveling north, we do not get blinded by the shining sun in the Pinnacle Grill at breakfast. Our days of breakfast in there are limited now as we learned earlier in the cruise, there will be too many President’s Club members to accommodate us and the Pinnacle/Neptune suites on the upcoming world cruise.  Therefore, the President’s Club group will have a special area of the upper dining room set aside every morning.  Who knows, it may be even better.  The menu is about the same anyway, and eggs are eggs, pancakes are pancakes.  Actually, we are looking forward to it.

 

Most of the morning was used to continue packing, although it was challenging with the ship’s movement.  We always wonder what it is like packing in the rooms on the upper decks?  Difficult for sure.  Anyway, leaving out just enough clothes for the next couple of days, most of the luggage is done.  After taking down the hanging dowels that held the shirts and the shoe bag, the room looked naked. Devoid of color, no personality.  Even with a larger suite, we will bring the magnets and dowels because the shirts stayed much nicer not being jammed in the closets.

 

Taking our promenade deck walk break, we saw thousands of tiny flying fish. Always scattering from the front of the ship.  Too bad there are no birds to take advantage of that.  Unless we are passing islands, we bet there will be few birds until we are closer to a shoreline.  

 

We still spent some time on the veranda in between packing, which does get old in a hurry.  You know it is impossible to imagine how much water covers the earth, until you spend many consecutive days at sea.  No matter how far your eye takes you in a 360 degree circle, all you can see is….water.  To say it is isolating is an understatement.  And if you add the loss of communications via the internet, that feeling of isolation intensifies.  Guess you have figured out that we still have limited internet.  Talking to one of our waiters this morning, he said they have only been able to text, and even that is limited.  None of us are getting incoming emails, so please know it is not our doing if you don’t get answers to questions or reports anytime too soon.

 

Today some photos got downloaded from a camera we seldom use.  They are mostly photos of food from both the dining room and Pinnacle Grill.  Taken over two months ago while on the Alaskan cruises, there are also some from this South Pacific trip.   The best part of the various items is the fact we did not have to cook them or clean up.  And that’s the beauty of cruising. 

 

We enjoyed another room service lunch while catching up on news on the TV.  It feels as if the air conditioning on the ship is experiencing problems.  Despite the fact the cold air is turned up to the max, our room is about 80 degrees.  Even in the Pinnacle Grill we noticed the difference this evening at dinnertime.  This would be our final dinner in there, and we ordered the “usual” starters and mains we always seem to do.  The 7 ounce filet mignons were about the best ever (once again).  Ordering them cooked medium, they arrived more like medium rare, but so tender and tasty, we both liked them cooked a little less.  We had to pass on the dessert, since we were full to the brim. 

 

Now that it is getting closer to the end of the trip, we had some shopping to do.  Going to the Shops is best when the second show has started or 9:30pm.  And we did find a few items to buy.  The shop employees are very low-key here, compared to those on the larger ships.  For that, we are grateful. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

[WCB]

Report #70     Monday November 14, 2022     Sea Day Enroute To San Diego, California   Cloudy With Showers Warm 80 Degrees  Part #1 Of 1.........56  Pictures

 

We have noticed that the assistant manager of the Pinnacle Grill has been missing ever since we crossed the Equator.  We quietly asked our waiter at breakfast this morning if she was OK, and he said she has been quarantined, which is what we figured.  He did not mention Covid, but we assume that is the case.  Hope she will be fine soon, as the quarantine these days is 5 or 6 days. 

 

After walking the promenade deck, we ducked inside to be able to hear Captain Frank’s noontime talk.  Glad we did, since the outside speakers are terrible.  These should be fixed when the ship goes into dry dock soon.  Anyway, we have been maintaining a speed of 18 to 19 knots which in our minds, is costly in regards to fuel usage.  Now we know the reason for that.  According to the Captain, a staff or crew member is seriously ill, and needs to be taken off of the ship ASAP.  In order to do this, the Zuiderdam will have to be within helicopter range of San Diego to expedite the transfer.  Given the amount of nautical miles left, and our current speed, we will arrive to that pick-up area 15 hours ahead of schedule.  Once the med-evac is completed, the ship will mosey into San Diego’s harbor at the scheduled time of 7am. 

 

Judging by the remainder of Captain Frank’s comments, we feel the Covid could be on the rise again.  He mentioned the fact that fewer people have been wearing the recommended masks as requested, letting down their guard now that the trip is coming to an end.  He sounded as if he is not happy about that, but they are not authorized to have the masks mandatory at this point.   We are still urged to wash our hands frequently and use hand sanitizer.  As for us, we have never stopped with the suggested rules.

 

Checking our location on the navigation channel on the TV at 2pm, we see that we appear to be somewhere opposite the coast of Mexican, perhaps in the vicinity of Mazatlán. However, we are still far out to sea.   At least the land is getting closer as we head more easterly now.  Wonder if it is possible, they we will get the internet back and working properly?  One can only hope.  We feel badly for the crew who cannot do their banking or pay credit cards online, let alone contact their families. 

 

The third and final Mariner Brunch was held at 11am in the dining room.  That should wrap up the events for the general population now.  Since we did not attend, we never got our Delft tiles.  We will have to ask Johnny in the dining room tonight.  Bet he has a few to spare. 

 

There were many activities to keep the guests busy today.  One of those happened to be specials in the spa.  Mostly for the ladies, they offered a session in the Thermal Suite and Hydropool with facial and body scrub do-it-yourself treatments.  Guess that is why we saw some ladies dressed in bathrobes waiting for the central elevator this afternoon.  That is so not right.  Even worse, going to the front desk in that bathrobe is not the best look.  One lady just went there to ask where the pointy end of the ship was located.  Guess she was lost and needed to find her way back to the room.  No kidding……The pointy end of the ship?  Really…..

 

One of us has always been interested in Tahitian pearls, but never did invest in them.  Today that changed when we visited the Shops and took a look at their Effy selection.  Having recently studied the basics on these black pearls,  we knew what to look for.  Their selection was limited, but we did manage to pick out a choker of black pearls that will blend with the Effy panther earrings purchased a year ago.  This was a good move to buy this jewelry, since it never loses its value.  And Effy (worldwide) has a policy that they will upgrade your jewelry as long as you have the original receipt.  It’s a win-win situation.   A red Kate Spade purse was also another purchase….first one I own now.

 

Going to the front desk, we cashed out most of the remaining refundable credit.  Now we will not have to wait in a long line to do this in a couple of days.  Of course, the remainder of cashable credit can also go directly to the credit card they have on file. 

 

The sun was out for the most part of the afternoon. It was hot at times, so we relaxed on the veranda then had lunch.   The sunset was unremarkable, but better than rain.  The day evaporated and soon it was time for dinner back in the dining room.  We had different appetizers – one shrimp taco and a bruschetta with a tomato salsa on top.  The hake fish entrée was good once again, and the loin of pork was even better with a BBQ sauce on it.  We relented and tried desserts of a lemon tart and another meringue layered cake.  All good.  And when Johnny came along to check on us, we asked about the missing tiles.  Within a few minutes he had brought two of them to us.   On our last few cruises, these tiles were left in our room instead.  But we are learning that the staffs on the ships do things differently, with the same result. 

 

Another exclusive event will occur tomorrow with an Indonesian Rijsttafel Farewell Lunch in the upper level of the dining room.   It is held for the President’s Club members,  as well as Pinnacle and Neptune suite guests.  Not sure one of us can eat some of the courses (allergies), so we are on the fence as to if we will attend.

 

Bill & Mary Ann