“the Big One”! World Cruise on Sojourn

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, shark b8 said:

 

Zaya is relatively heavy on the vanilla and the sweetness, which a lot of people (probably Jets) don’t like, but I find it exactly right for long, slow sipping, over ice.  Don’t ever, ever mix it in a cocktail, a crime against nature.   Sort of like the Jets.

Heavy on vanilla and sweetness reminds me of Bumbu rum.   We tried one bottle of it.  Too sweet, too much vanilla.   When my mother in law saw rum in our bar, she used to say "Rum!  Who drinks rum here?"  I remained quiet.   

Edited January 8, 2023 by SLSD

[Flamin_June]

Thanks for this thread, both informative and great fun. The boarding/screening/testing info is very helpful, and I'm looking forward in particular to your reports from the Pacific segment. We are going to be doing more or less the reverse itinerary on Odyssey in March/April, embarking Sydney. At the moment regulations state that we must test pre boarding in Sydney. A self-administered LFT is accetable, all that is required is a photo of the negative test, with time taken and proof of ID alongside the test result. Knowing how things are operating on Sojourn takes a little of the anxiety out, but of course there is the lurking fear that we might catch something on the looooong flight(s).

Also looking forward to reading about the Bali to Cape Town segment - we were going to book on that until the Odyssey itinerary appeared...

[florisdekort]

Guest count. We’re on the full World Cruise as well. 

 

 

[hoosier74]

Several years ago in Costa Rica, we did a premium rum tasting.  Certainly not the $4.99 stuff you put in a pina colada.  It was incredible.  They are not available in your everyday liquor store, especially the ones from Cuba!😁

[highplanesdrifters]

For those wishing to follow along. SharkB8 you picked a killer itinerary.  

[highplanesdrifters]

A bit disappointed as the Mana O distillery and tasting room in Taha'a is a shadow of its former self. Operation has moved to Rangoria. Just a shack now that sells some wine and the small bottles pictured below. None of the aged premium stuff available.  The dark rum below still has its merits. Subtle and not to sweet, slight hint of oak. 

 

If you haven't been, when you get to Raiatea the Coral Gardens in Tahaa are worth a visit. We are here now at La Pearl. In theory it's a drift snorkel with several channels. We tend to just walk around instead of drift. But the drift can be a fun ride in the main channel.

 

Best of luck with the swab. 

[shark b8]

Yeah, the rum thing seems to me to be like the little girl with the curl….when it’s good it’s really good, when it’s bad it’s……. “___fill in the blank___”.      We’re mostly not much for sweet alcoholic stuff……Except for after dinner.  Port, mmm.    Sauternes is my favorite dessert, and I won’t tell the Seabourn-Sauternes story yet again, as I’ve posted before….unless of course demanded by public acclaim.  
 

Dinner tonight at the Keller grill was absolutely A-1.

[shark b8]

Thanks for the informative rum stuff, highplanesdrifters, will def keep it in mind as we approach Polynesia.  Drift snorkeling sounds good - back in my (ahem) younger days, did lots of drift-scuba, including in the Galapagos.  Cold water, not very clear, but we got to see a lot of the big guys.  Schools of hammerheads, sometimes so many they “got in the way”.  This is me chasing down a 45-foot whale shark.  Ahh, to be young again.  We’ll go back to the Galapagos on this one in a few weeks - when I went way back when, it was without Mrs Captain Sharkbait, and she has always wanted to meet the tortoises & fur seals.  On land.  🤣

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by shark b8

[shark b8]

Ok, so much for the nostalgia & self-puffery-adjacent ancient history.  Back to daily stuff - as I mentioned, we didn’t see any masked pax for the first 48 hours, masked staff was maybe 75-80%, give or take.   But exactly as skybluewaters mentioned earlier, we were told that everyone would be tested on Day 3, which was today.  When we arrived at the Colonnade for breakfast this morning, we were greeted and given masks, with the comment something like “only required until the testing is all done today.”   So we wore the masks from the Colonnade entrance, to our table 30 feet away, and then…not.  The testing was quite orderly, people rec’d cards in the usual mailbox-clip outside the room, designating your suggested time.  Went to the Salon, when requested, only 3-4 other people, in/out in 60 seconds.  I opted to wait for the results there in the Salon, although everyone was free to leave, with results to be delivered later.  Pleased to say……we’re all good, gung ho.  

Edited January 9, 2023 by shark b8

[highplanesdrifters]

10 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Thanks for the informative rum stuff, highplanesdrifters, will def keep it in mind as we approach Polynesia.  Drift snorkeling sounds good - back in my (ahem) younger days, did lots of drift-scuba, including in the Galapagos.  Cold water, not very clear, but we got to see a lot of the big guys.  Schools of hammerheads, sometimes so many they “got in the way”.  This is me chasing down a 45-foot whale shark.  Ahh, to be young again.  We’ll go back to the Galapagos on this one in a few weeks - when I went way back when, it was without Mrs Captain Sharkbait, and she has always wanted to meet the tortoises & fur seals.  On land.  🤣

 

 

 

Oh so very jealous of this.  And yes, please the sauternes story again. 🤣

 

Congrats on passing your test.

Edited January 9, 2023 by highplanesdrifters

[CanAmBrit]

We are on the 79 day Quest Grand Cruise and we were also tested yesterday. Before dinner last night the Captain announced the good news that we could throw away the masks. We all did so with great relief, however, I suppose we are only good until our first port of call on Wednesday. One wit at dinner last night suggested that 389 of the 390 passengers tested negative and the one positive passenger was thrown overboard before the captain made his announcement!

 

Jan, the CD, alerted us to the Sojourn as she passed us on the port side when leaving Miami, so we were the ones waving and shouting as you  sailed by on Friday, shark b8.

[lincslady]

Pleased to read that Jan is still cruising with Seabourn - she is a treasure.

 

 

[shark b8]

4 hours ago, CanAmBrit said:

….we were the ones waving and shouting as you  sailed by on Friday, shark b8.

[shark b8]

10 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

yes, please the sauternes story again. 🤣

ok, due to unprecedented popular demand (well, from one reader 😜, thanks hpd), I went back and copied/pasted the Sauternes story below.  Grizzled veterans who have read this before (maybe more than once?) …..just scroll ahead and forgive me.  🙄

 

————————

 

…… I find that a small glass of Sauternes after dinner can satisfy the sweet tooth, without the excess baggage involved with one of those yummy, decadent soufflés.  This is many years ago - halfway into the cruise I was informed that they had run out of Sauternes, hoped to re-stock along the way, but it never happened.  So it became a "thing" in future conversation with Mrs Shark Bait, if something went slightly awry, we'd say, "oh no, it's Sauternes all over again".  And then.....several cruises later it happened again.  After being told they were fresh out, I was bemoaning my fate in the MDR, and a British couple at an adjacent table apparently overheard me, the gentleman said he had also asked for Sauternes the night before, but was also given the bad news.  He and I chatted about it momentarily, just as the MDR maitre d' walked by, he overheard us, and said "Sauternes?  You wish for some Sauternes?  I will get for you".  We told him that it was apparently out of stock, he wagged his finger at us, pointed to himself, and vanished.  Five minutes later he walked up to us, stopped, looked at the heavens, then dropped his head with his chin on his chest, and in Marcel-Marceau-like fashion, mimed pulling a giant samurai sword out of its scabbard, and plunged it into his abdomen in dramatic disemboweling fashion.  It was a hearty laugh all around, and of course behind it all, I'm sure, was his hope that he could ease our frustration with a good chuckle, which it did.

[shark b8]

…and what goes around, comes around.  Last night at our (superb) Keller Grill dinner, I asked for an after-dinner Sauternes and was told that…..they’re out.    😳😡

 

The waiter was surely confused as to why this news was met with a belly laugh. 

[shark b8]

Xunantunich Mayan ruins today, from Belize City.  2 hour bus ride each way, but obvs fascinating stuff.

 

 

[shark b8]

[shark b8]

Aaack, just noticed the big “Video Compressor” app banner at the bottom of video…..obvs most video needs to be smaller file size to work with limited onboard wifi, I’ll see if I can edit it out…..

Edited January 10, 2023 by shark b8

[shark b8]

Surprisingly, to me anyway, we’re told there is a significant Amish population in Belize.

 

[tv24]

Shark:  Just catching up to this thread now.  We had originally planned to be on the WC but had to cancel for personal reasons.  We are now booked for the 2024 WC.  I will follow your adventures with great interest.  A tres bon voyage!

[purpleally]

8 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Surprisingly, to me anyway, we’re told there is a significant Amish population in Belize.

 

Or, Mennonites?

[shark b8]

Yeah, our guide used both descriptors, Amish & Mennonites.  I’d probably need to research further to get a better understanding.

 

Meanwhile, we’re now arriving at our next port, Santo Tomas de Castillo, Guatemala.   Yesterday in Belize City we shared dock space with Silversea (the Silver Moon), this morning we just now scooted past her to get to our berth.  Actually, now looks like we’re going to squeeze in between the Moon and a gigantic Del Monte container ship.

[shark b8]

*sigh*
 

[shark b8]

Last night (as I was listening to my beloved LA Kings conquer the evil Edmonton Oilers, 6-3) the First Mate went to take a peek at the show in the Salon.  She said Ross (cd) announced “no more masks, everybody!”, which was met with a great whoop.  And just now, we notice that *all* crew, including wait staff at Colonnade breakfast, are unmasked.

Edited January 10, 2023 by shark b8

[highplanesdrifters]

10 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Xunantunich Mayan ruins today, from Belize City.  2 hour bus ride each way, but obvs fascinating stuff.

 

 

Sometimes the bus ride is worth it.