The Fleet Report and Daily for Saturday March 11th, 2023

[StLouisCruisers]

Today is Johnny Appleseed Day, Worship of Tools Day, and International Fanny Pack Day
 

May you live every day of your life.--Jonathan Swift

Meal Suggestion for today - Vegetarian Lasagna
Drink of the Day - Zarza
Wine of the Day - Destiny Bay Waiheke Island Magna Praemia 2020
Destination of the Day - Saint-Denis, Reunion Island
 

Eurodam

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica 06:30 - 16:00
 

Koningsdam

Moorea Island, Society Islands, French Polynesia 08:00 Arrive
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas 08:00-15:00
 

Nieuw Statendam

Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades, Florida 07:00 - 16:00
 

Oosterdam

Buenos Aires, Argentina - 18:00
 

Rotterdam

Oranjestad, Aruba 14:00-23:59
 

Volendam

At Sea Destination Bridgetown, Barbados eta 3-12
 

Zaandam

At Sea Destination Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala eta 3/12
 

Zuiderdam

At Sea Destination Port Elizabeth, South Africa eta 3/12

Eastern Hemisphere
 

Noordam

At Sea Destination Melbourne, Victoria Australia eta 3-13
 

Westerdam

At Sea Destination Yokohama, Tokyo, Japan Kanagawa eta 3-13

 

 

Sandi for Rich and Roy

Edited March 11, 2023 by StLouisCruisers

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends!  It's a lot colder this morning.  42F with our high later going to 62, some sun but mostly cloudy as the day goes on.  I hope the weather is nice where you are.  Thank you Rich @richwmnfor the Daily and Fleet Report material.  Several of the ports were different than their original itineraries and I changed Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam so I hope that's alright.  I thought Zuiderdam was incorrect also until I took a look at your post a little earlier today and see your Zuiderdam had a last minute change of plans.  This keeping up with the ships is hard work and I don't know how you do it without going a little crazy!  Hats off to you!

 

Today we have some interesting days to celebrate.  We've been at this a while so I can remember Johnny Appleseed Day from last year!  Good job Johnny at introducing apple trees to large parts of the United States.  Next is Worship of Tools Day.  Well, I think I can heartily support tools which help us get jobs and chores done.  Where we be without them?  Last is International Fanny Pack Day.  At one time these were quite popular but have fallen out of favor for most.  A little geeky maybe but they sure were handy at keeping your "stuff" right at hand.😁

 

Today's quote is great and actually sounds like a toast.🥂  As for the menu suggestion, I love regular lasagna but I understand vegetarian lasagna is necessary for those who don't eat meat.  The drink I have never heard of and I have no idea what the wine is.  Help, Dixie@summer slope and Ann @cat shepard!!  The port today is a brand new one and probably not one many of us have traveled to.  Saint-Denis, Reunion Island.  Therefore I don't have a link today and am crossing my fingers we get some photos from someone!  I'm sure they will be very interesting.

 

Prayers today for all on our Care list and for anyone not on the list and needing them.  Also for the trouble spots in the world with so many people hurting.  🙏  Hoping all on the Celebration list are enjoying their cruises and happy days.  We salute you!🎉🥂 

 

To all Dailyites, have a wonderful Saturday! 

[richwmn]

12 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Thank you Rich @richwmnfor the Daily and Fleet Report material.  Several of the ports were different than their original itineraries and I changed Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam so I hope that's alright.  I thought Zuiderdam was incorrect also until I took a look at your post a little earlier today and see your Zuiderdam had a last minute change of plans.  This keeping up with the ships is hard work and I don't know how you do it without going a little crazy!  Hats off to you!

I did change Zuiderdam within a few minutes of the Captain's announcement this morning. As far as NADM & RTDM, if they are different than the original itinerary it is because someone notified me or posted a change. I do try to keep it up to date.

[grapau27]

Good morning.

Thank you Sandi for your dedication to the Daily and supplying all of the reports.

I am no good at DIY so I do not have a plethora of tools.

We call fanny packs bum bags but never use ours now instead Pauline likes to carry a hand bag.

Excellent quote.

I prefer beef lasagna but have eaten vegetarian lasagna.

Prayers for everyone who is unwell.

Take care.

Graham.

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning, thanks for the daily fleet report.  This morning is going to be rainy and a bit windy.  I may go to Walmart early this morning but may wait until tomorrow. Today’s meal suggestion would go over with DH if there was some meat added.  I saw a FB post that the shareholder perk was extended for another year. I checked the website and it was updated yet.  I hope everyone has a good day today.

Since Zander got me up I’ll go watch the NS come into port.

[RedneckBob]

Thanks for the Fleet Update and General Info SLC. (Every time I do that I think of Salt Lake City but you are from St Louis)

 

Let’s see, where do I start.

Fanny Pack Day. Usually after I have eaten a very large dinner you can say I packed it into my fanny. 😀

Tool day worship. I have lots of tools. You know what is the smartest tool; the thermometer, it has lots of degrees. What is the king of all tools, the ruler.

And finally the famous Johnny Appleseed. One time Johnny got very drunk drinking his apple cider, had his horse and buggy pulled over by the sheriff and given a ticket driving while sauced. So now we know where apple sauce came from.

 

Edited March 11, 2023 by RedneckBob

[JazzyV]

Today’s care list:

Roy recovering from pneumonia

Dailyites not sleeping well

Cruising sister’s loss of a dear friend to cancer

Cruzin Terri with pain from myofascial strain

Difficult days for Jacqui (kazu)

Citizens of Ukraine/CA deluged by snow and rain

From the rotation:

StLouisCruiser’s DB with pulmonary fibrosis 

Scrapnana undergoing chemotherapy

Tana’s pulmonary issues

Former President Jimmy Carter in home hospice care

 

Celebrations and Shout outs:

Welcome home SusieKIsland Girl!

Vict0riann’s DH Pat home from the hospital

Smitty34877’s new aide for Tana

Cruzin Terri’s bathroom nearer to completion

Many Dailyites planning cruises

 

1 day for Lady Hudson’s sisters cruise (Anthem of the Seas 3/12 to 3/19)

6 days for RedneckBob (Celebrity Constellation 3/17 to 3/27)

7 Days for DWAliaschief’s sisters cruise (Rotterdam 3/18 to3/29)

7 Days for Seagarsmoker (N Statendam 3/18 to 3/25)

 

Cruisercl (NCL Bliss to 3/12), TAW1963 (Ruby Princess 3/12), ottahand7 and Lindaler (Volendam to 3/18), Suslor (Zaandam to 3/18), Seasick Sailor and 57redbird (Koningsdam to 3/25), Norseh2o (Oceania Marina to 4/6), and Cat in My Lap, Gail&Marty, Richwmn and HorizonChaser1957 (Zuiderdam to 5/12) at sea

 

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning and thanks for the Daily and Fleet Report.

 

A cold day here.  We had a bit of snow yesterday.  It's -5°C now and should warm up to a balmy -2°C 🙂.

 

An interesting collection of days.  A big thank you to Johnny Appleseed.  I appreciate tools but don't want to worship them.  I've heard it's impolite to call it a "fanny pack", they are often called waist bags now, but I don't care for them.

I agree, the quote sounds like a toast.

We have vegetarian lasagna once in a while, but I prefer a meaty version.

I hope the drink and wine are tasty.

 

Prayers for everyone who needs them.  Cheers for all the celebrations.

Have a wonderful Saturday.

Stay safe.

[RMLincoln]

Good morning Dailyites! 
Checking back in after our family cruise. Rotterdam returned us Wednesday… DH and I drove home to Maryland, arrived safely yesterday. It’s a tough slog up

I-95 with lots of traffic and periodic congestion. Thinking I don’t want to do it again. Glad to be home safe, but not too sound…  I am sick!  It began second day on the road home. Maybe a cold maybe COVID. I am so disappointed - we wore KN -95 masks 100% out of our room. Only ate in MDR with the family. No shore excursions, avoided crowds, etc. Not sure how this will impact DH’s eye surgery schedule - he has pre-op physical Monday, surgery the 28th. That’s the great concern now. He needs the eye drain implants for glaucoma so he can get off (some?) of the eye drop meds that he has become allergic to or sensitized to. He has three meds, only two come in preservatives-free versions. He has constant itching of the eyes and face. Still hoping we can get the surgeries started this month, one eye at a time. Appreciate your prayers!
 

The cruise was excellent. 8 of us - daughter from Idaho, son and wife from North Carolina, 2 granddaughters and the married one’s husband from New York State. Some flight problems, cancellation, delays arriving but everyone made it. They did lots of excursions, tons of fun!  We had a table for 8 in main/late dining and the most exceptional servers we ever had!  Some did specialty dinning a couple of nights but it was all good. The ships is a great place for people to have their own space. I think they want to do it again!  
 

Rotterdam is a beautiful ship with stunning artwork. She certainly felt very new!  The MDR wasn’t horribly noisy like Koningsdam. The Lincoln Center Stage musicians were excellent. I don’t know when their contracts end and HAL shifts them to a main stage act but we thoroughly enjoyed them. We found a place to sit in the BBKings lounge away from people so we could feel safer. No idea where I picked up this bug, probably disembarking. Will let you know how we do, how it impacts us. 
 

Thanks for the excellent screenshots of SailAway!  I captured them this morning, will share them with family. How special this “family” is!  Blessings to you all, and Kia Ora to our NZ friends who have shared the last decade with us!  You all lift my spirit and I deeply appreciate our connections. 
 

Have tons to catch up on, here and everywhere!  Plus I lost a cousin while we were away. She was a great positive influence in my life and a wonderful role model for my sister and me growing up. She wound up living in Houston but DH and I got to visit with her many times- when we trailered around the country, when we used the Houston port, and during our stays there for MD Anderson for treatments. The longer we live the more people we lose. I’m so grateful for all the myriad connections we enjoy. 
Maureen 

[summer slope]

Zarza cocktail:

 

Ingredients
2 parts Sauza® 901® Tequila
1 part Simple Syrup
1 part Fresh Lemon Juice
Blackberries
Float: DeKuyper® Crème de Cassis Liqueur

Instructions
Combine all ingredients, excluding liqueur. Shake well. Strain and serve over crushed ice in a rocks glass. Float liqueur on top. Garnish with fresh blackberries.

 

[cat shepard]

Sandi, thank you for starting us off this morning!  It is another spectacular morning & we had rain last night. It was perfectly timed. It started after Bindi’s evening walk and ended before her bedtime outing. We even had a bit of a thunderstorm. We still need a great deal more to catch up, but that should have helped put out some of the area’s wildfires. 
 

Vanessa, thank you for keeping track of our happenings so well!  I may not go to Zumba this morning. Yesterday’s commutes to & from the gym were brutal. But Bike week ends tonight, so I may just take a long walk on this glorious day.

 

Dinner at a friend’s this evening. I will be bringing a bottle of the 2020 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Blanc that was the wine du jour a week or so ago. I will share my thoughts tomorrow - sometimes my palate does not appreciate what critics and many consumers appreciate.
 

 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone!

 

*******

Destiny Bay Waiheke Island Magna Praemia 2020

Well Cabernet lovers who live in or visit New Zealand might find a more reasonable price for this stellar wine, but the only online distributor I found offers it for $377.77. It does sound amazing though & visiting the vineyards off the coast of Auckland would be a real treat. 

Winemaker notes 

After two years of residing in Hong Kong due to the pandemic, James Suckling was finally able to travel the world again in pursuit of the best wines in the world. Starting in the US, then heading to Europe and then Australia, Suckling made it to New Zealand. Destiny Bay was thrilled to host James at the winery in October and be able to share with him our two most recent vintages as well as a few Library Stock wines. It was a privilege to be recognised in Suckling’s list of the Top 100 Wines of the World but further scoring from Suckling saw us take out the #1 Cabernet spot in his list of Top 100 Wines of New Zealand with our highly-coveted Magna Praemia 2020. Suckling described the Magna Praemia 2020 from our small estate on Waiheke Island as, “a muscular, dark-fruited cabernet sauvignon-based blend,” that demonstrates the, “surprising power that the small island is capable of.”  Suckling awarded the Magna Praemia 2020 with 99/100 points.

[summer slope]

The sun coming up this morning. 

[mamaofami]

Good morning everyone. A snowy rainy day today and it’s quite gloomy out there. A good day for me to read and find a movie on Netflix.

Stay safe everyone,

Carol

[rafinmd]

Thank you Rich, Sandi, Vanessa, Dixie, Ann, Debbie, and fellow dailyites.  I slept pretty well last night but am concerned about how things will go tonight with the time change.  I was never into fanny packs, salute Johhny Appleseed, and probably have more tools than I can use now.  Love the swift quote but will pass on the lasagna. 

 

Reunion is extremely isolated and only a few cruise ships stop there.  Oddly, it is a frequent stop on QM2's World Cruise, both 2023 and 2024.  The only HAL connection I see on cruisetimetables dot com is Bolette (former Amsterdam) going there in 2025.

 

Roy

[Lady Hudson]

Good morning.  A bit of snow last night—most measurable of the season.  For a snow person like me this winter has been a bust. 
 

Prayers for all in need.  Thanks to all who post here — it is my morning read with that first cup of coffee.

 

Our ship ( Anthem of the Seas) for tomorrow must still be having issues.  Got an email last night that we will be skipping a port (Canaveral).  So 2 days sailing to Nassau and then 2 sea days coming back to Bayonne.  Captain still saying they will dock on time tomorrow — currently off the coast of North Carolina. Missing the Florida stop is no big deal for us but I always feel bad for folks who had plans for the day.  I have learned “what will be will be” and just go with the flow.

 

Have a great weekend.  Katherine 

[Cruzin Terri]

Good morning to all of you.  Somehow I never got to post yesterday.

I started to read yesterday’s posts and something distracted me and I was never able to return.  I will try to read the posts today.

Thank you to Sandi @StLouisCruisersfor the Daily and Fleet Report and your dedication to making sure it is accurate.  I always love your narrative afterwards.  it is so well put together.

Thank to Vanessa @JazzyVfor the Cares and Celebration list.  You seem to capture everyone’s situation, good and bad and otherwise.  Appreciate your dedication and organization to this.  

You both jumped in to take over without even a blink of an eye.

@summer slope Dixie, I will pass on the drink and @cat shepard Ann, I will have to pass on the wine, not because I would not want to drink it, but I don’t think it fits my budget. 

As for the meal, we will see what @dfish Debbie comes up with, but I like real lasagna.  So I think we will skip that too.

The days are interesting.  Hats off to Johnny Appleseed.  We all appreciate tools, especially when we need them. I usually do not use Fanny packs.  I have enough packed into that area.

St. Denis, Reunion Island is a favorite stop on World Cruises.  I have not been to that port.

 

As for an update. The right side of my upper back is still hurting.  The heating pad provides temporary relief and lying down helps too.  However, with all the work to be done around here, I cannot sit still for long.

The tiling is finished and looks lovely.  The vanity, toilet, mirrors and medicine cabinet should be arriving this week.  The glass for the shower door will be measured this week and installed as soon as it is ready. So hopefully, I will have a completed bathroom very soon.  This has been a long haul.

And expensive!

 

Today Jim and i will celebrate his DB’s birthday in heaven.  Eugene was a very special part of our lives for a very long time and we will remember him very fondly today and keep him in our prayers. If anyone is in heaven, it is Eugene.  There is a special place in heaven for those with special needs.

Happy Birthday Eugene.

 

We are also going to make a jaunt to Costco.  We used to have to go to either Charleston or Jacksonville, but now they have opened one in Pooler, GA, which is a 40 minute drive.  We have not been there since the flood and really need to replenish supplies.

 

Finally, we remember in prayer all those who are on the cares list and those around the world who are suffering.  Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

 

We have sunshine today and it will be a great day.

Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead.

God Bless,

Terri

[richwmn]

 

 

10 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Reunion is extremely isolated and only a few cruise ships stop there.  Oddly, it is a frequent stop on QM2's World Cruise, both 2023 and 2024.  The only HAL connection I see on cruisetimetables dot com is Bolette (former Amsterdam) going there in 2025.

We (WC2023) were there not too long ago. Here are the pictures I posted.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2023 by richwmn

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning from a cloudy and cool central Texas.  It is a little foggy this morning.  This will be quick since it is house cleaning day.

 

DH is handy and has quite a collection of tools.  While we appreciate them and all they can do for us, we don't worship tools.  Hats off to Johnny Appleseed.  I am not a fan of fanny packs and prefer a crossbody bag.

 

Today’s quote is very true. 

 

With vegetarians in the family, I have a good vegetarian lasagna recipe.  We'll pass on the drink, but would like to try the wine🍷 if it wasn't so pricey.  

 

We have not been to Reunion island yet.  It was on a cruise we canceled.  Thank you Rich @richwmn for your pictures.  I was just about to mention the WC cruise has stopped there recently when you posted.

 

@RMLincoln  Welcome home.  I'm sorry you are sick and hope it's just a cold and that it won't affect your DH's surgery.  Condolences on the passingnof your cousin.

@Cruzin Terri  Terri, woo hoo, the end of the work is in sight.

 

I better get to work on the house.

 

Lenda

 

[GTVCRUISER]

Greetings from San Diego 🙂 

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  Yay for Johnny Appleseed - apples are my favourite fruit.  DH has tons of tools, but none that we worship.  Early in our marriage, he gave me a pink kit full of essential tools for odd jobs around the house that I quickly named the Barbie Kit.  You have no idea how often I've referred to the Barbie Kit for my needs, and frequently when DH needs something, rather than going out to the garage, he brings it out as well.  I've never used a fanny pack; I prefer using a cross body bag.

 

It was a dark and stormy night last night - fortunately we didn't get much snow, just a lot of wind.  As I look out the window, I can see the wind is still with us and it's just whipping around the snow that fell last night.  A couple of hours south of us, however, is a different story - roads are closed, power is out in a number of communities, and the storm hasn't finished with them yet.  There are still blizzard warnings and extreme snowfall warnings out for that part of the province.

 

Today is a day forever etched in our memory; 12 years ago our son was teaching kindergarten in Japan when the 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck.  He was close enough to Fukushima that he was able to capture a photo of the mushroom cloud when one of the explosions occurred.  As he crouched on the parking lot with his tiny students, he saw the ground open up in front of him and close again. What normally took him a 2.5 hr train ride to get home, took 21.5 hours walking through debris and broken streets.  Along the way, people offered him food, water, and if they had power, the opportunity to recharge his phone and laptop.  I stayed home from work that day and had 8 different windows open on my computer, trying to get updates on the situation, and was so relieved when we finally heard from him that he, our DDIL, her family, and their friends were all safe.  I will keep a candle burning today in memory of the thousands who lost their lives, and for the hundreds of thousands who lost their homes, their livelihoods.

 

I'd like to try the wine today, but if I was making the lasagna, would probably add ground beef (we like our meat!).  I think I'll bring out some salmon to bake, and will serve it with baby potatoes and green beans at the kitchen table tonight.  And wine.

 

Prayers for everyone who is in need, especially those facing nature's wrath.  Extra for the people of Ukraine for continued strength.  Cheers to all with celebrations.

 

Smooth Sailing!  ☺️☺️☺️

Gerry

 

 

[ottahand7]

@RMLincolnDeepest sympathy on thel oss of your cousin and pray that you don't have COVID so your DH  an get his surgery.  Glad your cruise was great. 

Edited March 11, 2023 by ottahand7

[superoma]

Good morning all. Well, we did not get as much snow as had been forecast. And the roads stayed fairly clean because we stayed at or above the freezing mark, at least in our little corner of Ontario. 
 

quiet day today, only laundry, since I cleaned yesterday. I have a couple of books to finish. Just watched season 22 of midsomer murders. I borrowed it from the library. Just waiting for them to get the newest season of death in paradise or for the Detroit pbs station to start broadcasting it. I should start sorting paperwork for income tax filing just so I know what I am missing.
 

prayers for all who need them and will lift a glass later for those celebrating.

[cunnorl]

Good Morning from a cloudy and cool day at the beach

        Not a fan of fanny packs but saw quite a few on our last cruise. I prefer a cross body bag.

       I do like vegetarian lasagna. 

       @Lady Hudson this would be a good week to skip Port Canaveral. Weather predictions are cool and rainy plus it is spring break for Florida kids. So everywhere would be very crowded. 

     @RMLincoln Hope you are feeling better soon and your DH does not catch it

       @cat shepard Ann, with all the bikers in town, better to stay home.  We have a lot here also but no where near the numbers in Daytona Beach. 

         We had our annual golf tournament yesterday. It was a lot of fun and all had a great time. I did not win but I did get a few side awards. My son won the same award for the Mens division. Everyone was giving us a hard time ( jokingly)  We then had a big barbeque dinner and the non golf playing family members joined us. All worked out well. 

         Stay safe and enjoy today

      Charlene

         

    

[marshhawk]

Good Saturday Morning Dailyites!  We had a lovely time at the concert last night, I did post last night about my life flash back,  All is good.  I ended up buying tickets for a Bela Fleck concert on April 20th.  Most of the campaigns for symphonies that I have worked on have had Bela Fleck as a guest artist , I figured I should see some one or know about them if I am trying to get someone to buy tickets to see them.

 

I like apple everything, I just dont really think about eating just an apple.  Love the blooms on the trees in the spring, and love the apples in pie.  I dont worship tools, but i may thank them if they make my work easier, and I have no problem with fanny packs.  I hear they are making a come back, due to necessity not so much for a fashion statement.  But I have never gone for fashion.