The Fleet Report and Daily for Tuesday April 25th, 2023

[kazu]

39 minutes ago, cruzn single said:

Just enjoyed the ship, new people to meet and the whole experience.  On 1st part of cruise (5-day Bahamas cruise), I FINALLY made 4-star.  It took a very long time for me - been cruising with HAL since 1985.

 

So glad you enjoyed your time on board 👍 and congratulations on making 4* 👏 👏 

 

 

39 minutes ago, cruzn single said:

 

Will try to comment on past posts and today's when I return home.   I am leaving shortly for the doctor for MOHS surgery on my nose.  Bit worried about this one.  

 

Best wishes for your surgery 🙏 

 

 

39 minutes ago, cruzn single said:

 

Wanted to report good medical news that happened during my trip.  The second major surgery for my DStepson for kidney removal was a success and the extremely large tumor was non-cancerous.  Still have to deal with oncology because of adrenal gland malignancy.  Also learned he also has melanoma (bad sort) that must also be dealt with.  So definitely a mixed bag of things going on for him.

 

Glad to hear your D Stepson’s surgery was a success.  Hoping his doctors can help with his malignancy and melanoma 🙏 and he has a good recovery 🙏 

 

 

1 hour ago, ger_77 said:

I like the shopping you did yesterday; I'll bet Ivan will, too.

 

Ivan loves to carry around a stuffed teddy or toy.  Have to be prepared 😉 

 

A very happy birthday to your handsome DH, Gerry.

 

 

 

36 minutes ago, ottahand7 said:

@cunnorl  It is a good idea to book other penguin viewing instead of putting "all eggs in one basket" as I did.  Volunteer Point was to be my penguin viewing trip but we missed the Falklands.  I would highly recommend the Ballestas Islands.  It was fun but very few penguins but many other birds.   Probably depends on the time of the year.  

 

Good advice - I so agree with this.  We had several tours with penguin sightings.  There are different kinds of penguins so it worked out ideally.  Sadly, we too couldn’t get to the Falkland Islands so I was glad we got some sightings in previously.  

[RedneckBob]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Thank you Bob buddy 

You can call me Graham.

Thanks Graham. Will do! 
You can call me Bob, you can call me RedneckBob, you can call me Redneck, you can call me Bobneck, but don’t call me late for dinner!

[RedneckBob]

1 hour ago, travelnap said:

I thought it was, You may be a Redneck if your family tree has no branches.

Use to be but now it is more scientific with DNA. 

[RedneckBob]

45 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Good morning everyone. For the first time this cruise we woke up definitely knowing we are at sea on a ship. Just a tad rough.

A surprise to us as this leg of the cruise has turned out to be a culinary cruise. Famous chef David Burke is on board and giving a cooking demonstration today in showroom. We have been signed up for the David Burke Chefs dinner tomorrow night but we were clueless that he was actually going to be preparing it.

We’re booked for lunch in the Pinnacle today. I need to spend some time on line today as I’m getting low on Me Me’s. Oh the pressure of it all.

Jacqui I do hope your procedure tomorrow goes well with minimal discomfort and healing results.

@ger_77Happy Birthday to your husband.

Time to rise and sway my way to the Pinnacle for coffee and a lite nosh.

Thanks for the Reports and Post.

 

Ok, who took a picture of our vacation home only 1236 miles from Ft Walton Beach!

[superoma]

21 minutes ago, RedneckBob said:

Thanks Graham. Will do! 
You can call me Bob, you can call me RedneckBob, you can call me Redneck, you can call me Bobneck, but don’t call me late for dinner!

Hey that was my line a couple of days ago! Lol

[RedneckBob]

2 minutes ago, superoma said:

Hey that was my line a couple of days ago! Lol

Then I will call you Super Duper Oma!

[0106]

1 hour ago, cunnorl said:

I also booked Magdalena Island and am planning on booking the Balestas

I have read a great deal about the Magdalena Island crossing from Punta Arenas.  Did you book a ship's tour?  If not, what private tour company are you planning to use? 

 

@ottahand7Unfortunately, we will not be in Peru to see the penguins of Balestas. 

42 minutes ago, kazu said:

We had several tours with penguin sightings.  There are different kinds of penguins so it worked out ideally

We have "penguin tours" booked for Puerto Madryn and the Falklands.  Would visit Magdalena Island while in Punta Arenas have not decided on a tour.  Do you have any advice?

 

We are on a 22 day sailing from Buenos Aires to Santiago.   Appreciate any other advice the Dailyites could provide. 

 

[grapau27]

38 minutes ago, RedneckBob said:

Thanks Graham. Will do! 
You can call me Bob, you can call me RedneckBob, you can call me Redneck, you can call me Bobneck, but don’t call me late for dinner!

👍

[kazu]

1 hour ago, puppycanducruise said:

Just heard that Harry Belafonte passed away.  Such a great voice.

RIP

 

I was coming on to post the same thing.  Sad news.  He did a lot to raise awareness and help many in need.  🙏 

 

25 minutes ago, 0106 said:

We have "penguin tours" booked for Puerto Madryn and the Falklands.  Would visit Magdalena Island while in Punta Arenas have not decided on a tour.  Do you have any advice?

 

We are on a 22 day sailing from Buenos Aires to Santiago.   Appreciate any other advice the Dailyites could provide. 

 

 

It was a number of years ago when we went and my first foray into private tours.  But, Anything to do with water (some sightings required crossing water) and the penguins I booked with HAL.  Back then, we did enjoy them.  DH was very happy with all of his sightings - thrilled.

 

What port do you disembark at to get to Santiago?  When we went it was Valparaiso.  If that happens to be yours and you have the time - there is a home & museum of Pablo Neruda’s there.  Our guide discovered I was a fan (in fact my thesis was on one phase of his work) and gladly included it for us.  There is also a home on the way to Santiago.  The one in Valparaiso is more accessible and has more of his original writings, mementos, etc.

[Cruising-along]

Good morning all!

We're finally heading into a dry stretch.  April has broken records for the amount of rain we've gotten (and it's always a lot anyway).  My neighborhood gals and I have chosen today for an outdoor pow-wow, lots to catch up on.  We'll light up the firepit if it's cool enough, not sure yet.

 

So good to see that the Koningsdam (our next ship) has left Hawaii and headed this way for our cruise on the 1st!  We are packed and ready!

 

Interesting collection of days, the drink actually sounds tasty to me, will pass on the meal (and stick to my own stir-fry) and red wine.  Tina @0106 Thank you for giving the context to the quote.  Like Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser I still find it a bit odd though...  We have been to Manta once, on our S. America cruise on the Statendam in 2015.  Photos to follow.

 

Happy 82nd birthday to Gerry's @ger_77 DH!

 

Jacqui @kazu Thinking of you as you have your surgery tomorrow.  Prayers for a swift and full recovery.

 

Lorraine @cruising sister Ouch on the fractured and infected toe!  It's good you have a week before your cruise.

 

Mary Kay @cruzn singleBest wishes for a successful MOHS surgery tomorrow.  Great news that your stepson's large tumor was non cancerous, but I'm sorry to hear about the adrenal gland malignancy and melanoma.  Prayers that all will be resolved successfully.

 

Here are a few photos from our tour out of Manta in 2015.  We also went to see a family-run Panama hat business.  As said before, Panama hats originated in Ecuador, not Panama.  DH did buy one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terry @smitty34877 I'm glad to hear that Tana's oxygen problem has been solved.  She's been through so much.

 

Annie @marshhawk Thinking of you as you made the hard but necessary decision about Irving.  Sorry to hear about the cut in your hours too.  Hugs!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info.

[atexsix]

Good Morning!

 

It's foggy this morning, but no precip, and the local weather has assured us the warmup will begin today, for a low 60 high, fingers crossed we can finally shut the heaters off, I've been running them less and less, but....today's main agenda item is already crossed off the list when I took our ballots to the drop off box, they are having a local special election.  It's Tuesday so Dad gets his bath from the HHA, as usual he grumbled about it.  

 

Thanks @dfish for the menu explanation, I had no idea what it was.  The drink sounds good, I can usually handle vodka, it doesn't put me under the table like most hard liquor.  @StLouisCruisersAgree on penguins, I think they are adorable, one of my favorite animals.  Used to be able to watch the Monterey Aquarium feed the smaller penguins on webcam. You're certainly having a cool spring by Georgia standards, I lived there for 4 years and by this time it would be in the 80s. 

 

Thoughts/Prayers to all.  

 

I'm enjoying all the pictures many of you post each day, you really get a personal perspective that a brochure could never give.  I particularly study beach photos because they are always empty when advertised in the commercial sense, but are they really?  

 

@aliaschief hoping you have smoother seas, the last couple we took there were days we couldn't get out of bed and normally I've got strong sea legs. 

 

Have a great day everyone!

 

~Bruno

[RedneckBob]

6 hours ago, superoma said:

Tuesday April 25 care and celebration list

 

Roy recovering from pneumonia and getting stronger

Jodiesme1 mother and Her DH with Covid in Guatemala 

Too many shooting victims

Mamaofami’s dh with pneumonia 

Oxygen supply issues for Tana

Hoping for placement closer to home for Luvteaching’s DH

Citizens of Ukraine

Praying for continued healing for cruising sister

Kazu with elbow surgery on Wednesday

Atexsix DD working on getting mobile

Lazey1 getting colitis flair under control before cruise

Marshhawks difficult decision for Irving 

From the rotation:

 

Smitty34877’s DH’s GI Surgery

Dobiemom’s sleeping issues

Grapau27 needing hip surgery for arthritis 

Luvteaching’s DH in rehab 

 

Celebrations

 

Rafinmd’s good report from the Oncologist, Podiatrist and Pulmonologist

Vict0riann’s week in Ireland

Cheers for ladyHudson’s excellent diet results

Safe return of Ichban Nekko from Europe

Mr Boston safely home after a difficult time in Michigan0

Fleet week in Fort Lauderdale

Happy birthday to ger_77 DH

Remembering Anzac Day (Australia & New Zealand)

 

Many Dailyites cruising or with upcoming cruises

 

 5 days Lobsternight anniversary cruise and vow renewal (Nieuw Amsterdam 4/30 to 5/7)

7 days for HAL4NOW (Koningsdam 5/1 to 5/6)

7 days Cruising-along (Koningsdam 5/1 to 5/6)

 

 

 Cruising

 

aliaschief & DWAliaschief (Eurodam to 4/28) 

Kplady (Grand Princess to 4/28), 

Sailingdutchy (Rotterdam to 4/29), 

Oceansaway17 (Vision of the Seas to 5/1)

Lady Hudson (Anthem of the Seas to 5/1)

St Pete Cruiser (Noordam to 5/2), 

TiogaCruiser (Volendam to 5/2), 

Overhead Fred’s Anniversary cruise (Rotterdam to 5/6), AV8rix (Volendam to 5/6), 

Dismomx5 (Volendam to 5/6), 

USN59-79 (Westerdam to 5/7), 

Cat in My Lap, Gail&Marty, Richwmn and HorizonChaser1957 (Zuiderdam to 5/12), 

Sharon in AZ (Volendam to 5/17) at sea

Jazzyv cruise (celebrity apex) and vacation to 5/28

Thanks for the info Super Duper Oma!

 

You may wish to add that RedneckBob also had sleeping issues. My doctor prescribed sleeping pills. Picked them up several days ago and before taking the pills googled to find out the side effects. Once I found out that one side effect was, “May cause breathing to stop”, I opted out and have been sleeping like a lamb since!

[TiogaCruiser]

4 hours ago, 0106 said:

ANZAC Day, East Meets West Day, The Book Thief…what do they all have in common?  World Wars,  may we never have another one.

 

If you haven’t read the Book Thief, I recommend you do.  I taught it to my 10th graders.  If you’re not a reader, watch the movie.  (Of course it’s not as good as the book.).  Liesel is a young girl during WWII, living with a foster family, who is hiding a Jew in their basement.  Rudy is her best friend, his family are ***.  Think about the quote now that you have context of Liesel and Rudy’s friendship, Death, the narrator says, The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you.  

 

Off with the teacher hat, on to PENGUINS!🐧🐧🐧 I love them.  I booked a South America & Antarctic cruise next January; I am in the process of booking tours  in every port where there is a possibility of seeing penguins.  Volunteer Point in the Falklands is booked.  If anyone has any other tour suggestions, I’d love your input.

 

Positive thoughts to all who need them.  Cheers to those celebrating.

Is a private tour something you might consider?  I booked with Nyree (sp?) and there’s also Patrick. If they are still doing tours post Covid. Adding that I ended up going with HAL because I didn’t have priority tendering and was concerned I would miss the tour.

 

https://adventurefalklands.com

 

https://thawards.com/estancia-excursion/

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by TiogaCruiser

[aliaschief]

David Burkes cooking demo and menu for his dinner tomorrow night.

 

[superoma]

57 minutes ago, RedneckBob said:

Thanks for the info Super Duper Oma!

 

You may wish to add that RedneckBob also had sleeping issues. My doctor prescribed sleeping pills. Picked them up several days ago and before taking the pills googled to find out the side effects. Once I found out that one side effect was, “May cause breathing to stop”, I opted out and have been sleeping like a lamb since!

You know, I will find you if I ever make it back to Florida! I think you narrowed it down by revealing Fort Walton. Laughs are always good, too much sadness in the works as it is.

[NextOne]

I'm pleased to say I got some good news yesterday:

"Edi, fortunately at this point time we do not need any procedures."

 

I also thought this note was interesting! Apparently, communication isn't great between the departments!

 

"I am disappointed that you are not contacted by the surgical team at the **** Hospital I will forward a message to Dr. B*** who is an excellent structural heart specialist at ***** Hospital. I am sure he will contact you within the next few days."

 

I'm just happy that this doesn't threaten my July cruise & I was right to be concerned that no one had contacted me!

@marshhawk Annie - I'm sorry to hear the news about Irving. You are a good pet parent!

@kazu Jacqui - good luck tomorrow with the elbow surgery.The new dog toys are adorable!

Prayers raised all that need them, and cheers for those celebrating! I, too, was sadden by the news about Harry Belafonte. He was such a remarkable man.

[marshhawk]

@aliaschiefThank you for the food porn menu, and now I'm hungry again.

 

I wrote the checks, paid the bills and went to the post office to mail them and buy stamps. Stopped at chic fil A for lunch, DH is at work, and I'm off until 5:30.  Its also walk the dog night.  I think every one in Stone Mountain was at the Post office,  every one complaining about lost packages, and packages not being delivered.  They seemed shocked that someone just wanted stamps.  That people actually mail things.

 

Thank you all for your kind words about Irving and our decision.  He  has always wanted to eat DH's chick fil a sandwich, couldnt handle the crunch of the chicken at lunch today, he cant eat dry food anymore, he even turned down Temptations last night.  And this simply verified our decision.  It is time.

 

I am now off to the Dollar Tree, to get last minute items.  I usually get a door decoration there for our cabin, but that is usually tropical in nature. Hope they have a snow flake left over from winter, I read today it is snowing in Kodiak.

 

 

 

[ottahand7]

3 hours ago, 0106 said:

I have read a great deal about the Magdalena Island crossing from Punta Arenas.  Did you book a ship's tour?  If not, what private tour company are you planning to use? 

 

@ottahand7Unfortunately, we will not be in Peru to see the penguins of Balestas. 

We have "penguin tours" booked for Puerto Madryn and the Falklands.  Would visit Magdalena Island while in Punta Arenas have not decided on a tour.  Do you have any advice?

 

We are on a 22 day sailing from Buenos Aires to Santiago.   Appreciate any other advice the Dailyites could provide. 

 

I understand the trip was quite long so that is only the word of warning on that tour.    It can be quite chilly down there and especially if the boats are open.    

 

If I recall when I weighed the excursions offered by HA there was the long one and then there was a steeply priced speedboat offering in half the time.   We opted not to do it because I had booked so many other shore excursions on the trip.  Only so much money to spend on such a long cruise.   I bet the Viator tours might be cheaper and less time in the boat.   I am quoting this purely off from memory of our decision process on not to book this shorex.  Hope it helps.   Nancy 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

10 minutes ago, marshhawk said:

@aliaschiefThank you for the food porn menu, and now I'm hungry again.

 

I wrote the checks, paid the bills and went to the post office to mail them and buy stamps. Stopped at chic fil A for lunch, DH is at work, and I'm off until 5:30.  Its also walk the dog night.  I think every one in Stone Mountain was at the Post office,  every one complaining about lost packages, and packages not being delivered.  They seemed shocked that someone just wanted stamps.  That people actually mail things.

 

Thank you all for your kind words about Irving and our decision.  He  has always wanted to eat DH's chick fil a sandwich, couldnt handle the crunch of the chicken at lunch today, he cant eat dry food anymore, he even turned down Temptations last night.  And this simply verified our decision.  It is time.

 

I am now off to the Dollar Tree, to get last minute items.  I usually get a door decoration there for our cabin, but that is usually tropical in nature. Hope they have a snow flake left over from winter, I read today it is snowing in Kodiak.

 

 

 

 

Annie, even without the ability to talk, our furry family members have a way of letting us know they are ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge.  Irving is telling you that you made the right decision for all of you.  ((((((HUGS))))))

 

Lenda

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, ottahand7 said:

I understand the trip was quite long so that is only the word of warning on that tour.    It can be quite chilly down there and especially if the boats are open.    

 

If I recall when I weighed the excursions offered by HA there was the long one and then there was a steeply priced speedboat offering in half the time.   We opted not to do it because I had booked so many other shore excursions on the trip.  Only so much money to spend on such a long cruise.   I bet the Viator tours might be cheaper and less time in the boat.   I am quoting this purely off from memory of our decision process on not to book this shorex.  Hope it helps.   Nancy 

 

Nancy, we looked into Viator tours for one trip.  IIRC, they do not run the tours, but are basically a booking agent for different tour operators.  That was why we did not go with them, since it was difficult to figure out who would be providing the tour.

 

Lenda

[Sharon in AZ]

Good afternoon and Happy Tuesday from the lovely Volendam. 
 

I’ve been busy on this sea day with many more to come. I’m heading to trivia now so I’ll try to post later. Just wanted to say 

 

Happy Birthday to Gerry’s DH @ger_77 !!  🎈🎈🎈

 

And that the Volendam had a ANZAC service early this morning. 
 

Have a great day everyone!

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my 2014 Amsterdam voyage from Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale.  On April 25 Amsterdam visited St. Maarten.

 

 

 

Roy

[RedneckBob]

1 hour ago, superoma said:

You know, I will find you if I ever make it back to Florida! I think you narrowed it down by revealing Fort Walton. Laughs are always good, too much sadness in the works as it is.

If you make it to Ft Walton you probably run into AC. I am further south in the Tampa Bay Area. So now the secret is out.

[superoma]

22 minutes ago, RedneckBob said:

If you make it to Ft Walton you probably run into AC. I am further south in the Tampa Bay Area. So now the secret is out.

Old age is a painful thing. I did know you were in the Tampa area but forgot.