From Cool Alaska to the Balmy South Pacific, Sail with Bill & Mary Ann on the Volendam 9-6-23 to11-22-23 77 days

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Risi Bisi actually has its origins in Venice and we stay frequently at the Cipriani and they prepare it on request. Additionally they prepare a fettuccine with a golden yellow sauce which I have not found anywhere else. Reading CC is not good for my hunger pangs lol.  Being of Sicilian descent I remember my grandmother making something similar to Risi Bisi but do not recall what she called it.  I cannot make a good risotto no matter how hard I have tried and most restaurants I find can’t make it correctly either.

[WCB]

Report #55   Monday  October 30, 2023  Nuku'alofa, Tonga    Docked Starboard Side To Pier 8am-6pm   Cloudy And Very Windy With A Little Sunshine  75 Degrees  Part #1 Of 5........77 Pictures

 

Another day….another country.   Today’s port of call is the country of Tonga, specifically the Tongatapu Island and the capital city of Nuku’alofa.  And of course, there were excursions such as historic Tonga 2 ½ hours for $60 or a scenic drive for $80 3 ½ hours.  A trip to the beach and caves was 4 ½ hours for $100, or a cultural tour for 3 hours at $75, and ancient Tonga for 3 ½ hours for $85.  On past stops here, we have done a fun boat trip to Fafa Island, but it is no longer offered.  Blowholes, caves and an “umu” cooked lunch (underground oven) was also not available.  No flying foxes were to be seen, so they may only be here when the fruit is ripe.   And some of the places where these tours went in the past have been destroyed by the tsunami a few years ago.  That is a subject the locals do not wish to discuss, so we don’t go there with questions.

 

We noticed that it was very windy when we walked out on the promenade deck after the ship was docked.  It was also cooler than we have known it and totally fine with us.  Several local  Tongan dancers put on a nice welcome show on the dock.  Some folks even joined in the dancing on their way out of the wharf.  What was missing were the dozen or so tents set up on the pier for souvenirs.  It appears they have been moved to the left side of the shoreline by Vuna Road.  Perhaps it is better because with the strong winds, the tents might have gone airborne.  There was a money-changer on the road near the ship although we do not know why a lot of people do this.  It is good for small purchases in stores and cafes we guess.  But we know that many locals will be happy to take US dollars.  And credit cards are widely accepted here. 

 

There was another drill held for the crew at 9:30am, so we left the ship shortly after it began.  It happens to be the best time to send the big emails especially the ones with the photos.  We still have to prop open our door, but that’s not a problem.   We had been warned to hold onto our hats and visors coming down the gangway.  And they were correct as the wind was strong.  There was no mention of rain, so the breeze kept us cooler.

 

We headed right for the Talamahu Market with the produce and craft sections.  It is much smaller than what we found in previous ports.  And also much darker in there.  In the craft section, there were far fewer tables, so maybe we are at the end of the tourist season.  But that made it good for special sales such as the mother-of-pearl earring and necklace set we purchased.  The vendor was nice enough to use a Dremel and carve my name on the heart pendant.  Once the tool cut the nacre on the surface, she spelled out my name and then used a black permanent marker pen to highlite the letters on the shiny white backround.  It also had two palm trees and Tonga written on it.  A reasonable price of $10 will make a nice keepsake. 

 

We toured through the veggie market getting the best photos we could considering the low light.  Then we went back outside with a walk to their Catholic church.  A few blocks down and over we came upon the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua, one of the most modern churches here.  Directly across the road was the huge grounds of the Royal Tombs where the Kings and their families have been interred for many years.  And from the decorations we saw on a nearby fence, we realized there had been a royal funeral recently.  But who, we did not know. 

 

Directly across from the tombs was the oldest church the Centennial Church of the Free Church of Tonga.  It was built in 1885, and survived many a storm.  However, during the years we have been visiting, we have seen a lot of deterioration and it does not look as if there is money to repair it.  Tsunamis and hurricanes have not been kind to the old structure.  The most frequent visitors to the interior are the pigeons these days.

 

Turning the corner at the end of this street, we came upon the newer Wesleyan Methodist Church.  This is where the King and his family attend mass on Sundays.  Across the street is the military headquarters with guards to keep watch on the Royal Palace.  It is an impressive Victorian-style palace built with timber imported piece by piece from New Zealand.  It was constructed for King Tupou I in 1867 and remains the official residence of the current King of Tonga, King Tupou VI and his family.   When the family is present, a flag is flown.  Today there was no flag, so they must be at their home in the island’s center. 

 

Vuna Road continues from here along the lagoon for miles.  We noticed that the corner nearest the palace fencing had been cleared and leveled, and the street divided with barriers.  That’s when we also noticed that the pillars near the fence were wrapped in Tongan cloth with a banner above saying long live the King.  The windows of the palace were draped with dark black and blue sashes, indicting once again that someone had died.  We needed to ask a local.

 

Continuing up this paved walkway, we stopped at the Seaview Inn, a place where we always have lunch.  However today was Monday, and they were closed.  There was a lady near the gate, so we crossed over and asked about a recent death in the royal family.  She confirmed a family member had died, but with limited English, she said no more.  ( We did learn later that the mother of the Queen had passed away at 75 years old at a New Zealand hospital and recently repatriated for burial here.)  The nice lady apologized for not being opened but suggested maybe Little Italy was serving lunch.  We knew better since we had “googled it” and they only open for dinner at 5pm.  We were out of luck for a local lunch today, although beers may have been nice. 

 

It became apparent to us that another storm or hurricane had hit here since the tsunami caused so much damage a few years ago.  The landing that had been constructed for this restaurant was destroyed.  All of the peeler cores that had been used for the small dock were floating in the water.  Even the rock wall that had somewhat of a seating along the way was no longer intact.  The areas that took the worst beating as far as the walkway was concerned were repaired.  New saplings of the casuarina trees were planted surrounded with half tires to hold the soil and water.  Many signs were posted for no fishing in the lagoon.  If that was violated, there would be a $250,000 fine and with the currency exchange of 1 US dollar to 2.47 Tonga $, that would be about half that amount for us.  We did see one fellow walk out into the lagoon and it was only up to his knees for many yards out from shore.  We have been told that it will take the reef many years to recover from the storm damage.  Most all of the fish were gone.  And the coral as well.

 

Stopping at a few benches along the way, and taking care with all of the visiting dogs, we went to the end near the mangroves.  Another new restaurant had opened up there several years ago called Little India and they served pizza.  We went there for a couple of years, then it closed up.  Too bad, as it was good pizza.  On the way back, we stopped at Little Italy and they confirmed the fact that they opened at 5pm.  We knew that.

 

So we strolled back to the ship by 2pm, and ordered Caesar salads, a beef panini , and one quesadilla.  That would hold us until dinnertime.  It actually got cool on the veranda as the clouds came over and the wind picked up.  Captain Paul came on the speaker early to say we might have problems leaving the pier due to the high winds.  We do not have a long way to go to the next port in Vava’u, so he had time to get it right.  The ship was in motion shortly after 6pm and by 6:45pm, there was a sunset.  Not a really fabulous one, but OK. 

 

We had our minds set on the sweet and sour breaded shrimp for our mains for dinner.  But when we saw tonight’s dining room menu, the shrimp was gone and barramundi had been substituted.  What, not again?  Our waiter Mario said he was not impressed with the barramundi, so we order something totally different.  One of us had the very British slices of beef with a Yorkshire pudding and delicious creamy cauliflower.  And the other entrée was a mix of mushroom quesadillas with extra sour cream and guacamole and three sauced veal and sage meatballs.   That added the protein to the vegetarian dish.  Good mix.  Desserts were one hot fudge sundae and a mango sorbet….just right.

 

Looking forward to Vava’u tomorrow.  Hopefully their marina restaurant will be opened, at least it says it is on their website. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[sandiego1]

Too bad about the coral and fish. I snorkeled a fantastic coral wall very close to the ship during the 2023 WC. It was a bit of a walk from the ship’s dock to another partially destroyed dock. The coral there was gorgeous and there were many, many fish. A deep wall made for one of the best snorkel adventures I’ve ever had. I was able to follow the wall nearly back to the ship. However there was no way to get out of the water at that end.

[CruisingGrandmaW]

Hello Bill & Mary Ann: 

Just returned home from a 16 Night Panama Cruise aboard the Eurodam.

Getting caught up on your blog & posts.

Sounds like you're having a good time...that is great to hear.

Always disappointing to miss Fanning Island - it's a jewel in the rough.

 

See that you had a Room Service Quesadilla & Beef Panini. 

Also that MDR waiter did not recommend the Barramundi - which has always been good on past cruises.

 

That leads me to ask about the food.

We are booked on the 2024 Tales of Pacific & hoping that our Eurodam Food experience was a "one time" mishap & not indicative of Holland America food on other ships.

 

Overall - Our food was HORRIBLE on Eurodam.

(The Mariner's Brunch was wonderful - BUT the only good meal)

Don't know if it was because it was Eurodam's end of Alaskan season & making the Panama "re-positioning" thru Panama to Florida.

 

Both the "grade" of ingredients & the preparation were inferior.

For example, room service quesadilla was as though they had "steamed" it rather than heating on a skillet - causing the tortillas to be soft & doughy.  The Beef Panini had one thin piece of the worst tasting roast beef in it (think of half the thickness of a slice of bologna) that didn't even come to the edges of the bread.  Then loaded with mustard but only 2 - 3/4" pieces of the white rib portion of Romaine.

(We tried both these items 3 different times - thinking perhaps it had been bad once - but no all 3 times the same problem)

 

I have always loved the Fish served on Holland America - but on our Eurodam cruise it was not of the grade as on past cruises.  It all tasted like a cheap grade of frozen fish that had been freezer burned.  Then cooked in lots of oil to moisten it & perhaps cooked while still frozen rather than thawed out.

 

I could go on & on about the food but that would take up too much space here on your post.

 

In reading your posts, it sounds as though your food experience has been good.  But has that mostly been in the Pinnacle?  Are you finding the food in the MDR to be as good as in years past?

 

[dchip]

7 hours ago, CruisingGrandmaW said:

Also that MDR waiter did not recommend the Barramundi - which has always been good on past cruises.

Our waiter recommended the barramundi and it was absolutely delicious. Same night, same dining room, same time. In our opinion the food and fish have been excellent on this year’s Tales cruise. Everyone has different tastes, likes and dislikes. Example, I won’t eat beets. 😝

[WCB]

Report #56    Tuesday  October 31, 2023  Happy Halloween   Neiafu, Vava'u, Tonga  At Anchor For Tendering   Muggy And Hot With Clouds Some Sun  80 Degrees 25 Knot Wind  Part #1 Of 5....73 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

A strange thing happened last night sometime after 1am.  A knocking noise began to occur, like someone was hitting the wall in the next cabin.  It wasn’t consistent, but enough to keep us awake wondering what the heck?  So one of us got up to investigate, thinking it was coming from our room.  The ship was rolling somewhat and maybe something got loose.  Well, it turned out to be our safe door which was swinging open and hitting the closet door.  After coming back from shore yesterday, one of us had put the wallets away and failed to lock the safe properly.  Normally it makes a beeping sound letting you know it is not locked, but it had not done that.  So when the ship’s motion got strong enough, it let loose.  We really prefer the safes that have the 4 number code instead of the card slide.  Now we know not to make that mistake again.  But what a way to start Halloween….spooky sounds in the darkness of the night.

 

By the way, Happy Halloween a day early.  Many of the guests had decorated their doors for the contest today.  Some folks used what was on hand such as tissues or toilet paper to make little ghosts or cover the entire door with TP.  The winners of the best costume and door decorations were announced at 8:45pm.  To add to the merriment, there was a Halloween bar hop ($25) in the Crow’s Nest and a party in the Ocean Bar both at 8pm.   Since that is our dinner time, we would miss the tricks and treats.

 

The second port of call for Tonga was Neiafu on one of the larger islands of Vava’u, located north of Tongatapu where we were yesterday.  These islands are an attraction of the “yachties” who sail here for the calm and protected anchorages.  There is whale-watching (July to October), fishing, snorkeling and diving, as well as island-hopping for secluded beaches, coves, and relaxation.  Naturally, there were tours here today that included a bus tour and swim for 3 hours at $100, or Ano Beach for 2 hours at $60.  A 3 hour snorkel tour was $200, and an island drive and swallow cave for 5 hours was $180.  Finally an island tour with a shorter snorkel was $170 for 3 hours. 

 

And this was a tender port, so all of the tour groups went off right after 8am when the ship was cleared.  As always, there were warnings about not taking off food of any kind, or flowers and animal products.   Bottled water was OK.  It was a heavily overcast morning  and muggy, so we figured it might rain.  Thinking the temperatures would not be higher than in the 70’s, we left the water at home.  Mistake…we do know better but took the umbrellas instead.  Never needed them of course.

 

We left the ship by 10am about the time they announced open tenders.  The ride to Neiafu took almost 30 minutes, including the time we had to wait to board the boat.  It was scenic going in between the many islets and coves on the way to the Port of Refuge as this bay is called.  Several years ago on our first time here, we found that the low tide had made the exit and entrance into the tender boat almost impossible.  Today it was better since they had wooden steps to get out of the boat.  We were greeted by more Tongan dancers as we wandered out of the dock area, which is shared by the Matson Line. 

 

The local market, Utakalongalu Market (say that 10 times).  It is basically a big warehouse/shed that the locals set up with their produce on the outside patio and basket-weavings, art, and  island jewelry on the inside.   They also sell the black oyster shells with Dremel-designs carved into the pieces.  There was no need to purchase that jewelry set today since we did that a few years ago.  We just took photos.

 

The main attraction in town is their church, St. Joseph’s Cathedral located on a rather steep knoll above the harbor.  This one is Catholic, but there are more protestant churches everywhere.  They invite the tourists inside to experience religion in the Kingdom.  We are certain that Sundays are special here.  Although most everything would have been closed.  Beyond the church is the town with the basic shops.  Nothing fancy, but everything they need to survive here.  We continued up this road passing many homes, schools, restaurants, some closed some opened later, and sadly, a lot of roadside trash.  Some of the hillsides showed recent damage from a strong storm.  Buildings had been destroyed and trees had fallen.  It almost appeared that garbage had flowed down the hillsides from above.  And there it all sat in a heap of trash. 

 

Further up this rural road, we came upon what once was a nice hotel with views of the harbor below.  We remember seeing it back in 2019 in shambles although it appeared some people were living there.  A couple from the ship happened to be walking past us and told a story of when his parent’s friends used to come here in its heyday.  Guess it was the “bees knees” to stay here for a vacation.  Sad to see old icons like this die a slow death. Also in the course of our conversation, this couple informed us that there was a significant storm coming up from New Caledonia.  Sure hope we will be able to outrun it.

 

Our hike took as another mile or so, until the sun peeked out enough to make the walk really hot.  And of course, we had left the water back home.  Can’t tell you how many taxi guys stopped and offered us a ride, as not many folks walk here.  The locals never walk here.  We do recall that further up there was a bridge and somewhat of a beach.   Still not worth going that far today.

 

It was already after high noon, so we headed back taking our time.  Other folks we passed were also looking for a beach, but when we told them it may be miles up the road, we think they turned back as well.  There is a great place closer to town where we knew we could get cold beers and hopefully a pizza.  We had discovered it back in 2019 and it was still there and opened.  The only way to get to it is by going downstairs on the hillside.  Several flights of stairs to be exact.  It was worth it though, because the place was not crowded and the open-air deck had plenty of tables with a nice breeze.  We picked up two bottles of beers, took a table, and ordered a Hawaiian pizza from the nice waitress.  There is no rush in Tonga.  And we were sure glad to sit and relax cooling off with the cold beers.  We enjoyed another round when the pizza arrived.  Had to try their dessert of brownies with ice cream.  The best brownies with nuts we have had so far this trip. We stayed until close to 2pm, mixing with some yachties from New Zealand.  They were also talking about this storm down under.  Now we will have to look into that when we get back. 

 

The high school band was playing on the dock under a huge tent.  What a rousing group of entertainers.  Many chairs had been set up under tents to keep the guests out of the sun.  With the music playing, they just stayed and listened.  We lined up for the next tender and got on with the last few seats left. At least the tide had come up and getting into the boat was fine. Once again the ride was smooth but longer than usual.  We got back to the room by 2:30pm and stayed working and reading the rest of the afternoon.  Our all aboard time had been extended an extra half hour, so we did not leave until after 6pm.  The ship had dropped the anchor, so that always takes time to get it back up.  During his talk at 5pm, Captain Paul mentioned something about that storm in New Caledonia and we might have some residual waves from it.  Now that we are heading east, we should be able to avoid it….we hope.

 

Dinner time found a few guests decked out with some Halloween costumes and funny hats.  Our dear friends even had a surprise bag of candies for us on our way into the dining room.  How sweet in more ways than one.  Tonight the menu had some very different items such as tuna rolls which looked just like sushi.  One of us had the mushroom frisée salad and the other a safe Caesar salad.  Mains were “Kentucky” fried chicken, not really but pretty close.  It came with mashed potatoes….a nice home-cooked meal.  Desserts were slices of a very spicy pumpkin pie.  By the time we left, most of the guests had headed for the Halloween parties somewhere on the ship.  We were headed for bed and a good night’s sleep (without the noise).

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[WCB]

Greetings,

 

Comparing the cuisine on this cruise to the Zuiderdam's world cruise, we feel the quality has been much improved.   We have been happy with most all of our choices in the main dining room.  Of course, the Pinnacle Grill has been excellent.

 

As far as the  sweet and sour barramundi entree, our waiter had indicated that several of his guests were not pleased with it.  So we did not order it because it should have been sweet and sour shrimp.

 

The room service quesadillas and the roast beef panini have been consistently good.  However, we can verify that the portion size of the sandwich and quesadilla has been reduced.  We can always order more than one.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[oakridger]

Thanks for keeping us all up to date Mary Ann!  After my last Rotterdam cruise a year ago I realized that I will always need to order "extra meat" on the room service sandwiches.  They were good tasting but just too skimpy on the meat to bread ratio for me!!

 

I'm very happy to hear that the meal quality has improved since you were on the World Cruise.  It sounds like HAL is listening to their guests and making the effort to improve.  Keep it up HAL!!

 

~Nancy

[regnig]

Mary Ann - Bill,

I've got a question I know you can answer. Is the walk from Port Everglade to the Publix at the Harbor Shops on the B2B day in Ft Lauderdale a safe one? Single woman (old and gray) walking by myself. TIA!

[WCB]

Hi renig,

 

Yes, we do it every time we are there before a cruise.  It is a long walk from the ship if you are at Pier 26, but totally safe.  If there are crew members doing it, you could walk with them.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[regnig]

Thank you for the rapid response.  Continue to enjoy your adventure. 

Barbara

[WCB]

Report #57    Wednesday  November 1, 2023     Sea Day Enroute To Aitutaki, Cook Islands   Cloudy With Showers And Some Sun  72 Degrees   Sea State Pitching And Rolling  Part #1 Of 1.........3 Pictures----Casual Dress

 

Well, today is November 1^st on the west side of the International Dateline.  Once we cross that imaginary line, we will be having November 1^st again – same day of the week in fact.  Bet this messes with the computers and internet devices for everyone…including the ship’s systems.  Now that we have a few days at sea to kick back, we are sure each day will be similar to the previous, something like Ground Hog Day, the movie.

 

A few days ago we received an invitation to join Captain Paul and hotel manager Glenn for an exclusive dinner for the President’s Club members. We found it necessary to inform the Pinnacle Grill manager, Anton, that one of us has a shellfish allergy.  So many times we have discovered that some items have even the smallest amount of clam or oyster juice, for instance, incorporated into their recipes, and it would never be tasted.   Anton was kind enough to share the entire menu with us last evening in the dining room.  He wrote down everything that could be suspect and promised they would substitute something else for me.  As it turned out from reading the menu, it was heavily laden with shellfish and oil from shellfish.  Good thing we asked ahead of time.  Some folks are vegetarian, so that would eliminate almost all of the courses as well.  Showtime for this affair would begin at 6:30pm and we shall get back to that later.

 

Our day was a good one, although the ship was only doing 7 knots.  At that speed, the vessel can pitch quite a bit, which you don’t notice until you go to the promenade deck.  It seems like many folks go out for a morning walk around 9am, making it like a ping pong machine.  They fly around you, most times not saying “on your left”, then eventually duck in the next door to go to a talk somewhere.  We sure do not know what the obsession is with people that need to be first.  But there are a lot of those on every ship we have sailed.  We gladly move over and let them by so as not to cause an accident.  This ship does not have the mirrors that were installed on the Amsterdam on the promenade deck.  They were really a big help being able to see the traffic coming from the opposite direction.  Especially if they were using walkers, canes, and wheelchairs.  It helped to avoid those nasty head-on collisions.  There is no designated direction for walking here, where on some ships, it is counterclockwise.  No jogging still applies.

 

The weather remained comfortable with a strong breeze blowing across the decks.  It kept us cool at the Seaview Pool.  So far we have not heard of any storm headed our way, which is good news.  We would learn more later at dinner with the Captain. 

 

As we said previously, pre-dinner aperitifs were on the roster for our group of seven PC members at 6:30pm in The Mix Bar.  A cozy corner had been reserved near the piano, which was OK until it was time for a game in the Shops.  People began gathering to guess the weight of an opal to receive a free gift, a promotion of course.  When it began to get loud with one of the staff members talking on the microphone, our group was led to the Pinnacle Grill for dinner.   

 

Joining us at the table for twelve in the back room was the chief engineer, Kimberly, Glenn and his wife, as well as Captain Paul.  We all had a name tag by our place setting.  Hoping to be near friends Bill & Leta, we were at opposite ends of the long table.  They shared their end with the chief engineer, while we had Glenn, his wife, Kimberly, and the Captain on our end.  One of the PC members was traveling solo without her husband, and she was at our end of the table.  At least we have finally met Kimberly, the most vivacious cruise director we have yet to meet.  She will be a nice addition to the staff on the Zuiderdam’s Grand World Voyage next year.  She admitted that she is quite excited about going on the world cruise, and looks forward to chatting further with us about it before this trip ends.  Kimberly also followed up with a book list for future reading, so we do hope these books will be available onboard the Zuiderdam. 

 

Now to the menu.  It was more of a wine-pairing event with the sommelier describing each wine with each course.  They began with Italian wine, then on with one from California, Argentina, and finally France.   As we do not drink wine, cocktails were offered.  The head chef came into the room and described the meal we were to enjoy.  Beginning with lobster tails, a 4 -day marinated salmon with shellfish oil, a tiny shreds of salad fixings, only one of us could eat it.  I had a vegetarian plate instead. 

 

Tiny cups of a chicken broth and a pumpkin sage cappuccino were served, the latter being the best.  Following that, they served halibut with risotto, scallops, clams, mussels and a green mystery sauce.  Obviously, I was served chicken without the shellfish.  Then a slow-roasted veal tenderloin was the last entrée with artichoke puree (would have sworn it was mashed potatoes) with baby vegetables.  If we were not full enough, the dessert arrived which was cheesecake with a tiny panacotta sitting on top with a flower on the top.  A little bit of malaga and pistachio ice cream added color to the plate.  Almost too pretty to eat.  A very nice liqueur was served with this dessert which was dark raspberry and very potent, but a great finish to the meal.  This drink we did enjoy served in large brandy glasses. 

 

The conversation continued around the table until 10pm, which was a record for us.  And asking about the upcoming weather, Captain Paul mentioned that things might be deteriorating, although the brewing storm was in the Vanuatu area, far from where we were heading.  We might have deeper swells and choppy seas, perhaps some showers. Glenn, the hotel manager, was quite the conversationalist and all of us felt comfortable asking some basic questions.   One of which was why are some things done so differently among all of the HAL ships?  His answer was that the head honchos are trying to get everyone on the same page, while giving the staff the chance to do their own thing as well. Grand Voyages are treated differently as they should be, but “Legendary” cruises may not be at the same level of a grand.  Each hotel manager has the option of creating various venues as they see fit and keeping within their budgets – a major factor these days.   

 

Hearing recent stories of the Amazon River being historically low this year, we were concerned about the Zuiderdam even going up that river on the next world cruise.  We do know that this ship, the Volendam, actually got stuck on a sand bar a few years back.  Captain Paul reassured us that the Zuiderdam has less draft than the Volendam, a fact we were not aware of. 

 

We are sure the excellent waiters were patiently waiting for the party to end since it ran well beyond their normal hours.  They sure have a nice team in this venue.

 

Since it was so late to write last night, we are catching up this morning. 

 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[WCB]

Report #58    Ground Hog Day  Wednesday  November 1, 2023 Again!  Sea Day Enroute To Aitutaki, Cook Islands  Morning Sun Turning To Showers In The Afternoon 81 Degrees 10' Swell   Part #1 Of 1........15 Pictures----Casual Dress

 

Today is November 1^st, the second one, since yesterday was the same date and same day of the week.  This is done by the ship’s clocks being set back 24 hours.  No need for us to do that.  Those who had a birthday on November 1^st could celebrate it on both days.  However, those who had birthdays on October 22^nd when we lost one day, did not celebrate their birthday.  Of course, there are always people that are born in leap year, where they only have a birthday every four years.  Technically.  Now that we are sailing in an easterly direction, our clocks will slowly begin going forward one hour at a time. 

 

Back for breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, we thanked Anton for his special attentions to getting one of our dinners correct last night as far as the allergies were concerned.   We understand that the same meal our group enjoyed last night will happen today for the Cellar Master Dinner held in the Canaletto for a change.  The big difference is that ours was complimentary while this evening’s meal pairing will cost $69.  Makes us appreciate it even more.

 

We had a later start to the day since we had to catch up on last night’s report this morning.  Usually we finish our evening meal around 8:45pm, but last night it went until 10pm.  It seemed that the several conversations around the table picked up speed after dinner…..maybe due to the wine consumption.  All-in-all it was a fun evening.

 

Spending some relaxing time at the back pool, we caught up with general news with our good buddies.  The weather was almost perfect with a strong breeze and 81 degree temps.  The umbrellas along the sides of the deck were down…it was just too windy to use them.  It is also a good place to be when the Captain comes on with his noon talk.  Although this question was asked of him a week ago, it was how do the navigation team measure the height of the waves?  Anticipating a very scientific explanation, he simply said that they use their old-fashioned eyeballs.  In other words, they guess.  Never expected that answer unless Captain Paul was joking.  One aspect that is not a joke is how much the ship is pitching and rolling by doing only 7 knots.   Had we not missed the stop at Niue tomorrow, that would have broken up the days at sea, and our speed would have been higher.   Alas, it was not to be, so we rock and roll.

 

Lunch was room service Cobb salads with a shared club sandwich.  For some unknown reason, the room service phone number was not working.  So we had to call the front desk and they ordered our food for us.  It arrived at the same 30 – 40 minute wait period served by our own dinner waiter, Risman.  Our order has been complete with no surprise substitutes.

 

By the late afternoon, it began to rain lightly.  Passing showers even produced a brief rainbow.  And it seemed like the swells had increased somewhat, making our walk on the promenade deck more difficult.  Perhaps this is what the Captain meant by deteriorating weather.   Looking up the weather conditions in Aitutaki, Cook Islands, showed some showers but calm enough seas to be able to tender ashore there.   At least we all hope so.

 

Dinnertime had some Mexican-themed items offered.  Two appetizers were quesadillas and tortilla soup, both of which we like.  Mains were one veal Weiner schnitzel and one barbacola beef dish.  Not sure what that was, our waiter asked Bayu who said it was slow-cooked seasoned brisket of beef Argentinian-style.  Actually, we suspect it was savory prime rib, also cooked slowly….very tender and seasoned nicely.  Happy campers, we added a slice of lemon torte cake saturated with lemon juice.  Really refreshing and not overly-sweet.  

 

Two more days at sea, and we will be in the Cook Islands……hopefully.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

[WCB]

Report #59  Thursday  November 2, 2023  Sea Day Enroute To Aitutaki, Cook Islands  Cloudy With Showers 78 Degrees  Sea State: 12' Swell A Lot Of Pitching & Rolling  Ships Speed -7 Knots  Part #1 Of 2..........61 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

Hardly a day goes by where there is always something to do onboard the ship.  Today there were two things……one was an invitation to Behind The Scenes Galley Tour.  And the second was the passport collection for French Polynesia.

 

Beginning with the Galley Tour, we were invited this morning at 10am to view what was behind the walls of the lower dining room….namely the kitchen.  The only requirement was that we wore flat, closed-toed shoes.  We were told that both decks six and seven were invited today.  So we thought be better go at least five minutes early to line up at the dining room entrance.   Well when the elevator door opened, we barely had room to enter the lobby.  The line of folks went up the stairwell already.   We figured that the gloomy overcast weather outside and the fact that there was no 10am lecture in the World Stage, most guests were free for the tour. 

 

By 10am, we were led in groups of 12 to sit in the dining room and wait for our turn to enter the galley.  It ended up being a 20 minute wait.  Thanks to a visit from Glenn, the hotel manager, the time went by quicker.  We have been on many galley tours in the past, mostly while sailing on the Amsterdam.   In those days, we were simply led past the various stations, like in one door, then out the other.  One of the best tours took place for a rather large group of President’s Club members on a grand voyage.  It was turned into a special event by adding some of the most delicious canapes at the other end.  Of course, this was well before Covid hit.  Since then, no tours were offered…..until today. 

 

There were five places in the kitchen where we had one of the staff greet us and give detailed info on how the kitchen operates.  Even the head chef, Javier, was a speaker along the way, as was Eli, the food and beverage manager.  His job was to explain this new and huge machine they call the Digester.  It can turn all table scraps and other discarded food trimmings into a very small amount.  Some items cannot go into the Digester like coconut, squash, celery, or anything too fibrous.  We got to see some of the kitchen workers busy with their jobs such as the pasta girl who has a machine to make fresh pasta, and the soup and sauce makers who follow standardized recipes.   There were some crew members that came from other countries and specialize in their cuisine prep.  According to Javier, everyone who works in the kitchen has to speak and read English well.  Towards the back end of the galley, we saw where room service trays are prepared, the breads and pastries are baked, and the salads are created.  Lots of prep work there.  One interesting fact is that only 5% of the items are purchased frozen.  Everything else is made from scratch.  Finally it was Maria’s turn, the Pinnacle Grill chef.  She showed us the special double grill for cooking meats, which resembled a big waffle iron. The temperatures can reach 500 degrees, cooking the meat on both sides at the same time.  No wonder it is so good.  The entire time for the tour was an hour and we learned a lot more than we knew before.

 

Then we had 15 minutes to turn in our passports.  Tables for collection had been set up on every passenger deck and we had from 10 to 12pm to do it.  We were handed receipts that will be used to retrieve the passports on November 14^th.  This will save us all from having a face-to-face inspection with the French Polynesian officials.  With that job completed, we went off to the Seaview Pool to relax in the overcast skies.  With some drizzles added.  The sun never fully appeared, but it was still quite warm.  

 

We still have rather rough sailing on this stretch from Tonga to the Cook Islands.  The sea swells are now in the 11- foot range, and the wind was been strong enough to keep the ship pitching a lot.  The speed does not help since at 8 knots, the stabilizers are not as efficient.  Today during his noon talk, Captain Paul reminded everyone to be most careful walking, especially up and down stairs, and watch the closing doors where many fingers have been getting injured.  Even walking the promenade deck takes a toll on the joints as you are constantly trying to correct your stride.  Most all of us can handle the motion of the ocean, but now we are concerned about tendering in the upcoming ports in the Cook Islands.   It can be dicey in Rarotonga even on a good day.  We have seen what can happen to a tender boat that suddenly found itself on top of a coral mound with some good holes gouged it in.  On average, that port has been cancelled as many times as we have gone there.  Time will tell.

 

Around 6pm, we always go to the promenade deck to catch the sunset, especially when it is not on our side of the ship.  With all of the heavy cloud cover, there was no good sunset.  The mornings have not been that spectacular as well.  Funny that we remember some of the best sunrises and settings on this South Pacific cruise.  Luck of the draw we guess.

 

This evening we had dinner in the Pinnacle Grill.  It was the usual wedge salads with the tasty clothesline bacon.  With some fresh warm bread, we are always happy campers.  We added one filet mignon, and one ribeye steak.  Small baked potatoes and mushrooms on the side made the meal perfect.  Since we have not ordered the Baked Alaska on this extended trip yet, we decided to share one tonight.  Our nice waiter, Dede, mentioned that it had been down-sized a little bit, which was better for us.  There was plenty even sharing it. 

 

On the World Stage was Game Night, call my bluff with The Biddys, a group of three very funny ladies.   It seems that we are always finishing our dinner when the show begins, and not wanting to be rushed, we do not attend.   And tonight, the clocks went forward one hour.  How rude it that, we all joked?

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #60  Friday  November 3, 2023    Sea Day Enroute To Aitutaki, Cook Islands    Partly Cloudy With Sun Very Windy 30 Knot Winds   Sea State 16' Swells  Speed 7 Knots  Part #1 Of 1........14 Pictures----Dressy Night

 

Our last full day at sea on the way towards Aitutaki found the sea conditions with 14 -foot swells and gale force winds a force 7 on the Beaufort scale.   This is not what we had wished for as we get closer to the Cook Islands.  The temperature has remained a warm 77 degrees, as long as the sun stayed out long enough to feel the mild heat.  Of course, along with that, the humidity has been much more tolerable.  During his noontime talk, Captain Paul did mention that he hoped the bay where the ship is anchored will be protected from those winds and waves.  But in our minds, he has planted the seed of doubt that it might not be possible to access the island tomorrow.  Hope we are wrong with our interpretation, but we can only base it on what we have experienced on past cruises in this area. 

 

The biggest excitement this morning was watching the massive waves hitting the starboard side of the bow during our walk.  The pitching has become decidedly pronounced, even alarming when you watch the front rise and the aft disappear in the depth of the swells.   Rolling is a factor because the stabilizers are not helping a whole lot.  Captain Paul reminded everyone to be most careful walking around the ship and also going outdoors.  If this cruise was being run by our previous Captain, all of the outside decks would have been roped off for several days now.   The teak lounges on the promenade deck had been lashed down to the railings on many Alaskan days.  

 

We did hear there was another galley tour this morning.  There should be another one perhaps next week, then all of the passenger decks will have had a chance to participate.   We highly recommended it our buddies.  They also booked a laundry room tour and that was equally as interesting.  We did that with the head housekeeper, Shiv, many years ago while on the Amsterdam.  You never imagine how many sets of tablecloths, napkins, toweling and bed sheets that have to be laundered for the entire ship’s population.  And that isn’t counting clothes laundering….a massive job, and they do it so well. 

 

Captain Paul did another talk in the World Stage on the Navigational Debrief of the details on our journey so far.  He seems very comfortable in a teaching sort of way, more so than most captains.   He said that one of his questions from a guest referred to this ship having been housing for the Ukraine refugees last spring we believe.  He happened to be the Captain involved with that humanitarian effort and has many stories to share in a future presentation. 

 

Energetic Kimberly gave a talk on the port highlights of Rarotonga, the stop for Sunday.   We do know for a fact that most everything is closed on Sundays and there are no ship tours offered that day.  We’ll have to look for her talk on TV to see what she recommends for that day.  As far as we can remember, the island bus only runs in one direction that day, and could take folks to some beach resorts that might be open.  And there is always church, where you can hear the locals singing at their morning services.  One time we were invited to share in their mass and after-the-service refreshments.  Very friendly we thought.   The one thing we know is that American Express is not accepted there, the same as in New Zealand.  We heard that it dates back to some banking disagreements, so we need to bring a different credit card if we want to go out to lunch.  Or you can use New Zealand dollars (1 USD = 1.67 NZD) if you can find a place to exchange money.  So far there has not been a money changer on the ship like there is on a grand voyage.

 

We spent a few hours sitting at the back pool, mostly to get some fresh air.  There have been rumors going around that some of the crew members are sick with colds or flu.  Now we are making double sure we wash our hands hourly, especially if we have been using railings or touching anything in the public areas.  Hard to avoid all of the viruses, but so far, we have been fine.

 

Trying to get photos of a good sunrise or sunset has been unsuccessful.  For some reason, there have been no good sunrises and even less impressive sunsets.  It’s not like there is total cloud cover either.  Maybe it has something to do with the area we are sailing right now.  The best sightings so far have been while we were in the Hawaiian Islands.

 

We did take the time to make a visit to the future cruise consultant, Neil.  We zeroed in on some cruises for next fall, similar to the ones we have just done.  It is always a good idea to book onboard since you do get some extra shipboard credit by doing so, and you are still able to use your travel agent with these bookings.  Equally as important, by booking early, you can connect the back-to-back cruises in the same room.

 

Dinner time found most all of the guests dressed “dressy” as suggested.  However, we did spot one fellow with a baseball cap on downstairs at a table for eight no less.  Wouldn’t he feel out of place when most of the gentlemen sitting with him had on suits?   We still don’t get it.  The menu was not too exciting, so we opted for a small salad, tomato soup, and a pulled pork patty appetizer.  It was formed into a burger, grilled, and served over a bed of BBQ sauce.  So good.  Then we opted for the mains from the Club Orange menu.  Tonight’s blue- plate special was braised beef short ribs, served on a bed of mashed potatoes with a tasty gravy.  Incorporated in the gravy were tiny bits of pineapple and a few pomegranate seeds which really perked up the meal.  The meat was so tender you did not need a knife to cut it.  Needless to say we cleaned our plates, pleasing our waiters to no end.  One of us tried the lemon torte for dessert and one glass of watermelon sorbet.  Mario had brought another glass of chocolate chip ice cream because he saw that it was nicely frozen.  He knew we would like it, which we did as we shared it.

 

The entertainer this evening was saxophonist Barry Seacroft, a fellow we have seen and heard while on this year’s grand cruise.  He said it was a new show with more sax on stage.  OK.

 

Keeping our fingers crossed for tomorrow’s port.  Hoping for smooth seas and little wind.

 

Bill & Mary Ann    

 

 

 

[oakridger]

4 hours ago, WCB said:

The temperature has remained a warm 77 degrees,

 

It's interesting that at my house, about 8 miles from Clayton, it's also 77° F this afternoon!  It's pretty warm for this time of year.   🙂 

 

~Nancy

 

 

Edited November 4, 2023 by oakridger

[WCB]

Report #61   Saturday  November 4, 2023  Aitutaki, Cook Islands  At Anchor 7am-6pm  Partly Cloudy With Sun 78 Degrees 20 Knot Wind  Sea State: 3' Swells   Part #1 Of 6.,,,,,,,,76 Pictures----Casual Dress

 

As much as most of you have heard this before, today was a perfect day in paradise.   Honestly, this island has to be rated number one by Lonely Planet as one of the best in the South Pacific.  The third largest island of the Cook Islands, the surrounding lagoon is simply stunning, made even more spectacular when the sun is out like it was today.  A few drifting clouds could not hide the beauty of the large reef that surrounds the entire island.  The multi shades of blue to aqua waters seem to go on forever.  And considering the condition of the seas the past few days, we had our doubts that we would be able to tender here today.  We can say that it was almost a miracle to find that “sweet spot” for the ship Captain Paul had hoped for.  Protected from the worst of the winds and swells, the tender boats were dropped and it was a “go” from here on out.

 

After breakfast where we have been spoiled with specially-made blueberry muffins, we went out on deck six to get some photos of the lagoons and hopefully some tropic birds.  No one else was out there today, and that is probably why Captain Paul suddenly appeared and offered to take us on a tour of the navigation deck.  What a treat to go up the narrow side stairway and through the locked door to the brains of the ship.  In the past, we have taken a few tours on different ships, but this one was special, since we understand that only virtual tours are done in the World Stage these days.  Security being what it is made this tour a privilege for sure.  Captain Paul led us from one end to the other, explaining the main functions of most of the high- tech systems involved in running the ship.  So much of it was computerized of course.  Today the ship was not at anchor since the waters were too deep, so it was being held in place by the engines.  Watching the screen, you could see how much the ship drifted several degrees, then automatically corrected. 

 

The tendering operation was in full swing by then, so we thanked the Captain and made our way back to the room, collected our few things, and off we went to join the next boat to shore.  We figured that we had better not wait much longer, because if the conditions changed, they could stop the transferring.  That has happened in the past, like when we were at Easter Island several years ago.  Most of the guests had gotten to shore, but then the seas got too rough to continue.  Tendering was stopped and you can guess how angry the folks were that were denied going to shore.  Thought there was going to be a mutiny for heavens sake.  But anything can happen, and you learn to accept it.

 

Loading into the boat was not a problem, but due to a very narrow passage through the reef, the going was slow.  Only one boat was allowed to pass through the reef at a time, so between the wait to board the boat, and finally getting to the wharf was as least ½ hour.  Just as our boat driver got us away from the tender landing, he accidently drifted into the bulb in the front of the ship’s bow.  Ka-boom was what we heard as many of us were launched from out seats.  Good thing these boats do not sink, even if there was a hole ripped into the bottom.  We are certain that the navigation team as well as the Captain felt the collision.  Nothing was said as the driver simply headed towards the reef’s entrance.  Once at the wharf, he pulled alongside the pier, and the boat drifted into the side with another bang.  All of us were most happy to exit that boat for sure.  There was a set of steps added to the exit, but the last step to the concrete was a big one.  The fellows on the wharf were able to haul everyone out safely. 

 

Listening to Kimberly’s talk yesterday, she indicated that being a Saturday, not everything will be opened.  There were no shore excursion sold here today, but there were a few options once you got onshore.  We had heard a rumor that there was going to be a type of ho-ho vehicle to take the folks for a circle the island drive.  And it turned out to be true as we saw an open-air truck selling the tour for $50 USD per person.  It is possible that the vehicle stopped at the resorts and beaches along the way, and they would pick you up later.  Last year when we were here, it was a Sunday, and there were almost no taxis or tours happening.  And no ho-ho shuttle.

 

The produce market, although quite small, was opened until noontime, and we did find that the info shack was opened to get island maps.  We had been told that they were closed today, and we are sure they closed after 12pm.  A few stands were set up with souvenirs, and a couple of stores were opened for business.    We turned left at the main road and took the same walk we did last year.  It was even better because there was no rain today. The town itself is small, then the road is lined with a few shops, small food and hardware stores, a water purifying building, a main church, and many homes in between it all.   They are set off of the road and surrounded with beautiful gardens and grassy areas.  By the way, we saw no dogs today as they are not allowed on this particular island.  Not a bad idea because nothing is fenced and the dogs are left to roam as they wish, leaving their calling cards behind if you know what we mean.

 

The west side of this narrow island that is shaped like a fish hook happens to house most all of the resorts.  One that was on the ship’s map was the Pacific Resort Aitutaki.  We recalled passing the entrance where we saw several taxis and the ho-ho shuttle go.  That was not our destination since we figured too many ship people would flood the place. 

 

Going further up the road, we passed by some hillside house that had white goats tethered in the front yards.  They were half-buried in the grasses, which they love to graze.  It was in this area of the island that we saw several tropic birds last year.   They flew from the tall trees out to the lagoon to fish,then they fly back.  All we saw were chickens today, until later in the day, we did have the luck to spot some red tailed birds, but a different type.  These birds had the red beaks and red tail feathers, almost impossible to see at a distance.  But thanks to the fast camera, it caught every detail. 

 

Finally reaching the Tamanu Beach Resort Restaurant and Bar, we entered the lobby where some folks were checking in.  A bit early for lunch, we found our way to the seaside open-air restaurant and got a table with a breeze.   The local beer, Tui, sure was appreciated, so much that we each had two.  We ordered a club sandwich with the hottest crispy fries to share.  For dessert, we tried their carrot cake with a side of extra creamy vanilla ice cream.   So good we recommended to our friends who happened to come in to enjoy lunch as well.  One thing we did remember from last year was the fact they do not accept American Express credit cards.   Their common practice here seems to be taking the US dollar, but on a one-to-one basis, even though the exchange rate is 1 USD = 1.67 NZ dollar.  Much better to use a different card, which we did with no problem and a very small fee to do so.

 

Having relaxed for over an hour, we were ready to move along, taking the sandy white beach almost all of the way back to the main road and the wharf.   It was here that we took in every bit of stunning scenery of the lagoon and the fish that fill it.  In the shallowest of the waters, were tiny translucent fish which the brown noddies seem to like.  As we were beach combing for shells, we spotted some of those bonefish jumping around the volcanic rocks and broken coral.  They must have been feeding on the smaller fish.  From what we could see, the bonefish were a long narrow white fish about 2 feet in length.   Other than turtles, which we did not see, there were no tropical fish here.  Also we do not think there were sharks or sting rays in this part of the lagoon.  And when the sun came out full bore, it was really hot.  Thanks to the palms and the casuarinas, there was some shade to cool off.  Even a few scattered chairs here and there.  We happened to sit for a moment on some chairs, when a man with a very British accent that we have never seen before approached us.  He asked if I had lost some of my cards out of my small wallet, and I said no I had used my room key to leave the ship.  He was very sure it was me, and later when waiting to board the tender, I noticed I was missing my driver’s license and a few other cards like the one I use to open the room safe.  By gosh, he was right.  If he was the man who found my cards, he indicated that he had turned them in at the front desk.  Having not a clue how that happened, the first thing I needed to do was go straight to the desk and ask them. 

 

The ride back was uneventful and only took about 20 minutes at the most.  And the folks at the front desk did have everything I had dropped in an envelope….thank goodness.  As careful as I thought I have been, it wasn’t enough.  Now all of those cards are paper-clipped together and cannot slip out of the pouch.  Hope we see that gentleman who was nice enough to return my stuff to the office.  Once back in our room, there was a message waiting for me to come and pick it up. 

 

Since the Captain had changed the all aboard time to 5pm, it took time for the tenders to be loaded up.  The ship left the island around 6pm.  Watching from the back of deck six and our veranda, we did get lots of photos of the Red Tailed Tropic Bird.  It was almost chilly outside now because we picked up the choppy seas and big swells once we got out of eyesight of the island and the surrounding motus.  The Captain mentioned that tendering tomorrow may be a challenge if it happens at all.  If we had to make a choice of the two Cook Islands, Aitutaki would win.  We considered ourselves very lucky to have had such a nice day onshore, and more lucky to have recovered the lost items.

 

Dinner time was back in the dining room with a spinach and cheese empanada and one fish cocktail.  Salads followed with mains of lasagna and one chicken dinner.  Both were good as were the little hot fudge sundaes for dessert. The lower dining room was about empty by the time we finished dinner.  And since there was a movie, Hurricane, in the World Stage, we are sure most folks turned in early in anticipation of another busy day in Rarotonga tomorrow. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[WCB]

Report #62  Sunday  November 5, 2023  Rarotonga, Cook Islands  6am-11am Circle Island  To Rough To Tender  Mostly Sunny With Some Clouds 72 Degrees  Sea State 12' Swell 30 Knot Wind  Part #1 Of 2....77 Pictures----Casual Dress

 

Well, here we go again, or should we say here we do not go again?  Shortly after leaving Aitutaki yesterday, we encountered rough seas again.  It only got worse during the night, as our friends told us, with the waves hitting the bow and causing white-out spray.  So much so, it lit up their whole room.  We used to love seeing that from our deck one room.  It is much more impressive close-up.  As you might guess, the port of Avatiu, Rarotonga was cancelled. 

 

Before we went to our 7:30am breakfast, Captain Paul came on the speakers everywhere, including the staterooms, and announced that he would give it his best shot, but things were not looking good for today’s tendering.  We have heard that some guests start lining up at the Ocean Bar well before 7am to get the first tender tickets.  Perhaps he was heading off that line by telling everyone without actually saying it, they may as well roll over and go back to sleep.  He was going to lower a few tenders to test the swells anyway, but from what he indicated yesterday, we knew there was no way he was going to take any chances with the safety of the passengers and crew alike. 

 

During breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, we could hear some boats being lowered to the water.   By 7:45am, Captain Paul had made the decision to abandon the tendering and announced it to all.  He even added that he would personally be at the front desk at 8am to answer any questions regarding that decision.  And he was, along with the hotel manager, Glenn, and a security officer.  This wasn’t the first time he did that, because the same situation came up with the Fanning Island day.   By the time we finished breakfast, only Glenn was present at the front desk, and he was talking to a guest. 

 

With wind speeds between 6 and 7 on the Beaufort scale, and sea swells up to 12 feet at some point, we all agreed it was the only call to be made.  In place of actually going there, the Captain took a counterclockwise trip around the outside of the island.  Now this worked out swell for us, since the port side got the complete view.  The island road is 32 kilometers, so it only took a little over an hour to complete the circle.   It has been many years since we saw the west, south, and east coast, since we always walk on the north part looking for a suitable spot for lunch.  One of the negative things about arriving here today was the fact it was a Sunday, and most everything would be closed.  Even the circle island bus was not operating, and there would be few if any taxis available. No ship excursions had been sold either.  So we were happy to get the free ride around the reefs and lagoons.  Now we expected the ship to turn around to give the starboard folks the view, like we did in Fanning Island, but it did not happen.  

 

Captain Paul continued in a slightly north easterly direction, heading towards the next port in French Polynesia, Raiatea.  We have 528 nautical miles to reach that lovely island on Tuesday morning.  And we could expect continued swells and slightly rough seas with some pitching and rolling since we will be doing 12 knots.   There were many floating clouds, but no rain at all.

 

Most all of our day was dedicated to computer and photo work.  As many sightings of birds took place yesterday as well as today, one of us had a huge amount to sort through.  Sometimes to get the best of the best, it may be necessary to take many photos.  Boy things have sure changed since the days of 35mm rolls of film, haven’t they?

 

Naturally today’s itinerary had to be enhanced, adding activities that were not planned.  We got the new list in the afternoon after half of the activities were over….not that we do a whole of them.  Now that the stores could open up, there were many promotional things offered.  A guest speaker, Lyn Yaworsky gave a lecture and Kainoa did a talk all about the Tahitian black pearls.  Later in the afternoon, a third speaker, Dr. Douglas gave a speech about biodiversity. 

 

Since it was rather cool outside, room service chicken noodle soup sounded good for lunch along with a small salad and one shared sandwich and quesadilla.  Surprise, surprise…the soup came with real noodles.  Having mentioned that to Bayu, our head waiter, he may have mentioned it to the soup guru in the galley.  Anyway, it was really good.

 

Before we knew it, it was dinnertime.  The menu had a few good choices – all different.  We ordered a round of arancini, Caesar salads, and one braised beef and one sliced tenderloin, both with veggies and mashed potatoes.  Both were good.  Desserts were a hot fudge sundae and a plate of fresh, sweet pineapple.  So refreshing and even healthy.

 

One day at sea tomorrow, and we will be in French Polynesia, a favorite part of the world for us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

 

[WCB]

Report #63  Monday  November 6, 2023  Sea Day Enroute To Uturoa, Raiatea French Polynesia    Sunny With Clouds And Very Windy 30 Knots, Sea State: 8'-9' Swells Part #1 Of 1.......0 Pictures

 

The days are flying by rapidly now as we approach French Polynesia.  Beginning tomorrow, we will be looking to seven consecutive days in port, a most busy time for all.  So today was a kick-back one to get ready for a week of exploring.

 

We had hoped that the seas might have calmed down on our way east, but it appears that they have gotten even rougher.  The ship has been maintaining a speed of 12 knots, but we still have a lot of pitching and rolling.  We suspect that more than a few of the guests are seasick.  There have been far fewer folks dining for breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, which really is good for the rest of us regulars.  Our coffee cups never go empty. 

 

The winds increased as well, and the temperature was no higher than 75 degrees.  When we woke up, our veranda was wet, even though it did not rain last night that we were aware of.  The moisture was coming from the mist off of the waves and blowing like a fine rain on the portside.  The promenade deck was soaked on the port side as well, so the folks in the Lanai rooms could not comfortably sit on their private lounges.  We did at least a mile walk this morning but gave up.  We could always come back later when there were fewer walkers.  There seems to be a certain group early in the morning that treat the deck like it is “roller derby” time.  Usually they are only good for a few laps around, then go inside by 10am when there is a lecture in the World Stage.

 

It was so windy at the Seaview Pool that the chairs were blowing over.  Guess we could call the wind blustery, sending the empty lounges skittering across the deck.  The umbrellas were tied up, so there was no fear of them falling over.  We get a kick out of the guests that think they can eat lunch out there.  In a short time, we could see lettuce and chips flying by us, sending the diners back inside.  While we were sitting relaxing in the partly sunny and cloudy skies, Captain Paul appeared.  It seems he was on deck nine, and came down to chat with one of our friends.   He slowly made his way around the back deck, stopping to say hi to about everyone.  He had just announced that tomorrow morning at 5am, he will be sailing close to Bora Bora, the long- ago cancelled island.  At least we might be able to see it even if we are not allowed to anchor there this time.  At least we hope to see it if the sun will be up by then.  The island of Bora Bora is so close to Raiatea that it can be seen from that island, so it isn’t that much out of the way.  Apparently, many passengers asked the Captain if that could be done, since it was a huge disappointment that we were not allowed to go there because our numbers are over 1200 guests.  And he kindly said OK.   We asked which side of the ship would be on the dockside, and he said that was still being worked out with the local authorities.  If it is allowed, we hope to be sailing on the way out in the shared lagoon between Raiatea and Taha’a, their neighboring island.  It is quite scenic….so fingers crossed we do it.

 

On the way back to our room, we stopped off for Cannonball burgers at The Dive In Grill.  There was no line, and the food was ready within 10 minutes tops.  We have given up the fries, since we don’t need the extra calories.  Sitting on our veranda, we actually needed sweatshirts since the mist was still there keeping the floor wet.  We do recall that last year when we visited Raiatea, it rained.  It rained in every port off and on throughout French Polynesia.  Just part of the experience and the luck of the draw. 

 

Dinner time found the dining room spotty with customers.  The anytime dining downstairs was almost empty, although the tables for two upstairs seem to get filled most evenings.  It does not affect our dining service at all.  But we did have a little mishap this evening when a full glass of ice water was spilled on one of us and the center of the table.  You know how the glasses sweat?  Well our most embarrassed waiter went to move a full glass, and it slipped.  We felt bad for him since he must have apologized a hundred times.  They used a bunch of napkins to sop up the water, which was mostly on the table and one of our laps.  Thank goodness it was not red wine.  That did happen a few years ago when a waitress spilled a whole tray of red wine glasses……  all over both of us and at a pre-cocktail party with the Captain at that time.  That was far worse although we were both wearing black that night, since it was a dressy evening. 

 

Anyway, we had Caesar salads, no anchovies, and mains of chicken cordon blu.  There was a penne pasta entrée, so we asked for some of that on the side.  It was a great combination.  Desserts were a lemon meringue cheesecake and a plate of savory pineapple once again. 

 

Have to turn in early this evening to get up at 5am…or least one of us will be up.  The entertainment in the show lounge was a movie, The Descendants, which most folks have seen more than once we suspect.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[Bookited]

How do you measure the height of the swells?  Does the captain state the height on his talks at noon.

[The Other Tom]

31 minutes ago, Bookited said:

How do you measure the height of the swells?  Does the captain state the height on his talks at noon.

She mentioned the wave height measurement in one of her pervious posts when she talked about questions the passengers had asked the captain.  Basically, they estimate the wave height.  I assume the captain announces it in one of his talks.

[WCB]

Report #64  Tuesday  November 7, 2023  Uturoa, Raiatea French Ploynesia  Docked Starboard Side To Pier  8am-5:30pm  Sunny And Very Windy- Sea State Rough  Part #1 Of 5.......77 Pictures---Casual Dress

 

Waking up at the ridiculous time of 5am, we found that we were sailing past the island of Bora Bora, an unscheduled trek, probably requested of Captain Paul by many of the passengers.  Being that we had that port cancelled a few months ago, at least we might be able to see it from a distance.  Honestly, at that time of the morning, it was too dark for good photos.  And it was also very wet outside on our veranda due to the heavy mist coming at us from the waves below.  Once the sun began to rise, we could make out the outline of the mountain peaks and the surrounding motus and lagoons.  We have been most fortunate to having visited this island paradise numerous times over the years, and always marvel at the scenery.  It has been described as having scintillating lagoons of blue, turquoise, to sapphire waters – a quintessential tropical dream.  Only 5½ miles, long and 2½ miles wide, this 7- million- year- old island is home to 10,550 residents.  The two tallest peaks are Mt. Otemanu at 2385 feet and Mt. Pahia at 2168 feet in elevation.  Once the clouds cleared we could see the tops of those famous peaks.  The main village is Vaitape, where we would have tendered from the bay.  Unless we come here on a smaller ship, we will not visit here again any time too soon.  Just as we turned and passed the island, a partial rainbow appeared, like the island was thumbing her nose at us.

 

Our planned destination for today was the island of Raiatea with a population of 12,250 people.  This island consists of 238 square kilometers with a total circumference of 98 kilometers.  Their highest peak is Mt. Tefatoaiti at 1017 meters in elevation and the island is only about 3 million years old.   It is home to the largest marae (sacred terraced temple) in French Polynesia, called Taputapuatea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  And the island has the only navigable river in Polynesia called the Faaroa River. 

 

When we visit here, you get two -for- one since the closest neighboring island to Raiatea is Taha’a.  This smaller island of 5235 natives has a land area of 88 square kilometers with a circumference of 67 kilometers.  Mont Ohiri is the tallest peak at 598 meters high.  After leaving Bora Bora behind, we entered the lagoon of Taha’a through one large opening and sailed the inner lagoon of the smaller island for a while.  Lucky for us, all of the scenery was on the port side.  Taha’a is known as the vanilla islands with 8 villages, numerous guest houses, and resorts.  As much as ¾ of the vanilla production come from Taha’a and closeby Huahine.  A specialized sugar cane grown here has given rise to rum production gaining a worldwide reputation.  This island will be one of the destinations for shore excursions as it shares the lagoon with Raiatea.

 

And speaking of tours, here are some that were offered today.  Starting with Raiatea, there was a 3 ½ hour highlight drive for $120, and a sacred island drive in Le Truck for 3 ½ hours for $90.  There was a drive up the Faaro River with a beach break for 3 hours for $100 or a 3 ½ hour kayak adventure for $120.  The rest of the excursions went to Taha’a. For $160 you could taste vanilla and have a motu picnic for 3 ½ hours.  We have done the drift snorkel for 3 ½ hours for $160, or there was Taha’a discovery and motu by catamaran also 3 ½ hours for $120.  Last but not least, you could visit a pearl farm then snorkel, a 3 hour tour for $130.  We noticed that several of these tours were morning times, and also available in the early afternoon. 

 

After breakfast, we worked on photos until almost 11 am, then headed off of the ship for a long walk.  We had missed the welcoming band and the handing out of the tiare flower buds.  These native flowers are grown primarily on Raiatea, since it is the ideal climate for them.  It was a pleasant 77 degrees outside with broken clouds and a wind of 24 mph.  Most everyone lost their hats when they exited the gangway on the pier.  The winds were that strong.  At least it did not rain like it did last year.  Following the road to the right, we passed the small boat marina where the tours were beginning to take off.  Further up this road was the large vessel marina, followed by a public area with a pool-like setting.  This is the setting for the Hawaiki Nui Va’a, the famous international outrigger canoe race. We have been here on past trip when this was in the middle of happening.  It was exciting to see the competitors and their boats.  Early in May of this year, the 19^th edition of the Tahiti Pearl Regatta took place in this same park.   Relaxing on a nice cement bench there, we could see the outline of Bora Bora from here.  Many other ship guests were doing the same as us.

 

We headed back passing one of the many churches and stopping in the Catholic one nearer to town. We did take the time to pass through the produce market, and climbed the stairs to the second level where most of the souvenirs were displayed.  Prices were higher than last years, but we were not surprised as French Polynesia is known for being pricey. 

 

It was already 1pm, and beer sounded great.  Back at the cruise terminal is a place called La Raie Gate, an open-air café that serves draft beer and a very good pizza among other specialities.  The French Polynesians sure have a way with baking the best bread and today was no exception.  We ordered a pepperoni pizza and two beers, sitting directly across from the ship.  It was a short walk back, and it was still windy.  And of course, the rest of the afternoon was spent working on pictures and reports.  Since we were docked with the view of the water, it was fun watching the crazy guys with their kite boards.  With strong winds, sometimes these fellows were 20 feet up in the air with small motor boats speeding under them.  Sharing the lagoon were kayakers and tour boats of all sizes. 

 

We had forgotten that at 4pm, the local officials were presenting a special plaque to Captain Paul for the Volendam.  They usually do this for a maiden port, but we shall have to inquire what the occasion was.  Captain Paul reported that there was a nice ceremony impressing all that participated and watched.  Before 6pm, he had turned the ship around, and headed back the same way we had come in.  This gave the starboard folks the chance to see what they missed this morning.   We still claim we got way better pictures this morning because the light was by far better.  Sunset was 6:15pm, and it looked promising for a while, then it fizzled.  Too many thick dark clouds on the horizon hid the sinking sun. 

 

Our biggest event was getting another President’s Club amenity of Coke Zeros and flowers, which arrived after dinner.  We did not expect them since it appears most all of the fresh flowers around the ship are gone now.  This bouquet was full of proteas which will last until we reach San Diego. 

 

Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill with our usual wedge salads, double dressings, and savory clothesline bacon.   Warm rolls are always served with two types of toppings.  One is a garlic butter and the other is a red bell pepper and cream cheese spread.  Our mains were lamb chops, skinny fries, and one loaded baked potato.   We shared a Baked Alaska, just right for two.  Other than us, there were a total of four guests dining at 7:30pm this evening.  Guess with such active tours today, the folks turned in early.  Showtime was supposed to be a vocalist and pianist, Lisa Harman, but in her place, were the Biddys. 

 

Ready for another early start to the day tomorrow with scenic cruising into Moorea beginning at 6:30am.  Not sure both of us will be viewing that one.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

[jsn55]

What a wonderful 'trip report'.  I'm looking at Volendam for the Med next fall ... the reviews are not very positive, but the itinerary is fantastic.  Your words straight from your cruise will be very helpful.  I know you'll enjoy it all, and so will we.  

[CurlerRob]

For those who may not have seen Bora Bora, this was taken from near Raiatea. As @WCB stated, they are very close.

 

[WCB]

Report #65  Wednesday  November 8, 2023   Bahia d' Opunoha, Mo'orea, French Polynesia  8am- Over Night  Overcast And Hot 80 Degrees With Some Sun  Part #1 Of 4......77 Pictures----Casual Dress

 

Today’s port of call was the island of Mo’orea, belonging to The Society Islands and part of the Windward group.  Yesterday’s islands of Raiatea and Taha’a, along with Bora Bora belong to the Leeward group.  As it turns out, we will be at anchor in Opunohu Bay for two full days, right next to Cook’s Bay.  Mo’orea is considered another most beautiful island in the world with emerald green cliffs, stunning lagoons, and many quiet beaches.  There are about 16,000 inhabitants who have a slow pace of living.  The weather almost dictates how fast the locals move since it tends to be warm, humid, and rainy at certain times of the year.  And today was no exception with overcast skies, which cleared by the afternoon, before clouding up again. 

 

Naturally, we need to take the tenders to shore at Papeotai, located next to one of the oldest churches in French Polynesia.  Built by missionaries in 1870, they happened to build it over a very important archaeological site, losing the artifacts forever it is said.  The fun part about this tender drop off has to be the extended buildings with roofs that house several local vendors.  There is a little bit of everything like island jewelry, clothing, some food stands, and even some black South Seas pearls.  The ships tour group join their boats or buses and vans there.  If you did not book a tour onboard, there are always excursions to take from the locals.  Several taxis and mini vans are available to go to restaurants or resorts and beaches.  Expect to pay dearly for these rides, we have been advised. 

 

So here are some of the ship’s excursions.  A lagoon cruise in two bays runs $60 for 1½ hours.  You can take a 4- wheel drive adventure for 3½ hours for $100, or for the same amount of time, you can do the island drive and Belvedere lookout for $100.  A 3¾ hour highlight drive will run $110, while a snorkel safari for 3 hours will be $100.  A motu picnic and ray feeding is 5 hours for $180.   Or the locals offer a 2- hour minivan tour to Belvedere lookout, a marae temple, a pineapple plantation,  vanilla garden, jam tasting, a distillery, and a stop at Cook’s Bay – all for $40.  A similar local tour for 3 hours is $50 per person.  

 

As for us, we stayed onboard working on yesterday’s photos, then left the ship by 10:45am.  The ride was quick and easy thanks to the fact the wind had died down and the waters were smooth. The first stop was at a craft table with the local elderly lady we have known for years.  She does not speak English much, and we do not speak French well, but we always have luck finding one of her seashell creations to purchase.  She even took the time to get the necklace on correctly, as I chose to wear it.  The collection is growing…..

 

Our goal was to take a long hike to enjoy the sights along the waterfront road.  The ultimate goal was finding a restaurant that would be opened today.  For some reason they tend to close on Wednesdays.  The Intercontinental Hotel, about a three- mile walk, has been shut down, abandoned, going on three years now.  Another fun place for lunch was Holy Steak House, but they were not opened today.   We had already passed a small lagoon side café that was filled with locals at noon.   It was an option if nothing else presented itself.  Later on, we found out from friends that this roadside café did not take credit cards…only cash.  And we are not sure if they took US dollars.  Remember to ask before dining.

 

Highlights of our slow walk took us through the village of Papeotai where there were some mini roadside cafes, tiny supermarkets, a hardware shop, hair salons in local homes, and beachside houses.  School kids were out on a walkabout as their teachers led them back to the school along the lagoon.  From watching the increased local traffic and a few buses, we came to the conclusion that the school takes a long lunch break, then resumes a few hours later.  Besides the church at the tender pier, there was another one – Catholic by the name of St. Michael’s Chapel.  Many small businesses offered scooter and bike rentals, and possibly cars and 4-wheel dive vehicles.  Most are within walking distance of the tender pier. 

 

Several of the local residents were busy selling fruit from stands on the road.  That included a whole lot of mangoes (in season), pineapples, small & large bananas, melons, papaya, guava, and squash of all kinds.  Small tables had been set up outside some homes where they were giving away the over-abundance we assume.  No one was present to take money.   

 

We have to add that it is wise to do some homework before going off blindly, although not all of the info is updated.  We discovered that if we continued walking the road past the Intercontinental bungalows over the water, now closed, we might come across a place called Taoahere Beach House Snack.  Eventually we found a road sign advertising this eatery and an arrow pointing right.  We walked down a very private street with really nice homes that were gated and fenced.  This road continued down towards the lagoon, but still we found no signs.  Just by luck, we came across a nice lady who was waiting outside a solid fence door for a taxi to arrive.  We asked her where that restaurant was located, and she said right here.  That’s when we noticed the small sign on the door.  Happy we found it, she described the food and drinks and highly recommended it.  Good enough for us, we needed to go no further.

 

Walking past the resort part of the property, we reached the water where there was an open-air patio with several tables.  This was perfect.  Eventually, we ordered a cheeseburger with fries to share, and large two Hinano beers.  It took a little longer than we expected to get our food, but we had no specific time to be back.  Remember, we were overnighting here.  While we dined, we got to watch the many boats with snorkelers in the massive lagoon area.   We were close enough to the water, we could see tropical fish of all sizes just about right under our feet. People were even kayaking past the café.  Then the best was to arrive – a dessert of profiteroles filled with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with a chocolate sauce, and sprinkled with chopped nuts. It was quite a treat, and a dessert we always look for while in French Polynesia.  

 

A group of crew members, including several front desk people and Arnold, the Mariner rep, wandered into the restaurant.  They had taken a taxi, and the driver had recommended this place to them.  They had more fun taking photos of each other before their food arrived.  It’s always nice to see crew members out and about in these ports.  Even though they have less time to explore, they know how to make the best of the time they have.

 

All good things come to an end, and we had to start back to the pier at 2pm.  By now, the clouds had blown away and the sun was out.  It was hot, but there was a breeze.  We rode back to the ship with a super good friend, recalling a story of her stuck- on- the- reef tender boat ride last year.   We were back at the tender port at3:30 and onboard by 3:45pm, and ready to work on photos and relax on the cool veranda.  Before we knew it, dinnertime had arrived.

 

We had small Caesar salads, because we think they are running out of lettuce.  One of us had the Mexican chicken soup and the other had the Thai beef salad.  Both on the spicy side.  Mains were one plate of BBQ baby back ribs (which arrived with 6 ribs) and one fettucine with a shredded roast beef Bolognaise sauce.   Desserts were a rum cake with vanilla ice cream and a plate of pineapple slices.   There was a movie, The Bounty, in the World Stage at 8pm, but we suspect most folks were done in tonight and called it a day.  We know we did.

 

One more day in Mo’orea, but we are not sure what we will do.  Many people we talked to said they were staying onboard.

 

Bill & Mary Ann