Report #144 Coming home.....finally May 27, 2018 Sunday Partly cloudy & 75 degrees

All good things must come to an end, right?  Well, the day has finally arrived that we must go home and leave our “ship family” behind.  We have to admit that they have spoiled us with their excellent service and friendliness.  And that’s why we end up coming back to HAL time after time.  Now the work at home and catching up with friends and family will keep us busy for months to come.  But it is so worth it.

 

Our day began early at 5am.  The two pieces of luggage went out last night, so we just had our carry ons to finish arranging.  We figured by the end of the day, we’ll both have gorilla arms lugging heavy hand bags.  As much as you try to keep them light, it is impossible.  

 

For the first time since we went on the African safari, we grabbed a couple of yogurts and orange juices in the Lido.  It was not crowded there at 6am.  Since we were due to go off at 8am, we could not take a chance with a full breakfast in the dining room. 

 

Today our flight was early at 11:15am.  Purchasing HAL transfers to the airport, we were the first group called off after the expedited folks, who packed their few suitcases off.   The luggage was just being arranged in the terminal, so we had to wait until they released us to locate it.  To add to the confusion, the Emerald Princess was also off-loading their passengers.  Their numbers were far greater than ours.  It appeared they were combining the bus transfers with both ships.  Since our names were not on a list, we assume they knew we prepaid for this transfer according to the color of our luggage tags.  No one asked for any vouchers, which we had none anyway. 

 

Since today was a Sunday, and a holiday weekend, there was not a lot of traffic.  The airport is really not that far, but we do know how traffic jams can make a short trip impossibly long.  Not today.  We had a very chatty driver who even told jokes on the way.

 

Once at the domestic airport, we were able to go directly to a small Delta desk to check in. It was located a few yards from the bus drop.  So nice, since we would not have to lug the luggage all the way to the main terminal.  A good reason to remember to use Delta out of Seattle when we can.  Also, we were a little overweight on the bags, but it went unnoticed, thankfully.

 

We also got TSA pre-check, which is always a plus.  When we went through security, it appeared that everyone got this perk, as that line was the longest.  The only thing we did not have to do was take off our shoes, or empty the computer out of the bag.  One of us was directed to the xray machine, just by random.  No problems passing, but delayed a bit getting the other bags back.  Had the other one of us not been there to watch it, the stuff would have been left unattended long enough for something to disappear. 

 

It seemed to take forever to locate the gate, which happened to be down one level.  Seems that we were flying a little bitty commuter plane, or that’s what the terminal agent said.  This would be like the small planes we flew while in Africa.  About 40 of us waited in a small room, then found out the flight was delayed for unknown reasons.  But only by 15 minutes. 

 

Then it was announced for all of us to board a bus for a ride to the plane on the tarmac.  OK, but once we got in the bus, the agent come back out and said we all had to get off, and go back inside.  We thought we heard whispers of a sheared pin in the landing gear.  Good grief……..do we really want to be on that plane? 

 

So back inside we went for another 10 minutes, and we repeated the drill the second time.  But now we were driven all the way around the airport to the commuter planes.  It was little itty bitty one, but it did look new.  The story now was that the aircraft had to be towed here for us to board it.  In other words, they had no  parking place for it.

 

The flight was smooth and quick.  We landed in SFO about ½ hour late, but in one piece.  By the time we got to the baggage carousel, our two pieces had just come out.  And our driver was there with a card and our name on it.  Perfect. Following her, we ended up in the parking garage, and we were on our way.

 

Traffic was not bad at all, since we had flown in earlier than we normally do.  And it was Sunday, a better day for traffic.

 

We pulled into our driveway before 4pm, and it felt like we had just left. Hard to believe five months had flown by since we last left here.  Yes, there will be work to clean everything up to our liking, but really, all looked pretty good to us.

 

Our biggest problem would be…..what’s for dinner?   Certainly not something we can order from a menu.  And life goes on…..

 

Many thanks for all the encouragement you gave us along the journey.  Once again, it has been a pleasure sharing our “diary” with you all.  And if all goes according to plan, we will be back in the fall.  So stay tuned…..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

All the pictures

Emerald Princess

 

Scenic views

 

Still waters

Pier contraption

 

The atrium astrolabium

Report #143 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada May 27, 2018 Saturday Partly cloudy & 61 degrees

Today was fabulous…..the weather looked promising, although still chilly, the sun was peeking out of the dismal gray clouds.  After breakfast, we used the little time we had left to finish packing.  No matter how we tried, the bags were still a tad bit over-weight.  The only option was to clear out the almost empty toiletries, or papers, or things that can easily be replaced.  As long as we didn’t buy anything else in town today, we should be OK.

 

Still having some shipboard credit to spend, we went back to the shops to see what we could purchase that did not weigh a lot. One of us had been looking at a watch, which we compared-shopped online.  Knowing it could be bought for far less than what the ship was asking, we inquired about their price-matching guarantee.  A little reluctant to get into details, only one of the younger sales fellows was willing to explain it to us.  The bottom line was that it appeared we would have pay their price, then put in a request for the difference when we got home, if we could document the lower price.  We immediately thought yeah, good luck with that.  If anyone has done this sort of bargaining after-the-fact, we sure would like to hear about it. 

 

Earlier in the morning, we had received a call from one of the front desk girls reminding us that we had ship board credit to spend.  The big surprise was that almost half of the credit was cashable, which we did not know.  In the first week of this cruise, we had inquired about this very same subject.  How much of our credit was cashable, and how much was use-it-or-lose -it.  We were told none of it was cashable.  So naturally, we went right down to see the girl and get our cash.  No questions asked.  Next time, we shall go right to the source, and ask the purser, who knows all of these details.

 

The rest of the credit went towards some nice jewelry that weighed next to nothing, and a couple of t-shirts.  We left a total of 27 cents in the account.  In the old days, this amount would be sent back to our credit card on file.  The shops closed at 12 noon today, since we would arrive to Victoria by 1pm.

 

Bundled up, we headed for deck six forward, and watched the sail into the harbor.  Hoping to see some orcas, we never did.  But we did see some gulls and some pretty fantastic mountain peaks full of snow.  As the ship got closer to the pier, a pilot boat came out to us.  We could also see another ship was already docked.  It had a big X on the stack, so we knew it was a Celebrity ship.  Turned out it was the Infinity, a ship we traveled to Alaska about 9 years ago. 

 

The Amsterdam was alongside and docked before 1pm, although we were not cleared until 1:20pm.  The sun was out, and the skies had turned blue.  Could not have been better.

 

There were 9 tours offered here today from 2 to 4 hours, costing $40 to $120.  Two of them went to Butchart Gardens, a wonderful park that is over 100 years old.  The other excursions were city tours, some of which included high tea.  Also offered, was a shuttle bus service that would run round trips to downtown for $13.  Or you could have purchased this ride right on the pier. Nice idea for those who  wished to go to dinner later this evening, as the all aboard time was 10:30pm. 

 

Named for Queen Victoria in the late 1800’s, Victoria is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest.  It has the second oldest Chinatown, with the one in San Francisco being the first.  Most impressive are the British Parliament Buildings and Legislature built in 1897.  The Fairmont Empress Hotel is also a beautiful landmark.  Appropriately nick-named the City of Gardens, Victoria has a population of 78,055 (2006) English and French-speaking people.  Most friendly, we can say too.

 

We noticed there was something called an “express lunch” in the dining room from 12 to 1pm.  The menu was far different than what we are used to seeing.  We were told that the format and the selections will be different for the upcoming Alaska runs.  We would learn more later on. 

 

We took off before 2pm, and headed towards town.  Following the signs towards downtown, we saw the heliport where helicopters were landing while we were docking.  Passing by the Canada Coast Guard, Fisherman’s Wharf, and historic Teahouses, we made our way past the copper-domed Parliament Buildings and the Legislature.  What a sight to behold.  Located right on the Inner Harbor, the Fairmont Empress Hotel is another iconic sight built in 1908. 

 

We stopped many times to take photos of not only the buildings, flowers, gardens, and hotels, but also the horse-drawn carriages that circled this historic area. 

 

Walking through the beautiful Empress Hotel, we made our way up Government Street, passing many shops and cafes along the way.  We ended up at Earl’s, a fun restaurant and bar where we knew we could get great pizza and draft beers.  Crowded, we did find the perfect table with the high stools we prefer.  And even better, it was happy hour with meal deals as well.  We ordered two pale ales and three types of 8 inch pizzas.  Gosh they were good.  We even saved a little room for a dessert of New York cheesecake with a strawberry drizzle.  Excellent, and perfect to share.  We left around 5pm.

 

Taking our time walking back, we took in the activity on the harbor front with all of the tourists enjoying a Saturday afternoon.  Many folks were heading out to restaurants and bars, all dressed for the occasion.  It sure seemed a lot more crowded with people as the afternoon wore on.  But unknown to us, another ship had arrived in the harbor…..the NCL Pearl.  It had taken the spot of the Celebrity ship.  Then as we got within eye shot of the piers, another ship, the Emerald Princess was pulling in.  Sure must be good for the  local businesses and tourist sites.

 

We decided to take a different path on the way back, avoiding the crowds on Belleville Street.  This pathway took us around the waterline, past the ferries and small boat harbor to the Laurel Point Park.  Many benches lined this scenic viewing area of the Inner Harbor.  Watching the seaplanes take off and land was cool, as the little water taxis criss-crossed the waters as well. 

 

Just as we popped back up to the main street, we spotted a very large raccoon running across the road from Fisherman’s Wharf.  There is a small park where the mudflats used to be, so that’s where this critter makes his home. 

 

That’s when the most remarkable thing happened as we rounded the turn where the Coast Guard is located.  Suddenly a car took a left turn into the parking lot, and out came a couple that we had met on this world cruise.  They had intended to cruise the entire trip, but it was cut short due to the wife’s illness.  Sadly, they had to leave in Perth, Australia.  Now what are the odds that they would spot us as they were on their way home, which happened to be right out of the downtown area?  Unbelievable, but so nice to visit with them.  Gave us a chance to fill them in with the part of the trip they had missed.  We wished them well, and we all agreed that we are now believers of fate.  Feeling better now, they already have plans to cruise in the near future, but probably on a Princess ship, where they admitted they felt the most comfortable.  We talked about our chance meeting all the way back to the ship.

 

Dinnertime came quickly, as we worked on photos and reports.  Originally, we had intended to go to the Pinnacle Grill, but changed our minds when we realized that this would be our last evening with our waiters, especially Slam.  He has taken care of us for 5 months now, and we did want to say a proper good bye.  He has one more week for the first Alaska run, then he goes home too.  Judging from his ear-to-ear smile, he is ready to leave too.

 

As we mentioned earlier, the format on the menu had changed.  All of the regular celebrity chefs from different areas are featured on one page, followed with a section for starters, salads, and soups.  Mains are the next group, with desserts listed last.  Everything is on one menu, which is ordered all at once.  This will continue through the Alaska cruises, according to Philip.  He added that when the grand voyages begin, the regular menu will come back.  We sure hope so.  Too many changes too fast for us. By the way, the usual alternates, although not listed, were still available.  Saying goodbye as always hard, but we will be back, and we hope our favorite waiters will also be back on the 2019 World Cruise. 

 

A big screen movie, The Post, was being shown in the Mainstage.  Again, at least the third or fourth time since we have been on the ship.  Which was fine, because it was more important to put our luggage outside (before midnight), and get to bed early.  Tomorrow will be a busy one for sure.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

All the pictures 1 of 3

All the pictures 2 of 3

All the pictures 3 of 3

 

A tanker coming from Victoria

 

Whiter in color than the herring gulls in SF

 

Homes right on the water

  

Terminal building

 

Helijet

 

An orca adventure

 

 

Report #142 Day at Sea May 25, 2018 Friday Partly cloudy & 61 degrees

Last night, we had been hand-delivered an invitation for the Grand opening of the new ArtLink Galleries.  Apparently, it is the replacement for the previous art vendors, Park West.  During the entire world cruise, we do not remember that there were any art auctions.  So when we boarded for this re-positioning cruise, we did realize that Park West was nowhere to be seen.  So today at 5pm, there was a ribbon cutting ceremony with sparkling wine and the officers.  What we did not realize, was that we had been invited to be the “ribbon-cutters” as we were the only President’s Club members onboard the ship.  Not really comfortable with that job, we gave our thanks for the honor, but decided to pass it over to someone else.  We let them know before 8am today, so they would have time to choose someone else for the honors. 

 

After a light breakfast, we went outside for a walk.  It was invigorating to say the least.  No way was it 61 degrees with the way the wind was blowing.  Even the deck crew had on their woolen hats as they sanded, painted, and cleaned up the lower promenade deck.  You always get the feeling that things are being prepared for the next group of passengers.  But the longer we have traveled on ships, we realize that this work is ongoing all of the time. 

 

Today was the Mariner Society Ceremony in the Mainstage, deck four.  A limited number of passengers were present, which we assume were the higher numbered day guests.  We had been invited 15 minutes ahead of the 10:30am opening time, so we could be seated first.  Not a problem, since we were the only  ones in our category.  A nice table for two had been set with flowers in the very front, dead center.  Captain Eversen and hotel director, Norbert, were the medal award hosts.  A small amount of people would get the bronze and silver medallions. One gentleman got some oohs and aahs when they announced he was a platinum medal holder.   Last, but not least, we were called to the front to have our photo taken with the officers.  When cruise director Jai said we had over 2000 days, we did get a big applause, as well as some pretty big stares.   And that’s why we seldom admit to being President’s Club members unless we are asked.

 

We and the new awardees were escorted to the lower dining room for brunch.  None of the tables were hosted, so we got to sit at our everyday breakfast and lunch table for two.  Two flutes of sparkling wine were waiting for us, although Manny, our favorite wine steward, offered us our choice of cocktails. Nice, but we declined.  The menu was a choice of a fish appetizer or cheddar cheese chowder.  Mains were beef pot roast, plaice fish, or asparagus red rice cakes. We chose the beef.  A berry meringue tart was the dessert, accompanied with petit fours, coffee, and tea.  

 

There was still photo work to be finished from yesterday, as well as the report, so that’s how we spent some of the afternoon.  Also watched a good movie about four retired guys that robbed a bank called Going in Style.  Not a new movie, we have only seen bits and pieces of it   That’s what nice with the new interactive TV’s on the other newer HAL ships.  How nice is it to watch newer flics at any time you wish, and even pause them to continue later.  They have our vote.

 

We are guessing that most folks are beginning to pack.  We are.  With only two suitcases to fill, it should be easy.  We also heard that up to 70 or 80 people will be leaving the cruise in Victoria tomorrow.  Makes sense if they live on Vancouver Island.  Another thing we spotted were some new passengers that must have boarded in San Francisco, replacing the ones that left there.  They’ll be on a three day cruise.

 

Tonight was the final gala evening, although you would not know it at one nearby table, where two young fellows, college-age, wore t-shirts.  At least they left the baseball caps back in their cabin.  Yes, we were surprised that nothing was said to them.  Oh well, such is life.  We enjoyed our meal, and just before we were about to  leave, there was a mini parade of chefs through the dining room.  That’s as good as it gets to replacing the festive Baked Alaska parade we used to have in the old days.  Hard to continue that since the open-seating concept took over a few years ago.

 

 

Jesse Kazemek played a mean guitar with a tribute to the Beatles tonight in the Mainstage.  Nice to see some new musicians entertaining the folks.

 

We should arrive to the city of Victoria tomorrow by 1pm.  Another nice place to visit.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

The Mariner Society Brunch Menu

 

Tiles are still given at these affairs

 

Report #141 San Francisco, California May 24, 2018 Thursday Partly cloudy & 60 degrees

The Amsterdam sailed towards San Francisco and the famous Golden Gate Bridge around 6:30am.  As we have had the privilege of entering the bay many times on cruise ships, we passed on the idea of going outside to view it.   For one thing, it was too cold and it was too early.  But we did wake up in time to watch the scenic sail in from our room window.  What we expected to see were the headlands of Marin County, some cliffs with lighthouses, birds, and perhaps a few sea lions.  What we did not expect to see were whales….but we did, two of them in fact.  They appeared so suddenly, even the EXC narrator, Kelly, did not spot them when we did.  First we saw the familiar dorsal fins, followed by the blow, and the flukes as they dove.  There is a tour that you can book in the port area for whale-watching.  During the season, you might see gray, blue, or more than likely, the humpback whales.  That excursion runs about $45 for 2 – 2 ½ hours.  So to see these whales now, was quite a plus.  It was a one-time thing, as they disappeared once we were under the bridge.

 

Lucky for everyone, there was fog, but it was high, mixed with heavy clouds.  At least the Golden Gate, which is really red/orange,  was visible, as was the downtown and pier area.  The ship was alongside and docked at Pier 27 by 8am. 

 

The City by the Bay, as it is called by some, is near and dear to our hearts, since we were born and raised here.  Even re-locating to the East Bay to get more seasonal weather and less fog, we still consider it home.  It was, for the most part, for one of us, who commuted the Bay Bridge for over 40 years for work.  We can agree that San Francisco is the second most densely populated city after New York City.  And the traffic proves it, as it can be a bear. 

 

Going back to its beginnings in the late 18^th century, the city grew with the Gold Rush.  Being located within the ring of fire of the massive Pacific Ocean, a devastating earthquake and fire leveled the city in 1906. It became a way of life for us, growing up as kids.  We experienced more than our share of big quakes, even as recent as 1989.

 

It has not put a dent in the tourist department, as it has been stated that San Francisco ranks 35^th out of the 100 top destinations in the world.   Among the things to see and do, there were seven tours offered from shore excursions.  Scenic SF took in the Embarcadero, the bridge, Golden Gate Park, the Japanese Tea Garden, De Young Museum, the Academy of Sciences, and Twin Peaks.  A lot to do in 5 ½ hours.  Then there is Alcatraz, the maximum security Federal Bureau of Prisons since 1934.  Although it has been closed for many years, it is a most popular site.  Unless you booked the tour with HAL, you would not have the chance to see where Al Capone, the Birdman of Alcatraz, or George, Machine gun, Kelly spent their years behind bars.  We saw a sign posted saying the next available boat tour there would be next Wednesday.  Oh well, there is always the Cable Car, which you can ride up San Francisco’s famous hills.  And there is the Ho-Ho bus, which gives you a full day of stops for $55.  Finally, you can rent a bike starting at $30 for the day.

 

Going out of town, there were trips to Sausalito, Muir Woods, and Sonoma wine country….all heading across the Golden Gate Bridge.  Good luck getting back on time for the ship to leave at 5pm.  Turned out that one was late in arriving.

 

But first, we all had to see the US Customs and Border Protection Officials in the cruise terminal.  We had a face-to-passport inspection that only required our passports.  No forms had to filled out, and nothing had to be declared.  Maybe that is because this was not a designated segment and no one was officially getting off.  Actually, there were a few that did leave, but they had to pay the full fare to Seattle anyway.  We chose not to do that.

 

Last night, we had been given the letter S for this inspection.  We had the choice of going off first, starting at 8:30am, or waiting until 10am.  Since we planned to meet our youngest son at 11am at Pier 39, we waited until 9:30am to leave.  We had been given permission to take off one piece of luggage to hand over to him.  That way we will only have two bags to bring home from Seattle.  And both well under 50 pounds, we hope.

 

Funny thing revealed itself when we lined up in the new terminal for the check.  One group was going to the right, and it was a very long line.  When we were asked if we were US citizens, we were directed to the left.  There were a total of six of us, whereas, there were hundreds of non US citizens…..we guess, mostly Canadian.  Of course, many more US natives could have gone through ahead of us, but somehow we doubt it.

 

Free for the day, we made our way slowly to Pier 39, stopping to take photos of the bay  and the city as we went up the scenic Embarcadero.  Even at this time of the morning, the streets were full of people, mostly tourists like us.  A number of young kids were on field trips to the Aquarium at Pier 39.  This upcoming weekend is a holiday, Memorial Day (Monday actually), but many take off three or four days before it.  

 

Making our way to the side where the sea lions fight for space on the floating rafts, we were amused at their antics.  They are such huge animals, but powerful swimmers in the water.  Obviously, there is a major food supply for them, since they must have topped the scales at hundreds, even thousands of pounds. 

 

With 50 specialty shops and 16 full-service restaurants, this popular venue is a fun destination in itself.   Not only that, this is the best spot to take photos of Alcatraz Island, Angel Island,  and both major bridges, the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge.   

 

Our choice for lunch today was the Hard Rock Café.  Good thing we met our son when it opened, since when the doors did open, a flood of guests came in with prior reservations.  This group, which included many teen-agers, about filled the bar area where we had taken seats.  If we had come at noontime, we would have had to wait to get a table.  Who knew?  Anyway, we had a wonderful visit, catching up on 5 months-worth of family news.  But the best news was that nothing seems to have broken at our home, or no trees have fallen in our absence.   And the road that took one year to be repaired, due to a slide, is still operating.  The hour went by all too fast, as it was a work day, and our son had to continue with his day.  We will be home in a couple of days, and it will be great to see the family and grandkids once again.

 

After lunch, we walked to Fisherman’s Wharf, which was crowded with tourists and locals as well.  Crabs and lobsters were being cooked in the big boiling pots of salted water, putting the fishy aroma in the air for a mile surrounding the wharf.  If you like the shrimp, crab, and lobster sandwiches, then you would be in heaven here.  Most all of the famous seaside restaurants are here too.

 

Continuing on, we passed by the Hyde Street Pier with the historic ships, The Cannery, the swim club at Aquatic Park, and Ghirardelli Square on the hillside.   This area is chock-full of souvenir shops and small places to buy lunch on the run.  One of those places was Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, so we had to treat ourselves with a couple of scoops of their specialty ice creams.  Eleven dollars for a single scoop cup, and one small sugar cone.  Wow, remember the days when we got a huge cone for 10 cents?  Never see that again…..

 

All aboard was at 4:30pm, so we figured we better start back.  It was almost drizzling with drifting fog at Ghirardelli Square, but as we neared Pier 39, it had passed over.  We would not see any sign of the sun until the ship was leaving after 5pm.

 

Funny that just a couple of days ago, we were having a hard time cooling off in Cabo San Lucas, and today, we needed to turn the heat up to get warm in our room.  Working on photos, we went up to deck nine around 4:30pm to get ready for the sail out of the bay.  By now, some of the overcast was clearing, as it usually does, and there was hope that we would get some good shots as we sailed back under the bridge.

 

Once the ropes were dropped, Captain Fred backed out, then turned the ship around.  This time we would go around the north side of Alcatraz on the way out.  With the sun behind us, the views were way better than this morning.  Most everyone that came outside to watch this were dressed for it.  Despite the warmer clothing, it barely kept the chill from penetrating the bones.  People coming from the bow to the back pool said they couldn’t take that cutting wind up front.

 

We lasted until the ship was well off shore and heading in a northerly direction.   Keeping a sharp eye out for some whale sightings, we saw none.  Perhaps we might get lucky as we sail the coast of Oregon and Washington on our way towards Victoria.  We expect the weather and the seas to remain cool and slightly rough.  It seems to always be this way for this stretch.

 

It wasn’t until dinnertime, that we “defrosted” in our room.  We had reservations in the Pinnacle Grill tonight.  For a change, we tried the spicy tomato lemongrass chicken soup.  It did help warm us up, but it also filled us up.  Caesar salad, no anchovy, followed with entrees of grilled lamb chops, and one small filet mignon.  French fries with that special aioli dip, sauted mushrooms ,and ½ baked potato filled our plates.  Saved a bit of room for one scoop of vanilla ice cream and two scoops of Cherry Garcia without the Baked Alaska.  We inquired about the biscotti cookies they used to serve with coffee, and Desi, one of our cute waitresses, said she would find us some.  And she did, although they were not the thinly-sliced ones we used to get, but bigger slices, soft and full of ground almonds.   As we seldom touch the gourmandises candies, these cookies are far better and not so sweet. 

 

The entertainment in the Mainstage was a vocalist and comedy impressionist Tricia Kelly.   She had a high-energy musical performance full of laughs and surprises.  The majority of folks attended the first show at 8pm, but due to such a long invigorating day spent in San Francisco, the second show was lightly attended.

 

Tomorrow will be our final full day at sea, and a most busy one onboard.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

All the pictures 1 of 4

All the pictures 2 of 4

All the pictures 3 of 4

All the pictures 4 of 4

 

View of the Golden Gate Bridge from our room (port side)

  

Walking the scenic waterfront

 

Spring flowers include foxglove

  

Bet the rent is high here

 

The most beautiful produce we have seen

 

Giant sweet cherries

 

Report #140 Day at Sea May 23, 2018 Wednesday Partly cloudy & 60 degrees

There is no doubt that we have entered the part of the Pacific Ocean where the temps are cool, and the weather not so nice for sun bathing.  The morning view was dismal, as the skies appeared different shades of gray.  The breeze had a bite to it as we did our laps today.  The crew has been busy scrubbing, vacuuming, and painting the gutters and railings.  Now that the worst of the mess has been cleaned up with the lanai room change-over, it is starting to look presentable.  We do know that every lanai cabin has the new walk-in showers, but as far as the rest of the passenger decks, we are not sure. 

 

During breakfast, we had an interesting conversation with Agung, our former waiter/turned head waiter.  He mentioned that the Sunday brunch will happen on every cruise over 14 days fleet wide.  That is, of course, if that Sunday happens to fall on a sea day.  Today there was a special fish lunch in the dining room, with most every item containing some type of fish or crustacean.  Only the desserts were fish-free.  Not to our tastes, lunch would be Dive In Grill for us. 

 

For most of the day, we noticed that people stayed inside either reading in the new comfortable library, playing games and bridge in the Hudson Room, or relaxing in the public areas of the ship.  The puzzle table is still in the library, and is always full of folks having fun with it. 

 

The most exercise many people got was chasing the little ball at the ping pong table.  Despite the cooler temps around the walk around deck, the Lido Pool area was warm enough for swimming and some sun bathing.  The sun did finally peek out after 2pm, though there was not a lot of heat in it.

 

The final folkloric Mexican dance took place in the Lido Pool at noontime.  More than likely, they will be leaving the ship in San Francisco.  Then it will be everything Alaska.

 

Have you ever heard of Loteria?  Guess it is the Mexican form of bingo, and was free to  play in the Wajang Theater at 2pm.  The movie, Black Panther, was shown at 3,6, and 9pm. 

 

It appears that the liquor shop has gotten a lot more customers now that we are approaching the end of this cruise.  Duty free and 2 for 1 prices might boost their sales, as many passengers seem inclined to buy before they leave the ship.

 

It was a 2 movie day for us with “Dough” and “Murder on the Orient Express”.  Both were very good.  

 

Dinner was in the dining room once again, where we had soups of cheese tortellini and dos frijoles.  Entrees of coq a vin and medium rare sliced beef were perfect. We saved a smidgen of room for dessert. 

 

At 9pm, there was a Call My Bluff game show, where a panel of storytellers (usually staff) present the folks with off the wall definitions.  Most are obscure words that can potentially have many different meanings.  Most times, they are not what you would expect. So it is up to the viewers to decide who is lying, and who is telling the truth.  If we had wanted to go to this venue, we would have had to eat really fast. 

 

The Mainstage featured an encore variety show with Dale Gonyea and Matt Disero, both promising all new shows. 

 

Tomorrow will be a busy day with the port of San Francisco.  It will start early with a zero clearance of all passengers and crew before 10:30am.  Once checked through, we will be able to enjoy our day as “tourists” in our very own city.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Report #139 Day at Sea May 22, 2018 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 81 degrees

Really?  It’s going to be 81 degrees today?  We don’t think so, since when we checked the temperature at 7:30am, it was only 59 degrees.  The ride up this coastline during this time of year is always a cool one.  We can assume it will continue to stay on the cool side all the way until we get off in Seattle.

 

As we are following the coast of Baja California, our Mexico education continued with a presentation of fire, ice and quakes, which described the geological activity in this country.  Later at noon, the ambassadors performed another music and dance concert in the Lido Pool area. 

 

In preparation for the upcoming ports, there was a lecture on the Pacific coastal wildlife. 

 

With days at sea like this one, it is the perfect opportunity for sales on board.  Even as early as 9am, there was a deck sale in the Lido Dome with men’s and women’s watch sets.  Then the shops put out some items for up to 75% off the original price.  We did see a few of the blue sweatshirts that were sold on the world cruise with the 2018 itinerary on the back. However, every one of them was size small. 

 

Spa treatments have been promoted with ads of all sizes left in our mail slots daily.  Not sure they are reduced, but these treatments are brought to our attention as they offer them individually or in combinations. 

 

For some unknown reason, we have lost most of the TV feed.  It has been spotty the last several days, but this morning it went off completely.  The “in house” programming is still operational, but BBC, MSNBC, and Fox have gone dark…..no signal.  However, the two ESPN channels have continued to work.  Obviously, they are on a separate signal.  When we asked about the signal, we were told that we have lost the “footprint”.  Maybe this happened last year on this stretch, but we are not sure it lasted this long.  What is different this year are the presence of communications contractors who may or may not be working on the system as we sail.  It would not be unusual that in order to fix something else, the feed has been turned off temporarily. The internet has been working great, as that is on a different system.

 

Since it was so cool outside and not a pool day, it ended up being a 2 movie day.  While we watched the first movie, we packed one suitcase, with hopes that we will be able to take it off while in San Francisco.  That should make it easier to only have two pieces of luggage with which to fly home.  We have gotten permission, unless something changes, it should be OK. 

 

Something nice happened this afternoon.  It regarded the almost everyday photo set-up in the hallway from the casino to the atrium.  We had made mention of this situation yesterday, and someone actually listened.  This afternoon, the aisle was free of obstructions and the photo shoot was moved to another side.  This worked because there was a way for the foot traffic to flow around the atrium without a blockage.  Problem solved.  And we were able to listen to the piano man without interruptions, much appreciated by all of us sitting around the atrium across from the Ocean Bar.   

 

Dinner in the dining room had an entrée we really liked….the turkey dinner.  It’s like having an early Thanksgiving at least once a month.  For dessert, we sampled an ice cream sundae, a frozen banana yogurt, and one chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream.  All good.

 

The show this evening was “Road House” performed by the singers and dancers.  We are certain that the first show at 8pm is busting at the seams, as we watch the folks arriving well before 7am to get their favorite seats.  We had a question regarding the seat heights in the show lounge on deck four, specifically the couches and the chairs.   They seem to be close to the same height now.

 

And for the final time this cruise, the clocks went back one hour, putting us on Pacific Daylight Savings Time.

 

One more day at sea, and we will be in good old San Francisco, a city close to our hearts.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Report #138 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico May 21, 2018 Partly cloudy & 82 degrees

Our last port in Mexico was Cabo San Lucas, located in the state of Baja California Sur.   It has a population of 65,000 Spanish-speaking people, although English is widely spoken too.  The currency is the Mexican peso, and at the time, the rate is about 18 to one US dollar. 

 

During the late 16^th and early 17^th centuries, Cabo was a haven for pirates.  However, today we have watched it grow from a sleepy sport’s fishing community to a destination with swanky hotel and condos.  The first time we discovered this area was back in the 1970’s, when tourism was in its infancy.   Cabo San Lucas was really a small village with a boat ramp for the tender boats to off-load guests from the cruise ships.  We do recall there was one very nice hotel perched on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  Never in a million years did we envision what we see today.  A beautiful marina full of yachts and fishing vessels, luxury stores, golf courses, hotels, and never-ending happy hour at dozens and dozens of restaurants and bars.  Yep, a huge part town, and still growing.

 

The Amsterdam pulled into the San Lucas Bay, right across from Medano Beach early this morning.  By the time we woke up, we were looking right at El Arco, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez.  Within the rock formations just outside the picturesque marina, is a naturally-formed arch, or a hole in the rock, which has become the iconic symbol of the area. 

 

As promised by Captain Fred yesterday, our stay was extended until 5pm, with the last tender boat back to the ship at 4:30pm.  At least we were not pressured to leave early, and try to squeeze in lunch.  So we had a light breakfast, and hung around taking morning photos from the lower promenade deck.  The lighting for getting the best shots of the rocks and the arch is always in the early morning hours.  We were not disappointed. 

 

And the weather was going to be good today, as there was a promising breeze along with comfortable temperatures.  Of course, it is always pleasant on the water, but onshore, well tht might be a different story.

 

Everyone, except a few, had to get tender tickets for the ride over.  It appeared that the ships new tender boats were being used, as well as some local tenders from shore.  It is a big help having the locals help with the transfers, as we only have one platform out at a time.  And the tours were going off also.  There were a total of 18 shore excursions offered today.  Four types of activities included sight-seeing, adventure/water tours, parasailing/beach tours, and scuba diving/dolphin encounters.   They ranged in price from $38 to $220, and ran from 1 ½ to 5 ½ hours.  Most of these groups would be the first off.

 

We went over after 10am, and did happen to ride over with the 25 or more guests who tagged along with the port shopping ambassador for  trip to Diamonds International.  By the way, we got to ride in one of the new tender boats.  They hold about the same amount of people as the older ones, but are much more spacious.  Now we have to step up two stairs to get inside the wider opening, then walk down two steps to the seating.  The windows are higher than the seats, so it is hard to see outside.  If you happen to get inside the boat last, you can be most comfortable on bench seating in the center.

 

Those people that go to the front of the boat will never get wet now, as the window/doors are raised much higher above the water line.  We did notice that there is little air circulation on the lower seat area, so the shorter the ride, the better.

 

Getting out of the secured tender landing, we were approached by dozens of vendors selling tours, or offering boat and taxi rides.  Once past them, it was better.  Sometimes the pressure these guys and gals put on the tourists repels them instead of drawing them in.   

 

We took our usual path this morning, heading up towards Cabo Wabo in search of a souvenir t-shirt or two.  Far too early for lunch, we did notice that happy hour began at 9am here.  Window-shopping on the way down towards the mall, the vendors were in fine form, trying to entice us into their stalls and shops. 

 

Passing by the old Hard Rock Café, we noticed that it has closed permanently, with no signs of re-locating.  So much in this part of town has been re-modeled, we barely recognized it.  Plaza Bonita Mall has been created with new larger shops, similar to what we found when getting off of the dock by the tender landing. 

 

Puerto Paraiso Mall was our next stop, where we knew we could cool off for a while.  Like we expected, it had heated up outside, and the air-conditioning was most welcomed.  We always make a stop at the Tommy Bahama store in the luxury end of this mall.  Sometimes they have some good sales and also sell another brand of tropical shirts we like.  Seems that the sizes available today were either too small or way too large.  So we bought nothing.

 

A new venue we passed in the mall was called the Fish Resort, a unique foot spa experience.  While traveling through the Orient, we have seen this service provided, where fish tanks full of small fish called garra rufa suck dead cells of skin off of your feet, which are submerged in the tank.  Two young girls were getting this treatment, while their mom stood by watching.  We could hear them giggling as soon as we entered into the cool mall doors.  The cost varies, but the shortest time is 15 minutes for $20 USD, plus $15 more for a foot massage and hand treatment. 

 

Making our way back outside, we walked around the marina, watching for the tropical fish in the waters.  We did see quite a few varieties of fish, including the puffer fish.  What we did not see today were a whole lot of pelicans like we usually see.  Perhaps they migrate, and we were here later than we usually are.  There were few frigates too.

 

But we did get a kick out of the humongous sea lions that launched themselves on the back ends of some fishing boats as they entered the marina.  These animals are so big, they pulled the boats down as they begged fish from the drivers.  People were actually petting them as they fed them fish. 

 

We made it as far as Medano Beach and the new hotels and resorts on the water’s edge.  The sidewalks along the way were in the process of being widened.  Now there is no sandy trail at all as we made our way towards the beach.   From this point, all the way to the end at San Jose del Cabo, there is 18 miles of beachfront hotels and resorts.  Every time we come here, more hotels are being added.  Eventually, there will be solid  tourist hotels and resorts the entire way.

 

And we had quite a surprise when we reached this point, because another ship had “parked” next to us…….the Carnival Splendor.  That ship is huge compared to us.  With a total of 24 life boats, she has to be double our size, and holds more than double our population.  We figured that we had better head for lunch before the restaurants filled up.

 

Dodging the ever-persistant vendors, we went to our favorite pub that serves pizza.  Not crowded yet, we relaxed for an hour, doing what we do best….eat pizza, of course.  And drink some very good, ice cold blonde brew.  We added a small serving of carrot cake to our meal, and we were on our way by 1pm. 

 

On the way back, we negotiated with a street vendor for a long sleeve t-shirt we had spotted in some shops.  The very same shirt was half the price, and would have been less if we wanted to buy in larger quantities.  Fun to do, but now we have to watch the weight because we need to fly home.  Perish the thought.

 

Passing the rest of the fun restaurants, we decided to pass up the souvenir stores, and go back to the ship.   Once the tender boat filled, we were off for the short transfer.  By now, the marina was bustling with boat activity with fishing vessels arriving back, and more tenders bringing the folks from both ships.  

 

It was still very warm in the sun while we waited at the Seaview Pool for the eventual sail out of the bay.  Every now and then, we saw something popping out of the water in the distance, then disappear with a wide splash.  Definitely not dolphins, they were fish.  Getting some lucky shots of them, we discovered later on that they were manta rays, literally flying out of the water.  We can only assume something much larger was under them, making them fly into the air.

 

The last boat was hauled up at 5pm, then the Captain backed up and turned the ship and headed around that famous corner of the rock outcroppings and El Arco.  If you were not watching, you would miss the hole in the rock, which some folks did.  One couple approached us and asked if we saw the arch, which of course, we did.  Someone had told them that the arch had collapsed and was no longer there.  Too bad they had not left their veranda sooner , because they missed seeing it.

 

Once out to sea, the temperatures dropped at  least 20 degrees, and the winds almost blew everything off of the aft deck.  Captain Fred had warned people to secure their things, but they seldom listen.  It was fun watching them wrap towels around their shoulders, running inside for shelter.  Eventually, we were the only ones left at the back railing as we sailed towards our next port of San Francisco in a few days.

 

The Lido seemed to be over-flowing with customers for dinner, as it had been a long and busy day in port.  Bet the dining rooms will be almost empty tonight.

 

And we had guessed right, as there were several empty tables on deck five at 8pm.  Lamb shank and honey mustard parmesan crusted chicken were our choices of entrees.  Both were excellent.  We were back to the room by 9:30pm, choosing not to walk outside after dinner.  There was a pianist, humorist, songwriter, by the name of Dale Gonyea, on stage this evening.  Since we have enjoyed the music of Joel in the Ocean Bar earlier, we felt we had fulfilled that type of entertainment already.

 

Two sea days lay ahead of us as we head north into much cooler weather.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

All the pictures part 1 of 3

All the pictures part 2 of 3

All the pictures part 3 of 3 

 

El Arco – the natural rock outcroppings at Cabo San Lucas

 

The biggest ads along the marina

 

Fish in the harbor

  

Cafes

  

A new store since we were here

Still takes folks on harbor rides and dinner cruises

 

Report #137 Day at Sea May 20, 2018 Sunday Partly cloudy & 81 degrees

Well, today was Sunday, and a day at sea.  So would there be a Sunday brunch?  That question was answered when we saw the menu of the special brunch in place of the regular lunch menu outside the dining room this morning.   So our guess is that this Sunday-at-Sea Brunch is possibly fleet wide these days.  We would find out later in the day whether it was well attended or not.

 

Even though it was still plenty warm and humid, the weather seemed a lot more tolerable today.  What helped was a nice breeze blowing on the outside decks, something that has been missing this last week.  Ever since we left the Panama Canal, and sailed up the coast of Central America, it has been sticky and hot. With every degree north we sail, the weather has improved. 

 

The Explorations Central team from Mexico presented everything you wanted to know about tequila, as it is the national drink.  In the same theme, all you need to know about diamonds and gemstones was discussed in the Ocean Bar.  Yesterday, we received a coupon worth $250 to spend  towards jewelry bought at Diamonds International in Cabo San Lucas.  The port shopping ambassador, Daniel, will take a group interested in buying this jewelry tomorrow at 9:15am.  Guess they will go over on the same tender boat. 

 

Speaking of tender boats, we did not get any information regarding priority tendering while in Cabo tomorrow.  Usually the Neptune and Pinnacle suite folks along with the President’s Club members, as well as 4 and 5 star Mariners get to board first, without getting the tender tickets.  We would find out later in the evening that the rule is still in place.  They just failed to put it in printing.  As for us, we will not be the first ones off, since at 7am, not much will be opened. And we are not on any tours.

 

While we were enjoying probably the last of the heat of the sun at the Seaview Pool, Captain Eversen was taking the passengers on a virtual tour of the bridge, as well as answering questions.  This was held in the Mainstage, and we certainly hoped it would be televised for viewing later on TV.  We are still looking for it, but so far…..nothing.  In fact, the reception on the TV has been spotty, as we have been losing the signal off and on for several days now.  Could be there is continuing work happening with the recent upgrades.  Shiv mentioned last night that we still have about 30 workers onboard finishing up the last of the details. 

 

During his PM talk, the Captain mentioned that we will be extending our stay in Cabo from 2pm to 5pm.  That was great news, since we had planned on going to lunch, and did not want to have to hurry back for the last tender ride.  He did say that it sort of made up for our missed port in Nicaragua.  Works for us…..

 

Not all that hungry for lunch, we picked up a few slices of pizza, and a couple of mystery sandwiches in the Lido.  Mystery, because they were not labeled, and there was no server present to describe them.  Turned out one was a club and the other was a veggie sandwich.  Perfect to munch on while watching a movie about little league baseball back in 1957 between teams from Texas and Mexico.  True story too.

 

We have one big objection with the photographers on this cruise.  On the longer trips, the deck five photo sets are put up on gala nights.  Understandable, since that’s when most people like to pose in their finery.  But on this trip, they have been setting up almost every day.  This afternoon we were sitting around the atrium deck five, listening to the piano man playing, when up went the backdrop right behind us.  Then they proceeded to persuade the folks to stop and pose.   Nine times out of ten, the answer was, are you kidding, dressed like this?  No thanks.  They tend to scare more people away than they do getting some business.  We see it as nickel and diming to the utmost.  Not only distracting to the Ocean Bar customers, they block the aisle between the casino and the atrium, making folks wait while they do the posing.  There has to be a better place to do this.

 

We have to admit that Disney Cruise Line had a much better set-up.  Yes, they had photo sessions every day, even twice a day. But it was located at the bottom level of the atrium where it bothered no one.  People lined up in four places to pose with the Disney characters, then later on, chose what they wished to purchase on computers in another area of the ship.  Brilliant idea, as they did not print what the people did not wish to buy.  No lines, no blocking of aisles, no waste, and no begging you to pose.

 

We did have reservations in the Pinnacle Grill tonight, but changed our minds when we looked at the dining room menu this morning.  It had two of our favorite entrees offered, so we cancelled the reservations.  We asked Slam, our waiter, how the brunch went this morning, and he said it was almost empty of people.  Odd, since that venue really took off on the grand voyage.  Perhaps someone should have promoted this special brunch ahead of time, so people knew what to expect.  Slam works the Lido at lunchtime, and he said it was more crowded than ever today.  Even tonight, we were surprised to see how empty the dining room was at 8pm.  No rhyme or reason, other than people may have chosen to eat in the Lido or go to anytime dining for a change. 

 

Even though we were done with dinner at 9:30pm, we did not attend the show, which was another comedy act.  Comedian Anthony Padilla is known as one of the most versatile fellows in the business.  His quick-witted playful banter and artful storytelling is promised to  leave everyone feeling like part of the family.  One of the newer Star Trek movies was starting on TV at 10pm, and we wanted to see it from the beginning.

 

Looking forward to another fun day in Cabo San Lucas tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

Report #136 Day at Sea May 19, 2018 Saturday Partly cloudy & 81 degrees

With a night full of lightning, we sort of expected an overcast, perhaps rainy morning.  But no, we had left that system behind, and the skies were mostly blue and sunny today. 

 

What we did not expect was an early announcement before 9am by the Cruise Director, Jai, saying that Mexican Ambassadors were onboard, like for real.  Figuring we had some officials sailing with us for a few days, some activities were planned earlier than the norm today.  Turned out that the Mexican Ambassadors were the team of locals that come onboard to teach their culture, language, and dance while we are in their country.  On the world cruise, we had these same teams join us in French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, and many more.  Today’s itinerary included an interview with the Mexican team at 9am, followed by a history of Mexico talk in the Mainstage at 10am.  Later at lunchtime, a live folkloric performance took  place in the Lido Dome.  At 3pm, there was a dance class, and at 4pm, there was a Spanish class in the Piano Bar.  We expect to  see more of the same on tomorrow’s line up.

 

Since it was so nice outside, we spent the majority of the day out back, in our favorite spot poolside.  There were far more folks out today, mostly because the warm days will be coming to an end once we head north towards San Francisco.   Great chance to finally finish book number five since we left Ft. Lauderdale last January.  Normally, we are able to swap out books in the exchange corner in the library, but that is gone now.  One can check out books as we always have, but they need to be read while here. 

 

Wild life sightings were numerous today.  Turtles were everywhere, and so were the dolphins.  The ship swung a little closer to the coast when we reached the area around Acapulco.  Close enough to see the buildings lining the shoreline.  The Amsterdam has not stopped in that port for years now.  Guess it is not as safe as it used to be.  Anyway, we did enjoy watching the flocks of unending boobys as they flew all around the ship, skimming the water, and passing overhead. 

 

Lunch was Dive In cuisine in our room at 3pm.  Wanted to keep it light, because tonight is Gala, and a special menu would be offered.  We watched the ending of a movie called Coco, an animated comedy about a young Mexican boy who goes on an adventure.  Sometimes it is nice to watch something that is not violent, bloody, or blowing things up.

 

Between walks outside and listening to Joel, the piano fellow, dinnertime came quickly.  We had not intended to have much to eat, but when we found out that Shiv, the Housekeeping Director was to join us, we were quite happy.  Not a day has gone by these past months, that we have not said hi to him either in his office or out and about on the ship.  So when some of the tables were being hosted for gala evening, Shiv chose us.  He’s the nicest guy ever.  So our conversation flowed with memories of the grand world voyage and more, as we enjoyed appetizers, soups, and entrees of lamb and cheese tortellinis.  Frozen yogurt and chocolate cheesecake finished the meal.  So much for light…..but the company was super.   One of the stories Shiv shared was about one of his room stewards, who sadly had his cell phone stolen while in Dakar, Senegal.   All of his buddies felt so bad for him, that they took up a collection among the crew, and bought him a new phone….even better than the one that was stolen.  That’s how special this crew is …..we are proud to know them.

 

Part of the conversation revolved around upgrades that occurred on the recent dry docking.  We inquired about the possibility of getting new TV’s in the future on the lower decks.  The answer was yes ,but not until the next project in a few years, possibly 2021.  What might occur, are bathroom upgrades, which has seen the removal of the tub/showers that are converted to a walk-in shower only.  How many are being converted, we do not know.

 

Showtime presented comedian Matt Disero, who is also a magician.  It was advertised to be an interactive performance, which kind of scares us.  Did not matter, since we were still in the dining room when the show began.

 

And good news was that the clocks went back one hour tonight.  And we had a chance to see the movie, Coco, in our room from the beginning.  Delightful.

 

Bill & Mary Ann