Report # 1 Friday December 30, 2022 Navigate the World with Bill & Mary Ann on the Zuiderdam's 128 Day 2023 Grand World Voyage

It seems like just yesterday that we arrived home from the Alaska and Tales of the South Pacific cruises.  It has been an incredibly busy 6 weeks with routine doctor and dentist appointments, not to mention getting the new Covid boosters and flu vaccines.  In between all of this, many dead pine trees needed to be brought down, mostly due to the drought and old age.  On the plus side, we have a mountain of firewood for several winters to come.  And we only had time to do half of the job.  The rest can wait until spring.

Then Thanksgiving with the family happened somewhere in the mix.  It was great to see everyone together, including Pepsi, the dog.  It seemed like we had a lot of time to get stuff done, but the clock was ticking way faster than we thought.  Funny how that seems to happen more and more these days………

Then came the packing for 128 days.  There was a huge change with the size and weight of the bags this time.  Never before was the size or weight a problem, but now, it must comply with airline regulations.  Sixty-two linear inches and 50 pounds.  In the past, we shipped large duffels that tipped the scales way over 50 pounds.  No more…..  We were allowed 2 pieces each, even though we upgraded to an SS suite, unlimited luggage did not come as a perk.  So we searched for three perfect size duffels and added three suitcases we already had.  Luggage Forward is the company being used, and we paid to ship the two extra bags. 

The pick-up date was December 14^th with UPS as the carrier.  A week prior, we received the printed luggage tags for each piece.  Tracking the numbers, we learned they all arrived on December 21^st.  Good news, considering what has happened with the recent airline problems.  At least the luggage is in Florida, and we hope we will be there without any hitches. 

One of us keeps a list of things to do before we go.  It is mostly wrapping up everything with the house and the bills etc.  Not a day went by that a phone call was necessary to confirm that everything was in place.  The best thing we ever did was installing a large locked mailbox.  No more dealing with the post office, as our son deals with the mailbox now.  We had such a terrible experience with forwarding our mail to our son's address.  Nothing could have been more messed up when we got back.  Our mail had gotten reversed with his for months afterwards.  And many things went to "mail heaven", never to be seen again.

So the plan for tomorrow is to be picked up by our driver at 3:30am.  He was concerned with the heavy rains expected tonight, and asked that we should leave an hour earlier, which is fine with us.  Luckily, it is a Saturday, and the traffic should be light.  We always like to fly ahead a few extra days, just in case there are delays or cancellations, God forbid.  We have packed only one duffel to check on the plane, and a couple of hand carrys each.  It is a straight through flight and will get us there after 5pm EST. 

One concern we have involves getting the Covid test 24 hours prior to boarding the ship on January 3^rd.  This might not have been necessary if it wasn't for Australia's requirements. Funny, because we do not get there until February, where we bet we get tested again.  And we do know that most cruises this long have been required to test. Our plan is to pay a visit to a clinic close to our hotel in Ft. Lauderdale.  Hope that works….

It has been three years since we sailed on a world cruise, although we did go on back-to-backs for almost as much time early this year.  We are really looking forward to the itinerary as well as seeing many old friends.  We basically will make a beeline to the South Pacific, then head south to New Zealand and across to Australia.  From there, we will head to the east coast of Africa, around the Cape, and up the west coast.  We do have a six day overland from Durban to Cape Town for a safari.  We will not go into the Mediterranean, but head north to Norway, with many stops along the way.  From the Azores, we will go trans-Atlantic back to Ft. Lauderdale.  Of course, there may be changes, and we have learned to roll with them.  

So we extend our sincere wishes to everyone for a Happy and Healthy New Year.  Stayed tuned…..we will be back as soon as we get to Florida.

Bill & Mary Ann

PS    We would like to dedicate this blog to our longtime friend RKACruiser (Bob), who suddenly passed away a few weeks ago.  We met in 2002 while on an Asia/Pacific cruise, and have been in touch ever since.  One of the cruises we will remember doing with him was in Alaska a few years ago.  We loved his story of flying to a salmon bake, where he spotted a large bear licking the BBQ grill.  Hopefully it was after the salmon bake!  He will be missed!

Report #73 Thursday November 17, 2022 San Diego, California Debark Day Sunny And Warm 70 Degrees

Well the time has come when everything has come to an end.  The Zuiderdam sailed slowly towards the final port of San Diego, but not before picking up the pilot at 5am.  We did see this because both of us were up well before our alarm clock went off at 5am.   We were docked around 6am, an hour ahead of the scheduled time of 7am.  This was a good thing because we had recently received a notice that the US Customs and Border Protection Inspection could take a longer than normal time.  They wrote, "In layman's terms, from start to finish, the entire process may take up to 4 hours".   We were highly discouraged from booking early flights or other travel arrangements before 11:30am.  If you had not reserved your flights at this point, good luck.

The best news was that the ship was cleared before 8am, but only the expedited guests (those who pulled their own luggage off), would be allowed to leave.   Up to that point, no luggage had been unloaded in the cruise terminal.  By the way, we understand there are 49 guests continuing onward for the Panama Canal re-positioning cruise.  Our President's Club buddy Howard is one of them.  We will see him at the hotel in Ft. Lauderdale right before the world cruise leaves January 3^rd.   We also learned that the Panama Canal cruise has over 1700 guests.   A pretty full house.

Our final breakfast was good as usual, although many of the regulars must have had other plans, like room service or the Lido.  Our waiter Raj as well as Remco the manager, made a sweep through the room to say goodbye to all of the guests.  They are both headed home today and Remco may be on the same flight to SF that we are on.  Upon leaving, assistant manager Alejandro gave us both a hug.  Hope to see her on a future cruise, since she was a lot of fun as well as good at her job. 

Last evening, we confirmed our pick-up ride from SFO to our home.  Every detail is in place, and now all that is left is wait for the time to leave, which for us is as late as 10am.  By then, finding our luggage should be easy.

When we saw the Diamond Princess coming into the harbor of San Diego, we decided the better time to leave the ship would be 9:30am, just in case that ship was cleared quicker than us.  Most all of the luggage colors and numbers had been called off by now, and we breezed right through security and down the gangway.  Henk and Maja were down at the bottom of the escalator, saying goodbye to the guests.  We got hugs from both of them, promising to see each other soon, then off we went to find the three bags.  But first, we had to present ourselves to the immigrations folks who had a counter set up on the way.  We did have our passports ready for inspection, but we did not need them as the agent used the facial recognition screen instead.  Dropping the masks, it took seconds to get an "OK" for each of us.

With luggage in tow, we went right outside, got a taxi, and were to the airport within 10 or 15 minutes.  We had until 1:47pm until our flight left, but getting to the airport was a good move.  It was crazy busy, unless it is like that everyday.  We guessed that with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up next week, many folks were flying somewhere for that event today.  Checking in was easy, although one of our bags was ever so slightly over-weight, while the other two a bit under.  The agent said it was OK.  For the first time, we noticed there were scales along the wall near the United counters for the people to check the weight.  Such a good idea, that way you could divide things up and not worry about over-weight charges. We got our boarding passes, then proceeded back outside to wait in the sunshine.

We had until noon or so, before we had to go back inside the building.  Walking the length of the terminals and back again, we sat outside near the International Terminal for a while.  Then we had a surprise……Francisco, the dining room maitre'd came from inside and chatted with us for a bit.  He was on his way home to Indonesia, a much longer and convoluted set of flights than we had.  We had a good conversation regarding food-related subjects as well as serving techniques.  We could tell he loves his job, and he does it well.  Bet we meet on another ship in the future.

Then we had to line up for the security check.  There were no signs showing things we always used to do, such as separate your small liquids, take out computers, take shoes and jackets off, or empty pockets.  We did end up doing all of the above except the small baggie of liquids.  One of us was chosen to do the special xray, probably because of the fact I did not take off my shoes, as it is too difficult wearing a tight backbrace.  Anyway, I passed the test, and we were free to go.

It seemed that our flight might be delayed, because the plane was late in arriving.  But when it did land, the turnover was quick but we still ended up losing 20 minutes or more.  That time was miraculously made up in the air because we landed at SFO right on the money.  Within minutes, we retrieved our luggage, and met up with our driver.  On the road by 4pm, we ran into the normal commute traffic, and it took up to three hours to get home.  Our driver said he thinks the traffic has gotten worse than before Covid hit in 2020.  Anyway, we pulled into our driveway about 7pm and were happy to be home safe and sound.  However, it was really cold.  We have six weeks to bundle up before we head off to the nice weather again.  Until then, thanks for joining us on another fun journey from Glaciers to Palm Trees!

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report #72 Wednesday November 16, 2022 Sea Day Enroute To San Diego, California Sun With Clouds 75 Degrees

Finally, our last day at sea, and we were greeted with bright sun and blue skies. The sea conditions could not be better with no more than 3- foot swells and little wind. The temperature felt close to 80 degrees. We are guessing at the number because the nifty wall thermometer has been packed.

Today was all about farewells, beginning with the Pinnacle Grill at breakfast. Raj has been our primary waiter, although the entire staff is used to serve the food. It's not always efficient, but that's another story. Anyway, Raj is going home tomorrow, we assume to India, but returning to a different ship in January. He has been fun. All of the staff have been most friendly.

We spent the morning catching up sending reports, as the internet seemed to be working. Not the fastest speed, it eventually allowed some emails to download. During this time, we finished most of the final packing, keeping out just what we needed for Thursday. Weighing each piece and dividing up stuff, we ended with each one just under 50#. By the way, we did see a luggage scale by the front desk for the guests to use. It is still approximate due to the ship's movement. At the moment, we are going at a slow rate of 10 knots, so the ship tends to roll a bit.

There was a combined staff and crew farewell at 10am in the Mainstage. That always brings tears with some of the guests after these longer cruises. On the other hand, it may bring tears of joy to some of the crew members, happy that this trip is over. We find that with the longer the cruise, the more
demanding some folks become and their expectations are big. We make an effort not to be this type of passenger.....ever.

We still had some shipboard credit to use and we were successful in finding a few more small treasures. Also, we had to pick up the Effy certificate for the Tahitian pearls we purchased. It is never easy to do this, as the guarantees are kept elsewhere under lock and key. The very nice salesgirl could not leave her area of the store to retrieve it, but said the other salesman would be back shortly. Once he was there, she would be free to run and get it for us. Of course, their hope is that we continue to look at their extensive collection and find something else we could not live without. Sorry, it did not happen this time.

Going outside for a walk on the promenade deck, we had a nice surprise though. We spotted the first bird we have seen since leaving Nuku Hiva a week ago. It was a white and black masked booby, all alone, and flying very close to the ship. We both whistled, and believe it or not, the bird responded by gliding within six feet of us. No kidding. Can this be a learned behavior because cruise ship folks feed them? Years ago while on a Mexican cruise on a Princess ship, we saw people throwing food to hundreds of seagulls from their balconies while docked. It didn't take very long before the captain came on the outside speakers saying, "stop it now". And they did. We never saw anything like it again.

At 4pm, there was a drawing in the Effy Shop. Since we had 15 tickets, we decided to attend. Never winning much of anything, such as the lotto, we were more curious to see how this gathering would go. And it went as expected - drawn out instead of immediate drawing. The head salesman droned on and on about the company - blah-blah-blah, while everyone began to fidget. Finally, a few pink tickets were pulled, the first one was a "no show". It was dropped on the floor. Another pink ticket had a winner. Now it was time for the red tickets, and two ladies were also winners of a mystery gift bag. If it was the same as the one Barbie won last spring, it contained a few useful items and a very tiny necklace and earring set. Of course, you were free to take it to any Effy store, and upgrade it to something more expensive. We were among the first to leave this event, since many of these people were maskless, as well as jammed in the store.

By the time the sun was setting it was close to 5pm, an indication of how far north we have traveled. The skies were 99% cloud free, and as the Captain mentioned in his noon talk, we may have a chance at seeing the elusive green flash. Although we did not see the green flash, we did notice that the sunrays were dancing on the horizon, like pulsating orange colors. And that was that. We do have photos, but will submit them tomorrow.

Dinner time came quickly, and we ordered chicken noodle soup, two ham and chicken croquettes, and a Caesar salad. Then, the gourmets we are, the best thing on the menu tonight were cheeseburgers. Yes, burgers with French fries. And not the soggy steak fries, but crispy hot ones. Made us happy campers. No room for dessert, we said our goodbyes to both maitre'ds Johnny and Francisco. Our waiters Adrian and Carl will be back on the world cruise, but probably will not be our waiters as they will be assigned to a different area.

Back to the room, we lugged the three suitcases out the door and parked them against the wall for pick-up later. Got to get some quality sleep, because tomorrow will be a long day. They always are.

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report #71 Tuesday November 15, 2022 Sea Day Enroute To San Diego, California Cloudy With Showers Warm 70 Degrees

The Pinnacle Grill assistant manager was back today, which was nice to see.  We did not ask about Covid, but we assume that was the case, and she admitted to feeling much better.  At least we know that she was not the seriously ill staff member that needed to be med-evacuated today.  Later in the day, we did hear Captain Frank say that the crew member was a thirty year HAL employee, and he had visited him in the medical center, finding him in good spirits despite his condition. 

We did not attend the 11:30am Indonesian Luncheon today, but we did inform two of our breakfast waiters we would not be there.  They would be working the upper dining room for the event.  One of us decided that it was not worth the chance of an allergic reaction so close to going home.  Instead we took our usual stroll, and did listen to the Captain's talk after 12pm.  Once he finished the basics of weather and position, he went into great detail about the upcoming medical evacuation.  By the way, the temperature was at least 15 degrees cooler today.  Feels more and more like Southern California this time of year.   Gone is that sticky humidity and intense hot sun.

Just before leaving our room to go walking, we noticed a small message in the veranda stateroom's mail slots.  We did not read it fully, but we caught the message that the evacuation was planned about 1 to 2:30pm.  It would involve two helicopters, as well as two aircraft.  Captain Frank explained that the helicopters could not fly the distance needed for the round trip without being re-fueled.  And that is why there were two airplanes to do the job.  Now we assume the first helicopter was for the actual patient to be lifted, while the second one held a dive team in case there was an accidental drop in the water.   Never knew this could become so involved. 

In addition to the patient transfer, all of the outside decks were to be cleared, then closed off to guests.  And for our safety, all of the guests in cabins with balconies were requested to stay inside after removing all loose belongings.   Even a small towel or piece of clothing could be sucked into an engine causing it to crash.  The promenade deck would be closed off in the aft section we believe.  The actual pick-up would be done near the railing of the Sea View Pool.

We began hearing the helicopters around 2 :15pm when they began circling the ship at a distance.  They were soon followed by the airplanes.  This circling seemed to go on for a while before the first attempt at a pick-up was attempted.  It happened to be four decks above our veranda.  It must not have worked, because the helicopter took off, and circled back.  The second attempt worked as they moved the pick-up to the port side of the pool decking.  By then ½ hour had passed. 

Captain Frank came on the speakers to announce the med-evac had been completed safely, and the patient was on his way to the hospital in San Diego.  Not sure if we heard him correctly, but we thought he said it would take 5 hours of flying time to arrive there. We were sure we heard a sign of relief in his voice once this was done.  This was our second med-evac this trip, since we also had one with Captain Friso while in Skagway, Alaska.  That one was at nighttime in the dark, right after the ship left the port area and was enroute to the inside passage.  Now that the need for speed is over, we think we will be going at a snail's pace back to California, or going in circles?

The internet began working better around noontime, so it is possible we are getting within range of another satellite footprint.  Backed up emails arrived finally, and we were able to send several.  It wasn't the fastest connection, but it is working.  Just it case we lost the signal, we stayed inside and sent replies back to everyone. Also worked on sending the backed up reports for the last week or so.  The photos will have to wait we are afraid.  But they will be sent once we get home. 

Thought we would include some basic info about Tahitian or Cook Island black pearls, just in case there are some folks that may be in the market for them.  Black pearls are grown in the black-lipped oysters.  The spectrum of colors range from purple to champagne and even peacock green.  The Cook Islands claim to have the best due to the Manihiki lagoon where they are farmed.  Supposedly, these pearls are second only to the Australian Golden pearls or South Seas Pearls.

"Cultured" means a nucleus such as a round bead is inserted into the water sac of the oysters.  If the oyster cannot expel it because it is an irritant, a layer of nacre eventually coats the bead.  This is the substance that give the pearls their color.   Each pearl is judged by the number of layers, and there could be thousands of such layers.  The sheen, luster, as well as the symmetry contribute to the value of the pearls.  Also taken into account are the size, shape, and reflection as to their worth. 

The same can be said for Tahitian pearls originating from French Polynesian remote lagoons mostly in the Tuamotu atolls.   Did you know it would take opening 15,000 oysters to find a natural pearl?  We did not know this.  They are so rare, that they were reserved for royalty only. 

The first pearl farms began in 1961 in the lagoon of Bora Bora, with the aid of Japanese technology.  The first harvest was two years later, and was highly successful.  These pearls range from pale gray to deep black.  The government of French Polynesia regulations dictate that 80% of the pearl's surface cannot reveal the underlying nucleus.  All those that do not qualify under these rules, are considered rejects and cannot be sold.  Their quality is judged from A to D in value, and size and shape also play into their pricing.   Expect a significant dent in the wallet when buying these undeniably beautiful treasures. 

We suspect that the sidewalk tables outside the market in Papeete do not sell the best quality of pearls, although they look pretty nice.  We have been told that these pearls will not hold up when drilled for making pendants or earrings.  They crack easily.  The best bet in making serious purchases are the guaranteed jewelry shops. And that's that.

Dinnertime arrived shortly after a minimal sunset.  Guess they all cannot be spectacular.  With too many clouds on the horizon, the sun peeked through briefly, then disappeared like it has been doing for days now.   We are noticing that the sunsets are earlier every night as we sail in a north-easterly direction. We are going to miss sharing these sunsets with our buddies on deck four most every evening.

So what's for dinner?  Starters were one smoked chicken with marinated papaya, and one crispy shrimp appetizer.  Entrees were one barramundi on a bed of hot mashed potatoes, and linguine with chicken meatballs coated with a red tomato sauce and topped with parmesan cheese.  Since there are only two nights of dinner left, we indulged with desserts of a whiskey torte and a scoop of pineapple sorbet.  So much for another not-so-lazy day at sea.

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report #70 Monday November 14, 2022 Sea Day Enroute To San Diego, California Cloudy With Showers Warm 80 Degrees

We have noticed that the assistant manager of the Pinnacle Grill has been missing ever since we crossed the Equator.  We quietly asked our waiter at breakfast this morning if she was OK, and he said she has been quarantined, which is what we figured.  He did not mention Covid, but we assume that is the case.  Hope she will be fine soon, as the quarantine these days is 5 or 6 days. 

After walking the promenade deck, we ducked inside to be able to hear Captain Frank's noontime talk.  Glad we did, since the outside speakers are terrible.  These should be fixed when the ship goes into dry dock soon.  Anyway, we have been maintaining a speed of 18 to 19 knots which in our minds, is costly in regards to fuel usage.  Now we know the reason for that.  According to the Captain, a staff or crew member is seriously ill, and needs to be taken off of the ship ASAP.  In order to do this, the Zuiderdam will have to be within helicopter range of San Diego to expedite the transfer.  Given the amount of nautical miles left, and our current speed, we will arrive to that pick-up area 15 hours ahead of schedule.  Once the med-evac is completed, the ship will mosey into San Diego's harbor at the scheduled time of 7am. 

Judging by the remainder of Captain Frank's comments, we feel the Covid could be on the rise again.  He mentioned the fact that fewer people have been wearing the recommended masks as requested, letting down their guard now that the trip is coming to an end.  He sounded as if he is not happy about that, but they are not authorized to have the masks mandatory at this point.   We are still urged to wash our hands frequently and use hand sanitizer.  As for us, we have never stopped with the suggested rules.

Checking our location on the navigation channel on the TV at 2pm, we see that we appear to be somewhere opposite the coast of Mexican, perhaps in the vicinity of Mazatlán. However, we are still far out to sea.   At least the land is getting closer as we head more easterly now.  Wonder if it is possible, they we will get the internet back and working properly?  One can only hope.  We feel badly for the crew who cannot do their banking or pay credit cards online, let alone contact their families. 

The third and final Mariner Brunch was held at 11am in the dining room.  That should wrap up the events for the general population now.  Since we did not attend, we never got our Delft tiles.  We will have to ask Johnny in the dining room tonight.  Bet he has a few to spare. 

There were many activities to keep the guests busy today.  One of those happened to be specials in the spa.  Mostly for the ladies, they offered a session in the Thermal Suite and Hydropool with facial and body scrub do-it-yourself treatments.  Guess that is why we saw some ladies dressed in bathrobes waiting for the central elevator this afternoon.  That is so not right.  Even worse, going to the front desk in that bathrobe is not the best look.  One lady just went there to ask where the pointy end of the ship was located.  Guess she was lost and needed to find her way back to the room.  No kidding……The pointy end of the ship?  Really…..

One of us has always been interested in Tahitian pearls, but never did invest in them.  Today that changed when we visited the Shops and took a look at their Effy selection.  Having recently studied the basics on these black pearls,  we knew what to look for.  Their selection was limited, but we did manage to pick out a choker of black pearls that will blend with the Effy panther earrings purchased a year ago.  This was a good move to buy this jewelry, since it never loses its value.  And Effy (worldwide) has a policy that they will upgrade your jewelry as long as you have the original receipt.  It's a win-win situation.   A red Kate Spade purse was also another purchase….first one I own now.

Going to the front desk, we cashed out most of the remaining refundable credit.  Now we will not have to wait in a long line to do this in a couple of days.  Of course, the remainder of cashable credit can also go directly to the credit card they have on file. 

The sun was out for the most part of the afternoon. It was hot at times, so we relaxed on the veranda then had lunch.   The sunset was unremarkable, but better than rain.  The day evaporated and soon it was time for dinner back in the dining room.  We had different appetizers – one shrimp taco and a bruschetta with a tomato salsa on top.  The hake fish entrée was good once again, and the loin of pork was even better with a BBQ sauce on it.  We relented and tried desserts of a lemon tart and another meringue layered cake.  All good.  And when Johnny came along to check on us, we asked about the missing tiles.  Within a few minutes he had brought two of them to us.   On our last few cruises, these tiles were left in our room instead.  But we are learning that the staffs on the ships do things differently, with the same result. 

Another exclusive event will occur tomorrow with an Indonesian Rijsttafel Farewell Lunch in the upper level of the dining room.   It is held for the President's Club members,  as well as Pinnacle and Neptune suite guests.  Not sure one of us can eat some of the courses (allergies), so we are on the fence as to if we will attend.

Bill & Mary Ann

56 Pictures

Report #69 Sunday November 13, 2022 Sea Day Enroute To San Diego, California Sunny And Warm 85 Degrees

The seas remained rough throughout the night, but by sunrise, we had mostly blue skies, some fluffy white clouds, and warm humid temperatures.  The rain has been left behind, at least for now.

Being that the Zuiderdam is traveling north, we do not get blinded by the shining sun in the Pinnacle Grill at breakfast. Our days of breakfast in there are limited now as we learned earlier in the cruise, there will be too many President's Club members to accommodate us and the Pinnacle/Neptune suites on the upcoming world cruise.  Therefore, the President's Club group will have a special area of the upper dining room set aside every morning.  Who knows, it may be even better.  The menu is about the same anyway, and eggs are eggs, pancakes are pancakes.  Actually, we are looking forward to it.

Most of the morning was used to continue packing, although it was challenging with the ship's movement.  We always wonder what it is like packing in the rooms on the upper decks?  Difficult for sure.  Anyway, leaving out just enough clothes for the next couple of days, most of the luggage is done.  After taking down the hanging dowels that held the shirts and the shoe bag, the room looked naked. Devoid of color, no personality.  Even with a larger suite, we will bring the magnets and dowels because the shirts stayed much nicer not being jammed in the closets.

Taking our promenade deck walk break, we saw thousands of tiny flying fish. Always scattering from the front of the ship.  Too bad there are no birds to take advantage of that.  Unless we are passing islands, we bet there will be few birds until we are closer to a shoreline.  

We still spent some time on the veranda in between packing, which does get old in a hurry.  You know it is impossible to imagine how much water covers the earth, until you spend many consecutive days at sea.  No matter how far your eye takes you in a 360 degree circle, all you can see is….water.  To say it is isolating is an understatement.  And if you add the loss of communications via the internet, that feeling of isolation intensifies.  Guess you have figured out that we still have limited internet.  Talking to one of our waiters this morning, he said they have only been able to text, and even that is limited.  None of us are getting incoming emails, so please know it is not our doing if you don't get answers to questions or reports anytime too soon.

Today some photos got downloaded from a camera we seldom use.  They are mostly photos of food from both the dining room and Pinnacle Grill.  Taken over two months ago while on the Alaskan cruises, there are also some from this South Pacific trip.   The best part of the various items is the fact we did not have to cook them or clean up.  And that's the beauty of cruising. 

We enjoyed another room service lunch while catching up on news on the TV.  It feels as if the air conditioning on the ship is experiencing problems.  Despite the fact the cold air is turned up to the max, our room is about 80 degrees.  Even in the Pinnacle Grill we noticed the difference this evening at dinnertime.  This would be our final dinner in there, and we ordered the "usual" starters and mains we always seem to do.  The 7 ounce filet mignons were about the best ever (once again).  Ordering them cooked medium, they arrived more like medium rare, but so tender and tasty, we both liked them cooked a little less.  We had to pass on the dessert, since we were full to the brim. 

Now that it is getting closer to the end of the trip, we had some shopping to do.  Going to the Shops is best when the second show has started or 9:30pm.  And we did find a few items to buy.  The shop employees are very low-key here, compared to those on the larger ships.  For that, we are grateful. 

Bill & Mary Ann 

51 Pictures

Report # 68 Saturday November 12, 2022 Day at Sea Enroute To San Diego, California Heavy overcast and rain 80 degrees

The third day at sea found the skies partly sunny, which turned to mostly cloudy, then ended up raining.  The showers continued for the most part of the day, just as Captain Frank had predicted yesterday.  If we had a choice, it would be nice to see the sun as we wind up this trip.  But obviously, we do not have that choice.  We are still happy that we can sit outside on the veranda, getting some fresh air, and not get wet. 

Today there was the first of three Mariner Society brunches starting at 11am in the main dining room.  Since it was not hosted, and there was a fixed menu, we decided not to attend.  Truthfully, we had forgotten about the invitation and had gone to breakfast like we always do.  No way could we eat again at 11am, but it is always nice to be invited.  Guest relations manager Michelle did give us a phone call to see if we were coming.  It was possible they had some tables reserved for our PC group, but we really do not know the other members except for Howard, who had said he was not going a few days ago.  The menu was basically the same as always with starters of a Caesar salad or a potato and sausage chowder.  Mains were a choice of braised beef pot roast, butter basted fish fillet, or a broccoli and cheddar quiche.  Dessert was a slice of key lime pie.  We also heard there was complimentary champagne, and according to assistant maitre'd Johnny, there were about 300 guests.  The second brunch will be tomorrow, followed by the third one on Monday.  By the way, when they have these brunches, the dining room is not open to the regular diners, nor do they serve the regular lunch.  

We did some packing of the small stuff this morning. It was mostly the drug store and jewelry things that fill the shoe bag and earring pouch.  It is tedious work, but someone has to do it.  We did take a break to walk the promenade deck, but the rain got heavy , and we were getting too wet.  The squalls the ship passed through are usually windy, and blow the rain sideways making walking dangerous.  So we did one lap, then gave up.  We can always come back later.

We kept busy by filling one suitcase.  There are four days left to pack the other three.  This is the time of truth when we find out that we may have bought a few too many things along the way, although it has only been a few t-shirts, pareos, and fabric.  The extra toiletries we picked up along the way are gone, as is most all of the stuff we brought with us 71 days ago.  That should give us the extra room in the suitcases.    The smart folks we know keep their luggage weights well under 50 pounds and do not worry about it. 

We ordered our "day at sea" room service lunch which consisted of a bowl of chicken noodle soup (spaghetti, not noodle actually), a Caesar salad, club sandwiches, apples and a couple of cookies.  By staying out of the Lido, we have successfully kept our lunch at a minimum, because we do not go back for seconds.

The rain continued and with that came choppy seas, high winds, and deeper swells.  It became difficult to walk a straight line, and it appears that we are going at a fast clip.  The internet has not improved much, but at least we are getting some connectivity sporadically.  Strangely, we have not received any emails since yesterday, but may have been able to send a few.  We still have a long time to go before Tuesday, when it is supposed to get better.  In addition, the Kindle is not working at all.  Even though I never attempted to go online, it is trying to download updates, but unsuccessfully.  In the meantime,  the games that are played on it (off line) will not come up.  It is an older model, but it is obvious this has been blocked.  Darn….I miss playing those silly games, as they are relaxing and take your mind off of everything even if it is briefly.

Dinner was in the dining room, with different starters once again.  One of us ordered the cold lettuce wrap lumpia, and the other had deep fried portobello mushrooms.  One salad and one bowl of soup was followed by the corvina fish entrée, and linguine with short rib Bolognese sauce.  It is not quite like the sauce I make at home, since I use home-made and canned tomatoes.  They tend to be much sweeter.  Still, the meal was just fine.  We skipped dessert, preparing us to get ready for the real world when we go home….no dessert for us!

The clocks went ahead the final ½ hour tonight, which is nice since it will give us a few extra days to adjust.  We did feel tired all day, and we think it is due to the time change going forward.  For one of us, it seems to take longer to go to sleep, then you are waking up earlier, making last night's sleep time a total of about 4 hours.  Time to go to bed now as it is already 11:30pm.

Bill & Mary Ann

No Pictures

Report #67 Friday November 11, 2022 Sea Day Enroute To San Diego, California Cloudy With Sun 85 Degrees

 

Wishing everyone a very Happy Veteran's Day.  In remembrance, we were given a poppy to wear as a lapel decoration to commemorate the Armed Forces Community. 

Last night at 11:30pm, we heard a ship wide emergency call for the medical team that was needed for a passenger in the room next to us.  Strange how people living around us can come and go, and we seldom if ever, see them.  What impressed us was the speed and quietness of the medical team to arrive.  It took maybe five minutes, and they were so quiet, if we had not heard the public address, we never would have known there was a problem. Of course, one of us peeked out the door hole, and did see an number of people in the hallway.  But nothing more.  They were all gone within 20 minutes.  We sure hope all will be well with the guests.

The weather changed somewhat as we had cloudy skies this morning, cooling things off.  The most noticeable difference was a welcomed drop in the thermometer by 10 degrees.  It was 80 degrees on the veranda most of the day.  Comfortable.

And during his noon talk, the Captain said the Zuiderdam had crossed the Equator before 9am this morning, and we are now sailing in the Northern Hemisphere.  As we have primarily been sailing in a northerly direction , the clocks have not changed yet.  We are currently 1 ½ hours ahead of Pacific Time.

And at 2pm, there was a King Neptune Ceremony held in the Lido pool area.  Most everyone knows this is an old custom of turning Landlubbers into the order of Shellbacks.  Many years ago, the passengers would volunteer to participate in the madness, but these days, only crew members can do this.  We have seen dozens of these extravaganzas, but with Covid still a factor on the ship, we do not want to take any chances of catching it and going home sick.  Not even to get a few photos from deck 10, where you have to jockey to get a spot at the railing.  The serious folks get up there an hour earlier……but what else is new?  Later in the evening, we all got signed certificates of the event.  However, their choice of script was not the best for the majority of us that have problems reading the printing.  It's the thought that counts….

The usual ship activities filled the afternoon, but the advertising was heavy on sales in the Shops.  We will need to do this soon, since we have shipboard credit to spend.

Dinner was back in the dining room, where both maitre'd's asked where we have been.  It's nice to know someone missed us, since we were gone for two days.  Many various items have popped up on the menu.  One of us tried the bean soup , which was similar to dos frijoles.  Good and hot too.  Sesame chicken strips were tasty with the sweet and sour sauce on them.  Barramundi on a bed of hot risotto was nice, and the crispy fried chicken or KFC with mashed potatoes was equally good.  Comfort food we call it.  We were going to skip the carrot cake for dessert, but when we heard lemon sorbet, we each had one scoop.  Several of the surrounding tables were empty, due to the Tamarind pop-up in the Pinnacle Grill we suspect.  For that reason, we were done with our meals by 9pm, which was fine with us.

The entertainment tonight was a performance of the Jukebox Rogues, the Frankie Valle type of music.  These fellows dined near us in the Pinnacle Grill a couple of nights ago, and we had to chuckle at how young they look, which they are.  Or maybe we are getting older?  Nah…..

The clocks went forward a full hour tonight, and now we only have the ½ hour to go.

Bill & Mary Ann

24 Pictures

Report #66 Thursday November 10, 2022 Sea Day Enroute To San Diego Sunny And Warm 85 Degrees

Day one at sea found the sun shining and the temperatures in the low 80's.  Eventually that rose to a sticky 90 degrees on our veranda.  How long this will last, who knows?

Pinnacle Grill breakfast will be at 8am every day now until we leave.  Except sometimes the staff will open the doors early, and those who arrive on time will not get their usual table.  Not that we have assigned seating, but it seems that some folks do.   The only tables we do not prefer are the tables for two.  There is barely room for the plates and cups, let alone all of the extras. 

There was a Mariner Event for a medium-sized number of guests who received their gold (500 days) medallions and also the platinum (700 days) medallions.  As expected, there are several more folks on this longer trip that have more days sailed compared to a 7 day cruise in Alaska.  The gathering was held in the Rolling Stones Lounge (formerly BB King's) at 10:30am.  Greeted by Captain Frank, Henk M. and Ian, the President's Club people were seated in the booths on the upper level.  Howard joined us as he usually does.  Fancy canapes and beverages arrived instantly.

Starting with gold medal awardees (sounds like the bag of flour), each person or couple were draped with the medallions, but not by the Captain or Henk.  Michelle and Melissa from guest relations did the honors, but remained masked.  The white-ribboned platinum people were next, and there were more than we usually see. Ian kind of accidently called some folks out of order, due to his notes being stapled incorrectly.   Anyway the platinum medallion was a big level, since now they are halfway there to the highest level.  Then all fourteen of the President's Club members were introduced according to their number of pure sea days, beginning with 1400 days.  We were last with the most days sailed.  But who's counting?  At this point, it really doesn't matter.  The perks are the same and well worth the long wait to get them.  Everyone had their photos taken as they always do.

We heard there were two more sessions….one at 1pm and the final one at 6:30pm.  That is a lot of folks earning those medallions and pins as well.

Here is an amusing story regarding our session with the medallions.  Knowing that it was a fancier affair, we changed to suitable clothing, like what we wear for casual dinner.  After all, we would get another photo, and this time we didn't want to be in shorts.  Well, one single very elderly man came dressed in black and white polka dot boxer shorts or perhaps a swimsuit.  Polka dots?  Isn't that something a woman would wear?  He was also wearing a baseball cap, as we have seen him going to dinner in the dining room that way at night.  We watched Henk's face to see if he reacted with this fellow standing between him and the Captain, actually draping his arms over their shoulders no less.  Lucky for him, Henk could keep from laughing.  Just last night at the special dinner, we had brought up the subject with Henk concerning the dress code, or the lack of.  Henk agreed there are some folks that don't get it, but that might change.  At least for the upcoming grand world voyage.  There will be formal, dressy, and casual evenings in an attempt to get back to the tradition that used to make cruising special.  We do hope that happens, and for the most part, the long-time cruisers tend to go that way.

We worked on downloading photos and catching up on reports like all morning.  Then we took a needed break for a walk outside.   The regulars were back on the promenade lounges enjoying the nice breeze.  Some were trying the wi-fi, but we are not sure it was working well yet.  It has been spotty and slow, but better than nothing.

Time for drinks in the Ocean Bar, we visited with a nice young couple from Canada.  We got into a conversation regarding the dress code, and they agreed about the lack of respect with some folks.  They also like the dressy nights, since most of us do not do this at home. 

Yesterday, we were given paper Mache orange poppies to wear for Veteran's Day tomorrow.  In the past, the poppies were in a pin form, but these are nice too.  In addition, in today's program, there was a Happy Birthday message to the Marine Corp. 

We had failed to read the program this morning, so we missed picking up our passports on our floor at 10am.  Later in the day, one of us went with the passport receipts to the front desk and picked them up.  Many others had done the same thing, so there was a line. 

A few days ago, we had changed a Pinnacle dinner date with tonight, since it was a Tamarind pop-up.  The change of date was verbal, but somehow it did not get recorded.  When we appeared at 8pm, we could tell by the look on the manager's face, that something had fallen through the cracks.  However, they had a nice booth in the corner, and seated us immediately apologizing all the way.  Not a problem, we like the booth for a change.

Our meal was excellent and hot.  Warm breads were served along with our favorite wedge salads.  One of us ordered the halibut, and the other had the lamb chops.  The fish was flaky and moist, and the chops were the best ever.  Ordering one dessert, our waitress Trusty brought a plate with 2 scoops just in case we want to share.  She was right, we shared. 

Around 9pm, we saw a parade of waiters going down the hallway with trays of chocolate goodies.  It was the Chocolate Surprise that lasted for ½ hour.  We were surprised to see how many people lined the hallway to grab the chocolate treats as the waiters passed by.  The chocolate disappeared in an instant.  We both like chocolate, but one of us has a problem sleeping at night if consuming too much of the dark chocolate…the best kind.  

Another ending of a nice day at sea.

Bill & Mary Ann

23 Pictures

Report #65 Wednesday November 9, 2022 Taiohae, Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands 8am-5pm Sunny And Warm 85 Degrees

Internet or no internet – will their attempts at creating hot spots onboard work?  We were not going to spend any time waiting in line to hook up to a hot spot for a 10 minute session this morning.  This is our final port of call and we do not want to waste a minute of it.  And besides, the sun was out and it wasn't raining.

We left the ship at 9am joining the line on deck one to go downstairs to deck A and the tender boats.  Boarding was easy because there were several fellows assisting everyone  not only with walkers or wheelchairs, but  everyone.  The ride over was short, but as there is only one spot for the tenders, we did have to wait while bobbing up and down for a bit. There were concrete steps to negotiate, but there were helping hands here as well.  Native drummer and singers greeted every tender boat full of guests.

Coming over earlier, we had hoped to see large fish cleaning and shark feeding.  But the stainless-steel tables were clean and very dry.  That was a sign there were no fishing boats here today, thus no sharks.   Darn.  This pier area has a few snack shacks and a souvenir shop, as well as picnic tables, where the passengers can go online.  There were many people attempting to get internet, but we don't know how successful they were. 

A short walk from here was the open-air shed that houses their veggie and fruit market.  The produce displayed was the healthiest we have seen so far.  The cabbage and lettuce was deep green, and the tomatoes and peppers a vibrant red.  The fruit looked delicious.  There were far fewer souvenir stands, although we did see some black pearls being sold.  This would be the last chance for the ladies to buy them.  We decided to check out the tables on our way back.  Way too crowded, and few of the cruise passengers were wearing masks.  They were not required, but suggested. 

For starters, we have never seen the grassy areas so dry.  Even the shoreline trees seemed to be stressed with fewer leaves.  Perhaps there is a drought here.  And just think, two days ago we were having rain showers like none other, and today, it is dry and arid.  Go figure?  We did not feel that there were a lot of guests here yet, and guessed that many might have stayed back for the free internet time.  Or perhaps they decided not to come at all.  It's not exactly the port where there are many things to do.  There was a tour today, where locals took their own vehicles for a trip around the island with a few stops along the way.  By the time we arrived, all of those vehicles were gone.  We do know some savvy folks that pre-booked an independent tour online, and probably paid a lot less. 

Walking the seawall, we spotted a hose pulled the length of the tree-lined grassy area. Obviously they are hand-watering this area.   Normally these trees are full of white terns, but not today.  We saw only a handful of those terns today.  Our first stop was to go uphill and see the Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame, also named Our Lady of the Marquesas Tahia.  It was built many years ago using various hardwoods from the island.  It is quite beautiful with heavy wooden doors, a unique carved pulpit, altar and baptistry.  The vaulted wood-planked ceiling has cupola letting in light at the very center of the church.  The exterior rockwork must have been recently restored since it looks like new.  Sitting in the shade outside the church, we took in the serenity of the peaceful setting.

Back to the road, we slowly walked the shoreline noting that it was high tide.  The population of the Marquesas is about 9350 people that are spread over six of the 12 islands here.  They are located so far apart, that the locals have limited exchange with each other.  That left the islands to keep their individual personalities, customs, and dialect. 

Our final destination was hopefully lunch at the Nuku Hiva Pearl Resort, accessed by a steep hike up the road.  A few years back, this property was closed and was in the process of being restored.  It is now opened and it looks great.  Although we were too early for lunch, we were welcomed to relax in the pool patio and enjoy much needed Hinano beers.  About 40 minutes later, the dining area opened up for lunch where we took a table near the edge of their dining patio.  Not knowing what to expect as far as a possible crowd up here, we were very happy to see only a few ship folks here.  We overheard someone ask about wifi, but they were told it was for the resort guests only.  That's a first. 

We ordered a cheeseburger with fries, two cold Cokes, and eventually a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream to share.  We had it all  - a nice table under the trees, an umbrella for shade, and a nice cool breeze.  All this and a spectacular view of the bay below.  We ended up staying for two wonderful hours. 

The time came to leave by 2:30pm. Making our way back downhill, we continued our hike along the sandy beach this time.  This is where the locals spend the weekends picnicking and swimming, or even riding their Marquesan horses.  We did see two of them today. 

The high schoolers were getting out of school by now, and it was nice to see some of them go down to the water, and go swimming.  Back near the pier, we found all of the maps were gone, but the souvenirs were plentiful.  We did buy one seed bracelet, paying $5 for it….a nice little memento. 

There was a long line of guests waiting for the next tender boat.  It was nice that the crew had regular, orange and lemon-flavored ice water to drink while we waited.  One can easily get dehydrated in this tropical climate.  We had consumed beers, sodas, and water, but were still thirsty.  Bet we drank four more cups of water before boarding the boat.  The line began moving quickly when the tender pulled alongside.  These new boats are nice, but once those side doors are closed, it is like being in a claustrophobic steam room.  It was made worse by mask-wearing, half of which were not. 

Back onboard at 3:15pm, we went to the room and grabbed our devices to try for the wifi session at the Ocean Bar.  It was still set up with hardly anyone there but the wifi guy.  We were given a 15 minute session, which worked well, but slow.  It was not enough time for emails to download, so we asked for another session and was given an additional 15 minutes.  We had quickly typed a few messages to family and friends before we were cut off.  At least our readers learned that we had not fallen off of the face of the earth.  Although we did not have any time to read messages, we do want to thank those who cared enough to question what happened to us.  Who knew the internet system would suffer a catastrophic failure?  The Kindle could not be updated because it had been blocked.  Disappointing.  In time, we will be able to send more reports, but we doubt the photos will go through.  They will be coming in due time, so please stay tuned.

A letter had been sent to everyone again explaining the current situation with a promise of some sort of refund.  We are not expecting much, nor are we demanding it.

We watched the sail away from our veranda around 5:30pm, spotting some young natives rowing their racing canoes effortlessly.  Nice to be young and so energetic.  Guess it is a great past time for the older kids here.  The mountainous island disappeared in the sea haze as the ship turned in a northeasterly direction.   We shall have a total of 7 sea days to get back to San Diego on November 17^th.   Bet they are filled with activities about every day. 

Now the fun part of the evening began at 6:30pm, when we were invited to a President's Club Inauguration Reception beginning in the Explorers Lounge.  Naturally, the event was "dressy", the second one in two days.  Most everyone looked great, even the staff and officers that hosted this event.  Drinks of our choice were offered as well as fancy appetizers.  Captain Frank gave a nice welcome speech, then "pinned" the new inductees.   We visited with Chantal, the future cruise consultant, and the staff Captain, who we had never met, but he remembered us from previous world cruises. 

Around 7:15pm, we all entered the Pinnacle Grill for a group dinner.  The Captain and Chantal hosted the table for the four recent inductees, and the surrounding booths had two guests and an officer.  We were seated with Henk, the hotel director, and Howard, who usually sits with us.  The menu was set with starters of pan roasted scallops.  I had a substitute Caesar salad, since I am allergic to shellfish.  A seared halibut filet topped with caviar was next.  A very tasty tenderloin of beef was next, then dessert followed with a creamsicle of orange sorbet with an egg white topping along with a trimmed marshmallow and two pinwheel cookies.  The wines flowed of course, except for those like us that do not drink it.  We were invited to order whatever we wished, but ice water was our choice.  Seated across from the crowd in the side room, we had the best table.  It was pretty noisy in there, and at one point, Henk placed a call to Maya, who was having such a good time.  Her laughter was contagious and Henk was joking of course.  The call sent her into fits of laughter, so we all joined her as well.  The party ended by 10pm, where we thanked everyone for such a memorable evening.  And so ends our final port day… it was doozy!  And the events are not over yet……

Bill & Mary Ann

391 Pictures

Report #64 Tuesday November 8, 2022 Day At Sea Enroute To Taiohae, Nuka Hiva Partly Cloudy With Sun 85 Degrees

The best thing we saw first thing this morning was the sun peeking through our drapes.  Why couldn't this have been yesterday?  Whatever, it sure helped to improve the mood of the guests and crew alike.  Also good news was the fact that the water temps in our bathroom remained normal throughout the evening.  Now we will keep our fingers crossed it will last until November 17^th. 

After breakfast, we stopped by the front desk to drop off the extra room key for the use of the bathroom that worked.  We never did use it, but we thanked them for the offer.  They were just in the process of phoning our room to offer us a complimentary lunch for two in the Pinnacle Grill in apology for our recent debacle.  We said thanks, but passed on the lunch, because it is too early for us at noontime.  We always eat lunch around 2:30pm even with our breakfast at 8am.   It was a very nice gesture.

Needing to secure a spot for a complimentary tour on the 2023 world cruise, we took a ride to the Crow's Nest to visit the Shore Excursion folks there.  They did try to do something, but without internet service, it was impossible.  We will have to wait until the internet is working again if that will ever happen. 

Spending the majority of the day doing computer work offline, we took a break for a walk on the promenade deck.  For the first time in a long time, the decks were dry.  And many people were taking advantage of the lounges once again.   Then we went to the Ocean Bar for our noontime sodas.  Bartender Ray had just made what he called the return of the chocolate volcano drink.  He used the blender, then poured the rum flavored drink into a large, tall glass, drizzling it with Hershey's chocolate sauce.  He saved the last of the concoction that did not fit in the glass and poured it in another glass.  He added more chocolate sauce, then handed it to us.  Now this should be a dessert it was so good.  Wonder if we can order these at dinnertime?

Back in our room, there was a knock on the door, and our room steward handed us a vase of flowers with a note.  It was from Guest Services with a message of apology once again for the water problem.  We did not expect that at all, but it was a nice substitute for the lunch. Now we have three arrangements to enjoy for our last week here. 

During the afternoon, a note was slipped under our door regarding the internet or the lack of internet service on this ship.  Tomorrow, an attempt will be made to set up limited complimentary WI-FI hotspots onboard the ship, while we are in Nuku Hiva.  There will be three locations on the ship where this will occur.  They are the Crow's Nest, Ocean Bar, and Lido poolside magrodome.   The times will be from 9am to noon, and 1 to 4pm.  Each guest will sign in, and be allowed up to 10 minutes of time, then disconnected.   They asked for us to prepare all emails prior to logging on, and refrain from video calls, sending photos, downloading newspapers, updates, or large data files.  Keeping in mind that tomorrow is a port day, our last one at that, we are not sure how many folks will be willing to wait in a line to do some emailing?  There should be local Wi-Fi available onshore like always as well.

The letter continued by saying it was possible that service techs might be flown in a private airplane to fix the problem.  The key word is "might".  The final word was that all of this will be incorporated into the measure of compensation that had previously been promised.  We shall see……

Dinner was "dressy" this evening with the fancy menu.  We started with shrimp appetizers, a Caesar salad, a prosciutto ham starter, and mains of yellow fin sole and one Orange Club chicken dinner.  Both were good although there were a lot of rib bones in the chicken.  The fish had no bones.  Dessert was flourless chocolate cake.  Sweet.

The entertainers this evening was a group by the name of Jukebox Rogues, who sang Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons tunes.  We had no idea there were so any of these groups performing the same type of shows.  Bet they were good as most folks here grew up with that music.

Waiting for us on the bed was a form for the San Diego disembarkation options.  The time clock is ticking down now……… 

Bill & Mary Ann

26 Pictures

Report #63 Monday November 7, 2022 Fakarava, Tuamotu 8am-4:30pm Heavy Rain ALL Day 80 Degrees

Very early this morning, one of us watched from the veranda as the Zuiderdam sailed into the massive lagoon of Fakarava.  Mostly cloudy and blue skies were on one side, but on the other side were the most ominous clouds ever seen in these parts.  Eventually the rain arrived, sometimes light, then with a vengeance.  Yep, it is going to be another wet day, and we will just have to make the best of it.  Little did we know how bad it would get…..

Here is some info about this very different port of call.  Fakarava is the second largest atoll and ex capital of the Tuamotus Archipelago.  There are two main villages and the total population is about 845 people.  Their main industry is tourism with some resorts, restaurants (seldom open), but no big hotels.  Their next industry is pearl farming where 98% of the black pearls of French Polynesia are produced here. 

Along with the six nearby atolls, this atoll has been named a National Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.   And that is due to the deep dives that can reveal colorful corals, groupers, dolphins, moray eels, leopard, manta, and eagle sting rays, and barracudas.  The sharks found here are grey, nurse, lemon, tiger, hammerhead, and reef sharks, as well as a million of the smaller tropical fish. 

The circle of dry land surrounding this lagoon measures only 16 square km.  The lagoon is 1121 square km.  The old name of this atoll was Havaiki, and is still commonly used for businesses.  There are two passes into this lagoon, the north one being the largest opening in French Polynesia.  The southern one is smaller.  We assumed we entered in the north or Garuae passage and passed by the airport on the way into the main village of Rotoava.  This is where we would tender later. 

With the rain falling, we decided to wait until after 10am to go ashore.  We had been informed by our good buddy that very few guests had shown up to get tender tickets.   One of the reasons for that was that there were no ship tours here today.  Instead, people opted to go to the dining room for breakfast because the line went down the hallway before 8am.  We found that to be the case when  we went to deck one  to walk down to deck A and board the tenderboat.  There was only a handful of us waiting to go down after some guests were already coming back.  Guess it was open tenders already.  It wasn't hard getting into the boat, and soon the entire quota was met, and we were on our way. 

It seemed that mostly the dedicated snorkelers, the hikers, and the beach-seekers were on the single coral-based road in the village.  In the area of the tender landing are several small shops selling souvenirs from t-shirts to pearls.  As soon as we left the tender, it began to rain, so we skipped the shops.  They were already crowded with folks trying to escape the rain.  Also in this area was a small grocery store, a gas station, and a snack shack, where we dined on French fries and ice cream one of the last times we were here.  Going up the road, we soon found where some of the snorkelers had gone into the water.  There are no real beaches here, but strips of sand mixed with coral.  The roadside has somewhat of a grass, but that is loaded with coral too.  Once in the water, you really just stay in it.  Even in the rain. 

Did we mention sharks?  We had just begun walking up the road, watching the water, and there it was – a six foot nurse shark, moving along in the shallow water.  The dorsal fin was the first clue, then you could see the rest of the body and the elongated tail.  A few years back, we did see some locals feeding about five of these sharks, actually stroking them as they came close.  Treating them like pets is not a great idea, but the locals will do it for the photos people like to take.  The one we saw was probably trolling for a handout.  Luckily one of us followed the shark taking photos, until a hut or something was blocking the water's edge.   As much as we tried, we never did see another one today.

We came across the first Catholic Church that had been built out of coral rocks back in 1874.  But first, we went around the back to pay a visit to their local cemetery.  Every grave had bouquets of silk flowers decorating them.  Great idea, as they last far longer than any other flowers.  Then we entered the small church which has a baby blue ceiling giving the impression that you are in the cool clouds.  This church has been maintained beautifully.  Despite the darkness in there, the photos came put surprisingly bright. 

The waves of rain continued to wash over the atoll, actually stopping at times.  It did not hinder the snorkelers that were in the water offshore.  Wonder if they knew many nurse sharks were circling those same waters?  A few other beach-goers were along the slender stretch of coral-laden beach.  Dodging major puddles on the road was challenging, but it would get worse.

Most of the road walkers had turned back at this point, but we continued up the narrow, but flooded dirt road to the Havaiki Pearl Lodge and the Snack Le Requin Dormeur.   The last few times we were here in Fakarava, this resort was closed for the season.  What a nice surprise to find it opened, which had been confirmed by Diane and John who were just coming from lunch.  By now the rain was more than showers and we were glad to get a table in the center under their thatched-roof palapa.  Every possible chair was taken.  Some were on the outside under umbrellas, but that did not last long when there was lightning followed by major thunder.  Like right over our heads.  Thrilling to say the least.  Now getting food here is like going to a fast food place.  You order and pay for it at a counter, bring your beverages to your table, and wait for the buzzer to go off for your food.  Then one of you goes to the window and brings it back.  Easy peasy….  We split a huge cheeseburger on a homemade bun with a pile of French fries and a small portion of coleslaw in the center.  The beers were Hinano, of course, but the 50cl. size. 

More thunder and lightning occurred, then the deluge began in earnest and did not stop.  We did stay protected from the driving winds under the protected hut, which was a miracle.  But at some point, we knew we had to head back.  To say we got drowned in cyclone-like rain with 44 knot winds is an understatement.  Sure the umbrellas helped, but the water was blowing under them as well as over them.  The dirt road had flooded, so we skirted the side of the road as much as we could.  Taking refuge at a little bus shelter along the road, we decided we knew why this was happening.  It was the fact we missed doing the King Neptune ceremony the first time we crossed the Equator.  He was getting his revenge on us now….

The deluge was so encompassing, we could not see the ship from the shore.  The driving rain hit the metal roofs so hard, it sounded like dump trucks coming.  Ducking behind the biggest casuarina trees helped to block the blasting winds…no kidding.   The longer we stalled, the more flooded the road got.  Puddles were ponds now, especially around the houses.  Everything was flooded.  We did pop over to the church again, but even they were under water in the front.  Very near the tender area, the entire road was under water, and we had no choice but to slog in water over our ankles to access the waiting tenders.  Guess our shoes were getting washed, like it or not. 

By now, there was a brief stall in the rain, of course.  But it didn't matter, we were as wet as could be right down to the bone.  What an exhilarating adventure we had on Fakarava today.   Unlike our previous visits, we will remember this one the most.  The tender boat was bobbing quite a bit with the swells, so once we had about a dozen people in it, the driver left.  It was good to get back to the ship. 

And here's another story of the day.  Ever since last night, we had no cold water in our bathroom again.  The bad news is that the hot and cold both ran scalding hot, with no chance of taking a shower.  We called the front desk, where they offered to provide an empty room we could use until it was repaired.   Getting a key for the room up the hall from us, we never did have to use it, since the temperature was fixed before our dinner time at 8pm.  Just in case it went wrong again, we kept the key overnight. 

We hung all of our wet clothing on the veranda, until it could be bagged up for the laundry.  By now, it was already time for the ship to leave, and Captain Frank came on with his talk.  His speech was filled with apologies beginning with the unfortunate bad weather conditions today.  We will have to tell him our theory of missing the King Neptune Ceremony, and that might take the blame off of his shoulders…. as if he has control over that anyway.  Then he addressed the failure of the internet onboard informing us that HAL was sending a technician to Nuku Hiva to help solve our problem.  They are suggesting giving the ship a hotspot that is on the island already.  How they will manage that remains to be seen.  In the meantime, all of us will have loads of emails to answer, emails to send, and people to contact as far as airlines and rides are concerned.  Thank goodness we thought to secure our ride home in October, knowing that we always have internet problems sailing from Nuku Hiva to San Diego.  Captain Frank made everyone laugh when he said if he tried to make light of the bad weather and internet problems, we would think he was on drugs.  He did, however, promise us better seas and weather ahead as we sail north-easterly towards the Marquesas.

Leaving the lagoon through the north passage,  the Zuiderdam sailed through the turbulence of the warmer lagoon meeting the cooler waters of the Pacific Ocean.  The currents create a turbulent churning of the water which can be treacherous, especially for smaller vessels.  A small boat followed from a distance to pick up the pilot once we were through the pass.  It was most impressive as we all watched from our aft verandas.  With the backdrop of the sun setting, it was surreal.

Dinner in the dining room revealed a nice menu, which had a few repeats, but many new items too.  Both of us had the arancini appetizers with salsa,  one salad, one bowl of soup, and mains of wahoo and small veggie tacos.  A vanilla pudding resembling a flan and one scoop of orange sorbet finished the meal nicely.  The clocks went forward ½ hour this evening, and we will do the next ½ hour after leaving the Marquesas.  Dance Fever was the show tonight, but we were more than ready to call it a day….and what a day it had been.

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report #62 Sunday November 6, 2022 Day #2 Pape'ete, Tahiti, French Polynesia Sailaway @ 5pm Cloudy With Afternoon Heavy Rain 80 Degrees

During breakfast this morning, we heard some chatter among the Pinnacle Grill waiters concerning phone cards they had bought onshore last night. Attempting to use them, they found that their cell phones had gone haywire with incorrect data. Some of the fellows were late to work, because the time had changed to another zone and their wake-up alarms did not go off. Whatever happened to good old fashioned watches and alarm clocks. Maybe they are going extinct, but they are still dependable.

And guess what? It wasn’t raining. Would be a great time for a walk in town. On our way out, we stopped to see Shiv in his Housekeeping Office. Always nice visiting with him, although on this ship, the meetings have been too far in between due to his location on deck one. We are all experiencing the internet failure, as Shiv and all of the staff had no computer success either since 1pm yesterday. It is crippling and there is no promise of when it will be fixed. We are not even sure they know what caused the failure yet. Another problem we saw were the several buckets in the hallway catching dripping water leaks. That sure reminded us of the problems they had with leaks on the Amsterdam. Later on, we heard that the Casino had the worst of the leaks and it was traveling down to the lower decks.

Today would have been the better one for the ship’s tours that we forgot to mention yesterday. Briefly, they are a west or east coast drive around the island or a tour to see the islands treasures. The most rigorous was the 4x4 drive up into the mountains, and a lagoon swim. The best bet would be a ride around the island with a stop for lunch. The excursions ranged from $100 to $210 per person. More than likely we suspect some of these tours had been cancelled due to the heavy downpour.

Leaving the ship at 9am, we were not allowed to turn right out of the gate to access the Paofai Park walkway. Why, we all asked, since we had gone this way yesterday? Even one fellow with us had gone off the ship earlier, and did in fact walk out this way, and now the guards are saying no. It did not take us long to figure out why. There was a handful of local hawkers selling tours to the folks from the ship. We had no choice but to pass by them, taking this longer way out of the dock area. Some people challenged the guards but the answer was still NO. In a way, it worked out better for us since we crossed the boulevard and headed up a different main street. There was no use going to the marketplace because our good buddy had just come from there having bought a handful of tropical flowers. The market was closed when she left.

Boy, what a difference a day makes. It was like a ghost town this morning. Everything was closed with a few exceptions because it was Sunday. The churches would be opened as well as a few cafes and the pharmacies. This walk did give us the chance to see a part of the downtown area to photograph many of the local murals that had been painted on the walls of big buildings. We could call it the “walk of the graffiti”.

We could hear singing coming from a small church nearby. It was Protestant and the people were sitting all the way to the front doors. Further down the street, we heard more music coming from Notre Dame Cathedral, where we discovered that a baptism was in progress. That group was singing also. Passing McDonalds, we saw that they were opened for business, although no where near as crowded as yesterday. Further down this street we crossed the boulevard and entered Paofai Park to walk the gardens and waterfront.

Turning left, we made it all the way to the end where the Maison de la Culture and the big theater is located. This has to be the place that can seat up to 6000 people. From reading the flyers, it looks like a Tahitian performance is expected to take place here December 3rd. Turning around, we headed back to the ship and made a visit to the Ocean Bar for beers. We will miss the have-it-all perk on the world cruise, even though we have barely used it to the full advantage.

For a change, we had some sun on the veranda until about 2pm. Then the dark clouds came over, and the rain came back with a vengeance. Our newly-cleaned veranda was flooded haflway to the door. So much for the better day, even though the sun had lasted longer today. Good time for lunch, we ordered room service salads and one sandwich. And a few cookies. By 4:30pm, Captain Frank came on the speakers to give his usual talk. He apologized for the inclement weather, (as if he could change it), and apologized for having some of yesterday’s tours cancelled. After sailing the night in fairly rough seas, we will be in Fakarava tomorrow with much of the same weather. Then he addressed the internet shut down, and made an attempt to explain what happened. Bottom line, it failed to work, but he assured us it was being worked on. When it will be up and running….who knows? Finally, he mentioned the current Covid situation. Our numbers had been down, but since arriving to Tahiti, they have gone up slightly. He never mentions numbers, so we do not have a clue how many folks are involved. Few, we are hoping.

The ship was on her way out of the harbor, when we spotted the Norwegian Spirit arriving to take our spot, we assume. The sun was just going down behind a mass of clouds, but we did capture a brief sunset. Now we are headed towards a different archipelago – The Tuamotus, which are all coral atolls. Much different from the islands we have been visiting, these are coral rings with huge lagoons in the center.

Anyway, dinner time came about quick, and we headed back to the dining room for one shrimp appetizer with a Caesar salad, and a bowl of udon soup. Mains were one moonfish plate and one of veal meatballs with spaghetti, a favorite for one of us. Both were quite tasty, and we cleaned our plates, leaving no room for dessert.

The entertainer of the evening was Tom Crosbie, an international man of memory. That is different for a change.

Bill & Mary Ann

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