As the Nieuw Statendam heads towards the island of Curacao, it seems that the temperature has dropped. And some of the humidity. This is fine with us, but not so much for the "snowbirds" that have joined us from up north. Some of these folks left home, leaving a foot of snow and bone-chilling temps behind. They seem to be the group that truly enjoys sunbathing, and they do intend to go home with a tan, hopefully not a burn. The aroma of sunscreen was thick in the breeze at the Seaview Pool.
Anyway, Barb joined us around 9am in Club Orange for a very light breakfast, consisting mostly of fresh-squeezed orange juice. We introduced her to many of the staff here, and we could see right away that they are going to treat her royally. Good, she deserves. Prior to her arrival, Presty came by to chat. He had been looking for Barb, but had missed seeing her. We happened to mention the noise problem we had last evening in the dining room, so we do hope he follows up on a solution that will work for everyone. In the past, he was the go-to guy for these same situations, and he has always had success making us all happy.
We did get in a long walk on the almost empty promenade deck. On the Amsterdam, a stroll on that deck meant meeting up with friends old and new, while also getting a workout. That's not happening here, but it also keeps more folks inside shopping or gambling for instance. The array of activities are numerous on these sea days. The ever-popular trivia began at 10:30am, then lightning trivia at 4:30pm. At 6:30pm, there was team trivia, so if you miss one game, there are always more. The casino had several events, while the Shops began their sales. We had been invited to the third wine tasting at 1:45pm, but once again, did not attend.
One of us made a visit to Barb to check out her room. It is located inside and is compact. The bathroom, cabinet and drawer space were identical to ours, but the biggest difference was that the desk area and couch we have was not there. And obviously, there was no veranda and no windows. There was one long desk with an ottoman for a chair. This ottoman also opened up for more storage. The approximate size may be 140 square feet, which is cozy to say the least.
Checking out the Seaview Pool, we found that there were many empty chaise lounges….something that has not happened the last two weeks. So we laid low on the "lay lows", one of us hoping to be able to get up gracefully. With a little help, it worked.
Lunch was in the Lido, where we think the set-up had been amended due to the fact there are only 700 guests onboard. Closing one side at 1pm, the food was moved to the opposite side. Usually we see this happening at 2pm. In addition, the servers at the Lido stations had been rotated to other areas. Service remained to be good despite the changes. Fresh fruit has been available at each station also. You just have to ask, and you will be served.
Getting some more fresh air, we ducked out on the promenade deck and noticed the coast of Cuba on our port side. Also seeing some tiny flying fish, and a few boobys chasing them.
We spent the afternoon working on reports and pictures, then off we went to the Grand Dutch Café to send and receive emails. It still works better there than in our room. One of us brought the Kindle to play daily games, but it would not turn on. It had been working just fine in the room earlier in the day, but now, it appeared dead. We brought 2 sets of connectors, and neither of them charged the unit. We have no idea how long these tablets last, but we have had it for at least 6 years. Probably not fixable, we will have to search for a new one. It feels like losing a good friend……….
Dinner was gala this evening, and we met with Barb at the same table as last night. And it was much better, since the table next to us was empty and stayed that way all night. Having full tables around us has never been a problem before, heaven knows, our group has whooped it up more than once. It is just the acoustics that hold the noise within the walls and window.
Our waiter had the crudité plate full of our requested goodies along with three small dishes of ranch dressing. Two of us had the rack of lamb, and the other had the stuffed ricotta shells. All the entrees were tasty and hot. The plates were heated, and what a difference that makes. Our waiter, Nur, even found Barb butter pecan ice cream for dessert. We suspect it was from the Gelato collection of creamy ice cream. One chocolate soufflé and strawberries with Grand Marnier finished our meal.
The waiters were in the process of covering the empty tables with tablecloths, while we were still there chatting the night away, as we always seem to do. Once again, we had been the last to leave. The dining room was to be fogged after it was closed. This precaution was happening even five years ago, but mostly for the Noro virus.
Passing Club Orange on our way out of the dining room, we spotted Presty in there with Wayan, the manager. When Presty spotted Barb, he greeted her with a bear hug, saying she was like family returning home. We have all known him for 15 years now.
Tomorrow will be another day at sea, and that is good.
Bill & Mary Ann
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Report #17 Day at Sea Monday - January 3, 2022 Sunny & 75 degrees
