Report #72 Castries, Saint Lucia Sunday-February 27, 2022...Cloudy With Periods Of Rain 78 Degrees

Yes, it sure was a soggy day in Castries, St. Lucia today.  But it wasn't the rain that started the day out on a negative vibe.  Not that this is a major change, but we noticed that last night the chocolate pillow candies were missing.  Then this morning after breakfast, we ran into our room steward who apologized for not leaving the chocolates.  In addition, he said that starting today, only gala evenings will have pillow chocolates.  And if we had been getting the comical towel animals (we do not), those would be left only on gala nights.  Following the HAL blogs on Cruise Critic, we knew the same thing happened on the Rotterdam.  For as long as we can remember, this was a nice way to end the day, and it had become an HAL tradition….Signature of Excellence, if we recall correctly.  Well, another tradition to bite the dust.  Finally, your room would be serviced only once a day, unless you request the turndown service at night.  With that, we asked our room steward what happened to the Seattle's Best Chocolates we always got on the world cruise on gala nights.  He did say that the suite people here get those on gala nights.  OK, if that is the case, we felt that this little nicety should be extended to the 9 President's Club members that are onboard now.  Surely those few chocolates will not break the bank.  If they are, then HAL is in big trouble.  Koko said he would pass that request on to his supervisor, which was fine with us.  It wasn't five minutes before there was a knock on the door, and there was his supervisor.  She explained the new policy, and said they were just following the rules.  She promised to ask about the better chocolates to be given on gala nights for our small group only.  So far, we have heard nothing.  But we did receive the missing ship tiles that were owed to us from our previous cruises here, thanks to Jonah we suspect.

Anyway, on with our day which began when we left the ship at 11am.  Early this morning, an announcement was made that we were free to walk out of the port, and not be forced to take a tour or taxi.   That was the good news, but the bad news was that rain was on the way.  Packing umbrellas, we set off for a town that was virtually shut down……it was Sunday again.  And strangely enough, we were the only ship docked here today. 

At the gangway we were held up first to get the St. Lucia bracelet put on our wrists, and second, to wait for a very over-sized electric scooter to come up the steep gangway. Took like forever, but eventually a man appeared with a pizza (hat) on his head and a decorated monkey hanging from the handlebars.  Oh boy….guess there is a story there.

The last time we were here, the ship was docked across the harbor, where we walked to Pointe Seraphine, our usual dock.  At that time, no one was let out of the gate due to Covid restrictions.  We had explained we were from the other pier, and were let loose to explore.  Lucky the guard let us go once she saw our room cards were for the HAL ship.

On our way out through Diamonds International, one of us went for the free charms. I was given two birds, so we assume there are many birds on this island.  Not so much down at the water, but up high in the mountains.

It had been raining off and on all morning, so there were puddles everywhere.  Even a small flock of doves were bathing and drinking out of these deep puddles.  It was much cleaner water than in the canals in town.  We did get offers for rides to downtown starting at $5.  Then it was $4 up the road apiece, and lastly, $1 up at the corner.  Downtown was about ¼ mile from here.  And very little was opened.  Needless to say, we walked.

By the time we reached the Castries Market, the light rain turned to heavy, and kept up.  So much for the predicted light passing showers today.  Sure wish we could send this rain to California, where we need it big time.  No wonder it is so green here.  Running into Howard and Gyl, we chatted for a bit.  They like to walk like us, and it would not be the same if we did not run into them somewhere in every port.

On the way back, we did stop in the small park and got some photos of hummingbirds dining on the blossoms of the center tree. The longer we watched, the more we saw.  The only other birds we spotted were two egrets,  a lone frigate, and one pelican.

Oh, and there were many dogs taking shelter at one of the government offices.  They appeared to be pets, but you never know for sure if they are feral.  If so, we never go near them.

We strolled around the shops and cafes at the terminal, surprised at how few people were out and about.  Guess many folks took tours, but today would not have been a good beach day, or even site-seeing.

All aboard was 3:30pm, and after the Captain's talk, we were off and running before 4pm.  Scenic cruising was planned for 5:15pm, to see the town of Soufriere and the Pitons just south of Castries.  Although it was raining, by the time we reached the Pitons, they were out of the mist and very visible.  Today there were a number of small boats there, as well as a Ponant cruise ship.  They had a tender boat in the water, and were transporting folks to the mainland.  Another smaller ship had their marina extended out, and a lady was actually water skiing behind a speed boat in the bay.  A slide was attached to the side of the boat also, probably for the youngest of their group.

The Captain got as close as possible to the peaks, then slowly turned the ship on a dime, so to speak. Having extra time, he turned and turned several times, giving everyone a perfect view.  Even after darkness settled, we were still there. The next port of Barbados is only 114 nautical miles away, so we figured he was measuring the time we needed to arrive there.  We're just guessing, but we think that if he goes too slow, the ship would roll even more.  

Dinner was just the two of us and Barb.  She had not heard about the change with the pillow candies, and was also disappointed to see HAL dropping more perks.  We have all been around long enough to see many changes, some for the better, and some not.  This is in the "not" category. Did we ever mention that the room stewards no longer bring fresh fruit to your room?  Now it has to be ordered through room service.  Nothing stays the same forever…..

Bill & Mary Ann

192 Pictures

Report #71 Philipsburg, St. Maarten Saturday-February 26, 2022 Sunny With Clouds 85 Degrees & Hot

We arrived to the port of Philipsburg, Saint Maarten early this morning, and were surprised to see some ships docked already.  Within the hour, we counted seven ships.  There was the Azamara Quest, Seabourn Odyssey, Oceana Marina, the Star Legend, and us, the N. Statendam.  Other vessels were the Star Flyer, a 4 mast tall sailing ship, and the Stad Amsterdam, a 3 mast clipper ship.  Not in the count, was the Rhapsody of the Seas, which was anchored out in the bay.  In addition, there were a few pretty sleek yachts docked here.

Just a quick reminder, St. Maarten is the smallest island in the world divided between two ruling powers….the Netherlands and the French.  It has been that way for 374 years.  The entire island is 37 square miles, with 87,000 people, and 37 picture perfect beaches.  Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch side, was big enough for us to explore today.

Even the cruise terminal is spacious with the usual jewelry stores, boutiques, souvenirs shops, eateries and bars.  Collecting the free charms, one of us went into Diamonds International and Milano for the little tokens that clip onto their free bracelet. Milano will sell you the necklace for their charms, as they have no clips on the charms. 

It was going to be a very warm and humid day, even leaving the ship by 10:30am.  Walking out the gate towards downtown, we looked for the cavorting monkeys on the bottom of the hillside.  As hard as we tried, we saw none today.  But we did meet a very nice couple from Canada, who have been reading our blog.  So we had a good conversation about cruising and knee replacements, of all things.  Hope we were able to help on all counts.

Following the Boardwalk, we realized that there were fewer people here than the last time we visited.  With all of those ships in port, we wondered where all the people were.   Probably taking tours, the folks may have come this way in the afternoon.  The many bars and cafes along the beach were ready to go.  We're still chicken about eating and drinking off of the ship. 

There is a long pier where some nice benches are located.  We caught a beautiful breeze relaxing there, watching a local dog enjoying the cool waters in the shallow end.  He shook off, then followed us, checking out every café along the way.  He seemed to know where he could find some crumbs, or handouts from the diners.

On the way back, we cut across to Front Street until we reached Old Street .  Missing it the last couple of times we were here, it was a neat narrow alleyway of boutiques and cafes.  We had intended on checking out the sweatshirts at the Harley Davidson shop, but they had none for men…..only t-shirts.  Figures, they had a perfectly good one for the ladies, but I already have two.

By the time we  got back to the ship, it was after 1pm.  We needed some ice cold sodas, which we have a refrigerator full.  Then ended up staying in our room, snacking on some chips, dips, and peanuts.  Lunch in the Lido never happened.  For a change it will be nice to be hungry for dinner.

Around 3:30pm, the Azamara Quest left, and after a few announcements for a missing man, we left the port with one long blowing of the ship's horn.  Guess this person missed the ship.

As we got away from the island, dozens of boobies followed the ship, diving and fighting for the fish.  They always put on quite a show.  We stayed on the veranda until it got too chilly, and we ran out of islands to film.

Dinner was the five of us, comparing what we all did for the day.  Barb never leaves the ship, with one exception in Curacao.  Susie made it to the shopping area off of the ship, and Woody stayed onboard.  Don't know how we do it, but we were about the last to leave the room by 10pm. 

Tomorrow's port will be St. Lucia, and we will not know until we get there whether or not we will be allowed off of the ship without taking a taxi somewhere.  And it will be a Sunday, and not much will be opened anyway.

Bill & Mary Ann

237 Pictures

Report #70 Day At Sea En-Route To St. Maarten Friday - February 25, 2022 Clouds With Sun & Force 5 Winds 79 Degrees

Our second day at sea began with smoother seas, and much less motion of the ocean.   It was slightly warmer, except on our side of the ship, which is port.  The sun seems to rise and set where we cannot easily see it, as we are heading on a more easterly course.  According to the Captain, we are sailing near the deepest trench in the Atlantic Ocean. Very deep, it is way over our heads!  We must be far enough from any land, because we only saw one booby today, and that was brief.  We did pass a Princess ship heading in the opposite direction.

Sales for everything took place on the ship all day.  Since we have so few sea days on these 10 to 11 day sailings,  they take advantage of that fact.  Both of us received coupons again.  One for a spa treatment for $70 and another for $200 towards anything Effys.  Our last coupons expired back in December, so we might check this out to see how far $70 will take each of us.  Susie also got one of these coupons, and went to Effys.  There was nothing even close to $200, although if you have considerable have-to-spend shipboard credit to use, it may work. 

Going to Club Orange for breakfast, we noticed that the majority of people did not show up until later.  Could be due to the changing of the clocks last night. Even the waiters in this venue have changed stations, as we have a new man taking our orders.  Joko is still nearby to give the new fellow instructions.  Our yogurt, fruit, and granola starters are always ready to go when we sit down.  Two pots of coffee, a blueberry muffin, and fresh-squeezed orange juice are served.  Joyce always inquires as to if we would like a mimosa, which we say yes on Sunday. 

Between two long walks, lunch in the Lido, and working online, we kept busy.  Relaxing also, but not so much on the veranda, as the breeze was downright cool.  The further south we go, the warmer it will get.

Dinner time found all five of us present.  It seems that we ordered the better entrees of lasagna and parmesan-coated veal.  By the time we finished dessert, the room had all but emptied out.  Not a lot of late diners here, we guess.

Tomorrow, we will be in St. Maarten, and should have no restrictions as far as walking to town. 

Bill & Mary Ann

17 Pictures

Report #69 Day At Sea Thursday-February 24, 2022 En-Route To St. Maarten

The best thing about today was that it happens to be our son's birthday.  So, happy birthday, Ken!  Hope it is a good one…

It's always a good thing to have a few days at sea, after four busy days in port.  Would have been even better if the sailing was less rough and windy.  Heavily overcast, the captain mentioned the winds were a force 7 on the Beaufort, and the sea swells were 12 feet.  Even with the size of this ship, we seem to be rocking and rolling quite a bit.  No doubt, there will be a few new guests with sea sickness.  In the old days, we always knew when to expect rough sailing when the sea sick bags showed up near every elevator.    We do not see that anymore.

Many years ago, we sailed with friends who made the remark that here we sit, twiddling our thumbs, while Rome burns.  A very old saying, but it sure applies to what we are hearing and seeing on the news today.  Not to get political, but none of us are feeling confident about the world's situation.  It also seems that Covid has taken a backseat.  How long has it been since we have heard the statistics of the Covid casualties, or the numbers of folks that need to be vaccinated?  Perhaps watching HGTV or the Food Channel has some merit.  And of course, with today being a day at sea, there were dozens of things to do on the ship.  Even with that, we still were glued to the TV during the day.

Doing some internet work, we came across an interesting thread on Cruise Critic concerning the Step One Dance Company's performances on the Rotterdam.  They had reduced their show to one an evening, instead of the usual two.  Same as here.  It has been weeks now that the one show was at 7:30pm.  There must have been many complaints about it, because we saw in the When & Where that there were two shows tonight ….one at 7pm and the second one at 9pm.  About time.  We have a lot of catching up to do now that we have the time to go without interrupting dinner.

There is a new comedian onboard by the name of Keith Bender doing a show called All Grown Up.  The room was more full of guests for his show compared to the group that attends the BB King's All Stars.  We guarantee that by the end of 11 days, some of these folks will have hearing problems.  We do by just passing by the venue after dinner.

We missed another wine tasting event at 1:45pm in the dining room.  Nice to be asked, we have yet to go.  Barb usually attends, and says it is really nicely done.

Going out in the morning and once in the afternoon, we got some miles in on the promenade deck.  Not easy walking with the high winds and light sea spray covering one side.  Only a handful of people attempted it.  Being in the Caribbean, you would think it was always warm and muggy.  Not even close today, as we wore our jackets. 

We did a little exploring today, wanting to see the cabanas up on deck 12.  Interesting concept, we guess it is OK for folks that like to be isolated.  It is not something we would chose to do, because we never stay in one place very long.  One nice thing about the cabana area is that they do have a small spa to go in if it gets too hot.  Climbing up the outside stairs, we reached deck 14, the Sun deck, which really is deck 13, but never is labeled as that.  Superstitious we guess.  Knowing there were some coins buried in a wall, we found them.  This is a tradition that dates back centuries, and continues to this day.  Not sure who the Madrona is for this ship, but it is not the Godmother.  Quite possible that the Madrona is Ann Marie Bartels.

There are lounges up here, but they would have blown overboard with today's wind.  All of them were lashed down.  There is also one outside shower for the sunbathers that come up here.

On the way back, we strolled through the Crow's Nest, which is huge.  It felt like walking into a church with people reading (sleeping) in over-sized chairs.  In our way of thinking, having the shore excursion desk here, as well as the Explorer's Café, is next to out of sight and out of mind.  Fine for some folks, just not our cup of tea.  We remember Crow's Nests that were fun with a live band and dancing.  Guess those days are over.  And what about the library?  Sadly, it does not exist here.  What few books are there, are not to be removed.  We did see huge jigsaw puzzles, which is surprising, knowing that social distancing is impossible leaning over a table.  Board games were also available, but we saw no one playing any today. 

Lunch was a salad and sandwich in the Lido.  At 2:30pm, it is never crowded there.  In fact, we had almost the entire Lido to ourselves.  Now that's what we call social distancing.  Funny story, we got in an elevator that filled up with eight people.  Two people panicked and jumped out.  That's when we noticed one man had no mask on. They were newbies, what can we say.  It is possible, that in a few days, mask-wearing inside the ship might be optional.

Dinner was with Barb tonight, the first gala night of this cruise.  Most folks looked pretty sharp, but there were a large number that were not dressed for it.  T-shirts and shorts with flip-flops don't do it for us. Yes, we did see one man sitting near the bar at the Rock & Roll venue, looking as if he just came from the Seaview Pool.  Remember when it was suggested that the dress code of the evening applied to attending the show in the Queens Lounge and any other public space that evening?  Boy are those days gone or what?

Anyway, we all had the rack of lamb and were not disappointed.  The food has been very tasty and served hot most nights.  And by waiting to order our dessert, the ice cream arrives frozen solid, not melted.  Fredy, our head waiter always checks on us, and Presty seems to find the time to pay a visit. Yes, we are treated well.

Bill & Mary Ann

22 Pictures

Report #68 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Wednesday-February 23, 2022 Partly Cloudy With Sun 80 Degrees

Another stop in Ft. Lauderdale, means another cruise is soon to start.  We've been asked if we are tired of the b2b cruises, and we have to say, no we are not.  Since the itinerary changes every cruise, the only repeat island on a 21 day cruise is Half Moon Cay.  And how bad is that?  Returning to Ft. Lauderdale means we can easily find the things we need that were too heavy to pack.  Once you leave the USA, it is difficult to find exactly what you need, like favorite toothpastes, lotions, or over-the-counter meds.  Even simple snacks such as potato chips or crackers tend to taste different in foreign countries. 

We went to breakfast in Club Orange around 6:45am.  Few folks were there, but that changed the later it got.  Many had their hand carry-ons or small wheeled suitcases, ready to go when their color tags were called.  The nice thing about having such a low number of guests, is that the debarkation was easy.  As for us, we once again chose to go off around 9am, and not go with the group of 200 that were in transit.  The passport photo ID worked perfectly for both of us this morning, even though we still had to pack our passports with us. 

Compared to the last time we were here, it was warm and mostly sunny.  No flooding rain with strong winds either.  This time we took a right turn on 17^th St. and walked to the center of the bridge . And this time the bridge traffic was stopped and the roadway was lifted.  It's kind of exciting to see how this worked.  We are sure that it is an annoyance for the locals, who have to stop and wait it out. Expecting to see a huge sailboat go under, we only saw a fairly small sailboat with a mast that easily cleared the bridge.  Many small craft were going back and forth too.  There is a nice bench at the center point, so one of us enjoyed the break  while the bridge was doing its thing.

Back down the way we came, the next stop was at the Renaissance.  People were just checking out, and appeared to be going in busses to the terminals.  Other ships in port today were the Viking Orion at pier 4, and the N. Statendam at pier 26.  The Vision of the Seas – RCI, had docked at pier 18, and appeared to have no guests.  The monster ship, Wonder of the Seas, also RCI, was docked at pier 21.  It is their newest vessel, and tops out at 236,857 gross tons.  She holds up to 7,000 passengers (full berths).  Oddly enough, it appeared to be empty of guests, and the cruise terminal appeared to be empty of people, buses, and taxis as well.  There has to be a story there.

We continued our walk to Ace Hardware for batteries, Total Wine to just look around, and TJMaxx, also to look around.  Publix was our target store, so we shopped for a few items that we needed.  It was a long walk back, and we can certainly tell you, no other guests did this as far as we know.  Perhaps there were a few crew members in town, but we know they used to have a free shuttle for them.  Will have to ask our morning waiter if this is still the case.  (We did inquire and the crew has access to a shuttle for a small fee.)

Arriving back to the terminal, we showed our in transit cards, and were allowed to go straight to the xray line.  The only thing set off was with me, which I assume is my new knee replacement.  The security people never take that statement as fact, as they always do the pat down and wand test.  And as always, I was good to go. 

Got back to the room by 1pm, and had the usual suspects left for us on the start of a new trip.  Bruschetta, mini desserts of chocolate, caramel, and lemon meringue treats were left for us.  Our President's Club perks were there with 17 Cokes and a beautiful bouquet of dark pink roses. A bottle of sparkling wine was on ice.  And lastly, shipboard credit had been tacked on to our account. 

For some reason, we never made it to lunch.  It was much more comfortable watching the sail away from the veranda.  We were passing through the opening of Port Everglades but 4:30pm or so.  With today being a Wednesday, we did not expect any fanfare.  The locals still came out to wave us onward, and the beachful of locals also waved as we went by.  The Captain answered their send-away with three very long blasts of the ship's horn.  We call him Captain Hornblower. 

We did see a few birds on the buoys, but that was it.  No dolphins, but we did see the Island Princess at anchor offshore.  We wonder if they were being used for the Covid positive people?  Neither of the RCI ships left after we did.  Later on, we did bring up the live webcam of the Wonder of the Seas.  They said they may be leaving  at 5pm, although by 6pm, they still had not moved.  It sure looked pretty with all of the lights they had on at nighttime. 

Deciding the dinner menu was not an exciting one, we chose to make reservations in the Tamarind.  Normally, the first day of the cruise has the lowest number of specialty diners in those restaurants.   Perhaps they will fill up tomorrow, because it will be the first gala night. We ordered spring rolls, Thai salad, and the vegetarian soup.  I had a rice cracker the size of a salad plate, and Bill had shrimp crackers.  The three dips were good, but take some getting used to for the hot spices.  Asking for more of the sweet and sour dip, our waitress brought another little ramekin.   Both of us ordered the wasabi-covered beef tenderloin….very tender and tasty.  Sides were shared bowls of brown rice and sautee'd mushrooms.  Saving a tiny bit of room for dessert, we had the lemony cheesecake with a side of creamy vanilla ice cream.  The combination was right on. 

Going down to deck three, then across that deck to the front elevators helped us to avoid the noise from the BB King's All-stars.   At least there are no heavy glass doors to open on this deck. 

All in all, it was a good, but exhausting day, and we are happy to be continuing onward.

Bill & Mary Ann

129 Pictures

Report #67 Half Moon Cay, Bahamas Tuesday- February 22, 2022 Mostly Cloudy With Sun 80 Degrees

During the night, one of us noticed that the swells had increased, and it was actually rough as the ship headed for the Bahamas.  We did wake up to a nice day with partly cloudy skies and a lot of intermittent sun.  Rain showers could be seen on the horizon, and we hoped they would stay out there.

We are never in a big hurry to get off of the ship, mostly because when a lot of guests leave, the internet seems faster.  So that is when reports and photos get posted.  That gave us a little time to check out the tours and rentals on the island.  Some of the main excursions included the glass bottom boat, snorkeling, sting rays, and horseback riding.  The prices ranged from $30 to $100 (horses were the most).  However, the rental fees on the cabanas was missing on the TV.  Were they not available to rent?  Strange…..

From the time we left the room and got to the island, it took 45 minutes.  We had just missed a tenderboat, and had to wait for the next one.  After a handful of folks were unloaded, the crew had to spray the railings and seats.  We were still required to wear masks onboard the boat, although some folks did not.  These must be Bahamian rules, and they are strict.

Our first stop was at the food pavilion, where we grabbed a couple of apples.  The cooks were in the process of grilling the hamburgers,  and they really smelled good.  We had eaten  a healthy breakfast at 8am, so once again, we did not dine here.  The food offerings looked great.  Maybe next time. 

Walking the surf as we usually do, we made it to the very end of the sandy beach.  Reaching the volcanic rocks, a sign said it was forbidden to go further.  On other visits, we have seen people snorkeling in this area, but if they were washed up against the volcanic rocks, they would be injured.  Many years ago, one of us got too close to the same type of sharp rocks, and got cut.  For some reason, it hurt more than any other kind of cut.  Left a scar too.  So we pay attention to these signs.

Making our way back, we stopped at the Pegasus corrals, and paid a visit to good old Ted, who was grazing the grassy sands in the smoking area.  Pulling out the apples, he came right to us.  He ate every single bit of apple, even when some of it fell in the sand.  He just shook it off, and  chewed it up.  That was our best fun of the day.  Before we left the area, one of the wranglers offered us bottled water.  We did have some ice tea, but in this heat, water would have been good.  We declined, thanking him, but should have taken it.  They even offered us a ride to the main area, since they knew it was one long walk back. Once again, we said no thanks.

Of course, we had planned on stopping at Captain Morgan's Bar, the one that looks like a ship.  On previous trips, we knew they closed up shop by 1:30pm.  But today, by the time we got there at 1:10pm, no one was there.  Captain Morgan had left the building!  Disappointed we did not have our frozen Margherita or daiquiri, we figured another bar might be opened.  On the way back, we saw a tractor trying to pull a cart with the leftover tubs of beverages.  It had gotten stuck in the sand.  Walking around it, we went for the nearest bar to find it closed.  Surely the bar at the courtyard would still be serving something.  Nope, they were closed as well.  Instead, the bar staff were dancing to the music of the local band, while they waited for their tubs to be picked up.  Time to go before we died from dehydration.

On the way out, everyone has to pass through the xray on the island.  A man in front of us set off the alarm, then was wanded by the security guard.  He kept insisting he had nothing in his pocket, when the guard pulled out a fork.  Really?  He claimed he did not know it was there.   Really?  The guard kept it, and sent him along to join the boat.  Probably an accident, or he was in the process of collecting a service for eight…ha-ha!

Beer and sandwiches with fries sounded good at the Grand Dutch Café.   Just when we were ready to leave, friends Jennie and Don came along and chatted for a bit.  They will be going home tomorrow.  Jennie has been reading the blog, and said she had a solution to the leaking bottle of nail polish remover.  They were soaked and sealed packets of remover.  Running back to her room, she brought several packets to me, and also one Larabar bar, which looked to be nutritious.  Now we know what to look for when we go shopping in Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow.  How sweet was that?  We sure hope to see them again on one of these shorter cruises.  In the meantime, we promised to keep in touch.

We had a few things left for us in the room, like a new Club Orange bag, the Journeys booklet with this voyage's itinerary, and the letter for the in transit guests.  We have those directions down pat now.

The N.Statendam left the island around 3pm, and by then, the rain started.  Not just a passing shower, we would have gotten really wet had the ship stayed longer.  By the way, we realized why the cabanas were not up on the shore excursion screen.  All of them had been rented, which really surprised us.  Then we remembered that many of these passengers come from colder parts of the world, and savor every day they can get in the sun and swim in the water. 

Dinner was in the dining room, although our tablemates went to the Tamarind.  They did invite us, but two of our favorite items were on the menu…..coconut crusted shrimp and prime rib.  Hate to miss either of those, and our waiters spoil us when we have a table for two.  Now beginning tomorrow, with a new cruise, we will get different waiters.  Maybe one of them stays and the other one moves to  a different location, closer to the kitchen.  We could not help but notice that the table of guests next to us, was getting a special bottle of expensive wine (according to the sommelier), served in the fancy boat-like carafe.  Last evening, they had been complaining about the temperature of their food, so maybe this was a peace offering, compliments of the Hotel Director.  Come to think of it, a survey will be sent to all of us via email, and the staff are striving for high marks. 

Breakfast is early tomorrow, so we need to turn in earlier than we usually do.   No burning the midnight oils.

Bill & Mary Ann

165 Pictures

Report #66 Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Monday - February 21, 2022 Partly cloudy with sun 80 degrees

At breakfast this morning, we inquired about the medical evacuation that took place last night.  Our waiter said it was a man, who was taken off on a stretcher, then transferred to a boat that went to the shore.  The ship was not docked, as we had thought.  And it appeared that we had returned to Amber Cove, except it looked much different at night.  We're all hoping the gentleman is going to be OK. 

So today, we were back to Grand Turk, a rather small island that is 7 miles long and 1 mile wide.  The Turks and Caicos are a self-governing British Overseas Territory.  All-together, there are about 25,000 people that live here.  On the island of Grand Turk, there are only 5,000 residents.  What makes this area famous is not the dry, arid bush and scrub landscape, but the third largest coral reef system in the world.   Diving is superb here.

Unfortunately, our visit today is a rather short one with all aboard at 1:30pm.  Hardly time to get out to the reef and scuba or snorkel.  Staying in the Grand Turk Cruise Center , a 13 acre complex built in 2006, would have to do.  This purpose-built complex is similar to yesterday's port of Amber Cove, but in our opinion, is better.  Here you have a long stretch of beach with unlimited lounges to use.  Many folks were already in the water with their snorkel gear by 9am.  Speaking of the water, it is gorgeous….something like Half Moon Cay.  The different shades of blue to turquoise and green are stunning.  Even with some threatening cloud cover, the contrast of the grays in the sky compliment the seas below.  However, as hard as we tried, we could not see any fish in the water.  The best for that had to be in Bonaire.   The better sites for diving or snorkeling were off shore and accessed by boat.  Later in the day, we did see two catamarans coming back with guests, disembarking them from the back of the boat onto  the beach.

We left around 10:30am, and walked from one end to the other and beyond.  When the sun peeked out of the clouds while we were sitting on some lounges, it got way too hot for comfort.  Better to be walking and exploring the many shops in the complex.  Once again, there was Diamonds International with free conch shell charms and more bracelets.  Effy Jewely and Milano Diamond Gallery were there.  Oops, forgot that Milano also gave charms away.  Will have to pay a visit to them next time. 

Margheritaville is a big presence here, with a large shop and a two-story restaurant/bar.  The surrounding pool was getting full of swimmers, and the free wave ride was entertaining many folks with one sort of young gal trying to learn how to do the surfing.  One thing she forgot was to wear a swimsuit that fits tightly, as the power of the water is capable of anything.  Come to think of it, perhaps that was how she was getting attention. Duh?  All in good fun we guess.

From there, we headed for the beach and a long walk in the sand.  Really gives you a workout.  We went past the border of the complex and made it as far as we could go.  An abandoned pier with a "Stop" sign marked the spot.  Down this end, was a small food shack that may have been serving the islander's favorite dishes of conch, fresh grouper, and possibly lobster.  We did read there was a conch farm here where they are raised commercially.  Now if this was a normal cruise, without a pandemic involved, we might have searched for the Mookie Pookie Pizza Palace in Cockburn Town, if they are still opened.  Supposedly the best pizza in town (and the only one in town).

Time to head back as the ship was leaving early.  Even with that, we did have a 2 ½ hour hike.  We had room snacks instead of lunch in the Lido.  Sometimes you just have to give it a rest.  The ship pulled away from the pier by 2pm, and we were on our way to Half Moon Cay. By the way, we had more ship tiles left in the room with a note of gratitude for our loyalty. 

Now the big job of the day….. the 3pm appointment with the Covid testers.  This time we were invited to deck 2 and the World Stage, where several stations were set up.  Would we pass or not?  Going back to the room, we waited for the call that never came.  Great, we did it again….passed negative.  We asked this morning how may guests would be on the next cruise, and the answer was about 900 again.  In transit folks numbered 200.

We had a romantic dinner for two this gala evening.  Our tablemates had decided to try Sel de Mer, asking us to join them.  Honestly, we are not really big fans of the cuisine, which leans heavily on the fish appetizers and entrees.  And with one of us with allergies, even the aroma of fish is not pleasant.  So the menu had some favorites for us in the dining room, with a jumbo shrimp cocktail and hazelnut brie.   Caesar salads and tenderloin steaks with shrimp were quite good.  Our plates were steaming hot as well.  Warm flourless chocolate cake with ice cream and frozen yogurt left us happy campers. 

Tomorrow will be another day on a beautiful island.

Bill & Mary Ann

162 Pictures

Report #65 Amber Cove, Dominican Republic Sunday - February 20, 2022 Mostly sunny & 83 degrees

The last time we were in the  Dominican Republic was January 9^th.  Then we missed stopping there on January 26^th, when we were having a side trip in Ft. Lauderdale.  So we are back today at the port of Amber Cove, on the north side of the country.  The ship arrived to the pier around 8am and the good news is that we were the only cruise ship there.  Amber Cove is not a town or city, but an entirely enclosed Carnival Corp-built complex and park grounds.  It is completely fenced and has manned guard towers in each corner.  Locals are not allowed in, except for the shop vendors.  The only way out is through a taxi canopy, where you can hire someone to take you anywhere.  The closest city is Puerto Plata, a 10 minute taxi ride according to one of the nice shop ladies.  Of course, there were some shore excursions that left from here too.

But first, here is a little info on the Dominican Republic.  It occupies 2/3 of the island of Hispaniola, while Haiti takes up the other third.   Together, they are the second largest island in the Caribbean, with Cuba being number one.  Temperatures are about 82 degrees year round, and 8.8 million people live here.  Attracting tourists (mostly from Europe), there are 1000 beaches.  Natural resources are cocoa, coffee, rum, tobacco, and sugarcane.  All of these items can be purchased in the duty-free stores.  Up high in the rain forest, there are crocodiles, green cockatoos, and 29 species of birds.

The north side of the Dominican Republic is called the amber coast, since large quantities of amber were discovered here.  Also the blue stone called larimar is found only in this country.  The most valuable stones are a shade of milky blue. Warning:  be careful buying amber as it can be plastic. Shopping includes jewelry made with these stones, as well as cigars, rum, coffee, and masks, which are worn during Carnival season.  The biggest warning is don't drink the water….don't even brush  your teeth with the water unless it is bottled.  In addition, be careful with buying street food, which could make you mighty sick. 

During breakfast, there was a sudden crew drill at 9:15am.  It involved a possible fire on the ship (made up).  Within minutes, every waiter and cook left the room and came back with their life vests on.  Leaving Club Orange, we went to the promenade deck for a walk, and that deck was full of more crew members.  The drill lasted one hour, and we figured that was a good time to leave the ship.

Taking our time, we took the same path we had walked the first time we were here.  Taking a right turn, we found the spacious swimming pool, and the signage for rentals.  Most everything had to be rented except for the use of the chaise lounges.  One thing they do not have here is beachfront.  The entire shoreline is filled with boulders.  Several sun lovers from the ship had come over and were swimming and tanning.  The big restaurant & bar would be opened for lunch business soon.  From what we could see, none of the pricey cabanas had been rented.

There was a zip line there, and we did witness a couple of brave fellows riding it.  When they approached the end of the line, the ride jerked to a sudden stop.  No way would we try this anywhere, now that we have seen it close up.  By the way, it cost $20  to ride it all day.  We climbed the hill where the ride initiated.  A bit further up the mist-lined road was a circular bar with a view.  Unlike Half Moon Cay, people had to  pay cash or use credit cards for everything here.  And the shops also took credit cards naturally. 

Leaving the pool area, we walked by the pond and waterfall display, then onto a string of shops with typical souvenirs.  One of us did purchase another visor.  That makes five new ones, which are worn at home.  Four of the usual suspects are here…..Diamonds International, Effy Jewelers, Del Sol, and Cariloha, the bamboo place.  We just started collecting the free charms at DI, but today seeing there were two of us, the nice lady gave us doubles.  The bracelets and charms are not high end jewelry, but they do get you into the store where they hope you buy more.

Passing through Dufry, we went back to the ship.  Many locals were there to offer a pedaled ride back to the gangway, but most everyone chose to walk. The day had warmed up quite a bit, and we were in need of something cold…..like beers.  So it was off to the Grand Dutch Café.  Andre was there, and we commented about seeing him as a dining room greeter last night.  Right now, he works hard in the Dutch Café, but is training to promote to a dining room head waiter.  He would be an excellent choice in our opinion.  Anyway, the ham and cheese sandwiches were good and so were the fries.  Michelle, who also works there, said she would double them, but we said no, one plate was ample.  Barb, Susie and Woody have discovered that this is a very nice venue for eating something different from the dining room lunch or Lido. 

Back in our room, we had planned on some down time on the veranda.  But down below on the promenade deck, workers were pounding and sanding away making a heck of a racket.  Eventually they stopped and we enjoyed watching the opposite shore with locals having a Sunday beach afternoon with their families.  Banana boats were being pulled behind speed boats, while the little ones played in the shallow surf. 

We stayed until the ship left at 6pm and sun went down.  Closer to 7pm, we felt like the ship was turning, but thought nothing of it.  Then something strange happened on the way to dinner.  A couple in the elevator asked if we were going in the right direction?  Yes, we were heading north, and they seemed good with that.  Passing the shops, we noticed they were closed.  Strange. Then when we reached our table in the dining room, we noticed we were docked somewhere with lights.  What happened?  We learned that the Captain had turned the ship around due to a medical emergency.  Someone had to be taken off.  We never heard an announcement, and we are not sure they made one.  Guess we will have to wait until tomorrow for the details.  On  past cruises, we have seen this happen many times….sometimes even with helicopter med-evacs.  Hope it turns out OK for the patient.

Three of our tablemates had decided last night to try the Sel de Mer this evening.  Not big fans of the cuisine, we opted out, mostly because we wanted to see what was on the dining room menu first.  Turned out it was liver and onions, Barb's and Susie's favorite.  So they cancelled the reservations, and  came to dinner.  Woody had the pasta, and we had Rudi's half chicken and beef Wellington.  Desserts were frozen yogurt and chocolate sundae.  And guess what?  Last night these same desserts were melted, but tonight, all was frozen.  We suspect our waiters were anticipating what we would order, and bring the desserts early. By asking about it, they brought it straight from the freezer.  What a difference.

The best thing we did tonight was turn the clocks back one hour.  The extra sleep will do us good.

Tomorrow will be a short stop in Grand Turk, and an afternoon date with the Covid testers.  Oh, we hate this invitation.

Bill & Mary Ann

200 Pictures

Report #64 Day At Sea En-Route To Amber Cove, Dominican Republic Saturday-February 19, 2022 Sunny, Gale Force Winds - 80 Degrees

The ship is heading northwest as we sail towards the Dominican Republic and the port of Amber Cove.  At least the sun was out this morning, but it came with gale force winds of 7 on the Beaufort scale.  Our Club Orange waiter remarked about how rough the sailing was during the night.  That was news to us, because neither of us felt it.  The only time you might notice the movement is when you are walking from place to place.  During the night, once you get under those nice fresh sheets, you are rocked to sleep with the motion.  This ship, as large as it is, seems to ride the seas well.

At 11am, we were invited to another Mariner Recognition Event held in the Billboard Onboard.  This group had to be the biggest yet, with several couples getting medallions from bronze to gold.  One couple that we recognized from world cruises, was inducted into the President's Club.  Now we have a total of 11 members onboard.  We also got to meet the new Guest Relations Manager, Tatiana.  She joined the ship when Janine left, and has been in a "commencement" period, which  actually means quarantined for several days.  She had her "coming out" today and seemed very happy to meet our expanding group.  Jonah, the event coordinator, will still be here to take care of her people, including the 11 of us.  She is the best.  The Captain gave a short speech of welcome and thanked us all for trusting HAL to provide a safe and fun cruise.  Everyone was introduced and welcomed to come take a photo with the Captain and Rene, the hotel director.  Morning beverages were served, such as mimosas, champagne, wine, or soda and orange juice.  The event lasted exactly one hour, although our group always stays and visits.

It's funny how the weather can be deceiving.  On the port side (our side) , our windows and veranda were sprayed with water, also coated with salt.  If we didn't know better, we would say it was raining.  Taking our usual morning walk, we noticed a huge difference on the starboard side.  It was warm and windy, but the sun was shining.  Really great weather for walking, and even better if the ship could stay still.  So far, we have seen no birds or flying fish.

Lunch was in the Lido with two salads, garlic bread, and a toasted salami and turkey sandwich.  There are three types of chips available at the sandwich bar…..potato, tortilla, and plantain chips.  The potato chips must be the most popular, since that bowl is always almost empty.  At least no one can stick their hands in those bowls.  Desserts were tempting, but we still have a good supply of biscotti cookies in our room.   We had one each, then went to work on photos and future reports.

A walk was in order before dinner, so we did our mile until it was time for dinner.  The five of us were back, but due to table noise next door, it was hard to hear any of us talking.  Having two large tables between the walls seems to trap the noise even more.  One of our group did mention it to someone in charge, but we doubt anything can be done about where people choose to eat.  It's one of those awkward situations that has no good solution, other than we move elsewhere.  Doubt that will happen……

Tomorrow's port will be Amber Cove, where we have been only once.  If nothing else, it is a good place to take a walk.

Bill & Mary Ann

53 Pictures

Report # 63 Oranjestad, Aruba Friday - February 18, 2022 Mostly sunny & 80 degrees

It's Aruba again, the fun island, which is 19.6 miles long and 6 miles wide.  The number of residents is 72,000.  Oranjestad is the capital and is also where we docked this morning.  Other ships in port were the Marella Discovery (Tui), which was actually the former Splendour of the Seas (RCI).  She holds up to 2024 passengers and is currently doing a 7 day round trip from Barbados.  The other ship was the Freewinds, which curiously was docked here on our last visit.  If we didn't know better, we would think it never moved.

The weather today was close to perfect, with moderate temperatures, little wind, and mostly sunny skies.  It was going to be a good walking day, which is what we did by 11am.  The best description of Aruba is that a palm-lined boulevard runs the length of the island.  Beginning at the top end, there are dozens of luxury hotels and resorts with beautiful beaches.  Down where we are, is the more touristy section.  We remember coming here back in the 90's when the biggest attraction had to be the iconic Royal Plaza Mall, a three story pink and white Dutch building with dozens of boutiques and places to dine.  Near that mall, was the Renaissance Mall and hotel resort in the city's center.  There is actually a canal that connects to the hotel's lobby.  Guests can take a boat from there to a private 40 acre island with beaches.  Very convenient. 

After leaving the terminal, we noticed that fewer folks were wearing masks.  Actually none of the guests on the Marella Discovery had them on.  Good sign that things might be getting much better in this part of the world.  Last night, the Hotel Director did indicate that things might be changing soon with the ship's requirements.  He did not elaborate, for fear of saying something not quite correctly.  For certain, the steps back to normal will be taken slowly. 

Heading for the marina, we passed the many jewelry shops offering specials.  Vendors are still handing out flyers to entice customers into their stores. Like we stated yesterday, the duty-free policy does not always apply here.  The usual activities were taking place at the small boat harbor.  A few fishermen were cleaning their catch of wahoo and other smaller fish.  A young and hungry pelican sat right across from the cleaning table to catch small bits of fish.  A little iguana moved into the pelican's range, and the bird stabbed at the lizard.  Not sure iguanas eat fish.  They do eat grass.

The Renaissance Marketplace is the anchor of the marina.  Although it was early in the day and there was little activity, we can imagine this place is lively at night.  Most all of the dining venues and bars are open-air.  At the far end is an Italian café that served the best pizza in the past.  But we are still not indulging off of the ship just in case the virus is still here.  

We made our way to the gardens of the hotel, where we found a bench in the shade.  Updating the Kindle worked well here.  We did notice that many of the crew were doing the same thing inside the terminal building.  We are not sure the crew gets free or really reasonable wifi.  Around the back of the hotel, is a lagoon that connects to the ocean.  Under a concrete bridge there is a bunch of tropical fish.  We always stop here to watch the fish come out, but we learned a little trick today.  A few kids and their moms brought some crackers and bread to toss in the water.  That's when  the big fish came out from under the rocks and bridge.  At one point, it was like a feeding frenzy.  The little kids loved it. Secretly, so did we.  There are always a few iguanas eating grass here, as well as pelicans perching on the rocks. 

Time to head back, we stopped at one of the road stalls and bought a red visor, a color I do not have.  Another stop was at Diamonds International for the free pendant and bracelet.  Many other ladies, obviously cruise passengers, were doing the same thing.  And no pressure to buy something.  All the way back to the terminal, there were many chances to buy souvenirs.  The most serious shoppers were here.

Time for ice cold beer and lunch in the Dutch Café.  Dropping off our stuff in the room, the power went off briefly.  That is something that has never happened on this ship.  The Captain announced it, and promised things would be up and running soon.  It took a while, but not everything got "re-booted", such as the deep fryer in the Dutch Café.  No crispy hot French fries for us today.  Michelle the server said she owed us doubles the next time we go there.  The draft beer still worked as did cooking the ham and cheese sandwiches.  Small slices of apple pie finished the meal. 

Relaxing on the veranda and working on the computer kept us busy until we noticed the Marella Discovery was leaving at 6pm.  Dinner was just the two of us, since our tablemates ate elsewhere.  Our meals of crispy spring rolls, farmer's salads, and honey mustard chicken were perfect.  We added custom-made chocolate sundaes for dessert.

The ship left the dock shortly after 10:30pm, and the best sight to see was passing by the airport, all lit up, waiting for more tourists to arrive.

Tomorrow we have a most welcomed day at sea.

Bill & Mary Ann

185 Pictures

Report #62 Willemstad, Curacao Thursday-February 17, 2022 Very Windy And Cloudy 78 Degrees

This should have been our third visit here, if Covid had not interrupted our travel plans.  So now, this is our second time in Curacao.  It was a partly cloudy day, with a constant strong breeze blowing all day.  It did help cool it off. 

Curacao is the largest of the three ABC islands, with a total of 171 square miles.  It is situated 35 miles north of Venezuela and 42 miles from Aruba.  There are 38 beaches around the island with all of the water sports you can imagine.  Willemstad is the capital, and that is where we docked today.  The historic center of this city is on the UNESCO's World Heritage List. 

It is a very walkable city center, which is exactly what we did beginning at 11:30am.  The ship was cleared after 8am, but we had some work to do before leaving.  No rush, since the all aboard time was 10:30pm.  Exiting the ship, we had been told to bring our Covid vaccination cards like yesterday.  However, no one asked to see them.  In fact, there were few locals wearing masks today.  Last time here, everyone had a mask  on. We sure hope that means things are improving.  Like yesterday, we left our masks on for most of the day onshore. 

The ship was docked at the Otrobanda district.  This is mostly residential with the Renaissance Resort & Casino and Mall right at our feet.  Then we entered the Riffort Village Shopping Mall and modern retailers. At Diamonds International, one of us went inside the store to collect another charm.  The sales lady also handed me a plastic waterproof container that can be used to keep money and your room key, etc. from getting wet while swimming. No pressure to buy anything.  Cafes lined the courtyard as we walked out of the area. 

Crossing over the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge with 16 pontoons, we came out on the Punda side.  Docked in Santa Anna Bay was a Tui ship.  Lining the harbor were the famous painted houses with gabled roofs called the Handelskade.  On this side, are numerous cafes, already full of customers, and six blocks of shopping, where tourists can buy embroidered linens, delft like earthenware, cheeses, clogs and artwork.  Not all of the stores are 100% duty free.   Maybe that leaves room for negotiation.  Here you can find trinkets and souvenirs as well as high end jewelry and watches. 

The red tiled roofs we were seeing were built with Dutch tiles that had been used as ballast in the old sailing ships.  Following the main street, we made our way to Wilhelmina Park and the historical buildings near it.  The governor's palace is located near Fort Amsterdam.  Then we made our way through town to the Central Market, where the choices for souvenirs is unending.  Fresh veggies and fruit are available here as well.  Much of the jewelry was African designs, similar to what we have seen and bought while in Gambia. 

Along the Waaigat Canal, sits the floating market full of fresh produce.  There was one Venezuelan schooner tied up here, where the produce and even fish were being transferred to the pier.  Crossing over this canal, the Scharloo district begins.  A maritime Museum is there and some of the oldest Jewish homes also.  We read that the red light district begins here.  True or not, we did not cross the bridge to find out.

Time to head back, we followed the water around to the bay, where we finally saw the pontoon bridge moving.  It had to open to let a ferry out, and also let in a sailboat.  It is estimated that this swing span bridge opens up to 30 times daily.  Dating back to 1888, it was recently restored.  Normally the foot traffic is stopped, which is why there is a ferry to take the waiting folks across the bay.  Crossing paths with friends Gyl and Howard, we chatted long enough to watch the bridge swing open three times.  It opened just wide enough for the vessels to get by.  It must have to open all of the way to accommodate the Tui cruise ship that was docked in this bay. 

Then we crossed back over to the other side and eventually back to the ship.  Lunch was in order, but a light one was what we wanted.  This evening we were invited  to a pre-dinner cocktail with the Hotel General Manager, Rene Tuiman.  Usually he would have hosted a table for the nine of us, but due to the virus, he is only allowed to have cocktails with us. Newcomers Jennie and Don, also members of the President's Club, joined us. He was quite gracious answering our many questions.   So after 1 ½ hours, he excused himself and off we went for a delightful Pinnacle Dinner.   The wine flowed, our meals were excellent, and after dinner drinks were offered.  We were all treated like royalty once again. 

Tomorrow, we complete our "Dutch" stay with the final port of Oranjestad, Aruba.  The forecast says it will be rainy, but we hope it is wrong.

Bill & Mary Ann

193 Pictures

  

Report #61 Kralendijk, Bonaire Wednesday - February 16, 2022 Mostly sunny & 85 degrees

Bonaire, the "B" island of the ABC Dutch Lesser Antilles, has a total of about 18,000 people.   The island is 24 miles long, with 112 square miles.  And it is totally different from the other two islands in that it has a small town atmosphere about it.  Kralendijk, the capital, has about 3000 residents with a lot of vehicles.  It is known  for  the excellent diving and snorkeling, perhaps a rival to The Great Barrier Reef in Australia.  The waters are crystal clear, due to the fact it is a dry climate with little or no soil run-off.  One big draw is the fact you can night dive in many of the sites.  Typical fish sighted are the parrot fish, surgeonfish, angelfish, eel, snapper, and grouper.  The sites are actually marked by yellow-painted stones along the roadside.  There is a $10 nature fee you need to pay before entering water to scuba or snorkel, but it is good for one year. 

The Dutch seized all three of these islands from the  Spanish back in 1633, and expanded the salt industry.  This is an important industry even today.  Besides the water activities, biking is big here.  There are 180 miles of paved and unpaved roads to explore.  A half day sport fishing tour might set you back $325.  The catch could be wahoo, marlin, tuna, sword and sailfish. 

The local crafts include fancy-painted driftwood, or hand-painted kunuku, which are little wilderness houses.  Forbidden to take home are goatskin or tortoise shell items, or sea fans, coral, or conch shells.  There is a huge fine for attempting to do so. 

The Nieuw Statendam did not arrive here until close to 11am, docking at the South Pier.  At the North pier, there was the Oceana Marina, which ended up leaving about 1:30pm.  Today we were required to bring our ID's, room card, and also a  copy of our Covid vaccination card.  These cards were checked when we left the ship, before entering the town.  Once again, we left the masks on most of the time.

This has to be  the only island that does not have a gigantic variety of high end jewelry shops. It is more low-key.  Yesterday, one of us picked up a coupon for a free charm at Milano Jewelers.  If we happen to pass it, we'd get it. 

Walking the same direction as we did back in January, we were happy to see the most colorful parrotfish in the waters right off of the main drive.  A seawall lines the Kaya CEB Hellmund Drive, and has a few benches along the way.  On one side of the road, there was a block or two of cafes, shops, and businesses that looked quite busy.   Passing by the crowds, we continued past the inns and condos, where the vacationing folks can walk right to the water with their snorkel gear or tanks.  Directly across from the town is an island called  Klein Bonaire, a very small island with a few perfect beaches.  No development has ever been allowed there, so you need to bring everything you want with you.  Water taxis will bring you there for about $14 per person round trip.  We noticed that many types of tour boats were bringing cruise ship guests there. 

Taking our time, we eventually reached the end the walkway, to find an iguana crossing the street.  It headed right for a tree along the beach, leapt up the trunk, and slithered its way to the branches.  Once up there, we had a hard time finding it.  Seeing the long tail hanging down, we saw that it was eating the leaves and red flowers of the tree.  A pair of small canaries were also dining on the nectar, oblivious of the monster lizard lurking there.  Guess he doesn't eat birds.  We also  saw a fleeting small lizard as it headed under an old house.  We also spotted some more iguanas sunning themselves on the concrete wall further down the road.

Turning back, we cut up one of the small side streets to Kaya Grande, the main drag.  Finding the street that went up to a roundabout, we saw the sign, Kaya LD Gerharts, and followed that.  Passing several historical sites, we ended up at St. Bernard Roman Catholic Church.  Carefully crossing at the roundabout, we went inside for a bit.  We can say one thing for certain, people that live here don't necessarily believe in pedestrians having the right-of-way.  If you are not fast enough crossing, you will be almost run over.  And they might even beep their horn.  To be fair, there were some nicer folks who did stop for us, just not many of them. 

Back-tracking, we did see Milano Jewelers on the corner, went inside, and got their charm.  They were selling a chain for the charm, but I already have several like it.  And the charm itself was a flamingo, which is what this island is known for.  In fact, there are an estimated 15,000 of them in the salt ponds.  But unless you take a tour there to see them from a distance, the only flamingoes you will see in town will be on t-shirts, painted on buildings, in the sidewalks made with stones, or with cleverly-made mailboxes. 

Getting back to the ship by 1:30pm, we headed for the Grand Dutch Café for ice cold beers and sandwiches with fries.  Once again, we split one of the huge eclairs.  The rest of the afternoon, we spent cooling off on our veranda and working in the room on the computer.   The day had started overcast, but warm.  Eventually the clouds opened up and it got pretty hot.  The humidity seemed to go up as well.  But we did not see any rain, which was lucky.

Dinner was in the dining room with our buddies.  It sure is fun when the stories come up that we can all share.  Always while on a ship somewhere like the Amazon, Australia, or Africa, or someplace with monkeys, snakes, crocs, or birds, we could talk for hours.  That's how we end up being among the last to leave the room by 10pm.

Tomorrow we shall be in Curacao.  Shall expand the exploring there.

Bill & Mary Ann

283 Pictures

Report #60 Day At Sea En-Route To Bonaire Tuesday- February 15, 2022 Gale Force Winds & Deep Swells With Rain & Sun 79 Degrees

You could tell from the lack of a great sunrise, that today was going to be a rainy one.  Not only rainy, but windy as well.  The swells were running deep enough to make deck walking difficult.  Starting the day in Club Orange was good as always.  Having a mimosa seemed to brighten our moods a bit.  Truthfully, this has been the first voyage that we have had so much rain.  Guess we have been lucky.  Sort of feel bad for the folks that have traveled from much colder climates to enjoy the sun here. 

We took our morning walk outside and happened to talk to a couple that were in line with us on the last Covid testing day.  We had shared our story about me testing positive 10 days ago, and the wife said she was terrified of the same result.  We wished them luck, and that was that.  Talking to them today, we found out that she did in fact test positive that morning, with a follow-up test in her room.  Lucky for her, the second test was negative.  Guess that happens often.  We're not sure if they are on for another cruise.  If not, there will be no more tests for them. 

The shore excursion team were in the process of selling tours to the ABC islands coming up.  Then there was a shopping talk for these same ports.  Hoping to get the advertised free charm, I went to the gal's desk to ask for one.  She said that was yesterday, and she did not have any with her.  But if I watched for her tomorrow, she would be happy to give me one.  Barb lucked out in the beginning, when she was given a set of charms, probably by a different sales lady.  Then she gave us a coupon to use ashore for another charm.  We have done that on past cruises, only to find out the free charm is their way to try to sell you something else.  In other words, it comes with strings to entice you to buy more.   Sometimes it is not worth the trouble.  One thing we have noticed is that with the ships at half capacity, the sales pressure is so much more than normal. 

Turned out to be a good day for flying fish-watching from our veranda.  We were treated to flights of all sizes, mostly the tiny ones.   But it is the larger ones that will go the distance, skimming the tops of the waves before diving.  As long as there are no boobies, these fish will pop up more often to spread their "wings".   

There were plenty of activities to keep folks busy today.  For us, we had two long walks outside, lunch in the Lido, and a fine dinner in the dining room.  All five of us were present, and we all ordered the coconut crusted meatballs.  Nicoise salads were good, and our entrees of veal weinerschnitzel and sliced chicken with rigatoni were tasty.  Barb had tiny slices of beef, like London broil, and two desserts.  By the way, we have new waiters again after having the same fellows for two voyages.  That is their plan to make things fair for all of the servers.  Our table is located at the very back of the room, at a window.  Therefore, our waiters have a long walk to wait on us.  So beginning last Sunday, we have two new guys, that have to make that long walk.  Barb loves to tease them that she has to train them all over again.  But she is right.

We will not get to Bonaire until 11am, so it will be like a sea day with the restaurants opening up at 8am.  Even though we just put the clocks ahead one hour yesterday, it leaves you feeling tired.  Or maybe it is the rocking and rolling of the ship that lulls you to sleep.

Bill & Mary Ann 

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Report #59 Day at Sea En-Route To Bonaire Monday - February 14, 2022 Happy Valentine's Day Rain, gale force winds-7 & 79 degrees

Happy Valentine's Day to all!  

Would have been nice to say it was a sunny day, but no, it was pretty dismal.  The skies were dark with rain clouds, and it did rain for most of the morning.  It was the winds, 7 on the Beaufort scale, that made walking difficult on the promenade deck. 

Since there were only a few people in Club Orange this morning, Jonah had a chance to address a few questions we had asked her recently.  It was regarding whether or not they had Blanton's, a small batch whiskey, onboard this ship.  After some searching, she said they did not.  There were some other ones that they considered close, like Elijah Craig, Bakers, Basil Hayden, Duke, or Pappy van Winkel.  None of which we are familiar. 

Then we had heard that the immigration process was a bit confused yesterday in Ft. Lauderdale.  Perhaps there had been a miscommunication with the shore side services, some of the in transit folks were not happy campers with the slow process.   That's why we never stay with that group.  Later this afternoon, there was a knock on our door, and we were given a tray of sweets, with a card saying they extended their sincere apologies for the inconvenience it may have caused.  We had no problem, but we did enjoy the chocolates anyway. 

We had spotted a zippered sweatshirt in the ship's shops, so decided to go try it on.  Having only one in the correct size, it seemed to fit OK.  When the sales person rang it up, he missed the 15%  Mariner discount for being a high star member.  Making a phone call, it was told we were correct, and said he would amend the bill.  However the original price of $75 would be on our account, to be changed later.  We would have to watch to see it was done correctly.  After all of that, we went back to the room, and discovered the zipper was not working properly.  So back it went for a total refund.  Now this may take a few days.

In the meantime, we had found two charges on our shipboard account that we did not make while we were on Half Moon Cay.  The bad thing there is that the vendors do not have computers to bring up your accounts.  They only look at your cruise card, then write your cabin # on a tag.  Since your room number is not on your card, anyone can give any room number.  If that happened, how would we prove it was not us?  Will find out tomorrow.  It is always good to check up on charges because stuff can go wrong.

We did take note that there were many sales in the Shops, mostly because tonight is the first gala evening.   You can pick up a lot of glitter for $10 or more.  Even bow ties and regular ties for the fellows. One thing we missed again was the complimentary wine-tasting. Really, it is an attempt to entice you to purchase a wine package using your loyalty discount.   For us, it would have been a 50% savings. 

The Captain's talk came on the TV (bow camera station) while we were in the room.  What a difference….we could hear him well.  Nice to know someone actually listened yesterday and fixed it.  Outside on our veranda, it still was not  working, but that is someone else's department.   And part of the Captain's message was that the clocks will go forward one hour tonight. Another nice touch happened when a long stem pink rose was given to us for Valentine's Day, compliments of Jonah.  That makes up for losing the hour.

We had a light lunch in the Lido, then came back to the room for computer work.  Sometime around 4pm, we were treated to a display of dolphins jumping close to the ship.  They must have been feeding, because the pod was a large one.  We have been here for almost 2 months, and these were the first we have seen out at sea.  Having quick access to the better camera, many great shots were captured.  With the ship doing almost 20 knots, we were past the pod pretty quickly.    Now we will be on the lookout for more as we head south to Bonaire. 

Dinner was with the group in the dining room.  The lamb chops looked really nice, as did the chicken.  One of us had the cheese stuffed pasta shells, and Woody had the crab-covered steak filet.  It seemed like a half dozen people were having birthdays this evening.  Usually that only happens towards the end of a cruise.  Birthday or not, some people like the special attention. 

Tomorrow will be another sea day, which we like to re-charge our batteries.

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report #58 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sunday - February 13, 2022 Heavy Rain Most Of The Day 70 Degrees

Coming into Port Everglades means an early day all around.  The lower dining room and Club Orange were opened from 6:30 to 8:30am, but there was no room service.  Every crew member was gearing up for the new set of guests, saying farewell to those who were going home. 

Looking outside, all we saw was rain and a lot of it.  We were docked in a different pier this morning - # 21.  The Rotterdam had taken our usual spot at #26, while the Zuiderdam was at #19.  Docked starboard side, we were looking across the harbor at the Allure of the Seas at #18.  The Celebrity Edge was docked in front of the Rotterdam at #25 . Last but not least, were two Princess ships, the Caribbean Princess at #2, and the Island Princess at #4. This ship is the designated quarantine vessel now we heard. 

Checking into the hourly forecast online, we discovered that as much as ¼ inch of rain was expected within one hour this morning.  Should we leave, or should we stay?  Not wanting to be stuck on the ship all day, we left in what turned out to be the worst part of the rain.  Oh well, it's just water, and we were wearing jackets and had umbrellas.  It wasn't that cold, but the streets and gutters were flooded.

We had to be off by 9:15am.  Required things to  take off were our passports, room key, and in transit cards.  This time we had facial recognition, as we have had since almost the beginning.  Looking at the camera, it was not working for Bill. After several attempts at adjusting the unit, the screen finally said "successful".  I went next, and it worked fine for me.  We assumed that if this camera failed, we would have had to show an agent our passports, so that's the reason we needed to take them off with us.  So far, we have only used them once when there were no cameras. 

What a mess of folks there were outside the terminal who were waiting for rides with taxis or buses. We wove our way through them, then waited for the rain to let up.  The streets were like a river at this point.  We figured we could cross the street and access the parking garage to walk to the other end without getting too wet.  That worked, but once out on the streets, we did get soaked a bit.  The wind was blowing, which did not help.  

The first stop was at the Renaissance Hotel across the highway from Walgreens.  We were hoping to be able to go online at the hotel to  update the Kindle. Got online, but there was a very slow connection, and no time to download anything.  Usually we do this at Duffy's during lunch, but we did not plan on eating out today.  Besides that, today was Super Bowl Sunday, and the restaurant would be busting out the seams. We are still leary of crowds and will be for a long time.

We continued up the street to Publix, stopping first at TJMaxx to look for a men's zippered sweatshirt for Bill.  Even in this large store, we could only find ones with the ½ zipper.  Not planning on buying anything else, I ended up with two more silky long sleeve sweaters.  Nice to have something warmer for dinner.  Publix was next door, and we did a little grocery shopping.  We can tell you one thing…..when it rains like it did today, everyone goes out to the food store.  It was the most crowded as we have ever seen it.  Naturally, with the game coming up later, folks were buying typical football food.  If we were on a world cruise, there would have been a super bowl party with tons of snack and finger food.  Doubt that happened here. 

Good news was by the time we left the supermarket, the rain had let up.  The walk back did not take as long, as we did not have to dodge puddles and speeding big rig trucks.   Some of them drove way too close to those backed up gutters, causing a shower.  We know they secretly laughed if we got wet.  Others were better, slowing down as they passed by.  One van driver even stopped to ask if we needed a ride back to the terminal.  We thanked her and said we were good.

On our way back, we always have to stop at the checkpoint to show our ID.  This time the agent came out, and after looking at our ID's, she  asked if we were armed.  We suppose this is a common question, but when we heard it, we said oh my gosh….no.  Then we were free to go.  There are always a couple of police present if there is a problem.

Back to the terminal at 1:30pm, we showed the in transit cards, and were brought to the line to board without going to the desk.  We headed to the room to change clothes and warm up.  In our room, we had two trays with bruschetta, and three truffle-like desserts.  Sparkling wine was chilling on ice, and  a new HAL bag was on the bed.  There were 17 diet cokes, a dozen gorgeous red roses, and cards from the Mariner Society and our travel agent.  Nice welcome back for another cruise.

The Island Princess left first at 3:15pm, but we could see she had no passengers.  This is the new quarantine vessel now.  Now that we do not have to go to a muster drill, it is done on TV, as well as getting your cards scanned.  We did it once in December, and we are still in the system, so do not need to do that every time.  By the way, our shipboard account rolls over with every cruise.

Captain Eric did the drill info and a mask warning before we left at 4:15pm.  He laid on the horn all the way through the passage.  There would be no naps for these folks in the condos today.  The Celebrity Edge followed us out of the port.  The rest stayed and left later we guess.

We hung out in our room, watching the sail away.  Then we had snacks for lunch.  That's when our TV decided to stop working. Reporting it to the front desk, they sent Koko to fix it.  Once again it was remedied by unplugging the TV, then plugging it back.  That fixed it.  Koko suggested that when the people leave, the info on the TV's is erased, starting clean for the new guests.  We also advised him that the volume on the bow camera was turned down in all of the rooms.  Hard to understand the announcements on the outside verandas, the TV works best.  Koko reported it, and an hour later we got a call from the technician thanking us for our input. They adjusted it for the whole ship, and yes, it was much better. 

The Super Bowl was on the Special Event channel , where we watched it until it was time for dinner.  Tonight we made reservations in the Tamarind, since nothing on the menu appealed to us. We left Barb a message, but she never responded.  They may have had other plans that worked around the game.  Our meal was perfect with a shared plate of assorted meats, one Thai salad, and a bowl of ramen soup.  I was served a huge rice cracker, while Bill had a basket of shrimp crackers.  Entrées were wasabi-crusted tenderloins, kept hot on very heated plates.   Sides we shared were brown rice and sauteed shitaki mushrooms.  Delicious, we ordered a small bowl of vanilla ice cream for dessert.  On the way back, we wandered through the shops to see if any new merchandise had been added there.  We would say no.

Now we will have two days at sea as we sail towards the ABC islands.  First stop will be Bonaire.

Bill & Mary Ann

PS   Wishing everyone a very Happy Valentine's Day!!

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Report #57 Half Moon Cay, Bahamas Saturday- February 12, 2022 Mostly cloudy, then mostly sunny with passing showers.. 80 Degrees

We missed being on Half Moon Cay twice on the last two visits.  Having been exposed to me (Covid at the time), Bill was not allowed to go ashore.  Then we were gone for 10 days, but no one was allowed there due to unusually high winds.  So we are looking forward to our time there today.

At breakfast in Club Orange, we asked Wayan, the assistant maitre'd, if he was going to be busy on the island today.  He said of course, and he was taking "his boys" over there very soon.  Girls, too, we assume. We should see him organizing lunch at the island's buffet.

Passing through the Casino on the way to the middle elevator, we were surprised to see that it was opened for business.  Not the shops or the bars, just the Casino.  It must be one of the few places where it is legal to do so.  When we reached deck A, there was a wait of 15 minutes before we boarded the tender.  It appeared that the seating and railings were being sanitized.  Can't be too careful for us.  Could not help but notice that a pair of crew members,  perhaps entertainers, were mask-less.  Surprised no one said anything to them.  Entering the island before 11am, we were still too early for the food court to be opened.  So, we could not take a couple of apples for Ted, the donkey. Darn, he sure liked that. 

We saw Monte and Margaret from Alabama on the beach walk, enjoying the sand and sun like us. They said they will still follow our blog when they get home…almost like being there.

Another lady approached us and asked if we were part of the President's Club group at the Mariner's gathering yesterday.  Yes, we were, and with that she said that she and her husband were close to 700 days and their platinum medal.  She asked if we would be willing to share the info concerning the perks that come with being a member of President's Club.  Sure, no problem, but her first statement was that we looked too young to have achieved this status, followed with how old are you two? And are you retired?  Really?  Questions like that sort of hit you between the eyes, if you know what we mean.  If we were thinking faster, we could have made up a crazy number.  Raised to tell the truth, mid 70's came out, although pointing to me, Bill said 22. Really?  Normally he would say 92, just kidding.  Her guess was 52 – she must have had too much sun today.  Yeah close, but she missed it by 20 years.  Turning the tables, we asked how old she was.  Definitely showing surprise, she admitted to mid-70's as well.  With all of that nonsense out of the way, we told her the perks we get.  She had heard the number of days needed for this group was 1000.  Impressed, she said they would never make it to that magic number of 1400 pure sea days. Funny, that's exactly what we said years ago.  And here we are……

Continuing on, we made it to the very end of the sandy beach where the volcanic rocks are located.  No hiking beyond that point, although we have heard that snorkeling there is pretty good.  Stopping at the corrals on the way back, we found the horses were roaming freely, reminding us of the song "Who Let the Dogs Out?"  Ted, the friendly donkey, was standing all alone at the corrals.  Too bad we had no apples to feed him….maybe next time.

That's when it began to sprinkle, heavy drops at first, then a light drizzle.  Actually felt nice.  We stayed under the corral overhang until it let up, cooling the air nicely.  Next stop was the Pirates Bar where we ordered a frozen Margherita and one strawberry daiquiri.  So good.  The bar staff was friendly today, as they were in the process of closing up the "ship", and loading the leftovers to be brought back to the big ship.  Except for a small staff that come here from a nearby Bahamian island, all of the servers are from the ship. 

Back to the courtyard, we bought one ladies sweatshirt with the Half Moon Cay logo on it.  It is lightweight and stretchy, and will work well at home. There were no zippered sweatshirts for men.   All of the charges in the logo shops go directly to your shipboard account.  They also added a 10% local Bahamian tax.  Any items that were locally made like the straw items and wood carvings are cash only purchases.

You need to pass your bags and yourself through xray before entering the tender boat back to the mother ship.  Once back on the ship, our room cards were scanned.

Time for lunch at the Dutch Café, where Barb and Susie were relaxing at a table, we ordered our sandwiches, hot & crispy French fries, and two slices of apple pie, Dutch-style.  Two beers helped cool us down as well. 

Spent the rest of the afternoon in the room after the ship left the island after 3pm.  Since our room was facing west, the veranda was hot-hot-hot.  Once we began to sail, it cooled down enough to relax and enjoy the sun going down.  Another nice day spent on a beautiful little island.

Dinner was the Culinary Council choices, a one-time event at the end of every cruise.  Some of the appetizers were coconut-crusted shrimp salad, and a zucchini  soup with shredded apples.  Barb had the crab cakes, then we all ordered prime rib.  Woody and Susie had gone to the World Stage show tonight, and dined earlier.  Right before we were served the entrees, they showed up and joined us for dessert.  Really enjoying the performance, they recommended we see it.  Wonder if the 9:30pm show will ever return?  Tomorrow we will receive the online survey, so we might bring up some of these issues.  Who knows…maybe someone is really reading the comments.

Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow and another new start.

Bill & Mary Ann

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