Report #103 Amber Cove, Dominican Republic Wednesday March 30, 2022 Cloudy And Dreary 75 Degrees

Our port of call for today was Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, which is part of the island of Hispaniola, the second largest Caribbean island next to Cuba.  The other part of this island is Haiti.  Amber Cove is actually a manmade complex, much like the port in Grand Turk yesterday.  And it is our fourth and final time here.

We were not alone, as the Carnival Mardi Gras was slowly making its way to dock alongside of us.  Remember the original Mardi Gras?  Well this is the newest Mardi Gras at a whopping 181,808 gross tons, and the capacity to hold up to 6500 passengers (full berth).  Even the crew number is big at 2000 people.   It was christened in 2020, but did not sail until 2021.  It is the largest of the Carnival ships to date. 

Although the Dominican Republic boasts it has 1000 miles of beaches, there are none immediately available in the Amber Cove area.  That requires a taxi ride, even to the town of nearby Puerto Plata. 

We could tell when we arrived to the pier, that recently there had been a huge storm that dumped a lot of rain.  Torrential rain, which is normal since this is a rain forest area.  The color of the water was a murky brown with recent run-off.  No wonder there were few locals on the small spit of beach at the entrance to the cove. 

No sooner than we had arrived, it was announced that several tours had been cancelled, and not to panic, they would be credited to their accounts.  It was also added to bring raincoats as the clouds suggested more rain to come.  The last time we were here, a sudden thunderstorm sent a downpour within  seconds, sending tourists running for cover.

So with shore excursions cancelled, and poor weather conditions, we figured most folks from both ships would decide to stay here, or on the ships.  At this point, we wondered if it was wise to be exposed to so many people?  Wearing masks and using sanitizer settled that question.

So we left the ship with umbrellas around 10:30am.  And yes, there were a ton of people heading to the complex, ready for the swimming pool.  Or shopping, lunch, or the zip line.  The tuk-tuk drivers were very busy bringing people to the entrance….not such a long walk, but a nice free service (tips appreciated). 

Like we expected, everywhere we went was full of passengers, including a lot of kids of all ages.  Remember, Carnival folks are the fun ones.  They were already into learning a line dance near the pool area with some really loud music.  We could see that more of the cabanas had been rented, even the largest one at over $1100.  We guess that these can be shared with several people.  Too bad it was such a bad day for swimming or boating in the cove.  

The zip line was very busy with a lot of people using it.  From the young to the old, they were liking the thrill of the zip.  For $20, you can do it all day, as long as you don't tire of the walk up the steep pathway to get strapped in.  That was where we headed after strolling around the pool.  Judging by the color of the beach towels, we bet there were 10 Carnival guests to 1 HAL guest. 

Up at the tented bar/restaurant, we took a bunch of photos.  This time the mangrove outside the complex was full of white egrets, only dirty from the muddy water.  They also mixed with the cows in an adjacent field.  Except for one vulture, those were about all the birds we saw today. 

This was the first time we saw no empty tables at the restaurant/bar.  There was no shortage of burgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets and fish and chips among other things.   Pricy, but it sure did not stop anyone.  Even the shops were over-crowded with shoppers.  Masks were required, and in most places, you had to use sanitizer.  That was the only good thing.  All of the high end jewelry stores were full as well.  But they did take the time to gift the charms once again.  Even local dancers entertained in the center of the courtyard.  People from the Mardi Gras were pulled up on the stage to sing with them.  Pretty funny…….

After a two hour walk, we decided it was time to head back.  And besides the wind had picked up, and we were certain the rain was coming.  Wrong…it never did. 

Back at the ship, we lunched in our room, and watched as the ship pulled away from the pier by 4:45pm.  The Mardi Gras was still docked, but not for long we suspect.  They had to wait for the pilot to escort them out after we left. 

Reading Cruise Critic, we discovered that about 60 in transit people had tested positive prior to our arrival to Florida.  That has to be the biggest number yet.  No wonder we had to be re-tested.  The rumor with that was another 25 folks were detected, and had to be quarantined on the ship.  And to top that off, some folks came down with the virus after they got home.  We are staying ever vigilant, with hopes of making it through healthy to sail the final cruise on the N. Amsterdam. 

Nothing looked appealing on tonight's dining room menu, so we opted for the Pinnacle Grill.  Calling the front desk at 10am, it took 5 minutes before the call was answered.  This was not the first time for such delays, leaving us to think they are short-staffed.  Anyway, for dinner we had the wedge salads with clothes line bacon.  Even though we had asked for two pieces of bacon on the salad plate, they came hanging…..one tray for each of us.  Oh well, we did enjoy the slice of pickle.  That was followed by the entrees of their 7 ounce filet mignon, baked potatoes, and mushrooms.  With the addition of warm bread, we were totally full.  No room for petit fours or dessert, we left happy campers. 

Tomorrow will be a day at sea, most welcomed…..And we already received our "walking papers" for disembarking on April 6^th.  Will have to follow up on that and some other questions we have.

Bill & Mary Ann

225 Pictures

Report #102 Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Tuesday March 29, 2022 Sunny With Clouds 80 Degrees

So, this morning Club Orange breakfast was at 8am, even though it was a port day, we would not be getting to Grand Turk until 10am.  We figured the majority of in transit passengers that had to re-do the Covid test, would go early at 7:30am, tour or not.  We were among the first through the Club Orange door when they opened 5 minutes early.   There were several more people coming in that we have not seen yet.  One couple sat across at the next high top table, and began talking to us.  One of us was wearing a 2013 GWV t-shirt, and that has to be what sparked the interest.  They were from the Neptune floor, and this was their first breakfast in here.   They complained that their room was much smaller than the Neptune suites on other ships.  But what they were incensed about was the fact that they had brought two bottles of wine with them, like they always do.  This time, the bottles were confiscated, because they were told a new rule has begun that forbids those two bottles now.  Furious, they had to give them up, to be picked up at the end of this trip.  Has anyone heard about this change which supposedly began on March 27^th? 

We were later than we expected to the test room on deck one, but we were not the last to come at 9am.  The antigen test was quick, and the end result was NO PHONE CALL in our room ½ hour later.  Thank goodness!  One more test, and we should be home free. 

We would not be the only ship in town, as the Carnival Sunrise was already docked in Grand Turk.  Never heard of this ship, so we did a little digging.  It was formerly the Carnival Triumph, which was revamped, and named the Sunrise back in 2019.  Apparently, this was the ship that lost power for several days, and not everything was working.  Specifically……the toilets in the cabins. So it became known as the "poop" ship.  No wonder the reason for coming out with a new name.  She is bigger than us with 101,509 gross tons and holds up to 2984 guests.  The lounges on the beach were filling up as we were still taking our time docking. 

It was really cloudy when we arrived, but soon a strong breeze seemed to blow the clouds away. Many people were snorkeling in the rather shallow water, and we sure hope they used a ton of sunscreen.  That is a good way to get the worst sunburn, since you spend so much time swimming with your back exposed.  Those new t-shirts with UV protection are a great idea as well. 

We headed in the same direction we always walk, covering the area to the right of the largest duty free store.  Diamonds International was the first shop, but it was so crowded, we came back later.  Further down the beach, we did not see the sea glass hunters sifting the sands for a possible treasure.   We ducked in and out of stores, but really, they were crowded.  Masks were required to go inside, but outside, it was not.  Most folks did not wear them. 

We did buy a Jimmy Buffet t-shirt on the way to the pool and Flowrider attraction.  It sure was fun watching some young boys trying their luck at the ride.  Most used what looked like a skateboard and did pretty well.  But once the wave took hold of them, the pressure of the water flipped them sideways, head over heel.  Embarrassed?  Probably, but they went back for more. 

On the beach, we strolled all the way to the loading pier and beyond a bit.  Walking in this sand was different from yesterday's powder-packed beach.  You tended to sink deeper in the loose sand, and had to be careful of broken bits of coral and rocks on the water's edge.  It did get better the further we went.  Once we hit the edge of the complex, we got hit by the hair braiders and lounge renters.  Of course, we said no thanks and they were fine with that. 

Near the end of this beach is Jack's Shack, which had chicken or burgers grilling.  You could smell the aroma for a mile away.  Going all the way to the loading pier, we went under the pier, took some photos,  and headed back.  This is always a good place to stop and relax in the sun for a while.  We met a nice lady from Ontario who recognized us.  She and her family had come over from the Rotterdam, and were sailing with us now.  We chatted for some time, then she thanked us for writing the blog that helped her with some info.  That's what we love to hear.

As we headed back, another couple of folks from the N. Statendam asked questions about the world cruise.  Of course, it was the t-shirt.  Although they were not readers of Cruise Critic, they were curious about the longer trips. One last visit was with "Overhead Fred", who introduced his wife.  They had been on the previous cruise, and also passed two Covid tests to be on this one.  It sure looked as if rain was coming, so we headed to DI for that charm, which was a conch shell.  This time, they were located in a bowl with the bracelets, free for the taking. 

Back on the ship by 1:30pm, we had completed our three hour tour.  Time for the reward of two Affligem beers, ham & cheese sandwiches and fries to share.   It is seldom crowded here in the Grand Dutch Cafe, but there was a continuous stream of customers. We heard through the grapevine that it is possible that the Volendam may be used as a Ukranian refugee vessel soon.  What a wonderful gesture that would be for the displaced people.  We bet other cruise lines will follow, since many of the ships are not in operation yet. 

The Carnival Sunrise left the pier well before us.  Then we followed by 5pm, sailing south towards the Dominican Republic and the port of Amber Cove tomorrow.  The Captain mentioned that we would be doing a speed of 8 knots….a crawl.  Guess we are fairly close.

Dinner was back in the dining room with coconut crusted pork meatballs….steaming hot and good.  Salad nicoise followed with mains of lasagna and veal wienerschnitel.  We shared the entrees.  Dessert for one of us was one scoop of rocky road ice cream.  So good…..

Farewell to Grand Turk, our final stop here.

Bill & Mary Ann

195 Pictures

Report #101 Half Moon Cay, Bahamas Monday March 28, 2022 Sunny And Warm 80 Degrees

Well, it seems that the Rotterdam beat us here to Half Moon Cay.  There are two possible reasons for that.  One is they are preparing to transport and serve the lunch buffet this time.  The last time, we did it.  And the other reason, is that we still have some issues with the operation of one of the azipods.  Or it could be that the Rotterdam's captain wanted the best parking spot.  Just kidding…….

Masks were required on the tender boat, but I had forgotten mine in the room. No problem as I always carry spares in my bag.  We went down to deck A forward to board the tender.  This time we were first to go on the smaller island tender, which was not as large as the bigger ones.  We happened to notice that the tender landing was opened with one of our tenders in the water.  Our first thought was that someone had taken ill, and was being transported to the island. 

The ride over was smooth, although cool.  It was going to be a very nice day as the sun was out with few clouds.  No rain at all.  As we were docking, there was the ship's tender docked in back of us.  Some crew members were helping a lady into a scooter, while her escort (husband?) stood by.  We always thought that only guests with walkers could be brought over, but we were wrong.  We'll have to ask someone who knows tomorrow.  

Making our way through the more crowded courtyard, we took our usual path to the Food Pavilion.  It was well before 11am, so it was not open yet.  Good thing we brought an apple with us.  It appeared that most of the cabanas were rented today. With two ships in port that is no surprise. And good for the company. 

The beginning area of the beach was really crowded today.  Not wanting to be around a lot of people, we hiked to the very end of the beach again.  The sand was hard-packed as it was low tide this morning.   That was good, since this was the third day of long walking, and the knee and back were beginning to feel it.  Nothing a strawberry daiquiri or a Heineken beer would not fix. 

There were way too many people up this end today.  Several had accessed the do-not-enter zone, even a couple of young fellows with fishing poles.  They had hiked to the highest outcropping of dangerous rocks, and no one stopped them. As for us, we took a seat on the driest of rocks, and relaxed for a bit.  We happened to run into fellow cruiser, Fred, who we met through the Cruise Critic connection.  He told us that friends of theirs had tested positive (the man but not the wife) at the last Covid testing.  They were put into isolation for 5 days on the ship.  Now he was concerned since he and his wife had shared a dinner table the night before.  You just never know.

We had a date to meet friends Linda and Dave, fellow world cruisers, who we saw a few trips ago.  They were back on the Rotterdam for another seven day trip, which is easy, since they live near Port Everglades.   In our early days of cruising, most of our short trips were taken from San Francisco to Mexico and back.  No flying involved. 

Anyway, they were already seated at Captain Morgan's in a very fully packed bar.  It was noisy, so when a table became available outside, we quickly took it.  Much better.  We talked for an hour, comparing what is done on the ships, especially with President's Club guests, as they are members as well.  It seems that every ship does things differently, so it must be up to each hotel director.  One thing for sure, being on these shorter cruises are a far different experience compared to Grand Voyages.  If all goes according to plan,  the next time we see each other will be on the 2023 World Cruise.  Our final words were enjoy your trip and stay healthy.

Back to the ship by 2pm, we discovered that someone from room service had been in our room, went in the cabinets, and took some sodas back.  Right before we left earlier, we had discussed the return of sodas with Jonah, but agreed that it could be left there until we leave on April 6th.  Fine with us, but we do not wish to have someone rooting through our stuff when we are not there. And besides, we have no idea how many sodas were taken.   So far, our phone call has not been addressed, but we will follow up with her tomorrow.

The N. Statendam left the island after 3pm, with three long toots of the horn.  This will be the final time we are in port with the sister ship Rotterdam.  They were still at anchor long after we sailed away.  Their next port will be Grand Cayman, while we are on the way to Grand Turk and Caicos tomorrow.

Dinner was back to our table on deck 2, but our waiters were different once again.  It seemed quite busy, even at 8pm, but then this was the first gala night. Or was it???  Less and less folks are choosing to dress up these days.  Nor do they feel out of place with the couples that are in formal-like clothes, suits, or tuxes.  Don't want to sound like the fashion police, but we preferred things the way they were.  Have to add that we were seated next to a group of people (all with foreign accents) that were dressed differently.  Ever see a man in a turquoise suit that was covered with small red tulips all over both the jacket and slacks?   All heads turned when they left the room.  Very gala in our humble opinion.

Back in our room, we had a letter stating that tomorrow morning, we will need to do a re-test for Covid.  Why???  Since so many in transit guests tested positive at the last procedure, and there was an operational disruption causing a late detection of cases, we need to do it again.  If we had a tour in Grand Turk, we need to be seen at 7:30am.  If not, the time to go is 8:15 to 8:30am on deck one.  With the ½ hour stay in the room requirement, we will be lucky to make it to breakfast, which ends at 9:30am.    Think we have a tour tomorrow………

If that is the case, and more folks are running around with the virus, they had better start the mandatory mask-wearing again…. and soon.

Bill & Mary Ann

164 Pictures

Report #100 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sunday-March 27, 2022 Sunny And Windy 78 Degrees

Waking up around 5:30am, we were ready for yet another day in transit.  It wasn't until after 6am that we spotted the coastline of Ft. Lauderdale.  Back "home" again, so to speak.  After breakfast, we saw the line forming for the expedited guests, or those who would pull off all of their belongings for a speedy escape.  That was not looking too good for them right now.

Our absolute latest time to get off of the ship was 9:15am.  So we usually head off before that, like 9am.  When we went to the gangway, the line for the expedited people had not moved.  It had increased now to twice the size.  We could see that the majority of the in transit guests were waiting as a group to be taken down for processing through Customs and Borders Control.   They would have to wait as well. 

We had no choice but to mix in with the expedited people, and wait for the line to move.  The staff on the ship blamed the wait on the shoreside crew, who were holding back the passengers.  It probably took all of 20 minutes before we started to go off.  Once down on the lower level, the line for the facial recognition went swiftly.  This time the scanner worked better. 

We took our usual path to town, only this time, we walked up the E. Clay Shaw Jr. Bridge.  Getting halfway, we stopped for the view ( and for the benches as well).  We needed to take our time, because we could not re-board the ship until after zero clearance was achieved.  Hoping the bridge would operate while we were there, it did not this time.   Bet the Sunday drivers were happy for that.  We did have a great view of the other ships in port.  They were the Celebrity Edge at pier 25, Allure of the Seas at pier 18, the Balearia Ferry was there briefly, with Radiance of the Seas docked at pier 2, with no passengers.  Finally, our sister ship, the Rotterdam was at pier 26.  The N. Statendam was at pier 21. 

From the bridge, we hiked to Publix for groceries to last for the next 11 days.  We will be able to shop for the N. Amsterdam when we stay overnight on April 6^th.   Gosh that is approaching soon.  Hard to believe, as the time has gone by so fast. 

We noticed that only the checkers and store workers were wearing masks in the supermarket.  No one else had them on, but us.  And we didn't care.  We will have one more test at the end of this cruise, before we board the next ship.  Sure do not want to take any chances at this point of time.  Lunch would have been really nice in town, but we didn't dare.

Shopping done, we hiked back to the pier, and got back before 2pm.  Talk about lines?  We noticed there was an unbelievable line of people embarking the Rotterdam.  Something must have gone wrong there, because this line snaked all the way to the Celebrity Edge.  Unreal….  Guess we will get the story tomorrow when we meet our friends at Half Moon Cay, who also boarded the Rotterdam today.

The terminal workers at this pier were not as organized as those at pier 26.  As in transit passengers, we do not need to stay in a line where documents are being checked.   We already have our keycards.  Showing the in transit card, we simply went around the rope to the xray, put our stuff through, and went right up the escalator, passing the check-in desks. 

We already had decided to make reservations in the Tamarind Restaurant this evening.  It was made easy since two desks were set up to do this on deck two.  Calling the front desk on embarkation day is not the best idea.  Earlier in the morning, we discovered the internet had been shut down.  Calling the front desk from our room was useless.  They never picked up the call.  It is their policy to "clean house" on the shipboard accounts, and remove all old information on the rooms and previous guests.  But this should not take all day. 

Arriving back to our room, we found the gift fairy had visited.  We had the bruschetta, mini tarts, and a bottle of sparkling wine on ice. However, there was no soda.  Will have to ask about that.  We had enough time to have a small lunch, then we were off to the Billboard Onboard for the final exclusive reception for the 4, 5 star members and President's Club people.  The sparkling wine flowed, easing the aches and pains of our long walk.  We happened to have a chance to talk to the Assistant Bar Manager, who happens to be married to Jonah.  She was not present at this gathering, but her trainee, Otto, was there. He and a few other officers were the greeters.  We did have a few questions for the assistant manager regarding bottles of unused whiskey and sparkling wine, and the missing 17 diet sodas.  He said he would work on it.   During this gathering, many calls were announced ship wide for some folks who had not seen their lifeboat drill officer.  If you are not logged in, they cannot sail.  These calls came every few minutes, and  we wondered if we would ever leave on time.  Our guess is that someone's scanner did not work properly. 

We did leave Port Everglades by 4pm, right after Celebrity's Edge left.  The Rotterdam came next, then the Allure…..last.  Since we are both headed to Half Moon Cay tomorrow, we will probably sail close together through the night.  Almost felt like the Captains were racing. 

Going out past the houses and apartments was fun.  Since it was Sunday, most people were home to wave to us.  Horns blew at the apartment end, and the beach was full of sunbathers today.  At least, the Captain blew his horn with three log blasts.  Guess it works after all.  We stayed on the veranda watching the sail away, but when it got cold and windy, we came back inside.   Even bundled up with beach towels and blankets, did not keep out the cool wind.  

So dinner was in the Tamarind Restaurant with potstickers, Thai salad, ramen soup, and egg rolls.  Our mains were  Mongolian lamb  chops with bok choi, and sides of mushrooms and brown rice.   Totally filling, we passed on dessert.  Since it was not crowded here, we got the best service and visits from many waitresses.  Some had worked on the last world cruise, and looked forward to be called back.  We were done by 9pm, while watching the pool workers cover up the Seaview Pool with netting.

Looking forward to our beach walk on Half Moon Cay tomorrow, since it will our final one until who knows when.

Bill & Mary Ann   

128 Pictures

Report #99 Half Moon Cay, Bahamas Saturday-March 26, 2022 Cloudy With Partial Sun 78 Degrees

It wasn't much more than 5 minutes past midnight, when Captain Eric came on the speakers (shipwide) with an unexpected request.  A seriously ill passenger was in need of either O negative or B positive blood for a transfusion.  This was a first that we can recall ever hearing that type of message.  And disturbing as well.  Completely scary, we sure hope the guest was OK.  Of course, we did listen for further messages, but that did not happen.  We also wondered if we would hear the sound of a helicopter, signaling a medical evacuation.  Never heard that either.  Maybe we will find out more tomorrow.

The N. Statendam dropped the front anchor at about 7:30am, while the engines would keep the aft in place all day.  The ship was cleared after 8am,  so there was our answer to the question as to are we going to the island today or not.  Yes, we were here to stay until the last tender at 2:30pm.  In addition, there was no announcement about cancelled tours or shut down souvenir shops.  This did occur when the Covid numbers were up.  Doing a little digging online, we discovered that the ship has gone into the orange from the green zone on the CDC scale.  Many ships have, but not enough to shut anything down.

At breakfast, there was no word mentioned concerning the sick guest.  We hesitated asking any of the crew, since privacy rules might be compromised.  Will just keep our ears tuned, and hope the news is positive.

We went down to deck A to board the tender, but had just missed the last one.  So we lined up for about 15 minutes.  Total wait time and the ride to the island took about ½ hour.  Earlier, it was heavily overcast, and it sure was cool sitting on the top of the tender boat.  The sun would get stronger as the day progressed, but still comfortable. 

It was far less crowded with only one ship here.  Despite that, we still wore masks, which were required while on the tender boat.  We did not remove them until we were halfway down the crescent-shaped beach.  But first, we needed to pay a visit to the Food Pavilion, which was opened for lunch already.  The counters were full of stainless steel 1/2 pans with iced salads like potato, coleslaw, and chopped fruit.  Burgers, hot dogs, and tacos were among the choices, along with all of the yummy toppings.  Individual desserts, like cupcakes, were on a center table along with a pile of fresh fruit.  But it was the apples we needed for our buddy Ted.  Picked up two that were slightly bruised, as Ted will not mind.

From there, we took off the flip flops and headed for a walk in the surf.  Immediately, we noticed that the fine white sand was packed more solid than we remembered.  And the dry sand appeared to have been groomed and mounded creating a ledge.  It was fine with us, since sinking in the loose sand makes your feet and legs work harder, which is good, but not for miles at a time.   We have seen a crew of workers raking and blowing leaves, keeping the area pristine, so cleaning the sand would be a reasonable guess. 

Now here is the funny part…..what we were seeing was low tide….duh.  In all of the times we have visited here, it has always been high tide.  We have no doubt that this beach is kept clean, especially at the Pegasus Corral area, where the horses leave their calling cards.  If they wait too long, the tide comes in and drags the droppings out into the water where people are swimming or snorkeling. 

With the low tide, we were able to go a bit further past the coral rock outcroppings at the end of the beach.  It provided more places to sit and relax in the warmth of the sun.   People like to snorkel here because of the large rocks too.  Today, one of us could walk out deep enough to see some of the small clear fish swimming there.  They are not like the tropical fish we have seen elsewhere.

We left by 12:15pm, and headed for the corrals in search of Ted, the donkey.  He was tucked into a corner of the stable, but slowly came to us when we called his name.  He seemed to know if we had a bag, we might have a treat.  He was right, as he munched the apples in a minute flat.  By then, another load of guests came for their horseback ride on the land and surf.  Ted would have continued to follow us, if it were not for the confusion of trucks and people. 

By the time we reached the bar at Captain Morgan's ship, the staff was loading the tractor with all of the leftover beverages.  It was just 1:15pm, but they have to stick to a time table.  Every beverage stand on the way back was in the same mode.  Not a problem, we could wait until we got back to our room for ice cold sodas.

We left the island by 1:45pm, without buying anything in the shops.  For some unknown reason, their items (even HAL logo ones) were pricey.  For instance, their logo koozies were $11 plus local tax.  Or a long sleeve t-shirts were up to $44.  Oh well, we have another day to think about it, since we should be back here on Monday, our final visit to this tiny island.

It was room snacks for lunch while we relaxed on the veranda.  The ship left around 3pm with the Captain blowing the horn three long times.  He was answered in kind by the local workers who were also on their way home to a nearby island. We should arrive to Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow by 7am.

Dinner was back in the dining room, our last meal on the upper level.  Starting tomorrow, only the first seating will use this dining room, and it will be closed for the 8pm seating.  According to what we heard, there will be 1100 guests for the next cruise, about 500 less than what we have now.  We should be back at our table for six, but set for two.  Be nice to have Fredy, the head waiter we have come to know so well.

There was a movie in the World Stage at 9:30pm, which we would have liked.  It starred Clint Eastwood, one of our favorite actors.  But since tomorrow requires an early start, we decided against going.  Maybe next time.

By the way, we received the first new format of the When & Where daily itinerary.  It is a tri-fold paper, similar in size to the gala evening dinner menu.  All the same info fits, but on less paper we assume.  The long thin ad was still the same.

Bill & Mary Ann

119 Pictures

Report # 98 Day at Sea Friday - March 25, 2022 Mostly sunny & 78 degrees

Today was one that was full of events.  Some expected, and some not.  Club Orange breakfast had to be cut short, since we had an appointment for another Covid test from 9 to 9:30am in a different room on deck one.  Assuming the amount of in transit guests was smaller, we were surprised to learn that there were 260 going forward.  More or less. 

Once again, we lined up in the lower atrium right behind a single lady.  She turned around and asked us to save her place, then went up to the officer placing hand stickers on the folks.  After a brief exchange, she walked past us saying she was sent to her room, and would be tested there.  We found out why, when she left the room coughing deeply.  Oh boy, our suggestion for each other was DON'T BREATHE, as we were standing in her spot.  We sure hope she was just coming down with a cold, and not Covid.  And to top this off, we had been warned to wear masks here, but many were not complying.  One of the staff members had to pass out masks to these folks waiting in line.  The antigen test was done quickly, and the whole process only took ½ hour.

Back to our room, we waited for a call that never came. Passed again, thank goodness.  Then we headed out to another Mariner Recognition Event held in the Billboard Onboard  at 11am.  Howard joined us as we sipped mimosas, orange juice, and soda.  We did notice that one guest had ordered a Bloody Mary, but paid for it.  Just a few years ago, we were allowed to order whatever we wished.  No more sadly.  There were 30 guests at the most at this event.  Some were getting medallions, and the rest of the crowd were announced with no mention of their days.  Everyone was invited to have their photo taken with the Captain and Hotel Director.  Somewhere in the middle of the awards, our group was announced, and we went up for photos.  Today Jonah handed the mike to Otto, who will be taking her place after April 17th.  He did things a bit differently, which was fine.  Howard was first, then we went next. 

During this event, a lady sitting near us was coughing so much, she had to leave her seat.  More than likely, she will be going home in two days.  We are not saying she could be ill with the virus, but if she was….it was possibly being transmitted to everyone around her.  We would not be surprised if the virus has re-appeared once again. 

Back in our room, we had two more Delft tiles gifted.  Hope our luggage is not going to be overweight.  Since we had a lot of catching up to do on the computer, we stayed "home" until it was time for lunch at 2:30pm.  The salads were good as always, but we skipped the sandwiches.  Trying to cut back.  One of us would have loved an ice cream cone, but they have not had the sugar cones available.    Like the cone as much as the ice cream.  And we do have biscotti cookies in our room, so that's what we did.  Cookies and soda on the veranda…..perfect.  It was plenty warm outside today, as we are heading in a northwest direction at a speed of 19 knots.  At one point, we passed the Turks and Caicos on the horizon.  They are almost flat as a pancake. 

We received another letter for in transit details on Sunday.  Same as always, we will need to leave the ship by 9:15am.  It will be our last chance to do some shopping, since we will have to spend four to five hours in town before returning to the ship.  We think the majority of the in transit folks choose to stay onboard for the day.  They are escorted as a group to Customs and Borders controls, processed, and returned to the ship.  That might take 2 hours or less if they are lucky.

Around 7pm, the Captain came on the speakers with a message.  In a nutshell, the message was an update of onboard mask wearing.  Due to the discovery of some positive Covid cases with the guests and crew members, all passengers will be required to wear masks in all indoor spaces.  The exception is while eating and drinking actively, or in our staterooms.  If we needed more masks, we could ask our room stewards.  Finally, everyone was requested to report any symptoms of illness to the Medical staff.   In addition, we think we heard that some healthy guests had to vacate their cabins to make room for more isolation cabins.  That way, the ones infected could be kept together behind the closed fire doors.  Bet this group of healthy passengers were not happy campers with that request to pack everything and move. 

Tonight's dress was gala attire, the final one for this trip.  We did notice that in the dining room on deck three, many more fellows were wearing either suits or jackets.  There may have been a few more tuxes as well.  The ladies were looking good too.  Our meal consisted of shrimp cocktails, Caesar salad, and the filet with grilled shrimp entrees.  The steaks were tender and tasty, but sliced half the size of a steak in the Pinnacle Grill.  Our waiter added an extra prawn to each of our plates, saying in his opinion, the steaks were too small.  Truthfully, we like the smaller portions, as we can always ask for more.  If they had rocky road ice cream, we might have ordered dessert.  Our waiter said they did not, so we bid our farewell for the evening, thanking him for such quick service.  Compared to the first gala evening a week or so ago, this one was not as crowded.  Many people like to dine in the specialty restaurants on these dress-up nights.  We always prefer to go there on casual nights…far less crowded. 

Presty stopped by and said we would be moving back down to our old table on deck two.  That's fine with us, as we prefer a larger size table to the ones that seat only two. 

Now the big question is…….what about the port of Half Moon Cay tomorrow?  Will we go, or will we be denied by the Bahamian government?  Time will tell………..

Bill & Mary Ann    

NO Pictures

Report #97 Charlotte, Amalie, U. S. Virgin Islands Thursday-March 24, 2022 Rainy And Cloudy 78 Degrees

It's too bad this is our last visit to St. Thomas on our cruise.  We like it here, even more so today, since we were the only cruise ship in town.  Unreal…..but nice.  Considered America's paradise, the US Virgin Islands are located just 1000 miles away from southern Florida.  There are three main islands that belong to the US Virgin Islands, and they are St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix.  Back on March 31, 1917, President Teddy Roosevelt purchased the islands for $25 million dollars, which these days, would be a mere drop in the bucket.  For comparison,  updating Veteran's Drive, a major thoroughfare, cost $42 million dollars a few years ago. 

The N. Statendam arrived to the empty pier before 8am.  Docking was easy as the ship nosed in to the closest slip to town and the Havensight Mall.  It appeared that the weather was a mixed bag with cloudy skies that turned to frequent passing showers.  A good sign of the rain was the appearance of a double rainbow as we sailed into the port. 

Finishing up computer work, we stayed on the ship until 11am.  By then, another crew drill had taken place, which is done often while in port.    We had the best view of the "world cruising gypsies" in their yachts, catamarans, and sailboats that were moored in the bay.  Regardless of the showers, many were busy at work maintaining their beautiful abodes.  Also interesting was watching the many small zodiacs with the sailing folks coming to shore probably for necessary shopping like we do at home.  No doubt, they are getting the price hikes here like the rest of the USA. 

Our walk took us through the Yacht Haven Grande where we took pictures of the huge tarpon and smaller fish near the sushi café.  There was no wind, so the water was much clearer than usual.  Going all the way to the end of The Shops, we exited out a shortcut to Veteran's Drive.  The showers held off until we reached the Legislature Building.  Good thing we had brought the umbrellas.  No one else had them that we saw, except locals.  Bet we put them up and down at least a dozen times by the time we reached the bus depot and ferry landing. 

On the hike back, we crossed the busy street at a crosswalk with a signal.  You don't want to jay walk here, or you chance being the target of an aggressive driver.  And there are many.  At least we can say, there was no foul language from irate drivers heard here today.  That is when the sky decided to open up and poured pretty good.  With the sudden rain came a strong wind, so we ducked into the nearest store.  They were selling souvenirs, but also jewelry.  We weren't in there for two minutes, when a sales lady approached and offered help with anything we wished.  Of course, we were just looking until the rain let up, but she did not take that as a "no" thanks.  You know the drill is sizing you up according to the jewelry you are wearing.  Today one of us had on small light blue pair of larimar earrings.  Within seconds, she had a matching pendant in her hand to show me. Tempting, I already have one at home.  Can't blame her for trying.  The rain stopped and we left.

Making our way down a side alley, we found Dronningers Gade, the main street.  This is where Diamonds International is located, and that's where we got a little charm that was a tiny purse for high-end shopping.  Perfect for St. Thomas, since they are famous for the duty free bargains here.  Across the road and near the post office, we saw the iconic 1829 Hotel, which appeared to be closed down.  Heading towards the Vendor's Plaza, we walked through the Emancipation Garden, where slaves had been bought and sold.  This garden is a monument to the freeing of the slaves in 1848.  Strangely, the pedestal where a bronze bust of a slave blowing a conch shell was missing….sawed off.  We wonder if that was a result of controversial statues being removed statewide?  Surrounding the garden were two more monuments – one a bust of King Christian of Denmark, and the other a scaled-down version of the US Liberty Bell.   Running around this garden were chickens, some with little babies.   Guess we can call them spring chickens! 

A quick pass through the Vendor's Plaza took us back to Veteran's Drive and the way back.  It still rained a bit, and we were offered rides back to the ship in what they call  safari buses.  Those are the heavy duty pickup trucks with the extra- long beds with four rows of bench seating.  We never panic when the rain starts…it's only water.  For us, that's part of the fun.

Taking the shortcut back to Yacht Haven Grande, we skipped going to Havensight Mall.  Those 60 shops are so small, we would not go inside any of them.  Since masks are not required so much on the ship anymore, the passengers seem to think they are not needed once ashore.  Not true.  Signs were posted everywhere to wear masks inside, social distance, and wash hands/sanitize.  Since our next test is tomorrow, we do not want to take any chances. 

Back at the ship by 2pm, we stayed on the veranda and enjoyed room snacks.  The dinner menu did not appeal to us in the dining room, so we made reservations in the Pinnacle Grill.  Always nice to be good and hungry for that special meal.  Also, while we were here, we traded 2 more bottles of the gifted bubbly wine for diet soda.  With the addition of another delivery for President's Club for the following cruise, we should have enough to see us through to the end.  Can't believe that is around the corner. 

Checking our shipboard account, we discovered that a credit had been given for the loss of the internet while we were in Barbados.  That was a nice gesture.

All aboard was 4:30pm, but Captain Eric came on early and delivered his short talk.  We actually left at 4:30pm, and on the way out into the bay, another tail-end of a rainbow appeared.  A very fitting way to remember our final visit to St. Thomas.

Dinner was nice as always in the Pinnacle Grill.  We ordered the same dinners with wedge salads, clothesline bacon, 7 ounce filet mignons with onion rings and a baked potato.  Starting with the warm baked bread and spreads, we were totally full.  No dessert tonight.  Not even the candies, as we seldom eat them. 

Looking forward to a day at sea tomorrow.

Bill & Mary Ann 

313 Pictures

Report #96 Basseterre, Saint Kitts Wednesday-March 23, 2022 Mostly Sunny With Clouds 83 Degrees

Here we are back in Basseterre, St. Kitts today. All 65 square miles of her.  We were docked by 9am, but not the first ship here.  Celebrity's Constellation was already tied up.  That vessel is smaller than us with 2170 passengers and a gross tonnage of 90,940.  Launched in 2001, she is almost as old as the now gone Amsterdam.    Following up in the rear, was the much larger Enchanted Princess with a capacity of 3660 guests at 144,650 gross tons.  She was completed in 2019, but did her maiden voyage in 2021.  And perhaps due to the fact they hold many more passengers, two gangways were set up for them.  

Club Orange breakfast was different this morning, because someone new at the kiosk gave our table to another couple.  The manager apologized profusely, then seated us at a high table next to the one we always use.  Not a big deal, as long as we got the high top with the higher chairs.  Sure makes a difference with the sore back and knee.  Even our waiters promised to save our table from here on out.  Waiting for a few minutes, they bussed the next table and reset it.  We were in no rush to get off today anyway.

There were no regulations on leaving the ship here, but we did need our vaccination cards and masks in hand, in case we needed them in the stores.  Going off at 11:30am, we found that Port Zante was flooded with cruise ship passengers.  Not many of these folks were wearing masks, but the locals sure were.  We would not be surprised if the baby monkeys wore masks.  There is something not right with these small babies being dressed like little kids wearing diapers- all to make money with the photos. 

Anyway, Port Zante is a manmade commercial district with many stores big and small.  They offer jewelry, liquor and cigars, souvenirs, restaurants, a food court, and bars.  There is also a local craft market, a post office, and the old Pelican  Mall.  The National Museum is under renovation.  Since every shop was filled to capacity, we decided to come back after our walk.

Turning left, we followed Bay Road that led us past the supermarket, bakeries, downtown, and the ferry terminal.  There is a long stretch of beach, although the sand is dirty, many people were up this way. Just as we were across from some shops, a local lady partially slipped through one of those street grates over the deep gutters.  Lucky some people caught her and helped her up.  We always knew these grates might not be secured when you walk on them.  Now we know. 

We also saw some passengers collecting stones or shells on the trash-littered beach along the road.  We would not touch anything here, as it is reported the waters are polluted.  That's about when we ran into Howard, who was out for a walk like us.  He claimed to have seen a cruise ship lady fall flat on her face, breaking her front teeth.  Good grief!  How awful, but then, you have to be careful with every step.  Howard said this lady fell through a grate too.  These things can happen in a heartbeat, teaching us to slow down and  watch every step we take. 

Making it to the war memorial,  we turned around to walk back.  The cars, vans, and buses fly by where we walk up here, so when the sidewalks ran out, we also ended this hike.  The locals are not the most patient drivers either.  If there is a blockage, which there were many, they get very irritated to the point of having "potty mouth".  Never heard such cursing coming from a guy on a bicycle, no less, because the cars were not moving quick enough for him. 

We went past the old clock & fountain, which is called the Circus.  From there we made our way to the Independence Square, which houses another fountain, dedicated to the freedom of the slaves.  Across the street was the Co-Cathedral, and it happened to be open today.  Going inside we discovered that the real name of this church is The Immaculate Conception.   It is Roman Catholic, and since we heard the voices of many kids nearby, we assumed there was a Catholic school nearby.  We did spot some young girls walking downtown dressed in the pleated plaid skirts and white shirts.  Boy, does that bring back memories of Catholic school for both of us.

Back at Port Zante,  we stopped in a small jewelry and souvenir shop that advertised free pearl earrings.  This time Bill asked.  Of course we did have to look at their tanzanite items, but only briefly.  Already have one at home.  The final visit was to Diamonds International for their monkey charm.  Still no pressure to buy, because they did have many interested customers in the store.   Or they were simply being polite.  So after a two hour walk, we got back to the ship by 1:30pm. 

Docked directly across from the Enchanted Princess, it was entertaining watching them as they were watching us on or verandas.  One good thing, we were in the shade, while they were in the sun.  There were a lot of clouds today, but no rain.  We did have a job to do today. It was exchanging two bottles of sparkling wine for a 12 pack of diet soda.  Then Jonah had the doctor's letter delivered to our room that states I cannot get the PCR Covid test, as it might turn up positive for at least three months after infection.  The virus was first discovered in late January, so I probably would test positive for some time to come.  The antigen test is OK….go figure.

Lunch was a salad in the Lido, then some relaxing time on the veranda.  Before we knew it, the Enchanted Princess was getting ready to leave.  Around 6pm, their captain sounded the horn, which was the beginning of the Love Boat theme.  Always brings a smile to our faces hearing that.  Then he did the normal 3 toots before leaving. 

All aboard for us was 5:30pm, so we expected to leave right behind Princess.  But we didn't.  It turned out to be 7:30pm before we left the pier.  No explanation, as there was no sail away announcement either.  Usually leaving during the dinner service, many captains will not interrupt with his talk.  Captain Eric is one of them.  Whatever the reason for the delay, we will still have plenty of time to reach the next port of St. Thomas. 

Farewell to St. Kitts, as we finish our final stop here.

Dinner was a little confused this evening, as we ordered Rudi's chicken with stuffing, but were given the alternate chicken dinner.  Totally different.  Perhaps our waiter heard our order differently, or the assistant read it wrong.  Whatever, when asked if it was not hot enough, we said, it was, but it was the wrong entrée.  They brought the right ones in a few minutes, and both meals were tasty and hot.  The serving was ample, so we skipped dessert.

Bill & Mary Ann

212 Pictures

Report #95 Roseau, Dominica Tuesday-March 22, 2022 Partly Cloudy With Some Sun 80 Degrees

Twelve years ago, we made our first stop in Roseau, Dominica, while on a Grand South America Voyage.  Docking in a different area at the time, we had taken a tour that took us up high into the mountains to see the rain forest, lakes, and waterfalls.  Then in 2020, we stopped here again, but in a different port area.  At that time, we took off for a walk on our own, following the ship's map.  Yes, they used to give us area maps back then….using real paper.  So, we had planned to take the path through town and into the park, where we had walked two years ago. But, it was not to be.  Why?  Covid.

Here's a bit of info on Dominica.  It is considered the Eden of the Caribbean, due to the fact it is covered with rain forest, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and lakes.  Their main economy is tied to agriculture with every fruit and veggie grown here.  The volcanic island is 29 miles long and  16 miles wide.  There are about 73,000 residents, 3000 of which are the original Carib Indians, who live in a village on the eastern side of the island.  The warlike Caribs originally came from the Amazon, Venezuela, and Colombia, so they resemble South Americans.  These days they are farmers and fishermen, while the ladies create weavings by hand and sell them to tourists.

Famous dishes here are manicou (opossum) and agouti, a large rodent.  Think we will pass on those, thanks.  The government banned the mountain chicken dish, which was a large frog.  Seems there was a disease problem, however, it still appears on some menus.  Hmmm, will pass on that too.  The local drink is a spiced rum with anisette called a nanny.  That might be OK.  Other specialties include titiree, fish balls, or sousse, which are pickled pig's feet.  Goat meat, mozzarella & blue cheese tarts, blood pudding, and saddle of lamb round out their menus. You can wash it down with the best tropical juices you will ever find anywhere.  Hungry yet?

Shortly after the ship was cleared, another announcement was made that the local government would not grant "free-flow" today, due to Covid rules.  We did suspect that this might be the case here, so we wonder why this port was substituted for Grenada, where they recently lifted the ban of independent tourists?   Oh well, we have seen the city and the surrounds, so we felt we were not missing too much.

Did we mention that this is the first visit for the N. Statendam to Dominica?  A maiden port we think it is called.  It is possible there was some sort of special commemorative plack gifted to the ship.  Will ask tomorrow.

We stayed onboard until 11:30am, watching the activity ashore from our veranda, as the ship was docked portside.  Many folks were squeezing into vans and open-air trucks like cattle.  Seriously, how can that be considered social distancing?  As for us, we were allowed to go across the bridge from the pier, and stay within a block of the waterfront.  Access to the hillside town was blocked by barricades on both ends of the street.  And the rest was fenced off, making us realize we were corralled just like cattle again.  The one street that was opened for traffic was manned by guards who stopped anyone on foot.  Of course, the waterfront was lined with many tents with vendors selling souvenirs. 

Sometimes the best way to find out about local rules and regulations is by asking someone.  Near the end of the blocked street, a very nice guard came over to us, probably to warn us not to escape.  So we asked her about what was going on with the Covid situation on the island.  She confirmed that everyone that lived here was vaccinated, and the numbers of infection were low.  She mentioned a number of 300 cases, but we do not know the time frame for that number.  Then she added that absolutely no passengers had been allowed free-flow here since 2020.  Even the guests on the 4 mast sailing vessel, the Wind Star, which was docked further up town, were not allowed to roam round.  They had been corralled also.  Apologizing, she said they hope things change soon, as we informed her many of the other islands were opening up.   She agreed that by doing this, they were losing money.  Another vendor also repeated the same story.  It has been  a long two years for them as well.

We had not intended to buy anything, but there was one stand that offered handcrafted jewelry made out of cloth.  We had seen this the first time while in West Africa, and found the pieces interesting in a different way.  Priced right, one set found its way into my bag.  Other items sold here were spices, batik clothing, lacquered and woven boxes, and  wooden trivets to name a few.  Many of the cruisers were having fun buying things, especially the ones that did not take a tour. 

This morning, the shore excursions were on the TV.  They were mostly scenic tours to the mountains, or a boat ride to snorkel somewhere.  There are few beaches here, and if there is one, it would be black or brown sand.  Diving is the real draw here, as it is considered in the top 10 dive spots in the world.  Whale-watching gives a 90% sighting, since there are resident sperm, humpback, and minke whales, as well as dolphins and orcas.  The prime time for that is November through February.  Hiking or 4 wheel drive trips take people up the Morne Diablotin at 4,747 feet.  And Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has 17,000  acres of lush land – considered the crown jewel of Dominica. 

So our one hour walk was very short today, but at least we were able to connect with some locals.  Then it was back to the room to process photos and do some research.  At least we had a bird's eye view of the city's waterfront.  And the sun was on the opposite side, so we did not bake all afternoon.

The ship left around 5pm, but only after two buses arrived late.  Guess they were HAL tours, or they might have been left behind. 

There was not a lot of great choices in the dining room for dinner tonight,  so we made reservations in the Tamarind.  No problem for 8pm.  Actually this was the busiest we have seen this venue since we have been onboard.  Our meal was perfect, with most of the same items we always order.  We skipped dessert again, which would have been a bit too much tonight.  Three courses was plenty.

Now we are headed for St. Kitts, not one of our favorite stops.  There will be no rush to get off of the ship, especially if several other ships are in port, like the last few times.

Bill & Mary Ann

227 Pictures

Report #94 Bridgetown, Barbados Monday-March 21, 2022 Mostly Cloudy With Some Sun 80 Degrees

If it's Monday, then our port of call is Bridgetown, Barbados.  When we arrived at about 7:30am, one other ship was docked…..the Seven Seas Navigator, a Regent vessel.  We have sailed on her in New England, Canada, the Panama Canal, and the South Pacific and found the ship to be quite nice.  The rooms were huge and on the last of our cruises, the tours were almost all complimentary.  They are about as all-inclusive as they come, but also at a much higher price than most cruise lines. 

There weren't many customers in Club Orange this morning, since a lot of people had booked tours.  For a quick fix, the Lido works best.  Oh well, that means the best service for us, and much less noise.  While we were eating, it was announced that the ship was cleared, followed by a further message that we had been granted "free-flow".  Everyone was allowed off of the ship, even without tours.  Oh, what a surprise….not really.

Usually in the morning, we do internet work, but today, the internet was down with no time scheduled for its return.  No explanation, just apologies, and the promise they were working on it.  For us, having the internet is convenient, but for others, it can be an interruption of work, or the ability to pay bills on time.  Oh well, it was time to go off of the ship anyway.  The wifi will come back later we hoped.  

Leaving the ship by 10:30am, we did not have far to walk to the terminal building.  We were docked as close as we could be.  The Navigator was also docked about the same distance, but they rated a shuttle bus for the transfer.  Entering the terminal, we had to stop at a kiosk with a thermometer scan and automatic sanitizer spray.  There were a lot of passengers and crew members in this building, probably due to the loss of internet on the ship. 

Our first stop was at DI for two little flying fish charms.  They have to be my favorite charms now.  Outside the building, we never saw so many taxi vans as we saw today.  Perhaps more ships are visiting here, and the demand is bigger.  Even the taxi drivers were polite when we said no thanks to their offers of tours.  And that is another reason why we like this island as well.  Even in the crowded areas of the town, it is pleasant walking everywhere. 

Then we began the walk to downtown, passing a local man who works on pots.  That is, steel pots, turning them into an instrument, like steel drums.  He has been sitting in the park along the highway ever since we have been walking here.  This is probably a lost art, and we suppose he drives his family crazy with the constant hammering.  There has to be a story behind this hobby, and one day, we might research it. 

Even though it was mostly cloudy, it was very warm, muggy, and slightly breezy.  It might rain, but we took a chance it would not.  We were right.

Nothing had changed as far as wearing masks, keeping a 6 foot distance, and using copious amounts of sterilizer.  There was not a shop, store, or even the veggie market where we did not have to use Purell.  Most every Barbadian wore a mask, including the kids.  Our first stop was the fish market, where we watched mostly ladies working hard.  The fellows looked at us suspiciously, so taking their photos was not a great idea.  Over the years of traveling, you get the vibes of when not to film….you ask first.  In some countries, locals are far less tolerant of a woman taking pictures, even more so if taking video. 

From there, we went onto the Boardwalk at the Careenage (Old Wharf).  Surprisingly, there were few tourists there, so we continued across the pedestrian bridge, through Independence Square to the second bridge, Chamberlain Bridge.  Downtown traffic was bad here.  We carefully crossed the street to the War Memorial, the fresh water fountain, and the Parliament Building.  Walking up the main pedestrian street , we entered the veggie market.  It was actually cool in there, although it was also dark.  All of the fresh produce was like what we have at home, but we did see the fruit of the tamarind tree.  It resembled a brown fig, and we sure don't recall ever tasting it before. 

On the corner across from this market was Abed, a large fabric store, which was crowded the last time we were here.  This time we went inside and found a nice floral print in crepe.  Now I will be quite busy this summer sewing.  On the way back, we went into a small grocery store.  Every item was marked in Barbados dollars, which is double the US dollar.  Doing the math, it revealed that everything was really expensive here.  For instance, a regular size box of crackers was US $ 7. 

We got back to the ship by 1:30pm, and stayed inside cooling off with sodas, ice tea, and snacks.  The internet was still down, and the front desk gal said it would not return until we left the port.  Now that is strange.  An announcement came before we left the port that our signal had interfered with the island's satellite reception, so we must have been forced to shut it down.  No one was working on it, since nothing was broken.  Funny we did not have that problem on our last two visits?  Go figure…..

The ship left around 5pm, and headed towards our next port of Roseau, Dominica.  The Captain said that this will be a maiden port for the N.Statendam.  We tried looking up the tours for tomorrow, but nothing would download.  At least, we will not be returning to Grenada, the substitute port for Martinique.

Dinner was one of the best with arancini sp ? rice balls, salads, and prime rib as well as the hottest spaghetti and meatballs ever.  Asking for an outside cut and medium rare prime rib, it came perfectly cooked.  Once again, there was no room for dessert.  Probably a good time to start cutting back anyway.

Bill & Mary Ann

231 Pictures

Report #93 Castries, Saint Lucia Sunday-March 20, 2022 Partly Cloudy With Some Sun 80 Degrees

Happy First Day of Spring!

Yesterday, we had gotten a letter from Rene, the Hotel ,General Manager, stating conditions regarding Covid in each of the ports we would be visiting.  We are referring to the ability to be able to go off on our own, without having to use a taxi or a guide. The three ports in question were  St. Lucia, Barbados, and Roseau.  Naturally, all of HAL's tours would be allowed to operate, as well as port-authorized excursions.  We will not know until we arrive to the other ports whether or not we would get the "free-flow" permission.   Riding the elevator with a newly-embarked couple last night, we could not help but hear them say….we had better book tours in those three ports, or risk being trapped on the ship for three days in a row.  We did not say anything, but we knew from past stops, that most of these places did allow free-flow.  We will take our chances, and hope for the free-flow…if not we will be stuck on the ship like we were several times in Grenada.  The port of Roseau, Dominica is a new one for us on this cruise, so we shall see what they decide.

So, today the ship sailed right into Port Castries and docked port side in Pointe Seraphine.  Our bow was pointed right at the Le Champlain, a Ponant vessel.  Across the harbor at La Place Carenage was the Regent Explorer.  Next to her was the much smaller sailing ship, the 5 mast Wind Star.  It is possible that it was turnaround day for the Ponant ship, since we saw many crew members arriving, but no guests coming and going. 

It appeared that it was going to be a nice, warm day with a strong breeze blowing.  However, there were many clouds, and we did feel that it may rain.  So for that reason, we took umbrellas.  You know the rule is if you bring them, it will not rain.  True today.

Two charms of palm trees were given at DI today.  Since you have to pass through this smaller store, it was easy to get the free charms. Then we had to pass by the row of taxi drivers trying to sell us a trip to anywhere.   They all said the same thing……everything is closed in town.  Yes, we know.  It is Sunday, our fifth and final visit, and we know what is open and what is not. At least it was not raining today.

Walking the entire end of the harbor, we went straight for a change.  This time we located the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, a Roman Catholic Church built in 1897.  We read that a local artist was brought in here to paint colorful murals, and succeeded in finishing it before Pope John Paul's visit in 1985.  Gosh, that must have been a huge and exciting event for Castries.  There is also a square here that has a 400 year old samaan tree, which shades about a quarter of the square.  Will have to look that up, as we do not have this type of tree growing where we live.

Anyway, being that it was Sunday, a mass was in process.  There were a few parents with very young parishioners that needed to be taken outside.  Most of the kids were dressed in solid white, as were their parents.  Singing was coming out the windows and doors too.  If it wasn't for the service happening, we might have gone inside.  But we did see a large sign with specific rules for entering the church.  If you were not dressed properly, the ladies could borrow a shawl.  Men were not allowed inside with a cap.  Nice to see they have rules and we have no doubt they would be enforced, unlike  how some folks dress on the ship.  Dressing properly is a sign of respect for others and God too.

This area around the church had the more modern stores for the locals.  It also had a KFC, which looked busy, since most everything else was closed.  Something that was opened was the police station.  One of those people-mover trains came along, stopped, and let their passengers out to look in the church.  Many folks also bought sodas from a local street vendor. We suspect they were from the Regent Explorer, where they get most all of the tours complimentary.  Like we said before, they are really nice ships.

Time to head back.  A few stands were open at Castries Market, but not worth crossing the busy street.  You have to be so careful here, as we think the local drivers have the right of way.  Most of the market was being hosed down with disinfectant we assume.  Masks onshore were still required, so we think the virus is not over yet. 

Back at the terminal, we ran into Howard who was doing his walk, same as always.  Seems funny to see him without Gyl.  Back inside Pointe Seraphine, we walked to the end of the property and then over to the little dock area where a small ferry used to transport folks from here across the harbor to La Place Carenage.  Back in 2009, the boat ride cost $1 a person.  An old sign we saw at this pier said $5 a ride.  And now, it doesn't happen at all.  Bet the taxi union had something to do with that decision. 

Back on the ship, we happened to talk to a nice couple who have a cabin up the hall from us.  Apparently, they have been following our blog since January, and thanked us for the info we supplied.   We love hearing that.  They had wondered who was in our cabin, since we have left the "Welcome Back" life preserver on our door.   They had remembered from a recent world cruise that door decorations had been banned.  Yes, we remembered that too, but since it was put up by Jonah, our event planner, we have chosen to leave it. 

By 5pm, the Captain took the ship south to see the Pitons – two volcanic peaks that are 30 to 40 million years old, and are part of UNESCO's Word Heritage Site since 2004.  He turned the ship slowly several times so everyone could get a close-up view of these massive peaks. We were treated to two rainbows, since there was a heavy mist happening. What a setting for the village of Soufriere, the old colonial French capital.  He stayed here until the sun began to set, then eventually headed southeast towards the next port of Barbados.

We tried to get last minute reservations in the Pinnacle Grill or Tamarind for this evening, but they could not seat us until 8:30pm. It was understandable that it would be filled, so we will try again, but call sooner.  Dinner in the dining room was good with starters of spring rolls (appropriate since today is the first day of spring).  We asked for doubles, because they only serve one veggie roll on the glass noodles.  We each had a salad, then entrees of weinerschnitzel and lasagna.  We shared these, since the drier schnitzel goes better with something moist.  It was filling, so we skipped the dessert again.

The ship was rolling a bit with 8 foot swells, just enough to rock one asleep.

Bill & Mary Ann

270 Pictures

Report #92 Philipsburg, Sint Maarten Saturday-March 19, 2022 Cloudy With Partial Sun 78 Degrees

Now that the pattern of ports have been established, if it is Saturday, then it's St. Maarten.  And we realized that this will be our final stop here.  Out of the several islands we have visited, this is one of the nicer ones.  It fits what we like…..a long safe walk near the water, views of the bay and beach, along with many restaurants and cafes.  Not to mention…..souvenir shopping – even if we are just looking. 

Today, the port had the most ships we have seen yet.  Already docked were the Seabourn Odyssey, the Viking Sea, the Aurora P&O, and the Star Legend.  Other vessels were the schooners Wind Surf and Star Flyer.  Two mega yachts nearby were the Tatania and the Moonrise.  And of course, the N. Statendam. All- together, that is one heck of a lot of people on this island today. Somehow they all got dispersed  on tours or whatever.  And it helped that the Odyssey, and the Star Legend were in the process of beginning new cruises.  The same might be said for the folks on the schooners. 

We left the ship close to 10am, under very cloudy skies.  Present were the heat and humidity.  Even though light rain was in yesterday's forecast, we did not bring umbrellas.  On the way out, we passed by DI, so another stop was needed for the charms.  Actually, I was handed two different ones – sunglasses and an anchor.  Absolutely no sales pressure, as there were many customers in there. 

We walked out of the gate with the taxi guys fighting for our business.  The walk to town is very short, so no, we did not need a ride.  You know that we have only been in a car twice on this trip, not counting the transfer from the hotel in December.  And those car rides were when we stayed in Ft. Lauderdale for 10 days.  We did ride a bus for about 12 miles during that stay.  Feeling that staying out of close contact in vehicles, we would be safer from getting the virus.  Well, we were almost right.

Searching for the monkeys was futile, but we did see three goats, probably some one's pets.  Although, we did see curried goat on some menus in town.  Other international items served in restaurants are roast duck, conch fritters, cooked or ceviche fish, calamari, and lobster.  Other specialties include rijsttafel and nasi goring, a favorite of the Indonesians.  Falafal, tandooris, and curries are also big here.

The several sections of lounges and umbrellas seemed to have more customers today.  Although few of the sunbathers were in the water.  Guess they read the signs on the beach.  Further down the Boardwalk and past the two piers, people were in the water.  After sitting on the long pier to cool off in the breeze, we went up a narrow alleyway towards the salt pond.  Thinking we would be able to see it, we could not.  The shoreline was covered with  dense shrubs and trees, so we did not attempt to cross the highway.  We did discover that off of the beaten tourist path, the old part of town was right there about three blocks away. There were many Asian cafes and restaurants here, and we did notice that several crew members were walking in this part of town.  They seem to know where to buy their snacks, etc. 

We did take a different side street to access the beach, and happened upon another tented souvenir area.  A white and blue knit cover-up caught our eye, and when the vendor whispered $10, we bought it.  Yeah, we're easy……….

Back-tracking, we walked back the way we came, still looking for those monkeys.  No luck today.  And the goats were gone too.  Darn.  It was good to get back to the air-conditioned ship.

Lunch was in the Dutch Café with our now weekly ham and cheese sandwich with fries.  The Affligem draft beer was back, so we each had one.  Cookies finished the lunch.  About that time, we happened to see the purser, who always stops by for a refreshment at the Dutch Café.  When she asked if everything was OK, we brought up the subject of smoking being re-instated in the casino.  Apologizing, she said it was a corporate decision that began on March 6^th.   She was totally onboard with what we were saying, but also added that she alone could do nothing to change it.  All we can do is air our objections, and see where the chips fall.  There is not a huge crowd smoking that we could see, but enough that the smoke clings to your clothes and hair when passing through the casino. As for us, we will need to find a new path to and from dinner on the upper deck.  We should not have to do this, but we prefer clean air.  Doesn't most everyone? 

Then we spent some down time in the room, working on photos and relaxing on the veranda.  And a nice bonus…..trying the access to wifi, we discovered that we could pick up the Star Legend's signal with an excellent connection.  It worked early this morning, and we did not have to bring the Kindle onshore.  One less thing to pack.

The ship sailed after 4pm, and was headed towards St. Lucia tomorrow.  The Captain mentioned that we have 277 nautical miles with a speed of 18.5 knots to reach the island.  We did pass by some smaller islands on the port side, but the bigger ones, would be seen from the starboard side.  Doesn't matter a whole lot, since it will be dark by then.

Dinner had a few good items like crab and corn fritters, nicoise salads,  black bean soup, Chef Rudi's braised ribs, and a pasta with  sliced chicken breast.  It was filling, so we skipped dessert.  

Bill & Mary Ann

201 Pictures

Report # 91 Day at Sea Enroute to St. Maarten Friday - March 18, 2022 Mostly cloudy & 77 degrees

Well, the mystery is solved……the folks that left the surprise koozies are D & J (not sure they want their names here).  They boarded the ship on Wednesday, but had no luck locating us,  so left the gifts at the front desk we were told.  Then this morning, we found their post on Cruise Critic, so once again, we say thanks.  We will surely meet you sometime soon.

It wasn't a fit day for too much, since the weather wasn't typical Caribbean……neither sunny or very hot.  Good day for lectures, games, and buying stuff though.  The shore excursion team had their work cut out for them, as the guests have an array of tours to book in the ports ahead.  Of course, these days, you can book in advance, as well as pay for them ahead of time.  That way you do not have a shock when you get your final statement. 

It was a pretty lay low day for us, but we did keep busy with walks and some movie-watching.  We spent the morning online trying to figure out a table assignment for the 23 GWV.  With the help of the Zuiderdam's dining room layout, we figured out a table that will work for five of us.  Now all we have to do is get it confirmed. 

Lunch in the Lido was a simple small salad and two grilled torpedo rolls with ham and cheese.  By 2:30pm, the Lido restaurant was only half full.   The big set-up ends at 2pm, then one side is always closed down.  After lunch, we went past the Lido pool to see many sunbathers covered with towels. Like we said, it was not a pool day. 

Since we are sailing north of the islands in the Atlantic Ocean the seas have been a bit rough.  The swells were still 6 to 8 feet, and it was windy.  It is our guess we are fighting a current going southeast.  We did see some flying fish, but without the birds hunting them, it wasn't as much fun. 

Dinner in the dining room was good with coconut crusted pork meatballs, salad nicoise, and  one parmesan- breaded veal chop and a lasagna.  We shared the entrees.  Served piping hot, we ate almost every bite, leaving room for two scoops of ice cream. 

Right before we were going to leave, a nice fellow came over to our table and introduced himself.  He was Fred (wife Mitzi), who has read our blog and was also looking for us when they boarded.  It seems that they are friends of a mutual friend, Bob (rka cruiser), who we have known for almost 20 years now.  It is always nice to meet people that have taken the time to read our blog.  Hope we have been able to be of some help along the way.

Tomorrow we will be in St. Maarten, and sure hope the weather is nicer.

Bill & Mary Ann

(no pictures)

Report # 90 Day at Sea En Route to St. Maarten Thursday - March 17, 2022 Mostly cloudy and 78 degrees

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Our first day at sea after leaving Ft. Lauderdale presented itself with mostly cloudy skies, slightly rough seas, and temps in the 70's.  Rather cool, we never did see any rain, as it had been suggested.  Sailing in a southeasterly direction, we have the cooler side of the ship.  Those on the starboard side will get some sun on their decks.  According to the Captain, we can expect more of the same tomorrow.

Club Orange was quite busy today with the new guests that boarded yesterday.  We learned that about 38 people belong to the Club Orange group, as well as those in suites, and of course, us.  If this ship was at full capacity, we wonder where they would possibly seat so many people?  Maybe the overflow would go to the Pinnacle Grill, just thinking out loud.

Heading back to our room, we walked through the casino.  Truthfully, we squeezed through the casino, as it was crazy crowded.  And this was at 10am.  Once again, we could smell cigarette smoke, although no one we have asked seemed to know much about that.  We did wander around the many slot machines looking for smoking guests, but saw nothing.  Maybe we are dreaming about the smoke smell? More of a concern to us is the fact few people were wearing the masks.  There is not a chance there is 6 foot distancing here.

Many activities took place today. The Fitness Center offered some free classes, while some of their other things were at a charge.  That would be yoga and indoor cycling.  We prefer to walk the promenade where we can get a lot of fresh air.  Today the crew were busy scrubbing, hosing, vacuuming, caulking, and painting on this deck.  Finally, the "zambonie" we call the scrubber on wheels, was being filled to begin that job.  After doing three laps, we went inside when too many walkers came out.   There are areas on this deck that narrow down with room for one walker at a time.  And for some reason, there are people that choose to walk the opposite way.  This becomes a problem when you round the corner and have a possible head-on collision.  There are no directional arrows on this ship, showing the counter-clockwise pattern.

Sadly, we saw no decorations on the ship for St. Patrick's Day.  It would have been a bigger deal if this was a world cruise.   Many folks did come prepared with something green to wear.  And there were a handful of people really dressed for it.  We do have to say the dinner menu reflected some of the traditional items like corned beef and cabbage, and a pea soup (not Dutch pea). 

We had been invited to another complimentary wine tasting in the dining room at 2pm titled, "James Suckling Pacific Northwest Wine Tasting".   At $25 per person, we figured we saved them $450 for 9 events we missed.  Always nice to be invited, but we probably will never attend. 

Today we had a small salad in the Lido for lunch.  By 2:30pm, there were few people in there. We are trying to keep meals lighter so we can enjoy dinner.

And dinnertime was gala this evening.  We were surprised at how many people were already dining on deck three when we arrived at 8pm.  Then we asked Presty when the dining room opened up for fixed seating, and he said 7:30pm.  Technically, they open for the first seating at 5:15pm on deck 3.   However, with many guests requesting a table for two, they are bringing them upstairs from the open seating on deck two.  Sometimes there are no tables for them downstairs. When we come in at 8pm, there are many diners still eating from the anytime dining seating.  So it's not the same as totally fixed upstairs.

Tonight we ordered the same meal starting with the shrimp cocktail, Caesar salads, and rack of lamb with a baked potato.  It was a little slow in coming, but worth the wait.  A chocolate soufflé and a hot fudge sundae were sweet endings. 

Now the test…..we walked through the casino and finally saw one guest smoking with an ashtray next to his slot machine.  So we were not crazy….we did smell the smoke.  We have also heard from friends on other ships that smoking has been re-instated on select cruises.

Coming back to our room, we had a surprise.  There were two koozies left on the bed with a note from someone we do not know.  Now this is a mystery we will need to solve.  How thoughtful is that?   Obviously, someone has been reading this blog and realized the difficulty we had finding these useful items.  Many thanks to our secret gift-giver!

Bill & Mary Ann

A gift from a secret guest?