Report #55 Sunday October 30, 2022 Avatiu, Rarotonga, Cook Islands Rain And Wind And Rough Seas 70 Degrees 7am-9am

Today's port should have been Rarotonga, Cook Islands.  But when we woke up early, we knew the conditions were not looking any better than yesterday.  Not one tender boat was put on the water as the waves and wind were significant.  We would learn a bit later that the wind was a seven on the Beaufort scale and the swells were 10 to 11 feet.  And it was raining.

Breakfast service began at 7:30am, although it appeared that many guests had slept in, at least in the Pinnacle Grill.  Sometime after 8am, Captain Frank came on the speakers and announced that this port had been cancelled.  No surprise there.  Since we had time to spare now,  he circled the island doing about 13 knots.  He also added that the ship would have to maintain a certain speed in order for the stabilizers to operate correctly.  He assured us that we would have a more comfortable ride.   The ship was still rolling with the swells, and we were getting wet from the constant drizzle as we watched from our veranda.  The island was really shrouded in the misty rain, and there was no sign of any island activity.  Of course, it is Sunday, and the biggest event everyone does there is go to church.  That is one aspect we will miss, since we always stop at their cathedral during our walk.  It has been more than twice that we had been invited to their gathering afterwards.  Very friendly people.

We spotted only one frigate bird as it flew past the aft of the ship.  Also flying by way too fast were what we thought could be tropic birds.  Upon closer inspection from their photographs, we decided they were gulls.   On past visits, we have seen some tropic birds here, always a pleasure to capture their flight.  Cruising around the island, we did get some snapshots of the shoreline and the harbor.  Too bad we could not tender today, but there is always tomorrow.  We hope…..

Taking our walk around the promenade deck at noontime,  we tried our best to hear The Captain's talk, but due to the pounding of the waves against the hull of the ship and very poor speakers outside, we missed his whole message.  We did, however, receive a revised copy of today's events now that we were captive on the ship.  The guest speaker did a talk at 11am on differing language between men and women.  And a movie, Amelia, was shown in the Mainstage at 2:30pm.  One of these days we might have to check out Coloring for Adults. 

We kept busy the rest of the afternoon, once again having a light lunch in our room.   Walking the promenade at 7pm was nice because very few people were outside in the blowing wind.  The Captain had advised everyone around 5pm that he would be turning the ship in a northerly direction around 7pm, and we needed to be careful walking inside the ship.  He expected to hit some good sized waves, which he did.  The motion continued through the night.

Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill where we did our usual salads, and enjoyed one order of filet mignon, and one of the chicken jadori.  Both were very delicious, cooked perfectly, and served on the hottest plates ever.   And we thanked them for that.  Dessert was light with coconut ice cream and lemon sorbet.  All of us are keeping our fingers crossed that tomorrow will happen as planned.  Not very many of the crew have ever been to Aitutaki and are looking forward to seeing it.  So are we……

Bill & Mary Ann    

73 Pictures

Report # 54 Saturday The Second October 29, 2022 Sea Day Enroute to Avatiu, Rarotonga Heavily overcast and rain 78 degrees, windy, rough seas

Well, today seemed to be the carbon copy of yesterday with light showers, choppy seas, and deep swells.  The temperature has dropped to about 76 degrees at 8am.  While eating our breakfast, one of the sister ships to the Zuiderdam, the Noordam, passed us going the opposite way.   Having just come from Rarotonga, Cook Islands, she was heading towards Nuku'alofa, Tonga.  We're trying to find out if the Noordam really made it into Rarotonga, and if they did, we may have a chance.

This morning we each received a certificate for crossing the International Dateline….the first one skipping Monday, October 17^th, then repeating Saturday, October 29^th.  They were signed by the Captain and Hotel Director, Henk.    They are not the first ones we have gotten, and hopefully, not the last. 

Taking our walk this morning was challenging as the winds had picked up and the rolling of the ship made walking difficult.  While having our sodas in the Ocean Bar, we listened to Captain Frank's talk.  He said the winds were currently 37MPH, an 8 on the Beaufort scale.  As well as rain, we had 10 foot swells.  The chance of tendering tomorrow pretty much evaporated in our minds.  It would be iffy at best, although the Captain never put that in words.  He did, however, plant that idea with the guests and crew that it would depend on what the local officials recommend tomorrow. 

We took the time to catch up on the port talks given by Ian and Kainoa with both Rarotonga and Aitutaki.  We know Rarotonga well, since we have visited many times, but the other Cook Island, Aitutaki, we have never seen.  After reading The Happy Isles of Oceana written by Paul Theroux, it was one place we would like to visit.  It's still two days away, so maybe…….

In the meantime, we have noticed fewer people walking outside and also far less at dinner in the dining room.  The rougher it got, the more cautious some people got, which is a good thing.   Dinner was good tonight with starters of lettuce wraps, a Caesar salad, and an arancini cheesy rice ball with a red sauce.  Cheese raviolis were one of the mains, and fish and chips with haddock was the other entrée.  It has been really nice having so many various entrees offered, instead of a seven day rotation, like what they served on the Alaska runs.   Desserts were one serving of butter pecan ice cream and another butterscotch panna cotta .  Last night it was chocolate, but made differently.  They are getting creative in the dessert department as well.

Then we had to turn the clocks ahead one hour.  Hate losing that hour of sleep, so will wrap this up.  You never know, it might be a busy day in port tomorrow, or not……

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report # 53 Saturday The First October 29, 2022 Sea Day Enroute to Avatiu, Rarotonga Heavily overcast and rain 78 degrees, windy, rough seas

We lingered over breakfast, as we usually do, giving our very efficient room steward, Putu, a chance to tidy up our room.  There has been some extra cleaning happening shipwide in regards to sanitizing all surfaces such as walls and railings.   The elevators have gotten thorough cleanings, and we appreciate it.  Captain Frank may have mentioned that our Covid count is low during his afternoon talk yesterday.  He never gives the numbers of Covid cases as some captains do on other HAL ships. 

We had a job to do this morning between 9 and 10am that involved passport collection for the upcoming French Polynesian ports.  In lieu of a face-to-face inspection with the local officials, it will be done on the ship behind the scenes.  Once again, desks were set up on every passenger deck, and we simply handed the passports over to the staff, and we were given a receipt.  The documents will be kept in a secure place until November 10^th when we leave French Polynesia.  Then we can retrieve them with our receipts.   On the Grand Voyages, our passports are always kept by the staff from the day we board, and only be given back when it is required by some countries.  A few of those are Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and maybe India.   If you are going on an overland excursion, either through HAL or independently, you must have your passports with you. 

The weather today remained overcast, cloudy, and rainy.  On the other hand, it was not too hot or humid.  Actually the sea temps are 82 degrees, while the air temperature was 78 degrees at the highest.  The seas acted up all night, and we have continued having deep swells with high winds.  If this continues, we rather doubt that tendering in Rarotonga will happen as planned.  In fact, during his noon talk, the Captain mentioned that the sea conditions would worsen as we get closer to the Cook Islands.  That's not going to help.

Currently, we are sailing close the Niue, a tiny island that had originally been on this itinerary.  It had been removed a long time ago, since ships have trouble tendering their guests to shore.  And that's on a good day.  We know because we have been there several times, and also missed it several times.  We recall the tendering to be dicey, if not downright dangerous.  Glad we are not going there, even though people like to claim it as another country under their belt.

We took our usual walk and found more folks out and about.  There were two lectures in the Mainstage…the first was a guest speaker by the name of Dr. Karen Woodman with the subject what is language.  Following her, was Kainoa speaking about the history of hula.  The end of his talk would be about 11:45am, and that's when the promenade deck gets busy.  The folks can take a stroll before the dining room opens for lunch at noontime, then the crowd thins out. 

We always stop at the Ocean Bar for cool drinks, which was sodas with lemon.  Many of the chairs by the windows were taken with guests relaxing, sipping drinks, or playing cards.  It was something to do on a dreary rainy day.   Later in the day there was a movie in the Rolling Stones Lounge showing Charming the Hearts of Men.  With popcorn.  Three sessions of trivia kept the guests on their toes as well.

The Cellar Master Dinner was held in the Pinnacle Grill by reservation of course.  It is pricey, but if you like the wines, it is a special meal for sure.  Dinner for us was back in the dining room.  It did not seem crowded as usual, but that could be due to the rougher seas and the ship rolling.  We both had the crusted brie appetizer, a salad, and a bowl of cabbage soup.  Entrees were a barramundi fish plate, but with sides of red potato salad and sauteed zucchini.  One of us tried the pork piccata with spaghetti and a red sauce.  It was delicious, but enough for two of us.  Dessert was one chocolate panna cotta and one serving of orange sherbet.  Quite refreshing.

As we will cross the International Dateline going from the west to the east, we shall gain back the day we lost.  Therefore tomorrow will be Saturday October 29^th once again.  Funny huh?

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report #52 Friday October 28, 2022 Day #2 Nuku' Alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga Rain And Wind All Day 75 Degrees

We woke up to showers this morning, and expected it to continue.  It did until after breakfast, then the rain stopped and we saw some blue skies with fluffy clouds.  OK….will we be lucky like yesterday ?   One thing different today was that the wind was blowing a gale.  Getting off of the ship at 9:45am, we almost blew away.  Usually that means the rain will return.  Doesn't matter because we did bring those umbrellas.

This time when we reached the main road from the pier, we took a left turn.  First thing we passed was the Bus Station complete with a board showing all of the fares for students and adults.  There is no set timetable for buses since they do the same route and the destination is on the front of the bus .  There are no designated bus stops either, and the people simply wave down the bus and it will stop.  

In this same area is Fa'onelua Park that used to have a children's playground.  If there was equipment for the young ones, we sure did not see it.  Perhaps it was washed away in the tsunami.  There are many picnic-type benches on this stretch of green lawn.  And another paved pathway follows along the coral rock seawall like we walked yesterday.  For some reason we had expected to see a more city-like town center, but it was not like that. On this stretch of town, we saw local businesses….some opened but many closed.  We could see evidence of the storm damage with the smaller buildings.  And a few were in the process of being restored.  

One building that looked intact was the Tanoa International Dateline Hotel, although it was written in the brochure that only the guests can dine in the hotel.  There was a banner on the outside showing a convention was in progress.    Further up the road we spotted a very nice sidewalk produce market covered with a tent.  This was much nicer than the marketplace yesterday, because it was light and bright, and in the fresh air.  Everything the locals would need for fruits and veggies was right here.  And every now and then, we passed small convenience shops.  Along this same stretch were some embassies too.

On the water side, we came across a small boat harbor, followed by the old pier at Queen Salote Wharf.  A container port was also located here.  Fishing boats were moored here as well as larger fishing vessels.  Along the roadside, we saw an open-air flea market, where locals were selling clothing and accessories under tents.  Didn't appear they were expecting rain.

We could have turned around here, but curiosity killed the cat, and we continued on to see what else was up this road.  The Naval pier was here and a few restaurants that looked closed.  Across the road, we came upon a large church by the name of St. Mary's Cathedral.  There was a group of locals cooking BBQ chicken and putting together what looked like lunches to go.  Later on, we watched as cars pulled over, and purchased the packaged food.  It is typical to see people buy food, then go park near the seawall and eat their lunch either in their cars or on the picnic benches.  

Another interesting spot was a section of water enclosed with a coral bulkhead and separated from the open ocean.  Things were set up for young kids as well as a food tent and restrooms.  Picnic tables and benches were everywhere.  There were no families today, but it is Friday and the kids are in school.  Perhaps this place is for the weekends, especially Sundays. 

We continued, but the town seemed to be behind us now.  Studying the map yesterday, we knew this road would eventually end near the big lagoon.  So we went a bit further and found some really nice estates which probably belonged to the ambassadors from the embassies.   We did see one gated driveway that led to the New Zealand estate.  And that is when the showers began lightly at first, then heavier.  We found a huge casuarina tree to block the driving wind and rain and with our umbrellas, we did not get too wet.  We also knew not to stand under those palm trees full of coconuts.  We might not survive being struck by one of those.

At least four different locals stopped and offered us rides back to the pier.  Two were moms with kids, one was a lady with a big van, and the last was the Fire & Rescue vehicle.  We thanked them, but said we would be OK walking.  Not one taxi pulled over to solicit a ride. 

Time to head back, we eventully dried out since the worst of the showers had ended, or so we thought.  Perhaps if one of the restaurants were opened by 12pm, we could duck inside for beers and lunch.  The Billfish was one place we saw in the brochure, and they did look open.  Except the place appeared empty and we did not check it out.  Further up the road another place looked interesting called the Waterfront Lodge & Restaurant.  Entering through a gate, we saw outdoor eating as well as the restaurant.  There was no greeter, so we checked out the menu. They did have typical lunch entrees but no draft beer.  And still no greeter, we decided to leave.  Struck out again. 

We got to the green park area when the rain began again.  This time it was not a mist, and it turned out to be a real heavy shower.  It took about five minutes to reach the gate on the pier where they take the facial recognition.  Bill's would not register, so he had to dig out his room key.  The wind was blowing the rain sideways, so we were getting soaked despite the umbrellas.  Finally to the gangway, we were held up with very slow people boarding taking their sweet time.  Oh well we could not  have been any wetter at this point.

Back onboard, we headed for the Ocean Bar and had a beer and one daiquiri.  Sure tasted good.  So did the peanuts that Ray provided.  We dried off somewhat before heading back to the room.  The rain had continued for at least an hour, so we were lucky to have gotten back by 2pm.  We ordered room service, and stayed on the veranda and worked online.

Everyone onboard was required to visit their muster station on deck three this afternoon between 2:30 and 5pm.  For those of us that began our journey in Vancouver, it had been thirty days since we did our last muster.  We were required to repeat it, so they had everyone do it. These days it is easy to just have your room key scanned by the deck people.  Then we had to watch the safety video in our room to completion before the TV would advance to the main menu.  Even after 4:30om, Ian was still calling guests who had not complied with the drill.

All aboard was 4:30pm, and Captain Frank gave his daily talk then.  We have two days at sea now, and they will both be dated the same, as we will be crossing over the International Dateline once again.  Remember we lost one day?  Well, in the next two days, we will gain that day back.  Finally after 5pm, the ship left Tonga behind, but not the rain.  It will remain this way for a few days we were told.

Dinnertime had some special treats.  One was split pea and ham soup and crispy chicken tenders with a honey-mustard drizzle.  Could have made a meal of these two by themselves.  One of us ordered the steak with a side of steak fries, and the other had the fish entrée.  Both were good.  Dessert was a slice of carrot cake and a small side of vanilla ice cream.  Also good.

The ship has begun rocking and rolling, and will put us to sleep instantly….well at least one of us.

Bill & Mary Ann

206 Pictures

Report #51 Thursday October 27, 202l2 Nuku'Alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga Cloudy With Rain 78 Degrees

If you hear the words "Malo e lele", then you will know you are in the country of Tonga.  Located just west of the International Dateline, Tonga is the first Pacific nation to greet the new day.  Tonga is the only monarchy in the Pacific since 1875, and has never been conquered or run by a foreign power.  Tongatapu, where we are docked today, is a raised coral limestone island with a population of over 101,000 Polynesian residents. 

Their favorite foods are pork, chicken, lamb ribs, lobster, crabs, octopus, and fresh fish.  They also like raw fish that has been marinated in lemon and coconut cream, as well as sea cucumbers, and sea urchins.  Their produce includes yams, taro root, sweet potatoes, cassava, tapioca, plantains, breadfruit, bananas, mangoes, and pineapples.  Locally made beers are Maui, Tiki, Tangaloa, Pulotu, Hikule and Hina.   Special souvenirs are items made with tapa, a decorative bark cloth that is painted with traditional symbols and designs.  

When the Zuiderdam arrived by 7am, it was raining, and it sure looked as if the entire day would be a wet one.  But by the time we finished breakfast, the skies broke up, and the sun peeked out.  While the ship was docking, the local band, singers, and dancers put on a show pier side.  We watched from the promenade deck as they sang and entertained the folks piling off of the gangway.  We suspected this was the first of the tour groups heading for the buses, but they were not.  Turns out they were the ones headed for the souvenir stalls to buy the best of what they offered.  The last time we were here was on the 2020 GWV, and there were stalls lined up side-by-side all the way to the street.  Today there were half of the tents. 

Actually, it is somewhat of a surprise that the ships are stopping here again.  Not only did they weather the pandemic, but the islands were hit with a volcanic eruption and tsunami called Hunga Tonga Hunga Haapai (HTHH).  It caused a lot of damage to businesses and homes, and they have not fully recovered yet.  Much in their brochure is outdated, and they asked to please bear with them during this difficult time.  At least two popular resorts were destroyed on the west coast, as well as some of the smaller outlying islands such as Fafa Island and similar properties.  They were completely destroyed.   We have such fond memories of boating to Fafa Island  on a Sunday morning with friend Martha, who found a very large dead sea snake in the lagoon.  Now all that is left are the memories.  

Leaving the ship around 9:30am, we followed our own path through the town, starting with a visit to the craft and produce market called Maketi Talamahu.  This is one place that the locals sell their tapa cloth items like fans and purses, woven baskets, mats, and even jewelry.  They are fairly expensive, as a lot of labor goes into making the cloth.  Only about half of the area had vendors today.  Then on the other side, they sell a variety of veggies and fruit.  Only half of this area was occupied.  There is a ramp that takes you to the second level, but it is mostly t-shirts and shoes, with some costume jewelry.  We did not go up there today. 

Our next visit was to the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua, built in 1980.  On the bottom level is the elementary school where kids were in class.  Up a flight of steps, the church is fairly modern and built like a tent.  The conical ceiling has stained glass windows letting in the natural light.  The altar, baptistry, pews and tables are carved from coconut wood.  And today they were setting up for a wedding that would probably start at noon.   There was an orchestra already there, as well as some of the family members.   Not wanting to disturb their occasion, we took some photos and quietly left.  As we were crossing the street, we could hear a stream of cars with blowing horns, which we assumed was the wedding party.  

Up the street we saw the large acreage where the Royal Tombs are located.  Considered sacred ground, the first king, George Tupou I was buried here in 1893. Several more kings were also buried here, all with the same bloodline.  Surrounding the sacred grounds are the Queen Salote Memorial Hall that can hold 2000 people.  Next to that is the 1200 student high school, which burned down in 2000, but was rebuilt by the Chinese government.  Then Queen Salote College is a girl's school with 1000 students.  A comment added is that the girls are neatly dressed with their hair always plaited.

Directly across from the Royal Tombs is the oldest church, Centennial Church built in 1888 with coral blocks.  It really had some damage from the tsunami with every window broken.  It has been closed to the public for several years now, and does not appear to be in any process of restoration.  From here we made our way to the Centenary Church built in 1952, which has become the known as the Royal Church.  This is the church where the king and his family attend Sunday services, as we have seen on past visits.  By the way, there used to be several large trees that housed fruit bats or flying foxes as they call them here.  Those mature trees have been cut down, and the bats are gone.

Passing His Majesty's Army Forces building, we came upon the Royal Palace (completed in 1882) and the official gates to the palace.  There was no flag up today, and that meant that the king was not here.   This palace is used for official functions and to house the Royal Archives and artworks.  From every angle, this palace is probably the most photographed building in Nuku'alofa.

This is where the long walkway begins on the seawall over-looking the lagoon.  It was high tide today, so there were few sea birds around.  New signs had been put up forbidding fishing here.  In the past, when the tide went out, people would come with buckets to gather sea worms and other crustaceans in the muddy puddles.  Now this is forbidden.  We have two theories on that.  One idea is that the waters are polluted.  The second thought is that in order for the corals and lagoon creatures to return after the tsunami, a significant amount of time will have to go by with the waters not disturbed.  We tend to think this is more the case.  

Some of the cemented walkway had been undermined from the storm, and is now just coral rocks.   The benches are still there, and we tested several of them.  We passed by the old colonial British High Commissioner's residence, called the White House, along with the adjacent Mala e'aloa Cemetery for royal people only.  From there on, the Vuna Road is full of old and some remodeled bed and breakfast inns.  One of them is called the Seaview Lodge Deck & Restaurant.  This is the one spot we can always depend on being opened.  But passing it today, it looked closed up.  According to their website, they opened at noon for lunch.

We continued on passing many folks sitting in their cars and vans catching the breeze.  We had brought the umbrellas, but the rain miraculously stayed away all day.   If anything, we could use those umbrellas if the local stray dogs began to chase us.  That is one thing we learned is not to engage these dogs as they are out for whatever they can get foodwise.  The people that come to lunch here, will leave them some scraps, and the dogs know it.  The next big property was Little Italy, another hotel and restaurant, but we know for sure they open only for dinner.   We went past the middle school, a church, and several homes that were showing a lot of storm damage.  Some were being fixed, while others were beyond help.  We did pass a sign showing the tsunami route, but the entire island is really flat.  The thought of trying to escape injury must have been a nightmare. 

Near the end of the walkway, we saw what used to be Little India, another restaurant that we liked.  It also appeared to be closed or is a private home now.   The seawall walk ended and we took to the road until that ended as well.  Back-tracking, we looked forward to that stop in the Seaview Lodge, but it was not to be.   Like we said, their website showed them opened, but they were not.  Not a soul was around.  So if these websites are not updated, the info could be incorrect.  Oh well, there's always the ship where everything is free….even the ice cold beers for us.

We got back around 1:30pm, and headed for the Ocean Bar.  Luckily they were opened and the coldest beers were Coors Light.  Having never tried that beer before, we found it pretty good…and as cold as Ray promised.  Back in our room, we found that our veranda had been hosed off as we were advised last night.  We ordered a salad and a Dive In burger to share.  It was great sitting outside and working on the report while one of us worked on photos. 

The afternoon evaporated and before we knew it, the sun was going down. Ian had announced something about a fire dance on the pier around 7:45pm.  So at 8pm, we went out the promenade door to find the show was about over.   Without any notice, they had started earlier.  Even our waiter was outside watching.

Dinner was good tonight with appetizers of small shrimp and a bowl of a favorite chicken noodle soup.  Caesar salads were tasty, and the tuna plate and roast beef with Yorkshire pudding were also good.  The sliced beef was so tender, almost did not need a knife.  Desserts were a scoop of chocolate ice cream and a slice of chocolate cake or torte as they call it.  There was no entertainment in the Mainstage, but a movie was shown….Six Days, Seven Nights.   Old, but still funny.

Tomorrow we plan to take a left turn out of the port, and explore that area.

Bill & Mary Ann

291 Pictures

Report #50 Wednesday October 26, 2022 Sea Day Enroute Nuku' Alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga Rain And Clouds All Day 75 Degrees

Today was one for relaxing, but it would not be in the sun.  From the minute the daylight began, it was raining and overcast.  Even the temperature had cooled off, as it was only about 75 degrees.  The seas had become rough last night, and continued that way most of the day.  Our morning consisted of breakfast in a booth, since all of the window tables were occupied by 8:05am.  Seems that the folks are getting earlier for the line-up.  We figured some people might sleep later due to the time change, but no, even some new folks were here early. 

We did our morning walk, and very few people were outside.  It had turned cool, but the decks were mostly dry.  But by the time Ian and Kainoa's talk on Tonga and the Cook Islands was over, the people poured out the doors to walk at least one lap.  Then they head for the line in the dining room since it was lunchtime.   That's when we go to the Ocean Bar for refreshments.  But it did not happen today, because the entire place was full of drinking customers.  Still too crowded for our comfort, we went back to the room for cold sodas. 

There was a movie in the Rolling Stones Lounge at 3pm called "Picture Bride".  Not sure we saw this, but it sounds intriguing. We still have a ton of movies we have not watched on our interactive TV.  The nice thing about that is if we want to watch it in sections, we can.  Then resume it later. 

One good thing is that the internet is working OK now.  We are sure that everyone that uses it is much happier.  Hope the service continues.  We do know that when we hit the final port of Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, the connection might be iffy at that. 

Dinner was back in the dining room.  There have been some interesting appetizers and even main courses on this cruise.  Tonight we both tried the empanadas which had a masala seasoning.  Not sure we would like it, you never know if you never try it.  They were great.  The fish entrees have been good…..tonight's fish was cobia – no bones.  One of us had the penne pasta with prosciutto and parmesan cheese.  It was light and not filling.  Desserts were a chocolate torte with fudge tracks ice cream.

We forgot to mention something that happened last night in the Pinnacle Grill that was funny.  It was very cool, as it has been in all of the dining venues.  A lady eating  few tables away from us asked for a small tablecloth to wrap around her shoulders….and they gave it to her, laughing all the way.   There must have been some wine involved here.

Tomorrow's port will be Nuku'alofa, Tonga, and we will be staying overnight until 5pm Friday.  We understand there will be a special ceremony with a plaque exchange honoring the maiden visit for the Zuiderdam.   Will have to be on the promenade deck at 10:30am to see it. 

Bill & Mary Ann 

25 Pictures

Report #49 Tuesday October 25, 2022 Lautoka, Viti Levu, Fiji Rain & Clouds All Day 80 Degrees 8am-5:30pm

We are afraid it will be a dreary day in Lautoka, since the skies are heavily overcast, and it rained for a lot of the day.  During breakfast, we heard Ian announce the warning about taking food and beverages, etc. off of the ship (water excepted) or there could be stiff fines.  Then he said the ship had been cleared after 8am, and rain was expected by noontime.  We had to laugh since looking out the window from the Pinnacle Grill, we could see the rain falling.  Some of the staff was outside directing the tour folks to their buses, and even they were using umbrellas.  Actually, as it turned out, the rain fell lightly until noon, then it let up somewhat.  We never did see the sun.

There were some excursions here today which included an eco park and wildlife tour with a stop at an aquarium and included a light lunch for $120.   The caves and zipline was $165, but was more for the adventurous younger crowd, such as Remco, the Pinnacle Grill manager who did go there and loved it.  Homestead and history tour was $130, while traditions and beauty with a kava ceremony with shopping was $145.  A ride to nearby Nadi for shopping was $70, but with so many shops and cafes closed, why go there?   A mud pool experience with a kava ceremony was $150.  Did we ever explain the kava ceremony?  If we did, it is worth repeating briefly.  Kava is made from the roots of the peppermint tree or bush.  These roots are soaked and squeezed into what appears to be a muddy water.  It is placed into a large bowl, and shared with the group, all drinking from that same bowl.  To refuse is rude we understand.  And to be totally truthful, the first ceremony we attended, we pretended to drink the concoction, which numbed our lips.  It is like drinking alcohol we think.  The stronger it is, the most intoxicating it can be.

After most of the tours groups went off, we left the ship after 10am.  There was a complimentary shuttle service to downtown Lautoka, and it ran every 60 minutes.  When we were here three years ago, we did not take the shuttle, but walked to town.   That's what we did today using the umbrellas to stay dry.  The rain was more like a steady drizzle, but it was still close to 80 degrees and humid.  We had been told that the town would be closed down for the last day of Diwali, but we found that to be only partially true.  We knew that Jack's, the local department store, would be opened, because they are the ones that provide the shuttle.  The bus stop is right on the same corner of the store. 

We walked deeper into town and came across the marketplace, that was basically shut down.  At least the meat and fish areas were closed up, but the outdoor produce market was in full swing.  All of the fruit and veggies were laid out on tarps on the sidewalk.   They were even selling the roots of the taro plants, as well as peppers, onions, ginger, tomatoes, corn, okra, and long beans.  Most of the fruit included very large pineapples, bananas, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and other varieties we did not recognize. 

The largest and most popular place for the folks and families to go is the City Sugar Mall.  But that was totally closed today.  Walking the side streets revealed that most all of the Indian shops were opened.  We made a pass through Jack's, but it was so crowded with cruise ship passengers we went right back outside.  Many of them were not wearing masks.  It was not required in town, but why take chances?  The line for the shuttle was very long, and we never intended to use it anyway.  We ran into friends Sandy and Jack, who usually do the same thing we do as far as hiking goes.  We have operated on such a different schedule, this is the first time we have seen them since they boarded in Vancouver.  Where has the time gone???

We saw a few young Hindu ladies drawing intricate designs on the sidewalk with colored chalk.  They did this in front of the shops and even the barbershop.  One lady even had the small candles called diyas lit in the middle of the designs.  It was all tied to the Festival of Lights.  

Passing by one Indian shop by the name of Jaipur , one of us spotted a nice pareo with favorite colors.  The friendly vendor invited us inside to show us her variety of patterns and colors.  I ended up buying two for a mere $10.  Best buy of the day, and we were not even shopping.  There was no chance for lunch, since the only restaurant that came close to recognizable was McDonald's.  They have a fairly modern one here.  And besides, the eateries were closed.  As we were walking through town, kids were lighting fireworks in the park across the main street.  They really sounded loud, and were unnerving.  Sounds too much like gun shots.  The local pigeons sure did not like it.

Making or way down to the water, we walked the seawall path which is lined with a strip of park with benches. Normally, this is full of locals enjoying the sun during lunchtime.  Today it was practically empty.  Better for us since it gave us the chance to use some of the benches.  This was a shortcut to the ship, which was only a few blocks away.  We got back after 1pm and spent a lazy afternoon working on the photos and watching the bay. 

Lunch was room service, and dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill.   Sometimes mistakes are made with our shipboard credit.  Checking to see what the refunded port charges were for missing Dravuni, we found that $18.79 had been credited for each of us.  However, we spotted charges for the Pinnacle Grill dinner two nights ago.  These meals were complimentary.  So we called the front desk and reported it and were told it would be taken care of.  So at dinner tonight, our waiter said they had taken the charges off of our account, and apologized for the mistake.  It happens sometimes, so it is important to check the account often.  Our meals were excellent tonight.  Our mains were hot as could be making the halibut and filet mignon taste even better, if that is possible.  We thanked them for going the extra mile tonight.

The clocks went forward tonight, losing one hour of sleep more than likely.  But with tomorrow being a sea day, it won't matter a whole lot. 

Bill & Mary Ann

273 Pictures

Report #48 Monday October 24, 2022 Dravuni, Island, Fiji 8am - 10am Could Not Tender Cloudy With Rain 78 Degrees

Well, one of the things we will not be doing is writing about our day on Dravuni Island.  It was cancelled, due to 35 -40 MPH winds, a 7 on the Beaufort scale.  In addition, the currents were such that holding the ship's position was not possible.  And it definitely was not safe for the guests to board the boats.  One of the tenderboats had its rope snapped earlier on, according to Captain Frank, who carefully explained the entire scenario.  We know a lot of folks would be disappointed not being able to spend the day there, but considering the dismal weather conditions, it might not have been the best day for the beach, let alone sunbathing. 

Waking up at 4am, one of us was able to get internet, sending and receiving was working well.  Then later, we watched as five tenderboats were milling around the aft of the ship.  A few locals were also following the ship in their small motor boats.  They were being tossed around like toy boats.  We already guessed that this island would be impossible to access.  It happened to the folks on the Westerdam yesterday we read.  Oh well, better safe than sorry.

We had an early delivery of President's Club sodas delivered by Evelyn from the beverage department.  She had been knocking on our door, but we were outside, and never heard it.  Then we did hear the phone ring.  It was Evelyn calling from outside in the hallway.  When we answered the phone, we could hear her talking outside the door.  Funny…..now if they had doorbells that rang on the veranda, that might be a good idea.  Other ships do have them.  A new bouquet of flowers arrived shortly after that.  Now we have a real garden. 

We stayed on our veranda, watching the boats hanging out, then one by one, they were loaded back up where they belong, and we were on our way before 10am.  We believe the plan is to circle the big island of Viti Levu slowly (9 knots) until we reach Lautoka on the northwest coast tomorrow.  Captain Frank mentioned that we could experience some rougher seas and rolling as the afternoon advanced.  He was totally correct. 

A revised itinerary was delivered for the remainder of the day.  Some activities were created, and the shops were open for business.  Then a few lectures were added, and some game-type shows were offered. 

At least with the heavy cloud cover, the temperature dropped to about 77 degrees.  It sure made it pleasant walking the 2 miles on the promenade deck.  We had lost our end stools at the Ocean Bar at noontime, so we ended up in the middle.  There is not a whole lot of knee room, so we prefer the end seats.  Actually,  most of the chairs were occupied with people drinking cocktails.  Guess enjoying cocktails is a good pastime as it is 5 o'clock somewhere, right?  It was Coke Zeros for us.

The one good thing about the port cancellation was the fact that we all had internet access all day.  That makes a lot of people happy, since a lot of emails can back up in a few days.  And besides just doing internet for fun or research, a lot of guests do bank work and conduct a business.  It will be interesting to see if we are shut down when we arrive to Lautoka tomorrow.  

We always seem to have weird things happen in our room.  Once again, we were without cold water.  No matter where you turn the faucet, it came out boiling hot.  Had we not reported it, there would be no showering tonight.  The plumber did show up, and admitted working on the system close to us….maybe on a different floor.  He re-adjusted something, and bingo….we had cold water as well as hot.  We are back in business, but for how long?

It was a good afternoon for chicken noodle soup and sandwiches.  We still prefer dining in our room and have not visited the Lido at all.  Too many possible hands in the food we are afraid.  Captain Frank did say in his noon talk that we seem to be doing well with mask-wearing and washing hands a lot.  Perhaps reading between the lines, that means the cases of Covid are down….we hope.

Anyway, we had some time to do some research on the Diwali Festival that is occurring right now in Fiji.  It is known as the Feast of Lights and the start of the Hindu New Year.  It is celebrated over 5 or 6 days with the actually holiday on October 24^th this year.  In a few words, it is the triumph of good over evil, and good thoughts and wealth for the new year.  The tradition is a holiday where they dress up, eat good food and sweets, and celebrate with lights or candles.  Now we understand why we were seeing fireworks in the Suva skies a few nights ago.  We do expect to see the continuation of this holiday when we visit Lautoka tomorrow, since a large portion of their population is Hindu.  So Happy Diwali to all.

Dinner was back in the dining room, where the menu has many different items.  The best appetizer had to be the BBQ chicken and veggie spring rolls.  Could have made a meal with the appetizers alone.  We both ordered the spinach mushroom salad, followed by a rockfish (no bones) entrée and one vegetarian Asian noodle dish.  It was even better with a dash of soy sauce, although it was a bit on the salty side.  Sometimes you just have to do it.  Mint chip and vanilla ice cream with one toffee date pudding was the perfect ending. 

One last day in Fiji, and we hope it will not rain.  We have not seen the sun for a few days now, and it can be depressing at times. 

Bill & Mary Ann

84 Pictures

Report #47 Sunday October 23, 2022 Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji All Aboard 10:30pm Cloudy With Rain Part Of The Day 80 Degrees.

We learned a few things about Fiji we did not know.  First, Fiji has 332 islands, but they also have 522 islets.  The volcanic island of Viti Levu is the largest with a population of 94,000 people.   The capital is Suva, where we are docked, and has about 75% of the total population living here.  There are three official languages.  You will see the Union Jack on the Fijian flag.  There are lush parks, British colonial buildings, a huge municipal market, a museum, and a beautiful garden all in Suva.  The biggest sport is rugby, and the favorite foods are rice, sweet potatoes, taro, coconuts, cassava, breadfruit, and fish.  The major hotels include Westin, Hilton, Intercontinental, Sofitel, Sheraton, Radisson, and Shangri-La.   

Kava is the traditional drink….try it at your own risk.  Fiji is home to the monkey-faced bat, and the collared lory, a very colorful parrot, is the national animal.  Cannibalism was indeed practiced here, but no more. 

We began the day with a leisurely breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, while watching the action below on the dock area.  The shore excursion folks were making a beeline to the waiting buses.  Perhaps they have the right idea, since many things will be closed today…..it's Sunday remember?  Some of the ship's tours included a longboat ride to waterfalls and a kava ceremony for $180.  A day pass at the Pearl Resort was $150 and included lunch.  An eco tour walk was $90 and a simple beach day was $40.

The internet remained shut down, and we all had a letter explaining why.  It was interfering with the local wifi, so we were shut down.  The same thing happened to us while we were in Barbados last spring.  Our system on the N.Statendam was interfering with the local wifi, and messing up the banks we were told.  We were instantly refunded some of the fee we paid for the internet.  The same will happen here after we have left the area.

We stayed onboard until 10:30am, then decided it was a good idea to take the umbrellas.   Glad we did, since the rain started within two blocks of leaving the ship.   Passing by the Municipal Market, we saw that 90% of it was closed.  Only a few vendors were there to sell flowers, and we did promise to come back later. 

Downtown was about shut down.  We did not see a restaurant or shop opened, except McDonald's.  They had customers from the ship that were trying to go online there.  This is the only McDonald's that has a police guard by the door.  There used to be a nice small park across the way, but we found it totally boarded up with a plywood wall.  Last time we were here, this area looked seedy.  There were many street signs saying "Happy Diwali" for an upcoming Hindu holiday we heard. 

About every Fijian man passing us said "Bula", directing the greeting more to Bill than me.  It must be a guy thing.  We passed by the Holiday Inn, so reminiscent of the 1950's.  Right next to that was the Grand Pacific Hotel, a very impressive hotel, and most proper in the British vein.  Just as we walked by, a bus full of tourists filed into the hotel lobby, just as we did many years ago while on a tour here.   One of the things they head for is a restroom, which is outside near the pool.  Our plan was to stop here for lunch on our way back.

Across the road, we entered the Thurston Garden dating back to the early 1900's.  Although the museum is being re-done, the garden was still open.  Many specimens of over 100 year old trees are here.  Two of these mature trees happened to be full of large black fruit bats.  If you did not see them right away, you could listen for their noises they make.   We have never seen them in these garden trees, but in the roadside trees.  There was a stray dog, who had fun following us.  We think it was the bag of umbrellas we packed.  The dog associated the bag with possible food.  He did not leave us until a police van passed by, and went after it barking.

From there, we walked past the palace with a Fijian guard outside the gate.  Right across from the palace is a helicopter pad near the oceanside.  We continued up the seawall road, which really reminded us of the coast of Nuku'alofa.  There are many destroyed pipes (sewer or drainage we assume) along this body of water.  No one would even think of swimming here.  Eventually, the road was closed due to construction, so we turned back. 

We stopped at the Grand Pacific Hotel and were seated at a nice table for two under the patio covering.  We ordered two Fiji Gold drafts, ice cold.  When we saw they had pizza on the menu, we chose a Margherita.  It was a bit of a wait, but was well worth it.  The pizza was delicious.  The pace here is laid back and very relaxed.  The wait staff were about the friendliest we have encountered.  Our waitress told us about the effects of the Covid pandemic.  Since the country shut down at that time, the city dwellers had no choice but to move back with family in villages.  It was their only means of survival.  Now that things are opening up, they are pleased to see the tourists coming back. And most of the locals have gotten their jobs back.  Finally ,we ended the meal with one slice of pumpkin pie with a side of vanilla ice cream.  Then it was time to move on.

We walked back through town, passing many of our crew members.  It was close to 3pm now and we still wanted to stop at the flower market.  We bought two bunches of cut  tropical flowers for a total of $10 US dollars.  Since we had already checked out the policy of bringing back fresh flowers, we had no problems bringing them onboard.  We may have a few stray ants, but for the most part, the vendors spray the bouquets before selling them.  

Doing offline photo work, and report writing, we relaxed until it was time for dinner.  That would be in the Pinnacle Grill.  We ordered our usual wedge salads, and one filet mignon, and a plate of grilled lamb chops.  Both of us had small baked potatoes with the toppings.  We saved a little room for one crème Brulé and a strawberry sorbet plate with blueberries.  It seems that most of the blackberries and strawberries are gone now. 

The all aboard time was 10:30pm, then we will be headed for Dravuni, a very small island with a nice beach.  Yesterday, we understand that the Westerdam was unable to tender guests there, due to high winds and rough seas.  Hope we do not have the same problem.

Bill & Mary Ann

242 Pictures

Report #46 Saturday October 22, 2022 Sea Day Enroute To Suva, Viti Levu , Fiji Arrival 5pm-Overnite Cloudy With Rain 80 Degrees

The Zuiderdam maintained the higher speed throughout the evening in order to reach Suva, Fiji earlier than expected.  Even Trusty, a new Pinnacle Grill waitress, admitted she liked the rolling of the ship since it rocked her to sleep like a baby in a cradle.  We agree.

One of us was up with the chickens again, and did get some sunrise photos.  The clouds were thick and dark, and the rain began early.  It was still close to 90 degrees on our deck.  Mid-morning, we took a promenade deck walk in the drizzle with wet decks.  Eventually the rain was left behind and it looked like a promising day.

We were given more forms to fill out for our visit in Tonga.  The health declaration cards were already filled out with most all of the information .  All we had to do was answer a few questions, and sign the forms.  Once again, we were able to turn them in to the staff that was located on each passenger deck between 9 and 10am.  That was a great idea, and kept the line at the front desk at a minimum. 

At his noontime talk, Captain Frank gave today's game plan as far as our early arrival to Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji.  The ship would be close to the island around 3pm, but we could not dock.  What we thought it was the Crown Princess docked in Suva, was actually  the Grand Princess.  So we stayed in the harbor for a while, expecting a tender boat to debark the patient.  We do not think this happened exactly that way, but we did see the pilot boat as well as another boat, which we guessed to be a local medical boat. 

The Grand Princess left the berth around 4:30pm, then we took her place shortly after that.  This is when the patient eventually left the ship for the hospital.  Guess there is a lot of red tape with this procedure, and it took time to get it right, we were told later.  The ship was not cleared for the rest of the guests until much later.  It was nice watching all of this activity from our veranda.  And we were not alone.  Our neighbors are usually outside like us, and then we could hear talking on most all of the verandas.  One couple below us, looked up at all of the decks back here, and said it looked like tenements.  We were thinking more like Laugh In.

We had to get dressed for the President's Club Social Party at 6pm in the Retreat.   We are not even sure we know how to get there, since it is located on deck 11.  This evening was slated for a "dressy" dinner, so even though we really did not feel like putting on the fancy clothes, we did it anyway.  It's not often we get these nice invites, so it is a way to show respect for everyone involved.  And being that this event was held outside, a jacket might be a good idea. 

We walked to the very front set of elevators, which only went up to deck 10.  That's when we ran into Michelle, guest relations manager, and a few dining room staff, who were also on their way up. We saw the small elevator that went up one floor.  There was only room for two of us.  It was probably 2 minutes after 6pm, and we figured we would be the first there.  Well, everyone was there, most all seated in deep armchairs in the center section of the surrounding tents.  Each table of four had a host, so we walked over to the opposite side, and were soon joined by Shiv and the purser.  Besides Howard, we really did not know the other President's Club members well enough to join them. 

Twinkle, the assistant beverage manager, offered us drinks, then a couple of trays of fancy appetizers were passed around.  Not sure what they were, we passed.  One of us has a severe allergy to shellfish, so if anything was close to having those ingredients, it is better to say no thanks.   We did not expect to see Captain Frank, with all of the things going on, but he and his wife did appear.  The Captain joined our group, while his wife stayed on the other end.  We discovered he is quite easy to talk to, and seemed to enjoy going down memory lane with us.  That's when the subject of the medical debark came up in the conversation.  Apparently, the woman who needed to be hospitalized had not gotten on a boat, but was able to go off on her own, along with her husband.  However, within minutes, the two of them were coming back up the gangway demanding to have their passports stamped.  In the confusion, it was wondered why the need for such a fast speed, burning up all of that fuel to get here in a hurry, and now they are delaying the exit?  Anyway, they did leave and we all hope it will turn out well.

The Sommelier also came over, and shared some pertinent info on wine, which we do not drink.  Ian entered the scene, and joined us as well.  The ship had been cleared, and he said he was required to announce to all onboard that it was advised not to wear jewelry or bring a lot of cash onshore this evening.  He will have to repeat this message several times tomorrow as well he said.  Guess that can be said about any city in the world.  You can't be too safe.  We also took the time to thank Ian for getting his and Kainoa's port talks on TV.  He agreed it was a great idea for those who did not wish to go into the Mainstage. 

And that's when the rain started….lightly at first, then it came over in a shower.  All of us retreated to the cabanas, which are separated of course.  Maya and the Captain's wife came with us, and we had a very good conversation with questions and answers.  Henk arrived, and sent the Captain's wife to another tent, being politically correct, she had to spend at least two minutes with one of the guests.  Reluctantly, she left.  We stayed until 7:40pm, thinking most all of the other guests had left.  But they had not…..they stayed in the protection of the tents.

Dinner for us was in the dining room with entrees of the Orange Club special……short ribs with smashed potatoes, and green beans.  Simple and delicious.  Flourless chocolate cake was the dessert.  We could have gone to the Cantere Presents: Timeless, but we have seen it.  It seems that this group has performed perhaps once a week at most. 

We will spend a full day in Suva tomorrow, but being tht it is a Sunday, not much will be opened.

Bill & Mary Ann

102 Pictures

Report # 45 Friday October 21, 2022 Day at Sea Very warm and humid 90 plus degrees

Last night, we all received another letter stating that the Covid cases are on the rise on the ship.  However, the masks are not required inside the ship, only recommended.  Now we are concerned about the upcoming ports in Fiji and Tonga, as the letter indicated that each destination may require additional health protocols.  One sentence buried in this healthy advisory said any one of us may be required to undergo testing for Covid at any time during this voyage.  In our opinion, if one is tested, then we all should be tested.  At 11am, Captain Frank came on the speakers stressing the importance of this entire warning. 

It was really warm during our promenade deck walk this morning.  Checking the veranda thermometer at 7:30am, it read 92 degrees.  By 11 am, it was 94 degrees.  The ship is doing a steady 10 knots with little winds.  If anything, the winds are following us, making it uncomfortable.  It has been nice stopping in the Ocean Bar for cokes to cool off.  We are learning mixology tricks by watching bartender Ray mixing some complicated beverages.  Especially the blended ones. 

For a change, we attempted to order burgers from the dining room lunch menu.  Since it was only 12:40pm, we understood that we could do this during the serving time.  Well, it was a good idea, but when we phoned, we were put on hold……for 15 minutes.  By the time we placed an order (if they ever answered the phone), the serving time would be over.  So we gave up.  If there is a trick to placing this kind of order, we sure do not know what it is.  We ended up with our room service lunch at 2:30pm. 

Captain Frank came on the general speakers once again after 5pm.  But this time, it was an announcement that there is a medical emergency requiring a debark in Suva, Fiji.  We had noticed that the ship had sped up, and we were doing 19 knots now.  If we heard this correctly, we will be arriving to Suva tomorrow by 3pm, but anchoring.  There is another ship docked there right now.  Then at some point, the ship will be docked around 8pm. We are not sure if the Zuiderdam will be cleared for other guests to go off, but that late at night, we know that we would not go off. 

In addition, we had been invited to a special President's Club cocktail party on Saturday in the Explorers Lounge at 5pm.  Then by the afternoon, the time and location had changed.  It will now be on deck 11 at the Retreat, but at 6pm.  With all of the changes arriving early to the Suva port, we wonder if this party will still happen, since it involves many of the top officers. 

Taking a late afternoon walk, we stayed on the promenade deck until the sun went down.  It wasn't spectacular, but still nice.  And it was still warm outside.  As we were about to go back inside, a younger couple recognized us from the blog.  They asked if we were the ones that have been doing that blog, and we said yes.  Sure is nice to meet people this way, especially when they got some good hints for stashing stuff in their the room.

Dinner was a hard choice tonight.  We had one marlin dish, which was good, and one lamb entrée that was so-so.  The best part were the scalloped potatoes.  Dessert was nice with an almond cake and a side of vanilla ice cream.  No, the better part was finding out the clocks went back one hour tonight.  This might be the last time we "go back".

So tomorrow will be mostly a sea day, with an overnight in Suva.

Bill & Mary Ann

40 Pictures

Report #44 Thursday October 20, 2022 Apia, Upolu, Samoa 9am-5:30 Sunny And Hot 82 Degrees

Even though land was in sight early this morning, it would not be until close to 9am before the ship was docked.  Then it wasn't until well after 9am before the ship was cleared for our port today of Apia, Upolu, Samoa.  Remember when we were in Alaska complaining about the cold weather?  Wish we had some of that now, as it is going to be a most hot and humid day here.  In giving his instructions for this port, Ian mentioned that it would be sunny, and if it rained, it would not be until late afternoon.  OK, with that we left the umbrellas home.  One thing for sure, we had to wear our masks off of the ship as well as in town or on the tour buses, etc.  Now the strange thing we noticed was that not a single local had a mask on today.  No one.  Oh well, they must assume we are bringing the virus onshore, and they have to be protected.  And maybe, some of us are, who knows.

We left the ship around 10am, and can say we never saw so many taxis and vans outside the Apia Wharf & Cruise Ship Terminal.  We had to say "no thanks" at least 100 times as we made our way towards town.   Once we reached the seawall, we were free to walk without any problems.   There was a breeze blowing, but at our backs.

Looking across the road after we crossed the bridge over the Vaisigano River, we noticed that the Aggie Grey's Hotel (run by Sheraton) appeared to be closed.  We would find out later that it was.  Oh well, so much for enjoying their great pizza and beers for lunch.  As we rounded the end of the harbor, we saw the imposing Immaculate Conception  Cathedral.  Kainoa must have really talked it up, because that was where everyone was headed.  We decided to go inside the church on our way back when the crowd thinned.

Right across from the church was a very nice information hut complete with some maps and tour info.  Just as we arrived, there was a "free" show about to begin in the backyard.   Free doesn't always mean free, as we found out the first time we visited Apia.  Our first destination was the fish market, a few blocks further up the road.  The fishing fleet is moored there, and the vendors display their catch on stainless steel or tile counters.  One can meet some of the nicest people here, and that occurred today.  The vendors were fanning their catch with large palms trying to keep the flies away.  No one objected to having their pictures taken with their catch for sale.  One fellow was wearing a baseball cap with the American flag on it.  He asked where we were from and we said San Francisco.  With that, he told us he was from Utah, but recently returned here as he was Samoan.  Among other things, we asked him what happened with Aggie Grey's Hotel, and he said it had closed this last summer. Covid, then bankruptcy he said.  Then he added that there have only been two ships here recently…the Westerdam a few days ago, and now today, the Zuiderdam.   Now that explains the long line of taxis we saw. 

Continuing on, we walked back to the Town Clock, then up the street passing McDonald's.  Yes, they have one, and it appears to be the busiest eatery in town.  Looking for the Fugalei Market, we had missed the street and were heading up the wrong one.  Knowing our mistake, we could not find a side street to cut over, so we ended up going a lot further than we expected.  However, we did find a nicer small fruit and veggie market and an open-air hall where the local fellows were playing billiards. 

Going into the Fugalei Market, we found that several tour buses had stopped here, letting their guests flood the marketplace.  They sell produce here, but they also have row after row of souvenirs like wood carvings, clothing, and jewelry.  We did not stay long, since it was hot and crowded, and really, there was nothing we needed. 

Heading back, we made a stop at McDonald's but found that you had to have their money to buy it, or credit cards.  No pizza or beer here, so no lunch.   By the way, we had received the exchange rate for the Samoan Tala which was 1 tala to the USD $.35.  We do recall that the vendors at the Fugalei Market were happy to take the US dollars. 

The final stop was at the cathedral where the noontime mass was in session.  Taking a few photos from the entrance of the church, we headed back towards the ship.  By now, it was unbearably hot and sticky, and without the lunch stop at the hotel, we were in dire need of something wet.  On the plus side, we did have the breeze in our faces on the walk back. 

Once back on the ship, we headed for the Ocean Bar, and enjoyed two Heineken's in bottles, followed by 2 Coronas also in bottles.  Even though we had brought water with us in town, it was barely enough.   Back in our room, we ordered room service lunch and worked on the computer and enjoyed somewhat of a breeze on the veranda.

The ropes were dropped by 5:45pm, and we were on our way for two days at sea, then the Fijian Islands.

Dinner would be somewhat of a test, as we returned to the  Pinnacle Grill.   If you recall, the our last meal was lukewarm and disappointing.  Would they remember we liked hot food?  Well, we both ordered the filet mignon with French fries, and guess what?  All of it was served on a very hot plate, and the food was as hot as could be.  It tasted so much better, and we let them know it was most appreciated.   

Bill & Mary Ann 

256 Pictures

Report #43 Wednesday October 19, 2022 Sea Day Enroute To Apia, Samoa Cloudy With Some Rain And Sun 80 Degrees

We woke up to perfectly blue skies, but by 9am, it was raining.  This too shall pass, we hope.  And it did.  The temperature has been remaining a steady 80 to 82 degrees, and drops little by nighttime. 

A strange thing happened at breakfast this morning.  Our plates were so hot, you could not touch them. Hmmm, last night during dinner in the dining room, Johnny, the maitre'd stopped by and asked how our dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill the previous night.  Well, since he asked, we told him our experience with the not-so-warm entrees.  We asked him not to say anything, since we had registered our complaint right then and there with the PG manager.  He agreed, but now we are not so sure, since breakfast was so good and hot.  Coincidentally, we happened to read some comments on Cruise Critic regarding other folks having problems getting hot food, especially the soups.  Always nice to know we are not alone.   Also, we read that there have been complaints about the air-conditioning, which tends to be on the chilly side in the larger venues.  It is possible that this will be addressed when the ship goes into dry dock in December. 

The decks were still wet from the morning rain, but we took our walk outside anyway.  We are still seeing some flying fish, but not the amount we spotted yesterday.  The one bird was gone.  We did pass an atoll belonging to Kiribati we believe.  But with such a tiny population, the internet service was no better here.   In fact, there was another message in the daily program warning about the connectivity to the satellite.  It is spotty at best, and can be lost without warning.  We hope it gets better soon, as a lot of guests are quite unhappy about paying for a service that does not deliver.   Having been in this area numerous times over the years, it has not changed, and we are not surprised with the lack of service.

Once again, we stopped at the Ocean Bar for ice cold sodas, and also to gather some more cans of water using our Have-It-All perk.  So far, we have not come close to the max of 15 beverages per person.  Sitting at the end of the bar top, was a silly rubber chicken, which had been dressed in fancy clothes last night.  This morning, she was wearing a white napkin, resembling a nightgown.  Now we remember this chicken that was a mascot of the Crow's Nest on the Amsterdam.  We asked the bartender, Ray, who said, yes it was from the Amsterdam.  And he is responsible for the change of clothing and jewelry on the bird.   There has to be a story to this chicken, and for sure, we know she has a name.

The speed of the ship has been around 19 or 20 knots ever since we left Maui.  Keeping that pace, it has caused more vibration and noise at the aft end of the ship.  Earlier in the cruise, we were asked if we noticed a difference from being on the port or starboard side of the ship.  We really had not been bothered by the noise, but then, we did spend a week in an aft cabin on the N. Amsterdam last fall.  The only difference we notice now is that it is hard hearing each other talk outside on the veranda.  And during the night, sometimes it sounds as if the ship is dragging its bottom over rocks.  Simple earplugs work miracles for me.

Checking the dinner menu in the dining room, we could not find anything exciting to order.  However, there is always the one choice for Orange Club members on the special menu.  We do get that menu every evening, and their special has been very good.  Tonight's offering was a butter roasted chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and green beans.  So we both ordered it, and happy we did.  Close to our table, is an oval table for six guests.  It has been empty for most of the cruise, and we did not realize it until tonight, how quiet it has been with that table empty.  A group of ten singers and dancers filled two such tables, and really livened up the area.   Kind of nice to be surrounded by a group in their very early 20's we would guess.  They were all good eaters too.

Tonight was the Cantere Presents: All In.  We did see this more than once while on the N. Statendam, and we think the show is the same.  One of these days, we will check it out.  We are still leary of big crowds, and this crew has not removed their masks.  Perhaps that will come in time. 

Tomorrow we will be in Apia, Samoa, and be glad to be on land for a while.

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report # 42 Tuesday October 18, 2022 Crossing the Date Line Partly cloudy & 80 degrees

No, we have not made a mistake.  We went from Sunday to Tuesday, losing Monday October 17^th, because we crossed the International Dateline.  An imaginary line, the dateline is where one day ends and the next day begins.  Technically, the ship's clocks were advanced 24 hours, however we did not have to change our clocks or watches.   We will be one day ahead until we leave Nuku'alofa, Tonga, then we will experience two days with the same date, thus getting that lost day back. 

This morning we got some forms to fill out….specifically arrival health declaration forms for our Covid vaccine history.  This will be for the country of Fiji.  Much of the forms were filled out already, but we had to fill in the type of vaccines we received and the dates.  Then sign and date them.  Tomorrow between 9 and 10am, a team will be on each floor midship to collect them.  So far, we have not received anything regarding proof of travel insurance, such as what happened recently to others on their way to Fiji, Tonga, and New Caledonia. 

Then to add to the excitement, the ship crossed the Equator at approximately 10:45am.  We all got a "love letter" in our mail slots explaining that we have entered the Southern Hemisphere, but we will not be back to the Northern Hemisphere until later this cruise when we head to San Diego.   So King Neptune has pardoned one and all, but he will be back to visit in person for the King Neptune Ceremony, along with his Queen and Neptune Court Entourage.  Enjoy It while we can, arrrrr!   Signed from the Briny Kingdom of Neptunus Rex.   R.  

Today was much the same as yesterday, with the exception that we had no rain showers.  Considering we are so close to the Equator, the temperature was a comfortable 80 degrees with a nice breeze blowing.  Taking a morning walk, we searched for those elusive flying fish, but saw none.  What we did see were a whole lot of people coming outside after a talk in the Mainstage by Kainoa.  His subject was the amazing Captain Cook.  Kainoa is quite the story teller, and has been on the ship telling his stories ever since Alaska. 

It seemed that the internet was a bit more cooperative today.  Perhaps some folks that were streaming or sending huge files ceased doing that, who knows?  No doubt, it is still slow, but not shutting down.  We do expect it to be spotty, because there is such a low density of people that live here.  Perhaps instead of streaming movies, the streamers went to the Rolling Stones Lounge to watch a matinee movie, Ambulance.  The best part of the movie……popcorn!

Walking later in the afternoon, we got rewarded with sightings of hundreds of flying fish…some very large.  Oddly enough, there was only one masked booby present, and not close enough to catch even  one of them.  When we get nearer to some islands, we bet we see more of the birds. 

Dinner was good tonight with some new appetizers of pot stickers.  When they arrived, they were green, with spinach in the dough maybe.  Sure were good.  Then one of us had the swordfish, and the other veal cordon blu.  Both entrees were tasty and served hot like we prefer.  Desserts were one apple crumble tart and one chocolate-drizzled vanilla ice cream.

We wondered if the outside lights had been turned back on the promenade deck in the evening.  So we ducked outside after dinner to see that they were turned on.  We guess there is not worry about the birds landing on this deck now.

The good news of the evening came with a little note saying to turn our clocks back one hour.  Love to, thanks.

Bill & Mary Ann

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