Report #32 Tuesday January 31, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Auckland, New Zealand Cloudy With Showers 78 Degrees 6' Seas

 

The seas became increasingly rougher as we head south now towards New Zealand.   This fact became apparent this morning when Captain Friso made his sweep through the upper dining room, as he does on occasion.  He surprised us my mentioning that he sometimes feels the "motion of the ocean", which we thought strictly applied to the guests.  We also discussed yesterday's heat and humidity while in Tonga.  He and Chantal had gone off bike riding perhaps a bit too far, when they realized the heat had become oppressive.  Instead of biking back, he waved down a fellow with a truck, who loaded their bikes and them into the back of the pickup.  Then he whipped out his cell phone to show us the photo, which he thought was pretty amusing.  So did we…..

It was another sea day of relaxing, eating, and checking out the sales in the Shops.  Nothing was really for sale there, but it's always fun to look.  Then the New Zealand money was available at the front desk beginning this morning.   We usually do the exchange on the ship and don't worry much about the rate, as it is always fair.  But something strange occurred after we did the exchange.  The front desk girl counted out the exact New Zealand money carefully, and we watched just as carefully.  It was 100% correct.  No more, no less.  Then about 10 minutes later, we had a call from the front desk.  The same girl called to say there may have been a mistake with the exchange.  We had put the money folded within the statement of the transaction in the safe, so we said we will double-check it, and call back.  Counting it three times, it came out perfectly each time.  Calling back, we reported that news and their answer was a cool OK, not even a "sorry about that".  The feeling was that we were not being honest, and believe this, we would have returned an overage immediately.  And if the mistake was a shortage on our end, we would have followed up with that as well.  Maybe we should consider doing the money exchanges in the bigger cities and not on the ship.  Or use credit cards, as the exchange is probably better in the long run.

One of us made a trip to the brand new library to find the corner of the room cordoned off.  Apparently there had been a leak in there, flooding the carpets and walls.  Then at breakfast this morning, our buddy told us another story about flooding on deck one where even the walls were over-flowing.  Some of this widespread flooding happened while we were on the Tales of the South Pacific last fall, but we figured that would be addressed during the dry docking.  Hate to think that this ship is getting older, but nothing holds up forever.

While taking our evening walk, we noticed that all of the teak lounges were being tied down on the promenade deck.  Either the deck workers were getting ready to scrub down the teak decking, or we are headed into some rough waters and winds.  Time will tell.  And as for the ship being able to dock in Auckland on the 2^nd, the Captain announced he was still waiting for that confirmation. 

On our way back to the room, we ran into Greg and Heo, and they asked if we were going to listen to the singer, Stephen Barry as they had suggested a few days ago.  We thought, well why not?  It was close to 7pm, so we snuck into the back of the Mainstage and listened to a couple of his songs.  He indeed had a powerful voice with a wide range, and perfect voice control.  The speakers up on the third level were very loud, so we did not stay long.  Besides it was dinnertime and we don't like being late.

There was a total of five of us tonight as the fellows were invited elsewhere.  We closed the chairs closer, but still had a hard time hearing due to a very noisy group in the center of the aft dining room.  Usually our backs are to these tables, but we soon learned where the noise was coming from.   We had to laugh because we know for a fact that our group had also been noisy back in the day.  But we were smart enough to keep it down until most of the diners left the room.  At one point, we heard a crash, as if one of the noisy guests dropped something big.  Finally they were quieter. 

Anyway, we have noticed that different items are still popping up on the menu.  We all get the Orange Club menu which offers a special entrée every night.  We ordered one tuna entrée and one pork chop without the bone with extra apple sauce.  Very good.  One of us likes chocolate and there was nothing close to that tonight.  But our waiter found a chocolate tart with strawberry compote.  He added mint chip ice cream on the side, which I like way more than Bill does.  I was forced to help him out and eat the ice cream after having the modified fruit plate.  They are running out of fresh fruit and berries now, so we hope we make it to Auckland for provisioning.

Rocking and rolling may help us all sleep good tonight.

Bill & Mary Ann

34 Pictures

Report #31 Monday January 30, 2023 Nuku Alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga 7am-5pm Mostly Sunny With Clouds 85 Degrees

 

If we happen to hear "Malo e lelei" today, we will know we are being welcomed to the Kingdom of Tonga.  It simply means hello or welcome, but nothing can compare to the live music of the Police Brass Band and dance of Tonganese men and ladies we witnessed after the Zuiderdam docked in Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga.  The total population of all of the Tongan islands is 106,500 in an area of 747 square kilometers.  Much smaller in comparison to where we just came from.  By the way, the money is Tonga pa'anga with 2.25 equal to $1 USD.  The US dollars are gladly accepted.

Their favorite foods are all types of fish and sea creatures, as well as pork and chicken.  Small pigs are roasted on a spit over an open fire, while a very large pig would be cooked in an oven in the ground.  The most common veggies are taro, sweet potatoes, and yams all of which are commonly grown on these islands.  Most of the green veggies we have at home cannot be grown here easily.  Many fruits compliment their diet such as coconuts, bananas, papaya, mangoes, guava, pineapple, and passionfruit.  Kava, a pepper root drink is widely consumed and used in ceremonies.  While on past tours, we have witnessed these ceremonies, and even participated in the drinking of the kava liquid.  Well….almost.   After seeing how this drink is made, we simply pretended to drink it, as did most everyone else.

Since there was a football game on TV at 9am, we stayed onboard and watched the first half of the 49ers and Eagles game.   We left at halftime since it was not the 49ers best game ever. And we had the cleaning crew on the veranda hosing everything down.  Good time to leave. Even at 11am, the local music was still playing when we left the gangway.  One thing we noticed that was different was the fact the wharf area had dozens of containers on one side of the road.  Even some souvenir tents were set up in front of them.  We noticed that these containers had Chinese markings on them, and we guess they may be related to some ongoing reconstruction here in town.  We never found anyone to ask.

One thing about today that stood out the most…. was the heat and humidity.  It sure was different last fall when it was raining and way cooler.  We took our usual path to the produce market, dodging cars and trucks all the way there.  Not sure why, but the traffic was the worst we have ever seen it.  We had to be most careful crossing the street or walking up the narrow side streets with no sidewalks.  This particular market is quite dark on the inside.  There were several tables of locally-made purses and fans.  Most of the jewelry was made with seashells or carved bone.  Half of the market was dedicated to produce which included root veggies and tomatoes, cucumbers, long beans, cabbage and some lettuce. 

We ran into Greg and Heo touring this market like us.  They had already decided it was time for beers, if they could find a place that sold it.  Way too hot and humid, we hope they found it.  From there we wandered up the ramp to the second level.  There are usually many tables of jewelry and carvings, but today only half of the place was occupied.  Clothing and shoes were also sold up there, but they appeared to be more for the locals. 

Making our way up the side road, we located the Catholic Cathedral by the name of St. Anthony of Padua.  This church is more modern and new compared to the very old church up the road.  Two tall spires are about all that is left of the roof these days.  The church itself was made of basalt rocks, but sustained much damage during the last storm that hit here causing a tsunami.  Many years ago, we had toured the interior of this church, but these days, it is off-limits to all.  Rumor has it that the king is unwilling to spend the money needed to restore it. 

Across the street from the church is the Royal Tombs and surrounding grounds.  Many kings are buried here along with their families, so it is considered sacred.

Walking towards the water,  we came across the Methodist Church, the one that the king and his family attend.  We have seen their entourage leaving the church a few years ago.  The king actually rolled his window down, and waved as did the rest of his family.  Just happened to be in the right place at the right time.  This is also the area that fruit bats can normally be seen hanging from the branches of the large mango trees.   However, some of these trees have been cut down, and the remaining mangoes have no fruit yet.  So therefore, there were no bats. 

On this same corner is the Royal Palace, which is closed to the public.  Photos can be taken from the fencing that surrounds the property.  Turning left from here, we walked the water's edge until we reached the Seaview Lodge, a nice place to find ice cold beers and a good lunch.  However, it was closed today, just like their website said.  Never hurts to try.  It was so uncomfortably hot and sticky, we decided to head back to town and the ship.  For the first time we can recall, there was absolutely no other cruise ship guests walking here today.  We did pass some local families enjoying the shade, and they were most friendly.

Back in town, the traffic was almost at a standstill.  We had passed by two school buses, which doubled for tour buses today.  They were open-air ones filled with many people we knew from the ship.  Being on foot today, we ended up back to the gangway before the bus folks made it back.  Reaching the opening of the gangway, it was like walking into Alaska with the air-conditioning. 

We did not leave the room after that.  Missing the end of the game, we discovered our home team lost big time.  The following game had begun, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Bengals.  So we ended up watching some of that while having a wonderful room service lunch.  As the day advanced, many more clouds appeared and it did begin to rain before we left.  The sail away party was moved to the promenade deck, but we did not attend.  Watching the sail away from our veranda was so much nicer. 

Captain Friso came on the speakers and mentioned that we are still awaiting the final word on whether or not we will go to Auckland in a few days.  He said we will continue as planned, doing 20 knots, to arrive there on February 2^nd.  We left the port a bit later due to strong winds, and eventually passed a pod of lazy dolphins.  Nice way to say goodbye to Tonga once again.

Dinner was fun as we all had stories to share.  Barb and Woody held down the fort, while Heo and Greg ended up back to the ship never stopping for lunch.  Susie had wandered off, but soon came back after a run through the marketplace.  Entrees were different again tonight.  Never heard of breaded lamb chops, but some of our tablemates tried it.   Barramundi was the fish dish, as well as sauteed salmon, which I ordered.  Chicken scallopini rounded out the choices.  The chefs are getting quite creative we think.

As on many port days, the Mainstage featured a movie called Joyride.  None of our group planned to attend because we were all beat from the heat.

We will have two lazy sea days as we head south towards New Zealand.  The Captain promised more comfortable temperatures, except we might be hitting some rain.

Bill & Mary Ann

241 Pictures

Report #30 Sunday January 29, 2023 Day At Sea Enroute To Nuku Alofa, Tonga Cloudy With Rain Showers 85 Degrees Sea State- Rolling Swell

 

Sometime this afternoon, the Zuiderdam crossed the International Date Line.  And we can prove it because we all received a certificate saying as much.  At dinner this evening, we all agreed that we own enough of these documents to wallpaper a room in our homes.  How lucky is that?

The day began rather bleak with overcast skies and rain at 7am.  At breakfast, Captain Friso made a sweep through the upper dining room, chatting with the guests.  We brought up the fact that the weather was so warm and muggy, that rain might be a good thing.  He added that the extra high humidity was testing the air-conditioning system on the ship.  Then we inquired about the recent flooding in Auckland, where we will be headed on February 2^nd.  We heard through the grapevine that the Noordam had ropes snapped from the extreme winds.  He did admit that one of the ropes broke, but the ship was OK.  Hope the weather improves as we would hate to miss that port.

During our morning stroll about the ship, we did spot one tropic bird.  It must have been lost, because it disappeared within minutes.  We kept watch for another sighting, but it never happened.  Normally our veranda is cooler, but today with the following winds, we about melted out there.  The day was saved when the rains began around 1pm, cooling the temperature about 10 degrees or more.  Eventually the skies cleared the rest of the day was dry.  Eventually, a few more birds appeared but they looked like shearwaters.  They were so high and far away it was difficult to identify them. 

The usual activities took place, especially promotional ones.  Besides the Shops, there were deals to be found in the Fitness Center, Explorers Lounge, and the photo department.  Did we mention that the Photo Gallery has gone back to the old way of displaying the pictures?   Most of the desks that had the touch screen computers were removed during the dry dock in December.  For the first time ever, we had one of the photographers taking shots of guests walking the promenade deck.  He may have had a few takers, but that is not the place we consider ourselves looking the best.    Especially today when we were sweating bullets. 

Room service lunch included items from the noontime dining room lunch menu, as well as some from their regular menu.  Their chicken noodle soup remains the best.  Instead of a tablespoon of ingredients in the bottom of the bowl, their soup is loaded with diced veggies and plenty of spaghetti or vermicelli.  And served hot as can be.

One of us ordered the chicken cordon bleu and one ordered the trout plate at dinner time.  We'll have to remember to have the pork chop next time because even Barb ate the whole thing, unusual for her.   Of course we teased her that unless she cleaned her plate, there would be no dessert.  Boy, do we remember that from our childhood days or what?  That must have been when the "clean your plate" syndrome was cemented in our heads.

We should be arriving to Tonga early tomorrow.  Perhaps we will run into our fellow President's Club friend, Roselle again.  We heard that she was on this cruise, but did not see her until we were in Papeete.  She loves to walk in the port cities like we do, and credits her good tennis shoes that give her the ability to do it…even at 90 plus years old.  The cute thing about the shoes is that they have to match the outfit of the day.  And they sure do.

Bill & Mary Ann

16 Pictures

Report #29 Friday January 27, 2023 Day At Sea Enroute To Nuku Alofa, Tonga Sunny And Warm 88 Degrees Flat Seas

The days seem to be slipping by quickly as we sail towards Tonga.  One day in particular, Saturday, will not exist because we will be crossing the International Dateline, where one day ends, and the next day begins.  This lost day will be given back to us one hour at a time as we continue to head west.  Now the message in the Daily Program mentioned that the ship's clocks will be advanced 24 hours, however, we need not do that.  The date will change from Friday the 27^th to Sunday the 29^th.  So some of our watches and clocks will have to be adjusted to change the date and day.

It was a lazy day for us and also a warm and humid one.   We noticed that during our walks that the waves indicated we have a following wind.   That usually limits the breeze on the promenade deck making it uncomfortable.  And the ship is going a measly 13 knots, compared to 18 or 19 knots.  It seems to cause more listing and pitching.  Usually we have a stop between Raiatea and Tonga, such as in the Cook Islands, Niue, or Samoa, but we do not on this trip.  That explains the slower speed we think.

There are two new speakers onboard.  Dr. Bruce Nocita is a geologist with lectures about plate tectonics, early history, and geological hazards.  Sounds like his talks may include tsunamis and possibly earthquakes.  That would be appropriate to the area we are now sailing since it is in the Ring of Fire.    Dr. Karen Woodman is an expert on world languages, culture, and history.  A very unusual subject, she was also a speaker on the Tales of the South Pacific last fall. 

Today we tried something we did not know we could do for lunch.  We placed an order for room service lunch during the serving time of the dining room lunch (12 to 1pm).  They had a cheeseburger with fries on the menu.  So we ordered two of those around 12:30pm, adding a salad and a few cookies, but to be delivered to our room by 2:30pm.   Guess what?  Our order arrived 10 minutes early, which was fine, and the burgers were hot and the fries crispy.   Now we're talking.  The burgers were absolutely delicious, way better than Dive-In.  Ordering food this way has been the best we have seen, and we have told them so.

Later in the afternoon, we got a letter titled Health Reminder.  It was a general reminder to continue with precautions we have been taking for Covid.  The wearing of masks has been down-graded to recommended now and not mandatory.  So fewer guests are wearing them.  We are still uncomfortable in a crowded elevator, so have decided to keep the masks in or pockets just in case we need to use them.  We are all being asked to report any Covid symptoms to the medical staff who will provide testing at no cost to us.  We may be reading more into this message, but we feel that the Covid numbers are on the rise.  People on either side of us have had it, as we can hear the coughing and sneezing.  And with New Zealand and Australia coming up soon,  we bet there will be testing before our arrival.

Some new items popped up on the dinner menu.  They included coconut-crusted shrimp, kalbi ribs, and two types of soups.  The cold soups are back once again, although we prefer the hot ones. For dessert there was a blackberry crisp with ice cream, a decadent chocolate cake, and the always available fruit plate.  There seems to be something to make each of us happy.

The entertainment this evening was another performance by the Biddy's, a trio of Irish ladies doing a comedy act.  Greg and Heo always attend the shows, and tell us about them the following day.  Most times they give a thumbs up.

Be back on Sunday……

Bill & Mary Ann

42 Pictures

Report #28 Thursday January 26, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Nuku Alofa, Tonga Cloudy And Sunny 88 Degrees

Yesterday we filled out an arrival health declaration form for entry in Tonga coming up this Monday.   All of the information was already filled out for both of us, so all we had to do was answer simple basic questions regarding our current health condition.   Then we were asked if we had been in contact with anyone who tested positive for Covid, or visited any healthcare facility in the last 14 days.  To be perfectly honest, we do not know for sure if we have been in contact with positive Covid guests.  At least not knowingly.  We have learned through the grapevine that some more guests have tested positive recently, but the actual number of those infected has not been released.  Nor will they be.  Anyway, we were supposed to bring the filled out forms to the mid-ship elevator landing this morning by 9:30am.  However, we were still eating breakfast and missed the time.  Not a problem, we took the forms to the front desk in the afternoon and they gladly took them.  That was our biggest job of the day.

Today there was a "Derby" Night with the ladies invited to show off their fascinator hats for the occasion.  This began at 6pm at the Lido pool, followed by the actual horse race at 7pm.  This is an activity we have not seen for many years, and we do think it will draw a big crowd once again.  Around the same time, we were invited to a cocktail party with our travel group in the Billboard Onboard at 6:30pm.  Half our group met at 4pm, since they were the early diners.  Our little group of friends was tucked into one of the tall booths and they made room for us.  Drinks of our choice were served and some canapies were passed around.  Our hosts came by and welcomed us all once again.  It has been almost a month since we had our welcome dinner in Ft. Lauderdale.  Time sures flies when you are having fun…………

An added treat was having a special guest join us for dinner tonight.  It was Renee, the spa manager, who we have known like forever.  It sure was interesting hearing about the chain of events she went through after all of us had left the ship in March 2020.  Getting home to South Africa was not easy for her and a few other employees that debarked in Durban.  They all had a mandatory quarantine time, which was longer than what exists now.  And at that time, the airports had grounded most all flights.  Eventually, she did make it back home, but her belongings did not.  Expecting to be re-assigned to the Amsterdam when they started cruising again, she had left most all of her things onboard.  Long story short….she never saw her possessions again.  And even worse, the ship ended up being sold and gone from the fleet along with three other sister ships.  None of us saw that coming….

Tonight was "dressy" again, and the menu was also notched up to match it.  The chefs have come up with some very different salads, as well as a cold soup every night.  For our entrees, we had one swordfish and beef wellington….both equally delicious and hot.  A praline cheesecake was served and the every day fruit plate did the job.   All in all, we had a super nice evening.  There was no entertainment in the Mainstage, but we did hear that the instrumentalist, Barry Seacroft, was fantastic last night.

And the clocks went back one hour again.  That's always a plus.

Bill & Mary Ann

36 Pictures

Report #27 Wednesday January 25, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Nuku Alofa, Tonga Cloudy With Sun 80 Degrees Calm Seas

A day at sea is what we all needed today.  In fact there will be a few more of these lazy days as we head towards Tonga.  The weather has remained warm and humid, but there has been a saving breeze, mostly on the port side of the ship.  Perfect for relaxing on our veranda off and on during the day. 

The biggest event of the day had to be the "Seaday Brunch", instead of Sunday Brunch, since it was a weekday.  Our morning waiters told us that the previous brunch attracted 600 guests, and that number was expected this morning as well.  A few days ago, they started taking reservations, although we are sure a place would be found if you showed up anyway and were willing to wait.  Frankly, it is not our cup of tea, so we went to our regular breakfast at 8am. 

The Shops onboard are finally opened all day and are beginning to bring out some new items.  Today we saw white or gray quilted vests with the HAL logo on them.  Of course the thought of wearing these now is not appealing, but when we hit northern Europe, they may come in handy.   More Grand World Cruise t-shirts are appearing on the shelves too.  We have spotted more and more people wearing them.  The promotional sales are well-listed in the Activities at a Glance in the program.  There is something for everyone, especially those who have lots of shipboard credit to use. 

We took a walk on deck 10 for a change, but it was hot by noontime.  You can find shuffleboard and cornhole there, but seldom anyone playing the games.   Along the railing were dozens of lounges without sunbathers.  Looking down at the Sea View pool, we saw few folks in the pool and laying on the chaise lounges.  What a difference from the last cruise we did in this same area.  There was not a lounge to be found at that time.  We must have a whole different crowd doing this cruise.

Back in our room, we ordered a nice lunch complete with Cobb salads, a shared club sandwich, and a few cookies.  The meal was delivered within 20 minutes, and was followed up with a phone call to check how everything was.   So far, all has been perfect and we let them know.

We expect tomorrow to be much the same as far as the calm seas and weather goes.   Captain Friso mentioned to us that we need to enjoy the weather we have now, because there is a possibility of rain before reaching New Zealand.  But that will not be until February 2^nd and a lot can change by then.

The dinner menu presented some new items.  Each one of us ordered something different, except those meals that came with French fries did disappoint some.  They were served almost cold.  A couple of our tablemates sent them back, but when they returned, they were not much hotter.  The only thing we could figure was that the fries were pre-dished and held in a warmer.  That is not quite the same as deep-frying them, and serving them within minutes.  Not happening tonight.  Desserts were good however.  But they always are.  One of us sticks to the fruit plate most nights, while the other has the special tarts, cakes, or tortes.  The rather small but decadent chocolate treat tonight was topped with caramel popcorn.  A combination you never would guess to be quite tasty.  This is when the smaller portions are appreciated.

Bill & Mary Ann

16 Pictures

Report #26 Tuesday January 24, 2023 Uturoa, Raiatea, French Polynesia Day #2 Leave 4pm Today Cloudy And Hot 90 Degrees

The Zuiderdam overnighted in Uturoa, Raiatea which usually happens in other major cities such as Auckland, Sydney, Singapore, or Hong Kong for instance.  We think this extra day was added to replace the missed port of Bora Bora.  Thanks to research done by fellow readers, we now know that the government decided to further limit the size of the ships arriving in the lagoon of Bora Bora beginning at the start of this year.  We are far from a mega-ship, but still have too many passengers to satisfy their new rules.  Hate to think that we will never visit that island ever again unless we go there on a smaller ship, which HAL does not own anymore.  Bet that puts a big dent in their tourism industry.

Our day began early with a knock on our door at 7:30am.  Who could that possibly be that early?  Turned out it was a delivery of flowers from a very favorite officer onboard that we have known for years.  By the way, it was a birthday for one of us, although I like to keep it under wraps.  Pretty hard on this ship.  We celebrated at breakfast with mimosas, but then we do that most every day. 

The weather was much better today since the rain stayed away.   It did eventually reach 92 degrees with a slight breeze and high humidity.   Ready for another walk about, we turned left and hiked the road out of the town.  On our first visit here years ago, we read that there was a resort up this way and a possible restaurant to get lunch.  Well, the further out of town we got, the more dogs began to appear, protecting their territory.  By the time we reached the resort, we discovered it had been damaged by a hurricane and was completely closed.  We came upon the same property today, and nothing had changed, except there was a taller metal fence around the whole area.  The good thing was that most of the dogs were behind gated driveways.

Time to head back to town, we took our time while enjoying the breeze in between homes.  All of their rock walls blocked what breeze there was.  The closer to noon it got, the hotter it got.  We did want to see what the town had to offer, so we went into their department store where the Hinano t-shirts were sold among other things.  Something we forgot was that everyone and their brother had visited this store yesterday, and the most popular sizes were about gone off of the shelves.  We did find one new design and bought it.  The grocery stores were quite busy with local shoppers, so we did not go inside.  We did head for the two story Marketplace, and took photos of the locally grown produce.  On the second level is their jewelry collection, clothing, and artwork.  The only way up there is by stairs, and since we did not need to buy anything, we skipped the climb. 

Time for beer and lunch, we headed back to the La Raie Gate restaurant right across from the ship.  About half of the guests were locals, and the other half from the ship like us.  We did a repeat of yesterday and had beers, pizza, and one dessert.  Smoking is allowed here, but we had the outside seats, and the wind was blowing the right way to avoid the smoke. 

Back in the coolness of our room, we discovered a covered tray had arrived with a single chocolate cupcake frosted with whipped cream and sprinkled with colored coconut flakes.  On the rectangular plate were the words Happy Birthday.  A card was placed next to the tray with birthday wishes from Captain Friso.  And here we thought they had forgotten my birthday.

All aboard was 3:30pm, and we were in place on our veranda to watch the sailing out of the harbor.  The Captain took the ship through the lagoon that is shared with neighboring Taha'a, an island much smaller than Raiatea.  Going very slowly, he blew the ship's horn many times, but we do not know why.  Perhaps there were small boats in our way.  Located on the port side of the ship, we did not get the view of the island as we left.  But one of us had seen it while sailing in yesterday.  Truthfully, the light was better early yesterday morning for pictures.   We did have the sun and the heat until the Captain turned the ship to exit through the largest gap in the reef.  Now we are heading towards Tonga, and will arrive in four days. We will also cross the International Dateline on Friday. So Saturday will not exist for us.

One of our favorite entrees was on the menu tonight…….spaghetti with Bolognaise sauce.   Marlin was the fish plate, and although we had all ordered desserts,  a small mousse cake arrived for the birthday girl.  Many waiters gathered to sing the special song, which was much appreciated.  Short and sweet. Yes, it had been a very nice day in paradise.

Bill & Mary Ann

241 Pictures

Report #25 Monday January 23, 2023 Uturoa, Raiatea, French Polynesia Cloudy With Showers And Some Sun, 90 Degrees Hot And Humid

We are not sure that today's port of Uturoa, Raiatea has been a stop on a world voyage in many years, since our well-traveled tablemates do not recall ever stopping here. We have been here numerous times because we have cruised on the Tales of the South Pacific every fall, except for 2020 and 2021. One of the Leeward Islands of the Society Islands, Raiatea has a population of 12,250 French-speaking people. The island can be circled on a 98 km road, but the best known fact is that this island has the only navigable river in French Polynesia. Also this island is considered sacred having the biggest marae of all of the islands by the name of Taputapuatea, which earned it a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. A marae is a temple that is built with basalt blocks placed side by side and piled up. It was a place for worship, burials, and human sacrifices. Glad to report this practice does not happen in modern days.

Modern Raiatea has many activities to attract snorkelers, mountain climbers, lagoon fishing, and motu picnicking. It is also the nautical base for the yachting crowd where canoe races and regattas take place annually. This all takes place in the town of Uturoa, where our ship docked this morning, and will stay until late tomorrow afternoon. This main village is the administrative center of the Leeward Islands. And we feel it is a far different island than some of the ones we have visited already. It is opened to tourism, but still has the feel of a town in the 1950's. And when you come to Raiatea, you get two islands for the price of one. Its smaller sister island is Taha'a, a very rural tropical setting filled with remote villages and vacation rentals. They share a lagoon also. While Raiatea grows the majority of the tiare plants, Taha'a grows vanilla beans, coconuts, and a certain type of sugarcane which is used for rum-making. Black pearls are also produced here.

A few tours offered today were a motu picnic for $140, the highlights for $120, a tour of a pearl farm and snorkel for $130, a drift snorkel at Taha'a for $140, or a sunset catamaran cruise for $120. Many folks we know hired a boat driver for a few hours for lots less. While we were chatting with friends on the pier, a taxi driver came along selling a 3 hour trip to a beach 10 minutes away for $25 a person. We all forgot to ask if that was a round-trip price. He got no takers, but thanked us for listening.

The ship was docked by 7am after it made its way through the lagoon of Taha'a. Normally we leave that way, but for some reason, the Captain chose to approach a different way. The dock area is spacious and all rocked and tiled. The buildings are within feet of the gangway, which was super steep today. The Amsterdam had lower openings at the pier, but this ship, the openings are higher up, creating problems with low and high tides in some of these ports.

We left the ship around 10am, because earlier, the rain had come down like we had expected. It was passing showers, and it did slow down by the time we left. We took a right turn after passing through the tourist building, and made it up to the church and yacht area. Nothing special was happening today like canoe racing. We missed that one that took place last October. We did pass by the small harbor where the tour folks boarded many different vessels for snorkeling the reef. They do not have to go far to drop off the swimmers near the breaking reef and a motu or tiny islet. The experience may have been better if the clouds had left and the sky turned blue. For our own tours we have done in the water, the sun made all the difference with the colors of the fish and the corals. Today, the afternoon excursion guests may have had a better snorkel trip. One of those trips included some of the crew members and the Captain. They were headed towards a catamaran as we were going for lunch. Nice to see them have enough time to enjoy an excursion like the guests.

We did stop at the restaurant directly across from the ship by the name of La Raie Gate. It is small, but their food is very good. Many people were having their salads, burgers, fish and chips, or pizza. They make the best pizza here, which are a bit on the pricey side, but so good, it is worth it for us. We added two Hinano Gold draft beers - the large size in a heavy cold mug. By noontime, the sun began peeking out and it became darned hot and muggy. The beers went down just fine. The pizza we ordered was a pepperoni and cheese, and cooked perfectly. Their dough was more like French bread and cooked until it was crispy. We did have a bit of a language problem when we asked for the menu to order dessert, but were handed our bill instead. Guess we had enough for lunch, and there is always tomorrow.

We went back to the comfort of the ship, and decided to save the stroll through town for tomorrow. It was close to 3pm when we returned to our room, where we chilled out until dinnertime. Even reading on the veranda was too warm. Looking at the thermometer outside, we found it read 92 degrees in the shade. The rain never returned and the breeze had stopped. Now it was warm and humid. Some of our lady friends are not happy how the heavy humidity makes their hair go frizzy.

Around 5pm we heard the sound of a drum coming from the terminal building. Sure reminded us of being in Hong Kong or Singapore. Looking from our veranda, we saw two lion dog figures performing for Chinese New Year. The tradition brings good luck we understand. We happened to be in the right place at the right time to take photos. In the backround, we could hear fire crackers going off.

An early birthday happened for one of us at dinner tonight. Susie and Woody brought a gift of narcissus bulbs ready to plant, and two sets of chaise lounge ties for both of us. Great idea and very sweet. Of course, the hand-painted birthday card was more appreciated, since both of us have a collection of cards Susie has painted since 2007. She is very talented in that area. Our dinners were good. One of us had the swordfish, and the other tried the breaded pork chop.....excellent choices. By the way, our plates were hot as could be and we thanked our waiters for listening to our request.

Last night the entertainers were a trio of Irish ladies doing a comedy act. It was called the comedy of the Biddy's. Some of our tablemates liked the show, but some did not. We have seen these ladies last year while on the N. Statendam we think. Tonight there was a movie shown - the remake of Love Affair. None of us went.

Another day in Raiatea tomorrow, although it sure would have been nice to make that stop in Bora Bora. We are still trying to figure out why we were able to stop there last November with more guests and crew, but not now. Perhaps their rules changed in January, or another cruise line paid more for the privilege. Too bad as it is considered the "pearl" of Polynesia. We tend to agree.

Bill & Mary Ann

246 Pictures

Report #24 Sunday January 22, 2023 Bahia D' Opunohu, Moorea, French Polynesia 7am-4:30pm Cloudy With Rain Showers 80 Degrees

Happy Chinese New Year…..the year of the rabbit we understand.  Normally this day would have been a formal evening in the dining room, but not anymore.  A few years ago, these types of events were moved to the Lido, which was decorated for occasions like today's holiday.  All of the specialty foods are serviced there now, buffet style.  It used to be fun seeing the Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling in the main dining rooms, as well as the waiters dressed for the event.  Sadly, a thing of the past.

Anyhow, our port of call was Moorea, a tropical island with some coral beaches, vertical peaks, and very lush landscapes.  The Zuiderdam floated over to this island at 4:30am from the harbor of Papeete.  Only one of us was awake, the other definitely…not.  While on the way towards the sister island, Captain Friso came on the outside speakers around 5am to announce that all of Moorea's peaks were visible….something seldom seen.  Not sure how many folks were up then, but at least one of us heard him.  

Arriving to Opunohu Bay, the Captain brought the ship straight in and dropped anchor before 7am.  The forecast was mostly cloudy and chance of showers.  On the way there, a sudden bolt of lightning came from an isolated cloud followed by loud thunder.  That was the one and only time that occurred. 

We were in no rush to go ashore, so we went to breakfast as we always do.  The service has continued to be over-the-top, since there were only about 10 of us dining in there.  The assorted berries appeared again, and the new fresh squeezed orange juice was the best.  Still enjoying the one cup of hot cappuccino. 

Watching the tendering process from the promenade deck, we noticed the ship was being turned to find that "sweet spot" for the smoothest transfer of guests.  Once again, there were many helping hands assisting everyone on and off of the small boats.  The crew members are the best.  We left the ship at 10am, taking note that two platforms were being utilized.  This is much more efficient than on the Amsterdam, which had only one platform in use.  One nice thing is that the boats were not being loaded to the gills before we left.  So much better with Covid still lurking among the population.  (Another one of our friends has been infected.)

A quick ride brought us to the dock where Moorean dancers greeted us as we entered the protected area of the souvenir tables.  Many treasures can be found there from the famous pearls to the artistic seashell jewelry.  No need for one of us to drool over the black pearls, because we purchased an elegant strand on the last cruise.  We headed straight to the elderly lady we always go to.  She immediately remembered us, and pointed to my earrings, a creation she sold us in November.  Naturally, we easily found another set to add to the collection, making her smile. 

We decided to take our usual walk, even though there would not be the reward of dining in the hotel that had closed last year.  Running into friends Howard and Gyl made the day for the four of us.  They are walkers like us, and we seem to cross paths in every single port.  Now it has become like a tradition.  Taking our time, we enjoyed the fact that today was not as hot as yesterday, and for sure, we were going to get rain.  Once we got to the Intercontinental Hotel driveway, now blocked, it began to drizzle.  Within seconds the drizzle became a downpour, but lasting only 15 minutes or so.  Not a problem since we did remember to bring umbrellas.  In fact, we did see room stewards bringing the large orange umbrellas to the guest's rooms upon requesting them. 

On the same property as the now closed hotel is the Dolphin Encounter, which is still in operation.  A visit there is by appointment only.  Since we were sitting outside the gate, a guard came and asked if we had reservations.  No, we were just waiting out the storm.   His English was limited, but he did suggest we try the restaurant across the road for lunch.  It was called the Holy Steak House, which we assumed it was opened for dinner only.  It was a short walk up a steep road, so we decided to check it out.  And guess what?  It was indeed opened for lunch.  Hurray!

Seated over-looking the lagoon and reef, we ordered two Hinano draft beers – ice cold – and a cheeseburger and fries to share.  Dessert was a large slice of a brownie with nuts and a side of vanilla ice cream.  Like good children, we cleaned the plate.  The nice part was the fact there were only a handful of locals eating here, and for most passengers on the ship, this might be a bit too far to walk.  But there is the pearl shop next door, and there was a free shuttle ride there.  Best not to announce that fact, because the next time we come here, we may not have a place to sit.  And yes, that has happened elsewhere.

On the way back, we did have a few more raindrops fall, but it never developed into a shower.  It had in fact cooled the air off nicely.  There was no wait for the tender ride to the ship, and we got back before 3pm. Greg and Heo were on the same ride back, having done a fun tour on a snorkel boat, which they booked independently on shore.

The remainder of the afternoon, we worked on reports and photos.  Sail away arrived by 5pm, but the skies had opened up and the Seaview pool party was moved elsewhere.  While the Captain was inching out of the bay, he blew the horn a total of 14 times.  Why…we do not know unless there was a boat in the way.  We cannot stop on a dime, so we assume if there was a boat, it moved quickly out of our way.

Since there was the Chinese New Year event in the Lido, the dining room was not crowded at 7:30pm.  Better for us.  We ordered one swordfish plate, and one spaghetti puttenese  with slices of juicy chicken on the side.  Both were good.  Dessert was cake with rocky road ice cream and a fruit plate.  We're going to sleep good tonight for sure.

Tomorrow we will be docking in Uturoa Raiatea, which is not a usual stop for a Grand Voyage.  Most of our tablemates do not recall ever being there.  Hope the rain stays away, since we will spend two days there.

Bill & Mary Ann

308 Pictures

Report #23 Saturday January 21, 2023 Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia 6am Till 4:30am The Next Day Hot And Humid 85 Degrees

 

Yesterday ended the first segment of the Grand World Cruise.  Last night we received the small HAL Journeys booklet along with the first sticker with the itinerary from Ft. Lauderdale to Papeete, Tahiti.  It was titled an 18 day passage to French Polynesia and we traveled a total of 6,274.1 nautical miles or 7,215 statute miles.  There will be folks leaving, and new ones joining, but we do not know the exact numbers yet. 

Along with the new segment, we were all required to attend our emergency muster station between 3 and 5pm.  It is a requirement that all guests attend once every 30 days.  In addition, we had to watch the safety video to completion on our room TV before it would advance to the main menu.  Not all of our tablemates did this, and we never heard any names called of those who did not participate.  If we were not staying until 5am the next day, it might be a different story.

The Zuiderdam was already docked in the harbor at Papeete well before sunrise.  There were no other large cruise ships here, but we did see a vessel by the name of Arctic, which looked to be an expedition ship.  And there was one sleek yacht named Lunasea.  Across the way from us were the several ferries that make runs to the nearby islands, as well as a few container ships that service the area. 

After breakfast, we went outside on the promenade deck to watch the goings on.  Several large shipping containers were being offloaded with provisions.  We sure hope the fresh berries are among the orders.  At the two gangways, were many officers handing the disembarking guests fresh leis made with tiare flowers and frangipani blossoms.  We could smell them three decks up.  Usually we are given a single tiare flower, but they went all out today with leis.  Henk, Shiv, and Maja looked up and spotted us taking pictures.  All of them waved.  Then within a few minutes, Edmund, the beverage manager appeared alongside us, and presented us each with a lei.  What a nice surprise, as by the time we got off of the ship, all of the flowers would be gone.

At 9:30am, a crew drill was about to take place, so we grabbed our stuff and headed off the ship.  The dock area is still under reconstruction, so we had to take a left turn, and go through the park where the carts will set up later.  It's not that much out of the way, but it was already heating up to 90 degrees and probably as high with the humidity.  We needed to get to the marketplace before noon, since today was a Saturday and they close early. 

On the way to the market, we passed by the little fabric shop where one of us always buys a few yards for a blouse.  Determined not to buy any more fabric until I use what I have at home, we did have a quick look after the sales person recognized us from last November and motioned us to come inside.  He (or she) did notice that the blouse I was wearing was a fabric still on one of their bolts.  Prices have gone up since the first time we shopped here.  For instance a meter was 2900 Pacific French francs or about $26 USD.  It takes 2 meters for a blouse. We have to say the quality is excellent and they last a long time.

In Le Marche Municipal, or the Marketplace, we strolled the lower level, then went up the escalator to the second floor. The market was decorated with Chinese lanterns for the upcoming Chinese New Year. It was quite busy with locals shopping for the weekend, as well as many cruise ship people wandering in every shop. Island clothing and pearls seemed to be the most sought-after items.   Our aim was to purchase fresh tropical flowers, but on the way back from our walk. 

We took a path we always do, and walked to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, past McDonald's, and to the Assembly of French Polynesia.  Once again, the assembly was closed to the public.  Even the craft market was not happening, and we had no access to the gardens and ponds in the back. 

Crossing the street, we strolled through Bougainville Park, then went back to the market.  We purchased an armful of heliconia, ginger, protea, and some exotic blossoms to fill in the spaces.  Once back to the ship, we arranged them in the super tall vase, and they look beautiful.  And so far……not one ant.  They must have been sprayed well.

We chilled out for an hour, then took off for a lunch at LaPizzeria.  We swear every time we go there, the pizza gets better and the beer colder.  The restaurant was not really busy as we had arrived close to 2pm.  We ordered two large Hinano beers and a ham and mozzarella cheese pizza to share.  Cooked in a proper wood-fired oven, it is the best we will have on this trip we suspect.  We topped off the meal with a shared plate of profiteroles filled with vanilla ice cream and piled high with whipped cream sprinkled with slivered almonds.  OK that made our day.

Crossing the street, we made our way back through the harborside park to the ship.  This time we were allowed back through the shortcut, mostly because the tour buses had left on their second round of excursions.  All in all, we had a full day, exhausting due to the heat, but at least it was not raining. 

We cooled off in our room, but also relaxed out on the veranda that had been cleaned earlier in the morning.  They seem to do this about every two weeks or more.  Then we went to the muster as we explained earlier.

All seven of us were present at dinner.  Greg and Heo described their Tamarind dinner last night and said they enjoyed it, but did miss some of the items the menu used to have.  We ordered one mahi-mahi dinner and the alternate steak with fries.  Compared to the first steak we had, this one was just OK…not the same quality.  But the appetizer chicken noodle soup was good as ever.  There was a Tahitian Folkloric Show, the same as the one we saw last November.  Only Heo and Greg were going, so they will report tomorrow on the performance.

The ship will be in Moorea tomorrow and anchored by 7am.  Gosh, it seems like we were just here, because we were.

Bill & Mary Ann

207 Pictures

Report #22 Friday January 20, 2023 Day At Sea Enroute To Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia Sunny And Warm 82 Degrees

We were happy to find the start of the day presented itself with smoother seas and reduced rolling.  The "white horses" as Captain Friso calls the waves have mostly disappeared.  And even though there are dark clouds occasionally, we have managed to miss any sudden rain showers.   The temperature has stayed around 80 degrees, while the humidity is constant…… slightly sticky.  Typical tropical weather.  We have been getting reports of the cold temps and rain in California, so we are appreciating the nice temps here.  Glad to report the rain has let up, and the sun is shining back home.

The highlight of our day was a chance meeting with Shiv, the head of housekeeping.  He is such a delightful person, and always takes the time to chat, even though he is incredibly busy.  He admitted to finally adjusting to a different ship, as his assignments have been mostly (if not all) on the Amsterdam, which is gone from the fleet now.  We thanked him for the smooth laundry service, and let him know we appreciate the cute notes from the workers that are in the basket.  Bet that was his idea.

Then we had a session with the future cruise consultant, inquiring about a future cruise we have deposited already.   The red tape of the details left us more confused as we went round and round discussing how things work.  Most of it was about bookings made on the Amsterdam in 2020, and how they had been converted to this ship, which has multiple categories.  Anyway, he kept saying we need to talk to our travel agent, who will indeed be able to explain things way better.  We are beginning to agree with our tablemates that we don't always need to do a grand voyage with one time PC benefits.  Lots of folks have figured out that doing back-to-back voyages yields much more shipboard credit and other nice perks in the long run.  Something to think about.

Anyway, the future cruise consultant has set times.  The morning session is first come, first served.  However, the afternoon time requires an appointment.  This is written nowhere except on his desk. We went back around 5:30pm to ask more questions, however, after sitting for ½ hour waiting for a lady to finish her booking, he told us we needed an appointment.  Not just us, but another couple that had joined us in the line.  Now we know….

Six o'clock is a great time to walk outside, since the majority of guests are eating dinner somewhere.  There are no people ending around us, or meeting us head-on, as some like to walk the opposite direction.  We began seeing a few white terns flying off of the ship, and then we saw a couple of boobys, we think.  Since we did not spot any flying fish, these birds don't come close to the ship.  The Captain had mentioned we were close to one of the islands today, and we also had a ship on the horizon.  Even though we are nearing the rest of the Society Islands, we are surprised not to see some cruise line ships or containers.

Greg and Heo attended the Tamarind pop-up in the Pinnacle Grill tonight.  It will be interesting to get their take on the food served there, as we found it far different than what we have eaten in the real Tamarind restaurants.  Perhaps the wasabi-crusted steaks were the same, but the rest was not.  By the way, those steaks were excellent on the Tales of the South Pacific.  Gone are those chocolate-dipped fortune cookies one of us loved.  Why change a good thing? 

So our dinner choices were one cod plate, which arrived late, which happens more often than we like.  Sometimes five out of the seven of us will be served the main dish, while two have to wait it out.  Those last to be served will always say go ahead and eat, which they do.  One of us ordered the Club Orange special of short ribs with garlic-mashed potatoes.  It was tasty, but not hot enough for my liking.  We do request HOT food, but it has yet to arrive that way.   Oddly enough, this was the case on our last cruise, until our waiters finally listened and did serve it hotter.  Normally we are not that picky, but slightly warm is really not acceptable.  All of our tablemates agree, and have decided to ask as a group for hotter entrees and soups. 

We are all looking forward to Papeete and the following stops in the next four days.  Hope the weather holds up…..

Bill & Mary Ann

26 Pictures

Report # 21 Thursday, January 19, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Papeete,Tahiti, French Polynesia Sunny And Warm With Some Clouds 85 Degrees

The sea swells have increased somewhat after leaving the Marquesas last night.  The temperature today seemed a little cooler than yesterday, but that was only on the port side of the ship.  Taking our morning walk,  we discovered the starboard side was toasty.  We are still heading in a southwesterly direction, but at a steeper angle now in layman's terms.  The skies were mostly cloudy, but it did not rain today. 

We got a run down of yesterday's Glamp Out from a breakfast buddy.  Our friend had gone to the Lido for dinner around 6:30pm, and found there were few items left.  Most of the dining room guests had opted to eat in the Lido and had cleaned out the buffet, then proceeded to fill the Lido pool area before 7pm.  Figuring on locating a seat in the pool area, she found there wasn't even standing room.  The lights had been dimmed to the point she could not find any friends.  Trying to make the best of it, she searched for the appetizers only to find there were a few hot dog tid bits left over.  In addition the music was loud, and not up her alley, so she left.  Bet she ordered room service food for dinner.  The way she described everything had the three of us laughing all through breakfast.  The best part had to be seeing the hotel manager, Henk and a friend, rowing the canoe in the pool.  Some more thought might have to go into the planning of such events.

We have not mentioned the laundry service yet, but so far, it has worked quite well.  Yesterday we had turned in a bagful, and it was returned last night after dinner.  Included was a note saying "We care for the clothes you wear.  Thanks for letting us process your laundry."  Isn't that a kick?  Having complimentary service is such a wonderful perk.  And this is the first world cruise we have done on this class of ship.  The Amsterdam had a few self-service laundry rooms, where this ship has none.  We believe this class of ship was designed for shorter cruises, where there was no demand for coin-operated washing machines and dryers.  Sure don't miss those days when we did all of our laundry ourselves. 

The usual activities took place today such as the Coffee Chat with Ian at 9am.  Recently we had read that this chat time had been eliminated, but it is still happening in the Rolling Stone Lounge.  We suspect that the Polynesian Cultural Ambassadors will be wrapping up their activities today and tomorrow.  Once we hit Papeete, we will have several port days in a row, then head towards Tonga.  Wonder if there will be a New Zealand Maori team boarding to take their place? 

One of our friends had tested positive for Covid yesterday.  He and his wife are the most cautious people we know with wearing masks, even when they were not mandated.  Just goes to show you how contagious this virus can be.  He is feeling better, and so far his wife is Covid-free, as they are tested daily.  He has been quarantined in their room, but she is free to move around the ship.  So far, we have not seen either of them, so she is sticking close to home.  And we have noticed that more of the crew are putting their masks back on.

We tried some different items for dinner tonight.  Italian wedding soup for one of us, and a frisée salad for the other.  It has become quite obvious that the kitchen is running short of food items.  One of those has to be the oranges for fresh-squeezed juice for breakfast.  And the berries…..they are gone completely.  And it just so happened that Stephen, the new head of restaurant operation stopped by our table tonight.   He agreed that the orange juice was not up to the standards that it should be.  To us, we would say it has been watered down, although Stephen says it is the quality of the fruit.  With that said, starting tomorrow, there will be no more fresh orange juice for anyone.  There may be a concentrate used, which would be 100% better.  Or do like one of us did……order cranberry juice.  Barb touched on the subject of the shrimp cocktail she ordered.  It was actually tough, and another guest at our table said hers was watery and lacked flavor.  He agreed that the quality may be inferior to what we are used to, but new deliveries will be arriving in Papeete, and he hopes to make up for the shortcomings.  Stephen has a wonderful sense of humor and actually thanked us for our input.  It is important that someone speaks up when it is a legitimate complaint.  Like last night's cranberry sauce.  It was suggested they purchase Ocean Spray cranberry sauce in cans, and he said that may be possible with Sydney's orders.

Anyway, we both ordered a very different version of tuna for our entrees.  It was breaded and fried, then covered with a marinara sauce, served on a bed of rice and spinach.  Very tasty, although one of us ordered it well done, it was still moist.  Today happened to be one of our fellow President's Club member's birthday.  Three years ago, he celebrated his 80^th birthday while on the doomed 2020 world cruise.   He had invited a group of friends that took over the lower center section of the dining room.  When it came time for his cake, at least 100 waiters arrived to sing the special birthday song.  A memorable occasion, it is something he will remember forever as we will too.  Tonight, he was served his cake, which was supposed to be carrot cake, his favorite.  He sent slices of red velvet cake to our table, but it wasn't quite the same.  It's the thought that counts.  And we guess the bakers ran out of carrots. 

The clocks went back ½ hour this evening, putting us back to the full hour.  One more day at sea, and we will be in Tahiti.

Bill & Mary Ann

No Pictures

Report # 20 Wednesday January 18, 2023 Taiohae, Nuka Hiva, French Polynesia 8am-10:30pm Hot With Rain Showers And Sun 87 Degrees

The Zuiderdam sailed into the bay at Taiohae, Nuku Hiva very early this morning.  It looked like it was going to be a nice day, even though a shower passed over the island around 7am.  Detailed directions were printed in the Daily Program, so everyone that wished to go ashore knew how to get tender tickets.  Those that were on the one and only tour here did not need the tender tickets, nor did the Club Orange, Neptune & Pinnacle guests, or President's Club members.

We had no intentions of going over early, so a leisurely breakfast in the dining room was what we chose to do.  This morning there were six of us.  Back in our room, we watched the tenders being lowered and some guests proceed to board them.  Everything slowed down to the point we noticed that the boats were lined up, but going nowhere.  At 9:30am, we placed a call to the front desk, where we were told that all was going well with the transfer.  Then within seconds of calling, an announcement was made that due to the low tide, they were having great difficulty getting guests off of the boats.  In addition, they were concentrating their efforts to get the tour groups off first.  We had planned on leaving by 10am, and that's what we did.  The idea was planted early on that access to the pier was dicey at best in Taiohae, and unless you considered yourself able-bodied, you might reconsider going over to the island. 

We had noticed while watching from our veranda, that Captain Frisco had donned a baseball cap, and personally drove one of the tenders to shore right after that announcement was made.  We're guessing he needed to see that everything was being done in the safest way.  By the time we lined up at the tender platform, he had come back to the ship. He must have been satisfied with the process.

Perhaps that warning was exaggerated, but there were plenty of helping hands or arms as we embarked the boat and got off at the concrete tender pier.  Not a problem that we could see.  It was not crowded at all in the tender area, which was fine with us. Henk was on hand to make sure the tendering was safe as could be, as he always does. 

Here's a tidbit of info about French Polynesia.  Did you know that French Polynesia's 117 islands are spread over a marine area the size of Europe?  That equates to 2.5 million square kilometers.  The total population is 280,000 with Papeete being the capital. The language is French or Polynesian.  Because of the great distance between islands, the language evolved quite differently.  Local dialect may not even be understood  among the diverse islanders separated by miles of open ocean.  Each of the five archipelagos that comprise French Polynesia offer a different adventure.  You can dive azure lagoons, relax at luxury resorts, hike the steep mountains, see the waterfalls or take in the views of the lush valleys.  The aroma of the tiare flowers and frangipani blossoms fill the air no matter where you visit.

Nuku Hiva is one of the Marquesas Islands, the furthest away from the other archipelagos.  It can be described as an island of snaggle-toothed volcanic peaks covered with brush and native trees.  And did you know that that this island is the largest of the 117 French Polynesian islands?  Even bigger than Tahiti.  Even to this day, it is common to see many natives wearing their tribal tattoos, including some of the ladies.  The capital is more of a large village, and easily walked from end to end.  That's exactly what we did today, like we just did back in November.  Packing the umbrellas insured us that it would not rain until later in the afternoon.

Despite the clouds passing overhead, it was most warm and humid.  So we took our time, and walked all the way to the end of the road, and went right for the Le  Nuku Hiva Pearl Resort.  By now it was close to 11:30am, and the thought of sipping ice cold beers kept us going.  We had passed the several local stores, cafes, and a bank.  The high school grounds were full of kids getting ready for their lunch break.  The crowd of cruise ship passengers thinned out dramatically at this point.  The most sought-after icon to visit was the Cathedral, which was about at the halfway point.  We decided to stop on our way back.

One thing we noticed was how much greener the area looked compared to last November.  At that time, the shoreline trees had lost many of their leaves, and the grass was brown.  An effort had been made to water the grassy areas with hoses.  These were missing today, and mother nature was taking on the chore of keeping the grounds damp.  Many trees were blooming yellow blossoms and the flamboyant trees were full of red flowers.  Bougainvillea was brilliant with several shades of blooms.

It took a few extra minutes to summit the road up to the hotel, as it is steep.  But it was worth the climb to be seated on their newly-stained spacious patio, and take in the views of the bay and the boats in the water below.  Our ship was anchored a bit further away today, perhaps due to the tidal changes.  We would stay here until 10:30pm, which is the latest we have ever left.

What happened next made our day.  We headed for the table we always use, and when the waitress came over, she instantly recognized us from our last visit in November.  She gave us a resounding welcome back, surprising us that she remembered our last visit.  We placed our order then started with two ice cold Hinano beers.  Boy those went down easy.  You never realize how dehydrated you can get in this tropical heat.  They were so good, we ordered two more….medicinal purposes, right?  Served with the beverages were fresh hot French bread rolls with butter.  Offered a choice of two types of bread, she gave us each two rolls.

Our lunch consisted of a shared chicken club sandwich with a side order of fries.  Our waitress gave each of us a basket of fries with our sandwich, then followed with a shared dessert of a chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream on the side.  It was difficult tearing ourselves away from this setting, but we had a long walk to get back to the ship. 

By now, the patio began filling up with guests, and among them were friends Peg and Rich, frequent repeat world cruise travelers like us.  Finally, we had some time to visit with them since we were all sent home almost three years ago due to Covid.  Nice to see them back, they admitted to coming to this hotel because of reading the blog.  They had done an independent tour and had their driver drop them off up here.  Like us, they walked back to the ship.

On our way back, we took the time to hike up to see the Cathedral, even though we did that last year.  This time the school kids were out, and playing around the church grounds.  It appeared to be a big deal with them if we said hello as they ran by us.  We did make several short stops to cool off in the shade along the way, and that got us back to the pier by 3pm.   Thank goodness there were crew members handing out either ice water or lemonade before we boarded the boat back to the ship.  We had brought water with us, but every single drop was gone.  The ride back was quick, and once again, there were many helping hands at the tender landing getting us back onboard safely.  Once we got back in our room, we never left until dinnertime.  Passing showers began close to 4pm, and continued off and on until dark.

Dinnertime found our group all present, everyone with a different story for the day's activities.  Barb and Susie had planned on going to shore together, while Woody would hold down the fort.  However, when it was announced that the conditions at the pier landing were dicey, they changed their minds and stayed onboard.  Too bad….they could have done it easily.  Greg and Heo had never stopped in Nuku Hiva before, and did get off making it as far as the Cathedral before deciding to turn around and go back to the produce market.  They even bought a few of the local pineapples and brought some to dinner to share.  They were as sweet and tasty as Ian had mentioned in his port talk.  Right before joining our table, the guys made a visit to the already started "Glamp-Out", a new special event held in the Lido pool area.  Based on the new idea of glamorous camping, the experience offered snacks like cut-up hot dogs and Pringles (for sale) for starters.  Many other snacks and desserts were available while the Band played music and lecturer Andy Fletcher gave short campfire talks poolside.    A canoe had been put in the pool as well.  This event lasted until 10pm. The rest of our tablemates, including us called it a night, but not before we finished our meals of crispy spring rolls, salads, a complete turkey dinner, and one salmon plate.  The sliced pineapple complimented everyone's desserts.

The Zuiderdam left the bay silently around 10:30pm, then headed towards Tahiti, our next port of call in two days.  We are happy to have two sea days to rest up.

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report #19 Tuesday January 17, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Nuka Hiva Sunny And Warmer 85 Degrees

Around 9am, during our breakfast service, Captain Friso made a swoop through the upper dining room to pay those of us there a quick visit.  He is quite often seen in the Lido as well during lunch time doing the same thing….visiting, then eating his lunch.  We shared a few "remember when" moments from several years ago, when he was Staff Captain.  One of those times was a stop at Easter Island, when one of the tenderboats and a platform were badly damaged.  Captain Friso literally rode the damaged platform back to the ship while being towed by one of the other boats.  He remembered it well.  So did we, because we had to crawl out of the shattered front window of the tenderboat to get onshore.  These incidents do not happen often, but when they do, the memory lasts forever.

The biggest news of the day was Ian announcing there had been another theft in the Crow's Nest this time.  Missing now?  One of the majong games.  He politely requested for the game to be returned soon, and from here on out, and no games were to leave the room.  Lastly, he said there were no more French Polynesian Francs available at the front desk.  We have never purchased these francs because the US dollar is widely accepted in most places.  And most credit cards are gladly accepted where you might getter a much better exchange rate. 

After our warm walk outside, we passed through the Shops where a large plastic-like world map was on display.  In a box next to the map were other smaller world maps, but not the same as the bigger one.  They had a kid's map, one with animals of each continent, and one that was for coloring with crayons.  None of them had a price tag.  So we asked the sales person, and he came back and said they were over $40.  And the one that was on display was not in stock.  Sort of the same story as the GWV t-shirts…….out of stock and we do not know when more will arrive.

Just as we rounded the corner, we came across Carol, the all-time favorite watercolor instructor from many world cruises.  As we mentioned before, she and her friend, Siri, are on this cruise as passengers, and enjoying every minute of it.  Anyway, we overheard Carol asking the sales person where the scotch tape was, and he pointed to the watch section.  Hmmm, did not know they sold scotch tape.  Of course, we had heard wrong….she was looking for the scotch tasting in the watch shop.  Big difference.  As one of us likes scotch, she invited us to join her even if it was only 11 am.  And she insisted that the old saying that it's 5 o'clock somewhere applied here.  We might have been tempted, but the meager tasting was straight up without ice.  A bit too strong and too early.  But we did have a really nice visit with her as she shared some tales of her travels.  Looking forward to more visits with her.

The usual day at sea itinerary was in full swing today, although we think some folks are getting antsy to walk on solid land.  Good thing tomorrow we will be able to do just that.  Every guest has been given the information on how the tendering service will work.  For those of us that are President's Club, Neptune and Pinnacle suites, and Club Orange, our tendering will be as simple as showing our room cards to the "guard" going down to the platform.  There is no need to collect tender tickets.  We have no desire to be the first ones off of the ship, because we will have plenty of time to roam the island.  For the first time ever, we will be in Taiohae until 10:30pm.  Not sure why since there is virtually no nightlife there.  Maybe it has something to do with tides.

We were all present at dinner tonight.  Greg and Heo had gone to Canaletto one evening, then to the pop-up Sel de Mer last night.  They enjoyed both venues, although not every item was to their liking.  They are true "foodies" and shared some photos of their various courses.  The menu in the dining room tonight was much to our liking.  The fish entrée was snapper and reportedly excellent.  The chicken parmigiana with spaghetti was equally as good. 

Bill & Mary Ann

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