Report #5 January 5, 2025 Sunday Sea Day Enroute To Grand Caymen In The Caymen Islands Sunny With Some Clouds 75 Degrees Low Swell----Casual Dress

A funny thing happened on our way to our first Pinnacle Grill breakfast at 7:30am this morning.  The  young greeter was someone new to us, and upon asking our room number, she announced that we could not dine in here, but were welcomed to go to the main dining room or Lido.  The Pinnacle Grill was for the Neptune folks.   Oh….we don't think so.   We had to inform her that we were President's Club members and have the choice of having breakfast here.  This is something she should have known from the start of this world voyage.   Tina, the manager, would have been horrified if she had heard this.  There would be more from our group coming, so someone better inform her that she needed a more appropriate greeting.  We laughed it off, and when Tina saw us, she said go and sit at your regular table.   Our meal was very good with plenty of hot coffee.  Fresh-squeezed orange juice, Greek yogurt, fresh berries, and French toast with bacon gave us energy for the rest of the morning.   Good way to start the day.

 

Then another funny thing happened when a couple were seated behind us at the window.  The lady looked at the two chairs, then asked which way the ship was going.  Really?  Tina stifled a chuckle, then added that forward was this way.  So the lady changed seats with her husband because she could not sit facing backwards.  Maybe it was a problem with motion, who knows?  But there is a first time for everything.

 

Most of the morning, we finished the job of unpacking and organizing the room.  With the portable dressers, that added twelve drawers.   Stashing all of the small stuff in two hanging shoe bags (medium and large sizes) took care of everyday items that can be found in a jiffy.  These were hung from the ceiling against the wall with strong magnetic hooks.  Command hooks went up here and there for a clock and calendar, then all 9 of the suitcases (mostly duffels) fit under the bed. 

 

We noticed that the temperature of the room was heating up, even with the thermostat as low as it could go.  Then we had a visit from one of technicians who was checking the vents and changing the filters.  He did make some adjustments, and the room finally cooled down a little.  

 

Time for lunch, we had our salads and custom-made sandwiches which were very good and fresh.  We also took time to stretch our legs and go for a walk on the promenade deck.  It was surprising to see how few people were using the teak lounges.  We mean like 8 folks total.   The weather was comfortable and not too warm yet.  In fact, Captain Friso mentioned that if we had been arriving to Grand Cayman today, our next port, we would not have made in there on the tenders.  He said the winds were very bad, but tomorrow, it should be fine.  On past cruises, we have had this port cancelled at the last minute, so that would not surprise us.  Hopefully not…..

 

Today at 4pm, there was a Block Party where all the guests were invited to bring their wine glasses out in the hallways and meet the neighbors.   At the sound of the ship's horn, we all gathered in the elevator lobbies and chatted while waiting for some officers to pass by with their greetings.  Canopies were offered while Henk, the Hotel Director and wife Christel breezed on by, stopping for quick hugs.  It lasted for about an hour, then we all went back home to relax or perhaps catch a quick nap.  Good fun.

 

Dinner snuck up on us again, so we were off by 7:30pm or so.  There seemed to be more people in the upper dining room this evening.  Asep, our Assistant Maitre'd said there were about 1250 passengers onboard to Sydney.  Then we will lose a few hundred on the following segment.    The lowest number will be sailing Transatlantic where our numbers will be below 1000 guests.  We predict that a number of Europeans will get a good deal on that last leg if they are using the Zuiderdam for "crossing the pond" to America. 

 

Our meal was good.   Nothing fancy, but we had starters of a shrimp cocktail, arancini, salad, and a bowl of chicken-chorizo soup.   Mains for us were a pork belly dish and meatballs and spaghetti. Dessert was a small serving of cinnamon rice pudding and a plate of sweet  sliced pineapple.   Another amusing moment was when an elderly lady decided to join two friends at a table for two.  She pulled a chair over and blocked the aisle.  Really?  People we knew were on their way out, but could not get around her or the pole that blocked the way out.  Her friends told her to bring the chair back, and they would all leave for the elevator lobby.   Yep, that solved that problem.

 

The entertainment was an impressionist by the name of Tyler Bryce billed as one man, one voice.  His show consisted of winning comedy,  singing, and dozens of celebrity impressions.  We seldom finish dinner by 9pm, so we miss most of the entertainment.  But that's our choice.

 

Looking forward to our visit to Georgetown, Grand Cayman.  It has been a while since we have been there.  Maybe we will get lucky and find a good place for pizza…..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #4 January 4, 2025 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Embarkation Day On The Zuiderdam Docked At Pier 26 Port Side To Dock Left At 7pm Clear And Cooler Today-----Casual Dress

What a day it turned out to be.  Exciting, but exhausting for sure.  The weather was in our favor with cooler temps but clear skies.  Going out for breakfast at our favorite Joe's Café, it was a bit nippy.  Boy, the coffee tasted better than ever.  The restaurant was really full by 8am, and it was then we remembered there were seven ships in Port Everglades today.  Two of them were Celebrity, two more were Princess, and two more again were Holland America. The odd one left was a Disney ship….one of their newest ones. 

 

The plan for today was to bring our one suitcase down to the lobby by 9:30am.  We stuffed it with as much as we could, making our hand-carries a bit lighter.   A bus was waiting for our group by 10:30am, and we were off to Pier 26 at Port Everglades.   This hotel is a great location since it is close to the port and full of stores and eateries.  We highly recommend staying here before or after a cruise.

 

Once at the entrance to the terminal, we all pointed out our suitcases, then the porters took them away.  We would see them later.  Unless for some reason, they did not pass the xray scan.  Sometimes that happens with all of the baggage if you happened to pack some things that are not allowed.  Rules change all of the time, so it is best to read the details before hand.

 

We entered the door marked for priority boarding, although our boarding passes were not checked.  No one had to fill out a health form like we used to.  The first step was passing through the xray station.  One of us with a new knee most always gets stopped for closer scanning.   Today was no different.  It took one minute, and by then all of our things were through the scan. 

 

The next stop was at a camera station for facial recognition, passport check, and boarding pass scan.  We had been asked to have copies of our passport pages, and yes, we did, but they were in a folder in another bag.  So they made copies right there,  and kept them.  And that was it.  We did not have to go to the desk for anything else.  The room keys would be in our mail slot.  And if we were lucky,  both of the key cards would work (sometimes they do not).   Boarding began at 11:30am sharp and the top groups were called.  That would be President's Club members and Neptune folks.  Our official greeters were Kimberly, the cruise director, Henk, our hotel director, and Captain Friso, who will be our driver for half of this cruise.   We were into our room before noontime.  Easy.

 

We are in a Signature Suite once again this year, but not quite as spacious as the one we had last year.  That room was one that had an angle window with a smaller veranda, but a little more space in the room.  We were still able to fit three sets of portable drawers in the room, which will work out quite well.   We met our room steward, Nana, who seemed pleased to have us.  He took care of most all of the details and requests we had made previously.  The room was filled with gifts of sparkling wine, sodas, trays of canapies, and flyers with our perks that are tied to this suite and our Mariner status.  One nice perk this year was getting complimentary internet (Surf package).  We instantly signed up and paid a bit extra for the Premium plan. 

 

We were able to stash most of the things we had in our hand-carries, but had to wait until the rest of the luggage arrived.  Upon arrival, we had a "Today's to do list", which laid out the time for the emergency muster station drill starting at 2:30 to 3:30pm.  Not everyone complies with this order, because we always hear repeated pleas for all to attend.  Then we had to watch the safety video on our TV from beginning to end.  Then regular programming would resume. 

 

There were instructions on etiquette and dress for a Grand World Voyage, and how to install the Navigator app on your phone.   Except for us….we don't own one.  There was a place for internet questions and one for dining options.  But first and foremost, there was the strong warning about hand washing stations and sanitizers around the ship.  In other words, use them often.  And report any illnesses to the medical staff. 

 

We had no time for any activities with the exception of enjoying almost bottomless flutes of sparkling wine in the Lido pool area while having a nice conversation with one of our travel agency's owner.   We only had time for a quick hello last night at dinner, so this was perfect to catch up on news.  Then we went off to the Lido for a refreshing salad and one slice of pizza.  By the time we got back to the room, all of our luggage had been delivered.

 

The rest of the day was used to unpack to the point we could see the bed again.    The other ships left one after the other, leaving us behind.  It is not often that we leave on time, but today we did…..right after 7pm.  We watched the sail away from or veranda.  For a change, passing by the highrise apartments, there was not a cheer or a horn to be heard.   The ship headed out to sea, and we headed for dinner.

 

There was no problem with getting our table at the railing at the late seating.  We ran right into Asep, the Assistant Maitre'd, who we have known for years.  The last time we sailed together was in 2020, when the cruises were halted due to Covid and we were all sent home.  It has been five years already.  Anyway, we met our new waiters and enjoyed a dinner of Caesar salad, shrimp cocktails, and pork tenderloins…..all served in a timely manner.  Usually we don't have dessert, but there was room for a scoop of ice cream and a lemon tart.  No coffee, since we want to sleep really good tonight.

 

The show tonight in the World Stage was a preview of the voyage presented by Kimberly.  She does a great job with these presentations, and it will be repeated tomorrow at 11am for those who miss it tonight.  

 

So much for day one……

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #3 January 3, 2025 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Day #3 Meet And Greet With Travel Group And Dinner Clear And Sunny 75 Degrees Part #1 Of 1.......23 Pictures

Our third day in Ft. Lauderdale began much the same as yesterday.  Breakfast at the nearby café began the morning.  Something we had missed yesterday was the sign  on the door which stated that due to an egg shortage, each egg would have a 50 cent surcharge.  When the supply comes back to normal, the charge will be dropped.    Now that's a first.

 

After breakfast, we crossed the street and made a sweep through Ross, one of the most crowded stores at this time of day.   It appeared that some crew members from a ship were on a buying spree.  They seem to know the best places to get good deals.  One of us found a very nice reversible belt, also a great price.  Then it was on to the Dollar Store.  You can never have enough thank you cards, and this is the place to find them.  Also, we needed a small sewing kit to fix a few things that fell apart since leaving home.  One of us has at least 50 of these little kits at home, but not one in any of our bags.   It took a lot of searching, but we found one.  Good thing, because later in the day as we were packing, one of the zippers broke on our duffel bag.   It was fixed with using dental floss, which sure comes in handy for many quick fixes.   Luckily, the sewing kit had some big-eye needles. 

 

On our way back to our room, we came across our reps from our travel agency.  Their table was set up near one of the convention rooms, just like they always are.  It was great catching up with them, and also receiving the gifts they hand out.  We were handed two nice travel bags, luggage tags, and the neatest water bottles with a holder that can be worn with a shoulder strap or on a belt.  There is room for a camera or anything else small you might need.  Instructions were given for bringing down our one suitcase to be delivered in a van straight to the ship tomorrow.  This evening there would be a special dinner at the Boatyard, a short walk from the hotel.  We needed to meet the group at 5:15pm.  Tomorrow we will be driven by buses to the ship around 10:30am.  Easy….

 

We hung out in the room watching the news, then headed back to Duffy's for a light lunch.    Sharing a chicken salad was just right, and having the 22 ounce beers was even better.  It was far quieter today without all of the football games.  There are big screen TV's every square inch in this restaurant…..each one showing something different.

 

The time for dinner came quickly and we made our way to the lobby to meet with our group.   We guess there were about 60 of us, some of whom we know, some we do not.    It took 2 minutes to walk to the Boatyard, where we were escorted to the back room facing the canal with the boats.  We sat with Ellen and Aart, Ruth and Al, and Lynn, one of the best travel agents, who we have known for many years.  Cocktails or wine were served, and as much as we wished.

 

The menu was four courses starting with a family-style tomato and mozzarella salad with roasted peppers and balsamic dressing.  Crisp calamari with zucchini and lemon aioli was also served.  The second course was a tasty Caesar salad, followed by mains of either a NY strip, pan roasted salmon, or B&E chicken (we were told it is a brand name).  The serving sizes were ample.  But there was more.  Desserts were a choice of Key lime pie or apple crostada with vanilla ice cream.  Coffee was offered, but we were all filled to the brim. 

 

Saying our good byes to some friends that will be going on the Pole To Pole GWV, we left the restaurant around 8:30pm.   Thanking our hosts, who will be returning tomorrow morning, we made our way back to our room, and hopefully a restful night.  Tomorrow will be a l-o-n-g day, and we all agreed we needed our sleep.

 

Until then,

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #2 January 2, 2025 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Clear And Sunny Pleasant Breeze 75 Degrees Part#1 Of 2.......55 Pictures Of 95 Pictures

Our day in Ft. Lauderdale was a good one.  We slept pretty well last night and woke up at a decent time….about 7am Eastern time.  It turned out to be a perfect day for walking due to the perfect weather of not-too-warm or humid temps with a pleasant, almost cool breeze. 

 

We headed off for breakfast at our favorite café, about a 15 minute walk from the hotel.  Nothing has changed there, even the lady mannequins that occupy the first booth by the entrance.   Very amusing.  The place was decked out for the holidays and already filled with customers.  Some of them may have been cruisers who will be boarding the Celebrity Eclipse which arrived in Port Everglades this morning.    Many of them were families with young kids.  We did not see any other cruise ships there, but we expect by Saturday, many more will be docked for their 7 to 10 day trips in the Caribbean.   And of course, the Zuiderdam will be there for the official start of the Grand World Voyage. 

 

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Ace Hardware for a few things and made a run through Publix for some salsa and cheese dips for our room.  Also, we got some Snyder's pretzels and tortilla chips…..something we may not be able to locate easily after leaving here. 

 

We saw friends Ellen and Aart when they stopped their taxi briefly on their way to the Apple store.  Then we ran right into Martha and Bob, also on their way out of the hotel to make needed purchases.    So nice to see them all. 

 

Our room had not been cleaned yet, but we knew the worker was close by.  So we left for what was supposed to be a short walk up and over the 17^th Street Bridge.  One of us always falls for the promise that the walk might be shorter, but then we eventually go further because we can.  The fun part was arriving at the center of this bridge when the bells go off and we can watch the bridge traffic shut down.  Although we have witnessed this draw bridge going up, then down many times, it is always thrilling to view close-up.  The traffic probably does not agree, because it is an annoyance for them, but good for the boats, sailboats, and yachts that pass under the bridge.   This seems to occur on the top and bottom of the hour.

 

We like to go on the hunt for the usually numerous sightings of the iguanas.  Today we saw none, until we spotted one huge leaping lizard.  No kidding, it must have been over 4 feet long and running like a dog.  We caught a few pictures as it came running towards us, then suddenly turned left and disappeared into a grove of banyan trees.   Never to be seen again, thank goodness.  Never ever knew they could run like that.

 

So we continued hiking towards the Ft. Lauderdale Beach, mostly because we were in need of something cold to drink.   With the cooler temperatures today, the beach area was not as crowded as it usually is.  Not so for the restaurants and cafes along the way.  We went to Bubba Gump's hoping to order cheese nachos and sodas.  Well there were no nachos on the menu, so we split a fried chicken sandwich with fries.  The bad news was that it took like forever to be served.  The explanation by the bartender who waited on us was that only two servers showed up for work today.  Funny thing was that last year on the same day, the identical thing happened.  What are the odds with that?  Most all of their customers were dining outside, and the interior was empty except for the bar area.   If this is a normal occurrence, then we don't expect this chain to be around much longer.  Many of their restaurants have closed.  The younger crowd probably doesn't even know who Bubba Gump was, let alone ever watched the movie. 

 

We had a repeat performance of the bridge raising on our way back, then stopped briefly at nearby Walgreens for some Coke Zeros.  Our "short" walk turned into almost a 5 hour hike.  The remainder of the afternoon we relaxed in our room catching up on news and our favorite episodes of Seinfeld and others. 

 

There was a neat sunset which we could see from our room, which reminded us it was time for dinner.    Not as hungry as last night, we headed back to Duffy's for a fun dinner of steak nachos and Stella beers.    So good and something we rarely do.  Adding a brownie, ice cream and whipped cream-topped dessert to share,  we were happy campers.  The walk took us only about 15 minutes at the most.  And so ended our first fun day in Florida.

 

Looking forward to tomorrow when the rest of our travel group will arrive.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #1 January 1, 2025 The Journey Begins Travelling From Northern California To Fort Lauderdale, Florida Clear And Sunny 34 Degrees To 78 Degrees

Happy New Year to all!!

 

Well, here we go again, on another Grand World Voyage.  It seems like we just got back from a long sailing, and yes, we did.  In September, we took three back-to-back cruises to Alaska and stayed onboard the Zaandam for the Tales of the South Pacific.  We had a mere 5 weeks to squeeze in several doctor and dentist appointments, getting the house and garden in shape, and factor in Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The time flew by as we enjoyed visits with the kids and grandkids, as well as good friends. 

 

The luggage service that Hal uses picked up our eight pieces of luggage on December 12^th.  That seems like a lot of stuff, but these days the bags have to be airline size and weight.  What fun we had weighing each piece over and over until we got it right.  One piece of advice to those folks that are considering a grand voyage…..don't wait until the last minute to pack.   With lists compiled over the years, we have it down pretty good.   And it still is stressful.  At this point in time, if we forgot anything….it's too bad.    And there is always the chance to pick up things along the way.   A nice touch, thanks to our travel agency, is the fact they offer a shopping service through Walgreens where we can order online, pay for it, then pick it up at our hotel before we board the ship.   Good idea for those who are afraid to pack liquids.

 

As always, we like to be in Ft. Lauderdale a few days early, so we left today, on New Year's Day at 4am.  Good timing because there was little traffic on the freeways as well as at the airport.   The drive only took a little over an hour.  Check-in was easy since we only checked one bag.   Going through the TSA check was different.  This time, we were advised by a very happy and loud airport agent that said to leave everything in the carry on luggage, computer bags, and purses.  Only kids over 12 years old and adults up to 75 had to remove their shoes.   It was disappointing not to be asked why we did not remove our shoes, assuming we looked over 75.  Drats! 

 

We had time for a leisurely breakfast before boarding the plane at 8am.  And this is a story in itself.  After booking this flight and the return one home in May, we attempted to upgrade our seats to first class by using frequent flyer miles.    Sounds simple, right?  Well, not so easy.  We were put on a wait list to use those miles, and were not informed until 24 hours prior to flying if we were successful.   Good friends who are in United's top echelon said this approach seldom works…even for them.  Despite being # 2 and 3 on that list, we did not get it.  The flight was totally booked.  So we learned that United will sell those first class seats before letting folks use their rewards.  Sure doesn't seem fair to us.  However, second best was booking Premium Plus, which was located near to first class with lots of leg space.   Passing the time by watching two movies and some old TV shows, we landed early in Ft. Lauderdale. 

 

Taxis were waiting outside the baggage area, and we were at the Renaissance Hotel near the cruise port within minutes.  Even at 5:30pm Eastern time, there was no line at the desk, and we were in our spacious room on the 10^th floor by 6pm.    Having shared a soda and two tiny bags of snacks on the plane, we were ready for dinner.    Salads and burgers were our treat tonight.  And two  22 ounce draft beers….something we have not enjoyed since our last cruise in the fall.   Back at the hotel, we stashed our things for a three day stay and hopefully, a good night's sleep. 

 

And the adventure begins…….

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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