Report #58 Friday February 28, 2025 Sea Day #2 Of 2 Enroute To Singapore, Singapore Mostly Cloudy With Some Sun Slight Seas 82 Degrees----Casual Dress

Day two at sea found it to be a very pleasant one with smooth seas, slightly windy, some sun, mostly cloudy and no rain.  The temperature was 84 degrees and humid, but not too bad.   Even the Captain agreed that it was a great day, but he has said that almost everyday since we left Ft. Lauderdale.    Besides the good weather, he said he was sad to leave in Singapore tomorrow , but on the other hand, he looks forward to going home and seeing family.   He expects an early arrival at 6am to Singapore tomorrow….it will still be dark.   No matter what time we arrive, the area will have a lot of ship activity as it is one of the busiest ports in the world.  As of noontime, we still had 360 nautical miles to go to Singapore and we were 1 degree below the Equator.    About 210 guests would be packing today to go home or wherever, and about that same amount will be joining. 

 

We used much of the day catching up with reports like we usually do.  While other folks are doing the activities, we always hope that it gives us a faster internet connection.  We still have to open our door to send the larger files, but it is not a big problem.  There is that curtain we can pull that blocks the view of the room, but we seldom do that.  

 

There was a port talk on Phuket, Thailand in the World Stage, which should be televised and shown later today on our TV.    We missed the talks on the Malaysian ports, so we tried to get it on our TV, and eventually, it worked.  Since Kimberly's voice was still giving her problems, Merge, the guest speaker, took her place and did a fine job.   We were disappointed to find that the ship is docking in a commercial port with a shuttle to the regular cruise terminal.  There will be no shuttle to the closet town of Klang like there used to be.  We recall the free shuttle went to the Aeon Mall.  

 

Other lectures by Merge dealt with street food in Singapore and Malaysia, which we would never do.   No way Jose.  War battles in Singapore was the subject of Mr. Quintrell, and Dr. Douglas spoke all about the ring of fire.    The movie Crazy Rich Asians was repeated in the World Stage at 3pm. 

 

There was a fresh fruit buffet in the Lido poolside ending at 2pm, but we missed it because 2:30pm is our lunchtime.   We did have an invitation for a group dinner in the Pinnacle Grill that was the alternate Canaletto Restaurant this evening.  It was hosted by our travel agent's hosts, but it began at 5pm…..way too early for us.  So we passed on it. 

 

We watched the sunset, which was not the best one tonight.  You just never know what to expect.  Dinnertime arrived quickly and we ordered one seafood spring roll, a bowl of tomato soup, and two different salads.   Mains were a lamb shank meal and one small serving of lasagna without the cheese sauce.   Desserts were a caramel peanut sundae and one small version of Baked Alaska.   We said our goodbyes to our assistant waiter, Komang, who will be going home tomorrow.    Who will replace him?  No one seems to know until tomorrow.  

 

There was a Chocolate Surprise in the World Stage at 7 to 8:30pm, but that is our exact dining time, so we missed that too.  Probably did us a favor as we do not need the extra calories.

 

Looking forward to our Singapore visit.  Hope we will be able to cover a lot of the city we always do.  A good night's sleep is in order…….

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

37 Pictures

Report #57 Thursday February 27, 2025 Sea Day #1 Of 2 Enroute To Singapore, Singapore Mostly Sunny With A Few Clouds Seas Are Flat 82 Degrees----Formal Dress

After a long day in port yesterday, it seemed that many folks slept in this morning.   Excursions can be exhausting especially when they exceed 8 hours.  Add the heat, humidity, and heavy rain showers and the day seems even longer.    So thank goodness for these days at sea to re-charge the batteries.

 

As for today, we had good weather with temperatures in the mid-80's and some humidity.  The seas were almost smooth and silky-looking without much of a breeze.  Captain Friso said today was a great day, as he usually does.  We were seeing some more ship traffic as well as fishing boats here and there.  He told us to expect more commercial vessels as we get closer to Singapore.  He continued to say that yesterday's visit to Bali did a lot to boost the morale of many of the crew members.  Captain Friso has only two more days with the Zuiderdam as he will be leaving for his vacation in Singapore.  That's when Captain Frank will arrive.  Chantall, the Captain's partner, will remain onboard as our cruise consultant until we reach Ft. Lauderdale on May 9^th. 

 

Our big job of the day was collecting our passports at the usual spot in the elevator lobby by 10:45am.  All of us will need to take our passports with us when we go ashore in Singapore.  Michelle, our concierge, kindly filled out our arrival and departure forms online and printed the results for us.  She has been a life-saver in regards to anything cell phone related.  

 

We worked on photos and reports from Komodo, then later Bali.    Then we took a lunch break as we always do in the Lido.  There were very few folks in there, so we expect that some are packing to go home.  We were told by Henk that about 212 passengers will be leaving and about the same amount will be embarking. 

 

At 4pm, we were invited to another Mariner Recognition Event held in the Crow's Nest.  Only the President's Club members were invited along with the recipients of the medallions.  Today there were very few people getting their awards, but it sure is nice for them to be recognized in a private affair such as this.  Cocktails or wine were served as well as very nice appetizers.  Too bad we had eaten lunch so late, because the pot stickers are one of our favorite treats.  Kimberly is finally back, although you can still hear the nasal twang when she speaks.  We might add that  this virus is still around, because we are being "squirted"  with sanitizer when we enter the dining room.  And now that new guests are arriving, the bug will probably start up again. 

 

This evening was "formal" the third one this month.  We were surprised to see a reminder in the Daily newsletter saying that formal dress was required for table service restaurants.  Then Kimberly made this same announcement prior to the dining times.  Apparently there have been some problems with the way some folks dress on these special evenings, or else they would not have to enforce it.   Secretly, we are glad to see them sticking to the rule.  There was even a sign showing this dress code as we entered the upper dining room.

 

So for dinner, we had shrimp cocktails, Caesar salads, and mains of lamb chops with sides of cannelloni beans and vegetables with a savory gravy.   Desserts were hot fudge sundaes, a treat for us on a formal evening.  Our assistant waiter, Komang, will be going home in Singapore, so we thanked him for all he has done to make our nightly meal a pleasant one. 

 

The theme of this evening was "music", so with that in mind, there was one performance in the World Stage with most of the ship's musicians on stage at 7:30pm.  Too bad that was our dining time.   After their combined performance, they would retreat to their normal lounges for the rest of the evening.

 

Another relaxing day at sea will be welcomed tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

52 Pictures

Report #56 Wednesday February 26, 2025 Benoa, Bali, Indonesia 10am-8pm Docked Starboard Side To Pier Hot, Humid And Heavy Afternoon Rain

The Zuiderdam arrived to Benoa Bay after breakfast early this morning.  We began seeing fishing boats, outrigger houseboats, and some commercial vessels while in the Pinnacle Grill.   The best spot for viewing the arrival at 9am was right from our veranda, although there was no doubt, it was going to be a very hot and humid day.  It just goes with the territory.   Even at this time of day, the closer we got to Benoa, the more activity we saw with numerous jet-ski riders, parachute rides, and what appeared to be dive or snorkel boats.  As we entered the opening to the bay, we saw many casual resorts with beaches and lots of people, including fishermen beginning their day.

 

Here are some quick facts about Bali.  Once again we were not able to get the port talk on our TV, so we turned to Google.    The population of Bali is 4.4 million people with the capital located at Denpasar, about 7 miles from where we were docked today.   This particular island is famous for travelers mostly for their white sand beaches, high end resorts, and a culture that is filled with sacred water temples and spectacular rice terraces.   Bali is as exotic as it gets in this part of the world.

 

There were some tours today ranging in times from 6 hours to 9 hours and costing from $110 to $210.  All but one offered lunch.  Some of the sites included the Tanah Lot Temple, Mt. Batur and Agung, the artist's cities of Ubud and Mas, and various temples, some of which had macaque monkeys.  The views of the rice terraces in the mountains can be stunning if there was no rain.  Many times we have been caught in sudden torrential downpours while in the mountains, but it remained dry on the coastline. 

 

We planned on spending the day onboard since we have done all of the tours numerous times.  Over the years, we have developed an "allergy" to bus rides, and except for shuttles, we avoid them as much as possible.    And today was a different type of visit, because so many of our crew members are from here.  Many family members and officials would be visiting the ship during the day.  A note was printed in the Daily newsletter explaining that most of the gatherings would take place away from the public areas, although we may see visitors on tour of the ship.  Out of respect for the passengers, they have tried to do this with the greatest discretion.   Then we were thanked for our understanding.   It was our pleasure seeing the many family members coming onboard during the day.   Many of our waiters and room stewards met family and friends in town as well.  They all looked quite happy.

 

The ship wasn't docked or cleared until well after 10am.  By then three gangways had been set up.  One was for the tour groups, one for the handicap folks, and another for the visitors.  Knowing there is always a barong dance on the pier, we went down to the promenade deck to watch the show.  A large tent had been put up to cover the gamelan orchestra along with four young Balinese dancers.  

 

The tour groups began trickling off then ran through the terminal to get the best seats on the bus.  The girls began their dance along with the music.  Usually there was a larger group, but this was fine.  Lots of folks stopped and posed with the dancers as they always do.   Shortly after the stampede erupted, an injured elderly lady was being brought back to the ship in a medical wheelchair.  She must have fallen we assume.  We stayed on the railing until 11am talking to some fellow passengers who were staying onboard like us as well. 

 

We headed back to our cool room, which was facing the bay today.  We worked on and off line most of the morning and early afternoon.  

 

The day  had begun mostly sunny when we arrived.  But as the day advanced, many clouds began to pass overhead.  We were sure that rain was on the way, but when, who knew?  So we took the time to go off of the ship at 12:30pm.  Once off the ship, we went into what we thought was the old terminal building.  It was here that our QR codes were scanned, the ones that Michelle, our go-to girl, had produced for us.   It was all that the local officials needed, since it had all of our visa info on it.  Without that QR code, we would not be allowed to leave the ship.

 

Anyway, this terminal had been completely remodeled since we were here in 2019.  All of the souvenir tables except for one were gone, and it was turned into a proper terminal for boarding passengers on cruise ships.  Sterile would be a better word to describe the interior.    Once out the door, we were faced with dozens of taxi drivers offering us tours or a ride to a mall.   They were all polite and were not aggressive at all.  We looked for the parking lot souvenir tents, but they were gone.  Instead, there was a beautiful outdoor pagoda with tiled floors and Bali decorations.  This is where the main market was located with everything from clothing to crafts and jewelry.  These folks were a bit more aggressive because we were about the only ones there.  Many of the passengers were still on their excursions, and would arrive later.    We were not intending to buy anything in the way of clothing, but we did end up with a pair of silver and abalone earrings and a crocheted purse for great prices.  In addition, the vendors were happy to take Australian dollars, not just US dollars. 

 

Some of the old tents were still there beyond the pagoda, and these folks were high-pressure.  It was so hot outside, we were the only ones there looking.  It was about then that we recalled their trick of putting things on your arms or in your hands, then they will not take it back.  Even if you did not want to buy it, they bargained deeply.  We couldn't get out there fast enough.  We did not attempt going outside the gates, since there was a warning in the newsletter about being careful with wallets and money in high traffic areas.  The warning included taking extra care with handbags, cameras, and other valuables like watches and jewelry.  If we had wanted to go to the closest mall, for instance,  it was a 20 to 30 minute taxi ride away from the pier.  Many people we know did just that.

 

By the time we went for our Lido lunch, it began to rain outside.  A light shower turned into a heavy storm that lasted most all afternoon.  Our timing had been just right by accident.  We had expected the Lido to be full of visitors, but there were only a few families with little kids.  They were the cutest ones and well-behaved.   We spent the remainder of the afternoon working online and watching the most airplanes we have ever seen landing all day long.    Sometimes they were only 5 minutes apart, and the airport was located pretty close to the cruise terminal.  These planes came down and right over the ship to land in Denpasar.  The activity in the bay was busy with water sports such as jet skies, parachute rides, and tour boats large and small.  In between this traffic were commercial vessels arriving to their docks too.   We had a police boat that appeared to keep some of the outrigger boats away from the ship.  At least we did not hear any begging kids like we did yesterday in Komodo.   By the way, we forgot to mention that in Komodo, some passengers were putting money in empty aluminum water bottles and tossing them to the kids in those boats.  It surprised us that no one came on the speakers to stop the guests from doing that. 

 

Another indication that we were not in "Kansas" anymore, was hearing the area's mosques sounding their chanting at least four times from sunrise to sunset.   Then the party vessels began their evening trips around 5:30pm.   There was singing and dancing, drinking and dining for two hours on one sailing ship that was lit up like a Christmas tree.  Looked like fun.

 

All aboard was 8pm, but by 8:20, there was a call for a missing passenger.  The ship did not leave the pier until 8:45pm.  Dinner for us was good with sesame chicken starters and Caesar salads.  Mains were one chicken dinner and a pork belly plate.  Ample servings, we had the small scoops of sherbet and ice cream once again. 

 

Back in our room, we watched as the Zuiderdam left  Benoa Bay in the dark of night.   It was still warm and not a breeze was blowing.  We will have two days at sea on the way to Singapore.  We will need to rest up for that marathon day for sure.

 

There was no live entertainment tonight.  Only a movie, Fly Me To The Moon, a new one dated 2024.  Doubt a whole lot of folks attended after a long hot day in Bali.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

239 Pictures

Report # 55 Tuesday February 25, 2025 Slawi Bay, Komodo Island, Indonesia 8am-4pm Anchored In Slawi Bay Mostly Cloudy Chance Of Showers And Hot And Humid 85 Degrees----Casual Dress

One of the world's largest lizards reside on Komodo Island as well as a few of the nearby islands.  And that is our port of call today – Komodo Island in Swali Bay, Indonesia.  This happens to be one port that no guest can go ashore without a tour….either with the shore excursions or an independent tour.   A few weeks ago, those folks who had pre-booked a tour here on their own had to produce proof of that tour, or they would not be allowed off of the ship.   It was written in our itinerary that this was a "service call" only, which really means without a tour, you would remain on the ship. 

 

An Indonesian visa was required for all guests, regardless if you went ashore or not.  Once again, these visa charges were non-negotiable.  The fee for US citizens was $60.  This will cover any other port we visit in Indonesia, which this time, it will be Bali.   An extra $10 charge was added for Bali and is called a tourist tax.   All of these fees would be applied to our shipboard accounts.  The good thing is that we did not have to apply for these visas before the cruise, and we are able to use some of our non-refundable shipboard credit to cover the charges.

 

The ship had to anchor in a bay close to the pier where the tenders dropped us off.   But before the anchorage was done, the Captain took a ride close to the island, giving us a view of the village nearby the Komodo National Park.  The last time we were here, all of the scenery was on the starboard.  We never realized a village with many buildings, a mosque, a hotel, and a marina were so close.  This may have been Kampung Komodo, a 30 minute boat ride from the park's pier.  It is described as a Bugis fishing village, unique to this remote area of the world.   One of us was awake early enough to snap some great photos of the sun hitting the gold dome of their mosque.  

 

So with all that in mind,  we decided at the last minute to book a tour today, even though we have been to Komodo several times in the past.  The only tour left was the Komodo Island Adventure described as strenuous for about 2 hours.   The cost was almost $120 per person, but it was another good way to use some of our shipboard credit again.    Tour descriptions crack us up as they over-emphasize the highlights of the excursion.  For example, it states that we will set out to search for the fierce Komodo dragon at a fenced area near Banunggulung.  Not sure what that was, but there was no fence and no lizard to be seen behind a fence.  We were promised an English-speaking guide and park rangers.  Well, our nice guide did speak English, but he was so quiet, most of us had a difficult time hearing him.   They kept the group size at about 20 people, but there were so many groups, we were back-to-back on the trails.  If a guide with another group happened to be louder (they all were louder), then that's all we could hear.  Since this was not our first time here, we did not say anything since we already knew the talks well.   Taking photos was more important for us.

 

To back up a bit, the tender boat ride over to the long pier was fairly quick.  And we had been warned that there were steep concrete stairs to climb out of the boat to get to the pier.  It was nice that there were many helping hands to haul us up those narrow stairs.    The pier seemed to go on forever to reach the shore and the  entrance to the park.   The pier was also filled with vendors, mostly young boys, selling trinkets and treasures.   This long stretch of the pier was also filled with folks coming back from the earlier excursions.   They looked like they had been through the mill with the heat and humidity and were on a run to get back to the ship. 

 

We were group # 28 and assembled near the park's map with all the information you needed to see the trails, the type of wildlife you could expect, and the park rules.  One thing stood out while scanning the sign and that was the actual price of the three types of trail tours you could pay for here.   The highest ticket price was 300,000 rupiah which computed to about $20 USD.  There were other groups here from nearby resorts, so we assume they had to pay for a ferry to come here, then pay the park fee.   Somehow we doubt that their price came anywhere close to $120.   Many years ago, we asked our then shore ex people why the price was so high.  We were told it was due to the fact they had to hire many extra rangers and guides than are usually there to accommodate our large numbers.  And the second excuse was insurance to cover our visit. Nothing has changed, and all of us were aware of the high price.   Of course, we did get a bottle of water, and the other groups did not.  Mighty expensive bottle of water…….. Oh well, we are here and we will make the best of it.

 

We no sooner began walking the trail, when a small lizard was spotted crossing a wooden bridge.  By small, we mean about three feet long and maybe three years old, according to our guide.  This young dragon was on its merry way away from the crowds we think.  Then out of the blue, a very large dragon was coming our way right down the narrow trail we were on.   The guide and rangers had us move to the side of the muddy trail, and let the creature pass by.  And we mean pass by very close – inches from our feet.  Park rangers were behind it with their forked sticks, keeping it going away from all of us.   These were the best photos of the day.

 

Continuing on, we watched for the wealth of gorgeous birdlife, as the tour said.  All we saw, but mostly heard, were some yellow-crested cockatoos way up in the canopy.   If there were other species of birds here, we did not see them.  Most times, these birds will not be active at this time of day.  One exception was a sea eagle we saw briefly when we got off of the tenderboat.   Other birds we may have seen were green imperial pigeons, large crows, sunbirds, friarbirds, orange-footed scrubs, dragoons, and orioles.   If they were there today, they were masters at hiding.  Other larger animals that survive here are wild boar and Timor deer – both food for the dragons.  Six years ago, we saw plenty of these animals, but today, not so much, at least on this island. 

 

One of the largest Komodo dragons we saw happened to be at the pond area, where it was being held for the tourists to see.  Truthfully, it looked dead, until it moved its clawed leg and turned its head.  So many guides were trying to get photos for their guests and more and more groups were arriving, we were surprised the creature stayed there that long without fleeing.   Our guess was that this dragon was well-fed yesterday, and it was not hungry.  One other time there were three dragons at this pond, and a younger dragon took off running right at our group.  One of the ladies in our group fell and was injured.  She happened to be our guest chef at the time, and was treated ASAP for her injuries.  Yes, she survived.    After everyone crowded in front of each other taking cell phone pictures, our group went off  to the side.  That made room for more tourists to circle the rather odorous and green slimy pond water.  We think our guide mentioned that the dragons do not come here to drink, but lay in wait for possibly a Timor deer to attack while it is drinking the water.  With their vicious bite, they inject deadly poisonous bactera into their victim, then track it as it gets sick and dies.  It takes time.  A ghastly image, but that is life on this island. 

 

From here we were led on a long trail through the canopy of trees and vines.  Our guide stopped every 10 minutes and gave a talk about something, while we kept an eye out for wild boar or bird sightings.    We did see more wildlife six years ago, but then we happened to be on an earlier tour that day.    Normally during the heat of the day, the animals and birds will lay low.

 

Eventually, we came upon a very muddy creek where we crossed a wooden bridge.  This dropped us off near park headquarters and a chance to use not-so-great restrooms.  When we realized the group would be waiting for folks to take their turn, we left and went on to the final stretch.  And as you might guess, that was the series of tents that housed tables of never-ending Komodo Island t-shirts, wood-carved dragons, and lots of Hong Kong-style jewelry.   It was all we could do to get from one end to the other  saying "no thanks"  since we already had most of these trinkets.  Once away from the food stalls and beach area, we left the park where the pier began.  Now we had the young boys selling stuff.   One fellow had single pearl necklaces which could pass for close to real.  We got a silver one for $10 AUD and he was happy.

 

The last time we were here, there were a dozen dragons roaming the beach.  Today there were none.

 

Getting on the tenderboat was slow-going since the steep and narrow concrete stairs looked even steeper on the way down.  Many crew members guided us safely to the boat.  It was going to be nice to be back onboard, but when we arrived at the ship's landing, it began to rain.  It must have been a passing shower which really felt good at this point. 

 

All aboard was 3:30pm, but we are certain most everyone was back well before that.  The Lido was very crowded with folks that appeared not to have eaten for days.  We were happy with a salad and sandwich, although they ran out of regular lettuce and only offered spinach.  Good thing we will be getting re-provisioned in Singapore.

 

While cooling off on our veranda, we saw herds of Timor deer on the beaches off a close-by island.  The terrain here would support a large number of deer, which in turn, become feed for the dragons. 

 

Our anchor was lifted by 4pm, and we were off toward Bali.  The sail away was scenic with the addition of several dolphin sightings.  It was finally cooling off a bit with a nice breeze on our veranda.  We would have hours and hours of photo-sorting and reports to do, but it would have to be later or tomorrow.

 

Dinnertime found the dining room full, despite the fact there was a craft burger and beer fest in the Lido.   Deck nine would still be hot, so the dining room was a better choice for most.  We had starters of a shrimp cocktail and a scallop dish.  Caesar salads preceded our mains of pork medallions and English roast beef with Yorkshire pudding.  Both were quite good.  Desserts were the usual – one scoop of vanilla ice cream and a lemon sherbet, better than their sorbet.

 

There was a pianist by the name of Sueli Tang, entertaining the guests with timeless hits from Abba, Queen and more. 

 

Tomorrow will be a very special day in Bali, especially for many of the crew members.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

353 Pictures

Report # 54 Monday February 24, 2025 Sea Day #2 Of 2 Enroute To Slawi Bay, Komodo Island, Indonesia Mostly Cloudy 3' Swell Chance Of A Shower 85 Degrees ----Casual Dress

Day two at sea found all of us enjoying a very good day with smooth seas, mild winds, and mostly cloudy skies.  It seems that the worst of the humidity has changed for the better.  That might be only temporary because we remember Indonesia being very warm and sticky.   During the afternoon, we sailed close to some large islands that may have belonged to Timor.  

 

So here is some information on the country of Indonesia.  It consists of 17,000 islands, but only 8000 of them are inhabited.  The total population is 255 million folks that speak 300 dialects of  Bahasa Indonesian.  The capital is Jakarta, and many of our crew come from these islands.  Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world, and is situated on the Equator for 5000 kilometers.   It is a land of so many cultures, animals, customs, flora, food and artworks, it may as well be 100 countries. 

 

Their number one food is rice with spices and fiery chilies…the hotter the better.   The Chinese, Portuguese, colonists and traders over the centuries have influenced the spices.

 

We only have two stops in Indonesia this cruise.  They are Slawi Bay, Komodo Island and one of the most exotic islands we have ever visited….Bali.  More about those stops to come.

 

Today while talking to our waiters and room stewards, we can feel their excitement about being so close to home.   Many of them will have family and friends visit them while we are in Bali.  But more about that in a few days.

 

Captain Friso had an "Ask the Captain – Q and A" in the World Stage this morning.   He has done this on every world cruise he has done the last few years, as most of the captains do on their ships.   At his noon time talk, he said he really enjoyed the session.  He added that today was a great day with favorable weather.  He hopes this stays the same as we get closer to Indonesia.  He is still concerned about the anchorage at Slawi Bay and the tendering procedures.  He is expecting cloudy skies and some showers. 

 

It was a lazy day for us with a promenade walk on an almost empty deck before our lunch time.  It was warm, but not that bad.  There must have been better things going on inside the ship such as National Tortilla Chip Day in the Lido.  Bet they served nachos…..  There was evidence of that appetizer with many tortilla chip crumbs all over the carpets.   And one thing worth mentioning is that the fresh fruit such as apples, bananas, and oranges are back in the Lido refrigerator.  They re-appeared the minute we left Darwin, Australia.

 

Merge, the guest speaker, did the port talk for Singapore, indicating that Kimberly is still not well.   She also delivered another lecture on Thai and Indonesian healing at 1pm.  Dr. Michael Douglas spoke about big lizards, while many guests went to see a movie "The Sunlit Night" in the World Stage….complete with bags of popcorn. 

 

It was a good time to make a sweep through the library and search for some books.  Now that the second segment is coming to an end, many folks are turning in their pocket books to the exchange-a-book section.  Good place to find something that is light reading. 

 

While we were getting ready for dinner, we watched as the sun was going down.  There were too many clouds for a good sunset, and when the sun reached the horizon, black clouds covered it completely.   It simply sizzled away.  What we did not expect was the sudden downpour we got around 9pm, when the skies must have opened up.  This is typical Equatorial weather as we remember it. 

 

Back to the dining room tonight, we had one Caesar salad, French onion soup, and spring rolls for appetizers.  Our mains were one thinly-pounded  deep-fried chicken with peri-peri sauce and one plate of cannelloni noodles stuffed with ricotta cheese and covered with a tangy tomato sauce.    All good, one of us had the sticky date pudding which is not pudding at all, but a muffin-like cupcake.  The waiter must have microwaved the date muffin because it was warm, but also crispy round the edges. 

 

There was a comedian, Jason Russell, in the World Stage this evening.  That was where to go to find out why cats are superior to dogs.  Never knew they were.

 

Tomorrow we will be dragon-hunting in Komodo.  As long as the dragons are not hunting us, we will be fine.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No Pictures

Report # 53 Sunday February 23, 2025 Sea Day #1 Of 2 Enroute To Slawi Bay, Komodo Island, Indonesia Mostly Sunny Calm Seas 85 Degrees----Casual Dress

A day at sea was appreciated by everyone after the heat and humidity of Darwin yesterday.  And being that it was a Sunday at sea, there was another brunch in the dining room from 9:30am to 12:30pm.  They are no longer taking reservations like they did in the beginning of the cruise. 

 

Kimberly is still under the weather, and Erika the entertainment director has been taking her place from the 9am coffee chat, the Bali talk with shore excursions Kimberly, and the afternoon time activities.  At 6:30pm, she hosts cocktails in the Rolling Stones Lounge, followed by announcing the evening shows in the World Stage.  

 

Captain Friso announced at noon that it was a beautiful day again, and we were lucky to have such smooth seas and pleasant temperatures.  He did predict some rain showers late this afternoon, but we never saw any.    We have over 500 nautical miles to arrive to Komodo Island where the Captain said there may be some challenges with the anchoring there.   It will be another tender port, but we don't recall any problems doing that in the past.  But then, we have never been there on this ship.

 

The World Stage was busy with three speakers and a good movie at 3pm – Crazy Rich Asians.  At least these activities gave the folks options to stay inside on these warm and humid days.  As for us, we were kept busy working on the pictures and research from yesterday's stay in Darwin.

 

We kept lunch light because we had a special dinner this evening in the Pinnacle Grill.  The invitation read:  On behalf of Beth Bodensteiner, the new President of Holland America Line, Captain Friso , Hotel Director, Henk, and Officers and Staff invite the President's Club Members to Pasar Malam Asia, a Singaporean Night Market-style Dinner at 6:30pm.   We did not have a clue to this type of cuisine, and all we were told was that it was Asian-inspired food.   We had to trust Tina that she remembered the shellfish allergy for one of us, and we would have asked, but she was not available this morning at breakfast.  We believe she was consulting with the chefs with tonight's menu.   We did some research by checking the Lido menu which was having the same event tonight.  Many of the starters and entrees were fish-related, so we think they will choose certain items for our group. 

 

And the list on our menu was long with no choices with appetizers or mains.  We were served the whole eight course meal.  We opted out of the wine offerings and ordered cocktails instead.  No problem.  We were seated at a table for seven which included friends Ellen and Aart, Don McD, with hosts of the Chief Engineer, Bart and his wife Darling.   We have had the pleasure of their company at the last cocktail party, so everyone was at ease at our table.  The first course was a combination of two starters by the name of Ngoh Hiang and Kerabu Bee Hoon Chicken Floss.  OK, now that is a tongue-twister and a complete mystery.  Good thing the ingredients were described as a deep fried roll with prawns, crab  meat, pork and water chestnuts well-seasoned.  Combined with that was a spicy sweet and sour vermicelli salad, colamansi ?, lemongrass, serundeng? with chopped peanuts.    One of us had the same appetizer minus the seafood.  The next course was a soup called prawn laksa with coconut broth, more vermicelli and boiled egg.  Mine came without the prawns.  The entrée was a sampler plate full of good favorites starting with Singaporean style noodles, one Asian-style braised beef short rib, a thyme coated salmon with rice, green beans, and red onions.  Everyone else had two chili shrimps, except me….I had deep fried cauliflower.    It worked out well and I never had to worry about the allergies, thanks to Tina.

 

Dessert was a trio of sorbets, most of which we could not identify the flavors.   All-in-all it was a fun evening with good tablemates and nice hosts.  Most of the night was a trip down memory lane sharing fun times over the years.  Captain Friso came by with Chantall to say good evening to us.  He will be leaving the ship in Singapore, and replaced by Frank, our alternate Captain.  

 

The singers and dancers were on the stage with "A Swing Thing", which most everyone missed the beginning.  Our meal did not end until 9:15pm and we were happy to call it a night.

 

And the clocks went back one hour tonight.  That's nice.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No Pictures

Report #52 Saturday February 22, 2025 Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia---7am-6pm Docked Port Side To Pier Sunny 78 Degrees At 9am----Casual Dress

Our port of call for today was Darwin, located in the Northern Territory of Australia.  The Zuiderdam arrived in the dark before 7am, and the ship was alongside (portside) and cleared by the local authorities by 8am.  We figured is has been 6 years since we were here last, and not much has changed since then. 

 

The line for the Pinnacle Grill was long this morning because many folks had booked tours late enough that they could squeeze in a fast meal.   So far, we have not missed a morning here for breakfast, and our waiter, Adi, has our starters of Greek yogurt, berries, sliced peaches, pineapple and bananas ready to go.  One waiter brings the orange juice (fresh-squeezed no less) and Carla or one of the fellows usually pours our coffee from a full steaming hot pot.    Yes, we are spoiled.

 

The gangway today was on deck two portside, so we got to watch as the guests trickled off.   Tours here today included  a town heritage walk for 2 hours at $60, but the other four excursions were out of town.  One was the defense of Darwin and WWII history for 4 hours and $100, while the jumping crocodile cruise was $160 for 5 hours.   The Territory Wildlife Park was 5 hours for $130, and finally Litchfield National Park was 8 hours for $190.  The one that took guests to Kakadu Park was not on the list this time.   And we have done them all over the years, but found Kakadu one of the most memorable due to the unbelievable excessive heat and flies that attacked everyone's mouths, noses, and ears.  At one point, we were only allowed outside the bus for a maximum of 10 minutes to see the cave drawings.  Our guide urged everyone to drink the bottled water when we re-boarded.  Our guides for the Litchfield trip were a kick.    The lady guide showed us how to eat sugar ants live as she plucked them off of her arm, and her husband had a fine time serving us the best cold beer they had in their cooler.  Good memories.  

 

There was a complimentary shuttle to take the folks up to the town with a drop-off at the information center in.  It was no  more than a 15 minute ride, but good for the people that might have a problem with the heat.  We have to mention that the temperature in Darwin was in the high 90's with a humidity factor to match.   It can be a lethal combination if you are not prepared for it. 

 

Around 9:30am, there was another crew drill that imitated a helicopter crash on the bow of the ship.  That was followed by an abandon ship order from the Captain.   We sure were glad this was only a drill and not for real.

 

We decided to walk from the Fort Hill Wharf at 10am taking the covered bulkhead wall walk, then crossing the lagoon to the Darwin Waterfront.  This condo-filled cove has a lagoon and aqua park, as well as a wavepool.  It is filled with dozens of restaurants and cafes with some boutiques and shops scattered in between the eateries.  Many of them would not open until 11:30am until 2:30pm for lunch.  Then they re-open for dinner later in the evening.   Six years ago, we had come across a nice restaurant that served pizza, but it looked like it was gone.  Nothing stays the same forever, does it?  

 

We wandered past the lagoon with its sandy shoreline and huge water bouncy toys for the kids.   Passing by about every restaurant on the way, we did see a possibility with an Italian Pizzeria which opened by 11:30am.  We found the elevator that took us up to the bridge that took us over to the downtown area of Darwin.   From here, a smaller elevator took us up to the top.  There was a flight of stairs, but we chose not to climb them in this heat.  This brought us out to the main street of Smith which was the start of the historical section of town. 

 

We passed by an old church next to Civic Park.  Across the street was a new construction site that was in the process of building the Northern Territory Art Gallery.  We passed by an old stone building called Brown's Mart, the Town Hall Ruins, and another old government building.  On the next corner, was the larger information center which was full of people that had arrived on the free shuttle. This used to be the former Reserve Bank of Australia.   This info center was filled with brochures and magazines from all of Australia.  They even had a desk where you could book independent tours in and out of town.  

 

"The Mall" was up the street that was closed off to traffic for a few blocks. Totally outdoors, it had the same look about it like it was built in the 50's.  There was a mall singer with a great voice, which most all Aussie's have.     At the very far end was a huge Woolworth's, the store with everything.   Since we did not need anything, we continued on to see St. Mary's Cathedral, which was re-built after WWII.  The interior was very impressive and constructed in a way that took whatever breeze there was into consideration.  The stained-glass windows were impressive.  And a private Catholic school was on the same property, although school was out for the summer. 

 

Following a better map we had picked up at the info center, we ended up going too far up Smith Street.  There were lots of things to see along the way such as the public housing for the Aboriginal folks where each apartment building had a mural of a cockatoo, a dragonfly, butterfly, and a sugar ant on the side.  A sign posted on the fencing stated no alcohol was allowed on the property. 

 

Passing another area of apartments, we watched a flock of little corella cockatoos gorging themselves in a backyard bird feeder.  Walking by, we scared them back into the surrounding trees.  Speaking of walking, very few local people walk in town, except for the outdoor mall where they can duck into cooled off shops and restaurants.  So when we reached the outskirts of the central business district, we were almost alone except for passing cars.  

 

In hindsight we should have turned on Daly  Street which led into the Botanic Gardens.  We ended up on Gilruth Avenue, taking us a few miles out of our way.  This brought us past the Mindil Beach Casino and Resort, a very nice property on Mindil Beach.  It looked familiar to us since it had been a stop on a tour many years ago.  Had we continued this way, we would have ended up at the Museum and Art Gallery.  At this point, we saw the street sign Gardens Road across the highway and the sign to the George Brown Botanical Garden.  This garden is a 2 ½ mile walk from the city info center.  It consists of 100 acres with 1500 plant species and displays of local culture and exhibits.  The mature trees along the roadside provided much-needed shade for our hike.

 

Although we did not have enough time or energy to explore the garden trails, we did stop at the café at the beginning of the garden entrance.   This small and quaint eatery was originally a Wesleyan Methodist Church in the old days.  They sell deli-type food and more important, they had an array of beverages.  We bought a bottle of water and a soda and sat on their covered patio under the canopy of trees.   Added fans helped cool the customers off.  There was also a clean set of restrooms here.

 

We knew we had to head back to town if we had any chance of returning to the Italian restaurant before closing time.  There was a good reason for the "heat advisory" warning printed on the front page of today's  The Daily.  We did remember the extreme heat of Darwin, and we had brought water with us.  It is never enough to keep one from over-heating.  The thought of life-saving beer and hopefully a pizza kept us going.

 

When we finally reached the mall, we knew we did not have much further to go.  So we went back down the elevators, turned right at the bottom, and found the Bravo! Pizza-Pasta-Wine Bar.  The doors were closed, but we did see a couple of customers dining at a window table.  It was 2:15pm, and the establishment closed at 2:30pm for the lunch service.  The waitress said if we placed our order, it would arrive before closing time.  More important, we could get the Great Northern Brewery draft beer right away.  We took a table for two and enjoyed every sip of the beer which was cold and refreshing.  Life-saving.  We ordered a Hawaiian pizza which was cooked to perfection.  The waitress/owner continued setting the tables for the dinner service, which almost wore us out watching her so busy.  We thanked the cook and her for allowing us to stay inside, although the doors were locked at exactly 2:30pm.  We did notice that a stack of pizza boxes were taken out for take-away delivery we assume. 

 

We still had Aussie money to spend, so we stopped at a gelateria stand, Trampoline, for a cup and a cone of Pokey-pokey ice cream, which sure sounded like Hokey Pokey ice cream we love in New Zealand.     It was close, but no banana.  It was missing the creamy vanilla bean ice cream, but did have the caramel and crunchy candy in it. 

 

By now, the lagoon was full of the locals enjoying what looked like very warm lagoon water.  We walked past the restaurants facing this lagoon.  They all had indoor and outdoor patio dining, but most of them were closed.  At the far end, we talked to a very cute waitress who said they used to serve pizza, but now it was only seasonal.    Their main entrees leaned towards seafood like oysters and mussels as well as sushi and sashimi. 

 

Back down the stairs brought us to the bridge across the lagoon and the walk back to the wharf.  The xray check was done before we boarded the ship.  It was so nice being back onboard with the air-conditioning.  Even at 4pm, it seemed hotter than earlier in the day.  It had been a marathon day for us, and we chilled out in our room until dinnertime.  We still needed more ice  water and sodas to cool off.

 

The sunset was a nice one, which we enjoyed after we set sail after 6pm.   Dinner followed with Caesar salads, a brie and shrimp appetizers, and one surprise entrée.  One of us had ordered the swordfish, but when it arrived, it was the veal meal.  Oh well, our waiters seem to have their minds set on the upcoming visit to Indonesia, so they don't always hear everything well.  The veal was good, and it was OK.  The other meal was lasagna with Bolognese sauce…..full of meat, it was filling.  One small scoop of vanilla ice cream finished the meal.  We were done for the day.

 

Now we will have two lay-low days at sea on our way to Komodo Island.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

335 Pictures

Report #51 Friday February 21, 2025 Sea Day #3 Of 3 Enroute To Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Overcast With Showers 84 Degrees Seas--Flat No Swell----Dressy Dress

Day three at sea found us waking up to thunder and lightning in the wee hours of the morning, but the worst of the rain was over.   The skies remained mostly cloudy, however, the day was not as dreary as the last couple of days.  Once again, the scenery was water-water-water everywhere we looked.   Gone are the islands, passing ships, and coastal views as we head towards Darwin. 

 

Our biggest job of the day was turning in our passports after 10am.  It was done the same as before with collection tables set up on each passenger deck.  The note we got stressed the fact that our passports will be kept safely locked away and they were taking the upmost care in safeguarding them.  We have never doubted that, but perhaps some folks are not so trusting.  And like before, we were handed a receipt to fill out and keep when we retrieve the passports whenever that occurs. 

 

Captain Friso reported that he was very happy with the conditions of the slight seas and less rain during his noontime talk.  There had been some confusing arrival times concerning our next port of Darwin, but it ended up that our arrival time will be 7am.  Not that it matters to us, because we never wish to go off that early anyway.   Been there…..done that with doing tours over the years.  We looked back to our last stop in Darwin, which was in March of 2019.  We took off on a "walkabout" as the Aussies say.  And we did cover a lot of territory around the city.  So as long as the temperature doesn't exceed 90 degrees or more, we will try to re-trace our steps. 

 

All the usual activities kept the guests busy.  There were three sessions of trivia  - always popular and a pool party was added at 2pm.   Not sure what that was about, we read that something took place not at the Lido Pool, but the Sea View Pool.   There was music to create a lively atmosphere as well as a $19.50 Pina Colada drink served in a fresh pineapple.  

 

Lecturers gave their talks  -  one at 11am with Rob Quintell speaking about WWII and Darwin's involvement.  The lecture at 1pm was delivered by Merge Gupta-Sunderji all about myths and legends of Indonesia.  We still wish these talks could be televised, but it does not happen anymore. 

 

We took two long walks today, and finally began to see some flying fish.  There was one bird that must be perched on the bow, since we only saw it briefly.   Other than that, there were no birds to be seen anywhere. 

 

Henk, the hotel manager, sent out a word about Kimberly, who has not been visible ever since we were in Cairns.  Henk said she is temporarily off duty due to a momentary vocal cord disfunction.  She sent out her thanks for all of the well-wishers hoping for her return soon.  In the meantime, the Entertainment Director, Erika, has been taking her place. 

 

Dinner was "dressy" although only for some folks.  The pattern seems to be when the weather turns warm and humid, less and less guests feel like dressing up.  Especially the fellows that wear a jacket or a suit.  One thing really has been apparent is the air-conditioning distribution.  We noticed that our room on deck six was getting warmer all day.  But at 7pm, it was almost 78 degrees.  Good thing we have a tower fan….it really helps.  Going down to deck three, we always pass through the Ocean Bar and Photo department.  Tonight these areas were quite cool.    The dining room was also comfortable.  It seems that when the ship is in these hotter and humid areas of the world, it really puts stress on the system.

 

And the evening ended about the same way it began…..with thunder and lightning flashing in the dining room.  There were some people walking outside, so we think there wasn't any rain.  That might be a good thing if there was rain because it tends to cool the air down.  The lightning storm continued through the night.

 

Anyway, our meals were identical from the Caesar salads to the prime rib entrée.  The meat was served pink (not rare) and it was tender and tasty.  Both of us ordered the Boshe Ball, the Dutch version of a chocolate éclair.    We were just about ready to leave the room, when we noticed that a guest went down by their table.  The medical staff arrived quickly and were in the process of treating this person.  We sure hope they are OK.   That led to some stories from our waiter Kadek who told us about a few times he had to use the Heimlich maneuver for choking guests.    Guess this happens more often than we know. 

 

The entertainment this evening was a return of the Foenander Brothers with songs they love to sing.   We are sure the guests love to hear them.

 

Hope we have a good day in Darwin and it isn't too hot.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No Pictures

Report #50 Thursday February 20, 2025 Sea Day #2 Of 3 Enroute To Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Overcast With Showers 82 Degrees Seas--Flat No Swell----Casual Dress

Day two at sea brought more rain along with thunder and lightning throughout the night.   The lightning lit up our room like a Christmas tree, even with the curtains mostly closed.  The thunder was explosive at times.  That is exciting to us since we don't get these types of storms where we live.  And thank goodness for that, or else there would be more wildfires in Northern California.   Lord knows, we have had enough of those to last several lifetimes.

 

Early morning breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill may as well have been dinnertime since it was so dark outside with all of the clouds.  Even the usual group of early birds did not show up until later like at 8:30am.  Some of them looked annoyed because their tables were occupied.   However, it is first- come, first -served basis. 

 

Most of the entire day remained dreary with constant rain showers.  The scenery of the reef and cruising the Far North Region as well as the Torres Strait was no different than being out at sea.  It was many shades of gray including the water and the skies.  There were no ships passing either.    It could have been worse if the swells were deeper and the seas were rolling.

 

According to Captain Friso, it was another beautiful day.  He must have been referring to the slight sea state, mild winds, and pleasant temperatures.  He apologized for the liquid sunshine and hoped it would improve as the day advanced.    No such luck…..  We have 600 nautical miles to reach Darwin on February 22^nd.   

 

After a light Lido lunch,  we tried our TV to see if the port talks were working for Darwin.   Lo and behold, the talk came through finally.  Except Kimberly was not the lecturer, because she is still under the weather.   Erika and another Kimberly from shore excursions took her place.  She was also missing at the coffee chat at 9am and no one took her place.   Hope she gets better soon.

 

We watched a really good movie before dinner, Billy Elliott.  It is not a new movie (most of the movies are far from new), but it was well worth watching again.  By 6pm, the rain let up and the clouds began breaking up on the horizon.  It felt good to go down to the promenade deck and get some miles in.  It was soaking wet, but not crowded at all. 

 

Dinner started off with our everyday regulars of shrimp cocktails and Caesar salads.  Mains were one chicken Kiev with risi bisi on the side.  We have had that before, but forgot what it was.  It turned out to be a creamy rice mixed with peas.  The other entrée was lamb osso buco with a creamy polenta and mini zucchini.    One dessert of a berry meringue torte finished the meal nicely. 

 

Entertainment in the World Stage was a vocal group called The Tap Pack, a play on the words…..The Rat Pack.   The music took us back to Sinatra and Dean Martin and their sidekicks up to modern day Bublé and Beyonce.    

 

And we happen to be in one of those unusual places in the world where the clocks go back ½ hour tonight .  That puts us on the correct time for Darwin, and sadly, our last stop in Australia.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

No Pictures

Report #49 Wednesday February 19, 2025 Sea Day #1 Of 3 Enroute To Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Overcast With Showers 82 Degrees Seas--Flat No Swell ----Casual Dress

Today starts a three-day sailing dubbed the "Great Barrier Reef Experience".   What does that mean exactly?  It turns out to be much different than you would expect by that description.  The plan was cruising only in the Ribbon Reef Region and the Great Barrier Reef, weather permitting and subject to marine conditions.

 

We woke up to very heavily overcast skies, but we did have a series of islands or mainland on our port side as we sailed north during the day.  During his noon talk, the Captain mentioned that we were in a shipping channel, well-marked by tall buoys.  The different shades of the surrounding seas were due to the depth of the water.  If the sun had been out, we would have appreciated the variations even more.  The most striking colors we saw today were from the passing commercial vessels that were headed south.  There were many rain clouds on the horizon which did help cool the air off.  It was still warm, but not as humid as it has been.  The temperature was in the mid 80's with a following breeze.  That is nice for sailing, but not so much for keeping the guests comfortable on the outside decks.  We have 940 nautical miles to go to reach Darwin and the ship was doing a steady speed of 14 to 15 knots.    Showers would come, but later in the day.

 

So the reef experience was no more than that - at least for today.  The most exciting part of the late afternoon was passing through a powerful thunder and lightning storm that rocked the boat.  It lasted for a while, dropping heavy rains the whole time.   Actually, this sailing along the northeast coast is what we remember from past trips in this region.  With one difference.  The first time we did this run, there was a peculiar passenger that decided to get some attention while walking the promenade deck one morning.  He claimed he saw a hammerhead shark alongside the ship when he stopped and looked down in the water.  Sure got a lot of folks to look, but guess what?  None of us saw anything.  From then on, he was known as hammerhead shark man.  

 

It was a good day to catch up on photos from yesterday and skip ahead to do research on future ports.  It appeared that the big event of the evening was a "Glamp Out" in the Lido Pool area beginning at 5:30pm.  It was billed as being a night of camp "fire" fun with live music, games, drink specials and s'mores.  It tied into a Lido dinner  where corndogs and sausages were served along with other camp-like food.  On past cruises, we made a pass through the Lido just to see what that was all about.  What we saw were a bunch of people who had arrived early to take every seat in the place.  Not our idea of fun, we went to dinner as usual in the dining room.   We cannot imagine how warm and sticky it must have  been under the closed dome with a lot of people. 

 

When we went to the dining room, we noticed that our section had a total if three guests, including us.  Komang, our assistant waiter had been re-assigned to help in the Lido, but Kadek took care of us just fine.   A tataki beef salad, a Caesar salad, and a bowl of smoked chicken and corn soup were the starters.  The entrees were one chicken piccata dish and one Chef Neil's burger and fries.  We switched the sides of fries and risotto, since one of us does not really like the pasta.  It always seems to work out.  Dessert was one serving of vanilla ice cream, which had to be a new batch.  It was much creamier and frozen harder than usual. 

 

We forgot to mention that before we entered the dining room last night, a waiter was there to give us a squirt of hand sanitizer….like it or not.  And the health warning has appeared every sea day for weeks now.  Something is going around because we are seeing more masked waiters.  And to top it off, Kimberly, our cruise director, was not working today.    She had mentioned that she was losing her voice a day ago, so we suspect it finally caught up with her.  We sure hope she was able to make the trip to the reef yesterday, as we think this was her first time here.   Her enthusiasm has been catching.

 

There was a movie in the World Stage this evening called The Sunlit Night.  All of the lounges were having live music except the Ocean Bar.   Each venue gets a day off in a week's time.  Tomorrow we expect the continued reef sailing and cruising the Far North Region.  Our waiter Kadek said he will be looking for whales and dolphins.  Just kidding we think.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

15 Pictures

Report #48 Tuesday February 18, 2025 Cairns, Queensland, Australia 7am-6pm Docked Port Side To Pier Sunny And Hot 86 Degrees Seas--Flat No Swell----Casual Dress

Today's port of call was not a new one for us….Cairns, Australia.  Nothing much has changed here over the years with this city of museums, art galleries, gardens, an aquarium,  and colonial library and government buildings to match.    On the other hand, Cairns is a fun town filled with cafes, pubs, restaurants, and bars.  It may be quiet during the day, but we suspect the nights are just the opposite with the party crowd.

 

There are plenty of attractions out of town and the first one has to be the jumping off point for the Great Barrier Reef.  The ship offered a tour for 7 ½  hours with a 90 minute high-speed catamaran ride to the reef for snorkeling with a tropical buffet lunch on a pontoon we think.  It cost $320.  Other excursions went to Babinda Boulders, a train ride to Kuranda, a drive to a crocodile park, and a rainforest army duck tour with a stop to see some local wildlife.  They ran from $90 to $190  with a duration of 4 ½ to 7 hours.  We have been lucky enough to have done each of these at least once, some more than twice.

 

One thing for sure, it was going to be another hot and steamy day, and although the sky was mostly cloudy, there was no rain during most of the time we were here.  We stuck around until most of the tours were taken off and a crew drill with "man overboard" was being conducted.  The first thing we did, was pick up a local map in the cruise terminal. 

 

The street map was far superior to the ship's little map, and a docent pointed out the highlights and how to walk to them.  We did know this already, but he did such a nice job, we just listened.  Crossing the street, we made our way to the Cairns Central Shopping Centre, which is a very nice multi-level mall with major stores such as Target, Kmart, and Woolworths.  The best thing here was the air-conditioning.  The center of town was still sleeping as the area is full of night time venues for the most part.   Other than folks in cars, there were few people walking in the heat.  We spent about an hour wandering in and out of mall shops and simply exploring.  If we had needed anything, this would be the place to find it.   It cooled us off long enough to go back outside and make our way to the Esplanade.

 

Something unusual occurred when we left the mall.   Prior to going in the mall, a grocery store vendor reported selling a bottle of wine to one local Aboriginal fellow, who proceeded to drink this wine with another native friend outside.  The store vendor had called the police and was asking them check this situation in case there was trouble brewing.   There must be a law prohibiting this practice of drinking outside in the streets.  It did not seem to bother the fellows drinking the wine since they were still there when we left the mall.

 

There is a place called Rusty's Market, which offers fresh produce and a souvenir market.  It was not opened on Tuesday, and was totally fenced off.  There are food truck-like venues here and is a busy place on days they are opened.  There is also a Night Market near the lagoon, but we did not check that out to see if they were opened.  Truthfully, the last thing we need are more souvenirs.

 

We passed by the museum, library, and government buildings where we used to see hundreds of fruit bats hanging in the tall trees.  Today they must have been there, but we did not linger under these huge fig trees to locate them.  Then we continued on to the Esplanade that offers a very nice wooden boardwalk along the shoreline.  The tide was up this morning, so the mud flats were underwater.  Normally, there are hundreds of wading birds and gulls feeding, but today there were only a few.   Perhaps the heat of the day made a difference as well.  We went from bench to bench, tree to tree finding what shade we could along the way.    There is a railing along the water's edge with pictures and descriptions of the birds seen here, which is nice.  One such migratory bird is the Australian pelican.  Way down the far end of this shoreline were three large pelicans on a grassy mound along with several waders and gulls.  They were comfortable where they were, and made no attempt to leave.   They are a large bird weighing up to 20 pounds and 6 feet from their bill to their tail. 

 

From here, we continued past the Muddies Playground where a group of little ones were playing under the shade of many trees.  This was a good spot to turn around and head back with the breeze in or face for a change.  Running into friends from the ship that like to walk as much as we do,  the general agreement was that it was time for refreshments….namely beer.  And pizza, hopefully.  We went past the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon which had many locals cooling of in the shallow water.  We asked a lifeguard if the water was salt, and he said it was fresh and salt water mixed.  It seemed to be circulating and was extremely clean for as large as a lagoon it was. 

 

Continuing along the side of the cove, we ended up at the Marina and a restaurant we discovered a few years ago.  It is built at one end of the marina and actually extends over the water.  The breeze in their open-air dining room was more than welcomed.  We ordered two Peroni draft beers and a tropical pizza (Hawaiian).   The pizza was delicious and wood-fired as well.  We added a shared dessert of a different type of banana split with monkey bananas?, peanut butter ice cream, chocolate toppings with something crunchy over the top.  Fun for a change.

 

We were not too far from Trinity Wharf, so we took our time walking back around 4pm.  We passed by hotels with more dining options that face the marina.  This is where you can book and take a catamaran to the reef at the Reef Fleet Terminal.  This pathway took us to the terminal where a brewery is located very near to the ship.   You don't have to go far to find good local draft beer.  Once through the security check, we were  very happy to enter the coolness of the ship and our room.  Ice cold Cokes were in order.

 

All aboard was 5:30pm, but a bus and later a mini van arrived after that.  And to our surprise, it began to rain while we were sitting on  the veranda.  Boy did that feel good or what? The white pigeons and small swifts sure did not like that, since they came out flying in droves from the mature trees in the park area surrounding the wharf.   Captain Friso came on the speakers and explained the exact path we had to take to get out of the Trinity Wharf safely.  The channel was narrow as well as shallow with only 2.6 meters under our keel.  He did say we had very experienced pilots onboard and he personally has taken ships in and out of here previously.  Nice to know. 

 

While we were waiting to leave, we spotted some fruit bats coming out of the trees and condo buildings from the center of town.  First there were a dozen, which increased to hundreds of them.   Wave after wave of large bats traveled across the inlet to the mangrove side of the bay in search of food…..namely tons of fruit and insects.  These creepy creatures do serve a purpose for keeping down  the insect population as well as pollinating the plants and trees.   By 6pm, the ship had pulled away from the wharf and headed slowly out to sea with the aide of tugboats.  At one point while watching birds, we saw a large fish jump high out of the water.  It resembled a dolphin, but was all alone.  We figured it could have been some type of large fish. It disappeared after three high jumps then it was gone.  One boat of kayakers passed us, then that was it.

 

The time had arrived for dinner, although, we were not really hungry.  We did have a shrimp cocktail, Caesar salads, and one bowl of chicken pho soup.  This soup would have been perfect if they did not add a tiny drop of spicy hot oil that floats on the surface.   It was enough to burn your lips off.  So trying to sop up the oil with bread worked a little, but not enough.  We both had the turkey dinner entrée complete with cranberry sauce or cranberry soup.  We think  they had to stretch it with jam or something.  It was nice having a Thanksgiving-like dinner in February.  Of course, it was a comfort food of the evening.  Dessert was a chocolate cupcake with gooey marshmallow on the top, and one scoop of strawberry sorbet.  

 

There was a new group of two fellows called the Foenander Brothers.  We had expected Aussie tunes, but the theme was American timeless classics.  What happened to Waltzing Mathilda?

 

The next three days will be dedicated to sailing in and among part of the Great Barrier Reef Region.  Also known as three sea days.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #47 Monday February 17, 2025 Sea Day Enroute To Cairns, Queensland, Australia Sunny And Hot 86 Degrees Seas--Flat No Swell----Casual Dress

Even though we are a day ahead of Pacific Time, we wish all family and friends a Happy President's Day.  For us, today is another leisurely day at sea and time to relax after a long day of hiking yesterday.  Wish we could say the weather has improved, but we still have the heavy humidity, little if any breeze, and temperatures close to 90 degrees.  It can be a lethal combination if you don't stay hydrated.  We used to spend considerable time at the Seaview Pool, but not so much anymore.  Ever since Covid, we have steered clear of public pools and areas with large crowds of people.  And having said that, there is still the health advisory first and foremost on every sea day newsletter, The Daily.  And no matter where we go in the ship, we eventually hear "stereo" coughing between the guests and even the crew.  It's beginning to sound like a ship of barking seals.

 

We had hoped that we could watch the port talks or even the excursion talks on our TV, but it still does not work.  So we have resorted to doing online research, and also going back to our reports from 2020, the last time we sailed in this part of the world.  That sure brings back memories of when we came to the realization that the 2020 world cruise was about to end.  That's when Covid hit big time, and things worldwide were beginning to shut down. 

 

We had spent a rainy day in Cairns at that time, and were waiting at the Seaview Pool for the sail away, which did not happen as scheduled.  Some of the top officers joined us and we felt something was wrong, but nothing you could put your finger on.    We had been advised that the following port of Darwin had been cancelled, but little did we know at the time, we were eventually heading for Fremantle, and the end of the cruise.  We were all going home.  Except the crew and officers.  A very scary time for all, and something we will never forget.

 

The ship was traveling s-l-o-w all day at a speed of 8.2 knots.  We must be close to Cairns as we followed the coastline most all day.  Not many folks were strolling on the promenade deck today due to the excessive heat we assume.  There were many usual activities to keep guests busy inside.   The Captain declared it was a "great" day with calm seas and very little sea swell.  We must be in the shipping channel because several commercial ships passed us today going in the opposite direction.  We are glad to be on port side, since that seems to be the place to see these ships.  We have not seen another cruise ship in weeks now that we think about it.  We have another 140 nautical miles to go to Cairns, and the Captain said we can expect some showers through the night and even tomorrow.  That might be a good thing since it would help cool the air off.

 

Two activities today may have helped keep the guests cool.  One was a beer tasting event at the Ocean Bar, and  the other was an ice cream social in the Lido Pool area.  Our dinner waiters happen to work in the Lido after 2pm, so they were the ones that told us about the ice cream party.   It began at 3pm, and when we checked it out, the line wrapped around the pool.  It is a mystery to us why this attracts people, because the same ice creams and topping are in the Lido station.  Maybe it was the addition of a cotton candy machine that was making yellow cotton candy.   Not too appealing.   We would guess that it was 100 degrees in the pool area, so needless to say, we did not stay.

 

By the time we went to dinner, our room temperature had climbed to 80 degrees.   The problem was that the setting sun warmed up our rooms even though our thermostat was down as low as it can  go.  No matter what ship we travel on, when you hit tropical areas with high humidity, it is difficult for the air-conditioning to work well.  Deck three is bad due to the doors that go out to the promenade deck.  And the same is true for deck nine where the pools are located.  The Lido is always hot and steamy on days like today.

 

Last night at dinnertime,  Presty stopped by to ask how we were liking the food in the dining room.  He asks this often and does listen to our comments.   We can say there has been an improvement with the quality of the meat as well as the side dishes and variety.  Much better than the last two years we would say.   Then we got on the subject of fresh fruit and the area we have been sailing ever since Easter Island.  We had noticed that the refrigerator in the Lido has been empty of apples, oranges, and bananas.   And any other whole fruit that they pick up along the way.  We just figured they had run out of it.  Well, we learned from Presty that due to the strict rules in each country, they were urged to take away the whole fruit, and had to serve it cut up as in a fruit salad.  This type of produce is forbidden to take off of the ship, and despite the warnings of fines, people were still taking off bananas and apples when they were going on short tours.  That is a huge problem especially in New Zealand and Australia…even Easter Island where the bags were inspected on the pier.  We cannot believe people would do that with all of the multiple warnings.  Anyway, we thought that was interesting.

 

We both ordered the chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce (so good), a Caesar salad, and mains of tri tip with mashed potatoes….hold the kale, please.  One of us put together the veal meatballs with linguini noodles and extra tomato sauce.  It worked out well.  Dessert was one scoop of rocky road and a panna cotta with caramel sauce.   The guests bailed out of the dining room before 9pm to go to the show of the Celtic violinist, Sarah Moir.  Usually, the World Stage is kept quite cool, so that would be another reason to go to the show.

 

We should arrive to Cairns by 7am tomorrow.  We will be surprised if it is not raining.  After all, we are in the rainforest area of North Queensland. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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