Report # 117 Monday April 28, 2025 Lisbon, Portugal 7am-7pm Docked Port Side To Pier Sunny And Warm 82 Degrees----Casual Dress

Arriving early in the morning to Lisbon, Portugal was not the way to see the scenic cruising as it was still dark.  On previous trips, we sailed into the port after sunrise with Lisbon rolls (aka Panama rolls) and probably stayed later in the day.    Guess we cannot always get lucky with the timing of these special ports. 

 

Portugal is a country of 10.8 million people that speak Portuguese.  The capital is Lisbon, our one and only mainland Portuguese port this cruise.  You can expect to see medieval castles, fortresses, beautiful cities, golden beaches, and cobblestones up the Yim-yam.   There is lots of history here along with some stunning scenery.  Too bad we only have one day to see it.  Good luck.  To be precise, we really only have  7 ½ hours to do it all. 

 

Favorite snacks here are cinnamon-dusted custard tarts, a rolled puff pastry with an almond and egg yolk custard, and tinned fish such as sardines, tuna, and mackerel.  Tuna served on bread with olives on the side, and marzipan, the sweet almond-infused confection is said to go well with grilled chicken and piri-piri sauce.  A simple bread roll with fried pork goes well with any type of wine you can imagine. 

 

We sure did not expect the kind of day we experienced in sunny Lisbon, but more about that in a bit.  Sometime while we were eating breakfast, the Volendam slipped into the pier behind us.  No fanfare this time.  They will spend two days in town, while we just have one day. 

 

There were a few tours offered beginning with Lisbon highlights for 3 ½ hours and $80.  Lisbon on foot and a funicular ride was 4 ½ hours for $100.  Sintra, Cascais and Queluz – all out of town was 4 ½ hours for $100.  Other out of town tours were Fatima and Batalha for 8 hours with lunch for $140.  Also for the same price was Lisbon sights, Sintra and Cascais with lunch for 7 ½ hours.  We took that excursion several years ago and found it was nice.   

 

Our plan for the day was to walk….a lot.  Starting from the ship through the terminal, we headed to the waterfront promenade then on to the Praca du Comercio.  This is more than just a massive grand  Rio Tejo riverside square.  It can be measured in acres surrounded with arcaded ancient buildings with a royal statue of a horseman on a beautiful black horse.  The massive arch represents Lisbon's maritime past and the country's economic power. 

 

Continuing up Rua Augusts, a cobbled tiled pedestrian only street, we passed a bunch of shops, boutiques, cafes, and bakeries – most of which had very long lines.  The side streets were full of small restaurants where tables and chairs were just being set up for the early lunch crowd.  For a Monday, it was fairly crowded. 

 

On the way up to Praca Pedro 1V, we ran into friends that had been shopping in the higher end stores.  While stopping to chat with other friends, one of them set down a plastic bag just for a moment, and it was stolen in two seconds.  They never even saw who took it.  Lucky for them, it only contained a water bottle. And lucky it wasn't their new purchases. Now they knew to take better care of their belongings.  We all needed to do that.  Then we had a flashback when we were here in 2019.  When dining at a nice outdoor café, our waiter put my handbag under the table, and away from the walkway.  He said someone passing by could snatch it and run.  Now we would be extra vigilant too. 

 

Our destination was the Hard Rock Café located across from a beautiful palace-turned hotel we think, by the name of Palacio Fox.  Now we were on Avenida da Liberdade, a famous street here.  It was too early for lunch for us, but it was 12:15pm and we figured the shop would be opened.  Going inside, we had the first hint that something was wrong, because there was no line of folks waiting to be seated like there always is.  The two greeters informed us that the restaurant was closed due to a power outage, but the shop should be able to operate although they were not sure.  We asked if this happened often, and they said  - NO – never.  In fact the salesgirl in the shop said she was getting internet news saying all of the power in Europe was shut down.   Oh no…..this was bad.

 

These words scared all of us.  Was there some kind of terrorist attack we were not aware of?   Or a possible Cyber attack?  No one knew anything for sure, and that was even more frightening.  We were able to make a purchase of a city T and a logo scarf.  Our credit card still worked and the sweet salesgirl gave us the 15% off for wearing a HRC T-shirt from Saipan of all places.  Then we decided to head back down and see what was happening.

 

We did find the narrow side street where we had an excellent pizza several years ago.  As we made our way down a side street, the traffic had come to a stop….no stop lights were working nor were the businesses operating.   There were no lights anywhere, and some vendors were shutting their doors for the day.   The pizzeria Tabernia 90 we had searched for had long since closed down , but we did find another suitable place that had a few outside tables left.  We were informed that there was little food to be ordered, but the draft beer was still offered.  Perfect.

 

We took a small table where extra large Bok beers were brought by the over-worked waitress.  While sitting there, some friends passed by and said they had gone online to find that Spain, Portugal, and parts of France were having a black-out.  No explanation yet.  Everything depending on the electric grid was down such as the trains and the underground Metro.  Unless the modern type malls had back-up generators, all the lights, escalators, and elevators would be stopped.   At least we were able to order some veggie spring rolls and a ham and creamy cheese sandwich with our beers. 

 

The crowds of people did not appear to be in any panic mode,  as many may have not realized what had occurred.  What we did notice was that the lines for the ATM's were long, and not working.  Banks closed and schools shut down.  It sure didn't stop the street beggars and street performers from trying to entice tips from all of the outdoor diners. 

 

It was time to move on, but it seemed that our credit card would not work like it did at the HRC.  Good thing we had some euro left, as cash is always the best option.  And we were glad we were walking and not depending on buses or taxis.  The traffic had come to a gridlock, but we had no problem strolling back to the ship.  Accessing the terminal, we had to use the ramps to get to the second level.  No escalators or elevators were operating, although they did have back-up lighting and the shoreside xray worked.  We asked the officials if they knew anything more about this power outage, and one of them blamed Putin.  Funny we had come up with that scenario as well.  However, nothing was confirmed. 

 

There were a few nice shops in the terminal, so we picked up two bags of potato chips and one large bag of shortbread cookies for room snacks.  Credit cards may have worked, but the line was long.  We used euro instead. 

 

All aboard was 3:30pm, but none of the tour buses had arrived back from the HAL excursions.  No doubt they were caught up in the traffic jam.  Captain Frank came on with his talk at 4pm, explaining the difficulty they had with docking this morning.  We wondered why the gangway was moved several times before we even got off of the ship.  Then he tried to explain the scary power outage.  He said Portugal was paralyzed, as was Spain.  He claimed in all of his career, he had never seen this occur, but would not go any further with any info unless it was verified.  Still at this point of time, no one knew anything for sure, other than it was not a terrorist attack.    There were still 10 people that were missing, due to the traffic jam.  We watched from our veranda as they trickled into the terminal one by one, taking their time walking back.  The Ho-Ho bus had them transferred to the small jitneys, and eventually they made it back.  The Seattle bosses had given Captain Frank permission to wait for them, even if it delayed our next port.   

 

The Captain said we were not affected since we had our own power.  Onshore, they had no water, since the pumping station operated on electricity .  That meant no water for plumbing or consumption.  This was sad for them.   We eventually left the port by 6:45pm, going under the famous bridge , Punta de 25 Abril, that resembles the Golden Gate Bridge in our hometown of San Francisco. The wind blowing made the bridge "sing" with a strange noise. Near the bridge we passed by the Cristo Ray statue, reminiscent of Rio's Christ the Redeemer.  The rest of the ionic sights were on the starboard side.

 

Due to a complimentary Wine & Seafood sail away in the Lido Pool from 4pm to 7pm, which we avoided, there were few folks in the dining room tonight.  At least at the second seating.  Good for us, we always seem to have excellent service with no waiting.  Our starters were a Caesar salad, a crab fritter, and one tomato/mozzarella salad.   Entrees were KFC chicken and a savory grilled pork chop with Mexican rice.  Dessert was one Napolean-like cake and a plate of watermelon slices…..nice and refreshing. 

 

The entertainer was George Casy, a comedian with the King of Blarney funny guy.  We had such an exhausting day, we missed the show. 

 

One more African port, Tangier, Morocco, is tomorrow, but with a late arrival.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

350 Pictures

Report # 116 Sunday April 27, 2025 Sea Day Enroute To Lisbon, Portugal King's Day Orange Party Overcast With Some Sun Cooler 62 Degrees Windy 20mph--Roug --Casual Dress

Every day seems to bring a surprise.  Today we all got a letter from Henk, our hotel director, saying some of the shops onboard will be closed on different days and times.  One of us has been watching some of the Mary Frances purse collection, and decided it was time to go and see if they were still available.  There were a few left, so one of us lucked out with the ones desired.   While there, we asked why the shops were closing one at a time.   One of the salesgirls said their contract was up and tomorrow another company was coming onboard with their own merchandise.   There may or may not be special discounts on selected items while supply lasts.  Essential items such as toiletries, medicines, and sundries will remain available.  Running low on antacids, we picked up a small pocket-size roll of Rolaids for $6.99.   Obviously not on sale.

 

We used most of our day catching up on our two day stay in Barcelona.   We did take a break to keep an appointment with Chantall, the future cruise consultant.  However, only her assistant was there, who has a very strong accent that we had trouble understanding.  Since Chantall has already dealt with us and our search for 2026 cruises, we wanted to stay with her.  Her assistant put us down for an 11:40am slot, and she promised to call us when she was there. 

 

Well, that call never came.  Around 1pm, Chantall did phone and we explained the mix-up.  Her assistant never informed her we had another time slot.   Oh well, Chantall had us come right away, and we figured out a plan for the fall of 2026. 

 

The weather was dismal as it was foggy, windy, and rough as we made our way past Gibraltar this morning.  There was no chance of seeing the Rock of Gibraltar, although we did see the outline of the mountains of Morocco which was about 17 miles away.    Once through the Straits, the sun appeared as we sailed on the southern part of Spain. 

 

Keeping the guests busy, there were a total of four lecturers, one starting at 10am.  Ginny Stibolt delivered a talk about the bitter and sweet saga of the olive tree.  We are quite familiar with these trees because we have several of them on our property.   And they are well-suited to our climate, are bug and disease free, and are now being grown in older orchards that had fruit and walnut trees.  They are thriving.

 

The next speaker was Vivanne Rowan who spoke about Lisbon, while Michael Sullvan talked about the porcelain plates we call "china".  Volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis were the subjects for Dr. Charlie featuring the ring of fire. 

 

By the way, there was no Sunday brunch, but there was a King's Day Lunch in the Lido.   Everything Dutch and lots of it orange.   Royal Dutch Tea followed at 3pm.  A King's Day Pub Crawl took place at 8pm in the Crow's Nest for $29.    

 

Dinner was basically Dutch in the dining room as well with the dress suggestion "orange".  We both ordered the West highland salad, and the green pea soup which was excellent.   Bill swears I had the same dinner as last night, but called something Dutch.  It was pot roast with root vegetables.   He ordered Bami Goreng, the Indonesian entrée that always shows up on Orange night.  We shared a small slice of apple pie with plump raisins and vanilla ice cream on the top.  The best news was that the clocks went back one hour tonight.  Everyone is happy about that…even the crew.  

 

It was a dark night in the World Stage with a movie "Tulip Fever". 

 

Looking forward to Lisbon tomorrow.  It's a great place to take a long hike and look for pizza and beer.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #115 Saturday April 26, 2025 Alicante, Spain Docked Port Side To Pier 8am-5pm Sunny And Warmer Today 75 Degrees ------Casual Dress

A new port for many of us was Alicante, Spain.  And it turned out to be quite a nice surprise.  The Zuiderdam was docked and cleared by 8am.  The only other ship in town was a small one called Scenic Eclipse.  Although we have not visited Alicante yet, we did some research and knew that shops and cafes opened later in the morning.  So we waited until most of the crew drill was over before leaving by 10:15am. 

 

There was a complimentary shuttle that took us to the port gate exit and right into the city.  There was also a cute little train that took the guests to the upper downtown area for 5 euro round trip.  Not a bad idea if you did not want to walk that much.   It was such a lovely day, we chose to take the shuttle to the port gate – a 5 minute ride.  That brought us near the Casino and the waterfront area.  A series of souvenir tents were set up here with the usual trinkets and some clothing.  This was also the start of the Explanada de Espana, a wide promenade with wave-patterned mosaic walkways, open air cafes, and street artists and musicians.  This promenade was lined on both sides with tall and stately palm trees.  It went on as far as we could see and it was instantly welcoming and scenic. 

 

We turned left and walked along the marina drive, admiring the many sailboats and yachts in the harbor.  Once again, the ship's maps were of little help.  But our best bet was to follow the crowd of tourists crossing the road to a major pedestrian street.   We are sure we passed the Town Hall, an 18^th century Baroque building which was surrounded with many cafes.  This whole entire area was more about the food than anything else.  And that included McDonalds, KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut.  You know their secret to success is that each and every venue serves the same almost identical food no matter where you travel.  These restaurants are a favorite of many guests and most all of the crew members on our ship. 

 

Looming over the entire Old Town was Castillo de San Fernando, a 19^th century fortress to repel the French Napoleonic forces.  There are spectacular views from there, and we did hear that a lift was available to the top.  It was free for seniors and if we had more time in town, we may have done it. 

 

Looking down one narrow street, we spotted a church which was actually Concathedral de Alicante.  Going inside, we found it to be most beautiful with a towering dome, much like St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, only smaller.   Many tour groups were being led into the church as well.  We did notice that a large side chapel was in the middle of a mass, so we watched behind the glass doors for a bit.  There are a few churches left that have real votive candles, but here they had the small battery-powered candles like we have on the ship.  At least they do not have to worry about fire with those. 

 

Right down a narrow alleyway from the cathedral were a few possible appropriate pizzerias, one of which had a wood-fired oven.  That would be perfect for lunch so we decided to come back later on the way  back from our hike.

 

Continuing uphill, we came upon a large square with a huge theater.  There were plenty of nice benches and what a better way to people watch for a while.  Trying to figure out the map,  we saw that there was a Mercado up the street.  Then out of the blue, a fellow guest came over to us and said we needed to see this market, saying it was wonderful in broken English.  So we thanked him and headed up the street. 

 

This 2 story market was even nicer than the big one in Barcelona.  Both levels had aisles full of cured meats, cheeses, seafood, produce, and bakeries.  Everything one needs in one marketplace.   We watched as one fish butcher sliced tuna with a very sharp curved blade, and across from him some fellows were slicing thin pieces of cured hams for sandwiches. 

 

Their crispy loaves of French bread looked so good, as a lady vendor was slicing the bread and preparing it for a variety of ready-made sandwiches.  The longest lines were at the bakeries where we searched for shortbread cookies with no luck.  Most all of their items were sold separately, but we did not have the time to wait for help.  And did we really need the extra calories?  The answer was no.  Of course we did take many photos before going back down the escalator to the ground floor. 

 

While waiting for a stop light, a small open-air taxi cart whizzed by with Captain Frank and Alexandra.  They yelled our names saying hello to us.  If you had limited time such as they did, this was a nice option to see the Old Town.  

 

By now, it was high time for those beers and pizza.   And we did find our way back to the pizzeria we passed.  We found that about every outside table was occupied by now, but we were happy to go inside to get away from a noisy trumpet player playing across the way.  We had a cozy table for two close to the pizza maker and his wood-fired oven.  We ordered two pints of draft Estrella beers, followed with a Margherita pizza with extra caramelized onions and thinly-sliced mushrooms.  When it arrived, we both said this is the ultimate way pizza should be cooked.  Their dough was chewy, but crispy along the thick edges and well-done on the bottom.  You could taste the flavor the wood added as well as the tangy tomato puree and mozzarella cheese with basil.  Pizza heaven. 

 

Having written about the cannolis in Naples, we saw that these were on their dessert menu.  Instead of sharing, we each got one, trying to recall the last time we had eaten these.   It must have been years ago.  These cannolis were a crispy roll of cookie-like dough, coated with hard chocolate in the center.  A ricotta cheese blend was in the middle, then both ends were dipped in chopped pistachios and sprinkled with powered sugar.  Need we say more?  Cannoli heaven.  It sure was the best way to end our last stop in Spain.  

 

All aboard was 4:30pm, so we went back towards the marina and discovered a huge expanse of beach was nearby.  We walked half the length of the sandy beach watching hundreds of people sunbathing and swimming in the gentle surf.  Some vendors were selling extra-large linen blankets to use on the sand.  We ended up buying one for a mere $10….a really good deal.  When we got back to the room, we opened it up and it was big enough to cover our queen-size bed.   We will find a good use for it here and at home.

 

We made our way back to the bus, avoiding the souvenir tents.  A funny thing happened at the bus stop.  An elderly couple boarded the little train, and when the train assistant asked to see their ticket, the man showed him a tour ticket on his cell phone.  Well, it was not the train ticket, and they were asked to get off.  They did but went grumbling all the way to the bus stop.  

 

Once off the bus, we had to take an escalator to go through the local xray and pass the facial recognition pad.  We did not have to repeat this on the ship. 

 

Captain Frank came on with his talk around 4:30pm saying we could expect beautiful weather at our next stop in Lisbon.  The temperature will be in the 60's with no rain.  Everyone was welcoming the day at sea after six days of touring.  We have 632 nautical miles to reach Lisbon at a speed of 17 knots.  Going past Gibraltar tomorrow morning, we could expect rough seas and high winds. 

 

Dinner for us was good as usual.  Starters were one bowl of chicken noodle soup with extra spaghetti , and one spicy shrimp cocktail.  Two Caesar salads were served, and mains of pot roast and pork medallions were just right.  Simple desserts of ice cream or sorbet finished the meal. 

 

The entertainment was flaMENcos – a vocal group called Soul Of Man.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

422 Pictures

Report #114 Friday April 25, 2025 Barcelona, Spain--Overnite----Left At 5pm Day #2 Of 2 Docked Port Side To Pier Sunny With Clouds 70 Degrees 20mph Winds---Casual Dress

We were happy to have two days in Barcelona, because on day two, we were free to "do the town" on our own.  At breakfast, some of our buddies who did not attend the special castle dinner wanted a detailed description of what they missed.  We were happy to fill them in. 

 

Back in our room, the final delivery of the every two week President's Club amenity arrived a day early.  One of us got a lovely bouquet of flowers, and the other received 20 sodas.  However, counting the days we have left, we really did not need any more drinks, so we opted for the $50 beverage card with a $10 credit going to our shipboard account. 

 

Since there was no shuttle today, due to the overabundance of cruise ships in port, we walked to La Rambla like we always do.  We could have taken a taxi, but we knew the walk would do us good in the fresh air.    And the scenery could not be beat taking photos from the overpass bridge from the cruise terminals.   The ships were the NCL Breakwater, Volendam and Zuiderdam, Costa Fascinosa, Aida Cosma, and MSC World Europa.

 

Taking our sweet time, we made it over the bridge, but not before watching the melee of the NCL Breakwater, a huge vessel, having their turn-over morning.  There were so many guests coming and going, it was like a bee hive.  Many of their guests were families with kids. 

 

Once on the city side, we passed by the Maritime Museum and the World Trade Center where the Ho-Ho buses were taking off.  We headed right for the Christopher Columbus Monument, which is located at the bottom of La Rambla, one of the city's most famous pedestrian streets.  The first thing we noticed was that the righthand side of the street was completely dug up and under construction.  There is an ongoing project to update this area. 

 

Near the start of this wavy-looking tile -paved  street were some streets artists, that  are usually frozen and not moving, and painted gold or silver.  These days the pantomimes are dressed in dark Gothic and scary clothing to look like monsters or unhuman scary birds.   Of course, little kids love to pose with them, and their parents take pictures of them for a price.   This is one of the places you have to watch your pockets and purses.  Pickpockets are everywhere you least expect them.  

 

On the way up, we passed by Palau Guell, the Gran Teatre, and the Museu de l'Erotica.  The Mercat de la Boqueria, a bustling food market, is a must-see.   Originally designed in 1217, the building we see here today was built in 1853.  They sell Catalan and Spanish sausages, cheeses, Iberian ham, seafood, tapas, and colorful produce along with sweet bakery treats.  There is also a wide variety of spices, olives, nuts and fruit-type drinks.  Around the perimeter are eateries with bars and high chairs for a quick dining venue.   It was well before noontime and the locals were drinking wines and beer already.  Tapas (small eats) were the main lunch food as well as different types of paella.  We also saw Spanish-style burritos and wonderful-looking French bread baguettes with thinly sliced Parma ham and cheese in the center.   They sure looked tempting,  but it was so crowded and busy in this market, you would never find a place to eat them.  We covered every aisle, squeezing through the crowd before going back outside.

 

Weaving or way up La Rambla, we got to Catalunya Square full of fountains, sculptures, shops, and cultural festivities as well as a whole lot of people.  This was also a drop-off pick-up stop for the Ho-Ho buses.  One thing we learned many years ago, was that the Ho-Ho experience can work OK if there are not too many people using the buses.  Otherwise, you may be in a line of 100 people waiting for a bus that has few seats available.  So the wait could be very long to go from point to point.   This was the case with this particular stop.

 

Located across the square was the Hard Rock Café, where we were very lucky to be seated at a table for two inside the restaurant.  Our very friendly waiter, Marco from Italy, waited on us.  We asked why from here and not Italy?  He said he came here 20 years ago, and liked it much better because he had more opportunities for jobs and the [rices were far better than Italy.   We ordered two beers and a Messi chicken sandwich with fries to share.  Then we added one of their best desserts of an apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream to split.  Before leaving, we found two t-shirts to buy.  We got extra credit given for wearing a Singapore Hard Rock T  as well as using points we had.  

 

We headed back because the all aboard time was 4:30pm.  With relaxing for an hour or more,  we had plenty of energy to walk back and not use a taxi.  Barcelona is a people-friendly city with plenty of nice benches.  We took advantage of several of them on the way back. 

 

Hiking over the bridge to the cruise terminals, we laughed as we went from "pole-to-pole", which were really the street light poles on the bridge.  But it was amusing to us since the Volendam used the same phrase for their Grand Voyage. 

 

We got back to the ship by 4pm and happy to be back.  The ship left close to 4:45pm with the Volendam following close behind.  There was a whole lot of horn blasting coming from our two ships and the ones we were passing on the way out of the harbor.   From the many banners we saw advertising the Meeting of the Ships, we realized it was a big event for the locals as well….especially the drone show. 

 

At his sail away talk, Captain Frank repeated that we had a most successful meeting with the Volendam, which we already knew.  Now we had 230 nautical miles to reach the next port of Alicante, Spain doing a speed of 17 knots.  He predicted smooth seas, light winds, and temperatures in the 70's…what more could we ask?   We have been most lucky with the Mediterranean weather for sure.

 

Finally back to our dining room table, we found that our assistant waiter, Yasin, had been requested to deck two, anytime dining.  Now we have Francis, a nice fellow from the Philippines.  Usually the waiters do not rotate like this, but it seems that anything goes on this particular trip. 

 

We ordered a hot tomato soup, a seafood spring roll, and Caesar salads.  One of us enjoyed the sweet and sour shrimp and the other had a small order of prime rib.  Both were very good and served hot, unlike our castle dinner.  Good news is that everyone we know, including us, that went to the castle dinner survived the cold food.   Desserts were our usual vanilla ice cream and strawberry sorbet. 

 

There was a vocalist, Adam Pritchard, singing in the show lounge, but both of us were really tired and called it a night. 

 

One last stop in Alicante, Spain will be tomorrow and a new port for us and many others.

 

Bill & Mary Ann  

 

271 Pictures

Report #113 Thursday April 24, 2025 Barcelona, Spain 10am-Overnite Day #1 Of 2 Docked Port Side To Pier For The Meeting Of The Two Ships Volendam & Zuiderdam Sunny With Clouds 70 Degrees -Casual Dress

The day started off nicely as Tina remembered to have some "Barcelona" rolls for us at breakfast.  The Zuiderdam was scheduled to be docked and cleared by the local officials by 10am or earlier if possible.  However due to the wind and sea conditions, we were not docked until closer to 11am.  Captain Frank and his entourage of officers , including his wife Alexandra and Christel had a plaque ceremony on the Volendam with their entourage of the Captain and his officers.   The Volendam was already docked by the time we arrived.  While this ceremony was about to occur, both horns of the ships were sounded off.  The day of the Meeting of the Two Ships was about to begin. 

 

Then the flood of excursion groups left about an hour later than the times listed.  Good thing we were here over night.  Speaking of tours,  one nice one was Monserrat Monastery for 4 hours and $90.  Barcelona sights and flamenco show was 4 hours for $100.  Barcelona by bike was 3 hours and $110, and Markets and Cuisine was 5 hours and $110.  Gaudi's Barcelona was 4 hours for $110.

 

Complimentary shuttles were offered to the World Trade Center from 10:30am to evening time.  There would be no ADA shuttles and for tomorrow, due to the high volume of ships in port, no shuttles will be available to us or the Volendam.   Hmmm, guess both HAL ships are "chopped liver" so to speak.  Taxis and Ubers would be available. 

 

Since we and our fellow President's Club members were invited along with the Neptuners to a special event this afternoon, we figured we would not have enough time to take the shuttle and be back before 2pm.  It was a good time to work on photos and reports for Olbia, Sardinia yesterday.  If we go too long to post after a port stop, it all starts to blend together. 

 

All of the guests on both ships had a chance to visit each other on either ship with special passes from the front desk.  Today the times were from morning until 10pm.  Tomorrow it will be 10:30am to 3pm.  Knowing we would see some familiar faces later, we chose not to pay them a visit.    We have sailed on the Volendam as far back as 2002, and we know it was the sister ship to the Amsterdam, where we have spent a whole lot of time. 

 

A private Reception and Dinner was held at the Castell de Sant Marcal, about an hour ride from the pier.  Attire suggestion was "dressy" or business and we were all assigned table numbers well before leaving the ship.  The gathering time outside the terminal was 2:15pm, and many of us were there even before that time.  However, there was little or no directions for us once outside the doors.  Finally, Kumar and Daphne showed up and took a roll call of just the President's Club members.   At the last minute, more front desk folks showed up to get the people on the right buses.  There were two coaches and two ADA buses for the Zuiderdam folks. 

 

Once loaded, we were off and running by 2:45pm for a ride that took us slowly through Barcelona's tunnels and away from the crowds into the hillsides.  The ride was scenic and we did have a bus monitor who spoke all about Barcelona for the 50-minute drive.  However, the bus was rather warm, and most of the folks were asleep within minutes.  Duh…..

 

We had a welcome reception with a Spanish band of guitar players and flamenco dancers while we sipped drinks that were similar to Pisco Sours.   Trays of small bites of salmon, cheese, and shrimp were served to everyone in this garden and fountain area.  There were a few tables for four scattered here and there, but nowhere near enough for the size (and ages) of our group. 

 

Both Captains and their wives arrived last for the grand entrance with several officers in tow from both ships.  Most of these officers hosted the tables of guests.  Within a half hour, we were summoned to the Castle Greenhouse, which was really a huge reception hall.  Outside the entrance to this beautiful venue were lists of each table number and the names of the guests at each one.  At least we knew who we were dining with, although we have known people on previous such occasions that snuck into the dining area, and re-arranged the place setting cards.  No kidding.  Actually they switched the hosts tables, thinking no one would notice.   Takes all kinds…..

 

We were seated at a table with three Volendam guests and three other Zuiderdam people we recognized.  Chantall, our future cruise consultant, and the marketing manager for HAL joined us.  His name sounded like Mitchell but with the band playing, it was hard to hear.

 

How the seating arrangements were done, is  a mystery to us.  From what we saw, all of our President's Club members were at different tables, and we had our backs to the center stage where the orchestra and dancers performed.  One thing for sure….it was LOUD.  What we sort of missed was the fact that this affair was a "Cava" wine tasting prior to the meal. We were given a lecture on what Cava was, but we still did not capture the story about it very well.  Maybe it was the speaker's heavy accent, or the fact that everyone was hungry at this point, all we wanted was our meal to begin. 

 

The wine samples were a taste of what we call sparkling wine (not champagne), followed by Ramon Bilbao (Rioja), Arrelium (Penedes), and Miquel Pons, Brut Reserva (Penedes).  It was all Greek to us, as we do not usually drink wine.   Especially the reds, which gives one of us a massive headache.  Finally a small roll was served (no butter), that helped with the tastings. 

 

All of our group introduced themselves, and we did have a good start at the conversation, which was interrupted by the band playing and the ladies dancing.  It was next to impossible to hear ourselves think, let alone converse with the person next to us. 

 

As for the food served, the starter of a mushroom cream soup with an almost poached egg and crispy ham was about cold.  We doubt that it was meant to be served cool, but that's how it ended up.   It was a long time in between courses, but eventually a sea bass plate or a beef tenderloin was served.  The meat was slightly warm, but the meager portions of the sides were cold.   Ever taste cold mashed potatoes?   Our fellow guests said the fish was good, but cold.  We could tell when they did not like it, if half of the meal was left on the plate.  We had the better entrée with the beef we think.  It was tasty, and we all hoped we did not die later on.

 

The best thing about the desserts of Massini or Sacher torte was knowing that the meal was coming to an end.  Small cappuccinos  were offered, but half the folks were already out the door, lining up for the restrooms.  The complete time of the dinner was about 2 ¾ hours.  Very long we think.  We were all directed back to the buses we came on.  By the time we were all loaded, it was 7:30pm, an hour later than expected.  You can bet many folks slept on the way back to the ship.   We arrived by 8:30pm

 

There were dueling parties happening on the aft pool decks of both ships beginning at 8pm.  But the finale with the drone show beginning at 9:15pm really was the best highlight of the day.  Knowing that the Seaview Pool would be terribly crowded, we stayed in our room and had the best seats in the house.  Right on our veranda.  The drones must have totaled 200 or more and put on the most incredible light show that lasted 12 minutes.   Creating designs and titles of the two ships, it chronologged the best of both itineraries of the 2025 Grand Voyages.  Believe, this… HAL will be using this over-the-top advertising for future promotions in every media they can.  Well done, we say.

 

So much for day one in Barcelona.

 

Bill & Mary Ann  

 

228 Pictures

Report #112 Wednesday April 23, 2025 Olbia, Sardinia, Italy 7am-2pm Docked Port Side To Pier Mostly Sunny With Afternoon Clouds 70 Degrees 20mph Wind-----Formal Dress

Our final port in Italy was Olbia, Sardinia.  It can be described as a place for suntanned celebrities who like to wine, dine and sail along the glossy coast.  Sardinia remains a raw and wild playground with tugged coastal beauty with wind-chiseled cliffs and sandy beaches.  Our time here was from 7am to 1:30pm, way too short for much more than a walkabout in town and perhaps a gelato along the way. 

 

The Zuiderdam was docked and cleared early for the tour groups to go off.  An easy tour was a one-hour tuk-tuk ride through the old town for $70.  Can't say we ever saw one there.  Moon Valley was a bus ride out of town to another city with scenic views for 5 hours and $80.  Sardinian cookies were served.  Wine tasting at Mancini Estate was 4 hours and $100, while Maddalena Archipelago was 5 hours by boat with a swim stop for $300.  

 

Although we were the only cruise ship in town, there were two rather large car ferries, the Moby Tommy and the Aki.  When we woke up this morning, we saw Daffy Duck, the Roadrunner, Wille E Coyote, The Tazmanian Devil, Bugs Bunny, Sylvester the Cat, and Tweedie Bird – all Looney Tune characters painted on the sides of their ships.  Very amusing.  Boy, did that bring back fun childhood memories….

 

Since there was no walking allowed in this working port, we had to take a 2-mile ride in a shuttle bus that was made for "little people" with very short legs.   Good thing it was only a brief drive to Molo Brin in the marina area.   A port girl had better maps but ran out by the time we got off at 9:30am.    We did have the ship's map, but we could not figure out where the streets were according to that map.  It was just easier to follow the crowd because this was a new stop for us. 

 

There were some nice hotels down by the marina as well as a small park where a flywheel had been set up along with a merry-go-round.  Obviously this is a vacation destination for many Italians living on the mainland.   The central pedestrian street began across from the bus stop which was full of boutiques, cafes, and some historic buildings, but not much was opened that early.   The mile and a half street had alleyways off of each side also filled with more stores and coffee shops.  

 

What they didn't have was the throngs of people we saw in Naples two days ago.  This town was quite the opposite, although their flags were at half-staff.   Eventually we reached the end of the pedestrian strip, and the town became less touristy with pharmacies and clothing stores as well as book shops.   There were not a whole lot of souvenir stores, but what we did notice is that they are famous for cork wood.  Chunks of this wood were being sold as souvenirs.  Of course, there were cork magnets, trivets, and even bracelets made with it.    We tried to remember where we had seen cork products like this and it turned out it was in Portugal.  We learned back on another cruise, that cork was getting hard to get, and the wineries worldwide began using the twist top caps in its place.      They discovered that the corks were drying out and the wine would evaporate, and many bottles were lost because of that.  

 

We had reached the railroad tracks on the other side of this hillside, and had we gone a bit further, we would have seen one of their famous churches, San Simplicio Cathedral.  It was erected to honor Olbia's patron saint and was built over a necropolis.  If we had the time, we would have hiked to the Parco Fausto Noce, a sprawling city park with trails, fountains, and sports areas.   Maybe next time if we ever come back.

 

We turned around and backtracked.  One of us was looking for a small souvenir from here before leaving Italy.  Exploring the side streets, we came upon a very nice extremely small boutique selling clothing which included linen and silk scarves.  Linen is a bit too warm for where we live, but the silk ones were just right.  The price was good at 10 euro. 

 

From there we crossed the street and located the second famous Church of San Paolo Apostolo, an 18^th century church, also on top of a necropolis.  It featured a granite bell tower, and a dome covered in colorful majolica ceramic tiles.  We have never seen a dome quite like that before.   Too bad it was locked up tight as it would have been nice to see the interior. 

 

Some of the eateries were beginning to open up for business, but for us, it was way too early for lunch.  All aboard was 1:30pm and the last shuttle back was 1pm.  Leaving on the shuttle, we were not aware we had to go to a terminal building away from the ship and have our passports scanned,  and also go through their xray.   The bus let all of us off at one door, and when we came back out another exit, a different bus was waiting to take us back to the ship. 

 

At least we did not have to repeat the xray onboard.  One thing we did notice was that the winds were blowing strong by now, just as the Captain had mentioned.  It seems that this area is notorious for strong winds and rough waters.  We would find out later how rough it could get.   All aboard was 1:30pm, but we did not leave until after 2pm.   On our way out, we got a better look at the individual floats in the waters near the shoreline that were attached to ropes.  Captain Frank told us at dinner that these were for both mussels and oysters.  They sure must do well here because there were hundreds of them if not more.   Later in the afternoon, all of the outside doors were roped off due to the high winds, just as the Captain predicted. 

 

The second half of the day was filled with several events, beginning with HAL's Grand World Voyage Update and a Q&A session with the President of HAL, Beth Bodensteiner.  Her talk consisted mostly about what she considered were improvements over previous grand cruises.  The number one subject was the food, followed by the introduction of enhanced shore excursions partnering with the History Channel.  Cha-ching $$$.  When she was done with the promotions, she introduced a fellow HAL employee who spoke about more changes such as a major renovation of Half Moon Cay, their private island in the Caribbean.   We think we heard him say that a section of this island will be used by Carnival ships.  Once again….cha-ching $$$.  All of the extra amenities will have charges attached.  The other comment was that there will be no more "dark nights" in the World Stages fleetwide.   No new ships are planned in the future and the Zaandam and Volendam will stay with the fleet.  

 

Also Henk Mensink, our hotel manager will be completing this world cruise…..his final one.  Christel his wife, joined him on the stage was given a beautiful bouquet of roses.  They deserved the round of applause they got.

 

Finally the 2027 Grands were announced – one on the Volendam (full circumnavigation), and one on the Zaandam (Mostly New Zealand/ Australia).   We are sure these itineraries are already posted by other bloggers.  Overall, we felt that the reception Beth got was guardedly warm, judging by the clapping  (or lack of) for her talk.  Of course, our ship's population right now is about half the normal amount, so the applause may have matched that number. 

 

There was the usual Q&A afterwards, but we only stayed for a short time.  Truth be told, we had difficulty hearing the questions asked.  One of the first questions was from an elderly lady asking if the dance hosts will ever return.   Long story short, the answer was NO, they will not be back.  We figured this talk will be repeated on our TV's later on, and we can listen to it tomorrow. 

 

Then we had to get dressed for a President's Club Reception and Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill at 7pm.  Our invitation suggested "dressy", however for everyone else on the ship, it was formal.   Odd for a port day, we felt we better go formal, and most of the folks did the same.  A reception was held in the Rolling Stones Lounge at 6pm where four new inductees got their special pins and the benefits attached for having achieved 1400 pure sea days.  

 

Cocktails were served along with a three-tiered tower of canapies.  The new President went to each booth of guests and introduced herself and chatted briefly with the 38 or so members.  Then before we were escorted to dinner, a group photo was taken of all of us.  Most times, they invite the members up for photos with the Captain and Hotel Manager, but this did not happen.  No time we guess.  And no one had their days announced, even though this is still done on other HAL ships. 

 

Tina and her staff welcomed all of us into the flower-decorated center dining room where each of us had assigned seating with officers hosting most of the tables.  We did not expect to be dining with the Captain and his wife, but we were.  Good friends Martha and Bob,  a single lady, and what should have been our buddy Don were our other tablemates.  Unknown to us, Don had twisted his back, and opted out of dinner.   He was missed. 

 

We had our choice of starters which were lobster, spelt?, and caviar or foie gras crème Brulé with a bit of crunchy caramel candy on top of the foie gras.  It melted in your melt.  The second course was a classic Spanish lemon chicken soup….very tasty and served piping hot.   The main entrees were a choice of beef tenderloin or poached turbot.  We had the beef and it was even better than what they usually serve here if that is possible.  Last was a dessert called de-constructed pavlova with mango sorbet and spring berries.  Wines from New Zealand, South Africa, Willamette Valley, Spain, and Italy were served with each course.   We don't do wine, but the others did enjoy the special vinos.   The evening ended after 9pm and seemed to be enjoyed by all.

 

While we were dining in the Pinnacle Grill,  there was a Cake Walk in all three lounges.  Like we really needed more cake.

 

A shadow show was the entertainment of the evening by Carlo and Simona Truzzi.  Now that was different for a change.

 

Tomorrow we will be in Barcelona with another busy day planned for us.  Got to get our beauty rest.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

261 Pictures

Report #111 Tuesday April 22, 2025 Civitavecchia, Italy 7am-9pm Docked Port Side To Pier Sunny And Warm 70 Degrees 12mph Wind----Casual Dress

The Zuiderdam arrived to the port of Civitavecchia, Italy, around 7am this morning.  The ship was cleared shortly after that.  There were tours that took the folks into Rome, about 50 miles from here.  Excursions going to this holy city were the best of Rome passing St. Peter's Basilica and the Colosseum with a stop at the Trevi fountain with lunch for 9 hours and $270.   The countryside and catacombs was another tour for 9 hours and $230.  A National Geographic Day Tour involved hiking out of town for 5 hours and $180.  And there was a pasta -making lunch at a farmhouse for 4 hours for $320.  Later on, another tour was added called Timeless Rome with a visit inside the Colosseum, Forum & Basilica for 9 ½ hours for $350.  We also know that a group of crew members had a tour to Rome as well.  And due to the Pope's dying yesterday, some of these excursions may have been adjusted.

 

Last night, the Captain strongly advised the guests with independent tours to Rome should check with their operators  and confirm all of the details.  He added that there may be an extraordinarily huge crowds, worse than Naples, and perhaps staying in the port city might be wise.  Many of us agreed.

 

While we were enjoying breakfast, we watched as the Aida Cosma sailed into the slip in front of us.  Another mega-ship, this vessel is 183,854 gross tons and holds up to 6654 passengers (full berths).  The crew numbers 1646 and the ship was built in 2021.   Later in the day, we saw a ship with Looney Tune characters on the sides.  This was a Moby Corse cruise ferry, formerly one of the Big Red Boats belonging to Disney.   A much smaller ship than both the Aida and Zuiderdam, we could not find any numbers on it.

 

We have been to Rome several times and saw each and every landmark.  So today we decided to stay and enjoy this city as we have on some of the past cruises.  Sometimes Civitavecchia is ignored as a place to see, but we always find it is easily accessible and easy to explore to sites in town.  And they have great food.

 

We left the ship at 10:30m and boarded the shuttle that took us to Largo Della Pace, a short drive from the port area.   We could have walked it, but decided the bus was a better option.  With all of these ports in a row, our knees are getting a good workout….maybe a little too much for one of us.  Once we reached the port gate, there were maps available of the entire city.  This is perfect because the ship's map was entirely of Rome. 

 

We walked from the gate up the main street full of cafes and shops and historical sites.  Then we reached the main pedestrian street with more historical buildings and churches.  One positive thing about being here was that there were no crowds….nothing like what we saw yesterday.   We did remember that there was a strip of restaurants that faced the Tyrrhenian Sea, so we headed over the hills and ran right into that part of town. Passing the railroad station, we headed downhill and found we were at a park that faced the seaside. 

 

Following the main street, Viale Garibaldi, we found the narrow street that led to the Pirgo, or what remains of a seaside resort with salt baths, restaurants, and entertainment from many decades ago.  All that remains now is the jetty that went to the structures over-looking the sea.  At the end of this walkway is a huge patio where one of us took many photos.  Along the seaside, there were many evening restaurants with wine bars and pubs with restaurants featuring fish entrees.   Only one of them was opening for lunch. 

 

There was a beach down below, however, not a beach we are used to seeing.  There was no sand, but pebbles and rocks.  This was similar to what we found when we visited Cannes and Nice many years ago.  The beachgoers just laid on thick towels on the rocks, while some brave swimmers went in the cool waters.  Judging from the way they were trying to walk in the surf, there must have been a seabed of sharp rocks that were covered with a green algae.

 

We knew the restaurant we liked was on this stretch.  And we found it.  There were a few tables outside, but they were in the warm sun.  We opted to go inside and ordered draft beers.  We asked for large, not knowing the size.  We assumed 50cl, which is close to a pint.  The waiter who spoke very little English, said are you sure?  Yes.  Then he arrived with two giant mugs of a liter of beer.  Wow.  We all laughed, but this will work.  We added one Margherita pizza with funghi (mushrooms) and asked if sliced onions could be added.  Our waiter, who might have been an owner had no idea what an "onion" was.  Ever try to describe an onion?  So we said the mushroom pizza was fine.   We also noticed there was a refrigerated display with desserts.  So we asked for one slice of a torte.  It was more cake-like with dried fruit in it.  Very good.  After a nice, relaxed lunch , we continued to walk back to the shuttle bus, about one mile away. 

 

There were a few shuttles in the port gate area, but they sure were not in a hurry to leave until they jammed the buses with as many people that could fit seated or standing.  It took  a half hour before the shuttle left.  In hindsight, we could have followed the waterline all the way to the same port gate the bus took 15 minutes to get to.    We noticed a lot of the Aida guests were taking that more direct route.  By the way, these shuttles took guests from both ships, stopping at the Aida first.

 

Captain Frank came on with his daily talk at 6pm saying he hoped everyone had a wonderful day in this port or the city of Rome.  We have 125 nautical miles to arrive to Sardinia tomorrow.  The speed will be 15 ½ knots with an arrival time of 7am.  Temperatures should be in the 70's with some strong winds of 20 to 30 knots.

 

We got back to the room by 3pm and enjoyed sodas and relaxing.  These many ports in as many days can be exhausting.  There was a Solo Italiano Street Food & Wine Market in the Lido poolside from 6 to 9pm.  The wine was not complimentary.  We think this affair was directed to the folks that had done the all day tours to Rome and arrived back to the ship late. 

 

Our dinner was in the dining room with starters of shrimp cocktail and two different salads.  One of us was happy with a ½ order of Bolognese spaghetti and the other with the English roast beef with Yorkshire pudding.  Dessert were simple – one scoop each of vanilla and strawberry sorbet.  

 

Tom McTigue was the comedian entertainer tonight spicing it up for ages 16 plus.  Not that we have a lot of kids, there may be a few.

 

The ship left he port by 9:15pm or so.  We happened to come across a fellow passenger lady in our hallway, who was so stressed, she told us a story about a relative who had stayed in Rome after his wife went back to the ship.  He said he knew the way to the train, but his cell phone went dead and he had no way to charge it.   Long story short, he eventually made it back after 9pm to find the ship had waited for him.  Lucky.  But this lady really needed a strong drink to calm her nerves.  She agreed…..

 

Tomorrow will be a new port for us in Sardinia – Olbia.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

189 Pictures

 

Report #110 Monday April 21, 2025 Naples, Italy 8am-5pm Docked Port Side To Pier Sunny And Warm 70 Degrees---Casual Dress

It is written that Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country.  It is the center of the Roman Empire and birthplace of the Renaissance.  It's a country where Michelangelo created David and the Sistine Chapel frescoes.  Botticelli and da Vinci are beyond famous.  The landscapes include the Northern Alps and glacial lakes, and to the south where active volcanoes still exist.  Not to be missed include Venice, Tuscany, Florence, Naples, and Pompeii, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast, the Dolomites, Sardinia, and Sicily to name just a few.  By the way, the capital is Rome and the total population of the country is 59.8 million people that speak mostly Italian.   

 

And that will be the country we visit for the next three days.  But before arriving, we need to read up on more about the food and drink to be enjoyed in this fabulous country.  We'll begin with a stop in Naples, the birthplace of pizza.  Oh, we will be in heaven with this visit.  On one of our very first tours in Naples, we booked an excursion with many historic places, then ended up in a small pizzeria where we watched how the pizzas were made and cooked in 500 degree wood-fired ovens.  A wonderful experience, the best part was to come.  Each one of us was served a 16 inch pizza.  Granted the crust was thin with thick crunchy edges, but we ate every single bite.  Yep…pizza heaven.  

 

The Italians love their coffee.  Caffe latte and cappuccino are considered morning drinks.  Espresso and macchiato are for post-lunch options.  Coffee with dessert is acceptable but never served with a main meal.   Of course, wine has to be sacred in Italy with hundreds if not thousands of wineries – especially on the Tuscany area.  Although we will not be going to that region, we are certain that the folks will not have a hard time finding the wine they prefer. 

 

A visit to Pompeii is offered from Naples.  We have seen the 2000-year-old ruins and heard the story of the tragedy which stayed with us forever.  It is not a tour for the feint-hearted and is strenuous at the very least.  Something else we recall was an hour stop for shopping at one large souvenir store with some high end merchandise on the way back to the ship.  It was not mentioned in the tour description, so some folks were a bit angry about it.  Many of the ladies loved it. 

 

The shore excursions offered here are a foodie walk in Naples for $120 and 3 hours.  Pompeii and a hike to the summit of Mount Vesuvius was $170 for 6 ½ hours.   Pompeii and the museum was $190 for 7 hours with lunch, while the best of the Amalfi coast was $200 with a lunch for 8 ¾ hours.   No HAL excursions were offered to the Isle of Capri,  although you could do it on your own as long as you watched your time.  All aboard at 4:30pm was really cutting the day short.   Years ago, we went there on a high-speed catamaran and enjoyed every minute of the visit.  Stunning scenery.

 

We were not the only ship in town.  Besides several car ferries, a monster vessel, the MSC World Europa, pulled in the opposite dock from us.  This mega ship was completed in 2021 and holds 7000 passengers (all berths) and has a crew of over 2000.  It is the 8^th largest cruise ship sailing these days.  It is LNG powered and built in France.  From what we gathered, today was a turn around day for them.  

 

Leaving the ship at 10:30am, we took a very long walk in the area outside of the big cruise terminal that had been under re-construction the last two times we visited.  The work has been completed and now we could walk right into town. 

 

We remembered to turn left on the marina street and walk past Castle Nuovo, built in 1279.  Directly up the traffic-laden street, is the Ho-Ho bus stop.  Further up, we entered Galleria Umberto, a massive dome-covered structure built ages ago.  It is a place that is filled with stores, bakeries, boutiques, and restaurants and cafes.  There is even a McDonald's, which was full of customers already.  We have wonderful memories of seeing good friends enjoying cannoli's  with coffee from one of the pastry shops nearby. 

 

We noticed that this iconic gallery was pretty crowded for this time of morning, but what we saw when going outside onto the main pedestrian-mostly street was unbelievable.  Never ever have we seen so many people in one place at one time.  It was so congested with mostly locals, we could hardly squeeze our way uphill or downhill for that matter.  It could be the "perfect storm" for pick-pocketing, and one of the main reasons we do not like to carry our passports with us.   We had no choice – we had to. 

 

We think this street was Via Toledo, which continued past scores of cafes, restaurants, boutiques, shoe stores and clothing shops.  If we had wanted to stop to even window-shop, we would have been mowed  over with the throngs of people big and small.  There was one nice moment when a local elderly couple asked why we were taking photos of the manhole covers.  I knew the day would arrive when someone asked about that.   So we shared the story of a continuing blog where manhole covers are listed worldwide by travelers just like us.  Who knew?   Satisfied with the answer, the conversation went to where we lived, then we learned they were from Naples, but had lived in southern California for a period of time.  We asked if today's crowd was due to the death of the Pope, and they said no…it's like this everyday, and worse on weekends.  Of course they were saddened by the Pope's death, as were we, and they assumed that more folks were out and about because of it.  After about 10 minutes of chatting, we wished each other well, and went on our way. 

 

We had hoped to make it to the produce section of this street, but we gave up.  It was not worth the effort.  So we turned around and headed back downhill, checking out the vendors that were arriving with their street souvenirs.  The most common things being hawked were sunglasses, hats, cell phone cases, toys for the kids, t-shirts, scarves and cheap costume jewelry.  None of which we needed.  Food carts were appearing, some with fresh squeezed lemonade.  Great colors for photos.

 

Back to where we exited the Galleria Umberto, the crowd grew thicker.  We continued to the Plaza Plebiscito and Chiesa di San Francesco di Paola, a gigantic church we believe.   Having picked up an excellent map of the city, we learned that there were a total of 191 plazas, castles, schools, museums, cathedrals, churches, and shopping malls.  

 

Recalling a nice restaurant we happen to discover years ago, we continued down Via Console to another seaside avenue where several high-end hotels were located.  On the water side, we passed by Castel dell 'Ovo and Borgo Marinari, or the boat marina.  On this stretch we found the indoor/outdoor restaurant with the powder-blue tablecloths one of us remembered.   The place looked filled to us and there was a line of a dozen people.  However, when we inquired about tables for two, we were seated right away.  The people waiting were in groups of four or larger.  Not a fancy place, we were shoulder-to-shoulder with many family groups and young ladies out to lunch.  We sure did not expect to see such crowds today, so we were happy they had space for two of us. 

 

We ordered two draft beers called Birrificio Artigianalo and a Margherita pizza to share.  While waiting for the food, we noticed people around us enjoying appetizers of salads, fries, and deep-fried calamari.  The portions were generous, as were the plates of pasta.  Then each of these people received a pizza – one for each of them.  Wow.  And they ate every bite. The funny thing we noticed was that none of these folks were heavy.  Yes, some were younger, but many were retirement age.  Go figure.  Speaking for myself, if I even sniff a decadent dessert, I gain weight.  No fair…..

 

During our meal, a parade went by with people carrying religious banners and a small version of the Pope mobile.   We assume it was in honor of the Pope's passing today.  They even had a marching band drawing much attention from the row of restaurants.  Many diners swung their napkins as the procession passed by. 

 

Time to head back,  we walked the waterfront all the way back.  All we heard the entire way was impatient drivers beeping horns because it was bumper-to-bumper traffic.   Happy to get  back onboard, we sipped Cokes with ice and worked online and sat outside.  The weather was so nice, it was actually hot in the sun.   From our veranda, we could see the constant line of new guests arriving to the MSC monster ship. 

 

Dinnertime had some treats starting with Vietnamese spring rolls with Thai chili sauce.  One of us had the small shrimp cocktail, and the other had a tomato/mozzarella cheese salad.  Small  Caesar salads followed.  Mains were one stuffed pork loin with applesauce and one plate of a beef stew.  Both were good.  Dessert was one scoop of mango sorbet, and a small date pudding which needed ice cream. 

 

This evening there was a specialty dinner in the Pinnacle Grill hosted by Chef Ethan Stowell who prepared a 6 course dinner for $$$.

 

The entertainment was a performance by the singers and dancers with "Curtain Up". 

 

Ready or not….tomorrow's stop will be in Civitavecchia for the city of Rome.  

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

332 Pictures

Report # 109 Easter Sunday April 20, 2025 Sea Day In The Ionian Sea Mostly Sunny With Some Clouds 66 Degrees Calm Wind----Dressy Night

We needed this day at sea to recuperate from yesterday's adventure in Greece.   We had plenty to keep us busy with all of the pictures that were taken from our hike.

 

But first, we have to share a gift we received last night.  It was a tiny gift and only one of them.   Don't get your hopes up – it was a purple plastic Easter egg with miniature M&M's and a couple of gummy bears inside.  We had to laugh, recalling the days we used to get two chocolate Easter bunnies with extra foiled-covered chocolate Easter eggs.   And perhaps a card from the staff. 

 

We were not the only ones to question the "gift", as everyone at breakfast said the same thing.  We remember a fabulous Easter brunch that was held in the lower dining room.   We're talking food displays unlike anything you have ever seen anywhere else.  Towers of shrimp cocktails , lobsters, and lamb chops by the dozens, salads, bread designs, ice carvings, fruit & veggies carvings, and even a chocolate fountain with skewered fruit to dip in the sauce.  Every special dessert was at our fingertips.  Then we recall the time Barb took one of the two-foot high Easter bunnies used for decoration.  She brought it to dinner that night, and our waiter broke it into pieces to share with the table.  The extra chocolate left was donated to our waiters.   Those were the days……..   Oh well,  nothing lasts forever, does it?

 

Today began with an Easter Sunrise Service held in the Lido Pool area at 6am.  All faiths and denominations were invited.  We only know of one of our friends that attended, and she said it was really special.  It was cold, but better than standing at the aft pool where it was really breezy. 

 

There were two brunches – one in the dining room, and another smaller affair in the Pinnacle Grill for a price.  We still had our usual breakfast at 7:30am, although the brunch tables had many colors of bunny-shaped napkins.  Really cute. 

 

The day flew by as we sailed in calm waters towards our next port of Naples, Italy.  Captain Frank came on with his sea day talk, wishing everyone a most pleasant Easter (if it applied to you).  He also stated that we were doing 18 knots in seas 10,000 feet deep.  He planned on picking up the pilot near Naples tomorrow and be docked and cleared by 8am.    Today the weather was fine with temps in the mid 60's and little wind.   He expects the same 66 degrees in Naples a  bit warmer inland.     He seemed excited about approaching the Messina Straits, a body of water that in ancient times was considered extremely dangerous.  The changes in the temperature of the sea water causes turbulence that has sunk many ships of old.  We remember that the last time we sailed through these straits, the winds and seas were terrible.   Today, it was calm.  Go figure.  We had a 45 minute transit with a pilot passing Sicily and Mount Etna on one side, and the mainland of Italy on the other side.  At the northernmost point the channel narrows to 1 ½ miles wide.  All of this scenic cruising happened around 7pm.   There was a chance we might see Stromboli, another active volcano, but that would be closer to 9:30pm.   We did take some photos, but not sure how they will turn out.

 

Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle Grill.  It happened to be a "dressy" night to celebrate Easter.  The place was about full with many of the newly-embarked guests.  And starting tonight, the side menu dedicated to the area we are sailing had changed to the Mediterranean.  One of the special entrees was the grilled veal chop, so we were happy to order them.  We began with our usual salads with the bacon on the side.  Instead of using the board and rack to present the bacon, we asked for it to be on our salad plates.  This worked much better because they used a larger oval plate for both items.  And for once, the salad did not fall on the table like it usually does.   The veal chops were close to the size of their Tomahawk steaks and tasted even better than one of those.    We shared a baked potato with the toppings, and had a hard time finishing all of it.  Tina said there was a new dessert she thought we might like.  It was a chocolate cake layered with a vanilla mousse.  She was correct, we shared one and it was perfect. 

 

By the time we returned to our room, we saw what we believe to be Stromboli.  It did not appear to be smoking, but we think we got the location right.  We have seen this volcano when it was active, sailing past it in the darkness of night and also in the daytime.   

 

Ruben Vilagrand was the entertainer of this evening.  He is an illusionist with stand up comedy, musical magic, and fast escapes.  Our dinner ran overtime, so we missed the show. 

 

Got to rest up for a lovely day in Naples tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report # 108 Saturday April 19, 2025 Piraeus, Greece 7am-6pm Docked Port Side To Pier Sunny And Warm 75 Degrees 6mph Wind-----Casual Dress

Another day and another country.  This time it is Greece.  There are some words that best describe this country, and they are aquamarine coastlines, sun-bleached ruins, strong feta cheese, and even stronger ouzo.  The Greek people are passionate about politics, coffee, and gossiping – mostly the men that we hear loudly arguing over friendly coffee time gatherings.   With a population of 10.8 million folks that speak Greek, you can bet on having a great time touring this country. 

 

There is so much to see and do in and around the capital city of Athens, it would take a month instead of one day.  The most spectacular landmark has to be the Acropolis, the well-known hilltop site with ancient temples such as the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the museum.  You can also see the Old Olympic Stadium, Hadrian's Arch, and Temple of Zeus. 

 

Ship tours included the Acropolis, Cape Sounion, and a tour of Athens for 8 ½ hours and $200.  Ancient Agora Plaka  and Greek Mezedes for 4 hours cost $110.  There were some more excursions, but too many to list.

 

Other wonderful places to see are the outer islands such as Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Crete.  We have been lucky to have stops on these islands more than once.  One of the most unusual things happened when we were in a restaurant in Mykonos.   One of those giant Dalmatian pelicans wandered into the entrance of the café and begged for food.  Namely fish.  You have no idea how big these birds are until you see them up close.  He must have been six feet from beak to tail and stood 4 to 5 feet tall.  The owner shooed him away, and we said to each other, did we really see that?  Another one of those special moments to recall. 

 

Food is a big deal in Greece such as homemade tzatziki on gyros with soulaki grilling nearby.   The Greeks love eating out (so do we).  Seafood is the number one entrée, while fruit is traditionally served for dessert.  However, some of their specialties include baklava, doughnut balls with honey and cinnamon, and kataifi – a dessert with chopped nuts in angel-hair pastry.  Rice pudding, called rizogalo and custard-filled pastries are popular.  And a syrupy fruit preserve can be spooned over Greek yogurt, our favorite. 

 

The Zuiderdam arrived to the port of Piraeus, Greece, around 4am.  Except we were in a different spot than we used to be, which was Cruise Terminal 2.  It turns out that two other ships were docked where the Amsterdam used to dock and they were the Tui Discovery 2 from yesterday, and a Celestyal cruise ship, which we learned was the former Ryndam.  How about that?   Close to us was the Sun Princess, probably the largest of all of the cruise ships here today.   We had been forewarned that there may be a shortage of taxis today, due to the fact it was Holy Saturday and Easter tomorrow.  That was a concern for the number of folks that were disembarking today.  However, we noticed a line of taxis that numbered close to 100.  Oh well,  for those who worried about getting to the airport on time, HAL had a bus transfer that they could book.  Always a good alternate plan, even if it costs a bit more. 

 

Breakfast was served a half hour early in both the dining room and the Pinnacle Grill.  Even the Lido started at 5:30am, so the group leaving would not go hungry, heaven forbid.   And there is always the 24 hour room service, which we have not done even once on this cruise.  We watched the activity on the pier with the number of people leaving.  It seemed that the best laid plans don't always work.  The locals had other ideas as to the process, so it took longer than expected.  At least today was not a zero-clearance morning, so eventually it all worked out.   

 

We went off of the ship by 10:30am and went directly to the waiting shuttle that took us to the Municipality Theater in Piraeus.  It was about a 20-minute ride.  We were not all that far from where we usually dock, and we could have walked to the Marina Zea.    But by eliminating that part of the hike, we were able to make it further once we were at the Marina. 

 

The port city of Piraeus is often over-looked when it comes to touring.  Athens take the majority of the guests to their city and surrounding sites.  After seeing the Acropolis and the countryside numerous times, we decided to see what was closer to "home' for a change.  And that was several years ago when we met up with tablemates Susie, Woody and Barbie for a seaside Marina Zea lunch…quite by accident.  They had taken a taxi to this row of Marina restaurants while we had walked there.

 

Once again, the ship's map was useless as it only showed the sites in the city of Athens.  The Ho-Ho bus map was a bit better but still did not show street names.  Our best bet was doing a Google map search so we could remember the way to the marina from this shuttle stop.  It was easy, and it all came back to one of us the closer we got to the beautiful boat marina.  The streets were already getting crowded with local shoppers gathering the last-minute items for their Easter Day meal.  We have read somewhere, that Easter is the biggest annual holiday in the Greek Orthodox religion, as it is with the Catholic religion as well.  

 

The weather had started out on the windy side where we were docked, but eventually the winds died down leaving an almost cloudless blue sky.  The sun was most welcomed, and we really did not need the sweatshirt or vest we wore.  The temperature must have been at least 75 degrees or higher in protected areas.   Leaving the shuttle at the theater, we walked to the nearby church to take a peek on the inside.  There may have been a Holy Saturday service that just ended, and we did not want to disturb the parishioners.  Needless to say, this cathedral-like church was magnificent inside, but no photos were allowed.    We continued on our way downhill and turned on the right street that led to the Marina Zea. 

 

This marina is one of the most scenic ones in this area, and all of the highend yachts and sailboats are moored here, as well as small craft and older fishing boats.  Turning right at the water's edge, we made our way to the far end of the peninsula, crossing over a bridge to the row of very lovely seaside restaurants where we had by chance met our tablemates years ago.  Under this shoreline bridge were schools of fish by the hundreds.  Locals had tossed some old bread to them and they tore it to bits.  We did see a sign saying "no fishing", and the fish know it.  

 

It was still too early for our lunch, and it would be difficult for us to find a table in the shade by now.  Each venue was filled with mostly locals out for the day, and doing what they do best…..eating out with friends and family.   Most all of these restaurants featured fish and shellfish for their entrees, although it is quite normal to see many Italian eateries in between.  We sat for a while at the park where the street ended and the marina began.  Many little kids were out riding their bikes and scooters, while their parents sipped the strong coffees from nearby coffee cafes. 

 

From here, we backtracked all the way around the entire marina, but followed the lower walkway close to the boats.  Because of the nice weather, there was a lot of maintenance work happening like painting, polishing, and varnishing parts and pieces of every type of vessel here.   It was interesting watching the fishermen working on their nets or washing down their old wooden boats.  About the halfway mark, we went back up to the street and followed it uphill to our lunch destination if it wasn't too crowded. 

 

Locating one of the best pizza and pasta restaurants on this stretch, we had to keep going since all of the tables in the shade were occupied.   We would continue the search going all the way to the top of the hillside looking for a shady spot at a different café.  There were some tables available, but they did not serve pizza.  Still, it was worth the hike to get some fantastic photos of the Aegean Sea from the cliffs. 

 

Heading back downhill, we did stop at our favorite place because a table for 4 in the shade was empty.  What we failed to see was the small card that said "reserved".   Oops….the waitress came outside and said we could not sit there, so we chose to go inside the restaurant, which was much better.   We could have moved over to the adjacent table outside, but it was too close for our comfort.  We were the only guests inside the café, which suited us just fine.  We ordered two draft beers called Fischer along with a Romano pizza to share.  And just as we remembered, it was delicious with a perfect crust and tasty toppings of mozzarella cheese, thinly-sliced Parma ham, and plenty of tomato sauce.   "Rocket" was on the top, which was really arugula for color.   We added the only dessert they had available which was panna cotta….very good and not overly-sweet.  On a side note, the outside table was never occupied.

 

While we relaxed, we watched as to-go meals were handed out a side window to Uber motor scooter drivers.  What a great idea since there was no place for anyone to park a car. All of the high-rise apartments here had no dedicated parking, like a garage, so they resort to parking in the narrow streets.  Another reason why we see so many people walking.   Better for them too.

 

All aboard was 4:30pm, rather early for such an important  stop in Greece, but we made sure to watch our time.  From here, we made our way back to the bus stop, but waited for 20 minutes or more before the shuttle left.  The guide on the bus announced there was a problem at the terminal, and they were asked to hold us back here.  If he explained it further, we could not understand his broken English.  The good thing was that the driver kept the air-conditioning going, and everyone was comfortable. 

 

We got back to the terminal by 4pm with no problem, and went through their xray before boarding the ship.  We had hoped to purchase some cookies or biscuits along the way, but nothing was packaged for easy buying.    Not that we needed more food, but their cookies are shortbread and stuffed with dried fruit.  So good…..

 

Captain Frank came on with his talk around 5pm saying that we would be crossing the Ionian Sea heading towards the horn of Italy at the speed of 18 ½ knots.  He promised a talk about the Messina Straits tomorrow.  It was still 73 degrees outside with smooth seas and 1 ½ foot swell.  Tomorrow the temps will drop 10 degrees and higher winds.  Also the clocks would go back one hour tonight.  Perfect, we like that direction better.

 

Dinner for us was back in the dining room with starters of chicken orzo soup and soba noodle/shrimp salad.  One of us tried the cheese and avocado dip with tortilla chips….just like cheese nachos and good.  Mains were rigatoni with chicken and pork belly that is seldom served.  Also good.   Dessert was one scoop of orange sorbet, and one vanilla custard which looked just like panna cotta.   

 

The entertainer this evening was Miss Lauren Day, a singer with modern day tunes.  Wonder how many guests had the energy to attend?

 

A sea day tomorrow and also Happy Easter!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

292 Pictures